Letter that was given me and the Answer which I sent unto it which was directed to his wife together with the Reply that the Quakers made unto it which indeed is too tedious to be read of any who have most time it is such a sottish and senseless piece of stuff and hath so much scurrilous language in it But by it and by the Queries the Saints and World may know what a people these are what little hope there is of any good to be wrought upon them if they would admit of any rational discourse from Scripture some encouragement would be given to spend time that way with them but they can easily evade all with such Answer as this Busie minds give senses to Scripture and are Persons that have nothing to do with Scripture can witness nothing of that they speak of They pretend to speak and act all by the Spirit and if any one will try the Spirit that they speak by their Reply is that such an one can neither witness Scripture nor Spirit and therefore hath nothing to do with such things Yet they deceive many and they increase in number continually but the time will come that they shall proceed no further In the mean time it ought to be sad to every godly spirit that Satan should have such power to work so effectually in and upon many who have been reputed Saints who are drawn into them but God will issue all to his Glory at the last and in this I rest and remain Thine in the Lord Jesus Samuel Eaton THE Quakers QUERIES For some Friends who call themselves Elders of the Church of Christ meeting at Stopport these c. A few Queries to you who profess your selves to be Teachers Pastors and Elders Querie 1. WHether you have the same eternal Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures yea or no Querie 2. Whether the Apostles did give a right meaking to the Scriptures when they gave them forth or left them to you to give a meaning to them yea or no Querie 3. Whether the Plagues be not added to them who add to the Prophesies written in the Book and whether his Name be not diminished out of the Book of Life that diminishes and whether you can witness this Name yea or no Querie 4. Whether you have an infallible Judgement to judge of things eternal yea or no Querie 5. Whether you be above the Apostle and are able to judge his Condition because you say he was not perfect who said he spoke wisdom among them that were perfect Querie 6. Whether you have the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the World was which the Apostle speaks of yea or no Querie 7. Whether you have heard the voice of the liveing God of Heaven and Earth or whether do you not take the Prophets words Christs words and the Apostles words and say he saith it when saith the Lord I never spoke to you Querie 8. Whether a man shall overcome the body of sin while he is upon the Earth yea or no Querie 9. Whether you preach no other Doctrine then that which the Apostles did that which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and with our hands have handled of the word of life For this life is made manifest and we have seen it and bear witness and shew it unto you Querie 10. Whether you have this word which was from the beginning and this life manifested to you which was to the Apostles And if it be why do you take a Text from the Letter and Preach from it and shew the People the Letter Querie 11. And shew me where the Prophets did take a Text and preach from it but only Christ read a place and said it was fulfilled who said he was anointed to preach and which of you can witness you are anointed to preach by the living God yea or no Querie 12. Tell me why you sing Davids Conditions and Experiences in Meeter and when you read them hats you keep on and when you sing them hats you put off Querie 13. Whether you have the voice and whether you do know the voice of Christ from the voice of a Stranger My Sheep know my voice saith Christ seing that you are so forward to judge and sit as Judges of the Saints Conditions Querie 14. Whether that which is in you which Judgeth be eternal and infallible yea or no Querie 15. What is the Ordinance which is ordained of God that those which you call Quakers deny and where or when did God command you to observe them As to sprinkle Infants to pray before and after your Sermons as you call them or to set times dayes and hours which was in the Generation which were enemies to Christ who observed such things Querie 16. What these Ordinances of God be which you speak of And where God commanded them and to whom which you say those that you call Quakers do deny mention them in particular and declare them openly in Writing and give over accusing Querie 17. Whether you do not seduce the People to draw them from the anointing within them when as John saith they need no man teach them but as the anointing and the Promise was Eternal Life to him that did abide in the anointing Querie 18. Whether you do not bewitch the people to draw them from the Spirit of God within them to observe these things which God never commanded to tell people of a Sacrament and following your outward Teaching who stand praying in the Synagogues and are called of men-Masters which Christ did forbid Mat. 23. And have the chiefest places in the Assemblies Whether these be not Antichrists which act contrary to the Commands of Christ this yea or no Querie 19. Whether a man shall ever grow up that he need no man teach him under your Ministry yea or no seeing the Apostle saith you need no man teach you and you which have been long Teachers how many have you brought up into this Condition The Church of Christ is the Pillar and Ground of Truth which doth witness the eternal Spirit and if you be the same Church and have the same Spirit Answer me these Queries without any consequences or senses otherwise deny your Eldership and Pastorship and to be no Church of Christ From some Friends in the Truth in Lancashire whom the World calls Quakers An ANSWER to the forementioned Queries brought by one Richard Waller a Messenger of the Quakers and presented by him in the name of them unto the Elders of the Church common-called the Church of Duckenfield now meeting at Stockport in the face and presence of the whole Congregation and an Answer required fromthe above said Elders upon the 5th of Iune 1653. Querie 1. WHether you have the Eternal Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures yea or no Answ We do believe and assert that all Concering the indwelling of the Spirit in the Saints that do
believe in Jesus Christ of which number we take our selves to be have the Spirit of Jesus Christ Rom. 8. 9 dwelling in them 1 Cor. 3. 16. Which Spirit is God Acts 10. 3. 5. compared with vers 19 20. and therefore Eternal Dout. 33. 27. and he who gave forth the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1. 21. 2 Tim. 3. 16. But we do not believe that there is any substantial essential or personal union betwixt this Eternal Spirit and such Believers For such Unions would either make the Spirit and Believers some third thing as when soul and body are united a third thing which is neither soul nor body but compounded of both ariseth from it which is called Man or else thee will be a confounding of substance which cannot be for God cannot mix with the Creature And else such Union if it should be Personal as betwixt the two Natures in Christ would make Believers God and equal with Christ and consequently equal with God himself The Consequence of which would be thatsuch Persons would have an Almighty Power which they might put forth in working as many miracles as they please as they may see it make for the Glory of God and that they would be omniscient and know all things and would have the rest of Gods Atributes as Christ had who was God andequal with God and in whom this Personal Union was But this is palpsbly false in reference to Saints and is full of Blasphemy And though we believe that the Spirit of Christ dwels in Saints yet we assert the Spirit of Christ to be distinct from the Saint and the Saints from the Spirit And though he dwells in the Saints yet he acts not in them but as it pleaseth him neither doth he impart Wisdom Power Grace and Glory but as it pleaseth him 1 Cor. 12. 7. to 12. And though there be the same Spirit in all Saints that gave sorth the Scriptures yet all Saints have not the same Inspiration of the Spirit which the Prophets and Apostles had so as they should be able to give forth infallible Truths and immediatly discover the pure and clear will of God as the Prophets and Apostles did Timothy had the Spirit of God yet he must give attendance to Reading 1 Tim. 1. 13. and 2 Tim. 1. 14. 15. He must continue in the things he had learned and had been assured of knowing of whom he had learned them And the holy Scriptures which of a child he had the knowledge of are those Writings to which the Apostle sends him as being able to make him wise to Salvation The Spirit within him did not dictate all things to him but he must have recourse to the Scriptures God dwelt in the Temple but God did not make out all his Glory in the Temple Sometimes there was no Glory at all that was visible and yet God was there and when there was Glory there was not all that might have been And Believers are the Temple of the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of God dwels in them but God doth not make out all his glory in them not all the Glory his Wisdom Power Holiness or of the rest of his Attributes For neither is there a capacity in the Crreature to receive it neither doth the Spirit communicate according to the capacity but it is reserved for another time and place and now every Saint is in weakness and infirmity as in Knowledge so in all other Graces 1 Cor. 13. 9. to 13. Querie 2. Whether the Apostles did give a right meaning Concerning the sense of the Scriptures to the Scriptures when they gave them forth or left them to you to give the meaning of them yea or no Answ The Apostles and so all the Penmen of Scriptures in all the Scriptures they gave forth had a meaning and they gave it forth in and with those Scriptures which they gave forth yet not alwayes so plainly that the meaning thereof might be rightly taken up by those that read them unless compared with some other Scriptures which they also have given out which have a plainer sense in them and are helpful to expound them 1 Cor. 2. 13. Christ saith unto the Jews who required a Sign Ioh. 2. 19. Destroy this Temple and in three daies I will raise it up again Christ had a sense in which he meant those words he understood what himself said but the Iews understood it not could not take up the sense but applyed the words to a Material Building But the Evangelist gives the right sense in which Christ intended them and we come to know the right sense not by the signification of the words themselves for more things are signified then one by one word as the word Temple signifieth plainly and properly a material house where God gave his Presence and was worshipped but siguratively and mystically the Body of man in which the Soul dwels In this metaphorical sense Christ meant it But this did not appear to them nor would it have appeared to us by the signification of the word if in another place of Scripture the Evangelist had not given the interpretation Ioh. 2. 21 22. The Apostle Peter tels us 2 Pet. 3. 16. that some things in Paul Epistles were hard to be understood which they which were unlearned and unstable did wrest to their own destruction There was a sense which Paul gave forth in those Seriptures in his Epistles but it was not easie but hard to be understood and so hard that they who were unlearned in the Scriptures not well read therein not well vers'd not well acquainted therewith did wrest them and unstable ones by reason of the difficulty that was in the sense of them did pervert them to their own and others ruin Christ in his Parables that he gave out which are part of Scripture had a meaning But the meaning was so mystical and hidden that the Diseiples could not have found it out if Christ himself in other words had not given the sense and meaning thereof And Moses the Prophets wrote of Christ so darkly obscurely that though themselves knew what they meant in what they wrote Iohn 12. 41 yet others did not the Disciples did not till Christ first expounded unto them the things which Moses and the Prophets wrote of him Luk 24. 26 27. Therefore it is that Christ commmands to search the Scriptures because the meaning lieth deep in many places and is hidden from the common eye yet by searching what Scriptures layd together speak the sense may be gotten out In Answer therefore to the Question the Apostles when they gave out the Scriptures they gave out the sense in some places more darkly in other places more clearly so that the sense and meaning may be taken up at least in all the great Points of Faith if Scriptures be compared with each other And they have not left them to us nor to any others to give the sense of them that is to put any sense of
expresly till Christ come 1 Cor. 11. 26. And let all take heed least slighting Seals and gracious Covenants they be hereafter accompted despisers of Gods Grace which will be reckoned amongst the greatest sins Secondly Concerning our outward teaching I have declared already in part the necessity of it It is the ordinary way Concerning outward teaching and Ministery by which a people that are in darkness are brought to light Mat. 4. 13 14. Act. 26. 16 17 18. It is the way and means by which the deep and profound and many most sweet and necessary Truths of Scripture come to be understood Acts 8. 30 31. It is the means which God hath appointed for the bringing of men to Faith Rom. 10. 14 17. It is the power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. 16. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who do believe 1 Cor. 1. 21. Upon which accompt it is that the Apostle concludes wo unto himself if he preach not the Gospel of Christ 1 Cor. 9. 16. It is the means of exalting Christ which made the Apostle so much to rejoyce that Christ was preached though from an envious Spirit Phil. 1. 18. And hence it is that God in all times and ages in which he hath had a Church hath had such which have preached and taught the people as James observed in that speech of his in the Councel Act. 15. 21. Moses saith he of old time hath in every City them that preach him being read in the Synagogue every Sabbath-day And must Christ be worse provided for then Moses no Christ himself was a Preacher of himself Luk. 4. 18. Mat. 4. 23. and he gave Commission to his Disciples to preach and sent them into all the World for that purpose Mat. 18. 19. and in them he commissioned others in all Ages to the end of the World for he promised his presence to the end of the world and consequently not to them only which were not to continue so long but to such also who should succeed them impreaching If any one should attempt to make this place invalid by interpreting the words which are translated to the end of the World to be meant only to the end of that Age because of the diversity of the sense that is put upon the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated World and sometimes signifies Age to shew the weakness thereof I shall only give this hint these words together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used for the end of the World in a plain proper sense in many places of Scripture as Mat. 13. 39 40. aâ—d cap 24. 3. Heb 9. 26. and I know not that they are together used in any other sense Secondly It seems to be too gross and wicked to restrain Christs presence to an Age much more the things that are given in charge to be preached and observed vers 20. as if one only Age were to observe Christs Commands for howsoever the Apostles were the Persons that immediately received the Commands and had the Promise yet there is a further scope in Christs words and a clear intimation of the continuation of the work by others who should succeed after they should cease to be For sutable to this is that charge which Paul gives to Timothy 1 Tim. 6. 13 14. I give theâ— charge in the sight of God who quickeneth all things and before Iesus Christ c. that thou keep this Commandment without spot irrebukably until the appearing of the Lord Iesus Christ Was Timothy to continue til the appearing of Jesus Christ or is there not another thing implyed viz. that Timothy should have successors in that work to whom Paul gives the charge as well as to him and lays it upon them to keep the same Commandment And because it is one work Paul speaks to them all as to one man and so did Christ in the Commission above mentioned And Christ ascended up on high and gave gifts to men and he appointed some Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery and for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come to the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the Stature of the falness of Christ Eph. 4. 11 12 13. that is till all Saints come to a State of Perfection so as neither to be subject to errour nor to sin which is not attainable in this World Christ was born in weakness and littleness of stature as other men and he grew up to a perfect man the Apostle alludes to this Saints are growing up whilest they are here in knowledge and in all spiritual Gifts and Graces till nothing be wanting of that proportion which God hath appointed for them which is not in this life And Ministery must last while Saints are in their growing state while any thing is wanting of the measure they must come unto Object But ministerial gifts are not now to be found in the world such which the Ministers of the Gospel had in the Primitive times the Apostles were not to go forth into the world but were to tarry at Ierusalem though they had a Commission to Preach the Gospel in all Nations till they were first endued with power from on high that is till they were annoynted with the holy Ghost as was done at the time of Pentecost as is mentioned Act. 2 1 2 3. c. then had they the Spirit given them and were enriched greatly with gifts by which they were enabled to discharge that service they were called unto so Gal. 3. 5. the person that preached the Gospel had the ministring of the Spirit but now no such gifts therefore no such work ministerial as was then nor any such Officers as Pastors Teachers c. as was then Answ First When the Apostle Paul layeth down the qualification of Bishops or Elders for they are one he mentions many things respecting a good conversation and some other things respecting a right dispensation he must be â—ound in the Faith and setled and established in the Truth and mighty in the Scriptures that he may convince gainsayers and inclinable to communicate what gift he hath by an aptness to teach and he must be good and upright in his life in all things But not one word proceeds from the Apostle of any extraordinary gifts wherewith he is to be endued but a total silence in that point Now if such an anointment had been necessary with such an absolute necessary as that without it there could be no Bishops no Pastors and Elders of any kind at all how comes it that the Apostle omits the mention of so main a thing which is made the principal when he nominates many other things Therefore that anointment which the Apostles had and thole gifts wherewith they were enriched they served for other ends then to qualifie them
distemper of this kind which is very prevalent in these dayes yet I dare not so affix preaching to office as thereby to exclude all exercising of gifts but the exorbitancy is that which I appear against I would have those that do preach and others also that are solid sober Christians judge together who are fit to preach and who have a gift 1 Cor. 14 32. and I would have them first proved before approved 1 Tim 3. 10. and then they should exercise it occasionally for he that hath an office it belongs to him and is his part to wait upon it but he that hath only a gift without an office must look unto it how he is called out to exercise it before he use it Thirdly Not only outward teaching offends them but Concerning praying standing praying standing will not down with them I know not what posture they would have but that which we intend by it is that he that prayeth may be seen by all the people on whose behalf he prayes For he is their mouth and it doth affect the heart of the people when their eyes behold him who is praying for them and it is justified from Solomons example who when he prayed on the behalf of Israel he stood in the presence of all the Congregation and spred forth his hands towards Heaven And yet we plead not so for standing but that we shall grant other postures to be lawful provided that the person that prayeth be visible to the people but they that love not the duty it self but except against it as in Querie 15. may better be allowed to find fault with the posture Fourthly Nor will they be pleased with the place of Concerning praying in the Sunagogues meeting who would have no meeting at all for such exercises they call them Synagogues in way of derision but there is no harm in that word if they understood it it doth but signifie a place where the people come together a place of Assembling It did signifie the place where the Jews met together to hear the Word of God upon the Sabbath-day It was no holy place in the Jews accompt as the Temple was it was not hallowed and sanctified for sacred uses only as the Temple was but was made use of for civil purposes as to punish offences For they scourged such as they counted malefactors in their Synagogues Mat. 23. 34. If our place therefore be only like a Synagogue it s no brand to us some place we must have if a service be to be done one place will serve our turn as well as another provided it be a capacious place that will hold the company that are to meet in it and that it be also a free place which we may make bold with without detriment to any and a known agreed-on place which all may take notice of and may repair thither yet our place cannot hardly be called a Synagogue in allusion to the Jewish Synagogues for it was not erected for any spiritual or divine use or with any intent of serving God in it as the Synagogues among the Iews were though they made use of them for other services Fifthly After cavelling at places they come to strike at Concerning Title of Master Persons and charge us with Ambition and Affectation of Honour 1. Because we are called Masters 2. Because we have as they say the chiefest places in the Assemblies for the former viz. the title we confess it is put upon some of us and as we have not affected it so neither have we cause to reject it It doth import nothing but civil honour and respect which others shew us It is put upon all persons who have either birth breeding riches of this world office and employment of an honourable nature It was not only put upon Christ but upon the Apostles of Christ also in Joh. 12. 21. and not rejected by them Some came to Philip and said Sir we would see Jesus It is in the Greek Master we would see Iesus and Acts 16. 30. The Gaoler came to Paul and Silas and said Sirs that is in Greek Masters what shall c. and they repelled him not in reference to that Title But these Persons alledge Mat. 13. where it is said Be not ye called Masters for you have one Master which is Christ But this Text will stand them in no stead for this word that is translated Masters is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies such Masters as are Duces viae Guides of ones way and Gubernatores vitae Governours of a mans life which is proper to Christ and not to any man For no man doth-it saving instrumentally from and under Christ And Rabbi which was forbidden them also vers 8. is such another Title which carries too much in the signification of it it imports one Teacher who for the abundance of his knowledge is instead of many And the affectation is that which is principally forbidden and the derogating in the coveting of such-Titles from God in that Glory which is due to him who is that Dux viae that Guide of Guides and that Rabbi that one teacher which is more then all But for the Title Master in a civil acception there is neither hurt in giving of it nor in taking of it provided that pride and haughtiness do not occasion it For the Apostle saith in giving honour go one before another Rom. 12. 10. And we know that he justifieth the Title of Master in all such who have others to serve them and gives direction unto them how they ought to deport themselves towards those who are their servants But these persons may better be born with if they destroy Titles who destroy Relations themselves which founded them Concerning chief places in the Assemblies except the Pulpit be the chief place which the great ones covet not I know nothing of the cause of this charge but do account it a meet slander Querie 19. Whether a man shall ever grow up that he need no man teach him under your Ministry yea or no seeing the Apostle saith you need no man teach you and you which have been long Teachers how many have you brought up into this Condition Answ Persons may grow up under the teaching of such a Ministery as is among us to need no man to teach them in the sense in which the Apostle understands it they may be brought to the knowledge of all the great truths of the Gospel and may come to understand many of the high and deep things of Scripture they may also come to be much confirmed and established therein so that in a comparative sense they may not need Teachers not that they are absolutely perfect in knowledge but that they know very much and are able to teach others also and of this we have some experience But in the sense in which these persons understand it for they intend such a perfection in knowledge as excludes all ignorance and all humane helps for any
Dear friend Christian I have sent you a little book read it without partiality and you may see deceit discovered My wife desires you to present her service to her Master and Mistress and all the children and her love unto you and all the servants We are both well and our child grows fast As for me as I begun with my dear love unto you all so I end For I dare not complement because it is a Custom of the World Farewell A Copy of an answer to the forementioned Letter written in the name of the Church of Duckenfield now meeting in Stopport and sent unto the wife of Richard Waller for the setling and establishing of her in the faith of Christ being a member of the forementioned Church wherein all such Scriptures which were brought to prove an absolute Perfection and Quaking are Interpreted and the true sense given to them and freed from such corrupt fense for which they are alledged Sister Waller YOu are very precious to us though your miscarriage against God and us hath been very great We are apt to hope that the Lord either hath or will convince you of the sin you committed in your unadvised Marriage Which you so selfwilledly carried on against us And when your heart is kindly humbled we know you will give praise to God and justifie us And then we shall conceive as much can see of joy from your repentance as we have done grief from your sin We cannot yet think otherwise but that you do belong to the Lord And if so he will not suffer you to have rest in any evil way you have gone in till he have made you truly sensible and sorrowfull after a Godly manner which if ever you once manifest to us we shall with as much tenderness own you as in any time heretofore For you are very dear to us and our bowels do very much yearn after you Especially since we heard of a Letter which your husband wrote to Duckenfield which some of us have seen by which we discern what deadly poyson he hath sucked in to the undoing of his poor Soul if God be not very mercifull to him and bring him to Repentance And you also through your nearness of Relation to him are exposed to multiplicity of Temptations to forsake the faith of our Lord Jesus and to turn aside to such Satanical delusions which he is carried away with We do conceive hope that as yet the Lord hath kept you by observing one passage of his Letter which holds out your desire that your service may be presented to your Master and Mistress therein owning the relation they stood in to you and you to them which he declares against making it the worlds way and not Gods Our desire and prayer to God for you shall be that he will yet keep you even to the end And who can tell but that the Lord may bring out a great deal of good to your soul by this evil of your Husbands fearfull apostacy which his Letter holds out God may open your eyes thereby to see your sinfull haste which you made in that Marriage He may humble you for rushing upon it against Counsel he may make you to know that he was angry against you by leaving him to such fearful error of way He hath laid a sore affliction upon you by giving up one so near and dear to you to such fearfull Temptations You have offended God through him and now you must be chastned in him Be awakned be awakned and consider the Lords righteous hand in this matter The person whom you have chosen God seems to have forsaken at least for a time he is become the Devils Captive O fear you and repent you least he also forsake you But we hope better of you and our prayer is that you may be setled and established in the truth We foresee that you will be strongly sollicited He that thought himself bound to tempt persons by his Letters at so great a distance what alluring ways will not he take to cause you to forsake your integrity and to turn aside to such fleshly deceits of Satan take heed you be not bewitched with pretences and quotations of Scripture presented in the Letter there lyes the greatest danger The Devil tempted Christ by telling him that it was written and his Instruments will use the same fleights They will put false Glosses upon Scripture while they deny all senses to be put upon Scripture to deceive themselves and others thereby The Apostle Peter saith 2 Pet. 3. 16. that some that are unlearned and unstable do wrest Scripture to their own destruction and he doth warn them lest they being led away by the error of the wicked do fall from their own stedfastness by such means And we also do beseech you to beware of this Snare viz of Scripture abused by misconstructions It is a misconstruction when the construction is made to follow the sound of the words though it be never so much repugnant to other Scripture You know that all Scripture is given by Inspiration of God 2 Tim 3 16. And that holy men spake as they were Inspired by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. Now God is a God of Truth and the Spirit is a Spirit of Truth and cannot speak contrary things nor contradict himself therefore if there be any seeming contradiction in Scripture taken in the Letter of it we must seek after a right sense by which the seeming contradiction may be removed Your husband produceth many Scriptures to prove an absolute perfection without sin And the first Scripture he mentions is Phil. 3. 15. Let us saith Paul speaking of himself and the Philippians as many as be perfect be thus minded He Collects from hence that the Saints here have such a perfection that excludes all sin Alas poor Creature We thought he had been better acquainted with his own heart But he might have looked a little higher in the Chapter upon ver 12. and have discerned that Paul expresly denies Perfection in reference to himself Not as though I were already perfect saith he Was Paul perfect and yet was he not perfect In the Letter there is a contradiction But Paul speaking by the Spirit of God cannot contradict himself therefore we must look after the sense of the word Perfect It is many time taken for sincere 2 Kings 15. 14. Asa took not away the high places that was his failing Yet his heart was perfect In what sense perfect Was it perfect without sin Not so For it was his sin that the high places were not taken away But perfect that is Upright He did not serve God in pretence but in truth They say we must not give the sense of Scripture but must take it in the Letter but that is contrary to the examples of Scripture Those in Nehemiah 8. 8. read in the Book of the Law and gave the sense and it is necessary sometimes to avoid contradiction which is in the Letter to
give the sense The sense of that place in Phil 3. 15. Let us so many as be perfect be thus minded is this Let us so many as be Sincere Upright and halt not betwixt Moses and Christ betwixt the Law and the Gospel be thus minded that is minded like to Paul as he had given them example For that was the Scope in that whole Chapter he had left the Law and all confidence in Mofaical Ordinances and followed Christ But yet was not perfect therein as to be without defect in that but was upright and sincere therein and he presseth them as many as were perfect that is upright to be as he was to do likewise and yet not to think that they can be so compleat as not to need to follow more and more after Christ but to be still striving as he was This is clearly the sense by which your husband may understand his error As for all other places to give a particular Exposition of each Quotation will take up more time then we can well spare at present but as need shall require upon intimation given us we shall be willing to hold forth the sense of any Scripture you shall doubt of hereafter as the Lord shall help us and we hope with Truth comparing Scripture with Scripture that one may not oppose another Onely in general it is good to take notice that is Scripture there is mention made of a Comparative perfection Those who stuck in Moses his Rites and could not get past them were not so perfect as those who were clearly bottomed upon the Gospel And to this Perfection Paul endevoured to bring the Colossians and Philippians and all that did believe Col 1. 28. And those who were Babes in knowledge were not so perfect as those who had their senses exercised to discern betwixt good and evil of which Heb. 6. 1. And there is a perfection that respect Justification and not Sanctification Heb. 10. 14. By one Offering he hath for ever perfected them that are Sanctified that is he hath perfectly justified all the Saints by dying once when as all the legal Offerings though repeated day by day could not do it But there was still a Conscience accusing for sin And there is a perfection that respects rather the number of Graces then the measure of them and respects rather duration and continuance to the end then any height or strength in the act of performance as Jam. 1. 4. Let patience have its perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing This perfect work of patience is the work of patience perpetuated and lasting to the end He that endureth to the end shall be saved Mat. 10. 22. Mat. 24. 13. And being entire and wanting nothing respects the filling up and compleating the rest of the Graces that they had with this Grace of patience exercised to the end as in 2 Cor. 8. 7 Therefore as ye abound in every thing in Faith and Utterrance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us see that ye abound in this Grace also When all Graces be in Saints and do abide in exercise to the end then there is a kinde of Perfection in Saints And the Scripture doth frequently stir up the Saints to endeavor after perfection When yet it saith not that is is to be attained unto in this life 2 Cor. 13. 9. We wish said the Apostle your Perfection and Heb 6. 1. Let us go on to perfection And the Apostle himself was not Perfect but going on towards it Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I were already Perfect But I forget that which is behind c. and so follow on towards it The Apostle Paul tells us that while he was here he did see through a Glass darkly and that now that is in this life he did know but in part and if but in part where then was perfection And the Apostle John tells all Saints 1 Joh. 1. 8. that if they say they have no sin they deceive themselves and the truth is not in them And the Apostle James faith that in many things we-offend all he and all others did offend And he faith he is a perfect man that offendeth not in word that is he would be comparatively perfect that could only bridle his tongue but who can do it at all times we perceive your Husband cannot for then he would never have uttered such reproachsul words against godly men calling them Priests and saying they are found Lyars his Conscience will tell him that some of them are such as fear the Lord but he faith if Perfection be not here we leave an hole for Satan and when will it be if it be not here in this Life Alas alas is he left so soon to so great darkness as not to believe another Life and World after this that he asks when it will be if not here It seems Satan hath had an open door to enter into his heart and fill it with such fogs and mists of Darkness he might have read and weighed the Apostles words in 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 11. Now we know in part but when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be done away and he might have considered that distinction of time contained in these words Now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face this now is here and this then is after this life But he strengthens himself in that place in 1 Ioh. 3. 9. He that is born of God sinneth not but his Seed remaineth and he cannot sin This he urgeth but he considereth not that the same Iohn saith that which is contrary to this viz. Whosoever saith he hath no sin deceives himself and the truth is not in him A sound sense therefore must be brought out of Iohns words else Iohn will be found a Lyar against himself and against God as your Husband endeavours to make him denying sin to be there in whom Christ is made manifest from this text but the meaning is of sin in course perfisted and continued in without true repentance and turning from it he that is born of God cannot so sin for the seed of Truth and of Grace within him will not let him so sin for after such manner the wicked of the world sin but the Saints cannot so sin there will be smitings of heart in them and they will ask and enquire what they have done and will repent and turn to God as Iob did David did Peter and all the Saints have done Now concerning quaking and trembling there is a multiplying of many Texts of Scripture without knowledge for none of them can be applyed to justifie the practice of those whom they call Quakers The first Text that they alledge if it be taken in the Letter as they take all Scripture doth destroy them and their practice viz. Heb. 12. 26 whose voice then shook the Earth but now he hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not
understood from their writings though we have not seen with our eyes even as Timothy was commanded to preach and shew what he had heard of the Apostle who yet himself had not heard nor seen nor handled any thing of Christ and he must commit them to faithful men who had seen no more then he and they must teach others also But this Question holds affinity with the seventh Question to which I refer the Reader onely I shall add this that if the persons that make these proposals do glory over us because we have not thus seen Christ and do give it out that he hath appeared to them and that they have seen him and heard him and heard him and that he is with and in them let them seriously consider whether it be the true Christ the same whom Iohn heard or saw with his bodily eyes and handled with his bodily hands which they have seen or a bodiless Christ of their own framing And whether their seeing of Christ be not like Saul his seeing Samuel who indeed saw the Devil in Samuels shape and talked with him and had fellowship with him but saw not Samuel Querie 10. Whether you have this word which was from Concerning the manifestation of Christ what it is And concerning preaching from the letter how far it may and must be and how far not the beginning and this lâ—fe manifest unto you which was to the Apostles And if it be why do you take a Text from the Letter and Preach from it and shew the People the Letter Answ This word and this life which is Christ was manifested in flesh Ioh. 1. 14. The Word was made flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. God was manifested in flesh And this Word and this life in flesh was manifested to the Apostles for there was a glory of Christ in flesh in reference to his mighty works which were done in flesh which never any else did but he Ioh. 3. 2. chap. 15. 24. And this glory was as of the onely begotten Son of God and this glory they beheld and all Saints have beheld it and do behold it but not with bodily eyes as the Apostles did but with spiritual eyes with the eyes of Faith 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom though ye see not yet believing ye rejoyce c. They did not see at that time for Christ was ascended neither do Saints as yet see because the Heavens do yet contain him but they believe and believing is called a seeing in Scripture Ioh 8. 56. Abraham rejoyced to see my dayes He did not live to see it with his bodily eyes but he saw it by Faith by which also the Apostles had the sight of Christ else they could have seen but the outside of glory and have been dazzled therewith as the rest of the Jewes were which saw him and were not ' able to judge whose glory it was that they saw In this spiritual sense Christ is manifest to us so many of us as believe and we have seen him by faith and he is in us by his Spirit and is life within us as a living Word that quickneth us Notwithstanding this we take a Text from the letter because the whole will of God and minde of Christ is left us in letters and blessed is he that readeth and considereth thereof as it is contained and declared in letters Revel 1. 3. And Christ himself who was manifest to himself did take a Text from the letter to preach things that respected himself which the letter contained And Philip he took that Text in the letter which the Eunuch was guided to read and preached Christ from it And though preaching be from the letter that though we make something that is written or something that is comprehended in letters the foundation of our preaching upon which we bottom and build our discourse yet we preach not the letter but such spiritual truths as are contained in it respecting Christ as Christ preached the glorious truths of himself And Philip preached those blessed mysterious truths which concerned Christ which have a vertue and power in them from the Spirit which accompanies them and which is given to the Elect whilst such truths written in words and letters are preached to them by which such persons are quickned who were before dead in trespasses and sins 2 Cor. 3. 6 8. For if the Gospel which is now left us in words and letters in the Evangelists and Apostles Writings be hid from any it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded the mindes of them that believe not least the light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. And indeed this Gospel as it is now upon record in letters and is become as such a standing rule to men is hid from this Generation of men so far as we can judge who are the propounders of this Question and their design is to hide it from others and to draw all persons off from all that is written to depend upon an unwritten word some word immediately dictated to them within them 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 And in this sort of men doth the Devil shew his spite spleen and malice against the holy Scriptures Querie 11. And shew me where the Prophets did take a Concerning preaching from a Text and the justification of it And what anoyntment Ministes have to Preach Text and preach from it but only Christ read a place and said it was fulfilled who said he was anointed to preach and which of you can witness you are anointed to preach by the living God yea or no Answ The Prophets took not any Text to preach from it because they were to lay the foundation of preaching unto others Ephes 2. 20. and other were to build upon it all that they should preach and therefore it was that the Priests and Levites did preach out of the Prophets they read therein and gave the sense And the Apostles proved all things from the Prophets which they preached And though they did not preach from one particular Text yet they preached from many Texts for they cited many to confirm their preachings And the Apostles also as wise master-builder sinstructed immediately by the spirit did in their Doctrine perform the same work 1 Cor. 3. 10. viz. did found the Faith of Believers upon their Preachings and Writings And the Ministers of the Word which were to succeed them are onely to put their superstructure to it bottoming upon that ground-work which they have laid and therefore it is that both they and we take a Text that the weight of our building may be laid upon it and that all may see and be convinced that we preach not our own dreams but what we have warrant for from the Writings of the Apostles and Prophets with and to
whom God spake and that the truth of our Doctrine may be read of all men being engraven upon such Scriptures which we make choyce of and by this means also the idle extravagances of mens wits and fancies which will never convince the conscience throughly are prevented But why is the taking of a Text quarrell'd at when yet it is confessed that Christ took a Text And doth he not therein justifie us What if the Prophets did not yet if Christ did will not his example bear out our practise But these men make light of this pattern detracting and diminishing though they know the danger of it mentioned Revel 22. 19. from the fulness of that Scripture that declares it Luk. 4. 16. to 23. They say that onely Christ read a place but the Evangelist saith That as his custom was he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up for to read and that then there was a Book delivered to him and when he had opened the Book he found the place that he would read and then closed it again and gave it to the Minister They say that Christ said it was fulfilled and as if this were all they mention no more but the Evangelist saith That the people wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth And these things are obvious from this Text they mention First there were publike places to meet in which were called Synagogues Secondly there were dayes set apart for service to be performed to God in such places which are called Sabbath dayes Thirdly there was a Minister whose work it was to read out of some book of holy Scriptures to the people to instruct them thence Fourthly it is manifest that Christ approved of all this and he liked this way so well that he himself did go and do likewise and did accustom himself to the same course of teaching the people as that which was edifying to them so that it was not once only done that Christ took a Text but oftend one his custome was to read some portion of Scripture and to preach out of it And it is evident that Christ did not onely say This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears but many gracious words proceeded from him tending as must needs be supposed by any man that hath but the use of his reason to clear it up to their capacities how that Scripture in every part of it was fulfilled by opening and unfolding the many branches of so plentiful and large a Text and shewing how all things therein related unto were accomplished in himself which might be a subject of many Moneths discourse as Christ might have followed it But these men object that Christ was anoynted to preach and demand which of us can witness that we are anoynted to preach by the living God Christs anoynting was not by the pouring of any oyl upon his head after the manner of the High Priests anoynting Psal 133. 2. which was but a shadow of a more excellent Unction which Christ had And the Prophet Psal 45. 7. doth but allude thereunto But his anoynting was by the donation of the Spirit and the gifts and graces thereof Ioh. 1. 32 33. ch 3. 34. by which he was enabled to the execution of such Offices and works to which he was called in redeeming a people to God and especially to preach the Gospel which in a very excellent and glorious way he effected Luk. 4. 22. And all the Saints receive the same spirit and gifts and graces every one according to the measure of such a part which they fill up in the body and are Kings and Priests and Prophets to themselves as Scripture calls them But those persons especially whom God calls out to be to the body in place of eyes to guide them and direct them God gives more of his grace and influence to as appears from Eph. 4. 8. He ascended up on high and gave gifts to men viz. such men as he placeth in his Church for the work of the Ministery and for the perfecting of the Saints till the end of the world therefore Christ is not anoynted alone but all whom he calls to the Ministery are anoynted also with the same spirit and gifts and graces onely he hath the preheminence and hath an anoynment above his fellows for he received not the spirit by measure as those who are his Ministers and servants now do Psal 45. 7. Ioh. 3. 34. Querie 12. Tell me why you sing Davids Conditions and Concerning singing of Scripture Psalms the Lawfulness and necessity thereof Experiences in Meeter and when you read them Hats you put on and when you sing them Hats you put off Answ Davids conditions and experiences are many times our own conditions and experiences and then we sing them not as Davids meerly but as our own by a spirit of Faith making application to our selves of what we sing out of David But many times it s otherwise that something of Davids inditing and of his state and containing his experience is the matter of our Psalms which we cannot so fitly apply to our own condition and temper and many stumble at this and are offended but it s from some darkness in themselves for Psalms are for instruction by the very design and scope of of God who dictated them and enjoyns them as the Titles of very many of them shew And the Apostle enjoyns the Saints to teach and admonish themselves in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Song and what ever the matter of them be one end or use of them must be instruction to our selves from them as from any other parts of Scripture And the reasons of singing them are such as these 1. God would have us in our meetings to rejoyce in him which is done in singing 2. God would have his word to be familiar to us Col. 3. 16. it must dwell in us and this must be shewed in singing and would have us so much to delight in it and to finde such sweetness in it that we should make our selves spiritually merry with it 3. Because singing is that which raiseth the Spirit refresheth the heart moves the affections very much God would have the Spirits of his people to be raised and refreshed in the deliberate meditation of his Word what ever the subject matter be For therefore it is that the Psalms which David and other Saints compiled to be sing consist of subjects of greatest diversity and variety Some are Historical some Prophetical some are Hortatory some are Precatory others Deprecatory others Laudative or Psalms of prayse and the soul should take pleasure in all and have the heart raised in the meditation of all Do we not observe how a prophane carnal spirit will compile Songs of every kinde of matter and will make it self merry therewith And shall not a spiritual heart sing every thing that is a Psalm and is Divine and Spiritual with an elevated and raised minde Object But why most