they may be justly punished If these Sayings do not plainly and evidently Import that God is the Author of Sin we must not then seek these mens Opinions from their Words but some way else it seems as if they had Assumed to themselves that Monstrous and Twofold Will they feign of God one by which they declare their minds openly and another more secret and hidden which is quite contrary to the other Nor doth it at all help them to say That Man sins willingly since that Willingness proclivity and propensity to Evil is according to their Judgment so necessarily imposed upon him that he cannot but be Willing because God hath willed and decreed him to be so Which Shift is just as if I should take a Child uncapable to Resist me and throw it down from a great Precipice the Weight of the Child's body indeed makes it go readily down and the Violence of the Fall upon some Rock or Stone beats out its Brains and kills it Now then I pray though the Body of the Child goes willingly down for I suppose it as to its mind is Vncapable of any Will and the weight of its Body and not any immediate stroke of my hand who perhaps am at a great distance makes it Die whether is the Child or I the proper Cause of its Death Let any man of Reason judge if God's part be with them as great yea more Immediate in the Sins of men as by the Testimonies above brought doth appear whether doth not this make him not only the Author of Sin but more Vnjust than the unjustest of men § III. Secondly This Doctrine is Injurious to God because it makes him delight in the Death of Sinners yea 2. It makes God delight in the Death of a Sinner and to will many to Die in their Sins Contrary to these Scriptures Ezech. 33.11 1 Tim. 2.3 2 Pet. 3.9 For if he hath Created men only for this very End that he might shew forth his Justice and Power in them as these men affirm and for effecting thereof hath not only with-held from them the means of doing Good but also predestinated the Evil that they might fall into it and that he inclines and forces them into great sins certainly he must necessarily delight in their death and will them to die seeing against his own Will he neither doth nor can do any thing § IV. Thirdly It is highly Injurious to Christ our Mediator and to the Efficacy and Excellency of his Gospel 3. It renders Christ's Mediation Ineffectual for it renders his Mediation Ineffectual as if he had not by his Sufferings throughly broken down the Middle Wall nor yet removed the Wrath of God or purchased the Love of God towards all Mankind if it was afore Decreed that it should be of no service to the far greater part of Mankind It is to no purpose to alledge that the Death of Christ was of Efficacy enough to have saved all Mankind if in Effect its vertue be not so far Extended as to put all Mankind into a Capacity of Salvation 4. It makes the Gospel a Mock Fourthly It makes the preaching of the Gospel a meer Mock and Illusion if many of these to whom it is preached be by an Irrevocable Decree Excluded from being benefited by it it wholly makes Vseless the preaching of Faith and Repentance and the whole Tenor of the Gospel-Promises and Threatnings as being all relative to a former Decree and Means before appointed to such which because they cannot fail Man needs do nothing but wait for that Irresistible Snatch which will come though it be but at the last hour of his Life if he be in the Decree of Election And be his diligence and waiting what it can he shall never Attain it if he belong to the Decree of Reprobation 5. It makes the Coming of Christ an Act of Wrath. Fifthly It makes the Coming of Christ and his propitiatory Sacrifice which the Scripture affirms to have been the Fruit of God's Love to the World and transacted for the Sins and Salvation of all men to have been rather a Testimony of God 's Wrath to the World and one of the greatest Judgments and severest Acts of God 's Indignation towards Mankind it being only ordain'd to save a very few and for the hardening obduring and augmenting the Condemnation of the far greater Number of Men because they believe not truly in it the Cause of which Vnbelief again as the Divines so called above assert is the hidden Counsel of God Certainly the Coming of Christ was never to them a Testimony of God's love but rather of his Implacable Wrath and if the World may be taken for the far greater Number of such as live in it God never loved the World according to this Doctrine but rather hated it greatly in sending his Son to be Crucified in it 6. It renders Mankind in a worse Condition than the Devils § V. Sixthly This Doctrine is Highly Injurious to Mankind for it renders them in a far worse Condition than the Devils in Hell For these were sometimes in a Capacity to have Stood and to suffer only for their own Guilt whereas many Millions of men are for ever Tormented according to them for Adam's Sin which they neither knew of nor ever were Accessary to It renders them worse than the Beasts of the Field of whom the Master requires not more than they are able to perform and if they be killed death to them is the End of Sorrow whereas Man is for ever Tormented for not doing that which he never was able to do It puts him into a far worse Condition than Pharaoh put the Israelites for though he with-held Straw from them Than the Israelites under Pharaoh yet by much labour and pains they could have gotten it But from men they make God to withhold all means of Salvation so that they can by no means attain it Yea they place Mankind in that Condition Tantalus his Condition which the Poets feign of Tantalus who oppressed with Thirst stands in water up to the Chin yet can by no means reach it with his Tongue and being tormented with Hunger hath Fruit hanging at his very lips yet so as he can never layâ—hold on them with his Teeth and these things are so near him not to Nourish him but to Torment him So do these men They make the outward Creation of the Works of Providence the smitings of the Conscience sufficient to Convince the Heathens of Sin and so to Condemn and Judge them but not at all to Help them to Salvation They make the preaching of the Gospel the Offer of Salvation by Christ the Vse of the Sacraments of Prayer and good Works sufficient to Condemn those they account Reprobates within the Church serving only to Inform them to beget a seeming Faith and vain Hope yet because of a secret Impotency which they had from their Infancy all these are wholly
Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World q 1 Joh 2.1 2. For by the Grace of God he hath tasted Death for every Man r Hebr 2.9 And gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified in due Time s 1 Tim. 2.6 Willing all Men to be saved and to come to the Knowledge of the Truth t 1 Tim. 2.4 Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance u 2 Pet. 3.9 For God sent not his Son into the World to Condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved x John 3 17. And Christ came a Light into the World that whosoever believeth in him should not abide in Darkness y John 12.46 Therefore as by the Offence of One Judgment came upon All Men to Condemnation even so by the Righteousness of One the free Gift came upon all Men to Justification of Life z Rom. 5.18 ARTICLE XI Concerning the Light that enlightneth every Man THe Gospel was preached to every Creature under Heaven a Col. 1.23 which Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation to them that believe b Rom. 1.16 And if it be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into them c 2 Cor. 4.3 4. And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are Evil d John 3.19 And this was the true Light which lightneth every Man that cometh into the World e John 1.9 By which all things that are reproveable are made manifest for whatsoever maketh manifest is Light f Ephes. 5.11 Every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved but he that doth Truth cometh to to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God g Joh. 3 20 21. And they that walk in the Light as Christ is in the Light have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth them from all Sin h 1 John 1. Therefore ought we to believe in the Light while we have the Light that we may be the Children of the Light i John 12.36 Therefore to Day if we will hear his Voice let us not harden our Hearts k Hebr. 4 7. For Christ wept over Jerusalem saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy Day the Things which belong unto thy Peace But now they are hid from thine Eyes l Luke 19.42 And he would often have gathered her Children as a Hen gathereth her Chickens but they would not m Matth. 23.37 for the stiff-necked and uncircumcised in Heart and Ears do always Resist the Holy Ghost n Acts 7.51 And are of those that Rebel against the Light o Job 24.13 Therefore God's Spirit will not always strive with Man p Gen. 7.3 For the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness q Rom. 1.18 Because what is to be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them r Rom. 1.19 And a Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal s 1 Cor. 12.7 For the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching us that denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World t Tit. 2.11 12. And this Word of this Grace is able to build up and give an Inheritance among all those that are Sanctified u Acts 20.32 For the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit and of the Joints and Marrow and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart x Hebr. 4.12 Is that more sure Word of Prophesy whereunto we do well that we take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in the Heart y 2 Pet. 1. â—9 And this is the Word of Faith which the Apostles Preached which is nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart z Rom. 10.8 For God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ a 2 Cor. 4.6 But we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God b 2 Cor. 4.7 and not of us for the Kingdom of God cometh not by Observation but is within us ARTICLE XII Concerning Faith and Justification FAith is the Substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen d Hebr. 11.1 Without which it is impossible to please God e Hebr. 11.6 Therefore we are justified by Faith which worketh by Love f Gal. 5.6 For Faith without Works being dead is by Works made perfect g Jam. 2.23 26. By the Deeds of the Law there shall no Flesh be justified h Rom. 3.20 Nor yet by the Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy we are saved by the Washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost i 1 Tit. 3.5 For we are both washed sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God k 1 Cor. 6.11 ARTICLE XIII Concerning Good Works IF we live after the Flesh we shall die but if we through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body we shall live l Rom. 8.13 For they which believe in God must be careful to maintain good Works m T it 3.8 For God will render to every Man according to his Deeds according to his Righteous Judgment to them who by patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality Eternal Life n Rom. 2.6 7. For such are counted worthy of the Kingdom of God o 2 Thess. 1.5 and cast not away their Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward p Hebr. 10.35 Blessed then are they that do his Commandments that they may have Right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City q Rev. 22.14 ARTICLE XIV Concerning Perfection SIn shall not have Dominion over such as are not under the Law but under Grace r Rom. 6.14 For there is no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the
is so much the better that the Elders and greater Number do agree to it and if Wrong their Affirming of it will not make it Right And truly a Gathering where the Elders and greater Number are always or most frequently Wrong and the Younger and lesser Number Right is such as we cannot suppose the True Church of Christ to be And if any will plead that there is now no Infallible Judgment to be expected from the Spirit of God in the Church it no doubt will leave the Dissenters as much in the Mist and at as great a loss as those they Dissent from both being no better than blind men hitting at random which will turn Christianity into Scepticism And though we may acknowledge that this Vncertainty prevails in the generality of those called Churches yet we do firmly believe for the Reasons above declared and many more that might be given That the True Church of Christ has a more solid stable Foundation and being never separated from Christ her Head walks in a more certain steady and unerring Path. The CONCLUSION THE Substance then of what is Asserted and Proved in this Treatise resolves in these following Particulars A Summary Recollection of the whole First That in the Church of Christ when it Consists of a visible People for I speak not here of the Church in the dark Night of Apostacy that consisted not of any Society visibly united gathered into the Belief of certain Principles and united in the joint Performance of the Worship of God as Meeting together praying preaching c. there is and still must be a Certain Order and Government Secondly That this Government as to the Outward Form of it Consists of Certain Meetings Appointed principally for that End yet not so as to exclude Acts of Worship if the Spirit move thereunto Thirdly The Object of this Government is twofold Outwards and Inwards The Outwards relate mainly to the Care of the Poor of Widows and Fatherless where may be also included Marriages and the Removing of all Scandals in things undeniably wrong The Inwards respect an Apostacy either in Principles or Practices that have a Pretence of Conscience and that either in Denying some Truths already Received and Believed or Asserting New Doctrines that ought not to be Received Which again to subdivide may either be in Things Fundamental 1674 and of great moment or in things of less Weight in themselves yet proceeding from a Wrong Spirit and which in the natural and certain Consequence of them tend to make Schisms Divisions Animosities and in sum to break that Bond of Love and Vnity that is so needful to be upheld and established in the Church of Christ. And here come also under this Consideration all Emulations Strifes Backbitings and evil Surmisings Fourthly That in the True Church of Christ according to the Definition above given of it there will in such Cases of Differences and Controversies still be an Infallible Judgment from the Spirit of God either in one or other few or more Fifthly That this Infallible Judgment is only and unalterably annexed and seated in the Spirit and Power of God not to any particular Person or Persons Meeting or Assembly by vertue of any setled Ordination Office Place or Station that such may have or have had in the Church no Man Men nor Meeting standing or being Invested in any Authority in the Church of Christ upon other Terms than so long as he or they abide in the living Sense and Vnity of the Life in their own particulars which whosoever one or more inwardly departs from ipso facto loses all Authority Office or certain Discerning he or they formerly have had though retaining the true Principles and sound Form and may be not fall'n into any gross Practices as may declare them generally to be thus withered and decayed Sixthly That Jesus Christ under the Gospel hath ordinarily Revealed his Will in such Cases through the Elders and Ministers of the Church or a General Meeting whose Testimony is neither to be despised or rejected without good Cause Neither is their taking upon them Really to Decide any just Ground to charge them with Imposition or to quarrel their Judgment unless it can be proved that they are decayed and have lost their Discerning as above Seventhly That to Submit and Obey in such Cases is no detracting from the Common Priviledge of Christians to be Inwardly led by the Spirit seeing the Spirit has led some heretofore so to do and yet may And that every Pretence of Vnclearness is not a Sufficient Excuse for Disobedience seeing that may proceed from Obstinacy or a Mind prepossessed with Prejudice Yet say I not any ought to do it before they be Clear and who are every Right will not want Clearness in what They ought to do And Lastly That these Principles are no ways tainted with Imposition or contrary to true Liberty of Conscience And that they fundamentally differ from the Vsurpations both of Popery Prelacy and Presbytery or any other of that Nature Robert Barclay Robert Barclay HIS VINDICATION year 1679 WHEREIN The Scruples and Mistakes some have had touching his Book called The Anarchy of the Ranters are Cleared and the Ground upon which W. R's Papers against it are Built Removed the Substance of the Papers being briefly Answered by way of EPISTLE to FRIENDS who therein have or may be Concern'd Which may serve as an EXPLANATORY P0ST-SCRIPT to Robert Barclay's Book of GOVERNMENT Aberdeen-Prison the Sixth of the First Month 1679. Dear Friends and Brethren UNTO all my Dear Friends and Brethren unto whose Hands this Paper may come or who may be any ways more particularly Concerned in the Contents hereof The Salutation of my unfeigned Love in that Vnchangable Truth whereunto it hath pleased the Lord to Call me according to his great Mercy so as to be a Partaker in some measure of the Peace and Glory which in this Day is Revealed wherewith my heart hath been often filled as I have Waited in Faithfulness according to the Dispensation of Light Manifested in me and to me And since it hath pleased God to make me a Living Witness of the pretious Truth and to Commit unto me any Share of the Ministry thereof my Conscience bears me Witness in the sight of God that I have Laboured according to my Knowledge to follow Love and Peace with all my Brethren R. B's Ministry and to do those things which might tend to advance strengthen and confirm Vnity and Brotherly Love as also to Avoid what had a tendency to beget Strife Jealousies or Evil Surmises Likewise I have studied as well in my Publick Testimony His Writings as in my Writings to beware of any thing that to my Understanding might minister just Occasion of Stumbling or Offcence to the least of my Brethren or the youngest and weakest Babe in the Truth as such as are Conversant with me iâ— my own Country as well as those elsewhere where I have
Secondly they urge Rom. 13. where the Magistrate is said not to bear the Sword in vain Object because he is the Minister of God to execute Wrath upon such as do evil But Heresy say they is evil Ergo. But so is Hypocrisy also yet they confess he ought not to punish that Therefore this must be understood of Moral Evils relative of affairs betwixt Man and Man not of matters of Judgment or Worship or else what great absurdities would follow considering that Paul wrote here to the Church of Rome who was under the Government of Nero an impious Heathen and Persecutor of the Church Now if a power to punish in point of Heresy be here included it will necessarily follow that Nero had this Power yea and that he had it of God for because the Power was of God therefore the Apostle urges their Obedience But can there be any thing more absurd than to say that Nero had Power to judge in such cases Surely if Christian Magistrates be not to punish for Hypocrisy because they cannot outwardly discern it far less could Nero punish any body for Heresy which he was uncapable to discern And if Nero had not power to judge nor punish in point of Heresy then nothing can be urged from this place Since all that 's said here is spoken as applicable to Nero with a particular Relation to whom it was written And if Nero had such a power surely he was to exercise it according to his Judgment and Conscience and in doing thereof he was not to be blamed which is enough to justifie him in his persecuting of the Apostles and murdering the Christians Thirdly They object that saying of the Apostle to the Gal. 5.12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you Object But how this imports any more than a cutting off from the Church is not nor can be shewn Beza upon the place saith Answ. We cannot understand that otherwise than of Excommunication Such as was that of the incestuous Corinthian And indeed it is madness to suppose it otherwise for Paul would not have these cut off otherwise than he did Hymenaeus and Philetus who were Blasphemers which was by giving them over to Satan not by cutting off their heads The same way may be answered that other Argument drawn from Rev. 2.20 where the Church of Thyatira is reproved for suffering the Woman Jezebel Which can be no other ways understood than that they did not Excommunicate her or cut her off by a Church-censure For as to corporal punishment it is known that at that time the Christians had not power to punish Hereticks so if they had had a mind to it Fourthly They alledge Object that Heresies are numbred among the works of the flesh Gal. 5.20 Ergo c. That Magistrates have power to punish all the works of the flesh Answ. is denyed and not yet proved Every Evil is a work of the flesh but every Evil comes not under the Magistrate's cognisance Is not Hypocrisy a work of the flesh which our Adversaries confess the Magistrates ought not to punish Yea is not Hatred and Envy there mentioned as the works of the flesh And yet the Magistrate cannot punish them as they are in themselves until they exert themselves in other acts which come under his power But so long as Heresy doth not exert it self in any act destructive to human Society or such like things but is kept within the Sphere of those duties of Doctrine or Worship which stand betwixt a Man and God they no ways come under the Magistrate's power § IV. But Secondly this forcing of Men's Consciences is contrary to sound Reason and to the very law of Nature For Man's understanding cannot be forced by all the bodily sufferings another Man can inflict upon him especially in matters Spiritual and Supernatural 'T is Arguments and evident Demonstrations of Reason together with the power of God reaching the heart that can change a Man's mind from one opinion to another and not knocks and blows and such like things which may well destroy the Body but can never inform the Soul which is a free Agent and must either accept or reject matters of Opinion as they are born in upon it by something proportional to its own nature To seek to force minds in any other manner is to deal with Men as if they were brutes void of understanding and at last is but to loose ones labour and as the Proverb is to seek to wash the Black-More white By that course indeed Men may be made Hypocrites but can never be made Christians and surely the products of such Compulsion even where the end is obtained to wit an outward Assent or Conformity whether in doctrine or worship can be no ways acceptable to God who desireth not any sacrifice except that which cometh throughly from the heart and will have no constrained ones So that Men so constrained are so far from being members of the Church that they are made ten-times more the Servants of Satan than before in that to their errours is added Hypocrisy the worst of evils in matters of Religion and that which above all things the Lord's Soul most abhors Object But if it be said Their Errour notwithstanding is thereby suppressed and the scandal removed Answ. I answer besides that this is a method no ways allowed by Christ as is above proved surely the Church can be no ways better'd by the accession of Hypocrites but greatly corrupted and endangered for open Heresies Men may be aware of and shun such as profess them when they are separated from the Church by her Censures but secret Hypocrites may putrify the body and leaven it ere Men be aware And if the Dissenters prove Resolute and suffer boldly for the Opinions they esteem right experience sheweth that such sufferings often tend to the commendation of the sufferers but never of the Persecutors For such suffering ordinarily breeds compassion and begets a curiosity in others to enquire the more diligently into the things for which they see Men suffer so great losses so boldly and is also able to beget an opinion that it is for some good they do so suffer it being no ways probable that Men will venture all meerly to acquire fame which may as well be urged to detract from the Reputation of all the Martyrs unless some better Arguments be brought against it than a Halter or a Faggot But supposing this principle that the Magistrate hath power to force the Consciences of his Subjects and to punish them if they will not comply Very great inconveniencies and absurdities will follow and even such as are inconsistent with the nature of the Christian Religion For First it will naturally follow that the Magistrate ought to do it and sinneth by Omission of his duty if he do it not Will it not then hence be inferred that Christ was defective to his Church who having power to force men and to call for
Prejudice against such Books is because so much is to be found in them against my Old Errors for I cannot but know saith he that whoever reads these must see my Nakedness and Folly without much Study As for this Imagination we must take it with much more upon Trust but this helps to prove the Needlesness of his large Examination ¶ 6. At his usual rate of Perverting he goes on to say That the Account I make of all the Learned Men of the World is that they are Scribes and Disputers of the World c. But for proof of this we have nothing He Confesseth the Words to be those of the Apostle and how he proveth that I have a different Meaning from the Apostle I know not After he hath Commended his Learned Men and loaded the Quakers with Reproaches he concludes this Paragraph page 8. with another Falshood and yet he will have it Remarked to wit That according to my Judgment the Pure and Naked Truth of God was never unfolded nor Declared until the Generation of the Quakers arose But where he finds me saying so he tells not and indeed cannot since such a thing was never Asserted by me For Answer to my saying That God has laid aside the Wise and Learned and made use of Illiterate Men as to Letter-Learning after he saith It is Affirmed without Proof not considering how Improper it was not to Expect any formal Probation upon the Occasion and manner it was delivered he gives us divers Citations out of the Apostle Paul warning against Seducers All which I acknowledge to be True but the Question lieth in the right Application And yet since albeit he believes they very Appositly agree to us he thinks it not his present Business to Demonstrate it it will need no Reply After he has proceeded in his Tenth page according to his usual sort of Railing affirming the great Difference betwixt our Doctrine and that of the Apostles he brings forth a mighty Charge That I usurp the Throne of God and Judge of Men's Hearts and Intentions but how Guilty himself is of that Crime hath been in part already shewn and will hereafter more appear But why do I so because I say The Clergy have Clouded the Truth The Clergy Clouding the Truth that the People might Admire and Maintain them that the Common People might Maintain and Admire them But have not Protestants and that truly Asserted this of the Popish Clergy and is not the Thesis directed to such Will it not then hold True according to his own Judgment of a great yea the greatest Part of those to whom it is directed what then will become of his Clamours Yea if it were needful I could give Instances of very Mean Thoughts he and his Party have of many of the Protestant Clergy yea and Reflections not much if any thing inferiour to this to verify with how little Ground he quarrelleth me here As for his Malitious Aspersion That there are shrewd Presumptions our Stock lies at Rome he should have produced some of them if he could We could never yet Obtain for this Old Calumny from our Adversaries the least Probation and it will be found as hard for him to prove it as he may think it for such who strongly Affirm Their great IDOL the COVENANT was Contrived at Rome and came from thence As for his Reflections upon our Church as being All Eyes and Ears it will be proper to speak of it in its own Place Next to prove the Positions of the Quakers to be such as overturn and destroy the Gospel he bringeth page 11. divers Citations out of Mr. Norton and Mr. Stalham as he terms them adding More may be had out of Mr. Hicks J. B.'s False witnesses contributing to his bulky Book But such Witnesses will have small Credit with Impartial Readers If he himself had dealt Impartially he should have first read our Answers to them ere he had given them such Authority It were Easie for me by way of Reply to Transcribe what our Friends have written particularly by way of Answer to them did I as much Affect to have my Writings bulky as it seems he doth He closeth up this with a Fit of Railing and after he has quarrelled me pag. 12. for having an high Conceit as he imagines of my Theses he falls fresh to that Work again telling They have Weight to sink into the bottomless Pit the poor Soul that embraces them I never sought any should Receive Doctrines as Truth upon my Bare Testimony and therefore he needs not Vpbraid me with so doing And whereas on the Contrary as himself immediately Observes I leave what I say to the LIGHT in every Man's Conscience it shews with how little Reason he made his former Alledgance After he has pleased himself with making an Impertinent Conjecture of the Import of these Words that so he might if he could render them Ridiculous he cometh at last to the True Vnderstanding of them And truly he needed not fear at my being offended that he should make a Judgment of what I writ according to his Conscience but he went the wrong way to Work when his Labour is to pervert and wrest and make them speak what they do not This apparently proceeds from Malice and Prejudice and the Light of his Conscience if he had minded it would never have prompted him so to do Thus I am come to the End of the First Chapter ¶ 7. In the Second Chapter Intituled Of the true Ground of Knowledge I find he cannot Contradict what is Asserted by me only because he must be Carping he makes a Noise that Joh. 17.3 cited by me So much of the Sentence was not set down in the First as Second Edition What a pitiful Cavil this is the Reader may easily judge since the Place was noted it was enough though never a Word had been set down but this with him is a bad Omen Let the Judicious judge of this Man's Judgment in the Matter But because he cannot Quarrel at what is said he will quarrel That so much is not said as he judged meet But he may be pleased to understand that I judged my self under no Necessity to Advise with him what was Needful for me to Write But saith he since I take upon me to Teach the whole World it is strange it should be so Natural for this Man to write Vntruths since I direct my Theses only to the Christian World But if it may render me odious such Peccadillo's pass with him it seems but for Piae Fraudes I intended never to write of those things concerning which we do not differ from others But let us see wherein he accounts me Defective I have Written nothing saith he of the Nature and Attributes of God I write not to Atheists but Christians who already acknowledge and I judge it not my Work to write Books to perswade Men of that they already profess to believe But I write not Expresly and
the Author did Vnite with the Quakers Answered He doubts whether it be 25 years since I adjoyned my self to the Quakers But whether it be so or not it nor Adds to nor Takes from the Controversy only to solve him of this doubt he may assure himself It is not since I have not yet seen the 30 th year of my Age. But because I say It is about 25 years since they were a distinct and separated People thence he says He sees it is not an Old Sect and so has less Affinity with true Christianity because he is sure Christianity is older But what Protestant in his Wits if Malice did not blind would use such an Argument knowing how easily the same may be and has been Objected by Papists that use to ask us Where our Religion was before Luther and Calvin That Christianity is older than 25 years I am sure as well as he but it will not thence follow but that it may be a short time since God raised up a separated gathered visible People A People raised of God to shake-off the Corruptions of Babylon and restore the pure and old Christianity to shake-off the Corruptions of Babylon and Restore the pure and old Christianity as it was before the Apostasy entred And if he will not admit of this to the acknowledgment of his own Impertinency he must needs own the like Argument in the Mouth of Papists to have been Valid against our great Grand-Fathers and consequently give away the Protestant Cause ¶ 7. But the Man seems not to have heeded what he wrote in this page by another yet more palpable Mistake for while in the Calculation of the Appearing of the Quakers he goes about to find me Contradicting another Quaker he sheweth his own Senslesness My account saith he of 25 years being numbred from 1676 J. B.'s Senseless Calculation of the Quakers first Appearance in England will fall into Anno 1651 but another Quaker in Anno 1659 saith it is now about 7 years since the Lord raised us up in the North of England c. Now number 7 back from 1659 my Arithmetick tells me it will be 1652 and if I account it 1651 and the other reckon it about 1652 it comes to one Reckoning But John Brown will have mine to 15 years later as if 25 years back from 1676 were 15 Years after 7 Years back from 1659 that is that 1652 is 15 Years before 1651 so far has the poor Man missed of his Numeration He sometimes reproachingly and scoffingly says He sees the Quaker can dream waking but it is a question whether he was dreaming or not when he proclaimed his Sottishness thus to the World which cannot be reputed an Error of the Press since he is at pains to Reconcile this Imaginary difference saying But perhaps I mean of those in the North of Scotland the other of the North of England and therefore he will not contend about it He will find he has Reason when he sees his Mistake Yet he must have one Observation that according to the old Proverb All Evil cometh out of the North but no wonder the Man has been here benummed since he will ere he want something to Reproach the Quakers make use of old Proverbs albeit to Contradict Scripture-Prophecies Jer 50 3. where the Prophet speaking of the Judgment of Babylon A Nation coming from the North against Babylon saith For out of the North there cometh up a Nation against her which shall make her Land desolate and verse 9. I will Raise and cause to come up against Babylon an Assembly of great Nations out of the North-Country But an old Proverb with him it seems is of more weight which can hit the Quakers than the Scriptures for all the Reverent Esteem he pretends to them Yet that an Evil hath or may come out of the North I shall not deny for of that the PERSECVTING Spirit of PRESBYTERY is one Example which as to its Rise in Scotland was more Northerly than the Appearance of the People called Quakers SECT XVI Wherein his Twenty Ninth Chapter Of Wars and Thirtieth Of Oaths is Considered J. B.'s Malitious Insinuations because of our Testimony against Wars and Fighting ¶ 1. AFTER having Classed us according to his Custom with such as he accounts Odious Hereticks for our Opinion of Wars he proceedeth with his old Trade of Malitious Insinuations and Railings questioning Whether our Intent may not be that we may obtain Freedom and Liberty to Rage over all And whereas he saith He leaves our selves to Judge of this Truly we can sincerely Judge in the Sight of God that this is a gross Calumny of giving any Colour for which we are altogether Innocent And like to this is that malitious Insinuation pag. 515.521 wherein he chargeth us with a Bloody design in seeking to reduce them to Paganism and by disarming Christians give up Christendom as a Prey to Turks and Pagans To which I shall only Answer That as it is obviously enough Malitious so he shall never prove it True and therefore I wish the Lord rebuke him and forgive him for these his Evil Thoughts What he says here as well as pag. 517 518.522 of the necessity of defensive War J. B.'s Atheistical Doctrine of the Necessity of a Defensive War to defend from those that unjustly Assault and Thieves and Robbers and Cut-throats c. he speaks more like an Atheist than a Christian and like one who believeth nothing of a Divine Providence of Restraining evil Men at his pleasure and not suffering them to go further than he seeth meet Doth he think that all the Endeavours of the Wicked Men of the World can do any thing but as GOD permits them and that all the Opposition to such by force of Arms can prevail but by Gods blessing If so he must not think that such Carnal and Atheistical Reasons can brangle the Faith of those who out of pure Obedience to God desire to be Conform to the Image of his Son according to the measure of the Grace given them so as to make them think they are less secure under the protection of the ALMIGHTY than by their Guns and Swords But this is Consistent with his Faith the most-Eminent of whose Brethren have learned to Preach with Sword and Pistols His Brethren Preach with Sword and Pistols and instead of the guard of a Christian Boldness and a good Conscience which the Primitive Christians and Apostles used will be guarded with Men in Arms and that in Opposition to the Authority of those they confess to be their lawful Magistrates And if he say That we must not lay-aside lawful means I ask him Whether he thinks not to defend a Man's self from a principle of Conscience be simply Vnlawful Let him remember The most remarkable Deliverances of God's People have been without the Arm of Flesh. the most remarkable Deliverances that God's People met withal were when there appeared least
easie Compend of our Active Duty to God and Man yea to ourselves Soberly That is with Moderation Temper Government of our Passions and Affections Let your Moderation be known unto all Men Phil. 4.5 said the same Apostle His Reason was pressing and unanswerable For the Lord is at hand So be Sober for the Lord 's at hand and let Men see that we are so Though the Exhortation chiefly regards Ourselves that we may not Abuse or Disorder our selves Overdo or Act in reference to our own Persons and Affairs As if he had said be sober and moderate in thy Giving Getting Conversing in thy Pains and Pleasures in Thoughts VVords and Deeds in thy whole Man and Life Righteously Refers to our Neighbour to do as we would be done to To defraud none oppress none 1 Cor. 6.7 8 9. Eph. 6.1 10. Col. 3.20 25. Prov. 20.10 Ch. 22.28 but Discharge all Relations and Conditions uprightly to Parents Magistrates Husband VVife Children Servants Neighbours Strangers Enemies Just VVeights and Measures Old Land-marks and an Even Ballance These are well-pleasing to God in all Ranks and Relations Godly in this present VVorld relates chiefly to God the Faith VVorship and Obedience we owe to him Obedience by a pious Life For this is the will of God even our Sanctification without Holiness none shall see him 1 Thess. 4.3 So that to be Godly is to Live after God not the World and after his Spirit not our Flesh but to Crucify the flesh with the lusts thereof Rom. 13.12 14. Gal. 5.22 25. and put on the Lord Jesus Christ his Meekness his Patience Humility Mercy Forgiveness Love Temperance and Righteousness and make no more provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof No more be in pain Matt. 6.31 33. what we should eat or drink or put on or how we may make our selves Wealthy or Mighty in the Earth after the way of the Old Gentiles that knew not God as is the Custom of almost the whole Christian World so called at this very day which General Declension shews that a General Judgment and an Over-flowing Scourge of God is at hand but to seek the Kingdom of God first and deny our selves Job 14.14 and watch and pray waiting all the Days of our appointed Time until our Great and Last Change shall come So that Godliness is God-likeness Translation Renewing yea the First Resurrection that those who Attain to it the Second Death shall have no Power over them This Godliness with Contentment is the greatest Gain 1 Tim. 4.8 Ch. 6.6 1 Joh. 3.5 8. and profitable in all things the Sum and Substance of Religion and of all God's Dispensations in the World yea the very End of Christ's coming and the blessed Fruit of his Victory over Hell Death and the Grave that Sin might have an end the Devil's Works in Man and Woman be destroyed and Man made an holy Temple and Tabernacle for God to dwell in This is Godliness and this Godliness is the way to please God 2 Cor. 6.16 Matt. 6.20 1 Tim. 6.18 19. to lay up Treasure in Heaven to be fruitful in Grace rich in Faith and good VVorks and to lay hold on Eternal Life and become Heirs of an Inheritance Incorruptible Which brings me to the Fifth and Last thing observable from this Comprehensive Passage viz. The Comfortable Reward and End of this Life and Grace in vers 13. Looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ That is Looking for the Fulfilling of that blessed Hope to Have what they Hoped for An Hope that does not make Ashamed those that have it but is an Anchor to the Soul in the greatest Storms that Attend Men on thair Way to Blessedness It is for the Accomplishment of this Hope the gracious Livers have a Title to Expect and Wait. They that have been Taught by the Grace what to deny and what to do and to look and live above the VVorld and by an Eye of Faith to pierce through the dark Clouds of Time and stedfastly to look into the things that are Eternal they are but Travellers and Pilgrims as were all the Godly Fathers of old Time and expect with them a City Heb. 11.10 whose Builder and Maker is God These wait for the Glorious Appearing of the great God and their Saviour Jesus Christ as the Blessed End of their Hope and to them he will certainly come as the Glorious and Faithful Rewarder of the Faith Obedience and Perseverance of his poor Disciples and Servants They shall Reign with him a Thousand Years and for ever Their Obedience and Sufferings are but Temporal but the Recompence Everlasting Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard Isa. 64.4 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Psal. 84.1 10. nor has the Heart of man been able to perceive the good things that God has laid up in store for those that love him But in the Heavens that do not wax Old and which will never pass away those holy Courts of God the true Followers of Jesus the Children of Light and Disciples of the Cross that come through the many Tribulations from Conviction to Conversion from Conversion to Consummation the End of all shall Understand Tast and Enjoy those Hidden and Divine Pleasures that are as Ineffable as they are Eternal This Reader is the Old Divinity that of Christ and his blessed Apostles Time and Teaching renewed in our Days by the fresh Breaking-forth of the same Light Spirit and Grace that brought this Doctrine of Immortality to Light in those Primitive and Happy Ages yea Immortality it self a Divine Never-dying Life into the Soul that which quickens it out of the sleepy and dead Estate Sin brings it into by which it looseth all Savour or Relish of Spiritual Things I say this is the Divinity God has Renewed among us an Experimental Work or Operation of his Light Spirit and Grace in our Souls This Light is the great Luminary of the Intellectual World that expels the Darkness and scatters the Mists of Sin and Death that the Souls of Men labour under where it is Received and Obeyed This is the Day of God in which the whole World has a Visitation that by which we are to see our Way to God and Duty to him and all Men as the outward Sun is the Means by which we see our outward Ways and the Difference of outward Things This was the Principle that divinely endued the Author of the ensuing Volume and has enabled him to Write of God and his Attributes by the Power and Truth of them upon his own Soul He felt his Justice in himself for his Disobedience His Mercy by the Forgiveness of his Sins through Faith and Repentance His Holiness by the Sanctification of his Grace through Obedience to the Teachings of it That God is a Spirit by the Spiritual Operations upon his own Soul the Spiritual Part of himself And Omnipresent because he felt his Presence or him present as a
Happiness both to live in a more Retired Corner and to Enjoy at that Time a Space of Quiet above his Brethren Which with the Consideration of their Three or Four Years Toil and a Sense of Service in himself put him upon Undertaking and Publishing this Discourse as an Essay towards the Prevention of Future Controversy It First lays down our A vowed Principles of Belief and Practice distinguished from what our Enemies are pleased to say in our Names who by making us Erroneous give themselves the Easier Task to Confute us and then Triumph After he has Stated our Principles he has put the Objections which he had Collected out of our Adversaries Books or that he did Apprehend might be made to those Principles and Answers them And lastly Cites divers Author's both Ancient and Modern especially some of the Primitive Ages for further Illustration and Confirmation of our said Belief and Practice The Method and Style of the Book may be somewhat Singular and like a Scholar for we make that Sort of Learning no part of our Divine Science But that was not to shew himself but out of his Tenderness to Scholars and as far as the Simplicity and Purity of the Truth would permit in Condescension to their Education and Way of Treating of those Points herein handled Observing the Apostle's Example of Becoming all unto all where there was nothing in himself to forbid it that he might Win some In fine the Book says so much for us and itself too that I need say the less but Recommend it to thy serious perusal Reader as that which may be Instrumental with God's Blessing to Inform thy Vnderstanding Confirm thy Belief and Comfort thy Mind about the Excellent Things of God's Kingdom To be sure thou wilt meet with the Abused and Disguised Quaker in his own Shape Complexion and proper Dress so that if thou art not one of them thou needest not longer follow Common Fame or Prejudice against a People though Afflicted from the first yet not Forsaken to this Day Ever blessed be the Name of the most High God for he is Good for his Mercy endures for ever A Dispute follows this Apology and in the same Year It is Intituled A Dispute between some Students of Divinity so called of Aberdeen and the People called Quakers held in Aberdeen c. Opponents or Students Job Lesly Al. Sheriff P. Gellie Defendents our Author R. Barclay and George Keith who is a very Learned Man and they both behaved themselves in Meekness and Christianity The Success I leave the Reader to Observe Only this I must say to him it ended in the Convincement of divers Students of our Principles The next Year produced the Tenth Treatise of this Volume being 1676. It is called Quakerism Confirmed A Vindication of the Chief Doctrines and Principles of the Quakers from the Objections of the Students of Divinity so called of Aberdeen in their Book called Quakerism Canvased This we see is Controversial and therefore I will say the less only the Reader must needs observe the Anger and Prejudice that followed the good Success of the last Dispute and to what a Pitch they Carry Men when Pride or Interest hath kindled them It was well prayed of David indeed Create in me a Clean Heart and Renew a right Spirit within me For a Right Frame of Spirit will Govern the Will and Affections keep from Mistakes and hurtful Transports yea a Man of Conversation may want it sometimes and be in Danger of Disorder This Discerns this Judges this Directs Blessed is the Man that possesses it he will not Judge before his Time nor Judge wrongly nor be partial nor peevish nor unstable Which had those Students known they would not have Resisted the Lowly Truth and so Vnlearnedly Wrested the Words of it and it would have been a better Tutor of Divinity to them than all the Colledges in the World can yield O ye Students and Professors of Divinity Seek God where he may be found in Christ and Christ in you by his Light and Spirit Look not out for the Kingdom is there within you read plain Scripture In that Seed Luk. 17.20 Talent and Leaven it lies Virtually though as yet not Actively Your Obedience to the Holy Manifestations of it in your selves will open its Power to you and if you follow on to know through Obeying you shall have the End of that blessed Prayer Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Spend not your Time in vain your pretious your most-pretious Time Let me a Stranger but a Well-wishing one beseech you not to strain your Brains break your Rest and wander far and gather nothing but Empty Notions Husks indeed Alas what do you Overcome What do you Enjoy by them One Day in the Courts of God is more worth than it all which Obedience to the Light of Christ in your Hearts brings you to And there you will Hear See and Taste of Divine Things to which your Studies are but as Bread in a Picture to Real Bread Then will your Souls live and you will have the Key of Holy Scripture and know the Meaning of the Holy Men and the Spirit by which they Spake and Writ which are Aenigma's to the World and that without the help of your Costly and Tedious Commentators who for the most part do but write by guess themselves Then will you possess the Treasures of the holy Ancients and know what the Blessings of the Everlasting Hills mean This is Nectar and Ambrosia indeed the River of God! And here is the Olympus of the Sons of Light the Mount Zion of David's Seed the true Jews where the Morning-Stars are seen and heard to sing together for Joy But I must stop I thought not of this Flight of Soul to Aberdeen But God put it into my Heart thus to Visit you in particular the Chief Place of our Author's Labour of Love and methinks I hope and feel That it shall not be in vain nor this Remembrance of you O Students and Inhabitants of that City and Vniversity This Holy Spirit of Love that filled my Pen in the last Paragraph has seasoned me for this following Piece writ in the Year 1677. and honoured with the best of Titles viz. Universal Love c. The Occasion of it to prevent the Abuse of it on one hand and recommend the Vse and Practice of it on the other Hand There are Two great Extreams this Discourse observes and moderates in the Spirit of Love and Wisdom Those that suffer their Zeal to flame so Inordinately as to burn up all Appearances of Love and Tenderness to those that are not of the same Judgment and Interest which is a most-Pernicious Work of Satan that Common Enemy of Mankind that turns the Zeal of Man upon his Fellow-Creature that ought to be turned against him only the Father of Wickedness Nor is this done without great Subtilty for he Transforms himself into an Angelical
out of it for it is the way of Antichrist To which what is above mentioned answers sufficiently yet further I may easily retort the Question thus upon the most of all the National Ministry in Scotland who are now licking up that which they heretofore cried out against as Antichristian and with Fire and Sword persecuted those who offered to plead for that which now they both practise and avow themselves in Now as the fault of this cannot be ascribed to the Scriptures which is the Rule whereby they pretend to be guided so neither can any mans instability that pretends to be guided by the Light if any such thing could be shewn prove the Light a Guide not to be followed To prove that Christ is not in all men thou arguest thus Christ is not in all men because the Scripture speaks of a being without Christ in the World to which thou addest the Reason The unconverted must needs be without Christ because they want the uniting Principle which is Faith To answer that Christ is in them but not in Vnion with them thou sayst is a fond Distinction because the Scriptures way of expressing Peoples Vnion with Christ is by asserting Christ to be in them which thou takest for granted and from thence drawest thy Conclusion but if it be found to be false then the whole Fabrick falls to the Ground as indeed false it is For even according to the Scriptures the in-being of Christ in Men sometimes signifies Vnion and sometimes his Existence in them working and operating in them by way of Reproof and Judgment as also by way of Call and Invitation to prepare for Vnion with him as appears by the very first Scripture cited by thee John 15.4 5. which answers not thy Mind For we say not That where there is no Vnion Fruit can be brought forth unto God but mark the last part of it how much it makes against thee Without me says Christ ye can do nothing For how becomes an unconverted man a Convert but by having Christ to work with him And where does Christ co-operate Does he not there where the work of Conversion is wrought and is not that within So that Christ must needs be in men before they be in Vnion with him whereby the Faith may be wrought by which they are united to him And as to that other Scripture 1 John 3.24 these and other Scriptures which might be cited hold forth that in-being of Christ which is by Vnion but say nothing against his in-being in them where the Vnion is not for he is in them who know him not and are Darkness John 1. vers 10. and 5. and he was crucified in the Corinthians and Galatians which was in the time of their Unbelief 1 Corinth 2. vers 2. and Galat. 3. vers 1. for the words in the Greek are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. In you and indeed there can be no greater Absurdity then to say that Christ is in no man but in them with whom he is united for Christ is not separated from that Light and Seed which is of him that is in every man but is united with it which bears Testimony against all Iniquity but many times men are far from being in Vnion with that in them which witnesseth against all sin as Experience sufficiently teacheth Then if that be in them which is pure and if Christ be in that pure then Christ is in them and if they be not united with that which is pure in them then are they not united with Christ which is in the pure that is in them It seems strange to thee that Christ should be in the Heathen and they not know him Was it not as strange that he should be among the Jews who had the Letter that did bear a Testimony of him and they not know him and that notwithstanding his Miracles and other Proofs he gave of himself they should so far mistake him to judge him to be an Impostor and Blasphemer Thou sayest Is Christ so uncouth to them he dwells in as not to Reveal himself unto them But though we say that Christ is in all men we do not say he dwelleth in all men for dwelling signifieth more then in-being and yet I say he does Reveal himself in some measure unto all in whom he bears witness against Iniquity for the Revelation of Christ unto one is not always by giving the knowledge of what past externally but is a Revelation of the righteous Judgment against the Transgressor in them which to say that the Heathen wanted is false and contrary to Scripture Rom. 1.18 19 20. John 3.18 19 20. yea and contrary to the very acknowledgment of Americans who have confessed that there was that in them which judged and reproved evil Whether or not their ignorance of the outward Transaction derogates any thing from their capacity of Salvation comes hereafter in its place to be examined together with that other saying of thine wherein thou shewest the like Dis-ingenuity viz. That the saying that every man hath sufficient Light to lead him to Life and Salvation tends to put Christians in the same Condition with Pagans because sayst thou Christians have no more and the preaching of the Gospel and the benefit of the Scriptures are little to be regarded for without them Men have sufficient Light to lead them to the things of God For the saying that men have sufficient Light hath no such tendency for he that is truly and really a Christian and not nominally only is one that is united to Christ and believes in him Now it is one thing to have the Light and another to believe in it which is clearly made out by that Scripture While ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may become the Children of it And that it is a great advantage to have the knowledge of the Scripture as outwardly we deny not for the reaching and raising of the Seed in them that are afar off and also for the comforting and refreshing of them in whom it is raised as the Scriptures are used in that Spirit which gave them forth Therefore we labour and travel so much for that end and are found using the Scriptures Testimony If it be said That therein we contradict our Principle seeing it is possible that People may be saved without the Scriptures I answer Nay For many things are profitable which are not of absolute necessity You your selves acknowledge that other Books besides the Scriptures are not of absolute necessity unto mens Salvation and yet you judge not all other Books useless yea ye too much rely upon Books Also you do not say that it is impossible that any can be saved without preaching upon the Scriptures and yet you reckon not preaching to be in vain But do ye not rather contradict your Principles who say that the number of all those who ever can be saved is so definite from all Eternity and that without respect to their
Justified by Grace is to be Justified or Saved by Regeneration which cannot exclude the Works wrought by Grace and by the Spirit How doth the Apostle add in the next verse for the maintaining this against those that Cavil about the Law A. This is a Faithful Saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly Tit. 3.8 9. that they which believe in God might be Careful to maintain good Works these things are good and profitable unto Men But avoid foolish Questions and Genealogies and Contentions and Strivings about the Law for they are unprofitable and vain Q. Doth the Apostle Paul that is so much against Justification by the Works of the Law speak any where else of being justified by the Spirit A. But ye are Washed but ye are Sanctified but ye are Justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6.11 and by the Spirit of our God Q. But since the Law gives not Power nor Ability to obey and so falls short of Justification Is there no Power under the Gospel by which the Righteousness of the Law comes to be fulfilled inwardly A. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh Rom. 8.3 4. God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flesh That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Q. Seeing then there is Power in the Spirit is not Works through it a Condition upon which Life is proposed under the New Covenant Rom. 8.13 A. For if ye live after the Flesh ye shall Dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall Live Q. Do not the Apostles then frequently propose Life to People upon Condition of Repentance and other Works Acts 3.19 A. Repent ye therefore and be Converted that your Sins may be blotted out And if Children then Heirs of God and joint-Heirs with Christ if so be Rom. 8.17 that we may suffer with him that we also may be glorified together * 2 Tim. 2.11 12 21. It is a faithful Saying For if we be dead with him we shall also live with him If we Suffer we shall also Reign with him If a Man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a Vessel unto Honour sanctified and meet for the Master's Use and prepared unto every good Work Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen Rev. 2.5 and Repent and do the first Works or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou Repent Q. It appears clearly by these Passages that the Apostle excludes only our Righteousness which he elsewhere explains Reward of Works as being the Righteousness of the Law from being necessary to Justification and not such Works as the Law of the Spirit of Life leads to and are not so much ours as Christ in us are not such good Works Rewarded though they require no absolute Merit as being the Fruits of free Grace yet doth not God judge according to them and may they not be said to have a Reward A. But if a Man be just and do that which is lawful and right Ezek. 18.5 6 7 8 9. and hath not eaten upon the Mountains neither hath lift up his Eyes to the Idols of the House of Israel neither has defiled his Neighbour's Wife neither hath come near to a Menstruous Woman and hath not oppressed any but hath restored to the Debtor his Pledge hath spoiled none by Violence hath given his Bread to the Hungry and hath covered the Naked with a Garment he that hath not given forth upon Usury neither hath taken any Increase that hath withdrawn his Hand from Iniquity hath executed true Judgment between Man and Man hath walked in my Statutes and hath kept my Judgments to deal Truth he is Just he shall surely Live saith the Lord God For the Son of Man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels Matth. 16.27 and then he shall Reward every Man according to his Works Then Peter opened his Mouth and said Of a Truth I perceive that God is no Respecter of Persons Acts 10.34 35. but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him The Righteous Judgment of God Rom. 2.6 7 10 who will render to every Man according to his Deeds To them who by Patient Continuance in well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality Eternal Life But Glory Honour and Peace to every Man that worketh Good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Which is a manifest Token of the Righteous Judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God 2 Thess. 1.5 for which ye also suffer But who so looketh into the Perfect Law of Liberty James 1.25 and continueth therein being not a forgetful Hearer but a Doer of the Work this Man shall be blessed in his Deed. * Hebr. 10.35 Cast not away therefore your Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward †1 Pet. 1.17 And if ye call on the Father who without respect of Persons judgeth according to every Man's Work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Rev. 22.12 14 And behold I come quickly and behold my Reward is with me to give every Man according as his Works shall be Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have a Right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City Christ saves from Sin Q. It should seem that the Purpose of God in sending his Son the Lord Jesus Christ was not simply to save Man by an Imputative Righteousness altogether without them but also by the washing of Regeneration or an inward Righteousness What saith the Scripture further of this Matth. 1.21 A. And thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their Sins Tit. 2.13 14. Looking for that blessed Hope and the Glorious Appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of Good Works CHAP. VII Concerning Perfection or Freedom from SIN Question I Perceive then by all these Scriptures afore-mentioned that Christ as well as he hath purchased Pardon for our Sins hath also obtained Power by which we may even here be cleansed from the Filth of them may we expect then in this Life to be freed from the Dominion of Sin Rom. 6.14 A. For Sin shall not have Dominion over you Q. For what Reason Rom. 6.14 A. For ye are
him sinneth not Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him Little Children let no Man deceive you he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous He that committeth Sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil Whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother Q. It is very plain by these Passages that the Apostles were far of another Mind then those that plead for Sin during term of Life and much against the Deceit of those who will esteem themselves Good Christians while they live in their Sins A. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord Matth. 7.21 24. shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Therefore whosoever heareth these things of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a Wise Man which built his House upon a Rock If ye know these things happy are ye John 13 17. if ye do them Q. What saith the Apostle Paul further concerning the needfulness of this thing A. Circumcision is nothing and Uncircumcision is nothing 1 Cor. 7.19 but the keeping of the Commandments of God Q. Was not this according to the Apostle Paul 's Judgment the very Intention of Christ to have his Church and Children to be Pure and without Spot A. According as he has chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World Ephes. 1.4 that we should be Holy and without Blame before him in Love Even as Christ also loved the Church Ephes. 5.25 26 27. and gave himself for it that he might Sanctifie and Cleanse it that he might present it to himself a Glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without Blemish Q. Doth not Paul press the same thing further besides the other Passages above-mentioned A. Having therefore these Promises Dearly Beloved 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us Cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God Finally Brethren farewel 2 Cor. 13.11 Col. 1.28 be Perfect Christ in you the Hope of Glory whom we Preach warning every Man and teaching every Man in all Wisdom that we may present every Man Perfect in Christ Jesus Gal. 2.12 Labouring fervently for you in Prayers that ye may stand Perfect and Compleat in all the Will of God 1 Thess. 3.13 To the end he may establish your Hearts Vnblameable in Holiness before God And the very God of Peace Sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit 1 Thess. 5.23 and Soul and Body be presented Blameless unto the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Q. Is not this then the very End for which God appointed Teachers in his Church A. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets Ephes. 4.11 12 13. and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the Perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the Edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the Unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a Perfect Man unto the Measure of the Statute of the Fulness of Christ. Q. Seeing this is so much pressed by the Holy Men doth not the Scripture which cannot lie give none of the Saints this Testimony as being free from Sin at sometimes and so not always and daily sinning as is supposed Gen. 6.9 A. Noah was a Just Man and perfect in his Generations and Noah walked with God And the Lord said unto Satan Hast thou considered my Servant Job Job 1.8 that there is none like him in the Earth a Perfect and an Vpright Man one that feareth God and escheweth Evil. There was in the days of Herod King of Judea a certain Priest named Zacharias of the Course of Abia and his Wife was of the Daughters of Aaron Luke 1.1 2. and her Name was Elizabeth and they were both Righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord Blameless Q. That proves sufficiently as to particular Persons but what doth the Scripture intimate of this Nature even of Considerable Numbers Ephes. 2.4 5 6. A. But God who is rich in Mercy for his great Love wherewith he hath loved us even when we were dead in Sin hath quickened us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the Living God the Heavenly Jerusalem Hebr. 12.22 23. and to an Innumerable Company of Angels to the General Assembly and Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect And I looked and lo a Lamb stood on Mount Sion Rev. 14.1 4. and with him an Hundred Forty and Four Thousand having his Fathers Name written in their Fore-head These are they which were not defiled with Women for they are Virgins These are they which follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth These are Redeemed from among Men being their first Fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their Mouth was found no Guile for they are without Fault before the Throne of God CHAP. VIII Concerning Perseverance and Falling from GRACE Question IS it enough for a Believer to be sure that he hath once received true Grace or is there any further Certainty requisite 2 Pet. 1.10 Answer Wherefore the rather Brethren give Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall Q. May one that hath received true Grace have Ground to fear or suppose he can fall A. 1 Cor. 9.27 But I keep under my Body and bring it into Subjection least that by any means when I have Preached to others I my self should be a Cast-away Q. That greatly contradicteth the Doctrine of such as say Once in Grace ever in Grace but doth the Apostle Paul express this only out of an Humble Esteem of himself or doth he judge or suppose the like of other Saints A. Take heed Brethren Hebr. 4.12 13. lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the Living God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day least any of you be hardned through the Deceitfulness of Sin Hebr. 4.11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that Rest lest any Man fall after the same Example of Unbelief For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened Hebr. 6.4 5 6. and
for Examples sake whereby as ex ungue leonem he may judge of most of all the rest if he will be at the pains narrowly to look over and Examine them I shall begin with the first Chapter Sect. 1. where they assert two things First That God has committed his Will now wholly to Writing Secondly That the former Ways of God's revealing his Will as by Immediate Revelation are now ceased The Scriptures they bring to prove are first Prov. 22.19 20 21. Verse 19. Their pretended Proofs for the Written Word That thy Trust may be in the Lord I have made known to thee this day even to thee Verse 20. Have not I Written to thee Excellent Things in Counsels and Knowledge Verse 21. That I might make thee know the Certainty of the Words of Truth that thou mightest answer the Words of Truth to them that send unto thee Luke 1.3 4. Verse 3. It seemed good to me also having had perfect Vnderstanding of all things from the very first to Write unto thee in Order most excellent Theophilus that thou mightest know the Certainty of these things wherein thou hast been Instructed Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were Written afore-time were Written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope Matth. 4.4 7 10. But he answered and said It is Written Man shall not live by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God Vers. 7. Jesus said unto him It is Written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Vers. 10. Then saith Jesus unto him Get thee hence Satan for it is Written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Isa. 8.19 20. Verse 19. And when they shall say unto you Seek unto them that have Familiar Spirits and unto Wizzards that peep and that mutter Should not a People seek unto their God for the Living to the Dead Verse 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them But is it not Matter of Admiration that Men should be so beside themselves as to imagine these Testimonies do in the least prove their Assertion or that others that do not take things meerly upon Trust would be so foolish as to believe them For though God made known and Wrote excellent things to Solomon Though Luke Wrote unto Theophilus an Account of divers Transactions of Christ's outward abode Many things were never Written for many were never Written John 21. verse last and 20.30 And there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be Written every one I suppose that even the World it self could not contain the Books that should be Written And many other things truly did Jesus in the Presence of his Disciples which are not Written in this Book Though Christ made use of divers Scriptures against Satan and that Isaiah directed People to the Law and to the Testimony Who will be so mad as to say It naturally follows from thence that God has now committed his Will wholly to Writing Such a Consequence is no more deducible from these Scriptures than if I should Argue thus The Divines of Westminster have asserted many things without Ground therefore they had Ground for nothing they said Nay it follows not by far so naturally seeing after the Writing of all these Passages by them cited according to their own Judgment there were divers Scriptures written so that it had been false for them to assert That God had then committed his Counsel wholly to Writing which indeed was not true So it is most Irrational and Unwarrantable for any to draw such a strange and strained Consequence from their words For the Second That the former Ways are now Ceased they alledge 2 Tim. 3.15 where Paul writes to Timothy saying That from a Child he Timothy hath known the Holy Scriptures Pretended Proofs for Scripture Revelations only which were able to make him wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus And Hebr. 1.1 2. God who at sundry Times and in divers Manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last Days spoken unto us by his Son whom also he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds And 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts Which prove the Matter as little as the former If Paul had intended by that to Timothy what those Divines would have would not they have made the Apostle speak a manifest Vntruth seeing they themselves acknowledge that John's Revelation was Written long after so that these former Ways were not then ceased As for that of Peter John's Revelation when written it is to beg the thing in Question To say It is intended of the Scripture and though it were it proves not the Case at all That of the Hebrews is so far from asserting the Matter they would have it that it may be very aptly brought to prove the quite contrary For God indeed speaks to us now by his Son but to infer from thence That the Son speaks only by the Scriptures is Erroneous That the Son speaks only to us by the Scriptures remains yet unproved And for the Apostle to have Asserted it had been false seeing the Revelations which he and others afterwards had were inward and so such were not Ceased And if we may trust the same Apostle better than these Men he tells us that so soon as Christ was Revealed in him he went straight and obeyed And the same Apostle tells us that Except Christ be in us we are Reprobates Sure he is not dumb in us seeing he says He will dwell in us and walk in us and be with us to the End of the World And John tells us that the Inward Anointing is to teach us all things so that we need not as to any absolute Necessity any Man to teach us how then is this ceased seeing God speaks to us by Christ and Christ must be in us Surely these Men have not herein followed the Rule of the Scriptures but rather endeavoured most grosly to wrest them and make of them a Nose of Wax notwithstanding their Pretences as to the contrary in their sixth Section where they say All things necessary are either expresly set down or by good and necessary Consequences may be deduced Now that these two former Assertions are not expresly set down they will not deny whether they follow by sound Consequence any understanding Man may judge by what is above observed There are divers other things in the same Chapter which will not abide the Test for which the Scripture-Proofs alledged by them are most ridiculous which for Brevity's sake I have
themseves when-as the Cause and Ground for which they were commanded is removed As there is no need now for the Decision about Circumcision seeing there are none Contend for it neither as to the Orders concerning Things Offered to Idols seeing there is now no such Occasion yet who will say that the Command enjoin'd in the same place Acts 15.20 To abstain from Fornication is now made void seeing there is daily need for its standing in force because it yet remains as a Temptation man is incident to We confess indeed we are against such as from the bare Letter of the Scripture though if it were seasonable now to debate it we find but few to deal with whose Practices are so exactly squared seek to uphold Customs Forms or Shadows when the Vse for which they were appointed is removed or the Substance it self known and witnessed as we have sufficiently elsewhere answered our Opposers in the Case of Water-Baptism and Bread and Wine c. so that the Objection as to that doth not hold and the Difference is very wide in respect of such Things the very Nature and Substance of which can never be dispensed with by the People of God so long as they are in this World yea without which they could not be his People For the Doctrines and Fundamental Principles of the Christian Faith we own and believe originally and principally because they are the Truths of God whereunto the Spirit of God in our Hearts hath constrained our Understandings to obey and submit In the second place we are greatly Confirmed The Joint-Testimony of the Apostles c. to the Truths of God in our Hearts Strengthned and Comforted in the Joint-Testimony of our Brethren the Apostles and Disciples of Christ who by the Revelation of the same Spirit in the Days of old believed and have left upon Record the same Truths so we having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore we speak And we deny not but some that from the Letter have had the Notion of these Things have thereby in the Mercy of God received Occasion to have them Revealed in the Life for we freely acknowledge though often calumniated to the contrary that Whatsoever Things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures may have Hope So then I hope if the Spirit of God lead me now unto that which is good profitable yea and absolutely needful in order to the keeping my Conscience clear and void of Offence towards God and Man none will be so unreasonable as to say I ought not to do it because it is according to the Scriptures Nor do I think it will savour ill among any serious solid Christians for me to be the more confirmed and perswaded that I am led to this Thing by the Spirit that I find it in it self good and useful and that upon the like Occasions Christ Commanded it and the Apostles and Primitive Christians practised and recommended it Now seeing it is so that we can boldly say with a good Conscience in the Sight of God that the same Spirit which leads us to believe the Doctrines and Principles of the Truth and to hold and maintain them again after the Apostacy in their primitive and ancient Purity as they were delivered by the Apostles of Christ in the Holy Scriptures I say that the same Spirit doth now lead us into the like holy Order and Government to be exercised among us as it was among them being now the like Occasion and Opportunity ministred to us therefore what can any Christianly or Rationally object against it For that there is a Real Cause for it the thing it self speaketh A Real Cause for the same Order and that it was the Practice of the Saints and Church of old is undeniable what kind of Ground then can any such Opposers have being such as scrupling at this do notwithstanding acknowledge our Principle that this were done by Imposition or Imitation more than the Belief of the Doctrines and Principles seeing as it is needful to use all Diligence to Convince and Perswade People of the Truth and bring them to the Belief of it which yet we cannot do but as Truth moves and draws in their Hearts it is also no less needful when a People is gathered to keep and preserve them in Vnity and Love as becomes the Church of Christ and to be careful as saith the Apostle That all things be done decently and in Order and that all that is wrong be removed according to the Method of the Gospel and the good cherished and encouraged So that we conclude and that upon very good Grounds That there ought now as well as heretofore to be Order and Government in the Church of Christ. Head III. That which now cometh to be examined in the Third place is First What is the Order and Government we plead for Secondly In what Cases and how far it may extend and in whom the Power Decisive is Thirdly How it differeth and is wholly another than the oppressive and persecuting Principality of the Church of Rome and other Antichristian Assemblies SECTION IV. Of the Order and Government which we plead for IT will be needful then before I proceed to describe the Order and Government of the Church to consider what is or may be properly understood by the Church for some as I touched before seem to be offended or at least afraid of the very Word because The Power of the CHVRCH The Order of the Church The Judgment of the Church and such like Pretences have been the great Weapons wherewith Antichrist and the Apostate Christians have been these many Generations persecuting the Woman and warring against the Man-child And indeed great Disputes have been among the Learned Rabbies in the Apostacy concerning this CHVRCH what it is or what may be so accounted Which I find not my place at present to dive much in but shall only give the true Sense of it according to Truth and the Scriptures plain Testimony What the word Church signifies properly The word CHVRCH in it self and as used in the Scriptures is no other but a Gathering Company or Assembly of certain People called or gathered together for so the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies which is that the Translators render Church which word is derived from the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Evoco I call out of from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Voco I Call Now though the English word CHVRCH be only taken in such a Sense as People are gathered together upon a Religious Account yet the Greek word that is so rendered is taken in general for every Gathering or Meeting together of People and therefore where it is said The Town-Clark of the Ephesians dismissed the Tumult that was gathered there together the same Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Things which is no other but the giving of a general Intimation what the needs are that every one as God moves their Hearts and hath prospered them without Imposition Force or Limitation may give towards these needful Vses In which Case these Murmurers at our good Order in such matters may well think strange at the Apostle How pressingly how earnestly doth he reiterate his Desires and Provocations so to speak in this Respect to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 16.2 and the 8 th and 9 th Chapters of the 2 d Epistle throughout Now though he testifies to them elsewhere That they are the Temples of the Holy Ghost and that the Spirit of God dwells in them yet ceaseth he not to intreat and exhort yea and to give them certain Orders in this Matter Besides all these Reasons which are sufficient to Convince any unprejudicate Man The Secret Approbation of God's Spirit accompanying us in this Thing together with the Fruits and Effects of it which hundreds can witness to whose Needs have been supplied and themselves helped through divers Difficulties and the Testimonies of some already and of many more Orphans and Fatherless Children Fatherless Children put Apprentices who have found no want neither of Father nor Mother or other Relations through the tender Love and Care of God's People in putting them in Trades and Imployments and giving them all needful Education which will make it appear e're this Age pass away to those that have an Eye to see that these are not the meer Doings and Orders of Men but the Work of him who is appearing in ten Thousands of his Saints to establish not only Truth but Mercy and Righteousness in the Earth And for that End therefore in the second Place this Order reacheth the taking up and composing of Differences as to outward things 2. To Compose Differences in the Church in outward Matters which may fall out betwixt Friend and Friend for such things may fall out through the Intricacies of divers Affairs where neither hath any positive Intention to Injure and Defraud his Neighbour as in many Cases might be instanced Or if through the Workings and Temptations of him whose Work is to beset the Faithful and People of the Lord and to engender so far as he can Strife and Division among them any should step aside as to offer to wrong or prejudice his Neighbour we do boldly aver as a People gathered together by the Lord unto the same Faith and distinguished from all others by our Joint-Testimony and Sufferings that we have Power and Authority to Decide and Remove these things among our selves without going to others to seek Redress and this in it self hath so much Reason that I cannot tell if any that are not wholly prejudicate or obstinate can blame it For if we be of one Mind concerning Faith and Religion and that it be our Joint-Interest to bring all others unto the same Truth with us as supposing them to be wrong what Confidence can we have to think of Reclaiming them if the Truth we profess have not Efficacy as to Reconcile us among our selves in the Matters of this World If we be forced to go out to others for Equity and Justice because we cannot find it among our selves how can we expect to invite them to come among us when such Virtues as which still accompany the Truth are necessarily supposed to be wanting should we affirm otherwise it were to destroy the Truth and Faith we have been and are in the Lord's Hand building up and indeed the Spirit and Practice of such as Oppose us herein hath no less Tendency Moreover besides the Enforcing and Intrinsick Reason of this Thing we have the Concurrence Approbation and Comfort of the Apostle's Testimony 1 Cor. 6. Dare any of you having a matter against another go to Law before the Unjust and not before the Saints If it be objected Objection Do you reckon all Unjust that are not of you Think ye all other People void of Justice Believers not to go to Law before the Vâ—just c. I answer Though the Apostle useth this Expression I am perswaded he did not reckon all others Vnjust that had not received then the Christian Faith there were no doubt Moral and Just Men among the Heathen and therefore the same Paul commends the Nobility of Festus He reckons them there Vnjust in Respect of the Saints or Camparatively with them as such as are not come to the just principle of God in themselves to obey it and follow it and therefore though he accounts them who are least Esteemed in the Church capable to decide such Matters yet he supposeth it safer to submit to their Judgment in such Cases though it were by taking wrong or suffering wrong than to go before others to the greater Reproach of the Truth We hope though many Occasions of this kind have fallen in among us since we have been a People none have had just occasion to decline our Judgment And though some should suppose themselves to be wronged yet if they should go bring their matter before others we might say as the Apostle saith in the fore-mentioned Chapter vers 7. This were thereby a Fault in them and would evidence a greater Care of some outward Concern than of the Honour and Interest of Truth and therefore such as have a tender Regard that Way would rather suffer The Case of Meum Tuum what to their Apprehensions may seem wrong For in matters wherein two Parties are opposite in the Case of Meum and Tuum it is somewhat hard to please both except where the Power of Truth and the Righteous Judgment thereof reaching to that of God in the Conscience hath brought to a true Acknowledgment him that hath been mistaken or in the wrong which hath frequently fallen out among us to the often refreshing and confirming our Souls in the certain Belief that Christ was fulfilling his Promises among us In restoring Judges as at the first and Counsellors as in the Beginning Now suppose any should be so pettish or humorous as not to agree in such Matters to the Judgment of his Brethren Going before Vnbelievers from the Judgment of the Brethren is a dishonour to the Truth and to go before the Vnbelievers for though I reckon them not such Vnbelievers as the Heathen of Old because they profess a Faith in God and Christ yet I may safely say they are Vnbelievers as to these Principles and Doctrines which we know are the Truth of God and in that Sense must be Vnbelievers as to him that so Appealeth to them from his Brethren I say such as so do first commit a certain Hurt and Evil in staining the Honour and Reputation of the Truth they profess which ought to be dearer to us than our Lives And even in that outward Matter for which they thus do they run a Hazzard not knowing whether things shall carry as they expect if they loose they have
Property of the Church of Christ from all other Antichristian Assemblies and Churches of Man's building and framing To give a short and yet clear and plain Answer to this Proposition The only proper Judge of Controversies in the Church is the Spirit of God and the Power of deciding solely lies in it as having the only Unerring Infallible and Certain Judgment belonging to it which Infallibility is not necessarily annexed to any Persons The Spirit of God the proper Judge of Controversies in the Church Person or Places whatsoever by Virtue of any Office Place or Station any one may have or have had in the Body of Christ. That is to say that any have Ground to Reason thus Because I am or have been such an Eminent Member therefore my Judgment is Infallible or Because we are the greatest Number or that We live in such a Noted or Famous Place or the like though some of these Reasons may and ought to have their true Weight in Case of Contradictory Assertions as shall hereafter be observed yet not so as upon which either mainly or only the Infallible Judgment is to be placed but upon the Spirit as that which is the firm and unmoveable Foundation And now if I should go on no further I have said enough to vindicate us from IMPOSITION and from the Tyranny whether of Popery Prelacy or Presbytery or any such like we have or may be branded with as shall after appear But to proceed herein lies the Difference betwixt the Dispensation of the Law and the Gospel or New Covenant for that of old all Answers were to be received from the Priests in the Tabernacle For he that appeared betwixt the Cherubims there Exod. 25.22 Numb 7.89 Hos. 12.10 Amos 7.14 2 Chron. 18.6 7. John 6.45 Hebr. 1.1 2. spake forth his Mind to the People and there were also Families of the Prophets to whom they resorted for the Answer of the Lord though sometimes as a Signification of the further Glory that was to be Revealed it pleased God to Reveal his Mind to some even to them who were neither Prophets nor Prophets Sons but under the Gospel we are all to be taught of God that is none are excluded from his Priviledge by not being of the Tribe of Levi or of the Children of the Prophets though this Priviledge is as truly exercised in some by Assenting and Obeying to what God Commands and Reveals through others they feeling Vnity with it in the Life as by such who by the Revelation and Command of God's Spirit hold forth his Will to his People in certain Particulars which the same Spirit leads and commands them to obey So that we say and that with a very good Ground that it is no way Inconsistant with this Sound and Vnerring Principle to affirm That the Judgment of a certain Person or Persons in certain Cases is Infallible Judgment Infallible proceeds from the Spirit Infallible or for a certain Person or Persons to give a positive Judgment and pronounce it as Obligatory upon others because the Foundations and Ground thereof is not because they are Infallible but because in these Things and at that Time they were Led by the Infallible Spirit And therefore it will not shelter any in this Respect to pretend I am not bound to obey the Dictates of Fallible Man is not this Popery I not being perswaded in my self Because it is not to be disobedient to them but to the Judgment of Truth through them at such a Time and one or more their not being perswaded may as probably proceed from their being hardned and being out of their Place and in an Incapacity to hear the Requirings as that the Thing is not Required of them which none can deny but it may as well be supposed as the Contrary But for the further clearing of this Matter before I Conclude I shall not doubt both to affirm and prove these following Propositions First That there never will nor can be wanting in Case of Controversy the Spirit of God to give Judgment through some or other in the Church of Christ so long as any Assembly can properly or in any Assert 1 tolerable Supposition be so termed Secondly That God hath ordinarily in the communicating of his Assert 2 Will under his Gospel imployed such whom he had made Use of in gathering of his Church and in feeding and watching over them though not Excluding others Thirdly That their de Facto or effectually Meeting together and Assert 3 giving a positive Judgment in such Cases will not import Tyranny and Vsurpation or an Inconsistency with the Vniversal Priviledge that all Christians have to be led by the Spirit neither will the Pretences of any contradicting them or refusing to Submit upon the account they see it not or so excuse them from being really guilty of disobeying God For the First to those that believe the Scripture there will need no Assert 1 other Probation Proved than that of Matth. 28.20 And lo I am with you alway even unto the End of the World And Vers 18. And the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Now if the Church of Christ were so destitute of the Spirit of God that in Case of Difference there were not any found that by the Infallible Spirit could give a certain Judgment The Infallible Spirit the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against would not then the Gates of Hell prevail against it For where is Strife and Division and no effectual Way to put an End to it there not only the Gates but the Courts and Inner Chambers of Darkness prevail for where Envying and Strife is there is Confusion and every Evil Work But that there may be here no Ground of Mistake or Supposition that we were annexing Infallibility to certain Persons or limiting the Church to such I understand not by the Church every particular Gathering or Assembly circumscribed to any particular Country or City for I will not refuse but divers of them both apart and together if not Established in God's Power The Erring Church or People may Err. Nor yet do I lay the absolute Stress upon a General Assembly of Persons as such picked and chosen out of every one of those particular Churches as if what the Generality or Plurality of those Conclude upon were necessarily to be supposed to be the Infallible Judgment of Truth though to such an Assembly of Persons truly stated as they ought in God's Power he hath heretofore Revealed his Will in such Cases and yet may as the most probable Way which shall be spoken of hereafter yet such as a meer Assembly is not Conclusive Nor yet do I understand by the Church every Gathering or Assembly of People who may hold Sound and True Principles or have a Form of Truth for some may lose the Life and Power of Godliness Having the Form of Truth who notwithstanding may retain the Form or Notions of Things but yet are to
in the Case of Division or Debate let us consider the Basis upon which they proceed and the Stress they lay upon it First All jointly both the Prelatical and Presbyterial will have this Synod or Council to Consist of a Convocation of the Clergy 1. Protestants Chosen and sent from the Particular Congregations with some few Laick Elders called together by the Civil Magistrate in case he be one in Judgment with them They decide by Plurality of Votes And though they assume not an Absolute Infallibility in that they reckon it possible for them to Err yet do they reckon their Decisions Obligatory upon their supposed Consonancy to the Scripture and however do Affirm that the Civil Magistrate hath Power to Constrain all to Submit and Obey or else to punish them either by Death Banishment Imprisonment Confiscation of Goods or some other Corporal Pain even though such be perswaded and offer to make appear that the Decisions they Refuse are Contrary to the Scriptures And Lastly Among the Papists None 2. Papists though otherwise Confessed to be a Member of the Church both Knowing and Sober except Commissionate in some of the Respects above-declared can be Admitted to Sit Vote and give his Judgment Any that will be at the Pains to apply this to the Foundation I before laid of the Infallibility of Judgment in that we may account only to be truly called the Church of Christ 3. We Differ from them Both. will easily fee the great Difference betwixt us which I shall sum up in these particulars First Do we Exclude any Member of the Church of Christ that may be truly accounted so to tell his Judgment Secondly Do we say man ought to be persecuted in his Outwards for his Dis-assent in Spirituals Thirdly Do we plead that Decision is to pass Conclusive because of the plurality of Votes And much more which the Reader may observe from what is already mentioned which that it may be all more Obvious at One View will appear somewhat clearly by this following Figure which will give the Reader an Opportunity to Recollect what lay heretofore more scattered I. The ROMANISTS say 1. That there is an Infallibility in the Church which Infallibility is when the Pope calls a General Council of Bishops c. that whatsoever they Conclude and Agree upon must needs be the Infallible Judgment of the Spirit of God because of the Promise of Christ That he would never suffer the Gates of Hell to prevail against his Church 2. And that the Pope and Council made up of certain of the Clergy having one Outward Succession and being lawfully Ordained according to the Canons are that Church to which that Promise is made however wicked or depraved without any necessary Respect to the Inward Holiness or Regeneration of the Persons if so be they be Outwardly Called Ordained and Invested in such a Place and Capacity as gives them an Authority to be Members of such an Assembly 3. What they thus Decide as they judge according to the Scripture ought to be received with Reverence and Submitted to and those that do not to be punished by the Civil Magistrate by Death Banishment or Imprisonment though they declare and be ready to evidence that it is because they are not Agreeable to the Scripture they refuse such Decrees II. The Generality of PROTESTANTS say 1. That though all Synods and Councils may Err yet such Assemblies are needful for the Edification of the Church That such do Consist of a Convocation of the Clergy West Conf. of Faith Chap. with some few Laicks particularly Chosen That all others except those so Elected have not any Right to Vote or give Judgment 2. That such an Assembly so Constitute may Ministerially determine Controversies of Faith Cases of Conscience Matters of Worship and authoritatively determine the same The Decision is to be by Plurality of Votes praved they be yet this Infallible Judgment follows them as being necessarily annexed to their Office in which the Authority still stands in its full Strength and Vigour 3. So that there lies an Obligation upon the whole Body of the Church to Obey their Decrees And such as do not are not only certainly damned for their Disobedience but that it is the Duty of the Civil Magistrate to punish such by Death Banishment or Imprisonment c. in Case they Refuse III. The QUAKERS say The Sanctified Members 1. That whereas none truly ought nor can be accounted the Church of Christ but such as are in a measure Sanctified or Sanctifying by the Grace of God and led by his Spirit nor yet any made Officers in the Church but by the Grace of God and Inward Revelation of his Spirit not by Outward Ordination or Succession from which none is to be Excluded if so Called whether Married or a Tradesman or a Servant 2. If so be in such a Church there should arise any Difference there will be an Infallible Judgment from the Spirit of God Their Infallible Judgment which may be in a General Assembly yet not limited to it as excluding others And may prove the Judgment of the Plurality yet not to be decided thereby as if the Infallibility were placed there excluding the fewer In which Meeting or Assembly upon such an Account there is no Limitation to be of Persons particularly Chosen but that all that in a true Sense may be reckoned of the Church as being Sober and Weighty may be present and give their Judgment To be Submitted unto 3. And that the Infallible Judgment of Truth which cannot be wanting in such a Church whether it be given through one or more ought to be Submitted to not because such Persons give it but because the Spirit leads so to do which every one coming to in themselves will willingly and naturally Assent to And if any through Disobedience or Vnclearness do not all that the Church ought to do She is to deny them her spiritual Fellowship in case the nature of their Disobedience be of that Consequence as may deserve such a Censure But by no means for Matter of Conscience to Molest Trouble or Persecute any in their Outwards Who will be at the Pains to Compare these Three seriously together I am hopeful will need no further Argument to prove the Difference But if any will further Object What if it fall out de facto year 1679 that the Teachers Elders or Plurality do Decide and from thence will say This is like the Church of Rome and other false Churches It will be hard to prove that to be an Infallible Mark of a Wrong Judgment as we have not said it is of a Right And indeed Objection Answ. to Conclude it were so would necessarily Condemn the Church in the Apostles days where we see the Teachers and Elders and so far as we can observe the greater Number did agree to the Decision Acts 1.15 For if the thing be Right and according to Truth it
Assertions W. R. Censures the Apostle boldly I may the more patiently bear his Affirming mine to be Erroneous And whereas W. R. labours To make it appear that the Scriptures brought by me to prove a power of Decision in the Church do not Affirm any such thing because in these Scriptures there is no mention made of the Church's Decision Yet if he Consider that those places do speak of the Separating from and Cutting off of divers Persons Judgment Evinced and forsaking their Fellowship to the Saints who make up the Church of Christ it necessarily presupposes a Judgment of the Church or Saints concerning those Persons for which they are so Cut off from the Fellowship of the Body of Christ which is his Church Reason IV Fourthly A great part of W. R's Work is but a building up and then pulling down wherein he apparently Contradicts himself Yea the whole Scope of his Book Implies a Manifest Contradiction For whereas he plainly declares his Writing to be a Plea for Christian Liberty against Judging and Censuring one another holding forth that Diversity of Opinions and Judgments in matters of Conscience but especially in such matters as relate to Discipline and Government is not nor ought to be a Breach of Unity which he understands may be supposed to be the diversities of Gifts and Administrations mentioned in Scriptures which he expresses in these words upon Paul in Rom. 14. So then every one of us shall give an Account of himself unto God let us not therefore Judge one another any more And again he saith upon Verse 34. viz. Which evidently shews that Inasmuch as every one must Answer for himself it is fit every one should believe for himself A wrong Spirit of Liberty and so practise without being Imposed upon by others and this is the ground of all Christian Forbearance And again in another place he saith These things considered and that also we find the Apostle's Exhorting the Churches not to be Judging one another with respect to things relating to Conscience there is great need to watch against this Censorious Judging Spirit least while any are Judging their Brethren themselves become Cast-aways he hath many more Expressions of this kind Now since this is the whole Scope of W. R's Papers and that he did yea hath since he wrote these Papers acknowledged me to be his Christian Brother and many more at least them he did Repute such whom he Censures Judges and Condemns through his whole Treatise yea since his whole Papers are a Judging Censuring and Condemning of me and my Judgment in things pertaining to Conscience and to my Judgment in matters of Government and outward Discipline do's not the Work Imply a manifest Contradiction So his very Writing Contradicts the matter he writes of and pleads for especially since not only he makes some General Censure of me and many others professing the same fundamental Truths with him but is very Particular and Peremptory W. R. a false Accuser yea Insinuating Accusations as if I in Particular intended to make way for an Authority to Rule over at least some of my Brethren as his very Conclusion Intimates and in divers other places may be Observed And it will aggravate this Injury done by him the more that the Reader may Observe as well in his own Letter as in what is above mentioned that this his Censure was built upon his own Mistakes So that I hope who consider these things will acknowledge a sufficient Answer is hereby Returned And albeit I my self be fully satisfied yet I should not have Churled the Pains of a particular Disquisition of every thing in Order as Asserted by him albeit he has not done that to mine If I had not an Aversion from multiplying Controversies of this kind for the desire I have to Avoid that sort of Work and not for any strength of Argumentation I observe in W. R's Papers hath stopt me from so doing But if any do Apprehend that Strength of Reason in his Papers as to Judge I was Vnable to Answer or that this is not Satisfactory it will but Evidence the Weakness of their own Vnderstanding to the more Judicious and I shall not think much to bear their Censure For I value more my own Inward Peace and that of my Brethren than to Obtain an Applause of my Natural Capacity wherein if any Judge that W. R. do surpass me I shall not therewith be troubled The Excellency of the Simplicity of Truth For I more and more see the Excellency of that Simplicity that is in the Truth and of that Vnity that it leadeth to And thence do more Earnestly than ever desire to Witness all that is of and from Self Crucified in me and brought into true Subjection to the Cross of Christ and there alone may be my Rejoicing wherein I am at Vnity with all those who make Self of no Reputation for the Seed's sake that the Prosperity of Truth may be Advanced and the Peace of Israel Preserved R. Barclay William Rogers's Letter of his and R. Barclay's Discourse about the Book before-mentioned in the presence of many Brethren and also a Paper signifying the Brethrens Sense touching the Discourse then present Friends IT was upon me for several weeks past W. R's Letter Clearing R. B's Anarchy c. if my Occasions would any wise permit to come up to the City of London to be present among Friends from divers parts of the Nation at this Time that so I might have Opportunity to Confer with Friends who were dissatisfied with me touching what I had written in Answer to R. Barclay 's Book of Government And a few days before my Coming up R. Barclay being in London writ unto me to come up that we might have a Conference at large touching the same This his Request laid the greater Obligation upon me to be present in London at this time On Conference had with him we Agreed that a Free Meeting might be had with Friends in whose presence R. B. and my self might in all Coolness and Moderation Confer together that so all Mis-understandings might be Removed and the Truth be Evidenced to the Consciences of the Brethren then Present The Meeting for that end was this Day had and a very Christian and Fair Debate was had to the satisfaction of both of us as far as I can understand and the matters chiefly Objected by me were fairly and brother-like and in much love Discoursed and upon the whole matter I am satisfied that R. B. is not principled so as I and others have taken his Book to Import In particular he doth declare that his Book teacheth not that the Church of Christ hath Jurisdiction over the outward Concerns of Friends in Case of Difference Jurisdiction without Assent of the Differing parties and that it was far from his Intentions For his Intention as he declares was only to manifest that Friends ought to Submit their Cases of Difference to
understandings to Assent unto but positively My Words which I have put into thy mouth c. From whence I Argue thus Vpon whomsoever the Spirit remaineth always and putteth words into his mouth him doth the Spirit Teach Immediately Objectively and Continually But The Spirit is always upon the Seed of the Righteous and putteth words into their mouths neither departeth from them Therefore The Spirit teacheth the Righteous Immediately Objectively and Continually Proof 2 Secondly The Nature of the New Covenant is yet more amply expressed Jer. 31.33 which is again repeated and re-asserted by the Apostle Hebr. 8.10 in these words For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest The Object here is God's Law placed in the Heart and written in the Mind from whence they become God's People and are brought truly to know him The Difference between the Outward and Inward Law In this then is the Law distinguished from the Gospel The Law before was Outward written in Tables of Stone but now it is Inward written in the Heart Of old the People depended upon their Priests for the Knowledge of God but now they have all a Certain and Sensible Knowledge of him concerning which Augustine speaketh well in his Book de Literâ Spiritu from whom Aquinas first of all seems to have taken occasion to move this Question Whether the New Law be a Written Law or an Implanted Law Lex scripta vel Lex indita Which he thus resolves Affirming That the New Law or the Gospel is not properly a Law written as the old was but Lex indita an implanted Law and that the Old Law was written without but the New Law is written within on the Table of the Heart How much then are they deceived who instead of making the Gospel preferrable to the Law have made the Condition of such as are under the Gospel far worse For no doubt it is a far better and more desirable thing to Converse with God Immediately than only Mediately as being a higher and more glorious Dispensation and yet these men acknowledge The Gospel Dispensation more Glorious than that under the Law that many under the Law had Immediate Converse with God whereas they now cry It is Ceased Again Vnder the Law there was the Holy of Holies into which the High-Priest did enter and received the Word of the Lord Immediately from betwixt the Cherubims so that the People could then Certainly know the mind of the Lord But now according to these mens Judgment we are in a far worse Condition having nothing but the Outward Letter of the Scripture to guess and divine from concerning one Verse of which scarce Two can be found to Agree But Jesus Christ hath promised us better things though many are so Unwise as not to believe him even to Guide us by his own Vnerring Spirit and hath rent and removed the Vail whereby not only one and that once a year may enter but All of us at all times have Access unto him as often as we draw near unto him with pure hearts He reveals his Will to us by his Spirit and writes his Laws in our Hearts These things being then thus premised I Argue Where the Law of God is put into the mind and written in the heart there the Object of Faith and Revelation of the Knowledge of God is Inward Immediate and Objective But The Law of God is put into the mind and written in the heart of Every true Christian under the New Covenant Therefore The Object of Faith and Revelation of the Knowledge of God to Every true Christian is Inward Immediate and Objective The Assumption is the express words of Scripture The Proposition then must needs be True except That which is put into the mind and written in the heart were either not Inward not Immediate or not Objective which is most Absurd § XII The Third Argument is from these words of John 1 John 2. Arg. III vers 27. But the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you The Anointing recommended as but the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and no Lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him First This could not be any special 1. Common peculiar or extraordinary Priviledge but that which is Common to all the Saints it being a general Epistle directed to all them of that Age. Secondly The Apostle proposeth this Anointing in them 2. Certain as a more certain Touch-stone for them to discern and try Seducers by even than his own Writings for having in the former verse said that he had Written some things to them concerning such as Seduced them he begins the next Verse But the Anointing c. and ye need not that any man Teach you c. Which infers that having said to them what can be said he Refers them for all to the Inward Anointing which teacheth all things as the most firm constant and certain Bulwark against all Seducers And Lastly That it is a Lasting and Continuing thing 3. Lasting The Anointing which abideth if it had not been to Abide in them it could not have Taught them all things neither Guideth them against all hazzard From which I Argue thus He that hath an Anointing abiding in him which teacheth him all things so that he needs no man to Teach him hath an Inward and Immediate Teacher and hath some things inwardly and immediately Revealed unto him But The Saints have such an Anointing Therefore c. I could prove this Doctrine from many more places of Scripture which for brevities sake I omit And now come to the Second Part of the Proposition where the Objections usually formed against it are Answered Object § XIII The most Usual is That these Revelations are Vncertain Answ. But this bespeaketh much Ignorance in the Opposers for we distinguish betwixt the Thesis and the Hypothesis that is betwixt the Proposition and Supposition For it is one thing to Affirm That the true and undoubted Revelation of God's Spirit is Certain and Infallible and another thing to Affirm That this or that particular Person or People is led infallibly by this Revelation in what they speak or write because they Affirm themselves to be so Led by the Inward and Immediate Revelation of the Spirit The first is only by us Asserted the latter may be called in Question The Question is not Who are or are not so Led but Whether all ought not or may not be so Led The Certainty of the Spirit 's
not neither can be understood of Man's Answ. 1 own Nature which is Corrupt and Fall'n but of that Spiritual Nature which proceedeth from the Seed of God in man as it receiveth a new Visitation of God's Love and is quickened by it By what Nature the Gentiles did do the things of the Law which clearly appears by the following words where he saith These not having a Law i. e. outwardly are a Law unto themselves which shews the Work of the Law written in their hearts These Acts of theirs then are an Effect of the Law written in their hearts but the Scripture declareth that the Writing of the Law in the heart is a part yea and a great part too of the New Covenant-Dispensation and so no Consequence nor part of man's Nature Secondly If this Nature here spoken of could be understood of man's own Nature which he hath as he is a Man then would the Apostle Answ. 2 unavoidably Contradict himself since he elsewhere positively declares That the Natural Man discerneth not the things of God nor can Now I hope the Law of God is among the Things of God especially The Natural Man discerneth not c. as it 's written in the heart The Apostle in Chap. 7. of the same Epistle saith vers 12. That the Law is holy just and good and vers 14. That the Law is Spiritual but he is Carnal Now in what respect is he Carnal be as he stands in the Fall Vnregenerate Now what Inconsistency would here be to say that he is Carnal and yet not so of his own Nature seeing it is from his Nature that he is so denominated We see the Apostle Contra-distinguisheth the Law as Spiritual from Man's Nature as Carnal and Sinful Wherefore as Christ saith There can no Grapes be expected from Thistles nor Figs of Thorns Matth. 7 16. so neither can the fulfilling of the Law which is spiritual holy and just be expected from that Nature which is Corrupt Fall'n and Vnregenerate Whence we Conclude with good Reason that the Nature here spoken of by which the Gentiles are said to have done the Things contained in the Law is not the Common Nature of men but that Spiritual Nature The Gentiles Spiritual Nature in doing the Law that ariseth from the Works of the Righteous and Spiritual Law that 's written in the heart I confess they of the other Extream when they are pressed with this Testimony by the Socinians and Pelagians as well as by us when we use this Scripture to shew them how some of the Heathens by the Light of Christ in their heart come to be saved are very far to seek giving this Answer That there were some Relicks of the Heavenly Image left in Adam by which the Heathens could do some good things Which as it is in it self without proof so it Contradicts their own Assertions elsewhere and gives away their Cause For if these Relicks were of force to enable them to fulfil the righteous Law of God it takes away the necessity of Christ's Coming or at least leaves them a Way to be saved without him unless they will say which is worst of all That thô they really fulfilled the righteous Law of God yet God damned them because of the want of that particular Knowledge while he himself withheld all Means of their Coming to him from them But of this hereafter § III. I might also here use another Argument from these words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. where he so positively Excludes the Natural Man from an Vnderstanding in the things of God but because I have spoken of that Scripture in the beginning of the Second Proposition I will here avoid to Repeat what is there mentioned Referring thereunto Yet because the * Socinians exalting the Light of the Natural Man Socinians and others who exalt the Light of the Natural Man or a Natural Light in man do Object against this Scripture I shall Remove it e're I make an end Object They say The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be translated Animal and not Natural else say they it would have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From which they seek to infer That it is only the Animal man and not the Rational that is excluded here from the discerning the things of God Which shift without disputing about the Word is easily Refuted neither is it any wise consistent with the Scope of the place For Answ. 1 First The Animal Life is no other than that which man hath Common with other living Creatures for as he is a meer man he differs no otherwise from beasts than by the Rational Property Now the Apostle deduceth his Argument in the foregoing Verses from this Simile The Animal Man is the same with Natural That as the things of a man cannot be known but by the spirit of a man so the things of God no man knoweth but by the Spirit of God But I hope these men will Confess unto me that the Things of a man are not known by the Animal Spirit only i. e. by that which he hath Common with the Beasts but by the Rational so that it must be the Rational that is here understood Again the Subsumption shews clearly that the Apostle had no such Intent as these mens gloss would make him to have viz. So the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God according to their Judgment he should have said The things of God knoweth no man by his Animal spirit but by his Rational spirit for to say The Spirit of God here spoken of is no other than the Rational Spirit of man would border upon Blasphemy since they are so often contra-distinguished Again going on he saith not that they are rationally but spiritually discerned Answ. 2 Secondly The Apostle throughout this Chapter shews how the Wisdom of man is unfit to Judge of the things of God and Ignorant of them Now I ask these men whether a man be called a Wise man from his Animal Property or from his Rational If from his Rational then it is not only the Animal The Rational Man in the Natural State excluded from discerning the things of God but even the Rational as he is yet in the Natural State which the Apostle Excludes here and whom he Contra-distinguisheth from the Spiritual vers 15. But the spiritual man judgeth all things this cannot be said of any man meerly because Rational or as he is a Man seeing the men of greatest Reason if we may so Esteem men whom the Scripture calls Wise as were the Greeks of old not only may be but often are Enemies to the Kingdom of God while both the Preaching of Christ is said to be Foolishness with the Wise men of this World and the Wisdom of this World is said to be Foolishness with God Now whether it be any ways probable that either these Wise men that are said to account the Gospel Foolishness are only so
and depraved Condition Which in these Two Propositions is declared and demonstrated which I thought meet to place together because of their Affinity the one being as it were an Explanation of the other As for that Doctrine which these Propositions chiefly strike at to wit Absolute Reprobation that horrible and blasphemus Doctrine described Absolute Reprobation according to which some are not afraid to Assert That God by an Eternal and Immutable Decree hath predestinated to Eternal Damnation the far greater part of Mankind not Considered as Made much less as Fall'n without any respect to their Disobedience or Sin but only for the demonstrating of the Glory of his Justice And that for the bringing this about he hath appointed these miserable Souls necessarily to walk in their wicked ways that so his Justice may lay hold on them And that God doth therefore not only suffer them to be liable to this Misery in many parts of the World by with-holding from them the preaching of the Gospel and knowledge of Christ but even in those places where the Gospel is preached and Salvation by Christ is offered Whom though he publickly Invite them yet he justly Condemns for Disobedience albeit he hath with-held from them all Grace by which they could have laid hold on the Gospel viz. because he hath by a secret Will unknown to all men ordained and decreed without any respect had to their Disobedience or Sin that they shall not Obey and that the Offer of the Gospel shall never prove effectual for their Salvation but only serve to Aggravate and Occasion their greater Condemnation I say as to this horrible and blasphemous Doctrine our Cause is Common with many others who have both wisely and learnedly according to Scripture Reason and Antiquity Refuted it Seeing then that so much and so well is said already against this Doctrine that little can be superadded except what hath been said already I shall be short in this respect Yet because it lies so in Opposition to my Way I cannot let it altogether pass § I. We may safely call this Doctrine a Novelty seeing the first four hundred years after Christ there is no mention made of it for as it is Contrary to the Scriptures Testimony This Doctrine A Novelty and to the Tenor of the Gospel so all the Ancient Writers Teachers and Doctors of the Church pass it over with a profound Silence The first foundations of it were laid in the latter Writings of Augustin The Rise of it who in his heat against Pelagius let fall some Expressions which some have unhappily gleaned up to the establishing of this Error thereby Contradicting the Truth and sufficiently gainsaying many others and many more and freqent Expressions of the same Augâ—stine Afterwards was this Doctrine fomented by Dominicus a Friar and the Monks of his Order and at last unhappily taken up by John Calvin otherwise a man in divers respects to be Commended to the great staining of his Reputation and Defamation both of the Protestant and Christian Religion which though it received the Decrees of the Synod of Dort for its Confirmation hath since lost ground and begins to be Exploded by most Men of Learning and Piety in all Protestant Churches However we should not quarrel it for the Silence of the Ancients paucity of its Assertors or for the Learnedness of its Opposers if we did observe it to have any Real Bottom in the Writings or Sayings of Christ and the Apostles and that it were not highly Injurious to God himself to Jesus Christ our Mediator and Redeemer and to the Power Vertue Nobility and Excellency of his Blessed Gospel and lastly unto all Mankind 1. It 's highly Injurious to God in making him the Author of Sin § II. First It is highly Injurious to God because it makes him the Author of Sin which of all things is most Contrary to his Nature I Confess the Assertors of this Principle deny this Consequence but that is but a pure Illusion seeing it so naturally follows from their Doctrine and is equally ridiculous as if a man should pertinaciously deny that one and two makes Three For if God has Decreed that the Reprobated ones shall perish without all respect to their Evil Deeds but only of his own pleasure and if he hath also Decreed long before they were in Being or in any Capacity to do good or evil that they would walk in those wicked Ways by which as by a secondary means they are led to that end who I pray is the first Author and Cause thereof but God who so willed and decreed This is as natural a Consequence as any can be And therefore although many of the Preachers of this Doctrine have sought out various strange strained and intricate distinctions to defend their Opinion and evite this Horrid Consequence yet some and that of the most Eminent of them have been so plain in the matter as they have put it beyond all doubt Of which I shall Instance a few among many passages * Calv. in cap. 3 Gen. Id. 1. Inst c. 18 Sect. 1 Id. lib. de Praed Idem lib de Provid Id. Inst. cap. 23. Sect. 1. I say that by the Ordination and Will of God Adam fell God would have man to Fall Man is blinded by the Will and Commandment of God We refer the Causes of hardening us to God The highest or remote Cause of hardening is the Will of God It followeth that the hidden Counsel of God is the cause of hardening These are Calvin's Expressions (a) Beza lib. de Praed God saith Beza hath predestinated not only unto damnation but also unto the Causes of it whomsoever he saw meet (b) Id. de Praed ad Art 1. The Decree of God cannot be excluded from the Causes of Corruption (c) Zanch. de Excaecat q. 5. Idem l. 5. de Nat. Dei cap. 2. de Praed It is certain saith Zanchius that God is the First Cause of Obduration Reprobates are held so fast under God's Almighty Decree that they cannot but sin and perish (d) Paraeus lib. 3 de Amiss gratiae cap. 2. Ibid. cap. 1. It is the Opinion saith Paraeus of our Doctors that God did Inevitably decree the Temptation and Fall of man The Creature sinneth indeed necessarily by the most just Judgment of God Our men do most rightly Affirm that the Fall of man was necessary and inevitable by accident because of God's decree (e) Martyr in Rom. God saith Martyr doth incline and force the wills of wicked men into great sins (f) Zuing. lib. de Prov. cap. 5. God saith Zwinglius moveth the Robber to kill He killeth God forcing him thereunto But thou wilt say he is forced to sin I permit truly that he is forced (g) Resp. ad Vorst part 1 p. 120. Reprobate persons saith Piscator are absolutely ordained to this twofold end to undergo everlasting punishment and necessarily to sin and therefore to sin that
it is most Absurd so it luculently overturneth the very Import and Intent of the place as if the Corinthians turning Christians had not wrought any real Change in them but had only been a Belief of some barren Notions which had wrought no Alteration in their Affections Will or Manner of Life For my own part I neither see any thing nor could ever yet hear or read any thing that with any colour of Reason did evince Justified in this place to be understood any other ways than in its own proper and genuine Interpretation of being made Just. And for the more clear understanding hereof let it be Considered The Derivation of the word Justify Considered c. that this word Justify is derived either from the Substantive Justice or the Adjective Just both which words Import the Substantive that true and Real Virtue in the Soul as it is in it self to wit it signifies really and not suppositively that Excellent Quality expressed and understood among men by the word JVSTICE and the Adjective Just as applied signifies a man or woman who is Just that is in whom this Quality of Justice is stated For it would not only be great Impropriety but also manifest falsity to call a man Just meerly by supposition especially if he were really Vnjust Now this word Justify formed or from Justice or Just doth beyond all question signify a Making Just it being nothing else but a Composition of the Verb facio and the Adjective Justus which is nothing else than thus Justifico i. e. justum facio to make just and Justified of justus and fio as justus fio I become just and justificatus i. e. justus factus I am made just Thus also is it with Verbs of this kind as sanctifico from sanctus holy and facio honorifico from honor and facio sacrifico from sacer and facio all which are still understood of the Subject really and truly endued with that virtue and quality from which the Verb is derived Therefore as none are said to be sanctified Justified none are while they actually remain Vnjust that are really unholy while they are such so neither can any be truly said to be Justified while they actually remain Vnjust Only this Verb Justify hath in a Metaphorical and Figurative sense been otherways taken to wit in a Law-sense as when a man really guilty of a Crime is freed from the punishment of his sin he is said to be Justified that is put in the place as if he were Just For this use of the word hath proceeded from that true supposition That none ought to be acquitted but the Innocent Hence also that manner of speaking I will Justify such a man or I will justify this or that is used from the supposition that the person and thing is really Justifiable And where there is an Error and Abuse in the matter so far there is also in the Expression This is so manifest and apparent that Paraeus Paraeus de Just. cont Bell. l. 2. c. 7. p. 469. a Chief Protestant and a Calvinist also in his Opinion acknowledges this We never at any time said saith he nor thought that the Righteousness of Christ was Imputed to us that by him we should be named formally Just and be so as we have divers times already shewed for that would no less soundly fight with right Reason than if a guilty man absolved in Judgment should say that he himself were formally Just by the Clemency of the Judge granting him his life Now is it not strange that men should be so facile in a matter of so great Concernment as to build the stress of their Acceptance with God upon a meer borrowed and Metaphorical Signification to the excluding or at lest esteeming that not necessary without which the Scripture saith expresly No man shall ever see God Holiness required therefore good Works are For if Holiness be requisite and necessary of which this is said then must good Works also unless our Adversaries can shew us a holy man without good works But moreover Justified in this figurative sense is used for Approved and indeed for the most part if not always in Scripture when the word Justify is used it is taken in the worst part that is that as the Vse of the word that way is an Vsurpation so it is spoken of such as Vsurp the thing to themselves while it properly doth not belong unto them as will appear to those that will be at the pains to Examine these places Exod 23.7 Job 9.20 27.5 Prov. 17.15 Isa. 5.23 Jer. 3.11 Ezech. 16.51 52. Luk. 10.29 16.15 which are all spoken of men justifying the Wicked or of Wicked men justifying themselves that is Approving themselves in their Wickedness If it be at any time in this Signification taken in good part it is very seldom Comparatively and that so obvious and plain by the Context as leaves no scruple But the Question is not so much of the Vse of the word where it is passingly or occasionally used as where the very Doctrine of Justification is handled Where indeed to mistake it viz. in its proper place so as to content our selves with an Imaginary Justification while God requires a Real is of most dangerous Consequence For the Disquisition of which let it be considered that in all these places to the Romans Corinthians Galatians and elsewhere where the Apostle handles this Theam the word may be taken in its own proper signification without any Absurdity As where it is often asserted in the above-mentioned Epistles to the Romans and Galatians That a man cannot be justified by the Law of Moses nor by the Works of the Law there is no Absurdity nor Danger in understanding it according to its own proper signification Justified its proper signification to wit That a man cannot be Made just by the Law of Moses seeing this so well agrees with that saying of the same Apostle That the Law makes nothing perfect And also where it is said We are Justified by Faith it may very well be understood of being Made just seeing it is also said that Faith purifies the heart and no doubt the pure in heart are just and The just live by faith Again where it is said We are justified by Grace We are justified by Christ We are Justified by the Spirit it is no ways absurd to understand it of being Made Just seeing by his Spirit and Grace he doth make men Just But to understand it universally the other way meerly for Acceptance and Imputation would infer great Absurdities as may be proved at large But because I judged it would be acknowledged I forbear at present for brevity's sake But further in the most weighty places where this word Justify is used in Scripture with an Immediate Relation to the Doctrine of Justification our Adversaries must needs acknowledge it to be understood of making just Justification signifies a making Just. and not barely in the
he hath not Can ungodly men that are not gracious themselves be good stewards of the manifold Grace of God Good stewardship of what of God's abounding Grace which is the Ability and Stewardship received And therefore in the following verses he makes an Exclusive limitation of such as are not thus furnished saying If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God and if any man Minister let him do it as of the Ability that God giveth which is as much as if he had said They that cannot thus speak and thus Minister ought not to do it for this If denotes a necessary Condition Now what this Ability is is manifest by the former words to wit the Gift received and the Grace whereof they are Stewards as by the immediate Context and dependency of the words doth appear neither can it be understood of a meer Natural Ability because man in this condition is said not to know the things of God and so he cannot Minister them to others And the following words shew this also in that he immediately subjoineth That God in all things may be glorified but surely God is not glorified but greatly dishonoured when Natural Men from their meer natural Ability meddle in Spiritual things which they neither know nor understand Fourthly That Grace is a most Necessary Qualification for a Minister Proof IV appears by these Qualifications which the Apostle expresly requires 1 Tim 3.2 Tit. 1. c. where he saith A Bishop must be blameless vigilant sober of good behaviour apt to teach patient a lover of good men just holy temperate as the steward of God holding fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught Upon the other hand He must neither be given to wine nor a striker nor covetous nor proud nor self-willed nor soon angry Now I ask If it be not Impossible that a man can have all these above-named Vertues How can a Bishop have these Vertues without the Grace of God and be free of all these Evils without the Grace of God If then these Vertues for the producing of which in a man Grace is absolutely necessary be necessary to make a true Minister of the Church of Christ according to the Apostles judgment surely Grace must be necessary also Concerning this thing a Learned Man and well-skilled in Antiquity about the time of the Reformation writeth thus * Whatsoever is done in the Church without the Ministry of God's Spirit is vain and wicked Whatsoever is done in the Church either for Ornament or Edification of Religion whether in chusing Magistrates or instituting Ministers of the Church except it be done by the Ministry of God's Spirit which is as it were the Soul of the Church it is vain and wicked For whoever hath not been called by the Spirit of God to the great Office of God and Dignity of Apostleship as Aaron was and hath not entred in by the door which is Christ but hath otherways risen in the Church by the Window by the favours of men c. truly such a one is not the Vicar of Christ and the Apostles but a Thief and a Robber and the Vicar of Judas Iscariot †Who is Judas Iscariot's Vicar and Simon the Samaritan Hence it was so strictly appointed concerning the Election of Prelates which holy Dionysius calls the Sacrament of Nomination that the Bishops and Apostles who should Oversee the service of the Church should be men of most intire manners and life powerful in sound doctrine to give a reason for all things So also * Franciscus Lambertus Avenionensis in his Book concerning Prophecy Learning Tongues and the Spirit of Prophecy Argentorat excus anno 1516 de prov cap 24. another about the same time writeth thus Therefore it can never be that by the Tongues or Learning any can give a sound Judgment concerning the Holy Scriptures and the Truth of God Lastly saith he the sheep of Christ seek nothing but the voice of Christ which he knoweth by the holy Spirit wherewith he is filled he regards not Learning Tongues or any outward thing so as therefore to believe this or that to be the Voice of Christ his true shepherd he knoweth that there is need of no other thing but the Testimony of the Spirit of God Object 1 § XVII Against this Absolute Necessity of Grace they Object That if all Ministers had the Saving Grace of God then all Ministers should be Saved seeing none can fall away from or lose Saving Grace Answ. But this Objection is built upon a false Hypothesis purely denied by us and we have in the former Proposition concerning Perseverance already Refuted it Object 2 Secondly It may be objected to us That since we affirm that every man hath a measure of True and Saving Grace there needs no singular Qualification neither to a Christian nor Minister for seeing every man hath this Grace then no man needs forbear to be a Minister for want of Grace Answ. I answer We have above shewn that there is Necessary to the making a Minister a special and particular Call from the Spirit of God which is something besides the Vniversal Dispensation of Grace to all according to that of the Apostle Hebr. 5.4 No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is Called of God as was Aaron Moreover we understand by Grace as a Qualification to a Minister All have God's Grace which calls to Righteousness but all are not so leaven'd in its Nature to bring forth fruits a blameless holy life not the meer measure of Light as it is given to Reprove and Call him to Righteousness but we understand Grace as it hath Converted the Soul and Operateth powerfully in it as hereafter concerning the Work of Ministers will further appear So we understand not men simply as having Grace in them as a Seed which we indeed affirm all have in a measure but we understand men that are gracious leavened by it into the Nature thereof so as thereby to bring forth these good fruits of a blameless Conversation and of Justice holiness patience and temperance which the Apostle requires as Necessary in a true Christian Bishop and Minister Object 3 Secondly They ‖ So Nic. Arnoldus sect 32. upon These 4. object the Example of the false Prophets of the Pharisees and of Judas But first As to the false Prophets there can nothing be more foolish and ridiculous as if because there were false Prophets truly false without the Grace of God therefore Grace is not necessary to a true Christian Minister Answ. Indeed if they had proved that true Prophets wanted this Grace The false not the true Prophets want the Grace of God they had said something but what have false Prophets common with true Ministers but that they pretend falsly that which they have not And because false Prophets want true Grace will it therefore follow that true Prophets ought not to have it that they may be true
and come seriously to serve God and worship him in the Spirit he is made a Prey and presently made liable to cruel Sufferings Doth this bear any proportion to Christianity Do these things look any thing like the Churches of the Primitive Christians Surely not at all I shall first cite some few Scripture Testimonies being very positive Precepts to Christians and then see whether such as obey them can admit of these fore-mentioned things The Apostle commands us That whether we eat or drink or whatever we do we do it all to the glory of God But I judge none will be so impudent as to affirm That in the Use of these Sports and Games God is glorified If any should so say they would declare They neither knew God nor his Glory By Sports and Games God is not glorified And Experience abundantly proves That in the Practice of these things Men mind nothing less than the Glory of God and nothing more than the Satisfaction of their own Carnal Lusts Wills and Appetites The Apostle desires us 1 Cor. 7.29 31. Because the time is short that they that buy should be as though they possessed not And they that use this world as not abusing it c. But how can they be found in the Obedience of this Precept that plead for the Use of these Games and Sports who it seems think the Time so long that they cannot find occasion enough to employ it neither in taking Care for their Souls nor yet in the necessary Care for their Bodies but invent these Games and Sports to pass it away as if they wanted other Work to serve God or be useful to the Creation in The Apostle Peter desires us To pass the time of our sojourning here in Fear 1 Pet. 1.17 But will any say That such as use Dancing and Comedies Carding and Dicing do so much as mind this Precept in the Use of these things where there is nothing to be seen but Lightness and Vanity Wantonness and Obscenity contrived to hinder Men from Fear or being Serious and therefore no doubt calculated for the Service of the Devil There is no Duty more frequently commanded nor more incumbent upon Christians than the Fear of the Lord to stand in awe before him to walk as in his presence but if such as use these Games and Sports will speak from their Consciences they can I doubt not experimentally declare That this Fear is forgotton in their Gaming And if God by his Light secretly touch them or mind them of the Vanity of their Way they strive to shut it out and use their Gaming as an Engine to put away from them that troublesome Guest and thus make merry over the Just One whom they have slain and crucified in themselves But further if Christ's Reasoning be to be heeded who saith Matth. 12.35 36. That the good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things And that of every idle word we shall give an account in the day of Judgment It may be easily gathered from what Treasure these Inventions come And it may be easily proved that it is from the Evil and not the Good How many idle Words do they necessarily produce Comedies a studied complex of idle Lying Words Yea what are Comedies but a studyed complex of idle and lying Words Let Men that believe their Souls are immortal and that there will be a Day of Judgment in which these Words of Christ will be accomplished answer me how all these will make account in that great and terrible Day of all these idle Words that are necessarily made use of about Dancing Gaming Carding and Comedies acting And yet how is it that by Christians not condemning these things but allowing of them many that are accounted Christians take up their whole Time in them yea make it their Trade and Employment such as the Dancing-Masters and Comedians c. whose hellish Conversations do sufficiently declare what Master they serve and to what End these things contribute And it cannot be denied as being obviously manifest by Experience That such as are Masters of these Trades and are most delighted in them if they be not open Atheists and Prostigates are such at best as make Religion or the Care of their Souls their least Business Now if these things were discountenanced by Christians as inconsistent with their Profession it would remove these things for these Wretches would be necessitated then to betake themselves to some more honest Livelihood if they were not fed and upholden by these And as hereby a great Scandal and Stumbling Block would be removed from off the Christian Name so also would that in part be taken out of the Way which provokes the Lord to withhold his Blessing and by occasion of which things the Minds of many remain chained in Darkness and drowned in Lust Sensuality and Worldly Pleasures without any Sense of God's Fear or their own Souls Salvation Many of those called Fathers of the Church and other serious Persons have signified their Regret for these things and their Desires they might be remedied of whom many Citations might be alledged which for brevity's sake I have omitted § IX But they object That Mens Spirits could not subsist Object if they were always intent upon Serious and Spiritual Matters and that therefore there is need of some Divertisement to recreate the Mind a little whereby it being refreshed is able with greater Vigour to apply it self to these things I answer though all this were granted Answ. it would no ways militate against us neither plead the Use of these things which we would have wholly laid aside For that Men should be always in the same Intentiveness of Mind we do not plead knowing how impossible it is so long as we are cloathed with this Tabernacle of Clay But this will not allow us at any Time so to recede from the Memory of God and of our Souls chief Concern The Fear of God the best Recreation in all things as not still to retain a certain Sense of his Fear which cannot be so much as rationally supposed to be in the use of these things which we condemn Now the necessary Occasions which all are involved into in order to the Care and Sustentation of the outward Man are a Relaxation of the Mind from the more Serious Duties and those are performed in the Blessing as the Mind is so leavened with the Love of God and Sense of his Presence that even in doing these things the Soul carrieth with it that Divine Influence and Spiritual Habit whereby though these Acts as of Eating Drinking Sleeping Working be upon the Matter one with what the wicked do Yet they are done in another Spirit and in doing of them we please the Lord serve him and answer our End in the Creation and so feel and are sensible of his Blessing Whereas the Wicked
answer It is ordinary for the Prophets to express the greatest duties of Evangelical times in Mosaical terms as appears among others from Jer. 31.38 39 40. Ezek. 36.25 and 40. and Isa. 45.23 I have sworn by my self that unto me every Knee shall bow every Tongue shall swear Where the Righteousness of the New Jerusalem the purity of the Gospel with its Spiritual worship and the profession of the Name of Christ are expressed under forms of speaking used to Old Jerusalem under the washings of the Law under the names of Ceremonies the Temple Services Swearing is expressed by Confessing under the Gospel Sacrifices Oaths c. Yea that which the Prophet speaks here of Swearing the Apostle Paul interprets it expresly of Confession saying Rom. 14.11 For it is written As I live saith the Lord every Knee shall bow to me and every Tongue shall Confess to God Which being rightly considered none can be ignorant but these words which the Prophet writes under the Law when the Ceremonial Oaths were in use to wit Every Tongue shall swear were by the Apostle being under the Gospel when those Oaths became abolished expressed by Every Tongue shall Confess Object Tenthly they object But the Apostle Paul approves Oaths used among men when he writes Heb. 6.16 For men verily swear by the Greater and an Oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife But there are as many contests fallacies and diffidences at this time as there were ever Therefore the necessity of Oaths doth yet remain Answ. I answer The Apostle tells indeed in this place what men at that time did who lived in Controversies and Incredulity not what they ought to have done nor what the Saints did who were redeemed from Strife and Incredulity and had come to Christ Strife ceasing Oaths cease the Truth and Amen of God Moreover he only alludes to a certain Custom usual among men that he might express the firmity of the Divine Promise that he might excite in the Saints so much the more Confidence in God promising to them not that he might instigate them to Swear against the Law of God or confirm them in that no not at all for neither doth 1 Cor. 9.24 teach Christians the vain Races whereby men often times even to the destruction of their Bodies are wearied to obtain a corruptible prize So neither doth Christ who is the Prince of Peace teach his Disciples to fight albeit he takes notice Luke 14.31 what it behoveth such Kings to do who are accustomed to fight as prudent Warriors therein Secondly as to what pertains to Contests Perfidies and Diffidences among men which our Adversaries affirm to have grown to such an hight that Swearing is at present as necessary as ever Deceit among the False not the True Christians That we deny not at all for we see and daily experience teacheth us that all manner of deceit and malice doth increase among worldly men and False Christians but not among True Christians But because Men cannot trust one another and therefore require Oaths one of another it will not therefore follow that True Christians ought to do so whom Christ has brought to true Faithfulness and Honesty as well towards God as one towards another and therefore has delivered them from Contests Perfidies and consequently from Oaths Eleventhly They object We grant Object That among true Christians there is not need of Oaths but by what Means shall we infallibly know them It will follow then That Oaths are at present Needful and that it is Lawful for Christians to Swear to wit that such may be satisfied who will not acknowledge this and the other Man to be a Christian. I answer It is no ways lawful for a Christian to Swear whom Christ hath called to his essential Truth Answ. which was before all Oaths forbidding him to swear and on the contrary commanding him to speak the Truth in all things to the Honour of Christ who called him that it may appear Truth was before Oaths That the Words of his Disciples may be as truly believed as the Oaths of all other worldly Men. Neither is it lawful for them to be Vnfaithful in this that they may please others for that they may avoid their Hurt For thus the Primitive Christians for some Ages remained faithful who being required to swear did unanimously answer I am a Christian I swear not What shall I say of the Heathens some of whom arrived to that Degree For Diodorus Siculus relates lib. 16. That the giving of the Right Hand was among the Persians a sign of speaking the Truth And the Scythians as Qu. Curtius relates said in their Conferences with Alexander the Great Think not that the Scythians confirm their Friendship by Swearing they swear by keeping their Promises Stobaeus in his third Sermon tells That Solomon said A good Man ought to be in that Estimation that he need not an Oath because it is to be reputed a lessening of his Honour if he be forced to Swear Pythagoras in his Oration among other things hath this Maxim Heathen-Testimonies against Oaths as that which concerns the Administration of the Common-wealth Let no Man call God to witness by an Oath no not in Judgment but let every Man so accustom himself to speak that he may become worthy to be trusted even without an Oath Basil the Great commends Clinias an Heathen That he had rather pay three Talents which are about three thousand Pound than swear Socrates as Stobaeus relates Serm. 14. had this Sentence The Duty of Good Men requires that they shew to the World that their Manners and Actions are more firm than Oaths The same was the Judgment of Isocrates Plato also stood against Oaths in his Judgments de Leg. 12. Quintilianus takes notice That it was of old a kind of Infamy if any was desired to swear but to require an Oath of a Noble-Man was like an examining him by the Hang-man Marcus Aurelius Antonius the Emperour of Rome saith in his Description of a Good Man Such is his Integrity that he needs not Oaths So also some Jews did witness as Grotius relates out of Maimonides It is best for a Man to abstain from all Oaths The Esseans as Philo Judaeus relates did esteem their Words more firm than Oaths and Oaths were esteemed among them as needless Things And Philo himself speaking of the Third Commandment explains his Mind thus viz. It were better altogether not to Swear but to be accustomed always to Speak the Truth that naked Words might have the Strength of an Oath And elswhere he saith It is more agreeable to Natural Reason altogether to abstain from Swearing perswading that whatsoever a good Man saith may be equivalent with an Oath Oaths abrogated by Christ. Who then needs further to doubt but that since Christ would have his Disciples attain the highest Pitch of Perfection he abrogated Oaths as a Rudiment of Infirmity and in place
former in the Case of Swearing do forbid some things which were formerly lawful to the Jews considering their Condition and Dispensation and Command unto such as will be the Disciples of Christ a more perfect eminent and full Signification of Charity as also Patience and Suffering than was required of them in that Time State and Dispensation by the Law of Moses This is not only the Judgment of most if not all the Antient Fathers so called the first three hundred Years after Christ but also of many others and in general of all those who have rightly understood and propagated the Law of Christ concerning Swearing Testimonies of the Fathers against Fighting as appears from Justin Mart. in Dialog cum Tryph. ejusdemque Apolog. 2. Item ad Zenam Tertull. de Corona Militis It. Apolog. cap. 21. 37. It. lib. de Idolol c. 17 18 19. It. ad Scapulam cap. 1. It. adversus Jud. cap. 7 9. It. adv Gnost 13. It. adv Marc. c. 4. It. lib. de patient c. 6.10 Orig. cont Celsum lib. 3 5 8. It. in Josuam hom 12. cap. 9. It. in Mat. cap. 26. Tract 36. Cypr. Epist. 56. It. ad Cornel. Lactan. de just lib. 5. c. 18. lib. 6. c. 20. Ambr. in Luc. 22. Chrysost. in Matth. 5. hom 18. It. in Matth. 26. hom 85. It. lib. 2. de sacerdotio It. 1 Cor. 13. Chromat in Matth. 5. Hieron ad Ocean It. lib. Epist. p. 3. Tom. 1. Ep. 2. Athan. de Inc. Verb. Dei Cyrill Alex. lib. 11. in Johan cap. 25 26. Yea Augustin although he vary much in this matter notwithstanding in these places he did condemn Fighting Epist. 158 159 160. It. ad Judices Epist. 263. It. ad Darium lib. 21. It. ad Faustum cap. 76. lib. 22. de Civit. ad Marc. cap. 6. as Sylburgius relates Euthym. in Matth. 26. and among others of this last Age Erasmus in Luc. cap. 3 22. Ludov. Vives in Introd ad Sap. J. Ferus lib. 4. Comment in Math. 7. Luc. 22. From hence it appears that there is so great a Connexion betwixt these two Precepts of Christ that as they were uttered and commanded by him at one and the same Time so the same way they were received by Men of all Ages not only in the First Promulgation by the little number of the Disciples but also after the Christians encreased in the first three hundred Years Even so also in the Apostasy the one was not left and rejected without the other and now again in the Restitution and renewed Preaching of the Eternal Gospel they are acknowledged as Eternal and Vnchangeable Laws properly belonging to the Evangelical State and Perfection thereof from which if any withdraw he falls short of the Perfection of a Christian Man And truly the Words are so clear in themselves The Laws of Christ in the New Testament are irreconcileable to Persecution Wars and Fighting that in my Judgment they need no Illustration to explain their Sense For it is more easie to reconcile the greatest Contradictions as these Laws of our Lord Jesus Christ with the wicked Practice of Wars for they are plainly inconsistent Whoever can reconcile this Resist not Evil with Resist Violence by Force again Give also thy other Cheek with strike again also Love thine Enemies with spoil them make a Prey of them pursue them with Fire and Sword or pray for those that persecute you and those that calumniate you which persecute them by Fines Imprisonments and Death it self and not only such as do not persecute you but who heartily seek and desire your Eternal and Temporal Welfare Whoever I say can find a means to reconcile these things may be supposed also to have found a way to reconcile God with the Devil Christ with Anti-christ Light with Darkness and Good with Evil. But if this be impossible as indeed it is impossible so will also the other be impossible and Men do but deceive both themselves and others while they boldly adventure to establish such Absurd and Impossible things § XIV Nevertheless because some perhaps through Inadvertency and by the Force of Custom and Tradition do transgress this Command of Christ I shall briefly shew how much War doth contradict this Precept and how much they are inconsistent with one another and consequently That War is no ways lawful to such as will be the Disciples of Christ. For First Christ commands That we should Love our Enemies But War on the contrary teacheth us to Hate and destroy them Matth. 5.43 Secondly The Apostle saith That we war not after the flesh and that we fight not with flesh and blood Eph. 6.12 But outward War is according to the Flesh and against Flesh and Blood for the shedding of the one and destroying of the other Thirdly The Apostle saith That the Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual 2 Cor. 10.4 But the Weapons of outward Warfare are Carnal such as Cannon Muskets Spears Swords c. of which there is no mention in the Armour described by Paul Fourthly because James testifies That wars and strifes come from the lusts which war in the members of carnal men But Christians that is Ja. 4.1 Galat. 5.24 those that are truly Saints have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts Therefore they cannot indulge them by waging War Fifthly because the Prophets Isaiah and Micah have expresly prophesied That in the Mountain of the house of the Lord Christ shall judge the Nations and then they shall beat their swords into plow-shares c. And the Antient Fathers of the first three hundred Years after Christ did affirm Is. 2.4 Primitive Christians most averse from War these Prophecies to be fulfilled in the Christians of their Times who were most averse from War concerning which Justin Martyr Tertullian and others may be seen Which need not seem strange to any Mich. 4.3 since Philo Judaeus abundantly testifies of the Esseans That there was none found among them that would make Instruments of War But how much more did Jesus come That he might keep his followers from fighting and might bring them to Patience and Charity Sixthly Because the Prophet foretold That there should none hurt nor kill in all the Holy Mountain of the Lord Is. 65.25 But outward War is appointed for Killing and Destroying Joh. 18.36 Seventhly Because Christ said That his Kingdom is not of this World and therefore that his Servants shall not Fight Therefore those that fight are not his Disciples nor Servants Eighthly Because he reproved Peter for the Use of the Sword saying Mat. 26.52 Put up again thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword Concerning which Tertullian speaks well lib. de Idol How shall he fight in Peace without a Sword which the Lord did take away For although Soldiers came to John and received a Form of Observation if also the Centurion
B. His Offer to Jo. Menzies Professor of Divinity so called George Meldrum Minister at Aberdeen and William Mitchel Catechist at Foot of Dee AS in this late Rencountre it was specially provided Challenge that it shall be Abstract from the Challenge made to you and so no fulfilling of it so now this being past of which you have here presented to you a good and Faithful Account which we hope being seriously weighed by your more Mature Judgments may allay any hasty Joy that might have proceeded from the Windy Triumphs the Students might have possessed you with a Belief they had obtained who at every turn to the nauseating of the more Serious and Impartial Auditors were proclaiming themselves Victors We think you more concerned And indeed we are the more desirous to Meet and Debate it with your selves For either this is All ye have to say which ye have put in their Mouths or ye have more to say If this be all then indeed it may be your Wisdom not to accept this Offer but if ye have more we shall be willing to hear it and endeavour to Answer it And as your Appearing yourselves would be more Satisfactory to the People and is most desired by them as well as us so divers Inconveniences that have in this or may fall in the like would be avoided For First It being in your Publick Houses Reasons there would be less Occasion of Tumult because the House is capable to hold divers Thousands Secondly as it is probable ye would not so readily be put to a Stand as they If it should happen ye were we are hopeful ye would not by raising a Laughter and Clamour amongst the People and crying out three or four at once seek to cover it or boast of Victory and cry out Your Argument is pungent before we have Time allowed us to Answer it Thirdly You engaging we are hopeful to procure Discreet Learned and Persons every way Considerable to be Judges Consultative upon our part though not professing our Way to help to Moderate and keep Good Order Fourthly It is probable That by the Solemnity of of such an Action and the Influence of your Presence as well as other Persons of Condition being there might secure us from the Hazzard of Clods and Stones for I do truly assure you I conceive my self more able to Answer the most pungent of your Arguments than defending my self from the Stones and Blows of your Vnreasonable and Brutish Church-Members Objections It is by some of your People Objected to us whether it come from you or not I will not Affirm That it is below you to engage with us But as this is altogether unsuitable to Christian Ministers whose Master disdained not daily to Debate and Answer the Questions of such as Opposed themselves unto him and taught his Disciples to leave the ninety and nine and go seek after the Odd one Next It is most Vnreasonable for since ye take Liberty to speak against us in your Pulpits and particularly to design us yea and sometimes to speak Vntruths of us I desire then to know Whether it be agreeable to the Rules of Christianity or even of Common Honesty to take Liberty to speak ill of Men behind their Backs abuse their Principles and Reputations and yet say It is below them to prove these Charges to the Mens own Faces Secondly It is Objected That it is against the Laws to call the Faith established by Law into Question But may not the same be said against Protestants in those Nations where Popery and Mahometism are Established by Law Yea is not this the very Pretence and put-off which the Papists both in Germany and France gave the Primitive Protestants when they desired Publick Conferences with them And was not both the Emperour Charles the Fifth and his Brother Ferdinando sorely checkt by divers Bishops of Rome for granting these Conferences and the Queen Mother of France openly reproved and cried out against by Cardinal Turnon and other Clergy-Men for giving way to that of Poysy as suffering the Vniversal Faith of the Church to be called in Question which had been established by many Laws and for a far longer Time than the Profession we oppose It seems ye Defend your selves chiefly by Popish Weapons as will anon further appear In order whereunto I shall speak a Word or two to John Menzies and so make an end The greatest and frequentest Argument that both thy Scholars and others make against us Scholars chief Argument against us is That we have no certain Evidence by which we can make known That we are led by the Spirit that Hereticks and others cannot pretend to Now if this may be admitted as Relevant or Strong against us I desire thou wouldst be pleased to shew me How thou canst extricate thy self out of the same Difficulty when urged by the Jesuit Dempster That the Scripture which thou assignedst as the Ground of the Protestant Religion is an Evidence for you seeing all Hereticks also pretend to it Let me see what Difficulties occur in our Case as to the Spirit which likewise occur not in the same very Way in Yours as to the Scripture For besides that we have as good Ground to lay Claim to the Scriptures as your selves and are ready and I hope able to prove our Principles from them as well as your selves If ye say Men may be deceived by a Seducing Spirit What then will it therefore follow That the Spirit of God will deceive any Or that Men ought not to be guided by it more than because many Men have been and are deceived by a Mis-understanding and wrong Use of the Scripture that therefore the Scripture doth deceive People or ought not to be the Rule If it be said Divers Men pretending to the Spirit Contradict one another Doth not the same recur as to the Scriptures What greater Contradictions can there be than there is betwixt certain Churches both acknowledging the Scriptures to be the Rule Hast thou forgotten John how thou and thy Elder Brother Andr. Cant who both Affirmed the Scripture to be the only Certain Rule and yet oftentimes before the same Auditory in the same Pulpit did from the very same Verse of Scripture Psal. 93 5. Holiness becometh thy house O Lord for ever draw different and Contradictory Doctrines Vses and Applications If that then will not infer according to you the Scriptures to be an Vncertain Rule neither will the other as to the Spirit If it be said That the fame Man pretending to be guided by the Spirit hath been of different Judgments doth not the same also recur as to the Scriptures Or need we go further John than thy self to prove this who hast all-along acknowledged the Scripture to be the Rule and yet sometime judged the Congregational Way to be preferrable to the Presbyterian And then the Presbyterian better than the Independent And now the Episcopal preferrable to both Or tell me John honestly
Those only can be esteemed Charitable in point of Doctrine and truly to Commend the Love of God whose Principle is of that Extent as naturally to take in within the compass of it both such as have not arrived to their Discoveries and who are also Different in Judgment from them and that without any extraordinary and miraculous Conveyance as being the Common Means and Order of Salvation appointed by God for all and truly reaching all Moreover in the second place far less canst thou pretend to have Charity for me that wilt rob me of my Life Goods or Liberty because I cannot jump with thee in my Judgment in Religious Matters To say Thou dost it for good and out of the Love thou bearest to my Soul Is an Argument too Ridiculous to be answered unless that the so doing did Infallibly produce always a Change in Judgment The very Contrary whereof Experience has abundantly shewn and to this day doth shew seeing such Severities do oftner Confirm men in their Principles than drive them from them And then by thy own Confession thou dost not only Destroy my Body but my Soul also and canst not avoid thinking upon thy own Principle but I must be Damned If I persist in my Judgment 2. Uncharitable Deportment To destroy Men for Conscience an Act of Malice Which for thee to be the very Immediate Occasion and Author of is certainly the greatest Act of Malice and Envy that can be imagined seeing thou dost what in thee lyeth through the heat of thy Zeal and Fury to cut me off from obtaining that place of Repentance which for ought thou knowest it might please God to afford me were not my days thus shortned by thee Magistrates putting to death Malefactors for their Crimes is no Example for them to kill good Men for matters of Conscience To alledge the Example of Putting to Death Murderers and other such Profligate Malefactors which is allowably done by the general Judgment of almost all Christians from thence urging That as this is not accounted a Breach of Christian Charity so neither the other will no way serve the purpose nor yet be a sufficient Cover for this kind of Vnchristian Cruelty because the Crimes for which these are thus punished are such as are not Justified as matters of Conscience or Conscientiously practised which are unanimously Condemned not only by the Consent of all Christians but of all Men as being Destructive to the very Nature of Man-kind and to all Humane Society And 't is Confessed even by all such Malefactors themselves I know not if one of a Hundred Thousand can be Excepted and the punishment of such is Justifiable as all generally acknowledge But to kill Sober Honest good Men meerly for their Conscience is quite Contrary to the Doctrine of Christ as has been elsewhere upon other Occasions largly demonstrated This being premised I shall briefly Apply the same to the several Sorts of Christians that thence may be observed whose Principles do most exactly agree with and lead to that Vniversal Love and Charity so much in words commended by all and for the want of which every sort take so much liberty to Judge and Condemn each other There are many other particulars by which the several Sects may be Tried in this respect but these Two forementioned being the principal I shall chiefly insist upon them in this present Application To begin then with the Papists there is nothing more commonly acknowledged and assented to among them The Papists Maxim Without the Church is no Salâ—ation than that Maxim Extra Ecclesiam nulla Salus without the Church there is no Salvation which Maxim in a sense I confess to be True as shall hereafter appear but according as it is understood among them it does utterly destroy this Vniversal Love and Charity For by this Church without which there is no Salvation they precisely understand the Church of Rome reckoning that whosoever are not of her Fellowship are not Saved And this must needs necessarily follow upon their Principles seeing they make the Ceremonial Imbodying in this Church so necessary to Salvation that they Exclude from it the very Children begotten and brought forth by their own Members Their Children not Excluded from their Rigour unless formally received by the Sprinkling or Baptism of Water And albeit they have a Certain place more tolerable than Hell for these Vnbaptized Infants yet hence is manifest how small their Charity is And how much it is Confined to their particular Ceremonies and Forms Since if they think Children born among them for want of this Circumstance are excluded from Heaven albeit never guilty of Actual Transgression they must needs judge that such as both want it and also are guilty of many Sins as they believe all Men are who are come to Age especially such as are not in the Church go without Remedy to Hell Secondly All Dissenters and Separatists from the Church Infidels Turks and Hereticks The Pope's Yearly Curse and Excommunication of all without them which in short are all that profess not Fellowship and Communion with the Church of Rome and own her not as their Mother are in a most solemn manner Yearly Excommunicated by the Pope And it were a most gross Inconsistency to suppose that such as are so Cursed and Excommunicated and given over to the Devil by the Father and Chief Bishop of the Church can in the Judgment of the Members be Saved especially while they think he is Approved of God and Led by an Infallible Spirit in his so Excommunicating them And lastly To suppose any such Vniversal Love or Charity as extending to Persons either without the Compass of their own Society The Foundation of the Romish Church the Superiority of Peter or Dissenting and Separating from them so as to reckon them in a capacity or possibility of Salvation were to destroy and overturn the very Basis and Foundation of the Roman Church which stands in acknowledging the Superiority and Precedency of Peter and his Successors and in believing that Infallibility is annexed thereunto Now such as are not of the Roman Society cannot do this and those that do not thus are such to whom the Church of Rome can have no Charity but must look upon them as without the Church and consequently as Uncapable of Salvation while there abiding Object If it be Objected that the Church of Rome professeth Charity to the Greek Armenian and Ethiopian Churches albeit vastly differing in many things from them Answ. I Answer that whatsoever Charity the Church of Rome either doth or ever hath professed to any of these shall be found to be always upon a supposed Acknowledgment made by them to the See of Rome The Church of Rome professing Charity to some as the Mother-Church and Apostolick Seat from thence seeking the Confirmation and Authority of their Patriarchs at least as the Romanists have sought to make the World believe how true is
Nimeguen to Consult the Peace of Christendom so far as they are concerned Wherein the true Cause of the present War is discovered and the Right Remedy and Means for a firm and settled Peace is Proposed By R. Barclay a Lover and Travailer for the Peace of Christendom Which was delivered to them in Latin the 23 d. and 24 th days of the Month called February 1677 8. and now published in English for the satisfaction of such as understand not the Language Psal. 2.10 Be wise therefore ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with Trembling Kiss the Son least he be Angry and ye perish from the Way when his Wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that put their Trust in him To the Embassadors and Deputies of the Christian Princes and States met at Nimeguen to Consult the Peace of Christendom R. B. a Servant of Jesus Christ and hearty Wel-wisher to the Christian World Wishes Increase of Grace and Peace and the Spirit of sound Judgment with hearts Inclined and willing to Receive and Obey the Counsel of God LET it not seem Strange unto you who are Men Chosen and Authorized by the Great Monarchs and States of Europe to find out a Speedy Remedy for the present Great Trouble under which many of her Inhabitants do groan as such whose Wisdom and Prudence and Abilities have so Recommended them to the World as to be Judged fit for so Great and Difficult a Work To be Addressed unto by one who by the World may be esteemed Weak and Foolish whose Advice is not Ushered unto you by the Commission of any of the Princes of this World nor Seconded by the Recommendation of any Earthly State For since your Work is that which concerns all Christians why may not every Christian who feels himself stir'd up of the Lord thereunto Contribute therein And if they have place to be heard in this Affair who come in the name of Kings and Princes let it not seem heavy unto you to hear him that comes in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ who in the truest sense is the Head and Governour and Chief Bishop of the Church the Most-truly-Christian and Catholick King Many of whose Subjects are Concerned in this matter and the Blood of many in Hazzard for whom he hath shed his precious Blood And yet who shall not seek to Obtrude upon you the Belief of the Truth or Certainty of his Commission because of his own Testimony but leave it as well as the things he therein delivereth to the holy and pure Witness of God in all your Consciences to be Received or Rejected by you as it shall there be Approved or not Approved Know then My Friends that many and often times my Soul has been deeply bowed down under the weighty Sense of the present State of Christendom and in secret before the Lord I have mourned and bitterly lamented because thereof And as I was Crossing the Sea and being the last Summer in Holland The Burthen that was upon the Author in this Matter and some parts of Germany the Burthen thereof fell often upon me and it several times came before me to Write unto you what I then saw and felt from God of these things while I was in those parts But I Waited and was not willing to be Hasty and now being Returned to my own Country and at my own Home I cheerfully accept the fit Season which the Lord has put in my hand and called me to therein to signify unto you those things which in his Name and Authority I am Commanded to do And for this End the Lord has shewn me what the Causes are of all this Mischief and Confusion and Desolation which are necessary to be made known unto you and deeply and seriously to be Considered by you Else ye can never be able to Apply the Right Remedies I speak of the Primary and Original Cause The Primary Cause of Mischief first to be Removed as it proceeds from him and is hatched by him who is the Author of all Mischief and the great Enemy to as well as Envyer of the true Peace and Prosperity of all good Christians and who sows in Mens hearts that Evil Seed and fomenteth that bad Ground from which all Evil Riseth For unless this be seen discovered and removed in the Ground although the secondary and more immediate Causes be seen to wit the Projects Designs and Councils of Men and in part be answered and removed by giving way to some and taking from others according as they are more or less formidable and considerable measuring these things by the Rules of Humane Wisdom and Carnal Prudence and Policy yet that is not sufficient That may Allay the Heat for a Time but will not Remove the Evil and You in so doing will prove but like those Physitians that do Mitigate the pain and violence of a Disease for a Time but do not take away the Ground and Cause of it so that it shortly again Returns and in the End Destroys him that is Afflicted with it The Chief Ground Cause and Root then of all this Misery among all those called Christians is because they are only such in Name Christians in Name and not in Nature and not in Nature having only a form and profession of Christianity in shew and words but are still Strangers yea and Enemies to the life and vertue of it owning God and Christ in words but denying them in works and therefore the Lord Jesus Christ will not own them as his Children nor Disciples For while they say they are his Followers while they Preach and Exalt his Precepts while they Extoll his Life Patience and Meekness his Self denying perfect Resignation and Obedience to the Will of his Father yet themselves are out of it and so bring Shame and Reproach to that Honourable Name which they Assume to themselves in the face of the Nations and give an occasion for Infidels Turks Jews and Atheists to profane and blaspheme the holy Name of Jesus Is it not so While so much Ambition Pride Vanity Wantonness and Malice Murder Cruelty and Oppression Abominations abounding in the Courts of Christian Princes yea and all manner of Abominations abounds and is openly practised yea while those that should be Patterns and Examples of Justice Vertue and Sobriety to others do for the most part Exceed most in those things So that the Courts of Christian Princes who while in words seem more to Glory in being Professors and Protectors of Christianity than in their outward Crowns which should be Colledges of Vertue and Piety are mostly Scenes of greatest Wickedness and Nests and Receptacles of all the Baffoons Stage-players and other vilest Vermin not fit to be mentioned I say Is it not so While upon every slender Praetext such as Their own small Discontents or That they judge the present Peace they have with their Neighbour cannot sute
That the Apostle and all Regenerate Men are in a certain respect Carnal So his Divinity will run thus The Devil and all Unregenerate Men are in a certain respect Spiritual and the Apostle and all Regenerate are in a certain respect Carnal ¶ 4. But he thinks in the following page 106. he has gotten me in a notable Contradiction so that he concludeth if I may have occasion to Contradict the Truth I care not how often I Contradict my self and that is by asking me this Question Wherein appeared the Wisdom of the Wise Men among the Greeks if not in the knowledge of the Things of God The Wisdom of the Greeks appeared in their Worldly Affairs I Answer In the Wise and Prudent Management of Worldly Affairs For he hath not proved that is necessarily united to a Knowledge of God and things Spiritual since it is said of some Beasts that they have something of this such as Bees and Ants c. And whereas he asks Wherein Men differ from Brutes then I say In many things as in the knowledge of Numbers and Mathematical and Mechanical Demonstrations Is the Knowledge of such natural Truths as 2 and 3 makes 5 and the whole is greater than the part and all that 's deduced there-from the knowledge of the things of God And yet is not this further than what Beasts know And to shew him his forwardness in this let him shew me if he admit not this how the Wisdom of this World is Foolishness with God and the Wisdom of God Foolishness with Men At last he comes p. 107. and to the end of this Chapter to prove That there doth remain in Man some Reliques of the Image of God notwithstanding the Fall which he builds upon that saying of the Apostle Rom. 1.19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them and the reason he urgeth is Because it was known not to a few only Answ. This is very true but makes nothing for him for here as for the most part else-where he with an unparallel'd Confidence not to say Impudence every where begs the Question First in that he supposeth that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or what is to be known of God That which may be known of God c. are not J. B.'s Relicks is somewhat that Man retained in the Fall and no New Visitation of Light and Grace which he knows I deny And Secondly That it must be so because all Men have it where he supposeth that all Men receive not such a Visitation which he knows I also deny and yet he Concludes without offering to prove either of them Who but one Desperate and that cares not how Ridiculous and Absurd he be if he can but heap together a Company of Railing Words would urge his Adversary by Mediums which he knows he denies without first proving them or at least attempting so to do ¶ 5. Next followeth his Sixth Chapter Intituled Of Original Sin in which nothing of what he saith can touch me but so far as he proves That those who never actually sinned such as Infants are guilty of Adam 's sin J. B. of Original Sin Therefore what he saith of others who affirm That Man sustained no hurt by Adam but by Imitation Concerns me not since I say no such thing And yet he thinks it a Paradox for me to say albeit he cannot deny but it is true that I deny the Errors of such And of this nature is what he writes in the first four Pages of this Chapter in the last of which he goes after his Custom as it were to pump for the Meaning of my Words that he may Insinuate to the Reader as if I wrote all in the Dark and had great Mysteries under them whereas any one that reads them may see they are so plain that they need no Commentary For who is so weak as not to understand me saying That the Seed of Sin is not Imputed to Infants That the Seed of Sin is not imputed to Infants until they Actually join with it until they actually join with it He comes p. 114. n. 8. to Examin what he saith I say in defence of this Error And first he will take notice of what I say of Augustin whom he alledgeth I Abuse because I say that he was the first among the Ancients that opened the way to his Opinion in his declining Age out of Zeal But will he deny that Augustin wrote most Zealously against Pelagius in his declining Age Next he shews here his great Disingenuity For while he names many of the Ancients as being of the same Mind and whom Augustin also cited against Pelagius he gives none of their Words that it might have been seen whether it was in this that they Condemned him to wit That Infants are not guilty of Adam 's Sin For these Citations may relate to that which was accounted indeed Pelagianism to wit That Man by Nature without the Grace of God could fulfil the Law yea that he needed not Grace to perform the Will of God which was the thing for which Pelagius was Condemned by the African Synod As for the Citation he gives of Augustin saying He was of the same Mind since the beginning of his Conversion seeing in this Place Augustin's Words which he saith he has held are no more than the Express Words of the Apostle Rom. 5.12 which J. B. has not yet proved to Import that Infants are guilty of Adam 's Sin So if he has no better way to prove Augustin's positive Judgment in the Case than this he doth but give a Token of his own Effrontedness and shameless Boldness not of Mine But since he seems so great an Admirer of Augustin as an honoured Instrument of the Lord and an Holy Father as he terms him then I desire to know Whether he will agree to all that Augustin hath written which if he will not do he doth ill to Accuse me for Condemning Augustin as Erroneous in some things And if he will I may then shew him That Augustin both Commended and Practised things which he and his Brethren Cried-out against as Superstition Will-worship and Abominable Popery and Idolatry and for far less than which they have Excommunicated their Fellow Preachers Which shews in effect meaner Thoughts of him than I have yet Expressed Children of Wrath are so for their evil Deeds My Argument drawn from Ephes. 2.3 where the Apostle Ascribes the Reason of Mems being Children of Wrath to their Evil Deeds he saith was the Fathers against Pelagius And what then doth that render it null But his own Answer to it is Rare saying He thinks I put out my Eyes that do not observe how the Apostle changes the second Person saying Among whom also we all had our Conversation in times past and were by Nature the Children of Wrath whence the Man wisely infers That Paul and the Jews were the Children of Wrath which is not denied but they must
26. It is absurd to affirm Christ is in none but those with whom he is united 6 63. Christ's praying to save him from this Hour explained 783. what the Flesh and Blood of Christ is 861 901. Christian how he is a Christian and when he ceaseth so to be 269 270 273 281 282 283 285 394 410 412 418. the foundation of his Faith 294 295. his Priviledge ibid. when men are made Christians by Birth and not by conversion 405 406. they have borrowed many things from Jews and Gentiles 475 476. they recoil by little and little from their first Purity 486 509. the Primitive Christians for some ages said We are Christians we Swear not 555. and We are the Soldiers of Christ it is not lawful for us to Fight 562. Concerning the Life of a Christian what and how it ought to be 149 157. Every Christian ought to be concerned in the Work of the Lord 707 a Judgment of several sorts of Christians must be made from their respective Principles and not from the Practice of particular Persons 684. the Gathering of the Primitive Christians was an uniting of Hearts and not of Hands only 697 709. Christianity is made as an Art 273. It is not Christianity without the Spirit 281 283 296 297. It would be turned into Scepticism 423 424 484 491 492. It is placed chiefly in the renewing of the Heart 407. Wherein it consists not 450. what is and is not the mark thereof 484 486 492. why it is Odious to Jews Turks and Heathens 498. what would contribute to its Commendation 534. What the Cause is of all the Mischief in Christendom 711 713. the Essence or Being of Christianity placed in the true and real Conversion of the heart by vertue of the operation of the Light Seed and Grace of God 700. that there is nothing but the Name and nothing of the Nature of true Christianity among Christians is manifest in the Clergy 708 709 27. the Call of God to blinded Christendom 356. CHVRCH without which there is no Salvation what she is concerning her Members Visibility Profession Degeneration Succession 403 to 417. whatsoever is done in the Church without the instinct of the Holy Spirit is vain and impious 419. the same may be said of her that in the Schools is Disputed of Theseus's Boat 431. in her Corrections ought to be Exercised and against whom 508. she is more Corrupted by the Accession of Hypocrites 521. the Contentions of the Greek and Latine Churches about Leavened or Vnleavened Bread in the Supper 506. the Luke-warmness of the Church of Laodicea 411. there are Introduced into the Roman Church no less Superstitions and Ceremonies than among the Heathens and Jews 406. The Church of Rome's pretended Charity 688 689. the Church of Rome no Church 647. the Basis and Foundation of that Church stands in Confessing the Superiority and Precedency of Peter and his Successors and in believing that Infallibility is annexed thereunto 688. the True Church is distinguished from the False by its real Sanctification and true Holiness 203. what a Church is defined 208. the Notion and Definition of a Church which arises from the Universal Principle of Light and Grace doth Establish Universal Love 702. the Cause of the True Church's gathering to a Body was a Sense of their Want 697. such as are sanctified properly constitute the Church 226. who is the Head and who the Ministers thereof 139 144 167 168. God's Care over his Church and Heritage 191 192. Men may be said to be within the Church who want outward Preaching 805 807. the great property of the Church of Christ is pure Vnity in Spirit 217. The Ground of Division Separation and Schism in the Church 188. In the Primitive Church Condescension was practised in case of Weakness though those weak ones were not suffered to propagate their Scruples 223 224 In what Cases the Church of Christ may pronounce a positive Sentence and Judgment without the hazzard of Imposition upon either of the Parties Controverting 216 867. Circumcision a Seal of the Old Covenant 490 586. Clergy 428 430 433 436 437 507. The Clergy the greatest Promoters of Wars 708 709. they are so Impudent as to thank God for the Destruction of their Fellow-Creatures 709. upon the Charge of a Prince or State they will pray for those to whom before they wished Ruin and Destruction ibid. They cloud the Truth that the Common People might Maintain and Admire them 731. they acted the Mad Pranks of John of Leyden in the Civil Wars of England 668. See Protestants Clothes That it is not Lawful for Christians to use things superfluous in Cloaths 543 545 564 565. Comforter for what end he was sent 271 272. Commission The Commission of the Disciples of Christ before the Work was finished was more Legal than Evangelical 419. Communion the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is a Spiritual and inward thing 148 149. that Body that Blood is a Spiritual Thing and that it is that heavenly Seed whereby Life and Salvation was of old and is now Communicated 593 594. how any become partakers thereof 496 497 498. it is not tied to the Ceremony of breaking Bread and drinking Wine which Christ used with his Disciples this was only a Figure 494 497 to 503. whether that Ceremony be a necessary part of the New Covenant and whether it is to be continued 504 to 515. Spiritual Communion with God through Christ is obtained 311. they that Witness Christ come need not Bread and Wine to put them in Remembrance of him 35 see Supper Community of Goods is not brought in by the Quakers 516 533 534. Complements see Titles Conscience see Magistrate Its Definition what it is it is distinguished from the saving Light 366 337 338 515 516. the good Conscience and the hypocritical 400. he that acteth contrary to his Conscience sinneth and concerning an Erring Conscience 516. what things appertain to Conscience ibid what sort of Liberty of Conscience is defended 517. it is the Throne of God ibid. it is free from the Power of all Men 527. Conscience and Reason are distinguished from the Saving Light of Christ in all Men 603. Clem. Alex. his Testimony 579. God alone can Inform and Inlighten the Conscience 704. Conversion what is Man's therein is rather a Passion than an Action 331. Augustin's Saying ibid. this is Cleared by two Examples 339 340. Conversion presupposeth having Light and Grace 8. Controversy Solid Controversies may be entertained for Clearing and Maintaining the Truth 730. Correction how and against whom it ought to be exercised 517. Covenant The Difference betwixt the New and Old Covenant-Worship 286 287 441 442 456 458 484. See also Gospel Law Courts see Princes Cross the Sign of the Cross 492. D. Dancing see Plays Day whether any be Holy and concerning the Day commonly called the Lord's Day 442 503. Whether the First Day of the Week has any more Inherent Holiness than any other Days
Legal Acceptation As first in that of 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified as I before have proved which also many Protestants are forced to acknowledge Neither diffide we saith Thysius because of the most great and strict Connexion Thysius Disp. de Just. Thes. 3. that Justification doth sometimes seem also to Comprehend Sanctification as a Consequence as in Rom. 8.30 Tit. 3.7 1 Cor. 6.11 And such sometimes were ye Zanchius in cap. 2. ad Eph. ver 4. loc de Just. but ye are washed c. Zanchius having spoken concerning this sense of Justification adds saying There is another signification of the word viz. for a man from Unjust to be made Just even as sanctified signifies from unholy to be made holy In which signification the Apostle said in the place above-cited And such were some of you c. that is of unclean ye are made holy and of unjust ye are made just by the Holy Spirit for Christ's sake in whom ye have believed Of this signification is that Rev. 22.11 Let him that is just be just still that is really from just become more just even as from unjust he became just And according to this signification the Fathers and especially Augustine have Interpreted this word H. Bullinger Thus far he H. Bullinger on the same place 1 Cor. 6. speaketh thus By divers words saith he the Apostle signifies the same thing when he saith ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified Proof II Secondly In that Excellent Saying of the Apostle so much observed Rom. 8.30 Whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified This is commonly called the Golden Chain as being acknowledged to Comprehend the Method and Order of Salvation And therefore if Justified were not understood here in its proper signification of being made just Sanctification would be excluded out of this Chain Righteousness the only Medium by which from our Calling we pass to Glorification And truly it is very worthy of observation that the Apostle in this succinct and compendious Account makes the word Justified to comprehend all betwixt Calling and Glorifying thereby clearly insinuating that the being really Righteous is that only Medium by which from our Calling we pass to Glorification All for the most part do acknowledge the word to be so taken in this place and not only so but most of those who oppose are forced to acknowledge that as this is the most proper so the most common Signification of it thus divers famous Protestants do acknowledge We are not saith D. Chamierus such Impertinent Esteemers of words as to be ignorant nor yet such importunate Sophists as to deny that the words of Justification and Sanctification do infer one another yea we know that the Saints are chiefly for this Reason so called D. Chamier Tom. 3. de Sanct. l. 10. c. 1. because that in Christ they have received Remission of Sins and we read in the Revelation Let him that is just be just still which cannot be understood except of the fruit of Inherent Righteousness Nor do we deny but perhaps in other places they may be promiscuously taken especially by the Father I take saith Beza the name of Justification largely Beza in cap. 3. ad Tit. vers 7. so as it comprehends whatsoever we acquire from Christ as well by Imputation as by the Efficacy of the Spirit in sanctifying us So likewise is the word of Justification taken Rom. 8.30 Melanchthon saith Melancht in Apol. Confes. Aug. that to be justified by Faith signifies in Scripture not only to be pronounced Just but also of Unrighteous to be made Righteous Also some Chief Protestants though not so clearly yet in part hinted at our Doctrine whereby we ascribe unto the Death of Christ Remission of Sins and the work of Justification unto the Grace of the Spirit acquired by his Death Boraeus in Gen. c. 15. ad verb Credidit Abraham Deo pag. 161. Martinus Boraeus explaining that place of the Apostle Rom. 4.25 Who was given for our sins and rose again for our Justification saith There are two things beheld in Christ which are necessary to our Justification the one is his Death the other is his Arising from the dead By his Death the sins of this World behoved to be Expiated By his Rising from the dead it pleased the same goodness of God to give the Holy Spirit whereby both the Gospel is believed and the Righteousness lost by the fault of the first Adam is restored And afterwards he saith The Apostle expresseth both parts in these words Who was given for our sins c. In his Death is beheld the Satisfaction for sin in his Resurrection the Gift of the Holy Spirit by which our Justification is perfected And again the same man saith elsewhere Idem lib. 3. Reg. cap. 9. v. 4. pag. 681. Both these kinds of Righteousness are therefore contained in Justification neither can the one be separate from the other So that in the Definition of Justification the Merit of the Blood of Christ is included both with the Remission of sins and with the gift of the Holy Spirit of Justification and Regeneration Martinus Bucerus saith Seeing by one sin of Adam the world was lost Bucerus in Rom. 4. ad ver 16. the Grace of Christ hath not only abolished that one sin and death which came by it but hath together taken away those infinite sins and also led into full Justification as many as are of Christ so that God now not only Remits unto them Adam 's sin and their own but also gives them therewith the Spirit of a solid and perfect Righteousness Righteousness a Conformity to the Image of the First-begotten which renders us Conform unto the Image of the First-Begotten And upon these words by Jesus Christ he saith We always judge that the whole benefit of Christ tends to this that we might be strong through the Gift of Righteousness being rightly and orderly adorned with all virtue that is restored to the Image of God And lastly William Forbes our Country-man W. Forbes in Considerat Modest. de Just. lib. 2. Sect 8. Bishop of Edinburgh saith Whensoever the Scripture makes mention of the Justification before God as speaketh Paul and from him besides others Augustin it appears that the word Justify necessarily signifies not only to pronounce Just in a Law sense but also really and inherently to make Just because that God doth otherways justify a wicked man than Earthly Judges For he when he Justifies a wicked or unjust man How God justifies the Wicked doth indeed pronounce him as these also do but by pronouncing him Just because his Judgment is according to Truth he also makes him really of Unjust to become Just. And again the same man upon the same occasion answering the more rigid Protestants who say That God first justifies and
then makes just he adds But let them have a care lest by too great and empty subtilty unknown both to the Scriptures and the Fathers they lessen and diminish the weight and dignity of so great and Divine a Benefit so much celebrated in the Scripture to wit Justification of the Wicked For if to the formal Reason of Justification of the Ungodly doth not at all belong his Justification so to speak i. e. his being made Righteous then in the Justification of a sinner although he be justified yet the stain of sin is not taken away but remains the same in his Soul as before Justification And so notwithstanding the benefit of Justification he remains as before Unjust and a Sinner and nothing is taken away but the Guilt and obligation to Pain and the Offence and Enmity of God through non-Imputation But both the Scriptures and Fathers do affirm that in the Justification of a sinner their sins are not only remitted forgiven covered not imputed but also taken away blotted out cleansed washed purged and very far removed from us as appears from many places of the Holy Scriptures The same Forbes shews us at length in the following Chapter that this was the Confessed Judgment of the Fathers out of the Writings of those who hold the contrary Opinion some whereof out of him I shall note Calvin Inst. l. 3. c. 11. § 15. As First Calvin saith That the Judgment of Augustine or at lest his manner of speaking is not throughout to be received who although he took from man all praise of Righteousness and ascribed all to the Grace of God yet he refers Grace to Sanctification by which we are Regenerate through the Spirit unto newness of life Chemnitius saith That they do not deny but that the Fathers take the word Justify for Renewing Chemnitius in Exam. Concil Trid. de Just. p. 129. by which works of Righteousness are wrooght in us by the Spirit And p. 130. I am not ignorant that the Fathers indeed often use the word Justify in this signification to wit of making just Zanchius saith That the Fathers and chiefly Augustine interpret the word Justify according to this signification Zanchius in cap. 2. ad Eph. ver 4. loc de Just. Thes. 1.5 to wit of making Just so that according to them to be Justified was no other than of Unjust to be made Just through the Grace of God for Christ. He mentioneth more but this may suffice to our purpose Assert I § VIII Having thus sufficently proved that by Justification is to be understood a really being made Righteous I do boldly affirm and that not only from a Notional Knowledge Christ revealed and formed in the Soul of a man is the formal Cause of man's Justification but from a real inward experimental Feeling of the thing that the Immediate Nearest or Formal Cause if we must in Condescendence to some use this word of a man's Justification in the sight of God is the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Soul changing altering and renewing the mind by whom even the Author of this inward Work thus formed and revealed we are truly justified and accepted Proof I in the sight of God For it is as we are thus covered and cloathed with him in whom the Father is always well-pleased that we may draw near to God and stand with Confidence before his Throne being purged by the blood of Jesus inwardly poured into our Souls and cloathed with his life and righteousness therein revealed And this is that Order and Method of Salvation held forth by the Apostle in that Divine saying Rom. 5.10 For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being Reconciled we shall be saved by his Life For the Apostle first holding forth the Reconciliation wrought by the Death of Christ wherein God is near to receive and redeem man holds forth his Salvation and Justification to be by the Life of Jesus Now that this Life is an Inward Spiritual thing revealed in the Soul whereby it is renewed and brought forth out of Death where it naturally has been by the Fall and so quickned and made alive unto God the same Apostle shews Eph. 2.5 Even when we were dead in Sins and Trespasses he hath quickned us together in Christ by whose Grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together Now this none will deny to be the Inward Work of Renovation and therefore the Apostle gives that Reason of their being saved by Grace which is the inward Vertue and Power of Christ in the Soul but of this place more hereafter Of the Revelation of this Inward Life the Apostle also speaketh 2 Cor. 4.10 That the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our bodies and v. 11. That the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh Now this inward Life of Jesus is that whereby as is before observed he saith We are saved Secondly That it is by this Revelation of Jesus Christ and the New Proof II Creation in Vs that we are Justified doth evidently appear from that Excellent Saying of the Apostle included in the Proposition it self Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost c. Now that whereby we are saved that we are also no doubt Justified by which words are in this respect Synonymous The Immediate Cause of Justification is the inward Work of Regeneration Here the Apostle clearly ascribes the Immediate Cause of Justification to this inward work of Regeneration which is Jesus Christ Revealed in the Soul as being that which formally states us in a capacity of being Reconciled with God the Washing or Regeneration being that inward Power and Vertue whereby the Soul is cleansed and cloathed with the Righteousness of Christ so as to be made fit to appear before God Thirdly This Doctrine is manifest from 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your own Proof III selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates First It appears here how earnest the Apostle was that they should know Christ in them so that he presses this Exhortation upon them and inculcates it three times Secondly The Cause of Reprobation is Christ not known by Inward Revelation he makes the Cause of Reprobation or Not-justification the Want of Christ thus Revealed and known in the Soul whereby it necessarily follows by the Rule of Contraries where the parity is alike as in this case it is evident that Where Christ is inwardly known there the persons subjected to him are Approved and Justified For there can be nothing more plain than this that if we must know Christ in us except we be Reprobates or Vnjustified persons that if we do know him in us we are not Reprobates and consequently Justified ones Like unto