our Gracious God supernaturally to reveal his whole Will touching his Churches duty to the end of the World unto particular men moving them by his Spirit to write which motion was their Rule for that Action the same and commanding others to transcribe Copies that so our guidance to Heaven might safely be conveyed to posterity not lost through neglect nor forgotten through the slipperiness of his peoples Memories nor altered by relating it from mouth to mouth nor corrupted by the Relation of it made sometimes by wicked men So that as before the Scriptures were written Gods Will made known partly by the Light in every man partly by Supernatural Revelation and conueyed to posterity by word of mouth Tradition and Preaching was the full Rule of the Church then living so the same Will of God more clearly and brightly made known by Supernatural Revelation and conveyed down to us most safely by the Holy Scriptures of the Prophets and others is our full Rule in which we are to triumph as guiding us comfortably to Glory and Salvation Obj. Touching the Ceremonial Law he objects p. 31. As for those Laws of Ceremonies and Shadows to the Jews Salvation doth not depend upon them Answ This is much to the purpose The Query is whether those Laws were not part of their Rule before the death of Christ and whether the Light in them without the promulgation of those Laws could discover them Though our Salvation doth not depend on the Jewish Ceremonies yet had not the neglect of them before Christ's death been sin to a Jew Had not the contempt of them then been the hazard of his Soul Then it follows that these Laws were part of their Rule and that the Light within them was not their full or whole Rule The same is to be said for the Supper and Baptism in the Apostles days These were part of the Churches duty yet the Light within without the help of Supernatural Revelation or the Institution promulged could not discover it Obj. p. 8. If the Light within doth not dictate Baptism nor the Supper then if you Baptize you do it not as lead thereto by the Light within Answ 1. Would these men prove that the Light within without the help of Supernatural Revelation can see Baptism and the Supper a Duty Why then are they against it rebelling against the Light within 2. By the help of Supernatural Revelation even the Scriptures our Reason can tell us our Consciences can convince us of our duty herein And we dare not shut our eyes against the Truth lest we perish for ever But were it not for Scriptures our Light within could say nothing here To conclude Since something which the meer Light within could not reveal hath been the Duty of Gods people from Adam in Innocency to the Apostles days it followeth that in all that time the Light within was not their full Rule And certainly that Rule that comes short of what the Church in the Apostles days went to Heaven by cannot be a full Rule to us Arg. 2. That which doth not reveal many duties which we are bound to perform cannot be to us a full Rule and safely bring us to Glory A full Rule reveals all our duty whatever God would have his Church do and is pleasing to him But this Light in every man doth not reveal many duties which we are bound to perform We are bound to believe that the Father is God the Son God the Holy Ghost God and that these three are one God But these are high mysterious Truths which without Supernatural Revelation the Light in every man can no way discover We are bound to believe the Resurrection of our Bodies a fundamental Article of our Faith but Reason cannot assure us of this to seek for a new Birth but meer Reason cannot apprehend this nor the tendency of it no more than whither the wind goeth To pray that Gods Kingdom might come his Spirit might govern within us and cause us to bring forth fruit hearing the Word But this is a Mystery Mark 4.11 20. We are bound not to have the least motion or inclination in our hearts to sin against God Thou shalt not covet Consequently to repent of any such Motion fly to Christs Blood for the pardon of it but by the light within Paul had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet We are bound to believe and repent of our Fall in Adam and consequently fly to Christ for recovery but laying aside Scriptures this light cannot reveal that Adams eating the fruit of a Tree should be our Fall We are bound to keep the first day of the week a Sabbath to the Lord one day in seven we are enjoyned in the fourth Commandment the seventh from the Creation is not now the day Col. 2.6 Let no man judge you in Meat or Drink or in respect of a holy day or the New Moon or of the Sabbath days It must then be one of the other six and which doth the Scripture point out unto so much as the first John was in the Spirit on the Lords day And the Disciples met on the first day of the week to break Bread The bare light in every man cannot shew this We are bound to celebrate the Ordinance of Baptism Go Baptize The Ordinance of the Supper Do this By all this it appears this light cannot be a full Rule As much duty as it can reveal ought to be done these things which it cannot reveal ought not to be left undone If we would safely get to Heaven we must with Caleb fully follow the Lord obey him in all his Commandments and not those only this Light reveals Herod could do many things Arg. 3. My chief Argument is this That which reveals not Christ cannot possibly be a full Rule or by it self any Rule at all to Heaven But the Light in every man without Supernatural Revelation can make no discovery of Christ Therefore it cannot possibly be a full Rule or by it self be any Rule at all that can guide any to Salvation The Major I prove That that reveals not Christ can of it self be no Rule at all to Heaven Two things will clear this 1. There is no Salvation but by Christ God hath indeed exalted Christ to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of Sins But there is not Salvation in any other Acts 4 12. For there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ John 14.6 No man cometh unto the Father but by me As there is but one God so there is but one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 They that are without Christ are without God without hope Ephes 2.12 2. There is no Interest in Christ without Knowledge and Faith in him This is that which the promise
Scripture is not to be preferred before the Spirit p. 13. The Spirit is greater than the Scripture p. 17. And you did acknowledge the Spirit revealed as certainly the mind of God as the Scripture ib. Ans 1. This is nothing to the point the Light in every man one thing the Spirit another Ans 2. Though the Counsels of Gods Spirit in Believers hearts be in themselves as certainly the Truths of God and the Spirit is not to be quenched as are his Counsels in the Scriptures for he can never lie Yet are they not to Believers so certainly the Truths of God Believers are not at all times so readily certain they are indeed the Counsels of the Spirit as they are that the Scriptures are We have a more sure word of Prophesie More sure than what Not only than the Counsels we find in our hearts not only than the Counsels of the Light within us but more sure than the direction or Voice of God himself speaking to us immediately or not by the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.17 There came a voice to him from the excellent Glory This is my Beloved Son v. 18. This Voice we heard v. 19. We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie The Scriptures containing the Prophesies of Christ are to us a more sure Rule than the immediate voice of God himself though in it self what God immediately speaks is as certainly truth as what is spoken in the Scripture Answ 3. The Controversie being about a Rule the Spirit should not be opposed to the Scriptures For the Spirit properly is no Rule at all The Spirit enditing and speaking in the Scriptures is not the Rule but the Authr of the Rule The Spirit bringing Scripture to remembrance even what Christ hath spoken and thereby directing us is not our Rule but puts us in remembrance of the Rule The Spirit enlightning us to understand Gods mind in the Scripture is not our Rule but our spiritual Oculist strengthning our Eyes to see the Rule Nor is the Illumination of the Spirit a Rule at all as he often supposeth the Artificers Rule is one thing the clearness of his Eye to see the Rule another for our rule to Heaven is one thing the clearness of our Understanding given by Gods Spirit to discern the rule another The Rule objectively sets Gods Will and our Duty before us the Spirits illumination brightens our Understanding to apprehend it so set before us And if the Spirit be not a Rule much less is he a greater Rule than the Scriptures He should thus have expressed himself to speak to the Point The Dictates or Counsels or Directions of the Spirit of God immediately and without the Scriptures are to all men a more infallible Rule to Heaven than the Directions of the Spirit of God in the Scriptures are to those that have them And if he had well proved this he had manifested that there is some foundation for his Religion But neither can he nor all his Brethren prove that Gods Spirit doth without the Scripture reveal to every man the whole mind of God as much as is necessary to bring him to Heaven God spake immediately to Moses Did he then thus reveal to every man as much as to him Doth he now Are all Prophets If he should vouchsafe to reveal a little to any of his and not by the Scripture they have also a more sure word of Prophesie c. But since he doth not reveal to any without the Scriptures all necessary Truths as he doth by it to desire and prefer the Spirit teaching without the Scriptures before the Spirit teaching by the Scriptures as a more infallible guide to Heaven is to desire and prefer what God denies us before that which God vouchsafes us to hanker with Evah after the denied fruit to dislike with the Israelites the Mannah that came from Heaven We must not frowardly prescibe to God the Spirit immediately teaching shall be my Guide to Glory the Spirit teaching in the Scriptures shall not We ought thankfully and admiring his Grace accept of that Guide to Glory he chuseth for us 4. I assert The Scripture is a Trying Rule That is a Rule able to prove or manifest Truth to be Truth Falshood to be Falshood in all things that concern our Faith and Conversation A Rule by which we may and ought when we have any reason of doubting to try for our own safety Opinions Doctrines or Spirits whether they are of God or no. Arg. 1. That which discovers the whole Truth is able to try every Opinion Doctrine and Spirit But the Scriptures are a full Rule discovering the whole Truth Arg. 2. By that which we know to be infallible we may and ought to try what is doubtful But we know the Scriptures are an infallible Rule Therefore by them we may and ought to try whatever as to Faith and Conversation we doubt of 2 Pet. 1.19 When the Apostles had said We have a moresure word of Prophesie he adds unto which ye do well to attend He means for trial and proof of Truth He had asserted the Doctrine of Christ to be no Fable ver 16. We have not followed cunningly devised Fables To help their Faith he minds them v. 17. of the Voice from Heaven he heard in the Transfiguration Bnt saith he we have a more sure word of Prophesie more sure to prove the Doctrine of Christ and so confirm our Faith in it Therefore he adds you do well to attend to it that is for this end Arg. 3. That which the Holy Ghost approves of is our duty and for our good But he approves of it that we try Doctrines yea the Doctrines of the Spirit of God by the Scripture Acts 17.11 These were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they searched daily whether these things were so This Argument was fled from in the first Dispute and neither then nor since answered in their Book Arg. 4. What Rule Christ directs us to try by himself his Apostles also made use of for this purpose is our safe trying Rule But our Saviour directs us to the Scriptures John 5.39 Search the Scriptures they are they which testifie of me that I am the Messiah the things the Jews doubted of He himself made use of it Luke 24.26 27. The Disciples doubting whether he were the Messiah because put to death Ought not saith he Christ to have suffered and beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them the things concerning himself His Apostles likewise Acts 2.24 God raised Christ from the dead for David did so prophesie of him Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell Acts 15. The Question being whether Circumcision were necessary to Salvation concerning this they decreed according to the Scripture v. 15. To this agree the words of the Prophet as it is written c. Arg. 5. We may safely embrace what agrees with Scripture for what agrees with Truth is Truth We may safely reject all that is
handle the six Questions in Order Opening them as far as I judge needful laying down Scripture or Reason for what we hold examining what the Adversary hath said against it whether in the Dispute or in the Narrative since or in his Book stiled the Divinity of Christ or any other of his Writings that come to hand And herein I hope I shall deal more candidly with my Adversary then I have been dealt with all my self not bauking his strength but improving it rather For Truth fears no Weapons Doing this I shall commit all to a good God even the Bishop of our souls who will bring all his sheep into his fold and cause them to hear his voyce and give them eternal life never suffer them to perish nor any to pluck them out of his hand You that are Godly do and will strike in with the design of my endeavours by your prayers That Truth might prevail and find more generally entertainment in the hearts of men to the advancement of Christs Kingdom glory of Gods name and eternal blessedness of never-dying souls And my request for you is that having received the Love of the Truth you might by Christ be rooted and grounded therein for ever and so at last be presented holy unblameable and unreproved in his sight This God will do for you and it is the rejoycing of One unworthy to be reckoned among you STEPHEN SCANDRETT To the Misguided FLOCK Commonly Termed QUAKERS Especially in and about Samford YOU will bear with me in this Application allowing every man to speak according to the Light of his own Conscience For your sakes Brethren did I engage in Disputation for your sakes in good will and true compassion to your souls do I also now write My design in it falls in with your desire even that you might have an undeceiving perswasion touching the way to Heaven and Glory that walking therein you may not miss of everlasting Rest when you are departed hence How you may attain this perswasion is a matter of very great importance and well worth a strict inquiry Do but think with your selves how others might attain it A Jew a Turk a Papist an Independant a Presbyterian an Anabaptist If they should say our present perswasion is undeceiving because our hearts assure us therein or because our Teachers do so instruct us or because we have an infallible spirit which will not suffer us to be deceived in any thing your Light would tell you they took not a 〈…〉 But if looking up to God for illumination and 〈…〉 â—earch for and examine the grounds of their own and others Opinions and what they see upon good grounds to be truth that they embrace whoever rejects it what they see upon good ground to be error that they cast aside whoever countenanceth it would not your Light tell you this were a better and a safer course for them Now be your own Judges is not that a good and a safe course for you to take which is so for others You may not then say it is impossible I should be deceived touching my present Opinion because my heart perswades me it is right As a Papist may not thus argue so neither may you For the Heart is deceitful above all things He that trusts to his own Heart is a Fool. Lean not saith God to thine own understanding Neither may you say it cannot be that I should be mistaken in this for such and such have taught it A Turk a Socinian may not thus pin his Faith on anothers sleeve for deceitful workers transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ therefore neither may you Our Saviour cautions you take heed that no Man deceive you commands you call no man Master on Earth and threatens too Cursed be the man that trusteth in man Nor may you say it is impossible I should be out for I have an infallible spirit that will not suffer me to erre in any thing As a Presbyterian an Independant an Anabaptist may not thus build his considence so neither may you It is incumbent on you as well as on them to try the spirits whether they be of God Your work then is looking up for special assistance to examine the grounds of what you and others hold to prove all things that you may hold fast that which is good And truly a well grounded knowledge is a very choice mercy Wisdome and knowledge saith God shall be the Stability of thy times and Strength of Salvation For your furtherance herein if the Lord shall adde his blessing I put this small book into your hands It will present you with the grounds of what your Teachers hold for truth and what we hold Read and Judge which have clearest reason for what they hold which have Scripture taken in its true sense and meaning And as Elijah said to Israel If God be God follow him if Baal be God follow him So say I to you If what we teach be well built upon a sure foundation embrace it If what yours teach be rightly drawn from sound Principles cleave to it for ever Remember it speaks a Generous and a free Spirit to be able with Candor and Impartiality to read an Adversary But unless Gods spirit enlightens your mind you may see truth and not perceive it unless he sanctifies your heart you may perceive it and not embrace or practise it You must therefore needs beg for the gracious presence of God with you if you would benefit your souls by reading Examine your selves also whether you have a Love of the Truth a Readiness to acknowledge and close with it whether it shall appear to be your own opinion or ours If you are resolved in heart to cast away our doctrine though it should never so clearly appear to be the truth of God to retain what you have received from your Teachers though it should never so plainly be discovered error to what good intent can you read It is not Truth you are for but a Party But if you can be willing to take in Truth on which hand soever you find it then are you capable to aim at and receive profit by Reading What do you say How do you find it with you If our present Opinion shall appear to be Truth we can hold to it That 's not so difficult a business But what if the contrary Opinion proves true If it should indeed we hope through Gods grace we should not reject it Only Truth leads to Heaven we should otherwise provoke God to give us up to strong delusions to believe a lie that we might be damned This is like Persons that are in good earnest for Heaven But it is good for you to consider before hand that it is no easie thing to part with an Opinion you have been long wedded to and it may be commended and contended for to be reconciled to an Opinion at which you have it may be for several years taken distast and opposed and to expose your self
for men to found their contrary opinions on the Scripture Paul p. 17. l. 5. enjoying Scripture but for all this Light missing the sence persecutes the Saints 4. Yet this Light may possibly stumble upon the true sense of Scripture in all points necessary to Salvation the Scripture is perspicuous in these and many destitute of the special Illumination of the spirit and all saving grace have been Orthodox in these points 5. The Spirit of God doth by a common operation help men to understand the true sence of Scripture hence the ungodly amongst us believe those truths which Turks and Jews p. 16. l. 3. Will not be convinced of 6. The Spirit of God by a special operation helps the Saints spiritually to apprehend the true sense of Scripture p. 15. The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understand And this in all points necessary to Salvation The spirit saith Christ shall lead you into all Truth The duty of all is to look up to God by prayer for his spirit in a right manner to understand the Scriptures 1. They are in themselves an infallible Rule That is 1. A Rule that cannot deceive us 2. A Rule which if we practise in all it requires of us we cannot possibly miss of Salvation Three things necessarily concur to make a Rule thus Infallible 1. It must reveal truth for this only leads to heaven 2. It must reveal nothing but truth it must be incapable of revealing any error instead of truth otherwise it may possibly deceive us and we miss of heaven 3. It must reveal the whole truth at least all necessary to salvation otherwise following it we may come short of Heaven That the Scriptures are in themselves an Infallible Rule I proved in the first dispute for there I then began 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine c. that the man of God might be perfect throughly furnished to every good work He fled from the argument by a rambling discourse but neither then nor since in his book hath he answered it Let the judicious read p. 15. The proof here is clear For that reveals Truth to us nothing but Truth all Truth necessary to salvation must needs be in it self an Infallible Rule to heaven But the Scriptures reveal Truth given by divine Inspiration Nothing but Truth all Scripture is given no part given by the suggestion of Satan nothing dictated by a principle of darkness Psal 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words All Truth able to furnish to every good work Therefore an Infallible Rule in themselves 2. They are an Infallible Rule to us That is we can be sure or good and undeceiving grounds that all dictates and directions out of the Scripture are from God and sufficient to guide us to salvation The Miracles of the Pen-men the Efficacy of the word working so good a change on so many in all ages The Innate Characters of divine Authority stamped on the word as the Holiness Majesty Sublimity and Truth of Prophecy suffice abundantly to satisfie our hearts they are from God all from God And satisfied in this their own Testimony their excelling fulness compared with any other Rule what ever and the Consolation of our Spirits upon our Universal and sincere obedience to God speaking in them give us sweet assurance that they are a sufficient guide to Salvation From one of the Characters mentioned the Truth of Prophecy the Apostle Peter hath full assurance that the Scriptures are a most safe Rule to walk by 2 Pet. 1.19 Nevertheless we have a more sure word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take beed Can so much be said for the dictates and directions of every mans heart That they are an Infallible Rule to us That as men may be sure that all directions out of the Scriptures are from God so they can be sure on good undeceiving grounds that all directions out of their hearts are from God It will be said the comparison is not rightly stated it should be so all directions of the Light in every man are from God To this I answer So far as men make the Light within their Rule they have nothing to walk by but dictates or counsels out of their own hearts Let but the Question then be stated as that it might meet with the concerns of men as to their practice and it must be thus I shall not therefore alter the stating of this Question though in the handling of it I shall not wave that Query whether all directions of the Light be infallibly from God 1. Can it be said that out of our hearts we are sure proceed no dictate or direction from darkness or error within as we are sure no directions out of scripture proceed from any such principle Not only in the Unregenerate is there darkness ye were sometimes darkness but in the Regenerate also The word of Prophecy shines in the hearts of believers yet it shines there in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.1 19. compared And this darkness abides whilst on earth 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see in a Glass darkly That Now is whilst on Earth 1. Because opposed to Then which is after this Life is ended 2. Because it is as long as Faith Hope and Charity abideth vers 13. And Now abideth Faith c. and that is whilst we live on Earth darkness and error within will be prompting amiss Have all Men that know the Scriptures as much reason to say we are sure no iuward Counsel that we have proceeds from the suggestion of Satan as to say no Scripture-Counsel is suggested by him Within men are to be found many evil motions from Satan 1 John 4.1 Try the spirits for many false Prophets are gone out into the World The Devil is a busie Agent He filled the heart of Ananias and Saphira to lie to the Holy Ghost He put it into the heart of Judas to betray his Master Obj. These were unconverted Answ Are all Converts free from his Temptations Remember the Devil had access to Adam even in Innocency to Peter And why are Saints bid resist him stedfast in the Faith And to put on the whole Armour of God It is now impossible for men to go astray walking after the Counsels they find within as it is impossible to go astray walking after the Counsels that are found in Scripture Eccles 11.9 Rejoyce O young Man in thy youth and walk in the waies of thy bea rt and in the sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgement If a man saith I shall have peace though I walk after the imagination of mine own heart the Lord will not spare but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man Can this please God that every man should do what is right in his own eyes 3. Can it be said that the Light in every man dictates in his
in our hearts within Answ 1. The spirit dwelling in all believers is sometimes a sweet mover to duty though no indwelling spirit yet by common convictions he strives with unbelievers who do resist the Holy Ghost The duty he puts men upon is agreeable to the Scripture and his motions are not to be quenched Answ 2. The things commanded in the Scripture are to be done whether the spirit inwardly puts men forwards or no Look over these Four last Arguments againe Otherwise supposing the spirit never putting forward within it had been no sin for the Jews before Christs time to reject all the Ceremonial Law nor for us to omit all those duties hinted in the Second Argument Gods commands cease not to be Gods commands either because the spirit doth not within put men on to obey them or because they are written therefore we are to obey them though the spirit within puts not on And this is to obey the spirit or to obey God Therefore according to the Fourch Argument Though men should say the spirit did never inwardly put them on they are certainly to be damned who obey not the voice of God in Scripture And to these I adde this Fifth Argument Otherwise some wicked men in living contrary to the Scriptures do not sin cannot be damned for so doing for some have sinned away the motions and strivings of Gods spirit are past feeling given up to reprobate sense 6. We are to hear what the Spirit of Faith saith to the Churches and this is written Answ 3. Yea Because a thing is written in the Scripture are we to do it If my Faith in God or Christ be weak and I find it written fear not I am with thee You believe in God believe also in me I will in Gods assistance rowl my self and act faith on God and Christ for this reason because I see these sweet words in the Scriptures of God If I feel any want what ever and light on these words Ask and ye shall have Call upon me in the time of trouble Be careful for nothing but in every thing let your requests be made known to God because I find these sweet commands in Gods book I will with Gods help take heart and fall to pray I appeal to any mans Conscience whether I do not well in so doing This Induction might pass for the First Argument and the Second is this For seeing a thing written in Scripture I am the more sure it is the mind and Will of God all Scripture being by divine inspiration therefore I thought for this very reson the rather perform it because I find it written Arg. 3. And why doth God command us to read but that we should obey Deut. 17.19 The King shall read in the book of the Law all the dayes of his Life that he might learn to keep all words of this Law to do them The end of our very reading must be practice A 4th Arg. from Examples see in the close of the Letter that follows The Scripture binds and that in those things of which the Light in every man by it self saith nothing And dares any man say that this Light doth bind the Church of God in those things the Scriptures do not teach Let no man be wise above what is written And now let the Reader judge which is the highest and safest Rule to Heaven the Scriptures or the Light in every man Gods will laid down in Scripture is a full only infallible trying binding Rule to Heaven and that in those things of which this Light saith nothing Gods will so much of it as is discovered by this Light is no Rule at all to heaven because no full Rule not the only Rule hardly distinguishable from the dictates of darkness Sin and Satan insufficient to try all Doctrines by not at all binding the Church in those things the Scriptures do not teach To conclude Mind what a dreadful thing 't is to walk by a false Rule to take that for the way to heaven which is not 1. It is Condemnation 2 Thes 2.11 12. God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a Lie That they all might be damned who believed not the Truth It is a fearful thing to be bound hand and foot for ever to be in utter darkness among Devils in a Lake of fire unable to die God langhing at our calamity because we rejected his Counsels and chose our own ways a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God 2. It is Damnation after hope Mistakers think they see the right way to Heaven and therefore hope but to be damned after hope how greatly will this augment the Misery 3. it is to be damned after pains-taking to be saved after Zeal after Conscientiousness in walking as a man supposeth according to the Will of God The Pharisees were conscientious in keeping the Law and setting up their own Righteousness for Justification but through their Errour missing of Christs Righteousness after all their Zeal and Conscientiousness in doing what they did they are damned and lost to all Eternity How unconceivably miserable it is to be deceived It is our safety our great wisdom to walk by such a Rule as cannot deceive us Scripture-Counsel is full and all by divine Inspiration Walk sincerely according to this Rule thou canst not erre thou canst not be damned If all the dictates of Light within were infallibly the Truths of God yet heart Counsels are some of them from Darkness and the Devil walk after these though never so warily thou maist possibly erre possibly thou maist lose thy Soul To say I will forsake all the Counsels of darkness that are within me and walk only after the Counsels of the Light within me is as if thou shouldst say here is a Cup of Wine mixed with poyson I will drink out only the wine and leave the poyson Friend the Scriptures are a Cup of pure wine no Counsels of Sin Errour Darkness Devils mingling with the Counsels of God Is it not safer drinking there Whether every man be enlightned with a saving Light SO much having been spoken by me and granted by the Adversary touching this Light compared with the Scriptures I did deservedly explode this Question out of the Second Dispute where I had but little time left for discussing the following Questions Yet now I must not decline it Upon two accounts may a Light properly be denominated Saving 1. If it reveals objectively all Truths to us necessary to Salvation This may be called saving because if we obey it in all things we shall certainly be saved Thus the Scriptures or the Gospel contained in them are an external saving Light External I say because it must have entrance by our Senses Rom. 1.16 The Gospel is the power of God to Salvation Eph. 1.13 The Gospel of Salvation Acts 11.14 Words by which we may be saved 2. If it enlightens our Understanding effectually to apprehend all Truths necessary to Salvation
instituted Circumcision did he not threaten the man child not circumcised the eight day shall be cut off he hath broken my Covenant Gen. 17.14 These things are written for our example and for our learning for whom God hath instituted Baptism to be of that use to us that circumcision was of to the Jews The Lord hath said Call upon me fear me the same Lord God hath said Go teach Baptizing The Pharisees rejected the Counsel of God against themselves not submitting to this Ordinance Christ submitted to it whether shall we chose to imitate Christ or the Pharisees Whether the Lords Supper be an Ordinance of Christ binding us For this also take these two arguments Arg. 1. What is ordained of Christ for his Church and not abolished still binds but such is the Lords Supper It was Instituted by Christ Mat. 26.26 27. And as they were eating Jesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples and said take eat this is my body And he took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it It was instituted for his Church 1 Cor 11.23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you v. 24. This do in remembrance of me He delivered the very command of Christ to them being a Church of Christ plainly discovering that they were all bound to the observance of it Let any shew now where did Christ ever repeal this Institution Ob. Divin of Christ Second part p. 50. The Apostles condescended to the low capacity of the Corinthians as not grown up to that spirituality to see through the outward shadows Their example is no President Answ 1. The Apostle delivered to them the command of Christ ver 24. This do ver 25. This do He warneth them of unworthiness under penalty of making themselves guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. He enjoyns them with due preparation to obey the commands of Christ ver 28. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat Is all this but an Indulgence or Sufferance Paul presseth to have the Institution of Christ in a right manner obeyed in his Church Answ 2. Could not the Corinthians see through the outward shadows were they not believers in Christ who is the substance of all the shadows were they not sanctified in Christ Jesus ch 1.2 Yet the Apostle enjoyns them obedience to the Institution of Christ Answ 3. Either the Apostle did deliver to them the commands of Christ or not and they were to obey the Apostles commands as the comands of Christ or not If they were to obey the Apostles comands as the comands of Christ then are they to be our President For we are to obey the commands of Christ as well as they Here is no manifestation of a repeal Ob. It could not in reason or truth be enjoyned all others that succeed who spiritually enjoy the Communion of the body and blood of Christ where none of their disorders have any place Answ 1. This Objection seems to yield that Christ ordained the Supper for weak Coristians who are subject to Disorders but not for strong and the Corinthians are a President for such weak Christians Then why at least do not those who look on themselves as Teachers from Christ among Quakers enjoyn as Paul did such weak ones to partake of this Ordinance Are there no weak ones among them Answ 2. Will this man take himself to be wiser than Christ and wiser than the Holy Ghost who inspired Paul to enjoyn the Corinthians according to the institution of Christ There was not one sanctified Corinthian but had Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ And many of them were well grounded in Grace ch 1. v. 5. In every thing ye are enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge and yet these even these are enjoyned to partake of the Lords Supper Will he say the Holy Ghost did not act in reason or in truth Answ 3. A grown Christian may grow more and he that hath Communion with Christ may have further Communion and he that is strong may yet have more strength and so by this Ordinance be further and further helped on to Salvation There doth appear then very good reason why the Holy Ghost should enjoyn strong Christians this duty of partaking the Supper Ob. p. 51. They who know a beginning in the Spirit ought to wait for this spiritual appearance and coming of Christ and not turn back again to shadows Ans 1. He condemns Pauls practice which he approved of before If condescending Paul acted according to the mind of Christ then true Ministers ought thus to condescend and put weak believers upon receiving the Supper that they might act also according to the mind of Christ â—e ye followers of us saith he as we also are of Christ But if weak believers must not partake of it because a shadow then Paul should not have condescended to give them the Lords Command putting them upon receiving examine your selves and so eat Will this man become Pauls Teacher and pretend to know Christs will better then Paul Ans 2. According to this Doctrine the Corinthians ought to have rejected the commands of Christ by Paul Do this let a man examine himself and so eat We do know a beginning in the Spirit and must we return to shadows Ans 3. As if partaking of the Supper were inconsistent with waiting for a more full manifestation of Christ or Naaman washing in Jordan could not expect from God a cure of his Leprosic It is the duty of all believers in the use of means which the Lord hath appointed to expect his presence and his blessing and in the use of such means it may be had If God appoint the blowing of Rams horns in their obedience Israel may expect the fall of Jerico's walls And so in the use of the Supper it being of the Lords own appointment we may expect his gracious presence 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ We may expect the confirmation of our faith touching pardon Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Answ 4. Though it be a shadow yet an Evangelical shadow a shadow of the Lords own appointing and which he never yet repealed And shall not this be dear to every gracious soul Who is not bound to uphold the unrepealed ordinances of Jesus Christ As every Jew was bound to uphold the Passeover in a Holy manner till Christs death did put an end to it So is every Christian bound to uphold the Lords Supper Christ having neither done nor said any thing to cause the celebration there to cease And therefore where the Lords unrepealed ordinance are contemned they may talk of Christs spiritual appearance but they may wait long enough and with small hope to obtain The Lord
with them Christs spiritual Coming therefore puts not an end to this Ordinance Therefore it must needs be that only his second coming in the flesh or his last coming at the end of the world that shall put an end to this Ordinance If they will cavil at Christs appearing in the Flesh let them know that Christ will change our vile Bodies and make them like his glorious Body And yet saith Job In my flesh shall I see God So that when Jobs Body is a glorious Body like Christs yet doth it not cease to be flesh No more doth Christs Obj. Div. p. 50. If Christs coming in the Spirit be not the end of the Lords Supper where then is the Mystery and inward Spiritual Grace signified by the Outward Sign Answ This man seems better pleased with his Conceits than Christs Truth and when he cannot by Reason perswade he would by Sophistry cheat men into a belief of Errour Is the Contest about the Design Is it not about the Cessation of the Supper He speaks not to the Point If the Argument had been framed thus What is the Design of the Lords Supper that attained is the Cessation of it But Christs Spiritual Coming is the Design The Maâ—or Peoposition would have carried as much Truth in it as this The Design of Preaching is to form Christ in us assoon as Christ is formed in a man therefore he must he preached unto him no more The design of eating is to have Hunger satisfied to be strengthened If therefore a person hath once satisfied his hunger and strengthened himself by eating he must never eat more It being clear that the Supper is an Ordinance of the Lords own appointing never repealed nay appointed to continue till Christs coming in the end of the world Is it not Rebellion against the Lord to reject it And shall we be found as Pharaoh crying Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice When the Lord hath appointed it for our good to further our spiritual Communion with him nourish strengthen our Faith and help us in our Obedience shall we reject this Love of Christ Shall we deprive our own Souls of this Spiritual Food Indeed had men only appointed it we could have no warrant to use it no ground to expect Gods blessing in the use of it In vain do they worship me saith God teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men But since it is the Lords own Institution there is good to be hoped for from it Deut. 12.28 It shall go well with thee and with thy Children after thee for ever when thou dost that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God This Ordinance is such a thing What though it be a Sign a Shadow If God sets us a Shadow a Brazen Serpent it shall not be in vain to look up unto it What if it were true that we were perfect Yet if the Lord will appoint Adam even in Innocency the use of a Sign the Tree of Life he hath reason to rejoyce in it And truly by instituted Worship in a singular manner doth God try our Love or Hatred of him as we may see in the Second Commandment He will show Mercy to thousands of them that love him punish the iniquity of Parents upon their Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate him God reckons those that are Conscientious Upholders of instituted Worship Lovers of him To conclude therefore Let us examine our selves and so let us eat for if we would judge our selves we shall not be judged of the Lord. Whether we are Justified by the Righteousness of Christ Imputed THis is a Point of great moment A man may erre in many other things and yet be saved as by fire but an Errour in the substance of this is certain Damnation All therefore had need be well informed about it By the Righteousness of Christ understand his Active and Passive Obedience or his fulfilling the Law in his own person when on Earth and his suffering to the death according to the will of his Father By the Imputation of it understand Gods making it over to us upon believing his giving granting vouchsafing it to us reckoning or accounting it ours As for the word Justifie the Scripture sometimes but very rarely useth it to signifie to make just by inherent Holiness or to sanctifie Tit. 3.5 7. He saved us by the washing of Regeneration that being justified c. It is used in contradistinction to Sanctification 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are sanctified but ye are justified c. And thus mostly We are therefore to take it in this latter sense In which it hath two significations all belonging to the same thing It signifies to declare Just Luke 7.35 Wisdom is justified of her Children Psal 51.4 That thou maist be justified when thou speakest To Absolve Acquit or Discharge Rom. 8.33 It is God that justifieth who shall condemn Prov. 17.15 He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the ust are both abomination to the Lord. Here it cannot signifie to make just for this would be no abomination to the Lord. As to the thing signified 1. Justification implies an Accusation true or false When a Father commends his Child charged with no crime this is not Justification but Praise The Devil may bring false accusations against us Had man continued in the State of Innocency no true Accusations could have been brought against him But now Moses or the Law of God is the true Accuser of every one of us John 5.45 There is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust The Law saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3.10 The true Accusation or Charge that it brings and at the Day of Judgment will bring against us is this Thou hast broken the Law for thou hast not from the beginning of thy life to the end thereof done every thing required in it The Law will thus charge us for it is not abrogated or made null If it were no wicked man could be condemned by it But our Saviour tells us Luke 16.17 It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass than one tittle of the Law to fail And we are assured Rom. 2.12 He that hath sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law 2. Justification doth necessarily suppose an Apology or a Defence made by or for the Party accused For if there be nothing pleaded on his hehalf the Judge may not justifie but must condemn him This Defence is but two ways to be made either proving the Accusation false So Wisdom is justified of her Children This world censures the Wisdom of God foolishness but her Children honour her And so would a good Angel be justified if accused the Accusation would be proved false and that he never from the first moment of his Creation once sinned against God thus he is capable of being justified by