as this man putteth beyond all debate in his writings and others clearly demonstrate by their books containing such positions as overturn and destroy the Gospel Mr Norton teacher of the Church at Boston in New England being appointed to write against the Quakers by order of the General Court tels us in his Tractat printed A. 1660. Pag. 6.7 c. that the Quakers deny that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons that Christ is God and Man in one Person that Christ is a distinct person from the person of the Father that Christ is a distinct person from any of His Members And so their Christ doth unchrist Christ. He tels us moreover that they deny the Scriptures or written word to be the Rule of life and that they make the light within them and the Spirit without the Scriptures to be their guide that they owne none as lawful magistrats who are not of their way that they assert an infallible light within them above the trial of the Scriptures that they will not acknowledge that they sinne but professe perfection of degrees in his life Mr Stalham in his Epistle to the Reader prefixed to his Reviler rebuiked sheweth us that they make nothing of the historical letter of Christ's Death Resurrection c. but turne all into allegories And that they are with H. N. in his joyful message of the Kingdom Pag. 170. ready to call these things meer lies which the Scripture-learned through the knowledge which they get out of the Scriptures bring-in institute preach teach As also how they joine with Iacob Behme who slighted the imputed righteousness from without and magnified the little spark within whereby the Father draweth them all to Christ and teacheth all within them and say further that in Adam stood the Covenant of grace that there is no certaine Ordination from eternity upon any soul particularly which is yet to be borne but only a common universal foreseeing of grace He sheweth us also how Will. Erbury in his Call to the Churches Pag. 4. said what Gospel or glade tideings is it to tell the world that none shall be saved but the elect and believers and that the Gospel which Christ taught was but in part that which was proper only to the Iewish Church not that to be preached to the world And moreover Pag. 6. he telleth us that he said the Gospel which the Apostles preached to the world was not that which they wrote to the Churches nor yet what they read in the Scriptures of the Prophets but the Gospel was a mystery which in the light of God they could manifest to men and make all men see themselves in God that 's in Christ. And Pag. 9. that God is in our flesh as in Christ's for the mystery of faith was more than men imagine and it may be more than Paul wrote to the Romans and Churches of Galatia And Pag. 37. that Christ's coming againe promised Act. 1 11. was nothing but his coming in Spirit and power in the Saints and in their flesh when they are most confused and dark Further the same Mr Stalham in the book cited sheweth how they contradict Scriptures in several points as concerning Scriptures Trinity the Light within the Law Sin Iustification Regeneration Sanctification and its Perfection Christian warfare Repentance Meanes of grace Baptisme Lord's Supper Prayer Singing Elders and Ordination Ministers maintainance Immediat calling Immediat teaching Civil honour Swearing unto which might be added several things brought out of their writings by Mr Hicks beside what we shall have occasion to remark in this Author with whom we now deal By all which we may conjecture what a Gospel this is which they teach even another than we have in the Scriptures and than that which the Apostle taught And what welcome such as come with another Gospel were their credentials angelical unto which these men are strangers should have Paul hath taught us Gal. 1 8 9. as was mentioned above which is a sufficient warning for all that fear God to beware of these men 20. This man hath an high and mighty conceit of his Theses calling them though short yet ponderous and saying that they comprehend many things and denote the true original of knowledge of that knowledge which leadeth to life eternal And I do indeed conceive that they containe much though I dar not say the whole of the marrow of that Gospel whereof he is a dispensator we may look upon ourselves therefore as called more narrowly to consider and examine them If the matter contained in them were good I should not quarrel at their brevity but I see what they want in length the Apology hath Ponderous he calleth them but we know wet sand though of smal value is more ponderous than what is more worth and indeed so ponderous are they that they will sinke the poor soul that embraceth them without any other super added weight into the bottomless pit His saying that they pointe forth the true original of saving knowledg will never perswade me that they do so How defective they are as to this we may shew in the next Chapter Nay rather I dar say that they discover the true original of that science falsly so called which leadeth to the bottomless pit and this I hope to make appeare ere all be done 21. He tels us that he beareth witness to this truth in this his work But he must hold us excused to seek for a more sure ground to our faith and perswasion than his bare testimony especially when he speaketh not only not consonant to Scripture but so manifestly contrary thereto Indeed if we were called to rest upon his and his co-partners bare testimony all further dispute were at an end and we might cast our bibles at our heels and learn all our divinity at their mouth or at the light with in us rest thereupon notwithstanding it contradict sound reason and experience let be Scripture But through grace we have not yeâ— drunk-in that principle and therefore must stand upon our old bottome and go to the Law and to the Testimony 22. In fine he tels us that he leaveth this his testimony unto the light of Christ illuminating every one of our consciences which words may have a double sense as expressed in his latine and either import that he leaveth this his testimony as a confirmation of that light of Christ which illuminateth every man and if this be his meaning the preaching up of this light must be the whole of his Gospel worâ— and the whole Intent and designe of his writting and publishing these Theses yea if so these Propositions of his must serve for no other end but to confirme the truth and reality of this light of Christ But then I think They or He by them should have given us some clear discovery and explication of the nature of that light of Christ which is as he saith within every man which I finde
is this That God inspired Man with some thing of his own substance bestowed something of his own divinity upon him That God did inspire Man with the Holy Ghost 4. Now if this man be of the same judgment with these mentioned we may saifly conceive or conjecture at least that his meaning in these words now under consideration is this That the Body of man which is of the First and Earthly Adam was degenerat and became dead but not the Soul which being a part of God's substance and being and having relation to the Second and Spiritual Adam who is the Bishop thereof was not obnoxious to this Death and Degeneration for being eternal as well as Infinite it could neither die nor degenerate nor fall But how blasphemous an opinion this is every one may see This is the old damnable opinion of the Gnosticks Manichees and Priscillianists and of Cerdo See August Lib. de Origine Animae c. 2. and De Haeres c. 46. and 70. Aquin. 1. q. 90. Ar. 1. Col. Conimb ad 2. de Anima q. 1. Art 6. and was owned by that blasphemous man Servetus and of late also by the Author of Theologia Germanica and of the Bright Star See Mr Rutherf Survey of Spiritual Antichrist Chap. XIV These hold that the soul was a part of God's essence Though God's essence be most Pure Simple and Indivisible and cannot be a part of any composed thing If the Soul were thus of God and a part of God God should be the forme of man Because the soul is the fâ—rme of Man and consequently Man should be God for the whole may be denominated from the forme The Scripture tels us that God is Immutable and that there is no shadow of turning with Him but by this opinion he should be Mutable and change from Power to Act from Ignorance to Knowledge from Vice to Vertue c. and back againe reciprocally Hence also it must follow that either no souls can go to hell or that a part of God must be tormented in hell And what will they say of Devils Either they must deny that there are any or say that they are a part of God for they are Spiritual Substances being Intelligences and with the Quakers forementioned spiritual substances are parts of God and are Infinite in themselves they are no Creatures and if no Creatures they must be the Creator or a part of the Creator It is true Man was created according to the Image of God which as to the Soul consisted as in the spirituality of its substance so chiefly in Wisdome Righteousness and Holiness Eccles. 7 29. Ephes. 4 24. Col 3 10 But the Scripture tels us that as to this Image it was lost even as to knowledg nothing being left but some rubbish of that once stately Fabrick of which afterward and that thus the soul was corrupted and damnified by the fall all the Powers and Faculties thereof being perverted so that thereby Man became not only utterly Indisposed but also Opposite to all that is spiritually good and wholly Inclined to all evil and that continually Rom. 3 vers 10 20. Ehes. 2 2 3. Rom. 5 6. 8 7 8. Gen. 6 5 And this is confirmed by what this Man addeth in the Thesis and prosecuteth at large in his Apology 5. If this be not his true meaning let us try another Conjecture They commonly speak of a Christ within them as Mr Hicks cleareth Dial. 1. Pag. 44. c. and taunt such as beleeve in a Person without them saying Christ is within and that there is no other Christ but that within every man Mr Hicks there tels us also that Crisp one of their ministry asking what Christ he owned and receiving this answere That he did not beleeve any meer Principle or Spirit in men to be the Christ because that was not capable to suffer what Christ suffered returned this reply That this was blasphemy And when Mr Hicks said further that the Christ he beleeved was no other then that person the Scriptures speak of The word made flesh God and man in one person Crisp. replied that then he knew the beginning and date of his Christ Moreover he tels us Pag. 45 46. that Georg Fox in the forecited Book Pag. 206. saith if there be any other Christ but he that was crucified within he is a false Christ and he that hath not this Christ that was crucified within is a Reprobat And Pag 207. That God's Christ is not distinct from the saints and he that eats the flesh of Christ hath it within him Pag. 201. Mr Hicks tels us also Dial. 2. Pag. 10. How G. Whitehead in his Dip. Plu. Pag. 13. saith Christ Iesus a Person without us is not Scripture language but the Anthropomorphites and Muggletonians This language is very suteable unto the language of the Old Libertines against whom Famous Calvin wrote in his Instructio adv Libertinos Cap 17. They made Christs sufferings to be a meer Histrionick Action or Comedie and Quintinus used to be very angry when any asked him how he did saying How can it be ill with Christ. But yet that they may put a difference betwixt themselves and others They use to say as Mr Stalham informeth us Pag. 276. That Christ is in all but none is in Christ except themselves Shall we think that this is thâ—s Mans meaning to wit That man is Corrupt Fallen Degenerated and Dead not according to that part in him which is Christ but according to that part in him which is the Old man As this should contradict what he saith afterward upon this account that then it were manifest that whole man did not fall or became dead and was degenerate so it could not be satisfying for it would have but this import That man was Corrupted Dead and Degenerated in so farr as he was corrupted dead and degenerated and then we should be no wiser than we were Moreover if we should ask how this Christ came into every man The answer must be that he was created in him and as to this part of man Adam did not fall And if we should ask what is this Christ in every man Will. Pen in his Innocency with open face P. 8. as Mr Hickâ— sheweth Dial. 2. Pag. 41. answereth It is God himself And He with Nailer and Hubberthorn in their Answer to the Phanaticque History Pag. 13. will say it is the Light in us and Burroughs Pag 9 and 149. will say that he that was slaine upon the crosse is the â—ery Christ of God and the very Christ of God is in us The same Mr Hicks in his postscript to the Dial. 1. Pag. 82. tels us that Ed. Borroughs and Franc. Howgil said in the hearing of credible witnesses That Christ was as really in every man as he was in that Flesh which suffered at Ierusalem 6. But as yet we are arrived at no clear discovery of the truth in this matter but rather further off from any clear
Lord. This is that true light c. And Pag. 6. He tels us that commonly they call this light within Christ or a measure of Christ. And Pag. 7. That Crisp said that it was sufficient to heal helpe and save them tâ—at take heed to it and that because if it ought to be obeyed then it must be sufficient c. So Pag. 9 10. They say they do obey the commands of the Living and Eternal Word in them that is the Light to them is the living and eternal Word So. Pag. 16. He tels us that some of them call the seed Christ others a measure of God others say that it is the Spirit Pag. 47. he tels us that Naylor sayeth That Christ is the election and the elect seed and that Fox sayeth The seed to which the promise is is that which hath bin laden as a Cart with sheaves by the sinner which seed is the hâ—pe Christ. And Pag. 82. that W. Pen sayeth this light within was and is sufficient to bring about remission of sins eternal salvation whâ—ch was the errand for which Christ came into the world In his 2 Dial. Pag. 45. he tels us that Ed Burroughs called this seed the Church which is Christ's body Pag. 46. that he said also that such as denyed Christ to be the light in every man were Antichrists and that G Whitehead said To say the light in every man is a meer creature is contrary to plaine Scripture this life and light is divine and increated In his 3 Dial. Pag. 8. He tels us that they say That the life of God is the light of men with which every man is enlightened is sufficient to salvation And that they who obey it are the good subject and childeren of God and obtaine favour lâ—ve and the recompence of the reward of righteousness and how they speak thus Thou confounds the light within and the creature together concluding Imbecillity Insufficiency and Ignorance in the light which are the imperfections of the creature And againe Pag. 10. It is impious to charge mens infirmities upon the Light and reput that insufficient because they are rebellious And againe p. 43. that they say who or what was Christ in that manifestation it self but that divine word light and life manifested in flesh And pag. 52. This argument springs in my minde for the divinity and sufficiency of the Light That which in all ages hath bin the just mans path and there where the blood of cleansing is known and by which fellowshipe is enjoyed and the light of eternal life obtained is ever was ever will be a divine sufficient and saving way But such a way is the Light c. Mr Stalham in his book against the Quakers part 1. giveth us some others of their expressions concerning this light in prejudice of the Scriptures such as Pag. 60. that G. Fox said the light was the true teacher and the light within life the light in Scripture is death so p. 74. that the same person said It is the light that gave forth the Scriptures and will open the Scriptures and is a more sure word of prophecy yea and the grace that appeared unto all men And Pag. 83. that I. Nayler said that this light if we did know own and obey it would lead us out of the fall Many such expressions may be found I suppose by others who are acquaint with their books and by these expressions we may in part conjecture what they meane by this Light that upon the maâ—er it is the same the old Begards said to wit that every intellectuall being hath enough within it self to make it happy 4. But to returne to our Quaker we see 1. what various titles epithets he giveth it he calleth it the Seed Grace the Word of God and the Light which certanely is not to cleare and explaine the mater to us but to inveagle us cile our eyes and leave us more in the mist that we should not know what it is 2. He saith this whatever it be is in some measure given to every man and sure what is common to all men can be nothing but Nature or the Pelagian grace of God that is mans Free Will as Vossius sheweth us Hist. Pelag. Lib. 3. Part. 2 Thes. 1. Pelagius thought and said that this Rational Will or the Possibility of Nature created by God was the grace of God by which all might be done though afterward he added to coloure the business better a supernatural grace but this was nothing else but the external doctrine of the law But whether the Quakers will come this length I know not When all this addition of Pelagius did not satisfie the orthodox he added the grace of remission of sinnes but he thought not this necessary to all See Voss ibid. Thes. 2. when this did not satisfie he made another addition of the grace of Christ consisting only in his Doctrine and Example At length when all that would not satisfie he added the divine help of the Spirit working in men but restricked it wholly to the Understanding granting no operation of the Spirit upon the wil. Now whether our Quakers will come all this length I doubt seing this grace that Pelagius acknowledgeâ— can not be said to be common to all men How much less can that be called grace which they talk so much of and how can so great things be said of it while it cometh short of the very Pelagian grace 3 He saith this is given in order to Salvation But what is the meaning of this Is it sufficient without any supervenient grace of God to effectuat salvation and is it given of God intentionally for this end that it may lead unto salvation Then we need no more Gospel no more Preaching no more Grace of God no more Help of the Spirit This must be the very first exscreation of Pelagianisme And the setting of corrupt rotten Nature on the throne 4. where â—ead we that that which is common to all men is called the Seed the Grace and the word of God or that the Light of nature which is in some sense common to all men hath a native and kindly manufucture or tendency to the salvation revealed in the Gospel 5. The Scripture tels us that the seed of God remaineth and that it is proper to such as are borne of God 1 Ioh. 3 9. and so it is not common to all nor can it be exstinguished or killed 6. I would faine know how this Word of God can be crucified it may be he with other Quakers meaneth hereby the crucifying of Christ whereof the Gospel speaketh 7. He saith this seed c. is not the very essence of God how in this he contradicteth others whose expressions to the contrary we mentioned just now let all judge But he lenifieth the mater by saying that it is not the essence and nature of God taken precisely in it self So then it seemeth that it is the
Renovation is but upon the minde and this Formation of Christ is but a Revelation in the minde But where is the work of grace upon the will This would say that the Papists opinion is more tolerable then this for they include graces seated in the will 5. Where doth the Scripture speak of Justification after this manner We are oft said to be justified by faith but never are we said to be justified by such a Revelation 6. Therefore I may as confidently affirme that this his sensation is but a sensible delusion of Satan the grand enemy of the Grace of God and of the Gospel 34. Yet he goeth about to prove this and tels us first that this methode of salvation is set down by Paul Rom. 5 10. for saith he The Apostle doth signify that reconciliation is made by the death of Christ. Ans. This is true of that Reconciliation which is actual and is had by faith in the death of Christ but not of that Reconciliation which he imagineth whereby to wit God is prone to Receive and Redeem man What next He affirmeth Iustification that is Salvation to be in Christs life Ans. And what ground is there for this Interpretation seing the sense is obvious to wit that seing by the propitiatory death of Christ beleevers laying hold upon him by faith are brought into a state of Peace and Reconciliation with God they need not fear but they shall be brought thorow all difficulties and steps to the enjoyment of life eternal and full salvation Christ being now alive to bestow all that he hath purchased What more He saith That this life of Christ is something inward and spiritual in the heart whereby he is renewed and brought out of death where naturally he lay and raised up and revived unto God the same Apostle sheweth Ephes. 2 5. Ans. This is nothing but a palpable perversion of the words of the Apostle for the life can no more be understood here of some inward thing wrought in man than Christ's death can be so interpreted And if he had so expounded the words he had spoke more like himself above as also more like other Quakers who talk of Christs sufferings and death c. as all done within man 2. That the Apostle Ephes. 2 5. is speaking of beleevers being by grace quickened together with Christ and risen together with him c. is true But what saith this for the corrupt glosse of Rom. 5 10. where the life of Christ is only spoken of and that as it by which beleevers may be assured of their salvation 3. What is there in all this for Justification by the Revelation of Christ within reforming the minde c Hath the man forgote his Conclusion already Ay but sayes he the Apostle mentioneth a Revelation of this inward life 2 Cor. 4 10 11. and this inward life is that whereby he said we were justified Ans. The life of Christ is indeed said by Paul 2. Cor. 4 10 11. to be made manifest in and by its effects supporting carrying the persecuted Apostles through so many miseries and deaths But who except a Quaker could say that the Apostle sayes we are justified by this life And what vestige is there of this in the Apostles words 35. In the next place he citeth Tit. 3 5. And hence thus argueth we are justified by that by which we are saved Ans. Yes by the grace of God we are freely justified and saved and that without works of righteousness which we have done Here the Apostle sayes he moreover doth manifestly ascribe the immediat cause of Iustification unto the inward work of regeneration that is to Christ revealed in the soul by which we are formally accepted of God Ans. 1. What immediat cause is this That a soul must be wrought up to faith in Christ before it can be justified we grant and that this faith must be wrought by the operation of the Spirit is also true But that this faith or any other work of the Spirit in the soul is the Formal Objective Cause of Justification the Apostle saith neither here nor elsewhere 2. To say that we are formally accepted of God that is as fully righteous with a righteousness answering the Law in all points and satisfying justice for bâ—gones as he must meane or he speaketh not to the point by this work of Regeneration is but a jejune begging of what is yet in question sure there is no word of this here 36. In the third place he citeth 2 Cor. 13 5. And saith That it appeareth here how earnestly the Apostle would that they should know Christ in them Ans. The Apostle to the end that the Corinthians who at the instigation of false Teachers were beginning to have undervalueing thoughts of him might be convinced that he was an Apostle of Christ and so continue in esteeming of him as such doth here presse them to goe in to their owne hearts and see if there were any fruits and effects of Christ's living among them by his Spirit through his ministrie that if not they might not account themselves Christians but persons rejected And what would this say It appeareth hence 2. sayes he that the cause of reprobation or of non-justification was the want of the inhabitation of Christ revealed And by the rule of contraries where Christ is inwardly known and revealed there the persons are approven and justified And nothing can be more cleare Ans. 1. By what rule law or authority doth he make Reprobation and No-Jusâ—ification equipollent terms This must be licentiâ Quakerorum whereby they have a privilege contrare to Scripture and all Reason to coine words phrases and opinions in divinity at their pleasure 2. The want of the effects and evidences of Christ dwellâ—ng in them by his Spirit is not here given as the cause of their being in an evil state reâ—ected and disapproved of God but as a mark and evidence And marks and evidences are not alwayes taken from the Immediat Nearest and Formal cause 3. It is very true that by the rule of contraries where Christ is indeed revealed and working in the soul that soul is justified but it is most false that therefore Christ revealed in the soul is the Formal Cause or to speak more properly the Formal Objective Reason of Justification for himself said above that good works were properly the effects and fruits of â—ustification and yet he knoweth the fruits and effects may be an evidence of the cause in being 4. And so there is nothing more plaine and evident then that this citation is impertinent and his argueing therefrom a non sequitur and that he is still the old man a Quaker-disputant 37. As a parallel place he citeth Pag. 142 Gal. 4 19. And saith this Christ is the inward hope of glory Col. 1 27 28. And what is the hope of Glory must be that to which we nextly and immediatly lean unto in Iustification Answ. And how is this proven We must beleeve it
thorowly to peruse this large examen though I would have every one to have it by him that he might in their perversions of the Scripture have recourse to it for a help to be cleared I would besides other pieces particularly recommend a little piece lately published called a short survey of Quakerisme wherein the Author hath solidly aâ—d clearly said much in little for guarding the people of the Lord against the contagion of these soul-murthering heresies But above all and with this I close all that thou mayest be able to stand when so many once looked upon as persons of some understanding have fallen gird thy loins about with the truth of the Scriptures O prize the word of God that blessed word which these men contradict and contemne as if they would be avenged upon the Scriptures First for foretelling that such a race of Runagadoes from the truth would arise whereby we are confirmed that they are the word of the living God Secondly because of their passing sentence upon them when arisen as seducers and condemning their sentiments as the doctrines of Devils Thirdly because they most peremptorily inhibite us under the pain of his displeasure who hath given us these Scriptures for our rule to converse with such deceivers or receive theâ— into our houses and charge all who would not fall into the same snare and so bring sore and swift damnation on themselves to stand aloof from the men of these abominable and damnable heresies And you are the rather to observe and do this that you finde Satan rageth and goeth mad if this be urged and no wonder since he knowes well what he hath gained by the contrarie practice and is very sure that he who breaks so cleare a command hath wrested himself out of the hand of his guid anâ— so hath put himself out of case to pray or hope for leading which Satan knowing and observing way-layes him when he hath him in his own Synagogue or conversing unnecessarily with his domesticks and thinks himself sure of him And Alas the successe often answers his expectation And therefore he who put that deluded soul to draw up deâ—ile paper with this systeme and compound of all abominations doth prompt him in the next place to penne publish a piece which he calls Vniversal love just of a piece and complexion with cursed Naylor's love to the lost for the men are of the same core and kidney composed of hatred to the Gospel so that if you receive their expressions of love to the lost you are lost however this is a prettie page and pimp to his Apologie and weares its livery and is calculat exactly for the designe of Apollyon O so kinde as they will appeare as kinde as the cruel spider to the flee who while it seems to embrace and kisse it kills it with poison Let them be but warmely welcomed and have accesse to whisper you in the eare and drop-in their poison at that passage it will quickly reach your soul and flee up into your head and so distract you with themselves into a pure and perfect hatred of the way of Salvation but I must tell you he who would not have the Devil run away with him to hell should not throw himself in his embraces or suffer that evil one that liar and murtherer to come so neer him as to touch him Much about the same time also at least much about the same time both came to my hand his brother in iniquitie George Keith in answer as he calls it to a Postscript to Mr Rutherfoords letters written on purpose to disswade all the Lovers of Jesus Christ to converse with these his stated enemies flies furiously into the face of that Author and in his furious transport foams out in that piece his own shame Concerning which at present I have onely this to say to the Reader that he may expect ere long to have G. Keiths notions examined by the same person who hath answered his brothers Apologie and for what relates more particularly to the Postscript it self against which he rageth he may expect to have it considered by the Author of the Postscript But not to detain thee longer consider â— beseech thee and comply with that serious and seasonable exhortation given by this same Author in the preface to this sharp discoverie anâ— solid confutation of these damnable doctrines If not I must tell thee this piece shall rise up in judgement against all who over the belly of so cleare a discovery of the damnablenesse of these delusions and dreams will without feare expose themselves to the hazard of being bewitched by the Seducers But I hope better things of thee though I thus speake and so wishing thy soul prosperitie and establishment in the truth I bid thee fareweel and am Thy servant for Christ and souls well wisher R. M. C. AN INDEX OF PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE Perverted and abused by the Quaker and here vindicated and explained Chap. Vers. Pag GEN. Chap. Vers. 1 2. Pag. 26 Chap. Vers. 2 17. Pag. 98 Chap. Vers. 4 6 7. Pag. 221 Chap. Vers. 5 1 3. Pag. 131 Chap. Vers. 6 5. Pag. 101 150. Chap. Vers. 9 Pag. 345 Chap. Vers. 8 21. Pag. 101 130 Chap. Vers. 17 14. Pag. 132 EXOD. Chap. Vers. 34 6. Pag. 2â—2 NVMB. Chap. Vers. 11 25 29. Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 14 18. Pag. 222 DEVT. Chap. Vers. 4 4. Pag. 74 75 Chap. Vers. â—1 32. Pag. 74 75 Chap. Vers. 13 1. c. Pag. 509 Chap. Vers. 17 2. c. Pag. 509 1 KING Chap. Vers. 8 16. Pag. 347 NEHEM Chap. Vers. 9 30. Pag. 27 ESTER Chap. Vers. 3 2. Pag. 542 IOB Chap. Vers. 1 1. Pag. 345 Chap. Vers. 2 13. Pag. 429 Chap. Vers. 14 4. Pag. 130 Chap. Vers. 15 14. Pag. 131 PSAL. Chap. Vers. 25 3. Pag. 43 421 Chap. Vers. 27 24. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 37 7 34. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 51 5. Pag. 126 Chap. Vers. 13 Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 69 6. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 110 3. Pag. 508 Chap. Vers. 139 7. Pag. 27 PROV Chap. Vers. 8 24. Pag. 225 Chap. Vers. 2 22. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 28 1. Pag. 459 Chap. Vers. 30 5 6. Pag. 74 75 ECCLES Chap. Vers. 7 20. Pag. 347 ESAI Chap. Vers. 2 4. Pag. 517 Chap. Vers. 5 1 2 3. c. Pag. 224 Chap. Vers. 8 20. Pag. 7â— Chap. Vers. 30 18. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 40.31 Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 42 23. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 45 23. Pag. 531 Chap. Vers. 48 16. Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 49 6. Pag. 285 Chap. Vers. 53 4. Pag. 364 Chap. Vers. 59 2. Pag. 308 â—38 Chap. Vers. 21 Pag. 44 Chap. Vers. 65 16. Pag. 530 531 Chap. Vers. 25 Pag. 518 IEREM Chap. Vers. 1â— 16. Pag. 529 Chap. Vers. 17 9. Pag. 101 Chap. Vers. 18 9 10. Pag. 225 Chap. Vers. 23 29. Pag. 266 Chap. Vers. 31 33. Pag. 44 Chap. Vers. 34 Pag. 45 Chap. Vers. 38.39 40. Pag. 531 LAM Chap. Vers. 5 25. Pag. 421 EZEK
Master-workers are so active and busie It is not good to approach too nigh to a rageing Devil nor to tempt the Lord The history of the two persons that would be present at stage playes is known and the Reader may see the same related to his hand by the worthy Author of the first Epistle to the Reader prefixed to Mr Durham's Exposition of the Commands Let any sober and judicious person consider that which these Quakers call their Solemne Worshipe as this R. Barclay hath laid it forth before us and judge whether there be not there to be found without any narrow search such plaine Vestiges of Devilrie that may cause all in whom is the least meaâ—ure of the fear of God run far from them as from persons possessed with an evil Spirit and acted by the Devil the God of this world the Prince of the power of the aire the Spirit that now ruleth in the Children of disobedience Nothing that I ever heard or knew of them before did so much confirme me of their Devilrie as the reading and examining of that which thou hast here Chap. XXII Beside that every one may know that it is something more then Humane for persons Illiterat and of meane Understandings when turning Quakers to learne in so short a time in a few dayes if not in a few houres all their Notions Errours Blasphemies Prancks and Practices all so contrary to the Way and Profession wherein they have lived from their Infancy that they can act their wayes and utter their Abomination in their very dialect and tone so exactly as if they had seen nothing else all their dayes to speak nothing of Persons civilly educated who yet turning Quakers can so suddenly and so perfectly imitate and follow their rude and rustick carriage as if they had never seen civility with their eyes All which may confirme Rational Persons that it is not humane but the work of some powerful Spirit possessing them And what this Spirit is which Teacheth Possesseth Prompteth Acteth Leadeth and Driveth them and Speaketh in them the Word of God doth sufficiently evidence and may satisfie all Christians By the fruit we know a tree and by their doctrine we may as infallibly know that it is the Spirit of Satan that rageth in them if we will be satisfied with and submit to the Decision of the Spirit of Truth speaking in the Scriptures Their Unsavoury Pernicious and Blasphemous Positions and Assertions will put this matter beyond all debate I have gathered together an heap of such to the Number of Three Hundered and Fiftie and moe and the Reader may possibly finde yet moe that have escaped me and that without noticeing such things as may be drawn by just consequence from their Positive Assertions for if these were collected we might soon finde out the number of the Name of the Beast Six hundereth Sixty and Six to which may be added Sixty and Five found in one book of G. Keiths set down here at the end after the Postscript by which thou mayest judge what a Masse would be found if all their Books were searched But I suppose the fearer of God will say there is here enough and more then enough to cause all Christians abhore them and flee from them as from the Devil himself I shall not trouble thee with any Apologie for the work it self Only because I apprehend some will think I am too large and might have contracted the whole into narrower bounds I must tell thee that considering the genius and temper of these Quakers and knowing how ready they would be to vaunt and triumph as if any thing they said were unanswerable if I had passed over any thing said by their Patron and Advocat and had not examined particularly not only his Erronious and Blasphemous Assertions but also all that he did alledge for confirmation of the same and also all that he belched out against the Truth I was constrained to leave nothing untouched and that the book might be of more universal use I saw a necessitie of clearing and confirming the Truths Opposed by other Grounds and Arguments then this Contradicter of the wayes of Truth had taken any notice of And yet I have done it with that brevitie that maketh me apprehend Moe shall blame me upon the other hand for not confirming the Turths at greater length seing as to several Heads here touched Others now a dayes beside Quakers are appearing against the Truth once received The Heads it is true are many and I have in most for confirmation adduced only our Confession of Faith and Catechismes to the end that one and other may be enduced to peruse that book more as a good Antidote against the many Errours of this time pointing withall the Readers to apposite passages of Scripture for the ground of their faith And if I had handled each Controversie here touched at full length how many volumes should I have been necessitate to have written What intertainment this shall finde with the Quakers a sort of Men that cannot be silent I am not much concerned to enquire And if they examine it as Rats or Mice use to deal with books snatching at a word here and at half a sentence there and no more I suppose no man will think me called to notice the fame nor yet to be troubled at their Railings and Barkings And as for any answere to the whole that shall savoure of Reason Religion Candor and Plainness I do not expect it from them Farewell J. B. A Catalogue Of the arrogant erroneous and blasphemous Assertions of the Quakers mentioned in this book which may serve for an Index to the same 1. Of themselves 1. THey arrogantly stile themselves the servants of God c. 3 10 2. They glory of the Title Quakers 4 3. They account themselves the only Teachers of truth equalizing themselves with the Apostles 9 4. They say they are perfect without sin 11 5. They assert their experiences in matters that cannot be experienced 213 6. They say they only taste see and smell the Inward light 240 7. All their preaching is to call people to turn-in to the light within and to the Christ within them 281 292 8. They assert themselves to be equal with God 326 546 9. They say their quaking ariseth from a strugling within betwixt the power of life and the power of darkness whereby they have the very paines of a woman in travail 418 10. All is done without the Spirit that is not done in their way 440 442 447 11. They remaine covered when we pray or praise to keep their consciences unhurt as they say but really to mock 460 12. It can appear to them when the Spirit of the Lord concurreth with one of our Ministers and when not 460 13. They falsly say that all who are against them maintaine the lawfulness of Comoedies vanity of Apparel 533 534 14. They account their doctrine very harmonious think that to them alone the ancient
take notice of it 6 In his § 4. He would have us beleeving that he doth not hereby condemne all other second wayes or meanes as he purposeth to cleare in the next Thesis that is all other Wayes and Modes of attaining to the knowledge of God for he granteth these to be profitable and that they may conduce to facilitate the work but he is here pleading as he saith for that which is absolutely necessary But all the question is concerning the true meaning and import of that which he accounteth so Necessary if it be such Revelations of Truths as the Prophets and such as were Immediatly inspired had and as Enthusiasts plead for I deny the necessity hereof and as to this what way I pray can other meanes and modes as the Scriptures conduce to facilitate these Revelations have they any influence upon the person who is to receive these Revelations disposeing him thereunto Let him explaine this and then he may hear what shall be further replied If the thing so necessary unto the saving knowledge of God be only that operation of the Spirit which we mentioned above we assent and only say That he should speak more intelligibly than call this an Inward and Immediat Revelation But it is usual with this sort of men to speak as did the Libertines against whom Calvin wrote Cap. 2. after an high and loftie manner as if they were alwayes ravished in an ecstasy for as they alwayes have the Spirit in their mouth so they use a strange idiome that such as hear them are at the first amazed and this they affect of purpose to deceive their hearers and raise in them an admiration of them and their Opinions 7. Having thus premised what he thought fit to say to cleare the Question and to make way for vindicating of his Thesis he cometh next to the explication and confirmation of his Assertion in his Thesis where he tels us of five particulars 1. That there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son 2. That there is no knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit 3. That God did alwayes reveal himself by the Spirit 4. That these Revelations were the formal object of the faith of the Saints 5. That the same object of faith remaineth He nameth here we see the Father the Son and the Spirit and we might readily think that he would here hold forth the order of working of the glorious Persons of the Trinity in things without ad extra and particularly in the Revelation of the mind of God concerning mans duty But whether we may rest perswaded that his judgment herein is Orthodox and that verily he beleeveth that there are Three Persons in the God head equal in Power and Glory of one Substance and Duration may be a doubt partly because the Light within which to him is the supream and only adequate Rule of Faith cannot teach this mysterie and hence it is that the Socinians not only will not admit this as an article of their creed but do also with much industry and rage oppose it and mainly upon this ground that their Natural Reason or the light within them which upon the matter so far as I can judge differeth not from the Light of the Quakers cannot comprehend it and partly because I finde other Quakers such as those of New England and those against whom Mr Stalham wrote as I hinted above denying it It is true this man hath several expressions further in the words following which would seem to evince that he is orthodox herein and there are some also that may seem to look another way But not purposeing to make more debate with him than I must needs do I shall not fix any thing upon him for which I see not clear ground only I wish that the next time he cometh forth in publick he would be more plain and positive as to this 8. As to the first of the forementioned Propositions It is true that no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Matth. 11 27. Luk. 10 22. for no man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Ioh. 1 18. and God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son c. Hebr. 1 1 2. and so the Son of God the Second Person of the Trinity being the true Eternal God of the same substance and equal in power and glory with the Father when the fulness of time was come took upon Him mans nature so that the Word was made flesh and tabernacled among us Ioh 1 14 to the end that He might execute his Offices and among the rest declare the whole Counsel of God concerning mans Salvation as the great Prophet and Teacher of Israel But shall we suppose that this Man looketh upon Iesus of Nazareth of whom the Father said Mat 17 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased heare yee him to be this Son that revealeth the Father and to be that grand mystery God manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles belâ—eved on in the World received up into glory 1 Tim. 3 16 The reason of my doubt is this because I finde some Quakers give a very indistinct and unsatisfying answere to such a question as this and give ground to suppose that they understood nothing by the Words being made flesh but the Light within them But his proof and explication of this Proposition is observable Pag. 9. He proveth it thus Because God who is the root and fountaine of all operation made all things by his eternal word Son and citeth Ioh. 1 1 2 3. Ephes. 3 9. If hereby he understand the first Creation with the orthodox how shall he evince this Consequence That because God created all things in the beginning by his Son Jesus Christ Therefore there is no knowledge of the Father but by his Son and is this a point so difficult to be proved that he was constrained to run back to the first Creation for an argument This would justly give ground of suspicion that the man meaneth by the Creation in the places cited not the First but the Second Creation with which Christs Revelation of the Father hath a more clear and natural connection and so joyneth with Socinus and his followers Enjedinus Smalcius and Schlightingius in denying upon this account Christ to be God creating all They say that when the Scripture saith God made all things by the Word c. the meaning is God made all things by his owne word and vertue the same expression which this Man useth here and thus interpret and apply the same Scriptures which he here citeth even that Ioh. 14 6. But admitting that he taketh the Creation in the orthodox sense we may observe
some other Abomination lurking under this To wit That this manifestation of the Father by the Son is not to be understood of a Gospel Manifestation but of a Natural Manifestation had in and by the works of Creation and so not of a Manifestation peculiar to the Church and people of God but of a Manifestation common to Heathens and all without the pale of the Church otherwise he shall hereby destroy what afterward he laboureth to build viz. the Universality of this Manifestation But whoever considereth the Scriptures by us cited shall finde that Christ meaneth a manifestation and declaration of the Father in and by the Gospel and Gospel Ordinances to the destruction of this mans Universality 9. He cometh § 6. to the clearing of his second Proposition viz. That there is no knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit And who will deny this as to that Knowledge which is truely and eventually saving of which Saving Certane and Necessary Knowledge his Proposition is to be understood as himself expresly showeth us with an Observandum and 1 Cor. 2 11 12. 12 3. whereby he proveth this are cleare enough but I see not the necessity of adduceing as a proof hereof Revel 3 20. behold I stand at the door c. Yet beside this Saving knowledge there is a Literal knowledge had by the common gifts of the Spirit which is also true in its kinde and though as to any Saving Effect it be Ineffectual yet we must not say with him Pag. 12. that the Spiritual Truths in the Gospel are as lies in the mouth of carnal persons for they are true even as to them Heb. 10 26. Some may sin wilfully after they have received the knowledg of the truth for whom no more sacrifice remaineth and 2 Pet. 2 20 21. Some may have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ and have known the way of righteousness who after they have known it turne from the holy commandement c. I cannot then say with him that this Knowledge of Christ is no more properly to be called a Knowledge of Christ than the speaking of a Parot is properly humane knowledge for I cannot think that when Christ sent Iudas to preach the Gospel it was as a man sending an ambassage by the hand of a Parot or that Balaam had no real knowledge of what was revealed unto him in his trance 10. But not insisting on this which is not much to the maine purpose I Observe that the thing which concerned him chiefly to clear up provâ— is not once touched by him here He should have proved tâ— us That this teaching of Christ by the Spirit is and was alwayes by Immediat Revelation that is by Enthusiasmes and such Extraordinary Wayes Nor doth he which is also remarkable distinguish betwixt Christs teaching by the Spirit in the Prophets of old and the Apostles of late and Christs own teaching Immediatly in his own Person while Incarnate which two the Apostle clearly differenceth Heb. 1 1 2. 2 3 4. Nor doth he speak any thing of Christs Mediat teaching whether by Apostles extraordinarily assisted or by Ordinary Ministers or by his Word nay by his language we might suppose that he excludeth these wayes from being wayes of Christ's teaching contrare to Math. 10 20. 1 Thes. 4 8. 2 Cor. 5 19 20. Mat. 28 18 19. and many other places 11. Let us proceed and see what he saith § 7. in confirmation of the third Proposition viz. That God did alwayes make himself manifest to the Sons of Men by the Spirit For this cause he would have us considering how God from the beginning did manifest himself in his creatures But our enquiry should be how he did manifest himself to his creatures These words in creaturis suis in his creatures cannot but be understood of the way of his manifesting himself But to Manifest Himself in or by the Creatures is not the same with Manifesting Hâ—mself in or by the Spirit For confirmation of his Proposition he adduceth Gen. 1.2 And the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters Is not this a pregnant proof of Gods revealing his minde unto Men who were not yet created Bâ—t passing this ridiculous Argument which moreover perverteth the genuine meaning of the Spirit of the Lord in that passage let us see what he adduceth further I think faith he no man will deny that from Adam to Moses Gods communion with man was by immediat manifestation of the Spirit I answere Though it be true that Christ as the great Prophet of his Church did by the Spirit reveal the Counsel of God concerning mans salvation yet that he did this by the Spirit 's Immediat Revelation unto every Individual Person will never be proved now this being the matter that he would have us grant and which only maketh for his purpose he must prove it ere we assent to it That the Lord was pleased to reveal his mind Immedialy to Some and by them to Others from Adam to Moses we know but that every individual Person even of the people of God were advanced to this privilege I deny Yea even dureing that time we read in Scripture but little of these Manifestations We know what was spoken immediatly to Adam to Cain we read also of the Prophecy of Enâ—h in Iud's Epistle which yet was not any new Truth revealed we read also of what was revealed to Noah and to Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob and to soâ—e few others But what will all this make for his point Sure these few persons were not all that lived dureing that long tract of time what then became of the rest how were they instructed was it not Mediatly by those Patriarchs and selected Persons And did not the Fathers instruct their children from generation to generation that the right worship and knowledg of God might be propagated from hand to hand 12. This proof evincing nothing let us see the next afterward saith he in the times of the law the Lord spoke no other way to his children which cannot be denied by such who acknowledge the Scriptures to have been written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost Answere That the Scriptures of the Old Test. were so written I grant That the persons imployed in that work had immediat Revelations to this end I grant Nay moreover I grant that all other true Prophets who were raised up of the Lord whose Prophecies the Lord thought not fit to make a part of the Canon of the Scriptures had Divine Inward and Immediat Revelations But this Reason is as childish as the preceeding Doth he think that this is enough to prove his point Doth he think that all the rest of the people of God in those generations had those Immediat Revelations or that this followeth as a clear consequence from his Argument What folly is here He might as well prove that all the people of this
it is not a mans bare saying or signifying this or that to us which is the Formal Ground of our giving credite thereto but the Truth and Honesty of the Person speaking these words nor is the simple Reading or Making known such or such a Command to us the Formal Ground of our receiving it and of yeelding Obedience thereto as a Law but the Legislative Authority of the Person giving out that Law in such a manner So it was not the Prophets their simple declaration or revelation that did solely ground the peoples Obediential beliefe of what they spoke But the Veracity and Authority of God speaking in and by them Revelation whether to the Immediatly Inspired Holy men of God or by them Mediatly to others was a necessary meane to hold forth the particulars to be believed and obeyed but not the total formal Ground upon which the particulars revealed were to believed and obeyed But this Thus faith Iehovah which was also conveyed unto the people and made known unto them by the Sent Prophets As a mans speaking is a necessary meane to make us know both what he asserts as truth and what he would have us believe upon his report And as Promulgation of lawes is a necessary meane to convey the knowledge of the particular Lawes together with the authority enjoyning them unto the Subjects concerned and cannot be the whole but at most a part of the formal object of faith and Obedience or a natural meanes of the Production of the material Object for whether the Revelation be to be looked upon only as such a means as some or as a part of the formal object as others it is all one against the Quakers and we need not fall upon that debate here But if he understand Both together Then neither can that be the Formal Object of Faith divine as is cleare from what is said It is not from the Revelation simply that such or such a Proposition is true but from the Veracity and Truth of him that maketh the proposition Nor is it from the Promulgation that such or such Words framed into the forme of a Command or Law have the force of a Law but from the legislative Authority of him who giveth forth the command Hence we see That it is all one as to the Formal Object or Ground of Faith and Obedience whether the Revelation be Mediat or Immediat One way or Other providing it hold forth the Proposition to be Believed the Law to be Obeyed as coming from Him who is Truth the undoubted supreame Legislator So that our believing of such or such a Proposition with divine Faith is resolved into this Thus saith Iehovah to us who is Truth it self and cannot lie and our divine Obedience to such or such a Command resolveth into this Thus saith to us and thus commandeth us the Supream Lord and Lawgiver Iehovah here the outward testification or declaration of God is not excluded but included rather 16. That we may not walk in the dark with our confused and confounding Author When he calleth Revelation the Formal Object of Faith I would gladly understand whether by this Revelation he meaneth the Lord's making his minde known unto the Patriarchs or Prophets themselves by Voices Visions Dreames c. Or the Revelation made known by these Prophets or Patriarchs unto the people by vive voice or by writing c or doth he meane Both If he understand the first then he speaketh only of the Formal Object of the Faith of these Patriarchs and Prophets who received these Immediat Revelations from God But I would faine know of him what was the Formal Object of the faith of the people to whom these divinely inspired Patriarchs and Prophets made known these Revelations with a Thus saith the Lord The Revelation made to the Prophets could not be the Formal Object of the Peoples faith because it was a Revelation Immediatly made only unto the Prophets and revealed to the people not Inwardly and Immediatly by Vision or Representation to their mindes or God's Vive Voice to their ears but Mediatly by way of Declaration or Preaching outwardly to their senses by the Prophets If he understand the Second then the Immediat Revelation is not the Formal Object of Faith for the Revelation which they had was Mediat If he mean Both. Then his Thesis is defective and this should also have been mentioned for a Divine Revelation coming to us Mediatly by the ministry of Men divinely inspired may hold forth the Formal Object of faith to us as the Scriptures penned by men immediatly Inspired do now hold forth to us the Formal Object of our Faith for we believe with a Divine Faith what is asserted in them because spoken and delivered to us by the Lord Jehovah who is the God of Truth not Immediatly but Mediatly 17. Upon this ground we see what way to Interpret that word in his Thesis Divine inward revelations are absolutely necessary for Founding of true Faith For it is true Nothing can be received by a true divine Faith but what is delivered by God or revealed by the First and Prime Verity who is Veracity it self yet it is not necessary that this First and Prime Verity reveal his minde Immediatly to every person as if none could be or were obliged to beleeve with a true and divine Faith what God saith but only such as are Immediatly inspired Becâ—uâ—e 1. Then the People of old to whom the Prophets were sent with a thus saith Iehovah might have refuised Faith and Obedience and alleiged that these Revelations were not made to them Immediatly and therefore they were not bound to Believe and Obey them But we finde that the Lord spoke even to the Fathers by the Prophets Heb. 1 1. 2. If this were true then the people of Israel that heard not God speaking from Mount Sinay being borne after that time were not obleiged to receive the Law delivered on Mount Sinay with a divine Faith and yet the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression disobedience received a just recompence of reward Heb. 2 2. And he that despised Moses's Law though Moses only had that law from God by Immediat Revelation except the Ten words died without mercy Heb. 10 28. 3. Then the Prophets Patriarchs or such as had the Inward and Immediat Revelations could only be guilty of Unbeliefe and Disobedience and not the People to whom they spoke contrare to the wole tenor of the book of the Prophets How then I pray could Sauls disobedience to the command of God by Samuel be as the sin of witch craft 1 Sam. 15 19 23. See Ier. 7 23. and 11 4 7. and 26 13. and 38 20. and 42 13. and innumerable moe places 4. How then could this aggravate their sin that God himself spoke unto them and called upon them by his Prophets Hos. 6 ver 5. Ier. 7 ver 13 25. and 25 ver 3 4. and 35 ver 14 15. and
that look upon the place that the Apostle to the end he might clear up the way how beleevers partake of the benefites of Christs death maketh a comparison betwixt Adam and Christ and so cleareth up how it is that all Mankinde is become Corrupt and that in and through the first Man Adam from whom this corruption is derived not by Imitation for they cannot imitate it who never heard of it and yet even they partake of this corruption therefore by real Participation of the guilt saying verse 12. as by one man sin entred into the world c. and that in him all sinned and afterward that upon this sin death passed upon all men and reigned even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgressions that is over infants that had not yet committed any actual sin and that judgment was by one to condemnation so that the fruit of this sin was Condemnation or Obnoxiousness to condemnation and that because by this one sin the posterity were made sinners 2. By Death here is meaned every kinde of death Temporal and Eternal and Spiritual for it is a death that reigned over Iâ—fants and is called Condemnation 3. we finde no person old or young that come of this first Adam by ordinary generation here excepted nay Infants are expresly enough included vers 14. 4. So that all the posterity of Adam young and old being in Adam their Natural and Federal Head partake of his sin having sinned in him and of the miseries or just punishment of that sin All this is so clear and manifest both from the very words and expressions of the Apostle and from his scope that who ever speak against this must do violence to the text and weaken the Apostles argueings This same passage did the ancients Augustine and others urge against the Pelagians as is to be seen in Vossij histor Pelag. Pag. 146 147. By this argument That sin which is so described to us by the Apostle that he sayeth is brought death upon all men that men sinned by it and were made sinners even they who could not as yet actually sin that thereby all became guilty of death and of condemnation that sin by imputation is the sin of the whole nature included in Adam and rendereth the whole nature obnoxious to death and to condemnation But the first sin of Adam is decribed to us by the Apostle c. Ergo That sin is the sin of nature because Adam did sustaine the person of all who potentially were in his Ioines and by vertue thereof all are liable to death the punishment thereof Vossius tels us moreover that the Ancients took much notice of Paul's calling Adam a Type and of the particle As and did hence gather that as the Obedience of Christ belongeth to all such as are spiritually begotten not by Imitation but by Imputation so the Disobedience of Adam is conveyed not by Imitation but by Imputation unto all such as corporally come of him They took notice also as he sheweth us of the particle By which did denote the Efficient cause of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom which saith that the posterity did sin in Adam or if it be rendered because or in as much or for which it will shew what is the Adequate cause of death and that it hath also place in Infants 19. Thus we have seen the Argument of the orthodox Church and its ground let us next see what he sâ—ith against it As concerning the words of the Apostle saith he the reason of the condemnation in whom all did sin that is in that seed or by occasion of that seed for no man is said to sin but in his owne person But I pray By what warrand may he foist-in words at his owne pleasure into the tâ—xt Is there the least mention made of seed in all the text Is not this intolerable boldness to deal so with the Scripâ—ures of Truth But if Infants be condemned because they sinned in or by occasion of that seed then that seed was imputed to them Yes he will say but that was when they began to sin in their owne persons No say I that cannot be because the text importeth no such thing yea it saith the contrary viz. that death which is included in the condemnation passed upon all men and reigned even over such as had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression that is had not as yet sinned actually So that his reason is directly against the Apostle and we have further above discovered its untruth He addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aggreeth with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so sheweth how Adam by his sin gave entry to sin into the world and so death by sin entered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by which viz. occasion or in which viz. death all others did sin i. e. actually in their persons viz. who were capable of sinning of which number Infants are not who are under no Law as was showne and where no Law is there is no transgression as the Apostle sayeth This upon the matter is the same that the old Pelagians said as Vossius sheweth us Hist. Pelag. Pag. 182.183 For they interpreted these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom all have sinned by sinning after example or Imitation and this man by sinning upon that Occasion when they become capable and the Socinians with Episcopius homologate with the Pelagians and have been abundantly answered by the orthodox who shew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Xenophon Aristophanes Demosthenes and other Greek Authors But For Answere unto this Quaker I would say 1. If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the meaning must be this and so death passed upon all men in which death all men sinned and what sense can this make out May not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agree as well to Man If not let him give us the least colour of reason either from the text or context 2. If Adam by his sin gave entry unto sin into the world this must be meaned of his first sin for the Apostle speaketh alwayes of one sin or of Offence in the singular number that Vers. 18. may be read by one offence And so sin entered not by Imitation nor yet by Occasion for his after sinnes might have laid the way for Imitation and have given Occasion as well as the first Yea more yea only for while the first sin was committed there were none to imitate him and if this had been the Apostles meaning he had spoken of sins in the plural number 3 If this had been the Apostles meaning he had not named One man and One man as a Type a Type of him that was to come for Eva's sin the Devils sin might also have been an Occasion 4. Hence it will follow thaâ— beleevers are made Righteous only upon Occasion of Christs Righteousness
Nither can it advantage his Charity to found it upon an Untruth and that his Charity in this matter is founded upon an Untruth we have seen already and shall yet make it more evident He supposeth that when Infants perish because of Original sin they perish for no â—in of their owne but only for the sin of another of Adam But how groundless this mistake is we have seen and we have told him that Original sin is the proper sin of humane Nature and so is traduced from Adam to all that come of him by ordinary Generation and so partake of humane nature 23. In end he saith that Zuinglius did deny and refute our Opinion But all his proof is from the Councâ—l of Trent which hath not much credite with us Whatever it hath with him we have more Reason to take Bullingers testimony Decad. 3. Serm. 10 and cont Anabapt lib. 1. c. 12 Gualters in Apol. pro Zuinglio Operib ejus than either Bellarmins or the Councell of Trent Nay Zuinglius declared himself abundantly for the truth in the conference with Luther at Marpurg where these words are we beleeve that Original sin is in-born in every man from Adam and is hereditary and is a sin condemning all and that unless Iesus Christ had helpâ—d by his life and death we had all because of it perished eternally neither had we been partakers of happiness and of the Kingdom of God And if he read his confession of faith to the Emperour Charles V at the dyet at Ausburgh A. D. 1539. he will finde the ground of his mistake for he will there see in what sense he said original sin was not sin viz. that the original sin in Infants was not their Actual sin and who can say that they did actually eat the apple yet he said that upâ—n the account of that they were born Enemies to God His words are these as Bullinger where now cited relateth them I confess Original sin to be borne with all who are begotten of man and woman I know we are by nature the children of wrath Nor do I stick at this disease being called after Pauls manner sin yea it is such a sin as who ever are born in it are Enemies to God and unto this they are drawn by their birth not by committing of wickedness but in so far as the first father did commit it c. 23. We have now seen all that he hath said against the Orthodox doctrine about original sin and have vindicated such arguments as he was pleased to take any notice of I shall now ere I leave this matter propose some moe Arguments to his Consideration And first I shall mention that which himself adduced when he was speaking of mans lapsed state of whâ—ch we heard in the â—oregoing chapter to wit Gen. 6 5. 8 21. from which places the old fathers argued against Pelagianisme See Vossij Hist. Pelag. Pag. 142 143. and indeed there is no small force in these passages for though the Lord be there speaking of the guilt and sin of Adult persons yet he is aggravating the same by traceing it up to the very Root Rise of all saying that it was so with them from their Infancy or Child hood so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth yea from every state of their child hood for the word is in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pueritiis ejus and thus the Lord useth to aggravat the sin of people Ezech. 16 4. c. Mat. 15 19. Ephes. 2 3. Doth not such corrupt Fruit evidence an evil Tree with a bitter root of wickedness Mat. 7 16 And seing such are the fruits and acts of men so soon as they beginne to act and bud who can say that the Root is good and not corrupt rotten Chrysostoms words on Gen. 6. Hom. 22. are remarkabâ—e Neque aetas intempestiva alioquin inexperta malorum expers erat sed statim ab incunabulis omnes malum hoc praelium certabant contendentes ut malis operibus alter alterum superarent And it is certane that the Infants of the old world perished in the â—â—ood the Lord saith here that it was for sin wickedness that this judgment came on if then these Infants did not perish for their immediat parents sins as this Quaker affirmeth they must have perished for their owne having no actual sinnes of their owne they must have perished for their original sin so that they also must be comprehended with the rest in the forecited places and the evil there spoken of must be as well habitual as actual as well innate as acquired It is observable that Gen. 8 21. the same words are used of the new World that remained to wit of Noah and his posterity 25. We might adde other Scriptures to the same purpose such as Psal. 14 1 2 53 1 2 3. Rom. 3 9 10 23. 11 32. Gal. 3 22. These universals in such a matter as this is admit of no Exceptions yea all Exceptions are expresly excluded in the very text and the scope at which the Apostle driveth Rom. 3. admitteth of no exception for all have need of Christ and of God's mercy in Him otherwise the Apostles argument should be Inconsequent concluding an Universal from a Particular and because we dar not think thus therefore we must say that all are included and because all are not to be charged with actual sins original sin must be here included 26. Origen Cyrillus Chrysostom Augustin and others of the ancients adduced to this purpose these words of Iob Chap. 14 4. hence August de Praedest Grat. Cap. 3. saith Vitiatae radicis macula it a propaginis traduce per generationum sarmenta dissusa est ut nec infans quidem unius diei a culpa sit primae praevaricationis alienus nisi per indebitam Salvatoris gratiam fuerit liberatus quodsi nec quidem sine peccato est qui proprium habere non potuit conficitur ut illud traxerit alienum de quo Apostolus dixit per unum hâ—minem c. Now that the import of this passage may be the more noticed we would consider that when Iob saith who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one He is speaking of an inward uncleaâ—ness an uncleanness of soul by which we are exposed to the judgment of God of which he speaketh vers 3. and which he pointeth forth as inevitable and as such as no man can prevent or remedie So is he also speaking of an uncleanneâ—s which is Vniversal and therefore habitual for whâ—t is only actual is not universal Infants being free therefrom and of an uncleanness which is Permanent and Adherent as also of that which is Traduced or Propagated from Father to son and is hereditary all which do manifestly make it appear that he is speaking of Original sin in respect of which every one is Unclean cometh into the world unclean and can be no
question of this Quaker If Infants be borne pure and free of sin as he saith How can this be the peculiar prerogative of Christ to be conceived and borne without sin And in reference to this what necessity was there that he should have been conceived of the Holy Ghost and borne of a Virgine Let him answere this at his owne leasure CHAP. VII Of Reprobation 1. WE have heard this Mans Opinion concerning the State and condition of fallen Man Now his Fift and Sixt Thesis come under consideratioâ— wherein he giveth us an Account of the way and meanes how man is delivered from this miserable and depraved Condition But howbeit his Theses were sufficiently large Yet he toucheth moe things in his Vindication or Apology than he gave any hint of there but this is no material ground of challenge for the more full he be in explaining his minde and the moe the particulars be which he speaketh to we come to know his minde the better Though he made no mention of Reprobation in his Thesis yet he giveth us in his Apology Pag. 64. c. a large discourse thereof and beginneth his Explication of these two Theses with this matter And though he spareth no paines or paper in venting his displeasure against that which he supposeth to be the doctrine of the Reformed Churches concerning Reprobation yet I cannot finde that he giveth us any account of his owne positive Judgment of this matter be like he thought it his Wisdom to forbear that lest he should entangle himself into inextricable difficulties and howbeit his Admirers may commend him for this yet I think his dealing the less ingenuous and upright 2. It is observed that since the truth of God in the matter of Predestination began first to be questioned by Pelagius and his Followers in the dayes of Augustine there hath hardly been any Seck or Heresie wherewith the Church of Christ hath been infested that hath not stumbled upon this stumbling stone and encouraged themselves thereby to continue fixed in their Errours and not only to blaspheme in their pride and audacity the Truth of God when it had favoured more of Christian sobriety to have been silent and when they could not with their corrupt and blinded Understandings satisfyingly comprehend this truth to have stooped unto God's Revelation of the mystery rather than to have condemned it and that in such a petulant and intolerable manner as if God and his mysteries must stand at the bar of mans Judgment and either conforme to the Apprehensions and Conceptions of Mâ—ns corrupted blinded byassed Reason or be rejected as reprobat matter not to be tolerated in Church or Common wealth so that this corrupted and blinde judge must umpire without the remedie of an appellation most peremptorily and absolutely in the sublime acts of the Great Absolute Soveraigne Jehovah And therefore it should seem less strange to us that these Quakers whose chief Excellency or rather most desperat Madness and Wickedness lyeth in this that they rake together all the filthiest brats of other Hereticks and therewith patch up a compleet Cento for their Religion and whose chiefe and only rule for faith and practice is the dim Light of Nature a light within every man which as to the great mysteries of God revealed in the Gospel is pure hellish darkness have following the Light of their corrupt guide not only Rejected but also blasphemously Inveighed against the Truth of God in this particular For vaine man would be wise though man be born like a wild asses colt 3. It is likewise observable that the proud rebellious adversaries of the Grace and Soveraignity of God that they may in their popular discourses and scriblings make the truth concerning the Absolute and Free Grace of God more odious and hatefull to such as usually measure the Incomprehensible God and all his wayes by their own carnal Imaginations and not by the sure Revelations of his will in his Word It is I say usual with such to pitch upon this point of Reprobation knowing that carnal self lovers are so blinded with prejudice at any truth that crosseth their humors and at this especially which at first look seemeth so repugnant unto the fixed delusory apprehensions of God which they satisfy themselves with all And though the Judicious know and they themselves cannot be ignoâ—ant that what is spoken against Reprobation reflecteth upon Election these being as twines which must die and live together for take away Reprobation and Election is forthwith destroyed and grant once Election and Reprobation is thereby established without further disput by such as know what they say and whereof they affirme yet such is the Unmanly let be Unchristian yea and Unscholastick Disingenuity of these more enraged than rationally acted Adversaries that they passe over the matter of Election as finding it possibly too hote for their fingers and exaggerat the matter of Reprobation with all the strength of their Invention and keenness of their Rhetorick whereby though they contribute to the fixing of themselves in an Errour it may be contrare to the very suggestions of their more Impartial and a little more Enlightned Consciences and to the raising of scruples and prejudices in the mindes of the simple yet they but render themselves more ridiculous unto the more understanding and exercised persons in these debates And this is the whole of the present work and designe of this Quaker for not one word hath he of Election less or more but runeth out in such a rage against Reprobation that he runeth himself blinde so that he cannot see the most palpable and obvious Contradictions and Inconsistencies which himself uttereth and no man of common sense would ever speak and so doth his irrational rage drive him that to all intelligent beholders he proclameth his own brutish Ignorance Take one instance which will demonstrate both Towards the very beginning of his discourse Pag. 64. 65. he presenteth us as speaking thus That God did predestinate to everlasting damnation the most part of men without any respect had to their sin only to demonstrate the glory of his justice Now let all men of common sense judge to speak nothing of the learned who cannot but look with indignation upon this ridiculously and perversely false Representation of our meaning if ever man in his wits did or any who understood what they said could say That God did predestinate any man to damnation for the glory of his justice without any consideration had of the mans sin who seeth not what a palpable contradiction is here can God have the glory of Iustice any other way than in punishing of sin And can God intend to gloryfy his Iustice and not intend to punish sin and can he Intend to punish sin or men for sin and not consider their sin 4. This Man inveigheth much against absolute Reprobation as he calleth it but what sort of Reprobation he maintaineth he never once acquanteth us why and
come under all nor for Infants as himself must confess seing he said above that they had no sin but must certainely be saved and yet Infants come under all nor for the Reprobate as we proved above who yet come under all to say nothing of all other Creatures Birds and Beasts c. who may come under this all 53. Thus might we dismiss this place as making nothing for what he did adduce it for notwithstanding of all his improvment thereof But yet that we may give him full measure pressed down heaped up and runing over I shall adde a few things which may serve not only to clear this place but also to discover the invalidity of his and others reasoning from other the like passages As first Though the terme all all men the like in a necessary matter be taken for all and every one without exception of any man as Act 17 26. and 1 24. Rom. 3 12. and 5 12. 2 Cor. 5 10. 1 Tim. 4.10 Iam. 1 5. Phil. 2 10 11. yet in contingent matters it is oft taken for all Kindes pro generibus singulorum as Luk. 11 52. The pharisees tythed all herbs that is all kindes of herbs Act. 10 12. all fourâ—ooted beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and foules of the aire that is all Sorts and Kindes see also for this Mat 5 11. Mat. 4 23. Luk. 18 12. Rom. 14 2 Mat. 8 53. 1 Cor. 1 5. and several other places And here the very circumstances of the place evidence that it must be so taken not as if it were necessary thereby to assert that out of every particular distinctive condition of men God would take some for if such a positive sense were urged it would follow that some of the damned some of finally impenitents and the like should be saved but it must be taken in a Negative and Restricked sense thus That there is no condition of men meaning Civil Political or Rational conditions now excepted no Nations no States no Sexes no Ages and the like of such as are salvable now excepted And that thus it is here to be taken is manifest for 1. we cannot suppose that the Apostle would have us praying for all and every individual person breathing in particular for it is impossible that we should ever know many millions of persons living in the world 2. Nor are we bound to give thanks for all that we know as was said and yet the Apostle urgeth thanksgiving for all as well as prayers and intercessions vers 1. 3. Further the Apostle addeth vers 2. a restriction to some Kindes confirming this saying for Kings and for all in authority giving us to understand what he meaneth by all men even all Kindes Degrees without exception of that kinde which at that time was most opposite enemies to the Gospel 4. The reason added vers 3. confirmeth this for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Now it is elsewhere declared that it is not good acceptable to pray for every individual person as for example for such as have sinned unto death 5. Which is further strengthened by what is added vers 4. who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth for neither will God if we take this will for God's Purpose Determination and Decree as we must in my judgment take it here that all and every man shall be saved otherwise all should be saved in effect else we must say that God is not Omnipotent or Able to do all and effectuat all that he willeth which who that would nor blaspheme dar say Or that â—is will is but like mans a Raw Uncertain Dubious and Mutable Wish Velleity frustrable by man which would be no less blasphemous â— Further that in the end of the verse and to come to the knowledge of the truth being willed by the same will bâ— wâ—ich the Salvation of all is willed doth clearly signifie who this all men are to wit not all and every individual person but all Sorts and Kindes without special exception of any because 〈◊〉 that willeth all and every individual person tâ— come to the knowledge of the truth if his will be real as we must suppose God's will to be must also will to give to all and every individual person the meanes whereby this kâ—owlâ—dge of the truth might eventually and effectually be produced and so not only will the granting of the Means but also the bleâ—sing of them and making of them Effectuall And can this be said as to all persons that ever lived upon the earth Was it true even as to Nations under the Old Testament See Psal. 147 1â— â—0 And is it true as to every individual person under the New Testament Then certainly all shall be saved for this knowledge of the truth is saving being here connected with Salvation as the only meane thereunto But the Apostles word vers 6. to be testified in due time saith that all in all ages had not so much as the external report of this mediator between Goâ— and men Christ Jesus but that there was a due time appointed wherein the newes of it should come to all people indefinitely without exception 7. And that this all men must be taken indefinitely as pointing forth the largeness of the Gospel Dispensation in opposition to what it was under the Law so that now no Nation no Ranks or Qualities of people are excluded is manifest from vers â— where he tels us that he is appointed and ordained a Preacher an Apostle and a Teacher of the Gentiles so that now the newes of the Gospel are not to stay within the confines of Iudea and to be reported only to the Jewes sometime the only people of God but to the Gentiles and to the Gentiles in general without any limitation or restriction to countrey or tongue 8. Not to speak of the Necessary Restriction to some which we shew above to be manifestly held forth by the word Ransome That word which the Apostle hath vers 8. I will therefore that men pray every where may contribute to clear our sense of the word all For this every where cannot be understood collectively as every one knoweth for Heaven and Hell Water Earth and Aire and all the places among the Antipodes are a where and we cannot think that the Apostle enjoineth us to pray in all these places but his meaning is that in whatever countrey or place of the habitable world we be into we should pray no place being now excepted and no place particularly designed as under the Law for our more solemne worshipe 54. Next the terme all c. in multitudes of places cannot denote all and every person without exception but a great or a promiscuous Company and so it is a kinde of hyperbolick expression which the Scriptures are no strangers unto as Mark. 15 14. Ier. 13 19. Luk. 7 2â— Exod. 9 6. Mat. 3
World and why because the word World is frequently taken for Unbeleevers for which he citeth many passages several of which are very impertinent for some speak of the World containing not of the inhabitants as Ioh. 17 15 18. some of the profites and pleasures of the world as Mat. 16 26. 1 Ioh. 2 15. some make no mention of the World as Mat. 18 1â— Ioh. 7.8 26. and 18 19. and 17 20. Others speak of the temptations and other accidents of the world as Gal. 6 14. Iam. 1 27. 2 Pet. 2 20. And then he tels us that the World is here distinguished from beleevers who come in under the word ours and so the speach should be redundaâ—t and superfluous But the full commentary of the word he draweth from this same Epistle Chap. 5 10. where the same Apostle is speaking to the same persons To all which We Answere Notwithstanding that enough was said above to enervate any Argument drawn from hence 1. The word World can prove nothing for it admitteth of so many various acceptations not to mention the world containing signifying sometimes indefinitly men without restrictions or enlairgements Esai 13 11. Ioh. 7 4. Sometimes Many Mat. 18.7 Ioh. 4 42. and 12 19 and 16 8 and 17 21. 1 Cor. 4 9. Revel 13 3. Sometimes a great part of the World Rom. 1 8. and 10 18. Mat. 24 14. and 26 13. Sometimes the Roman Impire Luk. 2 1. Sometimes the wicked and sometimes God's owne scattered up and down the world Psal. 22 27. Ioh. 3 16. and 6 36 51. Rom 4 13. and 11 12 15. 2 Cor. 5 19. Col. 1 6. 2. Nor can the phrase whole world or all the world prove any thing for that also is variously taken and never except once Rom. 3 19. where it is in a necessary matter taken for all and every individual person See Revel 3 10. and 12 9. and 13 3. Col. 1 vers 6. Luk. 2 1. and in other places it doth not denote men 3. It is but rational to suppose that the whole world here denoteth no more than the like expressions elsewhere to wit all nations all flesh all the ends of the earth all the families of the earth c. and we did shew above that these used in the matter whereof we are now speaking could not be taken in their most comprehensive sense otherwayes it would follow that all and every man should have grace and glory see for instance Psal. 22 27. and 72 11. and 93 3. But Peter tels us how such ought to be interpreted Act. 2 17. expounding that universal Ioel 2 18. 4. That there must here be a restriction himself must grant otherwise he must bring-in the Devils and say that Christ is a propitiation for them and not for us only who are men upon earth because the word world in its universal extent will comprehend them also Especially considering how the second place may contribute to strengthen this supposition seing the Devils lye in evil But if he take liberty to restrick it to Men he must not be offended with us for taking the same liberty to restrick it to a certane sort of Men as elsewhere it is restricked to signifie Wicked men so here it may signifie Beleevers or the Elect as the like phrase of all nations importeth Esai 66 18. and 2 2. and elsewhere 5. And that it must be restricked so here is manifest from the very word Propitiation for if it be taken for the actual Application of the benefites of Christs death according to the parallel place Rom. 3 25. where it is said to be by faith then it is manifest that Beleevers only are intended here and indeed the whole discourse is intended for the comfort of Beleevers against incident sinnes and not for the comfort of Others And if it be meaned of Impetration even then there must be a restriction to such as either are or through grace shall be made beleevers for only such as we did shew above are they for whom Christ is a propitiation Shall Christ be looked upon as an Advocate with the Father for the wicked Reprobate In this word propitiation there is an allusion to the cover of the Ark and Mercy seat called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9 5. which signified the covering of the Law as a rigide Covenant of works importing Reconciliation and Acceptation with God through Christ the true Propitiation or Mercy seat Rom. 3 25. who propitiated for sinnes Heb. 2 17. and so expiated them for upon tâ—is followeth remission Mat. 26 28. Rom. 3 25. and 5 9. Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. Heb. 9 22. 1 Ioh. 1 7. 1 Pet. 1 2. Revel 1 5. And shall we say that this is common to all the world Or that all this importeth only a Possible Reconciliation and Remission or that it is for such as shall themselves suffer the vengeance of eternal fire for ever Let Quakers beleeve this if they will for my part I cannot 6. Why the Apostle should use this general terme in a restricted sense we formerly gave a reason see § 59. and 60. This Apostle conversing most with Jewes Gal. 2 9. wrote this Epistle unto them as is most probable they having first had the offer made unto them which is hinted in this same Chapter vers 7. And so he useth the word World in a sense which they understood well to wit as importing the Gentiles whom he would hereby insinuate to be now taken-in and no more strangers and forreigners the partition wall being broken down And hereby it appeareth that there is no tautologie in the words when he sayes he is a propitiation for our sinnes who are beleevers of the Jewes but also for the sinnes of the people of God among the Gentiles who are expresly called the world in opposition to the Jewes Rom. 11 15. or of the children of God through the world as Ioh. 11 51 52. where this same Apostle giveth us the plaine meaning of this word 7. As for 1 Ioh. 5 13. It is manifest how impertinent that is to this purpose and if this man will urge it in its latitude he shall make the Apostle contradict himself for the whole World may take in beleevers and whereas he thinks the word world used in one and the same Epistle must necessarily import one and the same thing he sheweth himself a stranger in the Scriptures where several times an antanaclasis or the same word having distinct significations is used not only in the same Book or Epistle but in the same verse pronunced with the same breath as Ioh. 1 vers 10. and 3 vers 6 17. Mat. 8 v. 22. 1 Ioh. 3 v. 16. to name no moe 65. He addeth some testimonies of Antiquity whether of his owne gathering or not I think it not worth the while to search but hereby he would make his Readers beleeve that what be saith was the doctrine of the Church for the first Six hundered yeers and yet the eldest
body the Church Ephes. 5 23. And againe Quaest 68. Are all the Elect only effectually called Ans. All the Elect and they only are effectually called Act 13 48. Although others may be and often are outwardly called by the ministry of the word Mat. 2â— 14. and have some common operations of the Spirit Mat. 7 22. 13 20 21. Heb. 9 4 5. who for their wilfull neglect and contempt of the grace offered to them being justly left in their unbeleef do never truely come to Iesus Christ Ioh. 12 38 39 40. Act 28 25 26 27. Ioh. 6 64 65. Psal. 81 11 12. 10. When the Gospel cometh to a place there is ground of hope that God hath some lost groat or other to finde out by the light thereof for it being the Gospel of Salvation and by it the Lord bringing life and immortality to light and it being the mean appointed and designed of God for this end to bring in the chosen ones there is ground to suppose that the Lord hath some elected ones in that place moe or fewer And though as to the intention of God and as it is the meanes designed of Lord whereby to effectuate the purpose he hath of saving such as he hath designed unto life it be properly sent to gather them in yet considering it as containing the revealed will of God and pointing forth duty and as it is put into the hands of men who know not the secret Counsels of God nor whose names are writen in the book of life whose not it concerneth all that hear it and all are bound in obedience to the command of the great God in the mouth of his authorized Ambassadours to believe and obey the Gospel And when obedience is not yeelded thereunto the righteous God because of the refusal of the offer and the contempt done to the grace of God in that refusal either taketh away the Gospel leaving that people in darkness and in an irremediable case by Non-churching or Excommunicating them as he threatned to do to Ephesus Revel 2 to Laâ—dicea Rev 3 and did to the Iewes when he cut them off and hath done to several other Churches sometimes â—amous for Christianity And where he continuâ—th the Light of the Gospel after much contempt there being of his Elect there whom he will not want but with much long suffering for the glory of his Grace waite for he hath other spiritual judgments wherewith even in this side of Eternity he punisheth such contemptuous offenders whose life natural he may spare for a time by giving them up to hardness of heart judicially blinding them giving them up to the power of Unbeleefe and to spiritual Security and Deadness so that no preaching can pierce them no Meanes can prevaile with them no Motives can move or perswade them no Threatnings can awaken them or rouze them out of their sleep So that the Lord dealeth with them according as it is written Esai 6 9 10. Mat 13 14. Mark 4 v. 12. Luk. 8 10. Ioh. 12 40. Act. 28 26. Rom. 11 8. maketh their eyes heavy and shutteth their eyes c. or as it is written Esa. 29 10. Rom. 11.8 poureth out upon them the Spirit of a deep sleep and closeth their eyes or as it is written Psal. 81 12. giveth them up to their owne hearts lust or as it is Psal. 6â— 22. maketh their table a snare or as it is 2 Thes. 2 10 11 12. giveth them up to all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish and sendeth them strong delusion that they shall believe a lie that they may be damned who beleeved not the truth or saith to them as Revel 22 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still And though such judgments may be inflicted upon some that live and die under the drop of the Gospel yet it may well be said as to these on whom the Lord poureth out these judgments that the day of their Visitation and hope is at an end But yet though the consideration of this may and should make the Faithful Labourer in the work of the ministry when ready to complaine and cry out that he hath laboured in vaine and hath spent his strength for nought and in vaine Esai 49 4. lay his hand upon his mouth and adore knowing withall that his judgment is with the Lord and his work with his God ibid. and that he is unto God a sweet savour of Christ even in them that perish and to whom he is the savoure of death unto death 2 Cor. 2 15 16. Yet notwithstanding because it is not certain who are the particular persons who are thus judicially smitten of God he should minde his duty and preach the word be instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine 2 Tim. 4 2. and be patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2 24 25 26. And others also who are even in a more private capacity should save some with fear pulling them out of the fire Iud vers 23. Not do we hereby give allowance to any to despond or despaire who hear the Gospel for the Lord hath his own time of coming the door standeth open that whosoever will may be encouraged to come forward for Christ in no wise casteth out any that cometh Ioh. 6 37. the invitation is Free Large whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Revel 22 17. Though with all we must say that word Heb. 6 4 5 6 7. may strick terrour into the hearts of many for it is impossible for those that were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them againe unto repentance seing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame for the earth which drinketh in the raine that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God but that which beareth thorns briers is rejected is near unto cursing whose end is to be burned 11. But as concerning that possibility which this Quaker dreameth of whereby it is concluded or presupposed that every Mothers son of the Posterity of Adam have Power and Ability Moral I say moral that no man may think I speak here of the meer faculties of the soul Understanding Will to beleeve and obey the Gospel or can of themselves beleeve without the Spirit of God and his mighty operation enlightening the Understanding savingly and renewing the Will and causing by the influence
gracious Esa. 30 18. to be long suffering Exod. 34 6. Num. 14 18. Psal. 86 15. Ier. 15 15 By all which not to mention the impertinency of that citation Esai 30 18. as also of that Ier. 15 15. as may appeare to any at the first view he can only inferre that which we do not deny viz. That God is long suffering and patient even towards the wicked But can he hence conclude that the wicked have power therefore of themselves without the Spirit of regeneration and grace to do what is commanded in reference to life eternal Let him essay this and give yet fuller proof of his Pelagianisme That wicked persons may forbear much wickedness and acts of iniquity without the special grace of God I readily grant and hereby turning from their former wicked courses may prevent their owne temporal ruine and hold off the judgments of God that are threatned and imminent as we see in the people of Nineve and in that wicked King Ahab and so that the old world might have prevented their destruction by turning from their evil wayes and hearkning to the counsel and command of Noah from the Lord who waited with patience 1 Pet. 3 20. All this is true but what is all this in reference to eternal Salvation Is it likewise in their power when they please to turne to the Lord and serve Him with a perfect heart and to walk before Him and bâ— perfect Ere we beleeve this we must see other proofs thereof than what is brought from the word of Command for that I suppose will reach even such whose day of Visitation is at end and to whom salvation is on this account impossible as this man saith 14. He foresaw that it would be answered that the long suffering mentioned 1 Pet. 3 20. was not unto salvation And therefore citeth as a parallel place to cleare that it was unto salvation 2 Pet. 3 15. But the man taketh no notice to whom the Apostle Peter is speaking there in his second Epistle see vers 9. explained and vindicated in the former Chapter They were these whom the Apostle looked upon as having obtained like pretious faith with him and others through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 1 1. and whom he stileth beloved Chap. 3 1 8 14 17. and such as were looking for the comeing of the day of God and for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness vers 12 13 14 and such as were in case to grow in grace in the knowledge of Iesus Christ vers 18 Now to these only and such as belonged to the Election of grace whom the Lord was yet to bring-in the Lord's delay to destroy the world with fire which is the long suffering here spoken of as vers 9. cleareth was salvation because he would want none of them that his body to which they belonged as members might be compleat But he tels us further to as little purpose that Peter in this matter looketh to Paul's writtings insinuating that this was the Catholick and common doctrine of the Church And why should it not be so as we have cleared it And Paul also in his Epistle to the Hebrewes which is the writing of Paul to them to whom Peter is now writing as appeares 1 Pet. 1 1. 2 Pet. 1 1. speaketh to this same purpose Heb. 10.35 to the end So that this man is in a fond mistake when he supposeth afterward that in this particular Peter hath his eye towards Paul's Epistle to the Romans Chap. 9. seing that Epistle was not written to them to whom Peter is here writing and that he meaneth such an Epistle as was writen to the same persons is clear from vers 15. Even as our beloved brother Paul also hath writen unto you It is true Peter addeth other Epistles of Paul wherein he speaketh of these things that Peter is here treating of which cannot be said of that place of his Epistle to the Romans And what he speaketh of our wresting of the Scriptures may as is evident enough from what is already said and will appear more ere we end with him without the hazard of a reproach be retorted upon himself and his party But we have some other thing to do than insist upon recriminations 15. He citeth next Pag 95. Rom. 2 4. and then asketh how these could be called riches and bounty unless there had been a time wherein they might have repented become partakers of these riches which were then offered Ans. These might have been the riches of God's goodness and forbearance and long suffering calling them to turne from their wickedness and not treasure up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath though nothing certanely accompanying salvation Nature may teach persons that God's bounty and goodness in spareâ—ng or not cutting off with remarkable judgments as he doth some and continueing life good things necessary for life notwithstanding they deserve to be cut off should be otherwise improven than by taking encouragement therefrom to sinne the more Shall temporal spareing favoures bestowed on such as deserve nothing but hell fire be in so small account with us Was it in their power without the grace of God upon the simple consideration of the goodness of God and his long suffering and patience towards them to repent savingly or could they have been made partakers of Salvation without saving Repentance One of these this Man must prove ere he can evince any thing hence proving salvation possible in his sense to all and every person And I suppose these words of the Apostle vers 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality Eternal life will import some other thing This seeking after glory and honour and immortality that by well doing or as the opposition made vers 8. cleareth by doing the truth obeying righteousness by working good as vers 10. and by continuance in well doing by patient continuance in well doing cannot sure be performed by any by the meer strength of Nature and without the Grace of God And how shall it be performed by them that know nothing of an Eternal life or of Glory and Honour and Immortality so cannot seek after it that in such a manner Will he say that all the Heathens Barbarians the Cannibals Men-eaters such as have little more of Men than the outward visage positure of the body are acquainted with these things can by their owne Industry Paines reach the crowne of immortal glory If he do not both affirme confirme this he proveth not his Universal Day of Visitation granted to every Mothers son in which they may if they please lay hold on eternal life 16. Thereafter § 20. he citeth Esai 5 1 2 3 4. and as parallel parables Mat 21 33. Mark 12 1. Luk. 20 9. which yet differ in several maine points a passage which his predecessours
prisoner oâ— that Truth of God which the Law and Light of Nature did reveal If not what meaneth all the following discourse of the Apostle in that Chapter and Act. 14 vers 15 16 17. 17 v. 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 This man is a stout advocat for Paganisme 38. Then he citeth Rom. 10. where the Apostle saith that the word that he preached was not far off but near in their mouth and in their heart And thereafter vers 18. he saith that this divine preacher did sound in all mens ears and hearts Ans. The Apostle out of Moses Deut. 30 14. is clearing the righteousness which is of Faith and is differenceing it from the righteousness which is of the Law Now that righteousness of faith whereof Moses spoke Deut. 30. was not revealed to all Nations at that time but to that select and peculiar people to whom Moses was sent the posterity of Abraham Isaac and Iacob See Deut. 4 5 6 7 8. and 7 6 7 8. So that all the world had not that doctrine which Moses taught these Israelites revealed and declared unto them but they must have gone over seas and countreyes and adjoined themselves unto the Common wealth of Israel as proselytes before they could have reaped that benefite so though this word and doctrine was brought near to the Israelites in their mouth by profession and in the heart by faith of as many as had their hearts circumcised to beleeve it will say nothing for the Universal Grace and Light which Quakers plead for 2. This doctrine of faith which Moses declared was the same upon the matter with that which Paul preached and that which Paul preached was not in the heart of heathens or of all men borne of Adam but was a mystery hid from ages and generations and spareingly revealed even to the Church untill the last dispensation came Nay the Apostle tels us plainely what that is vers 9. that if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Now will this Quaker say that Heathens and such as never heard of Christ do or can confess with their mouth the Loâ—d Iesus or beleeve with their heart that he was raised from the dead See also what followeth vers 10 11. for with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnes and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation for the Scripture saith whosoever beleeveth on him shall not be ashamed 3. The following words confirme this where the Apostle vers 14 15. sheweth the necessity of hearing and of preaching and of sending for the begetting of faith saying how shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved And how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent as it is written c. then vers 17. he concludeth that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God This cannot then be meant of any inward thing that lyeth in the heart of every man but is the outward call of the Gospel which soundeth in the eares 4. As for that vers 18. It is to stop the mouthes of both Iewes and Gentiles especially the Iewes who whould pretend ignorance of this preached Gospel say that they had never heard thereof therefore saith the Apostle Have they not heard Yes would he say That is unquestionable for their sound went into all the earth c. What sound is this Is this a sound of something that is lodged in Heathens who never heard of the Gospel None can fancie this but a Quaker Or will this Quaker say that the sound of the Gospel preached came unto the eares of all and every man breathing No he saith expresly the contrary What can he then make out of this Hath the Light within such a sound and words as that Gospel which the Apostles preached or as the preaching of the Apostles which went far and neer into all the earth and to the ends of the world in a manner for the Apostle is alludeing unto the expressions which the Psalmist useth Psal. 19. speaking of the Sun and heavens these great and universal preachers of the glory of God but not of the Gospel And sure even these preachers were outward preachers and not any thing within the man not any Light or Grace or Seed or what they will call it that is within the heart of any man or of all men 39. Then he citeth Heb. 4 12 13. As bearing witness to his fancie But though many take the Word of God there mentioned to be understood of the outward word of the Gospel preached and declared in which sense it perfectly contradicteth this mans dream yet beside what is spoken hereof vers 12. that which is said vers 13. can agree only to a person and so it is most probable that this Word of God is Christ as the learned D. Own hath lately cleared in his Comment on the place But whether of these wayes we take it it can no wayes favoure this mans dream for there is nothing giving ground to imagine that this word of God is any thing abiding and remaining in the hearts of Heathens and meer natural persons which is the Quakers Universal Grace Who would not wonder to hear men say that there is that in every man Turk and Pagan which is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of thâ— thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifest in the fight of it but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of it and with it have we to do We heard before that they called this seed the Vehicle of God and here he ascribeth to it the very property of God to know all things even the Intents of the heart doubtless Quakers that are sensible of this Light can know our very thoughts and designes But we hear blasphemy too much out of the mouthes of these men and yet we must hear more for he saith that in and by this word God seeth the thoughts of men as if he did not see them immediatly but mediatly by the spectacles of this that is within every man Doth this man beleeve verily that there is a God And dar he say that he is beholden to this Light within for discerning the Thoughts and Intents of the heart What a God must these Quakers dream of Will they exalt this Light within above God O horrid blasphemers Nay this Quaker hath not yet done with his blasphemy for he ascribeth to this light that which is said Esai 55 4. and so David was a Type of this light and the new everlasting Covenant containeth and holdeth forth the mercies of this Light that are purchased procured and
is in Christ which is able to overcome and eradicat the evil seed Ans. 1. The Redemption made by Christ on the crosse and by his obedience and sufferings we cheerfully acknowledge But that it was a Redemption made for allâ— we abundantly disproved above Chap. VIII 2. That there was any such Power Grace or Vertue of the Spirit of life purchased hereby and granted to all is false and abundantly above disproved likewise See Chap. X. 3. To imagine that every son of Adam hath power granted to him to subdue and root out natural corruption is but pure Pelagianisme Arminianisme Iesuitisme but not the truth revealed to us in the word of God is to wedge warr against thâ— pure grace of God and the free operations thereof to set the crown of salvation upon the head of the creature all which we made manifest above at several occasions 12. What is the Second Redemption that is inseparable from the other It is that sayes he which Christ worketh in us And what is that It is that sayes he further whereby we possesse and know that that pure and perfect redemption is in us purifieing us delivering us from the power of corruption and bringing into favour union and familiarity with God Answ. 1. That the Lord Jesus Redeemeth by Power through his Spirit from sin and corruption all such as he hath Redeemed by Price from Law and justice we willingly grant But how can he say that these two are inseparable seing then they must be of equal extent and so as the first Redemption was in his judgment for all and every man the second must extend to all and every man and so all and every man must be delivered from the power of corruption and consequently must be saved Againe how can he say this who pleadeth afterward for the Apostasie of the Saints But 2. This purifying and delivering from corruption as would appear by his words is not wrought by the second Redemption but only a knowing that that pure and perfect Redemption is in us purifying us c. And so all that is had by this second Redemption is but a sight of what the fruite of the first Redemption is doing So that by the first Redemption not only man hath power to subdue corruption but he actually doth subdue it without any new grace or divine help and by the second Redemption he is only delivered from darkness which hindered his actual perceiving of the operation of the gift and grace bestowed upon the first Redemption 3. whether is this second Redemption necessary unto salvation or not I suppose he will say yes Then what shall become of the childe of God that walketh in darkness hath no light what shall become of them that have true grace and grace uniteing them to Christ to God through Christ yet through darkness the Lord dispensing so partly as a punishment partly for tryal exercise can see and acknowledge no such thing 13. He tels us over againe that by the first Redemption all mankinde was so far reconciled unto God that they were made capable of salvation and had the offer of Gospel peace citeing for this Ephes. 2 15. 1 Ioh. 4 10. Ezech. 16 6. 1 Pet. 2 22 24. 3 18. Tit. 2 14. Phil. 3 10. Ans. 1. we have seen before at several occasions that the Redemption of Christ is a far other thing and hath far other effects even remission of sinnes 2 Cor. 5 19. actual reconciliation grace and glory Dan. 9 24 26. Col. 1 19 20. Ephes. 1 11 14. Ioh. 17 2. Heb. 9 12 13. 2 Cor. 1 20. 2. The very texts cited by himself make against him for Ephes. 2 15. he died to make in himself of twaine one new man so making peace and this was not a mere capacity See vers 13. but now in Christ Iesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Was this only a capacity of coming near or a meer offer of it deluded souls may think so but the words are plaine let him see also Ephes. 1 7. 2 5 6. The next place he citeth is 1 Ioh. 4 10. Where God is said to have sent his son to be a propitiation for our sinnes and sure a Propitiation doth work more then a meer possibility of friendshipe and he was so a Propitiation as that for the same persons he is an Advocat with the Father 1 Ioh. 2 1 2. His next passage is Ezech. 16 6. And doth he think that when God saith to any lying in their bloud live that that creating word giveth nothing but a meer capacity to live See vers 8 9 10 11 12. But this properly is to be understood of Gods dispensation of love to that visible Church as such and so is not very pertinent to the purpose in hand His next passage is 1 Pet. 2 22. he would say 21. 24. And what can be more clear against him seing the Apostle saith vers 24. that he bear our sins for this end that we being dead to sinnes should live unto righteousness and then addeth by whose stripes ye were healed See also Chap. 1 vers 18. Where he saith that we are redeemed from our vaine conversation See also Chap. 1 2 4. He citeth next 1 Pet. 3 18. Where it is expresly said that Christ hath once suffered that he might bring us to God and not put us in a bare capacity Was this mans minde present when he wrote these citations Why did he not cite also Col. 1 vers 14. Gal. 1 vers 4. 3 vers 13 14. 4. vers 5. If he would cite passages against himself As also Revel 5 vers 9 10. 14.3 4. Tit. 2 vers 14 14. He explaineth over againe his Second Redemption and addeth that hereby we are really Iustified That is when we are sanctified we are Justified or Justified by sanctification as say the Tridentine Papists Then he tels us That both the Redemptions are the cause of Iustification the first the procureing cause and the last the formal cause And just so say they as we saw above out of the Councel of Trent and may be seen in Bellarmine who de justifie lib. 1. Cap. 2. proveth that Jesus Christ is the meritorious cause of Justification and is sounder here than I suppose this Quakers is who complyeth more with Samosatenians Socinians against whom Bellarmin there disputeth And the Councel of Trent said that Christ did merite justification to us by his most holy passion on the tree of the crosse Wherein doth this man now differ from Papists the worst of them I mean such as follow the Councel of Trent There are some Others that may shame this Quaker in this point As Contarenus a cardinal who in his Treatis of Iustification cleareth and determineth the question thus Because by faith we attaine to a twofold â—â—ghteousness one inherent whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature thâ— other
glory though we must alwayes lament our shortcoming and run to the bloud of Iesus that the defilement cleaving to our best works may be purged away Nor do we think that this hyperbolick expression of the penitent church will warrant any to caâ—l all the work of the Spirit of God in his people sordide and filthy rags What is of God should be acknowledged good acceptable though the defilements that adhere to the best of God's works in us here because of our continueing corruption and because of the lustings of the flesh in us should be mourned over and keep us humble One thing I would further note here That if our Gospel-works be such why are we not Justified because of them as well as in them He further answereth pag. 149. § 12 That though it were granted that the best of men are imperfect Yet God can produce perfect works in them by his Spirit Ans. the qustion is not what God can do but what he doth God can make all his perfect Yet the supposition made saith he doth not so He hath thought it fit for his owne glory so to work in his Saints as they may have so long as they are here a body of death to wrestle with and occasion to pray dayly forgive us our sinnes and to run to the fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleanness that they may be washen He proceedeth The Spirit of God is not capable of a blot and therefore all Christ's works wrought in his children are pure and perfect Ans. The Spirit it is true is not capable of pollution yet his works as received by us and as we are the formal actors of them are obnoxious to pollution And doth not the Scripture tell us that God first beginneth a good work in us and afterward perfecteth it Phil. 1 6. How can then all the works of Christ in us be perfect And if it were so his children here should be as holy as they will be in heaven for what is higher than perfection Thus we see this man will outstripe Bellarm. who confessed that our actual righteousness was imperfect because of the admixtion of venial faults and stood in need of dayly remission And will run the length of bold Vasques who thinketh that such have no need of remission in 1. 2. Disp. 204. c. 2. 3. He further argueth It would then follow that the miracles and works of the Apostles themselves as the conversion of the Gentiles gathering of Churches writting of Scripture and giving of themselves to the death for Christ were defiled with sin Ans. we must distinguish betwixt these works which were extraordinary I meane as to the manner of their performance and so peculiar to such extraordinary persons in which they were not in a manner formal actors but passive organs such as working of miracles and writting of Scripture in these the Apostles moved as they were immediatly Acted Inspired and Led of the Spirit so that these were not properly their formal acts And these which are of a more ordinary nature wherein they were more formal actors through the assistance of the Spirit whether in works belonging to their office as preaching and gathering of Churches or in works of Christianity as giving themselvs to the death and the like As to the first sort we may grant that they were undefiled as being pure acts of the Spirit wherein the Apostles were but organs used by the Spirit as he saw meet But as to others I see no absurdity to say that they needed to use that petition forgive us our sinnes The Apostle Paul had his infirmities and weakneses a body of death that made him cry out wo is me miserableman and was thereby made to do what he would not and hindered from doing what he would Rom. 7 The Apostle Iames saith in many things we offend all Iam. 3 2. and the Apostle Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 1 8. that if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us 43. Thereafter he giveth unto works an instrumental part in Iustification which is true of faith laying hold on the righteousness of Christ the only Objective Formal cause of Justification but cannot agree to works But he citeth some Protestants assenting to this as Polanus Symphon c. 27. whose words if understood of after pardon that is of sinnes committed after Justification as they may containe nothing but truth and that truth which we question not acknowledging that even iustified persons before remission of after sins must repent confesse and mourne for their sinnes and act faith on Christ. Zanchius in the words he citeth is expresly speaking of salvation not of Justification and to this end he might cite all the Protestants that I know of Amesius is speaking of the same As for Mr Baxter I have told already that his notions about Justification are not acceptable to all As for what he addeth about the word merite I shall not contend only I would say that seing it sounds so ill because of the common and known abuse thereof by Papists the less we use it the better seing Verba valent usu 44. Nor shall I say much against his conclusion of this mater Only while he tels us that such may confidently appear before God who sensible of their owne unworthiness and of the unprofitableness of all their works and endeavours c. did apply themselves unto the light within and suffered that grace to work in them and thereby are renewed quickened and have Christ risen in them and working in them to will to do having thus put on Christ and being clothed with him and made partakers of his righteousness When I say he speaketh thus he but cheateth his Reader giving him faire words and no more for as we have formerly seen in the examination of his Principles This light is but a Pelagian Grace if not worse common to all men Scythian and Barbarian And by vertue of this light without the least help of the grace of God for of grace assisting far lesse regenerating such as are in nature and so beginning every good work there is not in his writings the least mention if the man will but yeeld and of power and full ability to do this he maketh no question he becometh regenerated begotten of God partaker of the divine nature and what not And this is this Mans Sanctification and foundation of Justification whereof Pagans and Barbarians who never did nor never shall hear of Câ—rist are as capable as such who live within the visible Church and that without any new grace communicated by that which is borne with them Let the Reader now Judge what a Regeneration and Sanctification can flow from this which is in every man and what Justification that can be which is founded hereupon And whether or not this be a sure bottom to stand upon and with confidence to rest upon
and Perfection is a Light within every man which serveth both for an Internal light for an Objective Light so that it is in their account both Grace the Bible serveth instead of both To this they give big names no less name give they to it then Christ or the seed of Christ and they call it saving yea and sufficient to salvation hence is it that they alwayes presse people to look and hearken to the Light within as if they needed no other Teacher nor Bible This is the theam and subject of their preaching Now this Light that is within every man can be no saife saving nor sufficient light it hath no affinity with the grace of Illumination being nothing but that natural Light of a Natural Conscience which is truely natural being planted in man in his very creation and abideing yet after the fall in some measure in all men and flowing from the principles of nature giving testimony of and assent to in a greater or lesser measure according as it is more or lesse freed from prejudices prevailing wickednesses corrupt education and the like maximes or principles of moral duties according to the Law of nature What natural Aptitude or rather how great an Ineptitude is and must be in this natural light now through the fall so much weakened to understand and discover the saving truthes of the Gospel which are not written in the book of nature but are a mystery revealed by degrees according to the good pleasure of God who may not see Especially considering how since the fall the minde and all the powers of the soul and whole man are stated enemies to God and his grace and will not submit to nor beleeve his very Revelations so often inculcated nor indeed can they understand them or submit unto them until the mighty power of God be exerted in working a change in minde will and affections And yet though these things be certain attested both by the Word and by Experience in all ages behold this generation of Quakers will cry up this Light as saving and sufficient though it never came from the grace of God in a Mediator nor was never promised in the Covenant of grace but is as the soile it groweth in Flesh Blindness Enmity to God Natural and Sensual savouring nothing but the things of the Flesh and of Nature This is the first ground stone of their building The next is this When the motions dictats and workings of this Light are yeelded unto then doth that same Light become a new birth Christ formed within and what not And thus the man is a Regenerated man a New creature Partaker of the divine nature Spiritual Sanctified and Justified Effectually called Adopted and what not Though not one ray of divine Illumination hath shined into his soul nor one act of grace hath reatched either his Intellect Will or Affections to cause this change Nay though he hath had no touch of assistance from the Spirit of God to draw or move him hereunto Nay more though he hath never heard whether there was a Christ and a Spirit or not and whether there was a Covenant of Grace or not or what are the termes thereof and thus the man is borne againe not of watter not of the word nor yet of the Spirit but of this Light and of his owne will that is of the Will of the Flesh of the Will of Man and not of God Upon these two pillars do they raise this high toure of Perfection And now let the Christian Reader judge if this can be any thing else thaâ— a Pagan Perfection Or if this Perfection of theirs have any the least affinity with the smallest measure of true Christianity 5. Though this might be enough to satisfie all true Christians concerning the Wickedness and Vnreasonableness of this Assertion of theirs upon their grounds and principles yet that we may give some light in this matter and helpe others to answere their cavils and to discover their cheatrie We shall propose a few things to consideration As first The Hebrew word which is sometimes rendered Perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth an Honest Plaine and Simple Disposition without guile or wickedness and therefore is sometimes rendered simplicity or integrity as Gen. 20 5 6. 2 Sam. 15 11. 1 King 22 34. see the magine answereable to what is imported by the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in this sense we finde the word frequently taken as denoting Uprightness Sincerity Singleness as Gen. 6 9. 17 1. Deut 18 vers 13. Iob. 9 22 2. Sam. 22 33. Psal. 18 32 64 4.119 1. And so it donoteth a truely godlyman who is no hypocrite nor dissembler but is serving God in sincerity truth and uprightness of heart and this same is imported by that expression of a Perfect heart Psal. 101 2. So the other hebrew word usually joyned with heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we see 1 King 8 61 15 15 2 Chron. 15 17. 2 King 20. 3 Esa. 36 3 1 Chron. 12 38. 2â— 9. 29.9 19. 2 Chron. 16 9. 19 9. and rendered by us a perfect heart hath the same import for it properly signifieth Peace Prosperity Saifty Integrity so that this perfect heart is an heart satisfied quiet and at peace with it self in doing this or that So the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is observed to have the same import with the hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to donote an Upright Sincere not Dissembling person for it is used by the 70. Deut. 18 13. and it oft signifieth one come to age or no more a childe but come to just maturity Heb. 5 14. And it may denote also one Devoted Initiated in holy things and consecrated as the verb it cometh from signifieth to consecrate as Heb. 2 10. 10 14. 11 40. and to be Immolated or Offered up in sacrifice Luk. 13 32. see Exod. 29 33 35. as translated by the 70. and D. Own on Heb. 2 10 And Pareus in Rom. 3. tels us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth most frequently signifie Sincerity 6. But leaving these things let us in the next place consider how and in what respects Beleevers may be called perfect or perfection may be ascribed unto them And 1. They may be called Perfect as being Initiaâ—ed in the holy things of God as devoted to his service and Consecrate to him and Sanctified by the holy Spirit And why it may not be so taken frequently in Pauls Epistles I see not saith D. Owen de ortu c verae Theologiae Pag. 8. See also Heb. 10 14. and Calv. on the place 2. They may be called Perfect as being Truâ—ly and Really what they profess themselves to be that is Christians and not Dissemblers Hypocrites and Made persons So the word is used 1 Ioh. 2 5. But who so keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected that is in
Body the fulness of him that filleth all in all Ephes. 1 10 22 23. 5 23 27 32. Col. 1 18. The visible Church which is also Catholick or Universal under the Gospel not confined to one Nation as before under the Law consists of all these throughout the world that profess the true Religion 1 Cor. 1 2. 12 12 13. Psal. 2 8. Revel 7 9 Rom. 15 9 10 11 12. together with their children 1 Cor. 7 14. Act. 2 39. Ezech. 16 20 21. Rom. 11 16. Gen. 3 15. 17 7. and is the Kingdom of the Lord Iesus Christ Mat. 13 47. Esai 9 7. the house and family of God Ephes 2 19. 3.15 out of which there is no ordinary possibility of Salvation Act. 2 47. Unto this Catholick visible Church Christ hath given the Ministrie Oracles and Ordinances of God for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints in this life to the end of the world And doth by his owne Presence and Spirit according to his promise make them effâ—ctual thereunto 1 Cor. 12 28. Ephes. 4 11 12 13. Mat. 28 19 20. Esai 59 21. Adde hereunto Quaest. 63. of our Larger Catechisme What are the special privileges of the Visible Church Ans. The visible Church hath the privilege of being under God's special care and government Esai 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 4 10. of being protected and preserved in all ages notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies Psal. 115. throughout Esai 31 4 5. Zech. 12 2 3 4 8 9. and of enjoying the Communion of saints the ordinary Meanes of Salvation Act. 2 39 42. Offers of grace by Christ to all the members of it in the ministrie of the Gospel testifying that whosoever believes in him shall be saved Psal. 147 19 20. Rom. 9 4. Ephes. 4 11 12. Mark 16 15 16. and excluding none that will come unto him Ioh. 6 37. 2. Here is our doctrine laid downe in few words What would this man now say He giveth us first the Etymology of the greek word that we render Church and thence tels us that an Ecclâ—sia or Church is nothing else but a company of such as God hath called out of this world Against which I have nothing to say only for clearing the matter I would adde That there is a company called out of the world by the grace of God power of his Spirit to worshipe him in Spirit and in Truth and this is that company which is called the Church invisible because their union with their Head and with one another is by a bond of true and saving Faith and sincere Love which are not obvious to the eyes of men As also there is a greater company of persons called out of the world to profess the Name of Jesus to worshipe Him outwardly according to his word and to owne him for their King by submitting to his Lawes Ordinances Officers by an outward profession And this is that company which is called the visible Church because both their exercise their bond of union with this King with one another is outward obvious to the eye to wit an open Profession of the true Religion outward submission to following of the ordinances institutions of Christ But as to this visible Church in his following words he seemeth to take no notice thereof for he describeth to us the Church Invisible and then tels us that without this Church there is no salvation But this is impertinently spoken for that Church is made up only of the elect And if we should speak of the Invisible Churâ—h as now existing in this world we could not say that any elect belonged to it but such as were effectually called for the rest were not yet called out of the world or out of their state of nature and he told us that a church is a company of persons called out of the world To say thâ—n that there is no salvation out of that company that are already affectually called is neither pertinent nor truth for there are many who are not yet called whom God will in due time call and bring home and these whom he hath elected he doth bring into the visible Church where they may enjoy the ordinances which God hath appointed â—or Conversion And therefore we say that out of this visible Church there is ordinarily no salvation But all this is said by him to make way for his Church that will take in Heathens Pagans Turks and Tartars that never heard nor never shall hear a word of Jesus Christ which Church as he would delineate it to us hath not the least relation to Christ as Head and King nor any advantage of or interest in the Institutions of Jesus Christ. And what a Church this shall be let any sober Christian judge 3. But let us heare himself speak He calleth the Church a company of such as God hath called out of this world that they may walk in his light and Life One might readily suppose that this were good but hear more Vnder this notion saith he of the Church all these are comprehended of what Nation Kinde Tongue or Family they be though far removed from and strangers to these who profess Christ and Christianity in words and enjoy the Scriptures who obey the divine light and testimony of God within them so as by it they become sanctified and washen Ans. That is in short All Heathens and Pagans who have never heard of Christ or of Christianity belong to this Church of persons called out of the world to walk in God's Light and Life if they have obeyed the Light of Nature and of a Natural Conscience teaching to abstean from grosse sinnes This is the Quakers Church and the Church of persons effectually called out of the world which they mean which is nothing else but a Church of moralized Pagans A pagan-Church without the Knowledge of Christ Profession of Christ Faith in Christ Worshipe of Christ Acknowledgment of Christ Union with Christ without the Gospel of Christ and the Spirit of Christ. Anâ— though he call this the Catholick Spirit and the secret life and vertue of Iesus Yet it is in truth nothing but Catholick nature which cannot understand the things of the Gospel This is further confirmed by what he addeth Therefore saith he they may be members of this Catholick Church who are Pagans Turks and Iewes and of every seck among Christians if they be good single hearted men though they be ignorant and superstitious Thus we see the Quakers Church is erected according to the Covenant of works and that now broken founded upon the Law of Nature directed by the Light of Nature and to it belong all civil outwardly moral persons whatever Religion they have and how superstitious soever they be Yea though they worshipe stocks and stones and the Devil for there is no exception here Reader what thinkest thou now of this Church of this Profession and of this Religion It is Catholick I confess alas
be common to all of what use can a special Office be for this work And what necessity were there for a call authorizing some to the doing of the work of that Office Eightly That Officers and Church members as such are different and to be distinguished so that all Church members are not Church Officers This is clear from the preceeding Ninthly That a Call differeth from Gifts and Qualifications for a call to an office if it be right such as God will approve who sendeth not a message by the hand of a fool doth presuppose that the person called is fitted qualified and that this qualification was not a sufficient ground for him to take upon him the office or to performe the proper work of the office for if his qualification had sufficiently warranted him for the office for the work the call had been useless wholly superfluous when then our Quaker speaketh of a Call he must mean a proper real and formal call not a false imaginary supposed one nay nor yet what may be said to be a virtual call Tenthly When he speaks thus of a Call to the Office of a Pastor or Doctor he must needs suppose that there are real and sure Rules Grounds and Evidences of a lawful call laid down in the word Whereby a true call may be distinguished from a false supposititious call that the solution of this question what is a right and what is a wrong call doth not depend upon our imaginations and phancies but must be had in the word And therefore if he would describe or lay forth unto us what is a right call unto the office of a Pastor in the Church he must not think it enough to tell us his dreames and suppositions but he must give us grounds from the word whereupon we must rest That by the question which he here moveth he must presuppose all these Ten particulars as unquestionable truths is from what is said I judge most clear and if so how he shall in several of these agree with other Quakers I leave it with himself to judge and how as to some of them at least he shall agree with himself in what followeth we may have occasion to remarke as we go on 4. When he speaketh of a Call to a Ministerial Office we may observe that he is very indistinct confused holding himself in the general that he may the more easily inveigle his Reader and leave the matter still in the dark He cannot but know that our Divines make mention of several sorts of calling to the Ministrie not to mention that which commonly in our language goeth for a call and is performed by the people inviteing makeing choise of and submitting to the Ministerie of such or such a person which is more propâ—rly called Election and is contradistinct from that which is called Ordination but to speak to that which is otherwise called mission or missio potestativa that is that which formally impowereth the person called to performe the Work belonging to that Office and legally authorizeth him thereunto for Paul Gal. 1 1. saying of himself that he was an Apostle not of mâ—n nor by man but by Iesus Christ God the Father giveth ground to distinguish of calls not to mention that which is imported by the first expression of men which is commonly taken for an unlawful call that is meerly of man of themselves or others such as the false Prophets had of old and the false Apostles in the primitive times to wit That there is one call Immediat by God and Christ without the interveening of Man There is another Mediat which though also of God yet it is by the Intervention of some deed of man so is said to be by man The first is attributed unto the Apostles and some others whom Christ immediatly sent forth adjoyning that call of Matthias Act. 1. which as to the person on whom the lot fell was immediatly from God The other unto other Church officers appointed to their office by them so forth in succeding generations according to the way method set down in the word The Mediat call is that which we are now to enquire after to look for seing the Immediat call is ceased with these extraordinary persons who were called by it were with alendued with extraordinary gifts as we see Mat. 10 1. 2 Cor. 12 12. or had some other extraordinary thing in their mission which did abundantly evince it to be immediatly divine We may note further That there is a Mediat call which may be called Singular Rare or not very ordinary as when a Church is in erecting not yet constituted all things are out of order so that through necessity many or several things requisite in an orderly call must be passed by dispensed with And there is a Mediat call which is Ordinary is usually to be followed according to the rules set downe in the word Againe it may be noted that there is an Outward call an Inward call The Outward call or mission is that which is done by men according to the appointment of Christ after examination tryal of the person separating him setting him apart with solemne prayer imposition of hands for the ministrie that is a committing of the work unto faithful men an appointing of them to the work of the ministrie The Inward call is the Lords signification of his minde will inwardly to the mans self of his calling appointing him to the Ministrie not only endueing him with gifts qualifications requisite but also powerfully sweetly inclineing his minde determining his will to a willing susception of this Imployment for holy pure ends by other passages of his providence manifestly signifying that to be his minde that the man shall serve him in the work of the Ministrie These considerations are considerable in this case others might be mentioned but our Quaker loving confusion walketh in the dark and tels us not what call he meaneth Nor whether he meaneth all sorts of calling or only one kind and if one he tels us not what that one is 5. Let us see if his answere will help us to understand the question His answere is this He ought to be instructed by the inward power and vertue of the Spirit of God in his heart A suteable answere for such a question that is a confused answere to an indistinct question He should have told us what is the nature of a Pastors Call his answere is concerning a qualification Afterward he speaketh of qualifications how I pray shall he difference this from what he handleth there Next I would enquire concerning the meaning of this answere whether he thinketh that all who are instructed thus are called to be Pastors or only that this is a qualification requisite in Pastors if the first be his meaning he destroyeth the distinction betwixt Officers and Church
22. And the practice of the Church thereafter evinceth that this course was constantly followed and though through corruption base and unworthy men entered sometimes into the Ministrie yea and though afterward the Ordinance was corrupted through Antichrist by his manifold additions and other corrupt appendices yet the Ordinance of Christ is not to be rejected but rather to be purged from these corruptions annexed without Scripture warrand that the ordinance may be observed and preserved in its primitive Integrity And though by reason of such corruptions there was an interruption of the conveyance of the ministerial power in the order and manner appointed by Christ yet the Ordinance might be taken up againe and some usual circumstances dispensed with in such a case of necessity without the least impeachment of the Ordinance it self We need not then trouble ourselves to enquire after such an uninterrupted succession of Persons so ordained one after another if we finde ministers now setled according to the Ordinance of Christ we are to be satisfied But the thing that troubles him is that we say such as are ordained by Pastors according to the rule of the word are Pastors and to be owned as such Nor will it satisfie him that we say that beside this such as are called must have an inward call also of God inclineing them to that work as we formerly hinted because as he thinks there is no enquiry made after this and yet if he would look our directory for ordination he might finde as much as might satisfie a reasonable man concerning this which is not obvious to mens tryal and examination but is hid in the heart As to what he saith § 9. and 10. because it concerneth them who plead for the necessity of an uninterrupted Succession which I see no necessity for I need not trouble my self to Answere though I see nothing said by him which is of any force and elsewhere I have said something to it See my book against Velthusius Assert 9. towards the end and I shall recommend to this Man the serious perusal of Voetii Desperata Causa Papatus 12. He cometh § 11. Pag. 187. to speak to Others who lay not so much weight upon this Succession as conveyed through Papacy but assert that in extraordinary cases of necessity somethings may be done which ought not to be done in other ordinary cases when the Church is setled and rightly constituted or purged from destroying corruptions And what sayes he here Forsooth to vindicate himself and his fraternity for taking upon them the Ministrie at their owne hand he hath the face to say that he can accuse us of many errours And what will his bold saying so do when we have evinced that Quakerisme is but a Cento an Hotch potch of errours so that they are become the very Kennel in which all the filth of other errours and heresies run are become one standing puddle of abomination And as to their being Ministers what I pray have they to show but what the false Prophets and Apostles did pretend unto He talketh of an Immediat Revelation but who seeth that but themselves who have the false light of an ignis fatuus to enlighten them Shall we think that the Immediat Revelation of the Spirit of God would act men as they are acted and prompt them to at rampling upon all the holy Ordinances of Jesus Christ The Comforter whom Christ promises to send will guide into all truth Ioh. 16 13. and not sure into all errour and will glorify Christ vers 14. while as the evil Spirit in these Quakers cannot do more than he doth to vilify Christ and render him most contemptible in his Person Offices Work Ordinances He tels us that this immediate revelation of the Spirit is as necessary in a Church constituted as in a Church to be constitute But what meaneth he by this Immediat Revelation Meaneth he nothing else than what is necessary to all true Christians and is acknowledged by us that is the inward working of the Spirit sanctifying the soul No sure it is plaine Enthusiasme of which we spoke enough above Chap. III. And who saith or how will he evince it that our first reformers were called to the work of the ministrie by such an Euthusiastick Call as were the Prophets of old or such an immediat outward call with an audible voice from Christ as the Apostles had I deny that any such thing is necessary or to be expected even in extraordinary cases seing the Lord can in a more plaine and obvious manner give intimations of his will then by Enthusiasmes or audible voices such as Paul had which he would not have us now look for having the Canon of the Scriptures now compleat before us to regulate us in all cases Ordinary and Extraordinary and having the constant significations of God's will in his providence to help us to understand his minde in particulars conforme to the general rules in his word And by these we may learne what is to be done or not done in this or that case without Dreames or Vive Voices from heaven or Enthusiasmes which whosoever would expect might fear that God because of their tempting of him might give the great Tempter leave to deceive them as experience hath proven 13. As to that which some say That such as boast of an Immediat Call should confirme the same by Miracles He answereth Pag. 181. That as this was Objected by the Papists unto our first reformers so their answere may suffice to wit That was not necessary for them seing they preached nothing but the doctrine that was already confirmed by miracles And beside Iohn the Baptist and some true Prophets did no miracles Answere Though I do not owne the Objection as it is here simply set downe Yet take it thus and it will prove too hote for his fingers They who have had immediate cals from God were able to give evidence of the same by miracles or some other evident testimony of the Spirit that it was so which to contradict or not to receive and beleeve had been iniquity and utterly unreasonable Now what can these Quakers shew to justifie their Immediat Call to be of God They alleidge an Immediate Call but who can see any grounds to beleeve it Their saying so is not enough for false Prophets said it Their doctrine can not evince it for if their call be to be judged by their doctrine I know no heretick that ever breathed that had not better ground upon this account to pretend to an Immediat Call for I defye any man to name me any Seck of hereticks or erroneous persons since Christianity was heard of that maintained such a bundle of Errours and Heresies as these Quakers do to speak nothing of their blasphemous expressions and practices let any but read the examinations of Iames Nayler and his carriage about Bristol and their dayly expressions in their books and judge But to wave these let us consider but
who use it confess that the power of communicating the holy Ghost is ceased among them And is it not ridiculous to imitate the shadow when the substance is away Ans We say not that the holy Ghost was alwayes given by imposition of hands let him look not to mention instances in the Old Testament where it had no such use Mark 10 v. 16. 16 v. 18. Luk. 13 13. And even where it was used toward Church-officers it did not alwayes carry alongs with it the giving of the holy Ghost as we see Act. 13 3. it was used towards Paul who before that had been filled with the holy Ghost Act. 9 17. The same also we read of Barnabas before this time Act. 11 24. So then though this power be not and this use of imposition of hands be ceased yet its use in Ordination and Ordination it self must not be cast away by such as would be followers of Christ and of his Apostles seing its principal use in Ordination remaineth not only to declare who the person is who is to be set apart for the Ministrie but to declare the solemne Dedication and Consecration or setting apart of the person for the work and the conveyance of the Ministerial Power and Office with a charge to go about the work with all care and diligence But it is little wonder that our Quakers trample this Ordinance under foot when there is not one ordinance of Jesus Christ that they value or will regard And what Christians these are let every one judge And whether or not I had not ground to say and againe to repeat it that they are a company of the most desperate Antichristian opposers of Christ and all his Appointments that ever the sun shined on 16. It is observable that in his whole discourse he speaketh nothing of infallibility which other Quakers require in Ministers of the Spirit See Fox mystery p. 72. and some plead for in all as W. Pen in his Spirit of truth p. 32 c. and why he is not so plaine and full as others are he knoweth himself CHAP. XVIII Of Ministerial Qualifications 1. WE proceed now to examine what he saith about the Qualifications of Ministers Pag. 190. c. § 15. Though what he began to say of the Ministerial Call was rather concerning the Qualifications as we observed yet now seing here he beginneth to speak directly and ex professo of these Qualifications we shall follow him And first he tels us That as he placed the true call in the motion of the holy Spirit so also he sayes the power vertue and life of the Spirit and of grace proceeding from him is the principal and most necessary qualification without which he can neither discharge his duty acceptably unto God nor profitably unto men Ans. Wherein he placed the call we have heard and have heard it several wayes expressed And here we have it in a new distinct manner expressed for here nothing is mentioned but a simple motion of the Spirit and every motion of the Spirit is not extraordinary But 2. What he sayes here of a necessary qualification seemeth only to relate to the better and more profitable discharge of the duty as to men and so to respect the bene esse of the Office not the simple esse of it As for what he sayes of God that it cannot be performed acceptably unto him is nothing for an unsanctified Magistrate cannot performe his office acceptably every way unto God unless we meane only that the substance of the work when done according to justice and equity is approven of God though the person be not accepted in it 3. We have here good words Power Vertue and Life of the Spirit and of grace But these must not deceive us for by all these good words according to his principles formerly considered Chap. X. he cannot understand what is imported thereby in the Scriptures but only what an Heathen or Pagan that never heard of Christ nor never shall hear of him is capable of And whether this be fitter to be a necessary qualification of a Pagan-preacher than of a Gospel-Minister let any judge who will 2. He saith next That we affirme three things concurre to the constituting of a Minister to wit Natural parts that is that he be not an idiot acquired parts that he be learned in the tongues in Philosophie and scholastick theology and finally the grace of God The first two belong to the essence of a Minister the last to his bene esse Ans. Who stateth the question thus I know not for my part I cannot well approve it Of the grace of God I spoke my minde in the beginning of the preceeding Chapter As to the knowledge of the languages wherein the Bible was originally written I think that very convenient in some measure at least and he hath let us see here and there in this his Book what use he could make of it but as to the knowledge of the original languages use of commentaries I think it no wonder he should think it utterly useless seing the knowledge of the Scriptures themselves is of so little an account with him That skill in Philosophy is useful in some measure I shall assent but for the knowledge of Scholastick Theology I account it not so necessary And I suppose the knowledge of other Theologie much more necessary though all these be very requisite in a Professour On the contrary as not having said enough before he saith That without grace no man can be a true or lawful Minister And I suppose he meaneth neither before God nor Man This I judge too far said His first Argument for this is the same with the first he brought above for his call and was there answered 3. His 2. Arg. is much like the former being this No man can be a minister of the Church of Christ which is his body but he that is a member thereof But he who wanteth the grace of God cannot be a member of that body Therefore c. Answ. Had he understood the difference betwixt the Church Visible and Invisible and had he known that Officers are set in the Church Visible and not in the Church Invisible which is made up of homogeneal parts he had seen the vanity of this argument Christ is an head to both communicateth by his Spirit suteable nourishment whether of gifts or of grace to the members of both according as he thinketh fit Ephes. 4 7.11 16. 1 Corinth 12. throughout and while he applieth these things wholly and solely unto the Church Invisible he bewryeth his ignorance His 3. Arg. is from 1 Pet. 4 10 11. and he translateth the words thus as every man hath receiveth grace so c. but the word in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we finde alwayes rendered gift or free gift but it is like that gift and grace are one thing with him with whom the highest grace is a most common gift
worship as their worship is not grounded upon the Scriptures So nor have the Scriptures any place in their worshipe contrare to the practice of Christ and his Apostles Luk 4 vers 16. 21. Act. 17 2 3. 8 vers 4 25 35. 9 vers 22. 10 43. 13 5 15 16. c. 33 34 35 36 37 40 41. 18 28. 4. Though there be no approaching now for sinners unto God but in and through a Mediator and all our service and worshipe must be performed in him through him Col. 3 17. Eph. 2 18. Ioh. 14 6. 1 Tim. 2 5. Ioh. 14 13 14. 1 Pet. 2 5. Yet I hear nothing of Jesus Christ in all their worshipe It can therefore be no Gospel Worshipe which they goe about for as all that must be in the name of Jesus the Mediator as having his warrand so it must be offered to the Lord through him Hence 5 all their Solemne Worshipe is nothing else then may be gone about by Pagans and Heathens that never heard of Christ for there is no Gospel Worshipe no Gospel Duty no Gospel Ordinance to be found in all their most solemne service neither Preaching nor Prayer nor Praise nor Administration of sacraments nor any Duty instituted in the Gospel 6. Nay in this they seem to come short of the orderly devotion that is exercised by some Heathens who have their Priests publick Officers to carry on their worshipe with a piece of order and solemnity But they know no such thing their worshipe we see is carryed on without the orderly leading and foregoing of any Person peculiarly designed thereunto unto 7. They speak of going out from their owne thoughts or of expelling them and it is convenient and neâ—essary I confess that all carnal and worldly thoughts be laid aside when we are to approach unto the great and living God for our minds ought then wholly to be abstracted from all Impediments and taken up alone with God But how comprehensive their own thoughts may be I know not and whether he may not meane a laying aside of all use of Reason and Humanity that so they may be fitter receptacles of the In workings of Satan and of the Impressions of his delusions we may possibly heare something hereafter which may give ground for this supposal 8. He tels us that when tâ—ey are thus conveened they meet with a secret vertue and power of life refreshing their souls c. But is this common and ordinary to them all and is it so at all times Then they are all and that alwayes while about the worshipe of God in a good frame and the Spirit who bloweth where and when he listeth never withdraweth from them but is alwayes present in Love and in Power But what is this Life that hath such Power and Vertue If we call to minde the principles of the Quakers formerly considered and examined we will finde that it is not the true and real Grace of God bestowed upon them through Jesus Christ and wrought in them by his Spirit but the mere Operation and Product of nature and therefore all the refreshing of soul that they feel thereby must be but Natural and Carnal how sensible so ever it may be 9. He talks of Motions Respirations of the Spirit of God which flow forth but whence flow they From their owne Spirits or from that refreshing of soul or from the power and vertue of that life he spoke of But the chiefe thing I would have noticed here is How shall we know or how do they know that these Motions and Breathings are the motions and breathings of the Spirit of God The reason of the enquiry is because they have laid aside the Scripture the only sure teste for tryal of Spirits and of the motions of Spirits and not only so but they are now gone out of themselves and are no more Men having laid aside Humanity all the Cogitations Imaginations of Men How shall they how can they or any other know whether these motions be motions of the Spirit of God or of the Spirit of darkness Cannot Satan play his game in persons thus prepared for and laid open unto his workings and insinuations Hath he not thus wrought in many who thus gave up themselves unto his Power and Delusions 10. when these who are thus acted and moved by a Spirit blake or white utter words of declaration prayer or praise how shall it be known that these words are words of truth and righteousness It seemeth all is good coine that cometh that way and no doubt is to be made thereof no examination or tryal is to be made all is to be received by an implicite faith and sure if these Declarations Prayer Praises be suteable to and corresponding with their Doctrine and Principles we have ground to think that they are such as no Christian can with a good conscience receive or joyn with and though he think that what is so spoken is delivered in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and of power yet if we judge by the Scriptures of truth we must say that it is rather in the evidence demonstration of the Devil 11. When one is so moved and speaketh what do the rest Must they attend thereunto and joyn there with But what if they be at that very instant prompted by what is within them to utter words of declaration prayer or praise and this is not impossible must they all speak together where is then order and edification or must they be silent and listen to what the other speaketh till he have done How will he salve this from a limiting of the Spirit But next can the rest hearken and joyne without an inward motion thereunto If so then that part of worshipe is performed by them without the previous inward motion of the Spirit Or must the rest waite for their proper and particular motions then there is no publick worshipe performed by the Assembly 12. But as to that mumry and dumb service when nothing is uttered how can that be callâ—d a Publick Worshipe of God what publick worshipe is there and then performed by the Assembly and where doth he read of any such Publick Worshipe performed unto God in all the Old or New Testam How differeth this from the dumb service of some Heathens performed to their Idols And what mutual edification is there had hereby He tels us it is true that even then their souls are exceedingly satiated But where with or whereby Not by any publick exhortation prayer or praises for there are none that which is not cannot edifie He tels us also that their hearts are wonderfully replenished with the secret sense of the divine power and Spirit But how is this brought about This power sayes he is transmitted without words from vessel to vessel Sure this is no usual way of the Lord 's working and why should he imagine in this case a transmission from vessel to
may be drawn over the rest to wit Ps. 25 3. 37 9. 69 6. Esai 40 v. 31. 42 23. Lam. 3 25. His concordance hath helped him here to no purpose He must not think for all this that I speak against that noble duty of waiting on the Lord in all our wayes which is accompanied with a care to keep all his wayes I speak only against his Waiting which is not upon the Lord but a waiting for an unhallowed motion of an evil Spirit like those of olâ— who were consulting the Oracles of the Devil waiting for Enthusiasmes diabolick Inspirations which needeth no other confirmation but this that this waiting is pleaded for to shut out the Ordinances of Jesus Câ—rist and to give God no more for all the solemne Worshipe service wâ—ich he requireth but a dumb mumtie Nay this is such a waiting as first requireth that the man lay aside all Christianity yea and Rationality and Humanity that he may become a perfect prey to the Spirit of Delusion for he addeth that this silence is not only outward but inward from all imaginations and thoughts So that the man must lay aside his very sanctified intellâ—ct if he have it and rational faculty and so first un-man himself that the Devil may make him a beast or worse What he saith of the two seeds in men hath been spoken to long ago and what he saith further of natural men and of their various kindes or actings is nothing to the purpose for we confess that a natural man for all his parts and enduements cannot Worshipe God in the Spirit And for any thing I can finde in all this mans writing concerning Regeneration I must needs say that if it be really with the Quakers according to this mans doctrine they know no more of Regeneration and true Sanctification than a Turk or a Pagan doth Further what will all his speaking Pag. 235. of a necessity of a natural mans retireing from himself as such going into his good seed which is a non-ens nothing but the ill and wicked seâ—d of Nature availe here Can a natural man do this of himself Can the blakamore change his colour or the Leopard his spotes And finally what saith all this for the dumb Worshipe that he calleth for even from the Regenerate Though the rambling discourse which he hath Pag. 233. be utterly impertinent Yet I wish him to take notice of some expressions He saith that one kinde of spiritual wickedness is when a natural man in matters of Religion affirmeth and proposeth from his own conceptions and divinations erroneous notions and opinions And whether he be not guilty of this let all sober understanding persons judge And againe he saith It cannot be said that there is so much as a forme of goodliness where there are erroneous opinions and notions Let him look to it And I must retorte his owne words Pag. 234. upon himself This kinde of Idolatry whereby a man loveth Idolizeth the Conceptions Inventions and Products of his owne braine is so incident to him and so seated in his lapsed nature that while his natural Spirit is his leader and chiefe Governour and while he is acted moved and led by it in the Worshipe of God and attendeth to no other he can never act any spiritual Worshipe nâ—r produce any thing but what is the fruite of his corruption For reflecting upon his false Principles and Carnal Natural grounds of Religion opposite to all true Religion and Christianity I know none beside himâ—elf and his party of whom this may be more truely verified 13. He imagineth Pag. 235. that God is speaking in every man as one man is quietly talking in the eare of another or as a Master teaching his schooler or a Prince is speaking to a person and that therefore the natural man should not be so rude and indocile as not to be silent and hearken and retire from all the operations of his soul that he may heare and the good seed may rise in him Ans. That is the natural man that he may hear and learne of God must lay aside all his senses inward and outward all his operations as a man good and evil and so fall into something like or rather deeper then a trance and ecstasie that he may receive the visions of God And till this be done he can goe about no act of commanded Worshipe Is not this a noble phancie We are waiting for the proof of this and how long shall we waite till we see it Is this the meaning of all these passages of Scripture that spoke of waiting and watching Is not this like Socrates his Demon that attended him and to which he must Introvert to hearken What shall the renewed man do Is not God as well talking thus in and to him and must he not also retire from his Humane or Christian acts and lay all aside that he may hearken Sure it is not seemly even for a courtier to be talking to his Prince while his Prince is speaking to him he should waite till his Prince had done And so because we may suppose that the Lord is alway speaking the whole Worshipe shall be this silent hearkening And indeed Pag. 236. he taketh-in with the rest of the actions that must be laid by Sense and Fear of sin Thoughts of Death Hell and Iudgment thoughts of Glory Prayers and other Religious Exercises Have we not then a clear delineation of this Quakeristick ecstasie and of this silent Worshipe of theirs And as if all this were not enough he saith agaiâ— This great duty of waiting upon God must be exercised in denying of themselves and in sole and meer dependance upon God within and without in being abstracted from all operations imaginations and ejaculations of their soul that being made void of themselves and wholly crucified to their natural productions they may be fit to receive God Is not this a clear thing The man then must become no man nay not an animal he must not be a living wight such an ecstasie must he give himself up unto But I am yet to learne if this be in mans owne power or if the Prophets of old were so far master of themselves as to fall into a trance or ecstasie to speak nothing of such an ecstasie as this is which taketh away all the use of the intellect and inward motions of soul when they pleased And yet more if this was called for at their hands alwayes when they went to Worshipe God or if this was their solemne worshipe or a chiefe part thereof Will this Quaker do me the favour to prove these things and clear his way from Devilrie by undoubted marks of distinction 14. But now let us suppose the man is brought to this state either by his owne wonderful dexterity of metamorphosinâ— himself or by some superiour Spirit or other what next Then saith he Pag. 236. the little seed of righteousness which God planted in the
God beyond and above words thoughts and understanding and in a suffering-permitting-way go off himself and sinck after an inward and unknown manner into the darkness oâ— pure naked faith So in his second Sermon on that day he hath these words When a man hath given himself wholly over as denuded of himself of all propriety in things and of all â—hings here all that is borne in him is not his but Gods and againe when once a man in an upright and well ordered inwardness is drawn by God to higher things he shall put away all outward works and exercises were it even such as he had bound himself unto by oaths and promises 31. In his Sermon on the first Sunday after the three Kings Day he tels us that in order to this new birth our understanding must rest from all work and be void of all knowledg and â—bide in darkness and ignorance and not seek to return to its former knowledge and that this state of darkness is called a possible reception for there remaineth saith he no more in the soul but a possibility or capacity to receive that which will perfect it and the man must laboure more and more after this possibility till his minde be satisfied and become all things that it can receive And the more empty and unknowing that the soul is it is the nearer unto God So in his Sermon on the first Sunday after the Three Kings Day he saith I dar boldly say that he that introverts not once at least every day and turns not in according to his power into his fund doth not live as a Christian But such as are busie with their fund and empty themselves of all things and lay aside all imaginationâ— that the Sun of righteousness may send out his beames of Light in their inward fund finde the yoke of Christ easie So againe saith he Truely if any man could finde within himself know and see how the eternal God hath founded himself in the inward fund of the soul and how he is there hid and as it were soaked he should be happy 32. In his Sermon on Trinity Day he tels us That God begetteth in the fund of the soul his only begotten Son an hundered thousand times more quickly than in a moment in a now of eternity alwayes new And thereafter That he who would finde this must introvert beyond all the workings of his outward powers and phantasies and must sinck there into the fund and then cometh the power of God the Father and in him calleth upon him through his only begotten Son and as the Son is begotten of the Father and floweth againe into the Father so is this man begotten of the Father and floweth againe with the same Son in the Father and becometh one with him And afterward In this fund a man shall pray for his friends both dead and alive and such prayer is more powerful then to sing or say many Psalmes by mouth and then finde we the witness of the three that bear witness in heaven that is in the inward heaven in the fund of the soul. Moreover in his first Sermon on the third Sunday after Trinity he hath these words The penny must have its weight and its image the weight that the man may fall and sinck againe in Gods fund as he is come out of it his image is that image which is God himself in his own pure divine essence in which God knoweth loveth and enjoyeth himself in which he liveth is and worketh by which the soul is wholly God-dyed or like God and becometh divine and in this union with and sincking into Gâ—d he becometh through grace all things that God is by nature also So that if he could see himself he would think himself to be God and every one that couâ—â— see him in that cloathing dye forme and divine essence would become happy in that sight The man casts away againe unto God who gave all all things becometh so naked and empty as one that is nothing and hath nothing And thus the created Nothing sincketh into the uncreated nothing And thus one abysse calleth unto another the created abysse calleth unto the uncreated abysse and these two abysses become as one a pure divine essence where the Mans Spirit hath lost its self in the Spirit of God being drowned in that bottomless sea the like he hath in his sermon on the eleventh Sunday after the Trinity In his second sermon on that day he tels us that the little shipe mentioned Luk. 5. signifieth the inward conscience or minde the fund of the man where our Lord truely dwelleth and where his rest and joy is in case the man will alwayes carefully observe this inward fund and in the love of God for saking all things will introvert into this fund c. Againe if one while singing or reading be moved to introvert into the inward fund and finde that that exercise should hinder his introversion he must leave that and all other good works and introvert and in this introversion give himself wholly up unto God and follow the divine pull with all his heart So he expoundeth Christs sitting in the shipe and teaching to be Christ's sitting in the inward fund of the obedient man and there teaching him his most acceptable will and saith he such a person is able sufficiently to teach the whole world 33. In his sermon on the third Sunday after Trinity he saith this weakness speaking of Pauls words 2 â—or 12 9. cometh not from outward exercises but from an overflowing of the outpourings of the Godhead that is so poured forth on the man that the poor earthly body cannot endure it For God hath now so brought him in that he is wholly like God and all that is in him is in a hyperphysical manner transformed so that God now worketh all works in the man so that justly he may be called one like God for whosoever should see him aright would see him as God that is by grace for God liveth doth and worketh all in him yea enjoyeâ—h himself in him So on the fourth Sunday after Trinity speaking of prayer he saith the man that would pray must recollect himself and introvert into his inward fund with his mind lifted up and his power streatched forth and with an inward regarding of God's presence and a real desire above all things to do God's will going out from himself and all created things and sincking himself there deeper and deeper in the clarified will of God and this is to pray in the Spirit And againe he tels us the third degree of an inward life is a going over into a God-likness by union of the created Spirit with the essential Spirit of God And this saith he may be called an essential inturning Thereafter speaking of this same mater he saith Then doth God draw the man out of the humane forme into the divine forme and then is he so Godded and so divine that all he is
and doth God is that and doth it and he is so exalted above his humane forme that he becometh that through grace which God is by essence then he seeth that he hath lost himself and he knoweth and findeth himself no where he knoweth nothing else but only one simple essence And in the next sermon he tels us That God would rather live in a soul then in heaven and is more in a gracious soul then in heaven and that more properly for God worketh all the mans works not only in him but for him and then giveth them to him he â—urther begetteth his only begotten son in the soul as truely neither more nor less then as he begetteth him in eternity And he tels us That this which is begotten in the soul is not any thing that is of God or divine but is God himself the same Son which the Father begetteth from eternity nothing else but that same lovely divine word which is the Second Person in the Trinity And thereafter tels us that all rational creatures by nature love God more then themselves And in his second sermon on the eleventh Sunday he sais this inclination to God doth not leave the soul even in hell So also in his sermon on the 17. Sunday 34. In his sermon on the fift Sunday after the Trinity he tels us That when a soul receiveth the body of Christ in love to wit in the masse it is transformed or changed into the body and soul of Christ yea into whole Christ and moreover also in his Godhead This is the nature of divine love that it carryeth the soul above its nature and transformeth it into the bottomless Godhead so that it knoweth nothing oâ— it self nor findeth nothing in the Spirit but only it findeth it self wholly transformed into Christ. And thereafter he saith that when one receiveth in the Sâ—crament the life and love of Christ they are changed into God as the meat and drink is changed into them In his sermon on the seventh Sunday after Trinity he hath these words Therefore is it alway necessary that men turn the eye of their understanding alwayes unto that ground where the man is by God eaten digested incorporated and united with God In his second sermon on the eleventh Sunday he saith the best and inward part and excellency of the soul is called by some the sponk of the soul by others the centre of the essence by others the image of the Trinity and this flyeth so high that the understanding cannot follow it for it resteth not until it come into the fund of the Godhead out of which it came and where it was before it was created The like he hath in his sermon on the sevententh Sunday 35. In his sermon on the thirtenth Sunday he hath these words when men by all their exercises draw-in their outward sensible man to the inward reasonable man those two together go in into the inmost man or most hidden man of the Spirit where the true image of God lyeth and then presse-in into the divine abysse in which man was from eternity â—ere he was created and when the merciful God seeth the man turned-in to him in such purity and nakedness the divine fatherly abysse boweth down and sincketh into this pure introverted fund of the man and changeth by a certain transformation this created fund into his divine essence and maketh the mans Spirit so one with himself that were it possible that he could see himself in this state he should see himself so exceedingly excellent in God that he should think that he were God himself So in his sermon on the seventeenth Sunday speaking of the soul he saith it is called mens the minde that is the fund where the true image of the Trinity lyeth hid and this is so excellent that we can al 's little give it a proper name as we can give God himself And could any see how God dwelleth in this fund he should be happy The nighness and affinity that God hath there is wonderful great that we neither can nor dar speak thereof Againe as our soul doth wholly sinck in and melt with its most inward into God's most inward and becometh there renewed our Spirit is there so much more reformed by God's Spirit as we take the right and pure way for God poureth himself forth into our Spirits as the Sun doth its light into the aire so that the whole aire is transformed therewith that no difference can be seen much more in this union which transcendeth all natural union shall no man be able to difference the created Spirit from the uncreated Spirit of God for were the created Spirit seen in this union without doubt it should be taken for God 36. In his sermon on the ninteenth Sunday he tels us of some who having turned away from themselves and all things and turned in to the true light these sais he with an inward silence sinck from all their strength and dissolve in God their original and retire themselves into the darkness of the divine wilderness and there thrust themselves so far in that they lose all difference in the unity of God and lose also themselves and all things and know nothing else but one bare pure and simple God wherein they sinck to the ground In his sermon on the two and twentieth Sunday he saith This image and superscription is savingly made perfect in the most inward part of the soul in that place which God hath prepared and appropriat to himself to wit the glorious pure substance of the soul hereby is the most inward part of our soul made perfect and united with the most inward part of the high Godhead where God the Father is alwayes begetting his everlasting word his only begotten Son And thereafter he tels us when the soul is emptied of all things it answereth that only one which is God so there is nothing there but pure God alone 37. So in the sermon on the feast of Mary he tels us that she Introverted alwayes into her fund where the divine image lay hid her fund and all her inwards were so like unto God that if any man had seen her heart there he should have seen God in all his beauty and have seen the outcoming of the Son and of the holy Ghost in a substantial manner And in his second sermon on the birth of Iohn Baptist He saith in the fund of the soul there is a certain light which testifieth that man was in God from all eternity ere he was created And when he was so in God he was God in God so that what he is now since he was created that same was he from eternity in God being one substance with God 38. In his book of the Imitation of the poverty of Christ part 1. Ch. 21. N. 134. he tels of two heavens one bodily which is above us and another spiritual which is the essence or substance of souls in which God is and
Blasphemers of God and his wayes declared and open Atheists who deny there is a God the like whose doctrine eateth like a canker 2 Tim. 2 17. and who Apostatize from the truth received professed and teach rebellion against God though they pretend conscience in all this and say their conscience dictateth such things unto them and commandeth them in the name of the Lord to do such things and teach such doctrine or not 6. He will not extend this liberty of conscience unto practices that are hurtful unto our Neighbour or unto humane society as Libertines do but only to those things which are immediatly betwixt Men and God or men and men of the same perswasion Ans. But 1. â—roaching of errours is noxious to our neighbour eating as doth a canker 2 Tim. 2 17. subverting the hearers 2 Tim. 2 14. subverting whole houses Tit. 1 11. subverting souls Act. 15 24. it is a work of the flesh Gal. 5 vers 20. 2. Broaching and propagating of superstition and idolatry cannot but be noxious both to our neighbour and to humane society in that it ushereth-in and tendeth to the bringing-on of the wrath and judgments of God by which he punisheth such courses And therefore evil must be put away from the Society Deut. 13 5. 17 7. Levit. 20 vers 2 3 4 5. 3. Let us take these hurtful things to be mâ—aned of transgressions against the second table of the Law I would know why the Magistrate can more punish for these than for violations of the first table He is a keeper in his place and according to his power of both tables of the Law and so can punish open transgressions of both But the maiâ—e ground of my question is How the Quaker can yeeld this and not the other seing Conscience may be pretended in the one as well as in the other And the Conscience can be misinformed and when misinformed can binde as well in the one as in the other Either then his ground which he layeth downe to wit that an erroneous conscience bindeth so as the man â—ar â—ot act contrary to its dictates is not good and sufficient in this mater or by â—his his concession he yeelds the cause and undermineth his own Assertion 4. What meaneth he by that betwixt men and men of the same perswasion Do all maters of question and debate betwixt men of the same perswasion belong otherwise to conscience than maters of debate betwixt men of contrary perswaâ—â—ons May the Magistrate medole with no mater of debate or question even about civil maters that is betwixt men not of the same perswasion Then they must not meddle with the Quakers if they wrong the persons and gooâ—s of any of another perswasion This is enough to expose all true Christians to the fury and malice of the Quakers whence we see his Concession is not for nothing 7. But he explaineth himself better in the following words saying to wit to meet together and worship God that way which they judge will be most acceptable to him but not to urge their neighbours save by perswasion and reason and other means which Christ and his Apâ—â—tles used as of preaching and instructing and not at all under pretext of conscience to do any thing against the moral and perpetual statutes which all Christians commonly acknowledge Ans. But 1. Then the Magistrate may not hinder persons to meet together to worship a stock or a stone Yea or to offer up their children to Moloch to sacrifâ—ce beasts crocodiles birds c. to Iupiter Mars Vulcan or to prostitute their wives and daughters or commit sodomie in honour of Venus as Heathens have done because their Consciences judge that this way of worship is most acceptable to God 2. To urge Neighbours by perswasion to embrace Errour and to follow Idolatry Superstition and false wayes of Worshipe is a most noxious and hurtful thing destroying their souls subverting their faith and exposeing them to the wrath and indignation of God and so of far worse consequence than the wronging them in their Names Goods and Bodies and therefore requireth much more the Magistrates sword of justice to punish such noxious soul ruining Teachers 3. Still the doubt remaineth why the pretext of conscience cannot warde off the Magistrates sword in matters of the second table of the Law as well as in matters of the first seing conscience is God's deputy and only subject to him in the one as well as in the other 4. Moral and perpetual statuâ—es comprehend I suppose the commands of the first table as well as the commands of the second table and it is no matter whether all Christians commonly acknowledge them or not for God's moral Lawes borrow no force or strength from our acknowledging and receiving of them And thus we see this poor man destroyeth what he would be at And when he condemneth in the following words the Anabaptists at Munster he confirmeth wâ—at we say for they pretended conscience and though as he saith their deeds rather flowed from pride and avarice than purity and conscience Yet that helpeth not the mater for it is as apparent that the actions of our Quakers cannot flow from Purity and Conscience unless we understand a develish deluded conscience which hath no affinity with Purity whatever they pretend 8. He tels us next Pag. 316. that all the liberty which he pleadeth for is but that which the Primitive Christians required of the Heathen Emperours Ans. But he should first prove that the truth they profâ—ss is consonant to the truth which the Primitive Câ—ristians owned We say not that Magistrates whether Heathen or Christian should persecute the truth or hinder by Lawes or violence the Professours of truth to meet and worshipe God in tâ—e way by him appointed If his way be the way of truth he should not plead for toleration for toleratio semper est mali And if he can manifest it to be the way of truth I shall willingly grant that Magistrates should not only not trouble or tolerat him but should countenance and encourage him But we have heard enough already to demonstrate how dissonant that which they maintaine is to Scripture truth and to primitive truth and so we see no ground whereupon they can plead for the same liberty which the Primitive Christians did desire and plead for especially considering how they have Apostatized from the truth once by themselves professed and having renunced their baptâ—sme and the faith once delivered to the Saints would seduce all others to the same abomination 9. He sayes next he would not have men as men and members of the Common wealth molested in their temporals or privileges for their inward perswasion Answere And I say the same but publick meetings to the dishonour of God and scorne of Christianity And acts of preaching and seduceing by creeping into houses and loading captive silly women laden with sinnes and led away with diverse lusts is not a meer
armes against invadeing Pagans give all Christendome up as a fit prey unto the lusts of Turcks or Pagans who may come when they please to cut at freedom all their throates that will not with them burne incense and sacrifice their children to the Devil The Quakers seem very milde and meek and more ready to suffer than to do wrongs but let wise men judge whither this their doctrine tendeth and what enemies they make themselves hereby unto all Christian societies They speak here only of Christians as if Christians might not have the privilege of beasts to defend themselves against unjust violence But say they any thing of Pagansâ— No Pagans must weare the sword may offend if they please but Christians may not defend themselves for they themselâ—es are neerer of kin to Pagans than to Christians as I have cleared all alongs 3. But let us see what he alledgeth for this He citeth Mat. 5 38. to the end And with Socinians tels us that Christ is here enjoyning a more perfect and excellent way of manifesting love patience and suffering than was required of the Iewes by the Law of Moses But this his one and only ground is abundantly disproved by our orthodox Divines writing against the Socinians and the text it self maketh it manifest that Christ is here only vindicating the Law from the corrupt glosses of the Pharisees and Jewish doctors and therefore in the very beginning of his vindication tels the Jewes that they should not exspect that of him which they had of their own doctors viz. that he should also destroy the Law for he was not come for that end but to fulfil the Law vers 17. and to maintaine it by his doctrine and therefore threatneth heavy judgments against such as would teach men to break the Law vers 19. And as to the part of Christ's discourse which he here pitcheth upon we need do no more but shew that there is no new precept here It consisteth of two particulars first concerning not retaliating and the next about loving our enemies As to the first Socinus himself granteth that Christ here looketh to the false interpretation of the Law of Moses whereby some took the meaning of the Law to be that private persons might in their private revenge retaliate whereas Moses's Law was given to Magistrates as is clear Exod. 21 22 24 25. Levit. 24 19 20. Deut. 19 18 19 20. And against this private revenge and retaliation Christ speaketh and also against this did the Law of Moses speak Deut. 32 35. comp with Rom. 12 19. Levit. 19 18 19. See also Gen. 49 5 6 7. Prov. 20 ver 22. 24 29. Ier. 51 36. Ezech. 25 12. So that Christ's meaning is that private persons should be ready rather to receive more wrongs then to revenge themselves for wrongs received And Socinus himself assenteth to this It is true Socinus thinketh that Christ here doth prohibite Christians to seek a redress of their wrongs by the help of Magistrates which afterward he contradicteth I know not if our Quaker will say so too seing in the end of his foregoing Thesis he would have the Law exerced and right done to every one without respect of Persons in the mater of injuries done to persons in their goods and lives And sure the words of the Apostle Rom. 13. are express enouâ—h for this However we see there is nothing here binding up the hands of Christians from necessary self defence by Armes Warres for nothing is here required but what was required of old notwithstanding whereof warres were lawful as cannot be denied The same we say as to the second particular where Socinus also granteth that Christ is not here directly correcting Moses's Law Yet he saith that Moses's Law by Neighâ—our understood only a Jew and that hatred of enemies that is such as were strangers did natively flow there from In both which his ignorance of the Law and the Prophets appeareth For there is nothing appearing that can justly restrick the word neighbour to the Jewes only else it must be so also restricted in the very moral Law in the decalogue as Command 9. 10. which yet Paul extendeth to others Rom. 13 8 9 10. Gal. 5 12 13. And that under the Old Testam there was a Law for loving and doing good to enemies is clear Exod. 23 4 5. Prov. 25 22. Thus it also appeareth that this particular can make nothing against the lawfulness of Warres seing Warres were lawful under the Law when this same command of loving enemies had place The inconsistency then that this man conceiveth betwixt these explications of the Law or renewed Lawes by Christ and lawfulness of self defence and warre for this end is in his owne imagination And for as confident as he is hereof Pag. 364. his ground faileth him 4. But he thinketh to prove this inconsistency Pag. 364. c. § 14. thus 1. Christ commandeth us to love our enemies and this is contrary to war Ans. 1. The Jewes were under a command to love their enemies and yet they might lawfully defend themselves by War 2. We are under a command to love ourselves Families and Relations and therefore under a command to defend their and our owne lives from unjust violence yea others also that are not so related to us Prov. 24 11 12. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death and those that are ready to be slaine If thou sayest behold we knew it not doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it And he that keepeth thy soul doth not he know it And shall not he render to every man according to his work 3. We are not to love our enemies more then our other neighbours And the Law saith that we should love our Neighbour as ourselves and therefore we are not to love our Neighbour more then ourselves Nor with that degree of affection that we are to love Ourselves And therefore we are bound to defend ourselves from the unjust violence of Enemies or Neighbours 4. Yea love can consist with repelling unjust violence with violence for thereby our enemies are restrained from bringing the guilt of more innocent bloud upon themselves and from doing more mischiefe and wrong Binding of an enraged mans hands from committing murther is consistant with love so is wageing warre against an invading bloudy tyrant who can no otherwayes be restrained or hindered 5. Love to enemies may appear in seeking by all meanes faire and possible to satisfie even their unjust desires to provent a warre and in a readiness to lay hold on all lawful and saife occasions of making peace 6. Love to enemies can consist with warre when in wageing of the defensive warre a private desire of revenge doth not principle nor animate to the warre but conscience to the command of God enjoyning us even by the Law of nature to defend our Life Relations Neighbours and Countrey from unjust and bloody invaders 7. The whole scope of
respect to the poorest that fear God upon the account of the grace of God shineing in them 9. He cometh next § 4. Pag. 340. to speak against Complements of which as I love not to be a practitioner so I resolve to be no patrone or advocat and all that I shall say is that as I wish the sinne in this practice were more considered and laid to heart and this great evil amended so I cannot approve the Quakers in running to the other extreme and out of a pretence to shun vaine and idle complements becoming brutishly rustick and clunish But here P. 341. he coineth an answer unto that of Luks calling Theophilus Mâ—st excellent and of Pauls calling Festus most noble saying Seing Luk wrote that an infallible Spirit acting him we must not doubt but that Theophilus deserved it Answ I shall be loath to â—oubt of it but though we will not say that this title was given to him by reason of his birth or merites with the Emperour nor yet will improve it to the confirmation of that there being no necessity Yet we have ground enough from hence to reprove their affected Morosity who will not give this title or any like it to any flesh breathing no not to one of themselves of whom they have the most singular opinion upon the best account Seeth he not now what can hence be deduced against him But what sayes he to Pauls practice Festus sayes he was also truely noble in that he would hear Paul in his owne cause and gave not way to the Iew fury against him Answere It was but a poor evidence of true nobility in him to hear Paul speak for himself when the Lawes of the Romans bound him to it And as to the Jewes fury he gave as much way to it as he might Why did he else constraine Paul to appeal unto Caesar which if he had not done he might have bin a free man in the judgment of King Agrippa Act. 26.32 what else importeth these words of Paul Act. 25 11. but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me no man may deliver me unto them that is the Jewes I appeal unto Caesar. But once more I wonder where was his true nobility when he said Act. 26 24. and that with a loud voice that all present might have heard him Paul thou art beside thy self much learning doth make thee mad This I am sure was a very sory evidence of true nobility and yet upon the very back of that Paul said I am not mad most noble Festus Sure then this title was not given him upon the account of true nobility as this Quaker supposeth but upon the account of his Place and Authority it being the title that was ordinarily given to Felix his predecessour though we read not in express tearms that Paul used iâ— yet it was used by others 10. At length § 3. he cometh to speak in the defence of their Thees Thous and very learnedly tels us that we cannot use the plural number for the singular in latine every school boy knowing that it is incongruous to say vos Amas. Answ Yet every school boy knoweth it is not incongruous to say vos amatis And why may not the Verb be as well plural as the Pronoun If he say that is not usual when we are speaking of or to another single person What will he say to this use when we are speaking of ourselves He hath not forgotten the old rule At de me solo numerus dicetur uter vis But be it so that the latine will no way suffer this other languages may as for example the Low dutch where through the whole Bible we shall not finde any other word for thee and thou then what signifieth properly yee and you And what rule or ground can he finde in latine for their constant useing yea and nay and never yes and no But let it be supposed that few languages will countenance such an abuse as to say yee and you to one single man What will that helpe the mater must all languages follow the same rules knoweth he not that use is the master of language and that in our language thee and thou is never used when one equal is speaking to another except where it is the expression of most intimate friendshipe and affection as betwixt man and wife far less when one is speaking to his Superiour knoweth he not that in our usual manner of speaking if we should say thou thee to our equal let be to our Superiour it would either be construed to flow from the hieght of Pride and Contempt or from Rage and Anger And is it handsome for them to speak so disdainfully to all persons and pretend conscience for it too What a ridiculous whimsical folly is this What he citeth out of Iames Howel and Iohn Maresius confuteth what he said just now for they tell us that even in latine Vos you was used of one person and though they say this change came through pride and flatery it will say nothing unless he can shew the like in our language and though he should shew it yet use being as I said master of words his pedantick singularity will but savoure of Vanity and Pride and for what he citeth out of Mr Godeau it is to no purpose for he knowes that whatever we do while speaking to others yet we use the singular number while speaking to God which may convince him that language is not alwayes ruled by reason but by use and custome He tels us They were necessitate to testifie against this by speaking in the singular number to singular persons because to speak otherwayes came from pride and so is joyned with a lie Answ. How proveth he that it came from pride with us Because it was so with the Latine the consequence is not good 2. Is every thing that cometh from pride joyned with a lie 3. Our Quakers will be both proud and speak despicably of others as thou and thee evinceth that they may testify against pride I appeal to any that knoweth our language whether it savoureth more of pride and worse to use thou and thee to our equals superiours then to use you and yee But I will not impute it to pride in the Quakers supposing that it cometh from a more stinking root than either pride or contempt though these may some time be admixed too hence the Proverb as proud as a Quaker 11. Then he cometh to speak of salutations Pag. 343. § 6. for they will salute no man nor uncover their head not only to their Equals but neither will they do it unto their Superiours nor give the least signe of respect of honour or of reverence in their gesture and carriage unto any whatsoever And he saith he cannot see what we can say in defence of our practice But we have shown above what is our ground and we have seen the same practised by other worthy persons mentioned in