and vertue as a candle extinguished For by the fall the lamb the witnes came to be slaine and remained so until the Spirit of life againe was sent from God into it to give it life and power to witnes against mens transgressions for a witnes that is wholly dead cannot witnes unto particular things of fact against men as this inward witnes in all men doth who doe not againe crucifiâ— it in themselves And seing Christ tasted death for every man and the grace that brings salvation hath appeared to every man and the Gospel is preached in every creature as it is according to the Greek in Hebr. 2. Tit. 2. Col. 1. 23. It is manifest that the illumination given to every man is a new and fresh visitation of Gods love in Christ freely given unto them for salvation Now as to the word Nature if it be rightly understood there shall be no great difference about it For if by Nature thou understandest the Nature that is corrupt and fallen and that which simply is derived from Adam then wee deny that that Nature can claime any right to this Light or that it can be said to proceed from that Nature But if thou understandest by nature the nature that is spiritual and heavenly and is derived from Christ the second Adam the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven then I say the Light may properly be called the Light of that Nature in which sense is to be understood that place of the Apostle Rom. 2. v. 14. cited by thee where hee sayeth The Gentiles which have not the Law did by nature the things contained in the Law For who will be so grosse as to say that the Gentiles by the corrupt Nature could doe the things contained in the Law which is pure and Holy But by that Nature which is one with the Law towit divine and heavenly they might doe them So that thou canst not but still be accounted a wilful enemy to the Light whilest thou opposest it and dost not turne to it and by it come to see the evil of thy wayes and forsake them Pag. 12. Though it â—e here asserted in name of the Quakers that the Scriptures are of excellent and blessed use yet thou wilt not beleeve it and alledgest they will not make the due use of them for these Reasons First Because a Bible thou sayest Is not to be seene in all our meetings But that will inferre nothing at all for wee meet not to read the Scripture but to wait on the Lord and be taught of him and receive from his Spirit what hee pleaseth to administer either in our selvs or through the mouthes of his servants wee meet to Worship God whos worship is to be performed in Spirit and in truth and not in externall reading Thou sayest Christ tooke the book of the prophet I saiah and read out of it But was not this the performance of a legal duty and in condescendence to the Iewes manner for it was in the synagogue but did he ever coustitute it as a part of the Christian worship for one man to take the bible and speak upon it and all the rest to be excluded from speaking while hee pratles his owne barren empty notions about it shew me where that was the practise or order among the Apostles and primitive Christians In the churches way 1. Cor. 14. there is no such thing but on the contrary vers 29. let the Prophets speake two or three and let the other judge if any thing be revealed to another that sits by let the first hold his peace for yee many all prophecy one by one that all may learne and all may be comforted By which it plainly appears there was no such setled custome among them but it is one of the maine inventions brought in in the Apostacy wherby barrennes and drynes hath entred and wherby the quickning unlimited life has beene stopped from flowing through many vessels It is true the Apostles at times cited Scriptures out of the law and the Prophets to shew their fulfilling or to open the mind of the Spirit concerning them which is frequent is our meetings to cite Scriptures and open them in the same life and Spirit that gave them forth in the order of the Spirit but not in the order and way of mans wisdome and Spirit as is your way which savours more of Aristotles School then of the Church of Christ. Secondly as to what thou sayest that it is not our way to encourage the People to read the Scriptures and to try doctrines by them 't is utterly false for wee desire that all may come to try doctrines even by the Scripture but wee bid them also come to the light in them to read and try doctrines and understand the true sence of the Scriptures therein and if People did so wee know that then your jugjuglings about them would be made manifest but indeed wee are far from desiâ—ing People to heed your false Glosses and commentaries upon them wherby yee darken them rather then interpret them Thirdly thou sayest when you want an inward command to a duty I trow the 〈◊〉 command of the Scripture is not regarded Ans here thou writest as one unacquainted vvith the Law and new Covenant vvritt in the heart the inward command is never vvanting in the due season to any duty as it is vvaited for and the outvvard testimony or signification of the command vvee regard in its place Is it not a regarding the outvvard to mind the inward unction and spirit to vvhich it directs vvhich invvard teacheth all things and leadeth into all truth 1. Ioh. 2. 27. 1. Cor 14. 15. Iohn 16. 13 yea doe not such more regard the outvvard then they vvho under a pretence of an outward command doe run about these things in their ovvne natural will and Spirit neglecting to vvait upon the Lord for the leading and help of his Spirit Thy comparing us to servants who will not be moved to work by their masters letter c. is vaine and riduculous nor doth it reach us for our Masters letter is vvritt in our hearts and ther wee ar to find it neither is our Master separated from us as those Masters are vvho use to vvrite letters to servants to set them on vvork while they are absent and cannot help them by their presence for our Master is alvvayes vvith us and hee requires us to doe all our vvorks by his imediate counsell direction and assistence as present vvith us and in us And that nature vvee vvitnes brought forth in us vvhich does not shift his vvill but delight in it to doe it and knovv it vvhether told us by a lively voice or by any other invvard signifification of his Spirit Fourthly and becaus thou art ignorant of that great duty of wayting upon the Lord in silence out of all thy ovvne thoughts and words and art trampling it under foot thou lookest upon it as mispent time or a meer
For notwithstanding the words of the Quaker are of thy owne framing and that they lye patent before thee yet thou hast not had so much honesty in thy answer as to subsume them aright The Quaker sayes I use not flattering titles and give thee not heathenish salutations and bowings least I should sin and be found an Idolater in answer to which thou beginnest with a false subsumption saying thou wonderest that he should call salutations and bowings heathenish and Idolatrous Indeed it is no strange thing that thou and others misrepresent us and belye us in repeating our words at a distance when in this manner of writing thou canst not truly repeat those words which thou placest for ours when they be just written before thee Is it not one thing to say that Salutations that are heathenish or heathenish salutations cannot be used without sin and idolatrie and another thing to say that salutations and bowings are heathenish and idolatrous Who is so blind as not to see here a vast difference As to the first who dares deny it to be a truth that vvill offer to call himselfe a Christian to vvit that salutations and bovvings that are heathenish cannot be used vvithout idolatrie and sin But as to the other that Salutations and bovvings are heathenish and idolatrous being taken in generall vvas never said nor judged by the Quakers and therefore to charge them vvith it is utterly false and a lye for such salutations as Christ commands and the Apostles practised the Quakers dearly ovvne and frequently use and find in them great refreshment becaus there through the life flovves and is communicated from one vessell to another but such salutations thou art ignorant of and of the life that is there through communicated vvhich bears testimonie against all that is heathenish and idolatrous and leads out of it and therefore in thy dark mind vvouldst from thence plead for the customary salutations of the heathen as appears by the proofs thou bringest vvherein thy folly is very much manifested Christ sayest thou commanded his disciples vvhen they entred into a house to salute it hee did so and what more And if the house be vvorthy their peace shall be upon it to vvit the peace through the salutation intimated or offered becaus they brought to that house the tender of the Gospell and glad tydings vvhich vvas a good salutation but vvhat vvouldst thou inferr from that that vve ought to doe of our hats one to another a thing vvhich they never did by vvhose example thou vvouldst presse us to doe it and it is knowne that it is a thing unusuall in that part of the world to this day That other proof alledged from Paul saluting the Churches makes as litle if not far lesse to the purpose Paul in his Epistles who was at a great distance vvisheth grace and peace to the Churches from God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ Ergo wee ought to take of our hats Can there be any thing more ridiculous is this the great esteeme yee put upon the scriptures to take the salutations of the blessed Apostle Paul signified by the motions of the Holy Spirit vvhich vvas the very blessing of Paul to the Churches or rather of the Spirit through him for to prove your doing off hats one of the corrupt customs of this vvorld Is not this to make a mock of the Scripturs and a stretching them to plead for that against vvhich is the naturall tendencie of their testimonie Next thou givest us Abrahams practise but every practise of Abraham is not a rule to us nor to you either the like may be said of that of Moses Though Moses did obeisance to his father in law that makes nothing against us far lesse his kissing of him and asking him of his vvelfare both vvhich things the Quakers deny not Thou acknovv ledgest that religious vvorship given to the Creature is idolatrie What is Religious Worship but that vvhich is given to God and is not the bovving of the body and uncovering of the head the signification of your Worship to God And if yee give the same to the Creature also where is the difference for in the external signification it is not distinguished unles it be said to be the intention which if it be wee shall have the Papists pleading the same for their adoration of images and the relicts of the saints And truly your being found in these things gives them advantage in that matter That courtesie and Christianity are not repugnant vvee deny not and therefore for Christians to be Courteous one to another is very fit vvhich indeed that the Apostle commands wee acknowledge But that Courtesie consists in taking off hats and bovving to one another that rests for thee to prove In the next place to prove the indifference of using the plurall number instead of the singular to one person thou sayest thou art very confident the Kingdome of God consists not in vvords so am I too yet I strange thou shouldst say so considering thy principles for vvhat is all your preaching but words yea vvhat is the Scripture it selfe I meane that vvhich yee have of it to vvit the letter but words And seing the very Gospell according to you is but a company of words being a declaration of vvhat past many hundred years agoe hovv has thy zeale here to oppose the Quakers made thee forget thy selfe in this matter Thou sayest that to vvhich the singular number is agreeable the plurall may be applyed to without making a lye The proofs alleged for that be Matth. 23. 37. Luk. 22. 31. 3 Epistle of Iohn vers 13 evince nothing in this matter for the Contexts being rightly considered vvill clearly make out that the vvords are not applyed to one single person only exclusively of others and that of Luke is to a flock comprehending the disciples to vvhom hee vvas speaking just before but there is no confounding of the number vvhere one single person is only spoken to and that vvithout understanding of any more And though indeed it vvere good that the difference vvere not greater yet the differences in these things evidence that there be differences in greater matters And in respect that yee are estranged from the principle that leads out of corruption in all things therefor yee cannot see the vveight that is in these things vvhich is more then yee are avvare of Pag. 3. Thou seemâ—t to take great advantage of these words Heretofore I walked according to my light and the same I doe still and while in the integritie of my heart I walked in the way thou art now in I dare not say but God countenanced me in it Here thou makest a great stirr as if thou hadst brought the Quaker to a great Dilemma But to passe by thy examining of the weak objection which thou makest in the Quakers behalfe which I beleive was never alledged by any of them unto thee as that wherwith they either only or cheifly defend
looking upon the ground vvhereas if ever thou comest to knovv the Scriptures a right or to confer a right concerning them so as to proffit thou must first come to that silence thou novv so much despisest So that these things very vvell consist though the vvorld may judge othervvayes vvhom thou vvilt have to be judges in the case but in the judgement of those vvho are redeemed out of the vvorld vvee shall be found to put the scriptures in their true place Thou canst not but smile thou sayest that a man of understanding should grant the Scriptures to be a declaration of Gods mind and yet deny them to be Gods VVord for what is a VVord but a declaration of ones mind Ansvv. Here thy lightnes appears vvhich darkens thy understanding if thou must needs smile doe it at thy impertinent reason for though a mans VVord be the declaration of his mind yet every declaration of his mind is not his word for signes may be a declaration of a mans mind without his word and people usually distinguish betwixt a mans VVord and his writ And so though the scripture be a declaration of Gods mind yet it is not his VVord properly nor can those properties which are declared of the VVord belong to the scriptures as hath oft beene demonstrated but to that inward and living VVord as it doth declare it selfe whether in the heart or in the mouth The VVord of God is like unto himselfe spirituall yea Spirit and life and therefore cannot be heard or read with the natural externall senses as the Scriptures can nor does the Scriptures cited by thee as Hosea 1. 1. Ioel. 1. 1. Isaiah 38. 4. Ieremiah 14. 1. prove thy intent For that VVord vvhich came unto the Prophets vvas that from vvhich the scriptures vver given forth vvhich VVord you confesse vvas immediate from God but you say it is ceased to come novv And did not all the Prophets prophecie from Christ the Word Thou mightest ss vvell reason thus that vvhen it is said the Spirit of the Lord came upon such a one or to such a one that therefore the scripture is the Spirit and so deny all Spirit but that vvhich is the Scripture as some doe in other Sects calling the vvritings of the Apostles and Evangelists the Spirit and denying the necessity of any other thing vvhich is abominable deceâ—pt and vvresting of Scriture and that the Prophets declaring their message said thus saith the Lord provs that vvhat God spake in them and through them as the living VVord declared it selfe vvas the VVord of God but not the letter or vvriting And vvhereas thou sayest it is all one to say the scripture saith and God sayeth Answer by vvay of inference and collection it may be said they are one becaus of their agreement yet the living VVord and speech of God is not the scripture more then the sun beame is the shadow â—hough the one agrees vvith the other every one that reads or hears the scriptures read hears not God immediatly now that vvhich God speaks to any or in any immediatly that is only his VVord properly unto them As they vvho only read my Letter cannot be said properly to hear me by VVord of mouth Christ said to the jewes yee have not heard his voice though they heard the scriptures and though the Apostle useth some scriptures out of the old Testament it prove not hee had not the VVord of the Lord speaking them immediatly in him and to him That scripture thou biddest remarke 1 Thess. 2. 13. provs not thy intent neither for the VVord which they heard of the Apostles was that living VVord declaring it selfe through the Apostles which was answered by the same in them who heard they heard Christ of in and through the Apostles does it therefore follow that Christ is the Scripture And lastly Mark 7. 13. Servs thy purpose no more then the rest for the Pharisees in striking at the fift commandement did conesquentially strike at the living inward VVord which gave it forth as those who strucke at any of the Apostles struck at Christ yet none of the Apostles was Christ as nether is the 〈◊〉 as it is outwardly vvritt to speak properly the VVord of God And truly the reason why vvee may not call the Scriptures the VVord of God to speak properly is that people may be directed to that invvard living VVord for by their being so much called the VVord of God they have beene putt in Christs stead and have beene set up as an Idoll in stead of that from whence they came so that to avoid this hazard vvee have putt them in their due place Pag. 14. To prove that it is the mind and VVill of God that the Scriptures should be the Rule thou citest Isay. 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony c. But it rests to be proved that the Law and testimony vvas not the inward Law and that that Word according to vvhich they vvere to speake vvas not the inward VVord vvhich is said to be in the heart It is observable that to prove this thou bringest Ioh. 7. 49. vvhere the Pharisees say have any of the Rulers or Pharisees beleived in him but this people that know not the law are accursed This place sutes the matter very vvell but makes much against thee For the Pharisees here were crying up the outward Lavv and the knowledge of it averring that the ignorance of it caused the meane people to beleive in Christ. So doe yee novv yee pretend to cry up the Law and say the ignorance of it occasions so many to leave you And as they then were setting the Law above Christ and covering themselves with a zeal for it persecuting him and reviling his followers as ignorants So yee now whilst yee are boasting of your great knowledge in the Law and in the scripture and your high esteeme of them yee are despising crucifying the same Christ in his spirituall appearance and upbraiding his followers now as thâ—y did then as ignorants and contemners of the Law And as to Luk. 10. 26. how readest thou This was spoke to one that was a Lawyer or interpreter of the Law and relyed upon it so Christ spoke this to check him and beside the dispensation of the Law which this Lawyer was under was different from that of the Gospel in this matter as may appear Heb. 8. 10. Againe as for Christ and his Apostles useing the Scriptures for convincing of their opposers so doe wee and yet this proves not that either hee or wee judge them to be the Rule wherby to try all things and Spirits yea even the Spirt of God himselfe Pag. 15. Thou seemest to lay much stresse upon this that it wer impossible for us to prove to a Iew or a Turk that Iesus the Son of Mary is in very deed the Christ without the Scripture But I Answer thee to that easily by what way wilt thou perswade a Turk to believe the Scriptures or
righteousnes which could proceed from his owne will and Spirit even all the willings and runnings which can arise from a mans selfe though he be a Saint without the immediate operation of the Spirit of Christ the Saints have this to watch against to keep downe the active and working selfe-will and stop it from working the selfe-righteousnes which if it be not watched against and stood against will fall a working its righteousnes which God accepts not as being but the bare righteousnes of man and this is that righteousnes which Paul denyed to have which hee even calleth the righteousnes of the Law but this which is of the Law thou cunningly omittest becaus it made against thee it seems Now what that righteousnes of God through faith was which hee desires to have hee plainly expresseth ver 10. that he might know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings in being made conforme unto his death Now is not the knowledge of him and the power of his resurrection a work of the Spirit of Christ in the Saints by which they are justified according to that by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many and is not the fellowship of his suffering or the suffering with him a work of his Spirit Lastly is not the conformity unto his death a work of his Spirit in the Saint comprehending the whole work of mortification Pag. 26 Thy last argument from 2. Cor. 5. 21 is most absurd and impious for accordingly it would follow that as Christ was made sin for us or suffred for our sins who himselfe had no sin no not in the least So wee may be made righteous before God though wee have no righteousnes no holines no faith no repentance no mortification no good thing wrought in us And doth not this strengthen the wicked ungodly and profane in their presumption to have title to Christ his righteousnes And so to returne thy misapplied instance in another case Suppose some of the profane who plead a right to Christs righteousnes having lost some of their number should happen to hear thee disputing against all good works as being profitable to justification might they not say concerning thee and thy brethren who teach such doctrine wee have not only gott the lost sheep but the lost shepherds and the cheifest of them too on our side let us rejoice wee have found them Wee find the Apostle maks a farr better inference from Christ his dying for us 2. cor 6. 15. he died for all that they who live might not any longer live to themselves but to God yea and every where hee holdeth forth inward holiness and righteous as that without which no man can lay claime to Christ if any man be in Christ hee is a new creature but he doth not say God reputes him a new creature though hee be not really renewed And though it be said that wee are made righteous in him this hinders not as thou vainly inferrest that wee are not made righteousnes by an inward righteousnes for hee is in the Saints aud fulfills the righteousnes of the Law in them that the righteousnes of the law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 4. Therefore that 2. Cor. 5. 21. is thus to be understood that Iesus Christ who knew so sin was made to be sin for us that is suffered for our sins that wee who had really sinned and so deserved wrath might partake of the love and grace by him and through the workings thereof be made the righteousnes of God in him for that the Apostle understood here a really being made righteous and not a being esteemed or held as righteous while indeed impure is very evident by the whole following chapter but especially towards the end what fellowship hath righteousnes with unrighteousnes wherefore come out from among them touch not the â—uncleane â—hing be yee separate and I will receive you and yee shall be unto me for sons and daughters Now to be received of the Lord is to be justified of him and here wee see plainly that in order thereunto there is required a righteousnes by which they must be separated from the evill and uncleane and must not touch it And whereas thou sayest that the holiest actions of the Saints becaus of the sinfulnes of these actions deserve condemnation I aske thee whither did the Apostles sin in writing the Scriptures in preaching Christ and gathering the Churches Whither their being the instruments made these things sinfull which were done not only by the command but by the power and vertue of Christ in them and seing thou canstnot deny but the Scriptures called by thee the word of God were brought forth by the holy Spirit in the holy men of God and did flow as waters from the Spirit of God which gave them forth through the very first penmen of them becaus of the uncleannes wich thou supposest to have been in them If thou sayest Nay thou contradictest thy former instance of cleane water receiving a tincture of uncleannes from the uncleane pipe through which it passeth if thou sayst yea to wit that the Scriptures were defiled and corrupted by the penmen of them I leave it to all of any sound judgement whither you or wee be most esteemers of the Scriptures wee who say they wer pure words as gold without any tincture of uncleannes or corruption as they came forth from the Spirit of God through the penmen of them or you if you say that they were defiled with the uncleannes of the men through which they were given forth hee who has any true understanding let him judge concerning these things Pag. 26. Thou blamest it as an unsutable thing for a Quaker to say that that people to whom hee is joined are the most Christ-like Christians this day upon the earth and yet will any of you say lesse of your way for if yours be not the best way why doe yee plead so much for it Why doe yee preach it up Why doe yee study to draw people to it and complaine of those who have left it Now is not a good Principle a ready way to lead people to good practises And are not these who are in the right way of the flock of Christ And is not Christs flock like unto him Can it therefore be an unsutable thing for one who supposeth himselfe to be of Christs flock to say the flock with whom hee is is likest to Christ Will any of you say lesse except yee grant your selves not to be of Christ's flock Wee ar not the most Christ-like people sayest thou by what wee outwardly appear becaus the Monks and Hermits therein excell us nor yet by what wee inwardly feele becaus others different from us have felt as much As to the first thou hast shewed thy ignorance of the very appearance of Christiantiy for the appearance of Christianity is not in fleeing the Society of men or retireing the outward man making Vowes of
themseves in this matter To wit Salomons sacrificing at gibion As in many other particulars so in this thou statest the Quakers part but too weakely and faintly yea disingenuously for the light which wee walk according unto and desire to walk according to it for ever is the light of Christ in us and not our light otherwise then by the free gift of God which wee doe freely acknowledge did shine in our hearts in some measure in the tyme wee walked with you though wee did not so know it and gave us some knowledge and discerning of things and begot a measure of integrity and honesty of heart towards the Lord in divers of us and turned the bent of our hearts truly towards him in measure And the Lord countenanced and visited and sometims refreshed us secretly in these dayes with a regard to that measure of integrity he found in us and not becaus of or in respect unto that way of Profession wee then walked in which way was truly a hurt unto us and not advantage and it was not your way which wee walked in with you that the Lord countenanced but the integrity and uprightnes which hee had begot in us and had placed in us as a tender plant and as a root in dry ground under the oppression of your way which burdened it and untill wee were brought out of your way by his arme which drew us his seed and plant in us suffered and was oppressed as a cart with sheafes but after wee were delivered from yout way and turned to the way wee now walk in the seed and plant which suffered came to receive strength and be raised unto life and Dominion as many are witnesses at this day Nor is this thy argument any other but that which which the papists did throw against those who sometymes walked with them in the popish vvay of profession some hundred years agoe vvhen they came out from among them vvhom the Lord visited vvhile they vvere among them and at tymes refreshed them till he brought them forth to vvitnes against them for the Lord hath a people in Babylon and hath his sheep vvhich are scattered on the dry and barren mountains of many sorts and wayes of professions vvho have some tender breathings and desires after him and vvith a regard to his breathing seed in them hee visits them and refresheth them at tymes vvhich yet proves not that they should remaine vvhere they are in Babylon and upon the dry mountains of dead professions and observations For the Call of the Lord is unto them to come out of Babylon and his arme is stretched forth to gather them off from all these hills unto his owne holy hill Mount Zion that they may feed and lye downe with them who were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the shepherd bishop of their soules Also may not those of the Episcopall forme object the same against those who have left it upon a further discovery and yet its like thou will not deny but some who have beene under the episcopall forme had a measure of integrity to God while under it and with a regard to that the Lord at tym's refreshed them God does not frequently discover his will to his Children all at once nor lead them throughly out of things out of which they are to come in an instant and yet that hee countananceth them in there travel cannot be denied did not the Lord countenance Cornelius before Peter came unto him As appears by Acts 10. 4. And yet this was no argument that Cornelius should not owne the Apostles and Christians and did not the Lord countenance the disciples though even when they wer following him they were ignorant of many things and in some things wrong and whither did not the Lord countenance Luther in his testimony against the Pope as well in the first as in the last steps of it although it appears that when hee first began to preach against indulgences hee intended not such a thing as afterwadrs followed but things opened more and more unto him till they came unto that period they were brought unto befor his death and who of you will say that God did not countenance him from the beginning whilest he held many things which hee himselfe came to see to be wrong and erred very grossly in the matter of Consubstantiation The like may be said of Iohn Husse and others whom you acknovvledge to have beene Martyrs at last thou endest it vvith a question asking vvhither it be safe to leane to the audience of that light vvhich one vvhile sayeth that such a vvay is the vvay of Christ and another vvhile thou must come out of it for it is the vvay of Antichrist To vvhich vvhat is above mentioned ansvvers sufficiently yet further I may easily retort the Question thus upon the most of all the nationall Ministry in Scotland vvho are novv licking up that vvhich they heretofore cryed out against as Antichristian and vvith fire and svvord persecuted those vvho offered to plead for that vvhich novv they both practise and avovv themselfs in Novv as the fault of this cannot be ascribed to the scripturs which is the rule whereby they pretend to be guided so neither can any mans instability that pretends to be guided by the light if any such thing could be showne prove the light a guide not to be followed To prove that Christ is not in all men thou arguest thus Christ is not in all men becaus the Scripture speaks of a being without Christ in the world to which thou addest the Reason the unconverted must needs be without Christ becaus they want the uniting principle vvhich is faith to ansvver that Christ is in them but not in union vvith them thou sayest is a fond distinction becaus the Scripturs vvay of expressing peoples union vvith Christ is by asserting Christ to be in them vvhich thou takest for granted and from thence dravvest thy conclusion but if it be found to be false then the vvhole fabrick Falls to the ground as indeed fals it is For even according to the Scriptures the in being of Christ in men sometimes signifies union and sometimes his existence in them vvorking and operating in them by vvay of reprâ—â—fe and judgment as also by vvay of call and invitation to prepare for union vvith him As appears by the very first Scripture cited by thee Iohn 15. 4. 5. vvhich ansvvers not thy mind For vvee say not that vvhere there is no union fruit can be brought forth unto God but mark the last part of it hovv much it makes against thee vvithout me sayes Christ yee can doe nothing For how becoms an unconverted man a convert but by having Christ to vvork vvith him vvhere does Christ cooperate Does hee not there vvhere the vvork of Conversion is wrought and is not that within So that Christ must needs be in men before they be in union with him whereby the faith may be wrought
their tâ—stimony but by the inward testimony of the spirit Calvin after hee has said all that can be said of outward wayes at last concludes the only certaine way to know it in deed is by the testimony of the spirit l. 1. c. 7. Sect. 4. of his Inst. as to the course that Paul tooke with the obstinate Jewes it was very commendable becaus they said they beleived the Scriptures and seemed to esteeme them much though they opposed the truth witnessed to in the Scriptures so that it is evident that some great pretenders to the Scriptures can make a cloak of them to deny Christ himselfe as yee doe at this day And though Paul tooke that course with the Iewes yet wee see hee tooke no such course with the Athenians to whâ—m he cited no Scripture nor endeavoured to perswade them by it but told them they were the off spring of God and wished them to feel after him who was not afar of from every one of them thirdly sayest thou the saints had recourse to the Scriptures in the examination of Doctrines So have wee too as befor has beene declared but that will not prove the Scripture is the rule Pag. 16. Fourthly thou sayest wee ar commanded to search the Scripturs Iohn 5. 39. Answer The words may be translated you search the Scriptures as Pasor translateth them But wee doe acknowledge the Scriptures are to be searched but are not to be rested in which was the Iewes fault who vvould not come to Christ to get life thinking to have eternal life in the Scriptures vvhich Christ cheks them for and that the Scriptures are profitable for doctrine correction instruction vvee owne and are commended for their dignity and authority but they are thus profitable onely to such as come to the Spirit to guide and direct them hovv to make use of them else they may prove an occasion of stumbling as they did to the Pharisees hence it is said that the man of God may be perfect mark the man of God not every Man novv no man can be truely called the man of God but hee that is led by the Spirit of God Next thou vvouldst undertake to prove that it is not the mind of God that the Spirit within men should be the Rule in which thou fallest very short as appears by saying that Christ made use of the Scripture to prove himselfe c and not the light within And did these Jewes receive him who had the Scriptures did they not reject him and why because they hearkned not unto the inward voice and testimony of the Father concerning him and this was the testimony which hee said was greater then that of Iohn though Iohn was the greatest of the Prophets and those vvho beleeve had the witnesse in themselves 1 Ioh. 5. 10. but to thâ— unbeleiving Iewes hee said yee have neither heard his voice nor seene his shape Secondly Thou sayest there is an expresse command to try the Spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Answ. but is there any word there of trying them by the Scripture Cannot the Spirits be tryed by the Spirit of God or is there any better way to try them How tryed Peter the spirit of Ananias and Saphirah And is not the tryall and discerning of Spirits the priviledge of the Saints now And how is it a peculiar priviledge to saints unles it be done by the Spirit of God For the Scriptures any can make use of the Apostle Iohn writing to the Saints concerning seducers points them to the Anoinâ—ing which remained in them and did teach them all things and by this they did know all things and consequently Spirits 1. Iohn 2. 20. 26. Thirdly thou sayest undoubtedly there are strong delusions c. Ans. there are so indeed But was there any more strongly deluded then the Pharisees Yet how much did they lay claime to the Scriptures how came they then to be deluded who wer so skilled in the Scriptures according to the letter of them and the poor People who were not so skilled so rightly to hit the matter And as to thy question what way shall the delusion be tryd if you neglect the VVord of God and look only within Answ As for the VVord of God nor yet the Scriptures testimony wee neglect not but what way thinkest thou shall the delusion be tryed If you neglect the Spirit within and look only upon the letter and words vvithout you if the Delusion be strong in the heart will it not twine and vvrest the Scriptures without to cause the Scriptures to seeme for it and suppose a man be deluded with a Spirit of delusion what can help him but God whose Spirit searcheth all the deepest things of Sathan and can and doth dscover them to those vvho love to be undeceived and are faithfull to God in what they certainly know And though the same deluding spirit who deceived first may deceive over againe that makes nothing against the insufficiency of the Spirit to discover the delusion but if a man be deceived either first or againe he is to blame himself for his defect in not being duely watchfull and faithfull in what is discovered to him of God truly and certainly Consider the tendency of thy argument which strikes not only at the certainty of the Saints faith now from the Spirit within and the assurance of knowledge there from but also strikes at the very certainty and assurance of all the Faith and knowledge the holy Prophets and men of God had from the Spirit vvithin when Seripture was not Wee are in no greater hazzard to be deceived now then they were then You that set up the Scripture as your only rule the many sects of you what jangling and contesting is among you while one pleads for his sence and another for his which all proceeds from their wandring from the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures And as to satisfying of others wee refer recommend them to the same Spirit in them to receive their satisfaction from that which only can and will satisfy them who wait for it in singlenes Pag. 18. And whereas thou sayest the Saints are led and guided by the Spirit but it is according to the Scriptures So say wee too But it doth not therefore follow that the Spirit hath so tyed and limited himselfe to the use of the scriptures as alwayes to use them in every particular step of his guiding the Saints the Spirit is free to use or not use the scriptures at his pleasure and guideth the Saints in many particular steps of their life for which there is no particular scripture either to approve or disprove them in As for the more sure VVord of Prophesy wee grant it is the rule but deny that that more sure VVord is the Scriptures but it is that VVord in the heart from which the Scriptures came and in and by which the Scriptures are to be interpreted and is it not grosse blindnes darknes to say the Scripture is more
sure then that VVord light life and Spirit from which they came Had not the Scriptures all their sureness from the inward testimony of the spirit How then can they be more sure Thy example of the Schoolmaster the coppy servs not thy turne for the Spirit is unto the Saints both their teacher their Coppy And they need not goe forth for a Coppy if they vvalk according to this by looking upon it eying it they shal be good Schollers Proficients hee writes them a living Coppy in their hearts engraves it on fleshly tables whereas they who looke upon no other Coppy but the VVords without them are those who are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Pag. 19. Thou askest why wee disjoine the Spirit and the Scriptures citing Isaiah 50. 21. Answ. Wee are not to disjoine what the Lord putteth together somtimes the Spirit joineth or concurreth with the Scripture VVords and sometimes not how many preach and pray and read the Scriptures and talke of them without the joint concurrence of the Spirit Which wee say they ought not to doe the Scriptures should never be used to preach and pray c. But in the concurrence and assistance of the Spirit for they are not of true use to any without the Spirit but yee disjoine them who would have praying in the letter and useing of it without the motion of the Spirit to such the Scripture is indeed but a dead letter and it is nowayes a reproach unto them to be so called Yea what are the best of men without the Spirit but dead men and this is not a reproach to them but their Glory so nor is it to Scripture Thou sayest they are said to be a killing letter and this shewes that they are not dead Answ. A poor argument indeed Can not dead things kill if men feed upon them If thou feedest upon sand gravell stones shells will not these things kil thee though they be dead And if thou feedst upon the letter without thee and not upon the life thou canst not live yea if one that lived did depart from feeding upon the life to feed upon the letter it would kill him And as for that Scripture cited by thee it makes very much against thee to wit Isaiah 59. 21. For it is one thing for God to put VVords into mens mouths and far another for men to gather these VVords from that without and put them into their owne mouths nor doth it say that the VVords God shall put into their mouths shall be no other words more or lesse but the expresse scripture words why art thou not ashamed to cite this scripture doe yee not say to speake as the infallible Spirit givs utterance is ceased aâ—d consequently Gods putting VVords into the mouth Gods furnishing them with VVords suggested from his owne Spirit and life which the holy Prophets and Apostles vvitnessed to speake as moved by the holy Ghost doe yee not say this is ceased why then citest thou a scripture which is so plaine and clear for it but that thou art in blindnes and confusion Pag. 19. In thy procedure upon the point of justification thou makest a large step in that crooked path of deceipt wherein Thou hadst too much traced from the beginning but now more abundantly then ever thou displayest the Banner of thy disingenuity and gatherest all thy forces together it should seeme resolving to give the Quakers a finall over throw And to make the matter misty in the very entry of it thou raisest Dust to thy self venting thy own filthy imaginations under the notion of coming from them applauding thy endeavours as if thou wert studying to preserve pure the principle of justification in a point where none is jumbling it among us as thou advancest a litle further Pag. 20. 21 having given a very scant account of their doctrine in this matter couching it in most disadvantagious terms thou takest great liberty to extend thy selfe in a foolish and vaine excursion as if having fathomed the Quakers thou hadst discovered them to be either turned or turning rank Papists therefore to trace thee throughly in this matter that if it be possible thou maist come to have a discovery of thy Vanity and malice or though thou shouldst prove irrecoverable yet others may have a view of both I shall first in honesty and plainnes declare the principle of truth in this matter thereby observing thy misrepresentations Secondly shew what vast difference is betwixt us and the Papists therein And thirdly make manifest how much nearer of kin yee are to the Papists even as to this particular and the things relating thereunto then wee which may serve as a seasonable shower to allay that windy triumph vvhich thou endeavourest to establish unto thy selfe As to the first vvee are justified by Christ Jesus both as hee appeared and was made manifest in the flesh at Ierusalem and also as hee is made manifest and revealed in us and thus wee doe not divide Christ nor his righteousnes without from his righteousnes within but wee doe receive and embrace him wholly and undivided THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNES Ieremiah 23. 6. 1. 30. By which wee are both made and accounted righteous in the sight of God and which ought not nor cannot be divided And the manner and way wherby his righteousnes and obedience death and sufferings without become profitable unto us and is made onrs is by receiving him and becoming one with him in our hearts embraceing and entertaining that holy seed which as it is embraced and entertained becometh a holy birth in us which in Scripture is called Christ formed within Christ within the hope of glory Gal. 4. 19. Coloss. 1. 27. By which the body of sin and death is done away and wee cleansed and washed and purged from our sins not imaginarily but really and we really and truly made righteous and holy and pure in the sight of God which righteousnes is properly enough said to be the righteousnes of Christ for it is immediatly from him and stands in him and is as unseparable from him as the beams are from the sun and it is through the union betwixt him and us his righteous life and nature brought forth in us and wee made one with it as the branches are with the vine that wee have a true Title and right to what hee hath done and suffered for us for being so closely united to Christ his righteousnes becometh ours his obedience ours his death and suffrings ours thus wee know hiw and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffrings being made conformable to his death Philip. 3. 10. By which nearnes and fellowship wee come to know an unity with the suffring seed both in our selves and others and therein to travell for its raising and deliverance which yet no wayes derogats from the worth of the sacrifice hee offred up unto God without the gates of Jerusalem while
hee humbled himselfe unto death even unto the death of the crosse tasting death for every man This is an honest and plaine and true account of our beleife in this matter and is in substance one and the same with that which at sundry tymes thou and thy brethren hast received from us notwithstanding the bare scanty and disingenuous account thou givest of us in this matter Secondly As to the vast difference that lyeth betwixt us and the Papists any who are not willfully blind may see it who know their Doctrine and ours in this thing It is not the works of Christ wrought in us nor the works which wee work in his Spirit and power that wee rest and relye upon as the Ground and foundation of our justification but it is Christ himselfe the worker revealed in us indwelling in us his life and Spirit covering us that is the Ground of our justification and wee feeling our selvs in him feeling him in us and his Spirit his life covering us wee feel our justification and peace with God in him and through him the alone Mediatour betwixt God and Man Now this manner of justification by the indwelling of Christ in the Saints and of his Spirit is not held by the Papists but is expressly denied by them and disputed against particularly by Bellarmine And Christ Iesus himselfe is both first and last our justification and foundation of it and as to being justified by works the Scripture is plaine for it and so wee may not deny it but plead for it according to the true sence and mind of the Spirit as wee are taught of him But to be justified by him is more then to be justified by works and therefore are wee justified in our works which wee work in him because wee are in him and work them in him and because the Lord accepteth and justifieth us in him therefore hee accepteth and justifieth our works wrought in him and accepteth and justifieth us in relation to these works and though it hath beene said by us that Good works which are wrought in Christ and are rather his then ours are meritorious yet wee understand it not any otherwayes then thus that all their Merit or worth is from Christ and seing they are said in Scripture to have their reward and Reward and Merit are relative terms inferring one another in that sence wherin they are said to be rewarded they may also be said to be meritorious which yet hinders not the freedome of Gods grace in justification for wee doe verily beleive and confesse that both the VVorks and the Reward are of the free grace of God and that the Lord giveth us all things not of Debt or as being in our Debt but of free gift and his infinite goodnes and VVisdome hath seene it meet to promise a Reward to good works and so hee doth reward them becaus of his goodnes and faithfulnes and not because he is addebted unto any of us otherwise then as hee hath bound himselfe by his promise And this is contrary to that â—alse Popish Doctrine which affirms that men deserve a Reward from God for good works upon the account of strict justice without respect to the Promise And if it be answered that all Papists doe not say so but are more moderate well then I say If some of them be moderate and passe from the erronious opinion of Popery and speake that which is true if others speake what is true also in that particular should the truth be accused and condemned for ranck Popery because some Papists at times confesse to it You your selvs know that Papists contradict one another in divers things and where men directly contradict one another one of the sides must speake true But as to that wherin the justification stands and on which it is grounded to wit Christ himselfe as in dwelling in the Saints none of all the Papists for ought wee ever heard or read doe owne it but are against it Againe as to the works by vvhich the Papists seeke to be justified they are such as vve beleive none can be justified by viz. their outward observations their invocation of Saints bovving to images saying Ave maries telling their Beads their Pilgrimages their whipping themselvs their keeping Lent and many other such like works of voluntary humility by which they seeke to be justified though they are evill vvorks as not done in the faith and povver of God nor does it serve thy turne to say that Papists think not that vvorks considered as evill and sinfull are sufficient to justify them for that is not the question vvhether the Papists think to be justified by vvorks sinfull and evill but this is the Question vvhether the Papists think to be justified by VVorks vvhich are really sinfull and evill hovvever they may imagine them to be good and herein I say vvee differ vastly from Papists they think and seek to be justified by such VVorks as are evill in the sight of God vvhereas vvee beleive that by no such vvorks can any man be justified Other vveighty differences cold be shevved in relation to this matter but vvhat is here in short declared may suffice to evince that vvee differ vvidely from the Papists concerning justification Thirdly looke hovv near a kin yee are to Papists as in many other things So in these relating to justification First doe yee not say that yee are not justified by Christ in dvvelling in you so say the Papists Secondly Doe yee not say that the vvay to attaine to a state of justification is not by beleiving in the VVord of faith vvhich is in every man and in the Light vvhere vvith Christ has enlightned every man that coms into the vvorld And so say the Papists vvho though they talk of universall Grace yet they deny that this Vniversall Grace is an Evangelicall principle of Light by beleiving in which men can attaine unto a state of justification immediatly 3. Doe yee not say that Gods act of justification is not an immediat testimony of his Spirit declaring or pronouncing men righteous And so say the Papists 4. Doe yee not say that men are not to know their justification or that they are in a justified state by an immediate testimony of the Spirit in them by vvay of object for this vvere to assert immediate revelation so doe the Papists So by these fevv instances given here and by many other instances given by others in other particulars try your selvs and first clear your selvs of Popery before you or thou doest throvv it upon us Now wher as thou alledgest that the Apostle in the matter of justification excluds all works even those of Christ his working in the Saints and which they work in him 'T is falfe nor doe the Scriptures cited by thee prove thy intent as Rom. 3. 20 gal 2. 16. Tit. 3. 5. thou sayest the Apostle speaks of works in generall without any limitation But herein thou contradictest the very expresse
vvhich vvee knovv of it vvee may knovv perfectly Thirdly Thou pleadest for the imperfection and uncleannes of the Saints obedience from Eccles. 7. But that place is not to be understood concerning all men in all states and times There is an earthly unrenewed state and while men are here there is not a just man among them as Rom. 3. ver 10. There is none righteous no not one and there is a heavenly renewed state wherein a Man is borne of God and sinneth not Ioh 3. ver 9. And said the Apostle Let no Man deceive you hee that doth righteousnes is righteous which imports that there are righteous Men who doe good and said the Lord to the Servants that used their talents VVel done good and faithful Servant Matth. 25. ver 21. 23. And that other Scripture thou citest Isai. 64. 6. Servs nothing thy turne For the Prophet sayeth not all our righteousnes which is of thy working in us vvho are Saints is as filthy rags but all our righteousnes vvhich vvee even the best of the Saints can performe of and from themselves are as filthy rags mans best works his best righteousnes which is of and from himselfe is filthines and unrighteousnes before God and hee is to cease from all his ovvne works Hebr. 4. ver 10. And it is plaine that vvhen the Prophet in that place sayeth VVee are all as uncleane and there is none that calleth upon thy name he does understand the multitude of the Jevves vvho generally vvere a carnal People and relyed upon their outvvard observations and did not Worship God in Spirit and in but did not understand it of all and every one among them for hee himselfe did call upon his Name and that the Saints vvere vvashed and cleansed see 1. Cor. 6. 11. But yee are walked are sanctified are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And Ioh. 15. 3. Now yee are cleane through the word which I have spoken to you And Ezekiâ—l 37. 33. At which time I shall cleanse you from all our iniquities I shall also cause the cities to be inhabited Which imports a tyme upon earth vvherein they should be made cleane from all their iniquities And hovv art not thou and you ashamed to affirme that the best vvorks of the Spirit of Christ in his Saints are as a filthy rag Does not the Apostle say that a meek and quiet Spirit is an ornament which is of a great price even in the sight of God hovv then can it be a filthy or menstruous rag A filthy and menstruous rag is good for nothing but must be throwne avvay upon all accounts and if that holynes and righteousnes and meeknes vvhich is of Christ his vvorking in men be as filthy rags then according to your doctrine men should throvv them avvay as being not only unprofitable to justification bâ—t to any other use yea a filthy and menstruous rag men doe hide from the sight of another and doe never vvear it as an Ornament vvhereas the Saints put on the meeke and quiet and sober and righteous Spirit as an Ornament of great price not only in the sight of the Saints but even in the sight of God Pag. 24. Thou pleadst though that the good works of Christ in the Saints are defiled imperfect because the Saints who are subservient instrumentall in them are uncleane and who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane Iob. 14. 4. Answ. It is granted that the Saints are subordinate co workers with Christ but yet it follows not that his works in them aud by them are defiled and though it be said who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane this hinders not but that the Lord can and doth make Cleane those who have beene uncleane and so out of them who are made cleane bring forth cleane things And though every one in whom the work of sanctification is begun be not wholly cleansed but that there may be an uncleane part in them for a time yet there is also a cleane part in them who are in the least measure sanctified and so these who work with the Spirit of Christ work with him according to this cleane part and it is the cleane part in them which hee maketh use of as his instrument and as for the uncleane part it is not to worke vvith Christ but to be chained dovvne and fettered and bound up from working to the end it may be vvrought upon that it may be cleansed and thus by degrees the cleane part encreaseth and the uncleane is diminished till all the uncleannes be vvrought out and vvher the uncleane part is let loose to vvork the pure Spirit of Christ doth never joine in vvorking with it but judgeth and reproveth it and therefore in so far as the uncleane part vvorketh in any that man in whom it worketh is not throughly justified and approved by the Lord but there are who vvitnes the cleansing from all the uncleannes and so as cleane vessels and instruments throughout bring forth cleane things cleane works The example hovv that cleane water passing through an uncleane pipe receivs a tincture of uncleannes hits not the case For the Spiritual VVater is not like the common grosse outvvard VVater vvhich an uncleane pipe can defile but like the fire and the light vvhich though it touch uncleane things cannot be defiled by them Every thing of the Spirit is undefilable as the Spirit is vvhich no uncleane thing can defile And if thou vvert vvel skilled in the outvvard creation thou mightst find an outward water so pure that passing through an uncleane pype shall not be defiled vvith it but if thou knovvest not these earthly things and beleivest them not as Christ said Ioh. 3. 12. How shalt thou believe if vve tell thee heavenly things Pag. 25. Thou chargest us VVith erring grievously in confounding justification and sanctification Answ. Justification is either taken for God his adjudging a man unto eternal Life and in that sence it is not to be confounded vvith Sanctification yet it is not be separated there from for God adjudgeth no man but the sanctified unto eternal life or happines or it is taken for the making a man righteous and then it is all one vvith Sanctification And that thou sayest the vvord is most frequently used in Scripture in that sence of adjudging being opposed to condemnation doth imply thou hast not the confidence to assert that it is alwayes so used as indeed it is not And wheras thou citest Philip. 3. 9. to prove that the choisest Saints upon earth have disclaimed all righteousnes wrought in them by which they chould be justified I say that Scripture provs no such thing and thy observation to prove it is insufficient to wit that the Apostle doth not speake of his righteousnes whilest he was a Pharisee for that he disowned ver 6. 7. for admitting it yet hee was still to deny and disowne the work and
singlenes of heart so that this was a daily eating from house to house and not at all such an eating as years is which you have but once or tvvice or thrice in a year or at such set tyms as you appoint to your selves whereas theirs was an eating from house to house wherein they received food sufficient to their bodily nourishment your eating is not so You vvil not have your Sacramental Bread and Wine so called to be used in private Houses or Familiies and your eating is rather a mock-eating vvherein you doe not eat that which is sufficient to the Bodily nourishment as these did Act. 2. 42. 46. every one of you taking a little bread about the quantity of a Beane vvherein you have no example from the Saints but rather from the Papists vvho have their vvafers Againe this eating mentioned Acts. 2. ver 42. 46. is conjoined with this that they sold their possessions and had all things in comâ—on and so they did eat together daily in common which is not like your eating Now if you would make their example and and practise your Rule why doe yâ—e not sell your possessions as thâ—y did and have things in comâ—on also why doe yee not abstaine from eating blood and things strangled as they did and why doe yee not wish one anothers feet which they were as solemnly commanded to doe as to take and eat c Ioh. 13. 14. 15. If you say these things were but to continue for a time what ground have yee to affirme that these were not alwayes to continue and those of Water-Baptisme and breaking bread were to be alwayes continued For a Fourth Reason thou sayest Paul recommended the practise of this to the Church of Corinth Cor. 11. 23. Answ. that hee recommended it unto them by way of command wee deny for hee delivered unto them no command to practise it but that which hee delivered unto them was the Relation of the matter of fact as what the Lord did in the night wherein hee vvas betrayed Thou sayest The Apostle doth not only here relate the matter of fact but like wise warrants the frequent use of this ordinance it is one thing to warrant the use of it and farre another to command the use of it wee doe not deny but the use of it vvas lavvfull and vvarrantable at that tyme but vvee say it vvas not commanded unto them but left or permitted to them as these vvords import as often as yee eat c. and againe let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat the vvords imply no command but only that they vvere in the use or practise of it and being therein hee gives them direction hovv they might use it so as not to receive hurt there by Now that the Corinthians were weak in many things and did many things by permission is clear by the whole straine of that Epistle to them For a Fifth Reason thou sayest thou readest not in Scripture where Christ and his Apostles did abolish it Answ if it were so that then there was no absolute need for the very institution intimats the abolishing thereof at Christ his coming as to any necessity by way of command though afterwards it might have beene used by permission being gradually to passe away as did other things for Circumcision was abolished by the coming of Christ yet it was used after his coming together with divers other Ievvish coremonies But as concerning the abolishing or ending of it see 1. Cor. 10. 15. 16. 17. I speake as unto vvise men judge yee vvhat I say the cup of blessing vvhich vvee blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread vvhich vvee breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ And then hee proceeds to shew what that bread was for saith hee vvee being many are one bread Now what is that one bread is it the outvvard or is it the invvard and spiritual if it be the outward then there is no inward and Spirituall bread Or if it be the inward and Spirituall which is that one bread then that outward bread as being but a figure is ceased from being of use as to any necessity and this hee spoke unto the wise who saw beyond the shaddovv and figure unto the substance the end of it which was that heavenly bread and refreshment which Christ himselfe giveth unto these souls to feed upon who know the mistery of his indwelling in them which bread is indeed his body So that now the bread being one which is the body of Christ the outward bread hath no place in the supper of the Lord for then there should be not one bread but tvvo for the outward bread and the inward are tvvo and not one bread and if any say the outward bread though it be not properly the body of Christ and thing signified yet it may be said to be one vvith it because of that agreement betwixt the signe and the thing signified I ansvver that is not sufficient vvhy the outvvard bread should be called the one bread or one vvith the thing signified othervvise by the same evasion one might plead for the continuance of all the Sacrifices and offerings of Raâ—â—s and Bulls and Goats and say they are one vvith that one offering of Christ mentioned Hebr. 10. 14. becaus they signified that one offering Now were not this an abominable vvresting of the Apostles words to say all these outvvard offerings vvere the one offering becaus they did signify it For indeed hee does contradistinguish them from this one offering that becaus of its being come hee inferrs they were to passe away And so it is as plaine that the Apostle contradistinguished betwixt that one bread and the outward bread together with the other Figures and shadowes according to which writing to the Colossians he saith Coloss. 2. 16. 17. let no man condemne you in meat or drink or holy day or New moone or Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ. And hee bids them seeke the things above and not the things which the Apostle said did perish in the using saying touch not taâ—t not handle not Coloss. 2. 10. 21. 22. Compared with Coloss. 3. 1. 2. which hee spoke becaus they began to lay too great a weight upon these things and to hold them up as perpetuall which weâ— to passe away for a Sixth Reason thou sayest the Apostles and Primitive Christians who did partake of the Spirit in a large measure did use it Ans. that they used it for some tyme is granted but that they used it as of necessity or command is denyed nor did they use it for themselves but for the sake of the weake who could not be suddenly weaned from it Thy Seventh Reason is that it is the mind and will of God that this ordinance should be continued in his Church until the second coming of Christ to judgement By which Second coming thou and you understand
his outward coming for which you have no ground to say that hee bid them observe it till his outward coming so many hundred years after for the Scripture speakes nothing so but thus yee shew forth my death till I come now wee say hee did come according to his promise in a Spirituall and inward way of appearance in their hearts feeding them with the heavenly food and refreshment of his owne life and Spirit which is the substance and concerning this coming hee spoke unto them in many places particularly Iohn 14. 18. I will not leave you fatherlesse I will come unto you Yet a little while and the world seeth me not but yet shall see me and ver 23. If any man love me hee will keep my word and my Father will love him and wee will come unto him and make our abode with him which coming was inward according to vers 20 you in me and I in you And those that witnessed him thus come needed not outward bread and wine to remember them of him for his owne Spirit would bring all things to their remembrance they need not looke upon the figure and shadovv who have the Substance Paul said wee looke not upon things which are visible neither will Gods condescendence to their weaknesse who were but newly redeemed from out of a masse of heathenish superstitions prove a command or a rule to the whole Church or a warrant for any now to be found in the Administration thereof to hold up the outward figure doe cloake themselvs by shutting out and denying the Spirituall appearance of Christ as hee doth immediatly reveal himselfe in his children in whom he has made manifest the substance which ends the shadow For an Eighth Reason thou sayest that persons vvho cast off this ordinance are their soules great enemies for they stand in the vvay of their soules Spirituall good in that this is a Spiritual nourishing strengthening ordinance where Spirituall food is offered and delicate meat and drink for strengthening believers in their journey to heaven To vvhich I ansvver that those vvho neglect and despise having fellovvship and communion vvith God and laugh and scoffe at the usefull and necessary duety of vvaiting upon the Lord in silence vvherein his children feele their soules nourished with the Body and blood of Christ and with spirituall Manna which descends from heaven and is distilled into their soules not only once or twice a year which are the seasons wherein that which thou termst Spirituall food is ministred among you but daily and hourely by the fresh incoms of life such indeed are to their souls great enemies though they be sticking to the performance of some externall ceremonies wherein in former times God in condescendence to some becaus of the simplicitie of their hearts appeared and yet even then frequently as much and more at other tymes But now the Sun is set upon those who will needs be upholding the shadovv in opposition to the substance therefore their table is become polluted and may more truely be termed the table of devils then the communion of the Body of Christ where a mixt multitude of all sorts of wicked persons living out of Gods fear sit downe together being seemingly in words excommunicated from approaching by the Preacher and yet presently admitted to it by the same and to turne away from such an Ordinance so called is no sin nor hurt but all who become obedient to the light of Christ in them will find it their place to forsake it as being such an ordinance vvhich the Apostle said touch not tast not handle not vvhich is all to perish vvith the using In the fourth place Pag 41 thou vvilt prove that the ministerie of the vvord is an ordinance of Iesus Christ becaus first Christ appointed Ministers and Pastors to be in his Church But this cannot be asserted in opposition to the Quakers vvho grant the same And vvhy citest thou Eph. 5. 11. and. 1. for 12. 8. which if they prove the continâ—ance of Pastors and teachers prove also the continuance of Prophets Evangelists and Apostles vvhich yee deny As to the second Reason that the Ministrie is not common to all but that there be some Pastors and teachers is also ovvned by us Yet that hinders not but that any at a time may speake vvhen the Saints are mett together as the Lord moves by his Spirit according to 1. Cor. 14. 31. for it is one thing to be particularly called to the Ministrie and another to be moved to speak at a particular time vvhich distinction that it vvas usuall among the Apostles in the Primitive times is easilie observed in the forenamed Chapter For a Third Reason thou sayest whom God calleth to the Ministrie he doth it either immediatly without the intervention of men or mediatly by men authorised for that purpose but for this thou bringst no proofe neither art thou able to make out that ever God called any under the nevv covenant so mediatly to their Ministrie by men as they vvere not to have an immediate call in themselves Though the approbation of good and experienced men in its place is not denyed by us but dearly ovvned Fourthly thou sayest who ever pretends to an immediate call they ought for the satisfaction of others to shew signes and tokens of their Apostleship to which I ansvver That those who come preaching the Gospell not in speech only but also in Power and in the holy Ghost and in the evidence and demonstration thereof As it is 1. Thess. 15. and. 1. Cor. 2. 4. give sufficient proofe that they are called of God though they come not vvith outvvard miracles And though Paul came to some vvith miracles vvhere hee preached the Gospell yet many believed vvho savv no outvvard miracle Also many of the Prophets vvrought no miracle nor Iohn the Baptist. And though some miraculous things came to passe about his Conception and birth those doe not of themselves prove him to be a Prophet for miraculous things miracles vvere vvrought upon many vvho vvere no prophets If Miracles be necessarie to evince a man sent of God hee must come vvith these Miracles before the people vvhich Iohn did not nor did Ionas come vvith any Miracle to convince the Ninivites but simply declared his message And Iohn Calvin asserteth that there is no need of Miracles and yet hee maintaineth that in his day God raised up Apostles or Evangelists saying that it vvas needfull such should be to bring back the poor people that had gone astray after Antichrist Lib. 4. Chap. 3. Inst. Neither did any Protestants pretend to doe any Miracles they pleading against the Papists that there was no absolute need of any in respect they preached not a new Gospell but that which was already confirmed with miracles by Christ and his Apostles And so thy plea against us here is the same that vvas urged by the Papists against the primitive protestants An evill and adulterous generation said Christ
Scriptures cited by thee for all these Scriptures speake of works with a limitation as Rom. 3. 20 by the deeds of the law there shall no fllesh be justified and Gal. 2. 16. knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law here the works of the law are excluded but not the works of Christinus which are not of the law for the law or first Covenant was weak and gave not strength to them who wer under it to fulfill righteousnes but these who were in Christ Iesus witnessed the righteousnes of the law fulfilled in them who walked not after the flesh but after the spirit And as for that other Scripture Tit. 3. 5. though it exclude works of mens doing as of themselves yet it excluds not all works nor inward righteousnes of Christ but expressely includs it according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy holy Ghost thou cauldest not have brought a more plaine proof against thy selfe for thou citest this Scripture as holding forth justification Now the Apostle sayeth he saved us according to his mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost and is not the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost a vvork which comprehends many particular works of the Spirit of Christ in the Saints And is not regeneration and the renewing of the holy Ghost a righteousnes wrought in us How is it then that thou art not ashamed to charge us with rank Popery for saying wee are justified by a righteousnes wrought in us seeing the very Scripture cited by thee is expresly for it May wee not pertinently returne these words upon thee which thou misappliest to us Oh tell it not in Gath publish it not in the Streets of Askelon c. That a man who pretends to teach others aright in the matter of justification hath so confounded himselfe that to prove that justification is not by a righteousnes wrought vvithin bring a Scripture which speaks expresly of a righteousnes vvithin to wit that of regeneration and renovation by which wee are saved And if any should say the vvords doe not say vve are justified by the vvashing of regeneration and renevving of the holy Ghost but vvee are saved therby as intending sanctification and not justification I answer This helps not the Author out of the ditch for he brings this Scripture forth applying it to the matter of justification But againe if these vvords exclude all works generally and vvithout any limitation then they exclude all works vvhich are vvrought by the Spirit of Christ from sanctification as if men vvere sanctified by no vvorks of the Spirit of Christ within them or if it be said that vvorks of our ovvne doing selfe-righteousnes are only excluded from having place in our sanctification but not the vvorks vvrought in and by the Spirit of Christ then I say vvhy may not the same distinction have place in all these other Scriptures vvhich say vvee are not justified by vvorks c. and indeed in all these Scriptures it holds true no lesse concerning sanctification then concerning justification As thus by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be sanctified knovving that a man is not sanctified by the works of the Law c. but it vvere vaine to infer from this that men at Sanctified by no vvorks of righteousnes wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ therefore it is as vaine to infer that men are justified by no vvorks of righteousnes wrought in them by his Spirit Pag 22. Thou sayest wee can shift of popery with this that they are not our good works which deserve and merit justification but the good works of Christs working in us yea I say wee doe justly cast of the accusation of Popery as having the expresse testimony of Scripture that wee are justified by works to wit such as are wrought in Christ and by him in us Iames. 2. 24. you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only compared with Tit. 3. 5. before-mentioned and as for the Papists works by which they seeke to be justified wee doe not acknowledge them to be such works as whereby or wherein any can be justified And vvhereas thou pleadest that the good vvorks of Christs vvorking in us are ours citing Isai. 26. 12. Matth. 5. 16. c. Wee grant it but they are not ours in that signification as vvhere it is said hee that is entred into his rest hath ceased from his owne works Hebr. 4. 10. There are works which are so ours that they are not the works of the sanctifiing renevving Spirit of Christ in us and such are works both of open unrighteousnes and of selfe fained righteousnes vvhich has no better root to bring them forth then mans ovvne will and Spirit and by such vvorks vvee deny to be justified yea vve deny all such vvorks and the justification by them and desire to stand in a continual denyal unto them and forbearance from them But againe there are such vvorks vvhich are so ours that they are Christs also vvho vvorks them in us and by us and are ours by his free grace and by such works vvee affirme men are justified Pag. 23. Thou pleadest That men cannot be justified by any works of Christs working in them because they are imperfect And for their imperfection thou instancest 1. Faith becaus it is said O yee of litle faith why doubt yee Answ. By this thou mayst as well exclude faith from justification every way as vvorks if it vvere granted that their faith vvas imperfect but that Scripture nor no other speaks not of imperfect faith but of little faith Novv little Faith is perfect in the measure of it as a little Gold is perfect Gold And though the Disciples had doubting yet the faith vvas not the doubting nor vvas it made impure by it for the least measure of true faith can never be defiled othervvise it could not purify the heart it is like the fire vvhich cannot be defiled vvith the impurities of those things it vvorks upon And as for the Disciples at that time as they vverein part justified or approved by the Lord in relation to their faith so were they reproved and not justified of him in relation unto or becaus of their doubting But this Scripture nor none other provs not that faith was or is alwayes accompanied with doubting Abraham beleived Gods promise without doubting and was strong in the faith giving glory to God and it was imputed to him for Righteousnes Rom. 4. 20. 21. 22. And said James His faith was perfected by works Chap 2. 22. For that which is perfect in a lesse measure can be further perfected in a greater Secondly Thou pleadest that knowledge is imperfect becaus the Apostle saith VVe know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9 But the Apostle does not say our knovvledge is imperfect or impure Wee may knovv a thing in part and yet that