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
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
the Law written in their hearts 103 2. They deny all in bred notions of a God and of honesty c. 106 3. They say a Pagan can performe all inward Worshipe easily 461 4. For God is nigh to help him 461 14. Of Enthusiasmes 1. They plead for immediat Revelations as necessary in place of the Scriptures 19. c. 2. They confound these Revelations with the gracious operations of the Spirit 20 21 80 3. They succeed to the old Enthusiasts 22 4. They preferre their Enthusiasmes to Scripture 57 15. Of the Gospel 1. They turne the history of Christs death resurrection into allegories 11 2. They wildly describe it 11 3. The preaching of the Gospel is not necessary with them 244 4. They say there is no more advantage to be had by the history of Christ then by the history of other Saints 244 5. They call the Gospel an inward power and vertue that is in every creature 259 6. They call every thing the Gospel that revealeth any thing of God 260 7. They plead for an Universal Gospel 267 16. Of the Light within 1. They make the light within their only guide 11 2. They preferre it to the Scriptures 59 3. They make the authority of the Scriptures to depend upon it 59 4. They make it the Supream Judge of all Controversies 60 85 5. They call it Christ God the Divine Essence the Saviour of the world c. 92 6. They call it the Essence of God 228 230 7. And the Omnipresence of God 228 8. They call it damnable heresie to deny the worshiping of it 228 9. They call it a measure of Christ and of God and God Father Son and H. Ghost 228 10. They say it is sufficient to salvation ibid 11. They deny it to be a Creature 228 12. It is a Teacher beyond the Scriptures 229 13. It is the Word of God grace and gifts and what not 229 14. It is a spiritual heavenly invisible Principle the Vehicle of God in which God dwelleth as Father Son and H. Ghost 230 231 233 15. It is an instrument of God 230 16. It is a divine glorious life 231 17. It inviteth all Men to good 232 18. It is the flesh and blood of Christ that came down from heaven 233 19. It beareth witness against all evil 234 20. It can be crucified and exstinguished 234 21. Where it is God and Christ are involved 235 22. Where it is resisted God is resisted 235 23. From it is Christ formed in the soul 236 237 24. All men are commanded to beleeve in and obey this Light 238 257 25. It delivereth from all sins 238 26. They call it a Substance 240 27. They call it the Sure Mercies of David a Leader a Commander 264 28. And that word by which faith cometh 264 265 29. And the fire and hammer spoken of Ier. 23 29. 264 266 30. They say by it God seeth the thoughts of men 264 31. They say the illumination hereof when received becometh an holy birth c. producing righteousness c 296 32. All may confidently appeare before God who hearken to the light and are thereby renewed 324 33. They say the light manifesting sin and nakedness is the body of Christ 489 34. This alone searcheth the heart and by it alone God manifests himself and saveth from the wrath to come men see their own faces 548 35. It can forgive sins and make new creaâ—ures 551 36. It is the Man Christ Jesus the Mediator which humbled himself to the crosse 551 37. They expect no justification or Salvation but by this light 551 38. Hereby they come to know Christ revealed in them 552 39. Who seek Christ any where else but in this light seek dreamings and night visions and spend their time in slumbering and dreaming 552 40. By owning and obeying it they are reconciled to God 552 41. This Christ within suffereth his sufferings are satisfactory wherever 552 42. They speak of killing the just one within us of his riseing againe 552 17. Of the Seed 1. They talk of a seed which they call a measure of God Christ the Spirit c. 95 100 2. They talk of its being wounded 247 3. They call it the manifestation of the Spirit 278 4. They say it is hid in the earthy part of every Mans heart and that herein is the kingdom of heaven as man in the embrio 279 5. As this small seed of righteousness say they ariseth and is suffered to come to the birth that new substantial birth is naturally fed with the spiritual body of Christ 489 18. Of Reprobation 1. They deny all absolute Reprobation 133. c. 2. They miserably mistake the orthodox judgment hereanent 143 144 3. In exaggerating the matter of Reprobation they belch out against God 254. c. 19. Of Grace 1. They deny Faith and Repentance to be the gifts of God 153 2. They deny that the grace of God in Conversion taketh away the resistance of the heart 273 3. They imagine the grace of Conversion to be as physick which a man may hinder to operat 273 4. They imagine that God putteth all some way out of the pit of misery and thereafter letteth such fall againe as spurn and resist 275 5. They will not grant that the grace of God maketh any real change of the corrupt nature of man or giveth a new heart 276 20. Of Vniversal Grace 1. They say God hath granted to all men Schythians and Barbarians a day of Visitation wherein they may be saved if they will 212 214. c. 2. And that God offereth Remission and Salvation to all upon condition of non-refusal 249 3. They plead for sufficient grace to all 269 4. They say Heathens that never heard of the Gospel may be saved 282 5. And that Paul Rom. 3. proveth that the Heathens were saved by doing the works of the Law 289 6. They say the Heathens had the knowledge of Christ though not under that denomination 290 7. And that because they spoke of Wisdom which is one of Christ's names 291 8. They grant remission of sins to some adult persons that never heard of Christ 302 9. Every man hath sufficiency of influence for praier till his day of Visitation passe say they 454 10. Every man hath that which is as good as the Spirit of Christ 546 21. Of Vniversal Redemption 1. They plead for Universal Redemption 157. c. 22. Of Salvation They say there is no possibility of Salvation after the day of Visitation is ended 215 2. And that God giveth to every man a certain measure of grace in order to salvation 226 c. 23. Of Christ's Satisfaction 1. They speak not distinctly of Christ's Satisfaction 242 2. They vilifie its vertue and efficacy 243 3. They say the outward blood of Christ or the blood of his vail cannot cleanse 295 4. They call it an abomination to say that God punished Christ that he might thereby
Lapide are remarkable God is said saith he to have taught the Scriptures because 1. He stood so by the writters that they did not erre from the truth in a point 2. He did excite them and suggest to them so as they should write these things rather than those c. He did so inspire them that they set down this conception rather than that c. 3. He so ordered all the conceptions and sentences and led them so as that this sentence was first that next and the other in the third place and thus they were set downe orderly one after another and this is properly to write and make a book and therefore is the Spirit of God properly the Author of the Scriptures Hence is it that the word of God in the Old Test. is tearmed in the New the Scripture or Scriptures pointing out the word as written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby we see that as in the frameing of the truths contained in the Scriptures of Prophecy or as to the matter and thing revealed and written the holy men of God had the real Inspirations of God and spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost or as the Holy Ghost spoke in them and by them they giving only a concurrence of their Rational faculties so in the very commiting of the minde of God unto writing they acted as moved by the Holy Ghost and not by any acquired Skill or Knowledg in the art of Grammer or Rhetorik being herein as a Pen in the hand of a writer and therefore ought not to be called the Secondary or proxime Authors of the Scriptures as some Papists imagine though the Lord used One to express his minde in one way and Another in another way as he thought meet and each in a way suteable to his natural Enduements as he used Esaias to express his minde in an High Loftie and Court-like stile and Amos being an herd man to express his minde in a more Mean and Low stile suteable to herd men in all consulting the universal good of the Church in all ages Whence it is manifest that not only the Matter and Things revealed whether as Truths to be Beleeved or as Lawes to be Obeyed are immediatly of God but also the very Method Expressions and Words wherein these truths were uttered which even some Papists as Gregor de Valentia and Estius Swarez and others confess And so the Whole and every Part Sentence and Word is of divine Authority and of a divine Original Whereby every one may see how sure the ground and basis of our Faith and Obedience is how rationally we act in adhereing to these Scriptures of Truth rejecting whatever is not consonant thereunto and especially all particular pretended divine Revelations which are but the meer product of mens strong Phancies and Imaginations or of Satans Workings in mens mindes and phantasies And withall we hereby see the divine Original of this Word of Prophecie which we must take heed unto as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in our hearts 2 Pet. 1 19. and must study and meditate upon day night Psal. 1. and be well acquanted with They being the Oracles of God Rom. 3 2. and the holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto Salvation through faith which is in Christ Iesus being profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be Perfect thorowly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. As also the unreasonableness of those men who would directly or indirectly bring us off this Ground and have us following the light of that Ignis Fatuus of their Imaginary and Delusory Revelations which as they arise out of a mire so they lead the Man that followeth their guide into one and leave him there 4. Before we proceed because this Man alleâ—dged that it was a calumnie to say that either they denied or undervalued the Scriptures what Apology will he make for his brethren who owne the Scriptures only as a declaration of the Saints conditions witness G. Fox the younger in the collection of his books P. 59. cited by Mr Hicks dial 1. P. 19. account them no better than an old almanack witness Holbrow cited by Mr Hicks P. 29. and look upon it as inck and paper See Mr Hicks Pag. 41. and say that it is dangerous for ignorant people to read them witness Fox and Hubberthorn in Truths defence P. 101 Sâ—e Mr Hicks ibid. who also in his 2 Dial. Pag. 5. tels us that White head expresly saith in his D. P. Pag. 13. that it is idolatry to call the Bible a means and that faith grounded on the Scriptures is but an empty and implicite faith and bespeaks such persons void of the knowledge of God Christ Salvation and to be yet in their sin and that such men walk by thâ—ir own fancies and imaginations Christ Ascend Pag. 11. Do such expressions â—avoure of any high Esteem which they have of the Holy Scriptures if not let him see to it But moreover George Whitehead in his Apology P. 49. said that that which is spoken from the Spirit of truth in any viz. of them is of as great authority as the Scriptures yea and greater See for this Mr Hicks 1 dial P. 28. Will. Pen in his Rais. against Rail P. 40. cited by Mr Hicks 3. Dial. said That the Scriptures at most are but a kinde of declaratory and secondary Rule This man saith the same as we â—hall heare and further The Scripture is the Râ—le of historical faith but the light and Spirit of God can only be the Rule of saving faith and againe Pag. 55. That which is more ancient more universal and more able to informe rule and guide that must eminently be the rule but that hath been and is the Light within Therefore that hath been and ought to be the Rule of faith and practice So P. 48. Because we deny the Scriptures to be the rule of faith practice in honour to that divine light that gave them forth that we should therefore c. If this man think that we calumniat them upon this account he should tell us at least what high and honourable thoughts he and the rest have of them 5. But what if we finde him upon the matter saying little less than they though in more modâ—st expressions He saith I confess in his Thesis That the Scriptures of truth did proceed from the holy Revelations of the Spirit of God and one would think this a faire acknowledgment But in his Apology Pag. 36 he tels us that they do not think that the Authority of the Scriptures doth depend on any Efficacy or Vertue placed in these Writings but ascribe it wholly unto that Spirit from whom they came What confusion and self contradiction is here To say that the Scriptures of Truth are the
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
Repentance But how can he come who hath no power to Beleeve or Repent without grace Or is it in corrupt mans power to Beleeve or Repent 9. As for this Quaker with whom we are dealing He is not pleased to give us a full aâ—count of his judgment in this particular only two things I finde he harpeth upon and repeateth as the conclusion of his pretended proofs and allegations viz. 1. That Christ died for all and every man and not for all kinds of men only non pro generibus singulorum sed pro singulis generum as he saith And 2. That what he procured was only a Possibility of salvation but what he understandeth hereby we are left to conjecture Yet it is manifest that with him this was all and summe that was procured and that it was procured for all equally But what saith he as to the Conditions of the new Covenant we must attend him in what followeth ere we know his judgment herein Where albeit he saith that what he with the rest of the Quakers maintaine therein is different from what others say and peculiar to themselves Yet we will finde to be nothing but Pelagianisme and Arminianisme put in a new dresse of words not usual with others 10. Though it might be sufficient for us to consider what this man saith and only answere his Reasons Yet to give the Reader some satisfaction in this matter which others than Quakers are pleading for now a dayes it will not be amisse to give in short the grounds of our contrary judgment which we maintaine with the orthodox wherein I intend not a full handling of that Controversie But only a short proposal of the truth with the grounds thereof whereby all our Adversaries assertions will be rejected and our way in answering what this Quaker alleigeth facilitated and withal the two Assertions wâ—ich he insisteth upon viz. the Vniversality of the Redemption and the meer Possibility which was procured abundantly confuted 11. What that truth is which we stand for is plainly and fully enough set downe in several places of Our Confession of Faith as Chap. 3. § 6. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory so hath he by the Eternal and most free purpose of his Will fore ordained all the meanes thereunto Wherefore they who are Elected being fallen in Adam are redeemed by Christ are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season are Iustified Adopted Sanctified and Keeped by his power through faith unto salvation Neither are any other Redeemed by Christ effectually Called Iustified Adopted Sanctified and Saved but the Elect only So Chap. 8. § 1. It pleased God in his eternal purpose to choose and ordaine the Lord Iâ—sus his only begotten Son to be the mediator between God and man Vnto whom he did from all eternity give a people to be his seed and to be by him in time Redeemed Called Iustified Sanctified and Glorified And ibid. § 5. The Lord Iesus by his perfect obedience and sacrifice â—f himself which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God hath â—ully satisfied the Iustice of his Father and purchased not only Râ—conciliation but aâ— Everlastiâ—g inheritance in the Kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto him So ibid § last To all those for whom Christ hath purâ—hased Redemption he doth certanely and effectually apply and communicate the same making intercession for them and revealing unto them in and by the word the mysteries of salvation effectually perswading them by his Spirit to beleeve and obey and governing their hearts by his word and Spirit overcoming all their enemies by his Almighty power and wisdom in such manner and wayes as are most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensations Our judgment is this in short That Christ according to the good pleasure of his Father laid downe his life a Ransome for the Elect only who were given to him to save from Wrath and Destruction and by that price purchased Salvation and all the Meanes necessary thereunto for them only to whom in due time and after the method which he thinketh best doth effectually apply the same unto them and actually save them 12. Though grounds sufficient considering the places of Scripture annexed in the margine of the Confession confirming all are clearly hinted and laid downe in these passages cited yet I shall with what brevity is possible point forth our grounds in plaine termes And 1. The Scripture is full and plaine in holding forth a Covenant betwixt Iehovah and the Mediator a transaction concerning man or the purposes of God concerning the Salvation of Man in way of a mutual Compact both for our better understanding of that solide ground of our Peace and Hope and for the confirming of our staggering and weak Faith And though the full explication and confirmation hereof would I judge fully undermine and destroy the rotten grounds of Socinians and Arminians and of all who are for the Diana of Free will and enemies to the Grace of God yet I cannot digresse thereunto here and shall only referre such as would see the same confirmed unto Mr. Dicksons Therapeutica sacra and Mr Rutherfords book upon the Covenant Taking it therefore for granted till what is by these Worthies said anent it be confuted and finding that Arminius himself in his Orat. de Sacerdotio Christi saith there was a Covenant betwixt the Lord and Christ I shall but shortly inferre therefrom That it is repugnant to reason to say that the result of that Eternal Transaction and the whole intended by it was only to procure a meer Possibility of Salvation and that such a Possibility as that though it was equally for all yet it might so fall out that not one person should be saved among all the sones of Adam How unreasonable is it to imagine such a bargane betwixt the Faâ—her and the Son as among men considering what they are doing can have no place If Christ was to see his seed by vertue of this Contract then certainly God had a special eye and respect unto that seed and that seed must be distinguished from all the rest for it cannot be All else all should be saved and so Christ did not undertake to buy all nor did the Father give him All for his seed and in reference to that seed the Redemption purchased must be an Actual and not a meer Potential or Possible Redemption and the Lord must have full Power and Dominion over the Will of that Seed whereby he may determine their hearts unto a following of the Method which he was to prescribe and all these meanes whereby this actual Closeing with the Conditions was to be effectually wrought must have been secured for a transaction betwixt persons infinite in Wisdom must of necessity be in all things contrived in deep Wisdom So then if by vertue of this Covenant a seed was ensured to Christ it was these concerning whom the transaction was
made for what interest could others have in this or advantage by it And so the Redemption was neither Universal nor yet meerly Possible and no more 13. Againe 2. The Scripture every where pointeth out the end of Christs coming and dying to have been to Procure and Obtaine some good to man it were endless to cite the Scriptures speaking this out plainely But if it had been only to have procured a Possibility then the proper and immediat end of his dying had been only to have procured something to God viz. a Power to Him that he might without hurt to his Justice prescribe a possible way of salvation Now not to discusse that question agitated among Orthodox Divines viz. whether it was impossible for God to have pardoned the sins of man without a satisfaction made by his Son or not meaning antecedently to a decree determineing this way of manifestation of the Iustice of God only I must say that as yet I can see nothing from Scripture determineing the egresses of the Relative Iustice of God to be more essential to God and less subject to the free determinations of his good will and pleasure than are the egresses of his Mercy nor do I see any necessity for asserting this against the Socinians seing our ground walking upon a decree is proof against all their Assaults far less see I any necessity of founding our whole debate with the Socinians upon that ground yea I cannot but judge it the result of great imprudence so to do seing the Socinians may reply that the sole ground of that Opposition to them is not only questioned but plainly denyed by such as we account Orthodox and learned and may hence gather that we have no other solide ground whereupon to debate with them but such as the learned of our owne side overthrow The depths of God's Counsel are beyond our fathoming and it is hard for us to say hithertil the omnipotent can come but not one ince further I daâ— not be wise above what is writen and I would gladly see one passage of Scripture declareing this to have been in itself utterly impossible and inconsistent with God But whatever may be said of this what Scripture tels us that Christ was sent to die that he might obtean this Power unto God And further what was this power Was it a meer Power and Liberty that should never have any Effect If it was to have an Effect what was that Was it only to make a new Transaction with man in order to his salvation If that was all notwithstanding of all this Power and Ability not one man might have been saved Was it certanely to save some Then the Redemption cannot be called Universal nor yet meerly Possible Nay if by the death of Christ a Right and Power only was obtained to God God was at full liberty to have exerced that Right and Power or not as he pleased and so notwithstanding thereof man might have remained in the same condition whereinto he was and never so much as have had one offer of life upon any termes what ever or only upon the old termes of the Covenant of works and what then should the advantage of this have been The whole Scripture speaking of the death of Christ mentioneth far other Ends respecting man 14. If we 3. Consider how the Scripture mentioneth a number given of the Father to Christ to be Redeemed and Saved we shall see that there is neither an Universal nor yet a meer Possible Redemption for this gift is utterly repugnant to and destructive of both for if conforme to the Covenant beâ—wixt the Father and the Son there were some given to Christ to save and redeem these He must actually save and redeem and for these only was Christ ordained and designed of the Father to be a Redeemer and upon the account of these only did he undertake the work and lay down the ransome-money for it is not rational to suppose that the designe of Father and Son being to saâ—e actually these gifted ones Christ would shed his blood for others who were not given to him and who should receive no salvation by his blood for cui bono what could be the designe of Father and Son in this The matter goeth not so in humane transactions where the price is considerable Now that the Scripture mentioneth some given to Christ and that in distinction from others is clear Ioh. 17 2. that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him So vers 12. Those that thou gavest me I have keept and none of them are lâ—st c. So Ioh. 6 37. All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me vers 30. And this is the Fathers will that hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing Ioh. 17 9. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine 10. And all thine are mine and mine are thine and I am glorified in them 11. Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am c. Whence we see tâ—at Christ had no charge of the rest was under no tye to save them nor would he so much as pray for them but as for the given ones Ioh. 10. called his sheep for these he laid downe his life and prayed and for these was he to give an account nay which is more these had a special Interest in God's heart and affection were thereupon given to Christ. They were the Father's and given of the Father to tâ—e Son and so fully discriminated from all the rest and both Father and Son stand engadged to carry these thorow unto salvation all which considered it is most plaine that the Redemption was Particular and Actual conforme to the Undertaking and Transaction 15. Nay 4. If we will consider the fountaine love from whence the sending of Christ came we will see how unreasonable it is to imagine an Universal meer Possible Redemption as the proper end and effect of Christs death and merites It is said Ioh. 9 16. A place which our Universalists look upon as most favourable for them that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that all beleevers in him might have eternal life This love is held forth as unparallelable a love greater than which cannot be conceived and a a love demonstrated by the greatest effect imaginable sending and giving his only begotten to give his life a râ—nsoâ—e and to die for sinners and it must be contrary to all reason to imagine that all this was to procure a Redemption by which it was possible that not one man should be Actually Redeemed Christ himself saith Ioh. 15 13. greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends See also Rom. 5.8 And shall we think
gracious Esa. 30 18. to be long suffering Exod. 34 6. Num. 14 18. Psal. 86 15. Ier. 15 15 By all which not to mention the impertinency of that citation Esai 30 18. as also of that Ier. 15 15. as may appeare to any at the first view he can only inferre that which we do not deny viz. That God is long suffering and patient even towards the wicked But can he hence conclude that the wicked have power therefore of themselves without the Spirit of regeneration and grace to do what is commanded in reference to life eternal Let him essay this and give yet fuller proof of his Pelagianisme That wicked persons may forbear much wickedness and acts of iniquity without the special grace of God I readily grant and hereby turning from their former wicked courses may prevent their owne temporal ruine and hold off the judgments of God that are threatned and imminent as we see in the people of Nineve and in that wicked King Ahab and so that the old world might have prevented their destruction by turning from their evil wayes and hearkning to the counsel and command of Noah from the Lord who waited with patience 1 Pet. 3 20. All this is true but what is all this in reference to eternal Salvation Is it likewise in their power when they please to turne to the Lord and serve Him with a perfect heart and to walk before Him and bâ— perfect Ere we beleeve this we must see other proofs thereof than what is brought from the word of Command for that I suppose will reach even such whose day of Visitation is at end and to whom salvation is on this account impossible as this man saith 14. He foresaw that it would be answered that the long suffering mentioned 1 Pet. 3 20. was not unto salvation And therefore citeth as a parallel place to cleare that it was unto salvation 2 Pet. 3 15. But the man taketh no notice to whom the Apostle Peter is speaking there in his second Epistle see vers 9. explained and vindicated in the former Chapter They were these whom the Apostle looked upon as having obtained like pretious faith with him and others through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 1 1. and whom he stileth beloved Chap. 3 1 8 14 17. and such as were looking for the comeing of the day of God and for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness vers 12 13 14 and such as were in case to grow in grace in the knowledge of Iesus Christ vers 18 Now to these only and such as belonged to the Election of grace whom the Lord was yet to bring-in the Lord's delay to destroy the world with fire which is the long suffering here spoken of as vers 9. cleareth was salvation because he would want none of them that his body to which they belonged as members might be compleat But he tels us further to as little purpose that Peter in this matter looketh to Paul's writtings insinuating that this was the Catholick and common doctrine of the Church And why should it not be so as we have cleared it And Paul also in his Epistle to the Hebrewes which is the writing of Paul to them to whom Peter is now writing as appeares 1 Pet. 1 1. 2 Pet. 1 1. speaketh to this same purpose Heb. 10.35 to the end So that this man is in a fond mistake when he supposeth afterward that in this particular Peter hath his eye towards Paul's Epistle to the Romans Chap. 9. seing that Epistle was not written to them to whom Peter is here writing and that he meaneth such an Epistle as was writen to the same persons is clear from vers 15. Even as our beloved brother Paul also hath writen unto you It is true Peter addeth other Epistles of Paul wherein he speaketh of these things that Peter is here treating of which cannot be said of that place of his Epistle to the Romans And what he speaketh of our wresting of the Scriptures may as is evident enough from what is already said and will appear more ere we end with him without the hazard of a reproach be retorted upon himself and his party But we have some other thing to do than insist upon recriminations 15. He citeth next Pag 95. Rom. 2 4. and then asketh how these could be called riches and bounty unless there had been a time wherein they might have repented become partakers of these riches which were then offered Ans. These might have been the riches of God's goodness and forbearance and long suffering calling them to turne from their wickedness and not treasure up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath though nothing certanely accompanying salvation Nature may teach persons that God's bounty and goodness in spareâ—ng or not cutting off with remarkable judgments as he doth some and continueing life good things necessary for life notwithstanding they deserve to be cut off should be otherwise improven than by taking encouragement therefrom to sinne the more Shall temporal spareing favoures bestowed on such as deserve nothing but hell fire be in so small account with us Was it in their power without the grace of God upon the simple consideration of the goodness of God and his long suffering and patience towards them to repent savingly or could they have been made partakers of Salvation without saving Repentance One of these this Man must prove ere he can evince any thing hence proving salvation possible in his sense to all and every person And I suppose these words of the Apostle vers 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality Eternal life will import some other thing This seeking after glory and honour and immortality that by well doing or as the opposition made vers 8. cleareth by doing the truth obeying righteousness by working good as vers 10. and by continuance in well doing by patient continuance in well doing cannot sure be performed by any by the meer strength of Nature and without the Grace of God And how shall it be performed by them that know nothing of an Eternal life or of Glory and Honour and Immortality so cannot seek after it that in such a manner Will he say that all the Heathens Barbarians the Cannibals Men-eaters such as have little more of Men than the outward visage positure of the body are acquainted with these things can by their owne Industry Paines reach the crowne of immortal glory If he do not both affirme confirme this he proveth not his Universal Day of Visitation granted to every Mothers son in which they may if they please lay hold on eternal life 16. Thereafter § 20. he citeth Esai 5 1 2 3 4. and as parallel parables Mat 21 33. Mark 12 1. Luk. 20 9. which yet differ in several maine points a passage which his predecessours
it the Spirit supposing that Paul 1 Cor 3 16. maineth every man breathing when he saith know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and not remembering that the Apostle Rom. 8 9. maketh this the peculiar privilege of the Saints saying But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his But this is a maine business it doth not a little concerne him and his cause to shew a clear difference if there be any betwixt his opinion and that of Pelagians and Socinians and yet instead of doing this he runneth out in extravagancies to bewilder his Reader telling us Pag. 87. 88. that when the principle or rational propriety exalts it self to reigne and rule in spiritual things above the seed then the seed is wounded We know that corruption and carnal reason can and doth fight and strive against the grace of God in God's people and that in others it will rise up against the Truth and authority of God in the Scriptures But to imagine such a thing as either of these in persons living in heathenisme without God and without Christ without the very report of the Gospel is to dream wakeing And to call it Antichrist riseing-up against Christ as he doth call it is but a Notional juggle to hide their blasphemies 21. He goeth on to tell us his dreams for he saith as God created the sun to give light by day and the moon by night so he hath given to men the spiritual and divine light of his Son to rule them in Spiritual things and the light of reason to rule them in Natural things c. These are but impertinent fancies for he should cleare to us here how that which he calleth the Spiritual and divine Light of Christ which is in every man differeth from Nature or the Natural Enduements which accompany the Rational soul that it may appear that he is no Pelagian nor Socinian for we grant that there is a spiritual and divine light of Christ which only can savingly make the spiritual things of God manifest to the soul but this is not common to all but peculiar to God's peculiar ones if we may believe the Scripture and in this sense it is true which he saith That reason must be illuminated with this divine light before it can rightly take up Spiritual things but that divine light is some other thing then the Light within 22. Againe He would make us beleeve that this Light in every man he talketh of is distinguished from the Natural Conscience upon this ground that the Natural Conscience can be defiled Tit. 1 15. but the light cannot for it maketh manifest all things that are to be reproved Ephes. 5 13. But how cleareth he that the light that is in every man by nature cannot be defiled The Apostle in that cited place Tit. 1 15. sayes that the Mindes and Conscience and what light is in men is there of unbeleevers are defiled And as for that light mentioned Ephes. 5 13. He will never prove that is a light common to all men especially when the next verse restricketh it to them that awake out of sleep and are arisen from the dead which cannot I suppose be said of all men get this light from Christ. Sure such as are yet asleep yea dead can have no Spiritual light And they that are yet darkness are not light in the Lord vers 8. nor can they prove what is acceptable unto the Lord vers 10. not having yet received the Spirit which is in all goodness and righteousness and truth vers 9. So that the whole scope of the place manifesteth this mans detorsion thereof The Apostle is exhorting them who sometimes were darkness but now were light in the Lord to walk as Children of light and to reprove the unfruitful works of darkness vers 8 11. shewing what is the true nature of that light whereof they are now made partakers being light in the Lord and brought out of the state of darkness viz. to discover and make manifest such unworthy actions to the end they may be shuned and thought shame of What he addeth of conscience challenging and vexing for what is not wrong according to its misinformation is nothing to the purpose now in hand unless to give a convincing argument against himself and to shew that the Light in Turks who are challenged by their misinformed and deceived consciences for drinking of wine prohibited by Mahomet is nothing different from the darkness of their blinded consciences for how will he prove that there is any spiritual light in them witnessing the contrary of what their blinded and misguided conscience saith Of the same nature and import is that which he addeth Pag. 89. of the blinded conscience of Papists challenging for eating flesh in Lent But he addeth that the light of Christ will never consent to such abominations but taketh away blindness openeth the Intellect and directeth judgment and conscience All which is very true of the true light of Christ bestowed upon beleevers and revealed in his word but is most false of his Light which is in all men naturally and common to all the Sons of Adam Heathens Turks and Cannibals as well as Christians in name and thing And while the Quakers preach up this as a sure guide to life eternal they are abominable Pelagian and Socinian deceivers who should be fled from as the most impudent and sworne enemies of the Grace of God and of His Gospel that ever appeared out of the bottomless Pit a company of pure Pagan-preachers whose doctrine is Paganisme and driveth thereunto 23. In the last place as a plaister to cover all the deformities of his opinion hithertil held forth he tels us that this light and seed is not the power and faculty of the mans soul whereof a man is master and can exercise when he will if no natural defect hinder for a man cannot stirre up when he pleaseth this Light and seed but it moveth and breatheth and contendeth with men as the Lord seeth good so that a man even though he hath some sense of his misery cannot when he will by his stirring up of this light attaine tenderness of heart but he must attend to that which at certain times cometh upon all in which it wonderfully mollifieth and warmeth the heart and worketh in the man at which time if the man resist not but joyn with it he obtaineth salvation thereby And he compareth it with the Spirits moving the waters of Bethesda not Bethsaida as he saith and addeth that God in love to all mankinde worketh so in the heart by this seed at certain singular times setting their sins in order before their eyes inviting to repentance and offering remission of sinnes and salvation which if man refuse not he may be saved
Then he is so perswaded of the truth hereof that he is assured no man that readeth this and dealeth honestly with his own heart in the sight of God will not acquiesce thereunto and in some measure be sensible thereof Closeing with this Epiphonema That this is the pretious day of visitation which who soever resisteth not shall be happy for ever This is the day of the Lord which is as lightning shining from east to west and as the winde or the Spirit breathing into the soul and its sound is heard but we know not whence it cometh and whither it goeth 24. To all which I shall shortly reply beginning at what is last 1. That Spirit whereof Christ speaketh Ioh. 3. that bloweth where it listeth waiteth not for mans not-resisting no more then the winde whereunto Christ there likeneth it And it througheth its effect the new birth for he addeth so is every one that is borne of God will this man dar to say that all Men in the world are partakers of this new birth 2. How impertinet that other expression is which Christ hath Mat. 24 27. unto the purpose which this man is now handling he may read that runneâ—h tâ— But it is usual for these men to play thus boldly with the Scriptures as men that have not the fear of God before their eyes 3. He taketh no notice that his writings are not likely to come into the hands of Heathens Pagans Turks and Barbarians And so his Proclamation of this day of visitation and faire opportunity of Salvation to all is but vaine 4. We are to see afterward if he can prove from Scripture that God hath planted such a Seed in every man 5. He saith here that God hath certain singular times wherein he thus cometh but in the preceding Chapter we observed another account of this day of Visitation as of a day that did not goe and come againe as the Angels moving of the waters of Bethesda Or he must say that this day cometh but once in a mans whole life time so that if men repent not at that very houre or moment they shall never be saved And if this be his doctrine it is neither consonont to his expressions elsewhere not to the Scriptures nor is it comfortable to either one or other 6 It is absolutely false That God offereth remission of sins salvation to every man upon condition of non-refusal for He offereth remission and salvation to none but in Christ and that upon the condition of faith in Jesus as the whole Gospel cleareth And this offer is not made to any to whom the Gospel is not preached for it is the Gospel wherby life and immortality is brought to light and wherein Christ is held forth as the Propitiation it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1 16 17. So that this mans doctrine destroyeth the whole Gospel and rendreth the whole administration thereof useless yea it taketh away the death of Christ and his merites and blood shed when it taketh away faith that must lay hold upon it 7. What is this not-dissenting not-refusing that he talks of The Arminians spoke at this rate Is this any thing else than the use of Free will at whose devotion Christ and his Salvation is This even this with the Pelagianizing Socinianizing and Arminianizing Quakers is the thing that must weare the crowne and have all the glory of our Salvation and to it must the everlasting songs be sung Glory honour and Praise must be given to our owne noble and well inclined Freewill that did not resist nor refuse in the day of visitation Let never my soul come into these mens secrete 8. That God wonderfully warmeth and mollifieth the heart of every son of Adam at some one time or other is meer Quakerisme that is to say a vaine dream And that God wonderfully mollifieth warmeth the heart of a man in reference to salvation and that yet the man may refuse the call and perish may be true or false according as that mollifying warming is interpreted But if it be taken for the gracious working of the Spirit of God as it may be he will take it he proclameth Armianisme If he take it for some common operation of the Spirit yet say that mans not resisting of this alone without any more will certainly prove saving he preacheth forth Pelagianisme and denieth the necessity of the grace of God 9. In fine we see that this Plaister will not cover the sore Nor free him from the charge of Pelagianisme For Pelagius said as much and more as Vossius Hist. Pelag lib. 3. part 2. Thes. 4. cleareth out of Augustine for he tels us that Pelagius explaining the nature of that grace which he at length came to acknowledge said it did nor consist in the Law only but in the help and adjutorium of God But this Quaker will not admit the grace of the Law or doctrine of Christ for the preaching of the Gospel with him is not necessary unto Salvation Yet hear Pelagius The Lord helpeth us said he by his Doctrine and Revelation while be openeth the eyes of our heart while he illuminateth us with the ineffable gift of his heavenly grace Is not this as much as this Quaker saith when he speaketh of Gods stirring up this light that is within every man Nay it is more for Pelagiuâ— hereby granted a real operation of the Spirit upon the Minde illuminating it by an unspeakable gift of heavenly grace but our Quakers illumination is nothing but God's putting the natural conscience to work And will this Quaker say more then or as much a Pelagius said on these words God worketh in us both to will and to do God doth this said he while he stirreth us up by the greatness of future glory and the promise of reward and while by the revelation of wisdom he stirreth up the lazie will unto the love of God and while he perswadeth to every thing that is good Will this Quaker say that God doth even this much to every one of the Heathens What Knowledge of the greatness of future glory or of the promise of the rich recompence of reward what Revelation of Wisdom What Love to the true and only God is or can be imagined to be among all and every one of the Heathens Pelagius did very carefully distinguish betwixt Posse Velle Agere And he said the first did properly belong to God who bestowed it upon his Creature But the other two were wholly of man Now all that this Quaker ascribeth here to God is but he first possibility for the man is left at liberty to will or nill as he pleaseth and to operate or not operate as he thinketh good This Possibility Pelagius said every man had whether he would or not but the will and the deed was in his own power Hath not our Quake
are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3 18. The text saith not that this light is and was shall be in every man Quakers are good at dreaming 30. Then be saith That Iohn tels us vers 7. to what end this light is given viz. that all might beleeve by it for he will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be meaned of the Light and not of Iohn But the man is busie here seeking a knot in a rush The Euangelist tels us what was the end for which Iohn was sent to wit to bear witness of the Light that all through him might beleeve that is through him as an instrument for he was the Eliah the Prophet that was to come to turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers Mal. 4 5.6 Mat. 11 14. Mark 9 11. he was to turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God for he was to go before him in the Spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and disobedient to the wisdome of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord Luk. 1 16 17. He was the prophet of the Highest and was to goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes To give knowledg of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sinnes c. Luk. 1 76 77 78 79. So that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly referre to Iohn who was but an Instrument by whom his hearers were brought to beleeve in Christ the true Light And to Iohn do Cyrillus Chrysostomus and all the Latine Greek Commentators except Theophylact referre it And the very genuine aspect and series of the words enforce it this being the end of Iohns ministrie and witness-bearing that by him and through his Ministrie all his hearers might be brought to faith in the true Light for this was the intendment of all his labour and paines as we see Ioh. 3 36. Act. 19 4. But this Quaker would make us beleeve that to interpret the words so is to contradict the scope of the context for it is Christ sayes he that enlightens all with this light And is not this that they might beleeve by it Ans. It is true it is the true Light that enlighteneth all And He as an efficient cause doth thereby work faith in all that are enlightened but nevertheless by Iohn Baptist as an Instrument might his hearers be brought to beleeve in Christ the true Light and what way doth this contradict the scope He addeth All could not beleeve by Iohn for his Ministrie came not to all Ans. Thence let him learne how to interpret these universal particles So it is said Mat. 21 26. all held Iohn for a prophet yet many in the world never heard of Iohn but the meaning is all that knew his ministrie and so here all to whom his ministrie came indefinitely without exception of any But all sayes he enlightened with the light might have beleeved thereby Ans. Nay all enlightened with this saving light should certainly have believed for this Illumination giveth not a bare power to believe but certainly worketh the effect Iohn saith he further did not shine in darkness but this Light shineth in darkness that darkness being dissipated it might beget faith Ans. And what then Ergo by Iohns ministrie men could not be brought to beleeve in the true light This is a Quakers Consequence that is ridiculous But lastly he sayes we must beleeve by that in which communion is had with God but by walking in the Light we obtaine this communion not by walking in Iohn Answ. Our walking in the light is our enjoying communion with God as the text at which he glanceth 1 Ioh. 1 7. doth cleare Our walking in the light is a fruite of faith and not the cause of it though it may be a cause of its increase and confirmation What is that to beleeve by walking in the light Though not by walking in Iohn yet by hearing receiving of his doctrine men might be brought to beleeve in Christ for he came to beare witness of the true Light and faith cometh by hearing As we have received Christ so must we walk in him Col. 2 6. but receiving goeth before walking and is not effectuated by walking 31. He spends sometime Pag. 99. to prove that this Light here mentioned is supernatural saving sufficient and foundeth all upon this that it is the light of Christ whereby all ought to beleeve And thus subdolously foisteth-in his corrupt errours his Pelagian and Arminian conceipts with a special artifice that the unwarry Reader may be infected with his poison But 1 we know no Supernatural and Saving Light or Grace which is only Sufficient and not Efficacious and Effectual or such as will certainly produce the effect Supernatural sufficient grace to believe not only giveth the man a spiritual Power to beleeve but powerfully insuperably invincibly effectually Inclineth Moveth Draweth and Determineth the heart to beleeve and efficaciously worketh the Effect and produceth Faith in the soul. As for his meerly Sufficient Grace he hath learned it in the Iesuites Arminians and Pelagians school not in the Scriptures Though there be a Light granted even in the works of Creation and Providence which may convince of a Deity and of several duties called for at the hands of men which may and doth render such as come short inexcusable Rom. 1 20. And though a greater Light be granted in the dispensation of the Gospel to convince and render more inexcusable such as beleeve not yet we know of no Saving Light Sufficient to salvation granted to all even of such as heare the Gospel far less to all Heathens for as to this all naturally are blinde and dead and no grace can be sufficient but that which quickeneth and giveth eyes to see and eares to hear and hearts to understand and overpowereth all in the man that maketh head against Christ. In what sense then can it be true that saving sufficient Light is given to all Can that which is a meerly Natural Power produce a spiritual and Supernatural effect As soon may a beast produce acts of reason or a vegetable plant do acts of sense for these are effects of another Nature and of an higher sphere and require a suteable principle If it be said By acting that which is Natural we may procure or make way for what is Spiritual and Supernatural We enquire where there is any such promise or appointment of God giving ground for this assertion Nay if it were so we should be called according to our works and not according to his grace contrare to 2 Tim. 1 9. Tit. 3 5. Rom. 9 15 16. If it be said That these words To him that hath shall be given include such a promise that such as improve nature aright shall obtaine grace
with such dottages Either sure these men are meer mockers or they are under a judicial stroke of blindness and infatuation But sayes he This word is really sowne in the stonny and thorny ground as well as in the good Alas poor man thinks he that every word in a parable must be pressed thus till it bleed Who ever heard rational men speak thus And though it were so this will not speak for all the world a great part whereof heare nothing of this word Nay nor for all within the Church or that heare the word for open mockers contemners and persecuters of the word belong neither to the rocky nor thorny ground nor to the way side What he citeth out of Victor Antiochemis from Vossius Hist. Pelag. is utterly impertinent for it speaketh nothing of all the world but of such only as hear the word preached and to this end only Vossius himsef adduceth it as may be seen by his Thesis And any that read Victor's words may see that he speaketh of the preached word and not of the Quakers substance and vehicle a fanciful dream 34. He urgeth next Pag. 102. the Parable of the Talents Mat. 25. saying he that had but two talents and had improved them for his masters advantage was accepted as well as he who had five and he that had but one might have done the same And hence he inferreth that though every one hath not the same measure of grace yet every one hath that measure which is sufficient Ans. The maine thing is not here confirmed viz. That this Talent is a substantial thing and not that grace which is but an accident I beleeve he saw that what is spoken of improving these talents could not well agree to his substantial Seed and Light and far less the hideing of the one talent Nor 2. Hath he proved that these talents signifie saving grace and not meer gifts of the Spirit which are given for the good of the Church Nor 3. Hath he said any thing to cleare that by these servants are meant all the men and women in the world and not the officers of the Church or others that are gifted living within the Church These things he must clear and demonstrate before he can make any use of this Parable and till he finde himself in case to do this we proceed 35. In the third place he saith § 23. This saving seed is the Gospel which the Apostle saith Col. 1 23. was preached in every creature And the Gospel is not a bare declaration of good things but the power of God Rom. 1 16. for though the word figuratively and by a metonimy signifie the outward declaration yet properly it is that inward power vertue and life whereby the Annunciation of good things is preached in the hearts of all offering salvation unto them and willing to redeem them from their sinnes and therefore it is said to be preached in every creature when many hear not the external Gospel Ans. 1. The Gospel which was preached was the doctrine delivered by men whereof Paul himself was a Minister But that seed which he talketh of which he saith is abideing as a substance in every man is not that which Paul anâ— others whose feet were beautiful did preach That needeth no preacher for it is its owne preacher and requireth no more but hearing and obedience 2. Thus also the vanity of that criticisme upon the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which before we had occasion to shew to have various significations is manifest for how could that which was already in every creature be said to be preached in every creature And when was this preached in every creature Was it from the beginning of the world This he must say or he saith nothing And doth this place prove that 3. The Gospel which was preached in every creature to follow the Quakers interpretation was the same Gospel which the Colossians had heard of their faithful Ministers and that was not a substance within them that belonged neither to soul nor body 4. The terme every creature is but an hyperbolick expression as the words following under heaven are a Pleonasmus shewing the large and illimited spreading of the newes of salvation to all Nations indifferently without Restriction or Exception whereby the New Testament is differenced from the Old Test. as we fully manifested Chap. VIII and is sufficiently explained vers 28. where every man must not betaken in its full extent as if Paul and the rest of the Apostles had spoken in the hearing of every man then breathing far less can it be meaned of every man that died before they were borne and are borne since their death Here also we hear of all wisdom yet we must not think that Paul and the rest taught Physicks Metaphysickes or Politicks c. 5. The Gospel which was preached to every Creature is explained vers 25. and called the word of God and vers 26. it is called the mystery which hath bin hid from ages and from generations but was now made manifest to his Saints But according to the Quakers Principles their Gospel light and seed was neveâ— hid but in all ages was in all and every one and alike manifest and clear in it self 6. The Gospel which Paul preached and whereof he was not ashamed Rom. 1 16. is that meane which God is pleased to make use of whereby to exert his power in the conversion of souls and upon this account is called the power of God So that the very preaching of the Gospel when blessed of God is a powerful meane of salvation being accompanied with faith in the hearers is a meane of begetting faith as Paul tels us Rom. 10. when he saith that faith cometh by hearing 7. He should have told us in what place of Scripture the word Gospel is taken properly in his sense for that inward Strength Power Life which is common to all Men for till he do this we shall account him but a babler 8. We deny all such thing within every man be it a substance or an accidens that offereth salvation and redemption from sins to every man And account it a greater Antichristian expression and assertion than ever Pelagius had the confidence to maintaine And beyond what any Socinian ever durst vent Yea I look upon it as a real and substantial overturning of the whole Gospel of the Grace of God and of our Salvation being nothing but pure paganisme and this Man doth hereby sufficiently declare himself to be a Pagan preacher 36. He addeth Pag. 105. That Paul saith Rom. 1. that in the Gospel was revealed not only the righteousness of God from faith to faith but the wrath of God also against all such as detain the truth of God in unrighteousness Ans. The Apostle saith no such thing but to confirme the absolute necessity of the Gospel and that there is no salvation to any â—ew or Gentile but by the Gospel he beginneth with the
Proposition which he divideth in two we shall examine it in its parts And in this Chapter we shall consider what he sayeth on the first part referring the examination of the second part unto the next Chapter 4. As to what concerneth the operations of this Light whereof he talketh before I come to a particular examination of what he speaketh here thereof I must turne a little back and consider somethings that remaine to be examined of what he was pleased to set down for clearing the question as he said and explaining his meaning in these Propositions which seeme to relate to what he is here about to prove lest he blame me for passing over any thing he was pleased to say for clearing of his meaning I must therefore turn back to Pag. 90. of his Apology § 17. where he tels us he must speak somethings of the way how this seed worketh in the hearts of men and this he saith he the rather doth that it may thereby appear how they ascribe all their salvation unto the Grace and Spirit of God and differ from Pelagians and Arminians In this designe if he be in case to effectuate the thing I cannot but commend him and because I am loath to Father any more upon them then their expressions give me just ground I shall the more narrowly take notice of what he saith 5. To this question If equal and sufficient grace be given to all must not the cause why one is saved and another not be in man who useth grace well when the other doth not This is a question which I confesse I see not how any Pelagian Arminian Iesuite or Quaker can so answere as to ascribe the salvation of man unto the pure Grace Spirit of God Let us see what he answereth Grace sais he and light granted to all is sufficient to save all and of its own nature will save all and contendeth with all and operateth so as it may save all He who resisteth is the cause of his own damnation who resisteth not it becometh his salvation In him that is saved the work is of grace not of man and that which is mans is rather a passion than an action The first progress is not by co-operating but by not opposeing or counter-working Moreover we beleeve saith he that in that special time of every mans visitation as man of himself is wholly impotent for working with grace so neither can he make the least progress out of his natural state till grace lay hold on him So that it is possible for him to suffer and not resist as it is also possible for many to resist But this answere is not satisfactory For 1. By what Scripture it can be asserted that the Spirit of God or his Grace is given to all and that in a measure sufficient to save all even as well to such as are without the Visible Church and live in heathenisme as to such as are within the visible Church and are actual beleevers I am yet to learne 2. what meaneth he by that sufficient to save all A thing may be said to be sufficient for such an end or work eiâ—her Absolutely or only in a certaine respect That which is absolutely sufficient is â—haâ— which alone without the concurrence of any other thing can effectuate or attaine that end unto which it is said to be sufficient That which is only sufficient in a certain respect or in its own place and order is that which alone can never attaine or effectuat the end but only in so far as its own sphere can reach and so it is only sufficient in its own kinde and no more it can help so far but no further 3. The Iesuites I know with their foreman Molina make much of the distinction of grace into that which is only Sufficient and that which is effectual or efficacious and with them the Arminians joine themselves in the asserting of this distinction and in the explication thereof other Papists also such as the late Thomists and Iansenists do use this distinction but diversly explained and both in a way far different from the way of the Molinists and Arminians Now because our Quaker in this mater so far as I see joineth with the Iesuites and Arminians and is not pleased to give us his plaine and full meaning we must see what way these Iesuites and Arminians explaine this mater that we may therebâ— come to understand his meaning the better The Iesuites foreman Molina will have that called sufficient grace which alone without any more on God's part can produce the effect so that thereby alone man may be wrought up to Faith Conversion if he will and this Quaker ordinarily saith if he do not resist which is one and the same thing upon the mater This Sufficient Grace and Help is said to be given as well to such as shall never be converted as to such as shall be converted and this saith our Quaker also This Sufficient Grace is with them distinguished into that which is Effectual when the effect and work followeth and that which is Ineffectual when the effect and work followeth not So that the difference betwixt Sufficient and Effectual grace is only taken from the Effect and this effect doth wholly depend upon Mans will and mans will maketh this difference or maketh this sufficient grace become Effectual or ineffectual nothing else for there is nothing in that grace which is called Effectual more then in that which is Sufficient Sufficient grace being upon God's part absolutely sufficient to worke the effect if man will be tractable and not resist but concurre and comply therewith without any further addition of grace yea and without any other requisite beside the actual consent of man and no more can be said of that grace which is called Effectual And thus all the difference is from the Event and the Event doth wholly depend upon man so that when the same measure of Sufficient Grace is given to two persons the one beleeveth because he willingly consenteth the other beleeveth not because he will not comply but resist yea they tell us that it may so fall out that he who beleeveth not may have a greater measure of that Sufficient Grace then he who beleeved and this mans will was better natured and more pliable then the will of the other and he complied because he would when he might had he pleased refused and not have been converted not only in sensu diviso as they speak but even in sensu composito With these the Arminians do wholly agree upon the mater for they say that Sufficient grace is the same with Effectual only distinguished by the effects following the one and not the other through mans free will consenting when the other put a bar in the way They will not have the Efficacy of grace placed in any omnipotent manner of its operation nor in the determination of the will of man thereby but in its obtaining the
Light and Grace whereof he talketh and which he will have common to all men breathing His saying that the Word of which he spoke is lively and penetrating c. Is no proofe For that word is not a Word or Seed or Grace implanted in every man as we shewed He addeth this seed is called the manifestation of the Spirit given to every man to profite for it is written that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body And Peter ascribeth this birth unto this seed 1 Pet. 1. being born againe not of corruptible seed c. Ans. 1. If this Seed be the manifestation of the Spirit whereof Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 12 7. It is not common to all the world for the Apostle is there speaking of the Church whereof the Corinthians who were sanctified in Christ Jesus called saints 1 Cor. 1 1. were a part and being an homogeneal part are called the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12 27. Where doth this Quaker read in the Scriptures that Heathens and such as are without the Church are called the Body of Christ 2. Nay if this seed be the manifestation of the Spirit it is so far from being common to all men that it is not common to all Church members For these gifts as they are called vers 4. were peculiar only to some members of the Church given in order to Administrations Operations vers 5 6. are particularly specified vers 8 9 10. Therefore saith the Apostle vers 11 12. But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit divideing to every man severally as he will for as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ. Which is abundantly confirmed by the scope and whole contexture of the discourse 3. The Apostle for pressing of union and concord among the members of the Church of Corinth with an edifying use of their several gifts saith vers 13. That by one Spirit all we are baptized into one body c. that is that by baptisme all the Professours of the Name of Iesus are outwardly made members of the visible body of Christ and such as are really baptized by the Spirit and made partakers of his grace are made members of the invisible mystical body of Christ and so should lay forth themselves in the use of their gifts and graces for the common good of the whole body And what I pray can this make for the Quakers point Doth the Apostle say that this is common to all such as never were baptized nor heard thereof or did never partake of the other Sacrament imported by these words made to drink c. in the end of the verse as some suppose And if not what way will this Quaker hence prove the operation of the new birth by that which is common to all men breathing The Apostle it is true saith here whether Iewes or Gentiles Yet he meaneth only such as are comprehended under we that is such as were already members of the Church Will this Quaker say that all and every man are baptized by the Spirit and have bin made to drink into one Spirit Then I suppose he will next say That all must needs be saved 4. As for that Word or Seed whereof Peter speaketh every one may see that will beleeve Peter himself Chap. 1. vers last that this word of the Lord which is the incorruptible seed which liveth abideth for ever is not any thing abideing in all men but is that which is preached by the Gospel 14. He proceedeth and saith Though this seed in the first manifestation be small as a graine of mustard seed Mat 13 31 32. and though it be hid in the earthy part of mans heart yet life and salvation is hid in it and is revealed according as they yeeld unto it And in this seed the kingdom of heaven doth potentially lurk to be produced or rather exhibited as it getteth ground is nourished and is not suffocated Answ. 1. Are not these noble proofs Do the Quakers think that we are bound to take their groundless and inconsistent assertions for probations 2. How can this seed have its manifestation and yet be hid and latent 3. Hath a natural carnal unregenerat and heathen man a spiritual part of an heart or is the heart of every man partly earthly and partly heavenly and why doth this seed lye hid in the earthy part and not in the heavenly part of the heart are these any thing but Quakers dreames or new Pelagian Notions sufficiently confuted above 4. This must needs be a hid salvation which is hid in a seed which is hid in the earthy part of mans heart and that even in its first manifestation What idle fancies do these men feed upon 5. This hid salvation must be a wonderful salvation for it is revealed according as these in whom it is hid yeeld unto it But must it not first work appear in its operations before men can yeeld to it who can yeeld to a latent lurking thing that worketh not nor appeareth not 6. If Salvation be hid in this seed the kingdom of heaven is more then potentially in it for we say not that an apple is hid in the seed especially seing he saith that this kingdom of heaven is not produced as the seed can produce in its way a tree its fruit but rather exhibited 7. This seed he saith is already hid in the earthy part of mans heart and if so sure it hath ground how can he then say that it is exhibited as it getteth ground 8. The summe of all is pur◠Pelagianisme or worse viz. that there is something in every man which is sufficient of it self to Produce Grace Glory Life and Salvation if man will be but that well natured as to suffer it to work not suffocate it so that there is no need either of the outward Preaching of the Gospel or of the inward Operation of the Spirit upon the minde which Pelagius at length did acknowledge let be of the special Operation of the Spirit of grace renewing the will and creating a new heart of flesh c. This is doctrine for Pagans indeed 15. But how is this proven He citeth Luk. 17 20 21. and would have n◠beleeve that Christ saith there that the Kingdom of Heaven was in the Pharisees But judicious Calvin thinketh these words were spoken to the disciples upon occasion of that question of the Pharisees And though we take them as spoken to the Pharisees it will not hence follow that this Kingdom was already in them though the greek preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be used which as was showne above doth not alwayes carry this import as might be evidenced by a number of places as Luk. 14 1. Mark 13 24. where it importeth after So Mat. 20 26. Luk. 16 15. Rom. 16 7. 1 Cor. 2 6 Rom. 8 29. 1 Thes. 5
this mans doctrine who seemeth to be one of the most sober among them all have we found any thing hithertil but Pelagianisme Secinianisme Arminianisme Enthusiasme Antiscripturisme Yea and Paganisme c have we seen any thing that doth not directly enough tend to overthrow the whole Gospel And what further we are to hear a little patience will help us to see He talks that they teach no new doctrine But doctrine more diametrically opposite yea contradictory to the whole Gospel of the grace of God a man shall finde no where else in such an heape So that albeit they should pretend to Miracles as they do to Immediat Revelations of the Spirit of God should do somethings more then ordinary like wonders I should account them but lying wonders their coming to be after the working of Satan according to 2 Thes. 2 3. Yea though an angel from heaven should come to head them and preach the doctrine which they preach I should remember that word of Paul's Gal. 1 vers 8 9. And therefore must account these Quakers no more Christians but an Antichristian Antievangelick brood of men acted and led by an evil Spirit designing the destruction of the Gospel and the setting up of Paganisme What he saith § 13. about the Independants and their gifted Brethren is not worth the noticeing for as to the matter he referreth us to what he had said before upon the Scriptures and we have eâ—amined Chap. IV. Only I would enquire If as he saith no man can know by the Scriptures that he in particular is called to be a Minister and therefore must recurre to an Inward and Immediat Testimony of the Spirit he must also say that no man can know that another is a Minister but by the Inward and Immediat Testimony of the Spirit and therefore he cannot be offended at us that we do not beleeve that he and the rest of the Quakers are sent of God because we have no Inward and Immediat Testimony of the Spirit concerning this and we are confident never shall have from the Spirit of God And though the Scriptures do not particularly and expresly tell us that Robert Barclay is a false Teacher and ought to be shuned as a false Teacher it saith that which is enough to us concerning him and his complices when it saith that all that bring another Gospel are to be accounted accursed and the whole Scripture that pointeth forth and declareth the Truth and condemneth their Errours as we have seen and shall see is as good to us as an Immediat Testimony saying the Quakers and particularly Robert Barclay are deceivers yea better more sure for some men can take the dreams of their owne head the impressions of Satan upon their phantasie for immediat testimonies of the Spirit of God but enough of this above Chap. III. 15. But he hath something Pag. 190. § 14. that would seem to answere that question we just now proposed for after hee hath againe nakedly told us that this extraordinary call for he nameth it so here is as well necessary when the Church is setled as when it is under a general Apostacy he saith that such as are thus called are made manifest in the mindes of their brethren and their call is verified in them who by the sensation of that life and virtue that floweth out by them are dâ—yly edified in their most holy faith and become the signes of their Apostleshipe according to 2 Cor. 13 v. 3. Ans. 1. But as yet there is no Inward Testimony of the Spirit directly saying that such men are truely called and without this in his judgment they cannot be said to be taught and led of the Spirit nor can they beleeve without this 2. Is this manifestation alwayes at every discourse or sometimes only Is it upon all their hearts or upon some only It may be there lyeth an answere in these words their brethren But the signes of the Apostleshipe of Paul were among strangers whom he converted and brought in to the faith And if this manifestation be alwayes and upon all present he layeth down a ground to question Christs Apostleshipe and Call for his preaching had not alwayes this effect as is notoure Nor Pauls and Barnabas theirs among the Jewes as the book of the Acts sheweth and 2 Thes. 2. Nay let that word be considered 2 Cor. 2 15 16. for we are unto God a sweet savour in Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life And that Esai 49 4. Then said I I have laboured in vaine I have spent my strength for nought and in vaine surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work with my God and that Esai 53 Who hath believed our report And to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed if he think it enough that this manifestation be made sometimes upon the the mindes of some Alas Poor man thinks he that there are none of all the servants of Christ who dar not be so bold as he is to pretend a Divine Immediat Call through an Extraordinary and Immediat Revelation that can say the same and that upon a more just account As for his brethren they are under the same delusion with their Teachers and the sensation they have of life and vertue is but the sensation of the workings of delusion and no edification or building up in the holy faith but in opposition to that faith which was once delivered to the saints as is manifest to all that heare them and read their books and as this book which is now under examination hath made more manifest to me than all that ever I heard or read of them before 15. He addeth This is that which giveth the true and substantial call and title unto the Minister whereby he is a real successour of the vertue and power that was in the Apostles Ans. 1. Then the extraordinary call was no true and substantial call or title Then Ezechiel who was sent to a rebellious house that would not heare had no true and substantial call nor Moses when he was sent unto Pharaoh 2. They who are a savour of death unto death to some may yet for all that be successours to the Apostles 3. But I see what this man would be at The Quaker-Preachers though as we have manifested above nothing in truth but Pagan preachers must be the only successours of the Apostles and Possessours of the power and vertue that was in them What more Such Ministers stand not in need of the ceremony of Ordination and Imposition of hands Ans. Why then were hands laid upon Paul Barnabas Act. 13 3. And why had Timothy the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4 14. If such made use of this ceremony shall any Minister now a dayes think it below him to do the like But sayes he Our adversaries
workings of the Prince of darkness tickling their fanciâ—s and complying with their blinded minds and corrupt humores and hereby draw strength and confirmation to their abominable errours and practices and are more deeply rooted and fixed in the same howbeit contrary to the divine light of the Word of God to the very light of Nature and pure Reason and to all the true experiences of the holy and upright walkers with God and are more fortified and animated in their rage and opposition to all the wayes of God And sure I am the Saints of God though they will not with such a pharisaical froathy ostentation talk of their enjoyments as these wicked deceivers do on all occasions to set forward the desperat designes of the Devil in them and by them yet know what rich incomes of Joy unspeakable and full of glory of Strength and Encouragment in the wayes of the Lord of Peace Serenity of soul of Light and Consolation satisfying all their desires and making their souls to run over and all this in compliance and harmony with the word for a verification and accomplisment of the rich promises of the New Covenant ordered in all things and sure and confirmation of the truth and reality of the workings of the grace of God in their soul whereâ—y they were to their owne feeling sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of their inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory they have had in this Ordinance Melting their hearts with true tenderness and godly sorrow and Kniting their souls more firmly in love to God in Christ and Engaging them to run the wayes of the Lord with all chearfulness enlargedness of heart and delectaâ—ion and to Strive against the enemies of the glory of God and of their salvation whether within or without with more courage alacrity and resolution of soul So that I am perswaded they will upon this very account detest and abominate tâ—ese co-workers with Satan and finde themselves called of God for his glory their owne security to remove far from their tents who drive such a desperate and hellish designe against heaven and against all the Interests of Jesus Christ their Lord and Saviour 4. These desperate Despisers of the goodness and condescensions of love malacious Opposers of all the wayes of God in manifest mockage substitute our ordinary repasts in the room of this soul-feeding Ordinance for thus speaketh that blasphemous wretch Ia. Nayler in his love to the lost Pag 45. as Mr Stalham citeth him in his book for the sake of such who are lost in this thing troubled in mind concerning it what I have received of the Lord that I shall declare unto you which all shall witness to which come to partake thereof as the truth is in Iesus Christ. If you intend to sup with the Lord or shew the Lord's death till he come let your eating and drinking so oft as you do it be in remembrance of him and in his fear that at death you may witness to the lust and excess c. And Pag. 43. he said this was to be done at all seasons when they eat and drank and Pag. â—4 that the Lord commanded his disciples in eating and drinking to shew forth his death till he come to avoide excess and becomeing reprobats in the faith Is not tâ—is a sufficient discovery of the Spirit that acteth them 5 Let us now come to examine what this our Quaker saith in this matter and passing his intrade wherein after his manner he upbraideth all with their ignorance of this mystery as if they only were admitted to the secrets of God and acquanted with the mysteries hid from all the generations of the Christian Châ—rch we come to the answere he giveth to that question what is that body which we eat and that blood which we drink which is this Pag. 288. It is sayes he That celestial seed that divine and spiritual substance of which we spoke Thes. 5. 6. that vehicle or spiritual body of Christ whereby he communicateth life and salvation to all that believe in and receive him by which also man obtaineth communion with God To which we need say nothâ—ng here having fully discovered above Chap. X. what this Seed Substance and Vehicle is in their judgment to wit nothing but what is in every Son of Adam as he comâ—th into the world the dimme light of a natural conscience and of a reasonable soul having some dark notions of a God and of some principles of morality without the least imagination or apprehension of any of the wayes of the grace of God revealed in the Gospel yea which hath a native and inbred enmity at and antipathy against the mysteries of love and grace manifested in the Gospel This this is the Quakers Christ the Food of their souls the Substance whereupon they feed this is all that true bread which they have to eat And while he calleth it a substance he joyneth with the old Heracleonites who said thâ—t man was composed of a Body of a Soul and of a third Substance And the hearkning unto and believing this Natural thing which is in all â—eathens and Pagans receiving its light is all their Feast and all the meanes of Communion which they have or expect to have with God so that it is sufficiently manifest that the hieght of their Religion is moralized Paganisme And yet he dar say that â—his is confirmed Iohn 6. from v. 32. to the end And thereby give us to understand that they acknowledge no other true bread which the Father giveth from heaven but this which all Turks and Pagans have This is their Jesus and their Bread of God that came down from heaven and this is the only thing that giveth them life so that they shall never hunger nor thirst They are given of the Father to this thing and by this will they be raised up at the last day when they hearken to this then they are taught of God and have learned of the Father according to the writings of the Prophets yea if they but believe this they have everlasting life for this is their Bread of life whereof if they eat they shall not die but live forever this is with them the flesh that was given for the life of the world this is all the flesh they eat and all the blood they drink and thus they dwell in Christ and Christ in them O what a desperate delusion is this What a wonder is it that men who believe they have immortal souls and have ever heard of the Gospel dar thus speak and metamorphose the whole Gospel into pure Paganisme This sure must be a more than ordinary judicial stroke of blindness delusion of a reprobat minde and of a perverse Spirit with which these men are manifestly plagued and the Devil must have an extraordinary power in them and over them acting and driveing them
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
He addeeh Hâ—nce againe because we say to them when they clatter and determine of the resurrection that it were more necessary for them to know the righteous one whom they have killed in themselves to be arisen that they may be made partakers of the first resurrection and that if that be they will be more able to judge of the second they say we deny the resurrection of the body Answ. What unsavoury language is that clattering about a resurrection Is this spoken like a Châ—istian Is the Resurrection such an inconsiderable thing with him Or is it a meer problem or a thing that shall never be Next see we not here in his owne words a confirmation of what we were last saying to wit that the Quakers deny a Christ without dying and riseing and all advantage for us thereby What meaneth he by the killing of the just one within us and the riseing againe of that just one Is that the just one crucified at Ierusalem whereof Peter speaketh Act. 3 14. And Stephen speaketh Act. 7 52. and Ananias Act. 22 14 And if not to what else teâ—deth this but to banish away the very historical fâ—ith of that But now as to the Resurrection if he beleeve any such thing how cometh it that in all his great book he hath made no mention thereof Is it no article of our faith Or is it a whimsey and a fictitious notion Then let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die and no matter whether we be Quakers or Christians Againe seing he made no meâ—tion of hâ—s fundamental article in his whole book who did he not upoâ— this occasion speak alittle to it to manifest his râ—al beleefe of it And as to others of the Quakers they give at best a most instinct sound in this point wherein they are worse then some heathen philosophers as may be seen in Mr Hicks 1. Dial. Pag. 57. c. But Turnâ—r a Quaker is more positive against it disproving it by these arguments If the bodies of men rise againe then there is a preheminence in the bodies of Men above the bodies of Beasts which is to give Solomon the lie Eccles. 3 19. Againe If the bodies of men should rise againe this is to give Iob the lie who saith The eyes that see me shall see me no more Iob 7 8. And 3. That flesh and blood shall not inherite the Kingdom of God The same Mr Hicks in his Quakers appeal answered p. 21. sheweth how Will. Pen in several of his books denieth the resurrection saying Such a resurrection is inconsistent with Scripture reason and the beliefe of all men right in their wits And againe for shame let us never make so much stir against the doctrine of Transubstantiation For the absurdity of that is rather outdone than equaled by this carnal resurrection And againe he calleth it a barbarous conceit Mr Faldo in his book against them Chap. 17. cleareth how they speak of a Resurrection and meaneth thereby only Regeneration and showeth how they shift the giving of any distinct and positive answer thereanent All which is enough to shew that it is no calumny to say they deny the resurrection of the body Adde that passage of W. Pen in his book against Mr Faldo cited in his answere Pag. 88. Either the resurrection of the body must be without the mater or it must not If it must then it is not that same numerical body and so their proper and strick taking of the word Resurrection they must let go if it must not be without the same gross mater it died with then I affirme it cannot be incorruptible because it will carry with it that which will render it corruptible ad infinitum I say we cannot see how that which is of the dust should be eternal whilst that from whence it came is by nature but temporal and that which is yet most of all irreconcilable with Scripture and right reason is that the loss and change of nature from corruptible to incorruptible natural to spiritual should not make it another body 7. Yet more he saith Hence finally because when we hear them speak inadvertently of heaven hell and the last judgment we exhort them to come out of that infernal condition in which they stand and come unto and believe the judgment of truth within their own hearts and follow the light that in this life they may sit in celestial places which are in Christ Iesus they maliciously say that we deny all heaven and hell but that which is in us and that we deny the last and general judgment Answ. But if they do account this a calumny why do they not blame themselves for not being more plaine and distinct in these necessary and fundamental points Why doth not this Man in his great book which he stileth an Apology of the Christian Religion deliver in plaine termes his judgment hereof Mr Faldo tels us in his key that he could never hear or read them mention any other heaven to be enjoyed by them as distinct persons but what they have within them in this world And by hell he tels us they mean the present torment and loss within And that by their Trembling and Quaking they mean the horrour and consternation they are under from as they say the wrath of God while the flesh is judged and they are in the hell of condemnation and he can finde no other hell that they hold And this trembling and quaking they say is such as Moses and other Prophets were seized with at the appearance of God And by the State of glory he tels us they meane the state of peace and joy resulting from the witnes of the light within in the life And that by the judgment of the great day they meane sin being judged in the conscience by the light within in this life And it is considerable that when Mr Faldo had said let them profess that they believe a happiness to be enjoyed by Men and Women after their bodies be rotted to dust distinct from the being of God or that which they had not a thousand yeers before they were born i. e. to be in God from whom as of his being they say the soul came and it will be newes to me and all that are acquanted with them Yet Will. Pen in his answere will not be plaine to declare their meaning What can this silence import else than that they are guilty in this matter And as for the last judgment how can they believe it when they deny Christ's second coming visibly personally so doth Whitehead see Mr Hicks in his 2. Dial. p. 43. 75.76 8. Notwithstanding of all this this bold man dar say that God knoweth all these calumnies are â—alsly and undeservedly cast upon them And yet they neither can will nor dar vindicat themselves What followeth being but a meer commendation of themselves which we have heard so oft I think it not worth the translating let be
sowing these tares Thirdly We would labour each of us to have our souls deeply impressed with the preciousnesse of Christ and the absolut necessitie of making use of him for salvation for the Devils great and manifest designe is by these his Trustees and Traffickers to dispute men and debauch their spirits into a contempt of the precious Saviour and that great salvation which is purchased by his death and never since he began hath he made use of a mean which hath so cleare and close a connexion with that end Now Christ can be precious to none he can be prized by none who is not vile in his own eyes he who lives not within sight of his own loathsome leprosie and who is a stranger to the plague of his own heart will reject the counsel of God against himself and despise the great salvation And it is cleare beyond debate that the Devil do his best can never proselyt any man into this delusion and damnable haeresie of Naylorisme aliâ—s Quakerisme till as the God of this world he have first perfectly blinded their minds that he may harden their hearts into a final rejection of the true Christ the Saviour as the alone and onely way to be clothed with a sufficâ—ent righteousnesse and cleansed from all that filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit whereby they are defiled and from which they can onely be cleansed by that blood which these blasphemers tred under foot Let every one therefore who would keep himself in the love of God and of Christ keep his finger upon his sore that his eye may be keept â—â—xed upon the remedie for if the Devil get not his finger into a mans eye and blind fold him as to the uptakings of his own miserie and the precious remedie he will never turne him into a Naylorist that he may turne and tumble him into hell with his own câ—nsent Study thy self till what thou seest force thee to say I am the cheife of all sinners and then all that the Devil can say to the contrare will never put thee from thinking it is a saying faithful and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came in the world to save sinners Growing in this grace of the right knowledge of a mans self and of our Lord Jesus Christ is the onely expedient to defeat the designe he drives by these drivers and to be preserved from being led away with the errour of these wicked Fourthly Study to know the great principles of the Oracles of God and to have these impressed upon thy soul that so when assaulted by Satan thou mayest hold fast that truth which can onely make thee free And let the fallings away of others make thee the more closely cleave to that blessed Guid who leadeth in all truth In a word Let each one be busie in studying the word of God and his own heart and be much in holding up his heart to him who writs the Law in it that so his heart may become the Epistle of Christ and then he is guarded against taking on blasphemous and cursed Naylors blake marke Let the sad sight of that swarme of Apostats put thee to studie to know the truth in its power and sweetnesse And then when by the fallings away of others Christ is saying unto thee wilt thou also leave me thou will answer with that man whither shall I go from thee for thou hast the words of eternal life This will blessedly arrest the soul to an aboad with him when others will be carried away and never be seen any more to walk in Christs company Now to make thee give thy self in some seriousnesse to studie the precious Truths of God and to know him whom to know is life eternal thou mayest observe and be provoked to that exercise by thy observation what the Devil who is still going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour is a doing and what he is thereby designing When he had for a long time bawled and blasphemed in not our non-sense lest his trade should decay and the market of these traffickers for the souls of men for the precious souls of men are the commoditie they deal in should misse their marke to the end that he may make merchandise still of such with feigned and fair words he prompts some to polish as well as they can with their parts and pen these blasphemies and give them some colour for which service his Apostle the Author of the Theses and Apologie is shaped and set apart as the sharpest and neatest pen. I shall not here as I intended digresse into observations upon the addresse of this book wherein he Chartals all the learned men in the world since it can escape no mans observation who reads his book with judgement and compares it with the addresse that this novice being lifted up with pride is fallen into the condemnation of the Devil Neither shall I take upon me to hint any thing as to the bulk of the abominations wrapt up in his voluminous fardell of blasphemie that being so excellently handled by what thou hast read in this exquisitly cleare Examen Onely as it seems that as the Devil thought to serve himself by a Barclaij Argenis the scope whereof was to teach how effectually to destroy Protestant Religion and swallow up the Truth in the See and sinck of Romes abominations so we have a second Barclaij Argenis the scope of which is under sceptick and introverted notions and new coined names to destroy Christianity and introduce pure Paganisme and thus with a confidence peculiar to that partie and like him who prompted him to the undertaking he would rant and Romance us into heathenisme But since he hath taken upon him to give us a Confession of a kinde of faith after he and his complices have made shipwracke of precious faith and flout without fear at the faith of Gods elect which is a systeme of Paganisme And since he hath published to the world the Naylorists Alcoran whereby he intends as Mahomet's Mufti to Mustelman the Christian world and Mancipat us to the Turks gallies or worse The Good Lord to prevent the Devil and this desperado's designe hath found out and fitted for the undertaking amongst the men whom of all others he most despiseth and abhorreth the singularly acute solidly learned and truely gracious Author who hath in his Masters cause and strength undertaken the work and taken this Turke to taske and in his convincingly cleare examen so discussed and dissected that carcase and carrion of all abominations as by the light of that Spirit of truth which hath led him in the Examen he hath manifestly discovered Barclay's pretended Revelations to be the horrid illusions and hellish suggestions of a Spirit of a blaker colour then Mahomets pigeon and himself to be the Devil in Samuels mantle perswadeing us by the assistance of his Mephystophilus instead of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ that we may be found clothed upon with that rob