were once in a ready way to have broken up all the Good Order whether Civil or Sacred in the Infancy of this Plantation which occasioned the Authority whom they would have undermined then to turn a Sharp upon them by Laws not so severe as those in the Realm of England against their Fathers the Jesuites on the same Account yet those Troublesom Hereticks who had no Business here at all but the overthrowing of our whole Government would push themselves on the Swords point and tho' repeated Banishments with merciful Entreaties to be gone were first used unto them nevertheless two or three of them would rather Dye than leave the Plantation undisturbed Reply How or after what manner the Plantation in its infancy was in such danger our Author is silent in True it is that upwards of thirty Years past some of our Friends as faithful Servants in obedience to their Lord and Masters command the great God of heaven by the spirit of his Son in their hearts did visit N. England in true and tender Love to the Inhabitants thereof for whose Immortal Wellfare they earnestly travailed and were bowed down before the Lord being amongst them in much brokenness of Heart and contrition of Spirit they were grieved and weighted in their Souls with the Hypocrisie in New-England against which they witnessed sealing it with their Blood their hearts being filled with that Message the holy Apostle Paul in his day was imployed in Acts 26.17 18. To open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God directing them to the manifestation of the Spirit of God in them A Teacher not to be removed into a corner nor that would any ways deceive them or suffer them to be at ease in sin This High way of the Lord cast up in his Son Christ Jesus the Light of the World the Sound thereof offended the Ears of New-England's Teachers who not unlike Demetrius the Silver-smith Acts 19.24 proved notable Incendiaries against the Lords Servants left their craft should be in danger so far did they kindle the Rage and Fury of their bigotted Rulers that by cruel Usage and inhumane Laws they far exceeded any thing in the Realm of England against the Jesuites And whilst I am writing there livingly springs up in my heart to you the Inhabitants of Boston New-England a weighty Exhortation and that in tender Love That you would mind the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation and as the holy Scripture testifies hath appeared unto all men 2 Tit. 11. that in the same you may see your blind Guides for if the Blind lead the Blind both shall fall into the Ditch Beware that it be not your Condemnation that Light is come into the World and that you love Darkness rather than Light because your Deeds are Evil I have neither Envy nor Malice against the Priests or People of New-England but earnestly desire the Eternal Well-fare of both yet I cannot but lament the present state of New-England as well as its former whose Priests to the life are drawn out in the 3d of Micah v. 5. Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my People Err that bite with their Teeth and cry Peace and he that putteth not into their Mouthes they even prepare War against him vers 11. The Heads thereof judge for Reward and the Priests thereof Teach for Hire and the Prophets thereof divine for Money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us none Evil can come upon us O New-England New-England is not this your present state Are not your Priests crying Peace unto you as if no Evil could come upon you in the midst of these Cloudes of Dangers that are hanging over your heads some of them you have for more than a Twelve Moneth felt to wit A Bloody Cruel War with the Heathen the loss of so many Lives hath humbled me before the Lord and at this time the earnest Cry and Supplication of my Soul unto God is That you may by your speedy sincere Repentance unto him prevent his Judgments for the future That the Jesuits may be properly termed the Fathers of New-England Priests none can doubt if they differ not from their Brother John Cotton of Hampton who in a publick Dispute with G. K. owned To have received his Ministry by the Pope of Rome whose Emisaries they are Beside as they can never prove the Quakers guilty of any one Jesuitical Error yet we can prove these Priests of Boston guilty of many and more especially in their being Incendiaries against the Peace of the Government The further calumniating those who suffered Death to answer your Crucity is but a mean way to expiate the Crime of their innocent Blood which crys aloud for Vengeance and the Lord unto whom it belongs will repay it Thou Cotton Mather nor all thy Fraternity will never be able to prove these 4 Worthies troublesom Hereticks that patiently endured Martyrdom for the Testimony of Jesus by their crul Hands neither will thy poor Insinuation help That two or three of them would rather dye than leave the Plantation undisturbed They had no reason to hearken unto your Hypocritical entreaties to be gone it was their Birth-right as free-born Subjects of the Kingdom of England and so might claim it to inhabit N. England as well as any that there resided as not being forbid to them by either the Law of God or the Realm of England so that being innocent they feared not man that could only hurt the Body but feared him that could cast both Body and Soul into Hell Fire C. M. It is possible a Bedlam had been fitter for those Frantick People than what was inflicted on them and for my own part I must profess with regard unto such Hereticks Ad Judicium sanguinis Tardus sum nor have I the least inclinations to Hereticide as a fit way to suppress their Errors Reply Here our Author doth not a little impeach the Authority of N. England at that time who were accessary to the Death of those â— Worthies by him call'd Frantick People for if according to him a Bedlam had been fitter surely they greatly sinned in passing and executing Sentence of Death upon them the present Governour Simon Broadstead then a Magistrate is greatly concerned in this Charge which amounts to no less than the taking away four Lives by an unjust Judgment for how can that Sentence of Hanging be just against such for whom a Bedlam had been fitter Such as this Author renders our Friends to have been are by the Laws of England exempted from the punishment of Death as also it s reckoned amongst the Abuses of the common Law That such who kill People by false Judgment be not destroyed as other Murderers as may be seen in that noted Book called The Mirror of Justice C. 5. Sect. 108. in express words thus It is abuse that Justices and other Officers who kill People by false Judgment be not destroyed as other Murderers which K. Alfred cause to be done who caused forty four Judges in one Year to be hanged as Murderers for their false Judgments which in the said Book are particularly noted and in the 4th Case he instances how King Alfred hanged Cole because he judged Ive to death when he was a Mad-man Cotton Mather forgot his respect to the venerable Mordocai of his Country as he at other times terms him when he thus exposed him M. C.
universally your way to say and dictate things Magisterially without proof and since it is so ye might have taken a more easy way and as effectual to have only said to every passage and argument in my Book as it is reported how one refuted Bellarmine saying only to every passage and period in his Book Thou lyest Bellarmine Ye say ye have turned your Minds to the Light oâ— Christ within you as well as ye can and it tells you that my assertions are bold presumtious and heretiâ—al But â—ake heed of such ignorant Blasphemy and cease your Mockage The Light of Christ within you that I directed you and all unto is that Light of divine Inspiration and Revelation which is common in some measure unto you and all men but this ye do not believe therefore ye have not turned your Minds unto it nor hearkened to the voice of it And whereas I said It is the same Spirit that giveth to all Readers a right understanding of Scripture ye ask Why then have not all the same understanding oâ— it but contradictory the answer is easie because all do not duly believe in it as my following words make clear Then ye accuse my following words as guilty of contradiction because I said If ye believe in Christ the Light c. and joyn your minds to his inward divine Illumination he will anoint the Eyes of your Understanding and then your Eyes shall be opened which ye put this silly and impertinent gloss upon Iâ— ye will see of your selves then â—e will give you ability to see and then ye scoffingly add This may be no Contradiction in a Quaker's Logick But his is not my Logick but your Perversion for as blind as ye are ye are not altogether blind as Christ said to the Pharisees John 9.41 I ye were blind ye should have no sin c. and if ye were faithful to what ye already see and know your Eyes should be further opened And this iâ— good sence and no Contradiction and what ye see or know of Truth in the least thing ye see it not of your selves but it is given you to see by that Light which ye blaspheme calling it Ignis Fatuus and a stinking vapour from Hell In pag. 6. ye alledge a most abominable Falshood upon me as that I said in my Epistle That the quickening in a man as it abides it is impossible it should perish This is an absolute piece of Forgery as much as ever Tho. Hicks coyned against W. Penn I use no such words and nothing but Malice can put such a gloss upon my words which are these p. 5. of my Epistle And every Soul that is thus quickned and made alive unto him as it doth hold fast this beginning viz. of the good Work of God in it c. and as it here abideth it is impossible that it can perish Where my words say the SOUL cannot perish that abideth faithful c. And this is good sence and well warranted by Scripture 2 Pet. 1.10 For if ye do these things ye shall never fall which according to your absurd Logick is as if he had said If ye never fall ye shall never fall or if Grace continue it cannot be lost this Non-fence and Absurdity ye charge upon me is yours and not mine Pag. 7. Because I said the holy Scriptures are a sufficient outward Rulâ— and Standard whereby to try all Doctrines of men ye most grosly as is your general manner pervert my words as if I did intimate as if God taught us one thing by his Word and another by his Spirit The contrary whereof I have sufficiently asserted in my Book for what the Scripture saith outwardly thâ— Spirit saith the same inwardly and the Testimony of these two to wit that of the Scripture without and that of Gods Spirit wiâ—hin cannot differ or disagree Next ye blame me for not making Practices as well as Doctrines lyable to this Test I Answ And so I do for all commanded Practices of a holy Life are contained under that head of Doctrines for things to be done as well as things to be believed are belonging to the Christian Doctrine as the ten Commandments and all other Moral and Evangelical Precepts and Dutites witnessed of in the holy Scriptures And why ye should blame me for calling the Scriptures an Outward Rule showeth your inclination more to Cavil than to Dispute as men of solid Reason Are not the Scriptures an outward thing and if an outward thing then an outward Rule seeing they are a Rule as is confessed â—y us both and Protestants commonly call the Scriptures the external or outward Word witness the Augustine Confession published by Protestants Article 5. And is not the External Word the External Rule and doth not the external or outward Word intimate that there is an inward Word that is the inward Rule and these two agree in one and can never differ as an inward Domâ—nstration of any natural Science doth agâ—ee with the outward set down in wâ—it or print on Paper And tho' I call the Scripture an outward Rule yet I denie not but it hath a real service in the hand and management of the Spirit to regulate our inward Apprehensions and Conceptions of all Christian Doctrine as well as our outward words and Actions and so it may be called an Organâ—â—al and Instrumental Rule in respect of the Spirit of God inwardly witnessing which is the principal Nor do I in the least retract what I have said as ye weakly alledge when â—â—ay There are many things wherein God doth reveal of his Counsel to his Children which are not in Scripture either expresly or consequentially wherein I give a five fold instance at least that though ye cannot disprove ye boldly but Ignorantly contradict contrary to the blessed and solid Experience of Thousands for these things instanced as for a man to know his inward state beâ—ore God c. and for a Minister to know his inward Call and a Christian to know both his call to pray in vocal Prayer or in Publick and returns oâ— his Prayer from God in secret they are no matters of Christian Doctrine belonging to the common Faith oâ— common Duty of all Christians but only are relative to a Christians private Condition and Consolation for no Doctrine or Precept in all the Scripture requireth me to believe or to know whether many or one by name besides my self be in a justified state c. but it belongs to me in particular therfore it is no part of the common Doctrine or Faith or Practice of the Christian Religion to believe for another or others but every one to believe for himself And that ye alledge p. 9. that Lucas should say Any Quaker if he â—as a mind to it may make as good a Book himself as the Book of the holy Scriptures is out a falâ—e alledgance from a Foâ—ger of Lyes against the Truth and is sufficiently refuted by N. Lucas's â—â—iâ—ted
remote capacity of Holiness thâ—t is nothing else but a simple possibility of being made holy without having any inward Seed or Principle of Holiness lodged in the Soul I call not Holiness but because there is such a Seed and Principle of Holiness placed in all Children even Infants that is the purchase of Christ's Death and which God first promised to our first Parents and renewed to Noah saying And behold I establish my Covenant with thee and thy Seed after thee and yet again renewed to Abraham saying In thy Seed shall all Nations be blessed because of these three general Fathers which were as a holy Root the Branches are holy as I said not actually but in a capacity to become actually Holy through the holy Seed given unto them which before I called a near Capacity that iâ— more remote or near as that noble divine Seed and Principle is more or less clouded or vailed in them and ye show your selves more igâ—orant in Logick than ordinary School-Boyes who generally know that distinction betwixt a thing in actu primo and the same thing in actu secundo which is as much as to say in English betwixt a thing that is in a near capacity and readiness or tendency to be so and a â—hing that is actually and really or in fact so thus A field sown with Corn altho' the Seed is not sprung in it nor hath taken root if sown with Wheat we call it commonly Wheat if sown with Rye we call it Rye because the Seed of Wheat is sown in the one field and Rye in the other and if nothing hinder it may be expected that the one fiâ—lâ— shall bring good Wheat in due season and the other good Rye because the Seeds of Whâ—at and Rye are sown in these fields And how generally all Infants and Men because of Christ's Death and Purchase until they reject the Remedy are clean I proved from Acts 10.12 13 14 15. for by all manner oâ— four footed Beasts and wild Beasts and creeping things and Fowles of the Air all sorts of men are to be understood whom God hath after some sort cleaâ—sed by Christ's Death viz. by putting them in a near capacity to be cleansâ—d and sanctified by that divine Seed of Holiness put in them that is the purchase of Châ—ist who dyed for them But to this most weighty and demonstrative place of Scripture ye say nothing at all but pass it by with a dry foot as you phrase it lest if ye should have meddled with it your folly should have been manifest and this is your common way to pass by what ye cannot give some shadow of Answer unto and if ye give a shadow of Answer it is all Your easiest Answer is which ye have given upon this head viz. That our Doctrine in this iâ— a perâ—ect Arminian Principle and hath been enoâ—gh confuâ—ed by all that have written against them so ye might have spared your Paper and Pains with this one short answer to my whole Book That it hath been enough conâ—uted already by all that have written against us as T. Hicks J Faldo and J. Owen c. aâ—l which have been sufficiently answered But as for the Arminian Principle it is not our Principle nor do the Remonstrants or Jesâ—its hold the Doctrine of Universal Grace as we do as will be obviouâ— to any that will compare our Books and theirs for we say The divine Gospel Principle and Seed of Regeneration and Word of Faith is put by God as his free Gift in all men though it is not manifest or known to be such in aâ—l and this neither the Aâ—minians nor the Remonstrants nor Jesuits ever did affirm but aâ—e generally professed Adversaries to the inward Word and Spirit of God in men as much as your selves witness Bellarmine for the Jesuits who saith in his Treatise de Verbo externo That he is a mad-man who relieth upon the Testimony of a Spirit within him that is oft fallacious and ever uncertain And Arminius his followers are generally against the Doctrine of inward divine Inspiration and Revelation as is apparent from their printed Books It doth not follow as ye insinuate that the Condition of Pagans is better than that of Christians or thaâ— the Gospel opens a door to mans undoing which ye build on a false supposition That t e Pagans are incapable oâ— rejectiâ—g the Physitian who is neâ—er offered to them This ye assert without all proof and the contrary I have proved and is clear from Scripture that Faith is offered unto all men and the Gospel preached to every creature at one time or another before their end and all are called some at one hour and some at another Pag. 83. Ye most grosly traduce and abuse me by alledging and fathering upon me as mine which are not mine at all two assertions 1st That Grace is propagated by our natural Parents 2dly Tâ—at there is habitual Sanctification in all me by nature That both thâ—se are extream falsly alledged on me the Reader shall see by reading pâ—g 91 and 92. cited by them Yea on the contrary I say that Seed or Principle of Holiness put in Mâ—n and Infants is derived from Christ the second Adam and therefore not from the first Adam or our immediate Parents and I believe the Souls of all men have come from God by Creation and do not believe that the Souls of the Parents generate the Souls of the Children and if the Souls of the Children are not generated from the Souls of the Parents then surely the divine Seed and Principle is not derived by humane Generation as if the Soul of the Parent were the Author or Original of that divine Principle but on the contrary both the Soul and the dvine Seed and Principle in it come from God and Christ nor do my words give you the least occasion to think otherwise for although the Parents are not the Author of the divine Seed and Principle in the Souls of their Children yet according to Paul's Doctrine there is commonly a great diffrence betwixt the Children of Believers and Unbelievers the one he calleth Unclean and the other Clean or Holy and it is plain from Scripture that the Children of the faithfull Israelites were called the Holy Seed and had an excellency in them above the Children of the Moabites Amonites and Canaanites c. because the noble divine Seed and Principle was more clouded and vailed in these last and lay under more Rubbish and Impurity and therfore God forbid the People of Israel to joyn in Marriage with these unclean Nations lest their Seed should be defiled with them and a wrong mixture should happen as sometimes did and therefore the great Uncleanness of Parents commonly doth more vail and cloud the divine Principle and Seed in their Children than where that Uncleanness is not so great and that the Parents are true Believers And because I assert that there is a Seed of Holiness in all men
exprâ—sly affirmed pag. 112. Now let us hear your Answer ye say They had believed in a Christ to come though at present they knew not that â—e was come in the flâ—sh till it was further revâ—aled to them Aâ—sw At this rate ye make all the Jews throughout the whole World true Believers in Christ because they all profess to believe iâ— a Christ to come even as ye say Nathaniel and Cornelius believed in a Christ to come But as it was the true Faith to believe in Christ to come before he was come so it was not the true Faith but a great mistake or error at least though pardonable to believe in Christ to come in flesh when the true Christ was already come for their Faith could not be the true Faith which had not the true Object for to believe in a Christ yet to come in the flesh is a false Faith such as the faith is of those hardened Jews who generally believe not in Christ who is already come in the flesh but in a Christ or Messiah whom they imagine yet to come in the flesh And before that Peter preached to Cornelius Christ was crucified and raised again And seeing ye grant Cornelius had not faith in Christ crucified until Peter preached unto him and yet was in a good state ye quite give away your cause Beside that ye meerly alledge it without proof That Cornelius had any sort of Faith of a Christ to come in the flesh at that time for it only appeareth that he was a devout and religious Gentile but no Proselite to the Jewish Religion A Third Instance I gave you of Christs Apostles who had not the true knowledge and faith of Christs Death and Resurrection for some time for it is expresly said in Scripture when Christ told them he was to be put to Death and to rise again the third day They understood it not and yet who will say they were altogether in a state of Damnation Ye are so pinched here that your Cause is desperate and that makes you so angry and fretful Ye say Faith in God without Christ viz. come in the Flesh and crucified c. is not saving citing John 14.6 Acts 4.12 I have answered you it is not in that degree so as to perfect the work of Salvation but yet it hath a preparatory work and may begin it otherwise ye must say the Apostles that were ignorant that Christ should dye were not in any state of Salvation Pag. 95. Ye imagine that ye have got a wonderful advantage saying What then shall we say to his New Doctrine that they may receive it after death Ye further say We shall have a new Quakers Purgatory erected ere long But if ye were not very partial ye might see I did principally argue so with you ad hominem because of your Principle according to your own Doctrine in your Conf ssion of Faith that saith The Souls of the Righteous after Death Note after Death being then made perfect in Holiness are received into the highest Heavens These are the expresâ— words of your Catechism as I told you cap. 32 sect 1. and that ye say It is a bold Vntruth for they say no such thing there I Aâ—swer Let the Reader but be at the pains to read that place cited cap. 32. s 1. and he shall find it expresly so and therefore the bold Untruth is your own and not mine and if they contradict it in their shorter Catechism by saying at the instant oâ— death what is that to me they must answer for their own contradictions and not I for them And for my saying after Death it was by way of Hypothesis If I should say And whereas I brought you a Scripture out of Job cap. 33.22 23 24. to show the wonderful dealings workings of God with men on their death bed or at death without the outward Ministry of men to show unto them their Uprightness and the Ransom or Attonement see from v. 14. to v. 30. Even by his own speaking to them in a Dream in a Vision of the Night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumberings upon the Bed then he openeth the Ears of men and as it is on the Margin he revealeth or uncovereth Heb. and sealeth their Instruction What say ye to this weighty place of Scripture that deserveth so great consideration as holding forth the wonderful love of God towards men in general for the word Man indefinitely is to be understood universally or generally see v. 29. Lo all these things worketh God often times with man and his care over them that where outward helps and means of mens Ministry fail he supplyeth by his own speaking to them yea when deep sleep falleth upon men whether that sleep be understood natural or figurative is not very material to determine and all to keep back their Souls from the Pit and that they may be enlightned with the Light of the living Certainly this place of Scripture hath much in it yea very much more than ye or most are aware of to prove that Gods love and care is exceeding great towards Mankind and his patience and long-suffering is greatly extended towards them to keep back their Souls from the Pit which altogether doth overturn that most cruel and Cannibal-like Doctrine of yours that saith God damneth many Infants to Hâ—ll and universally all who have not have had Christ preached unto them by the Ministry oâ— men except in some singular cases of Abraham and some others that were Prophets But to this weighty place of Scripture ye say nothing at all but are as mute as a Fish it is a cunning way in you to pass by with a dry foot as ye phrase it that which most pincheth you lest by medling with it ye should not only wet your feet but be in danger to drown your sinking and desperate Cause All sober Protestants as well as others will condemn you for your great uncharity to Damn not only so many Millions of honest Gentiles but of poor Infants that ye say never sinned actually in thought word or deed but meerly for the sin of another that was forgiven to him and thousands more yea not only the Episcopal but many in the Church of Rome are not so uncharitable Your great Uncharitableness maketh you cruel and haâ—d-hearted and this begetteth in you a spirit of Persecution But is it not a great sin in you to be so uncharitable when ye have no ground but your own mistakes of some place of Scripture hard to be understood Oh! Repent of this your great sin not only of Unâ—haritableness towards so great a part of Mankind but of your evil and sinful thoughts of God Almighty rendring him so cruel and so short in his Mercy who hath declared himself to be good unto all and his tender Mercies to be over all his Works and that he is slow to Wrath long-suffering and with much long-suffering he endureth the Vessels of Wrath perfected for
sence the seed is not in the ground though sown till it begin to take root but yet according to the more general sence he is in all men for his illumination and operation cannot be seperated from him Ye say I falsly render the place James 1.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Innate Word But ye only say it without proof it is composed of en in and phyo nascor therefore in tâ—ue English it is innate is so used by Plutarch a Greek Author who saith There is a Faith innate emphutos in every reasonable Creature living and dwelling in the Soul and never leaving the Soul destitute of Guidance and it is used in the same signification by Clemens Alexandrinus writing to the Gentiles where speaking of the inward Witness which was in Unbelievers he calleth it Emphuton Martyra testem innatum fide dignum The innate Witness worthy of Faith and I suppose ye judge not your selves better or so well skilled in the Greek language as Plutarch and Clemens Alexandrinus who were Greek Authors and Grecians by Birth Ye say If the Light be connate with men what needed G. K. make such a splutter about Immediate Revelations It may be said to be both innate and connate with men not as ye imagine Accidents or Qualities to be in a subject but seeing the eternal Word and Wisdom hath created all Souls of men after his Image therefore in a special way of presence that eternâ—l Word and Wisdom is in all Souls of men by a measure of it planted or if ye will grafted in all men for grafted and innate may be of the same signification and this eternal Word and Wisdom hath its operation and influence on the Understanding of the Souls of men generally to enlighten them gradually first with the more common and plain things of Religion and then as the former are learned with the more special and peculiar Mysteries of the Christian Religion yet not without the use of the holy Scriptures in Gods ordinary way so distinctly and perfectly as Christians know them who have the use of the Scriptures and all internal divine Illumination is properly Revelation P. 102. Ye find great fault that I conclude That the inward Dispensation that is among the Gentiles that have not Christ outwardly preached viz. by the Ministry of men and the holy Scriptures hath its glory and great service to those that are faithful in it and ye say This is to talk at liberty my self and to deny all others a liberty to judge But herein ye wrong me I allow all spiritual men a liberty to judge I question not but to all such who have a spiritual discerning and ability to judge what I have affirmed of the glory and great serviceableness of the inward divine Dispensation in the Gentiles will be approved and my Reasons and Proofs both from Scripture and other Authors found vallid And though ye seek to untye that ye call a knot that I judge is indissolvable p. 91. I judge so still that ye shall never be able to untye it as ye persist in your Doctrine But yet ye pervert my words in that ye call the Knot for I did thus argue That seeing Infants by your confession might be saved by Christ and regenerated by the Spirit of Christ that worketh when and where and how he pleaseth Therefore might the honest and faithful Gentiles be saved by the same regenerating Spirit of Christ who worketh when and where and how he pleaseth and by faith in Christ But that ye may with some seeming show appear to loose the Knot ye word my Argument quite another way I Infants may be saved by the working of the Spirit in them why may not the Gentiles be so by giving obedience to the Light in them And thus ye would make me appear to the ignorant as if I did plead that the Gentiles were or could be saved without faith in Christ and the regenerating Spirit of Christ only by obedience to the general dictates of the Light within but I say though none are saved but who are obedient to the Light in them yet no Obedience can save without faith in Christ and the Spirit of Christ regenerating them that is altogether necessary to every mans eternal Salvation Whereas I produced divers very convincing Arguments to prove That the Light in men that did accuse or reprove for sin could not be some natural faculty of mans Soul these Arguments some of them ye pass over very slightly answering by your bare Affirmations without proof and some ye give no answer unto at all nor take any notice of see my Book p. 119 120 121. which I again recommend to the Readers serious consideration I argued That since ye confess that man is wholly defiled and darkned so that he iâ— called Darkness in Scripture therefore the Light in natural men could not be any part or faculty of their Souls for that were to say Men are not fallen totally nor totally defiled but in part And I further argued That since your Confession saith All Sin is a Transgression against the Righteous Law of God and since the Heathen are sinners this righteous Law of God must be in them against which they transgress and this righteous Law cannot be any part oâ— faculty of the Soul which ye confess is wholly unrighteous and dâ—filed for a thing cannot be wholly unrighteous and defiled yet in part righteous holy and clean To this I find not that ye say any thing Ye say I mistake when I think ye reckon it any distinct Faculty but the Mistake is yours not mine I did not think that ye do reckon it any distinct Faculty but on the contrary I blame you for saying It is nothing else but the natural Conscience or some natural Faculty of mans Soul so that ye are wonderfully careless of what ye say see my Book pag. 119. and your Book pag. 98. And yet ye seem to make it now Not the natural Vnderstanding but something there imprinted Well let it be something there imprinted this evinceth that it is properly Gods Word for I hope ye will not deny but that which God writeth or printeth with his own Hand or Finger is Gods Word and doth as well or rather more deserve to be accounted the Word of God as that printed in the Bible seeing God is the immediate Printer of this without the Ministry of men but the Print of the Bible is the work of Men though the Truth there witnessed is immediately of God and therefore by your Confession there is an inward written or printed Word of God in Heathens and generally in all men and that immediately without the use or help of the Scriptures commonly called the outward Word Hence it clearly followeth that the Word without is not the whole Word of God nor the only Rule in contradiction to you who affirm it And seeing by your Confession the Word of God is in the Gentiles or Heathen who have not the
Scriptures why may not the same virtue and efficacy be given to it as to that which ye say is contained in the Scriptures It is improper to prefer that which is writ or printed on Paper by the labour and work of Men to that which by God immediately is printed on mens hearts and souls without the woâ—k of men And since ye grant That there is a Law written in mens hearts universally by God himself Why may not that Law be understood to be the same mentioned Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul yea that it must and ought to be so understood is clear from that analogy that the Wisdom of God in David maketh betwixt the preaching of the Heavens and Firmament Day and Night and the course of the Sun and the Preaching or Testimony of this inward Law that as universal as the outwâ—rd is so universal is the inward for the outward is the Symbole Figure and Type of the inward as the Ceremonial Law of Moses was symbâ—lical of the inward Gospel-Law and if both had not been Universal the Analogy would have been improper and false for the true Analogy is betwixt two Universals and not one universal and another particular And Paul by the Spirit of God applyeth the universal Language of the Heavens and Firmament Day and Night and Sun to the preaching of the Gospel Rom. 10.18 by the same Analogy Ye contradictâ— the Scripture expresly when ye deny it thaâ— the Law in the Gentiles so far as they obeyed it made them excusable for as some had thoughts that accused them when they did evil so they had thoughts that excused them when they did well and this excusing of them proceeded originally from the Law it self within them see Rom. 2.15 which ye expresly contradict And for Gods inward speaking to men most frequently without the Ministry of men or books as outwardly I cited divers observable places of Scripture as Psal 94.10 Psal 50.1.16 to 22. Amos 4.13 Micah 6.8 Prov. 8.1 2 3 4. Job 28.28.24.13 and 21.14 and that noted place Luke 12.20 from all which I did conclude that it hath been the way of God and ever will be to speak to men in their hearts to call them and warn them and fore-warn them of evil and danger and to perswade and incline them to that which is good And all these places of Scripture prove thâ—t God doth at present and in every Age move and stir upon mens Consciences and sâ—eak in them by his Word and Voice as really as he did in the Prophets tho' not equally nor the same in all respects and this is immediate Revelation and Inspiration seeing God doth it without the Ministry of men most frequently even in the Heathen and in the Wicked when they are neither hearing men nor reading nor thinking on any place of Scripture and all this ye meerly slubber over with a bare Magisterial Affirmation saying That it is all but the actings of a natural Conscience under legal Convictions But tell me What works these Legal Convictions doth not the Scripture say it is God and he doth it by speaking to them in their hearts for God doth not use to speak to men by an outward audible Voice and therefore there is more in men than what ye call a Relique left in men of a natural Conscience there is that which newly and freshly and immediately calleth to men in their hearts and is a new gift and visitation of God I find not that ye say any thing but one that hath some shadow or appearance of weight and that is from Rom. 8.3 Gal. 3.21 viz. That the Law is weak through the flesh and cannot give Life And this is even that Law which was within both Jews and Gentiles universally and was not the meer outward Law But to this I Answer That by the Law in these places cited by you and in many other places that could be â—â—ted as Rom. 3.19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 c. Gal. 3.8 9 10 â—1 12 13. is indeed to be understood not the meer outward Law given to the People of Israel but the Law within in its first Administration or Dispensation that hath its proper work and service to condemn and not to justifie to wound bruise and kill and not to heal bind up and make alive and this first â—dministration of the Law is most necessary and proper and is the real effect and work of Christ in his inward appearance in mens hearts as a Law-giver and judge but not so properly nor clearly nor distinctly as a Saviour as he appeareth in his second Administration perfectly to save the Soul and deliver it from Sin and Wrath and perfectly to restore and renew it into the Conformity of his own Image by faith in him the whole Christ intire and undivided both as he came in the flesh suffered Death for our sins rose again c. ascended into Heaven and is now in Heaven our Intercessor and Advocate with the Father and as he cometh in Spirit And of this twofold Administration of Christ first as a Law-giver secondly as a perfect Saviour Moses and Joshua were Types Moses was a type of Christ in his first Ministration and Joshua was a type of him as a perfect Saviour in his second Ministration both which are inward for though the true Christian Faith respecteth Christ come in the flesh without us and now glorified in Heaven in the glorified nature of Man c. yet the Mystery of this and the worth of his Death and Intercession must be inwardly opened and revealed in us by the Spirit of Christ And as Moses led the People out of Egypt through the red Sea and thâ—ough the Wiâ—derness and brought them to Jordan and the borders of the good Land and no further and then dyed so Joshâ—a was raised up to bring them beyond Jordan into the good Land therefore Moses begun the woâ—k but Joshua finished it Which two are plain figures of the twofold inward Ministration of Christ the one that is more Legal than Evangelical and hath the Evangelical hid in it but not clearly revealed the other that is clearly and apparently Evangelical and because the second inward Ministration of Christ in mens hearts doth not appear at first in its fulness of vigor and strength but gradually therefore there is a mixture of the first second which is a middle Dispensation consisting of both and this is well known and experienced by spiritual Travellers although to you it is a Mystery and a Riddle that ye mock at rather than enquire into And concerning this diversity of inward Dispensations and Ministrations both having one Author to wit the Lord Jesus Christ not only the people called Quakers but many sober and juditious Protestants have given Teâ—â—â—mony and their Testimony is upon record in print some calling them Three and referring them the one to the Father the other to the Son together with the Father and
the adopted because I said Christ hath left his spiritual goods as Justification Remission Adoption and Eternal Life to his Brethren by spiritual Regeneration and since ye deny this ye must allow That Christ giveth Remission Justification Adoption and Eternal Life to such who are not spiritually regenerated which is a Contradiction to your own Doctrine And your own Doctrine distinguisheth betwixt Regeneration and Adoption Ye grosly abuse me in saying I confound Justification and Sanctification alledging I fall into down-right Popery for on the contrary I assert Justification as it is opposed to Condemnation and according to the most proper and frequent use of the word is distinct from Sanctification as thus Justification is Gods act of his free Grace whereby he forgiveth the sins of all true Believers and Penitents and accepteth and owneth them to be righteous in Christ being cloathed with Christ and his Righteousness imputed freely unto them and whom he hath truly sanctified and begot into a true and real state of inward Holiness Righteousness so that true inward Righteousness and Holiness or Sanctification iâ— not the Foundation of Justification but a Condition Qualification required in order thereunto and I place inward Righteousness and Holiness no other way than Faith by which men are justified to wit as necessary Conditions and Instruments of Justification all true Believers are cloathed not only with Châ—ist imputed Righteousness in respect of whâ—t he hath done and suffered for them â—ut with Châ—ist himself in-dwelling living and ruling in their hâ—arts making them really holâ— and righteous and this is a double cloathing unto them or as the Scarlet that is of a double Die where-with all the true Childâ—en of Jerusalem from above the Mother of all the faithful are cloathed so that they are not afraid of the Snow according to Prove 31.21 But all such who think that the alone Righteousness of Christ without them while they are not inwardly cloathed with real inward Righteousness will cover them will be greatly disappointed True inward Sanctification and Justification though distinct yea are not divided nor is the one perfect without the other he who is imperfectly sanctified cannot while such be perfectly justified Sanctification is ingredient in the Object of Justification and so is distinct from it for it is only the holy Man whom God justifieth by his act of his free Grace and Favour And therefore Sanctification is in the priority of order tho' not of time before Justification as the Object is prior in order to the Act for as God condemneth none but him who is wicked so he justifieth none but who is hoâ—y and he justifiâ—th the Ungodly from their Ungodliness not in it viz. such who had been formerly ungodly being now sanctified he justifieth them and still Justification is as much the free Grace of God as our Sanctification yea both equally his free Gifts and Favour Note that Augustine cap. 26. de spir er lit doth acknowledge a twofold sense of the word Justified in Scripture 1. To make just by the inward effect of Righteousness wrought in men by the Spirit of God 2. To account reckon or repute to be just And many Protestant Writers of great note have acknowledged that twofold sense and for the first they cite Rev. 22.11 He that is just let him be just still or more justified Pag. 106. Ye say It is a great mistake in me to say that Faith is one hand to receive Christ and Love another and ye further say By Faith we receive Christ and by Love we serve him A very unlearned and foolish distinction do we not serve him both by Faith and Love Yea and we receive him by both Faith and Love and by both he dwelleth in our hearts And as ye bring no proof to contradict it so the truth of what I say is manifest for it is the Love of the Heart and Soul as well as Faith that qualifieth it to receive Christ yea Love doth most sweetly embrace Christ for it is the nature of Love to embrace its beloved Object the loving Parent embraceth the loving Child and the loving Child embraceth the loving Parent and one Friend embraceth another Friend and not only receiveth him into his House buâ— into his Heart and the â—â—ore one said The Soâ—l is more where it lovetâ— than where it breatheth and alâ— sensible Souls who know in experience whâ—t it is to love Christ wiâ—l contradict you and say with me That by and with their Love thâ—t he hath begot in thâ—m they receive Christ they embrace him and hold him as weâ—â— as by Faith It sâ—emeth too much it is your want of sâ—iritual experience in this Love that maketh you talk so widely Yea Faith as it is a fiducial act of the Soul and of the Will and not a bare assent of the Understanding hath Love and Desâ—â—e in it and belonging to the very natuâ—e and being of it as Augustine said What is it to believe in God by believing to love him and to go into him The virtue of divine Love doth wonderfully knit and unite the hearts of true Believers to Christ and one to another according to Col. 2.2 and this is felt by all that have any measure of the divine Love shed abroad in their hearts and if Love knit the heart to Christ by Love it receiveth him as that which knitteth the Graft to the Tree causeth the Graft to receive the Life and Substance of the Tree into it Ye say In my sixth Paragraph I give up the whole cause if I speak sincerely Answ I speak sincerely and accoâ—ding to the plain and genuine sence of all the words contained in it and yet I give up none of my Cause to you but still I differ from you considerably for I say in the same Paragâ—aâ—h Tâ—at real inward Holiness and Righteoâ—sâ—ess as well as Faith are the Instruments whereby â—en are jâ—stified yet they are not the Foundation and gâ—oâ—nd of Justification And as thiâ— clearâ—th us of â—opery so it doth not make us one with you unless ye and not I give up your Cause for ye say Only Faith and not real inward Holinâ—ss and Righteousness aâ—e tâ—e Instruments of Jâ—stification Pag. 107. That Paul and other Saints renounced inward Holiness and Righteoâ—sness after believing for being so much as Instruments of Justification ye can never prove though neither he nor they did build on them but on Christ the alone Foundation of Justification and of Sanctification and all other Blessings and Mercies and to be justified by Works is but a secondary Justification for inward Holiness and Righteousness planted and begot in the Soul is before Works of Righteousness as the Tree is good before it bear good Fruit and as some Worthy Protestants have said A good Tree maketh good Fruit but a Tree cannot bear good Fruit before it be good We are created by an inward Work of Christ's new creating unto good Works and therefore this new Creation
to so weighty a place of Scripture with divers others adjoyned But blind men cannot judge of Colours Pag. 29. My Comparison taken from the outward teaching of humane Sciences that presuppose some inward Principles of natural Knowledge in the Learners whereby to show the consistency and harmony of outward teaching of divine things and the inward teaching by the Spirit as presupposed in part and in the other part accompanying the outward Teaching ye understand it not and therefore ye call it Impertinent but impertinently talk against it for I do not intend by the same to hold forth any New Revelation of any new Doctrine as I have oft toâ—d you but a new Revelation of antient Doctrine and the comparison is proper and pertinent in this respect that as outward teaching of natural things require an inward Principle and light of Knowledge that is natural so the outward teaching of spiritual and divine things require an inward Principle of divine and spiritual Knowledge whereby to enable the Soul to perceive them otherwise a man could be no more capable to know divine and spiritual things than a Beast would be capable to know humane things for as the spirit of a man teacheth man things of men so the Spirit of God in men teacheth them who hearken thereto the things of God Pag. 31. Ye blame me for putting a scurrelous Title upon that ye call the reverend Assembly calling them Faith-makers who never pretended to any new Revelations of any article of Faith more than is contained in Scripture But as they pretend not to that so nor to any new Revelation or Inspiration of that Doctrine which is contained in Scripture and that is their great fault to deny all such Revelation even of that Doctrine there contained for without divine inward Revelation and Inspiration the true Faith of the Doctrines contained in Scripture canot be discovered no more than we can see to read what is printed in a Book without light and therefore their Faith is but a made Faith and also that in the ignorance and blindness of their minds they have made things Articles of Faith which are false and contrary to Scripture and therefore I am not to be blamed for so calling them Pag. 33. By your granting That there is a spiritual â—eeling and tasting and intuitive Knowledge of God and divine things ye give away your cause to the Quakers and contradict your grand Principle That there is no divine Immediate Revelation for intuitive knowledge is immediate and immediate knowledge must have an immediate Light and Revelation as when I see a picture of a man in a Table or read a discourse of him in a Book that knowledge of him is only abstractive and discursive as also when I see England only in a Map and that is but remote and mediate knowledge but when I see a man face to face in the clear light of the day and see the Land of England it self that Knowledge is Immediate and Intuitive But tell me in good earnest do ye indeed grant that there is an Intuitive Knowledge of God that is not discursive and abstractive that is certainly to see God and to hear him without a necessity of the interposition of words or other means I am sure this is Immediate Revelation and I am as sure that ye commonly deny it and tell People They shall noâ— hear God nor see him in this mortal Life for the vision of God is râ—served to the future life as ye use to say But ye say and unsay the same thing a vice ye charge upon me but are guilty therein yourselves And grantiâ—g it be so that we have no Intuitive Knowledge of any divine Truth whereof we had not a discursive Knowledge before this saith nothing against our Principle no more than that a man first hath a discursive knowledge of England before he see it We grant the discursive kâ—owledge is serviceable and commonly introductory to the intuitive and yet both may consist together though the intuitive excelleth the discursive as far as the sight of the Land of England excelleth the sight of the bare Map of it Discursive Knowledge cannot be without words or pictures of things and signs of them but Intuitive Knowledge can be without all words sign now if ye grant that men have a knowledge of God and Christ and divine Things without all words i. e. without the Scripture ye fairly give away your cause for if without Scripture then surely by Immediate Revelation for the Scriptures are the means ye say altogether necessary to obtain all the knowledge of God that any have or can have in this mortal Life But for the better Information of the Reader I say the Scriptures are the usual necessary means in God's ordinary way of working whereby men obtain the Doctrâ—nal and Discâ—â—sive Knowledge of the Christian Faith and Religion And seeing the doctrinal and discursive Knowledge is of great service to prepare the Souls of men for thâ— intuitive and sensible Knowledge oâ— God that cometh after that is an immediate enjoyment of him a taste and sight of him that he is good and gracious and also seeing this intuitive and sensible knowledge of God is gradual and is to encrease in the most advanced and that the doctrinal knowledge hath still a preparatory service to the same it followeth that the holy Scriptures have a preparatory service and use to Gods Saints while in the mortal Body yet in so far as the end of this preparatory service is answered by the Souls obtaining some degree of that intuitive and sensible knowledge of God by the sight and taste of him as inwardly revealed in and through Christ that immediate â—ervice and need of the Scripture ceaseth in respect of that degree of intuition sight taste and sensible knowledge of God that the Soul hath for that present time even as when a Husbandman useth many means instruments of Husbandry to procure Bread and other good Provisions for himself the use of these means and instruments are alwayes necessary at times and that frequently but there are times that he enjoyeth the fruits of his labours that he eateth and drinketh and is refreshed and when he sitteth down to eat and drink 〈◊〉 his Table he needeth not in those intervals of time to use his instruments of Husbandry as the Plow the Cart the Hoe c. nor so much as at that time to think of them And thus it is as touching the use and service of the Scriptures and other outward helps and means the use and service and profit of them is great to all the Saints and Children of God in this mortal life to the end of it even as the use of the Instruments of Husbandry is to the Husband-man but yet there are times of feeding in the House of God where the Souls of the faithful either together or apart eat of the heavenly Bread and drink of the heavenly Wine in the House and Kingdom
of God and these times are frequent and at such times the need of Scripture words and of all words that consist of Letters do cease as when a man eateth Bread and drinketh Wine and hath his taste well he needeth no words to tell him of the taste of it he tasteth it without all words that the mouth can utter and even so the Children of God at times yea frequently taste of the goodness and sweetness of Christ by an inward sensible taste without all Scripture words and without all present remembring of them yet if at such times the Spirit of God bringeth them to their remembrance they have a service at least tâ—â—ncrease the doctrinal and discursive knowledge of God in them and further to open the Mysteries of the Christian Doctrine which is a great gift blessing of God in its place Pag. 34. Ye alledge I introduce an Hypothesis that is a Castle in the Air that they say there is no sensible or intuitive knowledge of God in this Life But I say many or most of you expresly deny it I mean most of these call'd Presbyterians and Independents as I have had to do with them before now who have told me There is no sensible knowledge of God at â—â—ll no sight nor feeling nor taste of him and they give a reason for it viz. That only bodily things could be seen felt tasted but God being a Spirit could neither be felt nor tasted tho' the Scriâ—ture use these words of seeing tasting a aâ—d feâ—ling they say they are as improper and metaphorical as when it is said in Scripture God hath Eyes Hands and Feet c. Again though ye seem to affirm it yet it is in contradiction to your selves for it is an absolute Contradiction to say A man hath a sight of God and taste and feeling of him and yet hath no immediate discovery and knowledge of him as much as to say I see and taste Wine and yet I have no immediate discovery or knowledge of it All sensible knowledge is immediate in regard of their Objects P. 34. Ye blame me that I say ye preach altogether an absent Christ but ye wrong and pervert my words as your manner is my wordâ— are p. 36. They preach altogether an absenâ— Christ as some of them say Christ is not really and properly in his People or if present a Christ altogether dumb and silent c. So ye see my words are not positive but dis-junctive or alternative But if I did say so it is according to your own Doctrine though ye seem to contradict again for do ye not generally accuse the Quakers for setting up a false Christ because they preach him present and in his Saints yea and in all men in some respect and as Pardon Tillinghast and Benj. Keech calâ— Christ in the heart a false Christ so John Owen whom ye esteem your reverend Brother in his Latine Treatise against us answered by Sam. Fisher saith If Christ be in every Quaker there are as many Christ as Quakers So you may see I do not wrong you and your Assembly ye so much honour say It is blasphemy to say the Saints are partakers of the Godhead And this is to exclude Christ with a witness And if some of you say God and Christ are in the Saints yet ye deny all immediate discovery sight and revelation of them objective or by way of object which is as gâ—eat Non-sence as to say A Man converseth with his Wife in one House eateth drinketh lodgeth with her and hath fellowship with her and yet she hath no immediate sight nor knowledge of him which she must needs have if she be not blind sensless and stupid and it is a most palpable Contradiction in you to say Men have aâ— intuitive and sensible knowledge of God that is distinct in specie from discursive knowlâ—dge and yet God and his Spirit in all his inward operations giveth no self-evidence thereof but is medium incognitum assentiendi i. e an unknown mean or Principle of assenting as the School-men phrase it particularly Robert Baron Professor of Divinity at Aberdeen in his Book called Apodixis Catholica de formali objecto fidei against Jesuit Turnbul more particularly cited in my Book of Immediâ—te Revelation Pag. 37. The different degrees of Revelation well warranted by Scripture ye blasphemously and ignorantly call Rabbinical Fopperies That there is not only a gradual but specifical difference of divine Revelations I never denyed CAP. III. I Intend throughout principally to notice your gross Perversions and other gross Abuses and Mistakes which will in effect sufficiently answer all ye have said and leave my Book and the evidence of Truth held forth in it remaining in its full force and strength against you and the rather that the principal Controversies viz. That oâ— the Scriptures and That of inward divine Revelation and Inspiration iâ— the more fully already here handled for indeed these two are the Basis and Pillars of the following Controversies Pag. 36. Ye pervert my words as if I did affirm That the Scriptures only were a Rule to try Doctrines betwixt men and men But I neither mean nor say any such thing I believe they are a Rule in the hand and management of the Spirit to regulate our inward apprehensions and thoughts concerning all Christian Doctrines and yet the Spirits inward Witness is the greater Rule Pag. 39. Ye say To call the Spirit the Rule â— Non-sence I say to call the Spirit not abstractly but conjunctly with his inward witnessing and speaking is good sence to all but such as you who have not sence to understand it Ignatius as I have said above a more worthy man and precious Martyr of Jesus Ep. 14. to Ephes called the holy Spirit one Rule CAP. IV. PAg. 41. Ye own That natural and acquired Gifts of Letter Learning without a divine Inspiration are sufficient to qualifie a Gospel Minister and that Grace and true Piety is only accidental which ye confess may look black at first view It is so far well that since this is your Doctrine that we have it under your hand and it deserveth to be engraven in Capital Letters on the Doors of your Meetiâ—g Houses that the People may generally know it for very many to whom I have told it could not believe it to be your Doctrine but however now it is a good proof th t yâ— print it as yours Another saying of yours equally famous and which deserveth the same equal inscription in Capital Letters is that ye say It is no absurdity tâ—at a man may be a true Minister and not a true Câ—ristian But how then can he beget any unto God If he who is no true Christian can beget a true Christian by his Ministry it will as easily follow That he who is no man may beget a man for as in spiritual generation a man is but the Instrument so in the natural when a man begets a man child God