proof Doth he take us all for credulous Quakers 22. But what can be this mans designe in all this It is indeed a most desperat designe for it is no lesse upon the matter than to Overturne the whole Gospel of the grace of God why so You will say Because as we will see more fully afterward his maine designe in this is to Evince that all the good that is found or heard of to have been or yet to be among Heathens Turks or Barbarians who never heard of the Gospel or of Christ revealed therein was as much of the Grace of God in Christ and the fruit of Christ's merite and intercession and the Blessing of the New Coveâ—ant of Grace as the Holiness of such as are united by faith unto Christ. and crucified with Him and have Him living and working in them by his Spirit So that if we come the length of some Heathens who have walked more closely to the Principles of Nature than others and have bin more Moral as to some things in their outward carriage than the common rabble of Men we have attained the Gospel Holiness and Sanctification at least as to kinde which these men intend and to that measure thereof which will ensure our Salvation Now what a desperat designe this is to bring us no further length than to polished Heathenisme let every Christian judge and see if the title of my book be not true that Quakerisme is the path way to Paganisme But the sequel will more confirme this 23. For further manifesting of this wickedness let us consider what he sayeth further Pag. 56. toward the end He bringeth-in this Objection That the Apostle sayeth Rom. 2 14. that the Gentiles who had not the Law did by nature the things contained in the Law the meaning of which words as we adduce them is not to prove as he falsely here insinuateth and expresseth that such by nature can do that which is good and acceptable in the sight of God but to prove as shall be made manifest afterward That there are some Notions of God and of Moral honesty as relicques of that noble image of God with which man was endued at the beginning left in corrupt man whereby he through the dim light of nature may see something of the Law of nature pointing out his duty to God to man and to himself and may do upon the matter something of that which the Law of nature requireth and yet when he hath improven Nature to its yondmost shall never do that which is well pleasing in the sight of God who since the fall only accepteth of that which is done in the strength and grace of Jesus Christ and by one reconciled unto Him in and through Christ. Let us now see what he Answereth This nature sayeth he neither may nor can be understood of mans proper nature which is corrupt and fallen but of spiritual nature which proceeds from the seed of God as he hath received a new visitation of divine love and is thereby quickened For answere I would know whether he understandeth this Spiritual Nature of that which is common to all the Gentiles or of that which was peculiar to some If he understand that which is common to all then according to his divinity every heathen let be every Christian hath this Spiritual Nature and Seed of God in him and what good they do in Natural or Moral actions proceeth from this seed of God and spiritual nature And consequently the thoughts of their heart concerning the being of God which is good because true and according to the Law writen in every mans heart must flow from this Principle and from no other and so the devils who beleeve that there is a God Iam. 2 19. must be partaker of this Spiritual Nature and Seed of God Observe Reader whither this Mans Religion will bring us and what the Grace of God and that Spiritual Nature is which this man would lead us unto Even that which is common to devils If he meane that which is peculiar to some I would enquire who these some are Doth he meane the Gentiles who were converted by the Gospel and become Christians These we grant have a spiritual Nature but sure the Apostle is not speaking of such as the whole scope of his discourse cleareth If he understand this of the Heathens who did better improve the light of nature than others we know no spiritual Nature that such have for all their advancement in Nature because they are yet out of Christ whose members only are made partakers of this new spiritual Nature according to that Gospel which we hope to be saved by And his contrary opinion confirmeth us of their anti-evangelick Principles and paganish designe 24. He addeth a reason from vers 15. where the Apostle saith that they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts and this says he the Scripture witneseth to be a great part of the dispensation of the New Covenant Wherein the Man who would faine make us beleeve he had no fellowshipe with the Socinians joineth with Smalcius the Socinian writing against Frantzius disp S Pag. 419. who upon this same ground alledgeth that Paul speaketh here of Gentiles who were under the New Covenant and not of such who lived before Christ came while as it is manifest from vers 10. that Paul is speaking of the Gentiles in the general in opposition to the Jewes who made their boast of the Law and is hereby shewing that they will be without excuse in the day of judgment of which he speaketh vers 16. howbeit they wanted that Law which the Jewes had because they had the Law of nature which they transgressed ingraven in their mindes and consciences as he further cleareth by their consciences bearing witness and their thoughts accusing or excusing c. 2. Where read we that any do by nature the things declared in the New Covenant 3. How can such as are under the New Covenant be said to be without a Law as these here 4. Is not the New Covenant alwayes opposed to the Law See Gal. 2 16. Rom. 3 27 28. and several other places 5. How can such as are under and within the New Covenant be said to sin and to perish without Law as here vers 12â— 6. How can such as are under the New Covenant be a Law unto themselves as here 7. Where in all the Scripture is the matter of the New Covenant called the work of the Law He would do well if he thought good to consult Calvin Pareus and other Commentators on the place 8. This Man told us above homologating with the Socinians that the New Covenant had no place under the Law and yet even then we hear of the Law in hearts Psal. 40 9 37 31. Esa. 51 7. 9. Had not Adam even after the fall the Law in some measure fixed and written in his hâ—aâ—t when his conscience accused him of his transgression and he did run to hide
himself By this accusing of conscience Paul proveth here that the Gentiles had the Law in their heart 10. He would know that there is a twofold writing of the Law in the heart One is whereby the knowledge of the Law is so fixed in their mindes as that it cannot be utterly delet howbeit their wils cannot and will not comply therewith and of this the Apostle is here speaking for the Heathens have this Law of nature so imprinted and fixed in their Mindes as to several things concerning God and their carriage and walk in the world that they cannot but see a difference betwixt Righteousness and Iniquity Honesty and Dishonesty in several particulars and in their judgment preferre the one to the other though their hearts and wills be not reconciled thereunto and made to comply therewith even according to thâ— measure of their Knowledge and Judgment The Other is whereby the whole will of God revealed in Law and Gospel is by the Spirit of God deeply imprinted in the soul of Beleevers so that as their Mindes know it and their Judgments approve it so their Wills imbrace it with love and desire and their native Endeavour is after Full Pure Sincere and Spiritual conformity thereto in the strength of the same Spirit and it is their griefe and matter of unfaigned sorrow when through the workings of a remanent body of death they come short of what is commanded whether as to Matter or Manner or End intended c. If he shall evince that Paul speaketh of this here he shal do more than all the Socinians no persons else ever dreamed of this ever have been able to do to this day But the truth is I apprehend all this is a riddle to this man who understandeth no other writing of the Law in hearts than the first for as he is an enemy so is he a stranger unto the Gospel of the Grace of God as will evidently enough appear ere we have done 25. He addeth a second reason for his Interpretation Pag. 57 saying that if nature here be understood of the proper nature of Man then the Apostle should contradict himself who elsewhere saith that the natural man cannot perceive the things of God but among these things of God the Law is comprehend seing Paul Rom. 7 12 14. itâ—oly â—oly just and good and Spiritual and calleth himself carnal which must be understood as he was unregenerat I answere 1. Paul no way contradicteth himself except in this mans dreaming fancy for these spiritual things whereof the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 2 14 are not the things of Nature or of the Law or Light of Nature But the things of the Spirit of God which must be spiritually understood vers 14. which none can know without they have the minde of Christ vers 16. which concerne Christ and Him Crucified vers 2. the same which Paul preached in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power vers 4. which was Wisdom among such only as were perfect vers 6. and which only the Spirit which is of God did reveal and not the Spirit of the world vers 11 12. and which eye had not seen nor eare heard c. vers 9. It was the preaching of the Crosse of Christ which even the Wise and Understanding and such as had not only Natures Light but the Light of the Law could not know It was that which even to the Jewes was a stumbling block and to the wise Grecians was foolishness Chap. 1 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. Hence we see the Law which was written in the hearts of the Gentiles is not among those things whereof Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 2. 2. It is truâ— the Law both that which is written in the heart of the Gentiles and that which was more clearly and amply declared and explained by God to the Jewes was Good Holy Just and Spiritual yet was it not the same with the things of God whereof the Apostle spoke 1 Cor. 2. 3 This man must have a strange antipathy at â—ruth and against the Orthodox for he will joyne with any before he take part with them we heard but just now how he joyned with Smalcius the Socinian and here in interpreting Rom. 7 14. c. he deserteth the orâ—hodox and joyneth himself with Pelagians Arminians and Socinians who will have the Apostle there speaking not of himself but as assumeing the person of one in nature not yet regenerated as if such were not wholly â—in and whâ—lâ—y flesh or had an Inward man delighting in the Law of God or â—ad a Law in their minde contrary to the Law in their members or were capable of this captivity when they are willing slaves or could groan under a boâ—y of death and account themselves miserable upon that account or thank God through Jesus Christ because of the begun delivery and certane expectation of the full victory or as if they with their minde could serve the Law of God 4. His sole reason viz. because the Apostle said he was carnal proveth nothing for what the Apostle speaketh in a certane respect must not be understood in an absolute sense He was it is true carnal as all â—egenerat persons are not absolutly nor wholly but in part in so far as the old man remained in which respect the best have a Law in their members warring against the Law of their minde and have the flesh lusting against the Spirit as they have the Spirit lusting against the flesh Gal. 6.17 And the Apostle calleth even such babes in Christ carnal in a certane reâ—pect 1 Cor. 3 1. 26. Thereafter he tels us That when we are urged with this testimony by Pelagians anâ— Socinians and by them so â—hat we see with whom he and his party are birds of one feather we use to answere that there were some remnants of the spiritual image left in Adam But sayes he this is affirmed without probation In which he either speaketâ— aâ—ainst his Light or he â—aâ—â— neâ—er read what hath been said upon this by the orthodox against Socinians and Arminians and such as would defend that there were some speculative Atheisâ—s unto whom this Mans assertion doth no small service as we may shew hereafter But next he saith that hereby we contradict ourselves and destroy our own cause Why so For saith he If by these relicques they could fulfil the law then either Christ's coming was not necessary or men could be saved without him or that these thâ—ugh they keeped the Law were damned because ignorant â—f Christ to come which the Lord had made impossible for them to know Answere 1. We never said that they could fulfil the Law by these relicques nor doth the Apostle say so It is true they did and could do by nature somethings contained in the Law and this was sufficient for the Apostles designe not all Even Paul though many stages above many heathens while in the state of nature did not know till the written Law told him that
its own accord by a natural Impulse an Instinct imbraceth it The constant practice of all Nations setting up and maintaining some kinde of Religion confirmeth this whence was this that they thought Religion so necessary that there could be no Common wealth established without it but from the innate Apprehensions of God and of their Obligation to serve and honour Him How this is further confirmed by the testimonies or Heathens themselves and of the ancient Fathers see Hoornbeek against the Socinians lib. 1. cap. 7. Pag. 142. c. and D Owen de Natura c. Verae Theologiae Pag. 23 24. c. 29. There is another debate with the Socinians to wit with Socinus himself Ostorodiuâ— though â—thers of them are of another mind who deny that any knowledge of God can be acquired by considering the works of Creation and Providence and so they deny that persons strangers to the Gospel living in Nature can attaine to any knowledge of God by the contemplation of nature But our divines manifest the contrary from Psal. 19 1 2. where the Psalmist tels us that the heavens declare the glory of God c. That magnificent workman shipe preacheth forth the Wisdome Power Goodness and Glory of thâ— great Maker and that to all Nations so as they cannot be ignorant thereof So from Rom. 1 19 20. we see that God manifested to the Heathens that which might be known of him the invisible things his eternal Power and God head by the Creation of the world and things that are made The fonde imagination of Socinus dreaming that the Gospel is here to be understood is abundantly confuted by D. Hoornbeek in the forecited book Pag. 157. c. The same is proved also from the forecited places Act. 14 15 16 17. and 17 24 25 26 27. And likewise from Psal. 8. throughout 104. throughout and 145 4 5 6 7. 147 7 8 9 Esa 40 12. Iob. 12 7 8 9 10. 38. 39. 40. Chapters Psal. 69 35. 103 22. 107. 104. throughout Other arguments to this purpoâ—e may be seen in the forecited book of D Hoornbeek Pag. 164-172 which for brevities sake I passe by 30. Our divines likewise in dealing with such as would assert that there are some formal and direct speculative Atheists are careful to assert and maintaine these Innate and Fixed Notions of a Deity and particularly the learned D. Voetius de Atheismo Pag. 140 c. where he asserts that there is an Innate Theology Innate Notions or a latent Natural Seed of Reason and Religion that is like the habite of principles that in adults is brought forth into act without any previous demonstration by the very perception of the words and termes without labour or study or the force of arguments and that the most flagitious person that is can not come to think and be perswaded directly that there is not a God though he could wish there were not a God or that he himself had no sense or perception of a God and that by these reasons for 1 Then it would follow that there were no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing which might be known of God imprinted in the heart of every man that cometh into the world and that by nature contrare to Rom. 1 18 19. 2.14 15. that Conuate and Congenite Divinity can no more be separated from man than his rational Intellect 2. Then some men should be without the Law of Nature a natural conscience which cannot be 3. Then Men should be Inferiour to devils in whom these sparks are not exstinct Iam. 2 19. 4. This were against the universal Experience and Consent of all Nations 5. Then some should really have some excuse contrary to Rom. 1 19 20. 6. This would much confirme Atheists and weaken our arguments against them 7. It would also gratifie Socinians By all which this our Quaker may if he will open his eyes see how dangerous his opinion is who denyâ—th these Inbred Innate and Imprinted Notions of a Deity and of his Nature and Attributes and of his Relations to the world and to each in particular as their Creator Conservator and Benefactor and of our Obligation to Love Worshipe Serve Obey Him Though hereafter we will finde him after his usual manner againe contradicting himself in this 31. However this Quaker say and unsay the same thing yet we stand here and maintaine these Natural Anticipations as Cicero calleth them and Inbred Notions of what is naturally gooâ— anâ— honest manifested by the very Lawes of Nature anâ— Nations and the Natural Notions of the being of God that being true which Cicero saith 1. Tuscul. quaest For there is no Nation so barbarous as not to confess there is a God so that men would rather have and owne a false God than none at all so deeply doth the sense of a Deity sinck into our hearts It is true there was much difference among the Nations concerning the nature and number of the Gods and concerning the way of Worship yet all agreed in this that there was a God and that he was to be Worshiped Withall let the Reader observe that we are far from asserting that all this knowledge improven to the highest pitch that the primest of Natural Philosophers after all their study and diveing into Nature could reach unto can prove saving to any soul whatever discoveries may be thereby made of God's Nature and Attributes or of Moral Honesty and such things as belong to the humane and bodily good of Mankinde within or without societies and these lesser or greater Yet hereby no discoveries can be made of that which floweth solely from the will and good plasure of God and dependeth upon Immediat Revelation of which kinde is the mystery which was hid from generations and ages Col. 1 26 and keeped secret since the world began Rom. 16 25. but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the commandement of the everlasting God made known unto all Nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 1â— 26. The mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himself Ephes. 1 9. Even the mystery of Christ Ephes. 3 4. the mystery of the Gospel by which Life and Immortality is brought to light But of this we will have occasion to speak more hereafter when we come to see what use this Quaker maketh of these Natural Notions common to Heathens CHAP. VI. Of Original sin 1. THat Man is now fallen and lying into a State of Sin and Misery until he be delivered there from cannot by any rational man be denyed The very Heathen Philosophers have complained as sensible of this vented many strange uncouth Notions thereanent But as to the Rise Cause of this Disorder Confusion Misery which was every where obvious they remained blinde the wisest of them only were brought to say that there was some hidden cause of all these
were challenged and rebuked for the contempt of the Gospel or of Christ offered in the Gospel that was never revealed unto them for as man as have sinned without Law shall also perish without Law Rom. 2 vers 12. So as many as have sinned without the Goâ—pel shall pâ—rish without the Gospel for how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how can they hear without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent Rom. 10 14 15. 3. What blasphemy is it to say that God and Christ are involved in this thing Do not their hearts quake at such expressions 9. What more And as saith he it is received in the heart and is not hindered from produceing its own natural and proper effect Christ is formed and raised in the heart of which the Scripture maketh frequent mention which is called the new man Christ in the saints the hope of glory This is that inward Christ of which we only and so often speak and whom we declare every where preaching him and exhorting all that they would believe in the light and obey it that they might know Christ born and raised up in themselves and delivering them from all sin Ans. Here is a short and clear account of the mysterie of iniquity the abomination of desolation which they owne maintaine and preach who are called Quakers the sworne enemies of the Gospel grace of God To which we say 1. When it is said to be received in the heart it is supposed that formerly it was not in the heart And how can this be seing he said before that it was in every one Or was it only in their head and not in their heart 2. Did ever Pelagius more Pelagianize than doth this Quaker Or can there be anything imagined more opposite to the Gospel and to the rich grace of God therein revealed than to say that there is in every man Heathen Barbarian and Scythian who never heard of Christ in the Gospel that the proper and natural effect of which is to forme Christ in the soul Why did the Apostle Paul then say Gal. 4 19. My little children of whom I travail in birth againe until Christ be formed in you What needed the Apostle be at all this paines and paine to travail in birth for that which could have been wrought though he and the Gospell which he preached had never been heard of And what need is there of the preaching of the Gospel if the whole Gospel and the whole Grace of God necessary to the forming of Christ in the soul be in every Heathen that never heard of the Gospel Can there be any thing invented by Satan more contradictory to that Gospel whereby life and immortality is brought to light Is there any thing imaginable that more directly crosseth and annulleth the whole frame of the Gospel in all its parts and overturneth its very Foundations 3. The Scripture indeed maketh frequent mention of the Grace of God manifested in the Gospel and of the effects brought to passe by the Gospel and the Grace of God working thereby but it no where saith that there is any thing in the heart of man by nature which produceth Christ in the soul the hope of glory as its proper and natural Effect Nay the whole book of God declareth the plaine contrary when it not only sheweth us the blindness and wickedness of the heart of every man till it be renewed by grace consequently the utter impotency of nature to worke salvation but also sheweth that all that which the light in every man can eye as its object being only the works of Creation Providence is utterly insufficient for attaining this end because those works can declare nothing of the Gospel mystery whatever it may do of the Law Hence the times of the Gentiles living without the Gospel are called times of ignorance at which God winked Act. 17 30. and times wherein God suffered all nations to walk in their own wayes Act. 14 vers 16. so that they were alienated from the life of God Ephes. 4 18. having the understanding darkened and being under ignorance because of the blindness and hardness of heart The Gospel doth every where tell us that we cannot be justified by the works of the Law and yet all that which this Common Light can do is but to â—nforme and that most imperfectly of somethings required by the Law of Nature it speaketh nothing of faith in Christ which is Absolutely requisite to Justification and Salvation for without it it is impossible to please God Heb. 11 6. and by it we are united unto Christ the only Mediator for there is not another name given to men under heaven by which they can be saved but by the Name Iesus Act. 4 12. and it is life eternal to know God and Him whom He hath sent Iesus Christ Ioh. 17 3. But should we expatiat here in the confutation of this grosse Pelagianisme we should transcribe the whole Gospel â— Christ in saints the hope of glory is not brought about by Nature nor by the Works of the Law but by the Gospel and faith in it for this is the riches of the glory of this mystery whereof Paul was a minister according to the dispensation of God and which had been hid from ages and from generations Col. 1 25 26 27. and wherein Paul laboured striveing according to his working which wrought in him mightily vers 29. Nay before they were reconciled in the body of Christs flesh through death they were alienated and enemies in their minde by wicked works vers 21 22. and this was the peculiar priviledge of such as had received Christ Chap. 2.6 and were in him circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ were buryed with him and risen with him in baptisme through the faith of the operation of God and were quickened together with him vers 11.12.13 5. If this be all the Christ which they preach and declare their Christ and theame is but the dim and dark Light of Nature or the Corrupt Nature of Man which is enmiâ—y to God and to the Gospel And so they are Heathenisâ— Preachers no Gospel Ministers they are Nature Teachers and Admirers and Gospel Subverters Therefore all that love their own souls should keep far from their tents and look upon them as the most desperat Enemies to the Gospel of the Grace of God that ever Satan sent abroad in the world to destroy souls 6. The Christ whom the Gospel commands us to beleeve in and obey is Christ the Son of God God man our Immanuel the promised Messiah the Fellow of God against whom the Sword of Justice did awake the Servant of God who was Incarnat God made manifest in the flesh who grew up as a tender plant as a root out of a dry ground was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrowes
â—onveyed to beleevers by this Light and it is this light that is given for a witness to the people for a leader and a commander and so this â—ight is our prophet priest and king and then we have nothing to do with that Iesus of Nazareth of whom the Gospel speaketh whom the Apostles preached Thus the whole Gospel is overturned at one blow and all the New Testament is to be looked upon as a cunningly devised fable or must all be understood allegorically as speaking of this Light within which is Gospel Bible Saviour and all to the Quakers and of no other Christ of no other Saviour and Redeemer What a fundamental and antievangelick errour this of the Quakers is no man needeth now to doubt nor fear to call them pagan Preachers 40. Faith cometh by hearing saith he and hearing by the Word of God which is placed in every mans heart to be a witness for God and à medium by which they may be brought unto God through Faith and Repentance And because mans heart is naturally hard as yron God hath put this word in it to be as a fire and as an hammer Ier. 23 29. by whose strength and vertue if it be not resisted the cold and hard heart of man is warmed and made soft and receiveth an heavenly image and impression Ans. Here is a further confirmation of the desperate designe of these Quakers to overturne the foundations of Christian Religion for 1. The word of God by which Faith is wrought in souls is not with them the word of God which is preached or the Gospel which Christ his Apostles preached but a thing in every mans heart Heathen as well as Christian which they nickname blasphemously call the word of God Did Paul preach this word which is in every mans heart Or did any of the Apostles make this their theme text Did they ever say that by this word Faith was wrought in the heart Was this the Christ crucified that Paul spoke so much of Sure faith cometh by the hearing of that word which is outwardly preached by such as are sent and whose feet are bautiful upon the mountains bringing glade tideings Rom. 10 15. Esai 52 7. Nah. 1 15. and by such as was Esaias whose report was not beleeved Rom. 10 16. Esai 53 1. Hear what Peter said Act. 15 7. Men and brethrâ—n Ye know how that a good while agoe God made choise among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the Word of the Gospel and beleeve And what that word of the Gospel was which Peter preached to Cornelius to which passage this relateth see Act. 10 34. to 43. What meaneth Paul by the foolishness of preaching whereby such as beleeve are saved 1 Cor. 1 21. was that the preaching of a Light within Why doth he then call it the crosse vers 18. and Christ crucified vers 23 would the crying up of the light within be a stumbling block to the Jewes and foolishness to the Greeks No certainly But because the Apostles doctrine did lye so crosse hereunto neither Iewes nor Greeks could relish it except those who were the called and they indeed and they only saw Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God vers 24. What need is there that we should insist in disproving of this which overturneth the whole doctrine of the Gospel and rendereth all the administrations thereof useless and ridiculous 2. What Faith I wonder can be produced by this Light within It cannot be the Faith of God's elect for the mighty operation of the Spirit is required thereunto and as an external mean the out ward preaching of the Gospel which is called the word of Faith Rom. 10 8. and the hearing of faith Gal. 3 2. And Paul tels us Rom. 1 5. That he and others received grace and Apostleshipe for obedience to the Faith among all nations The Gospel and the preaching of Iesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was keept secret since the world began but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of â—he Prophets according to the commandement of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16 25 26. Through the Gospel did the Apostle beget the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4 15. The Thessalonians were called to the beleefe of the truth by the Gospel 2 Thes. 2 14. It must thâ—n be the faith of Heathens or rather the faith of Devils for they beleeve and tremble and Nature can produce no other faith but a natural faith founded upon nature which is of the same kinde with the faith of devils Is not the Quakers Religion a noble Religion which would bring us the length of Devils 3. That which is left in every man to be a witness for God is nothing but a Natural Conscience witnessing according to the Law of Nature and the dim light thereof that is not yet extinct and will this Natural Conscience produce saving faith in a heathen Sure the devil hath a conscience as an intellectual creature witnessing that there is a God and so witnessing for God Shall we call this conscience the word of God the hearing of which will produce faith Then the Quakers Gospel is a Gospel for the Devils giving them ground of hope of Faith and Repentance if they will but obey that Gospel which is preached within them 4. What a bold and manifest perversion of Scripture is it to apply that Word Ier. 23 29. which is express of the word spoken by the true and faithful Prophets of God unto this dumb preacher in every mans bosome 5 We see then that the softening and warming Spirit of God who by his power and efficacy melteth the heart is in every man by nature in every Turk Tartar Barbarian c. And whatever the Scripture speaketh of this work of the mighty Spirit of God must all be understood of this Light within every man O desperat souls O wretched errour Will not the Lords hand be seen against these impudent audacious perverters of the right wayes of the Lord 6. This fire and hammer will do wonders if it be not resisted But when fire worketh upon water and a hammer beateth upon hard yron or stone can it but meet with resistence At length we see all the operation of grace which he talketh of is the sufficient grace that Pelagians Iesuites Arminians plead for which must have no more efficacy anâ— power ascribed to it whatever great names it get than may salve the honour and consist with the glory of Free will which must weare the crowne and have all the praise for this grace must not entrench upon the Lordly liberty of mans will but must stand off and petition Lord Free will to consent and yeeld if it will but if not it can do no more And so it shall be of him that willeth and runneth and not of God that sheweth mercy contrare to Rom. 9 16. And it is not
or therefore others did not understand them and savingly beleeve them who will receive any of these consequences But mary her self understood not somethings not yet the Apostles And what then did they not understand so much as was then revealed and necessary to salvation And did they not understand after Information Poor man he goeth far to fetch waâ—er to no purpose Will any thing here said bring the least reliefe unto his desperat cause and prove that Heathens now without the Church can be saved without the knowledge of Christ Quakers can dream waking I see 12. But Pag. 118. § 27. he saith that several of the Gentiles by this inward light were sensible of the dammage that came by Adam's fall Answ. And what then were they also sensibâ—e of the advantage that came by Iesus Christ and will all that are sensible of their dammage suffered by Adam's sin be saved This is a wide door to salvation indeed but the Scripture tels us no such thing His citeing of a â—aying of Plato and another of Pithagoras and a third of Plotinus and a fourth of we know not whom whether truely or not is uncertain not doth he name the places where they say so that some who might be so curious as to know the truth might try is to as good purpose as if he did thresh the water for whatever apprehensions these Heathens had of the misery of man and â—et a very small knowledge and reason considering what was obvious to all their eyes might soon have made them say all that he citeth of them here viz. that mens soul is fallen into a dark cave where it converseth with shadowes And that man wandereth in the earth as a stranger exiled from God and that mans soul is like an extinct coal and that the souls wings are clipt so as it cannot flee to God He tels us nothing of their apprehensions of a way of Redemption out of that misery and the knowledge of this we say is necessary unto Salvation Yes in the following words he tels us that they also knew Christ as a remedy to deliver them though not under that denomination Then sure they had not this knowledge by Revelation For divine Revelation would have given the knowledge of Christ under the right denomination but by natures light And if Natures Light will lead people to a crucified Christ we may burne the bible But how proveth he this He tels us that Seneca Epist. 41. speaks of an holy Spirit that is in us that teacheth us as we receive him What is in this true or false â— cannot judge at present not having that book by me only I must tell him that the Scriptures speak of no holy ghost in every man And that the Holy Ghost and Christ Immanuel God-man is not one and the same and that faith in Christ is required unto salvation And might noâ— Seneca meane hereby Reason which the Scriptures tell us is now corrupt and carnal and an enemy to the Gospel Sure that passage he citeth next of Cicero's out of Lactan. Too long here to translate and insert is speaking of nothing as the words cleare but of Reason and it is expresly called so recta ratio given to every man Is this the Quakers Gospel-Teacher Saviour Christ and Redeemer Why doth he else where seem to cry out against the Socinians When here he cryeth up so much with them and with heathens pure Reason Is this the Holy Ghost that acts leads and guides them and teacheth them all their divinity poor souls Are they so in love with paganisme that for its sake they will renunce all Christianity 13. There is a mighty argument following which must be noticed it is this The Heathens call this Reason or I know not what wisdom and this is the name that is given to Christ in the Scriptures Prov. 1 20. 8 9 34. Ergo what Therefore tâ—e Heathens knew Christ. Is not this a noble argument well becoming such as pretend to rare light and knowledg and to nothing lesse then Revelations and Inspirations It is no wonder that they say Christ is in them for they are possessours â—f wisdom and Christ is called wisdom Did he neâ—er read that the wisdom of this world is foolishness and that the world by wisdom knew not God And was this Christ because he is elsewhere called wisdome did he never read that God would destroy the wisdom of the wise and is the meaning of this that God would destroy Christ because Christ is somewhere called wisdom What notions of men destracted or rather judicially given up of God are these Hence saith he further such among the Gentiles as left that which was evil and turned to that which was good and justice were called Philosophers that is lovers of wisdom But what if he be mistaken in the ground or reason of this name given or assumed And whether he be mistaken or not what can he make of it Belike he would say They were lovers of Christ for Christ is called wisdom Is not this man a noble advocat for Heathens and worthy of his hire Are not these all very strong arguments to prove that Heathens knew Christ though not under that notion and therefore may be saved But Phocilides who knoweth where said saith he that that was best wisdom which was had by inspiration of God And could not blinde nature have told him so much Was this such an excellent piece of knowledge that it may truely be called saving And was this the knowledge of Christ under some other denomination Could not the devil say as much And may he therefore also be saved What were this mans thoughts busied about when he wrote these things was he dreaming Or in a rapture of Quakerisme or sunck into his introversion where he lost all humane Reason 13. Then Pag. 119. he saith he could produce many such But to what purpose To prove saith he that they knew Christ by his work working in them by which they were turned frâ—m unrighteousness to righteousness and made lovers of his power and whereby they felt themselves delivered from evil If this be the conclusion that he would proâ—e why hath he not brought one testimony to this end what he hath hithertill adduced agreeth as well with this conclusion as harp doth with harrow But the Apâ—stle he addeth saith they did shew the work of the law written in their hearts and therefore as all were doers of the law so without doubt they were justified We spoke to this before and this man is tedious in his repetitions for want of arguments only I note that I see now he concludeth that all the Heathens were saved for they were all â—ith him doers of the law and that because they had all the work of the law written in their hearts and so were all justified Happy Heathens if so and if so it were better to be Heathens than Christians for all Christians are not justified and saved though they have
the Law What sayes he to this Argument He grants they are not profitable unto God but yet he saith they are profitable unto us he might adde and to others too and he might say that they are useful to set forth the Glory of God and several things more might he say of this kinde but all is to no purpose as to our present question The second Objection is from Rom. 3 20 21 by the righteousness of the Law shall no flesh be justified c. But he might have cited to this end whole Chapters of that Epistle as also of the Epistle to the Galatians where the Apostle in downe right termes is disputing against the interest of works in the matter of Justification But what replyeth he He saith the Apostle excludes the works of the Law that is such as are done by mans strength and will while he studieth conformity unto the outward letter of the Law which therefore are imperfect but not the works of the Gospel done by the Spirit of grace in the heart according to the inward and Spiritual Law which are therefore pure and perfect Answer 1. This explication of Law works and Gospel works is nakedly proposed to us here without any proof and is an arrow out of Bellarmines quiver all works done by mans meer strength and will without the Grace of God and the help of the Spirit are no good works at all because not performed in the right manner nor flowing from a principle of grace 2. That Gospel works even performed by the Spirit are not pure and perfect as he with Papists say shall be seen in due time 3. The Apostle excludeth all such works which are not that Righteousness of God without the Law which was witnessed to by the Law and the Prophets nor the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that beleeve Rom. 3 21 22 And all such as marre justification freely by grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ vers 24 As also all such as darken that declaration of the righteousness of God who must be just when he is the justifier of him which beleeveth in Jesus whereof mention is made vers 25 26. And all such works as give ground of boasting which is only excluded by the Law oâ— Faith vers 27. And all such as are opposite to justification by faith vers 28. 4. Nay Abrahams Davids works which were done by the Spirit are excluded Rom. 4 2 3 6 7 8. He goeth about to confirme this distinction from this that Paul to the Galat. speaketh directly against such as would presse the observation of the legal Ceremonies upon the Christian Gentiles Pag. 145 146. Answ. Though that might be the occasion of Pauls disput it be true that Paul speaketh much and particularlâ— against the ceremonial Law yet he doth not insist upon that hypothesis or branch of the question but taketh occasion thereby to discusse the point in Thesiâ— of all works in general even such as are done in conformity to the moral Law therefore he adduceth Chap. 3 10 12. that passage Deut. 27 26. and Levit. 18 5. which cannot be meaned of the ceremonial Law only and speaketh against all Justification by works which is opposite to Justification by faith Chap. 3 11 12. What he saith afterward of the necessity of good works we stand to in the sense maintained by Our against Papists that is as antecedent adjuncts and dispositions unto glory not as any way meritorious either of Justification or Salvation nor do we approve of the Papists second Justification by works He urgeth againe Tit. 3 5. And thence speaketh thus all grant that such as are saved are Iustified True what more Therefore when he saith he hath saved us he saith also he hath Iustified us Ans. True yet it will not follow that all that is antecedent to Salvation is also antecedent to Justification or that all that is requisite in order to final Salvation is also requisite in order to Justification The Apostle vers 5. presupposing Justification is shewing what way the Lord bringeth about their salvation to wit by washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost that he may clear up the first step of the work he speaks to Justification vers 7. that being Iustified by his grace c. and this grace excludeth all works for what is of grace it not of works otherwise grace is no more grace and what is of works is not of grace otherwise works are no more works Rom. 11 6 and to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt Rom. 4 4. What he saith afterward Pag. 147. of the difference betwixt works done by persons unrenewed and persons regenerated is not much to the matter in hand and tendeth clearly to disparage his own doctrine concerning the Sanctification and Salvation of Heathens And withall I see no ground to take in these last into Justification as he would have us for then as no man is sayed until all these works be ended so also shall no man be justified until he be glorified 42. The third Objection is taken from the impurity of our best works And he answereth with Bellarmine That works done by the Spirit and grace of God that is of persons regenerated are perfect Ans. His meaning must be that they do agree to the Law in all points otherwise a curse attendeth them Deut. 27 26. Gal. 3 10. And if so why did David say Psal. 143 2. and enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no flesh be justified And Ps. 130 3. If thou Lord should mark iniquittes O Lord who shall stand and why doth Iob say Chap. 9 15. whom if I were righteous yet would I not answere And why saith the church Esai 64 6. all our righteousneses are as filthy rags which though some cited by this man not regarding the interpretation of Bertius the Arminian think doth not immediatly prove that there is no merite in our works as not being spoken of all mankinde yet doth abundantly evidence that the penitent church considering her best wayes saw much defilement in them that might make the Lord abhorre them as filthy rags and persons in a penitent frame use to get a better sight of sin and of their wayes than others have or themselves formerly had His saying that hereby is not meant these works that Christ worketh in us but the works which we ourselves do in our owne strength Is vaine for such as are done in our owne strength cannot be called Righteousness But then sayes he it would follow that all holiness must be cast away as filthy rags So they must be cast away in the matter of Justification for we must not found our hope of acceptance with God and Justification before him on these but it will not follow that they must be laid aside in our practice and not be studied and endeavoured to God's
dayes where the word of God and the Gospel is than of a pagan that never heard of Christ. But now what is required An External profession c. This is good enough to declare that the Quakers Churches are not Christian for they beleeve not the holy truthes set downe in the Scriptures because they oppose and contradict them Nor do they beleeve in or make profession of Jesus Christ revealed in the N. Testament because they oppose him and all his Institutions But how is this faith wrought is it by the Spirit of God No the inward light alone doth it that is it is a faith of Christ of the truth of the Scriptures that nature can sweetly naturally incline yea compel unto But this can reach no further than the truths that corrupt nature can teach and what affinity these have with the Gospel of the grace of God let Christians judge And thus we have run round and are againe where we begane 7. He inferreth from what he hath said That the inward work of holiness and laying aside of iniquity is every way necessary to constitute a member of the Church of Christ. Yet it is but such a work of holiness that nature can produce effectuat We acknowledge true holiness wrought by the Spirit of God subdueing overcoming nature to be necessary in all that are members of the Invisible Church but not necessary to constitute one a member of the visible Church general or particular What more That outward profession is necessary to make one a member of a particular congregated church though not of the catholick church Then the particular Church is not an homogeneal part of the Catholick but of a different complexion Then members of the Catholick church cannot be members of a particular Church without some more be added It seemeth then these particular Churches are Visible Churches but the Catholick is invisible Yet saith he this external profession is every way necessary where God giveth opportunity to know it and the outward testimony is to be beleeved when and where it is revealed Then it is no way necessary otherwise and so without any Knowledge Revelation or Acknowledgement or Profession of the Gospel one may be a member of the Catholick saved Church are these things consonant to Scripture 8. Next § 5. He tels us that the devil working in the mystery of iniquity taught his followers to say That none how holy so ever was a member of the church of Christ without an outward profession and unless he were initiated with some ceremonies Ans. And what can it be else but the devil working in the mystery of iniquity that taught him to say tha◠Pagans Turks Jewes who are enemies to the true Christian Religion can be members of the Catholick church without either Profession or Knowledge of Christ 2. Himself said that this profession was necessary to particular Christian Churches And are not these Churches of Christ 3. for the external ceremonies used in the Church of Rome we owne them not but such as Christ hath instituted in his word if the Spirit within him be not contrary to the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures he also should owne And againe saith he That if one have an outward profession though inwardly ungodly and irregenerate he may be a member of the true Church of Christ Ans. That such an one may be a member of the Church Visible we owne it as the truth of God and when he shall be pleased to forme a disput upon this head shall make it good And at best he is but mistaken when he addeth that this is to put light for darkness as if God did more regard words than works For the Lord calleth for both Rom 10 9 10. He is also mistaken when he sayes that Antichrist did build his structure upon this foundation For he applieth all the privileges of the Invisible Church unto his visible Synagogue of Satan distinguisheth not betwixt the Visible the Invisible Church as neither doth this Quaker non-churcheth all who are not of his combination and how neare this Quaker approacheth to him in this he can judge if he will 9. What he speaketh of the degenerating of the primitive churches is true but when among these corruptions he reckoneth Pag. 176. this as one that men became Christians that is members of the visible church by birth he is far out for if that be a corruption the Apostles first primitive Church were guilty thereof for we owne it from them Peter told the Jews that the promise was to them and to their children Act. 2 39. And Paul told the Corinthians 1 Cor. ◠14. that the children of beleevers were holy and under the Law children by birth enjoyed this privilege this privilege was never taken away from them under the Gospel What he saith of the reformed churches though there be too much truth in it yet it ill becometh him his party to upbraid them seing all their designe as hath been often observed is to make them us all mere pagan churches And instead of true holiness to presse upon us Natural Dead Antievangelick Morality CHAP. XVII Of a Ministerial call 1. OUr Quaker having thus dispatched what he had to say of the Church cometh to speak to what he had mentioned in his Thesis concerning the Ministery where we finde several things spoken unto which we shall examine severally In the beginning of his 10. Thesis he tels us That as by this gift grace and light all the true knowledge of God in spiritual things is received and revealed so by the same as it is manifested and received in the heart by its power and efficacy every true Minister of the Gospel is constituted prepared and furnished for the work of the ministry And by this moving leading and drawing must he be led commanded in his misterial work as to places where the persons to which and times when he is to be imployed That which here we are to take notice of is that which constituteth a Minister and with this Quaker the only thing that maketh one a Minister is Inward Light which he calleth also grace and a gift as it is received in its power in the heart This is all his call unto the weighty work of the Ministrie What this Light Gift and Grace is we discovered above sufficiently and after examination of all that he said of it found it to be nothing else but the dim Light and Law of Nature or the Relicques of that which once was glorious and illustrious while Adam stood because nothing else can be supposed now common to all Adam's sones or all that are Rational Creatures whether borne without or within the Church whether Pagans Barbarians Cannibals Shythians or what you will And this he makes both the Preacher or Revealer of Spiritual things and the Meane by which this Revelation is received for by it all the true knowledge of God in Spiritual
to be circumcised when he did this to Cornelius the common opinion was that the Gentiles should be circumcised Ans. Where readeth he that Peter compelled the Gentiles to be circumcised That failing of his Gal. 2 12. will not prove this much and this was also after the unanimous resolution of the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem Act. 15. â—not to put the burden of circumcision other Jewish ceremonies beside the few excepted for avoiding of Scandal upon the neck of the Gentiles And though this calumny of the Quakers had some ground Yet the difference betwixt the one practice the other is great Christ by his death did break down the middle wall of partition so put an end to the Jewish ceremonies but he did not so with his owne Gospel Institutions but rather confirmed them Where readeth he that at that time when Cornelius was baptized it was the common opinion that the Gentiles should be circumcised And how came it that Peter did not circumcise Cornelius if that was the common opinion But we must take dreames for reasons from Quakers For it is much that they will give any thing like a reason though it be but a reason with a rag and sometimes worse 18. Against the native signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wash with water he giveth in his exceptions Pag. 283. § 10. saith That baptisme with water was in use among the Iewes before Iohn's dayes as Paulus Riccius witnesseth and so that ceremony gote the name from the nature of the thing Ans. Though all this were true it will be but a confirmation of this native signification of the word And he and his Paulus Riccius both will have enough to do to make it but probable that baptisme was in use among the Jewes before Iohn Baptist's dayes for as for the Jewish writings the eldest whereof come not near to Iohn's dayes we owe them no faith their designe being the same with the Quakers designe to wit to destroy Christianity the foundation of which was laid by Rabbi Iehuda Hakkadosh about the year 190. or 200. when he wrote the Misnaioth or Iewish Alcoran He addeth Christ and his Apostles give these terms a more spiritual signification Ans. That the word is sometimes taken figuratively as when we read of baptizeing with the holy Ghost and with fire we know as we read also of circumcision of the heart will he therefore interpret the Law concerning Circumcision of the heart excluding the outward circumcision of the foreskin of the flesh Why hath he forgoten his owne axiome granted by all mentioned Pag 278. that the propriety of the word should not be forsaken nor a figurative sense admitted unless necessity compel May not this serve to convince him that we must hold by the proper signification of the word and reject his figurative till he demonstrate the necessity He addeth if we hold to the etymology of the word we must dip in baptisme Ans. Whether we baptize by dipping or sprinkling it is all alike to him for neither will please him and either will prove that baptisme is with water Neither doth the word alwayes signify washing by dipping in the N. T. see Mark 7 4. Heb. 9 10. 1 Cor. 10 2. Act. 9 11 18. As for Iohn 3 5. I shall not urge it and so passe what he saith to it And what followeth is either little or nothing to the purpose or is answered already And as to the baptizing of Infants we need not be at paines to prove this to him who denieth all baptisme whether of Infants or of old Persons And so we come to hear what he saith of the Lords Supper against which he also fighteth CHAP. XXVII Of the Lords Supper 1. WE have seen this Mans weak reasons and strong rage against the Institution of Baptisme And must have a little more patience and hear the like against the Lord's Supper Such is their malice against all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ that nothing will satisfie them but a total extirpation of them all without exception of any and such is their enmity against Christ that they will have every memorial of him quite taken away that there might nothing remaine to discriminate us from Pagans And indeed if their Principles prevaile all Christianity is overturned and manifest Paganisme is introduced Christ did institute a Supper to be religiously observed in remembrance of himself and these men will not be satisfied to take away Baptisme the engadging and honourable badge of Christians but they must have the ordinance of the Supper of our Lord also quite Cashiered that by time when this lasting memorial is removed people may be more easily enduced to renunce all Christianity and perswaded to embrace Paganisme And thus they have sucked-in the venome of some of old who were against all Sacraments such as the Ascothyptoe Messalians Acephali Henry Nicolas the Father of the family of love Swenckfeldus and Almaricus the first broacher of the Seculum Spiritus S. wherein there was to be no use of Sacraments And they are in this worse then the Antichristian Socinians who though they destroy the principal end of these Sacraments viz. to be sealing and confirming ordinances owneing them only for outward professions of faith and thanksgiving yet keep up something of the practice but these our Quakers would take away both name and thing and the thing it self with all its uses and ends that so nothing might stand in their way while posting towards Paganisme 2. But whatever these Desperadoes say we must hold for a sure truth That our Lord Jesus in the night wherein he was betrayed instituted the Sacrament of his body and blood called the Lords Supper to be observed in his Church unto the end of the world for the perpetual remembrance of the Sacrifice of himself in his death the sealing all benefites thereof unto true believers their spiritual nourishment and grouth in him their engadgment in and to all duties which they owe unto him and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him and with each other as members of his mystical body 1 Cor. 11 23 to 26. and 10 16 17 21. and 12 13. For therein by giving and receiving bread and wine according to the appointment of Jesus Christ his death is shewed forth and they that worthily communicate feed upon his body and blood to their spiritual nourishment and grouth in grace Mat. 26 26 27 28. 1 Cor. 11 23 24 25 26. have their Union and Communion with him Confirmed 1 Cor. 10 15. Testifie and Renew their Thankfulness 1 Cor. 11 24 25 26. and Engagement to God 1 Cor. 10 v. 14 15 16 21. and their Mutual Love Fellowshipe each with other as members of the same mystical body 1 Cor. 10 17. And though the body and blood of Christ be not Corporally or Carnally present in with or under the outward Elements of bread and wine Act. 3 21. yet they are spiritually present
QUAKERISME The path-way to PAGANISME Or A Vieu of the Quakers Religion BEING An Examination of the Theses and Apologie of Robert Barclay one of their number published lately in latine to discover to the World what that is which they hold and owne for the only true Christian Religion By JOHN BROWN Minister of the Gospel Printed for Iohn Cairns and other Booksellers in EDINBURGH ANNO MDC LXXVIII An EPISTLE to the READER CHRISTIAN READER Having in the following Discourse given as the Lord was pleased to helpe at some length yet with as much brevitie as the matter would suffer and thy good and edification which I was called to consult would permit my poor Testimony unto those precious Truths which are trode upon by this late Upstart generation of Quakers I shall not detaine thee long in the entrie Only let me say That as this impendent Pestilentious Cloud of Heathenish and Hellish Darkness which the Devil by the ministrie of these Locusts only Masculine in Malice against Christ being the very impure Spawn of perfect Antichristian Enmitie to our Lord Jesus his Person Offices Work Institutions and to the Whole of the blessed Gospel and in consonancy to that Hel-hatched designe breathing forth nothing but that putrid Poison that innate Serpentine Venome of manifest and mad Opposition to all the Mysteries of God concerning our Salvation which as they have implanted in them from their Father the Devil that it may appeare they are his very Children by working his works so they endeavoure to propagate to others hath now exhaled out of the bottomless Pit and by their Activity and Diligence Assisted by his Art and Prompted by his Spirit brought unto this Prevalency of darkening our Horizon and infecting so many even of such of whom sometimes better things were expected should as upon the one hand make all of us look back with griefe and fix our eyes upon our misimproving and abusing the faire day of the Gospel that we enjoyed until our eye affect our heart and we in the conviction of our hainous guilt in this matter the Nature and Aggravations of which are clearly enough seen in this judicial stroke which carrieth a Proportion both as to Kind and Degree with the Sin and is therefore much more dreadful then Famine Sword and Pestilence would be become humbled and sorrowful after a godly manner so upon the other hand the consideration hereof should raise in us a more high esteem for the Precious Interests of Jesus Christ and kindle in us more godly Zeal for his Truths Cause and make us heartily receive not only the Truth but the love of the Truth that we may be saved for the neglect of which Duty it was foretold and threatned 2 Thes. 2 11 12. that for this cause God shall send strong delusion that they to wit who received not the love of the truth should beleeve a lie that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness When the Lion is roaring ought not we to tremble When the Jealous and Righteous God is sending on a generation of Undervaluers and Despisers of the great inestimable benefite of the Everlasting Gospel a sader stroke than his three great Plagues would be that should make populous Countreys and Cities waste and without Inhabitants in a very short time what Christian heart will not tremble and be afraied When the Lord sends upon a Land his three great Messengers of wrath which can but destroy the Body that must at length however return to the dust are not all called to consider their wayes and to turn unto the Lord How much more are we now called hereunto when the Lord is saying I will also chuse their delusions and is giving many up unto this Spirit of Delusion and Apostasie whereby some that have been formerly enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift c. put themselves under that terrible impossibility whereof the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6 6. Of being renewed againe unto Repentance seing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame and under that dreadful sentence Heb. 10 26. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devoure the Adversaries and under that much sorer punishment ibid. vers 29. which they shall be thought worthy of who have troden under foot the Son of God and have counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith He was sanctified an unholy thing and have done despite unto the Spirit of grace For I know not if ever there was a Seck of Hereticks and Apostats from the Truth once received since the Apostasie of the Iewes unto whom these passages are more truely and emphatically applicable than to the Apostat Quakers who at length shall know how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God though now they be so bold wicked in their way that it is not enough for them to Apostatize from the Truth but they must also with a furious madness persecute the same Truth which their souls do now hate with their blasphemous mouthes and pens and with their railings and Rabshakeh-language reproach the Wayes of God and all who follow the same Sure I am a due pondering of the desperat Designe pernicious Wayes hellish Doctrine wicked Practices which these Emissaries of Satan project and follow-forth with a stupenduous activity should affect us otherwayes than alas we seem to be at present What are we asleep Are we not crying to the Lord night and day that he would arise and vindicate His own Truth when an enraged company of Runagadoes are destroying so far as they can the whole of our Religion and driving us back to Paganisme and betraying the whole of our sacred Interest into the hands of their Master the Devil Can we hear our blessed Lord and Saviour thus blasphemed as he is by this Paganish Antievangelick Seck of Quakers and not be so much moved with Indignation against them as even Turks who blasphemously assert our Lord to be no more than a Prophet inferiour to their deceiver Mahomet would be of whose just severity in punishing a Iew who in his rage striving with a Christian did blaspheme the blessed name of Iesus of Nazareth according to the sentence of one of their Muftees we have heard and found standing on record to the shame of Christians who have not so much Zeal for Him whom they profess to owne for the true and living God and for the only Son of God and Saviour of Man as Turks have for a Prophet of God Thus it ought not to be and a redress is called for at the hands of one and other according to their Place and Station And however it is the duty of all who love our Lord Jesus Christ and hope to see His face one
a corrupt Original and that we ought to be sure that the Ground and Original of our Knowledge be such as we may saifly trust to and build upon But whether the Original which He and other Quakers do follow and which he would prescribe unto us be the true and genuine Original and Ground of saving Knowledge he must allow us liberty seing the danger here is great as himself confesseth and such as enter not by the door are Theevs and Robbers to examine and to try whether the Ground he holdeth forth be Saife or the Ground we build upon be not Sufficient CHAP. III. Of inward and immediat Revelations 1. The maine scope of his second Thesis which is concerning Inward and Immediat Revelations is to give us the true and genuine understanding of the right original and fundation of Knowledge So that this Thesis must point out unto us this Original and Ground of true and saving Knowledge and by the title which he hath prefixed unto this Thesis we learne that his opinion is that Inward and Immediat Revelation is the only right Original and Foundation of Knowledge and this Inward and Immediat Revelation is given us in place of the holy Scriptures as his adjoining the third Thesis concerning the Scriptures and what he saith of them therein make manifest 2. We should now come to the examination of what he saith of this Inward and Immediat Revelation but in the entry of his explication of this Thesis in his Apology Pag 4. we are staved off by a hudge Preoccupation and meet with a dangerous Dilemma for either we must give our assent unto what he saith in this Thesis or bear the stigma and blake mark of Carnal and Natural Christians ignorant of the motions and operations of the Spirit of God in our hearts But perceiving an open way of escapeing from betwixt the hornes of his dilemma and waving his uncharitable censure of such as oppose him as being not only strangers to these motions of the Spirit in their hearts but as accounting them no way necessary yea as mocking them as foolish and ridiculous and much more to this purpose wherein as he manifesteth what Spirit he is of and with what Spirit he is led so he bewrayeth much ignorance of the minde and assertions of his Opposites which would be both endless and unprofitable for me once to take any notice of let be to answere seing a simple contempt of his Calumnies is sufficient Waveing I say these his impertinencies as the native fruite of his imbittered Spirit against all that do not applaud his wilde Notions I shall tell him that I cordially give my assent unto that of Paul Rom. 8 9 14. now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sones of God And I know no Christian whether Private Person or Doctor Minister or Divine that will not homologate with me in this howbeit he flander us as not only denying this but also as contradicting it 3. But he would hence deduce that no Knowledge of God can be acquired without a Divine and Immediat Revelation and for this cause he distinguisheth betwixt a Certane and an Vncertane a Spiritual and a Literal a Saving and an Empty Aery and Brainy Knowledge of God and sayeth the One can be many wayes acquired but the Other not without an Inward and Immediate Manifestation of the Spirit of God shineing in the heart and enlightening the understanding By which we see what Darkness and Confusion occupieth this mans minde and how either through blinde Ignorance or wicked Prevarication he laboureth to pervert the true state of the Question and leadeth his Readers into the same ditch of Ignorance and Prejudice wherein himself is fallen If he cannot we know how to distinguish betwixt the Spirits Inward and Immediat Revealing and making known the minde of God as he did of old unto the Prophets and Apostles whether by Dreames Visions Vive voice or inward efficacious Inspirations and the Spirits gracious In-working and Impressing the Truthes other wayes revealed and made known mediatly upon the soul of a man giving him through the spiritual Illumination of his minde and the gracious and effectual Moving of his heart grace to See to Imbrace and to Close with and savingly Improve the Truths revealed These things which are most manifestly distinct clearly different he is pleased either out of meer Ignorance or our of Designe all alongs to jumble together and confound that he might the more darken the Reader and prejudge him both of the right state of the Question and at the orthodox truth which he maliciously misrepresenteth The difference betwixt these two Operations of the Spirit without running forth here into a tedious and unnecessary digression for the clear information of the Reader and for preventing our further labour afterward we shall thus make plaine and manifest The first Operation of the Spirit mentioned is that which he the rest of the Quakers endeavoure to assert plead for in prejudice of the Scriptures which now to us under the New Testam supplieth richly and with advantage the want of the Immediat and Extraordinary Revelations of the minde and will of God concerning duty whether as to Faith or Practice by which the Lord was pleased formerly after diverse manners and wayes to make the same known The other which we assert and maintaine is an Efficient and not Objective Revelation and confirmeth the authority and truth of the Objective Revelation of the minde of God both touching Faith and Manners and so reserveth to the Scriptures their due place as our compleet Objective Canon and Rule and confirmeth them therein bringing home with power and saving grace upon the heart the Truths therein revealed and casting the soul into the mould of these saving Truths The One which they plead for taketh away all the use of the letter of the Scriptures all the study thereof or all the paines to be used in Acquireing the knowledge of the Original tongues in Reading of Commentaries for attaining to the knowledge of the letter in Preaching and Hearing of preachings in Useing other meanes for reaching the knowledge of the Truths delivered in the Scriptures The Other which we maintaine presupposeth in ordinary this knowledge of the letter of the Scriptures and the use of means contributing thereunto as a meane appointed of God whereby we may come through his Grace cooperating on our Understandings Wils unto the saving soul-captivating knowledge of the same Truths As the saving and gracious beleeving and improving of the Truths of God revealed of old by his immediatly and extraordinarily inspired Prophets unto others did presuppose their hearing and understanding the letter of what these Prophets and extraordinary Messengers revealed as the minde of God and did not destroy and make useless that meane as the way of Quakers would necessarily have done for they alleidge
this he must yeeld that Adam upon the fall began to die in being made liable to so many Miseries which he was to conflict with untill the day of his dissolution and from which he was â—ee so long as he stood in his integrity for he cannot be so unreasonable as to think that Sickness Infirmities Paines Torments Griefs c. can be punishments of sin to us and yet that they were no punishment of sin to Adam especially seing these were denunced against Adam by God the Righteous Judge upon conviction of his crime 19. When he giveth us his mystical Interpretation of the Lord 's thrusting man out of paradice and placeing at the east of the garden of Eden cherubimes and a flamming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life Pag. 55. he mentioneth the spiritual Communion and Communication which the sainâ—s enjoy with God through Jesus Christ to whom these cherubimes give place and to all that enter through him who calleth himself the Door Now I would ask this comming in our way here though we have designed the Next Chapter for this purpose If he thinketh Infants are capable of entring in at the door Christ and of enjoying Communion with God through Christ if he say yes then he supposeth that they are excluded by nature from this Communion as well as others and will not this prove the Imputation of Adams Guilt unto them seing they share of his Punishment and were with him and in him cast out of Paradice because of this transgression but more of this hereafter 20. Thereafter he cometh to prove that Adam and his Posterity after the fall did retaine no Will nor Light capable to discerne this he should say and not to manifest spiritual things and for this cause citeth Gen. 6 5 8 2â— Ier. 17 9. Rom. 3 10 -19 And here who would suspect but the Man meaned honestly to represent the deplorable Catastroph that sin brought into the world But he is like the man of whom Salomon speaketh Prov. 26 25 26. He that hateth dissembleth with his â—ips and layeth up deceit within him And therefore when he speaketh fair or maketh his voice gracious we must not beleeve him for there are seven abominations in his heart And in the very entry we have some discovery made to us of his disperat Designe for says he what ever good man doth in his Nature that doth not proceed from him but from the divine Seed in him Whence we may see that Man in his nature that is as I suppose in his Natural State can do good and this would seem to contradict what he is about to prove but to prevent this he tels us that all that good doth not proceed from him though he doth it but from the divine seed in him So that notwithstanding of the fall there is a divine Seed which remaineth in every man as an active principle of good But was not this divine seed in man before the fall no doubt Was not this divine seed a Principal part at least of the Image of God Sure it could not be otherwise Then it seemeth that man by his fall did not lose all the Image of Gâ—d nor the Principal part thereof and if this Seed of God remained he was not wholly dead as to a spiritual life and as to Communion with God which yet he understood by that death threatned upon the eating of the forbidden fruite Hence we may have some more clear discovery of thâ— Mystery of this mans Religion and of his Conceptions concerning the fall and of these things formerly hinted by us § 3 4 5 6 7 8. 14 for we see here clearly that the fall was but in a certane Respect in respect of Nature But not in respect of the Seed of God But I pray him to tell me how Adam did any good before the fall was it only by Nature or was it by the divine Seed If only by nature then the divine Seed was idle and useless and then why and for what ends had he this divine Seed If by the divine Seed then the fall caused no change for this divine Seed remained and remained Operative and man by it did good One thing further I would observe Here he granteth that persons in nature can do good by vertue of the seed of God and in so far as they do good by the seed of God or divine seed they are not deprived of the Sense and Touches of the Seed of God and yet he told us in the beginning of his Thesis That all the posterity of Adam was deprived of the sense and touch of the divine seed I know not how he shall liberate himself of this Contradiction unless he say that howbeit the good that a natural man doth proceed from the seed of God yet the man hath no feeling nor Touch of this Seed and so it is not the Man but the Seed that worketh and doth good and then it will follow that all that good which is done by man in nature is purely and immediatly the work of the Seed of God and is no Humane Action but Divine wherein the natural man is purely passive or rather as a shope in which a Man worketh and consequently they must be all Perfect Holy and Divine Actions and so their actions shall be better upon many accounts than the most gracious actions of the truely regenerated children of God Now let any judge what this man thinketh of the fall and of the Natural State of Man 21. He layeth down this exception before he enlarge upon Gen. 6 5. and the other places formerly named But one thing he hath not adverted unto viz. That none of those places give the least hint of this Exception yea That himself commenting upon them taketh in their most large and comprehensive sense and interpreteth them absolutely and not respectivly telling us that all the thoughts of the heart of man without exception of any this he tels us and would have us observe the emphasis are only and alwayes evil now where is that exception and limitation which he foisteth in here of its owne nature or of it self or as it proceedeth from his heart Shall we think that God's controversie against the wicked world was only this that howbeit Man did good and much good by vertue of the Divine Seed that was in him yet all that good did not proceed from his Nature and from his owne heart How absurd is this And doth Ieremiah Chap. 17 9. give any hint of this Exception or Limitation Doth he say that the heart of man in it self is deceitful above all things but not the heart of natural men as under the touches of the seed of God Doth Paul Rom. 3. speaking positively enough of man in his lapsed and corrupt state make any exception of actions done in them by the divine Seed Why doth this man then obtrude his fancyful notions upon us without all ground or shew of
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
by the Covenant of works for that is broken and all are become heires of hell wrath because of the violation of that Covenant Not by the Covenant of Grace for that requireth faith before persons be interessed in these special favoures privileges And the Scripture tels us that all men have not faith how then come all men to share of these highest privileges or of this divine and glorious life which are promised in the Covenant of grace through Jesus Christ by whom they are purchased Is this divine and glorious life so meane and common a thing that even Heathens and Reprobats share of it Sure the divine and glorious life pointed forth in the Scriptures is a rare thing and is the privilege of very few and even of few of those that are members of the visible Church Will this Quaker tell me if this â—ivine and glorious life whereof all Iaponians Brasilians Cannibals are made partakers be distinguished from the divine and glorious life peculiar to the Saints And if it be distinguished how Or if it be the same in kinde why Regeneration Union with Iesus Christ by faith the Effectual Working of the grace of God and a through Renovation is requisite to the enjoyning of that in some greater measure which all have Naturally in some measure 8. He saith this measure of the divine and glorious life is a seed But whereof Is it the seed of the Eternal weight of glory that the Saints live in the hope of Wherever that seed is it cometh at length to the harvest of glory as the Scripture teacheth us and if this seed be sowne in all all shall at length be saved If it be not the seed of Glory whereof I pray is it the seed Is it the seed of Grace This seed abideth 1 Ioh. 3 9. and is incorruptible and is by the Word of God even that Word of God which is preached by the gospel 1 Pet. 1 23 25. So that this seed is no common thing but peculiar to such as are borne againe who by Christ do believe in God who raised him up from the dead and who have purified their souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1 21 22. 9. He saith this seed inviteth and inclineth all men to good But doth it invite and incline the Iaponians Braâ—ilians Artigovanteans and such Heathens who never heard of Christ nor had any shew of Religion to faith in Christ Or even to all that is enjoyned by the Law of Nature or the Law of the two Tables How cometh it then that Paul who was far better versed in the Law than Heathens are saith he would not have known concupiscence unless the Law had said thou shall not covet And how can this consist with the sinful state of every natural person whose thoughts and imaginations incline and invite to evil Read Rom 3 10 to 20. All are under sin vers 9. all have sinned and come short of the glory of God vers 23. Nay how can this be seing the carnal minde is enmity against God and is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom 8 7 Is not the heart of every man by nature deceitful above all things and desperatly wicked Ier. 17 9. is not their very minde and conscience defiled Tit. 1 15. Where then can this good seed lodge It lodgeth neither in Heart Minde nor Conscience And shall it lodge in the Flesh It is true there is left in every Man a bit of a Natural Conscience informing concerning some Natural good requisite for self-preservation and for the preservation of Societies and inclineing thereunto but what is this to that Spiritual good required now by the Gospel and discovered by its Light Alas I see the hieght of the Quakers divinity is what a Natural Conscience can teach a Man-eater and this is their Gospel and this is their divine and glorious life O poor wretches 10. This seed he calleth the Vehicle of God A wonderful expression savouring more of a distracted braine and of an audacious blasphemous spirit than of a sober Christian fearing God 11. He calleth it the Spiritual body of Christ But by what Scripture I know not Christ is called the Saviour of the body Ephes. 1 23. Is Christ the Saviour of this seed The spiritual and mystical body of Christ is the Church Ephes 4 4. 1 Cor. 10.17 12 12 13 20. Rom. 12 4 5. Col. 1 24. Ephes. 2 23. Râ—m 12 27. Ephes. 3 6. 4 12 16. Col. 1 18. 2 19 What are the members of this body the body is not one member but many 1 Cor. 12.14 12. He saith it is the flesh and bloud of Christ that came out of heaven But had Christ no other flesh and blood than this Then the whole Incarnation of Christ is denyed And where is our Christian Religion then where is the Death of Christ where is his Resurrection where is his Ascension where is all the History of his life Is all that but dreames and lies whither will the Quakers lead us Christ gave his flesh for the life of the world Ioh. 6 51. did he give this seed for the life of the world was this seed a sacrifice to satisfie the justice of God what foolries be these Now the man in deed appeareth in his colours a Quaker in graine speaking non-sense at random and hereby evidencing what Spirit acteth him But one word more where readeth he that Christ's flesh and bloud came out of heaven They mean that Christ had the same Spiritual flesh and blood within his carnal flesh and blood which they have and so they are as much the Christ's of God as he was O dreadful blasphemy 13. He saith all the Saints eat of this What do only the saints eat of this while it is in every Man Every man by this mans doctrine is partaker of Christ's Spiritual body and hath Christ's flesh and bloud in him but they do not all eat thereof a strange phancy that persons have food in their belly before they eate it that persons are partakers of Christ's flesh and blood before they eat him by faith what wilde Notions be these Men are partakers of a glorious and divine life by having the spiritual body of Christ in them and the flesh and bloud of Christ that came out of heaven and that before they make any application of him to themselves by faith where read we of such things Christ tels us the contrary that except we eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood we have no life in us Ioh 6 53. and that with a doubled asseveration verily verily And he tels us moreover that he dwelleth in such as eate his flesh that is in beleevers vers 56. and not in others and vers 57. that he that eateth him even he shall live by him But these Impudent Quakers whose work is as it seemeth to câ—ntradict Christ and all the Gospel tell us that even
or other in one measure or other by Christ yet it will not follow that all men are enlightened by him Spiritually Supernaturally and Savingly for there is a light of Reason and Conscience Natural which Christ being God giveth and this is not Supernatural spiritual nor saving So there is a Light of the Word which is not so common as is the Light of Nature and of the Natural Conscience which is from Christ also and is different from the Spiritual and Supernatural light And if this light be wholly restricted to Spiritual and Supernatural Light it is not intelligible out of Scripture how this can be said to be bestowed on all and every man but on the contrary the Scripture sheweth that many are not enlightened thus but in darkness and blinded with darkness and so that this Illumination is proper and peculiar to a few if the Scripture be to be beleeved Let us now see what he can make out of this place of Scripture for his purpose 27. He observeth first That the divine Apostle doth call Christ the light of men Ans. The Apostle indeed saith vers 4. That the life was the light of men But the question is what may be the meaning hereof Calvin hereby meaneth that common light of Nature and Reason that is granted to men above beasts whereby they are said not only to live as beasts do and vegetables but to have the light of an understanding And so did Origen Tom. 3. and Cyrillus Lib. 1 Cap. 7. in Ioan. of old and Marlorat and others of late Others I know understand this light of a Spiritual and Supernatural Light But why may we not comprehend both seing all the light of men or whereof men are partakers is from this life whether Natural or Supernatural whether Common or Saving whether the Light of Knowledge of Sanctification and Holiness or of Joy and Consolation whether that which at first was conferred upon man in his Creation or that which afterward is conferred in his Restauration through grace Ioh. 8 12. Ephes. 4 24. Eccles. 11. ult 2 Cor. 4 6. Ioh. 16.22 Rom. 14 17 18. Phil. 5 4 But I know our Quaker will astrick this to a spiritual supernatural and saving light and thereupon inferre that this is common to all But Iesus Christ himself teacheth us otherwayes Ioh. 8 12. saying I am the light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life So that though Christ be the light of the world yet every one hath not the light of life but they only who follow him by faith all others walk in darkness and are void of this light of life So Iohn 12 46. I am come a light into the world that whosoever beleeveth on me should not abide in darkness Whence we see that though Christ be come a light in the world yet all are not actually savingly enlightened but many are in darkness and abide in darkness even all that beleeve not on him Hence though light be come into the world yet men love darkness better Ioh. 3 19. yea hate the light verse 20. And howbeit Christ be the light yet none become children of the light but by beleeving in him Ioh. 12 36. and all are not children of light Ephes. 5 8 14. 1 Thes. 5 5. 28. He observeth next That this light shineth in darkness though the darkness doth not comprehend it Ans. True Iohn saith so vers 5. the meaning whereof Calvin giveth to be this That when man did generat into a state of darkness the light of his understanding was not wholly extinct but there remained some sparkles of the old light in which he was created in the midst of the masse of darkness which sin caused which might have discovered a Deity but such was the power of darkness that the minde of man was rather filled with vanity and enmity against God than did perceive this great Author and Donor and so was driven further away from God by sin and superstition But I shall gratifie the Quaker so far as to acknowledge that more is here comprehended than a meer shineing by the Light Law of Nature even the shineing of the light of the New Covenant in Christ Jesus the Mediator which in all ages since the fall hath in some measure been declared unto a dead darkened people who for the most part did not perceive nor lay hold upon this light Christ was pleased to reveal himself by degrees and piece-meals Heb. 1 1. more darkly in the first promise of the Seed of the woman that should tread the head of the Serpent somewhat againe more clearly under the Law and now most clearly under the Gospel when the day spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death Luk. 1 78 79. But all that light which was left in man after the fall being but darkness in comparison with what once it was was not able to discerne and perceive nor willing to imbrace this light without supervenient Divine Spiritual light and grace Hence the people of Israel could not improve all the manifestations of this light which they had for God had not given unto them an heart to perceive nor eyes to see nor ears to hear Deut. 29 3 4 And still it holdeth true that the natural man perceiveth not the things of God 1 Cor. 2 14. and that the carnal minde is enmity against God Rom 8 7. for darkness cannot comprehend this light 29. In the third place he observeth that this true light enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world Of which we have said enough before As for what he addeth that all will admit of no exclusion we said enough Chap. VIII and as to spiritual Illumination the text it self enforceth a restriction when it tels that darkness did not comprehend this light vers 5 and that the world knew not this light vers 10. and that his owne received him not But he saith This light shineth even in their hearts who comprehend him not and dispelleth darkness where men close not their eyes But in this the Man bewrayeth his ignorance of the nature of spiritual Illumination which so dispelleth darkness and so shineth into the soul as that it giveth a spiritual visive faculty or so enlighteneth the Understanding as that the man cannot but see when the eyes of the understanding are enlightened they cannot but see what is the hope of his calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints c. Ephes. 1 8. Christ is given for a light to open the blinde eyes Esa. 42 6 7. when God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shineth into our hearts he giveth the light of the knowledg of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4 6. so that with open face they behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord and
prisoner oâ— that Truth of God which the Law and Light of Nature did reveal If not what meaneth all the following discourse of the Apostle in that Chapter and Act. 14 vers 15 16 17. 17 v. 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 This man is a stout advocat for Paganisme 38. Then he citeth Rom. 10. where the Apostle saith that the word that he preached was not far off but near in their mouth and in their heart And thereafter vers 18. he saith that this divine preacher did sound in all mens ears and hearts Ans. The Apostle out of Moses Deut. 30 14. is clearing the righteousness which is of Faith and is differenceing it from the righteousness which is of the Law Now that righteousness of faith whereof Moses spoke Deut. 30. was not revealed to all Nations at that time but to that select and peculiar people to whom Moses was sent the posterity of Abraham Isaac and Iacob See Deut. 4 5 6 7 8. and 7 6 7 8. So that all the world had not that doctrine which Moses taught these Israelites revealed and declared unto them but they must have gone over seas and countreyes and adjoined themselves unto the Common wealth of Israel as proselytes before they could have reaped that benefite so though this word and doctrine was brought near to the Israelites in their mouth by profession and in the heart by faith of as many as had their hearts circumcised to beleeve it will say nothing for the Universal Grace and Light which Quakers plead for 2. This doctrine of faith which Moses declared was the same upon the matter with that which Paul preached and that which Paul preached was not in the heart of heathens or of all men borne of Adam but was a mystery hid from ages and generations and spareingly revealed even to the Church untill the last dispensation came Nay the Apostle tels us plainely what that is vers 9. that if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Now will this Quaker say that Heathens and such as never heard of Christ do or can confess with their mouth the Loâ—d Iesus or beleeve with their heart that he was raised from the dead See also what followeth vers 10 11. for with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnes and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation for the Scripture saith whosoever beleeveth on him shall not be ashamed 3. The following words confirme this where the Apostle vers 14 15. sheweth the necessity of hearing and of preaching and of sending for the begetting of faith saying how shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved And how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent as it is written c. then vers 17. he concludeth that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God This cannot then be meant of any inward thing that lyeth in the heart of every man but is the outward call of the Gospel which soundeth in the eares 4. As for that vers 18. It is to stop the mouthes of both Iewes and Gentiles especially the Iewes who whould pretend ignorance of this preached Gospel say that they had never heard thereof therefore saith the Apostle Have they not heard Yes would he say That is unquestionable for their sound went into all the earth c. What sound is this Is this a sound of something that is lodged in Heathens who never heard of the Gospel None can fancie this but a Quaker Or will this Quaker say that the sound of the Gospel preached came unto the eares of all and every man breathing No he saith expresly the contrary What can he then make out of this Hath the Light within such a sound and words as that Gospel which the Apostles preached or as the preaching of the Apostles which went far and neer into all the earth and to the ends of the world in a manner for the Apostle is alludeing unto the expressions which the Psalmist useth Psal. 19. speaking of the Sun and heavens these great and universal preachers of the glory of God but not of the Gospel And sure even these preachers were outward preachers and not any thing within the man not any Light or Grace or Seed or what they will call it that is within the heart of any man or of all men 39. Then he citeth Heb. 4 12 13. As bearing witness to his fancie But though many take the Word of God there mentioned to be understood of the outward word of the Gospel preached and declared in which sense it perfectly contradicteth this mans dream yet beside what is spoken hereof vers 12. that which is said vers 13. can agree only to a person and so it is most probable that this Word of God is Christ as the learned D. Own hath lately cleared in his Comment on the place But whether of these wayes we take it it can no wayes favoure this mans dream for there is nothing giving ground to imagine that this word of God is any thing abiding and remaining in the hearts of Heathens and meer natural persons which is the Quakers Universal Grace Who would not wonder to hear men say that there is that in every man Turk and Pagan which is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of thâ— thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifest in the fight of it but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of it and with it have we to do We heard before that they called this seed the Vehicle of God and here he ascribeth to it the very property of God to know all things even the Intents of the heart doubtless Quakers that are sensible of this Light can know our very thoughts and designes But we hear blasphemy too much out of the mouthes of these men and yet we must hear more for he saith that in and by this word God seeth the thoughts of men as if he did not see them immediatly but mediatly by the spectacles of this that is within every man Doth this man beleeve verily that there is a God And dar he say that he is beholden to this Light within for discerning the Thoughts and Intents of the heart What a God must these Quakers dream of Will they exalt this Light within above God O horrid blasphemers Nay this Quaker hath not yet done with his blasphemy for he ascribeth to this light that which is said Esai 55 4. and so David was a Type of this light and the new everlasting Covenant containeth and holdeth forth the mercies of this Light that are purchased procured and
the Iesuites or Molinists and Arminians with whom we may joine as to this the Lutherans that upon which dependeth the efficacy of grace and it self is not the proper Effect of grace because they will not grant that God whatever way he work upon the will doth by his Preventing and Antecedent grace produce and infallibly effectuate this Non-resistance or Consent or that he doth more by this Grace to produce and effectuate this non-resisting in him that yeeldeth than in him that yeeldeth not 8. Though the man can make no progress out of his natural state until grace lay hold upon him as sufficient grace in the judgment of Quakers and Arminians layeth hold on all he can and may resist and all that grace of God can cause no progress till the man of his owne Free accord and good will yeeld and lay aside his resistance And this yeelding or laying aside of the resisting humore is not caused by grace because the same measure yea a greater measure of the same grace could not cause it in another who would continue in his unwillingness and resistance 9. Though it be possible for man in that case to suffer and not resist because it is possible with Quakers Iesuites and Arminians that Lord Free will shall be good natured and well disposed yet all the grace of God cannot make it certain and infallible for Grace must not enter within the Wills Iurisdiction but stand cap in hand without doors Lord Free will must not be encroached upon 10. One thing more I would desire to know of this Quaker what he meaneth properly by this Sufficient grace Hitherto he hath given us big words but yet upon the mater nothing but the meer Light of Nature or some common gifts and favoures wherein he is worse then some Arminians Pelagians and Iesuites who will grant the necessity of the outward preaching and dispensation of the Gospel which this our Quaker plainely slighteth and undervalueth But among theâ— all where is that grace of God that effectually draweth teacheth and causeth the soul to come and consent where is that heart of flesh c. Ier. 31 33 34. 32 39 40. Ezech. 11 19 20. 36 26 27. Ioh. 6 44 45. Phil. 2 13. Ephes. 1 18 19. 2 Thes. 1 11. 2 Pet. 1 3. Psal. 119 36. 1 King 8 vers 37. â— Thes. 5 23. 1 Cor. 3 5 6. 2 Tim. 2 25. Col. 1 12.13 It seemeth all our prayers must be made to Lord Free will for that is the supreme Master of all if the doctrine of our Quakers and their Masters the Iesuites and Arminians be true 6. Next the saith That though our nature be corrupt and polluted and prone to all evil yet grace can work upon it as fire can make yron soft But can grace change the will with him Can grace work upon it immediatly and cause it bow willingly and consent Why doth he not say this No Arminian Pelagian Socinian nor Iesuite will say that grace cannot work upon nature He addeth as yron removed from the fire returneth to its old hardness so the heart of man when it resisteth or recedeth from grace returneth to its old condition And will not Arminiaâ—s say the same Is not this manifest pleading for the Apostasie of the saints It seemeth then grace can make some change upon nature but cannot alter it as fire though it can make yron warm and soft yet it cannot change the yron so for all that grace can do corrupt nature shall remaine corrupt nature still though a little softened and mollified is this all that grace doth Where is then the new heart and where is the heart of flesh that grace worketh He saith the â—eart of man returneth to its old condition when it resisteth But doth not grace take away this resistance It would seem then that at the first the heart resisteth not and how can this be seing the heart naturally is prone to all evil yea is enmity against God and is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 7. He adduceth Pag. 91. some similitudes which may serve indeed to illustrate what is already confirmed but are of no use to confirme any thing that is in question Yet let us see what the mater is He compareth a man in his natural state to one that is very sick Which already discovereth the mans vanity and dâ—clarth his simile to be a dissimile for man in his natural state should be compared rather to one that is dead for the Scripture doth so point him out Ioh. 6 53 57 and 5 21 24 25. Ephes 2 1 5. and so is he indeed What would he say more He compareth God to a Physitian that putteth the Physick in the sick mans mouth and layeth him on his bed and if the sick man will but be passive the physick will work but if he be unwilling and rise up eat what he should not eat it cannot work because he hindereth its operation and so though the physick of its own nature be wholesome tend to health yet it proveth deadly to that man he is the cause of his owne death yet if he had been quiet passive the physick had wrought he could not have said that he healed himself but that the physick did it Ans. 1. Physick cannot work upon a dead man but must have some strength of Natuâ—e concurring and cooperating How agreeth this simile with his owne doctrine He told us before that in the first progress man doth not co-operat and yet here nature must co-operate or nothing will be done 2. Bodily physick worketh only upon the body and humors but reacheth not the will of the man but the soul humors lye most in the will and grace that would cure these must work upon the will for till the will be cured the man is never cured So that 3. This simile doth more sufficiently demonstrate him to be a Pelagian Arminian and Iesuite than any thing he hath yet said for let the physician give what physick he will the patients will is wholly at liberty so let God work what he will and employ all his grace the mans will is at freedome and so at freedome that all that God can do shall not availe the man will if he be ill disposed hinder the physick to work as the patient may do in the similitude 4. Though the man cannot properly say that he purged away his own humors because the physick did that yet he was truely the concurring cause of his owne health and may thank himself therefore For had he been so ill disposed as his neighbour all the physick should not have saved his life more than it saved his neighbours who hindered its operation 5. Have we not here enough to Demonstrate to us how devoted the Quakers are unto Lord Free will And how according to them Christ and the grace of God must be beholden to Free will for every soul that is saved and must come
pray and beseech Free will to be good and quiet that grace may work and Christ may not misse his errand O desperat doctrine O proud man Our Salvation then is not to be referred unto the Power of God contrare to what Christ saith Mat. 19 26. 8. His next simile is of persons lying in a deep cave where their senses are stupified so as they are scarce sensible of their own misery But neither doth this simile come home for men anâ— women naturally are dead and though they cannot but feel something of their misery Yet are utter strangers to the rise thereof and to the greatest and most special part of their misery I do not think saith he that any of them by labouring to deliver themselves can move God to compassionate their case send help as seing them willing to be saved and doing all they can as say the Pelagians Socinians and Semipelagians nor do I imagine that the deliverer setteth a ladder to the bottome of the cave saying if any will be delivered let him use his owne strength and come up upon the ladder as say the Iesuites and Arminians Ans. The man would faine wash his face that he might appear to be neither Pelagian nor Semipelagian nor Socinian nor Arminian nor Iesuite but he hath appeared already so deeply dyed in their errours that his labour is in vaine for when he hath said so much of a Sufficient Grace common to all say what he will he shall never rid himself of that foul company and when all the explication or discovery of the nature of that Sufficient Grace issueth in what is meerly Natural as we have seen he is but beating the aire in labouring thus to cheate his Reader And I would faine know what he will do with his former doctrine concerning the Talents And what doth his Light within his Christ and all serve for now I pray him the next time he writeth to reconcile these But how proposeth he the case I suppose saith he the Redeemer cometh at certain times and manifestly declareth unto them what and how great their misery is if they remaine in that place yea and impresseth upon them a certain sense of their misery and not only so but apprehendeth them draweth them out and plucketh them up that he may bring them out of their misery and if they resist not they will be saved Ans. 1. The Lord 's coming at certain times to convince all and every man of his misery in reference to his salvation and delivery is but a dream for Paul tels the people of Athens Act. 17 30. that God winked at the times of ignorance but now commandeth all men every where to repent 2. It is also a groundless imagination to think that God impresseth upon every man breathing a sense of his misery 3. If God draw them up and pluck them out of that pit they must be out of it whether they resist or not Or doth he imagine that God by the Sufficient Grace which he bestoweth plucketh them only halfe up and when they begin to resist and spurn letteth them fall againe that they may perish in the pit But how or what way doth God thus pluck all men half out of the pit I wish he would explaine this and then we should see whether his hands be clean of Pelagianisme c. or not 4. Though he will not say that he is a Pelagian or Semipelagian or Socinian or Arminian or Iesuite yet he must put the crown of Salvation on Free wills head and sing praises to Free will that was so good and kinde as not to spurn and resist But whence came this Non resistance Not from the arme of him that was pulling them up but from their owne innate kinde and gentle disposition he must say Then glory and thanks must be given to this kinde disposition that the man is saved outright and brought fully out of the pit for what grace did was but halfe work and a common thing that others who are lying in the pit met with as well as he And yet this is the man that would make us beleeve that he is neither Pelagian nor Semipelagian not Arminian c. but his speach bewrayeth him to be that and worse For wherein doth his doctrine differ from all the Papists who are this day against the Iansenists upon this account that these assert Christ's grace to be adjutorium quo that is such help as maketh the man to will and so effectuateth the actual will and consent 9. He obviateth and Objection Pag. 92. It might be objected that grace should hereby be frustrated And indeed grace is at mans devotion by his opinion for if man will not grace shall never save a soul for grace cannot change the Will nor come near to its Territory And man being alwayes left at his natural corrupt liberty and his corrupt nature being enmity to God and all the wayes of God how is it imaginable that any one soul can be saved Thus the great exalters of Universal Grace give us in end no grace at all but such as cannot save What saith he to this He saith grace is not frustate because God gets his glory But had not God gotten glory though this grace that makes Salvation with this Quaker possible had never been heard of Had not God gotten the glory of his justice though never one of Adams sons had been saved He told us before Pag. 90. that grace of its own nature will save all and worketh with every one that it may save them And as to this which is its native and proper designe and end it can be frustrated by mans refractariness and so grace attaineth nothing of its proper end but as man will What he speaketh of the Suns hardning clay and softening wax is but a further confirmation of what we say of this Quaker to wit that as the Sun can never soften clay so with this Quaker all the grace in heaven shall never soften a mans heart till man of himself without the grace of God lay aside his hardened disposition and take on a new Nature and become wax that the Sun of grace may melt him Was ever Pelagius more a Pelagian or Arminius more an Arminian than is this man Grace with him is but a general common thing concurring with a general Influence as is the influence of the sun causing the dunghill stinck and the flowr to smell well and as the nature of the flowr is the immediat cause of the good smell so mans good nature and disposition is the immediat particular and proper cause of all the good that is done All which he confirmeth in the close of that paragraph saying so the Sun of righteousness shineth upon every one dureing the time of his visitation that they may bring forth good fruit and send forth a good smell And by the rayes hereof their hearts can be mollified and warmed but if they suffer that day to passe the same sun doth
hath appeared to all men that is was preached and plainly declared and made manifest in the Gospel administration he dreameth of a saving grace given to every man and received by every man and so what the Apostle speaketh of Outward grace or of the Outward Dispensation of grace he understandeth of Inward grace wrought and rooted in the heart Finally neither can he hence prove that ever any without the Church was or shall be really saved for as we said a possibility or may be will not inferre a shall be or must have been And will he say that this grace which teacheth to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world hath appeared to all heathens who never understood the right way of worshiping of God in Christ according to his word Whatever the light of nature might teach them darkly concerning Sobriety and Temperance as to themselves and concerning Righteousness in their dealings with others as also concerning the unreasonableness of their Idolatry Act. 14 16 17. 1â— 29 Râ—m 1 20 21 23 25 28. Yet it could never acquant them with the Instituted and Prescribed Worshipe of God and with true Gospel godliness or with any essential and necessary part thereof 4. Another argument to prove this possibility of salvation to heathens he bringeth from Rom. 5 18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life And he will needs have all men in the last part to be of as large an extention as it is in the first part little considering that hereby he shall not only prove a possibility of salvation to all men which is the thing he intendeth here but also that all men are and shall be actually saved for judgment came upon all the posterity of Adam not potentially only but actually and this Justification of life is actual and real justification through the imputed righteousness of Christ which who ever hath shall really obtaine life But he perverteth the words of the Apostle to evite this absurdity when he frameth his argument thus If all men received by Adam evil leading to damnation then all men did also receive benefite by Christ leading to justification while as the Apostle saith that judgment came upon all men to condemnation and Beza well sheweth that it is reatus or guilt or judgment that is here to be understood as is clear from vers 16. for the judgment was by one to condemnation the free gift which must also here be supplied from vers 16 came upon all men unto justification of life So that it was not any thing having a kinde of tendency or manuducency unto Condemnation or Justification which yet might fail but it was that which is necessarily attended with Condemnation in the one and Justification in the other or rather was Condemnation and Iustification it self as the Syriak version hath it But whatever this man imagineth the sense and meaning of the place is clear that as all whom Adam represented did by his one Offence incurre Condemnation so all whom the second Adam Christ Iesus did represent did by his Righteousness obtaine Iustification as we cleared above on another occasion and therefore need say no more to iâ— now 5. He citeth to this same purpose Esai 49 6. Where Christ is said to be given for a Light to the Gentiles But its impertinency is obvious for though Christ be given foâ— a light to the Gentiles who under the Gospel dispensation are not excluded as they were under the law yet it will not follow that all such Gentiles as never once hear of his name or have this Gospel declared unto them may as well be saved as such who are brought within the Church and have this light of the Gospel which bringeth life and immortality with it shineing among them And further Christ becometh a light to the Gentiles by opening the blinde eyes by bringing out the prisoners from the prison and them that fit in darkness out of the prison house as the parallel place Esai 42 6.7 cleareth And all this is done by preaching of the Gospel as we see in Pauls commission Act. 26 18. And as this same Prophet cleareth Esai 61 1 2 3. Where Christ himself as we see Luk. 4 18. by preaching good tidings unto the meâ—k bindeth up the broken hearted and proclameth liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound c. 6. In the next place he assayeth to prove that some such have been really saved and he saith that to think otherwise is against all charity and he seeth not how it can be made good But our charity is not to be blinde but is to be ruled by the word And he should know that he is now the affirmer and should prove what he asserteth What saith he to Act. 4 12 He answereth That though outwardly they do not know yet inwardly feeling his power and vertue they know inwardly his name really redeeming them from sin and iniquity and so may be saved But how proveth he that such as are without the Church and Covenant and hear not of Christ in the Gospel and have no external knowledge can have any inward feeling of the power of Christ as a Saviour And how can he show to us that this gloss doth agree with and not manifestly cross the scope of Peter in that place Both these I deny and in this he goeth further than Vasques and other Papists who say that even heathens and such as have no faith in Christ may get of his grace to do things morally good See Estius also in secund sent dist 41. § 3. His adding Pag. 114 that salvation is not in a literal knowledge is impertinent for he should prove that salvation is where there is no literal knowledge nor meanes thereunto His supposing that there can be a real inward and experimental knowledge of Christ where there is no outward or literal knowledge is but a dream which we cannot receive without clear proof His argument is a plaine non-sequitur If saith he a distinct outward knowledge of Christ be necessary to me before I receive any benefite by him then by the rule of contraries it will follow that I can incurre no dammage unless I have a distinct knowledge of him For when captâ—ves are in prison and one offereth to redeem them upon such such conditions and he thinketh good to make known the conditions to some and not to others can any raâ—ional man think that because the ignorance of these conditions is prejudicial to the redemption of some that therefore these same can be accouâ—ted no prisoners until they hear of these conditions Redemption which Christ bringeth with him supposeth persons already lying in bondage slavery and misery and is not offered to persons that are free at liberty But if the man will here understand that dammage which
â—ewes Whileas it is much more probable that he lived before the children of Israel were brought out of Aegypt and that for this one reason That in all this book where so much is spoken by Iob and by his friends of God's power and faithfulness there is not one word of God's delivering his people out of the furnace of Egypt which would not have been omitted it being so apposite to what is there oftentimes handled if so be it had been done before this time His questions then may easily be answered without that inward common grace which he dreameth of to wit that God taught Iob as he did other holy men before the giving of the Law and that without Scripture which was not then written His supposing thereafter Pag. 116. that Iob speaketh of this light Chap. 24 13. is another of his fond imaginations What he saith next of Iob's friends receiveth the same answere that we gave to what he said of Iob seing the ground of the mistake is the same in both and requireth no new consideration 10. Then he tels us how Paul Rom. 2. saith that the Gentiles did those things which are contained in the Law and hence inferreth that they feared God and wrought righteousness Ans. 1. That the Gentiles were not without all knowledge of what was just and unjust honest and dishonest is most certain for so much was remaining ingraven in their hearts that could not be delete and this was evidenced by their commanding and forbidding by their Laws somethings commanded and forbidden by the Law of God as appeareth by their Laws against Theft Adultery Manslaughter and the like which yet was not universal It is in the original only thus they do by nature the things of the Law And as Beza well observeth this differeth from doing what the Law commandeth being a doing of what the Law doth that is commanding or prohibiting what the Law commandeth or prohibiteth And therefore is it added these having not a Law are a Law unto themselves 2. Hence it appeareth that it will not follow that they therefore feared God and wrought righteousness for the same Apostle tels us Chap. 1 21. that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened Is this to fear God and work righteousness And though hereby the Apostle evinceth the Gentiles to be without excuse Yet he tels us Chap. 3 9. that he hath proved both Iewes and Gentiles that they are all under sin And will this Quaker contradict the Apostle and say it is not true that the Gentiles are under sin though the Apostle hath charged it home upon them for they feared God and wrought righteousness This were indeed blasphemous boldness suiteing only a Quaker But he thinks that vers 13. confirmeth all where Paul saith the doers of the Law are justified As if Paul were speaking that of the Gentiles which is spoken of the Jewes who heard the Law which the Gentiles did not And as if Paul did hereby insinuat that any man Jew or Gentile could be justified as a doer of the Law that is by his owne obedience which is diametrically opposite to his whole disput and scope in this part of the Epistle and to his conclusion set down Chap. 3 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Vers. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight What shall we think of this Quaker who thus maketh the Apostle contradict himself and inferreth out of the Apostles words perverted the contrary of what the Apostle himself who knew the force of his owne premises best concludeth And what boldness and blasphemy is comparable to this And withal he will be yet so bold as to tell us that nothing is more clear and that the Apostle vers 9 10.11 doth confirme this doctrine yea and Pag. 117. declare moreover that unless we suppose the Apostle to have spoken otherwayes then he thought we may saifly conclude that those Gentiles were justified and partakers of glory honour and peace and that by their owne works O what miserable miscreants must these men be that dar thus expose the Apostle yea the Spirit of God speaking in him and by him to open laughter as proving and concluding contradictories and that by the same medium and premises which is hardly supposable of a man in his wits and that knoweth what he saith His repetitions Pag. 117. I wave they being formerly confuted and repititions being jejune probations need not be againe examined He doubts whether we can prove that all the Patriarches and holy men before Moses had any distinct knowledge either of Adams fall or of the coming of the Messias for I see not what else he can understand by his vel hujus vel illius these being the only two things spoken of by him immediatly before and his following words confirme this And if he doubt whether we can prove it it is no great matter if he doubt not himself of the thing And if he do doubt of the thing Where is his charity to the Patriarchs and Saints What charity can this be which is so large to Heathens and so straitned to the Saints of God Can this be divine charity No it is a Pagans charity suting him who would have us all turn Pagans But seing the Scripture tels us that they all obtained a good report by faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11 1 2. And that they all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them vers 13. And Christ himself tels us that Abraham saw his day Ioh. 8 56. what needs us more proof These and the like passages satisfie us concerning their knowing as much as was then requisite in order to salvation And that the Gentiles who never heard of Christ know so much is that which he should prove and doth it not nor never shall 11. He tels us that the Iewes even after David's dayes who prophecied more largely of Christ than did others before could not out of all these prophecies discerne Christ when he came Act. 3 17. 1 Cor. 2 8. Yea Mary herself did not know that her Son was about his Fathers work when disputing with the Doctors and the Apostles that long conversed with him and saw his miracles did not beleeve what belonged to his death and resurrection Ans. Is not this a wonderful proofe that the holy Patriarchs had no saving knowledge of and faith in the Messias who was to come because the wicked Jewes did crucify him when he came Who would not simile at this But David had many clear prophecies of the Messias and yet they did not understand these And what then Ergo they were saved without the understanding of these prophecies
must be when he saith we are not Justified by the Law that we are indeed justified by Inherent Holiness or Conformity to the law What more The meaning of these words we are Iustified by faith sayes he may by we are made just by faith purifieing the heart Ans. Then the Apostles should contradict himself for if we be thus made just by faith we are made just by works and further purifying of the heart cannot otherwise be understood but of renewing the heart but Iustifying signifieth not making just Againe sayes he When we are said to be Iustified by grace by Christ by the Spirit what absurdity to understand this of making just Ans. Of being Justified by the Spirit we read â—ot for these words by the Spirit mentioned 1 Cor. 6 11. are to be referred to washing and sanctification When we are said to be Justified by grace it is by the gracious and free favour of God as our Divines make good against the Papists and that with the circumstances of the places are against such a Justification Nor must we any where so interpret any passage as to make it crosse or contradict other passages When we are said to be Justified by Christ the meaning is clear against his sense 31. He citeth againe 1 Cor. 6 11. not 11 6. and then tels us that Thysius thinketh that Iustification here includeth sanctification as its consequent and that Zanchius in Ephes. 2 4. thinketh it is the same with sanctification And that Bullinger on the place sayes the Apostle in diverse words expresseth the same thing Ans. 1. None of these Divines confound them and make them one as this Quaker doth but distinctly and orthodoxly explaine the nature both of Justiâ—â—cation and Sanctification 2. As I said above though this were granted that the word Iustify should import the same with sanctify in this or that place Yet unlesse he made it manifest that it alwayes so importeth and can never be taken in another sense he could not make good his Assertion and Opinion So that in all this work he is but beating the winde 3. Thysius had no ground to speak so seing sanctiâ—â—cation is as well expressed as Justification but ye are sanctified but ye are justified 4. Bullinger saith no more than what Calvin saith yet Calvin distinguisheth them in his Comment on the place Zanchius saith no such thâ—ng in the place cited 32. In the next place Pag. 138. he citeth with Bellarm. Rom. 8 30. And saith that either Sanctification must be excluded or Iustification must be taken in its proper sense Ans. 1. There is no necessity for either for Sanctification is comprehended under Vocation which is saving and effectual otherwise the linkes of this chaine could be broken for a common and ineffectual call is not attended with Justification and Glorification And effectual Vocation is by infusion of grace and the Spirit of holiness and a real change 2. Sanctification might be comprehended under the word Iustified it being a necessary and inseparable consequent and that without any prejudice to the native usual and constant import of the word Iustified 3. Thereafter vers 33.34 the Apostle cleareth in what sense he took Iuâ—tified when he opposeth it unto condemned a forensical terme and to accused another His citing of some Protestants so saying I passe finding no argument alleiged by them to enforce this acceptation Melanthon's saying that to be Iustified by faith doth not only signify to be pronunced just but to be made just May admit of a saife interpretation for he saith not to be made just by inherent righteousness And it is certain that all that are Justified are first made just not by inherent righteousness but by the Imputed righteousness of Christ. What he citeth out of one Martinus Boraeus I cannot examine having never seen the book Bucer's words cited make nothing for him B. Forbes's words I will not justify but judge that Cardinal Contarenus spoke more orthodoxly then he The Fathers so taking the word sometimes moveth not me more nor it did Calvin Chemnitius and Zanchius cited by himself And further if to justify signifie to make righteous to accuse and to condemne which are opposite terms must signifie to make unrighteous or unjust 33. After this § Pag. 140. he bringeth in his conclusion from what he hath said and it is a bold one Having now sufficiently saith he proved that by Iustification must be understood to be made really just This is concluded like a Quaker with unparalleled falshood impudency and boldness He undertook only to prove that the word might without absurdity be so understood and how weakly he hath done this we have seen But now he wonderfully concludeth a must be from a may be and that too no wayes satisfyingly proved But I have said already that the beleever who is Justified may be said to be really made just but not in his sense nor because of the import of the word as he alleigeth but because the judgment of God is according to truth and God will not justifie an unjust man The Justified person therefore is first made just not by Inherent Holiness and Righteousness but by the Righteousness of Christ Imputed to him and Received by faith What saith he next I do confidently affirme from real and sensible experience but the delusory sensations or impressions of an erroneous Spirit on the mindes of persons given up to strong delusion is no demonstration to us of the verity of what they boldly affirme that the immediat next and formal cause whereby a man is Iustified in the sight of God is the revelation of Christ in the soul who converteth and reneweth the minde and he who is the Author of this work being so formed and revealed we are truely Iustified and accepted in the sight of God Ans. 1. Who seeth not that these things as here expressed are not such as can fall under the inward sensations of the soul Can the soul feel what is the Immediat Nearest or Formal Cause of God's acts What needs more proof of a desperat delusion 2. If the revelation of Jesus Christ be such a cause of Justification Justification cannot be a making just for it is not as he sayes the revelation that converteth and reneweth but Christ revealed and if Christ revealed maketh the change â—ustification doth it not nor can Justification be a declareing of one righteous because of inherent righteousness for here the man is Justified upon the revelation and yet the man is not renewed for he is not renewed by the revelation but by Christ revealed and the Revelation of Christ is before this Operation of Christ. 3. If the man be not justified till Christ be formed in him as his last words seem to say then the revelation of Christ cannot be the Immediat cause of Justification because that is before this forming of Christ in the man for it is before the work of Christ reforming and renewing the minde 4. I see all this
Renovation is but upon the minde and this Formation of Christ is but a Revelation in the minde But where is the work of grace upon the will This would say that the Papists opinion is more tolerable then this for they include graces seated in the will 5. Where doth the Scripture speak of Justification after this manner We are oft said to be justified by faith but never are we said to be justified by such a Revelation 6. Therefore I may as confidently affirme that this his sensation is but a sensible delusion of Satan the grand enemy of the Grace of God and of the Gospel 34. Yet he goeth about to prove this and tels us first that this methode of salvation is set down by Paul Rom. 5 10. for saith he The Apostle doth signify that reconciliation is made by the death of Christ. Ans. This is true of that Reconciliation which is actual and is had by faith in the death of Christ but not of that Reconciliation which he imagineth whereby to wit God is prone to Receive and Redeem man What next He affirmeth Iustification that is Salvation to be in Christs life Ans. And what ground is there for this Interpretation seing the sense is obvious to wit that seing by the propitiatory death of Christ beleevers laying hold upon him by faith are brought into a state of Peace and Reconciliation with God they need not fear but they shall be brought thorow all difficulties and steps to the enjoyment of life eternal and full salvation Christ being now alive to bestow all that he hath purchased What more He saith That this life of Christ is something inward and spiritual in the heart whereby he is renewed and brought out of death where naturally he lay and raised up and revived unto God the same Apostle sheweth Ephes. 2 5. Ans. This is nothing but a palpable perversion of the words of the Apostle for the life can no more be understood here of some inward thing wrought in man than Christ's death can be so interpreted And if he had so expounded the words he had spoke more like himself above as also more like other Quakers who talk of Christs sufferings and death c. as all done within man 2. That the Apostle Ephes. 2 5. is speaking of beleevers being by grace quickened together with Christ and risen together with him c. is true But what saith this for the corrupt glosse of Rom. 5 10. where the life of Christ is only spoken of and that as it by which beleevers may be assured of their salvation 3. What is there in all this for Justification by the Revelation of Christ within reforming the minde c Hath the man forgote his Conclusion already Ay but sayes he the Apostle mentioneth a Revelation of this inward life 2 Cor. 4 10 11. and this inward life is that whereby he said we were justified Ans. The life of Christ is indeed said by Paul 2. Cor. 4 10 11. to be made manifest in and by its effects supporting carrying the persecuted Apostles through so many miseries and deaths But who except a Quaker could say that the Apostle sayes we are justified by this life And what vestige is there of this in the Apostles words 35. In the next place he citeth Tit. 3 5. And hence thus argueth we are justified by that by which we are saved Ans. Yes by the grace of God we are freely justified and saved and that without works of righteousness which we have done Here the Apostle sayes he moreover doth manifestly ascribe the immediat cause of Iustification unto the inward work of regeneration that is to Christ revealed in the soul by which we are formally accepted of God Ans. 1. What immediat cause is this That a soul must be wrought up to faith in Christ before it can be justified we grant and that this faith must be wrought by the operation of the Spirit is also true But that this faith or any other work of the Spirit in the soul is the Formal Objective Cause of Justification the Apostle saith neither here nor elsewhere 2. To say that we are formally accepted of God that is as fully righteous with a righteousness answering the Law in all points and satisfying justice for bâ—gones as he must meane or he speaketh not to the point by this work of Regeneration is but a jejune begging of what is yet in question sure there is no word of this here 36. In the third place he citeth 2 Cor. 13 5. And saith That it appeareth here how earnestly the Apostle would that they should know Christ in them Ans. The Apostle to the end that the Corinthians who at the instigation of false Teachers were beginning to have undervalueing thoughts of him might be convinced that he was an Apostle of Christ and so continue in esteeming of him as such doth here presse them to goe in to their owne hearts and see if there were any fruits and effects of Christ's living among them by his Spirit through his ministrie that if not they might not account themselves Christians but persons rejected And what would this say It appeareth hence 2. sayes he that the cause of reprobation or of non-justification was the want of the inhabitation of Christ revealed And by the rule of contraries where Christ is inwardly known and revealed there the persons are approven and justified And nothing can be more cleare Ans. 1. By what rule law or authority doth he make Reprobation and No-Jusâ—ification equipollent terms This must be licentiâ Quakerorum whereby they have a privilege contrare to Scripture and all Reason to coine words phrases and opinions in divinity at their pleasure 2. The want of the effects and evidences of Christ dwellâ—ng in them by his Spirit is not here given as the cause of their being in an evil state reâ—ected and disapproved of God but as a mark and evidence And marks and evidences are not alwayes taken from the Immediat Nearest and Formal cause 3. It is very true that by the rule of contraries where Christ is indeed revealed and working in the soul that soul is justified but it is most false that therefore Christ revealed in the soul is the Formal Cause or to speak more properly the Formal Objective Reason of Justification for himself said above that good works were properly the effects and fruits of â—ustification and yet he knoweth the fruits and effects may be an evidence of the cause in being 4. And so there is nothing more plaine and evident then that this citation is impertinent and his argueing therefrom a non sequitur and that he is still the old man a Quaker-disputant 37. As a parallel place he citeth Pag. 142 Gal. 4 19. And saith this Christ is the inward hope of glory Col. 1 27 28. And what is the hope of Glory must be that to which we nextly and immediatly lean unto in Iustification Answ. And how is this proven We must beleeve it
too Catholick Hence we see how false it is that he saith afterward Pag. 174. that this Church hath sometimes been Invisible though he after the Quakers manner misapply that Ier. 3 14. 1 King 19 18. For alas it hath alwayes since Adam fell been too visible 4. Next § 3. He speaketh of a particular Church and here seemeth to worde the matter better but he having already given us the Key we shall be the more able to unlock his cabinet We must sâ—ith he consider a Church as it signifies a certain number of faithful persons That is Persons only taught by the Light of nature though as for Religion they may be worshipers of the Devil for this particular Church needeth but be a part of the Catholick Church what more Gathered together saith he by the Spirit of God and the testimony of some of his Ministers That is say I by the Light and Law of nature and the testimony of Quakers or such Ministers as preach nothing of the Gospel nothing of Christ revealed in the Gospel nothing of the mystery of God of Christ therein revealed What more And brought unto saith he the faith of true principles and the doctrine of the Christian faith That is such principles and doctrine of Christian faith as may be among them that never heard of Christ or of Christian Faith that worshipe the work of mens hands and possibly the Devil Whose hearts saith he further united by the same love and their understanding illuminated with the same truth meet together to attend upon God adore him and unanimously give testimony against errour though they suffer therefore But 1. Do not their bodies meet together too 2. Can that love be true Christian love which may be among Pagans 3. What illumination of truth can they have who never had another teacher than a Natural Conscience within or the Law written upon the works of creation and providence 4. What attendance upon God or adoration of him without Christ known and beleeved in 5. What testimony against errour can they give who never heard of the Gospel or of Christ 6. I know that here he is giving us a description of Quakers Conventicles which really are Synagogues of Satan He tels us further that all the members of those meetings teach and instruct one another And so they are all officers all eyes c. and so monsters No organical Church Then he closeth with an untruth saying that such were all the primitive Churches gathered by the Apostles While as the Apostolick Churches consisted of persons who called upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 1 2. They were Churches in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes. 1 1. 2 Thes. 1 1. that is such as acknowledged and worshiped the true God and that in Jesus Christ which neither Pagans nor Jewes as such did 5. Having thus spoken of a catholick of a particular church he cometh § 4 to speak something of the qualifications of the members of both which I judge superfluous seing that was sufficiently done already Yet because his words here are of a finer-like dress let us heare him That one sayes he may be a member of the catholick church it is necessary that there be an inward call of God by his light in the heart and that the heart be fermented by his nature and Spirit so as he leave off unrighteousness and turne to righteousness and that as to the inward part of his soul he be cut off the wild olive of nature and planted in Christ bâ— his word inward Spirit And all this may be in them that are ignorant of the history of Christ as was proved in the 5. and 6. Thesis Ans. These are fine words to deceive the simple had he not sufficiently explained himself above in the place by himself cited and just now also given us a clear view of his Catholick Church and of its members we might readily have been deceived But according to his owne interpretation of himself and a narrow inspection of his words here We finde 1. That one can be a qualified member of the Church Catholick who hath never heard of Christ or of the Covenant of grace in Christ nor learned any more of Christianity or of the Gospel then what nature could teach and how dissonant this is from the whole Gospel let any that ever read it speak 2. All this inward call of God is by the light that is in the heart of every man by nature is this any thing else but natures dim light 3. All this fermentation to speak in the Quakers dialect is effectuate by the power of this light and this is it he meaneth by the Spirit as he hinteth here and leargly told us before 4. All the effect of this work is but an outward turning from unrighteousness which a natural wretch may do upon the information of a natural conscience This is nothing of true Sanctification 5. It is impossible that all the operation of nature can bring a man off nature and plant him in Christ. 6. The Spirit of God worketh in and with the word and this word is the preaching of the Gospel and where the Gospel is there is the history of Christ. So that where there is nothing of the history of Christ there is not the word of the Kingdom there is not the special working of the Spirit of Christ This word therefore and inward Spirit whereof he speaketh is but he word Spirit of Nature that is nature under new names the Paganish-word and Spirit 6. But what is requisite to a member of a particular christian church He answereth Pag. 175. Beside this inward work it is necessary sayes he there be an external profession and faith in Iesus Christ and these sacred truthes delivered in the Scriptures when the inward light and testimony of the Spirit shall naturally incline compel such as are subject and obedient to it to give assent and credite to the truthes delivered in the Scripture Ans. We heard before of a Catholick Church whereof all the members must needs be saved and of a Particular Church much of the same complexion with the Catholick but now we hear of a new Church called a Particular Christian church the complexion of which seemeth to differ from the former But the matter is this Christianity with him is not necessary to salâ—ation thâ—re may be particular Churches were there is nothing of the Christian Religion Pagans that are somewhat Moral Civil belong to the catholick Church shall be saved as well as Christians But because where the word of the Gospel is come there must be some respect had to it to the word of God therefore a little more is necessary in this case though not in it self to be found in such as live in such places where the word of God is for it were a shame to say that no more were required of a man borne and living all his
be common to all of what use can a special Office be for this work And what necessity were there for a call authorizing some to the doing of the work of that Office Eightly That Officers and Church members as such are different and to be distinguished so that all Church members are not Church Officers This is clear from the preceeding Ninthly That a Call differeth from Gifts and Qualifications for a call to an office if it be right such as God will approve who sendeth not a message by the hand of a fool doth presuppose that the person called is fitted qualified and that this qualification was not a sufficient ground for him to take upon him the office or to performe the proper work of the office for if his qualification had sufficiently warranted him for the office for the work the call had been useless wholly superfluous when then our Quaker speaketh of a Call he must mean a proper real and formal call not a false imaginary supposed one nay nor yet what may be said to be a virtual call Tenthly When he speaks thus of a Call to the Office of a Pastor or Doctor he must needs suppose that there are real and sure Rules Grounds and Evidences of a lawful call laid down in the word Whereby a true call may be distinguished from a false supposititious call that the solution of this question what is a right and what is a wrong call doth not depend upon our imaginations and phancies but must be had in the word And therefore if he would describe or lay forth unto us what is a right call unto the office of a Pastor in the Church he must not think it enough to tell us his dreames and suppositions but he must give us grounds from the word whereupon we must rest That by the question which he here moveth he must presuppose all these Ten particulars as unquestionable truths is from what is said I judge most clear and if so how he shall in several of these agree with other Quakers I leave it with himself to judge and how as to some of them at least he shall agree with himself in what followeth we may have occasion to remarke as we go on 4. When he speaketh of a Call to a Ministerial Office we may observe that he is very indistinct confused holding himself in the general that he may the more easily inveigle his Reader and leave the matter still in the dark He cannot but know that our Divines make mention of several sorts of calling to the Ministrie not to mention that which commonly in our language goeth for a call and is performed by the people inviteing makeing choise of and submitting to the Ministerie of such or such a person which is more propâ—rly called Election and is contradistinct from that which is called Ordination but to speak to that which is otherwise called mission or missio potestativa that is that which formally impowereth the person called to performe the Work belonging to that Office and legally authorizeth him thereunto for Paul Gal. 1 1. saying of himself that he was an Apostle not of mâ—n nor by man but by Iesus Christ God the Father giveth ground to distinguish of calls not to mention that which is imported by the first expression of men which is commonly taken for an unlawful call that is meerly of man of themselves or others such as the false Prophets had of old and the false Apostles in the primitive times to wit That there is one call Immediat by God and Christ without the interveening of Man There is another Mediat which though also of God yet it is by the Intervention of some deed of man so is said to be by man The first is attributed unto the Apostles and some others whom Christ immediatly sent forth adjoyning that call of Matthias Act. 1. which as to the person on whom the lot fell was immediatly from God The other unto other Church officers appointed to their office by them so forth in succeding generations according to the way method set down in the word The Mediat call is that which we are now to enquire after to look for seing the Immediat call is ceased with these extraordinary persons who were called by it were with alendued with extraordinary gifts as we see Mat. 10 1. 2 Cor. 12 12. or had some other extraordinary thing in their mission which did abundantly evince it to be immediatly divine We may note further That there is a Mediat call which may be called Singular Rare or not very ordinary as when a Church is in erecting not yet constituted all things are out of order so that through necessity many or several things requisite in an orderly call must be passed by dispensed with And there is a Mediat call which is Ordinary is usually to be followed according to the rules set downe in the word Againe it may be noted that there is an Outward call an Inward call The Outward call or mission is that which is done by men according to the appointment of Christ after examination tryal of the person separating him setting him apart with solemne prayer imposition of hands for the ministrie that is a committing of the work unto faithful men an appointing of them to the work of the ministrie The Inward call is the Lords signification of his minde will inwardly to the mans self of his calling appointing him to the Ministrie not only endueing him with gifts qualifications requisite but also powerfully sweetly inclineing his minde determining his will to a willing susception of this Imployment for holy pure ends by other passages of his providence manifestly signifying that to be his minde that the man shall serve him in the work of the Ministrie These considerations are considerable in this case others might be mentioned but our Quaker loving confusion walketh in the dark and tels us not what call he meaneth Nor whether he meaneth all sorts of calling or only one kind and if one he tels us not what that one is 5. Let us see if his answere will help us to understand the question His answere is this He ought to be instructed by the inward power and vertue of the Spirit of God in his heart A suteable answere for such a question that is a confused answere to an indistinct question He should have told us what is the nature of a Pastors Call his answere is concerning a qualification Afterward he speaketh of qualifications how I pray shall he difference this from what he handleth there Next I would enquire concerning the meaning of this answere whether he thinketh that all who are instructed thus are called to be Pastors or only that this is a qualification requisite in Pastors if the first be his meaning he destroyeth the distinction betwixt Officers and Church
whereof even a Pagan as such can be capable It is true the Apostle addeth as Stewards of the manifold grace of God But that by grace is meaned a gift is notoure from the whole context and scope of the place for it is that only which can be ministred and communicated by speaking let him consider what this word importeth Rom 1 5. 12 3. Gal. 2 9. Ephes. 3 8. 4 7. Phil. 1 7. 1 Pet. 1 10. 1 Cor. 3 10. 1 Pet. 5 12. But sayes he this cannot be understood of any mere natural vertue for by these God should not be glorified Answ. Let him therefore see to this who giveth us no other grace but what riseth out of the puddle of Nature But we acknowledge spiritual gifts which yet are distinct from grace that is saving 1 Cor. 12 1 4 9 28 30 31. 14 1. Heb. 6 4. Act. 8 20. 11 17. 1 Cor. 1 7. 13 2. His last Arg. is from 1 Tim. 3 2. Tit. 1 8. Which shew indeed what is very requisite and what should mainly be looked after so as such who give cleare evidences or pregnant presumptions of the contrary should not be admitted unto the ministrie but because real grace is hid in the heart and can not be infallibly demonstrated unto others so as they can judicially passe sentence thereupon we cannot say that the want of true grace doth really null all their Ministerial acts both before God and Man What he citeth from a nameless Author as also from one Franciscus Lambertus saith nothing against what I say nor proveth his point 4. He Pag. 194. § 17. Answereth contrary Objections the first whereof is That then all ministers should be saved And instead of answering and saying which he might have done with some shew of reason according to his grounds That none others but such as should certainly be saved were true aâ—d lawful Ministers finding this it seemeth too hask he chooseth rather to say That there may be a total falling away from grace the contrare whereof we have showne above Chap. XV. and so he yeeldeth the Argument Another objection taken from their Principles he proposeth thus Seing they affirme that every man hath a measure of saving grace it is not necessary that that should be a special qualification of ministers To which he answereth his mentioning a call as requisite to ministers is nothing to the point in hand That by grace which is the qualification of Ministers he understandeth not that meer and naked measure of light and grace as it is distributed to convince and to turne to righteousness but as it converteth the soul and worketh strongly in it and as men are fermented into its nature and bring forth the fruites of temperance righteousness and piety c. To which I shall onlâ— say That all this is a confirmation to me that this ministerial qualification is but a Pagan Qualification such as is produced by Natural strength and the power of Free Will out of that seed of grace which is in Pagans and in all by nature which is nothing but meer Nature and hath no affinity with the true grace of God which is saving brought to light by the Gospel and wrought by the Spirit of God according to the New Covenant of Grace And if this be all that he pleadeth for as it is it is only fit for a Pagan Preacher such as he is 5. He saith That Arnoldus Professor in Franeker objected the example of the false Prophets Whether it be so or nor I know not I should not presse that Instance so generally But what shall our Quaker say unto the Instance of Balaam calleâ— a Prophet not a false Prophet by Peter 2 Pet. 2 16. And to him God came Numb 22 2 10. and spoke to him vers 12 20 and Chap. 23 4. put a word in his mouth vers 5.12 16. See his Prophecie Chap. 24 3. c. And yet was but a wicked wretch What saith he to the Instance of Iudas He saith 1. That his commission was not purely Evangelick but limited to the house of Israel Mat. 10 5 6. Ans. This will make Christ himself to have been a legal preacher But their commission was vers 7 to preach saying the Kingdom of heaven is at hand And their being limited at first unto the House of Israel will not alter the nature of their work or commission which being after enlairged was still the same upon the matter See Act 13 48. He 2. saith That this case was extraordinary because he was immediatly called by Christ and endued with power to preach and work â—iracles Answ. All this doth but strengthen the Objection for if Christ called him as the rest to be an Apostle and endued him with power to preach who yet was but a graceless man at the heart though not yet openly scandalous or declareing his wickedness we can hardly say that the want of grace doth make a Minister no Minister What he addeth that it is not proven that at that time he had no grace Is but founded upon his errour of the Apostasie of the Saints and therefore deserves no new consideration What he saith of our leaving the other Eleven and choosing him for our patron Is but a calumnie and his inference that the most part of our Pastors are most like unto him is of the same nature and deserveth no further answere 6. The last Objection which he proposeth to answere is a gordian knot to him and therefore because he cannot loose it he must cut it It is this That hereby people should be in doubt whether any of their administrations as of the Sacraments c. were valide because they could not infallibly know whether they were gracious or not An Objection it is that might be further improven for hereby Ministers themselves should frequently be in doubt whether they should go about their work as doubting of their state which can oft be falleth the best Christian consequently doubt of their call of their being true Ministers And hereby Satan should play his game to some purpose prejudge the Church of the laboures of the best of her Ministers What sayes he now to this He saith this Objection doth not touch them for the worshipe which they owne is not attended with such external institutions That is They owne no such Worshipe nor no such Administrations They reject all They have nothing to do with any or all of Christ's Institutions whereof we will heare more afterward And what could a Pagan have said more 7. In the next place Pag. 196. § 18. He showeth that he doth not exclude all true learning from the qualification of Ministers But what sort of learning owneth he He owneth that which cometh from the inward instructions and operations of the Spirit whereby the soul learneth the secret wayes of the Lord and knoweth the inward labours and exercises of the minde c. and such sayes he as are thus
by ordinary gifts studied and acquired through the ordinary assistance of the Spirit who hath distributed these in their several measures as he hath thought good to some more and to others less and thus the Church hath been preserved and souls have been converted But never that we hear of by Enthusiastick persons or persons pretâ—nding Revelations afâ—er Introversions of many souls perverted with such like pretensions we have Instances in too great abundance The whole worshipers of Mahomet are one great instance many there are also in Popery the Followers of Iohn of Leyden David George Swenckfeldus and the like in Germany may serve for a third Instance And our Quakers come in for a fourth for boast they as they will of their converts their converts and proselytes are not made Christians but perverted from Christianity to Paganisme It cometh to passe sayes he next oftentimes that God regairding the Integrity of Preachers or hearers touched by his power the heart of the Preacher and lead him to speak that which he had not premeditated and these became more profitable than what was premeditated Answ. If he will take these for Revelations and Inspirations severals of our Ministers can pretend to them and what hath he then to say Is all his gall spit out against premeditation But hath he never heard that premeditated sermons have been blessed also But for all this he holdeth fast his conclusion that these preachings are not approven but contrary to the primitive practice And what remedy But how hath he proven his practice Not one instance hath he brought for that nor can he bring nor precept either And I doubt if ever such an Introversion as he formerly spoke of was heard of in all the Christian world till the Introverted Seck of the Quakers arose except what was among some Papists as we heard above CHAP. XXIV Of Prayer 1. WE have heard what for Preaching the Quakers owne and practise in their publick Worship and what he had to say against our practice in that we come next to hear their judgment of Prayer another necessary piece of solemne service performed unto God immediatly for He is therein and thereby solemnely acknowledged to be the true God and the only living God the searcher of hearts 1 King 8 39. Act. 1 24. Rom. 8 27. and the only hearer of the requests of his people Psal. 65 2. Pardoner of the sinnes Micah 7 18. and the fulfiller of all their desires Psal 145 18 19. As also that He is God in whom alone we ought to believe and on whom we ought to relye and depend Rom. 10 14. and is to be worshiped with religious worshipe and service Mat. 4 10. Whereof prayer is a special part 1 Cor. 1 2. Yea the very light of nature sheweth that there is a God who hath Lordshipe and Soveraignity over all is good doth good unto all and is therefore to be Feared Loved Praised Trusted in Served and Called unto with all the soul and with all the might Rom. 1 20. Act. 17 24. Psal. 119 78. Ier. 10.7 Psal 31 13. 18 3. 62 8. Rom. 10 12. Iosh. 24 14. Mark 12 33. And therefore Prayer with Thanksgiving being one special part of religious Worshipe Phil 4 6. is to be performed by all men Psal. 65 2 The light then within teaching this piece of service to be performed unto God it is but consequential to think that Quakers who owne nothing for their Bible and Teacher but that should not be wholly against this duty yet though they do not directly deny and condemne the same they do assert that which in effect is to deny it and to lay it aside for as if it were no duty required by the law of Nature of all persons they cut many off from it as we shall hear And as for that which is a principal and necessary Ingredient in this duty to wit the name of Christ in which it ought to be gone about if acceptably done Ioh. 14 13 14. 16 26. Dan. 9 14. they make little mention of this though such be our distance from God because of sin that we can have no accesse to him without a Mediator Ioh. 14 6. Esai 59 2. Ephes. 3 12 And Christ Jesus be that only Mediator Ioh. 6 27. Heb. 7 25 26 27. 1 Tim. 2 5. and therefore all our prayers can be accepted only through him and must be performed in his name Col. 3 17. Heb. 13 15. for from him alone must we draw all our encouragement to pray and our boldness strength and hope of acceptance in Prayer Heb. 4 14 15 16. 1 Ioh. 5 13 14 15. And moreover they assert that as necessarily antecedaneous unto the performance of this duty which tendeth to the laying of it wholly aside to wit a waiting for the Impulses of the Spirit hence they inveigh against Prayer whether in private or in families morning and evening or other fit and convenient seasons and will not fixedly seek a blessing from God at receiving of meate nor give God solemne thanks therefore yea and in their Publick Worshipe this hath no fixed place but may be and oft is quite laid aside and alwayes unless the Spirit come with his Inspirations and Impulses calling and prompting them thereunto 2. Let us hear this Quaker speak his minde on this subject His discourse is ushered-in with an untruth for he saith That our whole Religion is for the most part external and the acts thereof are meerly produced by the strength of the natural will for we can pray when we please Ans. we acknowledge that true Religion is principally seated in the heart but while we are speaking of solemne worshipe the Religion of the heart ought to appear in solemne exercises prescribed by God we owne no actions of Religion as acceptable to God which are produced without grace in the heart or by the meer strength of nature Prayer being a duty called for at all occasions and seasons and in all exigences we ought alwayes to be in a frame fit for offering up this service unto God in the name of Jesus and by the helpe and assistance of his Spirit and especially in our solemne worshiping of God as for what he addeth of certain and prescribed prayers or formes of prayer he knoweth they are not owned nor approven by all But he saith that we all agree in this that the motions and inspirations of the Spirit of God are not necessarily previous thereunto Wherein he is either ignorantly or maliciously mistaken for he might see in our larger Catechisme the 182. Question How doth the Spirit help us to pray answered thus We not knowing what to pray for as we ought the Spirit helpeth our infirmities by enabling us to understand both for whom and what and how prayer is to be made and by working and quickening in our hearts although not in all persons nor at all times in the same measure those apprehensions and affections and graces which are
bestowed upon beleevers is called circumcision as where mention is made of circumcision of the heart Deut. 30 6. And because the Apostle saith Rom. 2 28 29. neither is that circumcision which is outward in tâ—e flesh but circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God And Col. 2 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumsicion made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh But who would not smile at this The Apostle saith here also there is one faith And upon the same ground our Quaker might argue that the doctrine of the Gospel which is the object of faith is not faith though the same Apostle calleth it so Gal. 1 23. and elsewhere and that the outward Profession of the truth is not faith though it be so called Act 8 13. 1 Tim. 1 ver 19. 3 9. 4 1. hence the historical and temporary faith and the faith of miracles should be no faith because not the faith here meaned As also because the Apostle saith here there is one body he might thus reason Either the mystical body of beleevers is not the body or the universal company of Professours is not the body But as the body here comprehendeth both and the Faith taketh in both the outward profession and the inward grace so the Baptisme comprehendeth both that which is inward and outward not the one with the exclusion of the other as making up that one Ordinance of Baptisme the consideration of which is a strong motive to union among Church-members made partakers thereof But he thinks that he is confirmed in his opinion if we say that the water is one part of Baptisme as being the signe and the Spirit is the other as being the thing signified But we take the thing signified to be Christ and his benefites for it sealeth to the believer an interest in him and all the promises of the new Covenant whereof the promise of the Spirit is a grand and comprehensive one Let us hear his reason For saith he if water be the signe it is not the mater of the one Baptisme and the one Baptisme is to be taken for the mater and not for the figure type or signe Answ. Whether he call it mater or signe as a figure or type we owne it not this is certain that the outward element administred according to appointment is the outward visible part of that Baptisme which comprehendeth both the outward and inward part But he supposeth we say it is a part of the inward grace which is his dream and he speaketh of the inward grace as separated and considered wholly as distinct from the outward part and will have it only called Christ's Baptisme which may be true in some sense because it is it which he doth and worketh by his Spirit but it is not that baptisme whereof the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 4. that so abstractly and separatly considered having no force of an argument or motive in it to press Visible Professours to an endeavouring of unity but as conjoined with this outward administration wherein all were solemnely dedicate to God and whereby they were solemnely admitted as members of one visible body and visibly separated and differenced from all the rest of the world and so engadged to be wholly and only the Lords and to lay out themselves for the good one of another and to seek by all lawful meanes possible the welfare and felicity of the whole body and to demeane themselves as members one of another for the glory of their one Head Christ. This is plaine and obvious to every one that will but open his eyes See 1 Cor. 12 12 13 14 25 26 27. 6. Having laid this sandy foundation in his mistake of that one baptism mentioned by Paul Ephes. 4 vers 5. he proceeâ—eth to his second Proposition Pag. 267. which is this That this one baptisme which is Christ's Baptisme is not the washing of water Mat. 3 vers 11. Hence he argueth Pag. 268. If they who were baptized by the baptisme of water were not therefore baptized by the baptisme of Christ then the baptisme of water is not the baptisme of Christ. But the first is true Therefore c. Againe If they who did truely and really administrate the baptisme of water did nevertheless declare that they neither did nor could baptize with the baptisme of Christ then the baptisme of water is not the baptisme of Christ But c. Ans. This man's trumph though he stand upon the shoulders of his friend Socinus who spoke thus before him is a meer glorying in a thing of nought and both his arguments may be blowne away with one distinction thus if those who were baptized with the baptisme of water were not therefore baptized with that baptisme which Christ himself by his Spirit and not by the ministrie of men was to administrate than the baptisme of water is not this baptisme which Christ was to performe by his Spirit without the ministrie of men true then the baptisme of water is not the baptisme which Christ hath instituted this is false The Assumption is only true in the first sense and not in the last And so his Conclusion proveth nothing The baptisme of water and this baptisme of the Spirit are different we confesse and the baptisme by water is not the external part of this baptisme of the Holy Ghost nor a signe far lesse a type or figure nor is this baptisme of the holy Ghost the baptisme whereof the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 4 5. Nor is this baptisme that which Christ did institute and whereof we speak He citeth further Act. 1 4 5. but to no purpose for we confess this baptisme where with Christ was to baptize the Apostles was far different from that which Iohn did administrate and from what Christs owne disciples did and were after his resurrection according to his injunction to administer and which is it we speak of To the same purpose he citeth Pag. 269. Act. 11 16 whereby every one may see what that baptisme was which is mentioned as differing from Iohns But what is there here to prove that only this baptisme with the holy Ghost is to be called Christ's baptisme and none else or that there is no other baptisme now to be administred And who I pray shall be the administrators thereof But saith he if there be now but one Baptisme as is proved this baptisme must be the baptisme of the Spirit But where readeth he of but one baptisme And as to the consequent how doth it follow Rather the contrary seing that baptisme of the holy Ghost and with fire is ceased on whom I pray doth the holy Ghost now fall as it did on the Apostles Act. 2 vers 4. and on those Act. 11 who are thereby enabled to speak now with strange tongues Are the Quakers thus baptized why do they not evidence it by their
at this rate of heathenish opposition and profane paganish contradiction to the wayes of grace 6. He goeth on notwithstanding Pag. 289. and will needs have this to be all that which Christ there speaketh of because all these things cannot agree to that body which was borne of the virgine Mary which came not downe from heaven As if their corrupt light of Nature could be said to come down from heaven and as if Christ were not there speaking of himself as God-man Jehovah's servant and the Mediatour betwixt God and man And as if we were with these carnal Capernaites dreaming of eating the flesh of Christ with our bodily teeth Or as if there were no other way of feeding upon Christ but this Paganish way of living by the light of nature But if this be all to what end is faith in Christ called for vers 35 And what necessity is there of God's divine teaching and drawing unto this vers 44 45 65 Yet the man tels us that all these great things do agree to this light and seed of which Iohn testifieth Chap. 1. that it is the light of men and life of the world Imagining that this is nothing else but what is in every Pagan as he cometh into the world a Paganish fancy and dream yea a devilish delusion as we have shown above Chap. X. And according to his former doctrine he tels us how all this salvation is brought about This spiritual light and seed sayes he as it getteth roome to rise up in mans heart it is bread to the hungry soul which was dead and buried in the lusts of the world and is now revived as it tasteth this heavenly bread and such as are partakers of this are said to come to Christ nor can any enjoy this bread but by coming to Christ and beleeving in the manifestation of his lighâ— in the heart by receiving and believing in which communion of the body and bread is known That is The Pagan hath the light of nature within him and if he will not with his wickedness smother it but give way to it it is heavenly bread that came down from heaven and giveth life to him And if he but taste of this by hearkening to it he is a beleever in Christ and by believing the dark dictats and manifestations of this glimmering light of nature he hath communion with God with Christ with Christ's body and bread And what should more He is a saved mâ—n a brave Christian though he knoweth not so much of Christ as the Devil doth He is feasted at this banquet of love Christ is in him and he is in Christ though he never heard of the Name of Christ let be of his Death and Sufferings Resurrection Ascension and Sitting at the Fathers right hand and living for ever Nay nor never knew or heard of a Covenant of works let be of a Covenant of grace or any thing belonging to the grace of God Are not our Quakers now brave Pagan-preachers And is their Religion any thing but pure Paganisme Kâ—ow they any other Gospel O how Paganish and Hellish is this light that is within them Iâ— is not sure the light of nature but it is hellish darkness that hath exstinguished even that 7. He rageth aâ— the same rate of madness Pag. 290. telling us that as Christ had an outward and visible body or temple which had its original from the virgine Mary so he had a spiritual body by which he revealed himself to the sones of Men in all ages and by which they were made partakers of eternal life and had communion with God and with Christ. Then by this spiritual body he revealed himself to the worshipers of Baal Zebub Baal Peor Bel Dagon Astaroth Adrammelech Chemosh Nisroch to the Phenicians that sacrificed yeerly young infants to Saturne or to the Devil rather and practised Sodomy in the temple of Venus and to all Paganish Idolaters who worshiped Sun Moon Serpents Trees Fire Earth Water Windes Iupiter Apollo Venus Mars Hercules c. even to such as did prostitute their Daughters in honour of Venus and their Wives and Sisters and did many other unnatural brutalities and by this body spiritual of Christ which was within them they were made partakers of Eternal life and had communion with God and with Christ is not this excellent Christianity And he thinks that by this Adam Seth Enoch and all the Patriarchs and Prophets were nourished and that this was all that which was shadowed forth by the types under the law And thus all Religion through all the ages of the Church was but Nature And consequently was more pure among the heathen Idolaters than among the people of Israel where it was so hid and obscured with so may types and covered with so many dark vails that as he saith the Jewes even some of Christs owne disciples did not understand Christ speaking of it What a perversion is here of all the doctrine of grace from the beginning and an overturning of the Faith and Religion of all the ancient and renouned Patriarchs Prophets and People of God But as concerning this Spiritual body and blood of Christ what meaneth he thereby Had Christ two bodies One Carnal and another Spiritual and if we have two such bodies too what difference betwixt Him and us where is that body of his today which they call Carnal Hath he both these bodies now in heaven or only the Spiritual body if only this what shall then become of his Resurrection and Ascension was this Spiritual body of the seed of Abraham and of David Thus at one blow they deny the Christ of God and overturne all Christianity 8. And as if he had not yet given us a clear enough discovery of his paganish Religion he Pag. 292. § 3. in answere to this question How is man made a partaker of this and nourished by it He saith Know this light manifesting thine iniquities opening up thy barrenness nakedness and emptiness is that body whereof thou must partake and by which thou must be nourished and as this small seed of righteousness ariseth in thee and is suffered to come to the birth that new substantial birth is naturally fed and nourished with this Spiritual body That is this dim light of Nature which is in all Pagans is the body of Christ the Spiritual body by which we must all be nourished unto eternal life for it is a seed of righteousness and if we will but give way to it it will become a new substantial birth and be naturally nourished of it self and so Nature is the seed of the new birth and is the new birth it self and is all the Spiritual nourishment whereupon it liveth Is it any wonder that these say much of this light which is all their grace and all their Christianity We pity such as sacrificed their children to the Devil And what shall we think of them who thus sacrifice their souls unto this Goddess blinde Nature This is
them he would have them while they were eating look to him that by commemoration of that occasion by his passions and death they should be stirred up to follow him more diligently Ans. Need we cite Scriptures against these men who have such a dexterity to elude all with non sense Whether should we believe this mans fiction or the commentary of the Spirit of God by Paul 1 Cor. 11 24 25. where we have these words twice repeated and an application unto them beside vers 26. shewing that word of commanâ— did not concerne the Apostles only but the Church in all ages If thâ—y had never been to do that againe how could they obey that command Doth not common sense and common language confute this vanity And why would Christ have mentioned this Command both wâ—en he gave the bread and when he gave the cup as Paul showeth us if this had been all What is that to say by commemoration of that occasion by his passions and death c. Nothing but non-sense 16. He mentioneth next that passage of Christ's washing his disciples feet Ioh. 13 3 4 8 13 14 15. And because that is not looked upon as binding which yet was done sayes he with greater solemnity and more precisely prescribed then this of the Supper he inferreth that neither should this be accounted obligeing and upon this one instance he expatiateth Pag. 302. 30â— But we Answere 1. Though it were true as it is not that Christ had instituted this ceremony to be observed as he did the Supper the Churches neglect of the one will not warrand him and his followers to despise both But. 2. The difference betwixt the two is clear and manifest This of washing was an usual practice in those â—ote Countreyes where men walked bare footed using only sandals and a common piece of humanity and service whereby love to strangers was declared Luk. 7 44. 1 Tim. 5 10. And Christ being Master and Lord would condescend unto the performing of this inferiour piece of service usually practised by servants and the inferiour sort of persons that he might both testifie his great love to his disciples and also impress deeply on their soul the moral duty of Humility Condescension Mutual service and by his own example root out more effectually that Pride and Emulation that was working in their hearts and so this practice in the very nature of the thing did preach-out this moral duty But the mater of the Supper was a new Institution having a mystical signification depending meerly upon the Institution and was chiefly to be a Signe and Seal of and a Meane to exhibite to the followers of the Institution and conscientious observers of Christ's Appointments Spiritual benefites even Christ all his blessings Hence Christ said of the Bread in the sacramental Institution this is my body which is broken for you and of the Cup this is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many But in this action of washing there is no such thing apparent And further Christ presseth here no formal repetition or reiteration of this practice as a mystical Institution for then he would have urged a full conformity in all points and so have told that one among them the highest representâ—ng their Lord and Master should do as he had done wash the feet of the rest but instead of this and to shew that this was but a natural expressive signification of a moral duty incumbent on all to each other he saith vers 14. If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet ye also ought to wash one anothers feet And for this end to enforce this moral command on all he set before them his owne example vers 15. and his owne example with this mightily influenceing ingredient and circumstance that he who was their Lord and Master had done so and therefore they â—hould much more do so vers 16. the servant is not greater than his Lord c. I might adde that there is nothing apparent in the practice of the Apostles and of the primitive Church giving any ground to think that this was looked upon as a significant rite or symbol having a mystical representation and signification but the moral duty pressed hereby was both frequently urged by the Apostles and practised by the primitive Christians but as to the Supper we finde matters far otherwise an Institution punctually followed and frequently reiterated Act. 2 42. 20 7 And the abuses that had creeped-in in the observation rectified and the right manner of celebrating it largely pressed and enforced with strong arguments and all this founded on an Institution 1 Cor. 11 23. c. And hence our Quaker if he will may see what difference there is betwixt the two and cleare grounds why the perpetuity of the one is asserted and not of the other 17. He urgeth § 7. Pag. 304. our not observing of all the circumstances as not celebrating it at night while supping Which can make nothing for his rejecting of the whole Institution Suppose this were an errour in us will that justifie his profane pleading against the whole Ordinance But he must know that every occasional circumstance of an Institution haâ—h not a fixed place and use in the Institution though other circumstances which are parts of the Institution have a fixed place and use therein and of these not of those must that command do this in remembrance of me take place Hence we finde the alteration and change both as to the place and as to the number and as to the supping at that time which were all but occasional circumstances practised and urged Christ did celebrate this first supper in an upper room with his few disciples but the Apostle speaketh of the meeting of the whole Church Act. 20 vers 7. 1 Cor. 11 vers 18 33. and that in a publick place of meeting 1 Cor. 11 vers 11 20. So Christ used his ordinary supper at this time And it is lâ—ke the Corinthians would do this also in imitation but we see the Apostle discharge this 1 Cor. 11 vers 21 22. and shame them from it but as to such circumstances if they may be so called which have a fixed place in this Ordinance and are parts thereof the Apostle is very tender and careful of these repeating and urging the whole of the Institution 1 Cor. 11 23 24 25. But he thinketh that the whole may be as well called occasionall and accidental being the practiseing of a Iewish ceremony In which he is mistaken as we have showne And he thinketh the wine being the native product of that countrey 〈◊〉 as but accidental But knowes he not that water was also the proâ—uct of that Countrey and yet Christ made choice of wine And what though other ordinary drink and bread were made use of where wine and wheat bread could not be had He enquireth againe how these word do this can import that officers should break blesse the breaâ— and
distribute it and that other people should only take and eate But his question is like many of the Quakers questions very impertinent and foolish for as Christ was there acting the part of a Master and Officer the disciples were as Church members so do this pointeth out the several respective duties of both knoweth he not that the Ministers of Christ are Stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4 1 And thinks he that it is eâ—ery privat Members part to blesse the cup and the bread and to break it Paul hinteth some other thing 1 Cor. 10 17. compared with vers 21. The dust which he raiseth about the manner whether sitting standing or kneeling As being matter of debate hath been sufficiently spoken to by others he knoweth the maine exception against kneeling was not taken from it is being different from Christ's manner which yet was sufficient All this giveth no ground for his profane rejecting of the whole Ordinance but rather is a witness against him 18. He tels us Pag. 306. that the breaking of bread mentioned Act 2 42. was not meaned of this Sacrament but of their privat repasts because this is understood vers 46. But he adverteth not for vers 42. their publick actions as a Church are recorded they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and followshipe and in breaking of bread and in prayers which are all Church and Publick actions but vers 46. the breaking of bread was in their private converse for they did it at home and with gladness and singleness of heart which point out their mutual heartsome converse with love and frugality And if the breaking of bread ver 42. were nothing but this ver 46. what necessity was there for the repetition and why doth not Luk adde the same explication of breaking of bread verse 42. which he addeth verse 46. saying did eat their meat with gladness c And to say that the breaking of bread Act 2 42. is the same with the tables mentioned Act. 6 2. is a meer groundless fancie like many of the Quakers bold notions 19. He speaketh next Pag 307. to Act. 20 7. And will have that but a privat meal too because of what is said vers 11. Little considering the words or the series of the discourse The first day of the week our Christian sabbath the disciples in their whole number and company came together to break bread not to feast sure in a private house where conveniency for such a multitude was not to be expected and to which no small preparation and labour was requisite but to celebrate this Sacrament which looked more like a work suteing the day than such a private feast as he imagineth And it was such a feast as required Paul's preaching shall we think that Paul did eat none at their private meales all the seven dayes he was there Yet we hear no word of his preaching at any other feast And as for that vers 11. it was not a supper for it was long past supper time it was after midnight that he did eat then but it was a little refreshment for himself after his long preaching And it is not said vers 11. that the disciples did all eat as they came all together to break bread vers 7. but only that Paul did it when he therefore was come up againe and had broken bread and eaten and talked a long time even till break of day c. So that this eating was for himself both to refresh him after his long speaking from the time that the disciples came together untill midnight and also to strengthen him for speaking till break of day and for his journey then 20. He cometh next to examine 1 Cor. 11. Pag. 308. And tels us that Paul vers 20 sayes When ye come together-this is not to eate the Lords supper simply and not that was not to eate aright and that because they were ready superstitiously to extend it beyond its true use Ans. Of their superstition we hear not but rather of their defect in duties of Religion as to this And here the thing for which they are reprehended is their coming in distinct separated troups making schismes this he sayes was not a coming together to celebrate this feast as one body And more particularly vers 31. he reprehendeth their abuse in eating thus disorderly not waiting upon other which in end he enjoyneth vers 33. what maketh all this to prove this to have been a private repast only was it ever the fashion of the Christians to hold their private feasts and no feast else in their publick Churches We know these Corinthians had adjoyned to the solemne feast their privat feasts or love feasts but the Apostle doth plainly discharge that practice saying vers 22. what have ye not houses to eat and drink in Or despise ye the Church of God c. He would have no feast there held but what belonged to the worshipe of God and was a Gospel Institution and therefore in rectifying of all their abuses he reduceth them to the first Institution not barely narrating a mater of fact as our Quaker fancieth but relating an Institution which he had delivered unto them and had received of the Lord for that end And if our Quaker were not willingly blinde he might see a command here and all the rest of the following verses confirming it But Institutions are no commands with him nor have divine commands any power over him for he is not under God's Law but under the light Was Paul's delivering to them what he had received nothing but a simple narration of a mater of fact What profane babling is this But sayes he when he repeateth Christ's command he wordeth it so as that it is no command vers 25 26. but a conditional thing as oft as ye drink it c. Ans. Then Paul relateth not faithfully but maketh a false narration But our Quakers scruple not at loading the Apostle with reproaches yea the Spirit of God speaking in him What force I wonder hath these words as ye eat and drink to enfringe the command and make the proposition only conditional by these words the Apostle lets us see that Christ did not enjoyne how oft this Supper should be gone about but the command to do it in remembrance of Christ standeth and is thrice repeated by Paul for the vers 22. may be read imperatively where also we see that there is a command of keeping up this ordinance until Christs second coming His talking that this is to be understood of Christs inward spiritual coming is but a quakeristick notion as if any spiritual coming of Christ to his people here would obliterat and delete the remembrance and commemoration of Christ's death and beside it would suppose that there was not a good Christian in all this Church nor one to whom Christ was come spiritually or he must show us where these are excepted here and exempted from this command But sayes
who could not understand these questions and this will justifie him in persecuting the Christians for he acted according to his knowledge Ans. 1. And are there not many questions in moral things as our Quaker calleth all civil maters that are hard and difficile for every Magistrate Shall he therefore be no Magistrate having power to judge in any particular who cannot understand all the intrigus of every question and controversie See Deut. 17 12. If this argument hold many commands must be laid by as that given to every Master of a family 2 Ioh. 10. and these 1 Cor. 5 11. Rom. 16 17 18. and the like for every person is not sufficiently qualified in these maters 2. Though Nero be here included Yet he alone is not here understood and so though he being an heathen was not qualified to judge hereticks in Christianity Christian Magistrates being qualified may judge and should judge such evil doers Magistrates as such have power to judge evil doers some Magistrates in particular cannot judge of some particular evil doers Yet others who can may and ought Fathers as Fathers are to teach and instruct their children Gen. 18 18 19. Exod. 12 26 27. Ephes. 6 4. 2 Tim. 3 14 15. Prov. 4 3 4 5. Yet heathen Fathers cannot teach Gospel doctrine shall therefore Christian Fathers be exeemed from this duty It followeth not 3. Hence no ground to justifie Nero in persecuting the truth no more then for an ignorant Magistrate to kill an innocent man as guilty of murther because he so judged through want of understanding 15. He adduceth next Gal. 5 12. And tels us that it proveth no more than that such should be cut off from the Church by excommunication Ans. I shall urge it no further as also that Revel 2 20. When it is said that heresie is reckoned among the works of the flesh Gal. 5 19. He tels us Pag. 321. that Magistrates may not punish all the works of the flesh as hypocrisie anger envy hatred And we grant this Yet heresie is a work of the flesh that is open and apparent can be proven by witnesses and evidences but these latent evils cannot as neither can heresie that is latent in the heart but then it cannot be called properly heresie But he saith that heresie falleth not under the Magistrates authority as long as it breaketh not forth to the hurt of humane society but only abideth within these duties of doctrine and worshipe that stand immediatly betwixt God and men Yet if these duties of doctrine and worshipe wherein this heresie consisteth appear openly and how opinions lying in the heart can be called doctrines and worshipe I see not they tend to the hurt of humane society as being of an infecting nature and a God-provoking evil and so being tolerated or connived at become the evil and guilt of the whole society before God and render all obnoxious to his wrath who are not in their places and stations seeking to root it out 16. Passing all the rest of our Arguments he cometh Pag. 322. § 4. to tell us that this compulsion of conscience is contrare to sound reason and to the Law of Nature And in this he beateth the aire for we speak not of such a compulsion as he imagineth We know as well as he that the intellect cannot be forced but we are speaking of outward actions and words spoken by the tongue which can be suppressed and which if not suppressed are noxious and hurtful We know the Maâ—istrates sword cannot convert yet it can drive away ravenous Wolves and punish evil deeds We know the civil Sword cannot make sincere Professours Yet it can keep persons from blaspheming God and his Truth If to make Lawes for preserving of Religion were against the Law of Nature how came it that Heathens that had no other light did make such Lawes as Historians witness such as Plutarch Livie Iustin Diogenes Laertius Caelius Diodorus Siculus Herodotus Xenophon and others Seneca de Benefic Lib. 3. C. 6. is express for this saying Violatarum religionum aliubi atque aliubi diversa poena est sed ubique aliqua And all this way of argueing will take away the Church censures which yet he hath granted for they cannot truely convert but rather make hypocrites and then let this man answere all his owne Arguments He inferreth Pag. 323. this absurdity That Christ was deficient in not useing Legions of Angels to defend his Church But how this will follow upon our Assertion I desire him to show He maâ— with more coloure say that if God hath given power to Magistrates to punish civil crimes he should be deficient to humane society in not making all Magistrates wise as Angels to understand the mysterie of all questions But it becometh us to adore and not call God to our bar The next absurdity which he mentioneth hath bin spoke to already for our doctrine giveth no countenance to persecution for righteousness sake and he might hence as well argue that Magistrates might not punish murtherers because hereby they teach Murtherers to pursue them when they have power in their hand Nor doth our doctrine give ground to say that as heathens persecuted Christians with fire and Sword Christians when they have power should deal so with heathens So that all that which he saith Pag. 323 324. is to no purpose Because men in power abuse their authority to suppress truth it will never follow that Magistrates should not use their power to suppress wickedness and Errour that eateth as doth a Canker So an heretical Church may excommunicate an Orthodox person yet he himself will not hence inferre that an orthodox Church may not cast out of their fellowshipe an heretical person as we saw above 17. The sayings of some Fathers which he adduceth Pag. 325. 3â—6 are to no purpose for we willingly grant that Christianity is not to be propagated by Fire and Sword and that ministers ought not to use violence And none of these Fathers say that Christian Professours should not be punished by Christian Magistrates when they openly practise false worship and seduce others by errour and heresie openly vented and preached And what they wrote was against the persecution that heathens exercised against Christians or what the wicked Arians used against the orthodox And though Augustine spoke sometimes after this manner yet he retracted it Retract Lib. 2. C. 5. and declared that Donatists were to be punished by the Magistrate And our Quaker might as well inferre that because a Magistrate cannot make persons abstaine from theft murther and other wickedneses in a Christian manner but at most hypocritically thâ—refore he cannot he may not punish murtherers theeves and the like What he citeth out of Luther Pag. 327. will make as much against his owne concession viâ— that Churches may exclude erroneous persons as against us What he saith of Calvines procureing the death of that blasphemer Servetus is sufficiently answered by Calvin anâ—
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