in their Worshipe 420 16. God is speaking in every man therefore they should be silent hear that the good seed may arise 422 17. In this silence they must lay aside all sense fear of sin thoughts of death of hell of judgment and of glory prayers all religious exercises 422 18. Thus they must be abstracted from all operations imaginations ejaculations of soul 422 19. And then the little seed planted in every man getteth room to arise becometh an holy birth that Divine aire is it with which mans spirit is fermented then they become fit to hear his voice 423 20. While they are thus Introverted they cannot be deceived 424 21. For the Devil cannot simulate this Introversion nor work there for he is excluded worketh only in Natural men 424 22. When they once introvert they are in a castle they feel themselves to be without the Devils reach 425 23. Hereby they keep communion with other when scattered asunder 425 24. Before they speak or preach they must Introvert consult the dim thing within 441 25. They must be acted moved by Immediat impulses extraordinary motions of a Spirit 443 444 450 452 37. Of Preaching 1. They are against our way of preaching from a text of Scripture 437 38. Of Prayer 1. They are against praying morning evening before after sermon before and after meat 450 451 2. Their inward prayer is an Introversion of the soul 453 454 3. They speak of praying outwardly under a degustation which is neither publick nor private prayer 455 4. They speak of ejaculatory prayers made to mans self 455 5. No publick prayer without Introversion 455 6. Beside Introversion there must be an immediat inspiration calling prompting to prayer or else we must not pray 455 7. They say that praying to God without the feeling of the Influences of the Spirit is a tempting of God 456 8. Men say they must introvert to that place where they may feel that whereby they may be led to prayer 457 462 9. Watching is only the souls attending on the Spirit that it may feel him leading to pray 457 10. To command men to pray without the Spirit is to command them to see without eyes 459 11. They say we pray without the Spirit because we have our limited times 460 12. They say the wicked sometime have the influences of the Spirit to pray and then they may pray acceptably 462 463 39. Of Singing Psalmes 1. They are against our way of singing of Psalmes 463 2. Alledging that thereby ofttimes abominable lies are uttered to God 464 3. And that we Immediatly thereafter in prayer confesse ourselves guilty of the same sins for redemption from which we have given praise 464 40. Of the Sacraments 1. They think if the word Sacrament were laid aside all controversie about the Sacraments would cease 468 2. They think the definition of a Sacrament can agree to many other things 468 41. Of Baptisme 1. They are against baptisme 465 2. They say there is but one sort of baptisme 469 3. They make the outward Element and the inward Grace two baptismes 469 4. Washing of water is not Christ's baptisme with them 471 5. They owne no baptisme but the baptisme of the Spirit 471 6. They deny all baptisme but what is with the H. Ghost with fire 545 7. They would have the ordinance of baptisme wholly laid aside 473 475 8. They say the ark was a type of Baptisme 473 9. And that Johns baptisme was a figure of Christ's baptisme 474 10. Baptisme with water is with them a figure of baptisme with the Spirit 474 11. Washing with water in baptisme is contrary to Christian Religion 475 12. Christ did not warrand his Disciples to baptize 475 13. Washing under the Law and our baptisme are the same 476 14. They reckon baptisme among Jewish ceremonies rites 477 15. They condemne our baptizing in the Name of the Father Son H. Ghost 479 16. They say the Apostles baptised by permission not by Commission 480 17. They say the Apostles mistook Christ's spiritual baptisme took it for Johns water baptisme 480 18. Baptisme with water say they was in use among the Jewes before Johns dayes 481 19. Water baptisme say they is but formal imitation the invention of man and a meer delusion 545 20. In contempt hereof they say outward water cannot wash the soul 550 42. Of the Lords Supper 1. They deny the Lord's Supper to be an Institution of Christ 482 c. 2. Instead of this Ordinance they profanely substitute their ordinary repasts 486 3. To their ordinary repasts they profanely apply the ends of this Ordinance 486 4. The body which they eat blood which they drink is the celestial seed the Divine substance the Vehicle or spiritual body of Christ 486 5. To this spiritual imaginary body of Christ they apply all that is said of Christ's body Iohn 6. 487 6. They say this spiritual seed as it getteth room to rise up in the heart is bread to the hungry and thereby the soul is revived 487 7. They enjoy this breed by beleeving in the manifestation of this light 487 8. They say the Supper of the Lord is truely possessed when the soul introverts c. 489 9. They say beleevers enjoy this at all times especially when they meet together to waite on God 489 10. They say Christ only took occasion from the bread wine to tell his disciples that as these nourished their bodies so His body and blood should nourish their souls And so did institute no Sacrament and this is the only meaning of these words This is my body c. 492 11. They call it a bare ceremonie 492 12. They will have Paul 1 Cor. 11 27. only to say that if they would needs performe this ceremonie they should do it worthily 493 13. With them do this in remembrance of me saith no more but that seing this was to be the last occasion of his eating with them they should look to him that by commemoration of that occasion by his passions death they should be stirred up to follow him 495 14. They call the practising of it a Jewish ceremonie 496 15. They think the wine was meerly accidental 496 16. They reckon the bread wine in the Lords Supper among the things of the earth Col. 3. 499 17. They say we have this Ordinance from the Pope 545 18. They say He whose death we are to remember till he come is the word prayer 545 43. Of Ministers Maintenance 1. They are against the fixed maintenance of Ministers and will only have their necessities supplied if need be 401 2. They will have no limited maintenance 401 3. They will not have people compelled to give any maintenance 407 4. Ministers say they must seek nothing by Law 407 408 4. They say it is a carnal Ministrie that must have maintenance 410 44. Of Magistrats 1.
therefore crucified with Christ or have put him on but that baptisme sealeth this to such as do really beleeve But let us hear his arguments If the baptisme of water was that one baptisme that is the baptisme of Christ then as many as were baptized with water did put on Christ. But this is false Therefore c. Againe If so many as are baptized into Christ that is with that one Baptisme which is Christ's baptisme have put on Christ then the baptisme of water is not the one baptisme the baptisme of Christ. But the former is true Therefore c. Ans. Not to trouble him with that distinction which yet enervateth both his arguments viz. That such as are baptized with water and have no more though they have not put on Christ in truth and reality Yet they have put on Christ in profession and thereby have publickly declared their engadgment to the duties pressed Conforme to what was said I Answere to his first argument thus If the baptisme of water abstracted and separated from the answere of a good conscience was the baptisme of Christ then his Minor is true But if baptisme of water and the answere of a good conscience therein required be Christ's baptisme then it is true that as many as are thus baptized have put on Christ and so his Minor is false and his Conclusion is vaine So as to his second arg I Answere thus if so many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ then the baptisme of water without the answer of a good conscience is not that one baptisme true then the baptisme of water including the answer of a good conscience is not that one baptisme It is false The Minor is true of this last but not of the former and so againe his conclusion is a non-sequitur Thus he may see his folly in disioyning and separating what should be conjunctly considered In all this what hath he said to Prove that the baptisme whereof the Apostle speaketh in the places cited is nothing else then the very baptisme of the holy Ghost and of fire wherewith the Apostles were baptized in the day of Pentecost One might admire at this mans folly in all this discourse but we cannot expect better from the Quakers 9. After this he giveth us Pag. 272. § 5. his Third Proposition which he hath learned belike of Saltmarsh the Antinomian or Familist and it is thâ—s That Iohns Baptisme was a figure of Christ's and when Christ's baptisme is come the figure must cease That is Iohns baptisme was a figure of that baptisme with the holy Ghost and with fire with which the Apostles were baptized on the day of Pentecost And thus we see that no part of this proposition is true It is not true how confident so ever he be of the truth of it that Iohns baptisme was a type of this nor is it true that when this came the baptisme of water which he meaneth by Iohns baptisme ceased but rather encreased for that very same day there were three thousand persons baptized Act. 2 41. He proveth that Johns baptisme was a type of this because the baptisme of water is a figure of the baptisme of the Spirit Which is also denyed and is but a fiction of his own braine But he proveth his Proposition thus No baptisme is now to be continued but the one Baptisme of Christ Therefore the Baptisme of water is not to be continued for that is not Christ's baptisme Ans. If by the one baptisme of Christ he meane the baptisme with the holy Ghost and with fire the Anteced is false if he meane the baptisme which Christ hath instituted it is true and his consequence is null For baptisme with water is institute by Christ and therefore is his and is only that one baptisme mentioned by Paul Ephes. 4 5. which the Quaker might see if he would for he dar not say that all the members of the primitive Church and of Ephesus were baptized with the Baptisme wherewith the Apostles were baptized on pentecost day and some few others afterward But he will prove that Iohn's baptisme is wholly ceased from Iohn 3 30. where Iohn speaking of Christ saith he must increase and I must decrease As if Iohn and baptisme with water were all one and Christ one the same with the baptisme of the holy Ghost 10. When this will not do he trieth another way and goeth about to prove that baptisme by water is ceased by this argument If baptisme by water be an ordinance that was to continue then Christ would either have used it himself baptizing some contrare to Ioh. 4 2. or would have commanded his Apostles to have used it But this I could never finde writen sayes he Answ. Though Christ did it not himself Yet his disciples did it with his warrand and approbation at least if not an expresse command For though we read not of an express command given before his resurrection Yet the usual and constant practice of the disciples in his presence saith they wanted not his warrand Neither were they â—o rash as to take up a practice in the worshipe of God at their owne hand and continue it without all divine warrand And though they had been so rash yet we may not think that Christ was so untender in the matters of worshipe and so little careful of the Christian deportment of his disciples as not to rebuke them for will worshipe or to suffer them to continue so long in that sin without once challenging them and rebuking them for it We inferre from their continued practice a divine warrand till he let us see an express or a virtual prohibition He may thank the Socinians for this We finde also an express command given to his Apostles Mat. 28 18. And we finde a constant practice of this through the Acts of the Apostles and their practice after they were endued with an infallible Spirit and authorized with power to establish Gospel ordinances is warrand enough for us though there were no more So that this argument of his is every way weak 11. He addeth another Socinian argument § 6. Pag. 273. saying that it is contrary to the nature of Christian Religion which is pure and spiritual And why so This washing with water sayes he was a legal rite Heb. 9 10. Answ. That under the Law there were several ritual and typical washings is true but that the baptisme of water unto repentance and in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost was of the same nature is not only false but the asserting of it is a manifest condemnation of Iohn Baptist of Christ himself and of his Apostles Iohn Baptist had an express command for it which needed not if it had been of the same nature with the legal ritual washings It is called the baptisme of repentance Mark. 1 4. Luk. 3 3. Act. 19 4. which we read not said of the ritual washings under the Law It had a strick connection with
as this man putteth beyond all debate in his writings and others clearly demonstrate by their books containing such positions as overturn and destroy the Gospel Mr Norton teacher of the Church at Boston in New England being appointed to write against the Quakers by order of the General Court tels us in his Tractat printed A. 1660. Pag. 6.7 c. that the Quakers deny that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons that Christ is God and Man in one Person that Christ is a distinct person from the person of the Father that Christ is a distinct person from any of His Members And so their Christ doth unchrist Christ. He tels us moreover that they deny the Scriptures or written word to be the Rule of life and that they make the light within them and the Spirit without the Scriptures to be their guide that they owne none as lawful magistrats who are not of their way that they assert an infallible light within them above the trial of the Scriptures that they will not acknowledge that they sinne but professe perfection of degrees in his life Mr Stalham in his Epistle to the Reader prefixed to his Reviler rebuiked sheweth us that they make nothing of the historical letter of Christ's Death Resurrection c. but turne all into allegories And that they are with H. N. in his joyful message of the Kingdom Pag. 170. ready to call these things meer lies which the Scripture-learned through the knowledge which they get out of the Scriptures bring-in institute preach teach As also how they joine with Iacob Behme who slighted the imputed righteousness from without and magnified the little spark within whereby the Father draweth them all to Christ and teacheth all within them and say further that in Adam stood the Covenant of grace that there is no certaine Ordination from eternity upon any soul particularly which is yet to be borne but only a common universal foreseeing of grace He sheweth us also how Will. Erbury in his Call to the Churches Pag. 4. said what Gospel or glade tideings is it to tell the world that none shall be saved but the elect and believers and that the Gospel which Christ taught was but in part that which was proper only to the Iewish Church not that to be preached to the world And moreover Pag. 6. he telleth us that he said the Gospel which the Apostles preached to the world was not that which they wrote to the Churches nor yet what they read in the Scriptures of the Prophets but the Gospel was a mystery which in the light of God they could manifest to men and make all men see themselves in God that 's in Christ. And Pag. 9. that God is in our flesh as in Christ's for the mystery of faith was more than men imagine and it may be more than Paul wrote to the Romans and Churches of Galatia And Pag. 37. that Christ's coming againe promised Act. 1 11. was nothing but his coming in Spirit and power in the Saints and in their flesh when they are most confused and dark Further the same Mr Stalham in the book cited sheweth how they contradict Scriptures in several points as concerning Scriptures Trinity the Light within the Law Sin Iustification Regeneration Sanctification and its Perfection Christian warfare Repentance Meanes of grace Baptisme Lord's Supper Prayer Singing Elders and Ordination Ministers maintainance Immediat calling Immediat teaching Civil honour Swearing unto which might be added several things brought out of their writings by Mr Hicks beside what we shall have occasion to remark in this Author with whom we now deal By all which we may conjecture what a Gospel this is which they teach even another than we have in the Scriptures and than that which the Apostle taught And what welcome such as come with another Gospel were their credentials angelical unto which these men are strangers should have Paul hath taught us Gal. 1 8 9. as was mentioned above which is a sufficient warning for all that fear God to beware of these men 20. This man hath an high and mighty conceit of his Theses calling them though short yet ponderous and saying that they comprehend many things and denote the true original of knowledge of that knowledge which leadeth to life eternal And I do indeed conceive that they containe much though I dar not say the whole of the marrow of that Gospel whereof he is a dispensator we may look upon ourselves therefore as called more narrowly to consider and examine them If the matter contained in them were good I should not quarrel at their brevity but I see what they want in length the Apology hath Ponderous he calleth them but we know wet sand though of smal value is more ponderous than what is more worth and indeed so ponderous are they that they will sinke the poor soul that embraceth them without any other super added weight into the bottomless pit His saying that they pointe forth the true original of saving knowledg will never perswade me that they do so How defective they are as to this we may shew in the next Chapter Nay rather I dar say that they discover the true original of that science falsly so called which leadeth to the bottomless pit and this I hope to make appeare ere all be done 21. He tels us that he beareth witness to this truth in this his work But he must hold us excused to seek for a more sure ground to our faith and perswasion than his bare testimony especially when he speaketh not only not consonant to Scripture but so manifestly contrary thereto Indeed if we were called to rest upon his and his co-partners bare testimony all further dispute were at an end and we might cast our bibles at our heels and learn all our divinity at their mouth or at the light with in us rest thereupon notwithstanding it contradict sound reason and experience let be Scripture But through grace we have not yeâ— drunk-in that principle and therefore must stand upon our old bottome and go to the Law and to the Testimony 22. In fine he tels us that he leaveth this his testimony unto the light of Christ illuminating every one of our consciences which words may have a double sense as expressed in his latine and either import that he leaveth this his testimony as a confirmation of that light of Christ which illuminateth every man and if this be his meaning the preaching up of this light must be the whole of his Gospel worâ— and the whole Intent and designe of his writting and publishing these Theses yea if so these Propositions of his must serve for no other end but to confirme the truth and reality of this light of Christ But then I think They or He by them should have given us some clear discovery and explication of the nature of that light of Christ which is as he saith within every man which I finde
not but it may be what is here wanting is supplied by his Apology But if his meaning be that he leaveth this testimony to convince that light of Christ which illuminateth every mans conscience than it seemeth that light of Christ hath need of his information and that notwithstanding thereof conscience may refuse to receive his doctrine and information so that this light of Christ though it enlighten the conscience cannot captivate the same to a kindly submission to that Gospel which he preacheth till some other thing worke But seing he leaveth this his testimony to be pondered and considered by the light of Christ which enlighteneth every mans conscience and thereby granteth that every man hath this Supream light of Christ within him and thereby may and is allowed by him to judge of what he saith he cannot be offended that I judge by all that light of Christ within enforming my soul and conscience from that light of Christ which is held forth in the Scriptures of truth and determine accordingly against his Assertions CHAP. II. Of the true ground of Knowledge 1. HAving thus considered his Preface with which he ushereth-in his Theses I come now to a particular examination of his doctrine expressed in his Theses and vindicated and explained in his large Apologie His first Thesis which is concerning the true ground of Knowledge is short wherein he tels us that seing our chiefe happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God for this is life eternal that they might know that true God Ioh. 17 3. the true and genuine understanding of the right original and ground of Knowledge is especially necessary to be known and believed 2. Christ indeed in his prayer Ioh. 17 3. speaketh to his Father thus And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent which last words why this man did leave out and his c. added in his second edition is but a small reliefe who can tell if of designe it must be a bad Omen and giveth small ground of expectation of a full and satisfying discovery of that knowledge of â—od which is through faith in Jesus Christ and is thereby begun felicity here and leadeth forward to the certane fruition of God However Christ hereby giveth us to understand that that knowledge of God which is eternal life begun cannot be had without the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as the sent Ambassadour of God in whose face and manifestations God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shineth into the hearts of his owne to give the light of the knowledge of his glory 2 Cor. 4 6. Our Lord doth not meane here a bare speculative knowledge but such a knowledge and beholding of the glory of the Lord as changeth the beholder into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3 18. and so is accompanyed with Faith apprehending and closeing with the Son in whom is this eternal life so that he who hath the Son hath life 1 Ioh. 5 11 12. And it is this Son of God who must give us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life 1 Ioh. 5 20. And another foundation or original of knowledge that is saving and the way to eternal life can no man lay 1 Cor. 3 11. 3. It is good and necessary I confess to have the genuine and true understanding of the right original and ground of this true and saving knowledge But whether this mans doctrine hath a genuine tendency thereunto or not the sequel will evince I am far mistaken if after tryal his doctrine prove not a perverting of the Gospel of Christ Gal. 1 7. and of the right wayes of the Lord Act. 13 10. and contradictory to that Gospel whereby life and immortality is brought to light 2 Tim. 5 10. and which is the Gospel of Salvation Ephes. 1 13. 4. We might readily think that one taking upon him with no small confidence to teach the whole world and to give a new discovery of pure and naked truth which hitherto hath been as he supposeth darkened and obscured and who openly declareth in the beginning of his doctrine that the genuine understanding of the right originâ—l knowledge of that God whom to know is life eternal is necessary to be known and believed should explaine to us some hidden mysteries of God and help us by his new grounds to some more distinct apprehensions of what is revealed to us of God in his word But alas this mans ignis fatuus is no sure guide to us The grounds he layeth down are both defective and destructive Of their destructive nature we will have large occasion to speak hereafter and how defective they are a few Instances may clear 5. And first Seing he would hold forth to us clear and naked truth and acquant us with true divine and saving knowledge how cometh it to passe that in his Theses we heare nothing of the nature and attributes of God Supposeth he that we can attaine to the true and saving knowledge of God and yet not know Him to be a Spirit Pure and Invisible without a Body Parts or Passions nor know that He is the only True and Living God Infinite in Being and in all Perfection Shall we think that it is no part of that knowledge of God wherein consisteth true felicity to know Him to be Immutable Immense Eternal Incomprehensible Almighty Most Holy Most Absolute Most Just Most Righteous Most Wise Most Gracious and Long-suffering c. Is it no part of the genuine knowledge of God that tendeth to life to know that He hath all Life Glory Goodness and Blessedness in of Himself c. and that He is the sole Fountaine of all Life Glory and Goodness which the Creature partaketh or is capable of and the only Author of their being what for a knowledge of God must that be in which all felicity consisteth whereof the knowledge of these particulars mentioned shall make no part And if he thinketh that the knowledge of God doth of necessity comprehend the knowledge of these particulars how cometh it to passe that in his Most comprehensive Theses and his large Apology too which hold forth as he would make us believe that knowledge which leadeth unto life eternal there is such a deep silence of these so many particulars so necessary to be known and beleeved It concerneth him to answere this 6. Next Shall we think that it is no necessary part of this saving knowledge of God to know that there is one God in Essence and Three distinct persons in the Unity of the God head of one Substance Power and Eternity viz God the Father being of none neither Begotten nor Proceeding God the Son eternally begotten of the Father and God the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding
are not pleading for the like of that to any man breathing But I see Quakers will give divine worship to one another though they will not allow to any others so much as civil honour 14. This is all that he saith to defend their rude practice And I judge as he saith that it floweth not from their rustick breeding for they have bin otherwayes educated but from a more corrupt spring And though he is pleased to call it Conscience and that therefore they would rather choose to die than do other wayes we look upon it as a small evidence of tenderness of conscience in them even suppose it were a thing not lawful and warranted seing they make so little bones of greater maters We know what Christ said Mat. 23 23. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye pay tithe of mint anise and cummin and have omitted the weightier maters of the Law judgment mercy faith We may know also what power a deluded conscience may have even in small matters But I am apt to think there is some other thing that lyeth here at the bottome when I consider what wide consciences these men have and how directly and avowedly they set themselves to cry downe all Religion and to cashier all Christianity and in a word to bring us back to Paganisme let them pretend what they will God may discover this in due time CHAP. XXXII A View of the Conclusion 1. HAving thus examined all the Principles of the Quakers if this Man hath given us a full sheme of their opinions and though it be the fullest that any of them have yet given so far as I know Yet there may be something latent which is to come out in due time And having considered all that he hath said in his large Apology for their defence I thought good not to let his conclusion passe without some due examination Thus then he beginneth to bespeak his Candide Reader If in the fear of God thou consider this Systeme of Religion delivered in these papers together with its consistency and harmony either as it standeth in it self or with the holy Scripture of truth I doubt not but thou wilt say with me many others that this is the spiritual day of the manifestation of Christ in which he revealeth againe his ancient pathes of truth and justice Answ. We have here a Systeme I confess not of Religion but of Pure Paganisme And a more compleat Systeme of abomination and contradiction to the truth of God revealed in the holy Scriptures I doubt was ever brought forth by any Instrument that ever Satan imployed to darken the truth of God And whatever consistence may be in it though we have found also some inconsistencies unto it self Yet I am sure there is nothing in the whole and in every part thereof but manifest and palpable inconsistency with and opposition to the Scriptures of truth And that this is so far as to them from being a spiritual day of the manifestation of Christ that it is a day of the dreadfulest delusion of Satan and of darkness caused by the Prince of darkness that ever was heard of in the Christian world there being nothing but a new broaching of all few excepted the old Pathes of errour heresie and abomination for verification of which I shall only referre the Reader in whom is the least graine of the true fear of God 〈◊〉 and faith to the Revelation of the minde of God in the Scriptures to what is said above 2. He goeth on and tels us that here his Reader may observe Christian Religion exhibited and vindicated in all its parts in so far as it is lively inward spiritual pure and substantial and not a meer forme shadow notion and opinion as many hitherto have held whose fruites declare that they wanted the inward power of that whereof they bore the name who yet adhere so to their formes and shadowes that they cease not to calumniat us as if because we commâ—nd unto them the substance call them thereunto we did deny or neglect the true forme and outward part of Christianity which God the searcher of hearts knoweth to be a horride lie Answ. The wise King or rather the Spirit of God by him Prov. 18 17. telleth us that he that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his nieghbour cometh and searcheth him If this cause be referred to this Quakers decision we know what will be the sentence but light discovereth darkness And if any Reader be he who he will who knoweth what true christian Religion meaneth shall finde the same in the Quakers doctrine and in this mans defence thereof I am deceived Nay if he shall not finde more direct plaine down-right opposition and contradiction to the whole of true christian Religion in their tenets thus explained and maintained than in the writings of the most notorious and branded hereticks that ever had a being since Christianity was heard of I am far mistaken Nay I am sure he shall finde nothing but an hotch-potch and mixture of almost all Errours Heresies damnable Opinions and Heterodoxies that have troubled the Church of Christ from the beginning together with something that smelleth more of Devilrie than of humanity let be of Religion I mean not here their pedantry and silly unmanlike rustick carriage but what is by this man expressed concerning their more solemne worshipe beside their quaking shivering or foaming like persons possessed of the Devil or under the bodily distemper of an Epilepsy It is true they talk of something Lively Inward Spiritual Pure and Substantial but when we have searched after it following this mans threed of explication we have found it nothing but a light within every man and in many things agreeing with the light which is in Devils and yet this is their all their God their Father Son and holy Ghost their Christ their Grace their Spirit their Scripture their Supream Leader Rule Teacher and judge their Jesus the only Saviour their Gospel their only way to the Father their Justification their Sanctification their Adoption their Perfection their Supream Caler the God which they consult and worshipe the Word in the beginning that made all things and what not And truely this being their all no wonder they be enemies to all outward Ordinances and account these meer shadowes notions and formes They talk of fruites and we shall willingly confess to our shame that our carriage is not so Christian as it ought to be but what their carriage is else then may be among Pagans we are yet to learne He saith we calumniate them when we say they are against all the ordinances of Christ for what he meaneth else by the true forme and outward part of Christianity I know not and I would faine know what ordinance of Christ it is which they owne Have we not heard enough of him against the Ministry Preaching Prayer Singing Baptisme the Lords Supper c And hear we
not what others say Parnel in his Shield of truth Pag. 17. said as it is cited by Mr Faldo whose Book is but lately come to my hand 2 Part. Pag. 11. of his book And here is the difference of the Ministers of the world and the Ministers of Christ the one of the letter the other of the Spirit for they are meer deceivers and witches bewitch people from the truth holding forth the shadow for the substance As for the Church so speaketh Isaac Pennington in his Questions P. 49. Q. What is the fold of the sheep Answ. The wisdom life and power of the Father even the same that is the shepherd Obj. Is not the Church the fold A. This in the Church or the Church in this is the fold but not out of this As for prayer or thanksgiving at meat hear Iames Naylor Love to the lost P. 57. But where the pure is not viz. the light all things are defiled when they are not sanctified by the word and prayer and therefore are to be received in fear and therein remembring his death till he come and so this is all their Lord's Supper too who is the word and Prayer And Pag. 13. He casts all Prayer that is not by immediat inspiration saying But as every creature is moved by the Spirit of the living God who is that Spirit who will be served with his owne alone not with any thing in man which is come in since the fall so the imaginations thinkings and conceivings are shut out And Smith Cat. P. 100. So must all come to the Sâ—irit of God by the Spirit to be ordered and cease from their own words and from their own time and learne to be silent till the Spirit give them utterance And P. 107. So the same wisdom may deny the prescribed way as being formal and may invent something instead of it in a higher mystery of iniquity and though they may not speak in such formal words composed yet in the same wisdom their words are formal they can set their own time to begin and end and when they will they can utter words when they will they can be silent and this is the unclean part which offereth to God which he doth not accept Found we not his Mans doctrine abâ—ve consonant hereunto As for Baptisme Parnel Pag. 11. els us They owne the Baptisme which is the Baptisme of Christ with the holy Ghost and with fire but they deny all other And P. 12. and now I see the other that is water Baptisme as they ordinarily call it out of scorne to be formal imitation and the invention â—f Man and so a meer delusion Smith Prim. P. 39. and Higgins warning P. 5 say we have this and the Lords Supper both from the Pope Nay Iames Naylor Love to the lost P. 52. giveth us one word for all for this I say saith he that the Father hath given his Son for a leader and guide to all ages and into and out of all formes at his will and in his way and time in every generation And therefore it is that all who know his will herein cannot endure that any visible thing should be set up to limite his leadings in Spirit And C Atkinson said I deny that God did ever or will ever reveal himself by any of these things thou callest the meanes of grace And G. Fox in his Grâ—at Mystery P. 16. And we say he Christ hath triumphed over Ordinances and blotted them out and they are not to be touched and the saints have Christ in them who is the end of outward formes and thou art deceived who thinks to finde the living among the dead And after all this and much more of the like kinde we must be accounted slanderers for saying that they deny the external part of Christianity Nay not only so but we must be horride liars and the searcher of hearts must be attested hereunto This is but an inconsiderable thing with them who account all that our Preachers say from the word of the Lord nothing but lies and satanical delusions because it is not from the immediat teaching of the Spirit and them but Professours of the Devil upon this account See Fox's Great Mystery P. 5. and 62. 3. Yet more Hence is it saith he that because we exhort people to returne and feel God within themselves saying unto them that if they feel not God neer them the notions which they have of God as he is in the heaven above the cloudes will not much profite them they maliciously endeavour to inferre that we say that God doth not exist without us Answ. Thinks he that we have no other Notion of God but as of one that is up in the heavens above the cloudes Supposeth he that we deny him to be every where present But if they beleeve there is a God in deed and in truth why talk they so much of a measure of God in every man Is the true God such a devisible thing Why do they make the soul of man a part or particle of God What meane they by the Vehicle of God Do these and the like expressions smell of orthodoxy in this matter The true God that is revealed to us in the Scriptures is a God that is one in essence and three distinct persons the Father the Son and the holy Ghost do they believe this Furthermore if they beleeve really a God without them why do they ascribe to something within them that which is peculiar unto God Doth not the morning Watch Pag. 5.6 7. assert the light within every man to be that word which Iohn speaks of Iohn 1 1 See Fox the younger P. 50 53 54. Is that a savoury expression which E. B True faith hath when he saith every man hath that which is one in union and like the Spirit of Christ even as good as the Spirit of Christ according to its measure Was that orthodox which Ed. Burroughs said the morning before he died see F. H. Testimony Now my soul and Spirit is centred in its own being with God and this form of person must returne from whence it was taken Another hath these expressions See Mr Faldo as above P. 124. Againe thou makes a great pudder that any one should witness he is equal with God Answ. A Cathechisme of the Assembly of the Priests in which they have laid down that the holy Ghost and Son is equal in power glory with the Father yet if any come but to witness the Son revealed in him or come to witness the holy Ghost in them as they gave out the Scriptures or witness the minde of Christ and witness that equal with the Father they cry out horrid blasphemy Hear what another saith Now consider what a condition these called Ministers are in They say that which is a Spiritual Substance is not infinite in it self but a creature that which came out from the Creatour and is in the hand of the Creatour which brings it
the Law written in their hearts 103 2. They deny all in bred notions of a God and of honesty c. 106 3. They say a Pagan can performe all inward Worshipe easily 461 4. For God is nigh to help him 461 14. Of Enthusiasmes 1. They plead for immediat Revelations as necessary in place of the Scriptures 19. c. 2. They confound these Revelations with the gracious operations of the Spirit 20 21 80 3. They succeed to the old Enthusiasts 22 4. They preferre their Enthusiasmes to Scripture 57 15. Of the Gospel 1. They turne the history of Christs death resurrection into allegories 11 2. They wildly describe it 11 3. The preaching of the Gospel is not necessary with them 244 4. They say there is no more advantage to be had by the history of Christ then by the history of other Saints 244 5. They call the Gospel an inward power and vertue that is in every creature 259 6. They call every thing the Gospel that revealeth any thing of God 260 7. They plead for an Universal Gospel 267 16. Of the Light within 1. They make the light within their only guide 11 2. They preferre it to the Scriptures 59 3. They make the authority of the Scriptures to depend upon it 59 4. They make it the Supream Judge of all Controversies 60 85 5. They call it Christ God the Divine Essence the Saviour of the world c. 92 6. They call it the Essence of God 228 230 7. And the Omnipresence of God 228 8. They call it damnable heresie to deny the worshiping of it 228 9. They call it a measure of Christ and of God and God Father Son and H. Ghost 228 10. They say it is sufficient to salvation ibid 11. They deny it to be a Creature 228 12. It is a Teacher beyond the Scriptures 229 13. It is the Word of God grace and gifts and what not 229 14. It is a spiritual heavenly invisible Principle the Vehicle of God in which God dwelleth as Father Son and H. Ghost 230 231 233 15. It is an instrument of God 230 16. It is a divine glorious life 231 17. It inviteth all Men to good 232 18. It is the flesh and blood of Christ that came down from heaven 233 19. It beareth witness against all evil 234 20. It can be crucified and exstinguished 234 21. Where it is God and Christ are involved 235 22. Where it is resisted God is resisted 235 23. From it is Christ formed in the soul 236 237 24. All men are commanded to beleeve in and obey this Light 238 257 25. It delivereth from all sins 238 26. They call it a Substance 240 27. They call it the Sure Mercies of David a Leader a Commander 264 28. And that word by which faith cometh 264 265 29. And the fire and hammer spoken of Ier. 23 29. 264 266 30. They say by it God seeth the thoughts of men 264 31. They say the illumination hereof when received becometh an holy birth c. producing righteousness c 296 32. All may confidently appeare before God who hearken to the light and are thereby renewed 324 33. They say the light manifesting sin and nakedness is the body of Christ 489 34. This alone searcheth the heart and by it alone God manifests himself and saveth from the wrath to come men see their own faces 548 35. It can forgive sins and make new creaâ—ures 551 36. It is the Man Christ Jesus the Mediator which humbled himself to the crosse 551 37. They expect no justification or Salvation but by this light 551 38. Hereby they come to know Christ revealed in them 552 39. Who seek Christ any where else but in this light seek dreamings and night visions and spend their time in slumbering and dreaming 552 40. By owning and obeying it they are reconciled to God 552 41. This Christ within suffereth his sufferings are satisfactory wherever 552 42. They speak of killing the just one within us of his riseing againe 552 17. Of the Seed 1. They talk of a seed which they call a measure of God Christ the Spirit c. 95 100 2. They talk of its being wounded 247 3. They call it the manifestation of the Spirit 278 4. They say it is hid in the earthy part of every Mans heart and that herein is the kingdom of heaven as man in the embrio 279 5. As this small seed of righteousness say they ariseth and is suffered to come to the birth that new substantial birth is naturally fed with the spiritual body of Christ 489 18. Of Reprobation 1. They deny all absolute Reprobation 133. c. 2. They miserably mistake the orthodox judgment hereanent 143 144 3. In exaggerating the matter of Reprobation they belch out against God 254. c. 19. Of Grace 1. They deny Faith and Repentance to be the gifts of God 153 2. They deny that the grace of God in Conversion taketh away the resistance of the heart 273 3. They imagine the grace of Conversion to be as physick which a man may hinder to operat 273 4. They imagine that God putteth all some way out of the pit of misery and thereafter letteth such fall againe as spurn and resist 275 5. They will not grant that the grace of God maketh any real change of the corrupt nature of man or giveth a new heart 276 20. Of Vniversal Grace 1. They say God hath granted to all men Schythians and Barbarians a day of Visitation wherein they may be saved if they will 212 214. c. 2. And that God offereth Remission and Salvation to all upon condition of non-refusal 249 3. They plead for sufficient grace to all 269 4. They say Heathens that never heard of the Gospel may be saved 282 5. And that Paul Rom. 3. proveth that the Heathens were saved by doing the works of the Law 289 6. They say the Heathens had the knowledge of Christ though not under that denomination 290 7. And that because they spoke of Wisdom which is one of Christ's names 291 8. They grant remission of sins to some adult persons that never heard of Christ 302 9. Every man hath sufficiency of influence for praier till his day of Visitation passe say they 454 10. Every man hath that which is as good as the Spirit of Christ 546 21. Of Vniversal Redemption 1. They plead for Universal Redemption 157. c. 22. Of Salvation They say there is no possibility of Salvation after the day of Visitation is ended 215 2. And that God giveth to every man a certain measure of grace in order to salvation 226 c. 23. Of Christ's Satisfaction 1. They speak not distinctly of Christ's Satisfaction 242 2. They vilifie its vertue and efficacy 243 3. They say the outward blood of Christ or the blood of his vail cannot cleanse 295 4. They call it an abomination to say that God punished Christ that he might thereby
from the Father and the Son And if the knowledge of this be such an essential part of Christianity and a ground of that knowledge of God which leadeth to salvation and so necessary for the right uptaking of the great work of Redemption and Salvation as it is and cannot rationally be denyed by any sober man who considereth what a sure basis this is unto the Christians hope peace and comfort how cometh it to pass that there is no express and distinct mention made of this fundamental point in all his Theses we have heard how the Quakers of N. England have denied this foundation And Mr Stalham in his Reviler rebuked part 1. sect 7. tels us that the Quakers against whom he wrote dâ—nied thâ—t there was any Scripture for the Trinity and said that the Holy Ghost was no Person It is known also how others of them inveigh against this fundamental Truth It is true I finde not this man either in his Theses or in his Apology directly writing against this truâ—h Yet as I finde no expressions hereanent in his whole book others than such as might come out of the mouth of an Antitrinitarian Socinian so I judge if his Theses had answered his great brags in the Preface they had expresly and distinctly not only mentioned but clearly have unfolded this truth 7. In the 3. place If by his Theses he would direct us into the Saving knowledge of God and make a plaine discovery to us from the very fountaine of all that knowledge that leadeth unto life eternal how cometh it to pass that we have no declaration made to us of the Eternal Purposes and Decrees of God whereby some Men and Angels are predestinated unto everlasting life and others foreordained unto everlasting death and whereby according to the most wise and holy counsel of his will he hath freely and unchangeably ordained whatsoever cometh to pass Shall we think that the knowledge of this hath no interest in the saving knowledge of God or in that knowledge which leadeth unto life which yet undeniâ—bly yeeldeth such a noble ground of Faith Dependence Praise Reverence Humility Hope Consolation Admiration and holy Fear Nay this Man not only doth not asserte or explaine this but as we shall hear doth deny and impugne it with all his might 8. How cometh it 4 That in all his Theses or Apology there is not the least mention direct or indirect made of the Covenant of Redemption or of those mutual actings of the blessed Persons of the Trinity resembling a mutual Covenant and engagement concerning the everlasting Interest of man Shall any man think that this point of truth which is such a sure ground of all our hopes and consolation such a sure support of staggering souls and such an armour of proof against the assaults of Satan maketh no part of that knowledge which leadeth unto life or hath no place in true and saving knowledge 9. Further 5. Doth not the doctrine of the first Câ—venant of Works entered into with Adam as the representative of Mâ—n-kiâ—de upon condition of Personal Perfect and Perpetual obedience belong to that necessary knowledge which bringeth forward unto life or unto that knowledge of God in Christ which is begun felicity How is it then that his Theses are so silent herein or at most give us such a darke and jejune hint of this as is next to none as we shall see It is one of the Quakers tenets as Mr Stalham Sheweth in his forecited book Part 1. Sectâ—7 â—7 that Adam was not under a Covenant of Works that the Law which Adam had in innocency written in his heart was not the moral law that Adam did not stand by the observation of the positive branches given him in command according to that Law So said I. Nayler and R. F. as he sheweth us and that the same Iames Nayler in his Book called The discovery of the Man of sin Pag 23. went about to prove this by such pityful Arguments as these The Covenant of Works saith do this and live but he that is Adam had the life already while he stood in it and so it was not to be obtained by working as if do this and live could not hold forth the condition of continueing in life and againe That the law was added because of transgression which if it had been before the transgression could not have been as if the law must not of necessity be before sin which is the transgression thereof 1. Ioh. 3.4 and could not afterward beheld forth as a glass to discover the foule spots of transgressions and the same would R. F. in the 12. Pag. of his Book go about to prove 10 Moreover 6. If his Theses be such an unfolding of clear and naked truth how cometh it that he speaketh so obscurely and enigmatically of the fall of Adam Doth not the clear and distinct knowledge of this truth concerne such as would be acquaint with true and saving knowledge 11. But especially 7. We may wonder how it cometh to pass that in his Theses which he would give out as a summe of saving knowledge nor in his great Apologie we have no description explication or delineation yea or mention of the Covenant of Grace wherein Life and Salvation Pardon and Acceptance Grace and Glory is promised and offered through faith in Jesus Christ or acceptance of Him as He is offered in the Gospel Shall we think that the knowledge of this is no part of that pure and naked Truth which is necessary to be known Or that it can contribute nothing unto that knowledge of God in Christ which is the sure way unto eternal life How shall he be able to perswade us hereof 12. Againe 8. Shall we think that the doctrine of the Redemption purchased by Christ of the Atonement made by him unto Justice for the sinnes of his people and of their Reconciliation unto and Acceptance with God upon the account thereof of the Sufferings of Christ in Body and Soul in his state of Humiliation of his Death Resurrection and Ascension and Sitting at the Fathers right hand of his Obedience and of the Sacrifice of himself which he through the Eternal Spirit once offered up unto God to satisfie Justice and purchase not only Reconciliation but also an everlasting Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven for all such as were given to him of the Father shall we think I say that the knowledge of this is not necessary unto Salvation nor necessary to such as would have such a knowledge of God as is eternal life If he dar not be so impudent as to say so why is there such a shameful silence hereof in his Theses and Book as there is Had he no will to displease his friends the Socinians 13. Further 9. Shall it be thought that the doctrine of the Incarnation of the Son of God the Second Person in the Trinity hath no great interest in that pure and naked truth the knowledge whereof leadeth
unto life because it hath no place in his writings 14. The like 10. may we say of the work of Grace and of Sanctification of which his account is so darke and enigmatical that it is far from an holding forth of pure and naked Truth And how cometh it that he is so silent in explaining to us the nature of Faith in Jesus Christ and of its Actings and of Repentance unto life and of our Communion with the Father and his Son through Faith do not these appertain to that knowledge of God which is Eternal Life What shall we then think of this Gospel which He taketh upon him to be a publisher of 15. In the next place 11. To speak nothing of the law of God in obedience whereunto with a right frame of Spirit consisteth true Sanctification and that Obedience which is a real mark of true Love to God and so must be necessarily known to the end we may come to the possession of Eternal life whereof notwithstanding he not only giveth no plaine or naked account but also with the rest of the Quakers layeth downe grounds destroying all obedience to the law of God as we shall heare How cometh it that in all his explication of the true nature and original of that knowledge which leadeth unto life whether in his Theses or Apologie we have no account given to us of that Eternal life which we are to aime at and intend as our last end nor yet of its opposite Eternal Death and Hell whereby we might come to know some thing of the nature worth and necessity of Glory 16. Yet once more 12. I would aske why it is that in his Theses he giveth us no account of the Resurrection of the Body nor of the last Judgment He cannot say that the knowledge and faith of these particulars are not necessary unless he be of the same opinion with other Quakers who either speak dubiously thereof or do down right deny it Mr. Hicks sheweth us in his Book called The Quakers appeal answered Pag 21. that one Whitehead asserted in the hearing of many witnesses that this body shall not rise againe and that Will. Pen in his Book intituled Reas. against Rail Pag. 133. saith That it is inconsistent with Scripture Reason and the beliefe of all Men right in their wits And Pag. 134. that the absurdity of the Transubstantiation is rather outdone than equalled by this carnal Resurrection And that Pag. 138. he called it a Barbarous conceit Shall I think that this our Apologizer is of the same minde If not it concerneth him to speak more positively thereunto for his silence will go for an approbation of what his party speak expresly and further as concerning the last Judgment we may suppose that such as look on the Resurrection of the dead as a figment will give no place in their creed unto the doctrine of Christs coming againe to judge quick and dead and indeed I finde in the second Dialogue of Mr. Hicks Pag 42 43 that Whitehead in his Christ ascend Pag. 18 20 21 69. denyeth That Christ hath a personal being at the Right-hand of God without all men And Pag. 2â— that he denyeth That he shall come visibly againe saying that they are like to be deceived who are expecting that Christs second comeing will be a personal comeing And I finde G. Keith in his Immediat Revel Pag. 77. applying the second or next comeing againe of Christ mentioned by Iames Cap. 5 7 8. by Paul Heb. 9.28 and by Peter 1 Pet 1 13. to Christs revelation when he shall appeare in us glorified who before was crucified in weakness yet now raised in power and living by the power of God and raising us up together with him setting us in heavenly places in him Whereby he cannot but meane a second coming againe of Christ which is already past and nothing else 17. By these particulars several others which might be added every one may judge what a delineation of that knowledge which leadeth to Salvation this confident man will give us in these his Theses when so many so important and so necessary and essential parts of our Christian faith are not once by him mentioned or asserted let be cleared up or explained but rather tacitely or expresly rejected and condemned We may also judge what that knowledge of God wherein is life eternal is which he shall pointe forth to us in his Theses when so many things so manifestly belonging to true divine and saving knowledge are if not denied yet waved by him as not necessary to be known and believed Hereby also we see ground to suspect that Original and Foundation of knowledge which he followeth and would propose to our understanding faith in the two next following Theses for either that must be a false Original and rotten Ground of saving knowledge or he is yet a stranger to the true and genuine Knowledge thereof otherwise he should be in case to give us a more distinct faithful account of these and such like particulars which are so necessary to be known and believed 18. I Shall readily grant that it is very necessary and usefull to know what is the true ground and original out of which we are to draw that knowledge of God and of his wayes which is necessary for us to know and believe in order to the obtaining of that felicity which consisteth in and is had further by the knowledge of God in Christ not only because many are ready to drink-in false Notions and Principles as he sayeth but very obscurely and indistinctly in his Apology Pag. 1. and 2. of God and of his Truth to hold fast what they have so through Ignorance Misinformation and Prejudice imbibed but especially because so many Pretenders to high and great matters as he and his like are ready to imbrace a Shadow for a Substance and take a suggestion of Satan the Father of lies or a dream of their own braines or a lying Vision of the Prince of the powers of the aire for Revelations and Manifestations of the God of Truth and the Motions of their own corrupt minds enlightned with the wildfire of their owne fancies or the fire flaughts of the God of this World for the Motions of the â—pirit of God That such things have been and may be himself dar not deny and if he should deny it sad experience of the fantastick Enthusiasts and false Teachers which every age hath produced will put it beyond all denyal as also the Idolatry and Superstition of so many Nations and People as himself affirmeth Pag. 2. which were a clear evidence of the false and fictious Opinions and Apprehensions which they had of God and a fruite of the false Divinations and pretended Revelations which they trusted to And therefore with good warrand and with his own approbation I shall say That it is a most dangerous thing to lay a wrong foundation of Knowledge and to draw the same out of
take notice of it 6 In his § 4. He would have us beleeving that he doth not hereby condemne all other second wayes or meanes as he purposeth to cleare in the next Thesis that is all other Wayes and Modes of attaining to the knowledge of God for he granteth these to be profitable and that they may conduce to facilitate the work but he is here pleading as he saith for that which is absolutely necessary But all the question is concerning the true meaning and import of that which he accounteth so Necessary if it be such Revelations of Truths as the Prophets and such as were Immediatly inspired had and as Enthusiasts plead for I deny the necessity hereof and as to this what way I pray can other meanes and modes as the Scriptures conduce to facilitate these Revelations have they any influence upon the person who is to receive these Revelations disposeing him thereunto Let him explaine this and then he may hear what shall be further replied If the thing so necessary unto the saving knowledge of God be only that operation of the Spirit which we mentioned above we assent and only say That he should speak more intelligibly than call this an Inward and Immediat Revelation But it is usual with this sort of men to speak as did the Libertines against whom Calvin wrote Cap. 2. after an high and loftie manner as if they were alwayes ravished in an ecstasy for as they alwayes have the Spirit in their mouth so they use a strange idiome that such as hear them are at the first amazed and this they affect of purpose to deceive their hearers and raise in them an admiration of them and their Opinions 7. Having thus premised what he thought fit to say to cleare the Question and to make way for vindicating of his Thesis he cometh next to the explication and confirmation of his Assertion in his Thesis where he tels us of five particulars 1. That there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son 2. That there is no knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit 3. That God did alwayes reveal himself by the Spirit 4. That these Revelations were the formal object of the faith of the Saints 5. That the same object of faith remaineth He nameth here we see the Father the Son and the Spirit and we might readily think that he would here hold forth the order of working of the glorious Persons of the Trinity in things without ad extra and particularly in the Revelation of the mind of God concerning mans duty But whether we may rest perswaded that his judgment herein is Orthodox and that verily he beleeveth that there are Three Persons in the God head equal in Power and Glory of one Substance and Duration may be a doubt partly because the Light within which to him is the supream and only adequate Rule of Faith cannot teach this mysterie and hence it is that the Socinians not only will not admit this as an article of their creed but do also with much industry and rage oppose it and mainly upon this ground that their Natural Reason or the light within them which upon the matter so far as I can judge differeth not from the Light of the Quakers cannot comprehend it and partly because I finde other Quakers such as those of New England and those against whom Mr Stalham wrote as I hinted above denying it It is true this man hath several expressions further in the words following which would seem to evince that he is orthodox herein and there are some also that may seem to look another way But not purposeing to make more debate with him than I must needs do I shall not fix any thing upon him for which I see not clear ground only I wish that the next time he cometh forth in publick he would be more plain and positive as to this 8. As to the first of the forementioned Propositions It is true that no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Matth. 11 27. Luk. 10 22. for no man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Ioh. 1 18. and God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son c. Hebr. 1 1 2. and so the Son of God the Second Person of the Trinity being the true Eternal God of the same substance and equal in power and glory with the Father when the fulness of time was come took upon Him mans nature so that the Word was made flesh and tabernacled among us Ioh 1 14 to the end that He might execute his Offices and among the rest declare the whole Counsel of God concerning mans Salvation as the great Prophet and Teacher of Israel But shall we suppose that this Man looketh upon Iesus of Nazareth of whom the Father said Mat 17 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased heare yee him to be this Son that revealeth the Father and to be that grand mystery God manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles belâ—eved on in the World received up into glory 1 Tim. 3 16 The reason of my doubt is this because I finde some Quakers give a very indistinct and unsatisfying answere to such a question as this and give ground to suppose that they understood nothing by the Words being made flesh but the Light within them But his proof and explication of this Proposition is observable Pag. 9. He proveth it thus Because God who is the root and fountaine of all operation made all things by his eternal word Son and citeth Ioh. 1 1 2 3. Ephes. 3 9. If hereby he understand the first Creation with the orthodox how shall he evince this Consequence That because God created all things in the beginning by his Son Jesus Christ Therefore there is no knowledge of the Father but by his Son and is this a point so difficult to be proved that he was constrained to run back to the first Creation for an argument This would justly give ground of suspicion that the man meaneth by the Creation in the places cited not the First but the Second Creation with which Christs Revelation of the Father hath a more clear and natural connection and so joyneth with Socinus and his followers Enjedinus Smalcius and Schlightingius in denying upon this account Christ to be God creating all They say that when the Scripture saith God made all things by the Word c. the meaning is God made all things by his owne word and vertue the same expression which this Man useth here and thus interpret and apply the same Scriptures which he here citeth even that Ioh. 14 6. But admitting that he taketh the Creation in the orthodox sense we may observe
some other Abomination lurking under this To wit That this manifestation of the Father by the Son is not to be understood of a Gospel Manifestation but of a Natural Manifestation had in and by the works of Creation and so not of a Manifestation peculiar to the Church and people of God but of a Manifestation common to Heathens and all without the pale of the Church otherwise he shall hereby destroy what afterward he laboureth to build viz. the Universality of this Manifestation But whoever considereth the Scriptures by us cited shall finde that Christ meaneth a manifestation and declaration of the Father in and by the Gospel and Gospel Ordinances to the destruction of this mans Universality 9. He cometh § 6. to the clearing of his second Proposition viz. That there is no knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit And who will deny this as to that Knowledge which is truely and eventually saving of which Saving Certane and Necessary Knowledge his Proposition is to be understood as himself expresly showeth us with an Observandum and 1 Cor. 2 11 12. 12 3. whereby he proveth this are cleare enough but I see not the necessity of adduceing as a proof hereof Revel 3 20. behold I stand at the door c. Yet beside this Saving knowledge there is a Literal knowledge had by the common gifts of the Spirit which is also true in its kinde and though as to any Saving Effect it be Ineffectual yet we must not say with him Pag. 12. that the Spiritual Truths in the Gospel are as lies in the mouth of carnal persons for they are true even as to them Heb. 10 26. Some may sin wilfully after they have received the knowledg of the truth for whom no more sacrifice remaineth and 2 Pet. 2 20 21. Some may have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ and have known the way of righteousness who after they have known it turne from the holy commandement c. I cannot then say with him that this Knowledge of Christ is no more properly to be called a Knowledge of Christ than the speaking of a Parot is properly humane knowledge for I cannot think that when Christ sent Iudas to preach the Gospel it was as a man sending an ambassage by the hand of a Parot or that Balaam had no real knowledge of what was revealed unto him in his trance 10. But not insisting on this which is not much to the maine purpose I Observe that the thing which concerned him chiefly to clear up provâ— is not once touched by him here He should have proved tâ— us That this teaching of Christ by the Spirit is and was alwayes by Immediat Revelation that is by Enthusiasmes and such Extraordinary Wayes Nor doth he which is also remarkable distinguish betwixt Christs teaching by the Spirit in the Prophets of old and the Apostles of late and Christs own teaching Immediatly in his own Person while Incarnate which two the Apostle clearly differenceth Heb. 1 1 2. 2 3 4. Nor doth he speak any thing of Christs Mediat teaching whether by Apostles extraordinarily assisted or by Ordinary Ministers or by his Word nay by his language we might suppose that he excludeth these wayes from being wayes of Christ's teaching contrare to Math. 10 20. 1 Thes. 4 8. 2 Cor. 5 19 20. Mat. 28 18 19. and many other places 11. Let us proceed and see what he saith § 7. in confirmation of the third Proposition viz. That God did alwayes make himself manifest to the Sons of Men by the Spirit For this cause he would have us considering how God from the beginning did manifest himself in his creatures But our enquiry should be how he did manifest himself to his creatures These words in creaturis suis in his creatures cannot but be understood of the way of his manifesting himself But to Manifest Himself in or by the Creatures is not the same with Manifesting Hâ—mself in or by the Spirit For confirmation of his Proposition he adduceth Gen. 1.2 And the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters Is not this a pregnant proof of Gods revealing his minde unto Men who were not yet created Bâ—t passing this ridiculous Argument which moreover perverteth the genuine meaning of the Spirit of the Lord in that passage let us see what he adduceth further I think faith he no man will deny that from Adam to Moses Gods communion with man was by immediat manifestation of the Spirit I answere Though it be true that Christ as the great Prophet of his Church did by the Spirit reveal the Counsel of God concerning mans salvation yet that he did this by the Spirit 's Immediat Revelation unto every Individual Person will never be proved now this being the matter that he would have us grant and which only maketh for his purpose he must prove it ere we assent to it That the Lord was pleased to reveal his mind Immedialy to Some and by them to Others from Adam to Moses we know but that every individual Person even of the people of God were advanced to this privilege I deny Yea even dureing that time we read in Scripture but little of these Manifestations We know what was spoken immediatly to Adam to Cain we read also of the Prophecy of Enâ—h in Iud's Epistle which yet was not any new Truth revealed we read also of what was revealed to Noah and to Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob and to soâ—e few others But what will all this make for his point Sure these few persons were not all that lived dureing that long tract of time what then became of the rest how were they instructed was it not Mediatly by those Patriarchs and selected Persons And did not the Fathers instruct their children from generation to generation that the right worship and knowledg of God might be propagated from hand to hand 12. This proof evincing nothing let us see the next afterward saith he in the times of the law the Lord spoke no other way to his children which cannot be denied by such who acknowledge the Scriptures to have been written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost Answere That the Scriptures of the Old Test. were so written I grant That the persons imployed in that work had immediat Revelations to this end I grant Nay moreover I grant that all other true Prophets who were raised up of the Lord whose Prophecies the Lord thought not fit to make a part of the Canon of the Scriptures had Divine Inward and Immediat Revelations But this Reason is as childish as the preceeding Doth he think that this is enough to prove his point Doth he think that all the rest of the people of God in those generations had those Immediat Revelations or that this followeth as a clear consequence from his Argument What folly is here He might as well prove that all the people of this
26 v. 5. and 29 v. 19. and 44 v. 4. and 11 v. 7. and 32 33. 5. Then there was no difference as to the yeelding of Faith and Obedience to what was spoken to be put betwixt a True Prophet that spoke in the name of the Lord and a False Prophet that prophesied out of his owne heart Ezech. 13 17. and spoke lies in the name of the Lord Ier. 23 25. 26 36. 27 10 14 15 16. 29 9 21. 6. Then it could not be said at that time that he that despised despised not man but God and yet we finde this charged upon them 2 Chron. 36 16. Prov. 1 30. Esai 5 24. Amos 2 4. It is manifest then how Uncertane yea how False this is which he here asserteth and this being the only pillar of his fabrick we may judge how tottering it is 18. He granteth in his Thesis That these divine inward Revelations which he maintaineth yet to be in use neither do nor can contradict the external testimony of Scripture and sound reason Whence it is clear that such inward Revelations as do contradict either Scripture or found Reason are not Divine if then upon tryal it be found that he and others pretending to divine Revelations deliver Assertions point blank contrary to the Scriptures of truth we are allowed to reject them as being not Divine And upon this ground I may boldly say that these Theses let the Author pretend to what Inward Revelations he pleaseth in conceiving and frameing of them and let him alledge that they were given to him by Inward Revelation as much as he thinketh good are not of Divine Authority and if he had them by any Inward Revelation it hath been a Revelation of Satan My reason is because they are so diametrically opposite to the testimony of God in the Scriptures of truth and this shall appeare yet more manifest ere we have done And he cannot be offended at my trying of his Assertions and Revelations by the touch stone of the Word seing he here granteth that a Divine Inward Revelation will deliver nothing contrary or contradictory to the testimony of God in the Scriptures and consequently that it can be no Divine Inward Revelation which doth contradict the Scriptures for God being a God of truth yea Truth it self His testimonies cannot be Yea and Nay 19. While as he addeth That hence it will not follow that divine Inward Revelations should be examined and tryed by the Scriptures as by a more noble and certane rule he gaineth nothing for though this should not follow upon the ground which he laid down yet it may follow upon another more sure and certane ground for albeit a divine Inward Revelation carrying its owne divine evidence with it needeth not be examined by him who is thus Immediatly inspired thereby by the Rule of the Scriptures as by a more noble and certane Rule as the Prophets truely inspired of God received what was really and divinly manifested by the Spirit of God without Further examination yet that same Divine Revelation when it cometh to be published and declared to others may justly and warrantably be brought to tryal and examination by the Scriptures as a more sure Rule and Teste to us Though one divine Testimony cannot be more true and certaine in it self than another yet one may be more clear and evident to us than another and we may try that which is less clear and evident unto us by that which is more clear and unquestionable without the least impeachment of the divinity of the other and that also by Gods allowance and approbation For 1 we finde the noble Bereans highly commended as acting gallantly and more nobly then those of Thessalonica because though they received the word of Revelation delivered by Paul with all readiness of minde yet they received it not without examination for it is added Act. 17 11. That they searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so They would not take Paul's bare word upon it though he was one divinely Inspired and had the Gospel by Revelation which he preached Ephes. 3.3 but brought this Revelation to the teste of the Scriptures as a more sure Rule unto them 2. It was the command of the Lord of old Esai 8 20. that his people should go to the law and to the testimony and consequently examine what was brought before them and delivered unto them as Revelations that so they might know which were truely Divine or from God or which were only from Wizzards or such as had familiar spirits pretending to divine Revelations 3. What meaneth I pray the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1 19.20 to say that the Prophecy of the Scriptures is a more sure and firme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word than was even a voice from heaven His words are remarkable verse 17 18 19. for He i. e. Christ received from the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount And then addeth verse 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy or prophetical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a standing authentick Canon and though not more sure and firme in it self than was the voice from heaven yet it was more sure as to men and less obnoxious to Cavils Suspicions and Exceptions of Adversaries 4. It is remarkable that Christ himself directeth his hearers to search the Scriptures in reference to the tryal of the truth of what He delivered Ioh. 5 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testify of me 5 We are commanded to beware of false Prophets Mat. 7 15. c. Therefore we must try and judge of their Doctrine and Revelations and so come to know the Prophets Pretenders or Real by this fruite So we are commanded not to believe every spirit but to try the Spirits whether they are of God 1 Ioh. 4 1. and consequently we must have a Rule by which we must try the Revelations both of False and of True Prophets and this Rule must be more clear and unquestionable to us otherwise it can be no Rule 6. So of old when the people of Israel were commanded Deut. 13. not to hearken to a Prophet or Dreamer of dreames though he should give a signe or a wonder to confirme his commission when he would draw them away after other Gods contrare to the standing Law of God this standing Law and Commandment not to go after other Gods to serve them was the Teste by which they were to try the Revelations of Prophets Divine or meer Pretenders and so of necessity it behoved to be more clear unto them than a divine Revelation made known to them by a True Prophet 7. When Paul saith Gal. 1 8 9. that though Apostles or Angels
here mentioned is not the Scriptures and he learnedly proveth this from other Scriptures As if any sober Christian ever Asserted such a thing But in the bye as if he had no friendship with the Socinians he redargueth their incogitancy that do not acknowledge any Inward Spirit or Vertue but a meer Natural one But in what Socinian doth he read such a thing I think He rather and the Socinians are one denying this Spirit and Paraclete to be a person and a divine person as to Essence one with the Father and the Son but as to subsistance distinct The Socinians do say that the Spirit and Holy Ghost is but the Inward Spiritual Vertue of God and are not so carnal and natural as to say that it is a meer Natural Spirit or Vertue Thus he helpeth us to know what himself meaneth by the Spirit here and elsewhere mentioned viz. Not a distinct person of the Trinity but an Inward Vertue which they call the Light within The second paâ—ticular is That this Spirit is inward and for this he citeh Rom. 8 v. 9 10. 1 Cor. 3 v. 16. and that all noble works are ascribed to this Spirit citeing Ioh. 6 v. 63. Act. 2 v. 4. and 8 ver 10. Rom. 8 ver 2 13 15 16 26. 1 Cor. 2 ver 10. and 12. v. 8 9 10 13. and closeth with a saying of Calvines Institut Libr 3. Cap. 2. By all which what he would say and against whom he would disput I know not do we deny the Spirits work in his children Do we deny his Union with them that he is in them and dwelleth in them or their Union with Him that they are in Him and walk with Him All the question is about the way how this is Conceived and Expressed Will he say That the Spirit so is and dwelleth in and abideth with beleevers that hereby they become personally united with Him and so are one person with Him Some indeed have said little lesse and therupon inferred that beleevers were Godded c. as they loved to speak But if this be his meaning I account him a Blasphemer Supposeth he that the Spirit is in â—elievers as a Vertue or Spiritual power and is the Light within them Then as he contradicteth himself saying that this light and vertue is within every man which here is but promised to believers so he giveth us a shreud presumption that he is a Socinian denying the personality of the Holy Ghost which the texts cited by himselfe and many others of the like import do manifestly evince The third particular is the work of the Spirit to guide into all truth c. which we shall be loath to deny whatever his friends the Arminians and Pelagians do Do we cry up the Traditions and Precepts of Men Do we exalt corrupt and carnal Reason Let himself see to this who cryeth up the Light within which is but Nature under a new name as shall be showne in due time This is his first Argument but what is his Conclusion Ergo The holy Spirit abideth and dwelleth in and leadeth his owne All true Christians have the Spirit of God dwelling in them as in his Temple and Ergo For this Argument must be branched-out into many so fertile is the mans invention The Spirit moveth instructeth and leadeth every true christian into the knowledge of such things as are necessary unto salvation Ans. Concedo totum and what would he have more But poor man knoweth he not what is the point in difference Hath he Concluded that the Spirit communicateth the knowledge of Gods minde to all his saints in the same manner and way as he did of old to the Prophets who were extraordinarily Inspired and that that immediat way of communication of Truths to be beleeved and Duties to be performed which was peculiar to Patriarchs and Prophets or to the Apostles is continued and common to all believers No This point is too hot for his fingers to touch and we must be satisfied to heare him prove that which he can prove though it be the same which we assert and so to no purpose 28. Before he come to this second Argument he tels us § 11. That there are some who do confess that the Spirit doth now breath upon and lead the Saints but this is Subjectively and in a blinde way coeco modo but not objectively that is He illuminats the understanding to beleeve what is revealed in the Scriptures but presents not any verity objectively and this they call medium incognitum assentiendi an unknown medium of assent that is of which the man is not certaine nor sensible Ans Whom he doth particularly here meane I know not and so I cannot judge whether he reporteth their opinion faithfully or not nor how they explaine the termes here expressed I know men may have various conceptions of the same Truth and so may have various and different-like Expressions and yet meane one and the same thing And for my part though I cannot assent to some expressions here used yet I think the substance of the truth which I owne is held forth here The Scriptures are a compleat Rule to us in all things concerning Faith and Manners in reference to Salvation and hold forth the revealed Mind of God here anent as an outward Objective meane or an external Rule And therefore we need now no new Revelation either as to Truths to be beleeved or as to Duties to be obeyed in order to Salvation but we need the Breathing Light and Power of the Spirit both to cause us see the matters already revealed and to close with them as divine Truths and Commands Let us see however what he answereth Though this opinion sayeth he be more tolerable than the former yet it is not true And why First because there are many truthes which as they respect every one ut singulos respiciunt it may be he meaneth and should hâ—ve said Personas singulares are not all found in the Scriptures But what are these Truths Are they Truths concerning salvation if so I deny what he saith and shall waite his proofs in the Next Thesis where he promiseth to shew this Secondly because saith he the Arguments adduced do also prove that he proposeth truths to us Objectively But suppose that several of the Scriptures by him formerly adduced should conclude this as to the Apostles and some others yea and more viz. That they should be filled with the Spirit and Immediatly and Extraordinariâ—y Inspired and acted to pen Scripture and infallibly to hold forth Gospel Truths to set downe immutable Gospel Rules to establish Gospel Ordinances and the like which also was so will he think that the promises in this extent belong to every individual Beleever so that each of them by vertue of these promises are Infallible Dictators writters of Scripture and the like let him assay the proof of this and we shall consider what he sayeth But further though I should grant what he here sayeth
Adams first transgressiâ—n t is answered thus The Covenant being made with Adam as a publick person not for himself only but for his posterity all mankinde descending from him by ordinary generation sinned in him and fell with him in that first transgressiâ—n 5. Concerning this sin which is under various names and titles pointed forth to us in Scripture being called Sin by way of eminency Rom. 6.12 7 8. the Old Man Rom. 6 6. a Law in the members Rom. 7 23. the Body of sin Rom. 6 6. a Body of death Rom. 7 24. In dwelling sin Rom 7 17 20. Evill present Rom 7 21. These are meaned of this Sin as seated in and derived unto the posteriâ—y but as committed first by Adam Paul Rom. 5 calleth it Sin Offence Transgression Disoâ—edience and concerning its Propagation or Traduction unto the posterity many questions and doubts are moved which we are not to meddle with our purpose not being to treate of this Subject but only to vindicate the orthodox doctrine from the exceptions of this Quaker and to discover his errour in this particular For which cause we need only take notice of two things concerning this Original sin First There is the Sin disobedience offence and transgression of Adam in eating of the forbidden fruit This though it was the sin of our nature in Adam yet is said to be imputed to our persons when we come to have a being by natural Generation and deâ—cent from Adam Secondly There is that wâ—ich followed upon and flowed from that transgression of Adam according to the nature and tenour of tâ—e Covenant wherein he stood as the head and representer of all mankinde viz. The Privation or Want of that Original righteousness which our Nature possessed in Adam and the Depravation Corruption Deordination of the whole man whereby he is Disabled to all good and wholly Inclined and disposed to evil and all evil and only evil continually till grace make a change This cannot properly be said to be imputed but being a just punishment as well as a sin of the sin committed by Adam is justly inflicted by the righteous God and conveyed from Adam to all his posterity as a leprosy and infectious disease corrupting the whole man which therefore is seated and subjected in the man so soon as he hath a being by natural generation from his immediat parents though both the guilt and this contagion be not received immediatly from our next parents but immediatly from Adam from whom we have our Nature as our Personal being from our immediat parents who stand in no nearer relation to Adam as the Head of Nature than we but all Father Son and Nephew c. stand in the same near relation to him in respect of Nature as lines to the same centre 6. Having premised these things let us now consider what this Quaker hath to say against this in his Fourth Thesis towards the end he setteth downe his Assertion in few words where before we mentione his words we cannot but take notice of a piece of more than ordinary shamelesness in this Man for in the words immediatly before he cometh in with a triumphing parad saying hence the errours of Socinians and Pelagians c. are rejected as if he would make his Reader beleeve thâ—t he did anathematize all the errours of Pelagians and Socinians wâ—en yet he licks up and hugs in his bosome a special fundamental part of Pelagianisme and Socinianisme adding which are the words we are now to take notice of Yet nevertheless this seed is not imputed unto infants but when they joyne themselves to it actually by sinning We must beare with this man's following the Quakers dialect for he will speak but as he pleaseth But for understanding of wâ—at he meaneth we must call to minde his foregoing words which we took notice of in the foregoing Chapter and examined where he mentioned the Seed of God of the touch whereof he said all Adam's posterity was deprived This cannot be the seed he here meaneth He mentioneâ— another Seed of Satan to which Adam's posterity was subject and this Seed he said Satan did sowe in the hearts of Men c. Now this must be that malignant and depraved seed whence all their Thoughts Words and Actions are evil which he here meaneth And this Seed he sayeth is not Imputed to Infants And we said lately that this originated sin or Corrupâ—ion of nature could not properly be said to be impuâ—ed becauâ—e it was properly inherent as a disease of nature But the thing that he would say is plainly enough expressed in his Apology Pag. 54. But others sayeth he go so far in the â—ther extremity to whom Augustine in his declineing age moved with zeal against the Pelagians did first of all the Ancients open the way as not only to confess that Men of themselves are unfit for good and inclined to evil but also to affirme that man even while in his Mothers womb and before he commit any actual sin is under the guilt and crime of sin by which he deserveth eternal death Whereby we see that he freeth Infants from the guilt of Adam's first sin and againe Pag. 55. he sayeth they impute nothing of Adam's sin unto Men until they make it their owne by such like acts of disobedience He is clear then for the Non-imputation of Adam's sin unto Infants and the Arguments he adduceth cleare his judgment yet more 7. Thus we have seen what are his thoughts of the Imputation of Adam's guilt But what thinketh he of the other particular the Corruption of Nature His Thesis could meane nothing else by the Seed of the Serpent and when he cometh to the explication of this part of the Thesis in his Apâ—logy Pag. 59 § 4. he tels us that this evil and corrupt seed is not imputed unto infants until they actually joyn themselves unto it by sin And by this evil and corrupt seed he meaneth that whicâ— he had been speaking of viz. the Corrupt nature of Man But Pag. 55. he would seem to câ—ntradict this when he sayeth We cannot conceive how Man who is naturally come of Adam can have any good in his nature pertaining to it which he had not from whom he is derived if then we may affirme that he in his nature retained no will belonging to it nor light capable of it self to manifest spiritual things so nor his posterity Whence you might think that as Adam by his fall lost Original righteousness and all aptitude in Will or Undeâ—standing unto spiriâ—ual things so â—lso his Posterity that came naturally of him in this mans opinion but his tâ—ue meaning is that though Infants descend naturally from Adam yet this Privation of Righteousness and Corruption of Will and Understanding is not imputed to Infants nor do they partake thereof until they sin actually for in the end of his discourse upon this head Pag. 62. he sayes that this seed of sin is not imputed to any till by
Nither can it advantage his Charity to found it upon an Untruth and that his Charity in this matter is founded upon an Untruth we have seen already and shall yet make it more evident He supposeth that when Infants perish because of Original sin they perish for no â—in of their owne but only for the sin of another of Adam But how groundless this mistake is we have seen and we have told him that Original sin is the proper sin of humane Nature and so is traduced from Adam to all that come of him by ordinary Generation and so partake of humane nature 23. In end he saith that Zuinglius did deny and refute our Opinion But all his proof is from the Councâ—l of Trent which hath not much credite with us Whatever it hath with him we have more Reason to take Bullingers testimony Decad. 3. Serm. 10 and cont Anabapt lib. 1. c. 12 Gualters in Apol. pro Zuinglio Operib ejus than either Bellarmins or the Councell of Trent Nay Zuinglius declared himself abundantly for the truth in the conference with Luther at Marpurg where these words are we beleeve that Original sin is in-born in every man from Adam and is hereditary and is a sin condemning all and that unless Iesus Christ had helpâ—d by his life and death we had all because of it perished eternally neither had we been partakers of happiness and of the Kingdom of God And if he read his confession of faith to the Emperour Charles V at the dyet at Ausburgh A. D. 1539. he will finde the ground of his mistake for he will there see in what sense he said original sin was not sin viz. that the original sin in Infants was not their Actual sin and who can say that they did actually eat the apple yet he said that upâ—n the account of that they were born Enemies to God His words are these as Bullinger where now cited relateth them I confess Original sin to be borne with all who are begotten of man and woman I know we are by nature the children of wrath Nor do I stick at this disease being called after Pauls manner sin yea it is such a sin as who ever are born in it are Enemies to God and unto this they are drawn by their birth not by committing of wickedness but in so far as the first father did commit it c. 23. We have now seen all that he hath said against the Orthodox doctrine about original sin and have vindicated such arguments as he was pleased to take any notice of I shall now ere I leave this matter propose some moe Arguments to his Consideration And first I shall mention that which himself adduced when he was speaking of mans lapsed state of whâ—ch we heard in the â—oregoing chapter to wit Gen. 6 5. 8 21. from which places the old fathers argued against Pelagianisme See Vossij Hist. Pelag. Pag. 142 143. and indeed there is no small force in these passages for though the Lord be there speaking of the guilt and sin of Adult persons yet he is aggravating the same by traceing it up to the very Root Rise of all saying that it was so with them from their Infancy or Child hood so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth yea from every state of their child hood for the word is in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pueritiis ejus and thus the Lord useth to aggravat the sin of people Ezech. 16 4. c. Mat. 15 19. Ephes. 2 3. Doth not such corrupt Fruit evidence an evil Tree with a bitter root of wickedness Mat. 7 16 And seing such are the fruits and acts of men so soon as they beginne to act and bud who can say that the Root is good and not corrupt rotten Chrysostoms words on Gen. 6. Hom. 22. are remarkabâ—e Neque aetas intempestiva alioquin inexperta malorum expers erat sed statim ab incunabulis omnes malum hoc praelium certabant contendentes ut malis operibus alter alterum superarent And it is certane that the Infants of the old world perished in the â—â—ood the Lord saith here that it was for sin wickedness that this judgment came on if then these Infants did not perish for their immediat parents sins as this Quaker affirmeth they must have perished for their owne having no actual sinnes of their owne they must have perished for their original sin so that they also must be comprehended with the rest in the forecited places and the evil there spoken of must be as well habitual as actual as well innate as acquired It is observable that Gen. 8 21. the same words are used of the new World that remained to wit of Noah and his posterity 25. We might adde other Scriptures to the same purpose such as Psal. 14 1 2 53 1 2 3. Rom. 3 9 10 23. 11 32. Gal. 3 22. These universals in such a matter as this is admit of no Exceptions yea all Exceptions are expresly excluded in the very text and the scope at which the Apostle driveth Rom. 3. admitteth of no exception for all have need of Christ and of God's mercy in Him otherwise the Apostles argument should be Inconsequent concluding an Universal from a Particular and because we dar not think thus therefore we must say that all are included and because all are not to be charged with actual sins original sin must be here included 26. Origen Cyrillus Chrysostom Augustin and others of the ancients adduced to this purpose these words of Iob Chap. 14 4. hence August de Praedest Grat. Cap. 3. saith Vitiatae radicis macula it a propaginis traduce per generationum sarmenta dissusa est ut nec infans quidem unius diei a culpa sit primae praevaricationis alienus nisi per indebitam Salvatoris gratiam fuerit liberatus quodsi nec quidem sine peccato est qui proprium habere non potuit conficitur ut illud traxerit alienum de quo Apostolus dixit per unum hâ—minem c. Now that the import of this passage may be the more noticed we would consider that when Iob saith who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one He is speaking of an inward uncleaâ—ness an uncleanness of soul by which we are exposed to the judgment of God of which he speaketh vers 3. and which he pointeth forth as inevitable and as such as no man can prevent or remedie So is he also speaking of an uncleanneâ—s which is Vniversal and therefore habitual for whâ—t is only actual is not universal Infants being free therefrom and of an uncleanness which is Permanent and Adherent as also of that which is Traduced or Propagated from Father to son and is hereditary all which do manifestly make it appear that he is speaking of Original sin in respect of which every one is Unclean cometh into the world unclean and can be no
the next time he must disput against the Scriptures of truth and not against us 18. â—â—e inveigeth next Pag 67. against that monstrous as he calleth it and twofold will which they he meaneth the orthodox feigne of God one by which he openly and manifestly declareth his sentence the other plaine contrary more secret obscure But to what purpose is this brought in here And what would he make of it He saith we seem to assume this distinction and hereby he seemeth to reject it But not to run out into a debate with him upon every light occasion I would only enquire if he acknowledgeth any Decrees of God at all If he do what are these Decrees else than acts of Godâ—s will If they be nothing else than we may say God willeth what he decreeth for sure we cannot say God nilleth or willeth not what he decreeth to be Againe I would ask whether the Commands and Law of God be signes of his will If they be as I suppose he will grant then I would ask if he thinketh that God Decreeth the same thing which He Commandeth and nothing else and so that God's Decree and Command are all one If he say that they are one than the decrees of God may be Resisted Opposed Contradicted Contraveened and have no effect for it is oft so with his Commands But all Divines will hisse at this If he say that they are not one where is then the Monstrosity or Absurdity of this saying He must also assume this distinction The truth is This man speaketh he knoweth not what The Scriptures oft give the name of will unto God's Purposes and Dâ—crees as Act. 21 14. Rom. 1 10. 1 Pet. 3 17. Rom. 9 15 18 19. Ephes. 1 5. Revel 17 17. Luk. 22 42. Mat. 26.42 So doth it often times give this title unto his Commands as is every where manifest And though these two the Purpose of God and the Will of Command do not alwayes agree as to the same event Yet there is no monstrosity here of a twofold contrary Will for the Purpose of God is not of the same nature with his Command His Purpose which Divines commonly call his Will in proper sense is purely concerning the Event and respectetâ— God as the first Cause Prime disposer of all Events in the world but his Command or Law toucheth not the Events of actions but only pointeth forth mans Duty and respecteth God as the supream Lawgiver prescribing the duty of his Subjects These both are cleared by that one Instance to adduce no moe of Abraham whom God commanded to offer up his Son and so made it Abrahams duty to â—et about this and to endeavour it But as to the event the Lord had decreed that Isaak should not be offered nor Abraham get leave to offer him up indeed where is this contrarietie then the man talks of 19. Next he tels us that it availeth nothing to say that man doth willingly and of his owne accord sin for this proclivity and propensity to sin according to us saith he is necessarily imposed upon him because God did decree it should be so Ans. Not to debate these questions with this man who seemeth not to understand the matter I shall only tell him that his Objection here is very neare of kin with that Rom. 9 19. Thou wilt say unto me why doth he yet finde fault for who hath resisted his will If this be not the very compend of his following words let any that read them judge It is the same saith he as if I should take an infant that cannot resist and cast him dâ—wne from an high place though his weighâ— cause him descend yet I am the cause of his death c. Now what saith the Apostle to this Nay O man take heed to this O Quaker who art thou that repliest or disputest against God c. Thus the proud Quaker forgeteth that he is a thing formed of God or he is so unreasonable as to debate the matter with God and say Why hâ—st thou formed me thus Can we think to satisfie this Quaker who will not be satisfied with this What sayes he to that word 1 Sam. 2 25. notwithstanding they hâ—rkened not unto the voice of their Father because the Lord would stay them will this man advocate the ill cause of these wicked sons of Eli and lay all the blame upon the Lord He must plead also for Pharaoh and say he did no wrong in refusing to let the people of Israel go for he could no otherwise do because the Lord had hardened his heart But it is little that this man should plead the cause of these wicked ones and of the King of Assyria the rode of God's anger and the staff in his hand Esai 10 5. yea and of all the wicked whom God hath made for the day of evil and that for himself Prov. 16 4. seing he taketh upon him to agent and plead the Devils cause against Iehovah because when God decreed that he should afflâ—ct Iob he was free of sin all the blame lay up on the Lord for Satan could do no other wise an inevitable necessity was put upon him by the decree of God according to this mans doctrine Is not the Devil much beholden to this Quaker for his good will to learne him how to speak in his owne defence against the Lord. But I am afrayed his reward shall not quite his cost We have told him already that the decree of Reprobation imposeth no necessity upon man to sin but this necessity cometh from mans natural corrupted state Yea Corvinus himself at knowledgeth that it was Arminius his doctrine that all men naturally are cast upon a necessity oâ— sinning See D. Twisse against Mr Mason Pag. 18. It is all one thing with this man whether a thing come to passe by the free will of the second cause or by Necessity of nature as the sun shineth if there be a decree past all the guilt must lye upon Iehovah and thus either God hath made no decrees at all touching the actions of free agents good or evil or all their actions must be acts of Necessity yea Pure and Absolute Necessity and so all contingency is taken away and all Freedom from second causes or men and angels must be Absolute and independent Agents over whom and whose actions God must passe no decree let every one judge whither this doctrine tendeth and what an exalter of Free will into the very throne of God this Quaker is 20 Next he saith our doctrine is injurious to God because it maketh him to delight in the death of the wicked and to will that many should die in their sinnes contrare to Ezech 33 11. 1 Tim. 2 3. 2 Pet. 3 9. Answ. 1 If he think to prove hence that God did not decree absolutly to suffer any to lye in sin and to punish them at length because of sin he must think from this effectually to prove that God did Absolutely Decree
Repentance But how can he come who hath no power to Beleeve or Repent without grace Or is it in corrupt mans power to Beleeve or Repent 9. As for this Quaker with whom we are dealing He is not pleased to give us a full aâ—count of his judgment in this particular only two things I finde he harpeth upon and repeateth as the conclusion of his pretended proofs and allegations viz. 1. That Christ died for all and every man and not for all kinds of men only non pro generibus singulorum sed pro singulis generum as he saith And 2. That what he procured was only a Possibility of salvation but what he understandeth hereby we are left to conjecture Yet it is manifest that with him this was all and summe that was procured and that it was procured for all equally But what saith he as to the Conditions of the new Covenant we must attend him in what followeth ere we know his judgment herein Where albeit he saith that what he with the rest of the Quakers maintaine therein is different from what others say and peculiar to themselves Yet we will finde to be nothing but Pelagianisme and Arminianisme put in a new dresse of words not usual with others 10. Though it might be sufficient for us to consider what this man saith and only answere his Reasons Yet to give the Reader some satisfaction in this matter which others than Quakers are pleading for now a dayes it will not be amisse to give in short the grounds of our contrary judgment which we maintaine with the orthodox wherein I intend not a full handling of that Controversie But only a short proposal of the truth with the grounds thereof whereby all our Adversaries assertions will be rejected and our way in answering what this Quaker alleigeth facilitated and withal the two Assertions wâ—ich he insisteth upon viz. the Vniversality of the Redemption and the meer Possibility which was procured abundantly confuted 11. What that truth is which we stand for is plainly and fully enough set downe in several places of Our Confession of Faith as Chap. 3. § 6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory so hath he by the Eternal and most free purpose of his Will fore ordained all the meanes thereunto Wherefore they who are Elected being fallen in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are Iustified Adopted Sanctified and Keeped by his power through faith unto salvation Neither are any other Redeemed by Christ effectually Called Iustified Adopted Sanctified and Saved but the Elect only So Chap. 8. § 1. It pleased God in his eternal purpose to choose and ordaine the Lord Iâ—sus his only begotten Son to be the mediator between God and man Vnto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed and to be by him in time Redeemed Called Iustified Sanctified and Glorified And ibid. § 5. The Lord Iesus by his perfect obedience and sacrifice â—f himself which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God hath â—ully satisfied the Iustice of his Father and purchased not only Râ—conciliation but aâ— Everlastiâ—g inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto him So ibid § last To all those for whom Christ hath purâ—hased Redemption he doth certanely and effectually apply and communicate the same making intercession for them and revealing unto them in and by the word the mysteries of salvation effectually perswading them by his Spirit to beleeve and obey and governing their hearts by his word and Spirit overcoming all their enemies by his Almighty power and wisdom in such manner and wayes as are most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensations Our judgment is this in short That Christ according to the good pleasure of his Father laid downe his life a Ransome for the Elect only who were given to him to save from Wrath and Destruction and by that price purchased Salvation and all the Meanes necessary thereunto for them only to whom in due time and after the method which he thinketh best doth effectually apply the same unto them and actually save them 12. Though grounds sufficient considering the places of Scripture annexed in the margine of the Confession confirming all are clearly hinted and laid downe in these passages cited yet I shall with what brevity is possible point forth our grounds in plaine termes And 1. The Scripture is full and plaine in holding forth a Covenant betwixt Iehovah and the Mediator a transaction concerning man or the purposes of God concerning the Salvation of Man in way of a mutual Compact both for our better understanding of that solide ground of our Peace and Hope and for the confirming of our staggering and weak Faith And though the full explication and confirmation hereof would I judge fully undermine and destroy the rotten grounds of Socinians and Arminians and of all who are for the Diana of Free will and enemies to the Grace of God yet I cannot digresse thereunto here and shall only referre such as would see the same confirmed unto Mr. Dicksons Therapeutica sacra and Mr Rutherfords book upon the Covenant Taking it therefore for granted till what is by these Worthies said anent it be confuted and finding that Arminius himself in his Orat. de Sacerdotio Christi saith there was a Covenant betwixt the Lord and Christ I shall but shortly inferre therefrom That it is repugnant to reason to say that the result of that Eternal Transaction and the whole intended by it was only to procure a meer Possibility of Salvation and that such a Possibility as that though it was equally for all yet it might so fall out that not one person should be saved among all the sones of Adam How unreasonable is it to imagine such a bargane betwixt the Faâ—her and the Son as among men considering what they are doing can have no place If Christ was to see his seed by vertue of this Contract then certainly God had a special eye and respect unto that seed and that seed must be distinguished from all the rest for it cannot be All else all should be saved and so Christ did not undertake to buy all nor did the Father give him All for his seed and in reference to that seed the Redemption purchased must be an Actual and not a meer Potential or Possible Redemption and the Lord must have full Power and Dominion over the Will of that Seed whereby he may determine their hearts unto a following of the Method which he was to prescribe and all these meanes whereby this actual Closeing with the Conditions was to be effectually wrought must have been secured for a transaction betwixt persons infinite in Wisdom must of necessity be in all things contrived in deep Wisdom So then if by vertue of this Covenant a seed was ensured to Christ it was these concerning whom the transaction was
made for what interest could others have in this or advantage by it And so the Redemption was neither Universal nor yet meerly Possible and no more 13. Againe 2. The Scripture every where pointeth out the end of Christs coming and dying to have been to Procure and Obtaine some good to man it were endless to cite the Scriptures speaking this out plainely But if it had been only to have procured a Possibility then the proper and immediat end of his dying had been only to have procured something to God viz. a Power to Him that he might without hurt to his Justice prescribe a possible way of salvation Now not to discusse that question agitated among Orthodox Divines viz. whether it was impossible for God to have pardoned the sins of man without a satisfaction made by his Son or not meaning antecedently to a decree determineing this way of manifestation of the Iustice of God only I must say that as yet I can see nothing from Scripture determineing the egresses of the Relative Iustice of God to be more essential to God and less subject to the free determinations of his good will and pleasure than are the egresses of his Mercy nor do I see any necessity for asserting this against the Socinians seing our ground walking upon a decree is proof against all their Assaults far less see I any necessity of founding our whole debate with the Socinians upon that ground yea I cannot but judge it the result of great imprudence so to do seing the Socinians may reply that the sole ground of that Opposition to them is not only questioned but plainly denyed by such as we account Orthodox and learned and may hence gather that we have no other solide ground whereupon to debate with them but such as the learned of our owne side overthrow The depths of God's Counsel are beyond our fathoming and it is hard for us to say hithertil the omnipotent can come but not one ince further I daâ— not be wise above what is writen and I would gladly see one passage of Scripture declareing this to have been in itself utterly impossible and inconsistent with God But whatever may be said of this what Scripture tels us that Christ was sent to die that he might obtean this Power unto God And further what was this power Was it a meer Power and Liberty that should never have any Effect If it was to have an Effect what was that Was it only to make a new Transaction with man in order to his salvation If that was all notwithstanding of all this Power and Ability not one man might have been saved Was it certanely to save some Then the Redemption cannot be called Universal nor yet meerly Possible Nay if by the death of Christ a Right and Power only was obtained to God God was at full liberty to have exerced that Right and Power or not as he pleased and so notwithstanding thereof man might have remained in the same condition whereinto he was and never so much as have had one offer of life upon any termes what ever or only upon the old termes of the Covenant of works and what then should the advantage of this have been The whole Scripture speaking of the death of Christ mentioneth far other Ends respecting man 14. If we 3. Consider how the Scripture mentioneth a number given of the Father to Christ to be Redeemed and Saved we shall see that there is neither an Universal nor yet a meer Possible Redemption for this gift is utterly repugnant to and destructive of both for if conforme to the Covenant beâ—wixt the Father and the Son there were some given to Christ to save and redeem these He must actually save and redeem and for these only was Christ ordained and designed of the Father to be a Redeemer and upon the account of these only did he undertake the work and lay down the ransome-money for it is not rational to suppose that the designe of Father and Son being to saâ—e actually these gifted ones Christ would shed his blood for others who were not given to him and who should receive no salvation by his blood for cui bono what could be the designe of Father and Son in this The matter goeth not so in humane transactions where the price is considerable Now that the Scripture mentioneth some given to Christ and that in distinction from others is clear Ioh. 17 2. that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him So vers 12. Those that thou gavest me I have keept and none of them are lâ—st c. So Ioh. 6 37. All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me vers 30. And this is the Fathers will that hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing Ioh. 17 9. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine 10. And all thine are mine and mine are thine and I am glorified in them 11. Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am c. Whence we see tâ—at Christ had no charge of the rest was under no tye to save them nor would he so much as pray for them but as for the given ones Ioh. 10. called his sheep for these he laid downe his life and prayed and for these was he to give an account nay which is more these had a special Interest in God's heart and affection were thereupon given to Christ. They were the Father's and given of the Father to tâ—e Son and so fully discriminated from all the rest and both Father and Son stand engadged to carry these thorow unto salvation all which considered it is most plaine that the Redemption was Particular and Actual conforme to the Undertaking and Transaction 15. Nay 4. If we will consider the fountaine love from whence the sending of Christ came we will see how unreasonable it is to imagine an Universal meer Possible Redemption as the proper end and effect of Christs death and merites It is said Ioh. 9 16. A place which our Universalists look upon as most favourable for them that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that all beleevers in him might have eternal life This love is held forth as unparallelable a love greater than which cannot be conceived and a a love demonstrated by the greatest effect imaginable sending and giving his only begotten to give his life a râ—nsoâ—e and to die for sinners and it must be contrary to all reason to imagine that all this was to procure a Redemption by which it was possible that not one man should be Actually Redeemed Christ himself saith Ioh. 15 13. greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends See also Rom. 5.8 And shall we think
that the effect of all this Non-such Love both of the Father of the Son was only a Possible Salvation and Redemption and that all this love should be outed and possibly not one man saved Either the Lord knew that some would get good by this fruite of wonderful love or not If not then he was not omniscient and then the Father gave his Son and the Son came and both were the effect of the greatest love imaginable and yet neither of them knew that any one soul should be saved for all that If he knew then he knew that they would get good by it either by themselves alone without his Grace or not If the first why would he send his Son to die and why would Christ come to die for such as they saw would never have a will to be saved by his death If the last be said then seing the greatest expression of love was to send his Son and in the Son to come and die how can we think that that was for all when the grace to improve that death and profite by it was not designed for all Sayeth not Paul Rom. 8 32. He that spared not his owne Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all thing Importing that that was Impossible Shall we imagine that that is the greatest love which is common to all and is not able to effectuate the salvation of those upon whom it is set and how can this be that the greatest effect of this greatest love shall be common to all and smaller effects not common also See also 1 Ioh. 4 9 10 11. where this speciall love by which Christ was sent is made peculiar unto beleevers for Iohn is speaking of none else So â—s this love peculiarly terminated on Christ's Wife and Church Ephes. 5 25 2. and hath gracious and saving effects Gal. 2 20. Tit. 3 4 5 6 7. Epes 2 4 5 6. Rom. 8 36 37. 2 Thes. 2.16 17. Revel 1 5 6. Beside that this love is mentioned as an Old Everlasting and Unchangable Love Ier. 31 3. Ephes. 1 3 4. Rom. 9 11. Ioh. 13 1. Zeph. 3 17. And is all this nothing but a General Common thing that cannot save one soul if Lord Free will do not consent of his own accord 16 Moreover 5. if we consider the ends assigned to the Death of Christ mentioned in Scripture we shall see that it was some other thing than a meer Possible Delivery and Redemption common to all mankinde Mat. 18 11. He came to save that which was lost and not to make their salvation meerly possible for if that were all Christs argument should have had no strength So 1 Tim. 1 15. Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners if it were a meer possibility that might never tâ—ke effect hâ—w should this faithful saying be worthy of all acception So Luk. 19 10. where the matter is exemplified in Zaccheus Mat. 1 21. the reason of the name Iesus given to the Redeemer is becâ—use he shall save his people from their sinnes that is Actually and Really and not Potentially or Poâ—sibly only and this cannot be meaned of all for he sayeth noâ— the Reprobat from their sins at least not from the sin of unbeleef bâ— the confession of Adversaries But here no sin is excepted and therefore is his death restricted to his people whom he saveth from all their sinnes Heb. 2 14 15. there is another end of his death mentioned viz. that he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifâ—time subject to bondage This was no meer Possible Deliverance but Actual and Effectual and it was not common to all for it is restricted to his Brethren vers 11 12 17. and to sones 13. to the children which God gave him vers 13 14. to the Seed of Abraham vers 16. and againe vers 17. wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brâ—thren that he might be a Merciful and Faithfull High priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Behoved Christ to be a Merciful and Faithful High prist in things pertaining to God only to make a Possible Reconciliation whereby it might be that not one person should be reconciled and are the Reprobate his brethen Ephes. 5 25 26. To what end did Christ give himself for his Church And all the world of mankinde belong not to his Church It was that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Is this a meer Possibility Then might Christ have died and have had no Church to present to himself faire and spotless his Church might have remained full of spots and wrinkles unholy and full of blemishes yea should have been no Church Tit. 2 14. He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Do all the world belong to this peculiar people doth Christ redeem all the world from all iniquity Is all the world purified and made zealous of good works Or is all this a meer maybe which may not be 2 Corinth 5 vers 21. He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be 〈◊〉 the righteousness of God in him Was Christ made sin or a sacrifice for sin that all the world might possibly be made the righteousness of God in him that is that possibly not one person might be made the righteousness of God in him who can dream thus that God's intentions and designes should be so loose and frustrable and that God should be so uncertain in his purposes Gal. 1 4. why did the Lord Iesus give himself for our sinnes It was that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of God and our father This is no meer Possible Deliverance and it is such as was designed not for all the world but for the us there mentioned So Chap. 4 4 5 God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sones This Real Benefite is manifestly here restrickâ—d Ioh. 17 19. for their sakes I sanctify any self that they also may be sanctified through the truth Christ sanctified himself to be an oblation not to obtaine a meer may be but that they for whose sakes he did sanctifie himself that is they that were given to him vers 6 9. and were his owne vers 10. and were in due time to beleeve in him vers 20. might Really and Actually be Sanctifiâ—d through him Heb. 13 12. wherefore did Iesus suffer without the
others who performe not the condition and so obtaine nothing but to Ourselves only who make ourselves to differ and so may we sing praises to ourselve and put the crown upon our owne heads and give no song of praise to the Redeemer but what such as go to hell are bound to give contrary to all Christian Religion If Christ hath purchased this Condition then iâ— is done either Absolutly or Conditionally If Aâ—soâ—utely tâ—an all shall Absolutely have it if Conditionally we enquire what is the Condition And whatever it be we may move the same questions concerning it 5. By this meanes the act should creat â—ts owne object for Faith in the death of Christ is ordinarily given as the Condâ—tâ—on and this faith maketh the death of Christ valide which otherwayes would not be 6. This maketh all the vertue of Christs death to depend upon mans act so that if man will all shall be saved if not no man shall be saved notwithstanding that Christ died for them 7. This makes Christ but at most a half Mediator doing one part of the work and man coming in to compleete it must be the other half mediator and so at least must have the halfe of the Praise 8. where saith â—he Scripture that if we beleeve Christ died for us or that Christ died for all or for any Conditionally It is true some of the effects of Christ's death are bestowed conditionally â—aking the word conditionally not properly as it the performance of that condition did in proper law â—ense procure a right to these mercies for through the merites of Châ—ist's blood have we a right properly to alâ— but improperly as denoteing nothing but the Methode and way of Goâ—'s bestowing the blessings purchaâ—ed fiâ—st this and thâ—n upon the souls acting oâ— that another as for examâ—le fiâ—st faith then upon the souls acting oâ— Faith Iustâ—fication then Saâ—ctification c. and upon the souls acting of Sanctification Gloâ—ification but the deâ—th of Christ cannot therefore be called Conditional more than thâ— will or purpose of God can be called conditional because some of the things willed may depend â—pon other as upon a condition 9 Then by performing thâ— Condition man should â—rocure to himself a Legal Right and Title not only to the dâ—aâ—h of Christ buâ—â—o Iustification Adoption Sanctification yea and to Glorification yea and that a more near and effectual Title and right than what was had by Christ's death for the Title had by Christ's death if it can be called a Title was far Remote Common to such as shall never have any pâ—ofiâ—e by it but the other is Câ—rtain Particular Proxime and giveth possession jus in re 10. Then Christ's blood as shed upon the crosse was but a Potential thing hâ—ving no power or vertue in it self to redeem any it was but a poor Potential price and all its vertue of actual purchasing and procureing is from mans performing the Condition this and this only giveth it Power and Efficacy and so Christ is beholden to man for giving vertue unto his Blood and making it effectual which before was a dead ineffectual thing Then let any judge who should have the greatest share of the glory of Redemption Man or Christ 11. was Christ's death Absolute in no respect or was it as to some things I mean belonging to Grace and Glory Absolute if in nothing then Man must certanely have a great share of the glory if it was Absolute as to any thing what was that and why was it more Absolute as to that than as to other things And why should it then be simply and without limitation said that Christ died for all Conditionally 12. what will this Quaker say as to infants did Christ die for them Conditionally But he must say that Christ died not for them at all because they have no sin where is then his Universal Redemption Infants sure make a great part of mankinde and therefore the Redemption from whâ—ch they are excluded and of which they have no need can not be called Universal 32. For Further confirmation of our 19. Argument and confutation of our Adversaries position we adde 21 That Christ Iesus is heard of the Father in all that he asketh Psal. 2 8. Ioh. 11 41 42. and as an High Prist he entred into heaven Hâ—b 9 11.12 â—ow to appear in the presence of God for us vers 24 to prepare a plaâ—â— Iob. 14 2. to act the part of an Advocat inteâ—ceding with the Father in the behalfe of all such for whom he died 1 Ioh. 2 1 2 If then Christ whom his Father heareth alwayes intercedeth in the behalfe all these for whom he died either he did not die for all or all must certainly be saved That Christ's Intercession and Death are so the same persons will be and must be denyed by our Adversaries But to us it is most manifest from these grounds 1. To Inteâ—cede and pray are as Essential and Necessary Acts of the Priestly office as to offer sacrifice and the Apostle Heb. 9 cleareth up how Christ did in truth what the High priest among the Jewes did in the type for as the High priest alone went once every yeer into the second tabernacle or holy of holies notwithout blood which he offered for himself and the errours of the people vers 7. So Christ being come an High priest of good things to come by a greater and more perfect tabernacle by his owne blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal Redâ—mption vers 12. Hence he is said to Live for ever to make Intercession for us Heb. 7 25. and he is an Advocat with the Father 1 Ioh. 2 1 Hence then it is manifest that Christ must Intercede for such as he did Offer up himself for or he shall not be a Perfect and Compleet High Priest or not faithfull to performe all the Oâ—fices of the High Priest neither of which can be said 2. The ground of his Intercession is held forth to be his Oblation as the High Priest went into the holy of holies with the blood of the sacrifices which he had offered so Christ entered into the holy place having first obtained by the sacrifice of himself an Eternal Redemption Heb. 9 12. So he is an Advocate with the Father being first a Propitiation for sinnes 1 Ioh. 2 1 2 3. Both his Death Intercession make up one Compleet Medium and are intended and designed as one Medium for the end designed viz the bringing of many sones unto glory saving to the uttermost all that come to God through him c. 4. How unreasonable is it to think that Christ would refuise to Pray for such whom he loved so dearly as to lay down his life for yet he saith expresly thâ—t he prayeth not for the world but for others distinguished from the world Ioh. â—7 9. 5. As His Death was for such as the Father had given him as we saw above so his
Intercession and Prayer is restricted to such Ioh. 17 9. I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine 6. Christ's end in coming into the world was to save his people Hence he gote that name Iesus but he should not be able to save them Perfectly Compleetly and to the Utermost if he did not joyne his Intercession with his Oblation Yea upon this account he continueth ever a Priest having an unchangable Priesthood Heb. ◠24 25. But this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangable Priesthood wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seing he ever liveth to make intercession for them 7. The Apostle so joyneth them together Rom. 8 34. that they must do manifest violence to the Apostles reasoning who would pull them asunder and separate the one from the other It is sais he Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us 8. Yea they are so joyned together here that his death alone considered could not yeeld that ground of triumph and boasting nor security from Accusations Yea rather that is risen againe c. 9. So that the separating and taking of these asunder is greatly prejudicial to the consolation of his people for though they should attaine to some apprehensions of Christ's dying for them as an Advocate with the Father upon new sinnes 1 Ioh. 2 1 2. Though Christ died yet they might be condemned for he must also Interceed and if he do not Intercede for them their Hopes and Comforts are gone And so there should be no force in that who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died Rom. 8 34. And a poor soul might be had saved but not to the uttermost contrare to Heb. 7 25. 10 And that place Rom. 8 33. restricteth both equally unto the Elect who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect 11. When Christ laid down his life a Ransome for sinners he could not but know that by that Ransome none should be actually saved without his Intercession it being accorded betwixt Father and Son that the mediator should mediate both by Price and by Prayer And he could not but know for whom he purposed and intended to Interceed how shall we then suppose that he would lay down his life for those for whom he was purposed not to Pray Or that he would do the most for them For whom he would not do the least 12. Christ's intercession is really a presenting unto God the Oblation made Therefore sayes the Apostle Heb. 9 24. that Christ is entered into heaven it self to appear in the presence of God for us And so by appearing he Interceedeth and his appearing is in his owne blood whereby he obtained Eternal Redemption Heb. 5 12. and so his Intercession must be for all for whom the Oblation was and the eternal Redemption was obtained 13. Yea both these are so joyned together by Esaias Chap. 53 12. as that they are made one ground and procureing cause of God's divideing him a portion with the great and of Christs own divideing the spoile with the strong Because he hath poured out his soul unto death and he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressours 14. This is further clear from the reasons we gave to confirme that fast connexion betwixt Christ's Impetration Application in the foregoing paragraph for the Actual Application of the benefite and fruit of his oblation is attributed to his Intercession 15. Nay that whole Chapter Ioh 17. confirmeth this for there Christ is both Offering himself or sanctifying himself thereunto vers 19. and Interceding and these are so lincked together both in themselves and as to the persons for whom that it must argue at least much incogitancy to imagine a divulsion separation of these two acts of his Priesthood 16. If Christ Intercede not for the same persons for whom he died we ask for whom he Intercedeth Is it for actual beleevers Then we ask a Scripture ground for this restriction And then it is manifest hence that Christ Intercedeth not for the working of faith in any And yet Esaias tels us that he maketh Intercession for transgressours And we see Ioh. 17 20. that he prayeth not only for those who were already beleevers but for such also as were not yet beleevers He told us Himself also that he would pray the Father for the Spirit Ioh. 14 vers 16. And among other things this is one work of the Spirit to cause a sinner beleeve 2 Cor. 4 13. Ephes. 1 17 18 19. 33. The point we are upon will be further cleare if we consider 22. That Christ's death was a Redemption and we are said to be Redeemed thereby Gal. 4 5. and 3 13. Rom. 3 24. Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. 1 Pet. 1 8. Revel 5 9. Tit. 2 14. And therefore all such as he laid down this Redemption or Redemption-money for must of necessity be redeemed and saved and consequently he died not for all seing all are not redeemed and saved His Ransome or Price of redemption which he laid down viz. his blood which he shed is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome Mat. 20 28. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2 6. That all such for whom this Redemption-money was payed and this Ransome was given must be saved is cleare for 1. Other wayes it were no Redemption a ransome given for Captives doth say that these Captives in law and justice ought to be set at liberty 2. This Redemption is the same with as to the effect or hath attending it forgiveness of sins Col. 1 14. Ephes. 1 7. and forgiveness of sins is with justification hath blessedness attending it Rom. 4 6 7 8. 3. Salvation necessarily followeth upon this Ransome and Redemption as is clear 1 Tim. 2 4. compared with vers 6. 4. This redemption is from a vaine Conversation 1 Pet. 1 18. and consequently is attended with Salvation 5. It is attended with justification Rom. 3 24. being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ 6. Hence it is called the Redemption of the transgressions Heb 9 15. that is either of Transgressours by a metonimy or of us from the evil of transgressions that upon a valuable compensation and satisfaction for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Redemption from evil by the Interveening of a Price a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Ransom 7. This was a Redemption from the law for God sent forth his son made under the law to redeem them who were under the law Gal. 4 4 5. so by this redemption there is a liberation had from the Law and its Curse and Penality 8. And it is a Redemption of such as were under the law for this end that they might receive the adoption of sones Gal. 4 5. But this Adoption of sones
is not common to all 9. All which receiveth confirmation from this that the Father who received this ransome did himself send his Son to lay it down and so it was his own Ransome and therefore must have been payed upon a certaine designe of actually Redeeming and delivering from Sin Satan Death and Hell those for whom it was laid downe 10. So is there an other end of this redemption mentioned Gal. 3 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ. 1. Seing the Lord jehovah might have refused to free the sinner upon any Redemption or satisfaction offered and exacted all of the sinners themselves that they lay under by the law it was a great condescendence in love of this great Lord and a gracious act of Soveraignity to accept of a mediation and of Love and free grace to provide a Redâ—emer we cannot but in reason think that His good pleasure did regulate this matter as to the Persons who should be Redeemed and as to the manner and method after which they should actually partake of the Redemption And that therefore the persons to be redeemed were condescended upon and the persons condescended upon were certanely to be â—edeemed the Lord having intended in the contrivance of this Redemption the certaine Salvation and Redemption of those who were condescended upon of none else and the Intentions Designes and Purposes of God are not vaine nor frustrable 34. Further 23. Christ's death had a real Merite in it that is a worth and value to procure the good things it was given for so that thereby there was a Purchase made Act. 20 28. And therefore we cannot suppose that all that was Procured and Purchased hereby was a General Uncertane and meerly Possible thing If it had a value and worth in it as no question it had to purchase and procure grace and glory unto all for whom it was given and was accepted as a valuable price of the Father why should not the thing hereby purchased be given and granted in due time To say that all was suspâ—nded upon a condition is to make all Uncertaine or we must say that Christ's death did procure that Condition also and then all is right for that is it we say 35. 24. Christ's death is to be considered as the death of a Testator Heb. 9 15 16 17. And for this cause he is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by meanes of death for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance for where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testatour for a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testatour liveth So he said himself of the cup in the Sacrament that it was the blood of the New Testament Mat. 26 28. Mark 14 24. and that it was the cup of the New Testament in his blood Luk. 22 20. and Paul calleth it the New Testament in his blood 1 Cor. 11 25. So that his Death and Bloodshed was the death of a Testatour for the confirmation of the New Testament and for ascertaneing of the Legatees of the good things bequathed to them in legacy by the Testament Now a Testament commonly is a declaration of the Testatours free Absolute and Voluntary Purpose of bestowing such and such benefites to such and such friends and so it is the Testatours letter will whereby he willeth that this legacy be given to this person and that to another It is true men may insert some conditions as to some legacies because they are but men and know not contingent future things nor have they the wils and dispositions of such they appoint legatees in their own hand and power But it is otherwayes with our Testatour and therefore we cannot think that He left the legacies in his Testament at the uncertanty of conditions to be performed by men especially considering how as he died to ratify the Testament so he rose againe to administrate the same as the sole executor thereof by his Spirit and that what legacies he left to be bestowed upon such and such conditions he left not the matter at an uncertanty for the condition it self was bequathed as the necessary good of the Testament without which all would have been to no purpose It is unreasonable then to think that Christ died to give force to his Testament yet it might come to passe that he should have no heire to enjoy the goods left in legacy Nor is it reasonable to think that all the world were equally his heires seing the Inheritance and Kingdom is for the little flâ—ck Luk. 12 32. and a peculiar select number â— Pet. 1 4. Ioh. 17 24. Col. 1 12. who are heires of the promises of God of salvation of the grace of God of the Kingdom c. Rom. 8 17. Gal. 3 29. and 4 7 30. Ephes. 3 6. Heb. 1 14. and 6 1â— and 11 7. Iam. 2 5. 1 Pet. 3 7. Therefore all whom Christ hath appointed heires in his Testament shall certanely enjoy the good things tested in due time for his Death gave force to his Testament as being his Last and Unchangeable will so that they cannot misse of the Inheritance and be disappointed especially considering that Christ by his death laid downe a valuable rich price to purchase all these good things which he left in legacy to his friends heires 36. Christ's death moreover 25. is to be considered as the death of a Sponsor and Cautioner and this will further confirme our point Hence he is called a Surety Heb. 7 22. and is said to die for the ungodly Rom. 5 6. to be made a curse for us Gal. 3 13. and to be made sin 2 Cor. 5 21. and other expressions of the like kinde have the same import From whence it is evident that Christ took the debt upon him that was justly to be charged upon the account of sinners that he became one person in Law with sinners the principal debtor that he payed and satisfied for all the debt and that in their roome and place and that therefore all these for whom he died must certainly be delivered from the Debt and from the Charge and Consequences thereof These things are manifest of themselves and need no further confirmation Now seing all are not delivered from the debt of sin nor from the punishment due because of sin we cannot say that Christ died as a Cautioner for all for sure his death was a compleat payment of all the debt he undertook to pay and to satisfie for Nor can we say that he died as a Cautioner for he knew not whom far lesse that he died as a Cautioner and yet none might possibly receive advantage thereby Nor yet can we say that he died as a Cautioner and payed
hard to say That Christ laid down his life a Price a Ransome a Sacrifice an Atonement Propitiation c. to Purchase Procure Merite Grace Glory to make Reconciliation Peace betwixt God such as were already suffering the vengeance of eternal fire to satisfie for their sinnes who were already condemned to the torments of hell fire and yet this must be said by such as assert Universal Redemption Was Christ so prodigal of his blood as to cast it away for such as were irrecoverably gone If it be said that this is no more hard than to say that Christ suffered for such as were already glorified Any may see how vast the difference is for such as were glorified were glorified upon the account of Christ Death which was to be in the time appointed designed by Father Son When one promiseth a summe for redeeming of so many slaves and the summe according to mutual agreement is to be payed at such a day the slaves may be presently relieved in contemplation of the price which is accepted and is to be payed hereafter at the time appointed But when one cometh to lay down Ransome-money he cannot be said to lay it downe for such as are dead that he knoweth to be dead many yeers ago so uncapable of Redemption 41. Further 30. If Christ died for all then he intended to die for all then the Father also intended that he should die for all then he intended that it should be a Redemption for all that thereby all should be Redeemed for to what end else should Christ die redeem if not that such as he died for Redeemed be Redeemed Delivered Or to what other end should God intend that Christ should die for all than to the ends mentioned in Scripture of which we have spoken And how can we say that God did intend the Redemption of all when all are not actually redeemed Are his intentions so fallible and frustrable If it be said that he Intended only a Possible Salvation and not Actual I Ans. The Scripture speaketh no such thing as we have seen And how unsuteable is it to the wisdom of God to send his Son actually to die and bear the curse and only intend thereby a Possible Redemption which might never prove Actual to any one soul If it be said That he Intended an Actual Redemption but Conditionally I Answer Redemption upon a condition is but a Conditional Redemption and that is but a Potential Possible Redemption unlesse you say that the condition is also purchased and then as to God it is an Absolute Redemption and intended as such doth it suite the wisdom of God to intend Redemption to all and not intend also the Condition by which alone it must become Actual and which he alone can work but will not Must we thus ascribe such intentions to God as must hang upon mans will and be subordinate thereunto Or if he see that the Condition will never be performed how can we think that he intendeth any thing upon a Condition that shall never be But enough of this at present 42. Moreover 31. This doctrine of Universal Redemption is derogatory to the solide consolation of the Redeemed and Weakeneth the grounds of their long and therefore it is not to be admitted This Argument is fully and solidely prosecuted and vindicated from what can be allaiged against it by the learned and solide divine Mr Durham in his Comment on the Revelation Pag. 304. and 305. And to him shall I referre the Reader only I shall crave leave to adde this That by our Adversaries grounds the song of the Saved shall not run as it doth Revel 5 9 10. But rather thus We have saved ourselves out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation and have made ourselves unto God Kings and Priests For whereas Christ by his blood redeemed all of every kinred and tongue and people and nation and not some only out of them we ourselves have by our own free good will made a difference betwixt ourselves and the rest and we are no more beholden to Christ for all that we have attained to then the damned in hell are for whom Christ shed his blood as well as for us and to whom he purchased by his blood and death as much as for us as Adversaries say So that I see not how Arminians and Quakers can think to joine in this Song and have any share of this Consolation which is solely founded upon the Redemption of Christ as a peculiar and no common blessing Let them consider it for it concerneth them not a little seing all that come to glory will sing to the honour of their Redeemer upon other grounds as we see then these are which our Adversaries lay down and plead so earnestly for If any say that Christ moreover hath purchased faith to some even to all that are actually saved I Answere As neither the Arminians nor semi Arminians I mean the followers of Camero will say this or grant so much so the granting of it will evert the other Universal Conditional Redemption for the Scripture speaketh but of one kinde of Redemption of one Price laid down of one Covenant betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator and of one Giving unto Christ of Persons to be redeemed Shall we think that Christ would lay down as great a ransome for such as he was not to purchase faith unto as for the rest Shall we think that he would lay down his life in vaine and make no purchase thereby And of the Reprobat for whom he was not to purchase faith he knew he could make no purchase for without faith his death would be of no advantage unto them And where do we read that all were given unto him to redeem Yea are not the given ones clearly distinguished from the rest Ioh. 17 6 9. as we cleared above 43. Againe 32. If the Redemption of Christ be Universal and Conditional it must necessarily follow that Christ laid down his life and the price of his blood as much for Iudas and all the Reprobate as he did for Iohn and all the Elect for the Redemption being conditionally for all it cannot be more for one then for another And yet this cannot be said as appeareth from the reasons formerly adduced This would say that the Fathers and Christs love was equal towards all and that no more was purchased for the one than for the other and that the Elect have no more benefite by Christs death than the Reprobat have and that Christ had no more an eye to Redeem the Elect by his death than to Redeem the Reprobat and was no more a Cautioner for the one than for the other all which and the like cannot but be looked upon as most absurd Shall we think that Christ became sin as well or as much for Iudas as for Peter Shall we think that He redeemed all alike from the curse of the Law
shown if it were worth so much paines let any who will Reaâ— the Jesuite Didacus Ruiz de Praedestinatione dispp 39 40.41.42.43.44.45 and especially disp 46. de Barbaris and he shall finde this Quakers doctrine at full length CHAP. X. Of Universal Grace and Light 1. We come to examine his Second Proposition containing a further piece of their divinity which he expresseth thus Pag. 79. § 11. That God for this end did comunicate and give to every man a certane measure of the Light of his Son a measure of grace or some manifestation of the Spirit which hath several names in Scripture as the seed of the kingdom Mat 13 18 19 light manifesting all things Ephes. 5 13. the word of God Rom. 10 18 the manifestation of the Spirit given to every one 1 Cor. 12.7 the talent Mat. 25.14 the Gospel preached to every creature Col 1 23 Ans. This must be a strange and wonderfull thing that is both Grace Gifts which are inward and placed in the soul the Word of God the Gospel which is outward preached declared to the eares of people what can we make of this or what can we understand by it Nay this with them is the Spirit of God it is Christ God Father Son holy Ghost and what not This I take to be peculiar to the Quakers for neither Pelagians nor Socinians nor Arminians nor any of their followers nor Iesuite ever spoke at this rate of non-sense vented to the world such Inconsistencies which are rather the foamings of a distracted braine than the discoursings of men in their wits how heterodox so ever But is it not strange that this man should imagine these things to be common to all mankinde The seed of the kingdom I no where read of but of the word of the kingdom which is compared to seed and was this word preached to all nations from the beginning of the word Or is it to this day sowen in all nations even amongst Heathens in Iapan other Regions Territories in the East West Indees or among the Turks Cannibals By whom I pray and upon whose testimony must we believe this The word of God Rom. 10 17. is the word that is heard preached by such as are sent whose feet are beautifull vers 15. by which faith cometh calling upon God vers 13 14 17. Is this common to all Nations The manifestation of the Spirit spoken of 1 Cor. 12. is concerning gifts peculiarly enumerated vers 8 9 10. such as the word of wisdom the word of knowledge faith gifts of healing working of miracles Prophecy discerning of spirits diverse kindes of tongues and interpretation of tongues And are these common to all men or were they then common to all the world Nay doth not the Apostle expresly restrick them to the Church of which he is there speaking in which the Lord did set Officers endued with these gifts vers 28 expresly say that they were not common even to all the members of the Church as may be seen through that chapter particularly vers 29 30 beside that the scope of the whole irrefragably evinceth this As for the talent mentioned Mat. 25. We spoke of it in the preceeding chapter And that Gospel whereof Paul speaketh Col. 1. Was that which he was sent to preach to all indefinitely as providence which sometimes stood in the way of his endeavouring to preach it somewhere as we see Act. 16 6 7. ordered it and which is called vers 26. the mystery which hath bin hid from ages and generations but now is made manifest to the saints Was this common to all before Christ came is it common to all this day How shall it be evinced that this Gospel is thus Universal will he take that word every Creature under heaven vers 23. without any limitation Then he must sâ—y that Paul preached this Gospel to Devils to Beasts all creatures without sense as well as to Men. But if he will restrick it let it be according to Reason we are satisfied his designe is crossed for as we cleared above Chap. VIII these Universals must be interpreted according to the nature of the thing spoken of the circumstances of the place so it will here but import an indefinite mission among the Gentiles and is an hyperbolick expression of the vast extension of the tydings of salvation now under the Gospel administration in comparison of what it was unâ—er the law when restricked to the limites of one kingdom to the posterity of Abraham Isaak Iacob with a few Proselites 2. To keep us from startling at the non-sense of the Proposition we have more more of that kinde to meet with in the further explication thereof set down in several Pages from Pag. 82. § 13. to Pag. 92. And though some may justly blame me for wasteing words spending time upon such a Nonsensical Self-contradictory Proposition yet considering that here lyeth the core of their delusions and that which though not as to mater yet as to expressions is peculiar to the Quakers and common to them all the Reader must have patience and heare all and then he will be better able to judge 3. He beginneth then Pag. 82. § 13. tels us That this Seed Grace word of God and light with which every man is enlightened and a measure of which every one hath in order to Salvation and which by mans pertinaciousness and the malignity of his will may be resisted extinguished wounded suppressed killed crucified is not the proper essence and nature of God considered in it self Before we enter upon a particular discussion of this mans words we conceive it will be of use to helpe us to understand him the better if he may be understood at all in this chiefe part of their heretical doctrine to take notice of some expressions of other Quakers concerning this Light and Seed of which they speak so much Mr Hicks in his dialogue giveth us some account of some of their expressions in this mater Dial. 1. Pag 3. G. Whitehead said in him was life the life was the light of men If the life be the divine essence the light must be so also for such as the cause such the effect must be And Againe Pag. 4. The light within must be God because to deny it so to be is to deny the Omnipresence of God Thus the light is the Essence of God the Omniprâ—sence of God And againe G. W. reasoned thus The divine life is immutable To say then the light within is not God is to say God is mutable Therefore it is blasphemy to deny the light within to be God Yea Pag. 5. he tels that one Robert West called the denying to worship the measure of light in every man damnable heresie and said that the Spirit which God breathed into Adam was not mans spirit but another the breath of our nostrils the anoynted
Essence of God considered some other way whence it appeareth that all men are partakers of the very Essence of God though not as considered precisely in it self but some other way What blasphemy is wraped up here let any juâ—ge that will 5. But why may not this seed and light be meaned of the Nature and Essence of God simply in it self considered Because saith he that can not be divided into parts and measures being most pure and simple free of all composition and division so can neither be exstinguished nor wounded nor crucified nor killed by all the strength of men Ans. Yet it would seem by him that the Essence and Nature of God though not as considered simply in it self yet as considered some other way may be Divided into parts and Compounded and so Exstinguished Wounded Killed yea Crucified and I would only know of him in what respect we can so consider the Essence and Nature of God as that we may say of it it may can be Wounded Killed Crucified or Exstinguished He leaveth us here in the mist. 6. We have heard what he understandeth not by this Seed Light c. He tels us next what he understandeth by it viz. a Spiritual heavenly and invisible principle principium organ in which God as he is the Father the Son the Spirit dwelleth a measure of which divine and glorious life is in all as a seed which of its own nature inviteth and inlineth all to good and this saith he we call the vehicle of God the spiritual body of Christ the flesh and bloud of Christ which came out of heaven and of which all the Saints do eat and are nourished unto eternal life Here we have a mysterious revelation of their mysterious conceptions by which we can understand as little of their meaning as before for 1. What is this Principium this Principle Is it a principle of Natural Actions Or a principle of Gracious and Saving Actions If of Natural actions how doth it differ from the soul and the Faculties thereof If of saving and gracious actions how is it given to and implanted in every man how Atheistical and wicked soever he be The Scripture tels us of a principle of wickedness in every man by nature whereby they are inclined to all evil and only evil and that continually And we hear of the God of this world in them that are lost blinding their mindes 2 Cor. 4 4. and of the Prince of the power of the aire the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 2 2. And that this is the common condition of all till they be quickened together with Christ and brought out of that state of death by faith in Christ Ephes. 2 3 4 5. and by beleeving the Gospel 2 Cor. 4 3 4. 2. How or what way is this to be called an Organ Of what is it an instrument or Organ Of God or of the Soul Instruments must be instruments of some principal cause Or is this word properly taken or improperly Is it a Suppositum or a Vertue and Principle superadded to the Suppositum siting it for action Or is it to the soul as our members and organs are to the body What he meaneth hereby he would do well to explaine for his expressions are dark and dubious and give no distinct sound 3. In what respect is this Principle and Organ called spiritual Is it spiritual as opposite to Carnal and Bodily as not being Corporeal Or as opposite to Natural Or as opposite to Sinful and Corrupt If he mean the first it may be nothing but the Soul or the Faculties or Natural Qualities thereof and so a meer natural thing But if he take it in the two letter senses how cometh it to passe that every one lying in their natural state are made partakers thereof It must be wrought by the special Operation of the Spirit and this special Operation of the Spirit is not common to all men breathing but is peculiar to the chosen ones and to beleevers as the whole Scripture informeth us 4. We may move the samâ— doubts touching the other two termes Celestial and Invisible The soul may be called Celestial as being immediatly created of God put into the body and it is Invisible as not being the object of our corporeal senses But it may be he taketh these termes in some other more limited sense 5. He saith God dwelleth in this Principle and Organ but how can that be That God is said to dwell among his people in respect of the signes of his Presence and of the effects of his Love Care and Tenderness of them we read Exod. 25 vers 8. 29 45 46. Numb 5 3. 35 34. Deut. 12 11. Ezra 6 12. Deut. 33 12. 1 King 6 13. Ezech. 43 7 9 Zech. 2.10 11. 1 Chron. 23 25. But this was not common to all Nations but was the special privilege of that people So we hear of God's of the Spirits and of Christs dwelling in the souls of his beloved and sanctified ones by more special significations of his Favour and gracious Workings of his Love Rom. 8 9 11. 2 Cor. 6 16. Ephes. 3 17. Revel 21 3. Ioh. 14 17. 1 Cor. 3 16. 2 Tim 1 14. 1 Ioh. 3 24. 4 12 15 16. But that this in dwelling of God or of his Spirit or of Christ is common to all men and not the peculiar privilege of the Saints the places cited do abundantly manifest to be false Of God's dwelling in such a Principle or Organ the Scripture maketh no mention and we must not be wise above what is wriâ—en He would do well to explaine this out of the Scriptures for we value not his dreames and phancies 6. What meaneth that expression That God dwelleth there as the Father as the Son and as the Spirit Doth God Father Son and Spirit dwell in all the ungodly Heathens Barbarians any other wayes than as He is omnipresent or by his Natural and Common works in and about them as in and about all his creatures who proportionably live move and have their being in Him as men and women have for all are his workmanship and get life and breath anâ— all things from him Act. 17 24 25 28. 14 15 But what meaneth that as the Father c. It may be he doth not acknowledge a Trinity of Persons in one Divine Essence as sure Other Quakers do not And then all the Trinity of Persons whereoâ— the Scripture speaketh must be nothing but some different unintelligible wayes of God's manifesting himself and dwelling in all and every one of Adam's posteritâ— and it may be too in all â—he Creatures sensible insensible 7. He calleth this a divine and glorious life whereof all are partakers in some measure It is a divine life indeed and glorious to have God dwelling in the soul in love and power But by vertue of what Covenant cometh He to dwell in every man Not sure
Heathens and all before they come to eat Christ by faith have Christ dwelling in them have a divine and glorious life are partakers of the body and blood of Christ and of that bread that came down from heaven What more contradictory to Christ's express sayings 14. He tels us that all the Saints are nourished by this unto life eternal Is not this doctrine of the Quakers a rare Gospel wherein that whereby the choisest of Mankinde the people of God the Saints and Renewed ones live and are nourished unto life eternal is nothing but what is common to Turks and pagans 15. It is true they give this common thing which is nothing but Nature many goodly names and titles wherein they outvye that cheating enemie of the grace of God Pelagius and are greater and more blasphâ—mous cheaters and deceivers than he was for he gave the goodly name of Grace unto corrupt Nature which he pleaded for but they adde That it is a Spiritual Celestial and Inâ—isible Principle and Organ the dwelling place of God as Father as Son and as holy Ghost the Vehicle of God the Spiritual bâ—dy of Christ the Body and bloud of Christ the Food of the Saints and their Nourishment to life eternal And when all is done it is nothing but Nature if we believe the Scriptures What manifest absurd and impudent deceivers must they then be who thus think to deceive the world with new coined brainesick and non-sensicall titles and notions with which they guilde the poisonous pile of Pelagianisme yea the very dregs thereof which they would have us swallow over and thereby make us good Heathens but no Christians Is their Religion any thing but meer paganisme under Christian abused expressions 7. We must have patience and heare more for he addeth And as this Light and seed beareth witness against all evil deeds so is it crucified extinguished killed by them and it fleeth from evil abhâ—rreth it as mans flesh fleeth from and abhorreth that which is noxious and contrary to it Answ. 1. doth this Light and Seed bear witness against all evil deeds How or what way doth it bear witnese in the Heathens against their not believing in Iesus Christ the Son of God that was Crucified at Ierusalem or is that no evil deed against their not Mortifying the deads of the body through the Spirit Rom. 8 1â— But not to mention the duties which are revealed to us only by the Gâ—spel How came it that this Light and Seed did not bear witness against the Cilicians who lived upon thifâ— and against the Messagetians Who used their wives in common and against the Persians who of old maryed their own daughters Nay it is observeâ— that there is hardly any one point of the law of nature which some Nations have not violated not only by their Customâ—s and constant Carriage but by their very Lawes Did this Seed then and Light bear witness in them against these evil deeds what thinks he â—f the Achaeans and Heniochians of whom Aristotle reporteth that they used to kill men and eat them and we hear of such to day in New England commonly called Men eaters What saith their Light and Seed to this What thinks he of Zenon Chrysippus and the magi of Persia who allowed the Son to lye with his owne Mother and Brethren and Sisters to lye together and of those who approve Sodomy and of Theodorus Phylosophus who thought Theft Sacrilege Adultery lawful How came it that this Seed did not bear witness against the people of Derbe and Lystra when they went about to sacrifice unto Paul and Barnabas and had followed vanities so long and did not turne unto the living God Act. 14 13 15 why did it not bear witness against the people of Athens for thinking that God could be worshiped with mens hands and that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone graven by art and mans device Act. 17 25 29 As also for their mocking at the Resurrection vers 32 But enough of this notorious falshood 2. He saith this Seed is killed c. but tels us not by whom and the last persons mentioned were the Saints 3. He saith it fleeth from evil c. It cannot then be the Grace of God which opposeth resisteth anâ— fighteth against evil The Spirit lusteth against the flesh Gal 5 17. The work of the Grace of God in souls is to work out sin to root it out kill it and mortifie it and crucifie it But this great Nothing of theirs hath no affinity with Grace 8. He addeth And seing it is never separated from God and Christ but where it is there is God and there is Christ involved therefore in that respect when it is resisted God is said to be resisted and Christ is said to be crucified and killed Ans. 1. We know there is in every man a Natural Conscience which as God's deputy and vicegerent in the soul pleadeth and testifieth for Him and his Law according to its light and information which in some is more and in some less more in such as live under the Gospel than in such as live without that light and in those that have but the light of nature it testifieth for the God of Nature according to the relicques of the Law of Nature in some more and in some less but in all these because of the darkness of their Mindes and the corruption of their Hearts whereby they are subject unto sin and to the Prince of the Powers of the aire the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience it giveth not full testimony for God and his Law but partial and in some more grosse abominations 2. We deny that where this Natural conscience is there Christ as mediator betwixt God and man can be said to be that is It is not true that this Light in Heathens without the Church declarâ—th any thing of Christ and of the Gospel of Salvation in and through Him or that Christ as Mediator can be said to be crucified and killed when this is resisted or disobeyed by them for the great things of the grace of God revealed in and brought to light by the Gospel are not to be read upon the works of Nature but are of pure Revelation and have had their different measures of Revelation and now the greatest under the Gospel dispensation whence it is called a mystery which from the beginning of the world hath bin hid in God Ephes. 3 â— and hid from ages and from generations but now is made manifest to his saints Col. 1 26. And all the various and gradual manifestations thereof have been in all ages the peculiar privilege of the Church and not common to all so that others without the Church remained without Christ being aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Ephes. 2 vers 12. Never read we that the Heathens without the Church
God that worketh in us to will contrare to Phil. 2 13. Thus homage must be payed and honour done unto the great Diana Goddess Free will Shee must keep the keyes of heaven and hell She openeth and God himself cannot shut and shuteth the door and God cannot open it Shee is master of the everlasting Purposes and Decrees of God Shee is sole administratrix and dispensatrix of the great blessings of the Covenant and of all the fruites of Christs death so that if she will Christ shall not save one soul for all his travail he shall lose all that were given him to save and cannot help it there is no remedy Free will is inexorable and God Father Son and Holy Spirit must do no violence to this Soveraigne They must not enter within his Jurisdiction Mans will must be Supream and above God himself O strange Do these men pretend to light Their Light sure must be hellish darkness Will not these men suffer God to have a power over their will and grant him power to take away and overcome their resistance If not their case is desperat for without the mighty power of God bowing inclineing drawing and efficaciously moving the will to assent and taking away that resistance and opposition the carnal heart which is enmity to God neither is nor will be subject to the Law of God and so will never yeeld Woe to such as practically receive these principles 41. He alleigeth some Fathers as confirming his opinion but these all are but three and it were tedious to search for a few lines in a whole book that we might examine what pertinency and faithfulness is in the allegation And beside for any thing I see the very words which he hath cited prove not his conclusion Not one of them speak of a Substance within every man which is neither a part of soul nor of body not one of them call this the Vehicle of God or Christ within every man No man saith that the Word of God by which saving faith cometh is in every man Not one of them faith that the fire and hammer of God which melteth and softeneth the heart is in every son of Adam and was in all since the fall Not one of them saith that there is and ever since the fall was in every man a real spiritual substance distinct from the soul and all its faculties from which the spiritual birth the new creature and the new man in the heart hath its original And if they conclude not this what can they say for him Though they should seem to speak for an Universal Gospel or word without which yet they do not this will not prove an universal grace within and that common to all since Adam fell So that this Quaker is at much paines if he transcribed not those few sayings out of some Iesuite or Arminian Author to no purpose And further as to some Fathers who lived before the Pelagian heresie arose it is observed by some that they so put on Christ as not fully to have put off Plato therefore imagined that some living 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. according to the dictats of right reason before the Incarnation might be saved without faith in Christ. See Casaubon Exerc. 1. against Baronius But the Gospel teacheth us no such thing CHAP. XI Of the necessity of this Light to Salvation 1. WE told above Chap. IX § 2. how this Quaker laid forth his new doctrine in three Propositions the first whereof we examined Chap. IX the second Chap. X. Now the third should come under our consideration which as he did word it Pag. 79. was concerning an Vniversal Gospel for our Quakers are great universalists for these are the words thereof That God doth by this light and seed invite call reprove and exhort all and every man and contendeth as it were with them in order to salvation If this be received and not resisted it worketh the salvation of all even of these who never heard of Adam's fall nor of Christ's coming because it maketh them sensible of their misery and inwardly maketh them partakers of Christâ—s sufferings and being partakers of his resurrection are made pure and just c. Thus is clearly pointed forth an Universal Gospel which indeed is no Gospel or at least not that Gospel which we have revealed to us in the word of God And by this doctrine the whole Gospel revealed to us in the word is wholly useless or unnecessary So that by this one Proposition the whole Gospel of the grace of God is made null and void and the great blessing of a preached Gospel and the rich advantage of the Gentiles in the dayes of the New Test. and under the dispensations thereof beyond what they were capable of in the dayes of the Old Test. is undervalued yea annihilated all the boasting rejoycing and glorying of the Apostle in his being made instrumental in preaching of this Gospel to the Gentiles and in suffering so much upon the account thereof Rom. 1 1 5 14 15 16. 11 13. 15 15 16 17 18 19 23 24 29. 1 Cor. 1 17. 2 3 4 5. 3 9 10. 4 1 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. 9 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. 15 1 2 3. c. 2 Cor. 1 4 13. 2 13 14 15 16 17. 3. throughout 4 1 15. 5 18 19 20 21. 6 1 11. with other places innumerable made his folly and vainity and a glorying in a thing of nought O what desperado's must these Quakers be who thus undervalue and trample upon the riches of the wisdom and grace of God and instead of the true Gospel give us pure Paganisme 2. After his prosecution and confirmation such as it was of the two first propositions we expâ—cted some proof and confirmation of this Third proposition but in stead thereof we have Pag. 106. a distinct proposition put in its place which is thus worded The third proposition is That by this Grace Light and Seed God worketh the salvation of all and that by this they are made partakers of the benefite of Christ's death and of salvation acquired by him And this Proposition he devideth in two Pag. 107. The first part thereof he sayes is That they to whom the Gospel is preached are not saved but by the inward operations of this light and grace The second is That by the operations hereof the most part of such as never had the outward Gospel preached unto them and were ignorant of the history of Christ were saved and some such now may be saved Why he did supercede the direct probation of that which was his first third proposition I know not Possibly he thought that it was sufficiently confirmed by what he said in confirmation of the first and second And if so I suppose the Reader will see by what I have replyed its manifest untruth and falshood 3. But as concerning his last third
comp with Ioh. 7 38 39. 2. It is affirmed that he is in them and abideth in them Psal. 51 11. Rom. 8 9 11 15. 1 Cor. 2 12. Gal. 4 6. 1 Tim. 3 14. 1 Ioh. 2 27. Rom. 5 5. 3. He Sealeth them unto the day of redemption Ephes. 1 23. 4 30. 2 Cor. 1 21. 4. He is a Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8 15. Gal. 4 5 6. 10. Fourthly If we consider the Covenant of Redemption betwixt Iehovah and the Lord Mediator this will be abundantly evinced For 1. The Father hath given a number to Christ to save Ioh. 17 2 9 11 12. 6 37 39. And Christ hath undertaken to save them Ioh. 6 37 39 40. 2. The Father hath undertaken that Christ shall see his seed Esa. 53 10. and see of the travel of his soul be satisfied Esa. 53 11. Psal. 72 8. 3. Christ had a commission to goe about this work to bring many sones unto glory was qualified for this end Esai 61 1 2 3. Esa. 42 6 7. 49 9. Heb. 2 10. 4. The Fathâ—r hath promised to give Christ what he asketh Psal. 2 8. 89 2â— 27 28. 5. Yea He hath sworne that he shall have an issue Psal. 89 35 36. Act. 2 30 31. Psal 132 11 12. 2 Sam. 7 12. 1 King 8 25. Luk. 1 61. 11. Fiftly The consideration of the nature of the Covenant of Grace will conâ—â—rme this for that is an everlasting and unchangable Covenant and haâ—h the promise of Perseverance in its bosome Gen. 17 vers 7. Ier. 31 vers 31 32 33. 32 vers 38 â—9 40. Ezech 11 17 18 19 20. Hos 2 19 23. Ioh 6 54 56. Esai 54 10. 12. Sixtly The Grace infused in souls according to the Covenant of grace is of an enduring nature especially considering how it is Watered Preserâ—ed and Cared for It is a remaining seed 1 Ioh. 3 9. sowne in good ground Luk. 8.15 by the rivers of water Psal. 1 3. And watered every moment Esai 27.3 See Ioh. 4 14. 7 38. And so is differenced from Gifts and Common graces and from temporary Faith and grace that evanisheth in the day of tryal 1 Ioh. 2 19. Luk. 8 18. Ioh 2 23 24. Mat 13 21. Ioh. 17 9. what this true faith is see Tit. 1 1. 1 Tim. 1 5 Gal. 5 6. 2 Pet. 1 1. 13 Seventhly The consideration of the hurt and dammage that the Asserting of the Apoâ—tasie of the Saints bringeth necessarâ—ly with it unto Christians may have its owne weight here For 1 Then they could not in faith and confidence pray for it for what is purely in the power of mans Free will and is not the sole work of God and of his grace we cannot we need not pray for contrare to Ioh. 14 13 14. Ephes. 3 17 18. 1 Thes. 5 23 â—4 and the Lords prayer teacheth us to pray that his Name be hallowed that his Kingdom come and that his Will be done in earth as in heaven 2. This would destroy their Hope and Confidence in God for preservation in the times of tryal and temptation contrare to Rom. 8 vers 35 38 39. 3. This would take away their joy of the holy Ghost anâ— Consolation and give ground of continual Anxiety Doubts Feares c. 14. Eightly The consideration of the blow that this doctrine would give unto many articles of our Faith and undoubted truths of our Religion may confirme us against it As 1 It would render the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ null and useless for he should then suffer and die and no man might be saved or healed by his stripes and death 2. It would also render his Resurrection Ascension and Sitting at the Fathers right hand ineffectual For notwithstanding thereof no man might be saved 3. It destroyeth his Death as the Death of a Cautioner for no man can be said to have died with him risen with him and to sit with him in heavenly places contrary to Rom. 6 3 4 5 8. Eph. 2 5 6. Col. 3 1. nor can he be said to prepare mansions for anâ— contrare to Ioh. 14 2 3. 4. It maketh the grand promise of the Spirit null of no effect 5. It taketh away the Catholick Church that shall certainly come to mount Zion and to the innumerable company of angels c. Heb. 12 22 23 24. 6. It would null that Christian Communion and sweet Fellowship of Saints 7. It would make Remission of sins of little comfort 8. And take away the faith of Life Everlasting 15. Having premised these things for clearing and confirming of the truth we come to examine what he sayes against it Pag. 167. § 2. He reasoneth from Iud vers 4. and supposeth that these that turned the grace of God into lasciviousness had once grace not knowing that this was not grace inherent or the true grace of God placed and planted in the soul and wrought there by the Spirit of grace but external grace held forth in the Gospel offer even that grace that shouâ—d have taught them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to have lived soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2 12. It is that grace which is outwardly spoken and preached Act. 14 3. Ephes. 3 2. 1 Pet. 4 10. Next He reasoneth from 1 Tim. 1 19. supposing that that faith which some made shipewrak of was true and saving faith contrare to 2 Tim. â— 17. 4 14. while as it was nothing but the doctrine of faith as the word also is taken 1 Tim. 3 9. 4 1. Gal. 1 23. 3 2 5 23 25. Act. 6 7. Rom. 1 5 8. In the third place he reasoneth from Heb. 6 4 5. Not so much as noticeing that the words are but Conditional and not Absolute if they fall away And that there is nothing here no not one expression that is necessarily to be understood of true and saâ—ing grace and not of meer gifts and common graces given in a more than ordinary measure no one expression here of Regeneration of true Sanctification of Closeing with Christ of their being Justified or Adopted or Elected c. Nay the Apostle compareth them to ground upon which the raine falleth and yet beareth nothing but thornes and briars vers 8. distinguisheth them from those to whom he wrote of whom he expected better thingâ— that accompany salvation vers 9. and from true beleevers vers 10 11 12 13 14 17 18 19. When our Quaker out of his friends the Socinians Arminians shall say any thing to prove that these expressions import true and saving grace we may then think it time to spâ—ak more of this but seing he is pleased to give us no more here but his naked assertion we have said enough and so proceed 16. The next thing he alleigeth against this truth is a supposition that he hath undermined the ground thereof viz. Election But how superficially this was attempted we have seen But he sayes
things is saith he both revealed and received so that it is Preacher Bible and all and when this Light and its Teachings are received in the soul then the man is Called Minister but for what I know not unless for to teach natural dead-morality and civility amongst Pagans that they might be more civilized for sure I am all this light can never qualifie him to be a Minister of the Gospel to declare the Mysteries of the Kingdome of God to Minister the Gospel of God to be a Minister of Christ and a Steward of the Mysteries of God to Preaâ—h the unsearchable riches of Christ and as sure I am it can be no call to a man to undertake this work This being so clear and manifest from what is said above we might let him rant here at his owne liberty and be quiet for when the ground is found nought the superstructure falleth of its owne accord 2. Notwithstanding hereof we shall take notice of what he buildeth upon this sandy foundation that the opinions of the Quakers concerning the Ministery may be in some measure detected and confuted In his Apol. P. 177. § 6. He tels us that the errors which Protestants retaine concerning Ministers and Pastors are a chiefe cause of Lamentation I shall not deny but errours in this matter are of dangerous consequence being as sensible as he is that a false and corrupt ministry will quickly cause or occasione the corruption of all He saith that all things concerning this matter are at present in confusion The Ground the Call the Qualifications the Maintainance and the whole Discipline is saith he diverse from and wholly opposite unto the ministrie of the primitive Church and do necessarily tend to exclude a Spiritual Ministery and to introduce and establish a carnal ministrie Answ. This is a hard charge and had need to be well founded yet it is no new charge He hath but barrowed this from the Familists from whom he hath many other things But the calumnies and bitter speaches of Quakers and the like are not much to be valued especially when they are directed not against one particular place where it may be much corruption hath creept-in or is introduced but against the Ministrie every where excepting I suppose what is among themselvs and among themselvs only He mentioneth five heads of corruption here but in his following disput we finde but three of the five spoken to for as to the first and last the Ground and the whole Discipline he passeth them by upon what account I know not possibly because he thought the speaking to the rest was sufficient 3. In the first place Pag. 178. § 7. He cometh to speak of the Call of Pastors or Doctors in the Church of Christ and to show what it is But before I consider what he saith I must take notice of this That while he speaketh of a Call taketh upon him to acquant us with the nature of a true Call to the Ministery he cannot but in reason suppose these Ten things following first That there is and must be a visible Church continued and keeped up in the world for the Ministery of the call whereunto he speaketh hath an undoubted relation unto the Visible Church it is in the Visible Church that this ministrie is set and placed by God 1 Cor. 12 28. It is over it that overseers are set by the Holy Ghost Act. 20 28. It is such a Church that they must feed by dispensing the Ordinances of God It is to such a company that they must act the part of Watchers Messengers Ambassadours Dispensators or Stewards Co-workers with God Fathers Rulers Overseers Nurses Teachers Stars Angels Paranymphs or friends of the Bridegroom Labourers Pastors Builders and the like all their administrations are for such a company and their work being to Convert Strangers to Confirme and build up Beleevers to Instruct the Ignorant to Strengthen the Weak to Bring home Wanderers out of the way c. As also to Keep up and go before others in the publick worshipe of God it is manifest there cannot be a Called Ministry without a visible Church Secondly That there is and must be a standing Ministrie in the Visible Church For where there is a Call and the manner of a Call to the Ministrie spoken of there a Ministrie is presupposed a Call to an Office supposeth the Office otherwayes the call should be to a non ens And it were ridiculous to debate about a call to an Office if the Office it self be called in question or not presupposed by both sides Take away the office and all debate about the call to that office ceaseth of will Thirdly That this standing Ministry or Office in the house of God is necessary and must not be laid aside or annulled for when he maketh so much debate about the Call to this Office and layeth so much stress upon the right manner of this Call he cannot but presuppose that the right call or right manner of a call here is of very great advantage and if this be so certainely the Office it self cannot but be necessary Fourthly That this standing and continueing Ministry in the Church is an Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ and must be owned as such preserved and keeped pure as such For if it were a meer appointment of Man What necessity were there that we should make any debate about the manner of a call thereunto If it were not of Christ it were no great matter though it were quite laid aside and all debate about a call unto it were utterly needless Fiftly That None ought to take upon him this Office of being a Pastor or minister in the house of God without a Lawful Call For seing it is necessary to know what is the right manner of a Call to this Office it is manifest that there must be a Call unto this Office and if there must be a Call unto this Office none can cloath himself with that Office who is not called thereunto if every one who pleased might take on him this office what necessity were there of a call to it A call saith that some peculiar persons and that in an orderly way must alone be impowered hereunto and that every one who will may not at his owne hand assume this Office Sixtly That as none way take this Office upon themselves without a lawful Call thereunto so none may take upon them the Work proper to such an Office but such as are called to the Office For the call to the Office is only appointed for this end to lay a bar in the way of others from doing or taking upon them to do the work belonging to that Office if any who pleased might do the work to what end should there be a special Office for that work and a special Lawful call to the Office Seventhly That neither the Office nor the Work proper to the Office is common to all the members of the Church for if the Work
science wherein I know none more expert and skilled than are our Quakers He may read Calvin on the place if he will And for a close to this How great a prejudice so ever he hath against Philosophy yet in the primitive times Christians who had been Philosophers was not by their Philosophy less fitted but more to defend the truth against heathen Philosophers as Iustin Martyr against Valentinus Tertullian against Marcion Origen against Celsus Chrysostome against Libanius and Prudentius against Symmachus 10. The last part of humane literature which he inveigheth against is that which is called Scholastical Theology by which I suppose he meaneth that only which now commonly goeth under that name as distinct from Polemick divinity handling controversies debated betwixt the orthodox and heretical or erroneous persons such as Pelagians Socinians Arminians Anabaptists Antinomians Quakers and the rest And as to it I shall say no more than I have said Chap. 1. § 12. and suffer him to go on in his ranting Only I must take notice of some expressions which he hath here and there in this discourse Though I cannot understand how Origen should be among the first who by this art gave himself to interpret Scriptures nor how hereby Arius fell into his errour seing this Theology is commonly commenced from Peter Lombard yet I am glade to hear him Pag. 201. calling that heresie of Arius who denyed the Son to be equal with the Father in power and glory and of the same essence horride for many of his Brethren the Quakers either doubt of or directly deny the Trinity Yea Mr Clapham in his book against the Quakers Sect. 3. tels us they call this doctrine a lie and citeth for it Saul's errand to Damascus p. 12. and the sword of the Lord drawn p. 4. And in this if he thinketh as he speaketh I would know how he will reconcile himself unto them but it may be he taketh Father Son and holy Ghost for one Person as well as for one essence as some other Quakers do He speaketh like a Quaker that is calumniously when he saith § 22. that this knowledge is accounted a necessary qualification for a Minister when the pure teaching of the Spirit of truth is contemned He may speak thus if he thinketh good against his old friends the Iesuites for we are for the teaching of the Spirit and preferre it to all other whatsomever but we are for the teaching of the Spirit in the way he hath appointed that is by waiting upon him in his ordinances meditating on his word and useing all other lawful meanes to come to the right understanding of his meaning in his word especially prayer But we dar not with this deluded bold generation tempt the Lord by looking for immediat Revelations and laying aside all Meanes and Ordinances in coming to the saving knowledge of his Name as revealed in the Gospel of his Son Jesus Christ. We account it also a calumny for him to say ibid. that he who is to be a Minister must lairne the airt of playing a hookster in the word because we say he must attend unto reading of what is written for the understanding of Scripture And whereas he thinketh the Devil could make as good a sermon as the most learned I only demand and may he not also make as good a discourse without book as they do I fear he hath too great a hand in all their discourses and scriblings too 11. What he saith Pag. 202. § 23. is but a groundless commendation of their way and of themselves as the only men raised up of God to be witnesses foâ— him If they have shaken the foundations of Babylon as he saith how cometh it that Babylon and they are so well agreed and that in principal matters as 1. In vilifying the Ministers of Christ and calling them deceivers 2. Denying our Churches to be true Churches 3. In calling the Scriptures but a dead letter 4. In denying it to be the judge of controversies 5. In refuseing to have all Spirits tryed by the written word 6. In crying up the sufficiency of a common light within 7. In maintaining Free will 8. Perfection 9. Apostasie of the Saints 10. Justification by inherent holiness 11. In confounding Justification and Sanctification 12. In mocking at the â—mputed righteousness of Christ. 13. In placeing holiness in outward observations of their owne deviseing 14. In Pretending so much to Revelations Visions Raptures c. 15. In pretending to Infallibility As for the Increase of their number whereof he boasteth it is a clear verification of that 2 Thes. 2 9 10 11 12. whoâ—e coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders with all deceivablenes of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie That they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Wâ—at he talketh further of his owne experience of the power of their discourses is but a further demonstration of what we said to wit of his being given up to strong delusion as this volumne of his putteth beyond all question with such as believe the Scriptures And for a recompense of his exhortation to us in the close I shall also obtest him in the Lord to consider his wayes over againe and search after the procuring cause of this dreadful judgment of the Lord 's giving him to up to those delusions that he may repent and be saved for what high thoughts soever he may now have of that way he will finde his delusion in end either here which I shall wish or when it shall be too late which the Lord prevent in mercy CHAP. XIX Of the Ministerial Office 1. WHen our Quaker beginneth to speak of this matter Pag 203. § 24. he followeth his usual manner of crying up themselves and loading all their Opposites with what expressions of disrespect and contempt he thinketh meet We are the men with him as the orthodox were of old with the Swenkfeldians Familists and Antinomians who alwayes adhere to Externals following our External Rule and Methods devised by our carnal and humane Wisdom because we follow and desire to cleave unto the Rules and Methods and all the Orders prescribed by Christ to be observed in his owne House And upon the other hand They are the men who follow the wayes of the Spirit and his immediat Help and Influence and he leadeth them as he saith in such an Order and Methode as becometh the Church of God though this order and methode of theirs wherein they suppose the Spirit leadeth them be no prescribed Order in the word but the meer Invention of their owne fantastick â—raine blasphemously Fathered upon the Immediat Teaching and Leading of the Spirit of God for we know no ground to imagine that the true Spirit of God will lead
they last but even as it were a moment of time yet do more illuminate and Purifie the soul then many yeers spent in active exercises of spiritual prayer or mortification could do The progress to this state of perfection they thus describe He who would come to it must practise the drawing of his external senses inwardly there loseing and as it were annihilating them then he must draw his internal senses into the superiour powers of the soul and there annihilate them likewise and those powers of the intellectual soul he must draw into that which is called their unity and lastly that unity which alone is capable of perfect union with God must be applyed and firmly fixed on God wherein the perfect divine contemplation lyeth In which union all is vacuity or emptiness as if nothing were existent but God and the soul yea so far is the soul from reflecting on her owne existence that it seems to her God and she is not distinct but one only thing Is not this the very life of the Quakers publick principal worshipe 27. Furder we are told see Pag. 336. that they lay down as a fundamental rule That God only by his holy inspirations is the guide and director in an internal contemplative life and that all the light they have therein is from immediat divine illumination and that this light doth extend further and to more and other more particular objects then the divine light or grace by which good Christians living common lives in the world are led extends to Very Sutable is this to our Quakers doctrine above And we are enformed further that Mr Cressy in his discourse of Passive unions saith That God reveals himself to the soul by a supernatural species impressed in her which revelations are either sensible as apparitions words c. or intellectual either immediatly or by Angels The effects of which supernatural species in actions of God are Rapts or Extasies internal visions c. Our Quaker might have given us some such thing as a more likely ground of their quaking and trembling More might be adduced out of that forecited Book but this taste is sufficient to let us see that our Quakers way and worshipe hath been long ago in use among much applauded by the Fanatick Papists 28. Afterward I providentially saw the Sermons of one Taulerus a Dominican who preached at Colone about the Yeer 1346. translated into Dutch by Ioannes de Lixbona and printed at Antwerp A. 1647. an Author much commended by Bzovius in Annal. Trithemius Bellar. de Script Eccl. Blosius wherein I found without any narrow search several expressions shewing whence our Quakers have their rare things of which I shall adduce some instances not to mention the manner of his conversion set down in the relation of his life how while he was sick sad dejected a voice came said to him Be at peace and relye upon God know that when he was in the world in Mans Nature he cured all their souls whose bodies he cured which may be doubted as to the nine Lepers who did not return to give glory to God Luk. 17 17 18. at which he was transported out of himself and had no use of his senses or of reason for a time Whereupon his friend an old man told him that now he had felt the grace of God in truth and was taught by the holy Ghost had the Scripture in him and could now understand it all and reconcile all seeming contradictory places and that one of his Sermons should now do more good than an hundered formerly Waving this which yet looketh very like our Quakers way I shall mention some few expressions of many in these his after Sermons In his first Sermon on the first Sunday of the Advent he saith that people must Introvert into themselves and abide by themselves in their inward fund or ground and observe there the appointments of God his drowings and callings and take these immediatly from God Whence we may see where our Quakers have learned their peculiar language But moreover in his second Sermon on that day he speaks of an Essential Introversion into the fund of the soul where God dwelleth and the true light shineth without any errour And afterward tels us of three men in every man The outward man that must be exercised with fasting watching Prayer c. The Inward man or the Soul which must be exercised with inward devotion earnest desires c. And then The fund of the soul or the most inward Spirit exercised in essential or substantial Introversions and true unitings with God beyond all works thoughts and enjoyings or embraceings 29. In his sermon on the first Sunday after Candlemess he told his hearers that in order to the new birth they must Introvert and abide in their noblest part to wit into the fund for there is the place of this birth and next That they must not have so much as one thought of God as only Wise Almighty c but must be empty of all Thoughts Words and Wâ—rks and of all Formes and Images of the understanding and only suffer God to worke in them and become thus holily empty A little after he saith That this fund of the soul is the secretest part of the soul in which the soul worketh nothing knoweth nothing understandeth nothing here the soul doth nothing by her powers of memory understanding and will but immediatly by her own essence and all the powers whereby the soul worketh flow out of the fund of the essence in which fund is the inward silence and in this alone is rest and waiting for this birth and there doth God the father speak out his Eternal word and in this fund of the soul cometh God wholly as he is and not divided and no creature can come there but must abide without in the powers Nay he told his hearers afterward That in the fund of the soul God begetteth his Son the same way that He begote him from eternity that is by knowing and seeing himself perfectly by himself and in his own essence And this Iâ—troversion from all thoughts imaginations he afterwards saith is like Paul's being out of the body 2 Cor. 12. 30. In his first Sermon on new Years Day he saith That the Person that doth essentially give himself alwayes unto God as a prisoner hath God also given up to him essentially as a prisoner and that this person is turned into the essence of God in some sort and that God is alwayes sensibly present with him in all things And in the same Sermon he saith Man must in all his work Introvert and waite on God there and let him work and look on himself but as an Instrument and do all by suffering and permitting and not by working and so continue one that worketh inward and dwelleth inward and so draw himself in and sinck into the fund of the soul where God is present and dwelleth he must give himself to
God beyond and above words thoughts and understanding and in a suffering-permitting-way go off himself and sinck after an inward and unknown manner into the darkness oâ— pure naked faith So in his second Sermon on that day he hath these words When a man hath given himself wholly over as denuded of himself of all propriety in things and of all â—hings here all that is borne in him is not his but Gods and againe when once a man in an upright and well ordered inwardness is drawn by God to higher things he shall put away all outward works and exercises were it even such as he had bound himself unto by oaths and promises 31. In his Sermon on the first Sunday after the three Kings Day he tels us that in order to this new birth our understanding must rest from all work and be void of all knowledg and â—bide in darkness and ignorance and not seek to return to its former knowledge and that this state of darkness is called a possible reception for there remaineth saith he no more in the soul but a possibility or capacity to receive that which will perfect it and the man must laboure more and more after this possibility till his minde be satisfied and become all things that it can receive And the more empty and unknowing that the soul is it is the nearer unto God So in his Sermon on the first Sunday after the Three Kings Day he saith I dar boldly say that he that introverts not once at least every day and turns not in according to his power into his fund doth not live as a Christian But such as are busie with their fund and empty themselves of all things and lay aside all imaginationâ— that the Sun of righteousness may send out his beames of Light in their inward fund finde the yoke of Christ easie So againe saith he Truely if any man could finde within himself know and see how the eternal God hath founded himself in the inward fund of the soul and how he is there hid and as it were soaked he should be happy 32. In his Sermon on Trinity Day he tels us That God begetteth in the fund of the soul his only begotten Son an hundered thousand times more quickly than in a moment in a now of eternity alwayes new And thereafter That he who would finde this must introvert beyond all the workings of his outward powers and phantasies and must sinck there into the fund and then cometh the power of God the Father and in him calleth upon him through his only begotten Son and as the Son is begotten of the Father and floweth againe into the Father so is this man begotten of the Father and floweth againe with the same Son in the Father and becometh one with him And afterward In this fund a man shall pray for his friends both dead and alive and such prayer is more powerful then to sing or say many Psalmes by mouth and then finde we the witness of the three that bear witness in heaven that is in the inward heaven in the fund of the soul. Moreover in his first Sermon on the third Sunday after Trinity he hath these words The penny must have its weight and its image the weight that the man may fall and sinck againe in Gods fund as he is come out of it his image is that image which is God himself in his own pure divine essence in which God knoweth loveth and enjoyeth himself in which he liveth is and worketh by which the soul is wholly God-dyed or like God and becometh divine and in this union with and sincking into Gâ—d he becometh through grace all things that God is by nature also So that if he could see himself he would think himself to be God and every one that couâ—â— see him in that cloathing dye forme and divine essence would become happy in that sight The man casts away againe unto God who gave all all things becometh so naked and empty as one that is nothing and hath nothing And thus the created Nothing sincketh into the uncreated nothing And thus one abysse calleth unto another the created abysse calleth unto the uncreated abysse and these two abysses become as one a pure divine essence where the Mans Spirit hath lost its self in the Spirit of God being drowned in that bottomless sea the like he hath in his sermon on the eleventh Sunday after the Trinity In his second sermon on that day he tels us that the little shipe mentioned Luk. 5. signifieth the inward conscience or minde the fund of the man where our Lord truely dwelleth and where his rest and joy is in case the man will alwayes carefully observe this inward fund and in the love of God for saking all things will introvert into this fund c. Againe if one while singing or reading be moved to introvert into the inward fund and finde that that exercise should hinder his introversion he must leave that and all other good works and introvert and in this introversion give himself wholly up unto God and follow the divine pull with all his heart So he expoundeth Christs sitting in the shipe and teaching to be Christ's sitting in the inward fund of the obedient man and there teaching him his most acceptable will and saith he such a person is able sufficiently to teach the whole world 33. In his sermon on the third Sunday after Trinity he saith this weakness speaking of Pauls words 2 â—or 12 9. cometh not from outward exercises but from an overflowing of the outpourings of the Godhead that is so poured forth on the man that the poor earthly body cannot endure it For God hath now so brought him in that he is wholly like God and all that is in him is in a hyperphysical manner transformed so that God now worketh all works in the man so that justly he may be called one like God for whosoever should see him aright would see him as God that is by grace for God liveth doth and worketh all in him yea enjoyeâ—h himself in him So on the fourth Sunday after Trinity speaking of prayer he saith the man that would pray must recollect himself and introvert into his inward fund with his mind lifted up and his power streatched forth and with an inward regarding of God's presence and a real desire above all things to do God's will going out from himself and all created things and sincking himself there deeper and deeper in the clarified will of God and this is to pray in the Spirit And againe he tels us the third degree of an inward life is a going over into a God-likness by union of the created Spirit with the essential Spirit of God And this saith he may be called an essential inturning Thereafter speaking of this same mater he saith Then doth God draw the man out of the humane forme into the divine forme and then is he so Godded and so divine that all he is
and doth God is that and doth it and he is so exalted above his humane forme that he becometh that through grace which God is by essence then he seeth that he hath lost himself and he knoweth and findeth himself no where he knoweth nothing else but only one simple essence And in the next sermon he tels us That God would rather live in a soul then in heaven and is more in a gracious soul then in heaven and that more properly for God worketh all the mans works not only in him but for him and then giveth them to him he â—urther begetteth his only begotten son in the soul as truely neither more nor less then as he begetteth him in eternity And he tels us That this which is begotten in the soul is not any thing that is of God or divine but is God himself the same Son which the Father begetteth from eternity nothing else but that same lovely divine word which is the Second Person in the Trinity And thereafter tels us that all rational creatures by nature love God more then themselves And in his second sermon on the eleventh Sunday he sais this inclination to God doth not leave the soul even in hell So also in his sermon on the 17. Sunday 34. In his sermon on the fift Sunday after the Trinity he tels us That when a soul receiveth the body of Christ in love to wit in the masse it is transformed or changed into the body and soul of Christ yea into whole Christ and moreover also in his Godhead This is the nature of divine love that it carryeth the soul above its nature and transformeth it into the bottomless Godhead so that it knoweth nothing oâ— it self nor findeth nothing in the Spirit but only it findeth it self wholly transformed into Christ. And thereafter he saith that when one receiveth in the Sâ—crament the life and love of Christ they are changed into God as the meat and drink is changed into them In his sermon on the seventh Sunday after Trinity he hath these words Therefore is it alway necessary that men turn the eye of their understanding alwayes unto that ground where the man is by God eaten digested incorporated and united with God In his second sermon on the eleventh Sunday he saith the best and inward part and excellency of the soul is called by some the sponk of the soul by others the centre of the essence by others the image of the Trinity and this flyeth so high that the understanding cannot follow it for it resteth not until it come into the fund of the Godhead out of which it came and where it was before it was created The like he hath in his sermon on the sevententh Sunday 35. In his sermon on the thirtenth Sunday he hath these words when men by all their exercises draw-in their outward sensible man to the inward reasonable man those two together go in into the inmost man or most hidden man of the Spirit where the true image of God lyeth and then presse-in into the divine abysse in which man was from eternity â—ere he was created and when the merciful God seeth the man turned-in to him in such purity and nakedness the divine fatherly abysse boweth down and sincketh into this pure introverted fund of the man and changeth by a certain transformation this created fund into his divine essence and maketh the mans Spirit so one with himself that were it possible that he could see himself in this state he should see himself so exceedingly excellent in God that he should think that he were God himself So in his sermon on the seventeenth Sunday speaking of the soul he saith it is called mens the minde that is the fund where the true image of the Trinity lyeth hid and this is so excellent that we can al 's little give it a proper name as we can give God himself And could any see how God dwelleth in this fund he should be happy The nighness and affinity that God hath there is wonderful great that we neither can nor dar speak thereof Againe as our soul doth wholly sinck in and melt with its most inward into God's most inward and becometh there renewed our Spirit is there so much more reformed by God's Spirit as we take the right and pure way for God poureth himself forth into our Spirits as the Sun doth its light into the aire so that the whole aire is transformed therewith that no difference can be seen much more in this union which transcendeth all natural union shall no man be able to difference the created Spirit from the uncreated Spirit of God for were the created Spirit seen in this union without doubt it should be taken for God 36. In his sermon on the ninteenth Sunday he tels us of some who having turned away from themselves and all things and turned in to the true light these sais he with an inward silence sinck from all their strength and dissolve in God their original and retire themselves into the darkness of the divine wilderness and there thrust themselves so far in that they lose all difference in the unity of God and lose also themselves and all things and know nothing else but one bare pure and simple God wherein they sinck to the ground In his sermon on the two and twentieth Sunday he saith This image and superscription is savingly made perfect in the most inward part of the soul in that place which God hath prepared and appropriat to himself to wit the glorious pure substance of the soul hereby is the most inward part of our soul made perfect and united with the most inward part of the high Godhead where God the Father is alwayes begetting his everlasting word his only begotten Son And thereafter he tels us when the soul is emptied of all things it answereth that only one which is God so there is nothing there but pure God alone 37. So in the sermon on the feast of Mary he tels us that she Introverted alwayes into her fund where the divine image lay hid her fund and all her inwards were so like unto God that if any man had seen her heart there he should have seen God in all his beauty and have seen the outcoming of the Son and of the holy Ghost in a substantial manner And in his second sermon on the birth of Iohn Baptist He saith in the fund of the soul there is a certain light which testifieth that man was in God from all eternity ere he was created And when he was so in God he was God in God so that what he is now since he was created that same was he from eternity in God being one substance with God 38. In his book of the Imitation of the poverty of Christ part 1. Ch. 21. N. 134. he tels of two heavens one bodily which is above us and another spiritual which is the essence or substance of souls in which God is and
Socinus his followers policy or prudence who afterwards perceiving what an odium this would be to all Christendome how detestable it would render them condescended at length that the outward forme should be observed but peremptorily adhered to this that it was no Ordinance of Jesus Christ constantly to be observed by the Churches by vertue of a command but only a meer indifferent thing These men with gigantine audacity dar appear and downe right plead against any use of it at all upon any account whence it is evident that they would have this Ordinance quite taken away that so there might not be so much as an outward signe of Christianity left or any thing remaining that might give the least import or signification of a relation that people have unto Jesus Christ as being once baptized in his name and solemnely by profession given away to Him and publickly received in his Kingdom and visible Church and so distinguished from such as are without What a paganish designe this is to take away all outward and visible discriminating difference betwixt Christians and Turks or Pagans every one may see Thus would they bring-in Pagans as equally sharers of all external privileges of the Church with Christians that so Christ might have no distinct house or Kingdom This was several times hinted to us before but now the vaile is taken off their faces and their designe is open and manifest Hereby also we see how near a kin this Spirit that acteth them is unto the Spirit that covenanteth with and acteth in the witches for as these miserable creatures must in the entry of their covenanting with the Devil renunce their bapâ—isme so the Quakers as being more active and masculine servants will not only renunce it for themselves but will have all others whom they can seduce to their party do the like and so far as they can by their penne make it null every where that so the very profession of Christianity might be banished out of the world O! what desperat Runagadoes must these men be 2. We need not here spend time in the confirmation of this Institution which was never in all the ages of the Christian world called in question till Antichristian Socinus and Swenkfeldus arose except what the Manichees of old said and a Seck called Whippers It cannot be denyed that Iohn baptist had a commission from heaven to baptize Ioh. 1 25 26 28 33. Luk. 3 2 3. Mat. 11 25. Luk 7 29 30. It is also certaine that Christ who came to fulfil all righteousness did submit unto it Mat. 3 13 c. Mark 1 9. It is likewise unquestionable that the disciples of Christ baptized which would not have been without his warrand for it is said of him that he baptized though not in his owne person Ioh. 3 22. 4 1 2. And a commission is amply in full forme given to the disciples by him after the resurrection to baptize in the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Mat. 28 19. Mark 16 15 16. And it is no less evident that in obedience to this command his Apostles did baptize wherever they came and made converts Act. 2 41. 8 12 13 38. 9 18. 10 48. 16 15 33. 18 8. 22 16. 1 Cor. 1 13. What unparalleled boldness must it then be to call this ordinance into question which hath such a divine original such a manifest divine warrand and was so religiously observed by the Apostles and by all the Churches of Christ since their dayes unto this very day And who can sufficiently admire the madness of these men who would have us lay aside and cast away such an ordinance so appointed and so observed and which withall is so usefull and necessary being not only ordained to be for a solemne admission of the party baptized into the visible Church 1 Cor. 12 13. but also to be a signe and a seal of the covenant of grace whereof these Quakers know nothing Rom. 4 11. Col. 2 11 12. And to be unto the beleever a signe seal of his ingrafting into Christ. Gal. 3 27. Rom. 6 5. of his Regeneration Tit. 3 5. of Remission of sinnes Mark 1 4. of his Adoption Gal. 3 26 27. and Resurrection unto life 1 Cor. 15 13. And of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to walk in newness of life Rom. 6 4 And by which when rightly used the grace promised is not only offered but really exhibited and conferred by the holy Ghost to such whether of age or Infants as that grace belongeth unto according to the counsel of God's own will in his appointed time Gal. 3 27. Tit. 3 5. Ephes. 4 25 26. Act. 2 38 41. Would we but seriously ponder What is briefly set down in answere to the 167. Question in our Larger Catechisme we might see what desperate enemies unto true Christianity these Quakers are who would despoile us of this profitable and advantagious Ordinance which might and should be improved to rich advantage How is our baptisme to be improved by us Answ. The needful but much neglected duty of our improving our Baptisme is to be performed by us all our life long especially in the time of temptation and when we are present at the administration of it to others Col. 2 11 12. Rom. 6 4 6 11. by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it and of the ends for which Christ instituted it the privileges and benefites conferred and sealed thereby and our solemne Vow made therein Rom. 6 3 4 5. by being humbled by our sinful defilements our falling short of and walking contrary to the grace of baptisme and our engagments 1 Cor. 1 11 12 13. Rom. 6 2 3 by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament Rom. 4 11 12. 1 Pet. 3 21. by drawing strength from the death and resurrection of Christ into whom we are baptized for the mortifying of sin and quickning of grace Rom. 6 3 4 5. and by endeavouring to live by faith Gal. 3 26 27 to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness Rom. 6 22. As those that have therein given up their names to Christ Act 2 28. and to walk in brotherly love as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body 1 Cor. 12 13 25 26 27. 3. These things considered and thereby it being manifestly discovered what a relation this Ordinance hath unto the cardinal duties and privileges of Christians to wit Faith Repentance Remission of sinnes Regeneration Adoption Justification Sanctification and Salvation Luk. 3 3. Mark 16 16. Act. 2 38 41. 8 36 37. 16 14. 18 8. 12 6. Rom. 3 4 5 6. 1 Cor. 12 13. Gal. 3 27. Ephes. 4 5. Col. 2 2. 1 Pet. 3 21. And withall considering how dangerous it is to neglect it and contemne it Luk 7 39. And how by Christ's owne appointment it
is to be continued in his Church untill the end of the world Mat. 28 19 20. We see a necessitie of maintaining it and withall have ground of hope and confidence that Christ who when he had given this in commission to his disciples to teach all nations baptizeing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost promised to be with them alway even unto the end of the world will owne this Ordinance by his power and presence and rub shame on these professed enemies to the very name of Christianity and defate all their desperate Counsels and Machinations Amen 4. It is time now we see what this man would say Towards the end of his harrangue which we have nothing to do with with which he ushereth-in his discourse upon this subject he tels us Pag. 165. That there have been moe contests and disputs about the Sacraments than about any other Christian doctrine And good man so tender is he of the peace of Christianity that to prevent any further disput to end all these many controversies he hath found out a medium that is to take them away altogether as if a man would deny all Christianity to the end all controversies in Christianity might cease and we might live all together in peace and beleeve no more of Christianity than Pagans such a short cut hath this man found out to bring us all to an agreement among ourselves by becoming all Pagans And yet this peacable man is a wilde man for Ismael-like his hand is against every man and every mans hand is against him for all those who upon each side maintaine these controversies do owne their being would defend the same against him many of their controversies thereabout speak out their care to maintaine this Ordinance 5. He taketh in the first place exceptions at the name Sacrament as not being a terme found in Scripture So tender would he seem to be of all things But I pray him tell me where in all the Scripture readeth he of his Introversion a very great matter with him Where readeth he of fermentation of the vehicle of God and I know not how many moe He is beholden to the Socinians for this exception and they will tell him also he must except against the Trinity upon the same ground It is a poor thing to move debates about a word especially for him who denieth the thing Knoweth he not what we mean by that word Knoweth he not that we are not masters of words but that use ruleth that But sayes he if this name be laid aside the controversie about the number of Sacraments is at an end for there will be no Scripture terme found that will give occasion to that debate No He is mistaken the same debate will remaine if instead of Sacrament we use signes and seals of the Covenant and these are Scripture termes Gen. 17 7 10. Rom. 4 12. Knoweth he not that in that debate the question is not about the name but about the thing imported by the name This he is not sensible of for sayes he if we define a Sacrament to be an outward signe whereby an inward grace is either conferred or only signified that will agree to many other things No sure if we define a Sacrament to be an outward visible signe whereby inward grace is not only signified but really exhibited and conferred to the worthy partakers far less if we define a Sacrament thus An holy signe and seal of the Covenant of grace representing Christ and his benefites and confirming to the right receivers their interest in him Can this definition thinks he agree to any other thing to Prayer Preaching or any good work But sayes he the Spirit only is called the earnest of our inheritance Ephes. 1 14. 4 30. 2 Cor. 1 22. And profane men may partake of the Sacraments Ans. That the holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance and doth seal believers unto the day of redemption inwardly by his grace in the soul and by his abideing there as a sure and real pawn of the future inheritance is most true but yet the Sacraments may be and are outward seals and pledges unto the true believer hence 1 Cor. 10 16. the cup of blessing is called the communion of the bloud of Christ and the bread the communion of the body of Christ as not only representing it but as sealing to the beleever his real interest in the body and blood of Christ. So also it is called the New Testament in Christs blood 1 Cor. 11 25. As Circumcision was a signe and a seal of the righteousness of faith Rom. 4 11. So believers are buried with Christ in Baptisme and risen with him through the faith of the operation of Goâ— Col. 2 12. Rom. 6 4 5. Thouâ—h wicked persons may partake of the outward elements yet they become no seal unto them because the Sacraments seal only unto them who have the righteousness of faith and exhibite the benefites only to the worthy receivers that is to such as beleeve in Christ and are united to him by faith 5. To the end he may quite destroy and abolish this Ordinance of Baptisme he layeth down three Propositions § 3. the proving of which he supposeth will evince that there is no such ordinance as Baptisme The first is That there is only one Baptisme Ephes. 4 5. Ans. But the Scripture no where saith that there is but one Baptisme Yet what would he make of this Not to mention the Baptisme of affliction Mat. 20 22. nor that extraordinary Baptisme whereby the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost were conferred Act. 1 5 as not being here understood because the consideration of either or both of these hath no interest in the argument which the Apostle is here adduceing to press an endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace vers 3. The Baptisme here meaned is the Baptisme which we contend for the outward signe and seal of the new Covenant whereby all visible professours are solemnely admitted into the Church and Kingdom of Christ And this Baptisme is one not only because it is not to be reiterated but because it is the same way administred and hath the samâ— ends and uses to all visible Professâ—urs unto whom Paul is here speaking Yet we must not consider hereby the bare outward element abstracted from what is thereby signified or from its ends and uses according to the Institution but the whole Institution including both the outward element and the thing represented and sealed thereby or the Ordinance with its ends and uses But our Quaker thinketh that this will make two Baptismes while as there is but one as there is one faith c. And here lyeth the whole ground of his mistake And upon this same ground he might say there were two circumcisions under the Law because sometimes the inward grace signified and represented by the outward act and really
and comest thou to me And Christs answere vers 15. Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness saith that it was a divine institution and that righteousness required his submission to it but there was no divine institution for it under the Law therefore it must have been a Gospel institution and consequently a continueing institution having such necessary ends and uses as it hath and Christ did this to consecrate our Baptisme in his own person 14. Unto that express command of Christ to his Apostles Mat. 28.19 He granteth all supposing that it is not meaned of baptisme with water as not being expresly so called in the text and remitteth the proof to us Wherein he is beholden unto the Socinians never man having the forehead to call this into question before them But these things make it evident 1. This is but an enlargment of a former commission as to the Object while as before they were limited to the house of Israel now they are to go to all Nations And before this we heard of their baptizeing with water with Christs warrand authority so as that it was accounted Christs deed Ioh. 4 1. 3 26. 2. It is joyned here with discipling disciple all nations baptizing them and so was it formerly their way of making disciples among the Jewes they made and baptized disciples Ioh. 4 1. 3. Their constant after-practice declareth this to have been the meaning of the command 4. This is the proper acceptation and import of the word and himself saith that the propriety of Scripture words must not be forsaken nor must we run to a figurative sense unless necessity urge Now there is no necessity apparent enforceing a figurative sense here And all greek lexicons can tell us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie washing with water 5. This is the constant acceptation of the word in Scripture except in three or four places where the circumstances enforce a metaphorical acceptation which is not in the least apparent here 6. The word is taken in a threefold sense only so far as I remember in the N. Test. as for baptisme with water for baptisme with the holy Ghost and for baptisme with the cross Luk. 12 50. Now neitâ—er of these two last senses can be here admitted for it cannot be meaned of baptisme with the cross as himself will grant nor can it be meaned of Baptisme with the holy Ghost for these extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost were not common to all the disciples See Act. 8 16. nor had the Apostles power of bestowing these gifts upon the disciples nor read we that ever they baptized any that way We read of their laying on of hands and of the holy Ghost's coming upon some then Actor 8 and 19. but we read not of their baptizing with the holy Ghost 15. But he hath reasons to the contrary 1. We must not depairt from the propriety of words till necessity force us Answ. This is for us for we owne the word in its proper sense let him give us a more proper or usual sense out of any or all Greek Authors if he can 2. The Baptisme which Christ commanded his disciples was one baptisme Christs owne baptisme but that was not baptisme by water as is proved Answ. 1. If he thinketh that one Baptisme only is to be called Christs baptisme What will he say to that Luk 12 50. But I have a baptisme to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished I think this must be it for this was every way peculiar unto Christ and to none else and what will then become of all his former discourse 2. We have showne that that one baptisme Ephes. 4 5. is only to be understood of the baptisme we speak of for no other was common to all professours no other was a fit argument for unity and concord and so no other could suite the Apostles scope there 3. All the three sorts of baptismes are Christs in several senses That baptisme of the cross was his because he alone in a pâ—culiar manner was to be baptized therewith the share that others were to get thereof Mark. 10 v. 39. was but little in comparision with what he was to suffer Baptizing with the holy Ghost was his because he was to bestow and poure out these gifts as the anoynted and crowned King Ephes. 4 8 11. c. Baptisme with water was his also as being instituted by him So that this mans argueing is a manifest fallacy 3. The Baptisme enjoyned to his disciples was such as who ever were thereby baptized did put on Christ But this cannot be said of Baptisme with water Answ. All who are baptized with the bapâ—isme of water without the inward grace have put on Christ by profession All who are baptized with water having the inward grace required have put on Christ in truth and in deed 4. The baptisme that Christ enjoyned his disciples was not Iohns baptisme but the baptisme of water was Iohns Answ. It was the same with Iohns as to the substance as our Divines shew against the Papists and our Quaker inadvertently to destroy his own argument proveth this Pag. 27â— yet he tels us there that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in nomen not in nomine and the name of the Lord in Scripture signifieth his power and vertue Psal. 54 3. Cant. 1 3. Prov 18 10. And so the Apostles did baptize unto this name and power as appeareth from that word as many of you as are baptized have put on Christ. Answ. By this he tacitely condemneth our manner of baptizing in the name of the Father c. but in vaine for the name of the Lord doth in Scripture signifie not only his power but all that whereby he maketh himself known but here to be baptized in the name or into the name can import nothing else then to dedicate unto God Father Son and holy Ghost as is clear from that expression of Pauls 1 Cor. 1 13. were ye baptized in the name or into the namâ— of Paul That is were ye in baptisme consecrated unto him as your Lord and master The meaning cannot be were ye baptized into his power and vertue Nor doth that word which he citeth evince any such thing for though the putting on of Christ doth not necessarily follow the outward washâ—ng with water unless we mean only an outward profession yet it necessarily followeth the right receiving of this ordinance according to Christs Institution for all such as have true faith and to none else doth baptisme seal the great things promised do in baptisme solemnlâ— and formally put on Christ. And knoweth he not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Mark â— 1. 13 16. 5 34. Act. 2 31. Mark 1 9. in Iordan will he have this to be into the power of Iordan But further to shew that these words in
the name of the Father c. import no forme of words to be used at the celebration of baptisme he saith Pag. 280. that this is not mentioned in the Acts where the Apostles baptizeing is mentioned Answ. And what then will it follow that they never used that manner because it is not in so many words expressed How will he prove this Consequence He addeth It is said of some Act. 8 16. 19 5 that they were baptized in the name of Iesus Answ. He hath this also from Socinus but without any advantage for these that were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus were virtually baptized in the name of the Father of the Son and of the holy Ghost Luk is not speaking of the manner and forme of their baptisme but only showing that though they had been baptized and received as Christs disciples yet they were not as yet made partakers of the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost which by the way destroyeth the ground formerly laid down by our Quaker for we see some baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and consequently with his baptisme who yet were not baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire as the Apostles were on the day of Pentecost And further our Divines against the Papists Anabaptists Socinians evince that that baptisme mentioned Act. 19 5. was not administered by Paul He saith next that baptisme in the Spirit is here meaned But what doth that import It importeth to reach the hearts and soften them saith he Ans. That was not the work of the Apostles nor of men the Spirit of God alone could do that He saith further That men can do it instrumentally Answ. This is true but nothing to the purpose unless to make Christ tautologize for that was sufficiently expressed in that word Teach or disciple all nations And to what end should Christ have said the same thing over againe Where ever readeth he that the Apostles are said to baptize with the Holy Ghost 16. To the argument taken from the constant practice of the Apostles he answereth Pag. 281. § 9. That the contrary is made out by Paul's example And yet Paul baptized both at Corinth else where that he baptized not moe at Corinth is nothing for what he did not another did seing there were others that went about that work he minded that which was more painfull And by this constant practice of all the Apostles we are confirmed as we said of the meaning of their commission Mat. 28 19. for they did it by vertue of that commission or by vertue of no commission If they had no commission how could they be approven in it They might have done it sayes he by permission for a time seing they were in use of it bâ—fore Christs death because the people being educated in were used with these outward ceremonies as they used circumcision other legal purifications for a time Ans. 1. He thinks that his may be will strongly evince a must be 2. we shewed above that what they did in this before Christs death was not by meer permission though he his Fathers the Socinians think so 3. If this practice had been only among the converted Jewes his supposition would have some colour but it being also among the Gentiles amongst whom the Apostles would bring in no such ceremonies but only desired that they might for a time abstaine from things offered to idols and from blood from strangled Act. 15. which restraint Paul tâ—ok off in his Epistle to the Corinthians his supposal is utterly destitute of reason for we hear not of their circumciseing the Gentiles but much to the contrary He addeth That it is no absurdity to say they did not then understand the meaning of their commission as they did not in respect of teaching the Gentiles Ans But though at the the first they did not fully comply with that meaning of the enlairging of their commission Yet afterward they came to understand it fully But when came they to understand baptisme otherwayes It seemeth neither they nor any of the Churches understood this matter till of late that the Quakers arose for we hear not this sense put upon the words even by Socinus himself which this Quaker mentioneth And as for that word of Peter it giveth no countenance hereunto as we shewed Yet he addeth some probable ground of their mistake The Cheife of them had been Iohns disciples and keeped a venerable esteem of Iohns Baptisme and so took Christs spiritual baptisme for Iohns baptizing with water Answ. Strange confidence Will he tell us who these chiefe were Where is there any coloure or probability for this consequence What Quakers cannot do with reason they must do with confident and bold lies 17. To that of Peters baptizing of Cornelius and his company even after they had received the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost Act. 10 47 48. he replyeth That this will only prove that Peter did for that time baptize them Ans. Yes it will also prove that there was a baptisme with water in use beside the baptisme with the holy Ghost it will also prove that Peter had an eye to the commission when he saith can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we For thereby he evinced their right to the Ordinance of baptisme because it was manifest they were disciples by receiving of the holy Ghost Next he sayes These words and he commanded them to be baptized pâ—ove only a fact but no right and prove not this to be a permanent institution Ans. How intolerable is this that these Quakers must condemne Peter's fact as being without warrand when all the rest of the Apostles approved of it in the next Chapter And Peter there giveth the reason for what he did saying vers 1â— what was I that I could withstand God Importing that he durst do no other wayes then he did for as much as he saw God had given them the like gift as he did unto the Apostles And when the rest heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life vers 18. But our Quaker will not for all this hold his peace buâ— will condemne Peter and all the Apostles for company because they rested satisfied with what Peter had done We do not from this one single passage prove the permanency of this Institution But when we have the practice of all the Apostles together with the command of Jesus Christ and that with a promise that he will be with his servants in this and the rest of their ministerial work unto the end of world we think they must have an hard forehead who dar call this lasting Institution into question He addeth why should this fact of Peter more prove the permanency of baptisme than his compelling which yet is more than a command the Gentiles
Religion for the Devils indeed And this man may go to hell and preach this Gospel And say to â—eelzebub the Prince and to all his associats O poor Devils know ye not that light within you manifesting your iniquites and opening up to you your nakedness barrenness and emptiness is the Spiritual body of Christ and is a seed of righteousness a measure of that divine light and seed with which Christ is cloathed and whereby he is testifying unto you that you may be quiet and suffer it to come to the birth the new substantial birth that you may eat his body and drink his blood and so have communion with the Father and with his Son Can the Quakers Religion bring us no greater length then to the state of Devils And yet he goeth on Pag. 292. blasphemouâ—y applying what is said Ioh. 6. of Christ to this Light whereof even Devils are shaâ—ers and tels us that by our common participation of this we have communion one with another according to that 1 Cor. 10 17. And shall our fellowshipe be with the Devils and with all â—hat partake of this Light O miserable fellowshipe What more He hath the confidence to tell us that this is the true and spiritual supper of the Lord whereof we are made partakers by hearing Christs voice and opening to him Revel 3 20. But this Christ that speaketh Revel 3 20. standeth without and is not yet within But the Christ he talks of is within already and was within since our very birth know these men no shame Have they no faith of a God How cometh it then that they dar thus mock But as if we had not yet enough we must hear more The Supper of the Lord is really truely possessed saith he whensoever the sâ—ul introverts to this Light and partaketh of this celestial life whereby the inner man is nourished and this believers enjoy at all times but especially when they meet together to waite upon God Thus is all Christianity and the most profitable and solemne exercises of our Religion turned over to Paganisme If a man but reflect and take notice of the dictats of something which is within every man he is introverted and he is supping with the Lord and feasting on celestial cheare But can no man tell me Whether the Devil can introvert or not He hath a Light and an Understanding and I suppose knoweth more even as to what is right and what is wrong than Pagans do can he not reflect upon this light If he can he is a guest at the Quakers supper and tasteth and eateth of their dainties But it is like the Devil cannot introvert because he cannot abstract from all cogitations and imaginations and therefore it is peculiar to man And can men when they please cast themselves into such trances and ecstasies if they may be so called where not only the outward senses are still but even the understanding ceaseth from work without the help of Satan and a strong imagination 9. After he hath explained as well as he could his meaning he would faine make us beleeve § 4. Pag. 292. that all the controversies that have been and are this day about this Sacrament in relateing of which he is pleased to spend many words little worth the noticeing have arisen from the mant of this spiritual knowledge And indeed I must confess if the Quakers opinion be imbraced all our controversies about this mater shall cease nay I think we shall then have no more controversie with Pagans not only about this but about no point of Christianity but shall give all up â—o Pagans and at once condemne all that the worthies of old wrote in defence of Christianity against the Pagans yea and admit of no glosses or senses of the Scripture but what Pagans can give If this be the way of ending controversies among Christians it shall not be very displeasing unto the Devil for thereby he shall come into full possession of all But our Lord Jesus shall reigne whether Quakers and Devils will or not If our Quakers shall think it of their advantage to write Comments on any of Pauls Epistles or on the New Testament it will sure beare the title of Paulâ—â— Paganizans Mattheus Marcus Lucas Ioannes Iacobus Iudas or Petrus Paganizans And so also as to the Old Testament but their undâ—rvalueing of them will prevent this And yet out of their writings some such thing might be made 10. He must now come to destroy this Ordinance if he can and therefore he first speaketh something of a Relation Pag. 295 § 5. c. because he knoweth we maintaine a spiritual Relation and sacramental Union between the signe and the thing signified so as the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other as we finde Circumcision called the Covenant Gen. 1â— v. 10. Christ the Passeover 1 Cor. 5 7. so the bread in this Sacrament is said to be Christs body and the cup his blood of the new Covenant Mat. 26 27 28. or the New Testament in his bloud 1 Cor. 11 25. And for this end he telleth us that a special and necessary relation is where two things are so connected and united either of their owne nature or by a divine command that the one cannot be possessed at least I think he would have said ordinarily because of what followeth though it may be extraordinarily without the other And among other instances to clear this he giveth this as sensation of the presence of God hath a necessary respect unto meeting together by vertue of a divine command because of his promise As if a promise and a divine command were all one and as if Gods presence and the sensation of his presence were one and the same But to the thing in hand We grant there is such a Relation betwixt the eating and drinking in this Sacrament after the manner appointed by Christ and tâ—e participation of Christ and his benefites that who ever doth the one shall enjoy the other but I dar not say that none shall enjoy the thing signified but such as partake of the elements which is the thing he would hinte and that because of the very instance he hath brought for I dar not say and it may be he will be of my minde here that none shall enjoy the sensation let me use his words of the presence of God but such as meet together And that other instance which he adduceth of God's giving according to his promise to such as ask confirmeth me in this for God many times preventeth our seeking other instances might be adduced but these two which himself hath adduced are enough to clear the matter 11. How proveth he that the participation of the body and blood of Christ hath no such Relation to the breaking and eating of bread and drinking of wine in this Ordinance This relation saith he Pag. 296 either would come from the nature of the thing or from some divine precept Answ. There
but walk upon fixed and certaine grounds which may fully quiet the consciences of such as stand in awe of the word and I cannot but wonder how he who denieth the word to be the rule of faith and practice can thus press the words contrare to the scope and intendment of the Spirit of the Lord and stand so stifly to the express words yea and for any thing I see ground their judgment and practice wholly and alone upon these words but as we heard above though the light within them be their supream and only Rule they can alleige the Scriptures and pervert them too against us 4. He cometh next Pag. 354. § 11. to reply to our grounds We say that Christ forbiddeth all Oaths by creatures and all vaine and rash Oaths To which he replyeth That the Law did forbid these Oaths but Christ forbiddeth here something that was free under the Law to wit to swear by the Name of God and so dischargeth even such Oaths as were made by the Name of God Mat. 23 22. And he addeth by any other oath Answ. That the Law doth forbid both swearing by the Creatures and also rash and unnecessary swearing by the Name of God is true but the Law did not prohibite but enjoyn swearing in some cases before Magistrates as we see Exod. 22 7 11. Num. 5 19 21. 2. That Christ correcteth or amendeth the Law or dischargeth any thing which was lawful by the moral Law of God is but a Socinian dream without any ground or warrand as is apparent through that whole Sermon and from the very first words of this part thereof vers 17 18. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but fulfil for verily I say unto you till heaven and earth passe one jot or one-title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled But sure if Christ had added to the law or taken away from it he had in so far destroyed it and made it an imperfect law and had taken away from it many Jotes and Titles contrary to his owne expresse profession and declaration 3. The place Mat. 23 16 23. doth clearly explaine this for there their unlawful wayes of swearing are reproved and they discovered to be fools in alleiging such grounds as they did for their profane licentious swearing and satisfying themselves with such pretexts but not one word declareing it unlawful in all cases to sweare by the Name of God 4. These words by any other Oath are to be explained by what went before and so to be understood of any other such like Oath as he had instanced in otherwise Christs discourse shall be incoherent 5. To that which is said That swearing by the Name of God was commanded by the Father and so cannot be now contradicted by the Son who is one with the Father he saith That the father appointed many ceremonial Lawes which were shadowes of good things to come whereof Christ was the substance Answere This is very true but nothing to the purpose for he shall never prove that swearing by the Name of God was a ceremonial thing being a part of natural Worship taught by the Law of Nature Gen. 21 ver 23. Iosh. 2 vers 12. 2 Chron. 36 21. and is several times put for the whole moral Worshipe Esai 19 v. 18. 45 23. Psal. 63 11. And where I pray and when was this ceremonial precept if it be such first given But this one thing is enough to confute this dream not to mentione that we cannot understand whereof it can be a shadow or type nor how then as we shall hear it was used when types were abrogated to wit that Christ did not so early beginne to cry down and to annull the force and power of the ceremonial Law but being made under the Law ceremonial as well as moral was observant thereof in all points to his dying day for in the very night wherein he was betrayed he observed the feast of the Passeover and he came to fulâ—il all righteousness How shall we then imagine that in his very first Sermon he should abrogate the Ceremonial Law and that in moe points then one if our Quaker be to be believed For he will have the mater of Warres a ceremony too and will affirme that Christ abrogated that ceremony also in the last words of this Chapter as we heard 6. He moveth this Argum. in the next place Pag. 355. That Oaths cannot be a part of the ceremonial Law because they were in use before the promulgation of the law An Argument wherein I see little strength yet I think it concerneth him to tell us when this ceremonial law was first given and to whom What answereth he It must be showne saith he that it is an eternal and immutable precept Answ. And what needeth more for this then to show that it is a part of worshipe performed unto God which the law of Nature hath taught all nations and which hath no affinity with what is typical and figurative having a manifestly moral import for it is a solemne acknowledgment of Gods All-seeing eye of his Truth and Veracity of his Righteousness and Justice and of his Power and Might for therein he is called to witness a secret and hidden truth and the swearer doth professe that God is acquanted with the secrets of all things and with the Intentions of the heart Therein we acknowledge that God abhorreth lying and dissimulation and will be a swift witness against false swearers and in justice will be avenged of such as mock him in calling the God of truth to bear witness to an untruth and shew his power in punishing and pursueing such all which being ingraven on the heart of Man by nature and being laid as the ground of this practice among all Nations and having nothing ceremonial in it evince this duty to be moral and the commands enjoyning it perpetually obligeing He tels us that Abel and Cain did offer the tythes of their fruit and the first fruites of their land But I read not this in Scripture I finde it said Gen. 4 3 4. that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground and Abel of the firsilings of his flock but no more no word of Tithes nor of First fruites 7. He moveth another Objection after his owne minde as if we said that Swearing by the name of God is a moral duty because it is mentioned with God's essential and moral worshipe But what he meaneth by essential worshipe I know not nor know I who useth that terme This argument I shall thus urge If swearing by the name of God be not only urged together with other acts of moral worship but also as a comprehensive part of moral worshipe and as further exegitical and explicative of other parts of moral worshipe mentioned then it must be a part of morall worshipe But the former is true Therefore c. The Major I suppose needeth