he hath gained nothing for I would say so that the Lord Jesus hath by his Spirit revealed Truths even Objectively unto us and even this way made good these promises but how By Inspireing Apostles and others to pen Scripture wherein all New Testament Truths necessary and sufficient for us to be believed and obeyed in order to Salvation are contained and revealed Is not this a proposeing of Truths Objectively Nay more I say the Spirit to this day is proposeing to us truths Objectively in by the work of the Ministrie and Ordinances which are established and maintained by the Spirit for this end to clear up the word of Reconciliation and to explaine all Gospel Truths which we are to believe and obey Here is also an Objective proposal by the Spirit But you will say it is not an Immediat Objective proposal I grant it and yet it is sufficient to confute his reason which mentioneth not this Immediatness nor will he prove any such thing out of these Scriptures in reference to all beleevers 29 Now followeth his Second Argument taken as he sayes from the new Covenant whereby he would prove that we are to be led by the Spirit not only Immediatly but also Objectively A strange conclusion as full of confusion as the former for any would think that by Objectively here he meaneth Mediatly But I suppose he would have said not only Subjectively but also Objectively For clearing of the matter and to prevent a fighting in the dark we would know That the work of the Spirit in order to the beleeving of Truths is either in and about the Soul of the man whom he is to give a Revelation of the truth unto or is in and about the Truth which is revealed and to be beleeved The First is that which is meaned by the word subjective because the man is the subject in which the Spirit is to work faith The Other is that which is expressed by the word Objective because the truth revealed is the Object which is to be beleeved and received Now the Subjective Operation of the Spirit in this matter is by enlightning the Understanding of the man taking away the vail that was over his eyes and thus enabling him to see the Object as when Christ cured the blinde man he put him in case to see the light which he could not do before so the Spirit openeth the eyes of the minde of the man that he may see the wonders out of his law Psal. 119 18. As to this immediat work of the Spirit though the Lord thinketh good to do this ordinarly in and by the use of meanes which he hath appointed so that the word Immediatly must not be so understood as to exclude these he maketh no debate with us But as to the Objective operation of the Spirit it is by proposeing of the Object or Truth to be beleeved unto the Intellect as true and as spoken by God and this is twofold either External or Internal External is when the Truth is proposed by God to the Intellect by outward meanes such as the Scriptures Preachers and the like and this may be also called Mediat Internal which may be called Immediat is when the Lord's Spirit doth immediatly propose the Truth to be believed as true and as spoken to them as a truth now to be believed because thus spoken by Him immediatly unto their souls unto which is requisite a real secret operation of the Spirit immediatly carrying the truth in upon the Understanding by Supernatural and Immediatly Infused intelligible Species's The former mediat way this man is not Satisfied with and this last immediat way is that whereby Truths were revealed extraordinarily to Prophets and Apostles and otherâ— who were Inspired and is usually called Prophetick Revelation and in this sense is the word Revelation ordinarily taken in Scripture And this is the Revelation Immediat and Objective which this man would plead for and which we deny to be common to all believers whether under â—he Old Testam or under the New And which we also deny to be â—he way by which we are to expect the Teachings and Leadings of the Spirit now seing we are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ himself being the chiefe corner stone Ephes. 2 20. 30. Now let us see how he proveth his point He adduceth two passages of Scripture Esai 59 21. and Ier. 31 33. with its parallel Heb. 8 10. where the Lord promiseth that the words which he shall put in their mouth shall not depart out of their mouth nor out of the mouth of their seed nor out of the mouth of their seeds seed from hence forth even for ever And that he will put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c And what I pray can all this Evince Cannot the Lord put his words in the mouth and hearts of his People Mediatly Ay but saith he the Lord saith not that he will do this by Scriptures or other Means Nor doth he say say I that he will do it without them when he opened the heart of Lydia and when he caused the Thessalonians receive the word not as the word of Man though preached by Paul but as it is indeed the Word of God did he not put his word into their mouth and write it in their hearts But saith he hereby is the law and the Gospel differenced that the law was writen in tables of stone but the Gospel in the heart Ans. Said not David Psal. 40 8. that the law of God was in his heart And Ps. 119 11 that he hid Gods Word in his heart If it be so why said he before and went about to prove that the Object of faith of beleevers under the Law and under the Gospel was the same and how had all the Saints under the Law Immediat Revelations Other answers might be given here but these are sufficient to shew the mans Ignorance and Inconstancy when he hath reconciled himself to himself we will have less to do What he speaks afterward of Immediat Communion which is not the same with Immediat Revelation in respect whereof the state of beleevers under the Gospel is better than that under the Law is but to confirme further his self contradiction Let him reconcile this with what he said before of beleevers under the Law and of the sameness of the Object formal of the faith of both and we shall think ourselves concerned to notice what he saith But further to multiply his self contradictions he addeth an Untruth viz. That under the Law they had the high Priest immediatly receiving the Word of God in the holy of holies to teach the people and we say now under thâ— Gospel there is nothing but the external letter of the Scripture in the meaning of one verse of which scarce two do agree For neither can he prove that the High Priest had such Revelations alwayes in the Holy of Holies And we
feeling till Free will come in and determine the matter nor hath it any efficacious influence upon Free will to determine it but leaveth it to its free choice 3. Is this all the benefite that is had by Christ's Obedience and Death that people may be turned from evil to good then it seemeth Christ's death was not so effectual for the good of any as Adam's sin was for the hurt of all Is this to magnifie and exalt the Sacrifice of Christ 4. If this be all that Christ purchased to wit a power to turne from evil to good and to feel the vertue of this seed if men will he hath purchased nothing but what is Natural or what is inferiour to common moral vertues for it is natural to have a power to do or not do as men will and a moral vertue is more than such a power because it leaveth not the man in a state of pure indifferency but inclineth him to acts of such a vertue and only to such acts And if Christ purchased only this power he purchased no more a power to do good than a power to do evil for the power of it self is indifferent to both no more inclined to the one then to the other So that Christ hath purchased â—o Supernatural Grace which effectually moveth and determineth to good but only the Pelagian Natural Grace by which no man is more inclined to good than to evil and which a man may make use of or not as he will and so if he will it shall be of no benefite to him 5. If this be all that Christ hath obtained it is not much mater though we say that such are partakers of it that never heard of Christ. 6. But why saith he Many may feel this seed that never heard of Christ not All Is there any difference if there be what is it and upon what is it founded 7. We deny that any partake of the Supernatural and Saving Benefites of Christ's death who are without the Covenant and never heard of him we mean persones come to age for we except the Elect Infants who are within the covenant and are not capable of hearing And this Mans doctrine rendereth the knowledge of the Gospel very useless at least not very necessary though life and immortality be â—rought to light thereby 2 Tim. 1 10. and it be the mean through which people are begotten unto God 1 Cor 4 15. and the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1 16. the glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1 11. though by it we are called to sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thes. 2 14. And in the word of the truth of the Gospel we heare of the hope which is laid up fâ—r us in heaven Col. 1 5. Though by it the Gentiles be made fellow heires and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ Ephes. 3 6 And it be the Gospel of our salvation Ephes. 1 13. Though it be a glorious Gospel having light in it to shine into the heart of beleevers 2 Cor. 4 4. and hath a blessing and a fulness of blessing in it Rom. 15 29. so it is called the Everlasting Gospel Rom. 14 6. and for preaching of which Christ himself was anointed Luk. 4 18. What unworthy creatures must these Quakers be that think so little of the Gospel of Christ and of the preaching of it and cry up so much the Light within 17 But he saith they beleeve that it is necessary for such as hear the Gospel to beleeve it Ans. Necessary how Wherein consisteth this necessity seing we may be saved without it Is it because it is a Revelation of God's truth But that speaks out no more the necessity of the faith of the Gospel or of the History of Christ unto salvation than the faith of this that Paul left his cloak at Troas or the History of Cain Ismael Iudas c. which is recorded in the Scriptures And thus he maketh the great mercy of enlarging the borders of the Church under the New Testament and of taking-in all nations by the preaching of the Gospel without discrimination to be no mercy at all or at least a very small mercy He addeth That they ingenuously confesse the outward knowledge of this to be full of comfort to such as are under it and are acted by this inward seed and Light Ans. But this comfort is not necessary to Salvation according to them This inward Seed and Light is sufficient for this and we are enquiring after its necessity but finde none in this mans opinion Yet let us see wherein this comfort consisteth For saith he Pag. 86. not only are they humbled by the sense of Christs death and sufferings but they are also confirmed thereby and encouraged to follow his excellent example 1 Pet. 2 2. and are also refreshed by his gracious speaches Ans. And is this all Then I see there is no more necessity for any to be acquanted with the History of Christs life and death than with the History of other holy saints of God and we have no more interest in that than in these is that to exalt Christ's Satisfaction and Propitiation All that was written afore time was written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15 4. And is the History of Christ of the same nature and use with the History of others And is there no more to be gathered therefrom than what an example may contribute This is pure Socinianisme in graine 18. In fine he discovereth to us another mystery concluding thus The History indeed is profitable and comfortable conjoyned with the mystery but not without it but the mystery is and can be profitable without the explicite and external knowledge of the History Ans. That the knowledge of the History without the receiving of Christ held forth therein conforme to the Gospel termes is of little use as to Salvation we grant but what else he meaneth by the mystery I know not unless he meane the light within 2. Can he shew us how the mystery can be known without the History Or to whom and when it hath been known 3. Why was the Gospel written and that by so many several hands And why have we any books of the New Testament And why did Christ appoint Oâ—fâ—cers to continue to the end Why did he send forth his Apostles to bear witness of his Death and Resurrection Why saith Iohn Chap. 20 vers 31. but these are written that ye might beleeve that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that beleeving ye might have life through his name Thus we see how at one dash this Mischievous Man would destroy the whole administration of the Gospel by making it altogether unnecessary unto salvation what a desperat designe must these men have 19. In the fift place he cometh to clear how
Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Ephes. 1 10 22 23. 5 23 27 32. Col. 1 18. The visible Church which is also Catholick or Universal under the Gospel not confined to one Nation as before under the Law consists of all these throughout the world that profess the true Religion 1 Cor. 1 2. 12 12 13. Psal. 2 8. Revel 7 9 Rom. 15 9 10 11 12. together with their children 1 Cor. 7 14. Act. 2 39. Ezech. 16 20 21. Rom. 11 16. Gen. 3 15. 17 7. and is the Kingdom of the Lord Iesus Christ Mat. 13 47. Esai 9 7. the house and family of God Ephes 2 19. 3.15 out of which there is no ordinary possibility of Salvation Act. 2 47. Unto this Catholick visible Church Christ hath given the Ministrie Oracles and Ordinances of God for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints in this life to the end of the world And doth by his owne Presence and Spirit according to his promise make them effâ—ctual thereunto 1 Cor. 12 28. Ephes. 4 11 12 13. Mat. 28 19 20. Esai 59 21. Adde hereunto Quaest. 63. of our Larger Catechisme What are the special privileges of the Visible Church Ans. The visible Church hath the privilege of being under God's special care and government Esai 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 4 10. of being protected and preserved in all ages notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies Psal. 115. throughout Esai 31 4 5. Zech. 12 2 3 4 8 9. and of enjoying the Communion of saints the ordinary Meanes of Salvation Act. 2 39 42. Offers of grace by Christ to all the members of it in the ministrie of the Gospel testifying that whosoever believes in him shall be saved Psal. 147 19 20. Rom. 9 4. Ephes. 4 11 12. Mark 16 15 16. and excluding none that will come unto him Ioh. 6 37. 2. Here is our doctrine laid downe in few words What would this man now say He giveth us first the Etymology of the greek word that we render Church and thence tels us that an Ecclâ—sia or Church is nothing else but a company of such as God hath called out of this world Against which I have nothing to say only for clearing the matter I would adde That there is a company called out of the world by the grace of God power of his Spirit to worshipe him in Spirit and in Truth and this is that company which is called the Church invisible because their union with their Head and with one another is by a bond of true and saving Faith and sincere Love which are not obvious to the eyes of men As also there is a greater company of persons called out of the world to profess the Name of Jesus to worshipe Him outwardly according to his word and to owne him for their King by submitting to his Lawes Ordinances Officers by an outward profession And this is that company which is called the visible Church because both their exercise their bond of union with this King with one another is outward obvious to the eye to wit an open Profession of the true Religion outward submission to following of the ordinances institutions of Christ But as to this visible Church in his following words he seemeth to take no notice thereof for he describeth to us the Church Invisible and then tels us that without this Church there is no salvation But this is impertinently spoken for that Church is made up only of the elect And if we should speak of the Invisible Churâ—h as now existing in this world we could not say that any elect belonged to it but such as were effectually called for the rest were not yet called out of the world or out of their state of nature and he told us that a church is a company of persons called out of the world To say thâ—n that there is no salvation out of that company that are already affectually called is neither pertinent nor truth for there are many who are not yet called whom God will in due time call and bring home and these whom he hath elected he doth bring into the visible Church where they may enjoy the ordinances which God hath appointed â—or Conversion And therefore we say that out of this visible Church there is ordinarily no salvation But all this is said by him to make way for his Church that will take in Heathens Pagans Turks and Tartars that never heard nor never shall hear a word of Jesus Christ which Church as he would delineate it to us hath not the least relation to Christ as Head and King nor any advantage of or interest in the Institutions of Jesus Christ. And what a Church this shall be let any sober Christian judge 3. But let us heare himself speak He calleth the Church a company of such as God hath called out of this world that they may walk in his light and Life One might readily suppose that this were good but hear more Vnder this notion saith he of the Church all these are comprehended of what Nation Kinde Tongue or Family they be though far removed from and strangers to these who profess Christ and Christianity in words and enjoy the Scriptures who obey the divine light and testimony of God within them so as by it they become sanctified and washen Ans. That is in short All Heathens and Pagans who have never heard of Christ or of Christianity belong to this Church of persons called out of the world to walk in God's Light and Life if they have obeyed the Light of Nature and of a Natural Conscience teaching to abstean from grosse sinnes This is the Quakers Church and the Church of persons effectually called out of the world which they mean which is nothing else but a Church of moralized Pagans A pagan-Church without the Knowledge of Christ Profession of Christ Faith in Christ Worshipe of Christ Acknowledgment of Christ Union with Christ without the Gospel of Christ and the Spirit of Christ. Anâ— though he call this the Catholick Spirit and the secret life and vertue of Iesus Yet it is in truth nothing but Catholick nature which cannot understand the things of the Gospel This is further confirmed by what he addeth Therefore saith he they may be members of this Catholick Church who are Pagans Turks and Iewes and of every seck among Christians if they be good single hearted men though they be ignorant and superstitious Thus we see the Quakers Church is erected according to the Covenant of works and that now broken founded upon the Law of Nature directed by the Light of Nature and to it belong all civil outwardly moral persons whatever Religion they have and how superstitious soever they be Yea though they worshipe stocks and stones and the Devil for there is no exception here Reader what thinkest thou now of this Church of this Profession and of this Religion It is Catholick I confess alas
too Catholick Hence we see how false it is that he saith afterward Pag. 174. that this Church hath sometimes been Invisible though he after the Quakers manner misapply that Ier. 3 14. 1 King 19 18. For alas it hath alwayes since Adam fell been too visible 4. Next § 3. He speaketh of a particular Church and here seemeth to worde the matter better but he having already given us the Key we shall be the more able to unlock his cabinet We must sâ—ith he consider a Church as it signifies a certain number of faithful persons That is Persons only taught by the Light of nature though as for Religion they may be worshipers of the Devil for this particular Church needeth but be a part of the Catholick Church what more Gathered together saith he by the Spirit of God and the testimony of some of his Ministers That is say I by the Light and Law of nature and the testimony of Quakers or such Ministers as preach nothing of the Gospel nothing of Christ revealed in the Gospel nothing of the mystery of God of Christ therein revealed What more And brought unto saith he the faith of true principles and the doctrine of the Christian faith That is such principles and doctrine of Christian faith as may be among them that never heard of Christ or of Christian Faith that worshipe the work of mens hands and possibly the Devil Whose hearts saith he further united by the same love and their understanding illuminated with the same truth meet together to attend upon God adore him and unanimously give testimony against errour though they suffer therefore But 1. Do not their bodies meet together too 2. Can that love be true Christian love which may be among Pagans 3. What illumination of truth can they have who never had another teacher than a Natural Conscience within or the Law written upon the works of creation and providence 4. What attendance upon God or adoration of him without Christ known and beleeved in 5. What testimony against errour can they give who never heard of the Gospel or of Christ 6. I know that here he is giving us a description of Quakers Conventicles which really are Synagogues of Satan He tels us further that all the members of those meetings teach and instruct one another And so they are all officers all eyes c. and so monsters No organical Church Then he closeth with an untruth saying that such were all the primitive Churches gathered by the Apostles While as the Apostolick Churches consisted of persons who called upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 1 2. They were Churches in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 1 1. 2 Thes. 1 1. that is such as acknowledged and worshiped the true God and that in Jesus Christ which neither Pagans nor Jewes as such did 5. Having thus spoken of a catholick of a particular church he cometh § 4 to speak something of the qualifications of the members of both which I judge superfluous seing that was sufficiently done already Yet because his words here are of a finer-like dress let us heare him That one sayes he may be a member of the catholick church it is necessary that there be an inward call of God by his light in the heart and that the heart be fermented by his nature and Spirit so as he leave off unrighteousness and turne to righteousness and that as to the inward part of his soul he be cut off the wild olive of nature and planted in Christ bâ— his word inward Spirit And all this may be in them that are ignorant of the history of Christ as was proved in the 5. and 6. Thesis Ans. These are fine words to deceive the simple had he not sufficiently explained himself above in the place by himself cited and just now also given us a clear view of his Catholick Church and of its members we might readily have been deceived But according to his owne interpretation of himself and a narrow inspection of his words here We finde 1. That one can be a qualified member of the Church Catholick who hath never heard of Christ or of the Covenant of grace in Christ nor learned any more of Christianity or of the Gospel then what nature could teach and how dissonant this is from the whole Gospel let any that ever read it speak 2. All this inward call of God is by the light that is in the heart of every man by nature is this any thing else but natures dim light 3. All this fermentation to speak in the Quakers dialect is effectuate by the power of this light and this is it he meaneth by the Spirit as he hinteth here and leargly told us before 4. All the effect of this work is but an outward turning from unrighteousness which a natural wretch may do upon the information of a natural conscience This is nothing of true Sanctification 5. It is impossible that all the operation of nature can bring a man off nature and plant him in Christ. 6. The Spirit of God worketh in and with the word and this word is the preaching of the Gospel and where the Gospel is there is the history of Christ. So that where there is nothing of the history of Christ there is not the word of the Kingdom there is not the special working of the Spirit of Christ This word therefore and inward Spirit whereof he speaketh is but he word Spirit of Nature that is nature under new names the Paganish-word and Spirit 6. But what is requisite to a member of a particular christian church He answereth Pag. 175. Beside this inward work it is necessary sayes he there be an external profession and faith in Iesus Christ and these sacred truthes delivered in the Scriptures when the inward light and testimony of the Spirit shall naturally incline compel such as are subject and obedient to it to give assent and credite to the truthes delivered in the Scripture Ans. We heard before of a Catholick Church whereof all the members must needs be saved and of a Particular Church much of the same complexion with the Catholick but now we hear of a new Church called a Particular Christian church the complexion of which seemeth to differ from the former But the matter is this Christianity with him is not necessary to salâ—ation thâ—re may be particular Churches were there is nothing of the Christian Religion Pagans that are somewhat Moral Civil belong to the catholick Church shall be saved as well as Christians But because where the word of the Gospel is come there must be some respect had to it to the word of God therefore a little more is necessary in this case though not in it self to be found in such as live in such places where the word of God is for it were a shame to say that no more were required of a man borne and living all his
dayes where the word of God and the Gospel is than of a pagan that never heard of Christ. But now what is required An External profession c. This is good enough to declare that the Quakers Churches are not Christian for they beleeve not the holy truthes set downe in the Scriptures because they oppose and contradict them Nor do they beleeve in or make profession of Jesus Christ revealed in the N. Testament because they oppose him and all his Institutions But how is this faith wrought is it by the Spirit of God No the inward light alone doth it that is it is a faith of Christ of the truth of the Scriptures that nature can sweetly naturally incline yea compel unto But this can reach no further than the truths that corrupt nature can teach and what affinity these have with the Gospel of the grace of God let Christians judge And thus we have run round and are againe where we begane 7. He inferreth from what he hath said That the inward work of holiness and laying aside of iniquity is every way necessary to constitute a member of the Church of Christ. Yet it is but such a work of holiness that nature can produce effectuat We acknowledge true holiness wrought by the Spirit of God subdueing overcoming nature to be necessary in all that are members of the Invisible Church but not necessary to constitute one a member of the visible Church general or particular What more That outward profession is necessary to make one a member of a particular congregated church though not of the catholick church Then the particular Church is not an homogeneal part of the Catholick but of a different complexion Then members of the Catholick church cannot be members of a particular Church without some more be added It seemeth then these particular Churches are Visible Churches but the Catholick is invisible Yet saith he this external profession is every way necessary where God giveth opportunity to know it and the outward testimony is to be beleeved when and where it is revealed Then it is no way necessary otherwise and so without any Knowledge Revelation or Acknowledgement or Profession of the Gospel one may be a member of the Catholick saved Church are these things consonant to Scripture 8. Next § 5. He tels us that the devil working in the mystery of iniquity taught his followers to say That none how holy so ever was a member of the church of Christ without an outward profession and unless he were initiated with some ceremonies Ans. And what can it be else but the devil working in the mystery of iniquity that taught him to say tha◠Pagans Turks Jewes who are enemies to the true Christian Religion can be members of the Catholick church without either Profession or Knowledge of Christ 2. Himself said that this profession was necessary to particular Christian Churches And are not these Churches of Christ 3. for the external ceremonies used in the Church of Rome we owne them not but such as Christ hath instituted in his word if the Spirit within him be not contrary to the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures he also should owne And againe saith he That if one have an outward profession though inwardly ungodly and irregenerate he may be a member of the true Church of Christ Ans. That such an one may be a member of the Church Visible we owne it as the truth of God and when he shall be pleased to forme a disput upon this head shall make it good And at best he is but mistaken when he addeth that this is to put light for darkness as if God did more regard words than works For the Lord calleth for both Rom 10 9 10. He is also mistaken when he sayes that Antichrist did build his structure upon this foundation For he applieth all the privileges of the Invisible Church unto his visible Synagogue of Satan distinguisheth not betwixt the Visible the Invisible Church as neither doth this Quaker non-churcheth all who are not of his combination and how neare this Quaker approacheth to him in this he can judge if he will 9. What he speaketh of the degenerating of the primitive churches is true but when among these corruptions he reckoneth Pag. 176. this as one that men became Christians that is members of the visible church by birth he is far out for if that be a corruption the Apostles first primitive Church were guilty thereof for we owne it from them Peter told the Jews that the promise was to them and to their children Act. 2 39. And Paul told the Corinthians 1 Cor. ◠14. that the children of beleevers were holy and under the Law children by birth enjoyed this privilege this privilege was never taken away from them under the Gospel What he saith of the reformed churches though there be too much truth in it yet it ill becometh him his party to upbraid them seing all their designe as hath been often observed is to make them us all mere pagan churches And instead of true holiness to presse upon us Natural Dead Antievangelick Morality CHAP. XVII Of a Ministerial call 1. OUr Quaker having thus dispatched what he had to say of the Church cometh to speak to what he had mentioned in his Thesis concerning the Ministery where we finde several things spoken unto which we shall examine severally In the beginning of his 10. Thesis he tels us That as by this gift grace and light all the true knowledge of God in spiritual things is received and revealed so by the same as it is manifested and received in the heart by its power and efficacy every true Minister of the Gospel is constituted prepared and furnished for the work of the ministry And by this moving leading and drawing must he be led commanded in his misterial work as to places where the persons to which and times when he is to be imployed That which here we are to take notice of is that which constituteth a Minister and with this Quaker the only thing that maketh one a Minister is Inward Light which he calleth also grace and a gift as it is received in its power in the heart This is all his call unto the weighty work of the Ministrie What this Light Gift and Grace is we discovered above sufficiently and after examination of all that he said of it found it to be nothing else but the dim Light and Law of Nature or the Relicques of that which once was glorious and illustrious while Adam stood because nothing else can be supposed now common to all Adam's sones or all that are Rational Creatures whether borne without or within the Church whether Pagans Barbarians Cannibals Shythians or what you will And this he makes both the Preacher or Revealer of Spiritual things and the Meane by which this Revelation is received for by it all the true knowledge of God in Spiritual
22. And the practice of the Church thereafter evinceth that this course was constantly followed and though through corruption base and unworthy men entered sometimes into the Ministrie yea and though afterward the Ordinance was corrupted through Antichrist by his manifold additions and other corrupt appendices yet the Ordinance of Christ is not to be rejected but rather to be purged from these corruptions annexed without Scripture warrand that the ordinance may be observed and preserved in its primitive Integrity And though by reason of such corruptions there was an interruption of the conveyance of the ministerial power in the order and manner appointed by Christ yet the Ordinance might be taken up againe and some usual circumstances dispensed with in such a case of necessity without the least impeachment of the Ordinance it self We need not then trouble ourselves to enquire after such an uninterrupted succession of Persons so ordained one after another if we finde ministers now setled according to the Ordinance of Christ we are to be satisfied But the thing that troubles him is that we say such as are ordained by Pastors according to the rule of the word are Pastors and to be owned as such Nor will it satisfie him that we say that beside this such as are called must have an inward call also of God inclineing them to that work as we formerly hinted because as he thinks there is no enquiry made after this and yet if he would look our directory for ordination he might finde as much as might satisfie a reasonable man concerning this which is not obvious to mens tryal and examination but is hid in the heart As to what he saith § 9. and 10. because it concerneth them who plead for the necessity of an uninterrupted Succession which I see no necessity for I need not trouble my self to Answere though I see nothing said by him which is of any force and elsewhere I have said something to it See my book against Velthusius Assert 9. towards the end and I shall recommend to this Man the serious perusal of Voetii Desperata Causa Papatus 12. He cometh § 11. Pag. 187. to speak to Others who lay not so much weight upon this Succession as conveyed through Papacy but assert that in extraordinary cases of necessity somethings may be done which ought not to be done in other ordinary cases when the Church is setled and rightly constituted or purged from destroying corruptions And what sayes he here Forsooth to vindicate himself and his fraternity for taking upon them the Ministrie at their owne hand he hath the face to say that he can accuse us of many errours And what will his bold saying so do when we have evinced that Quakerisme is but a Cento an Hotch potch of errours so that they are become the very Kennel in which all the filth of other errours and heresies run are become one standing puddle of abomination And as to their being Ministers what I pray have they to show but what the false Prophets and Apostles did pretend unto He talketh of an Immediat Revelation but who seeth that but themselves who have the false light of an ignis fatuus to enlighten them Shall we think that the Immediat Revelation of the Spirit of God would act men as they are acted and prompt them to at rampling upon all the holy Ordinances of Jesus Christ The Comforter whom Christ promises to send will guide into all truth Ioh. 16 13. and not sure into all errour and will glorify Christ vers 14. while as the evil Spirit in these Quakers cannot do more than he doth to vilify Christ and render him most contemptible in his Person Offices Work Ordinances He tels us that this immediate revelation of the Spirit is as necessary in a Church constituted as in a Church to be constitute But what meaneth he by this Immediat Revelation Meaneth he nothing else than what is necessary to all true Christians and is acknowledged by us that is the inward working of the Spirit sanctifying the soul No sure it is plaine Enthusiasme of which we spoke enough above Chap. III. And who saith or how will he evince it that our first reformers were called to the work of the ministrie by such an Euthusiastick Call as were the Prophets of old or such an immediat outward call with an audible voice from Christ as the Apostles had I deny that any such thing is necessary or to be expected even in extraordinary cases seing the Lord can in a more plaine and obvious manner give intimations of his will then by Enthusiasmes or audible voices such as Paul had which he would not have us now look for having the Canon of the Scriptures now compleat before us to regulate us in all cases Ordinary and Extraordinary and having the constant significations of God's will in his providence to help us to understand his minde in particulars conforme to the general rules in his word And by these we may learne what is to be done or not done in this or that case without Dreames or Vive Voices from heaven or Enthusiasmes which whosoever would expect might fear that God because of their tempting of him might give the great Tempter leave to deceive them as experience hath proven 13. As to that which some say That such as boast of an Immediat Call should confirme the same by Miracles He answereth Pag. 181. That as this was Objected by the Papists unto our first reformers so their answere may suffice to wit That was not necessary for them seing they preached nothing but the doctrine that was already confirmed by miracles And beside Iohn the Baptist and some true Prophets did no miracles Answere Though I do not owne the Objection as it is here simply set downe Yet take it thus and it will prove too hote for his fingers They who have had immediate cals from God were able to give evidence of the same by miracles or some other evident testimony of the Spirit that it was so which to contradict or not to receive and beleeve had been iniquity and utterly unreasonable Now what can these Quakers shew to justifie their Immediat Call to be of God They alleidge an Immediate Call but who can see any grounds to beleeve it Their saying so is not enough for false Prophets said it Their doctrine can not evince it for if their call be to be judged by their doctrine I know no heretick that ever breathed that had not better ground upon this account to pretend to an Immediat Call for I defye any man to name me any Seck of hereticks or erroneous persons since Christianity was heard of that maintained such a bundle of Errours and Heresies as these Quakers do to speak nothing of their blasphemous expressions and practices let any but read the examinations of Iames Nayler and his carriage about Bristol and their dayly expressions in their books and judge But to wave these let us consider but
This is Quakerisme indeed 13. What he addeth Pag. 256. § 23. of some turning superstitious some idolatrous and others formal upon this account if he meane it of all that oppose him and contradict his opinion I look upon it as a groundless calumny if he meane it only of some I have no minde to defend them in it Nor shall I need to retaliat and say that their leaning to these false Inspirations and diabolick Excitations having forsaken the good old way are direct meanes through the judgment of God to confirme them in their Paganisme and Paganish Antichristianisme for the matter is notoure enough though I mention none of their other miscarriages even after their Enthusiasmes wicked Inspirations and Introversions 14 Before he come to answer Objections he speaketh Pag. 25◠§ 24. to the defence of their irreligious profane and contemptuous carriage in our Assemblies for worshipe where they love to come to do open affront both â—o God and men for even in time of prayer or praise they will remaine covered He saith they do this only to keep their conscience unhurt But if there were such hazard of sin in joyning with us in our worshipe why come they to the place of Worshipe Their end can be nothing else but to do open contempt if they beleeve as he saith that our worshipe is an abomination they should keep far aback from it But the truth is their Antichristian Spirit which acteth them to an hight of rage will not suffer them to see Christ worshiped in his way And how knoweth he that our ministers pray alwayes without the Spirit Hath he the gift of discerning Spirits And can he go in to the heart and see how maters stand there We profess that we pray without the Spirit and have therefore our limited times sayes he But he is a liar we say no such thing The gift and the grace of Prayer both is of the Spirit and though it too often falleth out that there is not that faith in dependance on the Spirit that there ought to be both for the gift and for the grace yet it is not our profession that prayer should be without the Spirit and this praying with the Spirit can well consist with praying at such and such times But that Spirit without which we say we pray is your Spirit of delusion or your fantastical Dreames Impulses Drawings and Inspirations which for any thing we can see are diabolical But it seemeth they have a sagacious Spirit of discerning when one prayeth in the Spirit and when not for he sayes though one in our presence should beginne to pray not expecting the Spirit yet if it appeared that the Spirit of the Lord concurred with him we would also joyn And what is that I pray that will make this manifest unto them Is it talking in the Quakers dialect Or the Mimical posture of the body Or what is it I am apt to beleeve it must only be something of that nature As for Alexander Skeins Propositions I meddle not with them because some other hath answered them and the substance of them I have already confuted 15. He cometh after this digression to examine Objections Pag. 260. § 25. And the first is this If such inward motions and impulses be necessary to Outward acts oâ— worshipe why not also to Inward Nay much more they must be necessary for the special motions of the Spirit are more necessary unto the grace of prayer than unto the gift and in the outward exercises of worshipe there is more of a gift required than in inward What answereth he Vnto these general duties the motion and influence of the Spirit dureing the day of visitation is alwayes present striveing with the man so that if he but stand and be abstracted from his evil thoughts God is near to help him But external actions stand in need of greater and more particular influences Ans. Not to insist here on the confutation of the marrow of Pelagianisme which is laid downe for his ground thaâ— being done sufficiently above I only take notice here that with our Pelagian Quakers an Heathen or a Pagan can love God with all his heart adore fear believe in him and performe all inward worshipe of this kinde easily when he will he hath divine influences at his command nay the Spirit is within already for that end so that if he will but sist his course and abstract from his evil thoughts which he may very easily do God is at his hand and the work will go on but as to uttering of words much more is requisite that is if I be not far mistaken Nature can help him to perform â—ll Inward worshipe but he must have the supervenient Influence of an evil Spirit to act him before he performe any publick act of worshipe Such an enemie is this Spirit that acteth the Quakers unto all Publick profession of the name of Jesus and worshiping of him openly that he will never suffer any thing that looketh there away to be done until he have his hand so in it that he shall be sure it shall be more worshipe service to himself than to Christ 16. It is Objected againe That by this principle no man should do a morall duty as honour his parents do justice to his neighbours plow the land until the Spirit move him for no service else can be accepted He answereth There is a difference betwixt those general duties and particular acts of worshipe These are spiritual and are commanded to be done by the Spirit Those some way answere their end as to them whom they immediatly concerne though they proceed from a meer natural principle of self love Ans. Who denieth that there is a difference betwixt them yet each of them must be performed in the right manner else they are not acceptable and the right manner cannot be without the Spirit This he confesseth And therefore must yeeld the argument And we deny that worshipe is to be done in the Spirit according to his sense and no other way that is only by the immediat Inspirations and Imâ—ulses and Drawings of the Spirit we affirme worshipe ought to be performed in the Spirit that is by his gracious Assistance graceing the soul and breathing on his graces that they may act seasonably But sayes he further As a natural Spirit is required to performe natural acts so the Spirit of God is requisite to the performance of Spiritual acts All is granted yet he knoweth that to performe natural acts in a spiritual manner the Spirit of God is requisite and if natural acts be not performed in a spiritual manner they are not accepted of God and therefore according to his principles we must not eat drink sleep walk work plow c. till the Spirit stirre us up immediatly and carry us to the duty because without this previous motion of the Spirit we will but commit abomination in all these actions as well as in worshiping without the Spirit So
QUAKERISME The path-way to PAGANISME Or A Vieu of the Quakers Religion BEING An Examination of the Theses and Apologie of Robert Barclay one of their number published lately in latine to discover to the World what that is which they hold and owne for the only true Christian Religion By JOHN BROWN Minister of the Gospel Printed for Iohn Cairns and other Booksellers in EDINBURGH ANNO MDC LXXVIII An EPISTLE to the READER CHRISTIAN READER Having in the following Discourse given as the Lord was pleased to helpe at some length yet with as much brevitie as the matter would suffer and thy good and edification which I was called to consult would permit my poor Testimony unto those precious Truths which are trode upon by this late Upstart generation of Quakers I shall not detaine thee long in the entrie Only let me say That as this impendent Pestilentious Cloud of Heathenish and Hellish Darkness which the Devil by the ministrie of these Locusts only Masculine in Malice against Christ being the very impure Spawn of perfect Antichristian Enmitie to our Lord Jesus his Person Offices Work Institutions and to the Whole of the blessed Gospel and in consonancy to that Hel-hatched designe breathing forth nothing but that putrid Poison that innate Serpentine Venome of manifest and mad Opposition to all the Mysteries of God concerning our Salvation which as they have implanted in them from their Father the Devil that it may appeare they are his very Children by working his works so they endeavoure to propagate to others hath now exhaled out of the bottomless Pit and by their Activity and Diligence Assisted by his Art and Prompted by his Spirit brought unto this Prevalency of darkening our Horizon and infecting so many even of such of whom sometimes better things were expected should as upon the one hand make all of us look back with griefe and fix our eyes upon our misimproving and abusing the faire day of the Gospel that we enjoyed until our eye affect our heart and we in the conviction of our hainous guilt in this matter the Nature and Aggravations of which are clearly enough seen in this judicial stroke which carrieth a Proportion both as to Kind and Degree with the Sin and is therefore much more dreadful then Famine Sword and Pestilence would be become humbled and sorrowful after a godly manner so upon the other hand the consideration hereof should raise in us a more high esteem for the Precious Interests of Jesus Christ and kindle in us more godly Zeal for his Truths Cause and make us heartily receive not only the Truth but the love of the Truth that we may be saved for the neglect of which Duty it was foretold and threatned 2 Thes. 2 11 12. that for this cause God shall send strong delusion that they to wit who received not the love of the truth should beleeve a lie that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness When the Lion is roaring ought not we to tremble When the Jealous and Righteous God is sending on a generation of Undervaluers and Despisers of the great inestimable benefite of the Everlasting Gospel a sader stroke than his three great Plagues would be that should make populous Countreys and Cities waste and without Inhabitants in a very short time what Christian heart will not tremble and be afraied When the Lord sends upon a Land his three great Messengers of wrath which can but destroy the Body that must at length however return to the dust are not all called to consider their wayes and to turn unto the Lord How much more are we now called hereunto when the Lord is saying I will also chuse their delusions and is giving many up unto this Spirit of Delusion and Apostasie whereby some that have been formerly enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift c. put themselves under that terrible impossibility whereof the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6 6. Of being renewed againe unto Repentance seing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame and under that dreadful sentence Heb. 10 26. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devoure the Adversaries and under that much sorer punishment ibid. vers 29. which they shall be thought worthy of who have troden under foot the Son of God and have counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith He was sanctified an unholy thing and have done despite unto the Spirit of grace For I know not if ever there was a Seck of Hereticks and Apostats from the Truth once received since the Apostasie of the Iewes unto whom these passages are more truely and emphatically applicable than to the Apostat Quakers who at length shall know how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God though now they be so bold wicked in their way that it is not enough for them to Apostatize from the Truth but they must also with a furious madness persecute the same Truth which their souls do now hate with their blasphemous mouthes and pens and with their railings and Rabshakeh-language reproach the Wayes of God and all who follow the same Sure I am a due pondering of the desperat Designe pernicious Wayes hellish Doctrine wicked Practices which these Emissaries of Satan project and follow-forth with a stupenduous activity should affect us otherwayes than alas we seem to be at present What are we asleep Are we not crying to the Lord night and day that he would arise and vindicate His own Truth when an enraged company of Runagadoes are destroying so far as they can the whole of our Religion and driving us back to Paganisme and betraying the whole of our sacred Interest into the hands of their Master the Devil Can we hear our blessed Lord and Saviour thus blasphemed as he is by this Paganish Antievangelick Seck of Quakers and not be so much moved with Indignation against them as even Turks who blasphemously assert our Lord to be no more than a Prophet inferiour to their deceiver Mahomet would be of whose just severity in punishing a Iew who in his rage striving with a Christian did blaspheme the blessed name of Iesus of Nazareth according to the sentence of one of their Muftees we have heard and found standing on record to the shame of Christians who have not so much Zeal for Him whom they profess to owne for the true and living God and for the only Son of God and Saviour of Man as Turks have for a Prophet of God Thus it ought not to be and a redress is called for at the hands of one and other according to their Place and Station And however it is the duty of all who love our Lord Jesus Christ and hope to see His face one
denomination to a more adequate distinguishing title we must with his favour use the old though he should think that we used it only ironically If he say that his meaning is That all those who ironically in his judgment are called by others Quakers should go under that distinguishing character title which he assumeth to himself so be discriminated from all other persons of the Christian world by the Name Stile of The Servants of the Lord God Then indeed beside that his latine conjunction et will not well admit of that construction or sense we must of necessity cast away our Bibles as no more to be regairded than the Turks Alcoran which it is like they would gladly have us do before we be induced to owne them as such 7. His Salutation being a wish of sincere repentance unto the acknowledgment of the truth is good in it self but what his perverse meaning is cannot be hid and I shall not here anticipate a clear full manifestation of the perversness of his meaning our following discourse will abundantly discover that Only I adde that I think all true Christians should repay him his Associats with a full measure of the like kinde shaken together pressed downe runing over If it can stand with the unchangable purpose of God 8. Having thus described himself the party for whom he appeareth to prevent our mistake in the next place he bespeaketh those he directeth his Theses unto and first he would perswade them that his following propositions being read viewed in the fear of God will discover simple naked plaine truth But though he both in his Theses in his large Book holdeth forth his meaning more plainely nakedly than heretofore others of his perswasion have doneê° so far as I could observe in which I must needs commend him yet I dar not say that he is in all things so clear distinct as I could have wished as I shall have occasion to note hereafter And whereas he thinketh that such as read view his Theses in the fear of God will observe simple naked plaine truth I must needs judge him to be in a mistake to speak thus through the blindness of prejudice for after all the reading pondering of them that I can make and I hope in the fear of God I cannot come to that light or perswasion for I finde them to be a Farrago of errours old late patch'd up in a bundle sometimes set off with dark enigmatick expressions which can no way suite plaine simple naked truth 9. Secondly he goeth on inveigheth in a subdolous manner against all humane learning that hath been any way made use of in Theology not spareing even usefull Commentaries written upon the Scriptures complaining that the whole of the worthy labours of pious orthodox writers hath but darkned the Truth an hundered fold more than it was in itself I will be loath so far to contradict him as to say that through the corruption of man Satan improving the abilities of some to his own wicked ends there is nothing of this too true for as in all ages so never more than in this present Satan's wicked designes have been are carried on by the writings of men of corrupt mindes darkening the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ perverting the Tâ—uth as it is in Jesus Yet I must needs say that though his single sheet of Theses beareth no great bulk it hath in its designe contributed nevertheless no small assistance unto the corrupting darkning of the Saving truth of God yea I may saifly say more than any or many of the volumes at which he carpeth Nay I doubt if more errour pernicious in it self dangerous to souls shall be found amongst the heterodox writers themselves couched up in lesser yea or in so little bounds as is his single sheet of Theses than is to be found here It is usual with this sort of men as it was with their forefathers or fore runners to cry downe learning books Iohn Matthize at Munster after a revelation from heaven as he pretended commanded all books to be brunt except the bible I nothing doubt but that had been commanded to be burnt with the first if he had not seen how odious that would have made him how it had crossed his corrupt designes And they ordinarily cry out against Learning Schools of learning what they intend hereby is so obviously notour that it cannot be hid for if all books were once destroyed all learning once banished away how easily might they prevail with their errours lead captive silly people with their faire flourishes of glorious-like expressions make faire way unto their dreames pretended Revelations to their setting up their Diana the Light within their Scripture all But they know that the learned judicious having read of the Pranks Pretensions of men of their stamp in former ages of the heterodoxies of men corrupt as to the faith of their grounds in all former ages will soon be in case to detect their pernicious errours deceits now againe revived brought up from the bottemless pit discover their abominations which by all meanes possible they would carefully prevent I should judge it superfluous unnecessary upon this occasion to digresse shew the usefulness necessity of learning of books writen for our help to understand the truth the minde of God revealed in his word whether by particular Treatises writen on particular practical subjects or by more general Treatises clearing up the whole body of divinity or by Commentaries on one or moe particular places or books of holy Scripture seing the labours of the worthy painful servants of Christ in this kinde speak sufficiently for themselves 10. He complaineth moreover that the world is overburthened with books wherein I acknowledge he speaks not far amisse But I would faine know why he his party contribute their assistance to the making of this burthen heavier It is sufficiently known how busie they are in scribling troubling the world with their Pamphlets and though his sheet of Theses did not adde much weight unto the oppressing burthen of books under which he said the world was groaning yet his Apology consisting of moe than fiftie sheet in a large quarto addeth some considerable weight 11. He inveigheth also against disputes debates or books written of that nature calling them altercations thus would condemne all the useful works of the faithful vindicators of Truth against hereticks other erroneous persons among the rest all that have been written against Papists Pelagians Arminians others of whose dregs he hath made a mass framed it into fifteen Piles to be swallowed by such as love death that they may the more easily goe over hath painfully laboured to guild them over with his voluminous Apology But I
preaching to save them that believe and make it their work to preach Christ crucified even Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God And on the other hand what enemies to Christ to his Cross to the Preaching of His Truth and to all His Ordinances he and his party are we may have occasion to shew ere all be done And I am not afrayed to say that they will be found among the Chief Enemies of the cross of Christ howbeit he would faine equalize them to the Apostles whom I supposeth he meaneth by the fisher men he mentioneth Hereby also we can see that this new Seck would faine become yea make themselves the only Compurgators of all that hithertil hath been written in Theology and from them alone we must expect the indices expurgatorii which will only except or reserve some writings of Papists Pelagians Semipelagians Arminians Enthusiasts Anabaptists Perfectionists Antiscripturists Libertines and of such as are against the Ministery and the Ordinances of Christ or some special pieces of their writings which serve to confirme his sentiments which are an Hotch Potch made up of the Quintessence of all these and for the rest that any way contradict him they will have but one sentence and censure passed against them viz all is naught It is remarkable also that according to this Mans judgment the pure and naked Truth of god was never unfolded and declared until this Generation of Quakers arose and if some of themselves be to be believed it is far from half an age since they appeared in our Horizon which neither agreeth with truth nor with himself 16. He tels the Clergy That God thrust downe the wise men c. and hath chosen some few despicable and unlearned persons as to Scholastick learning as he did of old fishermen to publish his pure and naked truth by whom no doubt he meaneth himself and his fraternity for which we have nothing but his own assertion If their call be thus immediate and extraordinary it can be evidenced by such characters of credentials as may rationally satisfie any man concearning it and what these characters are I would gladly understand The Apostle Paul hath told us that the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the later times some shall depairt from the faith giving heed to seduceing Spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with an hote yron 1 Tim. 4 1 2. And how fitly this will quadrate with this sort of men the sequel will evince The same Apostle hath told us in that same Epistle Chap. 5 3 4 5. That who ever consent not to wholesome words the words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness is proud or a fool as the margine hath it knowing nothing but doteing about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy striâ—e railings evil surmiseings perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth supposeing that gaine is godliness from which he adviseth Timothy and us all in him to with draw He describeth also in his second Epistle a sort of men whom he would have shuned saying Chap. 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. This know also that in the last dayes perillous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy without natural affection trucebreakers false accusers or make bates as it is in the margine incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traitours heady high minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having the forme of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turne away for of this sort are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with diverse lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledg of the truth And how appâ—sitely these all or the most of them agree to this generation of Men a few words might evince if it were my present business But all that I now designe is to evince a necessity laid upon us to try Pretenders before we trust them especially such pretenders as are thus described by the Apostle 17. As concearning these fisher men he mentioneth and to whom he compareth himself and his complices by whom I imagine he meaneth the Apostles except Paul who was no fisher man but was learned being brought up at the feet of Gamaliel I would enquire at him if he thinketh that they did publish the naked and pure truth If so he must know that we desire only to follow that as we have it recorded to us in the Scriptures of truth which he and his party do not much value And I would ask further How it cometh to pass that there is such a discrepancy and contradiction betwixt what these Apostles did teach and what he and the rest of the Quakers do teach Truth sure and pure and naked truth cannot be contrary to it self And if he say that there is no difference betwixt his doctrine and the truth delivered by the Apostles he must not be offended if we try the same by their writings and make use of what light within we have to this effect 18. It is not enough for him falsly to accuse all thaâ— have written of Theology of darkning and obscuring the truth but he must also usurpe the throne of God and judge of the heart and intentions of men for he alleidgeth that this was their end That the poor common people might admire them and maintaine them which carryeth as little truth in it as it evidenceth Christian charity in the asserter But we must not storme at such reflexions from the men whose woâ—ks declare what Spirit they are of Nor shall I retaliat though I might nor enquire what way they are maintained it is enough that there are shreud presumptions that their stock lyeth at Rome 19. Whatever we think of them they will needs look upon themselvs as the only called and authorized dispensers of the Gospel for he sayeth that God hath made choise of some few despicable and illiterate persons to publish the pure and naked truth and among the rest of himself to be a dispenser of this Gospel So that among them all are equal administrators and dispensers of this their Gospel for they have no select officers especially set apart for this work and so with them all are eyes eares c. and their body is no organical body so that their Church if their combination may with any propiety of speach be called a Church must needs be a monster But passing this which sufficiently discovereth what enemies they are to Gospel Order and to the institutions of Christ in his Church of which more when we come to his Tenth Thesis we think ourselves concearned to know what for a Gospel this is which they pretend to a mission to preach Sure it is not that which Christ and his Apostles taught and left on record
from the Father and the Son And if the knowledge of this be such an essential part of Christianity and a ground of that knowledge of God which leadeth to salvation and so necessary for the right uptaking of the great work of Redemption and Salvation as it is and cannot rationally be denyed by any sober man who considereth what a sure basis this is unto the Christians hope peace and comfort how cometh it to pass that there is no express and distinct mention made of this fundamental point in all his Theses we have heard how the Quakers of N. England have denied this foundation And Mr Stalham in his Reviler rebuked part 1. sect 7. tels us that the Quakers against whom he wrote dâ—nied thâ—t there was any Scripture for the Trinity and said that the Holy Ghost was no Person It is known also how others of them inveigh against this fundamental Truth It is true I finde not this man either in his Theses or in his Apology directly writing against this truâ—h Yet as I finde no expressions hereanent in his whole book others than such as might come out of the mouth of an Antitrinitarian Socinian so I judge if his Theses had answered his great brags in the Preface they had expresly and distinctly not only mentioned but clearly have unfolded this truth 7. In the 3. place If by his Theses he would direct us into the Saving knowledge of God and make a plaine discovery to us from the very fountaine of all that knowledge that leadeth unto life eternal how cometh it to pass that we have no declaration made to us of the Eternal Purposes and Decrees of God whereby some Men and Angels are predestinated unto everlasting life and others foreordained unto everlasting death and whereby according to the most wise and holy counsel of his will he hath freely and unchangeably ordained whatsoever cometh to pass Shall we think that the knowledge of this hath no interest in the saving knowledge of God or in that knowledge which leadeth unto life which yet undeniâ—bly yeeldeth such a noble ground of Faith Dependence Praise Reverence Humility Hope Consolation Admiration and holy Fear Nay this Man not only doth not asserte or explaine this but as we shall hear doth deny and impugne it with all his might 8. How cometh it 4 That in all his Theses or Apology there is not the least mention direct or indirect made of the Covenant of Redemption or of those mutual actings of the blessed Persons of the Trinity resembling a mutual Covenant and engagement concerning the everlasting Interest of man Shall any man think that this point of truth which is such a sure ground of all our hopes and consolation such a sure support of staggering souls and such an armour of proof against the assaults of Satan maketh no part of that knowledge which leadeth unto life or hath no place in true and saving knowledge 9. Further 5. Doth not the doctrine of the first Câ—venant of Works entered into with Adam as the representative of Mâ—n-kiâ—de upon condition of Personal Perfect and Perpetual obedience belong to that necessary knowledge which bringeth forward unto life or unto that knowledge of God in Christ which is begun felicity How is it then that his Theses are so silent herein or at most give us such a darke and jejune hint of this as is next to none as we shall see It is one of the Quakers tenets as Mr Stalham Sheweth in his forecited book Part 1. Sectâ—7 â—7 that Adam was not under a Covenant of Works that the Law which Adam had in innocency written in his heart was not the moral law that Adam did not stand by the observation of the positive branches given him in command according to that Law So said I. Nayler and R. F. as he sheweth us and that the same Iames Nayler in his Book called The discovery of the Man of sin Pag 23. went about to prove this by such pityful Arguments as these The Covenant of Works saith do this and live but he that is Adam had the life already while he stood in it and so it was not to be obtained by working as if do this and live could not hold forth the condition of continueing in life and againe That the law was added because of transgression which if it had been before the transgression could not have been as if the law must not of necessity be before sin which is the transgression thereof 1. Ioh. 3.4 and could not afterward beheld forth as a glass to discover the foule spots of transgressions and the same would R. F. in the 12. Pag. of his Book go about to prove 10 Moreover 6. If his Theses be such an unfolding of clear and naked truth how cometh it that he speaketh so obscurely and enigmatically of the fall of Adam Doth not the clear and distinct knowledge of this truth concerne such as would be acquaint with true and saving knowledge 11. But especially 7. We may wonder how it cometh to pass that in his Theses which he would give out as a summe of saving knowledge nor in his great Apologie we have no description explication or delineation yea or mention of the Covenant of Grace wherein Life and Salvation Pardon and Acceptance Grace and Glory is promised and offered through faith in Jesus Christ or acceptance of Him as He is offered in the Gospel Shall we think that the knowledge of this is no part of that pure and naked Truth which is necessary to be known Or that it can contribute nothing unto that knowledge of God in Christ which is the sure way unto eternal life How shall he be able to perswade us hereof 12. Againe 8. Shall we think that the doctrine of the Redemption purchased by Christ of the Atonement made by him unto Justice for the sinnes of his people and of their Reconciliation unto and Acceptance with God upon the account thereof of the Sufferings of Christ in Body and Soul in his state of Humiliation of his Death Resurrection and Ascension and Sitting at the Fathers right hand of his Obedience and of the Sacrifice of himself which he through the Eternal Spirit once offered up unto God to satisfie Justice and purchase not only Reconciliation but also an everlasting Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all such as were given to him of the Father shall we think I say that the knowledge of this is not necessary unto Salvation nor necessary to such as would have such a knowledge of God as is eternal life If he dar not be so impudent as to say so why is there such a shameful silence hereof in his Theses and Book as there is Had he no will to displease his friends the Socinians 13. Further 9. Shall it be thought that the doctrine of the Incarnation of the Son of God the Second Person in the Trinity hath no great interest in that pure and naked truth the knowledge whereof leadeth
3 5 6. any way confirme his fancy but rather establish the contrary truth to wit that all the favours which God conferreth upon us in order to salvation are of free grace and not by works of righteousness or works which are done in righteousness and righteously as the words in the original bear which we have done Grace and Mercy here are set in opposition to all our works yea to our best works and therefore if Iustification be an act of God's grace as the Scripture saith it is it is not nor can it be because or upon the account of our works of righteousness And if in and through or by Iustification there is pardon of iniquity as there is Rom. 4 5 6 7. And if pardon of iniquity be a merciful and gracious act in God being an act of his free grace and mercy Ephes. 1 vers 7 8. it is manifest that Iustification is not upon thâ— account of our works Therâ—fore we are said to be Iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ Rom. 3 24. Moreover the judgment of God is alwayes as in condemning of sinners so in justifying of beleevers according to truth Rom. 2 2. And in the matter of justifying of the ungodly the righteousness of God is declared and it is all so contrived that he might be just and the justifier of him which beleeveth in Iesus Rom. 3 25 26. Therefore cannot Iustification passe upon the account of any thing framed and done in us or by us because that is not nor can it be that which will passe for a Righteousness in the eyes of God and a Righteousness answerable to the Law in all points it being when it is at its best but imperfect nor can it have any merite or deserving in it to compensat for former transgressions being alwayes that only which we are obliged unto so that when we have done all we must say that we are but unprofitable servants Luk. 17 vers 10. we have done but what was our duty to do 7. Having thus briefly dispatched his Thesis wherein we see his opposition to Iustification by and upon the account of the Righteousness of Christ imputed and therein his harmony and agreement with Papists Socinians and Arminians we come now to consider what he sayes more largly in his Apology Pag. 122. c. In the beginning he tels us that the handling of this doth well follow his treating of universal Redemption and universal grace And I shall not quarrel with his Method were his doctrine orthodox but seing few who plead for the universality of the death of Christ and who contend for the universality of grace are found sound and orthodox in the point of Iustification we mighâ—â—pon this ground though we had gote no taste of his judgment in the Thesis suspect his doctrine of Iustification But after tryal we will be better able to judge He saith truely that there are many controversies moved already about this point and the more blame worthy is he who doth not diminish but increase these rather as to some things though in the principal he liketh the Popish way better than ours He promiseth first to state the controversie so far as concerneth them and to explaine their judgment and then he saith he will confirme it by Scripture testimony and the certain experience of all that are really justified we must see how he performeth what is promised 8. What he saith § 2. of the Papists depraving of this truth we heare but are ready to suppose that howbeit he do not with them stand up for the merite ex condigno as it is called and yet many Papists reject this and are satisfied with meritum ex congruo in the mater of Iustification and some reject both as may be seen in Stapleton Prol. ad lib. 5. de justific of good works nor approve of the vulgar Papists placeing their Justification in things that are neither good nor evil or in things that are rather evil as good as he thinketh to be evident from their doctrine of the Sacraments and Indulgences c. but commend our Reformers for opposeing these Abominations Yet as to the maine controversie handled betwixt our Reformers and the Papists viz. what is Iustification and what is the formal reason Objective or the formal cause as some speak or Material cause as others speak or that because and upon the account of which men are Justified in the sight of God this Quaker joyneth with the Papists The Councel of Trent Sess. 6. Chap. 7. tels us That Iustification is not only remission of sins but also Sanctification and renovation of the inner man by a voluntary susception of grace and gifts whereby man of unjust becometh just of an enemy becometh a friend that he may be an heire according to the hope of eternal life Why doth our Quaker embrance this upon the matter and give a worse Justification even a Justification wherein there is no mention made of remission of sinnes Why doth he with this Synagogue of Satan confound Justifiâ—ation and Sanctification He knoweth how Bellarmine de Iustif. lib. 2. Cap. 2. briefly stateth the question betwixt us and them in these words Whether the formal cause of absolute Iustification be a righteousness inherent in us or not If this Quaker be no Papist why doth he conspire with them in this cardinal point of difference Why doth he and the rest rise up so much against the Imputed righteousness as do the Papist following the Councel of Trent as we see Pag. 125. he doth shewing his teeth against our Confession of faith And there also I cannot but take notice of a base falshood and deceit when he would make his Readers beleeve that the Papists do not place Justification in any real inward renovation of soul more then the Protestants while as we have seen the contrary out of the Councel of Trent and Bellarm. and multitudes moe might be cited But what needs more when we have the words of that Councel which all Papists must stand to and in that forecited Chapt. the same Councel saith The only formal cause is the righteousness of God not that by which he himself is righteous but whereby he maketh us righteous to wit by which we are renewed in the Spirit of our minde and are not only repute but truely are called and are righteous or just It is true that they say that this grace and charity that is infused in Iustification is through the merite of the most holy suffering of Christ And in this they are more orthodox and less Socinian than are the Quakers to this Mans shame be it spoken Yet still they make Justification to consist in the Infusion of grace and Renovation of the soul. 9. He beginneth his explication of their judgment Pag. 126. § 3. And telleth us first That as it appeareth from the explication of the former thesis they renunce all natural power in themselves for delivering of themselves out
his doctrine which was not legal hence Peter saith Act. 10 vers 37. after the baptisme which Iohn preached Christ himself appointed it to be observed unto the end of the world Mat. 28 19 20. The Apostles who were crying downe the Law of ceremonies did nevertheless constantly in all Churches practise this And in their Epistles teach us what excellent use and improvement we are to make of it as was seen above All which saith that it is a notorious untruth to say that it is repugnant to a Gospel state Nay the Apostle even in that Epistle to the Hebrewes where he is shewing the nullity of all the ceremonial rites used under the Law now under the Gospel asserteth the doctrine of baptismes to be one of the foundations Heb. 6 1 2 And in these Epistles where he speaketh most against the Ceremonial Law as â—o the Romans Colossians and Galatians he maketh honourable mention of baptisme and pointeth forth the noble advantages had thereby and uses that should be made thereof And shall we think that when Peter said to the Jewes Act. 2 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes he looked upon bapâ—isme as nothing else then as some of their legal washings And would Christ have spoken so of it as he doth Mark. 16 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved But to shew that it is of the same nature with these He saith the mater is the same the Author is the same And the ends are the same he thinks because the end is but to signifie inward purification by outward washing Wherein his mistake is maâ—ifest for we have shown that our baptisme is instituted to be a signe and seal of ingrafting into Christ. Gal. 3 2. of Remission â—f sins Mark 1 vers 4. of Regeneration Tit. 3 5. of Adoption Gal. 3 26 27. of Resurrection unto eternal life 1 Cor. 15 29. Rom. 6 5 And to point forth other duties towards members of the same body Ephes. 4 5. 1 Cor. 12 12 13 14 15. Can he demonstrate these of legal purifications We value not his crying out that we herein judaize seing it is a falsly grounded blaspemous reflection injurious to Christ and his Apostles and therefore we may bear it the more patiently 12. He citeth next stealing it from Socinus 1 Cor. 1 17. And thus argueth If baptisme with water were a Gospel institution Paul would have been sent to administer it But he saith the contrare Therefore Ans. 1. If Paul had not been sent to baptize why would he have done it He tels us that he baptized even some at Corinth But saith our Quaker Pag. 276. this was to comply with them in their weakness as elsewhere he circumcised Timothy And if so why did he not also circumcise some of them as he did Timothy Did ever the Apostle Paul practice Jewish ceremonies among the Gentiles such as these Corinthians were to comply with them Why was he then so offendeâ— at Peter Gal. 2 Timothies mother was a Jewesse and he circumcised him because of the Jewes which were in these quarters Act. 16 1 3. But hear what he saith of Titus Gal. 2 3 4 5. But neither Titus who was with me being a Greek was compelled to be circumcised and that because of false brethren unawares brought in who came in privily to spie out our liberty which we have in Christ Iesus that they might bring us into bondage To whom we gave place by subjection no not for an houre that the truth of the Gospel might â—ontinue with you 2. Not only at Corinth did Paul baptize but elsewhere also Act. 16 vers 15.33 And shall we think that Paul would have done this without a commission 3. These words therefore must not be simply but comparatively understood as if he had said my principal business was not to baptize but to preach the Gospel See the like expressions Ier. 7 22 23. Ioh. 15 22 24. Hos. 6 6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice c. To this our Quaker saith It is added and the knowledge of God more then brunt offerings and so brunt offerings are not excluded But there is no such thing there But that posteriour expression learneth us how to interprete the prior And what sayes he to Christ's saying simply goeye and learne what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice and that twice over Mat. 9 13. 12 7. and in neither of the places addeth he the latter clause must we therefore take his meaning to be simply this that God would not have sacrifices because he addeth not the explication 4. Why should Paul have said simply that he was not sent to baptize Was there any difference betwixt his commission and the commission given to other Apostles to whom the Preaching of the Gospel was principally committed baptizing as an accessory Our Quaker answereth by saying That though as to the preaching of the Gospel he was no less tyed than others Yet Christ did not require of him that he should lead his Proselyts into Iewish ceremonies and baptismes howbeit such things were permitted unto and practised by the rest among the Iewish Proselytes But then it seemeth the other Apostles had another commission than Paul had and in their commission they had power to admit their Proselytes into the Jewish ceremonies thus must his discourse run if he speak sense but he saw how odious this was and false and therefore speaks of permission only granted to the rest and that only among Jewish Proselytes and yet neither hereby can he gaine any thing for among the Jewes Paul was as condescending as any for he circumcised Timothy because of the Jewes and unto the Jewes he became a Jew that he might gaine the Jewes 1 Cor. 9 vers 20. See also what he did Act. 22. which occasioned all his after trouble The answers which he starteth and answereth Pag. 277. I meddle not with satisfying my self with what is said 13. Let us now see what he saith to our Arguments To that taken from Christs submiting himself unto Baptisme Mat. 3 13. He saith that Christ was also circumcised and yet it will not follow that is therefore to be continued Answer That Christ was under the ceremâ—nial Law we know But this baptisme was no part of the ceremonial Law being but newly institute and Iohn receiving a special command from heaven to go about it and if it had been a ceremonial rite free for any to have used why would the Jewes have asked him how it came to pass that he baptized seing he was neither Christ nor Elias nor that Prophet Ioh 1 25 and why would the jewes have stood so mute at Christs question when he asked them whether Johns bapâ—isme was of God or of men Mat. 21 35. Mark 11 30. Luk. 20 4. And why would Iohn have scrupled it as he did saying Mat. 3 14. I have need to be baptized of thee