A Brief APOLOGY IN Behalf of the PEOPLE In Derision Call'd QVAKERS WRITTEN For the Information of our Sober and Well-inclined Neighbours in and about the Town of Warminster in the County of Wilts BY Wil. Chandler Alex. Pyott Io. Hodges And some others By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live 2 Cor. 6.8 9. LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lumbard-Street and are to be Sold by William Longford Bookseller in Warminster 1694. A Brief Apology c. IT is not that we love Contention or desire Controversie or are impatient in bearing Reproaches that we appear thus publick but such have been the repeated high Charges and smart Lashes that our Adversaries more especially some of the Presbyterian Assembly have of late taken a liberty liberally and lavishly to bestow upon us that we find our selves concern'd to Clear and Vindicate the Truth and Innocency of our Christian Profession from those black Aspersions that have rendred it so frightful and formidable as though 't were only a meer complication of pestilent Errors as well as to satisfie the Minds of such of our piously inclined Neighbours as may be desirous to hear us speak for our selves as also for the information of those who may have been imposed upon by that dress wherein our Opposers have represented us And although these can Object nothing material against us now that hath not been long since over and over offer'd by some of the same Perswasion and have as often received Answers from some or other of our Friends some of which have never yet been by them replyed unto yet forasmuch as those may not have come to the view of many of our Neighbours for whom this is chiefly intended we thought it fit briefly to say so much as we think may be accommodate to the present occasion and which perhaps with unprejudic'd Minds may bespeak our Creed not so unsound and erroneous Esth 3.5 as our somewhat different deportment hath rendred us obnoxious and contemptible as well as distasteful to those who either ambitiously affect honour and respect Joh. 5.44 Mat. 23.10 and love greetings or think a complaisant complyance to the Fashions customs and complements of the Age to be one of the chiefest felicities of this Life and best expression of their Civility and good Manners We therefore desire our well-disposed Neighbours candidly to weigh what we have to alledge against the Clamours of those who to be sure will not set us out to our best advantage and to receive an Account from our selves what we are and what we believe and hold for Christian Truths who certainly must needs know better our own Belief than those who perhaps never examined it to any other end than to find fault if ever they did it and also that you will not think it strange that we express not our Belief in some particulars in the affected Terms of other Professors of Christianity but think it more reasonable and safe to content our selves with that Dress of Language in which the Holy Ghost thought fit to hand them to us in the Holy Scriptures Those most Excellent and Divine Writings which above all others in the World challenge our Reverence and most diligent Reading those Oracles of God and rich Christian Treasury of Divine saving Truths which were written for our Learning Ro. 15.4 that we through patience and comfort of them may have hope and are profitable for doctrine reproof correction 2. Tim. c. 3. v. 15 16 17. and instruction in righteousness to the perfecting and thoroughly furnishing of the Man of GOD to every good Work making him wise unto Salvation thro' Faith which is in Christ Jesus containing all Christian Doctrins necessary to be believed for Salvation and are a sufficient external standard and touchstone to try the Doctrins of Men and we say with the Apostle Gal. 1.8 whosoever shall publish and propagate any other Gospel and Faith than is therein testified of to us by those inspired Pen-men who were the first Promulgators thereof though he were an Angel let him be accursed all which and whatsoever is therein contained we as firmly believe as any of you do and as 't is the duty of every sincere Christian we are heartily thankful to God for them who through his good Providence hath preserved them to our Time to our great benefit and comfort We Believe in that Great Omnipotent God that made and created all things and gave us our Being whom in sincerity of heart we fear reverence and worship being seriously concern'd for our souls welfare to eternity We believe that Great Mystery that there are Three that bear Record in Heaven 1 Joh. 5.7 the Father Son and Holy Ghost and that these Three are One in Being and Substance And as do ye so do we also hope for and expect Salvation only and alone through the Son of God our blessed Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST of Nazareth believing that God the Father hath ordained him for Salvation to the ends of the Earth Isa 49.6 Act. 13.47 4.12 and that no other Name is given under Heaven by which Men shall be saved who being conceived by the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary was born of her at Bethlehem 1 Pet. 2.21 22. Heb. 4.15 as also his Holy and Exemplary Life perfectly free from sin his Doctrin Miracles Sufferings and Death upon the Cross without the Gates of Jerusalem his Resurrection from the Dead and Ascension into Heaven Ro. 8.34 1 Tim. 2.5 6. 1 Jo. 2.12 where he is at the Right Hand of God the Father perfect GOD and perfect Man and the alone Mediator between GOD and Man and is our Advocate with the Father and ever liveth to make Intercession for us and also shall judge both Quick and Dead Act. 10.42 All which and whatsoever else is recorded of him in the Sacred Scriptures we firmly believe This Jesus Col. 2.9 in whom dwelt the fulness of the God-head we believe offer'd up himself according to the Will of the Father Eph. 5.2 1 Joh. 2.2 Heb. 10.12 an acceptable Sacrifice to God and became a Propitiation for the sins of Mankind to the end of the World and died for all Men Rom. 5. v. 12.18 as all died in Adam through whose Blood God proclaims Redemption and Salvation to Man 2 Cor. 5.19 Ro. 3.25 and offers to be reconciled and freely for his Sons sake to remit forgive and pass by all past Offences to as many as shall truly and heartily repent of their Sins Luk. 24.47 Acts 10.43 26.20 Eph. 4.22 23 24. Ro. 8.3 4. 2. Cor. 5.15.17 Tit. 2.14 Joh. 14 15 21 23 24. 15.10 2 Tim. 2.19 1 Pet. 4.1 2 3. Jam. 2 12. to the end and turn from the same and shall so believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and
love him as for the future to live a holy Circumspect Christian Life and obey his Commands thereby continuing in his love Which Holy Life so much Celebrated and strictly kept to in the Primitive Ages of Christianity that whosoever named the Name or took the Name of Christ upon them were to depart from Iniquity we believe ought to be inseparable from a true and faithful Christian as ever accompanying a true living and active Faith and it seems was thought no less necessary by those who composed the promise that should be made in behalf of Infants before they were admitted into that once sacred Catalogue to wit that as they came to Years of discretion Tit. 2.11 12. they should forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World Luk. 1.75 and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and keep Gods holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all â—he days of their lives Ro. 6.18 19.22 2 Cor. 7.1 Eph. 4.24 1 Thes 3.13 4.7 Heb. 12.10.14 1 Joh. 4.4 This we beâ—…eve to be the bounden Duty of Manâ—ind and though our Opposers have â—coft us and branded us with error for holding Perfection because in pleadâ—ng for a Holy Righteous Life as that which is well-pleasing to God and avouching his power to be stronger in Man as Man believes and cleaves to it â—o rescue him from under the power of Satan than is that of the Devil to retain him in Thraldom we have sometimes made use of the Words of Christ and his Apostles as be you perfect Mat. 5.48 Col. 4.12 1 Joh. 3.3 as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect he that hath this Hope in him purifieth himself even as he pure c. Yet have we never pretended to a Moral Perfection beyond what is contained in the above Promise which is sound and true in it self and is that which God requires of us and therefore 't is that we frequently press it's necessity and fervently exhort People to its performance Neither do we expect to be exempt from Temptations while we inhabit these frail Tabernacles Heb. 4.15 which is no Sin provided we consent not Christ himself was likewise tempted yet he Sinn'd not for tho both Good and Evil is presented to our Thoughts yet we appropriate neither but as we entertain and embrace it So that tho the number of Thoughts may sometimes press us and the nature of some grieve us yet they don't otherwise affect us or is Sin thereby conceived iâ— our Wills don't close with and joyn to them by assenting but if we consent we are culpable in the sight of God tho it proceed not to an open immorality And as we can't prevent the forming of some Thoughts so we can't wholly avoid the presentation of some Evil ones while our common Enemy is busie with his Baites but yet the more we resist and the more the Lusts and Affections of the Flesh which is the part that entertains them is mortified the more their Habit is weakned their Assaults Feebler and we the less infested by them And notwithstanding we have hence been falsely accused that we expect to be saved by our own works as being Meritorious yet we don't acknowledge a Holy Life as the Efficient and procuring Cause of our Salvation which we no less than you totally refer to the free Grace Eph. 2.8 and Mercy of God in Christ without any Merit in Man but we esteem it as a constant Companion thereto James â— 18 to the end and a necessary â—ondition on our part in complyance with God's gracious Offer without which we may not obtain it Heb. 11.6 Ro. 12.1 2. being â—nseparably annext to that Faith which only pleaseth God and is but our reasonable Duty And we believe that although Christ thus offer'd up himself once for all Heb. 2.9 10.12 for the Sins of all Men to the end of the World thereby rendring Repentance and Amendment of Life prevalent with God yet that the Traditional Belief of that alone is not sufficient to entitle us to that common Salvation that comes by him but that 't is of necessity that we truly Repent and be Converted from the evil to the good Act. 3.19 and therefore 't is no less necessary for us now than 't was for Believers in the Apostles Days and 26.18.20 that we be turned from Darkness to Light or in other terms from the dark power of Satan to the power of God who is light that thereby we may every one know the work of Redemption and Salvation wrought in and for our selves For 't is not enough to believe that Christ died if we feel not the blessed Effects of his Death who came to save us from our Sins and bless us by turning us from our Iniquities Mat. 1.21 Act. 3.26 and gave himself for us Tit. 2.14 that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works Gen. 2.17 Ro. 5.12 2 Cor. 5.14 Gen. 6.5 Ro. 7.5 For we believe such to be the natural State of Man in the fall that by Nature we are dead as to God at a distance from him prone to Evil and to gratify the Desires of our Sensual Minds sway'd by the corrupt and sinful Lusts of the Flesh Eph. 2.2 and under the power of a strange King rul'd by the Prince of the Power of the Air 2 Tim. 2.26 so that our inward Man being thus Dead from God we cannot exercise our Spiritual Senses towards him nor can this natural Man perceive know or savour the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 which only are Spiritually discerned Wherefore notwithstanding our Saviour died for us we are yet by Nature in a miserable undone condition in Captivity to our Souls Enemy 1 Cor. 15.45.47 Eph. 2.1.5 Col. 2.13 Ro. 8.11 Eph. 5.13.14 Joh. 1.9 Eph. 2.3 5.6 except we know the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven that quickning Spirit to quicken our Souls and make us alive to God again that being restored to the use of our inward Senses we may by the assistance of his Divine Light wherewith for that end he hath blest all the Sons and Daughters of Men see our selves in â—his sad and lost state under the wrath â—f God and abhor our selves therefore â—nd under this living Sense wherein â—hings will appear with another aspect â—han before cry to God for deliveâ—ance therefrom 2 Cor. 7.10 with such an inward â—earty Sorrow as works a true Reâ—entance for the same 'T is not our â—eing sprinkled when Infants that will make us true Christians convert us â—rom being Children of Wrath Joh. 1.12.13 Ro. 8.14 to beâ—ome Children of Grace and Sons of God and Members of Christs Church and invest us in an Interest in him 't is not learning our Catechism and subscribing to certain Articles of Faith though never so Orthodox and being educated in a
uncharitable Expression Devil must needs carry us a pick-pack to Hell Is it in that we hold forth the infinite Love of God to Mankind in not only freely of his meer Grace and Favour providing a Sacrifice through which an Atonement is made for the past Transgressions of Man who was never at all in a capacity to make any for himself Joh. 3.15 16. Act. 10.43 1 Cor. 12.7 which is applicable to every one who shall believe repent and return but hath also afforded to all the means of Faith Repentance and Conversion for God requires not impossibilities of Men but expects they should improve those talents distributed to them In not only sending forth the Son of his love to dye for their Sins that they should no longer live therein but also in sending forth his Light and Spirit of Truth into their Hearts Joh. 14.16 17 26. 16.13 to lead and guide them into all Truth and causing his Grace that brings Salâ—ation Tit. 2.11 12. to appear to all Men to inâ—truct and teach them to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts to forsake the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World to rescue and save them from â—iving in the sinful Lusts of the Flesh and help and strengthen them to return to their Obedience and live a Sober Righteous and Godly Life to keep God's Holy Will and Commandments and walk in the same all the days of their Lives Which Gift from God to Man the Holy Scriptures plentifully testifie too under various denominations as Spirit Light Word Grace Seed Leaven Anointing c. By all which we understand that Spirit or Heavenly Talent Mat. 25.14 15. with which God hath endowed Mankind in some degree or other that he may profit with it in the improvement whereof by a diligent Co-working therewith to the answering those holy ends for which we receive it we doubt not but to be happy in rendring a good account of our Stewardship and entring finally into the Joy of our Lord. Our Opposers themselves also pretend to the Spirit and Grace of God or else what means their Praying for its Assistance and those plausible fine-spun Discourses of it wherewith they sometimes entertain their Auditory We Charitably hope 't is more real than only to beautify and recommend them to the Hearers as what they cannot well avoid for that the Scriptures are so full of that Language and if indeed it be real why is that aâ—… Fault and Error in us which is so sound and ornamental in them And we think it very strange that they should apprehend any incongruity in granting this Divine Principle to be a Divine Light to the Mind since its proper Office is to teach and instruct to manifest and point to us our Duty as well as to dispose and enable us to perform it and ought to be our Leader and Governour If the Godly Admonitions Tit. 2.11 12. Joh. 14.17 26. 16.7 8 13 14. 1 Joh. 2.27 and Exemplary Lives of Good Men were rightly called Lights to the World surely much more properly may this whose Fountain is Light and does more nearly illuminate and inform the Understanding and renders those effectual justly challenge that necessary and acceptable appellation If then the Grace and Spirit of God be in the Hearts of Men surely 't is not wholly unactive there â—â—t will be making some Attempts â—â—wards accomplishing the end for â—hich 't is placed there 't will be at â—â—mes attacking the Enemy and endeaâ—â—uring to supplant its contrary for â—â—ing holy and pure in its Nature it s â—…ver reconcileable to Sin and Evil â—…t ever strives against it and may as â—â—…en regard it be infallibly known by â—â—e nature of its efforts And we dare â—ppeal even to all Mankind whether â—â—ey find not something placed in their â—inds and Consciences which though â—erhaps not regent there yet never â—ingles with nor consents to their eâ—â—… deeds but always remains undefiâ—â—d and testifies against them and conâ—â—icts reproves Joh. 3.20 21. Eph. 5.13 and condems them for 〈◊〉 and also oft-times in the cooler â—…emper of their Spirits manifests their â—…ates to them and as 't were Reasons â—ith them discovering the evil of their â—ays secretly calling to them to come â—ut of it begetting Desires and Incliâ—ations sometimes to seek after God â—nd to make their Peace with him Now since Man in his meer natural â—tate is totally Dead and fallen from God that he cannot as of himself think 〈◊〉 good Thought and that God only â—…s essentially good and as that which is truly so must needs proceed froâ— him Joh. 16.8 13. this Principle in us that ever coâ—victs us for Vice and Evil whether 〈◊〉 Thought Word or Deed and disposeâ— us to consider of our latter end Prov. 14.13 anâ— oft makes Men sigh in the midst 〈◊〉 Laughter reminding them that fâ—… those things they must give an Aâ—count that draws us Heaven-ward and inclines us to Vertue and Goodness to do to all Men as we would bâ—… done unto to be Just Sober Merciful Temperate c. Must needs bâ—… something that is not of us but 〈◊〉 pure and immaculate and of a divinâ— nature ever aspiring and raising thâ—… Mind towards its Original Whence it cannot be a Natural Light or meer light of Nature as very manâ— would have it who yet talk of the Spirit of God being in Man for 't is aâ— undoubted truth that no Agent can act beyond its own sphere and raise its object to a state more noble that it self nor produce effects of a Nature more sublime than its own Original Besides 't is very clear and evident from Scripture Job 21.17 Psal 18.28 that the Mind of Man is oft lighted by a Light superiour to that of meer Reason and that Man by the utmost power and extent of Humane Reason and Speculation though 〈◊〉 may arrive to an implicit knowâ—â—dge that there is a God yet can â—ver attain to a true spiritual and â—â—ving knowledge of God without the â—oncurrence of a Divine and Superâ—â—tural Agent Ro. 1.19 2 Cor. 4.6 Prov. 20.27 Luk. 24.45 Joh. 1.9 Eph. 5.13 14 17. Psal 36.9 For though the Mind 〈◊〉 Man as a Rational Being be that â—apacity or Candle that is to be Lightâ—â— yet 't is Christ that must so enâ—â—ghten it as to give us a true disâ—â—rning of those things that appertain â—o him and his Kingdom and by adâ—ering and yielding Obedience to its Discoveries Prov. 4.18 1 Cor. 2.10 to the end we shall know an Accession â—f more Light And the Apostle speakâ—ng of what God by his Spirit had reâ—ealed to them saith expresly that â—he spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God and that as none knows the things of a Man save the Spirit of Man which is in him so the things of God knows no Man but the Spirit of God That the Natural Man neither knoweth nor receiveth the
Mat. 5.8 Heb. 12.14 that without it we cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven nor see God Nor is the way broader or its Passage less strait and difficult than they imagine nay 't is utterly impossible for them to walk therein while they are immers'd in their first corrupt unbridled Nature which cannot keep the Law of God while their Lusts and Passions are rampant their Affections inordinate and Wills unsubjected and follow the Desires and evil Inclinations of their Minds without restraint But if they come to know another Principle and Power to govern their Minds to create in them new clean Hearts to regulate and subject their Wills to subdue and tame their Passions to limit their Desires and direct their Affections and Inclinations wholly after that which is good to meliorate their Spirits throughout and make them Heavenly Minded having an aversion to all Evil and a great love to Vertue and Goodness Being thus perfectly transformed where is the extream difficulty now for the good Man Mat. 12.35 out of the good Treasure of his Heart to bring forth good things Will not this new well-inclin'd inside that now detests Evil and loves and delights in Righteousness as naturally follow after and bring forth that which is Good as before he did Evil Here is no force upon Peoples Natures but they are converted and throughly leavened into another Nature and are in their measures Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 which only can work the Will of God We request our piously-inclined Neighbours well and seriously to weigh and consider the absolute necessity there is for every true Christian thus to know their Minds moulded and fashioned anew by the Power and Spirit of Christ working mightily in them Col. 1.29 in order to their pleasing God by a Holy Righteous Life having escaped the corruption that is in the World through Lust and considering that 't is not so soon attained as apprehended in the Understanding to be necessary That with all diligence they address themselves to the performing that which is the main and proper business of our Lives Wherefore as it hath pleased the Divine Power to give us all things pertaining to Life and Godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 Tit. 2.11 12. Phil. 2.12 13. so let us with a vigilant attention to and co-working with that Grace which to that end is given work out our Salvation with a reverend fear since a good degree of attainment herein is soon lost except there be a constant sedulous watchfulness upon the Mind amidst all Business and Concerns to have a check upon our Words and Thoughts and a diligent pressing forward Mat. 26.41 For while we live in this World we are liable to Temptations and may enter thereâ—nto also without a strict care and watchfulness our Senses presenting many Baits to our Minds on every and which Satan makes use of to â—eguile and many Provocations offer â—hemselves in our Pilgrimage 2 Cor. 12.9 against â—ll which God's Grace is sufficient Armour as our Minds are seasoned by â—t so that where any shortness is 't is â—hrough Insincerity Negligence or Inâ—dvertency Or is it a dangerous heinous Heresie that we with very many Professors of Christianity Psal 145.9 believe the Universaâ—ity of the Love of God to all Mankind that God who is good to all whose Mercies extend to all the Works of his Hands is sincere in his Intention and Attestation thereof and doth not design to delude us when he affirms That as certainly as he lives he desires not the death of a Sinner Ezek. 33.11 18.23 Joh. 3.14 15 16 17. Isa 55.1 Rev. 22.17 Ro. 5.18 but rather that he would return and Live that God whose Love and Mercy is unlimited doth graciously and generously offer Salvation through Jesus Christ upon certain Conditions to be performed on our part to all Mankind to every individual Man and Woman upon the face of the Earth which is the true Gospel-message Luke 2.10 14. good Tydings of great Joy which shall be to all People Peace on Earth and good will towards Men good cause indeed to rejoyce Isa 55.7 Ezek. 18.21 22 to the end Act. 10.34 35. 1 Joh. 2.2 Heb. 2.9 that all are within the verge of Mercy and free Pardon that God is indeed no Respecter of Persons but among all Nations and People he or she that fears him and works Righteousness is of him accepted and that Christ died for the Sins of the whole World yea for every Man surely then all for whom he died Tit. 2.11 are thereby put into a capacity for Salvation 1 Cor. 12.7 See Pro. 1. from 20 to the end that Saving Grace hath appeared to all Men and a Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal And that none are Reprobated but those that continue to be deaf to the Calls of this Grace Mat. 23.37 and resist the Spirit and hide and neglect their Talents till the day of their Visitation be over and Christ so withdraws himself as to cease longer to strive with them Neh. 9.20 26. so that the means being taken away they are left to themselves Isa 63.10 Psal 81.11 12 13. and given up to Hardness of Heart that being absent that should prepare tender and mollifie it that now they cannot Repent Believe and be Converted If thus to believe be a dangerous â—nd pernicious Error we confess we are Guilty and not like to be otherwise for we cannot perswade our selves to embrace that Anti-evangelical Opinion That God from all Eternity hath personally and inconditionally without respect to their accepting or rejecting the Salvation offer'd in Christ elected some and reprobated others by an immutable Decree so that those who are so elected shall certainly be saved let them do what they will for God's Decree can't be revers'd let the unstable Mind of Man vary as it will And those that are Reprobated were in in effect damned Thousands of Years before they were born so that their Salvation is put beyond all hope let them seek it never so earnestly and diligently and be never so desirous to serve and please God For besides that this sad Tidings instead of glad Tidings if it were really true in it self puts an end to the whole business of Religion by rendring all Worship and Devotion all Preaching Praying Assembling together and Holy Living as 't were useless by invalidating all whatsoever on Man's part as nothing contributing as a necessary Condition on his part to be performed or neglected towards his Salvation or eternal Destruction We dare not take up an Opinion so diametrically opposite to the very Attributes of God and his repeated Protestations to the contrary and with some Men thus presume to arraign his Justice Mercy and Goodness We cannot believe that God who is Love it self and Goodness it self and hath always manifested a wonderful Care and Concern for Man as his darling Creature Wis
12.15 16. it being disagreeable to his Justice to condemn those that have not deserved to be punished and having no pleasure in the death of him that dies Ezek. 18.32 Wis 11.23 24. should yet make the major part of Mankind with design to damn them unprovok'd thereto without ever tendring them Salvation or that he would make the far greater number wholly uncapable of accepting the Salvation tendred them by putting it out of their power to perform those Terms upon which he offers it and then condemn them to eternal Misery for not complying with those Conditions that 't was impossible for them to observe Isa 45.22 For he don't only call to all the ends of the Earth which implies all Mankind to look to him and be saved but he hath given to every one a Portion of his Spirit to enable them so to do he hath not only sent forth the Son of his Love to shed his Blood for every Man Joh. 3.14 15 16. to be lifted up as Moses lifted up the Brazen Serpent that whosoever believeth in him Joh. 6.44 45. should not perish but he also draws them and as they will receive it toucheth them with that Divine Magnet that only can incline and impower them effectually to turn to that Pole in which all our true Happiness centers But this is the condemnation Joh. 3.19 20. that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather than Light Eph. 5. â—â— because their Deeds are evil and hate the Light and will not bring their Deeds to it lest it should reprove them for whatsoever is reprovable is made manifest by the Light but Men love their own broad ways to pursue the sight of their Eyes and desire of their Minds Eccl. 11.9 and therefore hate to be control'd therein and reform'd The Apostle stirring up the Ephesians to Purity of Life and to avoid several Evils there mentioned saith expresly Eph. 5.6 7. Let no Man deceive you with vain Words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience And in another place Ro. 8.13 That those who live after the Flesh shall die So that 't is for want of Peoples embracing the Means and bringing their Deeds to the Light of Christ in their Hearts and heeding the Reproofs of Instruction Pro. 6.23 Gal. 6.8 which is the way of Life for want of sowing to the Spirit and by it mortifying the Deeds of the Flesh that People are lost and sentenced to Perdition and not because they were personally and inconditionally reprobated from all Eternity God who is Lord of all 1 Tim. 2.3 4. is gracious unto all and would have all Men to be saved but they disobey the Call of God and reject his Offers and resist the Strivings of his Spirit and are deaf to those Knocks of our Saviour for Reception and Entertainment in their Hearts Rev. 3.20 and choose and prefer the present World and will not deny themselves to follow Christ 'T is not as these Men say because Salvation was never within their reach if 't were not what must we think Were those feigned Tears then Luke 13.34 Mat. 23.37 that our Saviour shed over Jerusalem when the Day of its Visitation was over Saying also How often would I have gathered thee as a Hen gathers her Chickens but you would not not you could not But if any Men can be so hardy as to entertain an Opinion so derogatory to the Justice Mercy Love and Paternal Care of God and repugnant to the Gospel-message we cannot but admire what should induce them to obtrude it upon others and urge it as though 't was a necessary Point to be believed in the Christian Religion for we cannot apprehend how this begets Love to God increaseth Faith in Christ and raiseth our Veneration for him excites to Diligence and encourages Piety which is that which advanceth true Religion but on the contrary it 's plain that it tends to the indulging some in a Security and procure in others a slight Esteem of the Death and Sacrifice of Christ as being partial and casts them into Despond and probably may encourage both to gratifie the Desires of their Minds to the full extent since nothing can alter such a supposed Decree of God one way or the other Yet we deny not the Prescience of God who fore-knows all things things past present and to come being at once present to him so that it may be said such who believe in Christ with that living active Faith that works by Love and excites to Obedience and persevere therein unto the end and so know Salvation by him are in him in whom the Election is before the World began and that those who so believe not but reject the Tenders of his Love and by persisting in Disobedience neglect so great Salvation are condemned already Nor do we deny such a Preference as that some are made Stewards over more and some fewer Talents according to which their Improvement ought to be Where much is given much is required and where less is given less is required for God is just and equal in all his Ways he is not a hard Master Mat. 25.14 to the 28. that he should exact or expect more than the Improvement of his own Had he that received but one Talent imploy'd it and made it Two we doubt not but it had been accepted for we believe that none are from Eternity absolutely excluded without any Talent and that a Day also is afforded wherein 't is possible for them to improve it So that though the Grace may work more powerfully in some than in others yet are all left without Excuse There is yet another Opinion dependant on this which we cannot receive neither as they state it for which our Opposers think very ill of us that is once in a state of Grace and ever so that there is no total or final falling away from Grace How this Doctrin promotes true Zeal and Piety and improves Christianity we can't understand nor see no other reason why its Votaries should be so fond of it but because 't is concordant to that of Personal Election and Reprobation so that those who imbrace the one are bound to believe the other But otherwise certainly it tends rather to slacken than spur on People to that care and diligence and constant unwearied watchfulness to Prayer which our Lord so much exhorted to and the Apostles so solicitously presse the Saints every-where to be found in as of absolute necessity What else means those Promises of Reward in the Revelations to those who should overcome and hold out to the end but to ingage them to a constant Perseverance Or what needed it if 't were impossible for them to fall short whom we suppose none will deny to have been in a state of Grace And the Church of Ephesus was threatned to have their Candlestick removed Rev. 2.5
3.16 if they repented not and did their first works and that of Laodicea to be spewed out of his Mouth Who can say those foolish Virgins in the Parable were not once in a state of Grace whose Lamps were once lighted and burning as well as trimm'd or else they could not properly be said to be gone out Mat. 25.8 Or that those were not called by Saving Grace in whose Hearts the Heavenly Seed sprung up and for a time prosper'd Luke 8.7 8 14 15. 'till the Bryars and Thorns the over-care and concern about the things of this Life choak'd it 't was not that they had no day of Visitation from God wherein they might have wrought out their Salvation had they continued to make the Kingdom of Heaven and its Righteousness their first and chiefest Choice and placed their Treasure there and disintangled themselves from those unnecessary Cares the Seed that was sown and sprung up was the very same with that which in the honest Heart brought forth Fruit abundantly Surely Paul that Great Apostle was not of these Mens Opinion when after he had long laboured in the Gospel takes care to keep under his Body least while he Preach'd to others 1 Cor. 9.27 he himself should be a Cast-away whom yet we doubt not but they will grant was then effectually called and in a state of Grace And the Author to the Hebrews writing in the Third Chapter to those he calls holy Brethren and Partakers of the Heavenly Calling Verse the 12th exhorts them to take heed lest there was in any of them an evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the Living God And again Chap. 4.1 Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring his rest surely then not eternally reprobated any of you should seem to come short of it Verse 11. Let us labour therefore to enter that rest lest any Man fall after the same example of Vnbelief Again Chap. 6. Verse 4 5 6. speaking of those who had been enlightned and had tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and that had tasted the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come shrewd signs that they were effectually call'd and in a State of Grace that if they should fall away 't would be impossible to renew them again to Repentance not because they were eternally reprobated but because they Crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh because they grieved his good Spirit and rejected the Means Hath not the Lord said Ezek. 18.24 26. and c. 33. v. 18. If a Righteous Man turns from his Righteousness he shall die Who can be Righteous without the assistance of God's Grace No Man can make himself so 't is not in Man to direct his own Ways and yet it seems 't is possible for him to fall from it after he hath lived so long under its conduct as by it to be made Righteous and one would think should then be sanctified too Our Saviour saith of himself John 15.1 2 5 6. I am the true Vine ye are the Branches my Father is the Husbandman every Branch in me that beareth not Fruit he taketh away Again If a Man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch and is withered Surely those who are Branches in Christ while so are accepted of the Father and yet it seems 't is possible for them to fall away and be cut off as wither'd Branches whence he often repeats this Condition if ye abide in me and presently he saith Joh. 15.10 the way to continue in his Love was to do his Will as he had that of his Father's and continued in his Love But though we can't embrace their Opinion for their Reasons and as they state it but own that 't is possible for People to make a considerable Progress in Grace and yet for want of a careful and constant Watchfulness to that Grace they may fall away Yet we believe such a State and Growth in Grace through a vigilant Attention thereto and such a degree of Faith attainable as that there is no more going forth Though we speak of God's tendring and Man's accepting or rejecting the Offers of his Love yet far be it from us to assert that fallen Man in his own Natural Estate can of himself think a good Thought much less will a good Deed or in his own power convert his own depraved Will to God any more than the Needle can turn and direct it self towards the Pole without being impregnated by the Loadstone For though Adam's Fall introduced no such real change in the Faculties of Man's Soul as to subvert their natural order and so destroy the natural liberty and freedom of his Will but that what he wills he wills freely and not by constraint yet forasmuch as he died from that Divine Life to which he was united and thence derived power and ability to will and do that which was good he became thenceforth utterly incapable so to do as of himself otherwise than as he is influenced by and assents and yields to the drawings of that Divine Grace which God in his great Love hath liberally bestowed on Mankind both to illuminate their Understandings and also incline their Wills Which is both sufficient and freely offers to reclaim Man and convert his Will and finally unite his Mind to it self and therein restore to him the power of willing and doing good which Man never had nor never can have â—ut in conjunction with this pure principle of Divine Light and Life but â—e may and is most inclinable to slight â—ts Offers and resist its Endeavours â—nd while so can't experience that power and vertue that is found in it where it freely exerts it self So that as it must be acknowledged that Man acts as a free Agent and as having an Elective Power and that God in his various Dispensations treats him as such yet is this Gift of God the first mover in all his motions towards that which is truly good and acceptable to him which is always so near and ready to help and assist a Man while it continues to strive with him that probably none that neglect its assistance and do evil but upon reflection plainly perceive they may do otherwise Whence 't is clear Man's destruction is of himself and his only sufficiency and help is in God who never requires any Duty of him but he furnishes him with a suitable power to perform it would he but regard and close with it But that which seems to be our capital Error and the top of all their Charge and that which is to silence all Plea's in our behalf is our omitting the use of the Ordinances so called of Baptism and Bread and Wine John indeed as the next immediate Forerunner of Christ to prepare his Way gave an Alarm to the Jews that were so secure under the Law of Moses and proclaim'd the Kingdom of Heaven at hand Mat.
these had not been long since laid down they would have cleav'd as close to them and that had those of Baptism and Bread and Wine been then discontinued also they would be now as easie under its omission For Tradition Custom and Education makes greater impressions on Mens Minds than perhaps every one may be sensible of nor is it an easie task at first to move them from those things to which they have been fastned by it Would but People wholly relinquish these Prejudices and consider it impartially 't is probable there may appear no such real difference as justly to omit the one and yet with equal reason to continue the other since 't is not that Bread that gives Life to the Soul nor doth necessarily include it but that Christ may be and is received and fed on without it Nor that those can be thought to forget his Death and Sacrifice Tit. 2.14 who sensibly partake of the Benefits thereof and pursue its Ends who are taught and assisted by him to live a Godly Righteous Life Gal. 1.4 and bear about in them the Marks of the Dying of our Lord Jesus who died for all Mat. 1.21 2 Cor. 5.15 that those who live should no longer live to themselves fulfilling the Desires of their Minds but to him that died for them Phil. 3.10 that through the power of his Resurrection they may mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh and have Fellowship with his Sufferings in whom his Life is made manifest Neither can those who acknowledge his Death and Sacrifice and partake from time to time of this Bread and Wine in memory of it and yet are not by him redeemed from a vain Conversation and made conformable to his Death and so feed on him as to participate of that Life that comes by him in any wise escape Damnation let their Pretensions be what they will Since then God hath replenish'd our Hearts with his Grace and hath not with-held his Heavenly Manna from us but daily owns us by his comfortable Presence to our great satisfaction under the Omission of these things supplying our Wants and Necessities as we have recourse unto him in that which ever hath access unto him having our continual Dependancy on him who enables and strengthens those of us * For we intend not to Apologize for those who tho' they may be call'd by our Name yet live loosly and walk disorderly and are Blemishes and a Grief to us which yet ought to be imputed to their Insincerity or Unwatchfulness and not to the Insufficiency of the Principle they pretend to that retain our Primitive Sincerity and Integrity to lead a Sober Pious Christian Life as becomes the Gospel of Christ which is the certain Product of Spiritual Grace and forasmuch as our Opposers acknowledge it to be but an outward visible Sign and dare not say that the inward Spiritual Grace is tied to it nor that 't is of absolute necessity to Salvation with what Reason do they Unchristian us and so load us with Calumnies and Accusations on this Account using it as an Instance to blacken us and condemn in gross our whole Christian Profession principally from hence as though 't were the chief thing that constitutes a Christian and entitles him to the Benefits that come by Christ What shall we think then of perhaps more than Two parts in Three of their own Assembly who no more practice this than do we and yet are many of them as sober People and if we may know as Christ directs us by their Fruits are doubtless as near the Kingdom and no less in a State of Grace than are those who so exult in and value themselves upon this Performance which however it may bound and distinguish particular Societies and Communions 't is certain no Observations nor Performances short of being ruled and governed by the Spirit of Christ as Head can entitle us to a Membership in him we may make a specious shew and carry a System of Divinity in our Heads but if he rules not our Hearts we are none of his 'T were well they were as thoughtful to fulfil all Righteousness in every respect and as zealously careful and concern'd to observe and punctually perform all the Commands and Injunctions to which the Christian Religion obligeth them and to qualify themselves to be rightful Inheritors of those Blessings and Promises pronounced by our Saviour as they tenaciously adhere to this as though 't were indeed the Sum both of Mens Duty and Enjoyments and that their Salvation turned upon this very Pin which yet People may perform while their Wills are unsubdued and Lusts unmortified But we find that Men have been apt enough to be busily employed about Mint Annis and Cummin whilst they neglect the weightier Matters to run into and cry up and maintain those exterior parts of Religion that are reconcilable to an Unconverted State If the Professors of Christianity were less taken up about Signs and Shadows and nice and unnecessary Scrutinies and Distinctions wherewith they perplex it and more devoted to observe the weighty important and indispensable Precepts of Christ and demonstrate the Power that Christianity hath over their Minds by affording signal Instances of their being his true Disciples and rightful Heirs of his Kingdom being in measure invested with his Divine Vertues and Graces we should have less Envy Variance Back-biting and Detraction which weaken the common Interest and Piety and give our common Enemy an advantage and more Christian Love Peace Concord and good Neighbourhood amongst us If all that mean well did but pursue Vertue love it and encourage it where-ever it appears and hate Vice and Evil in all and discountenance it every where and make these the Measures of their Christian Charity rather than Parallel Opinions in lesser Matters 't would bring us nearer together and more advance True Piety than all their contending about different Apprehensions in things far less essential God who regards not Names but Natures knows among all Nations and People who are his and the Rule he left us to know also was their Fruits their Actions being the exertion of their Wills all Mankind are either under the Power and Conduct of the Spirit of God or else of the Devil all are either Carnal or Spiritual-minded and as is the spring and bent of their Desires and Affections so is their Actions each Birth have their proper Products which are contrary to each other So that let what Notions or Opinions soever possess Mens Heads they live according to that Spirit and Principle that governs their Hearts We cannot gather Grapes of Thorns nor Figs of Thistles no Fountain sends forth bitter Water and sweet at the same time 'T is an Evangelical Truth Gal. 5.19 20 21 22 23 24. Those that live in Envy and Strife and bring forth the Fruits of the Flesh are of their Father the Devil Eph. 5.9 and those who by the Spirit mortifie those corrupt