That is no member of his Body or true Church A. For this Body of Christ is capable onely of profitable Members by having some manifest gift of the Spirit to profit the Body withal for the manifestation of the Spirit for that purpose was given to every Member of that Body 1 Cor. 12. 7. c. Whence will follow No manifestation by some gift of the Spirit no Spirit of Christ and no Spirit of Christ no Member of Christs Body Page 87. B. The Spirit by extraordinary works formerly and by holy actuating the Church to the end is Christs great witness to the world N. Christs great witness to the world by his Spirit is by outward works not by inward workings in the hearts of his Saints A. For how can any unbeliever be convinced and brought to the Faith by the secret workings in another mans heart or spirit without some powerful manifestation thereof outwardly Page 96. B. All this you know is Scripture N. Although all this is Scripture yet little of all this is of Scripture and that which is is little to the purpose to prove that which is endeavoured by the Author Page 98. B. For the same spirit will not say and unsay N. How ill will this prove the generality of preaching now to be of the Spirit since the same is so full of Contradictions Page 99. B. The spirit of Illumination is the same and given onely by Scripture and for any spirit that shall contradict Scripture it can never be holy nor true nor faithful as contradicting Truth N. VVhen various and contradictious Expositions are made of Scripture how may we certainly know which is for and which is against the Truth and when or by whom were Miracles ever wrought to confirm Scripture or Doctrines taught now by our Ministers or whether all Scriptures Ministers and Doctrines now extant be or have been so confirmed since all do or may challenge it the one as well as the other Page 105. B. There is the Spirit of God within that doth second these Doctrines and take the received Species of them and impress them upon the Soul and doth this effectually and potently according to the mighty unresistible power of the Agent N. How then is unbelief any sin deserving damnation or belief any vertue if it be wrought by an inward unresistible power Page 106. B. You see the truth of Christian Religion by the Spirit of holiness besides that of Miracles formerly All Sects and sorts of Christians pretend to have this Spirit of holiness and may challenge the former Miracles to give evidence for the one as well as the other The Second PART Page 32. B. And to make the giving of the Holy Ghost to be that seal which should credit this report with their hearers N. VVhere is this seal to credit your Doctrine and Ministry if you had it it were more to purpose then a thousand such Books as this Page 34. B. No man can know that the Magna Charta the Petition of Right or any other Statute of this Land are indeed Genuine and Authentick N. Nor is any man bound upon Pain of Damnation so to know or believe it as he is the Gospel that hears it declared and attested by Signs and Gifts of the Holy Ghost wherefor the Comparison is frivolous Page 34. B. The most unlearned man is so far bound to believe the Statute of Felony to be authentick and in Force that he shall be justly hanged if he break it N. But no man can justly be hanged for not believing it onely nor can any man be justly blamed for not believing you more then another contradicting you Page 36. B. Miracles if common would lose their Convincing Force and be as none N. Miracles though common in the first Age lost not their Convincing Force Then Miracles though common in after Ages may not lose their Convincing Force But the first is true Besides in page 242 of the Third Part of this Book you tell us That it 's certain from current History and Church-Records that the Gift of casting out of Devils and making them confess themselves mastered by Christ did remain in the Church for long time after the Apostles even for three of four hundred yeers at least Page 45. B. God doth still effectually convince millions of men of the certainty of Christian Religion and that without renewed Miracles N. All several sorts of Christians have this Conviction respectively yet condemn one another for Hereticks Page 50. B. It was the Office of the Apostles and the Duty of all other that saw Christ's Miracles to bear witness of them N. It was the Office and Duty of such to stay until they were indued with power to do the like Miracles See Luk. 24. 49. Act. 1. 4 5 8. before their witness was to be received Page 50. B. Those that saw not those Miracles were bound to believe their witness N. Prove this if you can Page 55. B. Lillies Grammar may be mis-Printed or the Writings of Cicero Virgil or Ovid which were written before the Gospel and yet we are past all doubt that their Writings are not forged N. That which God bindes men to believe upon Pain of Damnation comes with more certainty then these or any other Writings or Words either especially they coming to them in an unknown Tongue A. As the Scriptures did from the Pen-men thereof unto nineteen parts of twenty men in the world Page 55. B. Must you not believe him that tells you the Truth and proves it to be so N. If one by his Scholarship proves it true and another in like manner prove it false which of the two is a man bound to believe or must he believe both Page 56 B. Object Christ saith If I had not done the works which no man else could do ye had no sin Answ But doth not say If ye had not seen them ye had no sin N. This Text is cited falsely and deceitfully for it affirmeth in effect that which is denied in the Answer A. For you wilfully have omited among them and that they did both see and hate both Christ and the Father which being cited and duly considered will quite overthrow that Doctrine which you seek here to up-hold by omiting it which is neither fair nor honest Page 58. B. All Historians are fallible and liable to Error N. How then can it be any sufficient ground of true and saving Faith A. Or how then can any History or words from men fallible and liable to Error without infallible Evidence be any sufficient Ground for Divine Faith since you tell us elsewhere That Divine Faith hath ever a Divine Testimony but no Testimony that is fallible and liable to Error can possibly be a Divine Testimony Page 59. B. Such are the Scriptures and it was necessary that the Language should be suited to the matter so to the capacity of the generality of the Readers N. How is this true when it is Barbarism to the generality
Jerusalem and he shall judge among the Nations and shall rebuke many people and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learn war any more Esa 2. 2 3. Mic. 4. 2 3. add to this Zech. 8. 23. And this great and general Apostacy is likewise plainly foretold in many other places of Scripture As that all the world shall wonder after the beast and worshipped the Dragon which gave power to the Beast and they worshipped the Beast and all that dwell on the earth shall worship him Revel 13. To which add that of St. Paul 2 Thes 2. 3. where he willeth the Thessalonians To let no man deceive them for that day shall not come except there came a falling away first and telleth Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. That the time will come when they will not indure sound Doctrine but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and be turned to Fables Where it is to be noted That he doth not say some of them or some of you as he did when he warned the Elders of Ephesus of the beginning of this Apostacy Act. 20. but they indefinitely will not indure sound Doctrine and they indefinitely shall turn away their ears from the truth and be turned to fables And the same Apostle foretels the restitution of the truth with life and power again for writing of the rejection and restoration of the Jews Rom. 11. 15. he thus expresseth himself If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world what shall their receiving be but life from the dead namely to the world which shall then be in darkness and in effect dead being destitute of the powerful and lively ordinances of the Gospel of Christ from which darkness and death the world shall then be delivered inlightned and revived Hence we may see that it was not for nought that our quondam Bishops continued among us the use of that common necessary prayer which begins thus Lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Lord c. And it were wel if the same were still continued that our present Rulers both civil ecclesiastical would themselves also joyn with us in the use thereof even as all our great need requireth I thought here to have raised an objection against the premises but I find one already made to my hands and that by this our Author himself in a sheet of his lately put out against the Quakers where with much confidence he thus objects viz. Object The Quakers are but of late years standing they rose from among the Papists Seekers Ranters and Anabaptists but a while agoe and if Christ had no Catholick Church before then and ever since his Ascension he ceased to be Christ in Office the head and Saviour of the Church for no Church no Saviour no body no head no School no teacher no Kingdome no King no wife no husband Answ There being a Triumphant Church in Heaven as they teach this may supply Christ with a Kingdome a Body a wife and Church to whom he may be King head husbâ—nd and Saviour when there may be no true Church amongst us mortals upon the face of the earth For the making good whereof they teach us That the Souls of the righteous ascend immediately into Heaven to God there to partake of present bliss and glory and that the Soul of the penitent thief went immediately into Paradise whither no doubt the Souls of many penitent theeves have gone since as sure as that theeves Soul went thither but now the greatest theeves crucifie hang rob and plunder men and are neither crucified nor hanged yet doe thinke upon that account to lodge their Souls there also when they die though they neither repent nor make restitution so much as Judas did wherein they will I fear at last finde themselves miserably cozened These Doctrines being both true and doubted by none but Hereticks then Christ hath a double supply of a Kingdome wife body and Church the one in the highest Heaven and the other in Paradise but and if these Doctrines should both fail of making good the proposition of a Triumphant Church in Heaven as it is feared by many they will in that they doe propose two different receptacles for the Souls of the righteous I shall mind them of one more better then both these namely The bodies of many of the Saints which slept arose and came out of their graves after Christ's resurrection went into the Holy City and appeared unto many These I conceive would much better make a Triumphant Church in Heaven then either or both of the other whereby Christ may be supplyed with a Kingdome body wife and Church and all the supposed absurdities in the objection prevented though Christ neither now hath nor never is like to have until the calling of the Jews any true Church upon the face of the earth And as to his parallels of School and Teacher King and Kingdome I say a head-School-master being lawfully established such in any place may afterward be so interrupted by reason either of war or some contagious sickness there raging as he may not have one Scholar left for him to teach doth this School-master therefore lose his right or so much as his title of being head-School-master especially he readily attending to perform that his office when ever his Scholars shall return again to be taught by him I think not And as to Christ's Kingdome I say if Christ at his Ascension was a King as is granted by the objection and then had no Kingdome he may also as well then be a head a husband and a Saviour without either body wife or Church upon earth but Christ was then a King yet had no Kingdome on earth because his Kingdome was then and is yet to come as may be thus proved Christ taught his Disciples to pray That his Kingdome might come a consequence whereof would be that Gods will would then be done in earth as it is in Heaven This prayer was by the Apostles left to following Christians and hath been ever since and yet is used in the world and the will of God not being yet done in earth as it is in Heaven shews plainly that Christ's Kingdome was not then nor is yet come The general conformity to the will of God both of Jewes and Gentiles and their subjection to Christ in the time of his Kingdome and reign is in many places of Scripture foretold as Psa 110. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power consonant to this Moses prophesied which is by Peter repeated Act. 3. 22. thus For Moses truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And that the
An Apologetical Narration Or a just and necessary VINDICATION OF CLEMENT WRITER AGAINST A Four-fold Charge laid on him BY RICHARD BAXTER And published by him in Print Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this To visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Afflictions and to keep himself unspotted from the World Jam. 1. 27. In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandments of men Mat. 15. 9. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you FOR I was an hungry and ye gave me Meat I was thirsty and ye gave me Drink I was a Stranger and ye took me in Naked and ye clothed me c. Mat. 25. 34 35 36. Woe be to you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men for ye neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in Mat. 23 13 14. The Second Edition with an Appendix by the same Author LONDON Printed for Daniel White and are to be sold at his Shop at the seven Stars on the North-side of St. Pauls To the Reader READER I Have here set before thee the whole business between Mr. Baxter and my self intreating thee to bear with such faults as happily thou mayst apprehend either in me or the Book and the rather let me move thee hereunto First Because I may requite thee with the like kindness when ever thou shalt be provoked in like manner to make thy Defence being openly set upon by such a potent Assailant as now I have been Secondly because it is more then probable that thou and I as well as all other men may be mistaken in apprehending of Errors when indeed and in truth the Error may be and many times is meerly in our own apprehension being much vitiated by Custom and Education Wherefore I advise thee once and again seriously and impartially to consider the whole matter over and over and then also not hastily to enter into the seat of Judgment because things of such high deep and weighty concernment need always due and exact weighing and that with sutable Balances wherein humane learning must neither have the pre-eminence nor bear any sway at all And especially in thy judging be very sollicitous and exceeding careful so to doe it as neither to wrong the Truth nor thy own conscience For if thou doest I assure thee whosoever thou art all the Honour and Advantage Profit and Preferment which thou shalt either retain or get thereby will proveâ—tly unreparable damage at last Pray with me therefore that the eyes of our understandings may be opened and anointed with Eye-salve that we may clearly see perfectly apprehend and certainly judge between both Persons and things that differ And in the mean time to exercise mutual Charity and forbearance one towards another at least until our Ignorances be much less and our Authority much more to judge one another in these matters Worcester this 25. of March 1658. Farewel Reader I am against my will provoked by Richard Baxter to make here my just Defence against some charge laid upon me by the name of Clem. Writer in a Pamphlet of his INTITULED A second Sheet for the Ministry wherein though he something mistakes my name yet I suppose I am the Person he ayms at THe first Charge is in p. 6. thus That Clem. Writer told him That no man is bound to believe that Christ did rise again or the rest of Christianity that seeth not Miracles himself to prove it Answ 1. I deny these words in manner form and sence to be ever spoken by me And 2. If any such words or of like import were spoken by me it was to this effect and meaning namely That no unconverted or unbelieving man is bound by God upon pain of damnation to believe and obey the Gospel without Divine evidence to attest unto him the truth thereof whereon undoubtedly to ground that his faith c. This long hath been yet is and must be my judgement until I am otherwise informed and I conceive there are sufficient grounds both from Scripture and Reason to confirm me therein But I leave it to Gods will not determining what Divine evidence he please to use for that purpose whether Signs Wonders diversities of Tongues Miracles casting out of Devils curing of the Lame healing of the Sick raising of the Dead for I finde that by these and other the like demonstrations of the powerful works and gifts of the Spirit he usually confirmed the Word every-where preach'd by his true Ministers for the conversion of men to the Faith of the Gospel insomuch as by the meer shadow of Peter and by the very handkerchiefs of Paul were special Miracles and many Cures wrought as may be seen in Mark 16. 20. Heb. 2. 4. Act. 2. Act. 5. 14 15 16. Act. 8. 6 7. 1 Cor 2. 4. Compared with Act. 19. 11 12 18 19 20. and many other places And as for Tongues these were for a sign not for them that believe but for them that believe not 1 Cor. 14. 22. And we likewise finde that the end of Christs sending of these powerful gifts of the Spirit to abide with his true Ministry and Church for ever Joh. 14. 16. was chiefly to convince the unbelieving world Joh. 16. 8. Thereby not onely to afford them successively in all Ages an infallible ground of Faith but also to bring them under guilt of much sin if they obeyed not the Gospel which otherwise would have been no sin at all in them Joh. 15. 24. And hence it was that the Apostles themselves were commanded to stay until they were endued with power from on high to enable them to do those mighty Works for the attestation of the truth of their Mission and Message for the conversion of men to the Faith of the Gospel Luk. 24. 49. Act. 1. 4 8. And it 's likewise worthy our Observation That neither the twelve nor yet the seventy were sent out at first until they had power given them over Devils and diseases c. whereby to enable them by Divine Evidence to attest the truth of that their Mission although they were then sent but to preach in the Land of Judea only Mat. 10. 5 6. Luk. 10. 1. c. And these being persons meerly of the same Language Kindred and Country might therefore have challenged to have been credited by the Jews upon their own bare testimony only without producing any Divine Evidence at all if any had been so to be credited Yet neither were they nor ought they nor Christ himself to be so credited in these matters as is most evident Joh. 10. 37. Joh. 5. 31 34 36. compared with Joh. 15. 24. And since that none of these were nor ought to be so credited how then dare any mortal man or men of what degree order sort or company soever now upon the face of the Earth assume or challenge to themselves any such Authority or Divine
for all have that also nor can it be the perswasions of the Spirit that he can pretend to have which the others may not pretend to have as well as he And I think it may be boldly asserted unpossible for such different perswasions to proceed from the spirit of God as to judge or condemn one another for Hereticks or Erroneous Persons either as these do Wherefore it is more safe and reasonable to deem that none of them all were nor are indued with the Spirit of God but such onely who could or can and also did or do manifest the same by some Divine Evidence and Demonstration as none being destitute thereof can possibly do The fourth Charge is in the eighth page being thus If the Church or Ministery saith R. B. had an end Christs Kingdom had an end and he Reigned not for ever Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you alwayes even to the end of the world To this express Promise Clem. Writer hath no wiser an answer but that it is conditional if they teach men to observe all things that Christ hath commanded them he will be with them else not To which R. B. replies and saies This is your forgery there is no such words but an absolute Promise Answ And doth the Promise indeed come in so independently as R. B. hath here set it forth Reader see with thine own eyes for thou and I too have look'd too much and too long with other mens see if it hath not a necessary Dependence and Relation to the next precedent words in the Text which thou shalt finde to run thus viz. Going therefore teach or disciple all or in all nations baptizing them c. teaching them i. e. the baptized Disciples to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world The genuine and true sence whereof I conceive to be this viz. That in their so doing and teaching alway Christ promiseth to be with them and their true Successors alway even to the end of the world But R. B. his sense seems to be thus much That Christ doth there promise absolutely to be with them and their successors alway even to the end of the world they teaching whatsoever false Doctrine or introducing never so many humane inventions into the Gospel-Worship yet that Christ's promise is absolute still to be with them alway even to the end of the World notwithstanding An Exposition highly gratifying the Pope and justifying his Divine Authority being Peters Successor No Papist can advantage him by an Exposition of this Text more or better then R. B. hath here done And whereas R. B. tells me This is your forgery there is no such words but an absolute promise Answ Can any man give his Sence of any Text or explain the meaning thereof but he must do it in some other and more words then are in the Text yea and doth not R. B. himself in the next words following tell us That the promise is absolute Christ being with them to support and help them in his Work Answ These words not being in the Text is his forgery also for how else is my taking but the same liberty forgery and his doing the same thing no forgery But perhaps his Commission is with a non obstante to pervert or falsyfie Scripture at his pleasure and yet have the absolute promise of Christ still to be with him to support and help him in that his Work How strangely hath he perverted the true meaning of this Text For 1. He cites the last words thereof as if they had been intire and absolute without dependence upon any precedent words 2. The word whatsoever he leaves out and also them which relates to the baptized disciples and instead thereof he foysteth in men as if the teaching last mentioned in the Text had relation to men in general and unconverted whereas it is confined onely to the baptized Disciples that they being converted and baptized should then be taught to observe all things whatsoever Christ had commanded those eleven Disciples and accordingly R. B. himself hath opened and given the sense of this very Text in his book of Infidelity Part 4. page 40. And nothing in Scripture is more evident then that Christ after his Resurrection commanded these eleven not to go out in the exercise of their Ministery and preaching of the Gospel for the converson of men to the faith until they were indued with power from on high telling them that they should be so indued when the Holy Ghost was come upon them Luk. 24. 49. Act. 1. 4 5 8. And as these were commanded by Christ so they accordingly stayed and waited until they received this power before they went forth Now if R. B. had been disciplized and baptized by any of these Eleven or by any true Ministery succeeding them he ought and undoubtedly should have been taught the very same Lesson viz. to stay until he had been indued with like power from on High as these Eleven did and who had run before they had been sent as R. B. hath done if they had not so stayed Multitudes are the Scriptures throughout his first and second sheet which he forceth against their genuine sence to do him Divine Service in up-holding the Ministery he pleads for In his first sheet page 4. he brings in for that purpose Christs speech in Luke 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Answ These words were spoken by Christ to the twelve Disciples Chap. 9. 1. and to the seventy Chap. 10. 1. VVhom he sent out to preach giving them power over all devils and diseases and to do other miraculous works to attest the truth of their Mission and Message as is to be seen Chap. 9. 1 2 6. and Chap. 10. 9 17 18 19. Charging them to take nothing for their journey neither staves shooes scrip bread purse nor money giving them also other special directions for their behaviour wheresoever they came Chap. 9. 3 c. Chap. 10. 3 c. Now although these words of Christ were truly applicable to these to whom they were spoken and to all others succeeding them unto whom God should himself in like manner bear witness by such mighty works yet are they not applicable to any others to whom God bears no such witness The Reason is because their preachings being evidently witnessed by God himself to be truth it was and might therefore be truly said of such He that believed not them made God a lyar And also to such He that heareth you heareth me c. Yet it is no more true nor appliable to the preachings of R. B. nor of any of the Ministers he pleads for coming without such Divine Evidence then it is to the Preachings of the Jesuites or of any other coming without such Divine Evidence to attest the truth of their Mission or
and principally to the Eleven Apostles and to their Successors in the Apostolical Office Whence will follow That if this promise be absolute as R. B. would have it then it will prove the Apostolical Office to continue alway even to the end of the world but this promise though it should be absolute yet it will neither prove the continuance of the Church nor of any inferior Officer any otherwise then by a Consequence and that from the continuance of the Apostolical Office which together with the prophetical and the rest of the powerful gifts of the Spirit R. B. grants is ceased long since and by consequence both Church and inferiour Ministry likewise for the inferiour Ministry was by gift as well as the superiour and the superiour as well as the inferiour and both were of equal continuance and for many reasons were both of them useful and necessary to continue with the true Church the one as well as the other and the superiour office most necessary of any Eph. 4. 8 11. 12. 13. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Wherefore it is the less to be marvelled at That R. B. being so learned and so wise yet makes no learneder nor wiser a Reply to Clem. Writers foolish or no wiser an Answer And now I hope a man may without any blasphemy or forgery either say to this great Clerk That he erreth not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God As for the Scripture see how grossly he hath wilfully or ignorantly perverted it And as for the power of God which always did accompany the true Ministry of the Gospel and Church for the Conviction and Conversion of unbelievers to the Faith this he denies rendring it now useless and unnecessary as if now there were no unbelievers in the world nor any Children born unbelievers to be converted and as if Christs sending of that his powerful gifts of the Spirit to accompany and abide with his true Ministry and Church for that purpose for ever had been for the most part useless and unnecessary John 14. 16. John 16. 7 8 9. whereby he casts a foul aspersion on the Wisdom of Christ himself in his doing that by much which he might have done by little a sault seldome or never committed by a wise man But the task here undertaken by me was onely to make some necessary defence for my self against his open assault made upon me by his fourfold Charge which having done I shall not follow him in the rest of his fallacious Arguments to discover the vanity and falshood of them but shall leave that to be done by some abler pen who can throughly anatomize and lay the faults of them open particularly and in their Colours which I am as unable to do as that plain and unlearned man was who assembled at the first Nicene Councel of whom Socrates Lib 1. Chap. 5. relates this Story viz. Before the Bishops met together in one place the Logicians busied themselves propounding against divers others certain Preambles of Disputation and when divers were thus drawn to Disputation and allured as it were by bayts a Lay-man one of the number of Confessors of a simple and sincere mind set himself against the Logicians and told them this in plain words That neither Christ neither his Apostles had delivered unto us the Art of Logick neither vain fallacies but an open and plain minde to be preserved of us with faith and good works The which when he had spoken all that were present had him in admiration and held with his sentence then the Logicians after they had heard the pure words of plain truth quieted and setled themselves aright so that at length by that means the stir raised by reason of Logick was wholly suppressed From which we may observe how great the bashfulness of humane learning was in former times as so to be repulsed from medling or intermixing it self in matters of Divinity by the check of one plain man and how impudent it is now become even to bear all the sway therein getting admission no doubt at first under the colour of being but a Servant or Hand-maid to Divinity but now this Hand-maid maid hath gotten into the Chair and Room of her Mistris the gifts of the Spirit and justled her quite out both of Doors and esteem These being now deemed both useless and unnecessary matters and Humane Learning having now gotten the sole possession of all the Glory Honour and Praise due onely to her Mistris for do not some make great boast What a g Whereas the more learned they are in humane Arts and Sciences the more able they are to delude by transforming the grossest Errors into the similitudes of the purest Truths learned Clergie is now amongst us that the whole world hath not the like Yea and how doth my Assaylant R. B. glory and boast therein and that so transcendently in his Book of Infidelity part 1. pag. 37 38. as there to express himself thus viz Let the wisdome of God be observed both in the stream of Doctrine and in the effect of the Holy-Ghost in illuminating the Church so that you may look over all the rest of the world at this day and easily see that they are all but Barbarians even in humane and common knowledge in comparison of the Christians especially in the things of God they are utterly blind He further goes on Indeed Christ did at Rome and Athens cause a Star of humane learning to arise but it was only for a time and that at that season a little before his own coming in the flesh of purpose h Note how he all along denies the powerful gifts of the Spirit to be now useful or necessary yet see how useful and necessary he here makes humane learning as to be even a Star caused by Christ to arise of purpose to direct men to the Son of righteousness and to be an Usher to prepare the way for the Gospel and after all that he makes it a gift of the Spirit and continued in the Church by Christ as if Christs being exalted at the right hand of the Father and by his receiving of him the promise of the Holy-Ghost and his shedding it forth on his Disciples Act. 2. 33. was meant humane Learning Is not be with the cloven foot filled with this gift of the Spirit as much as R. B. or the most learned in Europe to direct men to the Son of righteousness and to be an Usher to prepare the way for the Gospel and when the Gospel was come he hath now delivered even all the learning in the world that is worth the speaking of unto his Church and continued even these common gifts of the Spirit therein If this be the best Divinity he can afford us I shall send him to a Cobler Samuel How by name to learn better out of a Book extant entituled The sufficiency of the Spirits teaching being a Sermon of his upon a Text given him by Mr. John Goodwin and
of men being in an unknown Tongue to them A. Especially as it came from the first Pen-men thereof Page 81. B. As these Testimonies were left by him to wit Christ on certain Record N. Upon what Record was it so left by Christ Page 149. B. Would you have him bring you another Gospel when Paul would hold an Angel from heaven accursed if he should so do Gal. 1. 7 8 9. N. The sence of this Text is perverted being applied to the Scripture A. For the Text runs thus Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that that we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed So that it is evident that Paul here had reference onely to the preaching of the Gospel to the Galatians whereby they were converted to the Faith which preaching was confirmed to them by miracles and by ministring to them the Spirit after their believing as may be seen Chap. 3. 5. Insomuch that this Text being rightly understood and duly considered quite overthrows that Doctrine which this Author would maintain and here prove by it Page 150. B. This is the Word which is able to make men wise to salvation N. Through Faith in Christ Jesus A. And through that alone the Gentiles were also made wise to salvation who knew not the Scripture Page 150. B. By this word it is that those must be washed and cleansed and sanctified whom Christ will present pure and spotless to his Father at last Ephes 5. 26. N. The Word preached by the true Ministry witnessed by God and not the Scripture is here meant Page 167. B. That many Heathens excel in this Learning to wit Humane Learning and it was Gods Truth which they received by the study of the Creatures though they detained it in Unrighteousness yea so much excellency was in it that the abuse of it will leave them without excuse though they never had the Scriptures nor heard of Christ for that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God shewed it unto them For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the world are cleerly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse Rom. 1. 19 20. N. If I am not much mistaken the sence of this Text is here much mistaken A. For these Heathen came not to the understanding of the Eternal Power Godhead by Humane Learning nor by the Study of the Creatures but by Gods manifesting it to them in the preaching of the Gospel which was invisible or hid from or ever since the Creation of the World being the mystery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God Eph. 3. 8 9. and hid from Ages and generations but then made manifest Coloss 1. 25 26. This mysterious hidden or invisible power and Godhead or Divine Essence did God shew to them and was clearly seen by them and that by the preaching of the Gospel and by the mighty and powerful works done or wrought among them for the Confirmation thereof Made is very unaptly put into our Translation instead whereof done or wrought would more fitly set forth the sence of the Apostle in that place And then when these Heathen after so clear a discovery and manifestation to them of the only true and powerful God by the Gospel fell back againe to their former Idolatry this was it which aggravated both their sin and punishment to so great a height but if the same discovery had been made to them by humane Learning or the study of the Creatures then they had been guilty of the same sin and so would have been made liable to the same punishment ever since the Creation and their attaining humane Learning because they formerly committed the same Idolatry but yet were not at all guilty of the same degree of sin nor liable thereby to the same punishment for in respect of the times before the coming of Christ and the Gospel God winked at as times of their Ignorance Act. 17. 30. which could not be if that the eternal Power and God-head had been so clearly manifested to them as in the Text is set forth by the Creation or the study of the Creatures by humane Learning Nor was it the Apostles drift or business to tell the Romans there what means of knowledge the world had 4000 years before nor was it to set forth or declare the vertue or excellency of humane Learning nor of the knowledge attainable by it or by the Creation but to set forth the great and mighty power of God which had been hid from Ages and Generations since the world began but was then made manifest by the power which accompanied the Gospel beginning at the 16 verse thus 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek This he proves and sets forth by its effects in divers instances in the four next following verses thus For there-in or by it 17. Is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written The just shall live by faith 18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the Truth in unrighteousness 19. That which might be known of God is manifest to them for God hath shewed it unto them 20. The invisible or hid things of him from or ever since the Creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made done or wrought even his eternal Power and God-head This may plainly be seen to be the drift and sence of the Apostle in that place and to this sence the Scripture accords elsewere Heb. 2. 3 4. Heb. 6. 4 5 6 7 8. but to the other sence no where And therefore seeing that humane Learning is so pur-blind as not in one thousand six hundred years to finde out the true scope and genuine sence of Scripture which lies so obvious and plain as here and in divers other places it doth where the true sence is hitherto mistaken and not to this day attained unto by humane Learning How then can it reasonablybe thought possible that Christ did ever advance humane Learning to so great and honourable an employment as to cause a Star thereof to arise of purpose to direct men to the Sun of Righteousness or to be an Usher to prepare the way for the Gospel or that he hath now delivered it up unto his Church to be continued therein or esteemed a gift of his Spirit as our Author R. B. in his book of Infidelity part 1. page 37 38. most presumptuously hath asserted Cujus contrarium verum est Page 174. B. Are not our Divines themselves
Christ evince to the world the truth of his Doctrine we shall find it was by this of Miracles and undoubtedly Christ knew the best Argument to prove the divine Authority of his Doctrine And that which was the best then is the best still See Saints Rest page 236. A. Yea and do not all the Ministers of the Gospel as they call themselves I may say of all the various Gospels now on foot in the world contest against one another onely by words and Sophisms c. without using any of the fore-mentioned weapons used by Christ as well and as much as any of the learned Philosophers and Artificial men here specified by you Page 247. B. Christ obtained victory over Satan and his best armed Souldiers both Jews Idolaters Conjurers Sorcerers Hereticks with their Witchcrafts and jugling Delusions the great learned Philosophers of all Sects with Orators and Poets and the rest of their learned men N. Are not all these sorts of Enemies to the Truth yet remaining A. Yea and hath not Christendom since given entertainment even to such as are the most notorious Deluders of them all and admitted them into highest place Rule and Authority in the Church witness our Author who informs us That the Supremest Officers even Popes themselves have been Hereticks Whoremongers Sodomites Symonists Murtherers See the lives of Silvester 2. Alexander 3 and 6. John 11 22 and 23. Gregory 7. Vrban 7. and abundance more John 13. was proved in Council to have ravished Maids and VVives at the Apostolick doors murthered many drunk to the Devil asked help at Dice of Jupiter and Venus c. in his second sheet page 13. And can it be imagined but that such heads had suitable bodies and members If any Reformation since be urged Answer not in Rome nor in the Reformed Protestant Churches witness Mr Whites Centuries being all Protestant Ministers and that of the reformed Churches and witness yet their continual supplying their Churches with teaching Ministers generally out of their Magazine of Artists and Sophisters even to this day Yea and doth not our Author being one of the most eminent Ministers of one of the most eminent reformed Churches so highly magnifie and advance humane Learning that he accounts it a gift of the Spirit delivered by Christ himself to the Church and therein to continue as before is noted out of his book of Infidelity part 1. page 38 Nor is any of all this more then what we finde foretold vizt That Antichrist should sit in the Temple of God and be there worshipped as God I shall not say that humane Learning is a special Limb of that Beast but I will say that Antichrist shall never attain to that his Advancement but by the special assistance and means of humane Learning nor shall I say that this worshipping of humane Learning as a Gift of the Spirit is a part of the fulfilling of that Prediction but this I must and dare say That the Scripture informs us How that the Apostle Paul by the spirit of Prophesie declared to the Church That after his departure grievous Wolves should enter in among them not sparing the Flock and that of their own selves should men arise speaking perverse things drawing Disciples after them and that in the latter times there should be a departing from the Faith and a giving heed to seducing spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking lies in hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with a hot Iron And that Christians should turn away their Ears from the Truth and having itching Ears should be turned unto Fables and should heap to themselves Teachers for the purpose Act. 30. 29 30. 1 Tim. 4. 1 2. 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. which also is confirm'd by Peter telling Christians that there should be false Teachers among them who should bring in damnable Heresies denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. Now tell me is not here work cut out sufficiently meet for the most notorious exquisite of this learned artificial Rabble aforementioned yea even for the very worst of them as Witches Sorcerers and Conjurers c. for who 's more meet to teach Doctrines of Devils damnable Heresies c. then Such unless it be the Devil himself The Fourth PART Page 40. B. His teaching is joyntly by his Word Ministers and Spirit N. VVhere or who are they Page 40. B. Mat. 28. 19 20 21. where he bids them first disciple the Nations which contains the convincing of them of age of the Fundamentals and procuring their consent and then baptize them that they may be solemnly engag'd N. That is whom they convincingly did disciple those onely they ought to baptize A good and honest confession for the Anabaptists Page 40. B. Now there are two gross Errors which Professors do oft run into to their perdition the one is when they do not first lay the Fundamentals as Certainties but hold them loosly N. Can any make Fundamentals of Uncertainties Page 41. B. If they read the Scriptures c. and when they are at a loss they do not go to their Teachers N. How ill is it that the Bible had not been kept in an unknown Tongue and not made so common Page 42. B But they go as confident censurers and as Boys that will go to School to dispute with their Master N. And who many times are these Masters even very Boys coming from the University Page 42. B. They receive not the truth in the love of it that they may be saved God oft gives them up to believe a Lye and reject that truth which would have saved them if they had received it N. This is only of such as reject such a Ministry which is absent from among us Page 45. B. I have shewed you already how fully he hath sealed his Testament N. At his last Supper he said This is the blood of the New Testament which was before any of that which we call the new Testament was written Page 46. B. If it had no divine attestation or evidence that it is of God then you might reject it without sin or danger N. Here it 's confest whatsoever Doctrine is brought by any for divine without divine attestation may be rejected without sin Pa. 56. B. But when God hath put his seal to it and proved it to be his own if after this you will be questioning it c. N. This need better proof if the Scripture be here meant A. Or your or any other mans Doctrine drawn from Scripture Page 46. B. Think not the proved sealed Word of God is ever the more to be suspected because the matter in it doth seem strange and unlikely to your reason N. No rational man is guilty of this by his so thinking A. But he must upon some sufficient ground know it to be the sealed and proved word of God else he cannot in reason but doubt it to be such About the middle of his Preface B. The Holy Ghost by special inspiration was the
author of these Scriptures and by extraordinary endowments was the Author of those Miracles which were wrought for its Confirmation N. When or by whom was this done or any Miracles wrought for the Scriptures confirmation A. The Scripture reports the Miracles can the Miracles reported by Scripture confirm that report The Scripture rather confirms the Miracles it reports if any confirmation at all be between these two I shall here for a Conclusion onely note one passage more of his and that is in his Saints Rest part 4. page 149. being as followeth God doth not regenerate thy soul that it may be able to know him and not know him or that it may be able to believe and yet not believe c. By which is implyed That none but regenerate persons are able to believe and that regeneration is wrought onely by God Whence I may quere of him 1. How then comes unbelief to be any sin in the Unregenerate 2. Or is it a sin in the Regenerate onely and if so then regenerate Persons onely must be damned for not believing it being inconsistent with the Goodness Mercy and Justice of God especially by his Gospel of Grace to require impossibilities of men and that upon pain of Damnation FINIS An EPISTLE to Mr. BAXTER Collected for the most part out of his Prologue to Mr. KENDAL Sir BE pleased to minde what Solomon adviseth Not to strive with a man without cause if he hath done thee no harm Prov. 3. 30. and Not to go forth hastily to strive lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof when thy nâ—ighbouâ— hath put thee to shame Pr. 25. 8 It seemeth a stâ—ange thing to me that you could finde no Man among all your learned Opponents to contest withal but that you must make to your self an Adversary of one so unlearned as my self unless it be because you are likely with such a one to have the easiest conflict but then you should have remembred that the victory will be as small I pretend not to such a piercing Knowledge or Acquaintance with the invisible Regions of humane Arts and Sciences as infallibly to determine of what Province or Degree that Spirit in you was that raised this Contention or to know exactly the Name or Sir-name of that fury that animated these your practises or lines against me Have you already levelled all those high Mountains that lay in your way and fel'd to the ground all those Cedars with whom you formerly contended that you seek now to stock up all Shrubs likewise that bear not your Impress and Mark upon them Doubtless this proceeds rather from your Presumption and Pride then from any just Authority you have either from God or Man but seeing you are pleased to chuse me for your Adversary I must desire you to bear with me if I have spoken something less pleasingly and to use what patience you have yet left as knowing you have drawn this trouble upon your self by your causeless Provocations and Assaults made upon me which I hope will excuse me in the eyes of all impartial and ingenuous Men. I confess my self destitute of School-Learning and humane Arts and Sciences so much applauded in the world herein I freely give you the day to weare those Titles and Robes of Honour appurtenant thereunto contenting my self to have right to that far better Title of being an honest Man which in respect of your self you have much hazarded the loss of by your dis-ingenuous carriage towards me I contend not to have the Reputation of learning or being a rare and excellent Scholar but freely allow you the due praise thereof scarcely thinking it worthy my labour till I have higher thoughts of the Prize mens applause being but an airy nourishment meerly feeding vainglory in men empty of all true worth Onely I must crave this of the Reader that my confess'd weakness be no prejudice to the Truth here vindicated by me and that he will not judge of the cause by the person nor take the name or person nor yet the rarity of the thing for a fault which is the thing that the ancient Christians did much deprecate of the Pagans and therefore I hope every ingenuous and impartial man will grant it me in the present case And I must also desire that the want of Eloquence Rhetorick or smooth and pleasing Words may not be judged the want of truth Enim vero dissoluti est pectoris in rebus seriis quaerere voluptatem c. inquit Arnobius Li. 1 adv Gent. p. 49. viz. It is the condition of a dissolute heart to seek pleasures in serious matters and when thou hast to do with those that are ill at ease and sick to fill their ears with pleasing sounds and not apply medicine to their wounds I confess I deeply compassionate the generality of Professors to think how unpossible it is for them to discern the truth among the multitudes of smooth Words plausible Arguments fallacious School-distinctions and reasonings of the learned Contenders on each side usually they think each Mans Tale good till they hear the other and then they think it bad and at last when they see what fair glosses a learned Sophister can put upon the worst cause they are justly occasioned to believe or regard little or nothing they say The Reader that I expect should profit by this discourse must neither be the careless vulgar utterly unlearned nor any so learned as your self for the former are scarcely capable of it and the learned think themselves beyond it and will hardly learn any thing from any man that is less learned then themselves it is the middle sort and plain-hearted people who are sincere Lovers of truth whose instruction I intend who are neither quite above nor below information nor so ingaged to any party or Opinion but that their minds lye open to the evidence of Truth by what hand soever it be made known to them And although I come extreamly short of you in humane Arts and Philosophical Notions yet let not the Reader thence conclude That you are therefore right in your Divinity or more right then another man that comes short of you in humane Learning for if he doth let him be assured to be miserably deceived in the end And I could wish that you had so mean thoughts of your Philosophy and other your humane Arts as that you would not build your Divinity so much upon it as you do nor think much the better either of your Writings or your self for doubtless when the Canon of a Councel forbad the reading of Heathen or humane Authors this kind of Learning was not so highly valued as now it is which may likewise evidently appear by Socrates L. 1. C. 5. cited P. 33. of the foregoing Treatise Farewel C. W. Lond Aug. 10. 1658. An Appendix and Supplement to the foregoing Discourse by the same Author IF it were lawful further to dive into this mysterious fraud we should finde That the
Gospel preacht by this Author R. B. and the Gospel preacht by St. Paul to be different and not the same First because the Gospel preacht by St. Paul was accompanied with infallible Divine evidence to attest the truth thereof for the conversion of men and whereon infallibly to ground their faith and obedience thereunto without which he neither would nor could binde any to beleeve and obey it but the Gospel preacht by this Author hath no such evidence yet he will dare to say That all at least those that hear it are bound to beleeve and obey it Secondly Because illiterate men are uncapable of the Gospel preacht by this Author without their taking many things implicitely upon trust and upon the word of their Teachers as he himself tells us in page 238 239. of his Saints Rest where he thus expresseth himself viz. Something must be taken upon trust from man whether we will or no yet no uncertainty in our faith neither For First saith he The meer illiterate man must take it upon trust that the Book is a Bible which he hears read for else he knows not but it may be some other Book Secondly That these words are in it which the Reader pronounceth Thirdly That it is translated truly out of the Original Languages Fourthly That the Greek and Hebrew Copies out of which it was translated are true authentick Copies Fifthly That it was Originally written in these Languages These with many more as he there tells us the vulgar must take upon the word of their Teachers Behold here what use and benefit this Author makes of his having now the full use and benefit of the Holy Ghost which was formerly given and then sealed the Christian Doctrines and Scriptures and stands there still as he tells us if we could beleeve him in his Book of Infidelity Part â— pag 32. And must we needs therefore take these and all other his Doctrines which he hath raised or may raise either from Scripture or out of his own fancy for true and undoubted Christian Doctrines formerly sealed by the Holy Ghost upon the account of his bare saying That he hath now the full use and benefit of the Holy Ghost formerly given c. Sir If this be your meaning then speak it plainly out and for shame doe not impose upon the world such Gâ—olleries as these meerly by implication But the Gospel preacht by St. Paul and other the true Ministers of Jesus Christ needed none of all this it being preacht to all people in their own Languages and to the understanding of the meanest and this was all the Originals Copies and Translations that they were troubled withall or needed to bring them to the faith of the Gospel they not being necessitated to take the least tittle thereof impliâ—itely upon trust or upon the word or credit of their Teachers For When Philip went down to the City of Samaria and preached Christ unto them the vulgar people as illiterate as they were with one accord gave heed to the things which Philip spake hearing and seeing the Miracles which he did and without more ado they beleeved and were baptised both men and women Act. 8 12. All which was done before any of these beleevers had received the Spirit for after this were sent from Jerusalem Peter and John who administred the Spirit to them by laying their hands on them ver 17. Even as Peter declared their ordinary method of administring of the Spirit to be after faith and baptism Act. 2. 38 39. by his bidding the Jews to repent and be baptized every one of them and that they i. e. every one of them should then receive the gift of the Spirit because the promise to wit of the Spirit was to them and their children and to all that should afterward be converted or called to the faith of the Gospel as well all afar off as those that were neer And therefore it was that Paul demanded of the Disciples at Ephesus If they had received the Holy Spirit since they beleeved and they answering That they knew not whether there were any Holy Spirit or not He presently asked them Vnto what then were they baptized He well knowing that the gifts of the Spirit was necessary to be administred to all and to every one after their beleeving and being baptised and therefore by laying his hand on them he administred the gifts of the Spirit to them for thereby the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied Act. the 19. 1 2 3 6. compared with Ephes 1. 13. This also is contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel now preached by this our Author and others So then it is most evident that to the true Ministery of the Gospel appertained these three special administrations as essentially necessary thereunto 1. The administration of the Word infallibly and evidently attested for the conversion of men to the beleef and obedience thereof 2. The administration of Johns baptism by water for the remission of sins 3. The administration of Christ's baptism with the Spirit by the laying on of hands whereby the gifts of the Spirit were conveyed on the baptised beleevers Moreover St. Paul tells the Corinthians That his preachâ—ng to them was not for them to take any thing from him implicitely upon trust or upon any perswasive words of his or of mans wisdome but upon the demonstration of the Spirit and power which he produced before them to attest the tâ—uth and Divine Authority of his Doctrine that so their faith should not stand upon the word credit or wisdome of men but upon the power of God 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. for if they should have taken it implicitely upon the word and credit of Paul so great an Apostle as â—e was without the aforesaid Divine infallible evidence This had not been to beleeve God but to have resolved their faith into some humane testimony even to have laid their foundation upon the sand where all would have fallen at the next assault as this Author himself hath told us in his Saints Rest pag. 20â— 3. The Gospel preach'd by St. Paul was joyful news to every creature under Heaven Col. 1. 23. But the Gospel preach'd by this Author is far short of that being sad news to most men especially to such as beleeve not his Doctrines when they often interfere thwart one another as in part is here already shewed yea and some things published by him in print hath he already in print * Next to the 160. pag. of his Saints Rest part 1. He thus writes viz Reader understand that since I wrote this I begin to doubt of the soundness of what is expressed in the four next foregoing pages which I am not ashamed to acknowledge but ashamed that I published it so rashly revoked and so may he doe as there is just cause many more before he die yea it is hoped that he will ere long publickly own this truth which he now
disagreed about the Definitions of Faith Repentance and almost all Graces N. This proves them no true Divines The Third PART Page 9. B. If we can evince this That Christs great works and his Disciples were done by the Holy Ghost and not by evil spirits then I think we shew the credibility and certainty of Christian Religion N. I conceive the doubt lies not in this A. For it being granted That those works were done by the Power of the Holy Ghost yet the doubt still remains in full force namely How your Doctrines are any more confirmed by Christs or the Apostles works then the Jesuites or Dr. Kendals Mr. Crandons or Mr. Tombes his Doctrines by all whom most of your Doctrines are contradicted or then his Doctrines who may contradict both yours and theirs also Page 55. B. And what I speak of sight I say also of just report he that will not believe c. N. But by what warrant do you equalize these since Christ hath put so vast a difference between them John 15. 24. John 10. 37. Page 59. B. What evidence can be mentioned de facto of a divine attestation that ever God gave to mankind in any case that is higher clearer and more convincing then those works by which he hath sealed the Scriptures N. This is most true being applied as it ought to the preaching of Christ and his true Ministers whose preaching they did seal and attest but not the Scriptures nor any mans preaching from them is sealed by those mighty works formerly (k) This and divers other reasons are here urged which are not so much as hiâ—â—ed by the Author of Fides Divina done for a thing sealed precedes the sealing thereof Page 62. B. The inward work of the Spirit is either of common gifts as Learning or the like succeeding our industry or extraordinary as Miracles Tongues Prophesie c. N. Is it learning which makes Learning attained by Industry a Gift of the Spirit or is it not at least in consideration and if this may be justified by a distinction of Common and special or extraordinary then every natural gift and Science or Trade may as well be accounted a gift of the Spirit and given forth upon Christs Ascention A. Wherefore as the Art of making Hats Gloves Shooes Kettles or Pots and other the like Crafts acquired by Industry be not any of the gifts of the Spirit shed forth by Christ upon his Disciples mentioned Act. 2. so the Craft of humane Arts and Sciences acquired by Industry is no gift of the Spirit given forth by Christ for whatsoever is attained by Acquisition is not by gift and so on the contrary Page 67. B. Such works were done when in all Churches many of them were so common c. N. Were these common why then do you elsewhere term them extraordinary And why might not we expect them to be as common now as then if we had true Ministers and Churches now as then Mar. 16. 17. Page 69. B. There being but one Regeneration but one Baptism to signifie and seal it N. Where in Scripture is Baptism termed a seal of Regeneration A. Or of any other thing Page 71. B. If I had not done the works which no man else could do c. N. Among them is here and elsewhere omitted A. Which is no fair play nor just dealing Page 73. B. In case they hear onely of Christs Person Sufferings and Doctrines c. N. This hearing of Christs Person c. need to be attested likewise to bind men to believe else men may wave it without sin unless the Servant be greater and of more Authority then Christ their Master John 10. 37. Page 74. B. It is a not believing when they have fullest evidence to force belief N. The fullest evidence was to them in whose sight and presence the mighty works were done but not to such who onely hear of them by the report of another or by tradition or the like Page 75. B. The Spirit of Christ especially in his extraordinary works is the convincing attesting seal to draw men to believe and there is but one such Spirit and Seal N. Then where this one is wanting convincing is wanting John 16. 7 8 9. Whence I quere Whether the ground of this sin against the Holy Ghost be not also wanting since it is granted That there is but one such Spirit and Seal and this one being wanting A. You your selves confess That those convincing gifts poured out upon the Apostles are ceased against which the sin against the Holy Ghost might be committed and you never yet produced any thing in its stead armed with like Power and Authority for Convincement whereby to bring men under sin much less under the sin against the Holy Ghost for not believing any of you all Page 76. B. It is now the duty of all men to believe and repent N. Mens duty is in their power else not their duty required by the Gospel unless you can make it good news to any man to be required either to carry Pauls Church on his back or else be hanged Page 133. B. They to wit the Mahometans will not suffer it to be disputed nor reasoned of but absolutely to be believed without asking any evidence for its truth N. This is a fault among many who call themselves Christians as well and as much as mong Mahometans A. Yea and most of all among such as call themselves Ministers of the Gospel Page 191. B. The first Declaration of this undertaking to wit of Christs conquest over the Serpent c. was to the Serpent himself Gen. 3. 15 but doubtless in the ears of man to his comfort N. This is more then you find made known in Scripture Page 191. B. Here is meant the Devil himself the tempting Serpent N. So also is this and many other things affirmed by you A. Besides the Scripture tells us The tempting Serpent was a Beast of the field Gen. 3. 1. but so is not the Devil Page 195. B. Whether the Angels were ministring Spiritâ— to Adam in Innocency is more then I finde made known in Scripture and therefore I think it unsafe and imprudent to conclude either that they were or they were not N. This Moderation had been well used in many other places instead of your peremptory Assertions in things as doubtful A. Yea and more improbable by much Page 219. B. He to wit Christ telleth us That it was he to wit the Devil that deceived Eve 2 Cor. 11. 3. N. How doth this appear or Where doth Christ tell us so A. Not in the Text cited by you for that tells us It was the Serpent that beguiled Eve Page 245. B. Christ hath appointed the first day of every week for this end N. Where is this to be found Page 244. B. Christ used other kind of weapons then theirs they pleaded by words and he with mighty works they used Sophisms c. N. If we consider by what argument did