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
of his grace the soul lay hold on the offered salvation and accept of the alsufficient offered Mediator we utterly deny it affirming faith to be the pure gift of God wrought by the exceeding greatness of his power according to the working of his mighty power or according to the working of the might of his power Ephes. 1 19. 2 8. And that this faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom 10 17. So that we see nor how any without the Church or the hearing of the word of God and of the word of the Gospel revealing Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God can beleeve not how any wâ—thin the Church and who hear the sound of the Gospel daily can beleeve without the grace of God working Faith by the Operation of his Spirit and thus concurring with the word And therefore we deny Salvation to be Possible in this Quakers sense to any yea even to the Elect otherwayes we must reject the Scriptures of truth and embrace the Pelagian Errour and lay aside all prayer for the Spirit of grace to work faith and only make our supplications to Lord Free will and think to batter the wals of Freewill with meer Moral Swasion as Iesuites Arminians and Socinians with the old Pelagians imagine and sacrifice to our own net and burn incense to our own drag Free will because by it our portion is fat and our meat plenteous And so give thanks with the damned to God that hath made salvation onely Possible but to ourselves alone for making it Actual and for obtaining the crown and prize 12. Having thus in short proposed our Judgment after hearing of his Opinion we come now to examine the proofs of his Proposition which he layeth down Pag. 93. c. § 19. And first in general he saith That it is manifest from the complaints which the Spirit of God useth in the Scriptures against such as perish chideing and reproving them for rejecting Gods visitation and love and refuseing his mercy Ans. 1. His Proposition is Universal and these Complaints anâ— Reproofs are only Particular viz. against such as were within the Church so they can prove nothing 2. Neither will these Reproofs c. prove that such had power and ability to embrace mercy and love offered unto them without the grace of God as say Iesuites and Arminians for the Scripture tels us that God must give the new heart Ier. 31 33 34. 32 39 40. Ezech. 11 19 20. 36 26 27 Heb. 8 10. and that none cometh to the Son but whom the Father draweth Ioh. 6 44 45. and that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2 13. And to gather our Power and Ability out of the Commands and measure the one by the other is the very core of Pelagianisme and Arminianisme for upon this ground did Pelagius conclude that we could keep the whole Law perfectly as this man also saith Heare Pelagius himself ad Demetriadem cited by Vossius Histor. Pelag. lib. 5. part 1. Thes. 6. Duplici ignorantia accusamus Deum Inscientiae ut videatur nescire quod fecit nescire quod iussit quasi oblitus fragilitatis humanae cujus Author ipse est imposuerit homini mandata quae ferre non possit Simulque prô-nefas adscribimus Iniquitatem Iusto Pio Crudelitatem dum aliquid impossibile praecepisse conquerimur deinde pro his damnandum esse hominen ob ea quae vitare non potuit ut quod etiam suspicari Sacrilegium est videatur Deus non tam salutem nostram quaesisse quam poenam Itaque Apostolus sciens a Domino justitiae ac majestatis nihil impossibile esse praeceptum aufert a nobis vitium murmurandi quod tunc utique nascisolet cum aut iniqua sunt quae jubentur aut jubentis minus digna persona est Quid tergiversamur incassum Nemo magis novit mensuram virium nostrarum quam qui ipsas vires nobis dedit Nec quisquam melius quantum possimus intelligit quam qui ipsam virtutem nobis posse donavit nec impossibile aliquid voluit imperare qui justus est nec damnaturus hominem fuit pro eo quod vitare non potuit qui pius est Which in short is this That to say that God should command any thing which is not in our power to do were to accuse God of Ignorance as not knowing mans power and of Iniquity Cruelty and Sacrilege commanding that which he knew we could not do and thereafter condemning us for not doing of it This Quaker may see his owne face in this glass 13. He citeth further the words of God to Cain Gen. 4 6 7. and saith that this timeous admonition and promise of pardon upon condition he did well saith that he bad a day of visitation wherein it was possible for him to be saved That it was possible for Cain through the grace of God to have done well and obtained the excellency we affirme but that he had power without this grace all this admontion cannot prove so that as is said it is pure Pelagianisme for him to adde God could not propose that condition to do well to him if he had not given him sufficient strength to do well Had Pharaoh sufficiency of strength moral to let the people of Israel go when God had hardened his heart so as he should not let them go If not how could God send Moses to him with a word of command This man told us Thesis 4. That man in his Natural state could know nothing aright and that all his Imaginations Words and Actions were evil and only evil continually Now I enquire if such a man can be said to have sufficiency of strength to know God and things divine and to do well If not then it seemeth by this mans doctrine here that God can impose no command upon such to know God and to do well We know that God giveth the heart to perceive eyes to see and eares to hear Deut. 29 4. and that the carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8 7. And that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them becauss they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2 14. He citeth to the same purpose Gen. 6 3. And we deny not that the Spirit speaking after the manner of men for such expressions cannot bâ— understood properly of God is said to contend with men to wit by his Word and Servants whom he sendeth forth to deal with men in his name So did he thus strive long with this old world by his messengers the Patriarches particularly by Noah called a preacher of righteousness 2 Pet. 2 5. But what of this This day of Visitation saith he which he granteth to every one is such as therein the Lord is said to waite and be
day with joy and of all who would carry as true and loyal Subjects unto Him and would not be charged with the guilt of this God-darring Christ-blaspheming and Spirit-despiting generation of the prodigiously profane and arrogant Seck of Runagad-Quakers to be this day holding them up in their addresses unto God by prayer to our Lord Jesus the righteous Judge as His sworn and stated Enemies and as standing in perfect Opposition to His Kingdom and Interest and to cry unto Him night and day that He would arise and appear against them and plead His own cause in His good time for the glory of His name as also to be mourning for those sinnes that have provoked the Just and Jealous God to suffer such Hellish Locusts to arise and darken with their pestiferous blasphemies all the Glorious Comfortable Truths of the Gospel and to be manifesting the truth and sincerity of our Repentance by the native and kindly effects thereof mentioned by Paul 2 Cor. 7 11. And if it were thus with us sure I am it would not be needful to say much to move all unto a fixed abhorrence of the Errours Wayes and Practices of these Men and to a fleeing from them as from Men carrying about with them the very Credentials of Hell and the Devils Commission to go forth and pervert the right wayes of the Lord and to destroy Souls We would not need to inculcate the duties already pressed in the Scriptures in reference to such Hereticks and false Teachers to wit to beware of them to avoide them turn away from them to reject them and not to receive them in our houses or salute them lest we should be partakers of their evil deeds Mat. 7 15. Rom. 16 17. Phil. 3 2. 2 Tim. 2 5. Tit. 3 10. 2 Ioh. vers 10 11. For every one would of his own accord by a special Christian instinct flee from them more hastily then from persons having the blak botch upon the account that when these could endanger only the Body those were actively seeking to destroy the precious Soul And all who feared to fall under that sad sentence of summar Excommunication from Heaven Anathema Maranatha durst ever enter into a friendly communing with them have any followshipe with them or give them the least token of kindness and affection by word or deed yea or by a cast of the eye let be by more homely Discoursings and Conversings And it is more then probable that if this course had been followed with them at the first they had not prevailed so much as they have done to our Shame Sin and Sorrow this day O that this were yet thought upon and amended Much less would there be any necessity to use much seriousness in disswading all who had any love to their own souls from hearkning to their discourses even though assurance were had which who that know what their Principles and Designes are can expect that they should say nothing but what is consonant to Truth seing it will be easily granted that the Devil speaking in whomsoever and uttering whatsomever should not be listned unto lest afterward he cause these same persons either question or deny these same truths because held and declared by such who by their other abominable Errours declare whose Slaves and Emissaries they are beside the advantage he hath when he getteth an hearing ear to distil and insensibly drop-in soul-destroying venome suggared over with faire Speeches and plausible Insinuations Moreover were all affected with this matter as they ought to be there would not be much need of Arguments disswading from a Perusal and Reading of their Scripts and Pamphlets For this impression would prompt them to an abhorrence of such Libels against the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ against blessed Jesus of Nazareth of whom these Quakers say as their Father the Devil did before them what have we to do with thee thou Ieâ—us of Nazareth And against the holy Spirit of grace Is it not obvious to all that beside the advantage the Devil hath in our losse of so much precious time spent in reading of their heretical and blasphemous writings which may be one end why the Devil prompteth them to be at so much paines and charges to Write and Printe so many pernicious Scripts and distribute them so freely he hath this also that the reading of their Impertinent Reavings in and about the holy things of God and with all of their Presumptuous and ridiculously confident Assertions doth oft excite the Reader to laughter who should rather be weeping over the manifest Effrontry done to the holy and precious Truths of God and Indignity done to the Holy Lord when His name is thus taken in vaine And much more when the reading of their Blasphemous and Outragious Speaches against the Holy One of their Profane and Temerarious Abusings and Wrestings of the holy Word of Truth of their Audacious and Wicked Overturnings of the whole Gospel of the grace of God of their Subdolous and Craftie Undermining of the Fundamental points of our Religion of their Supercilious and Effronted Rejectings of and Mockings at the sacred Truths of God and of their Irreverent and Fearless Prattings about the Mysteries of Divine and Unsearchable Wisdom cannot but insensibly debauch the spirit of the Reader into at least unsutable thoughts about these great Matters if he be not more then ordinarily ballasted with the apprehension of the dreadful Majestie of that God whose Truths these are The consideration of which should me thinks coole our Curiosity and cause us even when some necessity is laid upon us which we cannot evite to read them as when called to write against them and to discover their abominable and blasphemous Assertions for preventing of further mischiefe a necessitie that lyeth not upon every one of our Common People to live nigh to God and to be oft praying for a stayed frame of heart that our spirits be not debauched by the reading of such things as have a native tendency thereunto nor place be given to one thought of these great and glorious matters as if they were but indifferent or of small moment Who can dive into the depths of Satan the mysteries of their Blasphemies and Abominations and not be in hazard of receiving hurt thereby if the Lord do not strengthen and steel the Soul Finally were we as we ought to be there would be no necessity of dehorting any from giving countenance in the least unto their Synagogues of Satan and Diabolical Conventicles where some out of curiosity or some other corrupt ends sisting themselves within the jurisdiction of Satan who there reigneth being there solemnly Served and Worshiped have been as the Quakers themselves do boast and this R. Barclay professeth himself to be a clear instance catched by the Devil and made to drink of the same Cup of Delusion with the rest and to devote themselves to the same service of the Enemy of God and of Mankinde in which these
think he might in prudence have forborn this not only because he hereby giveth a manifest ground of suspicion that he loveth neither the detection nor confutation of errour but also because his one Sheet smelleth rankly of Ismael and so as his hand is against every man who is not in all things of his judgment so every mans hand must be against him and his thus chartaling of all Doctors Professours Students in all the Vniversities of Europe whether Popish or Protestant is no great toaken that he would have all Disputes Altercations laid aside and his voluminous Apologie is a demonstration hereof beyond contradiction 12. He proceedeth inveigheth against Scholastick divinity as it is called telling us that an age were not sufficient to learne it that it helpeth no man nearer to God nor maketh any less a sinner or more righteous I must confess that I am not a very fit person to judge in this matter being it may be as little if not less conversant in this kinde of writings as himself and shall willingly grant that much of that learning might have been spared as being more adapted I mean as spun out by light audacious and too too philosophical braines to the drawing of mindes off the serious study and improvment of substantial and necessary Truthes than to the fixing of hearts in the faith and practice of saving Truthes and though much of it be not very necessary yet it is not wholly to be rejected or thus condemned as noxious or useless for though it be as the best things may be abused by some and not only idle and vaine questions handled therein but errours and pernicious doctrines maintained thereby yet experience hath taught us that worthy instruments have been raised up of the Lord who having had a competent knowledge therein which they acquired in far less time than the one halfe of an age were in case to defend the Truth against Papists who most study and cry up this Scholastick Theologie against Socinians Pelagians and Arminians who make no little use of that sort of learning to maintaine their errours as also against other hereticks and erroneous persons having had hereby no small advantage in detecting their shifts and evasions and in urging them to a punctual debate without oratorious declamations long and tedious argumentations and subtile subterfuges so that such as have had most acquantance therewith have been most fit to deal with adversaries and I suppose though it be little to the commendation of that learning upon the account of its perversion had himself been an utter stranger hereunto he had not been in case to have said so much to such good purpose as he imagineth as he hath done in his Apology in the defence of his Theses Upon which account as also because Papists Pelagians Arminians and Socinians to whom he is so much endebted for his new doctrine have by their practice so much declared their approbation thereof I cannot but wonder at the mans unadvisedness in this point and especially because some most acquanted with this sort of learning can tell us how much Quakers are beholden to it for some of their prime notions which have either had their first rise there or confirmation therefrom As to the censure which he passeth upon this Scholastick Theology I shall only adde that howbeit he preferre his Script to all learned volumes written by Scholastick divines yet I must needs say That the chiefe heads of his doctrine Theology I cannot call it which I confess may be learned very quickly and that without the help of subtile Teachers being so far as I can judge of it borne with every corrupt son of Adam and deeply seated in the dunghil of corrupt Nature if reduced into practice which is the end he driveth at shall prove no less if not more insufficient and inept for the effects mentioned by him that is to bring Men nearer unto God and to make them less sinners and more righteous as our following examination will manifest 13. I do the less wonder at his taking in among the rest the commendable labours and paines of such as have written Commentaries for explaining of Scripture though I will not say but that as all that proceedeth from Men wanteth not its own dross when I consider how low an esteem this man and his party have of the Scriptures which they will not look upon as our only sure Rule by which we are to order our Pathes and to examine the Teachings of Men. One Francis Howgil as Mr. Stalham sheweth in his Revilers rebuiked part 1. sect 2. called the Scriptures other mens words Commonly they deny that the Scriptures should be called the word of God and therefore in contempt they call it a printed bible So did Richard Farnworth call it as Mr. Stalham reporteth in the forecited place and sect 36. he tels us that one Iohn Lawson another Quaker called it the letter the written word which is natural and carnal Such like is to be seen ordinarily in their writings as we will hear afterward 14. For a ground of his prejudice against the many volumes writen in divinity he allaigeth That they have more darkened than cleared up the truth And yet I judge that the smallest Systeme of divinity that ever was put forth by an Orthodox writer is able abundantly to discover both his errour and ignorance and will be found a fitter mean to clear up the Truth and to attaine the ends by himself mentioned than Cart-loads of such Theses as his are though backed with as many moe of his Apologies which do manifestly both darken and deny Truth But I am apt to think that the real ground of his prejudice is that there is so much to be found in any of these books I meane such as are written by the Orthodox and upon the points here touched by him or more generally upon the wholy body of divinity against his old errors new broached again and put into a new dress that he could wish for salving of his own credite and for helping forward his disperate designe that either these were all consumed or that they were utterly laid aside for he cannot but know that who ever readeth these must needs see his nakedness and folly without much study 15. The account he maketh of all the learned men of the world beside himself and his party is that they are the Wisemen the Learned the Scribes and the Disputers of this world whom the Lord hath cast downe or destroyed understanding no doubt such as Paul meaneth 1 Cor. 1 19 20. But this is the measure of charity that must be expected from them However let his esteem of them be as meane as he will there are among them who shall be found to be whether he will or not no enemies to the cross of Christ and to whom the preaching of the cross is not foolishness but the power of God and who through grace are helped by the foolishness of
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
26 v. 5. and 29 v. 19. and 44 v. 4. and 11 v. 7. and 32 33. 5. Then there was no difference as to the yeelding of Faith and Obedience to what was spoken to be put betwixt a True Prophet that spoke in the name of the Lord and a False Prophet that prophesied out of his owne heart Ezech. 13 17. and spoke lies in the name of the Lord Ier. 23 25. 26 36. 27 10 14 15 16. 29 9 21. 6. Then it could not be said at that time that he that despised despised not man but God and yet we finde this charged upon them 2 Chron. 36 16. Prov. 1 30. Esai 5 24. Amos 2 4. It is manifest then how Uncertane yea how False this is which he here asserteth and this being the only pillar of his fabrick we may judge how tottering it is 18. He granteth in his Thesis That these divine inward Revelations which he maintaineth yet to be in use neither do nor can contradict the external testimony of Scripture and sound reason Whence it is clear that such inward Revelations as do contradict either Scripture or found Reason are not Divine if then upon tryal it be found that he and others pretending to divine Revelations deliver Assertions point blank contrary to the Scriptures of truth we are allowed to reject them as being not Divine And upon this ground I may boldly say that these Theses let the Author pretend to what Inward Revelations he pleaseth in conceiving and frameing of them and let him alledge that they were given to him by Inward Revelation as much as he thinketh good are not of Divine Authority and if he had them by any Inward Revelation it hath been a Revelation of Satan My reason is because they are so diametrically opposite to the testimony of God in the Scriptures of truth and this shall appeare yet more manifest ere we have done And he cannot be offended at my trying of his Assertions and Revelations by the touch stone of the Word seing he here granteth that a Divine Inward Revelation will deliver nothing contrary or contradictory to the testimony of God in the Scriptures and consequently that it can be no Divine Inward Revelation which doth contradict the Scriptures for God being a God of truth yea Truth it self His testimonies cannot be Yea and Nay 19. While as he addeth That hence it will not follow that divine Inward Revelations should be examined and tryed by the Scriptures as by a more noble and certane rule he gaineth nothing for though this should not follow upon the ground which he laid down yet it may follow upon another more sure and certane ground for albeit a divine Inward Revelation carrying its owne divine evidence with it needeth not be examined by him who is thus Immediatly inspired thereby by the Rule of the Scriptures as by a more noble and certane Rule as the Prophets truely inspired of God received what was really and divinly manifested by the Spirit of God without Further examination yet that same Divine Revelation when it cometh to be published and declared to others may justly and warrantably be brought to tryal and examination by the Scriptures as a more sure Rule and Teste to us Though one divine Testimony cannot be more true and certaine in it self than another yet one may be more clear and evident to us than another and we may try that which is less clear and evident unto us by that which is more clear and unquestionable without the least impeachment of the divinity of the other and that also by Gods allowance and approbation For 1 we finde the noble Bereans highly commended as acting gallantly and more nobly then those of Thessalonica because though they received the word of Revelation delivered by Paul with all readiness of minde yet they received it not without examination for it is added Act. 17 11. That they searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so They would not take Paul's bare word upon it though he was one divinely Inspired and had the Gospel by Revelation which he preached Ephes. 3.3 but brought this Revelation to the teste of the Scriptures as a more sure Rule unto them 2. It was the command of the Lord of old Esai 8 20. that his people should go to the law and to the testimony and consequently examine what was brought before them and delivered unto them as Revelations that so they might know which were truely Divine or from God or which were only from Wizzards or such as had familiar spirits pretending to divine Revelations 3. What meaneth I pray the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1 19.20 to say that the Prophecy of the Scriptures is a more sure and firme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word than was even a voice from heaven His words are remarkable verse 17 18 19. for He i. e. Christ received from the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount And then addeth verse 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy or prophetical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a standing authentick Canon and though not more sure and firme in it self than was the voice from heaven yet it was more sure as to men and less obnoxious to Cavils Suspicions and Exceptions of Adversaries 4. It is remarkable that Christ himself directeth his hearers to search the Scriptures in reference to the tryal of the truth of what He delivered Ioh. 5 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testify of me 5 We are commanded to beware of false Prophets Mat. 7 15. c. Therefore we must try and judge of their Doctrine and Revelations and so come to know the Prophets Pretenders or Real by this fruite So we are commanded not to believe every spirit but to try the Spirits whether they are of God 1 Ioh. 4 1. and consequently we must have a Rule by which we must try the Revelations both of False and of True Prophets and this Rule must be more clear and unquestionable to us otherwise it can be no Rule 6. So of old when the people of Israel were commanded Deut. 13. not to hearken to a Prophet or Dreamer of dreames though he should give a signe or a wonder to confirme his commission when he would draw them away after other Gods contrare to the standing Law of God this standing Law and Commandment not to go after other Gods to serve them was the Teste by which they were to try the Revelations of Prophets Divine or meer Pretenders and so of necessity it behoved to be more clear unto them than a divine Revelation made known to them by a True Prophet 7. When Paul saith Gal. 1 8 9. that though Apostles or Angels
of God immediatly so made known unto them for the only formal Object of their Faith But withall I say that all others who believed though still the Word and Authority of God was the formal Object of their Faith and ground of their Obedience had not this formal Object conveyed and made known unto them by Inward and Immediat Revelation and of this beside the manifest and unquestionable evidence of the thing it self we have Instances in that same Chapter dar he say that all who beleeved from the beginning that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God c. had this truth revealed unto them by God Immediatly either by Dreames or Vive Voice or the like where readeth he of Revelations Inward and Immediat made to Abel who yet by Faith offered unto God a more excellent Sacrifice than Cain Where readeth he to passe by others of the Inward Immediat Revelations upon which their faith was founded who through faith subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousness stopped the mouthes of lions Quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valient in fight turned to flight the armies of the aliens received their dead raised to life againe were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtaine a better resurrection had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings and moreover of bonds and imprisonments who were stoned sawne asunder were tempted were slaine with the sword who wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins being destitute afflicted tormented who wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth Where readeth he I say of such Revelations made to all these persons who yet had faith and by faith were they Encouraged Enabled Supported and Carried thorow 24. Bâ—cause he foresaw that some would Object That hence it would follow that there is no formal Object of faith now because the Lord doth not reveal his minde by Angels Dreames and Visions and the like Therefore he taketh notice of this Pag. 14. 15. but his answere is so confused and indistinct that you can hardly know what he would say He will not limite the power and liberty of God Wherein he doth wisely But will he say that God eiâ—her did or now doth reveal the whole Object of faith to all beleevers in suâ—h a manner He distinguisheth betwixt what is substantial and universal in the object of faith and what is circumstantial and accidental And hereby he either speaketh non-sense or destroyeth his owne cause for if the Immediat Revelation by those wayes mentioned was but accidental it cannot be called the formal Object of the faith of all believers He distinguisheth next betwixt what was obnoxious to doubting and what was not But he leaveth us in the mist while he explaineth Neither Then he tels us That these vive voices and dreames c. were the thing which they did believe and not the formal object or ground upon which they belâ—eved I should rather think that the word of Truth or Command which was made known unto them by vive voice or dreame c. was the Material Object not the Formal Object quod as he ignorantly speaketh or the thing which they were to believe and receive and that these dreames c. were but the manner of conveyance both of the material Object and of the Formal He addeth a serious truth viz. That they were not ignorant that the Devil could have formed sounds of words in the aire and delude the external senses by false apparitions and this dayly experience proveth Whereby he confirmeth what we formerly said and giveth us faire warning to take heed and beware of such Delusions I wish he and the rest of the Quakers would carry the impress of this Truth alwayes with them But how then was the formal Object of faith secured He answereth There was a secret testimony of the Spirit in their hearts perâ—wading thâ—m that these voices and visions were really from God But was this secret testimony distinct from that which came alongs with these Divine Voices and Dreames c If not what will he gaine hereby or against whom would he fight if it was distinct than it seemeth God's Immediat speaking by Voices Dreames Visions c. were not so clear and evident in themselves as to Compel Move and Bow the intellect that was well disposed by it's owne evidence and clearness unto an assent and were not so clear and evident as the common principles of natural Truthes are viz. That the whole is more than a part Two contradictories cannot be both true and false which move and bow the Minde to a natural Assent and thus he contradicteth what he said in his Thesis See above § 2. Moreover if the matter was so he must say that there was no more Objective Evidence and Clearness in Gods speaking by Voices Dreames c. than in the Devils speaking so for without this new testimony the Prophets themselves could put no difference betwixt the One and the Other Againe could not the Devil come with a false toaken aâ—d perswade the false Prophets that the voices and visions they had were really from God And may not the Devil do so now especially in such as are given up of God to strong delusions to believe a lie But what would he make of this falshood He would Inferre that this Inward Testimonâ— was the Principal and original Object of their faith A wilde assertion for thâ—s Inward Testimony should rather be called the Principal and Original Cause or thâ— Efficient Cause of faith than the Object of it for its use was according to his owne doctrine not to Declare immediatly the Object of then Faith but to work up their soul and minde to receive and close with the Object which was proposed in these Divine Dreames and Visions as that power which openeth the eyes of the blinde is not the formal Objâ—ct but the efficient Cause of the mans seeing the sun Then he addeth That these expressions The Lord spoke the word of the Lord came or was to such or such an one and the like will not evince that God spoke by audible voices and that he who asserteth it must prove it But we need neither Assert it nor Prove it for it is enough to us if these expressions signifie that singular way whatever it was which the Lord used in communicating his Minde to the Prophets and so a way distinct from that which he used with every individual private and particular Believer The answere to his formal argument with which the closeth this Paragraph may bâ— taken out of what is said and I need not spend time with repeating the same things 25. He cometh § 9. to the maine business the last Proposition viz. That the Object he should meane the formal Object of the faith of the Saints is alwaâ—es the same And thinketh he that any Christian will deny this which yet he must spend words about the proof of
Infallible Revelation of the Spirit of truth declared in the Scriptures writen by men infallibly acted by the holy Spirit of God and to beleeve and follow the dictats of the Father of lies As for the second Proposition It is unquestionable from history of all such Persons from the Montanists Circumcelliones Donatists Euchites and the like Enthusiasts of old from Mahomet that great Impostor and pretender to Revelations from the many Enthusiasts in the Church of Rome of which read D. Stillingfleet in his book above cited Especially Ignatius Loyola the Father founder of the Jesuites our Quakers great Friends if not Fathers from the Enthusiasts in Germany the Swenckfeldians Weigelians and particularly Iohn of Leyden and his complices in and about Munster c. to the Quakers this very day All which have given undoubted evidences of their delusions by their Errours Heresies sometimes Scandalous Actings Nay it hath been found that these desperat Adventures have pretended to these Revelations of purpose to put off with more cunning their desperat Errours and cheat souls unto the market of their pernicious Wares If this man be of another judgment I challenge him and all the Quakers this day to name to me a Seck of such Pretenders of whom this may not be verified And as for himself and the rest of the Quakers if the Scriptures be the word of truth and given out by Infallible Inspiration whâ—ch he dar not deny they bear as manifest Marks and give out as palpable Evidences of their being led and acted by a Spirit of Errour as any of their Predecessours as this and other of their writings put beyond all question Sure the Spirit which Christ promised to lead all his people by was a Spirit of Truth and a Spirit that leadeth into all Truth Ioh. 16 13. But thâ— Spirit acting them is a Spirit of Errour as the Scriptures of truth evidence The Spirit promised was a Spirit that would glorify Christ and take of his shew it unto his People but the Spirit acting them is a Spirit opposite to all the Institutions of Christ and a Spirit seeking to debase our Lord Jesus in his Person Offices and Work all which our following discourse will evince 33. Having thus proposed and enforced the Objection we need not take notice of hiâ— triffling Answers adapted to the shaâ—ow he made himself It â—s enough to us that he cannot say that such as the Spirit of â—od leadeth in seed are led into Errour seing by this fruite and their sinful carriage Christ hâ—th told us that we may know false Prophets Mat. 7 15 20. And that he himself confesseth that true divine Revelations are not contrare to the Scriptures and therefore having Scriptures and sound Reason on our side we value not his brag in saying that by happy experince they finde hithertil that the Spirit hath never deceived them or led them unto any evil seing all such Pretenders of old should have said the same with as great Confidence they that are given up of God to strong delusions to beleeve a lie know not that it is a lie which they beleeve Wisdome is justified of her children As for Munster business he professeth § 14. his abhorrence thereof but with all addeth that as great evils have been practised by such as owne the Scriptures which doth not touch the Objection framed by me Beside that it is not very probable that God would have left these Miscreants to such acts of villany if the way to which they pretended had been of God considering how they were the first that in that age and at that season of Reformation did appear for it and openly professe it a parallel of such as owned any part of Truth long under contempt and against so much opposition will not I suppose be showne The rest of this paragraph being a meer Rhapsodiâ— and with all an Excreation of much gall and nothing to the purpose in hand I meddle not with It wil satisfie him if I say that I am none of those who will reject the guidance of the Spirit of God though some profane Wreatches say that they are led by him He knoweth our disput is not about the guidance of the Spirit but about the manner of this Guidance and Teachings 34. What he saith § 15. in Vindication of the last part of his Thesis hath been obviated already See above § 18 and 19. only I shall take notice of a word or two which he hath To prove the self evidence of the Spirits working in souls he maketh use of these words of David Taste and see that God is good of Paul saying I am perswaded nothing can separate me from the Love of God and then citeth 1 Ioh 4 13. and as if it were to the same purpose addeth 1 Ioh. 5 6. and hence inferreth that the Revelations which they have being the Revelations of the Spirit who is truth must certanely be true and not contrary to either Scripture or Reason Alas doth not the man know that the Spirit may work grace in the soul and for a time for holy ends keep up the sensation thereof and that others may deny or not observe the work of the Spirit in their souls through Mistakes Prejudice or other Corruption as others may imagine a work of grace without ground Knoweth he noâ— that we are speaking here of Immediate and Objective Revelations which are Extraordinary and which himself in a few lines before said the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles had not naming any others and not of the Ordinary workings of the Spirit of grace Waving these Impertinencies I would ask only How came it to passe that Others pretending as much to Immediat Revelations as he have been deceived If others have been deceived why may not he It is true The Spirit of God is alwayes a Spirit of Truth but a Spirit of Errour and Delusion which some may take to be the Spirit of God is not the Spirit of Truth Why will he not try by the Scriptures and by sound Reason what sort of Spirit that is which acteth him the rest No that is needless And why so Because their spiritual senses are awake so that at the very first they can perceive their revelations to be of the Spirit no less infallibly than a wise Mathematician can diseerne the truth of the most clear mathematick demonstrations Happy they say I if it be so But hereby he must needs reproach his Predessours the Enthusiasts and Phanaticks of former ages as being asleep at best in the midst of their Revelations and not having their spiritual senses awake for they have been deceived and yet no doubt were as confident of the contrarie as this man is But this man's testimony is of himself and so the less to be valued and it is inward and invisible and so the harder to be confuted Only I would know how he will perswade us of it a Mathematician can demonstrat the grounds of his
perceiving the truth of the most clear Mathematick demonstrations can he do the like as to his sensations 35. The parting argument which he seteth down in the last paragraph is sufficient so he thinketh to end the whole debate Thus he frameth it That unto which all Professors of Christianity of whatsoever kinde do at last recurre and because of which all other grounds are commended and accounted worthy to be beleeved must of necessity be the only most certane and immovable ground of all Christian faith But the Inward Immediat objective revelation of the Spirit is that Therefore c. Now not to carpe at the eccentrickness of this conclusion for many such things must be passed over This confirmation of the Minor as to Protestants with whom he very charitablie joyneth Socinians whom I cannot account Christians notwihstanding of all the agreement betwixt him and them destroyeth the whole Argument and rendereth it Useless as to his purpose and so concludeth only his folly and ignorance If we enquire say he at them why they take the Scripture for a Rule they answere Because in them is declared the will of God which was revealed Immediatly and objectively by the Spirit unto holy men Can any man of common sense inferre hence that Protestants are for the Uncertanty of all Objective and Immediat Revelation even of that which holy men of God had when acted by the Infallible Spirit to penne Scripture as he insinuateth in the following words or can any man of common judgment see what this concession and necessary foundation of Protestants can make for the falsly pretended Immediat and Objective Revelations which Quakers boast off Nay doth not Protestants their owneing of this solide and immovable foundation sufficiently warrand their rejecting of his Delusions yea and necessitate them thereunto if they would be true to their principles 36. As for his monitory conclusion in the end of his vindication of this his Second Thesis wherein he giveth us a full foretaste of his Pelagianisme because we will have occasion sufficient to speak to this matter afterward we need only tell the Reader what he saith here His discourse in short is this If any man will assent to what he hath said of Divine Revelations though at present he be a stranger to them himself yet he must know that this is the common Privilege of all Christians and at length shall come to know this secret light enlighting his heart c. and when by relinquishing of sin this divine Voice in the heart shall become more known then shall he feel that as the Old Naturall Man is put off the New Man and spiritual birth shall arise and this new birth having Spiritual senses can discerne the things of the Spirit and understand the Mysteries of the kingdom of God And therefore let every man attend to this Spirit in the Little Revelation of that pure light which at first revealeth things more notoure and afterward as he is fitted he shall receive more and more and be in case at length by quick Experience to refute them who shall enquire what way he knoweth that he is led by the Spirit That is in short If one will firmly beleeve that Natures dimme Light is the Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost in him and in the faith of this give up himself to the Teachings thereof and thereby shun outward acts of sin and put on a forme of Godliness and more and more give up himself to this Delusion he shall at length arive at this Perfection that he may burne the Bible and with confidence assert that he is acted by the Holy Ghost let Scriptures and Common Sense say to the contrary what they will What an extract of Pelagianisme Enthusiasme and dreadful Delusion is here every knowing person may see CHAP. IV. Of the Scriptures 1. HIs third Thesis which I finde in some things altered and more clearly expressed in the second edition set down in the Apology than was in the single sheet containing his judgment of the Scriptures cometh now to be examined The Scriptures being owned by us as a sure Rule whereby we should try the Spirits and they giving such clear and manifest Testimony against the Delusions and bold Assertions of the Quakers and affording us full and sufficient Ground whereupon to reject their Doctrine and to look upon them as Impostors it is little wonder that we heare them speak so basely of these Scriptures of Truth as we do Mr Stalham in his Reviler rebuked Pag. 1. tels us that a Quaker denied to his face the Scriptures to be the word of truth or at least not to all not to wicked men and unbelievers no not condemningly He tels us also Pag. 4. that some said to him That the Scripture is not the word of truth but the witness of Gods power as if that could be the true witness of Gods Power which were not true nor the word of truth He tels us also Pag. 18. sect 2. that Francis Howgil said The Scripture is other mens words that spoke them freely and Pag. 20. that Richard Farnworth called them in a way of disparagment a printed bible So Pag. 23. sect 3. that Iohn Lawson said we had nothing to try men by but the letter the Bible or written word which is natural and carnal So Pag. 244. he tels us that some of them in a book called a paper sent into the world Pag 2. have these words They are such teachers as tell people that Matthew Mark Luk and John is the Gospel which are but the letter we therefore do dâ—ny them And Pag. 250. he citeth these words out of Tho. Lawsons book called an untaught teacher Pag. 2. To say that the word of truth is called the Scripture or that the Scripture is called the word of truth that is a lie If this man do not approve of these and the like Expressions of those called Quakers he is concerned to give testimony against them and that directly that the world may bear witness of his honesty But we know what account the Old N. England Libertines David George and the Familists with whom this man and the rest agree too well made of the Scripturs 2. It is commonly affirmed by the Quakers that the Scriptures are not the word of God or ought not to be so called So Fox and Hubberthorn cited by Mr Hicks in his first dialogue Pag. 17. where he tels us also that Nailor in his Answere to the jewes P. 22. said That it is the devil that contends for the Scriptures to be the word of God And that this is their common Assertion and that mainly upon this ground that Christ is called the word of God D. Owen also witnesseth this in his Exercit Apol. Pro. S. Scriptâ—r Adv Fanaticos Exerc. 1. Sect. 3. which is no new thing for Phanaticks to alledge for I finde that it was one of Swenckfeldius's heterodoxies de Sacris Libris P. 27 28. and that upon the same
sandy ground as Mr Rutherfoord witnesseth in his Spiritual Antichrist P. 19. Richard Farnworth said to Mr Stalham as he reporteth Pag. 3. of his forecited book That the Scriptures are the word of God and eternal life as thou wouldest have them thou canst not prove nor all the Magicians to help thee So P. 43. he tels us that one of them in a sheet called Christ exalted c. P. 4. had these words He Christ is the word and the Scripture is not He is the light and the Scripture is not He is the Rule and Guide and Teacher and Iudge and the Scripture is not but a Declaration of Him to be so By which and the like we may see how low an account they have of the Scriptures And how fond and absurd this is to debase the Scriptures under a pretence of exalting of Christ who seeth not Seing the Lord spoke in and by the Prophets unto the Fathers and spoke by the Mouth of the holy Prophets Heb. 1 1. Luk. 1 70. And the word of the Lord came unto them as unto Ieremiah Chap. 1 2 4. 2 1. 14 1. 29 30. unto Ezechiel Chap. 1 3. 3 16. to Hosea Chap. 1 1. to Ioel Chap. 1 1. to Ionah Ch. 1 1. 3 1. to Micab Ch. 1 1. to Zephania Chap. 1 1. to Zechariah Chap. 1 1. 7 4. 8 1. and by Haggai Chap. 1 1. And they declared what they spoke as the word of the Lord and the Lord owned it as His word See moreover 2 Chron. 36 21. Micah 4 4. Act. 28 25. Esai 1 20. Deut. 30 8 Num. 25.5 Ier. 23 28. and the like And seing the Scriptures containe nothing but a Revelation of the will and good pleasure of God it is manifest and clear that they are the Word of God and should bear that title To speak nothing of the Law which the Lord spoke and gave himself immediatly from mount Sinai what he inspired the Prophets to deliver and spoke himself in and by them and moved them infallibly in the very writing thereof cannot but be the Word of God That word which was given by immediat divine Inspiration cannot but beare the name of the Word of God Nay this name is expresly given unto the Scriptures for Mark 7. what is called the commandement of God vers 8. spoken and written by Moses vers 10. is called the Word of God vers 13. The roll written by Baruch Ier. 36 from the mouth of â—eremiah vers 4. is called the words of the Lord vers 6. The sword of the Spirit which is a piece of the Spiritual armour of Christian souldiers wherewith they resist the devil as Christ their Captane did Mat 4 4 7 10. with an it is written see also Mat. 22 31 32. is called the Word of God Ephes. 6 17. I shall not urge that place Heb. 4 12. because it seemeth more to be spoken of Christ than of the Scriptures though several take it as meaned of the Scriptures But that equivalent Expression of the Word of Christ Col. 3 16. may confirme us in this Truth as also that equivalent Expression the Oracles of God Rom. 3 2. and that the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2 2. and that the word of the Lord 1 Pet. 1 2â— what else can the Psalmist's speaking to God and manifesting his affection to his word useing this expression Thy word above thirtie times Psal. 119. import but that the Scriptures are and are to be called the Word of God So these equipollent Expressions have the same import The word which I command you Deut. 4 2. I have written to him the great things of my law Hos. 8 12. when the Spirit of the Lord speaking of the Scriptures useth these expressions well spoke the Holy Ghost saying Act. 28 25 26. As the Holy Ghost saith Heb. 3 7. He spoke in a certane Place Heb. 4 4. He said in David vers 7. See Heb. 5 6. Exod. 20 1. Deut. â— 6. Heb. 13 5. Gal. 3 16. Rom. 10 21. 15 10. 1 Cor. 9 10. Others of this kinde might be cited If this man be of another judgment herein he should clearly express himself howbeit he thereby dissatisfie some of his Brethren But instead of this in his Apology P. 36. he alleigeth that we but calumniate them and speaking in the name of all the rest he saith they account them the most excellent writings in the world but how will he make this agree with their sayings formerly cited and afterward to be adduced He would do well to endeavour some reconciliation but I see not how he can do it 3. As for us we assert that no Prophecie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation For they were not conceived by the mindes nor framed and formed by the Understandings and Reasonings of men nor were they the product of their Study Paines as other books are of their Authors assisted by the Spirit of God Howbeit the penmen of the Scriptures studied the writtings of others as Daniel did understand by books Dan. 9 2. and David was much in the meditation and study of the Law yea they searched and made narrow enquiry after the meaning of what was spoken and delivered by themselves so far as concerned their own faith and Practice as Peter tels us 1 Pet. 1 10 11. yet the work of delivering the Scriptures by Word and Write was not the result of their studious Labour wherein their Mindes Judgments and Memories were exercised and busied nor did these Scriptures proceed from private phancied Revelations and Enthusiasmes they were not the issue of mens Dreams Imaginations Conceptions of fancie or self-Afflation because no way of private Interpretation or Revelation but on the contrary holy men of God spoke as they were not only determined but moved by the Holy Ghost and that in contradistinction both from the acts of mens Phancy and Imagination and the acts of their Will 2 Pet. 1 20 21. The Holy Ghost did Immediatly and Extraordinarily dictat what was written Matter and Expressions as well such things as they had Seen Heard Read Studied and Known before as these they were Ignorant of or had forgotten Hence it is that the Lord spoke in the Prophets by the mouth of the holy Prophets and his word came unto them and by them see Heb. 1 2. Mark 14 36. Heb. 3 7. 9 8. 10 15. Luk. 1 v. 70. 2 King 10 10. 21 10. 2 Sam. 23 2 3. and hence it is that this very word of Prophecy or Prophetical word coming thus unto the Prophets the holy men of God when it was to become a Prophecie of write 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was also committed to write through the Spâ—cial acting of the Spirit singularly movâ—ng these Amanuenses hence the Scripture the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given by Inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3 16. on which place the words of Corn a
Lapide are remarkable God is said saith he to have taught the Scriptures because 1. He stood so by the writters that they did not erre from the truth in a point 2. He did excite them and suggest to them so as they should write these things rather than those c. He did so inspire them that they set down this conception rather than that c. 3. He so ordered all the conceptions and sentences and led them so as that this sentence was first that next and the other in the third place and thus they were set downe orderly one after another and this is properly to write and make a book and therefore is the Spirit of God properly the Author of the Scriptures Hence is it that the word of God in the Old Test. is tearmed in the New the Scripture or Scriptures pointing out the word as written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby we see that as in the frameing of the truths contained in the Scriptures of Prophecy or as to the matter and thing revealed and written the holy men of God had the real Inspirations of God and spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost or as the Holy Ghost spoke in them and by them they giving only a concurrence of their Rational faculties so in the very commiting of the minde of God unto writing they acted as moved by the Holy Ghost and not by any acquired Skill or Knowledg in the art of Grammer or Rhetorik being herein as a Pen in the hand of a writer and therefore ought not to be called the Secondary or proxime Authors of the Scriptures as some Papists imagine though the Lord used One to express his minde in one way and Another in another way as he thought meet and each in a way suteable to his natural Enduements as he used Esaias to express his minde in an High Loftie and Court-like stile and Amos being an herd man to express his minde in a more Mean and Low stile suteable to herd men in all consulting the universal good of the Church in all ages Whence it is manifest that not only the Matter and Things revealed whether as Truths to be Beleeved or as Lawes to be Obeyed are immediatly of God but also the very Method Expressions and Words wherein these truths were uttered which even some Papists as Gregor de Valentia and Estius Swarez and others confess And so the Whole and every Part Sentence and Word is of divine Authority and of a divine Original Whereby every one may see how sure the ground and basis of our Faith and Obedience is how rationally we act in adhereing to these Scriptures of Truth rejecting whatever is not consonant thereunto and especially all particular pretended divine Revelations which are but the meer product of mens strong Phancies and Imaginations or of Satans Workings in mens mindes and phantasies And withall we hereby see the divine Original of this Word of Prophecie which we must take heed unto as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in our hearts 2 Pet. 1 19. and must study and meditate upon day night Psal. 1. and be well acquanted with They being the Oracles of God Rom. 3 2. and the holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto Salvation through faith which is in Christ Iesus being profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be Perfect thorowly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. As also the unreasonableness of those men who would directly or indirectly bring us off this Ground and have us following the light of that Ignis Fatuus of their Imaginary and Delusory Revelations which as they arise out of a mire so they lead the Man that followeth their guide into one and leave him there 4. Before we proceed because this Man alleâ—dged that it was a calumnie to say that either they denied or undervalued the Scriptures what Apology will he make for his brethren who owne the Scriptures only as a declaration of the Saints conditions witness G. Fox the younger in the collection of his books P. 59. cited by Mr Hicks dial 1. P. 19. account them no better than an old almanack witness Holbrow cited by Mr Hicks P. 29. and look upon it as inck and paper See Mr Hicks Pag. 41. and say that it is dangerous for ignorant people to read them witness Fox and Hubberthorn in Truths defence P. 101 Sâ—e Mr Hicks ibid. who also in his 2 Dial. Pag. 5. tels us that White head expresly saith in his D. P. Pag. 13. that it is idolatry to call the Bible a means and that faith grounded on the Scriptures is but an empty and implicite faith and bespeaks such persons void of the knowledge of God Christ Salvation and to be yet in their sin and that such men walk by thâ—ir own fancies and imaginations Christ Ascend Pag. 11. Do such expressions â—avoure of any high Esteem which they have of the Holy Scriptures if not let him see to it But moreover George Whitehead in his Apology P. 49. said that that which is spoken from the Spirit of truth in any viz. of them is of as great authority as the Scriptures yea and greater See for this Mr Hicks 1 dial P. 28. Will. Pen in his Rais. against Rail P. 40. cited by Mr Hicks 3. Dial. said That the Scriptures at most are but a kinde of declaratory and secondary Rule This man saith the same as we â—hall heare and further The Scripture is the Râ—le of historical faith but the light and Spirit of God can only be the Rule of saving faith and againe Pag. 55. That which is more ancient more universal and more able to informe rule and guide that must eminently be the rule but that hath been and is the Light within Therefore that hath been and ought to be the Rule of faith and practice So P. 48. Because we deny the Scriptures to be the rule of faith practice in honour to that divine light that gave them forth that we should therefore c. If this man think that we calumniat them upon this account he should tell us at least what high and honourable thoughts he and the rest have of them 5. But what if we finde him upon the matter saying little less than they though in more modâ—st expressions He saith I confess in his Thesis That the Scriptures of truth did proceed from the holy Revelations of the Spirit of God and one would think this a faire acknowledgment But in his Apology Pag. 36 he tels us that they do not think that the Authority of the Scriptures doth depend on any Efficacy or Vertue placed in these Writings but ascribe it wholly unto that Spirit from whom they came What confusion and self contradiction is here To say that the Scriptures of Truth are the
Revelations of the Spirit of God and yet they carry no Authority impressed upon them What shall carry the Impressions of a divine Authority if divine Revelations do not why did he assert in the preceeding Thesis that divine Revelation was the formal Object and ground of divine Faith How can they beleeve with a divine Faith the divine Revelations which they pretend unto why doth he plead so much for looking after divine Revelations if divine Revelations have not the stamp of divine Authority upon them But he sayes they ascribe the authority wholly unto the Spirit And do not we so also when we stoop unto the Authority of the Scriptures of Truth because delivered by the Inspiration of God when we say the Acts and Statutes of Parliament have the authority of Lawes and we obey and receive them as authenticque Lawes do we not ascribe the Legislative Authority unto the Parliament what a fancyful distinction must this them be and what a Notional difference doth he here imagine But it may be by these writings he meaneth the Paper and Ink But can he call the Paper and Inck the Scriptures of Truth or say that they did proceed from the holy Revelations of the Spirit of God 6. He reduceth all the contents of the Scripture unto three heads telling us that they containe first an historical narration of the acts of the people of God in not a few ages and of several rare testimonies of the providence of God towards them Forgetting that we have here also a true and faithful Narration of the first creation and that these examples are instructive Secondly a Prophetical narration of many things of which some are past and some are yet to come Making no mention of the great and many Promises nor yet of the threatnings Thirdly a full and large testimony to the chiefe doctrines of the Christian faith and that in certane excellent declarations exhortations and sentences which by the afflatus of the Spirit were said and written at diverse times to diverse churches and pastors according to various occasions that fell out And here is the whole of the high account he hath of the Scriptures and of their perfection Not to Meddle much with that here which he will give us occasion largely to disput of hereafter I would only enquire where or in what book beside the Scriptures shall we finde the whole doctrine of the Christian Faith laid down The Scriptures as he saith only give testimony to the chiefe Doctrines of Christianity Therefore there must be other Doctrines of Christianity that must be found out and searched for elsewhere but where I pray shall we finde these Againe I would know of him how we shall know what belongeth to the chiefe Heads of Christianity and what not we cannot know this by the Scriptures for they are supposed by him to be chief heads of Christianity to us before the Scriptures come which only as he saith beareth testimony to some of them 7. Further when he sayeth the Scripture giveth this Testimony only in certaine declarations c. It would seem we have not our Christian faith from the Scriptures but all the Articles thereof flow to us from some other Immediat Fountaine and are founded as to us upon some other Immediat Ground and the Scriptures only give some testimony thereto and that as it were on the bye in some certane Declarations Exhortations and Sentences Hence it would appeare by him that it is not the maine intendment and principal designe of the Scriptures to set downe delineat and explaine to us the articles of our Christian Faith and the doctrine of our Religion and so Iohn was it seemeth in a mistake when he said Iohn 20 vers 31. These are written that we might beleeve that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing we might have life through his name Why hath the Lord thus made known and written unto us excellent things in counsel and knowledge Is it not that our trust might be in the Lord and that he might make us know the certanty of the Words of Truth Prov. 22 vers 18 19 20 21. See Luk. 1 vers 2 3 4. Why saith Paul Rom 15 vers 4. that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope For what end did the Spirit inspire these Holy men and by or in them speak to us in the Scriptures if not to give us a solide ground for our Faith to stand upon in receiving and beleeving the articles of Salvation Is not the whole of the Scripture given by the Inspiration of God that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3 16 17 Why doth the Apostle Peter say 2 Pet. 1 19. that we do well to take heed unto this more sure word of prophecy If they be not the ground of our Faith why are we desired thus to take heed unto them and to desire the sincere milk of word that we may grow thereby 1 Pet 2 2. Are we not said to be built upon that foundation which the Prophets and Apostles did ministerially lay by Word and Write Ephes. 2 20. Thus we see he layeth no more weight upon the Scriptures as to the bottoming of our Faith than he would do upon any good Book wherein testimony were given unto the chiefe Doctrines of the Christian Faith by some excellent Declarations Exhortations and Sentences 8. In this account he giveth us of his conceptions of the fulness and perfection of the Scriptures It is observable that he doth not so much as give the least hint of any Authority wherewith the Scripture is cloathed to lay obligations on our Consciences to yeeld Faith and Obedience to it as the signification of the Soveraigne Will and pleasure of the great God and Lawgiver and in this is more injurious to the Scriptures then Papists are who grant it to be a Rule of Faith Hos. 8 12. See Psal. 119. throughout with infinite moe places and this is in effect to destroy the Scriptures which are given to us as the Law of God and must be received as such with Faith and Obedience As if they had not been inspired by the Holy Ghost for this end purpose that we might thereby understand and prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God Is it not called a Law disobedience unto and transgression of which is sin 1 Ioh. 3 4. Iam. 2 8 9 10 11 12. and 4 11. 9. What he saith of the Scriptures being written to certane Churches and Pastors upon certane Occasions which is an old Popish argument neither will quadrate with the whole of the Scriptures nor though it did will it ground any such inference that we have little or no interest therein as our Law and Rule as Quakers say and lest he think I caluminate let him take notice of these few Instances Edw. Borroughs Pag.
Againe how could Christ and his Apostles confirme their doctrine by the Scriptures Press to a study and search of them Convince persons of errour by them and the like seing still this shift was as ready at hand for them to use as it is for the Quakers today I pray hâ—m to cleare me in these particulars if he can 13. But if the meaning of his Assertion be That we know only by the inward Testimoâ—y of the Spirit that the book of the Scriptures is indeed the word of God what will this helpe his cause Nothing at all for the Testimony of the Spirit is a true Testimony and if the Spirit testifie that that book is the Word of God that book must indeed be the Word of God and it must be the Word of God before that testimony be given to it for the Testimony doth not make it such but witnesseth it to be such and so before that Testimony of the Spirit come the will of God contained in that book must oblige us to Beleeve it and Obey it for what is the revealed will of God cannot but oblige such unto whom it is revealed But if it be said That even the will of God contained in the Scriptures cannot oblige us untill a new Revelation come to perswade us of the certainty that it is the will of God I answere Then 1. The Assertions of the God of truth and the Lawes and Commands of the Supream Lawgiver have no obleiging force upon us to Beleeve and Obey untill we be perswaded these Truths and Lawes are Divine and so the authority of the Lawes dependeth upon and is derived from the minde of the Subject and no more shall be law than he will 2. Then the Revelation of the minde of God doth not carry alongs with it its owne Evidence 3. Then the Second Revelation can as little carry alongs with it its own evidence as the First and we must have a Third to give us the perswasion of its certanety and the Third will stand in need of a Fourth and so in infinitum and hereby we shall never come to any certanty but still fluctuate notwithstanding of Revelations upon Revelations 14. He adduceth Apol. P. 36 37. Calv. Instit. Lib. 1. c. 7. s. 4 5. The French Confession of faith Art 4. The Belgick Confess Art 5. And the Confession framed at Westminster Cap. 1. S. 5. which last he cannot cite without a jibe at these worthy Divines thereby evidenceing what a Spirit acteth him But to the point I say 1. What is spoken here of the Spirit is in Opposition to the Testimony of Men or of the Church which the Romanists alleiged 2. They speak not of an Objective certanty as if before this perswasion wrought by the Spirit there was no ground to beleeve and receive these for the Scriptures of truth or as if indeed before this they had not been the Scriptures of truth but of a Subjective certanty and therefore they call it Perswasion and Assurance now this doth not create an Objective certainty but preâ—upposeth it and only helpeth the soul to see that Objective certainty and rest upon it with full Conviction and Assurance 3. They speak not of any Immediat Revelation or Inspiration but of an ordinary work of the Spirit efficiently effectuating this Perswasion and Assurance 4. They expresly tell us that this work of the Spirit is by and with the word and not an Inspiration distinct and seperated from it anâ— by the gracious effects of the word in and upon the hearts of People which evidently demonstrate the cause to be divine and that Word which hath such Powerful Noble and Divine Effects upon the soul to to be of a divine Original flowing from that Supream Verity or Veracity and from that Supream Authority and so to be purely divine 15. Though this be enough to discover the vanity of this mans Alleigance yet I shall for the Readers satisfaction a little further cleare the matter There are in the Scriptures such innate marks and evidences of divine Majesty Power and Authority whereby as Light and Heat prove and demonstrate themselves so the Scriptures evince themselves to be of God by their Light Life Power Majesty Divine which is also manifested by these particulars mentioned in our Confession of faith to wit The Heavenliness of the matter The Efficacy of the Doctrine The Majestie of the stile The Consent of all the parts The Scope of the whole which is to give all glory to God The full Discovery it maketh of the only Way of Mans salvation The many other Incomparable Excellencies and the Intire Perfection therof These are arguments which it carryeth alongs with it whereby it doth abundantly evince it self to be the word of God as the heavens declare themselves to be of God not by any voice or testimony but by the Characters of Infinite Power so legible upon them that all that run may read The Spirit in working up the soul unto a Conviction and Perswasion that the Scriptures are the word of God doth those things First He cleareth up the characters of divinity that are in the Scriptures formerly dark to the man through prejudice or other causes and so maketh the Object plaine and manifest Next He conveyeth light into the Minde whereby the man is enabled to discerne and perceive these Grounds and Evidences which are the characters of divinity as a man when clouds are removed and his eyes are opened to see the beames of light flowing from the body of the Sun is convinced and perswaded that the Sun is arisen in our horizon Now this work of the Spirit hath its various Measures and Degrees not to mention that which is truely saving whereby the man is not only Enabled to see the forementioned grounds to a conviction but through a gracious Work of the Spirit on the whole soul is made to close with these grounds with joy and delights and to accept of the Scriptures upon these Grounds with full perswasion of soul as having this truth that these Scriptures are the word of God deeply impressed oâ— his spirit and sealed by the Holy Ghost So that he embraceth them as the very word of God and closeth with them with all Reverence and cheerfull Submission of soul receiving with faith the Truths there delivered and submitting to the Commands thereof heartily and cheerfully through grace Not to mention this I say which as it respecteth the matter contained in the word and the sutable improvement thereof is not of our present concernment this work of the Spirit admits of degrees whether we consider the Object or Evidences which lye in the Scripture or the Subject the â—llumination of the minde to see the cleared Evidences and Grounds for to some the Grounds and Evidences may be more clear and unquestionable than to others and some may have a larger Illumination of understanding and so a greater capacity to see the divine Original of the Scriptures than others and
hence the Perswasion or Conviction of this truth may be greater in some as more freed from Prejudices Doubts and Exceptions than in Others in whom it may be weaker through some admixture The impression also may be in some deeper than in others 16. If any enquire wherein this differeth from the Opinion of the Quakers I ans In those particulars 1 This which we speak of is not the Spirits saying by any new Revelation Voice or Whisper or Enthusiastick inspiration that this and not that Book is the Word of God The Quakers speak thus 2 By their way the testimony of the Spirit is an Argumentative Medium or an Inartificial Argument adduced to prove this conclusion to themselves that this or that Book is the Word of God so that they must first Perceive and Feel that the Spirit saith or witnesseth this book to be the Word of God and then they inferre that therefore it is to be received as the Word of God But we make no such use of the Spirits Testimony but Assert that He so illuminateth the Minde to see the characters of divinity as withall to work the Assent or Perswasion and that so as the Faith or Perswasion shall be felt oftentimes before the man reflect upon the Operation of the Spirit 3 The testimony we speak of is that Operation of the Spirit whereby the characters of divine Majesty and Authority which are natively inprinted in and do necessarily attend the Sayings of God are Discovered Received and Acquiesced in But the testimony which they speak of is distinct from and hath no connexion with the Objective evidence which is in the Scriptures themselves 4 The Quakers Revelation is purely Objective and New and Immediat declaring a new Truth The work of the Spirit which we speake of as it cleareth up the Objective Evidence which is in the Scriptures by removing Grounds of Mistake and Prejudice and the like so it worketh by these Evidences a Subjective Conviction in the soul and a Perswasion of the truth which only the man did not see before 5 By their Revelation a person getteth no new discovery of the characters of Divinity which the Scriptures carry along with them unless it may be by accident but the Perswasion which we speak of is rationally deduced from and founded upon these Marks and Evidences which the soul is now made to see clearly through the Operation of the Spirit 6 By our way the Scriptures do not receive their Truth and Authority neither in themselves nor as to us from this work of the Spirit as they do by the way of the Quakers for whether this Operation of the Spirit whereof we speak be or not the Scriptures are what they are the very Word of God as the sun is a shineing sun and light is light whether the blinde see it or not The word of the Lord is cloathed with Divine Light Majesty and Authority whether we see it or not Obligeth us though as yet wanting this perswasion and remaining blinde or blinded with prejudice to Imbrace and Receive the same as the Word of God and to yeeld all due Faith and Obedience thereunto as to the Word Law of the great God Lawgiver it is true without this work of the Spirit we cannot attaine to that heart-quieting Perswasion and soul-satisfying Assurance of the infallible Truth and divine Authority of the Scripture yet there is an infallible Truth divine Authority that inseparably attendeth whatsoever is spoken by God delivered as Assertions Lawes whether we see it and beleeve it or not And our blindness though it prejudge us of the rich advantage of Embraceing the Scriptures as the very Word of God yet it Endammageth not in the least the word of God it self But by the way of the Quakers the Scriptures have no Light nor Authority in themselves or to us until this Second Testimony come And thus it is supposed that either the Scriptures have no Characters of Light Power Life and Majesty divine in themselves or that whatever they may have of this kinde it is of no force to Oblige us to Faith and Obedience which were a contradiction till we receive this adventious and second Testimony and so all who want this are under no Obligation to receive the Bible by Faith and Obedience more then the Turks Alcoran which sure must be a very wilde and uncouth Position Let the Reader consult that satisfying Piece of the learned D. Own of the Divine Original c. of the Scriptures Chap. 5. where this is more satisfyingly and clearly expressed 1â— Now this being the very nature and native result of the judgment of the Quakers who sâ—eth not how absurd it is and who can be ignorant of the dreadful Consequences thereof which are so obvious For if their Opinion hold Then 1 there was no Ground for that Challenge Hos. 8 12. I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing 2 Then the jewes wanting this testimony could not be blamed for saying Ier. 43 2 Thou speakest falsly the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say go not unto Egypt to sojourn there 3 This might have been alleiged for an excuse of the Unbeleef that Christ himself did meet with for the Jewes might have said we have not as yet the testimony of the Spirit perswading us that Christs sayings and sermons are truely divine or the very sayings and testimony of God and till we have this we are not bound to beleeve 4 This would annul all that Authority and Truth that is in the Revelation of Iesus Christ which God gave untâ— Him to show unto His Servants and sent and signified by his Angel unto Iohn who bare record of the word of God and of the testimony of Iesus Christ. Revel 1 2. So 5 it maketh null that saying Revel 1 3. Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this prophecy and keep those sayings which are written therein 6 It confronteth all these places following Deut. 11 18 19. and 18 19. Ier. 29 19. and 35.15 Psal. 50 17. Prov. 4 20. and 7 â— Ier. 6 19. and 1â— 10. and 13 10. Ezech. 3 4.10 with multitudes moe which might be cited 7 By this meanes the people of God of old were no more Obliged to receive the Word of God delivered by true Prophets than the lies and dreams of the false Prophets who were Prophets of the deceits of their owne hearts and there was no difference to be put betwixt the chaff and the wheat until this second Revelation came See Ier. 23 21-32 In a word 8 This rendereth the whole Scriptures of the Old and New Test. void and useless as we shall manifest more when we come to consider what he saith to the contrary 18. What he speaketh of the difference among the Ancients and doubtings concerning some Books of Scripture which are now received can prove nothing but that through Prejudice
this that which at best is but of private interpretation that is an Issue of mens Fancies private Conceits and Enthusiasmes if not Satanical Illapses and Delusions This is also plaine from 1 Cor. 4 6. above what is written which implyeth that what is written is sufficient and full as also from Act. 20 27 35 comp with Act. 26 22 23. 27. These and what formerly hath been mentioned to this end and purpose this man thinketh good to overlook as if he had never heard of them We shall now try what he saith to others and First that plaine Testimony Esa. 8 20. to the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Whence we see that whoever they be that come to us pretending a divine Commission we must try what they say by this word which is called the Law and the Testimony and if they speak not according to it let their pretensions be never so high they are to be rejected as dark and as coming from darkness So that the Law and the Testimony is the Supreme Râ—le To this he saith we have not proven that by the Law and Testimony is meaned the Scriptures As if any that ever read the Bible could be ignorant what is all along meaned by these words But granting this he hath another reserve viz. That the Law was in a more special manner given to the jewes and more principally than to us And hence forsooth he will retort the Argument against us thus Seing they who were under the Old Covenant were to try all by the outward Law we who are under the new Covenant are to try all by the word of faith which is within us And thus the man rants in his reaving contradicting what was the great pillar of his discourse upon the preceeding Thesis and making differences without ground as we lately manifested and with all destroying by his owne expressions what he mainly intendeth For the Word of Faith that he speaketh of is distinct from Immediat Revelations and these words which he eyeth cited by Paul Rom. 10. were spoken to the people under the Law by Moses Deut. 30. v. 14. and so were true of them even then Hereby also he proveth more than he ought for if this Argument hold the Scriptures shall not be so much as a Lesse Principal and Subordinat Rule which yet he granted it to be or he must say the case is so altered under the New Testament that what was a Principal Rule then is now only subordinat but whence will this be Evinced And will it not hence appear probable that what is now Principal to us was Less Principal to them that is the Immemediat Testimony of the Spirit Let the man rid his feet here if he can as for the 70 Version we have nothing to do with it if he will lay any weight upon such a corrupt Version he should not challenge other versions that agree better with the Original But I wonder how the Man can think that that Version which saith the law was given for an help shoulâ— confirme his Opinion which is that the Law was given them as a Principal Rule even above the Spirits Revelations 27. Another argument to prove the Scriptures our supream Rule is usually taken from Christs saying to the Jewes Ioh. 5 39 search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they that testifie of me Where Câ—râ—st referreth them to the Scriptures that word of God which should have been abideing in them verse 38. as to a Rule whereby he was content that his doctrine should be tryed and judged and if even Christs Doctrines should be tryed by the Scriptures who will think it unreasonable that private Enthusiasmes should be so tryed and who can then deny this privilege of the Scripture to be our Rule what saith he to this passage He imagineth that Christ reproveth them for having too great a veneration for the Scriptures Quite contrare to vers 38 46 47. and to the very word of command search the Scriptures and to his owne Concession granting that it was their Principal Rule It is laid to their charge that they would not come to Christ and one Reason of their Unbeleefe is given viz. that they did not search the Scriptures which did testifie of Him that notwithstanding they professed acknowledged that the Scriptures pointed out the way to eternal life But againe he tels us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 search is by some taken to be in the Indicative mode and not in the Imperative Which forgery of Papists the cohesion and scope of the words doth abunâ—antly redargue and Tolet and Maldonat both confesse that Chrysostome Theoph. August and all weighty Authors except Cyril understand it imperatively To â—â—is passage of Christs here we might adde others where he confirmeth his doctrine by the Scriptures elsewhere cited and the following verses where he tels them that Moses by his writings should accuse them that their not beleeving of Moses's writings was a cause why they did not beleeve Christs words verse 45 46 47. we might adde also Paul and other Apostles proving their doctrine from the Scriptures and Paul's affirming that he spoke nothing but what Moses the Prophets said But these and the like have been cited already let us take notice but of what the Apostle Iames speaketh concerning this He accounts the Word of Truth that by which we are begotten Chap. 1 18. and Would have us doers of it and not hearers only otherwise we shall but deceive our selves vers 2â— 23. and then vers 25. calleth it the Perfect Law of liberty wherein we continueing and being not forgetful hearers but doers of the work we shall be blessed in our deed So Chap. 2 8. He calleth it the Royal law according to the Scriptures which say we should Love our Nieghbour as our selves and if we do otherwise we commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressours and vers 10 11. he sheweth us that by the Law he meaneth the decalogue See also Chap. 4 11 12 28. Another passage of Scripture confirming our point is Act. 17 11. where it is spoken to the commendation of the Beroans that they searched the Scriptures to see if Pauls doctrine did accord therewith which clearly expressed the Scriptures to be that Rule by which even the sayings of such as pretend Immediat Revelations ought to bâ— tryed though he thinketh that hence it will not follow that they are our Only and Supream Rule But he thinketh best to chant over againe his old Song viz. That these were Jewes to whom the Law and the Prophets were a Rule in a more special manner The uselesness of which Evasion hath been showne And further he must grant that these Christians were under the New Testament or Covenant and so cannot say that it is the Priviledge of Christians under the New Testament to be from under
the Law of God as their Supream Law and Rule for notwithstanding that these here had received the word spoken by Paul yet they went to their Supream Rule to have full Confirmation and Perswasion and upon this account are highly commended and hereby became beleevers vers 12. What he speaketh Pag. 50 of Heathens and particularly of the Athenians who received not the Scriptures and therefore were not dealt with by the Apostle upon that ground is Impertinent for he granted that the Law was a Principal Rule to the Jewes yet he knoweth that all other Nations did not submit unto it and he cannot say that the Chiefe and Only Rule was more different than nor now But he supposeth that when we speak of the Scriptures as our Rule we do wholly exclude the Law of Nature and the Revelation of God's minde written on the works of Creation and Providence and imprinted into the heart and minde of man as if the Scriptures did not comprehend the other and give a more clear and distinct Explication thereof Doth not the Scripture tell us that Gods works reveal â—omething of Him Psal. 19 2 3 4 5. and 147 10. c Iob 37. and 38. and 39. Act. 14 15 16 1â— Rom. 1 18 19 20. and 2 14 15 And hence also we see that the very Law and Light of Nature hath the Authority of God with it as being a Revelation of his will though dimme and but in part so that such as had no other are judged and condemned as trangressours thereof But this is without any prejudice to that Word which God hath magnified above all his name or what declareth Him Psal. 138 2. and wherein what was but darkly held forth in nature is more clearly and distinctly expressed beside the many other Revelations concerning the Institute worshipe of God and the way of Reconciliation and many other things concerning God and his Relations to us and our Duty to him which Nature could never have discovered and which are fully and clearly held forth in the written Word What argueing is this Because the Gentiles have not the Scriptures which are the Full Clear and Comprehensive Revelation of the minde of God therefore they are not our Supream Only Rule It is observable how this Man in the end of this § 8. will no more have the Scripâ—ures to be our Rule then the heathen Poets a sentence out of whom Paul adduced to convince the Athenians and so contradicteth all that he hath said both as touching the Law and Word of God its being a Principal Rule to the Iewes and among the rest to the Bereans and a Subordinat Rule to us We should have work enough should we do no more but observe this Mans inconsistencies and self contradictions 29. We returne now to examine what he saith against the Perfection of the Scriptures whereby he would prove it to be no Canon to us § 3. c. Pag. 40. c. And here he must give us leave to improve the advantage we have of his Concessions for while he granteth the Scriptures to be Truth he must needs grant that what testimony they give of themselves must be true and if they assert their owne Fulness and Perfection as to the ends for which they were appointed as we shall now shew they do he is as much concerned as we to answere the Objections to the contrary and to vindicate the Scriptures to be Perfect according to the testimony they give of themselves But it is obserâ—able how these Quakers joyne with Papists to decry the Scriptures and their Perfâ—ction and with the Iewes also who in their corrupted stated cryed up an Oral Law as they called it above the written Word It is true their Faces seeme to look to distinct airths but with Samsons foxes their tails are tyed together to consume the Scriptures of truth Our Quakers cry up their Inward Revelations or the Spirit within them as above the Scriptures So do the Papists cry up the Spirit in their Church See Mich. le jay praef ad opus biblic and Morinus â—ut let us see by what Arguments the Scriptures prove themselves to be a Perfect Canon and Rule That place of Paul 2 Tim 3 16 17 is enough to confront all that this Man can say against their Perfection For what is able to make wise unto salvation to make the man of God perfect throughly fournished for all good works is and cannot but be a Compleet and Perfect Rule But Paul positively and expresly asserteth this of the Scriptures nay moreover he cleareth and confirmeth it by enumeratinâ— all the necessary and useful Effects of the Scripture which he reduceth to foure heads to doctrine and Reproof in reference to matters of Faith the one concerneth the declaration and confirmation of Truth the other the rejection and confutation of Errour and then to Correction and Instruction in reference to Manners the one concerneth Evil actions for which men are to be reproved and corrected the other concerneth Good actions wherein we are to be instructed Against this place tâ—is man hath not a face to speak only in the end of Pag. 46. he hinteth that by the Man of God here is meaned the Spiritual Man and not a Carnal Man Which is nothing to the matter for though none but a Spiritual Man can improve the Scriptures aright yet they remaine in themselves a Compleet and Perfect Rule yea this confirmeth their Perfection and Necessity that even the Spiritual Man and he that is most advanced is made perfect by them standeth in need of them as his Rule And sure in this mans judgment they must be more a Rule to Quakers then to any others for these only are men of God with him The same may be cleared from Ioh. 5 39. of which before and Ioh. 20 31. But these are written that ye might beleeve that Iesus is the Christ and that beleeving ye might have life through his name So that the Sufficiency of what is writen concerning Christs Doctrine and Actions unto salvation clearly confirmeth the Perfection of the Scriptures nothing needeth be added to that Rule which is a Sufficient Ground for our faith that we may come to life But the Scriptures are a Sufficient Ground for our faith that we thereby may be saved For this end also compare these following passages Luk. 1 3 4. and 16 29. Act. 1.1 Rom. 10 17. Ephes 2 19 20. 30. Nay not only so but the Scriptures do in express tearmes Assert their owne Perfection Psal. 19 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul must noâ— this man be effronted that with Papists dar openly say the Law of the Lord is not perfect and as if it were not enough to contradict Scripture will goe about to prove that the Scriptures of truth do not speak truth Adde to this these passages wherein men are expresly prohibited to adde to this law such as Deut. 4 2. and 12 32. Prov. 30 5
6. Rev. 22 18. and others of the same import as Gal. 1 8. Mat. 15 6. So that it is hence cleare that the Doctrine contained in the Scriptures is full and Compleet for to it nothing must be added not must any thing be diminished therefrom Now to these this Maâ— replyeth with Bellarmine That Iohn in the Revelation meaneth only that particular book That notwithstanding thereof the Prâ—pheâ—s of old did adde their Prophecies But how vaine these shifts are who seeth not Seing what is spoken of that Book and elsewhere of the Commands of God is consequently to be understood of all and as none might adde to the law delivered by Moses nor to the Word held forth by the Prophets so the Canon being closed and the same prohibition renewed at the close thereof we are assured hence that the Canon is Perfected as for the Prophecies of the Prophets these were properly no Additions to but Explications of the law of God and beside the Lord did not binde up his owne hand when he tyed up mans from adding or diminishing But he tels us further that there were Prophets even after Iohns dayes and at the Reformation and since Which is nothing to the purpose for these who foretold events took not upon them to prescribe thereupon doctrines to others nor did they make any such Revelation the Ground and Rule of Faith and Manners eiâ—her to themselves or others far less did they plead upon this account against the Perfection of the Scriptures as our Quakers do Wherefore it is manifest that the Spirit of Divination which tâ—ey plead for is a corrupt Antichristian Spirit But in end he sayeth that these places are to be understood only of such as adde new doctrine contrary to the old of such as adde humane words to God's but not of them who only bring a new and more copious revelation of ancient doctrine As if additions of new Revelations to the canon did not â—eclare the canon Imperfect This is the same which Bellarmine and other Papists say for their Traditions viz. That they are not Additions but Explications yet both their Traditions our Quakers new Revelations must thereby be as highly valued as the writtings of the prophets and Apostles which were but further Explications and Revelations of the same old foundamental doctrine deliverd by Moses and thus what our Quakers do deliver by such Revelations as they pretend unto must be looked upon as of the same authority with what the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and with the Scriptures which are of divine Inspiration and what they speak thus are not mens words but Gods and must be received as such though they contradict what we have registrate in the Scriptures of truth Here is prodigious and blasphemous Audacity beyond what Papists though audacious enough dar be guilty of for they willingly grant that there is no place now left for adding to the Scriptures or doctrine delivered by the Prophets and Apostles any new Prophecies or Revelations But I would ask him one thing If he speak truth here when shall our Canon be compleated that no more needs be added Sure it must never he Perfected as long as they live or the time will come when they will need no moe Revelations and consequently according to their doctrine will nead no more help of the Spirit or of the Light within or that the Revelations which they shall then have will be useless Let him unriddle this mysterie if the can 31. Before I speak any more of their unreasonableness in this I would first see what Grounds he hath to decry the Perfection of the Scriptures Pag. 40. c. He tels us first That there are innumerable things which in reguard of particular circumstances are of great consequence unto Christians and yet there is no precise rule in the Scriptures concearning them But did ever any Rational man suppose that this was necessary to a Compleet Law and Rule to determine particularly and precisely of all and every particular action considered as to all its particular and individual circumstances Reasonable men will say that it is enough if it determine of aâ—l specifick actions and give general rules by which judgment may be made of all individual actions now this the Scripture doth richly and abundantly But he adduceth an instance to the contrary thus of a Minister called to preach the necessity of which office and ministrie himself denyeth though he make use of this argument ad hominem who can produce no call out of the Scriptures nor will the qualifications required of Minâ—sters evince that this man in particular is called nor can he be certaine that he is endued with these qualifications without the testimony of the Spirit and though he be endued and called no Scripture can tel him when and where he should preâ—ch Generals will not serve here for he may sin when doing this or preaching here when he should be doing that and preaching in another place Answere 1. I might tell him that by his reasoning here he must grant that he and the rest of the Quakers must have a Real New Distinct and Particular Revelation for every action every word or silence every thought or no thought and so for their Eating Drinking Sleeping Wakeing Walking Sitting Standing Looking Hearing c. or their rule shall be as imperfect as ours for in all these and in respect of their circumstances they may sinne and so bring condemnation on themselves and yet as we will hear afterward he dar not say so much His saying that the Instance which he hath adduced is a matter of greater moment will not helpe the matter for if he will I shall prove to him that in the least of these particulars I have hinted he can sinne against God and that is enough by his owne confession here to render the matter momentous 2 To him it is true who denieth the Ministrie it self its Work and Exercise it cannot be that the Scriptures should Regulate particular persons in their taking on of the Office and in the Exercise thereof But to us who owne this as an Institution of Christ and shall in due place vindicate it from his Exceptions there is no Impossibility in the matter For we can prove from Scripture and shall do it in due time and place that there is such a standing Ordinance in the New Testament That there is an established Order whereby persons shall be duely Invested with the Office That there are certaine Qualifications required in the Person who is to be admitted to the Office That there is concurring an inward Work of the Spirit inclineing the man whom the Lord calleth unto this Office upon pure and spiritual grounds and motives and for holy and heavenly ends and this may be cleared also out of Scripture Therâ— are passages of providence and circumstantial Works of the Lord which are great and sought out of all them that have pleasure
sinning they actually joyn themselves to it And this seed of sin is frequently in Scripture called dâ—ath and the body of death and that this seed and that which cometh of it is called the old man the old Adam Thus then in â—hort his judgment is that nothing of original sin neither Originans nor Originatum neither the Guilt of Adam's sin nor the Corruption of nature is imputed to or inherent in any man till he commit some actual transgression and so sin cometh not by Propagation or Traduction but by Imitation as said the Pelagians of old and as the Socinians and Anabaptists to day maintaine And the Arminians with their Episcopius deny that any thing that is truely sin is found in any of Adams Posterity before their own proper act 8. Let us now see what he sayeth in defence of this Errour and let us first take notice of what he said of Augustine that much honoured Instrument of the Lord against the errours that Satan was soweing in the Church in his time He would make us beleeve that Augustine wrote of this subject when under the dottage of old age while as it is manifest to such as read his life that what he wrote against Pelagius was written while he was in the prime of his Vigour and Understanding and his works themselvs declare the same But what will this pedantick Quaker think of that singular and self-denying woâ—k of that worthy person called his Retractations wherein he reviewed all his former writings and retracted several thâ—ngs asserted by him in his younger and lesse studied yeers belike this man will look upon that work being written after these he now excepteth against as containing nothing but greater dottages because as he â—upposeth the longer persons live though not yet comeing near the ordinary attendants of stouping or declineing old age they grow the greater fools and consequently that himself must now be a greater fool though I see little dâ—ffâ—rence while become a Quaker than he was in his younger dayes when he was a Papist Next the man is not ashamed to judge of the very Thoughâ—s and Motives of that noble Instrument yea he is so bold as to condemne him of acting upon corrupt motives as if noâ—hing had moved him to write for Oâ—iginal sin but eagerness of Zâ—al against Pelagius no inward conviction of the truth not of the damnableness or danger of the Pelagian heâ—esie in this no conviction of his duty to appear for truth Doth this Qâ—aker consider that hereby he is audaciously arrogating to himself Gods prerogative royal of judging the secrets of the heart Remembeâ—eth he that God is a Jealous God who will not give his glory to another But what grounds can he give of this his bold presumption What evidence is there of that holy Fathers writting against his own conscience I â—ay no more of this but leave this Quaker to his judge and take notice of a Third untruth when he sayeth that Augustine was the first that appeared in this controversie against the Pelagians Had he but consulted Vossius in his Historia Pelagianismi a book that sometime he citeth he should have found that whole Councils appeared against Pelagius himâ—elf to speak nothing of Hierome in this particular before that Augustine wrote of it particularly the first Synod at Carthage and that Synod in Palestine where Pelagius himself was present and hideing his abominations deceived the Fathers with faire words and the Council of Milevy that dealt more roundly with that heresie tels us in plaine tearmes that the Truth which they maintained was owned by the whole Catholick Church all the world over and so it was indeed and never once questioned till that unhappy instrument of Satan to whom this Quaker adjoyneth himself broached his pernicious doctrine It is true the Pelagians called this Orthodox truth a forged device of Augustines as this man doth but Augustine replyed as Vossius tels us Hist. Pelag lib. 2. part 1. Thes. 6. in these words I did not devise original sin which the Caâ—holick faith beleeved of old but thou who denyest this without doubt art a new heretick and lib. 1. contra Iulian. Cap. 2. he citeth no fewer then ten or twelue of the Fathers for him and lib. de Pecc Merit Remis he saies he never heard one that owned the Scriptures speak otherwise If this Quaker had perused Vossius in the place last cited he would have seen how the â—ame truth which Augustine maintained was asserted by ancient Fathers both Greek and Latine before Augustine's dayes such as Ignatius Dionysius Areopagia Iustin Martyr Tatianus Ireneus whom Augustine himself citeth Origen Methodius Macarius Hierosol Macarius Aegyptius Athanasius Cyrillus Nazianzenus Chrysostome and others of the latine Fathers he citeth Tertullian Cyprian Arnobius Reticius Olympius Hilarius Ambrosius whom Augustine citeth Hilarius Diaconus Hieronimus whom he also citeth And moreover he should have found Pag. 179. that Augustine did not assert this truth meerly out of zeâ—l gainst the Pelagians as he ignorantly and boldly affirmeth for he had asserted it in hâ—s books de Libero Arbitrio written before Pelagianisme appeared and how in his 6. book against Iulianus the Pelagian Cap. 4. he sayes expresly that he was in that judgment from the very beginning of his conversion that he had said nothing through heat of disput which was not the ancient doctrine of the whole Church Ego sayeth he per unum hominem in mundum intrasse peccatum per peccatum mortem ita in omnes homines pertransisse in quo peccaverunt omnes ab initio conversionis meae sic tenui semper ut teneo Extant libri quos adhuc laicus reâ—entissimâ neâ conversiâ—ne conscripst et si nondum sicut postea sacris literis eruditus tamen nihil de hâc re jam nunc sentiens ubi disputandi ratio poposcerat dicens nisi quod antiquitus discit and docet omnis Ecclesia Let this Qâ—aker read these words and if he be not above measure effronted let him blush at his shameless boldness Let hiâ— read also August lib 4 ad Boniâ—ac c. 8. contra duaâ— Pelagianorum Eâ—istolas lib. 3. de Pecc Mer. remiss cap. 6. 7. lib. 1. adv jul resp poster Pag 5.8 125. and he will see further cause of repenting of his groundless confidence and audacity if his conscience be not feared 9. We have had one great proof of this Quakers confident boldness now theâ—e followeth another for the only confirmation which he adduceth of his Heâ—esie in his Thesis and that which he first speaketh to in his Apology Pag. 59. is brought from Ephes. 2 1 2 3. a passage out of which the old Fathers proved Orâ—ginal sin against the Pelagians as August lib. 6. c. 12. cont jul Scriptor Hypognost lib. 2. Fulgent and fourteen Bishops with him ad Petrum diaconum c. 26. Theodoret on the place also Primasius and Haimo commenting on the place and others cited by
that look upon the place that the Apostle to the end he might clear up the way how beleevers partake of the benefites of Christs death maketh a comparison betwixt Adam and Christ and so cleareth up how it is that all Mankinde is become Corrupt and that in and through the first Man Adam from whom this corruption is derived not by Imitation for they cannot imitate it who never heard of it and yet even they partake of this corruption therefore by real Participation of the guilt saying verse 12. as by one man sin entred into the world c. and that in him all sinned and afterward that upon this sin death passed upon all men and reigned even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgressions that is over infants that had not yet committed any actual sin and that judgment was by one to condemnation so that the fruit of this sin was Condemnation or Obnoxiousness to condemnation and that because by this one sin the posterity were made sinners 2. By Death here is meaned every kinde of death Temporal and Eternal and Spiritual for it is a death that reigned over Iâ—fants and is called Condemnation 3. we finde no person old or young that come of this first Adam by ordinary generation here excepted nay Infants are expresly enough included vers 14. 4. So that all the posterity of Adam young and old being in Adam their Natural and Federal Head partake of his sin having sinned in him and of the miseries or just punishment of that sin All this is so clear and manifest both from the very words and expressions of the Apostle and from his scope that who ever speak against this must do violence to the text and weaken the Apostles argueings This same passage did the ancients Augustine and others urge against the Pelagians as is to be seen in Vossij histor Pelag. Pag. 146 147. By this argument That sin which is so described to us by the Apostle that he sayeth is brought death upon all men that men sinned by it and were made sinners even they who could not as yet actually sin that thereby all became guilty of death and of condemnation that sin by imputation is the sin of the whole nature included in Adam and rendereth the whole nature obnoxious to death and to condemnation But the first sin of Adam is decribed to us by the Apostle c. Ergo That sin is the sin of nature because Adam did sustaine the person of all who potentially were in his Ioines and by vertue thereof all are liable to death the punishment thereof Vossius tels us moreover that the Ancients took much notice of Paul's calling Adam a Type and of the particle As and did hence gather that as the Obedience of Christ belongeth to all such as are spiritually begotten not by Imitation but by Imputation so the Disobedience of Adam is conveyed not by Imitation but by Imputation unto all such as corporally come of him They took notice also as he sheweth us of the particle By which did denote the Efficient cause of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom which saith that the posterity did sin in Adam or if it be rendered because or in as much or for which it will shew what is the Adequate cause of death and that it hath also place in Infants 19. Thus we have seen the Argument of the orthodox Church and its ground let us next see what he sâ—ith against it As concerning the words of the Apostle saith he the reason of the condemnation in whom all did sin that is in that seed or by occasion of that seed for no man is said to sin but in his owne person But I pray By what warrand may he foist-in words at his owne pleasure into the tâ—xt Is there the least mention made of seed in all the text Is not this intolerable boldness to deal so with the Scripâ—ures of Truth But if Infants be condemned because they sinned in or by occasion of that seed then that seed was imputed to them Yes he will say but that was when they began to sin in their owne persons No say I that cannot be because the text importeth no such thing yea it saith the contrary viz. that death which is included in the condemnation passed upon all men and reigned even over such as had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression that is had not as yet sinned actually So that his reason is directly against the Apostle and we have further above discovered its untruth He addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aggreeth with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so sheweth how Adam by his sin gave entry to sin into the world and so death by sin entered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by which viz. occasion or in which viz. death all others did sin i. e. actually in their persons viz. who were capable of sinning of which number Infants are not who are under no Law as was showne and where no Law is there is no transgression as the Apostle sayeth This upon the matter is the same that the old Pelagians said as Vossius sheweth us Hist. Pelag. Pag. 182.183 For they interpreted these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom all have sinned by sinning after example or Imitation and this man by sinning upon that Occasion when they become capable and the Socinians with Episcopius homologate with the Pelagians and have been abundantly answered by the orthodox who shew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Xenophon Aristophanes Demosthenes and other Greek Authors But For Answere unto this Quaker I would say 1. If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the meaning must be this and so death passed upon all men in which death all men sinned and what sense can this make out May not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agree as well to Man If not let him give us the least colour of reason either from the text or context 2. If Adam by his sin gave entry unto sin into the world this must be meaned of his first sin for the Apostle speaketh alwayes of one sin or of Offence in the singular number that Vers. 18. may be read by one offence And so sin entered not by Imitation nor yet by Occasion for his after sinnes might have laid the way for Imitation and have given Occasion as well as the first Yea more yea only for while the first sin was committed there were none to imitate him and if this had been the Apostles meaning he had spoken of sins in the plural number 3 If this had been the Apostles meaning he had not named One man and One man as a Type a Type of him that was to come for Eva's sin the Devils sin might also have been an Occasion 4. Hence it will follow thaâ— beleevers are made Righteous only upon Occasion of Christs Righteousness
question of this Quaker If Infants be borne pure and free of sin as he saith How can this be the peculiar prerogative of Christ to be conceived and borne without sin And in reference to this what necessity was there that he should have been conceived of the Holy Ghost and borne of a Virgine Let him answere this at his owne leasure CHAP. VII Of Reprobation 1. WE have heard this Mans Opinion concerning the State and condition of fallen Man Now his Fift and Sixt Thesis come under consideratioâ— wherein he giveth us an Account of the way and meanes how man is delivered from this miserable and depraved Condition But howbeit his Theses were sufficiently large Yet he toucheth moe things in his Vindication or Apology than he gave any hint of there but this is no material ground of challenge for the more full he be in explaining his minde and the moe the particulars be which he speaketh to we come to know his minde the better Though he made no mention of Reprobation in his Thesis yet he giveth us in his Apology Pag. 64. c. a large discourse thereof and beginneth his Explication of these two Theses with this matter And though he spareth no paines or paper in venting his displeasure against that which he supposeth to be the doctrine of the Reformed Churches concerning Reprobation yet I cannot finde that he giveth us any account of his owne positive Judgment of this matter be like he thought it his Wisdom to forbear that lest he should entangle himself into inextricable difficulties and howbeit his Admirers may commend him for this yet I think his dealing the less ingenuous and upright 2. It is observed that since the truth of God in the matter of Predestination began first to be questioned by Pelagius and his Followers in the dayes of Augustine there hath hardly been any Seck or Heresie wherewith the Church of Christ hath been infested that hath not stumbled upon this stumbling stone and encouraged themselves thereby to continue fixed in their Errours and not only to blaspheme in their pride and audacity the Truth of God when it had favoured more of Christian sobriety to have been silent and when they could not with their corrupt and blinded Understandings satisfyingly comprehend this truth to have stooped unto God's Revelation of the mystery rather than to have condemned it and that in such a petulant and intolerable manner as if God and his mysteries must stand at the bar of mans Judgment and either conforme to the Apprehensions and Conceptions of Mâ—ns corrupted blinded byassed Reason or be rejected as reprobat matter not to be tolerated in Church or Common wealth so that this corrupted and blinde judge must umpire without the remedie of an appellation most peremptorily and absolutely in the sublime acts of the Great Absolute Soveraigne Jehovah And therefore it should seem less strange to us that these Quakers whose chief Excellency or rather most desperat Madness and Wickedness lyeth in this that they rake together all the filthiest brats of other Hereticks and therewith patch up a compleet Cento for their Religion and whose chiefe and only rule for faith and practice is the dim Light of Nature a light within every man which as to the great mysteries of God revealed in the Gospel is pure hellish darkness have following the Light of their corrupt guide not only Rejected but also blasphemously Inveighed against the Truth of God in this particular For vaine man would be wise though man be born like a wild asses colt 3. It is likewise observable that the proud rebellious adversaries of the Grace and Soveraignity of God that they may in their popular discourses and scriblings make the truth concerning the Absolute and Free Grace of God more odious and hatefull to such as usually measure the Incomprehensible God and all his wayes by their own carnal Imaginations and not by the sure Revelations of his will in his Word It is I say usual with such to pitch upon this point of Reprobation knowing that carnal self lovers are so blinded with prejudice at any truth that crosseth their humors and at this especially which at first look seemeth so repugnant unto the fixed delusory apprehensions of God which they satisfy themselves with all And though the Judicious know and they themselves cannot be ignoâ—ant that what is spoken against Reprobation reflecteth upon Election these being as twines which must die and live together for take away Reprobation and Election is forthwith destroyed and grant once Election and Reprobation is thereby established without further disput by such as know what they say and whereof they affirme yet such is the Unmanly let be Unchristian yea and Unscholastick Disingenuity of these more enraged than rationally acted Adversaries that they passe over the matter of Election as finding it possibly too hote for their fingers and exaggerat the matter of Reprobation with all the strength of their Invention and keenness of their Rhetorick whereby though they contribute to the fixing of themselves in an Errour it may be contrare to the very suggestions of their more Impartial and a little more Enlightned Consciences and to the raising of scruples and prejudices in the mindes of the simple yet they but render themselves more ridiculous unto the more understanding and exercised persons in these debates And this is the whole of the present work and designe of this Quaker for not one word hath he of Election less or more but runeth out in such a rage against Reprobation that he runeth himself blinde so that he cannot see the most palpable and obvious Contradictions and Inconsistencies which himself uttereth and no man of common sense would ever speak and so doth his irrational rage drive him that to all intelligent beholders he proclameth his own brutish Ignorance Take one instance which will demonstrate both Towards the very beginning of his discourse Pag. 64. 65. he presenteth us as speaking thus That God did predestinate to everlasting damnation the most part of men without any respect had to their sin only to demonstrate the glory of his justice Now let all men of common sense judge to speak nothing of the learned who cannot but look with indignation upon this ridiculously and perversely false Representation of our meaning if ever man in his wits did or any who understood what they said could say That God did predestinate any man to damnation for the glory of his justice without any consideration had of the mans sin who seeth not what a palpable contradiction is here can God have the glory of Iustice any other way than in punishing of sin And can God intend to gloryfy his Iustice and not intend to punish sin and can he Intend to punish sin or men for sin and not consider their sin 4. This Man inveigheth much against absolute Reprobation as he calleth it but what sort of Reprobation he maintaineth he never once acquanteth us why and
this for a true declaration of the truth which we maintaine and with this open discovery of his unfaire dealing might we rest satisfied because it is to be presumed his following reasons can conclude only against this he hath laid forth as our judgment but as we have showne This is not our judgment and therefore his Arâ—uments cannot touch us if they lavel at nothing but at this man of straw which he hath made for himself to shoot at Yet lest he boast as if we were not able to look his Reasons in the face we shall view them 14. He tels us that this is a new opinion there being no mention made thereof in the first four hundered yeers after Christ and that Augustin laid the first foundation thereof in his later writings out of zeal against the Pelagians and sowed some sayings which some have unhappily laid hâ—ld on to strengthen this errour whereby they contradict both truth and the sayings of Augustin and others Answ 1. This man would make us bâ—leeve that he had read all the Fathers that wrote before Augustine but we know whence he hath this for it is the old saying of Arminians But 2. This can conclude nothing against the Truth which we have seen asserted in the Scriptures of truth The Fathers in those ages had not to do with such hereticks as were the Pelagians Before that Enemy of the grace of God arose the Church was in pâ—ace as to these controversies and the Fathers had no occâ—sion to debate such questions as Pelagius afterwards gave occasion unto Can he evince that all the Fathers before Augustine were of a contrary opinion to what we maintaine 3. Is this mans Religion grounded upon the authority of men And will he beleeve no more than what the Father 's said in the first foure ages Let him follow what cisterns he pleaseth we will satisfie ourselves with the Word as the ground of our Faith and we do look upon the Apostles as more ancient than these Fathers and take their positive assertions as of more authority than the silence of these 4. Yet Augustine de dono persever Cap. 11. citeth Ambrose Nazianzen and Cyprian as concurring with him in the ground of his doctrine of Predestination 5. as concerning Augustine what this man groundlesly suggesteth of him is the same he said before when speaking of Original sin and there we answered it 6. what contradictions are in our doctrine either unto Truth or unto Augustine he hath not showne Augustine it is true in his later dayes and after more mature deliberation and consideration of the matter occasioned by his disputs with the Pelagians did retract somethings said by himself in his younger yeers But all this is for the further Confirmation of the truth which we owne The Reader who desireth more satisfaction concerning this matter of Antiquity as to this point may consult the learned D. Twisse against Mr Hoord Sect. 1. 15. He next tels us that the Dominicans imbraced this Opinion And so he giveth us to understand that he is more pleased with the doctrine of the Iesuites But all except Pelagian-Arminians confesse that in these points the Dominicans are preferable to the Iesuites who are more downe right Enemies to the grace of God And then with a crocodile tear as it were in his eye he tels us with an Alas that Calvin éspoused this opinion and addeth that he wronged his name much hereby But with none of the orthodox I am confident for as to what this Quaker and his Arminians say in this we value it not He addeth that hereby the Christian and Protestant Religion was defamed And yet the world heard of no such thing but by Papists Iesuites Arminians who is bound to regard their scandal who are blinde leaders of the blinde must truth be foresaken because these Enemies to the grace of God like it not He confesseth that the Synod oâ— Dort did defend our opinion but addeth that notwithstanding it is exploded by the major part of learned and pious men in all the Churches of Protestants We know indeed that too many nowadayes are turning from the truth and imbraceing Pelagian Iesuitical and Arminian errours but that they make up the major part we deny possibly he will take in the Lutherans but we account them not Reformed Protestants 16. But Pag. 66. he tels us he would not much regaird all this if our opinion had any ground in the word And we have shown that it hath good ground there Then he saith that it is most injurious unto God If this be true it must certanly be an Errour but how is this made good It maketh saith he God the Author of sin An heavy charge if true yet this is so clear thiâ—keth he as that two and one make three But a Quakers confidence following a blinde guide is no strong argument to us let us hear his reason If saith he the Lord decreed that these predestinate ones should perish having no respect unto their evil actions but out of his meer good pleasure and if he also decreed long before they did exist or in any capacity did either good or evil that they should be in these sins by which secondarily they were to be led unto that end who is the first Author and cause of this our God who so willed and decreed it then which there cannot be a more necessary consequence Answ. 1. The word Predestinate being usually taken in a good sense as meaned of these Elected to glory the man vents his gall in thus misapplying the word to render the truth Odious 2. Though no consideration of sin was or could be the Meritorious Moving or Procureing cause of God's eternal decree yet when he decreed to puniâ—h everlastingly thâ— Reprobat for their sinnes he cannot be said to have no respect to sin in his decree as he here alleigeth who considereth not well what he sayeth 3. Though he decreed to punish everlastingly for sin such and such persons and none else meerly out of his owne good will and pleasure yet he cannot be said to have had no respect to sin which punishment alwayes presupposeth and answereth unto 4 If God's decrees be not before man exist or do any good or evil they cannot be Eternal but Temporal and so this man is a Socinian and the decree of God concerning every individual person must exist when the man hath done good or evil and so as many men as many decrees nay according to this man the Lord can make no decree concerning the Everlasting state of man so long as he liveth and so not only we cannot but God himself cannot say to or of any man before the point of death that he is a Reprobate or an Elect what Apprehensions these men have of God I tremble to express 5. What he meaneth by these words ut in iniquitatibus illis versarentur I know not unless their meaning be as I have expressed it And what would he then make
body the Church Ephes. 5 23. And againe Quaest 68. Are all the Elect only effectually called Ans. All the Elect and they only are effectually called Act 13 48. Although others may be and often are outwardly called by the ministry of the word Mat. 2â— 14. and have some common operations of the Spirit Mat. 7 22. 13 20 21. Heb. 9 4 5. who for their wilfull neglect and contempt of the grace offered to them being justly left in their unbeleef do never truely come to Iesus Christ Ioh. 12 38 39 40. Act 28 25 26 27. Ioh. 6 64 65. Psal. 81 11 12. 10. When the Gospel cometh to a place there is ground of hope that God hath some lost groat or other to finde out by the light thereof for it being the Gospel of Salvation and by it the Lord bringing life and immortality to light and it being the mean appointed and designed of God for this end to bring in the chosen ones there is ground to suppose that the Lord hath some elected ones in that place moe or fewer And though as to the intention of God and as it is the meanes designed of Lord whereby to effectuate the purpose he hath of saving such as he hath designed unto life it be properly sent to gather them in yet considering it as containing the revealed will of God and pointing forth duty and as it is put into the hands of men who know not the secret Counsels of God nor whose names are writen in the book of life whose not it concerneth all that hear it and all are bound in obedience to the command of the great God in the mouth of his authorized Ambassadours to believe and obey the Gospel And when obedience is not yeelded thereunto the righteous God because of the refusal of the offer and the contempt done to the grace of God in that refusal either taketh away the Gospel leaving that people in darkness and in an irremediable case by Non-churching or Excommunicating them as he threatned to do to Ephesus Revel 2 to Laâ—dicea Rev 3 and did to the Iewes when he cut them off and hath done to several other Churches sometimes â—amous for Christianity And where he continuâ—th the Light of the Gospel after much contempt there being of his Elect there whom he will not want but with much long suffering for the glory of his Grace waite for he hath other spiritual judgments wherewith even in this side of Eternity he punisheth such contemptuous offenders whose life natural he may spare for a time by giving them up to hardness of heart judicially blinding them giving them up to the power of Unbeleefe and to spiritual Security and Deadness so that no preaching can pierce them no Meanes can prevaile with them no Motives can move or perswade them no Threatnings can awaken them or rouze them out of their sleep So that the Lord dealeth with them according as it is written Esai 6 9 10. Mat 13 14. Mark 4 v. 12. Luk. 8 10. Ioh. 12 40. Act. 28 26. Rom. 11 8. maketh their eyes heavy and shutteth their eyes c. or as it is written Esa. 29 10. Rom. 11.8 poureth out upon them the Spirit of a deep sleep and closeth their eyes or as it is written Psal. 81 12. giveth them up to their owne hearts lust or as it is Psal. 6â— 22. maketh their table a snare or as it is 2 Thes. 2 10 11 12. giveth them up to all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish and sendeth them strong delusion that they shall believe a lie that they may be damned who beleeved not the truth or saith to them as Revel 22 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still And though such judgments may be inflicted upon some that live and die under the drop of the Gospel yet it may well be said as to these on whom the Lord poureth out these judgments that the day of their Visitation and hope is at an end But yet though the consideration of this may and should make the Faithful Labourer in the work of the ministry when ready to complaine and cry out that he hath laboured in vaine and hath spent his strength for nought and in vaine Esai 49 4. lay his hand upon his mouth and adore knowing withall that his judgment is with the Lord and his work with his God ibid. and that he is unto God a sweet savour of Christ even in them that perish and to whom he is the savoure of death unto death 2 Cor. 2 15 16. Yet notwithstanding because it is not certain who are the particular persons who are thus judicially smitten of God he should minde his duty and preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine 2 Tim. 4 2. and be patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2 24 25 26. And others also who are even in a more private capacity should save some with fear pulling them out of the fire Iud vers 23. Not do we hereby give allowance to any to despond or despaire who hear the Gospel for the Lord hath his own time of coming the door standeth open that whosoever will may be encouraged to come forward for Christ in no wise casteth out any that cometh Ioh. 6 37. the invitation is Free Large whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Revel 22 17. Though with all we must say that word Heb. 6 4 5 6 7. may strick terrour into the hearts of many for it is impossible for those that were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them againe unto repentance seing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame for the earth which drinketh in the raine that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God but that which beareth thorns briers is rejected is near unto cursing whose end is to be burned 11. But as concerning that possibility which this Quaker dreameth of whereby it is concluded or presupposed that every Mothers son of the Posterity of Adam have Power and Ability Moral I say moral that no man may think I speak here of the meer faculties of the soul Understanding Will to beleeve and obey the Gospel or can of themselves beleeve without the Spirit of God and his mighty operation enlightening the Understanding savingly and renewing the Will and causing by the influence
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
We reply That it must be proven that what is promised to be given is of a different nature and not of the same nature with what the man hath Both these parables to which this is annexed cleare that the more promised is but of the same kinde with what was had and improved To say then that one that improveth nature shall obtaine grace is as much as to say that one improving health shall obtaine wealth or honour or one by improving wealth and honour shall obtaine health But the meaning of the saying is that such as improve gifts and talents given of God shall get more of the same kinde as he that improveth wealth getteth more wealth 2. What meaneth that by which all ought to beleeve doth Spiritual Grace and Light bestowed only lay on an obligation to beleeve Then it doth nothing for the obligation lay upon the man before to believe 3. Is every thing that layeth on an obligation to beleeve Supernatural and Saving Then the law is supernatural and saving But our Quaker talks he knoweth not what 4 we do not exclude supernatural saving Light as appeareth from what we said But let us hear why this man would have nothing else here understood 32. His first reason is because we are not said to receive what is common and peculiar to our nature from Christ and the Evangelist is here declaring Christ's office as Mediator and the benefites which we get from him as such Answ. If we receive not what is natural and common from Christ we have neither our Being nor Conservation of him contrare to Heb. 1 3. Col. 1 16 17. And that the Euangelist is here chiefly clearing and confirming the Deity of Christ none but Socinians will deny His Second reason is because the light is said to shine in darkness and yet not to be comprehended by darkness but this darkness is nothing but the natural state of man and yet in his natural state man can comprehend what is common and peculiar to him as such Ans. Not to take notice of his calling something both Common and Peculiar which is a sort of repugnancy here we grant that mans natural state is a state of darkness and therefore inferre that while in that state he is voide of all spiritual and supernatural Light for when this cometh the man becometh light in the Lord And though man in his natural state can comprehend that which is natural yet he cannot comprehend the God of Nature who is here called Light This Light may shine by natural effects of Reason and a Natural Conscience in a natural man and yet the man nor comprehend or understand this Light Our Quaker whose light of reason is darkness taketh the light here to be meant of the effect and not of the efficient so practically confuteth himself His third reason is but a repetition of what he said before was answered § 30. He adeâ—h more That in which we are commanded to beleeve that we may become the children of light is supernatural sufficient and saving But we are commanded to beleeve in the light Iohn 12 36. Ans. That we are commanded to beleeve in the light which is God is most true But that we are commanded to beleeve in the light which is but a meer Creature and a work in us as he imagineth is not true Iohn who came to bear witness of the light said unto the people that they should beleeve on him which should come after him that is on Christ Iesus Act 19 4 And told them that he that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3 36. To him gave all the prophets witness that through his name whoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sinnes Act. 10 43. But why do we cite particular places seing the whole Bible confirmeth it Here his Quakerisme setteth up its head while he will have that Light mentioned Ioh 12 36. not to be meaned of Christ himself but of some created thing in every man that is but meer Nature contrare to the very obvious import of the words as connected with the preceeding verse 34. where Christ and the Son of man is mentioned whom the Iewes thought should abide for ever and not be lifted up but he tels them that he was not to stay alwayes and that therefore they should be wise unto salvation and lay hold on him now by Faith and walk in him for darkness would come when he and his dispensations of the Gospel should be removed conforme to that Ioh. 8 12. I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life See also Iohn 9 5. But sayes he Pag. 100. they could beleeve in his person although he was removed And himself addeth an Answere when he mentioneth afterward a day of visitation so that if they did not lay hold on the faire opportunity they had the day would come when Christ himself and also in his Dispensations and Offers of mercy in the Gospel administration should goe away and then they should walk in darkness His conclusion being so ill founded and destructive of true Christianity substituting some Natural and consequently now corrupt thing common to all men both within and without the Church both barbarous and more moralized in the roome of Christ is to be rejected with all detestation and deserveth not to be once more repeated What he citeth at large out of Cyrillus if it be considered alone without this mans corrupt glosse which we are not to regaird speaketh nothing against the Truth which we owne as might easily be made to appear if we judged it worth so much paines as to clear it 33. The Second ground of his Universal Grace set down Pag. 101. § 22. is taken from the parable of the sower Mat. 13 Mark 4. Luk. 8. and this he saith is the word of faith Rom. 10. and the engrafted word Jam. 1 21. But is any so blinde as not to see that this is utterly impertinent to his purpose seing it is so manifest that our Lord is here speaking of the ordinary fruite of a preached Gospel and that among those that seem to be most docile and are not of the prophane and flagitious mockers opposers and persecuters of the truth Is he not speaking of that word which is heard with the eare And doth not Paul speak of such an outward word Rom. 10. which is preached by such whose feet are beautiful And that word whereof James speaketh is the same which should be received with meekness that it may become an ingrafted word and prove saving Is this word a substantial thing lying in every mans heart Is this word communicated to all the world to all and every man in the world since the very day that Adam fell What uncouth phansies must these Quakers have that are carryed away
Gentiles and sheweth what persons they were and concludeth with the Jewes and then tels us Chap. 3 vers 9. that he had proved both Iewes and Gentiles that they are all under sin It is true he sayes the wrath of God is revealed from haven against all unrighteousness of men c. because that which may be known of God is manifest in them c. But what of this What is made known of God saith he is made known by the Gospel Ans. This is most false for the Law and Light of Nature with the works of Creation and Providence do make known much of God But this is not the Gospel of the grace of God whereby life and immortality is brought to light It is like indeed that this is all the Quakers Gospel Many things have we met with hitherto which confirmeth us in this Apprehension thisi expression here putteth it beyond all doubt Doth this Gospel manifest the righteousness of God from faith to faith Yes saith he that is it revealeth to the soul what is good just and equitable And as the soul receiveth and beleeveeth that divine righteousness it is more and more revealed from one measure to another Ans. What ignorant babling is this What effronted and bold playing with the word of God is this Is every thing that revealeth what is good just and equitable the Gospel Then the Law must be the Gospel Then Adam in innocency had the Gospel Then the dim light of nature is all the Quakers Gospel this is their Grace their Substantial thing their Light within their Seed Are they not then noble Divines And is their Religion any thing but heathenisme Is it not worse then Pelagianisme Socinianisme Arminianisme and Iesuitisme The following words cannot I confesse be well answered for they are nothing but a rabble of non-sense though fit lettuce for their lips And though he should say as some of them use to speak that I am in the witchcraft and cannot understand his meaning I must forbear noticeing of him and his tattles and see if any thing worth an answer followeth for though sayes he the outward creation declareth the power of God yet that which is known of God is revealed within by which inward revelation we are made fit to see and discerne the eternal power of the God head in the outward creation for if that inward revelation were not man could no more understand the invisible things of God by the visible and outward creation than a blinde man see colours c. Ans. 1. What is that Inward Revelation distinct from the Outward Revelation It is it may be the reception or actual intellection of what is outwardly revealed and so the Natural Faculties acting as such must be Evangelick Preachers and Inward Revealers with the Quakers 2. The text speaks of no such Inward Revelation distinct from what was had by the outward Creation For that which may be known of God was shewed unto them by the things which were made vers 19 20. 3. There is no more aptitude requisite to see and discerne God's eternal Power and God-head not the eternal power of the God-head as he speaketh in a natural way and Paul is not here speaking of a spiritual and saving way by the works of Creation than to have a natural faculty of Understanding and Reason freed of prejudices and contracted byasses and blindness for this matter is so deeply rooted in their mindes that will they nill they it cannot be thrust out 4. It seemeth by his simile that this Inward Revelation is the same to the actual understanding of these things that the eye of the body is to seeing and discerning of colours and so it is manifest that it can be nothing else but the inward faculty of the soul whereby such things are known and understood And so this Inward Faculty of the soul with the Light of Reason is the Quakers Preacher and Gospel Poor souls and what will this teach concerning the new Covenant and the way of salvation through a crucified Mediator Do the Quakers know no other Gospel then this whereof all the fruite was that it left the poor miserable heathen without excuse when they fell to their idolatrous courses O how are they to be pitied that under the clear manifestation of the Gospel do thus run back to the Heathens Theology that they may be made much more inexcusable then ever the Heathens were Do they glory so much in Paganisme 37. He tels us moreover that the Apostle saith first that that which is known of God or the knowledge of God is manifest in them and next that in and by that manifestation granted inwardly and received they were able to read and understand the power of God in visible things Answ. 1. By what authority maketh he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the knowledge of God one the same seing this is more comprehensive and of a larger latitude 2. I do not see the second thing in the Apostles words but I want the Quakers spectacles Then he very learnedly moveth an Objection thus if any should say That the external creation of it self without any inward supernatural and saving grace or seed did declare to a natural man that God is And will he deny this He must then contradict the Apostle But what answereth he What good I pray would that knowledge do if it did not also communicat to me what was the will of God and how I should do that that is acceptable to him Ans. And what would this answere say Either the Inward Revelation which the heathens had that I may speak in his language did also reveal what was the will of God c. Or not if not to what purpose is all this said If it did then the Apostle is quite out and destroyeth hereby his owne cause But I shall help the Quaker with a distinction That same Inward Revelation as he calleth it could and did reveal to the Heathens part of the will of God concerning duties legible by the Law of nature and written upon the creation of God but could reveal nothing of the mysteries of the Gospel because these did depend upon pure Revelation there being no lineaments thereof written upon the Creation nor no vestige thereof impressed in the heart of man Hence though the Heathens knew or might have known to have put a difference betwixt somethings good and evil yet they could never understand the Revelation of Iesus Christ in the Gospel All this cleareth further that the Quâ—kers know no otheâ— Gospel but what the Heathens by the Light of Nature did understand He citeth Pag. 104. Micah 6 8. But most impertinently For the Lord gave not that revelation of his will to the Heathens which he did to the Iewes Psal. 147 19 20. Then he citeth Pauls Words Rom. 1. The wrath of God is revealed against them who detained the truth of God in unrighteousness And what then Could not the Heathens oppresse make a
must be when he saith we are not Justified by the Law that we are indeed justified by Inherent Holiness or Conformity to the law What more The meaning of these words we are Iustified by faith sayes he may by we are made just by faith purifieing the heart Ans. Then the Apostles should contradict himself for if we be thus made just by faith we are made just by works and further purifying of the heart cannot otherwise be understood but of renewing the heart but Iustifying signifieth not making just Againe sayes he When we are said to be Iustified by grace by Christ by the Spirit what absurdity to understand this of making just Ans. Of being Justified by the Spirit we read â—ot for these words by the Spirit mentioned 1 Cor. 6 11. are to be referred to washing and sanctification When we are said to be Justified by grace it is by the gracious and free favour of God as our Divines make good against the Papists and that with the circumstances of the places are against such a Justification Nor must we any where so interpret any passage as to make it crosse or contradict other passages When we are said to be Justified by Christ the meaning is clear against his sense 31. He citeth againe 1 Cor. 6 11. not 11 6. and then tels us that Thysius thinketh that Iustification here includeth sanctification as its consequent and that Zanchius in Ephes. 2 4. thinketh it is the same with sanctification And that Bullinger on the place sayes the Apostle in diverse words expresseth the same thing Ans. 1. None of these Divines confound them and make them one as this Quaker doth but distinctly and orthodoxly explaine the nature both of Justiâ—â—cation and Sanctification 2. As I said above though this were granted that the word Iustify should import the same with sanctify in this or that place Yet unlesse he made it manifest that it alwayes so importeth and can never be taken in another sense he could not make good his Assertion and Opinion So that in all this work he is but beating the winde 3. Thysius had no ground to speak so seing sanctiâ—â—cation is as well expressed as Justification but ye are sanctified but ye are justified 4. Bullinger saith no more than what Calvin saith yet Calvin distinguisheth them in his Comment on the place Zanchius saith no such thâ—ng in the place cited 32. In the next place Pag. 138. he citeth with Bellarm. Rom. 8 30. And saith that either Sanctification must be excluded or Iustification must be taken in its proper sense Ans. 1. There is no necessity for either for Sanctification is comprehended under Vocation which is saving and effectual otherwise the linkes of this chaine could be broken for a common and ineffectual call is not attended with Justification and Glorification And effectual Vocation is by infusion of grace and the Spirit of holiness and a real change 2. Sanctification might be comprehended under the word Iustified it being a necessary and inseparable consequent and that without any prejudice to the native usual and constant import of the word Iustified 3. Thereafter vers 33.34 the Apostle cleareth in what sense he took Iuâ—tified when he opposeth it unto condemned a forensical terme and to accused another His citing of some Protestants so saying I passe finding no argument alleiged by them to enforce this acceptation Melanthon's saying that to be Iustified by faith doth not only signify to be pronunced just but to be made just May admit of a saife interpretation for he saith not to be made just by inherent righteousness And it is certain that all that are Justified are first made just not by inherent righteousness but by the Imputed righteousness of Christ. What he citeth out of one Martinus Boraeus I cannot examine having never seen the book Bucer's words cited make nothing for him B. Forbes's words I will not justify but judge that Cardinal Contarenus spoke more orthodoxly then he The Fathers so taking the word sometimes moveth not me more nor it did Calvin Chemnitius and Zanchius cited by himself And further if to justify signifie to make righteous to accuse and to condemne which are opposite terms must signifie to make unrighteous or unjust 33. After this § Pag. 140. he bringeth in his conclusion from what he hath said and it is a bold one Having now sufficiently saith he proved that by Iustification must be understood to be made really just This is concluded like a Quaker with unparalleled falshood impudency and boldness He undertook only to prove that the word might without absurdity be so understood and how weakly he hath done this we have seen But now he wonderfully concludeth a must be from a may be and that too no wayes satisfyingly proved But I have said already that the beleever who is Justified may be said to be really made just but not in his sense nor because of the import of the word as he alleigeth but because the judgment of God is according to truth and God will not justifie an unjust man The Justified person therefore is first made just not by Inherent Holiness and Righteousness but by the Righteousness of Christ Imputed to him and Received by faith What saith he next I do confidently affirme from real and sensible experience but the delusory sensations or impressions of an erroneous Spirit on the mindes of persons given up to strong delusion is no demonstration to us of the verity of what they boldly affirme that the immediat next and formal cause whereby a man is Iustified in the sight of God is the revelation of Christ in the soul who converteth and reneweth the minde and he who is the Author of this work being so formed and revealed we are truely Iustified and accepted in the sight of God Ans. 1. Who seeth not that these things as here expressed are not such as can fall under the inward sensations of the soul Can the soul feel what is the Immediat Nearest or Formal Cause of God's acts What needs more proof of a desperat delusion 2. If the revelation of Jesus Christ be such a cause of Justification Justification cannot be a making just for it is not as he sayes the revelation that converteth and reneweth but Christ revealed and if Christ revealed maketh the change â—ustification doth it not nor can Justification be a declareing of one righteous because of inherent righteousness for here the man is Justified upon the revelation and yet the man is not renewed for he is not renewed by the revelation but by Christ revealed and the Revelation of Christ is before this Operation of Christ. 3. If the man be not justified till Christ be formed in him as his last words seem to say then the revelation of Christ cannot be the Immediat cause of Justification because that is before this forming of Christ in the man for it is before the work of Christ reforming and renewing the minde 4. I see all this
glory though we must alwayes lament our shortcoming and run to the bloud of Iesus that the defilement cleaving to our best works may be purged away Nor do we think that this hyperbolick expression of the penitent church will warrant any to caâ—l all the work of the Spirit of God in his people sordide and filthy rags What is of God should be acknowledged good acceptable though the defilements that adhere to the best of God's works in us here because of our continueing corruption and because of the lustings of the flesh in us should be mourned over and keep us humble One thing I would further note here That if our Gospel-works be such why are we not Justified because of them as well as in them He further answereth pag. 149. § 12 That though it were granted that the best of men are imperfect Yet God can produce perfect works in them by his Spirit Ans. the qustion is not what God can do but what he doth God can make all his perfect Yet the supposition made saith he doth not so He hath thought it fit for his owne glory so to work in his Saints as they may have so long as they are here a body of death to wrestle with and occasion to pray dayly forgive us our sinnes and to run to the fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleanness that they may be washen He proceedeth The Spirit of God is not capable of a blot and therefore all Christ's works wrought in his children are pure and perfect Ans. The Spirit it is true is not capable of pollution yet his works as received by us and as we are the formal actors of them are obnoxious to pollution And doth not the Scripture tell us that God first beginneth a good work in us and afterward perfecteth it Phil. 1 6. How can then all the works of Christ in us be perfect And if it were so his children here should be as holy as they will be in heaven for what is higher than perfection Thus we see this man will outstripe Bellarm. who confessed that our actual righteousness was imperfect because of the admixtion of venial faults and stood in need of dayly remission And will run the length of bold Vasques who thinketh that such have no need of remission in 1. 2. Disp. 204. c. 2. 3. He further argueth It would then follow that the miracles and works of the Apostles themselves as the conversion of the Gentiles gathering of Churches writting of Scripture and giving of themselves to the death for Christ were defiled with sin Ans. we must distinguish betwixt these works which were extraordinary I meane as to the manner of their performance and so peculiar to such extraordinary persons in which they were not in a manner formal actors but passive organs such as working of miracles and writting of Scripture in these the Apostles moved as they were immediatly Acted Inspired and Led of the Spirit so that these were not properly their formal acts And these which are of a more ordinary nature wherein they were more formal actors through the assistance of the Spirit whether in works belonging to their office as preaching and gathering of Churches or in works of Christianity as giving themselvs to the death and the like As to the first sort we may grant that they were undefiled as being pure acts of the Spirit wherein the Apostles were but organs used by the Spirit as he saw meet But as to others I see no absurdity to say that they needed to use that petition forgive us our sinnes The Apostle Paul had his infirmities and weakneses a body of death that made him cry out wo is me miserableman and was thereby made to do what he would not and hindered from doing what he would Rom. 7 The Apostle Iames saith in many things we offend all Iam. 3 2. and the Apostle Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 1 8. that if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us 43. Thereafter he giveth unto works an instrumental part in Iustification which is true of faith laying hold on the righteousness of Christ the only Objective Formal cause of Justification but cannot agree to works But he citeth some Protestants assenting to this as Polanus Symphon c. 27. whose words if understood of after pardon that is of sinnes committed after Justification as they may containe nothing but truth and that truth which we question not acknowledging that even iustified persons before remission of after sins must repent confesse and mourne for their sinnes and act faith on Christ. Zanchius in the words he citeth is expresly speaking of salvation not of Justification and to this end he might cite all the Protestants that I know of Amesius is speaking of the same As for Mr Baxter I have told already that his notions about Justification are not acceptable to all As for what he addeth about the word merite I shall not contend only I would say that seing it sounds so ill because of the common and known abuse thereof by Papists the less we use it the better seing Verba valent usu 44. Nor shall I say much against his conclusion of this mater Only while he tels us that such may confidently appear before God who sensible of their owne unworthiness and of the unprofitableness of all their works and endeavours c. did apply themselves unto the light within and suffered that grace to work in them and thereby are renewed quickened and have Christ risen in them and working in them to will to do having thus put on Christ and being clothed with him and made partakers of his righteousness When I say he speaketh thus he but cheateth his Reader giving him faire words and no more for as we have formerly seen in the examination of his Principles This light is but a Pelagian Grace if not worse common to all men Scythian and Barbarian And by vertue of this light without the least help of the grace of God for of grace assisting far lesse regenerating such as are in nature and so beginning every good work there is not in his writings the least mention if the man will but yeeld and of power and full ability to do this he maketh no question he becometh regenerated begotten of God partaker of the divine nature and what not And this is this Mans Sanctification and foundation of Justification whereof Pagans and Barbarians who never did nor never shall hear of Câ—rist are as capable as such who live within the visible Church and that without any new grace communicated by that which is borne with them Let the Reader now Judge what a Regeneration and Sanctification can flow from this which is in every man and what Justification that can be which is founded hereupon And whether or not this be a sure bottom to stand upon and with confidence to rest upon
him is the love of God truely and really and not feignedly or by mere profession See Beza on the place As also 1 Ioh. 4 12. where the word hath the same import And the ground is clear because obedience to God's command must flow from love and love to God and our neighbours is the summe of all the commands Hence love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13 10. So Iames 3 2. the same is a perfect man who showeth by bridling his tongue that he offends not in word that he is a real Christian For the Apostle is here in the first verse meaning men like our Quakers of a supercilious spirit masterly quarreling with and superciliously inveighing against all though it be a certain truth that we offend all in many things And therefore he saith to such that if they would shew themselves good and excellent Christians who are so ready to be masters in their reprehensions of others they would first bridle their owne tongues I wish Quakers would learne this See Calv. on the place 3. They may be called Perfect in regard of the Uprightness Sincerity Honesty godly Simplicity and Singleness that is in their way thus the word frequently signifieth as we saw above and is rendered bâ— the Dutch and in the margine of our Bibles Vpright Gen. 6 9. 17 1 Deut. 18 13. Iob 2 3. and in several places it is rendered so in the text Ps. 18 23 25. 2 Sam. 22 vers 24 26. Iob 1 vers 1 8. 12 4. Psal. 19 v. 13. 37 18 37 and elsewhere Hence oft Perfect and upright are joined together as Iob 1 1 8. 2 2. 4 They may be and are called Perfect in regaird of Perfection of Parts as being compleet and wanting nothing of the integral parts of Christianity thus a childe may be called a perfect man as having all the Essential and Integral parts of a man though but in their infant and tender grouth The saints are thus perfect as having the Spirit and thereby the seeds and beginnings of all grace In regeneration the whole man is changed so that he is new borne a new creature sanctified wholly in Minde Heart Spirit Affections Conscience Memory and Body though but in a small degree and measure See 1 Thes. 5 23. 5. They may be called Perfect because Respecting all the commands of God Ps. 119 6. and yeelding impartial obedience through the grace of God unto all God's precepts waving none 6. In that their good works have all the Essential Parts requisite as proceeding from a right principle done for a right end c. though not in the degree called for by the Law 7. They may be called Perfect in regard that the state whereinto they are is a state that certainly tendeth to perfection they are advancing thereunto and shall certainly reach that top of perfection in end which they look for and strive to attaine Ephes. 4 13. Phil 3 15. For as the several lusts of the body of death are more more weakened and mortified dayly so they are more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces Rom. 6 6 14. Gal. 5 14. Rom. 8 13. Ephes. 3 16 17 18 19. And so are perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7 1. and advanceing Phil. 3 12 13 14. 8. They may be called Perfect Comparatively in respect of others who are yet lying in nature And they may be so called in comparison of what sometimes they were themselves while Blinde Ignorant Dead and Lifeless lying in the state of nature which is indeed a fearful state of imperfection misery and woe 9. So in respect of young believers weak in knowledge and babes in Christ Others who are further avanced may be and are called Perfect as having attained an higher degree and measure of grouth in grace Thus Beza thinketh the word is taken Phil. 3 15. 1 Cor. 2 6. And it is clearly so taken 1 Cor. 14 20. Heb. 5 14. Ephes. 4 13. where each hath his owne stature according to the measure of the gift of Christ vers 7. Rom. 12 3 6. and its meaning and import we may see 1 Cor. 3 1. where such an one is only called spiritual 1 Cor. 13 11. where such is called a man 10. Why may they not also be called perfect in regard of Justification seing the Righteousness wherewith they are cloathed which is imputed unto them upon the account of which thâ—y are justified is a Perfect Righteousness being the Rghteousness of Jesus Christ And seing the sentence pronunced upon them to wit of Absolution in their Justification shall never be recalled they brought againe into Condemnation Rom 8 1. As also seing the state they are brought into thereby is an unchangeable state so that once in a justified state alwayes in a justified state 7. But all this will not satisfie our Quakers who with Familists Antinomians and Libertines will have this to be the privilege of all Christians after their Mode that they be as Perfect as Adam was in the state of innocency free of all sin and from yeelding to Temptation or Corruption and this taketh-in much if not a Perfection of parts and degrees Now to assert this Perfection which even Papists are ashamed of and to assert this as common to all them in whom this new birth is fully produced as it must be in all Justified and Sanctified Persons according to his owne principles is false and dangerous For 1. There are in Christ's house diverse syzes and degrees of persons some babes 1 Cor. 3 1. Heb. 5 13. or children or little children 1 Ioh. 2 12 13. and others young men and old men or Fathers 1 Ioh. 2 13 14. 2. Christians are exhorted to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. last and to put off the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and to put on the new man Epes 4 22 23 24. And to mortifie their members which are upon the earth Col. 3 5. But to cry up this perfection is to render all Gospel commanâ—s useless whereof we have abundance in the Epistles 3. This takes away the exercise of Repentance for where there is no sin there can be no sense of nor sorrow for sin and the exercise of Faith in running to the fountain for washing and the exercise of Prayer in seeking grace to withstand Temptations to strive against Corruption in seeking for pardon in the bloud of Christ. And 4. So this maketh these petitions in the Lords prayer useless forgive us our sins and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil 5. This saith that either beleevers are fully freed from an indwelling body of death contrary to Rom. 7 11 17 18 23 24. or that the motions of this body of death are not sin or sinful contrary to Rom. 7 5 7 8 15. Gal. 5 v. 17. Iam. 1 ver 14 15. 6 This tendeth to foment Pride and Security
it but in a wrong thought or in coming short in the least measure of the right manner of doing a duty is inconsistent with regeneration say our Quaker and yet he saith within a line or two that every sin doth not destroy a spiritual condition These things cannot hang together a person wanting a leg or an arme cannot be called a perfect man as to his integral parts gold having drosse admixed cannot be called pure 11. His last Position is That he will not affirme that such a state is not attaineable here in which to do righteousness becometh natural unto the regenerat soul that in the stability of that state they cannot sin Answ. This is an higher degree of Perfection than what he mentioned before for the former was such a state in which one was able not to sin though he might also sin possit non peccare Item possit But this is such in which he cannot sin peccare non possit And as to this he ingenuously confesseth he himself hath not yet attained it in which his modesty and ingenuity is commendable But he dar not deny but there may be such a state seing it seemeth to be expresly affirmed by the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3 9. Answ. But if he so interpret the words of the Apostle Iohn as importing this highest degree of perfection he must also grant that this highest perfection is not only attainable in this life but that it is common to all renewed persons for Iohn speaketh this as a truth of all that are borne of God and of all that have this seed in them and this is true of all that are truely Regenerated all such are borne of God and Gods seed is in them What will the man now say Though he will say that he is in such a state wherein he is able not to sin possit non peccare yet if he dar not say that he cannot sinne non possit peccare he must acknowledge himself not to be yet borne of God and to be void of the seed of God This passage if it prove any thing for perfection will utterly destroy this Quakers first kinde of Perfection which is a possibility of not sinning and that as common to all Regenerat persons But neither the one nor the other is asserted hereby the Apostle who only saith that he that is borne of God cannot make a trade of sinne and be wholly taken up therein as his constant work and exercise wherein he is delighted and findeth pleasure and full satisfaction as a man doth in his daily trade and employment He doth not say that such have no sin for he had said the contrare Chap. 1 8. but that they do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trade in sin and this is opposite to that which is their trade and occupation 1 Ioh. 2 29 they do worke or trade in righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This doing working or tradeing in sin is peculiar to such as are of the Devil as the doing working and tradeing in righteousness is peculiar to Gods people 1 Ioh. 3 7 8 9. He that committeth sin is of the devil whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin so that such as are borne of God do not commit sin as do such as are of the Devil and do the works of the Devil And this committing of sin is opposed to the work of purifying or studying of sanctification which lively hope setteth the beleever upon vers 3.4 and importeth a fixed set purpose and resolution to work in sin with full purpose of heart and to give up themselves to the trade of sin as delighting therein and as devouted thereunto adde that such sinne not so as to fall away and lose the seed nor unto death See Chap. 5 16 17. 12. Thus we have seen his Opinion which in short is this That all the Regenerat are in such a state as that they are able noâ— to sin or transgress any of the commands of God but to keep them in all points and walk up to full conformity to the Law yet they may also sin through their own fault and unwatchfulnâ—ss for it is not impossible But some may come unto that hight of perfection as that it is impossible for them to sin they cannot sin Let us now see ere we examine his grounds what affinity this opinion of his hath with the Old Pelagians with the late Socinians and Others as to the first Vossius his Historia Pelagiamsmi Lib. 5. Part. prior Thesi prima Pag. 460. giveth us their opinion thus They said the Saints led their life without sin which they laboured to prove from the instances of those who in Scripture are said to have keeped the Law perfectly Yet they distinguished betwixt such as never sinned all their dayes and such as at first were sinners but afterward left off to sin The first they gave to Abel the last unto Paul See what he citeth to verifie this He sets downe the Antithesis of the orthodox Pag. 462. thus That none by the power of nature could fulfill the Law That none by strength of grace did live all their dayes without sin That none attained that measure of holiness in this life that he could live any long time without sin The perfection ascribed to some in the Scripture was not from nature but from grace Nor for all their dayes Nor at any time full and absolute but which might increase and was mixed with evil deeds and so was a perfection of parts only not of degrees And this he cleareth out of Hierom Iustin Martyr Ambrose Gennadius Chrysost. Beda Origen Cyprian Macarius Optatus Augustin Ivo Carnatens Lombard He tels us moreover Pag. 4â—8 That unto these instances out of Scripture urged by the Pâ—lagians They answered that by perfection was meaned Sincerity or a true not feigned study of obeying all God's Lawes and actual obedience according to the measure attained in this life and in comparison with others but not any full or absolute perfection As an house is said to be perfect which is yet but in building in respect of the beginnings by a synecdoche of parts or of desire by a metonymie of the end 2. In comparison with rubbish or with an house not so far advanced 3. In respect of promise when the builder undertaketh to compleat it And so the righteousness here was perfect 1. Inchoatively in respect of the beginnings and desires 2. Comparatively in respect both of the ungodly and of the godly who are more imperfect 3. Evangelically whereby all is said to be done when that which was not done is pardoned And this to have been the Judgment of the orthodox he proveâ—h out of their writtings as of Hierom Orosius August Gelasius Bernard The Reader may see more in his 2. Antithesis Pag. 473. c. out of Nazianzen Tertullian Optatus Millevit Hierom c. For the better maintaining of this Perfection the Pelagians said that sinnes of ignorance were no sinnes I
that this our doctrine is contradicted by daily experience Wherein In that preachers saith he exhort many to beleeve and lay hold upon salvation who cannot if they be reprobate Ans. But do Ministers know certainly who are reprobate What if their designe be most to save the elect But then sayes he their preaching is vaine for these shall certainly be saved Ans. Where is it said that they â—hall certainly be saved without the meanes Knoweth he not that by the foolishness of preaching God saveth them thaâ— beleeve Knoweth he not that God hath appointed the meanes to keep his Elect beleevers constant and stedfast in the faith He tels us that Vossius Hist Pelag lib. 6 p. 587. saith that this was the common opinion of the ancients Answ. But I finde the contrare manifâ—stly made out by D Owen in his preface to his book of Perseverance from Clemens Epistle to thâ— Corinthians a piece of undoubted antiquity froâ— Ignatius from Tertullian from Macarius Aegyptius from Chrysâ—stome and from the Opposers of the Pelagians and Semipelagians such as Prosper and chiefly Augustine with whom accorded Hilary and Fulgentius So from Gregory from Bradwardine yea and from Thomas Aquinas These hâ— may be pleased to consider at his leasure 17. But Pag. 168. § 3. He replieth to that answere given to 1 Tim. 1 19. Saying that it must be true faith that is there meaned As if we said that the doctrine of faith were a false faith But he supposeth that we meaned an hypocritical faith that was not in truth but in shew only And yet he must know that a Temporary faith is not properly a false faith but is true in its kinde It is true it is not a saving faith and yet is distinguished from a false faith But the faith we said that was there spoken of is the doctrine of Faith which they should not have put away but adhered to and preached faithfully with all good conscience But when it is said they put away a good conscience saith he it is supposed they had a good conscience which cannot be without true faith Ans. Paul saith Act. 23 1. that he had lived in all good conscience before God unto that day taking in as is very probable even the time that he was a pharisee and so without true faith in Christ see Phil. 3 6. 2. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used doth not signifie alwayes a putting away what we have as we see Act. 7 27 39. 13 46. And so it only importeth that they did not serve Christ in the Gospel in truth and in sincerity but for filthy lucâ—e or such like corrupt ends and hence it came to passe that at length they cast the profession of the truth over board and would follow that doctrine no more 18. To our proofs from Phil. 1 6. 1 Pet. 1 5. he Answereth These can no otherwayes be understood than in so far as we fulfil the condition upon which salvation is offered Ans. But these texts speake expresly of God's beginning and perfecting the condition the good work and keeping by faith So that the man knoweth not what he sayes when he thinks this answere can be made use of here 19. He cometh next Pag. 169. § 4 to speak of the second thing asâ—erted in his Thesis to wit That there is such a measure of grace attainable from which there is no Apostasie and in this he leaveth his friends the Socinians Arminians and thinketh hereby to answere all the arguments whereby Perseverance is proved but in this his folly is too manifest for all our arguments conclude for such as have the least measure of true and saving grace and upon the other hand answere all that is brought against Perseverance by alleiging that these cannot reach such as are attained to this highest degree But as this will not satisfie the Adversaries so it is but loose and groundless work having no foundation in the word And if he will interpret that Heb. 6 4 5 6. of true and saving grace he will finde difficulty to limite it to beginners not to meane it especially of such as have attained unto an higher measure of perfection than ordinary 20. But Pag. 170. from that place 1 Cor. 9 vers 27. he saith that Paul supposeth here a possibility that he might become a reprobate Whereby he destroyeth what he is about to assert for he cannot with any colour of reason deny that Paul was advanced above many arrived at as high a degree of perfection as any Quaker is capable of seing himself saith that Paul was come to that stateâ— from which he knew he could not fall and the mater is clear Rom. 8 38. 2 Tim. 1 12. 4 7 8. But he mistaketh the import of that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9 27. which only signifieth not approven or not accepted of in the service he was imployed about as the whole scope anâ— context cleareth and though it were taken in his worst sense what can he hence inferre will the carefull use of meanes to provent such a thing prove that such a thing was possible not only in it self but also in respect of God The Lord's determination and purpose kniteth the ends with the meanes secureth the end together with the meanes leading thereto But it is an ordinary mistake with Arminians to think that if the end be secured meanes are needless Was not the life of Christ secured until the time appointed did he for all that neglect the use of meanes for his life or did he hearken to Satan tempting him to cast himself headlong from the pinacle of the temple did Hezekiah neglect to eat drink c. notwithstanding of the full assurance he had of living fifteen years longer 21. What he saith afterward of assurance which some attaine unto though I judge it not clearly proven from Revel 3 12. that place being meant rather of what the Lord will give hereafter in glory Yet I assent unto the truth shall recommend the Reader unto Chap. 18 of our Confess of Faith where he shall finde the matter fully explained confirmed so that he needeth not take any notice of what this Quaker saith on that head CHAP. XVI Of the Church 1 WE proceed unto his Tenth thesis wherein he treateth of the Ministrie But in his Apology P. 172. c. he thinketh good to speak something of the Church of which he made no mention in his Thesis but did presuppose it What we hold concerning the Church is distinctly set down in our Confess Chap. 25 Where more of the clear truth may be in a few words seen than readily will be found in several Treatises written against Papists upon that head there it is said The Catholick or Universal Church which is Invisible consists of the whole number of the Elect that have been are or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head thereof and is the Spouse the
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-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
be common to all of what use can a special Office be for this work And what necessity were there for a call authorizing some to the doing of the work of that Office Eightly That Officers and Church members as such are different and to be distinguished so that all Church members are not Church Officers This is clear from the preceeding Ninthly That a Call differeth from Gifts and Qualifications for a call to an office if it be right such as God will approve who sendeth not a message by the hand of a fool doth presuppose that the person called is fitted qualified and that this qualification was not a sufficient ground for him to take upon him the office or to performe the proper work of the office for if his qualification had sufficiently warranted him for the office for the work the call had been useless wholly superfluous when then our Quaker speaketh of a Call he must mean a proper real and formal call not a false imaginary supposed one nay nor yet what may be said to be a virtual call Tenthly When he speaks thus of a Call to the Office of a Pastor or Doctor he must needs suppose that there are real and sure Rules Grounds and Evidences of a lawful call laid down in the word Whereby a true call may be distinguished from a false supposititious call that the solution of this question what is a right and what is a wrong call doth not depend upon our imaginations and phancies but must be had in the word And therefore if he would describe or lay forth unto us what is a right call unto the office of a Pastor in the Church he must not think it enough to tell us his dreames and suppositions but he must give us grounds from the word whereupon we must rest That by the question which he here moveth he must presuppose all these Ten particulars as unquestionable truths is from what is said I judge most clear and if so how he shall in several of these agree with other Quakers I leave it with himself to judge and how as to some of them at least he shall agree with himself in what followeth we may have occasion to remarke as we go on 4. When he speaketh of a Call to a Ministerial Office we may observe that he is very indistinct confused holding himself in the general that he may the more easily inveigle his Reader and leave the matter still in the dark He cannot but know that our Divines make mention of several sorts of calling to the Ministrie not to mention that which commonly in our language goeth for a call and is performed by the people inviteing makeing choise of and submitting to the Ministerie of such or such a person which is more propâ—rly called Election and is contradistinct from that which is called Ordination but to speak to that which is otherwise called mission or missio potestativa that is that which formally impowereth the person called to performe the Work belonging to that Office and legally authorizeth him thereunto for Paul Gal. 1 1. saying of himself that he was an Apostle not of mâ—n nor by man but by Iesus Christ God the Father giveth ground to distinguish of calls not to mention that which is imported by the first expression of men which is commonly taken for an unlawful call that is meerly of man of themselves or others such as the false Prophets had of old and the false Apostles in the primitive times to wit That there is one call Immediat by God and Christ without the interveening of Man There is another Mediat which though also of God yet it is by the Intervention of some deed of man so is said to be by man The first is attributed unto the Apostles and some others whom Christ immediatly sent forth adjoyning that call of Matthias Act. 1. which as to the person on whom the lot fell was immediatly from God The other unto other Church officers appointed to their office by them so forth in succeding generations according to the way method set down in the word The Mediat call is that which we are now to enquire after to look for seing the Immediat call is ceased with these extraordinary persons who were called by it were with alendued with extraordinary gifts as we see Mat. 10 1. 2 Cor. 12 12. or had some other extraordinary thing in their mission which did abundantly evince it to be immediatly divine We may note further That there is a Mediat call which may be called Singular Rare or not very ordinary as when a Church is in erecting not yet constituted all things are out of order so that through necessity many or several things requisite in an orderly call must be passed by dispensed with And there is a Mediat call which is Ordinary is usually to be followed according to the rules set downe in the word Againe it may be noted that there is an Outward call an Inward call The Outward call or mission is that which is done by men according to the appointment of Christ after examination tryal of the person separating him setting him apart with solemne prayer imposition of hands for the ministrie that is a committing of the work unto faithful men an appointing of them to the work of the ministrie The Inward call is the Lords signification of his minde will inwardly to the mans self of his calling appointing him to the Ministrie not only endueing him with gifts qualifications requisite but also powerfully sweetly inclineing his minde determining his will to a willing susception of this Imployment for holy pure ends by other passages of his providence manifestly signifying that to be his minde that the man shall serve him in the work of the Ministrie These considerations are considerable in this case others might be mentioned but our Quaker loving confusion walketh in the dark and tels us not what call he meaneth Nor whether he meaneth all sorts of calling or only one kind and if one he tels us not what that one is 5. Let us see if his answere will help us to understand the question His answere is this He ought to be instructed by the inward power and vertue of the Spirit of God in his heart A suteable answere for such a question that is a confused answere to an indistinct question He should have told us what is the nature of a Pastors Call his answere is concerning a qualification Afterward he speaketh of qualifications how I pray shall he difference this from what he handleth there Next I would enquire concerning the meaning of this answere whether he thinketh that all who are instructed thus are called to be Pastors or only that this is a qualification requisite in Pastors if the first be his meaning he destroyeth the distinction betwixt Officers and Church
members for then all Church-members must be Officers seing with him all Church members must be thus qualified If the last be his meaning Whether thinks he this qualification essential or not that is so necessary that one that wanteth it cannot be accounted a Pastor neither before God nor before men neither in foro poli nor in foro soli Againe I would enquire what he meaneth by this qualification if we interprete it by his former doctrine why we may not Yea must not do so I know not this will be a good qualification for a Pagan-preacher but no qualification for a Gospel-minister for it is nothing else than the power efficacy of Natures Light of a Natural Conscience informing enlightning concerning duties required by the Law of nature it hath no affinity with the sanctifying Spirit of Christ promised in the New covenant bestowed upon the elect and chosen vessels of mercy and principling the beleever to new obedience Howbeit this might suffice for an answere Yet I shall say more to clear the matter unto the Reader I confess holiness is required of Gospel ministers The Apostle tels us Tit. 1 8. that he must be a lover of good men or of good things as it is in the margine sober just holy temperate And he must be blameless Tit. 1 7. 1 Tim. 3 2. vigilant sober and of good behaviour ibid And therefore all who are to be imployed in the examination tryal of ministers should be careful in the searching after this as well as in the tryal of their gifts and other qualifications and when clear and manifest evidences appear of their hatred of good things and of the godly of their insobriety injustice unholiness intemperance want of vigilancy and of their evil behaviour they ought to be laid aside from that holy function as well as when their want of gifts of other requisite qualifications clearly appeareth Yea if there be not some positive probable evidences of this love and of seriousness in the maters of God giving faire probable ground of concluding them to be faithful men they ought not to commit the word unto them See all this fully cleared and confirmed by worthy and learned Mr Durham in his exposition of the Revelation Pag. 198. c. Yet because grace the saving workings of the Spirit are latent hid in the heart there is no outward signe evidence thereof whereby others can certainly or infallibly discerne and judge of the same in all so hid that the man in whom it is is more privie to his owne spirit heart than others can be will not alwayes be in case to discerne the same I dar not say that the reall being of grace is such a qualification as that the want thereof shall render the man no minister and all his performances null before God or man though the person being a real stranger to grace can expect no acceptance of God through Jesus Christ for what he doth Christ's imploying of Iudas in the ministry will sufficiently verify this and I need say no more See Mr Durham in the place cited 6. What addeth he For saith he seing true knowledge in things spiritual is received by this gift and grace he that is purified and sanctified by the same is at length also called by it and moved to ministrate to others and is made capable of showing to others what by real experience he hath himself found 2 Cor. 5 11. And his words and ministry proceeding from inward power and vertue penetrat into the hearts of the hearers and obtaine their approbation and subjection Ans. 1. This gift and grace being but natural and Pelagian as was shown above can never give true knowledge in things spiritual saving and evangelick 2. Nor can it ever purifie and sanctifie a man according to the Gospel whatever it may do as to outward civility and morality 3. Qualifications are no call 4. Then it seemes there is no Outward call requisite and so this man joyneth with Socinians and Arminians laying aside all outward call by men as not necessary in the Church of God and saying that all who understand the truth of the Gospel and are able to Instruct others may and have a right to teach See Smalcius Pag. 379. though Pag. 377. he confesseth that this outward call is decent and comely in a constitute Church which this man doth no where acknowledge See also Apol. Remonstr Cap. 21. and Episcop disput 26. privat Thes. 4. 5. 5. Every motion to tell others what we know in the things of God is not a call to the Work and Office of the Ministry See Psal. 66 16. privat persons in their private capacities may and ought to seek to promove the edification of others 1 Pet. 4 10 11. 6. Is this telling of what they have found in their owne experience the whole work of the Ministrie Or is this the preaching of the Gospel The divideing of the word of truth 2 Tim. 2 15. Is this speaking exhorting and rebuking with all authority Tit. 2 15 Is this be seaching as Ambassadours in the name of God and in Christ's stead 2 Cor. 5 19 20 Is this that which Paul layeth upon Timothie 2 Tim. 4 1 2. I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine Or that which we â—inde 1 Tim. 4 13 14 15 16. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them take heed unto thy self and unto the doctrine continue in them For in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee But I should have remembered that these men are against Preaching 7. Some may think that by this gift and grace which he mentioneth he can mean at most nothing but what the Papists call gratia gratis data and which is different from gratia gratum faciens but I see no ground to judge him so orthodox 7. He goeth about to prove that this qualification is absolutely necessary and his first argument is thus That which is necessary to make a man Christian is much more necessary to make one a Minister of Christianity But this inward call power vertue of the Spirit is necessary to make a man a Christian. Therefore c. Ans. This argument is easily answered by a distinction thus That which is necessary to make a man a Real Upright and Sincere Christian or true member of the Invisible Church is also necessary to make a man a sincere and upright Minister before God and approven of him in what he doth but is not simply and absolutely necessary to make one a Minister before
This man hath his fables ready at hand for we had such another before but few of his Readers can know whether he speaketh true or false all that I shall say is that this fable is impertinently here brought in for the question is not whether a Professour or Doctor may not have a failing memory Nor whether a mechanick cannot have a more happy one what more is in this fable I cannot see unless he would hence inferre that the Spirit teacheth them without book hearing or reading the very letter of the Scripture even the very translated words And if this be true it is little wonder they are at no paines in reading the Scriptures let be in studying of them But till I know the truth of this mystery better I crave his leave to suspend my beliefe 9. The next point of learning is Logick and Philosophy But whether is it Natural or Artificial Philosophy that he is against Though I judge that a man may be a minister yet be no profound Philosopher nor expert in that which goeth under that name Yet I think some measure of knowledge thereof can not well be wanted especially in such as have to do with wrangling sophisters like this Quaker that would pervert souls propagate errour it hath its owne profitableness to other uses also But what hath this man against it It is sayes he the root and original of all contention How doth he prove this we know the best things may be abused but the abuse of a science may bear its blame the science it self be blameless It draweth men away from that clear understanding of things which reason it self might furnish This if so is but its abuse He that is not very wise can be a perfect logician This may be doubted And it may be he will not deny that one not very wise may be a good Christian doth it not helpe in defending of truth refuting of hereticks The truth that is in men truely rational needeth not this help and it will not convince the obstinate but teacheth them many artifices and distinctions to oppugnate the truth saith he Ans. What meaneth he by that truth with is in men truely rational is it natural truth or supernatural common or saving Me thinks he had need of some science whereby to explaine himself for his language is dark 2. Though truth in it self should not need this help Yet it may stand in need of some such help to fix it in a subject that is doubting either because of the darkness of his owne understanding or because of the contrary argueings of Adversaries 3. This science is only used as an instrumental medium to convince or if not to convince yet to confute their errours and to defend truth from their exceptions and that in such a rational way as may be convinceing to such as will not be obstinate 4. If any use its distinctions to oppugne the truth they must beare the blame for this abuse the distinctions may however be good Truth saith he comeing from an honest heart and taught by the Spirit will sooner penetrate then thousands of demonstrations as the Instance of the old man convinceing the heathen Philosopher whom all the Bishops of the Councel of Nice could not overcome with their disputes Ans. This is only when it pleaseth the Lord to concurre with his blessing And such rare examples are not ordinary and are to teach us in all these wayes to depend upon the Lord for the blessing and not to loose us from the use of the meanes What saith he to natural logick He doth not deny the use of this because every man in his wits hath it he hath also used it in this treatise Ans. But if natural logick be so useful why is artificial or acquired logick so noxious seing it only serveth to accomplish and polish the other Though every man in his wits hath this yet I suppose some have more and some have less and such as have less may be allowed to take some help to increase it If he hath only used that logick here I could wish him to take some more of artificial logick to helpe it and yet I think he hath not wholly renunced it in this Treatise though by neither nor by both hath he been able to gaine his point whether in confirming his errours or in darkning of the truth What sayes he to other parts of Philosophy That part sayes he which is called the Ethicks may be better learned out of the Scriptures Which is very true they being a full and perfect rule in all morals But I think that this study should not be unprofitable for him who will not owne the Scriptures as a Rule and acknowledgeth the light of Nature for a guide and only rule which is in all heathens and by which light alone they wrote their morals or Ethicks so that I think if he would make use here of his natural logick he might see how consequentially he should speak to his owne principles if he would recommend to all the study of Aristotiles Ethicks or the morals of some other Hethenish Philosophers instead of the Scriptures For Physicks and Metaphysicks saith he they may be reduced to Medicine and Mathematicques But not to be too Philosophical in disputing here with him why may not the knowledge of them Yea and of Mathematickes too be of some use to whatsoever art or science they may be reduced I would faine heare what reason his natural logick could give us to convince us that they could not be useful because of that As for my dull natural logick it can perceive no reason nor shew of reason In fine He citeth Col. 2 8. and 1 Tim. 6 20. which speak nothing against the innocent and profitable use of philosophy which is all we defend we speak not of that philosophy which is vaine deceit after the tradition of men and which as Beza on the place thinketh is that Theology which is the product of humane vanity leaning only to Custome and Enthusiasmes let him consider this what Calvin on the place thinketh this Philosophy to be and it may be he may see his owne Theology comprehended under it if not mainely understood What is this Philosophy then in Calvines judgment Even wâ—atever men devise of their own head while they think themselves wise in their owne opinion and that not without some specious pretext of reason And a perswasive discourse insinuating in the mindes of men with faire and plausible arguments And nothing else then a meer corruption of spiritual doctrine And all adulterous doctrines which breed in mens braines whatever colour of reason they may have This is enough for Col. 2 8. And as for 1 Tim. 6 vers 20. The science falsly so called there spoken of is not Philosophy but a science of coineing and uttering new and vaine bombast words giving a sound without substance tending to corrupt and darken the simplicity of the Gospel A
of God when moved to the work and were to be obeyed and subjected unto as such according to these places of Scripture now cited Why doth he not show us wherein this peculiarity consisteth Whether is it in some thing inward or in something outward if inward what can it be more than Gods calling and ordaining if outward Is it imposition of hands of the Presbytery or a potestative mission by Church Officers 3. But he sayes They are more fitted and fournished than others True yet this is not before the call but after it and a consequence of the call for he sayes and therefore they are more fitted to wit because peculiarly called and wherein this peculiar call consists I would know 4. He tels us also that their work is more constantly and particularly to instruct c. But can they instruct at any time without a special motion of the Spirit if they can why doth he inveigh against our Officers for doing the same If they cannot how can this be said to be more their work than it is the work of others who do the same upon the like motion or doth their special Call consist in their receiving more frequent motion than others But this speaks only of more work but nothing of a distinct Office So that all this concession of his is just nothing 5. I would know if these specially called persons be wholly separated for that work and that statedly and fixedly so as they are in all time coming looked upon regarded and submitted unto as officers over others and how this work of separating of them is done Beside these he tels us also of Elders who albeit they be not frequently called to declare themselves in words by this I suppose he meaneth their way of preaching yet having had experience of the work of truth on their hearts they watch over and privatly instruct the younger Ans. But yet if the Spirit move them they may they must do this in Publick too 2. we heard before that this experience or something like was all that he gave us for a call to the highest imployment 3. whatever these Elders be they are not the Scripture Elders for these are apponted for Government or Ruleing the Church hence called Governments 1 Cor. 12 29 and said to Rule 1 Tim. 4 17. Rom. 12 8. 4. He confoundeth these Elders with deacons telling us that they care for the poor widowes orphanes Nay more he sayes they take care that peace unity concord and love and health be preserved in the Church But what way is this done And how are they called hereunto And whether doth all this declare them to be distinct Officers or not and over the people or not And whether is this their peculiar work that others of the common people may not meddle with Let him answere these and reconcile himself with himself when he is at leasure 14. But Pag. 208. he tels us that they refuse that distinction of laicks and cleargy And knoweth he not that we disapprove these termes But the thing that they refuse is That none as he speaketh should be admitted to the work of the Ministrie but who are educated in schooles and instructed in logick c. and he who is thus educated must not learne another honest tread for his leaving But why doth it offend them that men take paines to be instructed and qualified for the work and that none be admitted but such as are qualified It seemeth that the work of the Ministrie is a light business with them may be discharged by such as have no learning or qualifications but why then did the Lord qualifie his Apostles by teaching them several yeers and by extraordinary infusion of knowledge It seemeth they would have all waiting for such miracles now but we must first see a warrand and seing experience tels us that the Lord doth not take this way now why are they offended that we use ordinary meanes for attaining to knowledge 2. He may know if he will that we exclude none from the Ministrie if they be qualified though they have not learned their philosophy c. at ordinary schooles 3. As for their learning of an honest trade we finde none of the Apostles doing so after they were called to that work and we look upon the work of the Ministrie as such as will take up the whole man and his whole time if he be faithful and diligent And yet some men have learned physick after they have been Ministers that they might be helpful to the poor and no man condemneth this providing that thereby they take not occasion to neglect the Ministrie which is of greater consequence 15. But hereby sayes he it cometh to passe that Parents seeing what honour and gaine attendeth the Ministrie assigne their children to that office from their Infancy and educat them thereunto of purpose c. That Parents dedicat their children to the service of God cannot be condemned if they do it upon a corrupt designe and as moved by the corrupt ends that is but their owne fault Those sayes he being educated in pleasure and idleness think it below them afterward to work with their hands satisfying themselves to bring out of books what they may Preach Ans. Who ever think serious study an easie work is not acquanted with it And if a Minister think he hath time enough to follow an ordinary calling he knoweth neither the weight nor the worth of the Ministrie He that must bring all his preaching alwayes out of books must either preach seldome or he will finde little time to follow another trade But all these things and what he saith further of corruption in admitting corrupt and carnal men into the Ministrie is nothing to the purpose in hand for no sober man will approve such corruptions And yet we need not run away to the Quakers way of prizing extemporary non sensical discourses after self motions and self impulses as the whole work of the Ministrie But sayes he next Pag. 209. when men are not admitted to the Ministrie that are not so and so licentiat according to their rules the Spirit is exstinguished and prophecies are despised contrare to 1 Thes. 5 19 20. Ans. What Papists do in this I regard not Protestants will I suppose not refuse to admit any man to the Ministrie that is found after tryal really qualified upon any such account howbeit the places by him cited be ill applied but we must not stand upon every punctilio but shall go on CHAP. XX. Of Woman Preachers 1. OUr Quakers that in all things they may be like themselves that is opposite to all the Appointments and Ordinances of Christ in his house plead for Women speaking or preaching in the publick assemblies of the Church as did the Anabaptists of old and Famalists And that notwithstanding Paul hath in two distinct places expresly prohibited the same as first 1 Cor 14 34. Let your women keep silence in the Churches we might
worship as their worship is not grounded upon the Scriptures So nor have the Scriptures any place in their worshipe contrare to the practice of Christ and his Apostles Luk 4 vers 16. 21. Act. 17 2 3. 8 vers 4 25 35. 9 vers 22. 10 43. 13 5 15 16. c. 33 34 35 36 37 40 41. 18 28. 4. Though there be no approaching now for sinners unto God but in and through a Mediator and all our service and worshipe must be performed in him through him Col. 3 17. Eph. 2 18. Ioh. 14 6. 1 Tim. 2 5. Ioh. 14 13 14. 1 Pet. 2 5. Yet I hear nothing of Jesus Christ in all their worshipe It can therefore be no Gospel Worshipe which they goe about for as all that must be in the name of Jesus the Mediator as having his warrand so it must be offered to the Lord through him Hence 5 all their Solemne Worshipe is nothing else then may be gone about by Pagans and Heathens that never heard of Christ for there is no Gospel Worshipe no Gospel Duty no Gospel Ordinance to be found in all their most solemne service neither Preaching nor Prayer nor Praise nor Administration of sacraments nor any Duty instituted in the Gospel 6. Nay in this they seem to come short of the orderly devotion that is exercised by some Heathens who have their Priests publick Officers to carry on their worshipe with a piece of order and solemnity But they know no such thing their worshipe we see is carryed on without the orderly leading and foregoing of any Person peculiarly designed thereunto unto 7. They speak of going out from their owne thoughts or of expelling them and it is convenient and neâ—essary I confess that all carnal and worldly thoughts be laid aside when we are to approach unto the great and living God for our minds ought then wholly to be abstracted from all Impediments and taken up alone with God But how comprehensive their own thoughts may be I know not and whether he may not meane a laying aside of all use of Reason and Humanity that so they may be fitter receptacles of the In workings of Satan and of the Impressions of his delusions we may possibly heare something hereafter which may give ground for this supposal 8. He tels us that when tâ—ey are thus conveened they meet with a secret vertue and power of life refreshing their souls c. But is this common and ordinary to them all and is it so at all times Then they are all and that alwayes while about the worshipe of God in a good frame and the Spirit who bloweth where and when he listeth never withdraweth from them but is alwayes present in Love and in Power But what is this Life that hath such Power and Vertue If we call to minde the principles of the Quakers formerly considered and examined we will finde that it is not the true and real Grace of God bestowed upon them through Jesus Christ and wrought in them by his Spirit but the mere Operation and Product of nature and therefore all the refreshing of soul that they feel thereby must be but Natural and Carnal how sensible so ever it may be 9. He talks of Motions Respirations of the Spirit of God which flow forth but whence flow they From their owne Spirits or from that refreshing of soul or from the power and vertue of that life he spoke of But the chiefe thing I would have noticed here is How shall we know or how do they know that these Motions and Breathings are the motions and breathings of the Spirit of God The reason of the enquiry is because they have laid aside the Scripture the only sure teste for tryal of Spirits and of the motions of Spirits and not only so but they are now gone out of themselves and are no more Men having laid aside Humanity all the Cogitations Imaginations of Men How shall they how can they or any other know whether these motions be motions of the Spirit of God or of the Spirit of darkness Cannot Satan play his game in persons thus prepared for and laid open unto his workings and insinuations Hath he not thus wrought in many who thus gave up themselves unto his Power and Delusions 10. when these who are thus acted and moved by a Spirit blake or white utter words of declaration prayer or praise how shall it be known that these words are words of truth and righteousness It seemeth all is good coine that cometh that way and no doubt is to be made thereof no examination or tryal is to be made all is to be received by an implicite faith and sure if these Declarations Prayer Praises be suteable to and corresponding with their Doctrine and Principles we have ground to think that they are such as no Christian can with a good conscience receive or joyn with and though he think that what is so spoken is delivered in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and of power yet if we judge by the Scriptures of truth we must say that it is rather in the evidence demonstration of the Devil 11. When one is so moved and speaketh what do the rest Must they attend thereunto and joyn there with But what if they be at that very instant prompted by what is within them to utter words of declaration prayer or praise and this is not impossible must they all speak together where is then order and edification or must they be silent and listen to what the other speaketh till he have done How will he salve this from a limiting of the Spirit But next can the rest hearken and joyne without an inward motion thereunto If so then that part of worshipe is performed by them without the previous inward motion of the Spirit Or must the rest waite for their proper and particular motions then there is no publick worshipe performed by the Assembly 12. But as to that mumry and dumb service when nothing is uttered how can that be callâ—d a Publick Worshipe of God what publick worshipe is there and then performed by the Assembly and where doth he read of any such Publick Worshipe performed unto God in all the Old or New Testam How differeth this from the dumb service of some Heathens performed to their Idols And what mutual edification is there had hereby He tels us it is true that even then their souls are exceedingly satiated But where with or whereby Not by any publick exhortation prayer or praises for there are none that which is not cannot edifie He tels us also that their hearts are wonderfully replenished with the secret sense of the divine power and Spirit But how is this brought about This power sayes he is transmitted without words from vessel to vessel Sure this is no usual way of the Lord 's working and why should he imagine in this case a transmission from vessel to
qualifications mentioned in both these places And so it saith that such ministers should have gifts and abilities acquired by reading and other meanes whereby they might be fitted for this work of the ministry This is plaine and manifest but nothing of this kinde is requisite in our Quakers speakers in order to their speaking Yet more Paul tels Titus Cap. 1 9. that the preacher must be one that holdeth fast the faithful word as he hath been taught or as in the margine in teaching or which maketh for doctrine that is sitteth and qualifieth him for teaching and edifying See Beza in loc that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gaine-sayers He must then be a learned man able to teach and acquanted with the controversies of the time that he may be in case by sound doctrine to put gaine-sayers to silence Adde one word more Act. 18 24 25 26. We finde that Aquila and Priscilla took Apollos that was an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures and was instructed in the way of the Lord and had taught diligently the things of the Lord and expounded unto him the way of God mâ—re perfectly And all this in order to hâ—s peaching further the way of God for it is said vers 27 28. And when he was disposed to passe into Achaia the brethren wrote exhorting the Disciples to receive him who when he was come helped them much which had beleeved through grace for he mightily convinced the Iewes and that publickly shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was Christ Here then we have both practice and precept for Ministers studying that they may be able to preach sound doctrine But possibly the thing at which he most carpeth is that Ministers should study their preachings immedialy before they preach them If it be so he must be a silly man for what is the difference betwixt ones studying â— few dayes before and ones studying some yeers before when the one hath a more tenacious memory then the other But this was the errour of the Familists in N. England and of Saltmarsh opposed by worthy Mr Rutherfoord 4. 3. He saitâ— that our Ministers study their Sermons and digest them and commit them to their memory having gathered them together out of their own invention or other folks writtings To which I only saith 1. That as it is already manifested he cannot make it appear to be dissonant to primitive practice or precepts that Ministers be learned especially in the Scriptures and thereby fitted for preaching And if their memory be so happy as to retaine all they have learned and read and their Judgment so solide as to improve it pertinently according to the occasion they will have the less need to study with much paines and labour every Sermon but if both their Judgment Memory be a little blunt is the matter great if they put to a little more strength and be a little more diligent 2. But how shall we be assured that the Quakers use no such leger-de-maine as to make us beleeve they speak all without one previous thought and yet have all to a word well studyed and premeditated Such cheatry hath bin in the world and I know not why one might not doubt of the truth of what they say especially when I finde credible persons saying that they can lie as well as others 3. He speaketh thus of all the Ministers in common making no difference and if he be only acquanted with some and sure I can not tell how he should be so well acquanted with all as to know their way of studying and prepareing themselves for preaching and intend them he dealeth not ingenuously nor candidely to speak thus of all What knoweth he but there may be some that study the most of their Sermons on their knees What knoweth he but there may be some that read very little save the Bible in order to preaching and have such a ready gift as to be in case to preach upon a very short times advertishment What knoweth he but there may be some who study most to get their heart in a right frame to preach and brought under an impression of the weight of the truths they are to deliver What knoweth he but there may be some that write none of their Sermons nor committe them to their memory but having the heads of truths they are to deliverer digested waite upon the Lord for his assistance in uterance and delivery What knoweth he but there may be some that never digest their preachings so as not to lye open to the influences of the Spirit and to welcome his seasonable and useful suggestions and so speak many things which they had not once premeditated What knoweth he but there may be some that being called have gone to preach when they knew not well what to say in particular nor from what text What knoweth he but there may be some who after they have studied and been at paines to prepare themselves yet coming to speak have been so lead of the Lord that they spoke little or nothing of all they had thought to speak What knoweth he but there may be some who upon their way to the Assembly have been constrained to alter text and all which they had purposed to speak upon it If he knew none of these things he sâ—ould have learned better before he spoke thus and he cannot but be blamed for his rashness 5. But all this will not helpe the matter for 4. The Quakers saith he they affect not wisdome nâ— reloquence of words but the demonstration of the Spirit and power And hereby he insinuateth that our Ministers do the contrary But he must know that I will not beleeve all that he saith in this if he hath his eye upon some particular persons or sort of Ministers I will tell him he dealeth not fairly to impute to all what he observeth in some and I think it sufficient to tell him I know some that affecteth only that Wisdome and Eloquence that may contribute to the winning of souls and that thouâ—h they will not boast much as our windy Quakers do of their preaching as being in demonstration of the Spirit and of power yet dar say in some measure of singlâ—ness that they corrupt not the Word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God they speak in Christ and that they have renunced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 5. They are the men that exhort rebuke and instruct and speak out experiences And thinks he there are none such with us or that our Ministers preachings have no tendency heâ—eunto If he do he is mistaken fâ—r our Ministers Sermons have all thesâ— uses and some moe as to Comfort Convince Confute c. And though they bring not forth fancies and deluâ—ions instead
remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee seing gifts were of no use and the stirring up of gifts were in vaine because all without gifts or stirring up of gifts was to be done by the immediat impulses and motions of the Spirit 12. in vaine also should he have said as 2 Tim. 1 13 14. Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost For he was to regard no forme of sound words nor take any notice of that gooâ— thing which was committed to him but do and say as he was acted and inspired 13. what roome is left by this opinion to that word 2 Tim 2 14. Of these things put them in remembrance charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words For he could remember them of nothing nor lay any charge upon them if they were to do all as the Spirit moved them 14. The following injunction vers 15. is made also useâ—ess by this way Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed rightly divideing the word of truth For it taketh away all care and study in this matter and the preacher can make no other division of the word of truth than what is of and by the Spirit and that must alwayes be right 15 All that the Apostle sayeth 2 Tim. 3 14 15. should also be in vaine and to no purpose 16. If this way be the truth why did the Apostle say 2 Tim. 4 1 2. I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom Preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine might not Timothy have replied I have nothing to do with that charge I cannot I may not preach either in season or out of season nor can I Reprove Rebuke nor Exhort nor have I Doctrine wherewith to do it The Spirit doth all must move me and inspire me to every Doctrine Preaching Rebuke and Exhortation and that at every time and season 17. Hâ—reby that should be also rendered useless which is said 2 Tim 4 5. But watch thou in all things endure afflictions do the work of an Evangelist make full proof of thy ministry 18. If this be the way why did Paul say to Titus Chap. 1 17 wherefore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith seing Titus could have said againe I shall do as the Spirit moveth and more I cannot I may not 19. So it taketh away the force of Paulâ—s injunctions Tit. 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 15. For Titus was to have his eye upon no Doctrine but speake what the Spirit moved him to speak nor was he to speak to either one or other age or sex or quality but as the Spirit acted him and what Uncorruptness Gravity Sincerity was requisite in his doctrine he was not to be anxious there about all would be so because dictated and inspired immediatly by the Spirit And what sounâ—ness of speach was requisite the Spirit would see to that and therefore he was not to regard what the Apostle enjoyned vers 15. These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority 20. The command Tit. 3 1 2. Put them in minde to be subject to Principalities c. must hereby be laid aside as not obligeing Titus who was purely to follow the Motions of the Spirit 21. How opposite unto this opinion is that word Tit. 3 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirme constantly What was not Titus to waite upon the motions of the Spirit 22. If matters be thus how could the Collossians say to Archippus take heed to the ministrie which thou haâ—t received in the Lord that thou fulfil it seing Archippus was to follow the free and arbitrary motions of the Spirit 2â— This opinion rendereth that injunction of Paul's unto the ministers of Thessalonica 1 Thes. 5 14. useless Now we beseech you brethren warne them that are unruly comfort the feble minded support the weak c. as to preaching 24. It would hence follow that all that such ministers spoke were infallibly true for what the Spirit speaketh through men or by men as his meer organs must of necessity be truth and nothing but truth and that certainly and infallibly and so must be esteemed of and regarded as Scripture 25. If the matter be thus it is all one thing whether the preacher be Young or Old a Childe or a Mâ—n of experience for it is not he that speaketh but the Spirit in him yet Paul requireth that he that is put into the Ministrie be not a novice 1 Tim. 3 6. 26. Thus did the Prophets and Apostles preachâ— and declare their visions as undâ—r moral commands though they were under no such commanâ—s to receive the visions where they had no election Ier. 1 v. 17. 26 15. Esa. 6 8 9. Ier 15 19 20. 1 Cor. 9 16. 9. More might be said upon this head but this may suffice and I have said the more of it because they use to make it one of their common theames while they would in their popular discourses inveigh against the Ministrie seek to make it contemptible with people Let us now come and consider what he saith And first he beginneth to speak against the methode Pag. 249. And what is this methode Ministers are free to follow what method they think most edifying and are not bound to one certain prescribeâ— methoâ—e But sayes he when Christ sent his disciples to preach he told them they should not premeditate what to say nor speak of themselves but the Spirit should in the same houre teach them Mat. 10 20. Mark 13 11. Luk. â—2 vers 12. Ans. Knoweth he not that at that time Christ gave them their preaching with them telling them what they should say saying And as â—e go preach saying the Kingdom of heaven is at hand Mat. 10 7. Knoweth he not that in these places by him cited our Lord is speaking of their appearing before Magistrates and Higher powers where they might through fear and anxiety be so discomposed as not to know well how to speak in their owne defence and that our Lord addeth these words to free them of all anxiety about the matter But sayes he if it was so with them when standing before men much more in preaching when they stand before God Ans. This consequence is weak and contradicted by the Text it self where we see they had their sermon taught them before hand and beside when they were sent out to preach they knew what they were to say but when called before Magistrates they could not know before hand what questions might be proposed unto them and upon that account might be anxious and troubled which to prevent this promise is made
extraordinary gifts if not why do they not hold one baptisme till they get another But then sayes he Iâ— should not be Christs baptisme that remaineth Answ. It should not be that baptisme by the â—oly Ghost which he promised to his disciples it is true but it is false to say it should not be that baptisme which Christ did institute appoint his Apostles to administer Read we not of some baptized in the name of Christ who yet had received none of these gifts Act. 8 16. and yet sure that baptisme was Christs His following words I have nothing to do with for I say not that Iohns Baptisme was a figure of this extraordinary baptisme by the holy Ghost and by fiâ—e I observe moreover another piece of this mans ignorance or deceite whereupon he would found his discourse here he imagineth that these extraordiry gifts of the holy Ghost are the same with the Spiritual things signified conferred and sealed in baptisme And when the man doth shut his eyes and then run on furiously in his blindness what can we do but stand by and be sorry at his folly and madness Hence he will have none said to be baptized in the Spirit but such as are baptized and endued with these extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and because we admit not now such a baptisme of the Spirit he inferreth that we are only for the bare forme and shadow of baptisme and he is for the substance Who would not pity such a man that taketh upon him to condemne as the Manichees did of old and a Seck called the Whippers that arose in the 13. Century our baptisme and therein to condemne all the Churches of Christ when he hath need to goe in among the Catechumens and be catechized I say agaâ—ne if he and his fraternity be thus baptized with the Holy Ghost as the Apostles were and these mentioned Act. 11. Why do they not shew it The fire in the Apostles could not be hid they spoke with tongues but our Quakers do no such thing except by a new kinde of non-sense he would have us understand their speaking with tongues And indeed they are all baptized with this baptisme These were extraordinarily endued with learning and all abilities to set forward the Kingdom of Christ but our Quakers are ignorant and yet they imagine they are learned and with what they have they destroy so far as they can this kingdom and therefore if they be extraordinarily baptized with a Sâ—irit it must be with a blake Spirit Christ's enemy And further the baptisme of the holy Ghost with which the Apostles were baptized made them not enraged against the baptisme of water but more careful to observe it and administrate it according to Christ's appointment and that even to such as had also received that extraordinary baptisme As Act. 11. these same persons on whom the holy Ghost fell were baptized with water But it is otherwise with our Quakers the Ghost which they suppose themselves baptized with is a Ghost opposite to all Christ's Appointments Let them then consider whence he came and whether he leadeth them 7. He citeth further Pag. 270. 1 Pet. 3 21. plowing with Socinus's hifer and supposeth that there is here given a definition of Baptisme and it is true the Apostle sheweth what that baptisme was which he was speaking of to wit not the bare outward element and the application thereof which alone cannot be effectual to salvation but the principal thing here requisite is the answer of a good conscience which all must have who shall expect any good of Baptisme And thus the Apostle doth plainly establish this Ordinance as a like figure unto that whereunto Noahs Ark was a figure which proved a mean of saving none but faithful Noah and his family And this truth we owne to wit that the outward washing of water can save none where there is not the stipulation of a good conscience toward God Shall we hence with Swenkfeldus whom Calvin on the place confuteth say that the outward Ordinance is null Or shall we with Papists stick in the outward element No Christs way is the best we owne both what is inward and what is outward and give each its due place What would our Quaker now say He sideth with Schwenckfeldus and Saltmarsh and would have the outward part wholly laid aside and why Because Peter sayes Baptisme is not the putting away the filth of the Flesh. Ans. Peter sayes not that there is no putting away of the filth of the Flesh in Baptisme but that the baptisme which will save must have some other thing then outward washing to wit the answere of a good conscience toward God Againe he joyneth with Papists and will have baptisme to be that which was really typified by the Ark while as it is but a corresponding exemplar carrying some analogy or proportion therewith let him Read Calvin Beza on the place But saith he As all in the Arkwere saved by water so all should be saved by outward washing if that were baptisme Answ. If we made the outward washing as separated from the inward grace the whole of Baptisme the Quaker had some colour to speak thus but when we speak of Baptisme as saving we comprehend both the outward washing and the inward grace the answere of a good conscience for where this is not the outward washing in baptisme is ineffectual One thing more How will this Quaker prove that this answere of a good conscience is the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit which were poured forth upon the Apostles Or is that baptisme by the holy Ghost and by fire whereof Christ speaketh Act. 1 4 His saying Pag. 270. that none can give this answere but they whose soul the Spirit of God hath purified and whose corrupt nature the fire of his judgments hath consumed is but to show his profane dexterity in allegorizeinâ— and playing with the word of truth let him plainly tell us if he thinketh the Apostles had no grace no corruption purified until the day of Pentecost came and so that the thing which Christ had promised and which then was fulfilled was this Spirit of Sanctification and nothing else And if he dar not say this let him consider to how little purpose all this is said 8. He citeth also but to the same purpose stealing from Socinus Rom. 6 3 4. Gal. 3 27. Col. 2 12. for the Apostle is not speaking of the outward washing abstracted from the inward grace but is speaking of whole baptisme that as aâ—ministred to such as he supposed beleevers and speaketh unto as such pressing duties and mentioning privileges that agree to them only And thus all which our Quaker saith is obviated for we say not that the things there mentioned are to be understood of bare outward washing but of the Ordinance which includeth the inward grace in order to these privileges and benefites We do not say that all who are only outwardly washen in baptisme are
workings of the Prince of darkness tickling their fanciâ—s and complying with their blinded minds and corrupt humores and hereby draw strength and confirmation to their abominable errours and practices and are more deeply rooted and fixed in the same howbeit contrary to the divine light of the Word of God to the very light of Nature and pure Reason and to all the true experiences of the holy and upright walkers with God and are more fortified and animated in their rage and opposition to all the wayes of God And sure I am the Saints of God though they will not with such a pharisaical froathy ostentation talk of their enjoyments as these wicked deceivers do on all occasions to set forward the desperat designes of the Devil in them and by them yet know what rich incomes of Joy unspeakable and full of glory of Strength and Encouragment in the wayes of the Lord of Peace Serenity of soul of Light and Consolation satisfying all their desires and making their souls to run over and all this in compliance and harmony with the word for a verification and accomplisment of the rich promises of the New Covenant ordered in all things and sure and confirmation of the truth and reality of the workings of the grace of God in their soul whereâ—y they were to their owne feeling sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of their inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory they have had in this Ordinance Melting their hearts with true tenderness and godly sorrow and Kniting their souls more firmly in love to God in Christ and Engaging them to run the wayes of the Lord with all chearfulness enlargedness of heart and delectaâ—ion and to Strive against the enemies of the glory of God and of their salvation whether within or without with more courage alacrity and resolution of soul So that I am perswaded they will upon this very account detest and abominate tâ—ese co-workers with Satan and finde themselves called of God for his glory their owne security to remove far from their tents who drive such a desperate and hellish designe against heaven and against all the Interests of Jesus Christ their Lord and Saviour 4. These desperate Despisers of the goodness and condescensions of love malacious Opposers of all the wayes of God in manifest mockage substitute our ordinary repasts in the room of this soul-feeding Ordinance for thus speaketh that blasphemous wretch Ia. Nayler in his love to the lost Pag 45. as Mr Stalham citeth him in his book for the sake of such who are lost in this thing troubled in mind concerning it what I have received of the Lord that I shall declare unto you which all shall witness to which come to partake thereof as the truth is in Iesus Christ. If you intend to sup with the Lord or shew the Lord's death till he come let your eating and drinking so oft as you do it be in remembrance of him and in his fear that at death you may witness to the lust and excess c. And Pag. 43. he said this was to be done at all seasons when they eat and drank and Pag. â—4 that the Lord commanded his disciples in eating and drinking to shew forth his death till he come to avoide excess and becomeing reprobats in the faith Is not tâ—is a sufficient discovery of the Spirit that acteth them 5 Let us now come to examine what this our Quaker saith in this matter and passing his intrade wherein after his manner he upbraideth all with their ignorance of this mystery as if they only were admitted to the secrets of God and acquanted with the mysteries hid from all the generations of the Christian Châ—rch we come to the answere he giveth to that question what is that body which we eat and that blood which we drink which is this Pag. 288. It is sayes he That celestial seed that divine and spiritual substance of which we spoke Thes. 5. 6. that vehicle or spiritual body of Christ whereby he communicateth life and salvation to all that believe in and receive him by which also man obtaineth communion with God To which we need say nothâ—ng here having fully discovered above Chap. X. what this Seed Substance and Vehicle is in their judgment to wit nothing but what is in every Son of Adam as he comâ—th into the world the dimme light of a natural conscience and of a reasonable soul having some dark notions of a God and of some principles of morality without the least imagination or apprehension of any of the wayes of the grace of God revealed in the Gospel yea which hath a native and inbred enmity at and antipathy against the mysteries of love and grace manifested in the Gospel This this is the Quakers Christ the Food of their souls the Substance whereupon they feed this is all that true bread which they have to eat And while he calleth it a substance he joyneth with the old Heracleonites who said thâ—t man was composed of a Body of a Soul and of a third Substance And the hearkning unto and believing this Natural thing which is in all â—eathens and Pagans receiving its light is all their Feast and all the meanes of Communion which they have or expect to have with God so that it is sufficiently manifest that the hieght of their Religion is moralized Paganisme And yet he dar say that â—his is confirmed Iohn 6. from v. 32. to the end And thereby give us to understand that they acknowledge no other true bread which the Father giveth from heaven but this which all Turks and Pagans have This is their Jesus and their Bread of God that came down from heaven and this is the only thing that giveth them life so that they shall never hunger nor thirst They are given of the Father to this thing and by this will they be raised up at the last day when they hearken to this then they are taught of God and have learned of the Father according to the writings of the Prophets yea if they but believe this they have everlasting life for this is their Bread of life whereof if they eat they shall not die but live forever this is with them the flesh that was given for the life of the world this is all the flesh they eat and all the blood they drink and thus they dwell in Christ and Christ in them O what a desperate delusion is this What a wonder is it that men who believe they have immortal souls and have ever heard of the Gospel dar thus speak and metamorphose the whole Gospel into pure Paganisme This sure must be a more than ordinary judicial stroke of blindness delusion of a reprobat minde and of a perverse Spirit with which these men are manifestly plagued and the Devil must have an extraordinary power in them and over them acting and driveing them
are other wayes such as a Promise which is different from a precept and divine Institution virtually including a promise And because he taketh no notice of these wayes his whole discourse is to no purpose for we grant there is no Relation here flowing from the nature of the thing And we see not what way a precept hath any efficacy to the making of such a Relation It is not because God hath commanded us to be holy that therefore such as are holy shall see God's face but because of a promise What will he now do his light hath confounded him so as he knoweth not what he saith But howbeit a precept hath no interest here while speaking of his Relation Yet least he boast as supposing we could not maintaine that there was a command for the use of this ordinance we must see What he saith here If there were any such precept saith he it should be found there where the institution is Which is very true for the very Institution hath the force of a command though there were no more Matthew and Mark saith he mentione no command and Luk only saith this do in remembrance of me Answ. Here is an express command mentioned by Luk and what needeth more The Institution say I hath the force of a command and that the Apostles after practice declared and the practice of the primitive Church and beside all this we have Paul's large commentary upon this 1 Cor. 10. 11. for if there had been no command for this why was the Apostle at all that paines to rectifie abuses among the Corinthians about this mater why spoke he of a cup which he blessed and of bread which he brake 1 Cor. 10 16 Why did he deliver this unto them and tell them that he had received it of the Lord 1 Cor. 11 23 Why doth he not discharge this altogether as he doth the Love feasts why saith he not There is no such ordinance of Christ There is no command for it Is there no precept presupposed nor included in all this wonderful The end which paul expresseth saith he 1 Cor. 11 26. is to declare the Lord's death but this hath no necessary â—elation to or connexion with partaking of Christ's body and blood for though such as partake of this cannot but commemorat his death yet his death can be commemorated without this participation Ans. 1. That declaration of Christ's death is a comprehensive end and includeth a Christian improvement and application of Christ's death to all the ends for which he is held forth in this Sacrament which appeareth by the whole context for where this is not there is an eating of the bread and drinking of the cup unworthily and an incurring the guilt of the body and blood of the Lord vers 27. and to which is required self examination as a necessary preparation and an eating of the bread and drinking of the cup so And such as includeth a discerning of the Lord's body the want of which maketh persons eat and drink judgment to themselves and was the cause why many were weak and sickly among them and many were asleep vers 29 30. And such as requireth self judging to this end that we may prevent God's judging vers 31. Thus we see that such a Commemoration of the death of Christ as is here understood cannot be without this partaking 2 This same end includeth a command to use this Sacrament until Christ's second coming 3. What thinks he of the ends mentioned 1 Cor. 10 16 17 4. How such as partake of Christ's body and bloud in his sense cannot but declare his death is a mystery to me Let him clear to me how a Pagan that never heard of Christ or of his death can by introverting unto the light within him declare Christ's death 5. Though Christ's death could be commemorated without partaking of his body and blood in this Ordinance Yet it will not hence follow that it must not be commemorated by this Ordinance He might as well argue that because Christ's death can be declared in this Ordinance therefore it must not be declared in the Word but the truth is this man would have all declaration of it laid aside that it might be quite forgotten or no otherwise declared than as may be by a Pagan introverting to his Light 12. What saith he to these words This is my body and this cup is the New Testament in my blood As Christ saith he used by the use of natural things to lead the mind of his disciples up unto spiritual things so here Christ took occasion from the bread and the wine which was before them while supping to tell them that as bread and wine served to nourish their bodies so his body and blood should be for their souls Answ. Are not these excellent Commentators Is it any wonder that they will not take this word for their Rule Who ever heard even mens words so abused and perverted O the patience of God! Though I think the very reciting of his words were enough to shame him if he could be ashamed and them both yet let me soberly ask him a few things 1. Why doth he not give us a like instance That which he mentioneth of Christ's speaking to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. is nothing to the purpose for Christ sayes not there This well is my body Or this well is the New Testament in my blood 2. What signified Christ's blessing of the bread and blessing of the cup if this was all 3. To what end did he break the bread and give it to his disciples and said take eat c. when they had been eating and drinking already 4. Why said he of the cup drink ye all of it if there was no more imported 5. Why said he this do in remembrance of me 6. Was this all that Paul delivered to the Corinthians 7. Was this all that he received of the Lord 8. How cometh it that the Spirit of the Lord in Paul giveth us not that commentary of the words But enough of this piece of profane blasphemous boldness 13 What sayes he to 1 Cor. 10 16. The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ He answereth Pag. 298. That in all this Chapter Paul is not speaking a word of this ceremonie he should say Ordinance Answ. For as bold as he is we will not beleeve him Let us yet hear his reason He saith vers 21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils c. but they could drink of the cup of Devils and of the outward cup. Answ. Not morally and lawfully because the Apostle here disswades them from having communion with idols upon this very account though they might physically as Robert Parclay may steal and murther But sayes he Paul speaks of one bread vers 17. and this cannot be outward bread
sowing these tares Thirdly We would labour each of us to have our souls deeply impressed with the preciousnesse of Christ and the absolut necessitie of making use of him for salvation for the Devils great and manifest designe is by these his Trustees and Traffickers to dispute men and debauch their spirits into a contempt of the precious Saviour and that great salvation which is purchased by his death and never since he began hath he made use of a mean which hath so cleare and close a connexion with that end Now Christ can be precious to none he can be prized by none who is not vile in his own eyes he who lives not within sight of his own loathsome leprosie and who is a stranger to the plague of his own heart will reject the counsel of God against himself and despise the great salvation And it is cleare beyond debate that the Devil do his best can never proselyt any man into this delusion and damnable haeresie of Naylorisme aliâ—s Quakerisme till as the God of this world he have first perfectly blinded their minds that he may harden their hearts into a final rejection of the true Christ the Saviour as the alone and onely way to be clothed with a sufficâ—ent righteousnesse and cleansed from all that filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit whereby they are defiled and from which they can onely be cleansed by that blood which these blasphemers tred under foot Let every one therefore who would keep himself in the love of God and of Christ keep his finger upon his sore that his eye may be keept â—â—xed upon the remedie for if the Devil get not his finger into a mans eye and blind fold him as to the uptakings of his own miserie and the precious remedie he will never turne him into a Naylorist that he may turne and tumble him into hell with his own câ—nsent Study thy self till what thou seest force thee to say I am the cheife of all sinners and then all that the Devil can say to the contrare will never put thee from thinking it is a saying faithful and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came in the world to save sinners Growing in this grace of the right knowledge of a mans self and of our Lord Jesus Christ is the onely expedient to defeat the designe he drives by these drivers and to be preserved from being led away with the errour of these wicked Fourthly Study to know the great principles of the Oracles of God and to have these impressed upon thy soul that so when assaulted by Satan thou mayest hold fast that truth which can onely make thee free And let the fallings away of others make thee the more closely cleave to that blessed Guid who leadeth in all truth In a word Let each one be busie in studying the word of God and his own heart and be much in holding up his heart to him who writs the Law in it that so his heart may become the Epistle of Christ and then he is guarded against taking on blasphemous and cursed Naylors blake marke Let the sad sight of that swarme of Apostats put thee to studie to know the truth in its power and sweetnesse And then when by the fallings away of others Christ is saying unto thee wilt thou also leave me thou will answer with that man whither shall I go from thee for thou hast the words of eternal life This will blessedly arrest the soul to an aboad with him when others will be carried away and never be seen any more to walk in Christs company Now to make thee give thy self in some seriousnesse to studie the precious Truths of God and to know him whom to know is life eternal thou mayest observe and be provoked to that exercise by thy observation what the Devil who is still going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour is a doing and what he is thereby designing When he had for a long time bawled and blasphemed in not our non-sense lest his trade should decay and the market of these traffickers for the souls of men for the precious souls of men are the commoditie they deal in should misse their marke to the end that he may make merchandise still of such with feigned and fair words he prompts some to polish as well as they can with their parts and pen these blasphemies and give them some colour for which service his Apostle the Author of the Theses and Apologie is shaped and set apart as the sharpest and neatest pen. I shall not here as I intended digresse into observations upon the addresse of this book wherein he Chartals all the learned men in the world since it can escape no mans observation who reads his book with judgement and compares it with the addresse that this novice being lifted up with pride is fallen into the condemnation of the Devil Neither shall I take upon me to hint any thing as to the bulk of the abominations wrapt up in his voluminous fardell of blasphemie that being so excellently handled by what thou hast read in this exquisitly cleare Examen Onely as it seems that as the Devil thought to serve himself by a Barclaij Argenis the scope whereof was to teach how effectually to destroy Protestant Religion and swallow up the Truth in the See and sinck of Romes abominations so we have a second Barclaij Argenis the scope of which is under sceptick and introverted notions and new coined names to destroy Christianity and introduce pure Paganisme and thus with a confidence peculiar to that partie and like him who prompted him to the undertaking he would rant and Romance us into heathenisme But since he hath taken upon him to give us a Confession of a kinde of faith after he and his complices have made shipwracke of precious faith and flout without fear at the faith of Gods elect which is a systeme of Paganisme And since he hath published to the world the Naylorists Alcoran whereby he intends as Mahomet's Mufti to Mustelman the Christian world and Mancipat us to the Turks gallies or worse The Good Lord to prevent the Devil and this desperado's designe hath found out and fitted for the undertaking amongst the men whom of all others he most despiseth and abhorreth the singularly acute solidly learned and truely gracious Author who hath in his Masters cause and strength undertaken the work and taken this Turke to taske and in his convincingly cleare examen so discussed and dissected that carcase and carrion of all abominations as by the light of that Spirit of truth which hath led him in the Examen he hath manifestly discovered Barclay's pretended Revelations to be the horrid illusions and hellish suggestions of a Spirit of a blaker colour then Mahomets pigeon and himself to be the Devil in Samuels mantle perswadeing us by the assistance of his Mephystophilus instead of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ that we may be found clothed upon with that rob
thorowly to peruse this large examen though I would have every one to have it by him that he might in their perversions of the Scripture have recourse to it for a help to be cleared I would besides other pieces particularly recommend a little piece lately published called a short survey of Quakerisme wherein the Author hath solidly aâ—d clearly said much in little for guarding the people of the Lord against the contagion of these soul-murthering heresies But above all and with this I close all that thou mayest be able to stand when so many once looked upon as persons of some understanding have fallen gird thy loins about with the truth of the Scriptures O prize the word of God that blessed word which these men contradict and contemne as if they would be avenged upon the Scriptures First for foretelling that such a race of Runagadoes from the truth would arise whereby we are confirmed that they are the word of the living God Secondly because of their passing sentence upon them when arisen as seducers and condemning their sentiments as the doctrines of Devils Thirdly because they most peremptorily inhibite us under the pain of his displeasure who hath given us these Scriptures for our rule to converse with such deceivers or receive theâ— into our houses and charge all who would not fall into the same snare and so bring sore and swift damnation on themselves to stand aloof from the men of these abominable and damnable heresies And you are the rather to observe and do this that you finde Satan rageth and goeth mad if this be urged and no wonder since he knowes well what he hath gained by the contrarie practice and is very sure that he who breaks so cleare a command hath wrested himself out of the hand of his guid anâ— so hath put himself out of case to pray or hope for leading which Satan knowing and observing way-layes him when he hath him in his own Synagogue or conversing unnecessarily with his domesticks and thinks himself sure of him And Alas the successe often answers his expectation And therefore he who put that deluded soul to draw up deâ—ile paper with this systeme and compound of all abominations doth prompt him in the next place to penne publish a piece which he calls Vniversal love just of a piece and complexion with cursed Naylor's love to the lost for the men are of the same core and kidney composed of hatred to the Gospel so that if you receive their expressions of love to the lost you are lost however this is a prettie page and pimp to his Apologie and weares its livery and is calculat exactly for the designe of Apollyon O so kinde as they will appeare as kinde as the cruel spider to the flee who while it seems to embrace and kisse it kills it with poison Let them be but warmely welcomed and have accesse to whisper you in the eare and drop-in their poison at that passage it will quickly reach your soul and flee up into your head and so distract you with themselves into a pure and perfect hatred of the way of Salvation but I must tell you he who would not have the Devil run away with him to hell should not throw himself in his embraces or suffer that evil one that liar and murtherer to come so neer him as to touch him Much about the same time also at least much about the same time both came to my hand his brother in iniquitie George Keith in answer as he calls it to a Postscript to Mr Rutherfoords letters written on purpose to disswade all the Lovers of Jesus Christ to converse with these his stated enemies flies furiously into the face of that Author and in his furious transport foams out in that piece his own shame Concerning which at present I have onely this to say to the Reader that he may expect ere long to have G. Keiths notions examined by the same person who hath answered his brothers Apologie and for what relates more particularly to the Postscript it self against which he rageth he may expect to have it considered by the Author of the Postscript But not to detain thee longer consider â— beseech thee and comply with that serious and seasonable exhortation given by this same Author in the preface to this sharp discoverie anâ— solid confutation of these damnable doctrines If not I must tell thee this piece shall rise up in judgement against all who over the belly of so cleare a discovery of the damnablenesse of these delusions and dreams will without feare expose themselves to the hazard of being bewitched by the Seducers But I hope better things of thee though I thus speake and so wishing thy soul prosperitie and establishment in the truth I bid thee fareweel and am Thy servant for Christ and souls well wisher R. M. C. AN INDEX OF PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE Perverted and abused by the Quaker and here vindicated and explained Chap. Vers. Pag GEN. Chap. Vers. 1 2. Pag. 26 Chap. Vers. 2 17. Pag. 98 Chap. Vers. 4 6 7. Pag. 221 Chap. Vers. 5 1 3. Pag. 131 Chap. Vers. 6 5. Pag. 101 150. Chap. Vers. 9 Pag. 345 Chap. Vers. 8 21. Pag. 101 130 Chap. Vers. 17 14. Pag. 132 EXOD. Chap. Vers. 34 6. Pag. 2â—2 NVMB. Chap. Vers. 11 25 29. Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 14 18. Pag. 222 DEVT. Chap. Vers. 4 4. Pag. 74 75 Chap. Vers. â—1 32. Pag. 74 75 Chap. Vers. 13 1. c. Pag. 509 Chap. Vers. 17 2. c. Pag. 509 1 KING Chap. Vers. 8 16. Pag. 347 NEHEM Chap. Vers. 9 30. Pag. 27 ESTER Chap. Vers. 3 2. Pag. 542 IOB Chap. Vers. 1 1. Pag. 345 Chap. Vers. 2 13. Pag. 429 Chap. Vers. 14 4. Pag. 130 Chap. Vers. 15 14. Pag. 131 PSAL. Chap. Vers. 25 3. Pag. 43 421 Chap. Vers. 27 24. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 37 7 34. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 51 5. Pag. 126 Chap. Vers. 13 Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 69 6. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 110 3. Pag. 508 Chap. Vers. 139 7. Pag. 27 PROV Chap. Vers. 8 24. Pag. 225 Chap. Vers. 2 22. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 28 1. Pag. 459 Chap. Vers. 30 5 6. Pag. 74 75 ECCLES Chap. Vers. 7 20. Pag. 347 ESAI Chap. Vers. 2 4. Pag. 517 Chap. Vers. 5 1 2 3. c. Pag. 224 Chap. Vers. 8 20. Pag. 7â— Chap. Vers. 30 18. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 40.31 Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 42 23. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 45 23. Pag. 531 Chap. Vers. 48 16. Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 49 6. Pag. 285 Chap. Vers. 53 4. Pag. 364 Chap. Vers. 59 2. Pag. 308 â—38 Chap. Vers. 21 Pag. 44 Chap. Vers. 65 16. Pag. 530 531 Chap. Vers. 25 Pag. 518 IEREM Chap. Vers. 1â— 16. Pag. 529 Chap. Vers. 17 9. Pag. 101 Chap. Vers. 18 9 10. Pag. 225 Chap. Vers. 23 29. Pag. 266 Chap. Vers. 31 33. Pag. 44 Chap. Vers. 34 Pag. 45 Chap. Vers. 38.39 40. Pag. 531 LAM Chap. Vers. 5 25. Pag. 421 EZEK
is I know not are the ground of our Iustification But seing Iustification and Sanctification stand upon the same ground with him he must also say that we are not Sanctified by good works considered by themselves and if good works or works of Sanctification and holiness considered as such will not ground the denomination of Sanctification I would faine know what will 5. But if they neither be Sanctified nor Iustified by these good works by what are they Sanctified or Iustified It is by Christ saith he who is the gift and the giver and the cause produceing the effects in us But this Christ is nothing else but a Creature produced in man by mans industry and goodwill not stubbornly resisting but piously receiving the illumination of the light and that out of this light which is in every Son of Adam for he told us that this Light when thus religiously entertained becometh a holy pure and spiritual birth and this is the Christ formed in us who is the gift and the giver and producer of all the fruits of holiness which are acceptable unto God Are we not then Iustified by our works when Iustified by this Christ or Principle produceing these works in us especially seing this Christ is a Christ formed within and not that Christ who laid downe his life a ransome for sinners and offered up himself a sacrifice to divine justice to satisfie justice and the Law by his Obedience and Death for the Redemption of his people We heard lately that this Christ and his Blood is far off in their account and cannot cleanse or do us any good But further I think that even in this Quakers are far worse then Papists for when Papists will have us Iustified by works they speak of works wrought in the soul by the Spirit real works of grace flowing from an inward principle of grace but our Quakers though they give goodly words yet really their works by which they are Sanctified and Iustified are but works wrought at best by the Power of Nature For that Light within every man as was shewed above is but pure Nature and whatever is borne of or proceedeth from this seed is but Nature for that which is borne of the flesh it flesh Ioh. 3 6. And from nothing that is in man by nature or in all men can that which is heavenly and spiritual spring unless we turne Pelagians this is to be held And that Light within them if its eyes were not blinded with prejudice though it be not sanctified nor of the Spirit might even cauâ—e them understand so much And when all the Efficient cause that we hear of from him produceing this pure and spiritual birth or educeing it out of its matter or causing its change and being some other thing than it was is only man and man doing nothing but receiving the illumination of this light can we suppose this to be any thing else than a pure product of nature which Heathens and Pagans Turks and Tartars who never heard one word of Christ may be partakers of And can this Sanctification and Justification be that mentioned in the Scriptures when it is common to infidels who are without God and without Christ in the world if they will but obey the light of nature Is this which he talketh of to be borne of God No certainly but rather it is to be borne of bloud or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man but so are not any borne that receive Christ and beleeve in his name Ioh. 1 12 13. One thing more Seing this Light which the Quakers say is in every man is in Devils and that in a greater measure than in man may it not also be said of them that if they will receive this light and not resist it it shall become an holy pure and spiritual Birth and Christ formed within And shall not they likewise upon this account be capable of this Sanctification and Justification I must still put Sanctification first that I may speak according to the Quakers Language and shall we have no other Sanctification and Justification preached to us by Quakers than what Devils are capable of and have the real feed of already O poor deluded wreatches Is this the top of all their endeavours and the upshot of all their hopes Sall we get nothing at most but a Paganish Iustification and Sanctification 6. He closeth his Thesis thus who i. e. Christ when he reconciled us while enemies according to his wisdome doth save and justifie us this way as the Apostle saith else where He hath according to his mercy saved us by he lawer of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Ans. But what way did he reconcile us while enemies was it by his bloud and by his crosse Ephes. 2 16. Or by the bloud of his crosse or in the body of his flesh through death Col. 1 20 22. Or was it by his death Rom. 5 10. If so then sure he died for the ungodly Rom 5 6. And for sinners vers 8. that they might be reconciled to God by his death vers 10. And then the grace of God and the gift by grace must abound unto them vers 15. and that unto justification vers 16 18. Then sure Christ died in their roome and place as their Cautioner and Surety and as their Surety made satisfaction to justice that they should be redeemed and delivered from Law Justice and Wrath for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8 3 4. And if so as the Scriptures do richly witness then that mediatory Righteousness of Christ the Redeemer and Cautioner must legally be made over unto them to the end that they may be legally acquit and freed from the Accusation and Condemnation of the Law And by vertue of that Righteousness of Christ the Cautioner imputed unto them by God they as cloathed therewith by faith and appearing therein must be Iustified before God and not by any thing wrought in them at what hand so ever And thus all that he hath said in his Thâ—sis is overturned 2. It is true that the Lord in wisdom hath ordered things aright and appointed the way how we should be partaker of the benefites which he hath purchased and particularly of Iustification and Sanctification But that the wisdom of God hath appointed that we should be Iustified by any thing done by us whether from a principle of Nature or of Grace wrought in us even by the Spirit of God as the formal objective reason or that upon the account of which we can be accounted Righteous and Absolved from Accusation and have our inquities pardoned is not revealed to us in all his word but the contrare rather as hath been seen 3. Nor doth these words of Paul to Titus Chap.
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
up and to the Creator againe that is infinite in it self which the hand goes against him that does evil in which hand the soul which is immortal and infinite which hand is infinite which brings it up to God is infinite Though little good sense can be made of this yet blasphemy enough is legible therein And G. Fox saith Is not the soul without beginning come from God It is not horride blasphemy to say the soul is a part of God for it came out of him and that which came out of him is of him Fisher in his Velata quaedam revelata Pag. 13 calleth that whereby man became a living soul and a soul that did partake something of Gods owne life a living principle of the divine nature And P. 17. He calleth the Spirit of man the immortal and incorruptible seed of God even something of the living word which is said to be made flesh Pennington Q. 27. calleth that which is in the saints that which the Lord from heaven begetteth of his owne image and likeness of his own NB. substance of his own Spirit and pure life Declaâ— against Popery queree 2. Whether do you waite and believe to have the same minde which was also in Christ Iesus who thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet he was no Pharisee though of the Pharisees judged a blasphemer and as be is so are we Is not this plaine enough 4. Hence also is it sayes he further that because we say that the inward light and Law and not the outward letter is that which can truely discover to them their state and bring them out of all evil they say that we vilify the Scriptures and honour our own imaginations more then them Answ. We would rather say upon this account that they vilifie the Spirit of God then the Scriptures for hereby these expressions it is manifest that they ascribe that unto the light within which only the Spirit of God and of Christ can do viz. truely and effectually which may be imported by his revera discover the state of a sinner to him and bring him out of all evil This last we do not ascribe unto the Scriptures But as to their vilifying of the Scriptures we have heard enough above from this mans own mouth and some others whose words we cited Mr Faldo in his book against the Quakers part 1. Ch. 3-12 helpeth me to much more Let us cull out of a great heap a few instances 1. Do not all the Quakers deny the Scriptures to be the word of God Do they not say that it is blasphemy to say the letter is the word of God and it is the Devil that contends for the Scriptures to be the word of God And what can more be spoken to the disparagment of the Scriptures than to deny them to be his word or the signification of his minde who spoke them and did indite them by his Spirit immediatly inspiring the Prophets and Apostles and other holy men of God in the writing of them Is not this directly to devest them of all that Authority which they have from God as his Law Is not this to render them contemptible when they are denied to be that which only maketh them have weight with consciences 2. Do not the Quakers deny the Scriptures to be the rule of faith and manners and the judge of Controversies in the maters of Religion We remember what himself aid above Hear Parnel in his shield of the truth p. 10. And he also that saith the letter is the rule and guide of the people of God is without feeding upon the husk and is ignorant of the true light which was before the letter was Hear Smith Prim. p. 10 And if thou lookest upon the Scripture to be for a rule and for trying thou givest that unto them which belongs unto Christ. And is not this enough to disparage the Scriptures to deny that chiefe use and end of them for which they were given If any should say of the Lawes of any Land and of the acts of Parliament that they are not a rule to the Subjects would not that be accounted a disparagment done to the Lawes Were not the Scripturâ—s given as a revelation of the minde of God concerning our faith and concerning our walk How can any thâ—n dâ—ny these ends and not disparage and vilifie the Scriptures 3 Do not the Quakers speak more highly of their owne writings than they do of the Scriptures The Scripâ—ures with them are but the letter which killeth Paper ink and writing the old and dead letter Part of it words of the Devil and of wicked men Precepts and traditions of men they have no light in them they sheir not our faces an earthly root a shadow and dangerous to feed on c. But their oâ—n writings are the voice of the Son of God by which the dead are raised a shield of the truth spoken in the freshness and quick sense of life written from the Lord a Spiritual glass opened light rise out of darkness and by revelation of Iesus Christ and by the Spirit of the living God See for this Mr Faldo ubi supra paâ— 40. c. Can men devise a way more effectual to effronte the Scriptures 4 Do they not preferre the light within them unâ—o the Scriptures See Smithâ—s Catech p. 2. Q. doth God manifest himself within Man Answ. Yes and man cannot know him by any other way but by the manifestation of himself in his light within him See the Scorned Quakers account p. 20. Christ by his light within shewes you in a gâ—ass your owne faces which the Scriptures cannot do Parnel p. 10. And by the same light do we discerne and testify against him to be in darkness and blindness and is a deceiver who putteth the letter for the light and so draweth peoples mindes from the light within them to the light without them seeking the living among the dead Iohn Story in his short discovery p. 2. saith and although the holy Scripture without and the Saints practices are lights in the world Yet far be it from all true Christian men so to idolize them as to set them in esteem above the light which is sufficient to guide or to esteem them equal with the light and Spirit of Christ within And Smith Prim. p. 12. tels us that Christ the light within alone searches the heart not the Scriptures Martin Mason in his loving invitation p. 4. 'T is not your flying to the Scriptures that can save you from the fire of his wrath nor overcome the least corruption for you no verily nothing then but a Christ within you come thou then O come with boldness to God's faithful witness within you Fisher where above p. 7. saith such were the Scribes who were ever scraping in the Scriptures to finde God and his life Yet never knew him at any time nor saw his shape because they heard not his voice nor heeded not his word within
themselves Are not these sufficient to evidence to all the world how the Quakers vilify the Scriptures of truth 5. Do they not disswade all in their writings as the cited passages evidence from reading or studying the Scriptures or from expecting any light or comfort from them Though Christ in express termes commanded to search the Scriptures Yet they perswade to the contrary And is not this a clear proof of their undervalueing of the Scriptures 6. Whereunto else tendeth that expression of Fisher's in his Velata quaedam revelato p. 4. Ye have Moses the Prophets within you but to disparage and vilify the Scriptures See also Parnel p. 11. For the Scripture is within and was read within before it was read without 7. Is it not a manifest vilifying of Scripture to say that there is no light in it Yet so faith The lip of truth opened p. 7. That light is in the Scriptures prove that or tell me what one Scripture hath light in it 8. Do not they say that whaâ— is held forth in the Scriptures is not bindeing to us Naylor love to the lost p. 16. for all the Saints have their commands in the Spirit but yours is in the letter and so another ministration We have mentioned more above Chap. IV. to this purpose and is not this sufficient to declare the Scriptures null in their esteem 9. What else doth that of Iohn Story in his discovery savour of And I. A. further saith let light without be guide to light within Reply if by this exhortation I. A. meanes that light without should try true light within which shines in the hearts of the Saints then I must needs say it is a very absurd and foolish exhortation and being spoken upon a divine account it is full of idolatry and evil 10. Do not the fore cited passages fully clear that in the Quakers judgment we canâ—ot come by the Scriptures to the knowledge of God or of Christ or of ourselves And is not that sufficient to disparage the Scriptures 11. Whâ—n Christ himself made use of the Scriptures to repel the temptations of Satan Mat. 4. Can we think the Quakers haâ—e any high esteem for the Scriptures who declare them utterly useless as to this as Martin Mason doth in his Loving Invitation p. 11 12. Can they value the Scriptures aright who desire the Lord that he would stripe us of all our knowledge of the Scripture and say that they only make us wise to oppose truth and so bring us into a state of condemnation wrath and misery beyond the heathen See Pennington's quaest p. 12. See also W. Pen's Spirit of truth p. 23. 13. Do they not undervalue the Scriptures who still set them in opposition to the Spirit And is not this the common language of the Quakers 14 If the Quakers have an high opinion of the Scriptures what meaneth all these expressions in the Morning watch Pap. 22.23 of them and of the doctrines received from them viz Traditions of men earthly root darkness and confusion Nebuchadnezzars image Putrefaction and corruption rotten and deceitful all out of the liâ—e and power of God Apostacy the whores cup the mark of the Beast Babylon the Mother of harlots Bastards brought forth of flesh and â—lood the birth that persecutes the son and heire Babylons brats and children graven images c. These sure are no expressions of great estimation 15. What shall we think of what the same Author saith p. 45. So amongst the words you finde how the Saints in some things walked and what they practised and then you strive to make something to yourselves and to observe it and do it as near as yoâ— can and here you are found transgressours of the Law of God who saith thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likeness of any thing Now what difference is there in the ground betwixt you and the Pope Hath this man the same esteem of the Scriptures that Paul had when he said Rom. 15 4. For whatsoever things were wâ—itten afore time were writen for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 16. Do we not all know how reproachfully the Papists speak of the Scriptures And do not Quakers and they go one way here Let any look Mr Faldo's parallel in the end of Chap. 12. of his book Pag. 131. c. and judge If this be not enough to discover what enemies to and undervaluers of the Scriptures the Quakers are I know not if we can get any more out of hell See what is said above Chap. IV. § 2. 4. 12. 5. What saith he more Hâ—nce moreover because we say that their clatterings and outward faith of an external life passion and death of Christ will no more justify them in the sight of God then the Iewes crying the Temple of the Lord c. but that they must acknowledge a Christ within themselves whom they have crucified to be risen and justifying and redeeming them from all iniquity they say we deny the liâ—e suffering and death of Christ and justification by his blood and remission of sinnes through him Answ. What meaneth he by that ill favoured word clatterings garritiunculae It hath no sound in latâ—ne and no good sound in Engâ—ish in this mater And what meaneth he by an external faith And what meaneâ—h he by an external faith of an external life and death of Christ These expressions are very quakerish that is unsavoury salt of non-sense But when he layeth all the weight of justification and redemption on a thing which they call Christ within every man formerly crucified but now risen is not that as much as if they denied all that Christ did for our Redemption and Justification an Pardon through his righteousness and blood What this man hath said of these things we have seen and examined and because he would fame wipe off this Aspersion from his fraternity let us see what they say in this mater Mr Faldo will help us to some others then we have seen and mentioned formerly 1. What meaneth that expression of Edâ— Burrughs Truâ—peâ— c. â— 17. All that are called Presbyterians and Independents with their seeding upon the report of a thing dead many hundered yeers ago And that of Farnworth what righteousness Christ performed without me was not my justification neither was I saved by it Is not this a plaine denial of justification through Câ—rist and hâ—s righteousness Pennington quaestions p. 2â— is clear enough Can saith he outward blood clause the conscience Can outward water wash the soul clean Parnel's Shield of truth p. 30. And this we witness who through the Lamb our Saviour do reigne above the world death hell and the Devil But none can witness this whose eye is outward looking at a Redeemer a far off Morning watch p. 21. And conclude to themselves a beliefe in Christ and apply his promises what he did for them in the body that