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A94219
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A balm to heal religions wounds applied in a serious advice to sober-minded Christians that love the truth, and are well-wishers to reformation : in answer to The pulpit guard routed, lately set forth by one Thomas Collier ... / by Richard Saunders ...
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Saunders, Richard, d. 1692.
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1652
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Wing S755A; ESTC R42466
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75,152
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187
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the simple with fair pretences to the honour of Christ and the Spirit and to make them beleeve that others that oppose their corruptions doe strive to diminish and darken the glory of the operation of the Spirit of Christ in his Saints that they may set up somwhat that is humane in the room of the same I shall lay downe three or four Conclusions or Notes to give you some light in this thing that you may know What is the work of the Spirit in revealing Truth to or in the Saints And How outward Humane helps to finde out the sence of Scripture are consistent with and subservient to the same 1. I grant it to be an unquestionable truth that no man is able without the sweet and gracious operation of the spirit of truth savingly to understand and imbrace the mysteries of truth that are revealed in the Scriptures The naturall man sayes the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.14 receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned That is he cannot know them effectually savingly he cannot know them as the spirituall man does whose mind and heart is renewed through grace However 2. There is not any Scripture understood by spirituall Christians the true Grammaticall sence of which a man that hath not the Spirit of Christ may not attaine unto by those outward helps that are afforded to him A notional knowledge of the sence of Scripture is common to naturall as well as spirituall men Else knowledge were an infallible Character of grace which no body I suppose will affirme So that 3. Observe it That most blessed and heavenly work that the Lord Jesus ha's to doe by his Spirit in his Saints is not so much to discover the Grammatical sence of Scripture which may be found out by such as live much below Christ as to bring home the sence of Scripture close to the heart and to enlighten the mind to see the beauty and goodnesse of that truth that swims only in the brains of Naturall men The work of the Spirit is to engrave truth upon the heart to make our knowledge effectuall practicall and experimentall Ah alas many I am afraid are carried very high in the air of sublime Angelicall Notions upon the wings of such a knowledge as the Apostle sayes puffeth up who are all the while strangers to this worke of the Spirit which is not to fill mens heads but their hearts with the truth 'T is much to be suspected that such as would make you beleeve that the work of the Spirit of grace is to discover the sence of Scripture have never yet felt this saving work on their hearts The Spirits work is not so low and ordinary If it were as these men would have it why then the work of the Spirit were only to make Notionists Ah! let not Christians be deceived knowledge puffeth up 't is love edifies Scripture is sufficient to discover its owne sence to all men diligently improving the outward helps afforded by God though a sanctified and saving knowledge of the same be communicated to none but through the Spirit otherwise Scripture were no perfect rule yea indeed no rule at all For what is a Book or Waiting without its meaning 'T is not the words or expressions but the sence of Scripture that is mans rule if that be not visible we have no visible rule yea and if the Scriptures be given out in such termes and expressions as do not discover their owne meaning what are they or of what use Besides if they doe not declare their owne meaning but every one must fetch it from an immediate work of the spirit what were this but to make the Scripture a Nose of Wax as the Papists speake pliable to any sence that the darknesse and vanity of mens minds will put upon it Surely he that denies a sufficiency in Scripture to clear its owne meaning to one that uses the outward means to that end afforded denies Scripture to be any rule at all But to make this plaine suppose a Question arise about the sence or meaning of a particular Text one sayes this is the meaning another that which way will you go to decide the controversie Will you goe to the revelation of the Spirit in you Or to the letter of Scripture arguing from the proper signification and use of such words and expressions as are in the Text disputed of If you have recourse to the supposed revelation of the Spirit of Christ in you why then the Scripture is not your rule and how will you follow the Apostles advice which is To try the spirits c If you have recourse to the letter of Scripture and argue from it then Scripture ha's sufficient in it to make out its owne sence Scripture 't is true conteins in it an heavenly mystery that is hid from the wise and prudent But what is the reason 't is hid Paul will tell you in 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which beleeve not c. Mark the ground of this that the Gospel is hid is because they are blinded through unbeliefe The Devil ruling in naturall men by fin and corruption doth hinder them from giving hearty welcome unto the Truth Questionlesse the most of those that heard Pauls Preaching knew what he meant in his Sermons and yet the Gospel was hid to many of them how so why they beleeved not Their understandings and affections did not close in with those heavenly mysteries of Gods love which he did discover so as to assent unto the reality of what was Taught and to love and delight in the same The Gospel is as a sealed Book to naturall men because of the corruption that is in the heart and in the mind from whence it comes to passe that they cannot see the reality beauty and goodnesse of Scripture discoveries 't is not because there is not plainnesse enough in Scripture expressions or because the Ministers of the Gospel do not speak plaine enough when they Preach Christ to them but because through corruption their minds are averse from assenting to and closing with the Truth Now you must know that the work of the Spirit is to heale the understanding and to sanctifie and change the heart and to make it pliable to the Truth yea and to stir up the whole man withall unto a more diligent use of meanes of knowledge Thus the Spirit of Christ brings in truth unto the soul and that so as it dwells and becomes fruitful in the heart and in the conversation This is a step higher then the quaintest Notionists of our times desire to be brought If Truth were thus revealed in them they would be more humble more peaceable more meek then now they shew themselves In short I know not any truth in Scripture which
too How will he help it If he say the Scriptures came forth from Jesus Christ and so are received so say I our Ordination came from Jesus Christ and so under that consideration our ministers receive it If he say the Scriptures are received in their perfection but the Ordination was vitiated and corrupted I answer the Scriptures also were very much corrupted by the Papists as the Ordination was but among us hath been restored by degrees the beauty of both Let him looke to himselfe the same door he goes out at the same will I. If he can free the Scriptures from Antichristianisme descending to us through the Church of Rome the same way will I free the ministry and Ordination from Antichristianisme notwithstanding it descended to us through the Pope hands But 2. Seing he is so particular in telling us when we had our Ordination from Rome in the 99th page I shall speak somewhat to the clearing of this also he sayes Your Saint Austin the Monk being sent from Rome to establish the Romish faith in this Nation The P. G. Routed he accordingly accomplishing the worke you have your Ordination by succession from thence Very good I am not very unwilling to grant him this Answ Onely all the danger lies in these odious termes which hee makes use of as Rome Romish faith and Austin the Monk I shall discover his underhand deceitfull dealing in using these expressions and the matter will appeare as cleare as the Sun 1. Whereas he sayes Austin came hither from Rome to establish the Romish faith he speaks deceitfully or ignorantly for the Romish faith was then the true christian faith and there was no Christian Church visible on Earth but held communion with the Church of Rome as then it was in the same faith for the maine 2. Austin was not the a Mason de Min Angl. l. 2. cap. 4. Heyl. Geo. p. 469. first that established the Christian faith in England This he is mistaken in too The Gospel was received in England long before Austin was This Nation that is now one Common-wealth was anciently divided into severall Kingdomes some of them had received the faith long before Austins comming if not by the means of the Apostles themselves as some write yet in the Apostolicall times by b Baronius Capgravius Joseph of Arimathaea and then afterward was the doctrine of Christ revived by c Mason l. 2. c. 3. Heyl. p. 469. Eleutherius Anno Dom. 180. which is 1471. yeares fince At which time I hope the Bishops of Rome were true ministers and the Church of Rome a true Church moreover when Austin that he speakes of came hither which as d Beda Epit. Hist Angl Heyl. Geogr. p. 490. history witnesses was about 1058. years since there were several e Florebant apud illos eo ipso tempore septem Episcopi c. Mason secundum Bed L. 2. c. 2. Bishops in England professing and preaching the Christian faith So that if we go this way to work our Ministers Ordination will have an higher beginning then the Collier conceives But if we doe grant that Austin as he would have it did first begin to ordaine Ministers here being sent from Rome and our Ministers Ordination be from him Yet that being as you heard before 1058. years agoe the Church of Rome was then also undoubtedly a true Church of Christ And f Vide obsecro an universalem Episcopum se vocaret Gregorius quod hodie Romae fit An imperatorem Dominum suum jam vocaret Pontifex qued fecit Grego rius Mason de Min. Angl. L. 2. c. 4. Gregory the Great then Bish of Rome whom he to affright and startle ignorant people calls Pope was as farre from taking upon him that Antichristian power that now the Popes of Rome take to themselves as east is from west So that Austin and his companions that were appointed and sent by this Gregory to establish the Church of Christ in England Baptizing such as were added to the Church and setting Pastours over them had a lawfull and valid mission at least for the maine and therefore their Acts both of Baptizing and Ordaining Ministers were valid also 3. Whereas he stiles Austin our Saint Austin the Monk 't is either ignorantly or deceitfully as before for those that were called Monachi which we render Monks in some of those first hundred years after Christ were as much different from those idle gluttons now in the Church of Rome called Monks as the Bishops of Rome then are from the Popes now Divinis rebus vacantes Mason The name signified some wholly devoted to divine things some wholly separating themselves unto the study of the heavenly mysteries of truth And so it was used then 'T is true since the Apostasie this name is become odious by reason of those swarms of luxurious idle belly-Gods that are of that Order in the Church of Rome However it was not so at first nor at that time when Austin was sent in this Nation The g Alsted Parat Theol. de Mon. Incredibile est quantum a majoribus suis degeneraverunt Sayes an Ital. Papist word then had a better acceptation and signification and was taken up no doubt by pious men Wherefore the P. G. Routed doth not deal plainly with his Reader if he knew this as I confesse I think he did not in calling Austin a Monk in contempt when as it was the wickednesse of after times that made this name contemptible and odious that had before a better use 4. Though Austin was a Monk before his mission into this Land yet at his comming over he was Ordained a Bishop h Se Mason de Min. Aâ—gl 〈◊〉 c. 5. either by the Bishops of Germany as Gregory or else by the Bishops of France as Beda writes and so he ordained with the help of others those Ministers that were ordained here So that now see what is become of his great leading Argument The Ministers of England are Antichristian because their Ordination came from the Pope by the meanes of Austin the Monk who was sent hither to establish the Romish faith The History being fully cleared up it appears to be a meer bug-bear and so far from making against our Ministers that it abundantly vindicates them and their Ordination As for the truth of the relation I have pointed at some in the margent for the confirmation of the same And whoever is verst in History knows it to be as certain as History can make a thing and that is as certaine as any thing is that we doe not see No man knowes that there was such a one as Austin or a Bishop of Rome that sent him hither but by humane History and by the same know you that my relation of this matter is true I speak to the weak As for his five other Arguments they being nothing else but an heap of most malicious and wicked slanders I shall say nothing to them He sayes our Ministers are Antichristian because 1. The P. G. Routed They doe not Christs worke 2. They desire to sit in Christs seat 3. They are belly-gods 4. They are enemies to the fellowship of the Saints 5. They set up something like truth in the roome of truth in opposition to truth These are his five other Arguments to prove them Antichristian Answ This poysonous froth thou mayest easily scum off if thou hast but a little of the Spirit of the Gospel in thee I intend my Discourse principally for honest hearts wherefore saying no more I shall take my leave of The Pulpit Guard Routed having I think sufficiently scattered his worthy hoast of answers and Arguments which he hath gathered up against Christ and the truth I shall onely advise thee Never credit boldnes more for this mans sake But seriously weigh all things in the ballance of the Sanctuary Try all things hold fast that which is good A POSTSCRIPT Advertisement To the READER THere is another dangerous pestilent blasphemous Booke of this Colliers against Ordinances yea and against the Person and Offices of Christ which I did endeavour to get while I was answering this but could not I know not whether he will make reply to this that I have written Possible he may 'T is easie for a man to multiply Answers if he take no care to speake pertinently If he should Print another such answer to me as The Pulpit Guard Routed is to Mr Hall I shall promise him never to take the pains to reply Thou mayest well think he spake his best in answer to Mr Hall and if that notwithstanding all his boldnes and confidence in writing be so weak absurd and impertinent as thou mayest perceive by reading my reply sure if he should put on double the confidence in writing another answer I suspect and so mayest thou 't will be for strength of Argument like the former which if it be I shall be coutent to suffer him to have the last word supposing that none of those whose good I aim at will count his cause best that speaks last This that is now swollen into a Treatise was intended at first onely as a Monitorie Epistle in two or three sheets to stop the gangrene of his Errours from spreading among Christians I ut I met with such variety of absurdities so boldly and dangerously laid downe in his Discourse to entrap the weake that I could not well be shorter then I am The Lord give thee understanding in all things February 14. 1651. IMPRIMATUR Edmund Calamy