the children of Israel verse 22. Moses therefore wrote this song the same day and taught it them When Jeremy could not go into the house of the Lord he sends Baruch his Scribe to read what was written from his mouth even the words of the Lord in the ears of the people c. Jer. 36. 4 6. * See also Jeremiah 28. 1. Paul had his Tertius to write the Epistle to the Romans cap. 16. 22. and he ordereth the Epistle to the Colossians to be read amongst them and that they cause it to be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans Col. 4. 16. and read it was as the word of the Lord unto them yea God hath so honored his written Bible that he hath ordered as well the Copies as the Autographum or the Pen-mans own hand-writing to be his Scripture also Those Proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah copied out Prov. 25. 1. are as authentique as any of the rest so was the Copy which the King wrote out according to Gods command Deut. 17. 18. 2. Printing was a rare Invention and the gift of God Printing invented betwixt the 1440 1450 year of our Lord. See Mr. Fox vol. 1. p. 927. above two hundred years ago The benefit is sufficiently noted by Mr. Fox Hereby Tongues are known Knowledge groweth Judgement increaseth Books are dispersed the Scripture is seen the Doctors be read Stories are opened Times compared Truth discerned Falshood detected and with the finger pointed And by the printing of the Bible the doctrine of the Gospel hath sounded The benefit of Printing and of printed Bibles to all nations and that with great expedition So many Printing-presses of the Bible so many Clock-houses against the high Towers of Antichrist none but Papists have envied Gods people and Christs Preachers a Printed Bible Who were they that obstructed what they could the printing of it in English in King Henry the 8. days but the Popish Prelates and their creatures The Popish Vicar of Croyden Caiaphas-like prophesied Either we must root out Printing or Printing will root out us Every good Christian have been glad of a piece of a Printed Bible when it came first out in our Mother-language 3. The later this Mercy hath been vouchsafed to have Printed Bibles the greater Gods favor to his people and the greater their Ingratitude who slight the Mercy the greater their pride who would rather have their own Scriblings in print then the Scriptures of God who prefix to their writings as these Quakers so called in many of their Pamphlets This is the word of the Lord but are against such a Title to a Printed Bible or such a Preface before a Sermon from a Bible-Text as this Hear the word of the Lord. 4. If the printed Bible be according to the Original Copy or a true Extract or faithful Translation of Scripture it is as warrantable to preach out of it as out of a written one for Printing is one kinde of writing what is first written by a pen is after written by a stamp The Press is but an handmaid to Orthography or right-writing and a Midwife to help forth the conceptions of the Minde formed at first by the pen. But saith R. F. * Page 6. if Printing had not been invented what would you hâ—ve preached by that knows not the word of Life which was before Writing or Printing was Rep. 1. The written Copies were before those printed and by the former onely Gods servants preached till the latter came forth and according to those Copies and Volumes of Gods book would I have preached 2. Those Copies would have taught me as now they do that which R. F. hath not learnt by the printed although he might learn it namely to distinguish between the Essential word of Life Christ the Son of God and the The word of God essential scriptural Scriptural word 3. As the Essential word was before the Scriptural so he was before Visions and Revelations were given to men yea before there was a holy man to receive them or a world for holy men or others to inhabit Lastly As no true prophet or preacher ever rejected a written or a printed Bible truely so and so called no more hath he denied it the Title of the word of the Lord. Never did the Lord send such an ignorant prophet like J. P. at Coggeshall to turn to the nineteenth chapter of the Revelation and tell the people because ver 13. Christs name is called The word of God therefore the Bible and Scriptures he pluckt out of his pocket and held in his hand was not the word of God But though false prophets pervert the Printed Bible and use that Sword of God to cut its own throat Gods faithful Messengers and Interpreters know how to handle it dexterously and faithfully What is the chaff to the wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23. 28. What are mans words our own or other mens words to the Lords What is a false Interpretation or Application of Scripture to the true Section 3. IN answer to the third Section R. F. owneth John Lawsons words which I had noted viz. Wâ— have nothing to try men by but the Letter the Bible or written word which is natural and carnal with his own words Your Tryer is a Chapter or Verse of the Scriptures declaration and now upbraideth us for having no better way to try mens Doctrine and Spirits by then the Letter Rep. By the Letter or writing of the Spirit of God which The Scriptures the tryer of Doctrine is the Law and the Testimony we do know what is the Doctrine of the Spirit The Spirit gives his sense and minde by letters and words of Scripture all along take one place with another And when men speak according to that word of Scripture Law and Testimony Isaiah 8. 20. which cannot Isaiah 8. 20â— cleared be but when they take the word in and with its true sense then they bring not mans Doctrine but Gods but if they speak not according to that word it is not because there is not light sufficient in the Scripture-word but because there is no light in them that handle it and speak of it their hearts are dark their judgements blinde and ignorant and they bring not the Spirits Doctrine but their own As for instance R. F. if you will believe him without tryal saith for himself and his fellows We speak according to it viz. the Law and the Testimony and therefore there is light in us But fearing he should not be believed upon his own testimony he brings a verse of Scripture for it 2 Cor. 2 Cor. 4. 6 vindicated 4. 6. where 1. He allows that in himself which he condemns in us viz. to make a Chapter or Verse of the Scripture the tryer 2. He sets that Scripture in opposition to Isaiah 8. 20. and while he pretendeth to speak according to Law and Testimony he perverts the testimony given by
is seen and known to be one that hates it and why 1. He bears record of himself against Christ and his Apostles Let that be found in any passage of his former or present piece and R. F. shall be no false Apostle J. S. will hide his head in a hole or openly recant the folly and wickedness 2. He calls the true light saith R. F. the Light of nature and the common Light of reason Where 's the proof of this allegation J. S. doth peremptorily deny that he ever so exprest himself since he had the Light of reason in him The true Light as 't is printed both in R. F. his Book * Page 2. and in the Bible John 1. 9. with a great L and there spoken of is Christ J. S. never called Christ the Light of nature or the common Light of reason or reason as Page 34. R. F. clamoreth and clattereth Haply he may say again and again That Christ as the very God and the true Light giveth the Light of nature to all men and common light of reason more or less to every man for he is able to distinguish betwixt the Donor and his Gift betwixt the un-created Light-living God and created Light-given before the fall to Adam or given back since the fall to him and his posterity If R. F. or any man will confound Christ-giving or enlightning with the Light-given or lighted up as a Candle in every man he may as well confound God and the Creature and make them as some blasphemously imagine to be one and the same Essence Therefore as in this so in all other instances Fourthly J. S. is confident after R. F. his impudence in his Preface and Proceedings he shall neither be found Lyar nor false Accuser but as he is sure that Saint Pauls Anathema was out long since Gal. 1. 8 9. and is still in force against those that preach another Gospel-way of Justification as do these Quaking-Papists or Popish-Quakers so the Anathema Maran-atha that R. F. denounceth imperatively and imperiously Let him be an Anathema Maranatha against J. S. shall be as the curse causless that shall not come but that God will do him more good as already he hath done something for him by Shimei's railing Tyrants Sectaries Seducers and Hereticks as Luther said do nothing else but drive us unto the Bible to make us read more diligently therein and with more fervency to sharpen our Prayers and I may adde by their buffetings to be more taken off from self-estimation and to be viler in our own eyes then we can be in the eyes of our Adversaries who know not our hearts THE Reviler rebuked PART 1. 1. Head of Scripture-contradiction Touching the Scriptures themselves Section 1. THe holy Scriptures by one thunder-stricken in spirit and blasted in profession with the Quakers Books and company in Scotland were denied to my face to be the word of Truth which I noted as the first and great Contradiction R. Farnworth in answer returns me thus much of truth in form of words That the Scriptures are words that proceeded from the Spirit of Truth we do not deny but own and so they are the words of truth Plainly he doth not say they are the words of truth nor plainly joyn Scripture the word of truth to all issue with him that denied them to be the word of truth but if they be own'd for words of truth as proceeding from the Spirit of truth then for the advantage of Truth I argue 1. They are the word of God and so should be owned by them Surely the Spirit of truth is the Spirit of God proceeding from the Father and the Son and these three John 15. 26. being one their word is one That which is the word of the Spirit of truth is the word of the Father of truth and of the Son of truth The Scripture by R. F. his confession is the word of the Spirit of truth therefore he must grant it to be the word of the Father and of the Son of truth and consequently the word of the true God 2. If they be words of truth as proceeding from the Spirit of truth then they are the Rule Standard and Touchstone of truth the true Spirit being known by his words and directing us to know his minde by his words what we should believe as truth and practise as truth or according to it but we shall anon hear R. F. denying the Scriptures to be the rule of a Christian as of other men that are unchristian 3. If they be the words of the Spirit of truth then they are so to all men or but to some men 1. If so to all men that have the Scriptures by them then why doth not R. F. challenge him that denied them to be so to unbelievers as I noted in my Book Why doth he challenge me for falshood with a therefore too * Page 2. therefore thy saying is false What saying of mine is false and wherefore I truly related what I had from him I mentioned above in discourse once and again That the Scriptures were not the word of truth And doth it follow because R. F. acknowledgeth them to be the words of truth that therefore I heard not the contradiction or mis-related what was spoken 2. If they be the words of truth but to some men not at all to wicked men and unbelievers no not condemningly as were his expressions then it seems the unbelief and wickedness of men doth make the Faith or Truth of God of none effect but S. Paul Rom. 3. 3. is of another minde Rom 3. 3. cleared yea the Spirit there by the Interrogation first and second What if some did not believe shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect forcibly denieth the frustration or making void of Gods word of truth by the Jews former or following continued unbelief God hath laid his faith and truth to pawn as it were in the holy Scriptures and as he is a God of truth his word is a word of truth taking hold of men by the threatning as Zech. 1. 6. who misbelieve or reject the promise And Is he the God of the Jews onely and not also of the Gentiles to justifie and condemn all that are believing or unbelieving according to the Scriptures Such therefore who will say No more is the truth of God or word of God to me then what I believe were they never so dear friends must be as roundly taken up and faithfully rebuked as sometimes Luther took up a man of no mean account Bullenger you erre you know neither your self nor what you hold According to your falsities if the Word findes not the Spirit but an ungodly Person then it is not Gods word whereby you define and hold the word not according to God who speaketh it but according as people do entertain and receive it Whereas as he again a true Christian must hold for certain and must say That word
wrought upon by my poor labors in Norfolk or Essex in England or Scotland stand forth as some have in their life time some on their death-bed and all the rest shall at the great day witness for me 2. In the case of lying it is charged here in a double respect First I have lyed of the truth and of them with a deceitful Page 9. spirit by twisting and winding about nothing being alledged for colour of proof I must intreat the Reader to peruse this whole Section 11. in my book * Contradictions of the Quakers c. pag. 8. 9. which consists not of above a dozen lines and three words and then I shall have better measure given me Secondly whereas he adds Thou may well lye of us that lyes of the Apostle Paul and wrests not our words onely but his also Let any indifferent person judge how he makes this out I had shewed how contrary they are who would set up the teaching by the creatures against the Scriptures to Paul asserting 1 Cor. 1. 21. that when by the wisdom of 1 Cor. 1. 21. opened and this world in all the study of the creatures men knew not God to life and salvation it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching a Text a Doctrine a Reason a Use out of the word to save them that believe R. F. excepteth two ways First There is not any such words of the Apostle as Text vindicated Doctrine Reason Vse to save them that believe and here thou hast lyed of him Rep. 1. The words a Text a Doctrine a Reason a Use were in a Parenthesis as a part of the Paraphrase with what went before By the foolishness of preaching Paul meaneth the matter he preached Christ crucified according to Scripture Text Doctrine Reason and Use which very subject preached of the Greeks and Gentiles counted foolishness and being preached according to Scripture Text c. R. F. accounteth a lye That Paul preached according to Scripture-Text which laid together one place compared with another hath Doctine Reason and Use in it let who please consult Act. 26. 22 23. and chap. 28. 23. and it will be abundantly evident 2 That God hath converted millions and saved them by this way of preaching R. F. will know one day whether he be one of the number or not 3. I used that paraphrase the rather because preaching of Christ from a Scripture-Text c. is so much despised by men of R. F. his profession and by himself after his maner jeered at * See Part 2. Sect. 27. as I afterwards noted in my book pag. 26 But let him and the rest know that heaven and earth shall fail before one Text Doctrine Reason Use or Iota of any of these in Scripture shall fall to the ground for want of truth or accomplishment Secondly he excepteth against my calling the Letter the Word as if I would make the Letter a Savior Rep. 1. This exception ariseth from the passage before mentioned a Text c. out of the word meaning out of the Scripture which how it is the Word and that it is so called by the holy Ghost and his Pen-men of the Scripture hath been already cleared 2. Christ the Author of salvation to them that obey him speaking in the Scripture saveth by the Scripture read soundly interpreted rightly divided faithfully applyed If R. F. saith the contrary as he doth Christ the alone Savior or perfect Savior being able to save all that come unto God by him not by the Scripture but by him he dares affront the Lord Jesus himself who directeth his very enemies to the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. to finde eternal life by him as he is in and by the Scriptures discovered 3. If the Scripture declares of Christ as R. F. grants either Christ maketh that declaration of him saving to some or not If not it doth not declare him to be an able Savior if yea then he saveth by that declaration or by the Scripture One word more we must animadvert * Page 9. from R. F. ere we close this Section He that hath the Son hath life 1 John 5. 12. if he have not the Letter but he that hath not the Son hath not life though he may have all the Letter Rep. 1. Would not R. F. or his friends think it rash and 1 Joh. 5. 12. vindicated broad language if I should salute him with thou lyest because John hath no such words as if he have not the Letter nor though he may have all the Letter and yet this kinde of usage I had even now from him 2. It is no part of the Apostles meaning to exclude the Scripture from being a means to espouse Christ and a Christian together Having of Christ relates to the Brides having the Bridegroom It becomes not the Bride to reject the Letter of her Bridegroom and the word of the Covenant by which she is married to him which is the word of Scripture preached opened and applyed 3. If they that have all the Letter in form may yet have none of Christ in power and therefore not life how shall they be thought to have Christ in life and power who will have none of the Letter as they ought to have and hold it viz. a glorious means of their knowledge of Christ crucified and of their salvation by him Section 12. I Had instanced yet again about their magnifying the Light which every man hath above the light of Scripture from what George Fox saith in his Parables It is the Light The light of naâ—ure no Interpâ—eter of Scripture and the grace therein revealed that gave forth the Scriptures and will open the Scriptures to us and 't is a more sure word of Prophecy yea the Grace that appeared unto all men c. R. F. saith nothing in defence hereof nor in opposition to what I discovered of its Scripture-contradiction from 1 Cor. 2. 9. It is written Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him yet by what he hath elsewhere we may not conclude his silence as to this Section to be an Argument either of his consent or dissent but I shall evidence my charge against G. F. a little further That Christ the Son of God gave forth the Scriptures by his Spirit inspiring them that wrote as he moved and acted them is a most undeniable Truth For Christ is the great Light giver he gives common Creation-light and he gives special Scripture-light and all that is truly called Light-given and he is above all that he giveth But when men speak of the light given to every man as G. F. doth and then attribute as much to it as to the person of Christ viz. That the Light in every man gave forth the Scriptures and will open the Scriptures to us this is palpable darkness and contradiction to the Scripture I quoted 1
they preach that men should repent I ask how shall the ungodly sorrow after a godly maner If they lay the burden upon the ungodly onely and absolve the godly altogether they may by that way preach down all godly sorrow and startle the wicked with legal convictions and that which is remorse of conscience but no way help toward the pulling down the old man or building up the new in the true Believer 11. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning the Word and means of Grace Section 37. I Had expresly cited C. Atkinsons words viz. I deny that God did ever or will ever reveal himself by any of those things thou callest the means of grace which were spoken of before in his book as reading hearing prayer c. contrary to 2 Tim. 3. 15. Rom. 10. 17. Luke 11. 13. c. R. F. in answer * Page 19. saith I would raise a slander c. as if they should deny the way and means that God useth to reveal himself to his people by How makes he it to appear why Christ is the light and the way to the Father and that they own and he reveals his secrets by his Spirit Rep. In all this confession here is no acknowledgement Christ and the Spirit give light and grace by outward means of reading hearing prayer c. That Christ is the light and light-giver hath never been denyed by me and that with his Spirit he is the author and worker of all grace who but graceless men will gain-say We do with the Scripture attribute higher things to God and Christ and the Spirit then to be the means of grace but R. F. will not ascribe so much to the Scriptures read heard sung prayed upon i. e. according to the rules and patterns of prayer there set down to be so much as outward means of grace we can have no such outward ingenuity from him But what saith he The Scriptures are not Christ nor the Spirit Rep. What if they be not they are Christs word and the word of the Spirit as hath been shewed and what the Scripture saith Christ saith and the holy Ghost also the same He therefore that rejects the Scripture and its several exercises from being the means of grace rejecteth Christ and his Spirit also But the Spirit he saith teacheth us how to pray and profit Gal. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 7. c. and this doth not contradict the Scriptures Rep. No for the Spirit of grace and the outward means agree very well yet this is not a yielding them to be the means by which Christ and the Spirit revealeth their secrets and convey grace It is one thing for the Spirit to teach how to pray and read another thing for the Spirit to work by reading praying c we grant the former but he grants not the latter as he ought that I can finde Yes may some say what think you of that which followeth we know that faith is given by the ministery of Christ in the Spirit Rep. But speak plainly is it given by reading and hearing the Scriptures opened and preached as 2 Tim. 3. 15. Rom. 10. 17. hold it forth And we know that God giveth us his holy Spirit Rep. But doth he give it in a way of preaching and prayer as Act. 10. 44. and Luke 11. 13. bear testimony As soon as Paul is converted is he not at Prayer and had he not the fillings of the Spirit given him in that way as by Ananias putting his hands upon him Act. 9. 11. 17. And the wisdom saith R. F. which is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace James 3. 17 18. for which we praise God Rep. 1. But doth he give this wisdom by asking as saith James 1. 6. If any lack wisdom let him ask it of God is not prayer a means of wisdom 2. I wish we could finde the wisdom James describeth in R. F. As yet I discern not any seeds of it sown in his books one or other 3. Let him beware of taking Gods name in vain by praising him legibly in print for that which he hath not printed in his heart nor holdeth forth visibly in practise Why but he addeth we own reading hearing prayer and the teachings of God according to his promises Rep. I wish he doth well understand the promises of Means of grace have a promise of blessing annexed God Gods promises are made of a blessing upon such means as reading hearing and prayer as well as of gracious abilities to read hear and pray with Isaiah 55. 3. He that heareth and inclines his ear shall live 1 Tim. 4. 13. 16. If Timothy attend to reading meditation preaching to others watching himself In doing this he shall save himself and those that hear him To prayer is promised salvation Rom. 10. 13. Christs presence Matth. 18. 20. Returns and answers Matth. 7. 7. To preaching Christs presence assistance and blessing Matth. 28. 20. To the Saints conditions which C. Atkinson rejected with the ordinances all blessed success Rom. 8. 28. They shall look unto him and run to him and their faces shall not be ashamed Psal 34. 5. why so Ver 6. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles and therefore we may from others experiences together with our own have hope Rom 5. 4. And Hope in and by a promise an experimental promise and a promised experience maketh not ashamed If therefore R. F. doth own these means and the teachings of God according to Gods promises he must own them otherwise then C. Atkinson even as means by which God hath revealed himself and will communicate his grace and then I will not accuse him as I have not slandered C. A. when I speak the truth I harm them not The more nakedly their Errors are detected by the Truth the more good it may do them and I wish it with my heart 12. Head of Scripture-contradiction Concerning Baptism Section 38. THat they are against Infant-Baptism I had noted contrary to Acts 2. 38 39. where the command for application of Baptism reacheth as far as the Promise and as I hinted in my shorter piece the Promise extendeth it self to Children while Children they are part of the Saints of the Church at Corinth 1 Cor. 7. 14. if but one of the parents be a Believer and a Church-member R. F. is for the Negative in a transition from what was spoken of before But your brain-imaginations we deny and sprinkling Infants with water Rep. 1. If he puts this scandalous title of brain-imaginations upon the other means of Grace reading preaching hearing prayer experiences c. he doth but back his sellow Atkinson Suppose God should leave him as one of that name if it be not the same C. A. to Fornication were it not just for his casting reproach upon the ways of God 2.
elsewhere to take hire for preaching another thing to preach for hire By the Scripture that Question also * page 22. Qu. 4. may be judged proud and malitious as of the Devil What rule have you in Scripture to take a Text c. If R. F. justifies this as 't is likely he will we must bid him go and learn and what that meaneth Luke 4. 17. our humble Saviour took up the Bible and pitcht upon a Text let us learn at last of him to be lowly in heart Matth. 11. 29. If it be said it followeth in the Question and to speak from it what you have studied with your Vses Points Tryals Motives and Applications We must send them again to 2 Tim. 3 16 17. The Scripture is given so to be improved whether men will hear or forbear Let R. F. consider if the scope of that * Qu. 24. Question Whether that Light which comes from Christ be natural yea or nay be not to make all Light-given alike for kinde as appeareth by Quere 29. Whether the Light of the world or of every man be not a saving Light in the least measure yea or nay and how can that be said to be natural These Questions come from the Devils envy against the Saints peculiar light who see all things after another maner then natural men can do The Gentiles did things by nature or power of natural conscience and the light of it which yet they perisht in their light and their works were neither of them saving Rom. 2. 12 and 14. This light of nature comes from Christ as God not as Mediator he that is the true Light enlightneth every man but not with saving Light I must send back R. F. to Sect. 10. and the superadded Conclusions in the end thereof If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant 1 Cor. 14. 38. But yet if we examine those Questions * Qu. 44 and 45. Where had you this Doctrine to tell people they could never be wholly cleansed or be set free from sin so long as they are upon the earth And whether this be not in opposition to the Doctrine of Christ who saith Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect What shall we finde here but ignorance and confusion for want of will or skill to distinguish between Justification and Sanctification which according to the Scripture I have desired R. F. and others to perpend and weigh in Sect. 23. And I must send all Novices still to that Scripture Eccles 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not which hath no opposition to the Doctrine of Christ Mat. 5. 48. where the Lord as all along the Chapter Mat. 5 48. vindicated urgeth sincerity and integrity of obedience upon his Disciples in opposition to the Pharisees counterfeit and partial expositions of the ten Commandments with further growth and endeavour after more conformity to their heavenly pattern still keeping perfection in all degrees as the white in their eye unto which the Lord will bring his children at their dissolution and time of their souls immediate entrance into heaven and not before as hath been demonstrated in Sect. 29. As to that Question * Qu 48. What is your own righteousness and what is the righteousness of Christ and how do you distinguish betwixt the one and the other He that did propound it tells us at the foot of Page 25. It was not as if he knew them not even all that he enquired of but for the satisfaction of the simple and for the clearing of the truth and manifesting our deceit to the world But that which is a thorough good Question indeed not coming from Satan and a corrupt heart must arise from a sound and good principle and be propounded to as good an end Now this Quere 1. proceeds not from a good principle because their judgements are vitiated and in their Doctrine they confound as do the Papists our inherent righteousness-sanctifying with Christs righteousness which justifieth Christs righteousness which justifieth a believing sinner is not the essential righteousness of his God-head but that obedience of his Active and Passive which in the humane nature that he assumed and united to his divine person he wrought out in the room and stead of others and which he presenting to Gods Justice as a price and ransom for them God accepteth and reckoneth to every one that believeth for his perfect Justification That righteousness which is in Scripture called our own as inherent in us is either what is done by the power of natural conscience without the written word or what is done according to the bare letter of the written command or from a common gift of the Spirit or in a Gospel-way from a living principle of grace habits and acts of holiness by the holy Spirit and faith given stirred up actuated and improved this also with all the former is a righteousness of ours that men would establish in the room of Christs imputed righteousness for their justification But though it be wrought by the strength of Christ in us and be found in us that are sanctified yet as to justification of his person Paul would not be found in it for a world but saith he Phil. 3. 8 9. I do count all things but loss even what he had done and suffered since conversion and what he was now a doing and dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law or done in my person from the best principles in obedience to the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith this is every true Believers vote and resolution If R. F. be otherwise minded and belong to God God shall reveal even this unto him 2. The above mentioned Quere by the bare propounding doth not attain the ends pretended our answer may satisfie some simple ones some wise not all This Quere and other of the like stamp doth but obscure the truth and help to stagger and seduce Gods servants as for our deceit in this great business of a sinners justification if J. Parnell should arise from the dead or R. F. should tell us he hath been in the third Heaven nor one nor other shall be able to manifest that which is not To conclude whence came that * Quer. 3â— question quarrelling more with God then with us How doth it stand with the impartial God to give to one man a measure of grace and not to another and yet require obedience from all If R. F. thinketh there is ground for such a Question he must be sent to Rom. 9. 18. 20. for his Answer God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy c. and O man who art thou that replyest against God 21. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning civil Honor. Section 49. THeir discourse papers and practise is notorious enough in opposition
him also even of strong Paul and of weak Paul strong in the Lord weak yet in and of himself and willing to glory in this that he knew himself to be weak and nothing As he * M. Nicholas Price of Lyn-Regis that said when he had attained to no small measure of mortification in the eyes of others I thank God I know my self to be a sinner while these proud up-starts think many of them have reached to the highest pitch of Perfection 3. It is Pride that hath bred and doth feed and nourish their opinions and practises What makes them level Legal and Gospel-light but Pride The light which every man hath saith William Deusbery i Christ exalted page 26 is not common to man by nature it is the great gift of God the Grace that hath appeared c. The truth is Every mans light where the Gospel comes not is neither for degree nor kinde the same with Gospel-light it is but a shimmering of the Laws light a gift of God indeed but no such great Gift as the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ or as the doctrine of that Grace Every man writes E. B. k True faith of the Gospel of peace p. 18. hath that which is one in Vnion and like the Spirit of Christ even as good as the Spirit of Christ according to its measure A proud elevation of the fallen posterity of Adam either exalting the gifts of the Spirit as high as the person of the Spirit or levelling the high and peculiar Grace of the Spirit in true Saints with the low and common work in every man Weigh but what J. Nayler hath in his Answer to Math. Cuffin l Light of Christ and word of life page 19. and see if there be not wicked Pride God is at liberty to speak to his people by them viz. the Scriptures if he please and where they are given by inspiration he doth so And so he is at liberty to speak by any other created thing as to Balaam by his Ass As if God did not speak constantly by the Scriptures the voices of the Prophets * Acts 13. 27 and Apostles though his people are not always alike affected with and by them nor doth the Lord give the same impression from the same Text at one time as at another or as if all the Scripture at all times were not of divine Inspiration and as if he would have his disciples with himself ascribe no more authority to the Scriptures then to Balaams Ass 4. Unbelief begets and procreates all their Errors and their love of Error with their derisions of the Truth How come they to slight the Scriptures and the Ordinances of Christ They have lost that first faith or never 1 Tim. 5. had any concerning their Institution and Authority or the efficacy of the Spirit put forth by them Would they else judge it Blasphemy m To all that would know the way p. 4. for any to say the Letter or Scripture is the Word of God when as 't is that which the Spirit dictated and hath ever blessed and prospered to his own purposes Would they else scribble and quibble as they do n Ibid page 8. Thou that sayest thou had not come to repentance if thou had not known the Letter thou deniest Christ The Scripture is say they A Declaration of the Spirit but the Spirit is not in it A Declaration of Power but the Power is not in it And why is not the Spirit and Power in it this is nothing but the voice and spirit of unbelief which makes them so to judge How like a Pelagi-Arminian doth J. Nayler speak o Answer to Quakers Catechism p. 24. Who hath the Spirit hath an infallible guide in matter and maner if he keep to it And I know that so far as any are led by the Spirit it guides into all truth if it be not erred from Whence come these ifs but from unbelief What Luther said of his Popish Devotions is true here We always prayed in Colloq mens Popedom conditionaliter with condition uncertainly and at hap-hazard And upon such a hazard do these ifs run mens salvation beside the pride of such ifs determining all Grace the Spirits infallible guidance and what not upon the will of man and his improvements Whence is it that they speak with such disparagement of Christ dying at Jerusalem but from unbelief Had Ed. Burrough a Faith working by love when he sounded his Trumpet p A Trumpet of the Lord sounded out of Sion by E. B. page 17. and upbraided all that are called Presbyterians and Independents with their feeding upon the report of a thing done many hundred years ago They that believe not that word John 6. 53. will not tremble at it Did those called Presbyterians and Independents more heartily feed upon Christ who dyed and as he dyed above sixteen hundred years ago by faith every day and meet ofter at the Lords Table in faith and love they would be more strengthned in one against their common enemies 5. They do subtilly couch many Errors under specious words of Truth or terms that are ambiguous and of a doubtful sense q The inheritance of Jacob page 24. The Righteousness saith Francis Howgil whereby the Saints of old pleased God and was accepted was wrought in them the same that is now wrought in the Saints by Christ As if God were not pleased with them as clothed with the imputed righteousness of Christ or they would have that which is within the Saints to be that which is imputed to their pardon and acceptance whereas God is more pleased with that which Christ wrought for them then with what he worketh in them Yea that which Christ wrought in his own person and in that flesh which he assumed is that alone which the Father accepteth and imputeth to their Justification Not but he is pleased with his own work in us in a way of Sanctification and Service That seems very fair which Alexander Parker hath r Testimony of God p. 4. It is an inward work that every one must know and witness if ever they know true peace and rest But let all know that the work within is not the ground and purchase of their peace but the blood of Christ alone and his obedience although it is a witness and an evidence and yet every inward work is not an evidence or witness of peace with God but that alone which is the New-birth or true Sanctification and the parts of it flowing from and inseparably attending and accompanying the Believers union with the Lord Jesus Light saith Tho Lawson Å¿ Lip of truth c. page 45 and 47. is the same in him that hates it and in him that loves it And again Grace is the same in him that turns it into lasciviousness as in him that is taught by it The same seed as fell on the good ground fell on the high way