yet he did not hide ink and paper there that he might not sin against God Psal. 119 11 Are the great things of the word and Gospel of God which are said to be the power of God a to convert the son rejoyce the heart enlighten the eyes b which are able to make wise to salvation c come to be nothing else but paper and ink was ink and paper sweeter to David then the hoâ—y and the hony comb Ps. 19 10 119.103 Doth not Christ say that the Scriptures testifie of him John 5.39 But if all the ink and paper in the world were brought into America would that without any thing else testifie of Christ to the poor Heathens there let quakers quake to think that by this word Christ will â—udge the world John 12.48 and ink and paper if there were no more never drew any â—aâ— to execution in a way of justice Doth this Writer and Railer on the Ministry of this Nation and that offers such indignity to Scripture think he hath nothing to answer for but the wasting of so much ink and paper I wish he may think of more Yet it may be granted that the Law works not without Gospel-grace nor the Gospel to salvation without the sanctifying spirit But it is notwithstanding without that grace and spirit an informing word d a convincâ—ng word e and the savour of death to death f none of which can be reasonably ascribed to a poor thing called ink and paper T. S. Was there not faith and was not Jesus Christ before the written word and yet must that be first believed or and be the ground of our faith W. T. A. To leave out his empty exclamations he may know that the question is not what men were to do before the word of God was written then they were to ground their faith upon it as it was delivered then though not written but what we are to do unto whom it is written The Word of God being now written I must first believe it before I believe in Christ for how can any rest his faith on the person testified of if he do not believe the testimony T. S. Is not the foundation spoken of Eph. 2.20 that Jesus which was both preacht and believed on by the Prophets and Apostles Pag. 20 W. T. A. The foundation spoken of in the latter part of the â— and expressed by the chief corner stone is Christ alone The foundation spoken of in the former part of the v. is if we speak of the essential foundation or the personal foundation Christ also whom the Prophets and Apostles preached and held forth as the sole foundation for believers to build up but if we speak of the doctrinal foundation it is the word of God delivered by the Prophets and Apostles The word of the Prophets and Apostles was the foundation teaching Christ himself the foundation taught so that to say we are founded on the Apostles and Prophets that is on their doctrine and that we are founded on Christ is upon the matter all one a for their doctrine was in sum Christ onely there is this difference the doctrine is the immediate foundation Christ the â—lâ—imaâ—e on that we build our faith on this our selves But the business in hand will be more plainly made out to those Christians whom I would assist by answering two questions 1. qu. How can the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles be called a foundation A. Because we are to build our faith upon that doctrine when Christ saith Upon this rock will I build my Church I conceive it is rightly understood thus upon this truth preached and manifested to the world to wit Thou art the Christ the true Messias and Son of the living God Will I as upon a Main ground-stone found the faith of all Believers b or I will cause the doctrine of this self same faith to be the foundation of my Church c This is agreeable to our ordinary manner of speaking which is Build upon my word this shall be done for you If a King shall speak such words to a subject he fals to building presently on that foundation such a foundation and infinitely above that in firmness and stability is the Word of God which faithful men therefore build upon as the people sometimes leaned and rested on the words of Hâ—zekias 2 Chron. 32.8 with Judg. 16.29 where the same original word is used 2. Qu. How doth it appear that this doctrinal foundation is spoken of or is to be taken notice of in this Scripture A. Because Apostles and Prophets are named and why should they be named but to point at their Ministry and the main part thereof namely the manifestation of Jesus Christ both to come and already come upon which manifestations Believers have ever built and so setled themselves on the Rock Christ This is it that Calvin marks He doth not saith he name Paâ—riarchs or Godly Kings but onely those that had the office of teaching and that were set over the Church for the building thereof 〈◊〉 therefore he concludes that the faith of the Church ought to be founded on this doctrine To conclude this I shall not deny that in these words The foundation of the Apostlâ—s and Prophets Christ is principally intended All that I contend for is that the doctrine and Ministery of the Apostles and Prophets is here also included and contained under the name of Foundation as that which is no way opposite but subservient unto the great foundation Jesus Christ for first our faith is built upon the word of God revealed to and by the Apostles and Prophets and then and in that way our persons are built upon the Son of God And thus were the Ephesians built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets to wit by receiving their doctrine by faith a and by being thereby put in as living stones into that spiritual Temple whereof Jesus Christ is the Foundation in regard of superstruction and the corner-stone in regard of coagmentation union and coalition of Jews and Gentiles T. S. Could you so confidenâ—ly give Paul the lye Pag. 20 who saith expresly Other foundation then Jesus Christ can no man lay W. T. Christ alone is the foundation revealed whereon to build my person The Scripture is but the foundation revealing whereon I build my faith I shall ever say that the only person the Church is built on is the Son of God but that I may build on that person I must have such an infallible revelation of him as I may firmly build upon T. S. Doth not Calvin conclude you to be a lyar who saith in terminis that the Apostle doth in that Scripture intend Jesus Christ to whom the Prophets and Apostles did bear witness * W. T. A. He cannot speak like a Christian that is Pag. 20 meekly or like a Citizen that is civilly he must speak like a quaker of whose Religion rudeness
Religion And God put a spirit into them more than ordinary to be invincibly stout and vigorous in that work When the Papists therefore burn'd Luthers Books to the hinderance of the truth and the alienating of the mindes of the multitude from it a I in like manner saith he I hope by the instinct of the Spirit to confirm the hearts of the common people and preserve the Christian truth burn'd the Books of the Adversaries whom there was no hope to reform Unto these abilities so animated and heightened by the Spirit of God if we adde the consent and call of all Protestant people that they lived amongst in those times we may upon good reason judge that as things stood then they had a sufficient call to the Ministry themselves and from and by them other succeeding Protestant Ministers might and did receive a more compleat Call carried in every point in scripture order Thirdly it is answered and declared by others that Popery prevailed not in England as in other places but the Gospel being planted here by the Apostles or Apostolical men who in all probability that they might preserve and propagate a Church ordained a Ministry according to the Apostles Rules there were still here some reserved even in the reign of Antichrist who bowed not the knee to Baal but contended for the truth of God And to speak more particularly the corruptions that the Church of Rome would have introduced about the ordination of Ministers and other Ecclesiasticall affaires were withstood by the Kings of England Speed Hist. of great Brit. Book 9. chap. 3. p. 446. Fourthly I answer That how far soever Popery had prevailed to corrupt this Nation yet through the mercy of God there hath been many years since a Reformation Antichrist and Popery have been ejected Ordination as well as other things purged and ever since exercised in the way of Christ for it was managed by Ministers upon precedent tryall in the face of the Congregation and that with notice given to the people present that if they knew any impediment or notable crime in any presented to Ordination they should discover it which if they did the ordering of that person was to be staied till he cleared himself There was also adjoined an earnest admonition to those that were admitted into holy Orders to do their office faithfully I do not say notwithstanding all this that there was nothing defective in the ordination but nothing destructive to it nor giving any just reason to renounce it or question the validity of it These things will be considerable and I doubt not prevalent with those that are willing to be satisfied as concerning our ministeriall Calling But for the establishing of weak Christians that are not able to search into matters more removed from their capacity they may comfortably content themselves and preserve in their hearts and consciences the reverence of our Ministry by the Apostles popular and powerfull argument drawn from the success of it upon their own souls Who are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in the fleshy tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3.3 When a proof was sought of Pauls preaching from Christ or Christs preaching in him 2 Cor. 13.3 there is this proof given ver. 5 6. If you be not reprobate Christians we are not reprobate Ministers Examine your selves saith the Apostle ver. 5. Prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates And then he addes ver. 6. But I trust however I bid you search and put it to the question yet that you shall know to wit by finding true goodness in your selves that we are not reprobates but the approved Ministers or Apostles of Jesus Christ So that the â—â—eration and approbation of the Ministry go together we justly offer to those many Christians that have been converted by the Ministry of England the same proof though not in the same height nor hath it ever been known that God hath given such an ordinary and eminent efficacy to any unapproved Ministry as he hath done to the Ministry of this Nation T. S. As for that blessing from heaven which attended the labours of the Apostles consisting in turning men from darkness to light from Satan to God how few are there among you that can boast of this blessing for who is turned by your Ministry from the evill of his waies c. W.T. Here I shall not answer but call all that fear God to answer for me thousands of whom have witnessed and can witness that God hath wrought that blessed work of conversion upon their souls by the publick Teachers and Ministry of this Nation which nothing but impudency and a feared conscience can deliberately deny yea even here also so much of convincement is left as to say whether with a good will or an ill will let him see that saies it How few of you T. S. You charge me for closing with them which wander about the Nation Is it wandering for any to go too and fro to declare that which they have heard and seen of the words of eternal life If so what were Paul and Peter but wanderers W. T. A. My charge was and is the leaving of their callings wherein every one ought to abide with God to wanâ—der about and testifie that which they never heard from God nor saw in Scripture See what one said of them who was nearly acquainted with them Some of them have said to me when I enquired what our Families should do if all our callings and labours should be neglected that truely they must shift for themselves They are a people for as many as I know of them wholly possest with a principle of idleness and going about from place to place pretending they are moved of the Lord c. Worlds wonder p 30.31 As for his comparing of Apostles and Apostates together I shall onely say this that it doth not follow because Ambassadors travell lawfully and honourably with Commâ—â—sion from their Princes and Letters of credence that therefore Vagrants may walk which way they please with a Pass that themselves have made under an Hedge So it doth not follow that because Apostles by a known Call from heaven preached the Gospell therefore Quakers are licensed to compass the Nation according to their own fancy to cry down every where that preaching T. S. Why do you not come where these false witness bearers are and manifest them to others that they may beware of them you have a rare faculty of conquering men in the Pulpit who never had liberty or opportunity to give you an answer W. T. A. 1. Have they not been talkt withall by divers but to what purpose when they have lost those principles by the owning whereof good should be done upon them 2. Mr. Baxter in his Epistle
fiery work to burn up in them and take off their hearts from hanging after old dispensations wayes and discoveries So that in this way they look to be purged from that which they have received formerly from the Truth and Ordinances of God 2. It is conceived from their own words to be for their justification for they say They must be brought to suffer as Christ did and to undergo as great a sense of wrath as Christ did when he cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thus reckoning saith the Relator of these things as far as I am able to determine that upon this account they must be justified before the Lord Worlds wonder pag. 23. Now let all men judge what agreement there is between this and Scripture-quaking 4. I wonder that among all the quaking which they would have us suppose ariseth from the fear of God they did never tremble in conformity to that Scripture wherein God himself saith VVherefore were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses but in stead of that are still inveighing against men of Moses his minde and Office Numb. 12.8 VVhether Scripture be the Saints Rule T.S. NO Scripture saith so in terminis W. T. 1. That is Scripture which is necessarily deduced from it though it be not in so many words expressed in it Our Saviour to shew that the Scriptures hold forth the Doctrine of the resurrection to all knowing men produceth this Scripture I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Mark 22.29 32. Now shall a Quaker come to our Saviour and say Your proof is nothing because the Scripture you bring saith not in terminis There shall be a resurrection 2. That in Deut. 5.31 32 33. is all one to a rational man as if it had been said in plain terms You shall walk perfectly according to the Rule and direction of my word 3. Add hereunto that Gal. 6.16 the word Rule is expressed to shew the Doctrine laid down there is the Rule they must walk by that look for peace and mercy Hence Scriptures are called Canonical because they are a Canon and Rule to walk by T.S. Let me ask you and many others who have been Teachers were those things that you have taught so many yeers together necessarily deduced from Scriptures if not then by your own confession you have taught falshood if they were then all that you have so taught is infallible for you say it is Scripture and the Scripture is infallible W.T. A. Here is an horned Argument wherewith he pusheth hard but wants strength One horn is this If the things you have taught were not necessarily deduced from Scripture then by your own confession you have taught falshood To which I answer That what he saith had something in it if it were not a falshood that I made any such confession I was not so lost as to confesse that to be a falshood which neither my self nor any man well in his wits ever thought to be so Was all that Moses learned from the Egyptians or Daniel from the Chaldeans a meer falshood A Minister may have occasion to deliver divers things for peoples help not necessarily deduced from Scripture and yet very true as Paul said of what a Poet said Tit. 3.12 13. This witness is true yet what we have taught people to believe and practise as the mind of God that we have prov'd to them out of the word of God But now the other horn seems stronger T. S. If they were necessarily deduced from Scripture then all that you have so taught is infallible Pag. 6 W.T. A. So it is but not because we taught it but because it lies in and was necessarily deduced from that Scripture which is infallible T.S. Why then do you not adjoin all your Sermons to the Scripture for if necessarily deduced thence they are Scripture and a part of the Saints Rule but what a sad condition would many poor souls be in whose small Estates would not amount to the purchase of a Bible so voluminous would it be c. VV.T. A. When it is said why do you not then adjoine all your Sermons to Scripture that sure is something simply spoken for what need that be adjoined and added to Scripture that is already in it as all is that is necessarily deduced from it for how could it be gathered from it and that necessarily if it were not in it who can take any thing from thence where it is not to be had The poor souls therefore of whom he speaks need not trouble themselves about the purchasing of a bigger Bible any more then of another well in the place of that living Fountaine from whence water hath been drawn which when it was drawn was that well-water this hundred or thousand yeers T.S. Whereas you quote Christ his proving the resurrection of the dead c. I answer That what Christ spake was infallible he neither did nor could erre in what he said W.T. A. It 's true that what Christ spake was infallible but this he saith to no purpose for Christ doth not speak there as one that would presse them to receive what he delivers upon his bare word but as one that would convince them of the truth of what he spake by Scripture that is by his necessary and unanswerable reasonings from it He doth not say Ye do erre not knowing me to be an infallible Teacher whom you ought to believe upon his word but not knowing the Scriptures and the Power of God both which plainly prove that there shall be and may be a resurrection T.S. Were you as infallible in those meanings and interpretations which you force upon the Scriptures as he was in what he spake from the Spirit of the Lord I should readily close with them as the Oracles of God W.T. A 1. If all Pastors and Teachers were Apostles then these men would presently be Converts This is like them that said to our Savior Let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe him but they who contemn that means which God in his wisdom ordains and will do nothing without that means which they in their folly demand justly perish 2. Neither is this device of any value for the question is not whether we be infallible in our meanings and deductions but whether that which is deduced and drawn from Scripture that is necessarily and upon supposal that we are not deceived in the deducing be Scripture or a thing truly contained in Scripture which I affirm it is Let him not talk to no purpose but keep him to his work and prove the contrary T.S. Either say to the people plainly that you are infallible or else say that you are fallibles that so they may take liberty of proving both your actions and Doctrine W.T. A. We willingly acknowledge we are fallible or men that may be deceived therefore do not onely give liberty but give counsel to people and exhort them
but they do procure our happiness neither will any wise man rest upon them for the obtaining of salvation Gal. 5.2 Isa. 64.6 3. It's wonder he should own such a Religion as saith nothing of faith when that is a chief lesson that the Gospel teacheth for a sinners salvation Mark 16.16 1 Tim. 1.16 This is an old Popish trick to make much of the doctrine of St. James in a mistaken interpretation and to lay aside the doctrine of St. Paul in its true sense Rom. 3.28 when they should join both together and ascribe to â—aith the justification of men as sinners and to works their justification as believers Jam. 2.22 4. Whereas he saith Christ is the â—ight of the world which I own as the fouâ—dation of my Religion who is within me The question is whether he build his Religion and salvation on that Christ who is within or on Christ as he is within that is on that of Christ which is within I grant that Christ is in us except we be Reprobates but its true also that Christ doth not save us as within us nor by any thing he hath put within us as if that were the cause of our salvation or Christ by that for how can that save us which is imperfect which needs a Saviour It is therefore Christ without us that saves us that by what he wrought without us that is by dying for our sins and rising again for our justification nor doth grace reign to eternal life any other way then through Christs righteousness made ours by faith Rom. 5.21 which clearly appears in converted Paul within whom Christ was abundantly he feared God and wrought righteousness and yet he desires to be found not having his own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the fâ—iâ—h of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9 T. S. That you may know my Religion will bear the trial I do hereby declare my self free and willing Pag. 28 upon seasonable notice to appear in the midst of your Congregation or in the presence of the whole County to have my principles tried by the Scriptures of truth VV. T. A. 1. It seems he thinks now the Scripture is the touchstone or Rule to try things by whether they be of God or no 2. He hath been in my Congregation once already which considering his sad Apostacy since I am sorry for and shall not have to do with him there again nor by way of dispute anywhere else I have not been used to tumultuous things nor is it like his conference will be better then his writing and then let others judge whether it be fit a Congregation especially a whole County should be called together to hear it I began with him in writing and shall walk with him no other way nor long in that but shall leave him as a man whom no conference or writing is like to do good upon unless the Lord be pleased to change his heart which I should be most glad to see T. S. Can â—ny man be said to own the Spirit that breathed fâ—rth the Scripture and living the life of Christ and yet disown the Scripture which is the testimony of that Spirit and that Christ a W. T. A. I grant that they that truly own the spirit breathed forth the Scripture and live the life of Christ will also own the Scripture yet are these two distinct things though they meet together and agree in the same person But I answer further that a man may own the Sgirit in profession that breathed forth the Scripture and yet not own the Scripture as we see in Zâ—dekia that owned and arrogated the Spirit of the Lord and yet disowned and detested what Michaias spake by that Spirit 1 King 22.24 28. 2 Thes. 2.2 so quakers talk much of the Spirit and yet instead of owning the Scripture their design is found to be to depend upon an unwritten word immediatly dictated to them within themselves proceeding from him who is as they say the word from the beginning and is the life and is manifested as they give out within them as to the Apostles â—am. Eatonâ— answer to the quakers 19. queries pag. 20. Yea they do little less then deride the Text of Scripture calling Ministers in contempt preachers of the letter when as they preach those spiritual truths that be contained in it yea one of them makes this out-crie All people cease from their outside lights and return to the light of Christ in you and this light is not a chapter without you in a book c. Perfect Pharisee p. 20. out of James Nayler in a book called The glory of the Lord shining out of the north Of the word Sacrament T S. Pag. 30 SAcrament principally signifieth the Oath by which Souldiers of old bound themselves to be faithful to their Captains and is there such affinity between this word and the word sign seal Antitype and example W. T. A. Its true that the word Sacrament among profane Authors signifies a military oath which because it was accounted of all things the most sacred yea and went under the name also of a most holy mystery a hence use was made of the same word in the Churches of God to set forth the holy things instituted therein of God wherein there was a secret and mysterious signification and in special the two New Testament Seals of the Covenant of grace I deny not therefore that notion and acception of the word Sacrament which he and many others mention it being very fit to set forth these Seals as they represent the covenant of grace in which regard as on the 〈◊〉 side they assure us of the benefit of the Covenant on Gods part so on the other side we are therein consecrated unto God and bound as Souldiers were that took that military Oath to perform the Covenant on our part But this being granted it no way crosseth the ordinary description of a Sacrament which is that it is an outward and visible signe of a spiriâ—ual and invisibâ—e Grace Now to set two things one against another which being rightly taken do very well stand together is a poor quarrel And so is the whole contestation about the word Sacrament it being not made any matter or necessary appurtenance of our faith but used only as a convenient and received expression of that thing which is found in Scripture Whereas he questioneth further what affinity there is between the words sigâ—e and seaâ— and the word Sacrament as it relates to the aforesaid Military Oath I answer the words signe and seal expresse what we have from God to wit the benefits of the Covenant of Grace represented and sealed in that Ordinance The word Sacramen in that sense wherein he takes it shews what God is to have from us As for his cavilling about my forbearing to answer his quâ—râ—es I shall only say this Pag. 32 That though questions may