in the Church concerning Preachers Is it fit that only one or two speak or many more if moved thereto 1 Cor. 14.30 31 32 33. A. If any thing be Revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his Peace For ye may all prophesie one by one that all may learn and that all may be comforted And the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets for God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints Q. Is there any Promise that Daughters as well as Sons shall Prophesie under the Gospel Joel 2.28 A. And it shall come to pass afterwards that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie your old Men shall dream Dreams your young Men shall see Visions Q. Is that Promise fulfilled and to be fulfilled Acts â—â— 17. A. But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel and it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie and your Young men shall see Visions and your Old Men shall dream Dreams Q. Is there any such Instance of Old in the Scripture Acts 21.9 A. And the same Man had four Daughters Virgins which did prophesie Q. But may All Women speak or are any commanded to keep Silence in the Church 1 Cor. 14.34 35. A. Let your Women keep Silence in the Church for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under Obedience as also saith the Law And if they will learn any thing let them ask their Husbands at Home for it is a Shame for Women to speak in the Church 1 Tim. 2.11 12. Let the Woman learn in Silence with all Subjection But I suffer not a Woman to teach or usurp Authority over the Man but to be in Silence Q. The first of these seems only to relate to Women that have Husbands What comes of them that have none The second speaks nothing of the Church but only that she ought not to usurp Authority over the Man hath this no Limitation Doth not the same Apostle give Directions how Women that speak should behave themselves in the Church 1 Cor. 11.4 5. A. Every man Praying or Prophesying having his Head covered dishonoureth his Head But every Woman that Prayeth or Prophesieth with her Head uncovered dishonoureth her Head for that is even all one as if she were shaven CHAP. X. Concerning Worship Question WHat is the Worship that is Acceptable to God Answer But the Hour cometh and now is John 4.23 24. when the True Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Q. Seeing Prayer is a part of Worship when ought we to Pray A. And he spake a Parable unto them to this End Luke 18.1 That men ought Always to Pray and not to faint Pray without ceasing 1 Thes. 5.17 Q. Hath God no respect to the Manner of Calling upon him For there is no Difference between the Jew and the Greek Rom. 10.12 for the same Lord over all is Rich unto all that call upon him Q. Doth God hear the Prayers of all that call upon him A. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him Psal. 145.18 to all that call upon him in Truth The Lord is far from the Wicked Prov. 15.29 but he hears the Prayer of the Righteous Now we know that God heareth not Sinners John 9.38 but if any man be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth And this is the Confidence that we have in him 1 John 5.14 that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us Q After what Mannner doth the Apostle then declare he will Pray A. What is it then I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the Vnderstanding also I will sing with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14.15 and I will sing with the Vnderstanding also Q. Must we then pray always in the Spirit A. Praying always Ephes. 6.18 with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and Watching thereunto with all Preseverance and Supplication for all Saints Q. Since we are commanded to pray always in it can we do it of our selves without the Help thereof A. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought Rom. 8.26 27. but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be utter'd And he that searcheth the Hearts knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God Q. I perceive that without the Leadings and Help of the Spirit prayers are altogether unprofitable may not a man truly utter these things that are Spiritual without the Spirit 's Assistance A. Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus Accursed and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 18.3 Q. That is strange It seems the Spirit is much more necessary than many called Christians suppose it to be some of which can scarce give a good Account whether they have it or want it But if a man speak things true upon the Matter are they not true as from him if spoken without the Spirit Jer. 5.2 A. And though they say The Lord liveth surely they swear falsly Q. It is apparent from all these Scriptures that the True Worship of God is in Spirit and as it is not limited to a certain place neither to any certain time what shall we think of them that plead for the Observation of certain Days A. But now after that ye have known God or rather are known of God Gal. 4 9 10 11. how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly Elements whereunto ye desire again to be in Bondage Ye observe Days and Months and Times and Years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you Labour in vain Col. 2.16 17. Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or Drink or in respect of an Holy Day or of the New Moon or of the Sabbath Day which are a Shadow of things to come but the Body is of Christ. Q. Seeing it is so may not some Christians as lawfully esteem all Days alike as others may esteem some Days above another What Rule giveth the Apostle in this Case A. One man esteemeth one Day above another another esteemeth every Day alike Rom. 14.5 6. let every man be fully perswaded in his own Mind He that regardeth a Day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the Day to the Lord he doth not
preparing War against all such as put not in their Mouths teaching for Hire and divining for Money p Mich. 3.5 11. Nor yet of those which teach things which they ought not for filthy Lucre's sake q Tit. 1.11 That run greedily after the Error of Balaam for Reward loving the Wages of Vnrighteousness r 2 Pet. 2.15 And through Covetousness with feigned Words making Merchandise of Souls s 2 Pet. 2.3 Men of corrupt Minds destitute of the Truth supposing that Gain is Godliness t 1 Tim. 6.5 but they know that Godliness with Contentment is great Gain u 1 Tim 6 6. and having Food and Raiment they are therewith content x 1 Tim. 6.8 ARTICLE XVII Concerning Worship THe Hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him y John 4.23 God is a Spirit and they which worship must worship him in Spirit and in Truth z John 4 24. For the Lord is nigh to all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in Truth a Psal. 145.18 He is far from the wicked but he heareth the Prayer of the Righteous b Prov. 15.29 And this is the Confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us c 1 John 5.14 What is it then We must pray with the Spirit and with the Vnderstanding also d 1 Cor. 14.15 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the Heart knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God e Rom. 8.26 27. ARTICLE XVIII Concerning Baptism AS there is One Lord One Faith so there is One Baptism f Ephes. 4.5 which doth also now save us not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a Good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ g 1 Pet. 3.21 22. For John indeed baptized with Water but Christ with the Holy Ghost and with Fire h Matth. 3.1 Therefore as many as are baptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his Death and are buried with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father even so they also should walk in Newness of Life i Rom. 6.34 having put on Christ k Gal. 3.27 ARTICLE XIX Concerning Eating of Bread and Wine Washing of one anothers Feet Abstaining from things Strangled and from Blood and Anointing of the Sick with Oil. THe Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread and when he had given Thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you this do in Remembrance of me After the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood this do ye as oft as ye drink it in Remembrance of me For as oft as ye do eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lord's Death till he come l Cor. 11.23 24 25. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his Hands and that he was come from God and went to God he raiseth from Supper and laid aside his Garments and took a Towel and girded himself after that he poured Water into a Bason and began to wash the Disciples Feet and to wipe them with the Towel wherewith he was girded So after he had washed their Feet and had taken his Garments and set down again he said unto them Know ye what I have done unto you Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lord and Master have washed your Feet ye also ought to wash one anothers Feet For I have given you an Example that ye should do as I have done unto you m John 13 2 3 4 12 13 14 15. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater Burden than these Necessary Things That ye abstain from Meats offered to Idols from Blood and from things Strangled and from Fornication from which if ye keep your selves ye do well n Acts 15.28 29. Is any man sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them Pray over him Anointing him with Oil o James 5.14 ARTICLE XX. Concerning the Liberty of such Christians as are come to know the Substance as to the Vsing or not Vsing of these Rites and of the Observation of Days THe Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost p Rom. 14 17. Let no man therefore judge us in Meat or Drink or in Respect of an Holy-Day or of the New-Moon or the Sabbath-Days q Col. 2.16 For if we be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World why as though living in the World are We subject to Ordinances Let us not touch or taste or handle which all are to perish with the Using after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men r Col. 2.20 21 22. For now after we have known God or rather are known of him why should we turn again unto the Weak and Beggarly Elements or desire again to be in Bondage to observe Dayes and Months and Times and Years lest Labour have been bestowed on us in vain s Gal. 4.9 10 11. If one man esteem a Day above another another esteemeth every day alike let every man be fully perswaded in his own Mind He that regardeth a Day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the Day to the Lord he doth not regard it t Rom. 14.5 6. ARTICLE XXI Concerning Swearing Fighting and Persecution IT hath been said by them of Old Thou shalt not Forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths But Christ says unto us Swear not at all neither by Heaven for it is God's Throne nor by the Earth for it is his Foot-stool neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King neither shalt thou swear by thy Head because thou canst not make one Hair white or black But let your Communication be Yea Yea Nay Nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of Evil u Mat. 5 33 34 35 36 37. And James chargeth us Above all things not to swear neither by Heaven neither by the Earth neither by any other Oath but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay lest ye fall into Condemnation x Jam. 5.12 Though we walk in the Flesh we are not to War after the Flesh for the Weapons of our Warfare are not to be
from it and turn it to wantonness making shipwrack of Faith and after having tasted of the Heavenly Gift and being made partakers of the Holy Ghost again fall away Yet such an increase and stability in the Truth may in this life be attained from which there cannot be any Apostacy The Tenth Proposition Concerning the Ministry As by this Gift or Light of God all true Knowledge in things Spiritual is Received and Revealed so by the same as it is manifested and received in the heart by the strength and power thereof every true Minister of the Gospel is Ordained prepared and supplied in the Work of the Ministry and by the leading moving and drawing hereof ought every Evangelist and Christian Pastor to be led and ordered in his labour and work of the Gospel both as to the Place where as to the Person to whom and as to the Times when he is to Minister Moreover who have this Authority may and ought to Preach the Gospel though without humane Commission or Literature as on the other hand who want the Authority of this Divine Gift however Learned or Authorized by the Commissions of Men and Churches are to be esteemed but as Deceivers and not true Ministers of the Gospel Also who have received this holy and unspotted Gift as they have freely received so are they freely to give without Hire or Bargaining far less to use it as a Trade to get Money by it Matth. 10. Yet if God hath called any from their Imployments or Trades by which they acquire their Livelihood it may be lawful for such according to the Liberty which they feel given them in the Lord to receive such Temporals to wit what may be needful to them for Meat and Cloathing as are freely given them by those to whom they have Communicated Spirituals The Eleventh Proposition Concerning Worship All true and acceptable Worship to God is offered in the inward and immediate moving and drawing of his own Spirit which is neither limited to Places Times or Persons For though we be to Worship him always in that we are to fear before him yet as to the outward signification thereof in Prayers Praises or Preachings we ought not to do it where and when we will but where and when we are moved thereunto by the secret Inspirations of his Spirit in our hearts which God heareth and accepteth of and is never wanting to move us thereunto when need is of which he himself is the alone proper Judge All other Worship then both Praises Prayers and Preachings which man sets about in his own Will and at his own Appointment which he can both begin and end at his pleasure do or leave undone as himself sees meet whether they be a prescribed Form as a Liturgy or Prayers conceived Extemporarily by the natural strength and faculty of the mind they are all but Superstitions Will-worship and abominable Idolatry in the sight of God which are to be denied Ezek. 13. Matth. 10.20 Acts 2.4 18 5. rejected and separated from in this day of his Spiritual Arising however it might have pleased him who winked at the times of Ignorance with a respect to the simplicity and integrity of some John 3.6 4.21 and of his own Innocent Seed which lay as it were buried in the hearts of men under the Mass of Superstition To blow upon the dead and dry bones Jude 19. Acts 17.23 and to raise some Breathings and Answer them and that until the Day should more clearly dawn and break forth The Twelfth Proposition Concerning Baptism As there is one Lord and one Faith so there is one Baptism Eph. 4.5 1 Pet. 3.21 Rom. 6.4 Gal. 3.27 Col. 2.12 John 3.30 which is not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience before God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And this Baptism is a Pure and Spiritual thing to wit the Baptism of the Spirit and Fire by which we are buried with him that being washed and purged from our sins we may walk in Newness of Life 1 Cor. 1.17 Of which the Baptism of John was a figure which was Commanded for a Time and not to Continue for ever As to the Baptism of Infants it is a meer human Tradition for which neither Precept nor Practice is to be found in all the Scripture The Thirteenth Proposition Concerning the Communion or Participation of the body and blood of Christ. The Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is Inward and Spiritual which is the participation of this flesh and Blood 1 Cor. 10.16 17. John 6.32 33 55. 1 Cor. 5.8 by which the Inward man is daily nourished in the hearts of those in whom Christ dwells Of which things the breaking of Bread by Christ with his Disciples was a Figure which they even used in the Church for a time who had received the Substance for the Cause of the Weak even as Abstaining from things strangled and from blood Acts 15.20 the Washing one anothers feet and the Anointing of the Sick with Oil all which are Commanded with no less Authority and Solemnity than the former John 13.14 yet seeing they are but the shadows of better things James 5.14 they Cease in such as have obtained the Substance The Fourteenth Proposition Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Matters purely Religious and pertaining to the Conscience Since God hath assumed to himself the Power and Dominion of the Conscience who alone can rightly instruct and govern it therefore it is not lawful for any whatsoever Luke 9.55 56. Matth. 7.12 29. Tit. 3.10 by virtue of any Authority or Principality they bear in the Government of this World To force the Consciences of others And therefore all Killing Banishing Fining Imprisoning and other such things which men are Afflicted with for the alone Exercise of their Conscience or difference in Worship or Opinion proceedeth from the Spirit of Cain the Murtherer and is contrary to the Truth Providing always that no Man under the pretence of Conscience prejudice his Neighbour in his Life or Estate or do any thing destructive to or inconsistent with Human Society in which Case the Law is for the Transgressor and Justice is to be administred upon all without Respect of Persons The Fifteenth Proposition Concerning Salutations and Recreations c. Seeing the Chief End of all Religion is To Redeem Man from the Spirit and vain Conversation of this World and to lead into inward Communion with God before whom if we Fear always we are accounted Happy Eph. 5.11 1 Pet. 1.14 John 5.44 Jer. 10.3 Acts 10.26 Matth. 15.13 Col. 2.8 Therefore all the vain Customs and Habits thereof both in word and deed are to be rejected and forsaken by those who come to this Fear Such as the Taking off the Hat to a Man the Bowings and Cringings of the Body and other such Salutations of that kind with all the foolish and superstitious
who covet no man's silver gold or garments who seek no man's goods but seek them and the Salvation of their Souls whose hands supply their own necessities working honestly for Bread to themselves and their Families And if at any time they be called of God so as the Work of the Lord hinder them from the use of their Trades take what is freely given them by such to whom they have communicated Spirituals and having Food and Raiment are therewith content Such were the holy Prophets and Apostles as appears from Matth. 10.8 Act. 20.33 34 35. 1 Tim. 6.8 5. But the Ministers our Adversaries plead for are such as not having freely received will not freely give but are Covetous doing that which they ought not for filthy lucre's sake as to preach for Hire and divine for Money and look for their gain from their Quarter and prepare War against such as put not into their Mouths c. Greedy dogs which can never have enough Shepherds who feed themselves and not the flock eating the fat and cloathing themselves with the Wool making Merchandize of Souls and following the Way of Balaam that loved the Wages of Vnrighteousness Such were the false Prophets and Apostles Isa. 56.11 Ezech. 34.2 3 8. Mic. 3.5 11. Tit. 1.10 11. 2 Pet. 2. verses 1 2 3 14 15. And in a word We are for a holy Spiritual pure and living Ministry True Ministers Life and Qualification where the Ministers are both called qualified and ordered acted and influenced in all the steps of their Ministry by the Spirit of God which being wanting we judge they Cease to be the Ministers of Christ. But they judging this Life Grace and Spirit no Essential part of their Ministry are therefore for the upholding of an humane carnal dry barren fruitless and dead Ministry of which alas we have seen the fruits in the most part of their Churches of whom that saying of the Lord is certainly verified Jer. 23.32 I sent them not nor commanded them therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the LORD PROPOSITION XI Prop. 11 Concerning Worship All true and acceptable Worship to God is offered in the inward and immediate moving and drawing of his own Spirit What the true Worship is that is Acceptable to God which is neither limited to places times nor persons For though we be to worship him always and that we are continually to Fear before him yet as to the outward signification thereof in Prayers Praises or Preachings we ought not to do it in our own will where and when we will but where and when we are moved thereunto by the stirring and secret Inspiration of the Spirit of God in our hearts How to be performed which God heareth and accepteth of and is never wanting to move us thereunto when need is of which he himself is the alone proper Judge All other Worship then both praises prayers or preachings Superstition and Will-worship which man sets about in his own Will and at his own Appointment which he can both begin and end at his pleasure do or leave undone as himself seeth meet whether they be a prescribed Form as a Liturgy c. or prayers conceived extempore by the natural strength and faculty of the mind they are all but Superstitions Will-Worship and abominable Idolatry in the sight of God Idolatry which are now to be denied and rejected and separated from in this day of his Spiritual Arising However it might have pleased him who winked at the Times of Ignorance with a respect to the Simplicity and Integrity of some and of his own innocent Seed which lay as it were buried in the hearts of men under that Mass of Superstition to blow upon the dead and dry bones and to raise some Breathings of his own and Answer them and that until the Day should more clearly dawn and break forth § I. THE Duty of man towards God lieth chiefly in these Two Generals 1. In an holy Conformity to the pure Law and Light of God so as both to forsake the evil and be found in the practice of these perpetual and moral precepts of righteousness and equity And 2. In rendering that Reverence Honour and Adoration to God that he requires and demands of us which is comprehended under Worship Of the former we have already spoken as also of the different Relations of Christians as they are distinguished by the several measures of Grace received and given to every one and in that respect have their several Offices in the body of Christ which is the Church Now I come to speak of Worship or of those Acts whether private or publick general or particular whereby man renders to God that part of his Duty which relates immediately to him And as Obedience is better than Sacrifice so neither is any Sacrifice acceptable but that which is done according to the Will of him to whom it is offered But men finding it Easier to sacrifice in their own wills than obey God's Will have heaped up Sacrifices without Obedience and thinking to deceive God as they do one another True Worship and Duty to God-ward Corrupted give him a shew of Reverence Honour and Worship while they are both inwardly estranged and alienated from his holy and righteous life and wholly strangers to the pure Breathings of his Spirit in which the acceptable Sacrifice and Worship is only offered up Hence it is that there is not any thing relating to Man's Duty towards God which among all sorts of people hath been more Vitiated and in which the Devil hath more prevailed than in abusing man's mind concerning this thing and as among many others so among those called Christians nothing hath been more out of order and more Corrupted as some Papists and all Protestants do acknowledge As I freely Approve whatsoever the Protestants have Reformed from Papists in this respect so I meddle not at this time with their Controversies about it only it suffices me with them to deny as no part of the true Worship of God that abominable Superstition and Idolatry the Popish Mass The Popish Mass Idolatry deny'd with all their Trumpery the Adoration of Saints and Angels the Veneration of Relicks the Visitation of Sepulchres and all these other superstitious Ceremonies Confraternities and endless Pilgrimages of the Romish Synagogue Which all may suffice to Evince to Protestants that Anti-Christ hath wrought more in this than in any other part of the Christian Religion and so it concerns them narrowly to Consider whether herein they have made a clear and perfect Reformation If Protestants have made a perfect Reformation as to which stands the Controversie betwixt them and us For we find many of the branches lopped off by them but the Root yet remaining to wit a Worship acted in and from man's will and spirit and not by and from the Spirit of God for the true Christian and Spiritual Worship of God hath been so
neither doth his Worship consist in it or need either the Wisdom Glory Riches or Splendor of this World to beautify or adorn it nor yet the outward Power or Arm of flesh to maintain uphold or protect it but it is and may be performed by those that are spiritually minded notwithstanding all Opposition Violence and Malice of men because it being purely Spiritual it is out of the reach of Natural men to interrupt or molest it Even as Jesus Christ the Author thereof did enjoy and possess his Spiritual Kingdom while oppressed persecuted and rejected of men and as in despite of the Malice and Rage of the Devil he spoiled principalities and powers Triumphing over them and through death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil so also all his Followers both can and do Worship him Col. 2.15 not only without the Arm of flesh to protect them but even when oppressed For their Worship being Spiritual is by the Power of the Spirit defended and maintained but such Worships as are carnal and consist in carnal and outward Ceremonies and Observations Carnal Worships cannot stand without the Arm of Flesh. need a Carnal and outward Arm to protect them and defend them else they cannot stand and subsist And therefore it appears that the several Worships of our Opposers both Papists and Protestants are of this kind and not the true Spiritual and New Covenant-worship of Christ because as hath been observed they cannot stand without the Protection or Countenance of the outward Magistrate neither can be performed if there be the least Opposition For they are not in the Patience of Jesus to serve and worship him with sufferings ignominies calumnies and reproaches And from hence have sprung all those Wars Fightings and Blood-shed among Christians while each by the Arm of flesh endeavoured to defend and protect their own Way and Worship and from this also sprung up that Monstrous Opinion of Persecution of which we shall speak more at length hereafter § XV. But Fourthly The Nature of this Worship IV. True Worship in Spirit Establisht by Christ. which is performed by the Operation of the Spirit the Natural man being silent doth appear from these words of Christ Joh. 4.23 24. But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth This Testimony is the more specially to be observed for that it is both the first chiefest and most ample Testimony which Christ gives us of his Christian Worship as different and contradistinguished from that under the Law For first he sheweth that the Season is now come wherein the Worship must be in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to Worship him so then it is no more a Worship consisting in outward Observations to be performed by man at set Times or Opportunities which he can do in his own will and by his own natural strength for else it would not differ in Matter but only in some Circumstances from that under the Law Next as for a Reason of this Worship we need not to give any other and indeed none can give a better than that which Christ giveth The Reason Christ gives for a Worship in Spirit which I think should be sufficient to satisfy every Christian to wit GOD is a SPIRIT and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth As this ought to be received because it is the words of Christ so also it is founded upon so clear a Demonstration of Reason as sufficiently evidenceth its Verity For Christ excellently argues from the Analogy that ought to be betwixt the Object and the Worship directed thereunto God is a Spirit Arg. Therefore he must be worshipped in Spirit This is so certain that it can suffer no Contradiction yea and this Analogy is so necessary to be minded that under the Law when God instituted and appointed that Ceremonial Worship to the Jews because that Worship was Outward that there might be an Analogy he saw it necessary to Condescend to them as in a special manner to dwell betwixt the Cherubims within the Tabernacle and afterwards to make the Temple of Jerusalem in a sort his habitation and cause something of an outward Glory and Majesty to appear by causing Fire from Heaven to consume the Sacrifices The Glory of the Outward Temple and filling the Temple with a Cloud Through and by which Mediums Visible to the outward Eye he manifested himself proportionably to that outward Worship which he had Commanded them to perform So now under the New Covenant he seeing meet in his heavenly Wisdom to lead his Children in a path more Heavenly and Spiritual and in a Way both more easie and familiar and also purposing to disappoint Carnal and Outward Observations that his may have an Eye more to an Inward Glory and Kingdom than to an Outward he hath given us for an Example hereof the Appearance of his Beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ who instead that Moses delivered the Israelites out of their outward Bondage Like Moses did from Outward so Christ delivers his from Inward Slavery and by outwardly destroying their Enemies hath delivered and doth deliver us by suffering and dying by the hands of his Enemies thereby Triumphing over the Devil and his and our inward Enemies and delivering us therefrom He hath also instituted an Inward and Spiritual Worship so that God now tieth not his people to the Temple of Jerusalem nor yet unto outward Ceremonies and Observations but taketh the Heart of every Christian for a Temple to dwell-in and there immediately appeareth and giveth him directions how to serve him in any outward Acts Since as Christ argueth God is a Spirit he will now be Worshipped in the Spirit where he reveals himself and dwelleth with the Contrite in heart Now since it is the Heart of Man that now is become the Temple of God in which he will be Worshipped and no more in particular Outward Temples since as blessed Stephen said out of the Prophet to the professing Jews of old The Most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands as before the Glory of the Lord descended to fill the outward Temple it behoved to be purified and cleansed and all polluted stuff removed out of it yea and the place for the Tabernacle was overlaid with Gold the most precious clean and clearest of Metals so also before God be Worshipped in the Inward Temple of the Heart it must also be purged of its own filth and all its own Thoughts and Imaginations that so it may be fit to receive the Spirit of God and to be acted by it and doth not this directly lead us to that Inward Silence of which we have spoken and exactly pointed out And further This Worship must be in
Clemens Alexandrinus saith That Christ compared himself to a Grain of Mustard-Seed in his inward Appearance in Mens Hearts Alex. Shir. The Seed is not a Substantial Principle because it is the Manifestation of God But the Manifestation of God is not a Substantial Principle but Accidental G. K. That may be Substantial or a Substance which in another Respect is Accidental as Gold is a Substance so Silver Houses Lands are Substances but they are Accidental to me because I may want them Al. Shir. He saith his Seed is a Substance or Substantial Principle G. K. This is an Abuse I speak not of my Seed or the Seed of Man but of the Seed of God in Men. A. Shir. I prove that Manifestation is not a Substance R. B. That brings us again into a Philosophical Debate which is here to be avoided J. L. I prove that Manifestation is not Created Whatsoever is of God is God But This Manifestation is of God Therefore it is God G. K. Take notice of this Young-Man's Blasphemy for if whatsoever is of God be God then all the Creatures are God as Stones Horses c. for the Scripture says Of him and through him and to him are all things Here the Students made a Noise and fell a laughing to cover this Some of them speaking irreverently of God G. K. I beseech you yea I charge you all in God's Fear that when you speak of that Holy and Dreadful Being ye do it with Fear and Reverence A Shir. Ye say then This Seed is God in a Manifestation I prove it is not That is not God which can be measured in Measures and can grow from a lesser Measure to a greater can be formed and grow up in Men. But God cannot be measured in Measures nor grow c. Therefore this Seed is not God in a Manifestation G. K. After he had repeated the Argument I answer God as in himself or as in his own Being cannot be measured or grow up it is true but as in respect of his Manifestation quoad nos or as to us that is to say as he comes forth as to us discovering himself He or his Spirit may be said to have Measures And this I shew from Scripture As where it is said in John concerning Christ God gave not the Spirit by Measure unto him implying he gave it forth in Measures unto others And where Elisha said unto Elijah Let a double Portion of thy Spirit be upon me J. L. He saith God cometh forth into the Creatures I prove he cannot come forth into the Creatures because he is in himself G. K. He doth come forth into the Creatures and yet is still In himself for he is not limited as Creatures are who go from one Place to another but he is In all Creatures and In himself also But this Young-Man as I perceived by him the other Day is a Nullibist in his Opinion as they term them so that according to his Principle the Soul of John Lesly is as much in France even now as in his Body or in this Place that is to say neither here nor there But herein I speak according to Scripture-Words which saith God boweth the Heavens and cometh down Yet not that he leaveth his own Being but it is spoken after the Manner of Men who is every where in all his Creatures but manifesteth himself in several Measures unto them Al. Shir. There is nothing in the Seed but God therefore God in his own Being is measured forth according to the Quakers Doctrine for the Seed is nothing but God and his Manifestation G. K. The Manifestation is in it self and not out of it self Can Al. Shir. be out of himself or can any thing be out of it self R. B. If some of them be not without themselves it is like they are beside themselves G. K. In a moral way of Speaking when a Man is as a Mad-man or beside his Purpose he is beside himself Upon this the Students fell to debate among themselves Whether they should prosecute the Argument or not some being for it and some against it And those who were for it boasting of their Advantage G. K. I see no Strength in your Reasoning to Glory in it hath not the Strength of a Cobweb but if you think it hath produce it and if any more Water remain in your Bottle bring it out A. Shir. Yea we have Water enough yet in our Bottle to quench your Spirit R. B. Come on with it then We will go from this to the Eleventh Thesis which R. B. read cut and is as followeth All true and acceptable Worship to God is offered in the inward and immediate Moving and Drawing of his own Spirit which is neither limited to Places Times or Persons For though we be to Worship him always in that we are to fear before him yet as to the outward Signification thereof in Prayer Praises or Preachings we ought not to do it where and when we will but where and when we are moved thereunto by the secret Inspirations of his Spirit in our Hearts which God heareth and accepteth of and is never wanting to move us thereunto when need is of which he himself is the alone proper Judge All other Worship then both Praises Prayers and Preachings which Man sets about in his own Will and at his own Appointment which he can both begin and end at his Pleasure do or leave undone as himself sees meet whether they be a Prescribed Form as a Lyturgy or Prayers conceived ex tempore by the Natural Strength and Faculty of the Mind they are all but Superstition Will-worship and abominable Idolatry in the sight of God which are to be denied rejected and separated from in this Day of his Spiritual Arising However it might have pleased him who winked at the Times of Ignorance with a respect to the Simplicity and Integrity of some and his own Innocent Seed which lay as it were buried in the Hearts of Men under that Mass of Superstition to blow upon the dead and dry Bones and to raise some Breathings and answer them and that until the Day should more clearly dawn and break forth Al. Sh. By this Thesis ye affirm That no Man ought to go about any Duty without a particular Impulse of the Spirit R. B. Impulse is not a Word used by me but an obscure Word therefore say Inspiration or Influence Al. Sh. Either this Inspiration ye have it in all things or in some things Chuse you whether R. B. We have it in these things relating to our Duties of Worship towards God A. Sh. This contradicts G. K. who in his Book of Immediate Revelation saith That in all things whatsoever we ought to have an Inspiration of the Spirit for the doing of the same otherwise we cannot do in Faith R. B. This is another Digression and going from the purpose for the Question is not How far I contradict another but what in Reason ye can say against what
purpose to make a long digression concerning the Debates among Protestants concerning the first day of the Week commonly called the Lord's day yet forasmuch as it comes fitly in here I shall briefly signifie our sense thereof § IV. We not seeing any ground in Scripture for it Of the first day of the Week commonly called the Lord's Day cannot be so superstitious as to believe that either the Jewish Sabbath now continues or that the First Day of the Week is the Anti-Type thereof or the true Christian Sabbath which with Calvin we believe to have a more Spiritual sense and therefore we know no moral Obligation by the fourth Command or elsewhere to keep the first day of the Week more as any other or any Holiness Inherent in it But first forasmuch as it is most necessary that there be some Time set apart for the Saints to Meet together to Wait upon God and that secondly it is fit at some times they be freed from their other outward Affairs and that Thirdly Reason and Equity doth allow that servants and beasts have some time allowed them to be eased from their continual labour and that fourthly it appears that the Apostles and primitive Christians did use the First Day of the Week for these purposes We find our selves sufficiently moved for these Causes to do so also without superstitiously straining the Scriptures for another Reason which that it is not to be there found many Protestants yea Calvin himself upon the fourth Command hath abundantly evinced And though we therefore Meet and abstain from Working upon this day yet doth not that hinder us from having Meetings also for Worship at other Times § V. Thirdly Though according to the Knowledge of God revealed unto us by the Spirit through that more full Dispensation of Light which we believe the Lord hath brought about in this day we judge it our duty to hold forth that Pure and Spiritual Worship which is acceptable to God and answerable to the Testimony of Christ and his Apostles and likewise to Testify against and deny not only manifest Superstition and Idolatry but also all formal Will-worship which stands not in the Power of God yet I say we do not deny the whole Worship of all those The Worship in th' Apostasy that have born the Name of Christians even in the Apostasy as if God had never heard their prayers nor accepted any of them God forbid we should be so void of Charity The latter part of the Proposition sheweth the Contrary And as we would not be so Absurd on the one hand to conclude because of the Errors and Darkness that many were covered and surrounded with in Babylon that none of their Prayers were heard or accepted of God so will we not be so unwary on the other as to conclude that because God heard and pityed them so we ought to continue in these Errors and Darkness and not come out of Babylon when it is by God discovered unto us The Popish Mass and Vespers I do believe to be The Popish Mass and Vespers Bernard and Bonavent Taulerus Thomas à Kempis have tasted of the Love of God as to the matter of them Abominable Idolatry and Superstition and so also believe the Protestants yet will either I or they affirm that in the darkness of Popery no upright-hearted men though zealous in these Abominations have been heard of God or accepted of him Who can deny but that both Bernard and Bonaventur Taulerus Thomas à Kempis and divers others have both known and tasted of the love of God and felt the Power and Vertue of God's Spirit working with them for their Salvation And yet ought we not to forsake and deny those Superstitions which they were found in The Calvinistical Presbyterians do much upbraid and I say not without Reason the formality and deadness of the Episcopalian and Lutheran Liturgies The Bishops Liturgy and yet as they will not deny but there have been some good men among them so neither dare they refuse but that when that good step was brought in by them of turning the publick prayers into the vulgar Tongues though continued in a Liturgy it was acceptable to God and sometimes accompanied with his Power and Presence yet will not the Presbyterians have it from thence concluded that the Common-Prayers should still continue so likewise though we should confess that through the mercy and wonderful Condescension of God there have been Vpright in heart both among Papists and Protestants yet can we not therefore Approve of their Way in the general or not go on to the upholding of that Spiritual Worship which the Lord is calling all to and so to the testifying against whatsoever stands in the way of it § VI. Fourthly To come then to the State of the Controversy as to the Publick Worship Assemblies of Worship in publick described we judge it the Duty of all to be diligent in the Assembling of themselves together and what we have been and are in this matter our Enemies in Great Britain who have used all means to hinder our Assembling together to worship God may bear witness And when Assembled the great Work of one and all ought to be to Wait upon God and returning out of their own Thoughts and Imaginations to feel the Lord's Presence and know a gathering into his Name indeed where he is in the midst according to his Promise And as every one is thus gathered and so Met together inwardly in their spirits as well as outwardly in their persons there the secret Power and Vertue of Life is known to refresh the Soul and the pure motions and breathings of God's Spirit are felt to arise from which as words of Declaration prayers or praises arise the acceptable Worship is known which edifies the Church and is well-pleasing to God And no man here limits the Spirit of God nor bringeth forth his own cunned and gathered Stuff but every one puts that forth It s Glorious Dispensation which the Lord puts into their hearts and it 's uttered forth not in man's Will and Wisdom but in the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power Yea though there be not a word spoken yet is the true Spiritual Worship performed and the Body of Christ edified yea it may and hath often fall'n out among us that divers Meetings have past without one word and yet our Souls have been greatly edified and refreshed and our hearts wonderfully overcome with the secret sense of God's Power and Spirit which without words hath been ministred from one Vessel to another This is indeed strange and incredible to the meer natural and carnally-minded men who will be apt to judge all time lost where there is not something spoken that 's obvious to the outward senses and therefore I shall insist a little upon this subject as one that can speak from a Certain Experience and not by meer hear-say of this wonderful and glorious
God's Spirit go about either in his understanding to imagine conceive or think of the things of God or actually to perform them by preaching or praying The first is a missing both in Matter and Form The second is a retaining of the Form without the Life and Substance of Christianity True Christianity wherein it not consists because Christian Religion consisteth not in a meer belief of true Doctrines or a meer performance of Acts good in themselves or else the bare letter of the Scripture though spoken by a Drunkard or a Devil might be said to be Spirit and Life which I judge none will be so absurd as to affirm and also it would follow that where the Form of Godliness is there the Power is also which is contrary to the express words of the Apostle For the Form of Godliness cannot be said to be where either the Notions and Opinions believed are erroneous and ungodly or the Acts performed evil and wicked for then it would be the Form of Vngodliness and not of Godliness But of this further hereafter when we shall speak particularly of preaching and praying Now though this last be not so bad as the former yet hath it made way for it for men having first departed from the Life and Substance of true Religion and Worship to wit from the inward Power and Vertue of the Spirit so as therein to act and thereby to have all their actions enlivened have only retained the Form and Shew to wit the true words and appearance and so acting in their own natural and unrenewed Wills in this Form the Form could not but quickly decay and be vitiated For the working and active Spirit of man could not contain it self within the simplicity and plainness of Truth but giving way to his own numerous Inventions and Imaginations began to vary in the Form and adapt it to his own Inventions until by degrees the Form of Godliness for the most part came to be lost Idolatry does hug his own Conceivings as well as the Power For this kind of Idolatry whereby man loveth idolizeth and huggeth his own Conceptions Inventions and Product of his own Brain is so incident unto him and seated in his fall'n Nature that so long as his natural Spirit is the first Author and Actor of him and is that by which he only is guided and moved in his Worship towards God so as not first to Wait for another Guide to direct him he can never perform the pure Spiritual Worship nor bring forth any thing but the fruit of the first fall'n natural and corrupt Root Wherefore the time appointed of God being come wherein by Jesus Christ he hath been pleased to restore the true Spiritual Worship and the outward Form of Worship No Form of Worship but the Spirit is prescrib'd by Christ. which was appointed by God to the Jews and whereof the manner and time of its performance was particularly determined by God himself being come to an end we find that Jesus Christ the Author of the Christian Religion prescribes no set Form of Worship to his Children under the more pure administration of the New Covenant * If any object here That the Lord's Prayer is a prescribed Form of Prayer and therefore of Worship given by Christ to his Children I answer First This cannot be objected by any sort of Christians that I know because there are none who use not other Prayers or that limit their Worship to this Secondly This was commanded to the Disciples while yet Weak before they had received the dispensation of the Gospel not that they should only use it in praying but that he might shew them by one Example how that their Prayers ought to be short and not like the long Prayers of the Pharisees And that this was the Vse of it appears by all the Prayers which divers Saints afterwards made use of whereof the Scripture makes mention for none made use of this neither repeated it but used other words according as the thing required and as the Spirit gave utterance Thirdly That this ought so to be understood appears from Rom 8.26 of which afterwards mention shall be made at greater length where the Apostle saith We know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us c. But if this Prayer had been such a prescribed Form of Prayer to the Church that had not been true neither had they been Ignorant what to pray nor should they have needed the help of the Spirit to teach them save that he only tells them that the Worship now to be performed is Spiritual and in the Spirit And it 's especially to be observed that in the whole New Testament there is no Order nor Command given in this thing but to follow the Revelations of the Spirit save only that general of Meeting together a thing dearly owned and diligently practised by us as shall hereafter more appear True it is mention is made of the Duties of Praying Preaching and Singing Pray Preach and Sing in Spirit but what Order or Method should be kept in so doing or that presently they should be set about so soon as the Saints are gathered there is not one word to be found yea these Duties as shall afterwards be made appear are always annexed to the assistance leadings and motions of God's Spirit Since then man in his natural state is thus excluded from acting or moving in things Spiritual To Wait on God by what it is performed how or what way shall he exercise this first and previous duty of Waiting upon God but by Silence and by bringing that natural part to silence Which is no other ways but by abstaining from his own Thoughts and Imaginations and from all the self-workings and motions of his own Mind as well in things materially good as evil that he being silent God may speak in him and the Good Seed may arise This tho' hard to the natural man is so answerable to Reason and even natural Experience in other things that it cannot be denied He that cometh to learn of a Master if he expect to hear his Master A Simile of a Master and his Scholar and be instructed by him must not continually be speaking of the matter to be taught and never be quiet otherwise how shall his Master have time to instruct him Yea though the Scholar were never so earnest to learn the Science yet would the Master have Reason to Reprove him as untoward and indocile if he would always be meddling of himself and still speaking and not Wait in silence patiently to hear his Master instructing and teaching him who ought not to open a mouth until by his Master he were commanded and allowed so to do So also if one were about to Attend a great Prince Of a Prince and his Servant he would be thought an impertinent and imprudent Servant who while he ought patiently and
Reformation and displeased many as the Author of the History of the Council of Trent in his first book well observes But now I hasten to the Objections of our Adversaries against this Method of Praying § XXV First They Object That if such particular Influences were Object I needful to outward Acts of Worship then they should also be needful to inward Acts as to wait desire and love God But this is absurd Therefore also that from whence it follows I answer That which was said in the State of the Controversy Answ. cleareth this because as to those general Duties there never wants an Influence so long as the Day of a man's Visitation lasteth during which time God is alwaies near to him and wrestling with him by his Spirit to turn him to himself so that if he do but stand still and cease from his evil thoughts the Lord is near to help him c. But as to the outward Acts of Prayer they need a more special Motion and Influence as hath been proved Secondly they Object That it might be also alledged that men ought not Object II to do Moral Duties as Children to honour their Parents men to do right to their Neighbours except the Spirit moved them to it I Answer Answ. there is a great difference betwixt these general Dutys betwixt man and man and the particular express Acts of Worship towards God these are meerly Spiritual and commanded by God to be performed by his Spirit the other answer their End as to them whom they are immediately directed to and concern though done from a meer natural Principle of Self-love even as Beasts have natural Affections one to another and therefore may be thus performed Though I shall not deny but that they are not Works accepted of God or beneficial to the Soul but as they are done in the fear of God and in his blessing in which his Children do all things and therefore are Accepted and Blessed in whatsoever they do Object III Thirdly they Object That if a wicked man ought not to pray without a Motion of the Spirit because his prayer would be sinful neither ought he to plough by the same reason Prov. 21.4 because the ploughing of the wicked as well as his praying is sin Answ. This Objection is of the same nature with the former and therefore may be answered the same way seeing there is a great difference betwixt Natural Acts How Acts of Nature differ from the Spirit 's such as eating drinking sleeping and seeking for sustenance for the body which things man hath common with beasts and Spiritual Acts. And it doth not follow because man ought not to go about Spiritual acts without the Spirit that therefore he may not go about Natural acts without it The Analogy holds better thus and that for the proof of our Affirmation That as man for the going about Natural acts needs his Natural Spirit so to perform Spiritual acts he needs the Spirit of God That the Natural acts of the wicked and unregenerate are Sinful is not denied though not as in themselves but in so far as man in that State is in all things Reprobated in the sight of God Object IV Fourthly they Object That wicked men may according to this doctrine forbear to Pray for years together alledging they want a Motion to it Answ. I Answer The false pretences of Wicked men do nothing invalidate the Truth of this Doctrine for at that rate there is no Doctrine of Christ which men might not turn by That they ought not to Pray without the Spirit is granted but then they ought to come to that place of Watching That wicked Men neglect the Motions of the Spirit to Pray where they may be capable to feel the Spirit 's Motion They Sin indeed in not Praying but the Cause of this Sin is their not Watching So their neglect proceeds not from this doctrine but from their disobedience to it seeing if they did Pray without this it would be a double sin and no fulfilling of the Command to Pray nor yet would their Prayer without this Spirit be useful unto them And this our Adversaries are forced to acknowledge in another case for they say It is a duty incumbent on Christians to frequent the Sacrament of the Lord's supper as they call it Yet they say No man ought to take it unworthily yea they plead that such as find themselves unprepared must abstain and therefore do usually Excommunicate them from the Table Now though according to them it be necessary to partake of this Sacrament yet it is also necessary that those that do it do first Examine themselves lest they Eat and Drink their own Condemnation and though they reckon it sinful for them to forbear yet they account it more sinful for them to do it without this Excommunication Object V Fifthly they Object Acts 8.22 where Peter commanded Simon Magus that wicked Sorcerer to Pray from thence inferring That wicked men may and ought to Pray Answ. I Answer That in the citing of this place as I have often observed they Omit the first and chiefest part of the verse which is thus Acts 8. v. 22. The Sorcerer may Pray but not without Repentance Repent therefore of this thy Wickedness and Pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee So here he bids him first Repent now the least measure of true Repentance cannot be without somewhat of that inward Retirement of the Mind which we speak of and indeed where true Repentance goeth first we do not doubt but the Spirit of God will be near to Concur with and Influence such to Pray to and Call upon God And Lastly they Object That many Prayers begun without the Spirit have proved effectual and that the Prayers of wicked men have been heard and Object IV found acceptable as Achab's This Objection was before solved Answ. for the Acts of God's Compassion and Indulgence at some times and to some persons upon singular extraordinary occasions are not to be a Rule of our Actions For if we should make that the Measure of our Obedience great Inconveniencies would follow as is evident and will be acknowledged by all Next we do not deny but Wicked men are sensible of the Motions and Operations of God's Spirit often-times before their Day be expired from which they may at times Pray acceptably not as remaining altogether Wicked but as entring into piety from whence they afterwards fall away § XXVI As to the singing of Psalms there will not be need of any long Discourse for that the Case is just the same as in the Two former of Preaching and Prayer We confess this to be a part of God's Worship Of Singing Psalms and very sweet and refreshful when it proceeds from a true sense of God's love in the heart and arises from the Divine Influence of the Spirit which leads Souls to breath forth either a sweet Harmony A Sweet
harmonious Sound or words suitable to the present Condition whether they be words formerly used by the Saints and recorded in Scripture such as the Psalms of David or other words as were the Hymns and Songs of Zacharias Simeon and the blessed Virgin Mary But as for the formal Customary Way of singing But formal Singing has no Scripture-Ground it hath in Scripture no foundation nor any Ground in true Christianity yea besides all the Abuses incident to Prayer and Preaching it hath this more peculiar that often-times great and horrid lies are said in the sight of God For all manner of wicked Profane Singing of David's Conditions Rejected profane people take upon them to personate the Experiences and Conditions of blessed David which are not only false as to them but also as to some of more Sobriety who utter them forth As where they will sing sometimes Psal. 22.14 My heart is like wax it is melted in the midst of my bowels And verse 15. My Strength is dried up like a pot-sherd and my Tongue cleaveth to my Jaws and thou hast brought me into the dust of death And Psal. 6.6 I am weary with my groanings all the night make I my bed to swim I water my Couch with my tears And many more which those that speak know to be false as to them And sometimes will confess just after in their Prayers that they are Guilty of the Vices opposite to those Vertues which but just before they have asserted themselves Endued with Who can suppose that God accepts of such Jugling And indeed such Singing doth more please the Carnal Ears of Men than the pure Ears of the Lord who abhors all Lying and Hypocrisy That Singing then that pleaseth him must proceed from that which is PVRE in the heart even from the Word of Life therein in and by which richly dwelling in us spiritual Songs and Hymns are returned to the Lord according to that of the Apostle Col. 3.16 But as to their Artificial Musick either by Organs Artificial Musick or other Instruments or Voice we have neither Example nor Precept for it in the New Testament § XXVII But Lastly The great Advantage of this true Worship of God which we profess and practise is that it consisteth not in Man's Wisdom Arts or Industry neither needeth the Glory Pomp Riches nor Splendor of this World to beautify it as being of a Spiritual and Heavenly Prop. 12 Nature and therefore too simple and contemptible to the Natural Mind and Will of Man that hath no delight to abide in it because he finds no room there for his Imaginations and Inventions No Splendor of this World attends this Inward Worship and hath not the opportunity to gratify his outward and carnal Senses so that this Form being observed is not like to be long kept pure without the Power for it is of it self so naked without it that it hath nothing in it to invite and tempt Men to Dote upon it further than it is accompanied with the Power Whereas the Worship of our Adversaries being performed in their own Wills The Carnal Worship pleases Self is self-pleasing as in which they can largely exercise their Natural Parts and Invention and as to most of them having somewhat of an Outward and Worldly Splendor delectable to the Carnal and Worldly Senses they can pleasantly continue in it and satisfy themselves though without the Spirit and Power which they make no ways Essential to the performance of their Worship and therefore neither wait for nor expect it The Worship of the Quakers § XXVIII So that to conclude The Worship preaching praying and singing which we plead for is such as proceedeth from the Spirit of God and is always accompanied with its Influence being begun by its Motion and carried on by the Power and Strength thereof and so is a Worship purely Spiritual such as the Scripture holds forth Joh. 4.23 24. 1 Cor. 14.15 Eph. 6.18 c. Our Adversaries Worship But the Worship preaching praying and singing which our Adversaries plead for and which we oppose is a Worship which is both begun carried on and concluded in Man's own Natural Will and Strength without the motion or influence of God's Spirit which they judge they need not Wait for and therefore may be truly acted both as in the matter and manner by the Wickedest of Men. Such was the Worship and vain Oblations which God always rejected as appears from Isa. 66.3 Jer. 14.12 c. Isa. 1.13 Prov. 15.29 Joh. 9.31 PROPOSITION XII Concerning Baptism As there is one Lord and one Faith so there is one Baptism which is not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience before God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And this Baptism is a Pure and Spiritual thing Eph. 4.5 1 Pet. 3.21 Rom. 6.4 Gal. 3.27 Col. 2.12 John 3.30 1 Cor. 1.17 to wit the Baptism of the Spirit and Fire by which we are buried with him that being washed and purged from our Sins we may walk in newness of Life Of which the Baptism of John was a Figure which was Commanded for a time and not to continue for ever As to the Baptism of Infants it is a meer Humane Tradition for which neither Precept nor Practice is to be found in all the Scripture § I. I Did sufficiently demonstrate in the Explanation and Probation of the former Proposition how greatly the Professors of Christianity as well Protestants as Papists were degenerated in the matter of Worship and how much strangers to and averse from that true and acceptable Worship that is performed in the Spirit of Truth because of Man's Natural Propensity in his fall'n State to exalt his own Inventions and to intermix his own Work and Product in the Service of God and from this Root sprung all the idle Worships Idolatries From whence Idolatries and Heathen-Superstitions did spring and numerous Superstitious Inventions among the Heathens For when God in Condescension to his chosen people the Jews did prescribe to them by his Servant Moses many Ceremonies and Observations as Types and Shadows of the Substance which in due time was to be Revealed which consisted for the most part in Washings outward Purifications and Cleansings which were to continue until the time of the Reformation until the Spiritual Worship should be set up and that God by the more powerful pouring forth of his Spirit and guiding of that Anointing should lead his Children into all Truth and teach them to Worship him in a way more Spiritual and acceptable to him though less agreeable to the Carnal and Outward Senses Yet notwithstanding God's Condescension to the Jews in such things we see that that part in man which delights to follow its own Inventions could not be restrained nor yet satisfied with all these Observations but that often-times they would be either declining to the other Superstitions of the Gentiles or adding some New
was not Changed yet the Body was there c. And indeed Calvin's ingenuous Confession Commended I am inclinable very favourably to Judge of Calvin in this particular in that he deals so ingenuously to confess he neither Comprehends nor can Express it in Words but yet by a feeling Experience can say The Lord is spiritually present Now as I doubt not but Calvin sometimes had a Sense of this Presence without the Vse of this Ceremony so as the Understanding given him of God made him justly reject the false Notions of Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation though he knew not what to establish instead of them if he had fully Waited in that Light Eph. 5.13 that makes all things manifest and had not laboured in his own Comprehension to settle upon that External Ceremony by affixing the Spiritual Presence as chiefly or principally though not only as he well knew by Experience there or especially to relate to it he might have reached further unto the Knowledge of this Mystery than many that went before him § XI Lastly If any now at this day from a true Tenderness of Spirit In tenderness of Conscience at Ignorance God winketh and with real Conscience towards God did practise this Ceremony in the same Way Method and Manner as did the Primitive Christians recorded in Scripture which yet none that I know now do I should not doubt to affirm but they might be Indulged in it and the Lord might regard them and for a season Appear to them in the Vse of these things as many of us have known him to do to us in the Time of our Ignorance providing always they did not seek to Obtrude them upon others nor Judge such as found themselves Delivered or that they do not pertinaciously Adhere to them For we certainly know that the Day is Dawned in which God hath arisen and hath dismissed all those Ceremonies and Rites The Day is Dawn'd that God is Risen and Worshipped in Spirit and is only to be Worshipped in Spirit and that he Appears to them who Wait upon him and that to Seek God in these things is with Mary at the Sepulchre To seek the Living among the Dead For we know that he is Arisen and Revealed in Spirit leading his Children out of these Rudiments that they may Walk with him in his Light To whom be Glory for ever Amen PROPOSITION XIV Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Matters purely Religious and pertaining to the Conscience Since God hath assumed to himself the Power and Dominion of the Conscience who alone can rightly instruct and govern it therefore it is not lawful for any whosoever by vertue of any Authority or Principality they bear in the Government of this World Luke 9.55 56. Matth. 7.12 13 29. Tit. 3.10 to force the Consciences of others and therefore all Killing Banishing Fining Imprisoning and other such things which are inflicted upon Men for the alone exercise of their Conscience or Difference in Worship or Opinion proceedeth from the Spirit of Cain the Murtherer and is contrary to the Truth Providing always That no Man under the Pretence of Conscience prejudice his Neighbour in his Life or Estate or do any thing destructive to or inconsistent with Human Society in which Case the Law is for the Transgressor and Justice is to be administred upon all without respect of Persons § I. LIberty of Conscience from the Power of the Civil Magistrate hath been of late Years so largely and learnedly handled that I shall not need but to be brief in it yet it is to be lamented that few have walked answerable to this Principle each pleading it for themselves but scarce allowing it to others as hereafter I shall have occasion more at length to observe It will be fit in the first Place for clearing of Mistakes to say something of the State of the Controversy that what follows may be the more clearly understood By CONSCIENCE then as in the Explanation of the Fifth and Sixth Propositions I have observed is to be understood That Persuasion of the Mind which arises from the Vnderstanding's being possessed with the Belief of the Truth or Falsity of any thing Which though it may be False or Evil upon the Matter yet if a Man should go against his Persuasion or Conscience he should commit a Sin because what a Man doth contrary to his Faith though his Faith be wrong is no ways acceptable to God Hence the Apostle saith Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin and he that doubteth Rom. 14.23 is damned if he eat Though the thing might have been lawful to another and that this doubting to eat some kind of Meats since all the Creatures of God are good and for the Use of Man if received with Thanksgiving might be a Superstition or at least a Weakness which were better removed Hence Ames de Cas. Cons. saith The Conscience although erring doth evermore bind so as that he sinneth who doth contrary to his Conscience because he doth contrary to the Will of God although not materially and truly yet formally and interpretatively So the Question is First Whether the Civil Magistrate hath power to force Men in things Religious to do contrary to their Conscience and if they will not to punish them in their Goods Liberties or Lives This we hold in the Negative But Secondly as we would have the Magistrate avoiding this Extream of Incroaching upon Mens Consciences so on the other Hand we are far from joyning with or strengthening such Libertines as would stretch the Liberty of their Consciences to the Prejudice of their Neighbours or to the Ruin of Human Society We understand therefore by Matters of Conscience such as immediately relate betwixt God and Man or Men and Men that are under the same Persuasion As To meet together and worship God in that way which they judge is most acceptable unto him and not to incroach upon or seek to force their Neighbours otherwise than by Reason or such other Means as Christ and his Apostles used viz. preaching and instructing such as will hear and receive it but not at all for Men under the Notion of Conscience to do any thing contrary to the moral and perpetual Statutes generally acknowledged by all Christians In which Case the Magistrate may very lawfully use his Authority as on those who under a Pretext of Conscience make it a Principle to kill and destroy all the Wicked id est all that differ from them that they to wit the Saints may rule and that therefore seek to make all things Common and would force their Neighbours to share their Estates with them and many such wild Notions as is Reported of the Anabaptists of Munster which evidently appears to proceed from Pride and Covetousness and not from Purity or Conscience And therefore I have sufficiently guarded against that in the latter part of the Proposition But the Liberty we lay claim to is such as the
that which cannot Edify and thinking it so strange that Life or Vertue should be transmitted from one to another when they do not hear one another speak as pag. 415.420.426 what will he say to what is reported by the foresaid Author of the Fulfilling of the Scriptures Vnusual Motions by Praying Instanced of J. B.'s party pag. 432. how Robert Bruce his Praying caused unusual Motions upon those who were not in the Chamber with him nor knew the Cause how that came upon them And yet this is given as an Instance of his knocking down the Spirit of God upon them as they themselves phrase it Pag. 420. he wondreth and asketh How one in whom the Life doth flow so that he might speak yet may forbear since that is a sufficient Call and how dare they follow their own Choice But this is a silly Quibble The flowing of Life may sometimes give Ability to speak Justifiably and yet it may be no sin to forbear since albeit it gives a sufficiency of Authority yet not a peremptory Command and this is no Contradiction The Apostle John could have written more and that no doubt from the Spirit and yet did it not 2 Joh. 12.3 Joh. 13. and I suppose J. B. will not dare to say he sinned in this forbearance He goeth about pag. 420. n. 12. to Examin the Scripture-proofs I bring for Waiting The Waiting in Silence in our Meetings Vindicated and then he shews in what respect Waiting is there understood which nothing hurteth my using them What if Waiting be understood as he saith in Opposition to Freting may not that be in Silence But as to this since his Brother R. M. in the Postscript has promised us his Answer to G. K.'s Book called The Way cast up we will Wait to see what he Answers to his 15 th Sect. and to the Scriptures brought by him there to this purpose and that he may more fully consider that matter I recommend to him the serious Perusal of G. K.'s Book called The Glory and Advantage of Silent Meetings He alledgeth falsly pag. 423. that I say Men cannot Wait upon God in Prayer I say only that Waiting in it self rather denoteth a Passive Dependence and that true Prayer presupposeth Waiting and that therefore their Objection is frivolous that ascribe Waiting of it self or simply considered to such Acts but I never denied that a Man in Prayer might be said also to Wait. Another of his silly Quibbles is pag. 424. n. 17. where because I say The Devil works in and by the Natural part in man That the Devil can only work in and by the Natural Man for so he may be pleased to Translate my words or at lest he must suffer me so to do he saith He thought he could also work in a Spiritual Man as in Peter c. But not in and by the Spiritual Man It was in and by the natural part both in Peter and Paul that he wrought if he thinks not so let him say the Contrary Pag. 425 in answer to what I say of the Excellency of this Worship as that which cannot be Interrupted to prove That Christ's Kingdom needed outward power to protect it he telleth of the promise that Kings shall be nursing Fathers What then That may be an Advantage yet it will not follow there is an absolute Need for it else Christ's Kingdom could not be without it But indeed such a sure outward Kingdom the Priests always Covet where they may be upheld by the Magistrate Christ's Kingdom needeth not an outward Power to protect it and supplied with daily Augmentations and have all others that differ from them severely persecuted for where this is wanting they cry out Alas like Babylons Marchants and think it goes not well with their Zion The rest of this page he concludes with Railing but for Answer to it he may know that the Quakers Meetings in Scotland albeit few in number have met with more Injuries from wicked Men than the Presbyterians and that they never defended themselves with Force of Arms against any far less against the Magistrate as his Brethren have done or with shedding of Blood As for his other Quibble pag. 427. That ceasing to do evil is not without all action of the mind not to Contend with him about it I shall not plead for a further Cessation than such a simple forbearance importeth and let him call it an Action if he will His Chief Reply to what I say in Answer to what they Object of Silence besides some scoffs is That what I alledge Silence and Inward Watching Controverted by J. B. is not spoken of an Introverting Silence for he will needs use this Latine word and not translate it But can there be any true Silence in order or with respect to the Worship of God where the Eye of the mind is not Inward since the Spirit of God by which Christians are led and instructed is said to be within them But pag. 424. n. 16. he saith That Watching is not a Turning inward but a looking outward also Indeed they who look outward go the way to be Tempted for outward Objects is not that which delivers Men from Temptations but often draws them to them But it would seem according to him that Men if their Eyes be shut or in a dark Room cannot Watch in a Spiritual Sense and then what became of many Saints that have been put into Dungeons As to what he adds out of Dr. Stillingfleet's book Of the Idolatry of the Church of Rome and Taulerus Sermons which takes up about 7 whole pages by which the Reader may see how his Book grows so bulky he misseth his Aim for he will never prove that the first and most-Eminent Preachers among the Quakers who both practised and commended this Way of Worship as well as Thousands of them yet did ever know that there was such a thing spoken of among Papists or that there ever lived such a Man as Taulerus So that he but wasts his Paper in seeking to prove They have borrowed their Doctrine thence and albeit I will not Justify many of the Expressions used in the pages cited by him yet I will not scruple to affirm that some of them Savour more of Christianity than his Lies Calumnies and Railings ¶ 3. He begins his 23 d. Chapter of Preaching that he may be like himself with a Calumny saying Preaching Praying and Singing owned by us I have something against Preaching Praying and Sinning which is false I am against none of those Duties as truly performed according to the right Gospel-Method as by the sequel will appear And that he may go on at the same rate he seems to be glad that I acknowledge the necessity of Worships being Consonant to Scripture but then that he may not want something to Cavil he Intreats me to Reconcile this with what I say of the Scriptures but he should first have shewn me wherein the difference is for
Truth Triumphant Through the SPIRITUAL WARFARE Christian Labours AND WRITINGS Of that Able and Faithful SERVANT of JESUS CHRIST ROBERT BARCLAY Who Deceased at his own House at Vrie in the Kingdom of Scotland the 3 Day of the 8 Month 1690. Heb. xi 4. He being Dead yet speaketh LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lombard-Street MDCXCII THE Preface to the Reader WHen the Son of God had wrought that mighty Miracle of feeding 5000. persons with only five Loaves and two small Fishes he said to his Disciples Gather up the Fragments that Remain Joh. 6.12 that Nothing be Lost. This Preface no sooner fell to my share than this Passage was brought to my Mind and very aptly to the Occasion For our Blessed Lord having also Effectually Gathered and Fed his People by his Disciples in this Generation it is a Duty we Owe to God and our selves as well as to them That we Gather up the Remainder of their Testimonies of Love and Service that so nothing be Lost. To God we Owe it for his Vnspeakable Benefit to our selves for our Example and Instruction and to the Memories of such Deceased Brethren as their Just but Fairer and more lasting Monuments than those of Engraven Tables of Marble or Statues of Brass As their Works look beyond this World so their Praise will out-live it There is an Vnfading Glory in the Labours of Good Men And though Death is permitted to draw a Dark Shadow over their Persons they will Live in the Just Reputation of their Good Works the lively Characters of their Vndying Pious Minds It cannot wither their Fame or obliviate their Names On the contrary Death often silences Envy and augments their deserved Praise The Author of these Collected Labours was one of them and as he has left us so has he left These to us for his Legacy the Better Part doubtless of his Estate as befitted the Divine Nature of our Kindred Not therefore for Ostentation or to Indulge a Worldly Custome but to the Glory of the Invisible God the Edification of his Church the Benefit of all People and as a Testimony of our Respect to the Deceased Author and of his Fidelity and Service to the Truth This Ensuing Volume Reader is published as thou seest Which brings me to the Nature of it and the several Parts that do Compile it Divinity Plain Sound Christian Divinity the most Glorious and Entertaining Object of the Soul of Man is the Subject Matter of this following Book Divinity I say in all the right Senses of the Word In its first and stricter Sense to wit the Divine Nature or Godhead this is Humbly and Reverently Considered but more especially in its larger Acceptation viz. Of the Knowledge of God and those Doctrines of Truth and Order that immediately relate to the Duty we Owe to God and Man both in and out of Society In short Faith and Practice which is the Course Mankind should steer through this World to the Haven of Everlasting Rest as we cannot find a better Subject so it will be hard to find it better treated and followed not because he was more of a Scholar than some others but in that he was more Gifted than many others For this Knowledge of Divinity comes not by the Means of Vniversity-Learning but that of the School of Christ by the Illumination of his Light and Spirit and the Holy Doctrine and Discipline of his Cross in one great but true Word Regeneration which is an Experimental Science and to be had without Money and without Price and that both by Gentle and Simple Rich and Poor c. but not without Labour Pain and Travail Which made our Blessed Lord say Labour not for the Bread that perishes but for that which endureth to Everlasting Life Joh. 6.27 Phil. 2.12 2 Pet. 1.10 And the Apostle tells us We must work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling and give Diligence to make our Calling and Election sure It consists of divers Operations but all by the same Light and Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6. and because all have need of it all partake of it that they may profit by it Joh. 1.9 It Enlightens all that come into the World says the Beloved Disciple and whatsoever may be known of God his Mind and Will is manifested in them for God by the Revelation of this Light hath shewen it unto them Rom. 1.19 says the Apostle to the Romans And again Whatsoever is Reproved Ephes. 5.13 is made manifest by it It is made the Touchstone of our Lives and Conversation for we are to bring our Deeds to it Joh. 3.20 21. 1 Joh. 1.5 6 7. It leads to the Benefit of the Blood of Jesus That cleanseth from all Sin and gives us fellowship with God and one with another as his Children and People It is our Armour also against all the Fiery Darts Rom. 13.12 Rev. 21.23 24. and Furious Assaults and Crafty Workings of Satan our great and common Enemy Nay the Nations of them that are saved must walk in this Light Yea it is the Light of the Soul on Earth and the Light of the Spirit of the Just made perfect in Heaven too in the divers Degrees of it And Man is Darkness as to Divine Matters till he turns to this Blessed Light in him which is the true Manifestation of the Son of God to and in the Soul and Mind of Man the Real Seed and Root of all Divine Knowledge and Life in Man which only gives him a Sight Sense and Saviour of Divine things and of that Immortality he otherways vainly talks of i and hopes for The Spirit of Man is the Candle of the Lord indeed when it is lighted by this Glorious Light Prov. 20.27 but in the Wicked it is said to be often put out not the Light it self but Man's Spirit which becomes a Dark Candle again as it was before it was enlightened by this true Light through his Disobedience to it It is called Light because of that Discovery it makes and sure Evidence it gives of God's Mind and Man's Duty and Ways That which is called Light is also called Spirit because of the Life and Sense it begets in the Soul of its Condition It Quickens Man that was dead in Sins and Trespasses for Sin hardens the Heart as well as darkens the Understanding And this Glorious Principle by its Spiritual Efficacy makes it Sensible Soft and Tender so that the least Sin is felt as well as discerned Not an Evil Thought passes or a Temptation to it but this Living Heart turns against it An Antipathy shews it self and Get thee behind me Satan is the determined Sentence of the Enliven'd Soul It is of this Spirit the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians and it makes almost an Intire Chapter He tells us that it searches the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. and without which Man cannot discern Spiritual things And he gives a Reason for it too grounded on his own
Experience the just Authority of his Confidence because The natural Man perceiveth not the things of God neither can he as such because they are spiritually discerned The Natural Man may talk of them of God his Nature and Attributes of Christ his Relation Natures and Offices of Regeneration which is the Great Work of the Son of God in and upon Man But Alas that is all the Natural Man with all his Natural Powers and Skill is Capable of he can go no deeper 'T is all Hear-say and Imagination For they are a Mystery shut up close from all Unsanctified Hearts and Heads Yea they are all wrapt up and strongly inclosed in this Holy Seed of Light and Spirit that shines in the dark Hearts of Men and through the Power of that Darkness they cannot Comprehend it The Ground of which Darkness is Disobedience Which made Christ say to the Jews If you will do the will of God you shall know of my doctrine Joh. 7.17 if it be of God or not I say the Mystery Power and Virtue of Christianity is shut up in this Divine Seed And if thou O Reader knowest it not but art only speculatively a Christian open thy Heart and let it into the good Ground and thou shalt quickly find the Efficacy and Excellency of it in the Fruits that will spring from it The Increase will be very great and the Tast thereof sweeter much than the Honey or the Honey-Comb Psal. 19.10 She is a Tree of Life said a Wise and a great King of old Time to all them that lay hold upon her Prov. 3.18 ch 8.19 and happy is every one that retaineth her for her fruit is better than gold and her revenue than choice silver It was by him stiled Wisdom because it made him Wise and will make every one that is Taught by it Ch. 9.10 Job 28.111 Psal. 10. For it makes People Wise to Salvation by teaching them the Fear of the Lord and to depart from Iniquity and every evil way All such are said to have a good Vnderstanding The Apostle Paul also calleth it the Grace of God Tit. 2.11 12 13. that bringeth Salvation that hath appeared to all men c. Grace because it is God's Free Gift not our Merit or Purchase God so loved the World Joh. 3.16 Ch. 1.14.16 he gave his only begotten Son to save it who was full of Grace and Truth And of his fulness we receive grace for grace in order to Salvation In which Saying of the Apostle Five things are to be seriously remarked as Comprehensive of the very Body of our Christian Divinity First the Principle Talent or Gift which God giveth to Man and that is his Grace The Grace of God c. Secondly This Grace Talent Gift or Principle is sufficient to the End for which it is given viz. It bringeth Salvation God bestows it for that purpose Paul might well say so that had tried the Power and Virtue of it under the greatest Temptation As God told him 2 Cor. 12.8 9. his Grace was sufficient for him so he found it to his exceeding great Joy Thirdly The Vniversality of God's Bounty It appears to all Men more or less It is so intended Christ died for all and distributes Grace to all that all might come to the Knowledge of the Truth 1 Tim. 2.4 as it is in Jesus and be saved Fourthly The way by which the Sufficiency and Vniversality of it is demonstrated and that is The Teaching Quality and Virtue of it v. 12. Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and Godly in this present World This every one feels in his own Bosom at Times and that of all Religions and of all Nations A Just Monitor a Secret Reprover and a Faithful Witness Blessed are they that give heed thereunto and learn of it what to Leave and what to Do what to shun and what to Embrace Prov. 8.20 Mich. 6.8 For it Leads in the Ways of Righteousness and in the midst of the Paths of Judgment It is by this God sheweth Man his Thoughts and what he doth require of him This it is that Man has made an Adversary by his Iniquities which he must make Peace with lest he bring him before the Judge Matt. 5.25 and he cast him into Prison and he come not out till he has paid the uttermost Farthing This Inward Teaching Reproving Exhorting Light Spirit or Grace of God Learns us Two Lessons which make up the holy Order of our Conversion and Salvation 1. What we are to Deny 2. What we are to Do. We are to Deny Vngodliness and wordly Lusts and it will shew us what they are both within and without in Thought as well as in Word and Deed if we will attend to it and Watch and Wait upon it And though the grosser Evils that carry the largest Characters of Impiety are easily seen and observed yet there are Lusts that lie near and stick close that are less perceptible and it may be are hardly by some thought Evil neither As in Relation to Extreams in Food Apparel Furniture Discourse Converse Gain Honour Revenge Emulation c. And there is an Vngodliness in a Mystery too which utterly mistakes and overthrows the true Nature and End of Religion as well as palpable Enormities Such is setting up the Form above the Power of Godliness Humane Traditions above the Scripture and Opposing that to the Spirit of God which it Testifies of and so often Refers unto and making and pressing Civil Edicts about Matters of Faith and suffering none to Live and Enjoy what is their own and prosecute their Lawful Callings for the Maintenance of their Families unless they will forgoe Convictions play the Hypocrite be of their Creed and receive their Mark in their Forehead Rev. 13.16 c. 14.9 or at least in their Right hand by which means they have made a Worldly Interest and Empire of the Church and of Religion that should be the Purity and Peace of the VVorld a meer Step and Test to Temporal Preferment These are the Things under which Religion and indeed Civil Society and true Civil Policy groan as well as other Impieties though by Worldly Men and some that would be thought Religious too this is as little seen as the more sensual Vngodliness is amended For all which the Eternal God is come by many Judgments and coming in Flames of Fire to Execute Vengeance upon the Wicked 2 Thess. 1.7 8. whatever Carnal and Secure Minds think And it is not the least of our Miseries that we are but too Vnsensible of it Thus we see what we are Taught by the Grace to deny Let us next consider the other part of our Duty which the Grace teacheth us and that is What we are to do Teaching us says the Great and Zealous Apostle that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World This is also a most Comprehensive Expression a plain and
Appearance to Compass it It must be all called a Zeal for the House of God which if it only Ate up those that had it would be less Mischievous to the World but it Eats up other Folks It breaks Society violates Relation Invades Property Robs God and destroys Man a Fire of Hell not of Heaven for truly and excellently Speaking that is Love This Spirit Destroys instead of Informing Christ's Spirit Intreats Informs and finally Saves both Body and Soul People tinctured with this Religious or rather Irreligious Venom are the worse for their Religion their Natures are more Sowred their Dispositions more Testy less Bowels less Humility a worse Neighbour The good Samaritan is of more Worth than a whole Synagogue of them Reader beware of this Leaven of the Circumcision the Pharisee the spiteful Formalist that vext Paul every-where and were the great Enemies and Sticklers against the Truth in Power and Life Their Generation is yet living and sown too much about the World and seem to be the Lords of it But for all their Wisdom and Power and the fair Shew they make in the Flesh some after one Fashion and some after another Know Reader that Great is the Truth and it shall prevail The Lamb shall have the Victory who is the Light Rev. 21. and in the Despised Light of the Lamb must the Nations of them that are saved Walk The other Extream is quite the Contrary as all Extreams are but not so hurtful to the Concerns of this Life though perhaps not less pernitious to the Inward Man and in which Satan Acts a part for the most part out of Sight by which he Craftily Deceives and Ensnares some that are Simple-hearted and Commendable Livers viz. Loving all equally without due Distinction whatever their Perswasions be and standing loose of all as to a Formal Communion yet by their Latitude are in a sort of all and Intitle themselves both by their Indifferency and their Love to an Interest in them all and all to an Interest in them Our Author is weighty upon this Head he shews what Love is its Excellency in its Root and Fruit What Distinctions and Limitations true Love observes and what People and Principles now Extant in the World have the Rightfullest Claim to this Vniversal Love from their Universality and Gentleness To which I Recommend the Reader taking this along with him That true Love from Man springs from God's Love to Man They that have Tasted of God's Goodness and have had their own Hearts softned by it have an Extraordinary Tenderness to Mankind It is a most engaging Vertue It Covers Forgives Excuses Conquers all nothing can stand before it They that have known the Power of it feel all Peoples Infirmities and Sympathise with every one's Condition They hate nothing but Sin they love all can help and serve all but especially the Houshold of Faith But it is speculating this Love too far to Love all alike as these Vniversalists tell us For in Nature People do Love their Parents Brethren Husbands Wives and Children better than others and we cannot but Love the Religious Family we are of more because we feel them nearer to us than another But this it may be will not be denied in a sort but then the proper Sense is somewhat Equivocated viz. I find says one the Family of God every where in every Form and Sect and that is my Church which I love and for that Reason I love every Society and can Communicate as I see Cause with every one of them It is Certain we ought to See and Love the good in all and so far as Virtue shines in any Person whatever is their Perswasion so far there is a Loveliness it is Comely and of Good Report And though of a very differing Apprehension as to Revealed and Traditional Points of Religion yet they are to be loved nay Enemies Phil. 4.8 Heb. 6.1 2. Matt. 5.44 such as are Injurious to us in the highest Degree But all this is with a Grain of Salt under Restriction and with due Bounds For I am not obliged to Turn Jew Turk or Indian because I Honour their Virtue and Love their Persons as Fellow-Creatures Nor am I bound to Love an Enemy with the same Degree of Love I have for one that is my Friend Benefactor or Relation To Worship God with those that though Sober and Upright among Men VVorship him in Ways my Conscience tells me are below if not Contrary to the Nature of God his Revealed Will and my own Sense of Duty and Worship is an Extream that makes all Ways of Worship Indifferent and in Consequence Impeaches the Dispensations of God that have been to Carry Men farther and to Leave and Forget those things that are behind Yea Phil. 3.13 it causes the Offence of the Cross of God's Day and Dispensation to Cease especially in Trying and Suffering Times and opens a Door to a dangerous Temporizing Paul according to this Doctrine was much in the wrong Gal. 2.11 12 14. that he Reproved Peter for his Complacency with the Jews And indeed our Saviour and his Apostles will not Escape Blameless for Changing that Constitution if it were Lawful for them to Continue to VVorship God in the Jewish Manner Nor did the Primitive Christians well to be devoured by Wild Beasts if they might have been permitted to Symbolize with the Heathen For it is certain there were many Extraordinary Gentiles the Followers of Plato Zeno Seneca Epictetus Plutarch Marc. Aurelius Antoninus c. in those Times that have left the Just Fame of Virtue to their Names by their sober Lives and rare VVritings I may Converse kindly but I cannot VVorship with one I differ from even about that very VVay of VVorship and if this be a Fault we must impeach our Protestant Ancestors too But on the other hand I must be Careful I suffer not my self to be Carried beyond Bounds in Dissent neither the Difference must never Run so far as to beget a Dislike and much less an Aversion of Spirit to his Person or Conversation that I Differ from this were sinful yet alas too Common and it may be an hard Task to Conquer and a True Mark of Discipleship in all that Overcome it God Almighty Root out and Expel that make-bait-Make-bait-Spirit among Men that where there is not an Vnity for that comes up to Faith and VVorship we may Exercise true Charity and Forbearance especially where there is any sincere Appearance of the Common Faith Tit. 1.4 Heb. 1.1 2. and the Fruits of a Fear towards God in general But as God has Appeared at sundry Times and in divers Manners since the World began so it was the VVay of his Spirit and Method of his Providence to gather up the Sincere-minded into one as so many Grains do Form one Lump And therefore the Apostle to the Corinthians calls the Believers one Bread unto which 1 Cor. 10.17 as a Standard others were to be gathered and upon which
and lead them out of Error and Blindness Don't Charge them and do worse for verily that will undo you in the End O that God would rend the Heavens and come down in Showers of Love and Quench the Flames that every-where devour his Creation That it would please him to still the furious Winds and calm the raging Seas and remove that Enmity which is the Ground of all and bring the Nations under his own heavenly Government where there is no need to Learn War against one another any more that they that have erred in Spirit Isa. 2.4 Isa. 29 29. Matt. 5.43 47. Ch. 18.21 22. Rom. 12.18 may come to Vnderstanding and those that have Murmured may learn Doctrine even the Doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ which is a Doctrine of Love Meekness Mercy Forbearance a Doctrine of Self-denial Humility and Holiness a Doctrine that Reconciles us to God and one to another And no Man can have the Benefit of the first that Hates his Brother and less that Kills him for the Love of this World O it is a Crying Sin with God a strong Judgment upon us and a sure Token both of more and nearer Calamities that we are so Hard-hearted and Vnsensible of it Nay it looks as if we were not to be moved unless God himself would appear in the Air and send Fire down to Consume all before our Eyes and our selves in the Conclusion of the Tragedy Is not the Wrath of God do we think Revealed sufficiently against us in the Faction Strife War Rom. 1.18 Gal. 5.19 23. Blood and Poverty that we see almost all over Europe this Day God Almighty make People sensible and weary of it and the Cause of it their Sins Sins against Light against Conscience and Knowledge their Vnfaithfulness to God and Man their Scandalous Immorality and most Inordinate Love of the World the Ground of all Contention and Mischief That so the Peace of God which passeth worldly Men's Understanding may fill all our Hearts through Repentance and Conversion Amen I have been the longer in my Notes upon this Occasion than I Expected but our present Condition in Europe drew it from me that needs an Olive-branch the Doctrine of Peace as much as ever Our Author's next Treatise was published 1679. being a Vindication of his Notable Apology for the Christian Divinity profest by the People called Quakers in Reply to the Exceptions made against it by one John Brown in his Book called Quakerism the Path-way to Paganism In which Vindication the Reader will find the Truth sifted from all the Durt and Rubbish with which her Malitious or Ignorant Adversaries have endeavoured to sully her Beauty and disfigure and bury her out of the Sight and Knowledg of the People The Defence being like the Apology performed with much Labour and Exactness and so fully and plainly that it leaves one would think no room for Objection with the Serious and Moderate Inquirer I do justly Esteem his Apology and this Vindication in the Front of his Polemical Works Though I cannot but every-where prefer those Labours in him and others that have least to do with Controversy and whose main and immediate Scope is the Engaging of the Soul into the Love of Holiness the End of True Religion for it leads into the Blessed Communion of the Father and of the Son and gives the Possession of those Comforts and Refreshments that no Tongue can Express nor Soul by any other means Enjoy For without Holiness it is determined no Man shall ever see the Lord that is with Peace Heb. 12.14 Yet Controversy handled in the Fear of God and in the Openings of his Light and Spirit that is ever present and sufficient to the Help of his People in all their Services has also its Edification especially where an Earnest and Tender Desire to Inform the Mistaken prevails above Private Interest or any Party or Personal Consideration for God will witness to such Labours and follow them with his Blessing With which I beseech him to Crown our Beloved Friend's Services in this and all other Respects that tend to the Exaltation of his Glorious Truth The last Tract our Author left us and which is the Conclusion of this Volume and Preface was writ and published 1686. and is Intituled The Possibility and Necessity of the Inward and Immediate Revelation of the Spirit of God towards the Foundation and Ground of true Faith proved in a Letter writ in Latin to a Person of Quality in Holland and now also put into English The Person to whom it was writ was a Learned Man especially in the New Philosophy very Free and Friendly but not Fool enough to Resign to this Doctrine as entirely as he ought yet I believe better Reconciled to it before he died As the Revelation of Sin Righteousness and Judgment of Mercy and Consolation what to Avoid what to Repent of what to Desire what to Do and where to wait for Power to Avoid and Do as we are thereby directed is the Revelation chiefly Insisted upon by us so those that come to Answer the Love and Mercy of God in the first part of this Revelation viz. the Sight of Sin shall know the Aboundings of it from Day to Day and from the Evidence and Authority of their own Experience shall be enabled nay constrained to pronounce this Testimony of the Revelation maintained by the People called Quakers 'T is true and according to Scripture I might Advance divers Arguments from the Nature of God and the Soul of Man and from what may be as well as what has been the Truth of this Revelation but that being done by our Author in this small Treatise in an Abstract and proper manner I chose rather to speak Scripturally and Experimentally And whoever is Lowly and Poor enough in Spirit to Try the Truth of what I say Shall Comprehend with all Saints the Height and Depth and Length and Breadth of the Love of God in Christ to the Souls of Men by the Revelation of that true Light and Spirit and Grace I have testified of in this Preface and which the Wisest of the Men of this World can at best have but a Shadow and Idea of Remember Life is more than Food and the Body than Raiment so is Bread better than Husks Substance than Shadow Realities than Imaginations of them which is the best of their Case that come not through the Obedience of the Truth and Discipline of Christ's Cross to enjoy them Reader It is a most Important Point of the first Consideration to Men without it no Knowledge of God nor of Christ that Reveals God and without that Knowledge no Salvation for the Souls of Men. Matt. 11.27 Joh. 17.3 So that this Volume ends with that which all Men must begin with if they will ever truly know God and possess Eternal Life viz. Revelation Now some will say Revelation why we have it Have we not the Scriptures Do you pretend to another Revelation No
No this is Reserved a Secret to be unfolded to the Children of Obedience O Reader Great is the Mystery of Godliness And if the Apostle said it of the Manifestation of the Son of God in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 if that be a Mystery and if a Mystery it is not to be spelt out but by the Revelation of the Spirit how much more is the Work of Regeneration a Mystery that is wholly Inward and Spiritual in its Operation who is sufficient for these things what Doctor what Philosopher what sort of Divine surely none but one of God's making alone that has past through the Degrees of Regeneration which is the Experimental Operative Revelation of the Spirit of God in Man And this Revelation is a Fruit of his Omnipresence He is ever Present his Eye beholds the Evil and the Good Prov. 15.3 Psal. 33.18 1 Chr. 28.9 Psal. 7.9.139.1 9. Pro. 17.10 Ch. 20.12 Psal. 139.7 but in a particular manner is over them that fear him and trust in his Mercy Yea his Eyes are upon the Righteous he searches the Heart and Tryes the Reins and sets Man's Thoughts in Order before him This David knew when he Cried out Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence And why but because he is present as a Reprover an Helper a Comforter and Saviour Which also made the same Royal Penitent and Prophet in his Fifty first Psalm pray Cast me not away from thy Presence Psal. 51.11 12 13. and take not thy Holy Spirit from me This also made him a Preacher to others For if God would but hear his Prayer and Restore to him the Joy of his Salvation and uphold him by his Free Spirit he would teach Transgressors his Ways and Sinners should be Converted unto God Which comes up to all I have said upon this Head that the way to be a Child of God and Minister of his Truth is the Inward Experience of the Revelation of the Spirit and Power of God in the Soul without which David could not open his Mouth for God He else-where tells us how Near God is to his People The Meek will he Guide The Secrets of the Lord are with them that Fear him The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as are of a Contrite Spirit Psal. 25.9 14. Ps. 34.9 18 Ps. 34.8 Ps. 27.10 11. He calls them to Taste and See how good the Lord is to them that fear him This was Revelation with a Witness no less than Two of the Spiritual Senses of the Soul at once And though Father and Mother forsake him God would take him up whom he prayed to Teach him and Lead him in a plain Path And in the Sense of God's Inward Goodness to his Soul in this way of Revelation and Omnipresency he Triumphs thus Yea though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no Evil for thou art with me Ps. 23.4 thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Indeed his whole Book of Psalms is a continued Evidence of that Revelation we plead for and he cried he waited for and he Enjoyed who grew so well Acquainted with the Presence of God that he could tell us that in his Presence was Life Ps. 16.11 and at his right hand were pleasures for ever Nor is this to be wondered at by the Professors of Christianity since it is the Covenant God made of Old To which the Prophet Jeremiah gives Testimony That he would put his Law in their Inward Parts Jer. 31.31 34. and write it in their Hearts and he would be their God and they should be his People and know him from the least to the greatest To which the Apostle refers in his Epistle to the Hebrews as fulfilled in the Christian Dispensation then on foot Heb. 8.9 10 Joel 2.28 29. Act. 2.16 18. 2 Cor. 6.16 17. So Joel of the pouring out of the Spirit on all Flesh applied by Peter on the Day of Pentecost And Paul to the Corinthians goes yet further and tells them That God in these latter Days will dwell in them and walk in them and therefore Commands them not to touch the Unclean Thing Now if all this can be without Revelation Inspiration Divine Vision and Sensation in the Soul we may Conclude we do not hear see feel taste and smell what we do hear see feel taste and smell every Day I forbear many Scriptures as I in them and they in me He that is with you shall be in you I am with you to the end of the World and that notable Saying of the Apostle When it pleased God to Reveal his son in me Gal. 1.16 I consulted not with Flesh and Blood He grounds his Call Conversion and Ministry upon it and can we now hope for a True and Saving Knowledge or Ministry without it By no means But our Author in this as much as in any of his Tracts acts the Scholar and has not Chosen this Way of Arguing having to do with a Learned Man that he Esteemed and would be Entertained in a more Abstract Way of Arguing Which made me the Freer to express my self in this manner for their sakes that easily submit their Arguments to Scripture-Authority and that Hunger and Thirst after an Inward Enjoyment of that of which so many glorious things are said by the Holy Men of God in Scripture that they may be freed of Objections and savour the Clear and Divine Truth of this Doctrine That they may know Jo. 7.37 39. the Wells are opened now as well as formerly and that Rivers of living Water flow out of the Bellies of true Believers now as well as then which Christ spake of meaning the Spirit that should flow in and out of those that believed in him And Reader if thou wilt be a Witness hereof despise not the Day of small things Embrace the Talent that is given thee Zach. 4.10 follow the Reproofs and Teachings of it Wait upon it for Power to Enable thee to Overcome what it Condemns And if thou wilt Abstract thy self from the World and the Distracting Impressions and Idea's of it into a true Silence or Inactivity and Quietness of Mind believe me thou wilt find the Heavenly Potter will Mould and Form his Clay and work in thee mightily to Will and to Do For before Life is Death and before an Active a Passive Life Remember these things and Almighty God give thee an Experimental Understanding of them to his Glory and thy Comfort here and for Ever Thus Reader am I come to the End of this Preface and thou to the Begining of this Author's Volume Read with Consideration be not hasty to Judge what at first may not please thee but be Ready to Practise what thou likest That Knowledge through Obedience may Increase and GOD the great Author of all Good through his poor Instruments may have his Glory who is Worthy for ever Amen ACCORDING to that True and
this present Dispensation and Day of God's living Visitation towards them with an Answer to some Queries Annexed 1672 105 107 V. A Catechism and Confession of Faith approved of and agreed unto by the general Assembly of the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles Christ himself Chief Speaker in and among them c. 1673 109 VI. The Anarchy of the Ranters and other Libertines the Hierarchy of the Romanists and other pretended Churches equally Refused and Refuted in a twofold Apology for the Churches and People of God called Quakers c. 1674 181 VII A Vindication of the preceeding Tract viz. the Anarchy of the Ranters c. serving as an Explanatory Postscript thereof 1679 237 VIII An Apology for the True Christian Divinity as the same is held forth and Preached by the People called in scorn Quakers c 〈◊〉 to K. Charles the Second 1675 251 IX A Dispute between some Students of Divinity so called of Aberdeen and the People called Quakers held in Aberdeen Opponents or Students John Lesly Al. Sheriff P. Gellie Defendents R. Barclay and G. Keith c. 569 With the Author's Offer to Jo. Menzies Professor of Divinity so called G. Meldrum Minister at Aberdeen and W. Mitchell Catechist at Foot of Dee c. And G. K. his Postscript 1675. 589 592 X. Quakerism Confirmed A Vindication of the chief Doctrines and Principles of the Quakers from the Objections of the Students aforesaid in their Book called Quakerism Convased 1676. 597 XI Universal Love Considered and Established upon its Right Foundation c. 1676. 675 XII An Epistle of Love and Friendly Advice to the Ambassadors of the several Princes of Europe met at Nimmegen to Consult the Peace of Christendom c. 1677. 706 882 XIII R. B ' s. Apology for the True Christian Divinity Vindicated from John Brown's pretended Confutation c. with L. S's Letter to R. M. C. 1679. 717 XIV The Possibility and Necessity of the Inward and Immediate Revelation of the Spirit of God towards the Foundation and Ground of true Faith proved in a Letter writ in Latine to a Person of Quality in Holland and now also put into English 1686. 892 Whereunto is added The Author 's Testimony concerning his Father 1686. 907 Also an Alphabetical Table at the End of the Chief Matters and Things Contained in this Volume 908 Truth Clear'd of Calumnies Where-in a BOOK Intituled A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A QUAKER AND A Stable Christian Printed at ABERDEEN And upon good ground judged to be writ by WILLIAM MITCHELL a Preacher near by it or at least that he had the chief Hand in it is Examined and the Dis-ingenuity of the Author in his Representing the QVAKERS is Discovered HERE IS ALSO Their CASE truly Stated Cleared Demonstrated and the OBJECTIONS of their Opposers Answered according to Truth Scripture and Right Reason By ROBERT BARCLAY ISA. 53.1 Who hath believed our Report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord Revealed JOHN 5.39 40. Ye search the Scriptures because in them ye think to have Eternal Life and they are they which Testify of me and ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life MATTH 5.11 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake ACTS 24.14 After the way which they call Heresy so worship I the God of my Fathers 1 THESS 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lumbard-street 1691. THE PREFACE TO THE READER READER FOR thy better understanding the Matters handled in this Treatise I thought fit to premise somewhat by way of Preface and indeed the nature of the thing calleth for it that thou mayst receive a true Information concerning the People here pleaded for and so generally opposed but more particularly in the City of Aberdeen that thou mayst understand how the Case stands betwixt them and their Adversaries in it Know then that after the Lord had raised up the Witnesses of this Day and had opened in them and unto them the Light and Glory thereof divers of them at sundry times were moved of the Lord to come into these Parts and unto the Town of Aberdeen in love to the Seed which there was to be gathered but their Acceptance for divers years together was very unsutable For the Enemy that had wrought and was exalted in the Mystery of Iniquity to darken the appearance of this day had prepared and stirred up his Ministers to resist them and their Testimony by aspersing them with many gross Calumnies Lies and Reproaches as demented distracted bodily possessed of the Devil practising Abominations under colour of being led to them by the Spirit and as to their Principles blasphemous deniers of the true Christ of Heaven Hell Angels the Resurrection of the Body and Day of Judgment Inconsistent with Magistracy nothing better then John of Leyden and his Complices This was the vulgar and familiar Language of the Pulpits which was for a time received for unquestionable Truth till about the Year 1663. some sober and serious Professors in and about the said Town did begin to weigh these things more narrowly and find the savour of that Life in the Testimony of that so much reproached People which some years before had stirred in others who were now come to a great loss and decay and this gave them occasion to examine the Principles and Ways of that People more exactly which proving upon inquiry to be far otherways then they had been represented gave them a further occasion to see the Integrity and soundness of that despised People and of their Principles on the one hand and on the other to see the prejudic'd Disingenuity and Enmity of their Accusers In these the Lord caused his Word to prosper who were few in number yet noted as to their sobriety in their former way of Profession and raised them up to own that People and their Testimony and to become One with them Now their Adversaries finding nothing in these whom the Lord had raised up in these Parts whereof to Accuse them as to their Conversation these Calumnies must be cast upon Strangers living some hundred Miles distant where these Untruths cannot be so easily disproved but as to these at home the Tune must be turned Therefore George Meldrum who hath more particularly espoused the Quarrel against Truth and its Followers than any of his Brethren begins to say That it is no wonder to see Quakers forbear gross Out-breakings for that Hereticks have formerly come as great a length but surely Abstinence from gross Out-breakings and a clean outward Conversation is no good Argument against the Quakers so now the Clamour is though they have been Professors and that noted Ones too and though they be honest in their Conversation yet they are deluded and deceived and are Deceivers And thus as of old the Truth and the Witnesses of it have always been reproached by those of the Pharisaical Spirit
Faithfulness or Diligence in the using of the Means in the foreknowledge of God that none of them can miss of Salvation and yet keep such a stir about Preaching and Ordinances for you deny that God hath decreed men unto Salvation whom in his fore-knowledge he did foresee would be faithful and diligent in the use of the means Page 7. Thou sayst All men have not saving and sufficient Light in them because the Scripture saith that some men are brutish in their knowledge Jerem. 10.19 But why didst not thou cite these words For the Pastors are become brutish and have not sought the Lord therefore they shall not prosper We see the proof of this at this day But from thence how makest thou it appear that some men want Saving Light The Pastors are now as brutish as they were then and it is because they turn their backs upon that Light and will not follow it Therefore we have the more need to bear Testimony unto it and against their brutishness who reject and despise it Next thou citest Rom. 3.11 There is none that understandeth But will that infer that there is not any saving Light in them Why understand they not but because they are not turned to the Light that can give them understanding It is supposed sayst thou that the Light in some may be Darkness So it may indeed to wit that Light that is gathered from the Carnal and Earthly Wisdom which is from below where it takes the Letter of the Scriptures and adds thereunto its Commentaries and Consequences setting up this in them as their only Light we find that Light proves but Darkness But that will not infer that the true Light which comes from Christ is or can be Darkness unless in that sense as the Day of the Lord is called Darkness in Scripture For even the true Light unto them who reject it is as Darkness in that it gives them not that Comfort and Joy which it giveth unto them who love it and own it but troubleth and affrighteth them as the Night and the Darkness So that these Scriptures stand in good unity with the Principle of all mens having saving Light in them Next thou objectest That having of saving Light and Grace presupposes Conversion But that I deny For on the contrary Conversion presupposeth having Light and Grace by which and to which men are to be converted So that before a man be converted he must have saving Grace in order to convert him even as the being healed of a wound presupposeth the Plaister or Salve but not on the contrary for the application of the Plaister presupposeth not the being healed But whereas thou sayst What need is there of his turning when men are in this state already Thou misrepresentest us for we do not say That all men are in a state of Light and Grace To be in a state of Grace is to stand in Grace which the wicked do not stand in yet this hinders not but that Grace is communicated unto them whereby they may come to a state or standing in it while the Day of their Visitation remains Again thou undertakest to prove That all men have not sufficient Light two ways First That all men have not the Spirit of God Judg. 19. To which I answer That there may be a sufficient Light in men who may be said after a certain manner not to have the Spirit as being such who though the Spirit be in them to invite call and draw them unto God yet resist his drawings and so separate themselves from it so continuing until the day of God's Visitation unto them come to an end concerning whom it is true that then they have not the Spirit so much as to invite and call them unto God or to give unto them the least tender of his love And though all have not the Spirit bringing forth the Fruits thereof in them to wit Love Meekness Gentleness c. as no wicked Persons have yet all even the wicked in a certain day have the Spirit in them to Reprove and Convince yea to Call upon them and strive with them in order unto their Conversion for the Spirit of God reproves the World of Sin John 19.8 And Acts 7.50 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised ye do always resist the holy Ghost and Gen. 6. My Spirit shall not always strive with or in man and many more to that purpose For a second Reason of its insufficiency thou sayst It reveals not Jesus Christ a Saviour in respect it gives not a discovery of his Incarnation Passion Resurrection c. citing 1 Cor. 2.2 And from this place thou wouldst infer That the Apostle preferred the Knowledge of Christ as crucified outwardly to all other knowledge Answer Though we willingly acknowledge that to know him even as he did outwardly come and was crucified c. is a good knowledge and of great profit and comfort to them who believe yet we deny that the knowledge of him as outwardly crucified is the best of all other knowledge of him or to be preferred to all other ways of knowing him nor does that Scripture 1 Cor 2.2 prove it For Paul is not speaking there of Christ as crucified outwardly in Judea but of him as he was inwardly crucified in the Corinthians when Paul first came unto them to preach the Gospel as the words do plainly import being rightly translated out of the Greek for I determined not to know any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in you but Jesus Christ and him crucified This was the Apostle's care and travel in his Ministry to declare and hold forth unto the Corinthians and other Gentiles Jesus Christ who was crucified in them in his suffering Seed even that Seed of Light and Truth which suffered and was crucified in them under the burden of their Transgression in the time of their unbelief and to preach Salvation and Deliverance from Sin and Wrath through Jesus Christ according to his weak and low appearance in them in the suffering Seed through their believing in him and closing with him as manifest therein According to which he said to the Galatians That Jesus Christ was evidently set before their eyes crucified in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Ephes. 3. vers 8. he said This Grace was given unto him to preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in the Gentiles the unsearchable Riches of Christ. Parallel to which is that of the Apostle 1 Col. 27. for so should all these places be translated which Riches of Christ lay hid and wrapped up in them in the Seed of the Kingdom which was the least of all Seeds Even as the Riches and Fruitfulness of a Tree lies hid in the Seed of it which comes to be brought forth as the Seed takes Root and gets liberty to grow up unto the due Stature so for this the Apostle laboured that People might know Christ in them and might embrace him in their hearts that so he might be formed in
that Christ enlightens men in such a way of outward distance as the Body of the Sun being so many thousand miles above the Clouds enlightens our natural Eyes but comes not near us otherwise than by its influence and rayes for Christ is near unto every one no less than his influence for in him we live and move and have our being And this nearness of his unto all men in a day is more than that general Presence in respect whereof he abides with all the works of his hands for as much as he is in them to enlighten them that they may believe John 1.9 compared with Vers. 7. Page 11. Here because thou canst not deny but that there is Light in all men thou sayst It is commonly called the Light of Nature and that some remainders of Knowledge and Principles of Good remain in Man after the ruins of God's Image in him as when a City is demolished some Foundations of Houses do still remain But how is this consistent with what you say to wit That there is no good thing at all in men unconverted and that man fell wholly from God and that Adam 's fall was not in part but wholly as to all things that are good And that we derive nothing from him but that which is corrupted and defiled But the Scriptures Testimony is plain that since the fall the free Gift or Grace of God is come upon all unto Justification of Life It is not said Justification is come upon all but the free Gift or Grace of God is come upon all unto Justification so that all may be justified if they did close with it Rom. 5.8 And God so loved the World John 3.16 And this is the condemnation of the World that Light is come into it verse 19. which is after the fall And whatever any may conceive that remained in Man of the Image of God after the fall that could not have any power to convince man of evil or enable him to do any thing that is good if it were not visited and influenced a-new from the Fountain of Light and Life but it would remain as a thing without all Life and Vertue as a Candle extinguished For by the fall the Lamb the Witness came to be slain and remained so until the Spirit of Life again was sent from God into it to give it life and power to witness against mens Transgressions for a witness that is wholly dead cannot witness unto particular things of Fact against men as this inward Witness in all men doth who do not again crucifie it in themselves And seeing Christ tasted Death for every man and the Grace that brings Salvation hath appeared to every man and the Gospel is preached in every Creature as it is according to the Greek in Hebr. 2. Tit. 2. Col. 1.23 It is manifest that the Illumination given to every man is a new and fresh Visitation of God's love in Christ freely given unto them for Salvation Now as to the word Nature if it be rightly understood there shall be no great difference about it For if by Nature thou understandest the Nature that is corrupt and fallen and that which simply is derived from Adam then we deny that that Nature can claim any right to this Light or that it can be said to proceed from that Nature But if thou understandest by Nature the Nature that is spiritual and heavenly and is derived from Christ the second Adam the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven then I say the Light may properly be called the Light of that Nature in which sense is to be understood that place of the Apostle Rom. 2. verse 14. cited by thee where he saith The Gentiles which have not the Law did by Nature the things contained in the Law For who will be so gross as to say that the Gentiles by the corrupt Nature could do the things contained in the Law which is pure and holy But by that Nature which is one with the Law to wit Divine and Heavenly they might do them So that thou canst not but still be accounted a wilful Enemy to the Light whilst thou opposest it and dost not turn to it and by it come to see the evil of thy ways and forsake them Page 12. Though it be here asserted in name of the Quakers that the Scriptures are of excellent and blessed use yet thou wilt not believe it and alledgest They will not make the due use of them for these Reasons First Because a Bible thou sayst is not to be seen in all our Meetings But that will infer nothing at all for we meet not to read the Scripture but to wait on the Lord and be taught of him and receive from his Spirit what he pleaseth to administer either in our selves or through the Mouths of his Servants and we meet to worship God whose worship is to be performed in Spirit and in Truth and not in External Reading Thou say'st Christ took the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and read out of it But was not this the performance of a Legal Duty and in condescendency to the Jews manner for it was in the Synagogue But did he ever constitute it as a part of the Christian Worship for one man to take the Bible and speak upon it and all the rest to be excluded from speaking while he prattles his own barren empty Notions about it shew me where that was the practice or order among the Apostles and primitive Christians In the Churches way 1 Cor. 14. there is no such thing but on the contrary vers 29. Let the Prophets speak two or three and let the other judge if any thing be revealed to another that â—its by let the first hold his peace for ye may all prophecy one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted By which it plainly appears there was no such setled custom among them but it is one of the main Inventions brought-in in the Apostacy whereby barrenness and driness hath entred and whereby the quickning unlimited Life has been stopped from flowing through many Vessels It is true the Apostles at times cited Scriptures out of the Law and the Prophets to shew their fulfilling or to open the mind of the Spirit concerning them which is frequent in our Meetings to cite Scriptures and open them in the same Life and Spirit that gave them forth in the order of the Spirit but not in the order and way of man's Wisdom and Spirit as is your way which savours more of Aristotle's School than of the Church of Christ. Secondly As to what thou sayst That it is not our way to encourage the People to read the Scriptures and to try Doctrines by them 't is utterly false for we desire that all may come to try Doctrines even by the Scripture but we bid them also come to the Light in them to read and try Doctrines and understand the true sense of the Scriptures therein and if People did so we
first may deceive over again that makes nothing against the Insufficiency of the Spirit to discover the delusion but if a man be deceived either first or again he is to blame himself for his defect in not being duly watchful and faithful in what is discovered to him of God truly and certainly Consider the tendency of thy Argument which strikes not only at the certainty of the Saints faith now from the Spirit within and the assurance of Knowledge therefrom but also strikes at the very certainty and assurance of all the Faith and Knowledge the holy Prophets and Men of God had from the Spirit within when Scripture was not We are in no greater hazard to be deceived now than they were then You that set up the Scripture as your only Rule the many Sects of you what jangling and contesting is among you while one pleads for his sence and another for his Which all proceeds from their wandring from the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And as to satisfying of others we refer and recommend them to the same Spirit in them to receive their satisfaction from that which only can and will satisfy them who wait for it in singleness Page 18. And whereas thou sayst The Saints are led and guided by the Spirit but it is according to the Scriptures So say we too but it doth not therefore follow that the Spirit hath so tyed and limited himself to the use of the Scriptures as always to use them in every particular step of his guiding the Saints the Spirit is free to use or not use the Scriptures at his pleasure and guideth the Saints in many particular steps of their life for which there is no particular Scripture either to approve or disprove them in The more sure Word of Prophecy As for the more sure Word of Prophecy we grant it is the Rule but deny that that more sure Word is the Scriptures but it is that Word in the heart from which the Scriptures came and in and by which the Scriptures are to be interpreted And is it not gross blindness and darkness to say The Scripture is more sure than that Word Light Life and Spirit from which they came Had not the Scriptures all their sureness from the inward Testimony of the Spirit How then can they be more sure Thy example of the Schoolmaster and the Copy serves not thy turn for the Spirit is unto the Saints both their Teacher and their Copy and they need not go forth for a Copy and if they walk according to this by looking upon it and eying it they shall be good Scholars and Proficients He writes them a living Copy in their hearts engraves it on fleshly Tables whereas they who look upon no other Copy but the Words without them are those who are ever learning but never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth Page 19. Thou askest Why we disjoin the Spirit and the Scriptures citing Isaiah 50.21 Answ. We are not to disjoin what the Lord putteth together sometimes the Spirit joineth or concurreth with the Scripture-Words and sometimes not how many preach and pray and read the Scriptures and talk of them without the joint concurrence of the Spirit Which we say they ought not to do the Scriptures should never be used to preach and pray c. but in the concurrence and assistance of the Spirit for they are not of true use to any without the Spirit but ye disjoin them who would have praying in the letter and using of it without the Motion of the Spirit to such the Scripture is indeed but a dead letter and it is no ways a reproach unto them to be so called Yea what are the best of men without the Spirit but dead men And this is not a reproach to them but their Glory so nor is it to Scripture Thou sayst They are said to be a killing letter and this shews that they are not dead Answ. A poor Argument indeed Can not dead things kill if men feed upon them If thou seedest upon sand gravel stones The Letter killeth shells will not these things kill thee though they be dead And if thou feedest upon the Letter without thee and not upon the Life thou canst not live yea if one that lived did depart from feeding upon the Life to feed upon the Letter it would kill him And as for that Scripture cited by thee it makes very much against thee to wit Isaiah 59.21 For it is one thing for God to put Words into mens Mouths and far another for men to gather these Words from that without Isaiah 59.21 and put them into their own Mouths nor doth it say that the Words God shall put into their Mouths shall be no other Words more or less but the express Scripture Words Why art thou not ashamed to cite this Scripture Do ye not say To speak as the infallible Spirit gives utterance is ceased and consequently God's putting Words into the Mouth God's furnishing them with Words suggested from his own Spirit and Life which the holy Prophets and Apostles witnessed to speak as moved by the Holy Ghost do ye not say this is ceased Why then citest thou a Scripture which is so plain and clear for it but that thou art in Blindness and Confusion Page 19. In thy procedure upon the point of Justification thou makest a large step in that crooked path of deceit wherein thou hadst too much traced from the beginning but now more abundantly than ever thou displayest the Banner of thy Dis-ingenuity and gatherest all thy Forces together it should seem resolving to give the Quakers a final Overthrow And to make the matter misty in the very entry of it thou raisest Dust to thy self venting thy own filthy Imaginations under the notion of coming from them applauding thy endeavours as if thou wert studying to preserve pure the principle of Justification in a point where none is jumbling it among us As thou advancest a little further Page 20 21. having given a very scant Account of their Doctrine in this Matter couching it in most disadvantagious terms thou takest great liberty to extend thy self in a foolish and vain Excursion as if having fathomed the Quakers thou hadst discovered them to be either turned or turning rank Papists therefore to trace thee throughly in this matter that if it be possible thou may'st come to have a discovery of thy Vanity and Malice or though thou shouldst prove irrecoverable yet others may have a view of both I shall first in honesty and plainness declare the Principle of Truth in this matter thereby observing thy Mis-representations Secondly shew what Vast Difference is betwixt us and the Papists therein And Thirdly make manifest how much nearer of kin ye are to the Papists even as to this particular and the things relating thereunto than we which may serve as a seasonable shower to allay that windy Triumph which thou endeavourest to establish unto thy self
As to the first We are justified by Christ Jesus both as he appeared and was made manifest in the Flesh at Jerusalem and also as he is made manifest and Revealed in us And thus we do not divide Christ nor his Righteousness without from his Righteousness within but we do receive and embrace him wholly and undivided THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESS Jeremiah 23.6.1.30 By which we are both made and accounted Righteous in the sight of God and which ought not nor cannot be divided Christ's Righteousness ours And the manner and way whereby his Righteousness and Obedience Death and Sufferings without become profitable unto us and is made ours is by receiving him and becoming one with him in our hearts embracing and entertaining that holy Seed which as it is embraced and entertained becometh a holy Birth in us which in Scripture is called Christ formed within Christ within the hope of glory Gal. 4.19 Coloss. 1.27 By which the Body of Sin and Death is done away and we cleansed and washed and purged from our sins not imaginarily but really and we really and truly made righteous and holy and pure in the sight of God which Righteousness is properly enough said to be the Righteousness of Christ for it is immediately from him and stands in him and is as unseparable from him as the Beams are from the Sun and it is through the Vnion betwixt him and us his righteous Life and Nature brought forth in us and we made one with it as the Branches are with the Vine that we have a true Title and Right to what he hath done and suffered for us for being so closely united to Christ his Righteousness becometh ours his Obedience ours his Death and Sufferings ours Thus we know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable to his Death Philip. 3 10. By which Nearness and Fellowship we come to know an Vnity with the suffering Seed both in our selves and others and therein to travel for its raising and deliverance which yet no ways derogates from the Worth of the Sacrifice he offered up unto God without the Gates of Jerusalem while he humbled himself unto Death even unto the Death of the Cross tasting Death for every man This is an honest and plain and true Account of our Belief in this matter and is in Substance one and the same with that which at sundry times thou and thy Brethren hast received from us notwithstanding the bare scanty and dis-ingenuous Account thou givest of us in this matter Secondly As to the Vast Difference that lyeth betwixt us and the Papists any who are not wilfully blind may see it who know their Doctrine and ours in this thing It is not the Works of Christ wrought in us nor the works which we work in his Spirit and Power that we rest and rely upon as the Ground and Foundation of our Justification How Christ is our Justification but it is Christ himself the Worker revealed in us in-dwelling in us his Life and Spirit covering us that is the Ground of our Justification and we feeling our selves in him feeling him in us and his Spirit his Life covering us we feel our Justification and Peace with God in him and through him the alone Mediator betwixt God and Man Now this manner of Justification by the indwelling of Christ in the Saints and of his Spirit is not held by the Papists but is expresly denied by them and disputed against particularly by Bellarmine And Christ Jesus himself is both first and last our Justification and Foundation of it And as to being Justified by Works the Scripture is plain for it and so we may not deny it but plead for it according to the true sence and mind of the Spirit as we are taught of him But to be Justified by him is more than to be Justified by Works Works wrought in Christ. and therefore are we justified in our Works which we work in him and because the Lord accepteth and justifieth us in him therefore he accepteth and justifieth our Works wrought in him and accepteth and justifieth us in relation to these Works And though it hath been said by us that Good Works which are wrought in Christ and are rather his than ours are Meritorious yet we understand it not any other ways than thus That all their Merit or Worth is from Christ. And seeing they are said in Scripture to have their Reward and Reward and Merit are Relative Terms inferring one another in that sence wherein they are said to be Rewarded they may also be said to be Meritorious which yet hinders not the freedom of God's Grace in Justification For we do verily believe and confess that both the Works and the Reward are of the Free-grace of God and that the Lord giveth us all things not of Debt or as being in our Debt but of Free-gift and his infinite Goodness and Wisdom hath seen it meet to promise a Reward to Good Works and so he doth Reward them because of his Goodness and Faithfulness and not because he is addebted unto any of us otherwise then as he hath bound himself by his promise And this is contrary to that false Popish Doctrine which affirms That men deserve a Reward from God for Good Works upon the account of strict Justice without respect to the Promise And if it be answered That all Papists do not say so but are more moderate Well then I say If some of them be moderate and pass from the erroneous Opinion of Popery and speak that which is true if others speak what is true also in that particular should the Truth be accused and condemned for Rank Popery because some Papists at times confess to it You your selves know that Papists contradict one another in divers things and where men directly contradict one another one of the sides must speak true But as to that wherein the Justification stands and on which it is grounded to wit Christ himself as in-dwelling in the Saints none of all the Papists for ought we ever heard or read do own it but are against it Again As to the Works by which the Papists seek to be justified The Papists justifying Works pretended they are such as we believe none can be justified by viz. their outward Observations their Invocation of Saints bowing to Images saying Ave Maries telling their Beads their Pilgrimages their whipping themselves their keeping Lent and many other such like Works of voluntary Humility by which they seek to be justified though they are evil Works as not done in the Faith and Power of God Nor does it serve thy turn to say That Papists think not that Works considered as evil and sinful are sufficient to justify them for that is not the question Whether the Papists think to be justified by Works sinful and evil but this is the Question Whether the Papists think to be justified by Works which are really
which is to deny God a part of that Worship which is due to him 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Answ. To receive the Gifts and Benefits of God with Thanksgiving and to witnese it blessed and sanctified to us by the Word and Prayer is owned by us and to know this so without taking off the Hat or using of formal speaking of words though it be a thing frequently used by us also tends to no Irreligiousness For it is a thing usual amongst us when we sit down to Eat to wait upon the Lord for some time that we may feel his presence and know our selves stated in his fear to which the blessing is and as we there stand if any outward Expressions be required of any then in God's fear they may utter them and this is to know the blessing indeed and to be in the place that is blessed But for People that are conversing out of God's fear stated in a light airy Spirit not only many times laughing and scoffing but some times even blaspheming presently so soon as the Meat cometh to clap off their Hats and speak a few words in a custom and so soon as they have done fall to their former work again is not this Atheism and Irreligiousness For if such did think of God aright and knew what it were to fear him they would be far from addressing themselves in such Postures unto him neither could they be so impudent as to expect a blessing from him while they stand in that condition to which the Curse is annexed In the second place Page 51. thou say'st Doth not the taking men off from Prayer tend to Irreligiousness and Atheism Now you teach we must not pray in private nor in families without an impulse Therefore Answ. This is no sound Argument To take men off from prayer tends to irreligiousness is granted but to say That a man cannot or ought not to pray without the Spirit 's drawing and motion which you commonly name by Impulse a word which common People do not understand hath no such tendency Hypocritical Prayers an Abomination or that it takes any off from prayer truly so called is denied For hath that a bad tendency which takes men off from such Prayers as are abomination and are not true Prayers but hypocritical and deceitful As all such Prayers are that are performed without the help of the Spirit We say whosoever can pray to the Lord indeed let them pray we are not to forbid them but that any can pray without the Spirit that we deny according to 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray with the Spirit c. And Rom. 8.26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought Now if we know not what to pray for without the Spirit how can we pray without it Paul durst not adventure upon this duty without the assistance of the Spirit yea he said no man could say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost but here an arrogant Generation will needs be praying without it which yet is not Prayer and such Families where this only is used cannot be truly said to call upon God while such truly may be said so to do that wait upon the Lord and stand in his fear and bring forth the fruits of Righteousness though they be not so much in the external signification of words which also at times is found in our Families as the Lord requireth it and giveth utterance And whereas thou say'st That thou believest it will be found that some of us for the space of a whole Year have not so much as once bowed a Knee to call upon God in their Families What ground hast thou for this thy belief May they not bow their knees in their Families though it be hid from the observation of malicious eyes who may so asperse them May they not pray in secret Prayers in secret with out words and be seen of the Father to pray according to Matth. 6.6 Though they cannot be seen by the eyes of malicious Spies And where a publick Testimony in words is required it is also given nor do we know any Friends of Truth who have any whom they can joyn with in Prayer in the Family but do meet together in the Family and wait together breath together and pray together and that much oftener than thou insinuates sometimes without and sometimes with the outward signification of words so that we return this thy Charge as false and malicious Thou say'st If this Impulse be denied for years men all that while according to us must not pray But here thou speakest as one wholly unacquainted with the ways and motions of the Spirit to suppose such a case which cannot be Breathings of the Spirit frequent for the breathings and motions of the Spirit and especially unto Prayer are very frequent unto those who wait for them and are as necessary unto the Children of God as their daily bread yea and more which the Father with-holdeth not but giveth in due season But many times the Spirit of Prayer is felt to move and is answered when there is no liberty given to speak words in the hearing of others Nor is thy other Supposition less vain and foolish That if a man were at the Gates of Death and in danger of present drowning yet without an Impulse as thou callest it he must not adventure to cry to God for Mercy and Help For suppose he did Cry without all help of the Spirit Prayer without the Spirit avails not what would it avail him would it have any acceptance with God Shew us where-ever a spiritless Prayer was accepted of God or required Nay it is a vain Oblation which is expresly forbidden and it is expresly commanded that praying be always in the Spirit Eph. 6.18 And as for the Saints when they are dying or in any difficulty we know the Spirit of Prayer will never be wanting to breath through them at such Occasions and to give words as there is a service for them But further thou alledgest That this Principle of ours leadeth to woful security for what need you be disquieted for refraining Prayer before God thou say'st or any other piece of Service seeing you have salve at hand to heal this sore and that is the want of an Impulse Answ. If any fall into security and refrain Prayer it is not that our Principle leadeth into it for our Principle leadeth out of all security into continual watching unto Prayer and waiting upon the motions of the Spirit of God now if any feel not these motions they are nothing the less guilty because by their neglect they provoke the Lord to with-hold them and render themselves out of frame to feel or entertain them and thus who neglect the Worship of God are justly under Condemnation and if they have Peace it is but a false Peace which will fail them And as for our Peace we have found it to
parties and though it do not actually convince the stubborn yet there is enough in it to satisfy any Inquisitive Adversary Answ. And is not that Spirit sufficient to satisfie any Inquisitive Adversary that 's willing to be undeceived which searcheth all things even the deep things of God There is no inconvenience can be pressed from making the Spirit a Rule or Guide but the same recurs by making the Scripture one Men of different Judgments claiming the Scriptures without the Spirit falsly For is it not laid claim unto by Persons quite different in Judgment yea both some times to one verse and will have it speak opposite to the other If it be said That Scripture being compared explains it self Has not such as have so compared been found incessantly to jangle even in their comparing of it And this W. M. cannot deny but this hath been because one or both Parties have been estranged from the true Testimony of the Spirit What is then the Vltimate Recourse that can only resolve all Doubts even concerning the meaning of the Scripture but the certain Testimony of the Spirit For if the Scriptures be only certain because they came from the Spirit of God then the Testimony of the Spirit must be more certain than they The certainty of the Testimony of the Spirit according to the received Maxim of the Schools Propter quod unumquodque est tale id ipsum magis est tale That which makes a thing certain must be more certain than it And this arguing against the Certainty of the Spirit checks not only at the certainty of the Saints Faith now from the Light within and the assurance of Knowledge but at the Faith and Knowledge which all the Saints and holy Prophets had not only before the Scripture was writ but even in their writing of them We are in no greater hazzard to be deceived now than they were then therefore the Apostle notably reproves such Pratlers against this Certainty 1 Joh. 4.6 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 Error Page 48. He asks Why I complain for his improving Isai. 59.21 but mentions not one word of that part of page 32. of mine wherein I shew him how this Scripture made against him as holding forth God's putting words in mens mouths which they deny as a thing ceased This the Reader by looking to the place may observe that the Lord there Promises his Spirit and Word shall continue to direct his People is not denied In his Dialogue page 16. he says That the Scriptures cannot be said to be a dead Letter because they are called killing and whereas I told him page 31. of my Answer That as dead things do kill if fed upon so if men feed upon the Letter of the Scripture without the Spirit which is the Life How the Letter killeth they will kill He shifts a Reply to this telling me The Scripture is called killing as being the Ministration of the Law which threatens Death against the sinner What then doth it therefore follow that they are not dead and deadly to such as feed upon them without the Spirit which giveth Life It is an apparent Malitious Passion to add That the drinking in of the Lifeless Poisonous Opinions of the Quakers will prove hurtful to the Soul seeing he bringeth not the least shadow of proof for it I observe that he â—ntitleth this Section The Quakers way Ineffectual to Convince an Opposer And yet how is it that he and his Brethren are so afraid that it spread and are daily so much crying out and clamouring against it as dangerous Priests call for the Magistrates Sword to defend their Doctrine against the Quakers intreating and beseeching People to beware of us and comparing our Words and Writings to Poison as that which is so ready to gain ground I say how comes it that they are so pressing in their importunate and often reiterate Pulpit-Exhortations to the Magistrates to Suppress Imprison us and break up our Meetings as such against whom their Labours will prove altogether fruitless and ineffectual if not assisted by the external Sword Sect. 5. Page 49. He undertakes to compare us with Papists as having learned our Language about Scripture from them But herein he hath notably manifested both his Self-contradiction and Ignorance He alledgeth We agree with Papists in that we say If the delusion be strong in the Heart it will twine the Scriptures to make them seem for it and in that we say They are dead and occasion Sects and Janglings whereunto we always add because the Spirit is wanting And yet in this sense he fully grants it himself page 43. saying It is granted that deluded Souls do wrest the Scriptures c. He concludes us one with Papists for saying There was a Rule before the Scriptures And yet grants it himself page 46. in confessing The Scripture was not a Rule to such Saints as lived The Saints had a Rule before the Scriptures was writ before it was writ Such then had some Rule before the Scriptures Thus far as to his Self-contradictions As to his Ignorance Can there be any thing more sottish to compare us with Papists for our preferring and calling the Light within as that which only makes the outward dispensation of the Gospel profitable and for our saying that the Spirit is both our Teacher and our Copy according to which if we walk we may profit without going forth for a Copy seeing it is known none to be more Enemies to these Doctrines than Papists And if we deny the Scripture to be the principal and compleat Rule of Faith that proves us no ways to agree with Papists except we all agreed with them concerning what is the Rule of Faith wherein we differ wider from Papists than our Opposers Therefore that sentence of Tertullian viz. That Christ is always Crucified betwixt two Thieves is impertinently objected by W M. against us and if the Lord will it may in due time be made appear to publick view that it far better suits our Adversaries He looks upon it as a great Absurdity page 51. To deny the more sure Word of Prophecy The more sure Word of Prophecy is not the Scripture but the Spirit mentioned 2 Pet. 1.19 to be the Scripture alledging I should have confuted the Apostle who expounds it so vers 20. But before he had been so peremptory in his Conclusion he should have first proved that the Apostle mentions these words by way of Exposition to the former Seeing he thinks himself so secure here why did he omit to answer that part of page 31. of mine where I told him That seeing the Scriptures have all their Sureness from the Spirit they cannot be more sure than it For to say that Scripture is more sure as to us being a standing Record than a Transient Voice from Heaven which
the fall of the first Adam He being put on by us as the new and heavenly Adam of which the Apostle Ye have put on Christ put him on I say as a Form i. e. the Wisdom Righteousness and Life of God And Pareus de Just. Cont. Bellar. lib 2. cap. 7. pag. 469. We saith he neither ever spoke nor thought the Righteousness of Christ to be imputed to us that by it we were and might be named formally Righteous as we have oft now shewed for surely that should no less fight with reason than if one quite absolved in Judgment should say he were formally Righteous by the mercy of the Judge These are the plain and positive expressions of several famous Protestants though W. M. reckons G. Keith's words mentioned by him page 55. as Popish which are nothing different from these And of late R. Baxter whom W. M. page 37. terms A Judicious Servant of God holdeth this Doctrine throughout in his Book termed Aphorisms of Justification who page 80. saith That some ignorant Wretches gnash their teeth at this Doctrine as if it were flat Popery not understanding the nature of the Righteousness of the New Covenant which is all out of Christ in our selves though wrought by the power of the Spirit of Christ. Page 195. he saith How this differeth from the Papist he need not tell any Scholar who have read their Writings Hereby the Intelligent Reader may observe how ridiculous if not malitious W. M. is in making such a noise as if we were in this matter either going with Papists or opposing Protestants In his second Section page 58. though he would be making a great bussle of our speaking of Justification by Works yet in the very entry he cannot deny but he is for it according to the true sense and meaning of the Spirit And therefore it remains to prove that ours is not so His alledging from some words of Samuel Fisher where he speaks of Works having Merit saith nothing for the Question recurs concerning the signification of the word Merit which we use in a qualified sense for we say That Works are no other ways Meritorious Works are Meritorius by the promised Reward upon Conditions than as they are Rewarded Merit and Reward being Relative terms as I told him in my last to which he returneth no Answer And thus is solved Sam. Fisher's using of that Argument mentioned by him page 60. to whom he foolishly supposes I cannot reconcile my self without being of a higher strain than for a Reward of Merit to wit That as Condemnation is the reward of evil works so Eternal Salvation and consequently Justification is the reward of good works Now Merit in a qualified sense doth not import an absolute desert according to strict Justice as on our part but a sutableness agreeableness or congruity according to these Scriptures Matth. 3.8 Bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Meritorious or Worthy and the same Greek word is used in these other Scriptures 1 Thess. 2.12 Walk worthy of God 2 Thess. 1.5 That ye may be counted Worthy of the Kingdom of God And thus R. Baxter speaketh of Merit in the Book above-mentioned page 90. In a large sense saith he as promise is an obligation and the thing promised is called debt so the Performers of the Conditions are called Worthy and their Performance Merit Though properly it is all of Grace and not of Debt Moreover whereas Augustine Bernard and others of the Fathers use the word Merit in this qualified sense W. M and his Brethren can give it the right hand but where we use it notwithstanding we tell them the simplicity of our meaning we must be upbraided with Popery It is here observable how he turns it to my Reproach That I seem to draw near in the least to any of the moderate sort of Papists And yet as to things wherein I charged him of Affinity with them he returneth no solid Answer Papists and W. M. agree but says I must not be credited Yea he plainly not only draws near but fully acknowledges his agreement with them saying They hold some things common with the Orthodox His third and fourth Section containeth not any thing of a solid Reply to that which is writ from page 36. to 44. of my last which the Reader by comparing them may easily observe He begins alledging That Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.19 must exclude all Works even the Works of Christ in us And that because the Apostle must be supposed to exclude either evil or good Works not evil therefore good And consequently the Works of Christ in us But as I told him in my last some Works may be good materially The Works of the Spirit of God and those of Man 's own Spirit differ which proceeding not from the Spirit of God but Man 's own Spirit are therefore excluded And thus the Case of Abraham doth not answer who though a godly man was capable sometimes to have done Works from his own Spirit It is here observable how he seeks to shift that which I inforce upon him from Tit. 3 5. alledging He mentioned it in opposition to Justification by Works as the Meritorious cause thereof But of this there was not one Word where he cites in his Dialogue page 20. Nor doth he answer any thing for that which I infer from this Scripture shewing page 37. of my last to which I refer the Reader he having wholly omitted it that by this Scripture where the Apostle says According to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration the Apostle includes Good Works as to Justification now all this he shuffles over as Insulting Triumphing Words and yet notwithstanding he himself insults here as though he had found us guilty of Popery though what we say in this matter be no other than what is clearly asserted by these famous Protestants above-mentioned and more particularly by R. Baxter in his Book aforesaid The Works of the â—aw excluded from Justification not the Works of the Gospel from page 185. to the end where he says That we are Justified by Works in the same kind of causality as by Faith viz. as causae sine quibus non Conditions or Qualifications of the New Covenant requisite on our part in order to Justification shewing how the Apostle Paul in the places above-mentioned excludes only the Works of the Law from Justification and never at all the Works of the Gospel as they are the Conditions of the New Covenant and there he refutes W. M's Exposition upon Isa. 2.12 As if our Justification were only Justified by Works or we declared Just by them before men And seeing W.M. hath declared he hath so good an Esteem of R. Baxter I refer him to read how he is Refuted by him as being too large to be here inserted Pag. 65 66. To overturn that which is said by me concerning the Faith Knowledge and Obedience
Strumpet a Whore the Mother of Fornications Babilon c. and all her devout Clergy no better than Baal's Priests filthy Dogs blind Guides Liars Dissemblers c. and all these other Denominations W. M. mentions the Quakers give his Brethren Dare he deny but there are some of his Fraternity guilty of all these Terms And what knoweth he but the Quakers have applied them aright It is manifest enough some of these Terms are too Applicable to them all Blind Guides Persecutors Hirelings Time-servers W. M's supposed pious Ministers such as blind Guides Persecutors It is here Observeable That among all these Denominations he alledges the Quakers give him and his Brethren he hath omitted the two both most frequently used against them by the Quakers and most universally deserved by his Fellow-Priests viz. Hirelings and Time-servers It seems he feared every Reader would have found them Applicable Herein do we find our selves Justified both before God and Good-men that we have named them no otherways than as their Guilt deserved and that we have no enmity nor hatred at any Man's Person nor have desired to harm it Whereas while they plead Forbearance for themselves that we should not speak the Truth plainly to them and of them terming our so doing Railing and Reviling yet they are not ashamed to speak all manner of evil falsly against us Railing at us without a cause And not only so but stirring up so far as they can the Magistrate to cause us to be Beat Imprisoned and Persecuted both in our Bodies Estates and Liberties by offering to banish us out of our Native Countries Yea and Cut us off if they could from the face of the Earth Let the Vnprejudiced Judge who shews forth here most Meekness or most Wrath Postscript WHereas W. M. in his fifth Head concerning the Scriptures and in his twelfth Head page 96. concerning the Ministry alledgeth That these words of the Apostle Paul mentioned by me 1 Cor. 14 30. Ye may all Prophesy one by one are restricted to Prophets c. not for the Common Order of the Church Adding That except we could prove all our Teachers to be Prophets we ought not to lay claim to that Scripture Pastors are called Prophets I would desire him to answer his Brother Samuel Rutherford's Professor of Divinity at St. Andrews so called who in his Book intituled The due Right of Presbytery page 466 467. Eight Arguments wherein he hath proved it to be of Pastors c. not of Extraordinary Prophets and thereby hath saved me that labour This coming to my hands after the other was committed to the Press was the Cause of its not being inserted in the due place A Seasonable Warning and Serious Exhortation to and Expostulation with the Inhabitants of Aberdeen concerning this present Dispensation and Day of God's living Visitation towards them GReat Unutterably great O ye Inhabitants is the Love of God which flows in my heart towards you and in bowels of unspeakable Compassion am I opened am I enlarged unto you in the sight and sense of your Conditions which the Lord hath Discovered and Revealed unto me O that your Eyes were opened that ye might see and behold this Day of the Lord and that your Ears were unstopped to hear his voice that crieth aloud and calleth One and All of you to REPENTANCE and that your hearts were softened and inclined to discern and perceive this blessed hour of his present Visitation which is come unto you He hath lifted up a Standard in the midst of you and among your Brethren He hath called already a Remnant and inrolled them under his Banner and he is calling ALL to come he hath not left one without a Witness Blessed are they that Receive him and Hear him in this Day of his Appearance He hath sent forth and is daily sending forth his Servants and Messengers to invite you to Come and Partake with him of the Supper of the Feast which he hath prepared And among many others whom at sundry times he hath caused to sound forth his Testimony I also have in the Name and Power and Authority of God proclaimed his Everlasting Gospel among you and preached and held forth the glad Tidings of this glorious Dispensation which is Christ manifesting and revealing himself in and by his Light and Spirit in the hearts of all men To lead them out of all Vnrighteousness and Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit unto all Righteousness Truth Holiness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost But because many of you have despised this Day and as ye have made merry over God's Witness in your hearts not liking there to entertain him in his meek lowly yet lovely Appearance so have ye despised mocked and rejected that which testifieth to this Witness without you Therefore was I commanded of the Lord God to pass through your Streets covered with Sack-cloth and Ashes calling you to REPENTANCE that ye might yet more be awakened and Alarum'd to take notice of the Lord's Voice unto you and not to despise these things which belong to your peace while your Day lasteth least hereafter they be hid from your eyes And the Command of the Lord concerning this thing came unto me that very Morning as I awakened and the Burden thereof was very Great yea seemed almost insupportable unto me for such a thing until that very moment had never entered me before not in the most remote Consideration And some whom I called to declare to them this thing can bear witness how great was the Agony of my Spirit how I besought the Lord with tears that this Cup might pass away from me Yea how the Pillars of my Tabernacle were shaken and how exceedingly my bones trembled until I freely gave up unto the Lord 's Will. And this was the end and tendency of my Testimony to call you to Repentance by this signal and singular Step which I as to my own Will and Inclination was as unwilling to be found in as the worst and the wickedest of you can be averse from receiving or laying it to heart Let all and every one of you in whom there is yet alive the least regard to God or his fear Consider and Weigh this matter in the presence of God and by the Spirit of Jesus Christ in your hearts which makes all things manifest Search and Examine every one his own Soul how far this Warning and Voice of the Lord is applicable unto them and how great need they have to be truly humbled in their Spirits Returning to the Lord in their inward parts with such true and unfeigned Repentance as answers to the outward Cloathing of Sack-cloth and being Covered with Ashes And in the Fear and Name of the Lord I charge all upon this occasion to beware of a slight frothy jearing mocking Spirit for though such may be permitted to Insult for a season yet God will turn their laughter into howling and will laugh when their calamity cometh and such
are seen to be in one Spirit with those who spat in the face of the LORD JESVS and buffeting him bid him prophesie who smote him Therefore consider O ye Inhabitants and be serious standing in fear Where are ye who are called Christians Among whom it is become a Wonder A Stone of Stumbling or Matter of Mockery or a Ground of Reproach for one in the Name of the LORD to invite you to Repentance in Sack-cloth and Ashes Would not the Heathen condemn you in this thing And will not Ninive stand up in judgment against you How is it that ye that are called Christians can willingly give room to every idle Mountebank and can suffer your minds to be drawn out to behold these sinful Divertisments which indeed divert the Mind from the serious sense of God's fear The People can be gathered there and neither the Magistrates complain of Tumult nor yet Preachers nor Professors cry out against it as Delusion or Madness O my Friends consider Can there be any more strongly Deluded than for People daily to Acknowledge and Confess they are Sinners and sinning in words and to startle at that which did so lively Represent unto them what they own to be their Condition Were it in good Earnest or were it from a true sense of your Sins that ye so frequently seem to acknowledge them ye would not despise nor overlook that which calleth you to Repentance for it How is it that you can so confidently Array your selves in all manner of gaudy and superfluous Apparel and exceed in lustful pouderings and perfumes and yet are ashamed and amazed at Sack-cloth and Ashes which according to your own acknowledgment is so sutable to your states Is not this to glory in your shame and to be ashamed of that which ought to be and would be your greatest glory to wit true and unfeigned Repentance I shall add that which upon this occasion I declared unto you I was for a Sign from the Lord unto you I desire ye may not be among those that wonder and perish but rather Repent and be Saved And this is my Testimony unto you whether you will hear or forbear I have peace with my God in what I have done and am satisfied that his Requirings I have answered in this thing I have not sought yours but you I have not coveted your gold or silver or any thing else nor do I retain or entertain the least Hatred Grudge or Evil Will towards any within or without your Gates but continue in pure and unfeigned Love towards all and every one of you even those who do most despise or reject me and my Testimony being ready to bless those that curse and to do good to those that despitefully use me and to be spent in the will of the Lord for your sakes that your Souls may be saved and God over all may be glorified For which I travel and cry before the Throne of Grace as becometh This came before me to signifie unto you by Writing at Urie the 12 th of the first Month 1672. A Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ ROBERT BARCLAY After this Paper was committed to the Press some Queries concerning this Matter were sent to a Friend in Aberdeen by One who in the Inscription styles himself a Sober Inquirer which Mask he quickly pulled off either for want of Wit or from too much Malice against the Truth by spreading these Queries at the same time among several Hands which no truly Sober Inquirer would have done until he had first received or been refused Satisfaction from him to whom he particularly directed them In order therefore to dispel such Cloudy Mists as the Enemy seeks to raise for darkning the Day of God's Appearance through his Children These Answers are judged fit to be here anexed The Premisses and Queries following upon them being all one on the matter the first being Positions in general and the other the particular Application of them hereto they need not different Answers both of them are herein comprehended and implied as any that will be at the pains to look after the Queries and Compare them may Observe To the first is therefore Answered 1. R. B. denies his Message to have proceeded from any Light or Illumination in him as a man but from the Immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God in his heart A Manifestation of which Spirit is given to every man to profit withal according to the plain Testimony of the Scriptures 1 Cor. 12.7 1 John 2.20 27. Hebr. 8.10 11 12. The which Spirit and Anointing teaches all the Saints under the New Covenant whereunto an Audible voice is not required For this is said to be within them and not without them Nor can it be proved that God spake always to the Prophets by an Audible Voice or that such a thing is requisite to every true Revelation received from the Spirit else none could be truly certain that the Scriptures came from the Spirit of God until they received an Audible Voice by the outward Ear confirming them of it nor could any have the Assurance of Salvation without the same both which the generality of Protestants hold needful to Believers and Calv. Inst. lib. 1. cap. 7. sect 4. cap. 8 sect 1. lib. 3. cap. 1. sect 4. cap. 3. sect 39. That by the inward secret Testimony of the Spirit without an Audible Voice Nor was John Huss his Prophecy of Luther or George Wishart's of the Cardinal's Death alledged to have proceeded from an outward audible voice and yet proved both True As likewise several others of latter years which might be mentioned 2. A Message thus delivered from the Testimony of the Spirit of God in the heart reaches to the Manifestation of the same Spirit in the hearts of those to whom it is delivered if they wilfully do not resist and shut it out Thus the Ninivites were reached at the Call of Jonah and those who heard Peter were pricked in their hearts yet neither the one or the other had such an immediate particular Call as Jonah and Peter had but the Testimony of the Spirit through these two touched reached and raised that of God in their hearts and made it applicable unto them Yet those that despise this Light and Manifestation of God in themselves may come to jeer and mock at a Message proceeding from it through another even as the Scribes and Pharisees did at Christ and therefore were worthy of Condemnation and judged by the Heathen such as Tyre and Sidon and Ninive Even as it is with those of the same Spirit at this day who while they cry up the Writings of the Prophets and other Scriptures as did the Pharisees are despising Prophesying or the teaching or leadings of the Spirit which the Apostle declared to be the nature of the New Covenant-Dispensation and therefore no wonder if according to the Scripture Prov. 28.18 Where there is no Vision the People perish 3. The Assisters to this Action having
Condemnation of the Devil Moreover he must have a good Report of them which are without lest he fall into Reproach and the Snare of the Devil For a Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God Tit. 1.7 8 9. not self-willed not soon angry not given to Wine no Striker not given to filthy Lucre but a lover of Hospitality a lover of good Men sober just holy temperate holding fast the Faithful Word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the Gain-sayers Q. What is incumbent upon such to do A. Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the Flock Acts 20.28 over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God * 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder and a Witness of the Sufferings of Christ and also a Partaker of the Glory that shall be revealed Feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the Oversight thereof not by Constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready Mind neither as being Lords over God's Heritage but being Ensamples to the Flock Q. Though they be not to Lord it over the Flock yet is there not a Respect due to them in their Place 1 Tim. 5.17 A. Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who Labour in the Word and Doctrine Q. Albeit then among true Christians every one that believeth is to have the Witness in himself being perswaded in himself by the Spirit yet is there not also a real Subjection to be to one another in the Lord 1 Cor. 14.32 A. The Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls Hebr. 13.17 as they that must give Account that they may do it with Joy and not with Grief for that is unprofitable for you 1 Thess. 5.12 13. And we beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in Love for their Works sake 1 Pet. 5 5. Likewise ye Younger submit your selves unto the Elder yea all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with Humility for God resisteth the Proud and giveth Grace unto the Humble Q. How ought true Teachers to minister in the Church A. As every man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another 2 Pet. 4.10 11. as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God If any speak let him speak as the Oracles of God If any Man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth that God in all Things may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Q. I perceive then that every true Minister of the Church of Christ is to Minister of the Gift and Grace of God which he hath received But some are of the Judgment that natural Wisdom or Parts and Human Learning are the Qualification Human Learning which are of absolute Necessity for a Minister but Grace they judge not to be so absolutely necessary but that one may be Minister without it what saith the Scripture in this Case A. A Bishop must be sober just holy temperate Tit. 1.6 8. Q. Methinks it is impossible for a Man to be blameless just holy sober and temperate without the Grace of God So that if these Qualifications be absolutely necessary then surely that without which a Man cannot be so qualified must be necessary also But what saith the Scripture as to the Necessity of Natural Wisdom and Human Learning A. Where is the Wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this World 1 Cor. 1.20 21 hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this World For after that in the Wisdom of God the World by Wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the Foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe Q. It seems then the Preachings of the true Ministers are not gathered together by Wisdom and Learning It hath been supposed that a Man must be greatly skilled in Learning to make a good Sermon what is the Apostle's Judgment in the Case A. For Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.17 not with Wisdom of Words lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none Effect And I was with you in Weakness and in Fear 1 Cor. 2 3 4 5 and in much Trembling and my Speech and my Preaching was not with Enticing Words of Man's Wisdom but in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that your Faith should not stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God Q. I perceive the Apostle lays far more stress upon the Demonstration and Power of the Spirit in a Preacher than upon human Literature ought Ministers then to preach as the Spirit teacheth them A. Also we speak not in the Words which Man's Wisdom teaches 2 Cor. 2.13 but which the Holy Ghost teacheth And they were all fill'd with the Holy Ghost and began to speak Acts 2.4 as the Spirit gave them Vtterance Q. Is it Christ then that speaketh in and through his Ministers A. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father Matth. 10.20 which speaketh in you For it is not ye that speak but the Holy Ghost Mark 13.11 For the Holy Ghost shall Teach you in the same Hour Luke 12.12 what ye ought to say Since ye seek a Proof of Christ speaking in me 2 Cor. 13.3 which to you-ward is not weak but is mighty in you Q. What is the Apostle's Mind of that human Learning which some cry up so much and think so needful in a Minister A. Beware Col. 2.8 lest any Man spoil you through Philosophy and vain Deceit after the Tradition of Men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ. O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust 1 Tim. 6.20 avoiding prophane and vain Babbling and Oppositions of Science falsly so caled Q. Though true Ministers speak not by the natural Wisdom of Men yet is their Testimony altogether void of Wisdom A. Howbeit we speak Wisdom among them that are perfect 1 Cor. 2.6 7. yet not the Wisdom of this World nor of the Prince of this World that came to nought but we speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the World to our Glory Q. What is the Reason that Man by his natural Wisdom is not capable to Minister in the Things of God A. For what Man knoweth the Things of a Man 1 Cor. 2.11 14 save the Spirit of a Man which is in him even so the Things of God knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God But the natural Man received
not the Things of the Spirit of God for they are Foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Q. These Scriptures do sufficiently hold forth that the true Call to the Ministry is from God that which maketh a Minister is the Gift and Grace of God that the true and effectual Preaching of a faithful Minister is such Maintenance as is from the inward Teaching and Leading of the Spirit of God But what say the Scriptures touching the Maintainance of Ministers Gal. 6.6 A. Let him that is taught in the Word Communicate unto him that teacheth in all good Things 1 Cor. 9.11 12 13 14. If we have sown unto you Spiritual Things is it a great matter if we shall reap Carnal Things If others be Partakers of this Power over you are not we rather Nevertheless we have not used this Power but suffer all Things lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy Things live of the Things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so hath the Lord ordain'd that they which preach the Gospel shall live of the Gospel For the Scripture saith 1 Tim. 5.18 Thou shalt not muzzle the Ox that treadeth out the Corn and the Labourer is worthy of his Reward Q. I perceive by these Scriptures that there lieth an Obligation upon the Saints to help with Outward Things such as truly Minister unto them Spiritual but this seems to be Voluntary Ought not therefore true Ministers to preach whether they be sure of this or not What saith the Apostle of himself in this Case and what adviseth he others 1 Cor 9.15 16 17 18. A. But I have used none of These Things neither have I written those things that it should be so done unto me for it were better for me to die than that any Man should make my Glorying void For though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to Glory of for Necessity is laid upon me yea Wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel For if I do this Thing willingly I have a Reward but if against my Will a Dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto me what is my Reward then Verily that when I Preach the Gospel I make the Gospel of Christ without Charge that I abuse not my Power in the Gospel Acts 20.33 34 35. I have Coveted no Man's Silver or Gold or Apparel yea your selves know that these Hands have ministred unto my Necessities and to them that were with me I have shewed you all things how that so Labouring ye ought to support the weak and to remember the Words of the Lord Jesus how he said It is more blessed to give than to receive Q. It 's observable that the Apostle every where makes special mention among the Qualifications of Teachers that they be not given to Filthy Lucre What ought we then to think of these Teachers as will not preach without Hire yea that will by Violence take from those who receive no Spirituals from them Are they like to be the Ministers of Christ or what else saith the Scripture of such Isa. 56.11 A. Yea they are greedy Dogs which can never have enough and they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own Way every one for his Gain from his Quarter * Ezek. 34.2 3 8. Son of Man Prophesie against the Shepherds of Israel Prophesie and say unto them year 1675 Thus saith the Lord God unto the Shepherds Wo to the Shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves Should not the Shepherds feed the Flook Ye eat the Fat and ye cloath you with the Woll ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the Flock As I live saith the Lord God surely because my Flock became a Prey and my Flock became Meat to every Beast of the Field because there was no Shepherd neither did my Shepherds search for my Flock but The Shepherds fed themselves and fed not my Flock Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my People Err that bite with their Teeth and cry Peace Mich. 3 5 11. and he that puts not into their Mouths they even prepare War against him The Heads thereof judge for Reward and the Priests thereof teach for Hire and the Prophets thereof Divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us None evil can come upon us Q. These are plain Testimonies from the Prophets Are there none such from the Apostles A. Perverse Disputings of Men of Corrupt Minds and destitute of the Truth supposing that Gain is Godliness 1 Tim. 6.5 6 7 8 9 10. from such withdraw thy self But Godliness with Contentment is great Gain For we brought nothing into the World and it 's certain we can carry nothing out and having Food and Raiment let us therewith be content But they that will be Rich fall into Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown men in Destruction and Perdition For the Love of Money is the Root of all Evil which while some Coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many Sorrows For Men shall be Lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters Proud Blasphemers 2 Tim. 2.3 Disobedient to Parents Unthankful Unholy For there are many unruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers Tit. 1.10 11. especially they of the Circumcision whose Mouths must be stop'd who subvert whole Houses teaching things which they ought not for Filthy Lucre's sake But there were false Prophets also among the People 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3 14 15. even as there shall be False Teachers among you who privately shall bring in Damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift Destruction And many shall follow their Pernicious Ways by reason of whom the Way of Truth shall be Evil spoken of And through Covetousness shall they with feigned Words make Merchandize of you whose Judgment now of a long time lingereth not and their Damnation slumbereth not Having Eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease from Sin beguiling unstable Souls an Heart they have exercised with Covetous practices Cursed Children which have forsaken the Right Way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the Son of Bozor who loved the Wages of Vnrighteousness Wo unto them For they have gone in the Way of Cain and run greedily after the Error of Balaam for Reward Jude 11 16. and perished in the Gain-saying of Corah These are Murmurers Complainers walking after their own Lust and their Mouth speaketh great Swelling Words year 1673 having Mens Persons in Admiration because of Advantage Q Ought there to be any Order in the Church of God A. Let all things be done decently and in Order 1 Cor. 14.40 Q What good Order is prescribed
Flesh is not the same Flesh but there is one kind of Flesh of Men another Flesh of Beasts another of Fishes and another of Birds there are also Celestial Bodies and Bodies Terrestrial but the Glory of the Celestial is one and the Glory of the Terrestrial is another There is one Glory of the Sun and another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars for one Star differs from another Star in Glory so also is the Resurrection of the Dead it is sown in Corruption it is raised in Incorruption it is sown in Dishonour it is raised in Glory it is sown in Weakness it is raised in Power it is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body There is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body Q. The Apostle seems to be very positive that it is not that Natural Body which we now have that shall rise but a Spiritual Body A. * 1 Cor. 15.50 51 52 53 54 55. Now this I say Brethren That Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption Behold I shew you a Mystery We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a Moment in the Twinkling of an Eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the Dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed For this Corruptible must put on Incorruption and this Mortal must put on Immortality So when this Corruptible shall have put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall have put on Immortality then shall be brought to pass the Saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory CHAP. XV. A Short Introduction to the CONFESSION of FAITH HAving thus largely and evidently performed the chief Part of that which I promised in this Treatise in giving a full account of our Principles in plain Scripture-words and also answering by the Scriptures the chief and main Objections made against us I come to a Confession of Faith in which I shall not be so large for that I judge it not Convenient to make an Interpretation of all the Scriptures before-mentioned which if needful the Reader may easily observe were not very difficult to do But whereas a Confession of Faith called rather for an Affirmative Account of ones own Faith than for the Solution of Objections or any thing of Debate in a Discursive Way which is both more properly and pertinently performed in a Catechism therefore I have here only done so I am necessitated sometimes to intermix some words for Coherence of the Matter as sometimes And and sometimes Therefore and the like but not such as any Ingenuous Person can affirm do add to the Matter or that may any wise justly be reckoned a Comment or Meaning and therefore to avoid the Censure of the most Curious Carping Criticks these are marked with a different Character Likewise unless I should have ridiculously offered to publish incongruous Grammar there was a true need sometimes to change the Mood and Person of a Verb in all which places whosoever will look to the words shall find it is done upon no Design to alter any whit the naked Import of them As for Instance where Christ says I am the Light of the World were it proper for me to write thus I am the Light c. Or can it be reckoned any whit Contradicting of my Purpose and Promise to write Christ is the Light where the first Person is changed to the third Also sometimes I express things which are necessarily understood as when any of the Apostles say We there instead of We I write Apostles and where they say You speaking of the Saints there I mention Saints instead of it for the Connexion of the Sentence sometimes requires it As in the first Article in mentioning that of 1 John 1.5 concerning God's being Light and in such like Cases which I know no impartial Reader would have quarrelled though wanting this Apology which I judged meet to premise knowing there is a Generation who when they cannot find any real or substantial Ground against Truth and its Followers will be Cavilling at such little Niceties therefore such may see this Objection is obviated CHAP. XVI A CONFESSION of FAITH concerning Twenty Three Articles ARTICLE I. Concerning God and the True and Saving Knowledge of him THere is one God a Eph. 4.6 1 Cor. 8.4 6. who is a Spirit b John 4.24 And This is the Message which the Apostles heard of him and declared unto the Saints That he is Light and in him is no Darkness at all c 1 John 1.5 There are Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One d 1 John 1.7 The Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father e John 10.38 and 14.10 11. and 5.26 No Man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will Reveal him f Matth. 11.27 Luke 10.22 The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God g 1 Cor. 2.10 For the Things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now the Saints have received not the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that they might know the things which are freely given them of God h 1 Cor. 2.11 12. For the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father sends in Christ's Name he teacheth them all things and bringeth all things to their Remembrance i John 14.26 ARTICLE II. Concerning the Guide and Rule of Christians CHrist prayed to the Father and he gave the Saints another Comforter that was to abide with them for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not nor knoweth him But the Saints know him for he dwelleth with them and is to be in them k John 14.16 17. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God l Rom. 8.9 14. For this is the Covenant that God hath made with the House of Israel He hath put his Laws in their Mind and writ them in their Hearts and they are all taught of God m Hebr. 8.10 11. And the Anointing which they have received of him abideth in them and they need not that any man teach them but as the same Anointing teacheth them of all things and is Truth and is no Lie n 1 John 2.27 ARTICLE III. Concerning the Scriptures WHatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope o Rom. 15.4 which are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture being given by Inspiration of God and
wholly bound up to these things already delivered in the Scriptures as if God had spoke his last words there to his People * So saith James Durham a noted Man among the Presbyterians in his Exposition upon the Revelations we are put with our own natural Understandings to Debate about the Meanings of it and forced to Interpret them not as they plainly speak but according to the Analogy of a certain Faith made by Men not so much contrived to answer the Scriptures as the Scriptures are strained to vindicate it which to doubt of is also counted Heresy deserving no less than Ejection out of our Native Country and to be Robbed of the Common Aid our Nativity entitles us to And on this hand we may boldly say both Papists and Protestants have greatly gone aside On the other hand some are so great Pretenders to inward Motions and Revelations of the Spirit that there are no Extravagancies so wild which they will not cloak with it and so much are they for every ones following their own Mind as can admit of no Christian Fellowship and Community nor of that good Order and Discipline which the Church of Christ never was nor can be without This gives an open Door to all Libertinism and brings great Reproach to the Christian Faith And on this hand have foully fall'n the German Anabaptists so call'd John of Leyden Knipperdolling c. in case these monstrous things committed by them be such as they are related and some more moderate of that kind have been found among the People in England called Ranters as it is true the People called Quakers have been branded with both of these Extreams it is as true it hath been and is their Work to Avoid them and to be found in that even and good Path of the Primitive Church where all were no doubt led and acted by the Holy Spirit and might all have prophesied one by one and yet there was a Subjection of the Prophets to the Spirits of the Prophets There was an Authority some had in the Church yet it was for Edification and not for Destruction there was an Obedience in the Lord to such as were set over and a being taught by such and yet a knowing of the Inward Anointing by which each Individual was to be led into all Truth The Work and Testimony the Lord hath given us is to Restore this again and to set both these in their right place without causing them to destroy one another To manifest how this is Accomplished and Accomplishing among us is the Business of this Treatise which I hope will give some Satisfaction to Men of sober Judgments and impartial and unprejudicate Spirits and may be made useful in the good Hand of the Lord to Confirm and Establish Friends against their present Opposers Which is mainly intended and earnestly prayed for By The 17th of the 8th Month 1674. Robert Barclay THE CONTENTS Section I. THe Introduction and Method of this Treatise Section II. Concerning the Ground and Cause of this Controversie Section III. Whether there be any Order or Government in the Church of Christ. Section IV. Of the Order and Government we plead for Section V. In what Cases and how far this Government extends Section VI. How far this Government extends in Matters Spiritual and purely Conscientious Section VII Concerning the Power of Decision Section VIII How this Government altogether differeth from the Oppressing and Persecuting Principality of the Church of Rome and other Antichristian Assemblies The Conclusion THE Anarchy of the Ranters c. year 1674 SECTION I. The Introduction and Method of this Treatise AFter that the Lord God in his own appointed time had seen meet to put an End to the Dispensation of the Law The End of the Law and Beginning of the Gospel-Dispensation recited which was delivered to the Children of Israel by the Ministry of Moses through and by whom he did Communicate unto them in the Wilderness from Mount Sinai divers Commandments Ordinances Appointments and Observations according as they are testified in the Writings of the Law it pleased him to send his own Son the Lord Jesus Christ in the fulness of Time who having perfectly fulfilled the Law and the Righteousness thereof gave Witness to the Dispensation of the Gospel And having Approved himself and the Excellency of his Doctrine by many Great and Wonderful Signs and Miracles he sealed it with his Blood and Triumphing over Death of which it was impossible for him to be held he cherished and encouraged his despised Witnesses who had believed in him in that he Appeared to them after he was raised from the Dead comforting them with the Hope and Assurance of the pouring forth of his Spirit by which they were to be led and ordered in all things in and by which he was to be with them to the End of the World not suffering the Gates of Hell to prevail against them By which Spirit come upon them they being filled were emboldned to preach the Gospel without Fear and in a short time Thousands were added to the Church and the Multitude of them that believed were of One Heart and of One Soul and great Love and Zeal prevailed and there was nothing lacking for a season But all that was Caught in the Net did not prove Good and Wholsom Fish some were again to be Cast in that Ocean from whence they were Drawn of those many that were Called The Divers Sorts of them that were called in the Apostles days all proved not Chosen Vessels fit for the Master's Use and of all that were brought into the great Supper and Marriage of the King's Son there were that were found without the Wedding-Garment Some made a Shew for a Season and afterwards fell away there were that drew back there were that made Shipwrack of Faith and of a Good Conscience there were not only such as did backslide themselves but sought to draw others into the same Perdition with themselves seeking to overturn their Faith also yea there were that brought in Damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them And also of those Members that became not wholly Corrupt for some were never again Restored by Repentance there were that were weak and sickly and young some were to be fed with Milk and not with strong Meat some were to be purged when the Old Leaven received any place and some to be Cut off for a season to be shut out as it were of the Camp for a time until their Leprosy were healed and then to be received in again Moreover as to Outwards there was the Care of the Poor of the Widow The Order in the Church of God in the Outward of the Fatherless of the Strangers c. Therefore the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Body the Church for the Church is the Body of Christ and the Saints are the several Members of that Body knowing in his infinite Wisdom what was
gratified and it self brought into Dis-esteem then it is fit lor such whose Care is to keep all right to take Inspection in the Matter to Meet together in the Fear of God to wait for his Counsel and to speak forth his Mind according as he shall manifest himself in and among them And this was the Practice of the primitive Church in the Matter of Circumcision For here lay the Debate some thought it not needful to Circumcise the Gentiles others thought it a thing not to be dispensed with and no doubt of these for we must remember they were not the Rebellious Jews but such as had already believed in Christ there were that did it out of Conscience as judging Circumcision to be still Obligatory For they said thus Except ye be Circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Now what Course took the Church of Antioch in these Cases Acts 15.2 The Church at Antioch sends a Case to Jerusalem for Advice from the Elders They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should go unto Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this Question We must not suppose they wanted the Spirit of God at Antioch to have decided the Matter neither that these Apostles neglected or went from their Inward Guide in undertaking this Journey yet we see they judged it meet in this Matter to have the Advice and Concurrence of the Apostles and Elders that were at Jerusalem that they might be all of one mind in the matter For there is no greater Property of the Church of Christ than pure Vnity in the Spirit that is a Consenting and Oneness in Judgment and Practices in Matters of Faith and Worship which yet admits of different Measures Growths and Motions but never contrary and contradictory Ones and in these Diversities of Operations yet still by the same Spirit the true Liberty is exercised as shall be declared hereafter Therefore prayeth Christ That they all may be one as he and the Father is one To which Purpose also let these following Scriptures be Examined Rom. 12.16 Be of the same Mind one towards another 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no Divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same Mind and in the same Judgment Ephes. 5.21 Submitting your selves one to another in the Fear of God Phil. 2.2 Fulfil ye my Joy that ye be like-minded having the same Love being of one accord of one Mind And yet more remarkable is that of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians Chap. 3. Vers. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherways minded God shall Reveal even this unto you Vers. 16. Nevertheless whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Vers. 17. Brethren be Followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an Example So here though the Apostle grants Forbearance in things Pretenders and Innovators Judged by the Power of God wherein they have not yet attained yet he concludes they must walk so as they have him for an Example and so consequently not Contrary or otherways And therefore we conclude that whereas any in the Church of God pretending Conscience or Revelation shall arise to teach and practise however insignificant or small in themselves whether Principles or Practices yet if they be contrary to such as are already received as true and confirmed by God's Spirit in the Hearts of the Saints and that the introducing of these things tend to bring Reproach upon the Truth as such as are not edifying in themselves and so stumble the Weak those who have a true and right Discerning may in and by the Power of God authorizing them and no otherways Condemn and Judge such things and they so doing it it will be Obligatory upon all the Members that have a true Sense because they will feel it to be so and therefore submit to it And thus far as to the Nature of themselves Secondly As to the Spirit and Ground they proceed from Whatsoever Cons. 2 Innovation Difference or divers Appearance whether in Doctrine or Practice What proceeds not from the Spirit of God to be withstood and denied proceedeth not from the pure Moving of the Spirit of God or is not done out of pure Tenderness of Conscience but either from that which being puft up affecteth Singularity and therethrough would be observed commended and exalted or from that which is the Malignity of some Humours and natural Tempers which will be Contradicting without Cause and secretly begetting of Divisions Animosities and Emulations by which the Vnity and unfeigned Love of the Brethren is lessened or rent I say all things proceeding from this Root and Spirit however little they may be supposed to be of themselves are to be guarded against withstood and denied as hurtful to the true Church's Peace and a Hindrance to the Prosperity of Truth Quest. If it be said How know ye that these things proceed from that Ground Answ. For Answer I make not here any Application as to particular Persons or Things but if it be granted as it cannot be denied that there may arise Persons in the true Church that may do such Things from such a Spirit though pretending Conscience and Tenderness then it must also be acknowledged The Spirit of Discerning in the Church Judges Transgressors that such to whom God hath given a true Discerning by his Spirit may and ought to judge such Practices and the Spirit they come from and have no Vnity with them Which if it be owned in the General proves the Case to wit That some pretending Conscience in Things seeming indifferent but yet it proceeding in them from a Spirit of Singularity Emulation or Strife those that have received a Discerning thereof from the Lord may and ought to judge the Transgressors without being accounted Imposers Oppressors of Conscience or Inforcers of Vniformity contrary to the Mind of Christ against which the Apostle also guardeth the Churches of Old Phil. 2.3 4. Let nothing be done through Strife or Vain Glory but in Lowliness of Mind let each esteem other BETTER THAN THEMSELVES Look not every Man on his own Things but every Man also on the Things of others Now if it be an Evil to do any Thing out of Strife then such Things that are seen so to be done are they not to be avoided and forsaken So that we are confident our Judgment herein cannot be denied or reputed Erroneous except it be said That none will or can arise in the Church of Christ Pretenders may arise and must be watched against pretending such things from such a Spirit which I know not any that will it being contrary to the express Prophecies of the Scripture and the
Experience of the Church in all Ages as may appear from Matth. 24.24 Acts 15.54 1 Tim. 4.5 2 Tim. 3.8 Mark 13.21 22. 2 Pet. 2.19 Or on the other Hand that those that abide faithful Discerners of Evils to reprove and warn and have a Discerning of those Evils ought to be silent and never ought to Reprove and gain-stand them nor yet Warn and guard others against them and that it is a part of the commendable Vnity of the Church of Christ to suffer all such Things without taking Notice of them I know none will say so but if there be any so foolish as to affirm it let them consider these Scriptures Gal. 2.4 1 Tim. 1.20 2 Tim. 2.24 25. Tit. 1.9 10 11. Now if none of these hold true but on the contrary such Evils have been and may be found to creep in among the People of God and that such as see them may and ought to reprove them then necessarily the doing so is neither Imposition Force nor Oppression As to the Third concerning the Consequence and Tendency of them Cons. 3 it is mostly included in the two former for whatsoever tendeth not to Edification but on the contrary to Destruction Sowers of Discord among Brethren to be avoided and to beget Discord among Brethren is to be avoided according to that of the Apostle Rom. 16.17 Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them And since there is no greater Mark of the People of God To follow Peace among our selves than to be at Peace among themselves whatsoever tendeth to break that Bond of Love and Peace must be testified against Let it be observed I speak always of the Church of Christ indeed and deal with such as are of another Mind not as reckoning only false Churches not to have this Power but denying it even to the true Church of Christ as judging it not fit for her so to Act as in relation to her Members For though Christ be the Prince of Peace and doth most of all commend Love and Vnity to his Disciples yet I also know he came not to send Peace but a Sword that is in dividing Man from the Lusts and Sins he hath been united to And also it is the Work of his Disciples and Messengers to break the Bands and Vnity of the Wicked To the breaking of the Bands of the Wicked wherein they are banded against God and his Truth and the Confederacy of such as stand in Vnrighteousness by inviting and bringing as many as will obey unto Righteousness whereby they become dis-united and separated from their Companion 's with whom they were Centered and at Peace in the contrary and cursed Nature And indeed blessed are they Prov. 20.26 that are sent forth of the Lord to scatter here that they may gather into the Vnity of the Life and they are blessed that in this Respect even for Righteousness sake are scattered and separated from their Brethren that they may come to know the Brotherhood and Fellowship which is in the Light from which none ought to scatter nor to be scattered but be more and more gathered thereunto And this leads me to what I proposed in the Third Place under this Head of the True Churches Power in Matters Spiritual or purely Conscientious which may be thus Objected If thou plead so much for an Oneness in the smallest Matters wherein Quest. III consisteth the Freedom and Liberty of the Conscience which may be Exercised by the Members of the true Church diversly without judging one another In Answer to this Proposition I affirm first in general That whatsoever Things may be supposed to proceed from the same Spirit Answer though divers in its Appearance tending to the same End of Edification and which in the Tendency of it layeth not a real Ground for Division or Dissension of Spirit Fellow-Members ought not only to bear one another but strengthen one another in them Now the Respects wherein this may be I can describe no better than the Apostle Paul doth principally in two Places which therefore will be fit to consider at length for the opening of this Matter this being one of the weightiest Points pertaining to this Subject Because as on the one Hand due Forbearance ought to be exercised in its right place so on the other the many Devices and false Pretences of the Enemy Place 1 creeping in here ought to be guarded against The first is 1 Cor. 12. from Verse 4. to 31. thus Vers. 4. Now there are Diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit Diversity of Gifts Administrations and Operations from the same Spirit makes no Division V. 5. And there are Differences of Administrations but the same Lord. Vers. 6. And there are Diversities of Operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all Vers. 7. But the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal Vers. 8. For to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit Vers. 9. To another Faith by the same Spirit to another the Gifts of Healing by the same Spirit Vers. 10. To another the Working of Miracles to another Prophecy to another Discerning of Spirits to another divers kinds of Tongues to another the Interpretation of Tongues Vers. 11. But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every Man severally as he will As many Members in one Body concur to the upholding the same Vers. 12. For as the Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body so also is Christ. Vers. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit Vers. 14. For the Body is not one Member but many Vers. 15. If the Foot shall say because I am not the Hand I am not of the Body is it therefore not of the Body Vers. 16. And if the Ear shall say because I am not the Eye I am not of the Body is it not therefore of the Body Vers. 17. If the whole Body were an Eye where were the Hearing If the whole were Hearing where were the Smelling Vers. 18. But now hath God set the Members every one of them in the Body as it hath pleased him Vers. 19. And if they were all one Member where were the Body Vers. 20. But now are they many Members yet but one Body Vers. 21. And the Eye cannot say unto the Hand I have no need of thee nor again the Head to the Feet I have no need of you Vers. 22. Nay much more those Members of the Body which seem to be more feeble are necessary Vers. 23. And those Members of the Body which we think to be less honourable upon these
the Body Christ hath called him to and would force him to exercise the same Office he doth though he be not called to it The Breach of Liberty begets Jars and Schisms here is a Breach of Christian Liberty and an Imposing upon it Now all Schisms and Jars fall out in this twofold Respect Either when any Person or Persons assume another or an higher Place in the Body than God will have them to be in and so exercise an Office or go about to perform that which they ought not to do or when as any truly exercising in their Place which God hath given them others rise up and judge them and would draw them from it both of which Cases have been and may be supposed to fall out in the Church of Christ. As 1 Cor. 4.3 4 where some judged Paul wrongously 3 John 9. where one exalting himself above his Place judged whom he ought not We see then what Diversities be most usually in the Church of God consisting in the Difference of the Gift proceeding from the same Spirit and in the divers Places that the several Members have in the same Body for the Edification of it and every one being here in his own Station is standing therein is his Strength and Perfection and to be in another though higher and more eminent would but weaken and hurt him and so in this there ought to be a mutual Forbearance that there may neither be a coveting nor aspiring on the one hand nor yet a despising or condemning on the other Acts of Forbearance in the Primitive Church But besides the Forbearance of this Nature which is most ordinary and universal and for the Exercise whereof there is and will still be a need so long as there is any Gathering or Church of Christ upon the Earth there is a certain Liberty and Forbearance also that is more particular and has a Relation to the Circumstance of Times and Places which will not hold universally whereof we have the Example of the Primitive Church testified by the Scriptures in two or three Particulars The first was in suffering Circumcision to the Jews for a time and not only so but also divers others of the Legal and Ceremonial Purifications and Customs as may appear Acts 21. vers 21 22 23 24 c. The second was in the Observation of certain days Rom. 14.5 And the third In the Abstaining from Meats 1 Cor. 8. throughout Here the Apostle perswades to and recommends a Forbearance because of the Weakness of some for he says not any where nor can it be found in all the Scriptures of the Gospel that these things such Weak ones were exercised in were things indipsensibly necessary or that it had been better for them they had not been under such Scruples providing it had been from a Principle of true Clearness and so of Faith Next again Acts of Forbearance or Condescension under the Law These Acts of Forbearance were done in a Condescension to the Weakness of such upon whom the Ancient and truly deserved in its season Veneration of the Law had such a deep Impression that they could not yet dispense with all its Ceremonies and Customs And to such the Apostle holds forth a twofold Forbearance First A certain Compliance by such Believers as were gathered out from the Jews though they saw over these things 1. To Jews yet it was fit they should Condescend somewhat to their Country-men and Brethren who were Weak Secondly The like Forbearance in the Gentiles 2. To Gentiles not to judge them in these things but we see that it was not allowed for such weak ones to propagate these Scruples or draw others into them and that whenas any of the Churches of the Gentiles who wanted this Occasion would have been exercising this Liberty or pleading for it the Apostle doth down-rightly Condemn it as I shall make appear in all the Three Instances above-mentioned Instances 1 First In that of Circumcision Gal. 5.2 4. 1. Of Circumcision Behold I Paul say unto you that if ye be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Christ is become of none effect unto you Whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from Grace Can there be any thing more positive Might not some here have pretended Tenderness of Conscience and have said Though the Decree of the Apostles do dispense with Circumcision in me yet if I find a Scruple in my self and a Desire to it out of Tenderness why should it be an Evil in me to do it more than in the Jews that believe We see there is no room left here for such Reasoning Inst. 2 Secondly As to Observations Gal. 4.9 10 11. Might not they have answered Of Observations of Days What if we Regard a Day to the Lord must we not then Are not these thy own Words We see that did not hold here because in them it was a Returning to the Beggerly Elements Thirdly As to Meats 1 Tim. 4.3 Here we see that is accounted Inst. 3 a Doctrine of Devils Of Meats which in another respect was Christian Forbearance And therefore now and that in the general respect he gives this Reason Vers. 4. For every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with Thanksgiving of them that believe and know the Truth So we see that in these particular things there is great need of Wariness in the Church of Christ for that sometimes Forbearance under a Pretence of Liberty may be more hurtful than down-right Judging I suppose if any should arise and pretend Conscience and claim a Liberty for Circumcision and the Purifications of the Law whether all Christians would not with one Voice Condemn it And so as to Days and Meats how do the Generality of Protestants Judge it Though I deny not but there may and ought to be a mutual Forbearance in the Church of Christ in certain such Cases which may fall in and a Liberty there is in the Lord which breaks not the Peace of the true Church but in such Matters as I observed at large before both the Nature of the things the Spirit they come from and the Occasion from whence and their Consequence and Tendency is to be carefully observed SECTION VII Concerning the Power of Decision SEeing then it may fall out in the Church of Christ that both some may assume another place in the Body than they ought and others may lay claim to a Liberty and pretend Conscience in things they ought not and that without Question the wrong is not to be tolerated but to be testified against however specious its Appearance may be and that it must and ought to be judged The Question will arise Head III. Who is the proper Judge or Judges in whom resideth the Power of Prop. 2 deciding this Controversy And this is that which I undertook in the next Place to Treat of as being the Specifick Difference and Distinguishing
Property of the Church of Christ from all other Antichristian Assemblies and Churches of Man's building and framing To give a short and yet clear and plain Answer to this Proposition The only proper Judge of Controversies in the Church is the Spirit of God and the Power of deciding solely lies in it as having the only Unerring Infallible and Certain Judgment belonging to it which Infallibility is not necessarily annexed to any Persons The Spirit of God the proper Judge of Controversies in the Church Person or Places whatsoever by Virtue of any Office Place or Station any one may have or have had in the Body of Christ. That is to say that any have Ground to Reason thus Because I am or have been such an Eminent Member therefore my Judgment is Infallible or Because we are the greatest Number or that We live in such a Noted or Famous Place or the like though some of these Reasons may and ought to have their true Weight in Case of Contradictory Assertions as shall hereafter be observed yet not so as upon which either mainly or only the Infallible Judgment is to be placed but upon the Spirit as that which is the firm and unmoveable Foundation And now if I should go on no further I have said enough to vindicate us from IMPOSITION and from the Tyranny whether of Popery Prelacy or Presbytery or any such like we have or may be branded with as shall after appear But to proceed herein lies the Difference betwixt the Dispensation of the Law and the Gospel or New Covenant for that of old all Answers were to be received from the Priests in the Tabernacle For he that appeared betwixt the Cherubims there Exod. 25.22 Numb 7.89 Hos. 12.10 Amos 7.14 2 Chron. 18.6 7. John 6.45 Hebr. 1.1 2. spake forth his Mind to the People and there were also Families of the Prophets to whom they resorted for the Answer of the Lord though sometimes as a Signification of the further Glory that was to be Revealed it pleased God to Reveal his Mind to some even to them who were neither Prophets nor Prophets Sons but under the Gospel we are all to be taught of God that is none are excluded from his Priviledge by not being of the Tribe of Levi or of the Children of the Prophets though this Priviledge is as truly exercised in some by Assenting and Obeying to what God Commands and Reveals through others they feeling Vnity with it in the Life as by such who by the Revelation and Command of God's Spirit hold forth his Will to his People in certain Particulars which the same Spirit leads and commands them to obey So that we say and that with a very good Ground that it is no way Inconsistant with this Sound and Vnerring Principle to affirm That the Judgment of a certain Person or Persons in certain Cases is Infallible Judgment Infallible proceeds from the Spirit Infallible or for a certain Person or Persons to give a positive Judgment and pronounce it as Obligatory upon others because the Foundations and Ground thereof is not because they are Infallible but because in these Things and at that Time they were Led by the Infallible Spirit And therefore it will not shelter any in this Respect to pretend I am not bound to obey the Dictates of Fallible Man is not this Popery I not being perswaded in my self Because it is not to be disobedient to them but to the Judgment of Truth through them at such a Time and one or more their not being perswaded may as probably proceed from their being hardned and being out of their Place and in an Incapacity to hear the Requirings as that the Thing is not Required of them which none can deny but it may as well be supposed as the Contrary But for the further clearing of this Matter before I Conclude I shall not doubt both to affirm and prove these following Propositions First That there never will nor can be wanting in Case of Controversy the Spirit of God to give Judgment through some or other in the Church of Christ so long as any Assembly can properly or in any Assert 1 tolerable Supposition be so termed Secondly That God hath ordinarily in the communicating of his Assert 2 Will under his Gospel imployed such whom he had made Use of in gathering of his Church and in feeding and watching over them though not Excluding others Thirdly That their de Facto or effectually Meeting together and Assert 3 giving a positive Judgment in such Cases will not import Tyranny and Vsurpation or an Inconsistency with the Vniversal Priviledge that all Christians have to be led by the Spirit neither will the Pretences of any contradicting them or refusing to Submit upon the account they see it not or so excuse them from being really guilty of disobeying God For the First to those that believe the Scripture there will need no Assert 1 other Probation Proved than that of Matth. 28.20 And lo I am with you alway even unto the End of the World And Vers 18. And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Now if the Church of Christ were so destitute of the Spirit of God that in Case of Difference there were not any found that by the Infallible Spirit could give a certain Judgment The Infallible Spirit the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against would not then the Gates of Hell prevail against it For where is Strife and Division and no effectual Way to put an End to it there not only the Gates but the Courts and Inner Chambers of Darkness prevail for where Envying and Strife is there is Confusion and every Evil Work But that there may be here no Ground of Mistake or Supposition that we were annexing Infallibility to certain Persons or limiting the Church to such I understand not by the Church every particular Gathering or Assembly circumscribed to any particular Country or City for I will not refuse but divers of them both apart and together if not Established in God's Power The Erring Church or People may Err. Nor yet do I lay the absolute Stress upon a General Assembly of Persons as such picked and chosen out of every one of those particular Churches as if what the Generality or Plurality of those Conclude upon were necessarily to be supposed to be the Infallible Judgment of Truth though to such an Assembly of Persons truly stated as they ought in God's Power he hath heretofore Revealed his Will in such Cases and yet may as the most probable Way which shall be spoken of hereafter yet such as a meer Assembly is not Conclusive Nor yet do I understand by the Church every Gathering or Assembly of People who may hold Sound and True Principles or have a Form of Truth for some may lose the Life and Power of Godliness Having the Form of Truth who notwithstanding may retain the Form or Notions of Things but yet are to
of the Romish Church and are so far such as to understand their own Principles do unquestionably acknowledge First That no General Council can be lawfully called without the Bishop of Rome as Christ's Vicar and Peter 's Successor call it Secondly That either he himself or some for him as his Legates must be there present and always preceed Thirdly That the Members having Vote are made up of Bishops or Presbyters or Commissioners from the several Orders being of the Clergy Fourthly That what is Concluded on by Plurality of Votes and Agreed to by the Pope and his Legates must necessarily be supposed to be the Judgment of the Infallible Spirit Fifthly That all the Members of the Church are bound Implicitly to Receive and Believe it because it proceeds from a Council to be accounted Lawful in the Respects above-mentioned without Regard to the Intrinsick or Real Truths of the Things prescribed or bringing them in any Respect to the Test or Examination of the Spirit of God in themselves or the Scriptures Testimony or their Agreement or Disagreement with Truths formerly believed and received for so much as to Prove or Try them by Way of Doubt they reckon a Breach of the first Command as on the other Hand a matter of Merit Implicitly to receive and believe them however inconsistent with the Testimony of the Spirit in ones own Heart Scripture Truth and Reason Sixthly That no Man as a Member of the Church of Christ in that simple Capacity unless a Clergy-man or the Ambassadour of some King c. can be admitted to Sit Vote or give his Judgment Seventhly That it is in no Respect to be supposed that any Members especially Laicks whether in a particular City Country or Nation may meet concerning any Things relating to the Faith and Worship of the Church and give by the Spirit of God any Judgment but that all such Meetings are to be accounted Schismatical and Unlawful And Lastly That the Promise of Infallibility and the Gates of Hell not prevailing is necessarily annexed to the Pope and Council called and authorized in the Manner above-expressed Now if to deny every one of these Propositions wherein all Understanding Men know the Errors and Abuses of the Romish Church consist be to be Popish then indeed may we be supposed to be one with the Papists in this Matter but no otherwise So that the very mentioning of these things is sufficient to shew the Difference betwixt us and them But if any will needs plead our Agreement with them thus The Papists affirm an Infallibility of Judgment in the Church of Christ Objection and so do you therefore you are one with Papists I Answer That proves no more our Oneness in this Matter than if Answ. 1 it should be said The Papists plead that God ought to be Worshipped and so do you Therefore ye Agree Notwithstanding of the Vast Differences as to that which is known not only betwixt us and them but betwixt them and all Protestants who Agree more with them in the matter of Worship than we do Next again Infallibility in the Church according as we hold it Answ. 2 and I have above Defined it no man upon our Supposition or Hypothesis can deny it For since we first Assert as a Principle That no Gathering no Church nor Assembly of People The true Church is Led by the Infallible Spirit however True their Principles or Exact their Form be are to be accounted the Church of Christ except the Infallible Spirit lead and guide what can be the Hazzard to say that in such a Church there is still an Infallible Judgment Indeed this is so far from Popery that it resolves in a Proposition quite Contradictory to them The Romanists say That the Infallible Spirit always accompanies the Outward Visible Professors and is annexed to the External Succession of Bishops and Pastors though ever so Vitious as to their Lives yea though perfect * For some Popes have been known to deny or at least to doubt the Truth of the Scriptures as to the History of Christ and to call in question the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection Atheists and Infidels in their private Judgments yet if outwardly professing the Catholick Faith and Subjection to the Church they must be partakers of the Infallible Spirit We say the quite Contrary That where there is either Vitiousness of Persons or Vnsoundness of Judgment in the particular Members these cannot by Virtue of any outward Call or Succession they have or any Profession they make or Authority they may pretend to so much as claim an Interest in any part of the Church of Christ or the Infallible Spirit So then if we admit none to be Members of the Church but such as are led and guided by the Spirit The Infallible Judgment where it is it will be no Popery in the Second Place to affirm That were there is a Company of People so gathered who are not any longer to retain justly the Name of the Church of Christ than they are led and guided by his Spirit or a Church so qualified and designed there is still an Infallible Judgment So that this Infallibility is not annexed to the Persons to the Succession to the bare Visible Profession though true which the Church of Rome is denied to be or to any Society because of its Profession but singly and alone to the True Real and Effectual Work of Sanctification and Regeneration the New Creature brought forth in the Heart And this is the Spiritual Man which the Apostle saith Judgeth all Things 1 Cor. 2.15 To affirm there is an Infallibility here cannot well be Condemned by any or whoso doth must needs say the Spirit of God is fallible For we place the Infallibility in the Spirit and in the Power not in the Persons And so these are the Degrees we Ascend by Because such and such Men are led by the Spirit of God and are obedient to the Grace in their Hearts therefore are they Members and Officers in the Church of Christ. And because they are Members of the Church of Christ in the Respect before declared therefore there is an Infallible Judgment among them We do not say Because such men profess the Christian Faith and have received an outward Ordination and so are by a lawful Succession formally established Officers in the Church when they Meet together according to certain Rules above-declared there is an Infallibility annexed to their Conclusions and they cannot but Decide what is Right or rather what they Decide must needs be supposed to be Right Who seeth not here a vast Disproportion Now we differ herein fundamentally that is as to the very Basis and Foundation upon which we build and that not only from the Church of Rome but also from the Generality of Protestants in this matter All Protestants do acknowledge a General Council to be useful The Constitution of a Synod or General Council among yea necessary
is so much the better that the Elders and greater Number do agree to it and if Wrong their Affirming of it will not make it Right And truly a Gathering where the Elders and greater Number are always or most frequently Wrong and the Younger and lesser Number Right is such as we cannot suppose the True Church of Christ to be And if any will plead that there is now no Infallible Judgment to be expected from the Spirit of God in the Church it no doubt will leave the Dissenters as much in the Mist and at as great a loss as those they Dissent from both being no better than blind men hitting at random which will turn Christianity into Scepticism And though we may acknowledge that this Vncertainty prevails in the generality of those called Churches yet we do firmly believe for the Reasons above declared and many more that might be given That the True Church of Christ has a more solid stable Foundation and being never separated from Christ her Head walks in a more certain steady and unerring Path. The CONCLUSION THE Substance then of what is Asserted and Proved in this Treatise resolves in these following Particulars A Summary Recollection of the whole First That in the Church of Christ when it Consists of a visible People for I speak not here of the Church in the dark Night of Apostacy that consisted not of any Society visibly united gathered into the Belief of certain Principles and united in the joint Performance of the Worship of God as Meeting together praying preaching c. there is and still must be a Certain Order and Government Secondly That this Government as to the Outward Form of it Consists of Certain Meetings Appointed principally for that End yet not so as to exclude Acts of Worship if the Spirit move thereunto Thirdly The Object of this Government is twofold Outwards and Inwards The Outwards relate mainly to the Care of the Poor of Widows and Fatherless where may be also included Marriages and the Removing of all Scandals in things undeniably wrong The Inwards respect an Apostacy either in Principles or Practices that have a Pretence of Conscience and that either in Denying some Truths already Received and Believed or Asserting New Doctrines that ought not to be Received Which again to subdivide may either be in Things Fundamental 1674 and of great moment or in things of less Weight in themselves yet proceeding from a Wrong Spirit and which in the natural and certain Consequence of them tend to make Schisms Divisions Animosities and in sum to break that Bond of Love and Vnity that is so needful to be upheld and established in the Church of Christ. And here come also under this Consideration all Emulations Strifes Backbitings and evil Surmisings Fourthly That in the True Church of Christ according to the Definition above given of it there will in such Cases of Differences and Controversies still be an Infallible Judgment from the Spirit of God either in one or other few or more Fifthly That this Infallible Judgment is only and unalterably annexed and seated in the Spirit and Power of God not to any particular Person or Persons Meeting or Assembly by vertue of any setled Ordination Office Place or Station that such may have or have had in the Church no Man Men nor Meeting standing or being Invested in any Authority in the Church of Christ upon other Terms than so long as he or they abide in the living Sense and Vnity of the Life in their own particulars which whosoever one or more inwardly departs from ipso facto loses all Authority Office or certain Discerning he or they formerly have had though retaining the true Principles and sound Form and may be not fall'n into any gross Practices as may declare them generally to be thus withered and decayed Sixthly That Jesus Christ under the Gospel hath ordinarily Revealed his Will in such Cases through the Elders and Ministers of the Church or a General Meeting whose Testimony is neither to be despised or rejected without good Cause Neither is their taking upon them Really to Decide any just Ground to charge them with Imposition or to quarrel their Judgment unless it can be proved that they are decayed and have lost their Discerning as above Seventhly That to Submit and Obey in such Cases is no detracting from the Common Priviledge of Christians to be Inwardly led by the Spirit seeing the Spirit has led some heretofore so to do and yet may And that every Pretence of Vnclearness is not a Sufficient Excuse for Disobedience seeing that may proceed from Obstinacy or a Mind prepossessed with Prejudice Yet say I not any ought to do it before they be Clear and who are every Right will not want Clearness in what They ought to do And Lastly That these Principles are no ways tainted with Imposition or contrary to true Liberty of Conscience And that they fundamentally differ from the Vsurpations both of Popery Prelacy and Presbytery or any other of that Nature Robert Barclay Robert Barclay HIS VINDICATION year 1679 WHEREIN The Scruples and Mistakes some have had touching his Book called The Anarchy of the Ranters are Cleared and the Ground upon which W. R's Papers against it are Built Removed the Substance of the Papers being briefly Answered by way of EPISTLE to FRIENDS who therein have or may be Concern'd Which may serve as an EXPLANATORY P0ST-SCRIPT to Robert Barclay's Book of GOVERNMENT Aberdeen-Prison the Sixth of the First Month 1679. Dear Friends and Brethren UNTO all my Dear Friends and Brethren unto whose Hands this Paper may come or who may be any ways more particularly Concerned in the Contents hereof The Salutation of my unfeigned Love in that Vnchangable Truth whereunto it hath pleased the Lord to Call me according to his great Mercy so as to be a Partaker in some measure of the Peace and Glory which in this Day is Revealed wherewith my heart hath been often filled as I have Waited in Faithfulness according to the Dispensation of Light Manifested in me and to me And since it hath pleased God to make me a Living Witness of the pretious Truth and to Commit unto me any Share of the Ministry thereof my Conscience bears me Witness in the sight of God that I have Laboured according to my Knowledge to follow Love and Peace with all my Brethren R. B's Ministry and to do those things which might tend to advance strengthen and confirm Vnity and Brotherly Love as also to Avoid what had a tendency to beget Strife Jealousies or Evil Surmises Likewise I have studied as well in my Publick Testimony His Writings as in my Writings to beware of any thing that to my Understanding might minister just Occasion of Stumbling or Offcence to the least of my Brethren or the youngest and weakest Babe in the Truth as such as are Conversant with me iâ— my own Country as well as those elsewhere where I have
and each of them void of the true Grace of God Votes and whom even supposing them to be gratious they affirm not at all to be led by the Immediate Spirit of Christ which they say is now Ceased Now can there be a greater Difference than is betwixt these Two to wit To Affirm That the power of Decision is in an Assembly of men being Members of which Assembly the Grace of God is no necessary qualification The false Decision and who deny any such thing as to be Immediately led by the Spirit of Christ as a thing not attainable in these days and yet that all Christians must be subject to what the Plurality of such an Assembly so Constituted do determine And to Affirm That the power of Decision is only and alone in the Spirit not necessarily Tied to a General Assembly but if it please God to make use of such an Assembly yet neither to the Plurality of them but in and through such of his Servants The true Decision as he sees meet And that none are Capable or can be supposed to be Members of such an Assembly or esteemed such from whom such a Judgment can be expected or ought to be received unless they be men in whom the Grace of God not only is but hath truly wrought to Mortifie and Regenerate them in a good measure In whom the Judgment of Truth really proceeding from the Spirit will be manifest to all who are truly Faithful who will accordingly Submit thereunto not with respect to the Men but the Authority of God manifested in and thorow them So that such as see not this Judgment aright will be justly Condemnable of God for their not submitting not as if they should be accepted of God if they did Obey before Conviction but because they brought this Blindness upon themselves through their Unfaithfulness and Unwatchfulness which renders them both Guilty of the Blindness and of the Disobedience occasioned by it Now the Vastness of the Difference that is here Manifest cannot but be Obvious to any that will Read and Consider this Impartially and without Prejudice Thus I have passed through all the things that I understood any did Scruple at there being nought else that I remember which is not either Relative to some of the particulars before-mentioned or Included in them But if any Wonder why I have Chosen this Method and not rather made a formal Reply to W. R's Papers I hope these following Reasons will satisfy all sober and truly peaceable-minded Friends who love Truth 's Prosperity more than Jangling as a Sufficient Reason for my so doing Reason I First Forasmuch as the greater part of what W.R. has Writ is wholly built upon the Particulars heretofore mentioned which Particulars being Cleared and his Mistakes therein Removed as his own Letter signifies the Superstructure falls of it self as not touching my Intentions nor yet reaching me but only that Apprehension he supposed to be my Meaning and to follow from my Words for which end he oftentimes is so Wary as to Affirm in his Papers That to his Vnderstanding my Words seemed to Import and my Meaning seems to be so In which things since himself saw and I have manifested his Mistake I am not so great a Lover of Contention as to busie either my self or the Minds of others with the men of straw of his making But yet he was not so Modest nor Kind to his Old Friend but that sometimes he did seek to render my Words Odious albeit the Mistake be his own by a Reiterate Repetition in Repeating that of the Tolerable Supposition of a Church at every Turn above twenty times But also he very obviously Wrests my Words and seeks to Impose upon me a disadvantagious Meaning that he may furnish himself an Occasion thereafter the more Liberally to Smite at me As where from the Apostle's Words saying And we have Confidence ye will do the things we Command you c. and in another place where he desires those to whom he writes to submit themselves to such as rule over them I Infer That some did Appoint and Ordain some things and that there lay an Obligation in point of Duty on others to Obey c. Upon which W. R. very unfairly Observes It is to be doubted his meaning is Others ought to Obey whether they see it their Duty Yea or Nay I leave such dealing to the Reader 's Judgment surely it is not answerable to that Candor and Justice that W. R. lays claim to Secondly Because W. R. in these Papers has taken occasion to extend Reason II himself in long Digressions upon other Matters not treated upon in that Book and takes oft Occasion to Insinuate his Jealousies of Persons and things that I medled not with As where he makes a large Digression which takes up several pages concerning the Constitution of the Second-Days-Meeting at London endeavouring what he can to Represent the Hurt and Abuse of it W. R's Reflections and where he divers times insinuates that some are Vsurpers or seeking to Vsurp a Jurisdiction over the Consciences of the Brethren And that some do believe that God hath raised up some outward Person to be among the Children of Light at this Day as Moses was of old among the Children of Israel c. And that some do lead many into a Temptation to run beyond their Line by procuring a Multitude of Hands to Confirm what is given forth by one or at least by a very few With divers other things of this kind which takes up no small part of his Papers Now these things are not pertinently brought in against me nor would I judge my self less Impertinent to enlarge in a Contest concerning those things which do not Immediately concern the things under Debate since the Person or Persons aimed at by him in these Reflections may take Occasion as they find it their place to Answer and perhaps may have had Opportunity to have discoursed with him divers of those things e're this time upon other Occasions Thirdly Since a Considerable part of W. R's Papers is taken up to Reason III Evidence as he pretends the Impertinent Application I make of the several passages of the Apostles which he thinks I have been too Curious to Collect that make mention of these words Order Rule Command and Government how he Evinces that I leave to the Serious Reader being the more willing to bear his Reflections in that respect that he is so bold when he cannot Compass his Matter otherwise not only to Censure me but the Apostle Paul 's Saying of 1 Tim. 1.19.20 mentioned by me That it is not only not to the purpose Intended by me but that it is not plain to the Purpose Paul himself intended at least to ordinary Capacities Adding That the Method there proposed by the Apostle Answers not that which the Light within tells us Since then the Light he follows is such as finds Fault with the Apostle's
as is hoped solidly Refuted THESES THEOLOGICAE year 1675 To the CLERGY of what Sort soever unto whose hands these may come but more particularly to the Doctors Professors and Students of Divinity in the Vniversities and Schools of Great Britain whether Prelatical Presbyterian or any other Robert Barclay a Servant of the Lord God and one of those who in Derision are called Quakers Wisheth Vnfeigned Repentance unto the Acknowledgment of the Truth FRIENDS UNto You these following PROPOSITIONS are Offered in which they being Read and Considered in the Fear of the Lord you may perceive that Simple Naked Truth which Man by his Wisdom hath rendred so Obscure and Mysterious that the World is even Burthened with the great and Voluminous Tractates which are made about it and by their Vain Jangling and Commentaries by which it is rendred a hundred fold more Dark and Intricate than of it self it is which Great Learning so accounted of to wit your School Divinity which taketh up almost a Man's whole Life-time to learn brings not a-whit nearer to God neither makes any Man less Wicked or more Righteous than he was Therefore hath God laid aside the Wise and Learned and the Disputers of this World and hath chosen a few despicable and Unlearned Instruments as to Letter-learning as he did Fisher-men of old to publish his pure and naked Truth and to free it of these Mists and Fogs wherewith the Clergy hath Clouded it that the People might Admire and Maintain them And among several others whom God hath Chosen to make known these things seeing also have Received in Measure Grace to be a Dispenser of the same Gospel it seemed good unto me according to my Duty to Offer unto You these Propositions which though short yet are Weighty Comprehending much and declaring what the true Ground of Knowledge is even of that Knowledge which leads to Life Eternal which is here witnessed of and the Testimony thereof left unto the Light of Christ in all your Consciences Farewel R. B. The First Proposition Concerning the true Foundation of Knowledge SEeing the Height of all Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God This is Life Eternal to know the true God and Jesus Christ John 17.3 whom thou hast sent the true and right Understanding of this Foundation and Ground of Knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place The Second Proposition Concerning Immediate Revelation Seeing no Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Matth. 11.27 and seeing the Revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true Knowledge of God hath been is and can be only Revealed Who as by the moving of his own Spirit Converted the Chaos of this World into that Wonderful Order wherein it was in the beginning and Created Man a living Soul to Rule and Govern it so by the Revelation of the same Spirit he hath Manifested himself all along unto the Sons of Men both Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles Which Revelations of God by the Spirit whether by outward Voices and Appearances Dreams or inward Objective Manifestations in the Heart were of old the formal Object of their Faith and remaineth yet so to be since the Object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages though set forth under divers Administrations Moreover these Divine Inward Revelations which we make absolutely Necessary for the building up of true Faith neither do nor can ever Contradict the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or right and sound Reason Yet from hence it will not follow that these Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or of the Natural Reason of Man as to a more noble or certain Rule and Touch-stone For this Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident and clear of it self forcing by its own Evidence and Clearness the well-disposed Understanding to Assent irresistibly moving the same thereunto even as the Common Principles of Natural Truths move and incline the mind to a Natural Assent such as are these That the Whole is greater than the Part That two Contradictory Sayings cannot be both true or false Which is also manifest according to our Adversaries Principle who supposing the possibility of inward Divine Revelations will nevertheless Confess with us that neither Scripture nor sound Reason will Contradict it and yet it will not follow according to them that the Scripture or sound Reason should be subjected to the Examination of the Divine Revelations in the heart The Third Proposition Concerning the Scriptures From these Revelations of the Spirit of God to the Saints have proceeded the Scriptures of Truth which contain 1. A faithful Historical Account of the Actings of God's People in divers Ages with many singular and remarkable Providences attending them 2. A Prophetical Account of several things whereof some are already past and some yet to come 3. A full and ample Account of all the chief Principles of the Doctrine of Christ held forth in divers pretious Declarations Exhortations and Sentences which by the moving of God's Spirit were at several times and upon sundry occasions spoken and written unto some Churches and their Pastors Nevertheless because they are only a Declaration of the Fountain and not the Fountain it self therefore they are not to be esteemed the principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledge nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners Nevertheless as that which giveth a true and faithful Testimony of the first Foundation they are and may be esteemed a secondary Rule subordinate to the Spirit from which they have all their Excellency and Certainty For as by the Inward Testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them so they testify that the Spirit is that Guide John 16.13 Rom. 8.14 by which the Saints are led into all Truth Therefore according to the Scriptures the Spirit is the first and principal Leader And seeing we do therefore receive and believe the Scriptures because they proceeded from the Spirit therefore also the Spirit is more originally and principally the Rule according to that received Maxim in the Schools Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum est magis tale Englished thus That for which a thing is such that thing it self is more such The Fourth Proposition Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall All Adam's Posterity or Mankind both Jews and Gentiles Rom. 5.12 15. as to the first Adam or Earthly Man is fallen degenerated and dead deprived of the sensation or feeling of this inward Testimony or Seed of God and is subject unto the Power Nature and Seed of the Serpent which he sows in mens hearts while they abide in this Natural and Corrupted State from whence it comes that not their words and deeds only but all their
Formalities attending them all which Man has invented in his degenerate State to feed his Pride in the vain Pomp and Glory of this World As also the unprofitable Plays frivolous Recreations Sportings and Gaming 's which are invented to pass away the pretious time and divert the mind from the Witness of God in the Heart and from the living Sense of his Fear and from that Evangelical Spirit wherewith Christians ought to be leavened and which leads into Sobriety Gravity and Godly Fear in which as we abide the Blessing of the Lord is felt to attend us in these Actions which we are necessarily engaged in order to the taking care for the Sustenance of the Outward Man AN APOLOGY FOR THE True Christian Divinity Prop. 1 PROPOSITION I. Seeing the Heighth of all Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of G0D This is Life Eternal John 17.3 to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent the true and right understanding of this Foundation and Ground of Knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place HE that desireth to acquire any Art or Science seeketh first those Means by which that Art or Science is obtained If we ought to do so in things Natural and Earthly how much more then in Spiritual In this Affair then should our Inquiry be the more diligent because he that Errs in the Entrance is not so easily reduced again into the right Way he that misseth his Road from the beginning of his Journey and is deceived in his first Marks at his first setting forth the greater his Mistake is the more difficult will be his Entrance into the right Way Thus when a Man first proposeth to himself the Knowledge of God from a sense of his own Vnworthiness The Way to the true Knowledge of God and from the great Weariness of his Mind occasioned by the secret Checks of his Conscience and the tender yet real Glances of God's Light upon his heart the Earnest Desires he has to be Redeemed from his present trouble and the fervent Breathings he has to be eased of his disordered Passions and Lusts and to find quietness and peace in the certain Knowledge of God and in the assurance of his Love and Good-will towards him makes his heart Tender and ready to receive any Impression and so not having then a distinct Discerning through Forwardness embraceth any thing that brings present Ease If either through the Reverence he bears to certain Persons or from the secret Inclination to what doth comply with his natural Disposition he fall upon any Principles or Means by which he apprehends he may come to know God and so doth Center himself it will be hard to remove him thence again how wrong soever they may be For the first Anguish being over he becomes more hardy and the Enemy being near creates a false Peace and a certain Confidence which is strengthened by the mind's Vnwillingness to enter again into new Doubtfulness or the former Anxiety of a Search Jewish Doctors and Pharisees Resist Christ. This is sufficiently verified in the Example of the Pharisees and Jewish Doctors who most of all Resisted Christ disdaining to be esteemed Ignorant for this Vain Opinion they had of their Knowledge hindered them from the true Knowledge and the mean People who were not so much pre-occupied with former Principles nor Conceited of their own Knowledge did easily believe Wherefore the Pharisees upbraid them saying Joh. 7.48 49. Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees believed in him But this People which know not the Law are accursed This is also abundantly proved by the Experience of all such as being secretly touched with the Call of God's Grace unto them do apply themselves unto false Teachers where the Remedy proves worse than the Disease because instead of knowing God or the things relating to their Salvation aright they drink-in wrong Opinions of him from which it 's harder to be disentangled than while the Soul remains a Blank or Tabula Rasa For they that conceit themselves Wise are worse to deal with than they that are Sensible of their Ignorance Nor hath it been less the Device of the Devil the great Enemy of Mankind to perswade men into wrong Notions of God than to keep them altogether from Acknowledging him the latter taking with few because odious but the other having been the constant Ruine of the World For there hath scarce been a Nation found but hath had some Notions or other of Religion so that not from their denying any Deity but from their Mistakes and Misapprehensions of it hath proceeded all the Idolatry and Superstition of the World Yea hence even Atheism it self hath proceeded for these many and various Opinions of God and Religion being so much mixed with the Guessings and uncertain Judgments of Men have begotten in many the Opinion that there is no God at all This and much more that might be said may shew how dangerous it is to miss in this first Step All that come not in by the door are accounted as Thieves and Robbers Again How needful and desirable that Knowledge is which brings Life Eternal Epictetus Epictetus sheweth saying Excellently well Cap. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know that the main Foundation of Piety is this to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right Opinions and Apprehensions of God This therefore I judged necessary as a First Principle in the first place to Affirm and I suppose will not need much further Explanation nor Defence as being generally acknowledged by all and in these things that are without Controversy I love to be brief as that which will easily Commend it self to every Man's Reason and Conscience And therefore I shall proceed to the Next Proposition which though it be nothing less certain yet by the Malice of Satan and Ignorance of many comes far more under Debate PROPOSITION II. Of Immediate Revelation Prop. 2 Seeing no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Matth. 11.27 And seeing the Revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the True Knowledge of God hath been is and can be onely Revealed Who as by the Moving of his own Spirit he disposed the Chaos of this World into that Wonderful Order wherein it was in the beginning and Created Man a living Soul to Rule and Govern it so by the Revelation of the same Spirit he hath manifested himself all along unto the Sons of men both Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles which Revelation of God by the Spirit whether by outward Voices and Appearances dreams or inward objective Manifestations in the heart were of old the formal Object of their Faith and remain yet so to be since the Object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages though held forth under divers Administrations Moreover these divine inward Revelations which
we make absolutely necessary for the building up of true Faith neither do nor can ever Contradict the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or right and sound Reason yet from hence it will not follow that the Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Test either of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or of the Natural Reason of man as to a more-noble or certain Rule and Touch-stone For this Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident and clear of it self forcing by its own Evidence and Clearness the well-disposed understanding to Assent irresistibly moving the same thereunto even as the common principles of natural Truths do move and incline the mind to a natural Assent As That the whole is greater than its part That two Contradictories can neither be both true nor both false § I. IT is very probable that many Carnal and Natural Christians will oppose this Proposition who being wholly unacquainted with the Movings and Actings of God's Spirit upon their hearts Revelations by Apostate Christians Rejected judge the same nothing Necessary and some are apt to flout at it as Ridiculous Yea to that Heighth are the generality of all Christians Apostatized and degenerated that though there be not any thing more plainly Asserted more seriously Recommended nor more certainly Attested to in all the writings of the Holy Scriptures yet nothing is less minded and more rejected by all sorts of Christians than Immediate and Divine Revelation in so much that once to lay Claime to it is matter of Reproach Whereas of old none were ever judged Christians but such As had the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 But now many do boldly call themselves Christians who make no difficulty of confessing They are without it and laugh at such as say they have it Of old they were accounted the Sons of God who were led by the Spirit of God ibid. vers 14. but now many aver themselves Sons of God who know nothing of this Leader and he that affirms himself so led is by the pretended Orthodox of this Age presently proclaimed a Heretick The Reason hereof is very manifest viz. Because many in these days under the name of Christians do experimentally find that they are not acted nor led by God's Spirit yea many great Doctors Divines Teachers and Bishops of Christianity commonly so called have wholly shut their Ears from hearing and their Eyes from seeing this inward Guide and so are become strangers unto it whence they are by their own Experience brought to this Strait either to Confess that they are as yet Ignorant of God and have only the shadow of knowledge and not the true knowledge of him or that this knowledge is acquired without Immediate Revelation For the better understanding then of this Proposition we do distinguish betwixt the Certain Knowledge of God Knowledge Spiritual and Literal distinguished and the Vncertain betwixt the Spiritual Knowledge and the Literal the Saving heart-Knowledge and soaring airy head-Knowledge The last we Confess may be divers ways obtained but the first by no other way than the Inward Immediate Manifestation and Revelation of God's Spirit shining in and upon the heart inlightning and opening the understanding § II. Having then proposed to my self in these Propositions to Affirm those things which relate to the True and Effectual Knowledge which brings Life Eternal with it therefore I have Affirmed and that truly That this Knowledge is no otherways attained and that none have any true ground to believe they have attained it who have it not by this Revelation of God's Spirit The Certainty of which Truth is such that it hath been acknowledged by some of the most Refined and Famous of all sorts of Professors of Christianity in all ages who being truly Vpright-hearted and Earnest Seekers of the Lord however stated under the disadvantages and Epidemical Errors of their several Sects or Ages the true Seed in them hath been answered by God's Love who hath had regard to the Good and hath had of his Elect ones among all who finding a distast and disgust in all other outward Means even in the very Principles and Precepts more particularly relative to their own Forms and Societies have at last concluded with one Voice That there was no true Knowledge of God but that which is Revealed inwardly by his own Spirit Whereof take these following Testimonies of the Ancients 1. It is the inward Master saith Augustin that teacheth it is Christ that teacheth Aug. ex Tract Epist. Joh. 3. it is Inspiration that teacheth where this Inspiration and Unction is wanting it is in vain that Words from without are beaten in And thereafter For he that Created us and Redeemed us and called us by Faith and dwelleth in us by his Spirit unless he speaketh unto you inwardly it is needless for us to Cry out 2. There is a difference saith Clemens Alexandrinus betwixt that which any one saith of the Truth and that which the Truth it self Interpreting it self saith A Conjecture of Truth differeth from the Truth it self a Similitude of a thing differeth from the thing it self It is one thing Clem. Alex. Lib. 1. Strom. that is acquired by Exercise and Discipline and another thing which by Power and Faith Lastly the same Clemens saith Truth is neither hard to be arrived at nor is it impossible to apprehend it Paedag. for it is most nigh unto us even in our houses as the most Wise Moses hath insinuated 3. How is it Tertullianus Lib. de Veland Virginibus Cap. 1. saith Tertullian that since the Devil always worketh and stirreth up the mind to Iniquity that the work of God should either cease or desist to act Since for this end the Lord did send the Comforter that because human Weakness could not at once bear all things Knowledg might be by little and little directed formed and brought to perfection by the holy Spirit that Vicar of the Lord. I have many things yet saith he to speak unto you but ye cannot as yet bear them but when that Spirit of Truth shall come he shall lead you into all Truth and shall teach you these things that are to come But of his work we have spoken above What is then the Administration of the Comforter but that Discipline be derived and the Scriptures Revealed c. 4. The Law saith Hierom is spiritual Hieron Epist Paulin. 103. and there is need of a Revelation to understand it And in his Epistle 150. to Hedibia Quest. 11. he saith The whole Epistle to the Romans needs an Interpretation it being involved in so great Obscurities that for the understanding thereof we need the help of the holy Spirit who through the Apostle dictated it 5. So great things saith Athanasius doth our Saviour daily Athanasius de Incarnatione Verbi Dei he Draws unto Piety Perswades unto Vertue Teaches Immortality Excites to the desire of Heavenly things Reveals Knowledge from the Father
Inspires power against Death and shews himself unto every one 6. Gregory the Great upon these words He shall teach you all things saith That unless the same Spirit sit upon the heart of the Hearer Greg. Mag. Hom. 30. upon the Gospel in vain is the Discourse of the Doctor Let no man then ascribe unto the man that teacheth what he understands from the mouth of him that speaketh for unless he that teacheth be within the Tongue of the Doctor that 's without laboureth in vain 7. Cyrillus Alexandrinus plainly Affirmeth That men know Cyril Alex. In Thesauro Lib. 13. Cap. 3 that Jesus is the Lord by the Holy Ghost no otherwise than they who taste Honey know that it is sweet even by its proper Quality 8. Therefore saith Bernard we daily exhort you Brethren by speech Bernard in Psal. 84. that ye walk the ways of the heart and that your Soul be always in your hands that ye may hear what the Lord saith in you And again upon these words of the Apostle Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord with which Threefold Vice saith he all sorts of Religious men are less or more dangerously affected because they do not so diligently Attend with the Ears of the Heart to what the Spirit of Truth which flatters none inwardly speaks This was the very Basis and main Foundation upon which the Primitive Reformers walked Luther in his Book to the Nobility of Germany saith This is certain Lutherus that no man can make himself a Doctor of the holy Scripture but the holy Spirit alone And upon the Magnificat he saith No man can rightly understand God or the Word of God unless he immediately receive it from the Holy Spirit neither can any one Receive it from the Holy Spirit except he find it by Experience in himself and in this Experience the Holy Ghost teacheth as in his proper School out of which School nothing is taught but meer Talk Philip Melanchthon in his Annotations upon John 6. Who hear only an outward and bodily Voice Phil. Melanchthon hear the Creature but God is a Spirit and is neither discerned By the Spirit alone God is known nor known nor heard but by the Spirit and therefore to hear the Voice of God to see God is to know and hear the Spirit By the Spirit alone God is known and perceived Which also the more Serious to this day do acknowledge even all such who satisfy themselves not with the Superfice of Religion and use it not as a Cover or Art Yea all those who apply themselves effectually to Christianity and are not satisfied until they have found its Effectual Work upon their hearts redeeming them from sin do feel that no knowledge effectually prevails to the producing of this but that which proceeds from the warm Influence of God's Spirit upon the heart and from the comfortable shinings of his Light upon their Vnderstanding And therefore to this purpose a late Modern Author saith well videlicet Dr. Smith of Cambridge concerning Book-Divinity Dr. Smith of Cambridge in his Select Discourses To seek our Divinity meerly in Books and Writings is to seek the Living among the Dead We do but in vain many times seek God in these where his Truth is too often not so much Enshrined as Entombed Intra te quaere Deum Seek God within thine own Soul he is best discerned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plotinus phraseth it by an Intellectual Touch of him We must see with our Eyes and hear with our Eears and our hands must handle the Word of Life to express it in S. John 's words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Soul it self hath its Sense as well as the Body And therefore David when he would teach us to know what the Divine Goodness is calls not for Speculation but Sensation Taste and see how good the Lord is That is not the best and truest Knowledge of God which is wrought out by the labour and sweat of the brain but that which is kindled within us by an heavenly Warmth in our hearts And again There is a knowing of the Truth as it is in Jesus as it is in a Christ-like nature as it is in that sweet mild humble and loving Spirit of Jesus which spreads it self like a Morning-star upon the Spirits of good men full of Light and Life It profits little to know Christ himself after the flesh but he gives his Spirit to good men that searcheth the deep things of God And again It is but thin airy Knowledge that is got by meer Speculation which is usher'd in by Syllogisms and Demonstrations but that which springs forth from true Goodness is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Origen speaketh It brings such a Divine Light to the Soul as is more clear and convincing than any Demonstration § III. That this certain and undoubted Method of the true Knowledge of God hath been brought out of Use hath been none of the least Devices of the Devil to secure Mankind to his Kingdom Apostacy and a false Knowledge Introduced For after the Light and Glory of the Christian Religion had prevailed over a good part of the World and dispelled the thick Mists of the Heathenish Doctrine of the plurality of Gods he that knew there was no probability of deluding the World any longer that way did then puff man up with a false Knowledge of the true God setting him on work to seek God the wrong Way and perswading him to be content with such a Knowledge as was of his own Acquiring and not of God's Teaching And this Device hath proved the more successful because accommodated to the Natural and Corrupt spirit and temper of man who above all things affects to Exalt himself In which Self-Exaltation as God is most greatly dishonoured so therein the Devil hath his end who is not anxious how much God be acknowledged in Words provided himself be but always served he matters not how great and high Speculations the Natural man Entertains of God so long as he serves his Lusts and Passions and is obedient to his Evil Suggestions and Temptations â—â—ristianity is become an Art acquired by human Science and Industry Thus Christianity is become an Art Acquired by Human Science and Industry as any other Art or Science is and men have not only assumed unto themselves the Name of Christians but even have procured to be esteemed as Masters of Christianity by certain Artificial Tricks though altogether Strangers to the Spirit and Life of Jesus But if we shall make a right Definition of a Christian according to the Scripture videlicet That he is one that hath the Spirit of Christ and is led by it How many Christians yea and of these great Masters and Doctors of Christianity so accounted shall we justly Divest of that Noble Title If then such as have all the other Means of Knowledge and are sufficiently Learned therein whether it be
the Letter of the Scripture the Traditions of Churches the Works of Creation and Providence whence they are able to Deduce strong and undeniable Arguments which may be true in themselves are yet not to be Esteemed Christians according to the certain and infallible Definition above-mentioned And if the Inward and Immediate Revelation of God's Spirit in the heart in such as have been altogether Ignorant of some and but very little skill'd in others of these Means of attaining Knowledge hath brought them to Salvation Then it will necessarily and evidently follow By Revelation is the true Knowledge of God that Inward and Immediate Revelation is the only sure and certain Way to attain the true and saving Knowledge of God But the First is true Therefore the Last Now as this Argument doth very strongly Conclude for this way of Knowledge and against such as deny it so herein it is the more considerable because the Propositions from which it is Deduced are so Clear that our very Adversaries cannot deny them For as to the first it is acknowledged that many Learned men may be and have been damned And as to the second who will deny but many Illiterate men may be and are saved Nor dare any Affirm that none come to the Knowledge of God and Salvation by the Inward Revelation of the Spirit without these other outward Means unless they be also so bold as to exclude Abel Seth Noah Abraham Job Abel Seth Noah c. Instanced and all the holy Patriarchs from true Knowledge and Salvation § IV. I would however not be understood as if hereby I excluded those other means of Knowledge from any use or service to man it is far from me so to Judge as in the Next Proposition concerning the Scriptures shall more plainly appear The Question is not What may be profitable or helpful but What is absolute Necessary Many things may contribute to further a Work which yet are not that main thing that makes the Work go on The sum then of what is said amounts to this that where the true inward Knowledge of God is through the Revelation of his Spirit there is all neither is there any absolute necessity of any other But where the best highest and most profound Knowledge is without this there is nothing as to the obtaining of the great End of Salvation This Truth is very effectually Confirmed by the first part of the Proposition it self which in few words comprehendeth divers unquestionable Arguments which I shall in brief Subsume First That there is no Knowledge of the Father but by the Son Secondly That there is no Knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit Thirdly That by the Spirit God hath always Revealed himself to his Children Fourthly That these Revelations were the formal Object of the Saints Faith And lastly That the same continueth to be the Object of the Saints Faith to this day Of each of these I shall speak a little particularly and then proceed to the latter part § V. As to the first viz. That there is no knowledg of the Father but Assert I by the Son It will not need much probation being founded upon the plain words of Scripture Proved and is therefore a fit Medium to draw the rest of our Assertions from For the Infinite and most Wise God who is the Foundation Root and Spring of all Operation hath wrought all things by his Eternal Word and Son This is that WORD that was in the beginning with God and was God John 1.1 2 3. by whom all things were made and without whom was not any thing made that was made Eph. 3.9 This is that Jesus Christ by whom God created all things by whom and for whom all things were created that are in heaven and in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalitys or powers Col. 1.16 Who therefore is called The First-born of every Creature Col. 1.15 As then that Infinite and Incomprehensible Fountain of Life and Motion operateth in the Creatures by his own Eternal Word and Power so no Creature has Access again unto him but in and by the Son according to his own express words No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will Reveal him Matth. 11.27 Luk. 10.22 And again he himself saith I am the Way the Truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father but by me Joh. 14.6 Hence he is fitly called The Mediator betwixt God and Man For having been with God from all Eternity being himself God and also in Time partaking of the Nature of man through him is the goodness and love of God conveyed to mankind and by him again man receiveth and partaketh of these Mercies Hence is easily deduced the Probation of this first Assertion thus If no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will Reveal him then there is no Knowledge of the Father but by the Son But No man knoweth the Father but the Son Therefore There is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son The first part of the Antecedent are the plain words of Scripture The Consequence thereof is undeniable except one would say that he hath the knowledge of the Father while yet he knows him not which were an Absurd Repugnance Again If the Son be the Way the Truth and the Life and that no man cometh unto the Father but by him then there is no Knowledge of the Father but by the Son But the First is true Therefore the Last The Antecedent are the very Scripture-words The Consequence is very Evident For how can any know a thing who useth not the Way without which it is not Knowable But it is already proved that there is no other Way but by the Son so that whoso uses not that Way cannot Know him neither Come unto him § VI. Having then laid down this First Principle I come to the Second viz. That there is no Knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit or Assert II that the Revelation of the Son of God is by the Spirit Where it is to be noted that I always speak of the saving Proved certain and necessary Knowledge of God which that it cannot be acquired otherways than by the Spirit doth also appear from many clear Scriptures For Jesus Christ in and by whom the Father is Revealed doth also Reveal himself to his Disciples and Friends in and by his Spirit as his Manifestation was sometimes outward when he testified and witnessed for the Truth in this World and approved himself Faithful throughout So being now withdrawn as to the outward man he doth teach and instruct mankind inwardly by his own Spirit He standeth at the door and knocketh and whoso heareth his Voice and openeth he comes in to such Rev. 3.20 Of this Revelation of Christ in him Paul speaketh Gal. 1.16 in which he placeth the Excellency of his Ministry and the Certainty of his Calling And
the Promise of Christ to his Disciples Lo I am with you to the end of the World Confirmeth this same thing for this is an Inward Presence and Spiritual as all acknowledge But what relates hereto will again occur I shall deduce the Proof of this Proposition from Two manifest places of Scripture The first is 1 Cor. 2.11 12. What man knoweth the Proof I things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Now we have received not the spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given us of God The Things of God are known by the Spirit of God The Apostle in the verses before speaking of the wonderful things which are prepar'd for the Saints after he hath declared that the Natural man cannot reach them adds That they are Revealed by the Spirit of God vers 9 10. giving this Reason For the Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God And then he bringeth in the Comparison in the verses above-mention'd very apt and answerable to our purpose and Doctrine That as the things of a man are only known by the spirit of man so the things of God are only known by the Spirit of God that is that as nothing below the Spirit of man as the spirit of Brutes or any other Creatures can properly reach unto nor comprehend the Things of a man as being of a more noble and higher nature so neither can the spirit of man or the natural man as the Apostle in v. 14. subsumes receive nor discern the things of God or the things that are spiritual as being also of a higher nature which the Apostle himself gives for the Reason saying Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned So that the Apostle's words being reduced to an Argument do very well prove the matter under Debate thus If that which appertaineth properly to man cannot be discerned by any lower or baser Principle than the spirit of man then cannot these things that properly relate unto God and Christ be known or discern'd by any lower or baser thing than the Spirit of God and Christ But The First is true therefore also the Second The whole strength of the Argument is contained in the Apostle's words before-mentioned which therefore being Granted I shall proceed to Deduce a Second Argument thus That which is Spiritual can only be known and discerned by the Spirit of God But The Revelation of Jesus Christ and the true and saving Knowledge of him is Spiritual Therefore The Revelation of Jesus Christ and the true and saving Knowledge of him can only be known and discerned by the Spirit of God Proof II The other Scripture is also a saying of the same Apostle 1 Cor. 12.3 No man can say No man can call Jesus Lord c. that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost The Scripture which is full of Truth and answereth full well to the Inlightened Understanding of the Spiritual and Real Christian may perhaps prove very strange to the Carnal and pretended follower of Christ by whom perhaps it hath not been so diligently remarked Here the Apostle doth so much require the holy Spirit in the things that relate to a Christian that he positively avers we cannot so much as affirm Jesus to be the Lord without it Spiritual Truths are Lies spoken by Carnal men which insinuates no less than that the Spiritual Truths of the Gospel are as Lies in the mouths of Carnal and Vnspiritual men For though in themselves they be True yet are they not True as to them because not known nor uttered forth in and by that Principle and Spirit that ought to direct the Mind and actuate it in such things they are no better than the Counterfeit Representations of things in a Comedy neither can it be more truly and properly called a Real and True Knowledge of God and Christ than the Actings of Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar c. if now Transacted upon a Stage might be called truly and really Their Doings or the Persons Representing them might be said truly and really to have Conquered Asia and overcome Pompey c. This Knowledge then of Christ which is not by the Revelation of his own Spirit in the heart is no more properly the Knowledge of Christ than the pratling of a Parret Like the pratling of a Parret which has been taught a few words may be said to be the Voice of a man for as that or some other Bird may be taught to sound and utter forth a rational Sentence as it hath Learned it by the outward ear and not from any living Principle of Reason actuating it so just such is that Knowledge of the things of God which the natural and carnal man hath gathered from the words or writings of Spiritual men which are not true to him because conceived in the natural spirit and so brought forth by the wrong Organ and not proceeding from the Spiritual Principle no more than the words of a man acquired by Art and brought forth by the mouth of a Bird not proceeding from a rational principle are True with respect to the Bird that utters them Wherefore from this Scripture I shall further add this Argument If no man can say Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost then no man can know Jesus to be the Lord but by the Holy Ghost But The First is true Therefore the Second From this Argument there may be another Deduced Concluding in the very Terms of this Assertion thus If no man can know Jesus to be the Lord but by the Holy Ghost then can there be no Certain Knowledge or Revelation of him but by the Spirit But The First is true Therefore the Second Assert III § VII The Third thing Affirmed is That by the Spirit God always Revealed himself to his Children Proved For the making appear the Truth of this Assertion it will be but needful to consider God's Manifesting himself towards and in relation to his Creatures from the Beginning which Resolves it self always herein The First Step of all is Ascribed hereunto by Moses Gen. 1.2 And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters I think it will not be denied that God's Converse with man all along from Adam to Moses was by the Immediate Manifestation of his Spirit and afterwards through the whole Tract of the Law he spake to his Children no otherways which as it naturally followeth from the Principles above proved That Revelation is by the Spirit of God so it cannot be denied by such as acknowledge the Scriptures of Truth to have been written by the Inspiration of the holy Ghost For these Writings from Moses to Malachy do declare that during all that time God Revealed himself to his Children by his Spirit But if any will Object
not sufficient neither were ever appointed to be the adequate and only Rule nor yet can guide or direct a Christian in all those things that are needful for him to know We shall leave that to the next Proposition to be Examined What is proper in this place to be proved is That Christians now are to be led inwardly and immediately by the Spirit of God even in the same manner though it befall not to many to be led in the same measure as the Saints were of old § X. I shall prove this by divers Arguments and first from the Promise of Christ in these words Joh. 14.16 And I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Vers. 17 Even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him Christians are now to be led by the Spirit in the same manner as the Saints of old for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Again vers 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance And 16.13 But when that Spirit of Truth shall come he shall lead you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear he shall speak and shall declare unto you things to come We have here first Who this is and that is divers ways expressed to wit The Comforter the Spirit of Truth the Holy Ghost the Sent of the Father in the Name of Christ. And hereby is sufficiently proved the Sottishness of those Socinians and other Carnal Christians who neither know nor acknowledge any internal Spirit or Power but that which is meerly Natural by which they sufficiently declare themselves to be of the World who cannot receive the Spirit because they neither see him nor know him Secondly Where this Spirit is to be He dwelleth with you and shall be in you And Thirdly What his Work is He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance and guide you into all Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As to the first Most do acknowledge that there is nothing else understood than what the plain words signify Who is this Comforter Which is also Evident by many Query I other places of Scripture that will hereafter occur neither do I see how such as Affirm otherways can avoid Blasphemy For if the Comforter the Holy Ghost and Spirit of Truth be all one with the Scriptures then it would follow that the Scriptures is God seeing it is true that the Holy Ghost is God If these mens Reasoning might take place wherever the Spirit is mentioned in relation to the Saints thereby might be truly and properly understood the Scriptures Nonsensical Consequences from the Socinians belief of the Scriptures being the Spirit Which what a Non-sensical Monster it would make of the Christian Religion will easily appear to all men As where it is said A manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal it might be rendred thus A manifestation of the Scriptures is given to every man to profit withal What notable Sense this would make and what a Curious Interpretation let us consider by the Sequel of the same Chapter 1 Cor. 12.9 10 11. To another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit to another the working of miracles c. but all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will What would now these great Masters of Reason the Socinians Judge if we should place the Scriptures here instead of the Spirit Would it answer their Reason which is the great guide of their Faith Would it be good and sound Reason in their Logical Schools to affirm That the Scripture divideth severally as it will and giveth to some the gift of healing to others the working of miracles If then this Spirit a Manifestation whereof is given to every man to profit withal be no other than that Spirit of Truth before-mentioned which guideth into all Truth this Spirit of Truth cannot be the Scripture I could infer an hundred more Absurdities of this kind upon this sottish Opinion but what is said may suffice For even some of themselves being at times forgetful or ashamed of their own Doctrine do acknowledge That the Spirit of God is another thing and distinct from the Scriptures to guide and influence the Saints Secondly That this Spirit is inward in my opinion needs no Interpretation nor Commentary He dwelleth with you and shall be in you This indwelling of the Spirit in the Saints as it is a thing most needful to be known and believed so it is as positively asserted in the Scripture as any thing else can be If so be the Spirit of God dwell in you saith the Apostle Query II to the Romans 8.9 and again Know ye not that ye are the Temple of the Holy Ghost Where is his place and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 6.19 without this the Apostle reckoneth no man a Christian. If any man saith he have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his These words immediately follow those above-mentioned out of the Epistle to the Romans But ye are not in the flesh if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you The Context of which sheweth The Spirit within the main Token of a Christian. that the Apostle reckoneth it the main Token of a Christian both positively and negatively For in the former verses he sheweth how the Carnal mind is enmity against God and that such as are in the flesh cannot please him Where subsuming he adds concerning the Romans That they are not in the flesh if the Spirit of God dwell in them What is this but to Affirm that they in whom the Spirit dwells are no longer in the flesh nor of those who please not God but are become Christians indeed Again in the next verse he Concludes Negatively That if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his that is he is no Christian. He then that acknowledges himself Ignorant and a Stranger to the Inward In-being of the Spirit of Christ in his heart doth thereby acknowledge himself to be yet in the Carnal mind which is Enmity to God to be yet in the flesh where God cannot be pleased and in short whatever he may otherways know or believe of Christ or however much skill'd or acquainted with the letter of the Holy Scripture not yet to be notwithstanding all that Attained to the least desire of a Christian yea not once to have embraced the Christian Religion For take but away the Spirit and Christianity remains no more Christianity than the dead Carcase of a man when the Soul and Spirit is departed remains a Man which the living can no more abide but do
bury out of their sight as the noisom and useless thing however acceptable it hath been when actuated and moved by the Soul Lastly Whatsoever Query III is Excellent What is his Work whatsoever is Noble whatsoever is Worthy whatsoever is Desirable in the Christian Faith is Ascribed to this Spirit without which it could no more subsist than the outward World without the Sun Hereunto have all true Christian in all Ages attributed their Strength and Life It is by this Spirit that they avouch themselves to have been Converted to God to have been Redeemed from the world to have been Strengthened in their Weakness Comforted in their Afflictions Confirmed in their Temptations Imboldened in their Sufferings and Triumphed in the midst of all their Persecutions Yea the Writings of all true Christians are full of the Great and Notable things The Great and Notable Acts that have been and are performed by the Spirit in all Ages which they all affirm themselves to have done by the Power and Vertue and Efficacy of the Spirit of God working in them It is the Spirit that quickeneth Joh. 6.63 It was the Spirit that gave them Vtterance Acts 2.4 It was the Spirit by which Stephen spake that the Jews were not able to Resist Acts 6.10 It is such as walk after the Spirit that receive no Condemnation Rom. 8 1. It is the Law of the Spirit that makes free v. 2. It is by the Spirit of God dwelling in us that we are Redeemed from the Flesh and from the Carnal mind v. 9. It is the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us that quickeneth our mortal bodies v. 11. It is through this Spirit that the deeds of the body are Mortified and Life Obtained v. 13. It is by this Spirit that we are Adopted and cry ABBA Father v. 15. It is this Spirit that beareth witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God v. 16. It is this Spirit that helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered v. 26. It is by this Spirit that the glorious things which God hath laid up for us which neither outward ear hath heard nor outward eye hath seen nor the heart of man conceived by all his Reasonings are Revealed unto us 1 Cor. 2.9 10. It is by this Spirit that both Wisdom and Knowledge and Faith and Miracles and Tongues and Prophecies are obtained 1 Cor. 12.8 9 10. It is by this Spirit that we are all baptized into one body v. 13. In short what thing relating to the Salvation of the Soul and to the Life of a Christian is rightly performed or effectually obtained without it And what shall I more say for the time would fail me to tell of all those things which the holy Men of old have Declared and the Saints of this day do witness themselves to Enjoy by the virtue and power of this Spirit dwelling in them Truly my Paper could not contain those many Testimonies whereby this Truth is Confirmed Wherefore besides what is above-mentioned out of the Fathers whom all pretend to Reverence and those of Luther and Melanchthon I shall deduce yet one observable Testimony out of Calvin because not a few of the followers of his Doctrine do refuse and deride and that as it is to be feared because of their own Non-experience thereof this way of the Spirit 's In-dwelling as uncertain and dangerous that so if neither the Testimony of the Scripture nor the Sayings of others nor right Reason can move them they may at least be Reproved by the words of their own Master who saith in the third Book of his Institutions cap. 2. on this wise But they alledge It is a bold presumption for any one to pretend to an undoubted Knowledge of God's Will Calvin of the Necessity of the Spirit 's In-dwelling in us which saith he I should grant unto them if we should ascribe so much to our selves as to subject the Incomprehensible Counsel of God to the Rashness of our Vnderstandings But while we simply say with Paul That we have received not the spirit of this world but the Spirit which is of God by whose Teaching we know those things that are given us of God what can they prate against it without Reproaching the Spirit of God For if it be a horrible Sacriledge to accuse any Revelation coming from him either of a Lie of Vncertainty or Ambiguity in Asserting its Certainty wherein do we offend But they cry out That it is not without great temerity that we dare so boast of the Spirit of Christ. Who would believe that the Sottishness of these men were so great who would be Esteemed the Masters of the World that they should so fail in the first Principles of Religion Verily I could not believe it if their own Writings did not Testify so much Paul accounts those the Sons of God who are acted by the Spirit of God but these will have the Children of God acted by their own Spirits without the Spirit of God He will have us call God Father the Spirit dictating that Term unto us which only can witness to our spirits that we are the Sons of God These though they cease not to Call upon God do nevertheless demit the Spirit by whose guiding he is rightly to be called upon He denies them to be the Sons of God or the Servants of Christ who are not led by his Spirit but these feign a Christianity that needs not the Spirit of Christ. He makes no hope of the blessed Resurrection unless we feel the Spirit residing in us but these feign a hope without any such a feeling But perhaps they will Answer That they deny not but that it is necessary to have it only of modesty and humility we ought to deny and not acknowledge it What means he then when he Commands the Corinthians to Try themselves if they be in the Faith To examine themselves whether they have Christ whom whosoever acknowledges not dwelling in him is a Reprobate By the Spirit which he hath given us saith John we know that he abideth in us And what do we then else but call in question Christ his promise while we would be esteemed the Servants of God without his Spirit Without the Spirit 's Presence Christianity must cease which he declared he would pour-out upon all his Seeing these things are the first Grounds of Piety it is miserable blindness to accuse Christians of Pride because they dare glory of the Presence of the Spirit without which glorying Christianity it self could not be But by their Example they declare how truly Christ spake saying That his Spirit was unknown to the World and that those only acknowledge it with whom it remains Thus far Calvin If therefore it be so why should any be so Foolish as to deny or so Vnwise as not to seek aster this Spirit which Christ hath promised shall dwell in his Children They then that do suppose the Indwelling
and Leading of this Spirit to be Ceased must also suppose Christianity to be Ceased which cannot subsist without it Query III Thirdly What the Work of this Spirit is is partly before shewn which Christ compriseth in two or three things What is the Work of the Spirit He will Guide you into all Truth he will Teach you all things and bring all things to your Remembrance Since Christ hath provided for us so good an Instructor what need we then lean so much to those Traditions and Commandments of men John 16.13 and 14.26 wherewith so many Christians have burthened themselves What need we set up our own Carnal and Corrupt Reason for a Guide to us in matters Spiritual The Spirit the Guide as some will needs do May it not be Complained of all such as the Lord did of old concerning Israel by the Prophets Jer. 2.13 For my People have committed two Evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of Living Waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that hold no water Have not many Forsaken Do not many Deride and Reject this Inward and Immediate Guide this Spirit that leads into all Truth and cast up to themselves other ways broken Ways indeed which have not all this while brought them out of the Flesh nor out of the World nor from under the Dominion of their own Lusts and sinful Affections whereby Truth which is only rightly learned by this Spirit is so much a Stranger in the Earth A perpetual Ordinance to Gods Church and People From all then that hath been mentioned concerning this Promise and these Words of Christ it will follow That Christians are always to be led inwardly and immediately by the Spirit of God dwelling in them and that the same is a standing and perpetual Ordinance as well to the Church in general in all Ages as to every Individual Member in particular as appears from this Argument The Promises of Christ to his Children are Yea and Amen and cannot fail but must of Necessity be fulfilled But Christ hath promised That the Comforter the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth shall abide with his Children for ever shall dwell with them shall be in them shall lead them into all Truth shall teach them all things and bring all things to their Remembrance Therefore The Comforter the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth his Abiding with his Children c. is Yea and Amen c. Again No Man is Redeemed from the Carnal Mind which is at Enmity with God which is not subject to the Law of God neither can be No man is yet in the Spirit but in the Flesh and cannot please God except he in whom the Spirit of God dwells But Every true Christian is in measure Redeemed from the Carnal Mind is gathered out of the Enmity and can be subject to the Law of God is out of the Flesh and in the Spirit the Spirit of God dwelling in him Therefore Every true Christian hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him Again Whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his that is no Child no Friend no Disciple of Christ. But Every true Christian is a Child a Friend a Disciple of Christ Therefore Every true Christian hath the Spirit of Christ. Moreover Whosoever is the Temple of the Holy Ghost in him the Spirit of God dwelleth and abideth But Every true Christian is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Therefore Every true Christian hath the Spirit of God dwelling and abiding in him But to Conclude He in whom the Spirit of God dwelleth it is not in him a lazy dumb useless thing but it moveth actuateth governeth instructeth and teacheth him all things whatsoever is needful for him to know yea bringeth all things to his Remembrance But The Spirit of God dwelleth in Every true Christian Therefore The Spirit of God leadeth instructeth and teacheth Every true Christian whatsoever is needful for him to know c. § XI But there are some that will Confess Object That the Spirit doth now lead and influence the Saints but that he doth it only Subjectively or in a blind manner by inlightning their understandings to understand and believe the Truth delivered in the Scriptures but not at all by presenting those Truths to the mind by way of Object and this they call Medium incognitum Assentiendi as that of whose Working a man is not sensible This Opinion though somewhat more tolerable than the former Answ. is nevertheless not altogether according to Truth neither doth it reach the fulness of it First Because there be many Truths which as they are Applicable to Arg. I Particulars and Individuals and most needful to be known by them are no wise to be found in the Scripture as in the following Proposition shall be shewn Besides the Arguments already adduced do prove that the Spirit doth not only subjectively help us to discern Truths elsewhere delivered but also Objectively present those Truths to our minds For that which teacheth me all things and is given me for that end without doubt presents those things to my mind which it teacheth me It is not said It shall teach you how to understand those things that are written but It shall teach you all things Again That which brings all things to my Remembrance must needs present them by way of Object else it were improper to say It brought them to my Remembrance but only that it helpeth to Remember the Objects brought from elsewhere My second Argument shall be drawn from the Nature of the New Covenant by which and those that follow I shall prove That we are led by the Spirit both immediately and objectively The Nature of the Arg. II New Covenant is Expressed in divers places and Proof 1 First Isa. 59 21. As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seed nor out of the mouth of thy Seed 's Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever The Leadings of the Spirit By the latter part of this is sufficiently expressed the Perpetuity and Continuance of this Promise It shall not depart saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever In the former part is the Promise it self which is The Spirit of God being upon them and the Words of God being put into their mouths 1. Immediate First This was Immediate for there is no mention made of any Medium he saith not I shall by the means of such and such Writings or Books convey such and such words into your mouths but my words I even I saith the Lord shall put into your mouths 2. Objective Secondly This must be Objectively for the Words put into the mouth are the Object presented by him He saith not The words which ye shall see written my Spirit shall only Inlighten your
understandings to Assent unto but positively My Words which I have put into thy mouth c. From whence I Argue thus Vpon whomsoever the Spirit remaineth always and putteth words into his mouth him doth the Spirit Teach Immediately Objectively and Continually But The Spirit is always upon the Seed of the Righteous and putteth words into their mouths neither departeth from them Therefore The Spirit teacheth the Righteous Immediately Objectively and Continually Proof 2 Secondly The Nature of the New Covenant is yet more amply expressed Jer. 31.33 which is again repeated and re-asserted by the Apostle Hebr. 8.10 in these words For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest The Object here is God's Law placed in the Heart and written in the Mind from whence they become God's People and are brought truly to know him The Difference between the Outward and Inward Law In this then is the Law distinguished from the Gospel The Law before was Outward written in Tables of Stone but now it is Inward written in the Heart Of old the People depended upon their Priests for the Knowledge of God but now they have all a Certain and Sensible Knowledge of him concerning which Augustine speaketh well in his Book de Literâ Spiritu from whom Aquinas first of all seems to have taken occasion to move this Question Whether the New Law be a Written Law or an Implanted Law Lex scripta vel Lex indita Which he thus resolves Affirming That the New Law or the Gospel is not properly a Law written as the old was but Lex indita an implanted Law and that the Old Law was written without but the New Law is written within on the Table of the Heart How much then are they deceived who instead of making the Gospel preferrable to the Law have made the Condition of such as are under the Gospel far worse For no doubt it is a far better and more desirable thing to Converse with God Immediately than only Mediately as being a higher and more glorious Dispensation and yet these men acknowledge The Gospel Dispensation more Glorious than that under the Law that many under the Law had Immediate Converse with God whereas they now cry It is Ceased Again Vnder the Law there was the Holy of Holies into which the High-Priest did enter and received the Word of the Lord Immediately from betwixt the Cherubims so that the People could then Certainly know the mind of the Lord But now according to these mens Judgment we are in a far worse Condition having nothing but the Outward Letter of the Scripture to guess and divine from concerning one Verse of which scarce Two can be found to Agree But Jesus Christ hath promised us better things though many are so Unwise as not to believe him even to Guide us by his own Vnerring Spirit and hath rent and removed the Vail whereby not only one and that once a year may enter but All of us at all times have Access unto him as often as we draw near unto him with pure hearts He reveals his Will to us by his Spirit and writes his Laws in our Hearts These things being then thus premised I Argue Where the Law of God is put into the mind and written in the heart there the Object of Faith and Revelation of the Knowledge of God is Inward Immediate and Objective But The Law of God is put into the mind and written in the heart of Every true Christian under the New Covenant Therefore The Object of Faith and Revelation of the Knowledge of God to Every true Christian is Inward Immediate and Objective The Assumption is the express words of Scripture The Proposition then must needs be True except That which is put into the mind and written in the heart were either not Inward not Immediate or not Objective which is most Absurd § XII The Third Argument is from these words of John 1 John 2. Arg. III vers 27. But the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you The Anointing recommended as but the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and no Lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him First This could not be any special 1. Common peculiar or extraordinary Priviledge but that which is Common to all the Saints it being a general Epistle directed to all them of that Age. Secondly The Apostle proposeth this Anointing in them 2. Certain as a more certain Touch-stone for them to discern and try Seducers by even than his own Writings for having in the former verse said that he had Written some things to them concerning such as Seduced them he begins the next Verse But the Anointing c. and ye need not that any man Teach you c. Which infers that having said to them what can be said he Refers them for all to the Inward Anointing which teacheth all things as the most firm constant and certain Bulwark against all Seducers And Lastly That it is a Lasting and Continuing thing 3. Lasting The Anointing which abideth if it had not been to Abide in them it could not have Taught them all things neither Guideth them against all hazzard From which I Argue thus He that hath an Anointing abiding in him which teacheth him all things so that he needs no man to Teach him hath an Inward and Immediate Teacher and hath some things inwardly and immediately Revealed unto him But The Saints have such an Anointing Therefore c. I could prove this Doctrine from many more places of Scripture which for brevities sake I omit And now come to the Second Part of the Proposition where the Objections usually formed against it are Answered Object § XIII The most Usual is That these Revelations are Vncertain Answ. But this bespeaketh much Ignorance in the Opposers for we distinguish betwixt the Thesis and the Hypothesis that is betwixt the Proposition and Supposition For it is one thing to Affirm That the true and undoubted Revelation of God's Spirit is Certain and Infallible and another thing to Affirm That this or that particular Person or People is led infallibly by this Revelation in what they speak or write because they Affirm themselves to be so Led by the Inward and Immediate Revelation of the Spirit The first is only by us Asserted the latter may be called in Question The Question is not Who are or are not so Led but Whether all ought not or may not be so Led The Certainty of the Spirit 's
Guidance proved Seeing then we have already proved that Christ hath promised his Spirit to lead his Children and that every one of them both ought and may be Led by it If any depart from this certain Guide in deeds and yet in words pretend to be Led by it into things that are not good it will not from thence follow that the true Guidance of the Spirit is Vncertain or ought not to be followed no more than it will follow that the Sun sheweth not Light because a blind man or one who wilfully shuts his Eyes falls into a Ditch at noon day for want of Light or that no words are spoken because a deaf man hears them not or that a Garden full of fragrant flowers has no sweet smell because he that has lost his Smelling doth not smell it The Fault then is in the Organ and not in the Object All these Mistakes therefore are to be ascribed to the weakness or wickedness of men and not to that Holy Spirit Such as bend themselves most against this certain and infallible Testimony of the Spirit use commonly to alledge the Example of the Old Gnosticks and the late Monstrous and Mischievous Actings of the Anabaptists of Munster all which toucheth us nothing at all neither weakens a whit our most True Doctrine Wherefore as a most sure Bulwark against such kind of Assaults was subjoined that other part of our Proposition thus Moreover these Divine and Inward Revelations which we Establish as absolutely Necessary for the founding of the true Faith as they do not so neither can they at any time Contradict the Scriptures-Testimony or sound Reason By Experience Besides the intrinsick and undoubted Truth of this Assertion We can boldly Affirm it from our certain and blessed Experience For this Spirit never deceived us never acted nor moved us to any thing that was amiss but is clear and manifest in its Revelations which are evidently discerned of us as we wait in that pure and undefiled Light of God that proper and fit Organ in which they are Received Therefore if any Reason after this manner That Because some Wicked Vngodly Devilish Men have committed Wicked Actions and have yet more wickedly Asserted that they were led into those things by the Spirit of God Therefore The Absurdity of the Consequence No man ought to lean to the Spirit of God or seek to be led by it I utterly deny the Consequence of this Proposition which were it to be received as True then would all Faith in God and Hope of Salvation become Vncertain and the Christian Religion be turned into meer Scepticism For after the same manner I might Reason thus Because Eve was deceived by the Lying of the Serpent Therefore she ought not to have trusted to the Promise of God Because the Old World was deluded by Evil Spirits Therefore ought neither Noah nor Abraham nor Moses to have trusted the Spirit of the Lord. Because a lying Spirit spake through the four hundred Prophets that perswaded Achab to go up and fight at Ramoth Gilead Therefore the Testimony of the true Spirit in Micaiah was uncertain and dangerous to be followed Because there were seducing Spirits crept into the Church of old Therefore it was not good or Vncertain to follow the Anointing which taught all things and is Truth and no Lie Who dare say that this is a necessary Consequence Moreover not only the Faith of the Saints and Church of God of old is hereby rendered Vncertain but also the Faith of all sorts of Christians now is liable to the like hazzard even of those who seek a Foundation for their Faith elsewhere than from the Spirit For I shall prove by an Inevitable Argument Ab Incommodo i. e. from the Inconveniency of it That if the Spirit be not to be followed upon that account and that men may not depend upon it as their Guide because some while pretending thereunto commit great Evils that then nor Tradition nor the Scriptures nor Reason which the Papists Protestants and Socinians do respectively make the Rule of their Faith are any whit more Certain 1. Instances of Tradition The Romanists reckon it an Error to Celebrate Easter any other ways than that Church doth This can only be decided by Tradition And yet the Greek Church which equally layeth claim to Tradition with her self doth it otherwise Yea so little effectual is Tradition to decide the Case that Polycarpus Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. 5. cap. 26. the Disciple of John and Anicetus the Bishop of Rome who immediately succeeded them according to whose Example both sides Concluded the Question ought to be Decided could not Agree Here of necessity one behoved to Err and that following Tradition Would the Papists now judge we dealt fairly by them if we should thence Aver That Tradition is not to be Regarded Besides in a matter of far greater Importance the same Difficulty will occur to wit in the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome for many do Affirm and that by Tradition That in the first six hundred years the Roman Prelates never assumed the Title of Vniversal Shepherd nor were acknowledged as such And as that which altogether overturneth this Presidency there are that Alledge and that from Tradition also That Peter never saw Rome and that therefore the Bishop of Rome cannot be his Successor Would ye Romanists think this Sound Reasoning to say as ye do Many have been Deceived and Erred grievously in trusting to Tradition Therefore we ought to reject all Traditions yea even those by which we Affirm the Contrary and as we think prove the Truth Lastly In the * Conc. Flor. Sess. 5. Docreto quodam Concil Eph. Act. 6. Sess. 11. 12. Concil Flor. Sess. 18 20. Concil Flor. Sess. 21. p. 480. seqq Council of Florence the Chief Doctors of the Romish and Greek Churches did debate whole Sessions long concerning the Interpretation of one Sentence of the Council of Ephesus and of Epiphanius and Basilius neither could they ever Agree about it Secondly As to the Scripture the same difficulty occurreth the Lutherans Affirm they believe Consubstantiation by the Scripture which the Calvinists deny as that which they say according to the same Scripture is a Gross Error The Calvinists again Affirm Absolute Reprobation 2. Of Scripture which the Arminians deny Affirming the Contrary wherein both Affirm themselves to be Ruled by the Scripture and Reason in the matter Should I Argue thus then to the Calvinists Here the Lutherans and Arminians grosly Err by following the Scriture Therefore the Scripture is not a good nor certain Rule and è contrà Would either of them accept of this Reasoning as good and sound What shall I lay of the Episcopalians Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists of Great Britain who are continually buffeting one another with the Scripture To whom the same Argument might be alledged though they do all unanimously acknowledge it to be the Rule 3.
follow that that Measuring is so Certain as the Demonstration it self or that the Demonstration would be Vncertain without it § XVI But to make an end I shall add one Argument to prove That this Inward Immediate Objective Revelation which we have pleaded for all along is the only sure certain and unmoveable Foundation of all Christian Faith which Argument when well weighed I hope will have weight with all sorts of Christians and it is this That which all Professors of Christianity of whatsoever kind are forced ultimately to recur unto Immediate Revelation of all Christian Faith the Immoveable Foundation when pressed to the last That for and because of which all other Foundations are Recommended and Accounted worthy to be believed and without which they are granted to be of no weight at all must needs be the only most true certain and unmoveable Foundation of all Christian Faith But Inward Immediate Objective Revelation by the Spirit is that which all Professors of Christianity of whatsoever kind are forced ultimately to recur unto c. Therefore c. The Proposition is so Evident that it will not be denied The Assumption shall be proved by parts Papists Foundation their Church and Tradition Why And first As to the Papists They place their Foundation in the Judgment of the Church and Tradition If we press them to say Why they believe as the Church doth Their Answer is Because the Church is always led by the Infallible Spirit So here the Leading of the Spirit is the utmost Foundation Again If we ask them Why we ought to trust Tradition They Answer Because those Traditions were delivered us by the Doctors and Fathers of the Church which Doctors and Fathers by the Revelation of the Holy Ghost Commanded the Church to observe them Here again all lands in the Revelation of the Spirit And for the Protestants and Socinians both which acknowledge the Scriptures to be the Foundation and Rule of their Faith Protestants and Socinians make the Scriptures their Ground and Foundation Why the one as subjectively influenced by the Spirit of God to use them the other as managing them with and by their own Reason Ask both or either of them Why they trust the Scriptures and take them to be their Rule Their Answer is Because we have in them the Mind of God delivered unto us by those to whom these things were inwardly immediately and objectively Revealed by the Spirit of God And not because this or that man wrote them but because the Spirit of God dictated them Christians by Name and not by Nature hold Revelations ceased contrary to Scripture It is strange then that men should render that so Vncertain and Dangerous to follow upon which alone the Certain Ground and Foundation of their own Faith is built Or that they should shut themselves out from that holy fellowship with God which only is enjoyed in the Spirit in which we are commanded both to walk and live If any reading these things find themselves moved by the strength of these Scripture-Arguments to Assent and Believe such Revelations necessary and yet find themselves Strangers to them which as I observed in the beginning is the Cause that this is so much gainsaid and contradicted Let them know that it is not because it is Ceased to become the Priviledge of every Christian that they do not feel it but rather because they are not so much Christians by Nature as by Name And let such know that the Secret Light which shines in the heart and reproves Vnrighteousness is the small beginnings of the Revelations of God's Spirit which was first sent into the World to Reprove it of sin Joh 16.8 And as by forsaking Iniquity thou com'st to be acquainted with that Heavenly Voice in thy heart thou shalt feel as the Old Man the Natural Man that savoureth not the things of God's Kingdom is put off with his evil and corrupt Affections and Lusts I say thou shalt feel the New Man the Spiritual Birth and Babe Raised which hath its Spiritual Senses and can Prop. 3 see feel taste handle and smell the things of the Spirit but till then the Knowledge of things Spiritual is but as an Historical Faith Who wants his Sight sees not the Light But as the Description of the Light of the Sun or of curious Colours to a blind Man who though of the largest Capacity cannot so well understand it by the most acute and lively Description as a Child can by Seeing them So neither can the Natural man of the largest Capacity by the best words even Scripture words so well understand the Mysteries of God's Kingdom as the least and weakest Child who tasteth them by having them Revealed inwardly and objectively by the Spirit Wait then for this in the small Revelation of that pure Light which first Reveals things more known and as thou becom'st fitted for it thou shalt Receive more and more and by a living Experience easily Refute their Ignorance who ask How dost thou know that thou art acted by the Spirit of God which will appear to thee a Question no less Riculous than to ask one whose Eyes are open How he knows the Sun shines at Noon-day And though this be the surest and certainest way to answer all Objections yet by what is above-written it may appear that the mouths of all such Opposers as deny this Doctrine may be shut by Vnquestionable and Vnanswerable Reasons PROPOSITION III. Concerning the Scriptures From these Revelations of the Spirit of God to the Saints have proceeded the SCRIPTURES of TRUTH which contain I. A faithful Historical Account of the Actings of God's People in divers Ages with many singular and remarkable Providences attending them II. A Prophetical Account of several things whereof some are already past and some yet to come III. A full and Ample Account of all the Chief Principles of the Doctrine of Christ held forth in divers pretious Declarations Exhortations and Sentences which by the Moving of God's Spirit were at several Times and upon sundry Occasions spoken and written unto some Churches and their Pastors Nevertheless because they are only a Declaration of the Fountain and not the Fountain it self therefore they are not to be Esteemed the Principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledge nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners Yet because they give a true and faithful Testimony of the first Foundation they are and may be esteemed a Secondary Rule Subordinate to the Spirit from which they have all their Excellency and Certainty For as by the Inward Testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them so they Testify that the Spirit is that Guide John 16.13 Rom. 8.14 by which the Saints are led into all Truth Therefore according to the Scriptures the Spirit is the First and Principal Leader Seeing then that we do therefore receive and believe the Scriptures because they proceeded from the Spirit for the very
hereunto we stand there for this Word always proceedeth and doth Eternally proceed from God in and by which the Vnsearchable Wisdom of God and Vnsearchable Counsel and Will Conceived in the Heart of God is Revealed unto us That then the Scripture is not the Principal Ground of Faith and Knowledge as it appears by what is above spoken so it is provided in the latter part of the Proposition which being Reduced to an Argument runs thus That the Certainty and Authority whereof depends upon another and which is received as Truth because of its proceeding from another is not to be accounted the Principal Ground and Origin of all Truth and Knowledge But The Scriptures Authority and Certainty depends upon the Spirit by which they were dictated and the Reason why they were received as Truth is because they proceeded from the Spirit Therefore They are not the Principal Ground of Truth To Confirm this Argument I added the School-Maxime Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum est magis tale Which Maxime though I Confess it doth not hold Vniversally in all things yet in this it both doth and will very well hold as by Applying it as we have above Intimated will appear Neither are they the Primary Rule of Faith and Manners The same Argument will hold as to the other Branch of the Proposition That it is not the Primary Adequate Rule of Faith and Manners thus That which is not the Rule of my Faith in believing the Scriptures themselves is not the Primary Adequate Rule of Faith and Manners But The Scripture is not nor can it be the Rule of that Faith by which I believe them c. Therefore c. But as to this part we shall produce divers Arguments hereafter As to what is Affirmed That the Spirit and not the Scriptures is the Rule it is largely handled in the former Proposition the Sum whereof I shall Subsume in one Argument thus That the Spirit is the Rule If by the Spirit we can only come to the True Knowledge of God If by the Spirit we be to be led into all Truth and so be Taught of all things Then the Spirit and not the Scriptures is the Foundation and Ground of all Truth and Knowledge and the Primary Rule of Faith and Manners But the First is True Therefore also the Last Next The very Nature of the Gospel it self declareth that the Scriptures cannot be the Only and Chief Rule of Christians else there should be no Difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel As from the Nature of the New Covenant by divers Scriptures described in the former Proposition is proved Wherein the Law and Gospel differ But besides these which are before-mentioned herein doth the Law and the Gospel differ In that the Law being outwardly written brings under Condemnation but hath not Life in it to save whereas the Gospel as it declares and makes manifest the Evil so it being an Inward Powerful thing also gives Power to Obey and delivers from the Evil Hence it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Glad Tidings The Law or Letter which is without us kills but the Gospel which is the Inward Spiritual Law gives Life for it consists not so much in Words as in Vertue Wherefore such as come to know it and be acquainted with it come to feel greater Power over their Iniquities than all Outward Laws or Rules can give them Hence the Apostle concludes Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace This Grace then that is inward and not an outward Law is to be the Rule of Christians Hereunto the Apostle Commends the Elders of the Church saying Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all those that are sanctified He doth not commend them here to Outward Laws or Writings but to the Word of Grace which is Inward even the Spiritual Law which makes free as he elsewhere Affirms Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death This Spiritual Law is that which the Apostle declares he preached and directed People unto which was not Outward as Rom. 10.8 is manifest where distinguishing it from the Law he saith The Word is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth and this is the Word of Faith which we preach From what is above said I argue thus The Principal Rule of Christians under the Gospel is not an Outward Letter nor Law outwardly written and delivered but an Inward Spiritual Law ingraven in the heart the Law of the Spirit of Life the Word that is nigh in the heart and in the mouth But The Letter of the Scripture is Outward of it self a dead thing a meer Declaration of good things but not the Things themselves Therefore it nor is nor can be the Chief or Principal Rule of Christians § III. Thirdly That which is given to Christians for a Rule and Guide The Scripture not the Rule must needs be so full as it may clearly and distinctly Guide and Order them in all things and occurrences that may fall out But in that there are many hundred of things with a regard to their Circumstances particular Christians may be concerned in for which there can be no particular Rule had in the Scriptures Therefore the Scriptures cannot be a Rule to them I shall give an Instance in two or three Particulars for to prove this Proposition It is not to be doubted but some men are particularly called to some particular services their being not found in which though the Act be no general positive Duty yet in so far as it may be Required of them is a great Sin to Omit forasmuch as God is zealous of his Glory and every Act of Disobedience to his Will Manifested is enough not only to hinder one greatly from that Comfort and Inward Grace which otherwise they might have but also bringeth Condemnation As for Instance Some are Called to the Ministry of the Word Paul saith There was a Necessity upon him to preach the Gospel Wo unto me if I preach not If it be Necessary that there be now Ministers of the Church as well as then then there is the same Necessity upon some more than upon others to occupy this place which Necessity as it may be Incumbent upon particular persons the Scripture neither doth nor can declare If it be said Object That the Qualifications of a Minister are found in the Scripture and by applying these Qualifications to my self I may know whether I be fit for such a place or no. I Answer The Qualifications of a Bishop or Minister Answ. as they are mentioned both in the Epistle to Timothy and Titus are such as may be found in a private Christian yea which ought in
of God to his Children in these latter days For I have known some of my Friends who profess the same Faith with me faithful Servants of the most-High God and full of the Divine Knowledge of his Truth as it was immediately and inwardly Revealed to them by the Spirit from a true and living Experience who not only were ignorant of the Greek and Hebrew Wrong Translations of Scriptures discerned in the Spirit by the Unlearned in Letters but even some of them could not Read their own Vulgar Language who being pressed by the Adversaries with some Citations out of the English Translation and finding them to disagree with the Manifestation of Truth in their hearts have boldly Affirmed The Spirit of God never said so and that it was certainly wrong for they did not believe that any of the Holy Prophets or Apostles had ever written so Which when I on this Account seriously Examined I really found to be Errors and Corruptions of the Translators who as in most Translations do not so much give us the genuine Significations of the words as strain them to express that which comes nearest with that Opinion and Notion they have of Truth And this seemed to me to sute very well with that saying of Augustine Epist. 19. ad Hen. Tom. 2. fol. 14. after he has said that he gives only that honour to those Books which are called Canonical as to believe that the Authors thereof did in writing not Err. He adds And if I shall meet with any thing in these Writings that seemeth Repugnant to Truth I shall not doubt to say that either the Volume is Faulty or Erroneous that the Expounder hath not reached what was said or that I have in no wise Vnderstood it So that he supposes that in the Transcription and Translation there may be Errors § V. If it be then asked me Whether I think hereby to render the Scripture altogether uncertain Object or useless I Answer Not at all The Proposition it self declares what Esteem Answ. 1 I have for them And provided that to the Spirit from which they came be but granted that place the Scriptures themselves give it I do freely Concede to the Scripture the Second Place even whatsoever they say of themselves Which the Apostle Paul chiefly mentions in Two places Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were Written aforetime were Written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. The Holy Scriptures are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus All Scripture given by Inspiration from God is profitable for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good Work For though God do principally and chiefly lead us by his Spirit yet he sometimes conveys his Comfort and Consolation to us through his Children whom he raises up and Inspires to Speak or Write a Word in Season whereby the Saints are made Instruments in the hand of the Lord to strengthen and encourage one another which do also tend to perfect and make them wise unto Salvation And such as are led by the Spirit cannot neglect The Saints Mutual Comfort is the same Spirit in all but do naturally love and are wonderfully cherished by that which proceedeth from the same Spirit in another because such mutual Emanations of the heavenly Life tend to quicken the mind when at any time it is overtaken with Heaviness Peter himself declares this to have been the End of his Writing 2 Pet. 1.12 13. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in Remembrance of those things though ye know them and be Established in the present Truth Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in Remembrance God is Teacher of his People himself and there is nothing more Express than that such as are under the New Covenant They need no man to Teach them yet it was a Fruit of Christ's Ascension to send Teachers and Pastors for perfecting of the Saints So that the same Work is ascribed to the Scriptures as to Teachers the one to make the Man of God perfect the other for the perfection of the Saints As then Teachers are not to go before the Teaching of God himself under the New Covenant but to follow after it neither are they to Rob us of that great Priviledge which Christ hath purchased unto us by his Blood so neither is the Scripture to go before the Teaching of the Spirit or to Rob us of it Answ. 2 Secondly God hath seen meet that herein we should as in a Looking-glass see the Conditions and Experiences of the Saints of old that finding our Experience Answer to theirs The Scriptures a Looking-glass we might thereby be the more Confirmed and Comforted and our Hope Strengthened of obtaining the same End that observing the Providences attending them seeing the Snares they were liable to and beholding their Deliverances we may thereby be made Wise unto Salvation and seasonably Reproved and Instructed in Righteousness This is the Great Work of the Scriptures and their Service to us that we may witness them fulfilled in us and so discern the Stamp of God's Spirit and Ways upon them by the inward Acquaintance we have with the same Spirit and Work in our hearts The Scriptures Work and Service The Prophecies of the Scripture are also very comfortable and profitable unto us as the same Spirit Inlightens us to observe them fulfilled and to be fulfilled For in all this it is to be observed that it is only the Spiritual man that can make a right use of them they are able to make the Man of God perfect so it is not the Natural Man and whatsoever was written aforetime was written for Our Comfort Our that are the Believers our that are the Saints concerning such the Apostle speaks For as for the other the Apostle Peter plainly declares that the Vnstable and Vnlearned wrest them to their own destruction These were they that were Vnlearned in the Divine and Heavenly Learning of the Spirit not in Humane and School-literature of which we may safely presume that Peter himself being a Fisher-man had no great skill for it may be with great probability yea certainly be affirmed that he had no knowledge of Aristotle's Logick Logick which both Papists and Protestants now degenerating from the Simplicity of Truth make Hand-maid of Divinity as they call it and a necessary Introduction to their Carnal Natural and Humane Ministry By the infinite obscure Labours of which kind of men mixing-in their heathenish stuff the Scripture is rendered at this day of so little service to the simple people whereof if Jerom complained in his time now twelve hundred years ago saying Hierom. Ep. 134. ad Cypr. Tom. 3. It is wont to befall the most part of Learned men that it is
Authentick that it ought to be Received First If he should say Because it Contradicts not the Rest besides that there is no mention made of it in any of the Rest perhaps these men think it doth Contradict Paul in relation to Faith and Works Whether the Epistle of James be Authentick and how to know it But if that should be granted it would as well follow that Every Writer that Contradicts not the Scripture should be put into the Canon and by this means these men fall into a greater Absurdity than they fix upon us For thus they would Equal every one the Writings of their own Sect with the Scriptures for I suppose they judge their own Confession of Faith doth not Contradict the Scriptures Will it therefore follow that it should be bound up with the Bible And yet it seems impossible according to their Principles to bring any better Aagument to prove the Epistle of James to be Authentick There is then this Vnavoidable Necessity to say We know it by the same Spirit from which it was written or otherwise to step back to Rome and say We know by Tradition that the Church hath declared it to be Canonical and the Church is Infallible Let them find a Mids if they can So that out of this Objection we shall draw an Vnanswerable Argument ad hominem to our purpose That which cannot Assure me concerning an Article of Faith necessary to be believed is not the Primary Adequate Only Rule of Faith But The Scripture cannot thus Assure me Therefore c. I prove the Assumption thus That which cannot Assure me concerning the Canon of the Scripture to wit that such Books are only to be Admitted and the Apocrypha to be Excluded Cannot Assure me of this Therefore c And lastly As to these words Rev. 22.18 that If any man shall add Object 3 unto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book I desire they will shew me Answ. how it relates to any thing else than to that Particular Prophecy It saith not Now the Canon of the Scripture is filled up no man is to write more from that Spirit Yea do not all Confess What it means to Add to the Scriptures that there have been Prophecies and true Prophets since The Papists deny it not And do not the Protestants affirm that John Huss prophesied of the Reformation Was he therefore Cursed or did he therein Evil I could give many other Examples Confessed by themselves But moreover the same was in Effect Commanded long before Prov. 30.6 Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a liar Yet how many Books of the Prophets were written after And the same was said by Moses Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not Add unto the Word which I command you neither shall ye Diminish ought from it So that though we should extend that of the Revelations beyond the particular Prophecy of that Book it cannot be understood but of a New Gospel or New Doctrines or of Restraining Prop. 4 man's Spirit that he mix not his Humane Words with the Divine and not of a New Revelation of the Old as we have said before PROPOSITION IV. Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall All Adam's Posterity or Mankind both Jews and Gentiles as to the first Adam or Earthly Man is fallen degenerated and dead deprived of the sensation or feeling of this Inward Testimony Rom. 5.12 15. or Seed of God and is subject unto the Power Nature and Seed of the Serpent which he soweth in mens hearts while they abide in this Natural and Corrupted Estate from whence it comes that not only their Words and Deeds but all their Imaginations are Evil perpetually in the sight of God as proceeding from this depraved and wicked Seed Man therefore as he is in this State can know nothing aright yea his Thoughts and Conceptions concerning God and things Spiritual until he be dis-joined from this Evil Seed and united to the Divine Light are Unprofitable both to himself and others Hence are Rejected the Socinian and Pelagian Errors in the Exalting a Natural Light as also the Papists and most of Protestants who Affirm That man without the true Grace of God may be a True Minister of the Gospel Nevertheless this Seed is not imputed to Infants until by Transgression they actually join themselves therewith for they are by Nature the Children of Wrath who walk according to the Power of the Prince of the Air Ephes. 2. and the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience having their Conversation in the Lusts of the Flesh fulfilling the desires of the Flesh and of the Mind § I. HItherto we have Discoursed how the True Knowledge of God is Attained and Preserved also of what Vse and Service the Holy Scripture is to the Saints We come now to Examine The State and Condition of Man as he stands in the Fall what his Capacity and Power is and how far he is able as of himself to Advance in relation to the things of God Of this we touch'd a little in the beginning of the Second Proposition but the full right and through Understanding of it is of great Vse and Service because from the Ignorance and Altercations that have been about it there have arisen great and dangerous Errors both on the one hand and the other While some do so far Exalt the Light of Nature or the Faculty of the Natural man as Capable of himself by vertue of the Inward Will Faculty Light or Power that pertains to his Nature to follow that which is good and make real progress towards Heaven And of these are the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians of old and of late the Socinians and divers others among the Papists Others again will needs run into another Extream to whom Augustine among the Ancients first made way in his Declining Age Augustine 's Zeal against Pelagius through the heat of his zeal against Pelagius not only Confessing men Vncapable of themselves to do good and prone to evil but that in his very Mother's Womb and before he Commits any Actual Transgression he is Contaminate with a Real Guilt whereby he deserves Eternal Death in which respect they are not afraid to Affirm That many poor Infants are Eternally Damned and for ever endure the Torments of Hell Therefore the God of Truth having now again Revealed his Truth that good and even Way by his own Spirit hath taught us to avoid both these Extreams That then which our Proposition leads to Treat of is Part I First What the Condition of Man is in the Fall and how far Vncapable to meddle in the Things of God And Secondly That God doth not impute this Evil to Infants until Part II they Actually join with it That so by Establishing the Truth we may overturn the Errors on both parts And as for that Third thing Included in the Proposition it self concerning Part III
So I say it is after the Rejecting of the Day of Visitation that the Judgment of Obduration is inflicted upon men and women as Christ pronounceth it upon the Jews out of Isa. 6.9 which all the Four Evangelists make mention of Matth. 13.14 Mark 4.12 Luke 8.10 John 12.40 And last of all the Apostle Paul after he had made offer of the Gospel of Salvation to the Jews at Rome pronounceth the same Acts 28.26 after that some believed not Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the Prophet unto our Fathers saying Go unto this people and say hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive For the Heart of this people is waxed gross and their Ears are dull of hearing and their Eyes have they closed lest they should see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and understand with their Heart and should be Converted and I should heal them So it appears that God would have them to see but they closed their Eyes and therefore they are justly hardned Cyrill Alex. Of this matter Cyrillus Alexandrinus upon John l. 6. c. 21. speaks well answering to this Objection But some may say if Christ be come into the World that those that see may be blinded their blindness is not to be Imputed unto them but it rather seems that Christ is the Cause of their blindness who saith he is come into the World that those that see may be blinded But saith he they speak not rationally who object these things unto God and are not affraid to call him the Author of Evil For as the sensible Sun is carried upon our Horizon that it may Communicate the gift of its Clearness unto All and make its Light shine upon all but if any one Close his Eye-lids The Cause of Man's Remaining in Darkness the Closing his Eyes or willingly turn himself from the Sun refusing the benefit of its light he wants its Illumination and remains in Darkness not through defect of the Sun but through his own Fault So that the true Sun who came to Inlighten those that sate in Darkness and in the region of the shadow of death visited the Earth for this cause that he might Communicate unto all the gift of Knowledge and Grace and illuminate the inward Eyes of all by a peculiar splendor but many reject this Gift of the Heavenly Light freely given to them and have closed the Eyes of their minds lest so excellent an Illumination or Irradiation of the Eternal Light should shine unto them It is not then through defect of the true Sun but only through their own Iniquity and Hardness for as the wise man saith Wisdom 2. Their Wickedness hath blinded them From all which I thus argue If there was a Day The Obstinate Jews had a Day wherein the Obstinate Jews might have known the things that belonged to their Peace which because they Rejected it was hid from their Eyes If there was a time wherein Christ would have gathered them who because they Refused could not be Gathered Then such as might have been saved do actually perish that slighted the Day of God's Visitation towards them wherein they might have been Converted and Saved But the First is true Therefore also the Last § XXI Secondly That which comes in the Second Place to be proved Prop. II is Proved That whereby God offers to work this Salvation during the day of every man's Visitation and that is That he hath given to every man a measure of saving sufficient and supernatural Light and Grace This I shall do by God's Assistance by some plain and clear Testimonies of the Scripture First From that of John 1.9 That was the true Light which Inlightneth Proof I every man that cometh into the World The Light enlightning every Man c. This place doth so clearly favour us that by some it is called The Quakers Text for it doth evidently Demonstrate our Assertion so that it scarce needs either Consequence or Deduction seeing it self is as a Consequence of two Propositions Asserted in the former verses from which it followeth as a Conclusion in the very Terms of our Faith The first of these Propositions is The Life that is in him is the Light of men the second The Light shineth in the darkness And from these two he Infers And he is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World From whence I do in short Observe that this Divine Apostle calls Observ. 1 Christ the Light of men and giveth us this as one of the Chief Properties at least considerably and especially to be Observed by us seeing hereby as he is the Light and as we walk with him in that Light which he Communicates to us we come to have Fellowship and Communion with him as the same Apostle saith elsewhere 1 Joh. 1.7 Secondly that this Light shineth in darkness though the darkness comprehend it not Thirdly that this true Light inlightneth every man Not but a certain Number of men but every man that cometh into the world Where the Apostle being directed by God's Spirit hath carefully avoided their Captiousness that would have Restricted this to any certain Number Where Every one is there is None Excluded Next should they be so obstinate as sometimes they are as to say That this Every man is only Every one of the Elect these words following Every man that cometh into the world would obviate that Objection So that it is plain there comes no man into the World whom Christ hath not Inlightned in some measure and in whose dark heart this Light doth not shine though the darkness Comprehend it not yet it shineth there and the Nature thereof is to dispell the Darkness The Light dispelling Darkness begets Faith where men shut not their Eyes upon it Now for what End this Light is given is Expressed vers 7. where John is said to Come for a Witness to bear witness to the Light that all men through it might believe to wit through the Light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth very well Agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being the nearest Antecedent though most Translators have to make it sute with their own Doctrine made it Relate to John as if all men were to believe through John For which as there is nothing directly in the Text so it is Contrary to the very Strain of the Context For seeing Christ hath lighted Every man with this Light is it not that they may come to believe through it All could not believe through John because all men could not know of John's Testimony whereas Every man being Lighted by this may come there-through to believe John shined not in the Darkness but this Light shineth in the Darkness that having dispelled the Darkness it may produce and beget Faith And lastly We must believe through That and become believers through That by Walking in which Fellowship with God is known
given to some Saints in this life not by the Power of man's strength but by the Grace of God he doth well to think so confidently and hope it faithfully That by the Gift of God all things are possible for by the Gift of God all things are possible That this was the Common Opinion of the Fathers appears from the words of the Aszansik Council Canon last We believe also this according to the Catholick Faith that all that are baptized through Grace by Baptism received and Christ helping them and Co-working may and ought to do whatsoever belongs to Salvation if they will faithfully labour Conclusion § XI Blessed then are they that believe in him who is both able and willing to Deliver as many as come to him through True Repentance from all Sin and do not resolve as these men do to be the Devil's Servants all their life time Phil. 3.14 but daily go on forsaking unrighteousness and forgetting those things that are behind Press forwards to the Mark the Prize an Overcoming press forwards towards the Mark for the Prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus Such shall not find their Faith and Confidence to be in vain but in due time shall be made Conquerors through him in whom they have believed and so Overcoming shall be established as pillars in the house of God so as they shall go no more out Rev. 3.12 PROPOSITION IX Concerning Perseverance and the possibility of Falling from Grace Although this Gift and inward Grace of God be sufficient to work out Salvation yet in those in whom it is Resisted it both may and doth become their Condemnation Moreover they in whose hearts it hath wrought in part to purify and sanctify them in order to their further perfection may by disobedience fall from it The Grace of God is lost by Disobâ—dience turn it to wantonness 1 Tim. 1.19 make shipwrack of faith and after having tasted the heavenly Gift and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost again fall away Hebr. 6.4 5 6 yet such an Increase and Stability in the Truth may in this life be attained from which there cannot be a Total Apostasy § I. THe first Sentence of this Proposition hath already been treated of in the fifth and sixth Propositions where it hath been shewn that that Light which is given for Life and Salvation becomes the Condemnation of those that Refuse it and therefore is already proved in those places where I did demonstrate the possibility of man's Resisting the Grace and Spirit of God And indeed it is so apparent in the Scriptures that it cannot be denied by such as will but seriously consider these Testimonies Prov. 1.24 25 26. John 3.18 19. 2 Thess. 2.11 12. Acts 7.51 13.46 Rom. 1.18 As for the other part of it That they in whom this Grace may have wrought in a good measure in order to purify and sanctify them tending to their further perfection may afterwards through disobedience fall away c. the Testimonies of the Scripture included in the Proposition it self are sufficient to prove it to men of unbiassed Judgments But because as to this part our Cause is Common with many other Protestants I shall be the more brief in it For it is not my design to do that which is done already neither do I covet to appear knowing by writing much but simply purpose to present to the World a faithful Account of our Principles and briefly to let them understand what we have to say for our selves A falling from Grace by Disobedience Evinced § II. From these Scriptures then included in the Proposition not to mention many more which might be urged I argue thus If men may turn the Grace of God into Wantonness then they must once Arg. 1 have had it But the First is true Therefore also the Second If men may make shipwrack of Faith they must once have had it neither Arg. 2 could they ever have had true Faith without the Grace of God But the First is true Therefore also the Last If men may have tasted of the heavenly Gift and been made partakers Arg. 3 of the Holy Spirit and afterwards fall away they must needs have known in measure the operation of God's Saving Grace and Spirit without which no man could taste the heavenly Gift nor yet partake of the Holy Spirit But the First is true Therefore also the Last Secondly Seeing the Contrary Doctrine is built upon this false Hypothesis That Grace is not given for Salvation to any but to a certain Elect Number which cannot lose it The Doctrine of Election and Reprobation is Inconsistent with Preaching and daily Exhortation and that all the rest of mankind by an absolute Decree are debarred from Grace and Salvation that being destroyed this falls to the ground Now as that Doctrine of theirs is wholly Inconsistent with the daily Practice of those that Preach it in that they Exhort people to believe and be saved while in the mean time if they belong to the Decree of Reprobation it is simply Impossible for them so to do and if to the Decree of Election it is needless seeing it is as Impossible to them to miss of it as hath been before demonstrated So also in this matter of Perseverance their Practice and Principle are no less Inconsistent and Contradictory For while they daily Exhort people to be Faithful to the end shewing them if they Continue not they shall be Cut off and fall short of the Reward which is very true but no less Inconsistent with that Doctrine that affirms There is no hazzard because no possibility of departing from the least measure of true Grace Which if true it is to no purpose to beseech them to Stand to whom God hath made it Impossible to Fall I shall not longer insist upon the probation of this seeing what is said may suffice to answer my design and that the thing is also abundantly proved by many of the same Judgment That this was the Doctrine of the primitive Protestants thence appears that the Augustane Confession Condemns it as an Error of the Anabaptists to say That who once are Justified they cannot lose the Holy Spirit Many such like sayings are to be found in the Common Places of Philip Melanchthon Vossius in his Pelagian History lib. 6. testifies The Opinion of the Fathers concerning falling from Grace That this was the Common Opinion of the Fathers In the Confirmation of the twelfth These pag. 587. he hath these words That this which we have said was the common Sentiment of Antiquity those at present can only deny who other ways perhaps are men not Vnlearned but nevertheless in Antiquity altogether strangers c. These things thus observed I come to the Objections of our Opposers Object 1 § III. First they Alledge That those places mentioned of making shipwrack of Faith is only understood of seeming Faith and not of a real
the Holy Scripture signifies An Assembly or Gathering of many into one place The Etymology of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church and signification of it for the Substantive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I call out of and originally from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I call and indeed as this is the Grammatical sense of the word so also it is the real and proper signification of the thing the Church being no other thing but the Society Gathering or Company of such as God hath called out of the World and worldly spirit to walk in his LIGHT and LIFE The Church then so defined is to be considered as it comprehends all that are thus called and gathered truly by God both such as are yet in this Inferior World and such as having already laid down the Earthly Tabernacle are passed into their heavenly Mansions which together do make up the One Catholick Church concerning which there is so much Controversy Out of which Church we freely acknowledge No Salvation without the Church there can be no Salvation because under this Church and its Denomination are comprehended all and as many of whatsoever nation kindred tongue or people they be though outwardly strangers and remote from those who profess Christ and Christianity in words and have the benefit of the Scriptures as become obedient to the Holy Light and Testimony of God in their hearts so as to become sanctified by it What the Church is and cleansed from the evils of their ways For this is the Vniversal or Catholick Spirit by which many are called from all the four Corners of the Earth and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob By this the secret Life and Vertue of Jesus is conveyed into many that are afar off even as by the Blood that runs into the Veins and Arteries of the natural Body the Life is conveyed from the head and heart unto the extreamest parts There may be Members therefore of this Catholick Church both among Heathens Turks and Jews may become Members of this Church Turks Jews and all the several sorts of Christians men and women of Integrity and Simplicity of heart who though blinded in something in their Vnderstanding and perhaps burthened with the Superstitions and Formality of the several Sects in which they are Ingrossed yet being upright in their hearts before the Lord chiefly aiming and labouring to be delivered from Iniquity and loving to follow Righteousness are by the secret Touches of this Holy Light in their Souls inlivened and quickned thereby secretly united to God and there-through become true Members of this Catholick Church Now the Church in this respect hath been in being in all Generations For God never wanted some such Witnesses for him though many times slighted and not much observed by this World And therefore this Church though still in being hath been oftentimes as it were Invisible in that it hath not come under the Observation of the men of this World being as saith the Scripture Jer. 3.14 One of a City and two of a Family And yet though the Church thus considered may be as it were hid from wicked men as not then gathered into a visible Fellowship yea and not observed even by some that are Members of it yet may there notwithstanding many belong to it as when Elias complained he was left alone 1 Kings 19.18 God answered unto him I have reserved to my self seven thousand men who have not bowed their knees to the Image of Baal whence the Apostle argues Rom. 11. the being of a Remnant in his day § III. Secondly The Church is to be considered as it signifies a Certain Number of persons gathered by God's Spirit and by the Testimony of some of his Servants raised up for that end unto the belief of the true Principles and Doctrines of the Christian Faith who through their hearts being united by the same Love and their understanding informed in the same Truths gather The Definition of the Church of God as Gathered into a Visible Fellowship meet and assemble together to Wait upon God to worship him and to bear a joint-Testimony for the Truth against Error suffering for the same and so becoming through this fellowship as one family and houshold in certain respects do each of them watch over teach instruct and care for one another according to their several measures and attainments Such were the Churches of the primitive Times gathered by the Apostles whereof we have divers mentioned in the Holy Scriptures And as to the Visibility of the Church in this respect there hath been a great Interruption since the Apostles days by reason of the Apostasy as shall hereafter appear § IV. To be a Member then of the Catholick Church How to become a Member of that Church there is need of the Inward Calling of God by his Light in the heart and a being leavened into the Nature and Spirit of it so as to forsake Vnrighteousness and be turned to Righteousness and in the Inwardness of the mind to be cut out of the wild Olive-tree of our own first fall'n Nature and ingrafted into Christ by his Word and Spirit in the heart And this may be done in those who are strangers to the History God not having pleased to make them partakers thereof as in the fifth and sixth Proposition hath already been proved To be a Member of a particular Church of Christ The Outward Profession of the Members of the True Church as this inward Work is indispensibly necessary so is also the outward Profession of and Belief in Jesus Christ and those holy Truths delivered by his Spirit in the Scriptures seeing the Testimony of the Spirit recorded in the Scriptures doth answer the Testimony of the same Spirit in the heart even as face answereth face in a glass Hence it follows that the Inward work of Holiness and forsaking Iniquity is necessary in every respect to the being a Member in the Church of Christ and that the outward Profession is necessary to be a Member of a particular gathered Church but not to the being a Member of the Catholick Church yet it is absolutely necessary where God affords the opportunity of knowing it And the outward Testimony is to be believed where it is presented and revealed the sum whereof hath upon other occasions been already proved § V. But contrary hereunto the Devil The Members of the Anti-Christian Church in the Apostasy their Empty Profession that worketh and hath wrought in the Mystery of Iniquity hath taught his followers to affirm That no man however holy is a Member of the Church of Christ without the outward Profession and that he be Initiated thereunto by some outward Ceremonies And again That men who have this outward Profession though inwardly unholy may be Members of the true Church of Christ yea and ought to be so esteemed This is plainly to put Light for
have caused them to Err. The whole writings of the Prophets are full of such Complaints and for this Cause under the New Testament we are so often warned and guarded to Beware of false Prophets and false Teachers c. What may be thought then where all as to this is out of order where both the Foundation Call Qualifications Maintainance and whole Discipline is different from and opposite to the Ministry of the primitive Church yea and necessarily tends to the shutting out a Spiritual Ministry and the in-bringing and establishing a Carnal This shall appear by parts § VII That then which comes first to be questioned in this matter is Quest. I concerning the Call of a Minister to wit What maketh or how cometh a man to be a Minister Pastor or Teacher in the Church of Christ We Answer By the inward power and virtue of the Spirit of God Answ. For as saith our Proposition Having received the true knowledge of things Spiritual by the Spirit of God The Call of a Minister and wherein it consisteth without which they cannot be known and being by the same in measure purified and sanctified he comes thereby to be called and moved to Minister to others being able to speak from a living Experience of what he himself is a Witness and therefore knowing the Terror of the Lord he is fit to perswade men c. 2 Cor. 5.11 and his Words and Ministry proceeding from the inward power and virtue reaches to the heart of his Hearers and makes them approve of him and be subject unto him Our Adversaries are forced to confess that this were indeed desirable and best but this they will not have to be absolutely necessary Object I shall first prove the Necessity of it and then shew how much they Err in that which they make more necessary than this Divine and Heavenly Call First That which is necessary to make a man a Christian so as without it he cannot be truly one must be much more necessary to make a man a Minister of Christianity seeing the one is a degree above the other and has it included in it nothing less than he that supposeth a Master Arg. supposeth him first to have attained the knowledge and capacity of a Scholar 1. The necessity of an Inward Call to make a man a Christian They that are not Christians cannot be Teachers or Ministers among Christians But this Inward Call Power and Vertue of the Spirit of God is necessary to make a man a Christian as we have abundantly proved before in the second Proposition according to these Scriptures He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God Therefore this Call Moving and Drawing of the Spirit must be much more Necessary to make a Minister 2. The Ministry of the Spirit requires the Operation and Testimony of the Spirit Secondly All Ministers of the New Testament ought to be Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter according to that 2 Cor. 3.6 and as the old Latine hath it not by the Letter but by the Spirit But how can a man be a Minister of the Spirit who is not inwardly Called by it and who looks not upon the Operation and Testimony of the Spirit as Essential to his Call As he could not be a Minister of the Letter who had thence no ground for his Call yea that were altogether a Stranger to and unacquainted with it so neither can he be a Minister of the Spirit who is a Stranger to it and unacquainted with the Motions thereof and knows it not to draw act and move him and go before him in the Work of the Ministry I would willingly know how those that take upon them to be Ministers as they suppose of the Gospel meerly from an outward Vocation without so much as being any ways sensible of the Work of the Spirit or any Inward Call there-from can either satisfy themselves or others that they are Ministers of the Spirit or wherein they differ from the Ministers of the Letter For 3. Under the Law the People needed not to doubt who should be Priests and Ministers Thirdly If this Inward Call or Testimony of the Spirit were not Essential and Necessary to a Minister then the Ministry of the New Testament should not only be no ways preferrable to but in divers respects far Worse than that of the Law For under the Law there was a certain Tribe allotted for the Ministry and of that Tribe certain Families set apart for the Priesthood and other Offices by the Immediate Command of God to Moses so that the people needed not be in any doubt who should be Priests and Ministers of the holy things yea and besides this God called forth by the Immediate Testimony of his Spirit several at divers times to Teach Instruct and Reprove his people as Samuel Nathan Elias Elisa Jeremiah Amos and many more of the Prophets But now under the New Covenant where the Ministry ought to be more Spiritual the Way more Certain and the Access more Easie unto the Lord our Adversaries by denying the Necessity of this Inward and Spiritual Vocation make it quite other ways For there being now no certain Family or Tribe to which the Ministry is limited we are left in Vncertainty to chuse and have Pastors at a venture without all Certain Assent of the Will of God having neither an outward Rule nor Certainty in this affair to walk by for that the Scripture cannot give any Certain Rule in this matter hath in the Third Proposition concerning it been already shewn 4. Christ the Door Fourthly Christ proclaims them all Thieves and Robbers that enter not by him the Door into the Sheep-fold but climb up some other way whom the sheep ought not to hear John 10.1 but such as come in without the Call Movings and Leadings of the Spirit of Christ wherewith he leads his Children into all Truth come in certainly not by Christ who is the Door but some other way and therefore are not True Shepherds § VIII To all this they Object The Succession of the Church alledging Object That since Christ gave a Call to his Apostles and Disciples they have conveyed that Call to their Successors Succession pleaded by the false Church from Christ and his Apostles having power to Ordain Pastors and Teachers by which power the Authority of Ordaining and making Ministers and Pastors is successively conveyed to us so that such who are Ordained and Called by the Pastors of the Church are therefore true and lawful Ministers and others who are not so Called are to be accounted but Intruders Hereunto also some Protestants add a Necessity though they make it not as a thing Essential that besides this Calling of the Church every one being Called ought to have the Inward Call of the Spirit inclining him so chosen to his Work
but this they say is subjective and not objective of which before As to what is subjoined of the Inward Call of the Spirit Answ. in that they make it not Essential to a True Call but a Supererogation as it were it sheweth how little they set by it since those they admit to the Ministry are not so much as questioned in their Trials whether they have this or not Yet in that it hath been often mentioned The Call of the Spirit preferred to any other by Primitive Protestants especially by the primitive Protestants in their Treatises of this Subject it sheweth how much they were secretly Convinced in their minds that this Inward Call of the Spirit was most Excellent and preferrable to any other and therefore in the most noble and heroick Acts of the Reformation they laid claim unto it so that many of the primitive Protestants did not scruple both to despise and disown this Outward * Succession Call when urged by the Papists against them But now Protestants having gone from the Testimony of the Spirit plead for the same Succession and being pressed by those Modern Protestants denying the Call by the Spirit whom God now raiseth up by his Spirit to Reform these many Abuses that are among them with the Example of their Fore-fathers practice against Rome they are not at all ashamed utterly to deny that their Fathers were Called to their Work by the Inward and Immediate Vocation of the Spirit cloathing themselves with that Call which they say their Fore-fathers had as Pastors of the Roman Church For thus not to go further affirmeth * Who gives himself out Doctor and Professor of the Sacred Theology at Franequer Nicolaus Arnoldus in a Pamphlet written against the same Propositions called A Theologick Exercitation Sect. 40. averring That they pretended not to an Immediate Act of the Holy Spirit but Reformed by the virtue of the Ordinary Vocation which they had in the Church as it then was to wit that of Rome c. § IX Many Absurdities do Protestants fall into by deriving their Ministry thus through the Church of Rome As first Absurdities Protestants fall into by deriving their Ministry through the Church of Rome They must acknowledge her to be a True Church of Christ though only Erroneous in some things which Contradicts their Fore-fathers so frequently and yet truly calling her Anti-Christ Secondly They must needs acknowledge that the Priests and Bishops of the Romish Church are True Ministers and Pastors of the Church of Christ as to the Essential part else they could not have been fit Subjects for that Power and Authority to have resided in neither could they have been Vessels capable to receive that power and again Transmit it to their Successors Thirdly It would follow from this that the Priests and Bishops of the Romish Church are yet really true Pastors and Teachers for if Protestant-Ministers have no Authority but what they received from them and since the Church of Rome is the same she was at that time of the Reformation in doctrine and manners and she has the same power now she had then and if the power lie in the Succession then these Priests of the Romish Church now which derive their Ordination from those Bishops that Ordained the First Reformers have the same Authority which the Successors of the Reformed have and consequently are no less Ministers of the Church than they are But how shall this Agree with that Opinion which the primitive Protestants had of the Romish Priests and Clergy to whom Luther did not only deny any Power or Authority Luther affirmed that a Woman might be a Preacher but contrariwise affirmed That it was wickedly done of them to assume to themselves only this Authority to Teach and be Priests and Ministers c. For he himself affirmed That every good Christian not only men but even women also is a Preacher § X. But against this Vain Succession as asserted either by Papists or Protestants The pretended Succession of Papists and Protestants Exploded as a necessary thing to the Call of a Minister I Answer That such as plead for it as a sufficient or necessary thing to the Call of a Minister do thereby sufficiently declare their Ignorance of the Nature of Christianity and how much they are strangers to the Life and Power of a Christian Ministry which is not entail'd to Succession as an outward Inheritance and herein as hath been often before observed they not only make the Gospel not better than the Law but even far short of it For Jesus Christ as he regardeth not any distinct particular Family or Nation in the gathering of his Children but only such as are joined to and leavened with his own pure and righteous Seed so neither regards he a bare outward Succession where his pure immaculate and righteous Life is wanting for that were all one He took not in the Nations within the New Covenant that he might suffer them to fall into the Old Errors of the Jews or to approve them in these Errors but that he might gather unto himself a pure people out of the Earth The Jews Error of Abraham's outward Succession Now this was the great Error of the Jews to think they were the Church and People of God because they could derive their Outward Succession from Abraham whereby they reckoned themselves the Children of God as being the Off-spring of Abraham who was the Father of the Faithful But how severely doth the Scripture rebuke this vain and frivolous pretence Telling them That God is able of the stones to raise Children unto Abraham and that not the outward Seed but those that were found in the Faith of Abraham are the true Children of faithful Abraham Far less then can this Pretence hold among Christians seeing Christ rejects all outward Affinity of that kind Matth. 12.48 c. Mark 3 33. c. These saith he are my Mother Brethren and Sisters who do the Will of my Father which is in heaven And again He looked round about him and said who shall do the Will of God these said he are my Brethren So then such as do not the Commands of Christ as are not found Cloathed with his Righteousness are not his Disciples and That which a man hath not he cannot give to another and its clear that no Man nor Church though truly Called of God and as such having the Authority of a Church and Minister can any longer retain that Authority than they retain the power The Form of Godliness is entailed to the Power and Substance and not the Substance to the Form life and righteousness of Christianiy for the Form is entailed to the Power and Substance and not the Substance to the Form So that when a Man ceaseth inwardly in his heart to be a Christian where his Christianity must lie by turning to Satan and becoming a Reprobate he is no more a Christian though he
retain the Name and Form than a dead man is a man though he have the Image and Representation of one or than the Picture or Statue of a man is a man And though a dead man may serve to a Painter to retain some Imperfect Representation of the man that sometimes was alive and so one Picture may serve to make another by yet none of those can serve to make a true living man again neither can they Convey the life and spirit of the man it must be God that made the man at first that alone can Revive him As Death then makes such Interruption of an outward natural Succession that no Art nor outward Form can uphold and as a dead man after he is dead can have no Issue Succession interrupted neither can dead Images of men make living men so that it is the living that are only capable to Succeed one another and such as die so soon as they die cease to succeed or to transmit Succession So it is in Spiritual things It is the life of Christianity taking place in the heart that makes a Christian and so it is a Number of such being Alive The Living Members make the Church Life lost the Church is ceasing joined together in the life of Christianity that make a Church of Christ and it is all those that are thus alive and quickned Considered together that make the Catholick Church of Christ Therefore where this Life ceaseth in one then that one ceaseth to be a Christian and all power virtue and Authority which he had as a Christian ceaseth with it so that if he hath been a Minister or Teacher he ceaseth to be so any more and though he retain the Form and hold to the Authority in Words yet that signifies no more nor is it of any more real Virtue or Authority than the meer Image of a dead man And as this is most agreeable to Reason so is it to the Scriptures Testimony for it is said of Judas Acts 1.25 Judas fell from his Ministry by Transgression That Judas fell from his Ministry and Apostleship by Transgression so his Transgression caused him Cease to be an Apostle any more whereas had the Apostleship been Entailed to his person so that Transgression could not cause him to lose it until he had been formally degraded by the Church which Judas never was so long as he lived Judas had been as really an Apostle after he betrayed Christ as before And as it is of one so of many yea of a whole Church for seeing nothing makes a man truly a Christian but the life of Christianity inwardly ruling in his heart so nothing makes a Church but the gathering of several true Christians into one body Now where all these Members lose this life there the Church ceaseth to be though they still uphold the Form and retain the Name for when that which made them a Church and for which they were a Church ceaseth then they cease also to be a Church and therefore the Spirit speaking to the Church of Laodicea because of her Luke-warmness Rev. 3.16 threatneth to spue her out of his mouth Now The Luke-warmness of the Church of Laodicea suppose the Church of Laodicea had continued in that Luke-warmness and had come under that Condemnation and Judgment though she had retained the Name and Form of a Church and had had her Pastors and Ministers as no doubt she had at that time yet surely she had been no true Church of Christ nor had the Authority of her Pastors and Teachers been to be regarded because of any outward Succession though perhaps some of them had it Immediately from the Apostles From all which I infer that since the Authority of the Christian Church and her Pastors is always Vnited and never Separated from the inward power virtue and righteous life of Christianity where this ceaseth that ceaseth also But our Adversaries acknowledge That many if not most of those by and through whom they derive this Authority were altogether destitute of this life and virtue of Christianity Therefore they could neither receive have nor transmit any Christian Authority But if it be Objected Object That though the generality of the Bishops and Priests of the Church of Rome during the Apostasy were such wicked men yet Protestants affirm and thou thy self seem'st to acknowledge that there were some good men among them whom the Lord regarded and who were true Members of the Catholick Church of Christ might not they then have Transmitted this Authority I Answer This saith nothing in respect Protestants do not at all lay claim to their Ministry as Transmitted to them by a direct line of such good men which they can never shew nor yet pretend to but generally place this Succession as Inherent in the whole Pastors of the Apostate Church Answ. Neither do they plead their Call to be good and valid because they can derive it through a line of good men The Protestants plead a Succession Inherent separate and observably distinguishable from the rest of the Bishops and Clergy of the Romish Church but they derive it as an Authority residing in the whole For they think it Heresy to Judge that the Quality or Condition of the Administrator any ways invalidates or prejudiceth his Work This Vain and Pretended Succession not only militates against and fights with the very manifest purpose and intent of Christ in the gathering and calling of his Church but makes him so to speak more blind and less prudent then natural men are in Conveying and Establishing their outward Inheritances An Estate void of Heirship devolves to the Prince none Claims it but whom he to give it sees meet so the Heirship of Life is Enjoyed from Christ the true Heir For where an Estate is Entailed to a certain Name and Family when that Family weareth out and there is no lawful Successor found of it that can make a just Title appear as being really of blood and affinity to the Family it is not lawful for any one of another Race or Blood because he assumes the Name or Arms of that Family to possess the Estate and Claim the Superiorities and Priviledges of the Family but by the Law of Nations the Inheritance devolves into the Prince as being Vltimus Haeres and so he giveth it again immediately to whom he seeth meet and makes them bear the Name and Arms of the Family who then are entitled to the Priviledges and Revenues thereof So in like manner the True Name and Title of a Christian by which he hath Right to the heavenly Inheritance and is a Member of Jesus Christ is inward Righteousness and Holiness and the mind Redeemed from the Vanities Lusts and Iniquities of this World and a Gathering or Company made up of such Members makes a Church Where this is lost the Title is lost and so the true Seed to which the promise is and to which the Inheritance is due
and is one great reason why a dry dead barren lifeless spiritless Ministry which leavens the people into the same death doth so much abound and is so much over-spreading even the Protestant Nations that their Preachings and Worships as well as whole Conversation is not to be discerned from Popish by any fresh living zeal or lively Power of the Spirit accompanying it but meerly by the difference of some Notions and Opinions Object § XII Some unwise and unwary Protestants do sometimes Object to us That if we have such an immediate Call as we lay claim to we ought to Confirm it by Miracles Answ. But this being an Objection once and again objected to the primitive Protestants by the Papists we need but in short return the Answer to it that they did to the Papists Whether Miracles be now necessary to Confirm the Gospel John Baptist and divers Prophets did none to wit That we need not Miracles because we preach no new Gospel but that which is already Confirmed by all the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles and that we offer nothing but that which we are ready and able to Confirm by the Testimony of the Scriptures which both already acknowledge to be true And that John the Baptist and divers of the Prophets did none that we hear of and yet were both immediately and extraordinarily sent This is the Common Protestant Answer therefore may suffice in this place though if need were I could say more to this purpose but that I study Brevity § XIII There is also another sort of Protestants to wit The English Independents The Constitution of the Independent Church who differing from the Calvinistical Presbyterians and denying the Necessity of this Succession or the Authority of any National Church take another way affirming That such as have the benefit of the Scriptures any Company of People agreeing in the Principles of Truth as they find them there declared may Constitute among themselves a Church without the Authority of any other and may Chuse to themselves a Pastor who by the Church thus Constitute and Consenting is Authorized requiring only the Assistance and Concurrence of the Pastors of the Neighbouring Churches if any be not so much as absolutely Necessary to Authorize as Decent for Order's sake Also they go so far as to affirm That in a Church so Constitute Gifted Brethren any gifted Brother as they call them if he find himself qualified thereto may Instruct Exhort and Preach in the Church though as not having the Pastoral Office he cannot Administer that they Call their Sacraments To this I Answer That this was a good step out of the Babylonish Darkness and no doubt did proceed from a Real Discovery of the Truth and from the sense of a great Abuse of the promiscuous National gatherings Also this Preaching of the Gifted Brethren as they called them did proceed at first from certain Their Loss and Decay lively Touches and Movings of the Spirit of God upon many But alas because they went not forward that is much decayed among them and the Motions of God's Spirit begin to be denied and rejected among them now as much as by others The Scripture gives no Call to persons Individual But as to their pretended Call from the Scripture I Answer The Scripture gives a meer declaration of true things but no Call to particular Persons so that though I believe the things there written to be true and deny the Errors which I find there Testified against yet as to these things which may be my particular duty I am still to seek And therefore I can never be Resolved in the Scripture whether I such a one by name ought to be a Minister And for the Resolving this doubt I must needs recur to the Inward and Immediate Testimony of the Spirit as in the Proposition concerning the Scriptures more at large is shewen § XIV From all this then we do firmly Conclude that not only in a general Apostasy it is needful men be extraordinarily Called and Raised up by the Spirit of God but that even when several Assemblies or Churches are gathered by the Power of God not only into the belief of the Principles of Truth so as to deny Errors and Heresies but also into the Life Spirit and Power of Christianity so as to be the Body and House of Christ indeed and a fit Spouse for him that he who gathers them doth also for the preserving them in a lively fresh and powerful Condition raise up and move among them by the inward immediate Operation of his own Spirit Ministers and Teachers to Instruct and Teach and Watch over them True Ministers Qualifications Call and Title who being thus Called are Manifest in the hearts of their Brethren and their Call is thus verified in them who by the feeling of that life and power that passeth through them being inwardly built up by them daily in the most holy Faith become the Seals of their Apostleship And this is answerable to another saying of the same Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you wards is not weak but is mighty in you So this is that which gives a true substantial Call and Title to a Minister whereby he is a Real Successor of the Virtue Life and Power that was in the Apostles and not of the bare Name Their Laying on of hands a Mock of God and Man a Keeping up the Shadow whilst Substance is a-wanting and to such Ministers we think the outward Ceremony or Ordination or laying on of hands not necessary neither can we see the Vse of it seeing our Adversaries who use it acknowledge that the Virtue and Power of Communicating the Holy Ghost by it is Ceased among them And is it not then foolish and ridiculous for them by an Apish Imitation to keep up the Shadow where the Substance is wanting And may not they by the same Rule where they see blind and lame men in Imitation of Christ and his Apostles bid them see and walk yea is it not in them a mocking of God and Men to put-on their hands and bid men Receive the Holy Ghost while they believe the thing Impossible and Confess that that Ceremony hath no real Effect Having thus far spoken of the Call I shall proceed next to treat of the Qualifications and Work of a true Minister § XV. As I have placed the True Call of a Minister in the Motion of Quest. II this Holy Spirit so is the power life and virtue thereof The Quâ—lifications of a Minister and the pure Grace of God that comes therefrom the Chief and most Necessary Qualification without which he can no ways perform his Duty neither acceptably to God nor beneficially to men Our Adversaries in this case affirm that three things go to the making up of a Minister viz. 1. Natural Parts § I. Philosophy and School-Divinity will never
make a Gospel-Ministry that he be not a fool 2. Acquired Parts that he be Learned in the Languages in Philosophy and School-Divinity 3. The Grace of God The Two first They reckon Necessary to the being of a Minister so as a man cannot be one without them the Third they say goeth to the well-being of one but not to the being so that a man may truly be a lawful Minister without it and ought to be heard and received as such But we supposing a natural Capacity that one be not an Idiot judge the Grace of God indispensibly Necessary to the very being of a Minister as that without which any can neither be a true nor lawful nor good Minister As for Letter-Learning we judge it not so much necessary to the well-being of one though accidentally sometimes in certain respects it may Concur but more frequently it is hurtful then helpful as appeared in the Example of Taulerus who being a Learned man A poor Laick Instructed the Learned Taulerus and who could make an Eloquent preaching needed nevertheless to be Instructed in the way of the Lord by a poor Laick I shall first speak of the Necessity of Grace and then proceed to say something of that Literature which they judge so needful First then as we said in the Call so may we much more here If the Proof I Grace of God be a necessary Qualification to make one a true Christian it must be a Qualification much more necessary to Constitute a true Minister of Christianity That Grace is necessary to make up a true Christian I think will not be questioned since it is By Grace we are saved Eph. 2.8 it is the Grace of God God's Grace alone doth constitute a true and lawful Teacher that teacheth us to deny ungodliness and the lusts of this World and to live godly and righteously Tit. 2.11 yea Christ saith expresly that Without him we can do nothing John 15.5 and the Way whereby Christ helpeth assisteth and worketh with us is by his Grace Hence saith he to Paul My Grace is sufficient for thee A Christian without Grace is indeed no Christian but an Hypocrite and a false pretender Then I say If Grace be necessary to a private Christian far more to a Teacher among Christians who must be as a Father and Instructer of others seeing this dignity is bestowed upon such as have attained a greater measure than their Brethren Even Nature it self may teach us that there is more required in a Teacher than in those that are Taught and that the Master must be above and before the Scholar in that Art or Science which he Teacheth others Since then Christianity cannot be truly enjoyed neither any man denominated a Christian without the true Grace of God Therefore neither can any man be a true nor lawful Teacher of Christianity without it Proof II Secondly No man can be a Minister of the Church of Christ which is his Body unless he be a Member of the Body and receive of the Virtue and Life of the Head Arg Who first must be a Member of the Body and then Life is receiv'd and Virtue from the Head But he that hath not true Grace can neither be a Member of the Body neither receive of that Life and Nourishment which comes from the Head Therefore far less can he be a Minister to Edify the Body That he cannot be a Minister who is not a Member is Evident because who is not a Member is shut out and cut-off and hath no place in the Body whereas the Ministers are counted among the most-Eminent Members of the Body But no man can be a Member unless he receive of the Virtue Life and Nourishment of the Head for the Members that receive not this life and nourishment decay and wither and then are Cut-off And that every true Member doth thus receive Nourishment and Life from the Head the Apostle Expresly affirmeth Eph. 4.16 From whom the whole body being fitly joined together and compacted by that which every Joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part makes Increase of the Body unto the edifying of it self in Love Now this that thus is Communicated and which thus uniteth the whole is no other than the Grace of God and therefore the Apostle in the same Chapter v. 7. affirms But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ and vers 11. he sheweth how that by this Grace and Gift both Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers are given for the work of the Ministry and edifying of the Body of Christ. And certainly no man destitute of this Grace is fit for this Work seeing that all that Christ gives are so qualified and those that are not so qualified are not given The Sheep of Christ nor ought nor will not hear the Stranger 's Voice nor sent of Christ and who are not given and sent of Christ are not to be heard nor received nor acknowledged as Ministers of the Gospel because his sheep neither ought nor will hear the voice of a Stranger This is also clear from 1 Cor. 12. throughout For the Apostle in that Chapter treating of the diversity of Gifts and Members of the Body sheweth how by the working of the same Spirit in different Manifestations or Measures in the several Members the whole Body is edified saying vers 13. That we are all baptized by the One Spirit into one Body and then vers 28. he numbers out the several Dispensations thereof which by God are set in the Church through the various Working of his Spirit for the Edification of the whole Then if there be no true Member of the Body which is not thus Baptized by this Spirit neither any thing that worketh to the Edifying of it but according to a measure of Grace received from the Spirit surely without Grace none ought to be admitted to work or labour in the Body because their labour and work without this Grace and Spirit would be but Ineffectual § XVI Thirdly That this Grace and Gift is a necessary Qualification to a Minister is clear from that of the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 4.10 11. As every man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold Grace of God If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any man minister let him do it as of the Ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever Amen From which it appears that those that Minister must Minister according to the Gift and Grace received but they that have not such a Gift The Ministring must be by Gift and Grace received cannot Minister according thereunto Secondly As good stewards of the manifold Grace of God But how can a man be a good steward of that which
he hath not Can ungodly men that are not gracious themselves be good stewards of the manifold Grace of God Good stewardship of what of God's abounding Grace which is the Ability and Stewardship received And therefore in the following verses he makes an Exclusive limitation of such as are not thus furnished saying If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God and if any man Minister let him do it as of the Ability that God giveth which is as much as if he had said They that cannot thus speak and thus Minister ought not to do it for this If denotes a necessary Condition Now what this Ability is is manifest by the former words to wit the Gift received and the Grace whereof they are Stewards as by the immediate Context and dependency of the words doth appear neither can it be understood of a meer Natural Ability because man in this condition is said not to know the things of God and so he cannot Minister them to others And the following words shew this also in that he immediately subjoineth That God in all things may be glorified but surely God is not glorified but greatly dishonoured when Natural Men from their meer natural Ability meddle in Spiritual things which they neither know nor understand Fourthly That Grace is a most Necessary Qualification for a Minister Proof IV appears by these Qualifications which the Apostle expresly requires 1 Tim 3.2 Tit. 1. c. where he saith A Bishop must be blameless vigilant sober of good behaviour apt to teach patient a lover of good men just holy temperate as the steward of God holding fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught Upon the other hand He must neither be given to wine nor a striker nor covetous nor proud nor self-willed nor soon angry Now I ask If it be not Impossible that a man can have all these above-named Vertues How can a Bishop have these Vertues without the Grace of God and be free of all these Evils without the Grace of God If then these Vertues for the producing of which in a man Grace is absolutely necessary be necessary to make a true Minister of the Church of Christ according to the Apostles judgment surely Grace must be necessary also Concerning this thing a Learned Man and well-skilled in Antiquity about the time of the Reformation writeth thus * Whatsoever is done in the Church without the Ministry of God's Spirit is vain and wicked Whatsoever is done in the Church either for Ornament or Edification of Religion whether in chusing Magistrates or instituting Ministers of the Church except it be done by the Ministry of God's Spirit which is as it were the Soul of the Church it is vain and wicked For whoever hath not been called by the Spirit of God to the great Office of God and Dignity of Apostleship as Aaron was and hath not entred in by the door which is Christ but hath otherways risen in the Church by the Window by the favours of men c. truly such a one is not the Vicar of Christ and the Apostles but a Thief and a Robber and the Vicar of Judas Iscariot †Who is Judas Iscariot's Vicar and Simon the Samaritan Hence it was so strictly appointed concerning the Election of Prelates which holy Dionysius calls the Sacrament of Nomination that the Bishops and Apostles who should Oversee the service of the Church should be men of most intire manners and life powerful in sound doctrine to give a reason for all things So also * Franciscus Lambertus Avenionensis in his Book concerning Prophecy Learning Tongues and the Spirit of Prophecy Argentorat excus anno 1516 de prov cap 24. another about the same time writeth thus Therefore it can never be that by the Tongues or Learning any can give a sound Judgment concerning the Holy Scriptures and the Truth of God Lastly saith he the sheep of Christ seek nothing but the voice of Christ which he knoweth by the holy Spirit wherewith he is filled he regards not Learning Tongues or any outward thing so as therefore to believe this or that to be the Voice of Christ his true shepherd he knoweth that there is need of no other thing but the Testimony of the Spirit of God Object 1 § XVII Against this Absolute Necessity of Grace they Object That if all Ministers had the Saving Grace of God then all Ministers should be Saved seeing none can fall away from or lose Saving Grace Answ. But this Objection is built upon a false Hypothesis purely denied by us and we have in the former Proposition concerning Perseverance already Refuted it Object 2 Secondly It may be objected to us That since we affirm that every man hath a measure of True and Saving Grace there needs no singular Qualification neither to a Christian nor Minister for seeing every man hath this Grace then no man needs forbear to be a Minister for want of Grace Answ. I answer We have above shewn that there is Necessary to the making a Minister a special and particular Call from the Spirit of God which is something besides the Vniversal Dispensation of Grace to all according to that of the Apostle Hebr. 5.4 No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is Called of God as was Aaron Moreover we understand by Grace as a Qualification to a Minister All have God's Grace which calls to Righteousness but all are not so leaven'd in its Nature to bring forth fruits a blameless holy life not the meer measure of Light as it is given to Reprove and Call him to Righteousness but we understand Grace as it hath Converted the Soul and Operateth powerfully in it as hereafter concerning the Work of Ministers will further appear So we understand not men simply as having Grace in them as a Seed which we indeed affirm all have in a measure but we understand men that are gracious leavened by it into the Nature thereof so as thereby to bring forth these good fruits of a blameless Conversation and of Justice holiness patience and temperance which the Apostle requires as Necessary in a true Christian Bishop and Minister Object 3 Secondly They ‖ So Nic. Arnoldus sect 32. upon These 4. object the Example of the false Prophets of the Pharisees and of Judas But first As to the false Prophets there can nothing be more foolish and ridiculous as if because there were false Prophets truly false without the Grace of God therefore Grace is not necessary to a true Christian Minister Answ. Indeed if they had proved that true Prophets wanted this Grace The false not the true Prophets want the Grace of God they had said something but what have false Prophets common with true Ministers but that they pretend falsly that which they have not And because false Prophets want true Grace will it therefore follow that true Prophets ought not to have it that they may be true
and not false The Example of the Pharisees and Priests under the Law will not answer to the Gospel-times because God set apart a particular Tribe for that Service and particular Families to whom it belonged by a Lineal Succession and also their Service and Work was not purely Spiritual but only the performance of some outward and carnal Observations and Ceremonies which were but a shadow of the Substance that was to come The Service under the Law was not purely Spiritual but Figurative for the performance of which as they behoved to be purified from their outward Pollutions so the Ministers of the Gospel must be inwardly without blemish and therefore their Work made not the Comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience seeing they were appointed only according to the Law of a carnal Commandment and not according to the Power of an endless Life Notwithstanding as in the Figure they behoved to be without blemish as to their outward man and in the performance of their Work they behoved to be Washed and Purified from their outward pollutions so now under the Gospel-times the Ministers in the Anti-type must be inwardly without blemish in their Souls and Spirits being as the Apostle requires blameless and in their work and service must be pure and undefiled from their inward pollutions and so clean and holy that they may offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 As to Judas the Season of his Ministry was not wholly Evangelical as being before the Work was finished and while Christ himself The Ministry of the Disciples of Christ before the Work was finished was more Legal than Evangelical and his Disciples were yet subject to the Jewish Observances and Constitutions and therefore his Commission as well as that which the Rest received with him at that time was only to the house of Israel Matth. 10.5 6. which made that by virtue of that Commission the Rest of the Apostles were not Impowered to go forth and preach after the Resurrection until they had waited at Jerusalem for the pouring-forth of the Spirit So that it appears Judas's Ministry was more Legal than Evangelical Secondly Judas's Case as all will acknowledge was singular and extraordinary Judas was Immediately Called of Christ and preached freely which our Adversaries will not do although they make of him a Pattern of their Graceless Ministry saying he had not the least Measure of God's Grace at that time he being Immediately Called by Christ himself and accordingly furnished and impowered by him to Preach and do Miracles which Immediate Commission our Adversaries do not so much as pretend to and so fall short of Judas who trusted in Christ's Words and therefore went forth and preached without Gold or Silver or Scrip for his Journey Giving freely as he had freely received which our Adversaries will not do as hereafter shall be observed Also that Judas at that time had not the least measure of God's Grace I have not as yet heard proved But is it not sad that even Protestants should lay aside the Eleven good and faithful Apostles and all the Rest of the holy Disciples and Ministers of Christ and betake them to that one of whom it was testified that he was a Devil for a Pattern and Example to their Ministry Alas it is to be Regretted that too many of them resemble this Pattern over much Another Objection is usually made against the Necessity of Grace Object * Ibid. Nic. Arnoldus That in case it were necessary then such as wanted it could not truly administer the Sacrament and consequently the people would be left in doubts and infinite scruples as not knowing certainly whether they had truly received them because not knowing infallibly whether the Administrators were truly gracious men But this Objection hitteth us not at all Answ. because the Nature of that Spiritual and Christian Worship which we according to the Truth plead for is such as is not necessarily attended with these carnal and outward Institutions from the administring of which the Objection ariseth and so hath not any such Absurdity following upon it as will afterwards more Clearly appear § XVIII Though then we make not Humane Learning necessary § II. What True Learning is yet we are far from Excluding true Learning to wit that Learning which proceedeth from the Inward Teachings and Instructions of the Spirit whereby the Soul learneth the secret Ways of the Lord becomes acquainted with many inward Travels and Exercises of the Mind and learneth by a living Experience how to overcome Evil and the Temptations of it by following the Lord and walking in his Light and waiting daily for Wisdom and Knowledge immediately from the Revelation thereof and so layeth up these Heavenly and Divine Lessons in the good Treasure of the heart as honest Mary did the sayings which she heard and things which she observed and also out of this Treasure of the Soul as the good Scribe brings forth things new and old according as the same Spirit moves and gives a true Liberty and as need is for the Lord's Glory whose the Soul is and for whom and with an Eye to whose Glory she which is the Temple of God The good Learning which is necessary to a true Minister learneth to do all things This is that Good Learning which we think necessary to a true Minister by and through which Learning a man can well Instruct Teach and Admonish in due season and Testify for God from a certain Experience as did David Solomon and the holy Prophets of old and the blessed Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ who testified of what they had seen heard felt and handled of the Word of Life 1 Joh. 1.1 ministring the Gift according as they had received the same as good stewards of the manifold Grace of God and preached not the uncertain Rumors of others by hear-say which they had gathered meerly in the Comprehension while they were strangers to the thing in their own Experience in themselves as to Teach people how to believe while themselves were unbelieving or how to overcome sin while themselves are slaves to it as all Vngracious men are or to believe and hope for an Eternal Reward which themselves have not as yet Arrived at c. Literature is first the Knowledge of Latine Greek and Hebrew to the Scriptures § XIX But let us Examin this Literature which they make so necessary to the being of a Minister as in the first place the Knowledge of the Tongues at least of the Latine Greek and Hebrew The reason for this is that they may Read the Scriptures which is their Only Rule in the Original Languages and thereby be the more capable to Comment upon it and Interpret it c. That also which made this Knowledge be the more prized by the primitive Protestants was indeed that dark Barbarity that was over the World in the Centuries immediately
preceeding the Reformation Before the Reformation the Prayers of the people were performed in the Latine Tongue the Knowledge of the Tongues being about that time until it was even then Restored by Erasmus and some others almost lost and Extinct And this Barbarity was so much the more Abominable that the whole Worship and Prayers of the people was in the Latine Tongue and among that vast Number of Priests Monks and Friars scarce one of a Thousand understood his Breviary or that Mass that he daily read and repeated the Scriptures being not only to the people but to the greater part of the Clergy even as to the Literal Knowledge of it as a Sealed Book I shall not at all discommend the Zeal that the first Reformers had against this Babylonish Darkness The Zeal and Endeavours of the first Reformers commended nor their pious Endeavours to Translate the Holy Scriptures but I do truly believe according to their Knowledge that they did it Candidly and therefore to answer the just desires of those that desire to Read them and for other very good Reasons as maintaining a Commerce and Vnderstanding among divers Nations by these Common Languages and other of that kind The Knowledge of Languages Commendable and Schools necessary we judge it Necessary and Commendable there be Publick Schools for the Teaching and Instructing Youth as are inclinable thereunto in the Languages All although that Papal Ignorance deserved justly to be abhorred and abominated we see nevertheless that the True Reformation consists not in that Knowledge because although since that time the Papists stirred up through Emulation of the Protestants have more applied themselves unto Literature and it now more flourisheth in their Vniversities and Cloysters than before especially in the Ignatian or Jesuitick Sect they are as far now as ever from a True Reformation and more obdured in their pernicious Doctrines The Papists Literature and Knowledge especially the Jesuites But all this will not make this a Necessary Qualification to a Minister far less a more necessary Qualification than the Grace of God and his Spirit because the Spirit and Grace of God can make up this Want in the most-Rustick and Ignorant but this Knowledge can no ways make up the Want of the Spirit in the most-Learned and Eloquent For all that The Spirit is the truest Interpreter of the Scriptures whether from the Original Languages or without them which man by his own Industry Learning and Knowledge in the Languages can Interpret of the Scriptures or find out is nothing without the Spirit he cannot be certain of it and may still miss of the sense of it but a poor man that knoweth not a Letter when he heareth the Scriptures read by the same Spirit he can say this is true and by the same Spirit he can understand open and interpret it if need be yea he finding his Condition to answer the Condition and Experience of the Saints of old knoweth and possesseth the Truths there delivered because they are sealed and witnessed in his own heart by the same Spirit And this we have plentiful Experience of in many of those Illiterate Men whom God hath raised up to be Ministers in his Church in this day so that some such by his Spirit have Corrected some of the Errors of the Translators as in the Third Proposition concerning the Scriptures I before observed Yea I know my self a poor Shoo-maker that cannot Read a word A poor Shoo-maker that could not read refutes a Professor of Divinity 's false Assertions from Scripture who being Assaulted with a false Citation of Scripture from a publick Professor of Divinity before the Magistrate of a City when he had been taken preaching to some few that came to hear him I say I know such a one and he yet liveth who though the Professor who also is esteemed a Learned Man constantly Asserted his saying to be a Scripture-Sentence yet affirmed not through any certain Letter-Knowledge he had of it but from the most certain Evidence of the Spirit in himself that the Professor lied and that the Spirit of God never said any such thing as the other affirmed and the Bible being brought it was found as the poor Shoo-maker had said § XX. The second part of their Literature is Logick and Philosophy 2. The Logick and Philosophy not needful to a Preacher an Art so little needful to a true Minister that if one that comes to be a true Minister hath had it it is safest for him to forget and lose it for it is the Root and Ground of all Contention and Debate and the way to make a thing a great deal Darker than Clearer For under the pretence of Regulating man's Reason into a certain Order and Rules that he may find out as they pretend the Truth it leads into such a Labyrinth of Contention as is far more fit to make a Sceptick than a Christian far less a Minister of Christ yea it often hinders man from a clear Vnderstanding of things that his own Reason would give him and therefore through its manifold Rules and divers Inventions it often gives occasion for a man that hath little Reason foolishly to speak much to no purpose Seeing a man that is not very Wise may notwithstanding be a perfect Logician and then if ye would make a man a fool to purpose that is not very Wise do but teach him Logick and Philosophy and whereas before he might have been fit for something he shall then be good for nothing but to speak Non-sense for these Notions will so swim in his head that they will make him extreamly Busie about nothing The Vse The Use of Logick is to see its Emptiness that Wise men and solid make of it is To see the EMPTINESS thereof therefore saith one It is an Art of Contention and Darkness by which all other Sciences are rendered more obscure and harder to be understood * Inst. If it be urged That thereby the Truth may be Maintained and Confirmed and Hereticks Confuted I answer The Truth in men truly Rational needeth not the Help thereof and such as are obstinate this will not Convince for by this they may learn twenty Tricks and Distinctions how to shut out the Truth and the Truth proceeding from an honest heart Answ. and spoken forth from the Vertue and Spirit of God will have more Influence and take sooner and more effectually than by a Thousand Demonstrations of Logick As that * Lucae Osiandri Epit. Hâ—st Eccles. lib. 2. cap. 5. Cent. 4. Heathen Philosopher acknowledged who disputing with the Christian †An Heathen-Philosopher disputing with the Bishops in the Council of Nice was Converted to the Christian Faith by an Ignorant Old Man whom they could not Bishops in the Council of Nice was so subtile that he could not be overcome by them but yet by a few words spoken by a simple old Rustick was presently Convinced by him
times are as full of the various Tragedies acted upon the account of this Spiritual and Ecclesiastick Monarchy and Common-wealth as the Histories of Old times that gave account of the Wars and Contests that fell out both in the Assyrian Persian Greek and Roman Empires These last upon this account though among those that are called Christians have been no less Bloody and Monstrous than the former among Heathens concerning their outward Empires and Governments The Ground and Cause thereof Now all this both among Rapists and Protestants proceedeth in that they seek in Imitation to uphold a Form and Shadow of things though they want the Power Vertue and Substance though for many of their Orders and Forms they have not so much as the Name in the Scripture But in Opposition to all this Mass of Formality and heap of Orders Rules and Governments we say the Substance is chiefly to be sought after and the Power Virtue and Spirit is to be known and waited for which is One in all the different Names and Offices the Scripture makes use of as appears by 1 Cor. 12.4 often before-mentioned There are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit And after the Apostle throughout the whole Chapt. hath shewn how one and the self same Spirit worketh in and quickneth each Member then in vers 28. he sheweth how thereby God hath set in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets Teachers c. And likewise to the same purpose Eph. 4.11 he sheweth how by these Gifts he hath given some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors some Teachers c. Now it was never Christ's purpose nor the Apostles that Christians should without this Spirit and Heavenly Gift set up a shadow and form of these Orders and so make several Ranks and Degrees to establish a Carnal Ministry of mens making without the Life Power and Spirit of Christ this is that Work of Anti-Christ and Mystery of Iniquity The Work of Antichrist and Mystery of Iniquity that hath got up in the dark night of Apostasy But in a true Church of Christ gathered together by God not only unto the belief of the Principles of Truth but also into the Power Life and Spirit of Christ the Spirit of God is the Orderer Ruler and Governour as in each particular so in the general And when they Assemble together to wait upon God and Worship and Adore him then such as the Spirit sets apart to the Ministry Such as the Spirit sets apart to the Ministry their brethren hear them by its Divine Power and Influence opening their mouths and giving them to Exhort Reprove and Instruct with virtue and power these are thus of God Ordained and Admitted into the Ministry and their Brethren cannot but hear them receive them and also honour them for their works sake And so this is not Monopolized to a certain kind of men as the Clergy who are to that purpose Educated and brought up The Clergy and Laicks as other Carnal Artists and the rest to be despised as Laicks but it is left to the free Gift of God to chuse any whom he seeth meet thereunto whether Rich or Poor Servant or Master Young or Old yea Male or * Women may preach Female And such as have this Call verifie the Gospel by preaching not in speech only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much fulness 1 Thess. 1.5 and cannot but be received and heard by the sheep of Christ. Object § XXV But if it be objected here That I seem hereby to make no distinction at all betwixt Ministers and others which is contrary to the Apostle saying 1 Cor. 12.29 Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c. from thence they insinuate That I also Contradict his Comparison in that Chapter of the Church of Christ with a Humane Body as where he saith vers 17. If the whole Body were an Eye where were the Hearing If the whole were Hearing where were the Smelling c. Also the Apostle not only thus distinguisheth the Ministers of the Church in general from the rest of the Members but also among themselves as naming them distinctly and separately Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers c. Answ. 1 As to the last part of this Objection to which I shall first Answer it is apparent that this Diversity of Names is not for to distinguish separate Offices Diversity of Names makes no distinct Offices but which may Coincide or be together in one person but to denote the different and various Operations of the Spirit a manner of speech frequent with the Apostle Paul wherein he sometimes exspatiates to the illustrating of the glory and praise of God's Grace as in particular Rom. 12.6 Having then Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given to us whether Prophecy let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith Or Ministry let us wait on our Ministring or he that Teacheth on Teaching Or he that exhorteth on Exhortation Now none will say from all this that these are distinct Offices or do not or may not coincide in one person as may all these other things mentioned by him in the subsequent verses viz. of loving being kindly affectioned fervency of spirit hospitality diligence blessing rejoycing c. Which yet he numbers forth as different Gifts of the Spirit and according to this Objection might be placed as distinct and separate Offices which were most Absurd Secondly In these very places mentioned it is clear that it is no Real Distinction of separate Offices because all acknowledge that Pastors and Teachers which the Apostle there no less separateth and distinguisheth than Pastors and Prophets or Apostles are one and the same and Coincide in the same office and person and therefore so may be said of the rest For Prophecy as it signifieth the foretelling of things to come is indeed a distinct Gift but no distinct Office and therefore our Adversaries do not place it among their several Orders neither will they deny but that both may be and have been given of God to some Prophecy and Prophesying its twofold signification that not only have been Pastors and Teachers and that there it hath Coincided in one person with these other Offices but also to some of the Laicks and so it hath been found according to their own Concession without the Limits of their Clergy Prophecy in the other sense to wit as it signifieth a Speaking from the Spirit of Truth is not only peculiar to Pastors and Teachers To Prophesy a Priviledge of Teachers and of all the Saints who ought so to Prophesy but even a Common Priviledge to the Saints For though to Instruct Teach and Exhort be proper to such as are more particularly called to the Work of the Ministry yet it is not so Proper to them as not to be when the Saints are met together as any of them are moved by the Spirit Common to
As this manner of Separating men for the Ministry is nothing like the Church in the Apostles days so great Evils have and do follow upon it For first Parents seeing both the honour and profit that attends the Clergy do allot their Children sometimes from their Infancy to it and so breed them up on purpose And others come to Age upon the same Account betake them to the same Trade and having these natural and acquired Parts that are judged the Necessary Qualifications of a Minister are thereby Admitted and so are bred up in Idleness and Pleasure thinking it a disgrace for them to work with their hands onely if they study a little out of their Books to make a Discourse once or twice in a week During the Running of an Hour glass whereas the Gift The Clergy's Study out of Books the Gift of God Neglected Grace and Spirit of God to call gift and qualify for the Ministry is neglected and overlooked And many Covetous Corrupt Earthly Carnal men having a meer shew and form but strangers to and utterly ignorant of the inward work of Grace upon their hearts are Brought-in and Intrude themselves and so through them death barrenness and darkness and by consequence Superstition Error and Idolatry hath entred and leavened the Church And they that will narrowly observe shall find that it was thus the Apostasy came to take place of the truth of which I could give many Examples which for brevity's sake I omit For so the Office Reverence and Respect due to it was annexed to the meer Name so that when once a man was Ordain'd a Bishop or a Priest he was heard and believed though he had nothing of the Spirit Power and Life that the true Apostles and Ministers were in that in a short time the Succession came to be of the Name and Title and the Office was thereto annexed and not of the nature vertue and life Which in effect made them to Cease to be the Ministry Ministers of Christ but onely a Shadow and vain Image of it The Marred Church Compar'd to Thesci pieced Boat which also decaying was in some Ages so Metamorphosed that not onely the Substance was lost but the very Form wholly vitiated alterated and marred that it may be far better said of the pretended Christian Church as was disputed of Theseus's Boat which by the piecing of many new pieces of timber was wholly Altered whether indeed it were the same or another But in case that the first had been of Oak and the last pieces put in but of rotten Fir and that also the Form had been so far changed as to be nothing like the first I think it would have suffered no Dispute but might have easily been concluded to be quite another retaining nothing but the Name and that also Vnjustly Secondly The Abuse following the Distinction of Laity and Clergy from this distinction of Laity and Clergy this Abuse also followes that good honest mechanick men and others who have not learned the Art and Trade of Preaching and so are not Licentiated according to these Rules they prescribe unto themselves such I say being possessed with a false Opinion that it is not lawful for them to meddle with the Ministry nor that they are any ways fit for it because of the defect of that Literatur do thereby neglect the Gift in themselves and quench many times the pure breathings of the Spirit of God in their hearts which if given way to might have proved much more for the Edification of the Church than many of the Cunned Sermons of the Learned And so by this means the Apostles Command and Advice is slighted who exhorteth 1 Thess. 5.19 20. Not to quench the Spirit nor despise prophesying Both Protestants and Papists exclude Mechanick men from Preaching who greatly contributed to Reformation And all this is done by men pretending to be Christians who glory that the first Preachers and Propagators of their Religion were such kind of plain Mechanick men and Illiterate And even Protestants do no less than Papists Exclude such kind of men from being Ministers among them and thus limit the Spirit and Gift of God though their Fathers in opposition to Papists asserted the contrary and also their own Historys declare how that kind of Illiterate men did without Learning by the Spirit of God greatly contribute in divers places to the Reformation By this it may appear that as in Calling and Qualifying so in Preaching and Praying and the other particular steps of the Ministry every true Minister is to know the Spirit of God by its vertue and Life to accompany and assist him But because this relates to Worship I shall speak of it more largely in the next Proposition which is concerning Worship The last thing to be considered and inquired into is concerning the Maintenance of a Gospel-Minister But before I proceed I judge it fit to speak something in short concerning the Preaching of Women and to declare what we hold in that matter Seing Male and Female are one in Christ Jesus and that he gives his Spirit no less to the one Womens publick Preaching and Praying Asserted than to the other when God moveth by his Spirit in a Woman we judge it no ways unlawful for her to preach in the Assemblies of God's People Neither think we that of Paul 1 Cor. 14.34 to reprove the Inconsiderate and Talkative Women among the Corinthians who troubled the Church of Christ with their unprofitable Questions or that 1 Tim. 2.11 That Women ought to learn in all silence not usurping authority over the man any ways Repugnant to this Doctrine because it 's clear that Women have Prophesied and Preached in the Church else had the saying of Joel been badly applied by Peter Acts 2.17 And seeing Paul himself in the same Epistle to the Corinthians giveth Rules how Women should behave themselves in their publick preaching and praying it would be a manifest Contradiction if that place were other ways taken in a larger sense and the same Paul speaks of a Woman that laboured with him in the work of the Gospel and it is written that Philip had four Daughters that prophesied Acts 21.9 And lastly it hath been observed that God hath effectually in this day Converted many Souls by the Ministry of Women and by them also Quest. IV frequently Comforted the Souls of his Children which manifest experience puts the thing beyond all Controversy Ministers Maintenance but now I shall proceed to speak of the Maintenance of Ministers The Ministers Food and their Maintenance Stated § XXVIII We freely acknowledge as the Proposition holds forth that there is an Obligation upon such to whom God sends or among whom he raiseth up a Minister that if need be they Minister to his necessities Secondly That it is lawful for him to receive what is necessary and convenient To prove this I need not insist for our Adversaries will readily grant
can best bear witness to this for God having shewn us this Corrupt and Anti-Christian Ministry and called us out from it and gathered us unto his own Power and Life to be a Separate People so that we dare not Join with nor Hear these Anti-Christian Hirelings neither yet put into their mouths or feed them O! what Malice Envy and Fury hath this raised in their hearts against us That though we get none of their Wares neither will buy them as knowing them to be Nought yet will they force us to give them Money and because we cannot for Conscience sake do it our Sufferings have upon that account been Vnutterable Yea to give account of their Cruelty and several sorts of Inhumanity used against us would make no small History These Avaritious Hirelings have come to that degree of Malice and Rage that several poor labouring men have been carried hundreds of Miles from their own dwellings and shut up in prison some two some three yea some seven years together for the value of one pound sterling and less I know my self a poor Widow that for the Tithes of her Geese * A Widow for the Tithes of Geese about four years in prison which amounted not to five shillings was about four years kept in prison thirty miles from her house Yea they by Violence for this cause have plundered of mens goods the hundredfold and prejudiced much more yea hundreds have hereby spilt their Innocent blood by dying in the filthy noisom holes and prisons And some of the Priests have been so Inraged Some lost their Lives in nasty Holes some wounded by the Priest c that goods thus ravished could not satisfy them but they must also satisfy their fury by beating knocking and wounding with their hands Innocent men and women for refusing for Conscience sake to put into their Mouths The only way then soundly to Reform and remove all these Abuses and take away the Ground and Occasion of them is to take away all stinted and forced Maintenance and Stipend and seeing those Revenues were anciently given by the people that they Return again into the publick Treasure and thereby the people may be greatly benefited by them for that they may supply for these publick Taxations and Impositions that are put upon them and may Ease themselves of them And whoever Call or Appoint Teachers to themselves Whoso heap Teachers to themselves let them provide their Stipend let them accordingly Entertain them And for such as are Called and Moved to the Ministry by the Spirit of God those that receive them and tast of the good of their Ministry will no doubt provide things needful for them and there will be no need of a Law to force a Hire for them for he that sends them will take care for them and they also having Food and Raiment will therewith be Content The Difference between the Ministry of the Quakers and their Adversaries § XXXIII The Sum then of what is said is That the Ministry that we have pleaded for and which also the Lord hath raised up among us is in all its parts like the true Ministry of the Apostles and Primitive Church Whereas the Ministry our Adversaries seek to uphold and plead for as it doth in all its parts differ from them so on the other hand it is very like the false Prophets and Teachers testified against and condemned in the Scripture as may be thus briefly Illustrated 1. The true Ministers Call 1. The Ministry and Ministers we plead for are such as are Immediately called and sent forth by Christ and his Spirit unto the Work of the Ministry so were the holy Apostles and Prophets as appears by these places Matth. 10. verse 1.5 Eph. 4.11 Heb. 5.4 1. But the Ministry and Ministers our Opposers plead for are such as have no Immediate Call from Christ to whom the Leading and Motion of the Spirit is not reckoned necessary but who are called sent forth and ordained by wicked and ungodly men Such were of old the false Prophets and Teachers as appears by these places Jer. 14.14 15. item Chap. 23.21 and 27.15 2. True Ministers Guide 2. The Ministers we plead for are such as are acted and led by God's Spirit and by the Power and Operation of his Grace in their hearts are in some measure Converted and Regenerate and so are good holy and gracious men Such were the Holy Prophets and Apostles as appears from 1 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5 6. Tit. 1.7 8 9. 2. But the Ministers our Adversaries plead for are such to whom the Grace of God is no needful qualification and so may be true Ministers according to them though they be ungodly unholy and profligate men Such were the false Prophets and Apostles as appears from Mic. 3.5 11. 1 Tim. 6.5 6 7 8 c. 2 Tim. 3.2 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. 3. True Ministers Work 3. The Ministers we plead for are such as act move and labour in the Work of the Ministry not from their own meer natural Strength and Ability but as they are acted moved under-propped assisted and influenced by the Spirit of Christ and minister according to the Gift received as good stewards of the manifold Grace of God Such were the holy Prophets and Apostles 1 Pet. 4.10 11. 1 Cor. 1.17 1 Cor. 2.3 4 5 13. Act. 2.4 Matth. 10.20 Mark 13.11 Luk. 12. v. 12. 1 Cor. 13.2 3. But the Ministers our Adversaries plead for are such as wait not for nor expect nor need the Spirit of God to Act and Move them in the Work of the Ministry but what they do they do from their own meer natural strength and ability and what they have gathered and stolen from the letter of the Scripture and other Books and so speak it forth in the strength of their own Wisdom and Eloquence and not in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and of Power Such were the false Prophets and Apostles as appears Jer. 23.30 31 32 34 c. 1 Cor. 4.18 Jude 16. 4. The Ministers we plead for are such as being holy and humble True Ministers Humility Contend not for Precedency and Priority but rather strive to prefer one another and serve one another in love neither desire to be distinguished from the rest by their Garments and large Phylacteries nor seek the Greetings in the Market-places nor uppermost Rooms at Feasts nor the Chief Seats in the Synagogues nor yet to be called of men MASTER c. Such were the holy Prophets and Apostles as appears from Matth. 23.8 9 10. and 20.25 26 27. 4. But the Ministers our Adversaries plead for are such as strive and contend for Superiority and claim Precedency over one another affecting and ambitiously seeking after the fore-mentioned things Such were the false Prophets and Apostles in time past Matth. 23.5 6 7. 5. The Ministers we plead for are such as having freely received True Ministers Free Gift freely give
early lost and man's Wisdom and Will hath so quickly and throughly mixed it self herein that both the Apostasy in this respect hath been greatest and the Reformation here-from as to the evil Root most difficult Therefore let not the Reader suddenly stumble at the account of our Proposition in this matter but hear us patiently in this respect Explain our selves and I hope by the Assistance of God to make it appear that though our manner of Speaking and Doctrine seem most singular and different from all other sorts of Christians yet it is most according to the purest Christian Religion and indeed most needful to be observed and followed And that there be no ground of Mistake for that I was necessitate to speak in few words and therefore more obscurely and dubiously in the Proposition it self it is fit in the first place to Explain and hold forth our Sense and Clear the State of the Controversie § II. And first let it be considered that what is here affirmed I. What Worship here is spoken to is spoken of the Worship of God in Gospel-times and not of the Worship that was under or before the Law For the particular Commands of God to men then are not sufficient to Authorize us now to do the same things else we might be supposed at present acceptably to offer Sacrifice as they did which all acknowledge to be Ceased So that what might have been both commendable and acceptable under the Law may justly now be charged with Superstition yea and Idolatry So that impertinently in this respect doth Arnoldus rage against this Proposition Exercit. Theolog. Sect. 44. saying That I deny all publick Worship and that according to me such as in Enoch 's time publickly began to call upon the Name of the Lord and such as at the Command of God went twice up to Jerusalem to Worship and that Anna Simeon Mary c. were Idolaters because they used the publick Worship of these times Such a Consequence is most Impertinent and no less foolish and absurd than if I should infer from Paul's Expostulating with the Galatians for their returning to the Jewish Ceremonies that he therefore Condemned Moses and all the Prophets as foolish and ignorant Ceremonies under the Law were not Essential to true Worship because they used those things the forward man not heeding the different Dispensations of times ran into this Impertinency Though a Spiritual Worship might have been and no doubt was practised by many under the Law in great simplicity yet will it not follow that it were no Superstition to use all those Ceremonies that they used which were by God dispensed to the Jews not as being Essential to true Worship or Necessary as of themselves for transmitting and entertaining an holy Fellowship betwixt him and his people but in Condescension to them who were inclinable to Idolatry Albeit then in this as in most other things the Substance was enjoyed under the Law by such as were Spiritual indeed yet was it Vailed and surrounded with many Rites and Ceremonies which is no ways lawful for us to use now under the Gospel II. True Worship is not limited to time to place or persons § III. Secondly Albeit I say that this Worship is neither limited to times places nor persons yet I would not be understood as if I intended the putting away of all set Times and Places to Worship God forbid I should think of such an Opinion Nay we are none of those that forsake the Assembling of our selves together but have even certain Times and Places in which we carefully Meet together nor can we be driven there-from by the Threats or Persecutions of men to Wait upon God Necessity of Meetings and Worship him To meet together we think necessary for the people of God because so long as we are cloathed with this outward Tabernacle there is a necessity to the entertaining of a Joint and Visible Fellowship and bearing of an outward Testimony for God and seeing of the faces one of another that we concur with our persons as well as spirits To be accompanied with that inward love and unity of spirit doth greatly tend to encourage and refresh the Saints But the Limitation we condemn is that whereas the Spirit of God should be the immediate Actor 1. Will-Worship doth limit the Spirit of God Mover Perswader and Influencer of man in the particular Acts of Worship when the Saints are met together this Spirit is limited in its Operations by setting up a particular man or men to preach and Pray in man's Will and all the rest are excluded from so much as believing that they are to Wait for God's Spirit to move them in such things and so they neglecting that which should quicken them in themselves and not Waiting to feel the pure breathings of God's Spirit so as to obey them are led meerly to depend upon the Preacher and hear what he will say Secondly In that these peculiar men come not thither to Meet with the Lord 2 True Teaching of the Word of God and to Wait for the inward Motions and Operations of his Spirit and so to pray as they feel the Spirit to breath through them and in them and to preach as they find themselves acted and moved by God's Spirit and as he gives utterance so as to speak a word in season to refresh weary Souls and as the present Condition and State of the peoples hearts requires suffering God by his Spirit both to prepare peoples hearts and also give the Preacher to speak what may be fit and seasonable for them But he hath hammered together in his Closet according to his own Will Priests Preach by hap-hazzard their studied Sermons by his humane Wisdom and Literature and by stealing the words of Truth from the letter of the Scriptures and patching together other mens writings and observations so much as will hold him speaking an Hour while the glass runs and without Waiting or feeling the inward Influence of the Spirit of God he declaimes that by hap-hazzard whether it be fit or seasonable for the peoples Condition or no and when he has ended his Sermon he saith his Prayer also in his own Will and so there is an end of the business Which Customary Worship as it is no ways acceptable to God so how unfruitful it is and unprofitable to those that are found in it the present Condition of the Nations doth sufficiently declare It appears then that we are not against set Times for Worship as Arnoldus against this Proposition sect 45. no less impertinently alledgeth offering needlesly to prove that which is not denied only these Times being Appointed for outward Conveniency we may not therefore think with the Papists that these Days are Holy and lead people into a superstitious Observation of them being perswaded Whether Days are Holy that all days are alike holy in the sight of God And albeit it be not my present
time since to meet at set times and places seems to be an Outward Observation and Ceremony contrary to what ye at other times Assert Answ. I Answer first To meet at set times and places is not any Religious Act or part of Worship in it self but only an outward Coveniency necessary for our seeing one another Publick Meetings their Vse and its Reason Asserted so long as we are cloathed with this outward Tabernacle and therefore our Meeting at set times and places is not a part of our Worship but a preparatory Accommodation of our outward man in order to a publick visible Worship since we set not about the Visible Acts of Worship when we Meet together until we be led thereunto by the Spirit of God Secondly God hath seen meet so long as his Children are in this World to make use of the outward Senses not only as a means to Convey Spiritual Life as by speaking praying praising c. which cannot be done to mutual Edification but when we hear and see one another but also for to entertain an outward visible Testimony for his Name in the World He causeth the Inward Life which is also many times not conveyed by the outward Senses the more to abound when his Children Assemble themselves diligently together to Wait upon him that as Iron sharpeneth Iron so the seeing of the Face one of another Prov. 27. v. 17. when both are inwardly gathered unto the Life giveth occasion for the Life secretly to arise and pass from Vessel to Vessel And as many Candles lighted and put in one place do greatly augment the light and make it more to shine forth so when many are gathered together into the same Life there is more of the Glory of God and his Power appears to the Refreshment of each Individual for that he partakes not only of the Light and Life raised in himself but in all the rest And therefore Christ hath particularly promised a Blessing to such as Assemble together in his Name seeing he will be in the midst of them Matth. 18.20 and the Author to the Hebrews doth precisely prohibit the Neglect of this Duty as being of very dangerous and dreadful Consequence in these words Heb. 10.24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Assembling of our selves is not to be neglected not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins And therefore the Lord hath shewn that he hath a particular Respect to such as thus Assemble themselves together because that thereby a publick Testimony for him is upheld in the Earth and his Name is thereby glorified and therefore such as are right in their Spirits are naturally drawn to keep the Meetings of God's People and never want a Spiritual Influence to lead them thereunto And if any do it in a meer Customary Way they will no doubt suffer Condemnation for it Yet cannot the Appointing of Places and Times be accounted a Ceremony and Observation done in man's Will in the Worship of God seeing none can say that it is an Act of Worship but only a meer presenting of our Persons in order to it as is above-said Which that it was practised by the Primitive Church and Saints all our Adversaries do acknowledge Lastly some object That this manner of Worship in Silence is not to Object 3 be found in all the Scripture I Answer We make not Silence to be the sole matter of our Worship Answ. since as I have above said there are many Meetings In Waiting for the Spirits Guidance Selence is supposed which are seldom if ever altogether Silent some or other are still moved either to preach pray and praise and so in this our Meetings cannot be but like the Meetings of the Primitive Churches recorded in Scripture since our Adversaries confess that they did preach and pray by the Spirit And then what Absurdity is it to suppose that at some times the Spirit did not move them to these outward Acts and that then they were Silent since we may well conclude they did not speak until they were moved and so no doubt had sometimes Silence Act. 2.1 before the Spirit came upon them it is said They were all with one accord in one place and then it is said The Spirit suddenly came upon them but no mention is made of any one speaking at that time and I would willingly know what Absurdity our Adversaries can infer should we conclude they were a while Silent But if it be urged Inst. That a whole Silent Meeting cannot be found in Scripture I Answer Supposing such a thing were not recorded Answ. it will not therefore follow that it is not lawful seeing it naturally followeth from other Scripture-Precepts as we have proved this doth For seeing the Scripture commands to Meet together and when Met Silent Meetings are proved from Scripture and Reason the Scripture prohibits prayers or preachings but as the Spirit moveth thereunto if people Meet together and the Spirit move not to such Acts it will necessarily follow that they must be Silent But further there might have been many such things among the Saints of Old though not recorded in Scripture and yet we have enough in Scripture signifying that such things were For Job sate silent seven days with his Friends together Here was a Long Silent Meeting See also Ezra c. 9.4 and Ezechiel c. 1.14 and 20.1 Thus having shewn the Excellency of this Worship proved it from Scripture and Reason and answered the Objections which are commonly made against it which though it might suffice to the Explanation and Probation of our Proposition yet I shall add something more particularly of Preaching Praying and Singing and so proceed to the following Proposition I. What reaching is with Protestants and Papists A studied Talk an hour or two § XVIII Preaching as it 's used both among Papists and Protestants is for One Man to take some Place or Verse of Scripture and thereon speak for an hour or two what he hath studied and premeditated in his Closet and gathered together from his own Inventions or from the Writings and Observations of others and then having got it by heart as a School-boy doth his Lesson he brings it forth and repeats it before the People And how much the fertiler and stronger a Man's Invention is and the more industrious and laborious he is in Collecting such Observations and can utter them with the Excellency of Speech and Humane Eloquence so much the more is he accounted an Able and Excellent Preacher To this we Oppose that when the Saints are met together and every one gathered to the Gift and Grace of God in themselves True Preaching by the Spirit he that Ministreth being acted thereunto by the arising of the Grace in himself ought to speak forth
draw unto Prayer that so it may be done acceptably Eph. 6 1â— For since we are to Pray always in the Spirit and cannot Pray of our selves without it Acceptably This Watching must be for this end recommended to us as preceeding Prayer that we may Watch and Wait for the seasonable time to Pray which is when the Spirit moves thereunto Secondly II. We know not how to Pray but as the Spirit helps This Necessity of the Spirit 's Moving and Concurrence appears abundantly from that of the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.26 27. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God Which first holds forth the Incapacity of Men as of themselves to Pray or Call upon God in their own Wills even such as have received the Faith of Christ and are in measure sanctified by it as was the Churcb of Rome to whom the Apostle then wrote Secondly It holds forth that which can only help and assist Men to Pray to wit the Spirit as that without which they cannot do it acceptably to God nor beneficially to their own Souls Thirdly The Manner and Way of the Spirit 's Intercession With sighs and groans which are unutterable And Fourthly That God receiveth graciously the Prayers of such as are presented and offered unto himself by the Spirit knowing it to be according to his Will Now it cannot be conceived but this Order of Prayer thus asserted by the Apostle is most consistent with those other Testimonies of Scripture commending and recommending to us the Vse of Prayer From which I thus argue Arg. If Man know not how to pray neither can do it without the help of the Spirit then it is to no purpose for him but altogether unprofitable to pray without it But the first is true Therefore also the last III. Pray always â—n the Spirit and Watching thereunto Thirdly This Necessity of the Spirit to true Prayer appears from Eph. 6. verse 18. and Jude ver 20. where the Apostle commands to Pray always in the Spirit and Watching thereunto which is as much as if he had said that we were never to Pray without the Spirit or Watching thereunto And Jude sheweth us that such Prayers as are in the Holy Ghost only tend to the Building up of our selves in our most holy Faith Fourthly The Apostle Paul saith expresly 1 Cor. 12.3 That no man can say IV. Man cannot call Christ Lord but by the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost If then Jesus cannot be thus rightly Named but by the Holy Ghost far less can he be acceptably Called upon Hence the same Apostle declares 1 Cor. 14.15 That he will Pray with the Spirit c. A clear Evidence that it was none of his Method to Pray without it V. God will not hear the Prayer of the Wicked But Fifthly All Prayer without the Spirit is Abomination such as are the Prayers of the Wicked Prov. 28.9 And the Confidence that the Saints have that God will hear them is if they Ask any thing according to his Will 1 John 5. verse 14 So if the Prayer be not according to his Will there is no ground of Confidence that he will hear Now our Adversaries will acknowledge that Prayers without the Spirit are not according to the Will of God and therefore such as Pray without it have no ground to expect an Answer For indeed to bid a Man Pray without the Spirit is all one as to bid one See without Eyes Work without Hands or Go without Feet And to desire a Man to fall to Prayer ere the Spirit in some measure less or more Move him thereunto is to desire a Man to See before he Open his Eyes or to Walk before he Rise up or to Work with his Hands before he Move them VI. All Sacrifice is Sin not offer'd by the Spirit § XXIII But lastly From this false Opinion of Praying without the Spirit and not judging it Necessary to be Waited for as that which may be felt to Move us thereunto hath proceeded all the Superstition and Idolatry that is among those called Christians and those many Abominations wherewith the Lord is provoked and his Spirit grieved so that many deceive themselves now as the Jews did of old thinking it sufficient if they pay their daily Sacrifices and offer their customary Oblations from thence thinking all is well and creating a false peace to themselves as the Whore in the Proverbs because they have Offered up their Sacrifices of Morning and Evening-Prayers And therefore it 's manifest that their constant Vse of things doth not a whit influence their Lives and Conversations Prov. 7.14 but they remain for the most part as bad as ever Yea it is frequent both among Papists and Protestants for them first to Leap as it were out of their vain light and profane Conversations at their set Hours and Seasons and fall to their Customory Devotion and then when it is scarce finished and the Words to God scarce out the former profane Talk comes after it so that the same Wicked Profane Spirit of this World acts them in both If there be any such thing as Vain Oblations or Prayers that are Abomination which God heareth not as is certain there are and the Scripture testifies Isa. 66.3 Jer. 14.12 certainly such Prayers as are acted in Man's Will and by his own Strength without God's Spirit must be of that number § XXIV Let this suffice for Probation Now I shall proceed to Answer their Objections when I have said something concerning Joining in Prayer with others Those that Pray together with one accord Concerning Joining in Prayer with others use not only to Concur in their Spirits but also in the Gesture of their Body which we also willingly approve of It becometh those who approach before God to Pray that they do it with bowed Knees and with their Heads uncovered which is our practice But here ariseth a Controversy Whether it be lawful to Join with Object I others by those External Signs of Reverence albeit not in Heart who Pray formally neither Waiting for the Motion of the Spirit nor judging it necessary We Answer Not at all Answ. And for our Testimony in this thing we have suffered not a little For when it hath fall'n out that either Accidentally or to witness against their Worship How with Idolaters we cannot Join in Prayer we have been present during the same and have not found it lawful for us to Bow with them thereunto they have often persecuted us not only with Reproaches but also with Strokes and cruel Beatings For this Cause they use to accuse us of Pride Profanity and Madness
he infers that they were then Baptized with the Baptism of the Spirit As to what is urged from his Calling afterwards for Water to it shall be hereafter spoken From all which Three Sentences relative one to another first of John Secondly of Christ and Thirdly of Peter it doth evidently follow that such as were truly and really Baptized with the Baptism of Water were notwithstanding not Baptized with the Baptism of the Spirit which is that of Christ and such as truly and really did administer the Baptism of Water did in so doing not administer the Baptism of Christ. So that if there be now but One Baptism as we have already proved we may safely conclude that it is that of the Spirit and not of Water else it would follow that the One Baptism which now continues were the Baptism of Water i. e. John's Baptism and not the Baptism of the Spirit i. e. Christ's which were most Absurd If it be said further That though the Baptism of John Object before Christ's was administred was different from it as being the Figure only yet now that both it as the Figure and that of the Spirit as the Substance is necessary to make up the One Baptism I Answer This urgeth nothing unless it be granted also Answ. that both of them belong to the Essence of Baptism so that Baptism is not to be accounted as truly Administred where both are not which none of our Adversaries will acknowledge but on the contrary account not only all those truly Baptized with the Baptism of Christ Water Baptism is not the true Baptism of Christ. who are Baptized with Water though they be uncertain whether they be Baptized with the Spirit or not but they even account such truly Baptized with the Baptism of Christ because Sprinkled or Baptized with Water though it be manifest and most certain that they are not Baptized with the Spirit as being Enemies thereunto in their hearts by wicked Works So here by their own Confession Baptism with Water is without the Spirit Wherefore we may far safer conclude that the Baptism of the Spirit which is that of Christ is and may be without that of Water as appears in that Acts 11. where Peter testifies of these men that they were Baptized with the Spirit though not then Baptized with Water And indeed the Controversy in this as in most other things stands betwixt us and our Opposers in that they not only often-times prefer the Form and Shadow to the Power and Substance by denominating persons as Inheritors and Possessors of the thing from their having the Form and Shadow though really wanting the Power and Substance and not admitting those to be so denominated who have the Power and Substance if they want the Form and Shadow This appears evidently in that they account those truly Baptized with the One Baptism of Christ who are not baptized with the Spirit which in Scripture is particularly called the Baptism of Christ if they be only batized with Water which themselves yet Confess to be but the Shadow or Figure * The Baptism of the Spirit needeth no Sprinkling or Dipping in Water And moreover in that they account not those who are surely baptized with the Baptism of the Spirit baptized neither will they have them so denominate unless they be also Sprinkled with or Dipped in Water But we on the Contrary do always prefer the Power to the Form the Substance to the Shadow and where the Substance and Power is we doubt not to denominate the person accordingly though the Form be wanting And therefore we always seek first and plead for the Substance and Power as knowing that to be indispensibly necessary though the Form sometimes may be dispensed with and the Figure or Type may cease when the Substance and Anti-type comes to be enjoyed as it doth in this Case which shall hereafter be made appear Proof IV § IV. Fourthly That the One Baptism of Christ is not a Washing with Water appears from 1 Pet. 3.21 The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth also now save us The plainest Definition of the Baptism of Christ in all the Bible not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. So plain a definition of Baptism is not in all the Bible and therefore seeing it is so plain it may well be preferred to all the coined definitions of the School-men The Apostle tells us first Negatively what it is not viz. Not a putting away of the filth of the flesh then surely it is not a Washing with Water since that is so Secondly he tells us Affirmatively what it is viz. The Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ where he Affirmatively Defines it to be the Answer or Confession as the Syriack Version hath it of a good Conscience Now this Answer cannot be but where the Spirit of God hath purified the Soul and the Fire of his Judgment hath burned up the unrighteous nature and those in whom this Work is wrought may be truly said to be baptized with the Baptism of Christ i. e. of the Spirit and of Fire Whatever way then we take this Definition of the Apostle of Christ's Baptism it confirmeth our sentence for if we take the first or Negative part viz. That it is not a putting away of the filth of the flesh Water-Baptism shut out from the Baptism of Christ. then it will follow that Water Baptism is not it because that is a putting away of the filth of the flesh If we take the second and Affirmative definition to wit That it is the Answer or Confession of a good Conscience c. then Water-baptism is not it since as our Adversaries will not deny Water-baptism doth not always imply it neither is it any necessary Consequence thereof Moreover the Apostle in this place doth seem especially to guard against those that might esteem Water-baptism the true Baptism of Christ because lest by the Comparison induced by him in the preceeding verse betwixt the Souls that were saved in Noah's Ark and us that are now saved by Baptism lest I say any should have thence hastily concluded that because the former were saved by Water this place must needs be taken to speak of Water-Baptism to prevent such a mistake he plainly affirms that it is not that but another thing He saith not that it is the Water or the putting away of the filth of the flesh as accompanyed with the Answer of a good Conscience whereof the one viz. the Water is the Sacramental Element administred by the Minister and the other the Grace or thing signified Conferred by Christ but plainly That it is the putting away c. than which there can be nothing more manifest to men unprejudicate and judicious Moreover Peter calls this here which saves the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Anti-type or the thing
figured whereas it is usually translated as if the like Figure did now save us thereby insinuating that as they were Saved by Water in the Ark so are we now by Water-baptism But this Interpretation crosseth his sense he presently after declaring the Contrary as hath above been observed and likewise it would Contradict the Opinion of all our Opposers * The Protestants deny Water-baptism its absolute necessity to mens Salvation Altho' the Papists say none can be Sav'd without it yet grant Exceptions For Protestants deny it to be absolutly necessary to Salvation And though Papists say None are saved without it yet in this they admit an Exception as of Martyrs c. and they will not say that all that have it are Saved by Water-baptism which they ought to say if they will understand by Baptism by which the Apostle saith we are Saved Water-baptism for seeing we are saved by this Baptism as those that were in the Ark were Saved by Water that all those that were in the Ark were Saved by Water it would then follow that all those that have this Baptism are Saved by it Now this Consequence would be false if it were understood of Water-baptism because many by the Confession of all are baptized with Water that are not saved but this Consequence holds most true if it be understood as we do of the Baptism of the Spirit since none can have this Answer of a good Conscience and abiding in it not be Saved by it Fifthly That the One Baptism of Christ is not a Washing with Water as Proof V it hath been proved by the Definition of the One Baptism The Effects and Fruits of the Baptism of Christ. so it is also manifest from the Necessary Fruits and Effects of it which are three-times particularly expressed by the Apostle Paul As first Rom. 6.3 4. where he saith That so many of them as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his Death buried with him by Baptism into death that they should walk in Newness of Life Secondly to the Gal. 3.27 he saith positively For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ and Thirdly to the Col. 2.12 he saith That they were Buried with him in Baptism and Risen with him through the Faith of the operation of God It is to be observed here that the Apostle speaks generally without any Exclusive Term but Comprehensive of all he saith not Some of you that were baptized into Christ have put on Christ but As many of you which is as much as if he had said Every one of you that hath been baptized into Christ hath put on Christ. Whereby it is evident that this is not meant of Water-baptism but of the Baptism of the Spirit because else it would follow that Which Efects Water-Baptism wants whosoever had been baptized with Water-baptism had put on Christ and were Risen with him which all acknowledge to be most Absurd Now supposing all the Visible Members of the Churches of Rome Galatia and Coloss had been outwardly baptized with Water I do not say they were but our Adversaries will not only readily grant it but also contend for it suppose I say the Case so they will not say they had all put on Christ since divers Expressions in these Epistles to them shew the contrary So that the Apostle cannot mean Baptism with Water and yet that he meaneth the Baptism of Christ i. e. of the Spirit cannot be denied or that the Baptism wherewith these were baptized of whom the Apostle here testifies that they had put on Christ was the One Baptism I think none will call in question Now admit as our Adversaries Contend that many in these Churches who had been baptized with Water had not put on Christ it will follow that notwithstanding that Water-baptism they were not baptized into Christ or with the Baptism of Christ seeing as many of them as were baptized into Christ had put on Christ c. From all which I thus Argue If the Baptism with Water were the One Baptism i. e. the Baptism of Arg. 1 Christ as many as were baptized with Water would have put on Christ. But the last is false Therefore also the first And again Since as many as are baptized into Christ i. e. with the One Baptism which is the Baptism of Christ have put on Christ Then Water-Baptism is not the One Baptism viz. the Baptism of Christ. But the first is true Arg. 2 Therefore also the last Prop. III § V. Thirdly Since John's Baptism was a Figure and seeing the Figure gives way to the Substance Proved albeit the thing figured remain to wit the One Baptism of Christ yet the other ceaseth which was the Baptism of John I. John's Baptism was of Christ's a Figure That John's Baptism was a Figure of Christ's Baptism I judge will not readily be denied but in case it should it can easily be proved from the Nature of it John's Baptism was a being baptized with Water but Christ's is a baptising with the Spirit Therefore John's Baptism must have been a Figure of Christ's But further that Water-baptism was John's Baptism will not be denied That Water-baptism is not Christ's Baptism is already proved From which doth arise the Confirmation of our Proposition thus Arg. There is no Baptism to continue now but the One Baptism of Christ. Therefore Water-baptism is not to continue now because it is not the Baptism of Christ. II. John's Baptism is Ceas'd our Opposers confess That John's Baptism is Ceased many of our Adversaries confess but if any should alledge it otherwise it may be easily proved by the express words of John not only as being insinuated there where he Contradistinguisheth his Baptism from that of Christ but particularly where he saith Joh. 3.30 He Christ must Increase but I John must Decrease From whence it clearly follows that the Increasing or taking place of Christ's Baptism is the Decreasing or abolishing of John's Baptism so that if Water-baptism was a particular part of John's Ministry and is no part of Christ's Baptism as we have already proved it will necessarily follow that it is not to Continue Arg. If Water-baptism had been to continue a Perpetual Ordinance of Christ in his Church he would either have practised it himself or Commanded his Apostles so to do But that he Practised it not the Scripture plainly affirms John 4.2 And that he Commanded his Disciples to baptize with Water I could never yet read As for what is alledged that Matth. 28.19 c. where he bids them baptize is to be understood of Water-baptism that is but to beg the Question and the grounds for that shall be hereafter examined Therefore to baptize with Water is no Perpetual Ordinance of Christ to his Church This hath had the more Weight with me because I find not any standing Ordinance or Appointment of Christ necessary to Christians for which we have not either
of ordinary Capacity that are not educated in Colledges may understand them V. As for Retortions they must not be impertinent and from the purpose and none shall be so insisted on as to divert us from the Point or turn the Opponent into the Respondent VI. The Day appointed for the Conference is the fourteenth of April in the Year One thousand six hundred seventy five being the Day called Wednesday the Place is to be at Alexander Harper 's House or Close in case the Gray-Fryers Church so called cannot be obtained and that the Conference is to continue from two to five a Clock in the Afternoon VII Both Parties shall endeavour to procure a Praeses to Moderate but not to have any Decisive Judgment yet if such a one cannot be procured the Conference is not to be broken up VIII And it is hereby declared That both Parties intend this for Mutual Edification and therefore intend to abstain from any thing that may obstruct so good an Event IX It is likewise agreed that none shall have Liberty to speak but those that have or shall subscribe before the Dispute begin these aforesaid Articles HEre Alex. Skein one of our Friends chosen Praeses for Us because we could not at that time procure another standing up with the other Praeses Student It was condescended That no Quaker should be a Praeses Quaker We are wronged for we never condescended to any such thing And seeing ye have chosen one of Your Way how can we be hindred to choose one of Ours Andr. Thomson their Praeses There needs no debate in this matter for we are chosen not to have any Decisive Judgment but only for the Moral Part to take notice if the Rules be observed or whether ye keep to the Purpose Then John Leslie had a long and tedious Discourse concerning what was fit to be done and how we ought to Dispute G. K. Praeses I suppose we came not to this Place to hear from this Young-Man a long Logick Discourse R. B. I desire to be heard We being a People so generally mis-represented as Heretical and Erroneous did conceive our selves obliged to give a True and Faithful Account of our Principles which I did in a certain Paper now under debate And that our Innocency therein might appear there was a Challenge added to the end of it offering to defend these our Principles if we might be allowed so to do in these Publick Places where we have been so much misrepresented and against those Persons who had there so often traduced us To which having received no Answer some of the Students of Divinity came to us and signified that they looked upon themselves as concerned because mention is made of such in the beginning of that Paper To whom we answered That they were not the Persons Challenged by Us as not being the Publick Preachers that had mis-represented Us But seeing they were desirous to debate the matter we were not unwilling to render to any a Reason of the Hope that is in us and therefore should not decline it And forasmuch as some did object that we were at a loss as engaging with them because there would be little Advantage in case we had any Victory and a greater Reflection should we appear to be at any loss To such we had and have this to say That as we are not afraid to meet with the Greatest and Ablest of the Preachers themselves so the Truth leads us not to Despise any As R. B. was going on he was interrupted Alex. Shirreff If it were pertinent I could easily disprove much of what is said but to be short R. B. having given Theses provoking all the Scholars of Europe and Great Brittain though R. B. pretends in his Preface to be against School-Divinity yet his Theses are full of it and there are many other Contradictions which I will not now take notice of The Preachers and Ministers of the Word not finding themselves concerned we Young-Men and but Students have offered to Dispute In the Articles the Quakers have been very unreasonable and particularly G. K. did refuse any Article should be put in against Railing because he said That might be Railing in me which was not in him because he to wit G. K. was immediately led by the Spirit We have concluded that being Young-Men in case the Quakers should have any Advantage it will not be of great Consequence and if we have Advantage we hope it may be useful because these are the great Prophets and Preachers of the Quakers G.K. I could take notice of many things not true in that Young-Man's long Discourse And it may here be observed that afterwards J. L. speaking reflectingly against the Quakers said It was no Railing to speak the Truth which was all he pleaded for as particularly that R. B. hath provoked all Europe but I pass them by because I am here exceedingly abused and therefore desire to be heard For I declare in God's Fear and in singleness of my Heart I never said any such thing as is by that Young-Man alledged upon me as I can Appeal to the Auditors who were there present But what I said was this I cannot bind my self not to Rail because I 'me bound already that I should not Rail by the Righteous Law of God in my Conscience and may perhaps speak that as believing it to be true which ye may call Railing A. Shir. I being chiefly concerned and having mostly occasioned this Debate am Employed by the rest to speak first and therefore I will Impugn the Second Thesis Which R. B. read and is as followeth Seing no Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Second Thesis Matt. 11.27 And seeing the Revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true Knowledge of God hath been is and can be only Revealed who as by the moving of his own Spirit converted the Chaos of this World into that wonderful Order wherein it was in the beginning and created Man a living Soul to rule and govern it so by the Revelation of the same Spirit he hath made manifest himself all-a-long unto the Sons of Men both Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles which Revelations of God by the Spirit whether by outward Voices and Appearances Dreams or inward objective Manifestations in the Heart was of old the formal Object of their Faith and remaineth yet so to be since the Object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages though set forth under divers Administrations Moreover these Divine inward Revelations which we make absolutely necessary for the building up true Faith neither do nor can ever Contradict the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or right and sound Reason yet from hence it will not follow that the Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or of the Natural Reason of
Man as to a more noble or certain Rule and Touchstone For this Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident and clear of it self forcing by its own Evidence and Clearness the well-disposed Vnderstanding to Assent irresistibly moving the same thereunto even as the Common Principles of Natural Truths move and incline the Mind to a Natural Assent R. B People this is that which we Affirm and which these Young-Men are about to Dispute against as false Notwithstanding that A. Shir. had thus offered himself first to dispute yet I. L. Intruding himself put him to Silence beginning as followeth I. L. That which is not to be believed as the Rule of Faith is not to be the Rule of Faith But The Spirit is not to be believed as the Rule of Faith Therefore The Spirit is not to be the Rule of Faith R. B. Having Repeated the Argument I deny the Minor or second Proposition I. L. I prove it That which hath not a sufficient Evidence to evidence it self to be a Rule is not to be a Rule But The Spirit in the Quakers hath not a sufficient Evidence whereby to evidence it self to be a Rule Therefore The Spirit in the Quakers is not to be our Rule R. B. Having Repeated the Argument I distinguish that Second Proposition If thou meanest any Spirit in the Quakers which they peculiarly assume to themselves as Quakers or say they have as aâ—part of themselves or of Man's Nature we Concede that such have no Evidence neither do we say that any such Spirit is to be our Rule But if thou meanest that Vniversal Spirit of God a Manifestation whereof is given to every one to profit withal we affirm it hath a sufficient Evidence in us and in all Men. I. L. I urge that Distinction If the Spirit hath a sufficient Evidence either this Evidence is from your own Declaration or some other But It is neither from your own Declaration nor from some other Therefore It hath not a sufficient Evidence R. B. It is from both J. L. What is it then R. B. That it teacheth us to deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World This is an Evidence to all Men. J. L. I prove that is not a sufficient Evidence thus That is not a sufficient Evidence which Hereticks may pretend unto as a sufficient ground for their Heresie But Hereticks may pretend this as a sufficient ground for their Heresie Therefore It is not a sufficient Evidence R. B. I Answer this first by a Retortion this is the same Argument upon the matter which the Jesuit Dempster used against your Master viz. John Menzies For the Jesuit pressing him to assign a ground for the Protestant Religion which Hereticks could not pretend unto J. M. named the Scripture and the Jesuit further urged that Hereticks could and did pretend unto the Scriptures Now what Evidence can ye give from the Scriptures which we cannot give Yea and greater from the Spirit that Hereticks cannot justly lay claim to Stud. With one voice We will not have Retortions R. B. Praeses Read the Articles which contain a particular provision for Retortions as being lawful if not insisted too much on So the fifth Article above-mentioned was read G. K. I offer to Answer directly to his Argument without Retortion though I pass not from the Retortion for it stands over your heads which ye will never get over Then I say we have a two-fold Evidence which no Heretick can justly lay claim to The one is the inward Evidence of the Spirit of God by its own immediate Testimony in our hearts The other is the Testimony of the Scriptures which I affirm in the Name of the People called Quakers is the best external and outward Evidence and Rule that can be given And my Reason why we have the Testimony of the Scriptures as an Evidence that we have the Inspiration of the Spirit is this All Men have a measure of the Inspiration of the Spirit of God according to the Scriptures Testimony That Christ the true Light inlightneth every Man that cometh into the World and that a Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal But this universal Illumination or Manifestation is Inspired and if all Men be in measure Inspired then consequently we who are Men are Inspired J. L. I prove ye have not the Testimony of the Scriptures for a sufficient Evidence That which is fallacious is not a sufficient Evidence But The Scriptures Testimony according to the Quakers without the indwelling of the Spirit is fallacious Therefore The Scriptures Testimony is not a sufficient Evidence R. B. Having Repeated the Argument I deny the 2 d Proposition G. K. The Argument is wrong in its Structure and vitious as consisting of four Terms which no right Syllogism should have Stud. I appeal to all Loâ—icians if when any thing is Subsumed in a Syllogism which is neither in the first Proposition nor in the Conclusion whether that Syllogism hath not four Terms Is it not in Forma For it hath not four Terms G. K. It hath four Terms and this I offer to prove before either your Masters or any other judicious Logicians in any Vniversity of this Nation I say it hath four Terms because it subsumes that in the second Proposition which was not in the first Proposition At this the Students fell a laughing and so provoked the People to lightness Al. Skein one of the Praeses's I am sorry to see those who profess to study Divinity behave themselves so lightly and so far from Seriousness in such weighty matters as concern the Truths of God G. K. I am ready still to prove that the Syllogism hath four Terms But this being not so proper here for this Auditory proceed ye to prove the second Proposition which R. B. hath denied J. L. I prove the Second Proposition That which may beguile a Man is fallacious But According to the Quakers the Scriptures may beguile a Man without the indwelling of the Spirit Therefore According to the Quakers the Scriptures are fallacious G. K. This Argument is also wrong in the Structure having four Terms R. B. But waving that I deny thy second Proposition For the Scripture cannot beguile any Man although Men may or have beguiled themselves by a wrong use of it A. Shir. Take notice People The Quakers say The Scriptures cannot beguile you R. B. Speak lowder yet for we do and have constantly Affirmed it And we hope it will help to clear us of those Mis-representations as if we despised or spake evil of the Scriptures G. K. I would my words could reach from the one end of the World to the other when I say The Scriptures cannot beguile any Man for the Scripture is innocent and a true Testimony in it self but Men do beguile themselves oft by making perverse Glosses upon the Scriptures The Scripture cannot be fallacious because
according to you it is your Principal Rule of Faith and if we can prove from your own Principal Rule that we are Inspired then the Scriptures Testimony is not Fallacious else your Principal Rule would be Fallacious Stud. But that is not according to your Principle G. K. But it is an Argument ad Hominem which ye know is lawful And besides though we do not acknowledge them to be the Principal Rule of our Faith yet we Affirm that they are a true Testimony and the best outward Testimony and Rule in the World And besides there is a Manifestation of the Spirit in many where there is not an in-dwelling of the Spirit and by this Manifestation of the Spirit all men may understand the Scriptures as they do improve it Stud. We will go to another Argument R. B. People take notice this Argument is left upon this Point that according to the Quakers Principle these Young-men say The Scriptures may beguile People which we utterly deny as proved or that can be proved Al. Shirreffe I argue against the latter part of the second Thesis where ye affirm That Inward Immediate Revelations are necessary to the building up of true Faith We confess that Subjective Revelation is necessary but we deny that Objective Revelation is necessary which ye Affirm G. K. Explain what ye mean by Subjective and Objective Revelation that the People may understand according to the Articles A. Sh. I explain it from this Scripture Luke 24.17 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Here is the Objective Revelation to wit the Scriptures so that they needed not any new Objective Revelation but only that which was before but needed a Subjective Revelation or Divine Illumination to make them understand the Objective Revelation to wit the Scriptures G. K. That is not a sufficient Explanation of Objective and Subjective Revelation therefore I desire to be heard that I may open it more sufficiently according as is provided in the Articles of Agreement Objective Revelation or the Object of our Faith is twofold to wit first the Material Object secondly the Formal Object Stud. Do the People understand this G. K. I shall explain it to them for it is necessary to the matter in hand The Material Object is that which is to be believed the Formal Object is that for which principally we are to believe or the principal Motive of Credibility Now to apply I say The Scriptures are the Material Object or a part of the Material Object of our Faith but not the Formal Object of our Faith Al. Shir. I prosecute my Argument against such Objective Revelations as being necessary to Faith G. K. We confess the Scriptures are sufficient to move us to an Historical Faith and that to a more excellent degree of Historical Faith than any other Histories in the World because it hath more excellent outward Motives of Credibility as the Consent of all Ages since they were written and of all Christians however differing among themselves c. but they are not sufficient to beget in us a Saving Faith without Inward Objective Revelation Al. Shir. I prove such Inward Objective Revelations are not necessary to beget Saving Faith by this Argument If there be no such Seed in Men as the Quakers maintain then there are no such Revelations as the Quakers maintain But there is no such Seed in Men as the Quakers maintain Therefore there are no such Revelations c. R. B. After he had repeated the Argument I deny that second Proposition Al. Shir. I prove it If there be no such Seed in Men as a substantial living Principle distinct from the Soul that can be heard seen savoured tasted and felt then there is no such Seed in Men as the Quakers maintain But the first is true Therefore the last And then the said Alexander Shirreffe read a passage at length out of G. K. his Book of Immediate Revelation page 6 7. That the Seed was such a living substantial Principle and that in the Seed these Revelations were only received R. B. This is a Digression from the Matter and a passing from the Theses which should have been the Subject of this Day 's Debate to G. K. his Book of Immediate Revelation G. K. I must now appear to defend my Book and Apologize to R. B. because I am necessitated to put my Hand in another's Harvest Therefore I distinguish upon the Word Such in the first Proposition If by Such thou meanest a Substantial Principle c. I say that is altogether Extrinsick to the Subject of the Debate and besides it will engage us into the greatest Nicities and Obscurities of Philosophy and School-Divinity that is not proper for this Auditory But if by Such thou meanest an Vniversal Principle of God's Saving Grace in Men whereby they are capacitated both to know and do the Will of God I Affirm and am ready to maintain there is such a Principle in all Men. Al. Shir. But I prove That that Seed in Men is not of a Substance or Substantial Principle G. K. I am ready to defend That it is a Substantial Principle But that belonging to the Second Proposition we ought not to come to it before the Distinction of the First Proposition be discussed Here the Students made a great Noise and G. K. appealed to the Praeses And. Thomson Who answered discreetly That G. K. did not refuse to defend That the Seed of God was a Substantial Principle but this was not its proper Place until the Distinction of the former Proposition be discussed Al. Shir. I shall wave the Word Substantial c. and I offer to prove That there is not a Seed of God in Men as the Quakers Affirm If there be such a Seed it is either Created or Uncreated But it is neither Created nor Uncreated Chuse you whether G. K. After he had repeated the Argument I distinguish the Word Seed as being either a Concrete Term or an Abstract Term. J. L. Doth the People understand this Distinction G. K. I hope ye understand it and I shall explain it to them who understand it not A Concrete Term comprehendeth two things the one in Recto as they say the other in Obliquo that is to say the one hath the other belonging to it As Merciful is a Concrete Term which is as much as to say One that hath Mercifulness in him and so Mercifulness is the Abstract which signifieth that one thing belonging to the Concrete Now to Apply If we understand Seed as the Concrete it is both Vncreated and Created for it is God himself discovering himself to the Creatures Capacity in his Work of Manifestation which Work is Created but he who doth manifest himself in that Manifestation is Vncreated And because he manifests himself at first in a low and small degree unto the Soul therefore he in that Manifestation is compared unto a Seed even as
did the Scripture deceive thee when thou preachedst upon that Text Why mournest thou for Saul If thou sayst Thou only here mis-understood the Place and mis-applyedst it yet is the Scripture for all that True and Certain May not the same be said if one pretending the Spirit to be the Rule should fall in the like Error that the Spirit were not to be blamed or thence termed uncertain But the Man that mistook the Voice thereof or took his own Imaginations instead of it as thou didst thy Mis-apprehensions for the Sense of that Scripture If thou canst extricate thy self out of these Difficulties so as to satisfie me or any other Rational and Indifferent Person I may seriously say to thee according to the Proved Eris mihi magnus Apollo and really thou may'st not be without Hopes of making a Proselyte But if it appear to all Judicious and Unprejudicate Persons That John Menzies's Arguments against the Quakers are no other than the Jesuit's against him and whatever way he can defend himself against the Jesuit's so the Quakers can do against him and impugn and straiten him the same way so that his Argument is like the Viper's-Brood that destroys him that brings it forth I say if this appear what may Candid Persons judge of John Menzies's Honesty that has asserted in Print That Quakerism is Popery under a Disguise and the Papists and Quakers are one The State of the Controversie in the first Place then both upon our Part and Yours is in Thesi and not in Hypothesi That is Not Whether or not we be truly ruled by the Spirit or can give an Evidence of it more than Whether ye be truly led by the Scriptures or can give any Evidence that ye are but Whether we do well in saying The Spirit is the Principal Rule of Faith For though divers Sects now to wit Lutherans Calvinists Episcopalians Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Antinomians Arminians c. do all quarrel one another each laying Claim to be led by the Scripture and denying it of the other yet do they all agree in this That the Scripture is the only Rule Will it therefore follow That the Scripture is not the Rule or Certain because none of these can give a Certain Evidence convincing their respective Opposers that they are led by it So on the other Hand though such as affirm the Spirit to be the Principal Rule cannot give any Evidence to convince their Opposers that they are led by it it will not follow that it is not the Rule or that they err in Affirming it so to be A POSTSCRIPT AS the Apostle Paul said concerning the Spirit of God That there are diversities of Operations but one Spirit and one Body of Christ which is his Church so I may say concerning Antichrist and his Spirit and Body The Body of Antichrist is but one having many Members and the Spirit of Antichrist is but one in the Root though in different Operations and Appearances And what is this Body of Antichrist but all these whether Papists or others though pretending to Reformation under whatsoever Designation as Episcopal Presbyterian Independent Anabaptist or any else who oppose the Spirit of Christ in his Spiritual Appearances and Operations in the Body of Christ which is his Church A manifest Instance of the Truth of this I my self of late have been an Ear and Eye witness of For not many Months ago I had occasion at London both to see with my Eyes and hear with my Ears how the People called Anabaptists some of their Chief Teachers opposed denied slighted and by all Means their Earthly and Devilish Wisdom could invent laboured to make of none effect the Inward Evidence of the Spirit of God in his People alledging openly in the Faces of Thousands That whoever could not give an Evidence to their Adversaries that they were Inspired with the Spirit of God such as no Hereticks could pretend to were no Christians but deceivers So these Anabaptists lately argued against us at London in an open Assembly And so now since in my own Native Country within these few Days I have seen the same Spirit to appear in Men professedly very much differing from Anabaptists and slighting them as a sort of Hereticks yet one with them in the Ground and in this particular Work and Service also to carry on the great Design of Antichrist These are some Masters of Arts Students of Divinity as they call themselves in the University of Aberdeen who openly in the hearing of divers Hundreds of People some whereof were Sober and Judicious did oppose the inward Evidence of the Spirit of God in his People as not being a sufficient Evidence unto them unless they could give an Evidence of it unto others even their very Adversaries that they were Inspired and so if we the People called Quakers could not give an Evidence of this unto these our Opposers we were but Deceivers After it had been shewn them That Papists and Jesuits used the same Argument against all the Protestants that indeed did more militate against them out of the Papists Quiver than out of these our Adversaries Quiver against us I produced the Testimony of the Scripture as the best and most Convincing outward Evidence that could be given as a Witness to the Doctrine and Principle of Immediate Revelation and Inspiration of the Spirit of God owned by us as being in all Men in some Measure and consequently in us This is I say not the best and most principal Evidence nor the greatest that we have unto our selves or unto one another who are gathered into the same Faith Spirit and Power for that is the Immediate Evidence of the Spirit in our Hearts which witnesseth both to our selves and to one another that we are the Children of God but it is I mean the Scripture the Greatest Outward and Visible Evidence that can be given unto our Adversaries who in Words own the Scriptures as their only Rule and chiefest Evidences And in doing so I followed the Example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who while he reasoned against the Jews who professed to own the Scriptures but denied him he brought a Testimony for himself out of the Scriptures which they in Words owned as their Rule Search said he or Ye search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and these are they which testify of me Now though Christ his own immediate Testimony should have been received as greater than any of his Servants such as Moses and the Prophets were yet he used this as an Argument against them as bringing them to their own Rule And said he Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for Moses wrote of me And he said again I have a greater Testimony than that of John and yet John was the greatest of all the Prophets So in like manner we say We have a greater Testimony to Christ Jesus by his Spirit and Power Revealed in us than the
Testimony of Moses and the Prophets even than John who was the greatest But when we produce the Testimony of Moses and the Prophets and Apostles as an Evidence to the Truth of what we affirm I say it should be received by our Adversaries who own the Scriptures as their Chief and Only Rule For either they should Receive it or not Receive it if they should Receive it then they are faulty who in the late Dispute at Aberdeen did refuse to Receive the Evidence of the Scriptures as from us only because we say We have a greater to wit that of the Spirit within us although we own the Scripture as the greatest Visible and outward Evidence that we can give to our Adversaries If they should not Receive the Scripture-Evidence and Testimony as from us because we say we have a Greater to wit that of Christ himself immediately in us by his Spirit then they must needs also say for the same Reason That the Jews ought not to receive the Testimony of the Scriptures as an Evidence for Christ because he said He had a Greater And certainly he had a greater though they would not receive it nor could not as they stood in their Prejudice and Malice wherewith they were filled against him who did not receive him Now this I say with Freedom and Boldness of Spirit to all those whether Papists Anabaptists Prelatical or Presbyterian Professors who with one Mouth require of us an Evidence that we are Inspired or have a Measure of the Inspiration of the Spirit of God and Christ in us I offer unto all of you the Scriptures for an Evidence of this Truth viz. That the Quakers so called have a Measure of the Inspiration of the Spirit of God and Christ in them For according to the Scriptures-Testimony Christ the true Light enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World and his Illumination is his Inspiration I profess sincerely in God's Fear That the Scriptures-Testimony is to me as full and plain and Convincing to prove this Truth viz. That an Illumination Manifestation and Inspiration of the Spirit of God is given to every Man is in every Man as to prove this Truth That Christ who according to the Flesh was born of the Virgin Mary was the promised Messiah Now if we can prove from Scripture That all Men have in them a Measure of this Divine Illumination and Inspiration by the Spirit of Christ we have gained our Point which is That we have also a Measure of the same in us for ALL MEN doth comprehend Vs called Quakers as well as other Men I see not what our Adversaries can with any Colour Object against this Evidence from Scripture but this That they will deny that the Scripture bears Testimony to this Vniversal Illumination or Inspiration of the Spirit of God in Men. But this brings the Matter of the Debate from being Personal to be Doctrinal and so puts us upon equal Terms at least with all our Adversaries especially Prelatical Anabaptist and Presbyterian and Independent Opposers whatsoever who say The Scriptures are their chief and only Rule And though our Adversaries say The Scripture doth not testifie to that Universal Inspiration of the Spirit of Christ in Men that moveth us not more than when the Jews denied That the Scriptures bore Testimony to him that was born of the Virgin Mary to be the Christ. We are able by the help of God to prove from Scripture the Truth of this Doctrine of Divine Illumination and Inspiration in all Men and consequently in the Quakers as much as they or any professing Christianity upon Earth can prove any Principle or Doctrine of their Faith Secondly We are able and do offer by the Grace of God against all our Opposers whatsoever to prove from the Scriptures-Testimony That this Universal Inspiration and Illumination of Christ by his Spirit in Men is a sufficient Evidence of Truth and Rule of Faith and Life in all Men and consequently in us called Quakers Thirdly that this Divine Inspiration and Illumination where it is not wilfully resisted and rejected but regarded and attended is a Greater Evidence than the Scripture is and witnessed by the Scriptures Fourthly and yet the Scripture is the Greatest Visible and Outward Evidence that either we or they can give of their Rule I shall conclude with a reasonable Demand to these Young-Men Masters of Arts their Masters and Teachers which is this Whether they own these Assertions Affirmations and Arguments of their Scholars in the late Dispute as followeth viz. That whatever is of God is God That the Scriptures according to the Quakers are Fallacious and can beguile us That the Baptism with the Holy Ghost is ceased And the rest of their Discourse inserted in this foregoing Treatise If Yea Let them declare so much to the People who are greatly stumbled at these their Expressions even divers of their own Church If Nay then let them publickly Reprove and Disown those Words otherwise not only we but many others will say Ye have both taught and allowed them so to Affirm G. K. Quakerism Confirmed OR A VINDICATION Of the Chief DOCTRINES and PRINCIPLES Of the PEOPLE called QUAKERS FROM THE Arguments and Objections of the Students of Divinity so called of Aberdeen in their Book entituled QVAKERISM CANVASED BY ROBERT BARCLAY AND GEORGE KEITH 2 Tim. 3.9 But they shall proceed no further for their Folly shall be manifest to all Men c. London Printed for Tho. Northcott 1691. Friendly Reader 1676. HAD we not more Regarded the Interest of the Truth for whose sake we can shun no Abasement than the Significancy of those with whom we have this Rencountre we should have rather chused to be silent than Answer them they being of so small Reputation among their own that neither Teachers nor People will hold themselves Accomptable for any of their Positions and seem zealous to have it believed they would not bestow Time to Read it nor yet hold themselves obliged to Approve it However since we certainly know That in the Second Part of their Book to which this Reply is they have scraped together most of the Chief Arguments used against us and borrowed not a little from G. M's Manuscripts with whose Work that yet appears not we have been these seven Years menaced Which like the Materials of a Building managed by Unskilful Workmen though they be by them very confusedly put together yet being the chief Things can be said against us we have throughly handled for the Reader 's Satisfaction which may be Serviceable to the Truth without Respect to the Insignificancy of those against whom it is written As for the first Part of their Book we have also Answered it but distinct from this it consisting of many Particularities of Matters of Fact which perhaps might have proved tedious to many Readers that may by This be Edified and think it of no great Consequence that the Students are proved Liars which even many
of their own Party think is not any Spot in their Religion so little are they looked upon among their own Yet those that are Curious may also have that first Part. As for this second Part wherein our Principles are handled we judge we deal with the Clergy in General however they seek to shift it and hide themselves since their Book is Licensed by the Bishop of Edinburgh and he being challenged said He did it not without a Recommendation from Aberdeen So that no Man of Reason can deny but they are accountable for the Errours and Impertinencies which we have herein observed which we leave Reader to thy serious Examination remaining Thy Friends R. B. G. K. THE CONTENTS SECTION I. COncerning Immediate Revelation SECT II. The Students Argument against the Spirit 's being the Rule proved one with the Jesuit Dempster's SECT III. Concerning the Supper Perfection and Womens Speaking SECT IV. Concerning the Necessity of Immediate Revelations to the Building up of True Faith SECT V. Concerning Worship SECT VI. Concerning Baptism SECT VII Concerning the Ministry SECT VIII Concerning Liberty of Conscience The CONCLUSION Wherein their Observations upon R. B. his Offer and their last Section of the Q. Revilings as they term them are Examined Quakerism Confirmed year 1675 SECTION I. Concerning Immediate Revelation Wherein the Second Part of the Students Book from pag. 44. to pag. 66. is Answered IN their first Section they alledge We do wickedly put many Indignities upon the Holy Scriptures and that we monopolize the Spirit to our selves Which are gross Lies But that they are against the Spirit is no malicious Accusation but a Truth as will appear to any true Discerner Their comparing us when we plead for the Spirit to them who cried The Temple The Temple is Unequal and Profane They that cried The Temple The Temple rejected the Spirit of God and relied too much on the Temple and outward Priviledges but dare they blame any for relying too much on the Spirit of God Again in their first Sub-section they commit a gross Deceit in which they follow G. M. their Master who useth the same in his Manuscript to us in alledging They are more for the Spirit than we because they affirm That the Efficacy of the Spirit is Insuperable For we do affirm Operations of the Spirit may be Resisted That the Efficacy of the Spirit is in a true Sense Insuperable as namely where the Mind is well disposed See R. B. his Thesis where he useth the Word Insuperably But that the Spirit doth Insuperably move or irresistibly force the ill-disposed Minds of all in whom it operates is False and contrary to Scripture which saith That Some Resist the Spirit yea and is contrary to the Experience of all who are acquainted with the Spirit 's Workings that know that the Spirit many Times worketh so gently that his Operation may be resisted Therefore said the Apostle Quench not the Spirit Now that Doctrine which is contrary both to Scripture and Experience is not for the Spirit but against it Again how are they more for the Spirit than we seeing they affirm The Spirit 's Influence is but only Effective as having no Evidence in it self sufficiently to demonstrate that it is of God We say it hath as being both Effective and Objective 2. They say The Influence of the Spirit is only given to some We say To all 3. They say It is so weak that it can bring none to a perfect Freedom from Sin in this Life though never so much improved We say it can Yea. 4. They say commonly year 1676 The Influence of the Spirit cannot keep the best Saint one Moment from Sin We say It can keep them for whole Days yea always if they improve it as well as they can 5. They say A Man may and ought to pray without the Spirit Which we deny And so we leave it to the Judicious if here they do not commit a gross Deceit Lastly in their stating the Question they accuse us falsly As if we did hold that all Men ought to judge and examine all the material Objects of Faith and Articles of Religion by Inward Revelations As if all Men were bound to an Impossibility All Men have not all the Material Objects of Faith propounded unto them Accidental Objects of Faith for some of the Material Objects of Faith are meerly Accidental unto all Mens Salvation As to believe that Abraham begat Isaac and Isaac Jacob c. Others although not Accidental yet are but Integral Parts and not Essential of Christian Religion such as the Outward History of Christ c. and so by this Distinction divers of thefe Arguments are answered without more ado especially the first two where they spend much Paper fighting with their own Shadow telling us That the Heathens have no Revelations shewing the Birth Passion Resurrection c. of Jesus Christ Which we do grant For the Belief of such Things is only necessary to them to whom they are propounded and the Scriptures alledged by them at most prove no more It were a needless Labour and not worth the Pains to answer particularly to all their Impertinencies Follies and Blasphemies which they obtrude upon us as Arguments and in the Issue their last Probations resolve into meer Assertions as much denied by us as the things they undertake to Refute Therefore upon each Section or Sub-section we shall but take notice what their Arguments resolve into at last and as there is occasion set down some Propositions that may serve as a Key to open the Reader 's way through all these Heaps of Confusion and Blasphemy wherewith they fill their Pages As for the Scriptures brought by them Arg. 1. as Isa. 9.2 Matth. 4.16 Psal. 147.19 20. These prove not that they had no Light for the Light shineth in Darkness Joh. 1. And Prov. 29.18 doth not import That People have wanted Vision from the beginning but that for some Time they may want it to wit when their Day of Visitation is over which we deny not And whereas they tell us That the Greek Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often to be translated among and therefore so to be Col. 1.26 and other Places alledged by us we deny this Consequence And that they say The Apostle is speaking of the outward Preaching of Christ Col. 1.26 is their bare Assertion without any Proof Also in their first Argument they alledge a gross Vntruth upon G. K. as if he did hold in his Book of Immediate Revelation pag. 11. That the Jews generally under the Law had no Immediate Revelation in the Seed Let the Place be read and it will clear G. K. where he distinguisheth a Two-fold sort of Revelation in the Seed according to a Two-fold Condition of the Seed The first sort of Revelation is more hid and obscure Revelation universal and particular the Seed not being compleatly formed but as under Ground The second is more manifest and clear
bring them down to it also For seeing it is a Truth acknowledged both by them and us The Spiriâ— 's working in us as an efficient Cause That all true Christians and Children of God have the Spirit of God working in them at least as an Efficient Cause from this we urge them thus Either they have the Spirit of God working in them as an Efficient Cause or they have not If they say they have not they confess They are not true Christians or Children of God which we suppose they will be loth to say If they say They have the Spirit of God as an Efficient Cause of Faith working in them and subjectively inlightening them let them prove it or give us an Evidence of it Who doth not see that Poor Men they are taken in their own Snare We know all Rational and Sober Men will acknowledge that we are not bound tb receive their Affirmations without Proof more than they are bound to receive ours nor indeed so much we being as the Case stands but Defendents As touching their Answer to R. B. his Retortions about an Evidence it shall be examined in the Next Section In pag. 60. they tell That we assign them at last some Shadows of Evidence namely 1. our own Declaration 2. The Scriptures 3. The immediate Testimony of the Spirit But that these are not Shadows will appear to the Judicious and well-disposed if they consider these two things 1. That by our Declaration we mean not a bare verbal Declaration having no Vertue or Manifestation of Life in it for we confess such might be as good a Ground for an Heretick in way of Evidence A Declaration proceeding from the Spirit no Heretick has it but by our Declaration we mean such a Declaration as doth really proceed from the Spirit of God in us and is therefore a living Declaration having a Manifestation of Life in it and with it and which is not only in Words of Life or Living Words uttered through us from the Spirit of Life but also in Works of Life or Living Works which are the Fruits of the Spirit as said Christ By their fruits shall ye know them Now such a Declaration can no Heretick have however he may pretend to it If our Adversaries say That we only pretend to such a thing We answer them with their own Rule Affirmanti incumbit probatio i. e. The Affirmer ought to prove Let them prove us only to be Pretenders which yet they have not done nor can do And indeed such a Declaration from the Spirit of God in the Apostles as when John said We are of God c. was an Evidence That no Heretick could justly pretend to 2. It is a most Unjust and Unreasonable thing to require of us any other Evidence of our having the Spirit than that which every true Christian may and ought to give seeing we pretend to no other Spirit but that which every true Christian hath nor to any Revelations but these which are the Priviledges of all true Christians nor to any Doctrines which are not conform to the Scriptures of Truth As we are ready to prove and as G. K. hath already shewed in his Book of Immediate Revelation which neither the Students nor their Masters have given us any Refutation of Now have not all Good Christians these three Evidences for them year 1675 And we can prove by the help of the Lord that they are as applicable to us as to any upon Earth And here note that when we say The Scripture is the best outward Evidence that can be given We mean it not as a particular Evidence but as a general Common to all good Christians The Scripture an Evidence For we grant That the Scripture cannot prove that any particular Man hath the Spirit of God in such a way as true Christians have it but it proves in general that all true Christians have it yea and all Men to Convince them at least In pag. 61 62. They reject the Scriptures-Testimony as an Evidence to us Because according to us the Scriptures Testimony hath no Evidence without the Spirit In answer to which we say But it hath an Evidence with the Spirit his Inward Evidence going along with it which Inward Evidence we say doth go along with it sufficiently to Convince every well-disposed Intellect And this we can prove from the Scriptures-Testimony Nor is this to commit an Unlawful Circle as they foolishly alledge which is but an old thread-bare alledgance of Papists against the Protestants as Turnbull alledged on Paraeus That he proved the Spirit by the Scripture and the Scripture by the Spirit Some Protestants in our Days do miserably seek to extricate themselves of that Circle that they know the Spirit by the Scriptures Objectively and they know the Scriptures by the Spirit Effectively and so indeed they get free of the Circle as not being in eodem genere i. e. in the same kind But they affirm a gross Untruth That the Spirit 's Influence is only Effective and ex parte subjecti whereas we know it is Objective and can prove both from Scripture and Primitive Protestants see G. K. his Book of Immediate Revelation and Quakerism no Popery where the same is at length proved But we have a most clear way to extricate our selves of that Circle imposed on us by Papists and these Students The Scriptures Testimony known by the Spirit c. to wit That we know the Scriptures Testimony by the Spirit tanquam a priori as we know the Effect by the Cause and we know the Spirit 's Testimony by the Scriptures tanquam a posteriori as we know the Cause by the Effect and so both are Objective and yet in a divers kind because the Objective Evidence of the Spirit is a self-Evidence and primary the Objective Evidence of the Scripture is but derived and secondary In their answer to G. K. his Retortion from the Practice of Christ who though his own immediate Testimony was to be received referred them unto the Testimony of the Scriptures They most miserably betake themselves to their Old Trade of Affirming Things without any Proof and yet on the Proof of these Things the whole Stress of their Answer lieth As 1. they say The Jews rejected only the outward immediate Testimony of Christ However dare they say but that the Outward Immediate Testimony of Christ was to be believed and yet he referred them unto the Testimony of the Scriptures 2. They say They have no such Testimony themselves as the Inward Objective Testimony of the Spirit 3. They say According to Christ the Scriptures were the Rule meaning the Primary Rule and so they set the Scripture above Christ his own immediate outward Testimony a most gross Disorder year 1676 All which we reject as meer Affirmations without any Proof Their Insinuation That G. K. acted the Part of a cunning Sophist when he spake these Words repeated by them pag. 4. Is no less
to that Scripture cited by them The Plowing of the Wicked is Sin The plowing of the wicked is sin Prov. 21.4 they do not prove that it is meant of outward Plowing The Margin of our English hath it The light of the wicked and Arius Montanus rendereth it on the Margin Cogitatio the Thought That the Plowing of the Wicked is Sin in respect of the Manner and last End we grant but that the Action materially considered is Sin we altogether deny even in a Wicked Man For the outward Mechanick and Bodily Act is good in its Nature and profitable as also in so far as it may be for the Maintenance of his Family it is good So that in respect of the Matter and subordinate End there is no Difference betwixt the Plowing of a Good Man and a Wicked whereas the Prayer of a Good Man by the Spirit and the Prayer of a Wicked Man without the Spirit differ materially in their very Nature and Substance The Good Man's Prayer by the Spirit is true and real Prayer but the Wicked Man's Prayer The true Worshipper distinguished from the False is no true Prayer at all but a dead Image of it Nor is the Wicked Man a true Worshipper for he only is True Worshipper according unto the express Doctrine of Christ Who worships the Father in Spirit and in Truth whereas a Wicked Man's Plowing is as Real and true and good as to the Matter and Nature of the Outward Action as that of the Good It doth not therefore follow That according to the Quakers Principle because a Man is not to pray without the Spirit that therefore he is not to Plow without the Spirit in respect of the Matter although in respect of the Defect in the Manner and last End which should be the Glory of God he sins when he Plows as when he Prays but yet not so much in the one as in the other for in the one both Matter and Manner are wrong in the other not the Matter but Manner But if a Man be faithful to God he may as certainly expect the Divine Assistance of the Spirit to help him to Plow as to Pray although that Assistance to pray is greater and of another manner than that to Plow As is obvious to any that hath Spiritual Experience And whereas A. Sk. inferreth upon them Their going about the Spiritual Duties in a Carnal Manner c. This they call an Impudent Calumny But in this the Impudent Calumny is their own not his For dare they deny but they are for going about Prayer and Praise which are Spiritual Duties without the Motion of the Spirit which is as much as to say in a Carnal manner for what is not done by the Spirit is done but in a Carnal manner And whereas they call his Second Answer A Clear Confession c. yet they tell us nothing of it pag. 96. They are no less disingenuous in alledging That G. K. dissenteth from R. B. and A. Sk. whom in their airy and frothy Minds they call his pretended Infallible Brethren for as G. K. requireth Inspirations to the Acceptable Performance of other Actions so doth A. Sk. and R. B. Yet we all say Wicked Men may very lawfully go about Natural and Civil Performances as to Plow to Eat to pay Debts as they are materially considered without Inspiration and in so doing although they fall short of Acceptable Performance for Defect of the right manner and the End they sin less than to omit those Actions and indeed sin not at all as to the Nature and Substance of them as they do who pray without Inspiration As for G. K. his Distinction of Mandatory and Permissory Inspirations it holds good notwithstanding all their Idle Inspirations mandatory and permissory Foolish and Impertinent Cavilling at it From the Words of Paul that he essayed to go to Bithynia but the Spirit permitted him not G. K. inferred by the Rule of Contraries That the Spirit sometimes permitted him To evade this they are sorely pinched In their Account of the Dispute pag. 30. they grant his Consequence That Paul at sometimes had a Permission but they deny it to be an Inspiration But here in this new Assault they deny That any Permission followeth by the Rule of Contraries from Paul 's Words alledging That he permitted him and he permitted him not are not Contraries But G. K. did not alledge these to be Contraries for they are flat Contradictory Propositions Contrary and Contradictory distinguished But these we say are Contraries The Spirit permitted not Paul to go to Bithynia therefore he permitted him to go sometimes to some Places This is a plain Inference from the Rule of Contraries by Contraries We mean not Contraries in the strict Logical Sense as when the Contrariety is betwixt two Vniversals but Opposites which in the common way of Speech are called Contraries and in the Logical Sense may be called Sub-Contraries Which do infer one another not to be true always simul semel at one Time and Place but at divers Times and Places c. As for Example If there be a South there must be a North if a Time to come there is a Time to be past If some things be Hot and not Cold other things must be Cold and not Hot. And to use a more near Example to the Matter in Hand If when a River is not permitted to Run by reason of an excessive Freezing that bindeth it up at one Time it followeth That it is permitted to Run at another Time when there cometh a Thaw Or yet to come nearer If the Wind do not permit a Ship to sail Southward at one Time it doth permit her at another Time to sail Southward We would not have insisted on such Rudiments had not the great Ignorance of the Students occasioned it Pag. 97. They close their § 9. most pitifully After having failed to refute G. K's Distinction of Permissory and Mandatory Inspirations they say They leave it to be proved by G. K. That the simple permitting of him meaning Permission not joined with a Command hath been by Inspiration The Students Evasions and preposterous Demands Here they shamefully desert their Undertaking which was to Refute permissive Inspirations but when they fail to do this they put G. K. to prove them Whereas they ought to remember that G. K. is not bound by the Law of Dispute to prove any thing being a meer Defendent yea when he offered ex abundanti to prove something in the Dispute they blamed him for so doing being but a Defendent And now they would have him leave Defendent and become Opponent This is a pitiful Confutation of the Quakers Principles that when they fall short in their Proofs against us put us to prove our own Principles But seeing they are so beggarly as to beg from G. K. a Proof of this he shall give it unto them and it is this Admit then that according to the
the Words of Eternal Life which he speaketh in his Servants And as in the Days of his Flesh he was said to speak with Authority or Power and not as the Scribes and the People wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth all which import a living Influence and Vertue in the Words of Christ which the Words of the Scribes and Pharisees had not so it is at this Day For Christ doth as really speak by his Spirit in his Servants as he did in his Body of Flesh So that Paul said he spake in him and therefore his Preaching was in demonstration of the Spirit and Power And for this cause true Preachers and Prophets are called good Trees of which Men gather good Fruit whereas bad Men or evil Trees have no good Fruit True Prophets and Preachers distinguished from the fals although they have the Prophets and Apostles Words Also they are compared to wit the False Prophets to Clouds without Rain and Wells without Water although they have good Words yet they have no Rain nor Water Their whole Ministry is dry and empty of Life and Vertue But the True Prophets Ministry is as a Shower of Rain Deut. 32.2 And sometimes it is compared unto Fire as it is said in the Psalm He maketh his Angels or Messengers Spirits and his Ministers a Flame of Fire And Fire was said to go out of the Mouths of the two Witnesses Also the Influences of Life that go forth through the true Prophets in their Ministry are compared to Golden Oil and the Men are compared unto Golden Pipes Zech. 4.12 And therefore the Apostle Peter exhorted the Ministers in his Day To minister of the ability which God giveth as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God so they ministred not only Words but Grace Many other Testimonies might be cited to prove this Truth Another Instance brought by the Students is That an Heretick forbearing Prayer a Year or two or his whole Life-time may justify himself by this Doctrine To this it was answered That though he may pretend yet he hath no just Ground from our Principle All Men are bound to pray often For we believe That all Men are bound to pray often unto God yea daily and that God doth inwardly call and move all Men often unto Prayer during the Day of their Visitation And when that is Expired or when at any other Time they want that Inward Call or Influence through Vnfaithfulness they are still bound And if they pray not they sin because they ought to have an Influence But that our Account saith All have not Vtterance to pray in Words Vtterance of Words in Prayer is no Excuse for Hereticks For they must needs acknowledge as well as we that all have not Vtterance who may be good Christians seeing some that are naturally dumb may be good Christians and yet they must confess these have not Vtterance Also many good Christians who have no Natural Impediment do want Vtterance in a Spiritual Way to speak or pray vocally in the hearing of others at some times although we believe it is given at times to all that are faithful who have no Natural Defect that they may pray vocally or in the Hearing of others But how oft it is more than we can determine seeing it is not Revealed But if any fail of this Vtterance through Vnfaithfulness their sin is nothing the less if they omit Prayer And thus their last two Instances are also Answered For we do affirm with great Freedom That all who are faithful to the Lord never want sufficient Inspiration or Influence to wait upon God fear him love him desire his Grace and divers other Inward Duties We say not All For some Inward Duties such as Meditation on a particular Subject or Place of Scripture are not always required more than it is always required to speak but if they be unfaithful we deny not but they may and will want them and in that case although they want Inspirations and Influences they are bound to pray yet not without them but with them As a Man that wanteth both Money and Goods to pay his Debt yet is bound to pay his Debt yet he must not nor ought to pay it without Money or Goods The Example is clear and the Application is easie As for that Story they bring in concerning T. M. which that their Deceit may be the more hid they do not positively affirm but only propose by way of Question Have not Quakers declared to People c. To which we Answer That we know not that any Quaker ever declared any such thing and we believe divers things in the Story are utterly false The Story about T. M. Answered for not praying in the Family as pretended If T. M. or any other of our Profession having none in the Family that can join with them in the true Spirit of Prayer but are professed Opposers of the Quakers Way be not so frequently heard pray by them is excusable by your own Way who will not readily pray in our Hearing when they have none to join with them And indeed the want of that true Vnity on the part of those who are not of our Faith doth oft hinder our Freedom to pray in their Hearing unless we have some of our Faith present to join with us We may pray for them as it pleaseth God to move us in their hearing but we cannot so properly pray with them as not being in Vnity with them Where two or three said Christ agree together to seek any thing in my name But let our Adversaries if they can shew us where in the Scripture it is commanded for any Man to pray in the Hearing of others where all present have no Agreement with him Yet we deny not but that God upon some solemn Occasion may move to such a thing especially when a publick Testimony is required as in the Case of Stephen who prayed audibly in the Hearing of others all which were so far from having any Agreement with him that they were at that time stoning him to Death Acts 7. Moreover we could easily upon a more just Ground Retort the Question upon your own Church-Members How many of your own Church-Members were not only for a Twelve month but for many twelve months never heard pray and yet they pass among you for good Christians It is well known that although ye hold Family-Prayer Morning and Evening to be a Duty and the want of it a great sin that yet many thousand Families in the Nation who belong to your Church want it and many whole Families are so grosly Ignorant that none in the Family can go about it even in that Natural Way which ye plead for As for us it doth suffice unto us God heareth Prayer in secret that God heareth us in secret although Men do not so frequently hear us Yet we own with all our Hearts publick Expressive Prayer as it is
have been wrong to Confirm and Strengthen our selves in the Good now Revealed and Embraced which by the powerful working of God's Infinite Goodness turning all to the Advantage of those that love and follow Him makes the Ministry of such the more Effectual as in the Example of Paul and others was manifest It being then so that the Condition of my Life hitherto albeit I as yet am but a Young Man gives me Experience more than perhaps to many others to Treat of this Subject Therefore finding a true Freedom and Liberty in my Spirit I have willingly undertaken for the sake of some to Write something briefly and yet I hope clearly thereof that my Experience herein if the Lord will by His Blessing may be made Vseful to others My first Education from my Infancy up fell amongst the strictest Sort of Calvinists those of our Country being generally acknowledged to be the Severest of that Sect in the heat of Zeal surpassing not only Geneva from whence they derive their Pedigree but all other the Reformed Churches abroad so called The Author's Education and Experience So that some of the French Protestants being upbraided with the Fruits of this Zeal as it appeared in Jo. Knox Buchanan and others do besides what is peculiar to their Principles of this kind alledge the Super-abundance thereof to proceed a fervido Scotorum Ingenio i. e. from the violent Complexion of our Country-Men I had scarce got out of my Child-hood when I was by the permission of Divine Providence Cast among the Company of Papists and my tender Years and Immature Capacity not being able to Withstand and Resist the Insinuations that were used to Proselite me to that way I became quickly defiled with the Pollutions thereof and Continued therein for a time until it pleased God through his rich Love and Mercy to Deliver me out of those Snares and to give me a clear Understanding of the Evil of that Way In both these Sects the Reader may easily Conceive that I had abundant Occasion to receive Impressions contrary to this Principle of Love herein Treated of seeing the Straitness of several of their Doctrines as well as their Practice of Persecution do abundantly declare how Opposite they are to Vniversal Love as shall hereafter more at large be shewn And albeit the time it pleased God to deliver me out of these Snares I was so Young that it may be presumed my Observations could be but Weak and consequently my Experience Inconsiderable yet for as much as from my very Child-hood I was very Ambitious of Knowledge and by a certain Felicity of Vnderstanding I think I may say without Vanity successful beyond many of my Equals in Age though my Observations at that time were but Weak yet since I have with more Leisure and Circumspection gathered thence so much Experience as I am Confident will serve for a sufficient Foundation to any Superstructure I shall build upon it in this Treatise The Time that Intervened betwixt my forsaking of the Church of Rome and Joining with those with whom I stand now Engaged I kept my self Free from Joining with any Sort of People though I took liberty to Hear several His Hearing several Sects And my Converse was most with those that Inveigh much against Judging and such kind of Severity seeming to Complain greatly for want of this Christian Charity among all Sects Which Latitude may perhaps be esteemed the other Extream opposite to the Preciseness of these other Sects whereby I also received an opportunity to know what usually is pretended on that side likewise and thence can say some-what Experimentally on that part also As for those I am now Joyn'd to and whom I justly esteem to be the true Followers and Servants of Jesus Christ People's Various Judgments of the Quakers the World speaks diversly of them as to this matter some highly accusing them of the Want of Charity and quarrelling with them as such who peremptorily Condemn all but themselves Others have a Contrary Conceit of them each according as they are Prejudicated and Informed What may be truly said in the Case shall after appear I my self have been diversly Censured in this matter being ingaged in Controversy which as they can be scarcely handled without something of sharpness so are seldom managed by any so successfully as not to bear the Censure of some or other in this respect Having then upon the whole matter observed that this Want of Charity is that for the Want of which each Sect accuses the other and yet are most averse to see this Defect in themselves and that some do accuse All Sects as guilty of this Crime I have judged it meet to commit my Sense hereof to Writing according to the purpose signified in the Title afore-mentioned SECT II. The Nature of Christian Love and Charity demonstrated the Consistency of True Zeal therewith It 's distinction from false Zeal THE Nature of Christian Love and Charity is fully and abundantly described in the Holy Scriptures The Nature of Christian Love and Charity where it is preferred before all other Vertues and Properties whatsoever as that which Comprehendeth in it all other Perfections and is the Root and Spring of them For there can be no true Vertue but that which proceedeth from Love hence God himself is called Love 1 Jo. 4.7 as being that under which all his Innumerable and Unutterable Perfections are Included By this Love we are Redeemed from the Corruption of our Nature and have received the benefit of a Mediator Joh. 16. This is the Banner wherewith God covereth his Children Cant. 2.4 This is that which Constrained our Lord Jesus Christ to lay down his Life for us Joh. 15.13 The Exercise of this is given by Christ as the principal Token of his Disciples Joh. 13.35 It is numbered as the first Fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 It is called the fulfilling of the Law as that wherein all Consisteth Rom. 13 10. For to love God above all things and our Neighbour as our selves is the sum not only of the Law but of the Gospel also 1 Cor. 13.13 Therefore the Apostle Paul giveth to this Love or Charity the Precedency before either Faith or Hope The Excellency of Love and Charity and Necessity of pressing after it in which Chapter he doth briefly but very Emphatically describe it For having first shewn that the speaking with Tongues of Men and Angels that the gifts of Prophesying Vnderstanding and Knowledge that the Faith that even could Remove Mountains and the Giving of all to the Poor yea and the Body to be burnt is nothing without it He proceeds to the Description of it thus Charity suffers long is kind Charity envieth not Vaunteth not it self is not puffed up dos not behave it self unseemly seeking not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoiceth not in Iniquity but rejoiceth in the Truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth
Truth and Scripture having done that largely else-where as in my Apology Expl. of the 5 th and 6 th Proposition it is enough here that I shew that such as hold this Opinion cannot justly pretend to Vniversal Love as doth evidently appear by what is said and needs no further Question Perhaps the Socinians may step in here or others of more general Principles who will Affirm They do not believe that the want of this Explicit Knowledge doth necessarily Exclude Men from Salvation It is true there are some of that mind but it were hard to rank them under any particular Denomination It being rather a Notion of those Men of whom I made mention before that are Vncertain in their Principles and join with no People absolutely than acknowledged by a People or any publick Confession of any Vnited or Gathered Church and People The Socinians generally lay very great stress upon the outward Knowledge of Christ and do believe Socinians belief of the outward Knowledge of Christ and Resurrection as necessary to Salvation the outward Knowledge of Christ or of the Resurrection at least to be absolutely Needful holding the Sufficiency of that alone upon Rom. 10.9 But passing that and taking it for granted that the Generality of Socinians and several others with them who being all taken in Cumulo may pass for as much as a whole Body of People do believe and affirm Salvation even possible to such as are by an Inevitable Fate Excluded from the benefit of that External Knowledge in that they say That such as will Improve that light of Nature Object which all Men have given them of God and Exercise that Common Principle of Reason may from the Works of Creation and Providence certainly Conclude That there is a God forsake many Evils and do much Good and that such as do thus Improve this Natural and Common Light do obtain of God to send them miraculously either some Man or Angel to signify to them the outward Knowledge or Resurrection of Christ that they may believe it and be saved I Answer This doth not reach the full Extent of Vniversal Love because it still limiteth it to this External Knowledge Answ. and supposeth no Means of Salvation without it And next because it supposeth some-what Miraculous which as has been before observed is a Limitation not to be admitted in this Case But if any would Affirm that the Improving of this Natural Light proved to them a Means of Salvation without supposing any Necessity of having the outward Knowledge of Christ at all albeit it would seem by the Extent of their Charity that their Love were very Vniversal yet they do not establish true Vniversal Love more than the other Because nothing is true Vniversal Love but that which naturally proceedeth from the true Love of God and is founded upon good and sound Principles deduced there from and which hath not its rise from the Love of Self or from a Selfish Principle Which though it may have a shew of Vniversal Love is not really such else he that would Affirm He believed that all Men as well the Wicked as the Godly the Vnbelieving as the Believing should be saved and that no Wickedness can hinder a Man from being Saved Might be said to be a truer Preacher of Vniversal Love than any and most Charitable of all Men and yet how would this be justly Condemned by all Christians There can then be no true Vniversal Love but that which is built upon the Love of God and is pure and of the nature of it So then those that Affirm That Men may be saved even without the outward Knowledge of Christ and of the Scriptures if they Improve the Light of Nature Whether it be that they judge The Light of Nature in order to Salvation an Exalting of Corrupt Reason not true Operation that the Light of Nature can carry them through to the End and accomplish the Work or that they suppose the Improving of it will procure any such Miraculous Revelation do not truly Preach or Establish Vniversal Love because the same is not founded upon the true Love of God but is an Exalting of the Nature and Reason of Man which is really defiled and proceeds from Self Since these Men for the most part do look upon Grace or the Operation of the Spirit in the Saints as but a meer Fancy so I say these Men do not commend the true Love of God which is contrary to Self but only their own Corrupt Nature and Reason and do therefore really Oppose and Slight the Vniversal Love of God in that they suppose Man capable of himself to save himself without Christ the alone Mediator in and by whom the Vniversal Love of God to all is only Extended For whom-ever God loves he loves them in Christ and no other ways and this Love of God in Christ cannot be truly received and entertained to the Salvation of the Soul but as the Old Man the first Man with his Deeds which are altogether Corrupted and can claim no share in Man's Salvation is put off and done away and as the New Man that proceeds from a Divine Spiritual Seed which is not of nor from Man's Nature comes to be born and brought forth in the Soul The Principle of Absolute Reprobation is contrary to God's Vniversal Love and Invitation But much more do they Contradict and Declare themselves void of and Strangers to the Vniversal Love who hold the precise Decree of Reprobation with the other Principles depending thereupon in believing That the far greater number not only of Man kind but even of those that profess the Name of Christ are necessarily damn'd and that by Vertue of God's Absolute Decree who from all Eternity ordained to Create them for that very end and appointed them to walk in such Wickedness for which he might Condemn them and punish them Eternally So that not only such as are ignorant of the History of Christ and of the Scriptures are certainly Damned but even most of those who have the benefit of this Knowledge are notwithstanding Damned also for not right using and applying the same which miserable Crime they necessarily fall in because that God albeit He publickly and by his Revealed Will doth invite them all to Salvation yet by a secret Will unknown to Men He doth with-hold from them all Power and Grace so to do Now I say whoever are of this mind as all Calvinists generally are cannot justly pretend to Vniversal Love for seeing they limit the Love of God to a small Number making all the rest only Objects of his Wrath and Indignation they must by Consequence so limit their own Love also For God being the Fountain and Author of Love no Man can extend true Christian Love beyond his yea the greatest and highest Love of any Man falls infinitely short of the Love of God even as far as a little Drop of Water falls short of the Great Ocean
Distinctly of the Trinity Trinity so called spoken of by the Author yet himself after acknowledges pag. 24. That it would seem I am Orthodox herein that he finds not any Clear Ground to the Contrary I writ as Expresly and Distinctly of that as is Expressed in Scripture which I hope J. B. will not say is defective in sufficiently Expressing this Article of Faith ¶ 8. The Third Challenge is I speak nothing of God's Decrees by which some are praedestinated to Life others Fore-ordained to Death for the Man without Ceremony takes the Doctrine for granted But if I have spoken nothing of this though perhaps not in the Method he would how Extravagant must he be that writes a whole Chapter upon Reprobation as pretending to Refute what I have said concerning it With the like Confidence not to say Impudence he accuses me of Silence in relation to the Covenants to the Redemption purchased by Christ his taking Flesh upon him to the Work of Grace and Sanctification to Obedience to the Law of God Which Gross Abuse any one that reads my Book will easily see considering how much and how particularly these things are spoken to in the Explanation of the 5 6 7 and 8. Theses Last of all he accuseth me for giving no Account of the Resurrection of the Body Resurrection of the Body owned by us But do I not expresly in my Conclusion Affirm that those that accuse us of denying of it belie us and doth not that clearly import an Owning But as to that Matter because I love not Repetitions as he doth who will be upon one Matter often and out of its proper place I will Refer what further I have to say until I come to his last Chapter At last after he has Confessed in part to what I Affirm he Craves Liberty because some may put a wrong Foundation for the right to Examin what by me is placed for it which Liberty is freely granted him for I am a great Enemy to Implicit Faith as well the Popish as Presbyterian who in that are muchâ—what alike and I will take also Liberty to Re-examin his Examination that I may free my self of those many Abuses wherewith he has Injured me SECT III. Wherein his Third Chapter of Inward and â—mmediate Revelation is Considered ¶ 1. THat I may not trouble the Reader with a long and taedious Pursuit of J. B. in all his Extravagant Rambles and Vnreasonable Railings wherein he accuses me as an Ignoramus writing Non-sense and Confusion pag. 39. more of that kind in pag. 31. while yet to his own Confusion pag. 40 and 41. The Priest's professed Ignorance he saith He knows not what I mean nor what I would prove nor what my Arguments must Conclude Wherein if he speak true he declares himself Vncapable to Judge of and far less to Answer my Arguments a large Disquisition of his Impertinency in which things I willingly Omit and will Consider this his Chapter as well where he misses as where he truly in any measure urges the Matter And first to dispatch what is Superfluous all that is said by him against False Revelations and Delusions of the Devil against which he speaks sometimes more largely sometimes more overly in pag. 21 22 34 35 36 47. no Judicious Reader will think is any thing to the purpose False Revelations and Delusions disowned by the Quakers since I never did plead for False Revelations but for the Necessity of the True Revelation of the Spirit to all real Christians And though it could be proved that either I or any other Quaker so called were deluded by a false Revelation yet it will not thence follow That our Asserting the Necessity of True Revelation to the building up of True Faith is Erroneous more than in J. B.'s own sense the Arminians or Socinians Asserting False Doctrines pretending to have for them the Authority of Scripture will make him Judge that their Asserting the Scripture to be the Only and Adequate Rule of Faith is False in his Judgment since he therein Agrees with them And therefore his Disingenuity as well as Weakness doth notably appear pag. 46 47 and 48. where coming to take notice of what I have said in shewing how the same may be returned upon such as own the Scripture Reason and Tradition to be the Rule of their Faith he gives it no Answer and most Effrontedly comes up with his oft Reiterated Story of John a Leyden and Munster with which we are less concerned than himself Notwithstanding that I shew that even men pretending to the Scripture and to be led by it and in particular his own Brethren had done no less vile Actions than those of Munster and yet he would not think it well Argued to Infer thence that it were Dangerous to follow the Scripture as the Rule To all this he returns no Answer which taketh up six pages in my Apology Lat. Ed. pag. 26 27 28 29 30 31. unless it be a sufficient Answer to say He needs not take notice of my Trifling Answers and that it is a meer Rapsody But the Truth is to use his own Expression It was too hot for his Fingers and therefore he judged best to shuffle it by so easily But his Vnfairness in this is so much the more Considerable where the pinch of the Question lay J. B. finds it too hot to Touch with Truth and his own and his Brethrens Reputation was so highly Concerned as being charged as Guilty of no less Abominations than the Monsters of Munster in that he boasts in his Epistle to the Reader That he hath Examin'd every thing Asserted by me particularly which he gives as the Reason of troubling him with so Prolixe a Treatise ¶ 2. Now albeit I might in reason pass his new-Inforced Objection till he have satisfied to this so shameful an Omission yet lest he should fancy any Strength in it and to shew him the Silliness of it I will here Consider and Remove it It runs thus pag. 46. If since the Apostles and other Extraordinary Officers fell asleep and after the Canon of the Scriptures was Compleated J. B. 's Argument All that have pretended to Immediate Revelation have been led by a Spirit of Error Then that is not the Way of Christ. But the former is true Therefore so is the other Such an Objection is not like to signify much Answ. where in both Propositions the Question is most miserably begged and the thing in debate taken for granted J. B. Argues without Proof For albeit the Connexion of the Major should be granted yet the Question is there in a great part of it begged to wit that such Officers in the Church as were the Apostles are not now neither as to the Nature of their Office nor Manner of their being led by the Spirit Next That the Canon of the Scriptures is Compleated That is to say No Writings are ever hereafter to be expected or believed
to be written by the Spirit both which I deny and he has not so much as offer'd to prove and therefore his Argument if I should go no further can Conclude nothing Next his Minor to wit That all pretending to Immediate Revelation have been led by a Spirit of Error is not at all proved by him For albeit it might be said of all those Old Sects named by him and of the German Enthusiasts yet that is not sufficient Proof unless he can make it appear that there was never any other but were so also which yet remains for him to Prove and will trouble him to Effect For to Affirm there were never any because he has never heard nor read of them were an Argument a great deal more Ridiculous than Rational And for his Challenging me to shew them albeit the Instance of the Quakers be enough to spoil all his Argument as will after appear yet by his good Leave I am not bound Affirmanti incumbit probatio And that this Answer is sufficient I have the Testimony of his Learned Brother John Menzies Professor of Divinity at Aberdeen in his Book Intituled Papismus Lucifugus where he Answers the Jesuit's Minor the same way and proveth it to be Sufficient And surely he has not taken notice that by this he has Condemned as led by a Spirit of Error all the Primitive Protestant-Martyrs that Prophesied at any time such as John Huss and George Wishart our Country-Man and many others by reason of whose Prophesying J. B. and his Brethren have valued their Cause J. B's condemning the Primitive Martyrs as led by a Spirit of Error since these Prophecies were said by them to proceed from Inward and Immediate Revelation and so they pretended to it albeit not as the ground of their Faith and Obedience in all matters of Doctrine and Worship yet as the ground of that Faith by which they believed these Revelations to proceed from God and not from the Devil and of that Obedience by which they published and declared these things Moreover he Overturns all by the last Instance which he gives to prove it to wit That the Quakers who pretend to Immediate Revelations are led by a Spirit of Error For Proof of which we have only his bare Affirmation and yet till this be proved his Objection is naught For indeed this is a rare way of debating with an Adversary to make use of an Argument by which he must be Concluded already as Erroneous in order to Convince him that he is such If this be not as they say To put the Plough before the Oxen I know not what can be said to be so For J. B's Argument to make it plain amounts to this J. B's Argument against Immediate Revelation If the Quakers be led by a Spirit of Error Then the Quakers Err in affirming Inward and Immediate Revelation to be the Ground and Foundation of true Faith But The Quakers are led by a Spirit of Error Therefore c. Which is just as if I should Argue thus If J. B. be a Knave a manifest Lyar and Calumniator Then he is not a true Minister of Christ nor fit to write in Religious matters But J. B. is such Therefore c. Is not this a notable way of Arguing and a quick Way to dispatch Controversies What saith Robert Macquair Doth not this well become his singularly Acute solidly Learned and truly gracious Author Postscript pag. 559. The next thing to be considered is His Stating the Controversy Where according to his Custom he all along beggs the Question For having writ down his Opinion and taken it for granted without offering to prove it he goes on and builds thereon without more difficulty as if it were not to be further questioned This appears in pag. 20.28.29.30.34.35.36.37.40.43.44 in which places he states his Opinion of the Immediate Revelation of the Spirit What J. B. will have Revelation by the Spirit to be as not being such as presents any Truths to be believed objectively but only in removing the Vail of the Eye of the Vnderstanding and spiritually Illuminating the Mind and Working effectually upon the Heart to embrace and receive the Truth already Revealed and Proposed in the Scriptures Now for not using this Distinction and holding Revelation in this his sense he greatly blames me as jumbling things together and darkning and pre-judging the Reader and bestows upon me ever and anon many Railing Words with the Repetition of which I will not trouble the Reader And yet notwithstanding this Accusation in Contradiction of himself he cites me pag. 42. and 28. taking notice of this very Distinction as used by some and also Refuting it Surely the Man must have miserably forgot himself and will verify the Proverb Lyars should have good Memories Next Since he judges I Err in not holding this manner of Revelation and that he builds all his Superstructure upon it as the Truth he should have offer'd to prove it to be such For since he saith They willingly grant to these Scriptures noted by me As many as are led by the Spirit of God c. Rom. 8.9 14. together with 1 Joh. 2.27 Joh. 6.45 Joh. 14.16 17. By which Scriptures he cannot deny but the manner of the Apostles being led as well as of all Christians is Included since some of them were directed to the Apostles particularly In all which there is no ground for his Distinction and Assertion It is not said The Comforter that I will send shall lead you the Apostles immediately by proposing Truth to be believed objectively to you and this shall be accounted Extraordinary but after you it shall only lead other Christians by Illuminating their Understandings and that shall be the Ordinary Leading And since then it is a Rule granted by all that we must hold to the plain Words of Scripture unless an Vrgent Necessity force us to the Contrary he should shew us where this Necessity lies and prove his Assertion to be the true and genuine Meaning of the Words and that we ought not to take them as we do according to their plain and naked Signification and Import For I would willingly hear any ground from Scripture of this Nature of Extraordinary and Ordinary Revelations as pertinent to this Debate For albeit Things Extraordinary may be Reveal'd to some and not to others that only respects the Things Revealed not the manner of Revelation For a Man telling me Extraordinary things and Ordinary albeit the things may differ in their Nature yet neither my manner of Hearing nor his of Speaking do thence necessarilly differ ¶ But perhaps the Man doth Apprehend that what he saith pag. 20.30.31.40.44.45 is some Proof of his Assertion which if he do the Reader may easily observe his Mistake where he would Insinuate As if the manner of Immediate Revelation by the Spirit asserted by me rendred all other Means Mediate Instruction not Inconsistent with Immediate Revelation even those of Teaching
either will not or can not Confirm them by the Scripture Now he knoweth in his Conscience this to be a lye since I Affirm of the Scriptures Apol. Lat. Ed. p. 47. n. 60. That they are the most fit Outward Judge of Controversies of which himself also taketh notice in that place And lastly of the Nature of these malitious Insinuations is what he saith pag. 48. and 49 and last Paragraph of this Chapter where after he has Repeated what he terms my Monitory Conclusion he infers That I mean that a man should believe that Nature's dim Light is the Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost and that he may burn the Bible J. B ' s. Calumnious Meaning he puts upon the Author and with Confidence assert he is led by the Holy Ghost whatever Scripture or Common Sense say to the Contrary This is all Affirmed by him without the least Proof which as it is the Height of Injustice so it is with respect not only to my Words but Belief and Intention God the Searcher of Hearts knows a most-horrid Falshood and Calumny ¶ 6. Now albeit what is said may seem sufficient for a Reply to this Chapter and is indeed enough to give any sober Man a Disgust of it yet that he may not have reason to Complain that any thing wherein he may judge there is Weight and is directly to the purpose is Omitted I will now in the last place Consider and Answer what he saith against the Validity of my Arguments to which an Answer hath not been Included in what is already said To begin then like himself which to be sure is with some Calumny or other he saith pag. 14. I stigmatize with the black mark of being Carnal and Natural Christians all that Assent not to what I say But he takes no time to prove it and indeed cannot For albeit I say that It is like many Natural and Carnal Christians will Condemn what I say yet it will not follow I account them all such who will not fully agree with me in this matter Of the same kind is his Calumny p. 22. n. 5. where he alledgeth The Citations of the Fathers so called prove no more than his sense of Revelation above expressed But whether he speaks true here or not the Reader may Judge by seriously Reading over these Citations and then let him see if they do not hold out An Inward and Immediate Teaching of the Spirit of God in the Soul as the firm ground of Knowledge without which all outward Teaching is in vain But to Infer this he tells They writ against such as being Impostors and led by the spirit of the Devil pretended to Revelations What then Can not men write against false Revelations without they deny the Necessity of true Ones That is an odd Conclusion If I. B. were well acquainted with the Writings of the Quakers so called he would find them as much against false Pretenders as any other But pag. 24. and 25. he findeth fault with my Argument deduced from these words That there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son because I take notice as a First Instance of God's Creating all things by Jesus Christ adding Was this so difficult a point to be proved that I was constrained to go back to the first Creation for an Argument Answ. No But I judged it not Improper however he may to shew first as Preparatory God's more general way of working by his Son Jesus Christ ere I come to that which is more particular and this was the Reason as well of my putting these Propositions into that Order as of my using of that Instance by which that pretended Abomination which he pretends lurks under words evanisheth For the Man is very good at drawing Inferences from other mens Words which they that spake and wrote them never thought of as I for one can very well witness since the least can be allowed me is to know my own Thoughts and Purpose which how he should come to Assure himself he knows better than I is more than I can fathom For the same Reason above mentioned I used the Instance of God's moving in his manifesting himself in his Creatures and of the Spirit of the Lord 's moving upon the face of the waters which pag. 26. he flouts at but doth not Answer And it is strange that he of all men should be offended with such Preparatory Considerations where the Matter is in a few pages after closely come to who has used so many Remote Arguments and several not pages only but sheets yea quires of paper in order to prove the First Day of the Week to be the Christian Sabbath He objects pag. 26. against my affirming That God's Communion with man was by Immediate Manifestation of the Spirit Immediate Revelation under the Law not Ceased under the Gospel from Adam to Moses because so few are mentioned and he supposeth the Rest not-mentioned had it only by their Instruction But since these few that are mentioned are said to have had Immediate Revelation and that the Rest had no written Rule as I. B. will Confess it seems there was more of God's Immediate Revelation in those dark Times even by his Confession than now under the Gospel where the Chief Pastors of the Church according to him are to Expect no such thing Neither is it proved that others not mentioned had no Immediate Revelations albeit they might have been Instructed by these Patriarchs which I have shewn before to be very Consistent And thus may be easily Answered setting aside his Railings what he saith pag. 27. against my Urging the Frequent Revelations that men had during all the time of the Law betwixt Moses and Malachy by which himself confesseth the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to have been written that that doth not prove that every one had such Revelations What then I lay not the stress of the Proof of Every one's having Immediate Revelations upon this but this is clearly proved from it That since Immediate Inward and Objective Revelations were so frequent during all the time of the Law which was the less-glorious Administration and that of the Letter it is grosly absurd to say as I. B. and his Brethren do that they are now Ceased under the Gospel which is said to be more-Glorious and the pouring forth of the Spirit more abundant and Universal and that not only for a little time to wit to the Apostles with Restriction to them and their Times for which he never produc'd the least proof from Scripture but to the End of the World And if so that Immediate Revelation be not Ceased there is a great deal of the point gained albeit I. B. confidently Affirms J. B. believes God spake his last Words to his Church at the End of the Revelations that there can be proved nothing by these Reasonings but what no body will deny since the Divines of Westminster have denied and I. B.
no doubt with them will deny That Immediate Revelation now is since they positively say That it is Ceased and James Durham whom I. B. applauds as a Reverend Brother and Pastor of the Church hath most absurdly affirmed in his Treatise upon the Revelation That when John finished that Book God spake his last words to his Church ¶ 7. When he cometh pag. 28. to my Proposition Asserting That these Revelations were of old the Formal Object of Faith he beginneth to Inquire and Conjecture what I mean by the Formal Object and upon that he bestows the following page For answering then his Scruples in that matter I say In a Divine Revelation two things are to be considered 1. The thing Revealed and 2. The Revelation The Thing Revealed is indeed the Material Object The Revelation is the Formal Object In which may be considered not only The Manner of the Revelation The Material and Formal Object of Faith distinguished that is the Voice or Speech of God unto the Soul or his Imprinting in the Soul by a Divine Manifestation the things Revealed but also God himself so Operating both which to wit Deus loquens id est God speaking is the Formal Object of Faith He himself his Veracity is the Original Ground of our Faith His Voice Holy Influence and Manifestation by which he Expresseth himself gives us the Certainty and Assurance that it is He and is very distinguishable by those of a Spiritual Discerning from the most subtile Appearance and Transformations of the Devil since Christ saith My Sheep hear my Voice and will not hear that of a Stranger Even as the Voice and Appearance of two Men of the most contrary and different Humours Statures and Complexions are different and distinguishable by a Man of a sharp Sight to whom those Men are well known But of this I wrote more largly in my Letter to a certain Ambassadour printed the last Year at Roterdam at the End of the Letter written to the Ambassadours of Nimmegen whereto I refer him for further Satisfaction But I wholy deny the Consequence deduced by him that if God's Veracity because it is God that speaketh and commandeth be the formal Object of Faith therefore it is all one whether it be Mediate or Immediate Since albeit that be the Original Ground yet the Immediate Revelation is necessary that we may certainly know that it is he For what avails it me to believe That all that God Commands is True and ought to be Obeyed if I do not certainly know the things I believe as Truth do come from him And the Question is Whether certain Knowledge can be had without Immediate Revelation And therefore to this his Question in the following page 30. What was the formal Object of the Faith of the People to whom the Patriarchs and Prophets said Thus saith the LORD I answer The Inward Testimony of the Spirit in their Heart assuring them That the things spoken were from the Lord and not the Divinations of the Mens Brains that spake them and therefore inclining their Hearts to receive and acknowledge these things as the Commands of God unto them Since as J. B. Confesseth They were not to believe them because spoken by those Men but because of the Authority of God It must be that which wrought this Perswasion and Assurance in them was the formal Object of their Faith as the things spoken were the Material Even as the Light serves by way of formal Object to make us see what is proposed unto us ¶ 8. Pag. 31 and 32. he acknowledgeth That Divine and Inward Revelations need not be tried by the Scripture as a more Noble Rule by him who hath such a Revelation but by those to whom he delivers it And then giveth the Instance of the Beraeans being Commended To which I shall willingly Assent judging no Man that delivers or declares a Revelation to another ought to be offended that he Try it by the Scripture which no true Revelation can Contradict The Spirit of God in the Heart to try Revelations by is a more noble Rule than the Scriptures But that such may not also Try it by the Testimony of the Spirit of God in their Hearts I cannot deny and that it is the More Noble Rule as being most Vniversal Since some Divine Revelations such as Prophecies of Contingent Truths or things to come cannot be Tried by the Scriptures as was that of George Wishart concerning the Cardinal's Death For had another taken upon him at that time to Prophesy the quite Contrary I would willingly be informed by what Scripture it could be deduced or known that the one was false or the other true yet who will be so absurd as to deny but that it could by the Immediate Testimony of the Spirit As for his Proof That the Scripture is the most certain Rule taken from those Words 2 Pet. 1.19 20. We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy c. It is but a begging of the Question in supposing that Peter by this understood the Scripture and indeed is most Ridiculous to Affirm For since the Apostle reckons this Word more sure than the Voice they heard with their outward Ears J. B. pleads the Scriptures to be the more sure Word of Prophecy and the Vision they saw with their outward Eyes it were absurd to affirm that the Description or Narration of a thing were more sure than the Immediate Seeing and Hearing it Can any Description I may receive of J. B. however True give me so certain a Knowledge of him as if I saw him and spake with him Yet without any absurdity it may be said That the Inward Word or Testimony of the Spirit in the Heart is more sure in things Spiritual than any thing that is objected to or conveyed by the outward Senses as that Vision was of which the Apostle there speaks since the Inward and Spiritual Senses are the most proper and adequate Means of conveying Spiritual Things to the Soul by which the Saints after they have laid down this Body and have no more the Use of the Outward Senses which are seated in it do most surely enjoy the Blessed Vision of God and Fellowship both with him and one another As for that of Isa. 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony c. and that of Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures c. mentioned here by him I shall have occasion to speak of them hereafter It 's true We are not to believe every Spirit but it will not thence follow that the Scripture is a more sure Rule than the Spirit for such a Trial. Pag. 35. he thinks My saying That the Divine Revelation moveth the Vnderstanding well disposed Confirmeth what he saith and spoieth all my Purpose because then Every Revelation pretending to be Divine is not to be submitted to But where did ever I say so What he talks further of this Well-disposed Intellect pag. 36. I spake to in my Answer to
Arnoldus pag. 18 19. to which I refer For I believe All Men in a Day have by the gracious Visitation of God's Love an Vnderstanding well disposed to some Divine Revelations which becomes Disposed for others as these are Received which will after in its place be discussed And some Divine Revelations which are Prophetick of things to come may so far manifest themselves by their Self-Evidence even to Men not Regenerate as to force an Assent as in the Case of Balaam mentioned by him did apper What he saith further pag. 36 and 37. inquiring How and after what manner these Revelations were the Object of the Saints Faith of Old is easily answered by applying it to what is before mentioned in Answer to his Queries and Conjectures of the Formal Object For those of Old that had these Revelations Immediately the Formal Object of their Faith was God manifesting himself and his Will in them to them by such Revelations And those who received and obeyed the things delivered by the Patriarchs and Prophets those things so delivered as he confesseth were not the Formal The Material and Formal Object of FAITH but Material Object of their Faith but the Formal Object was GOD by the secret and inward Testimony of his Spirit perswading them in their Hearts that these things declared to them were really his Command and thence inclining and bowing their Minds to an Assent and Obedience to them And albeit pag. 38. he terms this a Wild Assertion yet he hath but said and not proved it to be so and till he prove he needs no further Refutation Neither is it Non-sense nor yet a destroying of the Cause as with the like proofless Confidence he affirms p. 37. That where Revelations are made by outward Voices or in a manner objected to the outward Senses the Cause or Motive of Credibility is not so much because of what the outward Senses perceive as because of the Inward Testimony of the Spirit assuring the Soul that it is GOD so manifesting himself Which Testimony to answer his Question is distinguishable from what is objected to the outward Senses albeit it go always along with it simul semel as they use to say since he with me accounts it a Serious Truth to say The Devil may delude the External Senses and he can far more easily deceive them than the True Inward and Spiritual Senses of the Soul by Counterfeiting the Inward Testimony of the Spirit Since by that the Apostle saith We know and partake of that which neither Eye hath seen nor Ear heard ¶ 9. Pag. 39. He confesseth with me That the Formal Object of the Saints Faith is always the same But yet that he may say something he spendeth the Paragraph in Railing accusing me As writing Non-sense and being an Ignoramus because I bring Instances which relate to the Material Object which himself Confesseth also to be the same in Substance But by his good Leave for all he is so positive in his Judgment I must shew the Reader his Mistake The Formal Object of Abraham's Faith For those Examples of Abraham and others are adduced by me to shew the one-ness of the Formal Object neither has he shewn that they are Impertinent for that End Since as the Formal Object of Abraham's Faith was God's speaking to him by Divine Revelations so is the same the Formal Object of the Saints now and therein stands the Vnity or Oneness of our Faith with him and not in the Material Object which often differs For to offer up his Son was a part of the Material Object of his Faith which is none of ours now And so for as much as he desires to know of me What was the Material Object of Adam 's Faith before the Fall a Question not to the purpose he must first tell me why he so Magisterially and positively denies Christ to have been the Object of his Faith And then he may have an Answer And whereas he flouts at that Reason That Actions are specified from their objects as Non-sensical he should have proved and shewn Wherein And then I might have Answer'd him He might have Wit enough to know that no man of Reason will be moved by his bare Railing Assertions pag. 40. besides a deal of Railing wherein he accuseth me of Confusion and Darkness He accounts my Arguing for Immediate Revelation from the Revelations the Patriarchs and Prophets had Impertinent to which I Answered before The sum of which is that since these Immediate Revelations were so frequent under the Law Revelations frequent under the Law it must be very absurd to say They are Ceased under the Gospel He himself proveth pag. 41. that under the New there is a more clear Discovery according to that of Paul 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord c. which being brought by him albeit against himself I leave him to Answer In this page and the next 42 he alledgeth the sayings of Christ and his Apostles brought by me and my Arguments thence do prove no more than he Confesseth But whether they prove not all I plead for from thence is left to the Reader 's Judgment Here according to his Custom tho I Condemn the Socinians he will be insinuating that I Agree with them to whose Notions of the Spirit albeit I Assent not yet I desire to know of him That the Spirit is a distinct Person of the Trinity no Proof in Scripture for it in what Scripture he finds these words That the Spirit is a distinct Person of the Trinity For I freely acknowledge according to the Scripture That the Spirit of God proceedeth from the Father and the Son and is God And by what Authority he seeks to obtrude upon others Expressions of the Chief Articles of Faith not to be found in Scripture or to accuse such as will not Accept of them and Assent to them or whether any has reason to think he truly makes the Scripture the Rule of his Faith notwithstanding his pretence when he either will not or can not find words in it to Express the Chief Articles of his Creed ¶ 10. Pag. 43. By a strange Mistake he would have me prove since I make use of these promises of Christ relating to the Spirit I would prove that all have Warrant to write Scripture As if no man could have Immediate Revelation without he write Scripture Whereas himself Confesseth that many of the Patriarchr had it before Moses who yet wrote no Scripture yea and Cain whom I suppose he judgeth to have been no Writer of Scripturs And by the like Mistake pag. 55. He Confesseth all I plead for J. B's Self-Contradiction in granting Revelation and Contradicts all he has been fighting for in affirming That Believers now have free Access to Christ the great Teacher of his People always to get his mind known and Written in their Hearts but not to get Prophetick Revelations
luck was himself was Judge What he would Infer hence I see not unless that their Version is free of Errors which if he will adventure to Affirm his Mistake may be shewn by the Testimony of Learned Men among themselves and his own Correcting it divers times which will after be Observed He saith My speaking soberly of the Scriptures is only out of Policy because the Quakers could not effectuate their point which was to have the Scriptures quite laid by as an Old Almanack But such malitious Lies and Railings need no Answer J. B.'s gross Calumnies denying our using Scripture-Testimonies To this he adds two other gross Calumnies to Conclude his Paragraph That it is the Quakers fixed Opinion that the Scriptures are not to be made use of in their Assemblies it being below them to Expound any Portion of it there or to Adduce any Testimony there-from for Confirmation of their Assertions This can be proved to be a Manifest Vntruth by the Testimony of many that are not Quakers who have been Witnesses of the Contrary The other which he calleth Their Constant Opinion is That when one cometh to hearken to the Light within he hath obtained the whole End of the Scriptures so that they become wholly useless to him This is also a horrid Calumny ¶ 10. In his Examining of what I Assert to be the End and Vsefulness of the Scriptures p. 83.84 he cannot find fault with what I Ascribe to them but that I give them not all and whether I do wrong denying that to them which he would seem to give the former Debate will shew But that he may be here like himself he seeks to Infer from my words most gross and malitious Consequences which are utterly false and till he prove them they need no other Answer but to observe them and deny them which I utterly do Such as That albeit Christ has ordained Pastors J. B's false Insinuations against our Asserting the Vsefulness and Truth of the Scriptures and the Scriptures under the Gospel to make the Man of God perfect yet the Quakers think they may be both laid aside as useless That according to me the Scriptures are not so much as a Subordinare Rule That the Quakers would have all others save themselves to look upon themselves as not concerned in the Scriptures that so they might be the sole Keepers of these Oracles and then he saith they shall quickly know what shall become of them And that the Quakers always suppose that what the Spirit within them saith cannot contradict the Scripture and therefore what they say contrary to the Scripture from the Spirit within must be supposed to be seeming and not real This he Repeats again according to his Custom in the next page If he mean the Spirit of God I hope he will not deny it and if he mean any other Spirit we deny it But he would be fastening that upon us here which may be justly said to them of their Exalting their Confession of Faith above the Scriptures as in the first Section upon his Preface I observed But he hath an Objection which he urgeth p. 67. and by which he thinks to overturn all asking If I believe the Testimony of the Scriptures to be True Yes I do believe them because the Testimony of the Spirit in my heart obligeth me so to do and therefore being perswaded they are True I make use of them though in respect to my self not in the first and primary place but in a secondary next to the Spirit yet as to him I may urge them every way because he accounts them so And as to their Testimony for the Spirit 's being the Principal Leader upon my using of which he founds his Objection albeit since he acknowledgeth it he has the less Reason to Carp at it I believe it from the Scripture-Testimony but not as the primary Ground of my Faith which I derive from the Spirit it self yet as a Ground and that a Very weighty One. As for his other Question Whether I be of the fame mind with other Quakers of whom Mr. Hicks Reporteth I answer That what is there Reported by Hicks is false and I here dare J. B. and his Author Hicks to prove it to have been said by any Quaker which till they can do by good and sufficient Proof they are both to be held as Lying Calumniators SECT V. Wherein his Fifth and Sixth Chapters Intituled by him Of Man's Natural State and Of Original Sin are Considered 1. AFter he has Repeated some of my words he Complains I speak darkly and having given his usual malitious Insinuations that I do it of Design and have some Mysteries under it He takes upon him to endeavour to guess at my Meaning and bestows many Pages to frame one Conjecture after another and then spends many words to Refute these Shadows and Men of Straw of his own making And yet at the end of all he Confesses He doubts whether he has got or hit my Meaning J. B. Confesses himself in the Dark with Trying his uncertain Conjectures And to be sure then he must be as Vncertain that he has Refuted it and therefore knoweth not but all his Reasonings against his own Conjectures are Impertinent For after he hath written one Conjecture and bestows much labour in Refuting it his own words are p. 91. n 5. If this be not his true meaning let us try another Conjecture which shews he knows not whether what he said before was to the purpose Thus he spendeth pag. 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98. in which last Page he is very Angry that I should Condemn the Socinians and Pelagians but the Reason is manifest because he would so willingly have it believed that I am one with them And albeit I could not in Reason be Obliged to say any thing more to these Pages yet that none of these fictitious and false Conjectures may catch any unwary Reader I do freely Affirm that I believe Man fell and was degenerated both as to Soul and Body and I understand the first Adam or Earthly Man to Comprehend both But that there was something in Adam which was no part of his Soul and Body nor yet Constitutive of his being a Man in my Judgment which could not degenerate The Fall of Man and the Breath of lives Spiraculum Vitarum remaining in Adam and which was in Adam by the Fall Reduced to a Seed and could never have been Raised in him again to his Comfort but by a New Visitation of Life which from Christ by the Promise was Administred unto him and is to all Men in a Day for to say the affirming such a Seed remained in Adam when he fell doth Infer his Vnderstanding was not hurt and as he doth p. 94. is a Consequence I deny and remains for him to prove That to believe there was such a thing in Adam which the Scripture calleth Spiraculum vitarum the Breath of
saith here He will ask one word more Where I read that Christ's Flesh and Blood came down from Heaven for so my words should be Translated it seems he is either very Ignorant J. B'S Ignorance of the Scriptures or forgetful of the Scriptures and therefore let him read John 6.51 where Christ saith he is the Living Bread that came down from Heaven adding that Bread to be his Flesh. In like manner is his other Malitious Perversion denied and returned upon him where he would Infer upon us That each of us esteemed our selves as much the Christ of God as Christ was so that the Blasphemy he exclaims against is his own who speaks evil of others without a Cause Another of his Perversions is p. 236. where repeating my words he rendereth them thus out of the Latine J. B. falsly Translates the Author to seek Advantage against him This is that Inward Christ of which we Only and so often speak whereas it should have been Translated Which we so much and so often speak for as the English Edition doth verify the Latine word tantum signifies so much as well as only and was so intended here by me that it must be so both the Context and what I say elsewhere sheweth But he would have it only that he might pervert and rail the more liberally albeit he cannot be ignorant that the Latine word tantum signifies so much as ordinary Dictionaries shew and Cicero saying Nec tantum proficiebam quantum volebam nec quicquam posthac non modo tantum sed ne tantulum quidem praeterieris Those who debate fairly use not to strain their Adversaries words to abuse them when they know they may bear a better Interpretation His next Perversion is yet more Gross and Abusive p. 238. where from my denying That we equal our selves to that Holy Man the Lord Jesus Christ c. in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily He Concludes I affirm him to be no more but a Holy Man and because I use the words plenitudo Divinitatis that I deny his Deity which is an abominable Falshood I detest that Doctrine of the Socinians and deny there is any ground for their Distinction and when I Confess him to be a Holy Man I deny him not to be GOD as this Man most Injuriously would Insinuate for I Confess him to be really both True God and True Man Christ true God and true Man And whereas he rails and exclaims here and in the following page at a monstrous rate as if the Comparison I bring of the Difference betwixt every Saint and the Man Jesus from the Sap its being other ways in the Root and Stock of the Tree than in the Branches did further Confirm our Equalling our selves to him he doth but shew his Folly since Christ himself useth the same Comparison Joh. 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the Branches to which I alluded And upon this he runneth out in a vehement strain of Railing p. 239. exclaiming against us as if we denied the Deity of Christ and his Incarnation which is utterly false and therefore his work there to prove what I deny not is in vain And yet he repeateth this Calumny p. 242. adding That my saying That we believe what is written of the Conception Birth Life and Death of Christ c. to be true doth not vindicate us from it and then he subjoins Do you believe that that Body which was Crucified at Jerusalem Rose again and is now in Glory Speak your mind here if you dare This Defiance to all Men of Reason will Insinuate as if I did not believe this or durst not speak my Mind of it and therefore if this be found false he must in the judgment of all sober Men pass for a malitious Perverter For answer then I say I do believe that the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was Crucified at Jerusalem Our Belief of the Body of Christ Crucified Raised again and Glorified was again Raised by the Power of God in which glorified Body the Lord Jesus Christ dwelleth and I dare him to shew where in my Apology or elsewhere I ever said or wrote any thing to the Contrary Of the like nature to these Perversions is what we saith p. 264. where from my urging from Heb. 4.12 13. the Word of God is said to be a Discerner of the Thoughts of the heart he would Infer That the Quakers then must know other Mens Thoughts who have this in them and are sensible of it But the Absurdity here is his own Do not they say Every true Believer has the Spirit of God in them And albeit the Spirit know all things yet Every Believer knoweth not all things Since he is so ready by Consequences to make Men Blasphemers for asserting Scripture-Truth how can he avoid passing this Censure upon the Apostle who saith 1 Cor. 2.15 He that is Spiritual judgeth all things and no Man can judge any thing He that is Spiritual judgeth all things but what he knows And whereas he Rails here in saying We ascribe to the Light within the property of God and have no other Christ as also to the same purpose p. 242.237 saying The Christ we Command to believe in is not the Christ the Scriptures testify of but one born with every Man neither God nor Man c. is all answered and the Absurdity he draws from it Removed by what George Keith hath said in his Book called The Way Cast up wherein he shews by the Extension of the Soul of Christ how this is no denying of the Man Jesus but on the Contrary And if either I or any other have called the Light within GOD or ascribed to it the Property of God it is no more upon this Hypothesis than they do who say The Man Christ is God and by reason of the Personal Vnion ascribe sometimes the Actions of the one nature to the Person denominated by the other The Personal Vnion in Christ. as the Westminster Confession it self acknowledges Chap. 8. And since R. Macquair hath promised a Refutation of that Book of G. K. by J. B. in his name when we see it this may be further spoken to if need be upon which also will depend the full Discussion of that Question mentioned p. 240 241. Whether the Seed be a Substance since he will not deny the Soul of Christ is a Substance and consequently distinct from Reason as also that of Christ's being Crucified in the Wicked which p. 246. he calls a Non-sensical Dream and of the Seed's being a distinct Principle from the Soul spoken of p. 247. The full Treating of all which being Referred until that promised Work of his appear As to that I shall only say in short at present that whereas I say This Seed is not the being of God simply considered he addeth p. 230. That then all Men are Partakers of the being of God some other way Considered and what Blasphemy
understood of true and saving Grace but let him Inform according to Scripture How any Man can come to tast of the Heavenly Gift and of the Powers of the Life to come and be made partaker of the Holy Ghost without true and saving Grace For what he adds to this being built upon the Supposition of Election I refer it to what is abovesaid upon this Subject He Concludes Vossius's Testimony to be false in saying That this was the Common Opinion of the Ancients But if so little Credit be to be given him he did not well that made so much use of him to prove what was Pelagius's Doctrine as he has done throughout this Treatise For John Owen's Citations I have neither Accommodation nor Time at present to Examine them it is enough to me that this is Contrary to Scripture though all these he mentions had said so To prove That Men may have a good Conscience and yet want true Faith he bringeth Paul's Words Acts 23. v. 1. where speaking of himself while a Pharisee he saith He lived in all good Conscience before God c. but that will not meet this Case Those 1 Tim. 1.19 who are said to Make shipwrack of a good Conscience are such who believed the true Doctrine of Faith in Christ A Man may live in good Conscience to other Principles while Ignorant of the true Faith in Christ. as himself before acknowledgeth Now albeit a Man may be said to live in good Conscience to other Principles while Ignorant of this yet he should prove How a Man can be said to have a good Conscience with respect to the true Faith of Christ held by him and yet without saving or true Grace With Railing he tells me pag. 358. N. 18. that Phil. 1.6 and 1 Pet. 1.5 speak of God's beginning and perfecting the Condition And what then yet God doth not this against our Wills it is with a respect to our performing the Conditions on our part which yet we cannot do without him Then he goes about to prove That Paul could not fall in answer to my saying from 1 Cor. 9.27 That Paul supposeth a possibility that he might become a Reprobate But if the Reader Consider how I bring that in my Apology he will find he had no reason for this Cavil for I alledged it only to Reprove those that are too too secure shewing where Sin was there was always a Ground of Jealousy Since the Apostle did reckon it needful to keep under his Body to subdue Sin that he might not become a Reprobate Which since the Apostle did but upon this Supposition if he did not keep under his Body suppose possible others had no Reason to presume SECT XI Wherein his Sixteenth Chapter Of the Church his Seventeenth Of the Ministerial Call his Eighteen Nineteen and Twenty First Of their Qualifications Office and Maintenance and his Twentieth Of Womens Preaching is considered ¶ 1. HIs Chapter of the Church is soon dispatched for it contains scarce any thing but Perversions and Railing For after he has given a large Citation out of their Confession of Faith and then added some Enlargements of his own and some little nibbling Cavils to what I say of No Salvation being without the Church pag 361. he goes on with his old reiterated Calumny That I suppose Men may be made Members of the Catholick Church by the Light of Nature which is utterly false And upon this false Supposition is built his N. 5. pag. 362. as also what he saith pag. 364. But N. 4. he screws this to a greater Pitch of Falshood affirming J. B.'s gross Calumny That our Faith and Principles are only taught by the Light of Nature That what I say of a Particular Church gathered together in the Faith of the true Principles and Doctrines of Christ by the Spirit of God and Testimony of some of his Ministers is that these are Persons only taught by the Light of Nature and by such Ministers as preach nothing of the Gospel Against a Man thus desperately resolved and determined to Lie and Calumniate there can be no Guard bu sure all sober Readers will abhor such Dealing What I speak of a Church in this Respect is only of such as have the Advantage of the outward Knowledge of Christ as my Words afterwards shew where I say Such were the Churches gathered by the Apostles of which the Scripture makes mention And therefore what he Objects That cannot be done by Pagans is wholly Impertinent and doth but verify the grosness of his Calumny which he endeavours to inculcate as a Truth to his Reader pag. 363. as if what I say further of the things requisite to be a Member of this Particular Church were a third Sort and not a more particular Description of the former Which the Reader may easily observe by looking to the Place to be a meer Fetch of his to afford himself some matter of Cavil Which imagining he has got he fills up the Paragraph with gross Lies and Railing saying That the Quakers believe not the Holy Truths set down in the Scriptures because they oppose and contradict them J. B.'s further Lies against us of the Scriptures of Christ and our Faith That they believe not in nor make Profâ—ssion of Jesus Christ Revealed in the New Testament because they oppose him and all his Institutions That Faith according to them is not wrought by the Spirit of God but that Nature can sweetly and naturally Incline yea Compel thereunto All which are Gross Calumnies And then he concludeth saying And thus we have Run round and are again where we began which is very true for he began with Calumnies and having run round the same way his Work Resolves in them Pag. 364. He affirmeth Men may be Members of the visible Church and consequently ought to be reputed such who are ungodly and without holiness and offereth to make it good if I will form a Dispute upon it but I leave him as to this to Dispute with his Learned Dr. Owen whose Works he has Applauded in this Treatise and whom his Postscript-Brother R. M. has in his Preface to this J. B.'s Book highly Commended as a Gracious Man As for his Silly Argument that from the Apostle's saying Act. 2.39 The Promise is unto you and to your Children and 1 Cor. 7.14 it follows Men become Members of the Church by Birth I leave him to debate it with his great Author Thomas Hicks who will tell him if he be Consonant to his own Principles it is a Babylonish Invention But J. B. hath here unawares Contradicted himself for if these Scriptures prove Men become Members of the Church by Birth then the Sprinkling them with Water sometime after they are born or their Baby-Baptism J. B. shuts out their Baby-Baptism from making them Church-Members is not necessary to make them Members of the Church and they are to be accounted such without it He saith I am mistaken when I say
Motion or Assistance will come afterwards to be proved and to suppose God cannot or will not move any but Ministers by his Spirit to Exhort were to limit him which is presumptuous in us to do But in this appeareth the difference Some do not Speak altho ' endued with the Spirit in Publick that we Confess many may and know Thousands among us whom we acknowledge to be good Men and sufficiently Endued with the Spirit towards the work of Regeneration in themselves and brotherly Love and Care to their Brethren who never find themselves moved to speak a Word in Publick and there are others whom God calleth to make Teaching and the Over-sight of the Church so their Constant Business that they are less engaged in worldly Affairs than the generality of those called Clergy-men even among J. B.'s Brethren and therefore are owned and honoured and so far as need requires maintained by the Church But to say that no Man ought without he be thus particularly Called at any time speak in a Publick Assembly since we say that they ought not but when moved by the Spirit is not only to accuse us Yet none to bind up God from moving with his Spirit when and in whom he please but imperiously bind up God from moving with his Spirit whom and when he pleaseth And this being Applied will Answer his Queries pag. 369. where n. 14. he affirms That to suppose Ministers may use an honest Trade is to account the Work of the Ministry a light business But this is to account it no more a light business than the Apostle did who recommended Working with their Hands for a livelihood to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Act. 20.34 35. giving them his own Example in so doing But they indeed must have small Experience of a true Ministry who do not know a Man may be better qualified to discharge it by being inwardly exercised in the Spirit and Instructed thereby than by all the Labour and Study they can derive from their Books and perhaps it may be true Book-Study will not do Paul labour'd with his Hands which he after affirms that such who bring their Preaching always out of Books will find little time to follow another Trade but it seems such Preachers are uncapable to follow the Apostle's Exhortation above mentioned and therefore we will justly conclude them to be no true Gospel-Ministers ¶ 5. That he may be like himself he begins his 20 th Chapter of Women-Preachers with Railing saying The Quakers are against all the Appointments and Ordinances of Christ then he goeth on at a high rate Inveighing against the Liberty of Womens speaking from Paul's words 1 Cor. 14.34 as being against the Law as being contrary to Modesty and Shamefacedness urging pag. 398. the Apostle's Authority in Writing that Epistle which we deny not And then he urgeth against us 1 Tim. 2.11 alledging That its being said Adam was first formed and then Eva and Eva being first in the Transgression infers that Womens Preaching is against the Law of Nature and that this Silence is imposed upon Women as a just Judgment for Eva 's Transgression For this last Inference we have nothing but his Affirmation To the former I answered in my Apology shewing that these words of the Apostle cannot be taken absolutely and without limitation since the same Apostle giveth Rules How Women ought to Pray and Preach th' Apostle tells how Women should behave themselves in their Praying and Preaching in the Church But he reckons that this is for me to make the Apostle Contradict himself while this is his own Case who takes the Apostle's words without limitation else there is not the least Contradiction yea his desiring them to Ask their Husbands at home shews that it cannot be taken Vniversally seeing all Women have not Husbands And for his saying That what the Apostle saith Chap. 11. v. 5. But every Woman that Prayeth or Prophesieth with her Head uncovered c. is not to be meant of their carriage when they are Praying themselves but when they are present at others doing of it This is his bare Affirmation without Proof Contrary to the express words of the Text which saith Every Woman that Prayeth c. not when she heareth another Pray And by this way it might be as easily affirmed where the Apostle in the same place speaks of Men's Praying with their Heads covered that it is not when they Pray themselves but when they hear others And that there must be a Limitation he confesseth saying That the Lord made use of Prophetesses of Old and that he is free to make use of whom he will If so then if the Lord do so now who dare plead against it Yea the practice of J. B.'s Brethren doth Contradict this Scripture if they will not admit a Limitation For will he deny but heretofore at Presbyterian Meetings where sometimes 20 and 30. and more have been together Women have both Spoken and Prayed And have not Women Spoke and Prayed at your Meetings yea been Invited too yea been invited and urged to do so by Eminent Preachers there present And is not that properly a Church where Christians are met together to Worship God and Edify one another If he say this was only private I answer However Private it was it was still a Church for it is not the Greatness of the Number that makes the Church since the fewer Number may more properly sometimes be Esteemed the Church than the greater And if he take the Apostle's words absolutely without Limitation it will Exclude Women from speaking in any Assembly met for Religious Worship and Exercise unless he will be so Superstitious as to ascribe the Churchship to the old Popish Mass-house-Walls and if so What! is the Church Old Popish Mass-House-Walls it will trouble him to prove there were any such in Corinth used by Christians when the Apostle wrote to them so as to think that if Women speak not there they do not speak in the Church And yet how comes it that by the Acts of the General Assembly Whores are not only permitted but constrained to speak in the most publick Assemblies and that in a place allotted for them no less Eminent than the Pulpit Sure if such Women may there speak of their sins and tell how they have been Tempted of the Devil good Women moved by the Spirit of God may tell what God has done for them in preserving them from such Evils Neither will it serve to say that it is not Authoritative speaking for the Apostle's words are I permit not a Woman to speak not I permit her not to speak Authoritatively for the words added Nor to usurp Authority over the Man is a distinct Precept Women may usurp Authority over their Men who never offer to Preach in the Church as also some may speak there who may be very subject to their Husbands Besides they permit Women to Sing publickly which
I profess I see none He desires also to know from Scripture the Necessity when Men are Met together of Turning their minds Inward A Turning of the Mind inward is an Abstracting from all Worldly Thoughts to mind God in the Soul which he still will express to make it the more frightful by the Latine word Introversio and this he thinks so hard that he often insists upon it as pag. 446 447 448. But is it not needful to Assemble in the Name of Jesus And can that truly be without Turning the mind Inward unless with superstitious Papists he thinks it is enough for meeting in the Name of Jesus to say when they begin In Nomine Domini however their minds be abroad Can there be any true sense of God's Majesty as him to whom we draw near which himself confest before to be needful without a serious Turning of the Mind Inward that is an Abstracting from all worldly and vain Thoughts to mind GOD and the Operations of his Spirit in the Soul Let him read Psalm 46.14 and 62. 1 Eccles. 5.2.3 Zach. 2.3 It were hard for him to forget his Old often-reiterated Calumny and therefore he hath it here oftner than once as pag. 441 442-447 alledging most falsly That all that by which the Quakers preach or require as needful to preach is but the dima and darkned and malignant Light of Nature Neither will he forget here his constant trade of Railing J. B.'s abusive Railing take one Instance pag. 447. where he says That before I want Revelations I will go the Devil to get them as Saul did to the Witch of Endor More of such Railing Stuff the Reader may find and that very plentifully pag. 440-442-448 He wants not here also his malitious Insinuations as pag. 439. That the Quakers use Legerdemaine to make People believe they speak all without a previous Thought in their Preaching and yet have all to a word well studied If he accuse the Quakers of this let him prove it if he can for we deny it as a gross Calumny Another is pag. 441. That we would have all Study all Meditation all Prayer and Wrestling with God in Prayer laid aside which is also false But to proceed he soundeth what he saith in this matter upon two great Mistakes which being removed the Superstructure will fall of it self J. B. pleads Study and Premeditation to Preach from Paul's citing Heathen-Poets c. The first is pag. 438. where to prove the Vsefulness of Study and Premeditation to Preaching he tells How Paul made use of what he had read out of a Heathen-Poet his recommending Reading to Timothy his desiring Titus to hold fast the faithful Word as he had been taught c. and Apollos being instructed by Aquila and Priscilla all which are nothing to his purpose For we never said it was Vnlawful for Men to read Books especially the Scripture or that by such Reading Men may not acquire knowledge which may prove Vseful in Preaching or Defending the Truth but the question is Whether Men may make use of these things in publick Worship otherwise than as led and acted and influenced by the Spirit so to do and Whether any of these places will allow Men to preach in the strength of their Natural or Acquired parts without being acted therein by the Spirit Let him prove this if he can for this is the matter in question and remember Robert Bruce his Censure of Robert Blair his Sermon recorded in The fulfilling of the Scriptures His second Mistake is pag. 443 where he supposeth That to be led by the Spirit To be led by the Spirit doth not exclude the Reading of the Scriptures excludeth or is inconsistent with Reading Scripture and with all the particular Instructions given by Paul to Timothy and Titus who might have said as this Man argues I cannot be stinted unto these Doctrines which you desire me to put the Brethren in remembrance of for I must speak as the Spirit speaketh in me and the like But will he say that Timothy was not to speak as the Spirit spake in him To suppose this as Inconsistent with such Instructions is to beg the question and that these are Consistent I have shewn above in my Third Section of Immediate Revelation or let him tell plainly if Timothy could do those things acceptably without the Spirit since all Worship is commanded by Christ to be done now in the Spirit And yet he seemeth to agree to the Nacessity of the Spirit else why quarreleth he me pag. 448. for insinuating as he saith That their Ministers preach not in the demonstration of the Spirit giving an Enumeration p. 439. of several ways which he saith I know not but their Ministers are led to preach by among which this is one What know I saith he but there may be some that never digest their Preachings so as not to lie open to the Influences of the Spirit and to welcome his seasonable and useful Suggestions and to speak many things which they had not once premeditated But I would ask him Whether it be lawful for any so to digest their Matter as not to lie thus open to the Spirit 's Influences He would seem to say It were since it is but some and a may be some too with him that do so And whereas he tells of some that are constrained to change their Text and what they had purposed to speak upon it This shews the Case is but rare and therefore I am not to be blamed for what I say in general of Preachers among Papists and Protestants whose general way is To prepare aforehand Both Protestants and Papists prepare a forehand what to Preach what they preach and then speak it to the People at a set hour without waiting for the leading of the Spirit or whether they have its Influence or not And for all the Weight that this Man would seem to lay sometimes upon the Spirit 's Influence and Concurrence yet he gives shrewd Presumptions that he doth it but pro forma Else how comes he to urge as an Absurdity pag. 445. That all that Ministers preach by the Spirit must be true And why not If it be from the Spirit it cannot be other ways Yet Men whose Principle it is to speak from the Spirit may through Weakness and Mistake preach false Doctrine yet the Spirit is not to be blamed for it but those who keep not purely to it I suppose he will not deny but all that which Men preach according to the Scripture is Infallibly True it will not thence follow that all that which Men whose Principle it is to preach according to Scripture preach is True because that through Weakness they may mistake the true Meaning of the Scripture Also what he adds If the Matter be thus It is not ye that speak but it is your Father's Spirit which speaketh in you it is all one whether the Preacher be young or old for
it is not he that speaketh but the Spirit in him for this savoureth not of a Christian Spirit to seek to draw an Absurdity or make a Mock of that which is no other than Christ's Express Words Matth. 10.20 Mark 13.3 And indeed what he saith in this page N. 9. in answer to these Scriptures seemeth rather a Mock at Christ and his Apostles than any Answer asking me If I know not that Christ gave them their Preaching with them telling them what they should say And as ye go preach saying The Kingdom of God is at Hand And a little after he saith They had their Sermon taught them before-hand But dare he say That Christ's Words before-mentioned were therefore false This he must say or else prove nothing Or will he say that the Apostles in all that Progress said nothing but these seven Words The Kingdom of God is at Hand For according to him this was all they said which they had learned afore-hand and not as the Holy Ghost taught them in that Hour what to say albeit it be Christ's Express Words Luke 12.12 Pag. 447. to my Argument that according to their Doctrine the Devil himself ought to be heard seeing he knoweth the Notion of Truth and excelleth many of them in Learning and Eloquence he answers Why doth the Man thus speak Vntruth Do we say that every one though he were the Devil if he speak Truth should be heard Do they not say That Men ought to be heard and accounted as Ministers albeit void of the true Grace of God if having the formality of the outward Call And to prove this do not they bring the Example of Judas whom Christ called a Devil And they suppose him to have been such even when sent by Christ and deserved to be heard as his Apostle Let him consider then how he can shun what I have affirmed And albeit the Devil may speak without Study J. B. argues for acquiring the Gift of Preaching by outward Study of the Letter yet he cannot be said to Speak by the Spirit of God which is the thing we affirm needful to Gospel-Preaching And for his last Argument pag. 448. That since extraordinary Gifts Ceased there hath been no ordinary way of Preaching but by ordinary Gifts studied and acquired It is but a bare begging of the Question and the same upon the Matter with his new-enforced Objection which I answered towards the beginning of my Third Section of Immediate Revelation ¶ 4. I come now to his Twenty fourth Chapter of Prayer And as to his first Paragraph there needs no Debate for except some Railing intermixed I own what is asserted in it as to the Necessity of Prayer and its being through Christ as Mediator In the next he alledgeth I speak untruly in saying That the Acts of their Religion are produced by the Strength of the Natural Will for they can pray when they please But how truly this is affirmed concerning them will after appear Albeit in opposition to it after citing a passage out of the Larger Catechism J. B. owns the Spirit necessary to Prayer he saith They own the Influences of the Spirit as alsolutely necessary to this Duty Which if he would hold to there needed no further Debate I should agree to it For he doth untruly state the Question when he saith a little after That the Motions and Inspirations I plead for are extraordinary which is false and never said by me And therefore his building on it is in vain as well here as pag. 452-457-459 461. where he insinuates That I judge not the gracious and ordinary Influences of the Spirit a sufficient Warrant to pray which is false What he saith pag. 451. of the Necessity of Prayer at some times and of the Scriptures mentioning Prayers being made three times a day I deny not nor is it to the purpose The Question is Whether any can pray acceptably without the Spirit We see he hath granted they cannot then the thing to be proved is Whether the general Command authorized any to set about it albeit in a manner which is granted will not avail and is unacceptable So the matter resolves in Examining what he can say from Scripture or other ways to prove this And that there may be no Mistake let it be considered that I deny not the General Obligation to pray upon all so that they Who do not pray do sin who do not pray sin albeit they be not sensible of the Spirit 's Help enabling them to do it But that the way to avoid this Sin is not to Commit another to pray without the Spirit but to Wait for the Spirit that they may pray acceeptably seeing without it though they should use words of Prayer it would be no fulfilling of the Command And first then to what he argueth pag. 452. from the Reiterated Commands of God to pray I answer That God's Command lays upon Man an Obligation to pray I deny not but God commands no Man to pray unacceptably God Commands the right Performance of Prayer and this he has confessed cannot be without the Spirit therefore God commands no Prayer without the Spirit God Commands no Prayer without the Spirit neither is the Command answered or fulfilled by such as pray without it To this he Objecteth pag. 453 and 458. That the same Moral Duties might be shifted until the Spirit lead to them and also Natural Acts of Sleeping Eating c. which are Abomination in the Wicked And yet to go round he accuseth me p. 454 albeit falsly of saying Men may pray without the Grace of God Which by this Objection is his own Faith since he will not deny but Men may Sleep and Eat without the Grace of God But to this Objection I answered in my Apology shewing the difference betwixt these Acts and Acts of Worship which he grants pag. 461. And albeit I confess which he urgeth here that these profit not the Man at all as with respect to God's Favour when done without the Spirit yet they really fulfil the Matter of the thing Commanded in relation to our Neighbours and to our selves in Eating Drinking Sleeping else it would be Self-Murder But in Prayer the matter is not fulfilled without the Spirit which relateth only to God to whom every Prayer without the Spirit is an Evil Savour and not in any true and proper Sense a Prayer for Prayer as to the material Part cannot be performed without the Spirit He confesseth according to their Catechism That the Spirit is needful to know what to pray for which is the material part but the necessity of the Spirit as to these other things is only as to the formal part The formal part of Nature's Acts directed by the Spirit or right manner And this pleading for Praying from these Natural Acts shews how he Contradicts himself in saying It is untrue that they are for Prayer without the Spirit for if they be not this Argument were
Impertinent which is As these ought to be done without the Spirit so ought the other And yet he more manifestly Contradicts this pag. 456. saying That God requireth not Men to feel the Influences of the Spirit as a preparation to Prayer yea that Men ought to pray even when and because they feel they want them For if it be true that he said before That these Influences are necessary to the right performance of Prayer either Men ought to perform Prayer wrong or this must be a manifest Contradiction But since this manner of Prayer is owned really in their Praying at set times whether they have the Spirit 's Influence or not it shews I spake no Vntruth of them and that his saying so was untruly said by him And hence also the Man's Impudence may be seen pag. 460. in saying I am a liar in affirming they profess they may pray without the Spirit and have their set times But the thing I say is Professors limit themselves to pray at set Times without Waiting for the Spirit That they limit themselves so as to lay a Necessity upon themselves to pray at set Times as before and after Sermon and before and after Meat and this he cannot deny Or if he should their Vniversal Practice would declare him a Liar And if they pray at set Times and that professedly without Waiting for the Spirit 's Influence yea when they are sensible they Want it do not they profess to pray without the Spirit What he saith here and elswhere that this was the Opinion of Swenkfeldius and the Familists is not to the purpose For what we believe in this we do it as being the Truth and not with respect to such of whose Belief we take no notice so as to make it any Ground for our Faith And to shew how Impertinent this Classing us with others is to render us odious upon every occasion I may tell him here once for all That even as to this very thing of Prayer he agrees against us with Papists Socinians Pelagians Episcopalians Independents Anabaptists Lutherans Arminians Antinomians yea and with Pagans Turks and Jews all which affirm with him That Men may and ought to pray at certain Times and upon certain Occasions albeit not having any present Motions or Influence of the Spirit of God so to do J. B. pleading for Prayer forgets to Pray for but not to Rail against such he accounts his Enemies ¶ 5. What he saith here in several Places of Introversion I refer to what is said before to avoid Repetition It might have been thought that in this Chapter of Prayer and where he urges it so much from the general Command that he would have minded it would have been more suitable to pray for such as he may account his Enemies and even Hereticks than Rail at them but the Treating upon this Subject has had no such Inference with him And therefore he is sure to keep here his Old Style of Railing which the Reader may observe pag. 452-456-459 460 461. He hath divers little Cavils and Quibbles in this Chapter which I willingly omit as not concerning the Weight of the Question only to give the Reader a Tast of them I shall note one or two Pag. 455. upon these Words sub degustationem he fancieth The Quakers hold a State of Prayer distinct both from Publick and Private But if he had not been very Critical and ready to Catch albeit he omits more weighty things he had not troubled himself with this which is an Error either of the Transcriber or Printer for it is in my Copy ad cibum meaning the Prayers before and after Meat and that the other Word doth also signify The next is his asking What I mean by Ejaculations emitted to Man's self Ejaculations quibbled at by J. B. allowed in Scripture and this he saith looks like a piece of Quaker Idolatry This shews the Man's eagerness to stretch every thing to make an Accusation for by this I intended nothing but to express such Prayers as Men make unheard of others And if this be a piece of Quakers Idolatry it is such as he must account the Apostle Paul guilty of as well as I whole words are 1 Cor. 14. v. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sibi ipsi loquatur let him speak to himself as both Arias Montanus Beza translate it as well as the English And that this is understood of Prayer see from verse 24. So the furious Man may see whither his Malice hath driven him He forgetteth not also in this Chapter his old Calumny and therefore hath it here oftner than once that As all the rest so the Prayers of the Quakers as well as Preparations thereunto come only from that Light of Nature as pag. 455 456 457. and hence he accuseth me of Pelagianism A Man can no more Pray without the Spirit than he can see without Eyes p. 459. for saying That to Command a Man to pray without the Spirit is to command him to see without Eyes and work without Hands because Pelagius said that whatever God commanded us to do he gave us sufficient Strenghth to do it But if Pelagius said so he understood it of an Ability without the Spirit of God for which the Ancients condemned him Whereas my very Assertion here is in as opposite Terms to that as any thing can be since I argue that a Man can no more pray without the Spirit than he can see without Eyes And indeed all this Man 's Reasoning in this Chapter savors strongly of Pelagianism where he pleads throughout for Mens setting about Spiritual duties without the Spirit yea pag. 463. he saith That the Divine Indulgence towards such as have begun to pray without the Spirit and afterwards have found it assisting them in their Prayer is a strong inducement and encouragement to them For this agrees exactly to the Semipelagian principle Facienti quod in se est Deus non denegat gratiam i. e. God will not deny Grace to such as do what they can And indeed this allowing Men to perform Spiritual duties without the allowance of the Spirit as this Man doth pleading for it and reckoning the contrary Absurd pag. 453. is Compleat Pelagianism and doth clearly import that Man by the working of Nature can acquire the Spirit and can do something in order to obtaining the Spirit of himself before he have it J. B. with Pelagians plead for a Prayer from Nature's Law and Light and thence this Man pleads so much pag. 451. for the general Vse of Prayer from the Light and Law of Nature Let him Reconcile this if he can with his other Doctrines and Clear himself of Pelagianism And it is so much the more considerable that he has fall'n into this Pit of which he so often falsly accuseth me as also pag. 461. He asketh again pag. 460. Why we come to their places of Worship if our Conscience be hurt in joining with them and thence
while they affirm it to be the only adequate Rule of their Faith and Manners That we deny the thing truly imported by the Trinity is false As for the word Vehiculum Dei The like of Vehiculum Dei a Chariot or Vehicle signified by the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as having a respect to Christ's Body or Flesh and Blood from Heaven that it is a Scripture-word see Cant. 3.9 King Solomon made unto himself a Chariot of the Wood of Lebanon and v. 10. Vehiculum ejus purpureum the Hebrew words for Chariot and Vehiculum are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Appirion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Merkabh or Merkaba both which signify a Chariot and Vehicle and that by Solomon is mystically understood Christ of whom Solomon was a Figure or Type Solomon a figure of Christ. none who are spiritually minded can deny and consequently that this Chariot or Vehicle must be mystically and spiritually understood Nor can it be meant of Believers or the Church because it is said The midst of it being paved with love for the Daughters of Jerusalem i. e. for Believers so that they are received by Christ into this Chariot or Vehicle and therefore not it but distinct as the Contained is distinct from the Containing But for the further understanding of these Hebrew words see Buxtorff his Hebrew Lexicon and the Book called Apparatus in lib. Sohar part 1. p. 144. and 553. And however he might Cavil upon this Mystical Meaning yet the word is Scriptural which their Barbarism Sacrament is not And to his saying in answer to my shewing that by laying aside this Vnscriptural Term the Contest of the number of the Sacraments will evanish that it will Remain if instead of Sacrament they use Signs or Seals of the Covenant This is but his bare Assertion until he prove by clear Scripture that there are only Two Signs or Seals of the Covenant which he will find hard and yet harder that these two are they Pag. 469. n. 5. he denieth the Scripture saith There is one only Baptism instancing the Baptism of Affliction But I speak here of the Baptism of Christ in a true and proper sense and Eph. 4.5 will prove as much The One Baptism That there is one only Baptism as there is one only God which is in the next verse But before I proceed any further I must desire the Reader to observe What J. S. understands by Baptism of the holy Ghost which in his Account is Ceased how this Man speaking of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost understands it only to relate to the Extraordinary Gift of speaking with Tongues which the Apostles had and not as any thing Common to all true and really Regenerated Christians so that he concludes the Baptism with the Spirit and with Fire now to be Ceased And upon this his supposition he buildeth pag. 471-473 474-478 without so much as offering to prove it And to this he addeth a gross Lie upon me pag. 472. That I will have none to be Baptized in the Spirit but such as are endued with these Extraordinary Gifts which I never said nor believed and therefore this his false supposition I deny and consequently till next time that he take leisure to prove it all that he builds thereupon is meerly precarious and needs no further Answer John the Baptist speaking of the Baptism of Christ in general as Contradistinct from his saith He that cometh after me shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire which could not have been the mark of Distinction if this had only been Restricted to what the Apostles Received the day of Pentecost and not of the Baptism wherewith Christ baptizeth all his Children But to rectify the Mistake he supposeth I am in J. B.'s One Baptism not the True One. concerning the One Baptism he tells me The One Baptism comprehendeth both the outward Element and the thing Represented and Sealed thereby but the Reasons he gives for this are so weak that thereby I am Confirmed I am not in a Mistake I might say saith he there were two Circumcisions because Circumcision is called Circumcision of the heart And what then In that sense there were Two so long as the Outward continued to wit the Outward and the Inward that of the Flesh and that of the Heart and if he can Answer this no better than by smiling at it we must pity the levity of his Spirit but not be moved by the weight of such airy Arguments What he addeth of the Object of Faith being called Faith as also the profession albeit the Apostle say there is One Faith is not to the purpose since these are included in the One true Faith the Apostle speaketh of but for him to fay That the Baptism of Water is included in the One Baptism spoken of there by the Apostle is only to beg the question And yet all he doth is strongly to Affirm this without proof So that all that he saith in Answer to me being built upon this and such like Mistakes needed in strictness no more Reply as his Answer to my Argument pag. 471. sheweth where he supposeth Two Baptisms one administred by Men another administred by Christ himself by his Spirit and not by Men That Water-baptism cannot be the Baptism of Christ. But he should have proved this ere he had used it as a distinction and till he do so my Argument to wit That since such as were Baptized with Water were not therefore baptized with the baptism of Christ therefore Water-baptism cannot be the Baptism of Christ will stand for all his blowing I desire the Reader take notice here of his Insinuation as if I had borrowed this Argument from Socinus which he hath over and over again afterwards as to others speaking expresly pag. 433. of my Stealing Arguments from Socinus But to shew him how unhappy he is in being so apt to speak Vntruth he may understand that I never read three Lines of Socinus's Writings hitherto nor knew what Arguments he used till now he Informs me in case his Information be true Instead of Answer to what I urge from 1 Pet. 3.21 in my Apology he giveth a Preaching made up of meer Assertions built on the former Mistakes and Railing his Answer is built upon the supposing That Water-Baptism goes to the making up of Christ's Baptism which is now to Continue which yet remains for him to prove And on the other hand supposing That I affirm that by the Answer of a good Conscience there mentioned is to be understood the Extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit which is false And upon the same two Mistakes he grounds his Answer pag. 473. N. 8. to what I urge from Gal. 3.27 and Col. 2.12 as a supplement That the putting on of Christ there mentioned by the Apostle may be understood of putting on Christ by profession though not in Truth and reality which he also
hath pag. 438 for which Exposition I shall expect his Proof next time if he have any ¶ 2. Pag. 474. He proceedeth upon the same unproved Supposition That Water-Baptism was Instituted by Christ and here he denies J. B.'s supposition that Water-baptism was Instituted by Christ Invalidated that John's Baptism was a Figure But since John's Baptism was a washing with Water and that the Apostle ascribeth the putting on Christ to the Baptism of Christ as Washing with Water typifieth or signifies the Washing of Regeneration so doth John's Baptism that of Christ. He concludeth this Paragraph with a silly Quibble where in Answer to my urging John's Words saying I must decrease and he must increase he adds J. B.'s poor Shift that by John's Decrease is not meant his Baptism c. As if John and Baptism with Water were all one and Christ one and the same with the Baptism of the Holy Ghost Poor Man he has been sore pinched when he betook himself to this silly Shift Will he say this is to be understood of John's and Christ's Persons and not of their Ministry Then we must suppose John grew less and decrepit as to his Person ever after this and Christ grew bigger and taller Let him remember to prove this when he writes next He goes on pag. 475. upon his old Mistake supposing That Water-baptism was instituted by Christ and that he gave Command to his Disciples so to Baptize and that Matt. 28.19 is to be understood of Water-Baptism all which is meerly to beg the Question He saith That to say John's Baptism is not Pure and Spiritual or that it is a Legal Rite is to Condemn John Christ and his Apostles because God gave John an express Command for it And what then The Legal Rites had a Command as well as John's Baptism God Commanded the Legal Rites also that did not hinder them from being such to say he needed not such a Command If it had of the Nature of the Legal Rites is but a presumptuous quarrelling with God seeing on all Hands it is granted he Commanded it and a meer affirming it is not such in stead of proving of it As for the Apostle his making honourable mention of Baptism in his Epistles and of its Ends which he points in several Scriptures all which is granted But it doth not thence follow that all this is to be understood of Water-Baptism and while that still remaineth the thing in debate he can prove nothing from these Scriptures But it is no wonder he thus forgets himself here as to me since in the following Words he quarrelleth with the Apostle Paul saying in Answer to his Words 1 Cor. 1. v. 17. That he was not sent to Baptize J. B. quarrelleth with the Apostle If Paul had not been sent to Baptize why would he have done it I think it needless to me to answer the Absurdity he would here fix upon the Apostle since it sufficeth me and I hope will other good Christians that the Apostle saith positively That he was not sent to Baptize And for his Baptizing of some we will suppose he had a Reason though not from his Commission which he expresly denies whatever John Brown may Brawl to the Contrary As for his saying That it seemeth then the other Apostles had another Commission than Paul had It is built upon the Supposition that they had a Commission to Baptize with Water which remains for him yet to prove And not to contend with him for brevity's sake about that of Hosea 6.6 whether not there be only to be understood of less principally yet though it were it would not follow it should be so understood here also I shew him by an Example 1 Cor. 2.5 what wild Work such an Interpretation would make if ordinarily applied but he it seems judged it most convenient not to take notice of it in this his Examen albeit in Reason he should have done it if he would give a Compleat Answer For he must either prove not always to be understood of less principally or otherwise he must bring particular Reasons why it should be so here and not that it sometimes is so understood For such a Particular will not infer the Consequence Christ submitting to Water-Baptism proves not its Continuance ¶ 3. The Reason he giveth of Chrift's submitting to Water-Baptism to prove it now to Continue is his saying For thus it becometh us to fulfil all Righteousness But may not that be applied also to Circumcision and yet its Continuance will not thence follow John's receiving a Divine Command to Baptize sheweth there was a Divine Institution for it under the Law because the Law was not as yet abrogated nor the Legal Ministration accomplished till Christ was offered up As for Christ his Consecrating it in his own Person the like may be also said of Circumcision I come now to see what he saith n. 14. to prove Matth. 28.19 to be understood of Water-Baptism J. B.'s further Reasons for its Continuance Examined And first after a little Railing he saith This was but an Enlargement of their former Commission as to the Object And before this we heard of their Baptizing with Water with Christ's Warrant and Authority c. Answ. We have heard him say so indeed but must wait until he prove ere we be so forward as to believe it And next what if it were all granted We heard before of the Disciples preparing and Eating the Passover with Christ's Warrant and Authority will it thence follow that that practice is still to Continue in the Church 2. Because it is joined here with Discipling and Baptizing was the way of making Disciples among the Jews So was Circumcision and that no less constantly and necessary will it therefore follow that Circumcision is to Continue 3. He saith Their Constant After-practice declareth this to be the meaning of the Command But the Apostle Paul's Practice and Testimony declareth this to be false 4. He saith This is the proper Import of the word But I deny it is so in Scripture since we see no necessity in most of the places of Scripture to understand the Word of Water-Baptism And when he shews the Necessity he may be answered and the Scriptures so frequently using it where Water upon all hands is confessed not to be understood prove this to be True And as for his saying That it cannot be understood here of Baptism with the Spirit it falleth to the Ground because only built upon the Supposition that that is only understood of Extraordinary Gifts He urgeth Christ's Saying Luke 12.50 I have a Baptism to be Baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished As if this were to be called Christ's own Baptism and so I shall grant it with a respect to his Personal Sufferings But when I speak of Christ's own Baptism I speak of that which is his as being instituted by him for others and that Contradistinct from
the Pride of all Flesh. ye would see the Lord Staining the Pride of all Flesh and bringing into Contempt all the Honourable in the Earth that the Lord alone may be Exalted and see him coming out of his Holy Habitation to silence all Flesh. Hath not the Lord removed most of all those who were Eminently Instrumental to serve him in the Work of the Ministry And is he not daily making their Skirts bare who remain and daily making them to Cease out of the midst of the National Church who rejoiced in her Pride Is not his Voice sounding aloud unto such of you as yet remain Ye shall no more be haughty because of my holy Mountain If to day ye will hear his Voice harden not your hearts for I am sure the Teacher that will tell you infallibly what ye are called to do is near and is not removed into a Corner But it is the Enemies Work to Vail and Cover present Duties and Opportunities and represent what is past or lost as very desirable and even to prompt a People or Person to lament and bewail their by-past Failings and short-comings who do little heed or regard the Worth of the remaining Season and so to Redeem the Time Wherefore my Advice in tender love to thy Soul is That thou Wait on the Lord to understand aright the Import of such Signs as are now appearing when the Lord is proceeding to work marvellous Works and Wonders in the Earth The Lord is angering the Wise and Learned by pouring out his Spirit upon Illiterate Tradesmen not bred up at Schools and Vniversities and is making the Wisdom of the Wise to perish and the Vnderstanding of the Prudent to be hid and pouring out his Spirit upon Sons and Daughters Servants and Hand-maids provoking to jealousy and angering the Mighty Learned Wise Men in this Generation by the foolish Appearance of a Company of Illiterate Tradesmen who were never bred up at Schools and Vniversities Weavers and Shoo-makers and Fishers Yea is not one of the dreadful Signs of this Time fulfilling in thee and thy Brethren Rev. 16 8 9. The fourth Angel poured out his Vial upon the Sun and power was given unto him to scorch Men with fire And Men were scorched with great heat and blasphemed the Name of God which hath power over these Plagues and they Repented not to give him Glory And whether this plague be not poured out upon your Anti-Christian Sun The scorching Plague on Anti-Christ his Dialect doth shew and ye be the Persons that are thus scorched your Dialect doth sufficiently declare unto all those whose Eyes the Lord hath opened I also desire thee to consider how Inconsonant with true Christianity a spirit of Persecution is and how much more unsuitable and unequal for a People or Person under the same Condemnation Surely that poor Man who had been but a little time in Christ's Company was so far influenced by his meek and moderate Spirit as not only to forbear Railing himself against suffering Christ but to rebuke his fellow-Companion for so doing which Instance will stand in Judgment against thee for the contrary Practice Neither will thy denying us to be Members of Christ and not suffering for well-doing Gross Railing rebuked and thy accounting us Demoniacks avail thee nor cover thee from that Woe if thou obtain not Mercy to Repent denounced against such as call good evil and evil good and Light darkness and darkness Light in that day when the Lord Jesus shall declare before Men and Angels we are his Friends and Followers O Robert thy hard Speeches have manifested thy own sad Acknowledgment to be very true the Holy-Fire is gone out with thee indeed in place of which that which never was nor is of God's kindling is brought forth And this is not now to be found by secret Search in Corners by secret Surmises but is by many of you laid open and in thy late Postscript as on a Theatre set up as those who run may read the Holy Fire if ever there was any is quite Extinct Concerning which Compound of unjust groundless Accusations and malitious Inventions I hope I may say there are many sober serious People who fear and serve the Living God inward Jews whose hearts the Lord hath Circumcised to love him who desire continually in the Integrity of their hearts to serve him against whom I know no Divination nor Inchantment of Devils or Men shall prosper Of which Blessed Company I do avouch my self one through the Free Grace of God and I hope I and many with me have put all thine and thy Brethrens Writings in the Lord 's own hand to Answer for the Vindication of his Glory and the Manifestation of his Truth and I desire to make no worse use of thy Postscript than Hezekiah made of the Writings of Rabshakeh in that day Unto the Righteous Lord who searcheth the Heart and trieth the Reins do I Appeal for whose Immediate Help and seasonable powerful Appearance I desire both to Hope and patiently to Wait until he have performed his whole Work in Zion and Jerusalem both amongst you and us The Lord will plead out Cause then shall be brought to pass the sure Promise The Lord will punish the Fruit of the stout heart of his Adversary and the glory of his high looks In that day he will inwardly and outwardly both plead our Cause and execute Judgment for us He will bring forth our Righteousness as the Light and make his Judgments for us manifest as the Noon day although we lie among the black pots of your Reproaches Now the Lord will bring us forth unto the Light and we shall behold his Righteousness fulfilled in you or manifested upon you My Witness is in Heaven I am one who desires not the Evil Day but am willing to embrace all the sweet opportunities of the drawings of my Father's Love and the arisings of his Life to stand in the Gap for the single-hearted among you and I must declare for the Exoneration of my own Conscience I am an experimental Witness how grievously thou violatest the Truth in misrepresenting the things which thou callest the bitter Root springing up in these sprouts of Hell 1. Mens not receiving the love of the Truth 2. Their pleasing themselves with Names and Notions while Christ was not received to dwell in the heart 3. Their not departing from Iniquity who seemed to call on his Name I am a Witness when the Lord called me out from among the Presbyterians I was one who according to my Education and Information and Inclination from my Child-hood was a true Lover of that called the Glorious Gospel and a constant Attender upon the Declarations thereof and the Messengers Feet that published it were beautiful to me so long as those Ordinances of man were unto me as the Ordinances of Christ which was more than 30 years I loved them more than all things in this World I passed through
every Object is to have its proper Sense so must we judge of inward and spiritual Objects which have their proper Sense whereby they are to be perceived And tell me how God doth manifest his Will concerning Matters of Fact when he sends his Angels to men since Angels as is commonly received have not outward Senses or at least not so gross ones as ours are Yea when Men die and appear before the Tribunal of GOD whether unto Eternal Life or Death how can they know this having laid down their Bodies and therewith their outward Senses And nevertheless this Truth of GOD is a Truth of Fact as is the Historical Truth of Christ's Birth in the Flesh. And which is yet more near How Good Men know they are with God in Favor how do good and holy Men even in this Life most certainly know that they are in Favour and Grace with GOD No Outward Revelation doth make this known unto them but The Spirit as saith the Apostle beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of GOD. For the meer Testimony of a humane Conscience without the Inward Testimony of the holy Spirit cannot beget in us a firm and immoveable Testimony of our Sonship because the Heart of Man is deceitful and if the Tistimony thereof were true at most it is but a Humane Testimony which begetteth in us only an Humane Faith But that Faith by which holy Men believe they are the Sons of GOD is a Divine Faith which leans upon a Divine Testimony of the holy Spirit witnessing in them that they are the Sons of GOD. Moreover when a good Man feels in himself that undeclarable Joy of the holy Spirit concerning which the holy Scripture speaks year 1686 and which is the common Priviledge of the Saints how or whence feels he this Joy Truly this Argument concludes no less against this Heavenly Spiritual Joy which is begotten in the Souls of the Saints by the holy Spirit then it does against the Immediate Revelation of G0D for there is no natural Idea in Men of this spiritual Joy else meer natural Men yea such as are profane and ungodly would feel it as much as the Godly How Profane Men do feel the Wrath of God as Fire But because it is a Supernatural thing Therefore it can have no true Idea but what is Supernatural Moreover whence is it that profane Men feel sometimes in themselves the Wrath of GOD as Fire when all things as to the outward go as prosperously with them as with the Godly and oftentimes more prosperously For there is no Natural Idea in Men of this inward Wrath of GOD. There is also an inward Grief oftentimes raised up in Wicked Men from the sense of this Wrath of G0D which very much vexeth and tormenteth their Minds and nevertheless this Grief hath no Natural Idea in us For oftentimes wicked Men feel not this Sorrow for God sometimes is as it were silent while the Wicked sin as in Psalm 50. All which things do most clearly demonstrate that there are in Men Supernatural Idea's of Supernatural Beings which Idea's are nevertheless not perceived by us unless they be stirred up by some Supernatural Operation of GOD which raiseth up in us Supernatural and Spiritual Senses which by their Nature are as distinguishable from the natural Senses whether inward or outward as the natural Senses are distinguished one from another by their specifick Difference Of which Spiritual Senses the Scripture speaks frequently as Heb. 5. and 14. where is spoken of the Spiritual Senses in general by which the spiritual Man hath the discerning of Good and Evil Spiritual Senses discerning good and evil Which Good is of a Spiritual Nature and conduceth to feed in us a Spiritual and Divine Life and the Evil is of that kind by which the spiritual Life is in us hurt to wit Sins whether Carnal or Spiritual All which cannot be discerned but by such who have Spiritual Senses stirred up in them as saith the Apostle In other places the Scripture also speaketh of these Spiritual Senses in particular as of the Spiritual Seeing Psal. 34.9 Of the Spiritual Hearing Psal. 85. and 9. Of Spiritual Tasting Psal. 34.8 Of Spiritual Smelling Cant. 1.3 Of Spiritual Touching Act. 17.8 and in many other places of Scripture we read of those Spiritual Senses in particular Yea it is the Promise of the Gospel that The Glory of GOD shall be seen of holy Men such as are clean of Heart even in this Life Isa. 33.17 Mat. 5.8 Which were fulfilled in the Primitive Christians fee John 1.14 1 John 1.1 2 3 4. 2 Cor. 3.18 and Chap. 4.6 But what is this Vision of GOD and Divine Glory which the Souls of the Saints enjoy in this Life which is only as the Earnest or first Fruits of that more abundant glorious Vision in the Life to come concerning which the Scripture so much declareth which is the highest Happiness of the Immortal Soul For this Argument seemeth to do no less Injury to the Saints than to rob them of this most glorious Treasure both in this Life and that to come For there is in us no Natural Idea of this Divine Glory as there is not of GOD himself which is any ways proportionable unto so great Happiness which the Scripture so much declareth of by which the Godly are Rewarded partly in this Life and plenarily in that which is to Come The Existence of a most perfect Being Asserted We confess indeed there is in all Men as well the Godly as Vngodly some sort of Idea of GOD as of a most perfect Being and that therefore this Proposition There existeth a most perfect Being doth as clearly appear to Human Vnderstanding as that The whole is greater than the part And therefore this Proposition That a most perfect Being existeth ought to be numbred among the Principles that of themselves are manifest But this Idea of GOD is as manifest to Vngodly as to Godly Men yea is as clearly perceived by the Devil as by the most holy Angels For all the Devils know that GOD is but yet how blind is the Devil and all wicked Men as to the Vision of GOD which is the Chief Reward of the Saints There is then either no such Vision of GOD neither in this Life nor in that to come or there is a Supernatural Idea of GOD in us by which we are made capable of this Vision The Supernatural Idea of God differs from the Natural Which Supernatural Idea of GOD differeth much from that Natural Idea of GOD which Cartesius and his Followers so much talk of albeit others long before Cartesius did observe this Natural Idea of GOD and spoke of it But the Happiness of the Saints consists not in Contemplating this Natural Idea of God else the Wicked would be as happy as the Godly yea the very Devil as the most holy Angel Since as is said both the Devil and most Wicked Men
is not by the Outward Senses according to the following verse for the Apostle saith The Spiritual Man Judgeth all things This then must be done by some Senses or properties Peculiar to the Spiritual Man and in which he excells the Natural man which is not in the outward Senses as all do know Therefore the Perception of Spiritual things cannot be by the outward Senses either as the chief or only Means as is falsly contended for Now as to these words of the Apostle Rom. 10. That Faith comes by Hearing Zuinglius observed well That the Apostle intended not to affirm Faith to come by the hearing of the Outward word Whether Faith comes by the Outward Hearing Neither do the following words prove it How shall they Believe unless they hear And how shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they Preach unless they be sent For the Apostle uses these words not as his Arguments but as Objections which might be formed as the same Apostle uses in other places To which Objections he answers in the same Chapter as appears verse 18. But I say have they not all heard Yes truly their Voice went into all the Earth That is of the Father and Son Or the Father in the Word which Word is not only neer us but according to the same Apostle in the same Chapter in our Mouths and in our Hearts But further thou canst conclude nothing from this but that Faith is begotten by Outward Hearing only and no otherwise For this is the strength of thy Argument That since Faith cannot be without Outward Hearing Therefore nothing can certainly be believed but where somewhat is proposed to the Outward Hearing For if thou acknowledge Faith can be begotten any otherwise than by Hearing thou loosest the Strength of thy Argument And if that Argument hold That Faith comes only by Outward Hearing thou destroyest the whole Hypothesis For having before affirmed That outward Miracles are sufficient to render one certain of the Truth of any Revelation those Miracles whether it be the Healing of the Sick or the Raising of the Dead would avail nothing because those as for most part all Miracles are obvious to the Sight not to the Hearing And if it be not by Outward Hearing only thou canst conclude nothing from this place But I the more wonder thy using of this Argument considering the Discourse we had together before we entred upon this Debate A certain Person placing the Certainty of every thing in the Outward Senses For when we were speaking of the Opinions of a certain Person who denied the Certainty of every thing but what was discerned by the outward Senses thou condemnedst as most Absurd But Why I cannot conceive since there is no great difference betwixt those two Opinions The one saith There can be no certainty concerning any Truth whether they be Necessary or Contingent but by the perception of the Senses The other affirms the same of Contingent Truths though not of Necessary Truths But among the number of Contingent Truths thou Esteemest what belongs to Christian Religion for thou reckons the Necessary Truths only to belong to natural Religion This then is all the difference that that other Person says There is no Certainty of any Religion neither Natural nor Christian but by the perception of the Outward Senses But thou say'st though thou Esteems the Certainty of Natural Religion to be without them yet not of the Christian Religion But again since thou Esteemest that not Natural Religion but the Christian Religion is necessary to Salvation Thou must necessarily conclude That those Truths which are necessary to Salvation rre only known and believed by the benefit of the Outward Senses In which Conclusion which is the Sum of all thou yeilds the Matter to that other Person But lastly If all the Certainty of our Faith Hope and Salvation did depend upon the Infallibility of Outward Senses Outward Senses can be deceived we should be most miserable since these Senses can be easily deceived and by many Outward Casualties and Natural Infirmities whereunto the Godly are no less subject than the Wicked are often vitiated and there are as the Scripture affirms False Miracles which as to the Outward cannot be distinguished from the True of which we cannot Infallibly Judge by the Outward Senses which only discern what is Outward There is a Necessity then to have Recourse to some other Means From all which it does appear how Fallacious and Weak this Argument is But thanks be unto GOD who would not that our Faith should be built upon so uncertain and doubtful a Foundation And whoever hath known True Faith or hath felt the Divine Testimony of GOD's Spirit in his Soul will judge otherwise neither will be moved by such Reasonings I pray GOD therefore to remove these Clouds which darken thy Understanding that thou may'st perceive the Glorious Gospel of CHRIST This is that Saving Word of Grace which I commend thee unto and that GOD may give thee a Heart inclinable to believe and obey the Truth is the desire of The 24th of the Month. called November 1676 Thy Faithful Friend R. BARCLAY This Letter a Year ago at the desire of my Friend R. B. I delivered into the hands of the afore-named Ambassador desiring his Answer in Writing which he then promised but not having as yet done It was seen meet to be Published Roterdam the 28th of March 1678. B. F. R. B's Testimony concerning his Father David Barclay of Vrie in the Kingdom of Scotland Received the Truth in the Year 1666. being the Fifty Sixth Year of his Age about the Seventh Month and Abode in it R. B's Account of the Death of his Father and in Constant Vnity with the Faithful Friends thereof having suffered the Spoiling of his Goods cheerfully and many other Indignities he was formerly unaccustomed to bear and several Tedious Imprisonments after the Sixty Sixth Year of his Age. In the latter End of the seventh Month 1686. being past the Seventy Sixth Year of his Age he took a Fever which continued with him for Two Weeks during which time he signified a Quiet Contented Mind freely Resigned up to the Will of God And gave several Living Testimonies to the Truth and to the Love of God manifest to him in the Revelation thereof And though there be hardly to be found one of a Thousand like to him for Natural Vigor of his Age and that his Fever at times was very strong yet he never was Vnsensible nor did any wrong Expression or Actions proceed from him nor the least Symptom of Discontent or Fretfulness He had been troubled with the Gravel and after his Sickness had very much Pain in Making Water So about Two Days before his Death as those about him were helping him up for that End feeling his Weakness with the Pain in an Agony he said I am gone now And then instantly checking himself added But I shall go to the Lord and
the Church of Christ is not to usurp Authority over their Fellow-Members 229. decisive Judgment explained 243. true and false Decision 244. unsettled Men Judging 683 684. Charitable and uncharitable Judgment 686. God the Judge of conscience 516 517. he that is Spiritual Judgeth all things 795 see Church Justification the Doctrine thereof is and hath been greatly vitiated among the Papists and wherein they place it 364 365 380 382 Luther and the Protestants with good Reason opposed this Doctrine though many of them ran soon into another Extream and wherein they place it and that they agree in one 366 387 370. it comes from the Love of God 367 379 380. to Justify signifies to to make really Just not to repute Just which many Protestants are also forced to acknowledge 370 371 374 377. The Revelation of Christ formed in the Heart is the formal Cause of Justification not Works to speak properly which are only an Effect and so also many Protestants have said 364 380. we are Justified in Works and how 364 370 371 380 387. this is so far from being Popish Doctrine that Bellarmine and others opposed it 365 369 385 386. We are Justified by Christ Jesus both as he appeared at Jerusalem and also as he was made manifest and revealed in us 19 20. Justification by the indwelling of Christ is denied by the Papists 78. Primitive Protestants Belief concerning Justification 79. concerning Faith and Justification 129 166. a twofold Justification 25. it is the making a Man just by an Inward Righteousness 77. 811. the Doers of the Law Justified 806. Antinomians Imputative Justification refuted 812. J. B's gross Opinion of it 814. no Man is Justified before he be sanctified 816 The real Justification falleth under the inward sensation of the Soul 817. K. Keith G. K. vindicated from our Adversaries malitious Insinuations against him 621. Kingdom of God 459 511 517. Christ's Kingdom needs no outward protection 846. the Kingdom of God is within you 803. the Kingdom of God is in the Seed in the Hearts of all Men 354. Kirk the Greedy Kirk become a Proverb 437. Knowledge the Heighth of Man's Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God 467. Error in the Entrance of this Knowledge is dangerous 267 268. Superstition Idolatry and thence Atheism hath proceeded from the False and Feigned Opinions concerning God and the Knowledge of him 269. the uncertain Knowledge of God is divers ways attained but the True and Certain only by the inward and immediate Revelation of the Holy Spirit 269 271. it hath been brought out of use and by what Devices 272 273. there is no Knowledge of the Father but by the Son nor of the Son but by the Spirit 268 274 275. the Knowledge of Christ which is not by the Revelation of his Spirit in the Heart is no more the Knowledge of Christ than the pratling of a Parret which hath been taught a few Words may be said to be the Voice of a Man 276 277. The Objection that the Apostle prefers the Knowledge of Christ as outwardly Crucified to all other Knowledge answered 9. his Inward Knowledge preferred 67. the true and saving Knowledge of God 115 161. the Knowledge of the History saves none 355. many by the Light may be saved that have not the outward Knowledge of christ 356 of the true Ground of Knowledge 728 733. the Difference between Head-Knowledge and the partaking of the Divine Nature 763 764. Monopolizers of Knowledge 889. 428 see Clergy The Christian Religion consists not in the Historical Knowledge of Christ 895. see Indians c L. Labour they wanted nothing whom God sent they labour'd with their Hands 435. Laces and Ribbonds 873. Laicks 429 432 433. Laity 433 507. Lake of Bethesda 338 339. Lamb see Paschal Lamb. Language the plain Language used in the Scriptures 58. concerning our using Thee and Thou which is the Singular Number to one person 61. to use the Plural instead of the Singular Number to one Person is no Indifferent thing 3 4. see Number the Singular Number to one person used in the Latine 539. how the Word You came to be used to a single person ibid. the Word Thou a greater Honour to one than You 540. Scripture-Dialect the plain Language 541. Law the Law is distinguished from the Gospel 287 384. the Difference thereof 287 493. see Gospel under the Law the People were not in any Doubt who should be Priests and Ministers 408. see Minister of the Law Worship The Testimony Law and Word is inward in the Heart 15 71. the ending of the Law and beginning of the Gospel 187. wherein the Law and Gospel differ 298 393 484. the outward and inward Law 286. the Law of Christ more perfect than of Moses 558. the Divine Law was implanted in Man's Nature before all Laws made by Man 701. J. B's Proof for what is meant by Law and Testimony 756. his Asserting the Law of Nature against his former Reason 793. Law of Moses see Legal Rites Lawyers by Tricks and Intricacies foment Controversies 209 Laying on of Hands 511. see Hands Learned the Lord is angering the Wise and Learned 885 Learning what true Learning is 421 422. Humane Learning is not the Qualification of a Minister 140 305 703 730. see Literature Schools of Learning Leaven J. B's Objection against the Word Fermentum Leaven or Fermentation a Leavening answered 855. Legal Rites had a Command as well as John's Baptism 857. Leonisis a Sect they have a great Shew of Truth 532. in the Margent Letter The Letter killeth quickneth not 393. like Pharisees the outward Law so now Professors plead the Letter 15. How the Letter killeth 18 76. Levi a Figure of Christ 655 Leyden John of Leyden and Ignatius Loyola their Practices resembled by W. M. and his Brethren 58 Liars their Punishment 557 Libertines see Ranters Liberty the true Liberty in the Church 222. breach of Liberty begets Jars ibid. a false Liberty 224. a wrong Spirit of Liberty 246. what Liberty we claim in things Religious 516 520 524 Lies 276. lying Titles 535. Christians not to speak a Lie 875. J. B s refuge of Lies 877. Light The innate Light is explained by Cicero 361 362. Light of Nature the Errors of the Socinians and Pelagians who exalt this Light are rejected 310 311. Saving Light see Redemption is universal it is in all 330 331. It is a Spiritual and Heavenly Principle 333 334. it is a Substance not an Accident 334 335. it is Supernatural and sufficient 346 348. It is the Gospel preached in every Creature 349 350. It is the Word nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart 350 351. it is the Ingrafted Word able to save the Soul 353. Testimonies of Augustin and Buchanan concerning this Light 363. it is not any part of Nature or Reliques of the Light remaing in Adam after the fall 337. it is distinguished from the Conscience 337 338. It is not a common Gift as the Heat of the
Profitableness of our Publick Meetings 460. not to be neglected 461. silent waiting in Meetings proved from Scripture and Reason ibid. private Meetings in Time of Persecution not Justifiable 530 J. M. his Answer to a Jesuite 611 Merit see Justification ‑ the Merit and Reward of Works 386 387 Metaphysicks 424 Meum Tuum the Case of Meum and Tuum 2â—8 Minister of the Gospel It is not found in Scripture if any be called 299 416 417. Teachers are not to go before the Teaching of the Spirit 304. the Popish and Protestant Errors concerning the Grace of a Minister are rejected 310 315. they are given for the Perfection of the Saints c. 391. concerning their Call and wherein it is placed 403 407 416. Qualities 403 416 424. Orders and Distinction of Laity and Clergy 428 430 433. of separating Men for their Ministry 425 426. Concerning the Sustentation and Maintenance of Ministers and their Abuse of the Idleness Riot and Cruelty of Ministers 431 437. what kind of Ministry and Ministers the Quakers are for and what sort their Adversaries are for 438 439 442 443 ‑ the Properties of a true Call 831 832. what Evidence the first Publishers of Truth 's Testimony in this Age gave in their Ministry 190. and with what Courage they preached ibid. what Opposition they met withal 191. nothing now in this kind but what hath been the Lot of God's Witnesses in Ancient Times ibid. the Ministration of the Gospel is a Ministration of Life and Grace 656. False Ministers preach from their Study and Books 28. true Ministers Call is not of Man 36 90 91 658. their Ministry its Tendency 37 91. Christ gave some Apostles some Prophets c. 89. what kind of Men the Ministers ought to be and their Duty c. 139 144 167 168. the End of the Ministry the Saints mutual Comfort 304. what renders the Work of the Ministry useless 391 392. the powerful Ministry of Illiterate Men 426. Ministers of the Gospel and of the Law and Shadows differ 654. the Lame and Blind no legal Ministers 655. the Students Graceless Ministry Judas its Patron ibid. Holiness required in a Preacher ibid. the Work of the Ministry is not limited to outward Ordination and Literature 703. see Priests whether Natural Sciences are necessary to the Ministry 834. the fore-runner of the Downfal of a Man-made Ministry 885. Minister of the Law there was no doubtfulness concerning them under the Law 409 420 421. their Ministry was not purely Spiritual and while they performed it they behoved to be purified from their outward Pollutions as now those under the Gospel from their Inward 408 409 420 421. see Maintenance Preaching Miracles whether they be needful to those who place their Faith in Objective Revelation 278 279 416. ‑ J. Calvin asserts there is no need of them 37. or to prove a True Call 90. those of the Apostles were wrought by the Power of Christ in them 385. the Unbelieving Jews believed them not â—24 the preaching of sound Doctrine with an Holy Life is a better Evidence of a true Prophet than all outward Miracles ibid. we need no outward Miracles to believe the Scriptures 903. Monasteries to be shut up in Cloisters and Monasteries is not the true Mortification and Abstraction from the Love and Cares of the World 535. Monks and Fryars demure Deportment Hair-cloth and Vows c. 27. Moses 361 456 458 475 494. ‑ Moses's and Christ's Deliverance compared 52. Motions wicked Men neglect the Motions of the Spirit to â—rayer 472. Motions to Worship are previous in order of Nature 635. false Motions denied 836. J. B. is for praying without the Spirit 's Motion 843. he calls the Movings of the Power of God upon the Quakers Devilry 844. J. B Instanceth unusual Motions of his own party 844 845 Munster see Anabaptists their mischievous actings 288 Murmurer the Truth shuts him out 198 Musick 473 Mystery of Iniquity 428 492 Mysticks a certain sort of Mysticks among the Papists 458 459. N Name of the Lord 486.488 To anoint in the Name of the Lord 512. Nature The Book of Nature cannot discover all things neccessary to Salvation 631. see Socinians The Lamb's Nature not to be found in most Christians but the Doggish and Wolfish Nature doth prevail 709. The Corrupt Nature in the fall distinguisht from the Divine Nature by which the Gentiles did the things contained in the Law 12. Naylor James 876. his Repentance 84 630. Nero 521 665. Noahs faith had neither the Scripture nor the Prophecy of those going before him 358. It is said of him that he was a perfect Man 394. Number of using the singular Number to one Person 539.540 To Thee and Thou a single Person says I. B. is blunt and rude 874.875 O. Oath That it is not lawful to swear 533.551 to 556.565 concerning Oaths 870 873. Obedience No Man's Obedience to any Command will avail him any thing unless upon inward belief and conviction that the thing Commanded is of God 738. is better than Sacrifice 300. Object of Faith see Faith Office What is meant by an Office in the Church 837. Officers 836. see Elders Ordinances sealing Ordinances 476. Ordination The best primitive Protestants had no lawful Ordination at all and therefore could not convey any to others after them whether Protestants or others 648.660 Original sin a term not found in Scripture 40. Original sin a Popish Tradition 93. Zwinglius condemned in the Council of Trent for his notion of Original Sin 93. Oyl To annoint with Oyl 493 511 513. P Pagans 64 Papists the Rule of their Faith 289. they are forced ultimately to recur unto the immediate and inward Revelations of the Holy Spirit 293. What difference there is betwixt the cursed deeds of those at Munster and theirs 288 290. They have taken away the second Commandment in their Catechism 3O2 they make Philosophy the Hand-Maid of Divinity 305. They exalt too much the natural Power and what they think of the saving Light 354. Their Doctrine concerning Justification is greatly vitiate 366. Concerning their manners and ceremonies 405.406 Their literature and studies 422. Of the modern Apostles and Evangelists 430. Whom they exclude from the Ministry 431.432 They must be sure of so much a year before they preach 433. They do not labour 437. The more moderate and sober of them exclaim against the excessive Revenues of the Clergy 435. Their worship can easily be stopped 454.455 Albeit they say None are saved without Water-Baptism yet they allow an Exception 289. Of Baptism 492. Of the Flesh and Blood of Christ 497 498. Of an Oath 550. The Maxim among the Papists Extra Ecclesiam nulla Salus in some sense true but as it is understood by them generally it destroys Love and Charity 688. Papists pretended charity see Armenian Parable of the Talents 344.349 Of the Vineyard entrusted 335. of the Sower 348 349 of the Tares 519 Paschal Lamb the end thereof 500. Patriarchs 496 501. Peace
The worldly Peace-Contrivers Rule is not Equity but the power of Parties 610 711 712 Pelagians 311. how we differ from them 339 341 492. see Light of Nature Pelagius deemeth That no Man gets an evil Seed from Adam and ascribes all to the Will and Nature of Men He said that Man could attain unto a State of not sinning by his meer natural Strength without the Grace of God 398 Perfection Concerning Perfection or freedom from Sin 91 99 132 136 166 167. Perfection evicted 28 37 620. Persecution upon the account of Religion 523 529. see Magistrate Violent Persecutions upon the account of Religious Principles rather confirm than drive the persecuted from the Belief of those Principles 687. The Lutherans and Calvinists united in the Doctrine and Practice of Persecution even practise the same against one another 690. Pressing after and seeking to establish a National Church tends to promote Persecution 691. the Principle of Persecution preached up and practised by the Church of Rome 689. Severity see 865. Perseverance The Grace of God may be lost through Disobedience 388 401. yet such a stability may in this Life be attained from which there cannot be a total Apostasy 380 398 400 405 406. Concerning Perseverance or falling from Grace 136 138 167 Peter whether he was at Rome 289. he was ignorant of Aristotle's Logick 305. there were of old divers Opinions concerning his Second Epistle 297. Pharaoh 778 Pharisees 475. Philosopher an Heathen-Philosopher was brought to the Christian Faith by an Illiterate Rustick 424. a Philosopher converted his Testimony concerning the Old Man's Words 644. a Philosopher troubled for being Commended by a Profligate Person 672. Philosophers whence called 362. Philosophy 417 424 Phisicks ibid. Plays whether it be lawful to use them 531 533 545 548. 565 Polycarpus the Disciple or John 289 Power The Power of God being Inwardly felt to give Victory over Sin in some serious Inquirers was the Cause of their Uniting and agreeing unanimously to the universal Preaching up of this Power which is the True Church's first and chiefest Principle and most agreeable to the universal Love of God 697 Pray To pray for Remission of Sins 397 398. concerning the Lord's Prayer 450. to Pray without the Spirit is to offend God 453. concerning the Prayer of the Will in Silence 458 see Worship Prayer The Prayers of the People were in the Latine Tongue 422. Prayers performed without the Assistance of the Spirit are not acceptable to God 44 45. Mental Prayer the Cause and Spring of Vocal Prayer 643. is sometimes of more Force than Vocal Prayer 648 all that are Faithful who have no natural Defect may Pray Vocally at Times 645. Preacher see Minister Preaching what it is termed the Preaching of the Word 426 431. see Worship it is a permanent Institution 485. it is learned as another Trade 431. no Preaching is profitable but that which comes from the Immediate Teachings of God's Spirit 28 861 868 871 Predestinated God hath after a special manner Predestinated some to Salvation of whom the places of Scripture which some abuse be understood their Objections are easily solved 341. Presbyterians Scots Presbyterians the severest of that Sect they derive their Pedigree from Geneva but surpass it in Zeal 678. Presbyterians Complyance 758. a Presbyterian Preacher's Prayer to the Devil 708. a twofold Will in God vindicated by the Presbyterians 777. see 861 873 878 Priest Under the Law God spake immediately to the High-Priest 277 286 Priests see Minister of the Law 408 409 421 442 Pride 885 Princes the Courts of Princes the Scenes of greatest Wickedness 708 564. Principles Departing through Unbelief from the Fundamental Principles of a Society implieth self-ejection from being a Member of that Society whether in Spiritual or Temporal Matters 214. proved by Scripture ibid. that those that abide faithful in the firm Belief of those Principles and Doctrines upon which their Society was outwardly grounded have Power to exclude those that separate from them by asserting False and Contradictory Principles 215. The Doctrines and Principles which are the outward Bonds and Terms of Society are nothing else but the Product of Truth 's Power and Virtue upon the Heart 241. a good Principle is a ready way to lead People into good Practices 27 Profession An outward Profession is necessary that any be a Member of a particular Christian Church 404 Prophecy and to Prophesy what it signifies 416 417. of the Liberty of Prophesying 439. Prophecy 277 750 Prophets Some Prophets did not Miracles 416 417. Sam. Rutherford explains 1 Cor. 14.30 to be meant of Pastors and not extraordinary Prophets 104. J. Calvin affirms that in his Day God raised up Prophets and Evangelists 89. concerning Prophets 604 645 667. Protestants the Rule of their Faith 289. they are forced ultimately to recur unto the immediate inward Revelations of the Holy Spirit 293. what difference betwixt the execrable Deeds of those of Munster and theirs 288 290. they make Philosophy the Handmaid of Divinity 305. they affirm John Huss prophesied of the Reformation that was to be 309. whether they did not throw themselves into many Errors while they were expecting a greater Light 380. they opposed the Papists not without good Cause in the Doctrine of Justification but they soon ran into another Extream 365 366. they say that the best Works of the Saints are defiled 370. whether there be any difference betwixt them and the Papists in Superstitions and Manners and what it is 405 406. what they think of the Call of a Minister 409 416. it is lamentable that they betake themselves to Judas for a Patron to their Ministers and Ministry 421. their Zeal and Endeavours are praised 422. of their School-divinity 425. of the Apostles and Evangelists of this Time 430. whom they exclude from the Ministry 430 431. that they preach to none until they be first sure of so much a Year 433. the more moderate of them exclaim against the excessive Revenues of the Clergy 435. though they had forsaken the Bishop of Rome yet they would not part with old Benefices 436. they will not labour 437. whether they have made a perfect Reformation in Worship 440 441. their Worship can easily be stopped 455. they have given great Scandal to the Reformation 470 they deny Water Baptism to be absolutely necessary to Salvation 480. of Water-Baptism 491 392. of the Flesh and Blood of Christ 407 409. they use not Washing of Feet 489. how they did vindicate Liberty of Conscience 524. some affirm that wicked Kings and Magistrates ought to be deposed yea killed 5.24 how they Meet when they have not the Consent of the Magistrate 529 530. of Oaths and Swearing 550 551. according to the Episcopalian and Presbyterian Principles and Practices no Man can be a Member of the State but first they must be a Member of the Church 691. the Protestants to their Shame have recourse to their old Abdicated Father the Pope for a Title to their
their Worship can easily be stopped 455. the Practice of the Remonstrants and Contra-Remonstrants of Holland doth shew how void they are of Christian Love and Charity 691 Reprobation see also Redemption What absolute Reprobation is described 319. its Doctrine is horrible impious and Blasphemous 319.323 325. it is also so called by Lucas Osiander 328. it is a new Doctrine Augustin laid the first foundation thereof which Dominicus Calvin and the Synod of Doâ—t maintained 320.328.329 also Luther whom not-withstanding the Lutherans afterwards deserted 328 329. It is injurious to God and makes him the Author of sin proved by the Sayings of Calvin Beza Zanchius Paraeus Martin Zuinglius and Piscator 320 321. It makes the Preaching of the Gospel a meer Mock and Illusion 322. It makes the coming of Christ and his propitiatory Sacrifice to have been a Testimony of God's Wrath 322 323. It is injurious to Mankind and makes his Condition worse than the Condition of Devils Beasts Jews under Pharaoh and the same which the Poets applyed to Tantalus 323 324. Who espouse the precise Decree of Reprobation declare themselves Strangers to the Universal Love of God 694 695. the precise Decree of Reprobation is inconsistent with the Universal Love of God 694. the Presbyterian Doctrine of Reprobation makes God the Author of Sin 777. the same Doctrine makes the Gospel a meer mock 778. it is injurious to Christ's propitiatory Sacrifice ibid. it puts Devils in a better condition than Men 779 Resurrection 159 160 172. Revelation God always manifested himself by the Revelations of the Spirit 268 275 376 293. they are made several ways 268. they have been always the formal object of faith and so remain 269 276 284 and that not only Subjectively but also Objectively 284 287. they are simply necessary unto true faith 269 288 294. they are not uncertain 294 296. yea it is horrible Sacriledge to accuse them of uncertainty 283. The Examples of the Anabaptists of Munster do not a whit weaken this Doctrine 288 291 292 294. they can never contradict the Holy Scripture nor sound Reason 269 292 305 306. they are evident and clear of them selves nor need they anothers Testimony 269.293.294 they are the only sure certain and unmoveable foundation of all Christian faith 294 295. Carnal Christians Judge them nothing necessary yea they are hissed out by the most part of Men 269. of old none were esteemed Christians save those that had the Spirit of Christ but now a days he is termed an Heretick who affirms that he is led by it 269 270. The Testimony of some concerning the necessity of these Revelations 270 272 283 284. by whose and what desires they have been brought out of use 330. Divine Revelations the priviledge of all true Christians 607. the inward efficiency of the Spirit is that objective Revelation pleaded for 632. no true Revelation can contradict the Scripture 743. how and after what manner these Revelations were the object of the Saints faith of old 744. of the necessity of immediate Revelation to the building up of true faith 623 632. the distinction of subjective and objective Revelation unnatural 658. it is in the Power of God to Reveal himself when how and so long as he pleaseth 750. what Revelations are contrary to the Scriptures are to be rejected 752. Heer Paets his Argument against immediate Revelations discussed 894. Revelations seem to carnal Christians nothing necessary yea some are apt to flout at them as Ridiculous 269. immediate Revelations and Teaching of the Spirit asserted 28. Revenge see War 555 556 Rogers W. Rogers his Letter shewing his Satisfaction with R. B's Sense and meaning in his Book of Government 247 Rule of Faith and Manners see Scripture Concerning the Rule and Guide of Christians 116 161. whatever Difficulties happen in saying the Spirit is the Christian's Rule whereby to be ordered in Life and Conversation the same will occur in saying The Scripture is the Rule 591 592 Rustick The poor Rustick's Answer given to the proud Prelate 414. he brought a Philosopher to the Christian Faith 423 424. S. Sabbath 443. the outward Sabbath abolished together with the New-moons and other Feasts of the Jews 38. Sabbath or Rest is not an outward Day 38 40 Sacraments of their Number Nature c. how much Contention there hath been and that the Word Sacrament is not found in Scripture but borrowed from the Heathens 476 492. its Definition will agree to many other things 475. whether they confer Grace 513. the most Wicked may both minister and partake of these outward Elementary things called Sacraments as the most holy and sincere 704 855 864 Salvation Without the Church there is no Salvation 404. Salvation not only supposed but concluded possible to all men 700. the Lutherans Calvinists and Arminians hold that there can be no Salvation without the explicit Knowledge of Christ and Benefit of the Scriptures 692. those that hold this Opinion cannot justly pretend to Universal Love 693. Salvation chiefly depends upon the Inward Work of Grace 802. the want of outward Preaching doth not destroy the possibility of Salvation 80 Salutations 531 874. see Titles Samaria The Woman of Samaria 501 Sanctification see Justification Saxony The Elector of Saxony of the Scandal he gave to the Reformation by being present at the Mass 471 Schism 188 222.188 Sceptick 423 471. School Without the School of Christ nothing is learned but meer Talk and Shadow of Knowledg 270 272. Whether publick Schools be necessary 423 Schools and Universities 885. Sciences 834 838 Scriptures of Truth whence they proceeded and what they contain 295. they are a Declaration of the Fountain and not the Fountain it self 296. they are not to be esteemed the adequate Primary Rule of Faith Manners but a Secondary Subordinate to the Spirit and why 296 309 416. their certainty is only known by the Spirit 296 297 405. they testify that the Spirit is given to the Saints for a Guide 296 303 304 306 308. their Authority depends not upon the Church or Council nor upon their intrinsick Vertue but upon the Spirit nor is it subjected to the corrupt Reason of Men but to the Spirit 296 304. the Testimonies of Calvin the French Churches the Synod of Dort and the Divines of Great Britain at Westminster concerning this thing 296 297. the Contentions of those that seek the certainty of the Scriptures from something else than the Spirit 296 297. divers Opinions of the Fathers so called concerning some Books 296 298. concerning the taking away and the corruption of some places the Translation Transcription and various Lections of the Hebrew Character and of the Greek Books The Interpretation of the Septuagint concerning the Hebrew Books and of admitting or rejecting some Books 302 304. of their difficulty in their Explanation 305. Augustin's Judgment concerning the Authors of the Canonick Books and concerning the Transcription and Interpretation 303. the use of them is very profitable and comfortable
without reason that he compares us to Pelagians as if we took from Christ the Name Jesus seeing it has been shewn we own him to be Jesus or Saviour to all even to Infants He beginneth his fifteenth Head Of Perseverance concerning the Perseverance of the Saints page 115. alledging That in saying the Quakers hold not a falling away from Regeneration I seek to hide my self Because G. Keith says That Saints may fall away from saving Grace asking if Saints be Regenerate Answ. Though all that be fully Regenerate are Saints yet some may be called Saints who are not fully Regenerate Page 116. He alledgeth It is in vain to assert this falling away because it is said Some who believed afterwards fell away and some make shipwrack of the Faith and some who tasted of the good Word of God and the Powers of the Life to come c. Because they use to distinguish betwixt seeming counterfeit Grace and sound saving Grace Answ. Can there be any more palpable wresting of Scripture For if so be that Faith which they had were not real they were not to be blamed for falling away from it Who they are that Fell away from Faith it were their mercy to make shipwrack of that which was Counterfeit The Apostle speaks positively Heb. 6.4 of the capacity of such to fall away who were once enlightned who have tasted of the heavenly gift yea who were partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come he saith not they seemed to be so Nay the very Context sheweth the contrary saying It is impossible to renew such again to Repentance Now had this been all in Appearance the Apostle needed not to speak of Renewing them again to Repentance or say They crucify the Son of God afresh seeing if so they had never been penitent and been always Crucifiers of Christ. Whereas in answer to Phil. 1.6 I told him It might be supposed that Paul was as confident that God would perfect the work in himself as in any other And yet he supposes the contrary where he says Lest preaching the Gospel to others I my self become a Cast-away To this he replieth nothing but citeth another Scripture Jer. 32.29 I will give them one heart that they may fear me for ever Though God give them this that they may fear him yet such may abuse the Gift of God and so run out of his Fear he gives to all his Grace Turning Grace unto Wantonness and yet it is said that some turn it unto wantonness Jude 4. He jeereth at my Answer to Peter saying A goodly Reply forsooth as if he had said If the Saints fall from Faith they must fall But he might spare his Insulting until he had found some way to answer my words which are That those that abide not in the Power of God through Faith must fall away For he might as well Scoff at all the Conditional Promises of the Gospel such as He that continueth stedfast to the end shall obtain the Crown To say That Faith and the Power of God concurs to prevent the Saints falling away Answers nothing for so long as these concur we do not deny it and though they be always willing to concur yet it is clear that some who have believed not counterfeitly but really have departed from the power and so fallen away as is above shewn Page 117. Upon the words of Jer. 32.40 he says It proves the perseverance or impossibility of falling away because it is said God put his fear in their hearts for this end that they might not depart from him What then that doth not prove that they cannot depart from him Christ came to his own for this end that he might save them and yet it is said They received him not Joh. 1.11 He says I make short work of these Scriptures Joh. 10.27 28. Joh. 13.1 1 Joh. 2.19 because I say They speak of those who were come to a through Regeneration which he says is without proof But the Reader by looking unto them will find they cannot be understood otherways than of such as are throughly Regenerate and it appears he was sensible of this having produced nothing to the contrary And whereas he adds That if those who are throughly Regenerate were only to persevere then this were the priviledge of Saints in Heaven and not in Earth who never come to be so There can be nothing more ridiculous than this manner of Arguing seeing that question Whether the Saints can be perfectly Regenerate on Earth is as much in debate as the other That Objection of his as if from this Doctrine it might follow One were a Child of God to day and a Child of the Devil to morrow I answered in my last page 43. to which he returneth no answer and therefore it is dis-ingenuity in him to bring it forth here again And whereas in pag. 43. aforesaid I shew him how he Contradicted himself in this matter by granting some of the Quakers to have been truly Converted and yet now to Condemn them as Apostates He is so far from Reconciling it that he avers it anew in plain terms saying page 118. That some of them that have felt a gratious Operation on their hearts and page 9. He cannot but think That some of them were savingly wrought upon and yet adds That it is clear that they have Apostatised from the Truth Now to reconcile this he hath nothing to say But he trusts the Lord will Convince them Answ. As some of them to whom he and his Brethren were forced to give the Testimony of gratious Persons have already departed this Life not only not shrinking from but even Testifying to these Truths he calls Error so others whom they have also accounted gratious having been at death's door have asserted the same Truth and rejoiced in it which sufficeth to overturn his vain Confidence And truly such a groundless Hope is but a poor shift to reconcile so palpable a Contradiction whereby while in words they condemn this Doctrine of the capacity of man's falling away from Grace yet as to the experience of some particulars they are forced to acknowledge it for fear they should fall in greater Inconveniences of granting some among the Quakers to be Choice Saints His sixteenth Head page 119. is to prove the Danger of Quakerism as he terms it But that his Folly may appear in this particular Praying with the Spirit granted by W. M. I desire the Reader first to observe our Principle which he concludes so hazzardous even as repeated by himself page 121. viz. That a man cannot nor ought not to Pray without the Spirit 's Motion and to say none can Pray without it hath no bad tendency because all such Prayers as are performed without the help of the Spirit are Abomination not true Prayers but hypocritical and deceitful Now he cannot deny this and therefore grants it to be true
yea saith plainly in the next page That Prayer without the Spirit is Abomination And whereas he adds That forbearing of Prayer is also Abomination we do not deny it but freely confess that forbearing of Prayer in the Wicked is sinful But the way to prevent this is not to commit a second evil viz. to Pray without the Spirit they ought first to come to the Spirit that thereby they may Pray acceptably according to that of Paul Rom. 8.26 Prayer without the Spirit availeth not Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groans that cannot be uttered 1 Cor. 14.15 I will pray with the Spirit which being brought by me in my last he hath wholly omitted so much as to mention far less to answer And though omitting of Prayer be sinful yet to bid a man Pray without the Spirit is as much as to desire a man to see without opening his eyes This thing may appear by a familiar Example thus Suppose a Servant turn sluggard and sleep while he should be about his Master's work if when he is raised out of his bed he should run naked to it without taking along those Tools or Instruments which are absolutely needful for the doing of it what will he profit either himself or his Master Yea he will but hinder the work more Even so the Wicked as they ought to Pray so they ought first to come to the Spirit whereby they may do it to the glory of God and their own Souls good Now though this be so undeniable that he cannot gainsay it yet in Contradiction to the Truth and his own Concessions he goes about to Cavil against it alledging It might take off men as well from their necessary works because the ploughing of the Wicked is Sin and that also it might follow from this That Children should not honour their Parents and Husbands love their Wives but when they have a motion of the Spirit for it Answ. This Objection hath no weight to overturn the Truth for there is a great difference betwixt these things that relate to the Worship of God and what relates to Outward things either concerning our selves or our Neighbours The Worship of God is Spiritual The Worship of God is a Spiritual thing relating to himself which we are commanded to perform in the Spirit and God doth offer us his Spirit for the performance of it And because it is that which is meerly relative betwixt God and the Soul he doth not accept of it but as so offered we cannot Pray as we ought saith the Apostle But the Spirit helpeth c. Now though these other things would no doubt be the more acceptable to God and more frequently accompanied with his blessing that they were done in the sense of his Fear and in the drawings of his Spirit yet they are materially good in themselves answering really their End to them unto whom they immediately Relate without it But it is not so of Prayer which as it immediately Relates to God so W. M. himself confesseth without the Spirit to be Abomination The Prayer of the Wicked is sin Thus is also solved his Supposition page 124. That if a wicked Man contract guilt he may provoke the Lord to withdraw the Motions of the Spirit and then his Not Praying is not Sin For I have asserted that the Not Praying of the Wicked is sinful And this doth not Lull People in a sinful Security on the contrary they are alike rather to be Lulled in such a Security by being told they may be set about Prayer when they please whereby they foster themselves in a groundless hope because of their now and then repeating their words of Prayer neither expecting nor looking for the Spirit 's Assistance whereby instead of advancing in Grace and Righteousness they do but reiterate Abominations and so aggravate their own Guilt And whereas here he is forced to acknowledge that Motives of the Spirit will not be wanting to the Saints to Pray when they are at the Gates of Death or in danger of present Drowning He asks me Let the Wicked Repent c. What shall the Wicked do in this case Shall they not follow the Advice which Peter gave to Simon Magus Acts 8.22 Pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee But here he minceth the Apostle's words which are Repent therefore of thy Wickedness and pray c. here the Apostle puts Repentance before Prayer it shall not be denied but when the Wicked have Repented of their Wickedness the Spirit will not be wanting to assist them to Pray Craving a blessing before Meat It is therefore to little purpose that page 120 and 121. he pleads for Craving a Blessing when we use the Creatures of God calling the neglect of it a Profane Custom For we do not deny it and Condemn a Profane Neglect of it as much as themselves And as Christ had the Spirit without and above measure having always a ready Access to the Father so we are glad and willing at such Occasions to express Words if we find the Spirit assisting us so to do yea we reckon that we ought not to use the Creatures without our hearts be in some measure retired to the sense of God's presence and stayed in his Fear whereby we may secretly breath for a Blessing for to speak audible words is not Essential And therefore it is apparently malitious for him to say That when we are not stayed in God 's fear we have liberty and freedom to fall to Meat my words had no such Importance though he seeks to turn them And yet can wholly omit much of page 44. of mine where I shew their Abuses in this matter how they mock God in it and provoke him to withdraw his Blessing And whereas he says One of us Confessed That he had not called together nor Prayed in his Family for a Twelve-month past He should have produced the Person 's Name that we might have inquired concerning it and therefore until he so do we can lay no stress upon it but reject it as False especially considering that W.M. being particularly challenged upon this refuseth absolutely to do it nor durst he aver he had any better ground for it than Hear-say Upon this occasion he asks If Abraham must not keep up Religion in his Family because an Ishmael is in it But this maketh nothing against us for none of us that are Masters of Families have forborn to keep up the Worship of God though Enemies of Truth have been in it whom we have not barred from being present Praying for Enemies and for whom we have not been wanting to Pray though we cannot join with them in their Prayers as W. M. adviseth us until first they Repent of their Wickedness This was the Method of Peter's Advice to Simon Magus first to Repent
for my Names sake but he that endureth to the End shall be saved Mat. 10.22 Mark 13.13 Luke 21.17 John 15.18 19. And ye shall be hated of all Men for my Name 's sake If the World hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you if ye were of the World the World would love his own but because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you These things I have spoken unto you that ye might have Peace John 16 33. in the World ye shall have Tribulation but be of good Cheer I have overcome the World And all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3.12 shall suffer Persecution Q. Ought we then to fear Persecution Persecution A. Fear not them which kill the Body Mat. 3.10 28 but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell And I say unto you my Friends Luke 12.4 5. Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do But I will fore-warn you whom ye shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath Power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him Q. What Advantage is it to them that suffer Persecution cheerfully and Hazzards to them that shun it Advantageous A. Blessed are they which are persecuted for Righteousness sake Mat. 5.10 1 Pet. 3.4 for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven But if ye suffer for Righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their Terrour neither be troubled Whosoever therefore shall confess me before Men Mat. 10.32 33 37 38 39. him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven but whosoever shall deny me before Men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that taketh not his Cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me He that findeth his Life shall lose it and he that loseth his Life for my sake shall find it Also I say unto you Whosoever shall confess me before men Luke 12.8 9 him shall the Son of Man also confess before the Angels of God but he that denyeth me before Men shall be denyed before the Angels of God Then said Jesus unto his Disciples If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me for whosoever will save his Life Mat. 1◠24 25. shall lose it and whoso ever will lose his Life for my sake shall find it If we suffer we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2 12. Luke 14 26. if we deny him he also will deny us If any come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life he cannot be my Disciple Luke 9.23 24 And he said to them If any Man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me for whosoever will save his Life shall lose it but whosoever will lose his Life for my sake the same shall save it And when he had called the People to him Luke 8.34 35. with his Disciples also he said unto them whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me for whosoever will save his Life shall lose it but whosoever shall lose his Life for my sake and the Gospel's the same shall save it Q. There is nothing more certain according to those Scriptures than that Christians must suffer Persecution in this World Reviled even in their Persons and Estates But shall they not also suffer in their good Names in being accounted Blasphemers Hereticks and Deceivers A. The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord Mat. 10.24 25. it is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord If they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold Blessed are ye when Men shall revile you Mat. 5.11 and persecute you and shall say all manner of Evil against you falsely for my sake Acts 6.11 12. Then they suborned Men which said We have heard him speak blasphemous Words against Moses and against God And they stirred up the People and the Elders and the Scribes and came upon him and caught him and brought him to the Council Acts 17.6 And when they found them not they drew Jason and certain Brethren unto the Rulers of the City crying These that have turned the World upside down are come hither also But this I confess unto thee that after the Way which they call Heresy so worship I the God of my Fathers Acts 24.14 believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.13 Being defamed we entreat we are made as Filth of the World and are the Off-scouring of all things unto this Day 1 Cor. 6·8 By Honour and Dishonour by Evil Report and Good Report as Deceivers and yet true Q. It is easily apparent from what is mentioned that Christians are to expect Persecution and Tribulation and that they are always the Sheep and never the Wolves the Persecuted and never the Persecutors Pray for persecutors the Afflicted and not the Afflictors the Reproached and not the Reproachers Is it not fit then that Christians be so far from Persecuting others that they ought to Pray for the Persecutors is this Christ's Command A. But I say unto you Love your Enemies Bless them that Curse you do Good to them that hate you and Pray for them which despightfully use you and Persecute you Q. * By Christ's Was this Christ's own Practice A. †Luke 23.34 Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do c. Q. Is Christ herein to be our Example A. For even hereunto were you called 1 Pet. 2.12 22 23. because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an Example that ye should follow his Steps who did no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth Example who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself unto him that judgeth righteously Q. Is there an Instance of any Saints in Scriptures and Stephen's who followed his Example herein A. And he Stephen kneeled down and cried with a loud voice Acts 7.60 Lord lay not this Sin to their Charge c. Q. It appears by all these Scriptures that Christianity consisteth in the Exercise of Fear and Trembling Humility Patience and Self-denial What ought we then to think of such Beware of Seducing Spirits who place much of their Religion in Abstaining from Marriage and certain Meats
Worshipping of Angels and other such Acts of voluntary Humility A. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lies in Hypocrisie having their Conscience seared as with an hot Iron forbidding to Marry and commanding to Abstain from Meats which God hath Created to be received with Thanksgiving of them which believe and know the Truth Let no Man beguile you of your Reward in voluntary Humility Col. 2.18 and Worshipping of Angels intruding into these things which he hath not seen vainly puft up by his Fleshly Mind CHAP. XIII Concerning Magistracy Question WHat is the Duty of a Magistrate Answer The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me he that Ruleth over Men must be Just 2 Sam. 23.3 Ruling in the Fear of God Q. What do the Scriptures speak of the Duty of such Subjection as are under Authority A. Let every Soul be Subject to the Higher Powers Rom. 13.1 2 3 4 5. for there is no Power but of God The Powers that be are ordained of God Whatsoever therefore resists the Power resists the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation For Rulers are not a Terror to good Works but to the Evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power Do that which is Good and thou shalt have Praise of the same for he is the Minister of God to thee for Good But if thou do that which is Evil be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doth Evil. Wherefore Ye must needs be subject not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supream 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15. or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the Punishment of Evil-Doers and for the Praise of them that do well for so is the Will of God that with Well-doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of foolish Men. Tribute Q. Ought Tribute to be paid to them A. For for this Cause pay we Tribute also for they are God's Ministers Rom. 13 6 7. attending continually upon this very thing Render therefore to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour Then saith he unto them Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's Matth. 22.21 and unto God the things that are God's Obedience Q. Are we obliged to obey Magistrates in such things as we are perswaded in our Minds are contrary to the Commands of Christ Acts 4.18 19 20. A. And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the Name of Jesus but Peter and John answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard And when they had brought them Acts 5 27 28 29. they set them before the Council and the High-Priest asked them saying Did not we straightly command you that ye should not Teach in this Name And behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your Doctrine and intended to bring this Man's Blood upon us Then Peter and the other Apostles answer'd and said We ought to obey God rather than Man Moderation Q. What ought to be Magistrates Behaviour in such Cases according to the Counsel of wise Gamaliel A. Then stood there up one in the Council a Pharisee named Gamaliel Acts 5.34 35 38 39. a Doctor of Law had in Reputation among the People and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space and said unto them Ye Men of Israel take heed to your selves what ye intend to do as touching these men And now I say unto you Refrain from these men and let them alone for if this Counsel or this Work of Men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it leâ—t happily ye be found even to fight against God Tares Q. What Command giveth Christ to his People under the Gospel in Relation to this matter How doth he hold forth their Duty under the Parable of the Tares A. So the Servants of the Houshold came and said unto him Sir didst thou not sow Good Seed in thy Field Matth. 13.27 28 29. from whence then hath it Tares He said unto them An Enemy hath done this The Servants said unto him Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up But he said Nay lest while ye gather up the Tares ye root up also the Wheat with them Tares the Wicked Q. Doth he explain these Tares of the Wicked whom the Godly must not take upon them to cut off lest through mistake they hurt the Good but leave it to God to do it by his Angels A. * Matth. 13.38 39 40 41. The Field is the World the good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom but the Tares are the Children of the Wicked One the Enemy that sowed them is the Devil the Harvest is the End of the World and the Reapers are the Angels And therefore the Tares are gathered and burnt in the Fire So shall it be in the end of this World the Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do Iniquity CHAP. XIV Concerning the Resurrection Question WHat saith the Scripture of the Resurrection of the Dead Answer And have Hope towards God Acts 24.15 which they themselves also allow that there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Unjust Q. To what different End shall the Good be raised from the Bad and how are they thereunto reserved A. Marvel not at this for the Hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth John 5.28 29. they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil unto the Resurrection of Condemnation But the Heavens and the Earth which are now 2 Pet. 3.7 by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of Ungodly Men. Q. What must be answered to such as ask how the Dead are raised and with what Body A. Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickened 1 Cor. 15.36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44. except it die and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that Body which shall be but bare Grain it may chance of Wheat or some other Grain But God giveth it a Body as it hath pleased him and to every Seed his own Body All
indeed That he was a Devil from the Beginning but they have not proved it It is said expressly of him That he fell from his Ministry by Transgression we read not that he was Degraded his Office any other way but simply by his Transgression which was his betraying Christ. Again it is written of him Let his habitation be desolate and let no man dwell therein and his Bishoprick let another take Psal. 109. But they who plead for a Graceless Minister would put another in Judas Habitation and so would hold up a Ministry of Covetous Men as he was who to satisfy their Covetousness will betray Christ. For suppose that a Man have all other Qualifications requisite Holiness requisite in a Preacher and yet be openly and notoriously a Wicked Man he may plead his Right to be Admitted and if Admitted to be Continued to be a Minister What Ground have his Brethren out of Scripture to depose him according to the Students Argument which is indeed the General Argument of the Clergy as they are called seeing he hath all the Essentials of a Minister If they say Paul requireth That a Bishop or Deacon be found Blameless not covetous but vigilant sober c. then it will follow as much that he that is not really Pious ought not to be Admitted as he that is not seemingly Pious For the Apostle doth not say he must be seemingly so but simply that he must be so And indeed to expound all these Qualifications of a seeming and no real Holiness is to mock the Scripture For they might as well say that seeming Holiness only and not real is required indispensably of us in Order to Salvation for the Scripture as positively requireth Holiness unto the Function of a Bishop as it doth require it unto Salvation There is yet another thing which they have to prove concerning Judas viz. that Christ sent him to preach the Gospel He sent him indeed to work Miracles heal the Sick and to say The Kingdom of God is at hand that is to say the Gospel-Dispensation is approaching but that Judas was a Minister of the Gospel which is the Power of God unto Salvation we require them to prove For it was after his Removal that Christ sent the Apostles to preach the Gospel Their third Reason is That the Efficay of the words depends not upon the worthiness of the Preachers The Efficacy of the Word preached 1 Cor. 3.7 We grant the Antecedent but deny the Consequence For although it depend not upon the Worthiness of the Preacher yet it may and doth require Holiness as a Qualification indispensably necessary in him even as they grant themselves that none are Justified without Faith yet they deny that the Efficacy of Justification depends upon the Worthiness of him that believeth And the Efficacy of good Wine depends not upon the Worthiness of the Vessel that bears it yet none will put good Wine in a leaky Vessel or unfit And indeed as Vnfit as a leaky Vnclean Vessel is to receive good Wine a Graceless Man is as Vnfit to receive the Dispensation of the Gospel which is compared to New Wine in the Scripture And said Christ No Man putteth new Wine into old Bottles for indeed the Ministration of the Gospel is a Ministration of Life and Grace and none can Minister that which they have not Their Fourth Argument depends upon a Proposition which they lay down and offer to prove but fall short in viz. That they cannot know who have true Grace This we deny For if they would believe in the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned them they should receive the Anointing and by it their Eyes should be opened to know who are Gracious and who not But let us see how they prove it 1. Say they We cannot know it Immediately That is granted 2. Nor can we know it by their Outward Works unless it be out of the judgment of Charity which may deceive us for all the works which a Godly Man can do may likewise be performed as to the outward The Fruits of the Spirit are a Savour of Life which Hypocrites have not by Hypocrites To this we Answer If by Outward Works they mean such as come under the outward Observation of the meer outward and bodily Senses we grant but there are Works which are the Fruits of the Spirit which although they remain in the Souls of Holy men yet send forth a savour of that Life and Spirit or Spiritual Principle that is the Root of them through the outward VVorks and Conversation which can and do reach unto the Spiritual Senses of others where they are And this Savour and Manifestation of Life can no Hypocrite have but it is an Infallible Evidence of Sanctification in measure where it is and where the Sanctification is greatest the Savour or Manifestation of Life is there greatest also According unto this Paul said 2 Cor. 2 15 16. c. 3.3 VVe are a good Savour c. and Paul said of the Corinthians That they were the Epistle of Christ John said of the Saints That the Name of God and of the Lamb shall be in their Foreheads Many other Testimonies could be brought to prove this we shall only add that of Christ He that believeth in me out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water So here is an Evidence that no Hypocrite can have Now what are these Rivers but the Influences of the Spirit And seeing they are said to flow out they may be discerned by others It is true the Natural Senses cannot discern them but the Spiritual Senses can and seeing Natural and Spiritual Senses discerning their proper Objects the Students grant Spiritual Senses if they grant them to be True and Real they must grant also Spiritual Sensible Objects which may be as certainly apprehended and discerned by our Spiritual Senses although the Objects themselves be without us as natural Objects without us may be apprehended by the Natural Senses 3. Nor can we know it say they by Revelation But how prove they it They only suppose they have proved already that there is no such thing but how VVeak and Impertinent their Proofs are is above shewed But here note that by Revelation is sufficiently understood the Revelation or Discovery which the Fruits of the Spirit or Spiritual Life give forth in Holy men one to another for as the Savour of some Sweet Ointment is a sufficient Revelation of it to the Sense of the natural Smell so the Spiritual Savour of the Spiritual Oyntment is such to the Spiritual Smell Lastly Whereas they say The Gift of discerning Spirits was never Common to all This we deny nor doth that Scripture cited by them prove it 1 Cor. 12.10 Otherwise they might as well say The Discerning of Spirits is Common to all true Christians That Faith was not Common to all true Christians because it is said To another Faith But as by Faith here must be understood
some Extraordinary Degree of Faith or the Faith of Miracles so the Discerning must be some Extraordinary Degree or as in Relation to Miracles seeing there were Spirits of Devils that wrought false Miracles And such a Discerning as to that we do not plead for as Common to all but that a Discerning of Spirits so far as to discern betwixt them who were Godly and VVicked and who were Ministers of the Spirit and who not was Common to all we prove Because it is promised as a General Priviledge Mal. 3.18 Then shall ye return and Discern between the righteous and the wicked c. again all are commanded To Try the Spirits 1 Joh. 4.1 Therefore all have a measure of Discerning whereby to try them otherwise they were required to doe an Impossible thing which is Absurd If it be said He giveth a Rule whereby to try them viz. Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God ver 2. To this we answer The Rule is one thing the Discerning is another and differ as the Object and the Eye Now the Eye is as much required to see as the Object Therefore all need a Spiritual Eye to apply the Rule in a suitable manner The Spiritual Eye sees and discerns the true Confessor from the false so as to know who do truly confess Christ come in the Flesh. For John cannot mean a bare Verbal Confession because Antichrist himself may have that therefore he meaneth a True living Confession in Life and Power which no Hypocrite can have Having thus answered all their Arguments we shall conclude this Particular with one Argument against them one part of which is their own Confession They who can be certainly known and discerned to be Impious and Vnholy ought not to be admitted into the Ministry But Impious and Vnholy men can be certainly known to be Impious and Vnholy Therefore they ought not c. The first Proposition is proved and sufficiently confirmed from their own Confession That None ought to be Admitted but who in the judgment of Charity are to be esteemed truly Pious Therefore they who cannot be so Esteemed ought not to be Admitted But if they be certainly known to be Impious they cannot be so Esteemed therefore c. The Assumption is proved above partly by Arguments and partly by the Refutation of what they have said against it Divine Inspiration In the Second Part they Dispute Against an Immediate Enthusiastick Call as they call it by way of Inspiration being necessary and for the necessity of a Mediate and Outward Call And because we plead for the blessed Inspiration of the Spirit of God they call us Enthusiastical Impostors and if the Apostles themselves and Primitive Christians were now living they would give them the same Name For we plead for no other Inspiration but that which was given unto those Holy men But seeing they use the word Enthusiasm so much in a way of Reproach it is fit that it be opened Let them tell us then if they mean any other thing by it than true Divine Inspiration If they mean another it concerns us not Enthusiasm its proper Signification for we plead for no other But if they mean that as the word properly signifies being derived from a word that signifies God within as the best Greek Dictionaries shew they should not Reproach us with that which was the Glory of the Primitive Christians and by which the Scriptures were writ to wit Divine Inspiration And here they tell us of an Inward Call which consists in the Disposition of the Soul but they will not have it to be an Inspiration But if by this Disposition they mean any spiritual or supernatural Gift they must needs acknowledge that it is an Inspiration at least in the general sense For how can it be Spiritual unless it be Inspired Is not every good thing that is spiritually good from the Spirit Surely the National Confession of Faith published in Knox's time doth expresly say That Faith is the Inspiration of God But if they say they deny not Subjective but Objective Inspiration we put them to prove this unnatural Division and Separation As if there were Inspiration in Mens Souls that is not Objective which we altogether deny But as to this Inward Call The Call of Ministers we ask them If it hath not in it the Nature of a Command so that he who hath it is bound to obey it If they say Not Then a man may lawfully Disobey it and Resist it although it be of God If they say It is a Command then it is Objective for it is the nature of all real and true Commands to be Objective Again If by Disposition they mean the meer Qualification that enables a Man to be a Preacher how can that be a Call Seeing a Man may be fit or able for an Office that hath not a Call thereunto being already in another Office that he is fit for also So that they bewray gross Ignorance in confounding the Ability and the Gall which are distinct things And here they require of us to prove our Immediate Call by Miracles or any extraordinary thing which can only be from God and so cannot agree to false Teachers And it having been told them by R. B. that the Papists made the same Objection against the first Reformers they call this an Impertinent Pratling but for all the disparity they shew the Impertinent Pratling falls upon themselves They confess The first Reformers had an extraordinary Call in respect of their Heroick Gifts First Reformer's Call yet they also had a mediate Call They owned the holy Scriptures for their principal Rule and Preached no other Gospel c. To this we answer that all of them had a mediate Call is a meer Alledgance without any proof yea the History of the Reformation sheweth the Contrary Again it is abundantly Evident out of their own Writings that the most Eminent of them did lay no weight upon that Outward Call which some of them had from the Popish Church but did plead that seeing the Visible Succession of the Church and Ministry was interrupted by the Apostacy that they needed no Outward Call but did betake themselves to the Extraordinary Sadeel de Voc. Min. See for this Sadeel de Legit. Vocatione Ministrorum and when they used any Argument of a Mediate Call it was but by way of Arg. ad Hominem As now if any of us called Quakers had ever had the Mediate Call from the National Churches as some in England indeed had namely S. F. who was a Parish Priest Nor will it prove that the first Reformers had an Extraordinary Call because they owned the Scriptures as their principal Rule and preached no other Gospel otherwise all the National Preachers now would have an Extraordinary Call because they pretend to own the Scriptures as their principal Rule and to preach no other Gospel Yea The Scriptures an