and so he confirmeth what other Quakers mentioned above § 9. say viz. That there are no commands there for them because given to particular persons and Churches upon particular occasions And thus the very Law of the Ten Commandements which I have vindicated sufficiently elsewhere which Christ himself did interpret and confirme is laid aside as having no power over us Thus the Quakers join hands with the Antinomians that they may become a perfect Sinke of all errours I am sure the Church of Corinth might with greater shew of reason have rejected that Law which Paul urgeth them with 1 Cor. 9 9 10. and Timothy also 1 Tim. 5 18. what shall we say to these Old Testament Lawes and Scriptures pressed in the New Rom. 13 8 9.10 Ephes. 6 2. 2 Cor. 6 17. 1 Pet. 2 13 14. 1 Cor. 14 v. 34. What have we to do with all Christ's commands the Apostles their injunctions 2 Thess. 3 v. 4 6 10 12. 1 Tim. 4 v. 11. 1 Cor. 7 10. Mat. 28 20. 1 Thess. 4 11. Mat. 15 4. Ioh. 15 12. 1 Ioh. 3 23. Rom. 7 10 12. 16 26 1 Tim. 1 5. Tit. 1 3. 2 Pet. 2 21. 3 2. 1 Ioh. 2 7. 3 11. 2 Ioh. 4 6. Ioh. 13 34. 1 Ioh. 2 8. Ioh. 14 21. 1 Cor. 7 19. 14 37. Revel 22 14. Act. 17 30. Rom. 2 12 13 23 25 26 27. 3 31. 4 15. 7 14 16 18 22. 1 Tim. 1 8. Gal. 3 19 21. 5 14. 6 2. Iam. 1 25. 2 8 9 10 11 12. 4 11. 1 Ioh. 3 4. Rom. 1 5. 16 19 26. 2 Cor. 7 15. 10 5 6. 1 Pet. 1 vers 2 Ephes. 6 5. Tit. 2 9. 1 Pet. 1 14. 2 Cor. 2 9. Not to mention his Ordinances of which afterward and all the examples set downe to us for Imitation and Instruction By this argueing the whole Historical part of the Bible is laid aside Further by this Mans doctrine no man is a Man of God but they All others are Natural They are Spiritual and Holy and the Scriptures are only for such and some might think that others had as much need of them But the designe is That all others besides themselves may look upon them selves as not concerned in them and so may lay them aside as useless and when the Quakers are once become the sole keepers of these Oracles we shall quickly know what shall be come of them But blessed be God they are under another eye and under a surer key Beside that by the Apostles doctrine Rom. 15. Every one that is to please his Nieghbour for good to edification vers 2. is to look on the Scriptures as written for his use and learning vers 4. and 2 Tim. 3 15 16. every one that standeth in need of Salvation and hath need to be made wise thereunto must plye the Scriptures for this end We see also that the Scripturs have attained their full end in the Quakers and therefore they have no more do to with them but to observe to their Confirmation the samenes◠of Spirit speaking in them speaking in the Scripture so we must look upon them all as Perfected throughly furnished for every good work That which he addeth in end out of the Ap. Peter is with a witness verified in them 2 Pet. 3 16. 43. Thereafter § 6. He seemeth to grant much concerning the Scriptures when he saith They account them the most fit outward judge of controversies among Christians and what ever doctrine is contrary to them should be accounted heresie c. But howbeit we accept what is granted and are content to try their doctrine by this judge have done so hithertill accordingly must reject their doctrine as damnable heresie and will finde more cause hereafter to continue in this our judgment yet we cannot but take notice That they are driven to this necessity by urgency of their Adversaries and that they know of a refuge for themselves for they are perswaded as we may suppose the Spirit within them is the very same with the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures and he cannot in them contradict what he hath said in the Scriptures And if any discrepancy or contradiction be it is but in appearance and that unto the blinde Understanding of a Natural Man as he speaketh afterward that is it but seemeth so to all that are not Quakers and so notwithstanding of this it is no real contradiction let the appearance be never so great So that it is not possible to convince them of any mistake out of the Scriptures for the Spirit speaking within them cannot speak contrary thereto And further this is to be observed that for all this the Scriptures are no Rule no Law having any force upon our Consciences to Obedience No man is to learne any Truth or Doctrine out of them And thus they take away both Law and Gospel the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament as a Law upon which we are to meditate day and night and which we are to make the men of our counsel and to propose to ourselves as a copy unto which we are to conforme our way and walk and this is to destroy their main end which is to make us wise unto Salvation to convert the soul and to hold forth to us the whole counsel of God concerning Faith and Manners 44. In end § 9. Pag 50. He frameth an Objection against his owne doctrine to this purpose If the Scriptures be not our chiefe only and adequate Rule it is no compleet canon and men who pretend to be acted by the Spirit may adde new Scriptures and so incurre the curse denunced against such they may introduce a new Gospel I should rather have framed the Objection thus If his doctrine be true the Scriptures are no Rule or canon at all and we are as much obliged to beleeve and Obey the dreames and dictats of phantastick Quakers as the Scriptures And how absurd this is every one may judge But let us see what he Replieth He granteth that all false Revelations which are contrary to the Scriptures are to be disclamed This is well and therefore we reject with his warrand his Revelations as false But he will deny that his Revelations are false because the Spirit within him which is the Spirit of Truth and the same Spirit that inspired the Prophets and Apostles saith they are true yea they cannot but be true because proceeding from that Spirit that can reveal nothing but truth and thus we are no more secured then we were yea as I said we are obliged to beleeve all that they say and rather to lay aside our Iudgment and all Sense of Scripture truths than once doubt or question the truth of what they deliver Next he saith The doctrine he hath delivered is true and therefore who adduce such consequences accuse Christ and his Apostles This is but a manifest declaration of his Pride
preaching to save them that believe and make it their work to preach Christ crucified even Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God And on the other hand what enemies to Christ to his Cross to the Preaching of His Truth and to all His Ordinances he and his party are we may have occasion to shew ere all be done And I am not afrayed to say that they will be found among the Chief Enemies of the cross of Christ howbeit he would faine equalize them to the Apostles whom I supposeth he meaneth by the fisher men he mentioneth Hereby also we can see that this new Seck would faine become yea make themselves the only Compurgators of all that hithertil hath been written in Theology and from them alone we must expect the indices expurgatorii which will only except or reserve some writings of Papists Pelagians Semipelagians Arminians Enthusiasts Anabaptists Perfectionists Antiscripturists Libertines and of such as are against the Ministery and the Ordinances of Christ or some special pieces of their writings which serve to confirme his sentiments which are an Hotch Potch made up of the Quintessence of all these and for the rest that any way contradict him they will have but one sentence and censure passed against them viz all is naught It is remarkable also that according to this Mans judgment the pure and naked Truth of god was never unfolded and declared until this Generation of Quakers arose and if some of themselves be to be believed it is far from half an age since they appeared in our Horizon which neither agreeth with truth nor with himself 16. He tels the Clergy That God thrust downe the wise men c. and hath chosen some few despicable and unlearned persons as to Scholastick learning as he did of old fishermen to publish his pure and naked truth by whom no doubt he meaneth himself and his fraternity for which we have nothing but his own assertion If their call be thus immediate and extraordinary it can be evidenced by such characters of credentials as may rationally satisfie any man concearning it and what these characters are I would gladly understand The Apostle Paul hath told us that the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the later times some shall depairt from the faith giving heed to seduceing Spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with an hote yron 1 Tim. 4 1 2. And how fitly this will quadrate with this sort of men the sequel will evince The same Apostle hath told us in that same Epistle Chap. 5 3 4 5. That who ever consent not to wholesome words the words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness is proud or a fool as the margine hath it knowing nothing but doteing about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy striâ—e railings evil surmiseings perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth supposeing that gaine is godliness from which he adviseth Timothy and us all in him to with draw He describeth also in his second Epistle a sort of men whom he would have shuned saying Chap. 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. This know also that in the last dayes perillous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without natural affection trucebreakers false accusers or make bates as it is in the margine incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traitours heady high minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having the forme of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turne away for of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with diverse lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledg of the truth And how appâ—sitely these all or the most of them agree to this generation of Men a few words might evince if it were my present business But all that I now designe is to evince a necessity laid upon us to try Pretenders before we trust them especially such pretenders as are thus described by the Apostle 17. As concearning these fisher men he mentioneth and to whom he compareth himself and his complices by whom I imagine he meaneth the Apostles except Paul who was no fisher man but was learned being brought up at the feet of Gamaliel I would enquire at him if he thinketh that they did publish the naked and pure truth If so he must know that we desire only to follow that as we have it recorded to us in the Scriptures of truth which he and his party do not much value And I would ask further How it cometh to pass that there is such a discrepancy and contradiction betwixt what these Apostles did teach and what he and the rest of the Quakers do teach Truth sure and pure and naked truth cannot be contrary to it self And if he say that there is no difference betwixt his doctrine and the truth delivered by the Apostles he must not be offended if we try the same by their writings and make use of what light within we have to this effect 18. It is not enough for him falsly to accuse all thaâ— have written of Theology of darkning and obscuring the truth but he must also usurpe the throne of God and judge of the heart and intentions of men for he alleidgeth that this was their end That the poor common people might admire them and maintaine them which carryeth as little truth in it as it evidenceth Christian charity in the asserter But we must not storme at such reflexions from the men whose woâ—ks declare what Spirit they are of Nor shall I retaliat though I might nor enquire what way they are maintained it is enough that there are shreud presumptions that their stock lyeth at Rome 19. Whatever we think of them they will needs look upon themselvs as the only called and authorized dispensers of the Gospel for he sayeth that God hath made choise of some few despicable and illiterate persons to publish the pure and naked truth and among the rest of himself to be a dispenser of this Gospel So that among them all are equal administrators and dispensers of this their Gospel for they have no select officers especially set apart for this work and so with them all are eyes eares c. and their body is no organical body so that their Church if their combination may with any propiety of speach be called a Church must needs be a monster But passing this which sufficiently discovereth what enemies they are to Gospel Order and to the institutions of Christ in his Church of which more when we come to his Tenth Thesis we think ourselves concearned to know what for a Gospel this is which they pretend to a mission to preach Sure it is not that which Christ and his Apostles taught and left on record
not but it may be what is here wanting is supplied by his Apology But if his meaning be that he leaveth this testimony to convince that light of Christ which illuminateth every mans conscience than it seemeth that light of Christ hath need of his information and that notwithstanding thereof conscience may refuse to receive his doctrine and information so that this light of Christ though it enlighten the conscience cannot captivate the same to a kindly submission to that Gospel which he preacheth till some other thing worke But seing he leaveth this his testimony to be pondered and considered by the light of Christ which enlighteneth every mans conscience and thereby granteth that every man hath this Supream light of Christ within him and thereby may and is allowed by him to judge of what he saith he cannot be offended that I judge by all that light of Christ within enforming my soul and conscience from that light of Christ which is held forth in the Scriptures of truth and determine accordingly against his Assertions CHAP. II. Of the true ground of Knowledge 1. HAving thus considered his Preface with which he ushereth-in his Theses I come now to a particular examination of his doctrine expressed in his Theses and vindicated and explained in his large Apologie His first Thesis which is concerning the true ground of Knowledge is short wherein he tels us that seing our chiefe happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God for this is life eternal that they might know that true God Ioh. 17 3. the true and genuine understanding of the right original and ground of Knowledge is especially necessary to be known and believed 2. Christ indeed in his prayer Ioh. 17 3. speaketh to his Father thus And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent which last words why this man did leave out and his c. added in his second edition is but a small reliefe who can tell if of designe it must be a bad Omen and giveth small ground of expectation of a full and satisfying discovery of that knowledge of â—od which is through faith in Jesus Christ and is thereby begun felicity here and leadeth forward to the certane fruition of God However Christ hereby giveth us to understand that that knowledge of God which is eternal life begun cannot be had without the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as the sent Ambassadour of God in whose face and manifestations God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shineth into the hearts of his owne to give the light of the knowledge of his glory 2 Cor. 4 6. Our Lord doth not meane here a bare speculative knowledge but such a knowledge and beholding of the glory of the Lord as changeth the beholder into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3 18. and so is accompanyed with Faith apprehending and closeing with the Son in whom is this eternal life so that he who hath the Son hath life 1 Ioh. 5 11 12. And it is this Son of God who must give us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life 1 Ioh. 5 20. And another foundation or original of knowledge that is saving and the way to eternal life can no man lay 1 Cor. 3 11. 3. It is good and necessary I confess to have the genuine and true understanding of the right original and ground of this true and saving knowledge But whether this mans doctrine hath a genuine tendency thereunto or not the sequel will evince I am far mistaken if after tryal his doctrine prove not a perverting of the Gospel of Christ Gal. 1 7. and of the right wayes of the Lord Act. 13 10. and contradictory to that Gospel whereby life and immortality is brought to light 2 Tim. 5 10. and which is the Gospel of Salvation Ephes. 1 13. 4. We might readily think that one taking upon him with no small confidence to teach the whole world and to give a new discovery of pure and naked truth which hitherto hath been as he supposeth darkened and obscured and who openly declareth in the beginning of his doctrine that the genuine understanding of the right originâ—l knowledge of that God whom to know is life eternal is necessary to be known and believed should explaine to us some hidden mysteries of God and help us by his new grounds to some more distinct apprehensions of what is revealed to us of God in his word But alas this mans ignis fatuus is no sure guide to us The grounds he layeth down are both defective and destructive Of their destructive nature we will have large occasion to speak hereafter and how defective they are a few Instances may clear 5. And first Seing he would hold forth to us clear and naked truth and acquant us with true divine and saving knowledge how cometh it to passe that in his Theses we heare nothing of the nature and attributes of God Supposeth he that we can attaine to the true and saving knowledge of God and yet not know Him to be a Spirit Pure and Invisible without a Body Parts or Passions nor know that He is the only True and Living God Infinite in Being and in all Perfection Shall we think that it is no part of that knowledge of God wherein consisteth true felicity to know Him to be Immutable Immense Eternal Incomprehensible Almighty Most Holy Most Absolute Most Just Most Righteous Most Wise Most Gracious and Long-suffering c. Is it no part of the genuine knowledge of God that tendeth to life to know that He hath all Life Glory Goodness and Blessedness in of Himself c. and that He is the sole Fountaine of all Life Glory and Goodness which the Creature partaketh or is capable of and the only Author of their being what for a knowledge of God must that be in which all felicity consisteth whereof the knowledge of these particulars mentioned shall make no part And if he thinketh that the knowledge of God doth of necessity comprehend the knowledge of these particulars how cometh it to passe that in his Most comprehensive Theses and his large Apology too which hold forth as he would make us believe that knowledge which leadeth unto life eternal there is such a deep silence of these so many particulars so necessary to be known and beleeved It concerneth him to answere this 6. Next Shall we think that it is no necessary part of this saving knowledge of God to know that there is one God in Essence and Three distinct persons in the Unity of the God head of one Substance Power and Eternity viz God the Father being of none neither Begotten nor Proceeding God the Son eternally begotten of the Father and God the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding
that every individual soul before they could savingly beleeve and understand the Truth of God behoved of necessity to have the same as Immediatly Inwardly and Extraordinarily revealed to themselves as it was to the Prophets and thus every man was to be an immediatly inspired Prophet to himself and what need was there then of immediatly Inspired Prophets singularly pitched upon and raised up for the use and benefite of others 4. This being plaine a sure basis whereupon we may stand and such a cleare stateing of the Question betwixt us and the Quakers that none needeth be ignorant of the true difference betwixt us and them we may very shortly dispatch this Man and his Doctrine which for the most part as we shall see runeth upon this Confusion and Mistake for thus he beginneth Pag. 5. to tell us That in all ages this hath been acknowledged viz That there is no saving knowledge of God to be had without the Spirit and to this end citeth some passages out of Augustin Clemens Alexandr Tertul. Hierom Athanasius Gregorius Magnus Cyril Alexandr Bernard Luther and Melanchâ—on None of which speak any other thing than what I have already granted and asserted and no true orthodox Christian or any that I know will deny except Pelagians Arminians the like with whom this Man doth too much conspire as we shall heare But can he produce any of the Fathers or of our Reformers maintaining such Inward and Immediat Revelations of the Spirit as the Quakers with their predecessours the Enthusiasts do assert now to be necessary and do pretend to If he be so well acquanted with the writings of the Fathers as by these his citations he would have us beleeve he hath done wisely for himself but not very honestly in concealing what several of the same Fathers and Others write expresly against such high Pretenders as the Quakers now are and in whose footsteps they in many things now tread Theodoretus in Epit. Haeret. Fab. Cap. 3. giveth us Cerinthus as the first Patriarcâ— of Fanaticks pretending to such Revelations Irenaeus lib. 1. advers Valentinum c. Cap. 9. sheweth how Marcus Valentinianus had a great Impostor a certane Devil for his Assessor by whom he himself seemed to Prophecy and foretel things and how he made some certane women whom he accounted worthy of that honour to prophecy and speak some braine-sick discourses when warmed by that empty Spirit so that they supposed themselves to be Prophetisses Theodoret in the forecited book Lib. 3. Cap. 11. tels us that one Montanus out of an ambition to excel all others alleidged that he had all his Opinions from the instinct of his Spirit the Paracleâ—e and did pretend to Enthusiasmes and Revelations and that he took unto him Priscilla and Maximilla as two Prophetisses calling their writings Prophecies or Prophetick Books and preferring them unto the divine Evangel And from this Montanus borne at Pepuza in Phrygia came the Seck of Cataphrygians and Pepuzians Augustine may also be read concerning this Catal. Haeret. Num. 26. and 27. And these men because they pretended much to the Spirit as our Quakers do now were usually called Spirituales and they called and accounted others Carnal Persons Psychici Animales Eusebius Hist. Eccles. Lib. 5. Cap. 16 and 17 may be read to this purpose relateing some of the pranks and opinions of these Cataphrigians and how one Apollonius wrote against them and their revelations and how Serapion and others gave witnes against them Let him if he please read also Epiphanius contra Haeres Tom. 1. Lib. 2. Haeres 48. 49. Where he will meet with some things not unworthy of his consideration Of this sort also were the Euchites who came of the Messalinians who were also called Enthusiasts concerning whom see Theodoretus Epit. Haeret Fab. Lib. 4. Cap 11 and Phylostr Haeres 49. A wonder it is that he citeth not Tertullian's books written de Ecstasi after he turned a follower of Montanus whom and whose ecstasies he laboured to defend in these books sure such could he have fallen upon them had been more apposite to his purpose then what he here citeth out of his book de volandis Virginibus we could also cite his book de praâ—cript advers Haeres Cap. 52. where he inveigheth much against such Prophets Among others of the predecessours of Quakers may the Circumcelliones and Donatistae be reckoned who did pretend to Visions and such Revelations and we may take in Quintius the Liberâ—ine though much later and others of the like stamp 5. In his § 3. he goeth on ranting at the same rate inveighing against all Doctors learned Persons who are not of his judgmeâ—t as being void of the Spirit and so no more to be called Christians as subserving in their writtings and labours the designe of Satan being only instructed in the external letter of the Scriptures whileas others that had only this inward and immediat revelation were true Christians hence he very profoundly doth inferre That the inward and immediat Revelation is only that sure and undoubted methode of true and saving knowledge I shall not be the man that shall plead for Doctors or Professours that deny or are strangers to the workings of the Spirit of God only I may say that the Quakers have not as yet given such irrefragable demonstrations of their being illuminated and led by the Spirit as may make us secure and confident as to the truth of all which they say I suppose the Spirit of God would teach them to speak more soberly of such as they are yet great strangers unto But to what purpose is all this waste of words if he meane nothing else by his Inward and Immediat Revelation than what we formerly § 3. did owne and explaine against whom doth he fight But if he meane as he must if he speak to the purpose what we said was the opinion of the Quakers all his wit and skill shall never be able to inferre his Conclusion from the Premises I grant that the knowledge of the letter of the Scriptures will never bring a man to heaven if with that there be not some gracious and saving Work of the Spirit working up the man to an Imbraceing Closeing with and rightly Improving of the Truths there contained yet I dar not say that the very letter of the Scriptures in its kinde as a compleet Canon and Rule is not able to make us wise unto salvation seing the Apostle is express for this 2 Tim 3.15 nor will I say that to the end the Truths revealed in the Scriptures may be savingly beleeved there is a necessiâ—y that every one have these same Truths revealed and declared unto them Objectively by new Inward and Immediat Revelations as the Prophets and Apostles had the Truths revealed unto them which they delivered unto others in the name of the Lord. And when he shall be able to inferre this Conclusion from solide Premises we shall think our selves concerned to
he hath gained nothing for I would say so that the Lord Jesus hath by his Spirit revealed Truths even Objectively unto us and even this way made good these promises but how By Inspireing Apostles and others to pen Scripture wherein all New Testament Truths necessary and sufficient for us to be believed and obeyed in order to Salvation are contained and revealed Is not this a proposeing of Truths Objectively Nay more I say the Spirit to this day is proposeing to us truths Objectively in by the work of the Ministrie and Ordinances which are established and maintained by the Spirit for this end to clear up the word of Reconciliation and to explaine all Gospel Truths which we are to believe and obey Here is also an Objective proposal by the Spirit But you will say it is not an Immediat Objective proposal I grant it and yet it is sufficient to confute his reason which mentioneth not this Immediatness nor will he prove any such thing out of these Scriptures in reference to all beleevers 29 Now followeth his Second Argument taken as he sayes from the new Covenant whereby he would prove that we are to be led by the Spirit not only Immediatly but also Objectively A strange conclusion as full of confusion as the former for any would think that by Objectively here he meaneth Mediatly But I suppose he would have said not only Subjectively but also Objectively For clearing of the matter and to prevent a fighting in the dark we would know That the work of the Spirit in order to the beleeving of Truths is either in and about the Soul of the man whom he is to give a Revelation of the truth unto or is in and about the Truth which is revealed and to be beleeved The First is that which is meaned by the word subjective because the man is the subject in which the Spirit is to work faith The Other is that which is expressed by the word Objective because the truth revealed is the Object which is to be beleeved and received Now the Subjective Operation of the Spirit in this matter is by enlightning the Understanding of the man taking away the vail that was over his eyes and thus enabling him to see the Object as when Christ cured the blinde man he put him in case to see the light which he could not do before so the Spirit openeth the eyes of the minde of the man that he may see the wonders out of his law Psal. 119 18. As to this immediat work of the Spirit though the Lord thinketh good to do this ordinarly in and by the use of meanes which he hath appointed so that the word Immediatly must not be so understood as to exclude these he maketh no debate with us But as to the Objective operation of the Spirit it is by proposeing of the Object or Truth to be beleeved unto the Intellect as true and as spoken by God and this is twofold either External or Internal External is when the Truth is proposed by God to the Intellect by outward meanes such as the Scriptures Preachers and the like and this may be also called Mediat Internal which may be called Immediat is when the Lord's Spirit doth immediatly propose the Truth to be believed as true and as spoken to them as a truth now to be believed because thus spoken by Him immediatly unto their souls unto which is requisite a real secret operation of the Spirit immediatly carrying the truth in upon the Understanding by Supernatural and Immediatly Infused intelligible Species's The former mediat way this man is not Satisfied with and this last immediat way is that whereby Truths were revealed extraordinarily to Prophets and Apostles and otherâ— who were Inspired and is usually called Prophetick Revelation and in this sense is the word Revelation ordinarily taken in Scripture And this is the Revelation Immediat and Objective which this man would plead for and which we deny to be common to all believers whether under â—he Old Testam or under the New And which we also deny to be â—he way by which we are to expect the Teachings and Leadings of the Spirit now seing we are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ himself being the chiefe corner stone Ephes. 2 20. 30. Now let us see how he proveth his point He adduceth two passages of Scripture Esai 59 21. and Ier. 31 33. with its parallel Heb. 8 10. where the Lord promiseth that the words which he shall put in their mouth shall not depart out of their mouth nor out of the mouth of their seed nor out of the mouth of their seeds seed from hence forth even for ever And that he will put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c And what I pray can all this Evince Cannot the Lord put his words in the mouth and hearts of his People Mediatly Ay but saith he the Lord saith not that he will do this by Scriptures or other Means Nor doth he say say I that he will do it without them when he opened the heart of Lydia and when he caused the Thessalonians receive the word not as the word of Man though preached by Paul but as it is indeed the Word of God did he not put his word into their mouth and write it in their hearts But saith he hereby is the law and the Gospel differenced that the law was writen in tables of stone but the Gospel in the heart Ans. Said not David Psal. 40 8. that the law of God was in his heart And Ps. 119 11 that he hid Gods Word in his heart If it be so why said he before and went about to prove that the Object of faith of beleevers under the Law and under the Gospel was the same and how had all the Saints under the Law Immediat Revelations Other answers might be given here but these are sufficient to shew the mans Ignorance and Inconstancy when he hath reconciled himself to himself we will have less to do What he speaks afterward of Immediat Communion which is not the same with Immediat Revelation in respect whereof the state of beleevers under the Gospel is better than that under the Law is but to confirme further his self contradiction Let him reconcile this with what he said before of beleevers under the Law and of the sameness of the Object formal of the faith of both and we shall think ourselves concerned to notice what he saith But further to multiply his self contradictions he addeth an Untruth viz. That under the Law they had the high Priest immediatly receiving the Word of God in the holy of holies to teach the people and we say now under thâ— Gospel there is nothing but the external letter of the Scripture in the meaning of one verse of which scarce two do agree For neither can he prove that the High Priest had such Revelations alwayes in the Holy of Holies And we
to the excluding of Christ and that in the New Test. there is a clearer Manifestation of Christ as the End of the Law and as Life than was under the Law and we know that Christ by his Spirit writteth his Law in the hearts of his children by giving them a Spiritual Principle of Obedience and this he did also to his owne under the Law and all this without annulling the Letter of the Law as a Rule as we have showne elsewhere abundantly against the Antinomians 6. will he say that all the Scripture is written in tables of stone and yet of that doth the Apostle speak 2 Cor. 3. v. 7. the place he hath in his eye But saith he Gracâ— and not the external law is Christians Rule Rom. 6 14. And yet the External Law taught him this otherwise he citeth this passage with an evil conscience but Grace there is not taken for a Rule but for that Spiritual Assistence whereby we are enabled to withstand Corruption and so to be more conformed Outwardly and Inwardly unto the Law and for the Gospel dispensation wherein grace is promised and secured in and through the Mediator to help in time of need to more Conformity unto the revealed will of God But by what authority can he take Grace here and Act. 20 32. for Immediat Revelations The grace of Christ and the power of his Spirit in regard of that Efficacy it hath to Restraine from sin and to Constraine sweetly unto duty is assimulated unto a Law the native End and Designe whereof is this Rom 8 2. for thereby his children are Effectually and Efficiently delivered from the Tyranny and Power of Sin and Death So that this man knoweth not what he saith when he would reason thus against the Scriptures as our Rule for the Apostle in that same Epistle Chap. 13.9 urgeth the very decalogue as a binding Law and in several other places of the same Epistle citeth passages out of the old Test. not only to Confirme his Doctrine but to Enforce Duty yea he expresly tels us that the very Scriptures of the Old Test. are of this use unto us Chap. 15 4. 25. Before we proceed and examine what he saith against the Perfection of the Scriptures in the following Pages we would first vindicate some Grounds of our owneing of it as our Rule which he mentioneth afterward and also in the first place clear it to be so from other Grounds which he taketh no notice of And in all this we have this Advantage that he hath already granted the Scriptures to be of divine Inspiration and of Immediat Revelation and to be the Scriptures of Truth and so without manifest Retracting of what he hath said and Contradicting of what he hath granted he cannot but assent to all which these Scriptures of truth say as truth and as unquestionable truth wherefore if they shall give testimony to their being our Rule above any thing that men may fancie as a Rule the testimony must be true and we must without further debate Acquiesce therein and while he doth dispute to the contrary he calleth in question their Truth and in effect controleth their Truth and Authority Let us see then what they say of themselves as to this That parable which Christ adduceth Luk. 16. speaketh faire for what we say for who would not think that one riseing from the dead should be hearkened to and beleeved above all who would doubt of the divine authority of his Message especially when calling for Repentance who could think that such an One so comeing and that with such a message were not to be received as cloathed with divine authority And yet we see by Abraham's answere in the parable that Moses and the Prophets are to be preferred so that if the testimony of Moses and the Prophets that is of the writings of Moses and the Prophets could not to bâ— Beleeved such a testimony with a miracle would be Ineffectual Shall we then think that this word preferable to such a testimony as every one would think were unquestionable should not be rested upon as our Supream Rule will any think it reasonable that we leave this and betake ourselves to private Inspirations and Revelations as a Superiour more Sure and Full Rule and Declaration of the Minde of God concerning Faith and Manners when all men must see that they come far short in point of Light and Certainty unto the testimony of One risen from the dead beside that we know not by any infallible toaken out of what airth they come Sure this should be Madness and Folly 26. Further when the Apostle is pressing Timothy 2 Tim. 3 16 c. to stedfastness in the truth and to a progress and continuance in the work of the Gospel he assureth him that the Scriptuâ—es which he had been acquanted with from his child hood and was the sure ground and rule of his doctrine would beare him thorow without mentioning any superiour yea or collateral Rule as requisite in this case saying they were able to make wise unto Salvation and to make the man of God perfect and further as a confirmation hereof he tels him that the whole Scripture was of divine Inspiration superiour to which as a Rule nothing is imaginable unless we blasphemously imagine some thing above God or some manner of Revelation of God's minde superiour and preferable unto that which is by his Immediat Speaking and Inspiration As also he tels him that the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect throughly fournished unto all good works and so he denyeth the Use and Necessity of the auxiliary supply of any other whether collateral or superiour Rule Sure had the Spirit been in his judgment a Superiour and more adequate Rule he had never attributed all this unto the Scriptures and that without all exeption of one thing or other So that place of Peter 2 Pet. 1 18 19 20 21. evinceth the matter beyond a contradiction for what can be more ceâ—taine as to its divine Authority than a voice from heaven and that from the excellent glory Dar this man his fellow-confidents Averre that their private Revelations whether Dreames Visions or Inspirations are to be preferred to such a Voice from heaven from the Excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son which Peter Iames and Iohn did hear If modesty will not suffer them to be so bold let them then forbeare to preferre their Fancies in point of Rule unto the Scriptures When Peter saith we have a more sure word of Prophecie a light that shineth in a dark place and what was this word of Prophecy even that which holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost shall we not then look upon that as our supreame Rule which God hâ—th given out with more evidence as to us than a very Voice from heaven and a Voice which had full Certainty in its selfe And shall we be so sottish as to preferre to
6. Rev. 22 18. and others of the same import as Gal. 1 8. Mat. 15 6. So that it is hence cleare that the Doctrine contained in the Scriptures is full and Compleet for to it nothing must be added not must any thing be diminished therefrom Now to these this Maâ— replyeth with Bellarmine That Iohn in the Revelation meaneth only that particular book That notwithstanding thereof the Prâ—pheâ—s of old did adde their Prophecies But how vaine these shifts are who seeth not Seing what is spoken of that Book and elsewhere of the Commands of God is consequently to be understood of all and as none might adde to the law delivered by Moses nor to the Word held forth by the Prophets so the Canon being closed and the same prohibition renewed at the close thereof we are assured hence that the Canon is Perfected as for the Prophecies of the Prophets these were properly no Additions to but Explications of the law of God and beside the Lord did not binde up his owne hand when he tyed up mans from adding or diminishing But he tels us further that there were Prophets even after Iohns dayes and at the Reformation and since Which is nothing to the purpose for these who foretold events took not upon them to prescribe thereupon doctrines to others nor did they make any such Revelation the Ground and Rule of Faith and Manners eiâ—her to themselves or others far less did they plead upon this account against the Perfection of the Scriptures as our Quakers do Wherefore it is manifest that the Spirit of Divination which tâ—ey plead for is a corrupt Antichristian Spirit But in end he sayeth that these places are to be understood only of such as adde new doctrine contrary to the old of such as adde humane words to God's but not of them who only bring a new and more copious revelation of ancient doctrine As if additions of new Revelations to the canon did not â—eclare the canon Imperfect This is the same which Bellarmine and other Papists say for their Traditions viz. That they are not Additions but Explications yet both their Traditions our Quakers new Revelations must thereby be as highly valued as the writtings of the prophets and Apostles which were but further Explications and Revelations of the same old foundamental doctrine deliverd by Moses and thus what our Quakers do deliver by such Revelations as they pretend unto must be looked upon as of the same authority with what the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and with the Scriptures which are of divine Inspiration and what they speak thus are not mens words but Gods and must be received as such though they contradict what we have registrate in the Scriptures of truth Here is prodigious and blasphemous Audacity beyond what Papists though audacious enough dar be guilty of for they willingly grant that there is no place now left for adding to the Scriptures or doctrine delivered by the Prophets and Apostles any new Prophecies or Revelations But I would ask him one thing If he speak truth here when shall our Canon be compleated that no more needs be added Sure it must never he Perfected as long as they live or the time will come when they will need no moe Revelations and consequently according to their doctrine will nead no more help of the Spirit or of the Light within or that the Revelations which they shall then have will be useless Let him unriddle this mysterie if the can 31. Before I speak any more of their unreasonableness in this I would first see what Grounds he hath to decry the Perfection of the Scriptures Pag. 40. c. He tels us first That there are innumerable things which in reguard of particular circumstances are of great consequence unto Christians and yet there is no precise rule in the Scriptures concearning them But did ever any Rational man suppose that this was necessary to a Compleet Law and Rule to determine particularly and precisely of all and every particular action considered as to all its particular and individual circumstances Reasonable men will say that it is enough if it determine of aâ—l specifick actions and give general rules by which judgment may be made of all individual actions now this the Scripture doth richly and abundantly But he adduceth an instance to the contrary thus of a Minister called to preach the necessity of which office and ministrie himself denyeth though he make use of this argument ad hominem who can produce no call out of the Scriptures nor will the qualifications required of Minâ—sters evince that this man in particular is called nor can he be certaine that he is endued with these qualifications without the testimony of the Spirit and though he be endued and called no Scripture can tel him when and where he should preâ—ch Generals will not serve here for he may sin when doing this or preaching here when he should be doing that and preaching in another place Answere 1. I might tell him that by his reasoning here he must grant that he and the rest of the Quakers must have a Real New Distinct and Particular Revelation for every action every word or silence every thought or no thought and so for their Eating Drinking Sleeping Wakeing Walking Sitting Standing Looking Hearing c. or their rule shall be as imperfect as ours for in all these and in respect of their circumstances they may sinne and so bring condemnation on themselves and yet as we will hear afterward he dar not say so much His saying that the Instance which he hath adduced is a matter of greater moment will not helpe the matter for if he will I shall prove to him that in the least of these particulars I have hinted he can sinne against God and that is enough by his owne confession here to render the matter momentous 2 To him it is true who denieth the Ministrie it self its Work and Exercise it cannot be that the Scriptures should Regulate particular persons in their taking on of the Office and in the Exercise thereof But to us who owne this as an Institution of Christ and shall in due place vindicate it from his Exceptions there is no Impossibility in the matter For we can prove from Scripture and shall do it in due time and place that there is such a standing Ordinance in the New Testament That there is an established Order whereby persons shall be duely Invested with the Office That there are certaine Qualifications required in the Person who is to be admitted to the Office That there is concurring an inward Work of the Spirit inclineing the man whom the Lord calleth unto this Office upon pure and spiritual grounds and motives and for holy and heavenly ends and this may be cleared also out of Scripture Therâ— are passages of providence and circumstantial Works of the Lord which are great and sought out of all them that have pleasure
that this our doctrine is contradicted by daily experience Wherein In that preachers saith he exhort many to beleeve and lay hold upon salvation who cannot if they be reprobate Ans. But do Ministers know certainly who are reprobate What if their designe be most to save the elect But then sayes he their preaching is vaine for these shall certainly be saved Ans. Where is it said that they â—hall certainly be saved without the meanes Knoweth he not that by the foolishness of preaching God saveth them thaâ— beleeve Knoweth he not that God hath appointed the meanes to keep his Elect beleevers constant and stedfast in the faith He tels us that Vossius Hist Pelag lib. 6 p. 587. saith that this was the common opinion of the ancients Answ. But I finde the contrare manifâ—stly made out by D Owen in his preface to his book of Perseverance from Clemens Epistle to thâ— Corinthians a piece of undoubted antiquity froâ— Ignatius from Tertullian from Macarius Aegyptius from Chrysâ—stome and from the Opposers of the Pelagians and Semipelagians such as Prosper and chiefly Augustine with whom accorded Hilary and Fulgentius So from Gregory from Bradwardine yea and from Thomas Aquinas These hâ— may be pleased to consider at his leasure 17. But Pag. 168. § 3. He replieth to that answere given to 1 Tim. 1 19. Saying that it must be true faith that is there meaned As if we said that the doctrine of faith were a false faith But he supposeth that we meaned an hypocritical faith that was not in truth but in shew only And yet he must know that a Temporary faith is not properly a false faith but is true in its kinde It is true it is not a saving faith and yet is distinguished from a false faith But the faith we said that was there spoken of is the doctrine of Faith which they should not have put away but adhered to and preached faithfully with all good conscience But when it is said they put away a good conscience saith he it is supposed they had a good conscience which cannot be without true faith Ans. Paul saith Act. 23 1. that he had lived in all good conscience before God unto that day taking in as is very probable even the time that he was a pharisee and so without true faith in Christ see Phil. 3 6. 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used doth not signifie alwayes a putting away what we have as we see Act. 7 27 39. 13 46. And so it only importeth that they did not serve Christ in the Gospel in truth and in sincerity but for filthy lucâ—e or such like corrupt ends and hence it came to passe that at length they cast the profession of the truth over board and would follow that doctrine no more 18. To our proofs from Phil. 1 6. 1 Pet. 1 5. he Answereth These can no otherwayes be understood than in so far as we fulfil the condition upon which salvation is offered Ans. But these texts speake expresly of God's beginning and perfecting the condition the good work and keeping by faith So that the man knoweth not what he sayes when he thinks this answere can be made use of here 19. He cometh next Pag. 169. § 4 to speak of the second thing asâ—erted in his Thesis to wit That there is such a measure of grace attainable from which there is no Apostasie and in this he leaveth his friends the Socinians Arminians and thinketh hereby to answere all the arguments whereby Perseverance is proved but in this his folly is too manifest for all our arguments conclude for such as have the least measure of true and saving grace and upon the other hand answere all that is brought against Perseverance by alleiging that these cannot reach such as are attained to this highest degree But as this will not satisfie the Adversaries so it is but loose and groundless work having no foundation in the word And if he will interpret that Heb. 6 4 5 6. of true and saving grace he will finde difficulty to limite it to beginners not to meane it especially of such as have attained unto an higher measure of perfection than ordinary 20. But Pag. 170. from that place 1 Cor. 9 vers 27. he saith that Paul supposeth here a possibility that he might become a reprobate Whereby he destroyeth what he is about to assert for he cannot with any colour of reason deny that Paul was advanced above many arrived at as high a degree of perfection as any Quaker is capable of seing himself saith that Paul was come to that stateâ— from which he knew he could not fall and the mater is clear Rom. 8 38. 2 Tim. 1 12. 4 7 8. But he mistaketh the import of that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9 27. which only signifieth not approven or not accepted of in the service he was imployed about as the whole scope anâ— context cleareth and though it were taken in his worst sense what can he hence inferre will the carefull use of meanes to provent such a thing prove that such a thing was possible not only in it self but also in respect of God The Lord's determination and purpose kniteth the ends with the meanes secureth the end together with the meanes leading thereto But it is an ordinary mistake with Arminians to think that if the end be secured meanes are needless Was not the life of Christ secured until the time appointed did he for all that neglect the use of meanes for his life or did he hearken to Satan tempting him to cast himself headlong from the pinacle of the temple did Hezekiah neglect to eat drink c. notwithstanding of the full assurance he had of living fifteen years longer 21. What he saith afterward of assurance which some attaine unto though I judge it not clearly proven from Revel 3 12. that place being meant rather of what the Lord will give hereafter in glory Yet I assent unto the truth shall recommend the Reader unto Chap. 18 of our Confess of Faith where he shall finde the matter fully explained confirmed so that he needeth not take any notice of what this Quaker saith on that head CHAP. XVI Of the Church 1 WE proceed unto his Tenth thesis wherein he treateth of the Ministrie But in his Apology P. 172. c. he thinketh good to speak something of the Church of which he made no mention in his Thesis but did presuppose it What we hold concerning the Church is distinctly set down in our Confess Chap. 25 Where more of the clear truth may be in a few words seen than readily will be found in several Treatises written against Papists upon that head there it is said The Catholick or Universal Church which is Invisible consists of the whole number of the Elect that have been are or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head thereof and is the Spouse the
the earth shall swear by the God of truth he answereth That it was usual with the Prophets to express the great duties of the Gospel times in Mosaick termes as Ier. 31 38 39 40. Ezech. 36 25. 40. Esa. 45 23. And what the Prophet here speaketh of swearing Paul interpreteth it of confessing Rom. 14 11. Answ. That the Prophets use this way I confess But see no ground for this from Ier. 31 38. c. where the Prophet is foretelling the rebuilding of Iâ—rusalem which was accomplished in the dayes of Nehemiah And that Ezech. 36 25. is but a poor ground Nor doth that place Esai 45 23. give any countenance unto this though the Apostle Rom. 14 11. useth another word for swearing which is but exegitical thereof and the same upon the mater The only doubt remaineth whether swearing was properly ceremonial or not which the Apostles frequent practice mentioned in the preceeding argument and other arguments mentioned and to be mentioned evince not to have been ceremonial And there is more ground to make the bowing of the knee ceremonial then swearing by the name of the Lord. 12. In the tenth place he mentioneth that argument taken from Heb. 6 16. For men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife he answereth Pag. 359. That Paul only sheweth what men in those dayes of controversie were wont to do but not what they should have done nor what the Saints did Answ. This being a practice not of any one age or people but of all ages and people whereby a principal end of swearing to wit the ending of a controversie and the right manner of going about it to wit in swearing by the greater is held forth and this being brought-in hereas an argument from the less to the more as if the Apostle had said if we believe a man who by nature is a liar when he sweareth and confirmeth what he saith by attesting God how much more ought we to believe God who is truth it self when he sweareth by himself having no greater to swear by sheweth the lawfulness and usefulness of this practice So that if this had been or were in it self a thing â—imply evil the Apostles argument would want its due force and cause men question if ever Gâ—d did or would swear it being such a sinful and an abominable thing â—roceeding from the Devil And so the whole argument and conclusion of the Apostle should be annulled and the maine pillar of our assurance and hope sâ—aken And though this differeth from these instances 1 Cor. 9 ver 24. and Luk. 14 vers 31. which he adduceth to invalidate this Yet neither can he prove that these are simply sinful and unlawful in all cases 13. As for the argument he proposeth next I owne it not and so am less concerned in his answere Only I would know what he meaneth by that expression a Christian whom God hath called unto his essential verity may no way swear What meaneth he by this essential verity And was not Paul called thereunto whatever it be How came it then that he did swear some way Were not the holy men of old called unto this essential verity how came it then that they did also sweare Such as Abraham Gen. 21 24. Iacob Gen 31 53. Ioseph Gen 47 35. Moses Iosh. 14 9. David 1 Sam. 20 3. 24 22 Ionathan 1 Sam. 20 16. Eliah 1 King 17 1. Gedaliah 2 King 25 24. Asa. 2 Chron. 15 14. Obadiah 1 King 18 10. Elisha 2 King 2 6 Are not Angels called unto this essential verity How came it then that they did swear Dan. 12 17. Revel 10 5 6 He citeth some passages of some heathens Pag. 360. who would not swear And what can this prove And what will Pythagoras prohibition evince Or Socrates his requireing that mens words should be firmer than oaths Or Plato's appearing against it These and the like may be good arguments for him whose Religion is but Paganish but have no force with us though I grant these and the like may shame Christians who regard even oathes so little He hath Pag. 361. a number of bare citations of places of some Fathers and Others without giving us their words any who hath these books may peruse them and see what they say All that I shall say is this Though it be true that many of the Fathers did in this assent to Pelagius yet the more common opinion was that Christians might in some cases lawfully sweare which they grounded upon the practice of Paul See Vossius Hist. Pelag. lib. 5. par 2. Antith 1. Pag. 513. c. And let the Reader peruse the citations he hath there adduced and he will see that some of this Quakers citations and Authors are against himself such as Cyprian Tertullian Augustine Polycarp and others The primitive Christians would not swear it is true neither by the Genius nor by the fortune of the Emperious See Tertul. Apol. Cap. 31. and from this some might gather that they would not swear at all which was certainly a mistake And we read that the Primitive Christians did sweare to be faithful to the Emperour as Vossius sheweth out of Vegetius lib 2. Cap. 5. Arnobius lib. 4. see also Dio in M. Antonino Tertul. de Cor. mil. c. 1. Eusebii histor lib 5. c. 5. He sheweth also how they used to sweare by the Eucharist out of Eusebii Histor. lib. 6. Chap. 35 The last argument which he mentioneth is not worth the naming and so I leave it 14. For a Conclusion to this let us take notice that Augustine was only labouring to keep oft unnecessary oathes and would have one and other shuning what they could the giving of oathes But would not simply condemne the taking or giving of oathes in weighty maters even under the Gospel And therefore speaking upon that sermon of Christ on the mount and having mentioned the expressions of Paul formerly spoken of he addeth Ita intelligitur praecepisse Deum ne Iuretur ne quisquam sicut bonum appetat jusjurandum assiduitate jurandi ad perjurium per consuetudinem delabatur Quapropter qui intelligit non in bonis sed necessariis jurationem habendam refrenet se quantum potest ut non eâ uâ—atur nisi necessitate cum videt pigros esse homines ad credendum quod ets utile est credere nisi juratione firmetur CHAP. XXXI Of Civil Honour 1. BEside what belongeth properly to Civil Honour of which we are now to speak there are other two particulars which he is pleased to speak something to in his Vindication of his last Thesis to wit against Vanity Prodigality in apparel and against Comoedies and such Playes concerning which I minde to be no adversary unto him only I must say he must be very affronted and shameless to suppose let be to say That all his Adversaries contenâ— for these as lawful and as no way contrary to Christian Religion
QUAKERISME The path-way to PAGANISME Or A Vieu of the Quakers Religion BEING An Examination of the Theses and Apologie of Robert Barclay one of their number published lately in latine to discover to the World what that is which they hold and owne for the only true Christian Religion By JOHN BROWN Minister of the Gospel Printed for Iohn Cairns and other Booksellers in EDINBURGH ANNO MDC LXXVIII An EPISTLE to the READER CHRISTIAN READER Having in the following Discourse given as the Lord was pleased to helpe at some length yet with as much brevitie as the matter would suffer and thy good and edification which I was called to consult would permit my poor Testimony unto those precious Truths which are trode upon by this late Upstart generation of Quakers I shall not detaine thee long in the entrie Only let me say That as this impendent Pestilentious Cloud of Heathenish and Hellish Darkness which the Devil by the ministrie of these Locusts only Masculine in Malice against Christ being the very impure Spawn of perfect Antichristian Enmitie to our Lord Jesus his Person Offices Work Institutions and to the Whole of the blessed Gospel and in consonancy to that Hel-hatched designe breathing forth nothing but that putrid Poison that innate Serpentine Venome of manifest and mad Opposition to all the Mysteries of God concerning our Salvation which as they have implanted in them from their Father the Devil that it may appeare they are his very Children by working his works so they endeavoure to propagate to others hath now exhaled out of the bottomless Pit and by their Activity and Diligence Assisted by his Art and Prompted by his Spirit brought unto this Prevalency of darkening our Horizon and infecting so many even of such of whom sometimes better things were expected should as upon the one hand make all of us look back with griefe and fix our eyes upon our misimproving and abusing the faire day of the Gospel that we enjoyed until our eye affect our heart and we in the conviction of our hainous guilt in this matter the Nature and Aggravations of which are clearly enough seen in this judicial stroke which carrieth a Proportion both as to Kind and Degree with the Sin and is therefore much more dreadful then Famine Sword and Pestilence would be become humbled and sorrowful after a godly manner so upon the other hand the consideration hereof should raise in us a more high esteem for the Precious Interests of Jesus Christ and kindle in us more godly Zeal for his Truths Cause and make us heartily receive not only the Truth but the love of the Truth that we may be saved for the neglect of which Duty it was foretold and threatned 2 Thes. 2 11 12. that for this cause God shall send strong delusion that they to wit who received not the love of the truth should beleeve a lie that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness When the Lion is roaring ought not we to tremble When the Jealous and Righteous God is sending on a generation of Undervaluers and Despisers of the great inestimable benefite of the Everlasting Gospel a sader stroke than his three great Plagues would be that should make populous Countreys and Cities waste and without Inhabitants in a very short time what Christian heart will not tremble and be afraied When the Lord sends upon a Land his three great Messengers of wrath which can but destroy the Body that must at length however return to the dust are not all called to consider their wayes and to turn unto the Lord How much more are we now called hereunto when the Lord is saying I will also chuse their delusions and is giving many up unto this Spirit of Delusion and Apostasie whereby some that have been formerly enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift c. put themselves under that terrible impossibility whereof the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6 6. Of being renewed againe unto Repentance seing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame and under that dreadful sentence Heb. 10 26. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devoure the Adversaries and under that much sorer punishment ibid. vers 29. which they shall be thought worthy of who have troden under foot the Son of God and have counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith He was sanctified an unholy thing and have done despite unto the Spirit of grace For I know not if ever there was a Seck of Hereticks and Apostats from the Truth once received since the Apostasie of the Iewes unto whom these passages are more truely and emphatically applicable than to the Apostat Quakers who at length shall know how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God though now they be so bold wicked in their way that it is not enough for them to Apostatize from the Truth but they must also with a furious madness persecute the same Truth which their souls do now hate with their blasphemous mouthes and pens and with their railings and Rabshakeh-language reproach the Wayes of God and all who follow the same Sure I am a due pondering of the desperat Designe pernicious Wayes hellish Doctrine wicked Practices which these Emissaries of Satan project and follow-forth with a stupenduous activity should affect us otherwayes than alas we seem to be at present What are we asleep Are we not crying to the Lord night and day that he would arise and vindicate His own Truth when an enraged company of Runagadoes are destroying so far as they can the whole of our Religion and driving us back to Paganisme and betraying the whole of our sacred Interest into the hands of their Master the Devil Can we hear our blessed Lord and Saviour thus blasphemed as he is by this Paganish Antievangelick Seck of Quakers and not be so much moved with Indignation against them as even Turks who blasphemously assert our Lord to be no more than a Prophet inferiour to their deceiver Mahomet would be of whose just severity in punishing a Iew who in his rage striving with a Christian did blaspheme the blessed name of Iesus of Nazareth according to the sentence of one of their Muftees we have heard and found standing on record to the shame of Christians who have not so much Zeal for Him whom they profess to owne for the true and living God and for the only Son of God and Saviour of Man as Turks have for a Prophet of God Thus it ought not to be and a redress is called for at the hands of one and other according to their Place and Station And however it is the duty of all who love our Lord Jesus Christ and hope to see His face one
They deny Magistrats to be lawful who are not of their way 11 45. Of Liberty of Conscience 1. They plead for libery to all errours 501 2. Magistrates say they may not hinder people to meet together to Worshipe God as they judge best 505 3. Otherwayes they sinne against the nature of the Gospel 508 4. And against sound Reason the Law of Nature 511 5. The old Lawes for punishing of Idolaters they say no more binde us then the Jewes killing of the Canaanites or their taking gold c. from the Egyptians 509 510 46. Of Wâ—rs 1. They are against all wars 514. c. 47. Of Lawful Oaths 1. They are against swearing before Magistrates 523. c. 2. Swearing by the Name of God of old was as they say a ceremony 525 526 527 3. Oaths say they did prefiguâ—e God's truth and fidelity 528 4. And had their rise from the Devil 528 5. Christ might swear say they as being under the Law not we who are under the Gospel 529 6. They say we ought not to regard what Paul did as to this even in his Epistles 530 7. Yet they will swear but not upon a book nor by lifting up the hâ—nd 529 530 48. Of Civil Honour 1. They are against the giving of all honour or respect to Superiours or Equals 533. c. 2. Christians say they may not give nor receive titles of honour 537 3. They use no other compellation for all persons but Thou Thee 539 4. They will salute no person nor signify any respect by uncovering the head 540 5. They account this adoration yet their first Father Iames Naylor received Divine Worship at Bristol 541 542 49. Of the Resurrection 1. They deny the Resurrection of the same body 17 552 553 50. Of Heaven and Hell 1. They assert no Heaven or Hell but what is within us 553 554 AN Examination and Confutation of ROBERT BARCLAY The QUAKER his Theses Apologie CHAP. I. Some remarks upon his Preface to his THESES 1. BEfore this Author come to set downe his Theses he premiteth a Preface wherein 1. He giveth us the Title inscription of them 2. He sheweth to whom he doth particularly make his address or to whom he directeth these his Theses to be considered or confuted 3. He is pleased to prevent our mistake to give us a description of himself their Author And 4 We have his prologue or preliminary discourse to those unto whom he addresseth himself 2. I shall not so far preoccupy the judgment of the Reader in the threshold as to shew demonstrate that his Theses which he stileth Theological might more fitly truely be called Ethnical or if you will Diabolical for upon the review of the whole after the ensueing examen this will appeare so manifest as if written with a sun-beame to all not blinded with prejudice who believe the Word of God close with it as our only Rule of Faith Practice 3. His Theses he directeth to all Clerks or clergymen or what he will have us understand by Clericis for thus he loveth to speak whether Ironically as he supposeth we call him others of his way Quakers out of contempt disdain or upon any other account I leave every man to judgâ— But what Clerks are these To Clerks sayeth he of all sorts of the whole Christian world Whereby it is obvious that he acknowledgeth a Christian world in which are Clergy-men of various kindes to which he himself others whom he here Patronizeth do not belong for he speaketh of them all as belonging to another Profession than what he his fraternity hold and while he thus manifestly excludeth himself his party from the Christian world every one may freely judge to what a world he they must needs belong It is ominous to stumble thus in the very threshold But whom doth he meane by these Clericis The following words will not suffer us to think that he meaneth all the people of God nor will the expressions themselves admit that because these Clerici must be but apart of the Christian world And if he understand hereby Church-officers as distinct from Church-members he joyneth herein with Papists against Protestants who account the whole Church not the Officers thereof only as do Papists to be God's Clergy or Heritage as doth the Apostle Peter 1 Pet 5 3. 4. More especially in the next place he directeth them to Doctors Professors Students of Theology and this I cannot but think is spoken indeed ironically for in his esteem it is not true Theologie which is taught by these Doctors Professours learned by these Students and that we may know who these all Doctors c. are he addeth in all the Academies of Europe whether Popish or Protestant what his designe hereby is cannot be hid for who seeth not that he intendeth his Theses as a chartal to provoke them or any of them all to a disput which must needs argue too great an excess of blinde confidence in this Man and withal there is a subdolous Insinuation here manifest for hereby he would make the world believe that his opinions are equally different from repugnant to the Popish Abominations to the Protestant Truth which is a shreud presumption that his ensueing doctrine will not savoure much of Christian candor seing it is so obvious shall be made manifest ere all be done that his opinions homologate more with the Popish than with the Protestant doctrine And if a provocation to dispute were not here intended why would he direct his Theses more especially to Professours Students in Academies not equally unto all Christians in common as charity would require of one who should intend the common good that is the edefication right information of such as he supposeth to be out of the way But I am apt to think and it may be every one shall judge me not far mistaken in this that this confident brag was resolved upon to the end common people might hear that such a Quaker had provoked all the learned men of Europe to a disput none durst enter the lists to fight with this Goliah thence suspect if not conclude that the Quakers are the only maintainers owners of Truth their sayings must be all unquestionable irrefragable Assertions But the judicious learned may at the first see there is little cause to be moved at all this confidence there being so little said hereby him which hath not been examined condemned both from Scripture found Reason by the faithfull asserters of the orthodox truth writting against the Pelagians Arminians Socinians Enthusiasts Anabaptists Papists others to whom alone he is obliged for all that he hath said whether in his Theses or in his large Apologie Vindication that before he was borne So that once to take notice of what he hath here scraped-together out of the writings of the Heterodox
think he might in prudence have forborn this not only because he hereby giveth a manifest ground of suspicion that he loveth neither the detection nor confutation of errour but also because his one Sheet smelleth rankly of Ismael and so as his hand is against every man who is not in all things of his judgment so every mans hand must be against him and his thus chartaling of all Doctors Professours Students in all the Vniversities of Europe whether Popish or Protestant is no great toaken that he would have all Disputes Altercations laid aside and his voluminous Apologie is a demonstration hereof beyond contradiction 12. He proceedeth inveigheth against Scholastick divinity as it is called telling us that an age were not sufficient to learne it that it helpeth no man nearer to God nor maketh any less a sinner or more righteous I must confess that I am not a very fit person to judge in this matter being it may be as little if not less conversant in this kinde of writings as himself and shall willingly grant that much of that learning might have been spared as being more adapted I mean as spun out by light audacious and too too philosophical braines to the drawing of mindes off the serious study and improvment of substantial and necessary Truthes than to the fixing of hearts in the faith and practice of saving Truthes and though much of it be not very necessary yet it is not wholly to be rejected or thus condemned as noxious or useless for though it be as the best things may be abused by some and not only idle and vaine questions handled therein but errours and pernicious doctrines maintained thereby yet experience hath taught us that worthy instruments have been raised up of the Lord who having had a competent knowledge therein which they acquired in far less time than the one halfe of an age were in case to defend the Truth against Papists who most study and cry up this Scholastick Theologie against Socinians Pelagians and Arminians who make no little use of that sort of learning to maintaine their errours as also against other hereticks and erroneous persons having had hereby no small advantage in detecting their shifts and evasions and in urging them to a punctual debate without oratorious declamations long and tedious argumentations and subtile subterfuges so that such as have had most acquantance therewith have been most fit to deal with adversaries and I suppose though it be little to the commendation of that learning upon the account of its perversion had himself been an utter stranger hereunto he had not been in case to have said so much to such good purpose as he imagineth as he hath done in his Apology in the defence of his Theses Upon which account as also because Papists Pelagians Arminians and Socinians to whom he is so much endebted for his new doctrine have by their practice so much declared their approbation thereof I cannot but wonder at the mans unadvisedness in this point and especially because some most acquanted with this sort of learning can tell us how much Quakers are beholden to it for some of their prime notions which have either had their first rise there or confirmation therefrom As to the censure which he passeth upon this Scholastick Theology I shall only adde that howbeit he preferre his Script to all learned volumes written by Scholastick divines yet I must needs say That the chiefe heads of his doctrine Theology I cannot call it which I confess may be learned very quickly and that without the help of subtile Teachers being so far as I can judge of it borne with every corrupt son of Adam and deeply seated in the dunghil of corrupt Nature if reduced into practice which is the end he driveth at shall prove no less if not more insufficient and inept for the effects mentioned by him that is to bring Men nearer unto God and to make them less sinners and more righteous as our following examination will manifest 13. I do the less wonder at his taking in among the rest the commendable labours and paines of such as have written Commentaries for explaining of Scripture though I will not say but that as all that proceedeth from Men wanteth not its own dross when I consider how low an esteem this man and his party have of the Scriptures which they will not look upon as our only sure Rule by which we are to order our Pathes and to examine the Teachings of Men. One Francis Howgil as Mr. Stalham sheweth in his Revilers rebuiked part 1. sect 2. called the Scriptures other mens words Commonly they deny that the Scriptures should be called the word of God and therefore in contempt they call it a printed bible So did Richard Farnworth call it as Mr. Stalham reporteth in the forecited place and sect 36. he tels us that one Iohn Lawson another Quaker called it the letter the written word which is natural and carnal Such like is to be seen ordinarily in their writings as we will hear afterward 14. For a ground of his prejudice against the many volumes writen in divinity he allaigeth That they have more darkened than cleared up the truth And yet I judge that the smallest Systeme of divinity that ever was put forth by an Orthodox writer is able abundantly to discover both his errour and ignorance and will be found a fitter mean to clear up the Truth and to attaine the ends by himself mentioned than Cart-loads of such Theses as his are though backed with as many moe of his Apologies which do manifestly both darken and deny Truth But I am apt to think that the real ground of his prejudice is that there is so much to be found in any of these books I meane such as are written by the Orthodox and upon the points here touched by him or more generally upon the wholy body of divinity against his old errors new broached again and put into a new dress that he could wish for salving of his own credite and for helping forward his disperate designe that either these were all consumed or that they were utterly laid aside for he cannot but know that who ever readeth these must needs see his nakedness and folly without much study 15. The account he maketh of all the learned men of the world beside himself and his party is that they are the Wisemen the Learned the Scribes and the Disputers of this world whom the Lord hath cast downe or destroyed understanding no doubt such as Paul meaneth 1 Cor. 1 19 20. But this is the measure of charity that must be expected from them However let his esteem of them be as meane as he will there are among them who shall be found to be whether he will or not no enemies to the cross of Christ and to whom the preaching of the cross is not foolishness but the power of God and who through grace are helped by the foolishness of
from the Father and the Son And if the knowledge of this be such an essential part of Christianity and a ground of that knowledge of God which leadeth to salvation and so necessary for the right uptaking of the great work of Redemption and Salvation as it is and cannot rationally be denyed by any sober man who considereth what a sure basis this is unto the Christians hope peace and comfort how cometh it to pass that there is no express and distinct mention made of this fundamental point in all his Theses we have heard how the Quakers of N. England have denied this foundation And Mr Stalham in his Reviler rebuked part 1. sect 7. tels us that the Quakers against whom he wrote dâ—nied thâ—t there was any Scripture for the Trinity and said that the Holy Ghost was no Person It is known also how others of them inveigh against this fundamental Truth It is true I finde not this man either in his Theses or in his Apology directly writing against this truâ—h Yet as I finde no expressions hereanent in his whole book others than such as might come out of the mouth of an Antitrinitarian Socinian so I judge if his Theses had answered his great brags in the Preface they had expresly and distinctly not only mentioned but clearly have unfolded this truth 7. In the 3. place If by his Theses he would direct us into the Saving knowledge of God and make a plaine discovery to us from the very fountaine of all that knowledge that leadeth unto life eternal how cometh it to pass that we have no declaration made to us of the Eternal Purposes and Decrees of God whereby some Men and Angels are predestinated unto everlasting life and others foreordained unto everlasting death and whereby according to the most wise and holy counsel of his will he hath freely and unchangeably ordained whatsoever cometh to pass Shall we think that the knowledge of this hath no interest in the saving knowledge of God or in that knowledge which leadeth unto life which yet undeniâ—bly yeeldeth such a noble ground of Faith Dependence Praise Reverence Humility Hope Consolation Admiration and holy Fear Nay this Man not only doth not asserte or explaine this but as we shall hear doth deny and impugne it with all his might 8. How cometh it 4 That in all his Theses or Apology there is not the least mention direct or indirect made of the Covenant of Redemption or of those mutual actings of the blessed Persons of the Trinity resembling a mutual Covenant and engagement concerning the everlasting Interest of man Shall any man think that this point of truth which is such a sure ground of all our hopes and consolation such a sure support of staggering souls and such an armour of proof against the assaults of Satan maketh no part of that knowledge which leadeth unto life or hath no place in true and saving knowledge 9. Further 5. Doth not the doctrine of the first Câ—venant of Works entered into with Adam as the representative of Mâ—n-kiâ—de upon condition of Personal Perfect and Perpetual obedience belong to that necessary knowledge which bringeth forward unto life or unto that knowledge of God in Christ which is begun felicity How is it then that his Theses are so silent herein or at most give us such a darke and jejune hint of this as is next to none as we shall see It is one of the Quakers tenets as Mr Stalham Sheweth in his forecited book Part 1. Sectâ—7 â—7 that Adam was not under a Covenant of Works that the Law which Adam had in innocency written in his heart was not the moral law that Adam did not stand by the observation of the positive branches given him in command according to that Law So said I. Nayler and R. F. as he sheweth us and that the same Iames Nayler in his Book called The discovery of the Man of sin Pag 23. went about to prove this by such pityful Arguments as these The Covenant of Works saith do this and live but he that is Adam had the life already while he stood in it and so it was not to be obtained by working as if do this and live could not hold forth the condition of continueing in life and againe That the law was added because of transgression which if it had been before the transgression could not have been as if the law must not of necessity be before sin which is the transgression thereof 1. Ioh. 3.4 and could not afterward beheld forth as a glass to discover the foule spots of transgressions and the same would R. F. in the 12. Pag. of his Book go about to prove 10 Moreover 6. If his Theses be such an unfolding of clear and naked truth how cometh it that he speaketh so obscurely and enigmatically of the fall of Adam Doth not the clear and distinct knowledge of this truth concerne such as would be acquaint with true and saving knowledge 11. But especially 7. We may wonder how it cometh to pass that in his Theses which he would give out as a summe of saving knowledge nor in his great Apologie we have no description explication or delineation yea or mention of the Covenant of Grace wherein Life and Salvation Pardon and Acceptance Grace and Glory is promised and offered through faith in Jesus Christ or acceptance of Him as He is offered in the Gospel Shall we think that the knowledge of this is no part of that pure and naked Truth which is necessary to be known Or that it can contribute nothing unto that knowledge of God in Christ which is the sure way unto eternal life How shall he be able to perswade us hereof 12. Againe 8. Shall we think that the doctrine of the Redemption purchased by Christ of the Atonement made by him unto Justice for the sinnes of his people and of their Reconciliation unto and Acceptance with God upon the account thereof of the Sufferings of Christ in Body and Soul in his state of Humiliation of his Death Resurrection and Ascension and Sitting at the Fathers right hand of his Obedience and of the Sacrifice of himself which he through the Eternal Spirit once offered up unto God to satisfie Justice and purchase not only Reconciliation but also an everlasting Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all such as were given to him of the Father shall we think I say that the knowledge of this is not necessary unto Salvation nor necessary to such as would have such a knowledge of God as is eternal life If he dar not be so impudent as to say so why is there such a shameful silence hereof in his Theses and Book as there is Had he no will to displease his friends the Socinians 13. Further 9. Shall it be thought that the doctrine of the Incarnation of the Son of God the Second Person in the Trinity hath no great interest in that pure and naked truth the knowledge whereof leadeth
a corrupt Original and that we ought to be sure that the Ground and Original of our Knowledge be such as we may saifly trust to and build upon But whether the Original which He and other Quakers do follow and which he would prescribe unto us be the true and genuine Original and Ground of saving Knowledge he must allow us liberty seing the danger here is great as himself confesseth and such as enter not by the door are Theevs and Robbers to examine and to try whether the Ground he holdeth forth be Saife or the Ground we build upon be not Sufficient CHAP. III. Of inward and immediat Revelations 1. The maine scope of his second Thesis which is concerning Inward and Immediat Revelations is to give us the true and genuine understanding of the right original and fundation of Knowledge So that this Thesis must point out unto us this Original and Ground of true and saving Knowledge and by the title which he hath prefixed unto this Thesis we learne that his opinion is that Inward and Immediat Revelation is the only right Original and Foundation of Knowledge and this Inward and Immediat Revelation is given us in place of the holy Scriptures as his adjoining the third Thesis concerning the Scriptures and what he saith of them therein make manifest 2. We should now come to the examination of what he saith of this Inward and Immediat Revelation but in the entry of his explication of this Thesis in his Apology Pag 4. we are staved off by a hudge Preoccupation and meet with a dangerous Dilemma for either we must give our assent unto what he saith in this Thesis or bear the stigma and blake mark of Carnal and Natural Christians ignorant of the motions and operations of the Spirit of God in our hearts But perceiving an open way of escapeing from betwixt the hornes of his dilemma and waving his uncharitable censure of such as oppose him as being not only strangers to these motions of the Spirit in their hearts but as accounting them no way necessary yea as mocking them as foolish and ridiculous and much more to this purpose wherein as he manifesteth what Spirit he is of and with what Spirit he is led so he bewrayeth much ignorance of the minde and assertions of his Opposites which would be both endless and unprofitable for me once to take any notice of let be to answere seing a simple contempt of his Calumnies is sufficient Waveing I say these his impertinencies as the native fruite of his imbittered Spirit against all that do not applaud his wilde Notions I shall tell him that I cordially give my assent unto that of Paul Rom. 8 9 14. now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sones of God And I know no Christian whether Private Person or Doctor Minister or Divine that will not homologate with me in this howbeit he flander us as not only denying this but also as contradicting it 3. But he would hence deduce that no Knowledge of God can be acquired without a Divine and Immediat Revelation and for this cause he distinguisheth betwixt a Certane and an Vncertane a Spiritual and a Literal a Saving and an Empty Aery and Brainy Knowledge of God and sayeth the One can be many wayes acquired but the Other not without an Inward and Immediate Manifestation of the Spirit of God shineing in the heart and enlightening the understanding By which we see what Darkness and Confusion occupieth this mans minde and how either through blinde Ignorance or wicked Prevarication he laboureth to pervert the true state of the Question and leadeth his Readers into the same ditch of Ignorance and Prejudice wherein himself is fallen If he cannot we know how to distinguish betwixt the Spirits Inward and Immediat Revealing and making known the minde of God as he did of old unto the Prophets and Apostles whether by Dreames Visions Vive voice or inward efficacious Inspirations and the Spirits gracious In-working and Impressing the Truthes other wayes revealed and made known mediatly upon the soul of a man giving him through the spiritual Illumination of his minde and the gracious and effectual Moving of his heart grace to See to Imbrace and to Close with and savingly Improve the Truths revealed These things which are most manifestly distinct clearly different he is pleased either out of meer Ignorance or our of Designe all alongs to jumble together and confound that he might the more darken the Reader and prejudge him both of the right state of the Question and at the orthodox truth which he maliciously misrepresenteth The difference betwixt these two Operations of the Spirit without running forth here into a tedious and unnecessary digression for the clear information of the Reader and for preventing our further labour afterward we shall thus make plaine and manifest The first Operation of the Spirit mentioned is that which he the rest of the Quakers endeavoure to assert plead for in prejudice of the Scriptures which now to us under the New Testam supplieth richly and with advantage the want of the Immediat and Extraordinary Revelations of the minde and will of God concerning duty whether as to Faith or Practice by which the Lord was pleased formerly after diverse manners and wayes to make the same known The other which we assert and maintaine is an Efficient and not Objective Revelation and confirmeth the authority and truth of the Objective Revelation of the minde of God both touching Faith and Manners and so reserveth to the Scriptures their due place as our compleet Objective Canon and Rule and confirmeth them therein bringing home with power and saving grace upon the heart the Truths therein revealed and casting the soul into the mould of these saving Truths The One which they plead for taketh away all the use of the letter of the Scriptures all the study thereof or all the paines to be used in Acquireing the knowledge of the Original tongues in Reading of Commentaries for attaining to the knowledge of the letter in Preaching and Hearing of preachings in Useing other meanes for reaching the knowledge of the Truths delivered in the Scriptures The Other which we maintaine presupposeth in ordinary this knowledge of the letter of the Scriptures and the use of means contributing thereunto as a meane appointed of God whereby we may come through his Grace cooperating on our Understandings Wils unto the saving soul-captivating knowledge of the same Truths As the saving and gracious beleeving and improving of the Truths of God revealed of old by his immediatly and extraordinarily inspired Prophets unto others did presuppose their hearing and understanding the letter of what these Prophets and extraordinary Messengers revealed as the minde of God and did not destroy and make useless that meane as the way of Quakers would necessarily have done for they alleidge
was hinted just now then it must be said that the Devil the Prince of the powers of the aire the God of this World the Prince of darkness and the Spirit that worketh in the Children of disobedience cannot deceive any with his false Lightnings nâ—y not even such as are judicially given up of God to strong delusions to believe a lie which yet the experience of all ages would confuâ—e the Scripture also tels us that Satan can transforme himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11 14. that he hath his depths Rev. 2 24 his devices 2 Cor. 2 11. That he is the Ruler of the darkness of this world spiritual wickedness in celestials Ephes. 6 12. What meaneth I pray the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceivablness of unrighâ—ousnes in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth mentioned 2 Thes. 2 9 10 do we not hear Revel 12 9 that the great Dragon that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan deceived the whole world But not to insist on this which the many Energumeni persons obsessed with the devil and phanaticks with Enthusiasts and the like wherewith Histories of all ages abound will not suffer us once to call into question and whiâ—h the late relations of Iohn of Leidenâ— Thomas Muncer Iohn Battenburg Melchior Hophman David Georg Swenckfeldius Wâ—igelius in Germany and of Hacket Coppinger Arthington and the rest of the Grundletonians in England with the instances of Phanaticks among the Papists mentioned by D. Stillingfleet in his Idolatry of the Church of Rome Chap. 4. do put beyond all debate let us but consider how it was with the false Prophets of old in whom Satan was a Lying spirit to perswade Ahab 1 King 22 20 21 22. Were not they and the like deceived with false Impressions supposing they had the Spirit of the Lord when it was but a lying Spirit deceiving them 2 Chron. 18 23. 1 King 22 24 Is there not a Spirit of Error as well as a Spirit of truth 1 Ioh 4 6 22. But that we may put an end to this this Man 's own expression confirmeth what I say for he hath a restriction or qualification spoiling all his purpose while he saith that this divine Revelation moveth an understanding that is well disposed to an assent Whence we see that every Revelation pretending to be Divine is not to be submitted to as such but that Revelation only which proveth it self unto an intellect well disposed and discovereth thereunto its own proper Evidence and Perspicuity And therefore all Revelations even though supposed to be divine ought not to passe without examination But I had thought that all divine Revelations and Inspirations Extraordinary and Immediat for we speak not here of the Lords Mediat and Ordinary Illumination whereof all the children of God are made partakers in one degree or other did either finde or make the intellect well disposed for receiving the Impression of Light and Truth revealed so that a graceless Balaam could say Numb 24 4. Balaam the Son of Beor hath said and the man whose eyes are open hath said He hath said which heard the Words of God which saw the vision of the Almighty falling into a trance but having his eyes open Hence Elisha called for a minstrel that his Spirit might thereby be composed and he in case to receive the Revelations of God 2 King 3 15. So that while the Intellect was out of frame through one passion or other the man was not in case to receive the divine Illapses of Light and Revelations of God's minde Now while this man insinuateth that even divine Revelations may come into an understanding not well disposed it must be much more probable that other Revelations which are not truely Divine may affect a distempered understanding And yet I doubt if this Man can give such clear marks of distinction betwixt an Understanding that is Distempered and an Understanding that is Sound and well Disposed at the receiving of such Revelations whereby the Persons under these receipts of Illumination can certanely know whether their mindes and understanding were Well or ill disposed that thereby they may certanely know what to judge of these Revelations Yea I doubt if he can give instances of persons so immediatly Illuminated even by the Father of lies sensible and convinced of a distempered understanding while receiving these glances of new light So that even because of this and because it is possible that such Meteors of new Light may fall upon a distempered understanding and be received and entertained as Divine when nothing lesse it is certane that these Illuminations should passe under examination and tryal and there must be a Rule and Measure whereby they must be tryed and consequently that the Scriptures must be that Rule seing among Protestants nothing else can pretend to this umpireing Power 23. Having premised these things to facilitate our way in what followeth we return to the Examination of what he saith in his Apologie Upon the fourth and fift Propositions formerly mentioned His fourth Proposition is as we heard That these Revelations were of old the formal Object of the Faith of the Saints And by these Revelations he must meane Inward and Immediat Communications of the minde of God by Dreames Visions Vive Voice or the like such as these were which the Patriarchs and Prophets of old had or as we have shown he shall speak nothing to the purpose he would be at New let us see what way he proveth this He adduceth for this end the definition of faith given by the Apostle Heb. 11 1. saying that faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen But to what purpose I do not see seing it is a most certane Truth that all that have had and now have this faith have not had nor yet have these Inward and Immediat Revelations whereof we are speaking That the Object or ground of this Faith was the saying and promise of Iehovah is unquestionable but the thing that he should prove is this That this saying of God which saith gripped to and laid hold on was immediatly spoken by God to every individual beleever as for example that promise which was immediatly revealed to Adam That the seed of the woman should tread down the head of the Serpent or That immediatly revealed to Abraham That in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed c. and the like Doth he think that no man can beleeve a promise but he to whom this promise is immediatly spoken by God Let him prove this for I will not grant it He attempteth a proof from the Instances mentioned in that Chap. and adduceth only two Noah and Abraham And I willingly grant that not only these two but all others who had immediat Revelations from God whether touching matters of Faith or Duty had the Word and Authority
here mentioned is not the Scriptures and he learnedly proveth this from other Scriptures As if any sober Christian ever Asserted such a thing But in the bye as if he had no friendship with the Socinians he redargueth their incogitancy that do not acknowledge any Inward Spirit or Vertue but a meer Natural one But in what Socinian doth he read such a thing I think He rather and the Socinians are one denying this Spirit and Paraclete to be a person and a divine person as to Essence one with the Father and the Son but as to subsistance distinct The Socinians do say that the Spirit and Holy Ghost is but the Inward Spiritual Vertue of God and are not so carnal and natural as to say that it is a meer Natural Spirit or Vertue Thus he helpeth us to know what himself meaneth by the Spirit here and elsewhere mentioned viz. Not a distinct person of the Trinity but an Inward Vertue which they call the Light within The second paâ—ticular is That this Spirit is inward and for this he citeh Rom. 8 v. 9 10. 1 Cor. 3 v. 16. and that all noble works are ascribed to this Spirit citeing Ioh. 6 v. 63. Act. 2 v. 4. and 8 ver 10. Rom. 8 ver 2 13 15 16 26. 1 Cor. 2 ver 10. and 12. v. 8 9 10 13. and closeth with a saying of Calvines Institut Libr 3. Cap. 2. By all which what he would say and against whom he would disput I know not do we deny the Spirits work in his children Do we deny his Union with them that he is in them and dwelleth in them or their Union with Him that they are in Him and walk with Him All the question is about the way how this is Conceived and Expressed Will he say That the Spirit so is and dwelleth in and abideth with beleevers that hereby they become personally united with Him and so are one person with Him Some indeed have said little lesse and therupon inferred that beleevers were Godded c. as they loved to speak But if this be his meaning I account him a Blasphemer Supposeth he that the Spirit is in â—elievers as a Vertue or Spiritual power and is the Light within them Then as he contradicteth himself saying that this light and vertue is within every man which here is but promised to believers so he giveth us a shreud presumption that he is a Socinian denying the personality of the Holy Ghost which the texts cited by himselfe and many others of the like import do manifestly evince The third particular is the work of the Spirit to guide into all truth c. which we shall be loath to deny whatever his friends the Arminians and Pelagians do Do we cry up the Traditions and Precepts of Men Do we exalt corrupt and carnal Reason Let himself see to this who cryeth up the Light within which is but Nature under a new name as shall be showne in due time This is his first Argument but what is his Conclusion Ergo The holy Spirit abideth and dwelleth in and leadeth his owne All true Christians have the Spirit of God dwelling in them as in his Temple and Ergo For this Argument must be branched-out into many so fertile is the mans invention The Spirit moveth instructeth and leadeth every true christian into the knowledge of such things as are necessary unto salvation Ans. Concedo totum and what would he have more But poor man knoweth he not what is the point in difference Hath he Concluded that the Spirit communicateth the knowledge of Gods minde to all his saints in the same manner and way as he did of old to the Prophets who were extraordinarily Inspired and that that immediat way of communication of Truths to be beleeved and Duties to be performed which was peculiar to Patriarchs and Prophets or to the Apostles is continued and common to all believers No This point is too hot for his fingers to touch and we must be satisfied to heare him prove that which he can prove though it be the same which we assert and so to no purpose 28. Before he come to this second Argument he tels us § 11. That there are some who do confess that the Spirit doth now breath upon and lead the Saints but this is Subjectively and in a blinde way coeco modo but not objectively that is He illuminats the understanding to beleeve what is revealed in the Scriptures but presents not any verity objectively and this they call medium incognitum assentiendi an unknown medium of assent that is of which the man is not certaine nor sensible Ans Whom he doth particularly here meane I know not and so I cannot judge whether he reporteth their opinion faithfully or not nor how they explaine the termes here expressed I know men may have various conceptions of the same Truth and so may have various and different-like Expressions and yet meane one and the same thing And for my part though I cannot assent to some expressions here used yet I think the substance of the truth which I owne is held forth here The Scriptures are a compleat Rule to us in all things concerning Faith and Manners in reference to Salvation and hold forth the revealed Mind of God here anent as an outward Objective meane or an external Rule And therefore we need now no new Revelation either as to Truths to be beleeved or as to Duties to be obeyed in order to Salvation but we need the Breathing Light and Power of the Spirit both to cause us see the matters already revealed and to close with them as divine Truths and Commands Let us see however what he answereth Though this opinion sayeth he be more tolerable than the former yet it is not true And why First because there are many truthes which as they respect every one ut singulos respiciunt it may be he meaneth and should hâ—ve said Personas singulares are not all found in the Scriptures But what are these Truths Are they Truths concerning salvation if so I deny what he saith and shall waite his proofs in the Next Thesis where he promiseth to shew this Secondly because saith he the Arguments adduced do also prove that he proposeth truths to us Objectively But suppose that several of the Scriptures by him formerly adduced should conclude this as to the Apostles and some others yea and more viz. That they should be filled with the Spirit and Immediatly and Extraordinariâ—y Inspired and acted to pen Scripture and infallibly to hold forth Gospel Truths to set downe immutable Gospel Rules to establish Gospel Ordinances and the like which also was so will he think that the promises in this extent belong to every individual Beleever so that each of them by vertue of these promises are Infallible Dictators writters of Scripture and the like let him assay the proof of this and we shall consider what he sayeth But further though I should grant what he here sayeth
this that which at best is but of private interpretation that is an Issue of mens Fancies private Conceits and Enthusiasmes if not Satanical Illapses and Delusions This is also plaine from 1 Cor. 4 6. above what is written which implyeth that what is written is sufficient and full as also from Act. 20 27 35 comp with Act. 26 22 23. 27. These and what formerly hath been mentioned to this end and purpose this man thinketh good to overlook as if he had never heard of them We shall now try what he saith to others and First that plaine Testimony Esa. 8 20. to the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Whence we see that whoever they be that come to us pretending a divine Commission we must try what they say by this word which is called the Law and the Testimony and if they speak not according to it let their pretensions be never so high they are to be rejected as dark and as coming from darkness So that the Law and the Testimony is the Supreme Râ—le To this he saith we have not proven that by the Law and Testimony is meaned the Scriptures As if any that ever read the Bible could be ignorant what is all along meaned by these words But granting this he hath another reserve viz. That the Law was in a more special manner given to the jewes and more principally than to us And hence forsooth he will retort the Argument against us thus Seing they who were under the Old Covenant were to try all by the outward Law we who are under the new Covenant are to try all by the word of faith which is within us And thus the man rants in his reaving contradicting what was the great pillar of his discourse upon the preceeding Thesis and making differences without ground as we lately manifested and with all destroying by his owne expressions what he mainly intendeth For the Word of Faith that he speaketh of is distinct from Immediat Revelations and these words which he eyeth cited by Paul Rom. 10. were spoken to the people under the Law by Moses Deut. 30. v. 14. and so were true of them even then Hereby also he proveth more than he ought for if this Argument hold the Scriptures shall not be so much as a Lesse Principal and Subordinat Rule which yet he granted it to be or he must say the case is so altered under the New Testament that what was a Principal Rule then is now only subordinat but whence will this be Evinced And will it not hence appear probable that what is now Principal to us was Less Principal to them that is the Immemediat Testimony of the Spirit Let the man rid his feet here if he can as for the 70 Version we have nothing to do with it if he will lay any weight upon such a corrupt Version he should not challenge other versions that agree better with the Original But I wonder how the Man can think that that Version which saith the law was given for an help shoulâ— confirme his Opinion which is that the Law was given them as a Principal Rule even above the Spirits Revelations 27. Another argument to prove the Scriptures our supream Rule is usually taken from Christs saying to the Jewes Ioh. 5 39 search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they that testifie of me Where Câ—râ—st referreth them to the Scriptures that word of God which should have been abideing in them verse 38. as to a Rule whereby he was content that his doctrine should be tryed and judged and if even Christs Doctrines should be tryed by the Scriptures who will think it unreasonable that private Enthusiasmes should be so tryed and who can then deny this privilege of the Scripture to be our Rule what saith he to this passage He imagineth that Christ reproveth them for having too great a veneration for the Scriptures Quite contrare to vers 38 46 47. and to the very word of command search the Scriptures and to his owne Concession granting that it was their Principal Rule It is laid to their charge that they would not come to Christ and one Reason of their Unbeleefe is given viz. that they did not search the Scriptures which did testifie of Him that notwithstanding they professed acknowledged that the Scriptures pointed out the way to eternal life But againe he tels us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 search is by some taken to be in the Indicative mode and not in the Imperative Which forgery of Papists the cohesion and scope of the words doth abunâ—antly redargue and Tolet and Maldonat both confesse that Chrysostome Theoph. August and all weighty Authors except Cyril understand it imperatively To â—â—is passage of Christs here we might adde others where he confirmeth his doctrine by the Scriptures elsewhere cited and the following verses where he tels them that Moses by his writings should accuse them that their not beleeving of Moses's writings was a cause why they did not beleeve Christs words verse 45 46 47. we might adde also Paul and other Apostles proving their doctrine from the Scriptures and Paul's affirming that he spoke nothing but what Moses the Prophets said But these and the like have been cited already let us take notice but of what the Apostle Iames speaketh concerning this He accounts the Word of Truth that by which we are begotten Chap. 1 18. and Would have us doers of it and not hearers only otherwise we shall but deceive our selves vers 2â— 23. and then vers 25. calleth it the Perfect Law of liberty wherein we continueing and being not forgetful hearers but doers of the work we shall be blessed in our deed So Chap. 2 8. He calleth it the Royal law according to the Scriptures which say we should Love our Nieghbour as our selves and if we do otherwise we commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressours and vers 10 11. he sheweth us that by the Law he meaneth the decalogue See also Chap. 4 11 12 28. Another passage of Scripture confirming our point is Act. 17 11. where it is spoken to the commendation of the Beroans that they searched the Scriptures to see if Pauls doctrine did accord therewith which clearly expressed the Scriptures to be that Rule by which even the sayings of such as pretend Immediat Revelations ought to bâ— tryed though he thinketh that hence it will not follow that they are our Only and Supream Rule But he thinketh best to chant over againe his old Song viz. That these were Jewes to whom the Law and the Prophets were a Rule in a more special manner The uselesness of which Evasion hath been showne And further he must grant that these Christians were under the New Testament or Covenant and so cannot say that it is the Priviledge of Christians under the New Testament to be from under
sinning they actually joyn themselves to it And this seed of sin is frequently in Scripture called dâ—ath and the body of death and that this seed and that which cometh of it is called the old man the old Adam Thus then in â—hort his judgment is that nothing of original sin neither Originans nor Originatum neither the Guilt of Adam's sin nor the Corruption of nature is imputed to or inherent in any man till he commit some actual transgression and so sin cometh not by Propagation or Traduction but by Imitation as said the Pelagians of old and as the Socinians and Anabaptists to day maintaine And the Arminians with their Episcopius deny that any thing that is truely sin is found in any of Adams Posterity before their own proper act 8. Let us now see what he sayeth in defence of this Errour and let us first take notice of what he said of Augustine that much honoured Instrument of the Lord against the errours that Satan was soweing in the Church in his time He would make us beleeve that Augustine wrote of this subject when under the dottage of old age while as it is manifest to such as read his life that what he wrote against Pelagius was written while he was in the prime of his Vigour and Understanding and his works themselvs declare the same But what will this pedantick Quaker think of that singular and self-denying woâ—k of that worthy person called his Retractations wherein he reviewed all his former writings and retracted several thâ—ngs asserted by him in his younger and lesse studied yeers belike this man will look upon that work being written after these he now excepteth against as containing nothing but greater dottages because as he â—upposeth the longer persons live though not yet comeing near the ordinary attendants of stouping or declineing old age they grow the greater fools and consequently that himself must now be a greater fool though I see little dâ—ffâ—rence while become a Quaker than he was in his younger dayes when he was a Papist Next the man is not ashamed to judge of the very Thoughâ—s and Motives of that noble Instrument yea he is so bold as to condemne him of acting upon corrupt motives as if noâ—hing had moved him to write for Oâ—iginal sin but eagerness of Zâ—al against Pelagius no inward conviction of the truth not of the damnableness or danger of the Pelagian heâ—esie in this no conviction of his duty to appear for truth Doth this Qâ—aker consider that hereby he is audaciously arrogating to himself Gods prerogative royal of judging the secrets of the heart Remembeâ—eth he that God is a Jealous God who will not give his glory to another But what grounds can he give of this his bold presumption What evidence is there of that holy Fathers writting against his own conscience I â—ay no more of this but leave this Quaker to his judge and take notice of a Third untruth when he sayeth that Augustine was the first that appeared in this controversie against the Pelagians Had he but consulted Vossius in his Historia Pelagianismi a book that sometime he citeth he should have found that whole Councils appeared against Pelagius himâ—elf to speak nothing of Hierome in this particular before that Augustine wrote of it particularly the first Synod at Carthage and that Synod in Palestine where Pelagius himself was present and hideing his abominations deceived the Fathers with faire words and the Council of Milevy that dealt more roundly with that heresie tels us in plaine tearmes that the Truth which they maintained was owned by the whole Catholick Church all the world over and so it was indeed and never once questioned till that unhappy instrument of Satan to whom this Quaker adjoyneth himself broached his pernicious doctrine It is true the Pelagians called this Orthodox truth a forged device of Augustines as this man doth but Augustine replyed as Vossius tels us Hist. Pelag lib. 2. part 1. Thes. 6. in these words I did not devise original sin which the Caâ—holick faith beleeved of old but thou who denyest this without doubt art a new heretick and lib. 1. contra Iulian. Cap. 2. he citeth no fewer then ten or twelue of the Fathers for him and lib. de Pecc Merit Remis he saies he never heard one that owned the Scriptures speak otherwise If this Quaker had perused Vossius in the place last cited he would have seen how the â—ame truth which Augustine maintained was asserted by ancient Fathers both Greek and Latine before Augustine's dayes such as Ignatius Dionysius Areopagia Iustin Martyr Tatianus Ireneus whom Augustine himself citeth Origen Methodius Macarius Hierosol Macarius Aegyptius Athanasius Cyrillus Nazianzenus Chrysostome and others of the latine Fathers he citeth Tertullian Cyprian Arnobius Reticius Olympius Hilarius Ambrosius whom Augustine citeth Hilarius Diaconus Hieronimus whom he also citeth And moreover he should have found Pag. 179. that Augustine did not assert this truth meerly out of zeâ—l gainst the Pelagians as he ignorantly and boldly affirmeth for he had asserted it in hâ—s books de Libero Arbitrio written before Pelagianisme appeared and how in his 6. book against Iulianus the Pelagian Cap. 4. he sayes expresly that he was in that judgment from the very beginning of his conversion that he had said nothing through heat of disput which was not the ancient doctrine of the whole Church Ego sayeth he per unum hominem in mundum intrasse peccatum per peccatum mortem ita in omnes homines pertransisse in quo peccaverunt omnes ab initio conversionis meae sic tenui semper ut teneo Extant libri quos adhuc laicus reâ—entissimâ neâ conversiâ—ne conscripst et si nondum sicut postea sacris literis eruditus tamen nihil de hâc re jam nunc sentiens ubi disputandi ratio poposcerat dicens nisi quod antiquitus discit and docet omnis Ecclesia Let this Qâ—aker read these words and if he be not above measure effronted let him blush at his shameless boldness Let hiâ— read also August lib 4 ad Boniâ—ac c. 8. contra duaâ— Pelagianorum Eâ—istolas lib. 3. de Pecc Mer. remiss cap. 6. 7. lib. 1. adv jul resp poster Pag 5.8 125. and he will see further cause of repenting of his groundless confidence and audacity if his conscience be not feared 9. We have had one great proof of this Quakers confident boldness now theâ—e followeth another for the only confirmation which he adduceth of his Heâ—esie in his Thesis and that which he first speaketh to in his Apology Pag. 59. is brought from Ephes. 2 1 2 3. a passage out of which the old Fathers proved Orâ—ginal sin against the Pelagians as August lib. 6. c. 12. cont jul Scriptor Hypognost lib. 2. Fulgent and fourteen Bishops with him ad Petrum diaconum c. 26. Theodoret on the place also Primasius and Haimo commenting on the place and others cited by
thing which we inferre is manifest viz. the originated sin or the corruption of nature which here David calleth Sin And if this Quaker think that this came from another Original than from Adam let him tell us what it is and not joyn in with the Manichees nor make God the Author and cause of sin if he can 21. Another of our Arguments is from that word of Paul's the wages of sin is death And seing infants die they must have sin as a procuring cause That death was and is a Punishment of sin we cleared above and the Apostle asserteth it here so manifestly calling it the Wages and due Desert that it must argue wonderful impudence in any to question it What sayeth this Quaker He granteth that death is a Consequence of the fall but denyeth that hence we can necessarily inferre iniquity to be in all those that are subject to death That is in plaine termes but the mans modesty dar not speak it out to say the Apostle speaketh not truth who ever imagined that wages were no more but a Consequent of the workmans labour If Death be the Wages and Reward and just Punishment of sin it can certanely be inflicted by the Righteous Judge of the world upon none but such as are guilty of sin How oft doth the Apostle speak of death as the just Desert and Punishment of sin Rom. 5 12 death entred by sin death passed on all for all had sinned suppose that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should not signifie in whom as it doth Marc. 2 vers 4. Luk. 5 vers 25.2 Cor. 5 vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being several times put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9 10 15 1â— but did only import the Cause as Socinians would have it it would sufficiently confirme this that death is inflicted because of sin so vers 15. through the offence of one many be dead and this is called vers 16. judgmnt to condemnation and vers 17. by one mans offence or by one offence death reigned And vers 21. sin reigned unto death And then againe Chap. 6 23. for the wages of sin is death So likewise 1 Cor. 15 21.22 by man came death for as in Adam all die He addeth as a reason of his denyal that it might appear he did not contradict the Apostle without reason For sath he all the outward creation suffered detriment and ruine in some respect by Adam's fall and yet the herbes and trees c. are not therefore sinners Ans. Is not this a valide reason wherefore to reject death as a punishment of sin Nay seing the vanity under which the world groaneth because of sin is a punishment to all Mankinde to Infants as well as to Adult persons it is hence manifest that all are guilty of sin that is all mankinde who are capable of sin as trees and herbes are not But yet more he addeth to Confront the Apostle and sayeth death is no wages of sin to the saints but is gaine Phil. 1 v. 21. Answ. Why is death called an enemy and the last enemy 1 Cor. 15 v. 26. wâ—at meaneth that that when corruptible hath put on incorruption and mortal hath put on immortality death shall be swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15 vers 54. Because the Lord by grace through Jesus Christ hath taken the sting of death away and made it a passage to glory unto his owne shall we therefore look upon it in it self as no punishment of sin or as not coming into the world because of sin This will tend as much to prove that Adult persons are not sinful as that Infants have no sin and that a womans paines in child birth or a Mans purchaseing his bread with the sweat of his face c. are no punishments of sin Original or Actual because all these Paines Troubles Afflictions c. worke together for good to such as love God Rom. 8 vers 28. And so the Godly have no Punishments Chastisements Visitations Corrections or the like for sin though the Scripture say so in hundereds of places Here this Quaker joineth with Antinomians 22. He mentioneth another argument which as he thinketh fools only make use of which is this If Infants have no sin they must all be saved Well what replyeth he to this argument We will rather saith he admit this supposed absurdity as a Consequent of our doctrine then say that innumerable Infants perish eternally not for their owne but only for Adams fault But though he should not value such Absurdities notwithstanding he therein run wilder than Papists and joine with Anabaptists and some Pelagians Yet me thinks he should take heed of contradicting his owne doctrine for afterward we will heare of his pleading for Christs dying for all Mankinde And sure if that be true he must say that he died also for Infants and yet here he granteth that they will be all saved without Christ for they have no sin they have no need of a Saviour to save them from their sinnes But how can they be all saved seing they have the Seed of sin â—n them and the Spring of all actual sinnes and that seed of sin which in Scripture is called death and the body of death the old man and the old Adam as he himself speaketh Pag. 62 When Paul speaketh of the body of death Rom. 7 24. he looks upon it as that from which Christ must deliver him How will this Quaker reconcile these things The old man must be put off or we cannot enter into glory and if Infants have the old man how can they enter into glory And beside All in glory must sing the song of the Redeemed and praise him that hath redeemed them by his blood Revel 5 9 10. How can Infants do this who have never been washen from their sinnes in the blood of the lamb as never having had sin And Pag. 55. he told us that none of Adam's posterity had any good in them which he had not from whom they descended Adam then being deprived of his Original Righteousness none of his Posterity no not Infants can lay claim to that Righteousness how I pray can Infants go to heaven who want a righteousness The heaven then which they go to must be a heaven wherein dwelleth no Righteousness and what can this be but some new Limbus But to be more plaine with him It is not enough for him to say he may grant such a Consequence from his doctrine for we must have sure Scripture grounds ere we beleeve that all Infants even of Turks and Heathens shall certanely go to heaven The Scripture giveth more ground of hope of those that are within the Covenant I am sure than of those who are without what thinks he of the Infants of Sodom See Iud. vers 7. and of Coreh and his company not to mention the Infants of the old world And why doth the Scripture call the children of such as are without the church 1 Cor. 7 14. unclean
terminus without all respect to sin because by it persons are appointed to punishment for their sins and whatever God doth in time execute He râ—solved and determined from eternity to do the same in the self same manner As for the Execution of this decree in time in reference to the denying or not giving of Faith Repentance Regeneration or Gâ—ace to recover out of the state of sin we say this act is Absolute as hâ—s giving of Grace and Regeneration upon the one hand is free as the Scripture richly declareth so thâ— withhoâ—ding of this Mercy Grace is an act of his Absolute Soveraignity and Free Will who hath mercy on whom he will and hardeneth whom he will As concerning the act of inflicting spiritual Iudgments the forerunners of hell this being an act of Iustice is not without respect to sin its procureing cause as the Scriptures lately cited evidence The same we say of adjudging impenitent and wicked persons unto hell for this is an act of justice conforme to the established Law of God 10. Though what we have said might suffice upon our part for clearing of the truth which we owne yet because this Quaker rageth so much against Absolute Reprobation by which he doth not meane the actual Execution of this act but the Act it self we shall in short propose somethings which will serve for confirmation of what we say And 1. There is a certane Analogy betwixt the decree of Election the decree of Reprobation so that the one giveth light unto the other the one cannot be conceived without the other for where there is an Election of some there must be a Rejection of others so the one is opposite to the other from this it is manifest that if Election be Free Absolute so must Reprobation be for the objects of both are supposed to be in the same state condition equally represented in the minde of God or considered when the act passeth upon them none deserving Election more than the rest nor none more meriting Reprobation than the rest If then Election be not upon the account of any good foreseen in the elected more than in others whether it be Faith or Obedience or Perseverance in both to the end or whatever else can be imagined as all our Divines have showne writing against the Arminians it is manifest cleare that Reprobation cannot be upon the account of the Foresight of the contrary Sin foreseen or considered in Iudas could not be a cause moving God to Reprobat him more than Peter because the same was to be seen in Peter And the Apostle cleareth confirmeth this when he saith Rom. 9 11 12 13. for the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil it was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Iacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Which place 2. Doth further confirme what we say for here is a Discrimination made one Loved the other Hated that is one Elected the other Reprobated Rejected without any consideration had of good in the one or evil in the other as a procureing cause of these Acts of Gods will for both Iacob Esau are considered as being in a like condition yet unborn neither having done either good or evil 3. The supream wheel moving all is here said to be that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth so there can be no procureing cause of this in man The one was preferred to the other that the purpose of God according to Election might stand the other consequently was made to serve that the purpose of God according to Reprobation might stand 4. Works both good evil are here in plaine termes excluded not of works there are no works excepted if Election be without foreseen works Reprobation must be so also or we must say that the Apostle argueth not acuratly that the Spirit of the Lord in the Apostle doth not cleare explaine the point 5 Vers. 17. from the instance of Pharaoh of whom it is said that God even for this same purpose had raised him up that He might shâ—w his power in him c. the Apostle inferreth that God hardneth whom he will as well as from the instance of Iacob preferred to his brother Esau he inferred vers 15. 18. that he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and that he hath compassion on whom he will have compassion 6. The Objection which the Apostle preoccupieth Vers. 19. Thou wilt say then why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will doth manifestly speak the truth we plead for for if Election Reprobation were not absolute but upon foreseen works what place could this Objection have Why would the Apostle speak to an Objection that were no way pertinent Should there be any colour for any to propose this scruple if the good evil works of man were the ground of all 7. The Apostles reply confirmeth this when he sayeth Nay but O man who art thou that repliest or dispurest or it may be rendered responsats or carps against God Importing that it is high arrogance in the Clay creature to call Jehovah to its barre to judge or quarrel with or disput against God whatever he do according to the purpose of his own will But what ground were there for such a Pride-laying Man-humbling Mouth-stopping Creature-abaseing felling answere if all this matter did run upon the wheels of justice or had its rise from man or were ultimatly founded upon something in him 8. The answere added putteth the matter beyond all further dispute Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour Where we see That man is but as a lump of clay in the hands of the great Potter as there is nothing in one part of the same lump of clay calling inviteing or moving the potter to make of it a vessel unto honour or a vessel unto dishonour so is there nothing in man calling or moving God to make this man a vessel unto honour the other a vessel unto dishonour And next we see That all is ultimatly resolved into the pleasure of God as the Potters mere pleasure is the cause of the discrimination of vessels which he frameth out of the same lump 9. These words vers 22. further confirme our point for saith the Apostle what if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted or made up for destruction c. Importing that it is so and that man hath nothing to say against it So we see That as the vessels of mercy are afore prepared unto glory so the vessels of wrath are afore prepared and
others who performe not the condition and so obtaine nothing but to Ourselves only who make ourselves to differ and so may we sing praises to ourselve and put the crown upon our owne heads and give no song of praise to the Redeemer but what such as go to hell are bound to give contrary to all Christian Religion If Christ hath purchased this Condition then iâ— is done either Absolutly or Conditionally If Aâ—soâ—utely tâ—an all shall Absolutely have it if Conditionally we enquire what is the Condition And whatever it be we may move the same questions concerning it 5. By this meanes the act should creat â—ts owne object for Faith in the death of Christ is ordinarily given as the Condâ—tâ—on and this faith maketh the death of Christ valide which otherwayes would not be 6. This maketh all the vertue of Christs death to depend upon mans act so that if man will all shall be saved if not no man shall be saved notwithstanding that Christ died for them 7. This makes Christ but at most a half Mediator doing one part of the work and man coming in to compleete it must be the other half mediator and so at least must have the halfe of the Praise 8. where saith â—he Scripture that if we beleeve Christ died for us or that Christ died for all or for any Conditionally It is true some of the effects of Christ's death are bestowed conditionally â—aking the word conditionally not properly as it the performance of that condition did in proper law â—ense procure a right to these mercies for through the merites of Châ—ist's blood have we a right properly to alâ— but improperly as denoteing nothing but the Methode and way of Goâ—'s bestowing the blessings purchaâ—ed fiâ—st this and thâ—n upon the souls acting oâ— that another as for examâ—le fiâ—st faith then upon the souls acting oâ— Faith Iustâ—fication then Saâ—ctification c. and upon the souls acting of Sanctification Gloâ—ification but the deâ—th of Christ cannot therefore be called Conditional more than thâ— will or purpose of God can be called conditional because some of the things willed may depend â—pon other as upon a condition 9 Then by performing thâ— Condition man should â—rocure to himself a Legal Right and Title not only to the dâ—aâ—h of Christ buâ—â—o Iustification Adoption Sanctification yea and to Glorification yea and that a more near and effectual Title and right than what was had by Christ's death for the Title had by Christ's death if it can be called a Title was far Remote Common to such as shall never have any pâ—ofiâ—e by it but the other is Câ—rtain Particular Proxime and giveth possession jus in re 10. Then Christ's blood as shed upon the crosse was but a Potential thing hâ—ving no power or vertue in it self to redeem any it was but a poor Potential price and all its vertue of actual purchasing and procureing is from mans performing the Condition this and this only giveth it Power and Efficacy and so Christ is beholden to man for giving vertue unto his Blood and making it effectual which before was a dead ineffectual thing Then let any judge who should have the greatest share of the glory of Redemption Man or Christ 11. was Christ's death Absolute in no respect or was it as to some things I mean belonging to Grace and Glory Absolute if in nothing then Man must certanely have a great share of the glory if it was Absolute as to any thing what was that and why was it more Absolute as to that than as to other things And why should it then be simply and without limitation said that Christ died for all Conditionally 12. what will this Quaker say as to infants did Christ die for them Conditionally But he must say that Christ died not for them at all because they have no sin where is then his Universal Redemption Infants sure make a great part of mankinde and therefore the Redemption from whâ—ch they are excluded and of which they have no need can not be called Universal 32. For Further confirmation of our 19. Argument and confutation of our Adversaries position we adde 21 That Christ Iesus is heard of the Father in all that he asketh Psal. 2 8. Ioh. 11 41 42. and as an High Prist he entred into heaven Hâ—b 9 11.12 â—ow to appear in the presence of God for us vers 24 to prepare a plaâ—â— Iob. 14 2. to act the part of an Advocat inteâ—ceding with the Father in the behalfe of all such for whom he died 1 Ioh. 2 1 2 If then Christ whom his Father heareth alwayes intercedeth in the behalfe all these for whom he died either he did not die for all or all must certainly be saved That Christ's Intercession and Death are so the same persons will be and must be denyed by our Adversaries But to us it is most manifest from these grounds 1. To Inteâ—cede and pray are as Essential and Necessary Acts of the Priestly office as to offer sacrifice and the Apostle Heb. 9 cleareth up how Christ did in truth what the High priest among the Jewes did in the type for as the High priest alone went once every yeer into the second tabernacle or holy of holies notwithout blood which he offered for himself and the errours of the people vers 7. So Christ being come an High priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle by his owne blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal Redâ—mption vers 12. Hence he is said to Live for ever to make Intercession for us Heb. 7 25. and he is an Advocat with the Father 1 Ioh. 2 1 Hence then it is manifest that Christ must Intercede for such as he did Offer up himself for or he shall not be a Perfect and Compleet High Priest or not faithfull to performe all the Oâ—fices of the High Priest neither of which can be said 2. The ground of his Intercession is held forth to be his Oblation as the High Priest went into the holy of holies with the blood of the sacrifices which he had offered so Christ entered into the holy place having first obtained by the sacrifice of himself an Eternal Redemption Heb. 9 12. So he is an Advocate with the Father being first a Propitiation for sinnes 1 Ioh. 2 1 2 3. Both his Death Intercession make up one Compleet Medium and are intended and designed as one Medium for the end designed viz the bringing of many sones unto glory saving to the uttermost all that come to God through him c. 4. How unreasonable is it to think that Christ would refuise to Pray for such whom he loved so dearly as to lay down his life for yet he saith expresly thâ—t he prayeth not for the world but for others distinguished from the world Ioh. â—7 9. 5. As His Death was for such as the Father had given him as we saw above so his
in Politiques as not to see it of his Advantage to cloath Old Errours with New Notions that they may the better passe among the ignorant for matters never heard of before 2. But leaving this to the ensueing tryal let us see what is this New Light and Gospel the knowledge of which he saith they have gote by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and have it confirmed by their sensible Experience and sealed by the Inward Testimony of the Spirit in their hearts He layeth downe the mater in three Propositions Pag. 79. § 11. The first whereof which in this Chapter we are to examine is this That God who out of his infinite love sent his Son who tasted death for every man hath granted to every Person whether Iew oâ— Gentile or Turk or Schithian or Indian or Barbarian of whatsoever Kinde or Nation or in whatever part of the world he live a certain day and time of visitation in which day or time it is possible for them to be saved and partake of the benefite of Christs death This is one part of the New Gospel which the Quakers preach And â—re I proceed in the examination of the grounds thereof I must premise these two things first That all this is founded upon the errour of Vniversal Redemption which we have rejected and confuted in the preceeding Chapter and when the only pillar on which this new Fabrick is erected is taken away by such force of Scripture and Reason as this Man I suppose shall be forced to yeeld unto or declare himself to be self condemned the building setled thereupon needeth no more than its owne weight to bring it downe headlong And when further Chap. VII we have vindicated the doctrine of Reprobation and free Election which this man laboured with all his might to take out of the way knowing that if that should stand his New Religion or rather Old Pelagian Arminian Delusion should finde no footing we might forbear the further examination of his following doctrine which is but so many native consequences flowing from false Grounds and Positions But Secondly I cannot well understand how he can say that he and the rest of the Quakers have this confirmed unto them by their sensible Experience it not being a matter that can come under that manner of cognition it seemeth that their inward senses are so quick and lively that they can sensate what is not sensible But I finde it usual with him to say so much weight upon his owne Experience and Feeling as if it were the whole basis of his new Inventions and Doctrine that it is no wonder he make use of it in all cases pertinent or impertinent all is a matter valeat quantum valere potest every one will not advert to its impertinency but beleeve the man speaking from his owne Experience what his owne Experience can never make him sensibâ—e of for the Quakers do experience as they say what is not done but remaineth to be done in the world let be what is past as all Christ's sufferings c. These thoughts and the like may possibly have moved him thus to speak here 3. We have seen what his Proposition is and the meaning of it is in short this so farr as I can take it up That because God hath an inconceivably great love to all desire to save all for this end sent his Son to die alike for all every man mothers son he granteth to all every man a certain space of time within which if they accept of the offer of peace hearken to his commands it is well they shall be saved but if not they must perish But if now we enquire How this matter cometh to the knowledge of every son of Adam for it is but reasonable they hear of the termes on which they may be saved before they be condemned for rejecting of them He will tell us afterward of an Vniversal Gospel making the matter known to all every one But againe if we enquire Whether or not every one of Adam's posterity hath Power in himself gracious Ability qualifying his Natural Faculties to accept of this offer He will tell us afterward that there is an Universal Saving Grace and Light given to every man whereby this may be brought to passe if Freewill be so kinde and tender of the mans salvation Whence we see that Salvation lyeth equally at every mans door be he Iew or Gentile Schythian or Barbarian Turk or Christian And every man hath Power and Ability Moral to lay hold on Salvation if he be disposed to accept thereof This and nothing else must be the Possibility whereof he speaketh so that there is not requisite hereunto any new grant of Grace or Divine Helpe to quicken the man or to work Faith or any other grace requisite in him he hath a stock from his Mothers womb which is sufficient if he will but improve it and that notwithstanding of any thing he lost in Adam it was not then we see for nothing that this Quaker was so much against Original sin as we heard Now this being the proper and native face of this mans doctrine let any man tell me wherein it differeth from the Old Pelagian and late Popish Iesuitical Arminian and Socinian Errour And yet so vaine and confident is the man in his Ignorance and Self Admiration that he holdeth these things forth as a New Revelation from the lying Spirit that hath bin a lyar and murderer from the beginning no doubt communicated only unto the Quakers who are but a company of ignorant mechanicks not acquanted with controversies or read in the writtings of Pelagians Iesuites Arminians and Socinians And it may be this is all the ground of his concluding this as to the unlearned and unread Quakers to be from Revelation little knowing or observing how deeply this erroneous imagination is implanted and rooted in the corrupt heart of every son of Adam so that they learne it without book or study yea so that all the preaching of the Gospel of truth will never be able to eradicate these Natural errours particularly this Natural Pelagianisme Iesuitisme Arminianisme and Socinianisme out of their mindes and hearts till the Grace of God come and hence is it that the Gospel which is the doctrine of the Grace of God diametrically opposite to this delusion which is in all points a sworne enemy to the grace of God is so little imbraced and closed with by many who live and die under the clear Manifestations thereof And it is no wonder that these false imaginations being natural in laid in our corrupt natures have so deep an Impression be looked upon by this Corruption that is as blinde as self conceity as Impressions of the Spirit especially when the God of this world who is in them blinding their mindes doth concurre to fortifie this Prejudice against the doctrine of the true grace of God and withall transformeth himself into an Angel of
â—onveyed to beleevers by this Light and it is this light that is given for a witness to the people for a leader and a commander and so this â—ight is our prophet priest and king and then we have nothing to do with that Iesus of Nazareth of whom the Gospel speaketh whom the Apostles preached Thus the whole Gospel is overturned at one blow and all the New Testament is to be looked upon as a cunningly devised fable or must all be understood allegorically as speaking of this Light within which is Gospel Bible Saviour and all to the Quakers and of no other Christ of no other Saviour and Redeemer What a fundamental and antievangelick errour this of the Quakers is no man needeth now to doubt nor fear to call them pagan Preachers 40. Faith cometh by hearing saith he and hearing by the Word of God which is placed in every mans heart to be a witness for God and à medium by which they may be brought unto God through Faith and Repentance And because mans heart is naturally hard as yron God hath put this word in it to be as a fire and as an hammer Ier. 23 29. by whose strength and vertue if it be not resisted the cold and hard heart of man is warmed and made soft and receiveth an heavenly image and impression Ans. Here is a further confirmation of the desperate designe of these Quakers to overturne the foundations of Christian Religion for 1. The word of God by which Faith is wrought in souls is not with them the word of God which is preached or the Gospel which Christ his Apostles preached but a thing in every mans heart Heathen as well as Christian which they nickname blasphemously call the word of God Did Paul preach this word which is in every mans heart Or did any of the Apostles make this their theme text Did they ever say that by this word Faith was wrought in the heart Was this the Christ crucified that Paul spoke so much of Sure faith cometh by the hearing of that word which is outwardly preached by such as are sent and whose feet are bautiful upon the mountains bringing glade tideings Rom. 10 15. Esai 52 7. Nah. 1 15. and by such as was Esaias whose report was not beleeved Rom. 10 16. Esai 53 1. Hear what Peter said Act. 15 7. Men and brethrâ—n Ye know how that a good while agoe God made choise among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the Word of the Gospel and beleeve And what that word of the Gospel was which Peter preached to Cornelius to which passage this relateth see Act. 10 34. to 43. What meaneth Paul by the foolishness of preaching whereby such as beleeve are saved 1 Cor. 1 21. was that the preaching of a Light within Why doth he then call it the crosse vers 18. and Christ crucified vers 23 would the crying up of the light within be a stumbling block to the Jewes and foolishness to the Greeks No certainly But because the Apostles doctrine did lye so crosse hereunto neither Iewes nor Greeks could relish it except those who were the called and they indeed and they only saw Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God vers 24. What need is there that we should insist in disproving of this which overturneth the whole doctrine of the Gospel and rendereth all the administrations thereof useless and ridiculous 2. What Faith I wonder can be produced by this Light within It cannot be the Faith of God's elect for the mighty operation of the Spirit is required thereunto and as an external mean the out ward preaching of the Gospel which is called the word of Faith Rom. 10 8. and the hearing of faith Gal. 3 2. And Paul tels us Rom. 1 5. That he and others received grace and Apostleshipe for obedience to the Faith among all nations The Gospel and the preaching of Iesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was keept secret since the world began but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of â—he Prophets according to the commandement of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16 25 26. Through the Gospel did the Apostle beget the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4 15. The Thessalonians were called to the beleefe of the truth by the Gospel 2 Thes. 2 14. It must thâ—n be the faith of Heathens or rather the faith of Devils for they beleeve and tremble and Nature can produce no other faith but a natural faith founded upon nature which is of the same kinde with the faith of devils Is not the Quakers Religion a noble Religion which would bring us the length of Devils 3. That which is left in every man to be a witness for God is nothing but a Natural Conscience witnessing according to the Law of Nature and the dim light thereof that is not yet extinct and will this Natural Conscience produce saving faith in a heathen Sure the devil hath a conscience as an intellectual creature witnessing that there is a God and so witnessing for God Shall we call this conscience the word of God the hearing of which will produce faith Then the Quakers Gospel is a Gospel for the Devils giving them ground of hope of Faith and Repentance if they will but obey that Gospel which is preached within them 4. What a bold and manifest perversion of Scripture is it to apply that Word Ier. 23 29. which is express of the word spoken by the true and faithful Prophets of God unto this dumb preacher in every mans bosome 5 We see then that the softening and warming Spirit of God who by his power and efficacy melteth the heart is in every man by nature in every Turk Tartar Barbarian c. And whatever the Scripture speaketh of this work of the mighty Spirit of God must all be understood of this Light within every man O desperat souls O wretched errour Will not the Lords hand be seen against these impudent audacious perverters of the right wayes of the Lord 6. This fire and hammer will do wonders if it be not resisted But when fire worketh upon water and a hammer beateth upon hard yron or stone can it but meet with resistence At length we see all the operation of grace which he talketh of is the sufficient grace that Pelagians Iesuites Arminians plead for which must have no more efficacy anâ— power ascribed to it whatever great names it get than may salve the honour and consist with the glory of Free will which must weare the crowne and have all the praise for this grace must not entrench upon the Lordly liberty of mans will but must stand off and petition Lord Free will to consent and yeeld if it will but if not it can do no more And so it shall be of him that willeth and runneth and not of God that sheweth mercy contrare to Rom. 9 16. And it is not
the same Law written in their hearts which the Heathens had and something more revealed to them in the Gospel What he citeth in the words following out of Iustin. Martyr Clem. Alexand. and Augustine I am not in case at present to consider only I see not what Augustines saying he read in some Platonicks books some words of Ioh. 1. can evince seing there were many Platonicks in those dayes who were not utter strangers to what the Evangelists wrote and they could transcribe words and sentences according to their owne phancy And what can follow from hence Supposeth he that thâ— Platonicks spoke by the light within them what the Evangelists spoke as acted by the Infallible Spirit of God Or that it was the same Spirit acting both Quakers I see are great supposers but ill provers And as Bernard said of some who labouring to prove Plato to be a Christian they proved themselves to be heathens so we may say of this Quaker I finde also that Casaubon Exercit. â— in Baron citeth out of that same lib. â—8 c. 47. August de civit Dei out of which our Quaker here citeth some words as for hâ—m a senâ—encâ— of a far contrary import â—hewing us that in no age any did belong to the spiritual Ierusalem but such to whom Christ was revealed And tâ—e said Casaubâ—n addeth a good caveat as to other Fathers speaking of this mater which our Quaker would do well to notice And as for his Arabick book which who have ever seen I know not it is no Canonick Scripture to me And when this Iokdan of whom that book speaketh lived or where he was borne and educated he telleth us not and till he clear us in this he saith nothing for a man trained up in Christianity in his infancy may by providence be cast in some Island and so be separated from all company and enjoy Gods company and be no heathen but a Christian still I think this is not impossible 15. In fine § 28. Pag. 120. resuming what he thinks through a mistake he hath sufficiently proâ—ed he tels us that this is the Gospel and the Christ which is revealed in them and which they must preach Whereby we have a further proof that the Quakers Gospel is pure Paganisme Yet he must cite some words of Augustine Conf. lib. 11. Chap. 9. in favours of this light which he pleadeth for the impertinency of which is discovered by the bare reading of them And he must also cite some words of Buchanan de jure Regni apud Scâ—tos where speaking of that whereby we difference betwixt that which is honest and that which is dishonest he calleth it a divine thing And no wise man will call it a diabolical thing Doth Buchanan call this Christ and the Gospel He was a better Christian than so And hence also we have further confirmation that the Quakers Gospel is the pure light of Nature and so the Quakers are nothing but Pagan-preachers leading poor silly souls from the Gospel away to Paganisme to the blinde light of Nature that is among Pagans Let wise men heed these things and beware of these men called Quakers for this their advocat hath sufficiently discovered to us what they are What he addeth asserting that their ministery is the same with the Apostles Act. 26 18. and that the righteous one of whom Iames speaketh Chap. 5 6. is in every man is but a wicked perverting of the Truâ—h and a prophane abusing of the Scriptures to countenance their diabolical positions and Antievangelick assertions for which if they repent not the Lord will judge them CHAP. XIII Of Justification 1. WE come now to that which hath been by Hereticks principally called into question being one of the chiefe articles of Christian Religion The doctrine of Iustification of a sinner before God which by some hath been accounted and that deservedly one of the greatest questions whereby divine Theology is distinguished from humane philosophie the Gospel from the Law the Church of Christ from Iewes Turks and Pagans and the truely Reformed from Papists Yea Bellarmine with Pighius confess that upon this hinge turne all the controverâ—ies which are agitated betwixt us and them Gerhard the Lutheran saith that this is a Castle and chiefe strength of our wholâ— doctrine Religion that if his truth be darkened adulterated or overturned it is impossible that other heads of doctrine can be keeped pure And Luther himself said that this Article of justification is diligently to be taught and learned for if it be lost we can resist no heresie no false doctrine how ridiculous so ever and vaine whence it cometh to passe that all that hold not this article are either jewes or Turks or Papists or Heretikes And againe if it fall and perish all the knowledge of truth falleth too and perisheth but if it flourish all good things flourish with it Religion True worshipe and the Glory of God The Church of Bohemia in their Confession tels us that this head of doctrine is accounted by them for one of the chiefest and most weighty as being that in which the summe of the Gospel is placed and in which Christianity is founded the precious and most noble treasure of salvation and the only and lively consolation of Christians is contained The matter being thus we have great cause to contend earnestly for the faith in this point once delivered to the Saints And to examine narrowly what this Quaker delivereth as the sentiment of all the Quakers upon this head of doctrine which he delivereth in short in his Seventh Thesis and more largly in his Vindication thereof in his Apology 2. What that is in this matter which the Orthodox maintaine may be seen in their Confessions and disputs against Papists and Others and particularly with great plainness and succinctness in our Confession of Faith first agreed upon at Westminster and thereafter approven by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Chap. XI § 1. in these words Those whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth Rom. 8 30. 3 24. not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone not by imputing faith it self the act of beleeving nor any other Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them Rom. 4 5 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 5 vers 19 21. Rom. 3 22 24 25 27 28. Tit. 3 5 7. Ephes. 1 7. Ier. 23 6. 1 Cor. 1 v. 30 31. Rom. 5 17 18 19. they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by Faith whicâ— faith they have not of themselves it is the gift of God Act. 10 44. Gal. 1 16. Phil. 3 9. Act. 13 â—8 39. Ephes. 2 â— 8. Read and ponder what followeth in that Chapter So in the greater Cathechisme Q. 70. What is justification Answ.
glory though we must alwayes lament our shortcoming and run to the bloud of Iesus that the defilement cleaving to our best works may be purged away Nor do we think that this hyperbolick expression of the penitent church will warrant any to caâ—l all the work of the Spirit of God in his people sordide and filthy rags What is of God should be acknowledged good acceptable though the defilements that adhere to the best of God's works in us here because of our continueing corruption and because of the lustings of the flesh in us should be mourned over and keep us humble One thing I would further note here That if our Gospel-works be such why are we not Justified because of them as well as in them He further answereth pag. 149. § 12 That though it were granted that the best of men are imperfect Yet God can produce perfect works in them by his Spirit Ans. the qustion is not what God can do but what he doth God can make all his perfect Yet the supposition made saith he doth not so He hath thought it fit for his owne glory so to work in his Saints as they may have so long as they are here a body of death to wrestle with and occasion to pray dayly forgive us our sinnes and to run to the fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleanness that they may be washen He proceedeth The Spirit of God is not capable of a blot and therefore all Christ's works wrought in his children are pure and perfect Ans. The Spirit it is true is not capable of pollution yet his works as received by us and as we are the formal actors of them are obnoxious to pollution And doth not the Scripture tell us that God first beginneth a good work in us and afterward perfecteth it Phil. 1 6. How can then all the works of Christ in us be perfect And if it were so his children here should be as holy as they will be in heaven for what is higher than perfection Thus we see this man will outstripe Bellarm. who confessed that our actual righteousness was imperfect because of the admixtion of venial faults and stood in need of dayly remission And will run the length of bold Vasques who thinketh that such have no need of remission in 1. 2. Disp. 204. c. 2. 3. He further argueth It would then follow that the miracles and works of the Apostles themselves as the conversion of the Gentiles gathering of Churches writting of Scripture and giving of themselves to the death for Christ were defiled with sin Ans. we must distinguish betwixt these works which were extraordinary I meane as to the manner of their performance and so peculiar to such extraordinary persons in which they were not in a manner formal actors but passive organs such as working of miracles and writting of Scripture in these the Apostles moved as they were immediatly Acted Inspired and Led of the Spirit so that these were not properly their formal acts And these which are of a more ordinary nature wherein they were more formal actors through the assistance of the Spirit whether in works belonging to their office as preaching and gathering of Churches or in works of Christianity as giving themselvs to the death and the like As to the first sort we may grant that they were undefiled as being pure acts of the Spirit wherein the Apostles were but organs used by the Spirit as he saw meet But as to others I see no absurdity to say that they needed to use that petition forgive us our sinnes The Apostle Paul had his infirmities and weakneses a body of death that made him cry out wo is me miserableman and was thereby made to do what he would not and hindered from doing what he would Rom. 7 The Apostle Iames saith in many things we offend all Iam. 3 2. and the Apostle Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 1 8. that if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us 43. Thereafter he giveth unto works an instrumental part in Iustification which is true of faith laying hold on the righteousness of Christ the only Objective Formal cause of Justification but cannot agree to works But he citeth some Protestants assenting to this as Polanus Symphon c. 27. whose words if understood of after pardon that is of sinnes committed after Justification as they may containe nothing but truth and that truth which we question not acknowledging that even iustified persons before remission of after sins must repent confesse and mourne for their sinnes and act faith on Christ. Zanchius in the words he citeth is expresly speaking of salvation not of Justification and to this end he might cite all the Protestants that I know of Amesius is speaking of the same As for Mr Baxter I have told already that his notions about Justification are not acceptable to all As for what he addeth about the word merite I shall not contend only I would say that seing it sounds so ill because of the common and known abuse thereof by Papists the less we use it the better seing Verba valent usu 44. Nor shall I say much against his conclusion of this mater Only while he tels us that such may confidently appear before God who sensible of their owne unworthiness and of the unprofitableness of all their works and endeavours c. did apply themselves unto the light within and suffered that grace to work in them and thereby are renewed quickened and have Christ risen in them and working in them to will to do having thus put on Christ and being clothed with him and made partakers of his righteousness When I say he speaketh thus he but cheateth his Reader giving him faire words and no more for as we have formerly seen in the examination of his Principles This light is but a Pelagian Grace if not worse common to all men Scythian and Barbarian And by vertue of this light without the least help of the grace of God for of grace assisting far lesse regenerating such as are in nature and so beginning every good work there is not in his writings the least mention if the man will but yeeld and of power and full ability to do this he maketh no question he becometh regenerated begotten of God partaker of the divine nature and what not And this is this Mans Sanctification and foundation of Justification whereof Pagans and Barbarians who never did nor never shall hear of Câ—rist are as capable as such who live within the visible Church and that without any new grace communicated by that which is borne with them Let the Reader now Judge what a Regeneration and Sanctification can flow from this which is in every man and what Justification that can be which is founded hereupon And whether or not this be a sure bottom to stand upon and with confidence to rest upon
him is the love of God truely and really and not feignedly or by mere profession See Beza on the place As also 1 Ioh. 4 12. where the word hath the same import And the ground is clear because obedience to God's command must flow from love and love to God and our neighbours is the summe of all the commands Hence love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13 10. So Iames 3 2. the same is a perfect man who showeth by bridling his tongue that he offends not in word that he is a real Christian For the Apostle is here in the first verse meaning men like our Quakers of a supercilious spirit masterly quarreling with and superciliously inveighing against all though it be a certain truth that we offend all in many things And therefore he saith to such that if they would shew themselves good and excellent Christians who are so ready to be masters in their reprehensions of others they would first bridle their owne tongues I wish Quakers would learne this See Calv. on the place 3. They may be called Perfect in regard of the Uprightness Sincerity Honesty godly Simplicity and Singleness that is in their way thus the word frequently signifieth as we saw above and is rendered bâ— the Dutch and in the margine of our Bibles Vpright Gen. 6 9. 17 1 Deut. 18 13. Iob 2 3. and in several places it is rendered so in the text Ps. 18 23 25. 2 Sam. 22 vers 24 26. Iob 1 vers 1 8. 12 4. Psal. 19 v. 13. 37 18 37 and elsewhere Hence oft Perfect and upright are joined together as Iob 1 1 8. 2 2. 4 They may be and are called Perfect in regaird of Perfection of Parts as being compleet and wanting nothing of the integral parts of Christianity thus a childe may be called a perfect man as having all the Essential and Integral parts of a man though but in their infant and tender grouth The saints are thus perfect as having the Spirit and thereby the seeds and beginnings of all grace In regeneration the whole man is changed so that he is new borne a new creature sanctified wholly in Minde Heart Spirit Affections Conscience Memory and Body though but in a small degree and measure See 1 Thes. 5 23. 5. They may be called Perfect because Respecting all the commands of God Ps. 119 6. and yeelding impartial obedience through the grace of God unto all God's precepts waving none 6. In that their good works have all the Essential Parts requisite as proceeding from a right principle done for a right end c. though not in the degree called for by the Law 7. They may be called Perfect in regard that the state whereinto they are is a state that certainly tendeth to perfection they are advancing thereunto and shall certainly reach that top of perfection in end which they look for and strive to attaine Ephes. 4 13. Phil 3 15. For as the several lusts of the body of death are more more weakened and mortified dayly so they are more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces Rom. 6 6 14. Gal. 5 14. Rom. 8 13. Ephes. 3 16 17 18 19. And so are perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7 1. and advanceing Phil. 3 12 13 14. 8. They may be called Perfect Comparatively in respect of others who are yet lying in nature And they may be so called in comparison of what sometimes they were themselves while Blinde Ignorant Dead and Lifeless lying in the state of nature which is indeed a fearful state of imperfection misery and woe 9. So in respect of young believers weak in knowledge and babes in Christ Others who are further avanced may be and are called Perfect as having attained an higher degree and measure of grouth in grace Thus Beza thinketh the word is taken Phil. 3 15. 1 Cor. 2 6. And it is clearly so taken 1 Cor. 14 20. Heb. 5 14. Ephes. 4 13. where each hath his owne stature according to the measure of the gift of Christ vers 7. Rom. 12 3 6. and its meaning and import we may see 1 Cor. 3 1. where such an one is only called spiritual 1 Cor. 13 11. where such is called a man 10. Why may they not also be called perfect in regard of Justification seing the Righteousness wherewith they are cloathed which is imputed unto them upon the account of which thâ—y are justified is a Perfect Righteousness being the Rghteousness of Jesus Christ And seing the sentence pronunced upon them to wit of Absolution in their Justification shall never be recalled they brought againe into Condemnation Rom 8 1. As also seing the state they are brought into thereby is an unchangeable state so that once in a justified state alwayes in a justified state 7. But all this will not satisfie our Quakers who with Familists Antinomians and Libertines will have this to be the privilege of all Christians after their Mode that they be as Perfect as Adam was in the state of innocency free of all sin and from yeelding to Temptation or Corruption and this taketh-in much if not a Perfection of parts and degrees Now to assert this Perfection which even Papists are ashamed of and to assert this as common to all them in whom this new birth is fully produced as it must be in all Justified and Sanctified Persons according to his owne principles is false and dangerous For 1. There are in Christ's house diverse syzes and degrees of persons some babes 1 Cor. 3 1. Heb. 5 13. or children or little children 1 Ioh. 2 12 13. and others young men and old men or Fathers 1 Ioh. 2 13 14. 2. Christians are exhorted to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. last and to put off the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and to put on the new man Epes 4 22 23 24. And to mortifie their members which are upon the earth Col. 3 5. But to cry up this perfection is to render all Gospel commanâ—s useless whereof we have abundance in the Epistles 3. This takes away the exercise of Repentance for where there is no sin there can be no sense of nor sorrow for sin and the exercise of Faith in running to the fountain for washing and the exercise of Prayer in seeking grace to withstand Temptations to strive against Corruption in seeking for pardon in the bloud of Christ. And 4. So this maketh these petitions in the Lords prayer useless forgive us our sins and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil 5. This saith that either beleevers are fully freed from an indwelling body of death contrary to Rom. 7 11 17 18 23 24. or that the motions of this body of death are not sin or sinful contrary to Rom. 7 5 7 8 15. Gal. 5 v. 17. Iam. 1 ver 14 15. 6 This tendeth to foment Pride and Security
it but in a wrong thought or in coming short in the least measure of the right manner of doing a duty is inconsistent with regeneration say our Quaker and yet he saith within a line or two that every sin doth not destroy a spiritual condition These things cannot hang together a person wanting a leg or an arme cannot be called a perfect man as to his integral parts gold having drosse admixed cannot be called pure 11. His last Position is That he will not affirme that such a state is not attaineable here in which to do righteousness becometh natural unto the regenerat soul that in the stability of that state they cannot sin Answ. This is an higher degree of Perfection than what he mentioned before for the former was such a state in which one was able not to sin though he might also sin possit non peccare Item possit But this is such in which he cannot sin peccare non possit And as to this he ingenuously confesseth he himself hath not yet attained it in which his modesty and ingenuity is commendable But he dar not deny but there may be such a state seing it seemeth to be expresly affirmed by the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3 9. Answ. But if he so interpret the words of the Apostle Iohn as importing this highest degree of perfection he must also grant that this highest perfection is not only attainable in this life but that it is common to all renewed persons for Iohn speaketh this as a truth of all that are borne of God and of all that have this seed in them and this is true of all that are truely Regenerated all such are borne of God and Gods seed is in them What will the man now say Though he will say that he is in such a state wherein he is able not to sin possit non peccare yet if he dar not say that he cannot sinne non possit peccare he must acknowledge himself not to be yet borne of God and to be void of the seed of God This passage if it prove any thing for perfection will utterly destroy this Quakers first kinde of Perfection which is a possibility of not sinning and that as common to all Regenerat persons But neither the one nor the other is asserted hereby the Apostle who only saith that he that is borne of God cannot make a trade of sinne and be wholly taken up therein as his constant work and exercise wherein he is delighted and findeth pleasure and full satisfaction as a man doth in his daily trade and employment He doth not say that such have no sin for he had said the contrare Chap. 1 8. but that they do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trade in sin and this is opposite to that which is their trade and occupation 1 Ioh. 2 29 they do worke or trade in righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This doing working or tradeing in sin is peculiar to such as are of the Devil as the doing working and tradeing in righteousness is peculiar to Gods people 1 Ioh. 3 7 8 9. He that committeth sin is of the devil whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin so that such as are borne of God do not commit sin as do such as are of the Devil and do the works of the Devil And this committing of sin is opposed to the work of purifying or studying of sanctification which lively hope setteth the beleever upon vers 3.4 and importeth a fixed set purpose and resolution to work in sin with full purpose of heart and to give up themselves to the trade of sin as delighting therein and as devouted thereunto adde that such sinne not so as to fall away and lose the seed nor unto death See Chap. 5 16 17. 12. Thus we have seen his Opinion which in short is this That all the Regenerat are in such a state as that they are able noâ— to sin or transgress any of the commands of God but to keep them in all points and walk up to full conformity to the Law yet they may also sin through their own fault and unwatchfulnâ—ss for it is not impossible But some may come unto that hight of perfection as that it is impossible for them to sin they cannot sin Let us now see ere we examine his grounds what affinity this opinion of his hath with the Old Pelagians with the late Socinians and Others as to the first Vossius his Historia Pelagiamsmi Lib. 5. Part. prior Thesi prima Pag. 460. giveth us their opinion thus They said the Saints led their life without sin which they laboured to prove from the instances of those who in Scripture are said to have keeped the Law perfectly Yet they distinguished betwixt such as never sinned all their dayes and such as at first were sinners but afterward left off to sin The first they gave to Abel the last unto Paul See what he citeth to verifie this He sets downe the Antithesis of the orthodox Pag. 462. thus That none by the power of nature could fulfill the Law That none by strength of grace did live all their dayes without sin That none attained that measure of holiness in this life that he could live any long time without sin The perfection ascribed to some in the Scripture was not from nature but from grace Nor for all their dayes Nor at any time full and absolute but which might increase and was mixed with evil deeds and so was a perfection of parts only not of degrees And this he cleareth out of Hierom Iustin Martyr Ambrose Gennadius Chrysost. Beda Origen Cyprian Macarius Optatus Augustin Ivo Carnatens Lombard He tels us moreover Pag. 4â—8 That unto these instances out of Scripture urged by the Pâ—lagians They answered that by perfection was meaned Sincerity or a true not feigned study of obeying all God's Lawes and actual obedience according to the measure attained in this life and in comparison with others but not any full or absolute perfection As an house is said to be perfect which is yet but in building in respect of the beginnings by a synecdoche of parts or of desire by a metonymie of the end 2. In comparison with rubbish or with an house not so far advanced 3. In respect of promise when the builder undertaketh to compleat it And so the righteousness here was perfect 1. Inchoatively in respect of the beginnings and desires 2. Comparatively in respect both of the ungodly and of the godly who are more imperfect 3. Evangelically whereby all is said to be done when that which was not done is pardoned And this to have been the Judgment of the orthodox he proveâ—h out of their writtings as of Hierom Orosius August Gelasius Bernard The Reader may see more in his 2. Antithesis Pag. 473. c. out of Nazianzen Tertullian Optatus Millevit Hierom c. For the better maintaining of this Perfection the Pelagians said that sinnes of ignorance were no sinnes I
be mortified in the regenerate they have nothing to do with that duty and so this stuâ—ying of mortification is incumbent only to unregenerat persons doth the Scripture speak so Why doth he not then shew it This would be more pertinent to the purpose than his extravagant discourse that followeth which I have nothing to â—o with But what saith he to prayer He answereth with Smalcius the Socinian aâ—ainst Frantzius disp 6. Pa. 181. disp 9. Pag. 289. That wen we are to pray forgive us our sinnes the meaning is not of daily sinnes but of bygone sinnes Ans. Why will he not say also that when we pray give us this day our daily bread it is meaned of long since before conversion what vanity is this But he saith next This militateth as much against perfect justification Ans. The man understandeth not our doctrine of Justification He supposeth we say with Antinomians that in Justification all sinnes not yet actually committed are actually pardoned while as from this petition we prove the contrary and yet assert a difference betwixt Justification Sanctification as he may see in the larger Chatechisme Quaest. 77. cited above 34. He citeth some sayings of Hieron and of Gelasius and bids us see som places of Augustine But if he will be pleased to read what Vossius hath gathered out of these and many others of the Fathers against Pelagius upon this head which we hinted above he may see his folly and blush Doth not Augustine in his book against Celestius frequently use that very argument forgive us our sins And doth he not say De Spirit liter 36. Multum ille in hac vita profecit qui quam longe sit a perfectione justitiae proficiendo cognovit A grave saying that is He hath advanced very far in this life who hath so far advanced as to know that he is far from perfection And Hierom in the very place cited him to wit Epist. ad Ctesiphontem saith This is mens perfection if they know that they are imperfest And against his conclusion as it standeth I will not be so morose as not to assent to it unless he mean the last words hereof viz. that passage Revel 3 12. to him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of mâ— God as fulfilled in this life and if so he must mean the same of all the rest of the promises made there Chap. 2. 3. to Overcomers which would make him ridiculous enough If he would have cited Ancients to his purpose he should have cited the old Begardi who maintained this and said that a perfect soul being reduced to God loseth its own will so that it hath no other will but the divine will which it had from eternity in that ideal being which it had in God which being supposed they say they may do any thing which their affection puts them upon without sin And so the reason why such persons cannot sin is because all sins even unclean mixtures as they also said are no sinnes He should have cited also the old Alumbradoes who had the same opinion practices suteable CHAP. XV. Of Perseverance 1. In his ninth thesis he layeth down his judgment concerning that question first brought upon the stage by the subtile adversary of the grace of God Pelagius concerning the final Perseverance or full and final Apostasie of the Saints and hath since been agitated by Iesuites Socinians and Arminians and he asserteth two things first They in whom the light the seed the gift of God the inward sufficient grace for it hath many names hath wrought something to their purifying tending forward to a perfecting of them may goe backward and depart from it by disobedience That is in plainer termes for these men must have liberty to speak in their owne dialect They who are Regenerated Purified and Sanctified may Apostatize and fall from that state of Regeneration and Sanctification and in this he taketh part with Pelagians Iesuites Socinians Arminians against the orthodox Next He asserteth That some may attaine in this life to such a measure of fixedness and stability in the truth that they cannot fall away from it 2. It is observable that all such who in the doctrine of grace erre from the right pathes of the Lord and so speak and write of it as to exalt Man Free will and acknowledge nothing in the way of grace's working in souls first and last but what may consist with their project and resolution of setting the crown upon mans head as making himself to differ from others do also in correspondency with their oâ—her principles positions assert this full final Apostacy of the Saints for as they put it in mans power to accept or reject grace when offered so they put it in his power to stand in grace or depart from it as he pleaseth that man may be Lord of the whole and wear all the glory of it And therefore as they would admit nothing to be said concerning the Lords working of grace in the souls of his people that might in the least seem to encroach upon the Free Will of man though the Gospel doctrine of the grace of God rather advantageth than disadvantageth true Free Will so will they admit nothing to be said concerning the further progress of the work of this grace in the soul to the end that will not consist with Free Will 's absolute Lordshipe Smalcius hath said the matter fully in few words Refut lib. de Error nov Arian lib. 1. c. 1. p. 7. as it is free for all men saith he to beleeve who before were infidels when they have occasion to beleeve so againe it is free to all men after they have once beleeved to fall from faith 3. I cannot in the least wonder why this man should be for the Apostasie of the Saints when I consider what his Saints are and what his Principles formerly examined savoure of Nay I rather wonder how it cometh to passe that any of these he calleth or supposeth to be saints should ever come to that measure or fixedness of stability in good as not to depart therefrom Only because in his former Thesis as we heard in the former Chapter he asserted such a perfection attaineable as might put men out of all hazard or possibility of sinning he could not but now assert that such a state and degree of perfection that took away all possibility of sinning would also exclude a possibility of defection sin being that which only can make souls stagger and fall from their stability and defection being only by sin All the Grace Regeneration Sanctification which his saints attaine unto is as we saw above the pure and meer result of Natures Light and of the power of Nature without the least assistance as necessary of the outward sound and knowledge of the very letter of the declaration of God's minde in the Gospel or of the bare report of a crucified Saviour let be of
this mans doctrine who seemeth to be one of the most sober among them all have we found any thing hithertil but Pelagianisme Secinianisme Arminianisme Enthusiasme Antiscripturisme Yea and Paganisme c have we seen any thing that doth not directly enough tend to overthrow the whole Gospel And what further we are to hear a little patience will help us to see He talks that they teach no new doctrine But doctrine more diametrically opposite yea contradictory to the whole Gospel of the grace of God a man shall finde no where else in such an heape So that albeit they should pretend to Miracles as they do to Immediat Revelations of the Spirit of God should do somethings more then ordinary like wonders I should account them but lying wonders their coming to be after the working of Satan according to 2 Thes. 2 3. Yea though an angel from heaven should come to head them and preach the doctrine which they preach I should remember that word of Paul's Gal. 1 vers 8 9. And therefore must account these Quakers no more Christians but an Antichristian Antievangelick brood of men acted and led by an evil Spirit designing the destruction of the Gospel and the setting up of Paganisme What he saith § 13. about the Independants and their gifted Brethren is not worth the noticeing for as to the matter he referreth us to what he had said before upon the Scriptures and we have eâ—amined Chap. IV. Only I would enquire If as he saith no man can know by the Scriptures that he in particular is called to be a Minister and therefore must recurre to an Inward and Immediat Testimony of the Spirit he must also say that no man can know that another is a Minister but by the Inward and Immediat Testimony of the Spirit and therefore he cannot be offended at us that we do not beleeve that he and the rest of the Quakers are sent of God because we have no Inward and Immediat Testimony of the Spirit concerning this and we are confident never shall have from the Spirit of God And though the Scriptures do not particularly and expresly tell us that Robert Barclay is a false Teacher and ought to be shuned as a false Teacher it saith that which is enough to us concerning him and his complices when it saith that all that bring another Gospel are to be accounted accursed and the whole Scripture that pointeth forth and declareth the Truth and condemneth their Errours as we have seen and shall see is as good to us as an Immediat Testimony saying the Quakers and particularly Robert Barclay are deceivers yea better more sure for some men can take the dreams of their owne head the impressions of Satan upon their phantasie for immediat testimonies of the Spirit of God but enough of this above Chap. III. 15. But he hath something Pag. 190. § 14. that would seem to answere that question we just now proposed for after hee hath againe nakedly told us that this extraordinary call for he nameth it so here is as well necessary when the Church is setled as when it is under a general Apostacy he saith that such as are thus called are made manifest in the mindes of their brethren and their call is verified in them who by the sensation of that life and virtue that floweth out by them are dâ—yly edified in their most holy faith and become the signes of their Apostleshipe according to 2 Cor. 13 v. 3. Ans. 1. But as yet there is no Inward Testimony of the Spirit directly saying that such men are truely called and without this in his judgment they cannot be said to be taught and led of the Spirit nor can they beleeve without this 2. Is this manifestation alwayes at every discourse or sometimes only Is it upon all their hearts or upon some only It may be there lyeth an answere in these words their brethren But the signes of the Apostleshipe of Paul were among strangers whom he converted and brought in to the faith And if this manifestation be alwayes and upon all present he layeth down a ground to question Christs Apostleshipe and Call for his preaching had not alwayes this effect as is notoure Nor Pauls and Barnabas theirs among the Jewes as the book of the Acts sheweth and 2 Thes. 2. Nay let that word be considered 2 Cor. 2 15 16. for we are unto God a sweet savour in Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life And that Esai 49 4. Then said I I have laboured in vaine I have spent my strength for nought and in vaine surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God and that Esai 53 Who hath believed our report And to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed if he think it enough that this manifestation be made sometimes upon the the mindes of some Alas Poor man thinks he that there are none of all the servants of Christ who dar not be so bold as he is to pretend a Divine Immediat Call through an Extraordinary and Immediat Revelation that can say the same and that upon a more just account As for his brethren they are under the same delusion with their Teachers and the sensation they have of life and vertue is but the sensation of the workings of delusion and no edification or building up in the holy faith but in opposition to that faith which was once delivered to the saints as is manifest to all that heare them and read their books and as this book which is now under examination hath made more manifest to me than all that ever I heard or read of them before 15. He addeth This is that which giveth the true and substantial call and title unto the Minister whereby he is a real successour of the vertue and power that was in the Apostles Ans. 1. Then the extraordinary call was no true and substantial call or title Then Ezechiel who was sent to a rebellious house that would not heare had no true and substantial call nor Moses when he was sent unto Pharaoh 2. They who are a savour of death unto death to some may yet for all that be successours to the Apostles 3. But I see what this man would be at The Quaker-Preachers though as we have manifested above nothing in truth but Pagan preachers must be the only successours of the Apostles and Possessours of the power and vertue that was in them What more Such Ministers stand not in need of the ceremony of Ordination and Imposition of hands Ans. Why then were hands laid upon Paul Barnabas Act. 13 3. And why had Timothy the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4 14. If such made use of this ceremony shall any Minister now a dayes think it below him to do the like But sayes he Our adversaries
he is hungry Prov. 6 30. would not this Quaker pity a Minister if he were driven to this straite to take something to satisfie his hunger though it were not formally given him and will he allow no more then that he take what is given for the supply of his necessities which may be very pinching before some ill-willers like our Quakers will let them passe for necessities He tels us therefore that he will not oppugne a necessary aliment Wherein he is wise for it may be the Quakers themselves both get and take more What will he then oppugne an aliment that is limited and compelled and then what is superfluous and sumptuous But what if that which some shall account superfluous and sumptuous be in it self all things considered nothing else then necessary who shall be judge in this case must the Quakers only sit on the bench as judges here If so some might possibly suspect them of partiality and accuse them of cruelty If the Supreme Magistrates of the land be judges herein who can reasonably refuse their umpirage and determination Will it not satisfie him if Ministers rest satisfied with their decision No it will not satisfie him for against this he rageth as thinking it superfluous and sumptuous and I shall not deny but as to soâ—e it may be so and therefore shall plead rather for others who have but whereupon to live honestly as becometh Men of such a function and it may be scarce that But be it what it will be he will not have it limited And yet some way or other it must be limited that it may answere the case of necessity by a geometrical proportion for an arithmetical proportion will not so well answere the necessity which cannot be supposed to be alike in all Who then shall make this limitation Shall the givers only do it But what if their allowance be too scanty must the honest minister perish for want Shall the Magistrates He will not yeeld to this for then that would bring in a compelled maintainance which he will also oppugne But if there be not some legal compulsion I owne no illegal unjust and iniquous compulsion what shall some Ministers do who have to do with such hard hearted persons as would rather suffer the Minister and all his houshold perish with hunger before they would give what is just yea or what is necessary if they were not compelled by law How shall they get their necessities supplied These things we see can not well hang together 3. He tels us that only this that is a necessary aliment and no more is included in these passages of Scripture Gal. 6 6 1 Cor. 9 11 12 13 14. 1 Tim. 5 16. We must then alittle consider these passages that we may come to some clearness herein The first is Gal. 6 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things But let us read the following verses too where this matter is pressed Be not deceived God is not mâ—cked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not As we have therefore opportunity let us do good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6 7 8 9 10. It is like there were some of our Quakers principles even in these dayes who dealt unworthily with the Ministers of the Gospel And it hath been Satans way in all ages to have men superfluously large in their allowance to superstitious courses and to Idolatry but niggardly spareing in the maintainance of truth But Paul considering what an open door this was to let-in ignorance if the labourers in the word were thus dealt with sets himself against this evil and will have every one whom the Minister catechizeth and instructeth to communicate unto the Minister in all good things this is not to contribute with others to a bare supply of his necessities but it is questionless a larger allowance and that not in this or that particular good thing but in all good things And because many might and possibly did pretend that there was no great necessity the Minister had enough and more and they had little enough for themselves and their owne families as worlds wretches who love the mammon of this world better than durable riches in heaven can devise many such things therefore the Apostle addeth Be not deceived God will not be mocked It was with Him and not with man only they had to do and he knew the truth of all as he knoweth what really prompteth the Quakers to this opposition whatever plausible pretexts they may alledge And further he saith whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap To tell us that this communication should not be with a niggardly and spareing hand as we say men must not hunger tâ—e ground they must sow liberally that their harvest may be the richer and they would sow as expâ—cting an harvest upon their sowing and not suppose that all that is given away to Ministers is cast in the winde seing it will have an harvest following it Moreover he tels us that the communicating of their good things after this manner is a sowing to the Spirit which shall be followed with a reaping of life everlasting not that this did exhaust the whole import of the expression which the Apostle doth here thus accommodate nor as if all such as are thus liberal unto Ministers shall have ground to expect life but that the honest and conscientious liberal dealing of such as are thus beneficial upon a good account for maintaining of truth and of the preaching of the Gospel the meanes of propagating the Kingdome of Christ and of the great designe of the Spirit is in it self a sowing to the Spirit and if their hearts be upright in the maine and if they thus sow to the Spirit they shall certainly of the Spirit reap life everlasting But on the other hand what is keeped-up to the defrauding of labourers of what they should have is in God's account a sowing to the flesh and the harvest thereof shall be corruption and thus their very niggardliness shall destroy their substance And lest some might think that too oft giving might tend to poverty He addeth vers 9. and let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not To shew that there should be no sitting up here and that folks fainting and drawing back their hand prejudgeth themselves of the harvest that would follow in due season Upon which consideration he presseth a more universal beneficence not only to dispensers of the word but to all persons especially to the houshold of faith and that when ever opportunity is offered What liberality
remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee seing gifts were of no use and the stirring up of gifts were in vaine because all without gifts or stirring up of gifts was to be done by the immediat impulses and motions of the Spirit 12. in vaine also should he have said as 2 Tim. 1 13 14. Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost For he was to regard no forme of sound words nor take any notice of that gooâ— thing which was committed to him but do and say as he was acted and inspired 13. what roome is left by this opinion to that word 2 Tim 2 14. Of these things put them in remembrance charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words For he could remember them of nothing nor lay any charge upon them if they were to do all as the Spirit moved them 14. The following injunction vers 15. is made also useâ—ess by this way Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed rightly divideing the word of truth For it taketh away all care and study in this matter and the preacher can make no other division of the word of truth than what is of and by the Spirit and that must alwayes be right 15 All that the Apostle sayeth 2 Tim. 3 14 15. should also be in vaine and to no purpose 16. If this way be the truth why did the Apostle say 2 Tim. 4 1 2. I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine might not Timothy have replied I have nothing to do with that charge I cannot I may not preach either in season or out of season nor can I Reprove Rebuke nor Exhort nor have I Doctrine wherewith to do it The Spirit doth all must move me and inspire me to every Doctrine Preaching Rebuke and Exhortation and that at every time and season 17. Hâ—reby that should be also rendered useless which is said 2 Tim 4 5. But watch thou in all things endure afflictions do the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy ministry 18. If this be the way why did Paul say to Titus Chap. 1 17 wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith seing Titus could have said againe I shall do as the Spirit moveth and more I cannot I may not 19. So it taketh away the force of Paulâ—s injunctions Tit. 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 15. For Titus was to have his eye upon no Doctrine but speake what the Spirit moved him to speak nor was he to speak to either one or other age or sex or quality but as the Spirit acted him and what Uncorruptness Gravity Sincerity was requisite in his doctrine he was not to be anxious there about all would be so because dictated and inspired immediatly by the Spirit And what sounâ—ness of speach was requisite the Spirit would see to that and therefore he was not to regard what the Apostle enjoyned vers 15. These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority 20. The command Tit. 3 1 2. Put them in minde to be subject to Principalities c. must hereby be laid aside as not obligeing Titus who was purely to follow the Motions of the Spirit 21. How opposite unto this opinion is that word Tit. 3 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirme constantly What was not Titus to waite upon the motions of the Spirit 22. If matters be thus how could the Collossians say to Archippus take heed to the ministrie which thou haâ—t received in the Lord that thou fulfil it seing Archippus was to follow the free and arbitrary motions of the Spirit 2â— This opinion rendereth that injunction of Paul's unto the ministers of Thessalonica 1 Thes. 5 14. useless Now we beseech you brethren warne them that are unruly comfort the feble minded support the weak c. as to preaching 24. It would hence follow that all that such ministers spoke were infallibly true for what the Spirit speaketh through men or by men as his meer organs must of necessity be truth and nothing but truth and that certainly and infallibly and so must be esteemed of and regarded as Scripture 25. If the matter be thus it is all one thing whether the preacher be Young or Old a Childe or a Mâ—n of experience for it is not he that speaketh but the Spirit in him yet Paul requireth that he that is put into the Ministrie be not a novice 1 Tim. 3 6. 26. Thus did the Prophets and Apostles preachâ— and declare their visions as undâ—r moral commands though they were under no such commanâ—s to receive the visions where they had no election Ier. 1 v. 17. 26 15. Esa. 6 8 9. Ier 15 19 20. 1 Cor. 9 16. 9. More might be said upon this head but this may suffice and I have said the more of it because they use to make it one of their common theames while they would in their popular discourses inveigh against the Ministrie seek to make it contemptible with people Let us now come and consider what he saith And first he beginneth to speak against the methode Pag. 249. And what is this methode Ministers are free to follow what method they think most edifying and are not bound to one certain prescribeâ— methoâ—e But sayes he when Christ sent his disciples to preach he told them they should not premeditate what to say nor speak of themselves but the Spirit should in the same houre teach them Mat. 10 20. Mark 13 11. Luk. â—2 vers 12. Ans. Knoweth he not that at that time Christ gave them their preaching with them telling them what they should say saying And as â—e go preach saying the Kingdom of heaven is at hand Mat. 10 7. Knoweth he not that in these places by him cited our Lord is speaking of their appearing before Magistrates and Higher powers where they might through fear and anxiety be so discomposed as not to know well how to speak in their owne defence and that our Lord addeth these words to free them of all anxiety about the matter But sayes he if it was so with them when standing before men much more in preaching when they stand before God Ans. This consequence is weak and contradicted by the Text it self where we see they had their sermon taught them before hand and beside when they were sent out to preach they knew what they were to say but when called before Magistrates they could not know before hand what questions might be proposed unto them and upon that account might be anxious and troubled which to prevent this promise is made
bestowed upon beleevers is called circumcision as where mention is made of circumcision of the heart Deut. 30 6. And because the Apostle saith Rom. 2 28 29. neither is that circumcision which is outward in tâ—e flesh but circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God And Col. 2 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumsicion made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh But who would not smile at this The Apostle saith here also there is one faith And upon the same ground our Quaker might argue that the doctrine of the Gospel which is the object of faith is not faith though the same Apostle calleth it so Gal. 1 23. and elsewhere and that the outward Profession of the truth is not faith though it be so called Act 8 13. 1 Tim. 1 ver 19. 3 9. 4 1. hence the historical and temporary faith and the faith of miracles should be no faith because not the faith here meaned As also because the Apostle saith here there is one body he might thus reason Either the mystical body of beleevers is not the body or the universal company of Professours is not the body But as the body here comprehendeth both and the Faith taketh in both the outward profession and the inward grace so the Baptisme comprehendeth both that which is inward and outward not the one with the exclusion of the other as making up that one Ordinance of Baptisme the consideration of which is a strong motive to union among Church-members made partakers thereof But he thinks that he is confirmed in his opinion if we say that the water is one part of Baptisme as being the signe and the Spirit is the other as being the thing signified But we take the thing signified to be Christ and his benefites for it sealeth to the believer an interest in him and all the promises of the new Covenant whereof the promise of the Spirit is a grand and comprehensive one Let us hear his reason For saith he if water be the signe it is not the mater of the one Baptisme and the one Baptisme is to be taken for the mater and not for the figure type or signe Answ. Whether he call it mater or signe as a figure or type we owne it not this is certain that the outward element administred according to appointment is the outward visible part of that Baptisme which comprehendeth both the outward and inward part But he supposeth we say it is a part of the inward grace which is his dream and he speaketh of the inward grace as separated and considered wholly as distinct from the outward part and will have it only called Christ's Baptisme which may be true in some sense because it is it which he doth and worketh by his Spirit but it is not that baptisme whereof the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 4. that so abstractly and separatly considered having no force of an argument or motive in it to press Visible Professours to an endeavouring of unity but as conjoined with this outward administration wherein all were solemnely dedicate to God and whereby they were solemnely admitted as members of one visible body and visibly separated and differenced from all the rest of the world and so engadged to be wholly and only the Lords and to lay out themselves for the good one of another and to seek by all lawful meanes possible the welfare and felicity of the whole body and to demeane themselves as members one of another for the glory of their one Head Christ. This is plaine and obvious to every one that will but open his eyes See 1 Cor. 12 12 13 14 25 26 27. 6. Having laid this sandy foundation in his mistake of that one baptism mentioned by Paul Ephes. 4 vers 5. he proceeâ—eth to his second Proposition Pag. 267. which is this That this one baptisme which is Christ's Baptisme is not the washing of water Mat. 3 vers 11. Hence he argueth Pag. 268. If they who were baptized by the baptisme of water were not therefore baptized by the baptisme of Christ then the baptisme of water is not the baptisme of Christ. But the first is true Therefore c. Againe If they who did truely and really administrate the baptisme of water did nevertheless declare that they neither did nor could baptize with the baptisme of Christ then the baptisme of water is not the baptisme of Christ But c. Ans. This man's trumph though he stand upon the shoulders of his friend Socinus who spoke thus before him is a meer glorying in a thing of nought and both his arguments may be blowne away with one distinction thus if those who were baptized with the baptisme of water were not therefore baptized with that baptisme which Christ himself by his Spirit and not by the ministrie of men was to administrate than the baptisme of water is not this baptisme which Christ was to performe by his Spirit without the ministrie of men true then the baptisme of water is not the baptisme which Christ hath instituted this is false The Assumption is only true in the first sense and not in the last And so his Conclusion proveth nothing The baptisme of water and this baptisme of the Spirit are different we confesse and the baptisme by water is not the external part of this baptisme of the Holy Ghost nor a signe far lesse a type or figure nor is this baptisme of the holy Ghost the baptisme whereof the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 4 5. Nor is this baptisme that which Christ did institute and whereof we speak He citeth further Act. 1 4 5. but to no purpose for we confess this baptisme where with Christ was to baptize the Apostles was far different from that which Iohn did administrate and from what Christs owne disciples did and were after his resurrection according to his injunction to administer and which is it we speak of To the same purpose he citeth Pag. 269. Act. 11 16 whereby every one may see what that baptisme was which is mentioned as differing from Iohns But what is there here to prove that only this baptisme with the holy Ghost is to be called Christ's baptisme and none else or that there is no other baptisme now to be administred And who I pray shall be the administrators thereof But saith he if there be now but one Baptisme as is proved this baptisme must be the baptisme of the Spirit But where readeth he of but one baptisme And as to the consequent how doth it follow Rather the contrary seing that baptisme of the holy Ghost and with fire is ceased on whom I pray doth the holy Ghost now fall as it did on the Apostles Act. 2 vers 4. and on those Act. 11 who are thereby enabled to speak now with strange tongues Are the Quakers thus baptized why do they not evidence it by their
extraordinary gifts if not why do they not hold one baptisme till they get another But then sayes he Iâ— should not be Christs baptisme that remaineth Answ. It should not be that baptisme by the â—oly Ghost which he promised to his disciples it is true but it is false to say it should not be that baptisme which Christ did institute appoint his Apostles to administer Read we not of some baptized in the name of Christ who yet had received none of these gifts Act. 8 16. and yet sure that baptisme was Christs His following words I have nothing to do with for I say not that Iohns Baptisme was a figure of this extraordinary baptisme by the holy Ghost and by fiâ—e I observe moreover another piece of this mans ignorance or deceite whereupon he would found his discourse here he imagineth that these extraordiry gifts of the holy Ghost are the same with the Spiritual things signified conferred and sealed in baptisme And when the man doth shut his eyes and then run on furiously in his blindness what can we do but stand by and be sorry at his folly and madness Hence he will have none said to be baptized in the Spirit but such as are baptized and endued with these extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and because we admit not now such a baptisme of the Spirit he inferreth that we are only for the bare forme and shadow of baptisme and he is for the substance Who would not pity such a man that taketh upon him to condemne as the Manichees did of old and a Seck called the Whippers that arose in the 13. Century our baptisme and therein to condemne all the Churches of Christ when he hath need to goe in among the Catechumens and be catechized I say agaâ—ne if he and his fraternity be thus baptized with the Holy Ghost as the Apostles were and these mentioned Act. 11. Why do they not shew it The fire in the Apostles could not be hid they spoke with tongues but our Quakers do no such thing except by a new kinde of non-sense he would have us understand their speaking with tongues And indeed they are all baptized with this baptisme These were extraordinarily endued with learning and all abilities to set forward the Kingdom of Christ but our Quakers are ignorant and yet they imagine they are learned and with what they have they destroy so far as they can this kingdom and therefore if they be extraordinarily baptized with a Sâ—irit it must be with a blake Spirit Christ's enemy And further the baptisme of the holy Ghost with which the Apostles were baptized made them not enraged against the baptisme of water but more careful to observe it and administrate it according to Christ's appointment and that even to such as had also received that extraordinary baptisme As Act. 11. these same persons on whom the holy Ghost fell were baptized with water But it is otherwise with our Quakers the Ghost which they suppose themselves baptized with is a Ghost opposite to all Christ's Appointments Let them then consider whence he came and whether he leadeth them 7. He citeth further Pag. 270. 1 Pet. 3 21. plowing with Socinus's hifer and supposeth that there is here given a definition of Baptisme and it is true the Apostle sheweth what that baptisme was which he was speaking of to wit not the bare outward element and the application thereof which alone cannot be effectual to salvation but the principal thing here requisite is the answer of a good conscience which all must have who shall expect any good of Baptisme And thus the Apostle doth plainly establish this Ordinance as a like figure unto that whereunto Noahs Ark was a figure which proved a mean of saving none but faithful Noah and his family And this truth we owne to wit that the outward washing of water can save none where there is not the stipulation of a good conscience toward God Shall we hence with Swenkfeldus whom Calvin on the place confuteth say that the outward Ordinance is null Or shall we with Papists stick in the outward element No Christs way is the best we owne both what is inward and what is outward and give each its due place What would our Quaker now say He sideth with Schwenckfeldus and Saltmarsh and would have the outward part wholly laid aside and why Because Peter sayes Baptisme is not the putting away the filth of the Flesh. Ans. Peter sayes not that there is no putting away of the filth of the Flesh in Baptisme but that the baptisme which will save must have some other thing then outward washing to wit the answere of a good conscience toward God Againe he joyneth with Papists and will have baptisme to be that which was really typified by the Ark while as it is but a corresponding exemplar carrying some analogy or proportion therewith let him Read Calvin Beza on the place But saith he As all in the Arkwere saved by water so all should be saved by outward washing if that were baptisme Answ. If we made the outward washing as separated from the inward grace the whole of Baptisme the Quaker had some colour to speak thus but when we speak of Baptisme as saving we comprehend both the outward washing and the inward grace the answere of a good conscience for where this is not the outward washing in baptisme is ineffectual One thing more How will this Quaker prove that this answere of a good conscience is the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit which were poured forth upon the Apostles Or is that baptisme by the holy Ghost and by fire whereof Christ speaketh Act. 1 4 His saying Pag. 270. that none can give this answere but they whose soul the Spirit of God hath purified and whose corrupt nature the fire of his judgments hath consumed is but to show his profane dexterity in allegorizeinâ— and playing with the word of truth let him plainly tell us if he thinketh the Apostles had no grace no corruption purified until the day of Pentecost came and so that the thing which Christ had promised and which then was fulfilled was this Spirit of Sanctification and nothing else And if he dar not say this let him consider to how little purpose all this is said 8. He citeth also but to the same purpose stealing from Socinus Rom. 6 3 4. Gal. 3 27. Col. 2 12. for the Apostle is not speaking of the outward washing abstracted from the inward grace but is speaking of whole baptisme that as aâ—ministred to such as he supposed beleevers and speaketh unto as such pressing duties and mentioning privileges that agree to them only And thus all which our Quaker saith is obviated for we say not that the things there mentioned are to be understood of bare outward washing but of the Ordinance which includeth the inward grace in order to these privileges and benefites We do not say that all who are only outwardly washen in baptisme are
therefore crucified with Christ or have put him on but that baptisme sealeth this to such as do really beleeve But let us hear his arguments If the baptisme of water was that one baptisme that is the baptisme of Christ then as many as were baptized with water did put on Christ. But this is false Therefore c. Againe If so many as are baptized into Christ that is with that one Baptisme which is Christ's baptisme have put on Christ then the baptisme of water is not the one baptisme the baptisme of Christ. But the former is true Therefore c. Ans. Not to trouble him with that distinction which yet enervateth both his arguments viz. That such as are baptized with water and have no more though they have not put on Christ in truth and reality Yet they have put on Christ in profession and thereby have publickly declared their engadgment to the duties pressed Conforme to what was said I Answere to his first argument thus If the baptisme of water abstracted and separated from the answere of a good conscience was the baptisme of Christ then his Minor is true But if baptisme of water and the answere of a good conscience therein required be Christ's baptisme then it is true that as many as are thus baptized have put on Christ and so his Minor is false and his Conclusion is vaine So as to his second arg I Answere thus if so many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ then the baptisme of water without the answer of a good conscience is not that one baptisme true then the baptisme of water including the answer of a good conscience is not that one baptisme It is false The Minor is true of this last but not of the former and so againe his conclusion is a non-sequitur Thus he may see his folly in disioyning and separating what should be conjunctly considered In all this what hath he said to Prove that the baptisme whereof the Apostle speaketh in the places cited is nothing else then the very baptisme of the holy Ghost and of fire wherewith the Apostles were baptized in the day of Pentecost One might admire at this mans folly in all this discourse but we cannot expect better from the Quakers 9. After this he giveth us Pag. 272. § 5. his Third Proposition which he hath learned belike of Saltmarsh the Antinomian or Familist and it is thâ—s That Iohns Baptisme was a figure of Christ's and when Christ's baptisme is come the figure must cease That is Iohns baptisme was a figure of that baptisme with the holy Ghost and with fire with which the Apostles were baptized on the day of Pentecost And thus we see that no part of this proposition is true It is not true how confident so ever he be of the truth of it that Iohns baptisme was a type of this nor is it true that when this came the baptisme of water which he meaneth by Iohns baptisme ceased but rather encreased for that very same day there were three thousand persons baptized Act. 2 41. He proveth that Johns baptisme was a type of this because the baptisme of water is a figure of the baptisme of the Spirit Which is also denyed and is but a fiction of his own braine But he proveth his Proposition thus No baptisme is now to be continued but the one Baptisme of Christ Therefore the Baptisme of water is not to be continued for that is not Christ's baptisme Ans. If by the one baptisme of Christ he meane the baptisme with the holy Ghost and with fire the Anteced is false if he meane the baptisme which Christ hath instituted it is true and his consequence is null For baptisme with water is institute by Christ and therefore is his and is only that one baptisme mentioned by Paul Ephes. 4 5. which the Quaker might see if he would for he dar not say that all the members of the primitive Church and of Ephesus were baptized with the Baptisme wherewith the Apostles were baptized on pentecost day and some few others afterward But he will prove that Iohn's baptisme is wholly ceased from Iohn 3 30. where Iohn speaking of Christ saith he must increase and I must decrease As if Iohn and baptisme with water were all one and Christ one the same with the baptisme of the holy Ghost 10. When this will not do he trieth another way and goeth about to prove that baptisme by water is ceased by this argument If baptisme by water be an ordinance that was to continue then Christ would either have used it himself baptizing some contrare to Ioh. 4 2. or would have commanded his Apostles to have used it But this I could never finde writen sayes he Answ. Though Christ did it not himself Yet his disciples did it with his warrand and approbation at least if not an expresse command For though we read not of an express command given before his resurrection Yet the usual and constant practice of the disciples in his presence saith they wanted not his warrand Neither were they â—o rash as to take up a practice in the worshipe of God at their owne hand and continue it without all divine warrand And though they had been so rash yet we may not think that Christ was so untender in the matters of worshipe and so little careful of the Christian deportment of his disciples as not to rebuke them for will worshipe or to suffer them to continue so long in that sin without once challenging them and rebuking them for it We inferre from their continued practice a divine warrand till he let us see an express or a virtual prohibition He may thank the Socinians for this We finde also an express command given to his Apostles Mat. 28 18. And we finde a constant practice of this through the Acts of the Apostles and their practice after they were endued with an infallible Spirit and authorized with power to establish Gospel ordinances is warrand enough for us though there were no more So that this argument of his is every way weak 11. He addeth another Socinian argument § 6. Pag. 273. saying that it is contrary to the nature of Christian Religion which is pure and spiritual And why so This washing with water sayes he was a legal rite Heb. 9 10. Answ. That under the Law there were several ritual and typical washings is true but that the baptisme of water unto repentance and in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost was of the same nature is not only false but the asserting of it is a manifest condemnation of Iohn Baptist of Christ himself and of his Apostles Iohn Baptist had an express command for it which needed not if it had been of the same nature with the legal ritual washings It is called the baptisme of repentance Mark. 1 4. Luk. 3 3. Act. 19 4. which we read not said of the ritual washings under the Law It had a strick connection with
But if what he saith be true to wit that there is no command for this Ordinance that iâ— is a legal Rite a shadow of good things to come whereof the body is Christ that it is repugnant to the nature of the new covenant dispensation c. I shall be bold to say that no man can out of tenderness of conscience to God after any method or manner goe about it and that no man should be more indulged therein than in practiseing of circumcision What he addeth is but a little bundle of his groundless whimsies without truth sense or consistency We haste to what followeth CHAP. XXVIII Of Liberty of Conscience 1. AS Thieves and Robbers who love to live on spoile and rapine desire earnestly there were no Law nor Judge to reach them in their wicked works So our Quakers conscious as it would seem to themselves of the evil of their wayes and practices and knowing full well how they are looked upon by all as pests and most noxious persons both to Church and Commonwealth to Religion and Civility and that therefore they cannot be tolerated or suffered to enjoy a license to follow forth their wicked designes to ruine all Christianity destroy all Churches in their very Being as well as in their Order and Government introduce Paganisme to the reproach of Christianity and to overturne the very foundations of Religion and Piety Our Quakers I say who are wise enough for evil and sagacious enough to contrive their owne security thought it best for their owne saiftie to adde this to the rest of their errours That Magistrates have no lawfull power over them and so joyne with Libertines Arminians and Anabaptists and with the Donatists of old and Raimundus Lullius and with the old Fraticelli who from their perfection inferred that they were not subject to any humane ordinances either of Church or State in pleading for a liberty of Conscience as it is called but in truth a lawless license to destroy all Religion all Piety and all the precious Concerns of Jesus Christ and of the souls of men Blackwood in his Storming of Antichrist Pag. 23. would adde some limitations or restrictions saying Evil works committed against the light of Nature and Reason as the setting up of Mahomet or any other God beside the Creator of heaven and earth Atheisme when any man shall boldly affirme there is no God Polytheisme when men affirm many Gâ—ds Blasâ—hemy murder these and such like the Magistrate whether Heathen or Christian is to be a terrour unto 2. These evils which are against the light of Nations there is no Nation in the world but in it the Magistrate will punish those that speak against the God that they profess and against that which they think is Scripture So if any raile against Christ or deny the Scriptures to be his word or no rule for us so unsetle our faith this as I take it may be punished by the Magistrate But our Quaker I know will not stand to this He will rather say with Williams Bloody Tenet in the Preface Pag. 2. it is the will and command of God that since the coming of his Son the Lord Iesus a permissiâ—n of the most Paganish Iewish Turkish or Antichristian consciences and worships be granted to all men in all Nations and Countreys For his Thesis is general taking in all opinions about Worshipe and Religion And he grants to the Magistrate only liberty to judge in maters touching the life and goods of others or what is hurtful to humane society and commerce But probably not of Quakers for they are perfect and so cannot do wrong And though this be a very narrow restriction yet I cannot see how he can yeeld to this without destroying the maine ground he standeth upon for Conscience may be pretended for the one as well as for the other and an erroneous conscience way teach â—ome to Sacrifice their children to Moloâ—h and to cut off their nieghbouâ—s head as a revelation taught the Anabaptist in Helvetia to cut off his brothers head and others at Munster to do many villanies 2. Seing our Quaker declineth a full disput upon this head telling us that many have writâ—en largely and earnedly upon it upon this same account I think my self releaved from any large prosecution of this Theme and that I need do no more but examine what he saith for his license and against our Arguments such of them as he is pleased to take any notice of Any who desire to have a full discussion of this question may peruse Mr Rutherfoords free disput against pretended liberty of Conscience Mr Edwards Prin and Others who have fully handled that debate The truth which we owne is summarily set down in our Confession of Faith Chap. 20. § 2 4. God alone is Lord of the Conscience Iam. 4 12. Rom. 14 4. and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandements of men which are in any thing contrary to his word or beside it in maters of faith or worship Act 4 v. 19. 5.29 1 Cor. 7. v. 25. Mat. 23 8 9 10. 2 Cor. 1 24. Mat. 15 9. So that to believe such doctrines or to obey such commands out of conscience is to betray true liberty of Câ—nscience Col. 2 20 22 23. Gal. 1 10. 2 4 5. Psal. 5 1. and the requireing of an implicite faith and an absâ—lute and blinde obedience is to destroy liberty of Conscience and reason also Rom. 10 17. 14 23. Esa. 8 20. Act. 1â— 11. Ioh. 4 28. Hos. 5 11. Revel 13 12 16 17. Ier. 8 9. And because the Powers which God hath ordained and the liberty which Christ hath purchased are not intended by God to destroy but mutually to uphold and preserve one another They who upon pretence of Christian liberty shall oppose any lawful Power or the lawful exercises of it whether it be Civil or Ecclesiastical resist the Ordinance of God Mat. 10 vers 25. 1 Pet. 2 vers 13 14 16. Rom 13 1 8. 13.17 And for their publishing of such opinions or maintaining of such practises as are contrary to the light of Nature or to the known principles of Christianity whether concerning faith Worshipe or Conversation or to the power of godliness or such erroneous Opinions or Practices as either in their own nature or in the manner of publishing or maintaining them are destructive to the extâ—rnal peace and order which Christ hath established in the Church they may lawfully be called to account and proceeded against by the Censures of the Church Rom. 1 32. with 1 Cor. 5 2 3 11 13. 2 Ioh. 10 11. 2 Thes. 3 v. 14. Tim 6 3 4 Tit. 1 10 11 13. 3 10. with Mat. 18 15 16 17. 1 Tim. 1 vers 19 20 21. Revel 5 9 2 2 14 15. And by the power of the civil Magistrate Deut. 13 6 to 12 Rom. 13.3 4. with 2 Ioh. v. 10 â—1 Ezra 7 23 25.26 27 28. Revel
Blasphemers of God and his wayes declared and open Atheists who deny there is a God the like whose doctrine eateth like a canker 2 Tim. 2 17. and who Apostatize from the truth received professed and teach rebellion against God though they pretend conscience in all this and say their conscience dictateth such things unto them and commandeth them in the name of the Lord to do such things and teach such doctrine or not 6. He will not extend this liberty of conscience unto practices that are hurtful unto our Neighbour or unto humane society as Libertines do but only to those things which are immediatly betwixt Men and God or men and men of the same perswasion Ans. But 1. â—roaching of errours is noxious to our neighbour eating as doth a canker 2 Tim. 2 17. subverting the hearers 2 Tim. 2 14. subverting whole houses Tit. 1 11. subverting souls Act. 15 24. it is a work of the flesh Gal. 5 vers 20. 2. Broaching and propagating of superstition and idolatry cannot but be noxious both to our neighbour and to humane society in that it ushereth-in and tendeth to the bringing-on of the wrath and judgments of God by which he punisheth such courses And therefore evil must be put away from the Society Deut. 13 5. 17 7. Levit. 20 vers 2 3 4 5. 3. Let us take these hurtful things to be mâ—aned of transgressions against the second table of the Law I would know why the Magistrate can more punish for these than for violations of the first table He is a keeper in his place and according to his power of both tables of the Law and so can punish open transgressions of both But the maiâ—e ground of my question is How the Quaker can yeeld this and not the other seing Conscience may be pretended in the one as well as in the other And the Conscience can be misinformed and when misinformed can binde as well in the one as in the other Either then his ground which he layeth downe to wit that an erroneous conscience bindeth so as the man â—ar â—ot act contrary to its dictates is not good and sufficient in this mater or by â—his his concession he yeelds the cause and undermineth his own Assertion 4. What meaneth he by that betwixt men and men of the same perswasion Do all maters of question and debate betwixt men of the same perswasion belong otherwise to conscience than maters of debate betwixt men of contrary perswaâ—â—ons May the Magistrate medole with no mater of debate or question even about civil maters that is betwixt men not of the same perswasion Then they must not meddle with the Quakers if they wrong the persons and gooâ—s of any of another perswasion This is enough to expose all true Christians to the fury and malice of the Quakers whence we see his Concession is not for nothing 7. But he explaineth himself better in the following words saying to wit to meet together and worship God that way which they judge will be most acceptable to him but not to urge their neighbours save by perswasion and reason and other means which Christ and his Apâ—â—tles used as of preaching and instructing and not at all under pretext of conscience to do any thing against the moral and perpetual statutes which all Christians commonly acknowledge Ans. But 1. Then the Magistrate may not hinder persons to meet together to worship a stock or a stone Yea or to offer up their children to Moloch to sacrifâ—ce beasts crocodiles birds c. to Iupiter Mars Vulcan or to prostitute their wives and daughters or commit sodomie in honour of Venus as Heathens have done because their Consciences judge that this way of worship is most acceptable to God 2. To urge Neighbours by perswasion to embrace Errour and to follow Idolatry Superstition and false wayes of Worshipe is a most noxious and hurtful thing destroying their souls subverting their faith and exposeing them to the wrath and indignation of God and so of far worse consequence than the wronging them in their Names Goods and Bodies and therefore requireth much more the Magistrates sword of justice to punish such noxious soul ruining Teachers 3. Still the doubt remaineth why the pretext of conscience cannot warde off the Magistrates sword in matters of the second table of the Law as well as in matters of the first seing conscience is God's deputy and only subject to him in the one as well as in the other 4. Moral and perpetual statuâ—es comprehend I suppose the commands of the first table as well as the commands of the second table and it is no matter whether all Christians commonly acknowledge them or not for God's moral Lawes borrow no force or strength from our acknowledging and receiving of them And thus we see this poor man destroyeth what he would be at And when he condemneth in the following words the Anabaptists at Munster he confirmeth wâ—at we say for they pretended conscience and though as he saith their deeds rather flowed from pride and avarice than purity and conscience Yet that helpeth not the mater for it is as apparent that the actions of our Quakers cannot flow from Purity and Conscience unless we understand a develish deluded conscience which hath no affinity with Purity whatever they pretend 8. He tels us next Pag. 316. that all the liberty which he pleadeth for is but that which the Primitive Christians required of the Heathen Emperours Ans. But he should first prove that the truth they profâ—ss is consonant to the truth which the Primitive Câ—ristians owned We say not that Magistrates whether Heathen or Christian should persecute the truth or hinder by Lawes or violence the Professours of truth to meet and worshipe God in tâ—e way by him appointed If his way be the way of truth he should not plead for toleration for toleratio semper est mali And if he can manifest it to be the way of truth I shall willingly grant that Magistrates should not only not trouble or tolerat him but should countenance and encourage him But we have heard enough already to demonstrate how dissonant that which they maintaine is to Scripture truth and to primitive truth and so we see no ground whereupon they can plead for the same liberty which the Primitive Christians did desire and plead for especially considering how they have Apostatized from the truth once by themselves professed and having renunced their baptâ—sme and the faith once delivered to the Saints would seduce all others to the same abomination 9. He sayes next he would not have men as men and members of the Common wealth molested in their temporals or privileges for their inward perswasion Answere And I say the same but publick meetings to the dishonour of God and scorne of Christianity And acts of preaching and seduceing by creeping into houses and loading captive silly women laden with sinnes and led away with diverse lusts is not a meer
because they were children far lesse to bring them off the useing of Heathens Oaths the place Ier. 12 16. evinceth the contrary viz. That God would have the heathens learning to swear by the Name of the true God 9. A Sixt Argument of ours he proposeth Pag. 357. thus God hath sworne therefore to swear is good And indeed this doth manifestly evince that to swear is not intrinsecally evil nor floweth not from the work of the Devil nor was principally invented by Man and the Scripture bringeth God frequently in swearing Gen. 50 24. Exod. 13 5 11. 33 1. Numb 14.16 23 30. 32 10 11. Deut. 1 8. 8 35. Iosh. 5 6. Psal. 95 11. 110 4. Heb. 6 17. 7 21 22. For answere he tels us out of Athanasius That God cannot swear properly because he sweareth not by another but by himself Answ. And this is very true But yet the Scripture saying that he sweareth and expressing his Counsels and determinations as confirmed by an Oath to assure us of the Truth and Immutability thereof confirmeth what we say to wit that it is not simply unlawful and to be condemned God cannot properly Repent and yet he is said to Repent and this hath a moral instruction to us God hath not properly bowels of pity and commiseration and yet what is spoken of the moving of his bowels sheweth that our pity and commiseration is not simply sinful but good and lawful in some cases A Seventh Argum. is this Christ did swear Out of what Author he hath this I know not of Christs swearing I read not but of that earnest asseveration Verily Verily I read often And if our Quaker will so strickly interpret these words of Christ whatsoever is more then these to wit then yea and nay cometh of evil as he doth he must also condemne these asseverations for they are more then yea and no And that same asseveration may be construed for an Oath if we consider Heb. 6.13 14 But he answereth That though Christ did swear yet it will not follow that we may because he was under the Law wâ— under the Gospel Answ. 1 It is not proven that this belongeth to or is any part of the Ceremonial Law 2. Christ did abrogate that Ceremonial Law as our Quaker thinketh in that sermon of his upon the mount and if it was then abrogate it could not oblige him thereafer 3. This agreeth not with Hierom's answere which he addeth but rather contradicteth it for Hierom draweth his answer from his being Lord and under no Law 10. An Eight Argument we use which is better founded and that is taken from the practice of the Apostle Paul who several times in weighty maters and at necessary occasions did use solemne Oaths and Attestations Rom. 1 v. 9. God is my witness 9 1. I say the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing me witness in the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 1 23. moreover I call God for a record on my soul. 11 10. as the truth of Christ is in me Gal. 1 20. Now the things which I write unto you behold before God I lie not Phil. 1 8. for God is my record 1 Thes. 2 10. ye are witnesses God also To all which he answereth three things 1 That these are not Oaths that they refused not to give such Attestations themselves but were urged to give more sais he an Oath with the ceremony of laying the hand upon or kissing the book of lifting up the hand or the fingers and adding this forme so help me God Answ. To these agreeth the definition of an Oath to wit a solemne callinâ— of God to witness and to judge according to the truth or falshood of what is said And whereas he saith that they would not refuse this but oft used such but would not adde the outward ceremony required he sheweth how easily they can straine at a gnat and swallow a camel as the Scribes and Pharisees did Mat. 23 v. 24. As if Abrahams servant would have sworne willingly by the Lord the God of heaven and the God of the earth but would have scrupled at the putting of his hand under Abrahams thigh Gen. 24 2 3. who seeth not what a childish vanity this is Yet I will not plead for any ceremony that may justly give offence But 2. Must he not grant that even this much is more then yea and nay and consequently cometh of evil Was this much from the beginning Was it of any use in the beginning Was it not caused of the evil of infidelity c And was it not therefore the work of the Devil and was it not invented of men for a cure of infidelity and deceite How then can he defend it according to his own principles It seemeth the Quakers may do what we may not He answereth 2. That this contradicteth our opinion for Paul was not here swearing before a Magistrat Answ. Nor do we adduce this instance to prove that but only to prove that all swearing under the New Testam is not unlawful will he say that Christ Mat. 5. speaketh only of Oaths taken before Magistrates Or that such only were a part of the Ceremonial Law He must then restrick these words of Christ and of Iames sweare not at all to Oaths imposed by Magistrates contrare to his own fore-mentioned glosses What difference is there betwixt our solemne calling God to witness to a particular of our own accord when necessity and the urgency of the matter presseth to it and doing this at the command or desire of the Magistrate for ending of a controversie I should think that if I may do it of my owne accord I may much more do it when called thereto by a Magistrate But his 3. Answer will cut the knot The question is not what Paul or Peter did but what their and our Lord taught saith he Answere Then Paul must be a transgressour and that oftener then once or twice But I suppose in writing of his Epistles he was acted immediatly by the Spirit of God and I shall not readily think that the Spirit would have acted him so frequently to have transgressed Christs express command swear not at all if our Quakers exposition be genuine Augustine Lib. de mendacio ad Consentium Chap. 15. learneth from this practice of Paul how to interpret Christs Words Iuravit ipse Apostolus in Epistolis suis sic ostendit quomodo accipiendum esset quod dictum est dico vobis non jurate omvino sed quia praecepti violati reum Paulum praesertim in Epistolis conscriptis atque editis ad spiritualem vitam salutemque populorum nofas est dicere Intelligendum est illud quod positum est omnino ad hoc positum ut quantum in te est nox affectes non ames non quasi pro bono cum aliqua delectatione appetas jusjurandum 11. To that Prophecy of the dayes of the New Test. Esai 65 16. he that sweareth in
of his righteousnesse that so the shame of our nakednesse may not appeare to put on I know not what something common to us with heathens who never heard of Christ a Iapan gown and place ourselves when we have done in the expectation of the Turkes Paradise or of none When Satan in pursueance of his project having gotten possession of this poor vainling and swelled him with the conceit of that felicitie of understanding whereof he boasts in his Vniversal love But more truely a plain discoverie of an Vniversal hatred to the Gospel of the Grace of God he puts him on having puffed him up to publish to the world what he had poisoned the poor creatures spirit with thereby to leaven the spirits of men with this hell-hatched heresie And now this parturient mountain having with a great stridor and Nayloristick noise to the end he may be heard in all Europe peched out this Pagan mouse Reader there is no jest here Alas there is no matter of jest when the Devil is in so nettle earnest to destroy all and makes use of this poor creature for that end I onely make use of a known Proverb commonly made use of in the like case he thinks by the felicitie of his ingine he is able so to pourtrey and paint this Pagan birth as to make poor simple and shallow us short of his searching and soaring wit believe it is an Angel and he endeavours to cloth this brat of his own deluded brain in such a buske as will make every one who sees its face fond of it and fall in love with its beautie But he is mistaken for so long as the light of this glorious Gospel doth shine amongst us every one that is led by that true light will perceive by the face feature and foaming of this brate he hath brought forth that it is hell-borne and that it is a Demon incubus who hath begotten it to which the Pagan Parent hath prostitute his darkened understanding Nay I suppose and not without ground that if the Devil who drave the Author on and was at the dictating of these dreames had his Doctors Dictats againe in his hand he would bury or burne them ere he subjected them to such an Examen whereby the Authors Hell-Craft or to please the Naylorist in speaking in their own dialect witchcraft is so manifestly detected as Satan who set him on missed his marke in driveing his deluded Trustee to belch forth what was so blake as now after the discoverie made by this Examen it passeth the power of his blake art to give it any colour besids his own who is its true Father Moreover I doubt not to say if the Author of these Theses and Apologie be not brought to see and acknowledge the blakenesse and abominablnesse of his Errors by the shineing light and sharpenesse of this Examen it is not because there is not a sufficiency of Scripture light in what is by the judicious Author adduced but because Satan hath engaged the Author of that Apologie in an opposition to the truth beyond a retreat and then what might otherwise prove a remedie must fret the disease and fire him into a heat of hellish indignation to see his desperat designe so far defeat as the light which he intended to darken and extinguish shines more brightlie after the smoake of the pit which came out of his mouth is blown away and the truth in its radiant beautie and brightnesse is the more cleared up that he essayed to overcloud it But that I may not exceed the length and limits of a Postscript let me desire these things of every Professor of the name of Christ shortly First seriously to peruse and ponder this Examen for thy own establishment in the truth But more particularly since the arrogant here answered did addresse himself to Clergiemen as he calls them and students let me beseech and obtest both Ministers and Students of Divinitie to a serious perusal and pondering of this piece not onely as the most full cleare and satisfying confutation of the hell-blake abominations of that prating and perverse gang of enemies to Christ that hath siâ—e the dismal appearance of that prodigious partie come from any pen for though I do not designe to derogat from the due praise of those worthy servants of Christ who have stood up for truth and withstood these blasphemers of Christ for which their name shall be favourie and their praise in the Church yet none of them had a compleat systeme of all their wicked dreames to answer till the Author of these Thesis and Apologie undertook to give it us and now it is answered But also because the partie here dealt with having first swallowed down and then vomit up what ever is mortal to the immortal soul amongst other Adversaries to Christ beside these dottages peculiar to themselves here thou hast a most learned and elaborat refutation of all these now grosse and grassant errors whereby the souls of men are in hazard to be murthered and the truth corrupted by these perverters of the Gospel of Christ such as Arminianisme and Socinianisme c. And I am sure by the diligent perusal of what is here brought to thy hand and the blessing of God upon thy pains thou maiest not onely be singularly edified established and built up in the most holy faith but put in case to speake with all the enemies of the Grace of God in the gate and if this may excite thee I professe that by the reading hereof I have found my self confirmed in the truth and much established in that doctrine which is according to godlinesse And forget not to blesse the Lord for his goodnesse to his Church in preserving beyond expectation the Authors life and for enabling him and holding his hand as in all the several encounters he hath had with the Adversaries to the truth so in a remarkable manner and measure in this rancountre with the Naylorists Goliah he hath been helped to disâ—over these depths of Satan which are in their doctrine so that this Naylorist may well hereafter sprawl spurne but a solid reply is beyond the felicitie of his understanding And every on will judge he hath but little reason to boast of that felicitie if he be so unhappily dull as not to understand this But if he intend a reply he had better cause some bold bawler undertake it and instead of all other refutation tell the learned and judicious Author that he is in the Imagination and Witchcraft and this will be the short cut And if he will take my advice he will finde it the saifest course onely let him remember that this course will be a confession in obliquo that Goliah's head is cut off and now the whole host of these uncircumcised Philistims must flee from the face and force of a little Presbyterian David But to such as are not able to follow fathom the Authors reach or have not so much time as
thorowly to peruse this large examen though I would have every one to have it by him that he might in their perversions of the Scripture have recourse to it for a help to be cleared I would besides other pieces particularly recommend a little piece lately published called a short survey of Quakerisme wherein the Author hath solidly aâ—d clearly said much in little for guarding the people of the Lord against the contagion of these soul-murthering heresies But above all and with this I close all that thou mayest be able to stand when so many once looked upon as persons of some understanding have fallen gird thy loins about with the truth of the Scriptures O prize the word of God that blessed word which these men contradict and contemne as if they would be avenged upon the Scriptures First for foretelling that such a race of Runagadoes from the truth would arise whereby we are confirmed that they are the word of the living God Secondly because of their passing sentence upon them when arisen as seducers and condemning their sentiments as the doctrines of Devils Thirdly because they most peremptorily inhibite us under the pain of his displeasure who hath given us these Scriptures for our rule to converse with such deceivers or receive theâ— into our houses and charge all who would not fall into the same snare and so bring sore and swift damnation on themselves to stand aloof from the men of these abominable and damnable heresies And you are the rather to observe and do this that you finde Satan rageth and goeth mad if this be urged and no wonder since he knowes well what he hath gained by the contrarie practice and is very sure that he who breaks so cleare a command hath wrested himself out of the hand of his guid anâ— so hath put himself out of case to pray or hope for leading which Satan knowing and observing way-layes him when he hath him in his own Synagogue or conversing unnecessarily with his domesticks and thinks himself sure of him And Alas the successe often answers his expectation And therefore he who put that deluded soul to draw up deâ—ile paper with this systeme and compound of all abominations doth prompt him in the next place to penne publish a piece which he calls Vniversal love just of a piece and complexion with cursed Naylor's love to the lost for the men are of the same core and kidney composed of hatred to the Gospel so that if you receive their expressions of love to the lost you are lost however this is a prettie page and pimp to his Apologie and weares its livery and is calculat exactly for the designe of Apollyon O so kinde as they will appeare as kinde as the cruel spider to the flee who while it seems to embrace and kisse it kills it with poison Let them be but warmely welcomed and have accesse to whisper you in the eare and drop-in their poison at that passage it will quickly reach your soul and flee up into your head and so distract you with themselves into a pure and perfect hatred of the way of Salvation but I must tell you he who would not have the Devil run away with him to hell should not throw himself in his embraces or suffer that evil one that liar and murtherer to come so neer him as to touch him Much about the same time also at least much about the same time both came to my hand his brother in iniquitie George Keith in answer as he calls it to a Postscript to Mr Rutherfoords letters written on purpose to disswade all the Lovers of Jesus Christ to converse with these his stated enemies flies furiously into the face of that Author and in his furious transport foams out in that piece his own shame Concerning which at present I have onely this to say to the Reader that he may expect ere long to have G. Keiths notions examined by the same person who hath answered his brothers Apologie and for what relates more particularly to the Postscript it self against which he rageth he may expect to have it considered by the Author of the Postscript But not to detain thee longer consider â— beseech thee and comply with that serious and seasonable exhortation given by this same Author in the preface to this sharp discoverie anâ— solid confutation of these damnable doctrines If not I must tell thee this piece shall rise up in judgement against all who over the belly of so cleare a discovery of the damnablenesse of these delusions and dreams will without feare expose themselves to the hazard of being bewitched by the Seducers But I hope better things of thee though I thus speake and so wishing thy soul prosperitie and establishment in the truth I bid thee fareweel and am Thy servant for Christ and souls well wisher R. M. C. AN INDEX OF PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE Perverted and abused by the Quaker and here vindicated and explained Chap. Vers. Pag GEN. Chap. Vers. 1 2. Pag. 26 Chap. Vers. 2 17. Pag. 98 Chap. Vers. 4 6 7. Pag. 221 Chap. Vers. 5 1 3. Pag. 131 Chap. Vers. 6 5. Pag. 101 150. Chap. Vers. 9 Pag. 345 Chap. Vers. 8 21. Pag. 101 130 Chap. Vers. 17 14. Pag. 132 EXOD. Chap. Vers. 34 6. Pag. 2â—2 NVMB. Chap. Vers. 11 25 29. Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 14 18. Pag. 222 DEVT. Chap. Vers. 4 4. Pag. 74 75 Chap. Vers. â—1 32. Pag. 74 75 Chap. Vers. 13 1. c. Pag. 509 Chap. Vers. 17 2. c. Pag. 509 1 KING Chap. Vers. 8 16. Pag. 347 NEHEM Chap. Vers. 9 30. Pag. 27 ESTER Chap. Vers. 3 2. Pag. 542 IOB Chap. Vers. 1 1. Pag. 345 Chap. Vers. 2 13. Pag. 429 Chap. Vers. 14 4. Pag. 130 Chap. Vers. 15 14. Pag. 131 PSAL. Chap. Vers. 25 3. Pag. 43 421 Chap. Vers. 27 24. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 37 7 34. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 51 5. Pag. 126 Chap. Vers. 13 Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 69 6. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 110 3. Pag. 508 Chap. Vers. 139 7. Pag. 27 PROV Chap. Vers. 8 24. Pag. 225 Chap. Vers. 2 22. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 28 1. Pag. 459 Chap. Vers. 30 5 6. Pag. 74 75 ECCLES Chap. Vers. 7 20. Pag. 347 ESAI Chap. Vers. 2 4. Pag. 517 Chap. Vers. 5 1 2 3. c. Pag. 224 Chap. Vers. 8 20. Pag. 7â— Chap. Vers. 30 18. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 40.31 Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 42 23. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 45 23. Pag. 531 Chap. Vers. 48 16. Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 49 6. Pag. 285 Chap. Vers. 53 4. Pag. 364 Chap. Vers. 59 2. Pag. 308 â—38 Chap. Vers. 21 Pag. 44 Chap. Vers. 65 16. Pag. 530 531 Chap. Vers. 25 Pag. 518 IEREM Chap. Vers. 1â— 16. Pag. 529 Chap. Vers. 17 9. Pag. 101 Chap. Vers. 18 9 10. Pag. 225 Chap. Vers. 23 29. Pag. 266 Chap. Vers. 31 33. Pag. 44 Chap. Vers. 34 Pag. 45 Chap. Vers. 38.39 40. Pag. 531 LAM Chap. Vers. 5 25. Pag. 421 EZEK
take notice of it 6 In his § 4. He would have us beleeving that he doth not hereby condemne all other second wayes or meanes as he purposeth to cleare in the next Thesis that is all other Wayes and Modes of attaining to the knowledge of God for he granteth these to be profitable and that they may conduce to facilitate the work but he is here pleading as he saith for that which is absolutely necessary But all the question is concerning the true meaning and import of that which he accounteth so Necessary if it be such Revelations of Truths as the Prophets and such as were Immediatly inspired had and as Enthusiasts plead for I deny the necessity hereof and as to this what way I pray can other meanes and modes as the Scriptures conduce to facilitate these Revelations have they any influence upon the person who is to receive these Revelations disposeing him thereunto Let him explaine this and then he may hear what shall be further replied If the thing so necessary unto the saving knowledge of God be only that operation of the Spirit which we mentioned above we assent and only say That he should speak more intelligibly than call this an Inward and Immediat Revelation But it is usual with this sort of men to speak as did the Libertines against whom Calvin wrote Cap. 2. after an high and loftie manner as if they were alwayes ravished in an ecstasy for as they alwayes have the Spirit in their mouth so they use a strange idiome that such as hear them are at the first amazed and this they affect of purpose to deceive their hearers and raise in them an admiration of them and their Opinions 7. Having thus premised what he thought fit to say to cleare the Question and to make way for vindicating of his Thesis he cometh next to the explication and confirmation of his Assertion in his Thesis where he tels us of five particulars 1. That there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son 2. That there is no knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit 3. That God did alwayes reveal himself by the Spirit 4. That these Revelations were the formal object of the faith of the Saints 5. That the same object of faith remaineth He nameth here we see the Father the Son and the Spirit and we might readily think that he would here hold forth the order of working of the glorious Persons of the Trinity in things without ad extra and particularly in the Revelation of the mind of God concerning mans duty But whether we may rest perswaded that his judgment herein is Orthodox and that verily he beleeveth that there are Three Persons in the God head equal in Power and Glory of one Substance and Duration may be a doubt partly because the Light within which to him is the supream and only adequate Rule of Faith cannot teach this mysterie and hence it is that the Socinians not only will not admit this as an article of their creed but do also with much industry and rage oppose it and mainly upon this ground that their Natural Reason or the light within them which upon the matter so far as I can judge differeth not from the Light of the Quakers cannot comprehend it and partly because I finde other Quakers such as those of New England and those against whom Mr Stalham wrote as I hinted above denying it It is true this man hath several expressions further in the words following which would seem to evince that he is orthodox herein and there are some also that may seem to look another way But not purposeing to make more debate with him than I must needs do I shall not fix any thing upon him for which I see not clear ground only I wish that the next time he cometh forth in publick he would be more plain and positive as to this 8. As to the first of the forementioned Propositions It is true that no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Matth. 11 27. Luk. 10 22. for no man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Ioh. 1 18. and God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son c. Hebr. 1 1 2. and so the Son of God the Second Person of the Trinity being the true Eternal God of the same substance and equal in power and glory with the Father when the fulness of time was come took upon Him mans nature so that the Word was made flesh and tabernacled among us Ioh 1 14 to the end that He might execute his Offices and among the rest declare the whole Counsel of God concerning mans Salvation as the great Prophet and Teacher of Israel But shall we suppose that this Man looketh upon Iesus of Nazareth of whom the Father said Mat 17 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased heare yee him to be this Son that revealeth the Father and to be that grand mystery God manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles belâ—eved on in the World received up into glory 1 Tim. 3 16 The reason of my doubt is this because I finde some Quakers give a very indistinct and unsatisfying answere to such a question as this and give ground to suppose that they understood nothing by the Words being made flesh but the Light within them But his proof and explication of this Proposition is observable Pag. 9. He proveth it thus Because God who is the root and fountaine of all operation made all things by his eternal word Son and citeth Ioh. 1 1 2 3. Ephes. 3 9. If hereby he understand the first Creation with the orthodox how shall he evince this Consequence That because God created all things in the beginning by his Son Jesus Christ Therefore there is no knowledge of the Father but by his Son and is this a point so difficult to be proved that he was constrained to run back to the first Creation for an argument This would justly give ground of suspicion that the man meaneth by the Creation in the places cited not the First but the Second Creation with which Christs Revelation of the Father hath a more clear and natural connection and so joyneth with Socinus and his followers Enjedinus Smalcius and Schlightingius in denying upon this account Christ to be God creating all They say that when the Scripture saith God made all things by the Word c. the meaning is God made all things by his owne word and vertue the same expression which this Man useth here and thus interpret and apply the same Scriptures which he here citeth even that Ioh. 14 6. But admitting that he taketh the Creation in the orthodox sense we may observe
comp with Ioh. 7 38 39. 2. It is affirmed that he is in them and abideth in them Psal. 51 11. Rom. 8 9 11 15. 1 Cor. 2 12. Gal. 4 6. 1 Tim. 3 14. 1 Ioh. 2 27. Rom. 5 5. 3. He Sealeth them unto the day of redemption Ephes. 1 23. 4 30. 2 Cor. 1 21. 4. He is a Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8 15. Gal. 4 5 6. 10. Fourthly If we consider the Covenant of Redemption betwixt Iehovah and the Lord Mediator this will be abundantly evinced For 1. The Father hath given a number to Christ to save Ioh. 17 2 9 11 12. 6 37 39. And Christ hath undertaken to save them Ioh. 6 37 39 40. 2. The Father hath undertaken that Christ shall see his seed Esa. 53 10. and see of the travel of his soul be satisfied Esa. 53 11. Psal. 72 8. 3. Christ had a commission to goe about this work to bring many sones unto glory was qualified for this end Esai 61 1 2 3. Esa. 42 6 7. 49 9. Heb. 2 10. 4. The Fathâ—r hath promised to give Christ what he asketh Psal. 2 8. 89 2â— 27 28. 5. Yea He hath sworne that he shall have an issue Psal. 89 35 36. Act. 2 30 31. Psal 132 11 12. 2 Sam. 7 12. 1 King 8 25. Luk. 1 61. 11. Fiftly The consideration of the nature of the Covenant of Grace will conâ—â—rme this for that is an everlasting and unchangable Covenant and haâ—h the promise of Perseverance in its bosome Gen. 17 vers 7. Ier. 31 vers 31 32 33. 32 vers 38 â—9 40. Ezech 11 17 18 19 20. Hos 2 19 23. Ioh 6 54 56. Esai 54 10. 12. Sixtly The Grace infused in souls according to the Covenant of grace is of an enduring nature especially considering how it is Watered Preserâ—ed and Cared for It is a remaining seed 1 Ioh. 3 9. sowne in good ground Luk. 8.15 by the rivers of water Psal. 1 3. And watered every moment Esai 27.3 See Ioh. 4 14. 7 38. And so is differenced from Gifts and Common graces and from temporary Faith and grace that evanisheth in the day of tryal 1 Ioh. 2 19. Luk. 8 18. Ioh 2 23 24. Mat 13 21. Ioh. 17 9. what this true faith is see Tit. 1 1. 1 Tim. 1 5 Gal. 5 6. 2 Pet. 1 1. 13 Seventhly The consideration of the hurt and dammage that the Asserting of the Apoâ—tasie of the Saints bringeth necessarâ—ly with it unto Christians may have its owne weight here For 1 Then they could not in faith and confidence pray for it for what is purely in the power of mans Free will and is not the sole work of God and of his grace we cannot we need not pray for contrare to Ioh. 14 13 14. Ephes. 3 17 18. 1 Thes. 5 23 â—4 and the Lords prayer teacheth us to pray that his Name be hallowed that his Kingdom come and that his Will be done in earth as in heaven 2. This would destroy their Hope and Confidence in God for preservation in the times of tryal and temptation contrare to Rom. 8 vers 35 38 39. 3. This would take away their joy of the holy Ghost anâ— Consolation and give ground of continual Anxiety Doubts Feares c. 14. Eightly The consideration of the blow that this doctrine would give unto many articles of our Faith and undoubted truths of our Religion may confirme us against it As 1 It would render the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ null and useless for he should then suffer and die and no man might be saved or healed by his stripes and death 2. It would also render his Resurrection Ascension and Sitting at the Fathers right hand ineffectual For notwithstanding thereof no man might be saved 3. It destroyeth his Death as the Death of a Cautioner for no man can be said to have died with him risen with him and to sit with him in heavenly places contrary to Rom. 6 3 4 5 8. Eph. 2 5 6. Col. 3 1. nor can he be said to prepare mansions for anâ— contrare to Ioh. 14 2 3. 4. It maketh the grand promise of the Spirit null of no effect 5. It taketh away the Catholick Church that shall certainly come to mount Zion and to the innumerable company of angels c. Heb. 12 22 23 24. 6. It would null that Christian Communion and sweet Fellowship of Saints 7. It would make Remission of sins of little comfort 8. And take away the faith of Life Everlasting 15. Having premised these things for clearing and confirming of the truth we come to examine what he sayes against it Pag. 167. § 2. He reasoneth from Iud vers 4. and supposeth that these that turned the grace of God into lasciviousness had once grace not knowing that this was not grace inherent or the true grace of God placed and planted in the soul and wrought there by the Spirit of grace but external grace held forth in the Gospel offer even that grace that shouâ—d have taught them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to have lived soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2 12. It is that grace which is outwardly spoken and preached Act. 14 3. Ephes. 3 2. 1 Pet. 4 10. Next He reasoneth from 1 Tim. 1 19. supposing that that faith which some made shipewrak of was true and saving faith contrare to 2 Tim. â— 17. 4 14. while as it was nothing but the doctrine of faith as the word also is taken 1 Tim. 3 9. 4 1. Gal. 1 23. 3 2 5 23 25. Act. 6 7. Rom. 1 5 8. In the third place he reasoneth from Heb. 6 4 5. Not so much as noticeing that the words are but Conditional and not Absolute if they fall away And that there is nothing here no not one expression that is necessarily to be understood of true and saâ—ing grace and not of meer gifts and common graces given in a more than ordinary measure no one expression here of Regeneration of true Sanctification of Closeing with Christ of their being Justified or Adopted or Elected c. Nay the Apostle compareth them to ground upon which the raine falleth and yet beareth nothing but thornes and briars vers 8. distinguisheth them from those to whom he wrote of whom he expected better thingâ— that accompany salvation vers 9. and from true beleevers vers 10 11 12 13 14 17 18 19. When our Quaker out of his friends the Socinians Arminians shall say any thing to prove that these expressions import true and saving grace we may then think it time to spâ—ak more of this but seing he is pleased to give us no more here but his naked assertion we have said enough and so proceed 16. The next thing he alleigeth against this truth is a supposition that he hath undermined the ground thereof viz. Election But how superficially this was attempted we have seen But he sayes