Kingdom of Scotland and that thou may'st know which I hope thou shalt have no Reason to be troubled at that God is Raising up and Increasing that people in that Nation And the Nations shall also hereby know that the Truth we profess is not a Work of Darkness nor propagated by Stealth that we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because we know it to be the Power of God unto Salvation and that we are no ways so Inconsistent with Government nor such Disturbers of the Peace as our Enemies by Traducing us have sought to make the World believe we are for which to Thee I dare Appeal as a Witness of our peaceableness and Christian patience Generations to come shall not more Admire that singular Step of Divine Providence in Restoring thee to thy Throne without outward Bloodshed than they shall admire the Increase and Progress of this Truth without all outward Help and against so Great Opposition which shall be-none of the least things rendring thy Memory Remarkable God hath done great things for thee he hath sufficiently shewn thee that it is By Him Princes Rule and that He can pull down and set up at his pleasure He hath often faithfully Warned thee by his Servants since he Restored thee to thy Royal Dignity that thy Heart might not wax Wanton against him to forget his Mercies and Providence towards thee whereby he might permit Thee to be soothed up and lulled asleep in thy Sins by the flattering of Court-Parasites who by their fawning are the Ruin of many Princes There is no King in the World who can so Experimentally testify of God's Providence and Goodness neither is there any who Rules so many Free People so many True Christians which thing renders thy Government more Honourable and Thy self more Considerable than the Accession of many Nations filled with slavish and superstitious Souls Thou hast Tasted of Prosperity and Adversity thou know'st what it is to be Banished thy Native Country to be Over-ruled as well as to Rule and Sit upon the Throne and being Oppressed thou hast reason to know how hateful the Oppressor is both to God and Man If after all these Warnings and Advertisements thou dost not Turn unto the Lord with all thy heart but forget him who remembred thee in thy Distress and give up thy self to follow Lust and Vanity surely Great will be thy Condemnation Against which Snare as well as the Temptation of those that may or do feed thee and prompt thee to Evil the most Excellent and Prevalent Remedy will be to Apply thy self to that Light of Christ which shineth in thy Conscience which neither can nor will flatter thee nor suffer thee to be at Ease in thy Sins but doth and will deal plainly and faithfully with thee as those that are Followers thereof have also done GOD Almighty who hath so signally hitherto visited Thee with his love so Touch and Reach thy heart e're the Day of thy Visitation be Expired that thou may'st effectually Turn to him so as to Improve thy Place and Station for his Name So wisheth so prayeth From Ury the place of my Pilgrimage in my Native Country of Scotland the 25 th of the Month called November in the Year 1675. Thy Faithful Friend and Subject Robert Barclay R B. unto the Friendly Reader Wisheth Salvation FOrasmuch as that which above all things I propose to my self is to Declare and Defend the Truth for the Service whereof I have given up and devoted my self and all that is mine therefore there is nothing which for its sake by the Help and Assistance of God I may not Attempt And in this Confidence I did sometime ago publish certain Propositions of Divinity comprehending briefly the Chief Principles and Doctrines of Truth which appearing not unprofitable to some and being beyond my Expectation well Received both by Forreiners though Dissenting from us albeit also Opposed by some Envious ones did so far prevail as in some part to Remove that false and monstrous Opinion which lying Fame and the Malice of our Adversaries had Implanted in the Minds of some concerning us and our Doctrines In this Respect it seem'd to me not fit to spare my Pains and Labour Therefore being acted by the same Measure of the Divine Spirit and the like Design of propagating the Truth by which I published the Propositions I judg'd it meet to Explain them somewhat more largely at this time and Defend them by Certain Arguments Perhaps my Method of Writing may seem not only Different but even Contrary to that which is commonly used by the Men called Divines with which I am not concerned for that I Confess my self to be not only no Imitator and Admirer of the School-men but an Opposer and Despiser of them as such by whose Labour I judge the Christian Religion to be so far from being bettered that it is rather destroyed Neither have I sought to Accommodate this my Work to Itching Ears who desire rather to Comprehend in their Head the Sublime Notions of Truth than to Embrace it in their Heart For what I have written comes more from my Hearth than from my Head what I have heard with the Ears of my Soul and seen with my inward Eyes and my hands have handled of the Word of Life and what hath been inwardly Manifested to me of the Things of God that do I Declare not so much minding the Eloquence and Excellency of Speech as desiring to Demonstrate the Efficacy and Operation of Truth and if I Err sometime in the former it is no great matter for I act not here the Grammarian or the Orator but the Christian And therefore in this have followed the certain Rule of the Divine Light and of the Holy Scriptures And to make an end what I have Written is Written not to feed the Wisdom and Knowledge or rather Vain Pride of this World but to starve and oppose it As the little Preface prefixed to the Propositions doth shew Which with the Title of them is as followeth ADVERTISEMENT IF Perhaps it be known to the Reader e're this come to his hand that there is a large Answer writ to the Latin Edition before this came forth by John Brown that little Presbyterian c. at his Brother Robert Macquair terms him in the Post-script though it be Esteemed that such as will seriously Compare it with this will judge no further Reply needful and that it appeared not to deserve any seeing a great part of it is a bundle of meer Railing and Abuse and that the said John Brown hath now Manifested himself to be a person so Furious Head-strong and Violent as he is become Unsupportable to the Chiefest of his own Non-conforming Brethren Yet there was a Reply written to it divers Months ago and may e're long come to Publick View if the Difficulty of Printing and Distance do not retard it In which the Reader may find Satisfaction and see that Furious Railer soberly Rebuked and
Appearance to Compass it It must be all called a Zeal for the House of God which if it only Ate up those that had it would be less Mischievous to the World but it Eats up other Folks It breaks Society violates Relation Invades Property Robs God and destroys Man a Fire of Hell not of Heaven for truly and excellently Speaking that is Love This Spirit Destroys instead of Informing Christ's Spirit Intreats Informs and finally Saves both Body and Soul People tinctured with this Religious or rather Irreligious Venom are the worse for their Religion their Natures are more Sowred their Dispositions more Testy less Bowels less Humility a worse Neighbour The good Samaritan is of more Worth than a whole Synagogue of them Reader beware of this Leaven of the Circumcision the Pharisee the spiteful Formalist that vext Paul every-where and were the great Enemies and Sticklers against the Truth in Power and Life Their Generation is yet living and sown too much about the World and seem to be the Lords of it But for all their Wisdom and Power and the fair Shew they make in the Flesh some after one Fashion and some after another Know Reader that Great is the Truth and it shall prevail The Lamb shall have the Victory who is the Light Rev. 21. and in the Despised Light of the Lamb must the Nations of them that are saved Walk The other Extream is quite the Contrary as all Extreams are but not so hurtful to the Concerns of this Life though perhaps not less pernitious to the Inward Man and in which Satan Acts a part for the most part out of Sight by which he Craftily Deceives and Ensnares some that are Simple-hearted and Commendable Livers viz. Loving all equally without due Distinction whatever their Perswasions be and standing loose of all as to a Formal Communion yet by their Latitude are in a sort of all and Intitle themselves both by their Indifferency and their Love to an Interest in them all and all to an Interest in them Our Author is weighty upon this Head he shews what Love is its Excellency in its Root and Fruit What Distinctions and Limitations true Love observes and what People and Principles now Extant in the World have the Rightfullest Claim to this Vniversal Love from their Universality and Gentleness To which I Recommend the Reader taking this along with him That true Love from Man springs from God's Love to Man They that have Tasted of God's Goodness and have had their own Hearts softned by it have an Extraordinary Tenderness to Mankind It is a most engaging Vertue It Covers Forgives Excuses Conquers all nothing can stand before it They that have known the Power of it feel all Peoples Infirmities and Sympathise with every one's Condition They hate nothing but Sin they love all can help and serve all but especially the Houshold of Faith But it is speculating this Love too far to Love all alike as these Vniversalists tell us For in Nature People do Love their Parents Brethren Husbands Wives and Children better than others and we cannot but Love the Religious Family we are of more because we feel them nearer to us than another But this it may be will not be denied in a sort but then the proper Sense is somewhat Equivocated viz. I find says one the Family of God every where in every Form and Sect and that is my Church which I love and for that Reason I love every Society and can Communicate as I see Cause with every one of them It is Certain we ought to See and Love the good in all and so far as Virtue shines in any Person whatever is their Perswasion so far there is a Loveliness it is Comely and of Good Report And though of a very differing Apprehension as to Revealed and Traditional Points of Religion yet they are to be loved nay Enemies Phil. 4.8 Heb. 6.1 2. Matt. 5.44 such as are Injurious to us in the highest Degree But all this is with a Grain of Salt under Restriction and with due Bounds For I am not obliged to Turn Jew Turk or Indian because I Honour their Virtue and Love their Persons as Fellow-Creatures Nor am I bound to Love an Enemy with the same Degree of Love I have for one that is my Friend Benefactor or Relation To Worship God with those that though Sober and Upright among Men VVorship him in Ways my Conscience tells me are below if not Contrary to the Nature of God his Revealed Will and my own Sense of Duty and Worship is an Extream that makes all Ways of Worship Indifferent and in Consequence Impeaches the Dispensations of God that have been to Carry Men farther and to Leave and Forget those things that are behind Yea Phil. 3.13 it causes the Offence of the Cross of God's Day and Dispensation to Cease especially in Trying and Suffering Times and opens a Door to a dangerous Temporizing Paul according to this Doctrine was much in the wrong Gal. 2.11 12 14. that he Reproved Peter for his Complacency with the Jews And indeed our Saviour and his Apostles will not Escape Blameless for Changing that Constitution if it were Lawful for them to Continue to VVorship God in the Jewish Manner Nor did the Primitive Christians well to be devoured by Wild Beasts if they might have been permitted to Symbolize with the Heathen For it is certain there were many Extraordinary Gentiles the Followers of Plato Zeno Seneca Epictetus Plutarch Marc. Aurelius Antoninus c. in those Times that have left the Just Fame of Virtue to their Names by their sober Lives and rare VVritings I may Converse kindly but I cannot VVorship with one I differ from even about that very VVay of VVorship and if this be a Fault we must impeach our Protestant Ancestors too But on the other hand I must be Careful I suffer not my self to be Carried beyond Bounds in Dissent neither the Difference must never Run so far as to beget a Dislike and much less an Aversion of Spirit to his Person or Conversation that I Differ from this were sinful yet alas too Common and it may be an hard Task to Conquer and a True Mark of Discipleship in all that Overcome it God Almighty Root out and Expel that Make-bait-Spirit among Men that where there is not an Vnity for that comes up to Faith and VVorship we may Exercise true Charity and Forbearance especially where there is any sincere Appearance of the Common Faith Tit. 1.4 Heb. 1.1 2. and the Fruits of a Fear towards God in general But as God has Appeared at sundry Times and in divers Manners since the World began so it was the VVay of his Spirit and Method of his Providence to gather up the Sincere-minded into one as so many Grains do Form one Lump And therefore the Apostle to the Corinthians calls the Believers one Bread unto which 1 Cor. 10.17 as a Standard others were to be gathered and upon which
Sincere Love in the Lord which we had to our Dear Brother Robert Barclay and Christian Respect which lives in us to his Blessed Memory and our Real Esteem and Value of his Faithful Testimony great Industry and Labour of Love for promoting the Ever-living Truth as it is in Christ in his Day and Time We whose Names are underwritten do sincerely Own and have Satisfaction and Vnity in Truth with this fore-going Preface and Relation in the behalf of him the said Robert Barclay and his Great and Memorable Service Labours and Travels in the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To whom be the Glory and Dominion for ever London the 15. of the 7th Month 1691. George Whitehead Patrick Livingston Alexander Seton Benjamin Antrobus Francis Stamper Iohn Vaughton and Iohn Field GEORGE FOX HIS TESTIMONY CONCERNING Robert Barclay A Testimony concerning our Dear Brother in the Lord Robert Barclay who was a Wise and Faithful Minister of Christ and Writ many Precious Books in the Defence of the Truth in English and Latine and after Translated into French and Dutch He was a Scholar and a Man of Great Parts and underwent many Calumnies Slanders and Reproaches and Sufferings for the Name of Christ but the Lord gave him Power over them all He Travelled often up and down Scotland and in England and in Holland and Germany and did good Service for the Lord and was a Man of Repute among Men and Preacht the Everlasting Gospel of Christ Freely turning People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God And his Father was a Noble Man for the Lord and his Truth and died in the Lord And after when his Son Robert had fulfilled his Ministry and finished his Testimony he also died in the Lord and is Blessed and at Rest and Ceased from his Labours and his Works follow him Much more might be Written concerning this Faithful Brother in the Lord and Pillar in the Church of Christ who was a Man I very much loved for his Labour in the Truth but I shall leave the Rest to his Country-men And the Lord Raise up more Faithful Labourers in Christ Jesus to stand in his Place and preserve his Tender Wife and Children in the Truth Amen! The 13th 9th Mo. 1690. G. F. A TESTIMONY to the Memory of ROBERT BARCLAY By his Faithful Friend William Penn. SUrprizing was the News of the Death of Dear Robert Barclay to me particularly from the Share I claimed in him and the Esteem I had for him But that which gave Weight to my Sorrow was the Loss that thereby comes to the Church of God and especially in Scotland For his Many and Excellent Gifts by Nature Acquisition and Grace his Zeal and Integrity his Labour and Love so effectually shewn in the time he lived both in his Ministry Writings and other Services and that he lived no longer who was so well fitted to live for the Service and Honour of the Truth and the good of God's People must render his Death more Afflicting to all those that desire to be reckoned of that Number It was a Complaint of Old that the Righteous were taken away and none layed it to heart I pray God that the Taking away of this Accomplished Minister of Christ in the Prime of his Age with other Precious and Honourable Brethren of late may be laid close to heart by the Friends of God especially where his and their Service lay and he and they have been most Conversant The Overcasting of so many bright Stars almost together and of the First Magnitude in our Horizon from our Bodily View is not the least Simptome or Token to me of an Approaching Storm and perhaps so dreadful that we may have fresh cause to think them Happy that are delivered from the Evils and Miseries that may ensue But this also calls every one home to his own Dwelling and Tent to find and feel him that Repairs all Losses and Supplys all Wants and is All to a Faithful People that they can need or desire This Worthy Young Man of God whose Character I write as well for their Example and Encouragement that have or hereafter may receive the Eternal Truth in which he lived and died and lives forever as for a Testimony to the Power and Goodness of God in raising him up to his Church and to his lasting Memorial in the Churches of Christ which is blessed for ever was the Son of Collonel David Barclay descended of the Barclays of Mathers in the Kingdom of Scotland an Ancient and Honourable Family among Men and of Katherine Gourdon from the Gourdons of the House of the Duke of Gourdon He was born at Edinburgh in the year 1648. Educated in France had the advantage of that Tongue as well as the Latine He returned to Scotland about 1664 being 16 years of Age where by the Example and Instruction of his Honest and Worthy Father that in his Absence had Received the Everlasting Truth and his Converse with other Servants of God he came to See and Tast an Excellency in it and was Convinced about the year 1667. and Publickly owned the Testimony of the true Light enlightning every Man and came Early forth a Zealous and Fervent Witness for it enduring the Cross and despising the Shame that attended his Discipleship and received the Gift of the Ministry as his greatest Honour in which he laboured to bring others to God and his Labour was not in vain in the Lord. He was much exercised in Controversy from the many Contradictions that fell upon the Truth and upon him for its sake in his own Country chiefly in which he ever acquitted himself with Honour to the Truth particularly by his Apology for the Christian Divinity Professed by the People called Quakers which contains a Collection of our Principles our Enemies Objections and our Answers Augmented and Illustrated closely and amply with many Authorities for Confirmation Also his Book of Church-Government distinguishing between Tyranny and Anarchy Imposition and Lawlessness occasioned by the Scruples of some and Partialities of others that had a tendency to a Division among us They are standing Books of sound Judgment and good Service to the Truth and Church of God Nor must his Scripture-Catechism be forgotten in that it opens the Mind of Truth upon points of Doctrine in the words of the Holy Ghost excluding all Humane Glosses or Interpretation which is an easie safe and peaceable Method the tendency of it being to Silence and Commend the Curiosity of Man to the Text which all own and there leave Controversy as the best Method to Vnity and Peace next that of the Spirit it self And indeed it was exactly suitable to his own Disposition that preferred Truth before Victory and Peace and Vnity before Nicities and a good Life before Worldly Learning We sometimes Travelled together both in this Kingdom and in Holland and some parts of Germany and were Inward in divers Services from first to last
and the Apprehension and Sense I had of him was this He loved the Truth and Way of God as Revealed among us above all the World and was not ashamed of it before Men but Bold and Able in Maintaining it Sound in Judgment Strong in Argument Chearful in Travails and Sufferings of a pleasant Disposition yet Solid Plain and Exemplary in his Conversation He was a Learned Man a good Christian an Able Minister a Dutiful Son a Loving Husband a Tender and Careful Father an Easie Master and a good and kind Neighbour and Friend These Eminent Qualities in one that had Imployed them so serviceably and that had not lived much above half the life of a Man having outlived his Father but four years and died at least Thirty years short of his Age aggravates the Loss of him especially in that Nation where he lived O Friends if Precious in the Eyes of the Lord be the Death of his Saints ought not their Labours and Death to be Precious to the Lord's People Therefore I exhort those that have survived this and other Worthy and Honourable Brethren to take Care that their Minds are not over-charged and that they do not suffer their first Love on any score to Cool to those that Travail and Labour in the Word and Doctrine for their good but that through their Faithfulness they may come to partake of like Precious Ministry as well as of like Precious Faith that so the great Harvest that is at the door may be supplied with Able and Diligent Labourers But more especially you of the Scotch Nation and most of all you his Near Tender and Affectionate Relations Wait to feel your Loss made up in and by him that giveth Liberally and upbraideth not who is the best Teacher Husband Father and Master who Repairs our Losses with Advantage for in him we Loose nothing that we Loose because we have it again with Advantage even in this Life and Fellowship that outlives time and endures and abides forever In which the Lord preserve us all to the end of our Race that we may run it with Stedfastness and finish it with Everlasting Joy William Penn. Patrick Livingstone his TESTIMONY CONCERNING ROBERT BARCLAY THERE is something that rests upon my Spirit to say concerning my Dearly Beloved Friend and Kinsman Robert Barclay Who was not only my Kinsman after the Flesh but of a nearer and dearer Kindred and Relation of a more Noble Seed and Offspring which is not Corruptible but Incorruptible and my Dear Fellow-Labourer in the Service of the Gospel as also my Fellow-Sufferer for the Truth in Aberdeen-Prison And I have more in my heart concerning him than I can Express nor do I find it meet to say all I can truly Testify of him For I had some small Knowledge of him before he came to Profess the Truth and ever since he came forth amongst us I have had many Opportunities to be Refreshed with him in his Doctrine after he came to have a Publick Testimony amongst us and also in his Conversation both before and since He was all-along a Man for Peace and an Enemy to Strife and Dissension but was a Peace-maker I never knew him at any time to be in Passion or Anger He was a Man of a sweet pleasant and chearful Temper and above many for Evenness of Spirit a Man of deep Reach in his Judgment and Vnderstanding of heavenly things and also of the things that concerned him to know of this Life amongst Men. He was Quick and Ready in his Understanding of matters of Difference or Controversy and had a notable Way of Deciding and Composing of them He was a Man of a publick Spirit and laboured for the publick Good of all but especially of those he was in Fellowship with Both as to the Inward and Outward he was a blameless Man in his Conversation and he was both Solid Sound and Comprehensive in his Writings And as for his Doctrine he was Plain and Clear to the meanest Capacity Discreet and Oblidging therein And he was a Man generally Beloved of all both of great and small unless it were those that hated him for the Truth 's sake and his Vindicating of it both in Word and Writing against those that Opposed it as his Writings will plainly demonstrate to all Impartial Readers of them And Courteous Reader I being now satisfied with many more that he is at his Rest with the Lord and Reaps the Reward of his Trials Travails and Sufferings for the Truth 's sake both inwardly and outwardly and now is out of the Reach of what Envy and Malice can do against him his Writings are Recommended to thy Serious and Impartial Perusal wherein thou may'st see more of him than at present I can say And so I remain A Lover of Truth and Righteousness Patrick Livingstone Aberdeen the 16th day of the 1st month 1691. THE TESTIMONY OF Andrew Jaffray CONCERNING ROBERT BARCLAY THIS Testimony I have in my Heart to give forth concerning my Dear Brother who was one of the Lord's Worthies and hath obtained the Crown of Victory over all the Rage of the Enemy and his Instruments who still seek to make War with the Remnant of the Woman's Seed who keep the Commandments of God But they and their Rage and Enmity is Limited blessed be the Lord our God for ever And the Hairs of the Heads of the Faithful are numbred and the Angels of God pitch their Tents about them that fear him in all their Troubles and amidst all the Rage and Slanderous Tongues of this World that are set on Fire as this Faithful and Worthy Servant of the Lord and his Everlasting Truth was a Living Witness of God's Faithfulness and Power in his Preservation who being Dead as to the Body yet speaketh and liveth and walketh with him for ever in whom his Delight and Joy was while in the Body beyond all the Honours Vain Pleasures and Enjoyments from below And though the Lord had Endued him with many large Gifts and Abilities even as a Man beyond many as was well known so as to be able to Converse with the Greatest yet known it is to many of the Upright that his chief Desire and Delight was to lay out all these Parts and Qualifications for doing good unto all but especially to the Houshold of Faith as the many great Services for Truth and Deliverances of Suffering Friends which the Lord made him an Instrument of both in his own Native Country and in other Nations can bear Witness So that I may truly say in all his great Endowments it was his Delight to make them serviceable to the true Israel of God and his Sweet Savour and Memorial shall live in many of their Hearts and among all Sober Discreet and Moderate People who knew him to Generations to come And I am very bold to say his Death could not but be matter of Exercise and Sorrow to all He was a Man that laid out himself in the
Ability of the large Vnderstanding given him to set forth the Beauty and Infallibility of the Grounds and Excellent Principles of Truth and to open and prove the same over all Opposition of Gainsayers to the reaching of the Understanding of many of the Great and Learned of the World both at home and abroad and to the begetting a better Opinion and Judgment concerning both the Principles and Practices of God's People called in Derision Quakers than had been held forth by the Craft and Malice of the Priests and others to be in the beginning as Fools Madmen c. and holding non-sensical and unreasonable as well as Vnscriptural Whimsies and so forth But God who is Light is wipeing away the Reproaches and Slanders off his Blessed Truth and People and will more and more exalt the Standard and Ensign thereof to gather the Nations unto it out of their Cruelties Lusts and Roarings against one another and of the overflowing of all Abominations among them to the great provoâ—ing of God's Wrath. Reformation from all which will never be known nor Deliverance from the Bondage and Miseries thereby occasioned by all the Might Power and Fightings of the Carnal Sword nor Politick Devices of Men but only by the blessed Power Spirit and Grace of God which hath appeared to all to that very end to teach to deny Vngodliness and wordly Lusts and to live soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World if Men would turn to believe in and obey it Which is our Testimony and Holy Principle we direct all unto and which this Blessed Servant of the Church laid out himself in his many Excellent Writings especially his Apology to promulgate through the World with blessed Success not only in Printing but in Travelling having gone through a great part of Germany Holland and other Countries in the Service of the Truth And the Lord blessed him every way therein He was an Exemplary Husband Parent and Master in his Family so that the Beauty good Order Holiness Gravity and Lowliness of the Truth shined therein I can say to my Refreshment and many others as in a Quiet Habitation He was a Man of great Meekness Sweetness and Lowliness of Spirit and of such a bearing contented Mind that though a Man of such Parts and great Authority over Evil in his Servants and others yet kept in such a Dominion over any thing that would have disordered his own Syirit that I can truly say I never saw him in any peevish angry brittle or disordered Temper since ever I knew him though I had as much Intimacy and Frequency of Concerns with him as most here-away He was so far from being lifted up or Exalted by the great Gifts he had received from his Maker both in the Truth and as a Man that I can say I have often desired to grow in the plain down-right humble and lowly Spirit wherein he became as weak with the weakest and poor with the poorest and low with the lowest as well as he could be deep with them that were deep So that in a good Measure he had learned to become all things to all Men with a true and upright Endeavour to Gain some I can say I have parted with a most Entire Friend and Counsellor But glory to him who lives for ever through great Mercy I know him who is the Fountain of all Wisdom Righteousness Love and Pity who I trust will make up this great Loss not only to me but to his blessed People and Church especially in this his Native Country of Scotland in and to which he had made him an Ornament and as a Star and shining Light And Oh! that he may make me and all whom he hath Convinced of his pretious Truth in our Native Country whether living therein or abroad to shine forth in the Glory Beauty and Virtue thereof and as the first Fruits thereof and Witnesses of the great Glory that shall livingly arise therein though perhaps ushered in by great Tribulations when our God shall wipe away the Reproaches thereof and change its name from Barren or Forsaken because our God hath a true though a small Seed therein in which he delighteth and is Married thereunto and many shall be the Children of the Lamb's Marriage therein in due time when the Leaven of the Pharisees is purged out and the Bastard-Births of the Adulteresses and Whoredoms of a false Profession therein comes to be seen and turned from As concerning this our Dear Friend R. B. The Lord soon began his Work with him shortly after he was brought home from France wherein in his Young and Tender Years he was brought up at Paris under his Vncle And though at his Return thence but about sixteen Years yet it having pleased the Lord to bring his Dear and Worthy Father into his most-precious Truth he having thereby occasion to be in the Meetings of God's Chosen People who Worship him in his own Name Spirit and Power and not in the Words of Man's Wisdom and Preparation he was by the Virtue and Efficacious Life of this Blessed Power shortly after reached and that in the Time of Silence a Mystery to the World and came so fast to grow therein through his great Love and Watchfulness to the Inward Appearance thereof that not long after he was called out to the Publick Ministry and declaring abroad what his Eyes had seen and his Hands had handled of this pure Word of Life Yea the Lord who loved him counted him worthy so Early to Call him to some Weighty and Hard Services for his Truth in our Nation that a little after his coming out of the Age of Minority as it is called he was made willing in the Day of God's Power to give up his Body as a Sign and Wonder to this Generation and to deny himself and all in him as a Man so far as to become a Fool for his sake whom he loved in going in Obedience to his Will in Sack-cloath and Ashes through Three of the Chief Streets of the City of Aberdeen As his Testimony printed concerning it holds forth his Service therein besides some weighty Services at several Steeple-houses and Sufferings in Prison for the Truth 's Sake And I cannot forbear to touch at his great Care and Zeal that Vnity Love and Sweetness might be preserved among God's Children over all the Cunning Endeavours of the Enemy to the contrary What shall I more say concerning this Servant of the Lord but that Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Yea saith the Spirit from henceforth they rest from their labours and their works follow them He laid down the Body in the Holy and Honourable Truth wherein he had served it about Twenty Three Years upon the Third Day of the Eighth Month 1690. near the Forty Second Year of his Age at his own House of Vrie in Scotland and it was laid in his own Burial-Ground there upon the sixth Day of the same Month before many Friends and other
this present Dispensation and Day of God's living Visitation towards them with an Answer to some Queries Annexed 1672 105 107 V. A Catechism and Confession of Faith approved of and agreed unto by the general Assembly of the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles Christ himself Chief Speaker in and among them c. 1673 109 VI. The Anarchy of the Ranters and other Libertines the Hierarchy of the Romanists and other pretended Churches equally Refused and Refuted in a twofold Apology for the Churches and People of God called Quakers c. 1674 181 VII A Vindication of the preceeding Tract viz. the Anarchy of the Ranters c. serving as an Explanatory Postscript thereof 1679 237 VIII An Apology for the True Christian Divinity as the same is held forth and Preached by the People called in scorn Quakers c 〈◊〉 to K. Charles the Second 1675 251 IX A Dispute between some Students of Divinity so called of Aberdeen and the People called Quakers held in Aberdeen Opponents or Students John Lesly Al. Sheriff P. Gellie Defendents R. Barclay and G. Keith c. 569 With the Author's Offer to Jo. Menzies Professor of Divinity so called G. Meldrum Minister at Aberdeen and W. Mitchell Catechist at Foot of Dee c. And G. K. his Postscript 1675. 589 592 X. Quakerism Confirmed A Vindication of the chief Doctrines and Principles of the Quakers from the Objections of the Students aforesaid in their Book called Quakerism Convased 1676. 597 XI Universal Love Considered and Established upon its Right Foundation c. 1676. 675 XII An Epistle of Love and Friendly Advice to the Ambassadors of the several Princes of Europe met at Nimmegen to Consult the Peace of Christendom c. 1677. 706 882 XIII R. B ' s. Apology for the True Christian Divinity Vindicated from John Brown's pretended Confutation c. with L. S's Letter to R. M. C. 1679. 717 XIV The Possibility and Necessity of the Inward and Immediate Revelation of the Spirit of God towards the Foundation and Ground of true Faith proved in a Letter writ in Latine to a Person of Quality in Holland and now also put into English 1686. 892 Whereunto is added The Author 's Testimony concerning his Father 1686. 907 Also an Alphabetical Table at the End of the Chief Matters and Things Contained in this Volume 908 Truth Clear'd of Calumnies Where-in a BOOK Intituled A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A QUAKER AND A Stable Christian Printed at ABERDEEN And upon good ground judged to be writ by WILLIAM MITCHELL a Preacher near by it or at least that he had the chief Hand in it is Examined and the Dis-ingenuity of the Author in his Representing the QVAKERS is Discovered HERE IS ALSO Their CASE truly Stated Cleared Demonstrated and the OBJECTIONS of their Opposers Answered according to Truth Scripture and Right Reason By ROBERT BARCLAY ISA. 53.1 Who hath believed our Report and to whom is the Arm of the Lord Revealed JOHN 5.39 40. Ye search the Scriptures because in them ye think to have Eternal Life and they are they which Testify of me and ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life MATTH 5.11 Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake ACTS 24.14 After the way which they call Heresy so worship I the God of my Fathers 1 THESS 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lumbard-street 1691. THE PREFACE TO THE READER READER FOR thy better understanding the Matters handled in this Treatise I thought fit to premise somewhat by way of Preface and indeed the nature of the thing calleth for it that thou mayst receive a true Information concerning the People here pleaded for and so generally opposed but more particularly in the City of Aberdeen that thou mayst understand how the Case stands betwixt them and their Adversaries in it Know then that after the Lord had raised up the Witnesses of this Day and had opened in them and unto them the Light and Glory thereof divers of them at sundry times were moved of the Lord to come into these Parts and unto the Town of Aberdeen in love to the Seed which there was to be gathered but their Acceptance for divers years together was very unsutable For the Enemy that had wrought and was exalted in the Mystery of Iniquity to darken the appearance of this day had prepared and stirred up his Ministers to resist them and their Testimony by aspersing them with many gross Calumnies Lies and Reproaches as demented distracted bodily possessed of the Devil practising Abominations under colour of being led to them by the Spirit and as to their Principles blasphemous deniers of the true Christ of Heaven Hell Angels the Resurrection of the Body and Day of Judgment Inconsistent with Magistracy nothing better then John of Leyden and his Complices This was the vulgar and familiar Language of the Pulpits which was for a time received for unquestionable Truth till about the Year 1663. some sober and serious Professors in and about the said Town did begin to weigh these things more narrowly and find the savour of that Life in the Testimony of that so much reproached People which some years before had stirred in others who were now come to a great loss and decay and this gave them occasion to examine the Principles and Ways of that People more exactly which proving upon inquiry to be far otherways then they had been represented gave them a further occasion to see the Integrity and soundness of that despised People and of their Principles on the one hand and on the other to see the prejudic'd Disingenuity and Enmity of their Accusers In these the Lord caused his Word to prosper who were few in number yet noted as to their sobriety in their former way of Profession and raised them up to own that People and their Testimony and to become One with them Now their Adversaries finding nothing in these whom the Lord had raised up in these Parts whereof to Accuse them as to their Conversation these Calumnies must be cast upon Strangers living some hundred Miles distant where these Untruths cannot be so easily disproved but as to these at home the Tune must be turned Therefore George Meldrum who hath more particularly espoused the Quarrel against Truth and its Followers than any of his Brethren begins to say That it is no wonder to see Quakers forbear gross Out-breakings for that Hereticks have formerly come as great a length but surely Abstinence from gross Out-breakings and a clean outward Conversation is no good Argument against the Quakers so now the Clamour is though they have been Professors and that noted Ones too and though they be honest in their Conversation yet they are deluded and deceived and are Deceivers And thus as of old the Truth and the Witnesses of it have always been reproached by those of the Pharisaical Spirit
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
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
not the Things of the Spirit of God for they are Foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Q. These Scriptures do sufficiently hold forth that the true Call to the Ministry is from God that which maketh a Minister is the Gift and Grace of God that the true and effectual Preaching of a faithful Minister is such Maintenance as is from the inward Teaching and Leading of the Spirit of God But what say the Scriptures touching the Maintainance of Ministers Gal. 6.6 A. Let him that is taught in the Word Communicate unto him that teacheth in all good Things 1 Cor. 9.11 12 13 14. If we have sown unto you Spiritual Things is it a great matter if we shall reap Carnal Things If others be Partakers of this Power over you are not we rather Nevertheless we have not used this Power but suffer all Things lest we should hinder the Gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy Things live of the Things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so hath the Lord ordain'd that they which preach the Gospel shall live of the Gospel For the Scripture saith 1 Tim. 5.18 Thou shalt not muzzle the Ox that treadeth out the Corn and the Labourer is worthy of his Reward Q. I perceive by these Scriptures that there lieth an Obligation upon the Saints to help with Outward Things such as truly Minister unto them Spiritual but this seems to be Voluntary Ought not therefore true Ministers to preach whether they be sure of this or not What saith the Apostle of himself in this Case and what adviseth he others 1 Cor 9.15 16 17 18. A. But I have used none of These Things neither have I written those things that it should be so done unto me for it were better for me to die than that any Man should make my Glorying void For though I preach the Gospel I have nothing to Glory of for Necessity is laid upon me yea Wo is unto me if I preach not the Gospel For if I do this Thing willingly I have a Reward but if against my Will a Dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto me what is my Reward then Verily that when I Preach the Gospel I make the Gospel of Christ without Charge that I abuse not my Power in the Gospel Acts 20.33 34 35. I have Coveted no Man's Silver or Gold or Apparel yea your selves know that these Hands have ministred unto my Necessities and to them that were with me I have shewed you all things how that so Labouring ye ought to support the weak and to remember the Words of the Lord Jesus how he said It is more blessed to give than to receive Q. It 's observable that the Apostle every where makes special mention among the Qualifications of Teachers that they be not given to Filthy Lucre What ought we then to think of these Teachers as will not preach without Hire yea that will by Violence take from those who receive no Spirituals from them Are they like to be the Ministers of Christ or what else saith the Scripture of such Isa. 56.11 A. Yea they are greedy Dogs which can never have enough and they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own Way every one for his Gain from his Quarter * Ezek. 34.2 3 8. Son of Man Prophesie against the Shepherds of Israel Prophesie and say unto them year 1675 Thus saith the Lord God unto the Shepherds Wo to the Shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves Should not the Shepherds feed the Flook Ye eat the Fat and ye cloath you with the Woll ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the Flock As I live saith the Lord God surely because my Flock became a Prey and my Flock became Meat to every Beast of the Field because there was no Shepherd neither did my Shepherds search for my Flock but The Shepherds fed themselves and fed not my Flock Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my People Err that bite with their Teeth and cry Peace Mich. 3 5 11. and he that puts not into their Mouths they even prepare War against him The Heads thereof judge for Reward and the Priests thereof teach for Hire and the Prophets thereof Divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us None evil can come upon us Q. These are plain Testimonies from the Prophets Are there none such from the Apostles A. Perverse Disputings of Men of Corrupt Minds and destitute of the Truth supposing that Gain is Godliness 1 Tim. 6.5 6 7 8 9 10. from such withdraw thy self But Godliness with Contentment is great Gain For we brought nothing into the World and it 's certain we can carry nothing out and having Food and Raiment let us therewith be content But they that will be Rich fall into Temptation and a Snare and into many foolish and hurtful Lusts which drown men in Destruction and Perdition For the Love of Money is the Root of all Evil which while some Coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many Sorrows For Men shall be Lovers of their own selves Covetous Boasters Proud Blasphemers 2 Tim. 2.3 Disobedient to Parents Unthankful Unholy For there are many unruly and vain Talkers and Deceivers Tit. 1.10 11. especially they of the Circumcision whose Mouths must be stop'd who subvert whole Houses teaching things which they ought not for Filthy Lucre's sake But there were false Prophets also among the People 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3 14 15. even as there shall be False Teachers among you who privately shall bring in Damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift Destruction And many shall follow their Pernicious Ways by reason of whom the Way of Truth shall be Evil spoken of And through Covetousness shall they with feigned Words make Merchandize of you whose Judgment now of a long time lingereth not and their Damnation slumbereth not Having Eyes full of Adultery and that cannot cease from Sin beguiling unstable Souls an Heart they have exercised with Covetous practices Cursed Children which have forsaken the Right Way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam the Son of Bozor who loved the Wages of Vnrighteousness Wo unto them For they have gone in the Way of Cain and run greedily after the Error of Balaam for Reward Jude 11 16. and perished in the Gain-saying of Corah These are Murmurers Complainers walking after their own Lust and their Mouth speaketh great Swelling Words year 1673 having Mens Persons in Admiration because of Advantage Q Ought there to be any Order in the Church of God A. Let all things be done decently and in Order 1 Cor. 14.40 Q What good Order is prescribed
preparing War against all such as put not in their Mouths teaching for Hire and divining for Money p Mich. 3.5 11. Nor yet of those which teach things which they ought not for filthy Lucre's sake q Tit. 1.11 That run greedily after the Error of Balaam for Reward loving the Wages of Vnrighteousness r 2 Pet. 2.15 And through Covetousness with feigned Words making Merchandise of Souls s 2 Pet. 2.3 Men of corrupt Minds destitute of the Truth supposing that Gain is Godliness t 1 Tim. 6.5 but they know that Godliness with Contentment is great Gain u 1 Tim 6 6. and having Food and Raiment they are therewith content x 1 Tim. 6.8 ARTICLE XVII Concerning Worship THe Hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him y John 4.23 God is a Spirit and they which worship must worship him in Spirit and in Truth z John 4 24. For the Lord is nigh to all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in Truth a Psal. 145.18 He is far from the wicked but he heareth the Prayer of the Righteous b Prov. 15.29 And this is the Confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us c 1 John 5.14 What is it then We must pray with the Spirit and with the Vnderstanding also d 1 Cor. 14.15 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the Heart knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God e Rom. 8.26 27. ARTICLE XVIII Concerning Baptism AS there is One Lord One Faith so there is One Baptism f Ephes. 4.5 which doth also now save us not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a Good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ g 1 Pet. 3.21 22. For John indeed baptized with Water but Christ with the Holy Ghost and with Fire h Matth. 3.1 Therefore as many as are baptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his Death and are buried with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father even so they also should walk in Newness of Life i Rom. 6.34 having put on Christ k Gal. 3.27 ARTICLE XIX Concerning Eating of Bread and Wine Washing of one anothers Feet Abstaining from things Strangled and from Blood and Anointing of the Sick with Oil. THe Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread and when he had given Thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you this do in Remembrance of me After the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood this do ye as oft as ye drink it in Remembrance of me For as oft as ye do eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lord's Death till he come l Cor. 11.23 24 25. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his Hands and that he was come from God and went to God he raiseth from Supper and laid aside his Garments and took a Towel and girded himself after that he poured Water into a Bason and began to wash the Disciples Feet and to wipe them with the Towel wherewith he was girded So after he had washed their Feet and had taken his Garments and set down again he said unto them Know ye what I have done unto you Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lord and Master have washed your Feet ye also ought to wash one anothers Feet For I have given you an Example that ye should do as I have done unto you m John 13 2 3 4 12 13 14 15. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater Burden than these Necessary Things That ye abstain from Meats offered to Idols from Blood and from things Strangled and from Fornication from which if ye keep your selves ye do well n Acts 15.28 29. Is any man sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them Pray over him Anointing him with Oil o James 5.14 ARTICLE XX. Concerning the Liberty of such Christians as are come to know the Substance as to the Vsing or not Vsing of these Rites and of the Observation of Days THe Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost p Rom. 14 17. Let no man therefore judge us in Meat or Drink or in Respect of an Holy-Day or of the New-Moon or the Sabbath-Days q Col. 2.16 For if we be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World why as though living in the World are We subject to Ordinances Let us not touch or taste or handle which all are to perish with the Using after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men r Col. 2.20 21 22. For now after we have known God or rather are known of him why should we turn again unto the Weak and Beggarly Elements or desire again to be in Bondage to observe Dayes and Months and Times and Years lest Labour have been bestowed on us in vain s Gal. 4.9 10 11. If one man esteem a Day above another another esteemeth every day alike let every man be fully perswaded in his own Mind He that regardeth a Day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the Day to the Lord he doth not regard it t Rom. 14.5 6. ARTICLE XXI Concerning Swearing Fighting and Persecution IT hath been said by them of Old Thou shalt not Forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths But Christ says unto us Swear not at all neither by Heaven for it is God's Throne nor by the Earth for it is his Foot-stool neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King neither shalt thou swear by thy Head because thou canst not make one Hair white or black But let your Communication be Yea Yea Nay Nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of Evil u Mat. 5 33 34 35 36 37. And James chargeth us Above all things not to swear neither by Heaven neither by the Earth neither by any other Oath but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay lest ye fall into Condemnation x Jam. 5.12 Though we walk in the Flesh we are not to War after the Flesh for the Weapons of our Warfare are not to be
also appear to the Unbiassed Reader Advertisement to the Reader NOTE Reader That I have here throughout made use of the last Common Translation of the Bible And if I would have made use of the Hebrew and Greek I could have produced divers other very clear Scriptures which in the Common Translation are corrupted and perverted But I choosed rather to do thus that our Opposers might see I took no Advantage that way and also that all that can but read may find the places Cited in their own Bibles THE ANARCHY OF THE RANTERS AND OTHER LIBERTINES THE HIERARCHY OF THE ROMANISTS AND OTHER Pretended CHURCHES equally Refused and Refuted in a Two-fold APOLOGY for the Church and People of God called in Derision QUAKERS WHEREIN They are Vindicated from those that Accuse them of Disorder and Confusion on the one hand and from such as Calumniate them with Tyranny and IMPOSITION on the other shewing that as the True and Pure Principles of the Gospel are Restored by their Testimony so is also the Ancient Apostolick ORDER of the Church of Christ Re-established among them and setled upon its Right Basis and Foundation By ROBERT BARCLAY PHIL. 2.3 Let nothing be done through Strife or Vain-glory but in Lowliness of Mind let each esteem another Better than themselves HEBR. 13.7 Remember them that have the Rule over you who spoke unto you the Word of God whose Faith follow LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lumbard-Street 1691. THE PREFACE TO THE READER SVCH is the Malignity of Man's Nature in his fallen State and so averse is he from walking in the Straight and Even Path of TRVTH that at every turn he is inclinable to lean either to the Right Hand or to the Left yea such as by the Work of God's Grace in their Hearts and powerful Operation of his Spirit have obtained an Entrance in this Way are daily Molested and set upon on all Hands some striving to draw them the one way some the other And if through the Power of God they be kept faithful and stable then are they Calumniated on both sides each Likening or Comparing them to the Worst of their Enemies Those that are acquainted with the Holy Scriptures may observe this to have been the Lot of the Saints in all Ages but especially those whose place it hath been to Reform and Restore the Ruins of the House of God when decayed or any considerable time have been liable to such Censures hence those that set about Repairing of the Walls of Jerusalem were necessitated to Work with the one Hand and Defend with the other Christ is accused of the Jews as a Samaritan and by the Samaritans quarrelled for being a Jew The Apostle Paul is whipped and imprisoned by the Gentiles and upbraided with being a Jew and teaching their Customs the same Paul is haled and ready to be killed by the Jews for breaking the Law and defiling the Temple with the Gentiles The like hath also befallen these faithful Witnesses and Messengers whom God has raised up in this day to witness for his Truth which hath long been in a great Measure Hid but now is again Revealed and many brought to be Witnesses of it who thereby are come to Walk in the Light of the Lord. This People thus gathered have not wanted those Trials that usually accompany the Church of Christ both on the right hand and on the left each Characterizing them in such Terms as they have judged would prove most to their Disadvantage From whence as the Testimony of the false Witnesses against their Lord did not agree neither do these against us some will have us to be Foolish Mad Creatures others to be deep subtil Polititians * John Owen charges us with so much Ignorance that though he writes against us in Latin he fears we will not understand it And Thomas Danson about the same time accuses us of being Jesuites sent from abroad under this Vizzard some to be Illiterate Ignorant Fellows others to be Learned Cunning Jesuites under a meer Vizzard divers Professors will have us to be only Pensioners of the Pope undoubtedly Papists but the Papists abhor us as Hereticks Sometimes we are a Disorderly Confused Rabble leaving every one to do as they list against all Good Order and Government at other times we are so much for Order as we admit not men to exercise the Liberty of their own Judgments Thus are our Reputations tossed by the Envy of our Adversaries which yet cannot but have this Effect upon sober-minded People as to see what MALICE works against us and how these men by their Contradictory Assertions concerning us save us the Pains while they Refute one another True it is we have laboured to Walk amidst these Extremities and upon our appearing for the Truth we have found things good in themselves abused upon both hands for such hath always been the Work of an Apostacy to keep up the Shadow of certain Truths that there-through they might shelter other Evils Thus the Jews made use of the Law and the Prophets to vindicate their Abuses yea and to Crucifie Christ And how much many Christians abuse the Scriptures and the Traditions of the Apostles to uphold Things quite Contrary to it will in the general be readily acknowledged by most But to descend more particularly There be Two Things especially both of which in their Primitive Use were appointed and did very much contribute towards the Edification of the Church The one is The Power and Authority which the Apostles had given them of Christ for the Gathering Building up and Governing of his Church by Vertue of which Power and Authority they also wrote the Holy Scriptures The other is That Priviledge given to every Christian under the Gospel to be led and guided by the Spirit of Christ and to be taught thereof in all things Now both these in the Primitive Church wrought effectually towards the same End of Edification and did as in their Nature they may and in their Use they ought to do in a good Harmony very well Consist together but by the Workings of Satan and Perversness of Men they are made to fight against and destroy one another For on the one hand the Authority and Power that resided in the Apostles while it is annexed and entailed to an Outward Ordination and Succession of Teachers is made use of to cloak and cover all manner of Abuses even the height of Idolatry and Superstition For by Virtue of this Succession these Men claiming the like Infallibility that was in the Apostles though they be Strangers to any inward Work or Manifestation of the Spirit in their Hearts will needs oblige all others to acquiesce and agree to their Conclusions however different from or contrary to the Truths of the Gospel and yet for any to call such Conclusions in Question or Examine them is no less than a Hainous Heresy deserving Death c. Or while the Revelation of God's Mind is
Foolish Fashions of this World But we felt as we were obedient all these things to be for Condemnation and that as we obeyed the pure Manifestation of the Light of Jesus in our Hearts there was no Hesitation We might and should have parted with all those things at the first and what occasioned such Scruples was but that which drew back through being unwilling to give pure Obedience to the Cross of Christ for as many as gave Obedience and believed in the Light found no Occasion of stumbling but such as believed not were Condemned already because they believed not in him that Appeared Now the Boldness and Courage and Efficacy of these Messengers Testimony wrought such Astonishment The Courage of the Messengers Fear and Amazement in the Hearts of such as were Ingenuous that many began to be inwardly pricked as in the Days of old and the Foundations of many began to be shaken and some that were asleep were awakened and many that were dead and buried in the Graves of Sin and Formality and Superstition and Idolatry of all Sorts were Alarmed and many were brought in from the Hedges and the High-Ways and the Truth was received by Thousands with great Cheerfulness and a Readiness of Mind and the Feet of those were beheld to be beautiful upon the Mountains that brought the Glad Tidings of these good things And great Lowliness and Simplicity of Heart was upon such that were newly Convinced of the Truth and Deep Humiliation of Spirit and Subjection to the Power both in themselves and in those who were over them in the Lord and had gathered them into the Truth But as it was in the Gatherings of Old so it also fell out in this Day all kept not their first Love As among those Thousands which Moses led out of Egypt and carried through the Red Sea who had sung Praises to God upon the Banks of Salvation many Carcases fell in the Wilderness some who Murmured and longed to return again to the Flesh-pots of Egypt Opposition and and some for Opposing and Contradicting the Servant and Servants of the Lord whom the Lord had made Use of to lead them out of Bondage in saying Ye take too much upon you hath the Lord indeed only spoken by Moses hath he not spoken also by us And as among these Multitudes which were gathered by the Apostles there were many who continued not faithful to the End some returned back again with the Sow to the Puddle after they were washed some embraced the present World some again separated themselves Separation entring being sensual and without the Spirit despising Dominion and speaking Evil of Dignities their Mouths speaking great swelling Words being puffed up and not abiding in these things which they were taught of the Apostles So it is to be lamented that among these many Thousands whom the Apostles and Evangelists whom God raised up in this Day for the gathering of his Seed and People out of spiritual Egypt and Babylon into his pure Light and Life did bring forth and gather there are that have fallen upon the right Hand and the left Some are turned back again into Egypt running into the same Excess of Lust and Riot from whence they were once purified and Redeemed some could not bear the Reproach of the Cross of Christ and were by and anon offended in him some could not bear the Tribulations Sufferings and Persecutions which came for the Truth 's sake and the Seed in them was soon scorched with the Heat of the Day And some not abiding in Subjection to the Truth in themselves were not contented with that Place and Station in the Body which God had placed them in but became vainly puft up in their Fleshly Minds intruding into those things which they have not seen and would needs be Innovators given to Change Innovators causing Divisions and introducing new Doctrines and Practices not only differing but contrary to what was already delivered in the Beginning making Parties causing Divisions and Rents stumbling the weak and denying despising and reviling the Apostles and Messengers of Christ the Elders of the Church who loved not their Lives unto Death but through much Care and Travel and Watchings and Whippings and Bonds and Beatings in daily Jeopardy gathered us by the mighty Power of God in the most pretious Truth Yet in all this there hath nothing befallen us but that which hath been the Antient Lot of the Church of Christ in the Primitive Times Now He that was careful for his Church and People in old times hath not been wanting to us in our Day The good Shepherd of Israel his Care over his Church and People but as he has again Restored the Truth unto its primitive Integrity and Simplicity and as he has delivered our Understandings from these false Doctrines and Principles which prevailed in the Apostacy so he hath not gathered us to be As Sheep scattered without a Shepherd that every one may run his own Way and every one follow his own Will and so to be as a Confused Mass or Chaos without any Order but He even the LORD hath also gathered and is gathering us into the Good Order Discipline and Government of his own Son the Lord Jesus Christ therefore he hath laid Care upon some beyond others who watch for the Souls of their Brethren as they that must give account The several Stations in the Church 1 Cor. 4.15 16 17. There are then Fathers that have begotten us unto Christ Jesus through the Gospel of whom We ought to be Followers and to remember their Ways which be in Christ. There are then Fathers and Children Instructors and Instructed Elders and Young Men yea and Babes there are that cannot cease but must Exhort Instruct Reprove Condemn Judge or else for what End gave Christ the Gifts mentioned Ephes. 4.11 12 And how are the Saints perfected and the Body of Christ Edified of those who come under the Cognizance and as it were the Test of this Order and Government I may chiefly sum them up in three sorts though there be divers others little subdivided Species of them 1. Profane Backsliding Apostates The First is Those that turn openly back to the World again through finding the Way of Truth too narrow These have not been capable to do us any considerable Hurt for being as Salt that has lost its Savour they mostly prove a Stink among those to whom they go And I never knew any of them that proved any ways steadable to those to whom they go I find other Professors make but small Boast of any Proselytes they got out from among us I hear little of their proving Champions for the Principles of others against us And indeed for the most part they lose all Religion with the Truth for I have heard some of them say That if ever they took on them to be Religious they would come back again to the Quakers c. 2. Unwary Repenting Sinners
Secondly Those who through Vnwatchfulness the secret Corruption of their own Hearts and the mysterious or hidden Temptations of the Enemy have fallen into his Snares and so have come under the Power of some Temptation or other either of Fleshly Lusts or of Spiritual Wickedness who being seasonably warned by those that keep their Habitation and faithful Overseers in the Church have been again Restored by unfeigned Repentance not kicking against the Pricks but have rejoiced that others watched over them for their good and are become Monuments of God's Mercy unto this Day 3. Self-separating troublesome Opposers Thirdly Such who being departed from their first Love and Antient Zeal for the Truth become Cold and Lukewarm and yet are ashamed to make open Apostacy and to turn back again so as to deny all the Principles of Truth they having had already such Evidence of Clearness upon their Understanding yet not keeping low in their own Habitations but being puffed up and giving Way to the restless Imaginations of their Exalted and Wandering Minds fall out with their Brethren cause Divisions begin to find Fault with every thing and to look at others more than at themselves with swelling Words to talk of and preach up a higher Dispensation while they are far from living up to the Life and Perfection of this present like unto such who said we will not have this Man to rule over us cry out of Formality and Apostacy because they are not followed in all Things and if they be reproved for their Vnruliness according to the good Order of the Church of Christ then they cry out Breach of Liberty Oppression Persecution we will have none of your Order and Government we were taught to follow the Light in our Consciences and not the Orders of Men. Well of this hereafter but this gave the Rise of this Controversy Which leads me to that which I proposed in the second Place SECTION III. Whether there be now to be any Order or Government in the Church of Christ. IN Answer to this Proposition I meddle not at this Time with those that deny any such Thing as a Church of Christ I have reserved their Plea to another Place Neither need I to be at much Pains to prove the Affirmative to wit That there ought to be Government and Order in the Church of Christ Church-Order and Government granted unto the Generality of our Opposers both Papists and Protestants who readily confess and acknowledge it and have heretofore blamed us for want of it Though now some of them and that of the highest Pretenders are become so unreasonable as to accuse us for the Use of it improving it so far as they can to our Disadvantage For such is the Blindness of partial Envy that whereas the supposed Want of it was once reckoned Heretical now the present Performance of it is counted Criminal These then to whom I come to prove this Thing are such who having cast off the Yoke of the Cross of Christ in themselves refuse all Subjection or Government denying that any such thing ought to be as disagreeing with the Testimony of Truth or those who not being so wilful and obstinate in their Minds yet are fearful or scrupulous in the Matter in respect of the dangerous Consequences they may apprehend such a Thing may draw after it For the clearing then as well the Mistakes of the one as answering the Cavils of the other I judge the Truth of these following Assertions will sufficiently prove the Matter which I shall make no great Difficulty to Evidence First That Jesus Christ the King and Head of the Church Reason I did appoint and ordain that there should be Order and Government in it Secondly That the Apostles and Primitive Christians when they were filled with the Holy Ghost and immediately led by the Spirit of God did Practise and Commend it Thirdly That the same Occasion and Necessity now occurring which gave them Opportunity to exercise that Authority the Church of Christ hath the same Power now as ever and are led by the same Spirit into the same Practices The Abuse makes not void the true Vse As to the First I know there are some that the very Name of a Church and the very Words Order and Government they are affraid of Now this I suppose hath proceeded because of the great Hypocrisy Deceit and Oppression that hath been cloaked with the Pretence of these Things but why should the Truth be neglected because Hypocrites have pretended to it The right Institution of these Things which have been appointed and ordained by God must not nor ought not to be dispised because corrupt Men have abused and perverted them I know not any thing that hath been more abused and perverted in the whole World than the Name of a Christian shall we then renounce that Honourable Title because so many Thousands of Wicked Men yea Antichrists have falsly assumed it to themselves The Man of Sin hath taken upon him to sit in the Temple of God as God yet we must not therefore deny that God is in this Temple If the Synagogue of Satan hath assumed the Name of the Church of Christ and hath termed her Oppression and Violence the Power and Authority thereof therefore must not the Church of Christ and its Authority be exercised where it truly is according to his Mind This I prefix to warn all to beware of stumbling at things which are innocent in themselves and that we may labour to hold the steady even Path of Truth without running in either of the Extreams For that Jesus Christ did appoint Order and Government to be in the Church Church-Order appointed by Christ and the Form thereof is very clear from his plain Words Matth. 18.15 16 17 18. Ver. 15. Moreover if thy Brother shall trespass against thee go tell him his Fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother Ver. 16. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word may be established Ver. 17. 〈…〉 he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church but 〈…〉 neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathenâ—â—â— and a Publican Ver. 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever 〈◊〉 shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever 〈…〉 loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven From which â—cripture it doth manifestly and evidently follow First that Jesus Christ intended there should be a certain Order and Method in his Church in the Procedure towards such as Transgress Secondly That he that refuseth to hear two is become more guilty as hardned than in refusing to hear him that first reproved alone Thirdly That refusing to hear the Judgment of the Church or whole Assembly he doth thereby Exclude himself and shut out himself from being a Member and is justly judged by his Brethren
a double prejudice if they gain it is a too dear Rate even with the Hurt of Truth 's Reputation which their outward Advantage cannot make up If then it be unlawful to do evil that good may come of it even a Spiritual Good far less is it lawful to do a positive Evil of so deep a Dye as to bring an Evil Report upon the good Land and give the Vncircumcised an Occasion to Rejoice out of the Vncertain Hope of an outward Gain it is far better to suffer Loss as the Apostle very well argues in the Place above-mentioned Indeed if there be any such have been or appear to be of us as suppose There is not a wise Man among us all nor an honest Man that is able to judge betwixt his Brethren We shall not covet to meddle in their Matter being perswaded that either they or their Cause is naught Though Praises to God among all those that have gone from us either upon one Account or other I never heard that any were so minded towards us Apostates Testimony concerning us but the most part of them having let in the Offence of some things or persons have had this Vnanimous Testimony concerning us that Generally we are an honest and upright-hearted People But whatever Sense our Enemies or Apostates have of us who look asquint of the Face of Truth and can see nothing aright in those they love not or are prejudicate against This we can say in the last place besides the Reasons and Scripture above declared that the good Fruits and Effects which daily abound to the Houshold of Faith in this as well as the other Parts of the Government the Lord is establishing among us doth more and more Commend it unto us and confirmeth our Hearts in the certain Belief of that which we can confidently testify in good Conscience That God hath led us hereunto by his Spirit and we see the Hand of the Lord herein which in due Time will yet more appear Priests forced Maintenance and Tythes have received a deadly Blow that as through our faithful Testimony in the Hand of the Lord that Antichristian and Apostatized Generation the NATIONAL MINISTRY hath received a deadly Blow by our discovering and witnessing against their Forced Maintenance and Tythes against which we have testified by many Cruel Sufferings of all kinds as our Chronicles shall make known to Generations to come so that their Kingdom in the Hearts of Thousands begins to totter and loose its Strength and shall assuredly fall to the Ground through Truth 's prevailing in the Earth so on the other Hand do we by coming to Righteousness and Innocency weaken the Strength of their Kingdom who judge for Rewards as well as such as preach for Hire and by not ministring Occasion to those who have heaped up Riches and lived in Excess Lust and Riot by feeding and preying upon the Iniquities and Contentions of the People For as Truth and Righteousness prevails in the Earth by our faithful witnessing and keeping to it the Nations shall come to be eased and disburdened of that deceitful Tribe of Lawyers as well as Priests who by their many Tricks and Endless Intricacies have rendered Justice in their Method burdensome to honest Men Lawyers by Tricks and Intricacies foment Controversies and seek not so much to put an End as to foment Controversies and Contentions that they themselves may be still fed and upheld and their Trade kept up Whereas by Truth 's Propagation as many of these Controversies will die by Mens coming to be less Contentious so when any Difference ariseth the Saints giving Judgment without Gift or Reward or running into the Tricks and endless Labyrinths of the Lawyers will soon Compose them And this is that we are perswaded the Lord is bringing about in our Day though many do not and many will not see it because it is indeed in a Way different and contrary to Man's Wisdom who are now despising Christ in his inward Appearance because of the Meanness of it as the Jews of Old did him in his outward yet notwithstanding there were some then that did witness and could not be silent but must testify that he was come Even so now are there Thousands that can set to their Seal that he hath now again the second time Appeared and is appearing in Ten Thousands of his Saints in and among whom as a first Fruits of many more that shall be gathered he is restoring the Golden Age and bringing them into the Holy Order and Government of his own Son Christ's restoring the Golden Age. who is ruling and to rule in the midst of them setting forth the Counsellors as at the Beginning and Judges as at first and establishing Truth Mercy Righteousness and Judgment again in the Earth Amen Hallelujah 3. To take care in the Case of MARRIAGES Thirdly These Meetings take Care in the Case of Marriages that all things be clear and that there may nothing be done in that Procedure which afterwards may prove to the Prejudice of Truth or of the Parties concerned which being an outward Thing that is acknowledged in it self to be lawful of the greatest Importance a Man or a Woman can perform in this World and from the suddain unwary or disorderly Procedure whereof very great Snares and Reproaches may be cast both upon the Parties and the Profession owned by them therefore it doth very fitly among other things when it occurs come to be considered of by the People of God when Met to take Care to preserve all things right and savoury in the Houshold of Faith We do believe our Adversaries that watch for Evil against us would be glad how promiscuously or disorderly we proceeded in this weighty Matter that so they might the more boldly accuse us as Overturners of all Humane and Christian Order But God hath not left us without his Counsel and Wisdom in this Thing nor will he that any should receive Just Occasion against us his People and therefore in this weighty Concern we who can do nothing against the Truth but all for and with a Regard to the Truth have divers Testimonies for the Lord. And 1. Our Testimoniy against Marrying with the Vnbeliever First That we cannot Marry with those that walk not in and obey not the Truth as being of another Judgment or Fellowship or pretending to it walk not suitably and answerably thereto Secondly Nor can we go to the Hireling-Priests to uphold their false and usurped Authority 2. By the Priest who take upon them to marry People without any Command or Precedent for it from the Law of God Lastly Nor can we suffer any such Kind of Marriages to pass among us 3. In forbidden Degrees which either as to the Degrees of Consanguinity or otherwise in it self is unlawful or from which there may be any just Reflection cast upon our Way Test. 1. Against Vnbelievers As to the first Two they
the Body Christ hath called him to and would force him to exercise the same Office he doth though he be not called to it The Breach of Liberty begets Jars and Schisms here is a Breach of Christian Liberty and an Imposing upon it Now all Schisms and Jars fall out in this twofold Respect Either when any Person or Persons assume another or an higher Place in the Body than God will have them to be in and so exercise an Office or go about to perform that which they ought not to do or when as any truly exercising in their Place which God hath given them others rise up and judge them and would draw them from it both of which Cases have been and may be supposed to fall out in the Church of Christ. As 1 Cor. 4.3 4 where some judged Paul wrongously 3 John 9. where one exalting himself above his Place judged whom he ought not We see then what Diversities be most usually in the Church of God consisting in the Difference of the Gift proceeding from the same Spirit and in the divers Places that the several Members have in the same Body for the Edification of it and every one being here in his own Station is standing therein is his Strength and Perfection and to be in another though higher and more eminent would but weaken and hurt him and so in this there ought to be a mutual Forbearance that there may neither be a coveting nor aspiring on the one hand nor yet a despising or condemning on the other Acts of Forbearance in the Primitive Church But besides the Forbearance of this Nature which is most ordinary and universal and for the Exercise whereof there is and will still be a need so long as there is any Gathering or Church of Christ upon the Earth there is a certain Liberty and Forbearance also that is more particular and has a Relation to the Circumstance of Times and Places which will not hold universally whereof we have the Example of the Primitive Church testified by the Scriptures in two or three Particulars The first was in suffering Circumcision to the Jews for a time and not only so but also divers others of the Legal and Ceremonial Purifications and Customs as may appear Acts 21. vers 21 22 23 24 c. The second was in the Observation of certain days Rom. 14.5 And the third In the Abstaining from Meats 1 Cor. 8. throughout Here the Apostle perswades to and recommends a Forbearance because of the Weakness of some for he says not any where nor can it be found in all the Scriptures of the Gospel that these things such Weak ones were exercised in were things indipsensibly necessary or that it had been better for them they had not been under such Scruples providing it had been from a Principle of true Clearness and so of Faith Next again Acts of Forbearance or Condescension under the Law These Acts of Forbearance were done in a Condescension to the Weakness of such upon whom the Ancient and truly deserved in its season Veneration of the Law had such a deep Impression that they could not yet dispense with all its Ceremonies and Customs And to such the Apostle holds forth a twofold Forbearance First A certain Compliance by such Believers as were gathered out from the Jews though they saw over these things 1. To Jews yet it was fit they should Condescend somewhat to their Country-men and Brethren who were Weak Secondly The like Forbearance in the Gentiles 2. To Gentiles not to judge them in these things but we see that it was not allowed for such weak ones to propagate these Scruples or draw others into them and that whenas any of the Churches of the Gentiles who wanted this Occasion would have been exercising this Liberty or pleading for it the Apostle doth down-rightly Condemn it as I shall make appear in all the Three Instances above-mentioned Instances 1 First In that of Circumcision Gal. 5.2 4. 1. Of Circumcision Behold I Paul say unto you that if ye be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Christ is become of none effect unto you Whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from Grace Can there be any thing more positive Might not some here have pretended Tenderness of Conscience and have said Though the Decree of the Apostles do dispense with Circumcision in me yet if I find a Scruple in my self and a Desire to it out of Tenderness why should it be an Evil in me to do it more than in the Jews that believe We see there is no room left here for such Reasoning Inst. 2 Secondly As to Observations Gal. 4.9 10 11. Might not they have answered Of Observations of Days What if we Regard a Day to the Lord must we not then Are not these thy own Words We see that did not hold here because in them it was a Returning to the Beggerly Elements Thirdly As to Meats 1 Tim. 4.3 Here we see that is accounted Inst. 3 a Doctrine of Devils Of Meats which in another respect was Christian Forbearance And therefore now and that in the general respect he gives this Reason Vers. 4. For every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with Thanksgiving of them that believe and know the Truth So we see that in these particular things there is great need of Wariness in the Church of Christ for that sometimes Forbearance under a Pretence of Liberty may be more hurtful than down-right Judging I suppose if any should arise and pretend Conscience and claim a Liberty for Circumcision and the Purifications of the Law whether all Christians would not with one Voice Condemn it And so as to Days and Meats how do the Generality of Protestants Judge it Though I deny not but there may and ought to be a mutual Forbearance in the Church of Christ in certain such Cases which may fall in and a Liberty there is in the Lord which breaks not the Peace of the true Church but in such Matters as I observed at large before both the Nature of the things the Spirit they come from and the Occasion from whence and their Consequence and Tendency is to be carefully observed SECTION VII Concerning the Power of Decision SEeing then it may fall out in the Church of Christ that both some may assume another place in the Body than they ought and others may lay claim to a Liberty and pretend Conscience in things they ought not and that without Question the wrong is not to be tolerated but to be testified against however specious its Appearance may be and that it must and ought to be judged The Question will arise Head III. Who is the proper Judge or Judges in whom resideth the Power of Prop. 2 deciding this Controversy And this is that which I undertook in the next Place to Treat of as being the Specifick Difference and Distinguishing
is so much the better that the Elders and greater Number do agree to it and if Wrong their Affirming of it will not make it Right And truly a Gathering where the Elders and greater Number are always or most frequently Wrong and the Younger and lesser Number Right is such as we cannot suppose the True Church of Christ to be And if any will plead that there is now no Infallible Judgment to be expected from the Spirit of God in the Church it no doubt will leave the Dissenters as much in the Mist and at as great a loss as those they Dissent from both being no better than blind men hitting at random which will turn Christianity into Scepticism And though we may acknowledge that this Vncertainty prevails in the generality of those called Churches yet we do firmly believe for the Reasons above declared and many more that might be given That the True Church of Christ has a more solid stable Foundation and being never separated from Christ her Head walks in a more certain steady and unerring Path. The CONCLUSION THE Substance then of what is Asserted and Proved in this Treatise resolves in these following Particulars A Summary Recollection of the whole First That in the Church of Christ when it Consists of a visible People for I speak not here of the Church in the dark Night of Apostacy that consisted not of any Society visibly united gathered into the Belief of certain Principles and united in the joint Performance of the Worship of God as Meeting together praying preaching c. there is and still must be a Certain Order and Government Secondly That this Government as to the Outward Form of it Consists of Certain Meetings Appointed principally for that End yet not so as to exclude Acts of Worship if the Spirit move thereunto Thirdly The Object of this Government is twofold Outwards and Inwards The Outwards relate mainly to the Care of the Poor of Widows and Fatherless where may be also included Marriages and the Removing of all Scandals in things undeniably wrong The Inwards respect an Apostacy either in Principles or Practices that have a Pretence of Conscience and that either in Denying some Truths already Received and Believed or Asserting New Doctrines that ought not to be Received Which again to subdivide may either be in Things Fundamental 1674 and of great moment or in things of less Weight in themselves yet proceeding from a Wrong Spirit and which in the natural and certain Consequence of them tend to make Schisms Divisions Animosities and in sum to break that Bond of Love and Vnity that is so needful to be upheld and established in the Church of Christ. And here come also under this Consideration all Emulations Strifes Backbitings and evil Surmisings Fourthly That in the True Church of Christ according to the Definition above given of it there will in such Cases of Differences and Controversies still be an Infallible Judgment from the Spirit of God either in one or other few or more Fifthly That this Infallible Judgment is only and unalterably annexed and seated in the Spirit and Power of God not to any particular Person or Persons Meeting or Assembly by vertue of any setled Ordination Office Place or Station that such may have or have had in the Church no Man Men nor Meeting standing or being Invested in any Authority in the Church of Christ upon other Terms than so long as he or they abide in the living Sense and Vnity of the Life in their own particulars which whosoever one or more inwardly departs from ipso facto loses all Authority Office or certain Discerning he or they formerly have had though retaining the true Principles and sound Form and may be not fall'n into any gross Practices as may declare them generally to be thus withered and decayed Sixthly That Jesus Christ under the Gospel hath ordinarily Revealed his Will in such Cases through the Elders and Ministers of the Church or a General Meeting whose Testimony is neither to be despised or rejected without good Cause Neither is their taking upon them Really to Decide any just Ground to charge them with Imposition or to quarrel their Judgment unless it can be proved that they are decayed and have lost their Discerning as above Seventhly That to Submit and Obey in such Cases is no detracting from the Common Priviledge of Christians to be Inwardly led by the Spirit seeing the Spirit has led some heretofore so to do and yet may And that every Pretence of Vnclearness is not a Sufficient Excuse for Disobedience seeing that may proceed from Obstinacy or a Mind prepossessed with Prejudice Yet say I not any ought to do it before they be Clear and who are every Right will not want Clearness in what They ought to do And Lastly That these Principles are no ways tainted with Imposition or contrary to true Liberty of Conscience And that they fundamentally differ from the Vsurpations both of Popery Prelacy and Presbytery or any other of that Nature Robert Barclay Robert Barclay HIS VINDICATION year 1679 WHEREIN The Scruples and Mistakes some have had touching his Book called The Anarchy of the Ranters are Cleared and the Ground upon which W. R's Papers against it are Built Removed the Substance of the Papers being briefly Answered by way of EPISTLE to FRIENDS who therein have or may be Concern'd Which may serve as an EXPLANATORY P0ST-SCRIPT to Robert Barclay's Book of GOVERNMENT Aberdeen-Prison the Sixth of the First Month 1679. Dear Friends and Brethren UNTO all my Dear Friends and Brethren unto whose Hands this Paper may come or who may be any ways more particularly Concerned in the Contents hereof The Salutation of my unfeigned Love in that Vnchangable Truth whereunto it hath pleased the Lord to Call me according to his great Mercy so as to be a Partaker in some measure of the Peace and Glory which in this Day is Revealed wherewith my heart hath been often filled as I have Waited in Faithfulness according to the Dispensation of Light Manifested in me and to me And since it hath pleased God to make me a Living Witness of the pretious Truth and to Commit unto me any Share of the Ministry thereof my Conscience bears me Witness in the sight of God that I have Laboured according to my Knowledge to follow Love and Peace with all my Brethren R. B's Ministry and to do those things which might tend to advance strengthen and confirm Vnity and Brotherly Love as also to Avoid what had a tendency to beget Strife Jealousies or Evil Surmises Likewise I have studied as well in my Publick Testimony His Writings as in my Writings to beware of any thing that to my Understanding might minister just Occasion of Stumbling or Offcence to the least of my Brethren or the youngest and weakest Babe in the Truth as such as are Conversant with me iâ— my own Country as well as those elsewhere where I have
and each of them void of the true Grace of God Votes and whom even supposing them to be gratious they affirm not at all to be led by the Immediate Spirit of Christ which they say is now Ceased Now can there be a greater Difference than is betwixt these Two to wit To Affirm That the power of Decision is in an Assembly of men being Members of which Assembly the Grace of God is no necessary qualification The false Decision and who deny any such thing as to be Immediately led by the Spirit of Christ as a thing not attainable in these days and yet that all Christians must be subject to what the Plurality of such an Assembly so Constituted do determine And to Affirm That the power of Decision is only and alone in the Spirit not necessarily Tied to a General Assembly but if it please God to make use of such an Assembly yet neither to the Plurality of them but in and through such of his Servants The true Decision as he sees meet And that none are Capable or can be supposed to be Members of such an Assembly or esteemed such from whom such a Judgment can be expected or ought to be received unless they be men in whom the Grace of God not only is but hath truly wrought to Mortifie and Regenerate them in a good measure In whom the Judgment of Truth really proceeding from the Spirit will be manifest to all who are truly Faithful who will accordingly Submit thereunto not with respect to the Men but the Authority of God manifested in and thorow them So that such as see not this Judgment aright will be justly Condemnable of God for their not submitting not as if they should be accepted of God if they did Obey before Conviction but because they brought this Blindness upon themselves through their Unfaithfulness and Unwatchfulness which renders them both Guilty of the Blindness and of the Disobedience occasioned by it Now the Vastness of the Difference that is here Manifest cannot but be Obvious to any that will Read and Consider this Impartially and without Prejudice Thus I have passed through all the things that I understood any did Scruple at there being nought else that I remember which is not either Relative to some of the particulars before-mentioned or Included in them But if any Wonder why I have Chosen this Method and not rather made a formal Reply to W. R's Papers I hope these following Reasons will satisfy all sober and truly peaceable-minded Friends who love Truth 's Prosperity more than Jangling as a Sufficient Reason for my so doing Reason I First Forasmuch as the greater part of what W.R. has Writ is wholly built upon the Particulars heretofore mentioned which Particulars being Cleared and his Mistakes therein Removed as his own Letter signifies the Superstructure falls of it self as not touching my Intentions nor yet reaching me but only that Apprehension he supposed to be my Meaning and to follow from my Words for which end he oftentimes is so Wary as to Affirm in his Papers That to his Vnderstanding my Words seemed to Import and my Meaning seems to be so In which things since himself saw and I have manifested his Mistake I am not so great a Lover of Contention as to busie either my self or the Minds of others with the men of straw of his making But yet he was not so Modest nor Kind to his Old Friend but that sometimes he did seek to render my Words Odious albeit the Mistake be his own by a Reiterate Repetition in Repeating that of the Tolerable Supposition of a Church at every Turn above twenty times But also he very obviously Wrests my Words and seeks to Impose upon me a disadvantagious Meaning that he may furnish himself an Occasion thereafter the more Liberally to Smite at me As where from the Apostle's Words saying And we have Confidence ye will do the things we Command you c. and in another place where he desires those to whom he writes to submit themselves to such as rule over them I Infer That some did Appoint and Ordain some things and that there lay an Obligation in point of Duty on others to Obey c. Upon which W. R. very unfairly Observes It is to be doubted his meaning is Others ought to Obey whether they see it their Duty Yea or Nay I leave such dealing to the Reader 's Judgment surely it is not answerable to that Candor and Justice that W. R. lays claim to Secondly Because W. R. in these Papers has taken occasion to extend Reason II himself in long Digressions upon other Matters not treated upon in that Book and takes oft Occasion to Insinuate his Jealousies of Persons and things that I medled not with As where he makes a large Digression which takes up several pages concerning the Constitution of the Second-Days-Meeting at London endeavouring what he can to Represent the Hurt and Abuse of it W. R's Reflections and where he divers times insinuates that some are Vsurpers or seeking to Vsurp a Jurisdiction over the Consciences of the Brethren And that some do believe that God hath raised up some outward Person to be among the Children of Light at this Day as Moses was of old among the Children of Israel c. And that some do lead many into a Temptation to run beyond their Line by procuring a Multitude of Hands to Confirm what is given forth by one or at least by a very few With divers other things of this kind which takes up no small part of his Papers Now these things are not pertinently brought in against me nor would I judge my self less Impertinent to enlarge in a Contest concerning those things which do not Immediately concern the things under Debate since the Person or Persons aimed at by him in these Reflections may take Occasion as they find it their place to Answer and perhaps may have had Opportunity to have discoursed with him divers of those things e're this time upon other Occasions Thirdly Since a Considerable part of W. R's Papers is taken up to Reason III Evidence as he pretends the Impertinent Application I make of the several passages of the Apostles which he thinks I have been too Curious to Collect that make mention of these words Order Rule Command and Government how he Evinces that I leave to the Serious Reader being the more willing to bear his Reflections in that respect that he is so bold when he cannot Compass his Matter otherwise not only to Censure me but the Apostle Paul 's Saying of 1 Tim. 1.19.20 mentioned by me That it is not only not to the purpose Intended by me but that it is not plain to the Purpose Paul himself intended at least to ordinary Capacities Adding That the Method there proposed by the Apostle Answers not that which the Light within tells us Since then the Light he follows is such as finds Fault with the Apostle's
as is hoped solidly Refuted THESES THEOLOGICAE year 1675 To the CLERGY of what Sort soever unto whose hands these may come but more particularly to the Doctors Professors and Students of Divinity in the Vniversities and Schools of Great Britain whether Prelatical Presbyterian or any other Robert Barclay a Servant of the Lord God and one of those who in Derision are called Quakers Wisheth Vnfeigned Repentance unto the Acknowledgment of the Truth FRIENDS UNto You these following PROPOSITIONS are Offered in which they being Read and Considered in the Fear of the Lord you may perceive that Simple Naked Truth which Man by his Wisdom hath rendred so Obscure and Mysterious that the World is even Burthened with the great and Voluminous Tractates which are made about it and by their Vain Jangling and Commentaries by which it is rendred a hundred fold more Dark and Intricate than of it self it is which Great Learning so accounted of to wit your School Divinity which taketh up almost a Man's whole Life-time to learn brings not a-whit nearer to God neither makes any Man less Wicked or more Righteous than he was Therefore hath God laid aside the Wise and Learned and the Disputers of this World and hath chosen a few despicable and Unlearned Instruments as to Letter-learning as he did Fisher-men of old to publish his pure and naked Truth and to free it of these Mists and Fogs wherewith the Clergy hath Clouded it that the People might Admire and Maintain them And among several others whom God hath Chosen to make known these things seeing also have Received in Measure Grace to be a Dispenser of the same Gospel it seemed good unto me according to my Duty to Offer unto You these Propositions which though short yet are Weighty Comprehending much and declaring what the true Ground of Knowledge is even of that Knowledge which leads to Life Eternal which is here witnessed of and the Testimony thereof left unto the Light of Christ in all your Consciences Farewel R. B. The First Proposition Concerning the true Foundation of Knowledge SEeing the Height of all Happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God This is Life Eternal to know the true God and Jesus Christ John 17.3 whom thou hast sent the true and right Understanding of this Foundation and Ground of Knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place The Second Proposition Concerning Immediate Revelation Seeing no Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Matth. 11.27 and seeing the Revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true Knowledge of God hath been is and can be only Revealed Who as by the moving of his own Spirit Converted the Chaos of this World into that Wonderful Order wherein it was in the beginning and Created Man a living Soul to Rule and Govern it so by the Revelation of the same Spirit he hath Manifested himself all along unto the Sons of Men both Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles Which Revelations of God by the Spirit whether by outward Voices and Appearances Dreams or inward Objective Manifestations in the Heart were of old the formal Object of their Faith and remaineth yet so to be since the Object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages though set forth under divers Administrations Moreover these Divine Inward Revelations which we make absolutely Necessary for the building up of true Faith neither do nor can ever Contradict the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or right and sound Reason Yet from hence it will not follow that these Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or of the Natural Reason of Man as to a more noble or certain Rule and Touch-stone For this Divine Revelation and inward Illumination is that which is evident and clear of it self forcing by its own Evidence and Clearness the well-disposed Understanding to Assent irresistibly moving the same thereunto even as the Common Principles of Natural Truths move and incline the mind to a Natural Assent such as are these That the Whole is greater than the Part That two Contradictory Sayings cannot be both true or false Which is also manifest according to our Adversaries Principle who supposing the possibility of inward Divine Revelations will nevertheless Confess with us that neither Scripture nor sound Reason will Contradict it and yet it will not follow according to them that the Scripture or sound Reason should be subjected to the Examination of the Divine Revelations in the heart The Third Proposition Concerning the Scriptures From these Revelations of the Spirit of God to the Saints have proceeded the Scriptures of Truth which contain 1. A faithful Historical Account of the Actings of God's People in divers Ages with many singular and remarkable Providences attending them 2. A Prophetical Account of several things whereof some are already past and some yet to come 3. A full and ample Account of all the chief Principles of the Doctrine of Christ held forth in divers pretious Declarations Exhortations and Sentences which by the moving of God's Spirit were at several times and upon sundry occasions spoken and written unto some Churches and their Pastors Nevertheless because they are only a Declaration of the Fountain and not the Fountain it self therefore they are not to be esteemed the principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledge nor yet the Adequate Primary Rule of Faith and Manners Nevertheless as that which giveth a true and faithful Testimony of the first Foundation they are and may be esteemed a secondary Rule subordinate to the Spirit from which they have all their Excellency and Certainty For as by the Inward Testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them so they testify that the Spirit is that Guide John 16.13 Rom. 8.14 by which the Saints are led into all Truth Therefore according to the Scriptures the Spirit is the first and principal Leader And seeing we do therefore receive and believe the Scriptures because they proceeded from the Spirit therefore also the Spirit is more originally and principally the Rule according to that received Maxim in the Schools Propter quod unumquodque est tale illud ipsum est magis tale Englished thus That for which a thing is such that thing it self is more such The Fourth Proposition Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall All Adam's Posterity or Mankind both Jews and Gentiles Rom. 5.12 15. as to the first Adam or Earthly Man is fallen degenerated and dead deprived of the sensation or feeling of this inward Testimony or Seed of God and is subject unto the Power Nature and Seed of the Serpent which he sows in mens hearts while they abide in this Natural and Corrupted State from whence it comes that not their words and deeds only but all their
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
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
and depraved Condition Which in these Two Propositions is declared and demonstrated which I thought meet to place together because of their Affinity the one being as it were an Explanation of the other As for that Doctrine which these Propositions chiefly strike at to wit Absolute Reprobation that horrible and blasphemus Doctrine described Absolute Reprobation according to which some are not afraid to Assert That God by an Eternal and Immutable Decree hath predestinated to Eternal Damnation the far greater part of Mankind not Considered as Made much less as Fall'n without any respect to their Disobedience or Sin but only for the demonstrating of the Glory of his Justice And that for the bringing this about he hath appointed these miserable Souls necessarily to walk in their wicked ways that so his Justice may lay hold on them And that God doth therefore not only suffer them to be liable to this Misery in many parts of the World by with-holding from them the preaching of the Gospel and knowledge of Christ but even in those places where the Gospel is preached and Salvation by Christ is offered Whom though he publickly Invite them yet he justly Condemns for Disobedience albeit he hath with-held from them all Grace by which they could have laid hold on the Gospel viz. because he hath by a secret Will unknown to all men ordained and decreed without any respect had to their Disobedience or Sin that they shall not Obey and that the Offer of the Gospel shall never prove effectual for their Salvation but only serve to Aggravate and Occasion their greater Condemnation I say as to this horrible and blasphemous Doctrine our Cause is Common with many others who have both wisely and learnedly according to Scripture Reason and Antiquity Refuted it Seeing then that so much and so well is said already against this Doctrine that little can be superadded except what hath been said already I shall be short in this respect Yet because it lies so in Opposition to my Way I cannot let it altogether pass § I. We may safely call this Doctrine a Novelty seeing the first four hundred years after Christ there is no mention made of it for as it is Contrary to the Scriptures Testimony This Doctrine A Novelty and to the Tenor of the Gospel so all the Ancient Writers Teachers and Doctors of the Church pass it over with a profound Silence The first foundations of it were laid in the latter Writings of Augustin The Rise of it who in his heat against Pelagius let fall some Expressions which some have unhappily gleaned up to the establishing of this Error thereby Contradicting the Truth and sufficiently gainsaying many others and many more and freqent Expressions of the same Augâ—stine Afterwards was this Doctrine fomented by Dominicus a Friar and the Monks of his Order and at last unhappily taken up by John Calvin otherwise a man in divers respects to be Commended to the great staining of his Reputation and Defamation both of the Protestant and Christian Religion which though it received the Decrees of the Synod of Dort for its Confirmation hath since lost ground and begins to be Exploded by most Men of Learning and Piety in all Protestant Churches However we should not quarrel it for the Silence of the Ancients paucity of its Assertors or for the Learnedness of its Opposers if we did observe it to have any Real Bottom in the Writings or Sayings of Christ and the Apostles and that it were not highly Injurious to God himself to Jesus Christ our Mediator and Redeemer and to the Power Vertue Nobility and Excellency of his Blessed Gospel and lastly unto all Mankind 1. It 's highly Injurious to God in making him the Author of Sin § II. First It is highly Injurious to God because it makes him the Author of Sin which of all things is most Contrary to his Nature I Confess the Assertors of this Principle deny this Consequence but that is but a pure Illusion seeing it so naturally follows from their Doctrine and is equally ridiculous as if a man should pertinaciously deny that one and two makes Three For if God has Decreed that the Reprobated ones shall perish without all respect to their Evil Deeds but only of his own pleasure and if he hath also Decreed long before they were in Being or in any Capacity to do good or evil that they would walk in those wicked Ways by which as by a secondary means they are led to that end who I pray is the first Author and Cause thereof but God who so willed and decreed This is as natural a Consequence as any can be And therefore although many of the Preachers of this Doctrine have sought out various strange strained and intricate distinctions to defend their Opinion and evite this Horrid Consequence yet some and that of the most Eminent of them have been so plain in the matter as they have put it beyond all doubt Of which I shall Instance a few among many passages * Calv. in cap. 3 Gen. Id. 1. Inst c. 18 Sect. 1 Id. lib. de Praed Idem lib de Provid Id. Inst. cap. 23. Sect. 1. I say that by the Ordination and Will of God Adam fell God would have man to Fall Man is blinded by the Will and Commandment of God We refer the Causes of hardening us to God The highest or remote Cause of hardening is the Will of God It followeth that the hidden Counsel of God is the cause of hardening These are Calvin's Expressions (a) Beza lib. de Praed God saith Beza hath predestinated not only unto damnation but also unto the Causes of it whomsoever he saw meet (b) Id. de Praed ad Art 1. The Decree of God cannot be excluded from the Causes of Corruption (c) Zanch. de Excaecat q. 5. Idem l. 5. de Nat. Dei cap. 2. de Praed It is certain saith Zanchius that God is the First Cause of Obduration Reprobates are held so fast under God's Almighty Decree that they cannot but sin and perish (d) Paraeus lib. 3 de Amiss gratiae cap. 2. Ibid. cap. 1. It is the Opinion saith Paraeus of our Doctors that God did Inevitably decree the Temptation and Fall of man The Creature sinneth indeed necessarily by the most just Judgment of God Our men do most rightly Affirm that the Fall of man was necessary and inevitable by accident because of God's decree (e) Martyr in Rom. God saith Martyr doth incline and force the wills of wicked men into great sins (f) Zuing. lib. de Prov. cap. 5. God saith Zwinglius moveth the Robber to kill He killeth God forcing him thereunto But thou wilt say he is forced to sin I permit truly that he is forced (g) Resp. ad Vorst part 1 p. 120. Reprobate persons saith Piscator are absolutely ordained to this twofold end to undergo everlasting punishment and necessarily to sin and therefore to sin that
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
and is one great reason why a dry dead barren lifeless spiritless Ministry which leavens the people into the same death doth so much abound and is so much over-spreading even the Protestant Nations that their Preachings and Worships as well as whole Conversation is not to be discerned from Popish by any fresh living zeal or lively Power of the Spirit accompanying it but meerly by the difference of some Notions and Opinions Object § XII Some unwise and unwary Protestants do sometimes Object to us That if we have such an immediate Call as we lay claim to we ought to Confirm it by Miracles Answ. But this being an Objection once and again objected to the primitive Protestants by the Papists we need but in short return the Answer to it that they did to the Papists Whether Miracles be now necessary to Confirm the Gospel John Baptist and divers Prophets did none to wit That we need not Miracles because we preach no new Gospel but that which is already Confirmed by all the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles and that we offer nothing but that which we are ready and able to Confirm by the Testimony of the Scriptures which both already acknowledge to be true And that John the Baptist and divers of the Prophets did none that we hear of and yet were both immediately and extraordinarily sent This is the Common Protestant Answer therefore may suffice in this place though if need were I could say more to this purpose but that I study Brevity § XIII There is also another sort of Protestants to wit The English Independents The Constitution of the Independent Church who differing from the Calvinistical Presbyterians and denying the Necessity of this Succession or the Authority of any National Church take another way affirming That such as have the benefit of the Scriptures any Company of People agreeing in the Principles of Truth as they find them there declared may Constitute among themselves a Church without the Authority of any other and may Chuse to themselves a Pastor who by the Church thus Constitute and Consenting is Authorized requiring only the Assistance and Concurrence of the Pastors of the Neighbouring Churches if any be not so much as absolutely Necessary to Authorize as Decent for Order's sake Also they go so far as to affirm That in a Church so Constitute Gifted Brethren any gifted Brother as they call them if he find himself qualified thereto may Instruct Exhort and Preach in the Church though as not having the Pastoral Office he cannot Administer that they Call their Sacraments To this I Answer That this was a good step out of the Babylonish Darkness and no doubt did proceed from a Real Discovery of the Truth and from the sense of a great Abuse of the promiscuous National gatherings Also this Preaching of the Gifted Brethren as they called them did proceed at first from certain Their Loss and Decay lively Touches and Movings of the Spirit of God upon many But alas because they went not forward that is much decayed among them and the Motions of God's Spirit begin to be denied and rejected among them now as much as by others The Scripture gives no Call to persons Individual But as to their pretended Call from the Scripture I Answer The Scripture gives a meer declaration of true things but no Call to particular Persons so that though I believe the things there written to be true and deny the Errors which I find there Testified against yet as to these things which may be my particular duty I am still to seek And therefore I can never be Resolved in the Scripture whether I such a one by name ought to be a Minister And for the Resolving this doubt I must needs recur to the Inward and Immediate Testimony of the Spirit as in the Proposition concerning the Scriptures more at large is shewen § XIV From all this then we do firmly Conclude that not only in a general Apostasy it is needful men be extraordinarily Called and Raised up by the Spirit of God but that even when several Assemblies or Churches are gathered by the Power of God not only into the belief of the Principles of Truth so as to deny Errors and Heresies but also into the Life Spirit and Power of Christianity so as to be the Body and House of Christ indeed and a fit Spouse for him that he who gathers them doth also for the preserving them in a lively fresh and powerful Condition raise up and move among them by the inward immediate Operation of his own Spirit Ministers and Teachers to Instruct and Teach and Watch over them True Ministers Qualifications Call and Title who being thus Called are Manifest in the hearts of their Brethren and their Call is thus verified in them who by the feeling of that life and power that passeth through them being inwardly built up by them daily in the most holy Faith become the Seals of their Apostleship And this is answerable to another saying of the same Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you wards is not weak but is mighty in you So this is that which gives a true substantial Call and Title to a Minister whereby he is a Real Successor of the Virtue Life and Power that was in the Apostles and not of the bare Name Their Laying on of hands a Mock of God and Man a Keeping up the Shadow whilst Substance is a-wanting and to such Ministers we think the outward Ceremony or Ordination or laying on of hands not necessary neither can we see the Vse of it seeing our Adversaries who use it acknowledge that the Virtue and Power of Communicating the Holy Ghost by it is Ceased among them And is it not then foolish and ridiculous for them by an Apish Imitation to keep up the Shadow where the Substance is wanting And may not they by the same Rule where they see blind and lame men in Imitation of Christ and his Apostles bid them see and walk yea is it not in them a mocking of God and Men to put-on their hands and bid men Receive the Holy Ghost while they believe the thing Impossible and Confess that that Ceremony hath no real Effect Having thus far spoken of the Call I shall proceed next to treat of the Qualifications and Work of a true Minister § XV. As I have placed the True Call of a Minister in the Motion of Quest. II this Holy Spirit so is the power life and virtue thereof The Quâ—lifications of a Minister and the pure Grace of God that comes therefrom the Chief and most Necessary Qualification without which he can no ways perform his Duty neither acceptably to God nor beneficially to men Our Adversaries in this case affirm that three things go to the making up of a Minister viz. 1. Natural Parts § I. Philosophy and School-Divinity will never
and to some less so they may use it accordingly The several Conditions Education differs accordingly under which men are diversly stated together with their Edcuations answering thereunto do sufficiently shew this The Servant is not the same way educated as the Master nor the Tenant as the Landlord nor the Rich as the Poor nor the Prince as the Peasant Now though it be not lawful for any however great Abundance they may have or whatever their Education may be to use that which is meerly superfluous yet seeing their Education has accustomed them thereunto and their Capacity enables them so to do without being profuse or extravagant they may use things better in their kind than such whose Education hath neither accustomed them to such things nor their Capacity will reach to compass them The lawful or unlawful Use of the Creation For it is beyond question that what ever thing the Creation affords is for the use of man and the moderate use of them is lawful yet per accidens they may be unlawful to some and not to others As for instance who by reason of his Estate and Education hath been used to eat Flesh and drink Wine to be cloathed with the finest Wool if his Estate bear it and he use it neither in superfluity nor immoderately he may do it and perhaps if he should apply himself to feed or be cloathed as are the Peasants it might prejudice the health of his Body and nothing advance his Soul But if a man whose Estate and Education had accustomed to both courser Food and Raiment should stretch himself beyond what he had or were used to to the manifest prejudice of his Family and Children no doubt it would be unlawful to him even so to Eat or be Cloathed as another in whom it is lawful for that that other may as much mortified and have denied himself as much in coming down to that which this aspires to as he in willing to be like him aspires beyond what he either is able or hath accustomed to do The safe place then is for such as have fulness to watch over themselves that they use it moderately and rescind all superfluities being willing so far as they can to help the need of those to whom Providence hath allotted a smaller Allowance The Rich to help the Needy Let the Brother of high degree rejoyce in that he is abased and such as God calls in a low degree to be content with their Condition not envying those Brethren who have greater abundance knowing they have received abundance as to the inward Man which is chiefly to be regarded And therefore beware of such a Temptation as to use their Calling as an Engine to be richer knowing they have this Advantage beyond the Rich and Noble that are called that the Truth doth not any ways abase them nay not in the Esteem of the World as it doth the other but that they are rather exalted thereby in that as to the Inward and Spiritual Fellowship of the Saints they become the Brethren and Companions of the Greatest and Richest and in this respect let him of low degree rejoice that he is exalted These things premised I would seriously propose unto all such as mind in reality to be Christians indeed and that in Nature and not in Name only Whether it were not desirable and would not greatly contribute to the Commendation of Christianity and to the increase of the Life and Vertue of Christ If all superfluous Titles of Honour Profuseness and Prodigality in Meat and Apparel Excess of Gaming Sporting and Playing were laid aside and forborn And whether such as lay them aside in so doing walk not more like the Disciples of Christ and his Apostles and are therein nearer their Example than such as use them Whether the laying them aside would hinder any from being good Christians Or if Christians might not be better without them than with them Certainly the Sober and Serious among all Sorts will say Yea. Then surely such as lay them aside as reckoning them unsuitable for Christians are not to be blamed but rather commended for so doing Because that both in Principle and Practice they effectually advance that which others acknowledge were desirable but can never make effectual so long as they allow the Use of them as lawful And God hath made it manifest in this Age that by discovering the Evil of such things and leading his Witnesses out of them and to testifie against them he hath produced effectually in many that Mortification and Abstraction from the Love and Cares of this World who daily are conversing in the World but inwardly redeemed out of it both in Wedlock and in their lawful Imploiments which was judged could only be obtained by such as were shut up in Cloisters and Monasteries Thus much in general § III. As to the first we affirm positively That it is not lawful for Christians either to give or receive these Titles of Honour as Your Holiness Your Majesty your Excellency your Eminency c. First Because these Titles are no part of that Obedience Titles which is due to Magistrates or Superiors neither doth the giving them add to nor diminish from that Subjection we ow to them which consists in obeying their just and lawful Commands not in Titles and Designations Secondly We find not that in the Scripture any such Titles are used either under the Law or the Gospel under the Law and Gospel but that in the speaking to Kings Princes or Nobles they use only a simple Compellation as 0 King and that without any further Designation save perhaps the Name of the Person as O King Agrippa c. Thirdly Lying Titles It lays a Necessity upon Christians most frequently to Lie because the Persons obtaining these Titles either by Election or Hereditarily may frequently be found to have nothing really in them deserving them or answering to them as some to whom it is said Your Excellency having nothing of Excellency in them And who is called Your Grace appears to be an Enemy to Grace And he who is called Your Honour is known to be Base and Ignoble I wonder what Law of Man or what Patent ought to oblige me to make a Lye in calling Good Evil and Evil Good Patents do not oblige to a Lye I wonder what Law of Man can secure me in so doing from the just Judgment of God that will make me count for every idle Word and to Lie is something more Surely Christians should be ashamed that such Laws manifestly crossing the Law of God should be among them If it be said We ought in Charity to suppose Object that they have these Vertues because the King has bestowed those Titles upon them or that they are descended of such as deserved them I answer Charity destroys not Knowledge I am not obliged by Charity either to believe or speak a Lie Now it is apparent Answ. and cannot be denied by
answer It is ordinary for the Prophets to express the greatest duties of Evangelical times in Mosaical terms as appears among others from Jer. 31.38 39 40. Ezek. 36.25 and 40. and Isa. 45.23 I have sworn by my self that unto me every Knee shall bow every Tongue shall swear Where the Righteousness of the New Jerusalem the purity of the Gospel with its Spiritual worship and the profession of the Name of Christ are expressed under forms of speaking used to Old Jerusalem under the washings of the Law under the names of Ceremonies the Temple Services Swearing is expressed by Confessing under the Gospel Sacrifices Oaths c. Yea that which the Prophet speaks here of Swearing the Apostle Paul interprets it expresly of Confession saying Rom. 14.11 For it is written As I live saith the Lord every Knee shall bow to me and every Tongue shall Confess to God Which being rightly considered none can be ignorant but these words which the Prophet writes under the Law when the Ceremonial Oaths were in use to wit Every Tongue shall swear were by the Apostle being under the Gospel when those Oaths became abolished expressed by Every Tongue shall Confess Object Tenthly they object But the Apostle Paul approves Oaths used among men when he writes Heb. 6.16 For men verily swear by the Greater and an Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife But there are as many contests fallacies and diffidences at this time as there were ever Therefore the necessity of Oaths doth yet remain Answ. I answer The Apostle tells indeed in this place what men at that time did who lived in Controversies and Incredulity not what they ought to have done nor what the Saints did who were redeemed from Strife and Incredulity and had come to Christ Strife ceasing Oaths cease the Truth and Amen of God Moreover he only alludes to a certain Custom usual among men that he might express the firmity of the Divine Promise that he might excite in the Saints so much the more Confidence in God promising to them not that he might instigate them to Swear against the Law of God or confirm them in that no not at all for neither doth 1 Cor. 9.24 teach Christians the vain Races whereby men often times even to the destruction of their Bodies are wearied to obtain a corruptible prize So neither doth Christ who is the Prince of Peace teach his Disciples to fight albeit he takes notice Luke 14.31 what it behoveth such Kings to do who are accustomed to fight as prudent Warriors therein Secondly as to what pertains to Contests Perfidies and Diffidences among men which our Adversaries affirm to have grown to such an hight that Swearing is at present as necessary as ever Deceit among the False not the True Christians That we deny not at all for we see and daily experience teacheth us that all manner of deceit and malice doth increase among worldly men and False Christians but not among True Christians But because Men cannot trust one another and therefore require Oaths one of another it will not therefore follow that True Christians ought to do so whom Christ has brought to true Faithfulness and Honesty as well towards God as one towards another and therefore has delivered them from Contests Perfidies and consequently from Oaths Eleventhly They object We grant Object That among true Christians there is not need of Oaths but by what Means shall we infallibly know them It will follow then That Oaths are at present Needful and that it is Lawful for Christians to Swear to wit that such may be satisfied who will not acknowledge this and the other Man to be a Christian. I answer It is no ways lawful for a Christian to Swear whom Christ hath called to his essential Truth Answ. which was before all Oaths forbidding him to swear and on the contrary commanding him to speak the Truth in all things to the Honour of Christ who called him that it may appear Truth was before Oaths That the Words of his Disciples may be as truly believed as the Oaths of all other worldly Men. Neither is it lawful for them to be Vnfaithful in this that they may please others for that they may avoid their Hurt For thus the Primitive Christians for some Ages remained faithful who being required to swear did unanimously answer I am a Christian I swear not What shall I say of the Heathens some of whom arrived to that Degree For Diodorus Siculus relates lib. 16. That the giving of the Right Hand was among the Persians a sign of speaking the Truth And the Scythians as Qu. Curtius relates said in their Conferences with Alexander the Great Think not that the Scythians confirm their Friendship by Swearing they swear by keeping their Promises Stobaeus in his third Sermon tells That Solomon said A good Man ought to be in that Estimation that he need not an Oath because it is to be reputed a lessening of his Honour if he be forced to Swear Pythagoras in his Oration among other things hath this Maxim Heathen-Testimonies against Oaths as that which concerns the Administration of the Common-wealth Let no Man call God to witness by an Oath no not in Judgment but let every Man so accustom himself to speak that he may become worthy to be trusted even without an Oath Basil the Great commends Clinias an Heathen That he had rather pay three Talents which are about three thousand Pound than swear Socrates as Stobaeus relates Serm. 14. had this Sentence The Duty of Good Men requires that they shew to the World that their Manners and Actions are more firm than Oaths The same was the Judgment of Isocrates Plato also stood against Oaths in his Judgments de Leg. 12. Quintilianus takes notice That it was of old a kind of Infamy if any was desired to swear but to require an Oath of a Noble-Man was like an examining him by the Hang-man Marcus Aurelius Antonius the Emperour of Rome saith in his Description of a Good Man Such is his Integrity that he needs not Oaths So also some Jews did witness as Grotius relates out of Maimonides It is best for a Man to abstain from all Oaths The Esseans as Philo Judaeus relates did esteem their Words more firm than Oaths and Oaths were esteemed among them as needless Things And Philo himself speaking of the Third Commandment explains his Mind thus viz. It were better altogether not to Swear but to be accustomed always to Speak the Truth that naked Words might have the Strength of an Oath And elswhere he saith It is more agreeable to Natural Reason altogether to abstain from Swearing perswading that whatsoever a good Man saith may be equivalent with an Oath Oaths abrogated by Christ. Who then needs further to doubt but that since Christ would have his Disciples attain the highest Pitch of Perfection he abrogated Oaths as a Rudiment of Infirmity and in place
thereof established the Use of Truth Who can now any more think that the Holy Martyrs and antient Fathers of the first three hundred Years and many others since that Time have so opposed themselves to Oaths that they might only rebuke vain and rash Oaths by the Creatures or Heathen-Idols which were also prohibited under the Mosaical-Law and not also Swearing by the True God in Truth and Righteousness which was there commanded As Polycarpus Justin Martyr The Testimonies of the Fathers against Oaths and Swearing Apolog. 2. and many Martyrs as Eusebius relates Tertullian in his Apolog. cap. 32. ad Scap. cap. 1. of Idolatry c. 11. Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. lib. 7. Origen in Matth. tract 25. Cyprianus lib. 3. Athanas. in pass cruc Domini Christi Hilarius in Matth. 5.34 Basilius Magn. in Psal. 14. Greg. Nyssenus in Cant. Orat. 13. Greg. Nazianzenus in dialog contra juramenta Epiphanius adversus haeres lib. 1. Ambros. de Virg. lib. 3. Idem in Matth. 5. Chrysostom in Genes homil 15. Idem homil in Act. Apost cap. 3. Hieronymus Epistol lib. part 3. Ep. 2. Idem in Zach. lib. 2. cap. 8. Idem in Matth. lib. 1. cap. 5. Augustinus de serm Dom. serm 28. Cyrillus in Jerem. 4. Theodoretus in Deut. 6. Isidorus Pelusiota Ep. lib. 1. Epist. 155. Chromatius in Matth. 5. Johannes Damascenus l. 3. c. 16. Cassiodorus in Psal. 94. Isidorus Hispalensis cap. 31. Antiochus in Pandect script hom 62. Beda in Jac. 5. Haimo in Apoc. Ambrosius Ansbertus in Apoc. Theophylactus in Matth. 5. Pascasius Ratbertus in Matth. 5. Otho Brunsfelsius in Matth. 5. Druthmarus in Matth. 5. Euthymius Eugubinus Bibliotheca vet patr in Matth. 5. OEcumenius in Jac. c. 5. v. 12. Anselmus in Matth. 5. Waldenses Vâ—clevus Erasmus in Matth. 5. in Jac. 5. Who can read these Places and doubt longer of their Sense in this Matter And who believing that they were against all Oaths can bring so great an indignity to the Name of Christ as to seek to subject again his Foâ—lowers to so great an Indignity Is it not rather Time that all Good Men labour to remove this Abuse and Infamy from Christians Lastly they object This will bring in Fraud and Confusion for Impostors will counterfeit Probity and under the Benefit of this Dispensation will be without Fear of Punishment I answer There are two things only Answ. which oblige a Man to speak the Truth First Either the Fear of God in his Heart and Love of Truth for where this is there is no need of Oaths to speak the Truth Or Secondly the Fear of Punishment from the Judge Therefore let there be the same The punishment of Lyars or rather greater Punishment appointed to those who pretend so great Truth in Words and so great simplicity in Heart that they cannot Lie and so great Reverence towards the Law of Christ that for Conscienceâ—sake they deny to Swear in any wise if they fail and so there shall be the same good Order yea greater Security against Deceivers as if Oaths were continued and also by that more severe Punishment to which these false Dissemblers shall be liable Hence Wicked Men shall be more terrified and Good Men delivered from all Oppression both in their Liberty and Goods For which Cause for their tender Consciences God hath often a Regard to Magistrates and their State as a thing most acceptable to him But if any can further doubt of this Thing to wit The Vnited Netherlands instanced If without Confusion it can be practised in the Commonwealth let him consider the State of the Vnited Netherlands and he shall see the Good Effect of it For there because of the great Number of Merchants more than in any other place there is most frequent Occasion for this thing and though the Number of those that are of this Mind be considerable to whom the States these hundred Years have Condescended and yet daily Condescend yet nevertheless there has nothing of Prejudice followed thereupon to the Commonwealth Government or good Order but rather great Advantage to Trade and so to the Commonwealth § XIII Sixthly The last thing to be considered is Revenge and War an Evil as opposite and contrary to the Spirit and Doctrine of Christ as Light to Darkness For as is manifest Revenge and War contrary to Christ. by what is said through Contempt of Christ's Law the whole World is filled with various Oaths Cursings Blasphemous Profanations and Horrid Perjuries so likewise through Contempt of the same Law the World is filled with Violence Oppression Murders Ravishing of Women and Virgins Spoilings Depredations Burnings Vastations and all manner of Lasciviousness and Cruelty So that it is strange that Men made after the Image of God should have so much degenerated that they rather bear the Image and Nature of Roaring Lions Tearing Tigres Devouring Wolves and Raging Boars than of Rational Creatures endued with Reason And is it not yet much more admirable that this Horrid Monster should find Place and be fomented among those Men that profess themselves Disciples of our peaceable Lord and Master Jesus Christ who by Excellency is called the Prince of Peace and hath expresly prohibited his Children all Violence and on the contrary commanded them that according to his Example they should follow Patience Charity Forbearance and other Vertues worthy of a Christian. Hear then what this great Prophet saith whom every Soul is commanded to hear under the Pain of being Cut off Matth. 5. from verse 38. to the End of the Chapter For thus he saith Ye have heard Revenge Forbidden by Christ. that it hath been said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth But I say unto you That ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat let him have thy cloak also And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile go with him twain Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thine enemy But I say unto you Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust For if ye love them which love you what reward have ye Do not even the Publicans the same And if ye salute your brethren only what do you more than others Do not even the Publicans so Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect The Law of Christ more perfect than of that Moses These Words with a Respect to Revenge as the
of ordinary Capacity that are not educated in Colledges may understand them V. As for Retortions they must not be impertinent and from the purpose and none shall be so insisted on as to divert us from the Point or turn the Opponent into the Respondent VI. The Day appointed for the Conference is the fourteenth of April in the Year One thousand six hundred seventy five being the Day called Wednesday the Place is to be at Alexander Harper 's House or Close in case the Gray-Fryers Church so called cannot be obtained and that the Conference is to continue from two to five a Clock in the Afternoon VII Both Parties shall endeavour to procure a Praeses to Moderate but not to have any Decisive Judgment yet if such a one cannot be procured the Conference is not to be broken up VIII And it is hereby declared That both Parties intend this for Mutual Edification and therefore intend to abstain from any thing that may obstruct so good an Event IX It is likewise agreed that none shall have Liberty to speak but those that have or shall subscribe before the Dispute begin these aforesaid Articles HEre Alex. Skein one of our Friends chosen Praeses for Us because we could not at that time procure another standing up with the other Praeses Student It was condescended That no Quaker should be a Praeses Quaker We are wronged for we never condescended to any such thing And seeing ye have chosen one of Your Way how can we be hindred to choose one of Ours Andr. Thomson their Praeses There needs no debate in this matter for we are chosen not to have any Decisive Judgment but only for the Moral Part to take notice if the Rules be observed or whether ye keep to the Purpose Then John Leslie had a long and tedious Discourse concerning what was fit to be done and how we ought to Dispute G. K. Praeses I suppose we came not to this Place to hear from this Young-Man a long Logick Discourse R. B. I desire to be heard We being a People so generally mis-represented as Heretical and Erroneous did conceive our selves obliged to give a True and Faithful Account of our Principles which I did in a certain Paper now under debate And that our Innocency therein might appear there was a Challenge added to the end of it offering to defend these our Principles if we might be allowed so to do in these Publick Places where we have been so much misrepresented and against those Persons who had there so often traduced us To which having received no Answer some of the Students of Divinity came to us and signified that they looked upon themselves as concerned because mention is made of such in the beginning of that Paper To whom we answered That they were not the Persons Challenged by Us as not being the Publick Preachers that had mis-represented Us But seeing they were desirous to debate the matter we were not unwilling to render to any a Reason of the Hope that is in us and therefore should not decline it And forasmuch as some did object that we were at a loss as engaging with them because there would be little Advantage in case we had any Victory and a greater Reflection should we appear to be at any loss To such we had and have this to say That as we are not afraid to meet with the Greatest and Ablest of the Preachers themselves so the Truth leads us not to Despise any As R. B. was going on he was interrupted Alex. Shirreff If it were pertinent I could easily disprove much of what is said but to be short R. B. having given Theses provoking all the Scholars of Europe and Great Brittain though R. B. pretends in his Preface to be against School-Divinity yet his Theses are full of it and there are many other Contradictions which I will not now take notice of The Preachers and Ministers of the Word not finding themselves concerned we Young-Men and but Students have offered to Dispute In the Articles the Quakers have been very unreasonable and particularly G. K. did refuse any Article should be put in against Railing because he said That might be Railing in me which was not in him because he to wit G. K. was immediately led by the Spirit We have concluded that being Young-Men in case the Quakers should have any Advantage it will not be of great Consequence and if we have Advantage we hope it may be useful because these are the great Prophets and Preachers of the Quakers G.K. I could take notice of many things not true in that Young-Man's long Discourse And it may here be observed that afterwards J. L. speaking reflectingly against the Quakers said It was no Railing to speak the Truth which was all he pleaded for as particularly that R. B. hath provoked all Europe but I pass them by because I am here exceedingly abused and therefore desire to be heard For I declare in God's Fear and in singleness of my Heart I never said any such thing as is by that Young-Man alledged upon me as I can Appeal to the Auditors who were there present But what I said was this I cannot bind my self not to Rail because I 'me bound already that I should not Rail by the Righteous Law of God in my Conscience and may perhaps speak that as believing it to be true which ye may call Railing A. Shir. I being chiefly concerned and having mostly occasioned this Debate am Employed by the rest to speak first and therefore I will Impugn the Second Thesis Which R. B. read and is as followeth Seing no Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him Second Thesis Matt. 11.27 And seeing the Revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true Knowledge of God hath been is and can be only Revealed who as by the moving of his own Spirit converted the Chaos of this World into that wonderful Order wherein it was in the beginning and created Man a living Soul to rule and govern it so by the Revelation of the same Spirit he hath made manifest himself all-a-long unto the Sons of Men both Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles which Revelations of God by the Spirit whether by outward Voices and Appearances Dreams or inward objective Manifestations in the Heart was of old the formal Object of their Faith and remaineth yet so to be since the Object of the Saints Faith is the same in all Ages though set forth under divers Administrations Moreover these Divine inward Revelations which we make absolutely necessary for the building up true Faith neither do nor can ever Contradict the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or right and sound Reason yet from hence it will not follow that the Divine Revelations are to be subjected to the Examination either of the outward Testimony of the Scriptures or of the Natural Reason of
Testimony of Moses and the Prophets even than John who was the greatest But when we produce the Testimony of Moses and the Prophets and Apostles as an Evidence to the Truth of what we affirm I say it should be received by our Adversaries who own the Scriptures as their Chief and Only Rule For either they should Receive it or not Receive it if they should Receive it then they are faulty who in the late Dispute at Aberdeen did refuse to Receive the Evidence of the Scriptures as from us only because we say We have a greater to wit that of the Spirit within us although we own the Scripture as the greatest Visible and outward Evidence that we can give to our Adversaries If they should not Receive the Scripture-Evidence and Testimony as from us because we say we have a Greater to wit that of Christ himself immediately in us by his Spirit then they must needs also say for the same Reason That the Jews ought not to receive the Testimony of the Scriptures as an Evidence for Christ because he said He had a Greater And certainly he had a greater though they would not receive it nor could not as they stood in their Prejudice and Malice wherewith they were filled against him who did not receive him Now this I say with Freedom and Boldness of Spirit to all those whether Papists Anabaptists Prelatical or Presbyterian Professors who with one Mouth require of us an Evidence that we are Inspired or have a Measure of the Inspiration of the Spirit of God and Christ in us I offer unto all of you the Scriptures for an Evidence of this Truth viz. That the Quakers so called have a Measure of the Inspiration of the Spirit of God and Christ in them For according to the Scriptures-Testimony Christ the true Light enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World and his Illumination is his Inspiration I profess sincerely in God's Fear That the Scriptures-Testimony is to me as full and plain and Convincing to prove this Truth viz. That an Illumination Manifestation and Inspiration of the Spirit of God is given to every Man is in every Man as to prove this Truth That Christ who according to the Flesh was born of the Virgin Mary was the promised Messiah Now if we can prove from Scripture That all Men have in them a Measure of this Divine Illumination and Inspiration by the Spirit of Christ we have gained our Point which is That we have also a Measure of the same in us for ALL MEN doth comprehend Vs called Quakers as well as other Men I see not what our Adversaries can with any Colour Object against this Evidence from Scripture but this That they will deny that the Scripture bears Testimony to this Vniversal Illumination or Inspiration of the Spirit of God in Men. But this brings the Matter of the Debate from being Personal to be Doctrinal and so puts us upon equal Terms at least with all our Adversaries especially Prelatical Anabaptist and Presbyterian and Independent Opposers whatsoever who say The Scriptures are their chief and only Rule And though our Adversaries say The Scripture doth not testifie to that Universal Inspiration of the Spirit of Christ in Men that moveth us not more than when the Jews denied That the Scriptures bore Testimony to him that was born of the Virgin Mary to be the Christ. We are able by the help of God to prove from Scripture the Truth of this Doctrine of Divine Illumination and Inspiration in all Men and consequently in the Quakers as much as they or any professing Christianity upon Earth can prove any Principle or Doctrine of their Faith Secondly We are able and do offer by the Grace of God against all our Opposers whatsoever to prove from the Scriptures-Testimony That this Universal Inspiration and Illumination of Christ by his Spirit in Men is a sufficient Evidence of Truth and Rule of Faith and Life in all Men and consequently in us called Quakers Thirdly that this Divine Inspiration and Illumination where it is not wilfully resisted and rejected but regarded and attended is a Greater Evidence than the Scripture is and witnessed by the Scriptures Fourthly and yet the Scripture is the Greatest Visible and Outward Evidence that either we or they can give of their Rule I shall conclude with a reasonable Demand to these Young-Men Masters of Arts their Masters and Teachers which is this Whether they own these Assertions Affirmations and Arguments of their Scholars in the late Dispute as followeth viz. That whatever is of God is God That the Scriptures according to the Quakers are Fallacious and can beguile us That the Baptism with the Holy Ghost is ceased And the rest of their Discourse inserted in this foregoing Treatise If Yea Let them declare so much to the People who are greatly stumbled at these their Expressions even divers of their own Church If Nay then let them publickly Reprove and Disown those Words otherwise not only we but many others will say Ye have both taught and allowed them so to Affirm G. K. Quakerism Confirmed OR A VINDICATION Of the Chief DOCTRINES and PRINCIPLES Of the PEOPLE called QUAKERS FROM THE Arguments and Objections of the Students of Divinity so called of Aberdeen in their Book entituled QVAKERISM CANVASED BY ROBERT BARCLAY AND GEORGE KEITH 2 Tim. 3.9 But they shall proceed no further for their Folly shall be manifest to all Men c. London Printed for Tho. Northcott 1691. Friendly Reader 1676. HAD we not more Regarded the Interest of the Truth for whose sake we can shun no Abasement than the Significancy of those with whom we have this Rencountre we should have rather chused to be silent than Answer them they being of so small Reputation among their own that neither Teachers nor People will hold themselves Accomptable for any of their Positions and seem zealous to have it believed they would not bestow Time to Read it nor yet hold themselves obliged to Approve it However since we certainly know That in the Second Part of their Book to which this Reply is they have scraped together most of the Chief Arguments used against us and borrowed not a little from G. M's Manuscripts with whose Work that yet appears not we have been these seven Years menaced Which like the Materials of a Building managed by Unskilful Workmen though they be by them very confusedly put together yet being the chief Things can be said against us we have throughly handled for the Reader 's Satisfaction which may be Serviceable to the Truth without Respect to the Insignificancy of those against whom it is written As for the first Part of their Book we have also Answered it but distinct from this it consisting of many Particularities of Matters of Fact which perhaps might have proved tedious to many Readers that may by This be Edified and think it of no great Consequence that the Students are proved Liars which even many
only year 1675 That God spake unto Cain a most wicked Man but also unto Satan Job 1. which speaking of God to Satan we suppose the Students will not say was by an outward Voice and consequently it was Internal But we ask them If all wicked Professors of Christianity should burn the Bible and destroy all outward Rules and Means of Knowledge Should they by this Means cease to Sin because they should have no Rule Or should they be excused from Gospel-Duties because they have no Rule by this Supposition according to the Students to require them In their Second Subsection they spend both their Strength and Paper in labouring to prove some things which we no wise deny as the Sequel of their Major § 14. But in the Proof of their Minor where the whole Stress lieth they utterly fail in both its Branches as we shall briefly shew As to the first they Argue thus They know no such Inward Objective Evidence of Inward Revelations of the Spirit in themselves therefore they have none such We deny the Consequence they see it not nor know it because they will not Their Prejudice against the Truth doth blind them and indispose their Understanding Yea might not the unbelieving Jews have reasoned the same way against Christ when he was outwardly present with them We do not know him to be Christ Therefore he is not Christ Again whereas they query in a scoffing way Can a thing that is self-evident he hid from the whole World except a few Illuminado's We answer If it were hid from the whole World except a few in comparison of others it is no more than what the Scripture saith That the whole World lieth in Wickedness And their Wickedness blindeth them that they do not see the Light that is in them Yet we could Instance many The Self-Evidence of Inspiration who are not Quakers so called both Christians and Gentiles who have acknowleded the Evidence and Certainty of Divine Inspiration in all Men as the surest Ground of Knowledge But we need not digress into this here we have enough besides to stop their Mouths For do not they say That the Scriptures have a Self-Evidence and yet are not the Scriptures and the Truths declared in them hid from the greatest part of the World The Mahometans reject both Old and New Testament and the Jews the New although they read them And yet according to our Adversaries they have Self-Evidence So that it is Evident the same Argument is as much against the Scripture as the Light within in Point of Self-Evidence and indeed much more seeing many who deny the Self-Evidence of the Scriptures even Heathens have a Knowledge of the Self-Evidence of Divine Inspiration as Socrates Plato Plotinus Phocylides Seneca and many others And here in the close being sensible of their Weakness after they have laboured to prove the Negative they tell us That seeing the Negative is theirs they are not bound to prove it And so would roll it over on us to prove the Affirmative against their own Law which would have us to be meer Defendents As to the Maxim Affirmanti incumbit probatio it doth not help them for they have Affirmed a Negative and have been at great Pains to prove it But all in vain And why may we not put them to prove their Minor year 1676 being a Negative as well as their Master J. M. put the Jesuit Dempster to prove his Minor which John Meinzies affirmed to be Negative In their Prosecution of the Second Branch they Affirm That the Q. cannot give any sufficient Evidence of their Revelations This we deny and put them to prove it But how shamefully they fail here is apparent For instead of proving of what they Affirm they put us to prove the Contradictory and so contrary to their own Law would urge us to be Impugners and Defenders at one time a silly Trick they learned from the Baptists in their Dispute at London The Spirit 's Real and Convincing Evidence as indeed the Students Argument about an Evidence is the same upon the Matter with that which the Baptists used against us at London long before them and which the Jesuit used against J. M. long before them both So that we may see what Sort of Patrons the Students here follow But it is well to be observed That when they seek an Evidence from us they tell us pag. 57. They mean not an Evidence which will actually and de facto Convince a pertinacious Adversary but an Objective Evidence or Clearness in the thing it self which is apta nata fit of its own Nature to Convince and will really Convince the well-disposed Very well this their plain Concession destroyeth their whole Building For seeing they press upon us by way of Dilemma Either we have the Spirit of God or we have it not which is J. L. his Argument We may very lawfully by his own Example press him and his Fellow-Students with the like Argument Either they have a well-disposed Mind or they have not If they say they have not then they confess they are a Pertinacious Adversary and so not capable to be Convinced of our Evidence and surely it were great Folly in us to seek to Convince them of the Truth of a thing who are not in a Capacity to be Convinced If they say They have a well-disposed Mind then let them prove it to us or give us an Evidence of it Seeing by their own Rule Affirmanti incumbit probatio Who is so weak that doth not see that they are intangled in the same Difficulty they would urge upon us Yea into a far greater For they cannot so much as pretend to any Objective Evidence whereby to Convince us that they are well-disposed seeing they altogether deny such a thing If they Answer That they are not bound to say either the Affirmative or Negative but require of us to prove the Negative who seeth not that we have the same to Reply unto them when they urge us Either the Q. have the Spirit or they have not that we are not bound to say either the Affirmative or Negative For although to have and not to have are Contradictory yet to say that we have the Spirit and that we have not the Spirit are not Contradictory being both Affirmative And indeed when we assert Things only in Thesi we do not say either that we have or have not the Spirit but this we say and we are able to prove from Scripture that all good Christians have the Spirit of God immediately to Teach and Guide them into all Truth and all Men have it so far as either to justifie or condemn them By this we stand and are able to defend it through the help of God as consisting both with Scripture and sound Reason year 1676 and Testimonies of the Antients But if they think with their little Craft to bring us down from the Thesis to the Hypothesis they must know the same will
hot for his Fingers that he durst not meddle with it His Proofs from Westminster Confession and Catechism preferring them before Scriptures At last he comes to an Honest and Ingenuous Confession That in most of the Heads he hath adduced for Confirmation only their Confession of Faith and Catechism A very plain Acknowledgment of the Nature of his Work for he is very good at begging the Question and proceeding upon Principles denied by him he hath to do with But the Judicious Reader may Judge whether his Proofs be very Valid and Binding which are only Confirmed by that which is Denied by me and which needs to be Confirmed no less than the Arguments deduced from it since I account it no Confession of the True Faith This is just as if a Papist Arguing against a Protestant should tell him He useth only for Confirmation the Decrees of the Council of Trent how Ridiculous this is any Judicious Man may Judge But since he hath so great a Veneration of the Confession of Faith and also such an Itch of Scribbling methinks he should not suffer it to lie so long under the Censure of that Examen which was written several years ago and lieth yet for ought ever I could learn Vnanswered all the Notions of which albeit I will not Espouse yet I think all J. B's Clergy and Reason will not solidly Reply to it and I am well Assured it hath disgusted Hundreds of that Confession who are not Quakers and also how weakly the Confession is Confirmed and how grosly the Scriptures are perverted to make them serve it I have given a Tast in the last Chapter of my Book Intituled A Catechism and Confession of Faith which is not only Extant in English but he will find it also printed in Low-Dutch and should in Reason have been removed by him ere he had used it only for Confirmation in Controversy against me But there is something more in this Expression for when the Confession of Faith and Catechism is only adduced for Confirmation what becomes of the Scriptures that in words are so highly Exalted It seems notwithstanding all these Verbal Commendations he has no more use for them than for an Old Almanack the Confession of Faith and Catechism is that which is to be minded It seems what he brings of them in this Controversy is only pro forma for the Confession of Faith is only adduced for Confirmation it is the good Antidote against the many Errors of the Times And whereas he speaks of Apposite passages of Scripture those that will Compare them with the things they are pointed to prove will find in most not the least Correspondence of which I have given some Proof in that place before-mentioned ¶ 6. But indeed he hath spoken out the Truth of the matter For all their great Talk of the Scripture it is manifest to such as will narrowly look into it that not the Scripture but the Confession of Faith and Catechism is their Rule of Faith and Manners For the Scriptures must serve the Confession of Faith not the Confession of Faith answer the Scriptures which must be turned twin'd and wrested to sute to the Confession of Faith Hence if a Man believe the Scriptures ever so firmly and square his Faith accordingly unless he agree to every point of the Confession of Faith all is to no purpose he must pass for an Heretick At last to Conclude he having it seems said all he has to say makes Provision not to be put upon the Necessity to Vindicate his gross Perversions and Calumnies As for his Comparison of Rats and Mice their dealing with Books he must know I Intend not to square these Observations to gratify his Humour it will be enough for me to satisfy the Candid and Judicious Reader He doubts not to make a Judgment of things not yet in being J. B. presumes to be Judge in his own Cause and therefore Expects no Answer that shall savour of Reason Religion Candor and Plainness We have seen that of him which gives us ground to believe he has had enough Thoughts of us But however he must not expect to be Judge in his own Cause And whereas he saith He will not be troubled at our Railings and Barkings one may wonder the Man has the Confidence to Accuse others of what himself is so highly guilty of but he shall not need fear to be troubled with such Stuff and whether he gives or gets most of that is Referred to the Judicious Readers to whose Judgment and Censure whether he will or not as his Writings will be liable so to them and to their Christian Consideration I freely Submit what is written in these Observations SECT II. Wherein his Two First Chapters containing Remarks upon my Preface and the First These Of the true Ground of Knowledge are Considered ¶ 1. UPon the Preface of my Theses which is but about half a Dozen of Lines he bestows no less than twelve pages all which being either bare Assertions or Railing as cannot escape the diligent Reader 's Observation will therefore Require the shorter Reply He hath not got the length of a Dozen of Lines when with a piece of Confidence he will seem so Modest J. B.'s vain Pretence to Modesty as Not to Pre-occupy the Reader 's Judgment by calling the Theses Ethnical or Diabolical but methinks if he has not forgotten his Epistle which we will in Reason suppose the Reader to have first Viewed in which as is above observed there is enough of that sort said to Pre-occupy his Judgment So that he must needs put out his Eyes that doth not see that his pretended Modesty and Forbearance is not Real ¶ 2. Next because these Theses are directed by me to Clergy-Men of all sorts in the Christian World he will needs have it that I acknowledg a Christian World to which my self and those I patronize do not belong but how he makes this Consequence appear he leaves us to Divine For there is no Proof brought for it but his own Assertion He needs not Wonder that I acknowledge a Christian World The Christian World so called from its outward Profession of Christ. unless he had known me somewhere to deny it for in respect of Profession which Distinction himself elsewhere useth all these may be accounted of it who make an outward Profession of Christ Besides that I have sufficienly acknowledged my belief that in severals of them the Inward Life of Christianity is to be found As for what follows he needs not doubt but I am as much against the Distinction of Laity and Clergy The Word Clergy used by the Author for Distinction's sake as himself can be But since I writ to such many whereof Own it my Vsing it to them for Distinction's sake will not infer my Approving of it With his Vsual Candor he will have this Direction to import no less than a Chartal to provoke all those it is directed to
Prejudice against such Books is because so much is to be found in them against my Old Errors for I cannot but know saith he that whoever reads these must see my Nakedness and Folly without much Study As for this Imagination we must take it with much more upon Trust but this helps to prove the Needlesness of his large Examination ¶ 6. At his usual rate of Perverting he goes on to say That the Account I make of all the Learned Men of the World is that they are Scribes and Disputers of the World c. But for proof of this we have nothing He Confesseth the Words to be those of the Apostle and how he proveth that I have a different Meaning from the Apostle I know not After he hath Commended his Learned Men and loaded the Quakers with Reproaches he concludes this Paragraph page 8. with another Falshood and yet he will have it Remarked to wit That according to my Judgment the Pure and Naked Truth of God was never unfolded nor Declared until the Generation of the Quakers arose But where he finds me saying so he tells not and indeed cannot since such a thing was never Asserted by me For Answer to my saying That God has laid aside the Wise and Learned and made use of Illiterate Men as to Letter-Learning after he saith It is Affirmed without Proof not considering how Improper it was not to Expect any formal Probation upon the Occasion and manner it was delivered he gives us divers Citations out of the Apostle Paul warning against Seducers All which I acknowledge to be True but the Question lieth in the right Application And yet since albeit he believes they very Appositly agree to us he thinks it not his present Business to Demonstrate it it will need no Reply After he has proceeded in his Tenth page according to his usual sort of Railing affirming the great Difference betwixt our Doctrine and that of the Apostles he brings forth a mighty Charge That I usurp the Throne of God and Judge of Men's Hearts and Intentions but how Guilty himself is of that Crime hath been in part already shewn and will hereafter more appear But why do I so because I say The Clergy have Clouded the Truth The Clergy Clouding the Truth that the People might Admire and Maintain them that the Common People might Maintain and Admire them But have not Protestants and that truly Asserted this of the Popish Clergy and is not the Thesis directed to such Will it not then hold True according to his own Judgment of a great yea the greatest Part of those to whom it is directed what then will become of his Clamours Yea if it were needful I could give Instances of very Mean Thoughts he and his Party have of many of the Protestant Clergy yea and Reflections not much if any thing inferiour to this to verify with how little Ground he quarrelleth me here As for his Malitious Aspersion That there are shrewd Presumptions our Stock lies at Rome he should have produced some of them if he could We could never yet Obtain for this Old Calumny from our Adversaries the least Probation and it will be found as hard for him to prove it as he may think it for such who strongly Affirm Their great IDOL the COVENANT was Contrived at Rome and came from thence As for his Reflections upon our Church as being All Eyes and Ears it will be proper to speak of it in its own Place Next to prove the Positions of the Quakers to be such as overturn and destroy the Gospel he bringeth page 11. divers Citations out of Mr. Norton and Mr. Stalham as he terms them adding More may be had out of Mr. Hicks J. B.'s False witnesses contributing to his bulky Book But such Witnesses will have small Credit with Impartial Readers If he himself had dealt Impartially he should have first read our Answers to them ere he had given them such Authority It were Easie for me by way of Reply to Transcribe what our Friends have written particularly by way of Answer to them did I as much Affect to have my Writings bulky as it seems he doth He closeth up this with a Fit of Railing and after he has quarrelled me pag. 12. for having an high Conceit as he imagines of my Theses he falls fresh to that Work again telling They have Weight to sink into the bottomless Pit the poor Soul that embraces them I never sought any should Receive Doctrines as Truth upon my Bare Testimony and therefore he needs not Vpbraid me with so doing And whereas on the Contrary as himself immediately Observes I leave what I say to the LIGHT in every Man's Conscience it shews with how little Reason he made his former Alledgance After he has pleased himself with making an Impertinent Conjecture of the Import of these Words that so he might if he could render them Ridiculous he cometh at last to the True Vnderstanding of them And truly he needed not fear at my being offended that he should make a Judgment of what I writ according to his Conscience but he went the wrong way to Work when his Labour is to pervert and wrest and make them speak what they do not This apparently proceeds from Malice and Prejudice and the Light of his Conscience if he had minded it would never have prompted him so to do Thus I am come to the End of the First Chapter ¶ 7. In the Second Chapter Intituled Of the true Ground of Knowledge I find he cannot Contradict what is Asserted by me only because he must be Carping he makes a Noise that Joh. 17.3 cited by me So much of the Sentence was not set down in the First as Second Edition What a pitiful Cavil this is the Reader may easily judge since the Place was noted it was enough though never a Word had been set down but this with him is a bad Omen Let the Judicious judge of this Man's Judgment in the Matter But because he cannot Quarrel at what is said he will quarrel That so much is not said as he judged meet But he may be pleased to understand that I judged my self under no Necessity to Advise with him what was Needful for me to Write But saith he since I take upon me to Teach the whole World it is strange it should be so Natural for this Man to write Vntruths since I direct my Theses only to the Christian World But if it may render me odious such Peccadillo's pass with him it seems but for Piae Fraudes I intended never to write of those things concerning which we do not differ from others But let us see wherein he accounts me Defective I have Written nothing saith he of the Nature and Attributes of God I write not to Atheists but Christians who already acknowledge and I judge it not my Work to write Books to perswade Men of that they already profess to believe But I write not Expresly and
That the Apostle and all Regenerate Men are in a certain respect Carnal So his Divinity will run thus The Devil and all Unregenerate Men are in a certain respect Spiritual and the Apostle and all Regenerate are in a certain respect Carnal ¶ 4. But he thinks in the following page 106. he has gotten me in a notable Contradiction so that he concludeth if I may have occasion to Contradict the Truth I care not how often I Contradict my self and that is by asking me this Question Wherein appeared the Wisdom of the Wise Men among the Greeks if not in the knowledge of the Things of God The Wisdom of the Greeks appeared in their Worldly Affairs I Answer In the Wise and Prudent Management of Worldly Affairs For he hath not proved that is necessarily united to a Knowledge of God and things Spiritual since it is said of some Beasts that they have something of this such as Bees and Ants c. And whereas he asks Wherein Men differ from Brutes then I say In many things as in the knowledge of Numbers and Mathematical and Mechanical Demonstrations Is the Knowledge of such natural Truths as 2 and 3 makes 5 and the whole is greater than the part and all that 's deduced there-from the knowledge of the things of God And yet is not this further than what Beasts know And to shew him his forwardness in this let him shew me if he admit not this how the Wisdom of this World is Foolishness with God and the Wisdom of God Foolishness with Men At last he comes p. 107. and to the end of this Chapter to prove That there doth remain in Man some Reliques of the Image of God notwithstanding the Fall which he builds upon that saying of the Apostle Rom. 1.19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them and the reason he urgeth is Because it was known not to a few only Answ. This is very true but makes nothing for him for here as for the most part else-where he with an unparallel'd Confidence not to say Impudence every where begs the Question First in that he supposeth that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or what is to be known of God That which may be known of God c. are not J. B.'s Relicks is somewhat that Man retained in the Fall and no New Visitation of Light and Grace which he knows I deny And Secondly That it must be so because all Men have it where he supposeth that all Men receive not such a Visitation which he knows I also deny and yet he Concludes without offering to prove either of them Who but one Desperate and that cares not how Ridiculous and Absurd he be if he can but heap together a Company of Railing Words would urge his Adversary by Mediums which he knows he denies without first proving them or at least attempting so to do ¶ 5. Next followeth his Sixth Chapter Intituled Of Original Sin in which nothing of what he saith can touch me but so far as he proves That those who never actually sinned such as Infants are guilty of Adam 's sin J. B. of Original Sin Therefore what he saith of others who affirm That Man sustained no hurt by Adam but by Imitation Concerns me not since I say no such thing And yet he thinks it a Paradox for me to say albeit he cannot deny but it is true that I deny the Errors of such And of this nature is what he writes in the first four Pages of this Chapter in the last of which he goes after his Custom as it were to pump for the Meaning of my Words that he may Insinuate to the Reader as if I wrote all in the Dark and had great Mysteries under them whereas any one that reads them may see they are so plain that they need no Commentary For who is so weak as not to understand me saying That the Seed of Sin is not Imputed to Infants That the Seed of Sin is not imputed to Infants until they Actually join with it until they actually join with it He comes p. 114. n. 8. to Examin what he saith I say in defence of this Error And first he will take notice of what I say of Augustin whom he alledgeth I Abuse because I say that he was the first among the Ancients that opened the way to his Opinion in his declining Age out of Zeal But will he deny that Augustin wrote most Zealously against Pelagius in his declining Age Next he shews here his great Disingenuity For while he names many of the Ancients as being of the same Mind and whom Augustin also cited against Pelagius he gives none of their Words that it might have been seen whether it was in this that they Condemned him to wit That Infants are not guilty of Adam 's Sin For these Citations may relate to that which was accounted indeed Pelagianism to wit That Man by Nature without the Grace of God could fulfil the Law yea that he needed not Grace to perform the Will of God which was the thing for which Pelagius was Condemned by the African Synod As for the Citation he gives of Augustin saying He was of the same Mind since the beginning of his Conversion seeing in this Place Augustin's Words which he saith he has held are no more than the Express Words of the Apostle Rom. 5.12 which J. B. has not yet proved to Import that Infants are guilty of Adam 's Sin So if he has no better way to prove Augustin's positive Judgment in the Case than this he doth but give a Token of his own Effrontedness and shameless Boldness not of Mine But since he seems so great an Admirer of Augustin as an honoured Instrument of the Lord and an Holy Father as he terms him then I desire to know Whether he will agree to all that Augustin hath written which if he will not do he doth ill to Accuse me for Condemning Augustin as Erroneous in some things And if he will I may then shew him That Augustin both Commended and Practised things which he and his Brethren Cried-out against as Superstition Will-worship and Abominable Popery and Idolatry and for far less than which they have Excommunicated their Fellow Preachers Which shews in effect meaner Thoughts of him than I have yet Expressed Children of Wrath are so for their evil Deeds My Argument drawn from Ephes. 2.3 where the Apostle Ascribes the Reason of Mems being Children of Wrath to their Evil Deeds he saith was the Fathers against Pelagius And what then doth that render it null But his own Answer to it is Rare saying He thinks I put out my Eyes that do not observe how the Apostle changes the second Person saying Among whom also we all had our Conversation in times past and were by Nature the Children of Wrath whence the Man wisely infers That Paul and the Jews were the Children of Wrath which is not denied but they must
therefore finding this to pinch him he brings it up again p. 126. where bringing me in saying Infants are under no Law J. B.'s proofless Assertion of Infants under a Law he answers But the Apostle saith the contrary He would have done Charitably to have told me Where that I might have observed it What he saith in this as well as the former page in answer to my Affirmation that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may relate to Death and that it 's understood upon which occasion Man sinnedâ— urging Absurdities by the like Application of Christ's Righteousness is solved by a serious observation of the Comparison as stated by me betwixt Christ and Adam His Arguing from Childrens dying doth not Conclude until he prove Death simply considered necessarily to infer guilt in the Party dying Whether Childrens DEATH argues Guilt in them of which I have spoken before p. 126. n. 20. to my answer to Psal. 51.5 alledged by them wherein I shew that David saith not My Mother conceived me sinning and therefore it proves not his Assertion His Reply is after he has given a Scoff It quite crosseth David's design But why so because in that Psalm he expresseth his Sorrow and Humiliation for his Sins and what then might not David lament upon that occasion that he was not only a Sinner himself but also came of such as were so But when I urge this place further shewing their Interpretation would make Infants guilty of the Sin of their Immediate Parents since there is no mention here of Adam His Answer to this is a Repetition of his own Doctrine A rare Method of Debate very usual to him And then taking it for granted he asks me Whether this Originated Sin of which he supposed David spake for he never offers to prove it though it be the matter in Debate came from another Original than Adam What he affirmed here of my Insinuating Marriage-Duties to be Sin is but a false Conjecture but as to the Hurt and Loss that Man got by Adam which I ascribe to no other Original as being no Manichee I spake before But he should first prove before he Obtrude such things upon others and I desire yet to be Informed of him In what Scripture he reads of Original Sin and whether if the Scripture be the only Rule he cannot find words in it fit enough to express his Faith or must he shift for them else-where The Wages of Sin is Death proved Eternal ¶ 8. Pag. 127. n. 21. He urges Paul's saying The Wages of Sin is Death and to my saying This may be a Consequence of the Fall but that thence it cannot at all be Inferred that Iniquity is in all those that are subject to Death he saith It is in plain terms but my Modesty dare not speak it out to say the Apostle speaketh not Truth Answ. Is not this to take upon him to judge of another Man's heart which elseâ—where he accounts a great Presumption and why takes he no notice or gives he no Answer to the Absurdity I shew followed from thence since the whole Creation received a Decay by Adam's Fall and yet we say not Herbs and Trees are Sinners And while he would make-out this great Charge of my Contradicting the Apostle he forgets the half of his business which is To prove the Apostle meaned in that place Natural Death and not Eternal since the Apostle opposeth it there to Eternal Life and Eternal Death he will Confess is the Wages of Sin which the Apostle shews they shun by Jesus Christ's obtaining Eternal Life whereas Natural Death they do not avoid Likewise he should have proved that all the Scriptures mentioned by him p. 128. are meant of Natural Death which he will not find very easie As for his citing Death as mentioned by the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. the Apostle's words ver 56. Confirm what I say That Death is only a punishment to the Wicked not to the Saints for the words are The Sting of Death is Sin so where Sin is taken away there Death has no Sting and that is the Saints Victory Now he cannot Apply this to Infants without supposing that they have Sin which were to beg the Question And whereas he asks Whether Death be NO Punishment for Sin I Answer that I said not so neither is that needful for me to affirm seeing it is sufficient if it be not always a Punishment of Sin which if it be not it cannot be Concluded that because Infants die therefore they must be guilty of Sin Since then the Absurdities he after urges follow from his Supposition That Death is No Punishment for Sin which I say not they do not Touch me He judgeth p. 128. n. 22. That I run wilder than Papists in saying We will rather admit the supposed Absurdity of saying All Infants are Saved to follow from our Doctrine than with them say That Innumerable Infants perish Eternally not for their own but only for Adam's Fault This he reckons a Contradicting of my Doctrine of Christ's dying for all Infants saved without Christ J. B.'s horrible Lie saying I here grant That all Infants will be saved without Christ. What horrible Lie is this Where say I That all Infants will be saved without Christ If he say it is by Consequence that I say so which he must needs do or else be an Impudent Vnparallel'd Lyar then he Infers it either from my saying Christ died for all Therefore if all Infants are saved it must be without Christ or that If all Infants be saved Christ cannot have died for all for one of these two must be If I Contradict my self But such Consequences are only fit for such an Author as seems to have abandoned all sense of Honesty and Christian Reputation and resolves per fas aut nefas and without Rime or Reason as the Proverb is to bespatter his Adversary As for his adding They that have no Sin have no need of a Saviour to save them from Sin He Overturns it all by asking me in which also lies the pinch of his matter Since I affirm they have a Seed of Sin in them which is called Death and the Old Man how can they put-off this and sing the Song of the Redeemed which all that enter into Glory must do Infants are saved by Christ who died for them Does not this then shew I believe they have need of Christ as a Saviour who died for them to deliver them from this And is not the Contradiction his own in urging this Question which I thus answer How are those he accounts Elect Infants saved whom he affirms to be really guilty of Adam's Sin and so in a worse Condition than I affirm Infants to be for he will not say with Papists and Lutherans that the Administring of that they call the Sacrament of Baptism does it When he Answers this he will solve his own Argument To insinuate That some Infants are damned he asketh me What
one part Circumstances and not the other for as to the matter of the thing he will confess there is nothing in it but by reason of Christ's Command and practice so that Affects all parts alike and indeed he gives a very summar Answer to what I urge as to this as the Rader by comparing his N. 17. with N. 6. of my Apology upon this subject may observe It passeth my mean Capacity to see any solid Reason given by him pag. 497 n. l8 Why Act. 2.42 should be understood of other than their Common Eating unless this may be esteemed one That to say so is a meer groundless Fancy like many of the Quakers bold Notions To prove Act. 20.7 to be understood of Sacramental Eating he saith It required Paul 's Preaching but for this we must wait his proof That Paul preached not upon other occasions because not mentioned is but his meer Conjecture and his Inference from this being the Christian Sabbath is but a silly begging of the question ¶ 2. Pag. 498. n. 20. He stateth my words shewing How the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. saith When ye come together J. B. forgets to Answer this is not to eat the Lord's Supper and not that it was not to Eat aright and I expected his Answer to this to follow but in vain for I found not any perhaps he has forgotten it and therefore I desire he may remember it next Also here instead of giving a Reason to prove the Apostle gives here a Command and not simply a Relation of the matter of fact he returneth Railing I Intreat him next to lay-aside his Railing and give a Reason That the Corinthians were Babes in Christ and some of them even further advanced I acknowledge yet that will not prove that some things might be Indulged to them which is not needful to us now The Christians that had been Jews were also Babes in Christ and even more such as the Apostle James who desired Paul to purify himself in the Temple and yet we are not thence obliged to Imitate such practices Paul purifying himself in the Temple Christians are not thence obliged to Imitate such Practices Whether the Syriack Version mentioned by me make not to my purpose I leave to the Reader 's Judgment my Vsing it will not infer my Acknowledging that Version in all things to be Authentick more than his own Vsing it And albeit I think it might have been sufficient to have given the words upon the Credit of the Interpretation in the Poly-glotta yet to shew him how apt he is to fall into false Conjectures he may know I did it not and if he could hence as well as from several other Occasions heretofore observed learn not to lay so much Stress upon and so forwardly Vent his own Conjectures he would do himself a Courtesy Pag. 409. n. 21. He can easily turn-by the Apostle's express Command Act. 15.29 as being a part of the Ceremonial Law but I hope he will acknowledge that the Obligation upon the Christians especially such as had not been Jews to observe it was not its being a part of the Ceremonial Law but it s being now a Command of the Apostles or rather of the Spirit of God to whom it seemed good so to Command And he should shew next time how this is more Abrogated in the Epistles of Paul than the other and particularly how that Rom. 14.17 doth touch the one more than the other And this Command Act. 15 19. being after the pouring-down of the Spirit and Vniversal Preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles hath as much of a Gospel-Institution as any thing Commanded before by Christ can have if not let him give us a Reason from Scripture till then his meer Assertions pag. 500. will not do the business To my shewing That this is not to distinguish the Gospel from the Law he thinks it enough to say This is a Socinian Argument formerly spoken to And he is very Careful not to weary the Reader with Repeitions I wish he had minded this all along J. B.'s Proof of their Authority to Administrate this Sacrament Invisible He also referreth the proof of their Authority to Administrate this Sacrament to his 17 th Chapter but they must be very Clear-sighted that can observe any such thing there And to conclude with some shew of Victory he in a most ostentive way saith That I have fought until I can stand no longer and finding my self weak and unable to fight any more I come to something like a Parly by saying Such as out of Conscience will perform this Ceremony as the first Christians did might be Indulged in it but he Concludeth These things I Affirm being proved none can be supposed to do it out of Conscience But some may not have such a Clear Sight of it and thence may stick in these things He dispatcheth what more I say as to this as being A bundle of groundless Whimsies without Truth Sense or Consistency But indeed I must say The weak Proofs J. B. brings to Vindicate the great Sacraments of their Religion I wonder to see the Man so Weak upon this Theam as well as the former of Baptism considering they are the great Sacraments of their Religion but it seems his Rage in these has Robbed him of his Reason I will Intreat the Reader seriously to peruse what I have written upon both these in my Apology that Comparing it with his he may easily perceive albeit this Reply had not been Written how Weak all is the Man brings for the Proof of these things SECT XV. Wherein his Twenty Eighth Chapter Of Liberty of Conscience is Considered ¶ 1. AS he ended his last Chapter with Railing so he begins this comparing the Quakers to Thieves and Robbers adding That their being conscious to themselves of the Evil of their Ways which after he has a little Amplified in as black a manner as he can he Concludes that they thought it best for their own safety to add this to the rest of their Errors that Magistrates have no lawful power over them In which besides his Railing are two gross Lies First That the Quakers are conscious of their own Evil Ways J. B.'s Malitious Assertion against our Acknowledging the Magistrates to have a Lawful Power over us and that moves them to Assert Liberty of Conscience which being a gross Falshood hath no bottom but his own malitious Conjecture where he presumptuously presumes to Judge of other Mens hearts The second is That the Quakers say The Magistrate hath no lawful Power over them A most gross Lie The Contrary whereof is expresly Asserted in the These in these words Provided always that no Man under the pretence of Conscience prejudice his Neighbour in his Life or Estate or do any thing destructive of The Lawfulness and Justice of Magistracy Asserted by us or inconsistent with Humane Society in which case the Law is for the Transgressor and Justice is to
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
thee this will at what Time thou shalt appoint Receive from thee and Transmit to me thy Letter that at last the Truth may appear where it is And that the whole matter may the more clearly be understood it will be fit in the first Place To propose thy Argument whereby thou Opposest the Immediate Revelation of GOD in the Saints thence concluding thou hast fully overturned the Foundation of the People called Quakers Which Argument of thine is H. P's Objection against Immediate Revelation stated by way of Argument That since as thou Judgest the Being and Substance of the Christian Religion consisteth in the Knowledge of and Faith concerning the Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ Jesus thou considerest the Substance of the Christian Religion as a Contingent Truth which Contingent Truth is matter of Fact Whence thou reasonest That Matter of Fact cannot be known but by the Relation of another or by the perception of the outward Senses because there are naturally in our Souls no Idea's of Contingent Truths such as are concerning Necessary Truths To wit That GOD is and that the Whole is greater than the Part. And since it may without absurdity be said That GOD cannot make a Contingent Truth to become a Necessary Truth neither can GOD reveal Contingent Truths or Matters of Fact but as Contingent Truths are Revealed But Matters of Fact are not revealed but by the outward Senses From whence thou Concludest That Men are not even obliged to believe GOD producing any Revelation in the Soul concerning Matter of Fact whether of a thing done or to be done unless there be added some Miracles obvious to the outward senses by which the Soul may be Ascertained that that Revelation cometh from G0D And this thou endeavourest also to prove from the Scripture The Proofs of the Argument Rom. 10. where the Apostle saith Faith cometh by Hearing And because the Apostle speaketh afterwards of those who were sent in the Plural Number thence thou concludest That to be spoken of outward Preaching by the Ministry of Men And since the Apostle uses a Question saying How shall they believe unless they hear Thou gatherest from the Induction and Connexion of the Text that the Apostle treats only of outward Hearing thence Concluding That without outward Hearing Faith cannot be produced And therefore that there can be no Immediate Revelation by the simple operation of the Spirit in the Mind unless there be somewhat proposed to the Outward Senses Before I proceed to a direct Answer to this Argument some things are necessary to be premised First then That is falsly supposed The Christian Religion consists not in the Historical Knowledg of Christ. That the Essence of the Christian Religion consists in the Historical Faith and Knowledge of the Birth Death Life Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. That Faith and Historical Knowledge is indeed a part of the Christian Religion but not such an Essential Part as that without which the Christian Religion cannot consist but an Integral Part which goes to the Compleating of the Christian Religion as the Hands or Feet of a Man are Integral Parts of a Man without which nevertheless a Man may exist but not an Intire and Compleat Man Secondly The Historical Knowledg of Christ is not commonly manifested to us but by the Holy Scripture If by Immediate Revelation be understood such a Revelation of GOD as begets in our Souls an Historical Faith and Knowledge of the Birth of Christ in the Flesh without the Means of the Holy Scripture we do not contend for such a Revelation as commonly given or to be expected by us or any other Christians For albeit many other Evangelical Truths be manifested to us by the Immediate Manifestation of God not using the Scripture as the Means yet the Historical Knowledge of Christ is not commonly manifested to us nor to any others but by the Holy Scripture as the Means and that by way of a Material Object Even as when we see the Person of Peter or Paul to our visive Faculty Immediately yet not without the Medium of that Person concurring as a Material Object to produce that Sight while the Light of the Sun concurs as the formal Object of that Vision or Sight So that when we Livingly and Spiritually know the History of the Birth of Christ in the Flesh the Inward Revelation or Illumination of GOD which is like the Sun 's Light proceeding from the Divine Sun doth shine into the Eye of the Mind and by Its Influence moves the Mind to Assent unto the Historical Truth of CHRIST's Birth Life c. in the Reading or Hearing the Scripture or Meditating therein Thirdly * God can manifest the Historical Truth of Christ to our Minds without the Scripture Nevertheless we do firmly Assert That GOD can most easily clearly and certainly manifest to our Minds the Historical Truths of CHRIST's Birth c. when it so pleaseth Him even without the Scripture or any other outward Mean And because this Argument seems to be formed against the possibility of such a Revelation therefore I shall proceed to discuss it But first thou may'st mind that the Prophets who foretold CHRIST's Coming in the Flesh and being to be born of a Virgin and afterwards to suffer Death did know these Truths of Fact by the Inward Inspiration of GOD without Outward Means For which see 1 Pet. 1.10 11. Now that which hath been may be Fourthly This Argument doth at most Conclude that we cannot know Naturally any Truth of Fact A Contingent Truth may be known by a Supernatural Knowledge but by the Relation of another without us or by the perception of the outward Senses because there are naturally in our Minds no Idea's concerning Contingent Truths and every Truth of Fact is a Contingent Truth as there are of necessary Truths This then proveth that we cannot naturally know any Contingent Truth but by the Relation of another or perception of the outward Senses But that hindereth not but we may know a Contingent Truth by a Supernatural Knowledge GOD supplying the place of an outward Relator who is so true that he may and ought to be believed sith GOD is the Fountain of Truth The Form of Revelation is the voice of God inwardly speaking to the Mind of Man Fifthly When GOD doth make known unto Men any Matter of Fact by Divine Immediate Revelation or Inspiration GOD speaking as to the Ear of the Heart of the Inward Man or as by his Finger writing it therein two things are to be considered in such an Immediate Revelation 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Materiale The Matter of Fact or thing Revealed which is Contingent 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Formale The Form or Mode how the Revelation is made which Form is an Inward Divine and Supernatural Revelation which is the Voice or Speech of GOD inwardly speaking to the Ear of the Inward Man or Mind of Man
or a Divine Writing supernaturally imprinted therein Now as to the Material Part or the thing and Matter Revealed this is indeed a Contingent Truth and of it self is not manifest to the Mind but because of the Form that is because of the Divine Mode and supernatural Inward Operation the matter is known to be true For that Divine and Supernatural Inward Operation which the Mind doth feel and perceive in it self is the Voice of GOD speaking unto Man which by its Nature and specifick Property is as clearly distinguished and understood to be the Voice of GOD as the Voice of Peter or James is known to be the Voice of such Men. For every Being as a Being is knowable and that by its own specifick Nature or Property proceeding from its Nature and hath its proper Idea by which it's distinguishable from every other thing if so be it's Idea be stirred up in us and clearly proposed to us The speaking of God in Man is a Supernatural Being known by its Vertue Sixthly Now as some Beings are Natural some Supernatural so some Idea's are Natural some Supernatural And as when any Natural Idea is excited in us we clearly know it so also when a Supernatural Idea is raised we clearly know that whereof it is the Idea But the Voice of GOD speaking to the Mind of Man is a Supernatural Being and stirreth up in us a Supernatural Idea by which we clearly know that Inward Voice to be the Voice of GOD and not the Voice or Operation of another or of any Evil Spirit or Angel because none of these has a supernatural Idea as the Voice of GOD and his Divine Operation hath for it is full of Vigour Vertue and Divine Glory as saith the Psalmist who had often Experience of it and we also in our Measures are Witnesses thereof for the Voice of GOD is known to be his by its Divine Vertue Seventhly The Senses are either Outward or Inward What the Inward Supernatural Sense in Man is and the Inward Senses are either Natural or Supernatural We have an Example of the Inward Natural Sense in being Angered or Pacified in Love and Hatred or when we perceive and discern any Natural Truth such as the Natural Maxims to wit That the whole is greater than the part or when we deduce any Conclusion by the strength of Natural Reason that Perception also in a larger sense may be called an Inward Sense But an Example of an Inward Supernatural Sense is when the Heart or Soul of a pious Man feels in it self Divine Motions Influences and Operations which sometimes are as the Voice or Speech of GOD sometimes as a most pleasant and glorious Illustration or visible Object to the inward Eye sometimes as a most-sweet Savour or Taste sometimes as an Heavenly and Divine Warmness or so to speak Melting of the Soul in the Love of G0D Moreover this Divine and Supernatural Operation in the Mind of a Man is a true and most-glorious Miracle which when it is perceived by the Inward and Supernatural Sense divinely raised up in the Mind of Man doth so evidently and clearly perswade the Vnderstanding to Assent to the thing Revealed that there is no need of an outward Miracle for this Assent is not because of the thing it self but because of the Revelation proposing it which is the Voice of GOD. For when the Voice of GOD is heard in the Soul the Soul doth as certainly conclude the Truth of that Voice as the Truth of GOD's Being from whom it proceeds These things being thus premised Contingent and Necessary Truths distinguisheth I now proceed to a direct Answer For what is said That GOD cannot make a Contingent Truth to become a necessary Truth I agree but when any Contingent Truth is manifest to us by the Immediate Revelation of GOD there is in it two things to be considered to wit the Thing Revealed which is Contingent and the Revelation it self which upon the Supposition that it is a Divine Revelation is no Contingent Truth but a most Necessary Truth And this all mankind will say that this Proposition Every divine Revelation is necessarily true is as clear and evident as that Proposition That every Whole is greater than its Part. But thou wilt say How knowest thou that a Divine Revelation is a Divine Revelation I answer how knowest thou How a Divine Revelation is known to be a Divine Revelation that a Whole is a Whole and a Part is a Part Thou wilt say by the natural Idea excited in me of a Whole and of a Part. I answer again Even so a Divine Revelation is known to be such by a Supernatural Idea of Divine Revelation stirred up in us and that by a Divine Motion or Supernatural Operation But it is no wonder that Men who have no Experience of Supernatural Ideas or at least do not heed them do deny them which is as if a man naturally blind denyed Light or Colours or a deaf Man Sounds because they experience them not Therefore we cannot dissemble year 1679 that we feel a fervent Zeal even Divinely kindled in us against such an absurd opinion as affirms That God cannot Ascertain us of his Will in any contingent Truth but by proposing it to the outward Senses This Opinion does in a manner turn Men into Brutes as if Man were not to believe his GOD unless he propose what is to be believed to the outward Senses which the Beasts have Common with us yea it derogates from GOD's Power and imputes Weakness to him as if he could not do that which not only both good and evil Angels can do but which the meanest Creatures can do and the most unsensible As for Instance The Heat of the Fire Natural and Spiritual Senses distinshguisht by their Objects the Coldness of the Air and Water worketh upon us yea if a Pin prick us we feel it and that by the outward Sense because the Objects are outward and carnal But since GOD is a most Pure and Glorious Spirit when he operateth in the Innermost parts of our Minds by his Will shall not he and his Will be clearly felt according to his Nature that is by a spiritual and supernatural Sense For as the Nature of G0D is so is the Nature of his Will to wit purely spiritual and therefore requireth a Spiritual Sense to discern it which Spiritual Sense when it is raised up in us by a divine Operation doth as clearly and certainly know the Voice or Revelation of the Will of GOD concerning any thing which GOD is pleased to Reveal however Contingent as the outward Sense knows and perceives the Outward Object And it is no less Absurd to require of GOD who is a most-pure Spirit to manifest his Will to Men by the outward Senses else not to be Credited as to require us to see Sounds and hear Light and Colours For as the Objects of the outward Senses are not to be confounded but
be gathered to many of my Brethren who are gone before me and to my Dear Son This was his Youngest Son who died at Sea about a Year before Upon the Eleventh Day of the Eighth Month between Two and Three in the Morning he growing Weaker I drew nigh to him He said Is this my Son I said Yea and spake a few Words signifying my Travel That he that loved him might be near him to the End He answered The Lord is Nigh Repeating it once again saying You are my Witnesses in the Presence of God that the Lord is Nigh And after a little he said The Perfect Discovery of the Day-spring from on high how great a Blessing it hath been to me and my Family My Wife desiring to know if he would have something to Wet his Mouth he said It needed not She said it would Refresh him He laid his Hand upon his Breast saying He had that Inwardly that Refreshed him And after a little while he added divers times these Words The TRVTH is over ALL. He took my Eldest Son to him and Blessed him saying He prayed God he might never depart from the Truth And when my Eldest Daughter came near he said Is this Patience Let Patience have its perfect Work in thee And after Kissing the other Four he laid Hands upon them and blessed them He called for my Father-in-Law and two of his Daughters that were present and spake some weighty Words to them very kindly And perceiving one of them who was not a Friend of Truth Weeping much he Wished She might come to the Truth bidding her Not weep for him but for herself A Sober Man an Apothecary that waited upon him coming near he took him by the Hand saying Thou wilt bear me Witness that in all this Exercise I have not been Curious to Tamper nor to Pamper the Flesh he answered Sir I can bear Witness that you have always minded the better and more substantial Part and rejoice to see the Blessed End the Lord is bringing you to He Replyed Bear a Faithful and true Witness Yet it is the Life of Righteousness repeating these Words twice over that we bear Testimony to and not to an Empty Profession Then he called several Times Come Lord Jesus Come Come And again My Hope is in the Lord And so slept now and then about Ten Hours Observing a Countryman coming into the Room he thought it had been one of his Tenents who was a Carpenter I telling him it was not he but another he said See thou Charge him to make no manner of Superfluity upon my Coffin About Three in the Afternoon there came several Friends from Aberdeen to see him I telling him he took them by the Hand and said divers Times They were come in a seasonable Time and after some Words were spoken and that Patrick Living stone had prayed which Ended in Praises he held up his Hands and said Amen Amen for ever And after they stood up looking at him he said How pretious is the Love of God among his Children and their Love one to another Thereby shall all Men know that ye are Christ's Disciples if you love one another How pretious a thing it is to see Brethren to Dwell together in Love My Love is with you I leave it among you About Eight at Night several Friends standing about the Bed he perceiving some of them to Weep he said Dear Friends all mind the Inward Man heed not the Outward There is one that doth Regard the Lord of Hosts is his Name After he heard the Clock strike Three in the Morning he said Now the Time comes And a little after he was heard to say Praises Praises Praises to the Lord Let now thy Servant depart in Peace Vnto thy Hands O Father I Commit my Soul Spirit and Body Thy Will O Lord be done in Earth as it is in Heaven These Sentences he spake by little Intervals one after another And so a little after Five in the Morning the twelfth Day of the Eighth Month 1686. he fell asleep like a Lamb in Remarkable Quietness and Calmness there being standing about to Behold his End above Twenty Persons who were Witnesses to what is above said though not all to every part yet some to every part and some to all of it This Brief Account is only intended for the Refreshing and Satisfaction of some particular Friends else several other things might be added which are not Inconsiderable He was Buried in a Place allotted by himself for that End and Discharged any should be Called to his Burial but the professed Friends of Truth and his own Tenents Yet the Time being known a great Number of the Gentry came undesired and Conveyed his Body to the Grave Vrie the 20th of the 8th Month 1686. A Table of the Chief Things Contained in this VOLUME A. ABraham's Faith 278. The Jews Error of Abraham's outward Succession 410. Adam see Man Sin Redemption what Happiness he lâ—st by the Fall 311 121. what Death he dyed 311. He retained in his Nature no Will or Light capable of it self to manifest Spiritual Things ibid. whether there be any Reliques of the heavenly Image left in them 317 470 767 769. Alexander Skein's Queries proposed to the Preachers 470. Americans confess to that which Checks within for Evil 7. Anabaptists of Great Britain 288. Anabaptists of Munster how their mischievous actings nothing touch the Quakers 288 289 290 516 651 653. Anicetus 289. Anointing teacheth all things It is and abideth for ever a Common Priviledge and sure Rule to all Saints 287 116 169. Antichrist is exalted when the Seed of God is pressed 82 337. his Work 284 426 428. The Body of Antichrist is but one having many Members 591. who those Members be 592 Antinomians their Opinion concerning Justification 371. Apostasy 399 425. Apostle who he is their Number was not limited and whether any may be now a days so called 465 466 429 430. Calvin maintains that God raised Apostles and Evangelists in his Day 37. Apparel 543 545 556. Appearances see Faith Arians they first brought in the Doctrine of Persecution upon the account of Religion 425. Arius by what he fell into Error 425. Armenian Greek and Aethiopian Churches indulged by the Pope in some Ceremonies different from those commonly injoined and received is rather the Effect of Policy than Fatherly Compassion 688 689. Arminians see Remonstrants Arminians Lutherans and Calvinists hold that there can be no Salvation without the Explicit Knowledge of Christ and Benefit of the Scriptures which Doctrine destroys the nature of Vniversal Love 692. Articles of Faith with respect to them that believe them are Matters of Conscience 213. Assemblings are needful and what sort 441 444 c. see Worship they are not to be forsaken 461. Assurance a certain Assurance and Establishment given of God to many of his Saints and Children 402. Astrologer 294 295. Atheism see Superstition Athenians directed to somewhat of God within them by
in the Case of Division or Debate let us consider the Basis upon which they proceed and the Stress they lay upon it First All jointly both the Prelatical and Presbyterial will have this Synod or Council to Consist of a Convocation of the Clergy 1. Protestants Chosen and sent from the Particular Congregations with some few Laick Elders called together by the Civil Magistrate in case he be one in Judgment with them They decide by Plurality of Votes And though they assume not an Absolute Infallibility in that they reckon it possible for them to Err yet do they reckon their Decisions Obligatory upon their supposed Consonancy to the Scripture and however do Affirm that the Civil Magistrate hath Power to Constrain all to Submit and Obey or else to punish them either by Death Banishment Imprisonment Confiscation of Goods or some other Corporal Pain even though such be perswaded and offer to make appear that the Decisions they Refuse are Contrary to the Scriptures And Lastly Among the Papists None 2. Papists though otherwise Confessed to be a Member of the Church both Knowing and Sober except Commissionate in some of the Respects above-declared can be Admitted to Sit Vote and give his Judgment Any that will be at the Pains to apply this to the Foundation I before laid of the Infallibility of Judgment in that we may account only to be truly called the Church of Christ 3. We Differ from them Both. will easily fee the great Difference betwixt us which I shall sum up in these particulars First Do we Exclude any Member of the Church of Christ that may be truly accounted so to tell his Judgment Secondly Do we say man ought to be persecuted in his Outwards for his Dis-assent in Spirituals Thirdly Do we plead that Decision is to pass Conclusive because of the plurality of Votes And much more which the Reader may observe from what is already mentioned which that it may be all more Obvious at One View will appear somewhat clearly by this following Figure which will give the Reader an Opportunity to Recollect what lay heretofore more scattered I. The ROMANISTS say 1. That there is an Infallibility in the Church which Infallibility is when the Pope calls a General Council of Bishops c. that whatsoever they Conclude and Agree upon must needs be the Infallible Judgment of the Spirit of God because of the Promise of Christ That he would never suffer the Gates of Hell to prevail against his Church 2. And that the Pope and Council made up of certain of the Clergy having one Outward Succession and being lawfully Ordained according to the Canons are that Church to which that Promise is made however wicked or depraved without any necessary Respect to the Inward Holiness or Regeneration of the Persons if so be they be Outwardly Called Ordained and Invested in such a Place and Capacity as gives them an Authority to be Members of such an Assembly 3. What they thus Decide as they judge according to the Scripture ought to be received with Reverence and Submitted to and those that do not to be punished by the Civil Magistrate by Death Banishment or Imprisonment though they declare and be ready to evidence that it is because they are not Agreeable to the Scripture they refuse such Decrees II. The Generality of PROTESTANTS say 1. That though all Synods and Councils may Err yet such Assemblies are needful for the Edification of the Church That such do Consist of a Convocation of the Clergy West Conf. of Faith Chap. with some few Laicks particularly Chosen That all others except those so Elected have not any Right to Vote or give Judgment 2. That such an Assembly so Constitute may Ministerially determine Controversies of Faith Cases of Conscience Matters of Worship and authoritatively determine the same The Decision is to be by Plurality of Votes praved they be yet this Infallible Judgment follows them as being necessarily annexed to their Office in which the Authority still stands in its full Strength and Vigour 3. So that there lies an Obligation upon the whole Body of the Church to Obey their Decrees And such as do not are not only certainly damned for their Disobedience but that it is the Duty of the Civil Magistrate to punish such by Death Banishment or Imprisonment c. in Case they Refuse III. The QUAKERS say The Sanctified Members 1. That whereas none truly ought nor can be accounted the Church of Christ but such as are in a measure Sanctified or Sanctifying by the Grace of God and led by his Spirit nor yet any made Officers in the Church but by the Grace of God and Inward Revelation of his Spirit not by Outward Ordination or Succession from which none is to be Excluded if so Called whether Married or a Tradesman or a Servant 2. If so be in such a Church there should arise any Difference there will be an Infallible Judgment from the Spirit of God Their Infallible Judgment which may be in a General Assembly yet not limited to it as excluding others And may prove the Judgment of the Plurality yet not to be decided thereby as if the Infallibility were placed there excluding the fewer In which Meeting or Assembly upon such an Account there is no Limitation to be of Persons particularly Chosen but that all that in a true Sense may be reckoned of the Church as being Sober and Weighty may be present and give their Judgment To be Submitted unto 3. And that the Infallible Judgment of Truth which cannot be wanting in such a Church whether it be given through one or more ought to be Submitted to not because such Persons give it but because the Spirit leads so to do which every one coming to in themselves will willingly and naturally Assent to And if any through Disobedience or Vnclearness do not all that the Church ought to do She is to deny them her spiritual Fellowship in case the nature of their Disobedience be of that Consequence as may deserve such a Censure But by no means for Matter of Conscience to Molest Trouble or Persecute any in their Outwards Who will be at the Pains to Compare these Three seriously together I am hopeful will need no further Argument to prove the Difference But if any will further Object What if it fall out de facto year 1679 that the Teachers Elders or Plurality do Decide and from thence will say This is like the Church of Rome and other false Churches It will be hard to prove that to be an Infallible Mark of a Wrong Judgment as we have not said it is of a Right And indeed Objection Answ. to Conclude it were so would necessarily Condemn the Church in the Apostles days where we see the Teachers and Elders and so far as we can observe the greater Number did agree to the Decision Acts 1.15 For if the thing be Right and according to Truth it
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
As by Circumcision the Purifications and other things the Holiness of God was typified and that the Isralites ought to be Holy as their God was Holy In the like manner Oaths under the Shadows and Ceremonies signified the Verity of God his faithfulness and certainty and therefore that we ought in all things to speak and witness the Truth Truth was before all Oaths But the Witness of Truth was before all Oaths and remains when all Oaths are abolished and this is the morality of all Oaths and so long as men abide therein there is no necessity of nor place for Oaths as Polybius witnessed who said The use of Oaths in Judgment was Rare among the Antients but by the growing of perfidiousness so grew also the use of Oaths To which agreeth Grotius saying An Oath is only to be used as a Medicine in case of necessity A solemn Oath is not used Oaths supply presupposed Defects of Mens inconstancy but to supply defect The lightness of men and their inconstancy begot diffidence for which swearing was sought out as a remedy Basil the Great saith That Swearing is the effect of sin And Ambrose That Oaths are only a condescendency for defect Chrysostom saith That an Oath entred when evil grew when men exercised their frauds when all foundations were overturned That Oaths took their beginning from the want of Truth These and the like are witnessed by many others with the fore-mentioned Authors But what need of Testimonies where the Evidence of things speaks it self For who will force another to Swear of whom he is certainly perswaded that he abhors to Lie in his words And again as Chrysostom and others say For what end wilt thou force him to swear whom thou believest not that he will speak the Truth § XII That then which was not from the beginning which was of no use in the beginning which had not its beginning first from the Will of God but from the work of the Devil occasioned from evil to wit from Vnfaithfulness Lying Deceit and which was at first only evindent by man as a mutual Remedy of this evil in which they called upon the names of their Idols yea that which as Hierom Chrysostom and others testifie was given to the Israelites by God as unto Children that they might abstain from the Idolatrous Oaths of the Heathens Jer. 12.16 Whatsoever is so is far from being a moral and eternal Precept And lastly Whatsoever by its profanation and abuse is polluted with sin such as are abundantly the Oaths of these times by so often swearing and forswearing far differs from any necessary and perpetual Duty of a Christian But Oaths are so Therefore c. Sixthly They object That God swore Therefore to swear is good I answer with †Athan. in pass cruc Domin Athanasius Seeing it is certain it is proper in swearing to swear by another thence it appears that God Object to speak properly did never swear but only improperly Answ. Whence speaking to men he is said to swear because these things which he speaks because of the certainty and immutability of his Will are to be esteemed for Oaths Compare Psal. 110.4 where it is said The Lord did swear and it did not repent him c. And I swore saith he by my self And this is not an Oath For he did not swear by another which is the property of an Oath but by himself Therefore God swears not according to the manner of men God swears not by another but by himself neither can we be induced from thence to swear but let us so do and say and shew our selves such by speaking and acting that we need not with our Hearers an Oath and let our words of themselves have the testimony of Truth For so we shall plainly imitate God Seventhly They object ◠Christ did swear Object and we ought to imitate him I answer that Christ did not swear and albeit he had sworn Answ. being yet under the Law this would no ways oblige us under the Gospel as neither Circumcision or the celebration of the Paschal Lamb. Concerning which Hierom saith Hier. lib. Ep. part 3. tract 1. Ep. 2. All things agree not to us who are Servants that agreed to our Lord c. The Lord swore as Lord whom no man did forbid to swear but unto us that are Servants it is not lawful to swear because we are forbidden by the Law of our Lord. Yet lest we should not suffer scandal by his Example he hath not sworn since he commanded us not to swear Eighthly they object That Paul swore and that often Object Rom. 1.9 Phil. 1.8 saying For God is my Witness 2 Cor. 11.10 As the Truth of Christ in me 2 Cor. 1.23 I call God for a Record upon my Soul I speak the Truth in Christ I lie not Rom. 9.1 Behold before God I lie not Gal. 1.20 And so requires Oaths of others I Obtest you saith he before God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. 5.27 I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read to all the Brethren But Paul would not have done so if all manner of Oaths had been forbidden by Christ whose Apostle he was To all which I answer First Answ. That the using of such forms of speaking are neither Oaths nor so esteemed by our Adversaries For when upon occasion in matters of great moment we have said We speak the Truth in the fear of God and before him who is our Witness and the searcher of our hearts The Ceremonies of an Oath adding such kind of serious Attestations which we never refused in matters of Consequence nevertheless an Oath hath moreover been required of us with the ceremony of putting our Hand upon the Book the kissing of it the lifting up of the Hand or Fingers together with this common form of Imprecation So help me God or So truly let the Lord God Almighty help me Secondly This contradicts the opinion of our Adversaries because that Paul was neither before a Magistrate that was requiring an Oath of him nor did he himself administer the office of a Magistrate as offering an Oath to any other Thirdly The question is not what Paul or Peter did but what their and our Master taught to be done and if Paul did swear which we believe not he had sinned against the Command of Christ even according to their opinion because he swore not before a Magistrate but in an Epistle to his Brethren Object Ninthly they object Isa. 65.16 where speaking of the Evangelical times he saith That he who blesseth himself in the Earth shall bless himself in the God of Truth and he that sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of Truth because the former troubles are forgotten and because they are hid from mine eyes For behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth Therefore in these times we ought to swear by the Name of the Lord. Answ. I