from heaven should come and preach another Gospel they should be rejected as accursed he clearly sheweth that the Gospel already delivered was such a clear and evident Rule that by it we may warrantably try and examine all Doctrines and Revelations of Angels or Apostles and so must be a more clear and certane Rule to us than divine Revelations brought to us by Prophets or Apostles 8. The same may be cleared from these Passages Mat. 24 11 24 Mark 13.22 2 Thes. 2 2. 1 Tim 1 4. But the matter is evident enough from what is said I proceed 20. If he say That he may grant all this without any detriment to the maine thing he driveth at here upon this account that though others may be allowed to try by the Scriptures what some deliver as Revelations from God unto them yet such as have the Revelations immediatly from God are not to try them and consequently that he and others of his perswasion who have such divine Manifestations and Revelations are to act accordingly without any further tryal and examination by Scripture or any other Rule I answer first Then he and the rest of the Quakers cannot be offended with us for not receiving their Assertions by faith and not yeelding thereunto all submissive Obedience as the very Assertions and Commands of God until we finde the same to be consonant to Scripture notwithstanding that they should with all the confidence imaginable affirme to us that they have those Doctrines and Assertions delivered to them by divine Revelations Secondly Then certanely we should have an higher esteem of the Scriptures and not look so contemptuously upon them as the Quakers commonly would have us do not say with Nicolas Lucas a Quaker That if the Bible were burnt as good an one might be write as Mr Hicks reporteth in his 2. dialogue Pag. 5. and evinceth againe dialog 3. against Will. Pen. Pag. 86. Thirdly Then I think He and the rest should obtrude nothing upon us without Scriptures but should confirme unto us all their Assertions out of them Sure we finde the Apostles though divinely inspired yea and Christ himself confirming their Doctrine from the Scriptures Mat. 12 3 5 7. 26 31. Mark 14 27. Luk. 4 8 1 Pet. 1 16. Rom 11 8 26. 10 19 20 21. 12 19. 15 9 10 11 12 21. 14 11. Gal. 3 20. 1 Cor. 1 31. 2 Cor. 4 13. And Paul in his Apology doth plainly affirme Act. 26 22. that he delivered no other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Fourthly Either it must be granted that some Illuminations stroâ—g Perswasions and the like that come as new Revelations may and must be examined by a Rule or it must be said that there are now no diabolical Injections or Delusions working upon the Fancie and Imagination and casting-in Wilde Fire and Wilde Light in the Minde or that all these Manifestations and Illuminations must be received as unquestionably good and beleeved obeyed whether they come from the Father of lights or from the Father of lies But no rational man will assert this last nor will the many Enthusiasts or Entheasticks or Ecstaticks and the like who have been to manifest conviction deceived and deluded suffer us to asserte the Other Therefore seing there have been and yet may be Satanical Delusions instead of Divine Revelations and seing these must not be received as good come it is manifest that they must be tryed by a Rule and we know no other Rule beside the Scriptures by which we can try the Spirits and the Insinuations of Spirits for we owne not the Doctrine of Swenckfeldius or of the Antinomians and Familists who said the word should be tryed by the Spirit and not the Spirit by the Word Fiftly may not the Lord give up some to strong Delusions Sure Paul giveth us to understand so much 2 Thes. 2 11. when then some are judicially deserted of God and given up to strong delusions to beleeve lies and to receive Impressions of lying and deceiving Light Either they sinne not in receiving and walking according to thâ—t light or they are under an obligation to reject such a corrupt guide The First cannot be said and if the Last be said then such persons are under an obligation to try and examine these Revelations and Discoveries by some certane Rule with whatsoever plausible and insinuating Glance they dazzle and affect their Mindes and Imaginations And if so we have our point seing it will be readily granted by Protestants that nothing can pretend to be this Rule beside the Scriptures only Sixtly The great doubt is if it be the Lords fixed and established way now under the New Testament dispensation when the Gospel is sufficiently promulgated and the Foundation of Gospel administrations abundantly laid to reveal his minde and make his will known concerning what we are to beleeve or what we are to do by Inward Immediat and Extraordinary Revelations and Inspirations And if this be uncertane as shall appear by examining what he hath said for it than it is more than manifest that such deep Apprehensions and fixed Phancies yea and it may be Injections or Insinuations of the Prince of darkness in the Mindes and Imaginations of men either naturally Melancholick or given up of God to strong Delusions which some may meet with and fondly look upon as divine Illapses of light may very warrantably yea must be brought unto tryal by the touchstone of the Scriptures As of old even when the way of Prophecy was more ordinary and common the false Prophets might warrantably have brought their diabolical Inspirations and phantastical Delusions to the tryal of the Law and of the Testimony so much more now when that extraordinary way of the Lords manifesting of his minde is ceased may this course be taken to prevent a deceit especially seing we have a full and complete Rule whereby we are to walk and to regulate ourselves both as to Faith and Manners 21. The reason which he addeth in the end of his Thesis to wit That a divine Inward illumination and Revelation is of it self clear and evident compelling the intellect that is well disposed and insuperably moving and bowing it to an assent and that by its proper evidence and clearness c. evinceth nothing contraâ—y to what we hâ—ve said for though a truely divine Illumination or Revelation Extraordinary and Immediate of which kinde we are here speaking will bring its owne credentials alongs with it and by its owne evidence prove it self Divine so powerfully perswade the soul that there shall no hinke or doubt remaine concerning its authentick Authority yet every Revelation or Enthusiastick Illumination which men may be carried away with and yeeld up themselves unto as fully perswaded of the Reality and Relevancy thereof will not pâ—ove truely Divine or such as ought to be received with a divine Faith without being once questioned or put to the tryal for as
6. Rev. 22 18. and others of the same import as Gal. 1 8. Mat. 15 6. So that it is hence cleare that the Doctrine contained in the Scriptures is full and Compleet for to it nothing must be added not must any thing be diminished therefrom Now to these this Maâ— replyeth with Bellarmine That Iohn in the Revelation meaneth only that particular book That notwithstanding thereof the Prâ—pheâ—s of old did adde their Prophecies But how vaine these shifts are who seeth not Seing what is spoken of that Book and elsewhere of the Commands of God is consequently to be understood of all and as none might adde to the law delivered by Moses nor to the Word held forth by the Prophets so the Canon being closed and the same prohibition renewed at the close thereof we are assured hence that the Canon is Perfected as for the Prophecies of the Prophets these were properly no Additions to but Explications of the law of God and beside the Lord did not binde up his owne hand when he tyed up mans from adding or diminishing But he tels us further that there were Prophets even after Iohns dayes and at the Reformation and since Which is nothing to the purpose for these who foretold events took not upon them to prescribe thereupon doctrines to others nor did they make any such Revelation the Ground and Rule of Faith and Manners eiâ—her to themselves or others far less did they plead upon this account against the Perfection of the Scriptures as our Quakers do Wherefore it is manifest that the Spirit of Divination which tâ—ey plead for is a corrupt Antichristian Spirit But in end he sayeth that these places are to be understood only of such as adde new doctrine contrary to the old of such as adde humane words to God's but not of them who only bring a new and more copious revelation of ancient doctrine As if additions of new Revelations to the canon did not â—eclare the canon Imperfect This is the same which Bellarmine and other Papists say for their Traditions viz. That they are not Additions but Explications yet both their Traditions our Quakers new Revelations must thereby be as highly valued as the writtings of the prophets and Apostles which were but further Explications and Revelations of the same old foundamental doctrine deliverd by Moses and thus what our Quakers do deliver by such Revelations as they pretend unto must be looked upon as of the same authority with what the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and with the Scriptures which are of divine Inspiration and what they speak thus are not mens words but Gods and must be received as such though they contradict what we have registrate in the Scriptures of truth Here is prodigious and blasphemous Audacity beyond what Papists though audacious enough dar be guilty of for they willingly grant that there is no place now left for adding to the Scriptures or doctrine delivered by the Prophets and Apostles any new Prophecies or Revelations But I would ask him one thing If he speak truth here when shall our Canon be compleated that no more needs be added Sure it must never he Perfected as long as they live or the time will come when they will need no moe Revelations and consequently according to their doctrine will nead no more help of the Spirit or of the Light within or that the Revelations which they shall then have will be useless Let him unriddle this mysterie if the can 31. Before I speak any more of their unreasonableness in this I would first see what Grounds he hath to decry the Perfection of the Scriptures Pag. 40. c. He tels us first That there are innumerable things which in reguard of particular circumstances are of great consequence unto Christians and yet there is no precise rule in the Scriptures concearning them But did ever any Rational man suppose that this was necessary to a Compleet Law and Rule to determine particularly and precisely of all and every particular action considered as to all its particular and individual circumstances Reasonable men will say that it is enough if it determine of aâ—l specifick actions and give general rules by which judgment may be made of all individual actions now this the Scripture doth richly and abundantly But he adduceth an instance to the contrary thus of a Minister called to preach the necessity of which office and ministrie himself denyeth though he make use of this argument ad hominem who can produce no call out of the Scriptures nor will the qualifications required of Minâ—sters evince that this man in particular is called nor can he be certaine that he is endued with these qualifications without the testimony of the Spirit and though he be endued and called no Scripture can tel him when and where he should preâ—ch Generals will not serve here for he may sin when doing this or preaching here when he should be doing that and preaching in another place Answere 1. I might tell him that by his reasoning here he must grant that he and the rest of the Quakers must have a Real New Distinct and Particular Revelation for every action every word or silence every thought or no thought and so for their Eating Drinking Sleeping Wakeing Walking Sitting Standing Looking Hearing c. or their rule shall be as imperfect as ours for in all these and in respect of their circumstances they may sinne and so bring condemnation on themselves and yet as we will hear afterward he dar not say so much His saying that the Instance which he hath adduced is a matter of greater moment will not helpe the matter for if he will I shall prove to him that in the least of these particulars I have hinted he can sinne against God and that is enough by his owne confession here to render the matter momentous 2 To him it is true who denieth the Ministrie it self its Work and Exercise it cannot be that the Scriptures should Regulate particular persons in their taking on of the Office and in the Exercise thereof But to us who owne this as an Institution of Christ and shall in due place vindicate it from his Exceptions there is no Impossibility in the matter For we can prove from Scripture and shall do it in due time and place that there is such a standing Ordinance in the New Testament That there is an established Order whereby persons shall be duely Invested with the Office That there are certaine Qualifications required in the Person who is to be admitted to the Office That there is concurring an inward Work of the Spirit inclineing the man whom the Lord calleth unto this Office upon pure and spiritual grounds and motives and for holy and heavenly ends and this may be cleared also out of Scripture Therâ— are passages of providence and circumstantial Works of the Lord which are great and sought out of all them that have pleasure
and so he confirmeth what other Quakers mentioned above § 9. say viz. That there are no commands there for them because given to particular persons and Churches upon particular occasions And thus the very Law of the Ten Commandements which I have vindicated sufficiently elsewhere which Christ himself did interpret and confirme is laid aside as having no power over us Thus the Quakers join hands with the Antinomians that they may become a perfect Sinke of all errours I am sure the Church of Corinth might with greater shew of reason have rejected that Law which Paul urgeth them with 1 Cor. 9 9 10. and Timothy also 1 Tim. 5 18. what shall we say to these Old Testament Lawes and Scriptures pressed in the New Rom. 13 8 9.10 Ephes. 6 2. 2 Cor. 6 17. 1 Pet. 2 13 14. 1 Cor. 14 v. 34. What have we to do with all Christ's commands the Apostles their injunctions 2 Thess. 3 v. 4 6 10 12. 1 Tim. 4 v. 11. 1 Cor. 7 10. Mat. 28 20. 1 Thess. 4 11. Mat. 15 4. Ioh. 15 12. 1 Ioh. 3 23. Rom. 7 10 12. 16 26 1 Tim. 1 5. Tit. 1 3. 2 Pet. 2 21. 3 2. 1 Ioh. 2 7. 3 11. 2 Ioh. 4 6. Ioh. 13 34. 1 Ioh. 2 8. Ioh. 14 21. 1 Cor. 7 19. 14 37. Revel 22 14. Act. 17 30. Rom. 2 12 13 23 25 26 27. 3 31. 4 15. 7 14 16 18 22. 1 Tim. 1 8. Gal. 3 19 21. 5 14. 6 2. Iam. 1 25. 2 8 9 10 11 12. 4 11. 1 Ioh. 3 4. Rom. 1 5. 16 19 26. 2 Cor. 7 15. 10 5 6. 1 Pet. 1 vers 2 Ephes. 6 5. Tit. 2 9. 1 Pet. 1 14. 2 Cor. 2 9. Not to mention his Ordinances of which afterward and all the examples set downe to us for Imitation and Instruction By this argueing the whole Historical part of the Bible is laid aside Further by this Mans doctrine no man is a Man of God but they All others are Natural They are Spiritual and Holy and the Scriptures are only for such and some might think that others had as much need of them But the designe is That all others besides themselves may look upon them selves as not concerned in them and so may lay them aside as useless and when the Quakers are once become the sole keepers of these Oracles we shall quickly know what shall be come of them But blessed be God they are under another eye and under a surer key Beside that by the Apostles doctrine Rom. 15. Every one that is to please his Nieghbour for good to edification vers 2. is to look on the Scriptures as written for his use and learning vers 4. and 2 Tim. 3 15 16. every one that standeth in need of Salvation and hath need to be made wise thereunto must plye the Scriptures for this end We see also that the Scripturs have attained their full end in the Quakers and therefore they have no more do to with them but to observe to their Confirmation the samenes◠of Spirit speaking in them speaking in the Scripture so we must look upon them all as Perfected throughly furnished for every good work That which he addeth in end out of the Ap. Peter is with a witness verified in them 2 Pet. 3 16. 43. Thereafter § 6. He seemeth to grant much concerning the Scriptures when he saith They account them the most fit outward judge of controversies among Christians and what ever doctrine is contrary to them should be accounted heresie c. But howbeit we accept what is granted and are content to try their doctrine by this judge have done so hithertill accordingly must reject their doctrine as damnable heresie and will finde more cause hereafter to continue in this our judgment yet we cannot but take notice That they are driven to this necessity by urgency of their Adversaries and that they know of a refuge for themselves for they are perswaded as we may suppose the Spirit within them is the very same with the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures and he cannot in them contradict what he hath said in the Scriptures And if any discrepancy or contradiction be it is but in appearance and that unto the blinde Understanding of a Natural Man as he speaketh afterward that is it but seemeth so to all that are not Quakers and so notwithstanding of this it is no real contradiction let the appearance be never so great So that it is not possible to convince them of any mistake out of the Scriptures for the Spirit speaking within them cannot speak contrary thereto And further this is to be observed that for all this the Scriptures are no Rule no Law having any force upon our Consciences to Obedience No man is to learne any Truth or Doctrine out of them And thus they take away both Law and Gospel the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament as a Law upon which we are to meditate day and night and which we are to make the men of our counsel and to propose to ourselves as a copy unto which we are to conforme our way and walk and this is to destroy their main end which is to make us wise unto Salvation to convert the soul and to hold forth to us the whole counsel of God concerning Faith and Manners 44. In end § 9. Pag 50. He frameth an Objection against his owne doctrine to this purpose If the Scriptures be not our chiefe only and adequate Rule it is no compleet canon and men who pretend to be acted by the Spirit may adde new Scriptures and so incurre the curse denunced against such they may introduce a new Gospel I should rather have framed the Objection thus If his doctrine be true the Scriptures are no Rule or canon at all and we are as much obliged to beleeve and Obey the dreames and dictats of phantastick Quakers as the Scriptures And how absurd this is every one may judge But let us see what he Replieth He granteth that all false Revelations which are contrary to the Scriptures are to be disclamed This is well and therefore we reject with his warrand his Revelations as false But he will deny that his Revelations are false because the Spirit within him which is the Spirit of Truth and the same Spirit that inspired the Prophets and Apostles saith they are true yea they cannot but be true because proceeding from that Spirit that can reveal nothing but truth and thus we are no more secured then we were yea as I said we are obliged to beleeve all that they say and rather to lay aside our Iudgment and all Sense of Scripture truths than once doubt or question the truth of what they deliver Next he saith The doctrine he hath delivered is true and therefore who adduce such consequences accuse Christ and his Apostles This is but a manifest declaration of his Pride
26 v. 5. and 29 v. 19. and 44 v. 4. and 11 v. 7. and 32 33. 5. Then there was no difference as to the yeelding of Faith and Obedience to what was spoken to be put betwixt a True Prophet that spoke in the name of the Lord and a False Prophet that prophesied out of his owne heart Ezech. 13 17. and spoke lies in the name of the Lord Ier. 23 25. 26 36. 27 10 14 15 16. 29 9 21. 6. Then it could not be said at that time that he that despised despised not man but God and yet we finde this charged upon them 2 Chron. 36 16. Prov. 1 30. Esai 5 24. Amos 2 4. It is manifest then how Uncertane yea how False this is which he here asserteth and this being the only pillar of his fabrick we may judge how tottering it is 18. He granteth in his Thesis That these divine inward Revelations which he maintaineth yet to be in use neither do nor can contradict the external testimony of Scripture and sound reason Whence it is clear that such inward Revelations as do contradict either Scripture or found Reason are not Divine if then upon tryal it be found that he and others pretending to divine Revelations deliver Assertions point blank contrary to the Scriptures of truth we are allowed to reject them as being not Divine And upon this ground I may boldly say that these Theses let the Author pretend to what Inward Revelations he pleaseth in conceiving and frameing of them and let him alledge that they were given to him by Inward Revelation as much as he thinketh good are not of Divine Authority and if he had them by any Inward Revelation it hath been a Revelation of Satan My reason is because they are so diametrically opposite to the testimony of God in the Scriptures of truth and this shall appeare yet more manifest ere we have done And he cannot be offended at my trying of his Assertions and Revelations by the touch stone of the Word seing he here granteth that a Divine Inward Revelation will deliver nothing contrary or contradictory to the testimony of God in the Scriptures and consequently that it can be no Divine Inward Revelation which doth contradict the Scriptures for God being a God of truth yea Truth it self His testimonies cannot be Yea and Nay 19. While as he addeth That hence it will not follow that divine Inward Revelations should be examined and tryed by the Scriptures as by a more noble and certane rule he gaineth nothing for though this should not follow upon the ground which he laid down yet it may follow upon another more sure and certane ground for albeit a divine Inward Revelation carrying its owne divine evidence with it needeth not be examined by him who is thus Immediatly inspired thereby by the Rule of the Scriptures as by a more noble and certane Rule as the Prophets truely inspired of God received what was really and divinly manifested by the Spirit of God without Further examination yet that same Divine Revelation when it cometh to be published and declared to others may justly and warrantably be brought to tryal and examination by the Scriptures as a more sure Rule and Teste to us Though one divine Testimony cannot be more true and certaine in it self than another yet one may be more clear and evident to us than another and we may try that which is less clear and evident unto us by that which is more clear and unquestionable without the least impeachment of the divinity of the other and that also by Gods allowance and approbation For 1 we finde the noble Bereans highly commended as acting gallantly and more nobly then those of Thessalonica because though they received the word of Revelation delivered by Paul with all readiness of minde yet they received it not without examination for it is added Act. 17 11. That they searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so They would not take Paul's bare word upon it though he was one divinely Inspired and had the Gospel by Revelation which he preached Ephes. 3.3 but brought this Revelation to the teste of the Scriptures as a more sure Rule unto them 2. It was the command of the Lord of old Esai 8 20. that his people should go to the law and to the testimony and consequently examine what was brought before them and delivered unto them as Revelations that so they might know which were truely Divine or from God or which were only from Wizzards or such as had familiar spirits pretending to divine Revelations 3. What meaneth I pray the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1 19.20 to say that the Prophecy of the Scriptures is a more sure and firme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word than was even a voice from heaven His words are remarkable verse 17 18 19. for He i. e. Christ received from the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount And then addeth verse 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy or prophetical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was a standing authentick Canon and though not more sure and firme in it self than was the voice from heaven yet it was more sure as to men and less obnoxious to Cavils Suspicions and Exceptions of Adversaries 4. It is remarkable that Christ himself directeth his hearers to search the Scriptures in reference to the tryal of the truth of what He delivered Ioh. 5 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testify of me 5 We are commanded to beware of false Prophets Mat. 7 15. c. Therefore we must try and judge of their Doctrine and Revelations and so come to know the Prophets Pretenders or Real by this fruite So we are commanded not to believe every spirit but to try the Spirits whether they are of God 1 Ioh. 4 1. and consequently we must have a Rule by which we must try the Revelations both of False and of True Prophets and this Rule must be more clear and unquestionable to us otherwise it can be no Rule 6. So of old when the people of Israel were commanded Deut. 13. not to hearken to a Prophet or Dreamer of dreames though he should give a signe or a wonder to confirme his commission when he would draw them away after other Gods contrare to the standing Law of God this standing Law and Commandment not to go after other Gods to serve them was the Teste by which they were to try the Revelations of Prophets Divine or meer Pretenders and so of necessity it behoved to be more clear unto them than a divine Revelation made known to them by a True Prophet 7. When Paul saith Gal. 1 8 9. that though Apostles or Angels
Revelations of the Spirit of God and yet they carry no Authority impressed upon them What shall carry the Impressions of a divine Authority if divine Revelations do not why did he assert in the preceeding Thesis that divine Revelation was the formal Object and ground of divine Faith How can they beleeve with a divine Faith the divine Revelations which they pretend unto why doth he plead so much for looking after divine Revelations if divine Revelations have not the stamp of divine Authority upon them But he sayes they ascribe the authority wholly unto the Spirit And do not we so also when we stoop unto the Authority of the Scriptures of Truth because delivered by the Inspiration of God when we say the Acts and Statutes of Parliament have the authority of Lawes and we obey and receive them as authenticque Lawes do we not ascribe the Legislative Authority unto the Parliament what a fancyful distinction must this them be and what a Notional difference doth he here imagine But it may be by these writings he meaneth the Paper and Ink But can he call the Paper and Inck the Scriptures of Truth or say that they did proceed from the holy Revelations of the Spirit of God 6. He reduceth all the contents of the Scripture unto three heads telling us that they containe first an historical narration of the acts of the people of God in not a few ages and of several rare testimonies of the providence of God towards them Forgetting that we have here also a true and faithful Narration of the first creation and that these examples are instructive Secondly a Prophetical narration of many things of which some are past and some are yet to come Making no mention of the great and many Promises nor yet of the threatnings Thirdly a full and large testimony to the chiefe doctrines of the Christian faith and that in certane excellent declarations exhortations and sentences which by the afflatus of the Spirit were said and written at diverse times to diverse churches and pastors according to various occasions that fell out And here is the whole of the high account he hath of the Scriptures and of their perfection Not to Meddle much with that here which he will give us occasion largely to disput of hereafter I would only enquire where or in what book beside the Scriptures shall we finde the whole doctrine of the Christian Faith laid down The Scriptures as he saith only give testimony to the chiefe Doctrines of Christianity Therefore there must be other Doctrines of Christianity that must be found out and searched for elsewhere but where I pray shall we finde these Againe I would know of him how we shall know what belongeth to the chiefe Heads of Christianity and what not we cannot know this by the Scriptures for they are supposed by him to be chief heads of Christianity to us before the Scriptures come which only as he saith beareth testimony to some of them 7. Further when he sayeth the Scripture giveth this Testimony only in certaine declarations c. It would seem we have not our Christian faith from the Scriptures but all the Articles thereof flow to us from some other Immediat Fountaine and are founded as to us upon some other Immediat Ground and the Scriptures only give some testimony thereto and that as it were on the bye in some certane Declarations Exhortations and Sentences Hence it would appeare by him that it is not the maine intendment and principal designe of the Scriptures to set downe delineat and explaine to us the articles of our Christian Faith and the doctrine of our Religion and so Iohn was it seemeth in a mistake when he said Iohn 20 vers 31. These are written that we might beleeve that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing we might have life through his name Why hath the Lord thus made known and written unto us excellent things in counsel and knowledge Is it not that our trust might be in the Lord and that he might make us know the certanty of the Words of Truth Prov. 22 vers 18 19 20 21. See Luk. 1 vers 2 3 4. Why saith Paul Rom 15 vers 4. that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope For what end did the Spirit inspire these Holy men and by or in them speak to us in the Scriptures if not to give us a solide ground for our Faith to stand upon in receiving and beleeving the articles of Salvation Is not the whole of the Scripture given by the Inspiration of God that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3 16 17 Why doth the Apostle Peter say 2 Pet. 1 19. that we do well to take heed unto this more sure word of prophecy If they be not the ground of our Faith why are we desired thus to take heed unto them and to desire the sincere milk of word that we may grow thereby 1 Pet 2 2. Are we not said to be built upon that foundation which the Prophets and Apostles did ministerially lay by Word and Write Ephes. 2 20. Thus we see he layeth no more weight upon the Scriptures as to the bottoming of our Faith than he would do upon any good Book wherein testimony were given unto the chiefe Doctrines of the Christian Faith by some excellent Declarations Exhortations and Sentences 8. In this account he giveth us of his conceptions of the fulness and perfection of the Scriptures It is observable that he doth not so much as give the least hint of any Authority wherewith the Scripture is cloathed to lay obligations on our Consciences to yeeld Faith and Obedience to it as the signification of the Soveraigne Will and pleasure of the great God and Lawgiver and in this is more injurious to the Scriptures then Papists are who grant it to be a Rule of Faith Hos. 8 12. See Psal. 119. throughout with infinite moe places and this is in effect to destroy the Scriptures which are given to us as the Law of God and must be received as such with Faith and Obedience As if they had not been inspired by the Holy Ghost for this end purpose that we might thereby understand and prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God Is it not called a Law disobedience unto and transgression of which is sin 1 Ioh. 3 4. Iam. 2 8 9 10 11 12. and 4 11. 9. What he saith of the Scriptures being written to certane Churches and Pastors upon certane Occasions which is an old Popish argument neither will quadrate with the whole of the Scriptures nor though it did will it ground any such inference that we have little or no interest therein as our Law and Rule as Quakers say and lest he think I caluminate let him take notice of these few Instances Edw. Borroughs Pag.
Againe how could Christ and his Apostles confirme their doctrine by the Scriptures Press to a study and search of them Convince persons of errour by them and the like seing still this shift was as ready at hand for them to use as it is for the Quakers today I pray hâ—m to cleare me in these particulars if he can 13. But if the meaning of his Assertion be That we know only by the inward Testimoâ—y of the Spirit that the book of the Scriptures is indeed the word of God what will this helpe his cause Nothing at all for the Testimony of the Spirit is a true Testimony and if the Spirit testifie that that book is the Word of God that book must indeed be the Word of God and it must be the Word of God before that testimony be given to it for the Testimony doth not make it such but witnesseth it to be such and so before that Testimony of the Spirit come the will of God contained in that book must oblige us to Beleeve it and Obey it for what is the revealed will of God cannot but oblige such unto whom it is revealed But if it be said That even the will of God contained in the Scriptures cannot oblige us untill a new Revelation come to perswade us of the certainty that it is the will of God I answere Then 1. The Assertions of the God of truth and the Lawes and Commands of the Supream Lawgiver have no obleiging force upon us to Beleeve and Obey untill we be perswaded these Truths and Lawes are Divine and so the authority of the Lawes dependeth upon and is derived from the minde of the Subject and no more shall be law than he will 2. Then the Revelation of the minde of God doth not carry alongs with it its owne Evidence 3. Then the Second Revelation can as little carry alongs with it its own evidence as the First and we must have a Third to give us the perswasion of its certanety and the Third will stand in need of a Fourth and so in infinitum and hereby we shall never come to any certanty but still fluctuate notwithstanding of Revelations upon Revelations 14. He adduceth Apol. P. 36 37. Calv. Instit. Lib. 1. c. 7. s. 4 5. The French Confession of faith Art 4. The Belgick Confess Art 5. And the Confession framed at Westminster Cap. 1. S. 5. which last he cannot cite without a jibe at these worthy Divines thereby evidenceing what a Spirit acteth him But to the point I say 1. What is spoken here of the Spirit is in Opposition to the Testimony of Men or of the Church which the Romanists alleiged 2. They speak not of an Objective certanty as if before this perswasion wrought by the Spirit there was no ground to beleeve and receive these for the Scriptures of truth or as if indeed before this they had not been the Scriptures of truth but of a Subjective certanty and therefore they call it Perswasion and Assurance now this doth not create an Objective certainty but preâ—upposeth it and only helpeth the soul to see that Objective certainty and rest upon it with full Conviction and Assurance 3. They speak not of any Immediat Revelation or Inspiration but of an ordinary work of the Spirit efficiently effectuating this Perswasion and Assurance 4. They expresly tell us that this work of the Spirit is by and with the word and not an Inspiration distinct and seperated from it anâ— by the gracious effects of the word in and upon the hearts of People which evidently demonstrate the cause to be divine and that Word which hath such Powerful Noble and Divine Effects upon the soul to to be of a divine Original flowing from that Supream Verity or Veracity and from that Supream Authority and so to be purely divine 15. Though this be enough to discover the vanity of this mans Alleigance yet I shall for the Readers satisfaction a little further cleare the matter There are in the Scriptures such innate marks and evidences of divine Majesty Power and Authority whereby as Light and Heat prove and demonstrate themselves so the Scriptures evince themselves to be of God by their Light Life Power Majesty Divine which is also manifested by these particulars mentioned in our Confession of faith to wit The Heavenliness of the matter The Efficacy of the Doctrine The Majestie of the stile The Consent of all the parts The Scope of the whole which is to give all glory to God The full Discovery it maketh of the only Way of Mans salvation The many other Incomparable Excellencies and the Intire Perfection therof These are arguments which it carryeth alongs with it whereby it doth abundantly evince it self to be the word of God as the heavens declare themselves to be of God not by any voice or testimony but by the Characters of Infinite Power so legible upon them that all that run may read The Spirit in working up the soul unto a Conviction and Perswasion that the Scriptures are the word of God doth those things First He cleareth up the characters of divinity that are in the Scriptures formerly dark to the man through prejudice or other causes and so maketh the Object plaine and manifest Next He conveyeth light into the Minde whereby the man is enabled to discerne and perceive these Grounds and Evidences which are the characters of divinity as a man when clouds are removed and his eyes are opened to see the beames of light flowing from the body of the Sun is convinced and perswaded that the Sun is arisen in our horizon Now this work of the Spirit hath its various Measures and Degrees not to mention that which is truely saving whereby the man is not only Enabled to see the forementioned grounds to a conviction but through a gracious Work of the Spirit on the whole soul is made to close with these grounds with joy and delights and to accept of the Scriptures upon these Grounds with full perswasion of soul as having this truth that these Scriptures are the word of God deeply impressed oâ— his spirit and sealed by the Holy Ghost So that he embraceth them as the very word of God and closeth with them with all Reverence and cheerfull Submission of soul receiving with faith the Truths there delivered and submitting to the Commands thereof heartily and cheerfully through grace Not to mention this I say which as it respecteth the matter contained in the word and the sutable improvement thereof is not of our present concernment this work of the Spirit admits of degrees whether we consider the Object or Evidences which lye in the Scripture or the Subject the â—llumination of the minde to see the cleared Evidences and Grounds for to some the Grounds and Evidences may be more clear and unquestionable than to others and some may have a larger Illumination of understanding and so a greater capacity to see the divine Original of the Scriptures than others and
to the excluding of Christ and that in the New Test. there is a clearer Manifestation of Christ as the End of the Law and as Life than was under the Law and we know that Christ by his Spirit writteth his Law in the hearts of his children by giving them a Spiritual Principle of Obedience and this he did also to his owne under the Law and all this without annulling the Letter of the Law as a Rule as we have showne elsewhere abundantly against the Antinomians 6. will he say that all the Scripture is written in tables of stone and yet of that doth the Apostle speak 2 Cor. 3. v. 7. the place he hath in his eye But saith he Gracâ— and not the external law is Christians Rule Rom. 6 14. And yet the External Law taught him this otherwise he citeth this passage with an evil conscience but Grace there is not taken for a Rule but for that Spiritual Assistence whereby we are enabled to withstand Corruption and so to be more conformed Outwardly and Inwardly unto the Law and for the Gospel dispensation wherein grace is promised and secured in and through the Mediator to help in time of need to more Conformity unto the revealed will of God But by what authority can he take Grace here and Act. 20 32. for Immediat Revelations The grace of Christ and the power of his Spirit in regard of that Efficacy it hath to Restraine from sin and to Constraine sweetly unto duty is assimulated unto a Law the native End and Designe whereof is this Rom 8 2. for thereby his children are Effectually and Efficiently delivered from the Tyranny and Power of Sin and Death So that this man knoweth not what he saith when he would reason thus against the Scriptures as our Rule for the Apostle in that same Epistle Chap. 13.9 urgeth the very decalogue as a binding Law and in several other places of the same Epistle citeth passages out of the old Test. not only to Confirme his Doctrine but to Enforce Duty yea he expresly tels us that the very Scriptures of the Old Test. are of this use unto us Chap. 15 4. 25. Before we proceed and examine what he saith against the Perfection of the Scriptures in the following Pages we would first vindicate some Grounds of our owneing of it as our Rule which he mentioneth afterward and also in the first place clear it to be so from other Grounds which he taketh no notice of And in all this we have this Advantage that he hath already granted the Scriptures to be of divine Inspiration and of Immediat Revelation and to be the Scriptures of Truth and so without manifest Retracting of what he hath said and Contradicting of what he hath granted he cannot but assent to all which these Scriptures of truth say as truth and as unquestionable truth wherefore if they shall give testimony to their being our Rule above any thing that men may fancie as a Rule the testimony must be true and we must without further debate Acquiesce therein and while he doth dispute to the contrary he calleth in question their Truth and in effect controleth their Truth and Authority Let us see then what they say of themselves as to this That parable which Christ adduceth Luk. 16. speaketh faire for what we say for who would not think that one riseing from the dead should be hearkened to and beleeved above all who would doubt of the divine authority of his Message especially when calling for Repentance who could think that such an One so comeing and that with such a message were not to be received as cloathed with divine authority And yet we see by Abraham's answere in the parable that Moses and the Prophets are to be preferred so that if the testimony of Moses and the Prophets that is of the writings of Moses and the Prophets could not to bâ— Beleeved such a testimony with a miracle would be Ineffectual Shall we then think that this word preferable to such a testimony as every one would think were unquestionable should not be rested upon as our Supream Rule will any think it reasonable that we leave this and betake ourselves to private Inspirations and Revelations as a Superiour more Sure and Full Rule and Declaration of the Minde of God concerning Faith and Manners when all men must see that they come far short in point of Light and Certainty unto the testimony of One risen from the dead beside that we know not by any infallible toaken out of what airth they come Sure this should be Madness and Folly 26. Further when the Apostle is pressing Timothy 2 Tim. 3 16 c. to stedfastness in the truth and to a progress and continuance in the work of the Gospel he assureth him that the Scriptuâ—es which he had been acquanted with from his child hood and was the sure ground and rule of his doctrine would beare him thorow without mentioning any superiour yea or collateral Rule as requisite in this case saying they were able to make wise unto Salvation and to make the man of God perfect and further as a confirmation hereof he tels him that the whole Scripture was of divine Inspiration superiour to which as a Rule nothing is imaginable unless we blasphemously imagine some thing above God or some manner of Revelation of God's minde superiour and preferable unto that which is by his Immediat Speaking and Inspiration As also he tels him that the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect throughly fournished unto all good works and so he denyeth the Use and Necessity of the auxiliary supply of any other whether collateral or superiour Rule Sure had the Spirit been in his judgment a Superiour and more adequate Rule he had never attributed all this unto the Scriptures and that without all exeption of one thing or other So that place of Peter 2 Pet. 1 18 19 20 21. evinceth the matter beyond a contradiction for what can be more ceâ—taine as to its divine Authority than a voice from heaven and that from the excellent glory Dar this man his fellow-confidents Averre that their private Revelations whether Dreames Visions or Inspirations are to be preferred to such a Voice from heaven from the Excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son which Peter Iames and Iohn did hear If modesty will not suffer them to be so bold let them then forbeare to preferre their Fancies in point of Rule unto the Scriptures When Peter saith we have a more sure word of Prophecie a light that shineth in a dark place and what was this word of Prophecy even that which holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost shall we not then look upon that as our supreame Rule which God hâ—th given out with more evidence as to us than a very Voice from heaven and a Voice which had full Certainty in its selfe And shall we be so sottish as to preferre to
this that which at best is but of private interpretation that is an Issue of mens Fancies private Conceits and Enthusiasmes if not Satanical Illapses and Delusions This is also plaine from 1 Cor. 4 6. above what is written which implyeth that what is written is sufficient and full as also from Act. 20 27 35 comp with Act. 26 22 23. 27. These and what formerly hath been mentioned to this end and purpose this man thinketh good to overlook as if he had never heard of them We shall now try what he saith to others and First that plaine Testimony Esa. 8 20. to the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Whence we see that whoever they be that come to us pretending a divine Commission we must try what they say by this word which is called the Law and the Testimony and if they speak not according to it let their pretensions be never so high they are to be rejected as dark and as coming from darkness So that the Law and the Testimony is the Supreme Râ—le To this he saith we have not proven that by the Law and Testimony is meaned the Scriptures As if any that ever read the Bible could be ignorant what is all along meaned by these words But granting this he hath another reserve viz. That the Law was in a more special manner given to the jewes and more principally than to us And hence forsooth he will retort the Argument against us thus Seing they who were under the Old Covenant were to try all by the outward Law we who are under the new Covenant are to try all by the word of faith which is within us And thus the man rants in his reaving contradicting what was the great pillar of his discourse upon the preceeding Thesis and making differences without ground as we lately manifested and with all destroying by his owne expressions what he mainly intendeth For the Word of Faith that he speaketh of is distinct from Immediat Revelations and these words which he eyeth cited by Paul Rom. 10. were spoken to the people under the Law by Moses Deut. 30. v. 14. and so were true of them even then Hereby also he proveth more than he ought for if this Argument hold the Scriptures shall not be so much as a Lesse Principal and Subordinat Rule which yet he granted it to be or he must say the case is so altered under the New Testament that what was a Principal Rule then is now only subordinat but whence will this be Evinced And will it not hence appear probable that what is now Principal to us was Less Principal to them that is the Immemediat Testimony of the Spirit Let the man rid his feet here if he can as for the 70 Version we have nothing to do with it if he will lay any weight upon such a corrupt Version he should not challenge other versions that agree better with the Original But I wonder how the Man can think that that Version which saith the law was given for an help shoulâ— confirme his Opinion which is that the Law was given them as a Principal Rule even above the Spirits Revelations 27. Another argument to prove the Scriptures our supream Rule is usually taken from Christs saying to the Jewes Ioh. 5 39 search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they that testifie of me Where Câ—râ—st referreth them to the Scriptures that word of God which should have been abideing in them verse 38. as to a Rule whereby he was content that his doctrine should be tryed and judged and if even Christs Doctrines should be tryed by the Scriptures who will think it unreasonable that private Enthusiasmes should be so tryed and who can then deny this privilege of the Scripture to be our Rule what saith he to this passage He imagineth that Christ reproveth them for having too great a veneration for the Scriptures Quite contrare to vers 38 46 47. and to the very word of command search the Scriptures and to his owne Concession granting that it was their Principal Rule It is laid to their charge that they would not come to Christ and one Reason of their Unbeleefe is given viz. that they did not search the Scriptures which did testifie of Him that notwithstanding they professed acknowledged that the Scriptures pointed out the way to eternal life But againe he tels us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 search is by some taken to be in the Indicative mode and not in the Imperative Which forgery of Papists the cohesion and scope of the words doth abunâ—antly redargue and Tolet and Maldonat both confesse that Chrysostome Theoph. August and all weighty Authors except Cyril understand it imperatively To â—â—is passage of Christs here we might adde others where he confirmeth his doctrine by the Scriptures elsewhere cited and the following verses where he tels them that Moses by his writings should accuse them that their not beleeving of Moses's writings was a cause why they did not beleeve Christs words verse 45 46 47. we might adde also Paul and other Apostles proving their doctrine from the Scriptures and Paul's affirming that he spoke nothing but what Moses the Prophets said But these and the like have been cited already let us take notice but of what the Apostle Iames speaketh concerning this He accounts the Word of Truth that by which we are begotten Chap. 1 18. and Would have us doers of it and not hearers only otherwise we shall but deceive our selves vers 2â— 23. and then vers 25. calleth it the Perfect Law of liberty wherein we continueing and being not forgetful hearers but doers of the work we shall be blessed in our deed So Chap. 2 8. He calleth it the Royal law according to the Scriptures which say we should Love our Nieghbour as our selves and if we do otherwise we commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressours and vers 10 11. he sheweth us that by the Law he meaneth the decalogue See also Chap. 4 11 12 28. Another passage of Scripture confirming our point is Act. 17 11. where it is spoken to the commendation of the Beroans that they searched the Scriptures to see if Pauls doctrine did accord therewith which clearly expressed the Scriptures to be that Rule by which even the sayings of such as pretend Immediat Revelations ought to bâ— tryed though he thinketh that hence it will not follow that they are our Only and Supream Rule But he thinketh best to chant over againe his old Song viz. That these were Jewes to whom the Law and the Prophets were a Rule in a more special manner The uselesness of which Evasion hath been showne And further he must grant that these Christians were under the New Testament or Covenant and so cannot say that it is the Priviledge of Christians under the New Testament to be from under
not full and compleet and â—o unable to reach the end for which they are appointed Shall we say that God could not reveal his whole Will and Counsel Or that he was not so Good and Gracious as to do it I dar say Neither Nay this book of the Scriptures is a called a Testament 2 Cor. 3 6 14. And who dar adde to God's Testament when it is unlawful to adde to a mans Testament Gal. 4 15 And the places formerly cited do clearly evince it sufficient for the ends for which it is designed to which these may be added Psal. 119 105. Rom. 1 16. 1 Tim. 4 16. Ioh. 17 20. And if we must admit new Revelations not only as a part compleating our Rule but as a Supream Rule we declare the Scriptures useless as a Rule for what is not an Adequate and Perfect Rule is no Rule at all nor doth it deserve that name and withal we lay ourselves open to Satans Delusions and to false Revelations wherewith the world hath been too much filled and too long deceived or at best to Revelations and Enâ—husiasmes which we know neither whither they go nor whence they come and let them speak never so highly of their Revelations we judge by their doctrine which is for the most part either False or Dubious and not consonant to the Scriptures of truth We have heard of Impostors who were the greatest of Pretenders as of Simon Magus Act. 8. of Mahomet of several in the Church of Rome and others we have heard also of false Prophets of old and Christ hath foretold us of such Mat. 7. 24 24. and hath bid us beware of them Are we assured that the devil cannot or shall not play his game under these Enthusiasmes One thing is certane that the Lord sendeth us not to these Enthusiasmes to understand his Minde but to the Law and to the Testimony and to the more sure Word of Prophecie One thing I would know Whether he beleeveth that Christ and his Apostles did teach all that was necessary to salvation I suppose he will not deny it considering what Paul alone saith Act. 20 20 21 27. If he confess it then I would ask whether we have not the summe of that doctrine faithfully set downe to us in the Scriptures This cannot rationally be denyed seing Paul saith he taught nothing but what was foretold by Moses and the Prophets Act. 26 22. and seing hence it would follow that God was not so careful of the Church of the New Testament as he was of the Church of the Old Test. nor so careful of us as of the Primitive Church Neither let any say that we have Revelations now to make up our want For beside that we know no warrand for us to look for such in the primitive times there were Persons extraordinarily Inspired having Revelations notwithstanding of which there was a full and compleet declaration of all that was necessary to Salvation Againe why did the Lord commit any thing to write seing he would not commit his whole Counsel unto write Why would he not leave us wholly to Revelations It may be the Quakers will say that we are indeed left wholly to Revelations And this is the true tendency of this Mans doctrine But then of what use are the Scriptures Can he loose this knot and give satisfaction 41. He tels us as to this Pag. 46. The Lord thinks good to comfort some by others whom he raiseth up and inspireth for this end to speak and write seasonable words and so make them perfect And this with him is the whole import of Rom. 15 2. 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. So that the Scriptures are but like their writings one to another tending to Comfort and Encourage one another who are delighted as he speaketh with the words or writings that come from the same Spirit in another Bellarmine saith They containe only some profitable Admonitions And both this man and Bellarmine deny them to be a Law Compleet and Full. Bellarmine thinketh that their Traditions are of as great authority as the Scriptures and this Quaker thinketh their owne Scriblings are of as great authority And where are we then And what is left us as a ground of our Faith and Hope by the Papists â—nd the Quakers â—ut he citeth as a proof of this 2 Pet. 1 12. which can prove nothing for him for we grant that the Scriptures are for Comfort and Encouragement but we say also They are Profitable for Doctrine and for Reproof and for Correction and for Instruction 2 Tim. 3 16. And that they are able to make the man of God Perfect Yes saith he They make the man of God perfect as Pastors and Doctors do who are ordained for this end viz. Ephes. 4 11 12. And yet as Pastors are not to be preferred to the Spirit so neither are the Scriptures Nay but he should say if he would speak consonantly to himself Though Christ hath ordained Pastors c. for the Perfecting of the Saints and given us Scriptures inspired of God that the man of God may be perfect yet we may lay both aside as useless and betake us to the Spirit for all and thereby declare that we are wiser than Christ was and that we have nothing to do either with the fruits of his Ascension the Ordinance of Officers or with the fruites of his Love and Care of the Church to the end of the world that is the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to show unto his servants But who would not pity such a poor blinded self-deceiving Creature Thinks he that the Appointments of Jesus Christ cannot be owned as meanes perfect in their kinde and for their end but the Spirit as a Principal Efficient Cause must be enjured and that we must lay aside the Scriptures as a Law and Rule that the Spirit may do all and have all the glory I should then think that he were more to be prayed for than disputed with and were it not for satisfaction to Others whom their faire speaches may deceive I should think it hardly worth my paines to blot so much paper in confutation of him 42. Then in the next place he tels us that the Lord would have us see in them that is in the Scriptures as in a glase the conditions and experiences of old saints that observing their case and ours to agree we may be confirmed comforted instructed in righteousness and by the Spirit within us observing the signature of the Spirit in them we may see them fulfilled in us Hence only the Spiritual man of God can profite by them and of such speaketh the Apostle also Rom. 15. others pervert them as Peter tels us By all which we see That the Scriptures are no Law or Rule no not a subordinate Rule or Law for what is such must have some Obligeing force with it binding us to conformâ—ty But according to this Man the Scriptures have no obligeing Force at all
and Presumption His doctrine is tryed and found light and Contradictory to Christ his Prophets and Apostles yea and Eversive of all Christianity and Religion We grant saith he that the Scriptures give ample testimony to the chiefe doctrines of christianity And what a reproach of the Scriptures this concession containeth we have showne above We are saith he for no new Gospel but for new revelations of the old Gospel The Gospel which Christ and his Apostles brought was but a new Revelation of the old Gospel and no new Gospel essentially different from the old dispensation Thus their Revelation may be as new and as far different from that of Christ and his Apostles as theirs was from what was under the Old dispensation and yet it must be received with the same Faith Obedience that we receive the Revelation of Christ and his Apostles is this tolerable Thinks this man that we are as mad as he and his brethren are Be it known to him we will hold by the old foundation Christ and the sole Revelation which He hath given us for sad experience hath taught the world what devilish doctrine hath been vented under the notion of New Revelations such as these by the Enthusiasts at Munster and by Paracelsus Weigelius and others That a man might have moe wives at once That the Eternal God hath flesh That God made to himself out of himself a Wife on whom he begot a Son That God careth not for outward sins That the literal sense of the Scripture is antichristian That our Christ is the Antichrist and the Man of sin That Christ was not born of Mary our baptisme is a profane thing adamitick flesh is not capable of remission Hearing of sermons and coming to the sacraments are impediments of Regeneration There should be no preaching in Templos Hell is Heaven and Heaven is Hell and both are one What thinketh he of these and of the blasphemies of David Georg who said That the doctrine of Moses of the Apostles yea and of Christ himself was Imperfect and unable to bring any to salvation only his doctrine was perfect and efficacious for that end That he was the true Christ and the Messias born not of flesh but of the holy ghost and of the Spirit of Iesus which Spirit of Christ his flesh being annihilated was wholly given to him That he can save and condemne that he shall judge the whole world at the last day That he is greater than Christ who in the flesh was borne of a woman but he himself was the Spiritual Christ borne of Holy Ghost These had as much to say for their Revelations as he hath to say for his and if we open the door once unto such Pretenders we way see what will be the issue it may be called at first but a New more Glorious more Excellent Revelation and may come at length to be a quite Overturning of the Old Gospel too Therefore we judge it the best course to keep the door closse which Christ hath shut and not to receive his abominations 45. He will not grant that the Scriptures are a compleet Canon and if they be not a Compleet Canon they are no Canon at all for a Rule and that which is to be Regulated thereby are Relatives and must correspond yet he thinks we must confesse what he saith to be true and why so Because in all the Scripture we read not this necessary article of faith That these books are only canonick Scripture But this is no new Revelation for it was revealed long since to Bellarmine de Verbo Dei Lib. 4. Cap. 4. and to other Papists and so this man is but playing their game and yet neither he nor they can gaine any thing for this necessary article of faith is declared by the whole Scripture and so needeth not be set down in so many words The characters of Divine Light and Power which are peculiar to the Scriptures do discriminate them from all Others and so declare themselves and themselves only to be the Word and Law of God and more is needless for it is not a Rule to it self but to other things no discipline or Science prove their own principles Actâ— of parliament need not say that such a book containing so many acts or lawes of this or that nature are the true acts of parliament when a Husband writteth Ten letters to his Wife he needs not say in plaine termes that Ten letters are his for she knoweth That Ten are his by his owne hand write and other indicia which agree to no other letters and so discriminate them from all others and the numerus numerans is sufficiently expressed by the numerus nuâ—eratus This man possibly will not beleeve that he hath five fingers in one of his hands because he no where seeth it written on his hand that he hath five fingers in one hand And by this he may understand how we can prove this or that book in Scripture to be Scripture without fleeing to his senseless and imaginary Shifts as we have showne above when speaking of the whole Scriptures CHAP. V. Of Mans Natural State 1. WE come now to Examine the doctrine held forth in the 4 Thesis which though I finde a little more clearly expressed as to the latine in the second edition than it was in the first yet I finde it not helped as to the matter so that still I finde several mysteries wrapped up in his words which will not without some difficulty be unridled for after the usual manner of that Seck of the Quakers who speak ordinarily in a dialect peculiar to themselves the beginning of this Thesis is very enigmatical and in all his discourse upon this Thesis in his Apology he speaketh nothing that can contribute any thing to the clearing of his Meaning to us who are not much acquanted with his Mysteries only he enlargeth himself on two maine Heads of which we shall speak hereafter And though he could not be offended if we should only examine his doctrine as to these two Heads leaving the rest which he shortly touched in his Thesis yet â—or the Readers satisfaction we must take some notice of what he saith 2. Passing that insufficient division of Mankinde or the Posterity of Adam which he maketh when he saith both Iewes and Gentiles whereby he excludeth from this race of Adam all that lived before this distinction began to take place that is all that lived before Abraham Isaac Iacob the posterity of whom complexly considered only did beare the name of Iewes and that not so early for the first mention we have of the word in Scripture is Esther 2 5. 2 King 16 6. And all those who lived before this issue appeared or were known as such can not be called Heathens seing some of them at least worshiped the true God I take notice that he acknowledgeth and asserteth that all Mankinde is Fallen Degenerated and Dead but how or upon what occasion
the same Law written in their hearts which the Heathens had and something more revealed to them in the Gospel What he citeth in the words following out of Iustin. Martyr Clem. Alexand. and Augustine I am not in case at present to consider only I see not what Augustines saying he read in some Platonicks books some words of Ioh. 1. can evince seing there were many Platonicks in those dayes who were not utter strangers to what the Evangelists wrote and they could transcribe words and sentences according to their owne phancy And what can follow from hence Supposeth he that thâ— Platonicks spoke by the light within them what the Evangelists spoke as acted by the Infallible Spirit of God Or that it was the same Spirit acting both Quakers I see are great supposers but ill provers And as Bernard said of some who labouring to prove Plato to be a Christian they proved themselves to be heathens so we may say of this Quaker I finde also that Casaubon Exercit. â— in Baron citeth out of that same lib. â—8 c. 47. August de civit Dei out of which our Quaker here citeth some words as for hâ—m a senâ—encâ— of a far contrary import â—hewing us that in no age any did belong to the spiritual Ierusalem but such to whom Christ was revealed And tâ—e said Casaubâ—n addeth a good caveat as to other Fathers speaking of this mater which our Quaker would do well to notice And as for his Arabick book which who have ever seen I know not it is no Canonick Scripture to me And when this Iokdan of whom that book speaketh lived or where he was borne and educated he telleth us not and till he clear us in this he saith nothing for a man trained up in Christianity in his infancy may by providence be cast in some Island and so be separated from all company and enjoy Gods company and be no heathen but a Christian still I think this is not impossible 15. In fine § 28. Pag. 120. resuming what he thinks through a mistake he hath sufficiently proâ—ed he tels us that this is the Gospel and the Christ which is revealed in them and which they must preach Whereby we have a further proof that the Quakers Gospel is pure Paganisme Yet he must cite some words of Augustine Conf. lib. 11. Chap. 9. in favours of this light which he pleadeth for the impertinency of which is discovered by the bare reading of them And he must also cite some words of Buchanan de jure Regni apud Scâ—tos where speaking of that whereby we difference betwixt that which is honest and that which is dishonest he calleth it a divine thing And no wise man will call it a diabolical thing Doth Buchanan call this Christ and the Gospel He was a better Christian than so And hence also we have further confirmation that the Quakers Gospel is the pure light of Nature and so the Quakers are nothing but Pagan-preachers leading poor silly souls from the Gospel away to Paganisme to the blinde light of Nature that is among Pagans Let wise men heed these things and beware of these men called Quakers for this their advocat hath sufficiently discovered to us what they are What he addeth asserting that their ministery is the same with the Apostles Act. 26 18. and that the righteous one of whom Iames speaketh Chap. 5 6. is in every man is but a wicked perverting of the Truâ—h and a prophane abusing of the Scriptures to countenance their diabolical positions and Antievangelick assertions for which if they repent not the Lord will judge them CHAP. XIII Of Justification 1. WE come now to that which hath been by Hereticks principally called into question being one of the chiefe articles of Christian Religion The doctrine of Iustification of a sinner before God which by some hath been accounted and that deservedly one of the greatest questions whereby divine Theology is distinguished from humane philosophie the Gospel from the Law the Church of Christ from Iewes Turks and Pagans and the truely Reformed from Papists Yea Bellarmine with Pighius confess that upon this hinge turne all the controverâ—ies which are agitated betwixt us and them Gerhard the Lutheran saith that this is a Castle and chiefe strength of our wholâ— doctrine Religion that if his truth be darkened adulterated or overturned it is impossible that other heads of doctrine can be keeped pure And Luther himself said that this Article of justification is diligently to be taught and learned for if it be lost we can resist no heresie no false doctrine how ridiculous so ever and vaine whence it cometh to passe that all that hold not this article are either jewes or Turks or Papists or Heretikes And againe if it fall and perish all the knowledge of truth falleth too and perisheth but if it flourish all good things flourish with it Religion True worshipe and the Glory of God The Church of Bohemia in their Confession tels us that this head of doctrine is accounted by them for one of the chiefest and most weighty as being that in which the summe of the Gospel is placed and in which Christianity is founded the precious and most noble treasure of salvation and the only and lively consolation of Christians is contained The matter being thus we have great cause to contend earnestly for the faith in this point once delivered to the Saints And to examine narrowly what this Quaker delivereth as the sentiment of all the Quakers upon this head of doctrine which he delivereth in short in his Seventh Thesis and more largly in his Vindication thereof in his Apology 2. What that is in this matter which the Orthodox maintaine may be seen in their Confessions and disputs against Papists and Others and particularly with great plainness and succinctness in our Confession of Faith first agreed upon at Westminster and thereafter approven by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Chap. XI § 1. in these words Those whom God effectually calleth he also freely justifieth Rom. 8 30. 3 24. not by infusing righteousness into them but by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for any thing wrought in them or done by them but for Christs sake alone not by imputing faith it self the act of beleeving nor any other Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them Rom. 4 5 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 5 vers 19 21. Rom. 3 22 24 25 27 28. Tit. 3 5 7. Ephes. 1 7. Ier. 23 6. 1 Cor. 1 v. 30 31. Rom. 5 17 18 19. they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by Faith whicâ— faith they have not of themselves it is the gift of God Act. 10 44. Gal. 1 16. Phil. 3 9. Act. 13 â—8 39. Ephes. 2 â— 8. Read and ponder what followeth in that Chapter So in the greater Cathechisme Q. 70. What is justification Answ.
as this man putteth beyond all debate in his writings and others clearly demonstrate by their books containing such positions as overturn and destroy the Gospel Mr Norton teacher of the Church at Boston in New England being appointed to write against the Quakers by order of the General Court tels us in his Tractat printed A. 1660. Pag. 6.7 c. that the Quakers deny that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons that Christ is God and Man in one Person that Christ is a distinct person from the person of the Father that Christ is a distinct person from any of His Members And so their Christ doth unchrist Christ. He tels us moreover that they deny the Scriptures or written word to be the Rule of life and that they make the light within them and the Spirit without the Scriptures to be their guide that they owne none as lawful magistrats who are not of their way that they assert an infallible light within them above the trial of the Scriptures that they will not acknowledge that they sinne but professe perfection of degrees in his life Mr Stalham in his Epistle to the Reader prefixed to his Reviler rebuiked sheweth us that they make nothing of the historical letter of Christ's Death Resurrection c. but turne all into allegories And that they are with H. N. in his joyful message of the Kingdom Pag. 170. ready to call these things meer lies which the Scripture-learned through the knowledge which they get out of the Scriptures bring-in institute preach teach As also how they joine with Iacob Behme who slighted the imputed righteousness from without and magnified the little spark within whereby the Father draweth them all to Christ and teacheth all within them and say further that in Adam stood the Covenant of grace that there is no certaine Ordination from eternity upon any soul particularly which is yet to be borne but only a common universal foreseeing of grace He sheweth us also how Will. Erbury in his Call to the Churches Pag. 4. said what Gospel or glade tideings is it to tell the world that none shall be saved but the elect and believers and that the Gospel which Christ taught was but in part that which was proper only to the Iewish Church not that to be preached to the world And moreover Pag. 6. he telleth us that he said the Gospel which the Apostles preached to the world was not that which they wrote to the Churches nor yet what they read in the Scriptures of the Prophets but the Gospel was a mystery which in the light of God they could manifest to men and make all men see themselves in God that 's in Christ. And Pag. 9. that God is in our flesh as in Christ's for the mystery of faith was more than men imagine and it may be more than Paul wrote to the Romans and Churches of Galatia And Pag. 37. that Christ's coming againe promised Act. 1 11. was nothing but his coming in Spirit and power in the Saints and in their flesh when they are most confused and dark Further the same Mr Stalham in the book cited sheweth how they contradict Scriptures in several points as concerning Scriptures Trinity the Light within the Law Sin Iustification Regeneration Sanctification and its Perfection Christian warfare Repentance Meanes of grace Baptisme Lord's Supper Prayer Singing Elders and Ordination Ministers maintainance Immediat calling Immediat teaching Civil honour Swearing unto which might be added several things brought out of their writings by Mr Hicks beside what we shall have occasion to remark in this Author with whom we now deal By all which we may conjecture what a Gospel this is which they teach even another than we have in the Scriptures and than that which the Apostle taught And what welcome such as come with another Gospel were their credentials angelical unto which these men are strangers should have Paul hath taught us Gal. 1 8 9. as was mentioned above which is a sufficient warning for all that fear God to beware of these men 20. This man hath an high and mighty conceit of his Theses calling them though short yet ponderous and saying that they comprehend many things and denote the true original of knowledge of that knowledge which leadeth to life eternal And I do indeed conceive that they containe much though I dar not say the whole of the marrow of that Gospel whereof he is a dispensator we may look upon ourselves therefore as called more narrowly to consider and examine them If the matter contained in them were good I should not quarrel at their brevity but I see what they want in length the Apology hath Ponderous he calleth them but we know wet sand though of smal value is more ponderous than what is more worth and indeed so ponderous are they that they will sinke the poor soul that embraceth them without any other super added weight into the bottomless pit His saying that they pointe forth the true original of saving knowledg will never perswade me that they do so How defective they are as to this we may shew in the next Chapter Nay rather I dar say that they discover the true original of that science falsly so called which leadeth to the bottomless pit and this I hope to make appeare ere all be done 21. He tels us that he beareth witness to this truth in this his work But he must hold us excused to seek for a more sure ground to our faith and perswasion than his bare testimony especially when he speaketh not only not consonant to Scripture but so manifestly contrary thereto Indeed if we were called to rest upon his and his co-partners bare testimony all further dispute were at an end and we might cast our bibles at our heels and learn all our divinity at their mouth or at the light with in us rest thereupon notwithstanding it contradict sound reason and experience let be Scripture But through grace we have not yeâ— drunk-in that principle and therefore must stand upon our old bottome and go to the Law and to the Testimony 22. In fine he tels us that he leaveth this his testimony unto the light of Christ illuminating every one of our consciences which words may have a double sense as expressed in his latine and either import that he leaveth this his testimony as a confirmation of that light of Christ which illuminateth every man and if this be his meaning the preaching up of this light must be the whole of his Gospel worâ— and the whole Intent and designe of his writting and publishing these Theses yea if so these Propositions of his must serve for no other end but to confirme the truth and reality of this light of Christ But then I think They or He by them should have given us some clear discovery and explication of the nature of that light of Christ which is as he saith within every man which I finde
not but it may be what is here wanting is supplied by his Apology But if his meaning be that he leaveth this testimony to convince that light of Christ which illuminateth every mans conscience than it seemeth that light of Christ hath need of his information and that notwithstanding thereof conscience may refuse to receive his doctrine and information so that this light of Christ though it enlighten the conscience cannot captivate the same to a kindly submission to that Gospel which he preacheth till some other thing worke But seing he leaveth this his testimony to be pondered and considered by the light of Christ which enlighteneth every mans conscience and thereby granteth that every man hath this Supream light of Christ within him and thereby may and is allowed by him to judge of what he saith he cannot be offended that I judge by all that light of Christ within enforming my soul and conscience from that light of Christ which is held forth in the Scriptures of truth and determine accordingly against his Assertions CHAP. II. Of the true ground of Knowledge 1. HAving thus considered his Preface with which he ushereth-in his Theses I come now to a particular examination of his doctrine expressed in his Theses and vindicated and explained in his large Apologie His first Thesis which is concerning the true ground of Knowledge is short wherein he tels us that seing our chiefe happiness is placed in the true Knowledge of God for this is life eternal that they might know that true God Ioh. 17 3. the true and genuine understanding of the right original and ground of Knowledge is especially necessary to be known and believed 2. Christ indeed in his prayer Ioh. 17 3. speaketh to his Father thus And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent which last words why this man did leave out and his c. added in his second edition is but a small reliefe who can tell if of designe it must be a bad Omen and giveth small ground of expectation of a full and satisfying discovery of that knowledge of â—od which is through faith in Jesus Christ and is thereby begun felicity here and leadeth forward to the certane fruition of God However Christ hereby giveth us to understand that that knowledge of God which is eternal life begun cannot be had without the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as the sent Ambassadour of God in whose face and manifestations God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shineth into the hearts of his owne to give the light of the knowledge of his glory 2 Cor. 4 6. Our Lord doth not meane here a bare speculative knowledge but such a knowledge and beholding of the glory of the Lord as changeth the beholder into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3 18. and so is accompanyed with Faith apprehending and closeing with the Son in whom is this eternal life so that he who hath the Son hath life 1 Ioh. 5 11 12. And it is this Son of God who must give us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life 1 Ioh. 5 20. And another foundation or original of knowledge that is saving and the way to eternal life can no man lay 1 Cor. 3 11. 3. It is good and necessary I confess to have the genuine and true understanding of the right original and ground of this true and saving knowledge But whether this mans doctrine hath a genuine tendency thereunto or not the sequel will evince I am far mistaken if after tryal his doctrine prove not a perverting of the Gospel of Christ Gal. 1 7. and of the right wayes of the Lord Act. 13 10. and contradictory to that Gospel whereby life and immortality is brought to light 2 Tim. 5 10. and which is the Gospel of Salvation Ephes. 1 13. 4. We might readily think that one taking upon him with no small confidence to teach the whole world and to give a new discovery of pure and naked truth which hitherto hath been as he supposeth darkened and obscured and who openly declareth in the beginning of his doctrine that the genuine understanding of the right originâ—l knowledge of that God whom to know is life eternal is necessary to be known and believed should explaine to us some hidden mysteries of God and help us by his new grounds to some more distinct apprehensions of what is revealed to us of God in his word But alas this mans ignis fatuus is no sure guide to us The grounds he layeth down are both defective and destructive Of their destructive nature we will have large occasion to speak hereafter and how defective they are a few Instances may clear 5. And first Seing he would hold forth to us clear and naked truth and acquant us with true divine and saving knowledge how cometh it to passe that in his Theses we heare nothing of the nature and attributes of God Supposeth he that we can attaine to the true and saving knowledge of God and yet not know Him to be a Spirit Pure and Invisible without a Body Parts or Passions nor know that He is the only True and Living God Infinite in Being and in all Perfection Shall we think that it is no part of that knowledge of God wherein consisteth true felicity to know Him to be Immutable Immense Eternal Incomprehensible Almighty Most Holy Most Absolute Most Just Most Righteous Most Wise Most Gracious and Long-suffering c. Is it no part of the genuine knowledge of God that tendeth to life to know that He hath all Life Glory Goodness and Blessedness in of Himself c. and that He is the sole Fountaine of all Life Glory and Goodness which the Creature partaketh or is capable of and the only Author of their being what for a knowledge of God must that be in which all felicity consisteth whereof the knowledge of these particulars mentioned shall make no part And if he thinketh that the knowledge of God doth of necessity comprehend the knowledge of these particulars how cometh it to passe that in his Most comprehensive Theses and his large Apology too which hold forth as he would make us believe that knowledge which leadeth unto life eternal there is such a deep silence of these so many particulars so necessary to be known and beleeved It concerneth him to answere this 6. Next Shall we think that it is no necessary part of this saving knowledge of God to know that there is one God in Essence and Three distinct persons in the Unity of the God head of one Substance Power and Eternity viz God the Father being of none neither Begotten nor Proceeding God the Son eternally begotten of the Father and God the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding
that every individual soul before they could savingly beleeve and understand the Truth of God behoved of necessity to have the same as Immediatly Inwardly and Extraordinarily revealed to themselves as it was to the Prophets and thus every man was to be an immediatly inspired Prophet to himself and what need was there then of immediatly Inspired Prophets singularly pitched upon and raised up for the use and benefite of others 4. This being plaine a sure basis whereupon we may stand and such a cleare stateing of the Question betwixt us and the Quakers that none needeth be ignorant of the true difference betwixt us and them we may very shortly dispatch this Man and his Doctrine which for the most part as we shall see runeth upon this Confusion and Mistake for thus he beginneth Pag. 5. to tell us That in all ages this hath been acknowledged viz That there is no saving knowledge of God to be had without the Spirit and to this end citeth some passages out of Augustin Clemens Alexandr Tertul. Hierom Athanasius Gregorius Magnus Cyril Alexandr Bernard Luther and Melanchâ—on None of which speak any other thing than what I have already granted and asserted and no true orthodox Christian or any that I know will deny except Pelagians Arminians the like with whom this Man doth too much conspire as we shall heare But can he produce any of the Fathers or of our Reformers maintaining such Inward and Immediat Revelations of the Spirit as the Quakers with their predecessours the Enthusiasts do assert now to be necessary and do pretend to If he be so well acquanted with the writings of the Fathers as by these his citations he would have us beleeve he hath done wisely for himself but not very honestly in concealing what several of the same Fathers and Others write expresly against such high Pretenders as the Quakers now are and in whose footsteps they in many things now tread Theodoretus in Epit. Haeret. Fab. Cap. 3. giveth us Cerinthus as the first Patriarcâ— of Fanaticks pretending to such Revelations Irenaeus lib. 1. advers Valentinum c. Cap. 9. sheweth how Marcus Valentinianus had a great Impostor a certane Devil for his Assessor by whom he himself seemed to Prophecy and foretel things and how he made some certane women whom he accounted worthy of that honour to prophecy and speak some braine-sick discourses when warmed by that empty Spirit so that they supposed themselves to be Prophetisses Theodoret in the forecited book Lib. 3. Cap. 11. tels us that one Montanus out of an ambition to excel all others alleidged that he had all his Opinions from the instinct of his Spirit the Paracleâ—e and did pretend to Enthusiasmes and Revelations and that he took unto him Priscilla and Maximilla as two Prophetisses calling their writings Prophecies or Prophetick Books and preferring them unto the divine Evangel And from this Montanus borne at Pepuza in Phrygia came the Seck of Cataphrygians and Pepuzians Augustine may also be read concerning this Catal. Haeret. Num. 26. and 27. And these men because they pretended much to the Spirit as our Quakers do now were usually called Spirituales and they called and accounted others Carnal Persons Psychici Animales Eusebius Hist. Eccles. Lib. 5. Cap. 16 and 17 may be read to this purpose relateing some of the pranks and opinions of these Cataphrigians and how one Apollonius wrote against them and their revelations and how Serapion and others gave witnes against them Let him if he please read also Epiphanius contra Haeres Tom. 1. Lib. 2. Haeres 48. 49. Where he will meet with some things not unworthy of his consideration Of this sort also were the Euchites who came of the Messalinians who were also called Enthusiasts concerning whom see Theodoretus Epit. Haeret Fab. Lib. 4. Cap 11 and Phylostr Haeres 49. A wonder it is that he citeth not Tertullian's books written de Ecstasi after he turned a follower of Montanus whom and whose ecstasies he laboured to defend in these books sure such could he have fallen upon them had been more apposite to his purpose then what he here citeth out of his book de volandis Virginibus we could also cite his book de praâ—cript advers Haeres Cap. 52. where he inveigheth much against such Prophets Among others of the predecessours of Quakers may the Circumcelliones and Donatistae be reckoned who did pretend to Visions and such Revelations and we may take in Quintius the Liberâ—ine though much later and others of the like stamp 5. In his § 3. he goeth on ranting at the same rate inveighing against all Doctors learned Persons who are not of his judgmeâ—t as being void of the Spirit and so no more to be called Christians as subserving in their writtings and labours the designe of Satan being only instructed in the external letter of the Scriptures whileas others that had only this inward and immediat revelation were true Christians hence he very profoundly doth inferre That the inward and immediat Revelation is only that sure and undoubted methode of true and saving knowledge I shall not be the man that shall plead for Doctors or Professours that deny or are strangers to the workings of the Spirit of God only I may say that the Quakers have not as yet given such irrefragable demonstrations of their being illuminated and led by the Spirit as may make us secure and confident as to the truth of all which they say I suppose the Spirit of God would teach them to speak more soberly of such as they are yet great strangers unto But to what purpose is all this waste of words if he meane nothing else by his Inward and Immediat Revelation than what we formerly § 3. did owne and explaine against whom doth he fight But if he meane as he must if he speak to the purpose what we said was the opinion of the Quakers all his wit and skill shall never be able to inferre his Conclusion from the Premises I grant that the knowledge of the letter of the Scriptures will never bring a man to heaven if with that there be not some gracious and saving Work of the Spirit working up the man to an Imbraceing Closeing with and rightly Improving of the Truths there contained yet I dar not say that the very letter of the Scriptures in its kinde as a compleet Canon and Rule is not able to make us wise unto salvation seing the Apostle is express for this 2 Tim 3.15 nor will I say that to the end the Truths revealed in the Scriptures may be savingly beleeved there is a necessiâ—y that every one have these same Truths revealed and declared unto them Objectively by new Inward and Immediat Revelations as the Prophets and Apostles had the Truths revealed unto them which they delivered unto others in the name of the Lord. And when he shall be able to inferre this Conclusion from solide Premises we shall think our selves concerned to
Thinks he that we beleeve not that there is one faith But what reasoning is this There is one faith Therefore faith hath but one Object what object meâ—neth he Formal or Material Oâ—ject if the first we grant thâ—t alwayes in all ages the formal Object of faith divine was the Truth and Veracity of God as to things beleeved and hâ—s Supream Legislative Authority as to acts of Obedience If he mean the Material Object he speaketh nothing to the purpose because he must here speak of the Object he spoke of in the foregoing Proposition and of none other And yet the man as ignorantly as a childe talketh in the following words of the Material Object for to prove that the Fathers had the same object of faith that we have he adduceth Abraham's faith and the Fathers drinking of the same rock which was Christ 1 Cor. 10. and yet all that drank of that water had not saving faith in Christ whereby he can meane nothing but the same Material Object which we grant to have been the same as to the substance But I would know what he would say of the Material Object of Adam's faith before the fall Was Christ thaâ— Object No certanely and yet Adam had a divine Faith And after this discourse of the Material Object he concludeth rarely and profoundly that the Object of their faith and ours is the same viz. Inward and Immediat Revelation which before he called the formal Object of faith Is this man fit enough to boast all the learned men of Europe who cannot distinguish betwixt the Formal and Meterial Object of Faith who would not pity such an Ignoramus that yet is so confident as if all the wit and learning of Europe were nothing to this rare undâ—rstanding Thinketh he that none of his Readâ—rs were able to observe this master piece of Ignorance and Confusion The same line of Confusion is drawne over the rest of that paragraph for he citeth Gal 1 16. which he may apply to both then he citeth Heb. 13 7. which only speaketh of the Material Object and then he tels us that the diversity of administrations alters not the object what object He addeth a reason that would seem to plead for the same formal object for otherwise saith he God should be knowne some other way than by the Spirit But his next reason is most rare all actions are specified from their Objects saith he These things need no further examination to rehearse them is more than enough so exotick and non-sensical are they 26. But at length he would seem to speak some thing more to the purpose when he saith That such as deny this Proposition of his make use of a distinction granting that God cannot be known but by the Spirit but withal denying that this knowledge is Immediat and Inward because it is by the Scriptures But the same Confusion is continued for we know not whether he speaketh of the Formal Object of faith or of the Material If he mean the Formal I know no man that saith that the Scriptures are the formal Object of Faith but that they containe the material object and express the veracity and authority of God which is the formal object and so are at most but a part of the formal Object If he mean the Material object who granteth that the Spirit is that That the Spirit is what the Scriptures say he is and doth what the Scriptures say he doth is I grant a part of the Material Object of our Faith It may be that through ignorance he falleth upon another question here than his Proposition gived clear ground for and would discuss this question whether the Scriptures containe all that is necessary for us to believe unto salvation or must we have new Revelations making known to us what we ought to believe or what we ought to do in reference to salvation together with this and so still there shall be confusion whetheâ— the Lord doth now Instruct us Inwardly and Immediatly as of old he manifested his minde to the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles or doth he it Mediatly by the Word Ordinances Publick private which he hath appointed for this end But the man walketh in the dark all alongs either through ignorance or worse Waving what he here denyeth concerning Scriptures till we come to examine his next Thesis let us here see what he undertaketh to prove we are here to prove sayes he That the Christians now a dayes no less than of old are led inwardly and immediatly by the Spirit after the same manner though it may be not all together in the same measure Here still nothing but confusion and darkness For 1 How all the People of God of old were led by the Spirit he hath not shewed or what way they were led Inwardly and Immediatly was the privilege of a few Patriarchs and Prophets common to them all were none of them led by the Spirit in an Ordinary way by the Teachings and Information of others the Spirit by his grace and efficacious Operation inwardly concurring were none of them Taught and Instructed by the Ordinances of God established among them and blessed by the Spirit 2 We know not what he meaneth by this Inward and Immediat Leading whether that which is Ordinary and Common to all saints whereby the Spirit dâ—th Efficiently and Powerfully draw determine the soul to a compliance in Faith and Obedience with the will of God revealed in his law and to a right Improvement of his Ordinances which He hath established in his House and Church for building up of his People in their most holy faith or that which is Extraordinary and peculiar to a few whereby for the good of others and their further instruction he was pleased in a singular manner to Communicate his minde and to Reveal Immediatly what others were to beleeve and to do If he meanâ— this last we shall attend his proofs If he first he beateth the winde and fighteth against his own shadow 3. We know not what he meaneth by the same measure of which he speaketh so doubtingly Sure as to the light of saving Knowledge and as to the Object of faith there is much more clear discovery thereof under the New Testament than was in the time of the Old Testament as Paul proveth 2 Cor. 3 concluding vers 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord And as the whole Gospel evinceth See Ephes 3 9. 1 Pet. 1 10 11 12. Act. 2 14-20 Luk. 7 28. From all which it is manifest that we cannot understand what it is which he would prove and what his Arguments must conclude 27. Yet let us see what his reasons are He adduceth § 10. these promises of Christ Ioh. 14 16 17 20. and 16 13. and hence would clear to us three particulars First That the Comforter and the Spirit
here mentioned is not the Scriptures and he learnedly proveth this from other Scriptures As if any sober Christian ever Asserted such a thing But in the bye as if he had no friendship with the Socinians he redargueth their incogitancy that do not acknowledge any Inward Spirit or Vertue but a meer Natural one But in what Socinian doth he read such a thing I think He rather and the Socinians are one denying this Spirit and Paraclete to be a person and a divine person as to Essence one with the Father and the Son but as to subsistance distinct The Socinians do say that the Spirit and Holy Ghost is but the Inward Spiritual Vertue of God and are not so carnal and natural as to say that it is a meer Natural Spirit or Vertue Thus he helpeth us to know what himself meaneth by the Spirit here and elsewhere mentioned viz. Not a distinct person of the Trinity but an Inward Vertue which they call the Light within The second paâ—ticular is That this Spirit is inward and for this he citeh Rom. 8 v. 9 10. 1 Cor. 3 v. 16. and that all noble works are ascribed to this Spirit citeing Ioh. 6 v. 63. Act. 2 v. 4. and 8 ver 10. Rom. 8 ver 2 13 15 16 26. 1 Cor. 2 ver 10. and 12. v. 8 9 10 13. and closeth with a saying of Calvines Institut Libr 3. Cap. 2. By all which what he would say and against whom he would disput I know not do we deny the Spirits work in his children Do we deny his Union with them that he is in them and dwelleth in them or their Union with Him that they are in Him and walk with Him All the question is about the way how this is Conceived and Expressed Will he say That the Spirit so is and dwelleth in and abideth with beleevers that hereby they become personally united with Him and so are one person with Him Some indeed have said little lesse and therupon inferred that beleevers were Godded c. as they loved to speak But if this be his meaning I account him a Blasphemer Supposeth he that the Spirit is in â—elievers as a Vertue or Spiritual power and is the Light within them Then as he contradicteth himself saying that this light and vertue is within every man which here is but promised to believers so he giveth us a shreud presumption that he is a Socinian denying the personality of the Holy Ghost which the texts cited by himselfe and many others of the like import do manifestly evince The third particular is the work of the Spirit to guide into all truth c. which we shall be loath to deny whatever his friends the Arminians and Pelagians do Do we cry up the Traditions and Precepts of Men Do we exalt corrupt and carnal Reason Let himself see to this who cryeth up the Light within which is but Nature under a new name as shall be showne in due time This is his first Argument but what is his Conclusion Ergo The holy Spirit abideth and dwelleth in and leadeth his owne All true Christians have the Spirit of God dwelling in them as in his Temple and Ergo For this Argument must be branched-out into many so fertile is the mans invention The Spirit moveth instructeth and leadeth every true christian into the knowledge of such things as are necessary unto salvation Ans. Concedo totum and what would he have more But poor man knoweth he not what is the point in difference Hath he Concluded that the Spirit communicateth the knowledge of Gods minde to all his saints in the same manner and way as he did of old to the Prophets who were extraordinarily Inspired and that that immediat way of communication of Truths to be beleeved and Duties to be performed which was peculiar to Patriarchs and Prophets or to the Apostles is continued and common to all believers No This point is too hot for his fingers to touch and we must be satisfied to heare him prove that which he can prove though it be the same which we assert and so to no purpose 28. Before he come to this second Argument he tels us § 11. That there are some who do confess that the Spirit doth now breath upon and lead the Saints but this is Subjectively and in a blinde way coeco modo but not objectively that is He illuminats the understanding to beleeve what is revealed in the Scriptures but presents not any verity objectively and this they call medium incognitum assentiendi an unknown medium of assent that is of which the man is not certaine nor sensible Ans Whom he doth particularly here meane I know not and so I cannot judge whether he reporteth their opinion faithfully or not nor how they explaine the termes here expressed I know men may have various conceptions of the same Truth and so may have various and different-like Expressions and yet meane one and the same thing And for my part though I cannot assent to some expressions here used yet I think the substance of the truth which I owne is held forth here The Scriptures are a compleat Rule to us in all things concerning Faith and Manners in reference to Salvation and hold forth the revealed Mind of God here anent as an outward Objective meane or an external Rule And therefore we need now no new Revelation either as to Truths to be beleeved or as to Duties to be obeyed in order to Salvation but we need the Breathing Light and Power of the Spirit both to cause us see the matters already revealed and to close with them as divine Truths and Commands Let us see however what he answereth Though this opinion sayeth he be more tolerable than the former yet it is not true And why First because there are many truthes which as they respect every one ut singulos respiciunt it may be he meaneth and should hâ—ve said Personas singulares are not all found in the Scriptures But what are these Truths Are they Truths concerning salvation if so I deny what he saith and shall waite his proofs in the Next Thesis where he promiseth to shew this Secondly because saith he the Arguments adduced do also prove that he proposeth truths to us Objectively But suppose that several of the Scriptures by him formerly adduced should conclude this as to the Apostles and some others yea and more viz. That they should be filled with the Spirit and Immediatly and Extraordinariâ—y Inspired and acted to pen Scripture and infallibly to hold forth Gospel Truths to set downe immutable Gospel Rules to establish Gospel Ordinances and the like which also was so will he think that the promises in this extent belong to every individual Beleever so that each of them by vertue of these promises are Infallible Dictators writters of Scripture and the like let him assay the proof of this and we shall consider what he sayeth But further though I should grant what he here sayeth
he hath gained nothing for I would say so that the Lord Jesus hath by his Spirit revealed Truths even Objectively unto us and even this way made good these promises but how By Inspireing Apostles and others to pen Scripture wherein all New Testament Truths necessary and sufficient for us to be believed and obeyed in order to Salvation are contained and revealed Is not this a proposeing of Truths Objectively Nay more I say the Spirit to this day is proposeing to us truths Objectively in by the work of the Ministrie and Ordinances which are established and maintained by the Spirit for this end to clear up the word of Reconciliation and to explaine all Gospel Truths which we are to believe and obey Here is also an Objective proposal by the Spirit But you will say it is not an Immediat Objective proposal I grant it and yet it is sufficient to confute his reason which mentioneth not this Immediatness nor will he prove any such thing out of these Scriptures in reference to all beleevers 29 Now followeth his Second Argument taken as he sayes from the new Covenant whereby he would prove that we are to be led by the Spirit not only Immediatly but also Objectively A strange conclusion as full of confusion as the former for any would think that by Objectively here he meaneth Mediatly But I suppose he would have said not only Subjectively but also Objectively For clearing of the matter and to prevent a fighting in the dark we would know That the work of the Spirit in order to the beleeving of Truths is either in and about the Soul of the man whom he is to give a Revelation of the truth unto or is in and about the Truth which is revealed and to be beleeved The First is that which is meaned by the word subjective because the man is the subject in which the Spirit is to work faith The Other is that which is expressed by the word Objective because the truth revealed is the Object which is to be beleeved and received Now the Subjective Operation of the Spirit in this matter is by enlightning the Understanding of the man taking away the vail that was over his eyes and thus enabling him to see the Object as when Christ cured the blinde man he put him in case to see the light which he could not do before so the Spirit openeth the eyes of the minde of the man that he may see the wonders out of his law Psal. 119 18. As to this immediat work of the Spirit though the Lord thinketh good to do this ordinarly in and by the use of meanes which he hath appointed so that the word Immediatly must not be so understood as to exclude these he maketh no debate with us But as to the Objective operation of the Spirit it is by proposeing of the Object or Truth to be beleeved unto the Intellect as true and as spoken by God and this is twofold either External or Internal External is when the Truth is proposed by God to the Intellect by outward meanes such as the Scriptures Preachers and the like and this may be also called Mediat Internal which may be called Immediat is when the Lord's Spirit doth immediatly propose the Truth to be believed as true and as spoken to them as a truth now to be believed because thus spoken by Him immediatly unto their souls unto which is requisite a real secret operation of the Spirit immediatly carrying the truth in upon the Understanding by Supernatural and Immediatly Infused intelligible Species's The former mediat way this man is not Satisfied with and this last immediat way is that whereby Truths were revealed extraordinarily to Prophets and Apostles and otherâ— who were Inspired and is usually called Prophetick Revelation and in this sense is the word Revelation ordinarily taken in Scripture And this is the Revelation Immediat and Objective which this man would plead for and which we deny to be common to all believers whether under â—he Old Testam or under the New And which we also deny to be â—he way by which we are to expect the Teachings and Leadings of the Spirit now seing we are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ himself being the chiefe corner stone Ephes. 2 20. 30. Now let us see how he proveth his point He adduceth two passages of Scripture Esai 59 21. and Ier. 31 33. with its parallel Heb. 8 10. where the Lord promiseth that the words which he shall put in their mouth shall not depart out of their mouth nor out of the mouth of their seed nor out of the mouth of their seeds seed from hence forth even for ever And that he will put his law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c And what I pray can all this Evince Cannot the Lord put his words in the mouth and hearts of his People Mediatly Ay but saith he the Lord saith not that he will do this by Scriptures or other Means Nor doth he say say I that he will do it without them when he opened the heart of Lydia and when he caused the Thessalonians receive the word not as the word of Man though preached by Paul but as it is indeed the Word of God did he not put his word into their mouth and write it in their hearts But saith he hereby is the law and the Gospel differenced that the law was writen in tables of stone but the Gospel in the heart Ans. Said not David Psal. 40 8. that the law of God was in his heart And Ps. 119 11 that he hid Gods Word in his heart If it be so why said he before and went about to prove that the Object of faith of beleevers under the Law and under the Gospel was the same and how had all the Saints under the Law Immediat Revelations Other answers might be given here but these are sufficient to shew the mans Ignorance and Inconstancy when he hath reconciled himself to himself we will have less to do What he speaks afterward of Immediat Communion which is not the same with Immediat Revelation in respect whereof the state of beleevers under the Gospel is better than that under the Law is but to confirme further his self contradiction Let him reconcile this with what he said before of beleevers under the Law and of the sameness of the Object formal of the faith of both and we shall think ourselves concerned to notice what he saith But further to multiply his self contradictions he addeth an Untruth viz. That under the Law they had the high Priest immediatly receiving the Word of God in the holy of holies to teach the people and we say now under thâ— Gospel there is nothing but the external letter of the Scripture in the meaning of one verse of which scarce two do agree For neither can he prove that the High Priest had such Revelations alwayes in the Holy of Holies And we
say as well as he that beleevers now have free accesse to Christ the great Teacher of his people alwayes to get his minde known and writen in their hearts but not to get Prophetick Revelations and even as to the Scriptures of which this man speaketh so basely though they also had the Law and the Testimony Esa. 8 20. and were to search the Scriptures Iob. 5 39. we cannot think they had the advantage of us in respect of the many Immediat Revelations made unto the Prophets because of what the Apostle Peter saith 2 Pâ—t 1 19. Beside that every one may see that the Word of God Writen and delivered by men immediatly Inspired is as sure a ground of faith to others as the Word of God Spoken by a man immediatly Inspired and that the former hath the moe advantages And whereas he talketh of the discrepancy of mens judgments as to the meaning of the Scriptures is he so blinde as not to see that the very words of immediatly Inspired High Priests and Prophets were obnoxious to the same mistakes and more Is a Set Long Continued Discouse more intelligible to judgments of all syzes than the same discourse Writen and put into every mans hand to Read and Meditate upon to Ponder and Consider all its Parts Coherence c What shall we then say of this Man who reasoneth thus against Truth and common Sense 31. His third and last Reason is from 1 Ioh. 2 27. which place together with Ier. 31 34. hath been alwayes perverted by the Phanaticks as also by the Author of Theologia Germanica Cap. 18. thereby turning the grace of God into lasciviousness and turning his goodness into licentiousness for ordinarily these and the like places are adduced to Countenance their Despiseing and Rejecting of the Ordinances of Christ and of Teaching while yet notwithâ—tanding hereof themselves are as busie as possible to pervert with teaching and scriblings as if all this Unction could not take away the necessity of their Teaching albeit it may take away the necessity of all other Teaching whatsomever But is it not strange that if this were the meaning of the words that Iohn should not know it or if he know it that notwithstanding thereof he should write thus unto them and acquant them with what he judged necessary and particularly should decyphre by so many marks the Antichrist's and Seducers Strange it is that this Unction that teacheth all things could not teach them to know the usefulness of it until Iohn did thus signifie it unto them and yet more strange that if matters be thus the Spirit of God should have Inspired and Acted Iohn unto the writing of this Epistle and other holy Men of God to have writen Scripture for by their Interpretation this Unction maketh the whole Scripture useless And indeed this Man is not aâ—hamed to tell us that this Unction is a more sure Rule for finding out and discerning Seducers than Iohn's writings which not only hath no shadow of countenance from the text but doth also render the whole Ministrie of the Apostles in teaching Useless and Unnecessary and so destroyeth at one blow all Gospel Dispensations But were not beleevers under the law made partakers of his Unction if not what do all the Immediat Revelations which they had import where is the Onenesse or sameness of the formal Object of their faith and ours under the New Test And then what is become of all his former reasonings But if even beleevers under the Law were made partakers of this Unction in some measure why did the Lord raise up Prophets Why might not they have examined and tryed all their Prophecies by this Unction What advantage had they by the Immediat Revelations made unto the High Priests Why were they commanded to go to the Law and to the Testimony Why doth Christ send them to the Scriptures and not to this Inward Unction These things cannot well hang together Moreover what understandeth he by this Unction Will he say that by it must be understood Immediat Objective Revelation How can this be more sure and certane than the Immediat Objective Revelations which the Apostles had and are set down in Scriptures Is one Immediat Objective Divine Revelation more sure and certane than Another But it may be that by this Unction he meaneth the Light within Yet neither can this hold for the Light within is common to all men but this Unction he maketh common only to the Saints Enough of this which hath been abundantly answered by others and else where to wit in the book against Velthusius I had occasion to speak to it and shall not here repeat what is there said 32. Having thus proved as well as he could what he thought convenient for his purpose he tels us that he will now answere Objections and the first and only objection which he taketh notice of § 13. is That these Revelations are uncertane And when he hath thus ignorantly or unfairely proposed the Objection he cryeth out of the Ignorance of his Adversaries and very learnedly tels us that he distinguisheth betwixt the Thesis and Hypothesis and that it is one thing to say that the true and undoubted revelations of the Spirit of God are certane and infallible and another thing to say that this or that man hath infallible revelations and that he affirmed the first Which his adversaries will affirme as well as he and that the last may be questioned But with his leave I shall frame the Objection thus If since the Apostles and the extraordinary Officers whom God was pleased to imploy at the laying the foundation of the Gospel Administration fell asleep and after the canon of the Scriptures was compleated all that ever pretended to these Immediat Revelations and Inspirations as a ground of Faith Obedience have borne the signal marks of the displeasure of God and given by their Practices or by their Opinions or Both evident toakens of their being acted and led by a Spirit of Errour and Wickedness and of their being given up of God to strong delusions then we may saifly inferre that this is not the way of Christ now the Gospel is clearly and fully revealed the canon of the Scriptures is perfected whereby He teacheth and leadeth His people nor ought to be owned as such But the former is true Therefore so is the other The connexion or Major Proposition is such I think as no man can except against who regairdeth the Works of the Lord and the Operation of his hands And who can imagine that if such a way of God's manifesting of his minde now were the only way of God's leading of all his owne he should put such Open Manifest and Undoubted Marks of his displeasure upon those men who of all the rest of the world were most giving up themselvs to the only saife and Christian Way of understanding God's minde Or that these should be specially given up to crosse and contradict the Immediat Objective and
perceiving the truth of the most clear Mathematick demonstrations can he do the like as to his sensations 35. The parting argument which he seteth down in the last paragraph is sufficient so he thinketh to end the whole debate Thus he frameth it That unto which all Professors of Christianity of whatsoever kinde do at last recurre and because of which all other grounds are commended and accounted worthy to be beleeved must of necessity be the only most certane and immovable ground of all Christian faith But the Inward Immediat objective revelation of the Spirit is that Therefore c. Now not to carpe at the eccentrickness of this conclusion for many such things must be passed over This confirmation of the Minor as to Protestants with whom he very charitablie joyneth Socinians whom I cannot account Christians notwihstanding of all the agreement betwixt him and them destroyeth the whole Argument and rendereth it Useless as to his purpose and so concludeth only his folly and ignorance If we enquire say he at them why they take the Scripture for a Rule they answere Because in them is declared the will of God which was revealed Immediatly and objectively by the Spirit unto holy men Can any man of common sense inferre hence that Protestants are for the Uncertanty of all Objective and Immediat Revelation even of that which holy men of God had when acted by the Infallible Spirit to penne Scripture as he insinuateth in the following words or can any man of common judgment see what this concession and necessary foundation of Protestants can make for the falsly pretended Immediat and Objective Revelations which Quakers boast off Nay doth not Protestants their owneing of this solide and immovable foundation sufficiently warrand their rejecting of his Delusions yea and necessitate them thereunto if they would be true to their principles 36. As for his monitory conclusion in the end of his vindication of this his Second Thesis wherein he giveth us a full foretaste of his Pelagianisme because we will have occasion sufficient to speak to this matter afterward we need only tell the Reader what he saith here His discourse in short is this If any man will assent to what he hath said of Divine Revelations though at present he be a stranger to them himself yet he must know that this is the common Privilege of all Christians and at length shall come to know this secret light enlighting his heart c. and when by relinquishing of sin this divine Voice in the heart shall become more known then shall he feel that as the Old Naturall Man is put off the New Man and spiritual birth shall arise and this new birth having Spiritual senses can discerne the things of the Spirit and understand the Mysteries of the kingdom of God And therefore let every man attend to this Spirit in the Little Revelation of that pure light which at first revealeth things more notoure and afterward as he is fitted he shall receive more and more and be in case at length by quick Experience to refute them who shall enquire what way he knoweth that he is led by the Spirit That is in short If one will firmly beleeve that Natures dimme Light is the Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost in him and in the faith of this give up himself to the Teachings thereof and thereby shun outward acts of sin and put on a forme of Godliness and more and more give up himself to this Delusion he shall at length arive at this Perfection that he may burne the Bible and with confidence assert that he is acted by the Holy Ghost let Scriptures and Common Sense say to the contrary what they will What an extract of Pelagianisme Enthusiasme and dreadful Delusion is here every knowing person may see CHAP. IV. Of the Scriptures 1. HIs third Thesis which I finde in some things altered and more clearly expressed in the second edition set down in the Apology than was in the single sheet containing his judgment of the Scriptures cometh now to be examined The Scriptures being owned by us as a sure Rule whereby we should try the Spirits and they giving such clear and manifest Testimony against the Delusions and bold Assertions of the Quakers and affording us full and sufficient Ground whereupon to reject their Doctrine and to look upon them as Impostors it is little wonder that we heare them speak so basely of these Scriptures of Truth as we do Mr Stalham in his Reviler rebuked Pag. 1. tels us that a Quaker denied to his face the Scriptures to be the word of truth or at least not to all not to wicked men and unbelievers no not condemningly He tels us also Pag. 4. that some said to him That the Scripture is not the word of truth but the witness of Gods power as if that could be the true witness of Gods Power which were not true nor the word of truth He tels us also Pag. 18. sect 2. that Francis Howgil said The Scripture is other mens words that spoke them freely and Pag. 20. that Richard Farnworth called them in a way of disparagment a printed bible So Pag. 23. sect 3. that Iohn Lawson said we had nothing to try men by but the letter the Bible or written word which is natural and carnal So Pag. 244. he tels us that some of them in a book called a paper sent into the world Pag 2. have these words They are such teachers as tell people that Matthew Mark Luk and John is the Gospel which are but the letter we therefore do dâ—ny them And Pag. 250. he citeth these words out of Tho. Lawsons book called an untaught teacher Pag. 2. To say that the word of truth is called the Scripture or that the Scripture is called the word of truth that is a lie If this man do not approve of these and the like Expressions of those called Quakers he is concerned to give testimony against them and that directly that the world may bear witness of his honesty But we know what account the Old N. England Libertines David George and the Familists with whom this man and the rest agree too well made of the Scripturs 2. It is commonly affirmed by the Quakers that the Scriptures are not the word of God or ought not to be so called So Fox and Hubberthorn cited by Mr Hicks in his first dialogue Pag. 17. where he tels us also that Nailor in his Answere to the jewes P. 22. said That it is the devil that contends for the Scriptures to be the word of God And that this is their common Assertion and that mainly upon this ground that Christ is called the word of God D. Owen also witnesseth this in his Exercit Apol. Pro. S. Scriptâ—r Adv Fanaticos Exerc. 1. Sect. 3. which is no new thing for Phanaticks to alledge for I finde that it was one of Swenckfeldius's heterodoxies de Sacris Libris P. 27 28. and that upon the same
Lapide are remarkable God is said saith he to have taught the Scriptures because 1. He stood so by the writters that they did not erre from the truth in a point 2. He did excite them and suggest to them so as they should write these things rather than those c. He did so inspire them that they set down this conception rather than that c. 3. He so ordered all the conceptions and sentences and led them so as that this sentence was first that next and the other in the third place and thus they were set downe orderly one after another and this is properly to write and make a book and therefore is the Spirit of God properly the Author of the Scriptures Hence is it that the word of God in the Old Test. is tearmed in the New the Scripture or Scriptures pointing out the word as written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby we see that as in the frameing of the truths contained in the Scriptures of Prophecy or as to the matter and thing revealed and written the holy men of God had the real Inspirations of God and spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost or as the Holy Ghost spoke in them and by them they giving only a concurrence of their Rational faculties so in the very commiting of the minde of God unto writing they acted as moved by the Holy Ghost and not by any acquired Skill or Knowledg in the art of Grammer or Rhetorik being herein as a Pen in the hand of a writer and therefore ought not to be called the Secondary or proxime Authors of the Scriptures as some Papists imagine though the Lord used One to express his minde in one way and Another in another way as he thought meet and each in a way suteable to his natural Enduements as he used Esaias to express his minde in an High Loftie and Court-like stile and Amos being an herd man to express his minde in a more Mean and Low stile suteable to herd men in all consulting the universal good of the Church in all ages Whence it is manifest that not only the Matter and Things revealed whether as Truths to be Beleeved or as Lawes to be Obeyed are immediatly of God but also the very Method Expressions and Words wherein these truths were uttered which even some Papists as Gregor de Valentia and Estius Swarez and others confess And so the Whole and every Part Sentence and Word is of divine Authority and of a divine Original Whereby every one may see how sure the ground and basis of our Faith and Obedience is how rationally we act in adhereing to these Scriptures of Truth rejecting whatever is not consonant thereunto and especially all particular pretended divine Revelations which are but the meer product of mens strong Phancies and Imaginations or of Satans Workings in mens mindes and phantasies And withall we hereby see the divine Original of this Word of Prophecie which we must take heed unto as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in our hearts 2 Pet. 1 19. and must study and meditate upon day night Psal. 1. and be well acquanted with They being the Oracles of God Rom. 3 2. and the holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto Salvation through faith which is in Christ Iesus being profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be Perfect thorowly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. As also the unreasonableness of those men who would directly or indirectly bring us off this Ground and have us following the light of that Ignis Fatuus of their Imaginary and Delusory Revelations which as they arise out of a mire so they lead the Man that followeth their guide into one and leave him there 4. Before we proceed because this Man alleâ—dged that it was a calumnie to say that either they denied or undervalued the Scriptures what Apology will he make for his brethren who owne the Scriptures only as a declaration of the Saints conditions witness G. Fox the younger in the collection of his books P. 59. cited by Mr Hicks dial 1. P. 19. account them no better than an old almanack witness Holbrow cited by Mr Hicks P. 29. and look upon it as inck and paper See Mr Hicks Pag. 41. and say that it is dangerous for ignorant people to read them witness Fox and Hubberthorn in Truths defence P. 101 Sâ—e Mr Hicks ibid. who also in his 2 Dial. Pag. 5. tels us that White head expresly saith in his D. P. Pag. 13. that it is idolatry to call the Bible a means and that faith grounded on the Scriptures is but an empty and implicite faith and bespeaks such persons void of the knowledge of God Christ Salvation and to be yet in their sin and that such men walk by thâ—ir own fancies and imaginations Christ Ascend Pag. 11. Do such expressions â—avoure of any high Esteem which they have of the Holy Scriptures if not let him see to it But moreover George Whitehead in his Apology P. 49. said that that which is spoken from the Spirit of truth in any viz. of them is of as great authority as the Scriptures yea and greater See for this Mr Hicks 1 dial P. 28. Will. Pen in his Rais. against Rail P. 40. cited by Mr Hicks 3. Dial. said That the Scriptures at most are but a kinde of declaratory and secondary Rule This man saith the same as we â—hall heare and further The Scripture is the Râ—le of historical faith but the light and Spirit of God can only be the Rule of saving faith and againe Pag. 55. That which is more ancient more universal and more able to informe rule and guide that must eminently be the rule but that hath been and is the Light within Therefore that hath been and ought to be the Rule of faith and practice So P. 48. Because we deny the Scriptures to be the rule of faith practice in honour to that divine light that gave them forth that we should therefore c. If this man think that we calumniat them upon this account he should tell us at least what high and honourable thoughts he and the rest have of them 5. But what if we finde him upon the matter saying little less than they though in more modâ—st expressions He saith I confess in his Thesis That the Scriptures of truth did proceed from the holy Revelations of the Spirit of God and one would think this a faire acknowledgment But in his Apology Pag. 36 he tels us that they do not think that the Authority of the Scriptures doth depend on any Efficacy or Vertue placed in these Writings but ascribe it wholly unto that Spirit from whom they came What confusion and self contradiction is here To say that the Scriptures of Truth are the
the Law of God as their Supream Law and Rule for notwithstanding that these here had received the word spoken by Paul yet they went to their Supream Rule to have full Confirmation and Perswasion and upon this account are highly commended and hereby became beleevers vers 12. What he speaketh Pag. 50 of Heathens and particularly of the Athenians who received not the Scriptures and therefore were not dealt with by the Apostle upon that ground is Impertinent for he granted that the Law was a Principal Rule to the Jewes yet he knoweth that all other Nations did not submit unto it and he cannot say that the Chiefe and Only Rule was more different than nor now But he supposeth that when we speak of the Scriptures as our Rule we do wholly exclude the Law of Nature and the Revelation of God's minde written on the works of Creation and Providence and imprinted into the heart and minde of man as if the Scriptures did not comprehend the other and give a more clear and distinct Explication thereof Doth not the Scripture tell us that Gods works reveal â—omething of Him Psal. 19 2 3 4 5. and 147 10. c Iob 37. and 38. and 39. Act. 14 15 16 1â— Rom. 1 18 19 20. and 2 14 15 And hence also we see that the very Law and Light of Nature hath the Authority of God with it as being a Revelation of his will though dimme and but in part so that such as had no other are judged and condemned as trangressours thereof But this is without any prejudice to that Word which God hath magnified above all his name or what declareth Him Psal. 138 2. and wherein what was but darkly held forth in nature is more clearly and distinctly expressed beside the many other Revelations concerning the Institute worshipe of God and the way of Reconciliation and many other things concerning God and his Relations to us and our Duty to him which Nature could never have discovered and which are fully and clearly held forth in the written Word What argueing is this Because the Gentiles have not the Scriptures which are the Full Clear and Comprehensive Revelation of the minde of God therefore they are not our Supream Only Rule It is observable how this Man in the end of this § 8. will no more have the Scripâ—ures to be our Rule then the heathen Poets a sentence out of whom Paul adduced to convince the Athenians and so contradicteth all that he hath said both as touching the Law and Word of God its being a Principal Rule to the Iewes and among the rest to the Bereans and a Subordinat Rule to us We should have work enough should we do no more but observe this Mans inconsistencies and self contradictions 29. We returne now to examine what he saith against the Perfection of the Scriptures whereby he would prove it to be no Canon to us § 3. c. Pag. 40. c. And here he must give us leave to improve the advantage we have of his Concessions for while he granteth the Scriptures to be Truth he must needs grant that what testimony they give of themselves must be true and if they assert their owne Fulness and Perfection as to the ends for which they were appointed as we shall now shew they do he is as much concerned as we to answere the Objections to the contrary and to vindicate the Scriptures to be Perfect according to the testimony they give of themselves But it is obserâ—able how these Quakers joyne with Papists to decry the Scriptures and their Perfâ—ction and with the Iewes also who in their corrupted stated cryed up an Oral Law as they called it above the written Word It is true their Faces seeme to look to distinct airths but with Samsons foxes their tails are tyed together to consume the Scriptures of truth Our Quakers cry up their Inward Revelations or the Spirit within them as above the Scriptures So do the Papists cry up the Spirit in their Church See Mich. le jay praef ad opus biblic and Morinus â—ut let us see by what Arguments the Scriptures prove themselves to be a Perfect Canon and Rule That place of Paul 2 Tim 3 16 17 is enough to confront all that this Man can say against their Perfection For what is able to make wise unto salvation to make the man of God perfect throughly fournished for all good works is and cannot but be a Compleet and Perfect Rule But Paul positively and expresly asserteth this of the Scriptures nay moreover he cleareth and confirmeth it by enumeratinâ— all the necessary and useful Effects of the Scripture which he reduceth to foure heads to doctrine and Reproof in reference to matters of Faith the one concerneth the declaration and confirmation of Truth the other the rejection and confutation of Errour and then to Correction and Instruction in reference to Manners the one concerneth Evil actions for which men are to be reproved and corrected the other concerneth Good actions wherein we are to be instructed Against this place tâ—is man hath not a face to speak only in the end of Pag. 46. he hinteth that by the Man of God here is meaned the Spiritual Man and not a Carnal Man Which is nothing to the matter for though none but a Spiritual Man can improve the Scriptures aright yet they remaine in themselves a Compleet and Perfect Rule yea this confirmeth their Perfection and Necessity that even the Spiritual Man and he that is most advanced is made perfect by them standeth in need of them as his Rule And sure in this mans judgment they must be more a Rule to Quakers then to any others for these only are men of God with him The same may be cleared from Ioh. 5 39. of which before and Ioh. 20 31. But these are written that ye might beleeve that Iesus is the Christ and that beleeving ye might have life through his name So that the Sufficiency of what is writen concerning Christs Doctrine and Actions unto salvation clearly confirmeth the Perfection of the Scriptures nothing needeth be added to that Rule which is a Sufficient Ground for our faith that we may come to life But the Scriptures are a Sufficient Ground for our faith that we thereby may be saved For this end also compare these following passages Luk. 1 3 4. and 16 29. Act. 1.1 Rom. 10 17. Ephes 2 19 20. 30. Nay not only so but the Scriptures do in express tearmes Assert their owne Perfection Psal. 19 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul must noâ— this man be effronted that with Papists dar openly say the Law of the Lord is not perfect and as if it were not enough to contradict Scripture will goe about to prove that the Scriptures of truth do not speak truth Adde to this these passages wherein men are expresly prohibited to adde to this law such as Deut. 4 2. and 12 32. Prov. 30 5
therein Psal. 111 2. which speak out God's minde as to circumstantial individual actions There are many General Rules which must be applied by Christian Wisdome Prudence and Discretion according to exemplary instances registrated in Scripture so that a person walking in the Light of the Lord and hanging upon Him singly for Light to understand the Rule and Wisdome to regulate his individual Actions thereunto shall see and be convinced of the Perfection of the Law of God and abhore the thoughts of tempting of God by looking for or asking New and Immediat Revelations yea and if any thing should occurre that by reason of its unusualness should seem to be some what extraordinarie and have some farr-resemblance unto that which some would call a Revelation will not rest till their Obedience be bottomed upon the unerring Rule and look upon such unusual manifestations as Confirmations rather than Grounds for their Faith and Obedience And in this the Lord may think good to consult the weakness of such well meaning persons who cannot see that in the Rule of the Scriptures as particularly applicable to their case which Others more mighty in the Scriptures and of more spiritual sharpnesse would easily discover All which tendeth to the Confirmation of the Fulness and Perfection of the Rule and no way to the crying-up and owneing of Inward and Immediat Revelations to the disparagment of the Law of the Lord which is Perfect Matters than being thus the Scripture-Rule able to regulate as a Rule when studied and wisely improven in all the particulars by him mentioned as might be showne Nay more might by shown that the Scripture can sufficiently Regulat the Christian deportment of every servant maide as to the very sweeping of the house how much more shall it be sufficient to Regulat a Minister the Man of God as to all his Deportment in the house of God What needs more to shame this effronted man than to recommend to his serious thoughts if he will do this upon my Recommendation without a new and distinct Revelation the study of these words of Paul already cited 2 Tim. 3 16 1 All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable c. that the man of God may be perfect perfected or thorowly furnished to all good works If this be true and I doubt he hath the forehead yet to say otherwayes he may see Paul here answering all his Instances and telling him that his Allegations are not true And if he will not beleeve Paul immediatly Inspired it were unreasonable in us to expect that our more particular confronting his alleiged Instances out of Scripture should prevaile with him and as for Others who rest satisfied with the Testimony of the Apostle it were needless for us upon this light occasion to digresse further unto a scriptural discovery of these things Thus then we might have dismissed him But for further satisfaction to the Reader we shall goe on and see what he saith more 32. He tels us very honestly that Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. that every member must have its owne place in the Church and consequently their Church must be a monster that hath no distinct members every member must performe its owne function or else cause a schisme in the body and againe That the Lord will have each of his servants do the work which he putteth him to Which who can deny but Quakers who counteract this as is and shall be abundantly showne I know not and againe to the former purpose he citeth Rom 12. And we thank him for it But with all he addeth that no Scripture can tell him whether he should attend exhâ—rtation or Prophecy or ministry or doctrine And this is very true for he is no Church Officer of whom the Apostle there speaketh and having none of those gifts of Office he hath nothing to do with the Work peculiar to these Offices But others whom the Lord according to the Order established in His house whereunto this man is both a stranger and an enemy hath called to Prophecy and Teaching or Exhorting should wait upon it and performe their work according to the proportion of faith and such as are called to Ministry and to Giving should wait upon it and do it with simplicity cheerfulnesse and these who are called to Rule should do it with diligence Could not the man read this in the text But he would say The Scriptures say not that Iohn Iames or Peter should take on this or that Office Nor say I is this required of a Rule as such But how Iames Iohn or Peter shall know by the Scriptures that God calleth them to this or that imployment I have showne above 33 But the weightiest point of all is Pag. 41.42 That the Scriptures cannot give a man any certainty that he is in the faith and an heire of Salvaton And as for me if the Scriptures give not full Certainty in full measure heaped up and running over so farr as is competent to a Rule to do I shall despaire thereof What are there no marks given in Scripture whereby this may be known Yes sayes he But who shall perswade me that I have those marks that I beleeve that I obey c. Is this man in his wits that thinketh this should be done by a Rule Thinks he the Lawes of the land must say that Robert Barclay is a Quaker or that this or that man hath broken this or that Law If Robert Barclay had murthered a man and were impannelled thereupon would he think it a defence good enough in Law to say that in all the Acts of Parliament nay nor in all the Bible too it cannot be read that I Robert Barclay have murthered such a person Therefore tâ—e inference that I must die is founded upon no Law What shall a rational man think of this ridiculous Folly What doth he next He citeth our Confession of faith Chap. 18. Sect. 2. shewing how Assurance is had to which I heartily subscribe for as I shall be loath with this ignorant Man to confound the work proper to the Spirit of God with that which is proper to the Rule of the Scriptures so I shall be loath to decry the Scriptures and rob them of their due as this man doth under a pretext of setting up the Spirit or to deny to the Spirit of God any of his gracious works in the souls of his owne whatever this man think under a pretext of maintainâ—ng the Scriptures Perfection I only here assert and maintaine the Scriptures Perfection as a Rule granting to the Spirit with all cheerfulness and readiness of soul all that work which the Scriptures teach me to do and therefore I grant that the Spirit beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8 16. and what can be rationally deduced from 1 Ioh. 4 13. 5 6. which he citeth I know that it is the Spirit that causeth us know the things that are
doth he think that his saying he exalteth not the Light of nature and that he rejecteth the Socinians and Pelagians will make wise men and acquanted with these controversies think otherwise than that he and his Fraternity are as great enemies to the grace of God and as great exalters of the Light of nature as ever Pelagius or Socinus were Thinks he that his calling the dimme Light of corrupt Nature by and holding it forth to us under the name of Grace or Light or whatever other name he is pleased to name it by will make us think that it is in truth the true Gospel-grace of God and not to be what it is indeed the meer Light of Corrupt Nature Did he never hear how Pelagius to escape the Anathema of a Synod called that which he pleaded for Grace and was he lesse what he was an enemy to the grace of God for all that never one white and so is it with this Man we are confident ere all be done to finde him as great a Pelagian and Socinian and Iesuite in this point as any and I judge it intollerable Eâ—trontedness or shameless Ignorance in him to place the Pelagians Semipelagians Socinians and some Papists one the extreme as to his Opinion as he doth Pag. 54. of his Apology but of this more afterward 16. When he cometh in his Apology to explaine his Thesis Pag. 54. forbearing to speak of the State of Adam before the Fall because forsooth in his judgment these are but curious notions as the Arminians thought before him Apol. Cap. 5. and yet I judge his plaine expressing of his Opinion in this matter would have contributed not a little to our understanding of his meaning as to the Nature and Consequences of the Fall But it is true the full explication of the State of Adam's righteousness thâ—rein and of the Covenant under which he and mans Nature in him stood would have marred all this Mans Pelagian and Socinian designe and have made him and the rest whom he patronizeth too too naked 17. But behold the 〈◊〉 of â—his Impudent man just now he told us that he was neither Pelagian nor Socinian and yet within a few lines he tels us that the death threatned Gen. 2 17. was 〈◊〉 and death or the dissolution of the 〈◊〉 Man which is the same that Pelagian and Socinian both hold that they may the better maintaine that Principal Errour viz. the Non imputation of Adam's sin to Infants which is also a Cardinal point of this Mans Religion That the Pelagians were of this Opinion Augustine tels us Lib. 1. contra posterior Response jul c. 66. saying you will not say that because of sin death passed upon all originally lest you be forced also to confess that sin did passe upon all for you know how iniquous it is to saâ— thâ— punishment passed without the merite And though Pelagius himselfe as the Synod in Palestine did dissimulate herein as Augustin sheweth Lib. 1. uâ—tani Operis contra jul Cap. 65. Lib. 2 C 113. yet julianus and others still maintained that Adam was so created that though he had nor sinned yet he would have died not as punished for sin but by necessity of nature And Orosius Apol. de Arbitrii libertate advers Pelag. Pag. â—37 tels Pelagius that his disciples that had sucked poison out of his brests affirmed that Adam was made mortal and suffered no dammage herein by his transgression See Vossij Hist. pelag Lib. 2. par 2. P. 188.189 That the Socinians maintaine that Man by nature was mortal before the fall is manifest out of their writings See Socin prael Cap. 1. and contra Puccium Cap. 5. Volkel Lib. 3 Cap. 11. and 14. Socin de Servatore part 3 c. 8. Item ad articulos Cutenj The Arminians Apol. c. 4 so express themselves in this matter as not to displease the Socinians This is also the opinion of Anabaptists who deny original sin Hence already appeareth one cause why this man would not speak anything of the state of Adam before the fall for if he had he behoved so to have explained that excellent staâ—e as that it might appear how notwithstanding thereof Adam was obnoxious to death and dissolution which is inconsistent with such a state of full felicity Eccles. 9 4. But the Lord when he came to passe sentence upon Adam according to the commination because of his transgression Gen. 3 19. tels him that his outward man must be dissolved and that he must return unto the ground and unto the dust So the Apostle holdeth forth death or this dissolution of the outward man as a just punishment and as the wages of sin Rom 5 12 21.806 23. 1 Cor. 15 21 56. So doth the Scripture elsewhere Hos. 13 1. Ezech. 18 4. 1 Cor 11 30. Deut. 30 15 19. Ier. 21 8. Psal. 49 14 55 15. Iâ—m 1 15. what else importeth the law for putting of so many sorts of sinners unto death Exod. 21 29 35 2. Levit. 19 20. 20 11. Numb 1 51. 3 10 38. 18 â— 35 30 Levit. 24 21. Deut. 13 5 9. 17 6 7. 21 22. 24 16. Ios. 1 18 2 Chron. 15 13. is not death called the last enemy which must be destroyed Esa. 25 8. Hos. 13 14. 1 Cor. 15 26 59 Yea nature teacheth this truth Rom. 1 32. See further Ier. 31 30. 2 Chron. 25 4. Ezech. 18 20. Amos. 9 10. with many moe 18. what is his reason why natural Death is not here to be understood for says he as to this death he did not die till many yeers afterward But was he not made Obnoxious thereunto by vertue of that Threatning Threatnings properly declare only the dueness of punishment and say that the transgressour is worthy of or deserveth the punishment threatned or is liable and obnoxious thereunto and not alwayes the certanty of the execution as to the event other wise this man must say that by death here is not to be understood the everlasting separation of soul and body from God and the paines and torments of hell for neither was that presently executed upon Adam And then I would faine know what he understandeth by this Death If he sâ—y that this was begun to be executed that same day in testimony whereof he was cast out of paradise that same day So shall I say that the bodily death began to be executed that same day for it was said to him Gen. 3 17. in sorrow shall thou eate of it the ground all the dayes of thy life 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground Will this Man say that Paines Sicknesses and temporal Calamities that attend us from the womb to the grave in one measure or other are not the due fruits of sin Then he shall contradict manifest Scripture Lam. 3 39. 1 Cor. 11 30. Deut 28. Levit. 26. with many moe If he dar not say
proof Doth he take us all for credulous Quakers 22. But what can be this mans designe in all this It is indeed a most desperat designe for it is no lesse upon the matter than to Overturne the whole Gospel of the grace of God why so You will say Because as we will see more fully afterward his maine designe in this is to Evince that all the good that is found or heard of to have been or yet to be among Heathens Turks or Barbarians who never heard of the Gospel or of Christ revealed therein was as much of the Grace of God in Christ and the fruit of Christ's merite and intercession and the Blessing of the New Coveâ—ant of Grace as the Holiness of such as are united by faith unto Christ. and crucified with Him and have Him living and working in them by his Spirit So that if we come the length of some Heathens who have walked more closely to the Principles of Nature than others and have bin more Moral as to some things in their outward carriage than the common rabble of Men we have attained the Gospel Holiness and Sanctification at least as to kinde which these men intend and to that measure thereof which will ensure our Salvation Now what a desperat designe this is to bring us no further length than to polished Heathenisme let every Christian judge and see if the title of my book be not true that Quakerisme is the path way to Paganisme But the sequel will more confirme this 23. For further manifesting of this wickedness let us consider what he sayeth further Pag. 56. toward the end He bringeth-in this Objection That the Apostle sayeth Rom. 2 14. that the Gentiles who had not the Law did by nature the things contained in the Law the meaning of which words as we adduce them is not to prove as he falsely here insinuateth and expresseth that such by nature can do that which is good and acceptable in the sight of God but to prove as shall be made manifest afterward That there are some Notions of God and of Moral honesty as relicques of that noble image of God with which man was endued at the beginning left in corrupt man whereby he through the dim light of nature may see something of the Law of nature pointing out his duty to God to man and to himself and may do upon the matter something of that which the Law of nature requireth and yet when he hath improven Nature to its yondmost shall never do that which is well pleasing in the sight of God who since the fall only accepteth of that which is done in the strength and grace of Jesus Christ and by one reconciled unto Him in and through Christ. Let us now see what he Answereth This nature sayeth he neither may nor can be understood of mans proper nature which is corrupt and fallen but of spiritual nature which proceeds from the seed of God as he hath received a new visitation of divine love and is thereby quickened For answere I would know whether he understandeth this Spiritual Nature of that which is common to all the Gentiles or of that which was peculiar to some If he understand that which is common to all then according to his divinity every heathen let be every Christian hath this Spiritual Nature and Seed of God in him and what good they do in Natural or Moral actions proceeth from this seed of God and spiritual nature And consequently the thoughts of their heart concerning the being of God which is good because true and according to the Law writen in every mans heart must flow from this Principle and from no other and so the devils who beleeve that there is a God Iam. 2 19. must be partaker of this Spiritual Nature and Seed of God Observe Reader whither this Mans Religion will bring us and what the Grace of God and that Spiritual Nature is which this man would lead us unto Even that which is common to devils If he meane that which is peculiar to some I would enquire who these some are Doth he meane the Gentiles who were converted by the Gospel and become Christians These we grant have a spiritual Nature but sure the Apostle is not speaking of such as the whole scope of his discourse cleareth If he understand this of the Heathens who did better improve the light of nature than others we know no spiritual Nature that such have for all their advancement in Nature because they are yet out of Christ whose members only are made partakers of this new spiritual Nature according to that Gospel which we hope to be saved by And his contrary opinion confirmeth us of their anti-evangelick Principles and paganish designe 24. He addeth a reason from vers 15. where the Apostle saith that they shew the work of the Law written in their hearts and this says he the Scripture witneseth to be a great part of the dispensation of the New Covenant Wherein the Man who would faine make us beleeve he had no fellowshipe with the Socinians joineth with Smalcius the Socinian writing against Frantzius disp S Pag. 419. who upon this same ground alledgeth that Paul speaketh here of Gentiles who were under the New Covenant and not of such who lived before Christ came while as it is manifest from vers 10. that Paul is speaking of the Gentiles in the general in opposition to the Jewes who made their boast of the Law and is hereby shewing that they will be without excuse in the day of judgment of which he speaketh vers 16. howbeit they wanted that Law which the Jewes had because they had the Law of nature which they transgressed ingraven in their mindes and consciences as he further cleareth by their consciences bearing witness and their thoughts accusing or excusing c. 2. Where read we that any do by nature the things declared in the New Covenant 3. How can such as are under the New Covenant be said to be without a Law as these here 4. Is not the New Covenant alwayes opposed to the Law See Gal. 2 16. Rom. 3 27 28. and several other places 5. How can such as are under and within the New Covenant be said to sin and to perish without Law as here vers 12â— 6. How can such as are under the New Covenant be a Law unto themselves as here 7. Where in all the Scripture is the matter of the New Covenant called the work of the Law He would do well if he thought good to consult Calvin Pareus and other Commentators on the place 8. This Man told us above homologating with the Socinians that the New Covenant had no place under the Law and yet even then we hear of the Law in hearts Psal. 40 9 37 31. Esa. 51 7. 9. Had not Adam even after the fall the Law in some measure fixed and written in his hâ—aâ—t when his conscience accused him of his transgression and he did run to hide
Concupiscence was sin Rom 7 7. And when they did the things contained in the Law they did them not perfectly nor doth the Apostle say this but the contrary for he addeth that their consciences did accuse them 2. Though we should suppose that they both could and did fulfil the Law against all Reason Scripture and Experience yet we who do not with this man deny Original sin might assert a necessity of Christ's coming for all their future obedience make it never so perfect being but their duty could make no satisfaction to divine justice for Adams sin whereof they were guilty 3. Hence he may see that we need not say that any can or could be saved without Christ. 4. Nor need we say that such should have been damned for being ignorant of Christ to come but for their transgression But absurdities deduced from an impossible supposition are but absurd probations fit only for Quakers 27. What he saith § 3. to the vindicating of 1 Cor 2 14. from the exception of such as would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaned of a Brutish man an animal not of a Natural man doth not concerne us but therein unawars he contradicteth himself for if man now in his fallen condition can know nothing of God of his Being Nature or Government of the world nor nothing of the Principles of common Honesty Morality nor nothing of the things of the Law as he went about to prove as we heard then let him tell me wherein a man in his Natural state differeth from a Brute And how he can then make use of this answere Againe when he sayeth that the Apostle doth demonstrate through that whole chapter he should have added the first Chapter too how the wisdom of Man is an uncapable judge of the things of God Let him tell me if he thinketh that the wise men such as the Grecians of old were as he granteth here could not judge of any of these particulars held forth in the Law of God If not wherein appeared their Wisdome Or wherein were they to be called Wise If they could judge in some matters of the Law which was written in their heart then let him reconcile this if he can with what he said above But as we have frequently alreaâ—y observed this Man regairdeth so little what he sayeth that may he but have occasion to contradict Truth he cares not how often he contradict himself as is usual with such who are carryed away with a prejudice against Truth and know not well as yet were to settle 28 Thus have we examined what this Quaker saith upon this Head and because he alleiged we spoke without Reaâ—on when we said that there were some reliques of the image of God left in the natural man whereby he may know some things concerning God's Being and Nature and Government of the world his duty towards God his Neghbour and Himself we shall shortly manifest the truth of this to the end that it may the better appeare that this Quakers Theology which he pleadeth for and driveth at is but Paganical borne with every corrupt son of Adam and far different from that which is Saving and is manifest by the Gospel which hath brought life and immortality to light The Socinians deny that there is any inuate knowledge of God in man or that by nature he knoweth any thing of God so Socinus himself praelect cap 11 So Ostorodus Institut P. 1. 10. Smalcius contra Frantzium disp 8. though others as Crellius and Schlichtingius be of another judgment our Divines on the contrare Maintaine that there is some Imperfect and as to Salvation Insufficient though sufficient for Instruction as to several duties and to render the transgressours Unexcusable knowledge of God implanted in corrupt nature so that man even in his natural condition coming to the use and exercise of Reason by a natural instinct sense and force cometh to know that there is a God that is Optimus Maximus Powerfull Good Wise c. Governeth all the world that we ought to Worshipe Serve him that we ought to do Right to all that Punishment abideth evil doers and several things of this nature and what our Divines say they confirme by Scripture and Reason passages of Scripture are these Rom. 1 19. because that which may be knâ—wn of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not manifested unto some few of them as to their chiefe Philosophers but in all who were ungodly and unrighteous and held the truth in unrighteouâ—ness vers 18. So vers 21. it is said that they knew God even they who did not glorify him as God neither were thankful but became vaine in their imaginations c. So vers 23. They changed the glory of the incorruptible God And therefore had some notions of this incorruptible and glorious majesty And vers 25. they changed the truth of God into a lie So vers 32. They knew the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death And so could noâ— be ignorant of God of his Law of the Equity thereof of their Obligation to obedience and of God's Righteousnes in Iudging and Punishing transgressours So Rom 2 14 15. of which we spoke above The Gentiles who had not the written law did by nature the things contained in the Law and did shew the work of the law written in their hearts having their consciences bearing them witness and their thoughts accusing or excusing according as they observed or transgressed the said law So that having this law implanted in their hearts they could not be ignorant of God whose law this is and in whose name it calleth for Obedience nor of their own Obligation to obedience and their Consciences did preach forth the same for it judgeth and accuseth as God's Deputy See likewise Act. 14 15 16 17. 17 24 25 26 27. As for Reasons evinceing this They adduce the Workings and Stirrings of the Conscience which natural men have and which they cannot get shaken off which manifestly evince to them That there is a Supream Judge God in whose name Conscience giveth sentence and vexeth and tormenteth evil doers night and day for as Menander said conscience is a God to all mortals And this took vengeance on that monster of men Caligula and so haunteth evil doers that they alwayes think they see their Punishment before their eyes hence some Great persons without the reach of Inferiours have been made to tremble and quake at thunder claps yea and put violent hands in themselves Philosophers Historians and Poets declare this at large yea common sense and experience confirmeth it so that every rational person cannot but assent to the truth of this so soon as he heareth it and knoweth what is said That God is It carryeth alongs with it such rayes of light that without any difficulty it is seen and understood and mans Minde and Judgment of
Vossius ubi Supra Pag. 150. taking that by nature c. to import as none with any shew of reason can otherwise think all carnally borne and partaking of the nature of Adam and so to be verified of all borne by the conjunction of man and woman so that by nature is as much as naturally And Calvin on the place sayeth that it is a notable passage against the Pelagians for saieth he what is naturally in every one is in them from their very original therefore if all be children of wrath or obnoxious to wrath by nature they are so from their very original But what way doth this Man evade The Apostle sayeth he assigneth evil actions not any thing that is not yet reduced into act for an argument proveing them to be children of wrath By which we see how backwardly this man readeth the Scriptures for the Apostle to commend the riches and power of the grace of God towards these Ephesians whom the Lord had quickened showeth what persons they were and all are before grace take hold of them He saith not that these Ephesians were children of wrath because walking according to the course of this world c. but that they had so walked were moreover children of wrath by nature and it is observable though this Man putteth out his owne eyes that he may not see it how the Apostle changeth the person from the second to the first vers 3. saying among whom also we all had our conversation in times past and were by nature the children of wrath even as others And thereby sheweth that this was not the condition of the Ephesians and other Gentiles only but of the Jewes also himself not excepted because nature corrupted in Adam is one and the same common to all both Jewes and Gentiles so that all as soon as they partake of Nature come under this guilt and are Children of wrath He himself immediatly before told us that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned 1 Cor. 2. the Carnal man was not the Animal man but the Rational man so that this is true not only of the beastly man who by his actual sinnes bâ—utifieth himself and maketh himself a meer Animal but even of the Rational man who hath a rational soul and so soon as he hath a rational soul. The usual import of the word Nature and Natural in Scripture confirmeth this Rom. 2 27. 11 24. Gal. 2 15. 4 8. 1 Cor. 15 44 46. 10. We need not then regaird what he addeth saying that the Gospel condemneth nor threatneth no man but him that hath actually sinned for in some sense the Gospel condemneth no man that heareth it but the final unbeleever but offereth life pardon to all to whom it is preached of all their sins actual original upon condition of accepting of Christ offered therein And as for the New Test. we have seen enough in it already and will see more to evince our point and albeit this were not we Judge that the Old Test. could prove the point as we shall also see The Gospel moreover tels us that except a man be born againe he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God and so that as long as he hath but the first birth of the flesh he is under the wrath of God Infants are not capable of threatnings but they are capable of death which we proved in the preceeding Chapter to be the punishment of sin 11. Nor is that which followeth much worth the noticeing when he sayeth God will visite the iniquities of the fathers upon their childeren who abide in sin and so homologate and follow thir fathers iniquities For there is a vast difference betwixt Adam's first sin and the sinnes of other Parents Adam's first sin or breach of the Covenant was not a personal sin as the sinnes of other Parents are and his after sins were but the sin of the whole Nature whereof he was the Head and Representative therefore all that partake of that Nature participate of the guilt of Nature when Infants have a being they partake of the nature of Adam immediatly and though they have this nature by meanes of generation of their immediat parents yet they have not this nature from them but from Adam as I said And though they have their personality from their immediat parents yet they do not partake of their Fathers personality but have their owne humane personality not being a thing propagable therefore they cannot in strick sense be guilty of their parents personal sinnes And yet if it were of moment to debate the matter we might shew from Scripture how the holy Lord who is Just Righteous punisheth even children for their Fathers faults and though the children be sometimes found guilty of actual sinnes and so homologate their Fathers transgression yet it is not found alwayes to be so It was not so I suppose with the infants of Careh Dathan and Abiram and the rest of that conspiracy nor with the Children of Achan nor with the Infants of Sodome and Gomorrah and of the Old world nor with these that were carried away captive by the Assyrians and Babylonians and several other instances to speak nothing of the Children of Cain Ismael Esau and of the Jewes when cut off the Old and Natural stock Rom. 11. And further the very expression of God Command 2. of visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the Children sheweth that whatever sinnes they may have of their owne yet it is the fathers guilt that bringeth on that punishment else it could not be a visiting of their fathers iniquities but only of their owne 12. It seemeth more considerable that he sayeth our opinion is contrary both to the mercy and justice of God if he had given any proof But he must follow the footsteps of Socinians and Arminians who Assert this also but will not much trouble us with their probations He told us just now himself That God can and doth visite the Iniquities of Fathers on their Children and how can this comport with his goodness and justice seing their fathers sins are not properly their owne because they were personal when he thinketh it Incongruous to God's Iustice and Goodness to impute the sin of Nature to all that partake of that nature though it be their owne by vertue of their partaking of Nature And strange it is that men will be that bold as to call God to their bar and accuse him as Unrighteous because he taketh vengeance when upon a far unlike account they will not impute iniquity unto Men we see that for crimes of â—ese Majesty or the like one man is not only punished but all his posterity after him though not yet borne are forfeited When a person representing others which cometh neareâ— to our case committeth any fault as such a person representing all whom â—e representeth must beare the guilt and the inconvenience following there upon and no man will account this unjust or iniquous
made up for destruction and that as the first is done that He might make known the riches of his glory so the last is done that He might shew his wrath and make his power known 10. Christ Mat. 11 25 26. referreth the Lords hiding of the Gospel-manifestations of life and salvation from some unto the good pleasure of God! and if this part of the execution of the decree of Reprobation be referred unto this Absolute Soveraignity good Pleasure of God as its first and only spring much more must the Decree it self be reduced to this only Fountain 11. The like we may observe from 1 Pet. 2.8 from Iud vers 4. from Revel 13 8 17 8. 12. We are told that the Lord added to the Church dayly such as should be saved Act. 2 47. and that as many as were ordained to eternal life believed Act. 13 48. where we see that the appointing some to be saved and ordaining them to eternal life is given as the prime ground and cause of their being added to the Church and Beleeving whence it followeth that the Lord did not adde others to the Church nor give them grace to Beleeve because he had not ordained and appointed them to life the consequence of the Negation is as manifest as the consequence of the Affirmation and is clearly intimated when the other is expressed 11. Thus the Scripture confirmeth our point we shall adde a few reasons as 1. No temporal thing such as is mans sin can be the cause of that which is Eternal as is God's act of Reprobation If it be said that the foresight of what is temporal may be the cause of an Eternal Decree I answere This cannot be for how is it imaginable That God's prescience should be the meritorious cause of his Decree can one eternal Act of God be the meritorious cause and of such a cause we speak here of another All the Eternal Acts of God are one and they are the same with himself how absurd is it then to imagine one to be the meritorious cause of another or the same act as terminated on one object to be the meritorious cause of it self as terminated upon another object If it be said that sin foreâ—een can be the cause of an Eternal act of Reprobation Answ. But sin can not be foreseen as a thing that shall exist without a previous decree concerning its existence by the permission of God and so sin must first be permitted or decreed to be by permission before any man can be Reprobated because of sin by this Objection and then when we suppose sin to be permitted by a decree I ask for what end is this decreed permission God decreeth nothing but for a certane end and what is His End in this is it that he may thereby be moved to Reprobat Then his intention of Reprobation is first for the intention of the End is before the Intention of the midss and how absurd and a theological is that to say that God intended an End and then he Intended Meanes to move him to intend that end Againe by this Assertion the decree of Permitting sin should be before the decree of Damning for sin and so we must imagine the same order in the decrees that we see in the things decreed while as how various soever the things decreed be the decrees themselvs are all one pure act in God who is actus purissimus simplicissimus and therefore sin foreseen can no more be the meritorious cause of the decree of Reprobating for sin than of the decree of Permitting sin And if we should imagine an order betwixt these two decrees of Permitting of sin and of Reprobating for sin it must be such an order as is betwixt the Intention of the End and of the Meanes and so the intention of Permitting sin being first should be of the End which is always first in intention and the intention of Reprobation being the last of these two should be of the Means and so we should be damned for sin that we might be Permitted to sin and that which is first in Intention as the End being last in Execution and that which is a Means being first it would follow that man should be first damned and then permitted to sin which is obviously false and absurd 2. if sin be the meritorious cause of Reprobation then it is so either by necessity of Nature or by the free Constitution of God But neither can be said as we saw above â— The decrees of God can have no more a cause than himself can have all the Acts of God's will being his Will and his Will being Himself we cannot imagine a cause in man of an act of his will more than of himself 4 we should reason proportionably of the decree of Election as we do of the decree of Reprobation as we saw the Apostle doing and so if sin foreseen be the cause of Reprobation grace foreseen must be the cause of Election against the whole Scripture and the Apostles expresse argueing Rom. 9. 5. That procureing cause of Reprobation God could have prevented or taken out of the way if he had pleased else we must imagine a stoical fate overpowering God himself If he might have taken it out of the way and did not can any reason hereof be given beside his owne good pleasure or his designe to manifest the glory of his justice in the just damnation of such and doth not this referre the decree of damning for sin ultimatly unto His good pleasure 6. what are those sinnes which are the procuring cause of Reprobation This man will not say that Original sin is the cause for he denieth it as we saw in the proceeding Chapter And what can that actual sin be and whatever be supposed it must be such as could be foreseen in no other otherwise the foresight thereof could not be the proper meritorious or moving cause why this man was Reprobated more then that man for what is to be foreseen in an Elect cannot be the meritorious cause why the other is Reprobated Againe whatever actual sin that be final Unbeleef or what you will it must either be such as God could have prevented or taken out of the way if he had pleased or not if the first be said then it is manifest that the decree of Reprobation can not ultimatly be resolved into sin as a procuring cause but into the good pleasure of God who would not take that sin out of the way nor prevent its being If this Last be said then God was under a fatal necessitie of decreeing and doing all which he decreed and did and could not hinder sin nor not create that man nor alter any one circumstance which did occasion that sin and thus God himself shall be bound by the fetters of a fatal Necessity yea and all this fatal Necessity shall have its rise from Man which were most absurd and blasphemous 7. if actual sinnes be the consequent of
Yet as the Apostle sayeth concerning God's faithfulness Rom. 3 3 4. for what if some did not beleeve shall their unbeleef make the faith of God of none effect God forbid yea let God be true and every man a liar so say I what if some do not beleeve shall their unbeleefe make the unchangeable Purposes and Intentions of God of none effect No let God be Unchangeable and every man a Changeling and as for Ioh. 3 16. On which our Adversaries build much though this Quaker hath not the wit to improve what they have said the meaning of the place is directly against them for the words run thus in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that all beleeving or all beleevers or every one that beleeveth in him might nâ—t perish but have everlasting life So that his death here is manifestly restricked unto Beleevers and if our Adversaries shall prove that either all are or shall be Beleevers we shall easily grant without disput that Christ died for them all And this is further manifest from the preceeding verse unto which this is subjoyned as a Confirmation and connected by the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there Christ had said that all and every beleever in him should not perish but have everlasting life and vers 14. as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up now lest Nicodemus should suppose that because Christ had made mention of the brazen serpent which Moses lifted up in the wilderness the benefite of which was peculiar to the Jewes that therefore the benefite of Christ's death should reâ—ound only to the advantage of the beleeving Jewes our Lord sheweth in the proof vers 16. the large extension of the death of Christ to wit that God sent not his Son for the Jewes only but for the Gentiles also whom the Jewes looked upon as devouted to destruction and said that they should all be destroâ—ed in the dayes of the Messiah and whom they ordinarily stiled the Nations of the world as is observed by such as are versed in the writings of the Rabbines and in the Talmuds To rectifie therefore this mistake Christ tels Nicodemus one of the Jewes Rulers and Rabbies that God so loved the world that is the Gentiles whom they called the Nations of the world that he gave his only begotten son that all beleevers even among them should not perish and in the next vers addeth moreover for God sent not his son into the word to condemne the world that is the Gentiles as they foolishly imagined but that the world through him might be saved See Ioh. 6 v. 33 51. 2 Cor. 5 v. 19. Ioh. 4 v. 42. 12 vers 47. 60. He proceedeth § 8 and bringeth another proof from Heb. 2 9. where it is said that Iesus by the grace of God should taste death for every man And thence he inferreth that if he tasted death for all then there were none for whom he did not taste death therefore there is none that may not partake of the benefite of his death Ans. 1. That for every man in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an enallage for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for all and this tasting of death was no other then dying as Mat. 16 28. Mark 9 1. Luk. 9 27. Ioh. 8.52 Shall we now think that Christ died for all and every man that is in their roome and stead as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth Philemâ— 13 2 Cor. 15 20. and alwayes in profane Authors when mention is made of one dying for another and frequently also in the 70. version as when David wished to have died for Absolom and one King is said to have reigned in the stead and place of another and yet that many of these same men shall die for themselves and suffer in their own persons what Christ suffered for them This is the import of this mans glosse Nay when Christ by his death in the room of all every man did procure no more than that they might partake of the benefite of his death it might so have come to passe that not one of all these all and every one should ever have reaped any good of his death 2. What we are to look upon as the proper import of this and the like Universal terme we have showne above And the Apostle here writing unto the Hebrewes who as was said fondly conceited that salvation belonged to them alone and that the Gentiles should reap no benefite of the Messiah had ground to use the same that they might see the Messiah was not for them alone 3. What these all are for whom Christ tasted death the text clearly sheweth when they are called Sones who must be brought to glory and not have a meer may be of salvation and of whose salvation Christ is peculiar Captane vers 10 the Sanctified who are all of one with the Sanctifier and his Brethren vers 11 12 17. that belong to his Church vers 12. The Children which God had given him vers 13. who were to be dilivered vers 15. did belong to the seed of Abraham vers 16. and for whose sins he made reconciliation vers 17. whom he succoureth in temptation vers 18. If this context do not sufficiently confute this conceite we need regaird the Scriptures no more 61. He addeth Ioh. 3 17. 12 47. And then tels us that by our doctrine Christ should rather be said to have come to condemne the world for if he came not to bring salvation to the most part of the world but to augment their comdemnation he came of purpose not to save but to condemne the world Ans. Prejudice hath so far blinded this mans eyes that he seeth not the beame in his owne eye He observeth not that by his owne opinion this may be more truely said of Christ viz that he came to Condemne the world and the whole world than of ours for by his opinion not one man might have been saved because Christ only procured a meer Possibility and no Certanty for any one man as he supposeth and can he be so blinde as not to see that this is worse than to say that Châ—ist shall certanely save some though the greatest part shall perish 2. was not Christ set for the fall of many Luk. 2 34. and for a stumbling block Esai 8 14 15. Rom. 9 33. 1 Pet. 2 7. Esai 28 26. Sayeth not Christ himself Ioh. 9 39 for judgment I am come into this world that they which see might be made blinde See also Ioh. 15 22 24. But 3. Our answere is this that Christ came indeed to save the World that is his People scattered up and down the world and especially among the Gentiles whom the Iewes looked upon as was said lately as the Nations of the Gentiles who were to be destroyed at the coming
World and why because the word World is frequently taken for Unbeleevers for which he citeth many passages several of which are very impertinent for some speak of the World containing not of the inhabitants as Ioh. 17 15 18. some of the profites and pleasures of the world as Mat. 16 26. 1 Ioh. 2 15. some make no mention of the World as Mat. 18 1â— Ioh. 7.8 26. and 18 19. and 17 20. Others speak of the temptations and other accidents of the world as Gal. 6 14. Iam. 1 27. 2 Pet. 2 20. And then he tels us that the World is here distinguished from beleevers who come in under the word ours and so the speach should be redundaâ—t and superfluous But the full commentary of the word he draweth from this same Epistle Chap. 5 10. where the same Apostle is speaking to the same persons To all which We Answere Notwithstanding that enough was said above to enervate any Argument drawn from hence 1. The word World can prove nothing for it admitteth of so many various acceptations not to mention the world containing signifying sometimes indefinitly men without restrictions or enlairgements Esai 13 11. Ioh. 7 4. Sometimes Many Mat. 18.7 Ioh. 4 42. and 12 19 and 16 8 and 17 21. 1 Cor. 4 9. Revel 13 3. Sometimes a great part of the World Rom. 1 8. and 10 18. Mat. 24 14. and 26 13. Sometimes the Roman Impire Luk. 2 1. Sometimes the wicked and sometimes God's owne scattered up and down the world Psal. 22 27. Ioh. 3 16. and 6 36 51. Rom 4 13. and 11 12 15. 2 Cor. 5 19. Col. 1 6. 2. Nor can the phrase whole world or all the world prove any thing for that also is variously taken and never except once Rom. 3 19. where it is in a necessary matter taken for all and every individual person See Revel 3 10. and 12 9. and 13 3. Col. 1 vers 6. Luk. 2 1. and in other places it doth not denote men 3. It is but rational to suppose that the whole world here denoteth no more than the like expressions elsewhere to wit all nations all flesh all the ends of the earth all the families of the earth c. and we did shew above that these used in the matter whereof we are now speaking could not be taken in their most comprehensive sense otherwayes it would follow that all and every man should have grace and glory see for instance Psal. 22 27. and 72 11. and 93 3. But Peter tels us how such ought to be interpreted Act. 2 17. expounding that universal Ioel 2 18. 4. That there must here be a restriction himself must grant otherwise he must bring-in the Devils and say that Christ is a propitiation for them and not for us only who are men upon earth because the word world in its universal extent will comprehend them also Especially considering how the second place may contribute to strengthen this supposition seing the Devils lye in evil But if he take liberty to restrick it to Men he must not be offended with us for taking the same liberty to restrick it to a certane sort of Men as elsewhere it is restricked to signifie Wicked men so here it may signifie Beleevers or the Elect as the like phrase of all nations importeth Esai 66 18. and 2 2. and elsewhere 5. And that it must be restricked so here is manifest from the very word Propitiation for if it be taken for the actual Application of the benefites of Christs death according to the parallel place Rom. 3 25. where it is said to be by faith then it is manifest that Beleevers only are intended here and indeed the whole discourse is intended for the comfort of Beleevers against incident sinnes and not for the comfort of Others And if it be meaned of Impetration even then there must be a restriction to such as either are or through grace shall be made beleevers for only such as we did shew above are they for whom Christ is a propitiation Shall Christ be looked upon as an Advocate with the Father for the wicked Reprobate In this word propitiation there is an allusion to the cover of the Ark and Mercy seat called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9 5. which signified the covering of the Law as a rigide Covenant of works importing Reconciliation and Acceptation with God through Christ the true Propitiation or Mercy seat Rom. 3 25. who propitiated for sinnes Heb. 2 17. and so expiated them for upon tâ—is followeth remission Mat. 26 28. Rom. 3 25. and 5 9. Ephes. 1 7. Col. 1 14. Heb. 9 22. 1 Ioh. 1 7. 1 Pet. 1 2. Revel 1 5. And shall we say that this is common to all the world Or that all this importeth only a Possible Reconciliation and Remission or that it is for such as shall themselves suffer the vengeance of eternal fire for ever Let Quakers beleeve this if they will for my part I cannot 6. Why the Apostle should use this general terme in a restricted sense we formerly gave a reason see § 59. and 60. This Apostle conversing most with Jewes Gal. 2 9. wrote this Epistle unto them as is most probable they having first had the offer made unto them which is hinted in this same Chapter vers 7. And so he useth the word World in a sense which they understood well to wit as importing the Gentiles whom he would hereby insinuate to be now taken-in and no more strangers and forreigners the partition wall being broken down And hereby it appeareth that there is no tautologie in the words when he sayes he is a propitiation for our sinnes who are beleevers of the Jewes but also for the sinnes of the people of God among the Gentiles who are expresly called the world in opposition to the Jewes Rom. 11 15. or of the children of God through the world as Ioh. 11 51 52. where this same Apostle giveth us the plaine meaning of this word 7. As for 1 Ioh. 5 13. It is manifest how impertinent that is to this purpose and if this man will urge it in its latitude he shall make the Apostle contradict himself for the whole World may take in beleevers and whereas he thinks the word world used in one and the same Epistle must necessarily import one and the same thing he sheweth himself a stranger in the Scriptures where several times an antanaclasis or the same word having distinct significations is used not only in the same Book or Epistle but in the same verse pronunced with the same breath as Ioh. 1 vers 10. and 3 vers 6 17. Mat. 8 v. 22. 1 Ioh. 3 v. 16. to name no moe 65. He addeth some testimonies of Antiquity whether of his owne gathering or not I think it not worth the while to search but hereby he would make his Readers beleeve that what be saith was the doctrine of the Church for the first Six hundered yeers and yet the eldest
in Politiques as not to see it of his Advantage to cloath Old Errours with New Notions that they may the better passe among the ignorant for matters never heard of before 2. But leaving this to the ensueing tryal let us see what is this New Light and Gospel the knowledge of which he saith they have gote by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and have it confirmed by their sensible Experience and sealed by the Inward Testimony of the Spirit in their hearts He layeth downe the mater in three Propositions Pag. 79. § 11. The first whereof which in this Chapter we are to examine is this That God who out of his infinite love sent his Son who tasted death for every man hath granted to every Person whether Iew oâ— Gentile or Turk or Schithian or Indian or Barbarian of whatsoever Kinde or Nation or in whatever part of the world he live a certain day and time of visitation in which day or time it is possible for them to be saved and partake of the benefite of Christs death This is one part of the New Gospel which the Quakers preach And â—re I proceed in the examination of the grounds thereof I must premise these two things first That all this is founded upon the errour of Vniversal Redemption which we have rejected and confuted in the preceeding Chapter and when the only pillar on which this new Fabrick is erected is taken away by such force of Scripture and Reason as this Man I suppose shall be forced to yeeld unto or declare himself to be self condemned the building setled thereupon needeth no more than its owne weight to bring it downe headlong And when further Chap. VII we have vindicated the doctrine of Reprobation and free Election which this man laboured with all his might to take out of the way knowing that if that should stand his New Religion or rather Old Pelagian Arminian Delusion should finde no footing we might forbear the further examination of his following doctrine which is but so many native consequences flowing from false Grounds and Positions But Secondly I cannot well understand how he can say that he and the rest of the Quakers have this confirmed unto them by their sensible Experience it not being a matter that can come under that manner of cognition it seemeth that their inward senses are so quick and lively that they can sensate what is not sensible But I finde it usual with him to say so much weight upon his owne Experience and Feeling as if it were the whole basis of his new Inventions and Doctrine that it is no wonder he make use of it in all cases pertinent or impertinent all is a matter valeat quantum valere potest every one will not advert to its impertinency but beleeve the man speaking from his owne Experience what his owne Experience can never make him sensibâ—e of for the Quakers do experience as they say what is not done but remaineth to be done in the world let be what is past as all Christ's sufferings c. These thoughts and the like may possibly have moved him thus to speak here 3. We have seen what his Proposition is and the meaning of it is in short this so farr as I can take it up That because God hath an inconceivably great love to all desire to save all for this end sent his Son to die alike for all every man mothers son he granteth to all every man a certain space of time within which if they accept of the offer of peace hearken to his commands it is well they shall be saved but if not they must perish But if now we enquire How this matter cometh to the knowledge of every son of Adam for it is but reasonable they hear of the termes on which they may be saved before they be condemned for rejecting of them He will tell us afterward of an Vniversal Gospel making the matter known to all every one But againe if we enquire Whether or not every one of Adam's posterity hath Power in himself gracious Ability qualifying his Natural Faculties to accept of this offer He will tell us afterward that there is an Universal Saving Grace and Light given to every man whereby this may be brought to passe if Freewill be so kinde and tender of the mans salvation Whence we see that Salvation lyeth equally at every mans door be he Iew or Gentile Schythian or Barbarian Turk or Christian And every man hath Power and Ability Moral to lay hold on Salvation if he be disposed to accept thereof This and nothing else must be the Possibility whereof he speaketh so that there is not requisite hereunto any new grant of Grace or Divine Helpe to quicken the man or to work Faith or any other grace requisite in him he hath a stock from his Mothers womb which is sufficient if he will but improve it and that notwithstanding of any thing he lost in Adam it was not then we see for nothing that this Quaker was so much against Original sin as we heard Now this being the proper and native face of this mans doctrine let any man tell me wherein it differeth from the Old Pelagian and late Popish Iesuitical Arminian and Socinian Errour And yet so vaine and confident is the man in his Ignorance and Self Admiration that he holdeth these things forth as a New Revelation from the lying Spirit that hath bin a lyar and murderer from the beginning no doubt communicated only unto the Quakers who are but a company of ignorant mechanicks not acquanted with controversies or read in the writtings of Pelagians Iesuites Arminians and Socinians And it may be this is all the ground of his concluding this as to the unlearned and unread Quakers to be from Revelation little knowing or observing how deeply this erroneous imagination is implanted and rooted in the corrupt heart of every son of Adam so that they learne it without book or study yea so that all the preaching of the Gospel of truth will never be able to eradicate these Natural errours particularly this Natural Pelagianisme Iesuitisme Arminianisme and Socinianisme out of their mindes and hearts till the Grace of God come and hence is it that the Gospel which is the doctrine of the Grace of God diametrically opposite to this delusion which is in all points a sworne enemy to the grace of God is so little imbraced and closed with by many who live and die under the clear Manifestations thereof And it is no wonder that these false imaginations being natural in laid in our corrupt natures have so deep an Impression be looked upon by this Corruption that is as blinde as self conceity as Impressions of the Spirit especially when the God of this world who is in them blinding their mindes doth concurre to fortifie this Prejudice against the doctrine of the true grace of God and withall transformeth himself into an Angel of
Light and Grace whereof he talketh and which he will have common to all men breathing His saying that the Word of which he spoke is lively and penetrating c. Is no proofe For that word is not a Word or Seed or Grace implanted in every man as we shewed He addeth this seed is called the manifestation of the Spirit given to every man to profite for it is written that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body And Peter ascribeth this birth unto this seed 1 Pet. 1. being born againe not of corruptible seed c. Ans. 1. If this Seed be the manifestation of the Spirit whereof Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 12 7. It is not common to all the world for the Apostle is there speaking of the Church whereof the Corinthians who were sanctified in Christ Jesus called saints 1 Cor. 1 1. were a part and being an homogeneal part are called the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 12 27. Where doth this Quaker read in the Scriptures that Heathens and such as are without the Church are called the Body of Christ 2. Nay if this seed be the manifestation of the Spirit it is so far from being common to all men that it is not common to all Church members For these gifts as they are called vers 4. were peculiar only to some members of the Church given in order to Administrations Operations vers 5 6. are particularly specified vers 8 9 10. Therefore saith the Apostle vers 11 12. But all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit divideing to every man severally as he will for as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ. Which is abundantly confirmed by the scope and whole contexture of the discourse 3. The Apostle for pressing of union and concord among the members of the Church of Corinth with an edifying use of their several gifts saith vers 13. That by one Spirit all we are baptized into one body c. that is that by baptisme all the Professours of the Name of Iesus are outwardly made members of the visible body of Christ and such as are really baptized by the Spirit and made partakers of his grace are made members of the invisible mystical body of Christ and so should lay forth themselves in the use of their gifts and graces for the common good of the whole body And what I pray can this make for the Quakers point Doth the Apostle say that this is common to all such as never were baptized nor heard thereof or did never partake of the other Sacrament imported by these words made to drink c. in the end of the verse as some suppose And if not what way will this Quaker hence prove the operation of the new birth by that which is common to all men breathing The Apostle it is true saith here whether Iewes or Gentiles Yet he meaneth only such as are comprehended under we that is such as were already members of the Church Will this Quaker say that all and every man are baptized by the Spirit and have bin made to drink into one Spirit Then I suppose he will next say That all must needs be saved 4. As for that Word or Seed whereof Peter speaketh every one may see that will beleeve Peter himself Chap. 1. vers last that this word of the Lord which is the incorruptible seed which liveth abideth for ever is not any thing abideing in all men but is that which is preached by the Gospel 14. He proceedeth and saith Though this seed in the first manifestation be small as a graine of mustard seed Mat 13 31 32. and though it be hid in the earthy part of mans heart yet life and salvation is hid in it and is revealed according as they yeeld unto it And in this seed the kingdom of heaven doth potentially lurk to be produced or rather exhibited as it getteth ground is nourished and is not suffocated Answ. 1. Are not these noble proofs Do the Quakers think that we are bound to take their groundless and inconsistent assertions for probations 2. How can this seed have its manifestation and yet be hid and latent 3. Hath a natural carnal unregenerat and heathen man a spiritual part of an heart or is the heart of every man partly earthly and partly heavenly and why doth this seed lye hid in the earthy part and not in the heavenly part of the heart are these any thing but Quakers dreames or new Pelagian Notions sufficiently confuted above 4. This must needs be a hid salvation which is hid in a seed which is hid in the earthy part of mans heart and that even in its first manifestation What idle fancies do these men feed upon 5. This hid salvation must be a wonderful salvation for it is revealed according as these in whom it is hid yeeld unto it But must it not first work appear in its operations before men can yeeld to it who can yeeld to a latent lurking thing that worketh not nor appeareth not 6. If Salvation be hid in this seed the kingdom of heaven is more then potentially in it for we say not that an apple is hid in the seed especially seing he saith that this kingdom of heaven is not produced as the seed can produce in its way a tree its fruit but rather exhibited 7. This seed he saith is already hid in the earthy part of mans heart and if so sure it hath ground how can he then say that it is exhibited as it getteth ground 8. The summe of all is pur◠Pelagianisme or worse viz. that there is something in every man which is sufficient of it self to Produce Grace Glory Life and Salvation if man will be but that well natured as to suffer it to work not suffocate it so that there is no need either of the outward Preaching of the Gospel or of the inward Operation of the Spirit upon the minde which Pelagius at length did acknowledge let be of the special Operation of the Spirit of grace renewing the will and creating a new heart of flesh c. This is doctrine for Pagans indeed 15. But how is this proven He citeth Luk. 17 20 21. and would have n◠beleeve that Christ saith there that the Kingdom of Heaven was in the Pharisees But judicious Calvin thinketh these words were spoken to the disciples upon occasion of that question of the Pharisees And though we take them as spoken to the Pharisees it will not hence follow that this Kingdom was already in them though the greek preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be used which as was showne above doth not alwayes carry this import as might be evidenced by a number of places as Luk. 14 1. Mark 13 24. where it importeth after So Mat. 20 26. Luk. 16 15. Rom. 16 7. 1 Cor. 2 6 Rom. 8 29. 1 Thes. 5
glory though we must alwayes lament our shortcoming and run to the bloud of Iesus that the defilement cleaving to our best works may be purged away Nor do we think that this hyperbolick expression of the penitent church will warrant any to caâ—l all the work of the Spirit of God in his people sordide and filthy rags What is of God should be acknowledged good acceptable though the defilements that adhere to the best of God's works in us here because of our continueing corruption and because of the lustings of the flesh in us should be mourned over and keep us humble One thing I would further note here That if our Gospel-works be such why are we not Justified because of them as well as in them He further answereth pag. 149. § 12 That though it were granted that the best of men are imperfect Yet God can produce perfect works in them by his Spirit Ans. the qustion is not what God can do but what he doth God can make all his perfect Yet the supposition made saith he doth not so He hath thought it fit for his owne glory so to work in his Saints as they may have so long as they are here a body of death to wrestle with and occasion to pray dayly forgive us our sinnes and to run to the fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleanness that they may be washen He proceedeth The Spirit of God is not capable of a blot and therefore all Christ's works wrought in his children are pure and perfect Ans. The Spirit it is true is not capable of pollution yet his works as received by us and as we are the formal actors of them are obnoxious to pollution And doth not the Scripture tell us that God first beginneth a good work in us and afterward perfecteth it Phil. 1 6. How can then all the works of Christ in us be perfect And if it were so his children here should be as holy as they will be in heaven for what is higher than perfection Thus we see this man will outstripe Bellarm. who confessed that our actual righteousness was imperfect because of the admixtion of venial faults and stood in need of dayly remission And will run the length of bold Vasques who thinketh that such have no need of remission in 1. 2. Disp. 204. c. 2. 3. He further argueth It would then follow that the miracles and works of the Apostles themselves as the conversion of the Gentiles gathering of Churches writting of Scripture and giving of themselves to the death for Christ were defiled with sin Ans. we must distinguish betwixt these works which were extraordinary I meane as to the manner of their performance and so peculiar to such extraordinary persons in which they were not in a manner formal actors but passive organs such as working of miracles and writting of Scripture in these the Apostles moved as they were immediatly Acted Inspired and Led of the Spirit so that these were not properly their formal acts And these which are of a more ordinary nature wherein they were more formal actors through the assistance of the Spirit whether in works belonging to their office as preaching and gathering of Churches or in works of Christianity as giving themselvs to the death and the like As to the first sort we may grant that they were undefiled as being pure acts of the Spirit wherein the Apostles were but organs used by the Spirit as he saw meet But as to others I see no absurdity to say that they needed to use that petition forgive us our sinnes The Apostle Paul had his infirmities and weakneses a body of death that made him cry out wo is me miserableman and was thereby made to do what he would not and hindered from doing what he would Rom. 7 The Apostle Iames saith in many things we offend all Iam. 3 2. and the Apostle Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 1 8. that if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us 43. Thereafter he giveth unto works an instrumental part in Iustification which is true of faith laying hold on the righteousness of Christ the only Objective Formal cause of Justification but cannot agree to works But he citeth some Protestants assenting to this as Polanus Symphon c. 27. whose words if understood of after pardon that is of sinnes committed after Justification as they may containe nothing but truth and that truth which we question not acknowledging that even iustified persons before remission of after sins must repent confesse and mourne for their sinnes and act faith on Christ. Zanchius in the words he citeth is expresly speaking of salvation not of Justification and to this end he might cite all the Protestants that I know of Amesius is speaking of the same As for Mr Baxter I have told already that his notions about Justification are not acceptable to all As for what he addeth about the word merite I shall not contend only I would say that seing it sounds so ill because of the common and known abuse thereof by Papists the less we use it the better seing Verba valent usu 44. Nor shall I say much against his conclusion of this mater Only while he tels us that such may confidently appear before God who sensible of their owne unworthiness and of the unprofitableness of all their works and endeavours c. did apply themselves unto the light within and suffered that grace to work in them and thereby are renewed quickened and have Christ risen in them and working in them to will to do having thus put on Christ and being clothed with him and made partakers of his righteousness When I say he speaketh thus he but cheateth his Reader giving him faire words and no more for as we have formerly seen in the examination of his Principles This light is but a Pelagian Grace if not worse common to all men Scythian and Barbarian And by vertue of this light without the least help of the grace of God for of grace assisting far lesse regenerating such as are in nature and so beginning every good work there is not in his writings the least mention if the man will but yeeld and of power and full ability to do this he maketh no question he becometh regenerated begotten of God partaker of the divine nature and what not And this is this Mans Sanctification and foundation of Justification whereof Pagans and Barbarians who never did nor never shall hear of Câ—rist are as capable as such who live within the visible Church and that without any new grace communicated by that which is borne with them Let the Reader now Judge what a Regeneration and Sanctification can flow from this which is in every man and what Justification that can be which is founded hereupon And whether or not this be a sure bottom to stand upon and with confidence to rest upon
while we are thinking of appearing before God And what an antievangelick Justification and Salvation it is which Quakers maintaine O what a dreadful Disappointment will such wretches that live and die according to these Principles meet with in end when it will be too late to helâ—e the matter by changing their thoughts Let all that fear God and would not destroy their owne souls beware of these men for their doctrine is damnable and devilish CHAP. XIV Of Perfection and a Possibility of not sinning 1. WE heard toward the end of the preceeding Chapter how he pleaded for the Perfection of the Saints and of the work of grace in them Here in his S. Thesis and its explication he giveth us his minde more fully In his Thesis he saith That this holy and immaculate birth when it is fully produced in any the body of sin and death is crucified and takâ—n away and their hearts become subject unto and united with the truth so that they obey no suggestions or temptations of Satan and are freed from actual sin and transgressing of the Law and in that respect they are perfect But yet this perfection admitteth of an increase and there remaineth alwayes in some respect a possibility of sinning if the minde doth not diligently and vigilantly attend unto God And so high and confident is he in this mater that he accounts the answere given to the 149. Question in our Larger Cathechisme Impious and spoken against the power of divine grace because it is there said No man is able either of himself Iam. 3 2. Ioh. 15 5. Rom. 8 3. or by any grace received in this life perfectly to keep the commandements of God Eccles. 7 20. 1 Ioh. 1 8 10. Gal. 5 17. Rom. 7 18 19. but doth dayly break them in thought Gen. 6 5 8 11. word and deed Rom. 3 9. to 21. Iam. 3 3 to 13. But whatever he thinketh we are not ashamed of this Answere nor of what is said Conf. of Faith Ch. 16. § 5. towards the end That our best works as they are wrought by us are defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection that they cannot endure the severity of God's judgment Esa. 64 6. Gal. 5 17. Rom. 7 15 18. Psal. 130 3. 143 2. And ibid. § 4. They who in their obedience attaine to the greatest hight which is possible in this life are so far from being able to supererogate and to do more than God requires as that they fall short in much which in duty they are bound to do Luk. 17 10. Neh. 13 22. Iob 9 2 3. Gal. 5 17. Nor yet of what is said Chap. 13. § 2. This Sanctification is throughout in the whole man yet imperfect in this life there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part 1 Ioh. 1 vers 10. Rom. 7 vers 18 23. Phil. 3 vers 12. whence ariseth a continual and irreconcileable war the flesh lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh Gal. 5 17. 1 Pet. 2 11. 2. This Perfection is commonly maintained by them all Mr Hicks in his 1. Dial. Pag. 50. tels us that they hold a perfect freedome from all sin in this life saying too Alas for thee where wouldest thou be perfâ—ctly free from sin if not in this lift Mr Stalham also in his book against them Pag. 138 c. manifesteth it by their owne words and arguments And though it may be matter of amazement to some to hear men speak so who of all others one would think have least cause to preach this doctrine without a publick declaration withal that they are not the men who are thus Perfect and consequently according to their owne doctrine are not Christians upon the account that he shall not ordinarily meet with in any hereticks writings so much Ignorance Boldness Foolish Confidence Abusing of Scripture Untruth Heresie Blasphemy Reproaching Revileing Calumnies Scolding c. As is every where to be found in theirs Yet when we consider what blasphemous grounds they lay downe we shall see that it is a native consequence of their doctrine For Mr Hicks in his 2. Dialog showeth us that Edw. Burroughs calleth Sanctification Christ himself and hence concludeth that to say Sanctification is imperfect is as much as to say Christ is imperfect But Christ is perfect therefore Sanctification is perfect And againe The Law in the minde is the Spirit of God To say the Law in the minde is imperfect is errour in the highest degree this is an abominable corrupt principle of errour the new man is perfect Peace and perfect Sanctification And Mr Clapham in his book against them Sect. 4. affirmeth out of a book called Saul's errand to Damascus that they maintaine themselves to be equal with God And that Hubberthorn in his book against Sherlock Pag. 30. doth alleige that place Phil. 2 5 6. to confirme it 3. It might also seem strange to hear men asserting their own Perfection who pretend so much to spiritual inward experiences and to so much acquantance with their owne hearts for who that will not wilfully put out their own eyes may not see and be assured of the deceitfulness of their heart above all things finde corruption riseing up on all occasions and setting forward to sin or hindering from good But when persons are given up of God to strong delusions as a punishment of their Pride and Vanity what high thoughts may they not have of themselvespunc seing such a doolful state is attended with more pride puffing them up and that blinding their eyes that they cannot see their spots nor see what the Law of God requireth and all this attended with ignorance of God and of his holy and Spiritual Law and worshipe And it may be this man supposeth with some Papists that venial faults as they call them are not against the Law of God or that command which they violat is not properly a command of the Law 4. What the truth is in this matter is declared above out of our Confession Catechisme and the passages of Scripture which are there cited to confirme the truth may be there seen and considered But before I speak any thing more for clearing of the Truth in this particular I would have the Reader take notice of one thing To wit That it cannot but be a stupenduous and astonishing thing and a manifest demonstration of the dreadful power of delusion when the Lord giveth up any unto that Spirit to hear men who pretend to Reason and to Religion and have not yet openly renunced all Faith of a God and all natural and humane Reason talke at this rate upon such grounds and assert with such boldness and confidence a Perfection of Degrees or a possibility of not sinning attaineable upon the principles and grounds which they lay downe what these are we have on several occasions hinted now shall do it yet once more The first rise and beginning of all their Religion
4 11. that pastors are given for the perfecting of the Saints c. till we all come unto the unity of faith c. Answ. 1. Hence we see the necessity of a standing Ministrie which yet he and is brethren are against as we shall heare 2. The Ministrie is to bring them on toward perfection and is for the edifying and building up of the body and of particular souls till we all come at length into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. How is it proved that this ultimat end is attained here And further we told above that there was a perfection comparative and in parts here attainable and attained according to the measure of grace of the gift given to every man Ephes. 4 7. 1 Cor. 12 11. But not a perfection of degrees which excludeth all increase and grouth contrare to 2 Pet. 3 18. Phil. 3 12 2 Thes. 1 3. not such a perfection as excludeth all sin He addeth Pag. 158. doth not the Apostle say that the Scriptures are given to make the man of God perfect 2 Tim. 3.17 Answ. Yes And they do that in their owne manner as a perfect and compleat Rule giving full instruction and information in all things necessary to salvation contrare to what himself taught above so that the the man of God needeâ—h to hearken to no Dreames Enthusiasms or Precepts of men to learne what is God's wiâ—l How doth our doctrine make Prayers useless Are not these prayers saith he useless and without faith that are made for preservation from sin if withall they beleeve that God will not give them what they ask Answ. So said Crellius the Socinian But the doctrine of Perfection seemeth rather to take away all use of such Prayer for who will pray for that which they have 2. If saints pray for a sinless state here they pray without warrand He that taught us to pray that we be not led into temptation taught us also to pray for forgiveness of sinnes But saith he what shall we say of the prayers of the Apostles Col. 4 12. 1 Thes. 3 13. 5 22 c. Did they pray so without faith Ans. This is another of Crellius arguments But we say The Prayers of the Apostles were not for a sinless state nor did they beleeve that the Saints here could be in such a state as to sinne no more Nay while they prayed thus for the saints they supposed that the saints had not yet attained to it Epaphras not the Apostle Paul is said Col. 4 12. to labour fervently in prayer that the Colossians might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God that is might set the will of God only before them as their Rule and hang upon no man as to their Christian conduct but walk in sincerity as becometh Christians following the rule of Gods Law and might not be alwayes câ—ildren tossed to and fro with every winde of doctrine and spoiled through Philosophy and vaine deceit after the tradition of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ as there was ground to feare as we see Chap. 2. Paul 1 Thes. 3 12 13. is clear against this imagined Perfection for he prayeth that God would make them to increase and abound in love so that thâ—re was yet some shortcoming to the end he might establish their hearts unblameable in holiness at the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. So that he sheweth not what a measure of love and holiness they will attaine unto here but prayeth that it might alwayes be growing untill it attaine its full perfection at the coming of the Lord. The same is clear from 2 Thes. 5 23. Which maketh against this imagined perfection and speaketh only of a perfection of parts not of degrees 24. In the fift place he reasoneth thus Pag. 158. § 7. Our doctrine is repugnant to common sense and reason Why so for these two opposite principles in the children of darkness and in the children of light are sin and righteousness And as men are respectively fermented with the one or the other so are they to be called justified or reprobated seing he that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord Prov. 17 15. Ans. This argument would prove as well that full perfection which he denieth to be common to all the Regenerat to be essential to the state of Christianity and therefore he must answere it as well as we But 2. That there are contrary principles in the godly and wicked is true and it is as true that there remaineth sin in the godly which floweth from a principle of corruption yet the Godly man is not fermented to speak in the dialect of the Quaker or rather to speak in the dialect of the Scriptures is not under the dominion of that principle nor given up thereunto as the wicked are with full will consent and pleasure without any reluctancy or lusting of a contrary principle 3. It is not saife to call all not yet justified reprobat 4. The Lord justifieth none upon the account of their Inherent Righteousness and indeed this mans opinion tendeth to a setting up of Justification by the works of the law or inherent righteousness for if man can abide in all things that are written in the Law he should be free of the curse Gal. 3 10. But this is contrary to the experience of the best of Saints Psal. 130 3. 143 2. Iob. 9 3. 4â— 5. 1 Cor. 4 4. And the Law should not then be weak because of flesh contrare to Rom. 8.3 And contrare to that Iam. 2 10. He who trangresseth in one is guilty in all and contrary to these Scriptures Gal. 3 21 22. 2 21 3 10. further sayes he Then a man should be called just who sinneth in all his actions Ans. No man is calleâ— just before God in point of Justification becauâ—e of his Inherent Righteousness but because of the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to him by God received by faith And as to sanctification such may be called just because of Integrity Sincerity Uprightness of heart because of Endeavouring after conformity to the Law in the strengh of the Lord upon which account the man is approven of God but not because he is sinless for then no man should goe under that denomination But sayes he the subject is donominated by the accident that adhereth Ans. Yet a wall is called white though the whiteness be not perfect but mixed And God giveth the denomination according to grace that is according to the better part though it sometimes should be the lesser part He asketh where are then the children of God and of light the sanctified and purified ones Ans. Even where these are who are groaning under a body of death and running daily to the
fountaine and giving Christ much work to speak so to wash and make them clean from their daily pollutions and defilements and have renunced the works of darkness and are now serving the Lord with singleness though with much weakness and many failings 25. In the next place Pag. 159. § 8. He cometh more directly to confirme his owne Opinion And his first argum is the old Pelagian argument formerly rejected and which is used by Volkelius the Socinian lib. 2. c. 22. viz. That the commands of Christ and the Apostles suppose it to be possible or in our power He proveth that this perfection is not only possible but necessary from several Scriptures such as Mat. 5 48. Which only proveth it our duty to endeavour after Perfection and to minde all duties even such as the corrupt pharisees thought no duties such as to love our enemies to blesse them that curse us c. vers 44 45 46 47. As for Mat. 7 21. Ioh. 13 17. 1 Cor. 7 19. they can make nothing for him unless he suppose that no man shall be saved who ever sinned And further seing he will not deny that some of these passages at least concerne the unconverted he must also grant that even they also may attaine to this Perfection As for 2 Cor. 13 11. 1 Ioh. 3 2 10. we have spoken to before And by this last we know to expound that 1 Ioh. 2 3 4 5 6. 26. His next argu is from Rom. 6 14. Which speaketh only of the dominion of sin from which we grant all beleever are delivered and if he know no difference betwixt a state of freedom from the dominion of sin and a sinless state he is ignorant of Christianity He citeth also Rom. 8 3. which is directly against him And if he look to vers 4. that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us It can make nothing for him for it is not said by us but in us that is in our nature when Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh and fulfilled all righteousness and so answered the Law by doing as well as by suffering which righteousness consisting as well in his obedience as in his suffering is imputed to beleevers and by vertue thereof they come to have a right to the crown and to life which was lost by the breach of the Law which required full obedience and satisfaction in case of transgression and that notwithstanding of their shortcomings which are many But how then sayes he is the Gospel differenced from the Law which made nothing perfect Ans. The Law pointed out Christ to come in whom alone all was to be had and without him its ordinances made nothing perfect And the Gospel exhibiteth this Lord Jesus in whom dwelleth all fulness and who is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through him Pag. 160. he saith That Paul proveth this through the whole 6. Chap. to the Romans Ans. The contrary is most manifest for he is encouraging beleevers to holiness and dehorting them from a continuaâ—ce in sin which supposeth that persons may be beleevers and yet have need of such dehortations and encouragments for where this Quakers perfection taketh place all these are laid aside as utterly useless He speaketh not of sinlesness but of a living in sin vers 2. which is opposite to a being dead to sin that is freed of sins Dominion and Law-power and which is opposite to a walking in newness of life vers 4. And vers 6. he sayes though the old man was virtually and legally crucified with Christ Yet it is not actually killed that the body of sin might be destroyed in due time and then inferreth that henceforth we should not serve sin as our Master and Lord. And this he turneth into an exhortation vers 12. Let not sin reigne therefore in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof vers 13. neither yeeld ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin And for their encouragment tels them vers 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you he saith not for sin shall have no being in you And againe vers 16. he dehorteth them from a yeelding of themselves as servants to obey sin and vers 19. he presseth them to yeeld their members as servants to righteousness which is opposed to a becoming servants of sin vers 20. And to presse this the more he mindes them of their state to wit that now they were not the servants of sin having obeyed from the heart that forme of doctrine whereinto they were cast moulded vers 22. that they were made free from sin c. What our Quaker speaketh afterward of the way of attaining this perfection by laying aside the outward Law and looking only to the Light within we look upon as a Quakers dream And when he saith that our looking to the outward Law finding an impossibility of keeping it perfectly put us to wrest the Scriptures to seek after an imputative righteousness He but declareth the true genius and nature of that antievangelick and diabolical Spirit that acteth them And what followeth Pag. 160. is but a confirmation of what we said viz. that all the Perfection they would bring us to by hearkning to the Light within is but a paganish perfection And his great promises Pag. 161. we account delusions being resolved to goe to the Law and to the Testimony and to abide by the declaration of God's minde in his word and not to follow the Light of nature nor the hellish enlightenings of the devil who was a liar from the beginning in this great mater 27. In the last place Pag. 161. for a proof of this he adduceth some instances as did the Remonstrants in their Apologie Chap. 17. before him Such as Enoch Noah who are said to have walked with God and to be perfect Gen. 5. 6. Ans. They were Sincere and Upright and had a Perfection of parts though not of degrees and so walked with God and by all their perfection they were not justified but by faith which leadeth a man out of himself and so became heires of the righteousness which is by faith Heb. 11 5 6 7. Moreover we read of Noah's sinne As for Iob though he was a perfect and upright man yet his book declareth that he was not sinless and Elihu evinceth it yea God layeth to his charge Chap. 38 2. that he darkened counsel by words without knowledge And himself Chap. 42 2. confesseth that he uttered what he understood not things too wonderful for him which he knew not for which he abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes vers 6. As for Zacharias and Elizabeth Augustine of old answered de gratia Christi contra Pelag. Cap. 48. that this was to be understood of their unblameable conversation in the eyes of men and the Lord accounted them such And Iustin. Matyr in Quaest. Resp. orthodox Quaest. 141. distinguisheth betwixt
taught can teach and opportunely admonish and by certain experience witness for God as did of old the Prophets and the Apostles of late 1 Ioh. 1 1. Ans. By this it seemes that all ministers learning of what soever kinde that is useful must be immediatly taught them they must have all by inward Instructions of the Spirit And it will not be enough to him that the Spirit teach us by ordinary meanes as he did Daniel Chap. 1 17. comp with vers 4 but it must be by Immediat Inspirations Revelations I would faine know if he learned his Latine Greek Hebrew so But who seeth not what a tendency this hath to banish all learning out of the world and to introduce palpable Paganisme Darkness Ignorance whereby people may become a prey unto such seducers as he is If so away with all Academies Schools of learning though even when Immediat Revelations were more ordinary there were schools of the prophets young prophets having others over them 1 Sam. 19.20 we hear of the sones of the prophets 2 King 2 3. of master scholer Mal. 2 12. See also 1 Sam. 10 5 10. 2 King 2 5 22 14. Away then with all Reading Studying or Searching of the Scriptures away with learning so much as to read with all study of arts of sciences that might help in the least to understand the Scriptures contrary to Deut. 17 19. 1 Tim. 4 13. 5 17. 2 Tim. 2 15. Revel 11 3. Ioh. 5 v. 39. for we have no more to do now but to waite for Immediat Revelations of all things which I should judge a manifest tempting of God an exposeing of our selves to delusions which God in his righteous judgment might give us up unto Doth not the Spirit in Paul's making use of the sayings of heathen poets Act. 17 28. Tit. 1 12. teach us that a good use may be made of humane learning even for carrying on a spiritual work Nay this principle followed forth would destroy all Teaching all Interpretation of Scriptures all Meanes of learning all Instruction of parents all Ministrie And what have we then to do with the Quakers teachings writtings This is no new thing it was the doctrine of the old Anabaptists 8. Then § 19. forward he comes to speak in particular to three parts of literature as if there were no moe nor none more excellent useful the first is the Knowledge of tongues Latine Greek Hebrew And he sayes we judge the knowledge of these necessary that we may read the Scriptures in the original languages which Scriptures he sayes we take to be our only rule Thereby declareing that he owneth then not as such and sure seing we owne the Scriptures for our only Rule it is but rational that we study these languages in which they were first written that we may thereby come the better to understand their meaning seing no translation can so fully emphatically express the original in all points as were to be wished But why mentioneth he the Latine for this end Thinks he that any part of our Rule was originally written in Latine Belike he would foist-in some apocryphal books into our Canon or give us the Popish vulgar version for the only authenticque And if so we should not stand in great need of the Knowledge of Hebrew Greek He sayes this study was commendable in the primitive Reformers because darkness before had overwhelmed the whole Christian world Answ. 1. Then it seemeth there was then a Christian world contrary to what he said above 2. If it was needful to dispel darkness it cannot be unnecessary to keep out darkness 3. But why might not the Spirit without their study have taught these things And why did they not waite till the Spirit taught them immediatly 4. How came it that the Spirit gave a blessing to their endeavours Will God bless sinful meanes But he addeth That true reformation was not placed in that knowledge for though Papists out of emulation set up that study yet we see that they are as much obdured in their errours as ever Ans. who saith that true reformation was placed in this It was a mean in it self to help towards the knowledge of the Scriptures And if Jesuites other Papists do not improve the same to a right end shall therefore the meane be condemned altogether This man tels us that Jesuites all men have a light within them which if well improven would prove saving and because they many others do not make a right use hereof will he think that it should be laid aside altogether I suppose not Therefore sayes he further this will not prove the necessity of this science unto ministers Whence doth he conclude this It is a conclusion without premisses for that which he said last would rather inferre the contrary Far lesse will it evince saith he that it is a qualification more necessary then is the grace and Spirit of God seing this can supply the want of that in rusticks and in ignorant persons Answ. I shall be far from saying that it is more necessary Let each have its owne place and I am satisfied things subordinat can well consists but this man will have these two contradictory What the Spirit may help illiterate persons to know by hearing in the things of salvation is nothing to the purpose for we are speaking of Ministers who should be knowing persons and able to teach others And Peter tels us what unlearned Persons are apt to do with the Scripture But says he Pag. 198. all the knowledge that is had by that learning is without the Spirit and so is fallible when as a rustick hearing the Scriptures read can say that it is true by the same Spirit also understand it and if needful interpret it by observing how his owne condition agreeth with the condition of the saints recorded in Scripture Ans. It is not without the Spirits ordinary assistance and we look not for immediat infallible Motions and Inspirations 2. Why may not the rustick if acted by an infallible and immediatly inspireing Spirit tell all this without hearing the Scriptures read And how should he even have heard them read in his owne language If they had not been translated And how had they been translated without this knowledge 3. May not the rustick mistake his owne condition and consequently misinterpret the Scripture or may he not misapply that passage wrest it contrare to its native scope and that through ignorance even of the letter of the Scriptures and so suppose an harmony or similitude where there is no such thing Such a thing I suppose is not impossible And what doth his argueing then evince But he hath a sufficient experience in some of his Quakers particularly in a shoe maker or cobler correcting a Professour in a citation of some passage of Scripture affirming that there was no such passage to be found Ans.
to teach publickly in the Assemblies of the Saints are moved by their own spirit and not by the Spirit of God who is a God of order and not the Author of confusion or rather by the Spirit of Satan in contempt of Christs order 10. He citeth 1 Cor. 14 31. Ye may all Prophesy and thinketh that this was meaned of all because Paul saith vers 33. he should say 39. covet to Prophesie But these all were only the Prophets for he had said vers 29. let the Prophets speak two or three and let the other judge but that these two or three may not exclude the rest he saith vers 30. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace And his reason is vers 31. for ye may all Prophesie one by one and againe vers 32. the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets To imagine then that this was common to all the members is to contradict the plaine scope of the place and to do violence to the text yea and to make the Apostle contradict himself for he had told them that all were not Prophets more then Apostles Chap. 12 29. And that which he citeth from vers 39. can enforce nothing but that it was their part to desire earnestly such offices whereby they might most edifie the Church yet sâ— as not to disparage others therefore he addeth and forbid not to speak with tongues and so as not to evert the order of God's House for he addeth vers 40. Let all things be done decently and in order And doth he not expresly prohibite woman to speak in the Churches vers 34 11. He next speaketh of Evangelists and thinketh that all that preached the Gospel were such Answ. It is true these that wrote the History of the Gospel are commonly called in our language Evangelists and in some sense all that preach the Gospel may be so denominated But he knoweth we are here speaking of a certain Officer frequently mentioned and called Evangelists that as distinct from others even from Apostles who being above them might do their work as we hinted above and from ordinary Pastours and Teachers c. He should prove if he could that there was no such Officer and that it was a meer Operation that goeth under that name and such an Operation as was common to all Church members As for the Apostles of whom he speaketh next though the name as to its etymology may denote one sent yet he knoweth that it is in a special manner given unto those whom Christ sent forth who at first were twelve in number and after Judas's death were againe made twelve by the election of Matthias to whom at length Paul was added and some suppose Barnabas also and though he seeth we make no strick limitation as fixed unto the number yet we hold that they were distinct and superiour Officers named with with a first 1 Cor. 12 28. But he most boldly and impudently saith Pag. 207. That they were not distinct officers but only names What did God set Names in the Church did Christ when he ascended give only Names to the Church What names were they Such names as the Scripture diversly useth to express the more eminent emanations and influences of divine grace sayes he But why doth he not give instances of this diverse use of the word Why doth Paul so often stile himself an Apostle Why doth he so carefully vindicate his Apostolick office chiefly in his Epistles to the Corinthians What may not that man dar to do who dar thus play with the Scriptures It is saith he further as if some now should call him an Evangelist who had converted some heathen Nation as the Iesuites call their Emissaries to the Indians and to Iapon Apostles and as Iohn Knox was frequently called the Apostle of Scotland Ans. This is so far from helping that it quite overthroweth his designes not to mention how absurd it is to reason from mens abusive language and usage of words to the affixing of such an Abusive sense to the same words used in Scripture contrare to the whole intendment of the Spirit of God in the places where these words are used for not once to take notice of the Jesuitical perversion such expressions being used by way of allusion because of some resemblance in some one point or other which the work of these of late had or might have with what the Apostles Evangelists did of old do evidently say that there were such Officers in the primitive times to whom these names did most properly appertaine and that these names did point out certain knowne and distinct Officers and not emanations of divine grace as this man saith who speaketh he knoweth not what but cannot speak ill enough against Christ's Ordinances 12. From this he concludeth very learnedly and candidely That Ministers Pastors and Doctors designe only one office and that there is no precedency among them by vertue of any distinct office which is proved by others against the diocesan prelacy Ans. 1. What sayes this to other Superiour and Extraordinary Officers which were in the primiâ—ive times such as Apostles Prophets and Evangelists 2. What saith this to other Ordinary and Inferiour Officers such as Elders and Deacons 3. What doth all this say to the point in hand Be these one or be they diverse yet this is certane they are Officers and Officers clothed with authority and power and have their work committed to them and are distinguished from the flock over which they are set and every one of the flock may not as his owne Spirit movetâ— him encroach upon their office and assume their work to the overturning of all Order established by Christ and to the rendering of Offices appointed by him null and of no effect Which is the designe this man driveth at and the only intendment of his discourse here 13. But § 26. pag. 207. Though he plead for liberty of prophesying by the Spirit unto all when they are moved thereunto yet he sayes the Quakers believe and affirme that there are some more especially called to the work of the Ministrie whose work is constantly and particularly to instruct exhort and watch to whom such obedience and subjection is due as is held forth Heb. 13 vers 17. 1 Thes. 5 vers 12 13. 1 Tim. 15 vers 17. 1 Pet. 5 vers 5. Answ. 1. In this pleading for liberty of prophesying he joyneth with Socinians and Arminians his old friends whom he hath no will to forsake in such an advantagious point but we have showne above that this liberty destroyeth the Office for if the work be common there needeth no Office be appointed for that work and if there be an Office for that work no man must meddle with the work belonging to that Office who is not clothed with the Office What way are these men more peculiarly called than others Others we heard were placed in the ministrie and ordained
can they show to any or to any houshold of faith who withhold from Ministers what is requisite 4. Let us consider next 1 Cor. 9. from vers 4. and forward where the Apostle professedly is proving the lawfulness of Ministers taking maintainance not only for themselves but for their families also saying vers 5 have we not power to lead about a sister a wife as well as other Apostles And the proof hereof he prosecuteth at large in the following verses Who goeth saith he vers 7. a warfare any time at his owne charges Who planteth a vineyaird and eateth not of the fruit thereof Or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock Souldiers have their pay and stipend and the Roman Laws included herein not only what was necessary for their maintainance as provision for back and belly but even the kindly gifts and gratuities which were given as further encouragements And he who is at paines to plante a vineyaird may in reason expect to eate of the fruite hereof so he also that keepeth and feedeth a flock should share of the milk Natural equity pleadeth for these things why are Quakers thus unnatural But they would not have stipends and salaries fixed and limited and yet the salary of souldiers useth to be fixed and if not I suppose few would hazard their lives in the warre unless they were in expectation of some greater benefite than a fiâ—ed pay Ministers are warriours 1 Tim. 1 18. 2 Tim. 2 3.4 Therefore they should have their wages as this word is rendred Rom. 6. last Ministers are labourers in the vineyard and are labouring husband men 2 Tim. 2 6. Luk. 10 2. 1 Cor. 3 9. And therefore they should have their hire 1 Tim. 5 18. They should have some fruite for their paines So are they Shepherds feeding the flock of God and therefore should live of the milk But the Apostle goeth on to prove this from other grounds than the common Law of nations and equity even from the Law of God vers 8 9 10. Say I those things as a mâ—n Or saith not the Law the same also As if he had said Suppose you that I have no other ground for this but common usages among men Nay I have the Law of God pleading for me also For it is written in the Law of Moses Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corne Doth God take care for oxen Or saith he it altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plow in hâ—pe â—nd that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope Where he adduceth a testimony out of the Law the moral equity whereof bindeth us under the Gospel and thence reasoneth from the less to the more if oxen trading out the corne should not be muzzled but have liberty to eat of the corne about which they are labouring much more must Ministers be maintained in their laboures And this he further amplifieth from the similitude of labouring men who plow and thresh that they may share of their hopes But lest some should think that these arguments were not apposite to the Gospel or to Ministers who ministered spiritual things and therefore should only share of that as labouring men do of the fruit of their labours and not of carnal things the Apostle therefore both to obviate this and to presse the point further sayes vers 11. If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things Arguing from the more to the less As if he had said Common equity and commutative justice would require some more by way of compensation than what we require we sow unto you spiritual things and we reap but your carnal things and do you grudge us that Our Quakers then are very cruel and unjust that would have the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corne muzzled and would not suffer such as sow spiritual things so much as reap carnal things Neither yet hath he Apostle said all for he adduceth another Argument beside that that was more ad hominem as we say vers 12. vers 13 14. Do yee not know that they which Minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple they which waite at the altar are partakers with the altar Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Where he reasoneth from a parity As the Ministers of God under the Law were maintained honourably in their service so should the Ministers of the Gospel be and further addeth that the Lord hath ordained it How the Priests and Levites were maintained under the Law is abundantly set downe there See Exod 29 26. 22 29. Levit. 2 3 10. 5 13. 7 7 8 9 10 14 32. 10 13. 27.30 32. Num. 3 48 5 9 10. 18 18 31. 35 2. Deut. 12 2. 14 22 18 1. Iosh. 13 14 21 2. 2 Chron. 31 4. Neh. 10 32. to the end 13 5 15. Ezech 44 30. 45 4. And this livelihood of theirs was no meane thing barely accommodated to their necessities nor was it left to the option of the people whether to give it or not but was determined by the Law of God 5. Come we in the next place to take a view of 1 Tim. 5 vers 17 18 Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine for the Scripture saith thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corne and the labourer is worthy of his reward Whether by this double honour we understand with some Reverence and Maintainance or a double Portion of that honour or Maintainance that he allowed to widowes spoken of in the former part of the Chapter or with others all respective duty and encouragment still Maintainance is included as a special part and this is held forth as due to all Rulers of the Church even to such as laboure not in word and doctrine which the Quakers did not see practised amongst us and chiefly to such as Preach the Gospel And against this they rage though the Apostle confirmeth it as formerly 1 Cor. 9. from the Law anâ— againe further from that received sentence The labourer is worthy of his reward But they grant what is requisite for necessity And yet the Apostle mentioneth a double honour signifying that he would have it a honorary indeed and a double honorary that is large as the word double importeth in Scripture see 2 King 2 9. Esai 40 2. Ier. 17 18. Mat 23 15. Revel 18 6. So then there is more here imported then what is for mere necessity for what is for meer necessity is but an almes no honorary an honorary must respect the Place Dignity Office and Work of the person and must have a correspondence therewith And it can never
where God is there is the Kingdom of heaven and of that speaketh Paul when he saith the Kingdom of heaven is in us And thereafter N. 138. he sayes when man hath laid all his imperfections aside and is carryed into the essence and nakedness he stareth God in his bare essence and with that stareing presseth in to God and uniteth himself with him and God carrieth the man with himself in himself and so he hath he an eternal ingoing into God and he is wholly embraced of God and loseth himself and so he drowneth into the bottomless sea of the Godhead and swimeth as a fish in the sea And in the following Chap. he speaketh much of a silence and an hearkening to the eternal word within And Ch. 23. he tels us that this inward speaking is in the essence of the soul where God speaketh when the soul turneth all to rest and silence is gapeing after in the fund of her naked substance And this hearing is nothing else then an inward feeling which floweth out of God in that essence of the soul which is so full that it runneth over in the powers And he that findeth this is happy 39. More of this and the like trash may be found in that book but here is I suppose enough to discover what affinity this Quakers doctrine hath with the fancies of Taulerus and whence possibily he and his fraternity have learned their rare Notions and Expressions to which end only I have troubled the Reader with these few passages as also to shew that there may be greater affinity and affection betwixt Papists and our Quakers then they will yet be willing to acknowledge or suffer us to say But a little time will discover much I now proâ—eed to Chap. XXIII Of Preaching 1. After his discourse concerning their manner of Worshipe this Quaker cometh to speak more particularly of some parts of worshipe such as Preaching Praying Singing against all which he hath something to say Pag. 248. c. § 18. And he beginneth with Preaching telling us that as Papists Protestants use it it is after this manner One taketh a certain place or verse of Scripture and speaketh upon it for an houre or longer these things which he had before studied or premeditated and had set together either out of his owne proper invention or from the writings or observations of others and committed them to this memory in opposition to this he tels us what their way is thus When the Saints assemble and every one introverts to the gift and grace of God in himself he who ministereth should speak acted by that grace in himself what the Spirit giveth unto him not affecting wisdom and eloquence of words but the demonstration and power of the Spirit and that either by interpreting some place of Scripture if so be the Spirit lead him to it or otherwayes exhorting reproving instructing or by speaking out the sense of some Spiritual experience all which are to be consonant to the Sâ—riptures though perhaps not relative to any particular chapter verse or text 2. Having thus laid down the two different wayes in such a manner as he thought most advantagious for himself he saith Let us now examine and consider which of these are most consonant to the precepts and practice of Christ his Apostles and primitive Church as recorded in the Scripture Before we come to this tryal I must tell him That I am glade to hear him insinuating so much as that the Scriptures are our Rule in worshipe and that that very mode of worshipe must be chosen as the best which agreeth most with the primitive way laid down in the New Test. Only I would entreat him to reconcile this with what he said on the Scriptures One thing more I must tell him If he can prove the very first step of his way that is the Introversion of all the members of the Assembly unto the gift or grace of God in themselves to be consonant to either Precept or Practice recorded in the N. T. I shall give up the whole cause in this mater We heard how straitened he was to finde an instance of this towards the end of the foregoing Chapter when he did run as far back as to Iob's dayes to seek one but as to the primitive Church we must have patience till he think of one and for precept he could give none that came within a look of Introversion 3. It is necessare before we proceed that we take a view of the proposal he hath made of our way and compare it with his that a just estimate may be made And 1. The speaking from a word of Scripture maketh not the difference for they do that themselves sometimes as he saith here though he said it not before Nor is it unlawful else I cannot think that the Spirit would prompt them to it if that Spirit be the Spirit of God And I finde that Christ spoke from a text and so did Peter Act. 2. from a passage of Ioel. And to say as he doth to this Pag. 249. that they did not this without an immediat motion of Spirit is but a confirmation of what I am now saying viz. that it is lawful So then as to this there can be no debate nor difference 2. That ministers read and study and make some use of their reading in their sermons can give no just ground of offence seing we finde the Apostle Paul in his sermon to the Athenians making use of what he had read out of one of their poets Act. 17 28. And we finde him pressing Timothy to study and meditation and that in order to preaching to and profiteing others 1 Tim. 4 15. Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them this sure importeth earnest and diligent study when the Apostle saith that he should be in these things as it were wholly exercised therein and taken up therewith that thy profiteing may appear to all And in that same Chapt. vers 13. he sayes till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine So that this reading was not for his owne private satisfaction but in order to a fitting him better unto exhortation and doctrine And againe he recommends to him a continueing in the tâ—ings he had learned whereby we see that he had learned something and was to keep it being assured that it was truth knowing of whom he had learned 2 Tim. 3 14. And after that Paul had appointed him to continue in what he had learned him he recommends to him the diligent perusal of the Scriptures with which he had been acquanted from his youth as being able to make him wise unto salvation perfect as a man of God v. 15 17. Moreover among the qualifications which Paul requireth in ordinary teachers this is one 1 Tim. 3 2. that he be apt to teach so also 2 Tim 2 24. And this is such an Aptitude as must be tryed and known before hand as well as the other
qualifications mentioned in both these places And so it saith that such ministers should have gifts and abilities acquired by reading and other meanes whereby they might be fitted for this work of the ministry This is plaine and manifest but nothing of this kinde is requisite in our Quakers speakers in order to their speaking Yet more Paul tels Titus Cap. 1 9. that the preacher must be one that holdeth fast the faithful word as he hath been taught or as in the margine in teaching or which maketh for doctrine that is sitteth and qualifieth him for teaching and edifying See Beza in loc that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gaine-sayers He must then be a learned man able to teach and acquanted with the controversies of the time that he may be in case by sound doctrine to put gaine-sayers to silence Adde one word more Act. 18 24 25 26. We finde that Aquila and Priscilla took Apollos that was an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures and was instructed in the way of the Lord and had taught diligently the things of the Lord and expounded unto him the way of God mâ—re perfectly And all this in order to hâ—s peaching further the way of God for it is said vers 27 28. And when he was disposed to passe into Achaia the brethren wrote exhorting the Disciples to receive him who when he was come helped them much which had beleeved through grace for he mightily convinced the Iewes and that publickly shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was Christ Here then we have both practice and precept for Ministers studying that they may be able to preach sound doctrine But possibly the thing at which he most carpeth is that Ministers should study their preachings immedialy before they preach them If it be so he must be a silly man for what is the difference betwixt ones studying â— few dayes before and ones studying some yeers before when the one hath a more tenacious memory then the other But this was the errour of the Familists in N. England and of Saltmarsh opposed by worthy Mr Rutherfoord 4. 3. He saitâ— that our Ministers study their Sermons and digest them and commit them to their memory having gathered them together out of their own invention or other folks writtings To which I only saith 1. That as it is already manifested he cannot make it appear to be dissonant to primitive practice or precepts that Ministers be learned especially in the Scriptures and thereby fitted for preaching And if their memory be so happy as to retaine all they have learned and read and their Judgment so solide as to improve it pertinently according to the occasion they will have the less need to study with much paines and labour every Sermon but if both their Judgment Memory be a little blunt is the matter great if they put to a little more strength and be a little more diligent 2. But how shall we be assured that the Quakers use no such leger-de-maine as to make us beleeve they speak all without one previous thought and yet have all to a word well studyed and premeditated Such cheatry hath bin in the world and I know not why one might not doubt of the truth of what they say especially when I finde credible persons saying that they can lie as well as others 3. He speaketh thus of all the Ministers in common making no difference and if he be only acquanted with some and sure I can not tell how he should be so well acquanted with all as to know their way of studying and prepareing themselves for preaching and intend them he dealeth not ingenuously nor candidely to speak thus of all What knoweth he but there may be some that study the most of their Sermons on their knees What knoweth he but there may be some that read very little save the Bible in order to preaching and have such a ready gift as to be in case to preach upon a very short times advertishment What knoweth he but there may be some who study most to get their heart in a right frame to preach and brought under an impression of the weight of the truths they are to deliver What knoweth he but there may be some that write none of their Sermons nor committe them to their memory but having the heads of truths they are to deliverer digested waite upon the Lord for his assistance in uterance and delivery What knoweth he but there may be some that never digest their preachings so as not to lye open to the influences of the Spirit and to welcome his seasonable and useful suggestions and so speak many things which they had not once premeditated What knoweth he but there may be some that being called have gone to preach when they knew not well what to say in particular nor from what text What knoweth he but there may be some who after they have studied and been at paines to prepare themselves yet coming to speak have been so lead of the Lord that they spoke little or nothing of all they had thought to speak What knoweth he but there may be some who upon their way to the Assembly have been constrained to alter text and all which they had purposed to speak upon it If he knew none of these things he sâ—ould have learned better before he spoke thus and he cannot but be blamed for his rashness 5. But all this will not helpe the matter for 4. The Quakers saith he they affect not wisdome nâ— reloquence of words but the demonstration of the Spirit and power And hereby he insinuateth that our Ministers do the contrary But he must know that I will not beleeve all that he saith in this if he hath his eye upon some particular persons or sort of Ministers I will tell him he dealeth not fairly to impute to all what he observeth in some and I think it sufficient to tell him I know some that affecteth only that Wisdome and Eloquence that may contribute to the winning of souls and that thouâ—h they will not boast much as our windy Quakers do of their preaching as being in demonstration of the Spirit and of power yet dar say in some measure of singlâ—ness that they corrupt not the Word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God they speak in Christ and that they have renunced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 5. They are the men that exhort rebuke and instruct and speak out experiences And thinks he there are none such with us or that our Ministers preachings have no tendency heâ—eunto If he do he is mistaken fâ—r our Ministers Sermons have all thesâ— uses and some moe as to Comfort Convince Confute c. And though they bring not forth fancies and deluâ—ions instead
themselves Are not these sufficient to evidence to all the world how the Quakers vilify the Scriptures of truth 5. Do they not disswade all in their writings as the cited passages evidence from reading or studying the Scriptures or from expecting any light or comfort from them Though Christ in express termes commanded to search the Scriptures Yet they perswade to the contrary And is not this a clear proof of their undervalueing of the Scriptures 6. Whereunto else tendeth that expression of Fisher's in his Velata quaedam revelato p. 4. Ye have Moses the Prophets within you but to disparage and vilify the Scriptures See also Parnel p. 11. For the Scripture is within and was read within before it was read without 7. Is it not a manifest vilifying of Scripture to say that there is no light in it Yet so faith The lip of truth opened p. 7. That light is in the Scriptures prove that or tell me what one Scripture hath light in it 8. Do not they say that whaâ— is held forth in the Scriptures is not bindeing to us Naylor love to the lost p. 16. for all the Saints have their commands in the Spirit but yours is in the letter and so another ministration We have mentioned more above Chap. IV. to this purpose and is not this sufficient to declare the Scriptures null in their esteem 9. What else doth that of Iohn Story in his discovery savour of And I. A. further saith let light without be guide to light within Reply if by this exhortation I. A. meanes that light without should try true light within which shines in the hearts of the Saints then I must needs say it is a very absurd and foolish exhortation and being spoken upon a divine account it is full of idolatry and evil 10. Do not the fore cited passages fully clear that in the Quakers judgment we canâ—ot come by the Scriptures to the knowledge of God or of Christ or of ourselves And is not that sufficient to disparage the Scriptures 11. Whâ—n Christ himself made use of the Scriptures to repel the temptations of Satan Mat. 4. Can we think the Quakers haâ—e any high esteem for the Scriptures who declare them utterly useless as to this as Martin Mason doth in his Loving Invitation p. 11 12. Can they value the Scriptures aright who desire the Lord that he would stripe us of all our knowledge of the Scripture and say that they only make us wise to oppose truth and so bring us into a state of condemnation wrath and misery beyond the heathen See Pennington's quaest p. 12. See also W. Pen's Spirit of truth p. 23. 13. Do they not undervalue the Scriptures who still set them in opposition to the Spirit And is not this the common language of the Quakers 14 If the Quakers have an high opinion of the Scriptures what meaneth all these expressions in the Morning watch Pap. 22.23 of them and of the doctrines received from them viz Traditions of men earthly root darkness and confusion Nebuchadnezzars image Putrefaction and corruption rotten and deceitful all out of the liâ—e and power of God Apostacy the whores cup the mark of the Beast Babylon the Mother of harlots Bastards brought forth of flesh and â—lood the birth that persecutes the son and heire Babylons brats and children graven images c. These sure are no expressions of great estimation 15. What shall we think of what the same Author saith p. 45. So amongst the words you finde how the Saints in some things walked and what they practised and then you strive to make something to yourselves and to observe it and do it as near as yoâ— can and here you are found transgressours of the Law of God who saith thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor the likeness of any thing Now what difference is there in the ground betwixt you and the Pope Hath this man the same esteem of the Scriptures that Paul had when he said Rom. 15 4. For whatsoever things were wâ—itten afore time were writen for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 16. Do we not all know how reproachfully the Papists speak of the Scriptures And do not Quakers and they go one way here Let any look Mr Faldo's parallel in the end of Chap. 12. of his book Pag. 131. c. and judge If this be not enough to discover what enemies to and undervaluers of the Scriptures the Quakers are I know not if we can get any more out of hell See what is said above Chap. IV. § 2. 4. 12. 5. What saith he more Hâ—nce moreover because we say that their clatterings and outward faith of an external life passion and death of Christ will no more justify them in the sight of God then the Iewes crying the Temple of the Lord c. but that they must acknowledge a Christ within themselves whom they have crucified to be risen and justifying and redeeming them from all iniquity they say we deny the liâ—e suffering and death of Christ and justification by his blood and remission of sinnes through him Answ. What meaneth he by that ill favoured word clatterings garritiunculae It hath no sound in latâ—ne and no good sound in Engâ—ish in this mater And what meaneth he by an external faith And what meaneâ—h he by an external faith of an external life and death of Christ These expressions are very quakerish that is unsavoury salt of non-sense But when he layeth all the weight of justification and redemption on a thing which they call Christ within every man formerly crucified but now risen is not that as much as if they denied all that Christ did for our Redemption and Justification an Pardon through his righteousness and blood What this man hath said of these things we have seen and examined and because he would fame wipe off this Aspersion from his fraternity let us see what they say in this mater Mr Faldo will help us to some others then we have seen and mentioned formerly 1. What meaneth that expression of Edâ— Burrughs Truâ—peâ— c. â— 17. All that are called Presbyterians and Independents with their seeding upon the report of a thing dead many hundered yeers ago And that of Farnworth what righteousness Christ performed without me was not my justification neither was I saved by it Is not this a plaine denial of justification through Câ—rist and hâ—s righteousness Pennington quaestions p. 2â— is clear enough Can saith he outward blood clause the conscience Can outward water wash the soul clean Parnel's Shield of truth p. 30. And this we witness who through the Lamb our Saviour do reigne above the world death hell and the Devil But none can witness this whose eye is outward looking at a Redeemer a far off Morning watch p. 21. And conclude to themselves a beliefe in Christ and apply his promises what he did for them in the body that
He addeeh Hâ—nce againe because we say to them when they clatter and determine of the resurrection that it were more necessary for them to know the righteous one whom they have killed in themselves to be arisen that they may be made partakers of the first resurrection and that if that be they will be more able to judge of the second they say we deny the resurrection of the body Answ. What unsavoury language is that clattering about a resurrection Is this spoken like a Châ—istian Is the Resurrection such an inconsiderable thing with him Or is it a meer problem or a thing that shall never be Next see we not here in his owne words a confirmation of what we were last saying to wit that the Quakers deny a Christ without dying and riseing and all advantage for us thereby What meaneth he by the killing of the just one within us and the riseing againe of that just one Is that the just one crucified at Ierusalem whereof Peter speaketh Act. 3 14. And Stephen speaketh Act. 7 52. and Ananias Act. 22 14 And if not to what else teâ—deth this but to banish away the very historical fâ—ith of that But now as to the Resurrection if he beleeve any such thing how cometh it that in all his great book he hath made no mention thereof Is it no article of our faith Or is it a whimsey and a fictitious notion Then let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die and no matter whether we be Quakers or Christians Againe seing he made no meâ—tion of hâ—s fundamental article in his whole book who did he not upoâ— this occasion speak alittle to it to manifest his râ—al beleefe of it And as to others of the Quakers they give at best a most instinct sound in this point wherein they are worse then some heathen philosophers as may be seen in Mr Hicks 1. Dial. Pag. 57. c. But Turnâ—r a Quaker is more positive against it disproving it by these arguments If the bodies of men rise againe then there is a preheminence in the bodies of Men above the bodies of Beasts which is to give Solomon the lie Eccles. 3 19. Againe If the bodies of men should rise againe this is to give Iob the lie who saith The eyes that see me shall see me no more Iob 7 8. And 3. That flesh and blood shall not inherite the Kingdom of God The same Mr Hicks in his Quakers appeal answered p. 21. sheweth how Will. Pen in several of his books denieth the resurrection saying Such a resurrection is inconsistent with Scripture reason and the beliefe of all men right in their wits And againe for shame let us never make so much stir against the doctrine of Transubstantiation For the absurdity of that is rather outdone than equaled by this carnal resurrection And againe he calleth it a barbarous conceit Mr Faldo in his book against them Chap. 17. cleareth how they speak of a Resurrection and meaneth thereby only Regeneration and showeth how they shift the giving of any distinct and positive answer thereanent All which is enough to shew that it is no calumny to say they deny the resurrection of the body Adde that passage of W. Pen in his book against Mr Faldo cited in his answere Pag. 88. Either the resurrection of the body must be without the mater or it must not If it must then it is not that same numerical body and so their proper and strick taking of the word Resurrection they must let go if it must not be without the same gross mater it died with then I affirme it cannot be incorruptible because it will carry with it that which will render it corruptible ad infinitum I say we cannot see how that which is of the dust should be eternal whilst that from whence it came is by nature but temporal and that which is yet most of all irreconcilable with Scripture and right reason is that the loss and change of nature from corruptible to incorruptible natural to spiritual should not make it another body 7. Yet more he saith Hence finally because when we hear them speak inadvertently of heaven hell and the last judgment we exhort them to come out of that infernal condition in which they stand and come unto and believe the judgment of truth within their own hearts and follow the light that in this life they may sit in celestial places which are in Christ Iesus they maliciously say that we deny all heaven and hell but that which is in us and that we deny the last and general judgment Answ. But if they do account this a calumny why do they not blame themselves for not being more plaine and distinct in these necessary and fundamental points Why doth not this Man in his great book which he stileth an Apology of the Christian Religion deliver in plaine termes his judgment hereof Mr Faldo tels us in his key that he could never hear or read them mention any other heaven to be enjoyed by them as distinct persons but what they have within them in this world And by hell he tels us they mean the present torment and loss within And that by their Trembling and Quaking they mean the horrour and consternation they are under from as they say the wrath of God while the flesh is judged and they are in the hell of condemnation and he can finde no other hell that they hold And this trembling and quaking they say is such as Moses and other Prophets were seized with at the appearance of God And by the State of glory he tels us they meane the state of peace and joy resulting from the witnes of the light within in the life And that by the judgment of the great day they meane sin being judged in the conscience by the light within in this life And it is considerable that when Mr Faldo had said let them profess that they believe a happiness to be enjoyed by Men and Women after their bodies be rotted to dust distinct from the being of God or that which they had not a thousand yeers before they were born i. e. to be in God from whom as of his being they say the soul came and it will be newes to me and all that are acquanted with them Yet Will. Pen in his answere will not be plaine to declare their meaning What can this silence import else than that they are guilty in this matter And as for the last judgment how can they believe it when they deny Christ's second coming visibly personally so doth Whitehead see Mr Hicks in his 2. Dial. p. 43. 75.76 8. Notwithstanding of all this this bold man dar say that God knoweth all these calumnies are â—alsly and undeservedly cast upon them And yet they neither can will nor dar vindicat themselves What followeth being but a meer commendation of themselves which we have heard so oft I think it not worth the translating let be
thorowly to peruse this large examen though I would have every one to have it by him that he might in their perversions of the Scripture have recourse to it for a help to be cleared I would besides other pieces particularly recommend a little piece lately published called a short survey of Quakerisme wherein the Author hath solidly aâ—d clearly said much in little for guarding the people of the Lord against the contagion of these soul-murthering heresies But above all and with this I close all that thou mayest be able to stand when so many once looked upon as persons of some understanding have fallen gird thy loins about with the truth of the Scriptures O prize the word of God that blessed word which these men contradict and contemne as if they would be avenged upon the Scriptures First for foretelling that such a race of Runagadoes from the truth would arise whereby we are confirmed that they are the word of the living God Secondly because of their passing sentence upon them when arisen as seducers and condemning their sentiments as the doctrines of Devils Thirdly because they most peremptorily inhibite us under the pain of his displeasure who hath given us these Scriptures for our rule to converse with such deceivers or receive theâ— into our houses and charge all who would not fall into the same snare and so bring sore and swift damnation on themselves to stand aloof from the men of these abominable and damnable heresies And you are the rather to observe and do this that you finde Satan rageth and goeth mad if this be urged and no wonder since he knowes well what he hath gained by the contrarie practice and is very sure that he who breaks so cleare a command hath wrested himself out of the hand of his guid anâ— so hath put himself out of case to pray or hope for leading which Satan knowing and observing way-layes him when he hath him in his own Synagogue or conversing unnecessarily with his domesticks and thinks himself sure of him And Alas the successe often answers his expectation And therefore he who put that deluded soul to draw up deâ—ile paper with this systeme and compound of all abominations doth prompt him in the next place to penne publish a piece which he calls Vniversal love just of a piece and complexion with cursed Naylor's love to the lost for the men are of the same core and kidney composed of hatred to the Gospel so that if you receive their expressions of love to the lost you are lost however this is a prettie page and pimp to his Apologie and weares its livery and is calculat exactly for the designe of Apollyon O so kinde as they will appeare as kinde as the cruel spider to the flee who while it seems to embrace and kisse it kills it with poison Let them be but warmely welcomed and have accesse to whisper you in the eare and drop-in their poison at that passage it will quickly reach your soul and flee up into your head and so distract you with themselves into a pure and perfect hatred of the way of Salvation but I must tell you he who would not have the Devil run away with him to hell should not throw himself in his embraces or suffer that evil one that liar and murtherer to come so neer him as to touch him Much about the same time also at least much about the same time both came to my hand his brother in iniquitie George Keith in answer as he calls it to a Postscript to Mr Rutherfoords letters written on purpose to disswade all the Lovers of Jesus Christ to converse with these his stated enemies flies furiously into the face of that Author and in his furious transport foams out in that piece his own shame Concerning which at present I have onely this to say to the Reader that he may expect ere long to have G. Keiths notions examined by the same person who hath answered his brothers Apologie and for what relates more particularly to the Postscript it self against which he rageth he may expect to have it considered by the Author of the Postscript But not to detain thee longer consider â— beseech thee and comply with that serious and seasonable exhortation given by this same Author in the preface to this sharp discoverie anâ— solid confutation of these damnable doctrines If not I must tell thee this piece shall rise up in judgement against all who over the belly of so cleare a discovery of the damnablenesse of these delusions and dreams will without feare expose themselves to the hazard of being bewitched by the Seducers But I hope better things of thee though I thus speake and so wishing thy soul prosperitie and establishment in the truth I bid thee fareweel and am Thy servant for Christ and souls well wisher R. M. C. AN INDEX OF PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE Perverted and abused by the Quaker and here vindicated and explained Chap. Vers. Pag GEN. Chap. Vers. 1 2. Pag. 26 Chap. Vers. 2 17. Pag. 98 Chap. Vers. 4 6 7. Pag. 221 Chap. Vers. 5 1 3. Pag. 131 Chap. Vers. 6 5. Pag. 101 150. Chap. Vers. 9 Pag. 345 Chap. Vers. 8 21. Pag. 101 130 Chap. Vers. 17 14. Pag. 132 EXOD. Chap. Vers. 34 6. Pag. 2â—2 NVMB. Chap. Vers. 11 25 29. Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 14 18. Pag. 222 DEVT. Chap. Vers. 4 4. Pag. 74 75 Chap. Vers. â—1 32. Pag. 74 75 Chap. Vers. 13 1. c. Pag. 509 Chap. Vers. 17 2. c. Pag. 509 1 KING Chap. Vers. 8 16. Pag. 347 NEHEM Chap. Vers. 9 30. Pag. 27 ESTER Chap. Vers. 3 2. Pag. 542 IOB Chap. Vers. 1 1. Pag. 345 Chap. Vers. 2 13. Pag. 429 Chap. Vers. 14 4. Pag. 130 Chap. Vers. 15 14. Pag. 131 PSAL. Chap. Vers. 25 3. Pag. 43 421 Chap. Vers. 27 24. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 37 7 34. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 51 5. Pag. 126 Chap. Vers. 13 Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 69 6. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 110 3. Pag. 508 Chap. Vers. 139 7. Pag. 27 PROV Chap. Vers. 8 24. Pag. 225 Chap. Vers. 2 22. Pag. 420 Chap. Vers. 28 1. Pag. 459 Chap. Vers. 30 5 6. Pag. 74 75 ECCLES Chap. Vers. 7 20. Pag. 347 ESAI Chap. Vers. 2 4. Pag. 517 Chap. Vers. 5 1 2 3. c. Pag. 224 Chap. Vers. 8 20. Pag. 7â— Chap. Vers. 30 18. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 40.31 Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 42 23. Pag. 421 Chap. Vers. 45 23. Pag. 531 Chap. Vers. 48 16. Pag. 27 Chap. Vers. 49 6. Pag. 285 Chap. Vers. 53 4. Pag. 364 Chap. Vers. 59 2. Pag. 308 â—38 Chap. Vers. 21 Pag. 44 Chap. Vers. 65 16. Pag. 530 531 Chap. Vers. 25 Pag. 518 IEREM Chap. Vers. 1â— 16. Pag. 529 Chap. Vers. 17 9. Pag. 101 Chap. Vers. 18 9 10. Pag. 225 Chap. Vers. 23 29. Pag. 266 Chap. Vers. 31 33. Pag. 44 Chap. Vers. 34 Pag. 45 Chap. Vers. 38.39 40. Pag. 531 LAM Chap. Vers. 5 25. Pag. 421 EZEK