owning the Authority of our own Bishops who are their Successors and rule the Church in their stead Christ told the Apostles he would be Present with them to the end of the World Mat. 28. 20. Being present with their Successors he calls being Present with them And in like sort keeping Fellowship with our Lawful Bishops who are their Successors is keeping Fellowship with them He that one sends saith the Jews is as himself And accordingly when Christ had sent out his Apostles he tells them he that receiveth you receiveth me Mat. 10. 40. and he that receives whomsoever I send receiveth me Joh. 13. 20. And the Apostle commends the Galatians that that they received him not only as an Angel of God but as Christ Jesus Gal. 4. 14. And St. Ignatius that Blessed Martyr and contemporary of the Apostles applauds the Trallians that they were subject to their Bishop as to Jesus Christ and to the Presbytery as to the Apostles In Scripture Account and Legal estimate that is done to any Persons which is done to their Substitutes and Representatives And thus keeping Fellowship and Subjection to the Bishops of the Church in all Ages who were at first sent and commissioned by the Apostles and empowered to send and ordain others at all times is holding Fellowship and paying subjection to the Apostles themselves and by them to Christ Jesus Quest. This then is one Part of the Communion of Saints to live subject to our own Bishops not suffering our selves to be drawn away by such as would seduce us but adhering to them against all Schismatical Opposers Answ. Yes Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves Heb. 13. 17. And mark those that cause Divisions and avoid them Rom. 16. 17. Be their Pretences and Appearance what they will if they lead us into Schism and an unnecessary Rejecting of our Lawful Governours God hath not sent nor doth his Spirit go along with them That cannot lead to Schism it is the Author of Peace not of Confusion 1 Cor. 14. 33. It will not put us upon a needless rejecting of our Spiritual Governours since Adherance to them in the Apostles Days as I noted before was made a Test of discerning True Spirits from False ones We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us Hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error 1 Joh. 4. 6. Quest. But if a Man is careful to Believe and Practise Christ's own Laws and Doctrines is not that enough to make him a good Christian except he likewise submit to Church-Rulers and peaceably conform to their innocent Constitutions and Rules of Discipline Answ. No. For this is one of his Laws to obey those that have the Rule over us and watch for our Souls and to submit our selves Heb. 13. 17. He orders them to take care that all things in his Worship be done decently and to Edification 1 Cor. 14. 26 40. And he requires us to obey and submit to their ordering A good Christian is not only one that believes and professes the Christian Religion but is also a Member of the Christian Church And they cannot be good Church-members who will not submit so far as conscionably they may to Church-Governours nor Communicate in Church-Offices Quest. I see the Communion of Saints implies their Communion in Christian Doctrine Worship and Government But doth it not also imply Communicating not only in Affections but in all Good Offices in Alms and outward Things Answ. Yes to do Good and to Communicate forget not Heb. 13. 16. And the Receiving their charitable Contributions St. Paul calls taking upon him the Gift and Fellowship or Communion of Ministring to the Saints 2 Cor. 8. 4. In the extream distress of the Jerusalem Christians at first this communication of Alms was wonderful For all that were Rich sold their Pessessions and put them into a Common Stock to be distributed by the Apostles as every one had need Act. 2. 44 45. and c. 4. 33 34. And in other places where they did not take this course yet was Communicating as in all good Offices so particularly in outward Things with their poorer Brethren the Profession of all Christians Their Rule was as they had opportunity to do Good unto all but especially to those of the Houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. And to do good to these more particularly when they travelled about as Strangers and fled from place to place for the Faith of Christ which is the Charity and Hospitality of the Scriptures so much magnified Quest. When any Saints then of Foreign Countries are forced to fly and come among us for Christ's sake to entertain them in our Houses and communicate to them of our Substance which is here professed is of Great Account with God Answ. Yes of high Account For it is one of those Good Deeds which Christ will expresly mention in our behalf at the last Judgment Come ye Blessed inherit the Kingdom for I was a Stranger and ye took me in Mat. 25. 34 35. And therefore St. Paul when he tells us of distributing to the necessities of Saints reminds us particularly of being given to Hospitality Rom. 12. 13. CHAP. X. Of the Forgiveness of Sins The Contents What Sin is Of wilful sins Of sins of Ignorance Surreption Passion Forgiveness of sin is the Release of its Punishment When Eternal Punishments are remitted Present and Temporal are often exacted What is the Time of Relaxing these Punishments Remission of all sins but Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost And wilful Apostacy from Christianity Wilful sins forgiven when we Repent and forgive others Sins of Ignorance and inadvertence upon our Charity to others This forgiveness outwardly dispensed in Baptism The Eucharist And Sacerdotal Absolution The Power of the Keys lies in Retaining as well as Absolving which ought to beget a just dread of Excommunication What is meant by our Forgiving sins What use we are to make of the Forgiveness of sins Quest. WHat is the Tenth Article of the Creed Answ. I Believe the Forgiveness of Sins Quest. What is Sin Answ. The Breach of a Commandment or a Transgression of some Law of God committing what his Law forbids or omitting what it injoins us Sin is the Transgession of the Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. And all the Laws of God which we transgress in sinning against him are contain'd in Holy Scripture Quest. Then we never offend God nor shall suffer for any thing but what the Scripture has forbid and against which we can produce some Law out of it Answ. No for Sin is not imputed where there is no Law Rom. 5. 13. And it must always be a Law that worketh Wrath i. e. makes us liable to suffer it For where there is no Law there is no Transgression Rom. 4. 15. The strength of sin is the Law saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 56. and the Law enter'd e're sin did abound Rom. 5. 20. Quest.
fit to come to a most holy God from the Hand of no other Mediator but him who has not only the acceptableness of his Person to prefer but the Merit of his Sacrifice too to atone for them Quest. By this it should seem that whensoever we pray for any thing to Almighty God we should not seek after other Mediators but apply by him And since he is so Powerful in Mediation this is not only our bounden Duty but our truest Wisdom Answ. So it is For he is our Advocate with the Father 1 John 2. 1. the one Mediator between God and Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. Whatsoever says he you shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you John 16. 23. We are sure he is now in the immediate Presence of God to prefer any Suit but we are not sure that Departed Saints are there who for ought we know may be kept till the last Day in some inferior Place of Comfort and Refreshment Good Souls as I shall note hereafter not receiving their Consummation before the last Judgment When we address by him we only take that way of Application God himself has prescribed and in all Justice and Reason we should allow God the Direction how we shall seek his Favours since he is the most Free and Soveraign Disposer of them Nay since the Prayers we put up are uttered by sinful Lips and mingled with our own Frailties and Defects they can come worthy and pure to God from him alone whose Blood as I said has Merit enough to purge as well as his Person Favour enough to prefer them Tho a perfect Prayer had not God otherwise order'd it might in it self be presented especially from a perfect Man by an acceptable Mediator yet a sinful Prayer from sinful Men doth plainly need such a Mediator as in the same Person is both Intercessor and Redeemer Thus the Altar of Incense among the Jews which stood without the Vail before the Mercy-seat daily to perfume and present the Peoples Prayers was once a year to be sprinkled with the Blood of Atonement plainly intimating that the Means of presenting Prayers must be endow'd withal with a Power of expiating them Exod. 30. 6 7 8 10. And accordingly the Apostle mentions Christ's Mediation as joyn'd to and founded on his Redemption One Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a Ransom for all 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. And If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father who is also the Propitiation for our Sins 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. Quest. What other Design doth Christ carry on for us in Heaven Answ. 2. The Care of Governing his Church as a King. He is at the Right-hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being subject unto him 1 Pet. 3. 22. and all Authority in Heaven and Earth being put into his Hand Mat. 28. 18. This Power he purchased by his Death but was put in full Possession of it when he came to claim it by his Intercession Quest. Wherein doth he exercise this Plenitude of Power Answ. In Giving Laws to his Church For he is the one Law-giver that is able either to save or to destroy Jam. 4. 12. And since he is the Legislator in Religion 't is an Usurpation upon his Prerogative for any to form to themselves a new-fangled Worship and beat out other Paths to Heaven of their own devising In Protecting it from all both outward and intestine Enemies whether the World the Flesh or Men or Devils For he sits at God's Right-hand till his Enemies be made his Foot-stooll Psal. 110. 1. and Heb. 10. 12 13. and he must reign till he hath put all Enemies under his Feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. And lastly in judging all the World to their present Portion of the Eternal State when they leave the Body and to the full Consummation of it at the last Day For now the Father judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son Joh. 5. 22. 27. Which as it makes for the unspeakable Comfort of all his Faithful Servants since they are to be judg'd by their own Advocate who has preferr'd their Ease and Happiness to his own Life so will it be to the eternal Terrour of all those his Enemies who would not have him to reign over them Luk. 19. 27. And all this Power he exercises himself from Heaven besides what he doth by his Bishops and Pastors who are the Officers of his Kingdom and his Deputies and Substitutes here on Earth Quest. Has he any other Business to do for us at God's Right-hand as our King Answ. Yes to prepare a Place for us and allot us Royal Habitations with himself I go to prepare a Place for you and I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also Joh. 14. 2 3. The First Adam lost Paradise and the Second Adam was to restore us to it Who after he had merited it for us by his Cross ascended into Heaven to instal our Nature there and claim his Purchase And discharging the mighty Angel whose flaming Sword after the Fall was set to guard the Passage to it from our Intrusions open'd the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers Quest. What further Concern did he transact for us by going to Heaven Answ. 3. As a Prophet he sent down the Holy Ghost to instruct his Church in his Absence and to be with us in his stead It is expedient for you that I go away For if I go not away the Comforter will not come to you but if I depart I will send him unto you Joh. 16. 7. Being by the Right-hand of God exalted he received the Promise of the Holy Ghost Act. 2. 33. and sent him on his Apostles to abide with them for ever Joh. 14. 16. Quest. How did the Holy-Spirit supply his Absence Answ. By endowing them with such miraculous Gifts as enabled them to propagate his Religion thro the World as effectually as if he had staid with them and with such inward Graces as would fit themselves for those Mansions he had provided for them Of both which I shall say more in their proper place Quest. And these Gifts you say he ascended to bestow upon his Church Answ. Yes the Holy-Ghost was not to be given till after Jesus was glorified Joh. 7. 39. but when he ascended up on high he received Gifts for Men that the Lord might dwell among them Psal. 68. 18. and Eph. 4. 8. Quest. Now our Saviour Christ is Ascended is not his Glorified Body to take up its Mansion and fixt Abode at God's Right-hand Answ. Yes as St. Peter told the Jews the Heavens must receive him unto the Times of Restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. And then as the Angel told his Apostles he shall so come again to judge the World from Heaven in like manner as they then saw him go into Heaven Act. 1. 1â— Quest. If his Bodily Presence and Local
own death and the strange kind of it by hanging after the Roman way upon a Cross which was not only most accidental but most improbable since if he was taken off at all it was not like to be by Roman but Jewish malice He foretold also that Judas one of his own Disciples should betray him and that before he was given up to Satan to enter into him or Judas himself 't is like ever thought of any such thing nay he knew it says S. John from the very beginning John 6. 64 70 71. And that Peter should deny him yea and that just thrice before the Cock crew twice Mark 14. 30. whereas those three occasions of his denial were then not only in themselves most uncertain but at the same time Peter made so sure of his not denying him at all that he confidently said he would rather die with him than do it in any wise Verse 31. To these I might add his Prediction of the Bloody persecutions of his Disciples the unhappy success of false Prophets the continuance of his Church and Religion though ever and anon groaning under most heavy Sufferings to the worlds end with many others Quest. Is this Prediction of future Contingencies a work peculiar to the All-seeing God and above the skill of all infernal Spirits Ans. Yes and thence 't is called Divination as manifesting the Divinity of a Being And accordingly herein God challenges all the pretended Gods of the Heathens saying Shew the things that are to come hereafter that we may know that you are Gods Isaiah 41. 23. And this the Devils plainly manifest themselves unable to do by the Ambiguity of their Oracles when they are consulted in these cases For not knowing what will be the event of things they use artifice in words and frame Responses of such doubtful construction as are liable to be turned both ways and so equally capable of being verified by all events Such was the noted Answer of the Devil at â— elphos cited by Cicero from Ennius which he is said to have given to Pyrrhus King of Epirus when he consulted him about the issue of the War with the Romans Aio te AEacida Romanos vincere posse Which according to the different ways Men should begin the construction was equally good Latin and would be equally true whether he should conquer the Romans or they should conquer him And such also was that other Answer which he cites from Herodotus said to be given to Croesus King of Lydia when he went against Cyrus Croesus Halym penetrans magnam pervertet opum vim That is if he passed the River Halys against Cyrus he should consume a vast Wealth and waste a great Domination which would be very true whether it fell out to be theirs or his own These studiously uncertain and ambiguous Answers are a plain sign the Demon was at a non-plus Besides that future Contingencies are out of the reach and foresight of impure Spirits is plain because those causes are whereon such futurities depend For they are wrapt up in the free-will of Men which the Devils cannot force but only tempt and in the Counsel and Providence of Almighty God whose early determinations are hid from them and are a secret locked up in his own Breast Quest. But have not Demons oft foretold such futurities as when Spurinna the Augur by the Diabolical signs in the Sacrifice could warn Julius Caesar of his danger such a day if he went into the Senate-House Ans. That the Demon might easily foretel when the time and place and persons and other circumstances of the Murder had been resolved on among themselves and he had been present and principally influenced their Debates in all their Consults Such Predictions are but like a seasonable discovery made by some of the Conspirators Quest. But what say you to Predictions of more remote things as yet unconcerted among the immediate Actors and to their foretelling the success of attempts or expeditions or other futurities of contingent nature which the Demons often revealed to their Prophets both by Oracles entrails of Sacrifices feeding of Pullen and other ways in use among Heathen Diviners Ans. When they ventured at these it was not with certainty and assurance as infallible understandings but only by guesses and conjectures from the appearances of things their preparations and probabilities as politick observers wherein they can go far by reason of their great knowledge and experience And when they were put to Answer on these points if they were more distrustful of the issue they gave ambiguous and uncertain Answers capable of being verified by all events which would be a sure reserve for their errors as in the case of Croesus and Pyrrhus But if the event seemed more likely and they were presuming and bold enough to Answer plainly then since the effect would several times hit as well as sometimes miss they hoped all would be expounded in their favour and their mistakes salved by the Candor and Devotion of their Worshippers Quest. But do not you think Demons can speak of some such futurities in plain Speech and there too with certainty and assurance Ans. Yes some events are put into their hands when any Persons are delivered to them either for their trial as Job or for their punishment as Ahab And after such delivery they may foretel these events as depending upon themselves Thus might Satan easily have foretold the Invaâ—ions of the Chaldeans and Sabeans upon Job's Oxen and Camels after he had gained God's Licence and Judas's Treason after he was delivered up to him to enter into him And thus might they in the Gentile Divinations foretel cures of Diseases whereof by God's Commission they had been the Inflictors seeming then to cure where they only ceased to kill as Tertullian says To predict such things as are left to their Power and Ministry to accomplish requires no more skill than to know before-hand what they intend to do and what are their own Decrees and Purposes But 't is beyond the fore-sight of any Demons to foretel such remote Contingencies before the abandoning of Persons as God doth frequently in the Holy Scriptures declaring the most accidental things which shall happen to Men yet unborn or the most free and voluntary which shall be done by them And as the Blessed Jesus did and his Apostles after him by his Spirit foretelling what should befal the whole Nation of the Jews both young and old after almost forty Years and what should happen to his own Church in remote Ages and what should be not only the temptations and trials but the most contingent carriage and free actions of good Men who were in God's Protection and whom the impure Spirits could only tempt not govern as is plain among many others in that of Peter's thrice denying and the Apostles forsaking him Quest. But the famed Oracles of the Sibyls from which Virgil transcribed some
one another What becomes of their Apostasie If they proclaim the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to be the only true God whom we are to fear and worship and themselves to be fallen Angels who are no longer to be adored in Temples hearkened to in their suggestions nor imitated in their falshood pride envy hatred of God and Men and other practices they turn Angels of Light instead of being Powers of Darkness The Devils can work no Miracles for these ends except they should first turn Saints and change their Natures And therefore it was a most authentick and assuring mark which Jesus gave of the truth of his own Miracles when he called them the works his Father had given him to finish that is which were not wrought for any ill ends nor out of vanity to exalt his own Praise but to serve the ends of God and set on his Father's desires and purposes John 5. 36. Quest. Indeed in such kinds which seem more imitable by created powers these intents and designs would indisputably distinguish his signs from all Satanical Delusions Ans. Yes and so I might add in the last place would his manner of performance too For his usual way of working wonders was not by any Magical Rites and Invocations but meerly by a Word of his Mouth To the wind and sea he said Peace and it was still Mark 4. 39. to the deaf man's Ears Be opened and instantly he heard Mark 7. 34 35. to the blind man Go thy way thy faith hath made thee see and without more ado he saw again Mark 10. 52. to the leper I will Be thou cleansed and his leprosie was cured Luke 5. 13. Which way of effecting things by an all-commanding Word is as plain an evidence of a Divine Power as Creating all things was at first for then God only said Let there be light and there was light Gen. 1. 3. he only spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast Psalm 33. 9. Not to mention moreover the vast number of his Miracles which more assuredly inferred a Divine Power in him than in any nay in all the Prophets put together who lived before him For whereas the Jews when to exalt Moses and the Prophets they ambitiously make the most of their Miracles after they have picked up all they can compute all his only at 76. and all theirs from the beginning of the World to the destruction of the Temple only at 74. which both together make but 150. in above 3000 Years time this single Jesus in three Years wrought so many that were they all written the world it self would not be able to contain the Books that should be written of them John 21. 25. To all which I might add lastly That he did not only show these great and numerous signs himself in Person but transmitted the Power to Numbers to do the same in his Name and conferred this Power on Gentiles as well as Jews which are things utterly unknown among all the wonder-workers of former times Quest. But in this point one thing sticks still with the Jews which is that Jesus and his Apostles in credit of their Miracles went about to overthrow the Law of Moses And may not they therefore confront all the Miracles wrought in justification of that Law against theirs Ans. They might to one that accused that Law as forged or erroneous Which Jesus was so far from doing that he all along makes Moses and the Prophets his Vouchers telling the Jews had you believed Moses you would have believed me for he wrote of me John 5. 46 and search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me verse 39. Quest. But did not those Miracles when they proved that Law to come from God prove also that none should come in after-time to abrogate and annull it Ans. No but on the contrary the Holy Prophets under that Law declared it should be changed and all those things subverted whereto it was adapted and which were the ground and foundation of it Quest. To what things was the Jewish Law adapted Ans. Their Moral Laws contained in the Ten Commandments were adapted not to the particular state and circumstances of any place or People but of the common humane Nature and therefore were unchangeable And accordingly when our Saviour comes to meddle with them he declares it was not to destroy or vacate but fulfil and add what was wanting in them Matth. 5. 17 18. But their Judicial Laws which prescribed the Rules of Courts and Judgments were fitted to their external Polity as they were a civil State in Canaan And as for their Ceremonial which order'd the Rules of their Religion and Worship to omit other specialties therein that chief part of them about Sacrifices was all to be administred by one Family viz. Aaron's line and was limited to one place viz. the temple of Jerusalem Quest. And did the Holy Prophets under that Law foretel any change in that Priesthood Temple-worship and Civil State or talk of any new settlement of things independent on or inconsistent with them Ans. Yes In the last days a known Phrase for the days of Messiah the mountain of the Lord's house says Isaiah shall be established in the top of the mountains and all nations shall flow unto it Isaiah 2. 2. God's Name shall be great among the Gentiles from the rising to the setting of the sun in every place shall incense be offered to his Name and a pure offering which cannot consist with Worshipping still in one appropriate place viz. the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Mal. 1. 11. A new Priesthood shall be erected says the Psalmist in the days of Christ not after the order of Aaron but Melchisedech Psalm 110. 4. and then shall God take to himself Priests and Levites out of other nations no longer confining his choice to Aaron and his Sons Isaiah 66. 19 20 21. a plain sign the Law was to cease when the Priesthood was which had the Ministration of it Heb. 7. 12. About Messiah's time says the Prophet Daniel shall God destroy the city and make an utter desolation the Scepter too departing as Jacob foretold when once Shilo was come and what place then for their Judicial Laws when they were no longer to be a Nation nor have any Established Polity to administer and judge by them He shall also destroy the Sanctuary and what then becomes of all the Sacrifices when once the place was demolished wherein the Law required they should all be offered Dan. 9. 26 27. In summ they declare as I noted before that God would set aside the Mosaick Covenant by reason of its insufficiency and give them a new and better Covenant in its place And that he would make this change at that time when a woman should compass a Man which plainly notes the days of Messiah Jeremiah 31. 22 31 32 c. Quest. Indeed these are plain proofs
the potters hand to form it into a Vessel either honourable or base so are ye in my hand saith the Lord Jer. 18. 6. The heaven is his and the heaven of heavens Deut. 10. 14. the earth and all the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein Psal. 24. 1. And being thus absolute and universal a Proprietor he places and alters grants and resumes all things at pleasure And when he takes away says Job who can hinder him or say unto him What dost thou Job 9. 12. Quest. I see that all the good and evil both of this World and of the next are in God's Hand to allot as he sees fit Doth he allot them according to any rules and in recompence of Mens predispositions or Arbitrarily out of Sovereign Will according as he pleases Ans. In allotting the principal things particularly the Eternal pains and pleasures of another life and in general all rewards and punishments he has graciously bounded his own unlimited Power by Laws and Compacts But as for all good and evil things which are not under Promises or Covenants he dispenses them Arbitrarily as he sees fit And as those allotments of good and evil which he makes in recompence to Mens Deeds and according to the direction of his own Laws and Promises may be called the Legal Distributions and Covenant-Justice so may those wherein he has not limited himself by any such Contracts be called the Prerogative Power and Arbitrary Will of this Almighty Potentate Quest. In what things doth God act with us out of his Power of Prerogative allotting good or evil things or states of life according to his own unlimited Will and not according to Mens qualities and predispositions Ans. I do not say he acts constantly so but oft-times he doth 1. In allotting Mens different state and worldly circumstances as that one should be born of Noble Parents to great Fortunes or honourable Employments with a well-shaped healthy Body or pregnant parts and another should be born mean or servile or sickly or mis-shaped or poor or foolish Thus when the Jews asked the reason of a man's being born blind whether for his parents sin or his own our Saviour told them there was no need for that to seek out for such precedent desert either in him or them but 't is enough to say it was that the works of God might be made manifest in him John 9. 2 3. 2. In allotting their different outward helps for Religion and Spiritual opportunities as that one should be born of Christian Parents trained up in an Orthodox Belief and pure Worship in the Eyes of good Examples and under the care of skilful Pastors and that another should be deprived of some or perhaps of all these Thus the difference both in Secular and Ecclesiastical Priviledges which God put between the Jews and Edomites the elder serving the younger not being intended or verified of Jacob and Esau's Persons Jacob rather serving Esau than Esau him Gen. 33. 3. but of their Posterities of whom God expresly speaks it when he first declared it to Rebekah Gen. 25. 23. and to whom Malachy from whom also S. Paul cites this passage doth apply it Mal. 1. 2 3. this difference says the Apostle was an allotment out of God's Sovereign Will and not out of their precedent deserts God declaring that to Rebekkah while the children were yet unborn and had neither done good nor ill to prepare them for this discrimination Rom. 9. 11 12 13. These different allotments of National Priviledges to Jews above Edomites and afterwards as he there notes to Gentiles above Jews when the Jews were cast off and the Gentiles taken into the Church in their place was no unrighteousness in God who hath mercy on whom he will have mercy verse 14 15. Lastly to name no more when he offers what is sufficient to all to enable them to do his will if they are not wanting to themselves which renders all without excuse yet allotting more eminent and efficacious degrees of Grace to some Persons and shewing more respite and forbearance towards some offenders than he doth to others whom he strikes with a swifter vengeance cutting them off it may be in their very first attempts Thus his sparing Pharaoh and still raising him up again to a new trial after numerous repulses S. Paul ascribes to God's Sovereignty who has mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9. 17 18. In allotting these different worldly Circumstances and external Priviledges and Opportunities and more eminent degrees of inward Grace and shewing this different forbearance God uses the same Prerogative Power and absolute Sovereignty over his Creatures which the potter doth over the clay as S. Paul says forming one vessel to honour and another to dishonour not because of any different fineness of the matter but taking both out of the same lump out of his own will and pleasure Rom. 9. 21. Quest. But in these allotments where God dispenses Arbitrarily doth he not always dispense Wisely and Reasonably Ans. Yes most certainly Mans will is too oft a blind precipitate resolution But God's Will is never without Reason and the highest Counsel directs him where he seems most Arbitrary in acting He works all things according to the counsel of his own will Eph. 1. 11. So that he is said to act out of Will not as if he did not Will upon good Reason but because that Reason is not his being directed so by any of his Laws or Covenants or to recompence any pre dispositions of his Creatures 'T is Arbitrary because uncovenanted and left to himself But whatsoever is left to him is sure to be managed with the highest Equity Wisdom and Goodness as will appear to all when we shall be let in to behold the Counsel of God's actings Quest. Doth God use this Prerogative-Power in allotting Saving Grace so that one shall have the help of his Spirit in a good way and another shall be denied it though he seeks it earnestly and sincerely only because God pleases Ans. No this is under Promises and Compacts and is to be dispensed and measured out to Men according to their readiness to comply with and their care to seek and make use of it If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally Jam. 1. 5. God will give the holy spirit to those that ask him Luke 11. 13. and to every one that hath that is improves his talents shall be given Matth. 25. 29. These are the Covenant-Rules for allotting Saving Graces Quest. Or doth he use it in allotting Heaven and Hell and dispensing Eternal Rewards and Punishments Ans. No these are not given in way of Arbitrary Dispensations but of Legal Trials At the last day men must all appear before Christ to receive according to what they have done in the body whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. they must all be judged according to their works Rev. 20. 12 13. Quest.
Business greatness of Temptations Bodily Indispositions For Pitiable Defects of Degrees in Duties Great Latitude on the side of Bliss and all not required to be of the same Size He will Reward Good Things tho' done with Difficulty and Reluctance yea when Pitiably stain'd with impure mixtures Our Judge will shew all this Candor and would have us expect it In Recompencing good Men he will consider the Difficulties and Oppositions And the hazard and cost of their Services And the hardships of Providence allotted to exercise good Men in this Life Of the Condemnation of ill Men. The Fire which is to torment them shall burn up and dissolve the World. Practical Inferences from the last judgment ☞ Through a Mistake there is neither 5th 6th nor 7th Chapters But tho' in the numbering of the Chapters there is this mistake yet there is no omission of matter CHAP. VIII OF the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is God. What he hath done for our Salvation Of his extraordinary Gifts bestowed on Apostles and Evangelists which were for the Planting and Propagating Christ's Religion 1. The gift of inspiration in Revelations This bestowed upon the Apostles These Revelations they have fully set down in the Holy Scriptures after which we are not to look for any others This Gift of knowing Religion by immediate Revelation necessary only in Apostles and Evangelists And design'd for the Infancy of the Church Other Rules whereby to examine new Lights and Revelations in Religion As try them by the Scriptures Call for their Miracles wherewith God still empower'd men when he sent them to reveal new Things No need of Miracles when men pretend only to revive old and acknowledged Revelations If they shew Miracles for things plainly against Scripture they must work more than were wrought to confirm the Scripture An account of Joel 2. 28 29. Which seems to foretell the commonness of Revelations among Christians The first Inspirations were not only in Doctrinal Points but also in Devotions And about Temporal matters Subservient to this Gift of Revelations was the Gift of discerning Spirits This done afterwards by ordinary Rules And the Gift of utterance and boldness Their minds not influenced by this constantly and at all Times But ordinarily they were and especially when they had most need of it 2. Of the Gift of Miracles Miracles a Proof of Divine Revelation How discernible from Lying Wonders by the Doctrines built on them By their ends and usefulness and being wrought on needful Occasions Of the miraculous Gift of healing Diseases This sometimes by annointing with Oyl And Prayers Of casting out Devils and other Miracles Of delivering to Satan what it was and why so call'd Of Joy in Tribulations and what was extraordinary in that of the Apostles To the working these Miracles there was always required Faith in him that wrought them And sometimes Faith in him that received them 3. of the Gift of Strange Tongues The ends of this And of the Gift of Interpreting such Strange Tongues What is meant by the Holy Ghost being a Comforter The Sin against the Holy Ghost is a Sin against these extraordinary Gifts Why Blasphemy against him more irremisable than against the Father or the Son. Extraordinary Gifts no mark of a justified State. Of Offices appointed by the Holy Ghost Some of these Temporary others to continue through all Times the present Officers ordaining Successors of the Holy Ghost's ordinary Graces By these we may know he dwells in us Our care required towards these Of Preventing Grace in outward advantages and inward good motions Directions how we are to endeavour after saving Graces in six Particulars How God gives them though we are thus to acquire them The Holy Ghost works also in us Spiritual Joys and Comforts This he doth not in all the minds he sanctifies because some are unfit for them through intrinsick impediments But they are with-held from none through his Arbitrary withdrawing which some count Spiritual Desertion CHAP. IX OF the Holy Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints No assurance of Salvation by Christ but in his Church This Church Holy. And Catholick Admission into it by Baptism when regularly perform'd in any one valid in all Churches Excommunication is so too This Church is one Body by external visible unity Of the Communion of Saints in this Church Of their visible Union in Faith or Doctrine And in Prayers and Devotion Of communicating in Publick Prayers A Sin to separate without just cause Imposing Sins or Errours as Conditions of Communion is a just cause Not Lawful to separate for Things indifferent Nor for better means of edification Just to separate from a Church that doth not impose her Corruptions when her Errors in Faith overthrow the Foundation That is when she ceases to own the one true God. Or denys Jesus to be the Christ or Salvation by his Merits and Mediation Owning Jesus to be the Christ implies owning the Articles of the Apostles Creed which contains all Fundamentals Whilst any Churches hold to this Creed which is the Foundation Errors in other things do not unchurch them But such Erroneous are in a worse state than Orthodox Christians Nor is her Communion to be deserted meerly for such Errors tho' very gross if she doth not impose them Just to separate from a Church of a corrupt Worship when sinful things pollute her Publick Offices Or when good Devotions are put up in a strange Language not for Rites and Customs about indifferent matters Nor just to separate for scandalous Members where a Churches constitution is faultless Nor tho' it neglect Discipline which should reform them Of keeping Fellowship with the Apostles by submitting to our lawful Bishops their Successors Christians to communicate in Affections in Alms and Temporal good Things CHAP. X. OF the Forgiveness of Sins What Sin is Of wilful sins Of sins of Ignorance Surreption Passion Forgiveness of sin is the Release of its Punishment When Eternal Punishments are remitted Present and Temporal are often exacted What is the Time of Relaxing these Punishments Remission of all Sins but Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost And wilful Apostacy from Christianity Wilful sins forgiven when we Repent and forgive others Sins of Ignorance and inadvertence upon our Charity to others This forgiveness outwardly dispensed in Baptism The Eucharist And Sacerdotal Absolution The Power of the Keys lies in Retaining as well as Absolving which ought to beget a just dread of Excommunication What is meant by our Forgiving sins What use we are to make of the Forgiveness of Sins CHAP. XI OF the Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting The Resurrection not meerly of our Spirits from sin but of our Bodies from the Grave This to be brought about by the Almighty Power of God. The Perfections of Glorified Bodies viz. Immortality Spirituality and Glory The Bodies of the Wicked Immortal And exquisitely sensible Some Inferences from the Resurrection of our Bodies Good Souls carried straight-way into a
that it shall never be destroyed by them The Promise is That the Gates of Hell that is the Powers of Satan and all his wicked instruments shall not prevail against the Church Matt. 16. 18. Quest. What must Christ's protecting his Church teach us Answ. To trust him with Religion and not sin to save it in the most perillous times He is more concern'd for his Church than any of us are or can be and he knows how to protect it without the help of our sins or our acting wickedly for it So that in all such times we are to practise Religion and do our duty and then recommend and trust the Preservation of it to his care Quest. If we would own Christ as our King then I perceive we must obey his Laws and Ministers and commit our selves to him in well-doing as the Protector of his Church Answ. Yes Quest. And will none partake of the Reconciliation of his Priesthood but they who thus believe him as their Prophet and obey him as their Lord Answ. No for Faith and Obedience are necessary to our Peace with God and there is no injoying the benefit of one without embracing him in all his Offices Quest. To believe in Christ then or to acknowledge Jesus to be the Christ is to own him for the Prophet of the Church by hearkning to his Word and Ministers for the Priest of God by hoping in him and applying to God by him for Reconciliation and all other mercies and for the King of his Church by obeying both his Laws and Officers and in a course of well-doing trusting both our selves and our Religion to his Protection here on Earth Answ. Yes Quest. What is meant by that which follows in the Creed his being God's only Son Answ. Our meaning is in respect of his Nature that God begat him as a Father doth a Son of like nature with himself so that he is God as well as Man. For he is equal with God Phil. 2. 6. The true God 1 Joh. 5. 20. and over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. Which last was the special Character and Title of the true God in the common stile and expression of the Jews Who from their Custom when the Priest in the Sanctuary rehearsed the Name of God of answering Blessed be his name for ever came in their common speech to call him The Blessed One which phrase the Scriptures often denote him as in Mar. 14. 61. 2 Cor. 11. 31. Rom. 1. 25. And agreeable to his having this Divine Nature we find the Divine Works as Creating and Sustaining and Divine Honours as Worship and Prayers and Baptism in the Name of the Son as well as of the Father ascribed to him in Holy Scripture Quest. Why was it requisite our Redeemer should be God Answ. 1. To give Merit to his Sacrifice which was infinitely advanced in regard his Blood was the Blood of God Act. 20. 28. How much more shall the Blood of Christ purge your Consciences who offered himself thro' the eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. As its being committed against God was the extreme aggravation of our sin So must its being performed by God be equally an enhansement of his Reparation 2. To several other purposes as to his having Power enough to conquer Death and Hell and save us from all our Spiritual Enemies to fit him for a capable and competent Judge of all men seeing into their Hearts and Thoughts which is one of God's Prerogatives To recommend Vertue as much as was possible by an example since in him it appears that all the things required of us are worthy of the most excellent Natures yea are not below the practice of God himself Quest. What other meaning is there of it Answ. Another is in respect of his Power because he is invested with all the Authority and Power of God. For Son of God signifies sometimes the same as the Christ that is one whom God hath commissioned to act in his stead He shall be great and the Son of the Highest and God shall give him the Throne of his Father David Luk. 1. 32. And thus Jesus Christ is God's Son for he hath given him all Power both in Heaven and Earth Matt. 28. 18. and committed all Authority to the Son that all should honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5. 22 23. Quest. And being the Son of God in this sense that is having Soveraign Power from him he is our Lord Answ. Yes in respect of this derived Power and of his own Soveraign Divine Nature of his invaluable Merit and Purchace and of our voluntary Compacts and Submissions on all accounts that can found a just Dominion and Lordship over us God has given him a Name above every Name that every Tongue should confess Jesus Christ is Lord Phil. 2. 9 11. To us there is one Lord 1 Cor. 8. 6. Quest. And being God not only in Power but also in Nature must we not all worship him and pray to him and trust in him as God Answ. Yes for at the Name of Jesus every Knee shall bow Phil. 2. 10 and all must honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5. 23. This is done by all good Christians and Saints on Earth who are styled They that call upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1. 2. And also by those who are glorified in Heaven who sing their Hallelujah's as to God the Father so also to the Lamb Rev. 5. 11 12 13 14. Yea by the Angels too for when he bringeth his first-begotten into the world he saith and let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 6. And this Divine Honour if he were not a God in Nature as well as in Power he could never claim nor receive from them Quest. If Christ is our Rightful Sovereign Lord then we must give up our Wills to his and perform faithfully whatsoever he orders Answ. Yes Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things that I say Luk. 6. 46. Nay since he is our Lord and we are his Houshold-Servants we must not as he says be the Servants of Men that is so wholly given up to their Service as that we cannot mind his or serve their pleasure when it interferes with his Laws or comply with their Meen and Customs when they are contrary unto his or sooth and flatter their weak Minds and feed their sickly Humours like timerous or mercenary Slaves No man says our Saviour can thus serve two Masters Matt. 6. 24. Ye are bought with a price saith St. Paul be not ye therefore the Servants of men 1 Cor. 7. 23. And if I yet pleased or soothed up men I should not be the Servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. Quest. Since he is our Lord we should not think any thing too mean or ill for us which he thought not so for him but compose our selves to his Behaviour willingly following where he has gone before it
at that Day are to be judged Answ. All Men that shall either be found alive at his coming or were dead before For we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive for the things done in the Body 2 Cor. 5. 10. yea and the lost Angels too for know you not that we shall judge Angels i. e. sit with Christ and approve of his Sentence when he condemns them 1 Cor. 6. 3. Quest. What Proof will there be of Crimes and who shall be the Witnesses Answ. The Devils are the Accusers of the Brethren Rev. 12. 10. and they will call for Justice But there needs no Testimony at that Day from the Father of Lies for God in his Omniscience keeps a Register and Record of all Mens Actions and that Book shall be opened and the Dead shall be judged by that unerring Book of his Remembrance Rev. 20. 12. Nay indeed there is no need of any Witnesses at all because the Guilty shall confess their Crimes and bear witness against themselves Their Consciences shall bear witness and their own Thoughts accuse or excuse one another in the Day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2. 15 16. Quest. Shall all this be acted in great Solemnity with Pomp and Splendour Answ. Yes as much as may be For Christ will translate his Royal Court from Heaven to Earth and come at the Right-hand of that Glory by which he now sits in peerless Splendor and Majesty having all the Holy Angels glittering in their utmost Brightness to attend this Triumph He shall come in his own Glory and in his Fathers and of all the Holy Angels Luk. 9. 26. Mat. 25. 31. He shall descend from Heaven with a Shout with the Voice of the Archangel and the Trump of God 1 Thess. 4. 16. And when that sounds all that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth Joh. 5. 28 29. and there shall be a Resurrection both of the Just and Unjust Acts 24. 15. All these shall stand before his Throne And after an exact Scrutiny and fair Trial of all Persons he will separate them one from another into two Companies as a Shepherd divides the Sheep from the Goats and as the Jews were wont to do in their Courts setting such as were to be Absolv'd together upon the Right and such as were to be Condemn'd upon the Left-hand of their Tribunals And then with great Solemnity pass Sentence bidding the Righteous Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you But saying to the Wicked Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire Mat. 25. 31 32 34 41. Quest. Where shall this Glorious Appearance be Answ. In the Air saith St. Paul 1 Thess. 4. 17. In the Clouds of Heaven says our Saviour Mat. 26. 64. Somewhere it will be near the Earth but in what particular Part it little concerns us to inquire or advantages us to understand Quest. When this Great Judge has passed Sentence shall all Parties concern'd acquiesce in it Answ. Yes he is the last Judge from whom there can be no Appeal And there will be no need of any For all shall acknowledge the Perfect and irreprehensible Justice of what he determines The Righteous being tried first and call'd up to surround him in Glorious Circles whilst he tries the rest shall approve and praise his Justice The Saints shall judge the World i. e. as his Assessors and the Comprobators of his Judgment 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. And the Mouth of all Wicked who suffer under it shall be stopped and they shall be convinced of it within themselves For he will then convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly Deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all the hard Speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him Jude 15. Quest. For what shall we be judged and condemned in this Judgment Answ. For all Transgressions of the Laws of his Gospel and for those only He will not judge Arbitrarily or condemn any for unforbidden Things or for no Cause but only because he pleases But the Laws of his Gospel are the Rule he will try and judge all Christians by God shall judge Men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2. 16. and the Word that I have spoken the same shall judge Men at the last Day Joh. 12. 48. Quest. If we shall be condemn'd only by God's Laws then to be sure unforbidden Things which are not threatned in the Word of God and which there is no Law against will never condemn any Answ. Most certainly they will not and there is no Sin in them to be condemned For where there is no Law there is no Transgression Rom. 4. 15. And whosoever commits Sin transgresses also the Law for Sin is the Transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. And Sin is not imputed when there is no Law Rom. 5. 13. So that it is a vain Fear either in Religion or in Common Life when Mens Consciences scruple Things which they confess to be Indifferent i. e. forbid by no Laws as using a Form of Prayers Kneeling Standing or other Rites and Ceremonies no where forbidden in the Worship of God. In the last Judgment they shall answer only for the Breach of Laws and therefore are sure not to endanger their Souls or become accountable for such as these since there is no Law against them Quest. You say Men shall be judged for all their Transgressions of Gods Laws then to be sure for all their Sinful Actions Answ. Yes For we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive according to that he hath done in the Body whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. And the Dead are judged every Man according to their Works Rev. 20. 13. Quest. So that then we must answer for all the Actions of our Lives and receive Reward if they have been good or Punishment if they have been ill ones Answ. Yes Quest. The Actions of Men are quickly done and when they are over they are wont to think there is an end of them But do not the good or ill Effects of several survive and last long and make for a great while after as if the Action were still a doing Answ. Yes they do both in good and bad Actions So that Men may be sinning and serving God noâ— only whilst they live but when they are in their Graves Quest. I pray you instance to me how it is so in good Actions Answ. If a Man gains Proselytes to God this good Fruit will last and they will serve him when he is dead If he promotes Pious Truths or gives good Advice or shews an holy Example in this World the Truths may be remembred and the Advice followed and the Example copied out and imitated when he is gone out of it If he endows Churches or builds Hospitals or the like his Piety will
Holy Ghost is God. What he hath done for our Salvation Of his extraordinary Gifts bestowed on Apostles and Evangelists which were for the Planting and Propagating Christ's Religion 1. The gift of inspiration in Revelations This bestowed upon the Apostles These Revelations they have fully set down in the Holy Scriptures after which we are not to look for any others This Gift of knowing Religion by immediate Revelation necessary only in Apostles and Evangelists And design'd for the Infancy of the Church Other Rules whereby to examine new Lights and Revelations in Religion As try them by the Scriptures Call for their Miracles wherewith God still empower'd men when he sent them to reveal new Things No need of Miracles when men pretend only to revive old and acknowledged Revelations If they shew Miracles for things plainly against Scripture they must work more than were wrought to confirm the Scripture An account of Joel 2. 28 29. Which seems to foretell the commonness of Revelations among Christians The first Inspirations were not only in Doctrinal Points but also in Devotions And about Temporal matters Subservient to this Gift of Revelations was the Gift of discerning Spirits This done afterwards by ordinary Rules And the Gift of utterance and boldness Their minds not influenced by this constantly and at all Times But ordinarily they were and especially when they had most need of it 2. Of the Gift of Miracles Miraracles a Proof of Divine Revelation How discernible from Lying Wonders by the Doctrines built on them By their ends and usefulness and being wrought on needful Occasions Of the miraculous Gift of healing Diseases This sometimes by anointing with Oyl And Prayers Of casting out Devils and other Miracles Of delivering to Satan what it was and why so call'd Of Joy in Tribulations and what was extraordinary in that of the Apostles To the working these Miracles there was always required Faith in him that wrought them And sometimes Faith in him that received them 3. of the Gift of Strange Tongues The ends of this And of the Gift of Interpreting such Strange Tongues What is meant by the Holy Ghost being a Comforter The Sin against the Holy Ghost is a Sin against these extraordinary Gifts Why Blasphemy against him more irremisable than against the Father or the Son. Extraordinary Gifts no mark of a justified State. Of Offices appointed by the Holy Ghost Some of these Temporary others to continue through all Times the present Officers ordaining Successors of the Holy Ghost's ordinary Graces By these we may know he dwells in us Our care required towards these Of Preventing Grace in outward advantages and inward good motions Directions how we are to endeavour after saving Graces in six Particulars How God gives them though we are thus to acquire them The Holy Ghost works also in us Spiritual Joys and Comforts This he doth not in all the minds he sanctifies because some are unfit for them through intrinsick impediments But they are withheld from none through his Arbitrary withdrawing which some count Spiritual Desertion Quest. WHat is the eighth Article of the Creed Answ. I Believe in the Holy Ghost Quest. Is the Holy Ghost very God Answ. Yes For Lying to the Holy Ghost is call'd Lying to God Act. 5. 3 4. And because Christians are the Temple of the Holy Ghost they are said to be the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3. 16. And all the Properties of Divinity are ascribed to him as knowing all things ubiquity or Presence in all Places Eternity or duration through all Times Creating the World being joyned with God who will not impart his Glory to another as an Object of Faith and Worship in Baptism and the Apostolical Benediction and the like Quest. But if both the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost be God are there not three Gods Answ. No because these three are One that is one in Nature or one Thing 1 Joh. 5. 7. There is a Trinity of Persons but these three are mysteriously united in Nature and dependance which makes but one God-head not three Gods. Quest. But why is he call'd Holy more than the Father or the Son Since Holiness was reckon'd one of the Divine Attributes are not all the three Persons who are equally God equal also in Holiness Answ. Yes But though they are equally Holy in Nature or Essence yet is he particularly styled so in respect of his Operations For as God the Father particularly undertook for the Creation of men and God the Son for the Redemption of them so did God the Holy Ghost for their Sanctification being always ready to work holiness in those who set themselves to fear God and to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. We are saved by the renewal of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5 6. And purified through the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 22. Quest. Why do we profess Faith and trust in him Answ. Because we are to receive all our Graces and preparations for Eternal Glory from him For after Christ had Redeemed us with his Blood and ascended into Heaven the Rest which was to be done further for our Salvation here on Earth was left to the care of the Holy Spirit whom Christ sent down as his substitute to supply his absence and minister whatsoever he left wanting to his Body which is the Church to perfect it in Faith and Holiness Quest. By this I perceive a great part of Christian Knowledge lyes in understanding what the Holy Spirit has done and is still to do for us Pray what has he bestowed for the effecting of this great work Answ. Gifts of two sorts 1. Extraordinary bestowed upon the Apostles and Evangelists for the Planting and Establishing Christ's Church and Religion 2. Ordinary that are given in common to all oothers for every particular man's Salvation Quest. What are his extraordinary Gifts bestowed upon the Holy Apostles for the Planting and Establishing of Christ's Church and Religion Answ. They consist not only of Gifts but likewise of Offices which he is the Author of Quest. What are the Extraordinary Gifts he gave them to this end Answ. I shall reduce them to three The Gift of Inspiration which revealed Christianity to themselves of Miracles which enabled them to prove it undeniable unto others and of Tongues whereby they could publish it over all the World and be understood by men of every Language Quest. When were these extraordinary Gifts bestowed Answ. First at the Feast of Pentecost upon the Twelve when the Spirit descended on each of them in the shape of Cloven Tongues Act. 2. 3. And afterwards generally upon others at the imposition of their hands as abundantly appears from St. Luke's account of the Acts of the Holy Apostles Quest. And all these you say were to enable them to Plant and Propagate their Religion Answ. Yes for by these Gifts which are call'd the Promise of the Father Act. 1. 4. that is that Spirit which Christ had promised
their Unction that is I suppose their investiture in their Office For 't is well known the common way of investing Men in Offices especially in the Priesthood and Prophetick Office was by anointing And St. Paul infers his Authority in the Apostolical Office from his inspiration because his Gospel was not after Man but he was sent out by God and had it immediately Revealed to him by him Gal. 1. 11 12 15 16 17. And the Promise that the Holy Ghost should teach them all things and guide them into all Truth was not made to any Christian of succeeding Times but particularly to the Holy Apostles with whom it is our Blessed Lord there Discourses And the Unction among them whereby they knew all things that St. John speaks of was whilst he himself was alive and other Evangelists not to add moreover that his Epistle seems writ among the latest of the Books of the New Testament So that then probably they had among them the inspirations of almost all the other Apostles Quest. So that inspiration of Religion was design'd only for the Infancy of the Church whilst it was a Planting and Religion a Publishing but was to cease when that was done Answ. Yes it was so Knowledge i. e. inspired Knowledge Prophesie and Tongues were fitted as St. Paul notes only for the Child-hood of the Church for that is the Similitude he uses in expressing the transitoriness of these Gifts 1 Cor. 13. 9. whilst I was a Child I spake as a Child I understood as a Child c. But these Helps of the Infant State were to vanish as it took Root and grew up to Manhood When I became a Man I put away Childish Things v. 11. We know says he again in part and we prophesie in part i. e. at present this inspiration is imperfect this Epistle being one of the earliest Writ and the Scripture-Canon at that Time not being finished and generally come abroad But when that which is perfect is come i. e. as I conceive not only the Perfection of the other World but a more Perfect State of the present Church when the Canon shall be consummated and commonly given out then that which is in part shall be superseded and Done away v. 9 10. As for Charity that bright Gem among saving Graces it indeed never fails But whether there be Prophesies they shall fail whether there be Tongues they shall cease whether there be Knowledge i. e. inspired Knowledge it shall vanish away v. 8. Quest. In Christianity then I see we must take up with the Holy Scriptures and not look for new Revelations except we would look also for a new Religion and new Apostles Answ. Very right Quest. This is enough against any man who pretends to new Lights and Revelations in Religion But since there are many such in the World can you give me any further Direction how to try them Answ. Yes examine them First by the Scriptures bringing those New Revelations to the Old and then be sure they are either inventions of Men or Delusions of Satan if they contradict it Tho we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have already preached unto you and which is set forth in Scripture let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again if any pretending never so much Revelation preach any other Gospel unto you than that you have received let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8 9. Quest. What other way would you direct me to for the Tryal of such Pretenders Answ. Secondly call for their signs or Miracles as God's Token to manifest that he speaks by them For when God sends Men on new Messages and Revelations to testifie they come from him and gain them credit he empowers them to work Miracles or give Signs because else they would go upon vain Errands Thus when God sent Moses to the Israelites and he objected that they would disbelieve him and say God had not appeared unto him Exod. 4. 1. God owns the reasonableness of the Objection and impowers him to turn his Rod into a Serpent and work other Signs from him to gain Credit with them Which he did as he himself told Moses that they may believe that the Lord God of their Fathers hath appeared unto thee And it shall come to pass if they will not believe thee after the first sign that they will believe thee after the latter sign Or if they disbelieve after that too thou shalt work another Sign ver 5. to ver 10. Quest. Have you any further Evidence of this Answ. Yes in Christ himself For without Miracles he did not require all Men to believe him when he came in God's name and then sure without them they are not bound to believe any other pretender to new Revelation If I had nâ—â— done among them the Works which no other Man did they had not had sin in disbelieving John 15. 24. Quest. And this was still the way of Prophets when God sent them Answ. Yes when he sent them to reveal any New Thing Indeed when Prophets came only to press old Revelations that stood confirmed by former Miracles they needed not always to come with a New Sign And this was the case of many Ordinary Prophets among the Jews whom God specially sent and stirred up to inforce some neglected Precepts and chiefly the Moral and Spiritual Parts of the Law of Moses But when any pretended to any extraordinary Commission for reversing of some Old or setting up some New Rule or Doctrine as it was resonable to expect they should they were always empowred to give a Sign or work a Miracle in Confirmation And this is the Test God himself gives whereby to know when he had sent any one If thou say in thine Heart how shall we know the Word which the Lord hath not spoken When a Prophet speaketh in the Name of the Lord if the thing follow not nor come to pass that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet hath spoken presumptuously thou shalt not be afraid of him Deut. 18. 21 22. Quest. So that no Prophet pretending to New Revelation was to be believed barely on his own word till some sign from God gave witness to it Answ. No the great Prophet of the Church Jesus Christ himself did not expect it If I bear Witness of my self my Witness is not true i. e. ought not to pass for true But there is another that beareth Witness of me for the Works which the Father hath given me to finish the same Works that I do bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me John 5. 31 32 36. And this is necessary to prevent our being deceived For many false Prophets are gone out into the World 1 John 4. 1. And these come all in God's Name though what they declare is not his Revelation but their own invention or some Satanical Delusion And if we were to
believe a Man inspired barely upon his own Word since they all say they are we should believe all of them So that to prevent being deceived we must not take a Man 's own Word for his being sent thus of God till he shews some Sign from him to attest it Quest. You say they are miraculously assisted when they are sent to reveal any New thing Is there not a like necessity of Signs and Miracles then when they only come to Remove Corruptions and revive such former acknowledged Revelations as had Miracles to confirm them Answ. No to Persons that own he spake it God's Word has as much Authority as his Work Whilst they have his clear Word to shew for themselves they are sufficiently qualified to use his Name to reprove and convince on the score and credit of ordinary Ministers without producing any new and extraordinary Credentials Besides for these things they may appeal to all the old Miracles wrought to testifie these Revelations And accordingly a great part of the old Prophets under the Jewesh State coming to reduce men to the obedience of Moses to reprove sins and to reform abuses wrought no Miracles it being enough for them to produce the Holy Scriptures who only sought to bring those back to them who had swerved from them And this also was the Case of our first Reformers They studied no new ways but only endeavour'd to restore Religion which was much depraved in these Parts of the world to that Form which was at first most miraculously confirmed by Christ and his Apostles And therefore their Proofs were not to be fetched from signs and wonders as Men that introduced new and unattested Tenets but from the Holy Scriptures Quest. But are we not told of False Prophets shewing Signs Mat. 24. 24 And what shall we say to them if they alledge Miracles for false Things Answ. If they teach things contrary to the Scriptures they must not only work Miracles for their contrary Opinions but more and greater than were wrought by Christ and his Apostles to confirm the Scriptures For here all the Miracles wrought for the Scripture are against them since their pretended Miracles are brought for a contrary Thing And when our Faith is sollicited by a competition of Miracles as the Faith of the Jews was between the Miracles of Moses and those of the Magicians Exod. 7. 11 22. and when any Seducer gave signs to draw them to Idolatry Deut. 13. 1 2. we must believe that side which has the greatest and the most of them And this will secure us against all the Errors and feign'd Miracles of new Lights and Pretenders For 't is certain they will never shew the tenth part of those Miracles to confute any Doctrine contain'd in Scripture that Christ and his Apostles have done to confirm it Quest. I confess 't is very clear from what you say that the Scripture is the only Revelation we must stick to and that in matters of Religion we must not hearken to any other Pretenders to new Light and inspiration But doth not the Prophet Joel say Revelations should be common things among Christians I will pour out my Spirit in those days upon all Flesh and your Sons and Daughters shall Prophesie your young men shall see Visions and your old men shall dream Dreams Joel 2. 28 29. Answ. Yes but by those days he means not all the days of Christianity but only the days of the Apostles when such Revelations were common Things For in those same days as it follows in Joel I will shew Wonders in Heaven and in Earth saith God Blood and Fire and Pillars of Smoak And the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into Blood before the Great and Terrible day of the Lord come i. e. before the destruction of Jerusalem whereof our Saviour interprets this passage Mat. 24. 29. which destruction fell out in the Apostolical Age before the death of St. John Joel 2. 30 31. And St. Peter says these inspirations foretold by Joel were fulfilled when the Holy Ghost at Pentecost descended upon them This is that which was spoken of by the Prophet Joel it shall come to pass in the last days I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie c. Act. 2. 16 17 18. So that Joel's Prophecy of inspirations doth not remain now to be fulfilled but as Joel himself foretold and as St. Peter declared was long since accomplished Quest. But God gave these Revelations in the Apostles Age and is not he the same God still in ours Answ. Yes he is always the same God but he doth not always do the same things He came down before the Jews in Thunder and Fire upon Mount Sinai once but he did not do so in after-times He shed abroad the Gift of Tongues and Miracles upon the generality of Christians in the Apostles days but he has not done so in any others since He is the same God and has the same care and kindness for his Church in all Times but he doth not always work the same effects but only according to our occasions and necessities And immediate Revelation was necessary to the Apostles in their circumstances and as unnecessary to us in ours Quest. Were these inspirations meerly about Doctrinal Things and declaring the will of God only in points of Faith or manners Answ. No but sometimes in those days of Revelation they were inspired also in their Devotions with Prayers and Hymns which was a blessing they were more sensible of in that Age because as yet they had no formed and established Liturgies Thus St. Paul tells the Corinthians every one in their Assemblies had an inspired Psalm as well as an inspired Doctrine Praying and Praising as well as Preaching by Revelation 1. Cor. 14. 26. And when they spoke by the Gift of Tongues it was oft in inspired Hymns and Devotions for he that speaketh in an unknown Tongue saith he speaketh unto God v. 2. he Prays to God or Praises him in that strange Gift of the Spirit v. 14 15 16. And in the Enthusiasms of Tongues which fell on Cornelius and his Gentile Friends they magnified God Act. 10. 40. Quest. Besides these Revelations about Religion and the way to Happiness had they not also Prophesie or Revelation about other Things Answ. Yes they had Revelations of future events concerning either themselves their Friends or the whole Church Thus Agabus foretold the Famine Acts 11. 28. and St. Paul's imprisonment at Jerusalem Act. 21. 10 11. And Paul foretold to his Company in the Ship that they should all be saved and none of them perish in the Ship-wrack Act. 27. 22 23 24 c. And St. John foretold not only what was to befall particular Persons but the whole Church in succeeding Ages in his Book of the Revelations Quest. I remember you said we are not now to expect any more Revelations in Religion to shew us the way to
comforteth those who are cast down comforted him by the coming of Titus 2 Cor. 7. 5 6. And when he came to Troas where a Door was opened to him he had no Rest in his Spirit because he found not Titus his Brother as he expected to stand by him 2 Cor. 2. 12 13. And at Corinth whilst he was alone he was the more afraid but when Silas and Timotheus were come he was pressed in Spirit i. e. vigorously put forward and emboldened by their Presence Act. 18. 5. Quest. By this I see the Apostles were Men and had some Returns of Humane Fears and Infirmities and this miraculous boldness did not actuate and invigorate them at all times Answ. 'T is true indeed But ordinarily they injoy'd it and particularly at those very instants when they had the greatest need of it As St. Paul did before Nero where the Lord stood with him and strengthned him i. e. with a mind undaunted 2 Tim. 4. 16 17. And as Peter and John did before the Sanhedrim where they were so bold that the Rulers marvelled Act. 4. 6 7 8 10 13. And as Christ promised they should all do when they were brought before Governours and Kings for his sake For then says he take no thought beforehand how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same Hour what you shall speak i. e. both matter and Presence of Mind to utter it For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Mat. 10. 18 19 20. Quest. What is the second of those Extraordinary Gifts which the Holy Ghost bestowed upon the Apostles for the Planting and establishing of Christ's Church and Religion Answ. The Gift of Miracles which enabled them to prove those things undeniably unto others which God had revealed to themselves Quest. Is working a Miracle for any Doctrine a Proof it comes from God Answ. Yes if the Doctrine tends to Holiness and be worthy of God. For a Miracle is not the work of Man but of God's and shews that God stands on his side that works it So that Miracles are God's Witness and way of proving Things The Works that I do in my Father's Name bear witness of me Joh. 10. 24 25. If I do not the works of my Father believe me not But If I do though you believe not me believe the Works ver 37 38. And God bore the Apostles witness with signs and wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb 2. 4. and confirmed the Word with signs following Mar. 16. 20. The Power of Miracles is the Spirits Proof or Demonstration My Speech was in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power 1 Cor. 2. 4. Quest. But doth not Satan himself sometimes work a Miracle or such a lying Wonder as will pass for a Miracle Answ. Yes for Doctrines that serve his own ends but never for a Doctrine that plainly opposes and overthrows them For so Satan as Christ argues undeniably would be divided against Satan and then how could his Kingdom stand Mat. 12. 25 26. If a Doctrine therefore tends to Holiness as I said and is worthy of God as Christianity doth most eminently a Miracle is a sure proof of it and 't is certain the evil Spirits have no hand in working it Not to mention those other most demonstrative marks of the Miracles wrought for Christianity whereof I have already discoursed in another Place Quest. In any Miracles then which are proposed to us we are to look not only at the works but also at their end and usefulness Answ. Yes For if they are for impious and impure Ends 't is plain they come from impious and unclean Spirits if only for Ostentation and Praise from vain-glorious and proud ones if meerly to gratifie idle Curiosity of Spectators like Feats of Juglers from Ludicrous and Vain Spirits who delight to amuse with Toys and Trifles All Miracles being the effect of intelligent Agents by their Design shew the Temper and Genius of the Actors And therefore when any are pretended to come from God that must be shewn in their gravity grandure pious heavenly fruits or important usefulness But we must not put his Hand to any that serve only to vicious ends or ridiculous impertinence Quest. And as God works them only for important and needful ends Doth he not also only on needful occasions Answ. Very right either of succouring his Servants or Crediting his Messengers especially when he sends them out at first to promulge a Law or sometimes though in this more seldom when he sends them to revive it after some great and general Defection from it and accordingly the most Miracles that were wrought all the time of the Jewish State were either by Moses who first published the Law or by Elias and Elisha to restore it after Jeroboam's Calves had made ten Tribes of twelve most grosly to swerve from it And therefore it is a vain thing for any of those to listen after new Miracles who pretend to Rule their Faith by the Holy Scriptures which stand attested by all the old ones as if there were some Defects in the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles which need to be supplied by their Followers But 't is more especially vain to pretend as the Church of Rome doth to work such Miracles only among themselves who believe without them but never before us who have more need to be convinced by them Moses and our Saviour Christ and his blessed Apostles shewed their Miracles among those they design'd to make Converts or such young and unsetled Followers as needed to be confirmed and established in the Faith. And in Testimony to the Man of God Jeroboam's hand is miraculously withered and as miraculously restored before the Altar at Bethel the very Seat of the Schismaticks 1 King. 13. 4 5 6. And if Tongues are used for a sign 't is not to those saith St. Paul who believe but to those who believe not 1 Cor. 14. 22. To shew signs where they are not needed and withhold them where they are more needful is not the way and method of hâ—s Almighty Power who is neither wanting in necessaries nor Liberal in superfluities Quest. Was this Gift of Miracles bestowed upon the Apostles Answ. Yes God bore them witness with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles Heb. 2. 4. and confirmed the word with Signs following Mar. 16. 20. Quest. What Miracles had they the Gift of Answ. They had the Gift of Healing without the help of Medicine To one is given by the Spirit the Gift of healing 1 Cor. 12. 9. And thus by the Holy Ghost Petâ—â— and John healed the Lame Man Act. 3. 2 6. In working these Cures when our Saviour sent them out at First they used the Ceremony of anointing with Oyl They anointed with Oyl many that were sick and healed them Mar. 6. 13. And this Ceremony of anointting was held on afterwards whilst this miraculous Gift of Healing
Quest. I see the Holy Ghost endowed the Apostles with strange Gifts of Miracles But could they work these Miracles at any instant of time when they would or were some Preparations required to them Answ. There was required to them 1. Always Faith in him that wrought them And 2. sometimes particularly in miraculous Cures Faith in the Person that received them or whom they were wrought upon Quest. What was the Faith required in him that wrought them Answ. A Perswasion that God's Power would assist him and perform the Miracle by him For that they might never offer at this in vain which would have exposed both themselves and their Religion whensoever God would enable them to work a Miracle he first possessed their minds with a firm Belief and Assurance of it And this is the Faith so oft required of Wonder-workers in the Scriptures Though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains 1 Cor. 13. 2. And if ye have Faith as a Grane of Mustard-Seed ye shall say to this Mountain Remove hence to yonder Place and it shall Remove and nothing shall be unpossible unto you Mat. 17. 20. And this Faith is reckon'd as one of the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit To another Faith by the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 9. Quest. What was the Faith that sometimes but more especially in the cure of Diseases was required on him that received a Miracle or the Person it was to be wrought upon Answ. A Perswasion that God would enable the Wonder-worker to do the cure for or shew the Miracle upon him This also was another Requisite For Paul stedfastly beholding the Creeple and perceiving he had faith to be healed said to him stand upright Act. 14. 9 10. Believe ye that I am able to do this said Christ to the blind Men according to your Faith so be it unto you Mat. 9. 28 29. If thou canst do any thing said the Father of the Demoniack have Compassion on us and help us Jesus said unto him if thou canst believe I can all miraculous Things are possible to be done to him that believeth Mar. 9. 22 23. And in his own Country 't is said Christ did not many Miracles because of their unbelief Mat. 13. 58. or as St. Mark he could not do them God it seems suspending this miraculous aid in the case of such whose unbelief rendred them unworthy of it Mark 6. 4 5. Quest. What is the third and last of those extraordinary Gifts which the Holy Ghost bestowed upon the Apostles Answ. The Gift of strange Tongues whereby they who were all Jews were able in an instant to Publish that Religion God had revealed to them over all the world and be understood by men of every Language Quest. Was this given to the Apostles Answ. Yes visibly at the day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost descended upon each of them in the shape of Cloven Tongues like as of Fire and they spake with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance and talked to Parthians and Romans Cretes and Arabians and to the devout men from every Nation under Heaven at that time gathered together to Jerusalem to every man in the Tongue wherein he was born Acts. 2. 1. to 12. And at the imposition of the Apostles hands it was generally bestowed on others afterwards As on the Disciples at Ephesus at the imposition of Paul's hands Acts 19. 2 6. on Cornelius and his Gentile Friends at Peter's Preaching for while he yet spake to them the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word and they spake with Tongues and magnified God Acts 10. 44 45 46. And so on others in great numbers particularly in the Church of Corinth Quest. To what end were they thus endowed with all Languages Answ. To enable them to Preach to all Nations for they were Commission'd to teach all Nations Mat. 28. 19. And they could not teach them without speaking to every man in his own Language And therefore wheresoever they came the Spirit immediately made them as perfect in the Language of the Place as they were in their own Mother Tongue Quest. Had not some the Gift of Tongues who were not sent out to men of another Language Answ. Yes as particularly in the Church of Corinth for there many would speak in the Assemblies where all or most were Greeks in Strange Tongues which because the Church did not understand St. Paul directs such gifted Linguists to Pray for another Gift of interpreting Tongues to make such enthusiasms intelligible to their Hearers 1 Cor. 14. 2 5 13. In these strange Tongues they Preached v. 6. and Prayed to God v. 14. And this being an offering up both inspired Prayers and in inspired Tongues which are both his extraordinary Gifts is called Praying and Singing by or with the Spirit v. 14 15. Quest. To what end then served these strange Tongues in such Churches all of one Tongue Answ. Not to make known Religion indeed because the hearers did not understand them But they serv'd to express the Speakers Devotion and so edified himself 1 Cor. 14. 4. and as a Sign to confirm our Religion and so were an argument as all other Miracles were to prove it true to Infidels Tongues are for a sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not v. 22. Quest. Was there any Guilt subservient to this of speaking with strange Tongues Answ. Yes the Gift of interpreting those strange Tongues when spoken either by themselves or others Quest. But I pray you what need of that did not they that spoke these strange Tongues understand themselves Answ. Yes he that spoke in an unknown Tongue edified himself 1 Cor. 14. 4. and he that gave Thanks in it gave Thanks well as St. Paul says v. 17. But in this exercise of strange Tongues the heat of Enthusiasm and Divine Rapture was sometimes so great that the Speaker could not interpret himself as he spoke nor remember it after that heat was over so as to give an explication to those that heard it And this defect the Gift of interpreting Tongues supplyed which Gift St Paul directs those who had the other of speaking with strange Tongues to beg of God in order to their greater usefulness Let him that speaketh in an unknown Tongue pray also that he may interpret i. e. do it with such consistency and moderation of mind as to be able afterwards to give the same in other more intelligible words v. 13. and orders that when any spoke with Tongues who were not thus qualified to explain themselves they should speak not all at a time as they sometimes did but by course and have one still to second them to interpret their strange speech v. 27. Quest. By this I see what are the extraordinary Gifts which the Holy Ghost bestowed upon the Apostles viz. the Gift of inspiration whereby they should be infallibly instructed in their Religion of Tongues and utterance whereby they should intelligibly and undauntedly
express and declare it and of Miracles whereby they should undoubtedly prove and demonstrate it to all the World. Answ. Yes Quest. When Christ promised the Holy Ghost to his Apostles he calls him by the Name of Comforter Joh. 16. 7. What is meant by that Answ. First that he should be an Advocate which is one sence of the word Paraclete to plead the Cause of Christ and his Religion against all that opposed them This he did most convincingly in the miraculous Gifts already mentioned And in this sence Christ says of him that when he is come he will reprove or convince the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment Joh. 16. 8. Secondly a Comforter which is another sence of it to support them under all that troubled them This is plainly another sence since he tells them of sending the Comforter because sorrow had filled their hearts v. 6. And this Office he fulfill'd by assuring them their Lord whose death they lamented was now alive again by supplying his Place in making their defence and giving them assistance and direction and by shewing them an happy end of all their Troubles and preparing them for the Kingdom of Heaven Quest. Is the unpardonable Sin against the Holy Ghost a Sin against these miraculous Gifts of his Answ. Yes for it was against the Gift of Miracles and casting out Devils the Pharisees sin'd when he cautions them against this dreadful sin saying the sin against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven Mat. 12. 24 32. Quest. And what is the unpardonable sin against them Answ. Slandering or Blaspheming them as the Pharisees there did when they attributed them to Magick and said he cast out Devils by Beelzebub v. 24. for it is expresly called speaking against the Holy Ghost v. 32. and Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost v. 31. And this he said saith St. Mark because they said he hath an unclean Spirit Mar. 3. 30. Quest. What is meant by never forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Answ. Not being pardonable under any dispensation or Religion either Jewish or Christian for the Jews looked on the days of Messiah as a later state and dispensation of the Church to succeed their own on which account it is called the last days Is. 2. 2. Heb. 1. 2. and the last time 1 Joh. 2. 18. and the World to come Heb. 6. 5. And some sins were to be atoneable among Christians for which there was no atonement among the Jews since by Christ they were to be justified from those Things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts 13. 39. And therefore when Christ says this Blasphemy shall not be forgiven in this World nor the World to come that is the same as neither to be forgiven in the Jewish State while it lasted nor the Christian neither Moses nor He having provided any Sacrifice or expiation for it Quest. Is Blaspheming God the Father or the Son unpardonable Answ. No whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him Mat. 12. 32. yea all manner of other Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto Men v. 31. Quest. Why then will the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost never be forgiven Is he more worthy than either the Father or the Son Answ. No that is not the reason But these his Gifts are the last means of begetting Belief in men and without Faith and Repentance wrought by Faith there is no Pardon If men would not believe but revile the Son when he was among them after he was taken up the Holy Ghost was to come and be his Advocate and by all the miraculous Gifts I have mentioned gain credit from them But if instead of believing him they shall go to Blaspheme and Revile him and slanderously call all his stupendious Gifts magical Tricks and works of Satan God is resolved to endeavour no more with them nor ever to bring them to Believe and Repent without which there is no Pardon So that it is unpardonable because after it God has decreed that Faith and Repentance shall be impossible Of Apostates says St. Paul who committed this sin it is impossible to renew them again to Repentance Heb. 6. 6. Quest. These miraculous Gifts were wonderful vouchsafements did not they evidence all that enjoy'd them to be in Favour with God and in a justified state Answ No for they were bestowed promiscuously on good and bad Balaam loved the wages of unrighteousness yet he was a Prophet 2. Pet. 2. 15 16. Judas was the Son of Perdition but he wrought Miracles as well as the other Apostles Mat. 10. 1 4 5 8. And at the last Day many will plead that in Christ's Name they Prophesied and cast out Devils and did Wonders and yet he will bid them depart from him because they wrought iniquity Mat. 7. 22 23. 'T is obedience not miracles that will save our Souls it being not the workers of wonders but workers of Righteousness that God accepts of And thereupon our Saviour bid his Disciples rejoyce not for that the Devils were subject to them but rather because their Names were written in Heaven Luk. 10. 17 18 19 20. Quest. Thus much may suffice for the understanding of the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost But besides his bestowing these Gifts you said he has appointed several Offices for the Planting and Establishing Christ's Church and Religion what are those Offices which he is the Authour of Answ. He gave some Apostles the highest and most extensive power in the Church and some Prophets who foretold future Things Expounded old and utter'd new Prophesies and some Evangelists who writ the Gospels or preach'd the Word in unconverted Places where it was never heard before and some Pastors and Teachers or Bishops and Presbyters to govern and instruct the Church All which he gave for the perfecting of the Saints the Work of the Ministry and the edifying of the Body of Christ Eph. 4. 8 11 12. And God hath set in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles Governments c. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Quest. For what end were these Offices appointed Answ. For the Government and Edification of the Church and the Work of the Ministry in the Word and Sacraments and Prayers They were given saith St. Paul for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ Eph. 4. 12. Quest. And were all these Offices to last through all Ages of the Church Answ. No Apostles Evangelists and Prophets were Temporary Offices which lay in founding of the Church and revealing Christ's Religion by Inspiration from himself And this Church being once founded and built and this Revelation being once committed to Writing it remains a lasting Thing and so needs not to be repeated a second time And therefore when once they had perform'd this Work in all after Ages there was no further need of them
But as for Pastors and Teachers to govern the Church and ordain Successors and to minister the Word and Prayers and Sacraments they will be equally wanted in every Age and therefore the Holy Ghost has appointed them to continue always Go Baptise all Nations teaching them to observe all my Commandments And lo in such Teaching and Baptising I am with you always even to the end of the World Mat. 28. 19 20. And tho as I say some of the Offices mentioned by St. Paul were necessary only in the first Age yet others which are equally necessary to the edifying of the Church and the Work of the Ministry in every Age are to continue as he says tiâ— we all i. e. all Christians that are and aâ— that shall be come in the Unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God untâ— a perfect Man unto the Measure of the Stâ—ture of the Fulness of Christ. So that the Church is to enjoy the Benefit of them to the Worlds end Eph. 4. 12 13. Quest. Since all that are at any time in these Offices die in one Age how are they to be continued in the next Answ. The Bishops or Governours are stilâ— to Ordain others to remedy their owâ— Mortality and supply the Necessities of the Church through all Times Thus Christ told his Apostles As my Father sent me viz with a Power of Commissioning you to succeed in this Ministry when I am gone sâ— send I you i. e. with Power of Ordaining others in like manner of Succession John 20. 21. Pursuant to this they Ordained Bishops in all Churches as St. Paul did Titus at Crete and Timothy at Ephesus And these in a constant Succession were to Ordain others as Paul bid Timothy give Commissions as he had been Commission'd himself or commit what he had heard of him to faithful Men who should be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 1. 14. and 2. 2. And with these in their Work of the Ministry God would be present and assistant in all after Times as he had been with the Apostles in the First Age. In thus Preaching and Baptizing lo I am with â—ou always even to the end of the World Mat. 28. 20. With you that is with your selves during your own Lives and your Successors in all after times which is the only way that in this Work he could be with them to the Worlds end who were all to die in that Age. Quest. Is the Holy Ghost the Author of these Offices Answ. Yes God hath set these Officers in the Church saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 12. 28. and Christ gave them as a Gift after he was ascended Eph. 4. 8 11. That is God gave them and Christ gave them by the Holy Ghost who now since Christ is gone to the Right-hand of God is come down to his Church as his Substitute from whom both the Authority and Ability of all these Officers is derived Feed the Flock saith the Apostle over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers Acts 20. 28. And when Christ ordain'd his Apostles giving them Power to send others as the Father gave him and to remit and retain Sins he breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost Joh. 20. 21 22 23. And accordingly to shew from whom these Powers are derived in Ordinations of these Officers whether Bishops or Priests the Power is to this day conferr'd by saying Receive thou the Holy Ghost Quest. What shall we think then of those who reject the Ministry and cast off all Church-Officers and Ordinances and yet pretend in all this to be guided by the Spirit Answ. You may be sure it is not by that Spirit which Christ sent down upon the Apostles and which indited the holy Scriptures For that Spirit gave these Offices as the most necessary and greatest Blessing to the Church Whereas this Spirit of theirs plucks up what he planted and endeavours to abolish and overthrow them Quest. From what you have said I perceive how infinitely we are obliged to the Holy Ghost for that care he has taken in Planting and Propagating Christ's Church and Religion both in the miraculous Gifts he bestowed upon his Church so amply in the First Age and in the Offices and Governments he has appointed to Feed and Rule it in all succeeding Ages But besides these extraordinary Gifts bestowed only on some for the Propagation and Establishment of Christ's Church and Religion you mention'd another sort of Gifts for the effecting this Great Work of our Salvation which the Holy Ghost bestows ordinarily on Persons of all Times and Places What Gifts are those Answ. All the inward Graces and vertuous Endowments which are necessary to the Salvation of all particular Persons such as the Apostle reckons up Gal. 5. The Fruits of the Spirit are Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance and such like v. 22 23. Particularly he excites Devotion and helps to raise in us holy Desires and Life and Quickness in our Prayers There says the Apostle the Spirit helps our Infirmities making Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God by inspiring them with such Desires and Groanings as cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 26 27. Quest. Is the Holy Ghost the Author of all these inward Graces in us and can we not have them without his Gift Answ. No for the Renewing of our Nature is ascribed to the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. And St. Paul calls all the recited Virtues Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And no Man can come to me saith Christ i. e. believe on me and obey me except the Father which hath sent me draw him John 6. 44. All our Graces come from God and must be sought of him And because we are daily in want of them we are taught by our Lord himself to pray Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done Deliver us from Evil c. as constantly as we say Give us this Day our Daily Bread. Quest. If the Holy Spirit gives these then any Man that has them may know he has Grace and that the Holy Ghost dwells and acts in him Answ. Yes if he is affected and influenc'd not only by some few but by all of them For they are the Fruits of the Spirit as I noted and where we see the genuine Fruit we may make sure of the Principle that gives Birth to it as our Saviour said the Tree is known by its Fruit Luke 6. 43 44. Mat. 7. 16 20. And accordingly they are given as Marks of Grace and a sure Proof that Men belong to God in the Scriptures Hereby know we that we know him and that we are in him if we keep his Commandments 1 John 2. 3 5. We know that we have passed from Death unto Life because we love the Brethren 1 John 3. 14. He that doth Righteousness is righteous in this the Children of God are manifest 1 John 3. 7 10. Quest. But may
and exacted more than can possibly or at least ordinarily be performed Or labour under some other cloudy and afflicting Error or distemper of mind which hinders a most comfortable Religion and peaceful Piety from creating any Joy or Comfort in them Quest. But when there are none of these intrinsick impediments to interpose betwixt his Joy and them doth not he sometimes Arbitrarily and without any provocation withdraw himself and hide his Face as if he were displeased with them Which withdrawing is oft given as the cause of many Good mens Grief and Dejection and is what some call Spiritual Desertion Answ. At this rate indeed all Spiritual Comfort must needs be most variable and uncertain as depending not on any Constancy of good and comfortable Dispositions in themselves but on the Arbitrariness of such unprovoked withdrawings to try Experiments upon Men. But this I think is all humane invention the Scripture on the contrary teaching us that when Sinners purify their hearts and draw nigh to him God doth not withdraw himself and shrink away but draws nigh to them Jam. 4. 8. It is an imputation on this good Spirit not at all agreeing with his inclination which is to be an immutable lover of goodness and of good men to be unalterably pleased with them whilst they do what is pleasing to him and to delight in having them take pleasure and joy in him It seems very opposite to his Office and Undertaking For his Work and Office as I have shewn is to engender Peace and Comfort as well as Goodness in the hearts of his Servants And since that is his business he will be as constant in pursuing it and no more withdraw his Comforts than he doth his Graces from them without being justly provoked thereto by some act of their own Nay on the contrary when their own melancholly humours or mispersuasions have intercepted his joyful presence from good men he is ready with the light of his Countenance to break thro' that darkness and in great pity very often restores that Comfort to their minds which their own errour or distemper had driven from it So that these arbitrary and unprovoked desertions whether in Grace or Comforts as they have no foundation in Scripture but there meet with opposition so are they not suitable to the Holy and good Spirit 's natural Genius or his Undertaking and Office He always loves and delights in good men and never voluntarily withdraws himself but is always driven from them CHAP. IX Of the Holy Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints The Contents No assurance of Salvation by Christ but in his Church This Church Holy. And Catholick Admission into it by Baptism when regularly perform'd in any one valid in all Churches Excommunication is so too This Church is one Body by external visible unity Of the Communion of Saints in this Church Of their visible union in Faith or Doctrine And in Prayâ—rs and Devotion Of communicating in Publick Prayers A Sin to separate without just cause Imposing Sins or Errours as Conditions of Communion is a just cause Not Lawful to separate for Things indifferent Nor for better means of edification Just to separate from a Church that doth not impose her Corruptions when her Errors in Faith overthrow the Foundation That is when she ceases to own the one true God. Or denys Jesus to be the Christ or Salvation by his Merits and Mediation Owning Jesus to be the Christ implies owning the Articles of the Apostles Creed which contains all Fundamentals Whilst any Churches hold to this Creed which is the Foundation Errors in other things do not unchurch them But such Erroneous are in a worse state than Orthodox Christians Nor is her Communion to be deserted meerly for such Errors tho' very gross if she doth not impose them Just to separate from a Church of a corrupt Worship when sinful things pollute her Publick Offices Or when good Devotions are put up in a strange Language Not for Rites and Customs about indifferent Matters Nor just to separate for scandalous Members where a Churches constitution is faultless Nor tho' it neglect Discipline which should reform them Of keeping Fellowship with the Apostles by submitting to our lawful Bishops their Successors Christians to communicate in Affections in Alms and Temporal good Things Quest. WHat is the Ninth Article in the Creed Answ. The Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints Quest. Is there no assurance of Salvation by Christ but in his Church Answ. No for Baptism whereby we are made members of the Church is compared to Noah's Ark whereinto all were to enter that would not perish with the World 1 Pet. 3. 20 21. Christ is represented to us as the Head of his Church and the Saviour of the body Eph. 5. 23. And God daily added to the Church such as should be saved saith St. Luke Act. 2. 47. In the Church all good men have a sure claim to God's favour by Promises and Compacts which ingage him in Faithfulness But out of it they stand to courtesie and can build at best only on presumptions and uncovenanted mercies the Covenant which God seals with us respecting his Church and being proposed and ratified in the Word which it preaches and in the Sacraments which it dispences Quest. Must not this make all careful to be Members of this Body and keep in Commâ—nion with Christ's Church who profess Christianity Answ. Most certainly as without which by their Religion there is not only a want of the set means and opportunities but also of all express Contracts and Promises of Salvation Our Saviour Christ has appointed not only the Christian Religion which all are to believe and practise but the Christian Church too wherein they are to profess that Faith and Communicate as Members And the same Baptism that lists us Professors of his Religion makes us Members of his Church also Quest. Why is the Church called Holy Answ. Because it is a Body of men that is Holy that is separated from the rest of the World and dedicated to Aâ—mighty God. Ye are a chosen Generation an Holy Nation a Peculiar People 1 Pet. 2. 9. And because whatever they prove in reality their Religion is a Profession of Holiness as their Baptismal Vow which is made at their entrance on Christianity sufficiently declares To the Church at Corinth called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1. 2. Quest. Why is it called Catholick Answ. To shew its Universality and that it is not confined to one Nation or Place as the Jewish Church was And the Catholick Church notes the whole Body of Christians diffused through all places and enduring through all times The Church is also call'd Catholick in relation to the Faith it holds which ought to be the same in all Places And in this sense particular Churches are sometimes stiled Catholick meaning thereby that they are Orthodox and live in the Faith and Communion of the Catholick Church not of any Heretical Combinations Quest.
Foundation What mean you by the Foundation of Faith Answ. Such points of it as are the very Bottom and Ground-work of the Christian Covenant whereinto we are all Baptized and whereon the Church is Erected They are such Articles as are the Root of all that Worship and Obedience we are to pay to God of all that Submission Trust and Adoration we are to shew towards Jesus Christ and of all that Labour and Success we are call'd to here in the Prosecution of an Holy Life All the Points of our Christian Faith are a-like True but all Truths are not a-like useful nor all useful Truths a-like necessary 'T is necessary for us to believe all when we are sufficiently shew'd that Christ has taught them But 't is moreover necessary for us all to see he has taught some which are not only to be Believed because they were Revealed but were therefore Revealed because necessary to be Learned and Believed of all that retain to him And these Points which are not only Profitable but necessary to the Worship and Service of God by Jesus Christ and to the maintenance of the Christian Covenant and of the Church which is Built upon it are called Fundamentals Quest. Can you shew me what points are such Answ. One is the common foundation of all true Religion Mosaical and Natural as well as Christian and that is the Belief of the one True God not only of his Being but also of his Providence and Care to Reward those that seek him Thus St. Paul sets down Faith towards God as one Article to be first laid Heb. 6 1. For he that comes to God in any way saith he must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. This Faith in the one true God is overthrown not only when Men overlook or deny him but also when they joyn any Gentile Gods who were Apostate Spirits in Copartnership with him For every true Church must have Repentance from Idols towards God as well as Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Act 20. 20 21. And this is Life eternal says our Saviour to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17. 3. And he is Antichrist saith St. John that denies the Father and the Son 1 Joh. 2. 22. If she cast off the Belief of the one true God the common Principle of all true Religion she is the Congregation of some Faln Spirits which set up for false Gods and not the Church of the Great God of Heaven As well as if she have not Faith in Christ she is no longer Christian. Quest. But when a Church professes Faith in the one true God the common Ground-work of all true Religion What is the Particular Foundation of the Christian Religion Answ. Belief of Jesus being the Son of God and the Christ and of Salvation by his Merits and Mediation When Peter confessed Jesus to be the Christ the Son of the living God our Saviour said upon this Rock will I build my Church Mat. 16. 16 18. And St. Paul says the Foundation which he had laid and other than which no Man can lay is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. And the compass of saving Knowledge marked out by our Lord himself as I noted is together with the Knowledge of the one true God to know Jesus Christ whom he has sent Whilst any Church retains this Faith in Christ it is Christian and has Right to Baptism as St. Philip declar'd to the Eunuch who was Baptized upon his making this Confession Act. 8. 37 38. But if it denys this Authority of Christ and its dependance upon him for salvation it is thereby unchurched and becomes unchristian like Jewish Mahometane or Heathen Churches and is put out of the ordinary way of Salvation there being no Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we may be saved but his alone Act. 4. 12. Quest. But doth not this Grand Article of Jesus being the Christ and Saviour imply in it sundry other Articles Answ. Yes if we Believe Jesus to be the Christ we must believe all the Holy Scriptures as his Word and they contain all Articles But it more especially implies his Incarnation Passion Resurrection and other great Articles of the Creed which must be expresly owned by every one that rightly understands it And accordingly in the various Repetitions of this Grand Article and Representations of the saving Faith one or other of these is oft-times added and given as the instance of it Believing Jesus to be the Christ the Son of God you may have Life through his Name saith St. John shewing the necessity of this main Foundation Joh. 20. 31. But St. Paul speaking of this Grand Doctrine says I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him Crucified setting out the knowledge of Christ in the knowledge of his Passion 1 Cor. 2. 2. And if thou confess the Lord Jesus and believe God raised him from the Dead thou shalt be saved exemplifying the saving knowledge of Jesus in the Belief of his Resurrection Rom. 10. 9. And when he commanded us to preach him saith St. Peter he commanded us to preach and testifie that it is he who is ordained of God to be the Judge both of quick and dead illustrating the Preaching Christ by preaching the Judgment to come Act. 10. 42. Every Spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God And every Spirit that confesses it not is Antichrist and not of God saith St. John explaining the Confession of Jesus Christ by the Confession of his Incarnation 1 Joh. 4. 2 3. And speaking of the Record or Witness God had given to the Christian Doctrine he thus declares the matter attested by him This is the Record God hath given us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life Setting off the Christian Religion and the Saving Faith by the Belief of the Life everlasting 1 Joh. 5. 10 11 12. And as for the Belief of the Holy Ghost the necessity of that and of our Dependance on him to make any man a Christian our Saviour has sufficiently expressed by ordering our very Baptism which initiates us into Christianity to be into his Name Mat. 28. 19. All these Points are the very Ground and Foundation of our Subjection to the Father Son and Holy Ghost the Parties we contract withal in the Christian Covenant of all our Adoration Trust and Submission to the Blessed Jesus of our worshipping and serving God by him and of all that Holiness of Life which must gain us the Divine Acceptance on all which Accounts they are necessary and Ground-work Articles of Christian Faith and properly call'd Fundamentals Quest. By this it may seem as if the Believing Jesus to be the Christ were in more explicit words to believe the Apostles Creed since that sets
Apostle loads with such heavy consequences telling the Judaizers they were faln from grace and Christ would profit them nothing or be of none effect to them and the Denyers of the Resurrection that then is Christ not risen they are yet in their Sins their Faith is vain and so is the Apostles Preaching c. as give us cause to think had they prevailed and become the common Profession in those Churches they would have rendred them Christians meerly in Name but in Truth would have unchurched them But other Churches that kept true to the Foundation did in those days build many great errors thereupon At Corinth they built Wood Hay and Stubble upon the Foundation and fell to hold not only speculative Errors but some very dangerous Tenets in practice such as the lawfulness of incestuous Marriages esteemed as may seem as a thing indifferent even by the Pastors themselves and of Communicating in Idol-Feasts wherein they thought they did not sin so long as they believed an Idol is nothing At Colos they were prone to superstition to place Religion in uncommanded Abstinencies such as touch not taste not handle not which were the Doctrines and Devices of men Col. 2. 20 21 22. At Ephesus St. Paul foretold that several would arise speaking perverse Things Act. 20. 30. And at Rome and abundance of Churches in the Provinces where the Jews had Synagogues besides those rigid Judaizers who deny'd the Redemption by Christ and merit of his Sacrifice there were others who believed these but yet maintain'd together with them the necessity of the Mosaick Rites observing the Jewish difference of Meats and Days and teaching the Gentiles to live as do the Jews Ro. 14. 2 5. Gal. 2. 14. But amidst all these errors which were held sometimes by Parties and Factions and sometimes by the greatest numbers in the Churches the Apostles preach'd to them to own the erroneous as Brethren whom upon the account of those great Truths they held God had received Rom. 14. 3. to beware of Schisms and Divisions as things that shew'd Carnal Professors 1 Cor. 3. 3. and to keep the Bond of Peace Eph. 4. 3. And upon these Christian Grounds and in correspondence to these Apostolical Ordinances it is that the Protestants of the opposite Confessions are ready to Communicate with the Lutherans notwithstanding their Errors of Ubiquity and Consubstantiation And that the Champions of our own Church have sundry times declared their readiness to Communicate even with the Church of Rome in any truly Christian thing notwithstanding the Errors that Church has added to the Foundation But that they have barr'd us all out by imposing their Errors and so staining and polluting their Worship that with a good Conscience we cannot joyn with them And accordingly whilst they were free to come and till the Pope forbid them the Romanists were for many years admitted to our Publick Service and Sacraments notwithstanding their different apprehensions in the first part of Queen Elizabeth's Reign Quest. I suppose you speak this of our uniting with them only whilst their Errors are meer Errors of Faith and consist in Opinion Answ. Yes for 't is not so when they found any corrupt Worship thereupon But if together with such unfundamental Errors they have a faultless Worship which they call us to joyn in we must not separate for their Errors whilst they keep them to themselves and we are under no necessity of sharing in them And that we never are whilst they do not impose them but leave us at liberty either to dissent where their errors are in little Matters or to gainsay and confute them where they are of more importance to Religion and mens Souls Quest. I think I see when a Church errs so foully in Faith that we ought to forsake her But another ground of withdrawing our Communion you said is Corruption of Worship And when is a Church so far corrupted in her Worship that we ought not to joyn in it Answ. That may be either in case of intrinsick impediments in the matter of her Offices Or when good Prayers and Devotions are put up to God but in an unknown Language Quest. When is she so far corrupted in the very matter of her Worship and Publick Services Answ. When she falls off either from Worshipping the one true God or by one Mediator Jesus Christ or mixes Sin in all her Prayers whereby Grace and Mercy are to be sought or in her Sacraments of Baptism or the Lords Supper wherein that Grace and Mercy are sealed and convey'd We cannot live Religiously without Prayers nor pray to any but the true God except we pray like Idolatrous Heathens nor Pray to him by any other but by Jesus Christ the defective Prayers of Sinners needing to be expiated as was †observed before they are preferr'd and not being acceptable from any other hands nor claim the benefit of his intercession for our Prayers 'till we are Baptized and made Members of his Church nor shew our selves worthy of such a Saviour and assure as much as may be the Blessings we pray for without partaking of the Lords Supper So that if any Church has embody'd Sin into her Service in these particulars we cannot perform the necessary parts and vital acts of Worship in her Communion with a good Conscience Quest. So that if the Publick Offices of any Church direct their Prayers and Adorations not only to God but also to Creatures either Rational Beings or senseless Images or if they prefer not these Prayers to God by Jesus Christ alone but make use of other Mediators as Departed Saints or Angels or if they pollute their Baptism and the Lords Supper by unlawful mixtures the twisting of these Corruptions into her Worship without any further Imposition is enough to bar all good People from joyning with her in these Offices Answ. Yes For as we must be careful publickly to Worship and serve God so must we be as careful not to offer up any sinful and forbidden Thing in service to him which is not to honour and please but affront and provoke him So that when any particular Office is thus tainted in any Church we must separate from that although at the same time whilst that will be allowed we be ready to joyn in others When 't is generally corrupt and sound and unsound lye intermixt thro all their service we must separate from them in all Offices Quest. But what if the Devotions themselves are good and directed only unto God by Jesus Christ but in a strange Language which we do not understand Were it enough to desert a Churches service for that reason Answ. Yes because God will have Prayers with the understanding 1 Cor. 14 15 16. and God being a Spirit receives such only as Christ notes who Worship him in Spirit which a man doth not whose Spirit is idle and understands not what he says to God John 4. 23 24. So that if