Happiness both to live in a more Retired Corner and to Enjoy at that Time a Space of Quiet above his Brethren Which with the Consideration of their Three or Four Years Toil and a Sense of Service in himself put him upon Undertaking and Publishing this Discourse as an Essay towards the Prevention of Future Controversy It First lays down our A vowed Principles of Belief and Practice distinguished from what our Enemies are pleased to say in our Names who by making us Erroneous give themselves the Easier Task to Confute us and then Triumph After he has Stated our Principles he has put the Objections which he had Collected out of our Adversaries Books or that he did Apprehend might be made to those Principles and Answers them And lastly Cites divers Author's both Ancient and Modern especially some of the Primitive Ages for further Illustration and Confirmation of our said Belief and Practice The Method and Style of the Book may be somewhat Singular and like a Scholar for we make that Sort of Learning no part of our Divine Science But that was not to shew himself but out of his Tenderness to Scholars and as far as the Simplicity and Purity of the Truth would permit in Condescension to their Education and Way of Treating of those Points herein handled Observing the Apostle's Example of Becoming all unto all where there was nothing in himself to forbid it that he might Win some In fine the Book says so much for us and itself too that I need say the less but Recommend it to thy serious perusal Reader as that which may be Instrumental with God's Blessing to Inform thy Vnderstanding Confirm thy Belief and Comfort thy Mind about the Excellent Things of God's Kingdom To be sure thou wilt meet with the Abused and Disguised Quaker in his own Shape Complexion and proper Dress so that if thou art not one of them thou needest not longer follow Common Fame or Prejudice against a People though Afflicted from the first yet not Forsaken to this Day Ever blessed be the Name of the most High God for he is Good for his Mercy endures for ever A Dispute follows this Apology and in the same Year It is Intituled A Dispute between some Students of Divinity so called of Aberdeen and the People called Quakers held in Aberdeen c. Opponents or Students Job Lesly Al. Sheriff P. Gellie Defendents our Author R. Barclay and George Keith who is a very Learned Man and they both behaved themselves in Meekness and Christianity The Success I leave the Reader to Observe Only this I must say to him it ended in the Convincement of divers Students of our Principles The next Year produced the Tenth Treatise of this Volume being 1676. It is called Quakerism Confirmed A Vindication of the Chief Doctrines and Principles of the Quakers from the Objections of the Students of Divinity so called of Aberdeen in their Book called Quakerism Canvased This we see is Controversial and therefore I will say the less only the Reader must needs observe the Anger and Prejudice that followed the good Success of the last Dispute and to what a Pitch they Carry Men when Pride or Interest hath kindled them It was well prayed of David indeed Create in me a Clean Heart and Renew a right Spirit within me For a Right Frame of Spirit will Govern the Will and Affections keep from Mistakes and hurtful Transports yea a Man of Conversation may want it sometimes and be in Danger of Disorder This Discerns this Judges this Directs Blessed is the Man that possesses it he will not Judge before his Time nor Judge wrongly nor be partial nor peevish nor unstable Which had those Students known they would not have Resisted the Lowly Truth and so Vnlearnedly Wrested the Words of it and it would have been a better Tutor of Divinity to them than all the Colledges in the World can yield O ye Students and Professors of Divinity Seek God where he may be found in Christ and Christ in you by his Light and Spirit Look not out for the Kingdom is there within you read plain Scripture In that Seed Luk. 17.20 Talent and Leaven it lies Virtually though as yet not Actively Your Obedience to the Holy Manifestations of it in your selves will open its Power to you and if you follow on to know through Obeying you shall have the End of that blessed Prayer Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Spend not your Time in vain your pretious your most-pretious Time Let me a Stranger but a Well-wishing one beseech you not to strain your Brains break your Rest and wander far and gather nothing but Empty Notions Husks indeed Alas what do you Overcome What do you Enjoy by them One Day in the Courts of God is more worth than it all which Obedience to the Light of Christ in your Hearts brings you to And there you will Hear See and Taste of Divine Things to which your Studies are but as Bread in a Picture to Real Bread Then will your Souls live and you will have the Key of Holy Scripture and know the Meaning of the Holy Men and the Spirit by which they Spake and Writ which are Aenigma's to the World and that without the help of your Costly and Tedious Commentators who for the most part do but write by guess themselves Then will you possess the Treasures of the holy Ancients and know what the Blessings of the Everlasting Hills mean This is Nectar and Ambrosia indeed the River of God! And here is the Olympus of the Sons of Light the Mount Zion of David's Seed the true Jews where the Morning-Stars are seen and heard to sing together for Joy But I must stop I thought not of this Flight of Soul to Aberdeen But God put it into my Heart thus to Visit you in particular the Chief Place of our Author's Labour of Love and methinks I hope and feel That it shall not be in vain nor this Remembrance of you O Students and Inhabitants of that City and Vniversity This Holy Spirit of Love that filled my Pen in the last Paragraph has seasoned me for this following Piece writ in the Year 1677. and honoured with the best of Titles viz. Universal Love c. The Occasion of it to prevent the Abuse of it on one hand and recommend the Vse and Practice of it on the other Hand There are Two great Extreams this Discourse observes and moderates in the Spirit of Love and Wisdom Those that suffer their Zeal to flame so Inordinately as to burn up all Appearances of Love and Tenderness to those that are not of the same Judgment and Interest which is a most-Pernicious Work of Satan that Common Enemy of Mankind that turns the Zeal of Man upon his Fellow-Creature that ought to be turned against him only the Father of Wickedness Nor is this done without great Subtilty for he Transforms himself into an Angelical
Spirit of Life maketh free from the Law of Sin and Death s Rom. 8 1 2. For such are become dead unto Sin and alive unto Righteousness and being made free from Sin are become Servants of Righteousness t Rom. 6 2.18 Therefore ought we to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect u Matth. 5.48 For the Yoke of Christ is easie and his Burthen is light x Matt. 11.30 And his Commandments are not grievous y 1 John 5.3 And whosoever will enter into Life must keep the Commandments z Matth. 19.17 Hereby do we know that we know God if we keep his Commandments a 1 John 2.3 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Liar and the Truth is not in him b 1 John 2.4 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him c John 3.6 Let no Man deceive us he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous He that committeth Sin is of the Devil whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God d 1 John 3.7 8 9. For not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of the Father which is in Heaven e Matth. 7.21 Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God f 1 Cor. 7.19 ARTICLE XV. Concerning Perseverance and Falling from Grace WE ought to give Diligence to make our Calling and Election sure which things if we do we shall never fall g 2 Pet. 1.10 For even Paul kept under his Body and brought it into Subjection lest by any Means when he preached to others he himself became a Cast-away h 1 Cor. 9.27 Let us therefore take heed lest there be in any of us an evil Heart of Vnbelief in departing from the Living God i Hebr. 3.12 Likewise let us labour to enter into that Rest lest any Man fall after the same Example of Vnbelief k Hebr. 4.11 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto Repentance l Hebr. 6.4 5 6. For he that abideth not in Christ is cast forth and is withered m John 15.16 Yet such as overcome he will make as Pillars in the Temple of his God and they shall go no more out n Rev. 3.12 And these are perswaded that nothing shall be able to separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus o Rom. 8.38 ARTICLE XVI Concerning the Church and Ministry THe Church of God is the Pillar and Ground of Truth p 1 Tim. 3.15 Whereof the Dear Son of God is the Head q Col. 1.18 From which all the Body by Joints and Bands having Nourishment Ministred and knit together increaseth with the Increase of God r Col. 2.19 Which Church of God are they that are sanctified in Christ Jesus s 1 Cor. 1.2 Who when he ascended up on high gave Gifts unto Men And he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry t Ephes. 4.9 11. Who ought to be blameless vigilant sober of good Behaviour given to Hospitality apt to teach not given to Wine no Strikers not greedy of filthy Lucre but patient not Brawlers not Covetous u 1 Tim. 3.2 3. but Lovers of good Men sober just holy temperate holding fast the Faith as they have been taught that they may be able by sound Doctrine both to Exhort and to Convince Gain-sayers x T it 1.8 9. Taking heed to themselves and to the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers to feed the Church of God y Acts 20.28 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 as being Ensamples to the Flock z 1 Pet. 5.2 3. And such Elders as rule well are to be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine a 1 Tim. 5.17 And to be esteemed very highly in Love for their Works sake b 1 Thess. 5.5 12. As every Man hath received the Gift so ought the same to be Ministred 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 c 1 Pet. 4.10 11. Preaching the Gospel not with the Wisdom of Words lest the Cross of Christ be made of none effect d 1 Cor. 1.17 Nor yet with enticing Words of Man's Wisdom but in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that the Faith may not stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God e 1 Cor. 2.4 5. Howbeit such spake Wisdom among them that are Perfect yet not the Wisdom of this World not of the Princes of this World which cometh to nought but they speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the World to their Glory f 1 Cor. 2.6 7. Which things they also speak not in the Words which Man's Wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth g 1 Cor. 2.13 For it is not they that speak but the Holy Ghost or Spirit of the Father that speaketh in them h Matth. 10.20 Who if they sow spiritual things ought to reap carnal things for so the Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel for the Scripture saith Thou shalt not muzzle the Mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn and the Labourer is worthy of his Reward i 1 Cor. 9.11 14 Yet a necessity is laid upon them yea Wo is unto them if they preach not the Gospel and their Reward is that when they preach the Gospel they make the Gospel of Christ without Charge k 1 Cor. 9 15 17 18. Not coveting any Man's Silver or Gold or Apparel but their Hands ministring to their Necessities that so labouring they may support the Weak remembring the Words of the Lord Jesus how he said It 's more blessed to give than to receive l Acts 20 33 34. For they are not of the greedy Dogs that can never have enough m Isa. 56.11 Nor of the Shepherds that look to their own Way every one for his Gain from his Quarter n Ibidem That Feed themselves and not the Flock o Ezek. 34.8 That make the People Err biting with their Teeth and crying Peace and
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
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
know that then your Juglings about them would be made manifest But indeed we are far from desiring People to heed your false Glosses and Commentaries upon them whereby ye darken them rather than interpret them Thirdly thou sayst When you want an inward Command to a Duty I trow the outward Command of the Scripture is not regarded Answ. Here thou writest as one unacquainted with the Law and New Covenant writ in the heart the inward Command is never wanting in the due season to any Duty as it is waited for and the outward Testimony or Signification of the Command we regard in its place Is it not a regarding the outward to mind the inward Vnction and Spirit to which it directs which inward teacheth all things and leadeth into all Truth 1 John 2.27 1 Cor. 14.15 John 16.13 yea do not such more regard the outward than they who under a pretence of an outward Command do run about these things in their own natural Will and Spirit neglecting to wait upon the Lord for the leading and help of his Spirit Thy comparing us to Servants who will not be moved to work by their Master's Letter c. is vain and ridiculous nor doth it reach us for our Master's Letter is writ in our Hearts and there we are to find it Neither is our Master separated from us as those Masters are who use to write Letters to Servants to set them on work while they are absent and cannot help them by their presence for our Master is always with us and he requires us to do all our works by his immediate Counsel Direction and Assistance as present with us and in us And that Nature we witness brought forth in us which does not shift his Will but delight in it to do it and know it whether told us by a lively Voice or by any other inward signification of his Spirit Fourthly And because thou art ignorant of that great Duty of waiting upon the Lord in silence out of all thy own Thoughts and Words and art trampling it under foot thou lookest upon it as mis-spent time or a meer looking upon the ground whereas if ever thou comest to know the Scriptures aright or to confer aright concerning them so as to profit thou must first come to that silence thou now so much despisest So that these things very well consist though the World may judge otherways whom thou wilt have to be Judges in the Case but in the Judgment of those who are redeemed out of the World we shall be found to put the Scriptures in their true place Thou canst not but smile thou sayst that a man of understanding should grant the Scriptures to be a declaration of God's Mind and yet deny them to be God's Word for what is a Word but a declaration of ones Mind Answ. Here thy lightness appears which darkens thy Understanding If thou must needs smile do it at thy impertinent Reason For though a man's Word be the declaration of his Mind yet every declaration of his Mind is not his Word for Signs may be a declaration of a man's Mind without his Word and People usually distinguish betwixt a man's Word and his Writ And so though the Scripture be a declaration of God's Mind yet it is not his Word properly nor can those Properties which are declared of the Word belong to the Scriptures as hath oft been demonstrated but to that inward and living Word as it doth declare it self whether in the Heart or in the Mouth The Word of God is like unto himself Spiritual yea Spirit and Life and therefore cannot be heard or read with the Natural External Senses as the Scriptures can nor does the Scriptures cited by thee as Hosea 1.1 Joel 1.1 Isaiah 38.4 Jeremiah 14.1 prove thy intent For that Word which came unto the Prophetâ—s was that from which the Scriptures were given forth which Word you confess was immediate from God but you say It is ceased to come now And did not all the Prophets prophesy from Christ the Word Thou mightest as well reason thus That when it is said the Spirit of the Lord came upon such a one or to such a one that therefore the Scripture is the Spirit and so deny all Spirit but that which is the Scripture as some do in other Sects calling the Writings of the Apostles and Evangelists the Spirit and denying the necessity of any other thing which is abominable deceit and wresting of Scripture And that the Prophets declaring their Message said Thus saith the Lord proves that what God spake in them and through them as the living Word declared it self was the Word of God but not the Letter or Writing And whereas thou sayst It is all one to say the Scripture saith and God saith Answ. By way of Inference and Collection it may be said they are one because of their Agreement yet the living Word and Speech of God is not the Scripture more than the Sun-beam is the shadow though the one agrees with the other Every one that reads or hears the Scriptures read hears not God immediately now that which God speaks to any or in any immediately that is only his Word properly unto them As they who only read my Letter cannot be said properly to hear me by Word of Mouth Christ said to the Jews Ye have not heard his Voice though they heard the Scriptures and though the Apostle useth some Scriptures out of the Old Testament it proves not he had not the Word of the Lord speaking then immediately in him and to him That Scripture thou biddest remark 1 Thess. 2.13 proves not thy intent neither for the Word which they heard of the Apostles was that living Word declaring it self through the Apostles which was answered by the same in them who heard they heard Christ of in and through the Apostles does it therefore follow that Christ is the Scripture And lastly Mark 7.13 serves thy purpose no more than the rest for the Pharisees in striking at the fifth Commandment did consequently strike at the living inward Word which gave it forth as those who struck at any of the Apostles struck at Christ yet none of the Apostles was Christ as neither is the Scripture as it is outwardly writ to speak properly the Word of God And truly the reason why we may not call the Scriptures the Word of God to speak properly is that People may be directed to that inward living Word for by their being so much called the Word of God they have been put in Christ's stead and have been set up as an Idol instead of that from whence they came so that to avoid this hazard we have put them in their due place Page 14. To prove that it is the Mind and Will of God that the Scriptures should be the Rule thou citest Isa. 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony c. But it rests to be proved that the Law and Testimony was not the inward Law and
that that Word according to which they were to speak was not the inward Word which is said to be in the Heart It is observable that to prove this thou bringest John 7.49 where the Pharisees say Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees believed in him but this People that know not the Law are accursed This place sutes the matter very well but makes much against thee For the Pharisees here were crying up the outward Law and the Knowledge of it averring that the ignorance of it caused the mean People to believe in Christ. So do ye now ye pretend to cry up the Law and say The ignorance of it occasions so many to leave you And as they then were setting the Law above Christ and covering themselves with a Zeal for it persecuting him and reviling his Followers as Ignorants So ye now whilst ye are boasting of your great Knowledge in the Law and in the Scripture and your high esteem of them ye are despising crucifying the same Christ in his Spiritual Appearance and upbraiding his Followers now as they did then as Ignorants and Contemners of the Law And as to Luke 10.26 How readest thou This was spoke to one that was a Lawyer or Interpreter of the Law and relied upon it so Christ spoke this to check him and beside the dispensation of the Law which this Lawyer was under was different from that of the Gospel in this matter as may appear Hebr. 8.10 Again as for Christ and his Apostles using the Scriptures for convincing of their Opposers so do we and yet this proves not that either he or we judge them to be the Rule whereby to try all Things and Spirits yea even the Spirit of God himself Page 15. Thou seemest to lay much stress upon this That it were impossible for us to prove to a Jew or a Turk that Jesus the Son of Mary is in very deed the Christ without the Scripture But I Answer thee to that easily by what way wilt thou perswade a Turk to believe the Scriptures or their Testimony but by the inward Testimony of the Spirit Calvin Calvin lib. 1. cap. 7. Sect. 4. of his Inst. after he has said all that can be said of outward ways at last concludes The only certain way to know it indeed is by the Testimony of the Spirit And as to the course that Paul took with the obstinate Jews it was very commendable because they said they believed the Scriptures and seemed to esteem them much though they opposed the Truth witnessed to in the Scriptures So that it is evident that some great pretenders to the Scriptures can make a Cloak of them to deny Christ himself as ye do at this day And though Paul took that course with the Jews yet we see he took no such course with the Athenians to whom he cited no Scripture nor endeavoured to perswade them by it but told them they were the Off-spring of God and wished them to feel after him who was not afar off from every one of them Thirdly sayst thou The Saints had recourse to the Scriptures in the examination of Doctrines So have we too as before has been declared but that will not prove the Scripture is the Rule Page 16. Fourthly thou sayst We are commanded to search the Scriptures John 5.39 Answ. The words may be translated You search the Scriptures as Pasor translateth them but we do acknowledge the Scriptures are to be searched but are not to be rested in which was the Jews fault who would not come to Christ to get life thinking to have eternal life in the Scriptures which Christ checks them for And that the Scriptures are profitable for Doctrine Scriptures profitable to whom Correction Instruction we own and are commended for their Dignity and Authority but they are thus profitable only to such as come to the Spirit to guide and direct them how to make use of them else they may prove an occasion of stumbling as they did to the Pharisees Hence it is said That the Man of God may be perfect mark the Man of God not every Man now no Man can be truly called the Man of God but he that is led by the Spirit of God Next thou wouldst undertake to prove That it is not the Mind of God that the Spirit within men should be the Rule In which thou fallest very short as appears by saying That Christ made use of the Scripture to prove himself c. and not the light within And did these Jews receive him who had the Scriptures Did they not reject him And why because they hearkned not unto the inward Voice and Testimony of the Father concerning him and this was the Testimony which he said was greater than that of John though John was the greatest of the Prophets and those who believe had the witness in themselves 1 John 5.10 but to the unbelieving Jews he said Ye have neither heard his voice nor seen his shape Secondly Thou sayst There is an express command to try the Spirits 1 John 4.1 Answ. But is there any word there of trying them by the Scripture Trying Spirits is by the Spirit of God Cannot the Spirits be tried by the Spirit of God or is there any better way to try them How tried Peter the spirit of Ananias and Saphirah And is not the Trial and discerning of Spirits the priviledge of the Saints now And how is it a peculiar priviledge to Saints unless it be done by the Spirit of God For the Scriptures any can make use of the Apostle John writing to the Saints concerning Seducers points them to the Anointing which remained in them and did teach them all things and by this they did know all things and consequently Spirits 1 John 2.20 26. Thirdly thou sayst Vndoubtedly there are strong delusions c. Answ. There are so indeed But was there any more strongly deluded then the Pharisees Yet how much did they lay claim to the Scriptures How came they then to be deluded who was so skill'd in the Scriptures according to the letter of them and the poor People who were not so skill'd so rightly to hit the matter And as to thy Question What way shall the delusion be tried if you neglect the Word of God and look only within Answ. As for the Word of God nor yet the Scriptures-Testimony we neglect not but what way thinkest thou shall the Delusion be tried if you neglect the Spirit within and look only upon the letter and words without you If the Delusion be strong in the heart will it not twine and wrest the Scriptures without to cause the Scriptures to seem for it And suppose a man be deluded with a Spirit of Delusion what can help him but God whose Spirit searcheth all the deepest things of Satan and can and doth discover them to those who love to be undeceived and are faithful to God in what they certainly know And though the same deluding Spirit who deceived
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-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
sinful and evil however they may imagine them to be good And herein I say we differ vastly from Papists they think and seek to be justified by such Works as are evil in the sight of God whereas we believe that by no such Works can any man be justified Other weighty Differences could be shewed in relation to this Matter but what is here in short declared may suffice to evince that we differ widely from the Papists concerning Justification Thirdly Look how near a kin ye are to Papists as in many other things so in these relating to Justification First Do ye not say That ye are not justified by Christ in-dwelling in you So say the Papists Secondly Do ye not say That the way to attain to a state of Justification is not by believing in the Word of Faith which is in every man and in the Light wherewith Christ has enlightned every man that comes into the World And so say the Papists who though they talk of Vniversal Grace yet they deny that this Vniversal Grace is an Evangelical Principle of Light by believing in which men can attain unto a state of Justification immediately Thirdly Do ye not say That God's Act of Justification is not an immediate Testimony of his Spirit declaring or pronouncing men righteous And so say the Papists Fourthly Do ye not say That men are not to know their Justification or that they are in a justified state by an immediate Testimony of the Spirit in them by way of object for this were to assert Immediate Revelation So do the Papists So by these few Instances given here and by many other Instances given by others in other particulars try your selves and first clear your selves of Popery before you or thou dost throw it upon us Now whereas thou alledgest That the Apostle in the matter of Justification excludes all Works even those of Christ his working in the Saints and which they work in him 'T is false nor do the Scriptures cited by thee prove thy intent As Rom. 3.20 Gal. 2.16 Tit. 3.5 thou say'st The Apostle speaks of Works in general Works of the Law and of the Spirit without any limitation But herein thou contradictest the very express Scriptures cited by thee for all these Scriptures speak of Works with a limitation As Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified and Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the Works of the Law Here the Works of the Law are excluded but not the Works of Christ in us which are not of the Law for the Law or first Covenant was weak and gave not strength to them who were under it to fulfil Righteousness but these who were in Christ Jesus witnessed the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled in them who walked not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And as for that other Scripture Tit. 3.5 though it exclude Works of mens doing as of themselves yet it excludes not all Works nor inward Righteousness of Christ but expresly includes it According to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost Thou couldst not have brought a more plain proof against thy self for thou citest this Scripture has holding forth Justification Now the Apostle saith He saved us according to his Mercy by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost and is not the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost a Work which comprehends many particular Works of the Spirit of Christ in the Saints And is not Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost a Righteousness wrought in us How is it then that thou art not ashamed to charge us with Rank Popery for saying We are justified by a Righteousness wrought in us seeing the very Scripture cited by thee is expresly for it May we not pertinently return these words upon thee which thou mis-appliest to us Oh! tell it not in Gath publish it not in the Streets of Askalon c. that a man who pretends to teach others a-right in the matter of Justification hath so confounded himself that to prove that Justification is not by a Righteousness wrought within brings a Scripture which speaks expresly of Righteousness within to wit that of Regeneration and Renovation by which we are saved And if any should say The words do not say We are Justified by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost but we are Saved thereby as intending Sanctification and not Justification I answer This helps not the Author out of the Ditch for he brings this Scripture forth applying it to the matter of Justification But again If these words exclude all Works generally and without any limitation then they exclude all Works which are wrought by the Spirit of Christ from sanctification as if men were sanctified by no Works of the Spirit of Christ within them Sanctification by the Works of the Spirit Or if it be said that Works of our own doing Self-righteousness are only excluded from having place in our Sanctification but not the Works wrought in and by the Spirit of Christ then I say why may not the same Distinction have place in all these other Scriptures which say We are not justified by Works c. And indeed in all these Scriptures it holds true no less concerning Sanctification than concerning Justification As thus By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be sanctified knowing that a man is not sanctified by the Works of the Law c. But it were vain to infer from this that men are sanctified by no Works of Righteousness wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ. Therefore it is as vain to infer that men are justified by no Works of Righteousness wrought in them by his Spirit Page 22 Thou say'st We can shift off Popery with this that they are not our Good Works which deserve and merit Justification but the Good Works of Christ's working in us Yea I say we do justly cast off the Accusation of Popery as having the express testimony of Scripture that we are justified by Works to wit such as are wrought in Christ and by him in us James 2.24 You see then that a man is justified by Works and not by Faith only Compared with Tit. 3.5 before-mentioned And as for the Papists Works by which they seek to be justified we do not acknowledge them to be such Works as whereby or wherein any can be justified And whereas thou pleadest That the Good Works of Christ's working in us are ours citing Isai. 26.12 Matth. 5.16 c. We grant it but they are not ours in that signification as where it is said He that is entred into his Rest hath ceased from his own Works Hebr. 4.10 There are Works which are so ours that they are not the Works of the sanctifying renewing Spirit of Christ in us What works do justify and such are Works both of open Unrighteousness and of
W. M's Position in preaching Christ and gathering the Churches Whether their being the Instruments made these things sinful which were done not only by the command but by the power and vertue of Christ in them And seeing thou canst not deny but the Scriptures called by thee the Word of God were brought forth by the holy Spirit in the holy men of God and did flow as waters from the Spirit of God which gave them forth through the very first Pen-men of them because of the uncleanness which thou supposest to have been in them If thou say'st Nay thou contradictest thy former instance of Clean water receiving a Tincture of uncleanness from the unclean Pipe through which it passeth If thou say'st Yea to wit that the Scriptures were defiled and corrupted by the Pen-men of them I leave it to all of any sound Judgment whether you or we be most Esteemers of the Scriptures We who say They were pure words as Gold without any tincture of uncleanness or corruption as they came forth from the Spirit of God through the Pen-men of them Or You if you say That they were defiled with the uncleanness of the men through which they were given forth He who has any true understanding let him judge concerning these things Page 26. Thou blamest it as an Vnsuitable thing for a Quaker to say That that People to whom he is joined are the most Christ-like Christians this day upon the Earth And yet will any of you say less of your Way For if yours be not the best Way why do you plead so much for it Why do ye preach it up Why do you study to draw People to it and complain of those who have left it Now is not a good Principle a ready way to lead People to good Practices And are not these who are in the right Way of the Flock of Christ And is not Christ's Flock like unto him Can it therefore be an unsutable thing for one who supposeth himself to be of Christ's Flock to say The Flock with whom he is is likest to Christ Will any of you say less except ye grant your selves not to be of Christ's Flock We are not the most-Christ-like People say'st thou by what we outwardly appear because the Monks and Heremits therein excel us nor yet by what we inwardly feel because others different from us have felt as much As to the first thou hast shewed thy Ignorance of the very Appearance of Christianity for the Appearance of Christianity is not in fleeing the Society of Men or retiring the outward Man making Vows of voluntary Poverty for any one that hath the least knowledge in true Mortification may know that where a man's Meat and Provision is laid up for him and that there is no care of these things lying upon the Mind but a full liberty to live in Idleness which is the Monks Case it is an easie thing in Self-will to take on a demure deportment or to wear Hair-cloth or go barefoot which by custom becomes familiar And truly many of the Commons in Scotland are used to greater hardships than all that and yet are far from having the Appearance of Christianity But the matter is for People to be conversant in this World to have their Occasions and Business in it and to have dealing with the Spirit of it and yet to keep to the meek lowly simple Appearance using it as if they were not using it by keeping out of its Spirit and Way in all manner of Conversation This is to be like unto Christ who did not retire himself unto an Heremits lodge but conversed among Publicans and Sinners Now let Your Flocks and the Quakers be compared together in this particular and let the Light in all Consciences judge who are likest to Christ. Secondly To evidence that some different from us have had as much Inward feeling thou say'st Thou canst tell us of some who have had so much of the fear and dread of God upon their hearts that they durst not adventure upon Sin By this thou seemest to grant that there are inward feelings and enjoyments among the Quakers saying What good is it that you truly feel that persons different from you have not felt And how doth this consist with your judging the Quakers fallen into Apostacy and Delusion of the Devil and that they are possessed with the Devil Can such have inward feelings and enjoyments of God For my part I am glad to hear that any such have been who have had so much of the fear and dread of God upon their hearts that they durst not adventure upon sin and I should be glad and so I know would any of the Quakers be glad to meet with them But now such who have so much of the fear of God upon their hearts that they durst not adventure upon sin would they not love to be Perfect Would they dispute against Perfection and conclude it impossible Would such who dare not sin for a world sin every day yea every moment as you say ye do If they dare not sin would they not refrain from sin and cease from it And would they make use of that poor evasion which thou addest that therefore they would not willingly sin for a world As long as the dread and fear of God remains and stands over the heart sin is shut out and the Mind's will is to fear God and not to sin Thou canst tell us of others thou say'st who many years lived in the sweet sense of God's favour and have gone most triumphantly out of the world with strong perswasions of their Eternal Well-being But would such have pleaded for Continuance in sin Doth not Continuance in sin eclipse and take away the sense of God's favour And further would such have denied fellowship with God by Immediate Revelation Immediate Teachings of the Spirit as you do Would they have denied the Immediate Teachings of the Spirit as you do Do not some now living remember some of them who had these feelings and did bear an express Testimony to the imediate Teachings of the Spirit and Immediate fellowship with God and plainly declared That no preaching was profitable but that which came immediately from the Spirit and found fault with the Ministers that they preached from their Study and their Books and wished them to put away or burn their Books for that they were a hurt to them And some of those saw over and beyond and unto the end of your so called Ordinance of outward Bread and Wine Bread and Wine and said plainly It was but a shadow or figure and that those who witnessed the substance had no need of the other And though those and some others who witnessed such inward feelings and enjoyments of God were not called Quakers nor had their understandings so clearly opened as to many things as the People called Quakers have yet with the same life in some measure they have been acquainted which is the Quakers Way
even Jesus Christ who is the Way the Truth and the Life And so as to those Examples thou givest which were witnessed thou say'st some twenty years ago We deny not but that the Lord did appear and was near the simple-hearted in that day and some who are now among the Quakers remember that day Former Feelings and Enjoyments and have a share in those feelings and enjoyments which are now and in the experience and enjoyment of them can bear a true Testimony that the feelings and enjoyments of this day unto those who follow the Lord in his leadings do far exceed what was in that day And now the Sun is set upon that day for the Lord is calling his People further and those among us who had those former feelings can witness that while they would have been tasting of that sweetness and remained still with you the Lord would not but suffered driness and barrenness to come over them and that which some time had been as a fruitful Field to become a barren Wilderness till they saw that they were not to limit him to Invented Forms but were to forsake those things in his Will in which through his Indulgence and Compassion he had sometimes appeared unto them and to be found following the footsteps of the Flock whom he is leading on to a further state in which they find the Lord appearing more gloriously than ever to their refreshment Glory to him for evermore But with you it is otherwise for who among you witness these things at this day Yea some of you are so ingenuous as to confess That ye find not these things now and that this is a cloudy and gloomy day and it shall certainly so continue unto you until ye come and walk with us in the Light of the Lord. But because ye will not but will confine the Lord in these forms whereunto ye have devoted your selves therefore is darkness over you and your Prayers are become dry and barren and full of Complaints of an Absent God And what Inward joy from God any have felt among you we cannot impute it to your Way more than what some have felt of refreshment in some other Professions and Forms can be imputed to their Way Page 30. Thou say'st It is known that we are Enemies to singing of Psalms Baptism and the Lord's Supper And because we say Baptism and the Lord's Supper that we are not against these things therefore thou callest us dis-ingenuous or such as seek to delude People Which Challenge is false and a Calumny For we do indeed own these things in the true acceptation and meaning of them and in the substance and reality and if we do so are we dis-ingenuous and deceitful because we deny them in your Acceptation which only comprehends the shadow that passeth away The Shadow for the Substance comprehended by Professors If Baptism which is really and truly the Baptism of Christ we own and participation of the Body and Blood of Christ which is really so I say if these things be really owned by us as they are indeed can we be said to deny them because we use not the shadow as ye do while ye are ignorant of and strangers to the substance Nay it may be retorted much more properly and without deceipt upon your selves that ye do but pretendly in Words own these things while indeed ye deny them So that herein ye are found to be the Equivocators who are contending for the Husk and will needs have it accounted the Kernel and there can be no errour more dangerous than to place the shadow for the substance for such as so do are those that trample upon the precious Ordinances of Jesus Christ in which the work of grace is begun and increased Page 32. To prove thy Assertions particularly Singing of Psalms as used by the Saints allowed thou beginnest saying That singing of Psalms is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ Whereby if thou understandest that singing of Psalms was used by the Saints that it is a part of God's Worship when performed in his Will and by his Spirit and that yet it may be and is warrantably performed among the Saints it is a thing denied by no Quaker so called and it is not unusual among them whereof I have my self been a witness and have felt of the sweetness and quickning vertue of the Spirit therein and at such occasions ministred And that at times David's Words may also be used as the Spirit leads thereunto and as they sute the condition of the party is acknowledged without dispute but that without the Spirit in Self-will not regarding how the thing sutes their Condition for a mixt multitude to use and sing the Expressions of blessed David we deny For that was not the Method the Apostle spoke of 1 Cor. 14.15 when he said I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the Vnderstanding also Therefore though singing of Psalms in the true use of them be allowable yet as used by you it is abominable and is a Mock-worship because ye cannot deny but that the Persons using it are a mixed Multitude known to be Drunkards Swearers Whoremongers c. Now such cannot praise God The Dead cannot praise God for they are dead in their sins and it is the living that praise him and not the dead Next All Lying is abomination but many times it falls out that by singing of Psalms the People come to lye in the presence of God instead of worshipping him by saying I am not puft up in mind I have no deceitful heart I water my Couch with tears and much more of this nature which were the particular Experiences of David and may be safely said by those that witness the same thing but as to you that use them are false and untrue I say as thou dost That though every Psalm does not sute our Condition yet in every Psalm there may be Meditation for Edification But this no ways meets the case for there is a great difference betwixt Meditating upon a Psalm and Singing one whereby we apply our selves to the Lord in the words of David which unless they sute our Condition cannot be done without a lye Page 33 and 34. Thou comest to prove That Baptism with water is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ for which thou givest as a Reason First Because John baptized with water and was really sent of God Which thing is not denied because John's Baptism was a Baptism with Water But that that was the Baptism which was to Continue is the matter in question To prove which thou bringest in thy Second Reason That the baptism of Christ and the baptism of John differed only in Circumstance and not in Substance because they agree in the Author in the Matter and in the End To which I Answer That though they agreed in the Author that will not conclude them to be one because by the same reason it might be said that the Old
Testament and the New are one or that Circumcision and Baptism are one The Baptism of John and of Christ differ as the Shadow and Substance for that God was the Author of both As to the Matter they are not one neither for the one was a Baptism with Water and the other a Baptism with the Spirit and with Fire as John himself distinguisheth them Mark 1.8 Now in respect Baptism with water can be administred where the other to wit with the Spirit is not therefore they are not one in Substance They also agree not in the End for the End of the one to wit Baptism with Water is but to point or shew forth the other So that as the Shadow and the Substance differ in their Ends in like manner do these two for the End of the Shadow is but to point to the Substance the End of the Substance in this thing being to cleanse and purify the heart producing that effect to such as it is truly administred unto but the Shadow is frequently administred and the heart not cleansed therefore they differ in their Ends. Now to shew that they differ in Substance it is written Acts 19.2 3 4 5. that there were of the Baptism of John who had not so much as heard of the Holy Ghost far less received it Now had the Baptism of John and the Baptism of Christ been one they could not have had the one and been altogether ignorant of the other For a Third Reason thou say'st That Jesus Christ commanded and injoined the Disciples to Baptise and that Baptizing they used Water But where he commands them to Baptise Matth. 28. there is no Command to Baptise them with Water or into Water but into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit So here is the Baptism into the Spirit but not into outward Water And the Apostles were Ministers of the Spirit and ministred the Spirit unto those who believed And though they used the Water-Baptism at times Water-Baptism used in Condescension to the Weak yet it rests to be proved that they did it in obedience to that general Command Matth. 28. and not in Condescendence to the People who had received a great Esteem of John and were so nursed up with outward Ceremonies that it was hard suddenly to wean them from such as they did the like in other Cases Which also serves for answer to thy Fourth Reason where thou instancest Peter his baptizing Cornelius after he received the Spirit For Peter's words imply no Command but only that at that occasion the thing might be done Can any man said he forbid Water that they may not be Baptised Acts 10.47 And though it be said Vers. 48. That he commanded them to be baptised in the Name of Christ yet it holds forth no Command from Christ only the thing being agreed upon that it might be done he did do it But that the Apostles received no Commission to Baptise with water Water-Baptism no Commission to the Apostles is clear from that of Paul where he saith I thank God I baptised none of you but Crispus and Gajus and the houshold of Stephanus c. for said he I was not sent to baptise but to preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.16 17. Now it is not questioned but his Commission was as large as any of the rest for he himself said that he was not Inferior to the chiefest of the Apostles but that he thereby denied he was sent to administer the Holy Spirit which is the Baptism of Christ is absurd to think For a Fifth Reason thou say'st It is the will of Christ that this Ordinance should continue and abide in the Church because he promised to be with his Ministers to the end of the World To which I Answer That this promise related to the Baptism of the Spirit which is Christ's Baptism is granted but that it related to the Baptism of water is denied for he was with Paul who yet professed he was not sent to Baptise with water And whereas some give their meaning to Paul his words that he was not sent only or principally to baptise with water this is an Addition to the scripture-Scripture-Words for which they can shew no sufficient ground And if men will take a liberty to Add to scripture-Scripture-Words from their own Spirit they may wrest the Scriptures to defend the worst of Opinions As when it is said Thou shalt not bow down to them nor Worship them One should put this meaning upon it Thou shalt not bow down to them nor Worship them principally and therefore would aver that Graven Images may be worshipped this were a most perverse abusing of Scripture Sixthly Thou say'st These who cast off this Ordinance do what in them lyeth to rob themselves of all the excellent ends and uses of it which are held forth in these Scripture-Expressions Answ. That such who cast off the Baptism of Christ by the Spirit may incur that hazard it is granted but that any such thing will follow from the not using of water is denied as shall appear by examining the Scriptures cited The first is Acts 2.28 Repent and be baptised every one of you for the Remission of your sins Answ. Here is no mention made of outward Water and Repentance and Remission of sins may be and are found without it and where it is both these are frequently wanting Water-Baptism no universal Command but to particulars But though it should be understood of outward water it is spoke but to particulars and is no universal Command The Second is 1 Pet. 3.21 The like figure whereunto even Baptism doth also save us But the very following words do give an Answer to that and clear the meaning not to be of Water-Baptism saying Not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Third is Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptised and wash away thy sins But that a being baptised with water is a washing away of sin thou canst not from hence prove seeing the contrary is abundantly witnessed And suppose Water-baptism were here to be understood it being but spoke to one infers no universal Command The Fourth is Ephes. 5. verse 26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water But by Water cannot here be understood outward Water but that of the Word and Spirit for the next Verse speaks of presenting it without spot or wrinkle Which the outward Water cannot do see the like place John 3.5 Vnless a man be born of the Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Now if by Water here were to be understood outward Water it would infer that Water-baptism is absolutely necessary to Salvation which thou say'st thou canst not affirm with Papists Lastly thou citest Gal. 3.7 For as many as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ. But Water-baptism cannot be here understood because
Word is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ because first Christ appointed Ministers and Pastors to be in his Church But this cannot be asserted in opposition to the Quakers who grant the same And why citest thou Eph. 5.11 and 1. for 12.8 which if they prove the Continuance of Pastors and Teachers prove also the Continuance of Prophets Evangelists and Apostles which ye deny As to the second Reason That the Ministry is not common to all but that there be some Pastors and Teachers is also owned by us Yet that hinders not but that any at a time may speak when the Saints are met together as the Lord moves by his Spirit according to 1 Cor. 14.31 For it is one thing to be particularly called to the Ministry and another to be moved to speak at a particular time which distinction that it was usual among the Apostles in the Primitive times is easily observed in the fore-named Chapter For a Third Reason thou say'st True Minister's Call is not of Man Whom God calleth to the Ministry he doth it either immediately without the intervention of Men or mediately by Men authorised for that purpose But for this thou bring'st no proof neither art thou able to make out that ever God called any under the New Covenant mediately to their Ministry by Men as they were not to have an Immediate Call in themselves Though the Approbation of Good and Experienced Men in its place is not denied by us but dearly owned Fourthly thou say'st Who ever pretends to an immediate Call they ought for the satisfaction of others to shew signs and tokens of their Apostleship To which I answer That those who come preaching the Gospel not in speech only The proof of the same Call but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in the evidence and demonstration thereof as it is 1 Thess. 15. and 1 Cor. 2.4 give sufficient proof that they are Called of God though they come not with outward Miracles And though Paul came to some with Miracles where he preached the Gospel yet many believed who saw no outward Miracle Also many of the Prophets wrought no Miracle nor John the Baptist And though some miraculous things came to pass about his Conception and Birth those do not of themselves prove him to be a Prophet Outward Miracles for Miraculous things and Miracles were wrought upon many who were no Prophets If Miracles be necessary to evince a Man sent of God he must come with these Miracles before the People which John did not Nor did Jonas come with any Miracle to convince the Ninivites but simply declared his Message And John Calvin asserteth Calv. l. 4. c. 3. Inst. That there is no need of Miracles and yet he maintaineth that in his day God raised up Apostles or Evangelists saying That it was needful such should be to bring back the poor People that had gone astray after Antichrist Neither did any Protestants pretend to any Miracles they pleading against the Papists That there was no absolute need of any in respect they preached not a New Gospel but that which was already confirmed with Miracles by Christ and his Apostles And so thy Plea against us here is the same that was urged by the Papists against the Primitive Protestants An evil and adulterous Generation said Christ seeketh after Miracles and though Miracles should be given they who will not believe the Testimony of the Spirit of God in their Consciences bearing witness to the Truth will not also believe because of Miracles as we see plainly in the Jews And whereas thou say'st John's Immediate Call is evident by the special Predictions both of Malachy and Isaias concerning him So are there many special Predictions concerning the Lord his pouring forth of his Spirit upon many in these latter days to Prophecy or Minister as the Spirit should put words into their Mouths And as for these Scriptures Tit. 1.5 Acts 14.23 which thou bring'st in the Fifth place they prove not that those Elders had not the Authority and Call of the Spirit of God in themselves And whereas in the Sixth place thou say'st Though Ministers be set a-part and ordained by Men yet their Ministry is not from Men but from God I Answer Where the Inward Call and Authority of the Spirit of God is not witnessed it cannot be said to be of God And though Moses be said to Consesecrate Aaron yet it doth not follow that Aaron had no immediate Call from God Seventhly thou say'st The Ministry is so necessary that it is the Will of Jesus Christ that it should continue unto the end of the World Eph. 5.12 13. Ministry perfecting the Saints But thy proof from that Scripture is altogether impertinent as to you who believe not that the Saints can be perfected in this Life seeing the Ministry is given for the perfecting of them And that this perfection is on Earth is clear from the following Verse That hence-forth we be no more as Children tossed to and fro for in the other Life there is no hazzard of being so tossed And if the Ministry perfected not Men in this life it nowhere perfecteth them for in the other Life it hath no operation upon them The Law and Priesthood thereof was abolished because it made nothing perfect and if the Gospel-Ministry should not make perfect it should also be abolished And seeing your Ministry perfecteth not it is not the true Ministry of the Gospel as indeed it is not for it standeth not in the Power of God nor is it excercised in the Will and Motion of God your Ministry being such that the whole ESSE or BEING of it may be without Saving Grace or true Holiness you expresly affirming That Holiness is not necessary to the Being of a Minister but that a Man may be a Minister of the Gospel who ought to be received and heard though he have not the least Grain of Holiness Eighthly thou say'st They who cast off the Ministry of the Word wrong their own Souls c. Answ. If it be understood of the Ministry of Christ it is granted but of yours it is denied In the Fifth place Page 44. thou would'st prove That the Lord's People are under a tye and engagement to keep the first day of the Week for a Sabbath For a First Reason thou say'st The Fourth Commandment requires the keeping holy of one day of seven But as it requires the observation of one day of seven so it expresly instanceth that day to be the seventh which day â—â—e keep not Wherefore as to the Second Reason If the Command be Moral and Perpetual as thou callest it it ought to be kept in every Point of it which ye not doing therein condemn your selves The outward Sabbath not perpetual But the outward Sabbath or the keeping one day of the Week for a Sabbath is not perpetual but abolished together with the New-Moons and other Feasts of the Jews See Coloss. 2.16 17. Let
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
and frequenting the Ale-house and decking themselves with vain Apparel 10. They love well to hear that they may be Members of the Church though they have no infallible of Evidence Holiness 11. They love to hear of your Doctrine of Election and Reprobation 12. And of your Doctrine Once in grace and ever in grace whereby they feed themselves in presumption and carelesness Many other particulars could be mentioned but these may serve enough to shew Quakers Principles not acceptable to Hypocrites that your Principles are pleasing to the wicked and hypocrites and ours displeasing Next to come to experience where are the Drunkards the Swearers the Whore-mongers the envious licentious Persons the Scorners the Mockers whether are they yours or ours If our Principles be so acceptable unto them why do they not inroll themselves among us why do they oppose us at our Meetings at Aberdeen and else-where and curse and rant and use all manner of filthy Communication and are ready to stone us in the streets And none more found so doing than that young Fry and Spawn of the Priesthood who are bread at your Nurseries of Learning Now whose Church-Members are those yours or ours Is not the Proverb verified of you Fowls of one Feather fly together Thou closest with addressing thy self to God with a notorious lye saying Follow with thy blessing that which WE have been about meaning the Quaker and thy self but it was none of the Quakers work the Dialogue not being any real Conference Is not this to deride and take the Name of God in vain Some Things of Weighty Concernment proposed in Meekness and Love by way of QUERIES to the Serious Consideration of the Inhabitants of Aberdeen which also may be of Vse to such as are of the same Mind with them elsewhere in this Nation Added by way of APPENDIX to Truth Clear'd of Calumnies Question 1. WHether it be a thing any-wise warrantable in Common Equity or true Christianity for any Person or Persons to take â—iberty both in Pulpit and Print to speak against a People as Dangerous and Heretical and yet wholly to debar that People from Vindicating themselves in either of these ways so far as they can Or whether it can be supposed that any Persons except they wholly give up themselves Implicitly to believe the Accusers can make a true Judgment in that Case upon the Accused especially considering the Maxim of Law Quicunque inauditâ alterâ parte c. i. e. He that without hearing both Parties pronounceth Judgment though he decide the Right upon the matter hath not done the part of a Just Judge To which add the Consideration of these Passages of Scripture 1 Thess. 5.21 Prov. 18.13 Isai. 40.2 Quest. 2. Whether then it was not contrary to the Laws both Divine and Humane for the Priests in Aberdeen to importune the Magistrates to make search for that Book lately published in Vindication of the People called Quakers Or whether such a Practice hath any Warrant except what flows originally from the Spanish Inquisition as being directly contrary to Equity and to the Scriptures above-mentioned Quest. 3. Whether also it was not both Anti-scriptural and Popish in G. M. to prohibit his Hearers from reading of that Book by comparing it with Poison Whether that was not to keep People in Darkness and Dependance upon him or with how little Reason could he desire such a thing considering he asserted it to contain an ample Confession of all those Errors he had charged them with And if so whether it be likely that it could prove dangerous the Errors being so gross and monstrous which by him and his Brethren are charged upon that People that their confessing them would rather scare People than engage any to like them Quest. 4. And whether G. M. his bidding People abstain from that Book as Poison without trial of what is in it be not like unto the Papists way who bid their Neighbours abstain from the Protestants Books as Poison And whether may not even Poison be tried though not by eating it in a way that is not hazzardous to the Tryer especially seeing that which some may call Poison may be afterward found by sound Trial to be good and wholesom Food yea Medicine to expel such poisonable Doctrines as your Priests infuse into People Quest. 5. And seeing G. M. bids his Hearers abstain from the Quakers words as Poison doth he not endanger such to be poisoned whom he sends or allows to come to our Meetings to hear what is spoke And what knoweth G. M. but his Spies may be touched so that it may be said as it was then Is Saul also among the Prophets Quest. 6. And seeing G. M. counts our Words as Poison why doth he bring them forth so much among his Hearers if he thinks he gives strong Antidotes against them I have heard some of his own Hearers say That that which he calls the Poison wrought more effectually to perswade even out of his Mouth than all his Antidotes could do to disswade Quest. 7. Whether the latter part of that Allegance of G. M. viz. That all they had charged on the Quakers was confessed to in that Book be not a manifest untruth in respect the greatest Charges alledged by him against the Quakers are therein utterly denied As for instance the matter of Pelagianism in page 25. the matter of Popery in page 34. and of Arminianism page 65 c. Quest. 8. Whether the said G. M. hath not manifested very much deceit in saying also publickly That the said Book asserts it not only to be a thing easie but pleasant for wicked people to keep holy the Sabbath-day and to perform the spiritual duties commanded to be performed thereon unless he understands them to be simply the disposing to hear a man talk an hour or to and to have all the rest of the day to spend in Idleness vain Communication and frequenting the Ale-house c. which are the words mentioned page 72. Quest. 9. Whether it be any way unsutable to the Law of Charity or to the meek Spirit of Christ to use plain and downright dealing calling a Lye a Lye Or whether any be to be blamed for so doing considering the practice of all the Prophets and of Christ's and of his Apostles how sharply they dealt with false Teachers as may appear by the Scriptures Isai. 56.11 Lev. 23. to verse 33. Ezek. 34. Hos. 4. from 6. to 10. Ibid. 5.1 Mich. 3.5 Matth. 3.7 John 8. Quest. 10. Whether then they be not prejudiced who Accuse the Quakers for using the same terms seeing they are willing to make the Application manifest by comparing the fruits of the present pretended Preachers with those that were of old As for instance whether it be a breach either of Moral Civility or Christian Meekness to say John Menzies lied in asserting Robert Barclay to have been educated in a Jesuites-Colledge seeing it is utterly false Quest. 11. And whether David Lyall
in our mouths and in our hearts Rom. 10.8 Deut. 30.14 Moreover W. M. himself Confesseth That the Light of Christ is in Wicked Men and if so let him tell us plainly if Men ought not to take heed to the Light of Christ where it is how hath Darkness blinded him in this Matter Page 14. He repeats my words falsly alledging I say The Light is Darkness to them that Reject it instead of is as Darkness For I said plainly The Light of Christ is not nor connot be Darkness otherways than as the Day of the Lord in Scripture is called Darkness this he hath Omitted Page 15. Having sought but Ineffectually to overturn my Assertion where I say Some may have Saving Light and Grace who after a certain manner may be said not to have the Spirit Viz. as not bringing forth the Fruits of it Averring That unless I can prove that the Spirit calls upon all in Order to Conversion I cannot conclude that all have the Spirit Answ. As the one is easily proved so is the other safely concluded these are the plain words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.7 A manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal Now it were not profitable unto them if it did not strive with them in Order to Convert them That other Scripture John 16.8 he passes over alledging I should prove the World there to be understood of All and every one though in Reason it might suffice for answer that there is nothing brought by him to shew why the word World here is not taken in its Genuine and Common Acceptation yet the Apostle solves this Scruple in the following Verse Of sin because they believe not in me Then if there All unbelievers be included is not that all and every one in the World for of the Saints there is not here any question In his second Section page 16. he beginneth with Omitting my Concession of the Benefit and Advantages that accrue to those that Believe by the outward Knowledge of Christ and mentioneth nothing of the state of the Question which was Whether any might be Saved without this outward Knowledge And to shew that some might I gave him the Instance of Deaf People and Children To which he returneth nothing but takes up the Paper to prove That the Greek Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes Translated among Which is not denied yet I shall find him twenty to one The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in this place more properly where it is rendred in and can no ways be said to be among The Question is Whether in this place 1 Cor. 2.2 it be In or Among The Reason alledged by him proves it no ways to be Among to wit That it would have been the Apostle's Grief not his Joy to know that the Light of Truth was born down Among them This was the Apostle's Joy that the Corinthians came to be sensible how they had Crucified Christ in them that so looking upon and taking heed to Him whom they had Pierced they might come to be Healed by him Page 17. He slightly passes over that expression of Paul 2 Cor. 5.16 where he saith Henceforth know we Christ no more after the flesh but after the Spirit Adduced by me to shew that Paul preferred a Spiritual Knowledge of Christ to all other As if the Apostle were here only condemning earthly thoughts of Christ as if as King of Israel he should begin a Temporal Kingdom but for this Exposition we have only the bare Authority of his own naked Assertion Page 18. For want of a true Spiritual Understanding concerning what I mean by the Inward Blood of Christ he bringeth forth his own malitious Guessings The first is That I seem to incline to Justify that which hath been charged upon some of my Brethren to wit That we are not such Fools as to hope to be Saved by that Jesus that died at Jerusalem As he hath no ground to Suspect such a thing from my words so there was never any ground for such a Charge against any owned of that People The second is That perhaps I intend that Christ as Man dwells in us There can none truly charge us with such grosness Christ's Indwelling in Man is Spiritual as to Assert the Manhood or Vessel that walked at Jerusalem is in us but if any of us have said that Christ as Man dwells in us they have said no more than the express words of Scripture 1 Pet. 3.3 4. Let your adorning be the hidden man of the heart Eph 4.24 That ye put on the new man Now what is this New Man but Christ Jesus And therefore saith the Scripture Rom. 13.14 Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Gal. 3.27 As many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. And this is Christ whiâ—h the Apostle travelled that He might be formed in the Galatians Gal. 4.19 And whereof he Admonisheth the Corinthians that they should know Him in them else they were Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 If it be hard for W.M. to take up the meaning of these things let him acknowledge his Ignorance in the Holy Scriptures whose Language this is In his third Section page 19. he begins by offering to prove Our Principles have a tendency to introduce Paganism and to Contradict him he reckons an Impertinency But his ridiculous Vanity herein will appear by looking unto page 24. of my last Neither bringeth he any Arguments to prove this but such whereby he might conclude the same against the Apostle Paul The Quakers saith he The Light no Introduction of Paganism Speaks of a Light within to which who take heed need no Teacher And the Apostle speaks of a Knowledge or Light under the New Covenant where there is no need of a Teacher Hebr. 8.10 11. So if the tendency of the Apostle's words be not to Introduce Paganism neither are ours And because that W.M. finds that notwithstanding of this we despise not Teaching but are led even by that Light to hear and to receive the Ministry of them whom God sends he concludes that herein we are Inconsistent adding That some of us have been heard to say That we only taught to bring People off from other Teachers to mind the Light within that then they will need none which he concludes would quickly make them like such among whom the Name of Christ is not in Remembrance But he might as well seek to Infer the like hazzard and Contradiction from the plain words of the Apostle 1 Joh. 2.27 Ye have an Anointing and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and yet in the mean time was Teaching them As for that Story mentioned by him Of a certain Dying Man in Aberdeen whom two Quakers pressed so much to mind Christ within The inward Knowledge of Christ preferred before the outward It inferreth nothing for his purpose for that Dying Person had
of the Scriptures and confirm negligent Atheists in their contemptuous slighting of them Because we speak of walking The Anointing is no Confirming of Atheists or doing our Work by the immediate Counsel of God But he might as well babble against the Beloved Disciple 1 Joh. 2.24 Ye have received an Anointing and ye need not that any man should teach you and yet was then teaching them himself without Contradiction As for that Scripture Joh 12.24 48. which he desires us to read we find not how in the least they strike against our Principle for as it is without doubt to us that the words which Christ spake will stand in Judgment against him and his Brethren because while in words they pretend to Exalt it both in Principle and Practice they vilifie and deny it As a third Reason he alledges We prefer our silent Waiting to the Reading of Scriptures as if we must first come to this e're we can know the Scripture aright adding that this Waiting is defined by us To be a silent posture of the Heart without thinking good or evil Answ. These thoughts which we say ought to be excluded from Waiting are man's own thoughts Waiting excludes man's own thoughts not such as the Spirit of God furnisheth him with and it is great Ignorance to say That without this we can use the Scriptures aright seeing the things of God knoweth no man save the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 As for his own Imaginations which he subjoins concerning our Waiting they signifie nothing because alledged without any proof We deny not but that Faith Hope and Charity is exercised in waiting yet not without such thoughts as proceed from the Spirit of God And whereas he finds we clear our selves of this Calumny of being Vilifiers of the Scripture by shewing how much it is our desire to try Doctrines by them he alledgeth We have herein been suspected of Juggling the proof is R. Farmer saith so But R. Farmer 's saying and W. M's saying is all one in this matter neither of them are to be trusted without proof Now the Reason because we say that the Scriptures are not the Saints Rule of knowing God and living to him But this is just to beg the thing in Question That Story mentioned by him of a Quaker's telling a certain Woman in Aberdeen that she might as well read a Latin Book as the Bible doth no ways prove that we are against trying of Doctrines by the Scripture seeing the Quaker he speaks of might have had good reason to look upon that supposed Religious Woman as one alienated from that Spiritual Key of David which can alone truly open the Scriptures and so might well tell her she would do well first to come to that else her Reading might be so far from profiting her that she might come to wrest them to her own Destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Sect. 2. Page 30. He begins with Acknowledging That something may be accounted the Declaration of ones Mind which is not his Word Though page 12. of his Dialogue he could not but smile at it as Irrational To prove the Scriptures to be truly and properly called the Word of God he subjoineth That the Precepts of the Scripture were uttered and spoke of God But in Answer to this I shew him page 26. of my last that the Properties peculiar to the Word cannot be spoken of the Scripture The outward and inward word distinguish'd but of the Inward and Living Word To which he replies nothing only tells There is a twofold Word a Co-essential Co-eternal Word and a Spiritual Word the Temporal expressed Word or the Word written in time But seeing he pretends to be pleading for the Scripture he should have used the Language of it and not such strange Anti-scriptural Expressions which are not to be found in all the Bible Where doth he read of a Spiritual Temporal expressed Word A part of my Argument shewing that these Scriptures Hos. 1.1 Joel 1.1 Isai. 38.4 are understood of that Word from which the Scriptures are given forth he hath but mentioned not answered for I told him page 26. of my last that where it is said The Spirit of God came upon such a one or to such a one that therefore the Scripture is the Spirit and so as do the Socinians call the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles the Spirit denying the necessity of any other Spirit this he hath wholly omitted And indeed he seems pretty much to incline to the Socinians in this matter Sword of the Spirit for he says That the Scripture is the Sword of the Spirit and that because Christ in his conflict with Satan said It was written But had this been Christ's only Sword we must conclude the Devil to have had the same for he said also It is written and according to this Doctrine who hath a Bible in his pocket wanteth not the Sword of the Spirit which savoureth of that Popish soppery That the sign of the Cross puts away Devils but experience teacheth us both these Opinions to be alike ridiculous Upon this occasion in his Dialogue page 13. he asserted That it is all one to say the Scripture saith and God saith And whereas in Answer to this I told him that they might be said to be one because of their Agreement yet were no more one than the Sun-beam and the Shadow is one though they agree together Because he knew not what to reply to this he mentions a part of these words of mine and subjoins by way of Answer to them That they tend to advance humane Writings and equal them with the Scripture when they agree with what God saith Which as it is a manifest shift and no Reply so it is a notable Impertinency to say There is any Hazzard of advancing such Writings as truly agree with what God saith for upon what other account are the Scriptures to be esteemed Page 32. to prove That word mentioned Mark 7. which he fancies is said to be made void is not the Living Word but the outward Precept of the Scripture he says It is plainly held forth to be so without any further Probation He addeth page 34. That it seems we think they set up the Scriptures us an Idol instead of that from which they come asking If we did ever hear them call it the Eternal Son of God that Saviour who died c. Answ. Though we have not heard you term the Scripture yet it is not without Reason we say ye set them up in Christ's stead For I have a Letter under one of the present National Teacher's hand A National Teacher's belief of the Scriptures wherein he says The Scriptures are the alone means of Salvation yea the alone Way Truth and Life and that none can be saved without them And I have heard another call the Greek Testament The only Foundation Now being these are the peculiar Properties of Christ have we not reason to say that such
as ascribe them to the Scriptures put the Scriptures in Christ's stead though W. M. be pleased to term it unworthy dealing Sect. 2. page 35. he says it is not difficult to prove that the Law and Testimony mentioned Deut. 8.20 was not an inward Law The reason alledged is Because the Prophet opposes what is written as no Light if it agree not to the Law and Testimony But what then The Law and Testimony inward doth this prove the Testimony here not to be inward He adds That let People pretend what they will to a Law within if it agree not with the Scripture-Word there is no Light in them and that the outward Law gets the name of the Testimony But granting him all this it doth not in the least follow that the Law and Testimony there mentioned was not inward It is more observably strange here than in any other place with what shameless confidence he asserts his own bare Assertions instead of Arguments After the like manner without answering a word of what I infer page 27. of mine against him and his Brethren from Joh. 7.49 he concludes That Scripture fits us better than them because of our known rash censuring Upon which Supposition of his own he condemns us as like to Pharisees without more ado still by way of Reply to me he says It is not probable that Christ checked the Lawyer in saying How readest thou Luke 10.26 not offering to add any further probation And as for what he subjoineth page 7. That Christ used the Scripture about Divorcement and in the matter of the Sabbath it doth no ways prove them to be the only Rule for as is said we are willing to try Doctrines by them Page 37. He saith It is false to affirm that the Divine Authority of the Scriptures cannot be prov'd other ways than by the Spirit 's inward Testimony adding There are other Arguments whereby it can solidly and convincingly be proved and for this he instanceth one which he says is excellently approved by R. Baxter What then because W. M. thinks that Argument of R. Baxter will prove the Scriptures Authority without the Spirit must we therefore be of the same mind I doubt very much if R. Baxter think so much himself Now W. M. his deceit is very remarkable Joh. Calvin's Testimony concerning the Scriptures in quoting some words of John Calvin where he says If he were to deal with Arguments he could produce many to prove the Laws came from God for that I never imagined these Arguments could convincingly prove the Scriptures Authority without the Spirit which is the thing in debate it appears in the very following words Lib. Inst. 1. c. 7. Sect. 4. But if we will well look to our Consciences that they be not troubled with doubts and stick not at every scruple it is requisite the Perswasion whereof we have spoken be taken higher than human Judgment or Conjecture viz t. he secret Testimony of the Holy Spirit And a little after in direct Opposition to wit his words he adds This Word shall not obtain Faith in the hearts of Men if it be not Sealed by the Inward Testimony of the Spirit It is necessary then saith he that the Saints Spirit which spake by the mouth of the Prophets enter in our Hearts and touch them livingly to perswade us that the Prophets have faithfully delivered that which was Commanded them from on high and a little after This then is a Perswasion which requires no Reasons And again This is a Perswasion which cannot be Begotten but by a heavenly Revelation And in the beginning of the next Chapter he adds If we have not This certainly higher and more firm than all humane Judgment in vain is the Authority of the Scriptures proved by Arguments This doth abundantly shew how contrary W. M. is to Calvin in this matter and not to him alone but to the whole Reformed Churches of France who in their Confession of Faith agreed upon by the first National Synod they ever had at Paris Anno 1559. say thus The Synod at Paris concerning the Canonical Books in Scripture Art 4. We know these Books to be Canonique not so much by the common consent of the Church as by the Inward Testimony and Perswasion of the Holy Spirit And whereas he adviseth me to read Calvin his 6 th Chap. but that it would prove too long a Digression I could easily shew that we are no such Contemners of the Scripture as those he there speaks to And what if he contradict the Truth which we and himself elsewhere acknowledge I make use of his Testimony against W. M. and his Brethren even as he did the Testimony of Augustine Gregory and others of the Fathers against those of Rome whom nevertheless he spared not to reject some times Read Inst. lib. 1. cap. 11. Sect. 5. lib. cap. Sect. 4. and in many other places Thus also is added that which he adds about Pasor whose Translation he says We follow in one thing but not in another for we are not bound to follow him further than he follows the Truth Nor doth W. M. here produce any Argument to prove that these words Joh. 5.39 should be Ye search the Scriptures c. 2 pl. praes Ind. See Pasor Search the Scriptures and not Ye search the Scriptures but his own bare Assertion adding That Christ did not check them when he said In them ye think to have Eternal Life Whereas the very following words clearly Import a Reproof Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life He says not Seek for Life in the Scriptures ye do well to think to find it there but thus Ye think to have Eternal life in the Scriptures but will not come to me that ye might have life He ends this Section asking Seeing I grant the Scriptures are profitable for Doctrine Correction Reproof c. Why I deny them to be a perfect Rule But I never denied them and I told him also they were thus profitable not to every man but to the man of God The Scriptures profitable to the man of God i. e. he that 's led by the Spirit of God Now to this he replys nothing only tells me The man of God is most commonly understood of the Ministers of Christ Jesus which though I should grant him what he either can or would Infer from it against my Argument he hath left unmentioned Sect. 3. Page 40. He alledgeth The Voice and Testimony of the Father which Christ speaks of to the Jews not to have been inward desiring the Reader to look to the place and thereupon he cites Joh. 5.36 where Christ speaks of his Miracles as a greater Witness than that of John But his deceit is here abundantly manifest for the place mentioned by me was 1 Joh. 5.10 For this is the witness of God which he testified of his Son he that believeth in the Son of God hath the witness in himself Now this
he hath wholly omitted and mentioned another in the stead of it which makes nothing to the purpose I deny not but the Miracles were a greater witness than that of John but then will it therefore follow that the inward Testimony of the Father is not greater also This was the matter in question After the like manner he concludeth the Voice spoken of Joh. 5.37 Is not inward but outward citing for Proof Matth. 3.27 2 Pet. 1.17 18. the one is the Voice heard at Christ's being Baptized the other at his being Transfigured But what way he seeks to Infer from thence that the Voice of the Father here spoken of by Christ to the Jews was not inward but outward he hath left unmentioned Likewise the Exposition he adds unto this place as if Christ were only here reproving the Ignorance of the Jews whose Predecessors had heard so much of God It would be the better received that it had some other bottom than his own meer Assertion Page 14. He confesseth That where we are desired to try the Spirits there is no mention of trying them by the Scripture And to my Question asking If there be any surer way of trying of Spirits and by the Spirit of God he returneth no Reply but another Question Viz. Whether there be any surer way than that for which the Bereans were commended I Answer Yes by the Spirit Ananias and Sapphira were discerned by the Spirit Peter could never have discerned Ananias and Sapphira by the Scripture and yet did it by the Spirit To say as he does That this was a matter of Fact and not of Doctrine and that it was extraordinary is a meer silly shift for it was only by the Spirit of God which is so ordinary to Christians that none can be truly one without it Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And if this Spirit can discern the secret hypocrisy of the Heart in matters of Fact far more the Errors and Mistake of the Understanding in matters of Judgment which all grant to be more Obvious And though I never averr'd that John excluded all external Rules by pointing to the Anointing so his Assertion to say That the Anointing directeth us to the Law and to the Testimony as supposing it to be outward is but to beg the thing in question â—lready refuted Page 43. As he affirmeth That man 's being deluded proceeds not from the Scripture but their own blindness so he acknowledges That falling in Delusion proceeds not from the Spirit but from the tricks and deceits of Satan and thereby he hath clearly confessed what is asserted by me page 30. and not answered And whereas he adds That leaning to the Spirit and forsaking the Scripture provokes God to give men up to strong Delusions which he Illustrateth by the Example of one J. Gilpin once a Quaker who by harkening to a voice within was put upon Mischievous and Detestable Practices I Answer He hath not proved that we forsake the Scripture nor will one man's being deceived by harkening to a voice within prove the Spirit not to be a certain Rule more than as himself acknowledges The Pharisees having the Scripture in such high esteem and accounting them their Rule will prove their Delusion proceeded from them That Story of Gilpin's was largely answered about five years ago by E. B. and C. A. who have laid open his Deceit and Wickedness J. Gilpin's Story Answer'd neither can any of these Ridiculous Pranks granting the matter to be true which he pretended to do by a voice within while appearing to be among us prove the Insufficiency of that Light we Preach or the hazzard of following it more than his beastly Drunkenness and open Prophanity naturally known in the Garrison of Carlisle where he was a Souldier proves he was led by the Scripture which it is like he then pretended was his Rule unto these wicked practices which were the best fruits of that Repentance W.M. seems so much to congratulate in him Such filthy Dross whom God purgeth out from among us are fittest persons to be Proselited by him and his Brethren and truly we are well rid of them and can heartily spare such unto them They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us 1 Joh. 2.16 Page 43. He says That though the Scripture be sufficient for discovering of Delusions and ending of Differences in genere Objecti yet the Spirit is necessary in genere Causae Effectivae Now this necessity of the Spirit he saith himself is That we may be right Discerners for removing our natural depravedness and now granting the Scripture were sufficient in this manner will it therefore follow that the Spirit within is not the Rule which was the thing to prove in this Section In so far as he acknowledges this necessity of the Spirit 's work he hath yielded to the Truth yet it is observable how in contradiction to the Truth he overturns it all again Pag. 47 48. Where he expresly pleads For preaching upon and using the Scriptures without the joint Concurrence of the Spirit alledging I have no ground to say they ought not so to do Then consider First he said The Spirit was necessary to remove the depravedness of our Nature that we might be discerners but now he says We ought to use the Scripture without the Spirit though our Nature be depraved yea though we be in no capacity to make a right discerning And here he hath notably manifested his Affinity with the Jesuits Jesuits c. Doctrine of the Scriptures Arminians Socinians Pelagians and Semipelagians in saying How many cold Hearts have been Rubbed and Chafed unto spiritual Heat by reading and talking of the Scripture For is not this to set Nature a work and to grant a Capacity in man to beget Spiritual heat without the joint Concurrence of the Spirit And this is altogether agreeable to that known Maxim of the Semipelagians Facienti quod in se est Deus non denegat gratiam i. e. God will not deny him Grace that doth what in him lies And hereby the Intelligent Reader may perceive how much nearer a kin our Adversaries are to these Errors than we notwithstanding they so falsly and frequently brand us with them in their Pulpits and elsewhere as also that it is meerly constraint when they are hardly put to it that they now and then and that in Contradiction to themselves let a word or two drop concerning a necessary Work of the Spirit Sect. 4. Page 45. He alledgeth There is no convincing People by this Rule of the Spirit within because each way may pretend to the guidance of his Spirit and so both remain obstinate adding That according to them the Scripture is the Rule which lieth patent to both
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
Scriptures He Answers First That it was a singular extraordinary thing and so supposeth they might have been preserved Secondly He demands What were the hazzard to aver that they were wanting in that which they ought to have had As to the First it is but an Evasion without proof what singular and extraordinary thing is in some of Paul's Epistles which are concerning his outward occasions And if the last be admitted as I find he fears he will be forced to do it overturns his Example of Clean water passing through an unclean Pipe or else he must acknowledge the Scriptures are defiled because they come through the Apostles whom his Principles obliges him to believe not to have been perfect In his Seventh Head pag. 74. he summarily passes over and that by large omissions what is contained in the 44 45 46 and 47 pages of my last which if the Reader do but review he may easily discover that silly shift which he useth to wit That he means to be thrifty of his Paper in answering the Quakers Self-advancing Words Seeing he is such a good Manager of his Paper he might have bestowed some of that he has lavished in the large Capital Titles of his many Heads and Sections to shew the Impertinency or Vanity of my words and then he might have been the better credited after he has omitted my Answer wherein I clear the Quakers from that Calumny of exalting themselves shewing they do therein no more than all other professions have done and do do He adds with a great Exclamation Oh! it is intolerable Pride to vilifie all the Saints and Servants of God in the World and to shut them out from being of Christ's stock A strange Inference according to which we must conclude that because Luke called Theophilus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke called Theophilus most good or most good that therefore there was none good but he W. M. will do well to go back to the Grammar-School and there learn the natures of Degrees of Comparison and when he has instructed himself there he may next look over his Logicks and there he will find that Majus minus non variat speciem i. e. Less or more of a thing changeth not its nature or kind I suppose he will not deny but there are several sorts of Christians who though they do all profess Christianity yet are more or less pure in their Doctrine Discipline or Practice Is it not upon this score that the Calvinist hath separated from the Lutheran and the Presbyter from the Episcopalian Certainly W. M. himself lookt upon Independency as more pure than Presbytery when he separated with the Congregationists at Aberdeen and Communicated a-part with them and yet his practice now sheweth that he doth not exclude even Episcopacy from Christ's Stock though his Independant and Presbyterian Brethren do look upon it if not within the Walls at least in the Suburbs of Rome Neither is this Calumny against us as if we trusted in our selves that we were Righteous and despised others for so he mis-applieth the parable Luke 18.9 any other than the same which those of Rome used against the first Reformers to wit they were Proud and Boasters as if all the World had been in darkness before them Or as if they were Wiser than all the Doctors and Fathers of the Church seeking to innvovate the Order thereof which had been Confirmed by the Unanimous Consent of so many Generations It is observable How here as in other places he is so ready to lay claim to the Protestant Churches alledging That in disdain I call them their flocks which is utterly false I speak of their flocks as inferiour to the People called Quakers in point of Mortification but that I intended thereby the Protestant Churches is but his groundless Conjecture I let him understand I look not upon their flocks as deserving the name of Protestants Some Protestants degenerated in Time-Servers and that because of their shameless degenerating from such as were first so called among whom as I freely confess there were several of a heavenly and spiritual Conversation So I look upon W.M. and his Brethrens laying claim unto them but as the Jews boasting of Abraham as their Father After the same dis-ingenuous manner he concludes That the Persons he spoke of in his Dialogue as having such notable Enjoiments of and Communion with God were from Quakerism c. but answers not a word of page 28. of mine where I shew that those Professors agreed with us in many of these things wherein W.M. and his Brethren oppose us but particularly in the matter of the Spirit 's immediate Teaching It is then likely they would have been far from us especially considering that several who have received and owned the Quakers Testimony at Aberdeen are such who were the most Intimate Friends even in Spiritual Matters with these Professors whereas W. M. and some other of his Brethren who walked also among them that are not come to own the Quakers are degenerated and gone back unto that which all of them acknowledged to be Antichristian For which their gross backsliding and degenerating to use rightly his own mis-applied instance it is without doubt these Professors would have lookt upon him and his Brethren as Monstrous and abhorred their Treacherous Time-serving Turnings with the greatest detestation Head 8. page 77. He avers us to be guilty of Equivocating and that because we say We are for Baptism and yet are against Baptism with Water The corrupt Acceptation of the word Baptism denied The reason alledged is because Baptism is commonly understood of Baptism with water and therefore to understand it otherways he concludes is to speak lies in hypocrisie c. But this Conclusion is founded upon a Supposition denied by us and therefore it is a meer begging of the thing in question For since we deny that Common because corrupt Acceptation of the word Baptism and give it the true one as in its place shall be shewn therefore we are not obliged to put another meaning upon it than we are perswaded it ought to be understood But this Calumny against us as Equivocators or Liars W.M. hath also borrowed from the Papist who used to upbraid the Protestants for saying They were for or of the Catholick Church Because the Papist will have the Church of Rome only to be the Catholick Church but the Protestants denied her to be so and therefore would not call her so even as we deny the sprinkling with water to be Baptism and therefore will not account it that which it is not but reserve the name to that which truly is the thing according to the Scriptures The like may be said of the Lord's Supper I mean that which is so called Head 9. page 78. Because he can produce nothing against my Concession of singing of Psalms he suspects I mean not honestly and that because none of his spies whom he sends to our Meetings have had
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
visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were created by him and for him God hath in these last Days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things Hebr. 1.2 by whom also he made the Worlds Q. These are very clear that even the World was Created by Christ But what Scriptures prove the Divinity of Christ against such as falsly deny the same A. And the Word was God John 1 1. Rom. 9.5 Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Who being in the Form of God thought it no Robbery to be Equal with God Phil 2.6 And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an Understanding 1 John 5.20 that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and Eternal Life Q. What are the Glorious Names the Scripture gives unto Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God A And his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor The Mighty God Isai. 9.5 The Everlasting Father The Prince of Peace Who is the Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature Col. 1.15 Who being the Brightness of his Glory and the Express Image of his Person or more properly Hebr. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Greek of his Substance Rev. 19.13 And he was cloathed with a Vesture dipt in Blood and his Name is called The Word of God Q. After what manner was the Birth of Christ Matth. 1.18 A. Now the Birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise When as his Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found with Child of the Holy Ghost And the Angel said unto her Fear not Mary for thou hast found Favour with God And behold thou shalt conceive in thy Womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his Name Jesus He shall be Great and shall be called The Son of the Highest The Birth of Christ. and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David Then said Mary unto the Angel How shall this be seeing I know not a Man Luke 1.30 31 32 34 35. And the Angel answered and said unto her The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee Therefore also that Holy Thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Q. Was Jesus Christ who was born of the Virgin Mary and supposed to be the Son of Joseph a True and Real Man A. Forasmuch as the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood Hebr. 2.14 he also himself took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil For verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels Hebr. 2.16 17. but He took on him the Seed of Abraham wherefore in all things it behoved him To be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a Merciful and Faithful High-Priest c. For we have not an High-Priest Hebr. 4.15 which cannot be Touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all Points tempted as we are yet without Sin And the Gift by Grace which is by one Man Jesus Christ Hebr. 5.15 hath abounded unto many But now is Christ risen from the Dead 1 Cor. 15.20 21. and become the First-Fruits of them that slept for since by Man came Death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead Q. After what manner doth the Scripture assert the Conjunction and Unity of the Eternal Son of God in and with the Man Christ Jesus A. And the Word was made Flesh John 1.14 and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory the Glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth For he whom God hath sent speaketh the Words of God John 3.34 for God giveth not the Spirit by Measure unto him Now God Anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost Acts 10 38. and with Power who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 For in him dwelleth all the Fulness of the God-head bodily Col. 2.9 In him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2.3 Q. For what End did Christ appear in the World A. For what the Law could not do Rom. 8.3 in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh. For this Purpose the Son of God was manifested 1 John 3.8 9. That he might destroy the Works of the Devil And ye know that he was manifested To take away our Sins Q. Was Jesus Christ really Crucified and Raised again A. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received 1 Cor. 15.3 4. how that Christ died for our Sins according to the Scriptures And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures Q. What End do the Scriptures ascribe unto the Coming Death and Sufferings of Christ. Luke 2.30 31 32. A. For mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the Face of all People A Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past through the forbearance of God And walk in Love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering Ephes. 5.2 and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling Savour And having made Peace through the Blood of his Cross by him To Reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven And you that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your minds by wicked Works yet now hath he reconciled in the Body of his Flesh through Death Col. 1.20 21 22. to present you Holy Vnblamable and Vnreprovable in his Sight Hebr. 9.12 14. Neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entered-in once into the Holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offer'd himself without Spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for Sins the Just for the Unjust that he might bring us to God being put to Death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit 1 John 3 16. Hereby perceive we
that which may be known of himself A. That which may be known of God is manifest in them Rom. 1.19 for God hath shewed it unto them Q. Is then this Light or Seed sown in the Hearts of Evil Men A. And he spake many things to them in Parables Behold a Sower went forth to sow and when he sowed Matth. 13.3 4 5 7. some Seeds fell by the way-side c. some fell among stony places c. and some fell among Thornes c. Q. Are these places where the Seed is said to have fallen understood of the Heart of Man A. Hear ye therefore the Parable of the Sower when any one heareth the Word of the Kingdom Matth. 13.18 19. and understandeth it not then cometh the Wicked One and catcheth away that which was sown in his Heart this is he which received the Seed by the way-side c. Q. Is this Seed small in its first Appearance A. The Kingdom of Heaven is like to a Grain of Mustard Seed which a Man took and sowed in his Field Matth. 13 31 32. which indeed is the least of all Seeds Q. Forasmuch as many understand not this under the Notion and Appellation of Light or Seed it being quite another Dialect than the common though I must needs confess it is the very Language of the Scriptures Is there a saving Manifestation of the Spirit given unto all A. The Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 Q. Sure if it be to profit withal it must be in order to save for were it not useful nor yet sufficient to save what Profit could it be of But in regard some speak of a Grace that is Common and of a Grace that is Saving is there such a Grace Common unto all as brings Salvation A. The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men. Tit. 2.11 Q. That which brings Salvation must needs be saving What doth that Grace teach us A. Teaching us that denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Tit. 2.12 Righteously and Godly in this present World Q. Certainly that which teacheth both Righteousness and Godliness must be sufficient for therein consisteth the whole Duty of Man What saith the Apostle elsewhere of this Instructor A. And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace Acts 20.32 which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all those that are Sanctified Q. What is the Word of God A. The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any Two-edged Sword Hebr. 4.12 13. piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joints and Marrow and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart Neither is there any Creature that is not Manifest in his Sight but all things are naked and open to the Eyes of him with whom we have to do Q. Ought we not to take heed to this Word A. We have also a more Sure Word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed 2 Pet. 1.19 as unto a Light that shineth in a Dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts Q. I perceive the Scriptures are very clear both concerning the Vniversality and Sufficiency of this Light Seed Grace and Word of God but is this Word nigh or afar off Inward or Outward A. Say not in thine Heart Who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above Rom. 10.6 7 8. or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead But what saith it The Word is nigh in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith which we preach Q. That is clear as to the Word Is there any Scripture speaks of the Light 's being Inward A. God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness has shin'd in our Hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 7 to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. But we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us Q. But seeing it is also called the Seed of the Kingdom is the Kingdom of God also within A. The Kingdom of God comes not with Observation neither shall they say Lo here or Lo there for behold Luke 17.20 21. the Kingdom of God is within you CHAP. VI. Concerning Faith Justification and Works Question WHat is Faith Answer Hebr. 11.1 Faith is the Substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen Q. Is Faith of absolute necessity A. Without Faith it is Impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them Hebr. 11.6 that diligently seek him Q. Are we Justified by Faith A. Wherefore the Law was our School-Master to bring us unto Christ that we might be Justified by Faith Gal. 3.24 Q. What is the Nature of this Faith that availeth to Justification A. For in Jesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 Q. Are Works then necessary to Justification as well as Faith A. But wilt thou know O Vain Man that Faith without Works is Dead Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works Jam. 2.20 21 22 23 24. when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Altar Seest thou how Faith wrought with his Works and by Works was Faith made perfect And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness He was called the Friend of God Ye see then how that by Works a Man is justified and not by Faith only Q. If then both be equally required in Justification what are these Works which the Apostle excludes so much Rom. 3.20 A. By the Deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be Justified in his sight Q. But though we be not Justified by the Deeds of the Law is not this to exclude Boastings that the Grace of God may be exalted Ephes. 2.8 9 10. A. For by Grace are ye saved through Faith and not of your selves it is the Gift of God not of the Works lest any Man should boast for we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Q Are even the Works which are performed by Grace excluded Are we never said to be saved or justified by them Tit. 3 5 6.7 A. Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his Grace we should be made Heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life Q. I perceive then that to be
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
Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World q 1 Joh 2.1 2. For by the Grace of God he hath tasted Death for every Man r Hebr 2.9 And gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due Time s 1 Tim. 2.6 Willing all Men to be saved and to come to the Knowledge of the Truth t 1 Tim. 2.4 Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance u 2 Pet. 3.9 For God sent not his Son into the World to Condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved x John 3 17. And Christ came a Light into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not abide in Darkness y John 12.46 Therefore as by the Offence of One Judgment came upon All Men to Condemnation even so by the Righteousness of One the free Gift came upon all Men to Justification of Life z Rom. 5.18 ARTICLE XI Concerning the Light that enlightneth every Man THe Gospel was preached to every Creature under Heaven a Col. 1.23 which Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation to them that believe b Rom. 1.16 And if it be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into them c 2 Cor. 4.3 4. And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are Evil d John 3.19 And this was the true Light which lightneth every Man that cometh into the World e John 1.9 By which all things that are reproveable are made manifest for whatsoever maketh manifest is Light f Ephes. 5.11 Every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved but he that doth Truth cometh to to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God g Joh. 3 20 21. And they that walk in the Light as Christ is in the Light have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth them from all Sin h 1 John 1. Therefore ought we to believe in the Light while we have the Light that we may be the Children of the Light i John 12.36 Therefore to Day if we will hear his Voice let us not harden our Hearts k Hebr. 4 7. For Christ wept over Jerusalem saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy Day the Things which belong unto thy Peace But now they are hid from thine Eyes l Luke 19.42 And he would often have gathered her Children as a Hen gathereth her Chickens but they would not m Matth. 23.37 for the stiff-necked and uncircumcised in Heart and Ears do always Resist the Holy Ghost n Acts 7.51 And are of those that Rebel against the Light o Job 24.13 Therefore God's Spirit will not always strive with Man p Gen. 7.3 For the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness q Rom. 1.18 Because what is to be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them r Rom. 1.19 And a Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal s 1 Cor. 12.7 For the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World t Tit. 2.11 12. And this Word of this Grace is able to build up and give an Inheritance among all those that are Sanctified u Acts 20.32 For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit and of the Joints and Marrow and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart x Hebr. 4.12 Is that more sure Word of Prophesy whereunto we do well that we take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in the Heart y 2 Pet. 1. â—9 And this is the Word of Faith which the Apostles Preached which is nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart z Rom. 10.8 For God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ a 2 Cor. 4.6 But we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God b 2 Cor. 4.7 and not of us for the Kingdom of God cometh not by Observation but is within us ARTICLE XII Concerning Faith and Justification FAith is the Substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen d Hebr. 11.1 Without which it is impossible to please God e Hebr. 11.6 Therefore we are justified by Faith which worketh by Love f Gal. 5.6 For Faith without Works being dead is by Works made perfect g Jam. 2.23 26. By the Deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified h Rom. 3.20 Nor yet by the Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy we are saved by the Washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost i 1 Tit. 3.5 For we are both washed sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God k 1 Cor. 6.11 ARTICLE XIII Concerning Good Works IF we live after the Flesh we shall die but if we through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body we shall live l Rom. 8.13 For they which believe in God must be careful to maintain good Works m T it 3.8 For God will render to every Man according to his Deeds according to his Righteous Judgment to them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality Eternal Life n Rom. 2.6 7. For such are counted worthy of the Kingdom of God o 2 Thess. 1.5 and cast not away their Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward p Hebr. 10.35 Blessed then are they that do his Commandments that they may have Right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City q Rev. 22.14 ARTICLE XIV Concerning Perfection SIn shall not have Dominion over such as are not under the Law but under Grace r Rom. 6.14 For there is no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the
find none save the Dispensation of Truth now again revealed but such as in most of their substantial Principles differ greatly and in many Contradict grosly the plain Text and Tenour of the Scripture I confess there be certain Men in this Age who with some plausible Appearance of Reality undertake this Task These are they that join with and own not wholly any Imbodied People but while they pretend a general Love to all yet find fault with some part of every Sort while in the mean time they scarce can give any Account of their own Religion and most of them prove at bottom to have none at all These Men I say may perhaps acknowledge some general Truths and also hold to the Letter of the Scripture in some other things so as thereby to take Occasion largely to judge others while themselves offer not to bring these good things to practice they blame others for the Want or Neglect of But such an Enterprize from these Men will not when weighed prove a fulfilling of this Matter Seeing it is not enough to acknowledge many Truths but also to deny and witness against all Error and likewise not to fall short of any Truth which ought to be acknowledged Whereas these sort of Men for the most part cannot give account of their Faith in many things needful to be believed and whatever things they may acknowledge to be true they Err most grievously and Contradict a Truth most needful to be minded and answered as is proved hereto in that they stand not forth to appear for any of these Discoveries they pretend they have but make a shift to hide their Heads in Times of Trial Pretenders hide their Heads in time of Trial. so as not to suffer for nor with any And through these fine Pretences above-mentioned through their Scruples of joining with any they can cunningly shun the Difficulties of Persecutions that attend the particular Sects of Christians yet by their general Charity and Love to all claim a share in any Benefits or Advantages that accrew to one and all Such then cannot honestly lay claim to justifie their Principles and Practices from the Scriptures But I leave these Straglers in Religion and come again to the divers Sects To begin with these that are most numerous I think I need not say much to the Papists in this Case for they do not so much as pretend to prove all their Dogma's by the Scriptures sith it is one of their chief Doctrines That Tradition may Authorize Doctrines without any Authority of Scriptures Papistical Dogma's Traditions and Councils Yea the Council of Constance hath made bold to Command things to be believed Non obstante Scripturâ i. e. Though the Scriptures say the contrary And indeed it were their great Folly to pretend to prove their Doctrines by Scripture seeing the Adoration of Saints and Images Purgatory and Prayer for the Dead the Precedency of the Bishop of Rome the Matter of Indulgencies with much more Stuff of that kind hath not the least Shadow of Scripture for it Socinians Pretences contrary to Scriptures Among Protestants I know the Socinians are great Pretenders to the Scriptures and in Words as much exalt them as any other People and yet its strange to see how that not only in many things they are not agreeable to them but in some of their chief Principles quite contrary unto it as in their Denying the Divinity of Christ which is as expresly mentioned as any thing can be And the Word was God John 1. As also in Denying his Being from the Beginning against the very Tenour of that of John 1. and divers others as at large is shewn in the Third Chapter of this Treatise Divers other things as to them might be mentioned but this may suffice to stop their Boasting in this Matter The Arminians are not more successful in their Denying the Doctrine of Absolute Reprobation Arminians Denials do center amiss and in Asserting the Vniversal Extent of Christ's Death for all than they are short in not placing this Salvation in that Spiritual Light wherewith Man is enlightned by Christ but wrongously ascribing a part of that to the Natural Will and Capacity which is due alone to the Grace and Power of God by which the Work is both begun carried on and accomplished And herein they Pelagians the like as well as both the Socinians and Pelagians though they do well in Condemning their Errors yet they miss in setting up another and not the Truth in place thereof and in that respect are justly proved by such Scriptures as their Adversaries who otherwise are as far wrong as they bring against them in shewing the Depravity of Man's Will by Nature and his Incapacity to do any Good but as assisted by the Grace of God so to do On the other hand its strange to observe how many Protestants the first Article of whose Confession of Faith is to assert the Scripture to be the Only Rule should deny the Vniversal Extent of Christ's Death contrary to the express words of Scripture which saith He tasted Death for every man or the Vniversality of Grace and a sufficient Principle which the Scriptures assert in as many positive Words as except we may suppose the Pen-men intended another thing than they spake it was possible to do viz A Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto all men and many more before-mentioned The like may be said of their denying the Perfection of the Saints and asserting the Impossibility of any falling away from real Beginnings of true and saving Grace contrary to so many express Scriptures as are heretofore adduced in their proper place But to give all that desire to be undeceived a more full Opportunity to observe how the Devil has abused many pretending to be Wise in making them cloak with a Pretence of Scripture false and pernicious Doctrines I shall take a few of many Instances out of the Confession of Faith and Catechism made by the Divines at Westminster so called because the same is not only most universally received and believed by the People of Britain and Ireland but also containeth upon the Matter the Faith of the French Churches and of most others both in the Nether-lands and elsewhere that it may appear what wild Consequences these Men have sought both contrary to the naked Import of the Words and to all Common Sense and Reason to cover some of their Erroneous Principles CHAP. XVIII A Short Examination of some of the Scripture-Proofs alledged by the Divines at Westminster to prove divers Articles in their Confession of Faith and Catechism IT is not in the least my Design in this Chapter to offer so large and Examination of any of their Articles as might be done nor yet of so many as are very obvious but only of two or three to give the Reader a Taste of them
omitted In Chap. 21. Sect. 7. where they say That the Sabbath from the Resurrection of Christ was changed into the First Day of the Week which in Scripture say they is called the Lord's Day and is to be continued to the End of the World as the Christians Sabbath In which they assert Three Things First That the First Day of the Week is come in place of the Seventh for a Sabbath To prove which they alledge 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Now concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia even so do ye Vpon the First Day of the Week let every one of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him that there be no Gathering when I come Acts 20.7 The Divines Non-sensical Proofs That the First day of the Week is instead of the Sabbath And upon the First Day of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread Paul preached to them ready to depart on the Morrow and continued his Speech until Midnight That these Proofs Assert not the things expresly we need not I suppose dispute Now to say that because Paul desires the Corinthians to lay something by them in store that day or because he brake Bread continued his Speech until Midnight therefore the First Day of the Week is come in place of the Sabbath is a Consequence more remarkable for its Sottishness than to be credited for its Soundness Indeed to make so solemn an Article of Faith as these Men would have the Morality of the First Day of the Week to be would need a more positive and express Authority The Text doth clearly enough tell the Reason of the Disciples Meeting so frequently and of Paul's preaching so long because he was ready to depart to Morrow it speaks not a word of its being Sabbath Their Second Assertion That the First Day of the Week is therefore called the Lord 's Day Is drawn yet more strangely from that of Rev. 1.10 The Lord's Day I was in the Spirit on the Lord 's Day and heard behind me a great Voice as of a Trumpet Whereas no particular Day of the Week is mentioned So for them to say John meaned the First Day of the Week hath no more Proof but their own bare Assertion For their Third Assertion That it is to be continued to the End of the World as the Christians Sabbath They that alledge these Scriptures Exod. 20.8 10 11. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any Work The Sabbath-Day thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-Servant nor thy Maid-Servant nor thy Cattle nor thy Stranger which is within thy Gates for in Six Days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the Seventh Day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day and hallowed it Isaiah 56.2 4 6 7. Matth. 5.17 18. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil For verily I say unto you Till Heaven and Earth pass one Jot or one Tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled If they prove any thing they must needs prove the continuance of the Seventh Day seeing in all the Law there is no mention made of the First Day of the Week being a Sabbath The Seventh Day If these may be reckoned good and sound Consequences I know no Absurdities so great no Heresies so damnable no Superstitions so ridiculous but may be cloathed with the Authority of Scripture In their Twenty Seventh Chapter in the 1 2 3. Sections they speak at large of the Definition and Nature of Sacraments but in all the Scriptures they bring there is not one Word of Sacraments The Truth is there was a good Reason for this Omission for such a thing is not to be found in all the Bible The word Sacrament not to be found in all the Bible For them to alledge that the thing signified is to be found in Scripture though that be also a begging of the Question will not excuse such who elsewhere aver The Whole Counsel of God is contained in the Scripture to forsake and reject the Tenour thereof and scrape out of the Rubbish of the Romish Tradition for that which is reckoned by themselves so substantial a part of their Faith In their Fourth Section they assert two things First That there are Two only Sacraments under the Gospel Secondly That these two are Baptism and the Supper To prove which they alledge Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and Teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 11.20 23. When ye come together therefore into one place this is not to eat the Lord 's Supper for I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a Man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Heb. 5.4 4. And no Man taketh this Honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Now granting there were such a thing as Sacraments to be solemnly performed all that these Scriptures will prove is That these Two were appointed to be performed But that there are only Two or that these are they which is the thing asserted and incumbent to be proved there is not the least Shadow of Proof alledged For according to their own Definition of a Sacrament in the larger Catechism where they say The parts of a Sacrament are two the one an outward and sensible Sign used according to Christ's own appointment the other an inward and spiritual Grace thereby signified both the Washing of one another's Feet and the Anointing of the Sick with Oil doth answer to it and many other Things So that the Probation of a Sacrament at all or of their being Two Seven yea or Seventy is all alike easie seeing neither Name nor Number is to be found in the Scripture they being the meer Conceits and Inventions of Men. And yet it is marvellous to see with how great Confidence some Men do assert the Scripture to be their Rule while they build up so considerable Parts of their Doctrine without the least Scripture-Foundation Thus I thought fit to pitch upon these Three viz. the Scriptures Sabbath and Sacraments because these be Three of the main things for which we the Quakers are chiefly cried out against and accused as believing Erroneously concerning them Now what we believe concerning these things and how agreeable our Testimony herein is to the Scriptures is heretofore sufficiently demonstrated Also how little Scripture-Proof these have for their Contrary Assertions to us in these things notwithstanding of their great Pretences to Scripture will
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
we bestow more abundant Honour and our uncomely Parts have more abundant Comliness Vers. 24. For our Comely Parts have no Need but God hath tempered the Body together having given more abundant Honour to that Part which lacked Vers. 25. That there should be no Schism in the Body but that the Members should have the same Care one of another Vers. 26. And whether one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it or one Member be honoured all the Members rejoice with it Vers. 27. Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular Vers. 28. And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles then Gifts of Healing Helps Governments Diversities for Tongues Vers. 29. Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Teachers Are all Workers of Miracles Vers. 30. Have all the Gifts of Healing Do all speak with Tongues Do all Interpret Which I would not have set down at large but that there be some so careless especially in Matters they like not that they will scarce be at the pains seriously to read over a Citation only named and that also this being presented before the Reader in the Current of the Discourse will fix the Nature of my Application the more in his Understanding The sum of the premisses For the Apostle shews here the Variety of the Operations of the divers Members of the Body of Christ working to one and the same End as the divers Members of a Man's Body towards the Maintaining and upholding of the whole Now these are not placed in Contrary Workings for so they would destroy one another and so the Apostle in the ordering of them in three several kinds proves this First Diversities of Gifts Secondly Differences of Administrations Thirdly Diversities of Operations and that which is the Bond that keeps the Oneness here he also mentions to wit The same Spirit the same Lord the same God the Apostle names nothing of Contrariety or Opposition But lest any should be so Critical as to bring in here the School-Distinction of Contrarium Oppositum and Contradictorium I shall not deny but Contrariety or Opposition in the Sense it is sometimes taken may be found in the Body without Schism as the Comely Parts may be said to be Opposite or Contrary to the Vncomely or the left Hand contrary to the right or the Foot opposite to the Head as the uppermost Part to the undermost No Contrariety in the Body of Christ. or the Doing a thing is contrary to the Forbearing of it but as for that which is acknowledged to be Propositions or Termini Contradictorii that is Contradictory Propositions which are in themselves Irreconcilable whereof one must be still wrong and that still destroy one another and work Contrary Effects they are not at all admitted nor supposed to be in the Body of Christ as I shall give in one Instance Ver. 8. Instances To one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit First here are two different Gifts but not Contrary Secondly There may something like Contrariety in the Sense afore mentioned be here supposed as some may want this Gift of Wisdom and Knowledge and so to have is contrary to want though as to these two none may be absolutely said to want them yet all have them not in the same Degree as a special Gift though as to some Gifts there may be an absolute Want as that of Miracles and Interpretation of Tongues But should I suppose such a Contrariety or more properly a Contradiction as to Wisdom to oppose Folly and to Knowledge Vtter Ignorance this were an Opposition not to be admitted of in the Body because it were false to suppose that to proceed from the same Spirit And such Contrarieties or Diversities as cannot justly be supposed to proceed from the same Spirit of God which is the Bond that links together cannot be mutually entertained in the Body So the Differences and Diversities which the Apostle admits of while he speaks largely in this Matter Diversities of Works and Operations in the Body are That none ought to be offended at his Brother that he hath not the same Work and Office in the Body that he hath but that every one keep in his own Place as God hath appointed them that neither them that are set in a higher Place despise them that are set in a lower nor them that are set in a lower grudge and repine at such as are set higher but all work in their proper Place towards the Edification of the whole And that the Apostle intends this is manifest where he draws to a Conclusion Ver. 27. Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular and God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets c. and then he subsumes Are all Apostles c. Place 2 Which the same Paul again Confirms Ephes. 4.8 11. to the 17th which was the Second Place I intended and shall only mention for Brevity's sake leaving the Reader to consider of it at his Leisure This is also held forth by the Beloved Disciple John in his Threefold Distinction 1 John 2.12 13. Of Fathers Young Men and little Children and by Peter 1 Pet. 5.1 5. in that of Elders and Younger The true Liberty then in the Church of Christ is exercised whenas one judgeth not another in these different Places The true Liberty in the Church but live in Love together all minding the Vnity and general good of the Body and to work their own Work in their own Place Also the Forbearance of the Saints is exercised whenas they judge not one another for being found in the different Appearance either of Doing or forbearing which may be peculiar to their several Places and Stations in the Body Diversities of Works expressed by the Apostle For that there is and may be Diversities of Works there is excellently well expressed by the Apostle viz. Rom. 12.3 For I say through the Grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the Measure of Faith Vers. 4. For as we have many Members in one Body and all Members have not the same Office Vers. 5. So we being many are one Body in Christ and every one Members one of another Vers. 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 Vers. 7. Or Ministry let us wait on our Ministring or he that teacheth on Teaching Vers. 8. Or he that Exhorteth on Exhortation He that giveth let him do it with Simplicity he that Ruleth with Diligence he that sheweth Mercy with Cheerfulness If any then should quarrel with his Brother for exercising that which belongeth to the Office of
preaching to the Gentiles and what Weight his and James's Words had in the Contest about Circumcision towards the bringing the Matter to a Conclusion Acts 15. Yet that we may see Infallibility was not inseparably annexed to him he was found blamable in a certain Matter Gal. 2.11 notwithstanding his Sentence was positively received in many particulars So also the Apostle Paul argues from his Gathering of the Churches of Corinth and Galatia that they ought to be Followers of him and positively Concludes in divers Things and upon this Supposition exhorts the Churches both he and Peter in many Passages heretofore mentioned which I will not to avoid Repetition again rehearse To obey the Elders that watch for them to hold such in Reputation and to submit themselves to them that have addicted themselves to the Ministry of the Saints 1 Cor. 16.15 16. Also we see how the Lord makes use of John his beloved Disciple to Inform and Reprove the seven Churches of Asia and no doubt John the Rest by the usual Computation being at that Time all Removed was then the most-noted and famous Elder alive And indeed I mind not where under the Gospel Christ hath used any other Method but that he always in Revealing his Will hath made use of such as he himself had before appointed Elders and Officers in his Church Though it be far from us to limit the Lord so as to Exclude any from this Priviledge nor yet on the other hand will the Possibility hereof be a sufficient Warrant to allow every obscure Member to stand up and offer to Rule Judge and Condemn the whole Body nor yet is it without Cause that such an one's Message is Jealoused and called in Question unless it have very great Evidence and be bottomed upon some very weighty and solid Cause and Foundation And God doth so furnish those whom he raises up in a singular Manner of which as I said I mind no Instance in the New Testament and in the Old we see though it was strange that little David should Oppose himself to the great Goliah yet he had before that killed both the Lion and the Bear which was no less improbable and which of all is most observable was before that Time by the Appointment of God and the Hand of the Prophet Anointed King of Israel Compare the 16th and 17th Chap. of the 1 st of Samuel Now as to the Third That any particular Persons de facto or effectually Assert 3 giving out a positive Judgment Proved is no Incroaching nor Imposing upon their Brethren's Conscience is necessarily included in what is said before upon which for further Probation there will only need this short Reflection That for any Member or Members in Obedience to the Lord to give forth a positive Judgment in the Church of Christ is their proper Place and Office they being called to it and so for them to exercise that Place in the Body which the Head moves them to is not to Vsurp Authority over their Fellow-Members As on the other Hand to submit and obey it being the Place of some so to do is not a Renouncing a being led by the Spirit seeing the Spirit leads them so to do And not to Obey in Case the Judgment be according to Truth and the Spirit lead to it is no doubt both Offensive and Sinfull And that all this may be supposed in the Church of Christ without Absurdity and so establish the above-mentioned Propositions will appear by a short Review of the former Passages If that Peter and James their giving a positive Judgment in the Case of Difference in divers particulars did not infer them to be Imposers so neither will any so doing now being led to it by the same Authority Every one may easily make the Application And on the Contrary if for any to have stood up and Resisted their Judgment pretending an Vnclearness or so and thereby held up the Difference after their Sentence breaking the Peace and Vnity of the Church Things being concluded with an It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us I say if such would have given just Cause of Offence Acts 15.21 and have been Cut off as Despisers of Dignities of old will not the like Case now occurring hold the same Conclusion Now whether those Propositions do not hold upon the Principles before laid down and proved I leave to every Judicious and Impartial Reader to judge Moreover we see how positive the Apostle Paul is in many particulars throughout all his Epistles insomuch as he saith 2 Thess. ult v. 14. If any Man obey not our Word by this Epistle note that Man and have no Company with him that he may be ashamed And in many more Places before-mentioned where he Commands them both to Obey him and several others Submission and Obedience to the Judgment of Truth the Spirit of God leads into who were Appointed no doubt by the Spirit of God to be Rulers among them and yet who will say that either the Apostle did more than he ought in Commanding or they less than they were obliged to in Submitting and yet neither were to do any thing Contrary or more than the Spirit of God in themselves led them to or allowed them in And if the Church of God bear any Parity or Proportion now in these Days with what it did of Old as I know no Reason why it should not the same things may now be supposed to take Effect that did then and also be lawfully done upon the like Occasion proceeding from the same Spirit and established upon the same Basis and Foundation And thus much as to that Part to shew In whom the Power of Decision is Which being seriously and impartially considered is sufficient to clear us from the Tyranny either of Popery or any other of that Nature with those that are not either wilfully Blind or very Ignorant of Popish Principles as the Judicious Reader may observe But seeing To manifest that Difference was one of those things propsoed to be Considered of I shall now come to say something of it in its proper Place Section VIII How this Government altogether differeth from the Oppressing and Persecuting Principality of the Church of Rome and other Anti-Christian Assemblies Head III. WHatever Way we understand the Popish Principles in this Matter Prop. 3 whether of those that are Most devoted to the See of Rome as the King of Spain's Dominions Proved and the Princes of Italy the Jesuites and Generality of all those called Religious Orders who hold that Papa in Cathedrâ non potest errare licet absque Concilio that is That the Pope in his Chair cannot Err though without a Council or of those that are Less devoted who plead this Infallibility in the Pope and Council lawfully Convened who yet by the more zealous are reckoned Petty Schismaticks I say whatever Way we take them all those that do profess themselves Members of the Romish Church Principles
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 exalting a Natural Light as also the Papists and most of Protestants who affirm Eph 2.1 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. The Fifth and Sixth Propositions Concerning the Universal Redemption by Christ and also the Saving and Spiritual Light wherewith every Man is enlightened The Fifth Proposition Ezek. 18.23 Isai 49.6 John 3.16 and 1 9. T it 2.11 Eph. 5 13. Hebr. 2 9. God out of his Infinite Love who delighteth not in the death of a Sinner but that all should live and be saved hath so loved the World that he hath given his Only Son a Light that whosoever believeth in him should be saved Who enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World and maketh manifest all things that are reproveable and teacheth all Temperance Righteousness and Godliness And this Light enlighteneth the Hearts of all in a Day in order to Salvation if not Resisted Nor is it lessVniversal than the Seed of Sin being the purchase of his Death 1 Cor. 15.22 who tasted death for every Man For as in Adam all die even so in Christ all shall be made alive The Sixth Proposition According to which Principle or Hypothesis all the Objections against the Vniversality of Christ's Death are easily solved Neither is it needful to recur to the Ministry of Angels and those other Miraculous Means which they say God makes use of to manifest the Doctrine and History of Christ's Passion unto such who living in those places of the World where the outward preaching of the Gospel is unknown have well improved the first and Common Grace For hence it well follows that as some of the Old Philosophers might have been Saved so also may now some who by Providence are cast into those Remote parts of the World where the Knowledge of the History is wanting be made partakers of the Divine Mystery if they receive and resist not that Grace 1 Cor. 12.7 A manifestation whereof is given to every Man to profit withal This certain Doctrine then being received to wit that there is an Evangelical and Saving Light and Grace in all the Vniversality of the Love and Mercy of God towards Mankind both in the Death of his beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ and in the manifestation of the Light in the heart is established and confirmed against all the Objections of such as deny it Therefore Christ hath tasted death for every Man Hebr. 2 9. not only for all kinds of Men as some vainly talk but for every one of all kinds the Benefit of whose Offering is not only extended to such who have the distinct outward Knowledge of his Death and Suffering as the same is declared in the Scriptures but even unto those who are necessarily excluded from the Benefit of this Knowledge by some inevitable accident Which Knowledge we willingly Confess to be very Profitable and Comfortable but not absolutely Needful unto such from whom God himself hath with-held it yet they may be made partakers of the Mystery of his Death though ignorant of the History if they suffer his Seed and Light enlightning their hearts to take place in which Light Communion with the Father and the Son is enjoied so as of wicked men to become holy and lovers of that Power by whose inward and secret Touches they feel themselves turned from the Evil to the Good and learn To do to others as they would be done by in which Christ himself affirms all to be included As they have then falsly and erroneously taught who have denied Christ to have died for all men so neither have they sufficiently taught the Truth who affirming him to have died for all have added the absolute necessity of the outward Knowledge thereof in order to the obtaining its saving Effect Among whom the Remonstrants of Holland have been chiefly wanting and many other Asserters of Vniversal Redemption in that they have not placed the Extent of this Salvation in that Divine and Evangelical Principle of Light and Life wherewith Christ hath enlightned every one that comes into the World which is excellently and evidently held forth in these Scriptures Gen. 6.3 Deut. 30.14 John 1.7 8 9. Rom. 10.8 Tit. 2.11 The Seventh Proposition Concerning Justification As many as resist not this Light but receive the same in them is produced a holy pure and spiritual Birth bringing forth Holiness Righteousness Purity and all these other blessed Fruits which are acceptable to God by which holy Birth to wit Jesus Christ formed within us and working his work in us as we are Sanctified so are we Justified in the Sight of God according to the Apostle's words But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Therefore it is not by our Works wrought in our Will nor yet by good Works considered as of themselves but by Christ who is both the Gift and the Giver and the Cause producing the Effects in us who as he hath Reconciled us while we were Enemies doth also in his Wisdom save us and justify us after this manner as saith the same Apostle elsewhere According to his Mercy he hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration Titus 3.5 and the renewing of the Holy Ghost The Eighth Proposition Concerning Perfection In whom this holy and pure Birth is fully brought forth Rom. 6.14 Id. 8.13 Id. 6.2 18. 1 John 3.6 the body of Death and Sin comes to be Crucified and removed and their hearts united and subjected unto the Truth so as not to obey any Suggestion or Temptation of the Evil one but to be Free from actual Sinning and Transgressing of the Law of God and in that respect Perfect Yet doth this Perfection still admit of a Growth there remaineth a possibility of sinning where the Mind doth not most diligently and watchfully attend unto the Lord. The Ninth Proposition 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 in whom it hath wrought in part to purify and sanctify them in order to their further Perfection 1 Tim. 1.6 Hebr. 6.4 5 6. by disobedience such may fall
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.
Seditious Multitude of the Lutheran Citizens being stirred up by the daily Clamours of their Preachers did not only violently take up the Houses of the Reformed Teachers overturn their Libraries and spoil their Furniture but also with reproachful words yea and with stones Assaulted the Marquess of Brandenburgh the Elector's Brother while he sought by smooth words to quiet the Fury of the Multitude they killed ten of his Guards scarcely sparing himself who at last by Flight Escaped out of their hands All which sufficiently declares that the Concurrence of the Magistrate doth not alter their Principles but only their Method of Procedure So that for my own part I see no Difference betwixt the Actings of those of Munster and these others whereof the one pretended to be led by the Spirit the other by Tradition Scripture and Reason save this that the former were rash heady and foolish in their proceedings and therefore were the sooner brought to nothing and so into Contempt and Derision but the other being more politick and wise in their generation held it out longer and so have Authorized their Wickedness more with seeming Authority of Law and Reason But both their Actings being equally Evil the Difference appears to me to be only like that which is betwixt a simple silly Thief that is easily Catched and hanged without any more ado and a Company of Resolute bold Robbers who being better guarded though their Offence be nothing less yet by violence do to evite the danger force their Masters to give them good Terms From all which then it evidently follows that they Argue very ill that despise and reject any Principle because men pretending to be led by it do evil in case it be not the natural and consequential Tendency of that Principle to lead unto those things that are evil Again It doth follow from what is above asserted that if the Spirit be to be Rejected upon this account all those other Principles ought on the same account to be Rejected And for my part as I have never a whit the lower Esteem of the blessed Testimony of the Holy Scriptures nor do the less respect any solid Tradition that is answerable and according to Truth neither at all despise Reason that noble and excellent Faculty of the mind Let none reject the Certainty of the Vnerring Spirit because of false Pretenders to it because wicked men have abused the name of them to cover their wickedness and deceive the simple so would I not have any reject or diffide the Certainty of that Vnerring Spirit which God hath given his Children as that which can alone guide them into all Truth because some have falsly pretended to it § XV. And because the Spirit of God is the Fountain of all Truth and sound Reason therefore we have well said That it cannot Contradict neither the Testimony of the Scripture nor right Reason yet as the Proposition it self Concludeth to whose last part I now come it will not from thence follow that these Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of Scripture or of the humane or natural Reason of man as to a more noble and certain Rule and Touch-stone for the Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident by it self forcing the well-disposed understanding and irresistibly moving it to Assent by its own Evidence and Clearness even as the Common Principles of Natural Truths do bow the mind to a Natural Assent He that denies this part of the Proposition must needs Affirm That the Spirit of God neither can nor ever hath manifested it self to man without the Scripture or a distinct discussion of Reason or That the Efficacy of this Supernatural Principle working upon the Souls of men is less Evident than natural Principles in their common Operations Both which are false For First through all the Scriptures we may observe that the Manifestation and Revelation of God by his Spirit to the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles was Immediate and Objective as is above proved which they did not examin by any other Principle but their own Evidence and Clearness Secondly To say The Self Evidence of the Spirit that the Spirit of God has less Evidence upon the mind of man than natural Principles have is to have too mean and low thoughts of it How comes David to invite us to Taste and see that God is good if this cannot be felt and tasted This were enough to overturn the Faith and Assurance of all the Saints both now and of old How came Paul to be perswaded That nothing could separate him from the love of God but by that Evidence and Clearness which the Spirit of God gave him The Apostle John who knew well wherein the Certainty of Faith Consisted judged it no ways Absurd without further Argument to Ascribe his Knowledge and Assurance and that of all the Saints hereunto in these words Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 Joh. 4.13 and again John 5.6 It 's the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is Truth Observe the Reason brought by him Because the Spirit is Truth Of whose Certainty and Infallibility I have heretofore spoken We then Trust to and Confide in this Spirit because we know and certainly believe that it can only Lead us a-right and never Mis-lead us and from this Certain Confidence it is that we Affirm The Spirit contradicts not Scripture nor Right Reason That no Revelation coming from it can ever Contradict the Scriptures-Testimony nor right Reason not as making this a more Certain Rule to our selves but as Condescending to such who not discerning the Revelations of the Spirit as they proceed purely from God will Try them by these Mediums yet those that have the Spiritual Senses and can savour the things of the Spirit as it were in primâ Instantiâ i. e. at the first blush can discern them without Natural Demonstrations from Astronomy and Geometry or before they Apply them either to Scripture or Reason Just as a good Astronomer can Calculate an Eclipse Infallibly by which he can Conclude if the Order of Nature Continue and some strange and Vnnatural Revolution Intervene not there will be an Eclipse of the Sun or Moon such a day and such an hour yet can he not perswade an Ignorant Rustick of this until he Visibly see it So also a Mathematician can Infallibly know by the Rules of Art that the Three Angles of a Right-angled Triangle are Equal to Two Right-Angles yea can know them more certainly than any man by measure And some Geometrical Demonstrations are by all acknowledged to be Infallible which can be scarcely discerned or proved by the Senses Yet if a Geometer be at the pains to Certify some Ignorant Man concerning the Certainty of this Art by condescending to measure it and make it obvious to his Senses it will not thence
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
same Reason is the Spirit more originally and principally the Rule according to that received Maxim in the Schools Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum magis est tale That for which a thing is such the thing it self is more such § I. THe former part of this Proposition though it needs no Apology for it The Holy Scriptures the most Excellent Writings in the World yet is a good Apology for us and will help to Sweep away that among many other Calumnies wherewith we are often loaded as if we were Vilifiers and Deniers of the Scriptures For in that which we Affirm of them it doth appear at what high Rate we Value them accounting them without all Deceit or Equivocation the Most Excellent Writings in the World to which not only no other Writings are to be preferr'd but even in divers respects not Comparable thereunto For as we freely acknowledge that their Authority doth not depend upon the Approbation or Canons of any Church or Assembly so neither can we subject them to the fall'n corrupt and defiled Reason of man and therein as we do freely Agree with the Protestants against the Error of the Romanists so on the other hand we cannot go the length of such Protestants as make their Authority to depend upon any Vertue or Power that is in the Writings themselves but we desire to ascribe all to that Spirit from which they proceeded We Confess indeed there wants not a Majesty in the Style a Coherence in the parts a good Scope in the whole but seeing these things are nor discerned by the Natural but only by the Spiritual man it is the Spirit of God that must give us that Belief of the Scriptures which may satisfy our Consciences Therefore the Chiefest among Protestants both in their particular Writings and publick Confessions are forced to acknowledge this Hence Calvin though he saith He is able to prove that if there be a God in Heaven Calvin's Testimony That the Scriptures Certainty is from the Spirit these Writings have proceeded from him yet he concludes Another Knowledge to be necessary Inst. lib. 1. cap. 7 sect 4. But if saith he we respect the Consciences that they be not daily molested with Doubts and they stick not at every Scruple it is Requisite that this Perswasion which we speak of be taken higher than Humane Reason Judgment or Conjectures to wit from the secret Testimony of the Holy Spirit And again To those that ask That we prove unto them by Reason that Moses and the Prophets were Inspired of God to speak I answer that the Testimony of the Holy Spirit is more Excellent than all Reason And again Let this remain a firm Truth that he only whom the Holy Ghost hath perswaded can Repose himself on the Scripture with a true Certainty And lastly This then is a Judgment which cannot be begotten but by a Heavenly Revelation c. The same is also Affirmed in the first Publick Confession of the French Churches published in the year 1559. Art 4. We know these Books to be Canonick and the most â—ertain Rule of our Faith The Confession of the French Churches not so much by the Common Accord and Consent of the Church as by the Testimony and Inward Perswasion of the Holy Spirit Thus also in the fifth Article of the Confession of Faith of the Churches of Holland Confirmed by the Synod of Dort Churches of Holland Assert the same We receive these Books only for Holy and Canonick not so much because the Church receives and approves them as because the Spirit of God renders Witness in our Hearts that they are of God And lastly The Divines so called at Westminster Westminster Confession the same who began to be affraid of and guard against the Testimony of the Spirit because they perceived a Dispensation beyond that which they were under beginning to Dawn and to Eclipse them yet could they not get by this though they have laid it down neither so clearly distinctly nor honestly as they that went before It is in these words Chap. 1. Sect. 5. Nevertheless our full Perswasion and Assurance of the Infallible Truth thereof is from the Inward Work of the Holy Spirit bearing Witness by and with the Word in our heart By all which it appeareth how Necessary it is to seek the Certainty of the Scriptures from the Spirit and no where else The Infinite Janglings and Endless Contests of those that seek their Authority elsewhere do witness to the Truth hereof For the Ancients themselves Apocrypha even of the First Centuries were not at one among themselves concerning them while some of them Rejected Books which we Approve and others of them Approved those Concil Laod. Can. 59 in Cod Ecc. 163. Concil Laod. held in the Year 364. Excluded from the Canon Eccl the Wisdom of Solomon Judith Tobias the Maccabees which the Council of Carthage held in the Year 399. Received which some of us Reject It is not unknown to such as are in the least acquainted with Antiquity what Great Contests are concerning the Second Epistle of Peter that of James the Second and Third of John and the Revelations which many even very Ancient deny to have been Written by the Beloved Disciple and Brother of James but by another of that name What should then become of Christians if they had not received that Spirit and those Spiritual senses by which they know how to discern the True from the False It 's the Priviledge of Christ's Sheep indeed that they hear his Voice and refuse that of a Stranger which Priviledge being taken away we are left a Prey to all manner of Wolves § II. Though then we do acknowledge the Scriptures to be a very Heavenly and Divine Writing the Vse of them to be very Comfortable and Necessary to the Church of Christ and that we also admire and give Praise to the Lord for his wonderful Providence in preserving these Writings so Pure and Vncorrupted as we have them through so long a Night of Apostasy to be a Testimony for his Truth against the Wickedness and Abominations even of those whom he made Instrumental in preserving them so that they have kept them to be a Witness against themselves yet we may not call them the Principal Fountain of all Truth and Knowledge nor yet the first Adequate Rule of Faith and Manners because the Principal Fountain of Truth must be the Truth it self i. e. that whose Certainty and Authority depends not upon another The Scriptures are not the Principal Ground of Truth When we doubt of the Streams of any River or Flood we recur to the Fountain it self and having found it there we Sist we can go no further because there it springs out of the Bowels of the Earth which are Inscrutable Even so the Writings and Sayings of all men we must bring to the Word of God I mean the Eternal Word and if they Agree
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
observation is reserved for the Arising of the Sun and its shining in full brightness And we can from a certain Experience boldly affirm that the not waiting for this but building among yea and with the Old Popish Rubbish and setting up before a full purgation hath been to most Protestants the foundation of many a Mistake and an occasion of unspeakable Hurt Therefore the Lord God who as he seeth meet doth communicate and make known to man the more full The more full Discovery of the Gospel reserved to this our Age. evident and perfect Knowledge of his Everlasting Truth hath been pleased to Reserve the more full Discovery of this Glorious and Evangelical Disensation to this our Age albeit divers Testimonies have thereunto been born by some noted Men in several Ages as shall hereafter appear And for the greater augmentation of the Glory of his Grace that no man might have whereof to boast he hath raised up a few Despicable and Illiterate Men and for the most part Mechanicks to be the Dispensators of it by which Gospel all the Scruples Doubts Hesitations and Objections above-mentioned are easily and evidently answered and the Justice as well as Mercy of God according to their Divine and heavenly Harmony Exhibited Established and Confirmed According to which certain Light and Gospel as the knowledge thereof hath been manifested to us by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in us fortified by our own sensible Experience and sealed by the Testimony of the Spirit in our hearts we can confidently Affirm and clearly Evince according to the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures the following Points § XI First That GOD who out of his Infinite Love sent his Son the Prop. I Lord Jesus Christ into the World who tasted Death for every man hath given to every man whether Jew or Gentile Turk or Scythian Indian or Barbarian A Day of Visitation to all of whatsoever Nation Country or Place a Certain Day or Time of Visitation during which Day or Time it is possible for them to be Saved and to partake of the Fruit of Christ's Death Prop. II Secondly That for this end God hath Communicated and given unto every man a Measure of the Light of his own Son a Measure of Grace or a Measure of the Spirit A Measure of Light in all which the Scripture expresseth by several names as sometimes of the Seed of the Kingdom Matth. 13.18 19. The Light that makes all things manifest Eph. 5.13 The Word of God Rom. 10.18 or Manifestation of the Spirit given to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 A Talent Matth. 25.15 A little Leaven The Gospel preached in every Creature Col. 1.23 Thirdly That God in and by this Light and Seed invites calls exhorts and strives with every man in order to save them which as it is received and not resisted works the Salvation of all even of those who Prop. III are ignorant of the Death and Sufferings of Christ and of Adam's Fall God's Sâ—lvatation wrought by the Light in all both by bringing them to a sense of their own Misery and to be sharers in the Sufferings of Christ inwardly and by making them partakers of his Resurrection in becoming holy pure and righteous and recovered out of their sins By which also are saved they that have the Knowledge of Christ outwardly in that it opens their Understanding rightly to use and apply the things delivered in the Scriptures and to receive the Saving Vse of them But that this may be Resisted and Rejected in both in which then God is said to be Resisted and Pressed down and Christ to be again Crucified and put to open shame in and among men And to those as thus Resist and Refuse him he becomes their Condemnation First then According to this Doctrine the Mercy of God is excellently Consequences 1 well exhibited in that none are necessarily shut out from Salvation and his Justice is demonstrated in that he Condemns none but such to whom he really made Offer of Salvation affording them the Means sufficient thereunto Secondly This Doctrine if well weighed will be found to be the Cons. 2 Foundation of Christianity Salvation and Assurance Thirdly It agrees and answers with the Whole Tenor of the Gospel-Promises Cons. 3 and Threats and with the nature of the Ministry of Christ according to which the Gospel Salvation Repentance is commanded to be preached to Every Creature without respect of Nations Kindreds Families or Tongues Fourthly It magnifies and commends the Merits and Death of Christ in Cons. 4 that it not only accounts them sufficient to save all but declares them to be brought so nigh unto all as thereby to be put into the nearest Capacity of Salvation Fifthly It Exalts above all the Grace of God to which it attributeth Cons. 5 all good even the least and smallest Actions that are so ascribing thereunto not only the first beginnings and motions of good but also the whole Conversion and Salvation of the Soul Sixthly It Contradicts Overturns and Enervates the false Doctrine Cons. 6 of the Pelagians Semi-Pelagians Socinians and others who exalt the Light of Nature the Liberty of Man's Will in that it wholly excludes the natural man from having any place or portion in his own Salvation by any acting moving or working of his own until he be first quickned raised up and acted by God's Spirit Seventhly As it Makes the whole Salvation of Man solely and alone to Cons. 7 depend upon God so it makes his Condemnation wholly and in every respect to be of himself in that he refused and resisted somewhat that from God wrestled and strove in his heart and forces him to acknowledge God's just Judgment in rejecting him and forsaking of him Eighthly It takes away all ground of Despair in that it gives every Cons. 8 one ground of Hope and certain Assurance that they may be saved neither doth feed any in Security in that none are certain how soon their Day may Expire and therefore it is a constant Incitement and Provocation and lively Incouragement to every man to forsake evil and close with that which is good Ninthly It wonderfully commends as well the Certainty of the Christian Religion among Infidels as it manifests its own Verity to all in that it 's confirmed and established by the Experiences of all men seeing there was never yet a man found in any place of the Earth however barbarous Cons. 9 and wild but hath acknowledged that at some time or other less or more he hath found somewhat in his heart reproving him for some things Evil which he hath done threatning a certain horror if he continued in them as also promising and communicating a certain peace and sweetness as he hath given way to it and not resisted it Cons. 10 Tenthly It wonderfully sheweth the excellent Wisdom of God by which he hath made the means of Salvation so Vniversal and Comprehensive that it is not needful to recur to those miraculous and
by which Inward Manifestation we are made capable to see and discern the Eternal Power and Godhead in the outward Creation So were it not for this Inward Principle we could no more understand the Invisible things of God by the outward Visible Creation than a blind man can see and discern the variety of Shapes and Colours or judge of the Beauty of the outward Creation Therefore he saith first That which may be known of God is manifest in them and in and by that they may read and understand the Power and Godhead in those things that are Outward and Visible And though any might pretend that the outward Creation doth of it self without any Supernatural or Saving Principle in the heart even declare to the natural man that there is a God yet what would such a Knowledge avail if it did not also Communicate to me what the Will of God is and how I shall do that The Onward Creation may beget a Perswasion in man of an Eternal Power and Virtue which is acceptable to him For the outward Creation though it may beget a Perswasion that there is some Eternal Power or Vertue by which the World hath had its Beginning yet it doth not tell me nor doth it Inform me of that which is just holy and righteous how I shall be delivered from my Temptations and Evil Affections and come unto Righteousness that must be from some Inward Manifestation in my heart whereas those Gentiles of whom the Apostle speaks knew by that Inward Law and Manifestation of the Knowledge of God in them to distinguish betwixt Good and Evil as in the next Chapter appears of which we shall speak hereafter The Prophet Micah speaking of man Indefinitely or in General declares this Mich. 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do Justly and to love Mercy and to walk Humbly with thy God He doth not say God Requires till he hath first assured that he hath shewed unto them Now because this is shewed unto all men and manifest in them therefore saith the Apostle Is the Wrath of God revealed against them for that they hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness that is the measure of Truth the Light the Seed the Grace in them for that they Hide the Talent in the Earth that is in the Earthly and Vnrighteous part in their hearts and suffer it not to bring forth fruit but to be choked with the sensual Cares of this Life the Fear of Reproach and the Deceitfulness of Riches as by the Parables above-mentioned doth appear But the Apostle Paul opens and illustrates this matter yet more Rom. 10. where he declares That the Word which he preached now the Word which he preached and the Gospel which he preached and whereof he was a Minister is one and the same is not far off but nigh in the heart and in the mouth This Divine Preacher the Word nigh hath sounded in the Ears and Hearts of all men which done he frameth as it were the Objection of our Adversaries in Vers. 12 15. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard how shall they hear without a Preacher This he answers Verse 18. saying But I say have they not heard yes verily their Sound went forth into all the Earth and their Words unto the End of the World insinuating that this Divine Preacher hath sounded in the Ears and Hearts of all men for of the outward Apostles that saying was not true neither then nor many hundred years after yea for ought we know there may be yet great and spacious Nations and Kingdoms who never have heard of Christ nor his Apostles as outwardly This Inward and Powerful Word of God is yet more fully described in the Epistle to the Hebrews c. 4. v. 12 13. For the Word of God is quick and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the heart The Virtues of this Spiritual Word are here enumerated It is Quick because it Searches and Tries the hearts of all no man's Heart is Exempt from it for the Apostle gives this Reason of its being so in the following Verse Before whom all things are manifest But all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do and there is not any Creature that is not manifest in his sight Though this ultimately and mediately be Refer'd to God yet nearly and immediately it relates to the Word or Light which as hath been before proved is in the hearts of all else it had been Improper to have brought it in here The Apostle shews And every Thought and Intent of the heart how every Intent and Thought of the heart is discerned by the Word of God because all things are naked before God which imports nothing else but it is in and by this Word whereby God sees and discerns man's Thoughts and so must needs be in all men because the Apostle saith There is no Creature that is not manifest in his sight The Faithful Witness This then is that faithful Witness and Messenger of God that bears Witness for God and for his Righteousness in the hearts of all men for he hath not left man without a Witness Acts 14.17 and he is said to be given for a Witness to the people Isa. 55.4 And as this Word beareth Witness for God so it is not placed in men only to Condemn them for as he is given for a Witness so saith the Prophet he is given for a Leader and a Commander A Leader and Commander The Light is given that all through it may believe Joh 1.7 For Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by this Word of God which is placed in man's Heart both to be a Witness for God and to be a Mean to bring man to God through Faith and Repentance It is therefore powerful that it may divide betwixt the Soul and the Spirit It is like a Two-edged-sword A Two-edged Sword that it may cut off Iniquity from him and separate betwixt the precious and the vile And because man's heart is cold and hard like Iron naturally therefore hath God placed this Word in him which is said to be like a Fire A Fire and a Hammer and like a Hammer Jer. 23.29 that like as by the heat of the Fire the Iron of its own nature Cold is warmed and by the strength of the Hammer is softned and framed according to the mind of the Worker so the Cold and Hard heart of man is by the vertue and powerfulness of this Word of God near and in the heart as it resists not warmed and softned and receiveth a Heavenly and Coelestial Impression and Image The most part of the Fathers have spoken at large touching this Word Seed and Light and Saving Voice calling
in a certain respect to lay aside the outward Knowledge of Christ or the Knowledge of him after the flesh in these words 2 Cor. 5.16 17. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a New Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new Whence it manifestly appears that he makes the Knowledge of Christ after the flesh but as it were the Rudiments which young Children learn which after they are become better Scholars are of less use to them because they have and possess the very Substance of those first Precepts in their minds As all Comparisons halt in some part so shall I not affirm this to hold in every respect yet so far will this hold that as those that go no further than the Rudiments are never to be accounted Learned and as they grow beyond these things so they have less use of them even so such as go no further than the outward Knowledge of Christ shall never Inherit the Kingdom of Heaven But such as come to know this New Birth to be in Christ indeed to be a New Creature to have Old things past away and all things become New may safely say with the Apostle Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Now But by the Work of Light and Grace in the heart this New Creature proceeds from the Work of this Light and Grace in the heart It is that Word which we speak of that is sharp and piercing that Implanted Word able to save the Soul by which this Birth is begotten and therefore Christ hath purchased unto us this Holy Seed that thereby this Birth might be brought forth in us which is therefore also called The Manifestation of the Spirit given to every one to profit withal for it is written that by One Spirit we are all baptized into One Body And the Apostle Peter also ascribeth this Birth to this Seed and Word of God which we have so much declared of saying 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of Corruptible Seed but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Though then this Seed be small in its Appearance so that Christ Compares it to a grain of Mustard-seed which is the least of all seeds Matth. 13.31 32. and that it be hid in the earthy part of man's heart yet therein is Life and Salvation towards the sons of men wrapt up which comes to be Revealed as they give way to it The Kingdom of God is in the Seed in the hearts of all men And in this Seed in the hearts of all men is the Kingdom of God as in Capacity to be produced or rather Exhibited according as it receives depth is nourished and not choked Hence Christ saith that the Kingdom of God was in the very Pharisees Luke 17.20 21. who did Oppose and Resist him and were justly accounted as Serpents and a generation of Vipers Now the Kingdom of God could be no other ways in them than in a Seed even as the Thirty-fold and the Hundred-fold is wrapt up in a small Seed lying in a barren ground which springs not forth because it wants Nourishment and as the whole body of a great Tree is wrapt up potentially in the Seed of the Tree and so is brought forth in due season and as the Capacity of a Man or a Woman is not only in a Child but even in the very Embryo even so the Kingdom of Jesus Christ yea Jesus Christ himself Christ within who is the hope of glory and becometh Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption is in Every man and woman's heart in that little Incorruptible Seed ready to be brought forth as it is Cherished and Received in the love of it For there can be no men worse than those rebellious and unbelieving Pharisees were and yet this Kingdom was thus within them and they were directed to look for it there so it is neither lo here nor lo there in this or the other Observation that this is known but as this Seed of God in the heart is minded and entertained And certainly hence it is even because this Light Seed and Grace that appears in the heart of man is so little regarded and so much overlooked that so few know Christ brought forth in them Calvinists Papists Arminians and Socinians Errors denying the Light to be Saving The one sort to wit the Calvinists they look upon Grace as an Irresistible Power and therefore neglect and despise this Eternal Seed of the Kingdom in their hearts as a low insufficient useless thing as to their Salvation On the other hand the Papists Arminians and Socinians they go about to set up their natural Power and Will with one Consent denying that this little Seed this small Appearance of the Light is that Supernatural Saving Grace of God given to Every man to save him And so upon them is verified that saying of the Lord Jesus Christ This is the Condemnation of the World that Light is come into the World but men love Darkness rather than Light the reason is added because their Deeds are Evil. All Confess they feel this but they will not have it to be of that virtue Some will have it to be Reason some a Natural Conscience some Certain Relicks of God's Image that remained in Adam So Christ as he met with Opposition from all kinds of Professors in his Outward Appearance so doth he now in his Inward It was the Meanness of his outward Man The Meanness of Christ's Appearance in the flesh that made many despise him saying Is not this the Son of the Carpenter are not his Brethren and Sisters among us Is not this a Galilean and came there ever a Prophet out of Galilea and such like Reasonings For they expected an Outward Deliverer who as a Prince should deliver them with great Ease from their Outward Enemies and not such a MESSIAH as should be Crucified shamefully and as it were lead them into many Sorrows Troubles and Afflictions So the Meanness of this Appearance makes the Crafty Jesuites the pretended Rational Socinians and the Learned Arminians overlook it desiring rather something that they might exercise their Subtilty Reason and Learning about and use the Liberty of their own Wills And the Secure Calvinists they would have a Christ to Save them without any Trouble to destroy all their Enemies for them without them and nothing or little within while they mean while be at Ease to live in their Sins secure Whence when all is well Examined the Cause is plain it is because their deeds are evil that with one Consent they Reject this Light The Nature of the Light for it Checks the Wisest of them all and the Learnedest of them all in secret it Reproves them neither can all
Principle in and by which this Salvation * Jew and Gentile Scythian and Barbarian partakers of the Salvation of Christ. of Christ is exhibited to all men both Jew and Gentile Scythian and Barbarian of whatsoever Country or Kindred he be And therefore God hath raised up unto himself in this our Age faithful Witnesses and Evangelists to preach again his Everlasting Gospel and to direct Prop. 7 all as well the high Professors who boast of the Law and the Scripture and the outward Knowledge of Christ as the Infidels and Heathens that know not him that way that they may all come to mind the Light in them and know Christ in them the Just One 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom they have so long killed and made merry over and he hath not Resisted James 5.6 and give up their sins iniquities false faith professions and out-side righteousness to be Crucified by the Power of his Cross in them so as they may know Christ within to be the Hope of Glory and may come to walk in his Light and be saved who is that True Light that inlightneth Every man that cometh into the world PROPOSITION VII Concerning Justification As many as Resist not this Light but Receive the same it becomes in them a Holy Pure and Spiritual Birth bringing forth Holiness Righteousness Purity and all those other blessed Fruits which are acceptable to God by which holy Birth to wit Jesus Christ formed within us and working his Works in us as we are sanctified so are we justified in the sight of God according to the Apostle's words But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 Therefore it is not by our Works wrought in our Will nor yet by good Works considered as of themselves but by Christ who is both the Gift and the Giver and the Cause producing the Effects in us who as he hath Reconciled us while we were Enemies doth also in his Wisdom save us and justify us after this manner as saith the same Apostle elsewhere According to his Mercy he hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the Renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 § I. THE Doctrine of Justification comes well in order after the Discussing of the Extent of Christ's Death and of the Grace thereby Communicated some of the sharpest Contests concerning this having from thence their Rise Many are the Disputes among those called Christians concerning this point and indeed if all were truly minding that which justifieth there would be less noise about the Notions of Justification I shall briefly review this Controversy as it stands among others and as I have often seriously observed it then in short State the Controversy as to us and open our Sense and Judgment of it and Lastly prove it if the Lord will by some Scripture-Testimonies and the certain Experience of all that ever were truly Justified Observ. I § II. That this Doctrine of Justification hath been and is greatly vitiated in the Church of Rome is not by us questioned though our Adversaries who for want of better Arguments do often make Lies their Refuge have not spared in this respect to stigmatize us with Popery The Method of Justification taken by the Church of Rome but how untruly will hereafter appear For to speak little of their Meritum ex Condigno which was no doubt a very common Doctrine of the Romish Church especially before Luther though most of their modern Writers especially in their Controversies with Protestants do partly deny it partly qualify it and seem to state the matter only as if they were Propagators and Pleaders for Good Works by the others denied Yet if we look to the Effects of this Doctrine among them as they appear in the generality of their Church-members not in things disapproved but highly approved and commended by their Father the Pope The Pope's Doctrine of Merits the most beneficial of all his Revenues and all his Clients as the most beneficial Casuality of all his Revenue we shall find that Luther did not without great ground oppose himself to them in this matter and if he had not himself run into another Extream of which hereafter his Work would have stood the better For in this as in most other things he is more to be Commended for what he pulled down of Babylon than for what he built of his own Whatever then the Papists may pretend or even some good men among them may have thought Experience sheweth and it is more than manifest by the universal and approved Practice of their people that they place not their Justification so much in Works that are truly and morally good and in the being truly renewed and sanctified in the mind as in such things as are either nor good nor evil or may truly be called Evil and can no otherways be reckoned Good Papists Justification depends upon the Pope's Bulls than because the Pope pleases to call them so So that if the matter be well sifted it will be found that the greatest part of their Justification depends upon the Authority of his Bulls and not upon the Power Virtue and Grace of Christ Revealed in the heart and Renewing of it As will appear First from their Principle concerning Proof I their Sacraments which they say Confer Grace ex opere operatô Their Sacraments So that if a man partake but of them he thereby obtains Remission of sin though he remain as he was the Vertue of the Sacraments making up the want that is in the man So that this Act of Submission and Faith to the Laws of the Church and not any Real Inward Change is that which justifieth him As for Example If a man make use of the Sacrament as they call it of Penance so as to Tell over his Sins to a Priest Papists Penance though he have not true Contrition which the Lord hath made absolutely necessary for penitent sinners but only Attrition a figment of their own that is If he be sorry he hath sinned not out of any love to God or his Law which he hath Transgressed but for fear of punishment yet doth the Virtue of the Sacrament as they affirm procure to him Remission of Sins so that being Absolved by the Priest he stands accepted and Justified in the sight of God This man's Justification then proceedeth not from his being truly Penitent and in any measure inwardly Changed and Renewed by the working of God's Grace in his heart but meerly from the Authority of the Priest and Virtue of the Sacrament who hath pronounced him Absolved so that his Justification is from somewhat without him and not within him Secondly This will yet more appear in the matter of Indulgences Proof II where Remission of all Sins not only past Papist-Indulgences but for Years to come is annexed to the Visiting such and such Churches and Reliques saying
Legal Acceptation As first in that of 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified as I before have proved which also many Protestants are forced to acknowledge Neither diffide we saith Thysius because of the most great and strict Connexion Thysius Disp. de Just. Thes. 3. that Justification doth sometimes seem also to Comprehend Sanctification as a Consequence as in Rom. 8.30 Tit. 3.7 1 Cor. 6.11 And such sometimes were ye Zanchius in cap. 2. ad Eph. ver 4. loc de Just. but ye are washed c. Zanchius having spoken concerning this sense of Justification adds saying There is another signification of the word viz. for a man from Unjust to be made Just even as sanctified signifies from unholy to be made holy In which signification the Apostle said in the place above-cited And such were some of you c. that is of unclean ye are made holy and of unjust ye are made just by the Holy Spirit for Christ's sake in whom ye have believed Of this signification is that Rev. 22.11 Let him that is just be just still that is really from just become more just even as from unjust he became just And according to this signification the Fathers and especially Augustine have Interpreted this word H. Bullinger Thus far he H. Bullinger on the same place 1 Cor. 6. speaketh thus By divers words saith he the Apostle signifies the same thing when he saith ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified Proof II Secondly In that Excellent Saying of the Apostle so much observed Rom. 8.30 Whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified This is commonly called the Golden Chain as being acknowledged to Comprehend the Method and Order of Salvation And therefore if Justified were not understood here in its proper signification of being made just Sanctification would be excluded out of this Chain Righteousness the only Medium by which from our Calling we pass to Glorification And truly it is very worthy of observation that the Apostle in this succinct and compendious Account makes the word Justified to comprehend all betwixt Calling and Glorifying thereby clearly insinuating that the being really Righteous is that only Medium by which from our Calling we pass to Glorification All for the most part do acknowledge the word to be so taken in this place and not only so but most of those who oppose are forced to acknowledge that as this is the most proper so the most common Signification of it thus divers famous Protestants do acknowledge We are not saith D. Chamierus such Impertinent Esteemers of words as to be ignorant nor yet such importunate Sophists as to deny that the words of Justification and Sanctification do infer one another yea we know that the Saints are chiefly for this Reason so called D. Chamier Tom. 3. de Sanct. l. 10. c. 1. because that in Christ they have received Remission of Sins and we read in the Revelation Let him that is just be just still which cannot be understood except of the fruit of Inherent Righteousness Nor do we deny but perhaps in other places they may be promiscuously taken especially by the Father I take saith Beza the name of Justification largely Beza in cap. 3. ad Tit. vers 7. so as it comprehends whatsoever we acquire from Christ as well by Imputation as by the Efficacy of the Spirit in sanctifying us So likewise is the word of Justification taken Rom. 8.30 Melanchthon saith Melancht in Apol. Confes. Aug. that to be justified by Faith signifies in Scripture not only to be pronounced Just but also of Unrighteous to be made Righteous Also some Chief Protestants though not so clearly yet in part hinted at our Doctrine whereby we ascribe unto the Death of Christ Remission of Sins and the work of Justification unto the Grace of the Spirit acquired by his Death Boraeus in Gen. c. 15. ad verb Credidit Abraham Deo pag. 161. Martinus Boraeus explaining that place of the Apostle Rom. 4.25 Who was given for our sins and rose again for our Justification saith There are two things beheld in Christ which are necessary to our Justification the one is his Death the other is his Arising from the dead By his Death the sins of this World behoved to be Expiated By his Rising from the dead it pleased the same goodness of God to give the Holy Spirit whereby both the Gospel is believed and the Righteousness lost by the fault of the first Adam is restored And afterwards he saith The Apostle expresseth both parts in these words Who was given for our sins c. In his Death is beheld the Satisfaction for sin in his Resurrection the Gift of the Holy Spirit by which our Justification is perfected And again the same man saith elsewhere Idem lib. 3. Reg. cap. 9. v. 4. pag. 681. Both these kinds of Righteousness are therefore contained in Justification neither can the one be separate from the other So that in the Definition of Justification the Merit of the Blood of Christ is included both with the Remission of sins and with the gift of the Holy Spirit of Justification and Regeneration Martinus Bucerus saith Seeing by one sin of Adam the world was lost Bucerus in Rom. 4. ad ver 16. the Grace of Christ hath not only abolished that one sin and death which came by it but hath together taken away those infinite sins and also led into full Justification as many as are of Christ so that God now not only Remits unto them Adam 's sin and their own but also gives them therewith the Spirit of a solid and perfect Righteousness Righteousness a Conformity to the Image of the First-begotten which renders us Conform unto the Image of the First-Begotten And upon these words by Jesus Christ he saith We always judge that the whole benefit of Christ tends to this that we might be strong through the Gift of Righteousness being rightly and orderly adorned with all virtue that is restored to the Image of God And lastly William Forbes our Country-man W. Forbes in Considerat Modest. de Just. lib. 2. Sect 8. Bishop of Edinburgh saith Whensoever the Scripture makes mention of the Justification before God as speaketh Paul and from him besides others Augustin it appears that the word Justify necessarily signifies not only to pronounce Just in a Law sense but also really and inherently to make Just because that God doth otherways justify a wicked man than Earthly Judges For he when he Justifies a wicked or unjust man How God justifies the Wicked doth indeed pronounce him as these also do but by pronouncing him Just because his Judgment is according to Truth he also makes him really of Unjust to become Just. And again the same man upon the same occasion answering the more rigid Protestants who say That God first justifies and
then makes just he adds But let them have a care lest by too great and empty subtilty unknown both to the Scriptures and the Fathers they lessen and diminish the weight and dignity of so great and Divine a Benefit so much celebrated in the Scripture to wit Justification of the Wicked For if to the formal Reason of Justification of the Ungodly doth not at all belong his Justification so to speak i. e. his being made Righteous then in the Justification of a sinner although he be justified yet the stain of sin is not taken away but remains the same in his Soul as before Justification And so notwithstanding the benefit of Justification he remains as before Unjust and a Sinner and nothing is taken away but the Guilt and obligation to Pain and the Offence and Enmity of God through non-Imputation But both the Scriptures and Fathers do affirm that in the Justification of a sinner their sins are not only remitted forgiven covered not imputed but also taken away blotted out cleansed washed purged and very far removed from us as appears from many places of the Holy Scriptures The same Forbes shews us at length in the following Chapter that this was the Confessed Judgment of the Fathers out of the Writings of those who hold the contrary Opinion some whereof out of him I shall note Calvin Inst. l. 3. c. 11. § 15. As First Calvin saith That the Judgment of Augustine or at lest his manner of speaking is not throughout to be received who although he took from man all praise of Righteousness and ascribed all to the Grace of God yet he refers Grace to Sanctification by which we are Regenerate through the Spirit unto newness of life Chemnitius saith That they do not deny but that the Fathers take the word Justify for Renewing Chemnitius in Exam. Concil Trid. de Just. p. 129. by which works of Righteousness are wrooght in us by the Spirit And p. 130. I am not ignorant that the Fathers indeed often use the word Justify in this signification to wit of making just Zanchius saith That the Fathers and chiefly Augustine interpret the word Justify according to this signification Zanchius in cap. 2. ad Eph. ver 4. loc de Just. Thes. 1.5 to wit of making Just so that according to them to be Justified was no other than of Unjust to be made Just through the Grace of God for Christ. He mentioneth more but this may suffice to our purpose Assert I § VIII Having thus sufficently proved that by Justification is to be understood a really being made Righteous I do boldly affirm and that not only from a Notional Knowledge Christ revealed and formed in the Soul of a man is the formal Cause of man's Justification but from a real inward experimental Feeling of the thing that the Immediate Nearest or Formal Cause if we must in Condescendence to some use this word of a man's Justification in the sight of God is the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Soul changing altering and renewing the mind by whom even the Author of this inward Work thus formed and revealed we are truly justified and accepted Proof I in the sight of God For it is as we are thus covered and cloathed with him in whom the Father is always well-pleased that we may draw near to God and stand with Confidence before his Throne being purged by the blood of Jesus inwardly poured into our Souls and cloathed with his life and righteousness therein revealed And this is that Order and Method of Salvation held forth by the Apostle in that Divine saying Rom. 5.10 For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being Reconciled we shall be saved by his Life For the Apostle first holding forth the Reconciliation wrought by the Death of Christ wherein God is near to receive and redeem man holds forth his Salvation and Justification to be by the Life of Jesus Now that this Life is an Inward Spiritual thing revealed in the Soul whereby it is renewed and brought forth out of Death where it naturally has been by the Fall and so quickned and made alive unto God the same Apostle shews Eph. 2.5 Even when we were dead in Sins and Trespasses he hath quickned us together in Christ by whose Grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together Now this none will deny to be the Inward Work of Renovation and therefore the Apostle gives that Reason of their being saved by Grace which is the inward Vertue and Power of Christ in the Soul but of this place more hereafter Of the Revelation of this Inward Life the Apostle also speaketh 2 Cor. 4.10 That the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies and v. 11. That the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh Now this inward Life of Jesus is that whereby as is before observed he saith We are saved Secondly That it is by this Revelation of Jesus Christ and the New Proof II Creation in Vs that we are Justified doth evidently appear from that Excellent Saying of the Apostle included in the Proposition it self Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost c. Now that whereby we are saved that we are also no doubt Justified by which words are in this respect Synonymous The Immediate Cause of Justification is the inward Work of Regeneration Here the Apostle clearly ascribes the Immediate Cause of Justification to this inward work of Regeneration which is Jesus Christ Revealed in the Soul as being that which formally states us in a capacity of being Reconciled with God the Washing or Regeneration being that inward Power and Vertue whereby the Soul is cleansed and cloathed with the Righteousness of Christ so as to be made fit to appear before God Thirdly This Doctrine is manifest from 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your own Proof III selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates First It appears here how earnest the Apostle was that they should know Christ in them so that he presses this Exhortation upon them and inculcates it three times Secondly The Cause of Reprobation is Christ not known by Inward Revelation he makes the Cause of Reprobation or Not-justification the Want of Christ thus Revealed and known in the Soul whereby it necessarily follows by the Rule of Contraries where the parity is alike as in this case it is evident that Where Christ is inwardly known there the persons subjected to him are Approved and Justified For there can be nothing more plain than this that if we must know Christ in us except we be Reprobates or Vnjustified persons that if we do know him in us we are not Reprobates and consequently Justified ones Like unto
this is that other saying of the same Apostle Gal. 4.19 My little Children of whom I travel in Birth again until Christ be formed in you and therefore the Apostle terms this Christ within the Hope of Glory Col. 1.27 28. Now that which is the hope of glory can be no other than that which we immediately and most nearly Rely upon for our Justification and that whereby we are really and truly made Just. And as we do not hereby deny but the Original and Fundamental Cause of our Justification is the love of God manifested in the Appearance of Jesus Christ in the flesh who by his life death Christ by his Death and Sufferings has open'd a way for our Reconciliation sufferings and obedience made a way for our Reconciliation and became a Sacrifice for the Remission of sins that are past and purchased unto us this Seed and Grace from which this Birth arises and in which Jesus Christ is inwardly Received formed and brought forth in us in his own pure and holy Image of Righteousness by which our Souls live unto God and are cloathed with him and have put him on even as the Scripture speaks Eph. 4.23 24 Gal. 3.27 We stand Justified and Saved in and by him and by his Spirit and Grace Rom. 3.24 1 Cor. 6.11 Tit. 3.7 So again reciprocally we are hereby made partakers of the fulness of his Merits and his cleansing Blood is near to wash away every Sin and Infirmity and to heal all our back-slidings as often as we turn towards him by unfeigned Repentance and become Renewed by his Spirit Those then that find him thus Raised and Ruling in them have a true ground of Hope to believe that they are Justified by his Blood But let not any deceive themselves so as to foster themselves in a vain Hope and Confidence that by the Death and Sufferings of Christ they are Justified so long as sin lies at their door Gen. 4.7 Iniquity prevails and they remain yet Vnrenewed and Vnregenerate lest it be said unto them I know you not Let that saying of Christ be remembred Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter but he that doth the Will of my Father Matth. 7.21 To which let these excellent sayings of the beloved Disciple be added Little Children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous He that committeth sin is of the Devil because if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things 1 John 3.7 and 20. Many famous Protestants bear witness to this inward Justification by Christ inwardly Revealed and Formed in man Borhaeus in Gen. pag. 162. As 1. M. Borhaeus In the Imputation saith he wherein Christ is Ascribed and Imputed to believers for Righteousness the Merit of his Blood and the Holy Ghost given unto us by virtue of his Merits are equally Included And so it shall be Confessed The Testimonies of Famous Protestants of Inward Justification that Christ is our Righteousness as well from his Merit Satisfaction and Remission of sins obtained by him as from the Gifts of the Spirit of Righteousness And if we do this we shall consider the whole Christ proposed to us for our Salvation and not any single part of him The same man p. 169. In our Justification then Christ is considered who breaths and lives in us to wit by his Spirit put-on by us concerning which putting-on the Apostle saith Ye have put on Christ. And again p. 171. We endeavour to Treat in Justification not of part of Christ but him wholly in so far as he is our Righteousness every way And a little after As then blessed Paul in our Justification when he saith Whom he Justified them he Glorified comprehends all things which pertain to our being Reconciled to God the Father and our Renewing which fits us for attaining unto Glory such as Faith Righteousness Christ and the Gift of Righteousness exhibited by him whereby we are Regenerated to the fulfilling of the Justification which the Law requires so we also will have all things comprehended in this cause which are contained in the Recovery of Righteousness and and Innocency And p. 181. The Form saith he of our Justification is the Divine Righteousness it self by which we are formed just and good This is Jesus Christ who is esteemed our Righteousness partly from the Forgiveness of sins and partly from the Renewing and the Restoring of that Integrity which was lost by the fault of the first Adam so that this New and Heavenly Adam being put-on by us of which the Apostle saith Ye have put on Christ ye have put him on I say as the Form so the Righteousness Wisdom and Life of God So also affirmeth Claudius Alberius Inuncunanus Inuncunanus see his Orat. Apodict Lausaniae Excus 1587. Orat. 2. p. 86 87. Zuinglius also in his Epistle to the Princes of Germany as cited by Himmelius Zuinglius c. 7. p. 60. saith That the Sanctification of the Spirit is true Justification Essius which alone suffices to Justify Essius upon 1 Cor. 6.11 saith Lest Christian Righteousness should be thought to consist in the Washing alone that is in the Remission of Sins he addeth the other Degree or part but ye are sanctified that is Ye have attain'd to Purity so that ye are now truly holy before God Lastly expressing the sum of the Benefit received in one word which includes both the parts But ye are Justified the Apostle adds in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that is by his Merits and in the Spirit of our God that is the Holy Spirit proceeding from God and communicated to us by Christ. And lastly R. Baxter R. Baxter a famous English Preacher who yet liveth in his Book called Aphorisms of Justification p. 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 thô wrought by the Power of the Spirit of Christ in us § IX The Third thing proposed to be considered is Concerning Good Position III Works their necessity to Justification I suppose there is enough said before to clear us from any Imputation of being Popish in this matter Good Works But if it be queried Whether we have not said or will not affirm Quest. that a man is Justified by Works I answer I hope none need neither ought to take Offence Answ. if in this matter we use the plain language of the Holy Scripture which saith expresly in Answer hereunto James 2.24 Ye see then That Works are necessary to Justification how that by Works a man is Justified and not by Faith only I shall not offer to prove the Truth of this saying since what is said in this Chapter by the Apostle is sufficient to Convince any man that will read and
Proof II for that Effect and it 's expresly promised to us as we are under Grace as appears by these Scriptures Rom. 6.14 The possibility of it Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace And Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son c. That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us c. For if this were not a Condition both requisite necessary and attainable under the Gospel there were no difference betwixt the Bringing-in of a better Hope and the Law which made nothing perfect The Difference of the Law and Gospel neither betwixt those which are under the Gospel or who under the Law enjoyed and walked in the Life of the Gospel and meer Legalists Whereas the Apostle throughout that whole sixth to the Romans argues not only the Possibility but Necessity of being Free from sin from their being under the Gospel and under Grace and not under the Law and therefore states himself and those to whom he wrote in that Condition in these verses 2 7. and therefore in the 11 12 13 16 17 18 verses he argues both the Possibility and Necessity of this Freedom from sin almost in the same manner we did a little before and in the 22th he declares them in measure to have Attained this Condition in these words But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto Holiness and the end Everlasting Life Perfection and Freedom from sin Attained and made possible by the Gospel And as this Perfection or Freedom from Sin is Attained and made Possible where the Gospel and inward Law of the Spirit is received and known so the Ignorance hereof has been and is an occasion of Opposing this Truth For man not minding the Light and Law within his heart which not only discovers sin but leads out of it and so being a stranger to the new Life and Birth that is born of God which naturally doth his Will and cannot of its own Nature Transgress the Commandments of God doth I say in his Natural State look at the Commandments as they are without him in the Letter The Letter kills and maketh not alive and finding himself Reproved and Convicted is by the Letter killed but not made alive So man finding himself wounded and not applying himself Inwardly to that which can heal labours in his own Will after a Conformity to the Law as it is without him which he can never obtain but finds the more he wrestles the more he falleth short So this is the Jew still in Effect with his Carnal Commandment with the Law without in the first Covenant-state which makes not the Comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Hebr. 9.9 though they may have here a Notion of Christianity and an External Faith in Christ. This hath made them strain and wrest the Scriptures for an Imputative Righteousness wholly without them to cover their Impurities and this hath made them imagine an Acceptance with God possible though they suppose it Impossible ever to Obey Christ's Commands But alas O deceived Souls That will not avail in the Day wherein God will judge every man according to his Works whether good or bad It will not save thee to say It was necessary for thee to sin daily in thought word and deed for such as do so have certainly obeyed unrighteousness And what is provided for such but Tribulation and Anguish Indignation and Wrath even as glory honour and peace Immmortality and Eternal life to such as have done good and patiently continued in well-doing So then if thou desirest to know this Perfection and Freedom from sin possible for thee Turn thy mind to the Light and Spiritual Law of Christ in the heart and suffer the Reproofs thereof bear the Judgment and Indignation of God upon the unrighteous part in thee as therein it is Revealed which Christ hath made Tolerable for thee and so suffer Judgment in thee to be brought forth into Victory How we partake of Christ's Sufferings and are made Conformable unto his Death and thus come to partake of the Fellowship of Christ's Sufferings and be made Conformable unto his Death that thou may'st feel thy self Crucified with him to the World by the Power of his Cross in thee so that that life that sometimes was alive in thee to this World and the love and lusts thereof may die and a New Life be raised by which thou may'st live hence-forward to God and not to or for thy self and with the Apostle thou may'st say Gal. 2.20 It is no more I but Christ alive in me and then thou wilt be a Christian indeed and not in name only as too many are Then thou wilt know what it is to have put off the old man with his deeds who indeed sins daily in thought word and deed and to have put on the New Man that is renewed in holiness after the Image of him that hath Created him Eph. 4.24 and thou wilt witness thy self to be God's Workmanship Created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Matth. 11.30 1 John 5.3 and so not to sin always And to this New Man Christ's yoke is Easie and his burthen is light though it be heavy to the Old Adam yea the Commandments of God are not unto this grievous for it is his meat and drink to be found fulfilling the Will of God Proof III Lastly This Perfection or Freedom from sin is possible because many have attained it according to the express Testimony of the Scripture Some before the Law Many have Attained Perfection and some under the Law through witnessing and partaking of the benefit and effect of the Gospel and much more many under the Gospel As first It is written of Enoch Gen. 5.22 24. that he walked with God Enoch walked with God and was Perfect which no man while sinning can nor doth the Scripture record any feeling of his It is said of Noah Gen. 6.9 and of Job 1.8 and of Zacharias and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 That they were perfect But under the Gospel besides that of the Romans above-mentioned see what the Apostle saith of many Saints in general Eph. 2.4 5 6. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he hath loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together and made us fit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus c. I judge while they were sitting in these heavenly places they could not be daily sinning in thought word and deed neither were all their Works which they did there as filthy Rags or as a menstruous Garment See what is further said to the Hebrews 12.22 23. Spirits of just men made perfect And to Conclude let that of the Revelations c. 14.1 2
3 4 5. be considered where though their being found without fault be spoken in the present time yet is it not without respect to their Innocency while upon earth and their being Redeemed from among men and no guile found in their mouth is expresly mentioned in the time past But I shall proceed now in the Third place to answer the Objections which indeed Sect. III are the Arguments of our Opposers § IX I shall begin with their chief and great Argument Object I which is the words of the Apostle 1 Joh. 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us This they think Invincible But is it not strange to see men so blinded with partiality How many Answ. 1 Scriptures tenfold more plain do they Reject and yet stick so tenaciously to this that can receive so many Answers As first If we say we have no sin c. will not import the Apostle himself to be included If we say we have no sin c. objected Sometimes the Scripture useth this manner of Expression when the person speaking cannot be Included which manner of speech the Grammarians call Metaschematismus Thus James 3.9 10. speaking of the Tongue saith Therewith bless we God and therewith curse we men adding these things ought not so to be Who from this will conclude that the Apostle was one of those Cursers But Secondly this Objection hitteth not the matter he saith not Answ. 2 We sin daily in thought word and deed far less that the very good works which God works in us by his Spirit are sin Yea the next verse clearly shews that upon Confession and Repentance we are not only forgiven but also cleansed He is faithful to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness Here is both a Forgiveness and Removing of the guilt and a Cleansing or removing of the Filth for to make forgiveness and cleansing to belong both to the removing of the Guilt as there is no reason for it from the Text so it were a most violent forcing of the words and would imply a Needless Tautology The Apostle having shewn how that not the Guilt only but even the Filth also of sin is removed subsumes his words in the time past in verse 10. If we say we have not sinned we make him a liar Thirdly as Augustine well observed in his Exposition upon the Epistle to the Galatians It is one thing not to sin another thing Answ. 3 not to have sin The Apostle's words are not If we say we sin not It is one thing not to sin and another thing not to have sin or commit not sin daily but if we say we have no sin And betwixt these two there is a manifest difference for in respect all have sinned as we freely acknowledge all may be said in a sense to have sin Again Sin may be taken for the Seed of Sin which may be in those that are Redeemed from actual Sinning but as to the Temptations and Provocations proceeding from it being Resisted by the Servants of God and not yielded to they are the Devil's Sin that tempteth not the man's that is preserved Fourthly this being considered as also how positive and how plain once and again the Answ. 4 same Apostle is in the very same Epistle as in divers places above cited Is it equal or rational to strain this one place presently after so qualified and subsumed in the time past to contradict not only other positive Expressions of his but the whole Tendency of his Epistle and of the rest of the holy Commands and Precepts of the Scripture Secondly Object II Their second Objection is from Two places of Scripture much of one signification The one is 1 Kings 8.46 For there is no man that sinneth not The other is Eccles. 7.20 For there is not a Just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not I Answer first These affirm nothing of a daily and continual sinning so as never to be Redeemed from it but only that all have sinned or that there is none that doth not sin though not always so as never to cease to sin and in this lies the Question Yea in that place of the Kings he speaks Answ. within two verses of the Returning of such with all their Souls and hearts Diversity of Seasons and Dispensations respected which implies a Possibility of leaving off sin Secondly There is a respect to be had to the seasons and dispensations For if it should be granted that in Solomon's time there was none that sinned not it will not follow that there are none such now or that it is a thing is not now Attainable by the Grace of God under the Gospel for A non esse ad non posse non valet sequela And lastly This whole Objection hangs upon a false Interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sinneth not or who may not sin for the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be read in the Potential Mood thus There is no man who may not sin as well as in the Indicative so both the old Latin Junius and Tremellius and Vatablus have it and the same word is so used Psal. 119.11 I have hid thy Word in my heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say that I may not sin against thee in the Potential Mood and not in the Indicative as it is in the English which being more answerable to the universal scope of the Scriptures the Testimony of the Truth and the sense almost of all Interpreters doubtless ought to be so understood and the other Interpretation rejected as spurious Object III Thirdly They object some Expressions of the Apostle Paul Rom. 7.19 For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do And verse 24. O wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me from the body of this death Answ. I Answer This place infers nothing unless it were apparent that the Apostle here were speaking of his own Condition and not rather in the person of others or what he himself had sometimes born which is frequent in Scripture as in the case of Cursing in James before-mentioned But there is nothing in the Text that doth clearly signify the Apostle to be speaking of himself or of a Condition he was then under or was always to be under yea on the contrary in the former Chapter as afore is at large shewn he declares They were Dead to sin demanding how such should yet live any longer therein Paul personates the Wretched man to shew them the Redeemer Secondly It appears that the Apostle only personated one not yet come to a Spiritual Condition in that he saith vers 14. But I am carnal sold under sin Now is it to be Imagined that the Apostle Paul as to his own proper Condition when he wrote that Epistle was a Carnal man who in Chap. 1. testifies of himself that
he that is to be a Minister Merchandizing with the Scriptures What it is must learn this Art or Trade of Merchandizing with the Scriptures and be that which the Apostle would not be to wit a Trader with them 2 Cor. 2.17 * See also 2 Pet. 2.3 That he may acquire a Trick from a Verse of Scripture by adding his own barren Notions and Conceptions to it and his uncertain Conjectures and what he hath stoll'n out of Books for which end he must have of necessity a good many by him and may each Sabbath-day as they call it or oftner make a Discourse for an Hour long And this is called the Preaching of the Word whereas the Gift Grace and Spirit of God to teach And this they call the Preaching of the Word open and instruct and to preach a word in season is neglected and so man's Arts and Parts and Knowledge and Wisdom which is from below set up * Thus Anti-Christ is Established above the Seed of the Kingdom and established in the Temple of God yea and above the little Seed which in effect is Anti-Christ working in the Mystery And so the Devil †How the Devil may be a Minister of the Priest's Gospel may be as good and able a Minister as the best of them for he has better skill of Languages and more Logick Philosophy and School-Divinity than any of them and knows the Truth in the Notion better than they all and can talk more Eloquently than all those Preachers But what availeth all this Is it not all but as Death as a Painted Sepulchre and dead Carcase without the Power Life and Spirit of Christianity which is the marrow and substance of a Christian Ministry And he that hath this and can speak from it though he be a poor Shepherd or a Fisher-man and Ignorant of all that Learning and of all those Questions and Notions yet speaking from the Spirit his Ministry will have more Influence towards the Converting of a Sinner unto God than all of them Learned after the flesh as in that Example of the Old Man at the Council of Nice did appear The Power of God by weak Instruments restoring the Simplicity of Truth § XXIII And if in any Age since the Apostles days God hath purposed to shew his Power by Weak Instruments for the battering down of that Carnal and Heathenish Wisdom and restoring again the Ancient Simplicity of Truth this is it For in our Day God hath raised up Witnesses for himself as he did Fisher-men of Old many yea most of whom are Labouring and Mechanick men who altogether without that Learning have by the Power and Spirit of God struck at the very Root and Ground of Babylon and in the Strength and Might of this Power have gathered Thousands by reaching their Consciences into the same Power and Life who as to the outward part have been far more knowing than they yet not able to Resist the Vertue that proceeded from them Of which I my self am a true Witness and can declare from a certain Experience because my heart hath been often greatly broken and tendered by that vertuous Life that hath proceeded from the powerful Ministry of those Illiterate men The Powerful Ministry of Illiterate Men. so that by their very Countenance as well as Words I have felt the Evil in me often Chained down and the good Reached to and Raised What shall I then say to you who are Lovers of Learning and Admirers of Knowledge Was not I also a Lover and Admirer of it who also sought after it according to my Age and Capacity But it pleased God in his unutterable Love early to withstand my vain Endeavours while I was yet but Eighteen years of Age The Time of the Author's first Convincement and made me seriously to consider which I wish also may befall others That without Holiness * Job 28.28 and Regeneration no man can see God and that the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and to depart from Iniquity a good Vnderstanding and how much Knowledge puffeth up and leadeth away from that Inward Quietness Stilness and Humility of Mind where the Lord appears and his heavenly Wisdom is Revealed If ye consider these things then will ye say with me that all this Learning Wisdom and Knowledge gathered in this fall'n Nature is but as Dross and Dung in comparison of the Cross of Christ especially being destitute of that Power Life and Vertue which I perceived these Excellent though despised because Illiterate Witnesses of God to be filled with and therefore seeing that in and among them I with many others have found the heavenly Food that gives Contentment let my Soul seek after this Learning and Wait for it for ever § XXIV Having thus spoken of the Call and Qualifications of a Gospel Minister that which comes next to be considered is What his proper Work is How and by what Rule he is to be Ordered Our Adversaries Quest. III do all along go upon Outwards The Work of a Minister and therefore have Certain prescribed Rules and Methods contrived according to their humane and earthly Wisdom We on the contrary walk still upon the same Foundation and lean always upon the Immediate Assistance and Influence of that * The Holy Spirit a Spirit of Order and not of Confusion Holy Spirit which God hath given his Children to teach them all things and lead them in all things which Spirit being the Spirit of Order and not of Confusion leads us and as many as follow it into such a Comely and Decent Order as becometh the Church of God But our Adversaries having shut themselves out from this Immediate Counsel and Influence of the Spirit have run themselves into many Confusions and Disorders seeking to establish an Order in this matter For some will have first a Chief Bishop or Pope to Rule and be Prince over all and under him by degrees Cardinals Patriarchs Arch-Bishops Priests Deacons Sub-deacons Popish Orders and Offices c. and besides these Acoluthi Tonsorati Ostiarii c. And in their Theology as they call it Professors Batchelors Doctors c. And others are to have every Nation Independent of another having its own Metropolitan or Patriarch and the rest in order Subject to him as before Others again are against all Precedency among Pastors and constitute their Subordination not of persons but of powers as first the Consistory or Session then the Class or Presbytery then the Provincial and then the National Synod or Assembly Thus do they Tear one another and Contend among themselves concerning the Ordering Distinguishing and making their several Orders and Offices concerning which there hath been no less Contest not only by way of Verbal Dispute but even by Fighting Tumults Wars Wars and Bloodshed about Church Government Vastations and Blood-shed than about the Conquering Overturning and Establishing of Kingdoms And the Histories of late
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
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
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
Dispensation which hath so much the more of the Wisdom and Glory of God in it as it 's contrary to the nature of man's Spirit Will and Wisdom The silent Waiting upon God obtained § VII As there can be nothing more opposite to the Natural Will and Wisdom of man than this silent-Waiting upon God so neither can it be obtained nor rightly comprehended by man but as he layeth down his own Wisdom and Will so as to be content to be throughly subject to God And therefore it was not preached nor can be so practised but by such as find no outward Ceremony no Observations no Words yea not the best and purest Words even the Words of Scripture able to satisfie their weary and afflicted Souls because where all these may be the life power and vertue which make such things effectual may be wanting Such I say were necessitate to cease from all outwards and to be silent before the Lord and being directed to that Inward Principle of Life and Light in themselves as the most-excellent Teacher which can never be removed into a Corner came thereby to be Learned to Wait upon God in the measure of Life and Grace received from him and to Cease from their own forward words and actings in the natural willing and comprehension and feel after this inward Seed of Life that as it moveth they may move with it and be acted by its Power and influenced whether to pray preach or sing And so from this Principle of man's being Silent and not acting in the things of God of himself until thus acted by God's Light and Grace in the heart did naturally spring that manner of Sitting silent together and Waiting together upon the Lord. For many thus principled Meeting together in the pure fear of the Lord did not apply themselves presently to speak pray or sing c. being afraid to be found acting forwardly in their own wills but each made it their work to Retire inwardly to the measure of Grace in themselves not only being silent as to Words but even abstaining from all their own Thoughts Imaginations and Desires So Watching in a holy dependence upon the Lord and meeting together not only outwardly in one place What it is to meet in Jesus Name but thus inwardly in One Spirit and in One Name of Jesus which is his Power and Vertue they came thereby to enjoy and feel the arisings of this Life which as it prevails in each particular becomes as a flood of Refreshment and over-spreads the whole Meeting For man and man's Part and Wisdom being denied and chained down in every Individual and God exalted and his Grace in dominion in the heart thus his Name comes to be One in all and his Glory breaks forth and covers all and there is such a holy Awe and Reverence upon every Soul that if the natural part should arise in any or the wise part or what is not one with the Life it would presently be Chained down and Judged out And when any are through the breaking forth of this Power constrained to utter a Sentence of Exhortation or Praise or to breath to the Lord in Prayer Prov. 27. ver 19. then all are sensible of it for the same Life in them answers to it as in water Face answereth to Face This is that Divine and Spiritual Worship which the World neither knoweth nor understandeth which the Vulture-Eye seeth not into Yet many and great are the Advantages Advantages of silent Meetings which my Soul with many others hath tasted of hereby and which would be found of all such as would seriously Apply themselves hereunto For when people are gathered thus together not meerly to hear men nor depend upon them but all are inwardly taught to stay their Minds upon the Lord Isa. 10.20.26.3 and wait for his appearance in their hearts thereby the forward working of the spirit of man is stayed and hindered from mixing it self with the Worship of God and the Form of this Worship is so naked and void of all outward and worldly splendor that all occasion for man's Wisdom to be exercised in that Superstition and Idolatry hath no lodging here and so there being also an inward Quietness and Retiredness of mind the Witness of God ariseth in the heart and the Light of Christ shineth whereby the Soul cometh to see its own Condition And there being many joined together in this same Work there is an inward Travel and Wrestling and also as the measure of Grace is abode in an Overcoming of the power and spirit of darkness And thus we are often greatly strengthned and renewed in the spirits of our minds without a word and we enjoy and possess the holy Fellowship and Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ Eph. 4. ver 23. by which our inward man is nourished and fed Which makes us not to dote upon outward Water and Bread and Wine in our Spiritual things Now as many thus gathered together grow up in the strength power and vertue of Truth and as Truth comes thus to have Victory and Dominion in their Souls then they receive an Vtterance Speaking to Edification and speak steadily to the Edification of their Brethren and the pure Life hath a free passage through them and what is thus spoken Edifieth the Body indeed Such is the evident Certainty of that Divine Strength that is communicated by thus Meeting together and Waiting in silence upon God that sometimes when one hath come in that hath been Vnwatchful and Wandering in his Mind or suddenly out of the Hurry of outward Business and so not inwardly gathered with the rest so soon as he retires himself inwardly this Power being in a good measure raised in the whole Meeting will suddenly lay hold upon his Spirit and wonderfully help to raise up the good in him and beget him into the sense of the same Power to the melting and warming of his heart even as the Warmth would take hold upon a man that is Cold coming into a Stove or as a Flame will lay hold upon some little Cumbustible Matter being near unto it Yea if it fall out that several Met together be straying in their minds though outwardly silent and so wandering from the measure of Grace in themselves which through the working of the Enemy and Negligence of some may fall out if either one come in or may be in who is Watchful and in whom the Life is raised in a great measure as that one keeps his place he will feel a secret Travel for the rest in a Sympathy with the Seed which is oppressed in the other and kept from arising by their Thoughts and Wandrings A secret Travel one for another in Silent Meetings And as such a Faithful one waits in the Light and keeps in this Divine Work God oftentimes answers the secret Travel and Breathings of his own Seed through such a one so that the rest will find themselves secretly
to Rejoice therefore even that we are sensible of this Power that hath often-times laid hold upon our Adversaries and made them yield unto us and join with us and confess to the Truth before they had any distinct or discursive Knowledge of our Doctrines So that sometimes many at one Meeting have been thus Convinced and this Power would sometimes also reach to and wonderfully Work even in little Children to the Admiration and Astonishment of many § IX Many are the blessed Experiences which I could relate of this Silence and manner of Worship Yet silence is no Law but words may follow yet do I not so much commend and speak of Silence as if he had a Law in it to shut out praying or preaching or tied ourselves thereunto not at all for as our Worship consisteth not in the words so neither in silence as silence but in an holy dependence of the mind upon God from which dependance Silence necessarily follows in the first place until words can be brought forth which are from God's Spirit And God is not wanting to move in his Children to bring forth Words of Exhortation or Prayer when it is needful so that of the many Gatherings and Meetings of such as are Convinced of the Truth there is scarce any in whom God raiseth not up some or other to Minister to his Brethren that there are few Meetings that are altogether silent For when many are Met together in this one Life and Name it doth most naturally and frequently excite them to pray to and praise God and stir up one another by mutual Exhortation and Instructions yet we judge it needful there be in the first place some times of Silence during which every one may be gathered inward to the Word and Gift of Grace from which he that Ministreth may receive Strength to bring forth what he Ministreth and that they that hear may have a sense to discern betwixt the precious and the vile and not to hurry into the Exercise of these things so soon as the Bell rings as other Christians do Yea and we doubt not but assuredly know that the Meeting may be good and refreshful though from the sitting down to the rising up thereof there hath not been a word as outwardly spoken and yet Life may have been known to abound in each Particular and an inward growing up therein No absolute Necessity for words thô from the life at times and thereby yea so as words might have been spoken acceptably and from the life yet there being no absolute Necessity laid upon any so to do all might have chosen rather quietly and silently to possess and enjoy the Lord in themselves Which is very sweet and comfortable to the Soul that hath thus learned to be gathered out of all its own thoughts and workings to feel the Lord to bring forth the Will and the Deed which many can declare by a blessed Experience Though indeed it cannot but be hard for the Natural man to receive or believe this doctrine and therefore it must be rather by a sensible Experience and by coming to make proof of it than by Arguments that such can be Convinced of this thing seeing it is not enough to believe it if they come not also to enjoy and possess it Yet in Condescension to and for the sake of such as may be the more willing to Apply themselves to the practice and experience hereof that they found their understandings Convinced of it and that it is founded upon Scripture and Reason I find a freedom of mind to add some few Considerations of this kind for the Confirmation hereof besides what is before mentioned of our Experience § X. That to wait upon God and to watch before him To Wait and Watch Commanded in the Scriptures is a Duty incumbent upon all I suppose none will deny and that this also is a Part of Worship will not be called in question since there is scarce any other so frequently commanded in the Holy Scriptures as may appear from Psal. 27.14 37. v. 7. 34. Prov. 20.22 Isai. 30.18 Hosea 12.6 Zach. 3.8 Matth. 24.42 25.13 26.41 Mark 13.33 35. 37. Luke 21.36 Acts 1.4 20.31 1 Cor. 16.13 Col. 4.2 1 Thess. 5.6 2 Tim. 4.5 1 Pet. 4.7 Also this Duty is often recommended with very great and precious Promises as Psal. 25.3 37.9 69.6 Isai. 40.31.42 23. Lam. 3.25 26. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength c. Now how is this Waiting upon God or Watching before him but by his Silence of which we have spoken Which as it is in it self a great and principal Duty so it necessarily in Order both of Nature and Time preceedeth all other But that it may be the better and more perfectly understood as it is not only an outward Silence of the Body but an inward Silence of the Mind from all its own Imaginations and self-Cogitations let it be considered according to Truth and to the Principles and Doctrines heretofore affirmed and proved that Man is to be considered in a twofold respect to wit in his Natural unregenerate and fal'n State and in his Spiritual and Renewed Condition from whence ariseth that distinction of the Natural and Spiritual man so much used by the Apostle and heretofore spoken of Also these two Births of the mind proceed from the two Seeds in man respectively to wit the Good Seed and the Evil And from the Evil Seed doth not only proceed all manner of Gross and abominable Wickedness and Profanity but also Hypocrisy and these Wickednesses which the Scripture calls spiritual Whence wickednesses rise that are spirituals because it is the Serpent working in and by the natural man in things that are spiritual which having a shew appearance of good are so much the more hurtful dangerous as it is Satan transformed transforming himself into an Angel of Light And therefore doth the Scripture so pressingly and frequently as we have heretofore had occasion to observe shut out and exclude the Natural man from meddling with the things of God denying his Endeavours therein though acted and performed by the most eminent of his parts as of Wisdom and Vtterance Also this spiritual Wickedness is of two sorts though both one in kind as proceeding from one Root yet different in their Degrees and in the Subjects also sometimes The one is From whence all Heresies did spring when as the Natural man is meddling in and working in the things of Religion doth from his own Conceptions and Divinations affirm or propose Wrong and Erroneous Notions and Opinions of God and things spiritual and invent superstitions ceremonies observations and rites in Worship from whence have sprung all the Heresies and Superstitions that are among Christians The other is when as the Natural Man from a meer Conviction of his understanding doth in the forwardness of his own Will and by his own natural strength without the influence and leading of
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
Spirit and Will and not from in and by the Power of God he sinneth in all and is not accepted of God Prov. 21. ver 4. For hence both The ploughing and praying of the wicked is sin as also whatever a man acts in and from the Spirit and Power of God having his Vnderstanding and Will influenced and moved by it whether it be Actions Religious Civil or even Natural he is accepted in so doing in the sight of God and is blessed in them From what is said it doth appear Ja. 1.25 how frivolous and impertinent their Objection is that say They Wait upon God in praying and preaching To pray and preach without the Spirit is Offence to God since Waiting doth of it self imply a passive Dependence rather than an Acting And since it is and shall yet be more shewen that preaching and praying without the Spirit is an Offending of God not a Waiting upon him and that praying and preaching by the Spirit pre-supposes necessarily a silent Waiting for to feel the motions and influence of the Spirit to lead thereunto and lastly that in several of these places where praying is commanded as Matth. 26.41 Mark 13.33 Luke 21.36 1 Pet. 4.7 Watching is specially prefixed as a previous preparation thereunto so that we do well and certainly conclude that since Waiting and Watching is so particularly commanded and recommended and this cannot be truly performed but in this inward Silence of the mind from mens own Thoughts and Imaginations This Silence is and must necessarily be a special and principal part of God's Worship § XII But Secondly II. This silent Waiting the Devil cannot counterfeit The Excellency of this silent Waiting upon God doth appear In that it is impossible for the Enemy viz. the Devil to Counterfeit it so as for any Soul to be deceived or deluded by him in the Exercise thereof Now in all other matters he may mix himself-in with the natural Mind of Man and so by transforming himself he may deceive the Soul by busying it about things perhaps innocent in themselves while yet he keeps them from beholding the Pure Light of Christ and so from knowing distinctly his Duty and doing of it For that Envious Spirit of man's Eternal Happiness knoweth well how to accommodate himself and fit his Snares for all the several Dispositions and Inclinations of men if he find one not fit to be engaged with gross Sins or worldly Lusts but rather averse from them and Religiously inclined he can fit himself to beguile such an one by suffering his Thoughts and Imaginations to run upon Spiritual matters and so hurry them to work act and meditate in their own Wills For he well knoweth that so long as Self bears rule and the Spirit of God is not the principal and chief Actor Man is not put out of his reach so therefore he can accompany Prop. 10 the Priest to the Altar the Preacher to the Pulpit the Zelot to his Prayers yea the Doctor and Professor of Divinity to his Study and there he can chearfully suffer him to labour and work among his Books Altar Prayers Pulpit Study cannot shut the Devil out yea and help him to find out and invent subtle Distinctions and Quiddities by which both his mind and others through him may be kept from heeding God's Light in the Conscience and waiting upon him There is not any Exercise whatsoever wherein he cannot enter and have a chief place so as the Soul many times cannot discern it except in this alone for he can only work in and by the natural man and his Faculties by secretly acting upon his Imaginations and Desires c. and therefore when he to wit the natural man is silent there he must also stand And therefore when the Soul comes to this Silence and as it were is brought to Nothingness as to her own workings then the Devil is shut out for the pure Presence of God and shining of his Light he cannot abide because so long as a man is thinking and meditating as of himself he cannot be sure but the Devil is Influencing him therein but when he comes wholly to be silent as the Pure Light of God shines in upon him then he is sure that the Devil is shut out for beyond the Imaginations he cannot go which we often find by sensible Experience For he that of Old is said to have come to the gathering together of the Children of God is not wanting to come to our Assemblies And indeed he can well enter and work in a Meeting that 's Silent only as to words either by keeping the Minds in various Thoughts and Imaginations or by stupifying them so as to overwhelm them with a spirit of heaviness and slothfulness but when we Retire out of all and are Turned in both by being diligent and watchful upon the one hand and also silent and retired out of all our Thoughts upon the other as we abide in this sure place we feel our selves out of his Reach Yea often-times the Power and Glory of God will break forth and appear just as the bright Sun through many Clouds and Mists to the dispelling of that Power of Darkness which will also be sensibly felt seeking to cloud and darken the Mind and wholly to keep it from purely Waiting upon God § XIII Thirdly The Excellency of this Worship doth appear in that It can neither be stopped III. The Worship of the Quakers not stopt nor interrupted by Men nor Devils nor interrupted by the malice of Men or Devils as all others can Now Interruptions and Stoppings of Worship may be understood in a twofold respect either as we are hindered from Meeting as being outwardly by Violence separated one from onother or when permitted to Meet together as we are interrupted by the Tumult Noise and Confusion which such as are malicious may use to molest or distract us Now in both these respects this Worship doth greatly overpass all others For how far soever people be separate or hindred from coming together yet as every one is inwardly gathered to the measure of Life in himself there is a secret Vnity and Fellowship enjoyed which the Devil and all his Instruments can never break or hinder But Secondly it doth as well appear as to these Molestations which occur when we are met together what advantage this true and Spiritual Worship gives us beyond all others seeing in despite of a Thousand Interruptions and Abuses one of which were sufficient to have stopped all other sorts of Christians we have been able through the Nature of this Worship to keep it Vninterrupted as to God and also at the same time to shew forth an Example of our Christian patience towards all even oftentimes to the reaching and convincing of our Opposers For there is no sort of Worship used by others which can subsist though they be permitted Prop. 11 to Meet unless they be either Authorized and Protected by the Magistrate or defend
themselves with the Arm of Flesh but we at the same time exercise Worship towards God and also patiently bear the Reproaches and Ignominies which Christ prophesied should be so incident and frequent to Christians For how can the Papists say their Mass if there be any there to disturb and interrupt them Do but take away the Mass-book The Worship of the Papists soon Interrupted the Calice the Host or the Priest's Garments yea do but spill the Water or the Wine or blow out the Candles a thing quickly done and the whole Business is marred and no Sacrifice can be offered The Protestants the like and Anabaptists Take from the Lutherans or Episcopalians their Liturgy or Common prayer-book and no service can be said Remove from the Calvinists Arminians Socinians Independents or Anabaptists the Pulpit the Bible and the Hour-glass or make but such a Noise as the Voice of the Preacher cannot be heard or disturb him but so before he come or strip him of his Bible and his Books and he must be dumb for they all think it an Heresy to Wait to speak as the Spirit of God giveth utterance and thus easily their Whole Worship may be marred But when people Meet together and their Worship consisteth not in such outward Acts and they depend not upon any one's speaking but meerly sit down to Wait upon God and to be gathered out of all Visibles and to feel the Lord in Spirit none of these things can hinder them of which we may say of a truth we are sensible Witnesses For when the Magistrates stirred up by the Malice and Envy of our Opposers have used all means possible and yet in vain to deter us from Meeting together and that openly and publickly in our own hired Houses for that purpose both Death Banishments Imprisonments Finings Beatings Whippings The Sufferings of the Quakers for their Religious Meetings and other such Devilish Inventions have proved ineffectual to Terrify us from our holy Assemblies I say And we having thus oftentimes purchased our liberty to Meet by deep Sufferings our Opposers have then taken another way by turning in upon us the worst and wickedest People yea the very Off-scowrings of men who by all manner of inhumane beastly and brutish behaviour have sought to provoke us weary us and molest us but in vain It would be almost incredible to declare and indeed a Shame that among men pretending to be Christians it should be mentioned what things of this kind mens Eyes have seen and I my self with others have shared of in suffering There they have often beaten us and cast water and dirt upon us there they have danced leaped sung and spoken all manner of profane and ungodly Words offered Violence and shameful Behaviour to grave Women and Virgins jeered mocked and scoffed asking us If the Spirit was not yet come And much more which were tedious here to relate and all this while we have been seriously and silently sitting together and waiting upon the Lord. So that by these things our Inward and Spiritual Fellowship with God and one with another in the pure life of Righteousness hath not been hindered But on the contrary the Lord knowing our Sufferings and Reproaches for his Testimony 's sake hath caused his Power and Glory more to abound among us and hath mightily Refreshed us by the sense of his love which hath filled our Souls and so much the rather as we found our selves gathered into the Name of the Lord which is the strong Tower of the Righteous Prov. 18.10 whereby we felt our selves sheltered from receiving any inward Hurt through their malice and also that he had delivered us from that Vain Name and profession of Christianity under which our Opposers were not ashamed to bring forth these bitter and cursed Fruits Yea sometimes in the midst of this Tumult and Opposition God would powerfully move some or other of us by his Spirit both to Testify of that Joy which notwithstanding their Malice we enjoyed and powerfully to declare in the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit against their Folly and Wickedness so as the Power of Truth hath brought them to some measure of Quietness and Stilness and stopped the impetuous Streams of their Fury and Madness The Rod of Moses did Divide the Sea through Raging waves the Spirit maketh way that as ever of old Moses by his Rod divided the Waves of the Red Sea that the Israelites might pass so God hath thus by his Spirit made a way for us in the midst of this Raging Wickedness peaceably to enjoy and possess him and accomplish our Worship to him So that sometimes upon such occasions several of our Opposers and Interrupters have hereby been Convinced of the Truth and gathered from being Persecutors to be Sufferers with us And let it not be forgotten but let it be inscribed and abide for a constant Remembrance of the thing What Brutish Pranks did not commit that young Fry of the Clergy that in these beastly and brutish pranks used to molest us in our Spiritual Meetings none have been more Busie than the Young Students of the Vniversities who were learning Philosophy and Divinity so called and many of them preparing themselves for the Ministry Should we commit to Writing all the Abominations committed in this respect by the young Fry of the Clergy it would make no small Volume as the Churches of Christ gathered into his Pure Worship in Oxford and Cambridge in England and Edinburgh and Aberdeen in Scotland where the Vniversities are can well bear witness How the Old Covenant-worship doth differ from the New § XIV Moreover in this we know that we are partakers of the New Covenant's Dispensation and Disciples of Christ indeed sharing with him of that Spiritual Worship which is performed in the Spirit and in Truth because as he was so are we in this World For the Old Covenant-Worship had an outward Glory Temple and Ceremonies and was full of outward Splendor and Majesty having an outward Tabernacle and Altar beautified with gold silver and precious Stones and their Sacrifices were tied to an outward particular place even the outward Mount Zion and those that prayed behoved to pray with their Faces towards that outward Temple And therefore all this be hoved to be protected by an outward Arm. Nor could the Jews peaceably have enjoyed it but when they were secured from the Violence of their outward Enemies and therefore when at any time their Enemies prevailed over them their Glory was darkened and their Sacrifices stopped and the Face of their Worship marred Hence they complain lament and bewail the destroying of the Temple as a Loss Irreparable But Jesus Christ the Author and Institutor of the New Covenant-Worship testifies The New Covenant-Worship is Inward John 18.36 that God is neither to be Worshipped in this nor that place but in the Spirit and in Truth and forasmuch as his Kingdom is not of this world
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
Truth intimating that this Spiritual Worship thus acted is only and properly a true Worship as being that which for the Reasons above observed cannot be Counterfeited by the Enemy nor yet Performed by the Hypocrite § XVI And though this Worship be indeed very different from the divers established Invented Worships among Christians and therefore may seem strange to many yet hath it been testified of commended and practised by the most pious of all sorts in all Ages as by many evident Testimonies might be proved So that from the professing and practising thereof the Name of Mysticks hath arisen as of a Certain Sect generally commended by all A certain Sect of Mysticks among the Papists their Inward Exercise See Sancta Sophia Printed Ad. Dom. 1657. whose Writings are full both of the Explanation and of the Commendation of this sort of Worship where they plentifully assert this Inward Introversion and Abstraction of the Mind as they call it from all Images and Thoughts and the Prayer of the Will Yea they look upon this as the heighth of Christian Perfection so that some of them though professed Papists do not doubt to affirm that such as have attained this Method of Worship or are aiming at it as in a Book called Sancta Sophia put out by the English Benedictines printed at Dovay Anno 1657. Tract 1. Sect. 2. cap. 5. need not The English Benedictines Testimony for the Spiritual Worship against their Masses and set Devotions nor ought to trouble or busie themselves with frequent and unnecessary Confessions with exercising Corporal Labours and Austerities the using of Vocal Voluntary Prayers the hearing of a Number of Masses or set Devotions or Exercises to Saints or Prayers for the Dead or having solicitous and distracting Cares to gain Indulgences by going to such and such Churches or adjoining ones self to Confraternities or entangling ones self with Vows and Promises because such kind of things hinder the Soul from observing the Operations of the Divine Spirit in it and from having liberty to follow the Spirit whither it would draw her And yet who knows not but that in such kind of Observations the very Substance of the Popish Religion consisteth Yet nevertheless it appears by this and many other passages which out of their Mystick Writers might be mentioned how they look upon this Worship as Excelling all other and that such as arrived hereunto had no absolute Need of the others yea see the Life of Balthazar Alvares in the same Sancta Sophia Tract 3. Sect. 1. cap. 7. such as tasted of this quickly Confessed that the other Forms and Ceremonies of Worship were useless as to them neither did they perform them as things necessary but meerly for Order or Example's sake And therefore though some of them were so Over-clouded with the common darkness of their Profession yet could they affirm that this Spiritual Worship was still to be retained and sought for though there be a necessity of omitting their outward Ceremonies Hence Bernard Bernard preferring the Spirit above Popish Orders as in many other places so in his Epistle to one William Abbot of the same Order saith Take heed to the Rule of God the Kingdom of God is within you and afterwards saying That their outward Orders and Rules should be observed he adds But otherwise when it shall happen that one of these two must be omitted in such a Case these are much rather to be omitted than those former For by how much the Spirit is more excellent and noble than the Body by so much Spiritual Exercises are more profitable than Corporal Is not that then the best of Worships which the best of Men in all Ages and of all Sects have commended and which is most suitable to the Doctrine of Christ I say is not that Worship to be followed and performed And so much the rather as God hath raised a People to Testify for it and Preach it to their great Refreshment and Strengthening in the very Face of the World and notwithstanding much Opposition who do not as these Mysticks Those Mysticks did confine that Mystery to Cloisters make of it a Mystery only to be attained by a few Men or Women in a Cloister or as their Mistake was after wearying themselves with many Outward Ceremonies and Observations as if it were the Consequence of such a Labour but who in the free Love of God who respects not Persons and was near to hear and reveal himself as well to Cornelius a Centurion and a Roman as to Simeon and Anna and who discovered his Glory to Mary a poor Handmaid and to the poor Shepherds rather than to the High-Priests and devout Proselytes among the Jews in and according to his free Love finding that God is revealing and establishing this Worship and making many poor Tradesmen yea young Boys and Girls Witnesses of it Do Intreat and beseech all to lay aside all their own Will-Worships and voluntary Acts performed in their own Wills and by their own meer natural Strength and Power without retiring out of their own vain Imaginations and Thoughts or feeling the pure Spirit of God to move and stir in them that they may come to practise this acceptable Worship which is in Spirit and in Truth But against this Worship they Object § XVII First It seems to be an unprofitable Exercise for a Man to be Object 1 doing or thinking nothing and that one might be much better imployed either in meditating upon some good Subject or otherwise praying to or praising God I Answer That is not Vnprofitable which is of absolute Necessity before any other Duty can be acceptably performed Answ. as we have shewen this Waiting to be Moreover those have but a carnal and gross Apprehension of God and of the things of his Kingdom that imagine that Men please him by their own Workings and Actings whereas as hath been shewn the first step for Man to fear God is To cease from his own thoughts and imaginations Isa. 1.16 17. and suffer God's Spirit to work in him For we must Cease to do evil ere we learn to do well and this medling in things Spiritual by man's own natural Vnderstanding is one of the greatest and most dangerous Evils We must Cease to do ill ere we learn to do well that man is incident to being that which occasioned our first Parents Fall to wit a Forwardness to desire to know things and a medling with them both without and contrary to the Lord's Command Object 2 Secondly some Object If your Worship meerly consist in inwardly retiring to the Lord and feeling of his Spirit arise in you and then to do outward Acts Set times and places for Meetings as ye are led by it what need ye have publick Meetings at set times and places since every one may enjoy this at home Or should not every one stay at home until they be particularly moved to go to such a place at such a
what the Spirit of God furnisheth him with not minding the Eloquence and Wisdom of Words but the Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power and that either in the Interpreting some part of Scripture in case the Spirit which is the good Remembrancer lead him so to do or otherwise Words of Exhortation Advice Reproof and Instruction or the sense of some Spiritual Experiences all which will still be agreeable to the Scripture though perhaps not relative to nor founded upon any particular Chapter or Verse as a Text. Now let us Examine and Consider which of these two sorts of Preaching be most agreeable to the Precepts and Practice of Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Church recorded in Scripture For First as to their Preaching upon a Text if it were not meerly Customary or Premeditated but done by the Immediate Motion of the Spirit we should not blame it but to do it as they do there is neither Precept nor Practice that ever I could observe in the New Testament as a part of the Instituted Worship thereof Object But they Alledge That Christ took the Book of Isaiah and Read out of it and Spake there-from and that Peter preached from a sentence of the Prophet Joel Answ. I Answer That Christ and Peter did it not but as Immediately acted and moved thereunto by the Spirit of God and that without Premeditation 1. Christ's and Peter's speaking was not by Premeditation which I suppose our Adversaries will not deny in which case we willingly approve of it But what is this to their Customary Conned Way without either Waiting for or expecting the Movings or Leadings of the Spirit Moreover that neither Christ nor Peter did it as a settled Custom or Form to be constantly practised by all the Ministers of the Church appears in that most of all the Sermons recorded by Christ and his Apostles in Scripture were without this as appears from Christ's Sermon upon the Mount Matth. 5.1 c. Mark 4.1 c. and Paul's Preaching to the Athenians and to the Jews c. As then it appears that this Method of preaching is not grounded upon any Scripture-precept so the Nature of it is contrary to the preaching of Christ under the New Covenant as exprest and recommended in Scripture For Christ in sending forth his Disciples expresly mentioneth that they are not to speak of or from themselves or to fore-cast before hand but that which the Spirit in the same hour shall teach them as is particularly mentioned in the Three Evangelists Matth. 10.20 Mark 13.11 Luke 12.12 Now if Christ gave this Order to his Disciples before he departed from them as that which they were to practise during his Abode outwardly with them much more were they to do it after his Departure since then they were more specially to receive the Spirit to lead them in all things and to bring all things to their remembrance Joh. 14.26 And if they were to do so when they appeared before the Magistrates and Princes of the Earth much more in the Worship of God when they stand specially before him seeing as it is above shewn his Worship is to be performed in Spirit and therefore after their receiving of the Holy Ghost it is said Acts 2.4 They spake as the Spirit gave them Vtterance not what they studied and gathered from Books in their Closets in a premeditated Way Franciscus Lambertus before cited speaketh well Franc. Lambertus his Testimony against the Priests studied Inventions and Figments and sheweth their Hypocrisy Tract 5. of Prophecy Chap. 3. saying Where are they now that glory in their Inventions who say A brave Invention A brave Invention This they call Invention which themselves have made up but what have the Faithful to do with such kind of Inventions It is not Figments nor yet Inventions that we will have but things that are Solid Invincible Eternal and Heavenly not which men have Invented but which God hath Revealed for if we believe the Scripture our Invention profiteth nothing but to provoke God to our Ruine And afterwards Beware saith he that thou determine not precisely to speak what before thou hast meditated whatsoever it be for though it be lawful to determine the Text which thou art to Expound yet not at all the Interpretation lest if thou so dost thou take from the Holy Spirit that which is his to wit to direct thy speech that thou may'st prophesy in the Name of the Lord denuded of all Learning Meditation and Experience and as if thou hadst studied nothing at all committing thy heart thy tongue and thy self wholly unto his Spirit and trusting nothing to thy former studying or meditation but saying with thy self in great confidence of the Divine promise The Lord will give a word with much power unto those that preach the Gospel But above all things be careful thou follow not the manner of Hypocrites who have written almost word by word what they are to say as if they were to Repeat some Verses upon a Theatre have learned all their preaching as they do that act Tragedies And afterward when they are in the place of prophesying pray the Lord to direct their Tongue but in the mean time shutting up the way of the Holy Spirit they determine to say nothing but what they have written O unhappy kind of Prophets yea and truly Cursed which depend not upon God's Spirit but upon their own Writings or Meditation Why prayest thou to the Lord thou false Prophet to give thee his Holy Spirit by which thou mayâ—st speak things profitable and yet thou repell'st the Spirit Why prefer'st thou thy Meditation or study to the Spirit of God otherwise why committ'st thou not thy self to the Spirit § XIX Secondly This manner of Preaching as used by them 2. The words man's Wisdom brings beget not Faith considering that they also affirm That it may be and often is performed by men who are Wicked or void of true Grace Cannot only not Edify the Church nor beget or nourish true Faith but is destructive to it being directly contrary to the nature of the Christian and Apostolick Ministry mentioned in the Scriptures For the Apostles preached the Gospel not in the Wisdom of words lest the Cross of Christ should be of none effect 1 Cor. 1.17 But this Preaching not being done by the actings and movings of God's Spirit but by man's Invention and Eloquence in his own will and through his natural and acquired parts and Learning is in the Wisdom of words and therefore the Cross of Christ is thereby made of none effect The Apostles Speech and Preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power That the Faith of their Hearers should not stand in the Wisdom of men but in the Power of God 1 Cor. 2.3 4 5. But this preaching having nothing of the Spirit and Power in it both the Preachers and Hearers confessing they Wait for
no such thing nor yet are often-times sensible of it must needs stand in the Enticing Words of man's Wisdom since it is by the meer Wisdom of man it is sought after and the meer Strength of man's Eloquence and Enticing words it is uttered and therefore no wonder if the Faith of such as hear and depend upon such preachers and preachings stand in the Wisdom of Men and not in the Power of God The Apostles declared that they spake not in the words which man's Wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2.13 But these Preachers confess that they are Strangers to the Holy Ghost his Motions and Operations neither do they Wait to feel them and therefore they speak in the words which their own natural Wisdom and Learning teacheth them mixing them in and adding them to such words as they steal of the Scripture and other Books and therefore speak not what the Holy Ghost teacheth Thirdly This is contrary to the Method and Order of the primitive Church mentioned by the Apostle 3. True Church's method was to speak by Revelation 1 Cor. 14.30 c. where in Preaching every one is to Wait for his Revelation and to give place one unto another according as things are Revealed But here there is no waiting for a Revelation but the Preacher must speak and not that which is Reveald unto him but what he hath prepared and premeditated before-hand Lastly By this kind of Preaching the Spirit of God which should be the Chief Instructor and Teacher of God's People 4. The Spirit is shut out by Priests to be the Teacher and whose influence is that only which makes all Preaching effectual and beneficial for the edifying of Souls is Shut out and man's natural Wisdom Learning and Parts set up and Exalted which no doubt is a great and chief reason why the Preaching among the generality of Christians is so Vnfruitful and Vnsuccessful yea according to this doctrine the Devil may preach and ought to be Heard also seeing he both knoweth the Truth and hath as much Eloquence as any But what availes Excellency of speech if the Demonstration and Power of the Spirit be wanting which toucheth the Conscience We see that when the Devil confessed to the Truth yet Christ would have none of his Testimony And as these pregnant Testimonies of the Scripture to prove this part of Preaching to be contrary to the Doctrine of Christ so do they also prove that of ours before affirmed to be Conform thereunto Object § XX. But if any Object after this manner Have not many been Benefitted yea and both Converted and Edified by the Ministry of such as have Premeditated their Preachings yea and hath not the Spirit often concurred by its Divine Influence with preachings thus premeditated so as they have been powerfully born in upon the Souls of the Hearers to their Advantage I answer Though that be granted which I shall not deny it will not infer that the thing was good in it self more than because Paul was met with by Christ to the Converting of his Soul riding to Damascus to persecute the Saints that he did well in so doing Neither particular Actions Answ. nor yet whole Congregations as we above observed are to be measured by the Acts of God's Condescension in times of Ignorance But besides Paul Persecuting was Converted is therefore Persecuting good it hath often-times fall'n out that God having a regard to the Simplicity and Integrity either of the Preacher or Hearers hath faln in upon the heart of a Preacher by his Power and holy Influence and thereby hath led them to speak things which were not in his premeditated Discourse and which perhaps he never thought of before and those passing Ejaculations and unpremeditated but living Exhortations have proved more beneficial and refreshful both to Preacher and Hearers than all their premeditated Sermons But all that will not allow them to Continue in these things which in themselves are not approved but contrary to the practice of the Apostles when God is raising up a people to serve him according to the primitive purity and spirituality yea such acts of God's Condescension in times of Darkness and Ignorance should ingage all more and more to follow him according as he Reveals his most perfect and Spiritual Way § XXI Having hitherto spoken of Preaching II. Of Prayer how the Outward is distinguisht from the Inward now it is fit to speak of Praying concerning which the like Controversy ariseth Our Adversaries whose Religion is all for the most part Outside and such whose Acts are the meer products of man's natural Will and Abilities as they can Preach so can they Pray when they please and therefore have their set particular Prayers I meddle not with the Controversies among themselves concerning this some of them being for set Prayers as a Liturgy others for such as are ex tempore Conceived it suffices me that all of them agree in this that the Motions and Influence of the Spirit of God are not Necessary to be previous thereunto and therefore they have Set Times in their publick Worship as before and after preaching The Priests set times to Preach and Pray deny's the Spirit and in their private Devotion as Morning and Evening and before and after meat and other such occasions at which they precisely set about the performing of their Prayers by speaking words to God whether they feel any Motions or Influence of the Spirit or not so that some of the Chiefest have confessed that they have thus Prayed without the Motions or Assistance of the Spirit acknowledging that they sinned in so doing yet they said they look upon it as their Duty to do so though to Pray without the Spirit be Sin We freely Confess that Prayer is both very profitable and a necessary Duty commanded and fit to be practised frequently by all Christians but as we can Do nothing without Christ so neither can we Pray without the concurrence and assistance of his Spirit But that the State of the Controversy may be the better understood let it be considered First That Prayer is twofold Inward and Outward Inward Prayer is that Secret turning of the mind towards God whereby What Inward Prayer is being secretly touched and awakened by the Light of Christ in the Conscience and so bowed down under the sense of its Iniquities Vnworthiness and Misery it looks up to God and joining issue with the secret Shinings of the Seed of God it breaths towards him and is constantly breathing forth some secret Desires and Aspirations towards him It is in this sense that we are so frequently in Scripture commanded to Pray continually Luke 18.1 1 Thess. 5.17 Eph. 6.18 Luke 21.36 which cannot be understood of Outward Prayer because it were impossible that men should be always upon their Knees expressing words of Prayer and this would hinder them from the Exercise of those Duties no less positively Commanded
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
but one Baptism there needs no other Prop. I Proof than the Words of the Text Eph. 4.5 One Lord one Faith one Baptism where the Apostle positively and plainly affirms One Baptism prov'd that as there is but One Body One Spirit One Faith One God c. so there is but One Baptism As to what is commonly alledged by way of Explanation upon the Object 1 Text That the Baptism of Water and of the Spirit make up this One Baptism by vertue of the Sacramental Vnion I Answer This Exposition hath taken place Answ. not because grounded upon the Testimony of the Scripture but because it wrests the Scripture to make it suit to their Principle of Water-Baptism Whether Two Baptisms do make up the One and so there needs no other Reply but to deny it as being repugnant to the plain words of the Text which saith not That there are Two Baptisms to wit one of Water the other of the Spirit which do make up the One Baptism but plainly that there is One Baptism as there is One Faith and One God Now there goeth not Two Faiths nor Two Gods nor Two Spirits nor Two Bodies whereof the one is Outward and Elementary and the other Spiritual and pure to the making up of the One Faith the One God the One Body and the One Spirit so neither ought there to go Two Baptisms to make up the One Baptism But Secondly If it be said The Baptism is but One whereof Water is the one part to wit the Sign and the Spirit the thing signified the Object 2 other I Answer This yet more confirmeth our Doctrine Answ. For if Water be only the Sign it is not the Matter of the One Baptism as shall further hereafter by its Definition in Scripture appear and we are to take the One Baptism for the Matter of it not for the Sign or Figure and Type If Water be the Type the Substance must remain that went before Even as where Christ is called the One Offering in Scripture though he was Typified by many Sacrifices and Offerings under the Law we understand only by the One Offering his Offering himself upon the Cross whereof though those many Offerings were Signs and Types yet we say not that they go together with that Offering of Christ to make up the One Offering so neither though Water-Baptism was a Sign of Christ's Baptism will it follow that it goeth now to make up the Baptism of Christ. If any should be so Absurd as to affirm That this One Baptism here were the Baptism of Water and not of the Spirit that were foolishly to contradict the positive Testimony of the Scripture which saith the contrary as by what followeth will more amply appear Secondly That this One Baptism which is the Baptism of Christ is not a Washing with Water appears first from the Testimony of John the proper and peculiar Administrator of Water-Baptism Matth. 3.11 I indeed baptize you with Water unto Repentance but he that cometh after Prop. II me is mightier than I whose shooes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize Proof I you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Here John mentions two manners of Baptisings That had John's Baptism had not therefore Christ's and two different Baptisms the one with Water and the other with the Spirit the one whereof he was the Minister of the other whereof Christ was the Minister of and such as were baptized with the first were not therefore baptized with the second I indeed baptize you but he shall baptize you Though in the present time they were baptized with the Baptism of Water yet they were not as yet but were to be baptized with the Baptism of Christ. From all which I thus Argue If those that were baptized with the Baptism of Water were not therefore Arg. 1 baptized with the Baptism of Christ Then the Baptism of Water is not the Baptism of Christ. But the first is true Therefore also the last And again If he that truly and really administred the Baptism of Water did notwithstanding Arg. 2 declare That he neither could nor did baptize with the Baptism of Christ Then the Baptism of Water is not the Baptism of Christ. But the first is true Therefore c. And indeed to understand it otherwise would make John's Words void of good sense For if their Baptisms had been all one why should he have so precisely Contradistinguished them Why should he have said that those whom he had already baptized should yet be baptized by another Baptism Object If it be urged That Baptism with Water was the one part and that with the Spirit the other part or Effect only of the former One Baptism is no Part nor Effect of the other I Answer This Exposition contradicts the plain words of the Text. For he saith not I baptize you with Water and he that cometh after shall produce the Effects of this my Baptism in you by the Spirit c. or he shall accomplish this Baptism in you but he shall Baptize you So then if we understand the word truly and properly when he saith I Baptize you as consenting that thereby is really signified that he did baptize with the Baptism of Water we must needs unless we offer Violence to the Text understand the other part of the sentence the same way that where he adds presently But he shall baptize you c. that he understood it of their being truly to be baptized with another Baptism than what he did baptize with Else it had been Non-sense for him thus to have Contradistinguished them Proof II Secondly This is further confirmed by the Saying of Christ himself Acts 1.4 5. Who were 〈…〉 But wait for the promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me For John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence There can scarce Two places of Scripture run more parallel than this doth with the former a little before mentioned and therefore concludeth the same way as did the other For Christ there grants fully that John compleated his Baptism as to the matter and substance of it John saith he truly baptized with Water which is as much as if he had said John did truly and fully Administer the Baptism of Water But ye shall be Baptized with c. This sheweth that they were to be Baptized with some other Baptism than the Baptism of Water and that although they were formerly Baptized with the Baptism of Water yet not with that of Christ which they were to be Baptiz'd with Thirdly Peter observes the same distinction Acts 11.16 Then remembred Proof III I the word of the Lord how that he said The Baptism with the Holy Ghost and that with Water differ John indeed Baptized with Water but ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost The Apostle makes this Application upon the Holy Ghost's falling upon them whence
withal and contend for Arg. § VII But again If Water-baptism had been an Ordinance of the Gospel then the Apostle Paul would have been sent to Administer it but he declares positively 1 Cor. 1.17 That Christ sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel The Reason of that Consequence is undeniable because the Apostle Paul's Commission was as large as that of any of them and consequently he being in special manner the Apostle of Christ to the Gentiles IV. That Water-baptism is no Badge of Christians like Circumcision of the Jews if Water-baptism as our Adversaries contend be to be accounted the badge of Christianity he had more need than any of the rest to be sent to baptize with Water that he might Mark the Gentiles Converted by him with that Christian Sign But indeed the Reason holds better thus that since Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles and that in his Ministry he doth through all as by his Epistles appears labour to wean them from the former Jewish Ceremonies and Observations tho' in so doing he was sometimes undeservedly judged by others of his brethren who were unwilling to lay aside those Ceremonies therefore his Commission tho' as full as to the Preaching of the Gospel and New Covenant-Dispensation as that of the other Apostles did not require of him that he should lead those Converts into such Jewish Observations and Baptisms however that Practice was Indulged in and Practised by the other Apostles among their Jewish Proselytes for which cause he thanks God that he baptized so few 1 Cor. 1.14 intimating that what he did therein he did not by vertue of his Apostolick Commission but rather in Condescendence to their Weakness Paul was not sent to baptize even as at another time he Circumcised Timothy Our Adversaries to evade the Truth of this Testimony usually alledge Object 1 That by this is only to be understood that he was not sent principally to baptize not that he was not sent at all But this Exposition since it Contradicts the positive Words of the Text Answ. and has no better Foundation than the Affirmation of its Assertors is justly rejected as spurious until they bring some better Proof for it He saith not I was not sent principally to baptize but I was not sent to baptize As for what they urge by way of Confirmation from other places of Scripture where not is to be so taken as where it 's said Confir I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice which is to be understood Matth. 9 13. Hos. 6.6 that God requires principally Mercy not excluding Sacrifices I say Refu◠this Place is abundantly Explained by the following words and the knowledge of God more than burnt-Offerings by which it clearly appears that burnt-Offerings which are one with Sacrifices are not Excluded But there is no such word added in that of Paul and therefore the Parity is not demonstrated to be alike and consequently the Instance not sufficient unless they can prove that it ought so to be admitted here else we might interpret by the same Rule all other Places of Scripture the same way As where the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.5 That your Faith might not stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God it might be understood it shall not stand Principally so How might the Gospel by this liberty of Interpretation be Perverted If it be said That the Abuse of this Baptism among the Corinthians in Object 2 dividing themselves according to the Persons by whom they were baptized made the Apostle speak so but that the Abuse of a thing doth not abolish it I Answer it is true it doth not provided the thing be lawful and necessary Answ. and that no doubt the Abuse abovesaid gave the Apostle occasion so to write But let it from this be considered how the Apostle excludes Baptizing not Preaching tho the Abuse mark proceeded from that no less than from the other For these Corinthians did denominate themselves from those different Persons by whose preaching as well as from those by whom they were baptized they were Converted as by the 4 5 6 7 and ver of the 3 d Ch. may appear and yet for to remove that Abuse the Apostle doth not say That Preaching is a standing Ordinanc◠and not to be forborn he was not sent to preach nor yet doth he rejoice that he had only preached to a few because preaching being a standing Ordinance in the Church is not because of any Abuse that the Devil may tempt any to make of it to be forborn by such as are called to perform it by the Spirit of God wherefore the Apostle accordingly Chap. 3.8 9. informs them as to that how to Remove that Abuse But as to Water-baptism for that it was no standing Ordinance of Christ but only practised as in Condescendence to the Jews and by some Apostles to some Gentiles also there so soon as the Apostle perceived the Abuse of he let the Corinthians understand how little stress was to be laid upon it by shewing them that he was glad that he had administred this Ceremony to so few of them and by telling them plainly that it was no part of his Commission neither that which he was sent to Administer Query Some ask us how we know that Baptizing here is meant of Water and not of the Spirit which if it be then it will exclude Baptism of the Spirit as well as of Water Answ. I Answer Such as ask the question I suppose speak it not as doubting that this was said of Water-baptism which is more than manifest For since the Apostle Paul's Message was To turn people from Darkness to Light and Convert them to God That which Converts to Christ is Baptism of the Spirit and that as many as are thus turned and converted so as to have the Answer of a good Conscience towards God and to have put on Christ and be arisen with him in Newness of Life are baptized with the Baptism of the Spirit but who will say that only these few mentioned there to be baptized by Paul were come to this or that to turn or bring them to this Condition was not even admitting our Adversaries Interpretation as principally a part of Paul's Ministry as any other Since then our Adversaries do take this place for Water-baptism as indeed it is we may lawfully taking it so also urge it upon them Why the word Baptism and baptizing is used by the Apostle where that of Water and not of the Spirit is only understood shall hereafter be spoken to I come Part II now to consider the Reasons alledged by such as plead for Water-baptism which are also the Objections used against the Discontinuance of it Object I § VIII First some Object That Christ who had the Spirit above measure was notwithstanding baptized with Water As Nic. Arnold against this These John 2.34 Sect. 46 of his Theological Exercitation Answ.
I Answer So was he also Circumcised it will not follow from thence that Circumcision is to Continue For it behoved Christ to fulfil all righteousness Why Christ was baptized by John not only the Ministry of John but the Law also therefore did he observe the Jewish Feasts and Rites and kept the Passover it will not then follow that Christians ought to do so now And therefore Christ Mat. 3.15 gives John this reason of his being baptized desiring him to Suffer it to be so now whereby he sufficiently intimates that he intended not thereby to Perpetuate it as an Ordinance to his Disciples Secondly they Object Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Object II and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Answ. This is the great Objection and upon which they build the Whole Superstructure Whereunto the first general and sound Answer is by granting the whole but putting them to prove that Water is here meant since the Text is silent of it What Baptism Christ doth mean in Matth. 28 And though in reason it be sufficient upon our part that we Concede the whole expressed in the place but deny that it is by Water which is an Addition to the Text yet I shall premise some Reasons why we do so and then consider the Reasons alledged by those that will have Water to be here understood The First is a Maxime yielded to by all that Arg. I We ought not to go from the literal signification of the Text except some urgent necessity force us thereunto But no urgent Necessity in this place forceth us thereunto Therefore we ought not to go from it Secondly That Baptism which Christ commanded his Apostles was Arg. II the one Baptism id est his own Baptism But the one Baptism which is Christ's Baptism is not with Water as we have already proved Therefore the Baptism commanded by Christ to his Apostles was not Water-baptism Thirdly That Baptism which Christ commanded his Apostles was such that as many as were therewith baptized did put on Christ But this is not true of Water-baptism Therefore c. Fourthly The Baptism commanded by Christ to his Apostles was not Arg. IV John's Baptism But Baptism with Water was John's Baptism Therefore c. But First they alledge That Christ's Baptism though a Baptism with Allegation I Water did differ from John 's because John only baptized with Water unto Repentance but Christ commands his Disciples to baptize in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost reckoning that in this Form there lieth a great difference betwixt the Baptism of John and that of Christ. I Answer as to that John's Baptism was unto Repentance Answ. the Difference lieth not there because so is Christ's also For our Adversaries will not deny but that Adult Persons that are baptized ought ere they be admitted to it to Repent and Confess their Sins yea and that Infants with a respect to and consideration of their Baptism ought to Repent and Confess So that the difference lieth not here since this of Repentance and Confession agrees as well to Christ's as to John's Baptism But in this our Adversaries are divided for Calvin will have Christ's and John's to be all one Inst. lib. 4. cap. 15. Sect. 7 8. Yet they do differ and the difference is in that the one is by Water the other not c. Secondly As to what Christ saith in commanding them to baptize in the Name of the Father Son and Spirit I confess that states the Difference and it is great but that lies not only in admitting Water-Baptism in this different Form by a bare expressing of these words for as the Text saith no such thing neither do I see how it can be inferred from it For the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is into the Name Of the Name of the Lord how taken in Scripture now the Name of the Lord is often taken in Scripture for something else than a bare sound of words or literal Expression even for his Vertue and Power as may appear from Psal. 54.3 Cant. 1.3 Prov. 18.10 and in many more Now that the Apostles were by their Ministry to baptize the Nations into this Name Vertue and Power and that they did so is evident by these Testimonies of Paul above mentioned where he saith That as many of them as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ The Baptism into the Name what it is this must have been a baptizing into the Name i. e. Power and Vertue and not a meer formal Expression of words adjoined with Water-baptism because as hath been above observed it doth not follow as a natural or necessary Consequence of it I would have those who desire to have their Faith built upon no other foundation than the Testimony of God's Spirit and Scriptures of Truth throughly to Consider whether there can be any thing further alledged for this Interpretation than what the prejudice of Education and influence of Tradition hath imposed perhaps it may stumble the unwary and inconsiderate Reader as if the very Character of Christianity were abolished to tell him plainly that this Scripture is not to be understood of baptizing with Water and that this form of baptizing in the Name of Father Son and Spirit hath no warrant from Matth. 28 c. For which Whether Christ did prescribe a Form of Baptism in Matth. 28 besides the Reason taken from the Signification of the Name as being the Vertue and Power above expressed let it be considered that if that had been a Form prescribed by Christ to his Apostles then surely they would have made use of that Form in the administring of Water-baptism to such as they baptized with Water but tho' particular mention be made in divers places of the Acts Who were baptized and how and tho' it be particularly expressed that they baptized such and such as Acts 2.41 8.12 13 38 9.18 10.48 16.15 18.8 yet there is not a word of this Form And in two places Acts 8.16 19.5 it is said of some that they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus by which it yet more appears that either the Author of this History hath been very defective who having so often occasion to mention this yet omitteth so substantial a part of Baptism which were to accuse the Holy Ghost by whose guidance Luke wrote it or else that the Apostle did no ways understand that Christ by his Commission Matth. 28. did injoin them such a Form of Water baptism seeing they did not use it And therefore it is safer to conclude that what they did in administring Water-baptism they did not by vertue of that Commission else they would have so used it for our Adversaries I suppose would judge it great a Heresy to Administer Water-baptism without that or only in the Name of Jesus without mention of Father or Spirit as it is expresly said
time baptized these Men but that he did it by vertue of that Commission Matth. 28. remains yet to be proved And how doth the baptising with Water after the receiving of the Holy Ghost prove the Case more than the use of Circumcision and other Legal Rites acknowledged to have been acted by him afterwards Also no wonder if Peter that thought it so strange notwithstanding all that had been professed before and spoken by Christ that the Gentiles should be made Partakers of the Gospel and with great difficulty not without a very extraordinary Impulse thereunto was brought to come to them and eat with them was apt to put this Ceremony upon them which being as it were the particular Dispensation of John the Fore-runner of Christ seemed to have greater Affinity with the Gospel than the other Jewish Ceremonies then used by the Church but that will no ways infer our Adversaries Conclusion Secondly As to these Words And he commanded them to be baptized it declareth matter of Fact not of Right and amounteth to no more than that Peter did at that time pro hîc nunc Command those persons to be baptized with Water which is not denied but it saith nothing that Peter commanded Water-baptism to be a Standing and Perpetual Ordinance to the Church neither can any Man of sound Reason say if he heed what he says that a Command in matter of Fact to Particular Persons doth infer the thing commanded to be of general obligation to all if it be not other ways bottomed upon some Positive Precept Why doth Peter's Commanding Cornelius and his Houshold to be baptized at that time infer Water-baptism to Continue more than his Constraining which is more than Commanding the Gentiles in general to be Circumcised and observe the Law We find that at that time when Peter baptized Cornelius it was not yet determined whether the Gentiles should not be Circumcised but on the contrary it was the most general Sense of the Church that they should And therefore no wonder if they thought it needful at that time that they should be baptized which had more Affinity with the Gospel and was a Burthen less grievous Object IV § X. Fourthly they Object from the Signification of the Word baptize which is as much as to Dip and Wash with Water alledging thence that the very Word imports a being baptized witb Water Answ. This Objection is very weak For since baptizing with Water was a Rite among the Jews as Paulus Riccius sheweth even before the coming of John Baptizing signifies Dipping or Washing with Water therefore that Ceremony received that Name from the Nature of the Practice as used both by the Jews and by John Yea we find that Christ and his Apostles frequently make use of these Terms to a more Spiritual Signification Circumcision was only used and understood among the Jews to be that of the Flesh but the Apostle tells us of the Circumcision of the Heart and Spirit made without hands So that tho Baptism was used among the Jews only to signify a Washing with Water yet both John Christ and his Apostles speak of a being baptized with the Spirit and with Fire which they make the Peculiar Baptism of Christ as contradistinguished from that of Water which was John's as is above-shewen So that tho Baptism among the Jews was only understood of Water yet among Christians it is very well understood of the Spirit without Water as we see Christ and his Apostles spiritually to understand things under the Terms of what had been Shadows before Thus Christ speaking of his Body thô the Jews mistook him said he would Destroy this Temple and build it again in three days and many more that might be instanced But if the Etymology of the Word should be tenaciously adhered to it would militate against most of our Adversaries as well as against us For the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies immergo that is to plunge and dip in and that was the proper use of Water-baptism among the Jews and also by John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immergo intingo to plunge and dip in and the Primitive Christians who used it whereas our Adversaries for the most part only Sprinkle a little Water upon the Fore-head which doth not at all answer to the word Baptism Yea those of old among Christians Those that of old used Water-baptism were dipt and plunged and those that were only sprinkled were not admitted to any Office in the Church and why that used Water-baptism thought this dipping and plunging so needful that they thus dipped Children and forasmuch as it was judged that it might prove hurtful to some weak Constitutions Sprinkling to prevent that hurt was introduced yet then it was likewise appointed that such as were only sprinkled and not dipped should not be admitted to have any Office in the Church as not being sufficiently baptized So that if our Adversaries will stick to the word they must alter their Method of Sprinkling Fifthly they object Joh. 3.5 Object V Except a man be born again of Water and of the Spirit c. hence inferring the necessity of Water-baptism as well as of the Spirit But if this prove any thing Answ. it will prove Water-baptism to be of absolute Necessity and therefore Protestants rightly affirm The Water that Regenerates is Mystical and Inward when this is urged upon them by Papists to evince the absolute Necessity of Water-baptism that Water is not here understood of Outward Water but mystically of an Inward Cleansing and Washing Even as where Christ speaks of being baptized with Fire it is not to be understood of outward material Fire but only of Purifying by a Metonymy because to purify is a proper Effect of Fire as to Wash and make clean is of Water Therefore the Scripture alludes to Water where it can as little be so understood As where we are said to be Saved by the Washing of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 Yea Peter saith expresly in the place often cited as * In the 4 th Book of his Instit. chap. 15. Calvin well observes That the Baptism which saves is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh so that since Water cannot be understood of outward Water this can serve nothing to prove Water-baptism If it be said that Water imports here necessitatem Praecepti Object though not Medii I answer That is first to take it for granted Answ. that outward Water is here understood the contrary whereof we have already proved Next Water and the Spirit are placed here together Necessitas Praecepti and Medii urged Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit where the Necessity of the one is urged as much as of the other Now if the Spirit be absolutely necessary so will also Water and then we must either say that To be born of the Spirit is not absolutely necessary which all acknowledge to be false or else that Water is absolutely
necessary which as Protestants we affirm and have proved is false else we must confess that Water is not here understood of outward Water For to say that when Water and the Spirit are placed here just together and in the same manner thô there be not any difference or ground for it visible in the Text or deduceable from it That the necessity of Water is here Praecepti but not Medii but the necessity of the Spirit is both Medii and Praecepti is indeed confidently to affirm but not to prove * Obj. VI. Sixthly and lastly they Object That the Baptism of Water is a visible Sign or Badge to distinguish Christians from Infidels even as Circumcision did the Jews †Answ. I Answer This saith nothing at all unless it be proved to be a necessary Precept or part of the New Covenant-Dispensation it not being lawful to us to impose outward Ceremonies and Rites and say they will distinguish us from Infidels Circumcision was positively commanded and said to be a Seal of the first Covenant Circumcision a Seal of the first Covenant Water-baptism falsly called a Badge of Christianity Which is the Badge of Christianity but as we have already proved that there is no such Command for Baptism so there is not any Word in all the New Testament calling it a Badge of Christianity or Seal of the New Covenant and therefore to conclude it is so because Circumcision was so unless some better Proof be alledged for it is miserably to beg the Question The professing of Faith in Christ and a holy Life answering thereunto is a far better Badge of Christianity than any outward Washing which yet answers not to that of Circumcision since that affixed a Character in the flesh which this doth not so that a Christian is not known to be a Christian by his being baptized especially when he was a Child unless he tell them so much And may not the Professing Faith in Christ signify that as well I know there are divers of those called Fathers that speak much of Water-baptism What the Fathers say of Water-baptism and of the Sign of the Cross. calling it Character Christianitatis But so did they also of the Sign of the Cross and other such things justly rejected by Protestants For the Mystery of Iniquity which began to work even in the Apostles days soon spoiled the Simplicity and Purity of the Christian Worship so that not only many Jewish Rites were retained but many Heathenish Customs and Ceremonies introduced into the Christian Worship Heathenish Ceremonies introduc'd into the Christian Worship as particularly that word Sacrament So that it is great folly especially for Protestants to plead any thing of this from Tradition or Antiquity for we find that neither Papists nor Protestants use these Rites exactly as the Ancients did who in such things not walking by the most certain Rule of God's Spirit but doting too much upon Outwards were very Vncertain For most of them all in the Primitive Time did wholly plunge and dip those they Baptized which neither Papists nor Protestants do yea several of the Fathers accused some as Hereticks in their Days for holding some Principles common with Protestants concerning it as particularly Augustin doth the Pelagians for saying That Infants dying Vnbaptized may be saved And the Manichees were Condemned for denying that Grace is universally given by Baptism and Julian the Pelagian by Augustin for denying Exorcism and Insufflation in the use of Baptism All which things Protestants deny also Exorcism or Adjuration So that Protestants do but foolishly to upbraid us as if we could not shew any among the Ancients that denied Water-baptism seeing they cannot shew any whom they acknowledge not to have been Heretical in several things to have used it nor yet who using it did not use also the Sign of the Cross and other things with it which they deny There were some nevertheless in the darkest Times of Popery The Sign of the Cross. who testified against Water-baptism For one Alanus pag. 103 104 107. speaks of some in his Time Many in former Ages testified against Water-baptism that were burnt for the denying of it for they said that Baptism had no Efficacy either in Children or Adult Persons and therefore Men were not obliged to take Baptism Particularly Ten Canonicks so called were burnt for that Crime by the Order of King Robert of France as P. Pithaeus tells in his Fragments of the History of Guienne Which is also confirmed by one Johannes Floracensis a Monk who was famous at that Time in his Epistle to Oliva Abbot of the Ausonian Church I will saith he give you to understand concerning the Heresy that was in the City of Orleans on Childer-mass-day for it was true if ye have heard any thing that King Robert caused to be burnt alive nigh Fourteen of that City of the Chief of their Clergy and the more Noble of their Laicks who were hateful to God and abominable to Heaven and Earth Ten Canonicks burnt at Orleans and why for they did stiffly deny the Grace of Holy Baptism and also the Consecration of our Lord's Body and Blood The time of this Deed is noted in these words by Papir Masson in his Annals of France lib. 3. in Hugh and Robert Actum Aureliae public◠Anno Incarnationis Domini 1022. Regni Roberti Regis 28. Indictione 5. quando Stephanus Haeresiarcha Complices ejus damnati sunt exusti Aureliae Now for their calling them Hereticks and Manichees we have nothing but the Testimony of their Accusers which will no more invalidate their Testimony for this Truth against the use of Water-baptism or give more ground to charge us as being one with Manichees than because some called by them Manichees do agree with Protestants in some things that therefore Protestants are Manichees or Hereticks which Protestants can no ways shun For the Question is Whether in what they did they walked according to the Truth testified of by the Spirit in the Holy Scriptures So that the Controversy is brought back again to the Scriptures according to which I suppose I have formerly discussed it As for the latter part of the Thesis The Baptism of Infants an Humane Tradition denying the Vse of Infant-Baptism it necessarily follows from what is above-said For if Water-Baptism be Ceased then surely Baptising of Infants is not warrantable But those that take upon them to Oppose us in this matter will have more to do as to this latter part for after they have done what they can to prove Water-Baptism it remains for them to prove that Infants ought to be Baptized For he that proves Water-Baptism Ceased proves that Infant-Baptism is vain But he that should prove that Water-Baptism continues has not thence proved that Infant-Baptism is necessary That needs something further And therefore it was a pitiful Subterfuge of Nic. Arnoldus against this to say That the denying of
Infant-Baptism belonged to the Gangrene of Anabaptists without adding any further Probation PROPOSITION XIII 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 his Flesh and Blood 1 Cor. 10.16 17. Jo. 6.32 33 35. 1 Cor. 5.18 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 sake of the Weak Even as Abstaining from things strangled and from Blood Acts 15.20 John 13.14 Ja. 5.14 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 yet seeing they are but the Shadows of better things they Cease in such as have obtained the Substance § I. THE Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is a Mystery hid from all natural men in their first fall'n and degenerate State Prop. 13 which they cannot understand reach to nor comprehend as they there abide neither as they there are can they be Partakers of it nor yet are they able to Discern the Lord's Body And forasmuch as the Christian World so called for the most part hath been still labouring working conceiving and imagining in their own natural and unrenewed Vnderstandings about the things of God and Religion therefore hath this Mystery much been hid and sealed up from them while they have been contending quarrelling and fighting one with another about the meer Shadow Outside and Form but strangers to the Substance Life and Vertue § II. The Body then of Christ which Believers partake of is Spiritual and not Carnal The Body and Blood of Christ is Spiritual and his Blood which they drink of is pure and Heavenly and not humane or Elementary as Augustin also affirms of the Body of Christ which is Eaten in his Tractat. Psal. 98. Except a man eat my flesh he hath not in him Life Eternal And he saith The Words which I spaek unto you are Spirit and Life understand spiritually what I have spoken Ye shall not eat of this Body which ye see and drink this Blood which they shall spill that Crucify me I am the Living Bread which have descended from Heaven he called himself the Bread who descended from heaven exhorting that we might believe in him c. Quest. If it be asked then What that Body What that Flesh and Blood is Answ. I answer It is that Heavenly Seed that Divine Spiritual Celestial Substance of which we spake before in the 5 and 6 Propositions This is that Vehiculum Dei What the heavenly Seed is whereby formerly and also now Life and Salvation was and is Communicated or Spiritual Body of Christ whereby and where-through he communicateth Life to men and Salvation to as many as believe in him and receive him and whereby also man comes to have Fellowship and Communion with God This is proved from the 6 of John from verse 32. to the end where Christ speaks more at large of this matter than in any other place and indeed this Evangelist and beloved Disciple who lay in the Bosom of our Lord gives us a more full account of the Spiritual Sayings and Doctrine of Christ and it 's observable that though he speaks nothing of the Ceremony used by Christ of Breaking Bread with his Disciples neither in his Evangelical Account of Christ's life and sufferings nor in his Epistles yet he is more large in this account of the Participation of the Body Flesh and Blood of Christ than any of them all For Christ in this Chapter perceiving that the Jews did follow him for Love of the Loaves desires them ver 27. to labour not for the Meat which perisheth but for that Meat which endureth for ever but forasmuch as they being Carnal in their Apprehensions and not understanding the Spiritual language and Doctrine of Christ did judge the Manna which Moses gave their Fathers to be the most Excellent Bread as coming from heaven Christ to rectify that mistake and better inform them affirmeth First That it is not Moses but his Father that giveth the true Bread from heaven ver 32. 48. The Origine Nature and Effects of the Body Flesh and Blood of Christ. Secondly This Bread he calls himself ver 35. I am the bread of Life And ver 51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven Thirdly he declares that this Bread is his flesh ver 51. The bread that I will give is my flesh And ver 55. For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed Fourthly The Necessity of partaking thereof ver 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you And lastly ver 33. the blessed Fruits and necessary Effects of this Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ This Bread giveth Life to the World ver 50. He that eateth thereof dyeth not ver 58. He that eateth of this Bread shall live for ever ver 51. Whoso eateth this flesh and drinketh this blood shall live for ever ver 54. and he dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him ver 56. and shall live by Christ ver 57. From this large Description of the Origine Nature and Effects of this Body Flesh and Blood of Christ it is apparent that it is Spiritual and to be understood of a Spiritual Body and not of that Body or Temple of Jesus Christ which was born of the Virgin Mary and in which he walked lived and suffered in the land of Judea because that it is said both that it came down from Heaven yea that it is He that came down from heaven Now all Christians at present generally acknowledge that the outward Body of Christ came not down from heaven neither was it that part of Christ which came down from heaven And to put the matter out of doubt when the Carnal Jews would have been so understanding it he tells them plainly ver 63. It is the Spirit that quickeneth but the flesh profiteth nothing This is also founded upon most sound and solid Reason Solid Reasons that it is his Spiritual Body Christ speaks of because that it is the Soul not the Body that is to be nourished by this Flesh and Blood Now outward flesh cannot nourish nor feed the Soul there is no proportion nor Analogy betwixt them neither is the Communion of the Saints with God by a Conjunction and mutual Participation of Flesh but of the Spirit He that is joined to the Lord is One Spirit not one Flesh. 1 Cor. 6.17 For the Flesh I mean outward flesh even such as was that wherein Christ lived and walked when upon earth and not flesh when transposed by a Metaphor
to affirm instead of them For after he has spoken much and at last Concluded That the Body of Christ is there and that the Saints must needs partake thereof at last he lands in these words Sect. 32. But if it be asked me J. Calvin's Faith of Christ his Flesh and Blood Uncertain how it is I shall not be ashamed to confess that it is a Secret too high for me to comprehend in my Spirit or explain in Words Here he deals very ingenuously and yet who would have thought that such a Man would have been brought to this Strait in the Confirming of his Opinion considering but a little before in the same Chapter Sect. 15. he accuseth the School-men among the Papists and I Confess truly In that they neither Vnderstand The like the Papists nor Explain to others how Christ is in the Eucharist which shortly after he Confesseth himself he cannot do If then the School-men among the Papists do neither Vnderstand nor yet can Explain to others their Doctrine in this matter nor Calvin can Comprehend it in his Spirit which I judge is as much as not to understand it nor Express it in Words and then surely he cannot Explain it to others then no Certainty is to be had from either of them There have been great Endeavours used for Reconcilement in this matter both betwixt Papists and Lutherans Lutherans and Calvinists yea and Calvinists and Papists but all to no purpose and many Forms and Manners of Expressions drawn up to which all might yield which in the end proved in vain seeing every one understood them and interpreted them their own way and so they did thereby but Equivocate and Deceive one another The Reason of all this Contention is because they all wanted a clear Vnderstanding of the Mystery and were doting about the Shadow and the Externals For both the Ground and Matter of their Contest lies in things extrinsick from and unnecessary to the main Matter Satan busies people in outward Signs Shadows and Forms whilst they neglect the Substance and this hath been often the Policy of Satan to busy people and amuse them with outward Signs Shadows and Forms making them Contend about that while in the mean time the Substance is neglected Yea and in Contending for these Shadows he stirs them up to the practice of Malice Heat Revenge and other Vices by which he establisheth his Kingdom of Darkness among them and ruins the Life of Christianity for there has been more Animosity and Heat about this one Particular and more Blood-shed and Contention than about any other And surely they are little acquainted with the State of Protestants Affairs What hath been hurtful to the Reformation who know not that their Contentions about this have been more hurtful to the Reformation than all the Opposition they met with from their common Adversaries Now all these uncertain and absurd Opinions and the Contentions therefrom arising have proceeded from their all agreeing in Two General Errors concerning this thing Which being denied and receded from as they are by us there would be an Easie Way made for Reconciliation and we should all meet in the one Spiritual and true Vnderstanding of this Mystery and as the Contentions so would also the Absurdities which follow from all the Three forementioned Opinions Cease and fall to the ground The First of these Errors is Two Errors the ground of the Contentions about the Supper in making the Communion or Participation of the Body Flesh and Blood of Christ to relate to that outward Body Vessel or Temple that was born of the Virgin Mary and walked and suffered in Judea whereas it should relate to the Spiritual Body Flesh and Blood of Christ even that Heavenly and Celestial Light and Life which was the Food and Nourishment of the Regenerate in all Ages as we have already proved The Second Error is In tying this Participation of the Body and Blood of Christ to that Ceremony used by him with his Disciples in the breaking of bread c. as if it had only a Relation thereto or were only enjoyed in the use of that Ceremony which it neither hath nor is For this is that Bread which Christ in his Prayer teaches to call for terming it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the supersubstantial Bread as the Greek hath it and which the Soul partakes of without any relation or necessary respect to this Ceremony as shall be hereafter proved more at length These Two Errors being thus laid aside and the Contentions arising therefrom buried all are agreed in the main Positions viz. First That the body flesh and blood of Christ is necessary for the nourishing of the Soul Believers Souls do really feed upon the Flesh and Blood of Christ. Secondly That the Souls of believers do really and truly partake and feed upon the body flesh and blood of Christ. But while Men are not content with the Spirituality of this Mystery going in their own Wills and according to their own Inventions to strain and wrest the Scriptures for to Tie this Spiritual Communion of the flesh and blood of Christ to outward Bread and Wine and such like Carnal Ordinances no wonder if by their carnal Apprehensions they run into Heaps and Confusion But because it hath been generally supposed that the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ had some special relation to the Ceremony of breaking Bread I shall first Refute that Opinion and then proceed to consider the Nature and Vse of that Ceremony and whether it be now necessary to Continue answering the Reasons and Objections of such as plead its Continuance as a necessary and standing Ordinance of Jesus Christ. § V. First it must be understood that I speak of a Necessary and Peculiar Relation otherwise I. That the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ has no special Relation to the Ceremony of breaking Bread neither by Nature nor Precept than in a general Respect for forasmuch as our Communion with Christ is and ought to be our greatest and chiefest work we ought to do all other things with a Respect to God and our Fellowship with him but a special and necessary Respect or Relation is such as where the two things are so tied and united together either of their own Nature or by the Command of God that the one cannot be enjoyed or at least is not except very extraordinarily without the other Thus Salvation hath a necessary respect to Holiness because without Holiness no Man shall see God And the Eating of the flesh and blood of Christ hath a necessary respect to our having Life because if we eat not his flesh and drink not his blood we cannot have Life and our Feeling of God's Presence hath a necessary respect to our being sound Meeting in his Name by Divine Precept because he has promised Where two or three are Met together in his Name he will be in the midst
their Minds judge and believe in Matters of Conscience just as they do And if it was not according to the Wisdom of Christ who was and is King of Kings by outward Force to constrain others to believe him or receive him as being a thing inconsistent with the Nature of his Ministry and Spiritual Government do not they grosly offend him that will needs be wiser than he and think to force Men against their Perswasion to conform to their Doctrine and Worship The Word of the Lord saith Not by power and by might but by the Spirit of the Lord Zach. 4.6 But these say Not by the Spirit of the Lord but by Might and carnal Power 2 Cor. 10.4 The Apostle saith plainly We wrestle not with flesh and blood and The Weapons of our warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual But these Men will needs wrestle with flesh and blood when they cannot prevail with the Spirit and the Understanding and not having Spiritual weapons go about with Carnal weapons to establish Christ's Kingdom which they can never do and therefore when the matter is well sifted it is found to be more out of love to Self and from a principle of Pride in Man to have all others to bow to him than from the love of God Christ indeed takes another method for he saith He will make his People a willing People in the day of his Power Psal. 110.3 but these Men labour against Mens Wills and Consciences not by Christ's Power but by the outward Sword to make Men the People of Christ which they can never do as shall hereafter be shewn But Thirdly Christ fully and plainly declareth to us his sense in this matter in the Parable of the Tares Matth. 13. of which we have himself the Interpreter ver 38 39 40 41. where he expounds them to be the Children of the wicked one and yet he will not have the Servants to meddle with them lest they pull up the Wheat therewith Now it cannot be denyed but Hereticks are here included but these Servants saw the Tares and had a certain discerning of them yet Christ would not they should meddle lest they should hurt the Wheat Thereby intimating that that capacity in Man to be mistaken ought to be a bridle upon him to make him wary in such matters and therefore to prevent this hurt he gives a positive prohibition But he said Nay ver 29. So that they that will notwithstanding be pulling up that which they judge is Tares do openly declare that they make no bones to break the Commands of Christ. Miserable is that evasion which some of our Adversaries use here in alledging these Tares is meant of Hypocrites and not of Hereticks But how to evince that seeing Hereticks as well as Hypocrites are Children of the wicked one they have not any thing but their own bare Affirmation which is therefore justly rejected If they say because Hypocrites can not be discerned Object· but so may Hereticks This is both false and a begging of the question For those Answ. that have a Spiritual discerning can discern both Hypocrites and Hereticks and those that want it cannot certainly discern either Seeing the question will arise Whether that is a Heresy which the Magistrate saith is so And seeing it is both possible and confessed by all to have often fallen out that some Magistrates have judged that Heresy which was not punishing Men accordingly for Truth instead of Errour There can no argument be drawn from the obviousness or evidence of Heresy unless we should conclude Heresy could never be mistaken for Truth nor Truth for Heresy whereof Experience shews daily the contrary even among Christians But neither is this shift applicable to this place for the Servants did discern the Tares and yet were liable to hurt the Wheat if they had offered to pull them up § III. But they Object against this Liberty of Conscience Deut. 13.5 where false Prophets are appointed to be put to death and accordingly they give example thereof Object Answ. The case no ways holds parallel those particular Commands to the Jews and Practices following upon them are not a Rule for Christians else we might by the same Rule say It were lawful for us to borrow from our Neighbours their Goods and so carry them away because the Jews did so by God's Command or that it is lawful for Christians to invade their Neighbours Kingdoms and cut them all off without Mercy because the Jews did so to the Canaanites by the Command of God If they urge That these Commands ought to stand except they be repealed in the Gospel Object I say these Precepts and Practices of Christ and his Apostles mentioned Answ. are a sufficient Repeal for if we should plead that every Command given to the Jews is binding upon us except there be a particular Repeal then would it follow that because it was lawful for the Jews if any Man killed one for the nearest of Kindred presently to kill the Murderer without any order of Law it were lawful for us to do so also And doth not this Command of Deut. 13.9 openly order him who is enticed by another to forsake the Lord though he were his Brother his Son his Daughter or his Wife presently to kill him or her Thou shalt surely kill him thy hand shall be first upon him to put him to death If this Command were to be followed there needed neither Inquisition nor Magistrate to do the business and yet there is no reason why they should shuffle by this part and not the other yea to argue this way from the Practice among the Jews were to overturn the very Gospel and to set up again the carnal ordinances among the Jews to pull down the Spiritual ones of the Gospel Indeed we can far better argue from the Analogy betwixt the figurative and carnal state of the Jews and the Real and Spiritual one under the Gospel That as Moses delivered the Jews out of outward Egypt by an outward force and established them in an outward Kingdom by destroying their outward Enemies for them so Christ not by overcoming outwardly and killing others but by suffering and being killed doth deliver his chosen Ones the inward Jews out of mystical Egypt destroying their Spiritual Enemies before them and establishing among them his Spiritual Kingdom which is not of this World And as such as departed from the Fellowship of outward Israel were to be cut off by the outward Sword so those that depart from the inward Israel are to be cut off by the Sword of the Spirit For it answers very well that As the Jews were to cut off their Enemies outwardly to establish their Kingdom and outward worship so they were to uphold it the same way But as the Kingdom and Gospel of Christ was not to be established nor propagated by cutting off or destroying the Gentiles but by perswading them so neither is it to be upheld otherwise But
I have here affirmed for when I shewed you before how ye Contradicted your Master viz. John Menzies in another Matter ye would not admit it as Relevant though the Case be alike alledging it was a Retorsion Ye undertook to Dispute against the Theses but it seems you find not room enough there but ye must run to G. K's Book for further matter G. K. I see it is more against G. K. than R. B. his Theses that you set your selves And therefore G. K. must defend G. K. But I say in this there is no Contradiction between R. B. and me for there is a two-fold sort of Inspirations or Influences Note divers of the Auditors were displeased with their going from the Theses the one General other Special The General Influences are given in general or common for the doing of all common or ordinary Actions and by the Special Influences of the Spirit we are enabled to go about those Special Duties as of Prayer Thanksgiving c. Now of these special Inspirations or Influences R. B. in his Theses is to be understood and thus there is no Contradiction betwixt him and me R. B. To which I have this to add there is a Difference betwixt the Influences of the Spirit as we are particularly acted by them in singular and particular Acts of Worship and as we are generally Influenced by the Spirit in so far as we come habitually to live and walk in the Spirit For in that respect we may be said to do every thing in the Spirit as we grow up into that State though there be more particular Influences requisite in Matters of Worship G. K. I say further particular Influences or Inspirations of the Spirit are of several sorts which are Analogous or proportional to the several Sorts of Duties As Preaching and Praying are several sorts of Duties now the Particular Influence to Pray is not to Preach and so on the contrary Also the Influences which serve to Duties only Inward as to Wait fear and love God do not serve without a superadded Influence to the performance of outward Duties Therefore every Influence is to respect the Duty that it is given unto A. Shir. I prove that such particular Influences are not needful to Acts of Worship Thus If such particular Influences of the Spirit were needful unto outward Acts of Worship then they were also needful unto inward Duties as to waiting desiring loving and feeling God But The last is absurd Therefore the first R. B. Having repeated the Argument I deny that the last is Absurd G. K. Come 〈◊〉 with that Argument I confess it hath some Acumen or Sharpness in it but ex tua pharetra nunquam venit illa sagitta this Arrow hath not come out of thy Quiver but out of thy Master's who hath formerly used this Argument against us Alex. Shir. I prove the last is absurd If the Inspirations of the Spirit be necessary to Inward Duties as to Wait desire c. then we must not Wait without them But this is Absurd Therefore is the other G. K. Having repeated the Argument I deny that this is Absurd For we cannot suppose that ever at any Time an Influence or Inspiration can be wanting to Wait upon God to Desire and Fear and love him and the Particular Influences to particular Duties such as Praying Preaching Thanksgiving is not wanting whenever the Season cometh to go about them Al. Shir. If ye have these particular Influences why do ye not make use of them Why do ye not say the Grace R. B. It will not follow That we do not pray nor make use of those particular Influences because at sometimes we do not take off our Hats or speak Words which are not Essential to true Prayer J. L. I prove That that Distinction concerning general and particular Influences is not sufficient That which may be a Ground for a Heretick to forbear Prayer for a whole Year is not a sufficient Distinction But This may be a Ground for a Heretick to forbear Prayer for a whole Year Therefore It is not a sufficient Distinction G. K. Having repeated the Argument I deny the Second Proposition J. L. I prove it for a Heretick may pretend He hath not those particular Influences for a whole Year G. K. Though an Heretick may pretend yet he has no Ground from our Principle to pretend to any such thing because these particular Influences cannot be wanting neither for one Year nor for any Time that the particular Duties ought to be gone about and if any did pretend the want of particular Influences to pray c. they are to be judged as Guilty and Deceitful as giving that for an Excuse which is not sufficient although all have not the Vtterance of Prayer so as to Pray in Words nor can any pray truly in Words but by a particular Influence A. Sh. This Influence or Inspiration is either commanding or forbidding so G. K. understood it but because of the great Confusion or Noise he cannot certainly say And upon this Understanding G. K. answered It is not a sufficient Enumeration for there is a Midst Praeses A. T. Master Keith ye know we say Non datur medium Students There is no Midst betwixt Contradictory Propositions G. K. But these Propositions are not Contradictory for there is a Midst betwixt Commanding and Forbidding A. Shir. Either he doth Command or not Command there is no Midst here chuse you whether G. K. He doth not Command us in all things in which we are Inspired for some Inspirations are Mandatory and Commanding some Permissory or Permitting and some forbidding so betwixt commanding and forbidding the midst is Permitting J. L. But a Permission cannot be an Inspiration otherwise ye might say A Stone doth Inspire you as much as God because a Stone doth permit or not hinder you G. K. I deny the Consequence for I offer to shew from Scripture That Paul when he did a thing by Permission was Inspired As when he said I speak this by Permission and not by Commandment Here he was writing Scripture by Inspiration in the very Time See 1 Cor. 7.6 and compared with 40. vers See Acts 16.7 And again where he said I assayed to go to such a Place but the Spirit permitted not A. Shir. This was not a Permission but a hindering or not a permitting him G. K. But I gather out of these Words by the Rules of Contraries That if the Spirit did not permit Paul at sometimes it did permit him at other Times and this Permission was by Inspiration And I hope it is lawful for me to make this Observation or Note upon this Scripture seeing your Masters will make half a dozen not so much to the purpose But for the further opening of this Matter I distinguish of Permission thus There is a Negative Permission and a Positive Permission A Negative Permission is a simple Forbearance or not medling in any Case and such a Negative Permission
B. His Offer to Jo. Menzies Professor of Divinity so called George Meldrum Minister at Aberdeen and William Mitchel Catechist at Foot of Dee AS in this late Rencountre it was specially provided Challenge that it shall be Abstract from the Challenge made to you and so no fulfilling of it so now this being past of which you have here presented to you a good and Faithful Account which we hope being seriously weighed by your more Mature Judgments may allay any hasty Joy that might have proceeded from the Windy Triumphs the Students might have possessed you with a Belief they had obtained who at every turn to the nauseating of the more Serious and Impartial Auditors were proclaiming themselves Victors We think you more concerned And indeed we are the more desirous to Meet and Debate it with your selves For either this is All ye have to say which ye have put in their Mouths or ye have more to say If this be all then indeed it may be your Wisdom not to accept this Offer but if ye have more we shall be willing to hear it and endeavour to Answer it And as your Appearing yourselves would be more Satisfactory to the People and is most desired by them as well as us so divers Inconveniences that have in this or may fall in the like would be avoided For First It being in your Publick Houses Reasons there would be less Occasion of Tumult because the House is capable to hold divers Thousands Secondly as it is probable ye would not so readily be put to a Stand as they If it should happen ye were we are hopeful ye would not by raising a Laughter and Clamour amongst the People and crying out three or four at once seek to cover it or boast of Victory and cry out Your Argument is pungent before we have Time allowed us to Answer it Thirdly You engaging we are hopeful to procure Discreet Learned and Persons every way Considerable to be Judges Consultative upon our part though not professing our Way to help to Moderate and keep Good Order Fourthly It is probable That by the Solemnity of of such an Action and the Influence of your Presence as well as other Persons of Condition being there might secure us from the Hazzard of Clods and Stones for I do truly assure you I conceive my self more able to Answer the most pungent of your Arguments than defending my self from the Stones and Blows of your Vnreasonable and Brutish Church-Members Objections It is by some of your People Objected to us whether it come from you or not I will not Affirm That it is below you to engage with us But as this is altogether unsuitable to Christian Ministers whose Master disdained not daily to Debate and Answer the Questions of such as Opposed themselves unto him and taught his Disciples to leave the ninety and nine and go seek after the Odd one Next It is most Vnreasonable for since ye take Liberty to speak against us in your Pulpits and particularly to design us yea and sometimes to speak Vntruths of us I desire then to know Whether it be agreeable to the Rules of Christianity or even of Common Honesty to take Liberty to speak ill of Men behind their Backs abuse their Principles and Reputations and yet say It is below them to prove these Charges to the Mens own Faces Secondly It is Objected That it is against the Laws to call the Faith established by Law into Question But may not the same be said against Protestants in those Nations where Popery and Mahometism are Established by Law Yea is not this the very Pretence and put-off which the Papists both in Germany and France gave the Primitive Protestants when they desired Publick Conferences with them And was not both the Emperour Charles the Fifth and his Brother Ferdinando sorely checkt by divers Bishops of Rome for granting these Conferences and the Queen Mother of France openly reproved and cried out against by Cardinal Turnon and other Clergy-Men for giving way to that of Poysy as suffering the Vniversal Faith of the Church to be called in Question which had been established by many Laws and for a far longer Time than the Profession we oppose It seems ye Defend your selves chiefly by Popish Weapons as will anon further appear In order whereunto I shall speak a Word or two to John Menzies and so make an end The greatest and frequentest Argument that both thy Scholars and others make against us Scholars chief Argument against us is That we have no certain Evidence by which we can make known That we are led by the Spirit that Hereticks and others cannot pretend to Now if this may be admitted as Relevant or Strong against us I desire thou wouldst be pleased to shew me How thou canst extricate thy self out of the same Difficulty when urged by the Jesuit Dempster That the Scripture which thou assignedst as the Ground of the Protestant Religion is an Evidence for you seeing all Hereticks also pretend to it Let me see what Difficulties occur in our Case as to the Spirit which likewise occur not in the same very Way in Yours as to the Scripture For besides that we have as good Ground to lay Claim to the Scriptures as your selves and are ready and I hope able to prove our Principles from them as well as your selves If ye say Men may be deceived by a Seducing Spirit What then will it therefore follow That the Spirit of God will deceive any Or that Men ought not to be guided by it more than because many Men have been and are deceived by a Mis-understanding and wrong Use of the Scripture that therefore the Scripture doth deceive People or ought not to be the Rule If it be said Divers Men pretending to the Spirit Contradict one another Doth not the same recur as to the Scriptures What greater Contradictions can there be than there is betwixt certain Churches both acknowledging the Scriptures to be the Rule Hast thou forgotten John how thou and thy Elder Brother Andr. Cant who both Affirmed the Scripture to be the only Certain Rule and yet oftentimes before the same Auditory in the same Pulpit did from the very same Verse of Scripture Psal. 93 5. Holiness becometh thy house O Lord for ever draw different and Contradictory Doctrines Vses and Applications If that then will not infer according to you the Scriptures to be an Vncertain Rule neither will the other as to the Spirit If it be said That the fame Man pretending to be guided by the Spirit hath been of different Judgments doth not the same also recur as to the Scriptures Or need we go further John than thy self to prove this who hast all-along acknowledged the Scripture to be the Rule and yet sometime judged the Congregational Way to be preferrable to the Presbyterian And then the Presbyterian better than the Independent And now the Episcopal preferrable to both Or tell me John honestly
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
without any real Proof For it is a Truth That no Scripture-Truth can be savingly believed but by the Illumination of the Spirit which is Objective In Paragraph 28. they think to evade G. K. his Argument That we have Inspiration because all Men have it that then Papists Mahumetans Pagans and Men bodily possessed have Inspiration which we do affirm viz. That these have it so far as to Convince them and is sufficient to be a Law of Condemnation and render them without Excuse for their Sin and this all Men have not only within their Day but after their Day of Visitation is expired But as to their imposed Glosses and Senses which they say their Divines have already vindicated on these Scriptures cited by G. K. for Vniversal Grace and Inspiration as they refer us to their Divines so we refer them to our Friends and our Books where their silly and weak Reasons are answered against this Gospel-Truth As for the Word EVERY we acknowledge it is not taken always Vniversally but seeing it is taken so most frequently it lieth on them to prove that it is otherwise taken in the Places cited Before we close the Answer to this Subsection Revelations self-evident we propose further unto the Reader these Two Considerations 1. That when we say Inward Divine Revelations in the Seed are self-evident we do not mean it always in respect of the Material Objects of things Revealed but in respect of the Formal Object or Revelation it self 2. Although we affirm That the Illumination and Influence of the Spirit in Men's Hearts is both Effective and Objective yet we do not affirm That they are two distinct Things but one and the same thing under different Respects so that we do not plead for another Influence than that which in Words they seem to grant But we say it is a more Excellent Thing than they acknowledge it to be as being in it self perceptible and having a self-Evidence whereas they will have it only a Medium incognitum a thing altogether undiscernible and in-evident of it self so as to convince or satisfy the Understanding that it is of God And thus according to our Adversaries Sense and upon their Principle this Inward Illumination of the Spirit may be said to be Fallacious for want of Evidence seeing according to their own Argument That which hath not a sufficient Evidence is fallacious But whereas the Students in their Account grant in Words That the Soul hath Spiritual Sensations and that the Work of Grace may be felt This Confession destroyeth their whole Superstructure For if the Work of Grace can be felt or is perceptible then it is Objective for whatever is perceptible is objective And seeing they grant That the Soul hath Spiritual Sensations we ask them What are the Objects of the Sensations Are they only Words and Letters or Things such as God himself in his heavenly Refreshings Waterings and Bedewings If the first it is most unreasonable for it would make the Spiritual Senses to fall short of the Natural seeing the Natural Senses reach beyond Words to Natural Things themselves If the Second they must needs with us acknowledge inward objective Revelations for by them we understand no other thing but as God and the things of His Kingdom are felt in us by way of Object SECTION II. Where the Students Chief Argument against the Spirit 's being the Rule is proved to be one upon the Matter with that the Jesuit Dempster used against their Master J. M. and the same way answered and their Weak Endeavours to evite it Examined and Refuted THere hath enough been said heretofore to demonstrate the Fallacies in the Form of their Arguments in which also it resembled the Jesuits which to avoid Repetition we shall now omit Their Medium against us is That we cannot give an Evidence of our being led by the Spirit but that which may be as good an Evidence for Hereticks Hereticks Pretences to the Spirit For thus they word it in their Account alledging We wronged them in saying They used the Words which Hereticks may pretend to yet abstracting from this false Charge we shall take it as they now express it being indeed Equivalent To prove that it may be as good an Evidence for Hereticks they make J. L. argue thus Other Hereticks declare and say they have the Spirit of God teaching them as well as you Therefore if your saying you were so taught were a sufficient Evidence c. Then their declaring c. Now let the Reader judge whether this Argument amounts to any thing more then that That is not a sufficient Evidence to the Quakers which other Hereticks may pretend to Thus the Students dispute against the Quakers let us hear how the Jesuit disputes against J. M. their Master Pap. Lucifug pag. 3. after the Jesuit hath repeated his Argument he adds May it please the Answerer of this Syllogism to remember That the Ground or Principle which he shall produce to prove the Truth of his Religion must have this Property that it cannot serve nor be assumed to prove a false Religion as the Grounds and Principles that one produceth to prove that he is an Honest Man must have this Property that it cannot serve nor be assumed to prove a Knave to be an honest Man c. Let the judicious Reader consider whether there be any material difference betwixt these two Argumentations But to proceed and shew that their Arguments are no better than the Jesuits against their Master and our Answers no worse than their Master 's against the Jesuit we shall place them together J. M. Answereth the Jesuit thus pag. 5. of his Pap. Lucifugus The true Religion hath sufficient grounds in it self to manifest it self to be the true Religion if it meet with a well disposed Intellect For to use your own Similitude an honest Man may have ground enough to shew a distinction betwixt him and a Knave albeit a Fool cannot discern it so the true Religion may have ground enough to prove it self True which the false Religion hath not though an Infidel or Heretick whose foolish mind is darkned Rom. 1.21 cannot take it up Our Answer to the Students as themselves acknowledge it pag. 59. is J. M 's Answer to the Jesuit compared with ours That the Evidence of the Spirit cannot be assigned but to the well-disposed Vnderstanding this they call a pitiful Subterfuge alledging that then this Evidence can only be assigned to such as are of the Quaker's mind but not to others and that any Heretick in the World may deny Evidences upon the same account Now let the judicious Reader determine whether if this Answer be a pitiful Subterfuge the Students with the same Breath do not declare their Master 's to the Jesuit to be the same And when they write next let them shew the difference which they have not yet done In answer to this Retortion they alledge pag. 67. That R. B. said their
Students gift of Contradicting themselves take one here in their own Words * The Students contradicting themselves about the Rule of Faith They say this above-mentioned Retortion doth not meet their Argument why Do we conclude that the Spirit is not the Rule of Faith because they cannot give an Evidence which will actually Convince that they are led by the Spirit No such thing Compare this with J. L's Medium of his second Argument where he undertaketh to prove That the Spirit is not the Rule of Faith as it is expressed by themselves because there can be no Evidence given of it in the World But if they think to creep out here that there may be Evidences given though not such as do actually Convince because of the want of a subjective Evidence or disposition of the mind as they afterwards add and that we can give no Evidence of this last sort It remains then for them to prove that their minds are well disposed seeing they are the Opponents and we the meer Defendents and that the Evidences assigned by us or such as are not manifest even to the well-disposed and yet to go round pag. 59. Paragraph 19. They account this of the well-disposed mind ridiculous though it was the best Answer their Master could give the Iesuit in the like case as above is shewn But thou may'st perhaps judge Reader that these that are so nice and scrupulous in receiving Evidences from others would give some very solid ones for their own Rule when pressed the same way to give us an Evidence that they have the Scripture to be their Rule from God and that they have the true sense of it Take then notice of them here Reader and see how satisfactory their Answer is Now say the Students pag. 59. The Solution is easie for they who make the Scripture their principal Rule are either our own Churches or they are Sects dissenting from us If the first have not our Divines frequently proved both from the intrinsick Characters of Divinity that appear in the Scriptures themselves and also from the outward Motives of Credibility that we have these Scriptural Revelations from God And have they not often assigned sufficient objective Evidences and Proofs of the senses of the Scriptures taught by our Churches as to every point controverted by us and all Sects whatsoever So that Dissenters remain Vnconvinced for want of subjective Evidence and disposition of mind and really ought to believe us teaching such senses of Scripture c. Is not this rarely well solved Do the Students give any better Evidence for all this than their own declaration And is not this according to themselves as good for other Hereticks as for them Is it not strange with what confidence they should print such stuff Besides as to the first part of it it is manifestly false for Calvin the Chiefest of their Divines hath in plain words asserted viz. That all the Objective Evidences and Motives of Credibility are not sufficient to establish the Conscience in the belief of the Scriptures certainly Calvin's Testimony for the Spirit and that thereunto is necessary the secret and inward Testimony of the Spirit yea that the same Spirit that was in the Prophets and Apostles enter into the heart c. So say all the publick Confessions of the Protestants abroad and seeing of this according to the Students there can be no Objective Evidences in the World given then neither can there of the Scripture which they confess is their Rule So the Reader may see that their Work is like the Viper's Brood that destroyeth it self and tends to overturn the Certainty of all Christian Religion landing in Scepticism Which because they cannot shun they end their Section in vain Boasting and Railing saying pag. 77. They provoke all the Papists and Quakers of the World to argue against them so if they can Here are high Words indeed but seeing they are so busie in Boasting we accept the Challenge and offer to prove before as publick an Auditory as the last Dispute was that their Arguments against the Quakers are no better than the Iesuit's against their Master And here to conclude they add Let the Reader therefore judge whether Railing Robin shews forth more of an Ass 's than of a Viper 's nature where he brands our Argument with the black mark of Popery Well! we leave to the Reader 's judgment who also may judge if this be not Railing And it the Students who talk at this rate be to be trusted in their Preface saying That they have abstained from all personal Criminations and have not rendred evil for evil And what may be thought of Men that are not ashamed thus to belie themselves SECTION III. Wherein the Students Arguments concerning the Supper and against Perfection and Women's Speaking are Considered and Answered contained in their Sub-section 3. from pag. 66. of their Book to pag. 78. FIrst They say They might argue that the Quakers have not Revelations from the Spirit because of their mad and impious Practices And then they turn this Assertion into a Question asking Have not the Quakers committed such Practices saying Lying Books writ against the Quakers they were commanded by the Spirit And for this they refer the Reader to several Books writ against the Quakers by their declared Adversaries Which signifie nothing unless they will prove that these Men spake Truth which they neither have nor can do and so are no more valued by us then Cochleus's Lies against Luther But to Confirm this They place at large a Citation out of H. More whom they say The Quakers have reported to be a Quaker This is a false Calumny which they are dared to prove That H. More hath in a Letter to G. K. owned some of the Quakers Principles is true as particularly that of Immediate Objective Revelation called by them The Head of the Monster and that the Seed is a Substance which they count one of the Quakers grand Errors As for that Citation of H. More he wrote it upon Trust and was not an Eye-Witness of these things and it recurs upon him and them to prove the things true The Story there mentioned of J. N. seeing it was at that very time disowned by the Quakers and since Condemned by himself militates nothing against us no more than other horrid things yea that which in the Students own esteem is down-right Treason being done by some of the Chief of their Ministry as Commanded by the Scripture doth against them In Conclusion they give a Proverb used by Will. Dundas in a Book of his as a further Instance which they call a Bundle of Ridiculous and Non-sensical Expressions But will they deny but the Presbyterian General Assembly of which W. Dundas so writes was a Mingle-mangle of Omni gatherums particularly that Assembly that Excommunicated and gave to the Devil B. Spotwood and these other called Reverend Prelates of the Church the Students own Or let the
All which they barely assert but do not offer to prove Again they say It is but a meer Action and applicatio agentis ad passum But how do they prove it Here they are as dumb as Stones Perhaps they think to prove it because Manifestation is a Nomen Verbale which commonly being derived from the Active Verb signifieth an Action but this is meerly to play in words and not to Dispute for they may as well say because the whole World is called the Creation for Creation is an active verbale therefore the whole World is a meer Action or Applicatio agentis ad passum We deny not but the Action or Motion which proceeds from the Spirit of God may also be called a Manifestation but we say the Seed it self is also a Manifestation and those inward heavenly Refreshments which God ministers unto the Souls of his Saints are as real substantial spiritual Manifestations of his goodness as the outward earthly Refreshments to wit Meat and Drink are real substantial natural Manifestations Lastly they query If the Manifestation be a Substance whether is it One Manifestation or all the Manifestations To this we Answer They that please to call the Action or Motion which proceeds from the Spirit of God as an Efficient Cause a Manifestation may easily distinguish Manifestation as it is a Principle or quid permanens or as it is an Action or quid transiens Now to Apply we say The substantial Manifestations of God inwardly to our souls are many as they are quid permanens and per modum principii for as God nourisheth our outward Man not with Bread and Drink once only but often and many are our outward refreshments all which are Substances agreeing in this that they are Manifestations and pledges of Gods bounty unto us so doth he nourish our inward Man with spiritual Bread and Drink not once only but often giving us daily the Super-substantial Bread as the words in the Prayer may be translated and have been by some Learned Men. And thus we have answered their last Argument in their § 5. without recurring to any Idea Platonica a Term they vainly bring in to their Argument to move People to laugh at their Folly And thus we hope it is apparent that we have no need to retract our Answers given in the Dispute as they vainly imagin It would be more labour and expence of Time and Paper than the thing is worth to answer them in all their pitiful ridiculous Reasonings in these matters in every particular Therefore not to weary the Reader nor mispend Time we shall set down some few clear distinct Propositions which shall clearly Answer any seeming Difficulties alledged by them in this whole Section as in relation to Christ. 1. Proposition The Word or Son of God hath the whole intire Prop. i. nature of Man Spirit Soul and Body united to him in the Heavens and he is the same in Substance what he was upon Earth both in Spirit Soul and Body 2. Christ in us or the Seed is not a third spiritual Nature distinct Prop. ii from that which was in the Man Christ Jesus that was crucified according to the Flesh at Jerusalem For the same that is in us was and is in him and as it is in him it s the fulness or Spring of the same in us as the Stream nor is there any difference but such as is betwixt the Spring and the Stream which are one in their nature and substance 3. We say that the same Seed and Life is in us which was in Prop. iii. him and is in him in the fulness as Water is in the Spring and in us as the Stream and this Seed and spiritual Nature which is both in him and us doth belong to him as he is the second Adam or Man Christ. Therefore this Seed being in us the Man Christ is in us not according to his whole Manhood but according unto that which is proper unto it and yet without all division As the natural Life is in all the Members but more principally in the Head and Heart without any Division so this Spiritual Life and nature is both in Christ our Head and in us by which he dwelleth in us as the Spirit of Man doth in the Body and we eat and partake of his Flesh. 4. But if they argue that at least Christ hath three Natures in Prop. iv himself we say Their own Principle will Conclude that as much as ours For the Godhead is One Nature the Nature of the Soul is a Second and the Nature of the Body is the Third and our Adversaries themselves teach that as God is Three Persons in One Nature so Christ is Three Natures in One Person 5. Although the Word or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should assume into Vnion with Prop. v. it self not only Two Natures but Three it should not make either Two or Three Christs but One. For they grant that the Word hath assumed two to wit the Soul and Body of the Man Christ and yet he is not two Christs but One even as the King is but One King although he possess Three Kingdoms for Ad multiplicationem Obliquorum non multiplicantur Concreta As your Logick teacheth 6. The Seed and Spiritual Body of Christ both in him and in us belonging to Christ as he is the Second Adam is as really and immediately Prop. vi united unto the Word as his outward Body was for the whole Manhood of Christ was united to the Logos and the Logos to it and in it therefore the Sufferings of this Seed and Spiritual Body of Christ in us are as really his Sufferings as these He accomplished at Jerusalem Prop. vii 7. This Seed is not our Souls but is a Medium betwixt God and us and our Vnion with God is but Mediate through this whereas the Vnion of God with this is Immediate Therefore none of us are either Christ or God but God and Christ are in us Prop. viii 8. Seeing this Seed and Spiritual Nature of Christ is one and the same both in him and in us it is most unreasonable to argue that there are as many Christs as Men as it is unreasonable to argue that because the Soul of Man is in all his Members that therefore as many Members as many Souls The Element of the Air is but one only Element although it fill the whole Vniverse betwixt the Stars and the Earth And the Element of Water is but one although it fill many Channels Prop. ix 9. Christ outwardly dyed but once but inwardly he dieth in a Spiritual and Mystical Sense as often as any Crucify him to themselves by their Unfaithfulness and Disobedience as the Scriptures declare Prop. x. 10. As for the Satisfaction of Christ without us we own it against the Socinians and that it was Full and Compleat in its kind yet not so as to exclude the real Worth of the Work and Sufferings of Christ in us nor his present
exercising their Reason and Vnderstanding naturally they may know many things Which we do not deny and so they might have spared that Labour But whereas they Alledge That there is nothing needful to be known and believed by the Heathens but what the Book of Nature and their Natural Understanding and Reason as Men can teach them according to the Quakers Principle and consequently the Heathens need not these Supernatural Revelations This they affirm without any Proof We shall give manifest Instances to the Contrary For the Quakers say All Men need both to have and to know a Supernatural Influence and Work of the Spirit of God in order to their Salvation And this also our Adversaries grant Heathens need a Divine Revelation Now the Heathens need a Divine Revelation to make this known to them For the Book of Nature or the meer Natures of things being considered cannot teach Men what is Supernatural and so it cannot teach Men that in all their Actings they are to have a Supernatural End Nor can it teach them that they are to Love Fear Serve and Worship God from a Supernatural Principle of God's Grace which are the greatest Duties required of Man and if it cannot teach Men and convince them of their greatest Duties it followeth that it cannot convince them of the great sins that are contrary unto those Duties Also Nature cannot teach Men the Mystery of Regeneration which yet is needful to be known For Men who are but too much addicted to Natural Reason and Searchings into the Book of Nature and despise the Divine and Supernatural Illumination of Christ in them think Regeneration a Fiction or unnecessary thing Other Instances could be given but lest they should call them the Quakers Errors we shall forbear contenting our selves with such as our Adversaries acknowledge to be true But 2. if it were granted that the Book of Nature could in some sort discover all things necessary to Salvation without Supernatural Light which yet we deny it doth not follow That therefore Divine Supernatural The Book of Nature is short of Divine things Objective Revelation is not necessary Because the Discovery that the Book of Nature and Natural Reason gives to Men of Divine Things as of the Power Wisdom Justice Goodness Love and Mercy of God is but Dim Weak Faint and Barren and is no more a proportionate Object to the Spiritual Sensations of the Soul than a Report of Meat and Drink and Cloathing are a suitable or proportionate Object to the Tast and Feeling of the outward Man The Souls of men need not only to be Convinced That there is a God who is Good Loving Merciful Powerful and Just but they need also in order to their Salvation to have a Feeling of his Divine Power to see and tast that he is Good to handle that Word of Life to know Christ in themselves to have the Love of God shed abroad in them by the Holy Spirit Which Love is a sensible and perceptible Object and so is Objective For if the Scriptures be not a sufficient Objective Revelation of God and the things of his Kingdom much less the Book of Nature c. But the first is true therefore the Second is true also Now that the Scriptures are not a sufficient Objective Revelation of God c. G. K. hath proved at large in his Book of Immediat Revelat. and we need not produce any new Arguments here until the Students or their Masters Refute those already set down in that Book Only this we say in short Nature and Scripture tell us That there is a God but they can neither give us a Sense Sight or Tasting of him or of his Love or of his Spiritual Judgments as these things are inwardly experienced where God Reveals them Nature cannot Refresh or Comfort the Soul nor pour in Wine and Oil into it when it is wounded with Sin and although it could tell that God can do this what Comfort could that be to the Soul unless God himself do it and make the Soul sensible of his Hand reaching unto it the Spiritual Things themselves that Nature cannot afford Also Nature cannot discover the Spiritual Judgments of God in the Soul whereby he cleanseth it from Sin as by Water and Fire Now as to the Second Branch of their Argument That the Scriptures are a sufficient objective Revelation of all things necessary to Salvation this we altogether deny as is said For although the Scripture is a full-enough Declaration of all Doctrines and Principles both essential and integral of Christian Religion yet the Scripture doth propose Divine Things and Objects but as a Card or Map doth a Land The Scripture a Map and the Fruits of it to the outward Eye Now as this is not a sufficient Objective Proposal because we need to see the Land it self and to tast and eat and drink of the Fruit of it so our Souls need a more near and Immediate Discovery of God than the Scripture which is but a Report of him that he may Feed and Nourish us by his Divine Manifestations And here in the Prosecution of this Argument they are at great Pains to prove That the Scriptures are given from God which we deny not although same of their Proofs be weak But whatever Reasons can be brought to prove That the Scriptures are given from God if the Inward Testimony of the Spirit of God be not believed and received these Reasons cannot beget any Divine Saving Faith whereof only we speak but a meer Human and Natural Faith or Conviction As to that Place of Scripture 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our Gospel c. that is If our Gospel be hid c. say they the Outward Gospel But doth Paul say so Nay Look the Greek Text and you will find the contrary that the Gospel he spake of was hid in them that are lost so the Greek * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore it was Inward And this Scripture they bring to prove That the Scriptures have Objective Evident and Perspicuity in themselves whereas Paul doth not say of the Scripture but of the Gospel which is the Power of God And whereas they query If a person may have Immediate Objective Revelations who hath not his Mind well disposed and if so what Advantage would he have by them which he might not have without them by the Scriptures We answer Much every way Because the Scripture is not able to Dispose his Mind as our Adversaries grant but these Immediate Objective Revelations are also really Effective and have sufficient Power and Ability in them to Dispose his Mind if he do not resist them Again whereas they query May a Person be well disposed who hath not such Revelations We answer No Yet he may want some and have other some but if he may yet there is need of such Revelations Even as if a Man's Eye or Tast were never so well disposed he needeth the Objects themselves And as
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
another But 2. That all Influences and Inspirations or Motions of the Spirit to enable Ministers to Preach and Pray Vocally are not Ceased since the Apostles Days is clear from Rev. 11.3 And I will give Power unto my two Witnesses and they shall Prophesy And it is said That if any Man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth which must needs signifie a Special Influence of the Spirit given them to prophesy or preach which is not common to all Christians Also what are these Gifts given unto Ministers for the perfecting of the Saints but such special Influences to enable them to Preach which are not given to all Yea do not the National Preachers desire in their publick Prayers some special Assistance and Help of the Spirit to carry them forth in their Ministry which they have not before For if they had it before why do they seek it From all which it is manifest that as there are general Influences given to all and at all times so there are particular and special given only to some and but at some times Moreover that there is a greater Influence of Life required to Vocal Prayer when it is acceptable Mental Prayer the Cause and Spring of Vocal Prayer than unto some meer Mental Prayer a thing expresly denied by the Students pag. 100. § 16. is clear because all true and acceptable Vocal Prayer hath Mental Prayer going along with it as its Cause and Spring And so when any Man prays Vocally if his Prayer be True and Acceptable he prayeth also mentally and so he doth two things together Whereas when he prayeth but mentally he doth but one thing Now common Reason teacheth us that more Strength is required to do two things together than to do but one of them And seeing the Vocal Prayer hath not any Life or Vertue in it to reach unto God's Throne or yet unto the Hearts of his People to quicken and refresh them but as it receiveth that Life from the Life that is in the Mental Prayer it is clear that a greater Measure is required to both than simply to the one Now although Mental Prayer as to the Disposition and Frame of the Soul at least be always in and with Good Christians and hath always some Measure of Life in it yet that Measure is sometimes so Weak and Low that it cannot go forth into the Words without Hurt or Prejudice And at other times although it be able and strong yet it will not answer the Motion of Man's Will so as to be drawn forth thereby but it only abideth or goeth forth into the Vocal Prayer according to the Will of God as he pleaseth to move it Therefore the Free Motion of the Life it self as it pleaseth God to bring it forth is to be attended in all Outward Spiritual Performances But here let the Reader note That we have said Vocal Prayer requires more Life than some Mental Prayer we do not say than all For some Mental Prayer may be stronger than that which is a Complex of Mental and Vocal as gathering the whole Strength of the Complex into that which is solely and intirely Mental According unto that common saying abundantly confirmed by Experience Vis unita fortior united Strength is the stronger As when the Beams of the Sun are united into a small Point they have more Force than when they are diffused and for this Cause it is that we are so much for Mental Prayer as knowing the great Good of it in our Experience And from what is above said it is clear that we need another Influence wherewith to pray vocally than to Eat Plow Walk c. because these natural Actions may be done sufficiently in a Spiritual Manner by the help of that General Influence which doth always attend Good Men to Fear and Love God For the Principle of Divine Life which is the Living and Powerful Word of God in Men's Hearts is never idle The Principle of Divine Life is never Idle but is always Operative and at Work especially more abundantly in them who joyn with it being as a most Rich and Living Spring that is continually flowing and sending forth its Streams according to Joh. 4.14 But to pray Vocally requireth an Influence of Life to flow forth into the Words that it may in a Living and Powerful way reach the Hearers but that Plowing Eating Walking c. need no such Emanating Influence is certain and will be acknowledged by our Adversaries But perhaps also they will deny that any Life or Vertue doth flow forth into Mental Praying and Preaching even when these Duties are acceptably performed but this is contrary both to the certain Experience of many Thousands and also to the Scriptures-Testimony in many Places I. It is Contrary to the Experience of many Thousands who can declare whereof we are some that the Declarations Testimonies and Words of the Servants of God in Preaching and Praying have a real Life and Living Vertue in them The Life in the Words of the Servants of God witnessed by Experience whereby their Souls are exceedingly Refreshed Quickened and Stengthened which Life and Living Vertue is a thing as distinct from the bare outward Words which the natural Ear can hear as Wine is distinct from the Vessel that carrieth it Therefore if another Man that hath not this Spiritual Ability should pronounce the same Words they have not any Life or Vertue at all And that God had given this Spiritual Discerning to many before the People called Quakers were raised up is manifest from divers in our own Nation who cared not to hear Men who could speak never so good Words if they wanted Life and in that day they could and did distinguish betwixt dead and living Preachers as also betwixt a Living Testimony and Preaching and a Dry Discourse See for this the Book called The fulfilling of the Scriptures And this was the express Testimony of that Philosopher who was Converted by the means of a few Words spoke by a certain Old Man who was a Christian at the Council of Nice Out of the Mouth of that old Man said he there went forth a Vertue which I could not Resist These were his very Words as Lucas Osiander relates them in his Epitome of the Church-History Cent. 4. lin 2. cap. 5. II. It is Contrary to the Scriptures-Testimony in many Places The Mouth of the Righteous is a Well of Life Prov. 10.11 This must be understood in respect of the Influence of Life that cometh out of his Mouth And testified unto by Scripture as Water doth out of a Well and not barely in respect of the good Words which a Wicked Man may speak According to this Christ said to his Disciples The Words that I speak unto you are Spirit and Life and as it was then so it is now for at this day he speaketh in his Servants and will to the end of the World and it is He only who hath
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
he may rather be Troubled and Shamed to find himself so fawningly Flattered and Commended by such as the Students like the Philosopher of Old that was troubled when spoken well of by a Profligate Person Lastly They go about to Apologize for the Long Time their Book hath been a coming out because of their Difficulties at the Press Which Difficulties were not such as We meet with to have their Papers surprized and stopt as they sought to do ours but because they could not perswade a Printer to be so foolish as to print them without due Payment But it is like the Contriving and Patching it together hath been as great a Cause of Lett since when it was out and came from Edinburgh to Aberdeen and after we had bought one Intire Book at Edinburgh they kept it up at Aberdeen several Weeks Advising and Consulting about it And upon notice of some Gross Contradictions in it which we had Observed to some of their own Way They caused the Printer there to patch two Pages to it to help them By which they have but rendered their Weakness more Obvious For whereas to solve that gross Contradiction before observed by us of their making us speak in their Accompt one after another and yet saying The Auditors can testify That we are Liars and never spake so They say Their meaning is not that we did not speak one after another What means the Word never then This Apology amounts to no more but that the Students intended not to Contradict themselves and instead of Bettering themselves by this Addition they have given away their Cause For whereas they before make a great Clamour against G. K. for Asserting Permissive Inspirations as if it had been some great Absurdity themselves here Affirm the same thing saying The Apostle by these Words it is good for a man not to touch a Woman doth not Command but only Permit he himself nevertheless being Inspired by the Spirit of God so to do Is not this then a Permissive Inspiration So that these things will but make their Folly manifest as also their further Frivolous Apologies in that Additional Advertisement which to the truly Judicious doth not Cover but rather Discover their Weakness Seeing it may fall out that this Tract may arrive at the Hands of many who perhaps may not see those Sheets in which we have Disproved the Students Calumnies and Lies in Matter of fact as in Relation to the Dispute we had with them we thought fit here also to Insert the Certificate of four Students present at the Dispute and since come among us Three of which were at that time actual Students of Philosophy in the Vniversity and the other had been in the Class with one of the Disputants R. B. WE Vnder-Subscribers late Students of Philosophy in the University of Aberdeen being present at the Dispute do faithfully declare That the Students have grosly belied the Quakers in their Accompt making them speak that which they spake not and also forging Arguments and Answers not mentioned upon the Place And though we had no Intention at that time to own the People called Quakers yet we dare not but declare That their Answer and Behaviour had no small Influence upon us to make us in love with their Way and to search after it more diligently As also the Students Arguments and Lightness did not a little tend to make us disgust them and their Principles And albeit that inward Peace and Satisfaction of Mind which we enjoy in the Truth we now profess with that Despised and Injured People doth make us bless the Day in which it pleased God to bring us among them yet we are not a little Confirmed in the Belief of this Reproached Testimony and Witnesses that we find the strongest Arguments their Adversaries have against them are Lies and Calumnies And this we Testify for the Truth whom the Truth hath taught not to Lie R. S. I. A. And I also declare who being a Student at that Time in the Old-Town-Colledg was present at the Dispute and heard the same with Attention that the Students have grosly belied the Quakers in many things in their Account And although that since it hath pleased God to join me unto that People yet at that Time I had no Mind to be of their Way However when I saw their Account I did approve it as Ingenuous as now also I do and disapprove the Students as false in many things Alexander Seaton And I likewise being a Student in the New-Town Colledge at that Time was present at the Dispute and do declare that the Students Folly and Lightness had no small Influence upon me to search more narrowly into the Way of that People Which it pleased the Lord to bless unto me so that the Eyes of my Understanding came to be opened and I came fully to be Convinced of the Truth of their Principles and Way to which now by the Mercy and Goodness of the Lord I am joined and do find by comparing the two Accounts together that the Students have wronged the People called Quakers in divers things as the Students Self-Contradictions do sufficiently shew Alexander Paterson Universal Love CONSIDERED And established upon its RIGHT FOUNDATION Being a Serious Enquiry how far CHARITY May and ought to be Extended towards Persons of Different Judgments IN MATTERS of RELIGION AND Whose Principles among the several Sects of Christians do most Naturally lead to that due Moderation Required Writ in the Spirit of Love and Meekness for the removing of Stumbling-Blocks out of the Way of the Simple By a Lover of the Souls of all Men ROBERT BARCLAY 1 Joh. iv 16 God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God 1 Jo. v. 2 For this is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments London Printed for Tho. Northcott 1691. Universal Love c. year 1676 SECT I. The INTRODUCTION Giving an Account of the Author's Experience in this Matter with the Reasons Moving him to Treat thereof ALbeit it were very desirable Godliness from a tender Age is the Happiness of few that Man could from his very Tender Age upwards receive so Living an Impression not only of the truest and surest Principles of the Doctrines of Christ but also of the Life and Power of Godliness to leven the whole Mind and Affections unto the pure and holy Nature of Jesus yet seeing that this Happiness befalls to few most of Men being by the prejudice of Education either pre-possessed or defiled with wrong Notions or else those who come to receive even at first a Right Impression in their Understandings as to Opinion or Principle do either by the power of inward Corruption working upon their Natural Complexions or by other Temptations from without oftentimes fall exceeding short of this pure Life the best way to Redeem the Time and to Repair that Loss is from the Experience we have had of the Evil and the Memory we retain of how far we
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
doubt that Five of the Ten Letters subscribed with her Husband's Name were not his she could not know the Certainty but by her Husband 's own Testimony and since he himself has said That to Discern these Characters a Subjective Concurrence of the Spirit is necessary Which since he saith some have not they can then not be sure of this Article of Faith His Example of the Five Fingers is yet more silly than the former And albeit he confidently Affirms he has above shewn this we shall by Examining it shew the Contrary As p. 74. and 75. answering to that of mine The Prohibition of not Adding to Prophecy considered where I shew that in Prov. 30.5.6 there is the same Prohibition of Not adding that is Rev. 22. ver 18. and therefore it would follow That all written after Solomon 's time was against the mind of God To this he gives a rare Answer What is spoken of that Book I suppose he means the Revelations and elsewhere of the Commands of God is consequently to be understood of all But this is to Repeat that against which the Argument is formed instead of Answering it Either that of Revelations must not be understood as he doth it or that of Proverbs makes the same Exclusion since the words are the same and the Authority also But the Prophecies of the Prophets saith he were but Explications of the Law of God But such Explications go to make up the Canon and will he admit that yet No. But the Lord did not saith he bind up his own hand but has he bound up his hands now that he cannot move any of his Servants by his Spirit to write I suppose he will not say he hath He Confesseth there were Prophets after John's days who truly foretold Events but were not to write Scripture But is not a part of that which he accounts the Canon a fore-telling of Events And yet that excludes it not from the Canon Here because he is pinched he takes his usual Retreat by falling a Railing and Comparing us with Papists who he saith use this Argument And what then I could tell him an hundred Arguments used by him which the Papists also use against us will he say it follows they are Invalid But at last he thinks he has found a Mysterious Riddle that will do the business and therefore he leaves it with a Defiance J. B's query of a Compleat Canon and Revelations ended Let him un-riddle this Mystery if he can to wit When shall our Canon be Compleated When will there be no more need of Revelations But might not this same Question have been proposed to the Christians that lived before John wrote his Book of the Revelation And as I suppose They would have Answered to many of whom perhaps it was not Revealed that John should write such a Book afterwards so shall I directly Answer his Question When it shall please God in whose Power it is to Reveal himself when how and so long as he pleases and who as he saith has not bound up his own Hand ¶ 4. I come now to consider what he saith of the Perfection of the Scriptures And because he is very Clamorous in accusing me as derogating there-from it will be manifest whether he has any reason so to do P. 55. n. 6. he quarrels I forget the Narration of the first Creation and that the Examples are Instructive But who will deny or when did I that the Remarkable Providences of God towards his Children are Instructive Do not I expresly shew how they are Instructive p. 46. * See above p. 304 305. which himself also noticeth And was the first Creation no part of God's Providence towards Man who was to Rule over it Is it not then there Included But I make no mention of the Promises and Threatnings But are not they any part of the Doctrines of Christ nor included in any part of these precious Declarations which I say the Scripture Contains Next he Carps at my saying The Chief Doctrines of Christianity asking Where we may find the whole Doctrines of the Christian Faith I answer freely In the Scriptures And let him prove if he can this to be any Contradiction seeing my saying The Chief Doctrines of Christianity is Indefinite excluding none And therefore most base and abominable is that Lye he makes of me in the last part of this Paragraph where he saith I say the Scripture only beareth Testimony to some of them to wit of the Chief Heads of Christianity which I dare him to prove ever to have been said or written by me And of the like nature are his lying Conjectures and his malitious Insinuations from my Words in the two following Paragraphs which I utterly Renounce and Return upon him as his own false and fictitious Apprehensions The Authority of the Scriptures is from the Spirit For do not I declare the Authority of the Scripture when I Testify They are from the Spirit and that such Commands require Obedience as has been above shew'n But what he urgeth of this further p. 57. and 59. from the saying of some Quakers affirming That is not a Command to them which is given to another Albeit I might justly reject it as Impertinent till he prove it for the Reasons upon this occasion above declared yet because he mentions Benjamin Furly in Roterdam having some knowledge of that matter I answer Whether will he say All the Commands in Scripture to every Person there mentioned are binding upon every Individual now If he dare not say they are as I know he dare not how must I then distinguish betwixt what binds me and binds me not Must it not be by the Spirit suppose it were only subjectively as he will Confess Inlightning the Vnderstanding To make this Distinction then it seems it is the Operation of the Spirit that makes them know their Duty and sure they cannot Obey before they Know. But if he say That though they should want that Operation of the Spirit and did not know nor acknowledge them to be their Duty yet they are binding upon them Neither B. F. nor any Quaker will deny but even the Commands of God's Spirit and the Precepts of the Scripture which now concern all are binding upon all so that they shall be justly Condemned for not Obeying albeit that by the perversness of their Hearts and Wills they either Refuse to Obey or will not Acknowledge them So that his urging of that p. 60. and 61. n. 13. and his pleading for it is Vnnecessary and needs no Answer yet who would say they could Obey to any Advantage of their Souls without this Operation of the Spirit since Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin But as to these words said to be written by B. F. he is here Challenged to prove They are his without adding or diminishing and it 's well known the adding or diminishing of two or three words in a few Lines will quite alter the
Sense And before he has answered this Challenge and free'd himself from the just Censure of a Calumniator albeit he take the help of his Author Hicks he will find his Folly in accusing Men at second-hand-Proofs and upon the Testimony of their Adversaries What follows in this Paragraph and p. 60. is meer Railing and Perversions Comparing us with Papists as is before observed and indeed all of it is overturned by that one Assertion of mine that What Revelations are contrary to the Scripture are to be Rejected ¶ 5. Pag. 57. n. 10. He saith I come nearer to the Core of my Design which is to set up Enthusiasmes in affirming That the Scriptures are not the Fountain but a Declaration of the Fountain And yet the Man within three or four Lines Confesseth it himself ascribing it to my Folly to Dream any Man thinks so thus he goes backward and forward Which he illustrates by the Example of Laws But if it be so are not they to be blam'd that account them the Principal Original of all Truth and Knowledge Whether the other branch of my Deduction follow from this That they are not to be accounted the primary Rule of Faith and Manners will appear when the Arguments and Objections relating to that come particularly to be mentioned And whereas he thinks this is Absurd and not making for my Design because God himself is the Fountain and yet not the Rule he mistakes the matter as urged by me For I Argue That the Scriptures are not the Original Ground of Knowledge The Scriptures are not the Original Ground of Truth but God but GOD not simply Considered but as manifesting himself in Divine Immediate Revelations in the hearts of his Children which being the New Covenant's Dispensation as in the last Section is proved is the Primary and Adequate Rule of Christians For I was never so Absurd as to call God simply considered or the Spirit of God in Abstracto not as Imprinting Truths to be believed and obeyed in Mens hearts not contrary but according to Scripture for he cannot Contradict himself the Rule of Christians And this may serve to Answer all his Cavils upon this Theam And whereas he wondereth in the following page 58. Why any Revelations even from the Spirit should be more Primary than the Scriptures since they are Confessed to come from the Inspiration of the Spirit for why he useth the Latine word Afflatus and doth not Interpret it I know not unless to fright Ignorant Folk that they may think it 's a piece of the Witch-craft of the Quakers whom he accuseth it is strange he should have so little sense as to make it a matter of Admiration as if that were not more Primary to a Man which cometh Immediately from the Spirit of God in his heart than that which albeit it come from the Spirit yet is thro' another and so must needs be but Secondary albeit it be confessed they writ them not for themselves but for others which I deny not Of the same Nature is and the same way is answered what he saith p. 65. n. 19. to wit That I Confound the Principal Leader with the Original Rule because I say The Spirit is the Prime and Principal Leader But I deny his Consequence neither doth his Example of the Wind and Compass prove it The Spirit is the Principal Leader as Imprinting upon Man's Soul the Rules he should walk by But indeed he would prove a very Vncertain Pilot that had no Compass but only a Description of it and a Journal how other Men had steered that Course and such Pilots is he and his Brethren according to their own Confession But he thinks I drive at something more Intolerable to wit That the Revelations the Quakers pretend to or the Light within is to be preferred as the more primary and principal Rule to the Scriptures If the Quakers did affirm any Revelations they speak of as coming from that Light either were or could be Contrary to the Scriptures he would say something otherwise it will amount to no more but that Commands as they are Imprinted upon the Soul that is The Law written in the Heart by the Spirit is more primarily and principally the Rule than the same things written and received only from another As to which I will only ask him Whether those things which the Apostles received immediately from the Spirit commanding them to go here or there to preach the Gospel or the like were as to these Ends more primarily and principally the Rule to them than any thing that was Recorded in the Scripture where they could not learn their Duty as to those particulars And that I make not the Scriptures and the Spirit all one I have above shewen and therefore his Malicious Insinuations of Socinianism falls to the Ground But he thinks he has found out a mighty Dilemma in the End of this Paragraph p. 66. Or will I say The Light within the Increated Spirit that the Light within me is really the Increated Spirit This saith he must be Blasphemy with a Witness to be heard with Horror and therefore needing no other Confutation Poor Man how apt is he to make a Noise about nothing If there be any Blasphemy it is his own For what if I Should say Is not GOD a LIGHT and is not he in every Man and is not this Light within the Increated Spirit The Reader may judge how easily these windy Boasts of his are blown away How the Spirit Ruleth us and yet is not confounded with the Rule I have above shewn so that what he saith to that in the rest of this Page where he Vapours and Rails is but superfluous Next after he has a little plaid the Pedant upon the Words magis Originaliter he concludes his 22. Paragraph with asking me Why the Revelations I pretend to should be accounted more One with the Spirit himself than these Revelations by which the Scriptures were dictated But this is his Allegiance none of my Affirmation Next I never said that the Revelations by which the Scriptures were dictated were less Primary than any other whatsoever albeit no Revelation which is written and transmitted to a Man only by the Report of another can be so Primary and Immediate to him as that which he Receives in himself He Confesseth here with me p. 67. That the Spirit is the Prime and Principal Leader whether that makes for my Cause as also what follows will after in its Place be Examined ¶ 6. But because he foundeth his Assertion of my detracting from the Perfection of the Scriptures J. B's Proofs for the Scriptures to be the Primary Rule because I deny them to be the primary and original Rule for he acknowledgeth that I Confess them to be a secondary one I will Examin the Ground by which he goes about to prove it as also his Answers to my Arguments proving the Contrary I. Moses and the Prophets to be heard
principally than to us to be a Railing and Roving and a Contradicting what I said in the former These But this Cavil often repeated before I did Answer above The like he Judgeth my Arguing there-from That as they were to Try all things by the outward Law so we are to Try all in the First Place by the Word within But here his base Disingenuity appears For he has leftâ—out these Words In the first Place that he might introduce the better the difficulty he fancieth to himself to have brought me to afterwards for by this Argument saith he I prove more than I ought to wit that the Scriptures shall not be so much as a less principal Rule Who will be so foolish as to Conclude that the saying Things ought in the first Place to be tried by the Word within The Scriptures a secondary and subordinate Rule excludes things in the second Place to be Tried by the Scriptures and is not that still to own it as a Secondary and subordinate Rule And so he may see my Feet here are easily Rid and that he held them not so fast as he fancied And as for the other part of his Alternative the Consequence is of the like Nature That what was a Principal Rule then is now only subordinate For albeit I said it was more Principal to them than now to us yet I said not it was the most Principal to them or then more Principal than what came immediately from the Spirit which he Confesseth to have been frequent under the Law yea more frequent than now according to his Principle and my saying so could only Infer that Consequence He Rejects what I urge from the Version of the Septuagint as spurious but for that we must take his Word else want a Proof And then because he cannot come off better according to his Custom he Concludes with a gross Perversion and Falshood saying It is my Opinion that the Law idâ—est the outward Law was given the Jews for a Rule even above the Spirit 's Revelations Which if it be mine as I utterly Renounce it I desire to know where I have Asserted it he might have been at the Pains to mark it but he knew it's like it was not Convenient Scriptures to be searched makes them not the Primary Rule Next he comes to prove that these Words Search the Scriptures c. Joh. 5.39 do Evince The Scriptures to be the Primary and Adequate Rule because if Christ's Doctrines should be Tried by them much more private Enthusiasms But who denies that Yet he doth not thence prove that the Scriptures are the Primary Rule by which all things must be Tried in the first Place which is the thing in Question Secondly I would ask him Whether the Words Christ spake to the Jews which are Recorded in Scripture were less a Rule to them or less binding and obliging upon them than the Sayings of Moses and the Prophets If he say They were less then he overturns all his own tedious Reasonings by which he labours to prove the Obligation of what Christ and the Apostles delivered p. 84. at the end as well as what Moses and the Prophets without the need of a New Obligation And likewise he must shew us how these Sayings come to be as binding upon us now as Moses and the Prophets or how they acquired greater Authority after Christ spake them than they had then Or why they wanted then that Authority If he say They were binding and obliging to the Jews because spoken by Christ then his Proof falleth to the Ground He is Angry that I say The Words may be interpreted Ye search the Scriptures as well as Search the Scriptures albeit the Greek Word signify the one as well as the other and for Answer very Magisterially tells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye Search and search ye It is quite Contrary to the very Words of Command Search the Scriptures But the Question is Whether that be the Words and that was what he should have proved But he makes no Bounds of begging the Question telling Tolet and Maldonat say It is so taken by all the Fathers except Cyrill And what then Did I undertake to subscribe to all these Authors Writings He must give me a Reason Why ere I do it And let him deny it if he dare that the Greek Word signifies Ye search the Scriptures as well as Search the Scriptures and if it do before I conclude the one more than the other I must have some better Argument than his bare Affirmation But to finish this he will conclude all by the Words of the Apostle James c. 1. v. 25. where he saith The Apostle calleth the Scriptures the perfect Law of Liberty The Perfect Law of Liberty the Royal Law in the Heart But that doth not prove them to be the Primary Rule Suppose it were granted the Apostle meant the Scriptures which remains yet by him to be proved and is not done by what he citeth Chap. 2.8 by his desiring them to Fulfil the Royal Law according to Scripture Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self which proves it not at all Yea to understand it of the Scriptures were to make the Apostle's Words scarce good Sense as if he had said Fulfil the Scriptures according to the Scriptures whereas it sutes the Place much better that the Apostle meaned They should fulfil the Royal Law in their Hearts which was one with the Scriptures that also command the same thing That the Apostle means the outward Law and not that Written in the Heart Chap. 4. 12. he hath Affirmed but not Proved Next Beroeans commended for searching the Scriptures he comes to the Beroeans being commended for Searching the Scriptures Acts 17.11 But this is the same way answered as the former For if the Beroeans were obliged to believe and receive Paul's Testimony because he preached the Truth to them by Authority from God then their Vsing or his Commending them for using the Scripture will not prove the Scripture to be the Primary Rule yea more a Rule than the Doctrine they Tried by it In the the rest of what he saith in this n. 28. he but fights with his Shadow for I never said They excluded the Law of Nature in affirming the Scripture to be the Rule or did I ever deny but that the Scripture Reveals things which Nature could never have Discovered But the Question is Whether that Truth that Man is the Off-spring of God from which the Apostle argues with the Athenians was discovered to any by meer Nature or by a Divine Principle And this is that he should have proved and therefore yet remains for him to do But to be like himself he concludes this also withh a gross Lie saying I affirm the Scripture to be no more our Rule than the Heathen-Poets which no ways follows from my Words neither hath or can he ever prove it ¶ 9. He thinks The Scriptures not determining of many
I think of those of Sodom Jude v. 7. the words are these Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to Fornication and going after strange Flesh are set forth for an Example Sodom's Children c. not guilty of their Fathers Transgressions nor of Adam's suffering the Vengeance of Eternal Fire But it is strange the Man should be so desperately Audacious as to proclaim his own Sottishness to the World Is there a word here of Infants Is not the very Reason of suffering the Vengeance of Eternal Fire given because of their giving themselves over to Fornication which Reason could not touch Infants Pag. 129. he thinks I wrong Zuinglius upon the Credit of the Council of Trent but if the Council of Trent wronged Zuinglius in Condemning him for that he was not guilty of he and his Brethren have the honour to have their Judgment Approved by that Council while ours is Condemned and let him Remember how he useth to upbraid me with Affinity with Papists yea in this very Chapter upon less ground Pag. 130. he goes about to prove his matter from several Scriptures but how shallowly the Reader may easily observe 1. He citeth Gen. 6.5 Mans thoughts are evil continually What then Are Infants therefore guilty of Adam's Sin that 's the thing in Question But the Hebrew signifies a pueritiis from their Infancy What then how proves that the Case I do not deny but Children may become guilty of Sin very early but the question is Whether they be guilty of Adam's Sin even in their Mothers Womb And hereby we may see he thinks not their Version so Exact but J. B. must take upon him to Correct it to help himself at a Dead Lift as they say The same way is answered the other Scriptures that follow Ezek. 16.4 Matth. 15.19 Eph. 2.3 which are yet more Impertinent as the Reader by looking to them may see and I might easily by Examining them particularly shew Infants perishing in the Flood proves not them guilty if it were not that I study Brevity and delight not to glory over the Man's Impertinency And though Infants perished in the Flood and that was brought upon the Men and Women that sinned for their Iniquities yet it will not follow thence that Infants are guilty of Sins until he better prove that Natural Death is always and to all the Wages of Sin albeit I confess with the Apostle Eternal Death is And indeed if these Infants were punished at all it must have been for the Sins of their Immediate Parents which he will not affirm since the Flood is not said to have come for Adam's Sin but for their own so this Instance clearly overturns his Assertion I leave to the Reader 's Judgment the Scriptures not mentioned at length but set down by him in this to judge whether they prove the thing in Debate to wit That Infants are guilty of Adam's Sin The Citations out of Augustin and Origen brought by him in the next page 131. the Reader may also judge of in case they be truly cited which I cannot Examin at present whether they have Weight enough to Overturn what has been here proved from Scripture The words of Eliphaz Job 15.14 speak of a Man not of a Child and therefore not to the purpose neither do I believe though the Spirit of God gave a Relation of what Eliphaz said that we ought to build our Faith upon his Affirmations Next he urges Gen. c. 5. v. 3. And Adam begat a Son in his own Likeness after his Image but this would prove Adam's Sons as guilty of all Sins as that first which he denied or let him shew a ground for such a Distinction And thus is further Answered Circumcision argues not Infants guilty what he saith next page Gen. 17.14 where it is said The Man-Child that is Vncircumcised shall be cut off which he thinks so strong that in a Vapor he desires me to Chew my Cud upon it For if this Cutting-off was a Punishment of these Children for Sin it must be for that of their Immediate Parents who neglected to Circumcise them which Adam could not do and therefore could not Sin in omitting it and since he will not say this he can Vrge nothing from that place He saith The Fathers used to make use of these words of Christ Joh. 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water c. But their Vsing it was upon their Mistake that Baptism took away Original Sin and that therefore Infants Vnbaptized could not to be saved Regeneration of Infants That Regeneration is needful to Infants I deny not and whereas he asks how they are Regenerate I answered that before asking him How those he accounts Elect Infants whom he confesses to be guilty of Adam's Sin are Regenerate He Confesses The Fathers Argument taken from sprinkling Infants with Water which they and he falsly call Baptism will Conclude nothing against me But since he names here Initial Sacraments in the Plural Number which the Fathers made use of it seems they had some more than Baptism And since he and his Brethren make use of no more as Initial but Baptism it seems he differs from them in what they judged needful here as well as the Quakers I have shewen above how I Evite both Contradicting my self as to Vniversal Redemption and Excluding Infants from the benefit of Christ's death And as for his last Question Christ's Birth without Sin and the Birth of other Infants differ Wherein did Christ Excell other Infants if they be born without Sin he should have said not guilty of Sin I answer In that he had no Seed of Sin in him as other Infants have and that not only but he had nothing of that Weakness and Propensity to yield to the Evil Influence thereof as other Infants but was in greater Strength Glory and Dominion over it than Adam even before he fell This shews his Priviledge above others and in nothing Contradicteth what I have said before SECT VI. Wherein his Seventh and Eighth Chapters of Reprobation and Universal Redemption are Considered ¶ 1. IN his seventh Chapter of Reprobation he Expspatiateth himself at great length in large and tedious Homilies which will make my Reply the shorter who look not upon it as my concern to answer them because these Controversies are largely handled by others and what is said by him is abundantly answered Yet if he will affirm he has said something that is New upon this Theam and point to it it is like it may not want an Answer And indeed the Reader may observe him much pained and strained to put a fair Face upon these Foul Doctrines and though what he saith here may be and it is most probable is to be understood of the Reason he gives in his Epistle in being so Large because of the Opposition of others besides Quakers and also because I touched these things but passingly as
I say That as to us they cannot be separated Then all must be Redeemed the one way who are Redeemed the other and that then every Man must be Redeemed from the power of Corruption and saved But here according to his Custom he cites not my words justly which are That they are both perfect in their own Nature albeit in their Application to us-ward they cannot be separated that is he that comes Effectually to Enjoy the Benefit of the one must Enjoy the other he that Receives the second partakes of the first also he that really receives the first receives the second also but that hinders not but many may be offered the Benefit of the first and by rejecting and resisting it lose the Benefit both of first and second and he that rejecteth it at any time albeit he receive it for a season as by his falling he loses what of the second is wrought in him to wit of Purification so he doth also lose the first which was Remission of Sin His last Cavil at this is very Impertinent which is by way of Question That if this second Redemption be necessary to Salvation as indeed it is what shall become of the Child of God that hath no Light What shall become of them J. B's Absurdities that Saints may be Vnited to Christ and not see it that have true Grace uniting them to Christ c. and yet through darkness can see and acknowledge no such thing For to pass-by the Absurdities here supposed that Saints can be said to have no Light or have Grace and be Vnited to Christ yet neither be able to see it nor acknowledge it and that not during their life-time here for unless this be also supposed he cannot Conclude what he will for that a Saint may be clouded at a time is not denied yet this maketh nothing for his purpose Will it follow because they see it not that it therefore is not needful to their Salvation His own words Imply a Contradiction to this And thus the Man Confutes that by which he would urge another in the very words by which he expresses it For is not Grace to unite the heart to Christ necessary to Salvation He will surely say Yes If then the acknowledgment of that and seeing of it which is needful to Salvation be not needful then the not-seeing or not acknowledging of a thing makes it not a thing unnecessary to Salvation which is the Absurdity he would Insinuate ¶ 3. Thus having removed out of the way his most obvious Perversions and Abuses I come to Treat of the main matter which all depends upon this one Question What is that whereby a Man is Justified so as to appear truly Just in the sight of God This he supposes to be done by the Righteousness and Death of Christ without even before any work of Righteousness be wrought in Man even as a Cautioner to whom he Compares Christ in this case frees him whose Debt he pays I on the contrary affirm By the Death of Christ no Man can be said to be Justified until Christ received in the heart there Renew and make him Just. That albeit Reconciliation and Remission of Sins be by the Death of Christ without and the door opened so that all may be at Peace by the Offer of Grace made in Christ if they reject it not yet hereby no Man can be said to be Justified or appear Just properly until Christ be received in his heart there to renew and purify him and make him Just so that however Justification may be distinguished from Sanctification yet not divided nor yet so distinguished that a Man can be truly said to be Justified who is Vnholy and Vnsanctified And therefore upon the Examining of what he urges against this and for his Position as also what he answers to my Probations for it depends the whole matter But before I enter particularly upon this and that there may no Interruption meet me when entred in it I will first take notice and remove his Mistakes and Misapplied Proofs thereupon both in what he Opposes me and Affirms for himself as also here take notice of his meer Assertions And first then pag. 299. he supposes There can be no Reconciliation by the Blood of Christ's Cross c. unless for such in whose Room Christ died as a Cautioner and Surety and so made Satisfaction that they should be Redeemed and Delivered But albeit upon this Notion and Affirmation all depends yet I miss the Proof of it if his After-Proofs say any thing to it I shall Examin them That which he mentions here written Rom. 8.3 4. is so far from doing it that it proves the Contrary For albeit the Death of Christ was that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us yet it follows not that the Righteousness of the Law must be fulfilled in all for whom he died yea the following words who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit shew The Benefit of Christ's Death is to them that Walk after the Spirit this to be the Condition Requisite on our part that we may partake of the Benefit of his Death If to prove that Man should be Reconciled Redeemed and Delivered by the Death of Christ he bring the Instances of the Righteousness of the Law to be fulfilled in us then Men cannot be said to be Reconciled Redeemed and Delivered until this Righteousness of the Law be fulfilled in them What he addeth to this That we cannot be said to be accounted Righteous and absolved from Accusation upon the account of our works of Righteousness I say no such thing freely confessing that not only pardoning of Sin but removing of the Filth as well as of the Guilt is the Act of God's Mercy and Grace as saith the Apostle Tit. 3.5 6. And yet we are saved The removing both Filth and Guilt of Sin is the Act of God's Grace and Mercy and consequently Justified according to his Mercy by the washing of Regeneration since this is the Fruit of the Grace and Spirit of God freely given us And therefore it is not enough for him pag. 203. to affirm That I pervert the Apostle's words 2 Cor. 5.19 20. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself upon this bare supposition That this World is only understood of the Elect for if this Reconciliation had been Absolute and not in part only that is a Readiness on God's part to be Reconciled with them if they Repent which I affirm to what purpose should the Apostle as an Embassador Intreat them to be Reconciled there needed no Intreaty to that which was already done neither are his meer Assertions to this p. 303. any Answer It is strange that to prove That all for whom Christ died are certainly made alive one time or other he brings these words And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them
they urge from Rom. 3.20 by the Deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified Works of the Moral Law Justify not which I shew is to be understood of Works done and not by the Grace of God he answers That such are no good Works at all But may not a Man do some of the Works which even the Moral Law commands such as not to commit Murder Theft or Adultery without the Grace of God Hath not he confessed as much of some Heathens whom he judgeth not to have had the Grace of God and will he say these Works are not materially good albeit not formally with a respect to any advantage as to Salvation they receive by them And though it should be confessed That all is not always Requisite to be Antecedent to Justification which falls out to be Antecedent to Salvation yet the Question is Whether there be anything absolutely Requisite to be Antecedent to Salvation which is not also absolutely Requisite to be Antecedent to Justification If not then if Works be absolutely necessary or so far as they are absolutely necessary to Salvation they must also be so to Justification If he say other ways then as I observed before full and perfect Justification according to him must not be esteemed sufficient to Salvation J. B. pleads the Works of the Spirit to be Impure Pag. 322. N. 42. He comes to prove the Best Works even those wrought by the Spirit in the Saints to be Impure which before also he had affirmed pag. 307. there he would Infer we say the same of good Works because I affirm That Works done by Man's own Strength are polluted But it will not thence follow we believe Works done by the Grace of God to be such But for this Impurity of good Works he marks Psal. 143.2.130 3. Job 9.16 none of which speak one Word of good Works thus understood Then he mentions Esai 64.6 All our Righteousness is as filthy Rags but silently passeth over how I shew their own Authors as Calvin and Musculus c. affirm this not to be understood of Evangelical Righteousness and himself overturns what he urges from this Works of the Spirit to be pure and undefiled confessed by J. B. affirming That we ought not to call the Work of the Spirit of God in his People Filthy Rags But if they were so they might be so called and yet he overturns it further by confessing Some Works wrought by the Apostles were undefiled then all the Works wrought by the Spirit in the Saints cannot be said to be Impure which is their Assertion And the Instance of Clean Water passing through an Vnclean Pipe doth not hold which is their great probation He will not Contend with what I say about the word Merit neither hath he much against my Conclusion in this matter yet that he may end this Chapter like himself he concludeth it with a gross Lie and Railing saying I affirm A Man may be Regenerated without the least help of the Grace of God J. B's gross Lie which as I wholly abhor so there cannot be a greater Falshood alledged upon me SECT IX Wherein his Fourteenth Chapter Of Perfection is Considered ¶ 1. I Come now to his Fourteenth Chapter Of Perfection where after he has repeated my Eighth Proposition he reckons it Confidence in me to Accuse their Answer in their Larger Catechism of speaking against the Power of Divine Grace which saith That Man is not able by any Grace of God received in this Life to keep the Commands of God But in stead of justifying this Assertion he saith They are not ashamed of it Then he recurreth a little to his Author Hicks according to his Custom and falls a Railing where among other great Charges he accuseth the Quakers of Reproaching Reviling Calumnies Scolding and the like J. B. a Railer exceeding others confessed by his own Party Also pag. 329. speaking of bridling the Tongue But he of all Men should have been silent in this who is such a Railer in the Superlative Degree that some of his own Faith who have Bad enough Thoughts of the Quakers have said that he not only Equals them but Exceeds them in Railing Of his Railing in this Chapter the Reader may further observe pag. 332 345-349 Here as in his former Chapter to enervate the Perfection asserted by me he brings forth his old and often-repeated Calumny as if I asserted This Perfection to proceed meerly from the Light of Nature affirming The Light pleaded for by me p. 227. to be such His false Charges as never came from the Grace of God to be Flesh Blindness Enmity to God Natural Sensual c. affirming that I say Man is Regenerated Sanctified Justified though not one Ray of Divine Illumination hath shined into his Soul nor one Act of Grace has reached either his Intellect Will or Affection to cause this Change The like p. 331. All which is most abominable false and never either believed or asserted by me and therefore all he concludes upon this malitious Assertion falls to the Ground and needs no further Answer Next he bestows much Pains p. 328 329. to shew from the Hebrew and Greek Word that Perfection is sometimes understood of Sincerity and Integrity and Perfection in these Respects he thus Defines In Regeneration the whole Man is changed Perfection defined so that he is now born a New Creature sanctified wholly in Mind Heart Spirit Affections Consciences Memory and Body though but in a small Measure or degree and again Yielding impartial Obedience through the Grace of God unto all God's Precepts waving none But if he will stand by what he here Asserts I will desire no more albeit he falsly say in the following page That all this will not satisfy us For I would desire the next time Breaking the Commands daily c. is not Perfection nor a growing in Grace he would Reconcile this with Breaking the Commands daily in Thought Word and Deed. To prove this he insists in Contradiction to what he said before p. 330. N. 7. and his Proofs are 1 Because in Christ's House there are diverse Sizes and Degrees of Persons as Babes or little Children young Men old Men And this is not denied but the thing he should have proved is that none of those Degrees can be without daily breaking God's Commands His Second Proof is yet more rare Christians are exhorted to grow in Grace to put off the Old Man which is corrupt to put on the New Man to mortify their Members Very good But is To break the Commands daily in Thought Word and Deed the way to grow in Grace to put off the old Man and on the New If this be not to pervert Christianity what can be said to be so If Men can dream waking as he sometimes supposes he has sure been in this Posture when he brought this Proof But he adds That this Perfection rendreth Gospel-Commands useless But
every Reader The Apostle's Saying I am Carnal c. made a Plea for Sin by J.B. with his Meaning put without Proof To whom we will then leave it To my affirming That the Apostle is not Rom. 7.14 speaking of himself but personating others in that State after he has told me that Socinians and Arminians say so he tells me The Circumstances of the Text evince the contrary and then gives a kind of a Preachment upon the Place which I shall accept as a Declaration of his Sense but must wait the next time to have him prove it He saith The Apostle doth not Contradict this Chap. 6.2 That the Apostle doth not Contradict himself is without doubt to me but he must endeavour to Reconcile the Meaning he gives to the Apostle's Words when he has leisure He saith Paul in a respect was a Carnal Man but unless he prove him to have been so in respect of sinning at that time he saith nothing To my urging Rom. 8.35 where the Apostle saith Nothing shall separate him because where Sin is Continued there is a Separation He denieth that where Sin is striven and wrestled against it maketh a Separation but the matter is How he proveth that those who strive and wrestle aganst Sin do daily commit Sin And until he do this he but begs the Question To prove the Impossibility of being free from sinning daily from the Examples of Noah's and David's Sins he useth this Argument J. B ' s. Argument for sinning daily in Thought Word and Deed If these Men whom the Spirit of God stileth Perfect and Men according to God's Heart have had their Failings and these Failings are Registrated for our use Then we have no Scripture-Warrant for such a Pefection here as is not attended with Sin he should have said as doth not admit a sinning daily in Thought Word and Deed if he would have concluded according to the State of the Question But the former is true Therefore c. Refuted But I deny the Consequence of this Proposition or the Connexion of the Major Besides the Argument is defective divers ways if he had stated and then proved it That if such whom the Scripture call Perfect did break the Commands daily in Thought Word and Deed then he had argued to the purpose And for their Failings being recorded to our use it cannot infer the Necessity of our sinning daily unless he will be so absurd as to say that they are therefore Recorded that we may Imitate their Failings and not avoid them In fine let him cause his Argument conclude in the Term of the Question to wit That every Man notwithstanding any Grace received must sin daily in Thought Word and Deed and prove his Propositions and he shall not want either an Acknowledgment or an Answer And lastly to conclude this Chapter he saith I should rather have cited the old Begardi than the Fathers and the old Alumbrados who had the same Opinion and Practices suitible But if their Opinion was That Men may be free from Sin The old Begardi and Alumbrados mentioned by J. B. to have the same Opinion of Perfection and their Practices suitable sure then they were perfect and if so deserve more to be followed than J. B. or his Brethren whose Principle and Practice as himself confesseth is for Sin and daily continuing in it against any Perfection except such as can admit of Sin For To be Breaking the Commands daily in Thought Word and Deed is Essential to his Christianity SECT X. Wherein his Fifteenth Chapter Of Perseverance is Considered ¶ 1. IN this Chapter of Perseverance it would seem the Man fancieth he hat got into the Pulpit for he Affirms as if all that read him were bound to believe without further Inquiry For after he has Introduced himself with his old Accusation of Pelagianism he Concludeth This Doctrine of the possibility of Falling from Grace to depend upon Free will and ushereth in a long Invective against this as maintained by me upon the Supposition of his old reiterated Calumny That I asserted All the Regeneration of the Saints to proceed only from the Light of Nature without the effectual Operation of the Spirit of Grace which how false it is hath above been shewn He giveth us a large Citation out of their Confession of Faith with an Account thence deduced or Explanation thereupon In what respect they hold Perseverance Wherein if he will hold to the first Asserted by him to wit That they assert not the Perseverance of any that are not truly Regenerated we are Agreed for in that Sense I never did deny it And then he gives Eight Considerations for their Doctrine all which conclude nothing but upon the Supposition of the Truth of their former Principles especially of Election and Absolute Reprobation so that it is but a begging of the Question as his very Eighth Consideration shews pag. 356. N. 14. to wit That the affirming this Doctrine to wit That there may be a falling away from beginnings of true and saving Grace will give a Blow unto many Articles of their Faith But can this have any Weight to Convince such as do not believe these Articles of their Faith It seems then it is not for me or any Quaker that this is written so we are the less concerned to trouble our selves with it ¶ 2. At last he comes pag. 357. N. 15. to Examin my Arguments And first to what I urge from Jud. vers 4. where it is spoken of some That turned the Grace of God into Wantonness he saith This is not understood of the true Grace of God but External Grace such as is that Tit. 2.12 which teacheth to deny Vngodliness But for this he gives no Proof Next it seems to him The Grace of God that teacheth to deny ungodliness mentioned Tit. 2. v. 12. is not the true Grace of God Where learned he this or how proveth he it He saith To understand the Faith which some are said to have made shipwrack of 1 Tim. 1.19 to be true and saving Faith is contrary to 2 Tim. 2.17 and other Places J. B. Asserts That the Grace of God that teaches to deny Vngodliness is not the True Grace and the falling from Faith a falling only from the Doctrine of Faith where the Doctrine of Faith is spoken of thence he concludes It was only the Doctrine of Faith they fell from But this is a Conclusion fit only for Credulous Persons and proveth nothing unless he will argue because in some Places the Doctrine of Faith is spoken of therefore where ever Faith is spoken of it must be understood of the Doctrine of Faith and not of true and saving Faith which were most Absurd He saith to Heb. 6.4 5. The Words are not Absolute but Conditional if they fall away but such a Condition importeth the thing supposed to be possible being given for a Caution He adds There is nothing there that is necessarily to be
Antichrist built his Structure upon this foundation to wit That Men without Holiness may be Members of the true Church because he applyeth all the Priviledges of the Invisible Church unto his Visible Synagogue of Satan whereas this sheweth that I am not Mistaken but that my Affirmation is true for if he to wit Antichrist did believe Holiness to be necessary to make a Member of the true Church he could not apply the Priviledges of the Invisible Church unto his Visible Members most of which he well knows as often times himself are not only void of but Enemies to Holiness It is false That I agree with him in his not distinguishing betwixt the Visible and Invisible Church and yet much more in un-Churching all who are not of his Combination In which albeit J. B. most Impudently insinuates I approach to him yet himself cannot but know it to be a most manifest Falshood since I suppose some of all Sects of Christians may be Members of the Catholick Church and he knows and has observed here how Contrary the Pope is to this Doctrine At last he concludes this Chapter with a fit of Railing of which the last words must not pass without observation J. B. condemns a Morality which himself hath confessed to be Just Holy and Good to wit That instead of true Holiness I press upon them a Natural Dead and anti-Evangelical Morality Now this Morality as pressed by me he himself confessed before to be such as the Law of Nature taught albeit in Truth I pressed none but what is through the Light of Christ or Grace of God that is by Christ which he acknowledged did lead Men not to Murder not to Steal not to commit Adultery which he confessed also was Just Holy and Good And so it seems according to him that which is Holy Just and Good not to Murder not to Steal not to Commit Adultery is no part of true Holiness yea is Anti-Evangelick and contrary to the Gospel Now if I would insist after his Method having much more Reason than he I might at large shew what a Pagan-Gospel to purpose his must be that is contrary to Honesty Chastity and Innocency albeit I deny not but the true Gospel teacheth more than the height of meer Morality ¶ 2. He beginneth his 17 th Chapter Entituled Of a Ministerial Call after the Repetition of some part of my 10 th Thesis with his old reiterated Calumny and false Supposition That I affirm Men to be called and qualified to the Ministry by the Light of Nature and to this purpose to help him to fill up the Paper he insisteth p. 369 370 371. Which being false all that is built upon it falls to the Ground In this Chapter also he is very liberal of his Railing Take one Instance pag. 372. where he saith That the Quakers are Pagan-Preachers who know not the Gospel but are sworn Enemies to it and plain Subverters of it and all the Ordinances thereof And pag. 378. he saith They are a Company of the most desperate Antichristian Opposers of Christ and all his Appointments that ever the Sun shined on More of this kind may be seen pag. 374 375 and 376. Pag. 366. N. 3. He saith When I speak of a True Call to the Ministry I must suppose Ten things which he after ennumerateth and albeit I judge not my self obliged to follow him in such Excursions yet for the Reader 's satisfaction let it be observed That I deny not but what I speak here is with a relation to a visible Church which is his first Supposition Secondly That I acknowledge that in it there must be a standing Ministry which is necessary Properties of a True Call and this is his second and third That I acknowledge this to be an Institution of Jesus Christ which is his fourth That None ought to take this upon him without being lawfully called thereunto which is his fifth That also None may take upon them that work but such as are Called to the Ministry so as to exercise it constantly as exercised by Ministers yet a Man may when particularly called by the Spirit thereunto do that which is the Work of a Minister which his doing pro hic nunc maketh him not a Minister properly and this is his sixth That neither the Work nor Office is common to all the Members so that they may not do it simply as Members which is his seventh and eighth That a Call differeth from Gifts and Qualifications which is his ninth And lastly That there are some Rules in the Scripture if he understand general Rules as I suppose he doth which distinguish a true Call from a false which is his Tenth Supposition Now wherein I here disagree from other Quakers or my self as he insinuateth he may be pleased next time to inform I might pass what he saith in the next Paragraph J. B. his divers sorts of Calls recited pag. 368. concerning the several sorts of Calls to the Ministry as containing no Answer to me were it not to shew that he there but begs the question and contradicts himself 1. He begs the question while he supposes that the Approbation and Concurrence of Men in a Call hinders the Call from being Immediate and that there is no Immediate Call now which he all affirms without Proof 2. Of Mediate Calls he saith some are Rare and Singular when a Church is erecting and other Ordinary according to the Rules set down in the Word So it seems the Rare and Singular Call which is usually ascribed to that of the first Reformers was not according to the Rules prescribed in the Word But if such Rules be set down by what Authority without the Word can he affirm they may be despensed with if he Contradict not his own Principles 3. He saith There must be an Inward Call which is the signification of God's mind of his Calling and Appointing him to the Ministry This is good and it is false that he saith pag. 372. That this will not satisfie us Yet he cannot stand to this but contradicts it pag. 372. speaking of my words thus What meaneth he by this must be called by the Spirit Is this an Inward Inspiration or Enthusiasm saying to the Man he must go Preach We reject all such Fancies c. But is not an Inward Call signifying God's mind to a Man The True and Inward Call of his Calling him to the Ministry an Inward Inspiration telling him he must go Preach Or can an Inward Call be without an Inward Inspiration The Reader may judge of these Inconsistencies As to his question pag. 369. Whether to be instructed by the Inward Vertue and Power of God in the Heart be so necessary to a Minister that he cannot be without it I say it is and the Reader may observe how he is pinched while himself is loth to say otherwise pag. 370. yet at last he saith He dare not say it referring to his Learned Mr.
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
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
them hungry and hardly bestead for many years feeling after Life and Immortality but could not find that somewhat was raised in me that Words and Reports could not feed Names and Notions I minded little but Christ to dwell in me was that and is that more and more I press after And now I must for the Truth 's sake say somewhat which I humbly mention with a fresh Remembrance of the Love L. S. his first Convincement Power and tender Mercy of God who enabled me I know the Lord will not impute it to be boasting in that season wherein the Lord Revealed the true way to Life and Immortality to me by his Inward Appearance in my Soul it was a time wherein he had mercifully turned me from all that ever his Light inwardly and Law outwardly had Condemned me for my heart also did bear witness for me that whatsoever I had known would please him I was chusing to do that not that thereby I was seeking Justification in my own Righteousness but a sure Evidence of my Interest in him who was made unto us Righteousness Justification c This blessed Glimps of my begun Freedom was given me in a seasonable time that I might thereby be enabled to speak with mine Enemy in the Gate and be encouraged to believe in the Light and wait upon the Lord to feel his vertue perfectly to Cleanse me from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit Neither was I an Vnder-valuer of the Scriptures they were my Rule then and I hope for ever my Life shall answer them I think To whom and how the Scriptures are a Rule they honour the Scriptures most who live most according to them and not they who call them the Only Rule yet do not make them their Pattern The Scriptures of Truth were precious to me and by them was I taught not to walk nor worship in the Way of the People the Spirit shewing me his mind in them and then I saw in his Light that it is not the Scriptures many Adore so much as their own Corrupt Glosses upon them Neither can my Experience go along with what thou affirmest of the hazzard of Converse with that People It is very well known to all that lived in the place where I sojourned I was none who Conversed with them I was never at one of their Meetings I never read one of their Books unless accidentally I had found them where I came and lookt to them and laid them by again So now it remains with me to tell thee what was the Occasion I joined with them The occasion of L. S. 〈◊〉 joining with the Quakers since it was none of those thou mention'st which I will very singly and can very comfortably do It was that thing ye School-men call Immediate Objective Revelation which my desire is ye were more particularly and feelingly acquainted with whereby the Lord raising in my Soul his feeling Life I could not sit down satisfied with hearing of what the Son of God had done outwardly though I believe thereby he purchased all that Grace and Mercy which is inwardly wrought in the hearts of his Children until I should be a partaker of the Vertue and Efficacy thereof whereby I might possess the Substance of things hoped for I saw an Historical Faith would neither Cleanse me nor Save me if that could save any the Devils were not without a Door of Hope I felt I needed the Revelation of the Son of God in me all that ever I read or heard without this could not give me the Saving Knowledge of God None knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him through the Vertue whereof mine Eyes were more and more by degrees opened For the tender-hearted Samaritan had pity upon my wounded Soul when both Priest and Levite passed by and the Watch-men rent my Vail and when there was no Eye to pity nor Hand to help me he drew near and poured in Wine and Oil as he saw needful and fulfilled the Promise in measure wherein he had long caused me to hope He that follows me The Scriptures made Comfortable by the Spirit of Truth shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life and that sweet saying whereby I am confirmed and comforted If evil Parents know how to give their Children good things how much more will the Lord give his holy Spirit to those who ask him When your Children ask bread will ye give them a stone or when they ask a fish will ye give them a serpent These precious Scriptures and many such like being opened up and applied by the Spirit of Truth powerfully and seasonably in saying Be not faithless but believing times above number before and since hath made me set to my seal to these words of Christ The words that I speak are Spirit and Life and as I walk with him and abide in him watching at the posts of Wisdom's gates travelling in Spirit more and more to bring forth Fruit unto him and walk worthy of him unto all well-pleasing daily to die unto self that Christ may live in me I becoming a passive Creature and he an active Christ in the Increase of his Government I feel the Increase of my Peace And so My Friend thou hast here by some Touches at things occasion to see how far thou art mistaken concerning us and how far contrary to the Truth as it is in Jesus thou represent'st many things to the world speaking evil of things which thou knowest not and if thou dost the greater is thy sin Two Particulars indeed I cannot strain Charity so far as to believe Christ owned and the Scriptures thou thinkest Do we deny Jesus Christ and Justification through his Righteousness because we make the Sufficiency thereof of a more universal Extent than ye or because we love whole Christ so much and his seamless Coat that we will not have it divided Nay we dare not divide Justification and Sanctification neither confound them we have felt the Blood and the Spirit distinct things yet inseparable Neither canst thou think We make void the Scriptures because we honour the Spirit that was before the Scriptures were written and bear Testimony against all who deny the Spirit 's Immediate Teachings to be the Vniversal Priviledge of his People whereby ye take away the key of Knowledge and neither enter the Kingdom nor suffer others who would but monopolize Knowledge to your selves Monopolized Knowledge by Professors and intrude your Meanings upon the Consciences of men as the Rule which Meanings indeed I do not own either as the only or any Rule but as the Spirit of Christ in my Conscience answers it The Testimony of the Spirit of Truth in Thousands with me will stand and rise up against thee in the presence of the Lord when all thy Vnjust Reproaches and Malitious Accusations shall melt away before the presence of the Glory of the heart-searching God before whose
the Apostle 307. Augustin's Testimony in the Case of Circumcision observing of Meats Drinks Washings and Sacrifices 586. his Zeal against Pelagius 311. Aurelia there ten Canonicks were burnt and why 593. Authority of Princes justly owned 710. B. Backsliders like Salt that hath lost its Savour 192. Baptism is one its Definition 474 476 to 483. 854 860. It is the Baptism of Christ and of the Spirit not of Water 475 to 484. The Baptism of Water which was John's Baptism was a Figure of this Baptism and is not to be continued 85 86 88 475 478 481 482 to 493 653. Baptism with Water doth not cleanse the Heart 476 479. nor is it a Badge of Christianity as was Circumcision to the Jews 484 492. That Paul was not sent to Baptize is explained 484 485 486. Concerning Water Baptism Christ speaks of Matth. 28.20 it is explained 486 487. How the Apostles Baptized with Water is explained 484 485 486 649 650. To Baptize signifies to plunge and how Sprinkling was brought in 490 491. Those of old that used Water-Baptism were plunged and they that were only Sprinkled were not admitted to an Ecclesiastick Function and why 491. Against the use of Water-Baptism many heretofore have Testified 493. Infant-Baptism is a meer humane Tradition 475 647. The Corrupt Acceptation of the Word Baptism denied 84. John's Baptism no part of the Gospel-dispensation but served only to prepare the way to Christ 651. it differs from that of the Spirit as the Shadow from the Substance 29 30. Augustin â—s Testimony of its being Ceased 586. Cyprian's Testimony of its being void 648. None are to be found that have the Power of Administring it 647. it being but a Carnal Ordinance 649. and no part of the Gospel-Dispensation 651. carrying a Repeal in its bosom 652. The Apostles had no Commission for it but was used in Condescension to the weak 31. it being a Command only to particulars 32. For sprinkling or Water-Baptism is not the Baptism of Christ 87. it being discontinued as the Offerings of old 89 147. there remains the one Baptism ibid. 169. viz. that with the Spirit which is sometimes ascribed to Godly Men as the Instruments 488. Matth. 28.19 explained 651. John 3.30 explained 653. of Baptism 856 859 830. Believers ought not to go to Law before the Unjust 208. such practice brings dishonour to the Truth 209 240. Beroeans searching Scriptures 307 757. Bible The last Translations always find fault with the first 302 303. That one Man should take the Bible and speak upon it the rest of the Congregation being denyed that priviledge is an Invention brought up in the Apostacy 12 13. Birth The spiritual birth 195. holy Birth 452. new Birth 122 163 353. see Justification The New Birth the inward Appearance of Christ and the Unity of the Saints with him 163 164. Bishop of Rome concerning his Primacy 286. how he abuseth his Authority and by what he deposeth Princes and absolveth people from the Oath of Fidelity 523. Blood To abstain from Blood and things strangled 169 193 511 513 653. Blood of Christ see Communion The Blood of Christ is felt within to wash the Conscience 10. Bloodshed and Contention about Forms of Worship 489. Body to bow the Body see Head Bonaveentur 444. Books Canonical and Apocryphal see Canon Scripture Bow to bow the Knee see Uncover the Head Bread The breaking of Bread among the Jews was no singular thing 504 507. It is now otherways performed than it was by Christ 506. whether Leavened or Vnleavened Bread is to be used Also it is hotly disputed about the manner of taking it and to whom it is to be given 506 507 169. see Communion Daily Bread in the Lord's Prayer may be Translated Supersubstantial Bread C. Calvinists see Protestants they deny Consubstantiatian 289. They maintain Absolute Reprobation 286. they think Grace is a Certain Irresistible Power and what sort of a Saviour they would have 354 355. their Faith of the Flesh and Blood of Christ 496 497 498 499. They use Leavened Bread in the Supper 507. they feign a Revealed and Secret Will in God which are Contradictory 694 695. Calvin 514. Canon Whether the Scripture be a filled up Canon 308 309 Whether it can be proved by Scripture that any Book is Canonical ibid. see Scriptures Castellio banished 527. Ceremonies see Superstition CHRIST see Communion Justification Redemption Word he sheweth himself daily revealing the Knowledge of the Father 271. without his School there is nothing learned but busie talking 271. he is the Eternal Word 274. no Creature hath Access unto God but by him 274 275. he is the Way the Truth and the Life 275. he is the Mediator between God and Man 275 368. he is God and in time he was made partaker of Man's Nature 275. yesterday to day the same and for ever 280. the Fathers believed in him and how 279 280. His Sheep hear his Voice and contemn the Voice of a Stranger 297 418 420. It is the Fruit of his Ascension to send Pastors 304 see Gifts he dwelleth in the Saints and how 334. see Birth His Coming was necessary 335. by his sacrifice we have Remission of Sins 335 358 368. whether he be and how he is in all is explained 6 63 336. being formed within he is the formal Cause of Justification 364 379. by his Life Death c. he hath opened a way for Reconciliation 379 380. his Obedience Righteousness Death and Sufferings are ours and it is explained that Paul said He filled up that which was behind of the Afflictions of Christ in his Flesh 369. how we are partakers of his Sufferings 393 394. for what end he was manifested 390 391. he delivers his own by Suffering 520. Concerning his outward and Spiritual Body 466 497. Concerning his outward and Inward Coming 510. Christ is compared to a grain of Mustard-Seed Clem. Alex 579. his Divinity and being from the beginning 162. his Appearance in the Flesh ibid. the end and use of that Appearance 163 117. his Inward Manifestation ibid. he having fulfilled the Law and the righteousness thereof gave witness to the Dispensation of the Gospel 187. Christ at this Day speaketh in his Servants and will to the end of the World 644. the Seed and Spiritual Body of Christ both in him and us belonging to Christ is as really united unto the Word as his outward Body was 628. the Seed is not our Souls The Seed and Spiritual Nature of Christ is one and the same both in him and in us ibid. Christ's outward Satisfaction is owned against the Socinians The Sufferings of Christ in Men are voluntary and yet without sin Christ's outward Sufferings at Jerusalem were necessary unto Mens Salvation ibid. the Doctrine of the Incarnation Sufferings Death Resurrection c. are necessary every where to be preached 629. Christ Crucified within 9. his Indwelling and In being differ 6 796. without Inward Holiness and Righteousness none can lay Claim to Christ
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
297 304. there is no necessity of Believing the Scripture to be a filled up Canon 308. many Canonick Books through the Injury of Time lost ibid. whether it can be proved by Scripture that any Book is Canonical 208 209. they were sometimes as a Sealed Book 422. to understand them there is need of the Help and Revelation of the Holy Spirit 271 272. no Man can make himself a Doctor of them but the Holy Spirit 271. Noah and Job were Preachers of Righteousness before the Scriptures were written 703. the Knowledge of the Scriptures to be of great Advantage is owned 7 117 162 700. the Synod of Paris their Opinion concerning the Scripture's certainty viz. to be by the Inward Testimony and Perswasion of the Holy Spirit 72 see 116 162. the Scriptures cannot beguile Men but Men may beguile themselves by a wrong use of them 577. the Scriptures the best Outward Rule in the World ibid. Scriptures are a Clear and Perfect Copy as to all Essentials of Christian Religion 603. that the Scriptures are a sufficient objective Revelation of all things necessary to Salvation is denied 631. the Scriptures are the Words of God 747. a Secondary Rule 754. that Supposition is false which supposes the Will of God can be only known by the Scriptures 759. John Calvin's Testimony concerning the Scriptures and the Spirit 72. to understand the Scriptures we need the Help and Revelation of the Holy Spirit Hierom 271. the Scriptures though they do declare the Mind of God are therefore not his Word which came from God immediately to the Prophets by which the Scriptures came which Word is ceased Professors say 14. the Canon of the Scripture not compleated 735 750. they are not the means of knowing God in Spirit 887 889 903. see Gifts Scriptures explained Gen. 2.17 p. 762. Isai. 8.20 p. 755 756 Prov. 10.11 p. 644. John 1.9 p. 797. 1 Cor. 11.5 p. 839. 2 Tim. 3.16 p. 755. 2 Pet. 1.19 20. p. 743. Jam. 1.25 p. 757. 1 John 4.1 p. 658. Sect The Ignatian Sect loveth Literature 423. they call those that are sent unto India Apostles 430. the Definition of a Sect 696 698. those cannot pretend to Universal Love who confine all Spiritual and Temporal Blessings to their Sect 691. one Mark of a Sect is when People seek to Advance and Propagate their Way in the Strength of their own Spirits c. 698. those whose Unity arises from Notions and Opinions do derive their Names and Designations from the first Authors Inventors and Fomenters of those Opinions 698 699. Security among hypocritical Professors 47. Seed of Righteousness 452. the Seed of Sin see Sin Redemption The Seed a distinct Principle from the Soul 795 579 580. Self-denial 451 Semi-pelagians their Axiom Facienti quod in se est Deus non 〈◊〉 gratiam 328. Sense supernatural 657 897 〈…〉 904 905. Servant Whether it be lawfu◠〈◊〉 I am your humble Servant 538. Servetus 527. Shoemaker he disputes with the Professor 423 424. Silence see Worship Silence and an inward turning of the Mind necessary to the entring upon Worship 845. Simon Magus 431. Sin see Adam Justification It shall not have Dominion over the Saints 298. the Seed of Sin is transmitted from Adam unto all Men but it is Imputed to none no not to Infants except they actually join with it by Sinning 310 311 315 318. Augustin's Testimony concerning Infants 768. and this Seed is often called Death 318. Original Sin of this Phrase the Scripture makes no mention 318. by virtue of the Sacrifice of Christ we have Remission of Sins 335 367. forgiveness of Sin among the Papists 365. a Freedom from actual Sin is obtained both when and how and that many have attained unto it 388 398. every Sin weakens a Man in his Spiritual Condition but doth not destroy him altogether 389. it is one thing not to sin another thing not to have Sin 395. whatsoever is not done through the Power of God is Sin 445. the fear of God remaining upon the Heart Sin is shut out 28. continuance in Sin ecclipses and takes away the Sense of God's Favour ibid. 884. Singing of Psalms and Musick 473. Society see Religion Principles Socinians see Natural Light their rashness is reproved 281. they think Reason is the chief Rule and Guide of their Faith ibid. 289. albeit many have abused Reason yet they do not say that any ought not to use it and how ill they argue against the Inward and Immediate Revelations of the Holy Spirit 288 290. yet they are forced ultimately to recur unto them 394. they exalt too much their Natural Power and what they think of the saving Light 354. their Worship can easily be stopped 337. they exalt Self or Nature 699. their scanty Confession does not reach to Universal Love 693. Son of God see Christ Knowledge Revelation Soul The Soul hath its Senses as well as the Body 272. by what it is strengthened and fed 453 499. Spirit The Holy Spirit see Knowledge Communion Revelation Scriptures Unless the Spirit sit upon the Heart of the Hearer in vain is the Discourse of the Doctor 271 279. the Spirit of God knoweth the things of God 275. without the Spirit none can say that Jesus is the Lord 272 275. he rested upon the seventy Elders and others 277. he abideth with us for ever 280. he teacheth and bringeth all things to remembrance and leads into all Truth 280 281 284 286 296. he differs from the Scriptures 280. He is God 281. he dwelleth in the Saints 281 284. without the Spiâ—â—â—â—â—ristianity is no Christianity 282 297. whatsoever is to be desired in the Christian Faith is ascribed to him 28â— 281. by this Spirit we are turned unto God and we Triumph in the midst of persecutions 282. he quickens c. 282.283 an observable Testimony of Calvin concerning the Spirit 282 284 296 297. it is the Fountain and Origin of all Truth and right Reason 292 293. it gives the Belief of the Scriptures which may satisfy our Consciences 296. his Testimony is more excellent than all Reason ibid. he is the chief and principal Guide 301. he reasoneth with and striveth in Men 342. those that are led by the Spirit love the Scriptures 304 405. he is as it were the Soul of the Church and what is done without him is vain and impious 423. he is the Spirit of Order and not of Disorder 427. such as the Spirit sets a part to the Ministry are heard of their Brethren 428. it is the Earnest of our Inheritance 444. to be led by the Spirit of God is a Priviledge common to all Christians and members of the Church if Obedience thereunto be yielded 703. all have the Spirit in a certain Day some to reprove some bringing forth of Fruits 8. the Spirâ—t calls invites and draws but men resist his Drawings 8. J. Calvin preferreth the Testimony of the Spirit before all other Evidences 15 16. what proceeds not from the Spirit of God
Outward Prayer is when as the Spirit being thus in the Exercise of Inward Retirement and feeling the Breathing of the Spirit of God to arise powerfully in the Soul receives strength and liberty What Outward Prayer is by a supperadded Motion and Influence of the Spirit to bring forth either audible Sighs Groans or Words and that either in publick Assemblies or in private or at Meat c. As then Inward Prayer is necessary at all times so so long as the Day of every man's Visitation lasteth Inward Prayer necessary at all times he never wants some Influence less or more for the practice of it because he no sooner retires his Mind and considers himself in God's Presence but he finds himself in the Practice of it Outward Prayer doth require a superadded Influence The Outward Exercise of Prayer as needing a greater and superadded Influence and Motion of the Spirit as it cannot be continually practised so neither can it be so readily so as to be effectually performed until his Mind be some time acquainted with the Inward therefore such as are diligent and watchful in their minds and much retired in the Exercise of this Inward Prayer are more capable to be frequent in the use of the Outward because that this holy Influence doth more constantly attend them and they being better acquainted with and accustomed to the Motions of God's Spirit can easily perceive and discern them And indeed as such who are most diligent have a near Access to God and he taketh most delight to draw them by his Spirit to Approach and Call upon him so when many are gathered together in this watchful Mind God doth frequently pour forth the Spirit of Prayer among them and stir them thereunto to the edifying and building up of one another in Love But because this Outward Prayer depends upon the Inward as that which must follow it and cannot be acceptably performed but as attended with a superadded Influence and Motion of the Spirit therefore cannot we prefix set Times to pray outwardly We cannot fix set times to Speak and Pray to Tempe God so as to lay a necessity to speak words at such and such times whether we feel this heavenly Influence and Assistance or no for that we judge were a Tempting of God and a coming before him without due Preparation We think it fit for us to present our selves before him by this Inward Retirement of the Mind and so to proceed further as his Spirit shall help us and draw us thereunto and we find that the Lord accepts of this yea and seeth meet sometimes to exercise us in this Silent place for the Trial of our Patience without allowing us to speak further that he may teach us not to Rely upon outward performances or satisfie our selves as too many do with the Saying of our Prayers and that our dependence upon him may be the more firm and constant to Wait for the holding out of his Scepter and for his allowance to draw near unto him and with greater freedom and enlargement of Spirit upon our hearts towards him Yet nevertheless we do not deny but sometimes God upon particular occasions very suddenly yea upon the very first Turning-in of the Mind may give power and liberty to bring forth Words or Acts of outward Prayer so as the Soul can scarce discern any previous Motion but the Influence and Bringing forth thereof may be as it were simul semel nevertheless that saying of Bernard is true that All prayer is tepid Such Sin as are neglecting Prayer which hath not an Inspiration prevening it Though we affirm that none ought to go about Prayer without this Motion yet we do not deny but such Sin as neglect Prayer but their Sin is in that they come not to that place where they may feel that that would lead them thereunto And therefore we question not but many through neglect of this Inward Watchfulness and Retiredness of Mind miss many precious opportunities to Pray and thereby are guilty in the sight of God yet would they Sin if they should set about the Act until they first felt the Influence For as he grosly offends his Master that lieth in his Bed and sleeps and neglects to do his Master's Business A Forward and a Careless Servant answer not their plight yet if such a one should suddenly get up and without putting on his Cloaths or taking along with him those necessary Tools and Instruments without which he could not possibly Work should forwardly fall a doing to no purpose he would be so far thereby from Repairing his former Fault that he would justly incur a new Censure and as one that is Careless and other ways Busied may miss to hear one speaking unto him or even not hear the Bell of a Clock though striking hard by him so may many through negligence miss to hear God often-times calling upon them and giving them access to pray unto him yet will not that allow them without his liberty in their own wills to fall to Work And lastly Though this be the only true and proper Method of Prayer as that which is alone acceptable to God yet shall we not deny but he often-times answered the Prayers and concurred with the Desires of some especially in the times of Darkness In times of Darkness God did often hear their Prayers who have greatly Erred herein so that some that have sate down in formal Prayer though far wrong in the matter as well as manner without the Assistance or Influence of God's Spirit yet have found him to take occasion there-through to break in upon their Souls and wonderfully Tender and Refresh them yet as in preaching and elsewhere hath afore been observed that will not prove any such Practices or be a just Let to hinder any from coming to practise that Pure Spiritual and Acceptable Prayer which God is again restoring and leading his people into out of all Superstitions and meer Empty Formalities The State of the Controversy and our Sense thereof being thus clearly stated will both obviate many Objections First Spiritual Prayer prov'd from Scripture and make the Answer to others more Brief and Easie. I shall first prove this Spiritual Prayer by some short Considerations from Scripture and then Answer the Objections of our Opposers which will also serve to Refute their Method and Manner thereof § XXII And First I. God's Spirit must be felt to move the Mind to Prayer That there is a Necessity of this Inward Retirement of the Mind as previous to Prayer that the Spirit may be felt to draw thereunto appears for that in most of those places where Prayer is commanded Watching is prefixed thereunto as necessary to go before as Matth. 24.42 Mark 13.33.14 38. Luk. 21.36 From which it is evident that this Watching was to go before Prayer Now to what end is this Watching or what is it but a Waiting to feel God's Spirit to