of this World but subject to every ordinance of man for Conscience sake Secondly In that in the hottest times of persecution and the most violent prosecution of those Laws made against Meetings being cloathed with Innocency they have boldly stood to their testimony for God without creeping into holes or corners or once hiding themselves as all other Dissenters have done but daily met according to their custom in the publick places appointed for that end so that none of thy Officers can say of them that they have surprized them in a corner overtaken them in a private Conventicle or catched them lurking in their secret chambers nor needed they to send out spies to get them whom they were sure daily to find in their open assemblys testifying for God and his Truth By which those that have an eye to see may observe their Christian patience and courage constancy and suffering joyned in one more than in any other People that differ from them or oppose them And yet in the midst of those troubles thou canst bear witness that as on the one part they never sought to detract from thee or to render thee and thy Government odious to the people by nameless and scandalous Pamphlets and Libels so on the other hand they have not spared to admonish exhort and reprove thee and have faithfully discharged their Consciences towards thee without flattering words as ever the true Prophets in antient times used to do to those Kings and Princes under whose Power Violence or Oppression was acted And albeit it be evident by experience to be most agreeable both to Divine Truth and Humane Policy to allow every one to serve God according to their Consciences nevertheless those other Sects who for the most part durst not peep out in the times of Persecution while these innocent People stood bold and faithful do now combine in a joynt Confederacy notwithstanding all the former Janglings and Contentions among themselves to render us odious seeking unjustly to wrest our Doctrine and Words as if they were inconsistent both with Christianity and civil Society so that to effectuat this their work of Malice against us they have not been ashamed to take the help and commend the Labours of some invidious Socinians against us So do Herod and Pontius Pilate agree to Crucifie Christ. But our practice known to thee by good experience to be more consistent with Christianity and civil Society and the peace and welfare of this Island than that of those that thus accuse us doth sufficiently guard us against this Calumny that we may indeed appeal to the testimony of thy Conscience as a witness for us in the face of the Nations These things moved me to present the world with a brief but true account of this Peoples Principles in some short Theological Propositions which according to the will of God proving successful beyond my expectation to the satisfaction of several and to the moving in many a desire of being farther informed concerning us as being every where evil spoken of and likewise meeting with publick opposition by some as such will alwayes do so long as the Devil rules in the children of disobedience I was thereby further engaged in the liberty of the Lord to present to the world this Apology of the Truth held by those People which because of thy interest in them and theirs in thee as having first appeared and mostly increased in these Nations under thy rule I make bold to present unto thee Thou know'st and hast experienced their faithfulness towards their God their patience in suffering their peaceableness towards the King their honesty plainness and integrity in their faithful warnings and testimonies to thee and if thou wilt allow thy self so much time as to read this thou may'st find how consonant their Principles are both to Scripture Truth and right Reason The simplicity of their behaviour the generality of their condition as being poor men and illiterate the manner of their procedure being without the wisdom and policy of this World hath made many conclude them fools and mad men and neglect them as not being capable of Reason But tho it be to them as their Crown thus to be esteemed of the wise and great and learned of this world and though they rejoyce to be accounted fools for Christs sake yet of late some even such who in the worlds account are esteemed both wise and learned begin to judge otherwise of them and find that they hold forth things very agreeable both to Scripture Reason and true Learning As it is inconsistent with the Truth I bear so it is far from me to use this Epistle as an Engine to flatter thee the usual design of such works and therefore I can neither dedicate it to thee nor crave thy Patronage as if thereby I might have more confidenne to present it to the World or be more hopeful of its success To God alone I owe what I have and that more immediately in matters Spiritual and therefore to him alone and to the Service of his Truth I dedicate whatever work he brings forth in me to whom only the praise and honour appertains whose Truth needs not the Patronage of worldly Princes his Arm and Power being that alone by which it is propagated established and confirmed But I found it upon my Spirit to take occasion to present this Book unto thee that as thou hast been often warned by several of that People who are inhabitants of England so thou may'st not want a seasonable Advertisement from a Memher of thy antient Kingdom of Scotland and that thou may'st know which I hope thou shalt have no reason to be troubled at that God is raising up and increasing that People in that Nation And the Nations shall also hereby know that the Truth we profess is not a work of Darkness nor propagated by stealth and that we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because we know it to be the Power of God unto Salvation and that we are no wayes so inconsistent with Government nor such disturbers of the Peace as our Enemies by traducing us have sought to make the world believe we are for what to thee I dare appeal as a witness of our peaceableness and Christian Patience Generations to come shall not more admire that singular step of Divine Providence in restoring thee to thy Throne without outward Blood-shed than they shall admire the increase and progress of this Truth without all outward help and against so great opposition which shall be none of the least things rendring thy Memory remarkable God hath done great things for thee he hath sufficiently shewn thee that it is by him Princes rule and that he can pull down and set up at his pleasure He hath often faithfully warned thee by his Servants since he restored thee to thy Royal Dignity that thy Heart might not wax wanton against him to forget his Mercies and Providences towards thee whereby he might permit thee
the apostasie if we did not this way stand immoveable to the Truth revealed but should join with them both our testimony for God would be weakned and lost and it would be impossible steadily to propagate this worship in the world whose progress we dare neither retard nor hinder by any act of ours though therefore we shall lose not only worldly honour but even our lives And truly many Protestants through their unsteadiness in this thing for politick ends complying with the popish abominations have greatly scandalized their profession and hurt the reformation as appeared in the Example of the Elector of Saxony who in the Convention at Ausburg in the year 1530. being commanded by the Emperor Charles the Fifth to be present at the Mass that he might carry the Sword before him according to his place which when he justly scrupled to perform his Preachers taking more care for their Princes Honour than for his Conscience perswaded him that it was lawful to it against his Conscience which was both a very bad Example and great scandal to the Reformation and displeased many as the Author of the History of the Council of Trent in his first book well observes But now I hasten to the objection of our adversaries against this method of praying Obj. § XXV First They object that if such particular influences were needful to outward acts of worship then they should also be needful to inward acts as to wit desire and love God But this is absurd Therefore also that from whence it follows I answer that which was said in the state of the controversie cleareth this because as to those general duties Answ. there never wants an influence so long as the day of a man's visitation lasteth during which time God is alwaies near to him and wrestling with him by his Spirit to turn him to himself so that if he do but stand still and cease from his evil thoughts the Lord is near to help him c. But as to the outward acts of Prayer they need a more special motion and influence as hath been proved Secondly they object that it might be also alledged Obj. that men ought not to do moral duties as Children to honour their Parents men to do right to their neighbours except the Spirit moved them to it I answer there is a great difference betwixt these general duties betwixt man and man Answ. and the particular express acts of worship towards God the one is meerly Spiritual and commanded by God to be performed by his Spirit the other answer their end as to them whom they are immediatly directed to and concern though done from a meer natural principle of self-love even as beasts have natural affections one to another and therefore may be thus performed though I shall not deny but that they are not works accepted of God or beneficial to the Soul but as they are done in the fear of God and in blessing in which his Children do all things and therefore are accepted and blessed in whatsoever they do Thirdly they object Obj. that if a wicked man ought not to pray without a motion of the Spirit because his Prayer would be sinful neither ought he to plough by the same reason because the ploughing of the wicked as well as his praying is sin This objection is of the same nature with the former Answ. and therefore may be answered the same way seeing there is a great difference betwixt natural acts such as eating drinking sleeping and seeking for sustenance for the body which things Man hath common with Beasts and Spiritual acts And it doth not follow because man ought not to go about Spiritual acts without the Spirit that therefore he may not go about natural acts without it The analogy holds better thus and that for the proof of our affirmation that as man for the going about natural acts need his natural Spirit so to perform Spiritual acts he needs the Spirit of God That the natural acts of the wicked and unregenerate are sinful is not denied though not as in themselves but in so far as man in that state is in all things reprobated in the sight of God Fourthly they object that wicked men may according to this doctrin Obj. forbear to pray for years together alledging they want a motion to it Answ. I answer the false pretences of wicked men do nothing invalidate the truth of this doctrin for at that rate there is no doctrin of Christ which men might not turn by That they ought not to pray without the Spirit is granted but then they ought to come to that place of watching where they may be capable to feel the Spirits motion They sin indeed in not praying but the cause of this sin is their not watching so their neglect proceeds not from this doctrin but from their disobedience to it seeing if they did pray without this it would be a double sin and no fulfilling of the command to pray nor yet would their Prayer without this Spirit be useful unto them and this our Adversaries are forced to acknowledg in another case for they say It is a duty incumbent on Christians to frequent the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as they call it Yet they say No man ought to take it unworthily yea they plead that such as find themselves unprepared must abstain and therefore do usually excommunicate them from the Table Now though according to them it be necessary to partake of this Sacrament yet it is also necessary that those that do it do first examine themselves lest they eat and drink their own condemnation and though they reckon it sinful for them to forbear yet they account it more sinful for them to do it without this examination Fifthly they object Acts 8.22 where Peter commanded Simon Magus Obj. that wicked Sorcerer to pray from thence inferring that wicked men may and ought to pray Answ. I answer that in the citing of this place as I have often observed they omit the first and chiefest part of the verse which is thus Acts 8. verse 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee So here he bids him first repent now the least measure of true Repentance cannot be without somewhat of that inward retirement of the mind which we speak of and indeed where true repentance goeth first we do not doubt but the Spirit of God will be near to concur with and influence such to pray to and call upon God Obj. And Lastly they object that many Prayers begun without the Spirit have proved effectual and that the Prayers of wicked men have been heard and found acceptable as Achab's Answ. This objection was before solved for the acts of God's compassion and indulgence at sometimes and to some persons upon singular extraordinary occasions are not be a rule of our actions For if we should make that the measure of our obedience great inconveniencies
to be soothed up and lulled asleep in thy sins by the flattering of Court-Parasits who by their fawning are the ruin of many Princes There is no King in the World who can so experimentally testifie of Gods Providence and Goodness neither is there any who rules so many free People so many true Christians which thing renders thy Government more honourable thy self more considerable than the accession of many Nations filled with slavish and superstitious Souls Thou hast tasted of prosperity and adversity thou know'st what it is to be banished thy Native Countrey to be over-ruled as well as to rule and sit upon the Throne and being oppressed thou hast reason to know how hateful the Oppressor is both to God and man If after all these Warnings and Advertisements thou dost not turn unto the Lord withal thy Heart but forget him who remembered thee in thy distress and give up thy self to follow Lust and Vanity surely great will be thy condemnation Against which snare as well as the temptation of those that may or do feed thee and prompt thee to evil the most excellent and prevalent remedy will be to apply thy self to that Light of Christ which shineth in thy Conscience which neither can nor will flatter thee nor suffer thee to be at ease in thy sins but doth and will deal plainly and faithfully with thee as those that are followers thereof have also done GOD Almighty who hath so signally hitherto visited thee with his love so touch and reach thy heart ere the day of thy visitation be expired that thou mayst effectually turn to him so as to improve thy place and station for his Name So wisheth so prayeth Thy faithful Friend and Subject ROBERT BARCLAY From Ury the place of my Pilgrimage in my Native Country of Scotland the 25 of the Month called November in the YEAR 1675. R. B. Unto the Friendly Reader wisheth Salvation FOrasmuch as that which above all things I propose to my self is to declare and defend the Truth for the service whereof I have given up and devoted my self and all that is mine therefore there is nothing which for its sake by the help and assistance of God I may not attempt And in this confidence I did sometime ago publish certain Propositions of Divinity comprehending briefly the chief Principles and Doctrines of Truth which appearing not unprofitable to some and being beyond my expectation well received both by Foreigners though dissenting from us albeit also opposed by some envious ones did so far prevail as in some part to remove that false and monstruous Opinion which lying fame and the malice of our adversaries had implanted in the minds of some concerning us and our Doctrines In this respect it seem'd to me not fit to spare my pains and labour Therefore being acted by the same measure of the Divine Spirit and the like design of propagating the Truth by which I published the Propositions I judg'd it meet to explain them somewhat more largely at this time and defend them by certain arguments Perhaps my method of writing may seem not only different but even contrary to that which is commonly used by the men called Divines with which I am not concerned for that I confess my self to be not only no imitator and admirer of the School-men but an opposer and despiser of them as such by whose labour I judg the Christian Religion to be so far from being bettered that it is rather destroyed Neither have I sought to accommodate this my work to itching Ears who desire rather to comprehend in their head the sublime notions of Truth than to imbrace it in their heart For what I have written comes more from my heart than from my head what I have heard with the Ears of my Soul and seen with my inward Eyes and my hands have handled of the Word of Life And what hath been inwardly manifested to me of the things of God that do I declare not so much minding the Eloquence and Excellency of Speech as desiring to demonstrate the efficacy and operation of Truth and if I err sometime in the former it is not great matter for I act not here the Grammarian or the Orator but the Christian and therefore in this I have followed the certain Rule of the Divine Light and of the Holy Scriptures And to make an end what I have written is written not to feed the Wisdom and Knowledge or rather vain pride of this world but to starve and oppose it us the little Preface prefix'd to the Propositions doth shew which with the title of them is as followeth THESES THEOLOGICAE To the Clergy of what sort soever unto whose hands these may come but more particularly to the Doctors Professors and Students of Divinity in the Universities and Schools of Great Brittain whether Prelatical Presbyterian or any other ROBERT BARCLAY a Servant of the Lord God and one of those who in derision are called Quakers wisheth unfeigned Repentance unto the acknowledgment of the Truth FRIENDS UNto You these following Propositions are offered in which they being read and considered in the fear of the Lord you may perceive that simple Naked Truth which Man by his Wisdom hath rendred so obscure and mysterious that the World is even burthened with the great and voluminous Tractates which are made about it and by their vain jangling and Commentaries by which it is rendred a hundred fold more dark and intricate than of it self it is which great Learning so accounted of to wit your School Divinity which taketh up almost a mans whole Life-time to learn brings not a whit nearer to God neither makes any man less wicked or more righteous than he was Therefore hath God laid aside the Wise and Learned and the Disputers of this World and hath chosen a few despicable and unlearned Instruments as to Letter-learning as he did Fisher-men of old to publish his pure and naked Truth and to free it of these Mists and Fogs wherewith the Clergy hath clouded it that the People might admire and maintain them And among several others whom God hath chosen to make known these things seeing I also have received in measure Grace to be a Dispencer of the same Gospel it seemed good unto me according to my duty to offer unto you these Propositions tho short yet are weighty comprehending much and declaring what the true ground of knowledge is even of that knowledge which leads to life Eternal which is here witnessed of and the Testimony thereof left unto the Light of Christ in all your Consciences Farewel R. B. The First Proposition Concerning the true Foundation of Knowledge SEing the height of all happiness is placed in the true knowledg of God This is Life Eternal to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent the true and right understanding of this foundation and ground of knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place
but inward and immediate revelation as we have before proved Their example can be no ways applicable to us except we believe in God as they did that is by the same object The Apostle clears this yet further by his own example Gal. 1.16 where he saith so soon as Christ was revealed in him he consulted not with flesh and blood but forthwith believed and obeyed The same Apostle Heb. 13.7 8. where he exhorteth the Hebrews to follow the faith of the Elders adds this reason considering the end of their conversation Jesus Christ the same to day yesterday and for ever hereby notably insinuating that in the object there is no alteration If any now object the diversity of Administration I answer that altereth not at all the object for the same Apostle mentioned this diversity three times 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6. centreth always in the same Object the same Spirit the same Lord the same God But further if the object of Faith were not one and the same both to us and to them then it would follow that we were to know God some other way than by the Spirit But this were absurd Therefore c. Lastly this is most firmly proved from a common and received maxim of the School-men to wit Omnis actus specificatur ab objecto every act is specified from its object from which if it be true as they acknowledg tho for the sake of many I shall not recur to this argument as being too nice and Scholastick Neither lay I much stress upon those kind of things as being that which commends not the simplicity of the Gospel If the object were different then the faith would be different also Such as deny this Proposition now adays use here a distinction granting that God is to be known by his Spirit but again denying that it is immediate or inward but in and by the Scriptures in which the mind of the Spirit as they say being fully and amply expressed we are thereby to know God and be led in all things As to the negative of this assertion that the Scriptures are not sufficient neither were ever appointed to be the adequate and only rule nor yet can guide or direct a Christian in all those things that are needful for him to know we shall leave that to the next Proposition to be examined What is proper in this place to be proved is that Christians now are to be led inwardly and immediatly by the Spirit of God even in the same manner though it befal not to many to be led in the same measure as the Saints were of old § X. I shall prove this by divers Arguments and first from the Promise of Christ in these words Joh. 14.16 And I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever 17. Even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Again ver 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance and 16.13 But when that Spirit of Truth shall come he shall lead you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear he shall speak and shall declare unto you things to come We have here first who this is and that is divers wayes expressed to wit The Comforter the Spirit of Truth the Holy Ghost and sent of the Father in the Name of Christ. And hereby is sufficiently proved the fottishness of those Socinians and other carnal Christians who neither know nor acknowledge any internal Spirit or Power but that which is meerly Natural by which they sufficiently declare themselves to be of the World who cannot receive the Spirit because they neither see him nor know him Secondly Where this Spirit is to be He dwelleth with you and shall be in you And Thirdly What his Work is He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance and guide you into all Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As to the First Most do acknowledge that there is nothing else understood than what the plain words signifie which is also evident by many other places of Scripture that will hereafter occur Neither do I see how such as affirm otherwayes can avoid Blasphemy For If the Comforter the Holy Ghost and Spirit of Truth be all one with the Scriptures then it will follow that the Scriptures is God seeing it is true that the Holy Ghost is God If these Mens reasoning might take place where ever the Spirit is mentioned in relation to the Saints thereby might be truly and properly understood the Scriptures Which what a non-sensical Monster it would make of the Christian Religion will easily appear to all Men. As where it is said A Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal it might be rendred thus A manifestation of the Scriptures is given to every man to profit withal What notable sense this would make and what a curious interpretation let us consider by the sequel of the same chapter 1 Cor. 12.9 10 11. To another the gifts of Healing by the same Spirit to another the working of Miracles c. But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will What would now these great masters of Reason the Socinians judge if we should place the Scriptures here instead of the Spirit Would it answer their Reason which is the great guide of their Faith Would it be good and sound Reason in their Logical Schools to affirm that the Scriptures divideth severally as it will and giveth to some the gift of Healing to others the working of Miracles If then this Spirit a manifestation whereof is given to every man to profit withal be no other than that Spirit of Truth before-mentioned which guideth into all Truth this Spirit of Truth cannot be the Scriptures I could infer an hundred more absurdities of this kind upon this sottish Opinion but what is said may suffice For even some of themselves being at times forgetful or ashamed of their own Doctrine do acknowledge that the Spirit of God is another thing and distinct from the Scriptures to guide and influence the Saints Secondly That this Spirit is inward in my opinion needs no interpretation nor commentary He dwelleth with you and shall be in you This indwelling of the Spirit in the Saints as it is a thing most needful to be known and believed so is it as positively asserted in the Scripture as any thing else can be If so be the Spirit of God dwell in you saith the Apostle to the Romans 8.9 and again Know ye not that ye are the Temple of the Holy Ghost and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 1 Cor. 6.19 Without this the
not led by his Spirit but these feign a Christianity that needs not the Spirit of Christ. He makes no hope of the blessed Resurrection unless we feel the Spirit residing in us but these feign a hope without any such a feeling But perhaps they will answer that they deny not but that it is necessary to have it only of modesty and humility we ought to deny and not acknowledg it What means he then when he commands the Corinthians to try themselves if they be in the Faith to examine themselves whether they have Christ whom whosoever acknowledges not dwelling in him is a reprobate By the Spirit which he hath given us saith John we know that he abideth in us And what do we then else but call in question Christ his promise while we would be esteemed the Servants of God without his Spirit which he declared he would pour out upon all his Seeing these things are the first grounds of Piety it is miserable blindness to accuse Christians of Pride because they dare glory of the presence of the Spirit without which glorying Christianity it self could not be But by their example they declare how truly Christ spake saying that his Spirit was unknown to the world and that those only acknowledg it with whom it remains Thus far Calvin If therefore it be so why should any be so foolish as to deny or so unwise as not to seek after this Spirit which Christ hath promised shall dwell in his Children They then that do suppose the in-dwelling and leading of his Spirit to be ceased must also suppose Christianity to be ceased which cannot subsist without it Thirdly What the work of this Spirit is is partly before shown which Christ compriseth in two or three things He will guide you into all Truth he will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance Since Christ hath provided for us so good an instructor what need we then lean so much to those traditions and commandments of Men wherewith so many Christians have Burthened themselves What need we set up our own Carnal and corrupt reason for a guide to us in matters Spiritual as some will needs do May it not be complained of all such as the Lord did of old concerning Israel by the Prophets Jer. 2.13 For my People have commited two Evils they have forsaken me the Fountain of Living waters and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that hold no water Have not many forsaken do not many deride and reject this inward and Immediate Guide this Spirit that leads into all Truth and cast up to themselves other ways broken waves indeed which have not all this while brought them out of the flesh nor out of the world nor from under the dominion of their own lusts and sinful affections whereby truth which is only rightly learned by this Spirit is so much a stranger in the Earth From all them that have been mentioned concerning this promise and these words of Christ it will follow that Christians are always to be led inwardly and immediately by the Spirit of God dwelling in them and that the same is a standing and perpetual Ordinance as well to the Church in general in all ages as to every individual member in particular as appears from this argument The promise of Christ to his Children are Yea and Amen and cannot fail but must of necessity be fulfilled But Christ hath promised that the Comforter the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth shall abide with his Children for ever shall dwell with them shall be in them shall lead them into all Truth shall teach them all things shall bring all things to their remembrance Therefore c. Again No man is redeemed from the carnal mind which is at enmity with God which is not subject to the Law of God neither can be No man is yet in the Spirit but in the flesh and cannot please God except he in whom the Spirit of God dwells But every true Christian is in measure redeemed from the carnal mind is gathered out of the Enmity and can be subject to the Law of God is out of the flesh and in the Spirit the Spirit of God dwelling in him Therefore every true Christian hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him Again Whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his that is no Child no Friend no Disciple of Christ. But every true Christian is a Child a Friend a Disciple of Christ. Therefore every true Christian hath the Spirit of Christ. Moreover Whosoever is the Temple of the Holy Ghost in him the Spirit of God dwelleth and abideth But every true Christian is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Therefore in every true Christian the Spirit of God dwelleth and abideth But to conclude He in whom the Spirit of God dwelleth it is not in him a lazy dumb useless thing but it moveth actuateth governeth instructeth and teacheth him all things whatsoever is needfull for him to know yea bringeth all things to his remembrance But the Spirit of God dwelleth in every true Christian Therefore it leadeth instructeth and teacheth every true Christian whatsoever is needful for him to know § XI But there are some that will confess that the Spirit doth now lead and influence the Saints but that he doth it only Subjectively or in ablind manner by inlighting their understandings to understand and believe the Truth delivered in the Scriptures But not at all by presenting these Truths to the mind by way of object and this they call medium incognitum assentiendi as that of whose working a man is not sensible This opinion tho somewhat more tolerable than the former is nevertheless not altogether according to Truth neither doth it reach the fulness of it 1. Because there be many Truths which as they are applicable to particulars and individuals and most needful to be known by them are no wise to be found in the Scripture as in the following Proposition shall be shown Besides the arguments already deduced do prove that the Spirit doth not only subjectively help us to discern Truths elsewhere delivered but also objectively present those Truths to our minds For that which teacheth me all things and is given me for that end without doubt presents those things to my mind which it teacheth me It is not said it shall teach you how to understand those things that are written but it shall teach you all things Again that which brings all things to my remembrance must needs present them by way of object else it were improper to say it brought them to my remembrance but onely that it helpeth to remember the objects brought from elsewhere My second argument shall be drawn from the Nature of the New Covenant by which and those that follow I shall prove that we are led by the Spirit both immediately and objectively the nature of the New Covenant is expressed in divers places and First Isa. 59.21 As for me this is my
worse condition than the devils in hell For these were sometimes in a capacity to have stood and do suffer only for their guilt whereas many millions of men are for ever tormented according to them for Adams sin which they neither knew of nor ever were accessary to It renders them worse than the Beasts of the Field of whom the Master requires not more than they are able to perform and if they be killed death to them is the end of sorrow whereas man is for ever tormented for not doing that which he never was able to do It puts him into a far worse condition than Pharoah put the Israelites for though he with-held Straw from them yet by much labour and pains they could have gotten it But from men they make God to with hold all means of Salvation so that they can by no means attain it Yea they place mankind in that condition which the Poets feign of Tantalus who oppressed with thirst stands in water up to the chin yet can by no means reach it with his tongue and being tormented with hunger hath Fruit hanging at his very Lips yet so as he can never lay hold on them with his Teeth and these things are so near him not to nourish him but to torment him So do these men they make the outward Creation of the work of Providence the smitings of the Conscience sufficient to convince the Heathens of sin and to condemn and judg them but not at all to help them to Salvation They make the preaching of the Gospel the offer of Salvation by Christ the use of the Sacraments of Prayer and good works sufficient to condemn those they account reprobates within the Church serving only to inform them to beget a seeming faith and vain hope yet because of a secret impotency which they had from their Infancy all these are wholly ineffectual to bring them the least step towards Salvation and do only contribute to render their condemnation the greater and their torments the more violent and intollerable Having thus briefly removed this false Doctrin which stood in my way because they that are desirous may see it both Learnedly and Piously refuted by many others I come to the matter of our Proposition which is that God out of his infinite love who delighteth not in the death of a sinner but that all should live and be saved hath sent his only begotten Son into the World that whosoever believeth in him might be saved which also is again affirmed in the sixth Proposition in these words Christ then tasted Death for every Man of all kinds Such is the evidence of this Truth delivered almost wholly in the express words of Scripture that it will not need much probation Also because our assertion herein is common with many others who have both earnestly and soundly according to the Scripture pleaded for this Universal Redemption I shall be the more brief in it that I may come to that which may seem more singularly and peculiarly ours § VI. This Doctrin of Universal Redemption or Christs dying for all Men is of it self so evident from the Scripture Testimony that there is scarce found any other Article of the Christian Faith so frequently so plainly and so positively asserted It is that which maketh the preaching of Christ to be truly termed the Gospel or an annunciation of glad tydings to all Thus the Angel declared the birth and coming of Christ to the Shepherds to be Luk. 2.10 Behold I bring you good tydings of great joy which shall be to all People He saith not to a few People Now if this coming of Christ had not brought a possibility of Salvation to all it should rather have been accounted bad tydings of great sorrow to most People neither should the Angel have had reason to have sung Peace on Earth and good will towards men if the greatest part of mankind had been necessarily shut out from receiving any benefit by it How should Christ have sent out his to preach the Gospel to every Creature Mark 16.15 a very comprehensive Commission that is to every Son and Daughter of mankind Without all exception he commands them to Preach Salvation to all repentance and remission of sins to all warning every one and exhorting every one as Paul did Col. 1.28 Now how could they have preached the Gospel to every Man as became the Ministers of Jesus Christ in much assurance if Salvation by that Gospel had not been possible for all what if some of those had asked them or should now ask any of these Doctors who deny the Universallity of Christ's death and yet preached it to all promiscuously hath Christ dyed for me How can they with confidence give a certain answer to this question If they give a conditional answer as their principal obligeth them to do and say If thou repent Christ hath dyed for thee doth not the same question still recur Hath Christ dyed for me so as to make repentance possible for me To this they can answer nothing unless they run in a Circle whereas the feet of those that bring the glad tidings of the Gospel of Peace are said to be beautiful for that they preach the common Salvation repentance unto all offering a door of mercy and hope to all through Jesus Christ who gave himself a ransom for all The Gospel invites all and certainly by the Gospel Christ intended not to deceive and delude the greater part of Mankind when he invites and cryeth saying Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest If all then ought to seek after him and to look for Salvation by him he must needs have made Salvation Possible to all for who is bound to seek after that which is impossible Certainly it were a mock of men to bid them do so And such as deny that by the death of Christ Salvation is made possible to all men do most blasphemously make God mock the World in giving his servants a commission to preach the Gospel of Salvation unto all while he hath before decreed that it shall not be possible for them to receive it Would not this make the Lord to send forth his servants with a lye in their Mouth which were Blasphemous to think commanding them to bid all and every one believe that Christ died for them and had purchased life and Salvation Whereas it is no such thing according to the forementioned Doctrin But seeing Christ after he arose and perfected the work of our Redemption gave a commission to preach Repentance remission of Sins and Salvation to all it is manifest that he dyed for all For he that hath Commissionated his servants thus to Preach is a God of Truth and no Mocker of poor Mankind neither doth he require any of Man that which is simply impossible for him to do for that no Man is bound to do that which is impossible is a principle of Truth ingraven in every mans mind
of the glorious Dispensation of the Gospel of Christ appear all at once the work of the first Witnesses being more to restifie against and discover the abuses of the Apostasie than to establish the Truth in purity He that comes to build a new City must first remove the old Rubbish before he can see to lay a new Foundation and he that comes to a House greatly polluted and full of Dirt will first sweep away and remove the Filth before he put up his own good and new Furniture The dawning of the day dispells the Darkness and makes us see the things that are most conspicuous but the distinct discovering and discerning of things o as to make a certain and perfect observation is reserved for the arising of the Sun and its shining in full brightness And we can from a certain Experience boldly affirm that the not waiting for this but building among yea and with the old popish rubbish and setting up before a full purgation hath been to most Protestants the foundation of many a mistake and an occasion of unspeakable hurt Therefore the Lord God who as he seeth meet doth communicate and make known to man the more full evident and perfect knowledg of his everlasting Truth hath been pleased to reserve the more full discovery of this glorious and Evangelical Dispensation to this our Age albeit divers testimonies have thereunto been born by some noted men in several Ages as shall hereafter appear and for the greater augmentation of the Glory of his Grace that no man might have whereof to boast hath raised up a few despicable and illiterate men and for the most part Mechanicks to be the Dispensators of it by which Gospel all the scruples doubts hesitations and objections above mentioned are easily and evidently answered and the justice as well as mercy of God according to their Divine and Heavenly Harmony are exhibited established and confirmed according to which certain Light and Gospel as the knowledge thereof hath been manifested to us by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in us fortified by our own sensible experience and sealed by the testimony of the Spirit in our Hearts we can confidently affirm and clearly evince according to the testimony of the Holy Scriptures the following points § XI First That God who out of his infinite love sent his Son the Lord Jesus Christ into the World who tasted Death for every man hath given to every man whether Jew or Gentile Turk or Scythian Indian or Barbarian of whatsoever Nation Countrey or Place a certain day or time of visitation during which day or time it is possible for them to be saved and to partake of the Fruit of Christs Death Secondly That for this end God hath communicated and given unto every man a measure of the Light of his own Son a measure of Grace or a measure of the Spirit which the Scripture expresses by several names as sometimes of the Seed of the Kingdom Mat. 13.18.19 The Light that makes all things manifest Eph. 5.13 The Word of God Rom. 10.18 or Manifestation of the Spirit given to profite withal 1 Cor. 12.7 a Talent Mat. 25.15 a little Leaven The Gospel preached in every Creature Col. 1.23 Thirdly That God in and by this Light and Seed invites calls exhorts and strives with every man in order to save them which as it is received and not resisted works the Salvation of all even of those who are ignorant of the Death and Sufferings of Christ and of Adam's Fall both by bringing them to a sense of their own misery and to be sharers in the Sufferings of Christ inwardly and by making them partakers of his Resurrection in becoming Holy Pure and Righteous and recovered of their sins by which also are saved they that have the knowledg of Christ outwardly in that it opens their understanding rightly to use and apply the things delivered in the Scriptures and to receive the saving use of them But that this may be resisted and rejected in both in which then God is said to be resisted and pressed down and Christ to be again crucified and put to open shame in and among men and to to those as thus resist and refuse him he becomes their condemnation First then according to this Doctrine the Mercy of God is excellently well exhibited in that none are necessarily shut out from Salvation and his Justice is demonstrated in that he condemns none but such to whom he really made offer of Salvation affording them the means sufficient thereunto Secondly This Doctrin if well weighed will be found to be the Foundation of Christianity Salvation and Assurance Thirdly It agrees and answers with the whole tenor of the Gospel Promises and Threats and with the Nature of the Ministry of Christ according to which the Gospel Salvation Repentance is commanded to be preached to every Creature without respect of Nations Kindreds Families or Tongues Fourthly It magnifies and commends the merits and death of Christ in that it not only accounts them sufficient to save all but declares them to be brought so nigh unto all as thereby to be put into the nearest capacity of Salvation Fifthly It exalts above all the Grace of God to which it attributeth all good even the least and smallest actions that are so ascribing thereunto not only the first beginnings and motions of good but also the whole conversion and salvation of the Soul Sixthly It contradicts overturns and enervates the false Doctrine of the Pelagians Semi-Pelagians Socinians and others who exalt the Light of Nature the liberty of mans will in that it wholly excludes the natural man from having any place or portion in his own Salvation by any acting moving or working of his own until he be first quickned raised up and acted by God's Spirit Seventhly As it makes the whole Salvation of Man solely and alone to depend upon God so it makes his condemnation wholly and in every respect to be himself in that he refused and resisted somewhat that from God wrestled and strove in his heart and forces him to acknowledg God's just Judgment in rejecting him and forsaking of him Eighthly It takes away all ground of Despair in that it gives every one ground of hope and certain assurance that they may be saved neither doth feed any in security in that none are certain how soon their day may expire and therefore it is a constant incitement and provocation and lively incouragement to every man to forsake evil and close with that which is good Ninthly It wonderfully commends as well the certainty of the Christian Religion among Infidels as it manifests its own verity to all in that it s confirmed and established by the experiences of all men seeing there was never yet a man found in any place of the Earth however barbarous and wild but hath acknowledged that at some time or other less or more he hath found somewhat in his heart reproving him for some things evil which he hath
is ascribed and imputed to Believers for Righteousness the merit of his Blood and the Holy Ghost given unto us by Vertue of his merits are equally included And so it shall be confessed that Christ is our Righteousness as well from his Merit Satisfaction and Remission of sins obtained by him as from the gifts of the Spirit of Righteousness And if we do this we shall consider whole Christ proposed to us for our Salvation and not any single part of him The same man pag. 169. In our Justification then Christ is considered who breaths and lives in us to wit by his Spirit put on by us concerning which putting on the Apostle saith Ye have put on Christ. And again pag. 171. We endeavour to treat in Justification not of part of Christ but him wholly in so far as he is our Righteousness every way And a little after as then blessed Paul in our Justification when he saith whom he Justified them he Glorified comprehends all things which pertains to our being reconciled to God the Father and our renewing which fits us for attaining unto glory such as Faith Righteousness Christ and the Gift of Righteousness exhibited by him whereby we are regenerated to the fulfilling of the Justification which the Law requires so we also will have all things comprehended in this cause which are contained in the recovery of Righteousness and Innocency And pag. 181. The form saith he of our Justification is the Divine Righteousness it self by which we are formed just and good This is Jesus Christ who is esteem'd our Righteousness partly from the forgiveness of sins and partly from the renewing and the restoring of that integrity which was lost by the fault of the first Adam so that his New and Heavenly Adam being put on by us of which the Apostle saith Ye have put on Christ ye have put him on I say as the form so the Righteousness Wisdom and Life of God So also affirmeth Claudius Alberius Inuncanus see his Orat. Apodeict Lausaniae excus 1587. orat 2. pag. 86 87. Zuinglius also in his Epistle to the Princes of Germany as cited by Himelius c. 7. p. 60. saith That the Sanctification of the Spirit is true Justification which alone suffices to Justifie Essius upon 1 Cor. 6.11 saith Lest Christian Righteousness should be thought to consist in the washing alone that is in the remission of sins he addeth the other degree or part but ye are sanctified that is ye have attain'd to purity so that ye are now truly Holy before God Lastly expressing the sum of the benefit received in one word which includes both the parts But ye are Justified the Apostle adds in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that is by his merits and in the Spirit of our God that is the Holy Spirit proceeding from God and communicated to us by Christ. And lastly Richard Baxter a Famous English Preacher who yet liveth in his Book called Aphorisms of Justification pag. 80. saith that some ignorant wretches gnash their Teeths at this Doctrine as if it were flat Popery not understanding the Nature of the Righteousness of the New Covenant which is all out of Christ in our selves though wrought by the Power of the Spirit of Christ in us § IX The third thing proposed to be considered is concerning good Works their necessity to Justification I suppose there is enough said before to clear us from any imputation of being Popish in this matter But if it be queried Whether we have not said or will not affirm that a man is justified by Works Quest. I answer I hope none need neither ought to take offence if in this matter we use the plain Language of the Holy Scripture Answ. which saith expresly in answer hereunto Jam. 2.24 Ye see then how that by works a man is Justified and not by Faith only I shall not offer to prove the Truth of this saying since what is said in this Chapter by the Apostle is sufficient to convince any man that will read and believe it I shall only from this derive this one argument If no man can be Justified without Faith and no Faith be living nor yet available to Justification without works then works are necessary to Justification But the First is true Therefore also the Last For this Truth is so apparent and evident in the Scriptures that for the proof of it we might transcribe most of the precepts of the Gospel I shall instance a few which of themselves do so clearly assert the thing in question that they need no commentary nor further demonstration And then I shall answer the objections made against this which indeed are the arguments used for the contrary opinion Heb. 12.14 Without Holyness no man shall see God Matth. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Joh. 13.7 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and Vncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and through the Gates may enter into the City and many more that might be instanced from all which I thus argue If those only can enter into the Kingdom that do the will of the Father If those be accounted only the wise builders and happy Arg. that do the sayings of Christ if no observation avail but only the keeping of the Commandments and if they be blessed that do the Commandments and thereby have right to the Tree of Life and entrance through the gate into the City then works are absolutely necessary to Salvation and Justification But the First is true And therefore also the Last The consequence of the antecedent is so clear and evident that I think no man of sound reason will call for a proof of it Obj. § X. But they object that works are not necessary to Justification First because of that saying of Christ Luk. 17.10 When ye shall have done all these things that are commanded you say We are unprofitable Servants c. Answ. Answer as to God we are indeed unprofitable for he needeth nothing neither can we add any thing unto him but as to our selves we are not unprofitable else it might be said that it is not profitable for a man to keep God's Commandments which is most absurd and would contradict Christ's Doctrine throughout Doth not Christ Matth. 5. through all those beatitudes pronounce men blessed for their Purity for their Meekness for their Peaceableness c. And is it not then that for which Christ pronounceth men blessed profitable unto them Moreover Matth. 25.21 23. doth not Christ pronounce the men good and faithful Servants that improved their Talents Was not their doing of that then profitable unto them and verse 30. It is said of him
heavenly Mansions which together do make up the one Catholick Church concerning which there is so much controversie out of which Church we freely acknowledge there can be no Salvation because under this Church and its denomination are comprehended all and as many of whatsoever Nation Kindred Tongue or People they be though outwardly strangers and remote from those who profess Christ and Christianity in words and have the benefit of the Scriptures as become obedient to the holy Light and Testimony of God in their hearts so as to become sanctified by it and cleansed from the evils of their wayes For this is the Universal or Catholick Spirit by which many are called from all the four corners of the earth and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob. By this the secret Life and Vertue of Jesus is conveyed into many that are afar off even as by the blood that runs into the Veins and Arteries of the Natural Body the Life is conveyed from the Head and Heart unto the extremest parts There may be members therefore of this Catholick Church both among Heathens Turks Jews and all the several sorts of Christians Men and Women of integrity and simplicity of Heart who though blinded in something in their understanding and perhaps burthened with the Superstitions and formality of the several Sects in which they are ingrossed yet being upright in their Hearts before the Lord chiefly aiming and labouring to be delivered from iniquity and loving to follow righteousness are by the secret touches of this Holy Light in their Souls inlivened and quickened thereby secretly united to God and there through become true members of this Catholick Church Now the Church in this respect hath been in being in all generations for God never wanted some such witnesses for him though many times slighted and not much observed by this World And therefore this Church though still in being hath been oftentimes as it were Invisible in that it hath not come under the observation of the men of this World being as saith the Scripture Jer. 3.14 One of a City and two of a Family And yet though the Church thus considered may be as it were hid from wicked men as not then gathered into a visible fellowship yea and not observed even by some that are members of it yet may there notwithstanding many belong to it as when Elias complained he was left alone 1 Kings 19.18 God answered unto him I have reserved to my self seven thousand men who have not bowed their knees to the Image of Baal whence the Apostle argues Rom. 11. the being of a remnant in his day § III. Secondly the Church is to be considered as it signifies a certain number of persons gathered by Gods Spirit and by the testimony of some of his servants raised up for that end unto the belief of the true Principles and Doctrines of the Christian Faith who through their hearts being united by the same love and their understanding informed in the same Truths gather meet and assemble together to wait upon God to worship him and to bear a joynt testimony for the Truth against Error suffering for the same and so becoming through this fellowship as one family and houshold in certain respects do each of them watch over teach instruct and care for one another according to their several measures and attainments Such were the Churches of the Primitive time gathered by the Apostles whereof we have divers mentioned in the Holy Scriptures And as to the visibility of the Church in this respect there hath been a great interruption since the Apostles days by reason of the apostasie as shall hereafter appear § IV. To be a member then of the Catholick Church there is need of the inward calling of God by his Light in their Heart and a being leavened into the nature and Spirit of it so as to forsake unrighteousness and be turned to righteousness and in the inwardness of the mind to be cut out of the wild-Olive-tree of our own first faln nature and ingrafted into Christ by his Word and Spirit in the heart And this may be done in those who are strangers to the History God not having pleased to make them partakers thereof as in the V. and VI. Propositions hath already been proved To be a member of a particular Church of Christ as this inward work is indispensibly necessary so is also the outward profession of and belief in Jesus Christ and those holy Truths delivered by his Spirit in the Scriptures seeing the testimony of the Spirit recorded in the Scriptures doth answer the testimony of the same Spirit in the heart even as face answereth face in a glass Hence it follows that the inward work of Holiness and forsaking iniquity is necessary in every respect to the being a member in the Church of Christ and that the outward profession is necessary to be a member of a particular gathered Church but not to the being a member of the Catholick Church yet it is absolutely necessary where God affords the opportunity of knowing it the outward testimony is to be believed where it is presented and revealed the summ whereof hath upon other occasions been already proved § V. But contrary hereunto the Devil that worketh and hath wrought in the mystery of iniquity hath taught his followers to affirm That no man however holy is a member of the Church of Christ without the outward profession and that he be initiated thereunto by some outward Ceremonies And again That men who have this outward Profession though inwardly unholy may be members of the true Church of Christ yea and ought to be so esteemed This is plainly to put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light as if God had a greater regard to words than actions and were more pleased with vain professions than with real holiness But these things I have sufficiently refuted heretofore Only from hence let it be observed that upon this false and rotten foundation Antichrist hath builded his Babylonish Structure and the anti-Christian Church in the apostasie hath hereby reared her self up to that heighth and grandeur she hath attained so as to exalt herself above all that is called God and sit in the Temple of God as God For the particular Churches of Christ gathered in the Apostles dayes soon after beginning to decay as to the inward Life came to be over-grown with several Errors and the hearts of the professors of Christianity to be leavened with the old Spirit and conversation of the World Yet it pleased God for some Centuries to preserve that life in many whom he emboldened with zeal to stand and suffer for his Name through the ten Persecutions But these being over the meekness gentleness love long-suffering goodness and temperance of Christianity came to be lost For after that the Princes of the earth came to take upon them that Profession and that it ceased to be a reproach to be a Christian but rather became a means to
men without that art and rules or sophistical learning deduce a certain conclusion out of true Propositions which scarce any man of Reason wants we deny not the use of it and I have sometimes used it in this Treatise which also may serve without that Dialectical art As for the other part of Philosophy which is called Moral or Ethicks it is not so necessary to Christians who have the rules of the Holy Seriptures and the Gift of the Holy Spirit by which they can be much better instructed The Physical and Metaphysical part may be reduced to the arts of Medicine and the Mathematicks which have nothing to do with the essence of a Christian Minister And therefore the Apostle Paul who well understood what was good for Christian Ministers and what hurtful thus exhorted the Colossians Col. 2.8 Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit And to his beloved Disciple Timothy he writes also thus 1 Tim. 6.20 O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust avoiding profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science falsly so called § XXI The third and main part of their literature is School Divinity a monster made up betwixt some Scriptural notions of Truth and the Heathenish terms and maximes being as it were the Heathenish Philosophy Christianized or rather the literal external knowledge of Christ Heathenized it is man in his first faln natural state with his devilish wisdom pleasing himself with some notions of Truth and adorning them with his own serpentine and worldly wisdom because he thinks the simplicity of the Truth too low and mean a thing for him and so despiseth that simplicity wheresoever it is found that he may set up and exalt himself puffed up with this his monstrous birth it is the devil darkening obscuring and veiling the knowledge of God with his sensual and carnal wisdom that so he may the more securely deceive the hearts of the simple and make the Truth as it is in it self despicable and hard to be known and understood by multiplying a thousand hard and needless questions and endless contentions and debates all which whoso perfectly knoweth he is not a whit less the servant of sin than he was but ten times more in that he is exalted and proud of iniquity and so much the further from receiving understanding or learning the Truth as it is in its own naked simplicity because he is full learned rich and wise in his own conceit and so those that are most skilled in it wear out their day and spend their precious time about the infinite and innumerable questions they have feigned and invented concerning it A certain learned man called it a two-fold discipline as of the race of the centaurs partly proceeding from Divine sayings partly from Philosophical reasons A thousand of their questions they confess themselves to be no ways necessary to Salvation and yet many more of them they could never agree upon but are and still will be in endless janglings about them The Volumes that have been written about it a man in his whole age though he lived very old could scarce read and when he has read them all he has but wrought himself a great deal more vexation and trouble of Spirit than he had before These certainly are the words multiplied without knowledge by which counsel hath been darkened Job c. 38. v. 2. They make the Scripture the text of all this Mass and it 's concerning the sense of it that their voluminous debates arise But a man of a good upright heart may learn more in half an hour and be more certain of it by waiting upon God and his Spirit in the heart than by reading a thousand of their Volumes which by filling his head with many needless imaginations may well stagger his faith but never confirm it and indeed those that give themselves most to it are most capable to fall into error as appeareth by the example of Origen who by his learning was one of the first that falling into this way of interpreting the Scriptures wrote so many Volumes and in them so many errors as very much troubled the Church Also Arius led by this curiosity and humane scrutiny despising the simplicity of the Gospel fell into his error which was the cause of that horrible Heresie which so much troubled the Church methinks the simplicity plainness and brevity of the Scriptures themselves should be a sufficient reproof for such a science and the Apostles being honest plain illeterate men my be better understood by such kind of men now than with all that mass of scholastick stuff which neither Peter nor Paul nor John ever thought of § XXII But this invention of Satan wherewith he began the Apostasie hath been of dangerous consequence for thereby he at first spoiled the simplicity of Truth by keeping up the Heathenish learning which occasioned such uncertainty even among those called Fathers and such debate that there are few of them to be found who by reason of this mixture do not only frequently contradict one another but themselves also And therefore when the Apostasie grew greater he as it were buried the Truth with this vail of darkness wholly shuting out people from true knowledg and making the learned so accounted busie themselves with idle and needless questions while the weighty Truths of God were neglected and as it were went into desuetude Now though the grossest of these abuses be swept away by Protestants yet the evil root still remains and is nourished and upheld and upon the growing hand that this science is kept up and deemed necessary for a Minister for while the pure learning of the Spirit of Truth is despised and neglected and made ineffectual man 's faln earthly wisdom is upheld and so in that he labours and works with the Scriptures being out of the Life and Spirit those that wrote them were in by which they are rightly understood and made use of And so he that is to be a Minister must learn this art or trade of merchandizing with the Scriptures and be that which the Apostle would not be to wit a trader with them 2 Cor. 2.17 That he may acquire a trick from a verse of Scripture by adding his own barren notions and conceptions to it and his uncertain conjectures and what he hath stoln out of Books for which end he must have of necessity a good many by him and may each Sabbath day as they call it or oftner make a Discourse for an hour long and this is called the preaching of the word whereas the Gift Grace and Spirit of God to teach open and instruct and to preach a word in season is neglected and so man's arts and parts and knowledg and wisdom which is from below set up and established in the Temple of God yea and above the little Seed which in effect is Antichrist working in the Ministry and so the Devil may be as good and able a Minister as the
up a shadow and form of these orders and so make several ranks and degrees to establish a carnal Ministry of mens making without the Life Power and Spirit of Christ this is that work of Anti-christ and Mystery of Iniquity that hath got up in the dark night of Apostasie but in a true Church of Christ gathered together by God not only unto the belief of the principles of Truth but also into the Power Life and Spirit of Christ the Spirit of God is the Orderer Ruler and Governour as in each particular so in the general and when they assemble together to wait upon God and worship and adore him then such as the Spirit sets apart to the Ministry by its Divine Power and Influence opening their Mouths and giving them to exhort reprove and instruct with Vertue and Power these are thus of God ordained and admitted into the Ministry and their brethren cannot but hear them receive them and also honour them for their works sake and so this is not monopolized to a certain kind of men as the Clergy who are to that purpose educated and brought up as other carnal Artists and the rest to be despised as Laicks but it is left to the free Gift of God to chuse any whom he seeth meet thereunto whether rich or poor servant or master young or old yea male or female And such as have this call verifie the Gospel by preaching not in Speech only but also in Power and the Holy Ghost and in much fulness 1 Thes. 1.5 and cannot but be received and heard by the Sheep of Christ. § XXV But if it be objected here Obj. that I seem hereby to make no distinction at all betwixt Ministers and others which is contrary to the Apostle saying 1 Cor. 12.29 Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Teachers c. From thence they insinuate that I also contradict his comparison in that chapter of the Church of Christ with a humane body as where he saith verse 17. If the whole body were an Eye where were the hearing If the whole were hearing where were the smelling c. Also the Apostle not only thus distinguisheth the Ministers of the Church in general from the rest of the Members but also from themselves as naming them distinctly and separately Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers c. As to the last part of this objection to which I shall first answer Answ. it is apparent that this diversity of Names is not for to distinguish separate Offices but to denote the different and various Operations of the Spirit a manner of Speech frequent with the Apostle Paul wherein he sometimes expatiates to the Illustrating of the Glory and Praise of God's Grace as in particular Rom. 12.6 Having then Gifts differing according to the Grace that is given us whether Prophecy let us Prophecy according to the proportion of Faith Or Ministry let us wait on our Ministring or he that Teacheth on Teaching or he that Exhorteth on Exhortation Now none will say from all this that these are distinct Offices or do not or may not co-incide in one person as may all these other things mentioned by him in the subsequent verses viz. Of Loving being kindly affectioned Fervency of Spirit Hospitality Diligence Blessing Rejoycing c. Which yet he numbers forth as different gifts of the Spirit And according to this objection might be placed as distinct and separate Offices which were most absurd Secondly in these very places mentioned it is clear that it is no real distinction of separate Offices because all acknowledg that Pastors and Teachers which the Apostle there no less separateth and distinguisheth than Pastors and Prophets or Apostles are one and the same and co-incide in the same Office and Person and therefore so may be said of the rest For Prophecy as it signifieth the foretelling of things to come is indeed a distinct Gift but no distinct Office and therefore our Adversaries do not place it among their several orders neither will they deny but that both may be and have been given of God to some that not only have been Pastors and Teachers and that there it hath co incided in one Person with these other Offices but also to some of the Laicks and so it hath been found according to their own concession without the limits of their Clergy Prophecy in the other sense to wit as it signifieth a speaking from the Spirit of Truth is not only peculiar to Pastors and Teachers who ought so to Prophecy but even a common priviledg to the Saints for though to Instruct Teach and Exhort be proper to such as are more particularly called to the work of the Ministry yet it is not so proper to them as not to be when the Saints are met together as any of them are moved by the Spirit common to others For some acts belong to all in such a relation but not only to those within that relation competunt omni sed non Soli thus to see and hear are proper acts of a man seeing it may be properly predicated of him that he heareth and seeth yet are they common to other Creatures also So to Prophecy in this sense is indeed proper to Ministers and Teachers yet not so but that it is common and lawful to other Saints when moved thereunto though it be not proper to them by way of relation because notwithstanding that motion they are not particularly called to the work of the Ministry as appears by 1 Cor. 14. where the Apostle at large declaring the order and ordinary method of the Church saith ver 30 31. But if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace For ye may all Prophecy one by one that all may learn and all be comforted Which sheweth that none is here excluded But yet that there is a subordination according to the various measures of the Gift received the next verse sheweth And the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets For God is not the Author of confusion but of peace Now that Prophecying in this sense may be common to all Saints appears by the 39 verse of the same Chapter where speaking to all in general he saith Therefore Brethren covet to Prophecy and verse 1. he exhorts them saying Covet Spiritual Gifts but the rather that ye may Prophecy Secondly as to Evangelists the same may be said for whoever preacheth the Gospel is really an Evangelist and so consequently every true Minister of the Gospel is one else what proper office can they assign to it unless they should be so foolish as to affirm that none were Evangelists but Matthew Mark Luke and John who wrote the Account of Christ's Life and Sufferings And then it were neither a particular office seeing John and Matthew were Apostles Mark and Luke Pastors and Teachers so that there they co-incided in one and indeed it is absurd to think that upon that particular account the
Apostle used the word Evangelist Calvin acknowledgeth that such as preach the Gospel in purity after some time of Apostacy may be truly called Evangelists and therefore saith that there were Apostles in his time and hence the Protestants at their first coming forth termed themselves Evangeleci or Evangeliks Lastly an Apostle if we look to the Etymology of the word signifies one that is sent and in respect every true Minister is sent of God in so far he is an Apostle though these Twelve because of their being specially sent of Christ were therefore called Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or per eminentiam i. e. by way of excellency And yet there was no limitation to such a number as some foolishly imagine it appears because after that number was filled up the Apostle Paul was afterwards so called therefore we judg that these are no distinct separate Offices but only Names used upon occasions to express the more eminent arising and shining forth of God's Grace as if any Minister of Christ should now Prosolyte or turn a whole Nation to the Christian Faith though he had no distinct Office yet I doubt not but both Papists and Protestants would judg it tolerable to call such an one an Apostle or an Evangelist For some of the Jesuits call of their Sect Apostles of India and of Japon upon this alledged account And Calvin testifies that there were Apostles and Evangelists in his time upon the account of the Reformation upon which account we have known John Knox often called the Apostle of Scotland so that we conclude that Ministers Pastors or Teachers doth comprehend all and that the Office is but one and therefore in that respect we judg there ought to be no precedency among them to prove which I shall not insist seeing it is shewn largely and treated of by such as have denyed the Diocesian Episcopacy as they call it § XXVI As to the first part of the objection viz. that I seem to make no distinction betwixt the Minister and People I answer If it be understood of a liberty to Speak or Prophecy by the Spirit I say all may do that when moved thereunto as above is shewn but we do believe and affirm that some are more particularly called to the work of the Ministry and therefore are fitted of the Lord for that purpose whose work is more constantly and particularly to instruct exhort admonish oversee and watch over their Brethren and that as there is something more incumbent upon them in that respect than upon every common Believer so also as in that relation there is due to them from the Flock such obedience and subjection as is mentioned in these Testimonys of the Scripture Heb. 13.17 1 Thess. 5.12 13. 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Pet. 5.5 Also besides these who are thus particularly called to the Ministry and constant labour in the Word and Doctrine there are also the Elders who though they be not moved to a frequent Testimony by way of Declaration in Words yet as such as are grown up in the experience of the blessed work of Truth in their Hearts watch over and privately admonish the Young care for the Widows the Poor and Fatherless and care and look that nothing be wanting but that Peace Love Unity Concord and Soundness be preserved in the Church of Christ and this answers to the Deacons mentioned Acts 6. That which we oppose is the distinction of Laity and Clergy which in the Scripture is not to be found whereby none are admitted unto the work of the Ministry but such as are educated at Schools on purpose and instructed in Logick and Philosophy c. And so are at their Apprenticeship to learn the Art and Trade of Preaching even as a man learns any other Art whereby all other honest mechanick men who have not got this Heathenish Art are excluded from having this priviledg and so he that is a Schollar thus bred up must not have any honest trade whereby to get him a Lively-hood if he once intend for the Ministry but he must see to get him a place and then he hath his set hire for a Lively-hood to him he must also be distinguished from the rest by the Colour of his Cloaths for he must only wear Black and must be a Master of Arts but more of this hereafter § XXVII As this manner of separating men for the Ministry is nothing like the Church in the Apostles days so great Evils have and do follow upon it for first Parents seeing both the Honour and Profit that attends the Clergy do allot their Children sometimes from their Infancy to it and so breed them up on purpose and others come to age upon the same account betake them to the same Trade and having these natural and acquired parts that are judged the necessary qualifications of a Minister are thereby admitted and so are bred up in Idleness and Pleasure thinking it a disgrace for them to work with their hands only if they study a little out of their Books to make a discourse once or twice in a Week during the running of an Hour-glass Whereas the Gift Grace and Spirit of God to call gift and qualifie for the Ministry is neglected and overlooked And many Covetous Corrupt Earthly Carnal men having a meer shew and form but strangers to and utterly ignorant of the inward work of Grace upon their hearts are brought in and intrude themselves and so through them Death Barrenness and Darkness and by consequence Superstition Error and Idolatry hath entred and leavened the Church and they that will narrowly observe shall find that it was thus the Apostacy came to take place of the Truth of which I could give many examples which for brevities sake I omit For so the Office Reverence and respect due to it was annexed to the meer name so that when once a man was ordained a Bishop or a Priest he was heard and believed though he had nothing of the Spirit Power and Life that the true Apostles and Ministers were in that in a short time the succession came to be of the Name and Title and the Office was thereto annexed and not of the Nature Vertue and Life Which in effect made them to cease to be the Ministry and Ministers of Christ but only a shadow and vain image of it which also decaying was in some ages so metamorphosed that not only the substance was lost but the very form wholly vitiated alterated and marred that it may be far better said of the pretended Christian Church as was disputed of Theseus's Boat which by the piecing of many new pieces of Timber was wholly altered whether indeed it were the same or another But in case that the first had been of Oak and the last pieces put in but of rotten Fir and that also the form had been so far changed as to be nothing like the first I think it would have suffered no dispute but might have easily been concluded to be quite
the natural man from a meer conviction of his understanding doth in the forwardness of his own will and by his own natural strength without the influence and leading of God's Spirit go about either in his understanding to imagine conceive or think of the things of God or actually to perform them by preaching or praying The first is a missing both in matter and form The second is a retaining of the form without the Life and Substance of Christianity because Christian Religion consisteth not in a meer belief of true Doctrins or a meer performance of Acts good in themselves or else the bare letter of the Scripture though spoken by a Drunkard or a Devil might be said to be Spirit and Life which I judg none will be so absurd as to affirm and also it would follow that where the form of godliness is there the power is also which is contrary to the express words of the Apostle For the form of godliness cannot be said to be where either the notions and opinions believed are erroneous and ungodly or the acts performed evil and wicked for then it would be the form of ungodliness and not of godliness But of this further hereafter when we shall speak particularly of preaching and praying Now though this last be not so bad as the former yet it hath made way for it for men having first departed from the Life and Substance of true Religion and Worship to wit from the inward Power and Vertue of the Spirit so as therein to act and thereby to have all their actions enlivened have only retained the form and shew to wit the true words and appearance and so acting in their own natural and unrenewed wills in this form the form could not but quickly decay and be vitiated for the working and active spirit of man could not contain it self within the simplicity and plainness of Truth but giving way to his own numerous inventions and imaginations began to vary in the form and adapt it to his own inventions until by degrees the form of godliness for the most part came to be lost as well as the power For this kind of Idolatry whereby man loveth idolizeth and huggeth his own conceptions inventions and product of his own brain is so incident unto him and seated in his faln nature that so long as his natural Spirit is the first author and actor of him and is that by which he only is guided and moved in his worship towards God so as not first to wait for another Guide to direct him he can never perform the pure Spiritual Worship nor bring forth any thing but the Fruit of the first faln natural and corrupt root Wherefore the time appointed of God being come wherein by Jesus Christ he hath been pleased to restore the true Spiritual Worship and the outward form of Worship which was appointed by God to the Jews and whereof the manner and time of its performance was particularly determined by God himself being come to an end we find that Jesus Christ the Author of the Christian Religion prescribes no set form of Worship to his Children under the more pure administration of the New Covenant save that he only tells them that the Worship now to be performed is Spiritual and in the Spirit and it 's especially to be observed that in the whole New Testament there is no order nor command given in this thing but to follow the Revelation of the Spirit save only that general of meeting together a thing dearly owned and diligently practised by us as shall hereafter more appear True it is mention is made of the duties of Praying Preaching and Singing but what order or method should be kept in so doing or that presently they should be set about so soon as the Saints are gathered there is not one word to be found yea these duties as shall afterwards be made appear are always annexed to the assistance leadings and motions of God's Spirit Since then man in his natural state is thus excluded from acting or moving in things Spiritual how or what way shall he exercise this first and previous duty of waiting upon God but by silence and by bringing that natural part to silence Which is no otherwaies but by abstaining from his own Thoughts and Imaginations and from all the self-workings and motions of his own mind as well in things materially good as evil that he being silent God may speak in him and the Good Seed may arise This though hard to the natural man is so answerable to Reason and even natural experience in other things that it cannot be denyed He that cometh to learn of a master if he expect to hear his master and be instructed by him must not continually be speaking of the matter to be taught and never be quiet otherwise how shall his master have time to instruct him yea though the schollar were never so earnest to learn the science yet would the master have reason to reprove him as untoward and indocile if he would always be meddling of himself and still speaking and not wait in silence patiently to hear his master instructing and teaching him who ought not to open a mouth until by his master he were commanded and allowed so to do So also if one were about to attend a great Prince he would be thought an impertinent and imprudent servant who while he ought patiently and readily to wait that he might answer the King when he speaks and have his Eye upon him to observe the least motions and inclinations of his will and to do accordingly would be still deafening him with discourse though it were in praises of him and running to and fro without any particular and immediate order to do things that perhaps might be good in themselves or might have been commanded at other times to others Would the Kings of the Earth accept of such servants or service Since then we are commanded to wait upon God diligently and in so doing it is promised that our strength shall be renewed this waiting cannot be performed but by silence or cessation of the natural part on our side since God manifests himself not to the outward man or senses so much as to the inward to wit to the Soul and Spirit if the Soul be still thinking and working in her own will and busily exercised in her own imaginations though the matters as in themselves may be good concerning God yet thereby she incapacitates her self from discerning the still and small voyce of the Spirit and so hurts her self greatly in that she neglects her chief business of waiting upon the Lord nothing less than if I should busie my self crying out and speaking of a business while in the mean time I neglect to hear one who is quietly whispering into my ear and informing me in these things which are most needful for me to hear and know concerning that business And since it is the chief work of a Christian to know the
of these two must be omitted in such a case these are much rather to be omitted than those former for by how much the Spirit is more excellent and noble than the Body by so much are Spiritual exercises more profitable than corporal Is not that then the best of Worships which the best of men in all ages and of all sects have commended and which is most suitable to the Doctrine of Christ I say is not that Worship to be followed and performed And so much the rather as God hath raised a People to testifie for it and preach it to their great refreshment and strengthening in the very face of the World and notwithstanding much opposition who do not as these Mystiks make of it a mystery only to be attained by a few men or women in a Cloyster or as their mistake was after wearying themselves with many outward Ceremonies and Observations as if it were the consequences of such a labour But who in the free love of God who respects not Persons and was near to hear and reveal himself as well to Cornelius a Centurion and a Roman as to Simeon and Anna and who discovered his Glory to Mary a poor Hand-maid and to the poor Shepherds rather than to the High Priests and Devout Proselytes among the Jews in and according to his free love finding that God is revealing and establishing this Worship and making many poor Trades-men yea young boys and girles witnesses of it do intreat and beseech all to lay aside their own Will-worships and voluntary acts performed in their own wills and by their own meer natural strength and power without retiring out of their own vain imaginations and thoughts or feeling the pure Spirit of God to move and stir in them that they may come to practise this acceptable worship which is in Spirit and in Truth But against this worship they object § XVII First It seems to be an unprofitable exercise Obj. for a man to be doing or thinking nothing and that one might be much better imployed either in meditating upon some good subject or otherwise praying to or praising God I answer That is not unprofitable which is of absolute necessity before any other duty can be acceptably performed Answ. as we have shewn this waiting to be Moreover those have but a carnal and gross apprehension of God and of the things of his Kingdom that imagine that men please him by their own workings and actings whereas as hath been shewn the first step for a man to fear God is to cease from his own thoughts and imaginations and suffer God's Spirit to work in him for we must cease to do evil ere we learn to do well and this medling in things Spiritual by man's own natural understanding is one of the greatest and most dangerous evils that man is incident to being that which occasioned our first Parents fall to wit a forwardness to desire to know things and a medling with them both without and contrary to the Lord's command Obj. Secondly some object if your worship meerly consist in inwardly retiring to the Lord and feeling of his Spirit arise in you and then to do outward acts as ye are led by it what need ye have publick meetings at set times and places since every one may enjoy this at home or should not every one stay at home until they be particularly moved to go to such a place at such a time since to meet at set times and places seems to be an outward observation and ceremony contrary to what ye at other times assert Answ. I answer first To meet at set times and places is not any religious act or part of worship in it self but only an outward conveniency necessary for our seeing one another so long as we are cloathed with this outward Tabernacle and therefore our meeting at set times and places is not a part of our worshsp but a preparatory accommodation of our outward man in order to a publick visible worship since we set not about the visible acts of worship when we meet together until we be led thereunto Secondly God hath seen meet so long as his Children are in this world to make use of the outward senses as a means to convey Spiritual Life as by speaking praying c. which cannot be done to mutual edification but when we hear and see one another but also for to entertain an outward visible testimony for his Name in the world he causeth the inward Life which is also many times not conveyed by the outward senses the more to abound when his Children assemble themselves diligently together to wait upon him that as Iron sharpeneth Iron so the seeing of the face one of another when both are inwardly gathered unto the Life giveth occasion for the Life secretly to arise and pass from vessel to vessel and as many Candles lighted and put in one place do greatly augment the light and makes it more to shine forth so when many are gathered together into the same Life there is more of the Glory of God and his Power appears to the refreshment of each individual for that he partakes not only of the Light and Life raised in himself but in all the rest and therefore Christ hath particularly promised a blessing to such as assemble together in his Name seeing he will be in the midst of them Matth. 18.20 And the Author to the Hebrews doth precisely prohibit the neglect of this duty as being of very dangerous and dreadful consequence in these words Heb· 10.24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledg of the Truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins And therefore the Lord hath shewn that he hath a particular respect to such as thus assemble themselves together because that thereby a publick testimony for him is upheld in the earth and his Name is thereby glorified and therefore such as are right in their Spirits are naturally drawn to keep the Meetings of God's People and never want a Spiritual influence to lead them thereunto And if any do it in a meer customary way they will no doubt suffer condemnation for it Yet cannot the appointing of places and times be accounted a ceremony and observation done in man's will in the worship of God seeing none can say it is an act of worship but only a meer presenting of our persons in order to it as is abovesaid Which that it was practised by the primitive Church and Saints all our adverlaries do acknowledg Lastly some object Obj. That this manner of Worship in silence is not to be found in all the Scripture I answer We make not silence to be the sole matter of our Worship Answ. since as I have abovesaid there are many Meetings which are seldom if ever altogether silent some or
to his Brethren Ninthly they object Isa. 65.16 where speaking of the Evangelical times Obj. he saith That he who blesseth himself in the Earth shall bless himself in the God of Truth and he that sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of Truth because the former troubles are forgotten and because they are hid from mine Eyes For behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth Therefore in these times we ought to swear by the Name of the Lord. I answer It is ordinary for the Prophets to express the greatest duties of Evangelical times in Mosaical terms as appears among others Answ. from Jer. 31.38 39 40. Ezek. 36.25 and 40. and Isa. 45.23 I have sworn by my self that unto me ever knee shall bowe every tongue shall swear Where the Righteousness of the New Jerusalem the purity of the Gospel with its Spiritual Worship and the profession of the Name of Cbrist are expressed under forms of speaking used to Old Jerusalem under the washings of the Law under the names of Ceremonles the Temple Services Sacrifices Oaths c. Yea that which the Prophet speaks here of Swearing the Apostle Paul interprets it expresly of confession saying Rom. 14.11 For it is written As I live saith the Lord Every knee shall bowe to me and every tongue shall confess to God Which being rightly considered none can be ignorant but these words which the Prophet writes under the Law when the Ceremonial Oaths were in use to wit Every Tongue shall swear whereby the Apostle being under the Gospel when those Oaths became abolished expressed by Every tongue shall confess Tenthly they object But the Apostle Paul approves Oaths used among men when he writes Heb. 6.16 Obj. For men verily swear by the greater and an Oath of Confirmation is to them an end of all strife But there are as many contests fallacies and differences at this time as there were ever Therefore the necessity of Oaths doth yet remain I answer the Apostle tells indeed in this place what men at that time did who lived in controversies and incredulity not what they ought to have done nor what the Saints did who were redeemed from strife and incrudulity and had come to Christ that Truth and Amen of God Moreover he only alludes to a certain custom usual among men that he might express the firmity of the Divine Promise that he might excite in the Saints so much the more confidence in God promising to them not that he might instigate them to swear against the law of God or confirm them in that no not at all for neither doth 1 Cor. 9.24 teach Christians the vain races whereby men often times even to the destruction of their Bodies are wearied to obtain a corruptible prize So neither doth Christ who is the Prince of Peace teach his Disciples to fight albeit he takes notice Luk. 14.31 what it behoveth such Kings to do who are accustomed to fight as prudent warriors therein Secondly as to what pertains to contests perfidies and diffidences among men which our adversaries affirm to have grown to such an height that Swearing is at present as necessary as ever that we deny not at all for we see and daily experience teacheth us that all manner of deceit and malice doth encrease among worldly men and false Christians but not among true Christians but because men cannot trust one another and therefore require Oaths one of another it will not therefore follow that true Christians ought to do so whom Christ has brought to true faithfulness and honesty as well towards God as one towards another and therefore has delivered them from contests perfidies and consequently from Oaths Eleventhly they object We grant that among true Christians there is not need of Oaths Obj. but by what means shall we infallibly know them It will follow then that Oaths are at present needful and that it is lawful for Christians to swear to wit that such may be satisfied who will not acknowledg this and the other man to be a Christian. I answer It is no waies lawful for a Christian to swear whom Christ hath called to his essential Truth Answ. which was before all Oaths forbidding him to swear and on the contrary commanding him to speak the Truth in all things to the honour of Christ who called him that it may appear that the words of his Disciples may be as truly believed as the Oaths of all the worldly men Neither is it lawful for them to be unfaithful in this that they may please others for that they may avoid their hurt for thus the primitive Christians for some ages remained faithful who being required to swear did unanimously answer I am a Christian I swear not What shall I say of the Heathens some of whom arrived to that degree For Diodoris Siculus relates lib. 16. that the giving of the right hand was among the Persians a sign of speaking the Truth and the Scythians as Qu. Curtius relates said in their conferences with Alexander the Great Think not that the Scythians confirm their friendship by swearing they swear by keeping their promises Stobaeus in his third Sermon tells that Solomon said A good man ought to be in that estimation that he need not an Oath because it is to be reputed a lessening of his honour if he be forced to swear Pythagoras in his Oration among other things hath this maxime as that which concerns the administration of the Common-wealth Let no man call God to witness by an Oath no not in judgment but let every man so accustom himself to speak that he may become worthy to be trusted even without an Oath Basil the Great commends Clinias an Heathen that he had rather pay three talents which are about three thousand pound than swear Socrates as Stobaeus relates Serm. 14. had this sentence the duty of good men requires that they shew to the world that their manners and actions are more firm than Oaths the same was the judgment of Isocrates Plato also stood against Oaths in his judgments De Leg. 12. Quintilianus takes notice that it was of old a kind of infamy if any was desired to swear but to require an Oath of a noble man was like an examining him by the Hangman Marcus Aurelius Antonius the Emperor of Rome saith in his description of a good man Such is his integrity that he needs not an Oath So also some Jews did witness as Grotius relates out of Maimonides It is best for a man to abstain from all Oaths The Esseans as Philo Judaeus relates did esteem their words more firm than Oaths and Oaths were esteemed among them as needless things And Philo himself speaking of the third Commandment explains his mind thus viz. It were better altogether not to swear but to be accustomed alwaies to speak the Truth that naked words might have the strength of an Oath And elswhere he saith It is more agreeable to natural Reason altogether to abstain from Swearing
their Doctrine 158 159. concerning the possibility of not sinning 172 173. the possibility of falling from Grace 176. many of them did not only contradict one another but themselves also 211. concerning Baptism and the sign of the Cross 301. concern-in an Oath 372. Feet concerning the washing of one anothers feet 317 318 319. Franequer 222. Freely the Gospel ought to be preached freely 180 221 222. G Games see Playes Gifted Brethren 198. GOD how he hath alwaies manifested himself 3. unless he speak within the Preacher makes a rustling to no purpose 5 6. None can know him aright unless he receive it of the Holy Ghost 5 6 7. God is to be sought within 7. he is known by sensation and not by meer speculation and syllogistic demonstrations 6 7. he is the Fountain Root and Beginning of all good works and he hath made all things by his eternal Word 10. God speaking is the object of Faith 15. among all he hath his own chosen ones 5. he delights not in the death of the wicked see Redemption He hath manifested his love in sending his Son 132 149 150. see Justification he rewards the good works of his Children 157 158. whether it be possible to keep his Commandments 159 160. he is the Lord and the Only Judge of the Conscience 331 333. he will have a free exercise 339. Gospel see Redemption the truths of it are as lies in the mouths of profane and carnal men 12 23 24. the nature of it is explained 25 26. it is distinguished from the Law and is more excellent than it 26 42. see Covenant Law whether any ought to Preach it in this or that place is not found in Scripture 42 200. its works are distinguished from the works of the Law 152. how it is to be propagated and of its propagation 334. the worship of it is inward 289 290. it is an inward Power 107 108. Grace the Grace of God can be lost through disobedeince 174 c. Saving Grace see Redemption which is required in the calling and qualifying of a Minister see Minister In some it worketh in a special and prevalent manner that they necessarily obtain Salvation 96 97. Your Grace see Titles H Hai Ebn Yokdan 126. Hands laying on of Hands 199 327. Head of uncovering the head in salutations 350 352 361 362 363 364 365 388 389. Heart the heart is deceitful and wicked 45 59 60 61. Heathens albeit they were ignorant of the history yet they were sensible of the loss by the Fall 124. some Heathens would not swear 378. heathenish Ceremonies were brought into the Christian Religion 301. Henry IV. King of France 341. Heresies whence they proceeded 244. Hereticks 336. High see Priest History of Christ see Quakers Redemption Holy of Holys the High-priest entred into it once a year 14 15. but now all of us at all times have access unto God 27. Holiness your Holiness see Titles Honor see Titles Hypocrite 336 340. I Jacob 241. James the Apostle there were of old divers Opinions concerning his Epistle 40. Idolatry 232 245. whence it proceeded 277. Jesting see Plays Games Jesuits see Sect Ignatian Jesus see Christ what it is to be saved and to be assembled in his Name 119 120 132 238. Jews among them there may be Members of the Church 182 183. their error concerning the outward succession of Abraham 190. their worship is outward 290. Illiterate see Mechanicks Indulgences 130. Infants see Sin Iniquities spiritual iniquities or wickedness 244. Inquisition 340. Inspiration where that doth not teach words without do make a noise to no purpose 5 6. John the Apostle concerning his second and third Epistles and the Revelation there were sometime divers Opinions 40. John the Baptist did not Miracles 198. John Hus is said to have Prophecyed 57. John Knox in what respect he was called the Apostle of Scotland 217. Judas fell from his Apostleship 191. who was his Vicar 293. his Ministry was not purely Evangelical 205. he was called immediately of Christ and who are inferior to him and plead for him as Patron of their Ministry 205 206. Justification the doctrin thereof is and hath been greatly vitiate among the Papists and wherein they place it 129 149 131 132. Luther and the Protestants with good reason opposed this doctrin tho many of them ran soon into another extreme and wherein they place it and that they agree in one 131 132 136. it comes from the love of God 133 149 150. to justifie signifies to make really just not to repute just which many Protestants are forc'd also to acknowledg 135 136 141 142 to 147. the revelation of Christ formed in the heart is the formal cause of justification not works to speak properly which are only an effect and so also many Protestants have said 128 130 131 132 134 135 141 146 147 148 149. We are justified in works and how 128 135 136 149 to 160. this is so far from being a Popish doctrin that Bellarmin and others oppos'd it 129 135 156 157. K Kingdom of God 256 327 334. Knowledg the height of man's happiness is plac'd in the true knowledg of God 1. error in the entrance of this knowledg is dangerous 1 2 superstition Idolatry and thence Atheism hath proceeded from the false and feigned Opinions concerning God and the knowledg of him 3. the uncertain knowledg of God is divers waies attained but the true and certain only by the inward and immediate revelation of the Holy Spirit 3 4 5. it hath been brought out of use and by what devices 8 9. there is no knowledg of the Father but by the Son nor of the Son but by the Spirit 3 9 10 11 12. the knowledg of Christ which is not by the revelation of his Spirit in the heart is no more the knowledg of Christ than the pratling of a Parret which hath been taught a few words may be said to be the voice of a man 12 13. L Laicks 214 218 219. Laity 219 321. Lake of Bethsaida 94. Law the Law is distinguished from the Gospel 26 290. the difference thereof 26 167 168. see Gospel under the Law the people were not in any doubt who should be Priests and Ministers 188. see Minister of the Law Worship Learning what true learning is 205 206. Letter the letter killeth quickeneth not 168. Light the innate Light is explained by Cicero 125 126. Light of Nature the errors of the Socinians and Pelagians who exalt this Light are rejected 57 58 Saving Light see Redemption is Universal it is in all 83 84. it is a Spiritual and heavenly Principle 86 87. it is a Substance not an accident 88 89. it is Supernatural and Sufficient 104 107. it is the Gospel Preached in every creature 107 108. it is the Word nigh in the mouth and in the heart 109 110. it is the ingrafted Word able to save the Soul 114. testimonies of Augustin and Buchanan concerning this Light 127. it is not any part of
hold upon some little combustible matter lying near unto it yea if it fall out that several met together be straying in their minds though outwardly silent and so wandring from the measure of Grace in themselves which through the working of the enemy and negligence of some may fall out it either one come in or may be in who is watchful and in whom the Life is raised in a great measure as that one keeps his place he will feel a secret Travel for the rest in a sympathy with the Seed which is oppressed in the other and kept from arising by their thoughts and wanderings and as such a faithful one waits in the Light and keeps in this Divine work God often-times answers the secret travel and breathings of his own Seed through such a one so that the rest will find themselves secretly smitten without words and that one will be as a Midwife through the secret travel of his Soul to bring forth the life in them just as a little water thrown into a Pump brings up the rest whereby life will come to be raised in all and the vain imaginations brought down and such a one is felt by the rest to minister life into them without words yea sometimes when there is not a word in the meeting but all are silently waiting if one come in that is rude and wicked and in whom the power of darkness prevaileth much perhaps with an intention to mock or do mischief if the whole meeting be gathered into the Life and it be raised in a good measure it will strike terror into such an one and he will feel himself unable to resist but by the secret strength and vertue thereof the power of darkness in him will be chained down and if the day of his Visitation be not expired it will reach to the measure of Grace in him and raise it up to the redeeming of his Soul and this we often bear witness of so as we had hereby frequent occasion in this respect since God hath gathered us to be a People to renew this old saying of many Is Saul also among the Prophets For not a few have come to be convinced of the Truth after this manner of which I my self in a part am a true witness who not by strength of arguments or by a particular disquisition of each Doctrine and convincement of my understanding thereby came to receive and bear witness of the Truth but by being secretly reached by this Life For when I came into the silent Assemblies of God's People I felt a secret power among them which touched my heart and as I gave way unto it I found the evil weakning in me and the good raised up and so I became thus knit and united unto them hungering more and more after the increase of this Power and Life whereby I might feel my self perfectly redeemed and indeed this is the surest way to become a Christian to whom afterwards the knowledg and understanding of Principles will not be wanting but will grow up so much as is needful as the natural Fruit of this good root and such a knowledg will not be barren nor unfruitful after this manner We desire therefore all that come among us to be prosolyted knowing that though Thousands should be convinced in their understandings of all the Truths we maintain yet if they were not sensible of this inward Life and their Souls not changed from unrighteousness to righteousness they could add nothing to us for this is that cement whereby we are joyned as to the Lord so to one another and without this none can Worship with us Yea if such should come among us and from that understanding and convincement they have of the Truth speak ever so true things and utter them forth with ever so much excellency of speech if this Life were wanting it would not edify us at all but be as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal 1 Cor. 13.1 § VIII Our work then and worship is when we meet together for every one to watch and wait upon God in themselves and to be gathered from all visibles thereinto And as every one is thus stated they come to find the good arise over the evil and the pure over the impure in which God reveals himself and draweth near to every individual and so he in the midst in the general Whereby each not only partakes of the particular refreshment and strength which comes from the good in himself but is a sharer of the whole body as being a living member of the body having a joynt fellowship and communion with all and as this Worship is stedfastly preached and kept to it becomes easie though it be very hard at first to the natural man whose roving imaginations and running worldly desires are not so easily brought to silence and therefore the Lord often-times when any turns toward him and have true desires thus to wait upon him and find great difficulty through the unstayedness of their minds doth in condescension and compassion cause his Power to break forth in a more strong and powerful manner and when the mind sinks down and waits for the appearance of Life and that the power of darkness in the Soul wrestles and works against it then the good Seed as it ariseth will be found to work as Physick in the Soul especially if such a weak one be in the Assembly of divers others in whom the Life is arisen in greater dominion and through the contrary workings of the power of darkness there will be found an inward striving in the Soul as really in the mystery as ever Esau and Jacob strove in Rebeckahs Womb. And from this inward travel while the darkness seeks to obsure the Light and the Light break through the darkness which always it will do if the Soul give not its strength to the darkness there will be such a painful travel found in the Soul that will even work upon the outward man so that often-times through the working thereof the body will be greatly shaken and many groans and sighs and tears even as the pangs of a Woman in travel will lay hold upon it yea and tais not only as to one but when the Enemy who when the Children of God assemble together is not wanting to be present to see if he can let their comfort hath prevailed in any measure in a whole meeting and strongly worketh against it by spreading and propagating his dark power and by drawing out the minds of such as are met from the Life in them as they come to be sensible of this power of his that works against them and to wrestle with it by the Armour of Light sometimes the power of God will break forth into a whole meeting and there will be such an inward travel while each is seeking to overcome the evil in themselves that by the strong contrary workings of these opposite powers like the going of two contrary tides every individual will be
strongly exercised as in a day of battle and thereby trembling and a motion of body will be upon most if not upon all wbich as the power of Truth prevails will from pangs and groans end with a sweet sound of thanksgiving and praise and from this the name of Quakers i. e. Tremblers was first reproachfully cast upon us which though it be none of our choosing yet in this respect we are not ashamed of it but have rather reason to rejoyce therefore even that we are sensible of this power that hath often times laid hold upon our adversaries and made them yield unto us and joyn with us and confess to the Truth before they had any distinct or discursive knowledg of our Doctrins so that sometimes many at one Meeting have heen thus convinced and this Power would sometimes also teach to and wonderfully work even in little Children to the admiration and astonishment of many § IX Many are the blessed experiences which I could relate of this silence and manner of Worship yet do I not so much commend and speak of silence as if we had a Law in it to shut out Praying or Preaching or tied our selves thereunto not at all for as our Worship consisteth not in the Words so neither in silence as silence but in an holy dependence of the mind upon God from which dependence silence necessarily follows in the first place until words can be brought forth which are from God's Spirit and God is not wanting to move in his Children to bring forth words of Exhortation or Prayer when it is needful so that of the many gatherings and meetings of such as are convinced of the Truth there is scarce any in whom God raiseth not up some or other to minister to his Brethren that there are few meetings that are altogether silent For when many are met together in this one Life and Name it doth most naturally and frequently excite them to pray to and praise God and stir up one another by mutual exhortation and instructions yet we judg it needful there be in the first place some times of silence during which every one may be gathered inward to the Word and Gift of Grace from which he that ministreth may receive strength to bring forth what he ministreth and that they that hear may have a sense to discern betwixt the precious and the vile and not to hurry into the exercise of these things so soon as the Bell rings as other Christians do yea and we doubt not but assuredly know that the meeting may be good and refreshful though from the sitting down to the rising up thereof there hath not been a word as outwardly spoken and yet Life may have been known to abound in each particular and an inward growing up therein and thereby yea so as words might have been spoken acceptably and from the life yet there being no absolute necessity laid upon any so to do all might have chosen rather quietly and silently to possess and enjoy the Lord in themselves which is very sweet and comfortable to the Soul that hath thus learned to be gathered out of all its own thoughts and workings to feel the Lord to bring forth both the will and the deed which many can declare by a blessed experience though indeed it cannot but be hard for the natural man to receive or believe this Doctrine and therefore it must be rather by a sensible experience and by coming to make proof of it than by arguments that such can be convinced of this thing seeing it is not enough to believe it if they come not also to enjoy and possess it yet in condescension to and for the sake of such as may be the more willing to apply themselves to the practice and experience hereof that they found their understandings convinced of it and that it is founded upon Scripture and Reason I find a freedom of mind to add some few considerations of this kind for the confirmation hereof besides what is before mentioned of our experience § X. That to wait upon God and to watch before him is a duty incumbent upon all I suppose none will deny and that this also is a part of Worship will not be called in question since there is scarce any other so frequently commanded in the Holy Scriptures as may appear from Psal. 27.14.37 v. 7.34 Prov. 20.22 Isa. 30.18 Hosea 12.7 Zach. 3.8 Matth. 24.42 25.13.26.41 Marc. 13.33 35. Luc. 21.36 Act. 1.4.20.31 1 Cor. 16.13 Col. 4.2 1 Thes. 5.6 2 Tim. 4.5 1 Pet. 4.7 Also this duty is often recommended with very great and precious promises as Psal. 25.3.37.9.69.7 Isa. 40.31 Lam. 3.25.26 They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength c. Now how is this waiting upon God or watching before him but by this silence of which we have spoken Which as it is in it self a great and principle duty so it necessarily in order both of nature and time proceedeth all other But that it may be the better and more perfectly understood as it is not only an outward silence of the body but an inward silence of the mind from all its own imaginations and self-cogitations let it be considered according to Truth and to the Principles and Doctrines heretofore affirmed and proved that man is to be considered in a two fold respect to wit in his natural unregenerate and faln state and in his Spiritual and renewed condition from whence ariseth that distinction of the natural and spiritual man so much used by the Apostle and heretofore spoken of also these two births of the mind proceed from the two Seeds in man respectively to wit the good Seed and the evil And from the evil Seed doth not only proceed all manner of gross and abominable wickedness and profanity but also hypocrisie and these wickednesses which the Scripture calls spiritual because it is the Serpent working in and by the natural man in things that are spiritual which having a shew and appearance of good are so much the more hurtful and dangerous as it is Satan transformed and transforming himself into an Angel of Light and therefore doth the Scripture so pressingly and frequently as we have heretofore had occasion to observe shut out and exclude the natural man from medling with the things of God denying his endeavours therein though acted and performed by the most eminent of his parts as of wisdom and utterance Also this spiritual wickedness is of two sorts though both one in kind as proceeding from one root yet different in their degrees and in the subjects also sometimes The one is when as the natural man is medling in and working in the things of Religion doth from his own conceptions and divinations affirm or propose wrong and erroneous notions and opinions of God and things spiritual and invent superstitions ceremonies observations and rites in worship from whence have sprung all the Heresies and Superstitions that are among Christians The other is when as