That they are a full Rule 2. That the Will of God laid down in them is the only Rule 3. That they are a Trying Rule 4. A Binding Rule and that in those things of which the Light in every man saith nothing 5. An infallible Rule to Heaven If these things be made good and on the contrary so much cannot be said for the Light in every man that it is a full Rule that Gods Will as much as is revealed by it is the only Rule that it is a trying Rule a bin ing Rule in those things in which the Scripture saith nothing an infallible Rule and Guide to Heaven then it will appear we have greater reason to cleave to Scripture than to the Light that is in every man as the highest and safest Rule to Heaven I assert 1. The Scriptures are a full Rule a Rule discovering all things necessary to Salvation the whole Mind and Will of God concerning his Churches duty according to which if we sincerely endeavour to walk 't is impossible we should miss of Heaven This Assertion they would have me prove in the second Dispute Nay said I we will differ first you shall grant it or deny it Loath they were to grant deny they could not But being press'd to it it was acknowledged that the Scriptures are a full Rule And so ought all men to acknowledge for saith the Holy Ghost Prov. 30 7. Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a Liar There needs no addition to Gods Words written to make them a full Rule to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.16 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good work If the Scriptures can direct Gods Church and People to every good work then there is not any duty they are bound to not any good Work but they are there directed to it consequently they are a most full Rule unto Salvation What good reason have all to cleave to this Rule It cannot he denied that they who walk by it take the right way to Salvation Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and keepeth the words of the Prophecy of this Book These men seeing their Cause wounded by this Acknowledgment would fain lick themselves whole again by this Addition p. 9. Though the Will of God laid down in Scripture be the Rule p. 27 the full Rule yet this Will is that we should follow the Light within and the Spirit of God within to guide us into all Truth A. They speak impertinently here of the Spirit which by the Scriptures and not without leads all the faithful into all Truth The Spirit is one thing the Light in every man of which we now dispute another When they say 't is Gods will laid down in Scripture that we follow the Light within I ask Do they mean that we follow the Light in every man as a full Rule Then let them shew where doth the Scripture point at this Light as a full Rule Do they mean that we follow this Light and go not against Reason and Conscience in those things which it is able to direct us agreeing with the Scriptures indeed amongst a thousand Commands in Scripture this is one Isa 46 5 6 7 8. God calls on those that would worship him by similitudes to shew themselves men to act according to reason which is able to tell them that nothing visible can represent Gods Excellencies I said before that the Light in every man is not wholly to be cast off nor do any of us say the voice of Conscience is to be slighted but obeyed so far as it speaks according to Scripture this derogates nothing from the fulness of the Scripture How would these miserable men unsay what they have said Will they say that that single Command of regarding the Light in every man in what it can speak according to Scripture is of it self alone all the fulness of the Scripture Alas this were to say that there is nothing else in all the Scriptures but that one single Command repeated over and over for if there be a thousand more and Exhortations and Reproofs and Threats and Promises and approved Examples and Gospel-Discoveries c. they do all concur to the fulness of the Scripture the Wound bleeds still a fulness they have acknowledged to be in Scripture and cannot go back Whoever them give themselves up to walk according to Scripture rule cannot miss of Heaven whoever cast off the Scriptures either in whole or in part cast off that rule that would fully guide them to Heaven our Adversaries themselves being Judges Obj. But G. W. objects p. 27. You granted we have but part of the Scriptures Answ Do these men fight with themselves Would they prove the Scriptures no full rule and yet acknowledge they are Some Books the Prophets wrote are lost indeed as the Book of Nathan the Prophet and the Prophesie of Ahijah the Shilonite and the Vision of Iddo the Seer 2 Chron. 9.29 The Book of Themajah the Prophet 2 Chron. 12.15 and others Yet what was the Canon and what God designed to be his Churches Rule in all future Ages is entirely preserved and shall be unto the end of the world Matth. 5.18 Heaven and Earth shall pass but one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the Law the Churches Rule till all be fulfilled 2 Pet. 1.19 We have a more sure Word of Prophesie unto which ye do well to attend as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place untill the Day of Glory dawn and the Day star arise in your hearts till having overcome Rev. 2.26 28. the Lord Christ be received into your hearts by Vision as now by Faith Thus we may see cause to rejoyce in the Scriptures as a full Rule to Heaven though many Writings of the Prophets are lost Can this he said for the Light in every man that it is also a full rule Concerning it I yield that without the Scriptures this Light is able to discover something of God and his Mind and Will unto us It can reveal that there is a God that he is to be feared loved trusted in worshipped that his Name is to be reverenced that some time is to be set apart for his worship that Parents are to be honoured Magistrates submitted to Children provided for that we are to love one another not take away one anothers Life unjustly that we are to fly Adultery Stealing Cheating Lying to tender our Neigbours good Name These things have been found amongst Heathens that enjoy not Scripture nor supernatural Revelation And in these things because the Light in every man speaks according to Scripture we are to attend unto it But â— I deny that it can without the Scripture shew to us our whole duty or that without the Scripture it can shew to any enough to save them Yea I deny that this Light can of it self and without
immediately by his Spirit reveal savingly all necessary Truths to them who in comparison of a Light they have in common with the Heathen despise the precious Scriptures Christ is a Mystery made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 16.25 26. But he that trusts to his own heart to make manifest Christ to him is a Fool. Obj. P. 29. We have a more sure Word of Prophesie unto which ye do well to take heed till the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts Therefore by minding this Light within by degrees it will reveal Christ to us They draw not these Conclusions but I am so far from hiding their strength as they have done mine that I had rather improve their Arguments to the utmost for them Answ 1. Prove that by the Dawning of the Day or the Day-star arising in the Heart is to be understood Christs first appearance in Grace unto their Souls Had not Christ thus appeared to them already were they not Believers 2. Prove that by the Word of Prophesie is to be understood the Light in every man Can this Light help every man to Prophesie are all Prophets 3. The Word of Prophesie is the Scripture in which are written the true Prophesies of God Unto which we are to attend as long as we live on Earth even till the Day of Glory dawn and the Day-star Christ Jesus after that we have overcome Rev. 2 26.28 ariseth in our hearts taken in by Vision as now by Faith Arg. 4. If the Spirit guides Believers into all Truth p. 28. then the Light of this Spirit within must needs be a sufficient or full Rule Answ 1. It is not said that the Light in every man guides into all truth 2. Nor is it said that the Spirit guides every man yea or any man without the Scriptures into all truth 3 The true sense is That the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures and enlightning the minds of Believers shall lead them into all Truths necessary to Salvation 'T is weak to argue Believers who enjoy the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures have a full Rule therefore every man hath even those that enjoy neither the Spirit nor the Scriptures but are left to the meer Light that is in every man to guide them Thus it may be seen that neither in the Dispute nor by the improvement of his Arguments then urged nor by his Additional Arguments hath G. W. made good his Assertion that the Light in every man is a full Rule I shall now because I look on this point as the very Seat of the Controversie lay down what I urged and might have been urged to prove That the Light in every man is not a full Rule and consequently no Rule at all by it self to Salvation Arg. 1. If God saw good that even in Innocency this Light which we bring with us into the world should not be mans full and whole Rule nor after to Moses nor after to Christ's time nor in Christ's time nor in the Apostles days then there is little reason to fancy 't is a full Rule now But God saw good that even in Innocency this Light should not be our full and whole Rule for to this he added a Brohibition of eating the Tree of Knowledge to be parts of Adam's Rule nor after to Moses for they were to offer Sacrifices and be Circumcised Nor after to Christ for the Ceremonial Law was part of their Rule nor in Christs time for he observed the Ceremonial Law and also submitted to Baptism Nor in the Apostles days for they upheld the Ordinance of Baptism and of the Supper None of all which things could this Light of it self and without supernatural Revelation direct us to as our Duty and therefore neither may it be looked on now as our full or whole Rule Obj. Touching Innocency G. W. objected Adam could discern by his Light within he ought to abstain from that Fruit. Answ After and by the positive prohibition he was able to know it But it was asked him Could he have discerned it by the meer Light he brought with him into the World without the positive Prohibition He acknowledged He could not So in the positive Institution of Christ it was replied G. W. if he would not shut his Eyes might by the Light within him understand that the Celebration of Baptism and the Supper is the Churches Duty though without those Institutions promulged no man with all his Light is able to find it out Here let it be taken notice that he granted in effect the whole Argument For he granted that before the Prohibition came his Light could not discover what was Gods pleasure touching the Tree of Knowledge and yet he yields that God made abstinence from this Tree his Duty which is the whole contended for And if even in Innocency Mans perfect Light must not be the whole of his Rule but to vindicate his absolute Dominion and to maintain his just Prerogative would at his pleasure impose duty on man over and above what his Light within could shew a reason for what a miserable Mistake is it to imagine that now mans decayed Light should by Gods appointment be the whole of that Rule we are to walk by But though all was thus granted and is very plain yet troubled to see it go so ill with his Cause he cavils p. 30. much to this purpose Was not God in Adam A. God is one thing Adams Light another created of God in him God could reveal his pleasure as he did by the Prohibition but Adams Light without that Prohibition could not shew Adam what was Gods Pleasure as to this Tree as himself hath acknowledged He objects further p. 30. mightily to the purpose The Scriptures were not Adams Rule A. Draw the Conclusion Therefore Adams Light without the prohibition could discern that it was Gods pleasure he should not eat of the Tree of Knowledge These things hang closely Obj. Abraham Enoch had a Rule before the Scriptures were written the Pen-men also directing them in writing These Impertinencies seem to prove something though nothing to the Point in hand I therefore answer 1. Though the Scriptures were not Adams Rule because then not written yet to abstain from the Tree of Knowledge was part of his Rule in Innocency To believe in the Seed of the Woman for breaking of the Serpents Head was part of his Rule after the Fall as also Sacrificing Circumcision part of Abrahams Rule All and every of which Duties the Light in every man could by no means find out without Supernatural Revelation God was pleas'd to reveal these Duties immediately to select persons as Adam Abraham and from them by Tradition and Preaching to communicate them to his Church in following Generations And thus it appears that before the Scriptures were written the Light in every man was not his full Rule but Gods will supernaturally revealed and conveyed to posterity by Tradition and Preaching part thereof But now it pleased
our Gracious God supernaturally to reveal his whole Will touching his Churches duty to the end of the World unto particular men moving them by his Spirit to write which motion was their Rule for that Action the same and commanding others to transcribe Copies that so our guidance to Heaven might safely be conveyed to posterity not lost through neglect nor forgotten through the slipperiness of his peoples Memories nor altered by relating it from mouth to mouth nor corrupted by the Relation of it made sometimes by wicked men So that as before the Scriptures were written Gods Will made known partly by the Light in every man partly by Supernatural Revelation and conueyed to posterity by word of mouth Tradition and Preaching was the full Rule of the Church then living so the same Will of God more clearly and brightly made known by Supernatural Revelation and conveyed down to us most safely by the Holy Scriptures of the Prophets and others is our full Rule in which we are to triumph as guiding us comfortably to Glory and Salvation Obj. Touching the Ceremonial Law he objects p. 31. As for those Laws of Ceremonies and Shadows to the Jews Salvation doth not depend upon them Answ This is much to the purpose The Query is whether those Laws were not part of their Rule before the death of Christ and whether the Light in them without the promulgation of those Laws could discover them Though our Salvation doth not depend on the Jewish Ceremonies yet had not the neglect of them before Christ's death been sin to a Jew Had not the contempt of them then been the hazard of his Soul Then it follows that these Laws were part of their Rule and that the Light within them was not their full or whole Rule The same is to be said for the Supper and Baptism in the Apostles days These were part of the Churches duty yet the Light within without the help of Supernatural Revelation or the Institution promulged could not discover it Obj. p. 8. If the Light within doth not dictate Baptism nor the Supper then if you Baptize you do it not as lead thereto by the Light within Answ 1. Would these men prove that the Light within without the help of Supernatural Revelation can see Baptism and the Supper a Duty Why then are they against it rebelling against the Light within 2. By the help of Supernatural Revelation even the Scriptures our Reason can tell us our Consciences can convince us of our duty herein And we dare not shut our eyes against the Truth lest we perish for ever But were it not for Scriptures our Light within could say nothing here To conclude Since something which the meer Light within could not reveal hath been the Duty of Gods people from Adam in Innocency to the Apostles days it followeth that in all that time the Light within was not their full Rule And certainly that Rule that comes short of what the Church in the Apostles days went to Heaven by cannot be a full Rule to us Arg. 2. That which doth not reveal many duties which we are bound to perform cannot be to us a full Rule and safely bring us to Glory A full Rule reveals all our duty whatever God would have his Church do and is pleasing to him But this Light in every man doth not reveal many duties which we are bound to perform We are bound to believe that the Father is God the Son God the Holy Ghost God and that these three are one God But these are high mysterious Truths which without Supernatural Revelation the Light in every man can no way discover We are bound to believe the Resurrection of our Bodies a fundamental Article of our Faith but Reason cannot assure us of this to seek for a new Birth but meer Reason cannot apprehend this nor the tendency of it no more than whither the wind goeth To pray that Gods Kingdom might come his Spirit might govern within us and cause us to bring forth fruit hearing the Word But this is a Mystery Mark 4.11 20. We are bound not to have the least motion or inclination in our hearts to sin against God Thou shalt not covet Consequently to repent of any such Motion fly to Christs Blood for the pardon of it but by the light within Paul had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet We are bound to believe and repent of our Fall in Adam and consequently fly to Christ for recovery but laying aside Scriptures this light cannot reveal that Adams eating the fruit of a Tree should be our Fall We are bound to keep the first day of the week a Sabbath to the Lord one day in seven we are enjoyned in the fourth Commandment the seventh from the Creation is not now the day Col. 2.6 Let no man judge you in Meat or Drink or in respect of a holy day or the New Moon or of the Sabbath days It must then be one of the other six and which doth the Scripture point out unto so much as the first John was in the Spirit on the Lords day And the Disciples met on the first day of the week to break Bread The bare light in every man cannot shew this We are bound to celebrate the Ordinance of Baptism Go Baptize The Ordinance of the Supper Do this By all this it appears this light cannot be a full Rule As much duty as it can reveal ought to be done these things which it cannot reveal ought not to be left undone If we would safely get to Heaven we must with Caleb fully follow the Lord obey him in all his Commandments and not those only this Light reveals Herod could do many things Arg. 3. My chief Argument is this That which reveals not Christ cannot possibly be a full Rule or by it self any Rule at all to Heaven But the Light in every man without Supernatural Revelation can make no discovery of Christ Therefore it cannot possibly be a full Rule or by it self be any Rule at all that can guide any to Salvation The Major I prove That that reveals not Christ can of it self be no Rule at all to Heaven Two things will clear this 1. There is no Salvation but by Christ God hath indeed exalted Christ to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of Sins But there is not Salvation in any other Acts 4 12. For there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ John 14.6 No man cometh unto the Father but by me As there is but one God so there is but one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 They that are without Christ are without God without hope Ephes 2.12 2. There is no Interest in Christ without Knowledge and Faith in him This is that which the promise
heart the whole Truth as much as is necessary to salvation What though it should be able infallibly to tells us that we ought not to commit murther or adultery and direct us in some other few moral duties Yet as long as it cannot infallibly reveal all Truth necessary to salvation for as hath been shewn 't is no full Rule it cannot possibly be an infallible Rule to heaven 4. Can it be said that every man hath an infallible Spirit of discerning the Counsels of this Light within him from the Counsels of darkness sin and error within him and of Satan that hath access to him If every man had such a spirit yet were not this Light to be preferred because it reveals but few truths in comparison of the Scriptures But the unconverted have not p. 16. Paul mistaken was unconverted And saith our Saviour They that kill you shall think they do God service They find no counsel in Scripture putting them upon this therefore they must find it in their own hearts 'T is the Counsel of darkness and error yet taken for the Counsel of their Light for they approve it and think it to be from God They are not therefore infallibly guided in judging the counsels of their hearts Nor have the converted this infallible spirit of discerning the dictates of Light within from the dictates of Darkness The young Prophet could not discern when the old one counselled in the name of the Lord to come back and eat Bread 1 King 1.18 David thought he should please God by bringing up the Ark though in a Cart 'T was by the Counsel of his own heart not of the Scriptures Nathan thought David might build God a Temple 2 Sam. 7.2 3. Since no man hath an infallible Spirit of discerning between the Counsels of Light and Darkness in the heart how can men say of every motion in their hearts I am as sure this is and this is not from God as they can say of all the Counsels in the Scripture I am sure these are from God When men have their right sense of what is counselled in their hearts they may possibly take Error for Truth When they have the right sense of what is counselled in Scripture they cannot We need no infallible Spirit to help to discern the Counsels of Light and Darkness in Scripture for all there comes from God To make the Counsels of the Scripture our Rule is safe To make the Counsels of our hearts dangerous 'T is the way to be led into a thousand errors A deceived heart hath turned them aside 5. May it not be possible for the Light in every man to dictate some error for Truth at least through our fault forcing it to speak when it should be silent Obj. It might be objected that I confessed it to be a Light wrought by the spirit of God in every man and how possibly can a Light of the Spirit of God direct amiss Answ 1. The Spirit the Creator who speaks in the Scripture cannot possibly fall from his goodness and dictate Error But things created are in their nature mutable may fall from their goodness and dictate Error as is to be seen in many of the Angels and in our first Parents Consider Evahs Judgement which was wrought by the Spirit of God Gen. 3.6 The Woman saw that the Tree was to be desired to make one wise She saw 't was an act of her Judgement or that power of judging which the spirit of God had in perfection created in her She saw that the Tree was to be desired 't was false She erred Here you see what the Spirit of God reveals is mutable and falls from its goodness and so dictates Error And if Evahs Judgement failed her may not our power of judging what is Gods will what not call it Light or what you will fail us though created by the spirit of God 2. This Light that Gods spirit hath created in us is now placed there where it meets with much Darkness and Vice to corrupt it But a corrupt Judge will pass a wrong sentence 3. Paul persecuting the Church acted according to his conscience Act. 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth The Scripture sets forth Conscience by thoughts Ro. 2.15 Their Conscience bearing witness and their thoughts mean while accusing or excusing one another Therefore Pauls Conscience put him on to persecute The great Query is whether Pauls Conscience did act according to Pauls Light or against his Light or according to his Darkness only his Light standing Neuter Not against his Light for Paul not having studied the Scriptures sufficiently concerning Christ not having attended to the Doctrine of Christ preached by his Disciples was not informed concerning Christ the light he brought with him into the world unable to reveal that there should be a Christ much less that this Jesus of Nazareth is he he therefore had no Light concerning Jesus of Nazareth for his Conscience to act against further though a man may act against his own light yet a mans Conscience never acts against his Light Hence is it that when a man acts against his Light he acts against his Conscience also this ever siding with his Light If it should be said Pauls Conscience acted according to his darkness only his Light standing Neuter I ask what Light was that that stood Neuter Any Light able then to reveal Jesus of Nazareth to be the Christ Since he had no such Light no such Light could stand Neuter Let it be considered God sets up Conscience in man to act according to the best present Light in him This cannot be denied Hence when Conscience hath not satisfying light to act by it is doubtful and refuseth to encourage to act when it hath light discovering such an action contrary to Gods Will it restrains from doing it if it be done it accuseth condemneth When it hath light representing such an action pleasing to God it puts on to do it excuseth approveth a man for doing it And doth it with any confidence encourage to do a thing unless a mans best present light be positively for it Since Pauls Conscience did positively put him on to persecute the Church and this with all confidence I thought verily I conclude Pauls Light stood not Neuter but his present Light his best present light all his best present light was positively for persecuting the Church of Christ Now judge whether this light within may not dictate Sin for Duty Errour for Truth 4. It is possible for darkness to prompt Errour in stead of Truth But this Light which the Spirit of God hath created in every man is darkness Therefore it is possible nay very easie for this Light to prompt Errour and hard in some cases to do otherwise That it is darkness I prove Matth. 6.23 If thine Eye be evil thy whole Body is full of darkness Some peoples eyes are evil and if
now to expect a Revelation of all Truths necessary to salvation by the immediate objective teachings of Gods Spirit It is not for us to expect and promise our selves or others this if the Lord hath no where promised it Can it be proved when Christ saith The Spirit shall lead you into all truth that this is to be understood without means without the Scripture When God saith They shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me The sense is they shall not teach as the unconverted are to be taught who believe not who have no saving knowledge of God at all So they who have received the anointing need not as doubting and unbelieving persons that any teach them that Jesus is the Christ Can it be proved that the words are to be understood in that sense as to exclude the Ministry from edifying the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith This Assertion That God is pleased objectively and immediately by his Spirit to reveal to all men or to his own people at least all Truths and all Duty necessary to Salvation so that they need not mind the Scripture but only wait for these immediate objective Teachings is the Wile of Satan whereby evil men take people off from what they acknowledge the full and the only Rule to lead them into a thousand Errours I prove it an Errour by these Arguments following Arg. 1. God hath promised that in order to his peoples instruction in matters necessary to Salvation his Word shall concur with his Spirit to the end of the world Therefore 't is not his pleasure to teach his people these necessary Truths immediately or without the word much less to teach all men The promise we have Isa 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seed nor out of the mouth of thy Seeds Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Arg. 2. God never from the beginning of the world to the Apostles days so taught his Church much less all men Therefore 't is without reason to imagine he doth so now Not in Innocency for the Moral Law he taught Adam by that Light he was created with which Moral Law contained necessary Truths to his Salvation In Moses's days though he himself was so taught yet none else the Church was taught mediately by Moses his Ministry In the Apostles days the Church was taught by their Ministry The Apostles themselves had immediate Revelation the Prophets also but 1 Cor. 12.29 Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Arg. 3. Excepting Moses there cannot a man be shewn to whom God by immediate Revelation discovered all Duties necessary to Salvation Paul might seem the most likely but though the Gospel was so manifested to him yet not the Law this was partly by the Law of Nature partly by the consideration of the works of Creation especially by the Scriptures How fond is the Conceit then that the whole Church should now be so taught Arg. 4. Had it been Gods purpose in Gospel times to teach all men nay to teach his whole Church immediately all their Duty then would he not have provided for this end Scriptures inspiring his word into Holy men and moving them to write it and enduing them with the Spirit of Prophesie and the Spirit of Miracles to render them credible that without hesitancy his Church might embrace the word wrote by them for the undoubted Truth of God Had this been Gods pleasure he would not have appointed a Ministry and that to continue to the end of the world for this very end to instruct his Church in those Truths that are necessary to Salvation Go preach saith Christ I am with you always to the end of the world And he gave some Apostles some Pastors and Teachers for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come into the unity of Faith Did God provide Scripture and appoint Ministers with an intent not to use them but to do all immediately by his Spirit without them When God gives Means he doth not ordinarily work without means but by them It is worth observation where the Scripture and Ministry are vouchsafed the Heathen attain only to know Moral Duties nothing of Christ Is it not because God concurs to teach them with the means they have the Law of Nature but doth not supply the want of means they have not to teach them immediately Jesus Christ Where therefore he hath given Scriptures and the Ministry he doth not ordinarily teach without them Men may as well expect God should ordinarily preserve life and strength without Bread Arg. 5. Immediate teachings were extraordinary things Therefore not to be expected by all men nor ordinarily and for continuance by the Church Look on them in Abraham in Moses in Samuel or any of the Prophets they were extraordinary Those persons chosen above any for God thus to reveal himself to The Revelation at certain times only 1 Sam. 3. The Lord called Samuel and to him denounced Judgment upon Elies House It was so extraordinary that all Israel v. 20. from Dan to Beersheba took notice of it and hereby knew that Samuel was established a Prophet of the Lord. And v. 21. It is said God appeared to him again in Shiloh This was no ordinary thing Daniel's and Ezekiel's Visions no ordinary things nor were Joseph's and Nebuchadnezzar's and Pharaoh's Dreams nor John's Revelation Every one nay every Believer must not look that the Sun should stand still at his Prayers or the Sea be driven back for him This were to confound ordinary with extraordinary Arg. 6. He that is by the Spirit immediately taught the Gospel can say I received it not of man neither was I taught it but by Revelation of the Holy Ghost But every Believer cannot say so Therefore every Believer is not immediately taught the Gospel Arg. 7. If immediate teaching be a sufficient Rule to Heaven then Believers need not hear the Word or read the Scriptures But God commanding Believers Be swift to hear Remember the Law of Moses my Servant Vnto the word of Prophesie ye do well to attend Thou shalt read Deut. 17.10 puts them not upon a needless duty Arg. 8. If every Believer hath immediate teachings then every one of them can write Gods mind as infallibly as the Pen-men of the Scripture Then every believer may add to the Scripture and enlarge the Churches Canon Whereas Heb. 1.1 God did deliver the Churches Canon by parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now by his Son which opposed to the former discovers the whole Canon is by Christ delivered no more parts that may be added are now to be expected Arg. 9 They that hold this must either say
understand it Answ 2. Sometimes the word fulfil is used to signifie most perfect exact and through conformity to every title of Gods Law Mat. 15.17 18. I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil And thus in the other world Gods people shall attain to fulfil the Righteousness of the Law but not in this He that affirms it must prove it Answ 3. Yet our Divines understand the Righteousness of Justification This being the Scope of the Aposile to prove no condemnation to believers because the Gospel or Law of the Spirit of Life frees them from the condemning power of the Law of Works because God sent his Son and condemned our sin in him who had perfectly obeyed the Law that through the imputation of what Christ hath done and suffered we might be looked on as if from the beginning of Life to the end to have obeyed the Law as creatures to have satisfied it as sinners 10. You plead for Sin This is in every ones mouth An opprobrious and gross slander Answ 1. Do we say it is lawful to sin Let it be considered who do more call men off from sin they or we Their Light without the Scriptures will help to call men off from Lying Injustice Uncleanness Disobedience to Parents and such like Duties of the Law of Nature And do we tell men it is not needful to forsake these sins We urge men to forsake these and to the observance of the Christian Sabbath we press to secret Prayer and prayer in the Family to begging of God a Blessing on the food we take after the example of Christ we press to repent of the very being of an evil thought in us arising out of our hearts and of a Nature inclining us to offend we press the Celebration of the never abolish'd Ordinances of Baptism and the Supper we press to seek remission by the Blood of Christ All these according to the Doctrine of the Apostles on whom with the rest of the true Church of God we are built and according to the unerring Rule of Gods word written Who do press men unto Holiness who do call men off from Sin more than we Answ 2. Do not we denounce against men that if they allow themselves in any Sin and Wickedness they must perish to Eternity Answ 3. Do we not say it is the duty of all to be perfect and to press after it to watch against all even the least sins to repent of every failing and fly to Christs blood and Gods free Grace for pardon Answ 4. We do indeed tell men that God will accept of their sincere and true endeavour to do all flowing from Faith in his Grace and the Merits of Christ though they cannot attain to be quite free from Sin It may be he will say this Doctrine encourageth to Sin But I say this Doctrine naturally encourageth to strive against Sin and endeavour after Holiness whereas the contrary discourageth and takes men off from their endeavours If two Companies of Children were to run a Race and one should say to this Company there are strong men at the end of the Race if you run as strong and as fast as they can run you are to enjoy a rich inheritance but if not you are to die Another should say to that Company though you are not able to run as last as men and as strongly yet if you do your best endeavour and hold out you are to enjoy the rich inheritance I ask which of these two did speak most to the encouragement of their Companies The former spake to the cutting off their endeavours by despair the latter to the putting of Courage and Life into them Thus 't is here saith the Quaker to his Company In Heaven which is the end of the Race there are the Spirits of just men made perfect you must obey as perfectly as they there must be no sin at all in you and then you shall obtain Salvation but if otherwise you must look to perish Saith the Scripture-Minister to his Company Though you cannot attain in this life to be as pure as those in heaven yet if by Faith you fly to Christs Blood and Merits and sincerely endeavour to please God in all things and hold out thus to the end God will graciously accept and save you I appeal to the very Consciences of all Quakers now who is it that doth most encourage to press after Purity and Holiness Must they not according to this Doctrine say I must be quite free from all sin here or burn in hell to all eternity I have tried to get free these 3 or 6 or 10 or 20 years and could never all this time attain it and what ground can I have of better hopes for the future than I have had all this time I may not look for it And if I may not come to heaven unless in this Life I get free from all sin I am shut out from Mercy to what purpose shall I press after Holiness Such must needs be the workings of their hearts who will believe there is no salvation without perfect freedom from sin in this Life I come now to lay down more Arguments against this Doctrine having already urged one from Eph. 4.12 And the first shall be of Instruction because I am perswaded men therefore plead for this Perfection because they know not what it is Arg. 1. We should not speak an idle word for this we are to give an account at Judgment we should not have one vain thought in us How long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee We should not have one Wandring thought in Prayer Eccles 5.3 The Holy Ghost calls a wandring Prayer a Dream we should not have one inordinate desire Thou shalt not covet We should not have one evil imagination against our Neighbour Let no man imagine evil against his Brother in his heart We should not so much as conceive any evil in our hearts Acts 5.4 Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart G. W. cuts my Argument short p. 21. But I asked him Whether a state of freedom from all these sins were attainable in this Life He had the face to tell me it is But the Consciences of all enlightned persons Observers of their own hearts will bring in testimony against him What saith Nehemiah Chap. 13.22 Spare me O my God according to the greatness of thy Mercy In the Dispute I urged Job And if any were perfect in this sense surely he the holiest man then on Earth But what is his Testimony Job 9.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What I perfect I should not know my Soul He abhors to entertain such a thought How did Paul find it Phil. 5.12 Not as though I were already perfect Paul was sensible of his imperfection Compare this with v. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded that is let as many as are well grown in Grace see and be sensible of our imperfection or let not any
souls in sanctification he was thus in the sanctified when the shadows ought to be upheld but Christ in our Nature dying for us And this substance Christ personally considered hath established Baptism with water as hath been shewn This objection therefore contains Blasphemy against Christ it is as much as to say to Christ instituting this shadow thou forgetest thy self thou knowst not what thou doest but will men be wiser then Christ beware Ob. 1 Pet. 3.21 Baptism saves not the putting away the filth of the flesh Answ This not is not an absolute Negation but comparative and signifies not so much for our Saviour Mark 16.16 tells us plainly Baptism doth conduce to our salvation Ob. Paul was not sent to Baptize Ans The same answer serves here Preaching being a more weighty work Paul committed Baptizing to his Assistants as Christ did to his Disciples The same manner of speech we have Hos 6.6 I will have mercy and not Sacrifice Pag. 34 T is Objected Being wicked their Sacrifices were not accepted Ans But will you say sacrificing was not their duty when God gave them Commandment for it till Christs death God did require it Ob. If mercy and knowledge of God had born sway among them there had been no need or occasion for Sacrifices Ans 1. Since it did not according to confession there was need of sacrificing yet saith God I will have mercy and not sacrisice The sense then must needs be not so much 2. Man bringing guilt with him into the world had he been able all his days to live like an Angel there had been need of offering sacrifice for that guilt 3. Sacrificing being then Gods Institution Holiness did not disoblige men from it but rendred them the more conscientious to do their duty Ob. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit Ans And doth a broken Spirit disoblige him that hath it from obeying Gods Institution Let it be remembred nothing but Christs death puts an end to the sacrifices of the Law Though God valued mercy and valued a broken Spirit above Sacrifice yet his Institution could not cease binding to the Jews till the death of Christ Ob. If Paul bad a command to Baptize he would not have thanked God for not obeying Ans If Christs institution had been only a spiritual Baptisin and not a Baptism with water he would not have thanked God that he Baptized so few He had a command to Baptize but if his Assistant did it he was not obliged to do it over again He only thanks God it was done by other hands not his own least they should have taken occasion had he baptized them to say he did it in his own name That Paul had a command to baptize is evident 1. From that general precept Go Teach Baptize He being a Minister of Christ and an Apostle and the institution of Christ not ceasing in his days it must needs be that Paul was included in that Commission 2. Had he not command he had sinned in baptizing any 1 Cor. 1.14 16. Lydia the Goaler running without being sent had not John greatly sinned if he had baptized and had not been sent of God so had Paul 3. Baptism is Gospel Paul had a Commission to dispense the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.17 A dispensation of the Gospel is committed to me Therefore he had a Commission to dispense Baptism It was said Baptism is not Gospel And answered what is instituted by Christ after his death must needs be Gospel but Baptism was instituted by Christ after his death Here they had no more to say and the thing is plain either it is a Legal or it is an Evangelical institution What is appointed to signifie Christ already come is in a most proper sense Evangelical Pag. 34. It is now objected The Gospel is everlasting Ans Baptism with Water is to last to the end of the world and the benefit and fruit of it to the chosen to all eternity So the Preaching of the Gospel is to last to the end of the World and the benefit and fruit of it to the chosen for evermore Thus it appears they cannot prove that the Ordinance of Baptism with Water is repealed And indeed being no part of the Ceremonial Law which was put an end to by Christs death nor of the Judicial Law which was but temporary since it was appointed to continue after his death how fond must it needs be to imagine a repeale Arg. 2. What is instituted to continue to the end of the world binds still Baptism with water was instituted to continue to the end of the world Go preach baptizing I am with you always to the end of the world 1. The command was given to them not as Apostles but as Ministers for so was the command of preaching it being a matter not requiring any extraordinary call or qualification for it But Ministers are to continue to the end of the world Eph. 4.11.13 Therefore all Ministers are concerned in the command and must obey it as long as Christ continues then 2. When Mtathew useth the expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in other places of Scripture he understands according to our translation here the end of the world Mat 13.39 40 49. The Harvest is the end of this world At the end of the world the Angels shall sever the wicked Therefore by this expression here Mat. 28.20 he understands the end of the world and not of that present age As long as this world lasts Christ will be with his Ministers to bless this Ordinance administred by them Now let the World judge whether those that teach among the Quakers be not Rebels against Christ as I called them Christ saith Go Baptize the language of their practice is if they have been baptized I renouace my Baptism if any of them were born Quakers for Quakers is but of yesterday I never was never will be baptized I neither will baptize nor suffer others to be baptized If allowed rebellion doth not constitute a Rebel what doth yet I am far from looking on the Administration of Baptism as the duty of any of these men because they are no true Ministers of Christ herein they are rebellious only in that they take themselves to be Ministers of Christ and yet refuse the Administration The point being clear that Baptism with water is Gods Ordinance binding us is it not our wisdom to submit to it Christ sanctifieth his Church by the washing with water promiseth he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Are we not enemies to our selves and children if we reject a means of Sanctification a means of Salvation Is not God a Jealous God in matters of his worship Hath he not said cursed is he that diminisheth and who can be guilty of diminishing if he be not who pulls down where God hath not pulled down but hath set up Had it not well nigh cost Moses his life that he neglected the Circumcision of his child And when God had