and Observances A. * Gal. 6.14 15. But God forbid that I should Glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is Crucified unto me and I unto the World For in Jesus Christ neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a New Creature Q. What speaketh Christ of the Unity of the Saints with him A. At that Day ye shall know that I am in my Father John 14.20 and ye in me and I in you Abide in me and I in you John 15.4 5. As the Branch cannot bear Fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the Vine ye are the Branches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much Fruit for without me ye can do nothing Neither pray I for these alone but for them also John 17.20 21 22 23. which shall believe in me through their Word That they all may be One as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in Vs that the World may believe it that thou hast sent me And the Glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be One even as we are One I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in One and that the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Q. What saith the Apostle Paul to this purpose A. For both he that Sanctifies and they that are Sanctified Hebr. 2.11 are all of One for which Cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Q. What saith the Apostle Peter A. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and pretious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 that by these you might be Partakers of the Divine Nature having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust. CHAP. V. Concerning the Light wherewith Jesus Christ hath enlightned every Man The Vniversality and Sufficiency of God's Grace to all the World made manifest therein Question WHerein consists the Love of God towards Fallen and Lost Man Answer For God so loved the World John 3.16 that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not Perish but have Everlasting Life In this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World 1 John 4.9 that we might live through him Q. What is intended here by the World all and every Man or only a few A. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of Death crowned with Glory and Honour Hebr. 2.9 that he by the Grace of God Should taste Death for every Man 1 John 2.1 2. And if any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World Q. Methinks the Apostle John is very plain there in mentioning the whole World which must be not only the Saints but all others seeing he distinguisheth the World from himself and all the Saints to whom he then wrote What saith Paul elsewhere in this matter A. Christ in you the Hope of Glory whom we Preach warning every Man Col. 1.27 28. and teaching every Man in all Wisdom That we may present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.3 4 6. I Exhort therefore that first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Giving of Thanks be made for All Men for this is good and acceptable in the Sight of God our Saviour who will have All Men to be saved and to come to the Knowledge of the Truth who gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due time Q. What is the Apostle Peter 's Testimony in this A. The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some Men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward 2 Pet. 3.9 Not willing that any should Perish but that All should come to Repentance Q. Are there any more Scripture-Passages that prove this thing A. Say unto them As I live saith the Lord God I have no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked Ezek. 33.11 but that the Wicked turn from his Way and Live The Lord is Gracious and full of Compassion slow to Anger and of great Mercy Psal. 145.8 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies are over all his Works To wit That God was in Christ Reconciling the World unto him self 2 Cor. 5.19 Q. Seeing then by these Scriptures it appears that the Love of God is held out to all that all might have been or may be saved by Christ What is to be judged of those who assert that God nor Christ never purposed Love nor Salvation to a great part of Mankind and that the Coming and Sufferings of Christ never was intended nor could be useful to their Justification but will and must be effectual for their Condemnation even according to God's Purpose who from their very Infancy to their Grave with-held from them all means of Salvation What saith the Scripture to such A. For God sent not his Son into the World to Condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved John 3 17. I am come a Light into the World that Whosoever believeth in me John 12.46 47. should not abide in Darkness And if any Man hear my Words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge the World but to save the World Q. From what Scripture then came these Men to wrest an Opinion so contrary to Truth A. For the Children being not yet born neither have done any Good or Evil Rom. 9 11 12 13. that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand it was said unto her The Elder shall serve the Younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Q. I perceive in that Scripture it was only said before the Children were born The Elder shall serve the Younger These other Words Jacob have I loved Esau have I hated are mention'd out of the Prophet Malachy who wrote them many hundred Years after both were Dead Doth not the Scripture mention any other Cause of God's hating Esau than meerly his Decree What saith the same Apostle elsewhere A. Lest there be any Fornication or Prophane Person as Esau Hebr. 12.16 17. who for one Morsel of Meat sold his Birth-right for ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the Blessing he was rejected Q. But seeing that such alledge that it is because of Adam 's Sin that many even Children are Damned Doth not the Scripture aver that the Death of Christ was as large to Heal as Adam 's Sin could Condemn A. For if through the Offence of one many be Dead Rom. 5.15 18. much more the Grace of God
many who are baptised with Water never put on Christ nor bear his Image but the Devil 's and are found doing the Devil's works So that none of these Scriptures prove the Water-baptism to be of Continual necessity in the Church for it being but a figure it was to give place to that one Baptism Eph. 4.5 And whereas it is said by some That the Water-Baptism and the Baptism by the Spirit is but one because of that agreement betwixt the signification of the Water and the Spirit thereby signified This is a wresting of this Scripture as much as if one should say That all the Types Figures and Shadows of the Old Testament were one with the Substance signified by them and consequently that these Types are all now to be upheld and used whereas indeed the Coming of the Substance ends the figures among which are the divers Baptisms for so should the place be translated Hebr. 9.10 which were imposed until the time of Reformation but are no longer binding since the Reformation is come Thou endest this matter with Asserting That thou canst safely say That the Spirit of God concurring with and blessing this Ordinance it is a profitable means to further our Salvation But if so be it be no Ordinance of Christ as heretofore is proved then we cannot expect that the Spirit will concur with it but indeed that he is provoked by it considering the Abuses in your Administration of it As First in administring it to Infants Sprinkling of Infants for which ye have no Command nor Example in Scripture Next In causing ignorant People to promise and engage before God that the Children shall forsake the Devil the World and the Flesh while they themselves be slaves to all the three And many more abuses as that whereby ye pretend to Inroll Children as Members of the Church of God which is pure and holy it being oftentimes an occasion of Excess and Drunkenness and is indeed rather like an Inrolling under the Devil's Banner seeing it is for most part accompanied with doing his Work Therefore it is so far from being hazardous to contemn such an Ordinance of Man that it cannot be but hurtful to continue in it In the Third place Page 39. thou comest to prove That the Lord's Supper so called is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ For which thou bringest as a First Reason That Jesus Christ was the Author and Ordainer of it But that proves not The Lord's Supper so called not perpetual That it was to be of perpetual Continuance Nor thy Second Reason for though the Disciples were bid do it in Remembrance of him they were not bid do it always Neither will Acts 2. verse 42. which thou bringest as a Third Proof serve thy turn for by comparing in with Verse 46. it is evident that their breaking of bread was their Ordinary eating for it is said They continued daily with one accord in the Temple The breaking of Bread from House to House and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart So that this was a daily eating from house to house and not at all such an eating as yours is which you have but once or twice or thrice in a year or at such set times as you appoint to your selves whereas theirs was an eating from house to house wherein they received food sufficient to their bodily nourishment Your eating is not so You will not have your Sacramental Bread and Wine so called to be used in private Houses or Families and your eating is rather a Mock-eating wherein you do not eat that which is sufficient to the Bodily nourishment as these did Acts 2.42 46. every one of you taking a little bread about the quantity of a Bean wherein you have no Example from the Saints but rather from the Papists who have their Wafers Again This Eating mentioned Acts 2. verse 42 46. is conjoined with this That they sold their possessions Having all things in Common and had all things in common and so they did eat together daily in common which is not like your eating Now if you would make their Example and Practice your Rule why do ye not sell your Possessions as they did and have things in Common Also why do ye not abstain from eating blood and things strangled as they did And why do ye not wash one anothers feet which they were as solemnly commanded to do as to take and eat c. John 13.14 15. If you say These things were but to continue for a time what ground have ye to affirm that these were not always to continue and those of Water-Baptism and breaking bread were to be always continued For a Fourth Reason thou say'st Paul Recommended the practice of this to the Church of Corinth Cor. 11.23 Answ. That he recommended it unto them by way of Command we deny for he delivered unto them no Command to practice it but that which he delivered unto them was the Relation of the Matter of Fact as what the Lord did in the Night wherein he was betrayed Thou say'st The Apostle doth not only here relate the Matter of Fact but likewise warrants the frequent use of this Ordinance It is one thing to warrant the use of it and far another to command the use of it We do not deny but the use of it was lawful and warrantable at that time but we say it was not commanded unto them but left or permitted to them as these words import As often as ye eat c. And again Let a man examine himself and so let him eat The words imply no Command but only that they were in the use or practice of it and being therein he gives them direction how they might use it so as not to receive hurt there-by Now that the Corinthians were weak in many things and did many things by permission is clear by the whole strain of that Epistle to them For a Fifth Reason thou say'st Thou readest not in Scripture where Christ and his Apostles did abolish it Answ. If it were so that then there was no absolute need It s Institution intimates its Abolishing for the very Institution intimates the Abolishing thereof at Christ his coming as to any Necessity by way of Command though afterwards it might have been used by permission being gradually to pass away as did other things For Circumcision was abolished by the Coming of Christ yet it was used after his Coming together with divers other Jewish Ceremonies But as concerning the Abolishing or Ending of it see 1 Cor. 10.15 16 17. I speak as unto wise men judge ye what I say the Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And then he proceeds to shew what that Bread was For saith he we being many are one Bread Now what is that one
saith so These are his most Frequent and Inforcing Arguments against us Of this nature is his Arguing page 11. Reckoning it as a great Absurdity flowing from our Doctrine that it would Import Christ in some measure to be in the Americans because He bears Testimony in them against Iniquity Christ in the Americans in some measure But to prove this to be Absurd he produceth no Reason and if we may believe the Apostle Paul he tells us That a Manifestation of the Spirit is given every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 So this Every one Includes the Americans The second Absurdity which he seeks to Infer from this hath no better bottom That then it might be said that Christ is Revealed to Devils and that we do the Heathens small favour in putting them but in the same case with such For the Revelation of Christ to man before the Day of their Visitation be Expired and to such after they have sin'd it out is far different as may appear by Luke 17. Likewise W. M. hath forgot how easily this Argument may be Retorted upon himself for it is not questioned but Devils have enough of outward Knowledge even such as is gathered from Scripture and that which W.M. accounts the great Priviledge of Christians doth it therefore follow that Christians are in no better condition than Devils And thus is Answered another of his profuse Assertions page 12. That if Pagans have Saving Light their State should be as good as the State of real Christians For it is one thing to have Saving Light and another to harken to and receive it else according to his own Argument the State of Devils should be as good as the State of Real Christians He adds Where Saving Illumination is there is Saving Faith because there is a Concatination betwixt these Graces of the Spirit Answ. There is Grace given in order to Save where Faith doth not follow upon it which is evident by the Parable of the Seeds Matth. 13.3 it was the same Seed was sown in the Stony and Thorny Ground that was sown in the good Ground and yet it only brought forth Fruit there The Light enlighteneth every man He came unto His own and they received Him not but it was only To as many as received Him that He gave Power to become the Sons of God And whereas he Objecteth That where we are desired to believe in the Light it is understood of Christ's Person else it would Import a belief in a Creature I Answer He that believeth in the Light believeth in Christ for where the Light of Christ is as saith W. M himself page 22. there is Christ himself In the same page he further adds That if Pagans have Saving Light then there is no Spiritual Benefit accrues to Christians by the Scriptures and Gospel Pagans have Saving Light and Gospel But he hath not heard us contra-distinguish this Light from the Gospel We say expresly it is the Gospel according to Col 1.23 where the Apostle saith That the Gospel whereof he was a Minister was preached to every Creature This Scripture mentioned by me in my last he hath wholly Omitted Nor is this Arguing of his concerning the bad tendency of our Principle but a reiterate Clamour of what is already Answered in page 16. of my last where I shew him we distinguish betwixt things absolutely needful and things very profitable and how they Admit of this Distinction themselves As also how these bad Consequences of rendring the Gospel and Preaching useless doth far more follow from their Doctrine of absolute Predestination all which he hath also Omitted Predestination made void Now such are far likelier than we to reprove David his Praying for more Vnderstanding and that he might keep the Precepts of God for being Predestinate to Life he could not miss of it and how can such but reckon it folly for him to Pray that he might keep the Precepts whose Principles Obliges them to believe they can never be made able to keep them Page 13. To say That men are Brutish in their Knowledge because they turn their Backs upon the Light he reckons a Begging of the Question as having no proof at all Whereas it is particularly Intimated 1 Joh. 1.5 6 7. where the cause of mens Walking in Darkness is said to be their not Walking in the Light though it be Pastors mentioned in that 10 th of Jer. 19. that are said to be Brutish Brutish Pastors yet he cannot be Induced to name them It is easie to prove though he Insinuate the contrary that what in Scripture is called Darkness hath Saving Light seeing it is expresly mentioned that the Light shineth in the Darkness but the Darkness comprehended it not And this was Saving being Christ who is the Saviour Joh. 1.5 Nor doth his supposed Contradiction follow from this as if men could be Spiritually Dead and not Spiritually Dead in respect they have this in them which is Saving for though it be in them yet it is not of them he that believeth in me saith Christ though he be dead yet shall he live Joh. 11.25 If Life be not in them as their permanent Condition yet they may have some touches of it and the Principle of Life is Permanent even in those that are Spiritually Dead though many times as a Spark covered under the Ashes He addeth further That according to us such who are the Children of Darkness may be called the Children of Light because a Child of Light is as much as one in whom there is Saving Light and Grace citing for proof Luke 16.8 the words are For the Children of this world are wiser in their generation than the Children of Light But he offereth from this to Inter That such who are indeed the Children of Darkness because of their Disobedience to the Saving Light and Grace of Truth that is in them he has not offered so much as to mention Page 13. He confesseth with me That the Light in some may be Darkness but speaks not one word of what Light I mention may be so page 17. of mine only adds That we will do well to exhort our Disciples to take heed of our Light not to it But we desire not People to take heed to our Light or their Light as he terms it but to the Light wherewith Christ Jesus hath Enlightened them and in this there is no danger He greatly declares his Ignorance in alledging Our way of bidding People heed the Light within is not warranted by Scripture for God is Light 1 Joh. 1.3 Is he not in us Acts 17.27 28. God is Light Must we not then there take heed unto Him Or is not that Light to be taken heed unto which shineth in our hearts to give us the knowledge of the glory of God 2 Cor. 4.6 And is not the Word of God Light which the Apostle saith expresly is not far off neither above us below us nor without us but Nigh even
Worshipping of Angels and other such Acts of voluntary Humility A. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking Lies in Hypocrisie having their Conscience seared as with an hot Iron forbidding to Marry and commanding to Abstain from Meats which God hath Created to be received with Thanksgiving of them which believe and know the Truth Let no Man beguile you of your Reward in voluntary Humility Col. 2.18 and Worshipping of Angels intruding into these things which he hath not seen vainly puft up by his Fleshly Mind CHAP. XIII Concerning Magistracy Question WHat is the Duty of a Magistrate Answer The God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me he that Ruleth over Men must be Just 2 Sam. 23.3 Ruling in the Fear of God Q. What do the Scriptures speak of the Duty of such Subjection as are under Authority A. Let every Soul be Subject to the Higher Powers Rom. 13.1 2 3 4 5. for there is no Power but of God The Powers that be are ordained of God Whatsoever therefore resists the Power resists the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation For Rulers are not a Terror to good Works but to the Evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power Do that which is Good and thou shalt have Praise of the same for he is the Minister of God to thee for Good But if thou do that which is Evil be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain for he is the Minister of God a Revenger to execute Wrath upon him that doth Evil. Wherefore Ye must needs be subject not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supream 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15. or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the Punishment of Evil-Doers and for the Praise of them that do well for so is the Will of God that with Well-doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of foolish Men. Tribute Q. Ought Tribute to be paid to them A. For for this Cause pay we Tribute also for they are God's Ministers Rom. 13 6 7. attending continually upon this very thing Render therefore to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour Then saith he unto them Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's Matth. 22.21 and unto God the things that are God's Obedience Q. Are we obliged to obey Magistrates in such things as we are perswaded in our Minds are contrary to the Commands of Christ Acts 4.18 19 20. A. And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the Name of Jesus but Peter and John answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard And when they had brought them Acts 5 27 28 29. they set them before the Council and the High-Priest asked them saying Did not we straightly command you that ye should not Teach in this Name And behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your Doctrine and intended to bring this Man's Blood upon us Then Peter and the other Apostles answer'd and said We ought to obey God rather than Man Moderation Q. What ought to be Magistrates Behaviour in such Cases according to the Counsel of wise Gamaliel A. Then stood there up one in the Council a Pharisee named Gamaliel Acts 5.34 35 38 39. a Doctor of Law had in Reputation among the People and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space and said unto them Ye Men of Israel take heed to your selves what ye intend to do as touching these men And now I say unto you Refrain from these men and let them alone for if this Counsel or this Work of Men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it leâ—t happily ye be found even to fight against God Tares Q. What Command giveth Christ to his People under the Gospel in Relation to this matter How doth he hold forth their Duty under the Parable of the Tares A. So the Servants of the Houshold came and said unto him Sir didst thou not sow Good Seed in thy Field Matth. 13.27 28 29. from whence then hath it Tares He said unto them An Enemy hath done this The Servants said unto him Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up But he said Nay lest while ye gather up the Tares ye root up also the Wheat with them Tares the Wicked Q. Doth he explain these Tares of the Wicked whom the Godly must not take upon them to cut off lest through mistake they hurt the Good but leave it to God to do it by his Angels A. * Matth. 13.38 39 40 41. The Field is the World the good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom but the Tares are the Children of the Wicked One the Enemy that sowed them is the Devil the Harvest is the End of the World and the Reapers are the Angels And therefore the Tares are gathered and burnt in the Fire So shall it be in the end of this World the Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do Iniquity CHAP. XIV Concerning the Resurrection Question WHat saith the Scripture of the Resurrection of the Dead Answer And have Hope towards God Acts 24.15 which they themselves also allow that there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Unjust Q. To what different End shall the Good be raised from the Bad and how are they thereunto reserved A. Marvel not at this for the Hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth John 5.28 29. they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil unto the Resurrection of Condemnation But the Heavens and the Earth which are now 2 Pet. 3.7 by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment and Perdition of Ungodly Men. Q. What must be answered to such as ask how the Dead are raised and with what Body A. Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickened 1 Cor. 15.36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44. except it die and that which thou sowest thou sowest not that Body which shall be but bare Grain it may chance of Wheat or some other Grain But God giveth it a Body as it hath pleased him and to every Seed his own Body All
Foolish Fashions of this World But we felt as we were obedient all these things to be for Condemnation and that as we obeyed the pure Manifestation of the Light of Jesus in our Hearts there was no Hesitation We might and should have parted with all those things at the first and what occasioned such Scruples was but that which drew back through being unwilling to give pure Obedience to the Cross of Christ for as many as gave Obedience and believed in the Light found no Occasion of stumbling but such as believed not were Condemned already because they believed not in him that Appeared Now the Boldness and Courage and Efficacy of these Messengers Testimony wrought such Astonishment The Courage of the Messengers Fear and Amazement in the Hearts of such as were Ingenuous that many began to be inwardly pricked as in the Days of old and the Foundations of many began to be shaken and some that were asleep were awakened and many that were dead and buried in the Graves of Sin and Formality and Superstition and Idolatry of all Sorts were Alarmed and many were brought in from the Hedges and the High-Ways and the Truth was received by Thousands with great Cheerfulness and a Readiness of Mind and the Feet of those were beheld to be beautiful upon the Mountains that brought the Glad Tidings of these good things And great Lowliness and Simplicity of Heart was upon such that were newly Convinced of the Truth and Deep Humiliation of Spirit and Subjection to the Power both in themselves and in those who were over them in the Lord and had gathered them into the Truth But as it was in the Gatherings of Old so it also fell out in this Day all kept not their first Love As among those Thousands which Moses led out of Egypt and carried through the Red Sea who had sung Praises to God upon the Banks of Salvation many Carcases fell in the Wilderness some who Murmured and longed to return again to the Flesh-pots of Egypt Opposition and and some for Opposing and Contradicting the Servant and Servants of the Lord whom the Lord had made Use of to lead them out of Bondage in saying Ye take too much upon you hath the Lord indeed only spoken by Moses hath he not spoken also by us And as among these Multitudes which were gathered by the Apostles there were many who continued not faithful to the End some returned back again with the Sow to the Puddle after they were washed some embraced the present World some again separated themselves Separation entring being sensual and without the Spirit despising Dominion and speaking Evil of Dignities their Mouths speaking great swelling Words being puffed up and not abiding in these things which they were taught of the Apostles So it is to be lamented that among these many Thousands whom the Apostles and Evangelists whom God raised up in this Day for the gathering of his Seed and People out of spiritual Egypt and Babylon into his pure Light and Life did bring forth and gather there are that have fallen upon the right Hand and the left Some are turned back again into Egypt running into the same Excess of Lust and Riot from whence they were once purified and Redeemed some could not bear the Reproach of the Cross of Christ and were by and anon offended in him some could not bear the Tribulations Sufferings and Persecutions which came for the Truth 's sake and the Seed in them was soon scorched with the Heat of the Day And some not abiding in Subjection to the Truth in themselves were not contented with that Place and Station in the Body which God had placed them in but became vainly puft up in their Fleshly Minds intruding into those things which they have not seen and would needs be Innovators given to Change Innovators causing Divisions and introducing new Doctrines and Practices not only differing but contrary to what was already delivered in the Beginning making Parties causing Divisions and Rents stumbling the weak and denying despising and reviling the Apostles and Messengers of Christ the Elders of the Church who loved not their Lives unto Death but through much Care and Travel and Watchings and Whippings and Bonds and Beatings in daily Jeopardy gathered us by the mighty Power of God in the most pretious Truth Yet in all this there hath nothing befallen us but that which hath been the Antient Lot of the Church of Christ in the Primitive Times Now He that was careful for his Church and People in old times hath not been wanting to us in our Day The good Shepherd of Israel his Care over his Church and People but as he has again Restored the Truth unto its primitive Integrity and Simplicity and as he has delivered our Understandings from these false Doctrines and Principles which prevailed in the Apostacy so he hath not gathered us to be As Sheep scattered without a Shepherd that every one may run his own Way and every one follow his own Will and so to be as a Confused Mass or Chaos without any Order but He even the LORD hath also gathered and is gathering us into the Good Order Discipline and Government of his own Son the Lord Jesus Christ therefore he hath laid Care upon some beyond others who watch for the Souls of their Brethren as they that must give account The several Stations in the Church 1 Cor. 4.15 16 17. There are then Fathers that have begotten us unto Christ Jesus through the Gospel of whom We ought to be Followers and to remember their Ways which be in Christ. There are then Fathers and Children Instructors and Instructed Elders and Young Men yea and Babes there are that cannot cease but must Exhort Instruct Reprove Condemn Judge or else for what End gave Christ the Gifts mentioned Ephes. 4.11 12 And how are the Saints perfected and the Body of Christ Edified of those who come under the Cognizance and as it were the Test of this Order and Government I may chiefly sum them up in three sorts though there be divers others little subdivided Species of them 1. Profane Backsliding Apostates The First is Those that turn openly back to the World again through finding the Way of Truth too narrow These have not been capable to do us any considerable Hurt for being as Salt that has lost its Savour they mostly prove a Stink among those to whom they go And I never knew any of them that proved any ways steadable to those to whom they go I find other Professors make but small Boast of any Proselytes they got out from among us I hear little of their proving Champions for the Principles of others against us And indeed for the most part they lose all Religion with the Truth for I have heard some of them say That if ever they took on them to be Religious they would come back again to the Quakers c. 2. Unwary Repenting Sinners
bury out of their sight as the noisom and useless thing however acceptable it hath been when actuated and moved by the Soul Lastly Whatsoever Query III is Excellent What is his Work whatsoever is Noble whatsoever is Worthy whatsoever is Desirable in the Christian Faith is Ascribed to this Spirit without which it could no more subsist than the outward World without the Sun Hereunto have all true Christian in all Ages attributed their Strength and Life It is by this Spirit that they avouch themselves to have been Converted to God to have been Redeemed from the world to have been Strengthened in their Weakness Comforted in their Afflictions Confirmed in their Temptations Imboldened in their Sufferings and Triumphed in the midst of all their Persecutions Yea the Writings of all true Christians are full of the Great and Notable things The Great and Notable Acts that have been and are performed by the Spirit in all Ages which they all affirm themselves to have done by the Power and Vertue and Efficacy of the Spirit of God working in them It is the Spirit that quickeneth Joh. 6.63 It was the Spirit that gave them Vtterance Acts 2.4 It was the Spirit by which Stephen spake that the Jews were not able to Resist Acts 6.10 It is such as walk after the Spirit that receive no Condemnation Rom. 8 1. It is the Law of the Spirit that makes free v. 2. It is by the Spirit of God dwelling in us that we are Redeemed from the Flesh and from the Carnal mind v. 9. It is the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us that quickeneth our mortal bodies v. 11. It is through this Spirit that the deeds of the body are Mortified and Life Obtained v. 13. It is by this Spirit that we are Adopted and cry ABBA Father v. 15. It is this Spirit that beareth witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God v. 16. It is this Spirit that helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered v. 26. It is by this Spirit that the glorious things which God hath laid up for us which neither outward ear hath heard nor outward eye hath seen nor the heart of man conceived by all his Reasonings are Revealed unto us 1 Cor. 2.9 10. It is by this Spirit that both Wisdom and Knowledge and Faith and Miracles and Tongues and Prophecies are obtained 1 Cor. 12.8 9 10. It is by this Spirit that we are all baptized into one body v. 13. In short what thing relating to the Salvation of the Soul and to the Life of a Christian is rightly performed or effectually obtained without it And what shall I more say for the time would fail me to tell of all those things which the holy Men of old have Declared and the Saints of this day do witness themselves to Enjoy by the virtue and power of this Spirit dwelling in them Truly my Paper could not contain those many Testimonies whereby this Truth is Confirmed Wherefore besides what is above-mentioned out of the Fathers whom all pretend to Reverence and those of Luther and Melanchthon I shall deduce yet one observable Testimony out of Calvin because not a few of the followers of his Doctrine do refuse and deride and that as it is to be feared because of their own Non-experience thereof this way of the Spirit 's In-dwelling as uncertain and dangerous that so if neither the Testimony of the Scripture nor the Sayings of others nor right Reason can move them they may at least be Reproved by the words of their own Master who saith in the third Book of his Institutions cap. 2. on this wise But they alledge It is a bold presumption for any one to pretend to an undoubted Knowledge of God's Will Calvin of the Necessity of the Spirit 's In-dwelling in us which saith he I should grant unto them if we should ascribe so much to our selves as to subject the Incomprehensible Counsel of God to the Rashness of our Vnderstandings But while we simply say with Paul That we have received not the spirit of this world but the Spirit which is of God by whose Teaching we know those things that are given us of God what can they prate against it without Reproaching the Spirit of God For if it be a horrible Sacriledge to accuse any Revelation coming from him either of a Lie of Vncertainty or Ambiguity in Asserting its Certainty wherein do we offend But they cry out That it is not without great temerity that we dare so boast of the Spirit of Christ. Who would believe that the Sottishness of these men were so great who would be Esteemed the Masters of the World that they should so fail in the first Principles of Religion Verily I could not believe it if their own Writings did not Testify so much Paul accounts those the Sons of God who are acted by the Spirit of God but these will have the Children of God acted by their own Spirits without the Spirit of God He will have us call God Father the Spirit dictating that Term unto us which only can witness to our spirits that we are the Sons of God These though they cease not to Call upon God do nevertheless demit the Spirit by whose guiding he is rightly to be called upon He denies them to be the Sons of God or the Servants of Christ who are not led by his Spirit but these feign a Christianity that needs not the Spirit of Christ. He makes no hope of the blessed Resurrection unless we feel the Spirit residing in us but these feign a hope without any such a feeling But perhaps they will Answer That they deny not but that it is necessary to have it only of modesty and humility we ought to deny and not acknowledge it What means he then when he Commands the Corinthians to Try themselves if they be in the Faith To examine themselves whether they have Christ whom whosoever acknowledges not dwelling in him is a Reprobate By the Spirit which he hath given us saith John we know that he abideth in us And what do we then else but call in question Christ his promise while we would be esteemed the Servants of God without his Spirit Without the Spirit 's Presence Christianity must cease which he declared he would pour-out upon all his Seeing these things are the first Grounds of Piety it is miserable blindness to accuse Christians of Pride because they dare glory of the Presence of the Spirit without which glorying Christianity it self could not be But by their Example they declare how truly Christ spake saying That his Spirit was unknown to the World and that those only acknowledge it with whom it remains Thus far Calvin If therefore it be so why should any be so Foolish as to deny or so Vnwise as not to seek aster this Spirit which Christ hath promised shall dwell in his Children They then that do suppose the Indwelling
called with respect to their Animal property and not their Rational or that that Wisdom that is Foolishness with God is not meant of the Rational but only the Animal Property any Rational Man laying aside Interest may easily Judge § IV. I come now to the other part to wit That this Evil and Corrupt Seed is not imputed to Infants until they actually join with it Infants no Sin imputed to them For this there is a Reason given in the End of the Proposition it self drawn from Eph. 2. for these are by nature Children of Wrath who walk according to the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience Here the Apostle gives Their evil walking and not any thing that is not reduced to Act as a Reason of their being Children of Wrath. And this is sutable to the whole strain of the Gospel where no man is ever threatned or judged for what Iniquity he hath not Actually wrought Such indeed as continue in Iniquity and so do homologate the sins of their Fathers God will visit the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children Is it not strange then that men should entertain an Opinion so Absurd in it self and so cruel and contrary to the Nature as well of God's Mercy as Justice concerning the which the Scripture is altogether silent But it is manifest that man hath Invented this Opinion out of Self-love The Absolute Decree of Election springs from Self-love and from that bitter Root from which all Errors spring for the most part of Protestants that hold this having as they fancy the Absolute Decree of Election to secure them and their Children so as they cannot miss of Salvation they make no great difficulty to send all others both old and young to Hell For whereas Self-love which always is apt to believe that which it desires possesseth them with a Hope that their part is secure they are not solicitous how they leave their Neighbours which are the far greater part of mankind in these Inextricable Difficulties The Papists again use this Opinion as an Art to Augment the Esteem of their Church and Reverence of its Sacraments seeing they pretend it is Washed away by Baptism only in this they appear to be a little more Merciful in that they send not these Vnbaptized Infants to Hell but to a certain Limbus concerning which the Scriptures are as silent as of the other This then is not only not Authorized in the Scriptures but Contrary to the express Tenor of it The Apostle saith plainly Rom. 4.15 Where no Law is there is no Transgression And again 5.13 But sin is not imputed where there is no Law To Infants there is no Law so no Transgression Than which Testimonies there is nothing more positive since to Infants there is no Law seeing as such they are utterly Vncapable of it the Law cannot reach but such as have in some measure less or more the Exercise of their Vnderstanding which Infants have not So that from thence I thus argue Sin is Imputed to none where there is no Law But To Infants there is no Law Therefore Sin is not Imputed to them The Proposition is the Apostle's own words the Assumption is thus proved Those who are under a Physical Impossibility of either hearing knowing or understanding any Law where the Impossibility is not brought upon them by any Act of their own but is according to the very Order of Nature appointed by God to such there is no Law But Infants are under this Physical Impossibility Therefore c. Secondly What can be more positive than that of Ezech. 18.20 The Soul that sinneth it shall die the Son shall not bear the Father's Iniquity For the Prophet here first sheweth what is the Cause of man's Eternal Death which he saith is in his Sinning and then as if he purposed Expresly to shut out such an Opinion he assures us The Son shall not bear the Father's Iniquity From which I thus argue Infants bear not Adam's Transgression If the Son bear not the Iniquity of his Father or of his Immediate Parents far less shall he bear the Iniquity of Adam But the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of his Father Therefore c. § V. Having thus far shewn how Absurd this Opinion is I shall briefly Examine the Reasons its Authors bring for it Object 1 First They say Adam was a publick person and therefore all men sinned in him as being in his Loins And for this they Alledge that of Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man Sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned c. These last words say they may be translated in whom all have sinned Answ. To this I answer That Adam is a publick person is not denied and that through him there is a Seed of Sin propagated to all men which in its own Nature is sinful and Inclines men to Iniquity yet will it not follow from thence that Infants who Join not with this Seed are guilty As for these words in the Romans the Reason of the Guilt there alledged is For that all have sinned Now no man is said to Sin unless he actually Sin in his own person for the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may very well relate to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the nearest Antecedent so that they hold forth how that Adam by his Sin gave an Entrance to sin in the World And so death entred by sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. upon which viz. Occasion or in which viz. Death all others have sinned that is actually in their own persons to wit all that were Capable of sinning of which number that Infants could not be the Apostle clearly shews by the following Verse Sin is not imputed where there is no Law and since as is above proved there is no Law to Infants they cannot be here Included Object 2 Their Second Objection is from Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Hence they say it appears that Infants from their Conception are guilty How they infer this Consequence for my part I see not The Iniquity and Sin here appears to be far more Ascribable to the Parents Answ. than to the Child It is said indeed In sin did my Mother Conceive me not My Mother did Conceive me a sinner Conceived in Sin Answer'd Besides that so Interpreted Contradicts expresly the Scripture before-mentioned in making Children guilty of the Sins of their Immediate Parents for of Adam there is not here any mention Contrary to the plain words The Son shall not bear the Father's Iniquity Object 3 Thirdly They Object That the Wages of Sin is death and that seeing Children are subject to diseases and death therefore they must be guilty of sin Answ. I answer That these things are a Consequence of the Fall and of
from which there is no falling away Condition is Attainable because we are Exhorted to it and as hath been proved before the Scripture never proposeth to us things Impossible Such an Exhortation we have from the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.10 Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure And though there be a Condition here proposed yet since we have already proved that it is possible to fulfil this Condition then also the Promise annexed thereunto may be attained And since where Assurance is wanting there is still a place left for Doubtings and Despairs if we should affirm it never attainable then should there never be a place known by the Saints in this World wherein they might be free of Doubting and Despair Which as it is most Absurd in it self so it 's Contrary to the manifest Experience of Thousands Thirdly God hath given to many of his Saints and Children and is ready to give unto all a full and certain Assurance A Certain Assurance and Establishment given of God to many of his Saints and Children that they are his and that no power shall be able to pluck them out of his hand But this Assurance would be no Assurance if those who are so Assured were not Established and Confirmed beyond all Doubt and Hesitation If so then surely there is no possibility for such to miss of that which God hath Assured them of And that there is such Assurance attainable in this life the Scripture abundantly declareth both in general and as to particular persons As first Rev. 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out c. which containeth a general Promise unto all Hence the Apostle speaks of some that are sealed 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed us and given the Earnest of his Spirit in our hearts wherefore the Spirit so sealing is called the Earnest or Pledge of our Inheritance Eph. 1.13 In whom ye were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise And therefore the Apostle Paul not only in that of the Romans above-noted declareth himself to have Attained that Condition but 2 Tim. 4.7 he affirmeth in these words I have fought a good fight c. which also many good men have and do witness And therefore as there can be nothing more manifest than that which the manifest Experience of this time sheweth and therein is found agreeable to the Experience of former times so we see there have been both of old and of late that have turned the Grace of God into Wantonness and have fall'n from their Faith and Integrity thence we may safely conclude such a falling away possible We also see that some of old and of late have Attained a certain Assurance some time before they departed that they should Inherit Eternal Life and have accordingly died in that good hope Of and concerning whom the Spirit of God Testified that they are saved Wherefore we also see that such a State is Attainable in this life from which there is not a Falling away For seeing the Spirit of God did so Testify it was not possible that they should perish concerning whom he who cannot lie thus bare Witness PROPOSITION X. Concerning the Ministry Prop. 10 As by this Light or Gift of God all true Knowledge in things Spiritual is received and revealed so by the same as it is manifested and received in the heart by the strength and power thereof every true Minister of the Gospel is ordained prepared and supplied in the Work of the Ministry and by the leading moving and drawing hereof ought every Evangelist and Christian Pastor to be led and ordered in his labour and work of the Gospel both as to the place Where as to the persons to whom and as to the time wherein he is to Minister Moreover who have this Authority may and ought to preach the Gospel though without Humane Commission or Literature as on the other hand who want the Authority of this Divine Gift however Learned or Athorized by the Commission of Men and Churches are to be esteemed but as Deceivers and not true Ministers of the Gospel The Gospel to be preach'd freely Matth. 10.8 Also who have received this holy and unspotted Gift as they have freely received it so are they freely to give it without hire or bargaining far less to use it as a Trade to get money by yet if God hath called any one from their Emploiments or Trades by which they acquire their Livelihood it may be lawful for such according to the liberty which they feel given them in the Lord to receive such Temporals to wit what may be needful for them for Meat and Cloathing as are given them freely and cordially by those to whom they have Communicated Spirituals § I. HItherto I have treated of those things which relate to the Christian Faith and Christians as they stand each in his private and particular Condition and how and what way every man may be a Christian indeed and so abide Now I come in order to speak of those things that relate to Christians as they are stated in a Joint-Fellowship and Communion and come under a Visible and Outward Society which Society is called the Church of God The Church of God is the Spiritual Body of Christ. and in Scripture compared to a Body and therefore named the Body of Christ. As then in the Natural Body there be divers Members all concurring to the common end of preserving and confirming the whole Body so in this Spiritual and Mystical Body there are also divers Members according to the different measures of Grace and of the Spirit diversly administred unto each Member and from this Diversity ariseth that distinction of persons in the visible Society of Christians as of Apostles Pastors Evangelists Ministers c. That which in this Proposition is proposed is What makes or constitutes any a Minister of the Church what his Qualifications ought to be and how he ought to behave himself But because it may seem somewhat preposterous to speak of the distinct Offices of the Church until something be said concerning the Church in general though nothing positively be said of it in the Proposition yet as here implied I shall briefly premise something thereof and then proceed to the particular Members of it § II. It is not in the least my design to meddle with those tedious and many Controversies wherewith the Papists and Protestants do Tear one another concerning this thing but only according to the Truth manifested to me and Revealed in me by the Testimony of the Spirit according to that proportion of Wisdom given me briefly to hold forth as a necessary Introduction both to this matter of the Ministry and of Worship which followeth those things which I together with my Brethren do believe concerning the Church The Church then according to the Grammatical signification of the word as it is used in
expresly commanded to Turn away from such as have a Form of godliness but deny the Power of it For we may well Object against these as the poor man did against the proud Prelate The Answer of a poor Rustick to a proud Prelate that went about to cover his vain and unchristian-like Sumptuousness by distinguishing That it was not as Bishop but as Prince he had all that splendor To which the poor Rustick wisely is said to have answered When the Prince goeth to Hell what shall become of the Prelate And indeed this were to suppose the Body of Christ to be defective and that to fill up these defective places he puts counterfeit and dead Stuff instead of real living Members like such as lose their Eyes Arms or Legs make Counterfeit ones of Timber or Glass instead of them But we cannot think so of Christ neither can we believe for the Reasons above adduced that either we are to account or that Christ doth account any man or men a whit the more Members of his Body because though they be really Wicked they hypocritically and deceitfully Cloath themselves with his Name pretended to it for this is contrary to his own Doctrine where he saith expresly Joh. 15.1 6 c. That he is the Vine and his Disciples are the Branches that except they abide in him they cannot bear fruit and if they be unfruitful they shall be cast forth as a branch and wither Now I suppose these Cut and Withered Branches are no more true Branches A Wither'd Branch can draw no Nourishment so has no life nor virtue nor Members of the Vine they can draw no more Sap nor Nourishment from it after that they are Cut off and so have no more Virtue Sap nor Life What have they then to Boast or Glory of any Authority seeing they want that life virtue and nourishment from which all Authority comes So such Members of Christ as are become dead to him through Vnrighteousness and so derive no more virtue nor life from him are Cut-off by their sins and Wither and have no more any true or real Authority and their Boasting of any is but an Aggravation of their Iniquity by hypocrisy and deceit But further would not this make Christ's Body a meer shadow and phantasm Yea would it not make him the Head of a lifeless rotten stinking Carcase having only some little outward false shew while inwardly full of rottenness and durt A Living Head upon a Lifeless Body what Monster would that be And what a Monster would these men make of Christ's Body by assigning it a real pure living quick Head full of virtue and life and yet tied to such a dead lifeless Body as we have already described these Members to be which they alledge to have been the Church of Christ Again the Members of the Church of Christ are specified by this definition to wit as being the Sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1.2 But this notion of Succession supposeth not only some unsanctified Members to be of the Church of Christ but even the Whole to consist of unsanctified Members yea that such as were professed Necromancers and open Servants of Satan were the true Successors of the Apostles and in whom the Apostolick Authority Prop. 10 resided these being the Vessels through whom this Succession is Transmitted though many of them as all Protestants and also some Papists Confess attained these Offices in the so called Church not only by such means as Simon Magus sought it but by much worse even by Witchcraft Murther Traditions Money and Treachery which Platina himself confesseth * In the life of Benedict 4. of Joh. 16. of Silvester 3. of Boniface 8. of Steph. 6. of Jean 8. Also Onuphrius Annotations upon this Papass or Popess towards the end of divers Bishops of Rome § XI But such as Object not this Succession of the Church which yet most Protestants begin now to do distinguish in this matter affirming That in a great Apostasy such as was that of the Church of Rome God may raise up some singularly by his Spirit who from the Testimony of the Scriptures perceiving the Errors into which such as bear the name of Christians are fall'n may instruct and teach them and then become Authorized by the people's joining with and accepting of their Ministry only Most of them also will affirm That the Spirit herein is subjective and not objective But they say Object That where a Church is Reformed such as they pretend the Protestant Churches are there an ordinary orderly Call is necessary and that of the Spirit as extraordinary is not to be sought after alledging that Res aliter se habet in Ecclesiâ Constituendâ quà m in Ecclesiâ Constitutâ that is There is a difference in the Constituting of a Church and after it is Constitute I Answer This Objection as to us saith nothing seeing we Accuse Answ. and are ready from the Scriptures to prove the Protestants guilty of gross Errors and needing Reformation as well as they did and do the Papists A Difference Objected between a Constituting Church and one as Constituted and therefore we may justly lay claim if we would to the same Extraordinary Call having the same Reason for it and as good Evidence to prove ours as they had for theirs As for that Maxim viz. That the Case is different in a Constituting Church and a Church Constituted I do not deny it and therefore there may be a greater measure of power required to the one than to the other and God in his Wisdom distributes the same as he seeth meet But that the same Immediate Assistance of the Spirit is not necessary for Ministers in a gathered Church as well as in gathering one I see no solid Reason alledged for it For sure Christ's promise was To be with his Children to the end of the world and they need him no less to preserve and guide his Church and Children than to gather and beget them Nature taught the Gentiles this Maxim Non minor est Virtus quam quaerere parta tueri Englished thus For to Defend what you Attain Requires no less strength than to Gain For it is by this inward and immediate Operation of the Spirit which Christ promised to Lead his Children with into all Truth and to Teach them all things that Christians are to be lead in all steps as well last as first which relate to God's Glory and their own Salvation as we have heretofore sufficiently proved and therefore need not now Repeat it And truly this Device of Satan 'T is a Device of Satan for Men to put the Spirit 's Leadings far off to former times whereby he has got people to put the Immediate Guidings and Leadings of God's Spirit as an Extraordinary thing afar off which their Fore-fathers had but which they now are neither to Wait for nor Expect is a great Cause of the growing Apostasy upon the many gathered Churches
time since to meet at set times and places seems to be an Outward Observation and Ceremony contrary to what ye at other times Assert Answ. I Answer first To meet at set times and places is not any Religious Act or part of Worship in it self but only an outward Coveniency necessary for our seeing one another Publick Meetings their Vse and its Reason Asserted so long as we are cloathed with this outward Tabernacle and therefore our Meeting at set times and places is not a part of our Worship but a preparatory Accommodation of our outward man in order to a publick visible Worship since we set not about the Visible Acts of Worship when we Meet together until we be led thereunto by the Spirit of God Secondly God hath seen meet so long as his Children are in this World to make use of the outward Senses not only as a means to Convey Spiritual Life as by speaking praying praising c. which cannot be done to mutual Edification but when we hear and see one another but also for to entertain an outward visible Testimony for his Name in the World He causeth the Inward Life which is also many times not conveyed by the outward Senses the more to abound when his Children Assemble themselves diligently together to Wait upon him that as Iron sharpeneth Iron so the seeing of the Face one of another Prov. 27. v. 17. when both are inwardly gathered unto the Life giveth occasion for the Life secretly to arise and pass from Vessel to Vessel And as many Candles lighted and put in one place do greatly augment the light and make it more to shine forth so when many are gathered together into the same Life there is more of the Glory of God and his Power appears to the Refreshment of each Individual for that he partakes not only of the Light and Life raised in himself but in all the rest And therefore Christ hath particularly promised a Blessing to such as Assemble together in his Name seeing he will be in the midst of them Matth. 18.20 and the Author to the Hebrews doth precisely prohibit the Neglect of this Duty as being of very dangerous and dreadful Consequence in these words Heb. 10.24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Assembling of our selves is not to be neglected not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins And therefore the Lord hath shewn that he hath a particular Respect to such as thus Assemble themselves together because that thereby a publick Testimony for him is upheld in the Earth and his Name is thereby glorified and therefore such as are right in their Spirits are naturally drawn to keep the Meetings of God's People and never want a Spiritual Influence to lead them thereunto And if any do it in a meer Customary Way they will no doubt suffer Condemnation for it Yet cannot the Appointing of Places and Times be accounted a Ceremony and Observation done in man's Will in the Worship of God seeing none can say that it is an Act of Worship but only a meer presenting of our Persons in order to it as is above-said Which that it was practised by the Primitive Church and Saints all our Adversaries do acknowledge Lastly some object That this manner of Worship in Silence is not to Object 3 be found in all the Scripture I Answer We make not Silence to be the sole matter of our Worship Answ. since as I have above said there are many Meetings In Waiting for the Spirits Guidance Selence is supposed which are seldom if ever altogether Silent some or other are still moved either to preach pray and praise and so in this our Meetings cannot be but like the Meetings of the Primitive Churches recorded in Scripture since our Adversaries confess that they did preach and pray by the Spirit And then what Absurdity is it to suppose that at some times the Spirit did not move them to these outward Acts and that then they were Silent since we may well conclude they did not speak until they were moved and so no doubt had sometimes Silence Act. 2.1 before the Spirit came upon them it is said They were all with one accord in one place and then it is said The Spirit suddenly came upon them but no mention is made of any one speaking at that time and I would willingly know what Absurdity our Adversaries can infer should we conclude they were a while Silent But if it be urged Inst. That a whole Silent Meeting cannot be found in Scripture I Answer Supposing such a thing were not recorded Answ. it will not therefore follow that it is not lawful seeing it naturally followeth from other Scripture-Precepts as we have proved this doth For seeing the Scripture commands to Meet together and when Met Silent Meetings are proved from Scripture and Reason the Scripture prohibits prayers or preachings but as the Spirit moveth thereunto if people Meet together and the Spirit move not to such Acts it will necessarily follow that they must be Silent But further there might have been many such things among the Saints of Old though not recorded in Scripture and yet we have enough in Scripture signifying that such things were For Job sate silent seven days with his Friends together Here was a Long Silent Meeting See also Ezra c. 9.4 and Ezechiel c. 1.14 and 20.1 Thus having shewn the Excellency of this Worship proved it from Scripture and Reason and answered the Objections which are commonly made against it which though it might suffice to the Explanation and Probation of our Proposition yet I shall add something more particularly of Preaching Praying and Singing and so proceed to the following Proposition I. What reaching is with Protestants and Papists A studied Talk an hour or two § XVIII Preaching as it 's used both among Papists and Protestants is for One Man to take some Place or Verse of Scripture and thereon speak for an hour or two what he hath studied and premeditated in his Closet and gathered together from his own Inventions or from the Writings and Observations of others and then having got it by heart as a School-boy doth his Lesson he brings it forth and repeats it before the People And how much the fertiler and stronger a Man's Invention is and the more industrious and laborious he is in Collecting such Observations and can utter them with the Excellency of Speech and Humane Eloquence so much the more is he accounted an Able and Excellent Preacher To this we Oppose that when the Saints are met together and every one gathered to the Gift and Grace of God in themselves True Preaching by the Spirit he that Ministreth being acted thereunto by the arising of the Grace in himself ought to speak forth
they did in the two places above-cited Alleg. II Secondly they say If this were not understood of Water-baptism it would be a Tautology and all one with Teaching How Teaching and Baptising differ I say Nay Baptizing with the Spirit is somewhat further than Teaching or Informing the Vnderstanding for it imports a Reaching to and melting the Heart whereby it is turned as well as the Vnderstanding informed Besides we find often in the Scripture that Teaching and Instructing are put together without any Absurdity or needless Tautology and yet these two have a greater Affinity than teaching and baptizing with the Spirit Alleg. III Thirdly they say Baptism in this Place must be understood with Water because it is the Action of the Apostles and so cannot be the Baptism of the Spirit which is the work of Christ and his Grace not of Man c. Answ. I Answer Baptism with the Spirit tho' not wrought without Christ and his Grace is Instrumentally done by Men fitted of God for that purpose and therefore no Absurdity follows The Baptism with the Spirit Ascrib'd to Godly Men as Instruments that Baptism with the Spirit should be expressed as the Action of the Apostles for tho' it be Christ by his Grace that gives Spiritual Gifts yet the Apostle Rom. 1.11 speaks of his Imparting to them Spiritual Gifts and he tells the Corinthians that he had begotten them through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4.15 And yet to beget People unto the Faith is the work of Christ and his Grace not of Men. To Convert the Heart is properly the Work of Christ and yet the Scripture oftentimes ascribes it to Men as being the Instruments And since Paul's Commission was To turn People from Darkness to Light tho' that be not done without Christ co-operating by his Grace so may also baptizing with the Spirit be expressed as performable by Man as the Instrument tho the Work of Christ's Grace be needful to concur thereunto so that it is no Absurdity to say that the Apostles did Administer the Baptism of the Spirit Alleg. IV Lastly they say That since Christ saith here that he will be with his Disciples to the end of the World therefore Water-baptism must continue so long If he had been speaking here of Water-baptism then that might have been urged Answ. but seeing that is denied and proved to be false nothing from thence can be gathered He speaking of the Baptism of the Spirit which we freely confess doth remain to the End of the World yea so long as Christ's Presence abideth with his Children Object III § IX Thirdly they Object the Constant Practice of the Apostles in the Primitive Church who they say did always Administer Water-baptism to such as they Converted to the Faith of Christ And hence also they further urge that of Matth. 28. to have been meant of Water or else the Apostles did not understand it in that in baptizing they used Water or that in so doing they walked without a Commission I Answer That it was the Constant Practice of the Apostles is denied for we have shewen in the Example of Paul that it was not so since it were most absurd to judge that he Converted only these few even of the Church of Corinth whom he saith he baptized nor were it less absurd to think that that was a constant Apostolick Practice which he that was not inferior to the Chiefest of the Apostles and who declares he laboured as much as they all rejoyceth he was so little in But further the Conclusion inferred from the Apostles Practice of baptizing with Water to evince How the Apostles Baptized that they understood Matth. 28. of Water-baptism doth not hold for tho they baptized with Water it will not follow that either they did it by vertue of that Commission or that they mistook that place nor can there be any Medium brought that will infer such a Conclusion As to the other insinuated Absurdity That they did it without a Commission It is none at all for they might have done it by a Permission as being in use before Christ's Death and because the people nursed up with Outward Ceremonies could not be weaned wholly from them And thus they used other things as Circumcision and legal Purifications which yet they had no Commission from Christ to do to which we shall speak more at length in the following Proposition concerning the Supper But if from the Sameness of the Word because Christ bids them baptize Object and they afterwards in the Vse of Water are said to baptize it be judged probable that they did understand that Commission Matth. 28. to authorize them to baptize with Water and accordingly practised it Altho' it should be granted that for a season they did so far mistake it Answ. as to judge that Water belonged to that Baptism which however I find no necessity of granting yet I see not any great Absurdity would thence follow For it is plain they did mistake that Commission as to a main part of it for a Season as where he bids them Go teach all Nations since some time after they judged it unlawful to Teach the Gentiles yea Peter himself scrupled it until by a Vision constrained thereunto for which after he had done it he was for a season until they were better informed judged by the rest of his Brethren Now if the Education of the Apostles The Apostles did scruple the Teaching the Gentiles as Jews and their Propensity to adhere and stick to the Jewish Religion did so far influence them that even after Christ's Resurrection and the pouring forth of the Spirit they could not receive nor admit of the Teaching of the Gentiles tho' Christ in his Commission to them commanded them to Preach to them what further Absurdity were it to suppose that through the like Mistake the Chiefest of them having been the Disciples of John and his Baptism being so much prized there among the Jews that they also took Christ's Baptism intended by him of the Spirit to be that of Water which was John's and accordingly practised it for a season it suffices us that if they were so mistaken tho' I say not that they were so they did not always remain under that Mistake else Peter would not have said of the Baptism which now says that it is not a putting away of the filth of the flesh which certainly Water-baptism is But further they urge much Peter's baptising Cornelius in which they press two things First That Water-baptism is used even to those that had received the Spirit Secondly That it is said positively he commanded them to be baptized Acts 10.47 48. But neither of these doth necessarily infer Water-baptism to belong to the New Covenant-Dispensation nor yet to be a Perpetual standing Ordinance in the Church Whether Peter's Baptizing some with Water makes it a standing Ordinance to the Church For first all that this will amount to was That Peter at that
no man therefore judge you in Meat or Drink Is not Bread and Wine Meat and Drink But why Which are a Shadow of things to come But the Body is of Christ. Then since our Adversaries Confess 'T is but a Sign and Shadow they confess that their Bread and Wine is a Sign or Shadow therefore according to the Apostle's Doctrine we ought not to be Judged in the Observation of it But is it not fit for those that are Dead with Christ to be subject to such Ordinances See what he saith ver 20. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World why as though living in the World are ye subject to Ordinances Touch not taste not handle not Which all are to perish with the Vsing after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men And which do perish with the Vsing What can be more plain if this serve not to take away the Absolute Necessity of the use of Bread and Wine what can it serve to take away Sure I am the Reason here given is applicable to them which all do perish with the using since Bread and Wine perisheth with the using as much as other things But further if the use of Water and Bread and Wine were that wherein the very Seals of the New Covenant stood and did pertain to the Chief Sacraments of the Gospel and Evangelical Ordinances so called then would not the Gospel differ from the Law The Law was Meats and Drinks not so the Gospel or be preferrable to it Whereas the Apostle shews the difference Heb. 9.10 in that such kind of Observations of the Jews were as a Sign of the Gospel for that this stood only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings And now if the Gospel-Worship and Service stand in the same where is the difference Object If it be said These under the Gospel have a Spiritual Signification Answ. So had those under the Law God was the Author of those as well as Christ is pretended to be the Author of these But doth not this contending for the use of Water Bread and Wine as necessary Parts of the Gospel-Worship destroy the Nature of it as if the Gospel were a Dispensation of Shadows and not of the Substance whereas the Apostle in that of the Colossians above-mentioned argues against the Vse of these things as needful to those that are dead and arisen with Christ because they are but Shadows And since through the whole Epistle to the Hebrews The Law has Shades the Gospel brings the Substance he argues with the Jews to Wean them from their Worship for this Reason because it was Typical and Figurative Is it agreeable to right Reason to bring them to another of the same Nature What ground from Scripture or Reason can our Adversaries bring us to evince that one Shadow or Figure should point to another Shadow or Figure and not to the Substance And yet they make the Figure of Circumcision to point to Water-Baptism and the Paschal Lamb to Bread and Wine But was it ever known that one Figure was the Antitype of the other especially seeing Protestants make not these their Antitypes to have any more Vertue or Efficacy than the Type had For since as they say and that truly That their Sacraments confer not Grace Their Sacraments confer not Grace but that is conferred according to the Faith of the Receiver it will not be denied but the Faithful among the Jews received also Grace in the Use of their Figurative Worship And thô Papists boast that their Sacraments confer Grace ex opere operato yet Experience abundantly proveth the contrary § X. But supposing the Vse of Water-Baptism Opposers claim a Power to give their Sacraments from whence do they derive it and Bread and Wine to have been in the Primitive Church as was also that of Abstaining from things strangled and from Blood the Vse of Legal Purifications Acts 21.23 24 25. and Anointing of the Sick with Oil for the Reasons and Grounds before-mentioned Yet it remains for our Adversaries to shew us how they come by Power or Authority to Administer them It cannot be from the Letter of the Scripture else they behoved also to do those other things which the Letter declares also they did and which in the Letter have as much Foundation Then their Power must be derived from the Apostles either Mediately or Immediately but we have shewen before in the Tenth Proposition that they have no Mediate Power because of the Interruption made by the Apostasy And for an Immediate Power or Command by the Spirit of God to Administer these things none of our Adversaries pretend to it We know that in this as in other things they make a Noise of the Constant Consent of the Church and of Christians in all Ages Tradition no sufficient Ground for Faith but as Tradition is not a sufficient ground for Faith so in this matter especially it ought to have but small Weight for that in this Point of Ceremonies and Superstitious Observations the Apostasy began very early as may appear in the Epistles of Paul to the Galatians and Colossians and we have no ground to Imitate them in those things whose Entrance the Apostle so much withstood so heavily regretted and so sharply reproved But if we look to Antiquity we find that in such kind of Observances and Traditions they were very uncertain and changeable so that neither Protestants nor Papists do observe this Ceremony as They did both in that they gave it to Young Boys and to Little Children and for ought can be learned The Supper they gave to Young Boys and Children the Vse of this and Infant-Baptism are of a-like Age though the one be laid aside both by Papists and Protestants and the other to wit Baptism of Infants be stuck to And we have so much the less Reason to lay Weight upon Antiquity for that if we consider their Profession of Religion especially as to Worship and the Ceremonial Part of it we shall not find any Church now whether Popish or Protestant who differ not widely from them in many things as Daleus in his Treatise concerning the Vse of the Fathers well observeth and demonstrateth Daleus And why they should Obtrude this upon us because of the Ancients Practice which they themselves follow not or why we may not Reject this as well as they do other things no less zealously practised by the Ancients no sufficient Reason can be assigned I shall not nevertheless doubt but many whose Understandings have been Clouded with these Ceremonies have notwithstanding by the Mercy of God had some Secret Sense of the Mystery which they could not clearly understand because it was Vailed from them by their sticking to such Outward things and that through that secret Sense diving in their Comprehensions they ran themselves into these Carnal Apprehensions as imagining the Substance of the Bread was Changed or that if the Substance
any but that those Vertues are not in many of the Persons expressed by the Titles they bear neither will they allow to speak so to such in whom these Vertues are unless they be so dignified by outward Princes So that such as are truly Vertuous must not be styled by their Vertues because not priviledged by the Princes of this World and such as have them not must be so called because they have obtained a Patent so to be and all this is done by those who pretend to be his Followers that commanded his Disciples Not to call any Man Master and told them such could not believe as received Honour one from another and sought not the Honour which cometh from God only This is so plain to such as will indeed be Christians that it needs no Consequence Your Holiness Your Grace c. Fourthly As to those Titles of Holiness Eminency and Excellency used among the Papists to the Pope and Cardinals c. and Grace Lordship and Worship used to the Clergy among the Protestants it is a most blasphemous Usurpation For if they use Holiness and Grace because these things ought to be in a Pope or in a Bishop how come they to usurp that peculiarly to themselves Ought not Holiness and Grace to be in every Christian And so every Christian should say Your Holiness and Your Grace one to another Next how can they in Reason claim any more Titles than were practised and received by the Apostles and Primitive Christians whose Successors they pretend they are and as whose Successors and no otherwise themselves I judge will confess any Honour they seek is due to them Now if they neither sought received nor admitted such Honour nor Titles how came these by them If they say They did let them prove it if they can We find no such thing in the Scripture The Christians speak to the Apostles without any such Denominations neither saying If it please Your Grace Hypocrites want Titles Your Holiness Your Lordship nor Your Worship they are neither called My Lord Peter nor My Lord Paul nor yet Master Peter nor Master Paul nor Doctor Peter nor Doctor Paul but singly Peter and Paul and that not only in the Scripture but for some hundreds of Years after So that this appears to be a manifest Fruit of the Apostasy For if these Titles arise either from the Office or Worth of the Persons it will not be denied but the Apostles deserved them better than any now that call for them But the Case is plain the Apostles had the Holiness the Excellency the Grace and because they were Holy Excellent and Gracious they neither used nor admitted of such Titles But these having neither Holiness Excellency nor Grace will needs be so called to satisfy their Ambitious and Ostentive Minds which is a manifest Token of their Hypocrisy Fifthly as to that Title of Majesty usually ascribed to Princes we do not find it given to any such in the Holy Scripture but that it is specially and peculiarly ascribed unto God as 1 Chron. 29.11 Job 37.22 Psal. 21.5.29.4.43.3.63.1.96.6 Isa. 2.10.24.14.26.10 Heb. 1.3 2 Pet. 1.16 and many more Places Hence saith Jude ver 25. To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty c. not to Men We find in Scripture the proud King Nebuchadnezar assuming this Title to himself Dan. 4.30 who at that Time received a sufficient Reproof by a sudden Judgment which came upon him Therefore in all the Compellations used to Princes in the Old Testament it is not to be found nor yet in the New Paul was very civil to Agrippa yet he gives him no such Title Neither was this Title used among Christians in the Primitive Times Hence the Ecclesiastical History of the Reformation of France relating the Speech of the Lord Rochefort at the Assembly of the Estate of France held under Charles the Ninth in the Year 1560 saith That this Harangue was well remarked in that he used not the Word Majesty invented by Flatterers of late Years And yet this Author minded not how his Master Calvin used this flattering Title to Francis the First King of France Eccles. hist. lib. 4. p. 445. Your Majesty not used How taken notice of in 1560. and not only so but calls him Most-Christian King in the Epistle to his Institutions though by his daily persecuting of the Reformers it was apparent he was far from being such even in Calvin's own Esteem Surely the complying with such vain Titles imposed and introduced by Antichrist greatly tended to stain the Reformation and to render it defective in many things Lastly All these Titles and Styles of Honour are to be rejected by Christians because they are to seek the Honour that comes from above and not the Honour that is from below But these Honours are not that Honour that comes from above but are from below The Proud Mind loves Titles For we know well enough what Industry and what Pains Men are at to get these Things and what part it is that seeks after them to wit the Proud Insolent Haughty Aspiring Mind For judge Is it the Meek and Innocent Spirit of Christ that covets that Honour Is it that Spirit that must be of no Reputation in this World that has its Conversation in Heaven Phil. 3.20 that comes to have Fellowship with the Sons of God Is it that Spirit I say that loves that Honour that seeks after that Honour that pleads for the upholding of that Honour that frets and rages and fumes when it is denied that Honour Or is it not rather the Lordly insulting Spirit of Lucifer Lucifer's Spirit the Prince of this World he that of old affected and sought after this Honour and loved not to abide in the Submissive Low Place And so all his Children are possessed with the same ambitious proud Mind seeking and coveting Titles of Honour which indeed belong not to them For let us examine Who are they 1 Sam. 2.30 that are Honourable indeed Is it not the Righteous Man Is it not the Holy Man Is it not the humble-hearted Man the meek spirited Man And are not such those that ought to be honoured among Christians Now of these may there not be Poor Men Labourers silly Fishermen And if so how comes it that the Titles of Honour are not bestowed upon such But who are they that generally receive and look for this Honour Are they not the Rich ones such as have abundance of the Earth as be like the Rich Glutton such as are proud and ambitious such as are Oppressors of the Poor such as swell with Lust and Vanity and all superfluity of Naughtiness Who are the very Abomination and Plague of the Nations are not these they that are accounted the Honourable that require and receive the Titles of Honour proud Hamans Now whether is this the Honour that comes from God or the Honour from below Doth God honour such as daily dishonour him
and disobey him And if this be not the Honour that comes from God but the Honour of this World which the Children of this World give and receive one from another How can the Children of God such as are Christians indeed give or receive that Honour among themselves Hieron in his Epistle to Celant admonisheth her That she was to be preferred to none for her Nobibity for the Christian Religion admits not of respect of Persons neither are Men to be esteemed because of their outward condition but according to the Disposition of the Mind to be esteemed either Noble or â—ase he that obeyeth not sin is free who is strong in Vertue is Noble Let the Epistle of James be read without coming under the Reproof of Christ who saith That such as do so cannot believe But further if we respect the Cause that most frequently procures to Men these Titles of Honour there is not one of a thousand that shall be found to be because of any Christian Vertue but rather for things to be discommended among Christians As by the Favour of Princes procured by Flattering and often by worse Means Yea the most frequent and accounted among Men most-Honourable is Fighting or some great Martial Exploit which can add nothing to a Christian's Worth Since sure it is it were desirable there were no Fightings among Christians at all and in so far as there are it shews they are not right Christians And James tells us That All fighting proceeds from the lusts so that it were fitter for Christians by the Sword of God's Spirit to fight against their Lusts than by the Prevalency of their Lusts to destroy one another Whatever Honour any might have attained of old under the Law this way we find under the Gospel Christians commended for Suffering not for Fighting neither did any of Christ's Disciples save one offer outward Violence by the Sword in cutting off Malchus's Ear for which he received no Title of Honour but a just Reproof Finally if we look either to the Nature of this Honour the Cause of it the Way it 's conveyed the Terms in which it is delivered it cannot be used by such as mind to be Christians in good earnest § IV. Now besides these general Titles of Honour what gross Abuses are crept in among such as are called Christians in the use of Complements wherein not Servants to Masters or others with respect to any such kind of Relations do say and write to one another at every turn Your humble Servant Your most obedient Servant Lying accounted Civility c. Such wicked Customes have to the great Prejudice of Souls accustomed Christians to Lie and to use Lying is now come to be accounted Civility O horrid Apostasy For it is notoriously known that the Use of these Complements imports not any Design of Service neither are any such Fools as to think so for if we should put them to it that say so they would not doubt to think we abused them and would let us know they gave us Wordâ— in Course and no more It is strange that such as pretend to Scripture as their Rule should not be ashamed to use such things since Elihu that had not the Scriptures would by the Light within him which these Men think insufficient say Job 32.21 22. Let me not accept any mans person neither let me give flattering Titles unto man For I know not to give flattering Titles In so doing my Maker would soon take me away * This History is reported by Casaubonus in his Book of Manners and Customs pag. 169. In this last Age he is esteemed an uncivil Man who will not either to his Inferior or Equal subscribe himself Servant But Sulpitius Severus was heretofore sharply reproved by Paulinus Bishop of Nola because in his Epistle he had subscribed himself his Servant saying Beware thou subscribe not thy self his Servant who is thy Brother for Flattery is sinful not a Testimony of Humility to give their Honours to Men which are only due to the One Lord Master and GOD. A certain antient devout Man in the Primitive Time subscribed himself to a Bishop Your humble Servant wherein I doubt not but he was more real than our usual Complementers and yet he was sharply reproved for it But they usually Object to defend themselves That Luke saith Most excellent Theophilus and Paul Most noble Festus I Answer Since Luke wrote that by the Dictates of the infallible Spirit of God I think it will not be doubted but Theophilus did deserve it as being really endued with that Vertue Concerning the Title Paul gave to Festus In which Case we shall not condemn those that do it by the same Rule But it is not proved that Luke gave Theophilus this Title as that which was inherent to him either by his Father or by any Patent Theophilus had obtained from any of the Princes of the Earth or that he would have given it him in case he had not been truly Excellent And without this be proved which never can there can nothing hence be deduced against us The like may be said of that of Paul to Festus whom he would not have called such if he had not been truly Noble as indeed he was in that he suffered him to be heard in his own Cause and would not give way to the Fury of the Jews against him it was not because of any outward Title bestowed upon Festus that he so called him else he would have given the same Compellation to his Predecessor Felix who had the same Office but being a covetous Man we find he gives him no such Style § V. It will not be unfit in this Place The Singular Number to one Person used in the Latin to say something concerning the using of the singular Number to one Person of this there is no Controversy in the Latin For when we speak to one we always use the Pronoun TU and he that would do otherwise would break the Rules of Grammar For what Boy learning his Rudiments is ignorant that it is incongruous to say vos amas vos legis that is you lovest you readest speaking to one But the Pride of Man that hath corrupted many things refuses also to use this simplicity of speaking in the Vulgar Languages For being puffed up with a vain Opinion of themselves as if the Singular Number were not sufficient to them they will have others to speak to them in the Plural Hence Luther in his Plays reproves and mocks this manner of speaking saying Magister vos es iratus Which Corruption Erasmus sufficiently refutes in his Colloquies Concerning which likewise James Howel in his Epistle to the Nobility of England before the French and English Dictionary takes notice That both in France and in other Nations the Word THOU was used in speaking to one but by success of Time when the Roman Commonwealth grew into an Empire the Courtiers began to magnify the Emperour as being
are not yet fitted for this form of Christianity and therefore cannot be undefending themselves until they attain that Perfection But for such whom Christ has brought hither it is not lawful to defend themselves by Arms but they ought over all to trust to the Lord. The Conclusion § XVI But lastly to Conclude If to give and receive flattering Titles which are not used because of the Vertues inherent in the Persons but are for most part bestowed by wicked men upon such as themselves If to Bow Scrape and Cringe to one another If at every time to call one another Humble Servant and that most frequently without any design of Real Service if this be the Honour that comes from God and not the Honour that is from below then indeed our Adversaries may be said to be Believers and we condemned as proud and stubborn in denying all these things But if with Mordecai to refuse to bow to proud Haman and with Elihu not to give flattering Titles to men lest we should be reproved of our Maker and if according to Peter's Example and the Angel's Advice to bow only to God and not to our Fellow Servants and if to call no man Lord nor Master except under particular Relations according to Christ's Command I say Eph. 3.5 Job 32.21 22. if these things be not to be Reproved then are we not blame-worthy in so doing If to be Vain and Gaudy in Apparel if to paint the Face and plait the Hair if to be cloathed with Gold and Silver and pretious Stones and if to be filled with Ribbands and Lace be to be cloathed in modest Apparel and if these be the Ornaments of Christians and if that be to be Humble Meek and Mortified Then are our Adversaries good Christians indeed and we proud singular and conceited in contenting our selves with what need and conveniency calls for and condemning what is more as superfluous but not otherwise If to use Games Sports Plays if to Card Dice and Dance if to Sing Fidle and Pipe if to use Stage-plays and Comedies and to Lie Counterfeit and Dissemble be to Fear always and if that be to do all things to the Glory of God and if that be to pass our sojourning here in Fear and if that be to use this World as if we did not use it and if that be not to fashion our selves according to our former Lusts to be not conformable to the Spirit and vain Conversation of this World Then are our Adversaries notwithstanding they use these things and plead for them very Good Sober Mortified and Self-denied Christians and we justly to be blamed for judging them but not otherwise If the Profanation of the Holy Name of God if to exact Oaths one from another upon every light occasion if to call God to Witness in things of such a nature in which no earthly King would think himself lawfully and honourably to be a Witness be the duties of a Christian man I shall confess that our Adversaries are excellent good Christians and we wanting in our duty But if the contrary be true of necessity our Obedience to God in this thing must be acceptable If to Revenge our selves or to render Injury Evil for Evil Wound for Wound to take Eye for Eye Tooth for Tooth If to fight for outward and perishing things to go a Warring one against another whom we never saw nor with whom we never had any contest nor any thing to do being more-over altogether ignorant of the Cause of the War but only that the Magistrates of the Nations foment quarrels one against another the Causes whereof are for the most part unknown to the Soldiers that fight as well as upon whose side the right or wrong is and yet to be so furious and rage one against another to destroy and spoil all that this or the other Worship may be received or abolished If to do this and much more of this kind be to fulfil the Law of Christ Then are our Adversaries indeed true Christians and we miserable Hereticks that suffer our selves to be Spoiled Taken Imprisoned Banished Beaten and evilly entreated without any resistance placing our trust only in GOD that he may defend us and lead us by this way of the Cross unto his Kingdom But if it be other ways we shall certainly receive the Reward which the Lord hath promised to those that cleave to him and in denying themselves Confide in him And to sum up all If to use all these things and many more that might be instanced be to walk in the strait Way that leads to Life be to take up the Cross of Christ be to die with him to the Lusts and perishing Vanities of this World and to arise with him in newness of Life and sit down with him in the heavenly places Then our Adversaries may be accounted such and they need not fear they are in the broad way that leads to destruction And we are greatly mistaken that have laid aside all these things for Christ's sake to the crucifying of our own Lusts and to the procuring to our selves Shame Reproach Hatred and Illwill from the men of this world Not as if by so doing we judged to merit Heaven but as knowing they are contrary to the Will of him who redeems his Children from the love of this World and its Lusts and leads them in the ways of Truth and Holiness in which they take delight to walk THE CONCLUSION IF in God's Fear Candid Reader thou applyest thy self to Consider this Systeme of Religion here delivered with its Consistency and Harmony as well in it self as with the Scriptures of Truth I doubt not but thou wilt say with me and many more That this is the Spiritual Day of Christ's Appearance wherein he is again revealing the antient Paths of Truth and Righteousness For thou mayst observe here the Christian Religion in all its parts truly established and vindicated as it is a living inward spiritual pure and substantial thing and not a meer form shew shadow notion and opinion as too many have hitherto held it whose Fruits declare they wanted that which they bear the name of and yet many of those are so in love with their Empty Forms and Shadows that they cease not to calumniate us for commending and calling them to the Substance as if we therefore denied or neglected the true Form and outward Part of Christianity which indeed is as God the Searcher of Hearts knows a very great Slander Thus because we have desired people earnestly to feel after God near and in themselves telling them That their Notions of God as he is beyond the Clouds will little avail them if they do not feel him near Hence they have sought malitiously to infer that we deny any God except that which is within us because we tell People That it is the Light and the Law within and not the Letter without that can truly tell them their Condition and lead them out of
As appeared in the Example of the Apostles themselves Now these People who hold forth the Principles and Doctrines hereafter to be mentioned were not gathered together by an Vnity of Opinion or by a tedious and particular Disquisition of Notions and Opinions requiring an Assent to them and binding themselves by Leagues and Covenants thereto but the manner of their Gathering was by a secret Want The Gathering of the True Church its Rise and Foundation which many truly tender and serious Souls in divers and sundry Sects found in themselves which put each Sect upon the Search of something beyond all Opinion which might satisfy their weary Souls even the Revelation of God's righteous Judgment in their Heart to burn up the unrighteous Root and Fruits thereof that the same being destroyed and done away the inward Peace and Joy of the Holy Spirit in the Soul might be felt to abound and thence Power and Life to follow him in all his Commandments And so many came to be joined and united together in Heart and Spirit in this one Life of Righteousness who had long been wandring in the several Sects and by the inward Vnity came to be gathered in one Body From whence by degrees they came to find themselves Agreed in the plain and simple Doctrines of Christ. * Which External Agreement as well in Doctrines as in the Practices necessarily following thereupon became as one External Bond and Tye of their outward and visible Fellowship obvious to the World whereby they are distinguished even to the Observation of Man from the several Sects professing the Name of Christ as the true Christians of Old were by their Adherence to the Orthodox Principles from other Hereticks that laid claim likewise to be Christians And as this inward Power they longed for and felt to give them Victory over Sin and bring the Peace that follows thereon was that whereby they were brought unto that Vnity and Community together so they came first thence to Accord in the Vniversal Preaching of this Power to all and directing all unto it which is their First and Chiefest Principle and most agreeable to this Vniversal Love as I shall hereafter shew And it is very Observable that as those whose Gathering and Fellowship arises from this meer Vnity of Notions and Opinions do usually derive their Name and Designation from the First Authors Inventors and Fomentors of those Opinions as of old the Arians Nestorians Manichaeans c. and of late the Lutherans Calvinists Armenians Socinians Mennonites c. so those People whose Vnity and Fellowship did arise from their Mutual Sense of this Power working in and upon their Souls that Society derives not their Name from any particular Man and therefore are providentially delivered from that great Mark of a Sect. But as the Vngodly will be always throwing some Name or Reproach upon the Children and Servants of God it being observed that through the deep and inward Operation of this Power in them a Dread took hold on them not only to the begetting of God's Fear in their Hearts but even to the reaching and instructing of their outward Man hence the Name of Quakers or Tremblers hath been Cast upon them which serveth to distinguish them from others though not Assumed by them Yet as the Christians of Old albeit the Name of Christian was cast upon them by way of Reproach gloried in it as desiring above all things to be accounted the Followers of Christ so they also are glad that the World Reproacheth them as such who Tremble before the Lord and who work out their Salvation in Fear and Trembling And truly the Lord seems by his Prophets of old to have foretold that his Children should be so Reproached as Isa. 66.5 Hear the Word of the Lord ye that Tremble at his Word your Brethren that hated you that cast you out for my Name 's sake said Let the Lord be Glorified and He shall Appear to your Joy and they shall be ashamed where a Joyful Appearance of God is promised to these Hated and Reproached Tremblers or Quakers And Jer. 33.9 does more clearly Prophesy how this Reproachful Name when cast upon his Children shall be Owned and Countenanced by the Lord in these very plain and Comfortable Words And it shall be to me a Name of Ioy The Honour wherewith the Lord will Honour his despised People a Praise and an Honour before all the Nations of the Earth which shall hear all the Good that I do unto them and they shall Fear and Tremble or Quake for all the Goodness and for all the Prosperity that I procure unto * Alias Them it 2. Mark of a Sect. As the Nature of a Sect ariseth from the Love of Self and its Production so in the last place there can be no more signal or certain Mark of a Sect than When a People seek to advance and propagate their Way in the strength of their own Spirits A Sect arises from the Love of Self reckoning the Preaching and Publishing thereof by their own Natural or Acquired Parts without the Necessity of the Inward Motion of the Holy Spirit both lawful and commendable and not only so but the advancing and establishing of the same by Outward Force and Violence For here is Man working without God or the Guidance of his Spirit in his own meer Strength and Will to set up his own Images and Inventions under a Pretence of Truths and pure Christianity But those that dare not seek to Advance even that But the Truth from the Denial of Self which they are perswaded is Truth in their own Will and Spirit far less by outward Force and Violence but in and by God's Spirit as he leads and moves to it by his Life and Power shew that such are not a Sect nor Followers of Man's Inventions but of Christ alone waiting to follow Him as He acts and moves them by his own Spirit and Power and therefore are no Sectarians but meer Christians The Chief and First Principle then held by those Christians I. That there is somewhat of God his Life Light in all Men able to bring them to Salvation which as I observed before naturally ariseth and was assented to by them from their Inward Sense that Tied them together is That there is somewhat of God some Light some Grace some Power some Measure of the Spirit some Divine Spiritual Heavenly Substantial Life and Vertue in all Men which is a Faithful Witness against all Vnrighteousness and Vngodliness in the Heart of Man and leads draws moves and inclines the Mind of Man to Righteousness and seeks to leaven him as he gives way thereunto into the Nature of it self whereby an inward thorow and real Redemption may be wrought in the Hearts of all Men of whatsoever Nation Country or Kindred they be notwithstanding whatsoever outward Knowledge or Benefit they be by the Providence of God necessarily deprived of Because whatsoever
have quick Eyes indeed that see it from thence to be Inferred that they were such ere they Committed any Actual Sin since the Apostle expresly mentions his and their having had their Conversation among the World as a Reason of their having been in the same Condition He saith further 1 Confess 1 Cor. 2. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood of the Rational Soul And what then Therefore so soon as they partake of the Rational Soul they become Children of Wrath This is indeed a rare Consequence But he must Excuse me for not Admitting it till better proved It would seem much more Rational to say That so soon as they come to the Exercise of their Rational Soul and then do Evil they become guilty for he cannot deny That the Gospel nor Condemneth nor Threatneth any Man but him that has Actually Sinned And whether this destroys not his Cause the Reader may judge That Except a Man be born again he cannot enter the Kingdom I never denied Albeit Children be capable of Death yet it will not follow that they are Guilty of Sin since Death is no Punishment but rather an Advantage to such to whom it 's a Transition to a better Life He thinks p. 117. that my saying Such as homologate their Fathers Sins God will visit the Iniquities of their Fathers upon them is no worth Noticing but whether his Answer be worth Noticing the Reader may judge which is That Adam 's sin was not a personal Sin as other Mens are and his own After-sins but the Man forgot to prove this and therefore may do it next But he thinks the Children of Core The Children of Core c. Instanced Dathan and Abiram of Achan and the Sodomites were judged guilty of their Fathers Sins for unless he proves that he saith nothing But for what Reason I know not unless that they were outwardly destroyed But until he prove that infers Guilt he must forbear making his Conclusion He is highly offended should say Their Opinion is contrary to the Justice and Mercy of God alledging It is without proof But if to account one guilty for a Sin committed by another Thousands of years ere they had a Being and to punish for it be not against Justice and inconsistent with Mercy I desire to know of him what is more Vnjust and Vnmerciful To say that this is an Accusing of God is but a silly begging of the Question until he has first proved his Opinion to be true It 's no Accusing of God to Condemn Mens Opinions when contrary to his Nature He will have it to be a Rapsody of Non-sense when I say This proceeds from Self-love founded on their Opinion of Absolute Reprobation but whether it be or not the Reader may judge Sure his saying it makes it not so That this of Infants being guilty of Adam 's Sin and therefore many of them being damned depends upon their Doctrine of Reprobation no Man of Sense that knows their Doctrine will deny since they say some Infants are saved because Elected Are not the rest then according to them Damned because Reprobated He gives me nothing here in answer but Railing and so concludes this Paragraph with this notable Saying Wo Isay that is Some Infants Elected some Reprobated J. B.'s Opinion J. Brown forsooth and thrice Wo to such as drink-in this Man's Doctrine and live and die accordingly p. 118. n. 14. He thinks my saying Papists are more Charitable in allowing a Limbus to Children shews my Affection to them but he has not heard me allow of their Notion of a Limbus as he does in the Chapter of Justification p. 310. of the Opinion of a certain Popish Cardinal preferring it not only to what is said by William Forbes a Protestant Bishop but even as it would appear to Richard Baxter his ancient Presbyterian Brother And in pursuance of this he asks How they come to Heaven meaning Children who have nothing to do with Christ But then what will he say of those he accounts Elect Children go they to Heaven without Christ If not the difficulty is the same way resolved To prove Children are under a Law and subject to Transgression he gives the Common Practices among Men who forfeit Children yea such as are unborn with their Fathers for great Crimes But in what Country do they use to kill all the Children when the Father is put to Death for a Crime and unless this were done his Comparison infers not the Point His plain answer he saith is Adam his being a Publick Person of which hereafter To my Citation Ezech. 18.20 The Son shall not bear the Father's Iniquity how Explained by J. B The Son shall not bear the Father's Iniquity he preaches at large upon the Words alledging his Meaning is that those Persons he wrote to had so much Sin of their own that God might justly judge them albeit he did not visit them for their Fathers Iniquities And this is the quick Dispatch he saith this Place receives It is a quick Way to Dispatch indeed if it were Valid to make the Meaning destroy the Text But Men of Sense use not to be sudden in receiving such Dispatches The Words are plain and positive The Son shall not bear the Father's Iniquity therefore until he give Ground from plain Scripture to take it away it must stand to the overthrow of his Doctrine for the greater Sinners those Men were the more justly and deservedly might their Father's Iniquity be laid upon them ¶ 6. Pag. 120. n. 17. He cometh from my Confession J. B. Infers Original Sin from Adam's being a publick Person That Adam was a publick Person to infer That the guilt passeth from him to all And first in this page he affirmeth That this Sin of Adam 's from whence Original Sin proceeds is the Sin of the whole Nature of Mankind and not like Adam 's After-sins and the Sins of other Men which he confesses are not the Sins of the whole Nature And because upon this dependeth much of what he infers he had done well to have proved this in the first Place by some Scripture Till which Time his Inference is not to be Received For did Adam Cease to be a publick Person after he had Committed that Sin If he say Yea let him prove it by plain Scripture for I deny it If not then his other Sins must be Imputed to all Men which he denies or else nothing can be urged from his being a publick Person And while to urge it he asketh Did ever any hear one stated as a Publick Person whose Failings could have no Effect until the Persons represented did testify their Approbation of it For here speaking of Failings he must either Conclude in Contradiction to himself That Adam's Sins are laid to the Charge of his Posterity or his Instance is wholly Impertinent And yet to go round again he takes notice p. 125. That the Apostle names One Offence in the
is wrapped up here he leaves to any that will to Judge But there is no Man of Reason dealing Impartially will Judge any Blasphemy to be here more than in the Apostle's Concession to the Athenians Act. 17.28 That we are the Off-spring of God That the Seed is a Substance and live and move in him And whereas he Mocks p. 241. at my saying The Seed is a Substance because it abideth in the hearts of the Vngodly even while they remain in Vngodliness asking Doth not Pravity Ignorance Rebellion c. remain in their hearts Are these therefore Substances But he allays his own Windy Triumphs by my following words that notwithstanding this Seed is in them they are not denominated by it which Wicked Men are by their Wickednesses while they continue in them and therefore it is a Substance since no Accident can be in a Subject unless the Subject be denominated there-from To this he asks Why a Man in whom this Seed and Grace is may not be denominated Graced and Enlightned and as if it were Absurd to deny they might be so denominated he Concludes And thus this Substance shall be turned into an Accidens by this Man's Philosophy But the Reason is Clear because they partake not of the Vertue of it nor have not suffered it to Work in them as by the Example of Physick being in a Sick-man I did shew and therefore he has no go-by for this but a pitiful Impertinency That if there be such a difference betwixt this Seed and Holiness as betwixt Physick and Health then it is no part of Holiness for I never said there was such a Difference in every respect but only in respect of the Difference betwixt a Substance and an Accident for Clearing of which only the Example was brought And whereas he would several times Insinuate here in this p. 232 233. my Asserting the Seed to be in all did import Christ dwelling in all that no such thing followeth I have shewen in my Apology which himself elsewhere observeth for I shwe there is a difference betwixt meer In-being Christ's Inhabitation imports an Vnion and Inhabation the last imports Vnion and not the first Themselves Confess God to be every-where and yet they will not say God dwells in the Wicked yea notwithstanding God's Omni-presence it is said Some are without God in the World by reason of their being not Vnited to him And thus are answered his Cavils p. 243. so that I need not further urge until he has removed this difficulty from Amos 2.12 Only it is observable how great pains the Man is at here to shew how faulty their Translation of the Bible is But how can it then be a Sure Rule of Faith to any And whereas he saith p. 236. That when it is said The Seed is received in the heart it is supposed it was not formerly there I deny that Consequence Money may be brought unto a Man's house and yet he not have received it The piece of Silver which the Woman Luk. 15. in the Parable had lost and to which the Kingdom of God was Compared was in her House and yet she rejoyced not until Lighting the Candle and Sweeping the House she had found it What he Repeats so often to make an odious Noise of my making this Grace Vniversal That Turks Japonians Cannibals c. have it who never heard of Christ is Impertinent since he has a Chapter afterwards for that of purpose where it shall be Examined As also what he saith p. 245. he thinks strange Any such should partake of the Benefit of this Mystery for I speak not of their knowing the Mystery That 's one of his usual Tricks to foist-in other Words to alter the Matter ¶ 5. Having thus Traversed his Tedious Perversions unto p. 251. N. 25. where he pretends to have Traced me to my Den while he has only fallen into the Pit of his own making I come to Examine his pretended Examination of the Grounds I bring for this he terms my Wild Assertion And first unto Joh. 1.9 J. B'S vain Quarrels and Objections against the Vniversality of the Light Asserted by John c. 1.9 That was the True Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World In stead of an Answer he tells a long Story of some taking it one way some another Then after he has plaid the Dictator a while in telling his own Conception he Concludes at last That every one is not to be understood of All without Exception because the Scripture tells of many whose Vnderstandings are darkned who are under the Power of Darkness who abide in the Darkness What then that will not prove that Light is not Come to them in order to bring them out of that Darkness since Christ saith expressly Joh. 3. of such that Light is come but Men love Darkness rather and those that love it are under the Power of it And as they continue to love it and hate the Light they abide in it But it seems not being satisfied with his own Answer he proceeds p. 252. N. 26. to Confess All Men are enlightned but not spiritually supernaturally and savingly but for this he giveth no proof but his own Assertion And truly he must be much puzzled with this Scripture for he knows not what way to take it First he understands Every Man only of Believers and then he will have the Enlightning to be Saving and Spiritual then he understands it of All Indifferently and then he will have it to be Common and not Saving But with these his Guessings and Divinings he is not like to satisfy any sober Christian. He goes on at the same rate of Vncertainty p. 253. upon these Words That the Life is the Light of Men doubting what is the meaning of them After he has told Calvin's Origen's and Marlorat's Thoughts he Concludes That though Light be come into the World yet Men love darkness better and none become Children of the Light but by believing And that all are not Children of the Light which I never denied He goes on to tell Calvin's further Thoughts of the following Words all which shews this place pains him But overturns nothing of what I have Asserted And then p. 254. N. 29. he refers me to his eight Chapter to prove That Every Man here admits an Exclusion which a little before he Confessed it did not adding That the Text it self inferreth a Restriction when it tells Darkness did not comprehend the Light But this imports no more than some's Rejecting which I deny not but not that the Light shined not For it is expressly said It shined in the Darkness so it was there which is the thing in debate and the Text saith positively This true Light lighteth every Man and therefore it is but to Cover his own Shame and Weakness that in stead of something more solid he closes this Paragraph with a Ridiculous Bob saying Quakers are good at Dreaming But this silly Covering
they urge from Rom. 3.20 by the Deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified Works of the Moral Law Justify not which I shew is to be understood of Works done and not by the Grace of God he answers That such are no good Works at all But may not a Man do some of the Works which even the Moral Law commands such as not to commit Murder Theft or Adultery without the Grace of God Hath not he confessed as much of some Heathens whom he judgeth not to have had the Grace of God and will he say these Works are not materially good albeit not formally with a respect to any advantage as to Salvation they receive by them And though it should be confessed That all is not always Requisite to be Antecedent to Justification which falls out to be Antecedent to Salvation yet the Question is Whether there be anything absolutely Requisite to be Antecedent to Salvation which is not also absolutely Requisite to be Antecedent to Justification If not then if Works be absolutely necessary or so far as they are absolutely necessary to Salvation they must also be so to Justification If he say other ways then as I observed before full and perfect Justification according to him must not be esteemed sufficient to Salvation J. B. pleads the Works of the Spirit to be Impure Pag. 322. N. 42. He comes to prove the Best Works even those wrought by the Spirit in the Saints to be Impure which before also he had affirmed pag. 307. there he would Infer we say the same of good Works because I affirm That Works done by Man's own Strength are polluted But it will not thence follow we believe Works done by the Grace of God to be such But for this Impurity of good Works he marks Psal. 143.2.130 3. Job 9.16 none of which speak one Word of good Works thus understood Then he mentions Esai 64.6 All our Righteousness is as filthy Rags but silently passeth over how I shew their own Authors as Calvin and Musculus c. affirm this not to be understood of Evangelical Righteousness and himself overturns what he urges from this Works of the Spirit to be pure and undefiled confessed by J. B. affirming That we ought not to call the Work of the Spirit of God in his People Filthy Rags But if they were so they might be so called and yet he overturns it further by confessing Some Works wrought by the Apostles were undefiled then all the Works wrought by the Spirit in the Saints cannot be said to be Impure which is their Assertion And the Instance of Clean Water passing through an Vnclean Pipe doth not hold which is their great probation He will not Contend with what I say about the word Merit neither hath he much against my Conclusion in this matter yet that he may end this Chapter like himself he concludeth it with a gross Lie and Railing saying I affirm A Man may be Regenerated without the least help of the Grace of God J. B's gross Lie which as I wholly abhor so there cannot be a greater Falshood alledged upon me SECT IX Wherein his Fourteenth Chapter Of Perfection is Considered ¶ 1. I Come now to his Fourteenth Chapter Of Perfection where after he has repeated my Eighth Proposition he reckons it Confidence in me to Accuse their Answer in their Larger Catechism of speaking against the Power of Divine Grace which saith That Man is not able by any Grace of God received in this Life to keep the Commands of God But in stead of justifying this Assertion he saith They are not ashamed of it Then he recurreth a little to his Author Hicks according to his Custom and falls a Railing where among other great Charges he accuseth the Quakers of Reproaching Reviling Calumnies Scolding and the like J. B. a Railer exceeding others confessed by his own Party Also pag. 329. speaking of bridling the Tongue But he of all Men should have been silent in this who is such a Railer in the Superlative Degree that some of his own Faith who have Bad enough Thoughts of the Quakers have said that he not only Equals them but Exceeds them in Railing Of his Railing in this Chapter the Reader may further observe pag. 332 345-349 Here as in his former Chapter to enervate the Perfection asserted by me he brings forth his old and often-repeated Calumny as if I asserted This Perfection to proceed meerly from the Light of Nature affirming The Light pleaded for by me p. 227. to be such His false Charges as never came from the Grace of God to be Flesh Blindness Enmity to God Natural Sensual c. affirming that I say Man is Regenerated Sanctified Justified though not one Ray of Divine Illumination hath shined into his Soul nor one Act of Grace has reached either his Intellect Will or Affection to cause this Change The like p. 331. All which is most abominable false and never either believed or asserted by me and therefore all he concludes upon this malitious Assertion falls to the Ground and needs no further Answer Next he bestows much Pains p. 328 329. to shew from the Hebrew and Greek Word that Perfection is sometimes understood of Sincerity and Integrity and Perfection in these Respects he thus Defines In Regeneration the whole Man is changed Perfection defined so that he is now born a New Creature sanctified wholly in Mind Heart Spirit Affections Consciences Memory and Body though but in a small Measure or degree and again Yielding impartial Obedience through the Grace of God unto all God's Precepts waving none But if he will stand by what he here Asserts I will desire no more albeit he falsly say in the following page That all this will not satisfy us For I would desire the next time Breaking the Commands daily c. is not Perfection nor a growing in Grace he would Reconcile this with Breaking the Commands daily in Thought Word and Deed. To prove this he insists in Contradiction to what he said before p. 330. N. 7. and his Proofs are 1 Because in Christ's House there are diverse Sizes and Degrees of Persons as Babes or little Children young Men old Men And this is not denied but the thing he should have proved is that none of those Degrees can be without daily breaking God's Commands His Second Proof is yet more rare Christians are exhorted to grow in Grace to put off the Old Man which is corrupt to put on the New Man to mortify their Members Very good But is To break the Commands daily in Thought Word and Deed the way to grow in Grace to put off the old Man and on the New If this be not to pervert Christianity what can be said to be so If Men can dream waking as he sometimes supposes he has sure been in this Posture when he brought this Proof But he adds That this Perfection rendreth Gospel-Commands useless But