better then two in the Bush a little of their own within them far beyond all Christs righteousness without them although we call for the witness within them that will not suffice they must have the ground-work of their justification within them as well as the evidence nay some work within shall be ground and evidence too or they fly off and will not believe till they see and feel but groping in the dark lose themselves in the wilderness of self-fulness and sufficiency 7. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning Regeneration Section 27. I Had noted what they say He that believeth is born of God without Scripture and yet witnessed in Scripture contrary to James 1. 18. and 1 Pet. 1. 23 25. which Regeneration by the Scripture promise not onely bear witness of a new birth but saith also it is wrought by the word of truth the word of God the word that is preached which was never without or besides much less directly against but always according to the Scripture both as the Apostles preached it and others after them and their written doctrine R. F. * Page 15. returns me in a retorting way as is his wonted maner this for an answer If thou was not blind thou would see that thou contradicts the Scripture and not they that attributes the work of regeneration and the new birth to the Letter which thou calls the word and so therein denyes God who begets by his own will by that word which liveth and abideth for ever which was in the beginning with God and was God Rep. 1. Gods essential will and the free act of his love and good pleasure is the primary impulsive cause of his regenerating a soul 2. Christ by his death purchaseth the grace of regeneration and by the power of his resurrection applyes it 1 Pet. 1. 3. 3. The Spirit of the Father and the Son comes with the Scripture-promise and quickneth the soul to believing and by believing of the word of truth which at the beginning R. F. acknowledged the Scriptures to be and at that instant the believing soul is as Isaac conceived and formed a childe of promise a believer and a new-creature together by the word of grace which the Spirit useth as the external means of regeneration yea he carrieth the word and voice of the Son of God John 5. 25. from the ear to the heart and makes them hear and live That part of the Scripture which is pure Gospel is the ministration of the Spirit as of righteousness and life 2 Cor. 3. 8. 4. They that speak of a regeneration such as the Scripture helps them not to know and obtain speak wildely of it as J. Nayler in his new piece * Love to the lost page 34. treating of the new-birth he tells his lost creatures There is the old man and a new man but he doth not say there are two contrary qualities in the same regenerate soul lusting one against the other as the Apostle describes their state Gal. 5. 17. He saith * Page 35. Nicodemns knew not the new birth though he loved Christ He did not know the maner and mystery of it before his coming to Christ but if he loved Christ before it was a fruit of the new-born-seed of grace or spiritual principle for even J. N. confesseth as is the man so are his works and as is the Tree so is the fruit And I may adde as is J. N. so is his Book and his his love to the lost for if the man may be known by his writing he may haply know as little of the new-birth as Nicodemus did though he would be a great Teacher in our Israel Some may say he speaks * Love to the lost p. 35. of a Promise as well as a power that puts off the old man with his deeds lusts and affections but if you mark it it is to them who remain in the seed of God and it in them he doth not say the new-creature hath a promise that it shall remain although the Scripture saith it shall Joh 15. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 27. Well if he holds but to what he saith That all who remain in this seed and it in them hath the Promise I would have R. F. ask him whether it be the Promise that begets the new man which helps to put off the old if it be we shall finde the new man quickned as the old man crucified and slain by a word of promise in several places of Scripture scattered The word of promise serveth to regenerate and begin the work as well as to preserve nourish and maintain the regenerate man in his state He that shuts out Scripture from being Christs organ or the Spirits instrument and means of Regeneration it had been better for him he had never known the Scripture or written a word about it 8. Head of Scripture-contradiction Concerning Sanctification and its Perfection Section 28. I Had noted from a little conference with them in Scotland That sin dwelleth not in act where Christ reigneth Sin dwelleth and acteth in the Saints Rom. 7. 17. opened This R. F. defendeth as true though never so contrary as I hinted in my book to three as many more places of Scripture Rom. 7. 17. It is not I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me sin is doing as well as dwelling it will not be idle and in whom in Pauls heart where Christ reigned Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and Gal. 5. 7. cleared the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other in whom in the Galatians the sons of God in whom considered in their better part Christ and Grace reigned yet they could not do what they would they could not be so gracious as their regenerate part would have them nor yet so sinful as their unregenerate part would have them Here is sin active enough and yet its force is broken that it cannot reign where Christ reigneth but there it dwells and remains very troublesome to a good heart Rom. 7. 23 25. Rom. 7. 23 25 explained I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my minde and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin that is in my members here is action and passion too here is fighting and scuffling a continual conflict Sin in the Saints is no sleepy habit it will be plotting using stratagems striking and serving it self and its own turn as ver 25. With my flesh I serve the Law of sin sin is very active in the Saints when so officious to its self and its own ends What weapons think you will R. F. finde for defence of the Tenet none spiritual I dare say but carnal and weak as followeth * Page 15. Where Christ reigneth the body is dead to the acts of unrighteousness because of sin being destroyed and the Spirit is life because of righteousness living and ruling Rep. I suppose he refers in this
ignorant of the Letter who knew before he spake it that the Letter declares of life unless he will enwrap himself in the same ignorance But as he is ignorant of the Scripture-letter who denies it to be a means of coming to life so he contradicts himself who saith The Scriptures have life in them and yet with the same breath saith also They are without life as R. F. doth What if the life from which the Scriptures proceeded be not the Letter or Scripture yet the Scripture is the Scripture of life given from Christ who is life The chief subject matter contained therein is Christ the light of life not by the works of the Law by which way the unbelieving Jews thought to obtain life eternal but Christ shut the door against them that way and he directeth them to himself John 5. 39. as revealed in the Scriptures and more then that as conveyed by the Scriptures to a soul For albeit Christ saith They are they that testifie of me yet he doth not say They do but testifie of me This but is R. F. * Light out of darkness page 18. his additional gloss to corrupt the Text to disparage the Scriptures and never a whit the more to advance Christ for he is the more honored among men and savingly owned as he is known to be that living Savior that Way Truth and Life who is testified of in the Scriptures and is come unto or believed on by the Scriptures Wherefore Christ blameth them John 5. 40. that they would not taking the Bible and searching for him come unto him by the knowledge and faith of the Scriptures Section 6. THis and the following Section R. F. returns no Answer unto at all I had noted what Ed. Burroughs saith in his warning to the Inhabitants of Vnder-barrow page 2. That he came not to them with enticing words neither what he had gathered out of the Scripture from without him but to declare the word of the Lord and not to speak his own imaginations and conceivings How cross is this to themselves They use frequently to call the Scriptures the Declaration of the Word and if he came to declare the Word of the Lord as he affirms he either came with what he had gathered from Scripture which he denies or he came with his own imaginations and conceivings which he denies also but both his Negatives cannot be true if there be any truth in his book for that is a Collection of above an hundred places of Scripture quoted in the margent and transscribed in the line The words he had from the Scripture the mis-applications he did not indeed learn from thence nor from the Spirit of God who never teacheth any man to mis-apply his own Letter therefore it was not in true sense the word of the Lord that he declared if he spake the same doctrine for substance that he writes but the visions of his own brain And if I speak a lie saith he page 8. let me be accounted as accursed for ever But he that compiles a book out of Scripture-collections and yet preacheth not what he gathered out of the Scripture deals falsly in one of these ways and speaketh a lie and therefore he is found not onely as a self-contradictor but as a self-curser And to do him no wrong I would know the meaning of that passage page 9. He that hath the word of the Lord from the mouth of the Lord to declare unto you him you revile and mock c. but he that speaks the imagination of his own heart from the Saints conditions him you own and hear If he intends by the Word of the Lord Christ onely what intends he by the mouth of the Lord but the Scriptures which are the Declaration of his word by their own confession If he had the Scriptures to declare Christ unto the people by then he spake what he had gathered out of the Scriptures which is contrary to what he said before If the Scriptures be not the mouth of the Lord how are they a declaration of his word if they be a declaration of his word why are they denied to be the mouth of the Lord Again if he speaks of the Saints conditions as discovered in Scripture and chargeth him that speaks from them to vent the imagination of his own heart he blasphemes the Scripture written for our instruction and consolation Rom. 15. 4. If he condemneth another as he doth page 22. for preaching that which is gathered from without by imagination and conceiving upon that which the Prophet prophesied or which Christ spoke c. and judgeth it carnal and heathenish never commanded by the Lord and yet makes mention of the Saints conditions himself and glosseth upon Scripture according as his fancy worketh he alloweth that which he condemneth as he condemneth what God alloweth not that God alloweth the working of every mans fantasie but in a sanctified way if his worketh otherwise God condemneth what he alloweth Section 7. Section 7 8. THey call as I noted here the Scriptures the Worlds Touchstone and yet as appeared Part 1. Section 1. Some of them at least will not have the Scripture to be the Word of Truth to the world If it be not the Word of Truth to the world how can it be the Worlds Touchstone This interfering of men of his way R. F. undertakes not to cure or touch at with the least of his fingers and beyond my skill it is to salve the Contradiction onely I heartily desire of God that the discovery hereof may prove good eye-salve to let them see the shame of their nakedness Section 8. IN the second Section of this second part I noted down two of their Self-contradictions the latter of them might have there been spared and entirely spoken to here where I toucht at it again a little more plainly But R. F. though he glanced at it there took it not off nor doth he any more here then pass it over in silence which of the Saints had the witness of their souls union to seek in the Letter thus querieth J N. in his Few words page 11. I shall now to what was discovered as contradictory to himself in Sect. 2. or here adde his other words in the same page viz. The Spirit it opens and brings all that is spoken in Scripture to remembrance this is so a truth as it crosseth his Negative implyed in the Interrogation viz. That none have their witness to seek in the Letter and what he addes expresly He that believeth hath the witness in himself in Spirit and not in the Letter had he said and not in the Letter onely it might have salv'd the contradiction but as it is contrary to the Scripture to say the Saints have not comfortable testimony of their union and interest in Christ in and by the Scripture-letter so 't is contrary to himself to deny the Believer hath his witness in the Letter and yet grant that the Spirit opens and
deny Water-baptism altogether but the Experience of Christs blessing Infant-Baptism and the un-warrantableness of Rebaptization keeps him from these extremities If you be tempted to absent your selves from the Lords Table or leave Church-fellowship the Promise and Experience of the Love of God in the use of these Ordinances aws and keeps you in order When Christ until his second Coming in the clouds and visible Glory is lookt at as spiritually present with his own Institutions they are neither trusted to nor neglected Sometime you have been tempted to go hear known Seducers but an establisht heart will not step out of doors unless he hath the more special call to bear witness against them and to strengthen others Lastly Let your hearts be establisht with Gospel-grace and it will produce a well-ordered conversation to the end of your days it will make patient in affliction joyful in suffering even under darkness and in desertion the heart is willing to wait and is made ready for Heaven for it stirs up to watchfulness to have grace in exercise and the soul in preparation for death and then it cannot want boldness at the day of Christs appearing Why then my Brethren dearly Beloved and longed after my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly Beloved see that none of you fail of the grace of God Be not as reeds shaken with the wind but as unshaken rocks and pillars in your profession Prize and press after more of heart-establishing grace to this end Hold fast the purity of Doctrine about Justification Election Redemption the Covenant of Grace and the whole pattern of sound and wholesom words in the Scriptures and in the Churches Confessions of Faith consonant to the Scriptures Be active in faith upon the Author and Finisher of your Salvation Be obedient to the Spirit who witnesseth and sealeth the Truth and sheds abroad the Love of God in your hearts Make much of your Experiences built upon and backt with promises cry not woe unto them as some upon their revolting to Quakerism have done Set before you the example of stable Christians as so many Jerome's standing like old well-rooted Oaks and breaking the winds of Doctrines and Oppositions which assault them on every side Decline infectious company cease to hear the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge Beware of a blinde-zealousaffecting of any man Take heed of curiosity and a itching desire of Novelty or of knowing any new way to Christ and Heaven Stand in the paths and enquire for the old and the good way that ye may walk therein Maintain a humble spirit daily abased in the sight and sense of heart sinfulness and instability The Lord will teach and root the humble Exercise a clear Conscience in profession and communion with the Saints and Churches The mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience when men put away a good Conscience or prefer a natural Conscience before a Conscience purified by Faith they make shipwrack of the doctrine of Faith Let Gods power be lookt after in and with Gods own Form The Kingdom of God may be among men when 't is not within their hearts so Luke 17. 21. Christ speaketh to the Pharisees enemies of his Gospel The kingdom of God is among 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in medio vestri Bez. you i. e. was preached in the midst of his enemies and working upon others hearts while they were not aware of it They madly wrest the reading of the words within you who apply it to a Kingdom of Grace begun in the enemies of Christ by the light in every man and would thereupon have all Christs outward Forms and positive Institutions laid aside But what God hath joyned together power and form where and to whom he pleaseth do not you separate You have not hitherto been like these sheep which eat no grass more greedily then that which rots them If our new Teachers and their disciples boast of an astonishing Power coming along with their doctrine remember 2 Cor. 6. 7. The word of Truth and the Power of God whereby Christs Ministers are approved do go together If power goes forth with a word of falshood 't is Antichrists power which is after the working of Satan not the Lords It will be sad with any Church-member under Gods institution and form to fall short of his 2 Thes 2. 9. power But while you use his Ordinances in Faith of a promise of Christs power annexed to them you are and shall be more wrought up to and brought under the power promised And that I may be partaker of the Gospel-power as Priviledges with you yea that this Reply as weak as it is may be accompanied according to the truth of it with the mighty power of the Lord Let it be your prayer as it is and shall be mine who am through grace Your Loving Brother and Faithful Pastor JOHN STALHAM To all Honest Godly Conscientious and Judicious Readers BELOVED AS Honest Godly and Conscientious you are invited by Richard Farnworth in his Epistle before his pretended Vindication of the Scriptures in Answer to a piece I put forth in Scotland to the reading of all the Quakers Pamphlets with mine which I referred to in the Margent and of his Answer thereunto if any of you can finde the leisure Now it is my request that such as have met with his reviling Vindication would in honesty do me the favor yea the right so far as to bestow a few spare hours in the perusal of this my Reply and attending Truth as it is after godliness exercise in your reading a good conscience according to a renewed principle joyned with the diligent search of the Scriptures And As you are judicious and grown up to mature and manly knowledge I speak as to wise men judge ye what I wrote before and now write again Many Charges my adversary casteth upon me in his Epistle as so many fiery darts I list not to recriminate but have undertaken to make good my Collection of the Contradictions at first found among this sort and Sect of men Judge ye whether I have wronged any mans books or mixed my deceit with them Judge ye whether I have violated any of Gods Precepts or Truths and taught men so Judge ye which of us twain is given over to lie slander and falsly accuse Judge ye whether I have discovered a spirit of envy against them and the Truth I know the Scripture saith the spirit that dwelleth in us i. e. Believers so far as unregenerate lusteth to envy yet I can appeal to the Searcher of hearts that I found none of this stirring in my bearing witness against these mens doctrine What I see of the truth and of Christ in any I love I wish there was not to be seen in this Sect that which is to be pitied not envied Judge ye who is the Antichrist the Deceiver whether I deserve his Anathema
the Exposition of Rom 7. from ver 14. to the end of the Chapter understanding it of a man unregenerate in conflict with a natural conscience and not simply of one regenerate in combat with corruption of nature in every faculty of the soul How far the spirit of Antichrist works in these men God will yet farther discover and what Jesuitical Plots and Designs there are carried on by some of them unwittingly by others as wickedly as wittingly the day shall declare it And if any will take the pains to compare their Pamphlets with the Charge which Dr. Willet drew up about forty years Supplement to Synopsis Papismi by-past against the Papists he shall finde that Quakerism is built upon the Tetrastylon or four-fold Pillar of Papistry viz. 1. Sarcasms slanders railings and forgeries 2. Flat blasphemies and contradictions to Scripture 3. Loose arguments weak solutions c. 4. Repugnant opinions and contradictions among themselves in all leaving the consciences of people upon the Rack or full of doubts and uncertainties For the undermining of which Pillars the learned and unlearned the simple and judicious are alarum'd First to a more assiduous and studious reading of the Scriptures Get you Bibles 't is your Souls physick said Chrysostom of old to the people his hearers There is no greater torment to the devils then to see men busied about the Scriptures said * Orig. another before him But because it is as much pleasure to the devils to see men abuse and wrest the Scriptures ye are called Beloved Secondly to the owning of them in their just Authority above all Testimonies of ancient Writers and modern Authors who were but men subject to infirmities in the head as heart Above the Churches Testimony which gives no authority to the Scriptures but onely declare what is intrinsecally stamped upon them Above the testimony of your own hearts and consciences which must receive a true judgement from the right understanding and application of the Scripture bove all visions and revelations which if false draw from the voice of Scripture if true they send you thither as to your Rule and a more standing Rule and above all the Pamphlets of the Quakers now swelled to above two volumes Thirdly to a dependence upon the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures to seal up their Authority to you and to give the efficacy of what you read and hear Gods Spirit breathes in good mens books much more in his own and is there as to seal up the truth of his Word so to stamp the goodness of every truth upon our hearts As for this Reply what you finde therein agreeable to the Spirit of God his language of plain and naked Scripture-truth receive in the love of it and give God the glory I onely intreat as * Tantum oro ut cum petitis etiam Tertulliani peccatoris memineritis Tert. lib. de Bap. one before me of his Readers that in your prayers which should usher in all our other work or recreation and that of reading books you would remember him also who though he hath obtained mercy to be faithful yet hath cause enough to subscribe himself The sinful JOHN STALHAM The Heads of their Contradictions 1. To the Scriptures 1 Concerning THe Scriptures 2 Concerning The Trinity 3 Concerning The Light within 4 Concerning The Law 5 Concerning Sin 6 Concerning Justification 7 Concerning Regeneration 8 Concerning Sanctification and its Perfection 9 Concerning Christian warfare 10 Concerning Repentance 11 Concerning The means of Grace 12 Concerning Baptism 13 Concerning Lords Supper 14 Concerning Prayer 15 Concerning Singing 16 Concerning Elders and Ordination 17 Concerning Ministers maintenance 18 Concerning Immediate Calling 19 Concerning Immediate Teaching 20 Concerning Questions 21 Concerning Civil Honor. 22 Concerning Swearing 2. To themselves 1 Concerning THe Scriptures 2 Concerning Hearing the Word 3 Concerning The Light within 4 Concerning Sin 5 Concerning Christ 6 Concerning Justification 7 Concerning Immediate Teaching 8 Concerning Perfection 9 Concerning Quaking and Trembling 10 Concerning Growth in Grace 11 Concerning Forms of Religion 12 Concerning Fruits of the Spirit 13 Concerning Ordinances 14 Concerning Speech and Silence 15 Concerning Elders 16 Concerning Conscience and Laws THE Reviler rebuked OR A Reply to R. FARNWORTH HIS INTRODUCTION BEfore I can fall upon the Subject of the Controversies between me and my Antagonist I must touch at his Introduction wherein he mentioneth his receiving of my Book renews his charge against me gives a seeming proof of his charge and concludes with a Thundering Anathema 1. What he received A Printed Paper as he calls it slightingly that came out of Scotland into York and Yorkshire in England published by one John Stalham Preacher of the Gospel at Edinburgh That little piece of three sheets and a half J. S. owneth as published by him and that he called himself Preacher of the Gospel at Edinburgh for the present as was inserted it was because for some time he had been and then continued preaching of the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ to his Auditors from Rom. 15. 29. with other Scriptures And for as much as that great truth of the Gospel was openly opposed by one of the Sect called Quakers touching the justification of a believing sinner he was called to enquire after the opinions of the said Sect and to draw up his collections from divers of their Pamphlets which he referred unto several Heads of their Scripture and Self-contradictions wherein he is Secondly Charged by R. F. to have manifested himself and his subtile serpentine Spirit by his lies and slanders for all his glosses and covers to be a minister of deceit and so of Antichrist of all this or any part of it J. S. is no ways conscious nor of his falsly accusing the people of the Lord suppose any people of the Lord be fallen into the errors and opinions of the Quakers as he is charitably jealous some are surprized therewith nor of shewing forth a bitter spirit of envy against them and the truth The Lord knows he loveth all the people of the Lord for the Truths sake that dwelleth in them and pitieth those who are over-run with these errors as with a running Itch or sore as he himself would be loved and pitied who is not absolutely free of error although the particular fruit is not in these matters of difference visible to him yet the root of all error as of all sin is in him and seen by him not throughly in all degrees mortified As for any of his painted and deckt Notions Implications and Contra-distinctions his gilded coloured borrowed and form'd up imagined Expressions he thinketh R. F. had a minde to please himself and some of his Readers with seeming shadows of Rhetorick which J. S. never affected but clothed all he wrote with a familiar home-spun stile as he shall this Reply Thirdly The seeming proof of the Charge is That with the Light John 8. 12. John 1. 9. R. F. thinketh J. S.
is seen and known to be one that hates it and why 1. He bears record of himself against Christ and his Apostles Let that be found in any passage of his former or present piece and R. F. shall be no false Apostle J. S. will hide his head in a hole or openly recant the folly and wickedness 2. He calls the true light saith R. F. the Light of nature and the common Light of reason Where 's the proof of this allegation J. S. doth peremptorily deny that he ever so exprest himself since he had the Light of reason in him The true Light as 't is printed both in R. F. his Book * Page 2. and in the Bible John 1. 9. with a great L and there spoken of is Christ J. S. never called Christ the Light of nature or the common Light of reason or reason as Page 34. R. F. clamoreth and clattereth Haply he may say again and again That Christ as the very God and the true Light giveth the Light of nature to all men and common light of reason more or less to every man for he is able to distinguish betwixt the Donor and his Gift betwixt the un-created Light-living God and created Light-given before the fall to Adam or given back since the fall to him and his posterity If R. F. or any man will confound Christ-giving or enlightning with the Light-given or lighted up as a Candle in every man he may as well confound God and the Creature and make them as some blasphemously imagine to be one and the same Essence Therefore as in this so in all other instances Fourthly J. S. is confident after R. F. his impudence in his Preface and Proceedings he shall neither be found Lyar nor false Accuser but as he is sure that Saint Pauls Anathema was out long since Gal. 1. 8 9. and is still in force against those that preach another Gospel-way of Justification as do these Quaking-Papists or Popish-Quakers so the Anathema Maran-atha that R. F. denounceth imperatively and imperiously Let him be an Anathema Maranatha against J. S. shall be as the curse causless that shall not come but that God will do him more good as already he hath done something for him by Shimei's railing Tyrants Sectaries Seducers and Hereticks as Luther said do nothing else but drive us unto the Bible to make us read more diligently therein and with more fervency to sharpen our Prayers and I may adde by their buffetings to be more taken off from self-estimation and to be viler in our own eyes then we can be in the eyes of our Adversaries who know not our hearts THE Reviler rebuked PART 1. 1. Head of Scripture-contradiction Touching the Scriptures themselves Section 1. THe holy Scriptures by one thunder-stricken in spirit and blasted in profession with the Quakers Books and company in Scotland were denied to my face to be the word of Truth which I noted as the first and great Contradiction R. Farnworth in answer returns me thus much of truth in form of words That the Scriptures are words that proceeded from the Spirit of Truth we do not deny but own and so they are the words of truth Plainly he doth not say they are the words of truth nor plainly joyn Scripture the word of truth to all issue with him that denied them to be the word of truth but if they be own'd for words of truth as proceeding from the Spirit of truth then for the advantage of Truth I argue 1. They are the word of God and so should be owned by them Surely the Spirit of truth is the Spirit of God proceeding from the Father and the Son and these three John 15. 26. being one their word is one That which is the word of the Spirit of truth is the word of the Father of truth and of the Son of truth The Scripture by R. F. his confession is the word of the Spirit of truth therefore he must grant it to be the word of the Father and of the Son of truth and consequently the word of the true God 2. If they be words of truth as proceeding from the Spirit of truth then they are the Rule Standard and Touchstone of truth the true Spirit being known by his words and directing us to know his minde by his words what we should believe as truth and practise as truth or according to it but we shall anon hear R. F. denying the Scriptures to be the rule of a Christian as of other men that are unchristian 3. If they be the words of the Spirit of truth then they are so to all men or but to some men 1. If so to all men that have the Scriptures by them then why doth not R. F. challenge him that denied them to be so to unbelievers as I noted in my Book Why doth he challenge me for falshood with a therefore too * Page 2. therefore thy saying is false What saying of mine is false and wherefore I truly related what I had from him I mentioned above in discourse once and again That the Scriptures were not the word of truth And doth it follow because R. F. acknowledgeth them to be the words of truth that therefore I heard not the contradiction or mis-related what was spoken 2. If they be the words of truth but to some men not at all to wicked men and unbelievers no not condemningly as were his expressions then it seems the unbelief and wickedness of men doth make the Faith or Truth of God of none effect but S. Paul Rom. 3. 3. is of another minde Rom 3. 3. cleared yea the Spirit there by the Interrogation first and second What if some did not believe shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect forcibly denieth the frustration or making void of Gods word of truth by the Jews former or following continued unbelief God hath laid his faith and truth to pawn as it were in the holy Scriptures and as he is a God of truth his word is a word of truth taking hold of men by the threatning as Zech. 1. 6. who misbelieve or reject the promise And Is he the God of the Jews onely and not also of the Gentiles to justifie and condemn all that are believing or unbelieving according to the Scriptures Such therefore who will say No more is the truth of God or word of God to me then what I believe were they never so dear friends must be as roundly taken up and faithfully rebuked as sometimes Luther took up a man of no mean account Bullenger you erre you know neither your self nor what you hold According to your falsities if the Word findes not the Spirit but an ungodly Person then it is not Gods word whereby you define and hold the word not according to God who speaketh it but according as people do entertain and receive it Whereas as he again a true Christian must hold for certain and must say That word
which is delivered and preached to the Wicked to the Dissemblers and to the Ungodly is even as well Gods word as that which is preached to the good and godly upright Christians And I may adde even so are the Scriptures that word which condemneth unbelievers already But as he again The Sectaries understand not the strength of Gods word read or preached and we may wonder with him that they write and teach so much of the Scriptures or of Gods word seeing they so little regard the same For whatsoever R. F. saith of his and their owning of the Scriptures hearken to what follows in his backing of Scripture-contradiction That the Scriptures are the Word God and eternal The Scriptures are the word of God and truly so called Life as thou wouldest have them thou canst not prove nor all the Magicians to help thee Here is good stuff kitchin-stuff or smoak out of the bottomless pit 1. Take the Word for the Son of God where did I ever attempt to prove the Scriptures to be the Son of God God and eternal Life The Lord rebuke this false spirit 2. Because I with others call the Scriptures as they are and as they speak themselves to be the word of God are we therefore Magicians The Lord again rebuke this reviling spirit R. F. and others may talk of owning and owning the Scriptures as often as they fancy it but they honor them not I am sure who deny them that title of honor The Word of God Shall R. F. his Pamphlets be called his Books his Writings and his Words and shall not that which God hath written be called Gods written Word He answers nothing to that place in Hosea 8. 12. nor could that stripling J. P. * At Coggshall sometime give any reason against the Argument drawn from it viz. That which God hath written is the word of God But God hath written the Scriptures Therefore the Scriptures are the word of God R. F. Objecteth such as witness to the word and Gods power witness against thee to strengthen the new-coyned distinction is it which was given me in Scotland The Scripture is not the word of truth but the witness of Gods power Why I grant it to be both the word and the witness The Scriptures are Gods words and Gods testimonies some make The Scripture is Gods Word and Witness also them two witnesses Revel 11. But I reasoned thus by way of Quere How can the Scripture be Gods witness if not true how is it true if not the word of truth R. F. undertakes to answer That the Spirit of truth in the Prophets and in the Apostles did carry them forth to witness what of Christ is declared in the Scriptures by words that proceeded from the Spirit of truth Had he gone no further he had pretily well quitted himself but he addeth by way of objection The Spirit is not in the Letter neither is the Spirit given by the Letter but by God and Christ and yet he grants presently in the same Page 2. The Letter proceeded from the Spirit By the Letter I meant when I said pag. 22 of my book the Spirit is in the Letter c. the whole Scripture and so I suppose doth he Now the whole Scripture is given The Letter in a large sense and Scripture all one by inspiration of God the Father Son and Spirit who is 1. Where he breathes forth truth holiness c. all along 2. Where he speaketh The Scriptures are the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. Will R. F. by denying the Spirit to be in the Scriptures stop the mouth and breath of God What How the Spirit is in the Scripture-letter profane boldness is this Can he hold the winde in his fist and restrain the Spirit from giving forth himself by the Letter or Scripture when the Spirit will make good his promise to bless the reading of it I think he is not so full of presumption yet he presumes to say The Spirit is not given by the Letter What thinks he of Scripture-promises did he never finde the Spirit warming his heart by the reading of them He speaks as if he knew nothing of the Spirits consolations enlightnings teachings or convictions by the Scriptures And he writes as if he would have none read the Letter of Scriptures in faith of a blessing by them but to think when they are reading of them they are cracking a hollow shell that hath no kernell in it or drinking a draught of dilute wine that hath no spirits in it or reading of his and his fellows Pamphlets wherein the Spirit of God is not present by any gracious operation but the spirit of Satan for the most part unto efficacy of delusion His simple Reader may think the words that follow tend much to the honor of the Spirit of God The Letter proceeded from the Spirit but the Spirit did not proceed from the Letter but such expressions as disparage the Scriptures will never bring honor to the Spirit which is in them and worketh by them what disparagement is there in these words to the Scriptures will the simple-hearted say 1. The phrase Letter is extenuating as if all the The Letter taken strictly is but legal administration 2 Cor. 3. 6. explained Scripture were Law or had a Legal administration as the Apostle useth it 2 Cor. 3. 6. in a strict sence The Letter killeth i. e the bare legal command without a promise of power or pardon as a bare letter void of strength life and spirit it leaveth all men under a killing sentence and curse Now thus to represent all parts of the Scripture is to affright men from the reading hearing or regarding of it 2. The Letter or Scripture is set by R. F. in other passages in such opposition to the Spirit as if the Spirit disowned it after he hath caused it to be written no way accompanieth it with his power The Spirit proceeds not from How the Spirit proceeds not from the Scripture and how he doth proceed from by with it the Scripture-Letter in respect of his Essence or Being he is God of himself nor in respect of his personal subsistence which is of the Father or from the Father and from the Son of which R. F. is ignorant or inadvertent denying him page 8. to be a Person but in respect of his operation 1. Improperly it may be said the Spirit proceedeth from the Scripture as a man goes from his outward shop to work in his inner room so the Spirit proceedeth from that which he hath put within the Book or Bible into the heart to work a sweet ingraven work there 2. Properly and plainly he proceeds by the Scripture and with the Scripture to effect and beget that in the soul which is like himself Spiritual and like the Scripture holy and good That is but a bravado therefore which he addes in the close of his second Page Therein thou hast erred not
gave forth the Letter Hereby setting the Word and Spirit at difference whereas the Spirit gives forth his word in the Scripture and in the word written lays down the grounds of the Saints actings and believings also yea he hath ordained the very Scripture to be one ground of their acting R. F. in answer returns me this language * Pag. 7. 1. Here thou art blinde and knows not the Saints ground and 2. Accusing them falsly that witness to it 3. With thy Logick and Magick Art would make the Scriptures God and Christ but cannot and would make them the ground of the Saints acting when they are not Rep. 1. If R. F. will but understand what is and may be said to be the ground of a thing he may possibly believe I know the Saints ground of acting as they are Saints The word Ground is ambiguous and hath divers acceptions In strict propriety of speech the Earth we tread upon and Ground are all one as the same Ground or Earth brings forth the same fruit By a metaphorical Allusion the word Ground is sometime put for the Cause of a thing sometime for the first ground-work of a Building or for the first Principles and Rules of Art and Science or for the first habits in a man of his actings The Cause and that principal-efficient Ground of the Saints acting is God and the Father by Christ through the Spirit The Scriptures are How the Scriptures are the Ground of the Saints acting instrumentally a Cause without which since the Lord caused them to be given forth he doth not ordinarily act upon the Saints or draw forth their acts of grace and godliness They are the first external ground-work of all their faith and workings as Saints They are the Rule and Warrant of all their ordinary actings yea the grounding Touch-stone of all extraordinary Impulses and Revelations By their Authority they are a sufficient ground or reason of our faith and practice The Scripture-commands are one ground the Scripture-promises another the Scripture-threatnings another the Scripture examples backt by and bottom'd upon a precept another the Scripture-Prophecies and Revelations another As every word of God is pure Prov. 30. 5. so every part of the Scripture is a pure grounding-rule for a Saints faith and conversation Rev. 21. 14. The wall of the City the new Jerusalem made up of Saints indeed hath twelve foundations and in them the names of the Apostles of the Lamb whose writings we have with the doctrine of the Prophets Ephes 2. 20. founding-grounding doctrine as that golden Reed Rev. 21. 15. to measure the city and the gates thereof and the wall thereof 2. If the Word and Spirit cannot be set at difference but are inseparable as R. F. yieldeth yet I did not falsly accuse them as he saith that witness to the Saints ground because by Word he and others expresly hold forth none but the Person of Christ and God the Word but deny the Letter of Scripture to be the Word of God which is strange contradiction to God himself and to his Scripture and to themselves also For while they grant he wrote or caused to be written the whole Letter yet they deny him to have written a word It is true in propriety of Grammar-speech a letter is but the least part of a word yet it is a part But the Bible consists of many books of letters which God hath left written for his friends and people to be grounded and setled in the faith yet because John 1. 1. speaks of God the Word and 2 Cor. 3. 17. of the Lord the Spirit therefore Christ and the Scripture must not be called by the same name and because Christ and the Spirit are inseparable therefore the Spirit and the Scripture must be parted as to the Case in hand and if the Spirit be the ground of the Saints acting the Scriptures must have no part nor lot in this business I shall still accuse such Logick to be false reasoning and yet not accuse the Logician falsly R. F. thinking to mend the matter marres it with his additional gloss * Page 7. The Letter is not God nor the Letter is not the Spirit therefore not that Word which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23. by which the World was framed Heb. 11. 3. and made Heb. 1. 2. For what if it be not that WORD yet it is the word of that Word it is the word of Christ who is God the Word And if Christ be the ground or meritoriously efficient cause of the Saints actings his Scripture or written Word is the regular Card and Compass by which his Spirit steers their course to the Haven of Happiness and Eternal Rest And why may not the word Peter speaks of in that place be the Scripture He sets not 1 Pet. 1. 23. with 25. opened Christ spoken of in opposition to that Scripture in Isaiah 40. 8. but from the Prophets testimony advanceth the word that speaks of Christ in opposition first to mortal and corruptible seed and then to withering flesh and all the glory of man even in his words fading away as the flower of grass And is not every Scripture-Gospel-promise that immortal seed which being emitted from the Scripture by the Spirit and quickened as it is cast into the heart doth it not there abide and remain in life and power If verse 25. may give any light to verse 23. not Christs person but Christs promise is there beyond all dispute intended by the Apostle when he saith The word of the Lord endureth for ever for the Greek word is not that which is used when Christ in person is spoken of Logos but Röma both in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first and latter clause which is an explication of the former And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you as if the Apostle should say Would ye know what word is that which endureth for ever even the Scripture-promise which we daily do evangelize or speak of unto you as constant good tidings If any say in verse 23. it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Logos it must be noted for a certain truth that although Logos the Word be sometimes necessarily to be understood of Christs person as John 1. 1. c. yet not * Apud Gracos latè patet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza in Joh. 1. 1. always and this is as certain that Rëma is never used for Christs person but this is used ver 25. and therefore ver 23. in Peter is to be expounded by it Again Is it not the same with the sincere milk of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word * cap. 2. 2. which nourisheth and ministreth growth to the new-born babe Was it the wonted maner of any of the Lords Nurses to bring up Gods children by hand as we say as soon as they are new born and not guide them to the breasts of
the Old and New Testament-Scripture thence to suck and draw for their refreshment preservation and consolation But such cursed step-dames have we now sprung up who would wean every new-born babe from any further tastes of Scripture-milk it must be no ground of their acting then no means of their growth no food to them at all nay it shall be no seed instrumentally to beget them as not milk to nourish them 3. They that deny the Scriptures to be in any good sense the ground of the Saints acting in effect deny them to be Gods Scriptures and Christs Scriptures for either the Authority of God and Christ is stampt upon them or not if it be then by their Authority may and ought the Saints to act if it be not then are they but humane and not the Scriptures of God and Christ But let us examine what R. F. saith for himself * 2 pag. of his Epist and 7. p. of his book and men of his judgement The Lord God and his Spirit is the ground of the Saints acting as it was formerly Isa 48. 16 17. For the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me And the Lord Isaiah 48. 16 17. cleared vindicated teacheth his that he so sends to profit Rep. 1. So reads he or writes I must not say wresteth lest I retort but the words are directed to the people or Church and truly thus read which teacheth thee to profit The prophets had more extraordinary impulses of the Spirit then the Saints in ordinary for their actings 2. One way whereby God then taught and now teacheth his people to profit was by reducing them to the written Rule ver 18. O that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandments which they had in writings from God before the Lord God and the Spirit sent Isaiah to them Christ who came with the Spirit as he received it not by measure came with the Scriptures taught the people and his disciples how to profit by them Luke 4. 18. Matth. 5. Luke 24. 27. and as the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal which Scripture 1 Cor. 12. 7. R. F. alledgeth in 1 Cor 12. 7. vindicated part so is all the Scripture given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in righteousness 2 Tim. 3. 16. neither is there any manifestation of the Spirit in any Teacher if he doth not manifest his doctrine from or according to the Scripture when required so to do It is not to be believed that God ever gave his Spirit to such a Teacher who doth manifestly or covertly under pretence of the Spirit flie from the light of Scripture The Spirit of God never taught any The property of the Scriptures to speak dishonorably or diminishingly of his written word but to give unto the Scriptures what is its due viz. That they are Gods holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. able to make a childe wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. 15. and given ver 17. That the man of God the Prophet Apostle Evangelist Pastor or Teacher and others by their ministery may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good work and unto the Spirit what is his due The prerogative of the Spirit prerogative to work by the Scripture when and upon whom he pleaseth to their saving profit But haply I might have spared this pains in reference to R. F. though others have need of it because in his Epistle he hath this passage The Scriptures in the Letter onely are not the true ground of the believers faith as they in Scotland affirm for he seems to be a little yielding that they are the ground of the Saints acting though not onely if in any good sense he will grant them to be the ground of the believers faith he must in that The ground of the Believers faith is the ground of the Saints acting sense yield them to be the ground of the Saints acting for the Saint and the Believer is all one and all acts of holiness in general as of any particular grace spring from the same root that the acts of faith do and are built upon the same ground-work that is laid by God for the edification of faith and its actings Onely I must advertise him and others that I know none in Scotland that so affirm or express themselves as he speaks They may say and say truly that the Letter i. e. the Scriptures which never were without their true sense nor without the Spirit breathing in them though it be not manifested to every one that reads them nor a like manifestation given at all times to all the Saints are the onely visible and legible Rule of faith and Judge of Controversies as all sound Protestants have hitherto maintained this truth against the Papists And they that are of a sound minde in this British Isle as in all Europe and the world have from Gods Authority stampt upon the Scriptures asserted them to be a true Ground of the Believers faith which R. F. weakly denies * Epist because Christ is the true Ground of faith whereas the affirmative is hereby the more strongly proved For the true adaequate or proportionable Object of faith is the true Ground of faith but Christ speaking in the Scriptures is the true adaequate Object of faith therefore Christ in the Scriptures is the true Ground of faith And thus again If Christ be the true Ground of faith then the Scriptures of Christ which are his written truth are a true Ground of faith as if the man be honest I may build upon his word so if Christ be true and Truth itself his word is true and the truth as his Fathers word is John 17. 17. when written down for a more certain ground as to us and our actings then if but spoken in the air or to the ear Let R. F. therefore or all that have a minde to be sound in the faith if he hath none hear the Scripture speaking for it self and hear Christ together for himself and his Scripture Prov. 22. 19 20 21. That thy trust Prov. 22. 19 20 21. opened and urged may be in the Lord I have made known to thee this day even to thee Here is a ground of faith laid by the Lord himself What is it his making known of what Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge Here is excellent matter made known as a ground of trusting in the Lord and here is the maner of revelation by writing Have not I written wherefore That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth Behold the maner of making known a ground also of certainty of knowledge and consequently of faith for a mans self and it followeth that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee Lo here is the ground of our Embassie and Message for others
3. vindicated which labored with him in the Gospel for all these were employed not contrary to his order unto the Church at Corinth in publick preaching or so much as acting by their votes and suffrages in Church affairs but either in succoring Paul and others or in messages or in working out Pauls liberty mean while hazarding their own lives or in composing differences or in entertainment of strangers or in some other Christian-gospel-service sutable to their sex gifts and graces And as for that which R. F. collecteth from 1 Cor. 16. 19. that if Priscilla be not permitted to speak in the Church and the Church be in her house she must not speak but go out of her house Sure it is that as she 1 Cor. 16. 19. vindicated and her husband Aquila had taken up a house at Corinth Act. 18. 3. so they had a godly family like a little Church for knowledge piety and good order but the order of a godly family is after one way and the order of a ministerial Church is after another way Besides the Church at Corinth did ordinarily meet in Gaius's house therefore he is called Pauls Host and of the whole Church Rom. 16. 23. and Paul at other times wrought with his hands at Aquilas house Act. 18. 3. and in some one place compare 1 Cor. 14. 23. with chap. 11. 20. or other where that order was observed which was given to the Church ministerial and where Priscilla her self must not speak in the case in controversie with R. F. though haply she was more eminent in grace and gifts then her husband Aquila and upon that account her name may for once Rom. 16. 3. be set before his Lastly as for her own house it is not said the whole Church met there as at Gaius's house but it may well be collected those of her family were part of the whole and so the name Church is given to it and speak there she might to teach her family and with her husband to instruct an Apollos in the way of God more perfectly Act. 18. 26. without going out of her house or out of her place Will J. Nayler notwithstanding all this persist in his bold opinion that Pauls words of a womans keeping silence in the Church must not be taken in the Letter and will R. F. defend him with his own glosses I must leave them to the Lords rebuke for being wise in their own conceit and proceed to the close of this Paragraph in my book where I had given another instance of their new gloss upon 2 Pet. 1. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 19. vindicated affirming the sure word of prophecy there spoken of to be the Prophecy and Spirit of Prophecy within them and not the outward Prophecy or declaration of Gods minde in the Scriptures R. F. * page 7. hath nothing to say but this the sure word of prophecy we witness to and do not to it say No and then falls upon me with reproachful language as his maners serve him But how doth he witness it If by the word of Prophecy he means as Peter interprets it ver 20. the prophecy of the Scripture then he contradicts his fellow J. N. and doth not say no where his fellow saith no if he witnesseth onely the prophecy within or the light * Discovery of the man of sin by J. Naylar pag. 30. as J. N. glosseth till the day dawn c. which is not without nor in books then he with Nayler contradicts Peter and the holy Ghost moving him to write of a more sure word of prophecy of Scripture then the voice on the mount To clear this further As Peter v. 20. expounds v. 19. calling the more sure word of prophecy the prophecy of Scripture or Scripture-prophecy not heart-prophecy or breast-prophecy arising and residing onely in the minde but written down in books so this written-prophecy he sets in opposition to cunningly devised fables which ver 16. he professeth against in which fables there was no sureness or certainty at all and then he lays it in the ballance of comparison with his and others making known the Lords power and coming on the mount Peter James and John Mat 17 1 c. were ear-witnesses of a voice from heaven concerning Christ and eye-witnesses which is ten times more then onely to take a thing by the report of the ear of Christs majesty honor and glory this Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus they preached of to the scattered Jews as others yet notwithstanding their preaching of what they had heard and seen and the certainty of the voice they heard and the glory they saw We saith Peter including James and John with himself and the believing Jews whom he wrote unto who honored the writings of Moses and the Prophets as infallible have a more sure word of prophecy or of the Prophets writings whereunto ye do well that ye take heed hereby commending them for their respect to the Scriptures and encouraging them to be intent thereunto as unto a light shining in a dark place the Scripture-word being a lamp unto the feet and a light unto the path of Saints amidst Psal 119. 105. all the darkness of the heart of the world or of the Church until the day dawn and day-star arise in our hearts i. e. until by the study of the Scriptures more light be cleared up and Christ make himself more manifest to us and within us But lest any should stumble at the Apostles assertion which comparing ver 19 20. as before is to this effect that all or any part of the Scripture is a more sure word then what is spoken in the air and but to the ear the Apostle preventingly addeth ver 20. Knowing this first let this be laid as for a fundamental truth in your mindes that no prophecy of the Scripture whereof we speak 2 Pet. 1. 19. with v. 20 21. more cleared is of any private interpretation Were it so that every man might as his private minde leads him interpret Scripture the authority and certainty of it would vanish as the light Scripture to be interpreted by Scripture and truth of it would be eclipsed it would be far from being a more sure word men might that way turn the Gospel into a Fable and make the Scriptures as Antichristian Popelings do a nose of wax well how proves the Apostle that no Scripture is of any private interpretation why verse 21. For or because the Prophecy came not in old time or at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any time by the will of man but holy men of God spake it as they were moved by the holy Ghost As was the Genesis such is the Analysis as was the composition such is the resolution and meaning of it from the same Spirit the publique Spirit of the Saints and of the Scriptures the holy Spirit of God composed the word of Prophecy not mans will but Gods digested it his Spirit indited it and
of this first Chapter of John The lighting of every man is with the candle-light of natural understanding to impower them to behold that which may be known of God in and by the creation where the invisible things of his eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made And every man hath this common benefit from Christ as he is the Creator of their souls and doth with a reprieve of their souls out of hell give them back this priviledge of humane Reason as they are his creatures But do they even every man thus endued with a light of reasonable creatures as such hereby understand Christs Godhead or that he is God Ver. 10. It followeth as a new Argument in the former part of it He was in the world according to his Divine essence general presence and providential power governing and sustaining all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. and therefore is God But the latter part of the Verse with 11 12. gives answer to the question even now mentioned The whole world which Christ made and was in before his Incarnation as now he is to rule and preserve consists of Jews and Gentiles The Gentiles most commonly in Scripture are called the world and the Jews Gods people Christ then being in the world the world i. e. the Gentiles knew him not But Ver. 11. He came i. e. by Types Figures Sacrifices Prophets Scriptures unto his own the Jews of his own nation and account is given of them two ways some disowned him were strangers to him and his own the generality of the Jewish nation in all Ages before he came in the flesh as since received him not for God or as the Son of God Thus far the world before Christ will be convinced another day of their ignorance oscitancy and neglect of Christs God-head much more the Jews not understanding nor owning him to be their Creator who gave them their natural being life and light and most of all they who have had the Gospel and yet deny him to be God But Ver. 12. as many of the Jews first and that before his coming in the flesh as well as since as received him or believed on his Name i. e. his Person Worth and Dignity as the natural Son of God equal with God and the very God to them he gave power right priviledge and dignity to become the adopted sons of God A question yet might be put How came some to know receive believe on Christ and become the sons of God others not when every man had a light ver 9. The answer is both general and special ver 13. Generally take it thus Who were born they were born believers and they were born the children of God as well as adopted to be so but how In special the answer is 1. Negatively and that three ways 1. Not of blood they became not believers and the sons of God by the first birth which is of the blood and seed of earthly parents no though the blood parentage and descent be never so noble and royal 2. Nor of the will of the flesh that is Their new second birth is not an extract or product of corrupted nature the will of the flesh is rebellion and the wisdom of the flesh enmity against God and grace 3. Nor of the will of man i. e. Not of the power of that natural faculty the Will nor of mans choice or direction who should believe and be Gods children who not and therefore not from that free arbitrament and umpirage of mans Reason and Will together nor from the light which every man hath which is a low common benefit to this and is no drop of this immortal seed 2. Affirmatively But of God his own will power and good pleasure All this time the Evangelist having proved Christs Deity against Ebion Cerinthus and their followers who denied it then proceeds he Ver. 14. to assert and prove his Humanity and yet hath one passage more of his Deity in the same Verse And the word saith John was made flesh He that was God in the second person assumed the truth and substance of the humane nature into the Unity of his person and dwelt among us in that tabernacle of his flesh and we who received of his fulness and grace for grace ver 16. beheld through the lanthorn as it were of his Humanity his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father the glory of the fulness of the God-head dwelling in him bodily as Col. 2. 9. i. e. really personally and to visible manifestation This is a light indeed which the disciples had that leads to the Father the light of Christ as Mediator which now he speaks of For Christ as Mediator is a Mediator in both Natures and though he that is Mediator giveth the light that every man hath yet he neither gives that which every man hath as Mediator nor is the light which every man hath light about his Mediation R. F. would have it so and so would others but their Wills as their Judgements are as over-thwarting to the the will of God and judgement of the Scriptures as R. F. is in his Exposition of other Scriptures with John 1. 9. touching the Light in every man as will further appear in the following Section Section 9. I Charged them here with magnifying the Light within them and which every man hath which is no more then the light of natural Conscience or that which some men have under the Gospel but a common enlightning above the light of Scripture and equal with the choicest light for kinde that Christ or his Spirit gives unto the Saints R. F. * Pag. 8. shifts it off with telling us That they do magnifie the Lord as Mary did Luke 1. whereas the blessed Virgin magnified the Lord and rejoyced in him for peculiar favor to her self and for special mercy to his chosen Israel all along her Song Again he throws dirt in my face Thou also contradicts thy self and lies against Christ the true Light calling him natural and common and lies of such as witness Christ and the Light of his Spirit and according to the declaration of the Scriptures Rep 1. As to any self-contradiction of mine he discovers none nor will it be found by any sober and judicious Reader and of things that are not and that do not appear there is the same reason and bottom 2. As for my lye against Christ the true light calling him natural and common I am confident every faithful unprejudiced person will turn it over to R. F. and lay it at his door For I onely called the light which every man hath natural and the light which some men have under the Gospel but common I called not Christ the true light so For although Christ as God gives natural light to all and common enlightning to some men of which Heb. 6. 4. some men have it who never had special sanctified
Cor. 2. 9. opened for as mans eye or minde as he is a rational creature and but so never reach'd the things of God which he hath prepared in a way of salvation for his own so the Gospel-light about matters of Salvation of which the Apostle speaks never entred never shined into mans heart take him with all the light given him as a man before the fall or since at his coming into the world Gospel and Salvation-matters never entred into Adams heart before the fall and since there is not any of his posterity that by the light he bringeth with him into the world can tell what he should do what way or course he should take to be saved no more then his first parents when they hid themselves amongst the trees of the garden And that light which cannot discover Salvation cannot open the Scriptures to us Nothing gives that which it hath not Nothing can act beyond the sphere of its activity As for what G. F. addeth And 't is a more sure word of prophecy speaking of every mans light we will believe him as much as if he told an old wives fable if either he would have it to be more sure then the Scriptures or then Gospel-Sermons preached out of and according to the Scriptures Heretofore it became a proverb As true as the Gospel there being infallible certainty in the Scripture-Gospel but now there is a Light discovered in every man that will antiquate that Gospel and put the proverb out of date There is something in the heart of every man say No Gospel in light of nature they and that a word of prophecy or a declaration of Gods minde for salvation too or else 't is nothing more sure then all the Gospel throughout the Scripture and yet say I no part of the Gospel at all For no man shall be able to spell out one Gospel-syllable or letter in it or by it viz. in all that is written in every mans heart or by all that is written there from their coming into the world And yet it must be with G. F. the Grace that appeared unto all men Titus 2 11. vindicated Such an expression indeed hath the Apostle Tit. 2. 11. concerning the free favor of God in Christ which is the fountain and original cause of Salvation now shining to all Nations by the Gospel and saving effectually some of all sorts of men in the world But as Paul never called every mans light the Grace of God i. e. in Jesus Christ although that Light be a free gift so never was it every mans light or gift nor will be to understand what is the Scripture-grace of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ But the Doctrine of it is turned into wantonness when it is laid waste and common with the universal light of every individual reasonable creature which 1. is but a part a spark of that which Adam had before the fall 2. Gives not a crevise of light about Christ crucified 3 Is but a Legal-light and effect of the Law written in the old-stony heart of every man Section 13. R F. passeth over this Section also and saith nothing to it where I gave a farther instance of their advancing this common universal light by calling it A perfect Light or how could they be judged by it And the first principle which will change the minde Whereas 1. The Prophet David Psalm 19. 7. advanceth Creature and Scripture-light compared the Law or Doctrine of God in the Scriptures as Paul doth 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. to be the perfect Rule of faith and maners The light found in and by the book of the creatures and mens natural consciences is dim weak and imperfect in comparison of Scripture-light 2. The light in every mans conscience where the Scripture comes not draws up a Bill of condemnation discovers no Charter of Salvation 3. It is imperfect to what Adam had before the fall the Scriptures have more and higher light then Adam in his innocency received 4. The Law of God take it as a Covenant of works or under such a notion requires as much as Adam had That is not legally perfect which in all degrees and circumstances answereth not a perfect legal Rule 5. The least true Light sinned against is sufficient to judge the sinner if God entreth into judgement with him The other clause shall be examined in the fifteenth and sixteenth Sections Section 14. R F. answereth to what concerned himself in this Section but not in its due place I shall endeavor to reduce him From his Book Entituled how truly let the Lord and Father of Lights be judge Light risen out of darkness I had noted what he saith The light is pure standing out of all corruption meaning this light of every man which where it is and it is in every man it reneweth the judgement and where the judgement is renewed there is no corruption in that judgement as was told me by one of them in Scotland But this beam of God-head-light in every man is no part of the new creature or of such a renewed minde as the Apostle calls for Rom. 12. 2. Ephes 4. 23. And although that which is a renewed principle in some is pure so far as it is renewed yet the faculty where it is the minde hath darkness corruption and pollution in it as well as light and purity as is clear from 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face But R. F. * page 10. line 12. tells me I have slandered him for saying The Light is pure standing out of corruption but my slander hath no weight nor doth him no harm Rep. 1. I slandered him but with the truth if it were so and did him more right then he doth himself for I cited his words to the full standing out of All corruption 2. Although a slander when the truth is spoken may be charged upon him that speaks it if he relates the truth of another with an intent of reproaching the party yet I was clear of such an intent and shall still endeavor his and his companions reproof and conviction without their reproach If the word of the Lord be a reproach unto them let them look to it 1 John 1. 5. cleared and vindicated 3. His evasion to avoid the dint of the reproof will not serve his turn God is Light 1 John 1. 5. and he is pure and discovers corruptions and hath no union with them and what communion hath light with darkness For whoso consults his book * Light rison out of darkness page 24. line 13 15. will finde he speaks of the Light created in mens mindes and given back since the fall That light is your condemnation and that will shew you your corruptions And now in answer to my charge he tells us God is Light and he is pure c. Rep. 1. Will he confound God and his essential Light with light given into
mens mindes or will he have his words The light is pure standing out of all corruption to be understood of Gods Essence onely and not at all of that which is but a quality in the creature If he would be understood to speak of Gods Essence onely we agree in the light and understanding of the Text 1 John 1. 5. But if he would have it partly meant of God and partly of the Light either innate or regenerate in the creature then he confounds uncreated and created Light and shews his own woful darkness 2. He that would speak aright of God must say with the Apostle God is light and in him is no darkness at all no ignorance 1 John 1. 5. impurity or corruption to be discovered or found in him And he that would speak aright either of the inbred or of the new-bred light in the creature must distinguish of it either as it is in it self or in the subject-person First in it self created light is pure such as it is and so much as there is of it since the fall but yet imperfect Secondly in the subject the person in general particularly the minde or understanding and there is a mixture of light and darkness purity and pollution the one discovers the other and if the Saints should say We have no darkness no ignorance no sin they are so much the more dark sinful ignorant and there is no truth in what they say 1 John 1. 8. But I say quoth R. F. and so doth the Scripture that he that abideth in Christ sinneth not 1. John 3. 6. Rep. Will R. F. make no Scripture of 1 John 1. 8. because 1 John 1. 8. with 1 John 3. 6. compared cleared and vindicated this in the third chapter is Scripture or will that perverse and wicked evesion pass with him which one at a meeting of their fraternity in Essex not long since vented to him that urged the Emphasis if we we that have communion with the Father and with the Son if we say we have no sin c. That the Scriptures have been much altred and corrupted and though it be now so written yet at first it was thus If we that have fellowship say we have sin we deceive our selves c. Oh the diabolical strong delusion that these kinde of professors are under and leading others into or let me farther reason with those who are not so far infatuated either the Apostle John and such as he wrote unto did not abide in Christ or there is some other sense of his words in the third chapter then R. F. or his fellows would give of it for as full of contradictions as men are the Holy Ghost by the Apostle doth not contradict himself Let God be true and his word true and every man a lyar and his words lyes which agree not with the Canon Doctrine and harmonious Sense of the Scriptures And therefore when it is said He that abideth in Christ sinneth not the words and sense must be reconciled in our mindes for in themselves they were never at variance with the words in the first chapter thus 1. Although every man that is in Christ while here hath sin in him and he is neither perfectly free from the presence of original nor actual sin yet so far as he abideth in Christ he sinneth not It is no sin to cleave to Christ and his Doctrine Spirit and Grace and to persevere in it and him 2. The meaning of verse 6. must be gathered from verse 1 John 3. 6. cleared by ver 8 9. 8. and 9. where the Apostle speaks of committing sin or of trading in sin and that in a constant course That this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very sense and minde of the Holy Ghost is clear from the reason for the devil sinneth from the beginning He therefore that constantly goes on to sin plots sin and practiseth it with delight he is of the devil He that abideth in Christ sinneth not after such a maner And yet more clear from ver 9. whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed Gods seed remaineth in him and he neither doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor can commit sin as the devils nor as those who have no regenerate part in them because he is born of God and so far as born of God be sinneth not nor shall he ever be left to a total and final relapse into sin seeing he hath a contrary principle of the new birth abiding and remaining yea reigning in him And me thinks R. F. his conscience tells him he should be captivated by the truth of this interpretation For he tells me thou commits sin and so art a servant of the devil for thou goest on with thy lyes It is not then the presence of sin that makes one to be of the devil but the purpose practice and procedure in a way of sin If we say we have not sin present with us and dwelling in us we lye and if any say that every one that hath sin in him is a committer of sin a workman in sin he is in a foul error If any say he hath not sinned since he was converted he goes about to make God a lyar and his word is not in him 1 John 1. 10. That nor any other Scripture that speak of the Saints sinnings is not written in his heart nor believed by him But although I have an old lying heart and flesh wherein there dwells no truth no good thing yet R. F. hath not hitherto detected and proved a lye in my right hand or in my pen nor will he be able to make good what he boldly calumniates me with Let tryal be made in what follows Section 15. R F. here reviles me with thou lies of Ed. Burrough because I had noted the expression which he puts upon every mans light which is but common light at the best viz. The corner-stone And how doth he prove it not by denying there is any such expression as the Corner-stone but there is not such a word as common light there Rep. Nor did I use the word common as E. Burrough's and therefore put it in a Parenthesis as now and ordered it to be printed as my own phrase not his in a differing letter from his and accordingly it was so printed What lye is here in my mouth that deserves the lake which he threatens Had I not studied brevity I might have more fully given it thus How can he teach saith E. B. * Warning to the inhabitants of Underbarrow p. 7 and direct toward true Religion who denies the Corner-stone the first Principle of Religion which is the foundation the light of God which hath enlightned every one that comes into the world which he denies speaking of the Preacher at Vnderbarrow to have enlightned every one R. F. backs him thus Christ is the Light and Christ is the chief Corner-stone Acts 4. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 6 7. and so saith
Ed. Burroughs therefore he agrees with the Scripture and his saying as thou says is not contrary to Ephes 2. 20. but agrees therewith there thou art taken with a lye in thy mouth Lyar be ashamed and blush Rep. 1. To hold forth Christ to be the chief Corner-stone and yet to insinuate and winde into peoples bosoms a new mystery That the light which every one hath is a Corner-stone is to teach diverse from and contrary to the minde of the holy Ghost in that as other Scriptures Ephes 2. 20. for Christ is so the chief as he is the onely Ephes 2. 20. vindicated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corner-stone The word in the Greek is of full force to this purpose signifying such a Corner-stone as doth not onely unite the sides and parts of the building of the Church-Catholique consisting of Elect Jews and Gentiles and that strengthens the whole building but that which reacheth from the bottom to the top of it and is all but one stone in the whole foundation and in all the corner from one end to the other As no other Foundation so no other Corner-stone can be laid then that which is laid the Lord Jesus Christ 2. Christ as he enlightneth every one that cometh into the world is not the Corner-stone Christ as God consider him onely so and with the common gifts which he bestows upon every man is not laid as the Foundation of the Church but Christ as Mediator God-man the Word made flesh 3. As the light which every man hath given him is none of the six Principles Heb. 6. 1 2. much less the first principle of Religion so neither is it the Corner-stone though given by Christ yet not to that end It is not light wrought in us but Christ the light-giver and in his person not his gifts who is both Foundation and himself * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief and onely Corner-stone so Ephes 2. 20. Will R. F. say to me as he hath to others * Light out of darkness pag. 21. You are ignorant of the first principle of Religion that make a scorn of this light I shall return him this for his information That as I own every mans light in its due place and am far from scorning it or him for it so I cannot by warrant from Scripture admit it into the place of Christs person or of Christ-Mediator nor farther acknowledge it a principle of Religion but such as is common to Pagans and Heathens that teacheth them a God and that he is to be worshipped But if it be a stone it is of the old foundation of life by works and not any principle of Christian Religion as such nor any stone of the New-building by and according to a covenant of Grace in Jesus Christ Here I may take occasion to answer a Quere made by a company of this Sect in one of their Pamphlets * Entituled To all that would know the way to the kingdom p. 16 How is the Gospel of Christ preached to every Creature under heaven if it be not the principle of light in the conscience it being that many never come to read or hear of the Scriptures One would think if their light were not darkness or that their mindes were not darkned with the light of the Scriptures those two Texts which are referred to in their Margent might have resolved them sufficiently Rom. 10. 18. Rom 10 18. opened and Col. 1. 23. In the former of these alluding to that in Psalm 19. 3 4. the Apostle invincibly clears it that the Jews could not but hear who had the Scriptures with them wheresoever they were dispersed and besides as the Sun casts its beams all over the world so had the Gospel by the Apostles ministery shined forth into all known habitable parts of the earth In the latter of them Paul speaks of Col. 1 23. opened such a preaching and hearing of the Gospel whereof himself was a minister and that was sent forth according to Christs commission Mark 16. 15. by the ministery of man to every creature i. e. to Gentiles as to Jews and to all nations as to some Matth. 28. 19. Nor did the Apostles and Evangelists at any time so preach without book in any place to any reasonable creature but as they carried the Scriptures with them so they made all the world ring of one Christ crucified according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 3. This saith Paul to the Corinthians I delivered unto you first of all The principle of light in the Conscience will never discover this first principle or fundamental truth Christ dying for sinners where the Scriptures and Preachers of the Scriptures come not as it never preacht it in the Ages past Those Preachers will be ashamed of their work who do not rightly divide the word of truth much more they who say they are Apostles and are not but are found lyars as all they are who reject the Scriptures the word of truth from being the Rule Card and Compass of their work and who drive people that have the Scriptures to the light in their consciences as a surer and better light and that which will change the minde as I had noted Sect. 13. whereas there is not the light of a Mediator or Christ crucified in it nor the power of God in it but to restrain moralize and civilize it never reached to renovation nor ever will renew the minde according to a Gospel sense though men abide in it till dooms-day Section 16. I Had noted here what J. Nayler saith If thou know own and obey it speaking of the common light of every man it would lead thee out of the fall which because I brought it in as another instance of their Scripture-contradiction R. F. * Page 10. tells me I go on with my Lyes And how proves he it Why The words in it J. Nayler's book are not as thou says Rep. Let the honest Reader be judge between us if he please to view the Pamphlet Entituled A few words occasioned by a Paper c. Page 10. The words of James Nayler are these more at large Thou goest about to make people believe that the light of Christ which is given to every one that comes into the world is a natural or fallen light but if thou didst know own and obey it it would lead thee out of the fall The very words I cited and in the very sense of the writer for J. N. speaks of the light given to every man which though he calls not common nor will not have it called natural yet we must call things as they are for The natural light of every man leads no man out of the Fall that which every one hath is no more and although to own and obey that dim light of nature is every ones duty yet to set it up as the light which shall lead out of the fall is beyond Gods intention of giving it and beyond
all this time but strengthned his own and fellows Contradictions to the Scripture Section 21. HEre I took up two passages the one of James Parnel in his tryal of Faith * Page 4. While sin is there no purity can dwell The other of James Nayler * Few words c. page 25. God and sin cannot dwell together in one Both contrary as I noâ—ed to 1 Cor. 3. 16. The Saints at Corinth had sin and the holy Ghost dwelling in them at the same time so had Paul Rom. 7. 17. compared with 1 Cor. 7. 25. lets this Section pass without answer and I shall dismiss it with but a little more animadversion whether their Doctrine or mine will stand Sin and purity dwell in one soul not as one let him that readeth understand I am sure of Contradictions one part must be false both cannot be true And if it hath been already cleared as a truth of Scripture and experience That Saints and Regenerate upon earth in whom God dwelleth have sin in-dwelling that must be false First which J. P. teacheth While or where sin is there no purity can dwell by which dictate he would destroy the faith of all those who believe no perfect freedom from the body of sin in this life Secondly which J. N. teacheth That God and sin cannot dwell together in one I suppose he meaneth in one soul by what he hath before Did ever Jesus Christ redeem such a people or dwell in such a people If he would say God and sin cannot dwell together as one or at agreement but as enemies warring and fighting one against another in the same field or house that is a truth evident enough For as Jacob and Esau were in one womb struggling so are grace and corruption in one heart As Hannah and Peninnah were contending in one family so are holiness and sin in one soul Even as two contrary qualities light and darkness are in the same air at the same time and heat and cold in the same water though one in a remiss the other in a higher degree God dwells as a Lord sin as a slave purity as a prince sin as a tyrant in the same Saint and Christian If any that is called a Saint thinks otherwise he is either not as he is called knows not himself as every Saint doth in part and in this case or if he be one really sanctified he is under a strong delusion and in a most drowsie dream for the present the Lord will awaken him in his good time 6. Head of Contradiction to Scripture Concerning Justification R. F. addeth And the end of the reighteous and wicked or unrighteous This I treated not of but he was disposed to darken counsel by words without knowledge Section 22. THe first contradiction I noted here was that which publiquely I had given me in Scotland That God justifieth not a believing sinner contrary to Rom. 4. 5. He justifieth the ungodly that believeth on him R. F. * Page 13. returns me for answer That such as are born of God do truly believe and faith in God purifieth their hearts and giveth them victory over the world and so frees them from sin 1 John 5. Rep. Here is enough before I examine the rest to discover the man and what a friend he is to the man of sin to lay the bottom of a believers Justification not upon Christs Obedience but upon his new birth c. This is plainly to build a mans Justification upon his Sanctification unless his meaning the better then I have reason to judge it is I The new birth is not our justification shall look to the words more then to the writer First 'T is one truth that such as are born of God do truly believe 2. 'T is another that faith in God purifieth the heart A third that faith gives victory over the world But put these together to make a compound for Justification and that so and so and so we are freed from sin that is from the guilt and punishment of it to speak ad idem and accepted as perfectly righteous in the eye of Gods justice This is so Popish a tenet as nothing is more unfound for it makes sanctification wrought within men the material if not the meritorious cause of their justification And that no better construction can be made of R. F. his words taken in any true Grammatical sense may appear by what followeth Such Believers are justified form sin and ungodliness and not in sin and ungodliness Rep. That Believers are justified from sin and ungodliness and not in it I have always and every where taught and was then teaching it at Edinburgh when I was publiquely affronted but the mystery of iniquity lies in the qualification such the Believer considered not as a sinner yet in himself short of Legal obedience but as a Saint conformable in his heart and life to the Law who must in his sense be the subject of justification For by Christ saith he again such as are so born and believe are justified c. And so Christ is their justification who are sanctified and from sin by him redeemed Rep. But how as they are so born thinks he by way of evidence say I. It is not known to whom Christ is righteousness But an evidence of it for justification but as they are found sanctified yet for the thing it self He that is justified is justified by God not under the aspect or notion of a Saint and as such but of a sinner and as a sinner believing in Jesus That Saints are justified is a truth but that they are justified by their sanctification is a falshood and that none are justified but as Saints perfected in holines is a notorious contradiction to the whole Scripture and the tenor of the Gospel For God justifieth sinful persons 1 That God justifieth him who in legal strictness not onely before he is sanctified but after the work of holiness is begun would otherwise stand a sinner at Gods Bar and who hath sin yet dwelling in him is clear by all the instances in Scripture of justified persons think of Abraham David Paul Peter the Corinthians Galatians or whom you will there mentioned you will finde they had sin dwelling in them not holiness enough to answer the absolute perfection of the Law all their days while yet their sins and imperfections were not imputed The imputed righteousness of Christ was the cause why their sins were not imputed why their persons were accepted as perfectly righteous in Christ who were but imperfectly at the best righteous in themselves The best Saint that yet liveth upon the earth is yet a sinner in himself or his worser part and hath not wherewithal to cover his nakedness of any deserved guilt no not by his best in-dwelling and inreigning holiness but as Christ gives him of his white raiment Rev. 3. 18. All they are Laodiceans in this case who have no need or feel not
since their departure nor need I I have Paul and other Pen-man of the holy Ghost to assure me it was not before The word in the Text is Spirits not bodies nor souls continuing in the bodies of just men made perfect and that is enough to me 2. For conviction of gainsayers and confirmation of the weak I might call to minde the sayings of several Saints before Christs coming and since who have had no other faith nor perswasion but that while they were here sin remained with them and within them and till death parted their souls from their bodies Christ parted not sin perfectly from their souls What will R. F. say to that cloud of Witnesses Heb. 11. who while they lived lived by Faith and when they dyed ver 13 they dyed in Faith not onely in respect of a heavenly countrey but that what they felt not the moment before they should be in sensible possession of the moment of and the moment after dissolution Then as Samson slew more at his death then in his life so Christ would and did give them a perfect revenge upon their old enemy sin and all the roots and remnants of corruption What will R. F. say to old Saint Jacob who on his Saints experimentally imperfect death-bed makes this confession Gen. 49. 18. I have waited for thy salvation O Lord. Salvation as to perfect sanctification being yet to be finished at death And what to precious Saint David 2 Sam. 23. 5. who quieted his heart with this on his death-bed that God had made with him an everlasting Covenant c. although things were not perfect in his house nor heart for then he had been perfect I speak still of perfection in all degrees in the discharge of his relative family duties but that he was not And were any in the New Testament as perfect in sanctification before as at and after death doth Paul for himself and the Saints speak of any more then the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. doth he not make mention of his and their infirmities ver 26. which are not onely afflictions but sins if not Rom. 8. 26. opened to know what to pray for in every prayer as we ought be a sin but so many ignorances and defects in prayer and duty which ought not to be in us are sins There ought not to be any sinful infirmity in us yet there are and will be do we our best Let R. F. hear what our English Saints have acknowledged at the instant of death or immediately before I am drawing on a pace to my dissolution said M. Bolton famous for piety hold out faith and patience your work will quickly be at an end His work of holy faith and patience was not at an end before his end his death Our English precious Jewel who by his Popish adversaries confession in his life was an Angel though in his faith as they deemed an Heretique immediately before his death he brake forth into these words Christ is my righteousness Father let thy will be done thy will I say not mine which is imperfect and depraved Our dear Countreyman M. Deering hath this farewel Poor wretch and miserable man that I am the least of all Saints and the greatest of sinners c. And again If I were the most excellent of all creatures in the world if I were equal in righteousness to Abraham Isaac and Jacob yet had I reason to confess my self to be a sinner Holy M. Bradford How oft doth he subscribe in letters to his friends either an Hypocrite or a very painted Hypocrite or The sinful John Bradford for the same man or person as he writeth in one Letter which describes and compares the old man and the new man a little better then Ja. Nayler in his Love to the lost may be called always just always sinful Even men perfectly justified are not made perfectly holy according to his faith and experience which as to this case is the same in all Saints while living here and hereupon when he hourly lookt for the Porter to open to him the gates to enter into desired rest from the very molestations of indwelling sin and was every moment expecting the executioner to dispatch him in a letter to his dear Fathers Dr. Cranmer Dr. Ridley and Dr. Latimer he is bewailing his unthankfulness and hypocrisie clear he was and sure of justification and heaven yet sensible of the remnants of corruption As also M. Philpot who leaped for joy when his martyrdom was at hand yet cryed for mercy against his present unthankfulness and unworthiness And if we look abroad instances are pregnant and plentiful I shall mention onely two or three one in Germany Melanchthon who not onely complained that old Adam was too hard for yong Melanchthon but continued in a sense of his sinful corruptions to his dying day confessing himself at last to be a miserable sinner So did blessed Calvin in France as appears in his last Will and Testament I close up with that noble French man Philip de Morney Lord of Plessis though he died with full assurance of a house not made with hands c. yet he put up this request a little before his death Lord make me to know my sins to weep for them to detest them and to have them in execration These with thousands like them have so believed in life and spoken to this effect at death that when their bodies and souls were parted and at that instant they should be perfected in holiness they felt it not believed not it would be before that time R. F. * Page 16. hath another exception Heb. 12. 22 23. In the present tense they there spoke and not in the future Rep. He that knows any thing of Grammar may well question whether R. F. understands himself or what is the difference between the present tense and future in the present Tense they there spoke who spoke There is but one Paul or some other Pen-man that wrote the Epistle by the dictate of the Spirit and he speaks of believers already come to mount Zion c. and to the Spirits of just men made perfect before he wrote the Epistle The word for made perfect in the Greek * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Participle of the Preter Tense or time past not of the present nor did I say it was of the future onely what was a Truth then is now a Truth that Saints living in their bodies in imperfection of holiness have relation to and communion as hath been shewed with Saints living out of their bodies i. e. the spirits of just men made perfect A third exception R. F. hath against the simile I used sin is as the wild fig-tree thou sayes rooted in the joynts of a stone wall and when the wall is taken down the stones cast asunder body and soul separated then is sin thou sayes pluckt up by the roots as the roots of the fig-tree not before
who seem not to deny the authority of the holy Scriptures yet would have it meant of Christ for this reason because the word of God ver 12. is in the 13. ver described as a person in his sight and the eyes of him with whom we have to do Now this is but their mistake for albeit Christ in person is the living word yet it is the Apostles scope to gain honor to him by gaining honor to the declarative word which being Christs word spoken by him written by the inspiration of his Spirit and preached accordingly is therefore quick and lively powerful and piercing because it is his word and the words of the 13. ver are not a description of Christs person as he is the living word nor of the declarative word spoken written preached but of God the Father Son and holy Ghost who being the living God his declarative word is like himself and from the knowledge of his nature we may know what his word is If God hath an all-seeing eye his word hath an all-searching power He puts not one but two edges upon this sword of his Spirit Ephes 6. 17. and makes it sharp and piercing for conversion or conviction at least and for such ends as he hath intended by his word and the ministery of it to effect and work out therefore the words of ver 13. his and him with whom must be referred to God ver 12. distinguished into Father Son and Spirit i. e. to all three or any of the three Let sinners in whom sin reigns and Saints in whom sin remains look to it for God by his Scripture-word is able to finde them out even them that pretend to present perfection and have it not for whom these words speak nothing at all Should we take God ver 12. not onely at large and personally for any of the three but strictly for Christs person yet we must take the word to be as I have said the word declarative and read it thus The word of Christ is quick or lively c. We cannot read it out of the Greek the word-Christ nor the living word is lively nor the living word is powerful but as 't is read in our new Translation The word of God is quick and powerful or as in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Geneva Translation The word of God is lively and mighty in operation that is as their Note is The Doctrine of God is so and so hath lively and mighty effects why because it is Gods Doctrine Gods Word Gods Scripture if it be but his Letter or outward ministery it is Christs two-edged sword which serveth unto his design of searching hearts of comforting the believer of cutting off and excluding the unbeliever from rest But this place of Scripture will not serve R. F. his design hitherto 2. Let us observe his application and inference Here the ground of sin is by the living word shaken at the roots and rooted out of such before their bodies and souls part asunder Rep. 1. Granting it is divine power that makes efficacious Mis-application the divine truths of the Scripture and that the Spirit doth by conviction shake a sinner at the very heart-root and by conversion shake yea kill sin at the roots for sound conversion is more then lopping of branches or moral restraints the best fruits of Quakerism yet is not all sin at first conversion nor all the life time extirpated or pluckt up absolutely totally and as perfectly as at death and if R. F. proves not this from the place as he doth not but onely say it he had better never have quoted it Nay he dare not affirm it in plain words but obscure The ground of sin c. What makes he the ground of sin If he meaneth the subject where sin dwelleth and is rooted what is that subject but the faculties of the Soul Minde Will and Affections Conscience c Now these are shaken I confess but not rooted out for neither Law nor Gospel the word of Terror or Grace and Peace nor the Power and Grace of the Word doth abolish or destroy the faculties and being of the soul If he meaneth by Ground of sin the cause of sin it must either be guilt of sin or the original stain and filth if the guilt 't is granted that sin is abolished and there is no ground or cause why a Believer justified and discharged from guilt and curse by the imputation of Christs obedience should be condemned Rom. 8 1 33 34. and the abolishing of guilt is the cause and reason why the inherent roots of sin are shaken and mortified in their regency or reigning power for the present and why they shall be rooted out as to residency and inherency at the last yea why no justified believer should allow the least sin that yet remaineth in him If by ground of sin he meaneth the original stain and filth it is the same with the roots of sin and then he proves nothing but idem per idem the same thing by the same namely that the roots of sin are shaken at the roots and rooted out when they are rooted out but the question is when are they perfectly and in all degrees rooted out I have said and proved it from Scripture it is not till the parting of Soul and Body The truth then and the illustration by the simile of the fig-tree stands firm and good for ought that R. F. hath objected to the contrary yet we must hear him * Page 16. out It is Christs work to take away sin here and to sanctifie by his Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 John 3. 5. Rep. We know that he was manifest to take away sin in 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 John 3 5. compared cleared and vindicated and from us as in him is no sin according to that in John and that of Paul to the Corinthians expressing two ways whereby he taketh away sin by the way of justification from defiling guilt and damning curse this is perfectly done here as to Gods act of reckoning and account though as to manifestation in us to us and concerning us it comes by degrees and not till the day of Judgement will all the world know who are now Gods justified ones By the way of Sanctification he takes away the dominion of sin in the very root and the strength of the roots of filth is mortified here in some Saints more in some less as he pleaseth who puts forth the power but in none are the roots of every sin nor of any sin wholly perfectly pluckt up till bodily death I am for purity and holiness here in heart and life but I am for purity of the Scriptures also according to their pure sense What saith the Scripture which R. F. next calleth forth As he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all maner of conversation 1 Pet. 1. 15. 2 Pet. 1. 15. vindicated Rep. This is a command of and
enjoyed the perfect beatifical vision of God which they have but a promise of for they that are sincere in holiness have here some communion with God and one day and to all eternity they shall enjoy him and his presence in fulness of that holiness and joy whereof now they have but the tasts and first-fruits He that boasteth of more hath neither as I said in my former piece pure lip nor pen for the least degree how much more larger measures of purity maketh a soul sensible of continual impurities intermixed therewith R. F. * Page 17. returns to this That is thy own condition Rep. I acknowledge it Again And so thou judgest others by thy continual impurities and therefore thy judgement must needs be false and not true Rep. I spake not my condition onely who may more deservedly be called less then the least of all Saints then Paul stiled himself but the condition of every one truly sanctified and yet living upon the earth Yet more And so thou denyest their doctrine who said Seeing ye have purified your souls have purified in the present Tense in obeying the truth through the Spirit see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently but thou art against a pure heart and so against the Scripture 1 Pet. 1. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 22. vindicated Rep. 1. If the Printer mistook not the present tense for the preter tense R. F. doth grosly apprehend that to be the present have purified which in English and Greek * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expresly the Praeter or time past 2. Were the Apostles words in the present tense ye do purifie it would make in shew and form of words more against R. F. then for him but the truth is the word in Peter being a Participle of the time past and in the Active voice it shews the work of purifying themselves through the Spirit was not so done but that yet it was in doing And as their habits of purity were not perfect so they were far from perfection in the act but have need of stirring up as 2 Pet. 3. 1. fervently to exert and put forth their love and purity according to their principles for the growth of both which viz. act and habit of grace he exhorteth and exciteth them chap. 2. 2. to desire as new born babes far from highest perfection the sincere milk of the word and Chap. 5. 10. he prayeth that after they have suffered a while the God of all grace would make them perfect stablish strengthen settle them 3. I finde R. F. perfect in nothing that savors of a Gospel purity nor growing in any thing but his perverse abuse of Scripture But I shall pray for him and others that they may be awakened out of their dream of Perfection may see their present pollutions and be ashamed of their Gospelcontradictions till then they will not understand what Purity is nor whereof they affirm Section 31. TO the Quere of one of them Did ever Paul deny perfection I asked what he or others thought of that in Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect which R. F. * Page 17. undertakes to resolve He is so far from denying it that he pressed hard after it Rep. Is this an answer or an evasion Denial of such a How perfection may be denied how not perfection as Paul meant ver 12. is two-fold either that it is here attained or that here we must press after it Although neither he nor we deny it in the latter sense yet in the former expresly he doth for his own part and such as come short of him may well and truly deny it And our work in this life being to press after it doth sufficiently imply it is not here to be attained But saith R. F. to mar not mend his own case He said to such as had attained it press others on after it and they did Heb. 6. 1. Rep. 1. Let not people take these mens words for infallible oracles but search the Scriptures and finde if they can where Paul wrote to any such Churches or Saints as had fully attained and till they finde it suspect R. F. for a deceiver and when they finde it not conclude him a false teacher 2. Whereas the Apostle had set before the Philippians Phil. 3. 11. 15. compared vindicated and us his own example I press toward the mark c. In the next ver 15. he adds his exhortation Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded where Paul either puts in himself with the many perfect or not if not but that he is to be understood as speaking to them that thought themselves perfect he would then take them off from the conceit of perfect attainments and have them so minded as he was that is as ver 14. to press toward the White of perfection as he did If he joyns himself with the many perfect then must the word perfect in the 15. ver be taken otherwise then in ver 12. For there he had denied himself to be already perfect and if ver 15. he should say he were perfect in that sense wherein he had denied his perfection he should be led by the Spirit of truth into a contradiction which were blasphemy to imagine let all the Quakers in earth and hell be first found lyars then one lye be found in the Scriptures or the pen-men of them as such The many perfect therefore must be taken when Paul was one of them not yet without imperfections for such as by Pauls and the Apostles ministery and with Paul through the Spirits teaching and working were grown up to a farther pitch and degree of holiness then some other sincere Christians who were to press on themselves as well as to press others on after the highest degrees of grace attainable which is the more clear by ver 16. Nevertheless whereto we have attained let us walk by the same rule whereto i. e. to what degree suppose the fourth or fifth Phil 3. 16. opened stair though not at the top we have attained let us walk which implies they are not at the end of their journey 3. What have we in Heb. 6. 1. but the same truth Let us Heb. 6. 1. vindicated go on unto perfection He that brings half an eye in his head to that text will collect no more but this That Paul or the Pen-man of that Epistle is travelling on towards perfection and putting on his companions in the way but neither he nor the Hebrews he writes unto are at their journeys end Is the Post therefore at York Berwick or Edenburgh because he is footing or riding thither He that is half way up the hill calls upon others to accompany him and go on-wards and up-wards yet more and more he is not therefore at the top of the hill But saith R. F. such obtained as so pressed after it Heb. 12. 22 23. Rep. But
his fancy 13. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning the Lords Supper Section 39. I Had noted out of a Pamphlet as it fell out of R. F. what a title of dishonor he gives to the Lords Supper no better then a Carnal invention as strong a contradiction to 1 Cor. 11. 23. as his reason is weak because he wanted that assurance which he expected at the Participation of that ordinance whereupon he takes me up with his old reviling language * I charge thee in that to be a gross The visible outward Lords supper no carnal invention lyar I said that your imagination was a carnal invention but the Lords Supper I own Rep. What Lords Supper doth he own that in the heart onely for he owneth what he witnesseth and what doth he witness it followeth in his book and witness that he is come in to sup with me Rev. 3. 20. Rep. But at that Supper I never heard or read before of one drunk with the opinion That the commemoration of the Lords death by breaking and eating of blessed Bread and drinking of blessed Wine i. e. bread and wine set apart by prayer and thanksgiving as he appointed was mans imagination and a carnal invention It is matter of Faith and not imagination to me as to many thousands and as with my heart I believe so with my mouth and Pen I make this confession that That Lords Supper which Paul speaks of 1 Cor. 10. 16. and 11. 20. and which chap. 10. 21. he calls the Lords Table was and is something besides the inward mystical communion with Christ Rev. 3. 20. even the visible sign and seal of that Communion and of other effects of his death and if this be proved and found to be none of mine nor mans imagination it will appear to all men who is the gross lyar and that R. F. hath called that Lords Supper or the ordinance of bread and wine instituted by Christ in the night wherein he was betrayed a carnal invention But he goes on And the bread which we break it is the Communion of the body of Christ and the cup which we drink it is the Communion of the blood of Christ and as Paul said so say I Let those that are spiritual judge what is said Rep. Agreed in Pauls sense not in the apprehension of R. F. but where hath Paul these words Let those that are Spiritual judge c. It is true the spiritual man judgeth of colors white and black truth and error grace and corruption something he can judge of all spiritual things which a natural man cannot But it is the wise man which the Apostle appealeth to in that place which R. F. shot at at rovers 1 Cor. 10. 15. I speak as to wise men judge ye what I say If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual and be not wise he may think as R. F. that the words ver 16. are meant of bread broken onely in the heart and of the cup drunk in the heart c. but no wise man that ever yet I met with nor any truly spiritual have so thought or will so judge excluding outward bread and the visible Cup from being the sign and pledge of inward communion in and with the body and blood of the Lord as R. F. * Page 20. Bread and wine the outward matter of the Lords Supper doth Thou canst not prove that Paul broke outward bread and drunk outward wine with the Corinthians nor the maner how Rep. The truth doth not rest upon my proof nor needs there any more but the reading of the words 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25. which I shall transcribe at large for the memorial of the institution as the blessed Apostle hath left it to the Saints For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me After the same maner also he took the cup when he had supped saying This cup is the New Testament in my blood this do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me What proof lies in these words which R. F. calls for I shall demonstrate in this argumentative way What the Lord Jesus brake and drank with his disciples and after what maner that Paul brake and drank with the Corinthians and after that maner But the Lord Jesus brake material or outward bread and drank material or outward wine with his Disciples Mat. 26. 26 27 Mark 14 22 23 24. having first blessed the bread and given thanks distinctly at the taking of the cup and then gave it to them to be used in remembrance of him Therefore Paul brake material or outward bread and drank material or outward wine with the Corinthians after the maner that the Lord brake and drank and gave it to his Disciples to be used in remembrance of him The Major or first proposition is undeniable else Paul had been unfaithful to teach and practise among the Corinthians and to write it over to them and us for imitation but Paul obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful 1 Cor. 7. 25. The Minor or second proposition is as true as the first for Christ took of the Bread upon the table the reserve of it after the Passover Supper and blessed that brake that gave that to be eaten and he took of the Cup upon the table and gave thanks afresh and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it For this is i. e. this is a sign pledge memorial seal or assurance of my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for you as Luke hath it Chap. 22. ver 20. and for many as Matthew and Mark record it * Mat. 26. 28 29 Mark 22. 24 25. for the remission of sins which Cup put by a Metonymie of the Subject for the Adjunct i. e. the thing containing put for the thing or outward matter contained in it i. e. for the Wine in the Cup he calleth the fruit of the vine as it was in its own nature and substance it must of necessity follow that Paul following his Masters institution at the heels or to a hair as even now was cleared the bread that he brake and the wine that he drank and ordered for the future to them and all the Churches to be broken and drunk 1 Cor. 11. 26. was the fruit of seed-corn material outward bread and the fruit of the vine material outward wine which because R. F. in another piece of his had said was carnal I added for explication and to discover how he contradicted 1 Cor. 10. 16. that albeit the bread and wine which we use according to the Lords precept and Pauls practice in the Lords Supper are in their nature and substance very bread and wine yet they are Spiritual in
that in Chap. 17. or after his distinct consecrating words of blessing and thanksgiving and his giving and their taking of the bread and wine at the end of the whole action for John 18. 1. compared with Mat. 26. 30. the prayer after the Sermon ended and the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hymn sung by them all they go forth over the Brook Kedron into a Garden in Gethsemane near to the Mount of Olives It appeareth by what is said it was a distinct Supper from the rest attended with solemn Speeches Prayers and Praises in prose and in a Song If all the Quakers drink in James Naylers Doctrine they will then take up Prayer and Thanks at meals which many have laid down they will be frequent in singing Hymns even as oft as they eat and drink it must be done if they will believe what he saith the lord hath revealed unto him But some will be wiser I hope then some other and hear reason as it divinely lyeth in the Scripture The Scripture calleth the instituted bread and wine this bread and this cup and this cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 26 27. And this bread it calls Christs body and this cup the cup of the new Testament and the wine Christs blood Will J. N. or any of his friends be so profane as to call every piece of bread he eateth and every draught of drink with such an Emphasis and such a title Will he make no meals of any thing but of bread and drink or will he have all his own and Believers drink to be of the fruit of the vine Thus the Scripture describeth the Lords Supper to consist for the outward matter of bread and wine as I have before proved for R. F. his conviction The Scripture neither from Christs mouth nor Pauls pen saith As oft as ye eat and drink it is the Lords Supper but as oft as ye do this eat of this bread drink of this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come What boldness is it to make that temporary and of short continuance which the Apostle saith is to be held up till he cometh 1 Cor. 11. 26. And such a coming he speaks of there as in other of his Epistles but especially consult 1 Thess 5. 2. 2 Thess 2. 1 2. Secondly You will finde him suggesting to the lost bewildred soul * Love to the lost pag. 43. That the Church at Jerusalem did continue in the Apostles doctrine c. and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness c. What then If their breaking bread and eating meat be confounded that in ver 42. with that in ver 46. here was confusion in the Churches greatest purity which J. N. denieth If bread and wine was distinctly used after the Lords institution and apart from their civil repasts and meals then he hath nothing makes for his transfigured Supper from this Scripture But ver 42. speaks of Church-ordinances by themselves Acts 2. 42. 46. cleared and ver 46. of Family-repast as distinct from the other and the latter words explain but the former their breaking bread domatim or at home is said to be eating meat which was not the Lords Supper J. Nayler reads it daily breaking bread from house to house but 't is not so read or to be read though 't is a truth to be supposed they did daily take their ordinary repasts more then once a day but they continuing daily with one accord in the Temple c. There is nothing of certain ground for daily use of the Lords Supper but Acts 20. 7. will shew us the primitive practise of assembling every first day of the week for that breaking of bread at the Lords Table and so Tremelius out of the Syriack hath it 1 Cor. 11. 20. When ye come together In die Domini nostri on our Lords day ye do not eat and drink as is meet And if it be read after the Greek as we read it When ye come together into one place c. it sheweth the eating and drinking of the Lords Supper was and should be by the Churches respectively as that at Corinth for one in some one place together and civil ordinary meals should be as they were at Jerusalem at first in their own houses 1 Cor. 11. 34. Thirdly saith J. N. * pag as above In their eating and drinking at all seasons they were to do it to the Lord and therein to have communion with his Body and his Blood and for that end were to keep themselves pure from all pollution It is a truth nor they nor we are to sin in any action but whether we eat or drink c. do all to the Lord and his glory we are not to feed without fear we are to keep from all excess do all in a mortified way think and speak of Christ at dinner and supper but this must not nullifie or make void the peculiar Ordinance of the Lords Supper but rather we must frequently observe it as a solemn help to purity and mortification influential into our whole conversation Communion with Christ and his Body and Blood is to be perpetually held up in all our actions natural civil and sacred by faith and the communion of his Spirit but the communion with him in the use of the memorative signs of his body and his blood viz. bread and wine solemnly set apart by his special appointment for that end is yet an advancing work distinct by it self from other actions of ordinary communion Fourthly J. Nayler in the place aforesaid presumeth when the Christians were to eat with Gentiles-unbelieving they were to partake of the Table of the Lord as is plain 1 Cor. 10. which is neither plain nor true understood of the same time place and company as this man holds it forth for their eating with the Infidels was at best when there was no meat offered to idols or no knowledge of it no scruple made about it but a civil correspondence and there was more then Bread and Wine the onely outward materials at the Lords Table even whatsoever was sold in the shambles ver 25. Besides the place and company where and with whom they did eat and drink at the Lords Table was in some one Meeting-house or other as the house of Gaius Rom. 16. 23. for one where the whole Church and onely the Church did participate It is to no purpose what he saith afterwards * Page 44. Whether they eat or drank they were to do it to the Lord as at his Table for every like is not the same and although different actions meet in the same general ultimate end yet there are special subordinate ends to each of them Fifthly he addes There is no other thing can keep from feeding in the lust and eating to the lust but to eat in remembrance of Christs death til he come c. And I subjoyn It is not our eating every day in fear
agrees with the saying of Christ Matth. 6. 6. Matth 6. 6. vindicated when thou prayest enter into thy Closet c. as if the publique ordinance may not stand with the private for the most retired and secret duties are to fit and make ready for the publique onely 't is our Lords scope there to confine a private prayer to a private place as it is the Apostles order from the Lord 1 Cor. 14. 14 15 16. when 1 Cor. 14. 14 15 cleared vindicated we pray publiquely in Church-conventions all which have a publiqueness in them to pray so as others may be edified thereby who are Saints and those who occupy the room of the unlearned may testifie their consents by saying Amen which they could not do if either the person praying spoke onely to his own hearing or in the heart not with an audible voyce to others or when they heard him they could not understand him because he exprest himself in an unknown tongue All that I drive at with the Apostles and our Saviours scope is that every ordinance and outward part of worship be owned in its place and that this of publique prayer may not be disowned ere the more because of these mens crying up their praying by the Spirit in opposition to the Churches publique prayers which the Primitive Church at Jerusalem Act. 2. 42. attended and continued in and which the present Saints and Churches in these nations hold up according to president and precept R. F. in another Pamphlet of his * Truth cleared of Scandals pag. 2. saith they are led by the Spirit and he maketh intercession for them according to the minde and will of God But their practise shews they are not in this led by the Spirit when they cross the minde and will of God by refusing to joyn with the Saints in a publique prayer we acknowledge that no wicked mans prayer is accepted publiquely or privately made by him It is their duty to pray but not their priviledge who are destitute of the Spirit and out of Christ But to profess prayer from the second birth while yet they know not how to pray as they ought but as the Spirit maketh intercession with sighs and groans which are J. Parnells words * Shield of truth p. 14 15 is to contradict their doctrine of perfection And to give a dash at all our publique prayer as the long prayer of the Pharisees is to strike at the Spirit and contradict the Scripture allowance of the publiqueness and length of prayer upon occasion while we give no allowance to Pharisaical ends and pretences but can approve our persons and hearts to God in Jesus Christ our persons in Christs righteousness reckoned to us by faith our hearts so far as renewed by the grace and power of his in-dwelling Spirit James Nayler hath expressions one would think of this tendency that complies with our doctrine in his common place of Worship * Love to the Lost p. 8 9. wherein he instanceth in no part of worship but prayer he acknowledgeth as we teach The worship of the true and living God stands out of mans will and before any man can rightly worship God he must wait to know the Spirit But now let the lost soul beware of his counsel where should they wait you must saith he know the light and in it wait till therein you finde the Spirits leading acting and ordering This counsel if followed keeps men off from the positive parts of worship revealed in the Scripture The light that every man hath as he comes into the world which is the light they nourish up people in in opposition to Scripture-light makes known nothing of publique ministery Church officers therein of water-Baptism Lords Supper publique order of prayer c. nor of Christ mediator nor of the The Spirit of Prayer to be found in the publâ—que ministery Spirit of promise nor of one promise of grace or gracious acceptation in Christ Had not the lost soul better counsel while he was under publique ministery to attend there for the coming of the Spirit the Spirit of faith and prayer where God useth to give it Acts 10. 44. and promiseth to pour it out Prov. 1. 22 23. with 20. 21. verses How true is that which J. Nayler hath in the same place according to our Scripture-doctrine when a man hath been doing evil neglecting good and then he runs to act a worship to get peace the prayer becomes abomination for he that regards impurity the Lord will not hear his prayers nor accept his worships that 's Cains sacrifice and Esaus prayers but either must your worship be performed in one that never sinned or it cannot be accepted with the pure God Yet here is his mis-guidance of lost souls 1. That he would lead them off from joyning with him that makes long prayers such a one he seems to speak of who hides his wickedness with pretence of godliness but he makes no difference of any that serve Christ and his people publiquely in the nation as if they were all such to be separated from 2. He directs to the commands in Spirit in opposition to the Scripture-Letter for thus he delivers himself * Page 11. All the Saints have their commands in Spirit but yours is in the letter and so of another ministration for the literal ministration is done away in the spiritual As if the Spirit did not give out his commands by the written letter or the Scripture and his power also by the reading and hearing of it and by praying according to the rules and patterns of prayer therein contained But something O ye lost souls you will finde when the great Shepherd seeks up his lost ones and brings back that which is gone astray Ezek. 34. 16 ever and anon that alienated your hearts from the Scripture by the spirit of Contradiction that is in these mens Teachings and Writings 15. Head of their Scripture-contradiction Concerning Singing Section 42. I Gave account of their express words We are against all your Davids Praises and Prophecies in meeter contrary to Ephes 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. and other Scriptures R. F. * Page 21. makes me this return Singing of Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs we are not against but own but your Poetry we deny Rep. He might as well say your translation of them into English meeter we deny But if Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs be owned they are either Davids and other of the Saints penning and the Spirits inditing in the Scripture or of their own composing if they own none but of their own composing they reject Davids and what was left for Psalms cannot be sung without meeter or due measures of speech our use in Scripture contradicting both it by that rejection and themselves also by owning Psalms Hymns and Songs and dis-owning meeter or Poetry for never was there Song Hymn or Psalm sung forth as it ought to be but it had
the Gold of it not by the Altar nor by the Gift upon the Altar c. nor by any creatures whatsoever And yet while he is clearing out the third Commandment which forbids not onely perjury but all profanations of Gods name and directing to the right use of an oath he doth Swearing by God commanded not repeal null or make void the first Commandment which requireth swearing by God and unto God alone For as it requires prayer to the God we have so an oath is also there commanded upon special occasion it being an appeal to God or a solemn attestation and calling of God to witness and judge about the truth affirmed or denied And if we have a God we swear our selves to him and are to swear by his name Deut. 6. 13. and 10. 20. Swearing is such a part of worship and so eminent that it is put by a Synecdoche or figurative speech of the part for the whole for the whole worship of God Psalm 63. 11. and Christ was far from overthrowing the whole worship of God or any part of it 3. The sense of the prohibition Swear not at all is given forth Mat. 5. ver 37. But let your communication be yea yea nay nay Communication * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5 37. cleared there is as much as ordidinary speech from whence I granted that not onely swearing by creatures is forbidden but all kinde of oaths in ordinary communication as by God or by the Lord and it was the furthest I said that I finde one of the Quakers * A few words by J Nayler pag. 16. seems at least to carry the sense Art thou come to yea and nay in thy common occasions Yet R. F. apprehends the Apostle James his words Chap. James 5 12. vindicated 5. 12. are express against all kinde of swearing at any time because he saith Swear not at all Rep. The words of the Apostle are strictly thus But above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven neither by the earth neither by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay the latter words God not to be sworn by in ordinary speech explaining the scope and sense of the former His scope is particularly to suppress expressions of impatiency under afflictions and persecutions which from ver 7 to 14. he was dealing with and having commended Jobs patience ver 11. he addeth ver 12. Swear not c. that is in your afflictions under sense of pain trouble or torture beware of vain and rash swearing as at all times so when you think your selves provoked to it by the smart of afflictions Beware of swearing by any oath directly by God or indirectly by creatures in the greatest provocations and much more avoid it when you are not provoked barely we are to affirm or deny according to truth at some extraordinary seasons and always in ordinary course 4. Of lawful oaths there are two sorts Assertory and Two sorts of lawful oaths Promissory 1. Assertory when the truth of a thing is solemnly affirmed 1. Assertory or denyed by invocation of God alone for a witness and a judge in such a case and at such a time as a Controversie Heb. 6. 16. vindicated cannot be ended without it Heb. 6. 16. where the Apostle doth not so bring a comparison from the men of the world to whom an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife as to shut out Saints from being men in the world or disoblige them from their common humanity but by alluding to the use of an oath for such a lawful end among men he gives a hint of one of the hinges or sinews of Humane society which Saints have not been wont to throw off or cut asunder but upon weighty occasions they have asserted and confirmed the truth of their speech by an oath Such is that of Paul to the Romans Chap. 1. 9. God is my witness c. And to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 1. 23. Moreover I call God for a record c. And to the Philippians Chap. 1. 8. For God is my record c. And to the Galatians Chap. 1. 20. The things which I write unto you behold before God I lye not And to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 2. 5. God is witness In all these forms of speech there is the former part of an oath exprest calling God to witness the other part is implyed appealing to him as a Judge 2. A Promissory oath is when the truth of the hearts 2. Promissory intention and of the lips expression to do a kindeness or keep promise is solemnly confirmed by attestation of God and appeal to him alone such was that of Abrahams servant to his master Gen. 24. 3 9. Of David to Saul 1 Sam. 24. 22. and to Bathsheba 1 Kings 1. 29. Hence no warrant for vain and rash swearing by the Lord can be collected as for any to take up these forms of speech ordinarily Before God or As God shall judge me but sufficient grounds for using of an oath in the same judgement truth and righteousness that the Saints of old and new Testament have sanctified Gods name by 5. Mixt oaths by God and Creatures are forbidden for Mixt oaths forbidden the Lord threatneth to stretch out his hand in judgement against them that swear by the Lord and that swear by Malcham Zeph. 1. 5. i. e. joyned God and idols Milchom or Moloch the abomination of the Ammonites together But God hath promised to establish this part of his true and pure worship to swear by him alone and that in truth upon the earth Isaiah 65. 16. He who blesseth himself shall bless himself in the God of truth and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth R. F. makes other inferences If a man must not swear at all then he must not swear by a Book or any other thing Rep. Had he reasoned from Christs and the Apostles words Swear not at all in their true meaning If a man must not swear by Creatures at all then he must not swear by a Book or any created being he had complied with the truth but to reason and make inferences to no purpose is to lose time and consume pen and paper in vain If it may gain him or any of his Sect to the love of truth and peace I shall nakedly present my thoughts and desires As Swearing by a Book unlawful I had nothing before of Swearing by a Book one way or other so never did I say that a Book was lawful to be sworn by but I heartily wish such a stumbling-block were every where in the Land taken away by the Magistrates for much profanation of Gods name hath been occasioned thereby I remember William Thorp * See Fox Acts and Monuments vol. 1. p. 701 col 2. one of J. Wickliffs followers in conference with a Popish Archbishop was in the right
mouth in the Scriptures while he would but seemingly make Gods Law and the heart to be one with it Another of this mans Self contradictions though common to his fellows I noted in this Section crying up Thou and Thee to a particular as Scripture-language and yet crying down the Letter as no Scripture that is the mouth of God the word of God or a binding Rule What J. Nayler means by that * Few words page 14. Thou wilt neither make Scripture thy Rule nor suffer them that would let R. F. well consider for if J. Nayler would have it to be a rule R. F. and others would have it to be none much less a standing rule as hath appeared in 1. Part Section 1. Section 4. THe Scriptures say they were given us by inspiration and by inspiration are to be understood again In this passage there is coucht another of their Self-contradictions which R. F. neither approves nor condemns but passeth it over un-toucht un-answered The Reader may please to peruse what was said for discovery of their clashing Principles in my former piece This I shall adde The Spirit of God who breathed forth the Scriptures must give us the spiritual understanding of them if we have it at all but this he doth in another way then that whereby he inspired the Pen-men of the Scriptures They were so inspired when they wrote the holy Canon of Scripture as men rapt up with an extatical motion 2 Pet. 1. 21. The word there translated moved signifies a forcible acting of the Spirit 2 Pet. 1. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon them they were mightily born away by the impetus and impulsive power of the Spirit The same word is used by Luke Acts 2. 2. in the description of the visible pouring forth of the Spirit by a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind this rushing power of the Spirit invisibly acted the holy Men of God who wrote the Scriptures in a way immediate when they had not a letter of Gods Book before them But thus the Scriptures come not to us nor the understanding of them we have the Book and Canon written down and by providence printed translated into our Mother tongue and preached to us Now then they that profess they own the Scriptures and they own the reading of them and they own prayer for the understanding of them c. and yet when it comes to the upshot they dis-own and deny all actings of the Spirit upon them by means of second causes instruments and ordinances by which we are to get understanding and by which he gives it forth it plainly appears that as the beasts that have no understanding they kick down the good pail of milk before-given by frustration and neglect of Gods gift of the Scriptures and exercises about them thereby to come to the knowledge of them under the conduct of the Spirit Section 5. ANother of their Self-contradictions I shewed to be this That they profess to own the Scriptures to be true in themselves c. but do not own them in their true sense and meaning I gave instance of their interpreting 1 Cor. 14. 35. Husbands at home to be Christ in the heart and I referred to all the other instances of their Scripture-contradiction for conviction of their dis-owning the true sense R. F. * Page 25. would make the world believe I had confuted my self and cleared them because I granted they said That they owned the Scriptures c. whereas this doth evidently make the more against them that they will pretend so much to the Scriptures and yet rend the sense of them all a pieces And although that sense put upon the fore-mentioned place in the Epistle to the Corinthians be broached by no man more then by R. F. in another Pamphlet by it self and he entitleth this Piece of his I now deal with The Scriptures vindication yet he doth not in the least undertake the vindication of this place either when I alledged it against them before Part 1. Section 6. or now onely he speaks his wonted swelling words of vanity Thou art under the guilt and the pit which for others thou diggedst thou art faln in thy self and catcht in thy own snare and craftiness take notice of that and see how thou hast contradicted thy self Rep. But that I desire some may be convinced of the folly and falshood of this man and of his Sect I would not spend time and waste paper to transcribe such empty stuff If it be proof enough for him to accuse and recriminate I cannot be innocent who shall in the like case That which hitherto I have charged him or other of this way withal I have not given words but Arguments for proof and demonstration of the Charge Let me give another instance R. F. * Page 2. in answer to my first Section Part 1. saith thus That the Scriptures are words that proceeded from the Spirit of truth we do not deny but own and so they are words of truth Now hear what * An untaught Teacher p. 2. Th. Lawson judgeth of this matter To say that the word of truth is called the Scripture or that the Scripture is called the word of truth that is a lye I ask the simple honest hearted Reader whether Th. Lawson puts not the lye upon his brother R. Farnworth or whether these men do own the Scripture of truth as it is stiled Dan. 10. 21. or rather whether they do not contradict it and themselves also Let it be observed also that R. F. doth not quit himself of that other Self-contradiction of his which I closed this Section with by bare words * Page 25. Thou hast manifested the same therefore take thou the shame Rep. It seems R. F. will take none as one past shame and blushing Where I have manifested my ignorance of the life of the Scriptures and of the Letter as he lets fly against me I am willing to see it and bear my own shame but will he be as the unjust Zeph. 3. 5. that knoweth no shame when his sinful folly and self-conceited Contradictions are detected The words that R. F. hath in his other Pamphlet * Light out of darkness p. 18 are these Herein you shew your ignorance in the life of the Scriptures that are ignorant of the Letter which is without life This he chargeth upon three Ministers for asking a question to this effect If the light wherewith every one is enlightned be Christ what then is become of the person of the Mediator Must they be ignorant in the life of the Scriptures who acknowledge not every mans light to be Christ and must they be ignorant of the Letter of the Scripture who do not understand it as he doth But that which I inferred from his words was If there be life in the Scriptures as he grants there is then the Letter or Scripture is not without life as he saith it is nor are they
brings all that is in the Letter to remembrance for to what end doth he bring it to remembrance not onely for explication of Scripture by Scripture but for consolation of our spirits by the good words of the Spirit of God When heaviness makes the heart to stoop a good word seasonably remembred as spoken makes it glad and he that slights the turning over of the sacred Pages of the Bible after he hath got his evidence within may be glad of crums one day after his high Feastings and well if seeking the Spirit where he lost him his comforts return at last upon him Many lose the Spirits comforts by slighting his Love-letters in the Scriptures where the Spirit is and whereby he giveth forth himself Such a passage I had in my former piece That the Spirit is in the Letter and given by it which R. F. hath excepted against once and again heretofore but now in its due place where it was spoken he lets it pass I promised in the first part of this Reply to clear it further for his conviction if it may be or for the Saints edification First The Spirit is in the Letter or the whole Scripture for so these men comprehensively use the term Letter How the Spirit is in the Scripture-Letter 1. As he owneth what he dictated to his Secretaries the Pen-men of Scripture He is in all their writings with the subscription of his own hand as it were they spake and wrote as they were moved and inspired by the Holy Ghost Rev. 1. 10. John is in the Spirit viz. he is rapt up by the Spirit and the Spirits impulse is more then ordinarily upon him when he is commanded to write and of all that John writeth the Spirit beareth Testimony that it is himself that speaks it Rev. 3. 22. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches what wretched men are they who will not suffer the Spirit to be where he speaketh 2. If the Spirit was in the Pen-men he is more in the matter and contents of the Scripture penned down None will deny but he was in the Pen-men more then ordinarily when they wrote from his mouth or inspiration and therefore he is in what they wrote much more for the word written is of greater Authority and Spirit then the Writer or Secretary They were holy men of God who wrote but that which is written is the holy Truth of God They were imperfectly holy but Gods word as written from the Spirit is perfect in all degrees of holiness 3. The Spirit is where there is with perfect holiness perfect Truth and Majesty in the Matter and in the very Stile and where is sweet Harmony in all the parts put together In the Scripture-letter there is not one Iota or Tittle that shall fall to the ground to eclipse the Glory Truth and Majesty or spoil the Harmony of it Secondly the Spirit is given by it in this sense How given by it 1. As his minde is given out by it whether the words be proper or figurative the Spirit hath his proper intendment scope and sense in the whole Letter and in every part of what is written and as by his words he makes known his minde he is where his words are 2. As his work is given by it even what work he pleaseth See second part Section 10. of Conviction Instruction in Righteousness Consolation c. If the Scripture convinceth gainsayers and sinners evil livers if it instructeth the ignorant comforteth the feeble-minded it is as the Spirit gives out himself thereby He is there indeed as a free Agent ad placitum not tyed to work or manifest himself or put forth his power and grace but as the wind bloweth where it listeth so he worketh where when and upon whom he pleaseth 3. As the Promises of the Scripture are his Chariot to convey him whither he pleaseth to go into the hearts of the Elect that they may believe and after they have believed that they may be established Thus according to his promise he will fill a Believers sails of endeavor in reading meditating c. with gales of grace and advances towards glory To conclude that the Spirit is in the Letter and given by it daily experience doth demonstrate For such as forsake the Scriptures authority and own not the Spirits dwelling in the Letter as truly as in the heart they lose their faith of the Spirits presence with them in the reading and meditation of it and losing this faith they run to other Doctrines and Gospels The spirit of error is in all mens doctrines which have not the Spirit in them that breatheth in the Scriptures We may easily discern whether R. F. his spirit be not in his writings and whether much of the spirit of Error not conveyed and given out by his and other mens Pamphlets of the same stamp And shall the spirit of Satan the father of lyes be in Seducers books and not the Spirit of God and of the Father of truth be in and go along according to his free mercy with his own blessed Books of the Scripture Yes verily and James Naylers words import as much when he saith * Few words by J. N. p. 11. That the Spirit opens and brings all that is spoken in Scripture to remembrance which if R. F. denies he contradicts his fellow if he grants it a truth he must recant his frequent descants upon that which I asserted and judge himself as erring because he knew not the Scriptures and the Spirit and power of God dwelling in them and acting by them Section 9. WHat answereth R. F. to this Section where I evidenced another of their Self-contradictions concerning the Scripture which was this He that believeth is born of God without Scripture and yet Let all see if we do not set the Scripture in the heart of every one Why this is his answer * Page 25. 1. So saith the Scripture 1 John 5. And that the word of God is nigh in the heart is witnessed Rom. 10. 8. And he that believes and is born of God knows the seed of God within him 1 John 3. 9. Rep. Do any of these Scriptures bear witness against themselves or say That he that believeth is born of God without Scripture yet dare R. F. put it forth in the front of his answer So saith the Scripture The Scripture saith the full truth He that believeth is born of God but the Pamphlet I quoted * Answer to 7 Priests p. 13 said more then the Scripture that the believer was born of God without the Scripture and R. F. pretends to answer to what their Pamphlets hold forth but cannot in his answers salve his own nor his fellows contradictions Ans 2. He is not born of the Letter as thou wouldst have him yet he is begotten by the immortal word which endureth for ever which the Letter declares of and that doth not contradict
the Scripture Rep. 1. How would I have him that believeth born of the Letter my words were these If the Scripture be in the heart of every one sure he that believeth is born of that seed even of the Scripture-promise set into the heart by the holy Ghost hence he that is born of the Spirit is born of the word written and preached which the Spirit useth as the instrumental means of our regeneration as upon that place in Peter 1 Ep. Chap. 1. ver 23 and 25. hath been cleared heretofore Part 1. Sect. 5. 2. The Scripture-promise declaring Christ is the more apt means by which the Spirit begets a soul to Christ or formeth him in the soul 3. That the Letter declareth Christ doth not contradict the Scripture but it contradicteth the Scripture to say the declaration of Christ is not a means of begetting a soul to Christ 4. To say Let all see whether we do not set the Scripture in the heart of every one and yet to deny the Scripture to be a means of the new birth or that the believer is born of God without the Scripture is to say and un-say But R. F. * page 26. would retort this upon my self and why I have not the same minde with them and know not their meaning and so raise lyes as he chargeth upon me by my imaginations Rep. 1. If I have the minde of Christ as it is in Scripture I shall not be ambitious of nor much regard their meaning but as I know it to be cross to the minde of Christ I have according to the grace given unto me witnessed against it and yet studied to put the most candid and favorable construction upon their words 2. If their sense of setting Scripture in the heart of every one be nothing else but telling people they have a light of Conscience within them and stirring up that light which every man hath that cometh into the world First they delude poor people who never heard that Light called Scripture before yet this is more then probably their best Scripture for their Tenents and Doctrines as might be gathered from the answer that J. P. a yong stripling who came into this Town last summer gave to a weak re-baptized woman shattered by his discourse whose question was But may I not read the Scriptures The answer was Read thy heart woman as she told me that was all she could get of him There is a book of Conscience to be read indeed but is not the book of the Scriptures and Gods Statutes to be read according to which beyond the book of every mans Conscience all that have that written rule shall be judged Secondly If every mans light be the onely Scripture in the minde that these men are in why doth R. F. * In his Book entituled A true testimony c. pag. 53. appeal to that which is the alone proper perfect Scripture in our judgement and which he calls for to stand as judge betwixt them and 42. Ministers Will he stand to the judgement of the Prophets and Apostles as it is the minde of Christ the word of God Will he not appeal when all is done to a higher Court of immediate Teachings in the heart If the Scripture be judge it must be so from its own light that is superior not onely to every mans light but also to the degree of light that is in every Saint and that is superior to our meanings and theirs for the Scripture must judge by its own words and meaning together and from its own rule we must not separate the Letter of the Law and the true interpretation of the Letter The Law-makers we say are best able to give the right sense of the Law The great Law-giver gives out his sense of one part of Scripture by another Can any Law judge of Heresie but the Law of God saith R. F. in the Book and Page last referred unto in the margent If he intends there any Law of God but the written word and text of the Bible Gods great Law-book he contradicts in heart what he pretends to in words If he understands by the Law of God the holy Scriptures of God called the Bible then he pretends to that acknowledgement of them as a standing rule and a more standing rule then visions and revelations and if he intends what he pretends to then he must recant what he wrote in the 3. and 4. Page of his imaginary Scripture-vindication or else lie setter'd in his Self-contradictions 2. Head of their Self-contradiction Concerning hearing of the Word Section 10. I Had granted they say and say truly because the Scripture saith so Joh. 8. 47. They that are of God hear his word and they that hear his word hear his voice and yet they deny the hearing of Ministers that speak this word and consequently they do either un-say what truth they spake before or deny themselves to be of God in that they both refuse themselves to hear and call off others from hearing R. F. * Page 26. because I granted the first part of their contradiction to be a Scripture truth runs away with the conceit of an advantage when 't is nothing so Thou says They say and say truly then they lye not neither do they say and un-say and so thou art taken with the lye again and clears them thy self Rep. How weak and giddy this mans apprehension is may appear many ways by the review of this passage 1. I attributed truth to their words no further then they agree with the word of God in Scripture and so far I will acknowledge truth because I love it and the Scripture of truth but this man when I grant an inch will take an ell 2. It followeth not if men say true in one thing that they speak the truth in every thing The devil can speak a truth the more cunningly to put off his lyes That may be a truth materially which will not be found in mens practical experience so acknowledged 3. It is beyond all controversie that in this as many other instances they say and unsay first owning the Scriptures and ministery and hearing of the word and then dis-owning all teachers and teaching but what is within first saying * A discovery of some fruits c. pag. 9. the peoples Teacher cannot be removed into a corner and by and by telling them you will finde your teacher as you lye in your beds Even as customary swearers reproved for their sin will swear they did not swear so men habituated in Self-contradiction will vehemently protest against it but it helps them never a whit 4. It is no new thing to have the reproach of lying cast upon me or others by one who cannot judge or understand what is truth or when 't is spoken truly 5. I am so far from clearing them that I renew my charge against them if they be all like R. F. in this maner and form following The more candidly the
cannot prove what thou hast said Rep. 1. Neither do my words sound as if I jeered nor was it my sense nor do I mis-report their practise 2. The proofs I shall give will evidence the truth of the charge They stand in an evil cause who being convented before magistrates deny the Scriptures to be the word of God disturb the Churches in their publique worship and that sometimes on a solemn day of humiliation All this did J. P. last summer in Essex at Cogs-hall yea and that without quaking and fear witness his challenge of him that had preached witness his question to the magistrate when he was bidden pull off his Hat why he did not bid him in the Pulpit pull off his Cap witness his skipping up the Table before four Justices of the Peace placed at it with his back towards them in the room where they examined him after the publique work was ended pretending he should be heard the better witness his denyal of the Scriptures to be what they are the word of God neither regarding what was held forth to him from Hosea 8. 12. what God hath written is his written word c. nor from Prov. 30. 5 6. Every word of God is pure c. Adde thou not unto his words c. Again that is standing in an evil cause not to own and confess the Scripture to be a Rule to walk by when called to such an acknowledgement before the magistrate this William Dewsbery and Hen Williamson would not directly afford to Judge Windham when he askt the question but put it off another way as their maner is and that Discovery of persecution in Northamp pag. 12. without fear or due respect of the Power ordained by God for they would not stand uncovered till their Hats were taken off R. F. may shoot out his arrow against me Stop thy mouth deceiver and take in thy slander again but it will light upon his own pate or he thinks to answer all with what follows The Lord makes the righteous as bold as Lyons but it cannot be applied here when men will be silent in a good cause and bold in a bad one There is a bad Lion as well as a good the roaring Lion that goes about seeking whom he may devour and that first by seducing the minde to error and then come forth the effects of bodily shaking falling to the ground and roaring as lately at Witham in Essex hath been visible and audible enough The late Teachers hereabouts some of them have been so bold as they will not give over till they knock down people as Butchers do their calves although one of the last that came by name Will Dewsbery was against such violent dealing The boldness of J. P. lately in Colchester Castle is legible enough in Print * Fruits of a Fast p. 5. 6. c. What a bold falshood is that to say our Intent was to ensnare him and bring his body into bonds or that we were gathered against the truth a bold calumny That the four Teachers as he names them of Independent companies are all Parish-Priests a bold lye as is that which followeth that I spake to the Rulers in the publique place thereby to stir up their spirits to persecute The chiefest passage which I had in my Sermon none of which he heard reflecting upon this Sect was occasionally taken up by reason of his interrupting our work viz. that in stead of the term Quakers henceforth they may be stiled Church-disturbers That this was plotted among the Priests and gathered Churches to appoint meetings to insnare the innocent is still more impudent our meeting on a solemn day of seeking God was designed to bear witness against their errors to strengthen the hands of one another in the truth and to preserve the innocent in the way of truth but for insnaring it was far from our intendment the Lord knows nor did we know that J. P. would be there till we met But all these passages with his bold Letters to the Justices after his Commitment and to the Judge after the Assizes and his bold entituling his Book The Fruits of a Fast the Lord hath rebuked after his bold undertaking a Fast of his own for many days together in the aforesaid Castle and therefore I say no more but the Lord rebuke all those of his way by this warning piece though if it be his will I desire not one of them should perish either by death or by imprisonment Section 24. Section 24. 25. THey deny as I noted from their Books all them that deny Quaking and one saith Moses was a Quaker and yet they think it scorn to be called Quakers R. F. who was concerned in this seeing of all that I have read it is he that expresly affirmeth * A return to the Priests about Beverly page 14. Moses was a Quaker hath not a word for reconcilement what I noted therefore must stand with the rest of their Self-contradictions as a Testimony against them 10. Head of Self-contradiction Concerning growth in Grace Section 25. HEre I observed their witnessing as they say of the Saints growth and the time of their pressing after perfection and weighed it with their exclamations against those who deny perfection of degrees and affirm sin to dwell in the Saints all their life time R. F. cunningly asks me * Page 29. Art thou offended that we witness the Saints growth and the time of pressing on to perfection but hides from the Reader the contradiction that follows The time of prossing after perfection is not the time of perfect attainment by their condemning those that deny perfection of gradual holiness in this life For they that are yet to grow further are not at their full and perfect growth and if the time of this life be but a time to press after perfection it is not the time of the Saints attainment to those degrees which at death their souls are filled withal And if they that witness a time of pressing on do not therein cross nor contradict the Scripture as R. F. acknowledgeth and I acknowledge that their witness doth not cross us why then will they by their acclamations of some here already perfect and without sin both cross us and contradict themselves 11. Head of Self-contradiction Concerning Forms of Religion Section 26. WHereas they pretend against all mens Forms and are against Gods Forms of administring water-Baptism and a Bread and Wine-Supper yet they take up a Form of keeping on the Hat a Form of words Thou and Thee c. All this R. F. passeth over as having said enough to the latter at least in a Pamphlet of a sheet that he entituleth The pure language of the Spirit of truth where also he defendeth nakedness or some mens going naked in these times as a figure and sign of their nakedness who are naked from God and clothed with filthy garments all this upon supposition if the Lord bid them
of deceit we deny but a form of sound words the Scripture doth justifie being spoken by the Spirit of truth which we own and now the time is come that deceivers and such as you are cannot endure sound Doctrine but utters your folly to make your selves manifest and what generation you are of even of him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish 2 Thes 2. 2 Pet. 2. Rep. I leave all this with the former to the judgement of the intelligent Reader and of the righteous Lord onely I advertise that he may refer in these words to Section 26. as to this in hand and then by our forms of deceit he meaneth our putting off the Hat and against that we must set their putting off the Hat-band and by their form of sound words he must be construed of Thou and Thee and I still leave it to the Lords judgement where deceit is harbored and acted where Humility and Love is lodged and at what Sign it dwells good men may in time understand by Scripture-marks this for one 1 Cor. 11. 16. If any man seem to be contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of God 13. Head of Contradiction to themselves Concerning Ordinances Section 29. I Noted here what they pretend to own viz. Praying in families with reading and instructing of Children and teaching according to the Apostles Doctrine but contradict it in their giving over the course of Family-prayer ordinarily Morning and Evening and at Meals nor do I hear they teach Children but what leads them to an imitation of their new forms R. F. * Page 30. as before asketh me touching that which they say they own And art thou offended at this Rep. 1. I am not offended at the practice pretended but at the bare pretence of the practice viz. at saying and not doing and at back-slidings from the old and good ways of the Lord. 2. I am offended at R. F. his denying as before our raising Points Reasons Vses Motives and Tryals from the words of Scripture and yet justifying their teaching according to the Apostles Doctrine for sure if all they reach be according thereunto it will go near to fall under some of those heads viz. of Motives Tryals Points Reasons or Vses and if they so teach one another in their families why do they condemn us for teaching after that maner in the publique assemblies 3. I am offended at R. F. his subtilty or ignorant simplicity all along that he puts off his Reader with answer to one part of the Contradiction but not to the other as in what followeth I observed they pretend to own all that is Gods Baptism the Lords Supper Church-fellowship Sabbaths c. but as I said 't is in a sense contradictious to the light that ever they had have or can have truly from Scripture This man speaks not to the latter part of the charge but onely to the former We do own that which is Gods free love and mercy to us and all that is Gods as Baptism the Lords Supper Church-fellowship Sabbath Rep. Here are fair words but what the sense and meaning of them is and how contradictious to Scripture and the ordinary use of the terms and phrases we may gather from what hath passed before See Part 1. Sect. 3. 8. 1. All Water-Baptism is dis-owned by them and he that saith he owneth Scripture-Baptism which comprehends the sign and the thing signified and doth dis-own all Water-Baptism he doth wittingly or unwittingly contradict himself 2. The Lords instituted Bread and Wine Supper they deny as was shewed Part 1. Sect. 39. contrary to the Scripture And he that saith he owneth all that is Gods and dis-owneth Bread and Wine as instituted by Jesus Christ to be used by the Churches as the outward visible sign and memorial of the Lords death to his second coming is beside himself as well as without his Book 3. All forms of Church-fellowship but their own they deny and that can be no true Church-fellowship of theirs which dis-own the Scriptures from being the word of God and rule of their fellowship and of their Church 4. As for a day of Rest one day in seven it was a mercy The Sabbath a mercy and a duty of God to Israel of old that he made known unto them his holy Sabbath Nehem. 9. 14. and I think it is a mercy still and a pledge of love that Gods holy Sabbath exchanged since Christs resurrection from the seventh to the first day of the week hath not ceased in any Age for the standing Rule and Law of the fourth Commandment obligeth to one day in seven whether the last or the first of the seven it is a mercy we have either but doth R. F. and his fellows own the outward part or rest of the Sabbath according to Gods command not that I finde in any of their writings hear one for all * Several papers pag. 19. The worlds Sabbath is without them and they have no rest but in a form without The Saints Sabbath is within where Christ is come to give them rest and they are ceased from their own works 5. It is the mercy and love of God to give a heart to look more into the inside of Ordinances then upon the outside but he that is unfaithful in the least is unjust also in much and he that breaks the least of God Commandments as to the outward part of an Ordinance and teach men so shall be called or reckoned the least in the kingdom of heaven 14. Head of their Self-contradiction Concerning Speech and Silence Section 30. THey sit silent for an hour or half or quarter and when others in though not of their company speak freely they check it as I observed with this or the like saying In the multitude of words there cannot want sin and yet they are in their Letters and Pamphlets full of tautologies c. R. F. passeth this Section over with deep silence but in this Pamphlet he hath verified the charge 1. Of multiloquious needless repetitions where he thinks Sect. 31 32. to vindicate the Scriptures by frequent and impertinent quotation of them And 2. Of Silence in many passages where it was necessary he should have vindicated himself and his Brethren from their own Contradictions 15. Head of their Self-contradiction Concerning Elders Section 31. THis Section also he lets pass as having nothing to say where I noted J. Naylers interfering viz. The ordaining of Elders was not by man and yet it was by the Spirit of God in the Apostles the Spirit made use of them then as he did of the Brethrens and Churches suffrages and prayers To grant an use was made of men in the call of Elders and yet to deny the Call was given of God by man is to speak Daggers and Contradictions as all along I have cleared it in fore-mentioned instances 16. Head of their Self-contradiction
him also even of strong Paul and of weak Paul strong in the Lord weak yet in and of himself and willing to glory in this that he knew himself to be weak and nothing As he * M. Nicholas Price of Lyn-Regis that said when he had attained to no small measure of mortification in the eyes of others I thank God I know my self to be a sinner while these proud up-starts think many of them have reached to the highest pitch of Perfection 3. It is Pride that hath bred and doth feed and nourish their opinions and practises What makes them level Legal and Gospel-light but Pride The light which every man hath saith William Deusbery i Christ exalted page 26 is not common to man by nature it is the great gift of God the Grace that hath appeared c. The truth is Every mans light where the Gospel comes not is neither for degree nor kinde the same with Gospel-light it is but a shimmering of the Laws light a gift of God indeed but no such great Gift as the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ or as the doctrine of that Grace Every man writes E. B. k True faith of the Gospel of peace p. 18. hath that which is one in Vnion and like the Spirit of Christ even as good as the Spirit of Christ according to its measure A proud elevation of the fallen posterity of Adam either exalting the gifts of the Spirit as high as the person of the Spirit or levelling the high and peculiar Grace of the Spirit in true Saints with the low and common work in every man Weigh but what J. Nayler hath in his Answer to Math. Cuffin l Light of Christ and word of life page 19. and see if there be not wicked Pride God is at liberty to speak to his people by them viz. the Scriptures if he please and where they are given by inspiration he doth so And so he is at liberty to speak by any other created thing as to Balaam by his Ass As if God did not speak constantly by the Scriptures the voices of the Prophets * Acts 13. 27 and Apostles though his people are not always alike affected with and by them nor doth the Lord give the same impression from the same Text at one time as at another or as if all the Scripture at all times were not of divine Inspiration and as if he would have his disciples with himself ascribe no more authority to the Scriptures then to Balaams Ass 4. Unbelief begets and procreates all their Errors and their love of Error with their derisions of the Truth How come they to slight the Scriptures and the Ordinances of Christ They have lost that first faith or never 1 Tim. 5. had any concerning their Institution and Authority or the efficacy of the Spirit put forth by them Would they else judge it Blasphemy m To all that would know the way p. 4. for any to say the Letter or Scripture is the Word of God when as 't is that which the Spirit dictated and hath ever blessed and prospered to his own purposes Would they else scribble and quibble as they do n Ibid page 8. Thou that sayest thou had not come to repentance if thou had not known the Letter thou deniest Christ The Scripture is say they A Declaration of the Spirit but the Spirit is not in it A Declaration of Power but the Power is not in it And why is not the Spirit and Power in it this is nothing but the voice and spirit of unbelief which makes them so to judge How like a Pelagi-Arminian doth J. Nayler speak o Answer to Quakers Catechism p. 24. Who hath the Spirit hath an infallible guide in matter and maner if he keep to it And I know that so far as any are led by the Spirit it guides into all truth if it be not erred from Whence come these ifs but from unbelief What Luther said of his Popish Devotions is true here We always prayed in Colloq mens Popedom conditionaliter with condition uncertainly and at hap-hazard And upon such a hazard do these ifs run mens salvation beside the pride of such ifs determining all Grace the Spirits infallible guidance and what not upon the will of man and his improvements Whence is it that they speak with such disparagement of Christ dying at Jerusalem but from unbelief Had Ed. Burrough a Faith working by love when he sounded his Trumpet p A Trumpet of the Lord sounded out of Sion by E. B. page 17. and upbraided all that are called Presbyterians and Independents with their feeding upon the report of a thing done many hundred years ago They that believe not that word John 6. 53. will not tremble at it Did those called Presbyterians and Independents more heartily feed upon Christ who dyed and as he dyed above sixteen hundred years ago by faith every day and meet ofter at the Lords Table in faith and love they would be more strengthned in one against their common enemies 5. They do subtilly couch many Errors under specious words of Truth or terms that are ambiguous and of a doubtful sense q The inheritance of Jacob page 24. The Righteousness saith Francis Howgil whereby the Saints of old pleased God and was accepted was wrought in them the same that is now wrought in the Saints by Christ As if God were not pleased with them as clothed with the imputed righteousness of Christ or they would have that which is within the Saints to be that which is imputed to their pardon and acceptance whereas God is more pleased with that which Christ wrought for them then with what he worketh in them Yea that which Christ wrought in his own person and in that flesh which he assumed is that alone which the Father accepteth and imputeth to their Justification Not but he is pleased with his own work in us in a way of Sanctification and Service That seems very fair which Alexander Parker hath r Testimony of God p. 4. It is an inward work that every one must know and witness if ever they know true peace and rest But let all know that the work within is not the ground and purchase of their peace but the blood of Christ alone and his obedience although it is a witness and an evidence and yet every inward work is not an evidence or witness of peace with God but that alone which is the New-birth or true Sanctification and the parts of it flowing from and inseparably attending and accompanying the Believers union with the Lord Jesus Light saith Tho Lawson Å¿ Lip of truth c. page 45 and 47. is the same in him that hates it and in him that loves it And again Grace is the same in him that turns it into lasciviousness as in him that is taught by it The same seed as fell on the good ground fell on the high way
Baptism With water proved 176. 183 Of Infants vindicated 178 Sprinkling lawful 180 One Baptism consisting of two parts 178 182 Bible To be read and preached upon 20 See Scriptures C. Call To the Ministery how lawful 211 Inward to be tried by the outward fruits 214 The Churches call spiritual 215 Some may counterfeit an Immediate call 211 Some mediate calls good 213 214 Some bad ibid. Christ Exalted by the Scriptures and the Scriptures by Christ 43 44 Christ above his gifts 59 His Godhead asserted and cleared 54 How he leads out of the fall 86 How he was made sin or a sinner 132 As Mediator not in natural men 262 276 When and how in the soul 264 His condemning sin in the flesh beyond conscience-condemnation 266 A Savior according to Scripture 283 Commandment How the general includes particular persons 106 What is a command in the Spirit 109 Saints experiences about a command 110 What is a Gospel-command 111 Communion Of Saints on earth with Saints in heaven 146 Conviction By the Spirit beyond that of a natural conscience 266 Conscience If but natural and not renewed gives no saving testimony 269 Covenant Of works and of grace what 90 Of works in Adam 97 Differences of the Covenant of works and of grace 90 Covenant of grace one for the substance 91 Two for maner of administration 93 Old and new what 8 The reason of the change 94 E. Elders Their Ordination by man though not of man 207 F. Forms Of Religion 291 Of Speech 292 Fruits Of the Spirit 293 Of the flesh ibid. G. God How God is Light 68 His Essence not mixed with created Beings 236 Gospel Gospel-Light above natural reach 75 Grace Given by means 173 H. Hearing Of the word 173 Holy Ghost A person one of the Three in the Godhead See Spirit 49 c. 207 Honor Civil due to Superiors and to all men 231 ibid. Gestures of honor some bad and idolatrous 233 Some civil and but good maners ibid. The denial hereof what it argues 292 I. Imputation Gods imputation of righteousness his covering of our sin 130 A constant act of Gods free favor 131 The doctrine of it no pleading for sin 123 c. Justification The material cause not the new-birth 119 Not sanctification 132 Its difference from sanctification 126 God justifieth sinful persons believing 120 121 How justified by faith ibid. Defilements of sin remain in a pardoned soul 125 Peter in his falls not out of a state of justification 128 Perfect at first believing 135 L. Law How set up in stead of Gospel 12 Levitical Law way Typical Gospel 89 Law-Levitical no Covenant of works 95 Law-moral positions concerning it 97 How subservient to the Covenant of grace 98 How inservient to the Covenant of works ibid. Gods Law above the conscience 307 Letter What in a large or in a strict sense 4 5 The Spirits Letter is Gods written word 9 How denied 244 Light Of the Godhead in every man not redemption-light 52 Strange notions of the Light in every man 53 How light without Scripture is no light 64 The Light-giver not to be confounded with the light-given 59 84 Light in every man no Teacher of saving truths 60 Not Gospel-light 75 Not the light of Saints as such 61 261 Much less equal with Christs person 59 Not supernatural 61 Not above but beneath the Scripture-light 66 Not a part of the New-creature 77 Not the Corner-stone 80 Nor the first principle of Christian Religion 82 Leads not out of the fall 83 Obeyed gives no saving excuse or testimony in the conscience 269 Creature and Scripture-light compared 76 Not to be confounded 275 Mysterious absurdities 263 How the least degree of light is perfect 274 How counterfeit ibid. True conclusions about light 69 Lords Supper The visible outward part no carnal invention 185 Bread and wine the outward matter 186 The Institution spiritual 188 The benefit great 190 A strange trans-mutation by 192 James Nayler His reasons broken 193 Antidotes against the dissolution of the Lords Supper 200 M. Magistrates Their forbearance 308 Means of grace attended with a promise of blessing 174 N. Nakedness No Commission for going naked in these times 291 O. Oaths see Swearing Ordinances How owned or disowned 302 P. Perfection Of holiness but comparative 162 164 Not absolute in all degrees till death 143 144 How denied how not 141 158 161 This life a time onely of pressing after it 290 Person What it is 48 What a person in the Godhead is ibid. How distinguished 49 Prayer Publique not forbidden 201 Gods Spirit is there 204 Preaching By Doctrine Reason and Vse c. justified 72 293 How free and consistent with taking Wages 209 Printing When invented 21 The benefit of printed Bibles ibid. Promise Of grace and leading out of the fall none annexed to the good use of natural light 87 Yet the light of a promise helps to lead out of the fall 86 Prophets Some immediately inspired some mediately taught 217 They studied the Scriptures 218 Some distinguisht from men in office 217 Psalms Not sung without some kinde of meeter 205 Q. Quaking From visible manifestations of Gods majesty how and by whom imitable 287 See Trembling Questions Their fit place 223 Which are of the devil 224 R. Reconciliation Of the person perfect before the heart is perfectly sanctified and how 134 135 Regeneration By the Scripture-promise 132 257 Remorse What. 171 Repentance How decryed 171 Righteousness What our own 145 329 What the Quaking Papists mean by Christs righteousness 278 S. Sabbath A mercy as a duty 303 Saints Their light beneath Scripture-light for the degree 271 Their highest degree of light and grace not here attained 272 Experimentally imperfect 148 Scriptures The word of truth 1 To all 2 The word of God and truly so called 3 40 In what sence 25 The witness of God 4 The Letter of God and the Scripture of God all one Ib. A standing Rule 7 A more standing Rule then visions and revelations 13 15 37 38. Not mans word or other mens words 18 The Touch-stone of Doctrine 23 253 And Judge of controversies 258 Not carnal 24 The Spirits sword 26 Powerful 153 The ground of the Saints acting 26 31 And how 27 Interpretation by Scripture 37 A Voice a Light a Rule a Guide 43 44 Scripture-light above the light of nature 66 74 76 Its further preeminence 271 281 Scripture-light Salvation-light 73 Its fulness 284 It magnifies Christ above it self ibid A more excellent Teacher then the creatures 70 To be studied 218 220 Who deny them 244 Gods mouth is in the Letter 247 252 Sin Visible in and to the Saint 112 Groaned under all the life time by true Saints ibid in what respect 113 Sin and purity dwell in one soul not as one 118 Sin confessed is not pleaded for 125 It dwelleth and acteth in the Saints 138 It continueth in them they continue not in it 151 No heart perfectly pure form it 158 159 160