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<DATE>2011-09-07</DATE>
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<NAME>Pip Willcox</NAME>
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<ITEM><LABEL>1</LABEL> Concerning proofed text and revised markup</ITEM>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE REVILER REBUKED: OR, A RE-INFORCEMENT OF THE CHARGE AGAINST THE QUAKERS, [So Called] For their <HI>Contradictions to the Scriptures of God, and to their own Scriblings,</HI> which <HI>Richard Farnworth</HI> attempted to an&s;wer in his pretended <HI>Vindication of the Scriptures;</HI> but is farther di&s;covered, with his Fellow-Contradictors and Revilers, and their Doctrine, to be Anti-Scriptural, Anti-Chri&s;tian, and Anti-Spiritual.</P>
<P>By JOHN STALHAM, a Servant of the Great Bi&s;hop and Shepherd of Souls, ap|pointed to watch his little Flock at <HI>Terling</HI> in <HI>E&s;&s;ex.</HI></P>
<Q><BIBL>Titus, Cap. 1. ver. 7, 10, 11, 13.</BIBL>
<P>A Bi&s;hop mu&s;t be blamele&s;s &mdash; holding fa&s;t the faithful Word, as he hath been taught, that he may be able, by &s;ound doctrine, both to exhort, and to convince the gain&s;ayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers &mdash; who&s;e mouthes mu&s;t be &s;topped &mdash; where|fore rebuke them &s;harply, that they may be &s;ound in the Faith.</P></Q>
<Q><BIBL>Zach 3. 2.</BIBL>
<P>And the Lord &s;aid unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath cho&s;en Jeru&s;alem, rebuke thee.</P></Q>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed by <HI>Henry Hills</HI> and <HI>John Field,</HI> Printers to His Highne&s;s. 1657.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To His Highne&s;s OLIVER Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of <HI>England, Scotland</HI> and <HI>Ireland,</HI> AND To the Right Honorable, The Council of State.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>SIRS,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>IF <HI>the Highe&s;t him&s;elf &s;hall e&s;ta|bli&s;h</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 87. 5.</NOTE> <HI>Zion,</HI> there is encourage|ment, &s;ufficient and abund|ant for You his Servants re|joycingly to &s;erve him, in the countenancing of his Truth, and contend|ing with the men of this Generation for the Faith once given unto the Saints, by the mo&s;t <HI>proper means</HI> and <HI>methods</HI> which the Lord of lords in his wi&s;dom hath direct|ed, and &s;hall lead you unto. The Liberty proclaimed to Godly-Go&s;pel-Preachers, and your fo&s;tering of Orthodox Pa&s;tors
<PB REF="3"> and Teachers, will much conduce, by the Spirit of Chri&s;ts mouth, to the con|&s;umption of the Man of Sin; and what abu&s;e &s;oever is made of the Pre&s;s for the &s;preading of Anti-Scriptural and Anti|chri&s;tian Errors, yet it needeth not to be feared, while Pulpits and Pre&s;&s;es are open (through Your Highne&s;s and Honors fa|vors) for a Te&s;timony again&s;t them, but that God will confound their Language, who by fal&s;e and perver&s;e Interpretations of the Scriptures, would &s;educe the mindes of the &s;imple, into an expectation of no|thing but Immediate Raptures and Reve|lations.</P>
<P>Some indeed cry up nothing but Club|law again&s;t the men, called Quakers, and can give no other mea&s;ure then their Pre|latical Fathers to tho&s;e that di&s;&s;ented from them: But by Your Indulgence and For|bearance of Saints erring and otherwi&s;e minded, many have con&s;cientiou&s;ly made enquiry after tho&s;e Truths which lay hid, or were defaced; and have the more hear|tily embraced them, and do hold them fa&s;t, after Scripture-conviction. And how|ever
<PB REF="3"> the Men, I deal with, for the pre&s;ent do debate the Scriptures, and decry the Mini&s;tery, Churches, all New Te&s;tament external Wor&s;hip, and what&s;oever bear|eth the &s;tamp of Divine Authority, as not to be found among us, yet by Your Le|nity and Gentlene&s;s exerci&s;ed towards them (while You e&s;pou&s;e, or patronize none of their Errors) it may be firmly expected that the Elect (&s;uppo&s;ing &s;uch among them) &s;hall be reduced: And as for others that are evil men and &s;educers (from that perver&s;e Principle of their Self-adoring Light) they &s;hall wax wor&s;e and wor&s;e, and as the madne&s;s of &s;ome is evident, &s;o &s;hall the folly of other be made manife&s;t<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"> 2 Tim. 3. 9.</NOTE> to all who are not bewitched with their Spiritual &s;orceries.</P>
<P>MY LORDS, Let but the Saints, and the Churches of Saints, according to Scripture|evidence, be protected and cheri&s;hed (as You have graciou&s;ly begun) and the Office|mini&s;tery will &s;oon be known, &s;etled and e&s;tabli&s;hed. Let every &s;tumbling-block, as &s;peedily and &s;afely as lyeth within Your Power, be removed from the way of the
<PB REF="4"> blinde, and occa&s;ion cut off from them that &s;eek occa&s;ion, and ere long the Lord him|&s;elf will rebuke them to &s;ilence, that they &s;hall neither talk nor write &s;o pre&s;umptu|ou&s;ly, nor &s;hall arrogancy come out of their mouth. <HI>The lip of truth &s;hall be e&s;tabli&s;hed for</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 12. 19.</NOTE> <HI>ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.</HI> Let Learning be advanced among pious men (for God hath his Wits, and his Learned ones) and through the &s;anctified Improve|ment thereof, Ignorance (its froward ene|my) will creep into corners, as darkne&s;s va|ni&s;heth before the light. Some of the&s;e men <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Lip of truth opened, by <HI>Tho. Law&s;on,</HI> page 13. Chri&s;ts inno|cency pleaded by <HI>Tho. Speeds</HI> Epi&s;tle, with his Guilty co|vered Clergy|man unvail'd. page 69.</NOTE> begin to appeal unto the Con&s;ciences of the Learned, for Idioms and propriety of &s;peech, in Hebrew and Greek, with the Do|rick dialect: they will give us leave then to make u&s;e of our Engli&s;h dialect al&s;o, and &s;peak vulgarly, while we think as the Phi|lo&s;opher. Our contentions with them are not about <GAP DESC="foreign">, <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>tu,</HI> or <GAP DESC="foreign">, or <GAP DESC="foreign">, but <HI>pro aris &amp; focis,</HI> for the lamp &amp; life of our Religion, the Rule of the Holy Scriptures, the Glory of the Ble&s;&s;ed Trinity, the peculiarne&s;s of the Covenant of Grace; the &s;ole matter of our Ju&s;tification before God, the continu|ance
<PB REF="4"> of our Chri&s;tian warfare, during this natural life; the truth and efficacy of Chri&s;ts own In&s;titutions, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Amid&s;t which di|gladiations, our Lord Je&s;us is fighting a|gain&s;t them with the Sword of his mouth, and him wee'l tru&s;t with the i&s;&s;ue of the battel; whereupon</P>
<P>I humbly &s;upplicate, That every per&s;on what&s;oever may not, <HI>impun&egrave;,</HI> &s;trike them corporally, in the Steeple-hou&s;e, &s;treets or pri&s;on; for they think it a great triumph to have this to object, That any are tolerated with this mutinous word in their mouths, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">An&s;wer to the Quakers Catech. p. 19.</NOTE> <HI>Fight Lads for the Go&s;pel;</HI> and they'l &s;till cry out <HI>Per&s;ecution,</HI> as they have done, if every Turn-key or Tap&s;ter in the pri&s;on, may, without check, be permitted to wreak their teem and &s;pite upon them, with &s;ome ba&s;e, illegal and inhumane u&s;age or other. But while any of this Sect, for their exorbitant cour&s;es, meet with legal and due correcti|on, Be plea&s;ed to let them all know that we are guarded by a better Law then what they <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Teachers of the world un|vail'd, p. 29, 30</NOTE> upbraid us with, enacted in the <HI>Marian</HI> times: And, that while they carry Popi&s;h and Je&s;uitical Doctrine along with them,
<PB REF="5"> they are to have no more liberty for divul|ging it in our A&s;&s;emblies, then the men of that profe&s;sion. Popi&s;h Doctrines and Ido|latries are as abominable as ever were the Pagani&s;h: And &s;ome of the&s;e mens Te|nents are as reprobate &s;tuff as the Je&s;uits; Their bla&s;phemies as horrid as the Popi&s;h Para&s;ites. What is <HI>Rome</HI> but <HI>Babylon the Mo|ther of Abominations?</HI> And what is this Sect, but a <HI>daughter of that great whore?</HI> who doubts but the Romi&s;h Emi&s;&s;aries are abroad to &s;e|duce? Some <HI>quondam</HI> Profe&s;&s;ors of the Go|&s;pel have lo&s;t their Garments, and men &s;ee their &s;hame. They bid farewel to Imputed Righteou&s;ne&s;s, in the Scripture-&s;en&s;e, and how they can be girt with inherent Graces, who put off the Saints, or believing &s;inners be&s;t robe, I &s;ee not. The Setters and Abet|tors of this Sect, would be more narrowly watched, and according to their crimes &s;tig|matized. There is one <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">This for each Parlia|ment man, by <HI>George Fox,</HI> page <HI>ult.</HI></NOTE> hath &s;ugge&s;ted to the Right Honorable Parliament, after this maner, <HI>All that have a word from the Lord &s;eek not to &s;top them, and limit them from &s;peaking it, by the coun&s;el of tho&s;e Teachers which are made by the will of man, and have not the
<PB REF="5"> word of the Lord; according to the word of the Lord they are to be &s;topt, and to be &s;ilent.</HI> And after the &s;ame mea&s;ure, &s;hall it not be me|ted out to them? But whereas he con|cludeth with an Interrogation that hath a &s;ting in the tayl, <HI>Is there any law or limit to be made to limit the Spirit of God?</HI> I &s;hall clo&s;e with Chri&s;t his own charge (for the purity and peace of the Churches) which &s;ome <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Brightman Cotton.</NOTE> of no mean account do conceive was partly fulfilled by the Edict of <HI>Da|rius, Ezra</HI> 6. 11 13. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Cant. 2. 15.</NOTE> <HI>Take us the Foxes, the little Foxes, that &s;poil the Vines, for our Vines have tender grapes.</HI></P>
<P>Now, that Your Highne&s;s, and Your Honors may be all as Angels of God, di|&s;cerning the fal&s;e &s;pirits and the true; &s;uch as proceed out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Bea&s;t, and out of the mouth of the fal&s;e Prophet, from Him that proceedeth from the Father, and from the Son; that Ye may be e&s;tabli&s;hed in the old and pre|&s;ent Truth; that Ye may be pre&s;erved blamele&s;s; that all men may acknow|ledge their Mercies under Your Govern|ment;
<PB REF="6"> that Your Graces may be height|ned yet to farther Service of the Lord, and his peoples Intere&s;t in the three Na|tions; And, that Ye may be pro&s;pered in all Your high undertakings, at home and abroad, for Glory to the Highe&s;t, is, and &s;hall be the Prayer of</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your HIGHNES and Your HONORS Meane&s;t Servant in the Go&s;pel, JOHN STALMAM.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the church at Terling">
<PB REF="6">
<HEAD>TO THE CHURCH of CHRIST Which is at TERLING, Grace be with you, mercy and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, the Son of the Father, in Truth and Love.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Beloved in our Lord JESUS,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>AS you were obedient in my ab&s;ence while I was re|moved from you for a &s;ea&s;on, &s;o I have endeavored &s;ince my return, that the Truth of the Go&s;pel might continue with you; and therefore have I not given place, by &s;ubjection, no not for an hour, to any that have attem|pted to bring another Go&s;pel among you, though there is not an|other; but there be &s;ome that have troubled others, and would, by perverting the Go&s;pel, have troubled you al&s;o; Yet ble&s;&s;ed and prai&s;ed be God who hath kept you in the hour of tempta|tion, and helped you to keep the Word of his Patience, and not deny his Name.</P>
<P>That you and yours may ever be pre&s;erved, when this my earthly tabernacle &s;hall be di&s;&s;olved, I have drawn up this <HI>REPLY,</HI> and do commend it to your diligent peru&s;al, char|ging you in the Lord, that you redeem &s;ome time for the read|ing of it; e&s;pecially, &s;uch of you as have allowed &s;pare hours for the reading of the Adver&s;aries Pamphlets.</P>
<P>It is above a year &s;ince the fir&s;t of the Sect, called <HI>Quakers,</HI> came into the Town, and &s;cattered his opinions. You had then cautions given you from the Lord. Remember them, I be&s;eech you, le&s;t you be <HI>carried about</HI> (as the &s;tubble whisked and<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 13. 9. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> whirl'd about here and there in a circle) with the wind of <HI>di|ver&s;e</HI>
<PB REF="7"> and <HI>&s;trange doctrines;</HI> diver&s;e in colour from the truth, and &s;trange to the Scripture-language, or meaning of the Spi|rit &s;peaking in the Scripture. Beware of wheeling to the right hand, or to the left. Take heed what you hear, and how you hear. Beware of the leaven of the Quaking Phari&s;ees and Sadduces. It argues weakne&s;s at the be&s;t, and childi&s;hne&s;s in the be&s;t, if they be to&s;&s;ed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. Children will run after a bubble in the wind, or on the water; a feather on the ground, or froth upon the waves: Be not like them, or as giddy hearers that have no mould but what the next Novelli&s;t ca&s;ts them into. Diver&s;e and &s;trange doctrines (&s;uch as the&s;e men I deal with e&s;pecially open out of their packs) tend much to the un&s;etling of the judgement, and di&s;|quiet<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 10. 5.</NOTE> of the con&s;cience. It is a Character of Chri&s;ts &s;heep to keep the ear clo&s;e to his voice; they know not the voice of &s;tran|gers, whereas goats will receive tho&s;e that come in their own name; and they who&s;e names are not written in the Lambs<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 5. 43.</NOTE> Booke of Life, will wonder and wander after th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> bea&s;t and the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13. 8.</NOTE> fal&s;e prophet; the Doctors and Doctrines of Antichri&s;t. But <HI>it is a good thing</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Heb. 13. 9.</NOTE> (&s;aith the Holy Spirit) <HI>that the heart be e&s;tabli&s;hed with grace.</HI> It is eminently ben<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">ficial again&s;t all di&s;tracting opinions, to have your &s;ouls and con&s;ciences e&s;tabli&s;h|ed with the doctrine, faith and &s;en&s;e of Gods free Favor in Chri&s;t, and with the experimental exerci&s;e of Grace in Go&s;pel|wor&s;hip. 1. The doctrine of his redeeming, purcha&s;ing grace, his pardoning of &s;inners, and reconciling them to him&s;elf, ac|cording to his free electing love, e&s;tabli&s;heth again&s;t the thoughts of our greate&s;t unworthine&s;s; for the free gift of Chri&s;t and his righteou&s;ne&s;s for ju&s;tification of life, reigneth over all your guilt, and the de&s;ign of Grace is to bring all that obey the doctrine of Grace, into a kingdom of Grace, and to &s;et|tle a crown of Life, and Glory upon the poor unworthy &s;inner. Hold fa&s;t to this, as not onely it is free, but full. The Go&s;pel of our &s;alvation is &s;o full, as it an&s;wereth all the &s;ouls nece&s;&s;i|ties; partly, from the fulne&s;s of the per&s;on the Son of God, our Savior, God and man, in whom the fulne&s;s of the Godhead dwel|leth bodily; If there be all-&s;ufficiency of power, love, will, faithfulne&s;s in God to &s;ave, 'tis in Chri&s;t, yea, the fulne&s;s of Gods vindicative Ju&s;tice is &s;atisfied and glorified in him. This
<PB REF="7"> we teach for your heart-&s;atisfaction and &s;ettlement: partly from the fulne&s;s of the covenant, whereby God makes over Chri&s;t and Life to us, which is heart-e&s;tabli&s;hing, as 'tis foun|ded in the blood of Chri&s;t, as it is the efflux and i&s;&s;ue of Gods everla&s;ting love, as all the promi&s;es are Yea, and Amen in Chri&s;t, and as the Covenant is of the nature of a Te&s;tament (which is more ab&s;olute then ordinary contracts) in full force<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb 9. 16.</NOTE> by the death of the Te&s;tator, written not onely in the Scriptures [the Old Copy and the New] but in the hearts of Believers.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 8. 10.</NOTE> God begins with promi&s;es and writes them, and then his Com|mands are all inlayed and inamel'd with the promi&s;es. This<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 17.</NOTE> Covenant is confirmed by an Oath, to &s;hew the immutability of his coun&s;el, and to &s;ettle the hearts and hopes of them, that flee thither for refuge, with &s;trong con&s;olation. In a word, the Co|venant of Grace excludes works, as any condition of life, for it is the declaration of Gods way of &s;aving by Grace, according to the Election of Grace; which if it be of Grace (as it is) then<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 6.</NOTE> is it not at all of works. The&s;e meditations are heart-e&s;tabli&s;h|ing, you will &s;ay, in wavering times; and all Doctrines agree|able to the fulne&s;s of Chri&s;t and his Covenant, are &s;o. <HI>David</HI> found it &s;o, &s;o may you. It was a &s;oft pillow to <HI>David [God</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Sam. 23 5.</NOTE> <HI>hath made with me an everla&s;ting Covenant, ordered in all things, and &s;ure]</HI> on his Death-bed, whereon to re&s;t his head, &s;o it will be to all that take hold on it, and mix it with faith: For, &s;econdly, it is not the Doctrine of the Go&s;pel ab&s;tractly con&s;ider|ed, but as believed, that will e&s;tabli&s;h you. Faith e&s;tabli&s;heth<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 1. 23.</NOTE> by its object, acts, reflections and fruits. Continue in the faith grounded and &s;etled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Go&s;pel which ye have heard. Con&s;ider, brethren, what you believe, and in whom ye have believed. Chri&s;t and his righte|ou&s;ne&s;s <HI>without you,</HI> is a &s;ure foundation for your Faith to<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 28. 18.</NOTE> build upon: He that believeth on him &s;hall not be a&s;hamed, un|&s;etled, beaten off. Faith gives you an evidence of things not &s;een, and makes things ab&s;ent, pre&s;ent. Every act of Faith tends to your e&s;tabli&s;hment, having &s;ome certainty in its bo&s;om and bowels, and &s;o much as &s;trives again&s;t doubting, and that &s;hall not mi&s;carry in the i&s;&s;ue and event: But reflections of Faith help on yet more to &s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s; When you know you do<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 3. 21.</NOTE> believe, then you have the an&s;wer of a good con&s;cience, where|with
<PB REF="8"> comes peace and liberty; Peace with God is di&s;cerned, and peace with Con&s;cience is &s;etled hereby in much &s;erenity, with liberty of acce&s;s to the Throne of Grace, and of making your Appeals to God, by vertue of Chri&s;ts blood &s;prinkled on the Con&s;cience, and by rea&s;on of the Acquittance which Chri&s;t received for the Believer at his re&s;urrection; His di&s;charge is ours, and hence the other benefits which Faith brings along with it, of &V;nion with Chri&s;t, Communion with God, Ju&s;tifi|cation, Redemption, Adoption and Sanctification. But if with the Doctrine and Faith of the Go&s;pel, there comes thirdly, the Grace of &s;en&s;e, or the &s;en&s;e of Gods grace and love in all that is taught and believed, how is the heart e&s;tabli&s;hed by the holy<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 5.</NOTE> Spirit that is given us? This Spirit is both the &s;eal of what is pa&s;t, the witne&s;s of what is pre&s;ent, and the earne&s;t of what is to come; making all that is in rever&s;ion as &s;ure to us, as that which is already in our po&s;&s;e&s;sion. Adde unto this, fourthly, Experimental exerci&s;e of grace in all Go&s;pel-in&s;titutions, and what e&s;tabli&s;hment &s;hall your hearts want now or hereafter? Communion with God in Go&s;pel-Ordinances gives re&s;t and &s;a|tisfaction, when we finde the effect of Water-bapti&s;m, and of Infant-bapti&s;m in Chri&s;ts blood, and the Spirits regeneration; when we di&s;cern the effect of Bread and Wine-Lords-&s;upper in Chri&s;ts pre&s;ence at his Table; and the quicknings of his Spi|rit in our &s;inging <HI>Davids</HI> P&s;alms and Scripture-&s;piritual &s;ongs, u&s;e of publique (as private) Prayer, mini&s;tery of the Word, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>Your &s;ouls, brethren, cannot but finde it eminently helpful to be <HI>e&s;tabli&s;hed</HI> with this Go&s;pel-grace: Fir&s;t, you have here+by an Antidote again&s;t all poi&s;on of diver&s;e and &s;trange Do|ctrines. Your hearts are as &s;hips well-balla&s;ted again&s;t all con|trary winds. The Doctrine of Free-grace, rightly under&s;tood, believed and adhered to, doth at once di&s;pel and &s;catter all Popi&s;h and Arminian fogs. The fulne&s;s of Chri&s;t believed, lays open the emptine&s;s of Quakeri&s;m. The Covenant and Promi&s;es, gra&s;ped by Faith, are as the little &s;tone, which, they &s;ay, the Bee takes up to flie with in a high wind, &s;o as the big|ge&s;t bla&s;ts &s;hall not da&s;h you to the ground. Let who will &s;ay, that Chri&s;t doth not ju&s;tifie by a righteou&s;ne&s;s <HI>without us,</HI> the Scripture &s;aith, We are made the righteou&s;ne&s;s of God <HI>in him;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 21.</NOTE>
<PB REF="8"> and the Grace of Faith carries out the Soul for righteou&s;ne&s;s and life in another, <HI>viz.</HI> Chri&s;t: of this the Spirit, with the Con&s;cience and Experience of Believers beareth witne&s;s. Let the poor Quakers &s;ay that the Scriptures are not the word of God; the heart, that believeth and experienceth the power of the Scripture changing and transforming, will finde him a liar and bla&s;phemer. Let them &s;ay that will, they have no &s;in dwel|ling in them, and their warfare is at an end; a gracious heart will &s;light and de&s;pi&s;e the&s;e Contradictions to all the Experien|ces of the Saints held forth in Scripture. Let them &s;ay there is no Bapti&s;m of water, or let them call the Lords Supper (as u&s;ed by the Churches) a humane Invention, becau&s;e they have found no comfort in it, or by it; the heart e&s;tabli&s;hed in the faith of the In&s;titution, will give them the lie; and although he findes not the&s;e &s;eals always alike efficacious, yet he knows and be|lieveth them always to be the Lords Ordinances, and to have a promi&s;e of efficacy annexed to them, which God will make good at his day and hour, and not at our &s;ea&s;on.</P>
<P>Secondly, The fears which fal&s;e doctrine terrifieth the Con|&s;cience withal are removed, and made to vani&s;h. Fears of non|acceptance by rea&s;on of daily failings in duties; fears of fal|ling away totally and finally, are expelled by the pure doctrine of faith, and of ju&s;tification by grace alone, and by nothing in|herent in us, as a habit, or adherent to us, as an act, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, There is this advantage, all pretended Revela|tions are ca&s;t off, dreams are not hearkned unto, leading from the Scriptures. The faith of a Promi&s;e makes things as &s;ure to your &s;ouls, as if God had &s;poken immediately from the Clouds. The &s;en&s;e of Gods Love is as &s;weet as a rapture into the third Heavens. <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets are as &s;ure to a gracious heart, as if one aro&s;e from the dead; for he could not bring up greater Truths or &s;tronger Arguments of per|&s;wa&s;ion then are found in the Scriptures; he could not &s;peak more pathetically, with higher &s;trains, and &s;tronger lines, with more maje&s;ty of &s;tile, and elegancy of phra&s;e, or &s;weeter floods of eloquence, or with more plainne&s;s and godly &s;impli|city, then the Spirit expre&s;&s;eth him&s;elf in the Scripture, hold|ing forth all along an evidence and demon&s;tration of him&s;elf, with holy harmony and efficacy.</P>
<PB REF="9">
<P>Fourthly, When your hearts are e&s;tabli&s;hed with Go&s;pel|gracious Doctrine, Faith, Sen&s;e and Experience thereof, you are fortified against all powerful temptations. Sometime the &s;oul is tempted to for&s;ake Ordinances, but faith of that pro|mi&s;e, that the hou&s;e of <HI>Jacob</HI> &s;hall not &s;eek God in vain, keeps<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 45. 19.</NOTE> the heart clo&s;e to means of Gods appointment. Sometime the Chri&s;tian is tempted to go to a &s;econd Bapti&s;m, or to deny Wa|ter-bapti&s;m altogether; but the Experience of Chri&s;ts ble&s;|&s;ing Infant-Bapti&s;m, and the un-warrantablene&s;s of Re|baptization keeps him from the&s;e extremities. If you be tempted to ab&s;ent your &s;elves from the Lords Table, or leave Church-fellow&s;hip, the Promi&s;e and Experience of the Love of God in the u&s;e of the&s;e Ordinances, aws and keeps you in order. When Chri&s;t, until his &s;econd Coming in the clouds, and vi&s;ible Glory, is lookt at as &s;piritually pre&s;ent with his own In&s;titutions, they are neither tru&s;ted to, nor neglected. Sometime you have been tempted to go hear known Seducers, but an e&s;tabli&s;ht heart will not &s;tep out of doors, unle&s;s he hath the more &s;pecial call, to bear witne&s;s again&s;t them, and to &s;trengthen others.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, Let your hearts be e&s;tabli&s;ht with Go&s;pel-grace, and it will produce a well-ordered conver&s;ation to the end of your days; it will make patient in affliction; joyful in &s;uf|fering; even under darkne&s;s and in de&s;ertion the heart is willing to wait, and is made ready for Heaven; for it &s;tirs up to watchfulne&s;s, to have grace in exerci&s;e, and the &s;oul in preparation for death, and then it cannot want boldne&s;s at the day of Chri&s;ts appearing.</P>
<P>Why then, my Brethren, dearly Beloved, and longed after, my joy and crown, &s;o &s;tand fa&s;t in the Lord, my dearly Belo|ved; &s;ee that none of you fail of the grace of God; Be not as reeds &s;haken with the wind, but as un&s;haken rocks and pillars in your profe&s;sion. Prize and pre&s;s after more of heart-e&s;tabli&s;hing grace; to this end, Hold fa&s;t the purity of Doctrine about Ju&s;tification, Election, Redemption, the Co|venant of Grace, and the whole pattern of &s;ound and whole|&s;om words in the Scriptures, and in the Churches Confe&s;|&s;ions of Faith con&s;onant to the Scriptures. Be active in faith upon the Author and Fini&s;her of your Salvation. Be obe|dient
<PB REF="9"> to the Spirit, who witne&s;&s;eth and &s;ealeth the Truth, and &s;heds abroad the Love of God in your hearts. Make much of your Experiences, built upon and backt with pro|mi&s;es: cry not woe unto them, as &s;ome upon their revolting to Quakeri&s;m have done. Set before you the example of &s;ta|ble Chri&s;tians, as &s;o many <HI>Jerome's,</HI> &s;tanding like old well|rooted Oaks, and breaking the winds of Doctrines and Oppo|&s;itions which a&s;&s;ault them on every &s;ide. Decline infectious company: cea&s;e to hear the in&s;truction that cau&s;eth to erre from the words of knowledge: Beware of a blinde-zealous|affecting of any man. Take heed of curio&s;ity, and a itching de&s;ire of Novelty, or of knowing any new way to Chri&s;t and Heaven? Stand in the paths and enquire for the old and the good way, that ye may walk therein. Maintain a humble &s;pi|rit, daily aba&s;ed in the &s;ight and &s;en&s;e of heart &s;infulne&s;s and in&s;tability: The Lord will teach and root the humble. Exer|ci&s;e a clear Con&s;cience in profe&s;&s;ion and communion with the Saints and Churches. The my&s;tery of Faith is held in a pure Con&s;cience; when men put away a good Con&s;cience, or pre|fer a natural Con&s;cience before a Con&s;cience purified by Faith, they make &s;hipwrack of the doctrine of Faith. Let Gods power be lookt after, in and with Gods own Form. The Kingdom of God may be <HI>among</HI> men, when 'tis not <HI>within</HI> their hearts; &s;o <HI>Luke 17. 21.</HI> Chri&s;t &s;peaketh to the Phari|&s;ees, enemies of his Go&s;pel; The kingdom of God is <HI>among</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. i. e. <GAP DESC="foreign">, in me|dio ve&s;tri, <HI>Bez.</HI></NOTE> <HI>you, i. e.</HI> was preached in the mid&s;t of his enemies, and work|ing upon others hearts, while they were not aware of it. They madly wre&s;t the reading of the words [within you] who apply it to a Kingdom of Grace begun, in the enemies of Chri&s;t, by the light in every man, and would thereupon have all Christs outward Forms, and po&s;itive In&s;titutions laid a&s;ide; But what God hath joyned together, power and form (where and to whom he plea&s;eth) do not you &s;eparate You have not hitherto been like the&s;e &s;heep which eat no gra&s;s more greedily then that which rots them. If our new Teachers, and their di&s;ciples boa&s;t of an a&s;toni&s;hing Power coming along with their do|ctrine, remember <HI>2 Cor. 6. 7. The word of Truth, and the Power of God</HI> (whereby Christs Mini&s;ters are ap|proved)
<PB REF="10"> do go together. If power goes forth with a word of fal&s;hood, 'tis Antichri&s;ts power, which is after the working of Satan, not the Lords. It will be &s;ad with any Church|member, under Gods in&s;titution and form, to fall &s;hort of his<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2. 9.</NOTE> power: But while you u&s;e his Ordinances in Faith of a pro|mi&s;e of Chri&s;ts power annexed to them, you are and &s;hall be more wrought up to, and brought under the power promi|&s;ed. And that I may be partaker of the Go&s;pel-power, as Priviledges with you; yea, that this Reply (as weak as it is) may be accompanied (according to the truth of it) with the mighty power of the Lord, Let it be your prayer, as it is and &s;hall be mine, who am, through grace,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Loving Brother, and Faithful Pa&s;tor, JOHN STALHAM.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<PB REF="10">
<HEAD>To all Hone&s;t, Godly, Con&s;cientious and Judicious Readers.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>BELOVED,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>AS <HI>Hone&s;t, Godly</HI> and <HI>Con&s;cientious,</HI> you are invited by <HI>Richard Farnworth</HI> in his Epi&s;tle (before his pretended Vindication of the Scriptures, in An&s;wer to a piece I put forth in <HI>Scotland</HI>) to the reading of all the Quakers Pam|phlets (with mine) which I referred to in the Mar|gent, and of his An&s;wer thereunto, if any of you can finde the lei&s;ure: Now it is my reque&s;t, that &s;uch as have met with his reviling Vindication, would in ho|ne&s;ty do me the favor, yea, the right, &s;o far as to be|&s;tow a few &s;pare hours in the peru&s;al of this my Re|ply, and attending Truth, as it is after godline&s;s, ex|erci&s;e in your reading a good con&s;cience, according to a renewed principle, joyned with the diligent &s;earch of the Scriptures; And</P>
<P>As you are <HI>judicious,</HI> and grown up to mature and manly knowledge, I &s;peak as to wi&s;e men, judge ye what I wrote before, and now write again. Many Charges my adver&s;ary ca&s;teth upon me in his Epi|&s;tle, as &s;o many fiery darts; I li&s;t not to recriminate, but have undertaken to make good my Collection of the Contradictions at fir&s;t found among this &s;ort and Sect of men. Judge ye whether I have <HI>wronged</HI> any mans books, or <HI>mixed my deceit</HI> with them? Judge ye whether I have violated any of Gods Precepts or Truths, and taught men &s;o? Judge ye which of us
<PB REF="11"> twain, is given over to <HI>lie, &s;lander</HI> and <HI>fal&s;ly accu&s;e:</HI> Judge ye whether I have di&s;covered a <HI>&s;pirit of envy</HI> again&s;t them and the Truth? I know the Scripture &s;aith, <HI>the &s;pirit that dwelleth in us, i. e.</HI> Believers, &s;o far as unregenerate, <HI>lu&s;teth to envy;</HI> yet I can appeal to the Searcher of hearts, that I found none of this &s;tirring, in my bearing witne&s;s again&s;t the&s;e mens do|ctrine. What I &s;ee of the truth and of Chri&s;t in any, I love. I wi&s;h there was not to be &s;een in this Sect, that which is to be pitied, not envied. Judge ye, who is the <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> the <HI>Deceiver;</HI> whether I de&s;erve his <HI>Anathema</HI> (had he authority to denounce it). Let all hone&s;t, godly and tenderly con&s;cientious about the Scriptures Authority, vote as the Lord, the Spirit leads them.</P>
<P>The rea&s;on of this my Reply is not any con&s;ciou&s;|ne&s;s of wrong done to <HI>Richard Farnworth,</HI> nor of any injury I have done to the Truth and Cau&s;e of God: What Mr. <HI>Tindal</HI> writes in an Epi&s;tle to <HI>John Frith</HI> concerning his Tran&s;lation of the New Te&s;tament (&s;o vilified by his Adver&s;aries) that I can &s;ay, in re|ference to my dealing with Gods Scripture, and their Scriblings, <HI>I call God to record again&s;t the day we &s;hall appear before our Lord Ie&s;us, to give up a reckoning of our doings, that I never altered one &s;yllable again&s;t my con&s;cience,</HI> &amp;c. But I mu&s;t follow the call and ducture of his providence; <HI>R. Farnworth</HI>'s An&s;wer was brought me by one of their di&s;ciples: A precious Brother informs me, they boa&s;ted much in <HI>Scotland</HI> that <HI>John Stalhams</HI> Book was an&s;wered: Another endeared Brother relates from their opened mouths in that countrey, that the An&s;wer &s;hould be di&s;per&s;t and &s;cattered throughout the nation: Next to the vindication of Gods Name, I mu&s;t look to the pre|&s;ervation
<PB REF="11"> &s;ervation of my own, while I tru&s;t the Lord with it, where&s;oever his be&s;pattering pamphlet, or this Reply &s;hall come. I reade of a Popi&s;h lie about <HI>Luther</HI>'s death, the lie coming forth in print (while he was alive) He profe&s;&s;eth, as he dete&s;ted &s;ome things, &s;o he <HI>could not but laugh at Satans, the Popes and their Complices hatred again&s;t him:</HI> So when I fir&s;t read <HI>R. Farnworth</HI> his Legend, as I abhorred one way, &s;o I could not but &s;mile in another re&s;pect; But <HI>God turn</HI> (as he &s;aid) <HI>this mans heart and others from their diabolical malice.</HI> It was &s;ome &s;tay to my thoughts, to call to minde how ordinary it is with <HI>Betlarmine</HI> to cry out of <HI>Calvins</HI> and <HI>Chytraeus</HI> lies, when him|&s;elf is found the Mouth and Pen of the great Lie of Popery. I am not moved at <HI>R. F.</HI> his great &s;welling words and threats. When Bi&s;hop <HI>Morgan</HI> &s;poke &s;o proudly and fal&s;ly to Mr. <HI>Philpot, I tell thee,</HI> Phil|pot, <HI>thou art an Heretick, and &s;halt be burned, and af|terwards go to hell fire; John Philpot</HI> was bold to reply, <HI>I tell thee, thou hypocrite, that I pa&s;s not a ru&s;h for thy fire and faggots; and as for hell fire, it is pre|pared for thee, unle&s;s thou &s;peedily repente&s;t.</HI> It is written on Heavens door (&s;aith Martyr <HI>Bradford</HI> in one of his Epi&s;tles) <HI>Do well, and hear ill.</HI> I am con|tent<NOTE PLACE="marg">Qui <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">e&s;cit fer|re calumnias, obtrectationes, convitia, inju|rias, ille vivere ne&s;cit. <HI>Chytr.</HI></NOTE> to bear all the blots of my name for Chri&s;ts &s;ake and his truth. It was <HI>David Chytraeus</HI> his u&s;ual &s;ay|ing, <HI>He knows not how to live, that knows not how to bear &s;landers, backbitings, railings, wrongs.</HI> Oblo|quies and &s;corns have been one of the be&s;t projects<NOTE PLACE="marg">Maleficum quidam megar|riunt; titulum fidei &s;ervus ag|no&s;co; magum vocant &amp; Ju|daei Dominum meum. <HI>Hier.</HI></NOTE> of Enemies to di&s;countenance the truth. To call Chri&s;t a wine bibber and a glutton, a friend of pub|licanes and &s;inners, is enough (they think) to di&s;grace his Doctrine. <HI>Some talk I am wicked</HI> (&s;aid <HI>Jerome) or mi&s;ohievous. I being a &s;ervant of Chri&s;t, do own
<PB REF="12"> the title of faith; The Jews al&s;o call my Lord Je&s;us, magician.</HI> Is the di&s;ciple greater then his Maller? I have endeavored to avoid all Arguments of retor|tion. I know not how to give reviling for reviling. If the di&s;covery of their Contradictions be to be vile, I will yet be more vile.</P>
<P>For the direction of my Reader, I have a few things to prefix. All that concerneth any pa&s;&s;ages in my former piece (which <HI>R. F.</HI> quotes in his Epi&s;tle) I do (in this Reply) deal with them in their due place. What remaineth in his Epi&s;tle, is but an Invective a|gain&s;t the Scots; where he fights in the dark, or with his own &s;hadow, fancying me, becau&s;e I was in <HI>Scot|land</HI> (at that juncture of time) to be a Scot, and often in his book he lets flie again&s;t them of that Nation for my &s;ake: But what is Chri&s;ts Go&s;pel in <HI>England</HI> or <HI>Scotland</HI> (as el&s;where) I am not a&s;hamed of: what I preached there, or what the Scots affirm there of the Scriptures, and Doctrines con&s;onant thereunto, I af|firm with them.</P>
<P>The method I follow is after my former piece, un|der the &s;everal mi&s;cellaneous Heads, and Sections, of their Scripture and Self-contradictions. The word [Contradiction] I u&s;e in the Scripture phra&s;e, in the large&s;t and mo&s;t Theological &s;en&s;e, for gain&s;ayings, as in <HI>Acts 13. 45. Titus</HI> 1. 9.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE></P>
<P>By <HI>R. F.</HI> all along I mean no other per&s;on then <HI>Ri|chard Farnworth,</HI> concerning whom I received a Cer|tificate, by the hands of two worthy Gentlemen, from a Mini&s;ter in York&s;hire of note and e&s;teem for piety, and pains in his place: The character of my Antago|ni&s;t is this:
<LETTER LANG="eng">
<P>The&s;e may certifie, That <HI>Richard Farnworth</HI> was born at <HI>Tickhil</HI> in York&s;hire, where he hath Lands of
<PB REF="12"> five pounds <HI>per annum</HI> after his mothers decea&s;e. He lived about &s;even years with Mr. <HI>Lord</HI> of <HI>Bramton,</HI> carrying very fairly, till at length reading &s;ome parts of Mr. <HI>Saltmar&s;h,</HI> he turned Antinomian and Perfe|ctioni&s;t, pretended to internal Teachings, and imme|diate Revelations, renouncing all outward publique Go&s;pel-admini&s;trations, and refu&s;ing to joyn in Fami|ly&punc; wor&s;hip; whereupon his Ma&s;ter ca&s;hiered him; &s;ince that I do not hear he hath had any place of &s;etled abode, &s;ave onely one year, that he &s;erved Coronet <HI>Heath|coat</HI> in husbandry: The la&s;t five years he ha's gone about deceiving and being deceived, leavening all that po&s;sibly he could with Famili&s;m and Quakeri&s;m: He hath committed to the Pre&s;s &s;ome books of higher account, then the &s;acred Scriptures among&s;t tho&s;e de|luded wretches; two of them I have &s;een, wherein he expre&s;&s;eth malice more then humane again&s;t al Chri&s;ts In&s;titutions and Amba&s;&s;adors; they are indeed full fraught with nothing el&s;e but prodigious railings, a&s;per&s;t with abhorred bla&s;phemies. About two years &s;ince he attempted the &s;eduction of Mr. <HI>Lord</HI> him&s;elf; he told him he was &s;ent to him of God, and he would not receive him: upon his inquiry what he was? he &s;aid, <HI>He was more then a prophet;</HI> what art thou then? &s;aid he, Art thou Chri&s;t? he replyed, <HI>I am.</HI> Here|upon with holy indignation he expelled him; and where he hath been &s;ince I hear not, nor that ever he re&s;ided at <HI>Balby,</HI> though he much frequented and im|poi&s;oned tho&s;e &s;illy &s;ouls. This I declare this <HI>Novem|ber 26.-55.</HI></P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>S. K.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</LETTER></P>
<P>Upon the peru&s;al of this &s;ober Narrative, I think fit further to adverti&s;e my hone&s;t godly Readers, that are and de&s;ire to be judicious, how far <HI>R. F.</HI> and his a&s;&s;ociates have made up a litter and fardel of er|roneous
<PB REF="13"> divinity, the &s;pawn of many ancient errors, brooded by &s;ome modern writers, and backt by &s;ome of the pre&s;ent age. What&s;oever <HI>R. F.</HI> ob&s;erved in Mr. <HI>Saltmar&s;h</HI> writings, and how&s;oever he abu&s;ed them, he might have learned better Divinity from that Author, if he had read him advi&s;edly, and com|pared his writings one with the other, and with the Scripture. Again&s;t their magnifying of every mans light, and the Law within them, Mr. <HI>Saltmar&s;h</HI> hath this &s;avory pa&s;&s;age: <HI>The natural Law,</HI> Rom. 2. 14, 15.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Flowings of Chri&s;ts blood page 6.</NOTE> <HI>is but weak in re&s;pect of any transforming power it hath, as the Law of the Spirit hath in it &s;elf. We &s;ee in a clear fro&s;ty night, though the moon &s;hines very bright, and the &s;tars too, yet not &s;o, but it is cold and hard, as if there were no light at all,</HI> &amp;c. If <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;tumbled at that pa&s;&s;age, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 146</NOTE> <HI>Though the Law be a beam of Chri&s;t in &s;ub&s;tance and matter, yet we are not to live by the light of one beam, now when the Sun of righteou&s;ne&s;s is ri&s;en him&s;elf:</HI> He might have reco|vered him&s;elf by that which followeth, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib,</HI> page 150</NOTE> <HI>There is a doctrine of holine&s;s in the Go&s;pel as of grace and love. Go&s;pel commands fits man who is made up of fle&s;h and &s;pirit; and &s;o hath need of a Law without and in the Letter, as well as in the heart and &s;pirit. The Law is &s;piritual, but we are carnal,</HI> Rom. 7. <HI>nor can &s;uch a &s;tate of fle&s;h and &s;pirit be ordered by a Law onely with|in,</HI> &amp;c. He might have learned how the ju&s;tified per&s;on is perfect while his &s;anctification is imperfect. <HI>A per&s;on ju&s;tified, or in covenant, is as pure in the</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 129.</NOTE> <HI>&s;ight of God, as the righteou&s;ne&s;s of Chri&s;t can make him (though not &s;o in his own eyes, that there may be work for faith) becau&s;e God &s;ees his onely in Chri&s;t, not in them&s;elves.</HI> He might have been in&s;tructed, <HI>That Chri&s;t is not ours by an act of our own, but Gods;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 188.</NOTE>
<PB REF="13"> <HI>God imputing and accounting.</HI> Again&s;t the dream of perfect &s;anctification (in their &s;en&s;e) he might have ob&s;erved &s;uch a pa&s;&s;age as this, <HI>The body of &s;in is in a</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 67.</NOTE> <HI>Believer more or le&s;s, till he lay down this body, and take up a glorious one;</HI> And again, <HI>Can you have any a&s;&s;urance that the change that is in any childe of God in this life, or their &s;anctification is &s;uch in any parti|cular act or work, as there is no &s;pot of &s;in in it? is it not mixt of fle&s;h and &s;pirit?</HI></P>
<P>If he grew &s;ick of opinion by one pa&s;&s;age, he might have been cured and relieved by &s;ome other. But whatever were that good mans <HI>Naevi,</HI> blemi&s;hes or &s;pecks my Antagoni&s;t and his fellows are tran&s;port|ed with another kinde of &s;pirit, even with that of <HI>Marcion</HI> and <HI>Montanus,</HI> and his Enthu&s;ia&s;tical A&s;&s;o|ciates, and the <HI>Manichees,</HI> who troubled the Church (as a very learned Brother <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Dr. <HI>John Owen</HI> vindic. Evang Pref. to the Readers page 4.</NOTE> hath already hinted) with their madne&s;s and folly; and with that &s;pirit, which acted the fanatick and furious Libertines (who called them&s;elves &s;piritual) in <HI>Calvin</HI>'s time ninety years ago, who placed our redemption in this, That Chri&s;t was but as a Type, Image, or Exemplar, in whom all tho&s;e things were figured which were required to our &s;alvation. <HI>Moreover as they imagine</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Calvin)</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Caeterum, ut imaginantur, nemo no&s;tr&ucirc;m non e&s;t Chri|&s;tus, quodque in ip&s;o factum e&s;t, in omnibus effectum dicunt.</HI> Calvini Opu&s;cula. In&s;tru|ctio adver&s;us Libertinos. pag. 214.</NOTE> <HI>there is not one of us, but is Chri&s;t, and what was done in him, they &s;ay, is performed in all.</HI></P>
<P>Hence one <HI>Quintinus</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Quomodo? inquit, an Chri&s;tus male habere pote&s;t?</HI> pag. 215.</NOTE> was very angry, as often as he was asked, <HI>How he did? How?</HI> &s;aid he, <HI>can it be otherwi&s;e then well Chri&s;t?</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Chri&s;tus ip&s;is. idolum e&s;t.</HI> 10. a <HI>Deum bla&s;phemari alunt, &s;iquis limentetur, aut &s;en&s;um aliquem doloris prae &s;e &s;erat&punc;</HI> ibid. pag 217.</NOTE> <HI>They</HI> (as that mo&s;t learned and godly man &s;aith) <HI>make an idol of Chri&s;t.</HI> Further, as he noteth, a <HI>They &s;ay, that God is
<PB REF="14"> bla&s;phemed if any bewails his condition, or makes a &s;hew of any &s;en&s;e of grief: So as</HI> a <HI>by their opinion to</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>a</HI> Sic, corum &s;ententia vete|rem Adamum mortificare, nibil aliud e&s;t, quam nihil di|&s;cernere. <HI>ibid. pag.</HI> 218.</NOTE> <HI>mortifie the old man, is nothing el&s;e but to be &s;en&s;ible of nothing.</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Siquis peccata &s;ua con&s;iderans &s;ibi di&s;pliceat, ac moerore afficiatur, peccatum adhuc in ip&s;o regnare aiunt, &amp; &s;en&s;u carnis &s;uae captivum teneri. <HI>ib. pag.</HI> 219.</NOTE> <HI>For, if any be di&s;plea&s;ed with him&s;elf, and grieved upon the con&s;ideration of his &s;ins, they &s;ay, &s;in reigneth in him, and that he is held captive by the feeling of his own-corruption.</HI></P>
<P>Such a &s;pirit follows the&s;e men as acted <HI>H. N.</HI> in <HI>Flanders,</HI> who wrote &s;even and twenty &s;mall Treati|&s;es and Epi&s;tles, to brood the Sect, and broach the doctrine of the Famili&s;ts, admired by &s;ome at this day, that under&s;tand not the my&s;tery of iniquity<NOTE PLACE="marg">See An&s;w. to a famous Li|bel of <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> by <HI>John Rogers,</HI> printed <HI>An.</HI> 1579.</NOTE> therein, or love not the truth in Scripture, but are gi|ven up to &s;trong delu&s;ions, that they might believe a lie: The lie of perfect holine&s;s and ju&s;tification there|by: The lie of the light in every man to be Chri&s;t: And, that <HI>Adam</HI> was nothing but the old man or cor|rupt qualities, and Chri&s;t nothing el&s;e but the new man, or new qualities. Hence our men make nothing of the Hi&s;torical letter of Chri&s;ts Death, Re&s;urrecti|on, &amp;c. but turn all into an Allegory, and according to <HI>H. N.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Joyful me&s;|&s;age of the kingdom, by <HI>H. N.</HI> p. 170.</NOTE> they are ready to call tho&s;e things <HI>meer lies which the Scripture-learned (through the know|ledge which they get out of the Scripture) bring in, in&s;titute, preach and teach.</HI> From what &s;pirit that <HI>H. N.</HI> wrote, may clearly be di&s;cerned by that one piece of his, tran&s;lated out of ba&s;e Almayn into En|gli&s;h, <HI>An</HI> 1652 wherein after all his exotick and un|couth divinity, <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">See from page 153. to 163.</NOTE> he plainly cries up the Catholique Church of <HI>Rome,</HI> the Holy Father the Pope, his Car|dinals, his Bi&s;hops, his Pari&s;h-prie&s;ts, his Deacons, his Sextons and Monks, and condemneth them that
<PB REF="14"> have de&s;erted <HI>Rome, as having unorderly rejected and bla&s;phemed the Services and Ceremonies of the Catholick Church, rented the Concord and nurturable Su&s;tentation of the &s;ame, and turned away therefrom.</HI> The &s;cope of the book is but to lead captive to <HI>Baby|lon,</HI> all blinded Profe&s;&s;ors who hold not the Truth (if ever they received it) in the love of it.</P>
<P>Yet again, &s;uch a &s;pirit haunts the&s;e men (called <HI>Quakers</HI>) as profe&s;&s;ed <HI>Jacob Behme</HI> in Germany, about thirty years by-pa&s;t. He &s;lights <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Two Theo|&s;ophical E|pi&s;tles, p 24.</NOTE> the righte|ou&s;ne&s;s imputed <HI>from without,</HI> &s;o do they: <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Concerning the Election of Grace, by <HI>J. Behme</HI> p. 81 and 142.</NOTE> He mag|nifieth the <HI>little &s;park within, whereby the Father,</HI> he &s;aith, <HI>draws them all to Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>teacheth all within them, thereby:</HI> &s;o &s;ay they. <HI>In Adam,</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 118</NOTE> quoth he, <HI>&s;tood the kingdom of grace,</HI> and <HI>R. Farnworth</HI> will not have <HI>Adam</HI> &s;tand in innocency under a cove|nant of works. His Doctrine is, <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Ib. 175.</NOTE> <HI>That there is no certain ordination from eternity upon any &s;oul parti|cularly, which is yet to be born, but onely a common univer&s;al fore&s;eeing of grace,</HI> which will &s;uit with the light in every man, held out by Quakers, as the beginning of Chri&s;t; and the good u&s;e of that light; as that grace fore&s;een. He jerks at <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 182</NOTE> <HI>our feeding upon bread and cup of Chri&s;t,</HI> and &s;o doth <HI>R. F.</HI> In many other things they are agreed. He hath &s;tampt a name upon his book of Election, <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 195</NOTE> <HI>The longer, the better liked, the more &s;ought, the more found,</HI> which, I hope, will among tho&s;e that &s;hall be &s;aved, never prove true, but the contrary. The longer, the more loathed, the more &s;ought and &s;earched, the more de|tected, and the more found, the more rejected, not|with&s;tanding all his Teutonick Sublimations. There is a Dialogue between <HI>Launcher</HI> and <HI>Love-well,</HI> prin|ted with <HI>J. Behme's</HI> two Letters, which is &s;aid to be
<PB REF="15"> none of his, but it harmonizeth with his Doctrine, and the Quakers, who build up a kingdom of works, upon as &s;andy a foundation. A pa&s;&s;age mo&s;t noto|rious is this, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Dialogue between <HI>Launcher</HI> and <HI>Lovewel.</HI> p 89</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;t hath his de&s;erving, and I &s;hall have mine,</HI> written in oppo&s;ition to the application of Chri&s;t, and of his merits by faith; and another is like hereunto, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 112</NOTE> <HI>He hits the nail on the head, who per|ceiveth that all his wen-lacing is, that men believe to become as</HI> Adam <HI>was before the fall.</HI> Not Chri&s;t as a Redeemer then, but the improvement of what Ta|lent men have, and tru&s;ting thereunto, in the muta|bility of their own wills, mu&s;t bring them unto life, if they will have it &s;o.</P>
<P>Such kinde of &s;tuff, or wor&s;e, if wor&s;e may be, the&s;e men have learned (haply at home) from <HI>Will. Erbury,</HI> of late, in his Call to the Churches, which book was brought me by the &s;ame She-di&s;ciple that brought <HI>R. F.</HI> his An&s;wer before; who gave it out, that he was the fore-runner to the Quakers, as <HI>John Bapti&s;t</HI> was to Chri&s;t: it &s;eems then he was to de|crea&s;e, as they were to increa&s;e: but I am of the minde, though he hath by his packet of Letters and pamphlets helpt towards their increa&s;e, yet they &s;hall decrea&s;e and con&s;ume away with the la&s;t piece of Antichri&s;ts skin and bones. He <HI>denies</HI> it <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Call to the Churches by <HI>W Erbury,</HI> page 4.</NOTE> to <HI>be Go|&s;pel that few &s;hall be &s;aved,</HI> and expo&s;tulates the mat|ter in the&s;e terms, <HI>What Go&s;pel or glad tidings is it to tell the world, that none &s;hall be &s;aved but the Elect and Believers?</HI> He calls Chri&s;t a Legal Teacher, and &s;aith, if you will believe him, <HI>The Go&s;pel he taught was but in part, that which was proper onely to the Jewi&s;h Church, not that to be preached to the world.</HI> And <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 6.</NOTE> <HI>the go&s;pel which the Apo&s;tles preached to the world, 'twas not that which they wrote to the Chur|ches,
<PB REF="15"> nor yet what they read in the Scriptures of the Prophets; But the Go&s;pel was a my&s;tery, which in the light of God they could manife&s;t to men, and make all men &s;ee them&s;elves in God, that's in Chri&s;t,</HI> and <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 9.</NOTE> <HI>God in our fle&s;h, as in Chri&s;ts,</HI> that is (according to the Famili&s;tical conceit) God dwelling as much and af|ter the &s;ame way in our fle&s;h, as in Chri&s;ts. <HI>For the my&s;tery of faith was more,</HI> &s;aith he, <HI>then men imagine, and it may be more then</HI> Paul <HI>wrote to the</HI> Romans, <HI>and Churches of</HI> Galatia. Here are &s;weet &s;ugge&s;tions to &s;et people a quaking indeed, among the devils, and to look from the Scripture, for another Go&s;pel (though there be no other, then that which <HI>Paul</HI> preached and wrote to the Galatians, <HI>cap.</HI> 1. 6, 7.) in their own hearts, and to lay down <HI>their lives in an|other way for the brethren</HI> (as the fickle woman that brought me the book, told me &s;he had thereby learn|ed) then the Apo&s;tle intended, 1 <HI>John 3. 16. viz.</HI> to die to the u&s;e of all our Go&s;pel-ordinances, <HI>for any of which,</HI> he &s;aith, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 19.</NOTE> <HI>we have not &s;o much as Scripture.</HI> As true as that, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 37.</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;ts coming again</HI> promi&s;ed, <HI>Acts 1. 11. was nothing but his coming in Spirit and Power in the Saints, and in their fle&s;h, when they are mo&s;t confu&s;ed and dark.</HI> Such kinde of cloudy inter|pretations in Scripture the&s;e men have drunk down, no coming of Chri&s;t in body again is owned by ma|ny of them; Chri&s;t had a body onely while he was upon the earth, which <HI>W. E.</HI> intimateth in his mar|ginal note, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 39.</NOTE> and inferreth, <HI>Becau&s;e the days of his fle&s;h was when he was on earth,</HI> therefore <HI>his being now in heaven is all in the Spirit, for he is far above all heavens;</HI> whereas the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Heb.</HI> 5. 7. u&s;eth the phra&s;e of [days of his fle&s;h] to hold forth his &s;tate of infirmity and humiliation, and not to deny
<PB REF="16"> his now being in Heaven in a true body glorified; which Heaven (where he is) is far above all the&s;e heavens of air and sky, vi&s;ible to our eyes at pre&s;ent; as his per&s;on (which is not his manhood, though the manhood is-united to his per&s;on) is far above (<HI>i. e.</HI> in dignity and immen&s;ity) the Heavens as yet invi&s;ible to us, and with the Godhead is not contained in the Heaven of Heavens. But this of <HI>W. E.</HI> is like the notion and apprehen&s;ion of <HI>J. Nayler,</HI> who when he was asked by Ju&s;tice <HI>Pear&s;on, Is Chri&s;t in thee as man?</HI> an&s;wered, <HI>Chri&s;t filleth all places and is not</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Sauls</HI> Errand to <HI>Dama&s;cus,</HI> page 32.</NOTE> <HI>divided, &s;eparate God and man, and he is no more Chri&s;t,</HI> whereas in Chri&s;t God-man, his two natures are to be di&s;tingui&s;hed, although his per&s;on is not divided.</P>
<P>Some &s;trengthning to their fort of <HI>Babel</HI> our Qua|kers have received from the followers of <HI>Pelagius</HI> and <HI>Arminius,</HI> who call <HI>Nature, Grace,</HI> as the&s;e mag|nifie Natures light, and call it <HI>Chri&s;t within them:</HI> who call the Notions of the Godhead the <HI>Elements</HI> and <HI>fir&s;t Rudiments of Salvation,</HI> as the&s;e call them the <HI>fir&s;t Principles of Religion,</HI> and the <HI>Corner-&s;tone.</HI> How come they to lead men from the Scriptures to the Creatures, but that &s;ome had &s;aid before them, Chri&s;t was and is preached in the Sun, Moon and Stars? And again, how come they to &s;ay, <HI>We can|not &s;ee how the Go&s;pel of Chri&s;t is preached to every creature under heaven, if it be not the Principle of light in the con&s;cience,</HI> if they were not acted by the &s;ame &s;pirit? Or, how &s;ay they, <HI>produce one Scripture that &s;peaks of a natural light,</HI> if they had not read or heard of &s;ome Arminian dictate to this purpo&s;e, <HI>viz. The Scripture knows not the word [natural] in any &s;uch &s;en&s;e or &s;ignification, wherein it &s;hould expre&s;s
<PB REF="16"> or di&s;tingui&s;h the unregenerate &s;tate of a man from the regenerate.</HI> How do they jump in one minde concerning <HI>Peters</HI> being out of the &s;tate of ju&s;tifica|tion, when he denied his Ma&s;ter? and about the Ex|po&s;ition of <HI>Rom</HI> 7. from <HI>ver.</HI> 14. to the end of the Chapter, under&s;tanding it of a man unregenerate, in conflict with a natural con&s;cience, and not &s;imply of one regenerate in combat with corruption of nature, in every faculty of the &s;oul.</P>
<P>How far the &s;pirit of Antichri&s;t works in the&s;e men, God will yet farther di&s;cover, and what Je|&s;uitical Plots and De&s;igns there are carried on by &s;ome of them unwittingly, by others as wickedly as wittingly, the day &s;hall declare it. And if any will take the pains to compare their Pamphlets, with the Charge which Dr. <HI>Willet</HI> drew up about forty years<NOTE PLACE="marg">Supplement to <HI>Synop&s;is Pa|pi&s;mi.</HI></NOTE> by-pa&s;t, again&s;t the Papi&s;ts, he &s;hall finde that Qua|keri&s;m is built upon the <HI>Tetra&s;tylon,</HI> or four-fold Pil|lar of Papi&s;try, <HI>viz.</HI> 1. Sarca&s;ms, &s;landers, railings and forgeries. 2. Flat bla&s;phemies and contradicti|ons to Scripture. 3. Loo&s;e arguments, weak &s;olu|tions, &amp;c. 4. Repugnant opinions and contradicti|ons among them&s;elves, in all, leaving the con&s;ciences of people upon the Rack, or full of doubts and un|certainties. For the undermining of which Pillars, the learned and unlearned, the &s;imple and judicious, are alarum'd.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, to a more a&s;&s;iduous and &s;tudious reading of the Scriptures. Get you Bibles, 'tis your Souls phy|&s;ick, &s;aid <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tom</HI> of old, to the people his hear|ers. There is no greater torment to the devils then to &s;ee men bu&s;ied about the Scriptures, &s;aid <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Orig.</NOTE> another before him; But becau&s;e it is as much plea&s;ure to the devils to &s;ee men abu&s;e and wre&s;t the Scriptures, ye are called Beloved.</P>
<PB REF="17">
<P>Secondly, to the owning of them in their ju&s;t Au|thority, above all Te&s;timonies of ancient Writers and modern Authors, who were but men, &s;ubject to infirmities in the head, as heart; Above the Church|es Te&s;timony, which gives no authority to the Scri|ptures, but onely declare what is intrin&s;ecally &s;tamp|ed upon them; Above the te&s;timony of your own hearts and con&s;ciences, which mu&s;t receive a true judgement from the right under&s;tanding and appli|cation of the Scripture; bove all vi&s;ions and reve|lations, which if fal&s;e, draw from the voice of Scri|pture, if true, they &s;end you thither as to your Rule, and a more &s;tanding Rule, and above all the Pam|phlets of the Quakers, now &s;welled to above two volumes.</P>
<P>Thirdly, to a dependence upon the Spirit &s;peaking in the Scriptures, to &s;eal up their Authority to you, and to give the efficacy of what you read and hear. Gods Spirit breathes in good mens books, much more in his own, and is there as to &s;eal up the truth of his Word, &s;o to &s;tamp the goodne&s;s of every truth upon our hearts.</P>
<P>As for this <HI>Reply,</HI> what you finde therein agree|able to the Spirit of God his language, of plain and naked Scripture-truth, receive in the love of it, and give God the glory. I onely intreat (as <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Tantum oro, ut cum petitis, etiam <HI>Tertul|liani</HI> peccatoris memineritis, <HI>Tert. lib. de Bap.</HI></NOTE> one before me, of his Readers) that in your prayers (which &s;hould u&s;her in all our other work or recreation, and that of reading books) you would remember him al|&s;o who (though he hath obtained mercy to be faith|ful, yet) hath cau&s;e enough to &s;ub&s;cribe him&s;elf</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>The &s;inful JOHN STALHAM.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="table of contents">
<PB REF="17">
<HEAD>The Heads of their <HI>Contradictions.</HI></HEAD>
<LIST>
<HEAD>1. To the Scriptures.</HEAD>
<ITEM><LABEL>1</LABEL> Concerning THe Scriptures.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>2</LABEL> Concerning The Trinity.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>3</LABEL> Concerning The Light within.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>4</LABEL> Concerning The Law.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>5</LABEL> Concerning Sin.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>6</LABEL> Concerning Ju&s;tification.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>7</LABEL> Concerning Regeneration.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>8</LABEL> Concerning Sanctification and its Perfection.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>9</LABEL> Concerning Chri&s;tian warfare.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>10</LABEL> Concerning Repentance.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>11</LABEL> Concerning The means of Grace.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>12</LABEL> Concerning Bapti&s;m.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>13</LABEL> Concerning Lords Supper.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>14</LABEL> Concerning Prayer.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>15</LABEL> Concerning Singing.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>16</LABEL> Concerning Elders and Ordination.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>17</LABEL> Concerning Mini&s;ters maintenance</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>18</LABEL> Concerning Immediate Calling.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>19</LABEL> Concerning Immediate Teaching.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>20</LABEL> Concerning Que&s;tions.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>21</LABEL> Concerning Civil Honor.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>22</LABEL> Concerning Swearing.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>2. To them&s;elves.</HEAD>
<ITEM><LABEL>1</LABEL> Concerning THe Scriptures.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>2</LABEL> Concerning Hearing the Word</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>3</LABEL> Concerning The Light within.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>4</LABEL> Concerning Sin.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>5</LABEL> Concerning Chri&s;t.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>6</LABEL> Concerning Ju&s;tification.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>7</LABEL> Concerning Immediate Teaching.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>8</LABEL> Concerning Perfection.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>9</LABEL> Concerning Quaking and Trem|bling.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>10</LABEL> Concerning Growth in Grace.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>11</LABEL> Concerning Forms of Religion.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>12</LABEL> Concerning Fruits of the Spi|rit.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>13</LABEL> Concerning Ordinances.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>14</LABEL> Concerning Speech and Silence.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>15</LABEL> Concerning Elders.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>16</LABEL> Concerning Con&s;cience and Laws.</ITEM>
</LIST>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="treatise">
<PB REF="18">
<HEAD>THE Reviler rebuked. OR A Reply to R. FARNWORTH HIS INTRODUCTION.</HEAD>
<P>_BEfore I can fall upon the Subject of the Contro|ver&s;ies between me and my Antagoni&s;t, I mu&s;t touch at his Introduction wherein he mention|eth his receiving of my Book renews his charge again&s;t me, gives a &s;eeming proof of his charge, and concludes with a Thundering Anathema.</P>
<P N="1">1. What he received, <HI>A Printed Paper</HI> (as he calls it &s;lightingly) <HI>that came out of</HI> Scotland <HI>into</HI> York <HI>and</HI> York&s;hire <HI>in</HI> England, <HI>publi&s;hed by one</HI> John Stalham, <HI>Preacher of the Go&s;pel at</HI> Edinburgh. That little piece, of three &s;heets and a half, <HI>J. S.</HI> owneth, as publi&s;hed by him, and that he called him&s;elf <HI>Preacher of the Go&s;pel at</HI> Edinburgh (<HI>for the pre&s;ent,</HI> as was in&s;erted) it was becau&s;e for &s;ome time, he had been, and then continued preaching of the fulne&s;s of the ble&s;&s;ing of the Go&s;pel of Chri&s;t, to his Auditors, from <HI>Rom.</HI> 15. 29. with other Scriptures; And for as much as that great truth of the Go&s;pel was openly oppo&s;ed by one of the Sect, called Quakers, touching the ju&s;tification of a believing &s;inner, he was called to enquire after the opinions of the &s;aid Sect, and to draw up his collections from divers of their Pamphlets, which he referred unto &s;everal Heads of their Scripture and Self-contradictions, wherein he is,</P>
<PB REF="18">
<P>Secondly, Charged by <HI>R. F.</HI> to have <HI>manife&s;ted him&s;elf, and his &s;ubtile &s;erpentine Spirit, by his lies and &s;landers, for all his glo&s;&s;es and covers, to be a mini&s;ter of deceit, and &s;o of Anti|chri&s;t,</HI> of all this, or any part of it, <HI>J. S.</HI> is no ways con&s;ci|ous, nor of <HI>his fal&s;ly accu&s;ing the people of the Lord</HI> (&s;uppo&s;e any people of the Lord be fallen into the errors and opinions of the Quakers, as he is charitably jealous &s;ome are &s;urpri|zed therewith) nor of <HI>&s;hewing forth a bitter &s;pirit of envy again&s;t them and the truth.</HI> The Lord knows he loveth all the people of the Lord, for the Truths &s;ake that dwelleth in them, and pitieth tho&s;e who are over-run with the&s;e errors (as with a running Itch, or &s;ore) as he him&s;elf would be loved and pitied, who is not ab&s;olutely free of error; al|though the particular fruit is not (in the&s;e matters of dif|ference) vi&s;ible to him; yet the root of all error, as of all &s;in, is in him, and &s;een by him, not throughly in all degrees mortified. <HI>As for any of his painted and deckt Notions, Im|plications, and Contra-di&s;tinctions, his gilded, coloured, bor|rowed, and form'd up imagined Expre&s;&s;ions,</HI> he thinketh <HI>R. F.</HI> had a minde to plea&s;e him&s;elf, and &s;ome of his Rea|ders, with &s;eeming &s;hadows of Rhetorick, which <HI>J. S.</HI> never affected, but clothed all he wrote with a familiar, home-&s;pun &s;tile, as he &s;hall, this Reply.</P>
<P>Thirdly, The &s;eeming proof of the Charge is, That, with the Light, <HI>John 8. 12. John 1. 9. R. F.</HI> thinketh <HI>J. S.</HI> is <HI>&s;een and known to be one that hates it;</HI> and why? 1. <HI>He bears re|cord of him&s;elf again&s;t Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles:</HI> Let that be found in any pa&s;&s;age of his former, or pre&s;ent piece, and <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;hall be no fal&s;e Apo&s;tle; <HI>J. S.</HI> will hide his head in a hole, or openly recant the folly and wickedne&s;s. 2. He calls the <HI>true light</HI> (&s;aith R. F.) <HI>the Light of nature, and the com|mon Light of rea&s;on:</HI> Where's the proof of this allegation? <HI>J. S.</HI> doth peremptorily deny, that he ever &s;o expre&s;t him|&s;elf &s;ince he had the Light of rea&s;on in him. The true Light (as 'tis printed both in <HI>R. F.</HI> his Book <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 2.</NOTE>, and in the Bible, <HI>John</HI> 1. 9. with a great [<HI>L</HI>] and there &s;poken of) is Chri&s;t: <HI>J. S.</HI> never called <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> the Light of <HI>nature,</HI> or the <HI>common Light of rea&s;on,</HI> (or <HI>rea&s;on,</HI> as <HI>Page 34. R. F.</HI> cla|moreth and clattereth.) Haply, he may &s;ay again and again,
<PB REF="19"> That Chri&s;t, as the very God, and the true Light, giveth the Light of nature to all men, and common light of rea&s;on (more or le&s;s) to every man: for he is able to di&s;tingui&s;h betwixt the Donor and his Gift; betwixt the un-created Light-living God, and created Light-given, before the fall, to <HI>Adam;</HI> or given back &s;ince the fall to him and his po|&s;terity. If <HI>R. F.</HI> or any man will confound Chri&s;t-giving, or enlightning, with the Light-given, or lighted up as a Candle in every man, he may as well confound God and the Crea|ture, and make them (as &s;ome bla&s;phemou&s;ly imagine) to be one and the &s;ame E&s;&s;ence. Therefore, as in this, &s;o in all other in&s;tances,</P>
<P>Fourthly, <HI>J. S.</HI> is confident (after <HI>R. F.</HI> his impudence in his Preface and Proceedings) he &s;hall neither be found Lyar nor fal&s;e Accu&s;er; but, as he is &s;ure that Saint <HI>Pauls</HI> Ana|thema was out long &s;ince, <HI>Gal.</HI> 1. 8, 9. and is &s;till in force again&s;t tho&s;e that preach another Go&s;pel-way of Ju&s;tifica|tion, as do the&s;e Quaking-Papi&s;ts, or Popi&s;h-Quakers; &s;o the Anathema, Maran-atha, that <HI>R. F.</HI> denounceth impera|tively and imperiou&s;ly [<HI>Let him be an Anathema, Maran|atha</HI>] again&s;t <HI>J. S.</HI> &s;hall be as the cur&s;e cau&s;le&s;s, that &s;hall not come; but that God will do him more good, as already he hath done &s;omething for him, by <HI>Shimei</HI>'s railing. <HI>Ty|rants, Sectaries, Seducers, and Hereticks</HI> (as <HI>Luther</HI> &s;aid) <HI>do nothing el&s;e but drive us unto the Bible, to make us read more diligently therein, and with more fervency to &s;harpen our Prayers;</HI> and I may adde, (by their buffetings) to be more taken off from &s;elf-e&s;timation, and to be viler in our own eyes, then we can be in the eyes of our Adver&s;aries, who know not our hearts.</P>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="part">
<PB N="1" REF="19">
<HEAD>THE Reviler rebuked. PART 1.</HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(1. Head of Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Touching the Scriptures them&s;elves.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="1" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 1.</HEAD>
<P>THe holy <HI>Scriptures</HI> (by one thunder-&s;tricken in &s;pirit, and bla&s;ted in profe&s;&s;ion with the Quakers Books and company in <HI>Scotland</HI>) were denied to my face <HI>to be the word of Truth;</HI> which I noted as the fir&s;t and great Contradiction. <HI>R. Farnworth</HI> in an&s;wer returns me thus much of truth in form of words, <HI>That the Scriptures are words that proceeded from the Spirit of Truth, we do not de|ny, but own, and &s;o they are the words of truth.</HI> Plainly he doth not &s;ay, they are the words of truth, nor plainly joyn<NOTE PLACE="marg">Scripture the word of truth to all.</NOTE> i&s;&s;ue with him that denied them to be the word of truth: but if they be own'd for <HI>words of truth, as proceeding from the Spirit of truth,</HI> then, for the advantage of Truth I argue:</P>
<P N="1">1. They are the word of God, and &s;o &s;hould be owned. by them. Surely the Spirit of truth is the Spirit of God, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and the&s;e three<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 15. 26.</NOTE> being one, their word is one. That which is the word of the Spirit of truth, is the word of the Father of truth, and of the Son of truth. The Scripture by <HI>R. F.</HI> his confe&s;&s;ion is the word of the Spirit of truth, therefore he mu&s;t grant it to be the word of the Father, and of the Son of truth; and con&s;equently, the word of the true God.</P>
<P N="2">2. If they be words of truth, as proceeding from the Spirit of truth, then they are the Rule, Standard, and Touch&s;tone of truth: the true Spirit being known by his
<PB N="2" REF="20"> words, and directing us to know his minde by his words, what we &s;hould believe as truth, and practi&s;e as truth, or ac|cording to it; but we &s;hall anon hear <HI>R. F.</HI> denying the Scriptures to be the rule of a Chri&s;tian, as of other men that are unchri&s;tian.</P>
<P N="3">3. If they be the words of the Spirit of truth, then they are &s;o to all men, or but to &s;ome men.</P>
<P N="1">1. If &s;o to all men that have the Scriptures by them, then why doth not <HI>R. F.</HI> challenge him that <HI>denied them</HI> to be &s;o to <HI>unbelievers,</HI> as I noted in my Book? Why doth he chal|lenge me for fal&s;hood? with a <HI>therefore</HI> too <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 2.</NOTE> [<HI>therefore thy &s;aying is fal&s;e.</HI>] What &s;aying of mine is fal&s;e, and wherefore? I truly related what I had, from him I men|tioned above, in di&s;cour&s;e once and again, <HI>That the Scri|ptures were not the word of truth:</HI> And doth it follow, be|cau&s;e <HI>R. F.</HI> acknowledgeth them to be the words of truth, that, <HI>therefore</HI> I heard not the contradiction, or mi&s;-related what was &s;poken?</P>
<P N="2">2. If they be the words of truth but to &s;ome men, (<HI>not at all to wicked men and unbelievers, no not condemningly,</HI> as were his expre&s;&s;ions) then it &s;eems, the unbelief and wic|kedne&s;s of men, doth make the Faith or Truth of God of none effect: but S. <HI>Paul, Rom.</HI> 3. 3. is of another minde;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 3. 3. cleared.</NOTE> yea, the Spirit there (by the Interrogation fir&s;t and &s;econd, <HI>What if &s;ome did not believe? &s;hall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect?</HI>) forcibly denieth the fru&s;tration or making void of Gods word of truth, by the Jews former or following continued unbelief. God hath laid his faith and truth to pawn (as it were) in the holy Scriptures, and as he is a God of truth, his word is a word of truth, taking hold of men by the threatning (as <HI>Zech.</HI> 1. 6.) who mi&s;|believe or reject the promi&s;e. And, <HI>Is he the God of the Jews onely, and not al&s;o of the Gentiles?</HI> to ju&s;tifie and con|demn all that are believing or unbelieving, according to the Scriptures? Such therefore who will &s;ay, No more is the truth of God or word of God to me then what I believe, (were they never &s;o dear friends) mu&s;t be as roundly taken up and faithfully rebuked, as &s;ometimes <HI>Luther</HI> took up a man of no mean account, <Q REND="margQuotes">"<HI>Bullenger,</HI> you erre, you know
<PB N="3" REF="20"> neither your &s;elf nor what you hold. According to your fal&s;ities, if the Word findes not the Spirit, but an ungodly Per&s;on, then it is not Gods word: whereby you define and hold the word, not according to God who &s;peaketh it, but according as people do entertain and receive it. Whereas (as he again) a true Chri&s;tian mu&s;t hold for cer|tain, and mu&s;t &s;ay, That word which is delivered and preached to the Wicked, to the Di&s;&s;emblers, and to the Ungodly, is even as well Gods word, as that which is preached to the good and godly upright Chri&s;tians.</Q> And I may adde, even &s;o are the Scriptures, that word which condemneth unbelievers already. But, as he again, <Q REND="margQuotes">"The Sectaries under&s;tand not the &s;trength of Gods word (read or preached) and we may wonder (with him) that they write and teach &s;o much of the Scriptures or of Gods word, &s;eeing they &s;o little regard the &s;ame.</Q> For what&s;o|ever <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith of his, and their owning of the Scriptures, hearken to what follows in his backing of Scripture-contra|diction, <HI>That the Scriptures are the Word, God, and eternal</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">The Scri|ptures are the word of God, and truly &s;o called.</NOTE> <HI>Life, as thou woulde&s;t have them, thou can&s;t not prove, nor all the Magicians to help thee.</HI> Here is good &s;tuff, kitchin-&s;tuff, or &s;moak out of the bottomle&s;s pit.</P>
<P N="1">1. Take the <HI>Word</HI> for the Son of God; where did I ever attempt to prove the Scriptures to be the Son of God, God, and eternal Life? The Lord rebuke this fal&s;e &s;pirit.</P>
<P N="2">2. Becau&s;e I with others call the Scriptures, as they are, and as they &s;peak them&s;elves to be, the word of God; are we therefore Magicians? The Lord again rebuke this revi|ling &s;pirit. <HI>R. F.</HI> and others may talk of owning, and own|ing the Scriptures as often as they fancy it; but they honor them not, I am &s;ure, who deny them that title of honor, <HI>The Word of God.</HI> Shall <HI>R. F.</HI> his Pamphlets be called his Books, his Writings, and his Words; and &s;hall not that which God hath written, be called Gods written Word? He an&s;wers nothing to that place in <HI>Ho&s;ea,</HI> 8. 12. nor could that &s;tripling <HI>J. P.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">At <HI>Coggshall</HI> &s;ometime.</NOTE> give any rea&s;on again&s;t the Argument drawn from it: <HI>viz.</HI>
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>That which God hath written, is the word of God.</ITEM>
<ITEM>But God hath written the Scriptures,</ITEM>
<PB N="4" REF="21">
<ITEM>Therefore the Scriptures are the word of God.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> Objecteth, [<HI>&s;uch as witne&s;s to the word, and Gods power, witne&s;s again&s;t thee</HI>] to &s;trengthen the new-coyned di&s;tinction is it, which was given me in <HI>Scotland? The Scri|pture is not the word of truth, but the witne&s;s of Gods power.</HI> Why, I grant it to be both the word, and the witne&s;s. The Scriptures are Gods words, and Gods te&s;timonies; &s;ome make<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Scripture is Gods Word and Witne&s;s al&s;o.</NOTE> them two witne&s;&s;es, <HI>Revel.</HI> 11. But I rea&s;oned thus, by way of Quere, <HI>How can the Scripture be Gods witne&s;s, if not true? how is it true, if not the word of truth? R. F.</HI> undertakes to an&s;wer: <Q REND="margQuotes">"That the Spirit of truth, in the Prophets, and in the Apo&s;tles, did carry them forth to witne&s;s what of Chri&s;t is declared in the Scriptures, by words that pro|ceeded from the Spirit of truth.</Q> Had he gone no further, he had pretily well quitted him&s;elf, but he addeth by way of objection, <HI>The Spirit is not in the Letter, neither is the Spirit given by the Letter, but by God and Chri&s;t,</HI> and yet he grants pre&s;ently, in the &s;ame <HI>Page 2. The Letter proceeded from the Spirit.</HI> By the <HI>Letter,</HI> I meant, (when I &s;aid <HI>pag.</HI> 22 of my book, the Spirit is in the Letter &amp;c.) <HI>the whole Scripture,</HI> and &s;o I &s;uppo&s;e doth he: Now the whole Scripture is given<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Letter (in a large &s;en&s;e) and Scripture, all one.</NOTE> by in&s;piration of God, the Father, Son and Spirit, who is,</P>
<P N="1">1. Where he breathes forth truth, holine&s;s &amp;c. all along.</P>
<P N="2">2. Where he &s;peaketh; The Scriptures are the Oracles of God, <HI>Rom.</HI> 3. 2. Will <HI>R. F.</HI> by denying the Spirit to be in the Scriptures &s;top the mouth and breath of God? What<NOTE PLACE="marg">How the Spi|rit is in the Scripture|letter.</NOTE> profane boldne&s;s is this? Can he hold the winde in his fi&s;t, and re&s;train the Spirit from giving forth him&s;elf, by the Letter, or Scripture, when the Spirit will make good his promi&s;e, to ble&s;s the reading of it? I think he is not &s;o full of pre&s;umption, yet he pre&s;umes to &s;ay, <HI>The Spirit is not given by the Letter:</HI> What thinks he of Scripture-promi&s;es? did he never finde the Spirit warming his heart, by the reading of them? He &s;peaks as if he knew nothing of the Spirits con&s;olations, enlightnings, teachings or convicti|ons, by the Scriptures. And he writes, as if he would have none read the Letter of Scriptures, in faith of a ble&s;&s;ing by them, but to think, when they are reading of them, they are cracking a hollow &s;hell, that hath no kernell in it, or
<PB N="5" REF="21"> drinking a draught of dilute wine, that hath no &s;pirits in it; or reading of his, and his fellows Pamphlets; wherein the Spirit of God is not pre&s;ent, by any gracious operation, but the &s;pirit of Satan (for the mo&s;t part) unto efficacy of delu&s;ion. His &s;imple Reader may think the words that fol|low tend much to the honor of the Spirit of God, [<HI>The Letter proceeded from the Spirit, but the Spirit did not pro|ceed from the Letter</HI>] but &s;uch expre&s;&s;ions as di&s;parage the Scriptures will never bring honor to the Spirit which is in them, and worketh by them, what di&s;paragement is there in the&s;e words to the Scriptures? (will the &s;imple-hearted &s;ay)</P>
<P N="1">1. The phra&s;e [Letter] is extenuating: as if all the<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Letter (taken &s;trict|ly) is but le|gal admini|&s;tration. 2 Cor. 3. 6. explained.</NOTE> Scripture were Law, or had a Legal admini&s;tration as the Apo&s;tle u&s;eth it, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3. 6. in a &s;trict &s;ence; The Letter killeth: <HI>i. e,</HI> the bare legal command without a promi&s;e of power, or pardon, (as a bare letter void of &s;trength, life and &s;pirit) it leaveth all men under a killing &s;entence and cur&s;e: Now thus to repre&s;ent all parts of the Scripture, is to affright men from the reading, hearing or regarding of it.</P>
<P N="2">2. The Letter or Scripture is &s;et by <HI>R. F.</HI> (in other pa&s;|&s;ages) in &s;uch oppo&s;ition to the Spirit, as if the Spirit di&s;|owned it after he hath cau&s;ed it to be written, &amp; no way ac|companieth it with his power. The Spirit proceeds not from<NOTE PLACE="marg">How the Spi|rit proceeds not from the Scripture, and how he doth proceed from, by, &amp; with it.</NOTE> the Scripture-Letter, in re&s;pect of his E&s;&s;ence, or Being, he is God of him&s;elf, nor in re&s;pect of his per&s;onal &s;ub&s;i&s;tence, which is of the Father, or from the Father, and from the Son (of which <HI>R. F.</HI> is ignorant, or inadvertent, denying him, <HI>page</HI> 8. to be a <HI>Per&s;on</HI>) but in re&s;pect of his operation.</P>
<P N="1">1. Improperly it may be &s;aid, the Spirit proceedeth <HI>from</HI> the Scripture, as a man goes from his outward &s;hop, to work in his inner room, &s;o the Spirit proceedeth from that (which he hath put within the Book, or Bible) into the heart, to work a &s;weet ingraven work there:</P>
<P N="2">2. Properly and plainly he proceeds by the Scripture, and <HI>with</HI> the Scripture, to effect, and beget that in the &s;oul which is like him&s;elf, Spiritual, and like the Scripture, holy, and good. That is but a bravado therefore which he addes, in the clo&s;e of his &s;econd Page. [<HI>Therein thou ha&s;t erred, not knowing the Spirit, nor power of God, declared in the Scri|ptures.</HI>]</P>
<PB N="6" REF="22">
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Wherein have I erred? who never expre&s;t my &s;elf &s;o dubiou&s;ly, as thus [the Spirit proceedeth <HI>from</HI> the Letter] but thus, [<HI>The Spirit is given by it.</HI>] The Scri|pture is but in&s;trumental to the Spirit, yet &s;o in&s;trumental he makes it, as what&s;oever <HI>R. F.</HI> thinketh of me; I know, and remember, that my fir&s;t awakening of con&s;cience was by the <HI>Spirit,</HI> and from the <HI>power of God,</HI> upon my &s;pirit, as I was reading that Scripture, <HI>Heb. 10. 26. For if we &s;in wil|fully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, &amp;c.</HI> The Spirit which gave this Scripture, gave forth his convictions by it to my heart; What if I &s;ay, his Terrors? (as by that in <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 5. 18. at the mini&s;ters reading of the Text and preaching upon it) will <HI>R. F.</HI> or any other &s;ay, why then do&s;t thou not own our Trembling, and Quaking? I &s;hall reply to <HI>R. F.</HI> why doth he reject all my Epi&s;tle to the Readers, in my former piece, where I gave &s;ome cha|racters of true Trembling? and to all others, with him I &s;ubjoyn, &s;uch is the power of the Spirit in and by the Scri|pture,<NOTE PLACE="marg">True Trem|bling is at the truth and power in Scri|pture, and leads there|unto.</NOTE> that there is a wide difference between the trembling from a &s;uppo&s;ed Revelation, that is not by, nor according to the Scripture, but leads men both from it, and from the due honor to be given to it; and the trembling which ari|&s;eth from the Scripture-revelation, and from the Spirit &s;peaking in that which is read, and heard out of it. The for|mer I judge to be theirs, who pretend to the Spirit, without and be&s;ide the Scripture: the latter I own, and all that the Lord hath wrought upon, by the word, will own it with me. The account which that famous <HI>Francis Junius,</HI> gives of the Spirits working by the Letter of Scripture, is upon record, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Vita Fran|ci&s;ci Junii.</NOTE> After he had drunk in that, which &s;tirred up in him the &s;eeds of Athei&s;m, and had vented &s;omething that way, before his father, and had profited nothing by Ser|mons (to this pre&s;ent time) he takes up the new Te&s;tament (laid before him by his father) and reads the former part of the fir&s;t chapter of <HI>John, In the beginning was the Word, &amp;c.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ita commoveor legens, &amp;c.</NOTE> (as it fir&s;t came to his hand and view) <Q REND="margQuotes">"Whereby (&s;aith he) I was &s;o &s;tirred, that &s;uddenly I perceived the divinity of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Horrebat cor|pus, &s;tupebat animus, &amp;c.</NOTE> the Argument, and the maje&s;ty, and authority of the &s;tyle, very far excelling all the floods of humane eloquence,
<PB N="7" REF="22"> my body trembled, my minde was a&s;toni&s;hed, and I was &s;o affected all that day, that I knew not where and what I was.</Q> And from that time forward, he gave him&s;elf to the &s;tudy of the Scriptures, and read other books but coldly and carele&s;ly in compari&s;on. Here was the mighty opera|tion of the Spirit, accompanying the Letter: here was a right Scripture efficacy from the Spirits application of it to the con&s;cience. As God declares his Spirit and power, or &s;peaks of them in the Scriptures, &s;o he declares, or exerts, and puts forth his Spirit and power by them, and that upon their hearts who do not believe. In this fir&s;t Section of my book, I had noted another of their Contradictions: <HI>viz.</HI> of <HI>James Naylers,</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">A few words of <HI>J. Nayler,</HI> pag. 10. &amp; 11.</NOTE> thus now more fully: <HI>Thou calle&s;t the Scriptures a &s;tanding Rule, but it is not &s;o to you, who can|not believe that ever it &s;hall be fulfilled in you, as it was given out by the holy Gho&s;t.</HI> Contrary, I &s;aid, &s;o <HI>Luke</HI> 16. 26. They have <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets (for a &s;tanding Rule) let them hear them, and ver. 31. <HI>If they hear not Mo&s;es and the Prophets, neither will they be per&s;waded though one ro&s;e from the dead.</HI> Here the Scriptures are a&s;&s;erted to be a more &s;tanding rule then vi&s;ions and revelations. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Pag. 3. 4.</NOTE> calls the <HI>&s;imple-hearted to judge of my deceitful perverting of this Scri|pture for my own ends, from it rai&s;ing a fal&s;e doctrine;</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Let &s;imple and wi&s;e al&s;o examine the proofs and rea|&s;ons of this charge, and of his denial of the Scriptures.<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Scripture a &s;tanding Rule.</NOTE></P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. To be a &s;tanding rule (at all, or to any)</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. To be a more &s;tanding rule, &amp;c.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>The &s;hew of rea&s;on he gives for the fir&s;t, I &s;hall faithfully and for conviction (if the Lord plea&s;e) of this Gain-&s;ayer, unca&s;e and di&s;cover the weakne&s;s and nakedne&s;s thereof.</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>The ver&s;e &s;aith not &s;o. Rep.</HI> The 29 ver&s;e meaneth <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 16. 29. cleared and vindicated.</NOTE> and intendeth no le&s;s; Scripture-&s;en&s;e is Scripture, as our Lord teacheth us to rea&s;on from <HI>John</HI> 7. 38. <HI>He that be|lieveth on me, as the Scripture hath &s;aid, out of his belly &s;hall flow rivers of living water.</HI> The Scripture no where had &s;aid &s;o, in &s;o many expre&s;s letters, &s;yllables and words, but it &s;aith it in the &s;cope and &s;en&s;e, and it &s;peaks as much as amounts thereunto. So doth this place, for the Scriptures being a &s;tanding rule, there is the &s;en&s;e of what I
<PB N="8" REF="23"> &s;pake. <HI>They have Mo&s;es and the Prophets,</HI> for what? for a cypher? No, but for a rule, <HI>Let them hear them;</HI> for what? if not <HI>to te&s;tifie unto them,</HI> (as was de&s;ired <HI>ver.</HI> 28.) that they might <HI>repent,</HI> (as was expected <HI>ver.</HI> 30. if one came from the dead.) Hence I rea&s;on,
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>They that con&s;tantly te&s;tifie in their writings from God, how unbelievers &s;hould e&s;cape hell torments, they are in their writings a &s;tanding rule to them that do not believe; (as to all other)</ITEM>
<ITEM>But <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets do con&s;tantly te&s;tifie in their writings from God, how unbelievers &s;hould e&s;cape hell torments;</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>Therefore, <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets in their writings, are a &s;tanding rule to them that do not believe.</P>
<P>And therefore again, <HI>R. F.</HI> his <HI>charging of me, in the pre&s;ence of God, to be a liur of the Scriptures,</HI> will by the Lord one day be made to fall upon his own pate, or con&s;cience; not|with&s;tanding his &s;econd rea&s;on thus; <HI>If</HI> Mo&s;es <HI>and the Pro|phets had been left (to all and for ever) for a &s;tanding rule, then Chri&s;t and the Apo&s;tles might not have been after</HI> Mo&s;es <HI>and the Prophets for following examples or rules.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> It followeth not, for Chri&s;t and the Apo&s;tles brought no new rule for the &s;ub&s;tance, but onely cleared and enlarged it, in what was Moral and Evangelical; &s;o that <HI>R. F.</HI> is be|&s;ide the cu&s;hion when he addeth, [<HI>And therein thou bringe&s;t the old Covenant to contradict the new.</HI>] What <HI>he</HI> meaneth by the <HI>old Covenant,</HI> I know not very well, or what by the <HI>new.</HI> The old Covenant in Scripture phra&s;e and meaning,<NOTE PLACE="marg">What the old Covenant, what the new.</NOTE> was but the old admini&s;tration; the new Covenant, the new copy of the &s;ame Will and Te&s;tament, <HI>Heb.</HI> 8. 13. the &s;ame for &s;ub&s;tance before as now. <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> wrote of Chri&s;t, <HI>John</HI> 5. 46. The Prophets from <HI>Samuel,</HI> and tho&s;e that follow after, as many as have &s;poken, have likewi&s;e foretold of the&s;e days, the days of the New Te&s;tament, and the things of Chri&s;t, <HI>Acts 3. 24. As God &s;pake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, which have been &s;ince the world began,</HI> Luke 1. 70. There is no contradiction between the Old Te&s;ta|ment and the New, in the &s;en&s;e I have given; therefore none in my collection from <HI>Luke</HI> 16. That Chri&s;t a&s;&s;erts the Scriptures to be a &s;tanding rule.</P>
<P N="3"><PB N="9" REF="23">3. Rea&s;on, It <HI>cro&s;&s;eth</HI> many <HI>Scriptures,</HI> as <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 5. 1. <HI>Rom. 8. 14. 2 Cor.</HI> 3. 17.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Not one of the&s;e, nor any other, for the Scripture cannot, doth not contradict it &s;elf, how ever it &s;eems &s;o to them that under&s;tand them not, and have not will or skill to clear the harmony.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t Scripture alledged <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 5. 1. requires, that<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s; 5. 1. opened.</NOTE> Chri&s;tians be followers of God as dear children. Dear chil|dren of God will minde their Fathers will in <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets; and if we be followers of God, we mu&s;t follow him in his whole written word, as it is plain in the Old, or as it is explained and cleared in the Books of the New Te|&s;tament.</P>
<P>The &s;econd Scripture <HI>Rom.</HI> 8. 14. hath nothing again&s;t<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 8. 14. vindicated. The Spirit leads by his Letter.</NOTE> the Scripture rule, however <HI>R. F.</HI> improveth it to his pur|po&s;e thus, <HI>They that follow him in the Go&s;pel, are led by his Spirit, and that is not the Letter:</HI> for, although the Letter is not the Spirit, yet the Letter is the Spirits Letter; and they that follow God in the Go&s;pel, do, and dare not (up|on the hazard of di&s;obedience to their Father) but follow him in the Spirits written Go&s;pel, &s;eeing the Spirits inward leading and guidance is to the &s;ame obedience which the Scripture leads unto. The Spirit leads by, and to the Scri|pture, never from it, as the Spirit in Seducers doth.</P>
<P>The third Scripture, 2 <HI>Cor. 3. 17. God is that Spirit;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 3. 17. vindicated.</NOTE> what then? Then the Spirits Letter is Gods Letter, I can conclude. Or thus, The written word of the Spirit is the very written word of God; and again, God that gave the Letter, gives the Spirit with it, and by it; [<HI>with it</HI>] even to tho&s;e that yet are unbelieving, and are ever re&s;i&s;ting the Spirit, &s;peaking in it and from it, <HI>Nehem. 9. 20. Acts</HI> 7. 51. [<HI>By it</HI>] to tho&s;e whom he effectually preventeth and cal|leth home to him&s;elf, or buildeth up, <HI>Acts 8. 35. Acts</HI> 10. 34. with 44. But <HI>R. F.</HI> his drift in quoting the words above, to make people believe, that becau&s;e <HI>God,</HI> or the <HI>Lord is that Spirit, as &s;aith that Scripture;</HI> therefore, that, and all the re&s;t of the Scripture, is not a <HI>&s;tanding rule,</HI> which fol|lows as much as if it &s;hould be &s;aid, God is the Lord, there|fore the creature is not his creature. I &s;hall for his learning
<PB N="10" REF="24"> and better improvement of that Text, turn the edge of his allegation again&s;t him&s;elf. If <HI>that Scripture &s;aith,</HI> The Lord is that Spirit, then that Scripture is the rule for me and him al&s;o to believe, the Lord is that Spirit: and if that Scripture be not fallen out of its authority, it is a <HI>&s;tanding rule</HI> for us &s;o to believe; but that Scripture &s;ays as much, and <HI>R. F.</HI> runs to the authority of it as yet in force, therefore that Scripture is a <HI>&s;tanding rule</HI> for the faith of that truth; and con&s;equently, other Scriptures are the rule for other truths; and all Scripture, for all truth; what we are to believe, and what to practi&s;e.</P>
<P>A fourth Argument &s;eems to be drawn from current ex|perience; <HI>But we follow God, who are guided by the Spirit, and that is our guide and rule, to wit, the Spirit of truth.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Who&s;e experience is this? whom means he by [<HI>we?</HI>] If onely him&s;elf and his companions, who deny the Scriptures to be a rule; then I deny they are guided by the Spirit of God, who breathing forth the Scriptures, and guid|ing men to write them, guides men to read, hear, believe, and obey them as their rule. If by [<HI>we</HI>] he means all &s;ober Saints and godly con&s;cientious Readers, (not &s;o in his opi|nion, but really &s;o) and if he meaneth by [<HI>the Spirit</HI>] the Spirit of God; then I appeal to all &s;uch, and all the Saints who love the truth in &s;incerity, whether they have the Spirit for their <HI>guide</HI> without, or not rather with and by the Scriptures? The Spirit indeed is promi&s;ed to be the Saints guide, <HI>John</HI> 16. 13. but it is neither there &s;aid (al|though<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 16. 13. vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>R. F.</HI> affirms it) <HI>That Chri&s;t appointed him to be the rule;</HI> nor is he properly the <HI>rule,</HI> but the giver of the <HI>rule,</HI> and the <HI>guide</HI> unto, and by the <HI>rule.</HI> The &s;choolma&s;ter which &s;ets the copy, is not the copy; but he guides the hand of the &s;cholar to write after the copy: in like maner, the Spirit of God appoints the Scripture to be written for a rule, and guides the Saints to believe and live according to it.</P>
<P>Yet would <HI>R. F.</HI> have the force of a fifth Rea&s;on lie in the&s;e words, [<HI>Since he promi&s;ed it</HI>] as if the Scripture was not a rule, &s;ince the Spirit was promi&s;ed as well as before. Surely, if it was a rule before, it is &s;till the &s;ame rule, as it is the &s;ame Scripture. And the promi&s;e of the Spirit in a
<PB N="11" REF="24"> larger mea&s;ure, doth not in the lea&s;t hinder the Scripture from being a rule; but the larger mea&s;ures of the Spirit help towards the under&s;tanding of that rule, for a clearer and more Go&s;pel-like admini&s;tration and application.</P>
<P N="6">6. Rea&s;on. <HI>If thou would&s;t have the Letter to be the rule, and</HI> Mo&s;es <HI>and the Prophets onely, then thou would&s;t not have Chri&s;t and the Apo&s;tles to be followed,</HI> according to 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 1.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I u&s;ed not the word [onely] although the Books of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets, when Chri&s;t referred to them, <HI>Luke</HI> 16. were the onely Scriptures extant, and a &s;ufficient rule for the pre&s;ent.</P>
<P N="2">2. When Chri&s;t by his Spirit in the Apo&s;tles enlarged the Scriptures, he altered not the rule for the &s;ub&s;tance of it; <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and Chri&s;t, the Prophets and Apo&s;tles are &s;o to be followed, that he who leaves the one will for&s;ake the other; and he that loves the one, will cleave to the other. Had ye believed <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> &s;aith Chri&s;t, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me: but if ye believe not his writings, how &s;hall ye believe my words? <HI>John</HI> 5. 46, 47. And &s;uch is the harmony of the Apo&s;tles with <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets, that the one preached (and con&s;equently wrote) no other things, then what the other did &s;ay &s;hould come; that Chri&s;t &s;hould &s;uffer, &amp;c. <HI>Acts</HI> 26. 22, 23. What if the new Te&s;tament was written <HI>after</HI> the Old? the matter contained in both, is of the &s;ame concernment to believers as unbe|lievers. What if <HI>Paul</HI> gives that <HI>godly exhortation, Be ye</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 11. 1. vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>followers of me, even as I am of Chri&s;t;</HI> is Chri&s;t divided? Is not Chri&s;t in the Old Te&s;tament and in the New, <HI>the &s;ame ye&s;terday, to day, and for ever?</HI> He that followeth the Apo|&s;tle, as he followed Chri&s;t; and followeth the Prophets, as they &s;pake and wrote by the Spirit of Chri&s;t, doth the &s;ame thing.</P>
<P N="7">7. Rea&s;on. <HI>Seeing we are not under the Law, but under Grace, the Spirit of Chri&s;t is our rule and guide.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> This is added to no good purpo&s;e, but &s;till to con|tradict the Scripture, and to blot it out from being a rule. For,<NOTE PLACE="marg">R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">m. 6. 14. cleared.</NOTE></P>
<P N="1">1. Albeit true believers are not under the Law in re&s;pect
<PB N="12" REF="25"> of its ceremony, cur&s;e, rigorous exaction, and domination; yet they are under the direction and rule that it holds forth, and that as they are regenerate, <HI>Rom. 7. 25. With the minde,</HI> that is the regenerate part, <HI>I my &s;elf</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Paul) &s;erve,</HI> therefore am under, <HI>the law of God.</HI> So again, 1 <HI>Cor. 9. 21. &V;nder the Law to Chri&s;t,</HI> as the rule of holine&s;s and righte|ou&s;ne&s;s is di&s;pen&s;ed in the hand of Chri&s;t, and for obedience (with a Go&s;pel-frame of &s;pirit) unto Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="2">2. When the Apo&s;tle &s;aith, <HI>[We] are under Grace,</HI> he &s;ingleth not out a Sect of men called Quakers, (unknown in his days) but he intendeth all true Chri&s;tians, and their condition, under a covenant of Grace, (not Legally, but Evangelically admini&s;tred) having the Spirit of liberty to lead them, from under the dominion of &s;in, to the obedi|ence of Chri&s;t, according to a written word or rule. What if the vail be upon the hearts of unbelieving Jews? 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3. 15. becau&s;e they own not the Son of God, and Son of the Virgin to be the Me&s;&s;ias; is the vail therefore <HI>upon my heart,</HI> as <HI>R. F.</HI> rea&s;oneth? Yes, becau&s;e <HI>thou &s;et&s;t up Law in &s;tead of Go&s;pel.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I wi&s;h he well under&s;tood what it is to &s;et up Law<NOTE PLACE="marg">What 'tis to &s;et up Law in+&s;tead of Go|&s;pel.</NOTE> in &s;tead of Go&s;pel: It is not onely to &s;et up Jewi&s;h ceremo|nies and Typical &s;hadows, after Chri&s;ts abolition of them, as the Jews endeavored; but to &s;et up all, or any act or work, required in the Law or word of God, whether done in natures &s;trength, or by moral abilities, or by the Spirits &s;trength, to be a mans ju&s;tifying righteou&s;ne&s;s before God; this is far from what I urge and pre&s;s, when I plead for <HI>Mo|&s;es writings, &amp;c. to be a &s;tanding rule</HI> to direct to Chri&s;t, and to direct in a way of &s;anctifying righteou&s;ne&s;s when a &s;oul is come to Chri&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>But we witne&s;s the glory that exceeds, &amp;c. but thou art ignorant of that.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I confe&s;s, I know that glory of Go&s;pel-mini&s;tration which the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks of, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3. but in part; but this I know, that when our Lord appoints men con&s;tantly to hear <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets, as writing of him, and as giving out the &s;ame rules for Faith and Holine&s;s, which him&s;elf gave; he that &s;hall take men off from attending
<PB N="13" REF="25"> their writings, according to their true &s;cope, &s;educeth and draws off from Chri&s;t. And as ignorant as I am, I can &s;ee to the end of that which is aboli&s;hed, which is Chri&s;t, the end of the Law for righteou&s;ne&s;s to every one that belie|veth: and I can &s;ee that he that believeth not in the &s;ame Chri&s;t, which <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> pointed at, believeth not at all, or but in a fal&s;e Chri&s;t; yea, with half an eye (through the &s;ame grace) I can &s;ee that he who takes not <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> writings, as he wrote of Chri&s;t, and makes them the rule of his faith and maners; and al&s;o refu&s;eth the writings of the Prophets to be the like rule; he doth more then implicitely refu&s;e the writings of Chri&s;t and of the Apo&s;tles, from being a rule al|&s;o <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Pag. 4.</NOTE> therefore holding to the fir&s;t contradiction, That the Scriptures are not a &s;tanding rule; may well pa&s;s on to a &s;econd, That they are not a more &s;tanding rule<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Scrip|tures a more &s;tanding Rule then vi&s;ions &amp;c.</NOTE> then vi&s;ions and revelations; as I had collected from <HI>Luke 16. 31. If they hear not Mo&s;es and the Prophets, nei|ther will they be per&s;waded though one ro&s;e from the dead.</HI> The rea&s;on hereof is &s;trong; ri&s;ing from the dead (which is of the &s;ame nature with vi&s;ions and revelations <HI>Matth.</HI> 27. 53.) may be counterfeited (as we finde, 1 <HI>Sam. 28.) Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets were extant in the volume of Gods book, and their authority is owned among the Jews to this day: and it is &s;o authentique, that when either particular Jews have been, or the Nation &s;hall be converted to the Lord, they pre&s;ently adhere to it, as to their Rule; &s;o the Apo&s;tle prophe&s;ied, 2 <HI>Cor. 3. 16. when it,</HI> any poor Jew, or rather<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor 3. 16. with 14. opened.</NOTE> collectively, when the people and children of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> the ten Tribes, with the two, <HI>Shall turn to the Lord, the vail &s;hall be taken away,</HI> which is now upon their heart in the <HI>reading of the Old Te&s;tament,</HI> that is, of the books thereof; The books and writings of the Old Te&s;tament &s;tand, and &s;hall &s;till abide, at their conver&s;ion (though the old ad|mini&s;tration of the Covenant of grace is aboli&s;hed) and they &s;hall be their Rule (together with the books of the New Te&s;tament) which they will then under&s;tand, own, and imbrace, as more certain to them, then if one ro&s;e from the dead, not in a faigned but real way. Hence it is that Chri&s;t after him&s;elf was ri&s;en (as others with him) and ap|peared,
<PB N="14" REF="26"> called his di&s;ciples to the Scriptures, and opened them unto them, <HI>Luke</HI> 24. 29. yea, he urgeth his own death and re&s;urrection, that it ought to have been &s;o; And beginning at <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> and all the Prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning him&s;elf. This made their hearts burn within them, <HI>ver.</HI> 32. when as the re&s;t were cold at heart, through fear, at their fir&s;t &s;ight of Je&s;us, &s;uppo&s;ing they had &s;een a &s;pirit, <HI>ver.</HI> 37. Let vi&s;ions and revelations be never &s;o certain, yet the Scriptures <HI>quoad nos,</HI> as to us, are a more &s;tanding Rule. Why they are not &s;o in <HI>R. F.</HI> his judgement, and others; we &s;hall know by his rea&s;ons.</P>
<P N="1">1. Chri&s;t &s;aith in <HI>Matth. 11. 27. No man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father &s;ave the Son, and he to whom&s;oever the Son, (not the Scripture, but the Son) will reveal him: here revelation is the &s;urer rule of knowing God.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> If I &s;hould deal as rudely with <HI>R. F.</HI> as he with me,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 11. 27. vindicated.</NOTE> I &s;hould not onely &s;ay, the <HI>a&s;&s;ertion is thine, not the Lords, but therefore thou art a liar, and accu&s;er of the Lord:</HI> but I will not exchange words, I will prove him to be what he would fa&s;ten upon me. He that &s;ets the Son of God, and the Scriptures at di&s;tance, belies Chri&s;t, accu&s;eth the Lord; <HI>R. F.</HI> doth thus, by his Parenthe&s;is (<HI>not the Scripture but the Son</HI>) his con&s;cience will draw up the conclu&s;ion one day. Again, he that grants one part of truth, and denieth ano|ther part, wrongs the truth, and the Lord of truth; But <HI>R. F.</HI> granting one part of truth, <HI>viz.</HI> That the Son reveals, and denieth the other part, <HI>viz.</HI> That the Scripture revea|leth; when as he hath this from the very Scripture, that the Son revealeth, and what he revealeth; therefore he may be (if he be not) condemned in his own con&s;cience that he wrongeth the truth, and the Lord of truth. Again, he that under&s;tands <HI>Matth.</HI> 11. 27. of immediate revelation onley, and &s;huts out all mediate revelation, by the Scripture, fal&s;|ly accu&s;eth the Lord of the Scripture; but <HI>R. F.</HI> under|&s;tands that place of immediate revelation onely, and &s;huts out all mediate revelation by the Scripture; therefore, <HI>R. F.</HI> fal&s;ly accu&s;eth the Lord of the Scriptures. If he un|der&s;tands
<PB N="15" REF="26"> it of mediate revelation by the Scripture, then it<NOTE PLACE="marg">Section. 1.</NOTE> will follow by his rea&s;oning, that the Scripture-revelation is &s;urer then the Scripture. If he &s;aith, the Spirit, by the Scri|pture, makes the truth more &s;ure, not in it &s;elf but to us, it is that I contend for, and that which all believers are to pray for, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 1. 17. There is the light in the air, and the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 1. 17. opened.</NOTE> light of the eye: now though as to bodily &s;ight, the light in the air doth not give the light of, or in the eye, but onely to thee ye; yet the Spirit of revelation (which is peculiar to Saints, and common to all Saints, by the light of Scripture that is as the medium or means of light in the air) doth give the light in the under&s;tanding as it brings light to it, therefore it follows, <HI>ver.</HI> 18. the eyes of your under&s;tand|ing being enlightned: But &s;till the Spirit of revelation is not a &s;urer <HI>Rule,</HI> no nor properly our Rule, but our guide and leader to, and by his <HI>Rule,</HI> the Scriptures, <HI>which are the more &s;ure word of Prophecy,</HI> as to us, e&s;pecially in a ordinary, and &s;tanding way, in all ages.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>R. F.</HI> rea&s;oneth, <HI>Vi&s;ions are a way of Gods making known him&s;elf, after Mo&s;es and the Prophets, as to Ananias, Paul, and Peter. Act. 9. cap. 10. Gal.</HI> 1.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. The&s;e vi&s;ions were but occa&s;ional and extraor|dinary; as &s;ure as the Scriptures (as all true vi&s;ions and revelations of God are) in them&s;elves, and to the particu|lar men that had them, yet not <HI>to us</HI> that &s;aw them not, but know from the Scriptures they had them: tho&s;e Scri|ptures, <HI>viz. Act. 9. cap. 10. Gal.</HI> 1. and &s;o all the Scriptures are as &s;ure, yea to all Saints more &s;ure: compare 2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 16. 19, opened.</NOTE> 16. [when we made known <HI>unto you</HI>] with <HI>ver.</HI> 19. [we have al&s;o a more &s;ure word] <HI>we,</HI> that is, <HI>you</HI> with <HI>us,</HI> and <HI>we</HI> with <HI>you.</HI> Vi&s;ions were but of rare u&s;e, the Scriptures are of long, and con&s;tant u&s;e; and by &s;uch as receive them to be of divine in&s;piration, they have ever been acknow|ledged more firm (as to us &s;till) then occa&s;ional vi|&s;ions.</P>
<P N="2">2. If God had known (as <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tom</HI> upon <HI>Luke</HI> 16.) that vi&s;ions from the dead, would have done more good to the living, he would not have omitted or waved &s;uch a way, in an ordinary cour&s;e.</P>
<P N="3"><PB N="16" REF="27">3. As &s;ure as the Go&s;pel was to <HI>Paul,</HI> given him by immediate revelation, yet he confirmed it to others by the Scriptures, <HI>Act.</HI> 26. 22, 23. and the <HI>Bereans</HI> examined it by the &s;ame Rule, <HI>Act. 17. 11, 12. Searching the Scriptures daily whether tho&s;e things were &s;o, therefore many of them believed,</HI> Wherefore? becau&s;e they found, what <HI>Paul</HI> taught, as had been revealed to him, was agreeable to that <HI>Lydius lapis,</HI> that infallible touch-&s;tone, and <HI>mo&s;t &s;tanding Rule,</HI> the holy Scriptures.</P>
<P N="3">3. Rea&s;on. Paul <HI>knew much of the writings of Mo&s;es, and of the Prophets, and Letter of the Scriptures whil&s;t he was a Per&s;ecutor, but then he knew not Chri&s;t, as after he did, and went up to Jeru&s;alem by revelation,</HI> Gal. 2. <HI>and not by the Scriptures, therefore the Scriptures are not &s;o &s;ure a Rule as vi&s;ions and revelations by the Spirit of truth are.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep. 1. Paul</HI> had nothing of Go&s;pel-truth, given him by revelation, but what for matter and &s;ub&s;tance, was before in the Scripture: which Go&s;pel, although he knew not while he was a per&s;ecutor, yet as a Jew he walked up &s;trict|ly to the Letter of the Law, or Rule in outward acts.</P>
<P N="2">2. His &s;pecial revelation for going up to <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> was a &s;pecial application of the general rule of Scripture, <HI>viz.</HI> to do what God commanded him; but in it &s;elf it is no rule for our imitation in the like matter of fact.</P>
<P N="3">3. His true revelations never lifted him up above the Scriptures.</P>
<P N="4">4. The &s;ame Spirit of truth which gave out his revelati|on, gave forth the Scripture by in&s;piration, and as imme|diately directed him to write all his Epi&s;tles, for the more certainty, to others, that they might know he had his Re|velations from the Lord; therefore to us the Scriptures are as &s;ure, yea a more &s;ure rule, and the onely &s;tanding rule, for faith and maners.</P>
<P N="4">4. Rea&s;on or allegation of <HI>R. F.</HI> is, <HI>The Apo&s;tle Peter, 1 Pet. 1. 13. exhorted others to wait for the grace that was</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 13. cleared and vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>to brought to them at the revelation of Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1 By [grace] here is meant glory, as <HI>cap.</HI> 5. 1. that which is to come, is the glory that &s;hall be revealed; fir&s;t Chri&s;ts glory, <HI>cap.</HI> 4. 13. at his coming in the clouds, his
<PB N="17" REF="27"> glory &s;hall be revealed; &s;econdly, the Saints glory (which they &s;hall have out of free <HI>grace,</HI> or favor from God) <HI>Col. 3. 4. When Chri&s;t who is our life &s;hall appear, then &s;hall they al&s;o appear with him in glory.</HI></P>
<P>This glory, to be brought at Chri&s;ts coming, the Apo&s;tle exhorteth the Elect, and called, to hope for perfectly, or <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> to the end, to death, and in death; yea they may and do carry <HI>this hope</HI> with them into heaven; <HI>viz.</HI> hope of a glorious re&s;urrection &amp;c. When? <HI>at his coming, 1 Cor. 15. 23. When the Lord &s;hall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, &amp;c. 2 The&s;.</HI> 1. 7. this is not a Revelation by the Spirit, that <HI>Paul,</HI> or <HI>Peter</HI> (in the places mentioned) &s;peak of, and therefore makes nothing to <HI>R. F.</HI> his purpo&s;e; no more then what follows, in a fifth Rea&s;on or Allegation.</P>
<P><HI>The deep things of God are revealed (not by the Letter, but) by the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. 10. Therefore revelations by the Spi|rit of truth are more &s;ure then the Letter.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Did not <HI>R. F.</HI> grant us at fir&s;t, <HI>page</HI> 2. that the Scriptures proceeded from the Spirit of truth? Whether then they be revelations, or doctrines, or writings, or in|terpretations, as they come from the Spirit of truth he mu&s;t yield they are all alike &s;ure, in them&s;elves, or he &s;till fight|eth again&s;t the Scriptures, or the Spirit, or both.</P>
<P N="2">2. The Apo&s;tle &s;aith not that the Spirit revealeth the deep things of God, but <HI>&s;earcheth them,</HI> that is, he exact|ly and infinitely knoweth them, as God knoweth them, (and thence by the way, he is proved to be God) but while he can, and doth go to the bottom of all things in and con|cerning God, his revealing is <HI>ad placitum,</HI> when, to whom, in what mea&s;ure, and in what way he plea&s;eth. Although the Spirit knoweth all things infinitely, and therefore God re|vealeth what he revealeth of the things of grace and glory, by his Spirit: yet to &s;ome he revealeth nothing immediately; to others, he revealeth but &s;ome things, or but &s;omething of every thing (needful to con&s;olation, &s;anctification and &s;alvation) as they are capable of it.</P>
<P N="3">3. As deep things as the Spirit hath revealed, they are all in the Scripture. It is one way of the Spirits revelation, to
<PB N="18" REF="28"> give forth deep my&s;teries, in writing, and that as my&s;teri|ou&s;ly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Section. 2.</NOTE> as if it were by Hieroglyphicks, Stenography, or Characters. The Spirit revealeth by <HI>Paul</HI> to the <HI>Romanes, cap.</HI> 9. and 10. and 11. deeper things then <HI>Paul</HI> can fathom, which makes him cry out, <HI>cap. 11. 33. O the depth!</HI> And the la&s;t piece of Scripture which God hath left us, is the Reve|lation of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, which God gave unto him to &s;hew unto his &s;ervants: and he &s;ent and &s;ignified it by his Angel unto his &s;ervant <HI>John,</HI> that he &s;hould write it to the Chur|ches, and leave it (with the re&s;t of Scripture) as a com|pleat and &s;ufficient Rule, not to be added unto, nor to be &s;ub&s;tracted from; unle&s;s therefore <HI>R. F.</HI> will be lyable to the plagues threatned, <HI>Rev.</HI> 22. 18, 19. he mu&s;t not bring in his un-written Revelations, no, though they were un-writ|ten Verities, as any part of the Rule, to be added unto the words of Gods book. And from all that hath been replyed to him in this Section, I conclude, He that denieth the Scri|ptures to be our Rule, denies them to be the Scriptures of God; and he that denies them, or &s;ome of them, to be a &s;tanding Rule, denies them, or &s;ome of them, to be no Rule. (as if &s;ometimes they were a Rule, &s;ometime not) And he that denies them to be a more &s;tanding Rule, denieth the &s;cope and &s;en&s;e of Chri&s;ts words in <HI>Luke</HI> 16. 31. and other places; But &s;uch a Denial we have from <HI>R. F.</HI> in the name of others of his judgement. Therefore, thus far (in &s;tead of vindicating the Scriptures) he, with his fellows, have contradicted them.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="2" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 2.</HEAD>
<P>IN my &s;econd Section of their Contradictions to the Scriptures them&s;elves, and their Authority, I had quo|ted <HI>Francis Howgil</HI> in his own phra&s;e, [<HI>The Scripture is other mens Words</HI>] contrary to 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. 16. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 5.</NOTE> tells me, that by <HI>a piece of Logick I would rai&s;e a fal&s;e accu&s;ation again&s;t</HI> F. H. <HI>and make a fal&s;e conclu&s;ion, to wre&s;t the Scri|ptures to &s;erve my own turn, but cannot.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">The Scri|ptures not mans word, but Gods.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. He denies not but the words I quoted are the words of <HI>F. Howgil.</HI> 2. How doth my Logick make either
<PB N="19" REF="28"> the Accu&s;ation or Conclu&s;ion fal&s;e? The word of Scripture is Gods, I &s;aid, as is the In&s;piration; and becau&s;e it was gi|ven by In&s;piration, therefore it is, and is known [or pro|ved] to be <HI>his Word;</HI> as thus I make it out further, and more plainly:
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>That which is given by In&s;piration of God, is not one mans word or anothers, but Gods word;</ITEM>
<ITEM>But all the Scripture was given by In&s;piration of God;</ITEM>
<ITEM>Therefore all the Scripture is Gods word, and not one mans word or anothers.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>What an under-valuing Expre&s;&s;ion then is that of <HI>F. H.</HI> to call the Scripture <HI>other mens words?</HI> And what Chop-logick have we from <HI>R. F. Holy men of God &s;poke as they were mo|ved, and &s;piritual men &s;poke forth tho&s;e words; therefore they were words &s;poken by the men of God?</HI> this is <HI>idem per idem,</HI> a proof of the &s;ame thing by the &s;ame; a delighting to hear him&s;elf &s;peak, and a tyring of his Reader before he hath read five pages of his book.</P>
<P N="3">3. Why will <HI>R. F.</HI> yield one part of the Argument, and not the other? He yieldeth the Scripture to be given of God, and by the Spirit, the Spirit of truth; why then yields he not the Scriptures to be the word of God, but that he will continue to contradict the Scripture and him&s;elf al&s;o? while he joyneth in confederacy with <HI>F. H.</HI> and &s;peaks di&s;|dainfully of the words of God, as the words of men, this man and that. Grant we that both of them <HI>F. H.</HI> and <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;ometime alleviate that har&s;h expre&s;&s;ion, as if not u&s;ed in op|po&s;ition to God, but to us [<HI>The Scriptures are others mens words that &s;poke them freely,</HI> &s;aith the one: And, <HI>They were &s;poken by the holy men of God [other men] that were holy, and &s;poke them freely, and not by you that are &s;inful, and preach for hire,</HI> &s;aith the other; yet will they not confe&s;s they were &s;poken by God, and are the very word of God: nay <HI>R. F.</HI> page 4. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Line 18 and 21.</NOTE> had before &s;et the vi&s;ions of <HI>Ananias</HI> and <HI>Paul</HI> in a comparative Oppo&s;ition to the words of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets, and preferring the former before the latter, <HI>viz.</HI> the Scriptures, the&s;e being but <HI>the words of other men,</HI> and <HI>the words of others:</HI> what is this but to &s;ow &s;eeds in mens hearts of alienation from the Scriptures, which the yong
<PB N="20" REF="29"> man &s;hould take heed to, and clean&s;e his ways by in youth, which children &s;houldbe trained up in from their childhood, and which are not to be de&s;pi&s;ed or forgotten when they are old? Such a contradicting &s;cope hath all <HI>R. F.</HI> his pains taken, <HI>pag.</HI> 6. to prove the Scriptures are <HI>other mens words,</HI> and <HI>not mine,</HI> or theirs in <HI>Scotland.</HI> I would ask him, what did the Preacher, <HI>Eccl.</HI> 1. &s;peak? his own words or Gods? but that he prevents the que&s;tion by telling us <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 6.</NOTE> <HI>King Le|muel was a man,</HI> and <HI>his mother</HI> (who taught him the words he penned down, <HI>Prov.</HI> 31.) <HI>was a woman.</HI> And the Song of &s;ongs was <HI>Solomons,</HI> and <HI>he was a man, Cant.</HI> 1. What followeth from hence? therefore <HI>Solomons</HI> words are not Gods words: it better followeth from <HI>R. F.</HI> his rea&s;on, <HI>viz. he was a man,</HI> and not God, then that the Scriptures are not ours; for we are men as they were that penned them; and although we were not the Pen-men, we are the Readers, and God onely is the Author of the Scriptures, which in a way of di&s;paragement <HI>R. F.</HI> calls a <HI>Printed Bible,</HI> and rea&s;oneth vainly again&s;t our u&s;e of the Scriptures, becau&s;e, <HI>neither did</HI> Jeremiah, <HI>nor any Prophet, or any Apo&s;tle ever &s;tand with a Printed Bible in his hand, and &s;ay, Hear the word of the Lord: Then the word of the Lord was declared and &s;poken without Printed Bibles, and before Printing was invented.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. They had a written Bible or Volume, and did many<NOTE PLACE="marg">Scripture to be read and preached from</NOTE> times &s;peak out of that, as always according to it. <HI>Exodus</HI> 34. 28. with <HI>cap. 35. 1. Mo&s;es</HI> &s;peaks what was written on the mount upon the Tables of &s;tone: And <HI>Deuter. 31. 19. Write ye this &s;ong for you, and teach it the children of</HI> I&s;rael: ver&s;e 22. Mo&s;es <HI>therefore wrote this &s;ong the &s;ame day, and taught it them.</HI> When <HI>Jeremy</HI> could not go into the hou&s;e of the Lord, he &s;ends <HI>Baruch</HI> his Scribe, to read what was written from his mouth, even the words of the Lord in the ears of the people, &amp;c. <HI>Jer.</HI> 36. 4, 6. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">See al&s;o <HI>Je|remiah 28. 1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Paul</HI> had his <HI>Tertius</HI> to write the Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Romans, cap.</HI> 16. 22. and he or|dereth the Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Colo&s;&s;ians</HI> to be read among&s;t them, and that they cau&s;e it to be read al&s;o in the Church of the <HI>Laodiceans, Col.</HI> 4. 16. and read it was as the word of the Lord unto them; yea, God hath &s;o honored his written Bible, that he hath ordered as well the Copies, as the <HI>Au|tographum,</HI>
<PB N="21" REF="29"> or the Pen-mans own hand-writing, to be his Scripture al&s;o. Tho&s;e Proverbs of <HI>Solomon</HI> which the men of <HI>Hezekiah</HI> copied out, <HI>Prov.</HI> 25. 1. are as authentique as any of the re&s;t; &s;o was the Copy which the King wrote out, according to Gods command, <HI>Deut.</HI> 17. 18.</P>
<P N="2">2. Printing was a rare Invention, and the gift of God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Printing in|vented be|twixt the 1440 &amp; 1450 year of our Lord. See Mr. <HI>Fox, vol. 1. p.</HI> 927.</NOTE> above two hundred years ago. The benefit is &s;ufficiently noted by Mr. <HI>Fox,</HI> <Q REND="margQuotes">"Hereby Tongues are known, Know|ledge groweth, Judgement increa&s;eth, Books are di&s;per|&s;ed, the Scripture is &s;een, the Doctors be read, Stories are opened, Times compared, Truth di&s;cerned, Fal&s;hood detected, and with the finger pointed.</Q> And by the print|ing of the Bible, the doctrine of the Go&s;pel hath &s;ounded<NOTE PLACE="marg">The benefit of Printing, and of print|ed Bibles.</NOTE> to all nations, and that with great expedition. So many Printing-pre&s;&s;es of the Bible, &s;o many Clock-hou&s;es again&s;t the high Towers of Antichri&s;t: none but Papi&s;ts have en|vied Gods people and Chri&s;ts Preachers, a <HI>Printed Bible:</HI> Who were they that ob&s;tructed (what they could) the print|ing of it in Engli&s;h, in King <HI>Henry</HI> the 8. days, but the Po|pi&s;h Prelates and their creatures? The Popi&s;h Vicar of <HI>Croyden, Caiaphas</HI>-like prophe&s;ied, <HI>Either we mu&s;t root out Printing, or Printing will root out us.</HI> Every good Chri|&s;tian have been glad of a piece of a <HI>Printed Bible,</HI> when it came fir&s;t out in our Mother-language.</P>
<P N="3">3. The later this Mercy hath been vouch&s;afed to have <HI>Printed Bibles,</HI> the greater Gods favor to his people, and the greater their Ingratitude who &s;light the Mercy; the greater their pride who would rather have their own Scrib|lings in print, then the Scriptures of God, who prefix to their writings (as the&s;e Quakers, &s;o called, in many of their Pamphlets) <HI>This is the word of the Lord,</HI> but are again&s;t &s;uch a Title to a <HI>Printed Bible,</HI> or &s;uch a Preface, before a Sermon from a Bible-Text, as this, <HI>Hear the word of the Lord.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. If the printed Bible be according to the Original Copy, or a true Extract or faithful Tran&s;lation of Scripture, it is as warrantable to preach out of it, as out of a written one; for Printing is one kinde of writing, what is fir&s;t written by a pen, is after written by a &s;tamp: The Pre&s;s is but an
<PB N="22" REF="30"> handmaid to Orthography, or right-writing, and a Mid|wife to help forth the conceptions of the Minde, formed at fir&s;t by the pen.</P>
<P><HI>But,</HI> &s;aith <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 6.</NOTE> <HI>if Printing had not been invented, what would you h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">ve preached by, that knows not the word of Life, which was before Writing or Printing was?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. The written Copies were before tho&s;e printed, and by the former onely Gods &s;ervants preached, till the latter came forth; and according to tho&s;e Copies and Vo|lumes of Gods book would I have preached.</P>
<P N="2">2. Tho&s;e Copies would have taught me, as now they do, that which <HI>R. F.</HI> hath not learnt by the printed, al|though he might learn it, namely, to di&s;tingui&s;h between the E&s;&s;ential word of Life, Chri&s;t the Son of God, and the<NOTE PLACE="marg">The word of God <HI>e&s;&s;ential &s;criptu|ral.</HI></NOTE> Scriptural word.</P>
<P N="3">3. As the E&s;&s;ential word was before the Scriptural, &s;o he was before Vi&s;ions and Revelations were given to men, yea, before there was a holy man to receive them, or a world for holy men or others to inhabit.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, As no true prophet or preacher ever rejected a written or a printed Bible (truely &s;o, and &s;o called) no more hath he denied it the Title of the word of the Lord. Never did the Lord &s;end &s;uch an ignorant prophet, like <HI>J. P.</HI> at <HI>Coggeshall,</HI> to turn to the nineteenth chapter of the <HI>Revela|tion,</HI> and tell the people, becau&s;e <HI>ver.</HI> 13. Chri&s;ts name is called, <HI>The word of God;</HI> therefore the Bible and Scriptures he pluckt out of his pocket, and held in his hand, was not the word of God. But though fal&s;e prophets pervert the <HI>Printed Bible,</HI> and u&s;e that Sword of God to cut its own throat, Gods faithful Me&s;&s;engers and Interpreters know how to handle it dexterou&s;ly and faithfully. <HI>What is the chaff to the wheat, &s;aith the Lord? Jer.</HI> 23. 28. What are mans words, our own, or <HI>other mens words,</HI> to the Lords? What is a fal&s;e Interpretation or Application of Scripture to the true?</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="3" TYPE="section">
<PB N="23" REF="30">
<HEAD>Section 3.</HEAD>
<P>IN an&s;wer to the third Section, <HI>R. F.</HI> owneth <HI>John Law|&s;ons</HI> words, which I had noted; <HI>viz. [W<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> have nothing to try men by, but the Letter, the Bible, or written word which is natural and carnal,</HI>] with his own words, [<HI>Your Tryer is a Chapter or Ver&s;e of the Scriptures declaration</HI>] and now upbraideth us for having no better way to <HI>try mens Doctrine and Spirits by, then the Letter.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> By the Letter, or writing of the Spirit of God, which<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Scri|ptures the tryer of Do|ctrine.</NOTE> is the Law and the Te&s;timony, we do know what is the Do|ctrine of the Spirit. The Spirit gives his &s;en&s;e and minde by letters and words of Scripture all along, take one place with another. And when men &s;peak <HI>according to that word,</HI> of Scripture, Law and Te&s;timony, <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 8. 20. (which can|not<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 8. 20<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> cleared.</NOTE> be, but when they take the word in, and with its true &s;en&s;e) then they bring not mans Doctrine, but Gods: but if <HI>they &s;peak not according to that word,</HI> it is not becau&s;e there is not light &s;ufficient in the Scripture-word; but <HI>be|cau&s;e there is no light in them</HI> that handle it and &s;peak of it; their hearts are dark, their judgements blinde and ignorant; and they bring not the Spirits Doctrine, but their own. As for in&s;tance, <HI>R. F.</HI> (if you will believe him without tryal) &s;aith for him&s;elf and his fellows, [<HI>We &s;peak according to it,</HI> viz. <HI>the Law and the Te&s;timony, and therefore there is light in us.</HI>] But fearing he &s;hould not be believed upon his own te&s;timony, he brings a <HI>ver&s;e of Scripture</HI> for it, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 4. 6, vindicated.</NOTE> 4. 6. where,</P>
<P N="1">1. He allows that in him&s;elf, which he condemns in us; <HI>viz.</HI> to make a Chapter or Ver&s;e of the Scripture the <HI>tryer.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. He &s;ets that Scripture in oppo&s;ition to <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 8. 20. and while he pretendeth to &s;peak according to Law and Te|&s;timony, he perverts the te&s;timony given by <HI>Paul</HI> of him|&s;elf, and of true Go&s;pel-mini&s;ters and believers; <HI>viz.</HI> That God who commanded the light to &s;hine out of darkne&s;s, had &s;hined in their hearts; for it is not <HI>Pauls</HI> &s;cope to di&s;|parage Scripture light. The light that &s;hined in <HI>Pauls</HI> heart, and the light that &s;hineth in the Scripture, is the &s;ame light;
<PB N="24" REF="31"> and God who &s;hineth in the heart by Go&s;pel-light, (of which the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks <HI>ver.</HI> 4.) &s;hineth in the Scriptures by the &s;ame light.</P>
<P N="3">3. It follows not, becau&s;e there was light in <HI>Paul,</HI> and &s;uch as he incl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">des with him&s;elf, that there is light, and the &s;ame light in <HI>R. F.</HI> and &s;uch as he includes with him&s;elf: nor doth it appear to me and others, that God &s;hineth in his or their hearts, who give a new, and dark interpretation of that Scripture, (as of other Texts) For <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 6. I&s;aiah 8. 20. vindicated.</NOTE> with <HI>J. Nayler</HI> expound it of the <HI>Law of the New covenant written in the heart by God,</HI> &amp;c. Now, though the Scriptures do witne&s;s, that the Law of the new Covenant is written in the heart, <HI>Jer. 31. 31. Heb.</HI> 8. 10, 11. yet that is not the meaning of the phra&s;es [Law and Te&s;timony,] <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 8. 20. but the meaning is, The Law and Te&s;timony written in the Scri|ptures, is the touch&s;tone of what men &s;peak as a Doctrine taught from God: but if they &s;peak not according to this word written in the volume of Gods book, it is an evidence that their hearts are not taught of God; or that the Scri|pture written without, is not written within their hearts; for what is written by God in the heart, is con&s;onant and agreeable to what he hath written in his Book; and it never taught any man to call the <HI>Bible,</HI> or written word, as <HI>John Law&s;on</HI> calls it [<HI>natural and carnal,</HI>] this I &s;aid, was to bla&s;pheme the Scripture.</P>
<P>Here <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Ibid.</NOTE> takes me up as one <HI>not regarding what I &s;ay, and as ignorant of what the Scripture &s;aith concerning the &s;ame, which &s;peaketh of a carnal commandment.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Mu&s;t the written word, or Gods holy Scripture, be natural and carnal, becau&s;e it &s;peaks of a carnal Command|ment? He might as well imagine and affirm, becau&s;e it &s;peaks of Types, Figures and Shadows, therefore it is all but typical and a &s;hadow. When the Apo&s;tle <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Heb 7. 16. opened.</NOTE> makes mention of the law of a <HI>carnal Commandment,</HI> (according to which the Prie&s;ts in the Law-Levitical were made, but not &s;o, Chri&s;t our high Prie&s;t) he is treating of the Ceremonies now abo|li&s;hed,<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Scri|ptures not carnal, but &s;piritual.</NOTE> which were laws of things weak and frail (as all fle&s;h is) con&s;idered in them&s;elves, not la&s;ting and abiding: he gives not the title of <HI>carnal</HI> and <HI>natural</HI> to the Scriptures,
<PB N="25" REF="31"> (as <HI>J. L.</HI> and <HI>R. F.</HI> do) nor is he &s;peaking of the Scripture, as Scripture, (which is all &s;piritual and heavenly in its pede|gree, proper &s;cope, energie and vertue) but he calls the Ce|remony (mentioned in Scripture) carnal, <HI>i. e.</HI> as to the ma|terials appointed in the Legal Ceremonies, they were out|ward, bodily, weak, dead things of them&s;elves; this makes the Scripture no more carnal, then becau&s;e it &s;peaks of the Earth, therefore the Scripture is earthy; or of <HI>E&s;au</HI> the profane, therefore the Scripture is profane.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="4" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 4.</HEAD>
<P>TO my fourth Section <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 7. In what &s;en&s;e the Scriptures are the word of God.</NOTE> &s;aith no more but this, (which is too much unle&s;s it were better) <HI>Thou cannot with all that thou ha&s;t &s;craped together, prove that it</HI> [the Scripture] <HI>is the Word which is eternal life, and &s;o the Word that was in the beginning with God,</HI> John 1. 1.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I had indeed collected &s;everal Scriptures, [<HI>I&s;aiah 8. 20. I&s;aiah</HI> 6. with <HI>Acts</HI> 28. 25, 26. <HI>John 10. 34, 35. P&s;alm 82. 6. Ephe&s;.</HI> 6. 17.] but it is an unhand&s;om and reproachful expre&s;&s;ion, put upon my collecting, and compa|ring Scripture with Scripture, for him to call it <HI>&s;craping together.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. My collation was not to prove the Scriptures to be the Word, <HI>i. e.</HI> the eternal life, and that e&s;&s;ential word &s;po|ken of <HI>John</HI> 1. 1. But in&s;omuch as <HI>Jam. Nayler</HI> put us to<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 1. 1. cleared.</NOTE> prove the <HI>Letter is called the Word in plain words,</HI> and that then <HI>there are two words,</HI> I &s;hewed that this phra&s;e [the word of God] is taken two ways in Scriptures; &s;ometimes for Chri&s;t him&s;elf, the E&s;&s;ential word of the Father; &s;ome|times for the Scriptural word it &s;elf, which being evidenced by my afore&s;aid collections, what trifling and ab&s;urdity is it in <HI>R. F.</HI> to call for the proving of that which was not to be proved? as not being affirmed by me, or any other that I know, that the Scriptures are the Word &s;poken of <HI>John</HI> 1. 1. but the Scripture, or in&s;pired, written, created Word, doth there, as el&s;where, &s;peak of the E&s;&s;ential uncreated Word, as a mans tongue, pen or &s;ecretary, doth &s;peak of him&s;elf.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 6. 17. opened.</NOTE> That la&s;t Scripture I quoted, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 6. 17. one would think
<PB N="26" REF="32"> were enough to convince gain&s;ayers, where the <HI>&s;word of the Spirit,</HI> a piece of &s;piritual armor, is &s;aid to be <HI>the Word of God.</HI> What meaneth the Apo&s;tle by the &s;word of the Spi|rit? but the &s;piritual &s;word, the Scriptures, put into the hands and mouths of Chri&s;tians; no <HI>carnal,</HI> but a &s;piritual weapon; mighty through the Spirit, to run into the heart of Errors, and to cut a&s;under Temptations, and to repel the Tempter. Chri&s;t him&s;elf made this u&s;e of it again&s;t the Scribes and Phari&s;ees, <HI>Mat.</HI> 5. Again&s;t the Sadduces, <HI>Mat.</HI> 22. 31, 32. And again&s;t the Devil, <HI>Mat. 4. 4, 7, 10, ver.</HI> Once the Devil hath Scripture in his mouth, but Chri&s;t hath it thrice in <HI>his</HI> mouth, <HI>It is written, It is written, It is writ|ten;</HI> and is too hard for Satan at this, as all other weapons. Here the very power of the written Letter puts to flight the adver&s;ary. And if <HI>J. N.</HI> or <HI>R. F.</HI> will read over and over the 119 <HI>P&s;alm,</HI> they will finde matter enough to cure their contradictions Spirits, who are more nice then wi&s;e in ab|&s;taining from Scripture-expre&s;&s;ions, or attributing to them their due title. There they will finde that holy <HI>David,</HI> pro|fe&s;&s;ing his zealous affection to God and to his Scriptures, u&s;eth this phra&s;e of [<HI>thy word</HI>] above thirty times, plainly enough, and yet elegantly al&s;o. Let their con&s;ciences an|&s;wer, Is not [<HI>thy word</HI>] as much as [<HI>Gods word?</HI>] And that he &s;peaks of Gods written word, the Scriptures (as of what is according thereunto) is clear; in that he calls the &s;ame word of God, the &s;tatutes of God, [<HI>O teach me thy &s;tatutes!</HI> &amp;c.] near twenty times: now <HI>Gods &s;tatutes</HI> are his &s;tanding Laws, or Rules, put into writing, as all the Statutes of <HI>England</HI> are, upon record, written down in Books.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="5" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 5.</HEAD>
<P>I Had charged it as another contradiction of theirs to the<NOTE PLACE="marg">The writing of the Spirit the ground of the Saints acting.</NOTE> Scripture it &s;elf, in that they &s;ay, <HI>The Saints ground of acting is not the outward Letter, but the Spirit which gave forth the Letter:</HI> Hereby &s;etting the Word and Spirit at difference; whereas the Spirit gives forth his word in the Scripture; and in the word written, lays down the grounds
<PB N="27" REF="32"> of the Saints actings and believings al&s;o; yea, he hath or|dained the very Scripture to be one ground of their acting. <HI>R. F.</HI> in an&s;wer, returns me this language. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Pag. 7.</NOTE> 1. <HI>Here thou art blinde, and knows not the Saints ground:</HI> and 2. <HI>Accu|&s;ing them fal&s;ly that witne&s;s to it. 3. With thy Logick and Magick Art would make the Scriptures God and Chri&s;t, but cannot, and would make them the ground of the Saints act|ing, when they are not.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. If <HI>R. F.</HI> will but under&s;tand what is, and may be &s;aid to be the ground of a thing, he may po&s;&s;ibly believe I know the Saints ground of acting, as they are Saints. The word [Ground] is ambiguous, and hath divers acceptions. In &s;trict propriety of &s;peech, the Earth we tread upon, and Ground are all one, as the &s;ame Ground or Earth brings forth the &s;ame fruit. By a metaphorical Allu&s;ion, the word [Ground] is &s;ometime put for the Cau&s;e of a thing; &s;ome|time for the fir&s;t ground-work of a Building, or for the fir&s;t Principles and Rules of Art and Science, or for the fir&s;t ha|bits in a man, of his actings. The Cau&s;e, and that [princi|pal-efficient] Ground of the Saints acting, is God, and the Father, by Chri&s;t through the Spirit. The Scriptures are<NOTE PLACE="marg">How the Scri|ptures are the Ground of the Saints acting.</NOTE> in&s;trumentally a Cau&s;e without which, &s;ince the Lord cau&s;ed them to be given forth, he doth not ordinarily act upon the Saints, or draw forth their acts of grace and godline&s;s. They are the fir&s;t external ground-work of all their faith and workings, as Saints: They are the Rule and Warrant of all their ordinary actings, yea, the grounding Touch-&s;tone of all extraordinary Impul&s;es and Revelations. By their Au|thority they are a &s;ufficient ground or rea&s;on of our faith and practice. The Scripture-commands are one ground, the Scripture-promi&s;es another, the Scripture-threatnings an|other, the Scripture examples (backt by, and bottom'd up|on a precept) another, the Scripture-Prophecies and Reve|lations another. As every word of God is pure, <HI>Prov.</HI> 30. 5. &s;o every part of the Scripture is a pure grounding-rule for a Saints faith and conver&s;ation, <HI>Rev.</HI> 21. 14. The wall of the City, the new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> (made up of Saints indeed) hath twelve foundations: and in them the names of the Apo&s;tles of the Lamb, who&s;e writings we have (with the doctrine
<PB N="28" REF="33"> of the Prophets, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 2. 20. founding-grounding doctrine) as that golden Reed, <HI>Rev.</HI> 21. 15. to mea&s;ure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.</P>
<P N="2">2. If the <HI>Word</HI> and <HI>Spirit cannot be &s;et at difference,</HI> but <HI>are in&s;eparable,</HI> as <HI>R. F.</HI> yieldeth, yet I did not fal&s;ly accu&s;e them (as he &s;aith) that witne&s;s to the Saints ground, be|cau&s;e by [Word] he and others expre&s;ly hold forth none but the Per&s;on of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>God</HI> the <HI>Word,</HI> but deny the Letter of Scripture to be the <HI>Word of God;</HI> which is &s;trange contradiction to God him&s;elf, and to his Scripture, and to them&s;elves al&s;o; For while they grant he wrote, or cau&s;ed to be written the whole Letter, yet they deny him to have written a word. It is true in propriety of Grammar-&s;peech, a letter is but the lea&s;t part of a word, yet it is a part: But the Bible con&s;i&s;ts of many books of letters, which God hath left written for his friends and people, to be grounded and &s;etled in the faith; yet becau&s;e <HI>John</HI> 1. 1. &s;peaks of God the Word, and 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3. 17. of the Lord the Spirit, therefore Chri&s;t and the Scripture mu&s;t not be called by the &s;ame name; and becau&s;e Chri&s;t and the Spirit are in&s;eparable, therefore the Spirit and the Scripture mu&s;t be parted, as to the Ca&s;e in hand; and if the Spirit be the ground of the Saints acting, the Scriptures mu&s;t have no part nor lot in this bu&s;ine&s;s. I &s;hall &s;till accu&s;e &s;uch Logick to be fal&s;e rea|&s;oning, and yet not accu&s;e the Logician fal&s;ly.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> thinking to mend the matter, marres it with his ad|ditional glo&s;s, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 7.</NOTE> <HI>The Letter is not God, nor the Letter is not the Spirit, therefore not that Word which liveth and abideth for ever,</HI> 1 Pet. 1. 23. <HI>by which the World was framed</HI> Heb. 11. 3. <HI>and made,</HI> Heb. 1. 2. For what if it be not that WORD, yet it is the word of <HI>that Word:</HI> it is the word of Chri&s;t, who is God the Word: And if Chri&s;t be the ground or [meritoriou&s;ly efficient] cau&s;e of the Saints actings, his Scripture or written Word is the regular Card and Compa&s;s by which his Spirit &s;teers their cour&s;e to the Haven of Hap|pine&s;s and Eternal Re&s;t: And why may not the [word] <HI>Peter</HI> &s;peaks of in that place, be the Scripture? He &s;ets not<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 23. with 25. ope|ned.</NOTE> Chri&s;t &s;poken of, in oppo&s;ition to that Scripture in <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 40. 8. but from the Prophets te&s;timony, advanceth the word
<PB N="29" REF="33"> that &s;peaks of Chri&s;t, in oppo&s;ition, fir&s;t to mortal and cor|ruptible &s;eed, and then to withering fle&s;h, and all the glory of man even in <HI>his</HI> words, fading away as the flower of gra&s;s; And is not every Scripture-Go&s;pel-promi&s;e that immortal &s;eed? which being emitted from the Scripture by the Spirit, and quickened as it is ca&s;t into the heart, doth it not there abide, and remain in life and power? If <HI>ver&s;e</HI> 25. may give any light to <HI>ver&s;e</HI> 23. not Chri&s;ts per&s;on, but Chri&s;ts pro|mi&s;e is there (beyond all di&s;pute) intended by the Apo&s;tle, when he &s;aith, <HI>The word of the Lord endureth for ever:</HI> for the Greek word is not that which is u&s;ed when Chri&s;t in per&s;on is &s;poken of, <HI>Logos,</HI> but <HI>R&ouml;ma,</HI> both in<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> the fir&s;t and latter clau&s;e, which is an explication of the for|mer: <HI>And this is the word which by the Go&s;pel is preached un|to</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> <HI>you:</HI> as if the Apo&s;tle &s;hould &s;ay, Would ye know what word is that which endureth for ever? even the Scri|pture-promi&s;e which we daily do evangelize or &s;peak of un|to you, as con&s;tant good tidings. If any &s;ay in <HI>ver&s;e</HI> 23. it<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> is <HI>Logos,</HI> it mu&s;t be noted for a certain truth, that although <HI>Logos</HI> the Word, be &s;ometimes nece&s;&s;arily to be under&s;tood of Chri&s;ts per&s;on, as <HI>John</HI> 1. 1. &amp;c. yet not <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Apud Gra|cos lat&egrave; patet <GAP DESC="foreign">. Beza in Joh. 1. 1.</HI></NOTE> always; and this is as certain that <HI>R&euml;ma</HI> is never u&s;ed for Chri&s;ts per&s;on, but this is u&s;ed <HI>ver.</HI> 25. and therefore <HI>ver.</HI> 23. in <HI>Peter,</HI> is to be expounded by it.</P>
<P>Again, Is it not the &s;ame with the &s;incere milk of the<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> word *, <HI>cap.</HI> 2. 2. which nouri&s;heth and mini&s;treth growth to the new-born babe? Was it the wonted maner of any of the Lords Nur&s;es to bring up Gods children by hand (as we &s;ay) as &s;oon as they are new born, and not guide them to the brea&s;ts of the Old and New Te&s;tament-Scri|pture, thence to &s;uck and draw for their refre&s;hment, pre|&s;ervation and con&s;olation? But &s;uch cur&s;ed &s;tep-dames have we now &s;prung up, who would wean every new-born babe from any further ta&s;tes of Scripture-milk, it mu&s;t be no ground of their acting; then no means of their growth, no food to them at all; nay, it &s;hall be no &s;eed in&s;trumentally to beget them, as not milk to nouri&s;h them.</P>
<P N="3">3. They that deny the Scriptures to be in any good &s;en&s;e the ground of the Saints acting, in effect deny them to be
<PB N="30" REF="34"> Gods Scriptures, and Chri&s;ts Scriptures; for either the Au|thority of God and Chri&s;t is &s;tampt upon them, or not: if it be, then by their Authority may, and ought the Saints to act; if it be not, then are they but humane, and not the Scriptures of God and Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>But let us examine what <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith for him&s;elf, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">2 pag. of his Epi&s;t. and 7. p. of his book.</NOTE> and men of his judgement. <HI>The Lord God and his Spirit is the ground of the Saints acting, as it was</HI> formerly, I&s;a. 48. 16, 17. <HI>For the Lord God and his Spirit hath &s;ent me. And the Lord</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 48. 16, 17. cleared &amp; vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>teacheth his that he &s;o &s;ends, to profit.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. So reads he or writes (I mu&s;t not &s;ay wre&s;teth, le&s;t I retort) but the words are directed to the people or Church, and truly thus read, [which teacheth <HI>thee</HI> to pro|fit] The prophets had more extraordinary impul&s;es of the Spirit, then the Saints in ordinary for their actings. 2. One way whereby God then taught, and now teacheth his peo|ple to profit, was by reducing them to the written Rule, <HI>ver.</HI> 18. O that <HI>thou had&s;t hearkned to my Commandments!</HI> which they had in writings from God, before the Lord God, and the Spirit &s;ent <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> to them. Chri&s;t who came with the Spirit, as he received it, not by mea&s;ure, came with the Scriptures, taught the people and his di&s;ciples how to profit by them, <HI>Luke 4. 18. Matth. 5. Luke</HI> 24. 27. and as the <HI>manife&s;tation of the Spirit is given to every man to pro|fit withal</HI> (which Scripture 1 <HI>Cor. 12. 7. R. F.</HI> alledgeth in<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor, 12. 7. vindicated</NOTE> part) &s;o is all the Scripture given by in&s;piration of God, and is <HI>profitable</HI> for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for In&s;truction in righteou&s;ne&s;s, 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. 16. neither is there any manife&s;tation of the Spirit in any Teacher, if he doth not manife&s;t his doctrine from, or according to the Scri|pture, when required &s;o to do. It is not to be believed that God ever gave his Spirit to &s;uch a Teacher, who doth ma|nife&s;tly or covertly (under pretence of the Spirit) flie from the light of Scripture. The Spirit of God never taught any<NOTE PLACE="marg">The property of the Scri|ptures.</NOTE> to &s;peak di&s;honorably or dimini&s;hingly of his written word; but to give unto the Scriptures what is its due, <HI>viz.</HI> That they are Gods holy Scriptures, <HI>Rom.</HI> 1. 2. able to make a childe wi&s;e unto &s;alvation, through faith which is in Chri&s;t Je&s;us, 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. 15. and given <HI>ver.</HI> 17. That the man of God
<PB N="31" REF="34">
[the Prophet, Apo&s;tle, Evangeli&s;t, Pa&s;tor or Teacher; and others by their mini&s;tery] may be perfect, throughly furni&s;h|ed unto every good work: and unto the Spirit what is his due<NOTE PLACE="marg">The preroga|tive of the Spirit.</NOTE> prerogative, to work by the Scripture when and upon whom he plea&s;eth, to their &s;aving profit. But haply I might have &s;pared this pains, in reference to <HI>R. F.</HI> (though others have need of it) becau&s;e in his Epi&s;tle he hath this pa&s;&s;age [<HI>The Scriptures in the Letter onely are not the true ground of the believers faith, as they in</HI> Scotland <HI>affirm</HI>] for he &s;eems to be a little yielding that they are the ground of the Saints acting, though not <HI>onely:</HI> if in any good &s;en&s;e he will grant them to be the ground of the believers faith, he mu&s;t in that<NOTE PLACE="marg">The ground of the Belie|vers faith, is the ground of the Saints act|ing.</NOTE> &s;en&s;e yield them to be the ground of the Saints acting, for the Saint and the Believer is all one; and all acts of holine&s;s in general, as of any particular grace, &s;pring from the &s;ame root that the acts of faith do, and are built upon the &s;ame ground-work that is laid by God, for the edification of faith and its actings. Onely I mu&s;t adverti&s;e him and others, that I know none in <HI>Scotland</HI> that &s;o affirm, or expre&s;s them&s;elves as he &s;peaks: They may &s;ay, and &s;ay truly, that the Letter, <HI>i. e.</HI> the Scriptures (which never were without their true &s;en&s;e, nor without the Spirit breathing in them, though it be not manife&s;ted to every one that reads them, nor a like manife&s;tation given at all times to all the Saints) are the onely vi&s;ible and legible Rule of faith, and Judge of Controver&s;ies: as all &s;ound Prote&s;tants have hitherto maintained this truth again&s;t the Papi&s;ts. And they that are of a &s;ound minde in this <HI>Briti&s;h</HI> I&s;le (as in all <HI>Europe</HI> and the world) have (from Gods Authority &s;tampt upon the Scri|ptures) a&s;&s;erted them to be a <HI>true Ground of the Believers faith,</HI> which <HI>R. F.</HI> weakly denies, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Epi&s;t.</NOTE> becau&s;e <HI>Chri&s;t is the true Ground of faith,</HI> whereas the affirmative is hereby the more &s;trongly proved; For the true adaequate or proportionable Object of faith, is the true Ground of faith; but Chri&s;t &s;peaking in the Scriptures, is the true adaequate Object of faith; therefore Chri&s;t in the Scriptures is the true Ground of faith: And thus again, If Chri&s;t be the true Ground of faith, then the Scriptures of Chri&s;t, which are his written truth, are a true Ground of faith; as if the man be hone&s;t, I
<PB N="32" REF="35"> may build upon his word; &s;o if Chri&s;t be true, and Truth it&s;elf, his word is true, and the truth (as his Fathers word is, <HI>John</HI> 17. 17.) when written down for a more certain ground, as to us, and our actings, then if but &s;poken in the air, or to the ear. Let <HI>R. F.</HI> therefore, or all that have a minde to be &s;ound in the faith, if he hath none, hear the Scri|pture &s;peaking for it &s;elf; and hear Chri&s;t together for him|&s;elf and his Scripture, <HI>Prov. 22. 19, 20, 21. That thy tru&s;t</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 22. 19, 20, 21. opened and urged.</NOTE> <HI>may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee:</HI> Here is a ground of faith laid by the Lord him&s;elf; What is it? his making <HI>known:</HI> of what? <HI>Have not I writ|ten to thee excellent things in coun&s;els and knowledge?</HI> Here is excellent matter made known, as a ground of tru&s;ting in the Lord; and here is the maner of revelation by writing, <HI>Have not I written?</HI> wherefore? <HI>That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth:</HI> Behold, the maner of making known a ground al&s;o of certainty of knowledge, and con&s;equently of faith, for a mans &s;elf; and it followeth, <HI>that thou mighte&s;t an&s;wer the words of truth to them that &s;end unto thee:</HI> Lo, here is the ground of our Emba&s;&s;ie and Me&s;&s;age, for others per&s;wa&s;ion and &s;atisfaction with our &s;elves; and here is the ground of mens believing what we &s;peak from, and according to what is written. Will <HI>R. F.</HI> or any &s;ay, If our tru&s;t mu&s;t be in the Lord, we are not then to ground our faith on the Scriptures? I mu&s;t tell him from Chri&s;t, that the not grounding a mans faith upon the Scri|ptures, is an evidence that he grounds it not upon the Lord: the very Scriptures will accu&s;e &s;uch to be unbelievers; for thus our Lord rea&s;oneth again&s;t the Jews, <HI>John 5. 45, 46. There is one that accu&s;eth you, even</HI> Mo&s;es, <HI>in whom ye tru&s;t. For had ye believed</HI> Mo&s;es, <HI>ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me.</HI></P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="6" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 6.</HEAD>
<P>I Had charged them with putting figurative Glo&s;&s;es upon plain Scripture. <HI>R. F. pag.</HI> 7. &s;huffles in here and there a line or two for an&s;wer, but nothing to the purpo&s;e, onely in way of &s;hift, he hath the&s;e two &s;ubterfuges. 1 In quoting
<PB N="33" REF="35"> <HI>John</HI> 1. 1, 2, 3. he addeth, <HI>this is plain Scripture without figu+rative glo&s;s, the glo&s;&s;es are thy own.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. As plain Scripture as it is, it is alledged by him to &s;et all the re&s;t of Scripture a&s;ide from being Gods word. For what if by the Scripture-letter the world was not made, but by Chri&s;t, the Eternal, E&s;&s;ential Word, of which <HI>John</HI> &s;peaks, hath it not been &s;ufficiently &s;hewed in what &s;en&s;e the Scripture-letter is, and is truly called the word of God?</P>
<P N="2">2. By his unrea&s;onable rea&s;oning he doth altogether hide and conceal from the Reader of <HI>his book,</HI> what in&s;tance I gave in <HI>mine,</HI> of their figurative glo&s;s upon plain Scri|pture, <HI>viz. 1 Cor</HI> 14. 34, 35. By <HI>woman</HI> is meant the <HI>weak</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 14. 34, 35. vindicated with 1 Tim. 2. 11, &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>corrupt part,</HI> and by <HI>man,</HI> the <HI>Spirit</HI> in either &s;ex; and by the <HI>Husband</HI> is meant <HI>Chri&s;t;</HI> contrary to the true &s;en&s;e of the Apo&s;tle, given by the &s;ame Apo&s;tle, not onely in his rea&s;ons upon the place, but in that fir&s;t Epi&s;tle to <HI>Timothy</HI> 2. 11, 12, 13, 14. This Glo&s;s is theirs, and yet unrea&s;onably he calls it mine, the <HI>fancy mine,</HI> and the <HI>meaning's mine,</HI> which he denieth, whereas I gave none but the Apo&s;tles own. Hence I argue, He who &s;ets <HI>Paul</HI> again&s;t <HI>Paul,</HI> or owns not <HI>Paul's</HI> plain expo&s;ition of him&s;elf, but puts figu|rative glo&s;&s;es upon the Text, contradicts the Scripture; but thus doth <HI>R. F.</HI> (with others.) He that would be fur|ther &s;atisfied about his egregious glo&s;&s;ings this way, may read his Pamphlet of a &s;heet <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Entit led, <HI>A woman for|bidden to &s;peak in Church.</HI></NOTE> printed 1654. by it &s;elf. A ta&s;te whereof, who&s;oever meets not with that &s;heet, may take as followeth: <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">page 3.</NOTE> <HI>The woman or wi&s;dom of the fle&s;h is forbidden to &s;peak in the Church.</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">page 5.</NOTE> <HI>The Apo&s;tle &s;aith, Let your women keep &s;ilence in the Church, he doth not &s;ay, Let the Spirit of God keep &s;ilence in the Temple.</HI> <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">page 7.</NOTE> <HI>It is carna|lity that is forbidden to intermingle with Spirituality.</HI> If this be not to play with Scripture, and grieve the Spirit that &s;pake it, I know not what doth.</P>
<P>A &s;econd &s;ubterfuge is in citing that Scripture, <HI>I will pour out my &s;pirit, and your &s;ons and your daughters &s;hall prophe&s;ie,</HI> and <HI>&s;uch may &s;peak of the things of God.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Who denies but they may &s;peak according to their gift, place and call? but women endued but with an ordinary gift, are &s;et by, and not allowed either the office
<PB N="34" REF="36"> of teaching, or the liberty of a gifted-brothers place, to &s;peak to edification &amp;c. (had they the gift as eminently as &s;ome Brethren have) or &s;o much as to ask a que&s;tion for their own learning, in the publick meeting place of a Church in order (and every place, and meeting of &s;uch a Church hath a publickne&s;s in it) becau&s;e they are comman|ded to be under obedience; it becomes not their &s;ex, 'tis u&s;urping of the males authority: they were the latter &s;ex in creation; the fir&s;t in the tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion; and are ea&s;ily led into deceit, as <HI>Eve</HI> was: all which are the Apo&s;tles rea&s;ons, 1 <HI>Cor. 14. 1 Tim.</HI> 2. and the holy Spirits, not mine; who dare contradict them, and their true &s;en&s;e and &s;cope, dare contradict the Spirit to his face.</P>
<P N="2">2 <HI>Pauls</HI> limiting-order, i&s;&s;ued out from Heaven, teach|eth us how to under&s;tand <HI>Peter, Act.</HI> 2. 17, 18. taken out<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 2. 17, 18. opened.</NOTE> of <HI>Joels</HI> prophecy, <HI>viz.</HI> partly, as allu&s;ions to the old Te&s;ta|ment-times (when God, by dreams, and vi&s;ions, by pro|phecies or predictions of future things, revealed his minde in tho&s;e ages pa&s;t to a few) and &s;o the pouring out of the Spi|rit &amp;c. notes a large and abundant mea&s;ure of &s;aving grace, in ordinary, given to &s;ome, of Gods &s;ervants, of all &s;orts and &s;exes, in all nations where the Go&s;pel comes, far ex|celling the ordinary mea&s;ures of Saints before Chri&s;ts a&s;cen|&s;ion; partly, that &s;ome of Gods &s;ervants, women as men, daughters as &s;ons, &s;hould have a prophetical in&s;tinct of foretelling things to come (which ever hath been a gift more then ordinary, and out of a Church-order, and cour&s;e) as <HI>Acts 21. 9. Philips</HI> four daughters, and virgins were in|&s;pired withall; or if any &s;ay, why might not their gift of prophecy be the gift of explication and application of the Scripture to the profit of the hearer (though it is not &s;o probable, yet) then I &s;ay, they were &s;ubject to the Apo&s;tles Rule afore&s;aid, and were kept free from di&s;orderly extrava|gancies.</P>
<P N="3">3 That &s;tanding Rule and order of <HI>Paul 1 Cor.</HI> 14. 34, 35. leads us to the under&s;tanding of <HI>ver. 31. ye may all prophe|&s;ie, &amp;c. i. e.</HI> as <HI>all</HI> called to the office of Pa&s;tor, and Teacher<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 14 31 vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>mu&s;t</HI> teach, exhort &amp;c. &s;o <HI>all</HI> the brethren, gifted with the abilities of prophe&s;ying, or &s;peaking to edification, exhor|tation
<PB N="35" REF="36"> and comfort, <HI>may</HI> prophe&s;ie: the exception of wo|men breaks not the Rule for men, but rather confirms the liberty to the brethren, and to all of them &s;o gifted, which are but a few, when the number is ca&s;t up, in every Church: And again, what that meaneth, <HI>Thou &s;halt not muzzle the</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 5 18. cleared.</NOTE> <HI>Ox that treadeth out the corn &amp;c.</HI> which the Apo&s;tle apply|eth to the laboring Elders (not to women as <HI>R. F.) ver.</HI> 17 of 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 5. and at the end of the 18 ver&s;e, there's light given to the beginning of it: <HI>for the laborer is worthy of his reward;</HI> which words are a rea&s;on of the Prohibition, and the Prohibition is, not to open womens mouths in pub|lick (for him&s;elf <HI>Chap.</HI> 2. had &s;topt them by the injunction of &s;ilence) but, to beware of di&s;couraging their preaching Elders, and laboring Pa&s;tors, and Teachers, by abridging them of their honorable maintenance: yea that Canon of the Apo&s;tle (above mentioned) is the Key to open all tho&s;e Scriptures which <HI>R. F.</HI> produceth in his &s;heet (afore|&s;aid) concerning <HI>Phebe, Pri&s;cilla, Mary, Tryphena,</HI> and <HI>Trypho&s;a, Per&s;is, Rom.</HI> 16. and tho&s;e women, <HI>Philip.</HI> 4.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 16 1, 2. and ver. 6, 12. Phil. 4 3. vindicated.</NOTE> which labored with him in the Go&s;pel: for all the&s;e were employed (not contrary to his order unto the Church at <HI>Corinth</HI> in publick preaching, (or &s;o much as acting by their votes and &s;uffrages in Church affairs) but) either in &s;uccor|ing <HI>Paul,</HI> and others, or in me&s;&s;ages, or in working out <HI>Pauls</HI> liberty (mean while hazarding their own lives) or in compo&s;ing differences, or in entertainment of &s;trangers, or in &s;ome other Chri&s;tian-go&s;pel-&s;ervice, &s;utable to their &s;ex, gifts, and graces. And as for that which <HI>R. F.</HI> collecteth from 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 16. 19. that, <HI>if Pri&s;cilla be not permitted to &s;peak in the Church, and the Church be in her hou&s;e, &s;he mu&s;t not &s;peak, but go out of her hou&s;e;</HI> Sure it is, that, as &s;he<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 16. 19. vindicated.</NOTE> and her husband <HI>Aquila</HI> had taken up a hou&s;e at <HI>Corinth (Act.</HI> 18. 3.) &s;o they had a godly family (like a little Church, for knowledge, piety and good order) but the order of a godly family is after one way, and the order of a mini|&s;terial Church is after another way: Be&s;ides, the Church at <HI>Corinth</HI> did ordinarily meet in <HI>Gaius's</HI> hou&s;e (therefore he is called <HI>Pauls</HI> Ho&s;t, and <HI>of the whole Church Rom.</HI> 16. 23. and <HI>Paul</HI> at other times wrought with his hands at
<PB N="36" REF="37"> <HI>Aquilas</HI> hou&s;e <HI>Act.</HI> 18. 3.) and in <HI>&s;ome one</HI> place (compare 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14. 23. with <HI>chap.</HI> 11. 20.) or other where that or|der was ob&s;erved which was given to the Church mini&s;te|rial, and where <HI>Pri&s;cilla</HI> her &s;elf mu&s;t not &s;peak (in the ca&s;e in controver&s;ie with <HI>R. F.</HI>) though haply, &s;he was more eminent in grace and gifts then her husband <HI>Aquila,</HI> and upon that account her name may for once, <HI>Rom.</HI> 16. 3. be &s;et before his.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, as for her own hou&s;e, it is not &s;aid the whole Church met there as at <HI>Gaius</HI>'s hou&s;e, but it may well be collected, tho&s;e of her family were part of the whole, and &s;o the name [Church] is given to it; and &s;peak there &s;he might to teach her family, and with her husband to in&s;truct an <HI>Apollos</HI> in the way of God more perfectly, <HI>Act.</HI> 18. 26. without going out of her hou&s;e, or out of her place. Will <HI>J. Nayler</HI> (notwith&s;tanding all this) per&s;i&s;t in his bold opinion? that <HI>Pauls words of a womans keeping &s;ilence in the Church, mu&s;t not be taken in the Letter:</HI> and will <HI>R. F.</HI> de|fend him, with his own glo&s;&s;es? I mu&s;t leave them to the Lords rebuke, for being wi&s;e in their own conceit; and pro|ceed to the clo&s;e of this Paragraph in my book, where I had given another in&s;tance of their new glo&s;s upon 2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 1. 19.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 19. vindicated.</NOTE> affirming the &s;ure word of prophecy, there &s;poken of, to be the Prophecy, and Spirit of Prophecy within them, and not the outward Prophecy, or declaration of Gods minde in the Scriptures; <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">page 7.</NOTE> hath nothing to &s;ay, but this, <HI>the &s;ure word of prophecy we witne&s;s to, and do not to it &s;ay, No,</HI> and then falls upon me with reproachful language, as his maners &s;erve him. But how doth he witne&s;s it? If by the word of Prophecy he means as <HI>Peter</HI> interprets it, <HI>ver. 20. the pro|phecy of the Scripture,</HI> then he contradicts his fellow <HI>J. N.</HI> and doth not &s;ay, no, where his fellow &s;aith, no: if he wit|ne&s;&s;eth onely the prophecy within, or <HI>the light</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Di&s;covery of the man of &s;in by <HI>J. Nay|lar</HI> pag. 30.</NOTE> (as <HI>J. N.</HI> glo&s;&s;eth) <HI>till the day dawn &amp;c. which is not without, nor in books,</HI> then he (with <HI>Nayler</HI>) contradicts <HI>Peter,</HI> and the holy Gho&s;t moving him to write of a more &s;ure word of prophecy of Scripture then the voice on the mount. To clear this further; As <HI>Peter v.</HI> 20. expounds <HI>v.</HI> 19. calling the more &s;ure word of prophecy, the prophecy of Scri|pture,
<PB N="37" REF="37"> or Scripture-prophecy (not heart-prophecy or brea&s;t-prophecy, ari&s;ing and re&s;iding onely in the minde, but written down in books) &s;o this <HI>written-prophecy</HI> he &s;ets in oppo&s;ition to <HI>cunningly devi&s;ed fables,</HI> which <HI>ver.</HI> 16. he profe&s;&s;eth again&s;t: in which fables, there was no &s;urene&s;s or certainty at all; and then he lays it in the ballance of compari&s;on with his (and others) making known the Lords power and coming on the mount. <HI>Peter, James,</HI> and <HI>John</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat 17 1 &amp;c.</NOTE> were ear-witne&s;&s;es of a voice from heaven concerning Chri&s;t, and eye-witne&s;&s;es (which is ten times more then onely to take a thing by the report of the ear) of Chri&s;ts maje&s;ty, honor and glory: this Transfiguration of our Lord Je&s;us they preached of to the &s;cattered Jews (as others) yet not|with&s;tanding their preaching of what they had heard, and &s;een, and the certainty of the voice they heard, and the glory they &s;aw, <HI>We,</HI> &s;aith <HI>Peter</HI> (including <HI>James,</HI> and <HI>John</HI> with him&s;elf, and the believing <HI>Jews</HI> whom he wrote unto, who honored the writings of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets as infallible) <HI>have a more &s;ure word of prophecy,</HI> or of the Pro|phets writings, <HI>whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,</HI> hereby commending them for their re&s;pect to the Scri|ptures, and encouraging them to be intent thereunto, <HI>as un|to a light &s;hining in a dark place,</HI> the Scripture-word being <HI>a lamp unto the feet, and a light unto the path</HI> of Saints a|mid&s;t<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 105.</NOTE> all the darkne&s;s of the heart, of the world, or of the Church; <HI>until the day dawn, and day-&s;tar ari&s;e in our hearts: i. e.</HI> until, by the &s;tudy of the Scriptures, more light be cleared up, and Chri&s;t make him&s;elf more manife&s;t to us, and within us. But le&s;t any &s;hould &s;tumble at the Apo&s;tles a&s;&s;ertion, which, (comparing <HI>ver.</HI> 19, 20. as before) is to this effect, that all or any part of the Scripture is a more &s;ure word, then what is &s;poken in the air, and but to the ear, the Apo&s;tle preventingly addeth <HI>ver. 20. Knowing this fir&s;t,</HI> let this be laid as for a fundamental truth, in your mindes, <HI>that no prophecy of the Scripture</HI> (whereof we &s;peak)<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 19. with <HI>v.</HI> 20, 21. more cleared.</NOTE> <HI>is of any private interpretation.</HI> Were it &s;o, that every man might, as his private minde leads him, interpret Scripture, the authority and certainty of it would vani&s;h, as the light<NOTE PLACE="marg">Scripture to be interpreted by Scripture.</NOTE> and truth of it would be eclip&s;ed; it would be far from be|ing
<PB N="38" REF="38"> a <HI>more &s;ure word;</HI> men might that way turn the Go&s;pel into a Fable, and make the Scriptures, as Antichri&s;tian Pope|lings do, a no&s;e of wax: well, how proves the Apo&s;tle that no Scripture is of any private interpretation? why, <HI>ver&s;e 21. For,</HI> or becau&s;e, <HI>the Prophecy came not in old time,</HI> or at<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> any time, <HI>by the will of man; but holy men of God &s;pake it as they were moved by the holy Gho&s;t.</HI> As was the <HI>Gene&s;is,</HI> &s;uch is the <HI>Analy&s;is;</HI> as was the compo&s;ition, &s;uch is the re&s;olution and meaning of it, from the &s;ame Spirit; the publique Spirit of the Saints, and of the Scriptures: the ho|ly Spirit of God compo&s;ed the word of Prophecy, not mans will, but Gods dige&s;ted it, his Spirit indited it, and hath &s;poken all his &s;en&s;e under the words, which he direct|ed holy men to expre&s;s his minde by; and therefore with|out going forth of Scripture to any private &s;pirit, the true and &s;ure interpretation of Scripture may be obtained; which, if fir&s;t we know and be per&s;waded of, we may con|fidently be per&s;waded &s;till to take heed thereunto, as unto a more &s;ure word, and as a help in all our darkne&s;&s;es, &amp;c. But <HI>J. Nayler</HI> thinks this a <HI>blinde ab&s;urdity, For,</HI> &s;aith<NOTE PLACE="marg">Di&s;covery, &amp;c. pag. 30.</NOTE> he, <HI>if the Te&s;timony of the old Prophets was a more &s;ure word then that which</HI> Peter <HI>heard from the mouth of God, then it mu&s;t needs follow, that the Te&s;timony of the old Pro|phets, who &s;poke but darkly of Chri&s;t, and did not &s;ee his day, mu&s;t be a more &s;ure Te&s;timony then the Apo&s;tles, who were eye-witne&s;&s;es; and the words of Books, a more &s;ure word then the voice that came from heaven, which was the immediate voice of God.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> All this (grant but the te&s;timony of Prophetical Writings to be Gods, and the words of Scripture-books to be Gods books and his words) may, and doth follow with|out any ab&s;urdity at all: For,</P>
<P N="1">1. Although the Apo&s;tles preaching was as infallibly true, as the Prophets writings in them&s;elves; yet, as to men, and as to the Jew fir&s;t, and then to the Gentile, and in re&s;pect of our capacity, our reception and retention of truth, the word of the Prophets writings was and is &s;till more &s;ure: yea, the Apo&s;tles writings (&s;uch as the holy Spirit moved them to write, and hath ordered to be the Scripture of the
<PB N="39" REF="38"> New Te&s;tament) are, in the forenamed re&s;pect, a more &s;ure word then their preachings; hence it is that <HI>Paul per&s;waded the Jews,</HI> Acts 28. 23. <HI>both out of the law of Mo&s;es, and out of the Prophets.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Although Gods immediate voice from heaven hath as infallible certainty, as when he orders his minde to be writ|ten; yet in re&s;pect of our frailty, and the above-mentioned ca&s;es, his written word is more &s;ure to us; and we have it &s;o left upon record for our con&s;tant u&s;e. Let not then <HI>J. Nayler</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Di&s;covery, &amp;c. as above pag. 30.</NOTE> mi&s;lead the &s;imple with great &s;welling words of vanity, concerning our blindne&s;s, about the <HI>Spirit of pro|phecy, as the &s;ure word and te&s;timony of Je&s;us;</HI> excluding thereby the Spirit from the Scriptures, and the Scriptures from being the word of Prophecy, and the &s;ure Te&s;timony of Je&s;us. For Je&s;us Chri&s;t appointed <HI>John</HI> to <HI>write,</HI> becau&s;e <HI>the words</HI> he &s;ent and &s;ignified to him by the Angel, <HI>were true and faithful.</HI> And when the Angel ob&s;erved what <HI>John</HI> was about, <HI>viz.</HI> to wor&s;hip him, <HI>Rev.</HI> 19. 10. he for|bad<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19 10. vindicated.</NOTE> him upon two Rea&s;ons:</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. He was his fellow-&s;ervant, and of the brethren that have the te&s;timony of Je&s;us.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. The Te&s;timony of Je&s;us, is the Spirit of Prophecy.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>And <HI>John</HI> having the Te&s;timony of Je&s;us, (as well as the Angel, though not &s;o immediately) he had the Spirit of Prophecy; &s;o have all they who have the true &s;en&s;e of Scri|pture, and of <HI>Johns</HI> Revelation, though they received it not by the Angel, as <HI>John</HI> did; becau&s;e the Spirit was with <HI>John</HI> (as with others) when he wrote: and he that hath an<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3. la&s;t.</NOTE> ear is commanded to hear <HI>what the Spirit &s;aith unto the Churches</HI> in that written word, with the re&s;t of the Scri|pture. The Te&s;timony of Je&s;us immediately given and re|ceived, is, hath in it, and carrieth with it, the Spirit of Pro|phecy, as that Te&s;timony which is immediately given and received. All they that call off from the mediate Te&s;ti|mony, may boa&s;t of the immediate, but do not di&s;cover it. Let not <HI>J. Nayler</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Sauls</HI> errand to <HI>Dama&s;cus,</HI> pag. 33.</NOTE> again upbraid us with his ignorant que|&s;tion, <HI>Where reade&s;t thou in the Scriptures of a written Word?</HI> It is no more then if he had &s;aid, Where reade&s;t thou in the Scriptures of the Scriptures? Let not <HI>J. Parnel</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t ex|alted, &amp;c. p 3.</NOTE> further
<PB N="40" REF="39"> revile us with <HI>doting upon the Scriptures without, with our dark mindes,</HI> when as God hath appointed the <HI>voices of the Prophets, which are read</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Acts 13 27.</NOTE> (and preached upon with the voices of the Apo&s;tles) <HI>every Sabbath day,</HI> as a light &s;hining in a dark place; and as a more &s;ure word for our daily u&s;e, then his immediate voice from heaven. Let him not heap up Scriptures to pre&s;s the Scriptures to death. Let him not make the world believe we would take the Authority from Chri&s;t, becau&s;e we own Chri&s;ts Authority in the Scriptures; and acknowledge them as in&s;trumental unto Chri&s;ts &s;aving, enlightning of us, guiding, quickning, ruling of us. Let him beware of de&s;pi&s;ing Scripture, le&s;t he &s;in more wilfully after his fir&s;t conviction by the Scripture. He that would &s;et <HI>Chri&s;t upon his throne,</HI> (as he pretends to do) mu&s;t not take the <HI>Scepter,</HI> the Scriptures, and what is preached faithfully from thence, <HI>out of his hand.</HI> This doth <HI>J. Parnel</HI> with <HI>R. F.</HI> and that generation of men, who have learned (as they imagine) beyond the Scripture-Light, and need neither man nor Scripture to teach them. Yet I will un|teach their mi&s;interpretations of Scripture, as they fall in my way, that people may not further be deluded but un|deceived. In that one &s;heet of Paper <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t ex|alted, &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>J. Parnel</HI> hath put the Conceptions and Imaginations of his own heart, upon ten places of Scripture; as he hath di&s;paraged all the Scri|pture at once in more then one pa&s;&s;age. Chri&s;t he &s;aith [<HI>Page</HI> 1.] was that Lamp to <HI>Davids</HI> feet, <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 119. 105.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 105 vindicated.</NOTE> and that Light unto his paths. Chri&s;t indeed gave that word to <HI>David</HI> which was his Lamp and Light; but <HI>David</HI> &s;peaks not there of Chri&s;ts Per&s;on, but of his Doctrine, which the holy Gho&s;t, by his pen, giveth &s;everal titles unto throughout the P&s;alm. The <HI>word</HI> which <HI>David</HI> &s;peaks of is called, and was as called, the <HI>Law of the Lord, his Precepts</HI> or <HI>Commandments, Statutes, Te&s;timonies,</HI> and <HI>Judgements:</HI> Chri&s;ts per&s;on is not the Law of the Lord, &amp;c. be&s;ides what <HI>ver.</HI> 105. is in the &s;ingular number, <HI>thy word;</HI> is <HI>ver.</HI> 103, 57, 139. in the plural number, <HI>thy words.</HI> Chri&s;ts per&s;on is not two, or many, but one; <HI>David</HI> therefore is commend|ing that which <HI>J. P.</HI> is di&s;paraging, the written and declara|tive word of God. Again, [<HI>Page</HI> 2.] he applieth <HI>Jer.</HI> 20. 9.
<PB N="41" REF="39"> and 23. 29. in the like maner to Chri&s;ts per&s;on, when as the<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Section</HI> 6. Jer. 20. 9. and 23. 19. vindi|cated.</NOTE> Prophet &s;peaks of Chri&s;ts Doctrine. <HI>His word,</HI> or me&s;&s;age of Doctrine which God gave me to deliver, <HI>was in my heart as a burning fire, &amp;c.</HI> which I could no longer for|bear from declaring it. And, Is not my word like as a fire, &s;aith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? By Gods word here is meant, Gods &s;aithful Do|ctrine, which mu&s;t be &s;poken faithfully, <HI>ver.</HI> 28. then it hath the power of a purging fire, and of a battering ham|mer.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 4. 12. and Rom. 10 8. vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>Heb.</HI> 4. 12. The word of God quick and powerful, &amp;c. is the word preached, <HI>ver.</HI> 2. or the Scripture that we read and hear opened, if one <HI>ver&s;e</HI> may interpret another. <HI>Rom. 10. 8. The word is nigh thee, &amp;c.</HI> This place (with the former) mu&s;t needs be Chri&s;t within men, not the Scriptures without, as <HI>J. P.</HI> thinks, becau&s;e <HI>the Apo&s;tle directs the mindes of people within them, from looking without:</HI> whereas, let people look into <HI>Deut.</HI> 30. 14. from whence the Apo|&s;tle quotes it, and compare that 14. <HI>ver.</HI> with the 11. and they will finde, it is meant of the word of a Go&s;pel-com|mand built upon a Go&s;pel-promi&s;e: <HI>For this commandment</HI> (of returning and obeying by vertue of the promi&s;e, <HI>ver.</HI> 6. of heart-circumci&s;ion) <HI>is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off;</HI> it <HI>is not in heaven, &amp;c. nor beyond the &s;ea, &amp;c.</HI> But the <HI>word is very nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou maye&s;t do it:</HI> Which <HI>Paul</HI> expounds to be the <HI>word of faith,</HI> or doctrine of faith (which comprehends the promi&s;e for and to believing, and the precept of belie|ving) written, preached, heard, and mixed in the heart with faith. That Scripture, 1 <HI>John</HI> 2. 27. hath no &s;uch meaning<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn 2 27. vindicated.</NOTE> as to exclude Scripture-teaching, and Mini&s;ters-teaching, and as if he that hath the Anointing were come to the <HI>end of mans teaching,</HI> as <HI>J. P.</HI> expre&s;&s;eth it [<HI>page</HI> 3.] But onely that we who have the Anointing (which is not Chri&s;t, as he glo&s;&s;eth, for the Unction or Anointing is from Chri&s;t, Gods holy One, <HI>ver.</HI> 20. but that participation of Chri&s;ts Oyl and Eye-&s;alve, of Chri&s;ts grace, and Spirit of knowledge and under&s;tanding, &amp;c.) need not that any man &s;hould teach us better things, or in a better maner, <HI>but as the Anointing teacheth us.</HI> The words include both inward and outward
<PB N="42" REF="40"> teaching and teachers, and exclude none but &s;educers, <HI>ver.</HI> 26. of whom the Church and People of God have no need at all, in <HI>Judea, England, E&s;&s;ex,</HI> or in any part of the world. <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 30. 20. makes not mention of Chri&s;t, or, but any<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a 30. 20. vindicated.</NOTE> one true Teacher, but of <HI>Teachers;</HI> meaning the true Pro|phets and Prie&s;ts, that taught the good knowledge of the Lord, as in <HI>Jeho&s;haphats</HI> days, which &s;hould not be removed into a corner; but the Lords people &s;hould &s;ee them, and have with them, as is promi&s;ed, <HI>ver. 21. A word behinde them,</HI> &s;aying, <HI>This is the way, &amp;c. i. e.</HI> Gods Spirit &s;hould prompt, &s;ugge&s;t, and &s;et home that which was outwardly taught, upon their hearts, at every turn, and upon every occa&s;ion. How doth our <HI>E&s;&s;ex</HI> Seducer <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t ex|alted, pag. 4. Iohn 15. 5. &amp; Phil 4. 13. vindicated.</NOTE> glo&s;s upon <HI>John</HI> 15. 5. and <HI>Philip. 4. 13. Without him we can do nothing, but by him we can do all things; without the help of Scripture, or any thing el&s;e without.</HI> Is this to <HI>own Scripture in its place,</HI> (as the Title pretendeth) to put it quite out of all place, and office, or &s;ervice; that it &s;hall not be (in the day of the Lords Battels, and a Chri&s;tian warfare) in the place of an Auxi|liary, or of any help and u&s;e? When as Chri&s;t, <HI>John</HI> 15. 3. told his di&s;ciples, they were clean through the word which he had &s;poken unto them; and the word which he had &s;po|ken, was according to what is written. <HI>P&s;alm 119. 9. Wherewithal &s;hall a yong man clean&s;e his way? by taking heed thereunto according to thy word.</HI> Did not <HI>Paul</HI> write that Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Philippians</HI> for their &s;trengthning? And did not <HI>Apollos, Acts 18. 27, 28. help</HI> them much who had believed through grace? &s;hewing by the Scriptures that Je&s;us was Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, to make an end of the&s;e In&s;tances of <HI>J. P.</HI> how ignorantly and ra&s;hly doth he twice quote <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 4 &amp; 6 Ier 5. 31. vin|dicated and cleared.</NOTE> <HI>Jer.</HI> 5. 31. (as <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>R. F.</HI> In his Truth cleared p 3. and <HI>J. W.</HI> in his Enmi|tie between the two &s;eeds, pag. 17.</NOTE> others of his Sect frequently) <HI>The prie&s;ts bear rule by their means,</HI> with a glancing glo&s;s at Mini&s;ters gain and maintenance? As if by [<HI>means</HI>] there, was meant outward e&s;tate, wealth, livings, &amp;c. and by [<HI>their</HI>] was under&s;tood, <HI>their own lucre;</HI> when as the affix or pronoun [<HI>their</HI>] re|lates to the Prophets; and by [<HI>means</HI>] is no more intended, but endeavor, or procurement of their fal&s;e me&s;&s;ages, and pretences to extraordinary mi&s;&s;ion. The prie&s;ts bearing
<PB N="43" REF="40"> rule, as fal&s;ly and corruptly, as the prophets prophe&s;ied fal&s;ly and un&s;oundly. In the Hebrew, 'tis [by their hands]<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> which is as much as the prophets fal&s;e coun&s;el and pretended authority, (as 2 <HI>Sam. 14. 19. Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this?</HI> Ha&s;t thou not done this by <HI>Joabs</HI> means or coun&s;el?) by rea&s;on whereof the prie&s;ts were &s;o imperious, and the people (cheated by the fal&s;e prophets) loved to have it &s;o. The edge of this Scripture may be turned again&s;t our pre&s;ent Seducers thus; The Quaking prophets pro|phe&s;ie fal&s;ly, and Romi&s;h prie&s;ts &s;hrowd them&s;elves un|der their new &s;tamped Doctrine, (God knoweth how much they have influence, how &s;oon they may bear rule by <HI>the&s;e prophets means</HI>) and many people, who go for Gods people, love to have it &s;o; and what will ye do in the end thereof, when prophets, prie&s;ts and people, have confederately banded them&s;elves again&s;t the true Prophets and Mini&s;ters of the Lord?</P>
<P>That our new Prophet is not a true one, hear one line or two more of his <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t ex|alted, &amp;c. p. 4.</NOTE> Sheet, and judge of his Judgement of the whole Scripture; <HI>He</HI> [Chri&s;t] <HI>is the Word, and the Scripture is not; He is the Light, and the Scripture is not; He is the Rule, and Guide, and Teacher, and Judge, and the Scripture is not, but a declaration of him to be &s;o.</HI> Is Chri&s;t (think you) exalted upon the ruines of his Scripture? and are they not razed at the foundation, when as they &s;hall neither be the Word, nor Light, nor Rule, nor Guide, nor Teacher, nor Judge? will that &s;alve all, that they are acknowledged to be a <HI>declaration of Chri&s;t to be &s;o?</HI> when as the [<HI>but</HI>] is &s;uf|ficiently undervaluing: Are they <HI>but</HI> a declaration of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t &s;peak|eth by the Scripture.</NOTE> to be &s;o? Do they not declare of them&s;elves al&s;o? or, doth not Chri&s;t and his Spirit declare in them, and of them, what <HI>they</HI> are, as what him&s;elf is? Do they declare that <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> is the <HI>Word,</HI> and are not <HI>they</HI> the <HI>Word</HI> of that declara|tion? Is Chri&s;t the <HI>living Word,</HI> and are not the Scriptures the <HI>Oracles of God? Rom.</HI> 3. 2. The <HI>lively Oracles, Acts</HI> 7. 38. Do they declare that Chri&s;t is the Light, and hath he not put of his Light into the Scriptures for our enlightning?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t en|lightneth by the Scripture.</NOTE> <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 19. 8. What&s;oever doth make manife&s;t is Light, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 5. 13. The Scriptures declare, and make as manife&s;t
<PB N="44" REF="41"> as the light in a dark night, where our hearts are mo&s;t ob|&s;cure; and in &s;ome places, as the light at noon-day, they &s;hine with their Light upon every mans con&s;cience that reads them. Every Book and Chapter, is a light&s;om Book and Chapter, were not our eyes more then purblinde. Every Ver&s;e is a little ve&s;&s;el of light; yea, how great and how much light in &s;ome one line, or a few letters? [as in <HI>John</HI> 10. 30. I and my Father are one,] And in that [<HI>Rom.</HI> 5. 6. When we were yet without &s;trength, Chri&s;t died, &amp;c.] Doth it exalt Chri&s;t to call him our Rule, and then deny it to the Scripture? The Scripture exalts him higher, and calls him<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t ruleth by the Scri|pture.</NOTE> our Rule-giver, or Law-giver, which comes all to one: And it exalts it &s;elf, or is exalted by Chri&s;t to be Canonical, or our Canon and Rule, <HI>Gal. 6. 17. As many as walk according</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 6. 17. opened.</NOTE> <HI>to this rule,</HI> in the whole Epi&s;tle, and in the Ver&s;e before. If any &s;ay the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks of the [<HI>new creature</HI>] as our Rule, I conceive they are mi&s;taken: For,</P>
<P N="1">1. The new creature is too narrow for a Rule, nor of au|thority enough to be a Rule; it is but imperfect here, as to degrees of renewed qualities, and one Chri&s;tian hath more, another le&s;s, none are gradually perfect.</P>
<P N="2">2. The new creature is &s;ubordinate and &s;ubject to Rule, the old man is not, nor cannot be &s;ubject, if the new be not; nothing in a Chri&s;tian is regulated, and then he will not be found a Chri&s;tian. If the new creature be &s;ubject, it is to Chri&s;t the King, and his Laws: If it be regulated, it is by a declared Rule, which is the written Word. <HI>Rom. 7. 25. I,</HI> &s;aith <HI>Paul,</HI> (at that time a new creature) <HI>do &s;erve the law of God,</HI> as that Rule he &s;peaks of to the <HI>Galatians;</HI> and who &s;o walks according to it, peace &s;hall be upon him. Is Chri&s;t<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t guid|eth and teach|eth by the Scripture.</NOTE> our Guide? he guides us by the Scripture without, and by the Spirit of, and in the Scriptures, and within our hearts. Is Chri&s;t our Teacher, and doth he teach all without book? Chri&s;t had never &s;uch di&s;ciples &s;ince the Scriptures were his Book, which is profitable for Doctrine or Teaching, 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. 16. Chri&s;t him&s;elf taught out of them, and by them; and &s;o doth he &s;till continue to train up the Scholars of his<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t accu|&s;eth and judg|eth by the Scripture.</NOTE> highe&s;t form. Doth not the Scriptures accu&s;e, and judge al&s;o under Chri&s;t and for Chri&s;t? <HI>John</HI> 5. 45. Ye have one
<PB N="45" REF="41"> that <HI>accu&s;eth</HI> you, even <HI>Mo&s;es; John</HI> 12. 48. The word that I have &s;poken, the &s;ame &s;hall <HI>judge</HI> him at the la&s;t day, becau&s;e &s;poken from the Father, and according to his com|mandment, in the Scripture. To return to <HI>R. F.</HI> again, and at la&s;t to clo&s;e up this Section, I leave this with him, and others. Chri&s;ts Scripture is of the &s;ame authority, with Chri&s;ts Sermons; Chri&s;ts Sermons &s;hall judge men at the la&s;t day; Therefore Chri&s;ts Scripture &s;hall have the &s;ame authority, of judging. It is one of the Books that &s;hall be opened, <HI>Rev.</HI> 20. 12. with the books of mens con&s;ciences,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel 20. 12.</NOTE> and of Gods omni&s;ciency and Decrees, and all the dead &s;hall be judged out of tho&s;e things which were written in the books. And they that now are unwilling to be judged by the Scripture, &s;hall at the la&s;t day be judged by it whe|ther they will or no.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(2.) Head of Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning the Trinity.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="7" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 7.</HEAD>
<P>I Had di&s;covered their contradictious language, that, <HI>There is no Scripture for the Trinity,</HI> when the Scri|pture is plain before them, 1 <HI>John 5. 7. There are three</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn 5. 7. vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>that bear witne&s;s in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Spirit: and the&s;e three are one.</HI> Here is a Trinity, I &s;aid, or a Three-ne&s;s in one E&s;&s;ence, and One-ne&s;s of E&s;&s;ence in a Three-ne&s;s of Sub&s;i&s;tence. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 7, 8.</NOTE> challengeth me for <HI>perverting the Scripture, &s;aying, here is Trinity, when it expre&s;&s;eth no &s;uch word in that nor any other Scripture as Trinity.</HI> But the Reader will ea&s;ily perceive how he per|verts my writing and fights again&s;t this Text and five more which I referred to: for I &s;aid not, <HI>here is Trinity,</HI> or, <HI>the word Trinity,</HI> but <HI>here is a Trinity a&s;&s;erted.</HI> He grants <HI>the Father, Son, and Spirit are one,</HI> and then beating about the
<PB N="46" REF="42"> bu&s;h from <HI>John</HI> 14. 20. which mentions but two of the three, he denies <HI>it to &s;peak of di&s;tinct per&s;ons three.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> What if <HI>John</HI> 14. 20. &s;peak not of three, 1 <HI>Joh.</HI> 5. 7. expre&s;ly &s;aith, <HI>there are three &amp;c.</HI> But <HI>R. F.</HI> falls point|blank in oppo&s;ition to the third in order of the three, and addeth, <HI>The holy Gho&s;t is no per&s;on.</HI> My work therefore here is fir&s;t, to clear out from this place in <HI>Johns</HI> Epi&s;tle (and the five other that I onely hinted at) that there are three di|&s;tinct per&s;ons, in the God-head. Secondly, that the holy Gho&s;t is, and how he is, one of the three, I cannot open any of the &s;ix Texts which I quoted, but the latter will be proved by the former; onely in clearing the latter by it &s;elf, <HI>R. F.</HI> his Here&s;ie and Bla&s;phemy will be yet more evident and notorius. To the fir&s;t then, I argue thus in the ge|neral.</P>
<P>If the Scripture &s;peaks of three [the Father, Son, and Spirit] that are one, and yet three, then they are as di|&s;tinctly three in their Per&s;ons, as they are undividedly one in their E&s;&s;ence.</P>
<P>But the Scripture &s;peaks of the&s;e three that are one, and<NOTE PLACE="marg">There is a Trinity, or three per&s;ons in one God|head, pro|ved from and by the Scriptures.</NOTE> yet three.</P>
<P>Therefore they are as di&s;tinctly three in their per&s;ons, as they are undividedly one in their E&s;&s;ence. The con&s;equence of the propo&s;ition is thus proved;</P>
<P>When the Scripture &s;peaks of the&s;e three, either it is to be under&s;tood of three di&s;tinct ways of Being, or of three di&s;tinct Beings; But it cannot be under&s;tood of three di|&s;tinct Beings, for the Lord our God is <HI>One; I am,</HI> or <HI>Being of him&s;elf;</HI> Therefore it is to be under&s;tood of three di&s;tinct maners, or ways of Being, each of which maners of Being is no other but that which the Scripture expre&s;&s;eth by the word Hypo&s;ta&s;is, or Per&s;on, when it &s;ometime &s;peaks of one of the three, &s;ometime of another. The A&s;&s;umption is clear from the Scriptures that either expre&s;ly &s;ay, <HI>there are three,</HI> and the&s;e <HI>are one,</HI> or reckon up <HI>three</HI> neither more, nor fewer; coequal, and of the &s;ame dignity, as co-e&s;&s;enti|al, and of the &s;ame Deity. More particularly,</P>
<P N="1">1. Let that 1 <HI>John</HI> 5. 7. be viewed, and weighed; let<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 5. 7. opened.</NOTE> not men &s;hut their eyes again&s;t the light of it, and think
<PB N="47" REF="42"> lightly of its Te&s;timony, where Unity in Trinity, and Trini|ty in Unity is &s;et forth by words equivalent, and of as great force, as if the very terms of [Unity] and [Trinity] were put down. The equivalent words are [<HI>there are three</HI>] and [<HI>the&s;e three are one</HI>] and the meaning this, that three di&s;tinct per&s;ons are united in the &s;ame E&s;&s;ence, and one and the &s;ame E&s;&s;ence is di&s;tingui&s;hed into three per&s;ons.</P>
<P N="2">2. Let <HI>Matth.</HI> 28. 19. be heard &s;peak for a Trinity. Here<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 28. 19: opened.</NOTE> is expre&s;s command for baptizing into the name of three [of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Gho&s;t] The phra&s;e [<HI>into the Name</HI>] compared with 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 1. 13. 15.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> is as much as, into the divine &s;ervice, honor and wor&s;hip of &s;ome per&s;on, or per&s;ons: <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks of being baptized in|to his own name, as too great an honor for him, or any creature. But if the di&s;ciples were, and are baptized into the name of Chri&s;t, as they were dedicated to a dependence upon Chri&s;t; Chri&s;t &s;hould have his due honor given him: and if according to Chri&s;ts command, they are bap|tized, and by Bapti&s;m (as by an outward rite, and &s;ign) given up to the name, both of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Gho&s;t, then are they in one E&s;&s;ence, three per&s;ons, equally and infinitely honorable.</P>
<P N="3">3. In 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 13. 14. we have mention made of the grace of our <HI>Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> there <HI>is one per&s;on;</HI> of the Love of <HI>God,</HI> or the <HI>Father,</HI> there is <HI>another;</HI> and of the Communion of the <HI>holy Gho&s;t,</HI> there is a <HI>third.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Again, <HI>Matth</HI> 3. 16, 17. Je&s;us is baptized, there is <HI>one per&s;on;</HI> The Spirit of God de&s;cendeth upon him, there is <HI>another;</HI> And a voice from the Father (This is my beloved Son) there is a <HI>third.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. In that Scripture <HI>John</HI> 15. 26. There you have the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, <HI>one;</HI> &s;ent by Chri&s;t, <HI>another;</HI> from the Father, <HI>a third;</HI> (though he is the fir&s;t, the Son the &s;econd, the holy Gho&s;t the third, in order and maner of &s;ub&s;i&s;ting within the God-head, and of working out|wardly upon the creature, yet there as el&s;ewhere they are &s;poken of promi&s;cuou&s;ly, to note their equality of E&s;&s;ence, with the Trinity of per&s;ons.)</P>
<P>La&s;tly, to multiply no more places, <HI>John</HI> 16. 13, 14, 15.
<PB N="48" REF="43"> There you have the Spirit pointed out as a per&s;on di&s;tinct from the Father, and the Son; [<GAP DESC="foreign">] <HI>ille, He,</HI> &s;ix times in <HI>ver.</HI> 13. and <HI>ver.</HI> 14. [<GAP DESC="foreign"> again] <HI>He,</HI> there is one per&s;on, &s;hall glorifie <HI>me,</HI> there is another, and <HI>ver.</HI> 15. All things that the <HI>Father</HI> hath &amp;c. there is another. Let <HI>R. F.</HI> or any other con&s;ult with his Arithmetick, and reckon the number; then con&s;ult with natural Logick, or true rea&s;on, and conclude; If there be neither more nor fewer, but three in one God-head; and that the holy Gho&s;t is one of the three: Then there is a <GAP DESC="foreign">, a Trinity: And if the Father, Son, and holy Gho&s;t be co-equal, and that the Fa|ther hath the place and dignity of one Per&s;on, and the Son hath the place and dignity of another Per&s;on, Then hath the holy Gho&s;t the place and dignity of a third, and indeed is the <HI>Third</HI> in order of per&s;onality. Secondly, and more di|rectly in reply to <HI>R. F.</HI> who &s;aith, he is <HI>no</HI> per&s;on; I mu&s;t tell him, and his di&s;ciples in the general, what a Per&s;on is, <HI>viz.</HI> A living intelligent &s;ub&s;tance, &s;ub&s;i&s;ting by it &s;elf, and<NOTE PLACE="marg">What a per|&s;on is.</NOTE> truly and really di&s;tinct from others by his incommunicable property; more particularly, <Q REND="margQuotes">"A Per&s;on in the God-head<NOTE PLACE="marg">What a per|&s;on in the God-head is.</NOTE> is the divine, living, under&s;tanding, uncreated, infinite E&s;&s;ence, &s;ub&s;i&s;ting by it &s;elf, and really di&s;tinct from the other by his incommunicable uncreated property, yet each of them having one and the &s;ame E&s;&s;ence or God|head in him from Eternity.</Q> By this latter clau&s;e [each of them having one and the &s;ame E&s;&s;ence, &amp;c.] A divine un|created per&s;on is di&s;tingui&s;hed from created per&s;ons: for created per&s;ons, &s;uppo&s;e an earthly father, and a &s;on, are not the whole E&s;&s;ence one in the other, but the uncreated are. One per&s;on in the divine E&s;&s;ence is in and with the other. In humane per&s;ons the E&s;&s;ence of the one &s;tands out of the other; In the divine per&s;ons, the whole E&s;&s;ence of the one is the E&s;&s;ence and &s;ub&s;tance of the other, and as the whole E&s;&s;ence of the Father is in the Son of God, and the whole E&s;&s;ence of <HI>this Son</HI> is in <HI>His</HI> Father, &s;o the whole E&s;&s;ence of both the Father, and the Son, is in the holy Gho&s;t. By the former clau&s;e [a living under&s;tanding E&s;&s;ence uncreated &s;ub&s;i&s;ting by it &s;elf, and is really di&s;tingui&s;hed from the other by his incommunicable uncreated property] we have to con&s;ider.</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="49" REF="43">1. Something common to all per&s;ons, <HI>viz.</HI> they are each of them a living, under&s;tanding &s;ub&s;tance, &s;ub&s;i&s;ting by it &s;elf, and di&s;tingui&s;hed by its incommunicable property.</P>
<P N="2">2. Something to di&s;tingui&s;h,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Di&s;tinct from created per|&s;ons.</NOTE></P>
<P N="1">1. God, and each per&s;on in the God-head from the crea|ture, <HI>viz.</HI> That God is a divine un-created infinite E&s;&s;ence, the creature that is a per&s;on, is either humane, or Angelical, and both created E&s;&s;ences, and each of the divine un-crea|ted per&s;ons, hath a di&s;tinct incommunicable un-created property; but the created E&s;&s;ences, men or Angels, have (though di&s;tinct, incommunicable, yet) created finite pro|perties, and per&s;onalities.</P>
<P N="2">2. Each of the per&s;ons in the God-head from one ano|ther,<NOTE PLACE="marg">How di&s;tin|gui&s;hed in the Deity.</NOTE> though relating to each other. The incommunicable relative property of the fir&s;t per&s;on, the Father, is to be of him&s;elf, unbegotten, and to beget his natural onely Son: the relative incommunicable property of the &s;econd per|&s;on, the Son, is to be (though he is God of him&s;elf, yet as the Son) begotten of the Father: the relative incommuni|cable property of the third per&s;on, the holy Gho&s;t, is (though he is God of him&s;elf, yet as the Spirit) to proceed from the Father, and from the Son. And hence I argue for the holy Gho&s;t his being a per&s;on.</P>
<P>If the holy Spirit be di&s;tingui&s;hed from the Father, and from the Son, by his ineffable maner of being, or by his relative incommunicable property of &s;ub&s;i&s;ting in the God|head, then he is one of the divine per&s;ons.</P>
<P>But the holy Spirit is di&s;tingui&s;hed from the Father, and from the Son, by his ineffable maner of being, or by his re|lative incommunicable property of &s;ub&s;i&s;ting in the God|head: Therefore he is one of the divine per&s;ons.</P>
<P>That the holy Spirit is di&s;tingui&s;hed by his ineffable ma|ner of being, and relative incommunicable property of &s;ub|&s;i&s;ting in the God-head, is clear from that one Scripture (among others above cited) <HI>John</HI> 15. 26. In the&s;e words [which proceedeth from the Father] and in many Scri|ptures he is called the Spirit of the Son, and the Spirit of Chri&s;t, and therefore he proceedeth from him al&s;o, and is known thereby to be a di&s;tinct per&s;on from him, and from
<PB N="50" REF="44"> the Father. If any &s;ay, this doctrine of the Trinity is very my&s;terious, make it out by &s;ome &s;imilitude; The Prophet an&s;wereth him, or rather the holy Gho&s;t by the Prophet, <HI>I&s;a</HI> 40. 18. To whom will ye liken God? or what likene&s;s will ye compare unto him? or, we may in allu&s;ion thereunto &s;ay, Who &s;hall compare the e&s;&s;ence of the Creator, to the e&s;&s;ence of the creature; and who &s;hall liken the divine per&s;ons, with the humane? or the humane unto the divine? I &s;hall onely, to clear out what hath been &s;aid of the holy Gho&s;ts per&s;onality, adde this argument.</P>
<P>If tho&s;e actions are properly attributed to the holy Gho&s;t which are proper to a per&s;on, then he is a per&s;on.</P>
<P>But tho&s;e actions are properly attributed to the holy Gho&s;t which are proper to a per&s;on; therefore he is a per|&s;on. I &s;hall mention but &s;ome (of many) actions properly attributed to the holy Gho&s;t; as 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 12. 11. all the&s;e worketh that one and &s;elf &s;ame Spirit, dividing to every man &s;everally as he will. Here the Spirit is de&s;cribed, not as a motion or operation, but as a per&s;on properly acting, willing, working. <HI>Act.</HI> 20. 28. he is &s;aid to con&s;titute elders or make over&s;eers over the Church, the flock of God; <HI>Luke</HI> 12. 12. to teach, <HI>John</HI> 16. 8. to convince, <HI>Acts</HI> 13. 2. to call, and <HI>ver.</HI> 4. to &s;end forth <HI>Barnabas</HI> and <HI>Saul, Act.</HI> 2. 4. to give utterance: and that very action which <HI>R. F.</HI> granteth to the Spirit, of <HI>dwelling in the Saints,</HI> is &s;o far from di&s;proving him to be a per&s;on (for which end he pro|duceth it) as it clearly proves him to be one. For how doth he dwell in the Saints? not per&s;onally, yet properly (more then by way of operation) as a owner, or inhabitant in his hou&s;e; as a God, and as a Lord in his Temple: this per&s;on dwels in the Saints, though not per&s;onally, yet my&s;tically and in a true &s;piritual way of inhabitation. 1 <HI>Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spi|rit of God dwelleth in you?</HI> And do we-know that, and &s;hall we not know, and acknowledge him a per&s;on, and a per&s;on of note and eminency? <HI>He is not a Per&s;on,</HI> &s;aith <HI>R. F. but he dwelleth in per&s;ons.</HI> If that be a rea&s;on why the holy Gho&s;t is no per&s;on, the Father (with this corrupt rea&s;on) mu&s;t be no per&s;on, nor the Son any (who yet have the very
<PB N="51" REF="44"> title given them, <HI>Heb.</HI> 1. 3. Chri&s;t the expre&s;s image of the Fathers per&s;on) for the Father dwelleth in the Saints, and the Son al&s;o, <HI>John</HI> 14. 21. what have we next to make out <HI>R. E.</HI> his &s;en&s;e? [<HI>he dwelleth in per&s;ons or bodies of Saints</HI>] It &s;eems he accounts none to be per&s;ons but tho&s;e that have bodies. Why bea&s;ts have bodies, yet are no per|&s;ons, and Angels are per&s;ons &s;piritual, immaterial crea|tures <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> &s;ub&s;i&s;ting by them&s;elves, (though not of them&s;elves, as not any creature doth thus &s;ub&s;i&s;t) although they have no bodies of fle&s;h and bones, <HI>Luke</HI> 24. 39. as men have: nor is the body of a Saint the per&s;on of a Saint, as he is a man, but a part of it (his per&s;on or <HI>&s;uppo&s;itum</HI> con&s;i&s;ting of body and &s;oul) and of &s;uch a compo&s;ition is every humane per&s;on; but a divine per&s;on in the God-head, and in parti|cular the holy Gho&s;t (of whom I have briefly &s;poken for <HI>R. F.</HI> his conviction, or for others con&s;olation, as informa|tion) is no <HI>compo&s;itum</HI> or <HI>third thing</HI> made up of other things different from the E&s;&s;ence, yet is he di&s;tingui&s;hed, by his maner of &s;ub&s;i&s;ting (as hath been &s;hewed.) To little purpo&s;e, doth <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 8.</NOTE> conclude this &s;ubject with that Scri|pture, 2 <HI>John, ver. 9. He that abideth in the doctrine of Chri&s;t, hath both the Father and the Son,</HI> but again&s;t him&s;elf, for as<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 2. 23.</NOTE> <HI>who&s;oever denyeth the Son, the &s;ame hath not the Father;</HI> &s;o, he that denyeth the holy Gho&s;t, in that maner as <HI>R. F.</HI> hath done, abideth not in the doctrine of Chri&s;t, and hath nei|ther the Father nor the Son. Let him well con&s;ider, that the holy Gho&s;t dwelleth in the &s;ouls of Saints as well as in their bodies, let him beware of conceiving him (with <HI>Samo&s;ate|nus</HI>) onely to be that <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> un-per&s;onal energy, or operation which is in believers, And let him be far from putting the Believer in the room of the Spirit, or from making no more of the Spirit of God, then the believing &s;oul in the bodies of the Saints, for this were to turn the glory of the Crea|tor unto the Creature.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="head">
<PB N="52" REF="45">
<HEAD>(3. Head of Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning the light within them, and all men.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="8" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 8.</HEAD>
<P>IN this Section, I had noted what they &s;ay about a light that Chri&s;t hath purcha&s;ed for every man, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Warning to <HI>Underbarrow</HI> by <HI>Ed. Bur|rough</HI> pag. 4.</NOTE> <HI>which leads to the Father.</HI> The&s;e la&s;t words [which lead to the Fa|ther] (as may appear by the <HI>A&s;terisk,</HI> or note of reference like a Star [<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Pag. 8.</NOTE>] between [man] and [which], I onely ob&s;erved as <HI>Edward Burroughs</HI> words, <HI>R. F.</HI> * in an&s;wer hath three things.</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>Chri&s;t is the way to the Father, John 14. 6. as Ed. Bur.</HI> &s;aith.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> This <HI>Ed. Bur.</HI> and he may affirm, with us, agreeable to the Scripture, and yet contradict the Scriptures in &s;aying <HI>that Chri&s;t is in every man,</HI> or, <HI>that the light in every man</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Light of a Deity in eve|ry man, no redemption|light.</NOTE> <HI>leads to the Father.</HI> Chri&s;t God, or as God, is in every man, and a &s;park of his God-head light is in every man, but there is not in every man that Redemption-light which leads to the Father, as a Father, reconciling &s;inners to him&s;elf in Chri&s;t as Mediator; nor is Chri&s;t given to every man, as a Mediator to lead to the Father; nor doth Chri&s;t give to every man that light which leads him to the Father.</P>
<P N="2">2. Saith <HI>R. F. There is not &s;uch a word as [purcha&s;ed] in that page of E. B.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Nor did I &s;ay there was the word [purcha&s;ed] in that or any other page of his book, yet I have had that ex|pre&s;&s;ion from others of their judgement in this particular, concerning every mans light.</P>
<P N="2">2. If every mans light leads unto the Father [<HI>effectiv&egrave;</HI>] &s;o as to bring him into reconciliation and communion with the Father, it is effectual light which warms and works the heart to the love of it: But &s;o doth not the light [in every man] and therefore de&s;erves not the name of [purcha&s;ed light.]</P>
<P N="3"><PB N="53" REF="45">3. I received this pa&s;&s;age <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">In a Letter.</NOTE> lately from a godly Preacher in <HI>Scotland,</HI> and ob&s;erver of their new vented Doctrines, <HI>That he hath often wondred at one Expre&s;sion of theirs, and what they &s;hould mean by it,</HI> viz. That the Elect cannot, nor never did &s;in. <HI>But of late one of them re&s;olved the doubt,</HI> viz. That the Elect is the Light within, that Chri&s;t purcha&s;ed for every one. Sometimes it appears, they make the Light within every man, to be Chri&s;t, <HI>which is the Savior and Re|deemer of him that loveth it,</HI> as <HI>Ed. Burrough</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Warning, &amp;c. pag. 14.</NOTE> expre&s;&s;eth him&s;elf. Sometime, <HI>the Elect,</HI> as this man in <HI>Scotland;</HI> &s;ometime one thing, &s;ometime another, that at la&s;t it will be found but an Idol of their own brain and fancy.</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>R. F.</HI> for eva&s;ion runs to <HI>John 1. 9. Chri&s;t is the true light, that enlightneth every man that cometh into the world.</HI> Therefore, <HI>If thou &s;ay the contrary, the Scriptures thou therein contradicte&s;t (and not he) take notice of that; and with|al, that Chri&s;t is the Light of the world, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. That Chri&s;t is the true Light, is a very truth, and that he is the Light of the world, <HI>John</HI> 8. 12. and gives the<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 8. 12. opened.</NOTE> light of life, or quickning &s;alvation-light, to all his believing followers, is thankfully acknowledged; but they that con|found the Light-giver with the Light, or Enlightning given, deceive them&s;elves and others that hearken to them.</P>
<P N="2">2. He that takes <HI>John</HI> 1. 9. in &s;uch a &s;en&s;e, as if every<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 1. 9, vindicated, and opened, with the Con|text.</NOTE> man had the Light Chri&s;t, as Mediator and Salvation|light, under&s;tands it in a &s;en&s;e contradictious to other Scri|ptures; <HI>viz. Col. 1. 26. [Hid from ages] Rom. 16. 25. [Kept &s;ecret]</HI> whence I argue,
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>That which was hid from ages pa&s;t, and kept &s;ecret from the mo&s;t of men, (even from all Nations but the Jews) that every man had not light into;</ITEM>
<ITEM>But the Light of Chri&s;t as Mediator, or the Go&s;pel and preaching of Chri&s;t was hid from Ages, and kept &s;ecret from the mo&s;t of men:</ITEM>
<ITEM>Therefore, every man hath not had Light into it, nor about it.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>And hence it appears, that the &s;en&s;e put upon <HI>John</HI> 1. 9. is|fal&s;e, as if it were Salvation-light that <HI>John</HI> &s;peaketh of there, (which is given but to &s;ome part of mankinde &s;ince
<PB N="54" REF="46"> the Go&s;pel came among the Gentiles) when as he onely in that Ver&s;e expre&s;ly in&s;tanceth in a lightning of every man that cometh into the world, in any Age of the world what|&s;oever, (pa&s;t and preceding Chri&s;ts Incarnation, as &s;ub&s;e|quent and pre&s;ent) with the &s;parkling light of a Deity; which Deity, or God-head, <HI>John</HI> is proving to be in Chri&s;t, as in the Father.</P>
<P N="3">3. That &s;en&s;e of <HI>John</HI> 1. 9. which is beyond the Evange|li&s;ts &s;cope, from the fir&s;t Ver&s;e of that Chapter to the tenth Ver&s;e, is contradictious to the Text in controver&s;ie and un|der debate. The direct &s;cope of that former part of the<NOTE PLACE="marg">The God|head of Chri&s;t a&s;&s;erted by Scripture ar|guments.</NOTE> Chapter, is to a&s;&s;ert and prove Chri&s;t to be God.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. <HI>[Ver. 1. In the beginning was the word] i. e.</HI> the Son of God; therefore he was before the beginning, even from eternity. He was in the fir&s;t moment of time, when time, place, and creation, and things in time and place began; therefore he was before time, and place, and things, and therefore he is God.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. He [<HI>the word was with God</HI>] di&s;tinct in per&s;onal &s;ub|&s;i&s;tence from the Father, yet exi&s;ting in the Father, therefore he was God.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. [<HI>Ver.</HI> 2, and 3. He being <HI>in the beginning with God, all things were made by him, &amp;c.</HI>] therefore he is God.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> 4. [<HI>Ver. 4. In him was life,</HI> and <HI>the life</HI> in him which he hath of him&s;elf, <HI>was the light of men;</HI> (as men and rea&s;on|able creatures, their life lieth in their rea&s;onable faculty, which di&s;tingui&s;heth them from bea&s;ts) The <HI>Word</HI> was the author and giver of this their Light of Rea&s;on, which makes them live as men among men; (the u&s;e whereof, if but &s;u&s;pended, renders them, with <HI>Nebuchadnezzar,</HI> com|panions for bea&s;ts) therefore the <HI>Word</HI> is God.</P>
<P>But it might be &s;aid, If the <HI>Word</HI> be God, how comes it that all men know him not to be God?</P>
<P>[<HI>V.</HI> 5. 'tis preventingly an&s;wered, <HI>The light &s;hineth in dark|ne&s;s, and the darkne&s;s comprehended it not] i. e.</HI> The Light|giver &s;hineth by the Light given back, &s;ince the fall, into mens dark corrupt mindes; but they are unable to ri&s;e &s;o high, as to the knowledge of Chri&s;ts God-head: (all crea|tion-light being much ob&s;cured and darkned, even about
<PB N="55" REF="46"> the creatures, &s;ince &s;in came into the world, much more con|cerning <HI>Jehovah-Elohim,</HI> one God and three per&s;ons) but as he is revealed in the Scriptures; and yet there, even the Jews under&s;tood but little of him as God. Hereupon, [<HI>Ver. 6. There was a man &s;ent from God who&s;e name was John</HI>] the Bapti&s;t. [<HI>Ver. 7. The &s;ame came to bear witne&s;s of that light] i. e.</HI> Chri&s;t-God the Light-giver, [<HI>that all men through him might believe</HI>] that which their rea&s;ons could not reach nor attain unto, by the Light given to all men after the fall. [<HI>Ver. 8. He, John</HI> the Bapti&s;t, <HI>was not that light, but was &s;ent to bear witne&s;s of that light</HI>] and the witne&s;s he gave of him was partly this; He is mightier then I, <HI>Mat.</HI> 3. 11. He is preferred before me, for he was before me, <HI>John</HI> 1. 30. And the Jews knowing that <HI>John</HI> the <HI>Bapti&s;t</HI> was conceived and born before Chri&s;t, the Te&s;timony of that <HI>John</HI> mu&s;t amount to this, That Chri&s;t was in being [as God] before he (or <HI>John</HI> either) was in being [as man] therefore by this, as by a fifth Argument, the Evangeli&s;t <HI>John</HI> calls men to be|lieve Chri&s;ts God-head.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> Now in <HI>Ver.</HI> 9. (to which I have led my Reader a|long) he re-a&s;umeth the Argument of the fourth Ver&s;e &s;till with the former &s;cope, to a&s;&s;ert the afore&s;aid Divine na|ture of the <HI>Word: [That was the true light, which lighteth every man.] John</HI> the Bapti&s;t was a burning and a &s;hining light, and brought true light, but he had onely a borrowed light, <HI>Chri&s;t was the true light *, i. e.</HI> e&s;&s;entially, and primi|tively<NOTE PLACE="marg">Quae ver&egrave; &amp; propri&egrave; mere|tur lucis no|men, quum na|tur&acirc; luceat, non participatione. 6.</NOTE> of him&s;elf, he derived it not from others, as meer crea|tures do; and hence may be founded a &s;ixth Argument for his Deity.
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>He who hath Light, and is Light originally and all-&s;uffi|ciently of him&s;elf, is God; (for no more can be &s;aid of God, then, as 1 <HI>John</HI> 1. 5. that he is Light, ab&s;olute Light of him&s;elf, and in him is no darkne&s;s at all)</ITEM>
<ITEM>But Chri&s;t hath Light, and is Light of him&s;elf originally, all-&s;ufficiently, ab&s;olutely, being the true Light:</ITEM>
<ITEM>Therefore he is God.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>But as I &s;aid, the Argument of the fourth Ver&s;e is ta|ken up again in the latter and large&s;t part of this ninth Ver&s;e.
<PB N="56" REF="47">
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>He that giveth light to every man that cometh into the world, mu&s;t needs be greater then all lights, in him|&s;elf, and of him&s;elf;</ITEM>
<ITEM>But Chri&s;t doth thus:</ITEM>
<ITEM>Therefore, he is what he is, the very God, and original or eternal Light (with the Father and Spirit) ble&s;&s;ed for ever.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>But what light doth he give unto <HI>every man?</HI> may &s;ome &s;ay.</P>
<P N="1">I an&s;wer, 1. He was not bound, as God offended after the fall, to give any at all, of any &s;ort or kinde; (what&s;o|ever <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith el&s;ewhere, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Light out of darkne&s;s, p. 19</NOTE> <HI>None &s;hall be condemned for that which they know not</HI>) he might have condemned all, as &s;ome, for lo&s;ing their light which once they had in <HI>Adam.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. What light he gives to every man without exception &s;ince the fall, was never obeyed to the full by any man, and hath rendred men the more inexcu&s;able, <HI>Rom.</HI> 1. 19. 20.</P>
<P N="3">3. That place in the <HI>Romans</HI> an&s;wers the Que&s;tion di|rectly, together with the fourth Ver&s;e of this fir&s;t Chapter of <HI>John. The lighting of every man,</HI> is with the candle-light of natural under&s;tanding, to impower them to behold that which may be known of God, in and by the creation; where the invi&s;ible things of his eternal power and God|head, are clearly &s;een, being under&s;tood by the things that are made. And every man hath this common benefit from Chri&s;t, as he is the Creator of their &s;ouls, and doth, with a reprieve of their &s;ouls out of hell, give them back this pri|viledge of humane Rea&s;on, as they are his creatures. But do they (even every man thus endued with a light of rea|&s;onable creatures, as &s;uch) hereby under&s;tand Chri&s;ts God|head, or that he is God?</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="7">[<HI>Ver.</HI> 10. It followeth as a new Argument in the former part of it, <HI>He was in the world</HI>] according to his Divine e&s;&s;ence, general pre&s;ence, and providential power, govern|ing and &s;u&s;taining all things by the word of his power, <HI>Heb.</HI> 1. 3. and therefore is God. But the latter part of the Ver&s;e with 11, 12. gives an&s;wer to the que&s;tion even now mentioned. The whole world (which Chri&s;t made, and was in (before his Incarnation, as now he is) to rule and pre|&s;erve) con&s;i&s;ts of Jews and Gentiles: The Gentiles mo&s;t
<PB N="57" REF="47"> commonly in Scripture are called the world, and the Jews Gods people; Chri&s;t <HI>then</HI> being in the world, <HI>the world, i. e.</HI> the Gentiles, <HI>knew him not.</HI> But [<HI>Ver. 11. He came] i. e.</HI> by Types, Figures, Sacrifices, Prophets, Scriptures, [<HI>unto his own</HI>] the Jews of his own nation, and account is given of them two ways; &s;ome di&s;owned him, were &s;trangers to him, [<HI>and his own;</HI>] the generality of the Jewi&s;h nation in all Ages before he came in the fle&s;h, as &s;ince [<HI>received him not</HI>] for God, or as the Son of God: (Thus far the world before Chri&s;t, will be convinced another day of their igno|rance, o&s;citancy, and neglect of Chri&s;ts God-head; much more the Jews, not under&s;tanding, nor owning him to be their Creator, who gave them their natural being, life and light; and mo&s;t of all, they who have had the Go&s;pel, and yet deny him to be God.) [<HI>But</HI> Ver. 12. <HI>as many</HI>] of the Jews fir&s;t, and that before his coming in the fle&s;h, as well as &s;ince, [<HI>as received him, or believed on his Name] i. e.</HI> his Per&s;on, Worth, and Dignity, as the natural Son of God, equal with God, and the very God, [<HI>to them he gave power,</HI>] right, priviledge, and dignity [<HI>to become the</HI> (adopted) <HI>&s;ons of God.</HI>]</P>
<P>A que&s;tion yet might be put, How came &s;ome to know, receive, believe on Chri&s;t, and become the &s;ons of God, others not, when every man had a light? <HI>ver.</HI> 9.</P>
<P>The an&s;wer is both general and &s;pecial, <HI>ver.</HI> 13. Gene|rally take it thus, [<HI>Who were born</HI>] they were born belie|vers, and they were born the children of God, as well as adopted to be &s;o; but how?</P>
<P N="1">In &s;pecial the an&s;wer is 1. Negatively, and that three ways.</P>
<P N="1">1. [<HI>Not of blood</HI>] they became not believers and the &s;ons of God, by the fir&s;t birth, which is of the blood and &s;eed of earthly parents, no though the blood, parentage, and de&s;cent be never &s;o noble and royal.</P>
<P N="2">2. [<HI>Nor of the will of the fle&s;h</HI>] that is, Their new &s;e|cond birth is not an extract or product of corrupted na|ture; the will of the fle&s;h is rebellion, and the wi&s;dom of the fle&s;h, enmity again&s;t God and grace.</P>
<P N="3">3. [<HI>Nor of the will of man] i. e.</HI> Not of the power of that natural faculty, the Will, nor of mans choice or di|rection,
<PB N="58" REF="48"> who &s;hould believe, and be Gods children, who not; and therefore, not from that free arbitrament and umpirage of mans Rea&s;on and Will together, nor from the <HI>light which every man hath,</HI> which is a low common be|nefit to this, and is no drop of this immortal &s;eed.</P>
<P N="2">2. Affirmatively, [<HI>But of God</HI>] his own will, power, and good plea&s;ure.</P>
<P>All this time the Evangeli&s;t having proved Chri&s;ts Deity again&s;t <HI>Ebion, Cerinthus,</HI> and their followers, who denied it; then proceeds he <HI>Ver.</HI> 14. to a&s;&s;ert and prove his Humani|ty, and yet hath one pa&s;&s;age more of his Deity in the &s;ame Ver&s;e: [<HI>And the word,</HI> &s;aith <HI>John, was made fle&s;h.</HI>] He that was God in the &s;econd per&s;on, a&s;&s;umed the truth and &s;ub|&s;tance of the humane nature into the Unity of his per&s;on, and [<HI>dwelt among us</HI>] in that tabernacle of his fle&s;h, and [<HI>we</HI>] (who received of his fulne&s;s, and grace for grace, <HI>ver.</HI> 16.) [<HI>beheld</HI>] through the lanthorn, as it were, of his Humanity [<HI>his glory, the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father;</HI>] the glory of the fulne&s;s of the God-head dwelling in him bodily, as <HI>Col. 2. 9. i. e.</HI> really, per&s;onally, and to vi&s;ible manife&s;tation. This is a light indeed, which the di|&s;ciples had, that leads to the Father; the light of Chri&s;t as Mediator, which now he &s;peaks of: For Chri&s;t, as Media|tor, is a Mediator in both Natures; and though he that is Mediator, giveth the light that every man hath, yet he nei|ther gives that which every man hath, as Mediator; nor is the light which every man hath, light about his Mediation. <HI>R. F.</HI> would have it &s;o, and &s;o would others; but their Wills, as their Judgements, are as over-thwarting to the the will of God, and judgement of the Scriptures, as <HI>R. F.</HI> is in his Expo&s;ition of other Scriptures (with <HI>John</HI> 1. 9.) touching the <HI>Light in every man,</HI> as will further appear in the following Section.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="9" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 9.</HEAD>
<P>I Charged them here with magnifying the <HI>Light within them</HI> (and which every man hath, which is no more then the light of natural Con&s;cience, or that which &s;ome men
<PB N="59" REF="48"> have under the Go&s;pel, but a common enlightning) above the light of Scripture; and equal with the choice&s;t light [for kinde] that Chri&s;t or his Spirit gives unto the Saints. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Pag. 8.</NOTE> &s;hifts it off with telling us, That they <HI>do magnifie the Lord, as Mary did, Luke</HI> 1. whereas the ble&s;&s;ed Virgin ma|gnified the Lord, and rejoyced in him, for peculiar favor to her &s;elf, and for &s;pecial mercy to his cho&s;en I&s;rael, all along her Song.</P>
<P>Again, he throws dirt in my face, [<HI>Thou al&s;o contradicts thy &s;elf, and lies again&s;t Chri&s;t the true Light, calling him natural and common; and lies of &s;uch as witne&s;s Chri&s;t, and the Light of his Spirit, and according to the declaration of the Scriptures.</HI>]</P>
<P N="1"><HI>Rep</HI> 1. As to any &s;elf-contradiction of mine, he di&s;covers none, nor will it be found by any &s;ober and judicious Rea|der, and of things that are not, and that do not appear, there is the &s;ame rea&s;on and bottom.</P>
<P N="2">2. As for my lye again&s;t Chri&s;t the <HI>true light,</HI> calling <HI>him</HI> natural and common, I am confident every faithful unpre|judiced per&s;on, will turn it over to <HI>R. F.</HI> and lay it at his door. For I onely called the light which every man hath, <HI>natural;</HI> and the light which &s;ome men have under the Go|&s;pel, <HI>but common;</HI> I called not <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> the <HI>true light</HI> &s;o: For although Chri&s;t, as God, gives natural light to all, and common enlightning to &s;ome men, (of which, <HI>Heb.</HI> 6. 4. &s;ome men have it who never had &s;pecial &s;anctified light) yet he is not to be called or accounted as low, as &s;ome of his work|ings are. But we honor, adore, and magnifie him, as God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t and the Spirit above his gifts</NOTE> who worketh but &s;uch common works, though we put them not into his own place, nor lift up that natural or common light into the room of a Savior.</P>
<P N="3">3. He that witne&s;&s;eth not Chri&s;t and the light of the Spirit (of which witne&s;&s;ing he boa&s;teth) above the natu|ral light which is given to every man, and above the com|mon light (though &s;upernatural) which is given to &s;ome men, doth not witne&s;s Chri&s;t and the light of the Spirit home and clo&s;e according to the Scriptures. Chri&s;t, as Chri&s;t, the Lords anointed, anointed above his fellows, is above all his gifts which he be&s;toweth on men, not onely
<PB N="60" REF="49"> as he is God, <HI>viz.</HI> natural and common gifts; but as he is Chri&s;t, <HI>viz.</HI> peculiar and &s;aving gifts: And the light of the Spirit, is either that which he is e&s;&s;entially with the Father and Son, which is above all created and conferred light, as high as God is above the creature; or that which he gives: now the light which the Spirit giveth, he giveth in a com|mon, or in a &s;aving way. There are but natural and com|mon in&s;tincts, and lightnings of the Spirit; and there are &s;pecial; peculiar, and &s;anctifying. The God-head and per|&s;on of the Spirit, is more above all the&s;e his gifts, then the heavens are above the earth. This is to witne&s;s Chri&s;t and the Spirit according to the Scriptures. What light <HI>R. F.</HI> hath about the Spirit, the Reader may di&s;cern by what pa&s;t before in the &s;eventh Section.</P>
<P>But to make good my Charge at the entrance of this, I noted from <HI>G. Fox,</HI> that &s;peaking of <HI>every mans light,</HI> he tells all that would know the way, <HI>This is the true teacher; and the Light within is life, the Light in Scripture is death.</HI> Contrary as I &s;aid to <HI>Ephe&s;. 5. 8. Jer. 10. 14. &amp;c.</HI> For,</P>
<P N="1">1. Grant there is &s;ome truth in every mans light, or as<NOTE PLACE="marg">Vniver&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">l light teacheth not the way of &s;alvation.</NOTE> <HI>Rom.</HI> 1. 8. it could not be impri&s;oned, yet it is not the teacher of &s;aving truths. That which is but every mans light, teacheth the true way to life, by a mans own works; but it teacheth nothing of the way, truth, and life, that is, of Je&s;us Chri&s;t dying for &s;inners. The Ephe&s;ians and all the Gen|tiles were left in the dark for all that natural teaching, and the Jews and every man left in a bruti&s;h ca&s;e, notwith&s;tand|ing their natural wi&s;dom; I &s;ay bruti&s;h, with that Scripture in <HI>Jeremy,</HI> becau&s;e the brute bea&s;ts are not more below the natural rea&s;on of man, then the natural minde and rea&s;on of every man is below the light of the new creature.</P>
<P N="2">2. Grant again, (as I did in my former piece) that the light of the Scripture-law, and bare Commandment, is death, &s;entencing the tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors of it to death, yet there is another kinde of light mentioned, revealed) promi&s;ed, and &s;hining forth in the Scripture, called the light of the glorious Go&s;pel, and Salvation-light; which if it be always <HI>death</HI> to <HI>G. F.</HI> or <HI>R. F.</HI> it is becau&s;e they are among them that peri&s;h.</P>
<PB N="61" REF="49">
<P>All that <HI>R. F.</HI> in defence of <HI>George Fox</HI> returns me, is, [<HI>Where thou art offended at him for &s;aying the Light of Chri&s;t is life, it is but to manife&s;t thy envy again&s;t the truth, and thy contradictions to the Scriptures; for the Scripture &s;aith, Chri&s;t is the light,</HI> John 1. 9. <HI>And he is the life,</HI> John 14. <HI>And &s;uch as follow him the true light, are led out of darkne&s;s, (error and deceit) into the light of life,</HI> John 8. 12.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I was offended at <HI>G. F.</HI> and am now at <HI>R. F.</HI> for defending the offence, which is this, <HI>That the light within</HI> (every man) is &s;aid to be life, in oppo&s;ition to the light in the Scriptures, which he calls <HI>death;</HI> whereas there is no light to bring men to life and glory, but it is taught in the Scriptures.</P>
<P N="2">2. The light given to all men, <HI>John</HI> 1. 4, and 9. (as I &s;aid above) is indeed the pre&s;ent life of rational creatures, and among men, but what is that to the life of communion with God in grace and glory?</P>
<P N="3">3. The light of life, or Salvation by Chri&s;t a Mediator, to lead &s;uch as (by grace) follow him, out of darkne&s;s, is not known by the remnants of the old creation-light, much le&s;s can that old creation-light lead into the redeeming|light of life, although men follow it never &s;o clo&s;e and hard at the heels.</P>
<P N="4">4. To equal every mans light (as if it were for kinde the &s;ame) with the choice&s;t light of the Saints, is to contradict the Scriptures.</P>
<P N="1">1. This do all of the Sect. And 2. this doth <HI>R. F.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. The mouth of them all may be heard &s;peak in one Pamphlet <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">To all that would know the way to the kingdom. Printed <HI>Anno</HI> 1655. pag. 17.</NOTE> to this purpo&s;e. They will not endure the di|&s;tinction of Natural, and Spiritual, and Special. <HI>Produce one Scripture,</HI> &s;ay they, <HI>that &s;peaks of a Natural light.</HI> I can give them two or three, if it may do them any good, <HI>Rom. 1. 21. [When they knew God.] Rom. 2. 14, 15. [They do by nature the things contained in the law,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>Which &s;hew the effect of the law Written in their hearts.] Jude ver&s;e 10. [What they know naturally.]</HI> Here is the natural light given to every man; more or le&s;s; this is the light in every mans con&s;cience, which is but Natural, though they will not have it &s;o called; but we will call a Spade a Spade, and no more:
<PB N="62" REF="50"> It &s;hall not be &s;et off for Free Grace, and the Saints Teach|er, and &s;ufficient to lead to &s;alvation, &amp;c. Yet to this ef|fect will they in&s;truct the people, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Pag 8. as above</NOTE> <HI>To you that tempt God, and &s;ay, Lord, give us a &s;ight of our &s;ins, you need not tempt God, to give you a &s;ight of your &s;ins, for ye know enough, &amp;c.</HI> Praying to have more light then what every man hath with them, is tempting of God; and other light then that it &s;eems they know none, or why mu&s;t men &s;tand &s;till there, and &s;eek no further.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>R. F.</HI> in another Pamphlet <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Light ri&s;en out of dark|ne&s;s, pag. 19.</NOTE> hath this pa&s;&s;age, <HI>And here you lie, ye proud Prie&s;ts, that &s;ay the Apo&s;tle did not &s;ay to every man,</HI> [Col. 1. 27.] <HI>That Chri&s;t, or the Light, was in them; for</HI> ver. 28. <HI>it's added, Whom we preach, warning</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col 1. 27, 28. vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>every man, and teaching every man.</HI> Here he would level the light of the Saints with every mans light, and with Chri&s;ts per&s;on al&s;o: Whereas,</P>
<P N="1">1. When the Apo&s;tle &s;aith, He warneth every man, he doth not &s;peak of every man that cometh into the world; for never did every man live in one Age, nor did <HI>Paul</HI> meet with half the men of the world in that Age.</P>
<P N="2">2. The phra&s;e [<HI>every man</HI>] in that place mu&s;t be inter|preted by the 26 and 27 <HI>ver&s;es,</HI> [every <HI>&s;uch</HI> man] as is a Saint (in one place and another where he came) not yet per|fect, (except in Ju&s;tification) that he may be pre&s;ented per|fect in Chri&s;t Je&s;us in holine&s;s.</P>
<P N="3">3. Chri&s;ts per&s;on, with and by his Spirit, dwelleth in every Saint, with a light that never was given to every man that cometh into the world, nor ever will be given.</P>
<P N="4">4. Though <HI>Paul</HI> preached to the world unconverted, as well as to the Saints, yet it was to bring them (who were of Gods election) among the Saints, that they might be par|takers of that my&s;terious light which they knew nothing of before. But <HI>R. F.</HI> thinks if the Scripture make mention of [every man] it mu&s;t needs include every man, that is, was, or will be in the world; therefore he addeth, (in the above|mentioned Pamphlet) <HI>The Apo&s;tle &s;aith to the</HI> Romans, <HI>That as well as to them, God hath given to every man a mea&s;ure of grace,</HI> Rom. 12. 3. <HI>And none &s;hall be condemned for that</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12 3. vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>which they know not, but for that which they know, and do not obey.</HI> Whereas here,</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="63" REF="50">1. By [every man] is not meant every man that cometh into the world, but that cometh into the Church, or com|pany of Saints; or, whether in or out of the Church yet, maketh profe&s;&s;ion of Faith, and hath received &s;ome &s;uper|natural gifts in mea&s;ure.</P>
<P N="2">2. It is a <HI>mea&s;ure of faith</HI> the Apo&s;tle &s;peaketh of, not a mea&s;ure of grace. Faith may be taken there for knowledge of Go&s;pel-doctrine, and gifts flowing from that knowledge which may be in men, that are not truly &s;anctified, or en|dued with &s;aving grace. 2 <HI>The&s;. 3. 2. All men have not</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s; 3. 2. opened.</NOTE> <HI>faith,</HI> not &s;o much as knowledge of the Go&s;pel-letter, nor the general a&s;&s;ent to Go&s;pel-truth, as very Go&s;pel; much le&s;s that ju&s;tifying faith which onely the Elect have.</P>
<P N="3">3. Every man that cometh into the world hath not that which is termed, and is [but] common (though &s;upernatu|ral) grace, <HI>i. e.</HI> gifts freely given in common to Hypocrites and Formali&s;ts, as to the Elect, and effectually called of Je|&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="4">4. Every man, that neither hath true &s;aving grace, nor ever lived in times and places when and where God hath given common &s;upernatural endowments, will have enough to condemn him, for that which he had in <HI>Adams</HI> loins yet &s;tanding; and particularly for that which he knew in him, but lo&s;t, yea, put it away by his voluntary di&s;obedience, in whom all have &s;inned, <HI>Rom.</HI> 5. 12. Be&s;ides, for not obeying<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 12. opened.</NOTE> that which he knows of God, of good and evil, as natural con&s;cience dictates for God. Every man, who hath but every mans light, will at la&s;t be condemned. <HI>Rom.</HI> 2. 12. For as many as have &s;inned without law, <HI>i. e.</HI> without the writ|ten word, &s;hall al&s;o peri&s;h without law. <HI>i. e.</HI> by the law, wit|ne&s;s, and judgement of their own con&s;ciences, which is that we call the Light of nature, the Law of nature, or natural Light, by good warrant from Scripture, and rea&s;on that things &s;hould be called as they are. But to proceed.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="10" TYPE="section">
<PB N="64" REF="51">
<HEAD>Section 10.</HEAD>
<P>TO call&punc; the light within them, and which every man hath, <HI>the word of God,</HI> as they frequently expre&s;s their natural impre&s;&s;ions; <HI>To you all, this is the word of the Lord,</HI> while as they will not have the holy Scriptures &s;o cal|led: This, as I noted, is &s;till to hold up Contradiction (as to the whole Scripture, &s;o) to that particular place in <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 8. 20. whence I inferred, That <HI>Light without Scri|pture</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 8. 20. further vindi|cated.</NOTE> <HI>is no light.</HI> This pa&s;&s;age <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;tumbleth at in his Epi&s;tle, and &s;aith, <HI>It comes, as the re&s;t of my &s;ayings, from the deceitful Spirit that guides me.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> What doth he le&s;s then fa&s;ten deceit upon the Spirit of God, (as far as he can) the Spirit of truth, who &s;peaks in that, as in all the Scripture, and guided me to write as I did? <HI>If they &s;peak not according to this word</HI> (&s;aith the Spirit there, &s;peaking of the <HI>Law and the Te&s;timony</HI> written in books and tables) <HI>it is becau&s;e there is no light in them.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">How Light without Scri|pture is no Light.</NOTE> What clearer and truer inference, from the words of the Spirit by the Prophet, could I rai&s;e then this? <HI>viz. Light,</HI> though &s;aid to be &s;aving Light, <HI>without Scripture, i. e.</HI> be|&s;ides, or not according to Scripture, <HI>is no Light.</HI> Men may<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>R. F.</HI> His rea|&s;ons to the contrary, in his Epi&s;tle, di&s;&s;olved.</NOTE> call it light, and light of life; but the holy Gho&s;t &s;aith it is not &s;o, if it be not agreeable to Law and Te&s;timony, which is Scripture-light. <HI>R. F.</HI> would fain di&s;prove my inference thus:</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. If light without Scripture be no light, <HI>then I know not the light that was before the Scripture or Letter, and &s;o am ignorant of Chri&s;t the true light.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. It follows not, for there was no light before the Scripture, but what is now revealed in, and by the Scri|pture.</P>
<P N="2">2. It is a learned ignorance to know no more in order to &s;alvation, then that which is in Scripture revealed: The Lord give me, and all his, more of this learning.</P>
<P N="3">3. As the Spirit &s;hews me, by the Scripture, that God did teach the knowledge of Chri&s;t to the Fathers before the Flood, and after, till <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> without a written Word; &s;o I
<PB N="65" REF="51"> know, that all that light which the Patriarchs had concern|ing &s;alvation, and right wor&s;hipping of God through a Me|diator, was according to the Law and Te&s;timony, committed to writing in <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> time and &s;ince.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>R. F.</HI> objecteth, <HI>By &s;uch a &s;aying, [Light without Scri|pture, &amp;c.] I would not have God to be God, and Chri&s;t to be Chri&s;t, without the Letter of the Scripture.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. What an ab&s;urd (that I &s;ay not, malicious) in|con&s;equence is here? 'Tis as if one &s;hould have cavilled again&s;t <HI>I&s;aiah,</HI> when he &s;aid, To the Law and to the Te&s;ti|mony, &amp;c. Why <HI>I&s;aiah,</HI> if there be no light in them that bring not Scripture, and <HI>that</HI> &s;oundly interpreted accord|ing to the Spirits word, thou woulde&s;t not have God to be God, nor Chri&s;t to be Chri&s;t, without the Scripture? The charge of <HI>R. F.</HI> is not again&s;t me, but contradictious to that Prophet, and to the Spirit: For when God gives a written Law, Doctrine, or Rule and Touch&s;tone, to try even Pro|phets and Apo&s;tles Doctrine by; he that &s;hall &s;peak things di&s;crepant from this Canonical Word, &s;peaks (as we &s;ay) without book; without ground or warrant, without, or be&s;ides, and con&s;equently again&s;t the Light of a Rule, and again&s;t the Spirit that gave the Rule.</P>
<P N="2">2. God, who was God from everla&s;ting, and much more before he appointed his minde to be delivered in writing,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 8 20. farther cleared.</NOTE> hath thus given out his minde in that written Text by <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 8. 20. con&s;ult but the ver&s;e before. When they &s;hall &s;ay unto you, &s;eek unto them, that have familiar &s;pirits, &amp;c. &s;hould not a people (Gods people) &s;eek unto their God? where &s;hould they &s;eek him? &s;hould they go to the dead? to damned &s;pirits in men? and to wizards that peep and mut|ter? (as &s;ome now-adays) to &s;eek for the living God? Or, &s;hould they go to the dead, to &s;eek help and advice from them, for, and in behalf of the living? No certainly: whi|ther then? the an&s;wer is clear <HI>v.</HI> 20. To the Law, and to the Te&s;timony, which is Gods written word, and that which is &s;poken according to it: And if they [any that undertake to be &s;peakers, or writers] &s;hall not &s;peak according to this Law and Te&s;timony; it is becau&s;e they have no morning|light in them, it is an evidence they follow the moon-&s;hine
<PB N="66" REF="52"> of their watry-fancies, dark rea&s;onings, and diabolical &s;ug|ge&s;tions; and if there be no light of &s;aving truth in them, there will be no light of comfort or relief which &s;hall &s;hine forth unto them: &s;o that, if any &s;hall come and teach a God whom the Scripture teacheth not, and a Chri&s;t, that the Scripture doth not teach, he &s;peaks lies and darkne&s;s, and nothing el&s;e: yea, if any &s;et up a light again&s;t the light of Scripture, and will not be contented with that, for the &s;ubject matter of it, and reduce all his light unto it, and compare his light with it, to finde out and maintain a har|mony therewith; he &s;ets up Lyes again&s;t the Truth, and in the room of it.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. <HI>R. F.</HI> rea&s;oneth, <HI>If the Scriptures &s;hould be lo&s;t, he would have no God nor Chri&s;t, that would have none without them.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. This needle&s;s &s;uppo&s;ition might be &s;pared; God who hath hitherto pre&s;erved them, will &s;till maintain them while the world &s;tands. <HI>John</HI> 10. 35. The Scripture cannot be broken, and therefore not lo&s;t.</P>
<P N="2">2. In the volume of the Book of Gods Decrees it was determined, there &s;hould be a Scripture; and all &s;hould be written therein, which concerned Chri&s;t, and &s;alvation by him, <HI>Heb.</HI> 10. 7. And,</P>
<P N="3">3. As all that have &s;inned, and &s;hall &s;in again&s;t the Scripture-light, (&s;ince it was given them) &s;hall be judged by it at the la&s;t day, <HI>Rom.</HI> 2. 12, 16. So,</P>
<P N="4">4. All that is contained in the Scripture (which is more then is written in the heart of every fallen &s;on of <HI>Adam,</HI> and more then was written in <HI>Adams</HI> heart before the fall) &s;hall eternally witne&s;s in mens con&s;ciences, both for the joy and comfort of tho&s;e that believe and obey it; and again&s;t tho&s;e that &s;light and contradict it, to their everla&s;ting ter|ror and increa&s;e of torment.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> 4. <HI>To &s;ay</HI> (&s;aith <HI>R. F.) that without Scripture the word of the Lord could not be &s;poken, is to limit the Spirit of God.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. But who &s;aid it? He would make his Reader be|lieve, I &s;aid it, <HI>or to that effect:</HI> But let him that reads us both, ob&s;erve what liberty he takes to note the effect of words, and to pa&s;s by the very words them&s;elves, and yet
<PB N="67" REF="52"> condemns it in others; although, as near as I could, I have every where alledged their very words.</P>
<P N="2">2. That which I &s;aid, the Reader &s;hall finde at the end of this Section, <HI>Pag.</HI> 8. of my Book, <HI>viz. Chri&s;t teacheth us not to know any thing to Salvation, but what is in the Scri|pture-Law and Te&s;timony:</HI> For it is there either in expre&s;s words, or in a true con&s;equential &s;en&s;e; and to keep our &s;elves within the bounds and limits which God hath &s;et us, is not at all to limit Gods Spirit, but our own &s;pirit, which hath need of &s;uch a bit and bridle.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> 5. <HI>R. F.</HI> addes, <HI>If Samuel, Chri&s;t, his Apo&s;tles, and John, might have &s;poken nothing but what was written, they might not have &s;poken much of what they did &s;peak.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. God might have revealed more then is in the Scripture, but he plea&s;ed not &s;o to do.</P>
<P N="2">2. All that <HI>Samuel,</HI> and the Prophets, Chri&s;t and the Apo&s;tles, and <HI>John</HI> the <HI>Revelation</HI> have &s;poken, is written, both according to what was written before, and for &s;ub|&s;tance the &s;ame. As <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> wrote what was delivered to the Patriarchs, and <HI>Samuel</HI> with the Prophets &s;pake, and have left written what <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> wrote; &s;o, Chri&s;t and the Apo&s;tles &s;pake, and have left written what was &s;poken by <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets, <HI>Luke 24. 26, 27. Acts</HI> 3. 22, 23, 24. Let him that readeth under&s;tand. <HI>Rev.</HI> 22. 6. The&s;e &s;ayings are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the <HI>holy Prophets,</HI> &s;ent his Angel to &s;hew unto his &s;ervants the things which mu&s;t &s;hortly be done. Nothing is &s;ignified in the whole Book of the <HI>Revelation,</HI> but, for &s;ub&s;tance, was foretold by <HI>I&s;aiah, Daniel, Zechariah,</HI> and other of Gods holy Prophets, who&s;e writings were extant long before <HI>John</HI> had his Vi&s;ions and Revelations. But <HI>R. F.</HI> will not yet give over.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="6"> 6. <HI>God revealeth the deep things by his Spirit, and teach|eth by his Spirit, and &s;ends forth me&s;&s;engers by his Spirit, and guideth by his Spirit into all truth, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. They do well to run to the Spirit, who have lo&s;t the &s;en&s;e of Scripture, and love to it; but let <HI>R. F.</HI> and others of his way take heed they mi&s;take not Gods Spirit, nor &s;ub&s;titute their own &s;pirit in the room of the Lord, the Spirit.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="68" REF="53">2. The Spirit of the Lord revealeth no deeper things, nor will do to all eternity, then are already wrapt up in the volume of the Scriptures. The Spirits-light and Scripture|light are very harmonious, albeit, the Spirit gives eyes by his own power to &s;ee that light, which the Scripture doth but in&s;trumentally help unto.</P>
<P N="3">3. Such me&s;&s;engers as &s;peak more then is in the Scri|pture, are not &s;ent by Gods Spirit, nor guided by him to what they &s;ay.</P>
<P>Thus I have taken up what <HI>R. F.</HI> hath in his Epi&s;tle, up|on occa&s;ion of my lifting up the Light of Scripture into its due place, above that which is every mans Light; let us review what he hath further in his Book <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 9.</NOTE>, not according to the Title, in vindication of the Scriptures; but in defence of <HI>George Fox,</HI> who calls the <HI>light (of every man</HI>) the <HI>word of God:</HI> but, as I &s;aid before, will not have the Scriptures &s;o called. All the vindication which <HI>R. F.</HI> can give, is re|crimination, in this as in other ca&s;es; <HI>Thou accu&s;e&s;t</HI> G. F. <HI>for &s;aying the light is the word, but it is but to manife&s;t thy further contradictions to the Scripture.</HI> As how? <HI>For the Scripture &s;aith, God is the Light.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I no where finde it &s;o expre&s;t in Scripture-text. The place he quoteth is printed <HI>John</HI> 1. 5. but let the Printer bear the blame, it is likely he intended, 1 <HI>John</HI> 1. 5. there<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 1. 5.</NOTE> indeed 'tis &s;aid expre&s;ly, [<HI>That God is light&punc;</HI>] not [<HI>the light</HI>] in every mans con&s;cience. The light in every man is given of God, but <HI>that light</HI> is not God, nor is God <HI>that light.</HI> God is light, pure ab&s;olute e&s;&s;ential light, knowledge, wi&s;|dom,<NOTE PLACE="marg">How God is light.</NOTE> holine&s;s, and perfectly &s;o of him&s;elf: but the be&s;t light that <HI>G. F.</HI> or <HI>R. F.</HI> or any man hath, or is qualified with, is but created, diffu&s;ed, derived-light. Again, <HI>God is the word,</HI> for which <HI>R. F.</HI> quotes <HI>John</HI> 1. 1. but it is not &s;o expre&s;t by <HI>John;</HI> onely thus, <HI>The word was God:</HI> it's granted he was and is &s;o, what then? Mu&s;t I needs be ignorant of the Scri|ptures, becau&s;e I confound not Father and Son together, as <HI>R. F.</HI> doth in that expe&s;&s;ion of his, and what follows? [<HI>As God is the light and the word, &s;o al&s;o is Chri&s;t,</HI> John 8. 12. Rev. 19. 13. <HI>and the Father and the Son are one.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> How are they one? not in per&s;on, but in nature
<PB N="69" REF="53"> and e&s;&s;ence. The Father is not the Son, the Father is not the <HI>Word,</HI> nor ever &s;o called. Let <HI>R. F.</HI> learn to di&s;tingui&s;h their per&s;ons as clearly, as he would be far from dividing their e&s;&s;ence. But, what if God be light, and Chri&s;t be the true light, and very God with the Father in e&s;&s;ence? and Chri&s;t be al&s;o the word of God, and &s;o called in that, as the word is the image of the minde, &s;o Chri&s;t in his per&s;on is the expre&s;s image of the Fathers per&s;on, <HI>Heb.</HI> 1. 3. Mu&s;t the light in every man, which <HI>G. F.</HI> or <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;peak from, be the word of God, and &s;o called in that &s;en&s;e, as Chri&s;t is the word of God, and &s;o called? not to mention how &s;uch a conceit borders upon bla&s;phemy, this kinde of rea&s;oning is as good and true, as that of <HI>R. F.</HI> Becau&s;e I preach publiquely, therefore I am a Prie&s;t; or becau&s;e I preacht at <HI>Edenburgh</HI> in <HI>Scotland</HI> for a while, therefore I am a <HI>Scotch Prie&s;t;</HI> as he every where calls me at his plea&s;ure, and from his blinde mi&s;takes. But to undeceive the &s;imple, let me clo&s;e this Se|ction<NOTE PLACE="marg">Superadded Conclu&s;ions.</NOTE> with a few brief Corollaries.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. The beams of Chri&s;ts God-head &s;hine upon every man, though not one man in the world knows him to be God, till he findes him in the Scripture.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. The beams of his Mediator&s;hip &s;hine upon &s;uch as have the Scripture, though few there be that finde that nar|row gate, and &s;traight way to life and &s;alvation.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. The light given to every man, is not Chri&s;t in per&s;on, or as Mediator; let people learn to di&s;tingui&s;h between him and his gifts, and between the gifts which he be&s;toweth as God, and tho&s;e which he confers as Mediator.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> 4. The light given to every man, is the law written in the hearts of all, and may in &s;ome &s;en&s;e be called the word<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2. 15.</NOTE> of God, (not Chri&s;t-Mediator, nor Chri&s;t-God) becau&s;e it is a piece of the declaration of Gods will, made perfectly known to <HI>Adam</HI> before the fall.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> 5. The Scriptures are a perfect declaration of the will of God, both in the Legal and in the Go&s;pel-part; and are both truly and more eminently (then the Law fir&s;t written in the heart) called, as they are, the word of God; God giving out his minde to the full, by what is written in the &s;acred Text.</P>
<PB N="70" REF="54">
<P><MILESTONE N="6"> 6. The Lord Chri&s;t, the Eternal Son and E&s;&s;ential Word of the Father, is more in the Scriptures then in every man, or any man. As he is God, all men live, and move, and have their being in him: As he is Mediator, he is in his Church my&s;tical; yet is he more in the Scriptures then in his Saints.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="7"> 7. They have not Chri&s;t Mediator in them, nor abide in his Doctrine, who abide not in the Doctrine of the Scriptures.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="8"> 8. They that &s;peak from the Scriptures, rightly under|&s;tood, &s;peak more from Chri&s;t, then &s;uch who &s;peak from the light within them, and have no fellow&s;hip with the Scriptures, and with them that abide by Scripture-light and Doctrine.</P>
<P>Let <HI>R. F.</HI> and the men of his fellow&s;hip ponder what I &s;ay, and the Lord give all his under&s;tanding in all things.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="11" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 11.</HEAD>
<P>I Had di&s;covered <HI>pag.</HI> 8. of my book in this Section, how they &s;end people to read the Scriptures in the Creatures, as if the Creatures taught us more then the Scriptures, con|trary to <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 19. and to <HI>Solomon</HI> in his <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;tes,</HI> and to <HI>Paul, 1 Cor. 1. 21. R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 9.</NOTE> in an&s;wer tells me, <HI>That book</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>George Fox</HI> his Parables. The Scripture a more excel|lent teacher then the Creatures.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hall witne&s;s for the truth again&s;t thee, and thy generation.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> If I were of the generation of Ranters, he might have cau&s;e to write as he doth; for as I hinted in my Epi|&s;tle before my former piece, <HI>Some of them,</HI> viz. <HI>Quakers,</HI> may haply be rai&s;ed up again&s;t &s;uch, <HI>viz. Ranters,</HI> who have (to their utmo&s;t) extingui&s;ht all common light of nature, and would level all with &s;in and hell: And <HI>G. F.</HI> in his Pa|rables, bends him&s;elf again&s;t men of this hell-begotten brood. But as I own the light of Nature, which Ranters endeavor to put out; and the Light of Scripture, which the men called Quakers (with Ranters) would eclip&s;e: &s;o I ac|knowledge, there is much in the Creatures to be learnt, by way of allu&s;ion; but to prefer that knowledge above the Scripture, as is the &s;cope of <HI>G. F.</HI> I am aver&s;e, and abhor|rent in the ca&s;e. And <HI>R. F.</HI> hath nothing more to &s;ay
<PB N="71" REF="54"> for <HI>G. F.</HI> onely for his own &s;ecurity, he &s;hifts from the Creatures, <HI>viz.</HI> the Heavens, and the Earth, and things contained therein, as parts of the fir&s;t Creation, (of which <HI>G. F.</HI> gave his dictates) to tho&s;e that are <HI>in Chri&s;t, new Creatures, who are Epi&s;tles written in one anothers hearts, &s;een and read in one another that are &s;uch Creatures,</HI> 2 Cor. 3.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Who &s;ees not the mans eva&s;ion, here is blinded with prejudice, or gro&s;s ignorance; for,</P>
<P N="1">1. The Apo&s;tle, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3. 1, 2. &s;peaks not of what is<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 3&punc; 2. vindicated.</NOTE> written in the hearts of all men, who have &s;tony hearts, but in the hearts of Saints, who&s;e hearts are fle&s;hy, or &s;oft, <HI>v.</HI> 3.</P>
<P N="2">2. He &s;ets not forth tho&s;e Epi&s;tles as Rules, equal with Scripture, much le&s;s to be preferred above the Scripture: <HI>Pauls</HI> plain meaning is no more but this, that the efficacious<NOTE PLACE="marg">and cleared.</NOTE> grace of the Go&s;pel &s;tampt and printed upon the <HI>Corinthi|ans</HI> hearts, and made vi&s;ible and legible in their conver&s;ati|ons, was a &s;ufficient Te&s;timonial for his Apo&s;tle&s;hip, and faithfulne&s;s; and far better then Epi&s;tles of commendation to and fro, which one Church, by Ink and Paper&punc; might &s;end to another concerning him, or others&punc; what's this to the que|&s;tion in hand concerning the doctrine of the Go&s;pel and its knowledge to be had, by the Sun, Moon, and Stars, fire, water, air and earth, &amp;c. which <HI>G. F.</HI> had in&s;tanced in?</P>
<P N="3">3. What if new creatures be &s;een and read in one another <HI>that are &s;uch Creatures?</HI> Sun, Moon and Stars, &amp;c. are not <HI>&s;uch creatures,</HI> nor are <HI>the&s;e</HI> the Epi&s;tles which the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks of.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> next to his eva&s;ion falls upon clamor, and would fa&s;t|en the imputation of <HI>ignorance of tho&s;e Epi&s;tles and of lying</HI> upon me.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> If it be enough for him to &s;ay it here and every where without proof, I cannot be innocent; but,</P>
<P N="1">1. In the ca&s;e of Epi&s;tles recommendatory, &s;uch as <HI>Paul</HI> had at <HI>Corinth;</HI> whether I know what they are or no, let tho&s;e (whom the Lord hath effectually wrought upon, by my poor labors in <HI>Norfolk,</HI> or <HI>E&s;&s;ex,</HI> in <HI>England,</HI> or <HI>Scot|land</HI>) &s;tand forth (as &s;ome have in their life time, &s;ome on their death-bed, and all the re&s;t &s;hall at the great day) wit|ne&s;s for me.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="72" REF="55">2. In the ca&s;e of lying, it is charged here in a double re|&s;pect.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, I have lyed <HI>of the truth,</HI> and of them <HI>with a deceit|ful</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Page 9.</NOTE> <HI>&s;pirit by twi&s;ting and winding about:</HI> nothing being al|ledged for colour of proof, I mu&s;t intreat the Reader to peru&s;e this whole Section 11. in my book <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Contra|dictions of the Quakers, &amp;c. pag. 8. 9.</NOTE> (which con&s;i&s;ts not of above a dozen lines, and three words) and then I &s;hall have better mea&s;ure given me.</P>
<P>Secondly, whereas he adds [<HI>Thou may well lye of us that lyes of the Apo&s;tle</HI> Paul, <HI>and wre&s;ts not our words onely, but his al&s;o</HI>] Let any indifferent per&s;on judge how he makes this out; I had &s;hewed how contrary they are (who would &s;et up the teaching by the creatures again&s;t the Scriptures) to <HI>Paul</HI> a&s;&s;erting, <Q REND="margQuotes">"1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 1. 21. that, when by the wi&s;dom of<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 21. opened and</NOTE> this world (in all the &s;tudy of the creatures) men knew not God (to life and &s;alvation) it plea&s;ed God by the fooli&s;hne&s;s of preaching (a Text, a Doctrine, a Rea&s;on, a U&s;e out of the word) to &s;ave them that believe.</Q> <HI>R. F.</HI> excepteth two ways.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, <HI>There is not any &s;uch words of</HI> the Apo&s;tle, <HI>as Text,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>Doctrine, Rea&s;on, &V;&s;e, to &s;ave them that believe, and here thou ha&s;t lyed of him.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. The words (a Text, a Doctrine, a Rea&s;on, a U&s;e) were in a Parenthe&s;is, as a part of the Paraphra&s;e, with what went before. By the fooli&s;hne&s;s of preaching <HI>Paul</HI> meaneth the matter he preached, Chri&s;t crucified according to Scripture Text, Doctrine, Rea&s;on, and U&s;e, which very &s;ubject preached of, the Greeks and Gentiles counted fool|i&s;hne&s;s, and being preached according to Scripture Text, &amp;c. <HI>R. F.</HI> accounteth a lye. That <HI>Paul</HI> preached according to Scripture-Text (which laid together one place compared with another hath Doctine, Rea&s;on, and U&s;e in it) let who plea&s;e con&s;ult <HI>Act.</HI> 26. 22, 23. and <HI>chap.</HI> 28. 23. and it will be abundantly evident.</P>
<P N="2">2 That God hath converted millions, and &s;aved them, by this way of preaching, <HI>R. F.</HI> will know one day, whether he be one of the number, or not.</P>
<P N="3">3. I u&s;ed that paraphra&s;e the rather, becau&s;e preaching of Chri&s;t from a Scripture-Text, &amp;c. is &s;o much de&s;pi&s;ed by
<PB N="73" REF="55"> men of <HI>R. F.</HI> his profe&s;&s;ion, and by him&s;elf after his maner jeered at, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">See Part 2. Sect. 27.</NOTE> (as I afterwards noted in my book, <HI>pag.</HI> 26) But let him and the re&s;t know, that heaven and earth &s;hall fail, before one Text, Doctrine, Rea&s;on, U&s;e or Iota of any of the&s;e in Scripture &s;hall fall to the ground, for want of truth, or accompli&s;hment.</P>
<P>Secondly, he excepteth again&s;t my calling the Letter <HI>the Word,</HI> as if I would <HI>make the Letter a Savior.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. This exception ari&s;eth from the pa&s;&s;age before mentioned [<HI>a Text &amp;c. out of the word</HI>] meaning <HI>out of the Scripture,</HI> which how it is the <HI>Word,</HI> and that it is &s;o called by the holy Gho&s;t, and his Pen-men of the Scripture, hath been already cleared.</P>
<P N="2">2. Chri&s;t, the Author of &s;alvation to them that obey him &s;peaking in the Scripture, &s;aveth by the Scripture, read, &s;oundly interpreted, rightly divided, faithfully applyed. If <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith the contrary, as he doth, [<HI>Chri&s;t the alone Savi|or, or perfect Savior, being able to &s;ave all that come unto God by him (not by the Scripture) but by him</HI>] he dares af|front the Lord Je&s;us him&s;elf, who directeth his very enemies to the Scriptures <HI>Joh.</HI> 5. 39. to finde eternal life by him, as he is in, and by the Scriptures di&s;covered.</P>
<P N="3">3. If the Scripture declares of Chri&s;t, as <HI>R. F.</HI> grants, either Chri&s;t maketh that declaration of him &s;aving to &s;ome, or not: If not, it doth not declare him to be an able Savior; if yea, then he &s;aveth by that declaration, or by the Scripture. One word more we mu&s;t animadvert <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 9.</NOTE> from <HI>R. F.</HI> ere we clo&s;e this Section. <HI>He that hath the Son hath life, 1 John 5. 12. (if he have not the Letter) but he that hath not the Son hath not life (though he may have all the Letter.</HI>)</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Would not <HI>R. F.</HI> or his friends think it ra&s;h and<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Joh. 5. 12. vindicated.</NOTE> broad language, if I &s;hould &s;alute him with [<HI>thou lye&s;t</HI>] be|cau&s;e <HI>John</HI> hath no &s;uch words as [<HI>if he have not the Letter</HI>] nor [<HI>though he may have all the Letter</HI>] and yet this kinde of u&s;age I had even now from <HI>him.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. It is no part of the Apo&s;tles meaning to exclude the Scripture from being a means to e&s;pou&s;e Chri&s;t and a Chri&s;tian together. <HI>Having</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> relates to the <HI>Brides having</HI> the <HI>Bridegroom.</HI> It becomes not the Bride to reject
<PB N="74" REF="56"> the Letter of her Bridegroom, and the word of the Cove|nant by which &s;he is married to him, which is the word of Scripture preached, opened and applyed.</P>
<P N="3">3. If they that have all the Letter in form, may yet have none of Chri&s;t in power, and therefore not life; how &s;hall they be thought to have Chri&s;t in life and power, who <HI>will</HI> have none of the Letter as they ought to have, and hold it, <HI>viz.</HI> a glorious means of their knowledge of Chri&s;t crucifi|ed, and of their &s;alvation by him?</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="12" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 12.</HEAD>
<P>I Had in&s;tanced yet again, about their magnifying the Light which every man hath above the light of Scripture, from what <HI>George Fox</HI> &s;aith in his Parables, <HI>It is the Light</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">The light of na<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">ure no In|terp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">eter of Scripture, and the grace therein re|vealed.</NOTE> <HI>that gave forth the Scriptures, and will open the Scriptures to us; and 'tis a more &s;ure word of Prophecy, yea, the Grace that appeared unto all men,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith nothing in defence hereof, nor in oppo&s;ition to what I di&s;covered of its Scripture-contradiction from 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 2. 9. It is written, Eye hath not &s;een, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; yet by what he hath el&s;ewhere, we may not conclude his &s;ilence (as to this Section) to be an Argument either of his con&s;ent or di&s;&s;ent; but I &s;hall evidence my charge again&s;t <HI>G. F.</HI> a lit|tle further.</P>
<P>That <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> the Son of God, <HI>gave forth the Scriptures,</HI> by his Spirit in&s;piring them that wrote as he moved and acted them, is a mo&s;t undeniable Truth: For Chri&s;t is the great Light giver; he gives common Creation-light, and he gives &s;pecial Scripture-light, and all that is truly called Light-given; and he is above all that he giveth: But when men &s;peak of the light given to every man (as <HI>G. F.</HI> doth) and then attribute as much to it, as to the per&s;on of Chri&s;t, <HI>viz.</HI> That the <HI>Light [in every man] gave forth the Scri|ptures, and will open the Scriptures to us;</HI> this is palpable darkne&s;s, and contradiction to the Scripture I quoted:<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2. 9. opened.</NOTE> for as mans eye, or minde (as he is a rational creature, and
<PB N="75" REF="56"> but &s;o) never reach'd the things of God, which he hath pre|pared in a way of &s;alvation for his own; &s;o the Go&s;pel|light about matters of Salvation (of which the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks) <HI>never entred,</HI> never &s;hined <HI>into mans heart;</HI> take him, with all the light given him, as a man, before the fall, or &s;ince at his coming into the world. Go&s;pel and Salva|tion-matters never entred into <HI>Adams</HI> heart before the fall, and &s;ince, there is not any of his po&s;terity that (by the light he bringeth with him into the world) can tell what he &s;hould do, what way or cour&s;e he &s;hould take to be &s;aved, no more then his fir&s;t parents, when they hid them&s;elves among&s;t the trees of the garden. And that light which cannot di&s;|cover Salvation, cannot open the Scriptures to us. Nothing gives that which it hath not. Nothing can act beyond the &s;phere of its activity.</P>
<P>As for what <HI>G. F.</HI> addeth, [<HI>And 'tis a more &s;ure word of prophecy</HI>] &s;peaking of every mans light; we will believe him as much as if he told an old wives fable; if either he would have it to be more &s;ure then the Scriptures, or then Go&s;pel-Sermons preached out of, and according to the Scri|ptures. Heretofore it became a proverb, <HI>As true as the Go&s;pel,</HI> there being infallible certainty in the Scripture-Go&s;pel; but now there is a Light di&s;covered in every man that will antiquate that Go&s;pel, and put the proverb out of date. There is &s;omething in the heart of every man (&s;ay<NOTE PLACE="marg">No Go&s;pel, in light of nature.</NOTE> they) and <HI>that</HI> a word of prophecy, or a declaration of Gods minde, for &s;alvation too, (or el&s;e 'tis nothing) more &s;ure then all the Go&s;pel throughout the Scripture; and yet (&s;ay I) no part of the Go&s;pel at all: For no man &s;hall be able to &s;pell out one Go&s;pel-&s;yllable, or letter in it, or by it, <HI>viz.</HI> in all that is written in <HI>every mans</HI> heart, or by all that is writ|ten there from their coming into the world. And yet it mu&s;t be with <HI>G. F. the Grace that appeared unto all men.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Titus 2 11. vindicated.</NOTE> Such an expre&s;&s;ion indeed hath the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Tit.</HI> 2. 11. con|cerning the free favor of God in Chri&s;t, which is the foun|tain and original cau&s;e of Salvation, now &s;hining to all Na|tions by the Go&s;pel, and &s;aving effectually &s;ome of all &s;orts of men in the world; But as <HI>Paul</HI> never called every mans light; the Grace of God, <HI>i. e.</HI> in Je&s;us Chri&s;t (although that
<PB N="76" REF="57"> Light be a free gift) &s;o never was it every mans light or gift, nor will be, to under&s;tand what is the Scripture-grace of God, and of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t; But the Doctrine of it is turned into wantonne&s;s, when it is laid wa&s;te and common with the univer&s;al light of every individual rea&s;onable crea|ture, which 1. is but a part, a &s;park of that which <HI>Adam</HI> had before the fall: 2. Gives not a crevi&s;e of light about Chri&s;t crucified: 3 Is but a Legal-light and effect of the Law writ|ten in the old-&s;tony heart of every man.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="13" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 13.</HEAD>
<P>R <HI>F.</HI> pa&s;&s;eth over this Section al&s;o, and &s;aith nothing to it, where I gave a farther in&s;tance of their advan|cing this common univer&s;al light, by calling it [<HI>A perfect Light, or how could they be judged by it?</HI>] And [<HI>the fir&s;t principle which will change the minde.</HI>]</P>
<P>Whereas 1. The Prophet <HI>David, P&s;alm</HI> 19. 7. advanceth<NOTE PLACE="marg">Creature and Scripture|light compa|red.</NOTE> the Law or Doctrine of God in the Scriptures, as <HI>Paul</HI> doth, 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. 16, 17. to be the perfect Rule of faith and maners. The light found in, and by the book of the creatures, and mens natural con&s;ciences is dim, weak and imperfect, in compari&s;on of Scripture-light.</P>
<P N="2">2. The light in every mans con&s;cience (where the Scri|pture comes not) draws up a Bill of condemnation, di&s;co|vers no Charter of Salvation.</P>
<P N="3">3. It is imperfect to what <HI>Adam</HI> had before the fall; the Scriptures have more, and higher light then <HI>Adam</HI> in his in|nocency received.</P>
<P N="4">4. The Law of God, take it as a Covenant of works, or under &s;uch a notion, requires as much as <HI>Adam</HI> had: That is not legally perfect, which in all degrees and circum&s;tances an&s;wereth not a perfect legal Rule.</P>
<P N="5">5. The lea&s;t true Light &s;inned again&s;t, is &s;ufficient to judge the &s;inner, if God entreth into judgement with him. The other clau&s;e &s;hall be examined in the fifteenth and &s;ix|teenth Sections.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="14" TYPE="section">
<PB N="77" REF="57">
<HEAD>Section 14.</HEAD>
<P>R <HI>F.</HI> an&s;wereth to what concerned him&s;elf in this Se|ction, but not in its due place, I &s;hall endeavor to re|duce him.</P>
<P>From his Book Entituled (how truly let the Lord and Fa|ther of Lights be judge) <HI>Light ri&s;en out of darkne&s;s,</HI> I had noted what he &s;aith, <HI>The light is pure, &s;tanding out of all corruption,</HI> meaning this light of every man, which, where it is (and it is in every man) it reneweth the judgement, and <HI>where the judgement is renewed, there is no corruption in that judgement;</HI> (as was told me by one of them in <HI>Scotland</HI>) But this beam of God-head-light in every man, is no part of the new creature, or of &s;uch a renewed minde as the Apo&s;tle calls for, <HI>Rom. 12. 2. Ephe&s;.</HI> 4. 23. And although that which is a renewed principle in &s;ome is pure, (&s;o far as it is renew|ed) yet the faculty where it is [<HI>the minde</HI>] hath darkne&s;s, corruption and pollution in it, as well as light and purity, as is clear from 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 13. 12. Now we &s;ee through a gla&s;s darkly, but then face to face.</P>
<P>But <HI>R. F.</HI><NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">page 10. line 12.</NOTE> tells me <HI>I have &s;landered him for &s;aying, The Light is pure, &s;tanding out of corruption, but my &s;lander hath no weight, nor doth him no harm.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I &s;landered him but with the truth (if it were &s;o) and did him more right then he doth him&s;elf, for I cited his words to the full; [&s;tanding out of [All] corruption]</P>
<P N="2">2. Although a &s;lander, when the truth is &s;poken, may be charged upon him that &s;peaks it, if he relates the truth of another, with an intent of reproaching the party, yet I was clear of &s;uch an intent, and &s;hall &s;till endeavor his, and his companions reproof and conviction, without their reproach: If the word of the Lord be a reproach unto them, let them look to it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 1. 5. cleared and vindicated.</NOTE></P>
<P N="3">3. His eva&s;ion, to avoid the dint of the reproof, will not &s;erve his turn; [<HI>God is Light,</HI> 1 John 1. 5. <HI>and he is pure, and di&s;covers corruptions, and hath no union with them, and what communion hath light with darkne&s;s?</HI>] For, who&s;o con|&s;ults his book <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Light ri&s;on out of dark|ne&s;s, page 24. line 13&punc; &amp; 15.</NOTE> will finde he &s;peaks of the Light, created in
<PB N="78" REF="58"> mens mindes, and given back &s;ince the fall, <HI>That light is your condemnation, and that will &s;hew you your corruptions.</HI></P>
<P>And now in an&s;wer to my charge he tells us, <HI>God is Light, and he is pure, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Will he confound God and his e&s;&s;ential Light, with light given into mens mindes? or will he have his words [<HI>The light is pure, &s;tanding out of all corruption</HI>] to be un|der&s;tood of Gods E&s;&s;ence onely, and not at all of that which is but a quality in the creature? If he would be under&s;tood to &s;peak of Gods E&s;&s;ence onely, we agree in the light and under&s;tanding of the Text, 1 <HI>John</HI> 1. 5. But if he would have it partly meant of God, and partly of the Light either innate, or regenerate in the creature, then he confounds un|created and created Light, and &s;hews his own woful darkne&s;s.</P>
<P N="2">2. He that would &s;peak aright of God, mu&s;t &s;ay with the Apo&s;tle, <HI>God is light, and in him is no darkne&s;s at all,</HI> no ig|norance,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 1. 5.</NOTE> impurity, or corruption to be di&s;covered or found in him; And he that would &s;peak aright either of the in|bred, or of the new-bred light in the creature, mu&s;t di&s;tin|gui&s;h of it either as it is in it &s;elf, or in the &s;ubject-per&s;on.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, in it &s;elf, created light is pure, &s;uch as it is, and &s;o much as there is of it &s;ince the fall, but yet imperfect.</P>
<P>Secondly, in the &s;ubject, (the per&s;on in general, particu|larly the minde or under&s;tanding) and there is a mixture of light and darkne&s;s, purity and pollution, the one di&s;covers the other; and if the Saints &s;hould &s;ay, <HI>We have no dark|ne&s;s, no ignorance, no &s;in,</HI> they are &s;o much the more dark, &s;inful, ignorant, and there is no truth in what they &s;ay, 1 <HI>John</HI> 1. 8.</P>
<P><HI>But I &s;ay,</HI> quoth <HI>R. F. and &s;o doth the Scripture, that he that abideth in Chri&s;t &s;inneth not,</HI> 1. John 3. 6.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Will <HI>R. F.</HI> make no Scripture of 1 <HI>John</HI> 1. 8. becau&s;e<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 1. 8. with 1 John 3. 6. compa|red, cleared, and vindica|ted.</NOTE> this in the third chapter is Scripture? or will that perver&s;e and wicked eve&s;ion pa&s;s with him, which one at a meeting of their fraternity in <HI>E&s;&s;ex</HI> not long &s;ince, vented to him that urged the Empha&s;is [<HI>if we, we</HI> that have communion with the Father and with the Son, if <HI>we &s;ay we have no &s;in</HI> &amp;c.] <HI>That the Scriptures have been much altred and cor|rupted, and though it be now &s;o written, yet at fir&s;t it was
<PB N="79" REF="58"> thus,</HI> If <HI>we</HI> (that have fellow&s;hip) <HI>&s;ay we have &s;in, we deceive our &s;elves,</HI> &amp;c. Oh the diabolical &s;trong delu&s;ion that the&s;e kinde of profe&s;&s;ors are under, and leading others into! or let me farther rea&s;on with tho&s;e who are not &s;o far infatua|ted, either the Apo&s;tle <HI>John,</HI> and &s;uch as he wrote unto, did not abide in Chri&s;t, or there is &s;ome other &s;en&s;e of his words in the third chapter, then <HI>R. F.</HI> or his fellows would give of it: for as full of contradictions as men are, the Holy Gho&s;t by the Apo&s;tle doth not contradict him&s;elf: Let God be true, and his word true, and every man a lyar, and his words lyes, which agree not with the Canon, Doctrine and har|monious Sen&s;e of the Scriptures: And therefore when it is &s;aid, <HI>He that abideth in Chri&s;t, &s;inneth not,</HI> the words and &s;en&s;e mu&s;t be reconciled in <HI>our mindes</HI> (for in them&s;elves they were never at variance) with the words in the fir&s;t chapter: thus,</P>
<P N="1">1. Although every man that is in Chri&s;t (while here) hath &s;in in him, and he is neither perfectly free from the pre&s;ence of original, nor actual &s;in, yet <HI>&s;o far as he abideth in Chri&s;t, he &s;inneth not.</HI> It is no &s;in to cleave to Chri&s;t and his Doctrine, Spirit and Grace, and to per&s;evere in it and him.</P>
<P N="2">2. The meaning of <HI>ver&s;e</HI> 6. mu&s;t be gathered from <HI>ver&s;e</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 3. 6. cleared by ver 8, 9.</NOTE> 8. and 9. where the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks of <HI>committing &s;in,</HI> or of trading in &s;in, and that in a con&s;tant cour&s;e. That this is<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> the very &s;en&s;e and minde of the Holy Gho&s;t, is clear from the rea&s;on, <HI>for the devil &s;inneth from the beginning;</HI> He therefore that con&s;tantly goes on to &s;in, plots &s;in and pra|cti&s;eth it with delight, he is of the devil; <HI>He that abideth in Chri&s;t &s;inneth not, after &s;uch a maner.</HI> And yet more clear from <HI>ver.</HI> 9. who&s;oever is born of God <HI>doth not commit &s;in,</HI> for <HI>his &s;eed,</HI> Gods <HI>&s;eed, remaineth in him,</HI> and he neither doth<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> nor can commit &s;in, as the devils, nor as tho&s;e who have no regenerate part in them, <HI>becau&s;e he is born of God,</HI> and &s;o far as born of God be &s;inneth not, nor &s;hall he ever be left to a total and final relap&s;e into &s;in, &s;eeing he hath a contrary principle of the new birth abiding and remaining, yea, reign|ing in him. And me thinks <HI>R. F.</HI> his con&s;cience tells him he &s;hould be captivated by the truth of this interpretation; For he tells me [<HI>thou commits &s;in, and &s;o art a &s;ervant of
<PB N="80" REF="59"> the devil, for thou goe&s;t on with thy lyes.</HI>] It is not then the pre&s;ence of &s;in that makes one to be of the devil, but the purpo&s;e, practice, and procedure in a way of &s;in. If we &s;ay we have not &s;in pre&s;ent with us, and dwelling in us, we lye&punc; and if any &s;ay, that every one that hath &s;in in him, is a committer of &s;in, a workman in &s;in, he is in a foul error: If any &s;ay he hath not &s;inned &s;ince he was converted, he goes about to make God a lyar, and his word is not in him, 1 <HI>John</HI> 1. 10. That, nor any other Scripture (that &s;peak of the Saints &s;innings) is not written in his heart, nor believed by him. But although I have an old lying heart, and fle&s;h wherein there dwells no truth, no good thing; yet <HI>R. F.</HI> hath not hitherto detected and proved a lye in my right hand, or in my pen; nor will he be able to make good what he boldly calumniates me with. Let tryal be made in what follows.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="15" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 15.</HEAD>
<P><HI>R F.</HI> here reviles me with [<HI>thou lies of Ed. Burrough</HI>] becau&s;e I had noted the expre&s;&s;ion which he puts up|on every mans light, (which is but common light at the be&s;t) <HI>viz. The corner-&s;tone.</HI> And how doth he prove it? not by denying there is any &s;uch expre&s;&s;ion as the <HI>Corner-&s;tone,</HI> but [<HI>there is not &s;uch a word as common light there.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Nor did I u&s;e the word (common) as <HI>E. Burrough's,</HI> and therefore put it in a Parenthe&s;is (as now) and ordered it to be printed as my own phra&s;e, not his, in a differing let|ter from his; and accordingly it was &s;o printed. What lye is here in my mouth, that de&s;erves the lake which he threat|ens? Had I not &s;tudied brevity, I might have more fully given it thus,</P>
<P><HI>How can he teach</HI> (&s;aith E. B. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Warning to the inhabi|tants of <HI>Un|derbarrow,</HI> p. 7</NOTE>) <HI>and direct toward true Religion, who denies the Corner-&s;tone, the fir&s;t Principle of Religion, which is the foundation, the light of God, which hath enlightned every one that comes into the world; which he de|nies</HI> (&s;peaking of the Preacher at <HI>&V;nderbarrow) to have enlightned every one. R. F.</HI> backs him thus, <HI>Chri&s;t is the Light, and Chri&s;t is the chief Corner-&s;tone,</HI> Acts 4. 11. 1 Pet.
<PB N="81" REF="59"> 2. 6, 7. <HI>and &s;o &s;aith</HI> Ed. Burroughs; <HI>therefore, he agrees with the Scripture, and his &s;aying (as thou &s;ays) is not con|trary to</HI> Ephe&s;. 2. 20. <HI>but agrees therewith: there thou art taken with a lye in thy mouth; Lyar be a&s;hamed and blu&s;h.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. To hold forth Chri&s;t to be <HI>the chief Corner|&s;tone,</HI> and yet to in&s;inuate and winde into peoples bo|&s;oms a new my&s;tery, That the light which every one hath is <HI>a Corner-&s;tone,</HI> is to teach diver&s;e from, and contrary to the minde of the holy Gho&s;t in that as other Scriptures, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 2. 20. for Chri&s;t is &s;o the chief, as he is the <HI>onely</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 2. 20. vindicated. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> <HI>Corner-&s;tone.</HI> The word in the Greek is of full force to this purpo&s;e, &s;ignifying &s;uch a Corner-&s;tone, as doth not onely unite the &s;ides and parts of the building of the Church-Catholique, con&s;i&s;ting of Elect Jews and Gentiles, and that &s;trengthens the whole building; but that which reacheth from the bottom to the top of it, and is all but one &s;tone in the whole foundation, and in all the corner from one end to the other: As no other Foundation, &s;o no other Corner|&s;tone can be laid, then that which is laid, the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="2">2. Chri&s;t, as he enlightneth every one that cometh into the world, is not the <HI>Corner-&s;tone;</HI> Chri&s;t, as God, con&s;ider him onely &s;o, and with the common gifts which he be&s;tows upon every man, is not laid as the Foundation of the Church; but Chri&s;t, as Mediator, God-man, the Word made fle&s;h.</P>
<P N="3">3. As the light which every man hath given him is none of the &s;ix Principles, <HI>Heb.</HI> 6. 1, 2. (much le&s;s the fir&s;t prin|ciple of Religion) &s;o neither is it the Corner-&s;tone, though given by Chri&s;t, yet not to that end. It is not light wrought in us, but Chri&s;t the light-giver, and in his per&s;on, not his gifts, who is both Foundation, and <HI>him&s;elf</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> the chief and onely Corner-&s;tone, &s;o <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 2. 20. Will <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;ay to me, as he hath to others, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Light out of darkne&s;s, pag. 21.</NOTE> <HI>You are ignorant of the fir&s;t principle of Religion, that make a &s;corn of this light?</HI> I &s;hall return him this for his information, That as I own every mans light in its due place, and am far from &s;corning it, or him for it; &s;o I cannot by warrant from Scripture, admit it into the place of Chri&s;ts per&s;on, or of Chri&s;t-Mediator; nor farther
<PB N="82" REF="60"> acknowledge it a <HI>principle of Religion,</HI> but &s;uch as is com|mon to Pagans and Heathens, that teacheth them a God, and that he is to be wor&s;hipped. But if it be a &s;tone, it is of the old foundation, of life by works, and not any prin|ciple of <HI>Chri&s;tian Religion,</HI> [as &s;uch] nor any &s;tone of the New-building, by, and according to a covenant of Grace in Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>Here I may take occa&s;ion to an&s;wer a <HI>Quere</HI> made by a company of this Sect, in one of their Pamphlets <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Entituled, To all that would know the way to the kingdom, p. 16</NOTE>, <HI>How is the Go&s;pel of Chri&s;t preached to every Creature under hea|ven, if it be not the principle of light in the con&s;cience, it be|ing that many never come to read or hear of the Scriptures?</HI></P>
<P>One would think, if their light were not darkne&s;s, or that their mindes were not darkned with the light of the Scriptures, tho&s;e two Texts which are referred to in <HI>their</HI> Margent, might have re&s;olved them &s;ufficiently, <HI>Rom.</HI> 10. 18.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 10 18. opened.</NOTE> and <HI>Col.</HI> 1. 23. In the former of the&s;e, alluding to that in <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 19. 3, 4. the Apo&s;tle invincibly clears it, that the Jews could not but hear (who had the Scriptures with them, where&s;oever they were di&s;per&s;ed, and be&s;ides) as the Sun ca&s;ts its beams all over the world; &s;o had the Go&s;pel by the Apo&s;tles mini&s;tery &s;hined forth into all known habitable parts of the earth. In the latter of them, <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 1 23. opened.</NOTE> &s;uch a preaching and hearing of the Go&s;pel, whereof <HI>him|&s;elf was a mini&s;ter,</HI> and that was &s;ent forth, according to Chri&s;ts commi&s;&s;ion, <HI>Mark</HI> 16. 15. by the mini&s;tery of man, <HI>to every creature, i. e.</HI> to Gentiles, as to Jews; and <HI>to all nations,</HI> as to &s;ome, <HI>Matth.</HI> 28. 19. Nor did the Apo&s;tles and Evangeli&s;ts at any time &s;o preach, without book, in any place, to any rea&s;onable creature, but as they carried the Scriptures with them; &s;o they made all the world ring of one <HI>Chri&s;t crucified, according to the Scriptures,</HI> 1 Cor. 15. 3. <HI>This,</HI> &s;aith <HI>Paul</HI> to the <HI>Corinthians, I delivered unto you fir&s;t of all.</HI> The principle of light in the Con&s;cience, will never di&s;cover this <HI>fir&s;t principle,</HI> or fundamental truth, Chri&s;t dying for &s;inners, where the Scriptures and Preach|ers of the Scriptures come not, as it never preacht it in the Ages pa&s;t. Tho&s;e Preachers will be a&s;hamed of their work, who do not rightly divide <HI>the word of truth;</HI> much more
<PB N="83" REF="60"> they who &s;ay, they are Apo&s;tles and are not, but are <HI>found lyars,</HI> as all they are who reject the Scriptures, the word of truth, from being the Rule, Card, and Compa&s;s of their work; and who drive people, that have the Scriptures, to the light in their con&s;ciences, as a &s;urer and better light; and <HI>that which will change the minde,</HI> as I had noted <HI>Sect.</HI> 13. whereas there is not the light of a Mediator, or Chri&s;t cru|cified in it; nor the power of God in it, but to re&s;train, moralize, and civilize; it never reached to renovation, nor ever <HI>will</HI> renew the minde, (according to a Go&s;pel &s;en&s;e) though men abide in it till dooms-day.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="16" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 16.</HEAD>
<P>I Had noted here what <HI>J. Nayler</HI> &s;aith, <HI>If thou know, own, and obey it,</HI> (&s;peaking of the common light of every man) <HI>it would lead thee out of the fall:</HI> which, becau&s;e I brought it in as another in&s;tance of their Scripture-contra|diction, <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 10.</NOTE> tells me, I go <HI>on with my Lyes:</HI> And how proves he it? Why, [<HI>The words in it (J. Nayler's</HI> book) <HI>are not as thou &s;ays.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Let the hone&s;t Reader be judge between us, if he plea&s;e to view the Pamphlet, Entituled, <HI>A few words occa&s;ion|ed by a Paper,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>Page</HI> 10. The words of <HI>James Nayler</HI> are the&s;e more at large: <HI>Thou goe&s;t about to make people believe, that the light of Chri&s;t, which is given to every one that comes into the world, is a natural or fallen light; but if thou did&s;t know, own, and obey it, it would lead thee out of the fall.</HI> The very words I cited, and in the very &s;en&s;e of the writer; for <HI>J. N.</HI> &s;peaks of the light given to every man, which though he calls not common, nor will not have it called natural, yet we mu&s;t call things as they are; for<NOTE PLACE="marg">The natural light of every man leads no man out of the Fall.</NOTE> that which every one hath, is no more; and although to own, and obey that <HI>dim light of nature</HI> is every ones duty, yet to &s;et it up as the light which &s;hall <HI>lead out of the fall,</HI> is beyond Gods intention of giving it, and beyond the &s;phere of its activity to effect. From the Scripture, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 7. (which I briefly pointed at, as contradicted by <HI>J. N.</HI> and others of this opinion) <HI>I had not known lu&s;t, except the
<PB N="84" REF="61"> law had &s;aid, Thou &s;halt not covet,</HI> I hinted an Argument, which I &s;hall now give forth in form;
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>That which will not &s;o much as di&s;cover the fall, will not (though own'd and obeyed) lead out of the fall:</ITEM>
<ITEM>But the light given to every man, will not &s;o much as di&s;cover the fall:</ITEM>
<ITEM>Therefore, it will not (though own'd and obeyed) lead out of the fall.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>The fir&s;t propo&s;ition I thus confirm, There is no delivery without a di&s;covery. The other thus, <HI>Pauls</HI> light did not di&s;cover the fall; nor other mens light, which they have from their coming into the world, did never, will never &s;o much as di&s;cover the fall. <HI>In the fall,</HI> will be found <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in, all mens &s;inning in him, their being born in the guilt of that &s;in, in the want of Gods image, and in the roots of all actual &s;in. What a &s;tranger was <HI>Paul,</HI> in his Phari&s;ai&s;m, to all the&s;e Di&s;coveries? who knew not the lea&s;t lu&s;ting of the heart to be &s;in, till he was enlightned by the Spirit into the commandment of the written Law, which &s;aith, Thou &s;halt not lu&s;t: the &s;ame ignorance is in every man (notwith&s;tand|ing their in-bred light) concerning in-bred lu&s;t, and origi|nal corruption, till by the light of the &s;ame commandment, the Spirit of conviction brings it home to his heart.</P>
<P>With what an impudent eva&s;ion doth <HI>R. F.</HI> entertain his Reader? by telling him that <HI>J. Nayler witne&s;&s;eth with Chri&s;t who is the true light, and &s;uch as obey the light and follow Chri&s;t, they are led thereby out of the fall.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep. 1. James Nayler</HI> &s;aith not, &s;uch as obey Chri&s;t, but <HI>&s;uch as obey it;</HI> he &s;peaks of the Light-given, and its power.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>R. F.</HI> confounds the Light-given and the Light-giver (as often el&s;where) together, and yet attributes the lead|ing out of the fall to it, [the Light-given] rather then to Chri&s;t the Light-giver.</P>
<P N="3">3. Should he expre&s;s him&s;elf more plainly, and &s;ay, Chri&s;t <HI>thereby,</HI> that is, by the Light given to every man, as <HI>it</HI> is obeyed, and <HI>him&s;elf</HI> is followed, doth lead out of the fall; yet would he &s;peak &s;hort of the truth, and contrary to Scripture; For,</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="85" REF="61">1. The Scripture &s;peaks not of &s;uch a way whereby Chri&s;t led any man out of the Fall, before the Scriptures were given, but onely of the way of offering Typical Sacri|fices, and by the promi&s;e of Chri&s;t-mediator.</P>
<P N="2">2. The &s;ame way he hath chalked out in and by the Scri|ptures, &s;ince they were given, all along the Old Te&s;tament; and when Chri&s;ts &s;acrifice, typed out and promi&s;ed, was once exhibited by his own blood, He that was the <HI>way</HI> ye&s;terday, is the &s;ame to day, and for ever, while the world &s;tandeth, to lead men out of the fall, and to rai&s;e them up to communion with the Father.</P>
<P N="3">3. Although <HI>R. F.</HI> addes [<HI>they were &s;aved by him, and that is not contrary to Scripture</HI>] it will not &s;ave his judge|ment from error, nor his writing from contradiction, if he &s;aith or thinketh that Chri&s;t ever &s;aved any man by the meer light, which (as God) he giveth to every man. No man ever was, or will be &s;aved by his be&s;t obedience yielded to the light which every man comes with into the world. Every man, and onely &s;uch, as through grace have obeyed, and &s;hall follow Chri&s;t according as he is revealed in the Scripture, is and &s;hall be &s;aved.</P>
<P>What a loud calumny is that which <HI>R. F.</HI> hath ca&s;t upon me at the foot of his tenth <HI>Page? [Thou contradicts, and &s;o &s;ins again&s;t Scripture, and again&s;t Chri&s;t that calls him a na|tural light.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I have no &s;uch words, had no &s;uch meaning, nor can it be pickt out of what I have any where &s;poken. Al|though Chri&s;t as he is God (as every where I expre&s;s or intend it) giveth to every man that which is but natural light, yet is not he therefore a <HI>natural light:</HI> For,</P>
<P N="1">1. He and his works are not the &s;ame. He who is the divine, &s;piritual, &s;upernatural Being, giveth to every crea|ture its proper nature and being, and is incomprehen&s;ibly above them: He is indeed his own nature, and his own mo&s;t &s;imple e&s;&s;ence and being, pre&s;ent with all beings in created nature, and yet not confounded or mixed with created na|tural beings or lights, irrational or rational.</P>
<P N="2">2. Albeit, as the God of created-nature, he giveth that nature, life, and light of Rea&s;on to all men; yet as Media|tor,
<PB N="86" REF="62"> he giveth a di&s;tinct, &s;piritual, excelling light, to lead men out of the fall; partly from the whole written Law,<NOTE PLACE="marg">How Chri&s;t leads men out of the fall.</NOTE> and the di&s;covery of its &s;piritualne&s;s, reaching the motions of the heart to &s;hew men the fall, which prepares for a deli|very; partly from the Go&s;pel, which &s;hews him&s;elf the onely effectual way whereby men may come out of their lap&s;ed condition, as they are taught and drawn of the Father to believe in him, who hath &s;atisfied and merited for a cer|tain number of &s;inners their deliverance; and who applies that merited deliverance by remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins, and by rege|neration; and by both, a tran&s;lation out of the power of darkne&s;s (which all men with their be&s;t natural light are un|der) into his own kingdom of &s;aving light and life.</P>
<P>But to proceed: In this Section I had hinted another Ar|gument again&s;t the power of <HI>natural light,</HI> given to every man to lead him out of the fall, by way of que&s;tion; <HI>R. F.</HI> takes it up, and me up, after this maner: [<HI>To manife&s;t thy blindene&s;s and ignorance of the Scriptures, thou &s;ays, Where is there any promi&s;e in Scripture of &s;piritual and &s;aving Light, to lead man out of the fall, and out of his natural e&s;tate?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Here like Satan the father of lyes (I will not &s;ay he is his &s;on) he leaveth out part of the que&s;tion: My words <HI>Pag.</HI> 10. are the&s;e, <HI>Let a man u&s;e his common natural light and moral gifts to the utmo&s;t, where is any promi&s;e in Scri|pture of &s;piritual &s;aving light and grace,</HI> annexed <HI>to lead him out of the fall, or out of his natural &s;tate?</HI> The word [<HI>an|nexed</HI>] he leaves out in the reciting of my words, which re|fers to the good u&s;e of natural light and moral gifts; and in a &s;hifting way he an&s;wereth, [<HI>If there were no promi&s;e of &s;piritual &s;aving light to lead out of the fall, man might con|tinue in it, and under the cur&s;e.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Take this pa&s;&s;age by it &s;elf, 'tis very good, and one of the be&s;t that hath dropt from <HI>R. F.</HI> his pen. But,</P>
<P N="2">2. It is produced as an an&s;wer to my que&s;tion, and will<NOTE PLACE="marg">The light of a promi&s;e leads out of the fall.</NOTE> prove rather a knife to cut the throat of the&s;e mens opini|on, and an Argument for what we a&s;&s;ert;</P>
<P>That, It is the light of a promi&s;e (by <HI>R. F.</HI> his conce&s;&s;ion) which &s;hall lead men out of the fall;
<PB N="87" REF="62">
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>But in the light which every man hath (&s;ay I, and thou|&s;ands more) there is not the light of a promi&s;e, nor any promi&s;e of &s;piritual &s;aving light annexed to the good u&s;e of that univer&s;al light:</ITEM>
<ITEM>And therefore, that univer&s;al light (though never &s;o well improved) will not, &s;hall not lead men out of the fall.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>Promi&s;ed light is onely found in the Scripture, and ac|cording to what is there revealed; but where is the an&s;wer to my que&s;tion? <HI>R. F.</HI> tells his Reader of <HI>promi&s;es of &s;a|ving light in Scripture, and &s;uch as follow and obey the &s;ame are &s;aved by it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep. [By it]</HI> (let the &s;imple-hearted and ingenuous Rea|der ob&s;erve) refers to light; which light he makes one with grace, as he addes: For by <HI>grace are we &s;aved through faith, and not of our &s;elves, it is the gift of God,</HI> Ephe&s;. 2. 8, 9. How fairly doth <HI>R. F.</HI> his con&s;cience here bid for the truth? but this is no faithful an&s;wer to that particular que|&s;tion, to beg the main que&s;tion, <HI>viz.</HI> Whether every man hath &s;ufficient &s;aving light to lead him out of the fall? Such as follow and obey &s;aving light indeed, through faith, freely given of God, are &s;aved by it out of the fall; but every man hath not that &s;aving light to follow, nor the gift of faith to obey it. But my particular que&s;tion was,<NOTE PLACE="marg">No promi&s;e in Scripture of &s;piritual light and grace, annexed to the good u&s;e of natural light.</NOTE> Whether to the good u&s;e of univer&s;al light, there is in Scri|pture any promi&s;e of &s;pecial, &s;piritual, &s;aving light, <HI>annexed</HI> not to <HI>&s;aving light, and &s;aving grace,</HI> as <HI>R. F.</HI> puts it, but to the good u&s;e of common, or natural light, as I expre&s;t it? Who knows not, being conver&s;ant with Scripture, that in <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 42. 6, 7. &s;peaking of Chri&s;t his per&s;on, God pro|mi&s;eth, <HI>I will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles?</HI> which is one place <HI>R. F.</HI> quoteth, but with this additional glo&s;s; <HI>This light hath grace annexed, that is a covenanting light.</HI> Why? what is this to the que|&s;tion &s;till? It is but a low expre&s;&s;ion to &s;ay <HI>this light</HI> (name|ly Chri&s;t him&s;elf) <HI>hath grace annexed:</HI> For Chri&s;t, the pro|mi&s;ed Mediator and Foundation of the Covenant, and the Fountain of all &s;aving light to the Gentiles, (as Jews) hath all the fulne&s;s of God-head grace, love, holine&s;s, power,
<PB N="88" REF="63"> &amp;c. in him. But hath God promi&s;ed to give Chri&s;t for a Mediator to every one that well u&s;eth the reliques of created light? Or hath he promi&s;ed to admit all or any into a covenant of Grace, who do their be&s;t to get life by a co|venant of Works? Nay, rather he hath threatned the contrary, as I hinted in my former piece, <HI>Gal.</HI> 3. 10. As many as are of the works of the law, that is, will be doing for life, and depending upon their obedience to the law (written in the book of Scripture, which is more, or in eve|ry mans heart, which is le&s;s) are under the cur&s;e; and if under the cur&s;e, they are (as I &s;aid) &s;ure enough under the fall. <HI>R. F.</HI> quoteth other Scriptures, as <HI>I&s;aiah 49. 6. I&s;aiah</HI> 60. 19, 20. <HI>Luke</HI> 2. 22, 23. I &s;uppo&s;e he intended, <HI>Ver.</HI> 32. but let him or any man make the be&s;t, or the mo&s;t rather, he can of them, he &s;hall never be able to extract &s;uch a pro|mi&s;e, as I called for, of that tendency as he would have it, out of them all. That which I called for, was a promi&s;e of &s;piritual &s;aving light and grace, annexed, or adjoyned to the u&s;e of natural light and common gifts; &s;piritual, and &s;aving light and grace, is light of a higher &s;phere, and a gift of another kinde, <HI>i. e.</HI> which differeth not in degree onely, but in kinde, from every mans natural light, as much as the work of Redemption, from the work of Creation. Nor doth it follow, becau&s;e Chri&s;t is promi&s;ed for a &s;aving light to the Gentiles, that therefore he is promi&s;ed to them upon &s;uch an account, if they u&s;e inferior light as they ought; or, that becau&s;e Chri&s;ts grace is promi&s;ed to the u&s;e of his grace, therefore his grace is promi&s;ed to the u&s;e or actings of nature: Or that becau&s;e <HI>this light</HI> (as R. F) <HI>hath grace,</HI> or a promi&s;e of grace, <HI>annexed,</HI> therefore <HI>every light</HI> hath grace, or a promi&s;e of grace attending it. I know there are tho&s;e, who are Lights of a greater magnitude then <HI>R. F.</HI> that have prompted &s;uch a promi&s;e, as I call for; yea, many, but the Doctrine which they would &s;hore up there|by, &s;avors &s;o &s;trongly of the Popi&s;h <HI>merit</HI> of <HI>Congruity,</HI> and the Je&s;uites, <HI>Facienti quod in &s;e e&s;t, &amp;c.</HI> fle&s;hing up every natural man in a good opinion of him&s;elf and his endeavors, that I abhor their prevaricatings upon the Scripture, which, as to a way of &s;alvation, is <HI>one,</HI> and <HI>God is one,
<PB N="89" REF="63"> Gal. 3. 20. i. e.</HI> Ever (&s;ince he revealed the covenant of Grace) like him&s;elf, and of one minde. But the&s;e men we<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3 20. opened.</NOTE> have to do with, are incon&s;i&s;tent with the Scriptures, and with them&s;elves, in this as in other ca&s;es: God having founded all his promi&s;es of &s;aving Light, Grace and Glory, in the death and &s;atisfaction of his Son; he never laid an|other bottom, or founded any <HI>&s;uch</HI> promi&s;es in the Light within every man, or upon their good improvement of that Light. But &s;ometimes they &s;ay, Stand &s;till in the Light, and it &s;hall lead thee out of the fall; &s;ometimes there are promi&s;es of &s;aving Light, or el&s;e a man might continue in the fall and under the cur&s;e: either that alone mu&s;t &s;ave, or that and Chri&s;t together, by their Doctrine; whereas Chri&s;t alone (above the help of that light which every man hath) leads out of the fall, unto the Father, and unto hea|ven, tho&s;e that the Father hath given to him, to be a Leader, Commander, and Savior unto.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="4" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(4. Head of Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning the Law.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="17" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 17.</HEAD>
<P>TWo things chiefly I noted in this Section; Fir&s;t, that they affirm, <HI>the Levitical Law was the covenant of works.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, they deny, <HI>that the Law which Adam had in Innocency written in his heart was the moral Law, R. F.</HI> calls me to the di&s;proving of what they affirm, and to the proving of what they deny. As to the [<HI>fir&s;t</HI>] it being af|firmed by them, it &s;hould be proved by them, but he intends<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Leviti|cal Law was Typical Go|&s;pel. Col. 2. 17. opened.</NOTE> to put me to bu&s;ine&s;s: now that one place of Scripture I quored <HI>Col. 2. 17. But the body is Chri&s;t,</HI> might determine the controver&s;ie, but he &s;aith nothing to it, makes nothing of it, unle&s;s you will interpret his &s;ilence to be a &s;eeming con|&s;ent
<PB N="90" REF="64"> or conviction at lea&s;t. From that Text I argue thus; That which was the Type and &s;hadow of Chri&s;t, the truth and body of tho&s;e &s;hadows, that was Go&s;pel, and not a Co|venant of works; But the Levitical Law, and Legal figures were the Types and &s;hadows of Chri&s;t, the truth and body, as &s;aith the Apo&s;tle; Therefore it was Go&s;pel, and a Cove|nant of Grace, and not of Works. To clear out this farther for the &s;ake of Gods cho&s;en, who may be for a while, in this point, &s;educed, I &s;hall open three things.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. What the Covenant of Works, and what the Cove|nant of Grace are.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. Shew the different admini&s;tration of the Covenant of Grace.</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. Give &s;ome arguments farther to di&s;prove the Levitical Law from being a Covenant of Works.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P N="1">1. The Covenant of Works is that part of the word, or<NOTE PLACE="marg">What the Co|venant of Works is.</NOTE> declaration of his will which is pure Law, and a Covenant of Ju&s;tice; which promi&s;eth life to them that per&s;onally, per|fectly and perpetually fulfil it, but is the mini&s;tration of death to them that break it, in the lea&s;t Iota, or Punctilio, as we may &s;ay, of it. The Covenant of Grace is that part of the<NOTE PLACE="marg">What the Co|venant of Grace.</NOTE> word, or of Gods revealed will, in and according to Scri|pture, which is pure Go&s;pel, i&s;&s;uing forth from Gods ab|&s;olute free love, wherein he promi&s;eth Chri&s;t for righte|ou&s;ne&s;s and life, or upon condition of Chri&s;ts &s;atisfaction, to give righteou&s;ne&s;s and all that appertaineth to &s;alvation, unto all that are Chri&s;ts peculiar purcha&s;e, whether of years, or infants. The&s;e two Covenants are of differing kindes, and contradi&s;tinct each to other.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. The one is a Covenant wherein Ju&s;tice bears &s;way,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Defferences. &s;pecified.</NOTE> the other wherein mercy, and grace or Gods free di&s;tin|gui&s;hing love doth reign, though in a righteous way al&s;o.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. The one &s;ets forth a promi&s;e of life, that is, of conti|nuance in that which is given; the other a promi&s;e of &s;alva|tion from &s;in and death. The former promi&s;eth no &s;alvati|on, mentioneth nothing of a Savior, or a &s;urety, the latter promi&s;eth re&s;titution, or deliverance from a fallen &s;tate.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. The Condition and foundation of the one is mans per&s;onal obedience; of the other, Chri&s;ts obedience and
<PB N="91" REF="64"> &s;atisfaction thereby to the ju&s;tice of God, on others behalf, for whom he freely becomes a &s;urety: Hence the Covenant of Grace is called a Te&s;tament, as well as a Covenant, not &s;o, the covenant of Works.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> 4. The one admits of no failing, upon pain of pre&s;ent death, and accepteth of nothing but all, or the whole pay|ment of the debt by the party him&s;elf; the other admits of a &s;urety; and though it allows of no &s;in, yet it gives forth a pardon, with faith and repentance, and accepteth of what is given, and acted, when fir&s;t the per&s;on is accepted in Chri&s;t, and a willing minde is wrought by the Spirit. This were ea&s;ie to demon&s;trate from Scripture, but that I &s;tudy rather to contract then enlarge.</P>
<P N="2">2. The covenant of Grace admits of a twofold admini|&s;tration; thence it is called the Old and New Te&s;tament. A covenant, yea, a Te&s;tament or will of Chri&s;t it was before his death, and &s;ince. That, which the Scripture expre&s;ly call's the Old te&s;tament, or covenant, <HI>Heb.</HI> 8. 20. was but the old admini&s;tration of the covenant of Grace, the old copy of Chri&s;ts will: that, which it calls the new<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Cove|nant of Grace</NOTE> covenant, is the old, is the old for &s;ub&s;tance, though new, for the admini&s;tration, the new copy of Chri&s;ts Will.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> Fir&s;t, the old and new, is one for the &s;ub&s;tance, one Te&s;ta|ment of Grace, one Go&s;pel of life, and good tidings of &s;al|vation<NOTE PLACE="marg">One for the &s;ub&s;tance.</NOTE> by Je&s;us Chri&s;t; from the fir&s;t promi&s;e to <HI>Adam,</HI> and <HI>Eve,</HI> after the fall, to <HI>Abraham;</HI> from <HI>Abraham</HI> to <HI>Mo&s;es;</HI> from <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> to the Prophets; from the Prophets to Chri&s;ts death; from Chri&s;ts death to this day; from this pre&s;ent time to the end of time, and to all eternity. For the clearing of this, let the Apo&s;tle be heard &s;peak, or the holy Gho&s;t rather by him, <HI>Heb. 13. 8. Chri&s;t the &s;ame ye&s;terday, to day, and for ever.</HI> As Chri&s;t-per&s;onal, &s;o the doctrine of Chri&s;t, and of &s;alvation by him is <HI>the &s;ame</HI> in e&s;&s;ence and &s;ub&s;tance, without change; and in his covenant, without alteration, <HI>Heb.</HI> 11. 13. The true believing Fathers of the Old Te&s;tament, did, all of them, embrace the &s;ame pro|mi&s;es, for the &s;ub&s;tance, that we do. Chri&s;t then to be ex|hibited, and Chri&s;t now exhibited in the fle&s;h, and in his grace and Spirit, is all one, ye&s;terday, to day, and for ever.
<PB N="92" REF="65"> <HI>Adam</HI> and <HI>Eve</HI> had Go&s;pel preached to them, <HI>Gen.</HI> 3. 15. Chri&s;t, that eminent Seed of the woman, which &s;hould break the Serpents head, <HI>i. e.</HI> by &s;ufferings, and &s;atisfaction to God, &s;hould overcome all the power of his accu&s;ations of the elect, the redeemed &s;eed, before God. <HI>Abraham</HI> had the Go&s;pel preached to him, <HI>Gal.</HI> 3. 8. concerning ju&s;tification by free Grace. The promi&s;e of Chri&s;ts coming out of his loins contained in it the promi&s;e of life and &s;alvation: &s;o did the promi&s;e of Gods being a God of him, and of his &s;eed. God holds up the &s;ame covenant from <HI>Abraham</HI> to <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> for he renews it to <HI>I&s;aac, Gen.</HI> 26. 4. And when he puts a me&s;&s;age into <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> mouth, he calls him&s;elf the God of <HI>Jacob,</HI> as of <HI>Abraham</HI> and <HI>I&s;aac, Exod.</HI> 3. 6. 16. which &s;hews he dealt with <HI>Jacob</HI> after the &s;ame co|venant, and &s;o would he carry it on with his po&s;terity then in <HI>Egypt.</HI> In <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> time it holds in force when the Law is given, as the Apo&s;tle clears it, <HI>Gal.</HI> 3. 16, 17. The moral law was not repeated to di&s;anul the promi&s;e, but to make way for a di&s;covery of the need of the promi&s;e: and <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> preacheth the righteou&s;ne&s;s of faith, <HI>Deut.</HI> 30. com|pared with <HI>Rom.</HI> 10 In <HI>Davids</HI> and the Prophets times the &s;ame Go&s;pel-covenant is upheld: thereupon we have the account of Chri&s;ts line and genealogy all along, <HI>Matth. 1. Luke</HI> 3. and many precious promi&s;es of him accordingly, <HI>Rom.</HI> 1. 1, 2. That which <HI>Paul</HI> preached was promi&s;ed before by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures, and as any believed, they were partakers of the &s;aving benefit of this gracious covenant, <HI>Rom.</HI> 3. 21. The righteou&s;ne&s;s of God, or his<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3. 21. opened.</NOTE> righteous way of &s;aving &s;inners by Chri&s;t (without our per|&s;onal obedience to the Law and without the Laws di&s;covery, as it is a covenant of Works) is now manife&s;ted by the preachers of the New Te&s;tament, that before was witne&s;&s;ed by the doctrine of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets, under the old admini&s;tration. The Apo&s;tles, all of them preached for &s;ub&s;tance, what was in <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets, <HI>Act.</HI> 26. 23. that Chri&s;t &s;hould &s;uffer, &amp;c. and be a light and &s;alvation to the ends of the earth. <HI>Act. 13. 47. Peter</HI> profe&s;&s;eth, <HI>Act.</HI> 15. 11. this was that he taught and believed, that we through the grace of the Lord Je&s;us &s;hall be &s;aved, as they;
<PB N="93" REF="65"> as who? as the believers of the Old Te&s;tament. It was the grace of the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t that &s;aved, then and now; and if any mixed Go&s;pel be taught, not that which was of pure grace from the beginning, the holy Gho&s;t, <HI>Gal.</HI> 1. would have the doctrine and the Doctor accur&s;ed.</P>
<P>Secondly. The maner of di&s;pen&s;ation of this Go&s;pel-co|venant<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 In the ma|ner of di&s;pen|&s;ation.</NOTE> was different from that it is &s;ince Chri&s;ts death.</P>
<P N="1">1. It was admini&s;tred after a legal and &s;ervile way, urged with legal conditions of doing, and darkly vailed over with Types and Ceremonies. They heard of doing more then believing, and the admini&s;tration gendred, as the Apo&s;tle &s;aith, <HI>Gal.</HI> 4. 24. unto bondage: every carnal heart con|ceiving there was nothing mini&s;tred of righteou&s;ne&s;s or &s;trength at all from another: and being called and counted nothing but Law, hence it is that the &s;pirit of bondage is &s;aid more commonly to &s;ute that Old admini&s;tration: The Church, in this time, was con&s;idered as an Heir, in its mino|rity. As an Heir it was free, but as an Infant, or in its mino|rity, it was but as a &s;ervant, under Tutors and Governors, <HI>Gal.</HI> 4. 1. As an Heir, true believers had then the Spirit of Adoption, and Liberty; As a Childe, it had the &s;pirit of fear and &s;ervitude. And as it was but a dark and &s;ervile admini|&s;tration, comparatively to what it is; So,</P>
<P N="2">2. There was but a &s;canty proportion of graces and gifts (as to the generality even of true believers) they had little illumination, and a &s;mall mea&s;ure of &s;anctification (I &s;peak of the greater number of the Saints) to what is, and will be given &s;ince Chri&s;ts A&s;cen&s;ion, from the greate&s;t to the lea&s;t.</P>
<P N="3">3. The di&s;pen&s;ation of Grace, and its covenant was but to a few families for a time; and afterwards but to one na|tion, &s;pringing out of tho&s;e families; under the new admi|&s;tration the Covenant is made with all &s;orts of families, and with &s;ome of every nation. In &s;tead of one there have been, and are many Churches, <HI>Acts</HI> 9. 31. and 15. 14. Every where God hath had, and will have a people taken out from among the Gentiles, or nations, a &s;elect company, for his Name.</P>
<P N="4">4. The &s;eals, and witne&s;&s;es of the Te&s;tament are altered
<PB N="94" REF="66"> from Old to New; and although the writings of the old copy remain, <HI>i. e.</HI> the Books of the Old Te&s;tament, becau&s;e the &s;ub&s;tance of the covenant is there to be read, and un|der&s;tood by the &s;hadows, yet there are new writings added, <HI>i. e.</HI> the Books of the New Te&s;tament, for clearer under&s;tand|ing, and more a&s;&s;urance of faith, when both are compared together. The rea&s;on of the whole change of the old ad|mini&s;tration<NOTE PLACE="marg">The rea&s;on of the change of old into new admini&s;tra|tion.</NOTE> to the new, in the particulars named, was faultine&s;s or imperfection. It is the wi&s;dom of God to pro|ceed from ways le&s;s perfect, to that which is more perfect. <HI>Heb. 8. 7. If that fir&s;t Covenant</HI> or <HI>Te&s;tament,</HI> that is, the fir&s;t admini&s;tration of the covenant of Grace, <HI>had been fault le&s;s,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb 8 7. opened.</NOTE> <HI>then &s;hould no place have been &s;ought for the &s;econd.</HI> How was it faulty?</P>
<P N="1">1. In that it made nothing perfect, <HI>Cap.</HI> 7. 19. All in that old way, e&s;pecially the Sacrifices, being typical and &s;hadowy, they of them&s;elves could not take away &s;ins; therefore Chri&s;t, who&s;e body was fitted for a &s;acrifice, he comes and puts by the &s;hadows and types, <HI>Heb.</HI> 10. 9. He takes away the fir&s;t admini&s;tration, that he may e&s;tabli&s;h the &s;econd; the perfection of his own &s;acrifice, and all that attends it in the new admini&s;tration. His blood &s;tancheth all other blood, &s;tays the further &s;hedding of the blood of Bulls and Goats; and he coming by Blood, and not by Water onely, hath left to his Church a commemoration and ob&s;igna|tion of both, in his new In&s;titutions of Bapti&s;m, and his Supper.</P>
<P N="2">2. In that people could not (as it was di&s;pen&s;ed after the maner of a covenant of Works, though not &s;o in it &s;elf) po&s;&s;ibly &s;ee how to &s;tand or continue in it. They &s;tumbled at the Ceremonies, and &s;tuck in the Letter of the Law, and could not &s;ee unto the end of that which is now aboli&s;hed, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3. 13. But whence was the fault? God was not to be blamed, nor the &s;ub&s;tance of his Covenant; but he lays the blame upon them, who were willing to &s;tand under &s;uch an admini&s;tration, and would not look to the kernel, mar|row, and &s;ub&s;tance of it, which was Chri&s;t. But as it was the Jews infidelity which turned (as to them) that which was a covenant of Grace into a covenant of Works, &s;tick|ing
<PB N="95" REF="66"> in the rinde and bark of the Ceremony, and which ex|cluded and &s;hut them out from the Grace of the covenant; &s;o do many thou&s;ands under the new admini&s;tration (the greater is their &s;in) in&s;i&s;t upon terms of doing and obeying the Light within them; and God lets them go on, and work their heart out, if they will, for life; let them get it, win it, and wear it; although he tells them it is impo&s;&s;ible; for if the Jews in all the Ceremonies of old &s;hould have lookt to Chri&s;t in them, and beyond them; the Gentiles &s;hould upon the fir&s;t hearing of Chri&s;t, believe on him, and begin and end all their duties, with the u&s;e of all New Te&s;ta|ment In&s;titutions in him, or they will lo&s;e all their labor, as did the Jews.</P>
<P N="3"><NOTE PLACE="marg">Arguments to di&s;prove the Levitical Law as no cove|nant of works</NOTE>3. I &s;hall adde a few Arguments to di&s;prove the Leviti|cal Law from having been a covenant of Works.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. It was a covenant outwardly made with the people, and that the people outwardly made with God, <HI>by &s;acrifice, P&s;alm</HI> 50. 6. But the covenant of Works was never made <HI>by &s;acrifice,</HI> it admits of no expiation or atonement. The &s;acrifices under the Law were &s;hadows of that blood, which is the blood of the everla&s;ting covenant, <HI>Heb.</HI> 13. 20. The blood of Chri&s;t, the blood of the New Te&s;tament, or the new admini&s;tration of the covenant of Grace, not to be al|tered, but to abide for ever in its all-&s;ufficient vertue and efficacy.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. That which carried all along with it remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins, was no covenant of Works, but of Grace; but the Leviti|cal Law had remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins going along with it: for as the Apo&s;tle rea&s;oneth, <HI>Heb.</HI> 9. 22. with 18. without &s;hed|ding of blood there is no remi&s;&s;ion; whereupon the fir&s;t Te&s;tament, or <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> di&s;po&s;ition of Chri&s;ts will, was not dedi|cated without blood: but that there might be a&s;&s;urance of remi&s;&s;ion to believers even then, that blood was &s;hed, which, not being able to take away &s;in of it &s;elf, did type out Chri&s;ts blood, which could and &s;hould effect it. A cove|nant dedicated by blood, fir&s;t typical and then true, is the &s;ame for &s;ub&s;tance.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. In the Levitical Law was a Mediator, a Prie&s;t daily to offer, and a high Prie&s;t once a year to offer the incen&s;e of
<PB N="96" REF="67"> mediation in the Holy of Holies; in the covenant of Works there is no Interce&s;&s;or or Mediator; but we have in the co|venant of Grace, Chri&s;t our Prie&s;t, and high Prie&s;t, an&s;wer|ing that in the new, which was typed out in the old di&s;pen|&s;ation. <HI>Heb.</HI> 9. 15. For this cau&s;e he is the Mediator of the New Te&s;tament, &amp;c. and <HI>Ver.</HI> 12. by his own blood he en|tred in once into the holy place, &amp;c.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> 4. In the Levitical Law was the Mercy-&s;eat; there is no Mercy-&s;eat &s;et up in a covenant of Works. There was a common favor in it, that God &s;hould vouch&s;afe to enter into covenant with his Creature upon any terms; but as there needed no mercy before it was broken, &s;o when it is broken, there is judgement for the &s;inner without mercy. It is the covenant made with Chri&s;t, upon his &s;atisfaction to Ju&s;tice for others, that he becomes our Propitiatory and Mercy-&s;eat. Many more Arguments might be added, I con|clude with this,</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> 5. and la&s;tly, The Levitical Law, and all the old admini|&s;tration, was a <HI>Te&s;tament,</HI> and called the fir&s;t Te&s;tament, being the fir&s;t di&s;po&s;ition and di&s;covery of free Grace; but a covenant of Works is no Te&s;tament, nor any where in Scripture &s;o called: for a <HI>Te&s;tament</HI> requireth the death of the Te&s;tator, <HI>Heb.</HI> 9. 16. Chri&s;t of nece&s;&s;ity therefore mu&s;t die to ratifie the <HI>Will.</HI> A covenant of Works exacteth death if it be tran&s;gre&s;&s;ed; but it is the death and blood of the &s;inner. Under the Levitical Law the tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors did not die, but the bea&s;t died for the tran&s;gre&s;&s;or; which plainly &s;hewed it to be a covenant of Grace and gracious Te&s;tament, wherein the death of Chri&s;t is accepted, not the &s;inners, as that by which, all the Legacies of the <HI>Will,</HI> and good things of the Covenant, are both purcha&s;ed and a&s;&s;ured.</P>
<P>As to the [<HI>Second</HI>] particular noted in the beginning of this Section, <HI>viz. That the Law which Adam had in inno|cency written in his heart, was the moral Law:</HI> this they de|ny, and <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 11</NOTE> to back <HI>J. Nayler</HI> addeth, [for thy &s;aying <HI>that Adam was under a covenant of Works (and the &s;ame) then can&s;t not prove it.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> What he meaneth by (<HI>and the &s;ame</HI>) I do not well
<PB N="97" REF="67"> under&s;tand; it is well if he under&s;tands him&s;elf. If his &s;en&s;e be, that I cannot prove <HI>Adam</HI> to have been under a cove|nant of Works, and <HI>the &s;ame</HI> with the Levitical Law, which he holdeth to have been a covenant of Works; I acknow|ledge it is again&s;t my judgement, and con&s;cience ruled by truth, to confound the covenant of Works and of Grace together. I have even now di&s;proved the Levitical Law, as no covenant of Works, for the &s;ub&s;tantial matter and living form of it, and therefore cannot &s;peak daggers, or contra|dictiou&s;ly &s;ay, That the covenant which <HI>Adam</HI> in Innocency was under, was the &s;ame with that which true Believers of the Old Te&s;tament were under. If his meaning be, that I cannot prove <HI>Adam</HI> to have been under a covenant of Works, <HI>and the &s;ame</HI> which is contained in the moral Law, or ten Commandments, given on mount <HI>Sinai,</HI> and written in Tables of &s;tone; I &s;hall premi&s;e a few po&s;itions of truth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Po&s;itions of truth about the covenant of Works in <HI>Adam,</HI> and the Moral Law.</NOTE> and then produce a few Arguments for the Affirmative. The po&s;itions I premi&s;e are the&s;e.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. <HI>Adam</HI> was created in the image of Gods goodne&s;s, holine&s;s, ju&s;tice, &amp;c. <HI>Gen.</HI> 1. 27. el&s;e his nature had not been perfect, <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 7. 29.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. The covenant of Works is a covenant of Goodne&s;s, Holine&s;s, and Ju&s;tice, as is the Commandment moral, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 12. ordained to life, by the keeping of it, but found to be unto death after the breach of it, <HI>ver.</HI> 10.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. <HI>Adam</HI> &s;tood and fell as a publique per&s;on, repre&s;ent|ing all mankinde that were in his loins, <HI>Rom.</HI> 5. 14.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> 4. The condition of his &s;tanding in life to eternity was, by the &s;trength of that image of God given him in creation, to do all that was written in his heart, and to obey any par|ticular po&s;itive precept of God, as it &s;hould be revealed to him.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> 5. The Moral Law (contained in the ten Command|ments) may be con&s;idered ab&s;tractly and nakedly in the matter, or as clothed and formed with circum&s;tances.</P>
<P N="1">1. Ab&s;tractly, It is a bright beam of Gods holy, good, and righteous Nature and Will; and the Idea or expre&s;s repre&s;entation of that which was perfectly written in mans heart, in the time and &s;tate of Innocency.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="98" REF="68">2. As clothed with circum&s;tances, and &s;o it is, either in|&s;ervient to <HI>Adam</HI> &s;tanding, and his fallen po&s;terity that would ri&s;e, and &s;tand in and by the covenant of Works: or &s;ub&s;ervient to <HI>Adam</HI> and <HI>Eve,</HI> and the Seed of the woman, (Gods cho&s;en) who being fallen as others, were to be rai|&s;ed, ruled and &s;aved, in and by the mo&s;t free covenant of Grace.</P>
<P>The circum&s;tances that make the Moral Law &s;ub&s;ervient to a covenant of Grace, are,</P>
<P N="1">1. The Preface to the Precepts, a free Promi&s;e; &s;o God began with <HI>Adam</HI> and <HI>Eve</HI> after the fall, as with the I&s;rae|lites, <HI>Exod. 20. 2. Gen.</HI> 3. 15.</P>
<P N="2">2. It is given in the hand of a Mediator, <HI>Gal. 3. 20. Mo|&s;es</HI> was the Typical, Chri&s;t the true Mediator, who (becau&s;e God lo&s;eth not his Ju&s;tice in the covenant of Grace) under|takes as a &s;urety for &s;ome (the Elect) to pay their debt, both forfeiture and principal: the forfeiture, by his Pa&s;&s;ive obedience; the principal, by his Active obedience, for their ju&s;tification, <HI>John</HI> 1. 17. and <HI>Rom.</HI> 3. 31.</P>
<P N="3">3. It is a directory and rule to true Believers (as it is al&s;o in Chri&s;ts hand, guiding them by his Spirit) for the order|ing of their &s;anctification, <HI>Mat.</HI> 5. from <HI>ver.</HI> 17. to the end.</P>
<P>The circum&s;tances that make the Moral Law &s;erviceable to the covenant of Works made at fir&s;t with <HI>Adam,</HI> are the ingredients, attendants, and effects of that Law: As,</P>
<P N="1">1. The ab&s;olute perfection of it.</P>
<P N="2">2. The maner of promulgation, with thundering, fire, blackne&s;s, darkne&s;s, tempe&s;t, &s;ound of a trumpet, terror of voice, &amp;c. <HI>Exod. 19. Heb.</HI> 12. 18, 19, 20.</P>
<P N="3">3. The rigorous exaction of all the debt, at the hands of &s;inners, with threatning of death, <HI>Gen.</HI> 2. 17. and the cur&s;e, <HI>Deut.</HI> 27. 26.</P>
<P N="4">4. The tryal of the creatures &s;trength, as was that pro|hibition to <HI>Adam, Gen. 2. 16, 17. Exod.</HI> 20. 20. to re&s;train from &s;in.</P>
<P N="5">5. The di&s;covery of tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions, <HI>Gal.</HI> 3. 19. increa&s;ing of wrath in the con&s;cience, <HI>Rom.</HI> 4. 15. and holding the whole world under guilt, and &s;ome under the &s;en&s;e of a &s;in|ful e&s;tate, <HI>Rom.</HI> 3. 19.</P>
<PB N="99" REF="68">
<P><MILESTONE N="6"> 6. Although God in giving the Law with all the&s;e ingre|dients, attendants and effects, had Go&s;pel-purpo&s;es, to his true I&s;rael; yet, that the Moral Law, clothed with the&s;e (la&s;t mentioned circum&s;tances) doth lead to Chri&s;t, or to the promi&s;e of life by him, it is onely <HI>Intentio agentis,</HI> the &s;cope of God, to work by contraries; not <HI>Intentio ope|ris,</HI> properly the work of the Law before Faith; but what it doth work (upon the Elect) it is by accident, as the Spi|rit by his effect of keeping them under bondage a while, wearieth them out of conceits of &s;elf-righteou&s;ne&s;s, &amp;c. that they look after Chri&s;t. For the Moral Law is not con|trary<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3. 21. opened.</NOTE> to the promi&s;e, or &s;o again&s;t the promi&s;es of God, that it can forbid a Mediator, or a pardon, from another way, though it provides none of it &s;elf; nor &s;o again&s;t them, but that God can, and doth provide a Righteou&s;ne&s;s in a Surety, when the Debtor, the Sinner, hath none of his own; and neither the Law, nor Sin, can put God be&s;ides his purpo&s;e.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="7"> 7. The Moral Law was &s;o perfectly written in <HI>Adams</HI> heart in innocency, as it was never perfectly revealed, nor half &s;o clearly known after he fell, till the Lord gave it in writing upon Tables of &s;tone, and upon Books. <HI>Rom.</HI> 5. 13.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 13. opened.</NOTE> It is granted, <HI>&V;ntil the Law (in was in the world, but &s;in is not imputed when there is no Law.</HI> Diver&s;e kindes of &s;ins were not known to be &s;ins; original guilt and filth was not taken notice of <HI>until the Law.</HI> Albeit God imputed &s;in, yet men would not charge it upon them&s;elves; nor did God charge it in this life &s;o clo&s;ely, fully and particularly home, either upon the Jews or upon the Gentiles con&s;ci|ences, till the written Law came among&s;t them.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="8"> 8. The covenant of Works was onely at fir&s;t made or entred with <HI>Adam</HI> &s;tanding as a publique per&s;on, repre&s;ent|ing all mankinde. It was never made with any el&s;e &s;ince the &s;tate of perfection. Di&s;tingui&s;h we mu&s;t between entring or &s;triking this covenant and maintaining or holding of it up. God entreth not, &s;trikes it not up with any fallen &s;on or daughter of <HI>Adam;</HI> he will never tru&s;t any meer man with it upon his &s;ingle bond, when as <HI>Adam</HI> betru&s;ted with the whole &s;tock, broke him&s;elf and his po&s;terity: but onely he
<PB N="100" REF="69"> keeps it up with reprobates, and with them that in&s;i&s;t upon the condition of their own obedience, thinking by their own &s;trength to fulfil the Law; and by their own righteous and religious performances, to make amends to his offended Ju&s;tice, and to attain life in &s;uch a way of works, <HI>Matth. 19. 17. Rom. 2. 13. Gal.</HI> 3. 10.</P>
<P>The&s;e things premi&s;ed and pondered, it will neither be difficult (as <HI>R. F.</HI> imagineth) to draw up proofs, and Ar|guments, nor yet to believe, or be convinced of this Affir|mative truth; which he, <HI>J. Nayler,</HI> and others, have for|merly<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Adam</HI> in in|nocency under a covenant of works, and &s;tood by the Moral Law. Arguments to prove it.</NOTE> denied, <HI>viz. That</HI> Adam <HI>in innocency was under a co|venant of Works, and that he &s;tood by the Moral Law written in his heart, and by the ob&s;ervation of the po&s;itive branches given him in command, according to that Law.</HI></P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"><HI>Argument</HI> 1. Either he &s;tood under the Covenant of works, or was under the Covenant of Grace, or he was un|der no Covenant. Under none he could not &s;tand, live or breathe: He was certainly upon &s;ome terms of agreement with God, being made in his image, and in communion with him, and yet a creature under the Law of his Creator. The covenant of grace and reconciliation by Chri&s;t it was not; for there was no variance nor breach of friend&s;hip as yet, between God and <HI>Adam.</HI> If it was not of Grace (except a common-creation favor to be in &s;ome &s;ort or other) it was a covenant of works. Some indeed &s;peak of a covenant of Nature, but that is all one with the covenant of Works: va|riety of expre&s;&s;ions mu&s;t not lo&s;e us the truth, as they do not alter the thing it &s;elf.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. He that was under an engagement of per&s;onal, perfect conformity to Gods holy nature and righteous will, every in&s;tant and moment of time, upon his &s;ingle bond, in his received &s;trength, without promi&s;e of a &s;urety, or &s;uper|added abilities, was under a covenant of works: But this was <HI>Adams</HI> ca&s;e and &s;tate in innocency; he mu&s;t conform to all that which he had perfect light and &s;trength for; A perfect &s;tamp there was of Gods Law, (which we call the ten Commandments upon his heart) they being the perfect beam of Gods holine&s;s and righteou&s;ne&s;s: none &s;tand bound for him, all his po&s;terity are bound in him: the promi&s;e is
<PB N="101" REF="69"> onely that he &s;hall live, if he continues every moment as perfect as he was made, which we gather by the threatning; if he fails but in the lea&s;t, eats but of the Tree of know|ledge, a Tree of tryal, he &s;hall &s;urely dye. And the Moral Law &s;aith the &s;ame, con&s;ider it with its rigor, out of the hand of a Mediator; Do this, and live; do it not, fail in the lea&s;t, at the la&s;t moment of time, or &s;in but at the fir&s;t mo|ment of being, and thou &s;halt dye the death. Therefore he, and all in him, were under a covenant of works, and while he &s;tood, he &s;tood upon his own legs, given him in the fir&s;t moment of creation.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. That covenant which he fell under when he fell, that he &s;tood under the terms of while he &s;tood: But <HI>Adam,</HI> as a publique per&s;on, and all in his loins, fell under the penal|ties of the covenant of works; for as all &s;inned in him, by that one tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion, in eating the forbidden fruit, (a &s;in both again&s;t his inward created principles, and again&s;t a po|&s;itive Moral precept) &s;o death pa&s;&s;ed upon all men, <HI>Rom.</HI> 5. 12. And all are born (for that &s;in) children of wrath, and under the cur&s;e of God, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 2. 8. Therefore <HI>Adam</HI> &s;tood under the covenant of works, and its legal, conditional per|formance, and promi&s;e of life, no longer then he continued perfect as he was made, and &s;ought out no inventions and wanderings from the law of his creation and Creator.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> 4. If the covenant of works was not made with <HI>Adam</HI> in innocency, (&s;eeing he was a publique per&s;on) God could not in ju&s;tice require &s;atisfaction of his po&s;terity under the fall, and in mi&s;ery: But he requireth ju&s;t &s;atisfaction of <HI>Adams</HI> po&s;terity under the fall, and in mi&s;ery. The ju&s;t &s;a|tisfaction that is due to him, is not onely the &s;uffering of in|finite puni&s;hment, for the offence again&s;t him, who is infi|nite; but that perfect obedience, due to him from creati|on, which <HI>Adam</HI> had &s;trength to have performed in inno|cency, <HI>viz.</HI> &s;trength to have kept in that perfect &s;tate, and to obey any command, that God, as a Creator, might, in a ju&s;t way, give unto his creature. This ju&s;t &s;atisfaction, &s;ome poor creatures &s;ince the fall, will attempt to give to God, fir&s;t, in a way of &s;uffering, partly here, partly in a faigned Purgatory; and moreover they will undertake to &s;atisfie
<PB N="102" REF="70"> God in a way of active obedience, endeavoring to com|pound with their offended Creator, and to pay a part for the whole; and while they attempt impo&s;&s;ibilities, they are found debtors to the whole Law, <HI>Gal.</HI> 5. 3. Now, albeit God makes not, nay, renews not the covenant of works, no not by the death of Chri&s;t (as &s;ome would have it) with any man &s;ince the fall; yet keeping them under the penalties he lo&s;eth not his right of exacting the principal debt, and he doth require it of tho&s;e who will be paying a part for the whole, to get life thereby: Therefore, &s;uch a covenant <HI>Adam</HI> was under in innocency, as obliged him to pay the whole debt of the Moral Law in its rigor. Again, &s;up|po&s;e a poor &s;oul falls under the conviction, that all is due, which was given, but lo&s;t; and doth not &s;ay to God, Take a part for the whole; or, have patience with&punc; me, and I will pay thee all: but I can do nothing at all, I can &s;uffer no|thing, to &s;atisfaction of an infinite Ju&s;tice, in finite time; God now <HI>&s;tanding</HI> upon his <HI>Ju&s;tice</HI> (and he mu&s;t not let his <HI>Ju&s;tice</HI> fall, though the creatures righteou&s;ne&s;s be lo&s;t, and the &s;inner fallen &s;o low) cannot give life to this poor &s;inner, upon the terms of his father <HI>Adams</HI> covenant in innocency. And if Gods infinite grace, his peculiar electing-love, findes out another way of life, and the onely way of &s;alvation (for the way of works, by a meer creature, as to pre&s;ervation of Gods image and communion-life is lo&s;t, and as to &s;alvation, <HI>i. e.</HI> recovery of a lo&s;t life; that is not to be found by the invention of men or Angels) this way that God him&s;elf findes out, or makes di&s;covery of, is in &s;o ju&s;t and righteous a way, that he lays the foundation of the covenant of grace, in the &s;atisfaction of a righteous Surety, the Son of God, the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t; who was not bound to pay the for|feiture or principal for him&s;elf; nor was he bound to be|come man, or a&s;&s;ume our nature, but (upon &s;uppo&s;ition of Gods decree) he voluntarily undertakes the office and work of redeeming and &s;aving the Elect, (fallen with others) thereupon he &s;tands obliged to a&s;&s;ume their nature, (in which onely he could obey and &s;uffer) and he doth a&s;&s;ume it, for the per&s;ons (the children of the Election, <HI>Heb.</HI> 2. 14.) for their &s;ake, and on their behalf, according to that Scripture.
<PB N="203" REF="70"> And having taken their nature upon him, he is made under<NOTE PLACE="marg">Section 1 is.</NOTE> the law, deeply now in debt for their &s;akes, all which he pays actively and pa&s;&s;ively; and by the meritorious &s;ati&s;|faction given now to Ju&s;tice, (accepted by grace at the hands of &s;uch a Surety) he obtaineth eternal redemption for Gods cho&s;en. But I ask of <HI>R. F.</HI> Why mu&s;t Chri&s;t the Surety, pay the Elects debt of obedience to the Moral Law in all perfection, of nature and life, if they did not owe it? How came they to be &s;o indebted, if their father <HI>Adam</HI> was not under the debt, broke, and run away among the trees of the garden, and left them under the obligation wherein he was before he turned bankrupt?</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> 5. That whereof every man hath &s;ome reliques written in his heart, that <HI>Adam</HI> in innocency had (as a perfect bond and obligation) written perfectly in his heart: But every &s;on of <HI>Adam</HI> hath &s;ome reliques of the Moral Law, and ten Commandments, with the ingredient rigor of attendant condition and effects of a covenant of works, written in his heart; <HI>viz.</HI> That he ought to have a God, and a wor&s;hip, and that &s;uteable to the Deity, with &s;olemn time for wor|&s;hip; and the characters of the &s;econd Table, are yet more legible in every mans heart, with impre&s;&s;ions that produce the effect, which the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks of, <HI>Rom.</HI> 2. 14, 15. the work of natural con&s;cience, that tells him of an obligation to his Creator, and excu&s;eth or accu&s;eth (in matter of fact) as he acteth according, or contrary to the light of the Law written in part, upon his &s;tony heart, and afterwards per|fectly, upon Tables of &s;tone: the&s;e forfeited reliques are given back, of Gods common goodne&s;s and bounty to man|kinde; and as the remains and ruines of a &s;tately fabrick, they demon&s;trate what was once &s;tanding in beauty. The be&s;t light in men (without the new birth) carries them to the repairing of this fabrick by works; although that way<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal 1. la&s;t.</NOTE> to life is &s;hut up, and kept as by the flaming &s;word, impa&s;|&s;able, after every mans be&s;t endeavors. But when the chil|dren of <HI>Adam</HI> are laboring after life, in the way of their working, as the condition and cau&s;e of life, it is &s;trange they &s;hould not know what &s;tock their father had in his hands, nor upon what terms he and they &s;tood in with God. I wi&s;h
<PB N="104" REF="71"> it be not the &s;cope of <HI>R. F.</HI> and <HI>J. N.</HI> with others (as is the Papi&s;ts de&s;ign) to extol <HI>Adams</HI> &s;tate in innocency, above a covenant of works; <HI>not to magnifie the grace of God,</HI> but (as holy and ble&s;&s;ed <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Expo&s;. upon Eccle&s;ia&s;tes, pag. 163.</NOTE> Mr. <HI>Cotton</HI> &s;aith) <HI>to derogate from the grace of Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Object."> <HI>James</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Di&s;covery of the man of &s;in, pag. 23.</NOTE> <HI>Naylers</HI> Objection is of no force again&s;t what I have argued for: <HI>The covenant of works &s;aith, Do this and live; but he had the life already, while he &s;tood in it; and &s;o it was not to be obtained by working.</HI></P>
<P><MILESTONE N="An&s;w."> He had it, while he had it, upon condition of working; it &s;hould have been continued to him upon that condition. Life once lo&s;t, in that covenant, for want of working, or for bad work, cannot be obtained again by the parties them|&s;elves that lo&s;t it; yet if men will be doing for life, God permits them to go on, and let them &s;ee at la&s;t, how they have lo&s;t all their labor, as well as their life.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="Object."> But <HI>the Law was added becau&s;e of tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion, which if it had been before the tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion, could not have been.</HI></P>
<P><MILESTONE N="An&s;w."> The quite contrary is more clear; if the Law had not been before the tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion, <HI>viz.</HI> of <HI>Adam, Adam</HI> had not been under tran&s;gre&s;sion, for what is &s;in but the tran&s;gre&s;|&s;ion of the Law? 1 <HI>John</HI> 3. 4. And it was <HI>added,</HI> not to the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3. 19. cleared.</NOTE> tran&s;gre&s;sion, but <HI>becau&s;e of tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions;</HI> &s;ins were now multiplied in the world, and men would neither charge the fir&s;t &s;in, nor the la&s;t, nor any upon them&s;elves as they &s;hould, to become &s;en&s;ible of the need of the promi&s;e, and of him to whom the promi&s;e of &s;alvation was primarily made; therefore, the Law was as a gla&s;s held before them, to &s;hew them their &s;pots, and it came with an arre&s;t to &s;elf+ju&s;tifiers (as to this day it will come) to be clapt upon the backs, the con&s;ciences of tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="Object."> But why &s;tood not <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> by the Moral law? <HI>J. N.</HI> tells us, <HI>That Law which was given to</HI> Adam <HI>was, Thou &s;halt not eat</HI> (of the Tree of knowledge, I &s;uppo&s;e he means, for an ab&s;olute prohibition of eating, <HI>Adam</HI> had not, but a liberty of eating of every tree, <HI>that</HI> excepted) <HI>which no where in Scripture is called the covenant of works.</HI></P>
<P><MILESTONE N="An&s;w."> That was but a po&s;itive branch of the Moral Com|mandment, for tryal of his love to God, and of his obe|dience
<PB N="105" REF="71"> in one kinde; but to &s;tand obliged to all kinde of obe|dience, an&s;werable to the written Law, with the <HI>tag</HI> (as the Martyr called it) <HI>at the end of the point;</HI> death and the cur&s;e attending the fir&s;t tran&s;gre&s;sion, is no le&s;s then a covenant of works; and as hath been &s;hewed and proved, (as &s;uch a covenant) was onely then <HI>made</HI> and <HI>entred</HI> with all mankinde.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4" UNIT="Object."> Is <HI>R. F.</HI> his rea&s;on <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 12.</NOTE> any better? <HI>Adam had not the Law in which the ten Commandments were given, for it was writ|ten (the Law with the ten Commandments) &s;everal hundred years after Adam, and not given to him in paradi&s;e; there|fore he was not under that Law and Covenant of Works.</HI></P>
<P><MILESTONE N="An&s;w."><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. The Law [<HI>with</HI>] the ten Commandments, is more then the Law [<HI>of</HI>] the ten Commandments. Al|though no Law but the ten Commandments was written in Tables of &s;tone, yet the Ceremonial Law (which hath been di&s;proved from being a covenant of works) was given at the &s;ame time, or in the &s;ame forty days that <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> was upon the Mount. Now, no man (that I know) &s;aith the Ceremonial Law was given to <HI>Adam</HI> in Paradi&s;e, or that he was under <HI>that Law</HI> before the fall.</P>
<P N="2">2. As <HI>Adam</HI> was under the Ceremonial Law after the fall (above two thou&s;and years before it was given to <HI>Mo|&s;es</HI>) &s;o he might be (and it hath been proved he was) under the whole Moral Law, as a covenant of works, before the fall, notwith&s;tanding the long &s;pace of time between his in|nocency, and the promulgation of the ten Commandments on Mount <HI>Sinai.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. The rea&s;on of <HI>R. F.</HI> to the contrary, is of no more force, then if one &s;hould argue; The promi&s;e was given to <HI>Abraham</HI> two thou&s;and and four&s;core years after <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in, therefore it was not given to the Patriarchs, nor were they under a covenant of grace before <HI>Abraham:</HI> which to &s;ay, would be manife&s;t contradiction to the Scripture, and a <HI>Non &s;equitur</HI> in Rea&s;on; and &s;uch is <HI>R. F.</HI> his Divinity and Logick al&s;o.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="18" TYPE="section">
<PB N="106" REF="72">
<HEAD>Section 18.</HEAD>
<P>OF this Section <HI>R. F.</HI> takes no notice; wherein I had noted what <HI>Ed. Burroughs</HI> &s;aith in his <HI>An&s;wer to choice experiences,</HI> page 6, 7. (not 9, 10. as was printed before) <HI>That is no command from God to me, what he commands to a|nother:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Scripture&punc; ge|neral com|mands in|clude parti|cular per&s;ons, and oblige to acting by vir|tue of &s;uch commands.</NOTE> contrary to the whole Decalogue, <HI>Exod.</HI> 20. which &s;peaks to all, in &s;peaking to one; [<HI>Thou</HI>] And the my&s;tery of iniquity in this kinde of doctrine lyes here, The word Command in Scripture is not a command to them till they have a word within them, <HI>neither</HI> (as <HI>E. D.</HI> adds) <HI>did any of the Saints, which we read of in Scripture, act by the com|mand which was to another, not having the command to them &s;elves; I challenge to finde an Example to it.</HI> By this doctrine,</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. All the Scripture-commands (as &s;uch) are made void,<NOTE PLACE="marg">The ab&s;urdi|ties of the contrary doctrine.</NOTE> &s;tand for Cyphers, are of no Authority by them &s;elves, and no ways binding to carnal men, who want the perfect princi|ple that <HI>Adam</HI> had; or the Spirit of grace which the Saints have; whereas moral commands in Scripture, are of per|petual obligation; whether men have a principle, or a Spi|rit to hear or forbear; <HI>Ezek.</HI> 2. 7. And,</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. As if, what God commands one Saint, as a Saint, he doth not command all Saints, as &s;uch, <HI>Mark</HI> 13. 37. and <HI>Luke</HI> 12. 4. I &s;ay unto you my friends; Fear not them that kill the body, &amp;c. is a command obliging all his friends; Or,</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. There mu&s;t be a particular Scripture for every Saint, and every action that he puts forth; Or,</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> 4. A motion from within, mu&s;t be above the motion from without in the Scripture: whereas the Spirit of God is of one and the &s;ame authority in the Scripture, and in the heart, and he moveth to duty by commands, 1 <HI>The&s;. 4. 2. 1 John 3. 23. Jo&s;h.</HI> 1. 8. Have not I commanded thee? yea by the written commandements he pre&s;&s;eth Chri&s;tians upon duty, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 6. 2. Honor thy Father, and thy Mother,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 6. 2. explained.</NOTE> which is the fir&s;t commandement with promi&s;e. The motive here is threefold.</P>
<P N="1">1. The Commandement of the written moral Law.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="107" REF="72">2. The promi&s;e annexed, That it may be well with thee, &amp;c.</P>
<P N="3">3. This fifth commandement is the <HI>Fir&s;t</HI> of the &s;econd Table; and the <HI>fir&s;t</HI> of the Ten that hath a promi&s;e, and a &s;pecial promi&s;e expre&s;ly added to it. All the ten have (as the Decalogue is &s;ub&s;ervient to the cove|nant of Grace) a general promi&s;e prefixed, and the &s;econd, a general promi&s;e in&s;erted; but this is the fir&s;t and the la&s;t indeed, the onely one of the ten, that hath a <HI>&s;pecial expre&s;s promi&s;e</HI> added to the keeping of it. A command &s;o backt and &s;upported, is no &s;mall encouragement; it being al&s;o a command of the holy Gho&s;t, as certain, as any he brings to the heart; Or,</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> 5. As if what is &s;poken to all, is &s;poken to none, till the per&s;on be named, or pointed out by the finger. It will be accounted negligence and carele&s;ne&s;s in children, or &s;er|vants, when the Governor of a family ordereth to them all that the doors be &s;hut up at night, if none of them look af|ter what is ordered: and in a troop of &s;ouldiers, not to take the alarum at a di&s;tance, but the Drum mu&s;t be beaten clo&s;e by the ear of every one, or el&s;e none will &s;tir from their quarters: &s;uch an abu&s;e of commands to Saints, is made of Scripture-general commands, by the&s;e men who li&s;t them&s;elves for Saints. The allegations and objections of <HI>Ed. Burroughs</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 7.</NOTE> weighed in the ballance of truth, will be too light.</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>I challenge to finde an example.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Objection an&s;wered.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> What are all the examples of the Saints actings after the patern of other Saints who had the expre&s;s pre|cept? 1 <HI>The&s;.</HI> 1. 6. ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, &amp;c. &s;o that ye were en&s;amples to all that believe in <HI>Macedonia</HI> and <HI>Achaia.</HI> Chri&s;t gave the Apo&s;tles an ex|ample of Self-denial, with a command of taking up the cro&s;s, and following him: The Saints at <HI>The&s;&s;alonica, acted</HI> by this <HI>Command,</HI> and after the Lords, and the Apo&s;tles example, and became exemplary them&s;elves, for others that believed, to act after them, and &s;uffer al&s;o. Commands of this nature to others, they took to be to them&s;elves, and are commen|ded for &s;uch kinde of obedience. <HI>Acts</HI> 1. 4. The Apo&s;tles
<PB N="108" REF="73"> have a command to keep together, and not to deport from <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> &amp;c. and <HI>Act.</HI> 2. 42. the converted three thou&s;and (which are a &s;uperabundant number of examples) conti|nue &s;tedfa&s;tly in the Apo&s;tles doctrine and fellow&s;hip, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers: here is acting &s;uffi|ciently, and con&s;tantly by virtue of the command, for keep|ing fellow&s;hip, given to the Apo&s;tles more immediately, and to them but remotely, and at the &s;econd hand.</P>
<P N="2"><MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="Object."> 2. 'Tis alledged, <HI>The Saints obeyed every one their own command; one was &s;ent to Baptize, and to preach the Go&s;pel: another was &s;ent, not to Baptize, but to preach the Go&s;pel.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. Saints, as &s;uch, have general duties incumbent upon them, and none of the commandements of God, that belong to them as Saints, are grievous unto their regenerate heart and part.</P>
<P N="2">2. To Baptize, and to preach the Go&s;pel, are duties impo&s;ed but upon &s;ome Saints, and acts belonging to &s;pe|cial office and commi&s;&s;ion, or mi&s;&s;ion at lea&s;t&punc; Some may be &s;ent to preach the Go&s;pel, that have not office-commi&s;|&s;ion of Baptizing, as <HI>Act.</HI> 11. 19. But none were in office|commi&s;&s;ion to preach the Go&s;pel, but might and did, as opportunity was offered, baptize al&s;o, as <HI>Act.</HI> 8. 35. 38. And <HI>Paul</HI> him&s;elf did Baptize, and was commi&s;&s;ionated for it, though his principal work was preaching, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 1. 15,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 15, 16. cleared.</NOTE> 16, 17. Chri&s;t &s;ent me <HI>not</HI> to Baptize: [not] there is hy|perbolical; That &s;eems &s;imply and ab&s;olutely to be deny|ed, which is to be under&s;tood but in part, and comparative|ly, in re&s;pect of the greater and more con&s;tant elaborate employment of preaching, as is the Lords maner of &s;peech, <HI>Jer.</HI> 7. 22, 23. But &s;uch as <HI>Paul</HI> Baptized, (as few as they were) he did not Baptize, &s;hort of, be&s;ides or without a command. And in &s;hort, every one in his particular vocati|on, the Apo&s;tle in his place, the Pa&s;tor in his, the Church in their relation, the Husband in his place, the wife in hers &amp;c. are to obey the commands given to tho&s;e relati|ons; But,</P>
<P N="3"><MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="Object."> 3. <HI>You go to duty, as you call it, by imitation from the Letter without.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. Imitation properly re&s;pecteth examples; and
<PB N="109" REF="73"> obedience, precepts; and it is but duty, and obedience to hearken to Scripture-commands for imitation of holy, and godly examples, <HI>Jer. 6. 16. Philip.</HI> 3. 15, 16, 17. and <HI>chap.</HI> 4. 9.</P>
<P N="2">2. While profe&s;&s;ors old and new decline the old and good paths, let them beware of dangerous precipices, of Api&s;h, Popi&s;h, Monki&s;h imitations, and of un-warrantable pre|tences to the Prophets extraordinary Raptures, and Po|&s;tures, &s;uch as tho&s;e, <HI>I&s;a. 20. 2. Ezek.</HI> 4. 9, 10. &amp;c.</P>
<P N="4"><MILESTONE N="4" UNIT="Object."> 4. You go to duty, <HI>in your own wills and time, your &s;acri|fice is not accepted.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. They that look rightly to a Scripture-com|mand, will eye the maner, end and other circum&s;tances, and watch unto &s;ea&s;ons of prayer, reading, hearing, &amp;c. requi|red in Go&s;pel-times.</P>
<P N="2">2. Every <HI>duty,</HI> or performance, to which a Saint is duly tyed by a command, re&s;pecting his relation, and calling (and con&s;equently his per&s;on) is accepted by God for the matter of it, becau&s;e he requireth it: but his per&s;on is ac|cepted as he is a Believer, within the covenant of Grace, and hath Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s reckoned to him for his ju&s;ti|fication; and he is al&s;o accepted in the &s;incere Go&s;pel per|formance of a duty, not for the works &s;ake, but for Chri&s;ts fake.</P>
<P N="5"><MILESTONE N="5" UNIT="Object."> 5. <HI>You go without the moving of the Spirit, in your own &s;trength, and you know not what a command from God in the Spirit is.</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> This might be laid in a carnal mans di&s;h, and at an unbelievers door, but being an objection again&s;t Saints, to beat them off from performing duties by rea&s;on of a Scripture-command, is as fal&s;e, as it is bold and daring; For,</P>
<P N="1">1. Every true Saint hath the Spirit dwelling in him.</P>
<P N="2">2. There is no warrantable evidence that the motion is from Gods Spirit, if it be not according to a Scripture com|mand; and if it be according to it, it is as uncharitable, as untrue, to &s;ay the holy &s;oul goes without the moving of the Spirit. A command from God in the Spirit, is no other,<NOTE PLACE="marg">What a com|mand from God in the Spirit is.</NOTE> for the matter of it, then what already he hath commanded in the word of Scripture, and that which he forms and
<PB N="110" REF="74"> &s;tamps upon the fle&s;hy tables of the heart, by the Spirit of the living God, &s;o effectually that the mind under&s;tands it, and the will obeyeth it, in newne&s;s of &s;pirit.</P>
<P N="3">3. The Spirit of God is free to move when he plea&s;eth, in and upon the heart; but the Saint is obliged to duty, when, through the fle&s;h, he is very dull, and indi&s;po&s;ed to it, <HI>Matth.</HI> 26. 41.</P>
<P N="4">4. He goes in his own &s;trength to duty, who follows<NOTE PLACE="marg">Who act in their own &s;trength.</NOTE> the light of a natural con&s;cience onely, or undertakes it in the &s;trength of his natural parts, or moral abilities, or com|mon gifts of the Spirit: but it is one of the greate&s;t &s;candals which I have known ca&s;t upon the Scriptures, and upon the Saints together, to &s;ay, <HI>they go in their own &s;trength to duty who act by virtue of a Scripture-command:</HI> for although<NOTE PLACE="marg">Who in the &s;trength of Chri&s;t.</NOTE> they have not &s;uch movings and &s;tirrings of the Spirit, at one time as at another; yet, in &s;en&s;e of greate&s;t deadne&s;s they act their faith for acceptation of their per&s;ons, and believing the work is duty indeed, tru&s;t not to the &s;tock of grace within them, but act faith again upon Chri&s;t for fre&s;h influence, and new &s;upply in the pre&s;ent performance, ordi|nance, or exerci&s;e; And another is like unto this, that <HI>they know not what a command from God in the Spirit is:</HI> when as<NOTE PLACE="marg">Saints expe|rience about a command. 1 Pa&s;t.</NOTE> every Saint more or le&s;s hath had a twofold experience about the commandements of God, and from him: one in a legal way of mini&s;tration; when the commandement <HI>comes,</HI> as <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaketh of him&s;elf, <HI>Rom. 7. ver.</HI> 9. 10. that<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 9. 10. opened.</NOTE> is, in the light of its &s;pirituality &s;triking at heart-corrupti|ons, which in their native rebellion ri&s;e up [<HI>&s;in revived</HI>] the more again&s;t the commandement (and by the way, it was the written-commandment) as that oppo&s;ed the Phari|&s;aical pride of his heart [<HI>and I died</HI>] here is yet no Go&s;pel mortification, but legal con&s;ternation, <HI>Paul</HI> is &s;lain in his fal&s;e per&s;wa&s;ions, and pre&s;umptuous hopes of getting life by his own blamele&s;s obedience to the Law. Thus the Spirit of God &s;ets home the law, in its vigor of &s;pirituality, and rigor of exacting ab&s;olute freedom from the lea&s;t &s;werving thought; and takes off a &s;oul from expecting life in his own righteou&s;ne&s;s; or by the be&s;t frame of heart that he may reach unto: and keeps him (for longer or &s;horter
<PB N="111" REF="74"> time as he plea&s;e) under fears of the &s;econd death; and of the fir&s;t, becau&s;e of the &s;econd. The other in a Go&s;pel di&s;pen|&s;ation<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pre&s;ent.</NOTE> is experience, by the Saints, when they are through Go&s;pel-enlightning faith, and renovation, made to under|&s;tand what the covenant of Grace is, and what a Go&s;pel|command: The covenant of Grace calls for &s;atisfaction at Chri&s;ts hands, and hath it: The Go&s;pel command from God in the Spirit, is not &s;ome &s;udden impul&s;e, or rare impre&s;&s;ion upon the &s;oul, which few Saints meet with, but it is every Scripture-precept which the Spirit of faith, holine&s;s, and liberty, works the heart to a &s;weet compli|ance withall, according to the mea&s;ures of grace received, amid&s;t the pre&s;ent and con&s;tant conflict with in-dwelling &s;in. This was <HI>Pauls</HI> experience after conver&s;ion, as he lays it forth, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. from <HI>ver.</HI> 14. to the end, and in the following Chapter. The command wherewith he had no compliance before, as to the &s;pirituality of it, now he con&s;enteth to, and delighteth in, and complains again&s;t that contrary frame of corrupt nature which re|mained (though it reigned not) and rebelled in him; but as &s;in &s;erved it &s;elf, and its own ends; grace, and the new creature made him &s;erviceable to the law of God, the Scripture-command, with which he and his new nature was reconciled; and he that cannot finde &s;omething of this experience, will not finde him&s;elf a Saint, he that ela&s;heth with Scripture-commands, &s;o far di&s;covers him&s;elf to be unregenerate. Let <HI>E. B.</HI> and <HI>R. F.</HI> a little more examine them&s;elves, by what &s;pirit they are acted, while they de|cline the Scripture-Go&s;pel-Rule.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="5" TYPE="head">
<PB N="112" REF="75">
<HEAD>(5. Head of Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning Sin.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="19" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 19.</HEAD>
<P>TO this Section al&s;o <HI>R. F.</HI> is wholly &s;ilent, where I had noted from di&s;cour&s;e with &s;ome of them in <HI>Scotland,</HI> That, <HI>&s;in is not a vi&s;ible enemy to a Saint;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Sin vi&s;ible in and to the Saint.</NOTE> contrary to <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 23. And I may adde, <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 51. 3. And my &s;in is ever before me. <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 6. 5. Wo is me, for I am undone, becau&s;e I am a man of unclean lips. They that &s;ee not their pollutions, have no part nor lot in the work of Sanctification; and they that &s;ee not &s;in as an enemy, and their in-dwelling enemy, are friends, and in fel|low&s;hip with it. As any are more or le&s;s &s;anctified, they have the le&s;s or the more to &s;ee; but the more a &s;oul is &s;an|ctified, the more he &s;ees his motes to be beams, and the more vi&s;ible and &s;en&s;ible is the body of &s;in and of death to him.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="20" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 20.</HEAD>
<P>WHereas I had charged them for &s;aying, <HI>All the chil|dren of light are called to judge them that &s;ay the children of God are found groaning under the burthen of &s;in,</HI> which I called an arrogant a&s;&s;ertion, contrary to <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 24. <HI>R. F.</HI><NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 12.</NOTE> minceth the matter by a new di&s;tinction; <HI>For groan|ing under &s;in while&s;t it is working out, that may be, but to &s;ay that the children of God groan under it all their life time, it</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Sin groaned under (while here) by the Saints.</NOTE> <HI>contradicts the Scripture.</HI> Thus <HI>R. F.</HI></P>
<P>To which I Reply, 1. The new di&s;tinction (and new, be|cau&s;e not founded in Scripture) lies here, that he makes a difference between the time, <HI>while&s;t</HI> the Saints &s;in <HI>is working out,</HI> and <HI>their life-time:</HI> For let us con&s;ider how long they are working out their &s;in, or the Spirit for them, and in them, is that but a part of their life-time? It's a truth, we teach that groaning under a legal bondage of guilt and
<PB N="113" REF="75"> cur&s;e, and fears of damnation, is but for a time, <HI>Luke</HI> 1. 74, 75. <HI>Rom.</HI> 8. 15. But when they are formed Saints, and en|dued with the Spirit of Adoption, then they groan, and &s;igh, and cry out under another bondage; not of guilt im|puted, but of guilt de&s;erved, and of corruption felt, as ty|rannizing<NOTE PLACE="marg">In what re|&s;pect.</NOTE> over the whole &s;oul and body of a Saint, in part: <HI>i. e.</HI> in every faculty of the &s;oul, and member of the body, there is &s;ome pre&s;ence of &s;in with them all their days.</P>
<P N="2">2. What Scripture is it that our a&s;&s;ertion of continued groaning under the body of &s;in and death, in the Saints, doth contradict? <HI>R. F.</HI> quotes <HI>Rom.</HI> 8. &amp;c. 1 <HI>john 3. Rev.</HI> 14. but never a Ver&s;e in all the&s;e Chapters he hath to produce for evidence. What &s;huffling is this and cunning craftine&s;s, whereby he lyeth in wait to deceive the &s;imple with appear|ances of that which is not to be found? If &s;o be would put off Errors by whole-&s;ale, he may do it this way.</P>
<P>After this, he throws dirt in the face of that Scripture, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. (which I had &s;aid from <HI>ver.</HI> 14. to the end was &s;po|ken<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 7. 14. to the end vindicated.</NOTE> in the name of the regenerate) <HI>Here, though</HI> Paul <HI>did cry out of the body of death, he did not always groan and &s;igh as di&s;&s;emblers [and Scots] do.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. If he did it not as di&s;&s;emblers, he groaned as a real Saint; then the truth is granted, at lea&s;t &s;eemingly.</P>
<P N="2">2. Mu&s;t all be di&s;&s;emblers that always groan, and are &s;ighing all their life time under the body of &s;in and death? then <HI>Paul</HI> was one.</P>
<P N="3">3. Hath the Lord no real Saints among the <HI>Scots?</HI> Grant, there is a formality of groaning among the com|mon people, (not for the body of &s;in, but the &s;in of their bodies, or meerly in imitation, and out of cu&s;tom; which latter, I could not but tax a little, when I was there) dare any condemn the generation of the righteous, or impute that formality to the whole fraternity or &s;ociety of Profe&s;|&s;ors at large? among whom God hath hidden ones, and &s;ome, who do mourn for the abominations of the Land, and pollutions of the Kirk, and would willingly come forth to more vi&s;ible &s;hame, for all that is ami&s;s in their Wor&s;hip and Government Eccle&s;ia&s;tical; were they not over-power|ed
<PB N="114" REF="76"> partly by in-bred &s;elf, partly by their &s;uper-intending, and &s;uper-exten&s;ive Presbytery.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> an&s;wereth, and a&s;per&s;eth yet further, <HI>Paul did not groan in the name of all regenerate, as thou &s;ays, but &s;poke his own condition there.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Grant he &s;peaks his own condition from <HI>ver.</HI> 14. to the end, it is either as he is regenerate, or as wholly de&s;ti|tute of grace; but he doth not &s;peak it of him&s;elf as devoid of grace: for when he opened his legal &s;tate as yet unrege|nerate, from <HI>var.</HI> 8 and 9 to 14. he &s;peaks in the Preter ten&s;e, or of the time pa&s;t; but from <HI>ver.</HI> 14, &amp;c. he ex|pre&s;&s;eth him&s;elf all along in the Pre&s;ent ten&s;e, and time: and therefore he &s;peaks of the pre&s;ent &s;tate wherein he was at the time of the writing of that Epi&s;tle. Now, was he a <HI>Saul</HI> or a <HI>Paul</HI> then? Was he <HI>Paul</HI> the Saint, or <HI>Saul</HI> the Per&s;ecuter and Bla&s;phemer? Was he not then <HI>Paul</HI> the Servant of Je&s;us Chri&s;t? <HI>Chap.</HI> 1. 1. And have we not the characters he gives of him&s;elf, as regenerate? <HI>Ver.</HI> 15. What I hate, that do I. <HI>Ver.</HI> 16. I con&s;ent to the Law that it is good. <HI>Ver.</HI> 17. It is not I, but &s;in that dwelleth in me, (where he divides his qualities into two &s;orts or kindes, as <HI>Ver.</HI> 20.) <HI>Ver.</HI> 18. To will is pre&s;ent with me. <HI>Ver.</HI> 22. He &s;peaks of his inner man, and of his delight in the Law after that renewed principle. Then he cries out, <HI>Ver.</HI> 23, 24. of what he &s;ees and hates Now, no man that is unregenerate can truly hate &s;in, as &s;in, which he did; nor hath he two contrary principles in him, all over, of grace and &s;in; nor hath he a will pre&s;ent with him, to do a &s;piritual good acti|on; nor hath he an inner man, the new man to delight in the &s;piritual law of God; nor doth he feel the univer&s;al warring law, or power of &s;in in his members, as <HI>Paul</HI> doth: <HI>Paul</HI> therefore &s;peaks of him&s;elf as now he is at pre&s;ent, re|generate; yea, he gives the account of him&s;elf, as &s;uch; and therefore he lays forth the e&s;tate which is peculiar to the regenerate, and common to one and other as they are &s;uch, more or le&s;s.</P>
<P>But &s;aith <HI>R. F. Paul did not always groan under that body of &s;in, and Law in his members, but witne&s;&s;ed a Redemption
<PB N="115" REF="76"> from it, for which he thanked God that made him more then a Conqueror.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. The Apo&s;tle writes of the pre&s;ent con&s;tant frame of his Spirit, to &s;ee, feel &s;in, hate it, and groan under it.</P>
<P N="2">2. The Redemption that he witne&s;&s;eth and giveth thanks<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 25. vindicated.</NOTE> for, <HI>ver.</HI> 25. was fir&s;t, that the guilt of this in-dwelling &s;in was not imputed; there being no condemnation to him, nor to any in Chri&s;t Je&s;us; which priviledge, <HI>cap.</HI> 8. 1. enlarged to others, as to him&s;elf, &s;hews al&s;o that in the latter part of the &s;eventh chapter, he had &s;poken of every true believer, and in the name of every &s;anctified regenerate &s;oul: And<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 8. 1. cleared. <GAP DESC="foreign"> 1 Cor. 7. 14. &amp; cap. 12. 20.</NOTE> <HI>cap.</HI> 8. comes in with an Inference, [<HI>There is therefore now no condemnation,</HI> &amp;c.] the Inference is double and &s;trong [<HI>therefore now</HI>] or [<HI>now then</HI>] as the <HI>Geneva</HI> Tran&s;lation hath it: [<HI>now</HI>] is not here an adverb of time, but a note of inference, as [<HI>therefore</HI>] or [<HI>then</HI>] conjunctions gathering up the Argument before; which u&s;e of the Greek language <HI>R. F.</HI> under&s;tands no more then <HI>Thomas Law&s;on</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">An un|taught Tea|cher, &amp;c. p. 25.</NOTE> who would have <HI>Pauls</HI> inference, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 25. [<HI>So then</HI>] to imply <HI>a condition and di&s;po&s;ition which he had pa&s;&s;ed through, then it was &s;o, and &s;o; and</HI> Rom. 8. 1. But&mdash;<HI>to declare his pre&s;ent condition;</HI> upon which mi&s;take, <HI>Th. Law&s;on</HI> trium|pheth in a &s;uppo&s;ed Antithe&s;is or oppo&s;ition of time;</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM><LABEL>So then</LABEL> who is not blinde, may &s;ee.</ITEM>
<ITEM><LABEL>But now</LABEL> who hath an ear, may hear.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>Whereas the words <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 25. [<HI>So then</HI>] in the Greek * are<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> no Adverbs of time at all, there (or in any place) but two conjunctions rational-collective, or gathering up the rea&s;on, and &s;etting down the conclu&s;ion, that he and all the rege|nerate have matter of thank&s;giving, and Go&s;pel-humiliation together; of humiliation, that &s;in in him and them will be &s;inning; of thank&s;giving, that grace in him and them will be &s;erving the Law of God. And the words, <HI>cap.</HI> 8. 1. [<HI>Now then</HI>] or [therefore now] are as [So then] conjunctions rational al&s;o, gathering up the rea&s;on, inferring and con|cluding, That if &s;uch as are under the conflict, have matter of thank&s;giving (as humiliation) and if they have the law of the minde, a &s;weet frame of Grace wherewith they &s;erve God (while with the fle&s;h or unregenerate part they &s;erve
<PB N="116" REF="77"> &s;in) therefore now, or now then, it followeth upon good<NOTE PLACE="marg">Section 20</NOTE> rea&s;on and by force of Argument, That neither he nor they who are in Je&s;us Chri&s;t, are in a &s;tate of &s;in and condemna|tion, but are delivered from the Law, <HI>i. e.</HI> the rigor, cur&s;e and domination of it (though not from the direction and rule of it, <HI>cap.</HI> 7. 6. For,</P>
<P>Secondly, he witne&s;&s;eth that the victory was begun in him over the power of &s;in, and that &s;in did not reign, and though it remained in him and them, yet they walkt not af|ter the command of it, but after the commands of the Spi|rit. Con&s;tant groaning and perfect ju&s;tification, with &s;in|cere &s;anctification, may and do &s;tand together.</P>
<P>It is from the que&s;tion what <HI>R. F.</HI> addes, [<HI>Such did not commit &s;in,</HI> 1 John 3. 9. and <HI>then not always groaning.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> They groan for that which always is in them; though they have cea&s;ed the trade of &s;in, they &s;igh in their warring with it; and that it &s;o ea&s;ily be&s;ets them, and pre&s;|&s;eth down.</P>
<P>This is my <HI>confu&s;ion</HI> and <HI>condition R. F.</HI> &s;aith, That I grant the children of God from their new birth do put off the bo|dy of &s;in, as to guilt and reigning power, and yet we are ea&s;ily be&s;et with it; and hence he draws forth a mo&s;t &s;o|phi&s;tical Syllogi&s;m again&s;t me, it may be ere he is aware:
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM><HI>Where &s;in &s;o ca&s;ily be&s;ets and pre&s;&s;eth down, it reigns;</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>But it ea&s;ily be&s;ets and pre&s;&s;eth thee and you Scotchmen down, that are in the filth of it;</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>And therefore you let it reign in your mortal bodies, contra|ry to</HI> Romans 6.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. As to the form of his &s;ophi&s;try, I except again&s;t it, for the fallacy of four terms, by foi&s;ting in [<HI>&s;o</HI>] and [<HI>that are in the filth of it</HI>] quite altering, by augment|ing, the conclu&s;ion I held forth from <HI>Heb.</HI> 12. 1. which was<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 1. vindicated.</NOTE> this; Sin ea&s;ily be&s;ets them [Gods children] and pre&s;&s;eth down by the remnants of filth. Now 'tis one thing to have &s;in ea&s;ily be&s;et by its filth, which is the ca&s;e of Saints, and another to be <HI>&s;o</HI> be&s;et and pre&s;&s;ed down, as they that <HI>are in the filth of it,</HI> which is the ca&s;e of the un-&s;anctified. Saints have remnants of filth in them, but are not drowned over head and ears in the filth of &s;in.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="117" REF="77">2. Let the conclu&s;ion be taken, as I gave it, from the Apo|&s;tle, and I deny his major, or fir&s;t propo&s;ition: <HI>Where &s;in ea&s;ily be&s;ets and pre&s;&s;eth down,</HI> (and <HI>&s;o</HI> ea&s;ily, that is, by the remnants of filth) <HI>it reigns,</HI> he; it reigns not, &s;ay I; for it reigned not in <HI>Paul,</HI> and in the godly Hebrews, and yet it did ea&s;ily be&s;et them; and the very remnants of filth was a burthen and pre&s;&s;ure to them: if they had not been a grie|vance, &s;in had reigned; the more grace there is, the more &s;en&s;ible the &s;oul is of <HI>every weight.</HI> The word &s;ignifieth<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> what&s;oever is gro&s;s, heavy, burthen&s;om, and trouble&s;om, which being upon a mans back, in a journey, makes him &s;toop, or hinders him in a race: every lu&s;t is clogging, and where the roots of all are, there are many to be&s;et us; if it be but the inordinate love of the creature, of honor, riches, plea&s;ure, or exce&s;&s;ive cares of this life, they are every of them a weight upon our &s;pirits; and where they are felt as weights, and groaned under (with the whole body of &s;in) &s;in reigneth not; if it doth, we mu&s;t indite all the believing Hebrews; but that we will not at <HI>R. F.</HI> his plea&s;ure.</P>
<P N="3">3. As to his minor, or &s;econd propo&s;ition, He mu&s;t bet|ter know me, and all Scotchmen, before he will have ground to indite us for being <HI>in the filth</HI> of our &s;ins: neither &s;an|ctified Scots nor Engli&s;h, are <HI>in the filth,</HI> though filth be in them. Let me go for a poor &s;inful wretch, and worm, as I am; I pleaded not my own condition before, but the Saints; now I mu&s;t break forth with the Apo&s;tle, and give thanks, that I know my &s;elf to be a &s;inner; and that as I have per|fect victory in my Head, &s;o, that I now my imperfe|ctions in part, and have a &s;en&s;e of the&s;e weights, and a &s;ight of this encompa&s;&s;ing Enemy in-dwelling &s;in; which yet we are exhorted to get free of the very pre&s;ence of it, as much, as fa&s;t, and as far as grace &s;hall enable; and here|unto I &s;trive, according to Gods working in me: Oh, that it were more mightily! As for that <HI>R. F.</HI> alledgeth and ad|deth <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 13. 1 John 3. 3. vindicated.</NOTE> of <HI>the hope that purifieth, even as Chri&s;t is pure,</HI> 1 John 3. 1, 2, 3. The Apo&s;tles words are not in the Preter ten&s;e, that a childe of God <HI>hath purified him&s;elf,</HI> or done his work perfectly here, but that it is his con&s;tant daily work; he is not therefore fully clean&s;ed, as to his &s;anctification, while
<PB N="118" REF="78"> he liveth, but he goes on with his be&s;t endeavors, in the &s;trength of faith and hope in Chri&s;t, to be made like him in perfection of &s;oul and body-holine&s;s when he appears. What hath <HI>R. F.</HI> done all this time, but &s;trengthned his own and fellows Contradictions to the Scripture?</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="21" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 21.</HEAD>
<P>HEre I took up two pa&s;&s;ages, the one of <HI>James Parnel</HI> in his tryal of Faith<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 4.</NOTE> <HI>While &s;in is, there no purity can dwell:</HI> The other of <HI>James Nayler</HI><NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Few words, &amp;c. page. 25.</NOTE> <HI>God and &s;in cannot dwell together in one.</HI> Both contrary, as I no<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">ed, to 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3. 16. The Saints at Corinth had &s;in, and the holy Gho&s;t dwelling in them at the &s;ame time; &s;o had <HI>Paul, Rom.</HI> 7. 17. compared with 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 7. 25. lets this Section pa&s;s without an&s;wer, and I &s;hall di&s;mi&s;s it with, but, a little more animadver&s;ion, whether their Doctrine or mine will &s;tand,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sin and purity dwell in one &s;oul, not <HI>as one</HI></NOTE> let him that readeth under&s;tand: I am &s;ure of Contradicti|ons, one part mu&s;t be fal&s;e, both cannot be true. And if it hath been already cleared as a truth of Scripture, and experience, That Saints and Regenerate upon earth, in whom God dwelleth, have &s;in in-dwelling, that mu&s;t be fal&s;e.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, which <HI>J. P.</HI> teacheth, <HI>While</HI> (or where) <HI>&s;in is, there no purity can dwell;</HI> by which dictate, he would de&s;troy the faith of all tho&s;e who believe no perfect freedom from the body of &s;in, in this life.</P>
<P>Secondly, which <HI>J. N.</HI> teacheth; <HI>That God and &s;in cannot dwell together in one.</HI> I &s;uppo&s;e he meaneth, <HI>in one &s;oul,</HI> by what he hath before; <HI>Did ever Je&s;us Chri&s;t redeem &s;uch a people, or dwell in &s;uch a people?</HI> If he would &s;ay, God and &s;in cannot dwell together <HI>as one,</HI> or at agreement, but as enemies, warring and fighting one again&s;t another, in the &s;ame field or hou&s;e, that is a truth evident enough: For as <HI>Jacob</HI> and <HI>E&s;au</HI> were in one womb &s;truggling, &s;o are grace and corruption in one heart: As <HI>Hannah</HI> and <HI>Peninnah</HI> were contending in one family, &s;o are holine&s;s and &s;in in one &s;oul: Even as two contrary qualities, light and darkne&s;s, are in the &s;ame air at the &s;ame time; and heat and cold in
<PB N="119" REF="78"> the &s;ame water, though one in a remi&s;s, the other in a higher degree. God dwells as a Lord, &s;in as a &s;lave; purity as a prince, &s;in as a tyrant, in the &s;ame Saint and Chri&s;tian. If any that is called a Saint thinks otherwi&s;e, he is either not as he is called; knows not him&s;elf, as every Saint doth in part, and in this ca&s;e: or, if he be one really &s;anctified, he is under a &s;trong delu&s;ion, and in a mo&s;t drow&s;ie dream for the pre&s;ent, the Lord will awaken him in his good time.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="6" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(6. Head of Contradiction to Scripture.) <HI>Concerning Ju&s;tification.</HI></HEAD>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> addeth, [<HI>And the end of the reighteous and wicked, or unrighteous.</HI>] This I treated not of, but he was di&s;po&s;ed to darken coun&s;el by words without knowledge.</P>
<DIV4 N="22" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 22.</HEAD>
<P>THe fir&s;t contradiction I noted here, was that which publiquely I had given me in <HI>Scotland, That God ju&s;tifieth not a believing &s;inner,</HI> contrary to <HI>Rom.</HI> 4. 5. He ju&s;tifieth the ungodly that believeth on him. <HI>R. F.</HI><NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 13.</NOTE> returns me for an&s;wer, <HI>That &s;uch as are born of God do truly believe, and faith in God purifieth their hearts, and giveth them victory over the world, and &s;o frees them from &s;in,</HI> 1 John 5.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Here is enough (before I examine the re&s;t) to di&s;|cover the man, and what a friend he is to the man of &s;in; to lay the bottom of a believers Ju&s;tification, not upon Chri&s;ts Obedience, but upon his new birth, &amp;c. This is plainly to build a mans Ju&s;tification upon his Sanctification; unle&s;s his meaning the better then I have rea&s;on to judge it is. I<NOTE PLACE="marg">The new birth is not our ju&s;tifica|tion.</NOTE> &s;hall look to the words, more then to the writer.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, 'Tis one truth, that &s;uch as are born of God do truly believe:</P>
<P N="2">2. 'Tis another, that faith in God purifieth the heart.</P>
<PB N="120" REF="79">
<P>A third, that faith gives victory over the world;</P>
<P>But put the&s;e together to make a compound for Ju&s;tifica|tion, and that <HI>&s;o,</HI> and <HI>&s;o,</HI> and <HI>&s;o,</HI> we are freed from &s;in, that is from the guilt and puni&s;hment of it (to &s;peak <HI>ad idem</HI>) and accepted as perfectly righteous in the eye of Gods ju&s;tice; This is &s;o Popi&s;h a tenet as nothing is more un|found, for it makes &s;anctification wrought within men, the material, if not the meritorious cau&s;e of their ju&s;tification. And that no better con&s;truction can be made of <HI>R. F.</HI> his words, taken in any true Grammatical &s;en&s;e, may appear by what followeth&punc; [<HI>Such] Believers are ju&s;tified, form &s;in and ungodline&s;s, and not in &s;in and ungodline&s;s.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> That Believers are ju&s;tified from &s;in and ungodli|ne&s;s, and not in it; I have always and every where taught (and was then teaching it at <HI>Edinburgh</HI> when I was pub|liquely affronted) but the my&s;tery of iniquity lies in the qualification [<HI>&s;uch</HI>] the Believer con&s;idered, not as a &s;inner, yet in him&s;elf &s;hort of Legal obedience, but as a Saint, con|formable in his heart and life to the Law, who mu&s;t, in his &s;en&s;e, be the &s;ubject of ju&s;tification. <HI>For by Chri&s;t,</HI> &s;aith he again, <HI>&s;uch as are &s;o born, and believe, are ju&s;tified, &amp;c. And &s;o Chri&s;t is their ju&s;tification, who are &s;anctified, and from &s;in by him redeemed.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But how? <HI>as they are &s;o born,</HI> thinks he; by way of evidence, &s;ay I. It is not known to whom Chri&s;t is righte|ou&s;ne&s;s<NOTE PLACE="marg">But an evi|dence of it.</NOTE> for ju&s;tification, but as they are found &s;anctified; yet for the thing it &s;elf; He that is ju&s;tified, is ju&s;tified by God, not under the a&s;pect or notion of a Saint, and as &s;uch, but of a &s;inner, and as a &s;inner believing in Je&s;us. That Saints are ju&s;tified is a truth, but that they are ju&s;tified by their &s;anctification is a fal&s;hood; and that none are ju&s;tified but <HI>as Saints</HI> perfected in holines, is a notorious contradiction to the whole Scripture, and the tenor of the Go&s;pel; For,<NOTE PLACE="marg">God ju&s;tifieth &s;inful per|&s;ons.</NOTE></P>
<P N="1">1 That God ju&s;tifieth him, who in legal &s;trictne&s;s (not onely before he is &s;anctified, but after the work of holine&s;s is begun) would otherwi&s;e &s;tand a &s;inner at Gods Bar; and who hath &s;in yet dwelling in him; is clear by all the in|&s;tances in Scripture of ju&s;tified per&s;ons: think of <HI>Abra|ham, David, Paul, Peter,</HI> the <HI>Corinthians, Galatians,</HI> or
<PB N="121" REF="79"> whom you will there mentioned; you will finde they had &s;in dwelling in them; not holine&s;s enough to an&s;wer the ab|&s;olute perfection of the Law; all their days, while yet their &s;ins and imperfections were not imputed. The imputed righteou&s;ne&s;s of Chri&s;t was the cau&s;e why their &s;ins were not imputed, why their per&s;ons were accepted as perfectly righteous in Chri&s;t, who were but imperfectly (at the be&s;t) righteous in them&s;elves. The be&s;t Saint that yet liveth upon the earth, is yet a &s;inner in him&s;elf, or his wor&s;er part, and hath not wherewithal to cover his nakedne&s;s of any de&s;erved guilt, no not by his be&s;t in-dwelling, and in|reigning holine&s;s, but as Chri&s;t gives him of his white raiment, <HI>Rev.</HI> 3. 18. All they are <HI>Laodiceans,</HI> in this ca&s;e, who have no need, or feel not the want of a righteou&s;ne&s;s without them, to hide their per&s;onal failings, the defilements of their faire&s;t and holye&s;t performances. Again, as per&s;ons were con&s;idered in Chri&s;ts death, &s;o they are to be con&s;idered when they come to be ju&s;tified; Chri&s;t, dying for men and women, con&s;idered them not as Saints, but as &s;inners. Here|in God commendeth his love to us, <HI>Rom.</HI> 5. 8. that while we were yet &s;inners, and ungodly, Chri&s;t died for us. Yet fur|ther, Law and Ju&s;tice findes us, and leaves us &s;inners, Go|&s;pel and mercy declareth and pronounceth us righteous, and continueth us &s;uch as it accounteth us. If the Go&s;pel did not pronounce &s;inners righteous, that is, in the righte|ou&s;ne&s;s of another, till they had a righteou&s;ne&s;s in them|&s;elves, and of their own, it would do no more for us then the Law; Go&s;pel would become Law; And therefore <HI>R. F.</HI> in denying that God ju&s;tifieth a &s;inner, denyeth the Go|&s;pel, and would turn it into &s;trict Law, a covenant of Works.</P>
<P N="2">2. God ju&s;tifieth a &s;inner (not continuing in his unbe|lief,<NOTE PLACE="marg">God ju&s;tifieth the believing &s;inner.</NOTE> though &s;ome unbelief continueth in him) not as he lo|veth God, or overcometh the world by faith &amp;c. but as he believeth on Chri&s;t dying, and on God rai&s;ing Chri&s;t from<NOTE PLACE="marg">How ju&s;tified by faith.</NOTE> the dead, <HI>Rom.</HI> 4. 24. Believers, as believers, are ju&s;tified; that is;</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. Without the help of other graces (though not without their pre&s;ence) therefore our ju&s;tifying righteou&s;ne&s;s is
<PB N="122" REF="80"> called the righteou&s;ne&s;s of Faith (not the righteou&s;ne&s;s of Love, of Patience &amp;c.) <HI>Rom.</HI> 9. 30.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. In&s;trumentally, the believer as a believer, receiveth Chri&s;t, and his Righteou&s;ne&s;s to Ju&s;tification. Hence the phra&s;es of being ju&s;tified <HI>by Faith,</HI> and <HI>through Faith.</HI> The<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"> &amp; <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> Prepo&s;ition, in the Greek, con&s;trued with a Genitive Ca&s;e, &s;ignifying the in&s;trumental cau&s;e, means, or way: at lea&s;t faiths pa&s;&s;ive capacity, or that &s;ervice it doth the &s;oul, in reception of Chri&s;t, and his righteou&s;ne&s;s, is held forth thereby, <HI>Philip. 3. 9. Rom.</HI> 3. 25.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. Relatively, and improperly, faith is &s;aid to ju&s;tifie, and to be counted for righteou&s;ne&s;s: it is not properly faith, but that which faith apprehendeth, Chri&s;ts per&s;onal obedi|ence, in our nature, made meritorious by his God-head, which ju&s;tifieth: it is not faith as our act, or as an act, that is our ju&s;tifying righteou&s;ne&s;s, but the object, without a &s;oul, which faith carrieth the eye of the &s;oul to look upon, and the hand, or heart of the &s;oul, the will to re&s;t upon, even Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s, inherent in him alone, as in the &s;ubject, that ju&s;tifieth the per&s;on of a believer, &s;o believing. <HI>So</HI> believing, re&s;pects the truth of faith, not the mea&s;ure. A weak believer is perfectly ju&s;tified, as is the &s;trong believer. There is no ingredient qualification of ours, or of a work in us, that doth ca&s;t the ballance; nor doth the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> put in the ingredient of the new-birth for Ju&s;tification in that place, where <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;eems to &s;helter him&s;elf, and his Po|pi&s;h opinion (Here&s;ie I might call it) <HI>Act. 13. 39. And by him</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 13. 39. vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>all that believe, are ju&s;tified from all things, from which ye</HI> (Jews who did more then the Gentiles) <HI>could not be ju&s;tified by the law of Mo&s;es. R. F.</HI> his glo&s;s upon allu&s;ion to this Scripture <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 13.</NOTE> is; <HI>By Chri&s;t &s;uch as are &s;o born and believe, are ju&s;tified from all &s;ins, and &s;uch like things, from which they could not be ju&s;tified by the Law of Mo&s;es.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep. 1. By Chri&s;t</HI> &s;uch as are new born are ju&s;tified, but they are not ju&s;tified becau&s;e <HI>&s;o born,</HI> nor for their believing. The new birth and true faith go together, but the infu&s;ion of new qualities, or the qualities infu&s;ed at the new birth, take them all in the lump, are not concerned in ju&s;tification, have no cau&s;ality, nor any maner of efficiency towards it.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="123" REF="80">2. Chri&s;t doth not ju&s;tifie us by his own Righteou&s;ne&s;s, and by our Faith as a quality, habit or act together, but he &s;ingleth out the grace of Faith (from the re&s;t of the new|creature-work) to apply what him&s;elf hath done and &s;uf|fered (as a &s;urety undertaking and paying the whole debt) and to rely upon him for the Fathers gracious and ju&s;t &s;entence of ab&s;olution, and acceptation, for his righteou&s;|ne&s;s alone, made ours in a way of imputation.</P>
<P N="3">3. Believers in the new Te&s;tament times, are not onely ju&s;tified from all &s;ins (as to the guilt and cur&s;e) but from all the Ceremonies of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Law; which are not called &s;uch <HI>like</HI> things (as <HI>R. F.</HI> expre&s;&s;eth it) as if they had the ap|pearance of &s;in upon them: but under&s;tood (with &s;ins) under the general phra&s;e which the Apo&s;tle u&s;eth [<HI>from all things</HI>] from which ye could not be ju&s;tified by the Law of <HI>Mo&s;es.</HI> For the Moral Law con&s;idered &s;trictly as Law, once broken could not, cannot ab&s;olve, fir&s;t, from Guilt, nor &s;econdly, from Puni&s;hment, nor thirdly, from Obligation to the whole, by the payment of a part, which part, is either according to what was written at fir&s;t fully; after, but in &s;hreds and pieces left in mans heart; or to what was po|&s;itively given in command, for trial of mans obedience, and &s;trength, before or &s;ince the fall, and therefore the new creature in us a beginning of that image of God which was lo&s;t by the fir&s;t Tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion, is no ingredient in our ju&s;ti|fication: for by Chri&s;t they who believe in him, and him alone, are ju&s;tified from all Legal obligations, and conditi|ons of their <HI>own</HI> workings, within them, or without them. Chri&s;ts Righteou&s;ne&s;s, without them, makes them compleat, <HI>Rom. 3. 22. 2. Cor. 5. 23. Col.</HI> 2. 10. To a&s;&s;ert this way of ju&s;tification is not <HI>pleading for &s;in,</HI> as <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 13.</NOTE> object|eth; For,</P>
<P N="1"><MILESTONE N="Object."> 1. Suppo&s;e I, or any &s;hould abu&s;e the doctrine of Free-Grace, and of ju&s;tification (which is by a righteou&s;ne&s;s without us, and inherent in Chri&s;t alone)<MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="An&s;w."> thereby to take liberty to &s;in, the doctrine is not to be blamed, nor Chri&s;t to be charged, with the fault of the per&s;on, as the Apo&s;tle preoccupieth &s;uch an objection, with this an&s;wer, <HI>Gal.</HI> 2.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 2 17, 18, opened.</NOTE> 17, 18. But if while we &s;eek to be ju&s;tified by Chri&s;t we our
<PB N="124" REF="81"> &s;elves al&s;o are found &s;inners (<HI>we our &s;elves, Jews</HI> al&s;o) is therefore Chri&s;t (by his way of ju&s;tification) the mini&s;ter of &s;in? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I de&s;troyed, I make <HI>my &s;elf</HI> a tran&s;gre&s;&s;or, I can make Chri&s;t none: the fault is not Chri&s;ts, but mine.</P>
<P N="2"><MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="An&s;w"> 2. They that plead for true Go&s;pel-ju&s;tification truly, and &s;incerely in its proper place, do al&s;o plead for Go&s;pel|&s;anctification in its due place. Their enlightnings into the Law teacheth them &s;omewhat; for (as the Apo&s;tle rea&s;on|eth <HI>ver.</HI> 19.) I through the Law, am dead to the Law, I<NOTE PLACE="marg">G<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">l 2 19. opened.</NOTE> have (as if he &s;hould &s;ay) a &s;ufficient le&s;&s;on from the clear &s;ight of the Laws rigor, to teach me, never more to &s;eek my ju&s;tification from my own conformity to the Law, that I might live in the righteou&s;ne&s;s of another, the righteou&s;ne&s;s of him that is God, Je&s;us Chri&s;t; and not onely that I may live in God, <HI>but unto God.</HI> This the Go&s;pel teacheth <HI>Paul,</HI> and us, by faith to go out of our &s;elves for life in another, in Chri&s;t (by his imputed righteou&s;nes) which when we finde, we finde al&s;o a heart renewed and quickned in, and unto holi|ne&s;s, and the de&s;ires after &s;in in a degree mortified and cru|cified: which by way of evidence, is enough to quench the fiery dart of Satan ca&s;t again&s;t me, by <HI>R. F. and &s;o art an</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">* Page 13.</NOTE> <HI>unbeliever and not redeemed. (So,</HI> becau&s;e I pleaded for the right way of ju&s;tification, not in his Popi&s;h way) For, through grace I can &s;ay, with the Apo&s;tle, <HI>ver. 20. I am crucified with Chri&s;t. i. e.</HI> As I was repre&s;ented in Chri&s;t<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 2. 20. 21. opened.</NOTE> my &s;urety when he was upon the Cro&s;s, and God was in him reconciling me unto him&s;elf, not imputing tre&s;pa&s;&s;es unto me, &s;eeing they were then condemned in Chri&s;ts fle&s;h, and put out of office from ever accu&s;ing and condemning me at Gods Bar, &s;o I am thus crucified with Chri&s;t, that I will never look to any other way for the payment of my debts, then what my &s;urety hath laid down to Law, and Ju&s;tice; and not onely thus, that I am conformed to the Patern of Chri&s;t crucified, by the power of his Cro&s;s, to make me die to &s;in, and &s;elf; while Chri&s;t liveth in me: yet is not that life of Chri&s;t &s;o &s;en&s;ible, or &s;o perfect in me, as if nothing was there but the life of Chri&s;t; for there is a body of &s;in, and of death dwelling in me al&s;o;
<PB N="125" REF="81"> and therefore, the life which I now live in the fle&s;h, or the weak, frail body, I live [as to my Ju&s;tification-life] by the faith of the Son of God, (on whom I believe and live al&s;o, for degrees of Sanctification which his life hath begun in me) who loved me, and gave him&s;elf for me. And as the Apo|&s;tle further, <HI>Ver.</HI> 21. being of this Faith and Judgement, I do not fru&s;trate the grace of God as they, who would have Ju&s;tification by their outward or inward conformity to the Law; which is all one as to fru&s;trate or make void the death of Chri&s;t. If <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith, <HI>I plead for &s;in,</HI> becau&s;e el&s;ewhere, <HI>Section</HI> 29. I &s;aid, the roots of &s;in would not be pluckt up perfectly till &s;oul and body part: I &s;hall take off his ca|lumny in the due place.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="23" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 23.</HEAD>
<P>HEre I noted what I had from them in di&s;cour&s;e; That in Ju&s;tification, <HI>all guilt is not only taken away, but all</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">All filth not removed, where all guilt is pardoned.</NOTE> <HI>filth of &s;in:</HI> Then could there no filth remain upon the Saints performances, as there doth by their confe&s;&s;ion in Scripture, <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 64. 6. We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteou&s;ne&s;&s;es are as filthy rags. The defilements of &s;in in its pre&s;ence remain, when the defilement of &s;in in re&s;pect of guilt is taken away. <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith nothing to this Section, unle&s;s it be an&s;wer &s;ufficient to revile and &s;ay, [<HI>Sin thou art pleading for,</HI>] while I produced the Saints and ju|&s;tified per&s;ons confe&s;&s;ion of &s;in, and hinted a difference be|tween Ju&s;tification and Sanctification, which the&s;e men (as<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sin confe&s;&s;ed is not pleaded for.</NOTE> if they would profe&s;s them&s;elves members of the man of &s;in) do confound, mi&s;taking one thing for another. If Saints confe&s;s their &s;in, cleaving to their holie&s;t reformations, they plead again&s;t &s;in, not for it: To &s;ay we have &s;in in us, is to plead again&s;t the Lye of dreamers, who think them&s;elves perfectly free from the remnants of filth. But to awaken them, let <HI>R. F.</HI> and others of his per&s;wa&s;ion (before they drink deeper into <HI>Babylons</HI> cup of fornications) perpend, and con&s;cionably weigh the&s;e differences between a Belie|vers Ju&s;tification and Sanctification.</P>
<PB N="126" REF="82">
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. The matter of our Ju&s;tification is Chri&s;ts obedience,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Section</HI> 23. Di&s;tingui&s;h|ing notes be|tween Ju&s;ti|fication and Sanctification.</NOTE> inherent in him&s;elf, and ab&s;olutely perfect, admitting of no degrees: the matter of our Sanctification is wrought with|in us, imperfect as to degrees, and admits of wanes and in|crea&s;es. The very faith whereby we receive pardon, is but as a grain of mu&s;tard-&s;eed at fir&s;t, it admits of degrees; but the object apprehended, Chri&s;t, and his righteou&s;ne&s;s is al|ways the &s;ame; and as much of Chri&s;ts obedience (even all) is given to every Believer, to the weak as to the &s;trong; and hence it is they are once and together perfected in Ju&s;tifica|tion, before they have all or half the mea&s;ures of Sanctifi|cation, which the Lord will give them in his time. Let <HI>Francis Howgil</HI> put off no &s;uch counterfeit ware to Chri&s;ts di&s;ciples and Church-members, for it will not be received; <HI>viz.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">The inheri|tance of <HI>Jacob</HI> pag. 24. 25.</NOTE> <HI>That is not true faith which is imperfect.</HI> And again, <HI>The righteou&s;ne&s;s wrought in the Saints, is, as it was the righteou&s;ne&s;s of Faith.</HI></P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. The form, maner, and way of our Ju&s;tification is by Gods free act of imputation, reckoning, and account of Chri&s;ts obedience to us: the form of our Sanctification is by infu&s;ion of holine&s;s, by the Spirit of holine&s;s, from Chri&s;ts fulne&s;s into our empty hearts.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. Ju&s;tification cau&s;eth a relative change, or it makes a change of relation: Sanctification worketh in us a change of qualities, by the creation of the new divine nature, and mortifying of our old corrupt nature.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> 4. The parts of our Ju&s;tification are Gods not imputing of &s;in, through his imputing of Chri&s;ts &s;ufferings, and his accepting of our per&s;ons as righteous, by his imputing of Chri&s;ts active obedience: the parts of our Sanctification, are vivification, or the creating, quickning, and begetting new divine qualities (re&s;embling Gods nature) and mortification of the old &s;inful di&s;po&s;itions and &s;eeds of &s;in.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> 5. The contrary to Ju&s;tification is guilt and condemna|tion, wholly taken away; <HI>Francis Howgil</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">The inheri|tance of <HI>Jacob</HI> pag. 8.</NOTE> either heard &s;ome un&s;ound Teachers, or mi&s;-relates them; as giving it out for Doctrine, <HI>That &s;in was taken away by Chri&s;t, but the guilt &s;hould &s;till remain while he lived, &amp;c.</HI> Or, whom doth he expo&s;tulate with, in the&s;e words, <HI>Page 28. What
<PB N="127" REF="82"> Chri&s;t is this you preach? What Go&s;pel is this you preach, which &s;aves you not from guilt and condemnation?</HI> For &s;urely Chri&s;ts blood and obedience reckoned to the believer, doth this to purpo&s;e and effectually, at pre&s;ent, and for ever. The contrary to Sanctification, is in-bred pollution and filth of &s;in, which by Chri&s;ts power is de&s;troyed, as to the re|gency; and hereafter to be removed at our death, as to the re&s;idence. Hence, Ju&s;tification is Gods gracious and ju&s;t &s;entence, pronouncing us righteous, and entitling to life; as Condemnation is his charging of guilt, and vindictive puni&s;hment accordingly: Sanctification is Gods &s;pecial grace &s;hed abroad in the heart, called the fir&s;t-fruits of the Spirit.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="6"> 6. In our Ju&s;tification, Chri&s;ts obedience &s;tands onely upon account, and all our mo&s;t &s;anctified works and righte|ou&s;ne&s;&s;es, &s;tand by as cyphers; and are to be e&s;teemed as lo&s;s and dung. Take Sanctification by it &s;elf, it is of great excellency and u&s;e: A good work done in faith by a per&s;on ju&s;tified, is better then all the glorious deeds of Phari&s;ees and Hypocrites; but bring it, and all that all Saints can bring together, before the tribunal of Gods &s;trict Law and Ju&s;tice, for their ju&s;tification in that Court, and they and their works will be damned to hell, for their inherent and adherent imperfections.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="7"> 7. In our Ju&s;tification we have that perfect righteou&s;ne&s;s in Chri&s;t, which, as it is his, is the cau&s;e and merit of our &s;alvation; and that gives a ju&s;t right and title to the king|dom: In our Sanctification, we have the cognizance and badge of &s;uch as &s;hall be &s;aved, and inherit the kingdom. The former is the Ground why, the latter, the Evidence whereby we know we have the kingdom.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="8"> 8. In Ju&s;tification we are meer Patients all along, through the righteou&s;ne&s;s put upon us, by Gods pure act and ac|count: In Sanctification we are after-agents, <HI>i. e.</HI> after the fir&s;t infu&s;ion of the Spirits new-born qualities, being acted, we act in the &s;trength of Je&s;us Chri&s;t. Although too ma|ny be willingly ignorant of the&s;e, and &s;uch like di&s;tinctions, yet they are nece&s;&s;arily u&s;eful to deliver people from na|tural Popery, and artificial Babyloni&s;h Confu&s;ion, in and
<PB N="128" REF="83"> about this great fundamental Truth, of a Believing-&s;inners Ju&s;tification.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="24" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 24.</HEAD>
<P>ANother piece of un&s;oundne&s;s in their Doctrine of Ju|&s;tification, I had noted to be, That <HI>they deny Peter</HI> to have been <HI>in a &s;tate of Ju&s;tification when he denyed Chri&s;t,</HI> contrary, as I &s;aid, to Chri&s;ts Prayer, <HI>Luke</HI> 22. 32. I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 14. <HI>Peters</HI> fallings in carnal coun&s;el to his ma&s;ter, and of denial of him, puts him not out of the &s;tate of Ju&s;tifica|tion.</NOTE> undertakes the defence of this un&s;ound Doctrine of <HI>J. Nayler,</HI> but how? He challengeth me for bringing a Scripture which &s;peaks no &s;uch thing: now had my pen or Printer failed, the words would have led him to the right Ver&s;e; but he will needs out-face all with <HI>Luke</HI> 22. 23. (which &s;peaks of the Di&s;ciples enquiry among them&s;elves, which of them it was that &s;hould betray him) as if I had quoted the three and twentieth Ver&s;e, and not (as I did) the two and thirty: and hence he compares <HI>Judas</HI> denial and <HI>Peters</HI> together, with this groundle&s;s Avi&s;o, (in this ca&s;e) <HI>See how blinde thou art, was</HI> Judas <HI>in a &s;tate of Ju&s;tification when he denied Chri&s;t and betrayed him? no more then</HI> Peter <HI>was when Chri&s;t called him Satan.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Here <HI>R. F.</HI> goes further then <HI>J. Nayler,</HI> and &s;huts <HI>Peter</HI> out of a &s;tate of Ju&s;tification, not onely when he de|nied his Ma&s;ter, but when his Ma&s;ter called him Satan; &s;o as by this addition, one would think they hold, That every act or &s;inful word, as act of a Saint, puts him out of the &s;tate of Ju&s;tification: or, let hone&s;t men ob&s;erve with what a &s;huffler I deal, and &s;u&s;pect him in all the re&s;t of his writings for this deceitful trick.</P>
<P N="2">2. Who will &s;ay that <HI>Judas</HI> was ever in a &s;tate of Ju&s;ti|fication? Who but tho&s;e, that envy or extenuate the free grace of God, and the fulne&s;s thereof, will &s;ay that <HI>Peter</HI> was un-ju&s;tified, when he gave carnal coun&s;el to his Ma&s;ter, or when he denied him, out of frailty and &s;elf-confidence?</P>
<P N="3">3. Let me judge the be&s;t of <HI>R. F.</HI> that I ought by Scri|pture-rule, I mu&s;t &s;ay, this contradictious opinion of his ari&s;eth from his ignorance and prejudice together, of the
<PB N="129" REF="83"> very nature and &s;tate of a Believers Ju&s;tification before God; as may further appear by what followeth.</P>
<P>[<HI>But after</HI> Peter <HI>had repented of his denial of Chri&s;t, and wept bitterly, upon his return, and after he was united to the faith, then Chri&s;t prayed for him.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. How confu&s;ed, cro&s;s, and thwart this is to the Text I alledged, <HI>Luke</HI> 22. 32. let my &s;ober truly con&s;cien|tious<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 22&punc; 32. vindicated.</NOTE> Reader weigh with him&s;elf.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, Chri&s;t &s;aith, [I have prayed] not, [I will pray.] Wo were it with Saints, if Chri&s;ts prayers did not prevent their repentance and tears, returnings and <HI>unitings to the faith,</HI> as he expre&s;&s;eth it.</P>
<P>Secondly, The promi&s;e, that his faith &s;hould not fail, re&s;pects his very fall, and Satans winnowing of him as wheat; &s;ome grains of wheat, or &s;ub&s;tance of the grace of faith, there was then left in <HI>Peter,</HI> as the effect of Chri&s;ts prayer: For, either Chri&s;ts prayer was heard, or not; if any &s;ay, <HI>not,</HI> 'tis contrary to <HI>John</HI> 11. 42. I know (&s;peak|ing to his Father) that thou heare&s;t me always: if it be yielded, as it mu&s;t be, that Chri&s;t was heard, (not if <HI>Peter</HI> failed not, but that he might not fail) then <HI>Peters</HI> faith fail|ed not totally, or altogether, how&s;oever it was &s;haken, &s;ifted, or winnowed: and if it failed not utterly, he was, in that act of Chri&s;t-denial, in the &s;tate of Ju&s;tification. And hereupon is <HI>R. F.</HI> (with <HI>J. N.</HI>) detected for a contradictor of Chri&s;t and of his Scripture-pure and faithful promi&s;e.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="25" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 25.</HEAD>
<P>WIth much impudence <HI>J. Nayler</HI> had &s;aid, <HI>The man of &s;in is di&s;covered in them,</HI> who &s;ay, <HI>Believers are pure, and &s;potle&s;s too, by rea&s;on of imputation,</HI> or covering of Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s. For the denial of imputed righ|teou&s;ne&s;s, and ju&s;tification that way, came from <HI>Rome,</HI> and the race of Roman Prelates and Teachers, that make up the man of &s;in: Yet as impudent a Contradiction as it is to 2 <HI>Cor. 5. 21. R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 14.</NOTE> will take part with it, and tells me, <HI>I wre&s;t</HI> James Naylers <HI>words, and make covers for the man of &s;in, and by my policy go about to make Chri&s;t a &s;inner.</HI></P>
<PB N="130" REF="84">
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Let &s;tanders by judge how I wre&s;t <HI>James Naylers</HI> words, who, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;covery of the man of &s;in, p 28. 29.</NOTE> in an&s;wer to the Mini&s;ters of <HI>Newca&s;tle,</HI> brings them in thus expo&s;tulating, <HI>May not a man be in part unclean, (viz.</HI> as they meant it, through defects of Sanctification) <HI>and yet pure and &s;potle&s;s too, by rea&s;on of imputation?</HI> And then he takes boldne&s;s to acco&s;t them<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gods imputa|tion of Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s no covering for &s;in, but his covering of &s;in.</NOTE> with this high language, <HI>Here now you &s;hew your confu&s;ion, and I command you to &s;hew plain Scripture for this without twining;</HI> and tells them at la&s;t, <HI>By their pleading for &s;in, the man of &s;in is di&s;covered in them.</HI> Now, how did they plead for &s;in? as <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith, <HI>I make covers for the man of &s;in.</HI> He that acknowledgeth impurity in him&s;elf, and teach|eth that &s;in is inherent in the Saints, though it be not impu|ted, mu&s;t be cen&s;ured by the&s;e men, as a patron of &s;in, or a pleader for it: when as poor &s;ouls they little know their own hearts, or what defilements are in their lips and pens, and what wo attends &s;uch contradictious calling of <HI>good, evil;</HI> and <HI>evil, good.</HI> They call Gods good and gracious act of imputation of Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s, <HI>a covering for &s;in:</HI> this is to call <HI>good, evil.</HI> That it is, and may be &s;o cal|led, <HI>a covering of &s;in,</HI> is warrantable by Scripture, <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 32. 1. with <HI>Rom.</HI> 4. 7, 24. but to &s;ay, it is a covering <HI>for</HI> &s;in, and <HI>for the man of &s;in,</HI> is to &s;peak bla&s;phemy again&s;t God: and to &s;ay, our pleading for Gods not imputing of iniquity, or for his covering our &s;ins, is to make a covering <HI>for</HI> &s;in; is, with Antichri&s;t the man of &s;in, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Rev. 13. 6.</NOTE> to bla&s;pheme the Tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. In this Doctrine of Ju&s;tification they call <HI>evil, good,</HI> by attributing that unto outward and inward acts of a Believers holine&s;s (in all which there is &s;ome mixed evil) which properly and onely belongeth unto the per&s;onal acts of Chri&s;ts own fin|le&s;s obedience and &s;ufferings, in the nature which him&s;elf a&s;&s;umed to perform the work of Mediator&s;hip. <HI>J. Nay|ler</HI> &s;peaks plainly enough for them all, and for all the children of the man of &s;in. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Di&s;covery, &amp;c pag. 27. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> <HI>Our walking with God in his righteou&s;ne&s;s, is our covering from wrath&mdash;you know not the covering of Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s and holine&s;s, in which whoever walk with God, are covered from wrath.</HI> Which walking with God, he meaneth not of our living by faith
<PB N="131" REF="84"> in Chri&s;ts per&s;onal actings and &s;ufferings for us to our per|fect ju&s;tification from wrath, and from the guilt of &s;in bind|ing over to wrath; but of our per&s;onal acts of righteou&s;|ne&s;s and holine&s;s wrought in us, by Chri&s;t and his Spirit; which although they be <HI>good,</HI> as wrought by the Lord in us, yet meeting with mixtures of defilement in the hearts of Saints; as they are their acts, are but <HI>filthy rags,</HI> and no covering at all, to hide our nakedne&s;s from appearing in the eye of Gods &s;trict Law and Ju&s;tice. This <HI>J. Nayler</HI> (or &s;ome in his coat) hath much for di&s;covery of the rot|tenne&s;s of their judgement, in this ca&s;e, in a piece lately come forth <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the lo&s;t, pag. 4.</NOTE>. <HI>With him,</HI> Chri&s;t, <HI>his righteou&s;ne&s;s is freely imputed, or put into the creature.</HI> Again, <HI>This righteou&s;|ne&s;s is wrought into the creature, in that obedience which is contrary to the will of the fle&s;h.</HI> Imputing, here, is all one with infu&s;ing, to him. Ju&s;tifying righteou&s;ne&s;s and &s;anctify|ing righteou&s;ne&s;s, is the &s;ame individual obedience; which is pure Popery, or impure Babyloni&s;h Doctrine. More yet, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 5.</NOTE> <HI>Your faith, without his works, will be little worth to &s;al|vation.</HI> Chri&s;ts works for us are onely of worth with the Father for our &s;alvation. Chri&s;ts workings in us, are not to be joyned with our faith in Chri&s;ts works, or obedience for us, in the bu&s;ine&s;s of our Ju&s;tification. This latter is in|tended by him who by his Title pretendeth <HI>Love to the lo&s;t,</HI> but by his baits and &s;nares would hold fa&s;t &s;ome, and carry others back into the wilderne&s;s; witne&s;s his confounding of Ju&s;tification, Sanctification, and Mortification: <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 15.</NOTE> <HI>The living Faith is never without works; which works are Love, Meek|ne&s;s, Patience, Mortification, Sanctification, Ju&s;tification, &amp;c.</HI> We grant a pre&s;ence of works, the fruits of the Spi|rit, in the &s;ubject or per&s;on that is ju&s;tified, and the&s;e works are evidences of the life and truth of our faith; the fruits are evidences of the tree: but to put Ju&s;tification in us with the fruits of the Spirit, and to &s;ay, as afterward <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 51.</NOTE> he doth, men are <HI>&s;o ju&s;tified, as they are &s;anctified and mortified, and no further;</HI> is to deny Prote&s;tant Doctrine, which is accord|ing to Scripture; that, who &s;o is ju&s;tified, is ju&s;tified <HI>&s;emel &amp; &s;imul,</HI> once and together, perfectly and for ever, <HI>Heb.</HI> 10. 1, 14. And to revive the old Popi&s;h Tenet, of
<PB N="132" REF="85"> degrees of our Ju&s;tification, according to the degrees of our Sanctification, <HI>and no further;</HI> whereas we &s;ay, and &s;ay truly, men are not <HI>at all</HI> ju&s;tified, as they are &s;anctified,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Two Argu|ments again&s;t Sanctification as the matter of our Ju&s;ti|fication.</NOTE> when we &s;peak of the thing it &s;elf, and not of its decla|ration: For,</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. That which is the price of our Redemption is the mat|ter of our Ju&s;tification, or that thing which ju&s;tifieth us be|fore God, and reconcileth our per&s;ons to God: Now, put all the degrees of all the Saints holine&s;s together, the&s;e are no part of the price of our Redemption, but the blood and obedience of Chri&s;t alone, is the whole and &s;ole price and ran&s;om, <HI>Rom. 3. 24. Rom. 5. 19. 1 Pet.</HI> 1. 19.</P>
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. That which is the immaculate Sacrifice for &s;in, is that which is the matter and merit of our Ju&s;tification:</ITEM>
<ITEM>But the Sanctification and Mortification in Believers is not the immaculate Sacrifice for &s;in; Chri&s;t is the &s;ole and entire Sacrifice <HI>for &s;in,</HI> that is, to expiate and take away the guilt and cur&s;e of &s;in, by his perfect obedi|ence, and &s;ufferings in his own natural body:</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>And therefore, as <HI>that</HI> onely merited our Ju&s;tification, &s;o it is the onely thing that properly, and for its worth, is imputed to our Ju&s;tification.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 2. For <HI>R. F.</HI> to all it <HI>my policy, to go about to make Chri&s;t a &s;inner,</HI> is pitiful weakne&s;s in him: For it was no<NOTE PLACE="marg">How Chri&s;t was made &s;in, or a &s;inner. 2 Cor. 5. 21. cleared.</NOTE> man or Angel-invention, but the ma&s;ter-piece of Gods in|finite wi&s;dom, to have his <HI>Son, who knew no &s;in, be made &s;in, i. e.</HI> a &s;inner, by imputation; and a &s;acrifice for &s;in, in and by his &s;ufferings, in the room and &s;tead of &s;inners; which could not have been, if their &s;ins had not been im|puted to him: but &s;eeing their &s;ins were imputed to him, they are, in that way of imputation, made or reckoned righteous in Chri&s;t, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5. 21. What fooli&s;hne&s;s &s;o|ever there &s;eems to be in this way of our Ju&s;tification, Chri&s;t crucified, as a &s;inner, and for &s;inners bearing their guilt and cur&s;e, is the wi&s;dom and the power of God; and a poor &s;inner ju&s;tified this way, is the object of the eter|nal un&s;earchable riches of Gods wi&s;dom and grace, or free&s;t, choice&s;t favor.</P>
<P>As for that contradiction to Scripture which <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 14.</NOTE> &s;aith
<PB N="133" REF="85"> is &s;een in this our doctrine, becau&s;e it is &s;aid, <HI>He was made like unto us, &s;in excepted;</HI> it is but in his imagination, (and &s;omething he mu&s;t &s;ay to color over, and hide his own gain|&s;ayings) for that place, <HI>Heb.</HI> 4. 15. and 2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 5. 21. are<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 4. 15. vindicated.</NOTE> no ways at variance. Chri&s;t was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without &s;in; &s;o are the words, to the <HI>Hebrews.</HI> He yielded to no temptation; He had no inherent &s;in to comply with a temptation; He knew no &s;in (as in the other Scripture) yet was he <HI>made &s;in,</HI> reckoned as a &s;inner, tem|pted like a &s;inner, de&s;erted like a &s;inner, yea, accur&s;ed as a &s;inner; the feelings and experiences whereof make him, experimentally, a &s;ympathizing High prie&s;t, and moves him to &s;uccor them that are tempted: And his being free from &s;in of his own, (while he was tempted to &s;in, as o|thers; and while he was charged with the &s;in of others) frees us, or ju&s;tifies us, from our &s;in, as to the guilt, cur&s;e and damnation, which he bare in his own body on the Tree. Yea, and <HI>&s;uch as are in him, are at pre&s;ent redeemed out of &s;in,</HI> as to the dominion, and reign of it, but we are not <HI>therefore</HI> ju&s;tified: and when &s;in &s;hall wholly be rooted out of us, that &s;hall not be our ju&s;tification at Gods tribunal, becau&s;e we are perfectly holy, but becau&s;e Chri&s;t died for us, to ju&s;tifie us by his blood. Let him that throws off Chri&s;ts im|puted righteou&s;ne&s;s, go &s;hift for his ju&s;tification where he can get it. He is a fooli&s;h bewitched <HI>Galatian,</HI> and Chri&s;t &s;hall profit him nothing; For bring in any one act of ours (though wrought by the Spirit) whether of mortification, &s;elf-denyal, love, or faith (as an act) to be an ingredient to the e&s;&s;ence of our ju&s;tification, and it is as bad, as to be cir|cumci&s;ed, and as de&s;tructive to the &s;ouls peace, and &s;afety, as to be a debtor to keep the whole Law.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="26" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 26.</HEAD>
<P>I Had noted what I found in <HI>J. Nayler, That no imperfect thing can be reconciled to God is plain Scripture,</HI> plainly contradicting, <HI>Rom.</HI> 5. 10. If he meaneth by <HI>no imperfect thing,</HI> no man that is not perfectly &s;anctified; But <HI>R. F.</HI> makes out the &s;en&s;e thus&punc; <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 14.</NOTE> <HI>No &s;in can be reconciled to God, nor any &s;uch imperfect thing.</HI></P>
<PB N="134" REF="86">
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. If this were the onely &s;en&s;e, why was it not &s;poken at fir&s;t? for we know by the Spirit in the Scriptures,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Our per&s;ons are perfectly reconciled, be|fore our na|tures are per|fectly &s;ancti|fied.</NOTE> that it was Gods de&s;ign to reconcile <HI>&s;inners</HI> onely to him|&s;elf, per&s;ons (as I hinted before in my book imperfect enough) and to aboli&s;h &s;in, in guilt and power as fir&s;t, and in the pre&s;ence, at the la&s;t: and we can prove it by clearer Scriptures then <HI>R. F.</HI> produceth (which is onely <HI>Rev.</HI> 21. 27.) that &s;in and God cannot be reconciled and as <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 5. 4. Thou art not a God that hath plea&s;ure in wickedne&s;s, neither &s;hall evil dwell with thee: <HI>Hab.</HI> 1. 13. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, and can&s;t not look on iniquity; But,</P>
<P N="2">2. The &s;cope of <HI>J. Nayler</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">An&s;w. to perfect Phar. page 9.</NOTE> was to prove, that we are not ju&s;tified by a righteou&s;ne&s;s without us, but by what is perfectly wrought within us; and therefore I mi&s;took him not (in my former piece) when I &s;ubjoyned, Their mean|ing is, till &s;in be wholly aboli&s;hed in its re&s;idence out of the heart, and all imperfections in &s;anctification be done away, there is no reconciliation of our per&s;ons with God, or to him: whatever be <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 14.</NOTE> his flouri&s;h; <HI>And as for our meaning thou &s;peaks of, thou art without our minde, and &s;o knowe&s;t not our meaning by thy imagining; therein thou &s;hew|e&s;t a &s;pirit of error:</HI> It &s;ufficeth, that by Scripture-truth (wherein the Spirit of truth reigneth) I can detect this for an error: <HI>viz.</HI> Chri&s;ts work in us is that which ju&s;tifies our per&s;ons before God; and what if his work for us, be joyned with his work in us? if they mean no more then what is inherent righteou&s;ne&s;s wrought by Chri&s;ts &s;trength in him&s;elf and in us together, &s;o <HI>F. Howgill</HI> mu&s;t be con&s;trued (if he quadrates with his other pa&s;&s;ages in the Book) when he &s;aith, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">The inhe|ritance of <HI>Jacob.</HI> pag. 29</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;t fulfilled the Law, and he ful|fils it in them who know him and his work, and herein man comes to be ju&s;tified in Gods &s;ight, by Chri&s;t, who works all our works in us, and for us.</HI> Chri&s;ts obedience and ours, his work for us, and his work in us put together for our ju&s;tifi|cation, is <HI>Babyloni&s;h</HI> mixture; but this I can maintain as a clear, and pure truth, <HI>viz.</HI> That it is not the work of Chri&s;t <HI>in us</HI> which ju&s;tifieth and reconcileth our per&s;ons, but his &s;ole working <HI>for us</HI> by his own per&s;onal obedience, and &s;a|tisfaction
<PB N="135" REF="86"> to ju&s;tice. The plain Scripture is this, <HI>Heb.</HI> 10. 14. Chri&s;t by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10. 14. cleared.</NOTE> &s;anctified. It is not &s;aid in any Scripture, that Chri&s;t hath fir&s;t perfectly &s;anctified any per&s;ons, and then reconciled them unto God; but the &s;en&s;e of that, as of other Scri|ptures, is, that Chri&s;t, by one offering of him&s;elf, hath per|fected their ju&s;tification, and reconciliation, whom he doth al&s;o &s;anctifie, in the truth of it, at what in&s;tant he applyeth their perfect ju&s;tification. And the plain truth, according to Scripture, is this; That, no per&s;on is reconciled to God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">How the &s;in|ner, and yet none but the perfect per&s;on is reconciled to God.</NOTE> who hath not a perfect Mediator of his reconciliation, and who is not accepted, as perfectly righteous, in the righte|ou&s;ne&s;s of Chri&s;t, his &s;urety; and &s;o tis true, none but the perfect per&s;on is reconciled to God: but how? not by his qualifications (at fir&s;t an enemy, and always carrying about with him (while here) &s;ome wi&s;dom of the fle&s;h which is emnity again&s;t God) but as he had on Chri&s;ts Cro&s;s, his per&s;on repre&s;ented, in Chri&s;t his head, and his &s;ins not im|puted, upon the account of Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s made, or reckoned to be his, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5. 19. 21. To clear this a little further; we mu&s;t di&s;tingui&s;h between the reconciling of our individual per&s;ons, and the reconciling of our individual natures, di&s;po&s;itions, or qualities and acts: both are a fruit of Chri&s;ts &s;atisfactory obedience and &s;ufferings; and <HI>they cannot</HI> (as <HI>J. N.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the lo&s;t. pag. 50.</NOTE> acknowledgeth this truth, though not truely) <HI>be divided in the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion:</HI> But per&s;onal reconcile|ment is done at once, by imputation of the perfect righte|ou&s;ne&s;s of the Lord Je&s;us: nature-reconcilement admits of degrees according to the mea&s;ure of the Spirit of &s;anctifica|tion. As for <HI>J. Nayler,</HI> and <HI>R. F.</HI> and &s;uch as imagine, that while &s;inful imperfections remain in the Saints, they, in their per&s;ons, are not, cannot be perfectly reconciled to God; then not them&s;elves, nor any that adhere to their doctrine, are or can be reconciled to God, in per&s;on, as not in judgement, and affection, while they harbor &s;uch fle&s;hly and legal conceits of a poor &s;inners ju&s;tification, and recon|ciliation: and they &s;hall &s;ee, if by this they get no eye|&s;alve (Oh, that it might not be too late!) how (till they be better bottom'd) with contradictions of Scripture, they
<PB N="136" REF="87"> contradict, and come &s;hort of true &s;alvation-light, right, and po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion. For I judge it's ab&s;olutely nece&s;&s;ary to &s;al|vation, rightly to di&s;cern the way of a mans ju&s;tification before God, and reconciliation to him; which di&s;cerning, I perceive not in the&s;e mens writings, although, &s;ometime in di&s;cour&s;e with &s;ome of this Sect, I have had their confe&s;&s;i|on of the truth; yet their bad principles make them fly off again: as it fares with many a natural ignorant countrey|man (I wi&s;h there be not more then a few &s;uch in Cities, and populous places) who have a notion of the Go&s;pel|truth, but practically and experimentally cannot for their hearts, but &s;tick in them&s;elves, and think a Bird in the hand, is better then two in the Bu&s;h; a little of their own, within them, far beyond all Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s without them; although we call for the witne&s;s within them, that will not &s;uffice, they mu&s;t have the ground-work of their ju&s;tificati|on within them, as well as the evidence: nay &s;ome work within &s;hall be ground and evidence too; or they fly off, and will not believe till they &s;ee and feel; but groping, in the dark lo&s;e them&s;elves in the wilderne&s;s of &s;elf-fulne&s;s and &s;ufficiency.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="7" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(7. Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning Regeneration.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="27" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 27.</HEAD>
<P>I Had noted what they &s;ay, <HI>He that believeth is born of God, without Scripture, and yet witne&s;&s;ed in Scripture,</HI> contrary to <HI>James</HI> 1. 18. and 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 1. 23&punc; 25. which<NOTE PLACE="marg">Regeneration by the Scri|pture promi&s;e</NOTE> not onely bear witne&s;s of a new birth, but &s;aith al&s;o, it is wrought by the word of truth, the word of God, the word that is preached, which was never [without] or be|&s;ides, much le&s;s directly again&s;t, but always according to the Scripture; both as the Apo&s;tles preached it, and others after them, and their written doctrine. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 15.</NOTE> returns me,
<PB N="137" REF="87"> in a retorting way, as is his wonted maner, this for an an|&s;wer. <HI>If thou was not blind, thou would &s;ee that thou contra|dicts the Scripture, and not they: that attributes the work of regeneration and the new birth to the Letter, which thou calls the word, and &s;o therein denyes God, who begets by his own will, by that word which liveth and abideth for ever; which was in the beginning with God, and was God.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Gods e&s;&s;ential will, and the free act of his love and good plea&s;ure is the primary impul&s;ive cau&s;e of his re|generating a &s;oul.</P>
<P N="2">2. Chri&s;t by his death purcha&s;eth the grace of regene|ration, and by the power of his re&s;urrection applyes it. 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 1. 3.</P>
<P N="3">3. The Spirit of the Father and the Son comes with the Scripture-promi&s;e, and quickneth the &s;oul, to believing, and by believing of the word of truth (which at the beginning <HI>R. F.</HI> acknowledged the Scriptures to be) and at that in|&s;tant the believing &s;oul is (as <HI>I&s;aac</HI>) conceived and formed a childe of promi&s;e; a believer, and a new-creature toge|ther, by the word of grace, which the Spirit u&s;eth as the ex|ternal means of regeneration; yea, he carrieth the word and voice of the Son of God, <HI>John</HI> 5. 25. from the ear to the heart, and makes them hear, and live. That part of the Scripture which is pure Go&s;pel, is the mini&s;tration of the Spirit, as of righteou&s;ne&s;s and life, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3. 8.</P>
<P N="4">4. They that &s;peak of a regeneration, &s;uch as the Scri|pture helps them not to know and obtain, &s;peak wildely of it, as <HI>J. Nayler</HI> in his new piece, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the lo&s;t. page 34.</NOTE> treating of the new-birth; he tells his lo&s;t creatures, <HI>There is the old man, and a new man,</HI> but he doth not &s;ay there are two contrary quali|ties, in the &s;ame regenerate &s;oul; lu&s;ting one again&s;t the other, as the Apo&s;tle de&s;cribes their &s;tate, <HI>Gal.</HI> 5. 17. He &s;aith, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 35.</NOTE> <HI>Nicodemns knew not the new birth, though he loved Chri&s;t.</HI> He did not know the maner, and my&s;tery of it, be|fore his coming to Chri&s;t, but if he loved Chri&s;t before, it was a fruit of the new-born-&s;eed of grace, or &s;piritual prin|ciple; for even <HI>J. N.</HI> confe&s;&s;eth, <HI>as is the man, &s;o are his works, and as is the Tree, &s;o is the fruit.</HI> And I may adde, as is <HI>J. N.</HI> &s;o is his Book, and his <HI>his love to the lo&s;t:</HI> for (if the
<PB N="138" REF="88"> man may be known by his writing) he may haply, know as little of the new-birth as <HI>Nicodemus</HI> did, though he would be a great Teacher in our <HI>I&s;rael.</HI> Some may &s;ay, he &s;peaks <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the lo&s;t. p. 35.</NOTE> of a <HI>Promi&s;e as well as a power that puts off the old man with his deeds, lu&s;ts and affections;</HI> but if you mark it, it is to <HI>them who remain in the &s;eed of God, and it in them;</HI> he doth not &s;ay, the new-creature hath a promi&s;e, <HI>that it &s;hall re|main:</HI> although the Scripture &s;aith it &s;hall: <HI>Joh&punc; 15. 16. 1 Joh.</HI> 2. 27. Well, if he holds but to what he &s;aith, <HI>That all who remain in this &s;eed, and it in them, hath the Promi&s;e;</HI> I would have <HI>R. F.</HI> ask him, whether it be the Promi&s;e that begets the new man, which helps to put off the old? if it be, we &s;hall finde the new man quickned, as the old man cru|cified and &s;lain, by a word of promi&s;e, in &s;everal places of Scripture, &s;cattered. The word of promi&s;e &s;erveth to rege|nerate, and begin the work, as well as to pre&s;erve, nouri&s;h and maintain the regenerate man in his &s;tate. He that &s;huts out Scripture from being Chri&s;ts organ, or the Spirits in|&s;trument and means of Regeneration, it had been better for him he had never known the Scripture, or written a word about it.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="8" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(8. Head of Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning Sanctification, and its Perfection.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="28" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 28.</HEAD>
<P>I Had noted from a little conference with them in <HI>Scot|land, That &s;in dwelleth not in act, where Chri&s;t reigneth.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Sin dwelleth and acteth in the Saints. Rom. 7. 17. opened.</NOTE> This <HI>R. F.</HI> defendeth as true, though never &s;o contrary, as I hinted in my book, to three (as many more) places of Scripture. <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 17. It is not I that do it, but &s;in that dwelleth in me: &s;in is doing, as well as dwelling: it will not be idle, and in whom? in <HI>Pauls</HI> heart, where Chri&s;t reigned. <HI>Gal.</HI> 5. 17. The fle&s;h lu&s;teth again&s;t the Spirit, and<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 5. 7. cleared.</NOTE> the Spirit again&s;t the fle&s;h, and the&s;e are contrary one to
<PB N="139" REF="88"> the other; in whom? in the <HI>Galatians,</HI> the &s;ons of God, in whom (con&s;idered in their better part) Chri&s;t and Grace reigned, yet they could not do what they would: they could not be &s;o gracious, as their rege|nerate part would have them, nor yet &s;o &s;inful as their unregenerate part would have them. Here is &s;in active enough, and yet its force is broken, that it cannot reign where Chri&s;t reigneth, but there it dwells and remains, very trouble&s;ome to a good heart. <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 23, 25.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 23, 25 explained.</NOTE> I &s;ee another Law in my members, warring again&s;t the Law of my minde, and bringing me into captivity to the Law of &s;in, that is in my members: here is action and pa&s;&s;ion too; here is fighting and &s;cuffling, a continual conflict. Sin in the Saints is no &s;leepy habit; it will be plotting, u&s;ing &s;tratagems, &s;triking, and &s;erving it &s;elf, and its own turn, as <HI>ver.</HI> 25. With my fle&s;h I &s;erve the Law of &s;in: &s;in is very active in the Saints, when &s;o officious to its &s;elf, and its own ends. What weapons think you will <HI>R. F.</HI> finde for defence of the Tenet? none &s;piritual I dare &s;ay, but carnal and weak, as followeth. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 15.</NOTE> <HI>Where Chri&s;t reigneth, the body is dead to the acts of unrighteou&s;ne&s;s, becau&s;e of &s;in being de&s;troy|ed, and the Spirit is life becau&s;e of righteou&s;ne&s;s, living and ruling.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I &s;uppo&s;e he refers, in this an&s;wer, to <HI>Rom.</HI> 8. 10. though he quotes not the place, but &s;ome of the words, ad|ding his own glo&s;s. The words of the Apo&s;tle are the&s;e. And if Chri&s;t be in you, the body is dead becau&s;e of &s;in, but the Spirit is life becau&s;e of righteou&s;ne&s;s: By the <HI>body</HI> here<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 10. cleared in its genuine &s;en&s;e&punc;</NOTE> is meant the natural body (con&s;i&s;ting of fle&s;h, blood and bones) as appeareth;</P>
<P N="1">1. By the &s;cope of the Apo&s;tle to comfort them again&s;t the Law of death, <HI>ver.</HI> 2.</P>
<P N="2">2. From the comfort which he rai&s;eth; grant the <HI>Body is dead,</HI> frail, corruptible, mortal, &s;ubject to death, yet, fir&s;t, it is not totally dead, for the &s;ting of death, which is the guilt of &s;in is pluckt out, <HI>ver.</HI> 2. and the Spirit (by the law of oppo&s;ition here to be taken for) the &s;oul of a believer is life, or a living &s;oul immortal, and &s;hall live gloriou&s;ly to immortality; and may and doth live comfortably here, be|cau&s;e
<PB N="140" REF="89"> of righteou&s;ne&s;s, <HI>i. e.</HI> while it takes up this con&s;idera|tion, that Chri&s;ts own per&s;onal righteou&s;ne&s;s is imputed, as the cau&s;e of a glorious life, and Chri&s;ts infu&s;ed holine&s;s is the evidence of Ju&s;tification-life, and Glory-life. Secondly, the body &s;hall not be always under the power of death, <HI>v.</HI> 11. for he that rai&s;ed up Chri&s;t from the dead, &s;hall al&s;o quicken your mortal bodies: which epithete [mortal] is added to &s;hew he &s;pake of the natural body, <HI>ver.</HI> 10. and to &s;treng|then and comfort; in that the &s;ame &s;pirit dwelling in Chri&s;t and true Chri&s;tians, look as he rai&s;ed up Chri&s;ts body, &s;o he &s;hall rai&s;e up theirs. This being the genuine &s;en&s;e of the Apo&s;tle: we may grant a pious truth in &s;omething <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith, but not as properly grounded on this place. The truth is, the natural body is mortified in part to the acts of un|righteou&s;ne&s;s, as the habits of &s;in are mortified in the &s;oul;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 10. vindicated from impro|per and abu|&s;ive interpre|tation.</NOTE> but the Apo&s;tle &s;aith not <HI>the body is dead becau&s;e of &s;in being de&s;troyed,</HI> as <HI>R. F.</HI> hath glo&s;&s;ed, but <HI>becau&s;e of fin,</HI> that is, the natural body is a mortal dying body, hath many partial deaths upon it, and will dye at la&s;t (&s;oul and body will be &s;eparated for a time) becau&s;e of &s;in, which remaineth in the &s;oul, dwelleth and acteth in and by the body, and will not be ab&s;olutely and in all degrees rooted out, till the body dies a natural death. Sin is &s;uch a trouble&s;ome in-mate, or like &s;ome old inhabitant pleading pre&s;cription, that it will not out (God &s;uffering it &s;o to be) till the Hou&s;e be pulled down over its head: therefore the Apo&s;tles rea&s;on [<HI>be|cau&s;e of &s;in</HI>] di&s;covers them to erre who deny <HI>&s;in to dwell in act where Chri&s;t reigneth.</HI> Sin dwelleth in the &s;oul, the in|ward rooms chiefly, but it &s;o lodgeth within, as it acteth and worketh in the outward room, and &s;hop of the body, till body and &s;oul be di&s;&s;olved, when this trouble&s;ome in|mate is ca&s;t out totally, finally and for ever from the Saints. Let not <HI>R. F.</HI> go on to &s;ay [<HI>here thou art contradicting the Scriptures, and oppo&s;ing the work of Chri&s;t; which is to take away &s;in:</HI>] for there is not one Scripture which &s;peaks of a perfect Saint, ab&s;olutely free from the in-dwelling pre&s;ence, and in-working power of &s;in, in the lea&s;t degree, while he lives here upon the earth; and the work of Chri&s;t, in taking away &s;in, is, in a way of Sanctification, to carry it on by
<PB N="141" REF="89"> little and little, as was his ca&s;ting out of the Canaanites, <HI>Exod.</HI> 23. 30. Let not him that puts on his armor boa&s;t as he that puts it off.</P>
<P>What is it for <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 15.</NOTE> to rea&s;on? [<HI>And &s;uch as abide in him &s;ins not, then &s;in acts not; he that acts &s;in commits &s;in, and there Chri&s;t reigns not, but Antichri&s;t, under who&s;e domi|nion thou art, that pleads for him and his work.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Sin may and doth act in the Saints, not <HI>they,</HI> but <HI>&s;in</HI> is acting, when, as Saints, and &s;o far as regenerate, they do act again&s;t &s;in. This is not committing of &s;in in <HI>Johns</HI> &s;en&s;e (as hath been cleared before, <HI>Sect.</HI> 14.) but as <HI>Paul,</HI> &s;peaking of him&s;elf in the name of all the regenerate, (as hath been proved, <HI>Sect.</HI> 20.) <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 16, 17. If I do that which I would not, &amp;c. it is no more I that do it, but &s;in that dwelleth in me.</P>
<P N="2">2. Although Chri&s;t reigns not where &s;in is committed (in <HI>Johns</HI> &s;en&s;e) yet he reigneth where that in-dwelling prin|ciple of &s;in is mortified in truth, and in &s;ome degree, and where the actings of &s;in are, re&s;i&s;tings of &s;in are hated, re|&s;i&s;ted, and unfulfilled. <HI>Gal.</HI> 5. 16. They that walk in the Spirit, do not <HI>fulfil</HI> the lu&s;ts of the fle&s;h; yet the fle&s;h is lu&s;ting and acting what it can again&s;t a Chri&s;tian, to make him &s;tumble, while he is in a good walk.</P>
<P N="3">3. Antichri&s;t reigns in none more then in filthy dream|ers, who while they preach perfection, are found in their pollutions. It is Antichri&s;ts de&s;ign to repre&s;ent a &s;inners Ju&s;tification imperfect, and his Sanctification perfect, that he may glory in him&s;elf, and not in Chri&s;t. Antichri&s;t pre|tendeth as much to Holine&s;s as the&s;e men (called Quakers) but out of order, and to a wrong end, as they al&s;o.</P>
<P N="4">4. To plead for perfect inherent Holine&s;s, as the Belie|vers Ju&s;tification, as <HI>J. Nayler</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">See Love to the lo&s;t, p. 21. and 51.</NOTE> and <HI>R. F.</HI> do, is to &s;erve under Antichri&s;ts colors, and to wear his livery, and to make void the obedience and &s;ufferings of the Lord Je|&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="5">5. He is not under the dominion of Antichri&s;t, who pleads again&s;t his imaginary perfections, is made perfect in his Ju&s;tification, by coming unto Chri&s;ts &s;acrifice, <HI>Heb.</HI> 10. 1, 14. and in a way of Sanctification, pre&s;&s;eth after more
<PB N="142" REF="90"> of the power of Chri&s;ts death and re&s;urrection to be con|formed thereunto.</P>
<P>But <HI>R. F.</HI> goes on <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 15.</NOTE> to mi&s;-apply Scripture, and contra|dict the true &s;cope and &s;en&s;e, [<HI>He that is begotten of God, keepeth him&s;elf, and that wicked one toucheth him not</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. It is true, the words are &s;o, and I believe it is &s;o as the Spirit &s;peaketh in that place, 1 <HI>John</HI> 5. 18. what then?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 5&punc; 18. vindicated.</NOTE> Doth not &s;in dwell and &s;tir, therefore, in the regenerate? Look back to <HI>ver.</HI> 16. and you may conclude, That not one|ly &s;in is in every Chri&s;tian Brother, but you may &s;ome|times have it vi&s;ibly acted before your eyes: for &s;aith the Apo&s;tle, If any man <HI>&s;ee</HI> his brother &s;in, &amp;c.</P>
<P N="2">2. Although he &s;inneth, yet we know that who&s;oever is born of God (as every true Brother is) &s;inneth not, <HI>i. e. unto death;</HI> as every &s;in is not <HI>unto death,</HI> &s;o no &s;in of the truly godly is <HI>unto death:</HI> but he keepeth him&s;elf, as he is kept, and he acteth, as he is acted, by the principle of the new creature, by the Spirits, and Chri&s;ts fre&s;h influence, again&s;t <HI>&s;uch</HI> a &s;in; and that <HI>wicked one,</HI> Satan, <HI>toucheth him not</HI> with his &s;ting, nor in&s;tills &s;uch deadly poi&s;on into him, as brings him into the &s;in that &s;hall not be pardoned, mu&s;t not be prayed for, which is the <HI>&s;in unto death.</HI></P>
<P>What hath <HI>R. F.</HI> more to &s;ay? nothing but from mi&s;|applyed Scripture; [<HI>And he that acteth and doth righteou&s;|ne&s;s, is of God; but he that acteth and doth unrighteou&s;ne&s;s, is not of God, as &s;aith the Scripture.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But where? he nameth none. The Scriptures which he might gue&s;s at, are 1 <HI>John</HI> 2. 29. and 1 <HI>John</HI> 3. 10. In the<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 2. 29. cleared.</NOTE> former, Every one which <HI>doth</HI> righteou&s;ne&s;s is born of him; the Greek word for <HI>doing</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> is emphatical, as if he &s;hould &s;ay, he that makes a trade of righteou&s;ne&s;s (not every one that &s;tumbleth upon an act or two of righteou&s;ne&s;s) but e|very one that is a con&s;tant practitioner of it, is born of God. In the latter, who&s;oever <HI>doth</HI> not righteou&s;ne&s;s is not of<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 3. 10. vindicated. <GAP DESC="foreign">, &amp;c.</NOTE> God, <HI>i. e.</HI> who&s;oever doth not make a trade of righteou&s;ne&s;s, or godline&s;s, is not of God. The Scripture &s;aith not, [<HI>He that acteth unrighteou&s;ne&s;s is not of God,</HI>] neither there, nor any where el&s;e: Sin's acting in the Saints, doth not argue that they make a common practi&s;e of it. Let them who
<PB N="143" REF="90"> make a trade of perverting Scripture, and of cro&s;&s;ing the minde of the Spirit, con&s;tantly, in almo&s;t every place they alledge, examine whether they can be of God or no. They that judge the Saints, for having &s;in-dwelling and acting in them, not to be of God, (that is, not to be Saints, or born of God) &s;hall be judged them&s;elves by the Lord, for tra|ding with Satan in his common &s;hop and office, of accu&s;ing the Brethren.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="29" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 29.</HEAD>
<P>WHat I noted touching <HI>J. Naylers</HI> denial <HI>of perfection of holine&s;s to be re&s;erved till after death,</HI> R. F. calls<NOTE PLACE="marg">Whether per|fection of ho|line&s;s be not re&s;erved till death.</NOTE> the Reader to <HI>&s;ee if there be &s;uch words &s;o expre&s;&s;ed by</HI> James <HI>in that page, if not, &amp;c. then let them take notice of my deceitful &s;pirit.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I would know whether I may not have liberty to put down the effect of his or any mans words, though not ju&s;t <HI>the &s;ame, and &s;o expre&s;&s;ed.</HI> Although very &s;eldom I have done it, yet <HI>R. F.</HI> could take this liberty him&s;elf, and much more in his Epi&s;tle, where he tells his Reader, that I &s;ay, [<HI>Without the Scripture, the word of the Lord could not be &s;poken, or to that effect.</HI>] My words were neither &s;o, nor to &s;uch purpo&s;e, as he would have them con&s;trued, as if the Lord were not above his Scripture. All that I &s;aid was this, Chri&s;t teacheth us not to know any thing to &s;alvation, but what is in the Scripture, Law, and Te&s;timony: and my plain intent therein, I have cleared before, in this part of my Re|ply, <HI>Sect.</HI> 10.</P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>J. Naylers</HI> expre&s;s words <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Di&s;covery of the man of &s;in, pag. 28.</NOTE> are the&s;e, <HI>I challenge you to bring one Scripture, which doth &s;ay, That Perfection and Holine&s;s are re&s;erved till after death.</HI> What he propound|eth by way of a challenge, I put down as his negative po|&s;ition; denying, in effect, a Re&s;erve of perfect holine&s;s to be given into the &s;oul at the in&s;tant of death, and to be one|ly enjoyed in &s;oul and body, long after, at the re&s;urrection.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ju&s;tification perfect here, Sanctification imperfect.</NOTE> Perfection of Ju&s;tification, by a mo&s;t perfect imputed righ|teou&s;ne&s;s, we have as &s;oon as we believe; but perfection in all degrees of Sanctification, we have not in life, none ever
<PB N="144" REF="91"> had it till death, and then they po&s;&s;e&s;s it, in their &s;ouls, ever after. He that holds, the Saints perfect fulfilling of the Law, in all degrees of obedience and conformity to it, in this life, before death, hath drunk of Antichri&s;ts cup, and con|tradicts the whole tenor of Scripture, and the experience of all the Saints mentioned therein (&s;o far as their &s;tate of ho|line&s;s in this life, is &s;poken of.) <HI>J. Nayler</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Di&s;covery, as above.</NOTE> gives the lye to them that &s;ay, <HI>The righteou&s;ne&s;s of the Law is not fulfil|led in this life, in any of the Saints;</HI> and thinks that <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8 3, 4. vindicated by the &s;cope and true &s;en&s;e.</NOTE> 3, 4. will patronize the Saints perfect fulfilling of the Law in this life; which onely &s;peaks of Chri&s;ts fulfilling of the Law for us, and in that nature of man which him&s;elf a&s;&s;u|med. If he &s;aith, <HI>Chri&s;t came for that end, to fulfil the Law in the Saints;</HI> and not in his humanity onely, for them; &s;till the Apo&s;tles words and &s;en&s;e mu&s;t be regarded, and not <HI>J. Naylers.</HI> The Apo&s;tles &s;cope is not to prove the Saints Ju&s;tification, by Chri&s;ts enabling them to fulfil the Law, (which is <HI>J. Naylers</HI> &s;cope in pleading for perfect Holine&s;s in this life) but to comfort again&s;t the want of perfect Ho|line&s;s, which is ever wanting while &s;in dwells in us. What is the comfort? this, that the inherent &s;in of our natures is not imputed: we (who believe) are ab&s;olved and &s;et free from the guilt and puni&s;hment of it, by the law of the Spi|rit of Life that is in Chri&s;t Je&s;us; <HI>Ver.</HI> 2. that is, by the perfect holine&s;s of Chri&s;ts humanity reckoned to us. A ne|ce&s;&s;ity of which appears, <HI>ver.</HI> 3. The Law could not ju&s;tifie any that have &s;in in-dwelling; <HI>That which the Law could not do</HI> (not, that which the Saints could not do, as <HI>J. Nayler</HI> reads it) <HI>in that it was weak through the fle&s;h,</HI> (re&s;iding not in the Law, but in the be&s;t of Saints here) <HI>God &s;ent his Son,</HI> that is, to ju&s;tifie us from the guilt of our &s;inning-natures, and how? (<HI>for &s;in,</HI> by rea&s;on it &s;ticks in us while we live) <HI>he condemned &s;in in the fle&s;h</HI> of Chri&s;t; he kept &s;in from having inherency in Chri&s;ts humanity: And why? <HI>ver. 4. That the righteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> (the word &s;ignifies the utmo&s;t which<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> could be exacted) <HI>of the Law,</HI> ab&s;olute holine&s;s of nature (as of life and death) <HI>might be fulfilled in us,</HI> (he doth not &s;ay, by us, or of us) that believe in him, who all the time he was upon earth, had a perfect nature for us; and who walk
<PB N="145" REF="91"> not after the fle&s;h (which is in us) but after the Spirit (which is in us.) All along the intelligent godly Reader may &s;ee that this Scripture makes more again&s;t <HI>J. Nayler,</HI> and his a&s;&s;ociates, then for them: For if <HI>fle&s;h</HI> be in all that the Law would have to do with, (if Chri&s;t did not undertake for them) and this fle&s;h di&s;ableth both us from keeping the Law perfectly, and the Law from ju&s;tifying us; our main com|fort lays not in the mea&s;ures of our Sanctification, but in our perfect Ju&s;tification; by Chri&s;ts fulfilling the Law, with|out us, and for us; which fulfilling of all the Laws exacti|ons for us, is &s;aid to be <HI>in us,</HI> becau&s;e the application of it<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 8. 4. cleared.</NOTE> to us, is by Faith, which is <HI>in us;</HI> and fora&s;much as Chri&s;t had it for us, in that nature of his, which he a&s;&s;umed, with which we are my&s;tically united; and in a&s;much as it was fulfilled in our Head, it is ours as &s;urely, by imputation, as if it had been po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed in, and performed by our own per&s;ons.</P>
<P N="3">3. Le&s;t <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;hould think I have neglected him to at|tend his Brother-contradictor, let us hear what he &s;aith to the Scripture I quoted, for a bottom of that truth we main|tain again&s;t all gain-&s;ayers, <HI>viz.</HI> That the Saints are not in all degrees perfected in Holine&s;s till they dye, or be di&s;&s;ol|ved. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 15.</NOTE> <HI>As thou ha&s;t lyed of</HI> James, <HI>who witne&s;&s;eth purity, as the Saints did; &s;o al&s;o ha&s;t thou lyed of the Apo&s;tle, and tho&s;e &s;poken of,</HI> Heb. 12. 23. <HI>&s;aying, that the &s;pirits, (that is, &s;ouls &s;eparated (as thou &s;ays) from the bodies) of ju&s;t men made perfect in holine&s;s; which is at death, or at the in&s;tant of di&s;|&s;olution, when the &s;pirit is &s;eparated from the body.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Whether I belyed <HI>James Nayler</HI> or no, will ap|pear before, where I have cleared the faithfulne&s;s and free|dom of my Spirit.</P>
<P N="2">2. How <HI>James</HI> witne&s;&s;eth purity we have heard, and proved it not to be after the Scripture-Saints judgement, who never went about (after they knew Chri&s;ts fulne&s;s, and their own emptine&s;s) to bottom their Ju&s;tification upon their Sanctification; and e&s;tabli&s;h a righteou&s;ne&s;s of their own, which is &s;aid to <HI>be our own,</HI> if it be <HI>materially inhercut</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">What is our righteou&s;ne&s;s.</NOTE> <HI>in us.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. How I have lyed of the Apo&s;tle, and of tho&s;e &s;poken of, <HI>Heb.</HI> 12. 23. let it come to the tryal.</P>
<PB N="146" REF="92">
<P>Fir&s;t, I &s;hall clear out and &s;trengthen the Expo&s;ition of that place.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 23. cleared in the la&s;t clau&s;e, by the &s;cope.</NOTE></P>
<P>Secondly, examine what <HI>R. F.</HI> hath again&s;t it, or the truth thence deduced, of &s;ins continuance in the Saints till death.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, The Expo&s;ition I gave is cleared and &s;trengthned partly from the Scope, partly from the Grammatical &s;en&s;e of the words.</P>
<P N="1">1. The Scope of the Apo&s;tle is to pre&s;s the exhortations and con&s;olations preceding, <HI>Ver.</HI> 5. That Chri&s;tians &s;hould not faint under afflictions: <HI>Ver.</HI> 12. That weaklings in grace may be encouraged: <HI>Ver.</HI> 14. That peace and holine&s;s be pur&s;ued: <HI>Ver.</HI> 16, 17. That by no means Saint-&s;hip be undervalued: and why all this? becau&s;e they are not under the Old Te&s;tament admini&s;tration at mount Sinai, <HI>Ver.</HI> 18. which was terrible; but <HI>Ver.</HI> 22. under a New Te&s;tament condition, which is amiable; the more by rea&s;on of that holy and &s;weet communion which is now cleared out, as with God, Chri&s;t and Angels, &s;o with the Saints in heaven, de&s;cribed by this Character, [<HI>The &s;pirits of ju&s;t men made</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Communion of Saints on earth with Saints in heaven.</NOTE> <HI>perfect</HI>] with whom we (that are but weak in Faith, and imperfect in Holine&s;s) have</P>
<P N="1">1. A communion of right; our grounds of right to hea|ven, are as good and firm as theirs who are now in po&s;|&s;e&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P N="2">2. Of Intere&s;t; Saints departed are in living communion with that God and Chri&s;t in heaven, with whom we have communion on earth.</P>
<P N="3">3. Of Prai&s;es; Begun prai&s;es by the Saints on earth, are echoed and re&s;ounded by the perfect Spirits in Paradi&s;e.</P>
<P N="4">4. Of will and de&s;ires; They are doing the will of God perfectly, and we (as Saints) are aiming, endeavoring, pray|ing, &s;triving after that &s;tate.</P>
<P N="5">5. Of Hopes; They hope for the perfection of their Bodies at the re&s;urrection, and we hope for the perfection of Soul at death, and of our Bodies at the &s;ame re&s;urre|ction day.</P>
<P N="6">6. Of Member&s;hip; They are a part of the Church-Catholique, and &s;o are the Saints on earth; fellow-heirs we
<PB N="147" REF="92"> are of the &s;ame inheritance, children of the family, &amp;c. Thus for the Scope.</P>
<P N="2">2. The words them&s;elves carry their &s;en&s;e with them at<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 23. cleared in the terms.</NOTE> the fir&s;t look: By [<HI>&s;pirits</HI>] cannot be meant Angels, for of them he had &s;poken before: And he addeth, We are come to the &s;pirits of [<HI>men.</HI>] The word in <HI>Acts</HI> 23. 8. is u&s;ed for &s;ouls &s;eparated; The Sadduces &s;ay, there is no re&s;urrection, neither Angel, nor [<HI>Spirit,</HI>] that is, &s;ouls of men &s;eparated from the bodies, (to which yet they retain a relation) for they held the &s;oul dyed with the body; others in our time (as in <HI>Calvins</HI>) &s;ay it &s;leeps with the body. But the word [Spirit] notes out a living intelligent &s;ub&s;tance in action, or &s;en&s;ible pa&s;&s;ion; as the &s;ouls of them that were di&s;obe|dient before the Flood, in <HI>Noahs</HI> time, are 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 3. 19. called &s;pirits in pri&s;on; tho&s;e are &s;ouls of wicked men, made mi|&s;erable; the&s;e in our Scripture controverted, are &s;ouls of [<HI>ju&s;t] men,</HI> while they were here in the body perfectly ju&s;ti|fied; and at parting out of the body <HI>made perfect</HI> in holi|ne&s;s. In that it is &s;aid, [<HI>Spirits made perfect,</HI>] it implyeth they were not in that &s;en&s;e perfect in the body, as they are now out of it. Here, in life, the Saints have <GAP DESC="foreign">, a ful|ne&s;s of the Spirit, (comparatively, in re&s;pect of what they had at fir&s;t, or that others have at pre&s;ent;) at death they have a <GAP DESC="foreign">, a final perfection, as to a perfect freedom from the roots and remnants of &s;in, and a fruition of as much inherent holine&s;s as they are capable of. Here the Lord findeth fault if our works be not perfect, or filled up (as the word <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> &s;ignifieth, <HI>Rev.</HI> 3. 2.) with acts and exerci&s;es of grace in all kindes: but when we dye in the Lord, then our works are perfect, or fini&s;hed <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> in degrees, and at an end. The word for perfect in our Text to the Hebrew is <GAP DESC="foreign">, which comes of a verb <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">,</NOTE> that in its root <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> &s;i|gnifieth an end, or the end; therefore &s;ometime put for death, <HI>John 13. 1. To the end,</HI> that is, to the death he loved them: And, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 1. 13. I tru&s;t you &s;hall acknowledge to the end, <HI>i. e.</HI> to <HI>my</HI> death, or <HI>yours,</HI> or both. When Chri&s;t was giving up the gho&s;t, and was ending the work of &s;ati&s;|faction with his life, he cryed out, <HI>It is fini&s;hed *, John</HI> 19.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> 30. &s;o &s;hall we (who have the fir&s;t-fruits of the Spirit) be
<PB N="148" REF="93"> then able to &s;ay, with that clear con&s;cience which now can|not in that maner and mea&s;ure be exerci&s;ed, even as we give up our &s;pirits into the hands of God, now Lord, the work of mortification and holine&s;s is fini&s;hed, and not before. The &s;en&s;e of the Scripture &s;tands clear.</P>
<P>Secondly, Let us examine what <HI>R. F.</HI> hath again&s;t it, or again&s;t the Doctrine of &s;in's continuance in the godly till death.</P>
<P>Again&s;t the true meaning of the Apo&s;tle, now cleared, he excepteth, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 16.</NOTE> [<HI>Th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;e that thou &s;peaks of in</HI> Heb. 12. 22. <HI>did not &s;ay it &s;hould be at an in&s;tant, of death, when their bodies</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 23. vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>and &s;ouls parted, that they &s;hould be perfected.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I have had no revelations from them, nor &s;peech with Saints departed (&s;ince their departure) nor need I, I have <HI>Paul,</HI> and other Pen-man of the holy Gho&s;t to a&s;&s;ure me, it was not before. The word in the Text is [<HI>Spirits</HI>] (not bodies, nor &s;ouls continuing in the bodies) <HI>of ju&s;t men made perfect,</HI> and that is enough to me.</P>
<P N="2">2. For conviction of gain|&s;ayers, and confirmation of the weak, I might call to minde the &s;ayings of &s;everal Saints before Chri&s;ts coming and &s;ince, who have had no other faith, nor per&s;wa&s;ion, but that while they were here, &s;in remained with them, and within them; and till death part|ed their &s;ouls from their bodies, Chri&s;t parted not &s;in per|fectly from their &s;ouls.</P>
<P>What will <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;ay to that cloud of Witne&s;&s;es? <HI>Heb.</HI> 11. who while they lived, lived by Faith; and when they dyed, <HI>ver.</HI> 13, they dyed in Faith, (not onely in re&s;pect of a hea|venly countrey, but) that what they felt not the moment before, they &s;hould be in &s;en&s;ible po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of, the moment of, and the moment after di&s;&s;olution. Then, as <HI>Sam&s;on</HI> &s;lew more at his death then in his life, &s;o Chri&s;t would, and did give them a perfect revenge upon their old enemy &s;in, and all the roots and remnants of corruption.</P>
<P>What will <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;ay to old Saint <HI>Jacob?</HI> who on his<NOTE PLACE="marg">Saints experi|mentally im|perfect.</NOTE> death-bed makes this confe&s;&s;ion, <HI>Gen.</HI> 49. 18. I have waited for thy &s;alvation, O Lord. Salvation, as to perfect &s;anctifi|cation, being yet to be fini&s;hed at death. And what to pre|cious Saint <HI>David? 2 Sam.</HI> 23. 5. who quieted his heart with
<PB N="149" REF="93"> this on his death-bed, that God had made with him an ever|la&s;ting Covenant &amp;c. although things were not perfect in his hou&s;e, nor heart, for then he had been perfect (I &s;peak &s;till of perfection in all degrees) in the di&s;charge of his relative family duties, but that he was not. And were any in the New Te&s;tament as perfect in &s;anctification before, as at and after death? doth <HI>Paul,</HI> for him&s;elf and the Saints, &s;peak of any more then the fir&s;t fruits of the Spirit? <HI>Rom.</HI> 8. 23. doth he not make mention of his and their infirmities? <HI>ver.</HI> 26. which are, not onely afflictions, but &s;ins; if, not<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 26. opened.</NOTE> to know what to pray for, in every prayer, <HI>as we ought,</HI> be a &s;in; but &s;o many ignorances, and defects (in prayer, and duty) which ought not to be in us, are &s;ins. There ought not to be any &s;inful infirmity in us, yet there are, and will be, do we our be&s;t.</P>
<P>Let <HI>R. F.</HI> hear what our Engli&s;h Saints have acknow|ledged at the in&s;tant of death, or immediately before. <Q REND="margQuotes">"I am drawing on a pace to my di&s;&s;olution, (&s;aid M. <HI>Bolton</HI> fa|mous for piety) hold out faith and patience, your work will quickly be at an end.</Q> His work of holy faith and patience, was not at an end before his end, his death. Our Engli&s;h precious <HI>Jewel</HI> (who by his Popi&s;h adver&s;aries con|fe&s;&s;ion in his life was an Angel, though in his faith (as they deemed, an Heretique) immediately before his death he brake forth into the&s;e words, <Q REND="margQuotes">"Chri&s;t is my righteou&s;ne&s;s; Father let thy will be done: thy will, I &s;ay, not mine, which is <HI>imperfect</HI> and <HI>depraved.</HI></Q> Our dear Countreyman M. <HI>Deering</HI> hath this farewel; <Q REND="margQuotes">"Poor wretch and mi&s;era|ble man that I am, the lea&s;t of all Saints, and the greate&s;t of &s;inners &amp;c. And again. If I were the mo&s;t excellent of all creatures in the world; if I were equal in righteou&s;|ne&s;s to <HI>Abraham, I&s;aac</HI> and <HI>Jacob,</HI> yet had I rea&s;on to confe&s;s my &s;elf to be a &s;inner.</Q> Holy M. <HI>Bradford,</HI> How oft doth he &s;ub&s;cribe, in letters to his friends, <Q REND="margQuotes">"either an Hypocrite, or, a very painted Hypocrite, or, <HI>The &s;inful John Bradford?</HI></Q> for the &s;ame man or per&s;on (as he wri|teth in one Letter, which de&s;cribes and compares the old man and the new man a little better then <HI>Ja. Nayler</HI> in his Love to the lo&s;t) may be called, <HI>always ju&s;t, always &s;inful.</HI>
<PB N="150" REF="94"> Even men perfectly ju&s;tified, are not made perfectly holy (according to his faith and experience, which as to this ca&s;e is the &s;ame in all Saints) while living here: and hereupon, when he hourly lookt for the Porter to open to him the gates to enter into de&s;ired re&s;t from the very mole&s;tations of indwelling &s;in, and was every moment expecting the ex|ecutioner to di&s;patch him (in a letter to his dear Fathers, Dr. <HI>Cranmer,</HI> Dr. <HI>Ridley,</HI> and Dr. <HI>Latimer</HI>) <Q REND="margQuotes">"he is bewail|ing his unthankfulne&s;s and hypocri&s;ie; clear he was and &s;ure of ju&s;tification and heaven, yet &s;en&s;ible of the rem|nants of corruption:"</Q> As al&s;o M. <HI>Philpot,</HI> who leaped for joy, when his martyrdom was at hand, <Q REND="margQuotes">"yet cryed for mercy, again&s;t his pre&s;ent unthankfulne&s;s and unworthi|ne&s;s."</Q> And if we look abroad, in&s;tances are pregnant and plentiful, I &s;hall mention onely two or three, one in <HI>Ger|many, Melanchthon,</HI> who not onely complained, that old <HI>Adam</HI> was too hard for yong <HI>Melanchthon,</HI> but continued in a &s;en&s;e of his &s;inful corruptions to his dying day, con|fe&s;&s;ing him&s;elf at la&s;t to be a mi&s;erable &s;inner: So did ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Calvin</HI> (in <HI>France</HI>) as appears in his la&s;t Will and Te&s;tament. I clo&s;e up with that noble French man <HI>Philip de Morney</HI> Lord of <HI>Ple&s;&s;is,</HI> though he died with full a&s;&s;urance of a hou&s;e not made with hands, &amp;c. yet he put up this re|que&s;t, a little before his death; <Q REND="margQuotes">"Lord make me to know my &s;ins, to weep for them, to dete&s;t them, and to have them in execration."</Q> The&s;e with thou&s;ands like them, have &s;o believed in life, and &s;poken, to this effect, at death, that when their bodies and &s;ouls were parted, and at that in|&s;tant they &s;hould be perfected in holine&s;s; they felt it not, believed not, it would be before that time.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 16.</NOTE> hath another exception: <HI>Heb. 12. 22, 23. [In the pre&s;ent ten&s;e, they there &s;poke, and not in the future.]</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> He that knows any thing of Grammar may well que&s;tion whether <HI>R. F.</HI> under&s;tands him&s;elf, or what is the difference between the pre&s;ent ten&s;e, and future, [<HI>in the pre&s;ent Ten&s;e they there &s;poke</HI>] who &s;poke? There is but one <HI>Paul,</HI> or &s;ome other Pen-man that wrote the Epi&s;tle, by the dictate of the Spirit, and he &s;peaks of believers al|ready come to mount <HI>Zion,</HI> &amp;c. and to <HI>the Spirits of ju&s;t
<PB N="151" REF="94"> men made perfect,</HI> before he wrote the Epi&s;tle: The word for [<HI>made perfect</HI>] in the Greek <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> is a Participle of the Pre|ter Ten&s;e, or time pa&s;t (not of the pre&s;ent, nor did I &s;ay it was of the future) onely what was a Truth then, is now a Truth, that Saints living in their bodies, in imperfection of holine&s;s, have relation to, and communion (as hath been &s;hewed) with Saints living out of their bodies, <HI>i. e.</HI> the &s;pi|rits of ju&s;t men made perfect.</P>
<P>A third exception <HI>R. F.</HI> hath again&s;t the &s;imile I u&s;ed, [<HI>&s;in is as the wild fig-tree thou &s;ayes, rooted in the joynts of a &s;tone wall, and when the wall is taken down, the &s;tones ca&s;t a&s;under, body and &s;oul &s;eparated, then is &s;in (thou &s;ayes) pluckt up by the roots, as the roots of the fig-tree not before.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> This illu&s;tration (of a light-&s;ome ancient writer <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Epiphanius.</NOTE>) &s;eems to dazle <HI>R. F.</HI> till he &s;taggers again, and &s;waggers twice or thrice again&s;t me for mentioning it. Once he chewed upon it before <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 13.</NOTE> (out of its place) and tels me, <HI>thou ha&s;t no proof for thy &s;aying but thy policy, and that is contrary to Scri|pture,</HI> P&s;al. 37. 37, 38. <HI>Mark the perfect man, &amp;c. for the end of that man is peace. But the wicked &s;hall be cut off, and the tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors &s;hall be de&s;troyed together at their end,</HI> as he reads them; but according to the right reading, <HI>viz.</HI> [But the tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors &s;hall be de&s;troyed together, the end of the wicked &s;hall be out off] nothing will be found in the&s;e two ver&s;es, contrary to, or differing from what I held out by that &s;imile; for we have marked the end, or death of many perfect or &s;incere Saints mentioned before, and it was found to be peace, their war&s;are then being at a ful period when they dyed: as while they lived they had perfect peace with God by their perfect ju&s;tification in Chri&s;t: &s;o at their death they had a full harve&s;t and reward of peace; &s;uch &s;hall be the end of every upright &s;oul, <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 57. 2. He &s;hall enter into peace, they &s;hall re&s;t in their beds, each one (while he lived) walking in his uprightne&s;s. This per|fection of integrity and &s;incerity they have, who have re|&s;pect to all Gods commandements, though no ab&s;olute con|formity<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sin continues in Saints: Saints con|tinue not in &s;in.</NOTE> to them: nor do they continue in &s;in, though &s;in continueth in them till death. As for the wicked it is not &s;o with them; in life, they continue in the &s;tate, love and
<PB N="152" REF="95"> practice, and under the power of &s;in: and when they dye, their end and reward is to dye the &s;econd death, with the fir&s;t, both the wages of &s;in. Twice afterward <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 16.</NOTE> doth <HI>R. F.</HI> let fly again&s;t me, for the above mentioned &s;imile [<HI>Thou &s;ubtile Serpent, and Scotch Politician, how ha&s;t thou wre&s;ted the Scripture?</HI> and [<HI>By this thou ha&s;t manife&s;ted thy Scotti&s;h po|licy, and Antichri&s;tian deceitful &s;pirit, and to be one that would uphold the kingdom of the Devil in people, and &s;o art an enemy to Chri&s;t, and his work.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> To all which I &s;ay no more, but the Lord rebuke this reviling Spirit in <HI>R. F.</HI> my work is not to attend his ink-horn terms, but what he pretendeth to from Scripture again&s;t the continuance of &s;in in the Saints during their abode in the&s;e vile bodies. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 16.</NOTE> <HI>The Apo&s;tle &s;aith, that the word of the Lord is quick and powerful, (&s;o is not the letter of the Scripture) to divide a&s;under &s;oul and &s;pirit, joynts and mar|row, and is a di&s;cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,</HI> Heb. 4. 12. <HI>Here Soul and Spirit is divided by the living word, and the ground of &s;in &s;haken at the roots, and rooted out of &s;uch, before their &s;ouls and bodies part a&s;under.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> If I &s;hould deal with him, at the weapon which he u&s;eth again&s;t me, it were enough to ask, But doth the A|po&s;tle indeed &s;ay expre&s;ly [<HI>the living word is quick and powerful</HI>] or finde&s;t thou the&s;e words [<HI>the ground of &s;in &s;haken, and rooted out of &s;uch before their &s;ouls and bodies part a&s;under</HI>] in that Scripture? and tell him he belieth the Apo&s;tle, &amp;c. but I have not &s;o learned Chri&s;t. Better lan|guage there is, &amp; a &s;urer way of arguing then barely to word it: the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but &s;piritual and mighty through God, to ca&s;t down &s;trong holds, Mi&s;-in|terpretation, and mi&s;-application of Scripture is a &s;trong hold for error and delu&s;ion. I &s;hall fir&s;t di&s;cover the true and ge|nuine &s;en&s;e of that Scripture, agreeable to the &s;cope, and then <HI>R. F.</HI> his mi&s;-application, and fal&s;e inference from thence.</P>
<P N="1">1. The right and genuine interpretation is to be drawn<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 4. 12. cleared in its genuine &s;en&s;e.</NOTE> from the context, as high as <HI>Chap.</HI> 1. on-wards. By the word of God, <HI>Heb.</HI> 4. 12. is meant his word &s;poken, and his word written, and &s;poken according to what is writ|ten, <HI>Chap. 1. ver.</HI> 1, 2. God in the&s;e la&s;t days hath
<PB N="153" REF="95"> <HI>&s;poken</HI> to us by his Son, while he was upon earth. What word was &s;poken? <HI>Chap.</HI> 2. 2, 3. That which concerned great &s;alvation, which at the fir&s;t began to be <HI>&s;poken</HI> by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. And <HI>Chap.</HI> 3. 7. the <HI>word written</HI> is quoted out of <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 95. wherefore as the holy Gho&s;t &s;aith, To day if ye will hear his voice. Withal, <HI>Chap.</HI> 4. 2. it is clear, that the word preached, according to what Chri&s;t preached, and to what the holy Gho&s;t hath written of Chri&s;t, is the &s;ame with that he mentioneth <HI>ver.</HI> 12. For (&s;aith the Apo&s;tle) unto us was the <HI>Go&s;pel preached,</HI> as well as unto them (in the wilderne&s;s, and in <HI>Davids</HI> time) but the <HI>word preached</HI> did not profit them, &amp;c. This is no other then the declarative word of God, which declaration made by Chri&s;t, and by his Spirit in the Scripture, and by preachers from, and according to the Scripture, is,</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, <HI>quick</HI> or <HI>lively,</HI> no dead letter, though the Pen|men,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> or many preachers thereof be dead long &s;ince; and though many that heard the Go&s;pel heretofore be now dead, yet it hath as much life in it &s;elf as ever.</P>
<P>Secondly, 'tis <HI>powerful,</HI> of con&s;tant efficacy and operati|on, even to the ran&s;acking of con&s;ciences, &s;earching of hearts, and to the critical di&s;covery of thoughts and intents of the heart; it is proved to be &s;o, <HI>ver.</HI> 13. becau&s;e God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">By the con|text</NOTE> who&s;e word it is, is omni&s;cient, hath all things before him with the face upward; and therefore by the Scriptures, and by his Mini&s;ters, as by his Son, by whom (in the&s;e la&s;t days) he &s;pake fir&s;t, he can, and doth di&s;cover, and lay open the hearts of <HI>all men,</HI> &amp;c. Of all men, I &s;ay, where the Go&s;pel comes, <HI>i. e.</HI> of tho&s;e that believe not, as of tho&s;e that believe: for that is the &s;cope of the 12. <HI>ver.</HI> as by its immediate con|nexion<NOTE PLACE="marg">and &s;cope.</NOTE> with <HI>ver.</HI> 11. appeareth; Let us labor therefore to enter into that re&s;t, le&s;t any man fall after the &s;ame example of unbelief: For the word of God is <HI>lively</HI> in its effects, &amp;c. It is, and will be a &s;wift witne&s;s again&s;t unbelievers, and quick to their condemnation, a favor of death unto death in them that peri&s;h; as it is, and will be a &s;wift wit|ne&s;s for believers, and quick to their con&s;olation, a favor of life unto life, in them that are &s;aved.</P>
<PB N="154" REF="96">
<P>To under&s;tand by [<HI>the word of God</HI>] here, Chri&s;ts per&s;on, is not &s;utable to the context from the beginning of the Epi|&s;tle,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb 4 12, and 13. compared and vindica|ted from 1. indirect glo&s;|&s;es.</NOTE> nor to the &s;cope&punc; and this &s;en&s;e, being brought to &s;et a&s;ide the Scripture, and the preaching upon it, and from it, is therefore to be &s;u&s;pected and waved: Others, who &s;eem not to deny the authority of the holy Scriptures, yet would have it meant of Chri&s;t, for this rea&s;on, becau&s;e the [<HI>word of God,</HI> ver. 12. is in the 13. <HI>ver.</HI> de&s;cribed as a per&s;on, [<HI>in his &s;ight</HI>] and [the eyes <HI>of him with whom</HI> we have to do.] Now this is but their mi&s;take, for albeit Chri&s;t in per&s;on is the <HI>living word,</HI> yet it is the Apo&s;tles &s;cope to gain honor to him, by gaining honor to the <HI>declarative word,</HI> which (being Chri&s;ts word, &s;poken by him, written by the in&s;piration of his Spirit, and preached accordingly) is therefore quick and lively, powerful and piercing, becau&s;e it is his word: and the words of the 13. <HI>ver.</HI> are not a de&s;cription of Chri&s;ts per&s;on [as he is <HI>the living word</HI>] nor of the declarative word &s;poken, written, preached, but of <HI>God</HI> the Father, Son, and holy Gho&s;t; who being the living God, his declarative word is like him&s;elf, and from the knowledge of his nature, we may know what his word is. If God hath an all-&s;eeing eye, his word hath an all-&s;earching power. He puts not one but two edges upon this &s;word of his Spirit, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 6. 17. and makes it &s;harp and piercing for conver&s;ion, or convicti|on at lea&s;t, and for &s;uch ends as he hath intended, by his word and the mini&s;tery of it, to effect and work out; therefore the words of <HI>ver.</HI> 13. [<HI>his</HI>] and [<HI>him with whom</HI>] mu&s;t be referred to <HI>God, ver.</HI> 12. (di&s;tingui&s;hed into Father Son, and Spirit) <HI>i. e.</HI> to all three, or any of the three. Let &s;inners, in whom &s;in reigns, and Saints, in whom &s;in re|mains, look to it, for God by his Scripture-word is able to finde them out, even them that pretend to pre&s;ent perfecti|on, and have it not, for whom the&s;e words &s;peak nothing at all. Should we take [God <HI>ver.</HI> 12.] not onely at large, and per&s;onally for any of the three, but &s;trictly for Chri&s;ts per&s;on; yet we mu&s;t take [<HI>the word</HI>] to be, as I have &s;aid, the word declarative, and read it thus, The word of Chri&s;t is quick or lively, &amp;c. We cannot read it out of the Greek, [the word-Chri&s;t] nor [the living word is lively,] nor [the
<PB N="155" REF="96"> living word is powerful,] but as 'tis read in our new Tran&s;|lation, [The word of God is quick and powerful,] or as in<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> the <HI>Geneva</HI> Tran&s;lation, [The word of God is lively and mighty in operation,] that is (as their Note is) <HI>The Do|ctrine of God</HI> is &s;o and &s;o, hath lively and mighty effects; why? becau&s;e it is Gods Doctrine, Gods Word, Gods Scri|pture; if it be but his Letter, or outward mini&s;tery, it is Chri&s;ts two-edged &s;word, which &s;erveth unto his de&s;ign, of &s;earching hearts, of comforting the believer, of cutting off and excluding the unbeliever from re&s;t. But this place of Scripture will not &s;erve <HI>R. F.</HI> his de&s;ign hitherto.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. Let us ob&s;erve his application and inference, <HI>Here the ground of &s;in, is by the living word &s;haken at the roots, and rooted out of &s;uch, before their bodies and &s;ouls part a&s;under.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Granting, it is divine power that makes efficaci|ous<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mi&s;-applica|tion.</NOTE> the divine truths of the Scripture, and that the Spirit doth by conviction &s;hake a &s;inner at the very heart-root, and by conver&s;ion &s;hake, yea kill &s;in at the roots, (for &s;ound conver&s;ion is more then lopping of branches, or moral re|&s;traints, the be&s;t fruits of Quakeri&s;m) yet is not all &s;in at fir&s;t conver&s;ion, nor all the life time, extirpated or pluckt up ab&s;olutely, totally, and as perfectly as at death: and if <HI>R. F.</HI> proves not this from the place (as he doth not, but onely &s;ay it) he had better never have quoted it. Nay, he dare not affirm it in plain words but ob&s;cure: [<HI>The ground of &s;in, &amp;c.</HI>] What makes he the ground of &s;in? If he mean|eth the &s;ubject where &s;in dwelleth, and is rooted; what is that &s;ubject but the faculties of the Soul, Minde, Will, and Affections, Con&s;cience, &amp;c? Now the&s;e are &s;haken, I con|fe&s;s, but not <HI>rooted out;</HI> for neither Law nor Go&s;pel, the word of Terror, or Grace and Peace, nor the Power and Grace of the Word, doth aboli&s;h or de&s;troy the faculties and being of the &s;oul. If he meaneth by [Ground of &s;in] the cau&s;e of &s;in; it mu&s;t either be guilt of &s;in, or the original &s;tain and filth: if the guilt, 'tis granted that &s;in is aboli&s;hed, and there is no ground or cau&s;e, why a Believer ju&s;tified, and di&s;charged from guilt and cur&s;e, by the impu|tation of Chri&s;ts obedience, &s;hould be condemned, <HI>Rom.</HI> 8 1,
<PB N="156" REF="97"> 33, 34. and the aboli&s;hing of guilt, is the cau&s;e and rea&s;on why the inherent roots of &s;in are &s;haken and mortified, in their regency or reigning power, for the pre&s;ent, and why they &s;hall be <HI>rooted out,</HI> as to re&s;idency and inherency, at the la&s;t; yea, why no ju&s;tified believer &s;hould allow the lea&s;t &s;in, that yet remaineth in him. If by [<HI>ground of &s;in</HI>] he meaneth the original &s;tain and filth, it is the &s;ame with the roots of &s;in; and then he proves nothing but <HI>idem per idem,</HI> the &s;ame thing by the &s;ame, namely, that the roots of &s;in are &s;haken at the roots, and rooted out when they are rooted out: but the que&s;tion is, when are they perfectly, and in all degrees rooted out? I have &s;aid, and proved it from Scripture, it is not till the parting of Soul and Body.</P>
<P>The truth then, and the illu&s;tration by the &s;imile of the fig-tree &s;tands firm and good, for ought that <HI>R. F.</HI> hath ob|jected to the contrary, yet we mu&s;t hear him <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 16.</NOTE> out; [<HI>It is Chri&s;ts work to take away &s;in here, and to &s;anctifie by his Spi|rit,</HI> 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 John 3. 5.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> We know that he was manife&s;t to take away &s;in, in<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 6. 11. &amp; 1 John 3 5. compared, cleared, and vindicated.</NOTE> and from us; as in him is no &s;in, according to that in <HI>John,</HI> and that of <HI>Paul</HI> to the <HI>Corinthians,</HI> expre&s;&s;ing two ways whereby he taketh away &s;in; by the way of ju&s;tification, from defiling guilt and damning cur&s;e; this is perfectly done here, as to Gods act of reckoning and account, though as to manife&s;tation in us, to us, and concerning us, it comes by degrees, and not till the day of Judgement, will all the world know who are now Gods ju&s;tified ones. By the way of Sanctification, he takes away the dominion of &s;in in the very root; and the &s;trength of the roots of filth is mortifi|ed here in &s;ome Saints more, in &s;ome le&s;s, as he plea&s;eth, who puts forth the power: but in none are the roots of every &s;in, nor of any &s;in, wholly, perfectly pluckt up, till bodily death. I am for purity and holine&s;s here, in heart and life; but I am for purity of the Scriptures al&s;o, accord|ing to their pure &s;en&s;e.</P>
<P>What &s;aith the Scripture, which <HI>R. F.</HI> next calleth forth? <HI>As he that hath called you is holy, &s;o be ye holy in all maner of conver&s;ation,</HI> 1 Pet. 1. 15.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 15. vindicated.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> This is a command of, and exhortation to what
<PB N="157" REF="97"> &s;hould be&punc; <HI>viz.</HI> imitation of Gods holy nature and will, as long as we conver&s;e upon earth, in all maner of conver&s;a|tion. Let holine&s;s not onely be mixed with all you do in all your relations, and actions, but let it reign and bear &s;way in your whole life; and be growing up to perfect holine&s;s in Gods fear, having promi&s;es, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 7. 1. to encourage, quicken and convey, as well as precepts to oblige and binde us unto holine&s;s. <HI>But thou denye&s;t the holy call al&s;o, as well as the holy conver&s;ation, that pleads for &s;in, to act, and pre&s;s down, and make you all your life time to &s;igh it out, and under it groan.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I plead again&s;t no commands nor means of holi|ne&s;s; through grace I have obeyed Gods call to univer&s;al holine&s;s, in a Go&s;pel-covenant.</P>
<P N="2">2 It is one thing to plead for the truth, <HI>viz.</HI> that by Gods wi&s;e and righteous ordering of our condition here, &s;in is left dwelling, acting, and &s;tirring in us; and another thing to <HI>plead for &s;in,</HI> which mu&s;t be granted from his own words we do not, if all our life time we &s;igh it out, and groan under it: Oh, that we could do it more &s;incerely, and &s;en&s;ibly with the Apo&s;tle! <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 24.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="30" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 30.</HEAD>
<P>TO what I noted of one, an&s;wering to the holy Gho&s;ts que&s;tion, Who can &s;ay his heart is clean? <HI>I can,</HI> and <HI>&s;ee all your hearts unclean,</HI> (becau&s;e there wanted the marginal reference to the particular page) <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 16, 17.</NOTE> &s;hifts off an&s;wer|ing, or taking off &s;o foul a contradiction with railing at my &s;uppo&s;ed <HI>policy and &s;erpentine &s;ubtilty, and particular lies;</HI> not one piece whereof I am con&s;cious, in this matter. What if <HI>the words [I can</HI> &amp;c.] <HI>are not &s;o &s;et down there,</HI> to wit, page 1. This was the reference to the &s;econd charge again&s;t that book (entituled, <HI>A &s;hort an&s;wer to &s;even Prie&s;ts</HI>) which the author thereof arrogantly cals <HI>The word of the Lord;</HI> not to the fir&s;t charge, which had onely a reference to that Book, not to the Page, as may at fir&s;t view appear to any heedful Reader. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">See contra|dictions of the Quakers page 13.</NOTE> That arrogant contradiction to the holy Gho&s;ts que&s;tion (which implies a &s;trong negative) will be found in another Page, by any that meet with the
<PB N="158" REF="98"> <HI>Short an&s;wer</HI> &amp;c. before mentioned, which I had to peru&s;e in <HI>Scotland,</HI> but cannot here obtain it, for the Readers di|rection and &s;atisfaction. The rejoycing te&s;timony of my con|&s;cience &s;ufficeth me for the pre&s;ent, that not in fle&s;hly wi&s;|dom, but in godly &s;implicity I drew up this with other col|lections; and I hope it will cau&s;e the unprejudiced Reader to exerci&s;e his candor and charity toward me, if he doth but ob&s;erve <HI>R. F.</HI> his re&s;ervedne&s;s [<HI>they are not &s;o &s;et down there</HI>] not denying but they may be found in an after page; and his ungrounded inference, as fal&s;e, as groundle&s;s, [<HI>there|fore thy policy hath manife&s;ted &s;ubtlety,</HI> &amp;c.] for as neither I intended, nor u&s;ed deceit. &s;o it had been poor policy to mis-guide him, whom I purpo&s;ed to &s;et right in his way. <HI>But</HI> (&s;aith <HI>R. F.) all thy pleading is again&s;t purity.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> How appears it? I di&s;covered indeed a double con|tradiction, and a triple arrogancy, in him that proclaimed<NOTE PLACE="marg">No heart per|fectly pure from &s;in. Prov. 20 9. &amp; Matth. 5. 8. compared, cleared, and vindicated.</NOTE> his cleanne&s;s from all &s;in and challenged the knowledge of other mens hearts, &amp;c. as I &s;pecified it in my Book: but this is a thread-bare cavil; doth <HI>R. F.</HI> produce any new Scripture for ab&s;olute purity and perfection? yes, <HI>Chri&s;t hath &s;aid, Ble&s;&s;ed are the pure in heart, for they &s;hall &s;ee God.</HI> Matth. 5. 8. then there <HI>was and are pure in heart, as Chri&s;t &s;aid.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> If this man would have added, [and as Chri&s;t meant] we might &s;oon agree. Albeit Chri&s;t was greater then <HI>Solomon,</HI> yet he never &s;pake a word, nor that word in particular to cro&s;s what <HI>Solomon</HI> &s;aid from the holy Gho&s;t, who is equal, and of the &s;ame e&s;&s;ential minde and will with Chri&s;t. What &s;aith the holy Gho&s;t by <HI>Solomon?</HI> con&s;ult the place, <HI>Prov.</HI> 20. 9. Who can &s;ay I have made my heart clean? I am pure from my &s;in? the &s;en&s;e of this place is, there is none could ever &s;ay it; none, in any age, before, or in <HI>Solomons</HI> time: before or in Chri&s;ts time, or &s;ince: none can now &s;ay it truly? It's a que&s;tion that will &s;ilence all the world, all the Churches; a que&s;tion that will hold un-an&s;wered till every Saints dying day, and in this la&s;t age till the re&s;urrection day. Shall we believe <HI>R. F.</HI> and take it upon his word, with his own meaning; that's thus, <HI>There was and are pure in heart, as Chri&s;t &s;aid,</HI> and as <HI>Solomon</HI>
<PB N="159" REF="98"> meant it? this were not to reconcile &s;eeming differences of Scripture among our &s;elves, but to &s;et Chri&s;t and <HI>Solomon</HI> at variance between them&s;elves. What then? will any help <HI>R. F.</HI> with an eva&s;ion? <HI>Solomon</HI> doth not &s;ay, God gives not pure hearts, but, Who can &s;ay, <HI>I have made</HI> my heart clean? this will not &s;erve his turn; for it followeth; <HI>and I am pure from my &s;in? i. e.</HI> Who can &s;ay that either he hath clean&s;ed his own heart, or that he is pure from his &s;in? which way &s;oever he comes by it; and if it be true and per|fect purity he mu&s;t come hone&s;tly and purely to it, or even in that re&s;pect he is impure, and far from truth of pu|rity. I would to God, the generation of Quakers would better attend this que&s;tion: Art thou pure and perfect? how came&s;t thou by it? Is it not a dream? a delu&s;ion? may not a foul and filthy heart be transformed into a fancy of pure perfection, and perfect purity, as well as a black devil be transformed into an Angel of light? <HI>Solomon</HI> how ever mu&s;t be under&s;tood, as denying ab&s;olute purity in any man: and Chri&s;t, when he a&s;&s;erteth Ble&s;&s;edne&s;s to the pure in heart, intendeth not to nouri&s;h any in a conceit of their pre&s;ent perfect attainments, but to encourage them who were &s;incere, and have truth of holine&s;s &s;et into their hearts, and the purpo&s;e of their hearts with the Go&s;pel endeavors of their lives, &s;et upon purity: for from the context <HI>Ver.</HI> 1. they were his di&s;ciples he &s;pake unto, whom <HI>Ver.</HI> 3. (com|pared with <HI>Luke</HI> 6. 20.) he pronounced poor in Spirit: Ble&s;&s;ed are <HI>ye poor;</HI> not yet enriched with all perfections, but &s;en&s;ible of their &s;piritual wants: and <HI>Ver.</HI> 4. they are mourners under &s;in, and after more of God and Chri&s;t: <HI>Ver.</HI> 6. they are hungring and thir&s;ting after righteou&s;ne&s;s, not yet filled; but ble&s;&s;ed in their pre&s;ent &s;tate of hunger and thir&s;t, and in their hopes (by that promi&s;e) of being fil|led. The&s;e are the pure in heart whom Chri&s;t pronounceth ble&s;&s;edne&s;s upon, who are poor mourning &s;ouls, hungring and thir&s;ting after more purity; in the mean time not Pha|ri&s;aical and hypocritical in their profe&s;&s;ion of holine&s;s, as were others. And had the&s;e been pure in heart in <HI>R. F.</HI> his &s;en&s;e, they had then enjoyed the perfect beatifical vi&s;ion of God, which they have but a promi&s;e of: for they that are
<PB N="160" REF="99"> &s;incere in holine&s;s have here &s;ome communion with God, and one day and to all eternity they &s;hall enjoy him&punc; and his pre&s;ence in fulne&s;s of that holine&s;s and joy, whereof now they have but the ta&s;ts and fir&s;t-fruits. He that boa&s;teth of more, hath neither (as I &s;aid in my former piece) pure lip nor pen for the lea&s;t degree (how much more larger mea|&s;ures?) of purity, maketh a &s;oul &s;en&s;ible of continual impu|rities intermixed therewith.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 17.</NOTE> returns to this, <HI>That is thy own condition.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I acknowledge it.</P>
<P>Again, <HI>And &s;o thou judge&s;t others by thy continual impu|rities, and therefore thy judgement mu&s;t needs be fal&s;e, and not true.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I &s;pake not my condition onely (who may more de|&s;ervedly be called, le&s;s then the lea&s;t of all Saints, then <HI>Paul</HI> &s;tiled him&s;elf) but the condition of every one truly &s;ancti|fied, and yet living upon the earth. Yet more,</P>
<P><HI>And &s;o thou denye&s;t their doctrine, who &s;aid, Seeing ye have purified your &s;ouls (have purified in the pre&s;ent Ten&s;e) in obeying the truth through the Spirit; &s;ee that ye love one ano|ther with a pure heart fervently: but thou art again&s;t a pure heart, and &s;o again&s;t the Scripture,</HI> 1 Pet. 1. 22.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 22. vindicated.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. If the Printer mi&s;took not the [<HI>pre&s;ent ten&s;e</HI>] for the preter ten&s;e, <HI>R. F.</HI> doth gro&s;ly apprehend that to be the <HI>pre&s;ent [have purified</HI>] which in Engli&s;h, and Greek <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> is expre&s;ly the Praeter, or time pa&s;t.</P>
<P N="2">2. Were the Apo&s;tles words in the pre&s;ent ten&s;e [<HI>ye do purifie</HI>] it would make (in &s;hew and form of words) more again&s;t <HI>R. F.</HI> then for him: but the truth is, the word in <HI>Peter</HI> being a Participle of the time pa&s;t, and in the Active voice, it &s;hews the work of purifying them&s;elves, through the Spirit, was not &s;o done, but that yet it was in doing. And as their habits of purity were not perfect, &s;o they were far from perfection in the act, but have need of &s;tirring up (as 2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 3. 1.) fervently to exert and put forth their love, and purity according to their principles: for the growth of both which, <HI>viz.</HI> act and habit of grace, he exhorteth, and exciteth them <HI>chap.</HI> 2. 2. to de&s;ire, as new born babes (far from highe&s;t perfection) the &s;incere milk of the word,
<PB N="161" REF="99"> and <HI>Chap.</HI> 5. 10. he prayeth, that after they have &s;uffered a while, the God of all grace would make them perfect, &s;ta|bli&s;h, &s;trengthen, &s;ettle them.</P>
<P N="3">3. I finde <HI>R. F.</HI> perfect in nothing that &s;avors of a Go&s;pel purity, nor growing in any thing, but his perver&s;e abu&s;e of Scripture: But I &s;hall pray for him and others, that they may be awakened out of their dream of Perfection, may &s;ee their pre&s;ent pollutions, and be a&s;hamed of their Go&s;pel|contradictions; till then, they will not under&s;tand what Pu|rity is, nor whereof they affirm.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="31" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 31.</HEAD>
<P>TO the Quere of one of them, <HI>Did ever Paul deny per|fection?</HI> I asked what he or others thought of that in <HI>Phil.</HI> 3. 12. Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect: which <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 17.</NOTE> undertakes to re&s;olve, <HI>He is &s;o far from denying it, that he pre&s;&s;ed hard after it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Is this an an&s;wer, or an eva&s;ion? Denial of &s;uch a<NOTE PLACE="marg">How perfe|ction may be denied, how not.</NOTE> perfection as <HI>Paul</HI> meant, <HI>ver.</HI> 12. is two-fold; either that it is here attained, or, that here we mu&s;t pre&s;s after it: Al|though neither he nor we deny it in the latter &s;en&s;e, yet in the former, expre&s;ly he doth for his own part; and &s;uch as come &s;hort of him, may well and truly deny it. And our work in this life being to pre&s;s after it, doth &s;ufficiently im|ply, it is not here to be attained.</P>
<P>But &s;aith <HI>R. F.</HI> (to mar, not mend his own ca&s;e) <HI>He &s;aid to &s;uch as had attained it, pre&s;s others on after it, and they did,</HI> Heb. 6. 1.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Let not people take the&s;e mens words for infalli|ble oracles, but &s;earch the Scriptures, and finde, if they can, where <HI>Paul</HI> wrote to any &s;uch, Churches or Saints, as <HI>had fully attained;</HI> and till they finde it, &s;u&s;pect <HI>R. F.</HI> for a de|ceiver, and when they finde it not, conclude him a fal&s;e teacher.</P>
<P N="2">2. Whereas the Apo&s;tle had &s;et before the <HI>Philippians</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 11. &amp; 15. compared, vindicated.</NOTE> and us, his own example, I pre&s;s toward the mark, &amp;c. In the next <HI>ver.</HI> 15. he adds his exhortation, Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: where <HI>Paul</HI> either puts
<PB N="162" REF="100"> in him&s;elf with the <HI>many perfect,</HI> or not; if not, but that he is to be under&s;tood, as &s;peaking to them that thought them|&s;elves perfect, he would then take them off from the con|ceit of perfect attainments, and have them &s;o minded as he was; that is, as <HI>ver.</HI> 14. to pre&s;s toward the White of per|fection, as he did. If he joyns him&s;elf with the <HI>many per|fect,</HI> then mu&s;t the word [perfect] in the 15. <HI>ver.</HI> be taken otherwi&s;e then in <HI>ver.</HI> 12. For there he had denied him&s;elf to be already perfect; and if <HI>ver.</HI> 15. he &s;hould &s;ay he were perfect in that &s;en&s;e, wherein he had denied his perfection, he &s;hould be led (by the Spirit of truth) into a contradicti|on, which were bla&s;phemy to imagine: let all the Quakers in earth and hell be fir&s;t found lyars, then one lye be found in the Scriptures, or the pen-men of them, as &s;uch. The <HI>many perfect</HI> therefore mu&s;t be taken (when <HI>Paul</HI> was one of them, not yet without imperfections) for &s;uch, as by <HI>Pauls</HI> and the Apo&s;tles mini&s;tery, and with <HI>Paul,</HI> through the Spirits teaching and working, were grown up to a far|ther pitch and degree of holine&s;s then &s;ome other &s;incere Chri&s;tians, who were to pre&s;s on them&s;elves, as well as to <HI>pre&s;s others on,</HI> after the highe&s;t degrees of grace attain|able: which is the more clear by <HI>ver.</HI> 16. Neverthele&s;s, <HI>whereto</HI> we have attained, let us walk by the &s;ame rule: [<HI>whereto] i. e.</HI> to what degree (&s;uppo&s;e the fourth or fifth<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil 3. 16. opened.</NOTE> &s;tair, though not at the top) we have attained, let us [<HI>walk</HI>] which implies, they are not at the end of their journey.</P>
<P N="3">3. What have we in <HI>Heb.</HI> 6. 1. but the &s;ame truth? Let us<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 1. vindicated.</NOTE> go on unto perfection. He that brings half an eye in his head to that text, will collect no more but this, That <HI>Paul,</HI> or the Pen-man of that Epi&s;tle, is travelling on towards per|fection, and putting on his companions in the way; but neither he, nor the Hebrews he writes unto, are at their journeys end. Is the Po&s;t therefore at <HI>York, Berwick,</HI> or <HI>Edenburgh,</HI> becau&s;e he is footing or riding thither? He that is half way up the hill, calls upon others to accompany him, and go on-wards and up-wards yet more and more, he is not therefore at the top of the hill.</P>
<P>But &s;aith <HI>R. F. &s;uch obtained, as &s;o pre&s;&s;ed after it,</HI> Heb. 12. 22, 23.</P>
<PB N="163" REF="100">
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But how? They, the Hebrews, obtained communion with the perfect, while they pre&s;&s;ed after them: and when did the ju&s;t men (whom they pre&s;&s;ed after) attain a full per|fection of holine&s;s? when their &s;pirits and bodies parted, not before, as hath been &s;hewed in <HI>Section</HI> 29. And as for the Saints he wrote to, they were yet in a conflicting condition, <HI>&s;triving again&s;t &s;in, ver.</HI> 4. of that 12. <HI>Chap.</HI> and not &s;o diligent in their way and work, but they had need of &s;purs, <HI>Chap.</HI> 6. Yea, <HI>Chap.</HI> 5. &s;o dull of hearing, <HI>ver.</HI> 11. and &s;uch non-proficients, <HI>ver.</HI> 12. that they had need of an ala|rum, of a rod, or of a ferula, <HI>Chap. 12. 6, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>Another dart yet will <HI>R. F.</HI> throw again&s;t this truth, <HI>Paul obtained it, and preached wi&s;dom among them that are perfect.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. But he cannot tell us at what &s;tage of his life he attained it. He obtained perfection of Ju&s;tification indeed betimes, and &s;o doth every believer at his fir&s;t believing; but he cannot &s;hew us when he attained to the perfection of Sanctification till his death. He had it not when he wrote to the <HI>Romans</HI> (as was made to appear <HI>Section</HI> 20. and more may be &s;aid <HI>Section</HI> 35.) which Epi&s;tle was writ|ten after that to the <HI>Corinthians.</HI> He had it not when he wrote to the <HI>Philippians (Chap.</HI> 3. 12.) which Epi&s;tle was written after that to the <HI>Romans,</HI> as might be demon&s;trated if it were needful. He had it not when he wrote to the <HI>Hebrews</HI> (&s;uppo&s;ing, as we may mo&s;t probably, it was his Epi&s;tle) con&s;ult again, <HI>Heb.</HI> 6. 1. which Epi&s;tle was written after that to the <HI>Philippians.</HI> If <HI>Paul</HI> had it before his death, it was when, a little before his departure and martyrdom, he wrote his &s;econd Epi&s;tle to <HI>Timothy,</HI> (the la&s;t of all his Epi|&s;tles) when he tells him, 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 4. 6, 7. I am now ready to be offered, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> I have fought a good fight, I have fini&s;hed my cour&s;e, I have kept the faith: yet even then, he puts in him&s;elf with the weaker Chri&s;tians, <HI>Chap.</HI> 2. 12, 13. who might fall into an act of Chri&s;t-denial, or a fit of unbelief; [If we deny him&mdash;If we believe not] and even then, he &s;ends for Books and Parchments, <HI>Chap.</HI> 4. 13. He was no perfecti&s;t therefore lifted up here above a po&s;&s;ibility of &s;inning, or above the u&s;e of means for pre&s;erving and per|fecting
<PB N="164" REF="101"> the under&s;tanding, memory, affections, &amp;c. to the very la&s;t period of his cour&s;e.</P>
<P N="2">2. It is true, <HI>he preached wi&s;dom among them that were perfect,</HI> 1 Cor. 26, 7. but this is not truly alledged by <HI>R. F.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2. 6. vindicated.</NOTE> for perfection in the highe&s;t degree; for <HI>Paul</HI> under&s;tand|eth with &s;incere Saints, &s;uch al&s;o as were grown Chri&s;tians, taller by head and &s;houlders then their Brethren, in the faith and fellow&s;hip of the Go&s;pel; comparatively perfect, in re&s;pect of weaklings and babes in Chri&s;t: they were of more able under&s;tanding and riper capacity in &s;piritual my|&s;teries, and as the Apo&s;tle de&s;cribes them, <HI>Heb.</HI> 5. 14. who are of full age, can dige&s;t &s;trong meat, and by rea&s;on of u&s;e have their wits exerci&s;ed to di&s;cern both good and evil; yet not perfect in all degrees, but, at mo&s;t, Chri&s;tians of a higher form then their fellows. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 17. 2 Cor 13. 11. vindicated.</NOTE> yet alledgeth, 2 <HI>Cor. 13. 11. Finally brethren, farewel, be perfect,</HI> as if the Apo&s;tles exhortation did argue, they had it already; or as if I denied the exhortation to perfection, which is given to none, but &s;uch as are in &s;ome degree imperfect. The word which the Apo&s;tle there *u&s;eth, hath reference to their Schi&s;ms and<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> Divi&s;ions, and intendeth no more then if he had &s;aid, Make up your Rents, and reform your ragged Communion and tatter'd Conver&s;ation. Whether he or I do <HI>contradict the Scripture, cro&s;s the Apo&s;tles Doctrine, and therefore to be holden accur&s;ed,</HI> (as he chargeth it upon me) mu&s;t appear by the premi&s;es, proofs, and demon&s;trations from the Scri|pture, till the Lord cometh with ten thou&s;ands of his Saints, to the full conviction of gain-&s;ayers, <HI>Jude v.</HI> 14, 15.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="32" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 32.</HEAD>
<P>I Had noted how they plead for pre&s;ent attained perfecti|on much from that Scripture, 1 <HI>John</HI> 4. 17. As he is, &s;o<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> John 4. 17. vindicated.</NOTE> are we in this world. This <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith nothing to in its place, nor can he ju&s;tly hold up any plea from hence for that which the Apo&s;tle intends not by the words, or again&s;t the expo&s;ition I gave of them, which was this, That the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks onely of the &s;incerity of our love, manife&s;ted like to Chri&s;ts, in a &s;ingle, plain, &s;ound-hearted way, that we may
<PB N="165" REF="101"> have boldne&s;s in the day of judgement. [As] notes not here equality, but quality and likene&s;s, (as <HI>Matth.</HI> 5. 48. and often in Scripture.) It is arrogancy to think, and con|tradiction to &s;ay, that, as Chri&s;t was without &s;in, &s;o are we in this world; when we &s;peak of Sanctification, which is that under debate. Afterwards <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 18.</NOTE> he calls my expo&s;ition <HI>wre&s;ting</HI> and <HI>twi&s;ting,</HI> and by windy words, of no force, he would maintain the corrupt glo&s;s, of being without &s;in as Chri&s;t was, as may appear in the following Section.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="33" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 33.</HEAD>
<P>HAving di&s;covered <HI>G. Fox</HI> his expre&s;s Negative an&s;wer to the Que&s;tion, Have ye no &s;in? <HI>No,</HI> contrary to 1 <HI>John</HI> 1. 8. If we &s;ay we have no &s;in, we deceive our &s;elves, &amp;c. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 17.</NOTE> &s;tands up here in his fellows defence, and doth not an&s;wer to the place of <HI>John</HI> which I quoted in the fir&s;t Chapter, but tells me, <HI>If his an&s;wer was</HI> No, <HI>it was not con|trary to &s;uch as were in the eternal life, and did abide in Chri&s;t, but he</HI> (G. Fox) <HI>is in the life of truth, and abides in Chri&s;t, and therefore his an&s;wer did not contradict the Scri|pture in the third Chap. ver.</HI> 6.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. If <HI>G. Fox</HI> his [<HI>No</HI>] contradicted but one place of Scripture, it contradicteth the whole Scripture; for Gods truth is uniform, and a &s;weet harmony there is of every &s;tring; break one link of the chain, you break the chain.</P>
<P N="2">2. To &s;ay [<HI>No</HI>] to &s;uch a Que&s;tion, Have ye no &s;in? is far from agreeing with 1 <HI>John</HI> 3. 6. in its true meaning.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 3 6. vindicated. See <HI>Sect. 14.</HI></NOTE></P>
<P>Fir&s;t, The Apo&s;tle &s;aith not, who&s;oever abideth in Chri&s;t <HI>hath no &s;in in him:</HI> for <HI>that</HI> he (according as the Scripture el&s;ewhere, 2 <HI>Cor. 5. 21. 1 Pet.</HI> 2. 22.) onely a&s;&s;erteth of Chri&s;t (as God, and God-man) <HI>ver. 5. And in</HI> him <HI>is no &s;in,</HI> to di&s;tingui&s;h him from Saints that (while here) have &s;in in them; and to prove him to be fit and able to take a|way &s;in.</P>
<P>Secondly, As there are no &s;uch words, &s;o it is not the Apo&s;tles &s;cope to hold out <HI>R. F.</HI> his Doctrine of pre&s;ent Perfection, but to di&s;cover all tho&s;e <HI>who abide in Chri&s;t</HI> to be &s;uch as do <HI>not abide in &s;in;</HI> and all tho&s;e who abide in
<PB N="166" REF="102"> &s;in, to be &s;uch as <HI>have not &s;een him nor known him.</HI></P>
<P>Thirdly, So far as they &s;tick to Chri&s;t (who are in him) and &s;uck vertue from him, they &s;in not; yet at that time when they abide in Chri&s;t, &s;in dwelleth in them, not in the old regency and power, but as a trouble&s;om in-mate, which they would gladly be quite rid of, from the fir&s;t moment of conver&s;ion (if the Lord &s;o plea&s;ed) but it is there, and re|maineth for their exerci&s;e, till the combat of fle&s;h and &s;pirit be at an end; <HI>viz.</HI> at the end of our days.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="34" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 34.</HEAD>
<P>THe Reader may ob&s;erve, that <HI>R. F.</HI> an&s;wereth nothing to this Section, wherein, having &s;hewed how they cry out again&s;t all that teach, <HI>Sin is not perfectly mortified in this life,</HI> to <HI>be upholders of the Devils kingdom:</HI> I asked, Were <HI>Paul, John,</HI> and the Apo&s;tles, upholders of the Devils king|dom? And, doth the Scripture uphold the Devils kingdom, when it po&s;itively a&s;&s;erteth there is &s;in in every good man while he is doing good? according to that <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 7. 20.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle&s;. 7. 20.</NOTE> There is not a ju&s;t man upon earth that doth good, and &s;inneth not. A Scripture that &s;tands as an impregnable fort un-a&s;&s;aulted by the enemy, and impo&s;&s;ible ever to be taken or battered down, although this generation of Perfecti&s;ts (rank and file the &s;ame with them &s;poken of <HI>Prov.</HI> 30. 12.) &s;hould night and day lay &s;iege to it, and &s;hoot all their Gra|nado's again&s;t it. The new glo&s;s <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Lip of truth opened, p. 18.</NOTE> of <HI>Tho. Law&s;on</HI> is but a fla&s;h of gun-powder without bullet, it will not batter; <HI>'Tis true</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>there is not a ju&s;t man upon earth, &amp;c. for all that dwell on earth wor&s;hip the bea&s;t,</HI> Rev. 13. 8. <HI>but John &s;aw 144000. redeemed from the earth:</HI> whereas the material earth is under&s;tood by <HI>Solomon,</HI> the my&s;tical earth is meant by <HI>John&punc;</HI> &s;et in oppo&s;ition to the my&s;tical heaven, or the true Church, <HI>ver.</HI> 6. men redeemed from earthly ways of wor|&s;hip, perfectly ju&s;tified before God, &s;incere in their &s;anctifi|cation and reformation, and growing up, indeed, unto perfect holine&s;s in Gods fear; yet not one of them (except in Gods account) without their inherent failings, adherent blemi&s;hes, and conflicts from their in-dwelling concupi&s;cence, or un|regenerate part.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="9" TYPE="head">
<PB N="167" REF="102">
<HEAD>(9. Head of Contradiction to Scripture.) <HI>Concerning Chri&s;tian Warfare.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="35" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 35.</HEAD>
<P>HAving noted their denial of Saints to be always in the Warfare, <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">page 18.</NOTE> returns me his ju&s;tification of this Doctrine; <HI>If they do, they deny not the Scripture, but agree with it.</HI> How makes he it out? Why, <HI>Such as have overcome are more then con|querors.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> This is a truth in &s;ome &s;en&s;e, but proves not that<NOTE PLACE="marg">Saints in this life not out of their warfare.</NOTE> Saints are pa&s;t the warfare. Every Chri&s;tian is an over|comer as well as a warrior; but how? when, and in what mea&s;ure?</P>
<P N="1">1. In Chri&s;t his Head and Captain he hath overcome, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 15. 57.</P>
<P N="2">2. When &s;hall he have a perfect conque&s;t over inherent corruption? when the warfare is at an end; when is that? when his wayfare is at an end, not before.</P>
<P N="3">3. In what mea&s;ure is it wrought here? In &s;ome more, in &s;ome le&s;s (as to the conque&s;t of Sanctification, of which is the Que&s;tion) in none ab&s;olutely and totally. A victory the Saint may have to day, in &s;ome particular combate, a foil to morrow. Shameful foils &s;ome of the&s;e men have had, who have thought them&s;elves at an end of their warfare, if half that which is reported be true. That of <HI>Atkin&s;on</HI> at <HI>Norwich,</HI> was true enough, one who cryed up Perfection as loud as his fellows, but became as un&s;table as water, and was ea&s;ily captivated to the act of Fornication. I li&s;t not to rake in &s;uch kennels, but I abhor boa&s;ting before the final victory. That practice which violateth the &s;eventh Com|mandment, is as far from perfection, as that Doctrine which contradicteth the &s;eventh Chapter to the <HI>Rom.</HI> 23.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> tells me, <HI>Thou brings that of</HI> Paul <HI>in the warfare; but thou brings not his after experience, where he &s;ays,
<PB N="168" REF="103"> The law of the &s;pirit of life in Chri&s;t, hath made me free, Rom.</HI> 8.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I flatly deny that <HI>Pauls</HI> experience, <HI>Rom.</HI> 8. 2. was<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 2. vindicated.</NOTE> an <HI>after-experience,</HI> to what he &s;peaks of him&s;elf, and re|generate per&s;ons, <HI>Chap.</HI> 7. 14. to the end, as his, and their pre&s;ent &s;tate; which was no other then what he was in, <HI>Chap.</HI> 8. and &s;o to the end of the Epi&s;tle. For <HI>Chap.</HI> 8. and <HI>ver.</HI> 2. is brought in as a con&s;olation under the combate. The words are the&s;e to the full; <HI>For the Law of the Spirit of life in Chri&s;t Je&s;us, hath made me free from the Law of &s;in and death.</HI> What is that <HI>Law of the Spirit of life in Chri&s;t Je&s;us?</HI> but the power and authority of &s;piritual endle&s;s life in him; and particularly, that habitual frame of holine&s;s in Chri&s;ts humane nature, which from birth and conception he had; and which (being made meritorious by his Divine per&s;on, in which the humanity &s;ub&s;i&s;teth) is imputed to <HI>Paul,</HI> and every true Believer; by rea&s;on of which imputa|tion, he is made free from the law of &s;in and death. What is that <HI>Law of &s;in?</HI> The condemning power of &s;in (yet in|herent and permanent:) As if <HI>Paul</HI> &s;hould have &s;aid, If &s;in that wars and fights in me, hath no power to condemn me, then there is no condemnation to me; (the &s;entence, <HI>that</HI> is cut off, and where no &s;entence pa&s;&s;eth, there is no exe|cution according to Law.) But &s;in hath no Law, no power to condemn me; for the Law of grace and holine&s;s in Chri&s;ts own fle&s;h, condemned &s;in there, kept off filth from him, and condemned all my guilt charged upon him; &s;o as &s;in is put out of office, and cannot &s;o much as &s;erve a Writ of condemnation upon me: nor can &s;in have a com|manding power over me (while it dwelleth in me) &s;eeing the Spirit which dwelleth in Chri&s;t, brings life and power from him, to quicken holine&s;s and kill &s;in in me; and that grace which reigneth in Chri&s;t, reigneth in me, while &s;in is rebel|ling. And concerning the <HI>Law of death,</HI> the &s;ting of death, which is &s;in, being taken away by removal of guilt, bodily death can do me no hurt; &s;in may kill and pull down this earthly tabernacle, it &s;hall never &s;lay my &s;oul; I am already free from the &s;entence of the &s;econd death, it &s;hall never have power over me, though my pre&s;ent, as by-pa&s;t &s;in de|&s;erves
<PB N="169" REF="103"> it, yet Chri&s;t hath freed me from it. Thus <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks his own and the Saints victories with their combates, at one and the &s;ame time; while they are warring, they are<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 37. cleared.</NOTE> conquering, and have more then earthly conquerors ever attained to. How is that? for <HI>R. F.</HI> cannot conceive there can be any warfare continued, where there is more then a conque&s;t already gotten. To clear this, let us take all the Apo&s;tles words before us, <HI>ver.</HI> 37. <HI>in all the&s;e things we are more then conquerors through him that loved us.</HI> He doth not &s;ay, <HI>after</HI> all the&s;e things, but <HI>in</HI> them, during the war|fare, we have the better by many degrees; or as the * word<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> &s;ignifieth, we have an overplus of conque&s;t. It is enough for men after worldly encounters, to go out conquerors at the end of their Battels; but as we conquer while we fight, &s;o we are &s;ure of the victory (<HI>i. e.</HI> have &s;ure grounds of ex|pecting the la&s;t victory) when we &s;trike the fir&s;t &s;troke; which conquerors of the world are not a&s;&s;ured of. To &s;en&s;e we may &s;eem to be overcome, between times, but to faith the victory is &s;ure on our &s;ide. This is a Paradox to <HI>R. F.</HI> but let him know, we are not beaten out of the field (by all his and other oppo&s;itions) but keep our ground, what's that? Gods love to us in Chri&s;t, which is the cau&s;e of the beginning and end of the conque&s;t. It is that, and not inhe|rent grace, or our love to Chri&s;t, onely, or chiefly, which &s;trengthneth us to combate and conquer al&s;o: Our grace is weak, and gives back many times, but Chri&s;t our Captain never &s;tarteth, and the love of God to us abideth, and <HI>union with him who giveth the victory</HI> holdeth <HI>R. F.</HI> had be&s;t keep to that, le&s;t his inherent perfection fail him altogether. It is granted by <HI>R. F.</HI> according to 1 <HI>John</HI> 4. 4. That <HI>greater</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 4. 4. vind<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">cated.</NOTE> <HI>is he that is in the Saints, then he that is in the world;</HI> which is brought in by the Apo&s;tle as another ground of their pre&s;ent victory over the &s;educing antichri&s;tian part of the world the &s;trength is not ours, but the Lords, whereby we go on conquering, and to conquer; and are enabled to keep up our warfare, and a&s;&s;ured we &s;hall have the day, of whole troops of perfect and imperfect Quakers, becau&s;e as <HI>the word of God abideth in them that have overcome</HI> (in the Apo|&s;tles &s;en&s;e, 1 <HI>John</HI> at 14.) &s;o it doth not abide in them, who
<PB N="170" REF="104"> &s;ay they have no &s;in abiding in them, and will not be known to abide in the warfare: &s;uch were either never in it, or are run from their colors. Let <HI>R. F.</HI><NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 18.</NOTE> prate or print what he will; [<HI>carnally minded, as thou art</HI>] and &s;peaking of his conque&s;ts, [<HI>which thou art ignorant of and knowe&s;t not that plead for &s;in, and &s;o for the devil, therefore his &s;ervant thou art, expect his reward for doing his work</HI>] none of the&s;e fiery darts &s;hall be able to &s;eparate me from the love of God which is in Chri&s;t Je&s;us, nor from the &s;ervice of my gene|ration in this or any other way which the Lord calls me unto.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="10" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(10. Head of Contradiction to Scripture.) <HI>Concerning Repentance.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="36" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 36.</HEAD>
<P>IMet with a que&s;tion in one of their Books which im|plyed a denyal of Repentance in the godly: <HI>viz. what remor&s;e can there be in him that doth not commit &s;in?</HI> now taking remor&s;e, for godly &s;orrow (as they phra&s;e it) this is (as I &s;hewed) contrary to 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 7. 10, 11. where godly &s;orrow wrought in the <HI>Corinthians</HI> (with the effects of it) although they committed not &s;in, in <HI>Johns</HI> &s;en&s;e; <HI>i. e.</HI> they made no trade of it, <HI>R. F.</HI> bids me <HI>take heed,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>for we know that the goodne&s;s of God loadeth to re|pentance,</HI> Rom. 2. 4.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2. 4. cleared.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> The Apo&s;tle there &s;peaketh of the unconverted, but the que&s;tion is about the Saints. As for the unconverted, Gods goodne&s;s (in providential ways) is a motive and in|ducement to repentance, but no Phy&s;ical means, energetical and operative to give what it leads, or directs unto. <HI>We witne&s;s,</HI> &s;aith he ob&s;eurely, <HI>the gift from the godne&s;s.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. That God gives aim for repentance by his provi|dential goodne&s;s (of which the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks) is plain, but that he giveth the thing thereby, is denyed, <HI>Ver.</HI> 5. &s;hewing
<PB N="171" REF="104"> what abu&s;e is made of it by impenitent hearts, and &s;uch who by providence have the Go&s;pel preached unto them. Re|pentance is not given to all where Chri&s;t is preached.</P>
<P N="2">2. That which I charged, was their di&s;claiming a godly remor&s;e or &s;orrow, <HI>viz.</HI> in the godly. Remor&s;e, properly<NOTE PLACE="marg">Remor&s;e what?</NOTE> and &s;trictly is the biting, and &s;ting of con&s;cience, by up|braiding guilt; this, believers are freed from, <HI>Heb.</HI> 10. 1. and 22. And <HI>Francis Howgill</HI> (in the account he gives of his dark condition<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">The inhe|ritance of <HI>Ja|cob,</HI> &amp;c. by <HI>F. Howgtll.</HI> page 8.</NOTE> will hardly finde a &s;ound Prote&s;tant Preacher, who ever told him, [<HI>&s;in was taken away by Chri&s;t, but the guilt &s;hould remain while he lived, and brought him the Saints conditions, who were in the warfare, to confirm it</HI>] for &s;uch a remor&s;e is for them that are unpardoned, and un|&s;anctified, and &s;hall &s;o continue while they live; and the warfare of ju&s;tified, &s;anctified believers, as &s;uch, is onely with the &s;in that de&s;erves guilt, and hell; not with guilt it &s;elf: Becau&s;e &s;in is pardoned, and the reigning power re|moved, the Saints are to rejoyce, and give thanks: but that &s;in remaineth, and the roots of all their old pranks, and wic|kedne&s;&s;es (now brought to remembrance) are not perfect|ly mortified, this is matter of repentance, and godly &s;or|row all their days.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> tells me I <HI>have uttered another lye,</HI> in &s;aying, <HI>they di&s;claim godly &s;orrow.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Where was the fir&s;t lye, or one, to which ano|ther was added? Hitherto, the hone&s;t godly con&s;cientious Reader, who is al&s;o judicious, I tru&s;t, will finde none.</P>
<P N="2">2. That my charge was true, will further thus appear. They that all along di&s;claim in-dwelling &s;in in the godly, (which is the chief matter of their grief) di&s;claim Godly<NOTE PLACE="marg">How Repent|ance is de|cryed.</NOTE> &s;orrow; <HI>R. F.</HI> and others di&s;claim in-dwelling &s;in in the godly; what follows but the truth of my charge? Again, They that cry down the doctrine, and practice of continu|al &s;ighing, and groaning under the roots, and remnants of &s;in, they di&s;claim godly &s;orrow; But <HI>R. F.</HI> and his a&s;&s;ociates de-cry the doctrine and practice of &s;ighing, and groaning all our days, under the burden of &s;ins remainders, (as Section, 20. was evidenced, and el&s;ewhere) Therefore they do di&s;claim godly &s;orrow. If <HI>R. F.</HI> his &s;imple hearted
<PB N="172" REF="105"> Reader &s;ay, but we mu&s;t believe him, he &s;aith, they do not &s;o, and &s;o: I ask then what meaneth he by godly &s;orrow? (which I never called remor&s;e, but &s;eeing they u&s;ed the term, I called the &s;orrow of the godly, a <HI>godly remor&s;e or &s;orrow</HI>) u&s;ing the word at large, for no other but grief in the affection, not for gripes in the con&s;cience,) and in whom doth he not di&s;claim it? Haply, the &s;imple heart will &s;ay, he meaneth &s;orrow for &s;in, as &s;in, pa&s;t, and pre&s;ent; pa&s;t de|filements, pre&s;ent &s;tirrings, and inclinations to &s;in; Doth he &s;o? then he mu&s;t deny his doctrine of pre&s;ent perfection true of &s;ome Saints, you will &s;ay; but then he di&s;claimeth godly &s;orrow in the re&s;t that are already perfect, and free from the matter of &s;orrow, as I &s;aid above, and &s;o he will put them (if not him&s;elf and &s;ome imperfect ones) among the ninety nine that need no Repentance, which yet is not &s;o with them in reality, but in &s;uppo&s;ition. If you &s;ay, they preach that men &s;hould repent; I ask, how &s;hall the un|godly &s;orrow after a godly maner? If they lay the burden upon the ungodly onely, and ab&s;olve the godly altogether, they may by that way preach down all godly &s;orrow, and &s;tartle the wicked with legal convictions, and that which is remor&s;e of con&s;cience, but no way help toward the pulling down the old man, or building up the new, in the true Believer.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="11" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(11. Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning the Word, and means of Grace.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="37" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 37.</HEAD>
<P>I Had expre&s;ly cited <HI>C. Atkin&s;ons</HI> words, <HI>viz. I deny that God did ever, or will ever reveal him&s;elf by any of tho&s;e things thou calle&s;t the means of grace,</HI> which were &s;po|ken of before in his book, as, <HI>reading, hearing, prayer, &amp;c.</HI> contrary to 2 <HI>Tim. 3. 15. Rom. 10. 17. Luke</HI> 11. 13. &amp;c. <HI>R. F.</HI> in an&s;wer <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 19.</NOTE> &s;aith <HI>I would rai&s;e a &s;lander,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>as if they
<PB N="173" REF="105"> &s;hould deny the way and means that God u&s;eth to reveal him|&s;elf to his people by.</HI> How makes he it to appear? why, <HI>Chri&s;t is the light, and the way to the Father, and that they own; and he reveals his &s;ecrets by his Spirit.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> In all this confe&s;&s;ion, here is no acknowledgement<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t and the Spirit give light and grace by out|ward means.</NOTE> of <HI>reading, hearing, prayer, &amp;c.</HI> That Chri&s;t is the light, and light-giver, hath never been denyed by me; and that, with his Spirit he is the author and worker of all grace, who but gracele&s;s men will gain-&s;ay? We do, with the Scripture, attribute higher things to God, and Chri&s;t, and the Spirit, then to be the means of grace; but <HI>R. F.</HI> will not a&s;cribe &s;o much to the Scriptures, read, heard, &s;ung, prayed upon (<HI>i. e.</HI> according to the rules, and patterns of prayer there &s;et down) to be &s;o much as outward means of grace; we can have no &s;uch outward ingenuity from him: But what &s;aith he? <HI>The Scriptures are not Chri&s;t, nor the Spirit.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> What if they be not, they are Chri&s;ts word, and the word of the Spirit, as hath been &s;hewed; and what the Scripture &s;aith, Chri&s;t &s;aith, and the holy Gho&s;t al&s;o the &s;ame; He therefore that rejects the Scripture, and its &s;eve|ral exerci&s;es from being the means of grace, rejecteth Chri&s;t and his Spirit al&s;o. But the <HI>Spirit</HI> he &s;aith, <HI>teacheth us how to pray, and profit.</HI> Gal. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 7. &amp;c. and <HI>this doth not contradict the Scriptures.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> No, for the Spirit of grace, and the outward means agree very well, yet this is not a yielding them to be the means [<HI>by which</HI>] Chri&s;t and the Spirit revealeth their &s;e|crets, and convey grace. It is one thing for the Spirit to teach how to pray, and read, another thing for the Spirit to work by reading, praying &amp;c we grant the former, but he grants not the latter (as he ought) that I can finde. Yes, may &s;ome &s;ay, what think you of that which followeth? <HI>we know that faith is given by the mini&s;tery of Chri&s;t in the Spirit.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But &s;peak plainly, is it given by reading and hear|ing the Scriptures opened and preached? as, 2 <HI>Tim. 3. 15. Rom.</HI> 10. 17. hold it forth; And <HI>we know that God giveth us his holy Spirit.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But doth he give it in a way of preaching and
<PB N="174" REF="106"> prayer? as <HI>Act.</HI> 10. 44. and <HI>Luke</HI> 11. 13. bear te&s;timony. As &s;oon as <HI>Paul</HI> is converted, is he not at Prayer, and had he not the fillings of the Spirit given him in that way, as by <HI>Ananias</HI> putting his hands upon him? <HI>Act. 9. 11. 17. And the wi&s;dom,</HI> &s;aith <HI>R. F. which is from above, is fir&s;t pure, then peaceable, gentle, ea&s;ie to be entreated; and the fruit of righteou&s;ne&s;s is &s;own in peace, of them that make peace,</HI> James 3. 17, 18. <HI>for which we prai&s;e God.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. But doth he give this wi&s;dom by asking? as &s;aith <HI>James.</HI> 1. 6. If any lack wi&s;dom, let him ask it of God; is not prayer a means of wi&s;dom?</P>
<P N="2">2. I wi&s;h we could finde the wi&s;dom <HI>James</HI> de&s;cribeth in <HI>R. F.</HI> As yet I di&s;cern not any &s;eeds of it &s;own in his books, one or other.</P>
<P N="3">3. Let him beware of taking Gods name in vain, by prai&s;ing him legibly, in print, for that which he hath not printed in his heart, nor holdeth forth vi&s;ibly in practi&s;e. Why, but he addeth, <HI>we own reading, hearing, prayer, and the teachings of God according to his promi&s;es.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I wi&s;h he doth well under&s;tand the promi&s;es of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Means of grace have a promi&s;e of ble&s;&s;ing an|nexed.</NOTE> God. Gods promi&s;es are made of a ble&s;&s;ing upon &s;uch means, as reading, hearing and prayer, as well as of gracious abilities to read, hear and pray with, <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 55. 3. He that heareth, and inclines his ear, &s;hall live, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 4. 13. 16. If <HI>Timothy</HI> attend to reading, meditation, preaching to others watching him&s;elf, In doing this he &s;hall &s;ave him&s;elf, and tho&s;e that hear him. To prayer is promi&s;ed &s;alvation, <HI>Rom.</HI> 10. 13. Chri&s;ts pre&s;ence, <HI>Matth.</HI> 18. 20. Returns and an&s;wers, <HI>Matth.</HI> 7. 7. To preaching Chri&s;ts pre&s;ence, a&s;|&s;i&s;tance, and ble&s;&s;ing, <HI>Matth.</HI> 28. 20. To the <HI>Saints condi|tions</HI> (which <HI>C. Atkin&s;on</HI> rejected with the ordinances) all ble&s;&s;ed &s;ucce&s;s, <HI>Rom.</HI> 8. 28. They &s;hall look unto him, and run to him, and their faces &s;hall not be a&s;hamed. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 34. 5. why &s;o? <HI>Ver</HI> 6. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him, and &s;aved him out of all his troubles; and therefore we may from others experiences, together with our own, have hope, <HI>Rom</HI> 5. 4. And Hope, in and by a promi&s;e, an expe|rimental promi&s;e and a promi&s;ed experience, maketh not a&s;hamed. If therefore <HI>R. F.</HI> doth own the&s;e means, and
<PB N="175" REF="106"> the teachings of God <HI>according to Gods promi&s;es,</HI> he mu&s;t own them otherwi&s;e then <HI>C. Atkin&s;on,</HI> even, <HI>as means by which God hath revealed him&s;elf,</HI> and will communicate his grace; and then I will not accu&s;e him, as I have not &s;lan|dered <HI>C. A.</HI> when I &s;peak the truth, I harm them not. The more nakedly their Errors are detected, by the Truth, the more good it may do them, and I wi&s;h it with my heart.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="12" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(12. Head of Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning Bapti&s;m.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="38" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 38.</HEAD>
<P>THat they are again&s;t Infant-Bapti&s;m, I had noted&punc; contrary to <HI>Acts</HI> 2. 38, 39. where the command for application of Bapti&s;m, reacheth as far as the Promi&s;e; and, as I hinted, in my &s;horter piece, the Promi&s;e extendeth it &s;elf to Children, while Children, they are part of the Saints of the Church at <HI>Corinth,</HI> 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 7. 14. if but one of the parents be a Believer and a Church|member. <HI>R. F.</HI> is for the Negative, in a tran&s;ition, from what was &s;poken of before; <HI>But your brain-imaginations we deny, and &s;prinkling Infants with water.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. If he puts this &s;candalous title of <HI>brain-imagina|tions,</HI> upon the other means of Grace, reading, preaching, hearing, prayer, experiences, &amp;c. he doth but back his &s;el|low <HI>Atkin&s;on.</HI> Suppo&s;e God &s;hould leave him, as one of that name, (if it be not the &s;ame <HI>C. A.</HI>) to Fornication, were it not ju&s;t for his ca&s;ting reproach upon the ways of God?</P>
<P N="2">2. No rea&s;on is given for his denial of &s;prinkling Infants with water, which I called <HI>Sacramental water,</HI> but he puts it upon a Quere, <HI>Can&s;t thou prove it?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> What I affirm and practi&s;e, I am not without grounds of proof from the Scripture, as touching the&s;e three things.</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="176" REF="107">1. Sacramental water, or Bapti&s;mal water, or Bapti&s;m with water, let it be called any of the&s;e, it matters not which.</P>
<P N="2">2. Bapti&s;m of Children, or Infants.</P>
<P N="3">3. A &s;prinkling Bapti&s;m, or application of water by &s;prinkling or putting water upon the party baptized.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, What more clear then the appointment and u&s;e of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Bapti&s;m with Water proved.</NOTE> water-Bapti&s;m?</P>
<P N="1">1. Water was appointed by God to be u&s;ed as the out|ward material &s;ign of inward &s;piritual wa&s;hing, and clean|&s;ing by the Blood and Spirit of Chri&s;t, <HI>John</HI> 1. 33. He that &s;ent me to baptize with water, &amp;c.</P>
<P N="2">2. Where there was much water, there were many bapti|zed, and the &s;ooner di&s;patched, as not onely at <HI>Jordan,</HI> but in <HI>Aenon,</HI> near to <HI>Salim,</HI> John 3. 23. and at <HI>Jeru&s;alem, Acts</HI> 2. 41. Where there was no water, the ordinance could not be admini&s;tred, and therefore the Eunuch till he came where water was, called not for it, <HI>Acts</HI> 8. 36. See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? <HI>Philips</HI> an&s;wer, If thou believe&s;t with all thy heart, thou maye&s;t, hath no &s;uch intendment, as <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Martin Ma&s;on</HI> in his Reply to <HI>Jonathan John&s;on,</HI> p 8</NOTE> one puts upon it; to <HI>intimate water-Bapti&s;m to be a thing indifferent,</HI> nor any &s;uch &s;en&s;e as he would dawb upon it, with his untempered morter: <HI>viz. As much as if he had &s;aid, If thou believe&s;t outward water to be nece&s;&s;ary to &s;alvation, thou maye&s;t be baptized, &amp;c.</HI> For the Eunuchs Reply (out of which the &s;cope and &s;en&s;e of <HI>Philips</HI> an&s;wer is to be gathered) is not touching his faith of the nece&s;&s;ity of water, (of which he &s;tood convinced that the u&s;e of it in Bapti&s;m was an ordinance) but re&s;pecting his faith of Je&s;us Chri&s;t to be the Son of God.</P>
<P N="3">3. When the inward Bapti&s;m of the Spirit, and that by extraordinary gifts of Tongues was obtained, it &s;ufficed not; but the ordinance of Sacramental-water mu&s;t be obeyed, <HI>Acts</HI> 10. 47. Can any man forbid water, that the&s;e &s;hould not be baptized, &amp;c. And <HI>ver.</HI> 48. He commanded them to be baptized. Who&s;oever is again&s;t Bapti&s;mal-water, for|bids or denies that which <HI>Peter,</HI> by the Lords authority, dares any man to forbid.</P>
<P N="4">4. When <HI>Paul</HI> baptized <HI>Lydia</HI> and her hou&s;hold, the
<PB N="177" REF="107"> Jaylor and all his, <HI>Cri&s;pus, Gaius,</HI> and the hou&s;hold of <HI>Ste|phanas,</HI> what was it but with water? He could do no more then <HI>John Bapti&s;t,</HI> except in exerci&s;e of gift of tongues and miracles, and laying on of hands upon tho&s;e that were ba|ptized before, <HI>Acts</HI> 19. 6. with 4.</P>
<P N="5">5. Bapti&s;m with water is by Chri&s;ts in&s;titution to conti|nue,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 28. 19, 20. opened.</NOTE> as long as Chri&s;ts pre&s;ence is with the Apo&s;tles, or &s;uch as teach the &s;ame Go&s;pel they taught, and make Di&s;ciples as they did, which is to the end of the world, <HI>Matth.</HI> 28. 20. The words * in the Greek are the &s;ame with them in <HI>Mat.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> 13. 40. * (except a &s;mall variation of the Prepo&s;ition and Ca&s;e, or addition of a Pronoun) &s;o &s;hall it be in the end of this world; which is not the end of the Age wherein the Apo&s;tles lived, but of all Ages then and yet to come. And that baptizing with water is meant in <HI>Matth.</HI> 28. is clear enough, becau&s;e Chri&s;t re&s;erved the gift of the inward Ba|pti&s;m to him&s;elf, but he commandeth his Apo&s;tles and Mini|&s;ters to give forth the outward, as &s;ub&s;ervient to his &s;aving ends and purpo&s;es. And although we prefer the inward, before the outward part of one and the &s;ame Bapti&s;m; yet we mu&s;t not reject the outward part, becau&s;e the inward is to be preferred. It will not excu&s;e <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 20.</NOTE> or any man to tell us, <HI>Yet Bapti&s;m by one Spirit we own,</HI> while water-Ba|pti&s;m is wholly di&s;-owned. Nor do the Scriptures which he produceth for the Bapti&s;m by the Spirit, exclude the Ba|pti&s;m with water, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 12. 12, 13. The Apo&s;tles &s;cope in<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12. 12, 13. cleared and vindicated</NOTE> the Chapter is, to pre&s;s on to a right u&s;e of &s;piritual gifts, by every member, for the good of the whole body, as from other Arguments, &s;o from this, <HI>ver.</HI> 12. The body is one, though the members are many. How is it proved, that the Church is one body? becau&s;e <HI>ver.</HI> 13. by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body: Hence the force of his Argu|ment for right imparting of gifts; If we all agree in the &s;ame Spirit, and are taught by one Spirit, and baptized into one body, why &s;hould not our gifts be u&s;ed for the mutual good of the members, the whole, and every part of the body? Now, what is in the inward part of Bapti&s;m, among other things, incorporation, that is held forth by the out|ward part. Water-Bapti&s;m, declares and ratifies our being
<PB N="178" REF="108"> &s;et, ingraffed, and joyned to the body my&s;tical, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 4. 4, 5. <HI>There is one Body, one Lord, one Faith, one Bapti&s;m.</HI> Is it<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 4. 4, 5. vindicated.</NOTE> enough for <HI>R. F.</HI> to mention this? Here is nothing intended again&s;t Bapti&s;mal-water, by the Apo&s;tle, what ever be mens intentions now adays. It's a wre&s;ting of the Scriptures, though the bare words be but mentioned, to quote them for another end then they were written. Both the inward and outward wa&s;hing are appointed by <HI>one Lord,</HI> to confirm <HI>one</HI> and the &s;ame <HI>Faith;</HI> and they make but one and the &s;ame Bapti&s;m, which con&s;i&s;teth of the &s;ign and the thing &s;igni|fied. He that would divide them, or more then di&s;tingui&s;h them, cro&s;&s;eth the minde of the Lord Je&s;us. What&s;oever <HI>R. F.</HI> addeth, <HI>Such as are baptized into Chri&s;t, have put on Chri&s;t; and that we witne&s;s, as doth the Scripture, which is not contradiction, Gal.</HI> 3. 27. The Scripture witne&s;&s;eth the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3 27. vindicated.</NOTE> outward part, and the inward; and the Apo&s;tle intendeth both in this place; for pre&s;&s;ing faith in Chri&s;t alone for Ju&s;tification, without dependence upon any of our acts, in obedience to the Law; he draweth an Argument from Bapti&s;m, the outward part as well as the inward: As many of you as have been baptized into Chri&s;t, have put on Chri&s;t for Ju&s;tification alone; as if he &s;hould &s;ay, Ye did &s;acra|mentally put on Chri&s;t in Bapti&s;m, you mu&s;t not now put him off, and be clothed with your own rags again, in &s;tead of his robes. He that denieth either part of compleat Ba|pti&s;m (as the Scripture expre&s;&s;eth it of Water, and of the Spirit) hath &s;o much Contradiction to the Scripture in his denial.</P>
<P>Secondly, As to the Bapti&s;m of Infants, what ever <HI>R. F.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Infant Ba|pti&s;m Chri&s;ts in&s;titution.</NOTE> thinketh (with many others) that <HI>it is an Invention, and none of Chri&s;ts In&s;titution;</HI> The grounds from Scripture for the Affirmative, mu&s;t be rai&s;ed, otherwi&s;e then he undertakes it, ere I will clear him of his Chri&s;t and Scripture-contra|diction, in this very particular. To tho&s;e two Arguments I produced from <HI>Acts</HI> 2. and 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 7. mentioned in the be|ginning of this Section, he &s;aith little or nothing; nothing at all to the latter, and little to the former, and that as fal&s;ly, as weakly; according to his wonted language: <HI>But thou perverts the Scripture,</HI> Acts 2. 38, 39. <HI>&s;aying, Be bapti|zed
<PB N="179" REF="108"> every one of you; you and your children: Here thou art a lyar, it doth not command Children to be baptized with wa|ter,</HI> neither <HI>did they ever &s;o baptize them, that thou can&s;t prove, by one plain Scripture.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. He attends not my rea&s;on, which I mu&s;t repeat, for help to his memory, or others under&s;tanding: The Com|mand there reacheth as far as the Promi&s;e; the Promi&s;e ex|tends it &s;elf to Children, not to all, but to their children, [<HI>To you and to your children is the Promi&s;e made,</HI>] and therefore the Command [Be baptized every one of you] is made to the Parent, and concerning the Childe, and Chil|dren al&s;o of &s;uch Parents, as gladly receive the word of Pro|mi&s;e for them and theirs, as it is &s;aid they did, <HI>ver.</HI> 41. And although it is not there <HI>plainly</HI> expre&s;t, the Children and Infants were baptized, yet the Promi&s;e is plain enough, and the Precept is explained and enforced by the Promi&s;e; which had been of far le&s;s force to the Jew, and Pro&s;elyte al&s;o, if <HI>their Children</HI> (formerly circumci&s;ed upon their Pa|rents taking hold of the Covenant, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 56. 6.) had been ex|cluded, and left un-baptized; and why may not the yonge&s;t be included with the elde&s;t among tho&s;e three thou&s;and &s;ouls? (according to Scripture-phra&s;e el&s;ewhere, <HI>Gen.</HI> 46. 26, 27.)</P>
<P N="2">2. Why &s;hould <HI>R. F.</HI> (if he were not unrea&s;onable) tye me, or him&s;elf, to <HI>one plain Scripture?</HI> That which one place giveth not forth &s;o plainly, another compared with it, may explain that and its &s;elf al&s;o. Let him con&s;ult<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 5. 26. opened.</NOTE> <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 5. 26. There is plain mention of <HI>water,</HI> and <HI>wa&s;hing of water;</HI> by whom? by Chri&s;t, [He that &s;anctifies and clean&s;eth the &s;oul] Whom doth he &s;anctifie and clean&s;e? or who&s;e &s;ouls? His Church, his my&s;tical body, <HI>ver.</HI> 23. How? <HI>By water, and the word;</HI> both which are the outward means, by which he applies his Blood and Spirit, to all that he clean&s;eth. The <HI>water</HI> di&s;tingui&s;ht here from the grace of &s;anctifying and clean&s;ing, can be no other then Bapti&s;mal|water: <HI>The word</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Greek, <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> in this place di&s;tingui&s;ht from Chri&s;t him&s;elf, can be no other then the Scripture-command for the u&s;e of water; and the Scripture-promi&s;e, for the ble&s;|&s;ing of water to the ends he hath appointed it in Bapti&s;m.
<PB N="180" REF="109"> The Scripture-promi&s;e, we have found, belongeth to Chil|dren, and the Scripture-command for the u&s;e of water to all that have the Promi&s;e, and to all that are of Chri&s;ts my&s;tical body. Now &s;ome Children will be found to belong to his body, the Church. I hope <HI>R. F.</HI> will think, if he doth not, others will believe, the Scripture is plain enough for that, <HI>Luke</HI> 18. 15, 16, 17. In one Ver&s;e we read of <HI>Infants,</HI> in another, of <HI>little Children,</HI> whom Chri&s;t owned, as be|longing to the Kingdom of God: The Kingdom of God, and the true Church that is in God the Father, and in the Lord Je&s;us, 1 <HI>The&s;.</HI> 1. 1. differ not an hairs-breadth: of &s;ome of that age, or non-age (we may call it) of yong ones, and little ones, is Chri&s;ts body made up in part; yea, he is &s;o far from &s;etting all Infants by, and &s;hutting them out, that he profe&s;&s;eth with vehemency, <HI>ver.</HI> 17. Verily, who|&s;oever &s;hall not receive the Kingdom of God, as a little Childe, &s;hall in no wi&s;e enter therein. Let <HI>R. F.</HI> be humbly|pa&s;&s;ively capable of what a little Childe is capable, and he may enter, with Chri&s;ts little ones, into the knowledge of this my&s;tery, and benefit of Infant-bapti&s;m.</P>
<P>Thirdly, I &s;hall prove the &s;prinkling of Infants, or ap|plication<NOTE PLACE="marg">A &s;prinkling Bapti&s;m war|rantable by Scr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">pture. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> of water to them, or others that way, by plain and &s;ound con&s;equence from Scripture.</P>
<P N="1">1. Although the word <HI>Bapto</HI> &s;ignifieth to dip, the word <HI>Baptizo</HI> &s;ignifieth to wa&s;h diver&s;e ways. The Jews had di|ver&s;e Bapti&s;ms, as the words are, <HI>Heb.</HI> 9. 10. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> tran&s;lated <HI>diver&s;e wa&s;hings:</HI> Some by &s;prinkling, or putting water upon per&s;ons, or things, to which <HI>Ezek.</HI> 36. 25. and <HI>Heb.</HI> 10. 22. alludeth. Some civil, or &s;uper&s;titious, as <HI>Mark</HI> 7. 4. wa&s;hing of ve&s;&s;els, tables, or beds; which way was by ca&s;t|ing water upon them, as by dipping &s;ome things into the water: &s;o that the command for baptizing is a command for &s;prinkling, as for dipping, as the word is u&s;ed, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10. 2. They were all baptized, in the cloud, and in the &s;ea; &s;ome might be more drencht or wet then others; but they (whether yong or old, whether more or le&s;s wa&s;hed, or moi&s;tned with water) were <HI>all</HI> baptized. It is not the quan|tity, but the quality, and u&s;e of water that was then, and is now &s;ignificative in Bapti&s;m. The general end and u&s;e of
<PB N="181" REF="109"> water is wa&s;hing, (the effect whereof is clean&s;ing) and &s;uch is the u&s;e and force of the word, (as before) hence I rea&s;on,
<LIST>
<ITEM>That action which fully repre&s;enteth the main end and u&s;e of Bapti&s;mal-water, is lawful and &s;ufficient:</ITEM>
<ITEM>But &s;prinkling, pouring, or putting water upon the body, doth repre&s;ent this main end and u&s;e, &amp;c.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>For the main general end, and u&s;e of Water-bapti&s;m, is to &s;ignifie &s;piritual wa&s;hing and clean&s;ing of the &s;oul from &s;in, <HI>Acts</HI> 22. 16. Ari&s;e, and be baptized, and wa&s;h away thy &s;ins: and this is done &s;ignificatively, by a &s;prinkling-Bapti&s;m (of yong or old) as well as by a dipping.</P>
<P N="2">2. When <HI>John</HI> baptized Chri&s;t, and <HI>Philip</HI> the Eunuch, their going down to the water was one action, and the ba|ptizing another. I &s;tand not convinced by any plain, or forcible Scripture-phra&s;e, or by any circum&s;tance in Scri|pture-hi&s;tory, that there was any other action, or rite of baptizing (when it came to that) then &s;prinkling or ca&s;ting water upon the per&s;on baptized.</P>
<P N="3">3. Sprinkling, or putting water upon the baptized, is the more ready and ea&s;ie action; and Chri&s;t hath not burthen|ed his Church in the New Te&s;tament with painful Ceremo|nies. Dipping and plunging, is either of the whole body, or of a part onely: if but of a part, it is hazardous and trou|ble&s;om, not onely to Infants, but to per&s;ons of years. Once upon a time, I asked a neighbor of mine (who was for Dip|ping) how <HI>Paul</HI> dipped the Jaylor? his an&s;wer was, He took him plum up from the ground, and put him into the water. (By the way I told him, there had need be good &s;tore of &s;trength in all Admini&s;trators of Bapti&s;m in this maner, and little <HI>Paul</HI> might not be &s;trong enough for the &s;ervice, if <HI>Silas</HI> was) I asked again, whether there was a pond or river in the yard, betwixt the pri&s;on and the Jay|lors proper lodgings; and was an&s;wered, there might be a brook running through the yard. The&s;e are &s;trange con|jectures, which men will a&s;&s;ume and fancy to them&s;elves. I may ask again, what brook or pond was there in <HI>Judas</HI>'s hou&s;e, where <HI>Paul</HI> was, <HI>Acts</HI> 9. 11. who when weak and feeble was baptized, <HI>ver.</HI> 18. and was not &s;trengthned in body till he had received meat, <HI>ver.</HI> 19. &s;ure, &s;prinkling or
<PB N="182" REF="110"> putting a little water upon <HI>Paul</HI> at that time, and at all times upon feeble Infants, as upon feeble <HI>Paul,</HI> is a work of grea|ter mercy, which God prefers before &s;acrifice. Who may not ob&s;erve, that dippers, and the dipped are more put to their &s;hifts, to make out their way by Scripture, then we are &s;traitned, to prove a &s;prinkling Bapti&s;m, or a wa&s;hing by &s;prinkling, or &s;uch kinde of application of water to the party? And therefore if water be appointed by Chri&s;t, and Infants are not excluded the Covenant and Promi&s;e wherein their parents (if but one) do &s;tand; and if &s;prinkling or ca&s;ting water upon the Church-member, or confederate with God, and his people, be &s;ufficient, and &s;uitable to the main end of Bapti&s;m, I apprehend we depart not from the minde of Chri&s;t revealed in Scripture, when we <HI>&s;o</HI> Baptize them.</P>
<P N="4">4. As I forbear judging of Saints who differ in &s;ome in|ward notions, and outward forms, &s;o I cannot but condemn this &s;ect of men, who are again&s;t all outward Bapti&s;m with water, what way, or to what per&s;ons &s;oever it be applyed; and vent many fal&s;hoods and ab&s;urdities in their dictates concerning the bapti&s;m of the Spirit onely. I &s;hall in&s;tance but in one or two of the bu&s;ie Pen-men, <HI>J. P.</HI> and <HI>J. N.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">His &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="2 letters">ld of the Tru<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">h, page 11, 12.</NOTE> <HI>James Parnell</HI> dictates thus; <HI>They who would have one Bapti&s;m outward, and another inward, would have two Bap|ti&s;ms, when the Scripture &s;aith the Bapti&s;m is but one: As for the Bapti&s;m of water, which the Apo&s;tles u&s;ed, it was a command of Chri&s;t for its time.</HI> Whereas the contrary hath been &s;hewed from Scripture (in this Section) that the two parts, outward and inward, make but one Bapti&s;m, by rea|&s;on of the relation that the outvvard &s;ign hath to the in|vvard thing &s;ignified; vvhich relation, by virtue of Chri&s;ts ordaining it to be &s;o, is the foundation of the union, and one-ne&s;s. And as for his limiting the Bapti&s;m of vvater to the time pa&s;t and novv out of date, it is but a Tradition late|ly received, to make void the commandement of Chri&s;t, which will &s;tand in force, effect and virtue, when the Tra|dition will vani&s;h and come to nothing. <HI>James Nayler,</HI> a greater doctor (<HI>J. Lilburn</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Re&s;ur. of <HI>J. Lilburn.</HI> * Love to the Lo&s;t. pag. 38.</NOTE> calls him a tall man in Chri&s;t) dictates thus. * <HI>It was not laid on the Apo&s;tles as of nece&s;&s;ity,
<PB N="183" REF="110"> but as they found it of &s;ervice or di&s;-&s;ervice.</HI> This is rotten, groundle&s;s &s;tuff. It was always of &s;ervice, &s;ince Chri&s;t did in&s;titute it, and not to be denyed to the proper, and capable &s;ubject. If the Apo&s;tles did not always admini&s;ter it them|&s;elves, they appointed Evangeli&s;ts, Pa&s;tors, or &s;ome that were commi&s;&s;ionated to preach to do it, according to Chri&s;ts command, <HI>Matth.</HI> 28. 18, 19. which they were to teach others to ob&s;erve and do; And a nece&s;&s;ity there was for<NOTE PLACE="marg">Nece&s;&s;ity of precept, and of means, in water Bap|ti&s;m.</NOTE> them to obey their ma&s;ters command: and admini&s;ter, or cau&s;e to be admini&s;tred, as a nece&s;&s;ity on the Believers part to u&s;e it for him, and his as a means of faiths confirmati|on, &amp;c. not but that God can and doth &s;ave without it, where it cannot orderly be had. But then will <HI>J. N.</HI> &s;ay, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">As above, page 40.</NOTE> <HI>If any &s;hall come in the power and Spirit of Johns Bapti&s;m, or if any had a call from God thereto, &s;uch we judge not, nor gain&s;ay.</HI> But what call doth this man imagine? ob&s;erve what he &s;aith, afterwards, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 42.</NOTE> <HI>God never called any to Baptize; but fir&s;t he called them out of the world, and their habitations there, to follow Chri&s;t, as into the wilderne&s;s, which were prophets and Apo&s;tles called immediately.</HI> No call will plea&s;e him but that which is immediate, no mini&s;ter but an <HI>Elijah,</HI> or an <HI>Eli&s;ha,</HI> a <HI>Peter,</HI> or a <HI>Paul.</HI> This man is yet a Seeker, and not a perfect finder, though he &s;peaks much of pre&s;ent perfection attainable, and gives them that deny it, this jer|king abu&s;ive character, [<HI>who preach up imperfection, and &s;in for term of life</HI>] whereas it is one thing to preach, there will be &s;in in the Saints, and need they &s;hall have of the me|ditation of their Bapti&s;m, to confirm their faith of the non|imputation of that which is inherent; and another, to <HI>preach it up.</HI> I am more then afraid, I do certainly di&s;cern it, that the late preaching of pre&s;ent perfection in &s;anctification, hath rai&s;ed and preach't up the pride of many a Phari&s;aical &s;pirit to &s;uch a height, that we &s;hall not expect their &s;aving fall, by many years labors, unle&s;s Gods Almighty arm be re|vealed. And to preach up that which is in deed the Bapti&s;m in Spirit, on purpo&s;e to overthrow Chri&s;ts in&s;titution of water, is, I dare &s;ay, not from the dictate of Gods Spirit, but of &s;elf and fle&s;h in <HI>Ja. Nayler.</HI> That which he &s;aith in one page <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="2 letters"> Lo&s;t. pag. 4</NOTE> is true, <HI>The Apo&s;tles did not baptize Believers over
<PB N="184" REF="111"> again with water, who had had it, becau&s;e they had it not be|fore in their fa&s;hion:</HI> But as fal&s;e is that which he hath in the page before, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 41.</NOTE> <HI>That Paul preached Bapti&s;m in &s;pirit in its &s;tead, i. e.</HI> in &s;tead of Bapti&s;m with water: for it is a great injury to the Apo&s;tle to repre&s;ent him as a ju&s;tler out of any of Gods ordinances and as one like him&s;elf: who &s;aith prety well, one while, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 42.</NOTE> [<HI>no form we deny into which Chri&s;t leads in Spirit</HI>] yet pre&s;ently as ill again, and blows as cold as before he blew hot, <HI>But all forms we deny, that are u&s;ed by men to keep people from following the Spirit.</HI> For, &s;uppo&s;e it we may with grief enough, that &s;ome men do abu&s;e forms this way, all men do not, nor dare admit the thought, but tremble to think any &s;hould be &s;o formal; and again, what warrant hath he to deny any of Chri&s;ts forms, though he may (with the be&s;t wi&s;dom and zeal he hath) help to batter down the Images that men have &s;et up? Chri&s;t hath with|drawn from men, but he never &s;ent for water-Bapti&s;m to heaven, though it came from thence; He never repealed the Covenant made with Believers, and their &s;eed. The Promi&s;e holds to all Chri&s;ts New Te&s;tament in&s;titutions, to Bapti&s;mal-water, applyed to all Chri&s;ts little ones: He that denyes it, puts down Chri&s;t, and his ordinance, and &s;ets up Idol-&s;elf in the room. Let <HI>J. Nayler</HI> make a more privy &s;earch into his heart, and ponder well of what I have ani|madverted briefly, and of what I &s;hall clo&s;e with; none of his &s;tumblings at the divi&s;ions about forms, &s;hould make him out of love with that which had a divine &s;tamp, and is not worn out but in his apprehen&s;ion, as in <HI>R. F.</HI> his fancy.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="13" TYPE="head">
<PB N="185" REF="111">
<HEAD>(13. Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning the Lords Supper.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="39" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 39.</HEAD>
<P>I Had noted out of a Pamphlet (as it fell out) of <HI>R. F.</HI> what a title of di&s;honor he gives to the Lords Supper, no better then a <HI>Carnal invention;</HI> as &s;trong a contra|diction to 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 23. as his rea&s;on is weak, <HI>becau&s;e he wanted that a&s;&s;urance which he expected at the Participa|tion of that ordinance;</HI> whereupon, he takes me up with his old reviling language, * <HI>I charge thee in that to be a gro&s;s</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">The vi&s;ible outward Lords &s;upper no carnal in|vention.</NOTE> <HI>lyar, I &s;aid that your imagination was a carnal invention, but the Lords Supper I own.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> What Lords Supper doth he own? that in the heart onely, for he owneth what he witne&s;&s;eth; and what doth he witne&s;s? it followeth in his book, <HI>and witne&s;s that he is come in to &s;up with me,</HI> Rev. 3. 20. <HI>Rep.</HI> But at that Supper I never heard, or read before, of one drunk with the opinion, That the commemoration of the Lords death (by breaking and eating of ble&s;&s;ed Bread and drinking of ble&s;&s;ed Wine&punc; <HI>i. e.</HI> bread and wine &s;et apart by prayer and thank&s;giving, as he appointed) was mans imagination, and a carnal inven|tion. It is matter of Faith (and not imagination) to me (as to many thou&s;ands) and as with my heart I believe, &s;o with my mouth and Pen I make this confe&s;&s;ion, that, <HI>That Lords Supper</HI> which <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks of, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10. 16. and 11. 20. and which <HI>chap.</HI> 10. 21. he calls the Lords Table, was and is &s;omething be&s;ides the inward my&s;tical communion with Chri&s;t, <HI>Rev.</HI> 3. 20. even the vi&s;ible &s;ign and &s;eal of that Communion, and of other effects of his death; and if this be proved and found to be none of mine nor mans ima|gination, it will appear to all men who is the <HI>gro&s;s lyar,</HI> and that <HI>R. F.</HI> hath called <HI>that Lords Supper,</HI> or the ordinance of bread and wine, in&s;tituted by Chri&s;t, (in the night where|in he was betrayed) <HI>a carnal invention.</HI> But he goes on, <HI>And the bread which we break it is the Communion of the body of
<PB N="186" REF="112"> Chri&s;t, and the cup which we drink, it is the Communion of the blood of Chri&s;t; and as Paul &s;aid, &s;o &s;ay I, Let tho&s;e that are &s;piritual judge what is &s;aid.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Agreed, in <HI>Pauls</HI> &s;en&s;e, not in the apprehen&s;ion of <HI>R. F.</HI> but where hath <HI>Paul</HI> the&s;e words? <HI>Let tho&s;e that are Spiritual judge, &amp;c.</HI> It is true, the &s;piritual man judgeth of colors, white and black, truth and error, grace and corrup|tion, &s;omething he can judge of all &s;piritual things, which a natural man cannot; But it is the wi&s;e man, which the Apo&s;tle appealeth to, in that place, which <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;hot at, at rovers, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10. 15. I &s;peak as to wi&s;e men, judge ye what I &s;ay&punc; If any man think him&s;elf to be a Prophet, or &s;piritual, and be not wi&s;e, he may think, as <HI>R. F.</HI> that the words <HI>ver.</HI> 16. are meant of <HI>bread broken onely</HI> in the heart, and of the <HI>cup drunk</HI> in the heart, &amp;c. but no wi&s;e man, that ever yet I met with, nor any truly &s;piritual, have &s;o thought, or will &s;o judge; excluding outward bread, and the vi&s;ible Cup, from being the &s;ign, and pledge of inward communi|on in and with the body and blood of the Lord, as <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 20. Bread and wine the out|ward matter of the Lords Supper.</NOTE> doth.</P>
<P><HI>Thou can&s;t not prove that</HI> Paul <HI>broke outward bread and drunk outward wine, with the</HI> Corinthians, <HI>nor the maner how.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> The truth doth not re&s;t upon my proof, nor needs there any more but the reading of the words, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 23, 24, 25. which I &s;hall tran&s;cribe at large, for the memorial of the in&s;titution, as the ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tle hath left it to the Saints. <Q REND="margQuotes">"For I received of the Lord that which al&s;o I deli|vered unto you, that the Lord Je&s;us, the &s;ame night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and &s;aid, Take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you: this do in remem|brance of me. After the &s;ame maner al&s;o he took the cup, when he had &s;upped, &s;aying, This cup is the New Te&s;ta|ment in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.</Q> What proof lies in the&s;e words, which <HI>R. F.</HI> calls for, I &s;hall demon&s;trate, in this argumen|tative way,
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>What the Lord Je&s;us brake, and drank with his di&s;ciples,
<PB N="187" REF="112"> and after what maner; that <HI>Paul</HI> brake, and drank with the <HI>Corinthians,</HI> and after that maner:</ITEM>
<ITEM>But the Lord Je&s;us brake material, or outward bread, and drank material, or outward wine, with his Di&s;ciples<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. 26, 27 Mark 14 22, 23, 24.</NOTE> (having fir&s;t ble&s;&s;ed the bread, and given thanks di|&s;tinctly at the taking of the cup) and then gave it to them, to be u&s;ed in remembrance of him:</ITEM>
<ITEM>Therefore, <HI>Paul</HI> brake material, or outward bread, and drank material, or outward wine, with the <HI>Corinthians,</HI> after the maner that the Lord brake, and drank, and gave it to his Di&s;ciples, to be u&s;ed in remembrance of him.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>The Major, or fir&s;t propo&s;ition, is undeniable, el&s;e <HI>Paul</HI> had been unfaithful, to teach and practi&s;e among the <HI>Corin|thians,</HI> and to write it over, to them and us for imitation; but <HI>Paul</HI> obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 7. 25. The Minor, or &s;econd propo&s;ition, is as true as the fir&s;t, for Chri&s;t took of the Bread upon the table (the re|&s;erve of it, after the Pa&s;&s;over Supper) and ble&s;&s;ed <HI>that,</HI> brake <HI>that,</HI> gave <HI>that</HI> to be eaten; and he took of the Cup upon the table, and gave thanks (afre&s;h) and gave it to them, &s;aying, Drink ye all of it: For this <HI>is (i. e.</HI> this is a &s;ign, pledge, memorial, &s;eal, or a&s;&s;urance of) my Blood of the New Te&s;tament, which is &s;hed for you, as <HI>Luke</HI> hath it, <HI>Chap. 22. ver.</HI> 20. and for many (as <HI>Matthew</HI> and <HI>Mark</HI> record it <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. 28, 29 Mark 22. 24, 25.</NOTE>) for the remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins: which Cup put (by a Metonymie of the Subject for the Adjunct, <HI>i. e.</HI> the thing containing, put for the thing or outward matter contained in it, <HI>i. e.</HI>) for the Wine in the Cup, he calleth <HI>the fruit of the vine,</HI> as it was in its own nature and &s;ub&s;tance; it mu&s;t of ne|ce&s;&s;ity follow, that <HI>Paul</HI> following his Ma&s;ters in&s;titution at the heels, or to a hair, (as even now was cleared) the bread that he brake, and the wine that he drank, (and ordered for the future to them and all the Churches to be broken and drunk, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 26.) was the fruit of &s;eed-corn, mate|rial outward bread; and the fruit of the vine, material out|ward wine: which becau&s;e <HI>R. F.</HI> in another piece of his, had &s;aid <HI>was carnal,</HI> I added for explication, and to di&s;cover how
<PB N="188" REF="113"> he contradicted 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10. 16. that albeit the bread and wine (which we u&s;e according to the Lords precept, and <HI>Pauls</HI> practice) in the Lords Supper, are in their nature and &s;ub&s;tance very bread and wine, yet they are <HI>Spiritual</HI> in the in&s;titution, end, and u&s;e, during our corporal eating and drinking of them, at that Supper of the Lord.</P>
<P>The word which I u&s;ed in the Concrete [Spiritual] he turns to the Ab&s;tract [Spirit] and thus clamors me; *<HI>There|fore it is thy rea&s;on is &s;o weak, that &s;aith, The bread which you break, although it be bread in the nature and &s;ub&s;tance, yet it is Spirit in the in&s;titution, &amp;c. What bla&s;phemy is this, to &s;ay that the Spirit is in the bread, which is natural in the &s;ub&s;tance? Here is a Papi&s;tical trick indeed, Oh horrible delu&s;ion!</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I brought not 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10. 16. or any <HI>rea&s;on</HI> from thence, to prove the bread to be material and outward, (though I could, as above I have from the 11. <HI>Chap.</HI>) but to &s;hew it was not <HI>carnal</HI> in <HI>R. F.</HI> his &s;en&s;e, &s;et in oppo&s;ition to the &s;piritual in&s;titution, end, and u&s;e: For that which is appointed by Chri&s;t to be u&s;ed for &s;ignification and a&s;&s;urance of many a &s;ouls intere&s;t in, and communion of his natural body and blood, broken, and &s;hed upon the Cro&s;s, that is not meer carnal bread and drink: But the bread and wine is after Chri&s;ts in&s;titution to be &s;o u&s;ed, as <HI>Paul</HI> admoni&s;heth the <HI>Corinthians,</HI> and not to be abu&s;ed and profaned, <HI>i. e.</HI> u&s;ed in a common maner, as if it were but ordinary bread and wine, and had no &s;pecial &s;ignifica|tion, and end &s;tampt upon it. That natural body and blood of Chri&s;t (which we remember in the Supper, as broken and &s;hed at his Pa&s;&s;ion) was and is a true natural body, (then on earth, now in heaven) and yet it was and is &s;pi|ritual food; his fle&s;h, <HI>meat indeed,</HI> his blood, <HI>drink indeed;</HI> there is no &s;weeter, no better; there's none to that: So the bread and wine, is truly bread, materially wine, and yet withal, in the Lords Supper it is Chri&s;ts body, and it is his blood; How? &s;ignificatively; a &s;piritual memorial of Chri&s;ts death, and a pledge of what Chri&s;t is (to us that believe in him) dying for us.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="189" REF="113">2. This man <HI>R. F.</HI> coyneth phra&s;es, and then fathers them upon me; [<HI>The Spirit in the in&s;titution</HI>] and [<HI>the Spirit is in the bread</HI>] and would make the world believe he were as ignorant of Popery, as of true Prote&s;tant Doctrine. The Doctrine I held forth (according to Scripture) was, and is in profe&s;&s;ed oppo&s;ition to all <HI>Papi&s;ticall tricks</HI> and devices, touching the Lords Supper. I &s;aid, the bread, as the wine, was &s;o, and is &s;o, in its nature and &s;ub&s;tance, but <HI>&s;piritual in the in&s;titution, end, and u&s;e:</HI> And I adde, neither Chri&s;ts In&s;titution, nor the Mini&s;ters Ble&s;&s;ing, doth tran&s;ub&s;tantiate them, or turn them into the natural body and blood of Chri&s;t, as the Papi&s;ts imagine, after their con&s;ecration. They do not &s;ay, that I know, <HI>the Spirit is in the bread,</HI> nor did I ever &s;o expre&s;s my &s;elf in preaching at <HI>Edinburgh</HI> (or el&s;ewhere) and what I wrote there <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">page 20.</NOTE> is to be &s;een and read of all men; yet more then this, of confu&s;ed &s;tuff, would <HI>R. F.</HI> (in his return to the Agreement of 42. Mini&s;ters <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Contradi|ction of the Quakers (&s;o called) p. 16.</NOTE>) make the world believe, he <HI>can produce under my hand</HI> (and the hands of other Preachers in that City.) Had his mi&s;take<NOTE PLACE="marg">* See page 18. with the mar|ginal not.</NOTE> been onely in a letter of my name, to put (<HI>e</HI>) for (<HI>a</HI>) it were a very venial offence; but to refer (as he doth) to my whole name (except that letter) is a mo&s;t impudent for|gery.) But to return to the Pontificians, this they hold;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Popi&s;h Tran|&s;ub&s;tantiation a blinde do|tage.</NOTE> The body of Chri&s;t is corporally under the &s;hew of bread, and the blood of Chri&s;t is &s;ub&s;tantially under the colour of wine; (as if the accidents or qualities of roundne&s;s, redne&s;s, or whitene&s;s, could be without the &s;ubject and &s;ub&s;tance of tho&s;e creatures; and as if Chri&s;ts natural body and blood, for &s;ub&s;tance, could be there, and neither be &s;een, felt, nor ta&s;ted; and as if Chri&s;t had laid down the qualities of a true natural body, and were in moe places then one at once, with many &s;uch blinde dotages) this is to make a very car|nal Supper of it indeed. Hence it is that (they maintaining (in words onely, and with fire and faggot, not by any Scripture rightly under&s;tood, nor &s;ound Argument from thence) the real, corporal, carnal pre&s;ence of Chri&s;t) we prote&s;t again&s;t them, as Antichri&s;tian: And &s;o mu&s;t we enter a prote&s;ta|tion again&s;t <HI>R. F.</HI> and men of his way, to be yet more my&s;te|riou&s;ly Babyloni&s;h. For the gro&s;&s;er Papi&s;ts &s;peak broadly,
<PB N="190" REF="114"> and make a nullity of the Lords Supper, by their feigned Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation and carnal-corporal pre&s;ence; but the&s;e &s;peak &s;ubtilly, and nullifie it, by transforming of the In&s;titu|tion, and &s;preading the Lords Table with another cloth (as it were, and as will more appear anon) while we hold up the Ordinance, according to Go&s;pel-primitive &s;implicity, and do maintain (upon &s;ufficient Scripture-grounds) both the outward and inward matter, and form of the Lords Supper, with the &s;piritualne&s;s of the In&s;titution, and the truly-&s;piri|tual pre&s;ence of Chri&s;t, with his own ordained &s;igns; who, in relation to them, and to his own promi&s;e, and his peoples faith, is there (as at Bapti&s;m, <HI>Matth. 28. 19, 20. Lo, I am with you, &amp;c.</HI>) by his Spirit, to quicken, confirm, and &s;eal up our communion with him&s;elf, as crucified for us. Hence<NOTE PLACE="marg">The benefit of the Lords Supper.</NOTE> it is, that the Churches of Chri&s;t, and every true believer, active in his faith, have found it, and do &s;till experience it to be a faith-&s;trengthning, con&s;cience-refre&s;hing, &s;oul-com|forting, love-increa&s;ing, &s;in-mortifying, &s;alvation-a&s;&s;uring Ordinance; although they have not always a like &s;en&s;e of his pre&s;ence. But to ca&s;t off this Ordinance, and call it a <HI>carnal invention,</HI> as <HI>R. F.</HI> hath done, for <HI>want of expected a&s;&s;urance at the participation of it,</HI> is a ra&s;h fruit of unbelief, and proud impatience; and to call us <HI>Deceivers</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 20.</NOTE> for keep|ing to the In&s;titution (which remaineth firm in it &s;elf, while it proves ineffectual to many an unworthy communicant) is to hide him&s;elf, in his &s;elf-deceivings: Finally, to cry out, <HI>Oh horrible delu&s;ion!</HI> is to ca&s;t a mi&s;t before others eyes, that they may not &s;ee where the jugling and the jugler lie clo&s;e together.</P>
<P>For what &s;aith he further? <HI>The Kingdom of God con&s;i&s;ts not in meat and drink, but in righteou&s;ne&s;s, peace, and joy in the holy Gho&s;t; and in that Kingdom, wheat-bread, and red wine is not the &s;ouls food, but the precious blood of Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Where the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks of the choice things, wherein the Kingdom of God con&s;i&s;ts, <HI>viz.</HI> righteou&s;ne&s;s, &amp;c. <HI>Rom.</HI> 14. 17. he is not treating of bread and wine at<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 14. 17. vindicated.</NOTE> the Lords Table, but of meats and drinks, which Jews and Gentiles made a difference about, <HI>ver.</HI> 2. One believeth he may eat all things, another that is weak, eateth herbs. He
<PB N="191" REF="114"> was the &s;tronger Chri&s;tian who found his liberty to eat of all things, <HI>i. e.</HI> all creatures appointed for natural and bodily food: He was the weaker, who confined him&s;elf to &s;ome particulars, as onely lawful, <HI>viz.</HI> Herbs, &amp;c. This Scripture, of the Apo&s;tles preferring righteou&s;ne&s;s, &amp;c. before meats and drinks, is impertinently and &s;infully alledged, to contra|dict the ob&s;ervation of the Lords Supper, wherein he will be remembred by the u&s;e of natural bread and wine, till his &s;econd coming. 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 26. As oft as ye eat of this bread,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 11. 26&punc; cleared.</NOTE> and drink of this cup (for natural &s;ub&s;tance, the &s;ame with other bread and wine; but for &s;ignification and a&s;&s;urance, different) ye do &s;hew (by &s;uch a u&s;e and participation) the Lords death till he come. That clau&s;e [<HI>till he come</HI>] and others, <HI>of his coming,</HI> are u&s;ual in the New Te&s;tament, to denote his &s;econd and glorious coming, vi&s;ibly in our na|ture. If I will that he tarry till I come, &amp;c. <HI>John</HI> 21. 22. So &s;hall al&s;o the coming of the Son of man be, <HI>Mat.</HI> 24. 37, 39. Even &s;o, come Lord Je&s;us, the voice of the Bride, and of <HI>John,</HI> echoing to Chri&s;ts Surely I come quickly, <HI>Rev.</HI> 22. 20.</P>
<P N="2">2. Although <HI>wheat-bread</HI> and <HI>red wine</HI> be not <HI>&s;ouls food</HI> a|lone and by them&s;elves, yet &s;tampt with the Lords In&s;tituti|on, his word of promi&s;e, <HI>This is my body, This is my blood,</HI> with his word of command, <HI>Do this,</HI> &amp;c. and this done in faith accordingly; in and by them, Chri&s;t doth feed our &s;ouls. If the &s;acred &s;igns of the Old Te&s;tament had this &s;ignifican|cy and excellency, that in re&s;pect of what was repre&s;ented by them, they are called &s;piritual meat, and &s;piritual drink, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 10. 3, 4. (Manna was appointed to feed the faith of the Fathers, and Water out of the rock, to refre&s;h their &s;oul-faith) &s;urely, the ble&s;&s;ed &s;igns of the New Te&s;tament come not &s;hort of &s;uch &s;piritual &s;ignificancy and excellen|cy, which they have not from them&s;elves, but from Chri&s;t the in&s;titutor and ordainer of them; who will, and doth make them <HI>&s;ouls food,</HI> in&s;trumentally; becau&s;e he thereby, and therewith gives forth him&s;elf, to be their a&s;&s;ured food and nouri&s;hment:</P>
<P>But &s;aith <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 20.</NOTE> for a clo&s;e, <HI>He is my meat, and drink, and food for my &s;oul to feed on, and for &s;uch as are in him,</HI> John 6. <HI>who is the bread of life.</HI></P>
<PB N="192" REF="115">
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But how, he doth not tell us, onely he &s;aith it is &s;o; and I wi&s;h it be &s;o, and that he doth not feed upon a&s;hes, nor that a deceived heart doth lead him a&s;ide, nor that a lye be found in his right hand; I'm &s;ure it is in his tongue, or pen, who &s;hall &s;ay or write, Chri&s;t feeds not &s;ouls, <HI>by wheat-bread, and red wine.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. It is a true expo&s;ition of <HI>John</HI> 6. which we hold up again&s;t the Papi&s;ts, that all along that Chapter, Chri&s;t &s;peaks not of the Sacrament, called the Lords Supper (con|&s;i&s;ting of &s;ign, and thing &s;ignified, outward and inward matter) but onely of his natural fle&s;h and blood, given and &s;hed for all that eat and drink him &s;piritually, or by faith; which daily they may, and ought to do&punc; Believe, and thou ha&s;t eaten, as was <HI>Augu&s;tines</HI> coun&s;el and encouragement of old, to the Chri&s;tians in his time.</P>
<P N="2">2. It is a proud and di&s;dainful practice, altogether to re|ject the u&s;e of <HI>wheat-bread</HI> and <HI>red wine,</HI> or any fruit of the vine, frequently, as a help to memory, faith, love, and all the graces of the inner man; e&s;pecially, by fre&s;h remem|brance of Chri&s;ts death, in the application of the &s;igns, to be &s;trengthned in believing our intere&s;t and propriety in him, that we may feed the more &s;trongly upon him, and live chearfully by faith, every day and hour. By this time, me thinks, I hear <HI>James Nayler</HI> crying out of divi&s;ions <HI>about the form</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the lo&s;t, pag. 43.</NOTE> (of the Lords Supper) <HI>which the worlds Teachers and Profe&s;&s;ors, are all out of, and have lo&s;t, and the power al&s;o;</HI> and then &s;preading his new cloth (that I hinted at before) as &s;ome wet napkin over a Corp&s;e, &s;o he, over his new Com|munion Table, and then &s;ets on his new-transformed Sup|per, and what's that? Hear if you can, and read, without their trembling, but in true fear, take notice of his horrible delu&s;ion. <HI>For the &s;ake</HI> (&s;aith he <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Pag<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> 45.</NOTE>) <HI>of &s;uch who are lo&s;t in this thing, and troubled in minde concerning it; what I have</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>James Naylers</HI> tran&s;mutation of the Lords Supper.</NOTE> <HI>received of the Lord, that I &s;hall declare unto you, which all &s;hall witne&s;s to, who come to partake thereof, as the truth is in Je&s;us Chri&s;t. If you intend to &s;up with the Lord, or &s;hew the Lords death till he come, let your eating and drinking, &s;o oft as you do it, be in remembrance of him, and in his fear, that at death you may witne&s;s to the lu&s;t and exce&s;s, &amp;c.</HI> If
<PB N="193" REF="115"> this man were not lo&s;t him&s;elf, could he write thus wildely, fal&s;ly, impudently, or mini&s;ter &s;uch a mi&s;erable comfort to a troubled minde? Why, where, will the poor lo&s;t &s;imple &s;oul &s;ay, is the fallacy, wildene&s;s, impudence? The fallacy in this, that by <HI>eating and drinking, as oft as you do it,</HI> he meaneth, your ordinary meals, of Breakfa&s;t, Dinner, or Supper; for &s;o he expre&s;&s;eth it, <HI>Page 43. This was to be done at all &s;ea&s;ons when they eat and drank.</HI> The wildene&s;s in this, <HI>For the &s;ake of &s;uch as are lo&s;t, and that at death you may witne&s;s to the lu&s;t and exce&s;s.</HI> The impudence in this, that he &s;aith, <HI>He received it of the Lord;</HI> and <HI>to avoid exce&s;s,</HI> and of <HI>becoming reprobates in the faith, it was</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 44.</NOTE> <HI>that the Lord Je&s;us commanded his Di&s;ciples, in eating and drinking, to &s;hew forth his death till he came.</HI> And <HI>this was that the Apo|&s;tles received of the Lord, and &s;o practi&s;ed,</HI> till <HI>he was come to them;</HI> and then <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 46.</NOTE> <HI>they continued it for their &s;akes who were weak in the faith, to whom he was not yet appeared.</HI> What<NOTE PLACE="marg">His colour|able Rea&s;ons di&s;-colou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">ed.</NOTE> colour, will the lo&s;t &s;imple &s;oul &s;ay, hath he for all this? He hath &s;omething &s;urely to &s;et forth his new di&s;h?</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> Fir&s;t, He thinketh <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 43.</NOTE> <HI>this Lords Supper was done and in&s;ti|tuted by Chri&s;t, as they &s;ate at meat, and did eat,</HI> Mat. 26. 26. Mark 14. 22. But mu&s;t it therefore be confounded with every ones common ordinary meal? That Supper which he in&s;tituted a new, was, if <HI>Luke</HI> 22. 20. be con&s;ulted, after the Pa&s;chal Supper: and <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 25. after <HI>he,</HI> the Lord had &s;upped, yea, after he had ri&s;en at the end of the Pa&s;chal Supper, <HI>John</HI> 13. 2. he took a towel, wa&s;ht his Di&s;ci|ples feet, &s;ate down again, <HI>ver.</HI> 12. and had given the dip|ped &s;op to the Traitor, who upon the receiving of it, went immediately out, <HI>ver.</HI> 30. and came in no more. But now Chri&s;t and his cho&s;en ones are alone, they not having remo|ved the Table; the Lord enters his Sermon, <HI>John</HI> 13. latter end, with <HI>Chap.</HI> 14. 15, 16. and having taken bread and then the cup, he either prayed that in <HI>Chap.</HI> 17. or (after his di&s;tinct con&s;ecrating words of ble&s;&s;ing, and thank&s;giving; and his giving, and their taking of the bread and wine) at the end of the whole action; for <HI>John</HI> 18. 1. compared with <HI>Mat.</HI> 26. 30. the prayer (after the Sermon) ended, and the <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> Hymn &s;ung by them all, they go forth, over the Brook
<PB N="194" REF="116"> <HI>Kedron,</HI> into a Garden in <HI>Geth&s;emane,</HI> near to the Mount of <HI>Olives.</HI> It appeareth by what is &s;aid, it was a di&s;tinct Supper from the re&s;t, attended with &s;olemn Speeches, Pray|ers, and Prai&s;es in pro&s;e, and in a Song. If all the Quakers drink in <HI>James Naylers</HI> Doctrine, they will then take up Prayer, and Thanks at meals, which many have laid down, they will be frequent in &s;inging Hymns; even as oft as they eat and drink, it mu&s;t be done, if they will believe what he &s;aith the lord hath revealed unto him. But &s;ome will be wi&s;er, I hope, then &s;ome other, and hear rea&s;on, as it di|vinely lyeth in the Scripture. The Scripture calleth the in&s;ti|tuted bread and wine, <HI>this bread,</HI> and <HI>this cup, and this cup of the Lord, 1 Cor.</HI> 11. 26, 27. And this bread it calls <HI>Chri&s;ts body;</HI> and this cup, the <HI>cup of the new Te&s;tament;</HI> and the wine, <HI>Chri&s;ts blood.</HI> Will <HI>J. N.</HI> or any of his friends be &s;o profane, as to call every piece of bread he eateth, and every draught of drink, with &s;uch an Empha&s;is, and &s;uch a title? Will he make no meals of any thing but of bread and drink? or, will he have all his own, and Believers drink, to be of the fruit of the vine? Thus the Scripture de&s;cribeth the Lords Supper to con&s;i&s;t, for the outward matter, of bread and wine (as I have before proved for <HI>R. F.</HI> his conviction.) The Scripture, neither from Chri&s;ts mouth, nor <HI>Pauls</HI> pen, &s;aith, As oft as ye eat and drink, it is the Lords Supper; but as oft as ye <HI>do this,</HI> eat of <HI>this bread, drink of this cup,</HI> ye do &s;hew the Lords death <HI>till he come.</HI> What boldne&s;s is it to make that temporary, and of &s;hort continuance, which the Apo&s;tle &s;aith is to be held up till he cometh! 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 26. And &s;uch a coming he &s;peaks of there, as in other of his Epi&s;tles, but e&s;pecially, con&s;ult, 1 <HI>The&s;&s;. 5. 2. 2 The&s;&s;.</HI> 2. 1, 2.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> Secondly, You will finde him &s;ugge&s;ting to the lo&s;t be|wildred &s;oul, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the lo&s;t, pag. 43.</NOTE> <HI>That the Church</HI> at Jeru&s;alem <HI>did continue in the Apo&s;tles doctrine,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>and breaking bread from hou&s;e to hou&s;e, did eat their meat with gladne&s;s,</HI> &amp;c. What then? If their breaking bread, and eating meat be confounded, that in <HI>ver.</HI> 42. with that in <HI>ver.</HI> 46. here was confu&s;ion in the Churches greate&s;t purity, which <HI>J. N.</HI> denieth. If bread and wine was di&s;tinctly u&s;ed (after the Lords in&s;titution) and
<PB N="195" REF="116"> apart from their civil repa&s;ts and meals; then he hath no|thing makes for his transfigured Supper, from this Scri|pture: But <HI>ver.</HI> 42. &s;peaks of Church-ordinances by them|&s;elves,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 2. 42. 46. cleared.</NOTE> and <HI>ver.</HI> 46. of Family-repa&s;t, as di&s;tinct from the other; and the latter words explain but the former, their breaking bread <HI>domatim,</HI> or at home, is &s;aid to be eating meat, which was not the Lords Supper. <HI>J. Nayler</HI> reads it, <HI>daily breaking bread from hou&s;e to hou&s;e,</HI> but 'tis not &s;o read, or to be read (though 'tis a truth to be &s;uppo&s;ed they did daily take their ordinary repa&s;ts, more then once a day) but, they continuing daily with one accord in the Tem|ple, &amp;c. There is nothing of certain ground for daily u&s;e of the Lords Supper, but <HI>Acts</HI> 20. 7. will &s;hew us the primitive practi&s;e of a&s;&s;embling every fir&s;t day of the week, for that breaking of bread at the Lords Table; and &s;o <HI>Tremelius</HI> out of the Syriack, hath it, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 20. When ye come to|gether<NOTE PLACE="marg">In die Domi|ni no&s;tri.</NOTE> on our Lords day, ye do not eat and drink, as is meet. And if it be read after the Greek, as we read it, When ye come together into one place, &amp;c. it &s;heweth the eating and drinking of the Lords Supper was, and &s;hould be (by the Churches re&s;pectively, as that at <HI>Corinth</HI> for one) in &s;ome one place together; and civil ordinary meals &s;hould be (as they were at <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> at fir&s;t) in their own hou|&s;es, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 34.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> Thirdly, &s;aith <HI>J. N.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">pag as above</NOTE> <HI>In their eating and drinking, at all &s;ea&s;ons, they were to do it to the Lord, and therein to have communion with his Body, and his Blood; and for that end were to keep them&s;elves pure from all pollution.</HI> It is a truth, nor they, nor we are to &s;in in any action, but whether we eat or drink, &amp;c. do all to the Lord and his glory: we are not to feed without fear, we are to keep from all exce&s;s, do all in a mortified way, think and &s;peak of Chri&s;t at dinner and &s;upper, but this mu&s;t not nullifie or make void the peculiar Ordinance of the Lords Supper, but rather we mu&s;t fre|quently ob&s;erve it, as a &s;olemn help to purity and mortifi|cation, influential into our whole conver&s;ation. Commu|nion with Chri&s;t, and his Body and Blood, is to be perpe|tually held up in all our actions, natural, civil and &s;acred, by faith and the communion of his Spirit; but the communion
<PB N="196" REF="117"> with him, in the u&s;e of the memorative &s;igns of his body and his blood (<HI>viz.</HI> bread and wine) &s;olemnly &s;et apart by his &s;pecial appointment, for that end, is yet an advancing work, di&s;tinct by it &s;elf from other actions of ordinary com|munion.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4"> Fourthly, <HI>J. Nayler</HI> in the place afore&s;aid pre&s;umeth, <HI>when the Chri&s;tians were to eat with Gentiles-unbelieving, they were to partake of the Table of the Lord, as is plain, 1 Cor.</HI> 10. which is neither plain nor true, under&s;tood of the &s;ame time, place and company, as this man holds it forth: for their eating with the Infidels was at be&s;t (when there was no meat offered to idols, or no knowledge of it, no &s;cru|ple made about it) but a civil corre&s;pondence: and there was more then <HI>Bread</HI> and <HI>Wine</HI> (the onely outward materi|als at the Lords Table) even what&s;oever was &s;old in the &s;ham|bles, <HI>ver.</HI> 25. Be&s;ides, the place and company, where and with whom they did eat and drink at the Lords Table, was in &s;ome one Meeting-hou&s;e or other (as the hou&s;e of <HI>Gaius, Rom.</HI> 16. 23. for one) where the whole Church, and onely the Church did participate. It is to no purpo&s;e what he &s;aith afterwards, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 44.</NOTE> <HI>Whether they eat or drank, they were to do it to the Lord, as at his Table;</HI> for every like is not the &s;ame: and although different actions meet in the &s;ame ge|neral ultimate end, yet there are &s;pecial &s;ubordinate ends to each of them.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5"> Fifthly he addes, <HI>There is no other thing can keep from feeding in the lu&s;t, and eating to the lu&s;t, but to eat in remem|brance of Chri&s;ts death til he come,</HI> &amp;c. And I &s;ubjoyn, It is not our eating every day in fear and moderation (as it ought to be) that will mortifie a lu&s;t, but onely give a check of re|&s;traint: Bodily exerci&s;e of fa&s;ting profiteth little that way. Acting of faith upon Chri&s;ts death every day will do much, as well out of meals, as at them; yea, he that doth not re|member Chri&s;t at his plowing, and &s;owing, when he lieth down, when he ri&s;eth up, goeth out, or cometh in; or at other times, as at break-fa&s;t, dinner or &s;upper, will go near to forget him then: But that we may never forget him, and his death, and his power and love to take away our &s;in, he hath left us his &s;olemn &s;acred Supper, as an in&s;tituted means
<PB N="197" REF="117"> of a Remembrance of him, to be u&s;ed as oft as with conve|niency we can meet at his Table.</P>
<P>Let not <HI>J. Nayler</HI> or any man upbraid us with <HI>eating and drinking in a Self-&s;olemnity, once a moneth, or three times a year.</HI> The &s;uper&s;titious ob&s;ervation of times (by man &s;et up) is laid down, I think, by all the Godly in the three Nations, as to that bu&s;ine&s;s. None have impo&s;itions upon them for once a moneth. Were hearts and pur&s;es large enough in all the Churches, they might meet every fir&s;t day of the week (our Chri&s;tian Sabbath-day, a day that the Lord hath made for &s;olemn conventions and exultations, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 118. 24) at the Lords Table. Let him look to the idols in his own heart, and beware of impo&s;ing upon others his New-model, or put|ting off his Gibeoniti&s;h old clouted &s;hooes, and mouldy bread, I mean his pieces of old Famili&s;m: For what &s;hall we make of that pa&s;&s;age? <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the Lo&s;t. pag 45.</NOTE> [<HI>It mu&s;t needs be &s;o</HI> (viz. <HI>to &s;pend upon their lu&s;ts) with &s;uch as do not di&s;cern his body in their eatings, who is the Body of all creatures</HI>] but a chip of the old block, <HI>H. N.</HI> the old father of the pretended Family of Love, his Doctrine; to incorporate Gods E&s;&s;ence into the crea|tures, and the creatures into his? For, &s;aid he, <HI>In the be|ginning one God, and one man, had in all one order, being and nature:</HI> And, <HI>God was all that the man was, and the man was all that God was:</HI> Accordingly &s;aith <HI>J. N. He is the Body of all creatures, and filleth all things in heaven and in earth;</HI> but by <HI>them</HI> that are <HI>in the lu&s;t, Chri&s;t is not di&s;cerned pre&s;ent, who is the fulne&s;s and vertue of every creature.</HI> Here is, it may be, an Ubiquitarian my&s;tery, Chri&s;ts glorified Body, dei|fied, and to be di&s;cerned every where in every creature. But will the lo&s;t &s;oul be carried away with this winde of do|ctrine, &s;o diver&s;e and e&s;tranging from, and contrary to the ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tles intention? 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 29. where, by not<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 11. 29. vind<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">cated &amp; cleared.</NOTE> di&s;cerning the Lords Body, he holdeth forth their &s;in, who confound their own meals with the Lords Supper: whereas 'tis the duty of all the Churches, and every Communicant, to di&s;tingui&s;h both notionally and practically between that Bread and Wine in&s;tituted and &s;et apart for &s;pecial, &s;acred, &s;piritual u&s;e, and common ordinary food, u&s;ed for civil re|pa&s;t and corporal nouri&s;hment. The Bread at the Lords
<PB N="198" REF="118"> Table, is to be di&s;cerned as a pledge, &s;ign and memorial of the Lord Chri&s;t his natural body once broken and crucified: The Wine is to be di&s;cerned as the &s;ign, pledge and memo|rial of his natural blood &s;hed in the garden, and upon the cro&s;s; And the relation which Chri&s;t hath unto his appointed &s;igns, together with my&s;tical union, and &s;pecial &s;piritual pre|&s;ence, promi&s;ed and given to the true partaker of the &s;igns, is to be di&s;cerned al&s;o; all which <HI>James Nayler</HI> is ignorant of (or wilfully &s;huts his eyes) with his fellow-creature <HI>R. F.</HI> who threw off the ordinance <HI>becau&s;e he wanted the a&s;&s;urance that he expected.</HI> But how to reconcile the&s;e two mens wri|tings about the Lords Supper, I was at a lo&s;s (while the one &s;aith, <HI>Wheat bread and red wine is not &s;ouls food</HI> (as before) and the other dictateth, <HI>The Lords Supper was to be at all &s;ea&s;ons when they eat and drank:</HI> one would have the Sup|per to be altogether within; the other would have it to be at all times when men eat with moderation, and without exce&s;s; it is well if they under&s;tand them&s;elves) until I com|pared their other words, <HI>viz.</HI> of <HI>R. F. The Lord is come in to &s;up with me,</HI> with <HI>James Naylers, God's Son the fulne&s;s and virtue of every creature, which all know, who come to his Supper, where the Father and the Son are come in, and &s;up with the creature:</HI> And hereby (as by other of their ex|pre&s;&s;ions) it appeareth they do, both of them, ca&s;t off the external vi&s;ible ordinance of the u&s;e of particular bread and wine, at &s;ome times, for the ends appointed; and re&s;olve it into an imaginary transformed communion of God in and with every creature; which, &s;o it &s;peaks like <HI>H. N.</HI> the old branded Famili&s;t, they care not how unlike the Holy Scri|pture they write, as one &s;aid long &s;ince of his fir&s;t followers.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="40" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 40.</HEAD>
<P>THat they may with the fairer &s;hew make void the Lords in&s;titution, at his Table; they have devi&s;ed fal&s;e Interpretations of that place in 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 26. one of which<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 11. 26. vandicated.</NOTE> I di&s;covered in this Section; to which <HI>R. F.</HI> an&s;wereth no|thing, although I had it out of one of his Pamphlets, <HI>viz.</HI> of <HI>&s;hewing the Lords death till he came to his di&s;ciples after his re&s;urrection;</HI> which to mention onely carrieth confutation
<PB N="199" REF="118"> in the forehead: <HI>J. Nayler</HI> notwith&s;tanding its gro&s;ne&s;s, favors this &s;en&s;e, and addes another. Fir&s;t, he gratifies <HI>R. F.</HI> in his &s;en&s;e, by reading or writing it in the Praeter ten&s;e <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the lo&s;t. page 43.</NOTE>: <HI>They were to do it in remembrance of him, &s;hewing his death till he came.</HI> Now <HI>Pauls</HI> words are plainly re&s;pecting the time to come; <HI>till he come, i. e.</HI> till the very in&s;tant hour of his coming; for the * Adverb of time notes duration, ha|ving<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> another Adverb and Particle added to it, which imply a drawing out of the time; that &s;hould the Lord &s;tay never &s;o long ere he comes, the Supper is to be continued till that coming of his, which I hinted in the former Section, was his coming the &s;econd time (as it is called <HI>Heb.</HI> 9. 18.) in that humane nature which at his fir&s;t coming he a&s;&s;umed into the unity of his per&s;on: The word for [<HI>he come</HI>] u&s;ed by <HI>Paul,</HI> is the &s;ame, and in the &s;ame &s;ubjunctive Mood, as in <HI>Luke</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> 9. 26. when <HI>he &s;hall come</HI> in his own glory, and in his Fa|thers, &amp;c. &s;o it might be read in <HI>Paul,</HI> as our Latine <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Beza.</NOTE> Tran|&s;lation hath it, <HI>u&s;quequo venerit,</HI> and <HI>Tremelius</HI> out of the Syriack, <HI>u&s;que ad adventum ejus,</HI> even till his very appearance in the clouds: For that meaning mu&s;t &s;tand, what&s;oever.</P>
<P><HI>J. Nayler</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the Lo&s;t. pag. 46.</NOTE>, &s;econdly, addes to the former Fiction; <HI>viz.</HI> That Chri&s;t <HI>charging his di&s;ciples to wait for his coming, at Jeru&s;alem, the promi&s;e of the Father, of which he had told them before his death, which they were to &s;hew &s;o often as they broke bread, till he came, and after he was come to the Apo|&s;tles, they continued it for their &s;akes which were weak in the faith, to whom he was not yet appeared.</HI> Where, by the com|ing of Chri&s;t, he would have his lo&s;t Souls under&s;tand his coming in the Spirit onely: and not minde what <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith of the after-continuance of the Lords Supper, till his vi&s;ible glorious appearance: onely if he hath appeared in the Spi|rit, it is enough, the Lord is come, they are now perfect, and may ca&s;t off Gods in&s;tituted Forms of Wor&s;hip, in the for|mer <HI>figure,</HI> onely for others &s;ake, they may keep them up; but then, poor &s;ouls, what will follow? You that are not yet arrived at their perfection, mu&s;t hold fellow&s;hip with them that may forget Chri&s;ts death (for they eat and drink no longer in remembrance of him) and put dooms-day out of their thoughts, and then the &s;en&s;uality charged by <HI>James
<PB N="200" REF="119"> Nayler</HI> upon others, &s;eizeth upon them&s;elves. But again&s;t this poy&s;on let me give you a few Antidotes.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1"> 1. No Believer is without the Spirit, and the Lords com|ing<NOTE PLACE="marg">Antidotes.</NOTE> in Spirit, as it came at fir&s;t to the Apo&s;tles, before Chri&s;ts death, and to the <HI>Corinthians</HI> by <HI>Pauls</HI> mini&s;tery, at their fir&s;t conver&s;ion, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 2. 4. and to the <HI>The&s;&s;alonians, 1 The&s;&s;.</HI> 1. 5.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2"> 2. There are none that have the greate&s;t mea&s;ures of the Spirit, in a &s;anctified way, but have need of more, <HI>Phil.</HI> 3. 12.</P>
<P N="3">3. The Apo&s;tles continued the Lords Supper (after the pourings out of the Spirit, <HI>Acts</HI> 2. 1.) for their own u&s;e and benefit; for 'tis &s;aid, <HI>Acts</HI> 2. 42. The converts continued in the Apo&s;tles doctrine and fellow&s;hip, and <HI>breaking of bread,</HI> and prayers: not that the Apo&s;tles continued it for their &s;akes onely who were <HI>weak in the faith.</HI> The &s;tronge&s;t Be|liever walks but by faith here, and not by &s;ight, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5. 7. and will have need of &s;uch <HI>wheat-bread</HI> and <HI>red-wine,</HI> as a bait in his walk and journey: And although the Apo&s;tles had gifts extraordinary <HI>Acts</HI> 2. 1, &amp;c. conferred upon them, their Sanctification was not then perfected. <HI>Peter,</HI> one mo&s;t forward, &s;lipt and &s;tumbled now and then, <HI>Acts 10. 14, 15. Gal. 2. 12, 13, 14. Barnabas,</HI> a good man, and full of the Holy Gho&s;t and of faith, <HI>Acts</HI> 11. 24. yet fell into &s;harp contention with <HI>Paul,</HI> &s;tumbled on the blinde &s;ide, in &s;iding with <HI>Mark</HI> his &s;i&s;ters &s;on, <HI>Col. 4. 10. Acts</HI> 15. 37, &amp;c. and halted with <HI>Peter, Gal.</HI> 2. to in&s;tance in no more.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3"> 3. The comings and manife&s;tations of the Lord in his Spirit, may be lo&s;t in a great degree by the Saints, as the ex|periences of <HI>David, P&s;al. 51. 11, 12. Heman, P&s;al.</HI> 88. 11. 15. and others are upon Record in Scripture. Famous is that of Mr. <HI>Robert Glover</HI> Martyr, who two or three days before his death, was lumpi&s;h and de&s;olate of all &s;piritual Con&s;o|lation, till going to the Stake, the Lord re&s;tored his Joys, and then he cryed out to his friend Mr. <HI>Bernher, Au&s;tine, he is come, he is come.</HI> Chri&s;t is free to come, or go, and with|draw as he plea&s;eth, both as to the in-comes of joy, and of power al&s;o: and look to it, O ye lo&s;t &s;ouls, who tru&s;t to the&s;e deceivers, that <HI>tru&s;t</HI> to their pre&s;ent manife&s;tations, were they never &s;o true, their hearts deceive them, and their
<PB N="201" REF="119"> doctrines deceive you; if onely you keep to ordinances, and that of the Lords Supper, till you have got a little com|fort, and then bid farewell to all. Great is the pride and un|thankfulne&s;s of &s;uch, who, after they have been enlightned, and have ta&s;ted of the heavenly gift, and were made parta|kers of the holy Gho&s;t, and have ta&s;ted of the good word of God (the &s;weetne&s;s of the promi&s;es) and the powers of of the world to come, do fall off from the means, and or|dinances; a great forerunner it is to the unpardonable &s;in, to wilful, malitious Apo&s;ta&s;ie, which if it be totall, will be final and irrecoverable. <HI>Heb.</HI> 6. 4, 5, 6. &amp;c.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="14" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(14. Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning Prayer.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="41" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 41.</HEAD>
<P>I Had noted their expre&s;s contradiction [<HI>we are again&s;t publique Prayer</HI>] to what we have, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14. 14. and 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 2. 8. for prayer in the publique meetings of the Church, and in every place.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 21. Publique prayer not forbidden by Chri&s;t.</NOTE> tells me I <HI>have wronged the words, by turning them into a wrong &s;en&s;e.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> What is their &s;en&s;e?</P>
<P>He &s;aith, they <HI>are again&s;t a publique prayer, which is in the &s;tate of the Phari&s;ee.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> What is a prayer in the &s;tate of the Phari&s;ee?</P>
<P>He tells us, <HI>that which Chri&s;t forbids,</HI> Matth 6. 5.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 6 5. vindicated.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. What have we there? let the words be read: And when thou praye&s;t thou &s;halt not be as the hypocrites: for <HI>they love</HI> to pray &s;tanding in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the &s;treets, <HI>that they may be &s;een of men.</HI> Here is no prohibition of publique prayers in publique places, but of affectation of private prayers, in publique places to be &s;een and ob&s;erved of men. It is indeed Phari&s;aical to fall to pri|vate devotion, when a publique work is in hand, in the
<PB N="202" REF="120"> &s;ame place; or when there is none, yet there is company to ob&s;erve, it is without, and again&s;t rule, to pray by a mans &s;elf, when the company cannot be edified, by that which a man &s;peaks unto God, and not in the hearing of the per|&s;ons pre&s;ent, and to their under&s;tanding; but <HI>R. F.</HI> hath not this &s;en&s;e, but judgeth rather we are all in the &s;tate of the Phari&s;ee, who are the mouth to the re&s;t in our publique meeting places.</P>
<P N="2">2. We have found their practical oppo&s;ition, and refu&s;al of joyning with our publique prayer, which is the be&s;t in|terpreter of their &s;en&s;e, and &s;peaks more what is in their hearts, then <HI>R. F.</HI> his glo&s;s upon it. Once at <HI>Edinburgh,</HI> one of theirs, went out, at the end of my Sermon, after he had &s;poken what he had to &s;ay, when I told him I would go to prayer, for the di&s;covery where the error laid, on his part or ours. Another time &s;ince at <HI>Cogges-hall</HI> in <HI>E&s;&s;ex</HI> (on a day of prayer and fa&s;ting) when I was about to pray before Sermon, one <HI>J. Parnell,</HI> fir&s;t, being called upon by the magi&s;trate to put off his Hat, ask't why he bade not him in the Pulpit put off his Cap, and then turned his back upon the ordinance (although he was offered liberty to &s;peak further, if he would &s;tay quietly till our work was ended) if this be their maner of owning publique prayer, it is neither after the way of truth, love, or peace, nor after the order of the Spirit of God, who teacheth better ma|ners, and behaviour before God, and men. <HI>R. F.</HI> mu&s;t not think to put us off with [<HI>but the praying with the Spirit we own</HI>] as if they that pray in publique, did not pray with the Spirit: or <HI>that it agrees with the &s;aying of Chri&s;t,</HI> Matth. 6. 6.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth 6. 6. vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>when thou praye&s;t, enter into thy Clo&s;et,</HI> &amp;c. as if the pub|lique ordinance may not &s;tand with the private; for the mo&s;t retired and &s;ecret duties, are to fit and make ready for the publique: onely 'tis our Lords &s;cope there to con|fine a private prayer, to a private place: as it is the A|po&s;tles order, from the Lord, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14. 14, 15, 16. when<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 14. 14, 15 cleared &amp; vindicated.</NOTE> we pray publiquely (in Church-conventions, all which have a publiquene&s;s in them) to pray &s;o as others may be edified thereby, who are Saints; and tho&s;e who occupy the room of the unlearned, may te&s;tifie their con&s;ents by &s;aying A|men;
<PB N="203" REF="120"> which they could not do if either the per&s;on praying &s;poke onely to his own hearing, or in the heart, not with an audible voyce to others; or when they heard him, they could not under&s;tand him, becau&s;e he expre&s;t him&s;elf in an unknown tongue. All that I drive at (with the Apo&s;tles and our Saviours &s;cope) is that every ordinance, and outward part of wor&s;hip be owned in its place, and that this of pub|lique prayer may not be di&s;owned ere the more, becau&s;e of the&s;e mens crying up their praying by the Spirit, in oppo&s;i|tion to the Churches publique prayers, which the Primitive Church at <HI>Jeru&s;alem Act.</HI> 2. 42. attended, and continued in, and which the pre&s;ent Saints and Churches in the&s;e na|tions hold up according to pre&s;ident, and precept. <HI>R. F.</HI> in another Pamphlet of his, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Truth clea|red of Scan|dals. pag. 2.</NOTE> &s;aith, <HI>they are led by the Spirit, and he maketh interce&s;&s;ion for them according to the minde and will of God.</HI> But their practi&s;e &s;hews they are not in this led by the Spirit, when they cro&s;s the minde and will of God, by refu&s;ing to joyn with the Saints in a publique prayer; we acknowledge that no wicked mans prayer is ac|cepted, publiquely, or privately made by him. It is their duty to pray, but not their priviledge, who are de&s;titute of the Spirit, and out of Chri&s;t; But to profe&s;s prayer <HI>from the &s;econd birth,</HI> while yet <HI>they know not how to pray as they ought, but as the Spirit maketh interce&s;&s;ion with &s;ighs and groans</HI> (which are <HI>J. Parnells</HI> words <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Shield of truth. p. 14, 15</NOTE>) is to contradict their doctrine of perfection: And to give a da&s;h at all our publique prayer, as the <HI>long prayer of the Phari&s;ees,</HI> is to &s;trike at the Spirit, and contradict the Scripture allow|ance of the publiquene&s;s and length of prayer, upon occa&s;i|on, while we give no allowance to Phari&s;aical ends and pre|tences, but can approve our per&s;ons and hearts to God in Je&s;us Chri&s;t; our per&s;ons in Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s reckoned to us, by faith: our hearts, &s;o far as renewed, by the grace and power of his in-dwelling Spirit. <HI>James Nayler</HI> hath expre&s;&s;ions, one would think, of this tendency, that com|plies with our doctrine, in his common place of Wor&s;hip <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the Lo&s;t. p. 8, 9.</NOTE> (wherein he in&s;tanceth in no part of wor&s;hip but prayer) he acknowledgeth, as we teach, <HI>The wor&s;hip of the true and living God &s;tands out of mans will;</HI> and, <HI>before any man can
<PB N="204" REF="121"> rightly wor&s;hip God, he mu&s;t wait to know the Spirit;</HI> But now let the lo&s;t &s;oul beware of his coun&s;el; where &s;hould they wait? <HI>you mu&s;t</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>know the light, and in it wait, till therein you finde the Spirits leading, acting, and ordering.</HI> This coun&s;el, if followed, keeps men off from the po&s;itive parts of wor&s;hip, revealed in the Scripture: The light that every man hath, as he comes into the world (which is the light they nouri&s;h up people in, in oppo&s;ition to Scripture|light) makes known nothing of publique mini&s;tery, Church officers therein, of water-Bapti&s;m, Lords Supper, publique order of prayer &amp;c. nor of Chri&s;t mediator, nor of the<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Spirit of Prayer to be found in the publ<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">que mini&s;tery.</NOTE> Spirit of promi&s;e; nor of one promi&s;e of grace, or graci|ous acceptation in Chri&s;t: Had not the lo&s;t &s;oul better coun&s;el, while he was under publique mini&s;tery, to attend there for the coming of the Spirit, the Spirit of faith and prayer; where God u&s;eth to give it, <HI>Acts</HI> 10. 44. and promi&s;eth to pour it out, <HI>Prov.</HI> 1. 22, 23. with 20. 21. <HI>ver&s;es.</HI> How true is that which <HI>J. Nayler</HI> hath, in the &s;ame place, according to our Scripture-doctrine? <HI>when a man hath been doing evil, neglecting good, and then he runs to act a wor&s;hip to get peace, the prayer becomes abomination; for he that re|gards impurity, the Lord will not hear his prayers, nor ac|cept his wor&s;hips; that's Cains &s;acrifice, and E&s;aus prayers: but either mu&s;t your wor&s;hip be performed in one that never &s;inned, or it cannot be accepted with the pure God.</HI> Yet here is his mi&s;-guidance of lo&s;t &s;ouls,</P>
<P N="1">1. That he would lead them <HI>off from joyning with him that makes long prayers&punc;</HI> &s;uch a one, he &s;eems to &s;peak of, who <HI>hides his wickedne&s;s with pretence of godline&s;s;</HI> but he makes no dif|ference of any that &s;erve Chri&s;t and his people, publiquely, in the nation, as if they were all &s;uch, &amp; to be &s;eparated from.</P>
<P N="2">2. He directs to the commands in Spirit, in oppo&s;ition to the Scripture-Letter: for thus he delivers him&s;elf; <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 11.</NOTE> <HI>All the Saints have their commands in Spirit, but yours is in the letter; and &s;o of another mini&s;tration; for the literal mini|&s;tration is done away in the &s;piritual.</HI> As if the Spirit did not give out his commands by the written letter, or the Scri|pture, and his power al&s;o, by the reading and hearing of it; and by praying according to the rules and patterns of
<PB N="205" REF="121"> prayer therein contained. But &s;omething, O ye lo&s;t &s;ouls, you will finde (when the great Shepherd &s;eeks up his lo&s;t ones, and brings back that which is gone a&s;tray, <HI>Ezek.</HI> 34. 16) ever and anon that alienated your hearts from the Scripture, by the &s;pirit of Contradiction that is in the&s;e mens Teachings and Writings.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="15" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(15. Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning Singing.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="42" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 42.</HEAD>
<P>I Gave account of their expre&s;s words, <HI>We are again&s;t all your</HI> Davids <HI>Prai&s;es and Prophecies in meeter;</HI> con|trary to <HI>Ephe&s;. 5. 19. Col.</HI> 3. 16. and other Scriptures. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 21.</NOTE> makes me this return, <HI>Singing of P&s;alms, and Hymns, and &s;piritual Songs, we are not again&s;t, but own; but your Poetry we deny.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> He might as well &s;ay, your tran&s;lation of them into Engli&s;h meeter we deny: But if P&s;alms, Hymns, and &s;piri|tual Songs be owned, they are either <HI>Davids,</HI> and other of the Saints penning, and the Spirits inditing in the Scripture, or of their own compo&s;ing: if they own none but of their own compo&s;ing, they reject <HI>Davids,</HI> and what was left for<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alms cannot be &s;ung with|out meeter, or due mea&s;ures of &s;peech.</NOTE> our u&s;e in Scripture; contradicting both it by that rejecti|on, and them&s;elves al&s;o, by owning P&s;alms, Hymns, and Songs, and di&s;-owning meeter or Poetry: for never was there Song, Hymn, or P&s;alm &s;ung forth, as it ought to be, but it had &s;ome modulation, mu&s;ical mea&s;ure, or tune. What is Poetry, but a confined &s;peech, or words bound up into ver&s;es of &s;o many feet? Or, what is meeter, but a form of words ordered into &s;et pau&s;es and re&s;ts, and &s;ung in its due mea&s;ures? And what better Poetry then that in the Scripture? which is tran&s;lated and ordered as &s;uteth be&s;t to our own mother Tongue, for &s;inging, and teaching others to &s;ing <HI>Davids</HI> words and prai&s;es, with <HI>Davids &s;pirit.</HI></P>
<PB N="206" REF="122">
<P>But &s;aith <HI>R. F. We deny your teaching people to &s;ing lyes in hypocri&s;ie, &s;aying, they are not puft in minde, when they are puft in minde;</HI> and, <HI>they have no &s;cornful eye, when they have.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. We call none to &s;ing that which is not true, for the matter; and we exhort them to &s;ing in a &s;incere maner, with an upright heart.</P>
<P N="2">2. A &s;incere heart may &s;ing that, or other P&s;alms, as <HI>Davids</HI> frame of &s;pirit more then his own; yet, with de|&s;ires and breathings after a farther mea&s;ure of humility, weanedne&s;s of affection from the world, faith, joy in the holy Gho&s;t, &amp;c.</P>
<P N="3">3. If the wicked take the name of God in vain, &s;in lies at their door, we warn them again&s;t <HI>hypocri&s;ie.</HI> For this man therefore to &s;ay, <HI>We teach people to &s;ing lyes in hypocri&s;ie,</HI> is to &s;peak a fal&s;hood in plain Engli&s;h. He may think his tongue and pen is his own, and none &s;hall control him, yet I would have him remember, <HI>P&s;alm 52. ver.</HI> 2, 4, 5.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="16" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(16 Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning Elders and Ordination.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="43" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 43.</HEAD>
<P><HI>ORdaining of Elders was not by man,</HI> &s;aid one; this I noted as contrary to <HI>Acts</HI> 14. 23. where by the direction and a&s;&s;i&s;tance of the Apo&s;tles, with the &s;uffrages, or con&s;enting voices, and ge&s;tures of the Brethren, in the Churches, Elders (Teaching and Ru|ling) were ordained; or being cho&s;en, were &s;et apart to their office, by Prayer and fa&s;ting, in every Church. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 21.</NOTE> repre&s;ents me, as if I had not truly quoted <HI>James Nayler,</HI> his <HI>Di&s;covery of the man of &s;in, Page</HI> 38. and calls <HI>the wi&s;e|hearted to read that book, and it will witne&s;s, and clear him, and the truth declared in it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Agreed, let the wi&s;e-hearted read all that book, if they plea&s;e, and gather up more of his Errors, to witne&s;s
<PB N="207" REF="122"> again&s;t it, then I have done&punc; But for that which concerneth Ordination, <HI>I again affirm,</HI> &s;aith <HI>J. Nayler, that the ordain|ing of Elders by the direction of the Spirit, was not by man, nor of man, nor any created power,</HI> &amp;c. The wi&s;e-hearted here appealed to, will &s;oon grant, that which they never de|nied, That the direction of the Spirit was his own, not mans; and the <HI>gift of the holy Gho&s;t,</HI> was his gift: But if the holy Gho&s;t makes u&s;e of the Apo&s;tles, and of the Churches, to chu&s;e and &s;et Elders apart, as he did; then the <HI>wi&s;e-hearted</HI> will conclude agai&s;t <HI>J. Nayler:</HI> this call is not immediate, but mediate; a <HI>call of God by man,</HI> or by the mini&s;tery and &s;ervice of man, and is not di&s;proved by what he hath &s;aid to the contrary.</P>
<P>What hath <HI>R. F.</HI> to &s;ay again&s;t it? <HI>This I &s;ay, The holy Gho&s;t made Over&s;eers, and &s;o Elders in the Church,</HI> Acts<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 20. 28. vindicated.</NOTE> 20. 28. <HI>and the holy Gho&s;t is not &s;uch men as you are.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. It were well for <HI>R. F.</HI> if he knew what or who the holy Gho&s;t is. Under that Head of the Trinity (as before <HI>Section</HI> 7.) he was no per&s;on, in his judgement, di&s;tinct from the Father and the Son; and now he tells us, he is not <HI>&s;uch men</HI> as we are: Why, what is he? Is he a man, or Angel? &s;peak out <HI>R. F.</HI> tell us what he is in thy judgement: for in ours, and according to the grounds of our faith, laid down in Scripture, he is neither <HI>&s;uch men,</HI> as we, or the Sect of men, called Quakers; nor is he &s;uch a per&s;on as man, nor is he man or Angel, but the very God. And as he is God with the Father, and the Son, &s;o he is a divine per&s;on di&s;tinct from the per&s;onal &s;ub&s;i&s;tences of the Father and the Son, as hath been proved above.</P>
<P N="2">2. What the Father and the Son do, he doth, as to the making of Over&s;eers, or Bi&s;hops and Elders: he gives the office, he de&s;igns the officer, he furni&s;heth the Elders with graces and gifts fitting for the function, and he directeth the Church by his word and rule, whom to chu&s;e and &s;et apart, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. Yea, he approveth of mens &s;ervice in the &s;etting apart of men to this, as other offices; he made u&s;e of the Prophets and Teachers at <HI>Antioch,</HI> to <HI>&s;eparate him</HI> Barna|bas <HI>and</HI> Saul, <HI>for the work whereunto he had appointed them,</HI> as <HI>R. F.</HI> acknowledgeth; but if he thinketh that which fol|loweth,
<PB N="208" REF="123">
[<HI>and they were &s;ent out by the holy Gho&s;t</HI>] cuts off Ordination by man, it is a contradicting-thought to the ve|ry Scripture he quoteth, <HI>Acts 13. ver.</HI> 3. When they had<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 13. 2, 4. vindicated.</NOTE> fa&s;ted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they &s;ent them away; and yet are &s;aid to be &s;ent forth by the Spirit, becau&s;e they were but in&s;trumental to the Spirits &s;ending; but if he &s;ends by them in&s;trumentally, he &s;ends by them me|diately. If <HI>R. F.</HI> thinketh the Spirits &s;ending in this maner, doth not cut off Ordination by man, then he contradicteth his fellow <HI>J. Nayler,</HI> who &s;aith, <HI>Ordaining</HI> (no not &s;o much as) <HI>of Elders was not by man.</HI></P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="17" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(17. Head of their Scripture-contradiction) <HI>Concerning Mini&s;ters maintenance.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="44" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 44.</HEAD>
<P>I Had noted what <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith in another Pamphlet, <HI>viz. The Apo&s;tle had a free &s;pirit, and was chargeable to no man,</HI> building this a&s;&s;ertion upon 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 9. and<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 11 9. vindicated.</NOTE> mounting it up again&s;t Mini&s;ters taking any mainte|nance: He attends not the Apo&s;tles limitations, I preached <HI>to you</HI> at <HI>Corinth,</HI> the Go&s;pel of God freely, <HI>ver. 7. With you,</HI> I was chargeable to no man, <HI>ver.</HI> 9. nor how he u&s;ed his li|berty el&s;ewhere to take wages, <HI>ver.</HI> 8. But he <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 22.</NOTE> returns me &s;ome truth, and &s;ome railing (as his maner is) Paul <HI>coveted no mans &s;ilver, nor gold, nor apparel, but preached the Go|&s;pel freely, and his hands mini&s;tred to his nece&s;&s;ities; That is truth, and will &s;tand as a witne&s;s again&s;t all proud, covet|ous, &s;elf-&s;eeking, hireling Prie&s;ts in</HI> Scotland <HI>and el&s;ewhere; and at the Truth which witne&s;&s;eth again&s;t your deceit, thou art offended.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> It no ways offendeth me that <HI>R. F.</HI> or any man can write out a Scripture-truth, <HI>viz.</HI> That <HI>Paul</HI> was free of co|vetou&s;ne&s;s (in outward manife&s;t acts, while he had the body of all &s;in within him, take that truth with the other, <HI>Rom.</HI> 7.)
<PB N="209" REF="123"> but it offends me, and much more the holy and true God, when his words are alledged to bad ends and purpo&s;es, and when more is collected from them then he intendeth; as in this ca&s;e of Mini&s;ters maintenance, and in the&s;e in&s;tances of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Preaching freely may &s;tand with taking main|tenance.</NOTE> the Apo&s;tles words and practi&s;e: For,</P>
<P>[Fir&s;t,] Preaching the Go&s;pel freely, may &s;tand with taking allowance and maintenance three ways.</P>
<P N="1">1. When it is preached with a free and cheerful Spirit, as it &s;hould be always, by all the Preachers of the Go&s;pel, not by con&s;traint, but willingly, 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 5. 2.</P>
<P N="2">2. When 'tis preached not <HI>for filthy lucre;</HI> that neither being the fir&s;t nor la&s;t end of the Preachers &s;ervice, for then the wages they take becomes (to them) filthy lucre.</P>
<P N="3">3. When it is upon free-co&s;t, in re&s;pect of &s;ome &s;uch as<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 11 7. cleared.</NOTE> we preach unto. They give, they contribute nothing; no|thing is demanded of them, but &s;upplies are given and re|ceived from other per&s;ons, or places: This was the Apo|&s;tles ca&s;e in reference to the <HI>Corinthians;</HI> he preached all upon free-co&s;t <HI>to them,</HI> took nothing <HI>of them;</HI> but took he nothing of others? Did he live upon the Air? It's fit for Mini&s;ters to live by Faith, but wanted other Churches their Love, or did he refu&s;e &s;upplies from el&s;ewhere? No, <HI>ver.</HI> 9. That which was lacking to me (at <HI>Corinth</HI>) the brethren which came from <HI>Macedonia</HI> &s;upplied.</P>
<P>[Secondly,] From the Apo&s;tles working with his hands, <HI>Acts</HI> 20. 30. cannot be collected, either that Mini&s;ters are<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 20 34. vindicated.</NOTE> bound to follow a trade, (for 'tis ordained of the Lord, they &s;hould live of the Go&s;pel, <HI>i. e.</HI> of the Allowance due to them for preaching the Go&s;pel, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 9. 14. and not of a trade)<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 9. 14. opened.</NOTE> or, that <HI>Paul,</HI> and con&s;equently others, might not have forborn working; for expre&s;ly he tells the <HI>Corinthians,</HI> and others by them, what was the minde of God, and is to this day. 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 9. 6. Or I onely and <HI>Barnabas</HI> have we not power or liberty to forbear working? Ob&s;erve it, [<HI>Or I onely and Barnabas</HI>] it &s;eemeth other Apo&s;tles u&s;ed their liberty every where; <HI>Peter, James,</HI> and <HI>John</HI> had left their nets (as to a trade of fi&s;hing, thereby to get their livelihood) long before, as <HI>Matthew</HI> his Cu&s;tom-hou&s;e; and <HI>Paul</HI> and <HI>Barnabas</HI> might have left their work of Tent|making
<PB N="210" REF="124"> (as they had left off the trade) But at <HI>Corinth,</HI> be|cau&s;e<NOTE PLACE="marg">Section 44</NOTE> <HI>Paul</HI> met &s;o providentially with <HI>Aquila</HI> and <HI>Pri&s;cilla,</HI> who by their occupation were Tent-makers, and he had the skill, he practi&s;ed it with them, <HI>Acts</HI> 18. 3. and at <HI>Ephe|&s;us,</HI> and at <HI>The&s;&s;alonica, 1 The&s;.</HI> 2. 9. he labored with his hands, to mini&s;ter to his nece&s;&s;ities; but there was no ne|ce&s;&s;ity, from any direct precept, that he mu&s;t &s;o labor, or <HI>Sylvanus,</HI> or <HI>Timotheus:</HI> but &s;aith he, <HI>ver.</HI> 6. we might have been burthen&s;om, as the Apo&s;tles of Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>[Thirdly,] Although the Apo&s;tles example, and what followeth, <HI>Acts</HI> 20. 35. may &s;tand as a witne&s;s again&s;t all<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 20. 35. vindicated.</NOTE> loyterers in the mini&s;terial work; and again&s;t all covetous, &s;elf-&s;eeking, hireling Preachers, in every place, (who make hire, and gain the end of their preaching) yet doth it not &s;o much as once appear for witne&s;s again&s;t them, who do what <HI>Paul</HI> him&s;elf did, by rule, <HI>viz.</HI> At &s;ome times, and in &s;ome places take more allowance then otherwhile or where; nor again&s;t them that live meerly upon the allowance of Provi|dence, for the preaching of the Go&s;pel, not having learnt a trade to help them&s;elves withal; and if they had, may u&s;e or not u&s;e their skill, and take pains, as it may be a further|ance or hinderance to their Go&s;pel-work. And the&s;e things well pondered, henceforth let not <HI>R. F.</HI> or others go about to binde up Mini&s;ters where God hath left them free; nor envy or reproach their Calling, with the names of Hire|lings and Prie&s;ts, &amp;c. without di&s;tinction or difference, as if all were &s;uch who have their outward livelihood (accord|ing to Gods ordinance) upon the account of preaching|work, and labor, unto which, who is &s;ufficient? Let not <HI>J. Nayler</HI> &s;end abroad his invectives again&s;t Town-teachers; his common place, concerning the mini&s;tery of Chri&s;t <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Love to the lo&s;t, pag. 60, 6.</NOTE> is little better: The Lord rebuke him, with his fellow <HI>R. F.</HI></P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="18" TYPE="head">
<PB N="211" REF="124">
<HEAD>(18. Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning Immediate Calling.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="45" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 45.</HEAD>
<P>THey pretend, as I noted, to an infallible judgement, and to a calling, not by man, but Immediate; <HI>Whom God &s;ends, he &s;ends forth immediately.</HI> This, &s;poken indefinitely, and meant univer&s;ally, of all that God &s;endeth, is contrary, as I hinted, to <HI>Gal.</HI> 1. 1. where<NOTE PLACE="marg">Call to the Mini&s;tery, either, 1. Vnlawful, <HI>of man</HI> meerly 2. Lawful, and of God.</NOTE> <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks of a &s;ending <HI>of man,</HI> and <HI>by man,</HI> and <HI>by Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> The &s;ending <HI>of man,</HI> is unlawful, when one man &s;ends another who hath no power to &s;end, or the man runs of his own head, upon his own errand; and either knows he is a deceiver, or is deluded by Satan, and thinks him&s;elf im|mediately called, when 'tis onely the voice of his Fancy and Imagination. The &s;ending of God is two-fold, either me|diate,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. By man. 2. Immediate. Gal. 1. 1. cleared.</NOTE> or immediate; both lawful; God &s;ends by mans mi|ni&s;tery, that is mediate; or he &s;ends, at lea&s;t, at fir&s;t, with|out it: Now <HI>Pauls</HI> call, as it was not <HI>of man,</HI> &s;o, at the fir&s;t, it was not of God, <HI>by man,</HI> but immediately, by <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t, Acts</HI> 9.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 22.</NOTE> is not herewith plea&s;ed, but thinketh <HI>Gal. 1. Chap.</HI> will <HI>witne&s;s again&s;t</HI> what I &s;ay; and why &s;o? becau&s;e, <HI>He that was immediately called and &s;ent, doth there witne&s;s the &s;ame.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I affirm that <HI>Paul,</HI> at the fir&s;t, was immediately cal|led, &s;o was he immediately converted; were <HI>R. F. Ed. Burroughs, J. Nayler, J. Parnel,</HI> and others, therefore im|mediately &s;ent, becau&s;e <HI>Paul</HI> was? We have a Proverb, I would not have it offend, if I remember and mention it apt|ly, &s;ea&s;onably, and ju&s;tly; <HI>As the Bell tinketh, &s;o the Fool thinketh.</HI></P>
<P>[<HI>As for pretences, we do not pretend to be immediately called</HI> (&s;aith <HI>R. F.) and &s;ent, but we witne&s;s that we are.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But who will believe them that witne&s;s of them|&s;elves,
<PB N="212" REF="125"> and have not the &s;igns of &s;uch a Calling upon them, but cla&s;h, and interfere with the Prophets and Apo&s;tles Doctrine, at every turn almo&s;t? This is our pre&s;ent in|&s;tance, all mediate calls are cryed down, and the immediate onely cryed up, and mi&s;-repre&s;ented, mi&s;-applyed, when as the Apo&s;tles, who had the mo&s;t immediate calls, were not again&s;t the other way of Gods calling men, by the Church, and their own a&s;&s;i&s;tance of the Church in that work: But the holy Gho&s;t hath left their practice with his Rule obli|gatory to us, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 5. 22. and 6. 14. with <HI>Titus</HI> 1. 5. yet will <HI>R. F.</HI> proceed to &s;ay <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 22.</NOTE>, <HI>We witne&s;s with him that thou accu&s;e&s;t;</HI> and that is <HI>Ed. Burroughs,</HI> who&s;e words in my for|mer piece I onely hinted at; now take them as largely (though he hath much more to the &s;ame purpo&s;e) as is needful. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Warning to <HI>Underbarrow,</HI> by <HI>E. B.</HI> p. 16.</NOTE> <HI>The Mini&s;tery called by the earthly powers, by earthly Magi&s;trates, or at</HI> Oxford, Cambridge, <HI>or</HI> Newca&s;tle, <HI>all this Mini&s;tery, who is here called, is by man, and their Go&s;pel is of man, which the true Go&s;pel is not; and he that hath the word of God, to declare from God, his call is not by man, neither doth he go to man to be approved; for he that preached the true Go&s;pel, con&s;ulted not with fle&s;h and blood; and &s;o it is now, the &s;ame thing do we witne&s;s, and to be Mi|ni&s;ters of the everla&s;ting Go&s;pel, called not by man, but by God.</HI> Thus far <HI>E. B.</HI> Let the light in <HI>R. F.</HI> his natural con|&s;cience judge, whether I &s;aid not truly, when I referred to <HI>E. B.</HI> his Book, as pleading onely for an immediate call; and that none preach the true Go&s;pel, but &s;uch as have that call; and then let the light of the Scriptures (above cited) to <HI>Timothy</HI> and <HI>Titus,</HI> judge, whether &s;uch, as they laid hands on, were Mini&s;ters or no; and whether the Go&s;pel they preached was true Go&s;pel or not. By <HI>Ed. Burroughs</HI> verdict &s;uch were not called of God, becau&s;e they had a hand in their call; nor could they preach true Go&s;pel, be|cau&s;e their call; nor could they preach true Go&s;pel, be|cau&s;e their call was but mediate: But prai&s;ed be God, we neither &s;tand nor fall to the&s;e mens verdicts; the Lord him|&s;elf, by the Scripture, &s;hall judge them and us. And as to<NOTE PLACE="marg">All have not call to office, who have out|ward liberty of preaching.</NOTE> that which <HI>E. Burroughs</HI> &s;aith, about the <HI>Mini&s;tery called by earthly powers, or at</HI> Oxford, &amp;c. according to Scripture, I di&s;tingui&s;h between their outward encouragement, and
<PB N="213" REF="125"> call to office: Earthly powers are to give outward liberty to &s;uch as by the Godly-learned are tryed and approved, as men fit to have publique liberty, and encouragement, 2 <HI>Chro.</HI> 17. 7, 8, 9. The call to office, in the Church, is by the Church. Again, we mu&s;t di&s;tingui&s;h between <HI>Pauls not con&s;ulting with fle&s;h and blood,</HI> whether he had a true call, or the true Go&s;pel, (being immediately called and taught by<NOTE PLACE="marg">Probation an&punc; approbation requi&s;ite for whom?</NOTE> Je&s;us Chri&s;t) and ordinary mens refu&s;al to be tryed, and <HI>approved,</HI> either for the obtaining of outward liberty or office; for the Rule is clear as to ordinary officers, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. 10. Let the&s;e <HI>al&s;o</HI> fir&s;t be proved; which [<HI>al&s;o</HI>] pre&s;up|po&s;eth the Bi&s;hops and Elders, to be under the command of Chri&s;t, for &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to a tryal, (as the Deacons) fir&s;t, and before they be cho&s;en to the work. And as concerning tho&s;e who a&s;&s;ume liberty to teach, it is commended in <HI>He|zekiah, 2 Chron.</HI> 30. 22. that he &s;pake comfortably unto all the Levites, that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: And in the Angel of the Church of <HI>Ephe&s;us, Rev.</HI> 2. 2. that he had tryed them which &s;aid they were Apo&s;tles, and were not, and had found them lyars; which is the plain ca&s;e now in controver&s;ie between us and the Quakers; whether they be Apo&s;tles, &s;eeing they pretend to immediate calling; and whether we are Pa&s;tors and Teachers, who are called by the Church: or, whether they are not lyars, who &s;ay they are Apo&s;tles, and bring not the doctrine and zeal of true Apo&s;tle&s;hip. Till the Lord doth more di&s;cover them, and all pretenders to one call or other, I mu&s;t attend <HI>R. F.</HI> and examine what he further offereth.</P>
<P><HI>All thy mediate calls and &s;endings will not prove thee to be as</HI> Paul <HI>and</HI> Timothy <HI>was, that had the gift within him, and the te&s;timony by the holy Gho&s;t, as they had.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I pretend to no &s;uch call of an Apo&s;tle, an officer in every Church, as was <HI>Paul:</HI> or of an Evangeli&s;t, an a&s;&s;i&s;t|ing officer to the Apo&s;tles, where they &s;aw fit to &s;end him, as was <HI>Timothy, Titus,</HI> and others.</P>
<P N="2">2. All that <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith of his immediate call, will not prove him to be called as <HI>Paul</HI> was, by a voice from heaven; for then, haply, he might have heard &s;ounding in his ears, <HI>Richard, Richard,</HI> why do&s;t per&s;ecute me, with thy ca|lumnies
<PB N="214" REF="126"> and reproaches? Or, <HI>Farnworth, Farnworth,</HI> why do&s;t throw dirt upon my face, by pretending to honor me as the <HI>word of God,</HI> and owne&s;t not my Scriptures to be my <HI>word?</HI> Why do&s;t deny my Spirit to be what he is, &amp;c.</P>
<P N="3">3. I acknowledge the <HI>gift within,</HI> and <HI>te&s;timony by the holy Gho&s;t,</HI> when they are found in us, to be the be&s;t Letters<NOTE PLACE="marg">Inward call to be tried by the outward fruits.</NOTE> te&s;timonial, as to an inward call; but the&s;e &s;uffice not to prove the outward call, unle&s;s the fruits of that inward gift and te&s;timonial appear. If the gift and te&s;timony within would carry it before men (as to the man him&s;elf that hath them) and that <HI>R. F.</HI> did know it in tho&s;e that he di&s;-owns for the Mini&s;ters of Chri&s;t, I think, he would not crucifie them &s;o often with the ignominious title, of Romi&s;h Prie&s;ts and Hirelings: but how &s;hall he, or we, be known among men, if our words and works without, be not called forth, to bear witne&s;s of what is within? By thy words thou <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;halt be ju&s;tified, and by thy words thou &s;halt be condemn|ed, <HI>Mat.</HI> 12. 37. I am to an&s;wer at the &s;ame Bar, and to be tryed the &s;ame way. Our words mu&s;t be tryed by Gods word, and our works al&s;o by the &s;ame Rule. If Scripture of Old and New Te&s;tament be the Scripture of God, there have been counterfeits of an immediate call; and &s;ome me|diately &s;ent of God, by man, who with their mediate call have been and &s;till are approved of the Lord.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="46" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 46.</HEAD>
<P>TO this Section <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;aith nothing (in his wonted &s;hew of words, but is wholly &s;ilent) where I had noted, that (as they cry up their own pretended immediate Call, &s;o) they condemn any mediate call as carnal; for <HI>mediate</HI> (&s;ay <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Glory of the Lord, &amp;c. pag. 6, 7.</NOTE> they) <HI>is carnal and natural.</HI> I granted there is a call of man, by man, which is carnal; and I in&s;tanced in &s;uch people, as make choice of carnal men, by the hands of a carnal, common, forein Elder&s;hip; But this is not our Que&s;tion: they fight<NOTE PLACE="marg">All mediate calls not car|nal.</NOTE> again&s;t the mo&s;t orderly call, if man hath any hand, or voice, or con&s;ent te&s;tified about it: Hence it is that <HI>R. F.</HI> will not vouch&s;afe with patience, to take notice of the two Scriptures
<PB N="215" REF="126"> which I de&s;ired the Reader to compare, <HI>viz. Acts</HI> 14. 23. with <HI>chap.</HI> 20. 28. where the Elders, called by the Churches, and &s;et apart by their and the Apo&s;tles fa&s;ting and prayer, are &s;aid to be the Holy Gho&s;t's Bi&s;hops; &s;uch as He made Over&s;eers. Accordingly are all Elders, Pa&s;tors and Teach|ers called; if called of God: Even Evangeli&s;ts were called of God, by man: <HI>Mark</HI> by <HI>Barnabas</HI> and <HI>Paul</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Acts 13 5.</NOTE>, <HI>Timothy, Titus, Silas,</HI> or <HI>Sylvanus,</HI> and others by <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Acts 16. 3. Titus 1. 5 Acts 15. 40.</NOTE> <HI>Paul;</HI> much more fixed Officers, &s;et in every Congregational Society. As the Apo&s;tles had a power Paramount under Chri&s;t, to call and take Evangeli&s;ts to their a&s;&s;i&s;tance, &s;o the Churches had a power from Chri&s;t to chu&s;e their Pa&s;tors, Teachers, Elders, Deacons, and to &s;et them apart by prayer and fa&s;ting: and what power they had then, they have &s;till who are Church|es, or companies of vi&s;ible Saints, called out, and di&s;tingui&s;h|ed from the wicked, ignorant and untoward multitude, by their free con&s;ents, and profe&s;&s;ed &s;ubjection to Chri&s;t, and his Laws of Wor&s;hip and Government. Let the&s;e daring men calumniate all Go&s;pel-admini&s;trations, with the term of <HI>mediate &s;tuff,</HI> and think by their high &s;welling words of vanity <HI>all mediate</HI> call's <HI>are razed out in the full,</HI> as their phra&s;e is, the Scripture will &s;tand, and the means of the new Te&s;tament wor&s;hip, and order, will &s;tand immutable, to the Lord his appearing in glory, at his &s;econd coming: according to the charge of <HI>Paul</HI> to <HI>Timothy, 1 Ep. Chap. 6. ver.</HI> 13, 14. And as the command of Chri&s;t for Church-order is perpe|tual, &s;o the call of God, by the Church, is &s;piritual. The<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Churches call Spiritual.</NOTE> holy Gho&s;t in the Scripture lays down &s;piritual Rules, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. He confers &s;piritual gifts according to his Rules; and the Church, a &s;piritual Corporation, gives the outward call, where they finde &s;uch &s;piritual characters and qualifi|cations: God owns this choice, while the Quakers with car|nal Pari&s;hioners, di&s;-own it; who will have the wor&s;t of it in conclu&s;ion, the day &s;hall declare.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="19" TYPE="head">
<PB N="216" REF="127">
<HEAD>(19. Head of their Scripture-contradiction) <HI>Concerning Immediate Teaching.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="47" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 47.</HEAD>
<P>IHad noted how they pretended to be <HI>immediately taught. The teaching of God</HI> (&s;aith one) <HI>is immediate in the lea&s;t degree:</HI> contrary to <HI>Dan. 9. 1. 1 Tim 4. 14. R. F.</HI> an&s;wereth <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 22.</NOTE> <HI>We do not pretend &s;o to be, but we witne&s;s that we are &s;o taught, and according to the promi&s;e of the Lord.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. But who will believe him, and his fellows, when the witne&s;s is of them&s;elves, from them&s;elves, and without proof? They that flee to an experience, and a promi&s;e for proof, mu&s;t fir&s;t &s;hew the promi&s;e, and then the perfor|mance of it to them&s;elves. I am yet to learn the promi&s;e of the Immediate Teachings of God, to be given to all that are to teach others, of which is the que&s;tion. The promi&s;e, <HI>John</HI> 6. 45. They &s;hall all be taught of God, concerneth all<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 6. 45. vindicated. All Believers not immedi|ately taught.</NOTE> that have truly believed, do, or &s;hall &s;o believe; all the children of Gods election, all the children of the Church-Catholique, and of the new Jeru&s;alem, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 54. 13. which teaching, if God had intended to be given immediately, <HI>i. e.</HI> without any medium, means, or in&s;trument, then would he not have &s;ent Preachers abroad for them to hear, thereby to be taught and drawn to believing.</P>
<P N="2">2. Had all that the Lord &s;ent forth as Go&s;pel-di&s;pen&s;ers, immediate teaching? we grant <HI>Paul</HI> had it more immedi|ately,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Apo&s;tles im|mediately taught.</NOTE> more fully, and more at once, then the re&s;t of the Apo&s;tles, <HI>Gal.</HI> 1. 12. and 2. 6. will <HI>R. F.</HI> and his Brethren witne&s;s the &s;ame immediate teaching, with <HI>Paul,</HI> and the utmo&s;t height of his revelation, that nothing can be added to them? We grant the re&s;t of the Apo&s;tles had the imme|diate teaching, and ducture of the Spirit in their preaching and writing: But are all Apo&s;tles? 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 12. 28. compared with <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 4. 11. There was a &s;econd &s;ort of the Mini&s;ters
<PB N="217" REF="127"> of Chri&s;t, who were called Evangeli&s;ts, (a&s;&s;i&s;tants to the Apo&s;tles) the&s;e had their light and knowledge by mediate<NOTE PLACE="marg">Evangeli&s;ts taught medi|ately.</NOTE> ways: <HI>Timothy</HI> is in&s;tructed of <HI>Paul, 2 Tim.</HI> 2. 2. and 3. 10, 14. (as taught out of the Scriptures, by his mother and grandmother, from his childehood, 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 1. 5. with <HI>Chap.</HI> 3. 13.) <HI>Apollos</HI> was in&s;tructed<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> in the way of the Lord, by the Scriptures, <HI>Acts</HI> 18. 24, 25. and had the way of God more perfectly expounded to him by <HI>Aquila</HI> and <HI>Pri&s;cilla, ver.</HI> 26. The&s;e Evangeli&s;ts were of too low a form for <HI>R. F.</HI> and men and women too of his way. There was a third<NOTE PLACE="marg">Some prophets immediately in&s;pired.</NOTE> &s;ort called Prophets; &s;ome of which were immediately taught, and in&s;pired with knowledge of things to come; &s;ome of the&s;e, men, as <HI>Agabus, Acts</HI> 11. 28. and 21. 10. &s;ome, women, as <HI>Philips</HI> four daughters, which did pro|phe&s;ie, <HI>Acts</HI> 21. 9. I do not finde that Quaking men and women pretend to this kinde of immediate teaching, recei|ved about things to come. Other Prophets there were,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Some pro|phets medi|ately taught.</NOTE> who were mediately taught; as they at <HI>Corinth,</HI> and el&s;e|where, who did, out of the old Te&s;tament, expound, give the &s;en&s;e of the Prophets writings, and rai&s;e Doctrines, con|firming them by edifying te&s;timonies, and rea&s;ons out of Scripture, to edifying u&s;e and benefit of Believers princi|pally and Churches; 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14. 3. compared with <HI>ver.</HI> 22. latter part. The&s;e I cannot call men quite out of office (as the word Office is largely taken, <HI>Rom.</HI> 12. 4.) Every member hath an office, that is, work and employment in the body my&s;tical, as natural; but as the word is taken &s;trictly, they were, and may be per&s;ons out of office, <HI>i. e</HI> neither Apo&s;tles, nor Evangeli&s;ts, nor Prophets, foretelling things future, nor Pa&s;tors and teaching Elders. As they were not Apo&s;tles,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Di&s;tingui&s;ht 1. from extra|ordinary offi|cers.</NOTE> nor Evangeli&s;ts, (that is plain enough) &s;o,</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, you will finde them di&s;tingui&s;ht from the Prophets, immediately in&s;pired two ways.</P>
<P N="1">1. The&s;e might be taken off by one that had a revelation: They might have a Doctrine, <HI>ver.</HI> 26. who had not a Reve|lation;<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 14. 26. &amp; 29. opened.</NOTE> which coming immediately for time and maner, when the other was &s;peaking, was to take place and be heard, while the Prophet, who onely hath a Doctrine, or truth collected from Scripture, is to give place and hold his peace.
<PB N="218" REF="128"> This onely for order &s;ake; not but that the doctrine from Scripture was as infallible as the Revelation; and the imme|diate Revelation was to pa&s;s the trial, as the doctrine, <HI>ver&s;e</HI> 29. and 32.</P>
<P N="2">2. In &s;o much as women are excluded from this kinde of prophe&s;ie, by two or three at a time, <HI>ver&s;e</HI> 29. with <HI>ver.</HI> 34. But if it had been extraordinary predictions of things to come, they, <HI>i. e.</HI> women, might have delivered their me&s;&s;age.</P>
<P>Secondly, you will finde the&s;e gifted brethren (endued<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. From or|dinary.</NOTE> onely with a gift of scripture-expo&s;ition, and application) di&s;tingui&s;ht from Pa&s;tors and Teachers in peculiar office, As two or three might exerci&s;e at a time, for which a liberty is granted, <HI>ver.</HI> 29. Now if they had been Pa&s;tors and Teachers in office &s;trictly, there was no que&s;tion but they might have preached at all &s;ea&s;ons, when the Church met together, and a nece&s;&s;ity is laid upon them, in &s;ea&s;on and out of &s;ea&s;on; a liberty onely is granted to the&s;e Prophets, and that liberry is limited al&s;o, as before. Would <HI>R. F.</HI> or his Fellowes be content with this low Form among gifted bre|thren in a Church, who have received their gift, by reading, and &s;tudy of the Scriptures, together with conference, and ob&s;ervation of their own and others experiences (which being &s;anctified and ble&s;&s;ed by the Spirit of God helps men forth to teach others, till they be called to office, or whe|ther ever they be cho&s;en to office, or not) it would &s;ome|thing &s;avor of an humble &s;pirit: But as &s;ome deem this exerci&s;e of the gift of Prophe&s;ie too high for a believing brother, &s;o he, and tho&s;e of his Spirit (not in this guided by the Spirit of God) think it too low for them&s;elves, and all other Teachers: and therefore who&s;oever are not taught as immediately as the Apo&s;tles of the highe&s;t Form, are no Teachers with them. Hence he addes,<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 22.</NOTE> <HI>And thou that art not taught of him, &s;hews that thou &s;peaks a vi&s;ion of thy own heart, and not from the mouth of the Lord.</HI> This is his judgement, but erroneous enough, and contradictious to the whole Scripture, as not being the mouth of the Lord. And if I affirm (as I did) the true Prophets &s;tudied the Scripture,<NOTE PLACE="marg">True prophets &s;tudied the Scripture.</NOTE> <HI>that is my imagination.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> The true Prophets were either under the Old, or
<PB N="219" REF="128"> New Te&s;tament, before or &s;ince Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="1">1. Before; &s;ome of them &s;tudied the word, who were at other times immediately in&s;pired, as I in&s;tanced in <HI>Dan.</HI> 9. 1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan 9. 1. vindicated.</NOTE> If <HI>Daniel</HI> under&s;tood by books; he read, and con&s;idered what he read in tho&s;e books; what was prophe&s;ied of the captivity, when it began, when it &s;hould end: and the writings of <HI>Jeremy</HI> were the Books, as <HI>Daniel</HI> him&s;elf tells us, by which he under&s;tood the number of the years &amp;c. Others were trained up in a ordinary way, in the &s;chools of the Prophets, under <HI>Samuel</HI> at <HI>Ramah, 1 Sam.</HI> 19 under <HI>Eli|jah</HI> at <HI>Bethel</HI> and <HI>Jericho</HI> (although the Lord added impul&s;es and in&s;pirations, more then ordinary, and more immediate|ly, to &s;ome of the&s;e afterwards) this is none of <HI>my imagina|tion;</HI> If <HI>R. F.</HI> goes on to charge it, I &s;hall &s;till lay his Scri|pture-contradiction before him, and at his dore it will lye, till he repents of it, for he chargeth not fal&s;hood upon me but upon the word of God, whence I demon&s;trate what I affirm.</P>
<P N="2">2. Since Chri&s;t; the true Prophets &s;tudied the word: The Scriptures &s;tudied (Gods Spirit going along therewith) made them Prophets in ordinary, of whom <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14. (as it fitted <HI>A pollos and Timothy</HI> for Evangeli&s;ts) what hath <HI>R. F.</HI> to &s;ay again&s;t it? <HI>no prophe&s;ie of the Seri|pture came in old time by the will of man (then not &s;tudied) but holy men of God &s;poke as they were moved by the holy Gho&s;t, and the Scripture is of no private interpretation.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. By prophecy of Scripture, 2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 1. 20, 21. is<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 20. 21 vindicated.</NOTE> meant the word and minde of God declared in writing. God le&s;t it not to mans will, what, and when, and how he &s;hould write his Canon; But he did immediately in&s;pire, and dictate to the Pen-men of Scripture, matter, maner, and time. It fol|lows<NOTE PLACE="marg">Scripture is to be &s;tudied, becau&s;e in|&s;pired of God</NOTE> not becau&s;e the Secretaries of the holy Gho&s;t wrote by his immediate in&s;piration, therefore the Prophets, and Teachers are not to teach others, but as they are immedi|ately in&s;pired: But it will follow from hence, and make a|gain&s;t <HI>R. F.</HI> as it did in the fir&s;t Section, and the &s;ixth; that if there is nothing of the will of man, or private-&s;elfi&s;h mean|ing and &s;en&s;e, in the Scripture, then is it a rule for Teachers, as Scholars; and they that will teach &s;ound doctrine, mu&s;t
<PB N="220" REF="129"> teach from, and according to the Scripture; and therefore had need &s;tudy, and meditate on the Scripture, that he may be a right <HI>man of God</HI> (the title of a true Prophet) through|ly<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim 3. 17.</NOTE> furni&s;hed to all the work of a Mini&s;ter as of a Chri|&s;tian.</P>
<P N="2">2. This truth is not onely given forth by &s;ound con&s;e|quence, but directly, and expre&s;ly the will of God is laid down, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 4. 15. Meditate upon the&s;e things. <HI>Timothy</HI> an Evangeli&s;t mu&s;t &s;tudy that Epi&s;tle which <HI>Paul</HI> wrote to<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> him, and <HI>be wholly in them,</HI> he mu&s;t be taken up altoge|ther therewith, referre all his &s;tudies, bend all his thoughts to the knowledge of the Scriptures: And 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. 17. with 16. All Scripture is given by in&s;piration of God &amp;c. that the man of God, the mini&s;ter of the Go&s;pel, may be perfect: <HI>i. e.</HI> have a &s;acred library to conver&s;e with in all ages, and be made a compleat Scholar, able to teach, reprove, in&s;truct and comfort out of Scripture &s;tore and furniture. Hence we<NOTE PLACE="marg">Bonus Textu|arius, bonus Theologus.</NOTE> u&s;e to &s;ay, A good Text-man, a good Divine, or an able man of God: and he is likely to be a light and treacherous Pro|phet, who &s;lights the meditation of Scripture-Text, and &s;peaks onely <HI>quicquid in buccam venerit,</HI> what comes next to his tongues end. A fourth &s;ort of mini&s;ters are Pa&s;tors and<NOTE PLACE="marg">Pa&s;tors and Teachers, mediately taught.</NOTE> Teachers, who having the grace of God, and gift of pro|phecy, are called out from among the Brethren to office, and over&s;ight of the flock, as Bi&s;hops of the Lords in&s;titution. The&s;e were not &s;o immediately taught, that I can finde, in the Apo&s;tles times; but rather by means and ways of the Lords appointment, they were trained up and fitted for the office; as by the exerci&s;e of their gift of Prophecy, before|hand, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14. (each Church being as a School of the Prophets, and that of <HI>Corinth</HI> eminently) &s;o by their &s;ubmi&s;|&s;ion to tryal, at election, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. 10. And be&s;ides, none but di&s;ciples, of &s;ome years in nature, and &s;tanding in grace and profe&s;&s;ion, were called to the office of Pa&s;tor, or teach|ing Elder: now &s;uch di&s;ciples were fir&s;t taught of others, of catechized, in&s;tructed in an outward way; hence the <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> Greek word for di&s;ciple, comes of another that &s;ignifieth to learn by outward teaching. Tho&s;e that heard <HI>John Bapti&s;t</HI> were fir&s;t called di&s;ciples (whereof <HI>Andrew</HI> was one, <HI>Simon Peters</HI>
<PB N="221" REF="129"> brother, <HI>John</HI> 1. 40.) They that heard and followed Chri&s;ts Sermons were al&s;o called di&s;ciples, and &s;o we are all believers and members of the Churches, till at <HI>Antioch</HI> they were al&s;o called Chri&s;tians; di&s;ciples, as taught outwardly; Chri|ans, as anointed with the Spirit, and partakers of Chri&s;ts grace and gifts: And &s;uch being cho&s;en, who were out|wardly as inwardly trained up, I conclude, immediate teach|ings did not onely furni&s;h men for a Teachers, or Mini&s;ters function, but mediate ways al&s;o: which is both a warrant for them that de&s;ire the office of a Bi&s;hop fir&s;t to &s;tudy the Scriptures, and an encouragement al&s;o for Churches to co|vet gifts, and chiefly that they may prophe&s;ie; and for Univer&s;ity Scholars to give up them&s;elves to pre&s;ent cate|chizings, and exerci&s;es after Sermons (as they have begun in the Colledges) for the better &s;toring of them with grounds of knowledge, and di&s;covery of &s;uch di&s;ciples as the Lord hath begun to teach inwardly., by and with outward teaching, that they may be i&s;&s;ued forth for &s;ervice in the mi|ni&s;tery; after grounds laid in their under&s;tandings, and &s;ome experimental work of grace, approved of (if it might be) in &s;ome of the Churches of Je&s;us Chri&s;t. And oh that, to this end, all the larger Schools of the Prophets might be|come little Churches, and all the Churches of the Saints, might become little Schools of the Prophets! that Univer|&s;ities might emulate the Churches for their holine&s;s; and Churches might emulate the Univer&s;ities for their know|ledge in the Scriptures!</P>
<P>If yet <HI>R. F.</HI> be not convinced, nor contented, but will proceed to &s;ay as he doth; <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 22.</NOTE> <HI>thou that denies immediate teachings and &s;aith the Spirit is in the Letter and given by it, thou may well accu&s;e us fal&s;ly, that &s;o lyes again&s;t God, and his Spirit.</HI></P>
<P>I <HI>Reply;</HI> 1. He &s;peaks he knows not what, for the a&s;&s;ert|ing of ordinary mediate teachings of them that are to teach others, doth not exclude the other, where God is plea&s;ed to give them; but &s;o to cry up what is immediate as to &s;hut out mediate, by mini&s;terial in&s;truments, and by the Scri|ptures, is contradictory to the minde of God therein, and to the con&s;tant &s;eries and cour&s;e of his di&s;pen&s;ation from
<PB N="222" REF="130"> the Primitive times downwards. Little doth he or others (that de-cry &s;tudy, and indu&s;try, and mediate ways of pre|paration for the work of the Mini&s;tery) either con&s;ider what is written, 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 2. 2. The things that thou ha&s;t heard of me, the &s;ame commit thou to faithful men, who &s;hall be able to teach others al&s;o: or know, what depen|dencies we have upon the Lord, both in our &s;tudies, and af|ter all our travels; having learnt, a little, both to prepare, as if no a&s;&s;i&s;tance &s;hould be given, and &s;o depend (upon him that called us, and u&s;eth us) in our delivery, as if we had not &s;tudied nor prepared. Little doth he know how far we can tru&s;t the Lord when we have no time for &s;tudy, or what more immediate a&s;&s;i&s;tance we have, after the le&s;s or greater u&s;e of the means, upon occa&s;ion.</P>
<P N="2">2. Le&s;s doth he know of the immediate teachings of God (whatever are his janglings about it) who thinks it a <HI>lye again&s;t God, and his Spirit,</HI> to &s;ay, <HI>the Spirit is in the Let|ter of the Scripture, and is given by it.</HI> Never did any that were mo&s;t immediately taught, call off, not people onely, but teachers al&s;o from the Scriptures, which carry Spirit, Light, and Life with them, for their own interpretation. Never did any but God-&s;layers, and Spirit-wounders, go about to &s;eparate the Words of God, and his Breath, one from the other; but of that pa&s;&s;age and &s;tring which he harps &s;o oft upon, &s;ome account hath been given <HI>Sect.</HI> 1. and more &s;hall follow in its due place <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Part 2. Sect 8.</NOTE>.</P>
<P N="3">3. Lea&s;t of all doth he under&s;tand of our Go&s;pel-wide|effectual doors opened, both for &s;ending and going about our work, when he clamors, <HI>thou ran, as the fal&s;e prophets did;</HI> or how far the Lord hath taught us to profit the peo|ple, and what &s;eals he hath &s;et to our mini&s;terial labors, when he judgeth, and concludeth, <HI>and &s;o doth not profit the people at all.</HI> Men blinded with malice let fly at all adven|tures; let <HI>R. F.</HI> look to his heart, for out of that in his heart, doth he write, be it good, be it evil.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="20" TYPE="head">
<PB N="223" REF="130">
<HEAD>(20&punc; Head of their Scripture-contradiction) <HI>Concerning Que&s;tions.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="48" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 48.</HEAD>
<P>I Am very well contented to read a Recantation about Que&s;tions; if it prove &s;o practically, that they will as well allow of our que&s;tioning them, as they expect we &s;hould attend, or an&s;wer any of their Queries. In <HI>Scot|land,</HI> as I &s;aid, Que&s;tions were cryed down, as of the Devil, and as &s;o many &s;nares: <HI>R. F.</HI> owneth <HI>Que&s;tions in their place,</HI> he &s;aith <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 23.</NOTE>, <HI>But &s;uch as are of the Devil, we deny.</HI> Agreed thus far: But to hold our agreement, we had need know what are the Que&s;tions that are &s;et in due place, or what is the due place for Que&s;tions, and what are the Que|&s;tions that are of the Devil, what not? I gave forth &s;ome information in my former Collection, touching the per&s;ons que&s;tioning, and que&s;tioned, the principle, and end, maner, as matter of the Que&s;tion. In Reply to <HI>R. F.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. As <HI>to owning Que&s;tions in their place,</HI> I mu&s;t tell<NOTE PLACE="marg">Fit place for Que&s;tions and An&s;wers.</NOTE> him, (if he be a member of a Family) it is a fit place, for &s;uperiors to ask, and inferiors to an&s;wer Que&s;tions; and al&s;o for wives, lovingly, to ask Que&s;tions (as the Apo&s;tle &s;aith) of their husbands at home, (what&s;oever tropical glo&s;s <HI>R. F.</HI> would put upon the words, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14. 35.) as for chil|dren and &s;ervants, humbly and dutifully, to propound their doubts, and de&s;ire re&s;olution of their parents and govern|ors, <HI>Exod.</HI> 12. 26. And it &s;uteth my place of a Replicant, to ask him, whether he, and others of his way, do own cate|chizing, and in&s;tructing by way of Que&s;tion and an&s;wer, in the Family? Again, I mu&s;t tell him, it is a fit place for him and his fraternity, to an&s;wer to the Que&s;tions of Magi&s;trates, but I have known &s;ome of them refu&s;e to an&s;wer unto &s;uch things as have been propounded in the pur&s;uit of truth and peace. It was al&s;o a fit place for one of them to have an|&s;wered, when he had asked a godly Pa&s;tor of a Church in
<PB N="224" REF="131"> <HI>Suffolk, Art thou for trembling?</HI> and the Mini&s;ter had told him, he would an&s;wer him <HI>that</HI> Que&s;tion, if he would an&s;wer him <HI>another;</HI> to which propo&s;al he made a promi&s;e, but per|formed it not&punc; for when the Mini&s;ter had told him, he did own trembllng; but withal added, to this effect; I read of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> trembling at the foot of mount <HI>Sinai;</HI> and of <HI>Sauls</HI> trem|bling when the Devil appeared in the &s;hape of <HI>Samuel;</HI> and of the Devils trembling; and of the Saints working out their Salvation with fear and trembling; the Que&s;tion was, which of the&s;e &s;orts of trembling he owned; at which, the man turn'd his back, and went his way di&s;contented and &s;peechle&s;s, as if he had been &s;trangled, as &s;ometime Chri&s;t put the Sadduces to &s;ilence, <HI>Mat.</HI> 22. 34. the Greek word is<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> as much as haltered; alluding to bea&s;ts that have bits or halters put in their mouths, or muzzles upon their chaps, to keep them from biting or doing mi&s;chief. I asked <HI>J. Par|nel</HI> once, whether he was not bred and educated among ignorant Papi&s;ts, but could have no an&s;wer: it is fit that Que&s;tion &s;hould be an&s;wered by &s;ome, but it was a &s;ilencing Que&s;tion to him. If I &s;hould ask <HI>R. F.</HI> as I have rea&s;on &s;o to do, whether he be not employed (with &s;ome others) by Satans Engineers, as a cane, for &s;ome Je&s;uit or Socinian to blow through, and fly-blow the truths of God, about the Scriptures, the Spirit, the Mini&s;tery of Chri&s;t, &amp;c. It is a dubious ca&s;e whether he will candidly an&s;wer to it; or, what he meant by his an&s;wer to his late ma&s;ters Que&s;tion, <HI>Art thou Chri&s;t?</HI> whereto he &s;aid, <HI>I am,</HI> how he can, with|out bla&s;phemy, make it out: Or, if I &s;hould ask him, whe|ther he writes any Scripture truth, in love of the Scripture, or onely to catch and cavil, I doubt whether I &s;hould not have &s;ome of his old ware vended; for all his pack is not yet emptied, unle&s;s God re&s;train and &s;top his mouth, and dry up his pen and inkhorn terms.</P>
<P N="2">2. As to his, and his fellows <HI>denying &s;uch Que&s;tions as are</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">What Que&s;ti|ona are of the Devil.</NOTE> <HI>of the Devil,</HI> I wi&s;h they would make good this denial: But &s;ince I heard in <HI>Scotland,</HI> that <HI>Que&s;tions were of the Devil,</HI> I have read of many Que&s;tions of theirs, which come from no better &s;pirit, then the old Serpent and Satan: The Que|&s;tion is, whether <HI>R. F.</HI> will own them as of God, or deny
<PB N="225" REF="131"> them as being of the devil? I read in one <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">A Declara|tion again&s;t Popery, Quere 6.</NOTE> of their Pam|phlets, to this purpo&s;e, <HI>Whether you, that &s;ay bread and wine (i. e.</HI> in our Lords Supper) <HI>is the body and blood of Chri&s;t, be not they that minde earthly things, and are carnal and natu|ral?</HI> In my poor judgement, this Que&s;tion is from igno|rance of the Lords purpo&s;e in his in&s;tituted Supper, which calls upon us to minde &s;piritual and heavenly things, by what are earthly and natural, <HI>i. e.</HI> bread and wine in their &s;ub&s;tance, but &s;piritual in their &s;ignification and u&s;e, during the celebration: and un&s;avory this Que&s;tion is to &s;uch as truly own the remembrance of Chri&s;t in that Ordinance. Again they Quere <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Quere 10.</NOTE>, <HI>Whether every one may not purcha&s;e bread and wine, and whether any can purcha&s;e the body and blood of Chri&s;t for money?</HI> Now, if ignorant, un&s;avory, vain, needle&s;s, and unprofitable Que&s;tions come of the Devil, and <HI>R. F.</HI> denieth &s;uch, will he deny this to be any other? If he &s;aith, he yields it to be vain, &amp;c. his fellows do not, he mu&s;t then, herein at lea&s;t, deny them; if he maintains it for good, he mu&s;t &s;o prove it: I judge it to be (as the former) ignorant and un&s;avory; in that it ari&s;eth from the not di|&s;tingui&s;hing between the inward and outward part of the Lords Supper; and needle&s;s, vain, and unprofitable, becau&s;e not tending to edification, but meerly to &s;trife and vain jangling. Another tempting and upbraiding Que&s;tion <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Quere 21.</NOTE> there is, <HI>Whether ever any of you received the &s;ub&s;tance &s;ince that which you called the &s;ign was practi&s;ed by you, and &s;o bear witne&s;s to the &s;ub&s;tance, and deny the &s;ign, yea, or nay?</HI> The &s;cope of this indeed is diabolical, to throw off the &s;ign of Chri&s;ts appointment, when they come to feel the &s;ub&s;tance; whereas, the true method of Chri&s;tians, is fir&s;t to receive the &s;ub&s;tance, Chri&s;t in the promi&s;e, before they joyn with the Church to receive the &s;ign (becau&s;e the Ordinance of the Supper is not a converting Ordinance, if we &s;peak of the true initial work) for confirming and carrying on of the work of faith, and love, holine&s;s, &amp;c. And, if none &s;hould receive the &s;ign and memorial of Chri&s;ts death, after they have by faith in the Go&s;pel-promi&s;e received the &s;ub&s;tance, they &s;hould, orderly, never receive the &s;ign at all. How in&s;olent and ignorant a Que&s;tion is that? <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Quere 27.</NOTE> <HI>Whether do you
<PB N="226" REF="132"> wait and believe to be made heirs with Chri&s;t, yea, or nay? and to have the &s;ame minde which was al&s;o in Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God? whether you witne&s;s this, yea, or nay?</HI> Will <HI>R. F.</HI> acknowledge the &s;ub|tilty and wickedne&s;s of this Quere (&s;ay I) yea, or nay? For the ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tle, <HI>Phil.</HI> 2. 5, 6, 7. pre&s;&s;eth to the &s;ame<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil 12. 5. &amp;c vindicated.</NOTE> humble minde that was in Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who, being in the form of God (that is left out in the Que&s;tion) thought it no robbery, &amp;c. But made him&s;elf of no reputation, &amp;c. all that in <HI>ver.</HI> 7, and 8. &s;hould have been added, if the Que&s;tion had not been &s;narling, and contradictious to the Apo&s;tles &s;cope; which is far from teaching Chri&s;tians (as is the intent of the Que&s;tion) to a&s;pire after any &s;uch thought, as to be equal with God: we may know and be|lieve our heir-&s;hip and coheir-&s;hip with Chri&s;t in glory, and yet &s;toop to mean e&s;tates and conditions, with low mindes here on earth, and carry no &s;uch proud thought to heaven, as the Que&s;tion doth in&s;olently dictate. Is this the perfe|ction the&s;e men talk of, to harbor proud thoughts in their bo&s;oms, of being equal with God, becau&s;e Chri&s;t thought it no robbery &s;o to be? Oh ye deceived profe&s;&s;ors! lift not up your horns on high; &s;peak not with a &s;tiff neck, beyond the Donati&s;ts of old, or as the Famili&s;ts of later times, but remember tho&s;e who were nick-named Puritans in Queen <HI>Elizabeths</HI> days, and &s;ince, for their &s;incere endeavors af|ter Purity; be humble (in the mid&s;t of failings) as they were, and for&s;ake the tents of the&s;e <HI>Corahs, Dathans,</HI> and <HI>Abirams,</HI> or wor&s;e; who not onely think them&s;elves as per|fect as Saints in heaven, but hope hereafter (if they be not here) to be equal in perfection and glory with God. Lord, rebuke this Bla&s;phemy in all thine, and convince all ob&s;tinate gain-&s;aying Que&s;tioni&s;ts, which is not in our power to do, but in&s;trumentally we de&s;ire to be &s;ub&s;ervient in the work, according to thy word, <HI>Titus</HI> 1. 9. To pro|ceed,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> I &s;hall in&s;tance but in another Pamphlet, (for their Que&s;tions are endle&s;s, and to attend the An&s;wers would be a needle&s;s endle&s;s work) As <HI>R. F.</HI> denies Que&s;tions that <HI>are of the Devil,</HI> I hope he will not deny mo&s;t ignorant and proud Que&s;tions to be of the Devil, (as from old <HI>Adam</HI> al&s;o) as
<PB N="227" REF="132"> that for one, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Fruits of a Fa&s;t. pag. 19.</NOTE> <HI>What rule have you in Scripture for putting off the Hat?</HI> That this Que&s;tion ari&s;eth from pride, appear|eth by another, <HI>Que&s;t.</HI> 20. in the &s;ame Book, <HI>Page 20. Whe|ther is it for the Lords &s;ake, that a man would have his fel|low-creature &s;tand with his Hat off before him, or for his &s;elf|&s;ake?</HI> Fellow-creatures, they think, mu&s;t be all alike in ho|nor. This might be the thought of tho&s;e creatures that are now Devils, which made them Devils; and by the 21. <HI>Que&s;t. He that for the Lords &s;ake, &amp;c. cannot bow to a creature, whether ought he to be impri&s;on'd for mi&s;-behavior, or a con|temner of Authority, yea or nay?</HI> The fir&s;t Que&s;tion bewray|eth ignorance, which if <HI>R. F.</HI> ju&s;tifies, he mu&s;t be &s;ent to the Catechi&s;m, out of <HI>Exod.</HI> 20. 12. and asked, what is the fifth Commandment, and what it meaneth? and what <HI>Rom.</HI> 13. 7. Render honor to whom honor is due. I hope <HI>R. F.</HI> will grant that <HI>quarrelling Que&s;tions are of the Devil,</HI> as was that, <HI>Job</HI> 1. 9. Doth <HI>Job</HI> &s;erve God for nought? &s;uch is that in the fore-mentioned Pamphlet <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">page 22.</NOTE>, <HI>Whether is your Go&s;pel free and without charge, as the Apo&s;tles was, yea or nay?</HI></P>
<P>For, 1. To clear God; He will not let his &s;ervants &s;erve him for nought.</P>
<P N="2">2. To clear his &s;ervants; This I &s;ay again (as before, <HI>Sect.</HI> 44.) they may &s;erve with a free &s;pirit, yet take wages, (whereof the Laborer is worthy) for they &s;erve not the Lord in the mini&s;tery for wages. It is one thing (as I have &s;aid el&s;ewhere) to take hire for preaching, another thing to preach for hire. By the Scripture, that Que&s;tion al&s;o <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">page 22. Qu. 4.</NOTE> may be judged proud and malitious, as of the Devil; <HI>What rule have you in Scripture to take a Text,</HI> &amp;c. If <HI>R. F.</HI> ju&s;ti|fies this (as 'tis likely he will) we mu&s;t bid him go and learn, and what that meaneth, <HI>Luke</HI> 4. 17. our humble Saviour took up the Bible, and pitcht upon a Text; let us learn, at la&s;t, of him to be lowly in heart, <HI>Matth.</HI> 11. 29. If it be &s;aid, it followeth in the Que&s;tion, <HI>and to &s;peak from it what you have &s;tudied, with your &V;&s;es, Points, Tryals, Motives, and Applications?</HI> We mu&s;t &s;end them again to 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3 16, 17. The Scripture is given <HI>&s;o</HI> to be improved, whether men will hear or forbear. Let <HI>R. F.</HI> con&s;ider, if the &s;cope of that <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Qu. 24.</NOTE> Que&s;tion [<HI>Whether that Light which comes from Chri&s;t be
<PB N="228" REF="133"> natural, yea or nay?</HI>] be not to make all Light-given alike for kinde? as appeareth by Quere 29. <HI>Whether the Light of the world</HI> (or of every man) <HI>be not a &s;aving Light in the lea&s;t mea&s;ure, yea or nay? and how can that be &s;aid to be na|tural?</HI> The&s;e Que&s;tions come from the Devils envy again&s;t the Saints peculiar light, who &s;ee all things after another maner then natural men can do. The Gentiles did things by nature, or power of natural con&s;cience, and the light of it; which yet they peri&s;ht in; their light and their works were neither of them &s;aving, <HI>Rom.</HI> 2. 12, and 14. This light of na|ture comes from Chri&s;t as God, not as Mediator: he that is the true Light, enlightneth every man, but not with &s;aving Light; I mu&s;t &s;end back <HI>R. F.</HI> to <HI>Sect.</HI> 10. and the &s;uper|added Conclu&s;ions, in the end thereof. If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14. 38. But yet if we examine tho&s;e Que&s;tions, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Qu. 44 and 45.</NOTE> <HI>Where had you this Doctrine, to tell people they could never be wholly clean&s;ed, or be &s;et free from &s;in, &s;o long as they are upon the earth?</HI> And, <HI>whether this be not in oppo&s;ition to the Doctrine of Chri&s;t, who &s;aith, Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect?</HI> What &s;hall we finde here but ignorance and confu&s;ion? for want of will or skill, to di&s;tingui&s;h between Ju&s;tification and Sancti|fication, which, according to the Scripture, I have de&s;ired <HI>R. F.</HI> and others, to perpend and weigh in <HI>Sect.</HI> 23. And I mu&s;t &s;end all Novices &s;till to that Scripture, <HI>Eccle&s;.</HI> 7. 20. There is not a ju&s;t man upon earth that doth good, and &s;in|neth not; which hath no oppo&s;ition to the Doctrine of Chri&s;t, <HI>Mat.</HI> 5. 48. where the Lord (as all along the Chapter)<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5 48. vindicated.</NOTE> urgeth &s;incerity and integrity of obedience upon his Di&s;ci|ples (in oppo&s;ition to the Phari&s;ees counterfeit and partial expo&s;itions of the ten Commandments) with further growth and endeavour after more conformity to their heavenly pat|tern; &s;till keeping perfection in all degrees, as the white in their eye, unto which the Lord will bring his children at their di&s;&s;olution, and time of their &s;ouls immediate entrance into heaven, and not before, as hath been demon&s;trated in <HI>Sect.</HI> 29. As to that Que&s;tion, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Qu 48.</NOTE> <HI>What is your own righte|ou&s;ne&s;s, and what is the righteou&s;ne&s;s of Chri&s;t, and how do you di&s;tingui&s;h betwixt the one and the other?</HI> He that did pro|pound
<PB N="229" REF="133"> it, tells us (at the foot of <HI>Page</HI> 25.) <HI>It was not as if he knew them not,</HI> (even all that he enquired of) <HI>but for the &s;atisfaction of the &s;imple, and for the clearing of the truth, and manife&s;ting our deceit to the world.</HI> But that which is a thorough good Que&s;tion indeed, not coming from Satan, and a corrupt heart, mu&s;t ari&s;e from a &s;ound and good prin|ciple, and be propounded to as good an end: Now, this Quere, 1. proceeds not from a good principle, becau&s;e their judgements are vitiated, and in their Doctrine they con|found (as do the Papi&s;ts) our inherent righteou&s;ne&s;s-&s;ancti|fying, with Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s which ju&s;tifieth. Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s, which ju&s;tifieth a believing &s;inner, is not the e&s;&s;ential righteou&s;ne&s;s of his God-head, but that obedience of his, Active and Pa&s;&s;ive, which in the humane nature (that he a&s;&s;umed, and united to his divine per&s;on) he wrought out in the room and &s;tead of others; and which, he pre&s;enting to Gods Ju&s;tice, as a price and ran&s;om for them, God accept|eth, and reckoneth to every one that believeth for his per|fect Ju&s;tification. That righteou&s;ne&s;s which is in Scripture called our own, as inherent in us; is, either what is done by the power of natural con&s;cience, without the written word; or, what is done according to the bare letter of the written command; or, from a common gift of the Spirit; or, in a Go&s;pel-way, from a living principle of grace, habits and acts of holine&s;s, by the holy Spirit and faith, given, &s;tirred up, actuated, and improved; this al&s;o (with all the former) is a righteou&s;ne&s;s of ours, that men would e&s;tabli&s;h in the room of Chri&s;ts imputed righteou&s;ne&s;s, for their ju&s;tificati|on: But though it be wrought by the &s;trength of Chri&s;t in us, and be found in us, that are &s;anctified; yet, as to ju&s;ti|fication of his per&s;on, <HI>Paul</HI> would not be found <HI>in it</HI> for a world; but, &s;aith he, <HI>Phil.</HI> 3. 8, 9. I do count all things but lo&s;s (even what he had done and &s;uffered, &s;ince conver&s;ion, and what he was now a doing) and dung, that I may win Chri&s;t; and be found <HI>in him,</HI> not having mine own righte|ou&s;ne&s;s, which is of the Law, (or done in my per&s;on, from the be&s;t principles in obedience to the Law) but that which is through the faith of Chri&s;t, the righteou&s;ne&s;s which is of God by faith; this is every true Believers vote and re&s;olu|tion.
<PB N="230" REF="134"> If <HI>R. F.</HI> be otherwi&s;e minded, and belong to God, God &s;hall reveal even this unto him.</P>
<P N="2">2. The above mentioned Quere, by the bare propound|ing doth not attain the ends pretended: our an&s;wer may &s;atisfie &s;ome &s;imple ones, &s;ome wi&s;e, not all: This Quere (and other of the like &s;tamp) doth but ob&s;cure the truth, and help to &s;tagger and &s;educe Gods &s;ervants; as for <HI>our deceit,</HI> in this great bu&s;ine&s;s of a &s;inners ju&s;tification; if <HI>J. Parnell</HI> &s;hould ari&s;e from the dead, or <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;hould tell us he hath been in the third Heaven; nor one, nor other &s;hall be able to manife&s;t that which is not. To conclude, whence came that<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Quer. 3<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> que&s;tion, quarrelling more with God, then with us? <HI>How doth it &s;tand with the impartial God, to give to one man a mea&s;ure of grace, and not to another, and yet require obedience from all?</HI> If <HI>R. F.</HI> thinketh, there is ground for &s;uch a Que&s;tion, he mu&s;t be &s;ent to <HI>Rom.</HI> 9. 18. 20. for his An&s;wer; God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy &amp;c. and, O man, who art thou that replye&s;t again&s;t God?</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="21" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(21. Head of their Scripture-contradiction.) <HI>Concerning civil Honor.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="49" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 49.</HEAD>
<P>THeir di&s;cour&s;e, papers and practi&s;e is notorious enough, in oppo&s;ition to civil honor, required in Scripture.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> an&s;wereth, <HI>Civility and Honor we own, and knows to whom honor is due, to whom it is not.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But who will believe him, if none make it out by Argument better then he doth? and if his practi&s;e be no better then his doctrine, it is like to prove but poor honor, and not &s;uch as the Scripture requireth.</P>
<P N="1">1. Saith he, <HI>If I honor a proud man for his pride, I di&s;honor God in &s;o doing &amp;c.</HI></P>
<PB N="231" REF="134">
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Who calls (that calls from Scripture) for honor to any for their pride, and covetou&s;ne&s;s and oppre&s;&s;ion? This is but a &s;hift of <HI>R. F.</HI> Is not the ordinance of &s;uperiority, in State, Church, Family, &s;et up among men to be honored? and cannot men &s;et up by that ordinance, be honored, but<NOTE PLACE="marg">Civil Honor due to &s;upe|riors.</NOTE> they mu&s;t be honored <HI>for their &s;ins?</HI> Sin we all know, is a reproach to any per&s;on, as to any nation. But the relation wherein God hath &s;et them above others is an honor to them, put upon them by God him&s;elf, and are not they to be honored, as, and &s;o far as he hath honored them? <HI>viz.</HI> as Magi&s;trates, as Mini&s;ters, as Parents, as Ma&s;ters, con&s;idered ab&s;tractly from their bad qualities? and onely lookt upon in their place of &s;uperiority repre&s;enting God, and bearing his image of authority, which though lo&s;t by the fall, yet God hath given back, in &s;ome re&s;pect, to all men; Hence the Rule, 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 2. 17. Honor all men; all men, as men, not Bea&s;ts; and &s;ome men, as preferred by the Lord before other. But &s;aith <HI>R. F.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2 <HI>All men that are joyned to the Lord, and walk in union with him, and his &s;eed, I honor and love, and this I &s;peak in &s;incerity.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> This is no demon&s;tration of giving civil honor, or knowing what belongs to it, which was-by him at fir&s;t pro|fe&s;&s;ed. Did <HI>R. F.</HI> not onely &s;peak, but act this in &s;incerity, yet there is an ignorant &s;implicity mixed with his &s;incerity, while he thinketh, that love to Saints mu&s;t exclude his love to other men; and if he <HI>can love his enemies,</HI> as he &s;aith,<NOTE PLACE="marg">To all, as men.</NOTE> civil honor is a branch of love to be given to them that are not <HI>joyned to the Lord and walk with him,</HI> though they be his enemies; which of the martyrs refu&s;ed to give civil honor to their per&s;ecuting enemies, when called before them? <HI>But</HI> &s;aith <HI>R. F.</HI> again,</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>To follow fooli&s;h idle fancies, to wor&s;hip men with cap and knee, and flatteries, as the Serpents &s;eed do, and which thou pleads for, we do that deny, and again&s;t it te&s;tifie.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Here he &s;till mingleth the corruption of the act, with the act; as if they could not be &s;eparated. If onely he denies fooli&s;h, idle complements, for in&s;inuation &s;ake, and in a way of flattery, that we deny al&s;o; but to judge the
<PB N="232" REF="135"> <HI>honor of cap and knee</HI> (taken by it &s;elf, and given to men of place) as in&s;eparable from folly, fancy, flattery, is to deny a part of that civility and honor which him&s;elf &s;eemed in ge|neral to allow.</P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>How can ye believe, that &s;eek honor one of another, and &s;eek not the honor that comes of God alone?</HI> Joh. 5. 44.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> As 'tis a &s;in to be ambitious of honor among men, and a compound &s;in, to be carele&s;s of Gods honor, while we hunt after our own, and that by indirect means; &s;o 'tis a duty to go one before another in giving honor, <HI>Rom.</HI> 12. 10. yea, 'tis a duty and no &s;in, to take the honor that God hath given to the place and relation wherein he hath &s;et us. Preferring of creature and &s;elf honor, and to hold up that with neglect of Chri&s;t, rather then take that honor which God gives to every man, upon receiving of Chri&s;t, is that which our Lord condemns in that place of <HI>John;</HI> But &s;up|po&s;e<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 5 44. vindicated.</NOTE> a Magi&s;trate, Ma&s;ter, Parent, hath not received Chri&s;t, that Scripture doth not interfere with the fifth Command|ment: nor &s;imply forbid receiving honor one of another; but onely &s;uch as the worlds <HI>friends</HI> give and take upon a worldly account, and not with re&s;pect to the ordinance of God, who hath &s;tated, and ordered it, where, how, by whom, and to whom it is to be given, and of whom it is to be received. <HI>R. F.</HI> addeth;</P>
<P N="5">5. <HI>What the Scriptures do allow, we do know, without thy ranking together.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I had mentioned &s;ome Scriptures, concerning civil Titles of honor, given to Magi&s;trates, Mini&s;ters, Fathers, Ma&s;ters, which this man denies not but that the Scriptures do <HI>allow,</HI> and <HI>he and others know,</HI> but he doth not &s;ay, he alloweth what he knoweth; Now to him that knoweth what is good, and approveth it not, and makes not confe&s;&s;ion of it when called to it, to him it is &s;in, with greater aggra|vation. I &s;hall now unto the rank of Titles, bring in a File of Scriptures for civil ge&s;tures of Reverence, and due de|portment of the body; to know whether they will allow them or no, and practi&s;e accordingly; if not, the whole File &s;hall di&s;charge again&s;t them, another day for their pride, negligence, and contempt. In Scripture we &s;hall
<PB N="233" REF="135"> finde bowings of the knee, and body of &s;everal kindes; &s;ome from ba&s;e fears, as <HI>Sauls</HI> to the devil, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 28. 14. &s;ome<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ge&s;tures of honor &s;ome bad, ba&s;e and Idolatrous.</NOTE> of ba&s;e flattery, as <HI>Joabs</HI> to <HI>David, 2 Sam. 14. 22. Cu&s;hies</HI> to <HI>Joab, 2 Sam.</HI> 18. 21. of <HI>Davids</HI> &s;ubjects to <HI>Ab&s;alom,</HI> and <HI>Ab&s;aloms</HI> to them, 2 <HI>Sam.</HI> 15. 5. Some of Idolatry, &s;uch as <HI>Amaziah</HI> acted when he bowed him&s;elf to the gods of the <HI>Edomites, 2 Chron.</HI> 25. 14. all the&s;e kindes we know, if <HI>R. F.</HI> doth not; and we di&s;allow the practi&s;e, upon &s;uch rea&s;ons, (though we approve of the hi&s;tory of the Scripture as true) becau&s;e they were again&s;t a Rule of Scripture: but how (by the way) will the&s;e ri&s;e up in judgement again&s;t tho&s;e that deny what is required by a Rule? If &s;ome have bowed for wicked ends, &s;ome to Idols, &s;ome to devils; how will they condemn the &s;tiff knees, and &s;tout &s;tomachs that will not afford it for the ends, and to the per&s;ons which the Lord hath de&s;igned, and marked out, as honorable? There<NOTE PLACE="marg">Some, civil and good maners.</NOTE> are bowings of the knee and body, which the Scripture makes mention of with approbation, being agreeable to the Law and Rule of the fifth Commandment. Such as that of <HI>Abrahams</HI> bowing to the heatheni&s;h children of <HI>Heth, Gen.</HI> 23. 7. in a civil neighborly way: And bowings to Rulers and Magi&s;trates, as <HI>Jacobs</HI> &s;ons to <HI>Jo&s;eph, Gen.</HI> 43. 26. 28. according to <HI>Jo&s;ephs</HI> two dreams, of their &s;heaves bowing to his; and of the Sun, Moon and &s;tars, making obey&s;ance to him: <HI>Davids</HI> bowing to <HI>Saul,</HI> though a wic|ked man, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 24. 8. as well as <HI>Mephibo&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">eths, Abigails,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Sam. 9. 8. 1 Sam. 25. 23. 2 Sam. 24. 20. 1 King 1. 23.</NOTE> <HI>Araunahs,</HI> and <HI>Nathans</HI> bowing to <HI>David,</HI> a good man, and pious Prince: Again, there want not in&s;tances of re&s;pect and honor given to the Prophets, and Mini&s;ters of the Lord, as that of the great woman, or Lady of <HI>Shunem,</HI> to the Prophet <HI>Eli&s;ha, 2 Kings</HI> 4. 37. of bowing to the elder in years, or hours; &s;carce a quarter of an hour it may be, was <HI>E&s;au</HI> born before <HI>Jacob,</HI> yet he gives him the re&s;pect and honor of his Primogeniture, <HI>Gen.</HI> 33. 3. of bowing to the rich, as <HI>Ruth</HI> to <HI>Boaz; Ruth</HI> 2. 10. of the wife to the hus|band, as <HI>Bath&s;heba</HI> to <HI>David, 1 Kings</HI> 1. 16. and 31. of the &s;on to the mother; as <HI>Solomon</HI> to <HI>Bath&s;heba, 1 Kings</HI> 2. 19. The&s;e and many more, if <HI>R. F.</HI> knowes, and allowes not; he di&s;daineth Scripture proof and te&s;timony; if he allowes,
<PB N="234" REF="136"> why is the civil obey&s;ance of the upper or lower part of the body, head, loins, or knee, denied to any &s;uch relations? Ble&s;&s;ed is he that condemns not in practi&s;e, that which he alloweth in judgement; or that di&s;alloweth not in judge|ment, that which the Scripture countenanceth, and com|mandeth. Yet we have not all that <HI>R. F.</HI> can &s;ay for him&s;elf and his companions.</P>
<P N="6">6. <HI>Where doth the Scripture &s;ay, put off your Hats, and flatter with your tongues?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Here again, he would not &s;eem to oppo&s;e the re&s;pect due to men, but as it is done in a way of flattery (which car|riage is of all to be abhorred) but dutiful honor may be gi|ven without di&s;&s;imulation; and if the&s;e men be perfect, why are they no better examples? The Quere about the Hat, I have &s;poken to in the former Section. The fifth Commandement requireth all tokens of civill re&s;pect, and honor; the putting off the Hat, is a token of &s;uch re&s;pect: Be curteous, &s;aith the Apo&s;tle 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 3 8. put not off huma|nity, by denying this piece of common civility. Thou &s;halt ri&s;e up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy God. I am the Lord, <HI>Levit.</HI> 19. 32. If greater &s;igns of honor then uncovering the head be required, we are not to boggle at the le&s;&s;er. But,</P>
<P N="7">7. Saith <HI>R. F. Where doth the Scripture &s;ay, re&s;pect the rich, and di&s;-re&s;pect the poor? Are you not partial,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Where do you finde any doctrine of this tendency delivered? The Word would have poor and rich re&s;pected as God made them both his creatures, <HI>Prov.</HI> 22. 2. And as he maketh poor and maketh rich, him&s;elf will be magnified, 1 <HI>Sam.</HI> 2. and yet his order, &s;et among men, regarded: As for <HI>re&s;pecting per&s;ons for &s;elf-ends, and carnal con&s;iderations,</HI> Let <HI>R. F.</HI> and every one look to his own heart, and learn to be poor in &s;pirit. Let the Brother of high degree (in the<NOTE PLACE="marg">James 1. 9, 10 opened.</NOTE> world) rejoyce in that he is made low, in &s;pirit: Let the Brother of low degree (in the world) rejoyce in that he is exalted, in Chri&s;t. Degrees there are of Saints, as Saints: and Saints, as men, are capable of different degrees of e&s;tate, and place in the world; every one of them mu&s;t know the place, and &s;tation, wherein God hath &s;et him, and demean
<PB N="235" REF="136"> or carry him&s;elf accordingly. If any man think otherwi&s;e, and teach it, and con&s;ent not to whole&s;om words, the words of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and to the doctrine which is accord|ing to godline&s;s, he is proud, or a fool, as 'tis in the margent, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 6. 3, 4. knowing nothing, doting about que&s;tions and &s;trifes of words, &amp;c. Let <HI>R. F.</HI> and his fellows read on and tremble, le&s;t they be branded and &s;tigmatized with &s;uch Characters, for their multiplied perver&s;e Di&s;putings; and Scripture-contradictions.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="22" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(22. Head of their Scripture-contradiction) <HI>Concerning Swearing.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="50" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 50.</HEAD>
<P>THey take up Chri&s;ts words (as I noted) <HI>Mat. 5. 34. Swear not at all,</HI> (as they do other Scriptures again&s;t his meaning) to fight again&s;t all Oaths be|fore a Magi&s;trate, in any ca&s;e, upon any occa&s;ion. And now comes forth <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 23.</NOTE> and fights with his &s;hadow, [<HI>Thou &s;ays, he forbids Oaths onely by Creatures, Heaven,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Swearing by Creatures forbidden.</NOTE> <HI>Earth, a mans head, &amp;c. The &s;ame meaning hath</HI> James, <HI>Chap.</HI> 5. 12.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> My words were plain enough to him that hath a minde to under&s;tand, <HI>Fir&s;t</HI> (&s;aid I, which word [fir&s;t] he leaves out) <HI>he forbids oaths by creatures;</HI> and I added<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5 34, 35, 36. vindicated.</NOTE> [<HI>onely</HI>] becau&s;e the Lord doth onely there, <HI>i. e. ver.</HI> 34, 35, 36. make exception of Creatures; Heaven, Gods throne; Earth, his foot&s;tool; Jeru&s;alem, the city of the great King; the Head, becau&s;e thou can&s;t not make one hair white or black.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 24.</NOTE> returns me this non-&s;en&s;e for an&s;wer; <HI>Here thou art a lyar of Chri&s;t, and his words bear te&s;timony, again&s;t thee, for he doth not forbid &s;wearing by Creatures onely, but he forbids &s;wearing by all things el&s;e, what&s;oever: for he &s;aith, Swear not at all, neither by heaven, nor by earth, &amp;c. And
<PB N="236" REF="137"> he that &s;wears not by heaven, mu&s;t not &s;wear by what is con|tained in it; and he that &s;wears not by earth, mu&s;t not &s;wear by what is contained in it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> The rea&s;on he gives why &s;wearing by creatures one|ly, is not here forbidden, is becau&s;e the Lord forbids &s;wear|ing <HI>by all things el&s;e;</HI> which is a rea&s;onle&s;s rea&s;on, for hea|ven, and earth, and the creatures contained therein, are all but creatures; and my a&s;&s;ertion &s;tands good, That Chri&s;ts words (in the above-mentioned <HI>ver&s;es,</HI> 34, 35, 36. of <HI>Mat.</HI> 5.) do not ab&s;olutely inhibit all oaths before a Magi&s;trate, while he forbids onely &s;wearing by creatures, heaven and earth, and <HI>all creatures</HI> therein. I am aware of what Famili&s;tical<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gods e&s;&s;ence is not mixed with the Creatures.</NOTE> conceits the&s;e men have of God, and his E&s;&s;ence, as mixt with the creatures; and hereupon they may think, that, if creatures are not to be &s;worn by at all, at any time, in any ca&s;e; neither may we &s;wear by the name of God at all, at any time, in any ca&s;e: But,</P>
<P N="1">1. Although Gods e&s;&s;ence is where the Creatures e&s;&s;ence is, yet he is a mo&s;t &s;imple un-compounded Being: and though he is in heaven, and in earth, yet he is not contained, bounded, or limited therein.</P>
<P N="2">2. Our Lords &s;cope is to wipe and wa&s;h off the du&s;ty Glo&s;&s;es of the Scribes and Phari&s;ees, which they had ca&s;t up|on the gla&s;s of the Law, and particularly concerning oaths; for <HI>ver.</HI> 33. you will finde it had been an old tradition, they might &s;wear by any thing, &s;o as they did not for&s;wear them&s;elves. And again, (by comparing <HI>Chap.</HI> 5. with 23. 16. &amp;c.) we finde how they di&s;tingui&s;ht about oaths, &s;ome were nothing (they &s;aid) or not binding, as to &s;wear by the Temple, by the Altar, &amp;c. but to &s;wear by the Gold of the Temple, or by the Gift upon the Altar, that was a binding oath; and made the man that &s;wore, a debtor; and if he kept not his oath, he was guilty: Now again&s;t the&s;e, and &s;uch like Glo&s;&s;es, Chri&s;t oppo&s;eth with a prohibition, I &s;ay unto you, (who am to be heard and believed before Phari|&s;ees) <HI>Swear not at all;</HI> that is, neither by the Temple, nor by the Gold of it; not by the Altar, nor by the Gift upon the Altar, &amp;c. nor by any creatures what&s;oever. And yet while he is clearing out the third Commandment, (which
<PB N="237" REF="137"> forbids not onely perjury, but all profanations of Gods name) and directing to the right u&s;e of an oath, he doth<NOTE PLACE="marg">Swearing by God com|manded.</NOTE> not repeal, null, or make void the fir&s;t Commandment, which requireth &s;wearing by God, and unto God alone: For, as it requires prayer to the God we have, &s;o an oath is al&s;o there commanded (upon &s;pecial occa&s;ion) it being an appeal to God, or a &s;olemn atte&s;tation and calling of God to witne&s;s, and judge, about the truth affirmed or denied. And if we have a God, we &s;wear our &s;elves to him, and are to &s;wear by his name, <HI>Deut.</HI> 6. 13. and 10. 20. Swearing is &s;uch a part of wor&s;hip, and &s;o eminent, that it is put by a Synecdoche (or figurative &s;peech of the part for the whole) for the whole wor&s;hip of God, <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 63. 11. and Chri&s;t was far from overthrowing the whole wor&s;hip of God, or any part of it.</P>
<P N="3">3. The &s;en&s;e of the prohibition, <HI>Swear not at all,</HI> is given forth, <HI>Mat. 5. ver. 37. But let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay.</HI> Communication <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. Mat. 5 37. cleared.</NOTE> there, is as much as ordi|dinary &s;peech; from whence I granted, that not onely &s;wearing by creatures, is forbidden, but all kinde of oaths in ordinary communication, (as, by God, or, by the Lord) and it was the furthe&s;t (I &s;aid) that I finde one of the Qua|kers <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">A few words by <HI>J Nayler,</HI> pag. 16.</NOTE> &s;eems at lea&s;t to carry the &s;en&s;e, <HI>Art thou come to yea and nay, in thy common occa&s;ions?</HI></P>
<P>Yet <HI>R. F.</HI> apprehends the Apo&s;tle <HI>James</HI> his words, <HI>Chap.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">James 5 12. vindicated.</NOTE> 5. 12. are expre&s;s again&s;t all kinde of &s;wearing at any time, becau&s;e he &s;aith, <HI>Swear not at all.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> The words of the Apo&s;tle are &s;trictly thus; But above all things, my brethren, &s;wear not; neither by hea|ven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath; but let your yea, be yea; and your nay, nay: the latter words<NOTE PLACE="marg">God not to be &s;worn by in ordinary &s;peech.</NOTE> explaining the &s;cope and &s;en&s;e of the former. His &s;cope is, particularly, to &s;uppre&s;s expre&s;&s;ions of impatiency under afflictions and per&s;ecutions, which from <HI>ver.</HI> 7, to 14. he was dealing with, and having commended <HI>Jobs</HI> patience, <HI>ver.</HI> 11. he addeth, <HI>ver. 12. Swear not,</HI> &amp;c. that is, in your afflictions, under &s;en&s;e of pain, trouble, or torture; beware of vain and ra&s;h &s;wearing (as at all times, &s;o) when you think your &s;elves provoked to it by the &s;mart of afflictions:
<PB N="238" REF="138"> Beware of &s;wearing by any oath, directly by God, or indi|rectly by creatures, in the greate&s;t provocations; and much more avoid it, when you are not provoked: barely, we are to affirm, or deny, according to truth, at &s;ome extraordinary &s;ea&s;ons, and always in ordinary cour&s;e.</P>
<P N="4">4. Of lawful oaths, there are two &s;orts; A&s;&s;ertory, and<NOTE PLACE="marg">Two &s;orts of lawful oaths</NOTE> Promi&s;&s;ory.</P>
<P N="1">1. A&s;&s;ertory, when the truth of a thing is &s;olemnly af|firmed<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. A&s;&s;ertory.</NOTE> or denyed, by invocation of God alone for a witne&s;s and a judge, in &s;uch a ca&s;e, and at &s;uch a time, as a Contro|ver&s;ie<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 16. vindicated.</NOTE> cannot be ended without it. <HI>Heb.</HI> 6. 16. where the Apo&s;tle doth not &s;o bring a compari&s;on from the men of the world, to whom, an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all &s;trife, as to &s;hut out Saints from being men in the world, or di&s;oblige them from their common humanity; but by alluding to the u&s;e of an oath, for &s;uch a lawful end, among men, he gives a hint of one of the hinges or &s;inews of Humane &s;ociety, which Saints have not been wont to throw off, or cut a&s;under: but upon weighty occa&s;ions, they have a&s;&s;erted and confirmed the truth of their &s;peech by an oath. Such is that of <HI>Paul</HI> to the <HI>Romans, Chap. 1. 9. God is my witne&s;s, &amp;c.</HI> And to the <HI>Corinthians, 2 Cor.</HI> 1. 23. Moreover, <HI>I call God for a record,</HI> &amp;c. And to the <HI>Philippi|ans, Chap. 1. 8. For God is my record,</HI> &amp;c. And to the <HI>Gala|tians, Chap.</HI> 1. 20. The things which I write unto you, be|hold, <HI>before God,</HI> I lye not. And to the <HI>The&s;&s;alonians, 1 The&s;. 2. 5. God is witne&s;s.</HI> In all the&s;e forms of &s;peech, there is the former part of an oath expre&s;t, calling God to wit|ne&s;s, the other part is implyed, appealing to him as a Judge.</P>
<P N="2">2. A Promi&s;&s;ory oath, is when the truth of the hearts<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Promi&s;&s;ory.</NOTE> intention, and of the lips expre&s;&s;ion, to do a kindene&s;s, or keep promi&s;e, is &s;olemnly confirmed by atte&s;tation of God, and appeal to him alone: &s;uch was that of <HI>Abrahams</HI> &s;er|vant to his ma&s;ter, <HI>Gen.</HI> 24. 3, 9. Of <HI>David</HI> to <HI>Saul, 1 Sam.</HI> 24. 22. and to <HI>Bath&s;heba, 1 Kings</HI> 1. 29. Hence no warrant, for vain and ra&s;h &s;wearing by the Lord, can be collected; as for any to take up the&s;e forms of &s;peech ordinarily, [Before God] or, [As God &s;hall judge me,] but &s;ufficient
<PB N="239" REF="138"> grounds for u&s;ing of an oath in the &s;ame judgement, truth, and righteou&s;ne&s;s, that the Saints of old and new Te&s;tament have &s;anctified Gods name by.</P>
<P N="5">5. Mixt oaths, by God and Creatures, are forbidden, for<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mixt oaths forbidden.</NOTE> the Lord threatneth to &s;tretch out his hand in judgement again&s;t them that &s;wear by the Lord, and that &s;wear by Mal|cham, <HI>Zeph. 1. 5. i. e.</HI> joyned God and idols (Milchom, or Moloch, the abomination of the Ammonites) together: But God hath promi&s;ed to e&s;tabli&s;h this part of his true and pure wor&s;hip, to &s;wear by him alone, and that in truth upon the earth. <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 65. 16. He who ble&s;&s;eth him&s;elf, &s;hall ble&s;s him&s;elf in the God of truth; and he that &s;weareth in the earth, &s;hall &s;wear by the God of truth.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> makes other inferences; <HI>If a man mu&s;t not &s;wear at all, then he mu&s;t not &s;wear by a Book, or any other thing.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Had he rea&s;oned from Chri&s;ts and the Apo&s;tles words [Swear not at all] in their true meaning; If a man mu&s;t not &s;wear by Creatures at all, then he mu&s;t not &s;wear by a Book, or any created being, he had complied with the truth; but to rea&s;on, and make inferences to no pur|po&s;e, is to lo&s;e time, and con&s;ume pen and paper in vain. If it may gain him, or any of his Sect, to the love of truth and peace, I &s;hall nakedly pre&s;ent my thoughts and de&s;ires: As<NOTE PLACE="marg">Swearing by a Book unlaw|ful.</NOTE> I had nothing before of Swearing by a Book one way or other, &s;o never did I &s;ay, that a Book was lawful to be &s;worn by; but I heartily wi&s;h &s;uch a &s;tumbling-block were every where in the Land, taken away by the Magi&s;trates, for much profanation of Gods name hath been occa&s;ioned thereby. I remember <HI>William Thorp</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">See <HI>Fox,</HI> Acts and Mo|numents, vol. 1. p. 701 col. 2.</NOTE> (one of <HI>J. Wickliffs</HI> followers) in conference with a Popi&s;h Archbi&s;hop, was in the right when he bare witne&s;s again&s;t &s;wearing by a Book: And &s;o was the Ma&s;ter of Divinity, of whom he tells the &s;tory, who &s;aid to the Lawyer, <Q REND="margQuotes">"It is not lawful either to give or to take any &s;uch charge upon a Book; for every Book is nothing el&s;e but diver&s;e Creatures of which it is made; therefore to &s;wear upon a Book, is to &s;wear by Creatures, and this &s;wearing is ever unlawful. This in effect will be found in <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tom,</HI> as his judgement, bla|ming Book-oaths, and them that bring forth Books to
<PB N="240" REF="139"> &s;wear upon. The afore&s;aid <HI>William Thorp</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 702. as above.</NOTE> (though he was ready to &s;wear as God commanded it, yet) refu&s;ed &s;o much as to lay his hand upon the Book, &s;eeing to touch a Book in that ca&s;e, is to &s;wear by it.</Q> If <HI>R. F.</HI> and his fel|lows<NOTE PLACE="marg">Swearing up|on a Book &s;uper&s;titious.</NOTE> would be as rational and Chri&s;tian-like as <HI>William Thorp,</HI> when they come before a Magi&s;trate, to deny the Super&s;tition, and minde the In&s;titution; refu&s;e not the oath, but the oath by, or upon a Book, they might well be born with.</P>
<P>But <HI>R. F.</HI> concludeth, (after he hath talkt of my Self|confutings, and manife&s;t Contradictions, but proved no|thing) <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 24.</NOTE> <HI>We take Chri&s;ts words according to his minde, and &s;o deny oaths, and abide in his Doctrine.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Whether it were Chri&s;ts minde and Doctrine, ab|&s;olutely to deny the u&s;e of an Oath, may appear (by what hath been &s;aid) to the contrary; no part of the moral Law Chri&s;t came to de&s;troy; to &s;wear by Gods name, nature, or being, was and is a part of the indi&s;pen&s;able Law of God, that is to be obeyed and fulfilled in a Go&s;pel-way of wor|&s;hip, fear, love, and thankfulne&s;s. <HI>James Nayler</HI> (of whom I had once &s;ome better thoughts) in a &s;heet of his <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">All v. in Janglers p. 8.</NOTE>, tells his Novices, <HI>In the old Covenant &s;wearing in truth was an ordinance of God: And the Apo&s;tle who was come into the new Covenant, and did witne&s;s the oath of God fulfilled, &s;aid, Above all things, my brethren, &s;wear not any oath what&s;oever, le&s;t ye fall into temptation.</HI> The place in the Apo&s;tle <HI>James</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">James 5. 12. vindicated.</NOTE> hath been cleared already, and the con&s;ideration of his rea|&s;on, doth further vindicate the prohibition from the&s;e mens opinions: <HI>Le&s;t ye fall into temptation;</HI> as if he &s;hould &s;ay, Swear by any, but by God, or &s;wear by God, ra&s;hly, pa&s;|&s;ionately, in a &s;trait and extremity, and ye will fall into temptation: from &s;wearing ye may be tempted to cur&s;e God, and yet further bla&s;pheme him; and from &s;wearing by Creatures, ye may be tempted openly to wor&s;hip them, and run from the true God to plain idols and idolatry; and from pre&s;umption, ye may be tempted to de&s;pair; therefore patiently endure, do not pa&s;&s;ionately rap out oaths. But as to <HI>J. Naylers</HI> di&s;tinction of the time, when an oath was lawful, when not; I mu&s;t &s;end him to <HI>Section</HI> 17. to let him
<PB N="241" REF="139"> know, that the old Covenant and the new, was the &s;ame for &s;ub&s;tance; even the &s;ame Covenant of grace, which obli|geth now as then, by way of love and thankfulne&s;s, to &s;wear by the Lords name: and if we live under a clearer and larger admini&s;tration of the Go&s;pel-covenant, wherein God hath fulfilled his oath, that he made to <HI>Abraham, I&s;aac,</HI> and <HI>Jacob,</HI> by &s;ending his Son; and that he made to his Son, to con&s;ecrate him a high Prie&s;t for ever; we &s;hould reckon our &s;elves more obliged to &s;wear our &s;elves to the Lord for ever, then tho&s;e that lived under the old Te&s;tament. To conclude,
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>They that will not expound Scripture by Scripture, and compare the Precepts and examples for Swearing, with the Prohibition again&s;t it, fall into Scripture-contra|diction:</ITEM>
<ITEM>But neither <HI>R. F.</HI> nor <HI>J. Nayler</HI> (with others) will ex|pound Scripture by Scripture, nor compare Precept, &amp;c. for Swearing, with the Prohibition again&s;t it;</ITEM>
<ITEM>And therefore, <HI>R. F.</HI> and <HI>J. Nayler,</HI> with many others, are fallen into Scripture-contradiction.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="part">
<PB REF="140">
<PB N="243" REF="140">
<HEAD>THE Reviler rebuked. PART II. Their Self-contradictions.</HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>1. Concerning the Scriptures.</HEAD>
<DIV4 N="1" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 1.</HEAD>
<P>_I Had animadverted upon what they write, [<HI>The Scriptures are within them, and they own them in the life and &s;en&s;e of them</HI>] that while they pretend to &s;peak all from the Spirit that &s;pake the Scriptures, they are found in their afore|&s;aid Scripture-contradictions) to belye the Scriptures, and the Spirit of God al&s;o. <HI>R. F.</HI> lets this Section pa&s;s without his controlment; and I believe &s;uch as control the Scri|ptures (as <HI>R. F.</HI> and others have done) in their very life and &s;en&s;e, touching the Spirits per&s;onality; the right way of Gods ju&s;tifying a &s;inner &amp;c. will one day have their mouths &s;topt, and every tongue and pen that ri&s;eth up in judge|ment again&s;t the Lord, and his Scriptures, and &s;ervants, &s;hall be heaven-&s;tricken, and &s;elf-condemned.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="2" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 2.</HEAD>
<P>WHereas I &s;aid here, <HI>They deny the Letter of Scri|pture to be Scripture,</HI> and yet &s;tick to the letter, <HI>Matth. 23. 8. 10. Call no man Father, neither be ye called Ma&s;ters, R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 24.</NOTE> is &s;o bold as to tell me <HI>this is one of my lies,</HI> but he proves nothing again&s;t me; For,</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="244" REF="141">1. I did not deliver out their very words in this place (as if they &s;hould &s;ay) we deny the letter of Scripture to be Scripture: but referred my Readers to the Pamphlet <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Paper &s;ent into the world.</NOTE> where they &s;hould finde the effect, and &s;ub&s;tance of &s;uch a denial (albeit the Printer or my &s;elf did unwittingly mi&s;|quote the Page, 19. for 2.) their words are the&s;e, <HI>They are &s;uch teachers as tell people, that</HI> Matthew, Mark, Luke <HI>and</HI> John <HI>is the Go&s;pel, which are but the Letter,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>we there|fore do deny them.</HI> Whence I argue; They that deny the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Denyal of written Go|&s;pel, is deni|al of Scripture letter.</NOTE> written Go&s;pel to be Go&s;pel, deny the Letter of the Scri|pture to be Scripture; But the&s;e men deny the Go&s;pel writ|ten by <HI>Matthew, Mark, Luke</HI> and <HI>John,</HI> to be Go&s;pel; There|fore &amp;c. The minor or latter propo&s;ition followeth clear|ly from their denyal of &s;uch Teachers, as call the writings of <HI>Matthew, Mark, Luke</HI> and <HI>John</HI> Go&s;pel; and from their own exception [<HI>which are but the Letter</HI>] the major and former propo&s;ition is thus evidenced; The Go&s;pel is a Good-&s;pel, and as it is written, it is made up of good and glad&s;om tidings, delivered in letters and &s;yllables, of which words are framed: deny the writing of <HI>Matthew</HI> &amp;c. to be written Go&s;pel, and you deny the letters and &s;yllables to be Go&s;pel-letters and &s;yllables, making up &s;uch words as do give forth a certain Go&s;pel-&s;ound, and con&s;equently you deny the letter of the Scripture to be Scripture: For Go&s;pel-letter and Scripture or written Go&s;pel is all one, and he that denies the Go&s;pel-letter, denies the Go&s;pel-Scripture, as he that denies the Scripture-Go&s;pel denies the Go&s;pel-letter. But they will &s;ay, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Paper &s;ent into the world. pag. 2.</NOTE> <HI>The Letter is the declaration of the Go&s;pel:</HI> If it be &s;o, then it is Go&s;pel declared by writing, and then the Letter (in that re&s;pect, as written) is Go&s;pel, which was before, by the&s;e men, excepted again&s;t as no Go&s;pl</P>
<P N="2">2. Their Self-contradiction in &s;ticking to the Letter, de|nyed to be Go&s;pel, I made to appear, from their urging the above mentioned place in <HI>Matthew,</HI> in the very Letter, Be ye not called Ma&s;ters. By this, <HI>R. F.</HI> would make the &s;imple believe <HI>I have cleared them, and contradicted my &s;elf.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But wherein, or how, no man can tell, unle&s;s accu|&s;ing them be clearing of them, and di&s;covering of their &s;elf|contradiction proves me one of them.</P>
<PB N="245" REF="141">
<P><HI>Thou art offended that they witne&s;s again&s;t thy deceit.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I am neither con&s;cious of deceit, nor &s;hould I be offended at tho&s;e that di&s;cover it, were it di&s;coverable from my words: but their &s;ticking to the Letter &s;ometimes, and at other times condemning the whole Scripture-letter; I witne&s;s to be an interfering with them&s;elves: And when the very Letter is urged again&s;t the &s;en&s;e and intendment of the Spirit, I witne&s;s it to be a deceit in them that &s;o urge it.</P>
<P><HI>Thou cuts off thy ma&s;ter-&s;hip by thy own Rule.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Did I urge the Scripture as they do, my &s;ervant mu&s;t not call me, Ma&s;ter; we have no &s;uch &s;ervants as <HI>Abraham</HI> had, who gave him this note of re&s;pect at every turn, <HI>Gen.</HI> 24. 12. O Lord God of my <HI>Ma&s;ter Abraham</HI> &amp;c. &s;hew kindne&s;s unto my <HI>Ma&s;ter Abraham, ver.</HI> 36. And <HI>Sarah</HI> my <HI>Ma&s;ters</HI> wife bare a &s;on to my <HI>Ma&s;ter</HI> when &s;he was old, and <HI>ver.</HI> 54. Send me away unto my <HI>Ma&s;ter;</HI> but the fifth<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 23 8. 10. cleared &amp; vindicated.</NOTE> Commandement is not made void by Chri&s;ts words, nor by the true &s;en&s;e of them, which is, that we &s;hould be far from affectation of Titles, from men; or &s;uffering any to ca&s;t their dependence, and lay the &s;tre&s;s of their con&s;cience-de|termination upon us, in matters of faith, and &s;alvation. In this very Section, I had di&s;covered another of their &s;elf con|tradictions: For <HI>J. Nayler</HI> querieth, <HI>which of the Saints had the witne&s;s of their &s;ouls to &s;eek in the Letter?</HI> and with the &s;ame breath he quotes the Scripture-letter, for the believers witne&s;s in him&s;elf. This <HI>R. F.</HI> takes up as if they <HI>did not deny and cro&s;s the Scriptures.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But my work was to &s;hew how <HI>J. Nayler</HI> both de|nies, and grants the &s;ame thing to be in the letter, without any di&s;tinction. If he had &s;aid, the believers witne&s;s is one way in the heart, or in him&s;elf, and another way in the Scri|ptures, he had not cro&s;s-&s;hind him&s;elf: Nor doth <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 25.</NOTE> help to cure the wound, but makes it fe&s;ter and rankle the more with his railing words: <HI>Acknowledge thy lies, error and con|fu&s;ion, and upon them own thy condemnation.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. He &s;alves not <HI>J. Nayler:</HI> For the believer knows by the Scripture, and by that in particular, 1 <HI>Joh.</HI> 5.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 5. 20. vindicated.</NOTE> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">0. that he hath the witne&s;s in him &s;elf, and no generation of Saints ever (&s;ince that Scripture was written) refu&s;ed to
<PB N="246" REF="142"> &s;eek and run unto it for confirmation of their &s;ouls faith, &s;eeing the Apo&s;tle addeth &s;o plainly, <HI>ver.</HI> 13. The&s;e things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, <HI>that ye may know</HI> that ye have eternal life, and <HI>that ye may believe</HI> on the name of the Son of God: Here the Believer hath both the ri&s;e and furtherance of his faith and evidence from what is written; and if the evidence or wit|ne&s;s in the heart be not bottomed upon what is in the Scripture, and proved agreeable thereunto; it is a fal&s;e evi|dence though it lurketh within: as the faith which hath not Scripture for its warrant, and compurgator, is fal&s;e al&s;o.</P>
<P N="2">2. He makes the wound rankle the more, in that he would have me acknowledge truth to be error and lies; and faithful di&s;covery, fal&s;hood; and in that he requires, when I have acknowledged &amp;c. thereupon to own my condemna|tion; whereas upon confe&s;&s;ion of my fault, where I finde it, I am acquitted, as in Gods court, &s;o in my con&s;cience&punc; and though I will judge my &s;elf for the root of un&s;een fail|ings (as for what in other things I &s;ee) yet he is near that<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> Joh. 1. 9.</NOTE> ju&s;tifieth me, and I believe the Lord is faithful to forgive me my &s;ins, and to clean&s;e me from all unrighteou&s;ne&s;s.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="3" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 3.</HEAD>
<P>HEre I pointed at <HI>J. Naylers</HI> conce&s;&s;ion, <HI>The word nigh in the heart, and in the mouth, doth not oppo&s;e it &s;elf, but is one with the Scripture;</HI> contradictious to what at other times they &s;ay; the Scripture in the mouth or in the book is not the word of God. <HI>R. F.</HI> takes no notice of this Section, nor how that which drops from their Pens oppo&s;eth it &s;elf, or the Scripture, or from both &s;ometimes; what el&s;e is that which <HI>J. N.</HI> in his <HI>Few words,</HI> &amp;c. Page 8.&mdash;<HI>thou neede&s;t not try the inward &s;ub&s;tance, by the outward declara|tion, the living by the dead,</HI> when as him&s;elf in page 7. had affirmed the outward declaration, or Scripture to be one with the word within, and this one with the Scripture; If the Scripture be dead, and yet one with the word in <HI>J. Nay|lers</HI> heart, then is his heart, and the word in it dead al&s;o;
<PB N="247" REF="142"> If the word which is nigh, in the heart, and in the mouth, be alive, and the Letter of Scripture be dead, then the word within and the word without are not one. If the word in the heart be alive, and the word in the Bible, and mouth be dead, then the word in the heart, and in the mouth oppo|&s;eth it &s;elf. It will put any man to his &s;hifts to extricate, and winde off here from Self or Scripture-contradiction. How much better or wor&s;e is that which followeth? Page 9. <HI>The Saints witne&s;s the word from Gods own mouth in Spirit, and revelation in Spirit, but never any in the Letter;</HI> Let Saints indeed perpend and weigh &s;eriou&s;ly; is it &s;o as <HI>J. Nayler</HI> &s;ugge&s;teth? Gods mouth then, is not in the Scripture; he &s;peaks not, breathes not there at all, by this mans doctrine; but then let him tell the world how the Scripture came to be the outward declaration of the minde and will of God; and &s;alve him&s;elf from Self-contradiction, who had &s;aid before, the word in heart and mouth, is one with the Scripture, and now, there was never any word from Gods own mouth in the Letter; and as he &s;ubjoyneth, <HI>That faith which is in Chri&s;t, &s;tands not in volumes;</HI> he means, of Gods book, or letter, of which he &s;pake imme|diately before; If it be &s;o as he &s;aith, then the faith of his heart is not built upon Gods Te&s;timony in the Scripture; He hath a faith, and a Chri&s;t too, which is not to be found in the Scripture, and then he oppo&s;eth him&s;elf, who gran|ted at fir&s;t, the word nigh in the heart, was one with the Scripture. I hope the wary, and humble Saint will ne|ver pin his faith upon <HI>J. N.</HI> his &s;leeve, nor &s;uffer it to &s;tand upon his <HI>Few words,</HI> or his multiplyed pamphleti|cal volumes, who thus rejecteth the Law of Gods mouth in the Scriptures, while he would but &s;eemingly make Gods Law and the heart, to be one with it. Another of this mans Self contradictions (though common to his fellows) I no|ted in this Section crying up <HI>Thou and Thee to a particular, as Scripture-language,</HI> and yet crying down the Letter as no Scripture that is the mouth of God, the word of God, or a binding Rule. What <HI>J. Nayler</HI> means by that, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Few words page 14.</NOTE> <HI>Thou wilt neither make Scripture thy Rule, nor &s;uffer them that would,</HI> let <HI>R. F.</HI> well con&s;ider; for if <HI>J. Nayler</HI> would
<PB N="248" REF="143"> have it to be a rule, <HI>R. F.</HI> and others would have it to be none, much le&s;s a &s;tanding rule, as hath appeared in 1. Part, Section 1.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="4" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 4.</HEAD>
<P><HI>THe Scriptures</HI> (&s;ay they) <HI>were given us by in&s;piration, and by in&s;piration are to be under&s;tood again.</HI> In this pa&s;&s;age there is coucht another of their Self-contradictions, which <HI>R. F.</HI> neither approves nor condemns, but pa&s;&s;eth it over un-toucht, un-an&s;wered. The Reader may plea&s;e to peru&s;e what was &s;aid for di&s;covery of their cla&s;hing Princi|ples, in my former piece: This I &s;hall adde, The Spirit of God, who breathed forth the Scriptures, mu&s;t give us the &s;piritual under&s;tanding of them, (if we have it at all) but this he doth in another way, then that whereby he in&s;pired the Pen-men of the Scriptures. They were &s;o in&s;pired when they wrote the holy Canon of Scripture, as men rapt up with an extatical motion, 2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 1. 21. The word there tran&s;lated [<HI>moved</HI>] &s;ignifies a forcible acting of the Spirit<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 21. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> upon them; they were mightily born away by the <HI>impetus</HI> and impul&s;ive power of the Spirit. The &s;ame word is u&s;ed by <HI>Luke, Acts</HI> 2. 2. in the de&s;cription of the vi&s;ible pouring forth of the Spirit, by a &s;ound from heaven, as of a <HI>ru&s;hing</HI> mighty wind; this <HI>ru&s;hing</HI> power of the Spirit invi&s;ibly act|ed the holy Men of God, who wrote the Scriptures in a way immediate, when they had not a letter of Gods Book before them. But thus the Scriptures come not to us, nor the under&s;tanding of them: we have the Book and Canon written down, and by providence, printed, tran&s;lated into our Mother tongue, and preached to us: Now then, they that profe&s;s they own the Scriptures, and they own the reading of them, and they own prayer for the under&s;tand|ing of them, &amp;c. and yet when it comes to the up&s;hot, they di&s;-own and deny all actings of the Spirit upon them, by means of &s;econd cau&s;es, in&s;truments, and ordinances, by which we are to get under&s;tanding, and by which he gives it forth; it plainly appears, that as the bea&s;ts that have no under&s;tanding, they kick down the good pail of milk before|given
<PB N="249" REF="143"> by fru&s;tration, and neglect of Gods gift of the Scri|ptures, and exerci&s;es about them, thereby to come to the knowledge of them, under the conduct of the Spirit.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="5" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 5.</HEAD>
<P>ANother of their Self-contradictions I &s;hewed to be this, That they profe&s;s to <HI>own the Scriptures to be true in them&s;elves,</HI> &amp;c. but do not own them in their true &s;en&s;e and meaning: I gave in&s;tance of their interpreting 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 14. 35. Husbands at home, to be Chri&s;t in the heart; and I re|ferred to all the other in&s;tances of their Scripture-contra|diction, for conviction of their di&s;-owning the true &s;en&s;e. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 25.</NOTE> would make the world believe I had <HI>confuted my &s;elf, and cleared them,</HI> becau&s;e I granted, they &s;aid, <HI>That they owned the Scriptures,</HI> &amp;c. whereas this doth evidently make the more again&s;t them; that they will pretend &s;o much to the Scriptures, and yet rend the &s;en&s;e of them all a pieces. And although that &s;en&s;e put upon the fore-mentioned place in the Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Corinthians,</HI> be broached by no man more then by <HI>R. F.</HI> in another Pamphlet by it &s;elf; and he entitleth this Piece of his I now deal with, <HI>The Scriptures vindication:</HI> yet he doth not in the lea&s;t undertake the vin|dication of this place, either when I alledged it again&s;t them before, [Part 1. Section 6.] or now; onely he &s;peaks his wonted &s;welling words of vanity,</P>
<P><HI>Thou art under the guilt, and the pit which for others thou digged&s;t, thou art faln in thy &s;elf, and catcht in thy own &s;nare and craftine&s;s, take notice of that, and &s;ee how thou ha&s;t con|tradicted thy &s;elf.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But that I de&s;ire &s;ome may be convinced of the folly and fal&s;hood of this man, and of his Sect, I would not &s;pend time, and wa&s;te paper, to tran&s;cribe &s;uch empty &s;tuff If it be proof enough for him to accu&s;e and recriminate, I can|not be innocent; who &s;hall, in the like ca&s;e? That which hitherto I have charged him, or other of this way withal, I have not given words, but Arguments, for proof and de|mon&s;tration of the Charge.</P>
<P>Let me give another in&s;tance, <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 2.</NOTE> in an&s;wer to my fir&s;t
<PB N="250" REF="144"> Section, Part 1. &s;aith thus, <HI>That the Scriptures are words that proceeded from the Spirit of truth, we do not deny, but own, and &s;o they are words of truth.</HI> Now hear what <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">An untaught Teacher, p. 2.</NOTE> <HI>Th. Law&s;on</HI> judgeth of this matter, <HI>To &s;ay that the word of truth is cal|led the Scripture, or that the Scripture is called the word of truth, that is a lye.</HI> I ask the &s;imple hone&s;t hearted Reader, whether <HI>Th. Law&s;on</HI> puts not the lye upon his brother <HI>R. Farnworth?</HI> or, whether the&s;e men do own the Scripture of truth? (as it is &s;tiled <HI>Dan.</HI> 10. 21.) or rather, whether they do not contradict it, and them&s;elves al&s;o?</P>
<P>Let it be ob&s;erved al&s;o, that <HI>R. F.</HI> doth not quit him&s;elf of that other Self-contradiction of his (which I clo&s;ed this Section with) by bare words, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 25.</NOTE> <HI>Thou ha&s;t manife&s;ted the &s;ame, therefore take thou the &s;hame.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> It &s;eems <HI>R. F.</HI> will take none, as one pa&s;t &s;hame, and blu&s;hing. Where I have <HI>manife&s;ted my ignorance of the life of the Scriptures, and of the Letter,</HI> (as he lets fly again&s;t me) I am willing to &s;ee it, and bear my own &s;hame: but will he be as the unju&s;t, <HI>Zeph.</HI> 3. 5. that knoweth no &s;hame, when his &s;inful folly, and &s;elf-conceited Contradictions are detect|ed? The words that <HI>R. F.</HI> hath in his other Pamphlet <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Light out of darkne&s;s&punc; p. 18</NOTE> are the&s;e, <HI>Herein you &s;hew your ignorance in the life of the Scri|ptures, that are ignorant of the Letter, which is without life.</HI> This he chargeth upon three Mini&s;ters, for asking a que&s;tion to this effect; If the light wherewith every one is enlightned be Chri&s;t, what then is become of the per&s;on of the Media|tor? Mu&s;t they be ignorant in the life of the Scriptures, who acknowledge not every mans light to be <HI>Chri&s;t?</HI> and mu&s;t they be ignorant of the Letter of the Scripture, who do not under&s;tand it as he doth? But that which I in|ferred from his words, was, If there be life in the Scriptures, as he grants there is, then the Letter or Scripture is not without life, as he &s;aith it is: nor are they ignorant of the Letter, who knew before he &s;pake it, that the Letter declares of life, unle&s;s he will enwrap him&s;elf in the &s;ame ignorance: But as he is ignorant of the Scripture-letter, who denies it to be a means of coming to life; &s;o he contradicts him&s;elf, who &s;aith, <HI>The Scriptures have life in them;</HI> and yet with the &s;ame breath, &s;aith al&s;o, <HI>They are without life,</HI> as <HI>R. F.</HI>
<PB N="251" REF="144"> doth. What if <HI>the life, from which the Scriptures proceeded, be not the Letter,</HI> or Scripture; yet the Scripture is the Scripture of life, given from Chri&s;t, who is life. The chief &s;ubject matter contained therein, is Chri&s;t the light of life, (not by the works of the Law, by which way the unbelieving Jews thought to obtain life eternal, but Chri&s;t &s;hut the door again&s;t them that way) and he directeth them to him&s;elf, <HI>John</HI> 5. 39. as revealed in the Scriptures, and more then that, as conveyed by the Scriptures to a &s;oul: For albeit, Chri&s;t &s;aith, They are they that te&s;tifie of me; yet he doth not &s;ay, <HI>They do but te&s;tifie of me:</HI> This [<HI>but</HI>] is <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Light out of darkne&s;s., page 18.</NOTE> his additional glo&s;s to corrupt the Text, to di&s;parage the Scriptures, and never a whit the more to advance Chri&s;t; for he is the more honored among men, and &s;avingly owned, as he is known to be that living Savior, that Way, Truth, and Life, who is te|&s;tified of in the Scriptures; and is come unto, or believed on by the Scriptures. Wherefore Chri&s;t blameth them, <HI>John</HI> 5. 40. that they would not (taking the Bible and &s;earching for him) come unto him by the knowledge and faith of the Scriptures.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="6" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 6.</HEAD>
<P>THis and the following Section <HI>R. F.</HI> returns no An&s;wer unto at all. I had noted what <HI>Ed. Burroughs</HI> &s;aith in his warning to the Inhabitants of <HI>&V;nder-barrow, page</HI> 2. <Q REND="margQuotes">"That he came not to them with enticing words, neither what he had gathered out of the Scripture, from without him, but to declare the word of the Lord, and not to &s;peak his own imaginations and conceivings:</Q> How cro&s;s is this to them&s;elves? They u&s;e frequently to call the Scriptures the Declaration of the Word; and if he came to declare the Word of the Lord as he affirms, he either came with what he had gathered from Scripture, which he denies, or he came with his own imaginations and conceivings, which he denies al&s;o; but both his Negatives cannot be true; if there be any truth in his book: for that is a Collection of above an hundred places of Scripture, quoted in the margent, and trans&s;cribed in the line. The words he had from the Scri|pture,
<PB N="252" REF="145"> the mi&s;-applications he did not indeed learn from thence, nor from the Spirit of God, who never teacheth any man to mi&s;-apply his own Letter; therefore it was not, in true &s;en&s;e, the word of the Lord that he declared (if he &s;pake the &s;ame doctrine for &s;ub&s;tance that he writes) but the vi|&s;ions of his own brain: <HI>And if I &s;peak a lie</HI> (&s;aith he <HI>page</HI> 8.) <HI>let me be accounted as accur&s;ed for ever:</HI> But he that com|piles a book out of Scripture-collections, and yet preacheth not what he gathered out of the Scripture, deals fal&s;ly in one of the&s;e ways, and &s;peaketh a lie, and therefore he is found not onely as a &s;elf-contradictor, but as a &s;elf-cur&s;er. And to do him no wrong, I would know the meaning of that pa&s;|&s;age, <HI>page 9. [He that hath the word of the Lord from the mouth of the Lord to declare unto you, him you revile and mock,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>but he that &s;peaks the imagination of his own heart from the Saints conditions, him you own and hear.</HI>] If he in|tends by the Word of the Lord, Chri&s;t onely, what intends he by the mouth of the Lord, but the Scriptures which are the Declaration of his word, by their own confe&s;&s;ion? If he had the Scriptures to declare Chri&s;t unto the people by, then he &s;pake <HI>what he had gathered out of the Scriptures,</HI> which is contrary to what he &s;aid before: If the Scriptures be not the mouth of the Lord, how are they a declaration of his word? if they be a declaration of his word, why are they denied to be the mouth of the Lord? Again, if he &s;peaks of the Saints conditions, as di&s;covered in Scripture, and chargeth him that &s;peaks from them, to vent the imagination of his own heart; he bla&s;phemes the Scripture written for our in&s;tru|ction and con&s;olation, <HI>Rom.</HI> 15. 4. If he condemneth an|other (as he doth <HI>page</HI> 22.) for <HI>preaching that which is ga|thered from without, by imagination, and conceiving upon that which the Prophet prophe&s;ied, or which Chri&s;t &s;poke,</HI> &amp;c. and judgeth it <HI>carnal and heatheni&s;h, never commanded by the Lord;</HI> and yet makes mention of the Saints conditions him|&s;elf, and glo&s;&s;eth upon Scripture, according as his fancy worketh, he alloweth that which he condemneth, as he con|demneth what God alloweth; not, that God alloweth the working of every mans fanta&s;ie but in a &s;anctified way; if his worketh otherwi&s;e, God condemneth what he alloweth.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="7" TYPE="section">
<PB N="253" REF="145">
<HEAD>Section 7.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Section 7, 8.</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>THey call (as I noted here) the Scriptures, the <HI>Worlds Touch&s;tone;</HI> and yet as appeared [Part 1. Section 1.] Some of them at lea&s;t, will not have the Scripture to be the <HI>Word of Truth to the world.</HI> If it be not the Word of Truth to the world, how can it be the Worlds Touch&s;tone? This interfering of men of his way, <HI>R. F.</HI> undertakes not to cure or touch at with the lea&s;t of his fingers; and beyond my skill it is to &s;alve the Contradiction, onely I heartily de&s;ire of God, that the di&s;covery hereof may prove good eye|&s;alve, to let them &s;ee the &s;hame of their nakedne&s;s.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="8" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 8.</HEAD>
<P>IN the &s;econd Section of this &s;econd part, I noted down two of their Self-contradictions: the latter of them might have there been &s;pared, and entirely &s;poken to here, where I toucht at it again, a little more plainly: But <HI>R. F.</HI> though he glanced at it there, took it not off; nor doth he any more here then pa&s;s it over in &s;ilence, <HI>which of the Saints had the witne&s;s of their &s;ouls union to &s;eek in the Letter?</HI> thus querieth <HI>J N.</HI> in his Few words, <HI>page</HI> 11. I &s;hall now to what was di&s;covered as contradictory to him&s;elf, in Sect. 2. or here adde his other words in the &s;ame <HI>page, viz.</HI> The Spirit, <HI>it opens and brings all that is &s;poken in Scripture to remembrance:</HI> this is &s;o a truth, as it cro&s;&s;eth his Negative implyed in the Interrogation, <HI>viz.</HI> That none have their witne&s;s to &s;eek in the Letter, and what he addes expre&s;ly, <HI>He that believeth hath the witne&s;s in him&s;elf in Spirit, and not in the Letter:</HI> had he &s;aid and not in the Letter <HI>onely,</HI> it might have &s;alv'd the contradiction; but as it is contrary to the Scripture to &s;ay, the Saints have not comfortable te&s;ti|mony of their union, and intere&s;t in Chri&s;t, in and by the Scripture-letter; &s;o 'tis contrary to him&s;elf to deny the Be|liever hath his witne&s;s in the Letter, and yet grant that the Spirit opens and brings all that is in the Letter to remem|brance: for to what end doth he bring it to remembrance?
<PB N="254" REF="146"> not onely for explication of Scripture by Scripture, but for con&s;olation of our &s;pirits, by the good words of the Spirit of God. When heavine&s;s makes the heart to &s;toop, a good word, &s;ea&s;onably remembred as &s;poken&punc; makes it glad, and he that &s;lights the turning over of the &s;acred Pages of the Bible, after he hath got his evidence within, may be glad of crums one day, after his high Fea&s;tings; and well, if &s;eek|ing the Spirit where he lo&s;t him, his comforts return at la&s;t upon him. Many lo&s;e the Spirits comforts, by &s;lighting his Love-letters in the Scriptures, where the Spirit is, and whereby he giveth forth him&s;elf: Such a pa&s;&s;age I had in my former piece, That the Spirit is in the Letter, and given by it, which <HI>R. F.</HI> hath excepted again&s;t once and again here|tofore, but now in its due place, where it was &s;poken, he lets it pa&s;s. I promi&s;ed in the fir&s;t part of this Reply, to clear it further for his conviction, if it may be, or for the Saints edification. Fir&s;t, The Spirit is in the Letter, or the whole Scripture; for &s;o the&s;e men comprehen&s;ively u&s;e the term [Letter.]<NOTE PLACE="marg">How the Spi|rit is in the Scripture-Letter.</NOTE></P>
<P N="1">1. As he owneth what he dictated to his Secretaries, the Pen-men of Scripture. He is in all their writings with the &s;ub&s;cription of his own hand, as it were: they &s;pake and wrote as they were moved, and in&s;pired by the Holy Gho&s;t. <HI>Rev. 1. 10. John</HI> is in the Spirit, <HI>viz.</HI> he is rapt up by the Spirit, and the Spirits impul&s;e is more then ordinarily upon him, when he is commanded to write; and of all that <HI>John</HI> writeth, the Spirit beareth Te&s;timony, that it is him&s;elf that &s;peaks it. <HI>Rev.</HI> 3. 22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit &s;aith unto the Churches: what wretched men are they who will not &s;uffer the Spirit to be where he &s;peaketh?</P>
<P N="2">2. If the Spirit was in the Pen-men, he is more in the mat|ter and contents of the Scripture penned down: None will deny but he was in the Pen-men, more then ordinarily, when they wrote from his mouth or in&s;piration; and therefore he is in what they wrote, much more: for the word written is of greater Authority, and Spirit then the Writer or Secre|tary. They were holy men of God who wrote, but that which is written, is the holy Truth of God: They were
<PB N="255" REF="146"> imperfectly holy, but Gods word, as written from the Spi|rit, is perfect in all degrees of holine&s;s.</P>
<P N="3">3. The Spirit is where there is, with perfect holine&s;s, per|fect Truth and Maje&s;ty in the Matter, and in the very Stile; and where is &s;weet Harmony in all the parts put together: In the Scripture-letter there is not one Iota or Tittle that &s;hall fall to the ground, to eclip&s;e the Glory, Truth and Maje&s;ty, or &s;poil the Harmony of it.</P>
<P>Secondly, the Spirit is given by it, in this &s;en&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">How given by it.</NOTE></P>
<P N="1">1. As his minde is given out by it, whether the words be proper or figurative, the Spirit hath his proper intend|ment, &s;cope and &s;en&s;e in the whole Letter, and in every part of what is written; and as by his words he makes known his minde, he is where his words are.</P>
<P N="2">2. As his work is given by it; even what work he plea|&s;eth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">See &s;econd part, Section 10.</NOTE> of Conviction, In&s;truction in Righteou&s;ne&s;s, Con&s;ola|tion, &amp;c. If the Scripture convinceth gain&s;ayers, and &s;inners, evil livers; if it in&s;tructeth the ignorant, comforteth the feeble-minded, it is as the Spirit gives out him&s;elf thereby. He is there indeed as a free Agent, <HI>ad placitum,</HI> not tyed to work, or manife&s;t him&s;elf, or put forth his power and grace; but as the wind bloweth where it li&s;teth, &s;o he worketh, where, when, and upon whom he plea&s;eth.</P>
<P N="3">3. As the Promi&s;es of the Scripture are his Chariot to convey him whither he plea&s;eth to go; into the hearts of the Elect, that they may believe; and after they have be|lieved, that they may be e&s;tabli&s;hed. Thus, according to his promi&s;e, he will fill a Believers &s;ails of endeavor, in read|ing, meditating, &amp;c. with gales of grace, and advances to|wards glory. To conclude, that the Spirit is in the Letter, and given by it, daily experience doth demon&s;trate: For &s;uch as for&s;ake the Scriptures authority, and own not the Spirits dwelling in the Letter, as truly as in the heart, they lo&s;e their faith of the Spirits pre&s;ence with them, in the reading and meditation of it, and lo&s;ing this faith, they run to other Doctrines and Go&s;pels. The &s;pirit of error is in all mens doctrines which have not the Spirit in them, that brea|theth in the Scriptures. We may ea&s;ily di&s;cern whether <HI>R. F.</HI> his &s;pirit be not in his writings, and whether much of
<PB N="256" REF="147"> the &s;pirit of Error, not conveyed and given out by his and other mens Pamphlets of the &s;ame &s;tamp. And &s;hall the &s;pirit of Satan, the father of lyes, be in Seducers books; and not the Spirit of God, and of the Father of truth, be in, and go along (according to his free mercy) with his own ble&s;&s;ed Books of the Scripture? Yes verily, and <HI>James Naylers</HI> words import as much, when he &s;aith <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Few words by <HI>J.</HI> N. p. 11.</NOTE>, <HI>That the Spirit opens, and brings all that is &s;poken in Scripture to remem|brance;</HI> which if <HI>R. F.</HI> denies, he contradicts his fellow; if he grants it a truth, he mu&s;t recant his frequent de&s;cants up|on that which I a&s;&s;erted, and judge him&s;elf as erring, be|cau&s;e he knew not the Scriptures, and the Spirit and power of God dwelling in them, and acting by them.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="9" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 9.</HEAD>
<P>WHat an&s;wereth <HI>R. F.</HI> to this Section? where I evi|denced another of their Self-contradictions con|cerning the Scripture, which was this; <HI>He that believeth is born of God without Scripture;</HI> and yet, <HI>Let all &s;ee if we do not &s;et the Scripture in the heart of every one.</HI> Why, this is his an&s;wer <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 25.</NOTE>,</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>So &s;aith the Scripture,</HI> 1 John 5. <HI>And that the word of God is nigh in the heart, is witne&s;&s;ed,</HI> Rom. 10. 8. <HI>And he that believes and is born of God, knows the &s;eed of God within him,</HI> 1 John 3. 9.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Do any of the&s;e Scriptures bear witne&s;s again&s;t them|&s;elves? or &s;ay, That he that believeth is born of God <HI>with|out Scripture?</HI> yet dare <HI>R. F.</HI> put it forth in the front of his an&s;wer, <HI>So &s;aith the Scripture.</HI> The Scripture &s;aith the full truth, He that believeth is born of God; but the Pamphlet I quoted <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">An&s;wer to 7 Prie&s;ts, p. 13</NOTE> &s;aid more then the Scripture; that the believer was born of God <HI>without the Scripture;</HI> and <HI>R. F.</HI> pretends to an&s;wer to what their Pamphlets hold forth, but cannot in his an&s;wers &s;alve his own, nor his fellows contradictions.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;. 2. He is not born of the Letter as thou would&s;t have him, yet he is begotten by the immortal word, which endureth for ever, which the Letter declares of, and that doth not con|tradict the Scripture.</HI></P>
<PB N="257" REF="147">
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. How would I have him that believeth born of the Letter? my words were the&s;e, <HI>If the Scripture be in the heart of every one, &s;ure he that believeth is born of that &s;eed;</HI> even of the Scripture-promi&s;e &s;et into the heart by the holy Gho&s;t; hence, he that is born of the Spirit, is born of the word, written and preached, which the Spirit u&s;eth as the in&s;trumental means of our regeneration; as upon that place in <HI>Peter, 1 Ep. Chap. 1. ver.</HI> 23, and 25. hath been cleared heretofore, <HI>Part 1. Sect.</HI> 5.</P>
<P N="2">2. The Scripture-promi&s;e, declaring Chri&s;t, is the more apt means by which the Spirit begets a &s;oul to Chri&s;t, or formeth him in the &s;oul.</P>
<P N="3">3. That the Letter declareth Chri&s;t, doth not contradict the Scripture; but it contradicteth the Scripture to &s;ay, the declaration of Chri&s;t is not a means of begetting a &s;oul to Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="4">4. To &s;ay, <HI>Let all &s;ee whether we do not &s;et the Scripture in the heart of every one,</HI> and yet to deny the Scripture to be a means of the new birth, or that the believer is born of God <HI>without the Scripture,</HI> is to &s;ay and un-&s;ay.</P>
<P>But <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">page 26.</NOTE> would retort this upon my &s;elf, and why? I <HI>have not the &s;ame minde</HI> with them, <HI>and know not their meaning, and &s;o rai&s;e lyes</HI> (as he chargeth upon me) <HI>by my imaginations.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. If I have the minde of Chri&s;t, as it is in Scripture, I &s;hall not be ambitious of, nor much regard their meaning: but as I know it to be cro&s;s to the minde of Chri&s;t, I have (according to the grace given unto me) witne&s;&s;ed again&s;t it, and yet &s;tudied to put the mo&s;t candid and favorable con|&s;truction upon their words.</P>
<P N="2">2. If their &s;en&s;e, of <HI>&s;etting Scripture in the heart of every one,</HI> be nothing el&s;e, but telling people they have a light of Con&s;cience within them, and &s;tirring up that light which every man hath that cometh into the world; Fir&s;t, they delude poor people, who never heard <HI>that</HI> Light called Scri|pture before; yet this is, more then probably, their be&s;t Scripture for their Tenents and Doctrines, (as might be ga|thered from the an&s;wer that <HI>J. P.</HI> a yong &s;tripling, who came into this Town la&s;t &s;ummer, gave to a weak re-bapti|zed
<PB N="258" REF="148"> woman, &s;hattered by his di&s;cour&s;e; who&s;e que&s;tion was, <HI>But may I not read the Scriptures?</HI> The an&s;wer was, <HI>Read thy heart woman,</HI> (as &s;he told me) that was all &s;he could get of him.) There is a book of Con&s;cience to be read indeed, but is not the book of the Scriptures, and Gods Statutes to be read? according to which (beyond the book of every mans Con&s;cience) all that have that written rule &s;hall be judged.</P>
<P>Secondly, If every mans light be the onely Scripture, in the minde that the&s;e men are in, why doth <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">In his Book entituled, <HI>A true te&s;timony,</HI> &amp;c. pag. 53.</NOTE> appeal to that which is the alone, proper, perfect Scripture in our judgement, and which he calls for, to <HI>&s;tand as judge betwixt them and 42. Mini&s;ters?</HI> Will he &s;tand to the judgement of the Prophets and Apo&s;tles, as it is the minde of Chri&s;t the word of God? Will he not appeal (when all is done) to a higher Court, of immediate Teachings in the heart? If the Scripture be judge, it mu&s;t be &s;o from its own light, that is &s;uperior, not onely to every mans light, but al&s;o to the de|gree of light that is in every Saint, and that is &s;uperior to our meanings and theirs; for the Scripture mu&s;t judge by its own words and meaning together; and from its own rule, we mu&s;t not &s;eparate the Letter of the Law, and the true in|terpretation of the Letter. The Law-makers, we &s;ay, are be&s;t able to give the right &s;en&s;e of the Law. The great Law|giver gives out his &s;en&s;e of one part of Scripture by an|other. <HI>Can any Law judge of Here&s;ie but the Law of God?</HI> &s;aith <HI>R. F.</HI> in the Book and Page la&s;t referred unto in the margent. If he intends there any Law of God, but the written word and text of the Bible, Gods great Law|book, he contradicts in heart what he pretends to in words. If he under&s;tands by the Law of God, the holy Scriptures of God, (called the Bible) then he pretends to that acknow|ledgement of them as a &s;tanding rule, and a more &s;tanding rule then vi&s;ions and revelations; and if he intends what he pretends to, then he mu&s;t recant what he wrote in the 3. and 4. Page of his imaginary Scripture-vindication, or el&s;e lie &s;etter'd in his Self-contradictions.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="head">
<PB N="259" REF="148">
<HEAD>2. Head of their Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning hearing of the Word.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="10" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 10.</HEAD>
<P>I Had granted, they &s;ay, and &s;ay truly (becau&s;e the Scri|pture &s;aith &s;o, <HI>Joh. 8. 47.) They that are of God, hear his word, and they that hear his word, hear his voice;</HI> and yet they deny the hearing of Mini&s;ters that &s;peak this word; and con&s;equently they do either un-&s;ay what truth they &s;pake before, or deny them|&s;elves to be of God, in that they both refu&s;e them&s;elves to hear, and call off others from hearing. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 26.</NOTE> becau&s;e I granted the fir&s;t part of their contradiction to be a Scripture truth, runs away with the conceit of an advantage, when 'tis nothing &s;o. Thou &s;ays, <HI>They &s;ay and &s;ay truly (then they lye not) neither do they &s;ay and un-&s;ay; and &s;o thou art taken with the lye again, and clears them thy &s;elf.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> How weak and giddy this mans apprehen&s;ion is, may appear many ways, by the review of this pa&s;&s;age.</P>
<P N="1">1. I attributed truth to their words no further then they agree with the word of God in Scripture; and &s;o far I will acknowledge truth, becau&s;e I love it, and the Scripture of truth; but this man, when I grant an inch, will take an ell.</P>
<P N="2">2. It followeth not, if men &s;ay true in one thing, that they &s;peak the truth in every thing. The devil can &s;peak a truth, the more cunningly, to put off his lyes. That may be a truth materially, which will not be found in mens practical experience &s;o acknowledged.</P>
<P N="3">3. It is beyond all controver&s;ie, that in this (as many other in&s;tances) they &s;ay and un&s;ay; fir&s;t owning the Scri|ptures, and mini&s;tery, and hearing of the word, and then di&s;-owning all teachers and teaching, but what is within: fir&s;t &s;aying, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">A di&s;covery of &s;ome fruits &amp;c. pag. 9.</NOTE> the peoples <HI>Teacher cannot be removed into a corner,</HI> and by and by telling them, <HI>you will finde your teacher as you lye in your beds.</HI> Even as cu&s;tomary &s;wearers
<PB N="260" REF="149"> reproved for their &s;in, will &s;wear they did not &s;wear; &s;o men habituated in Self-contradiction, will vehemently pro|te&s;t again&s;t it; but it helps them never a whit.</P>
<P N="4">4. It is no new thing to have the reproach of lying ca&s;t up|on me or others, by one who cannot judge, or under&s;tand what is truth, or when 'tis &s;poken truly.</P>
<P N="5">5. I am &s;o far from <HI>clearing them,</HI> that I renew my charge again&s;t them, if they be all like <HI>R. F.</HI> in this maner and form following, The more candidly the men, called Quakers, are dealt with, the more abu&s;ive they are. If any do make ingenuous confe&s;&s;ion (as the 42 Mini&s;ters, Pa&s;tors and Preachers) of their failings, the more readily they will hang them up, in a legal way without any Go&s;pel-mercy. And if we grant they &s;peak a truth (&s;ometimes) they would make the world believe they &s;peak all truth, at all times; when as hitherto, &s;o many lies as <HI>R. F.</HI> (for his &s;hare) hath charged upon me (and hath proved none, nor will be able, (God &s;till keeping me, and guiding my Tongue and Pen) to make good a proof) &s;o many &s;landers will, by the Lord, be &s;et upon his &s;core and account: The Lord him&s;elf rebuke him, in time, &s;avingly, and to purpo&s;e; even to the manife&s;ta|tion of the purpo&s;e of his love, to do him good for ever.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>3. Head of Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning the light within them.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="11" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 11.</HEAD>
<P>I Noted how from <HI>John</HI> 1. 4. and 9. they (dreaming of a Chri&s;t and Saviour in all) deny the &s;en&s;e to re&s;pect the <HI>natural light of every man,</HI> and yet &s;peak of their own living in a <HI>natural condition</HI> for &s;everal years: And <HI>R. F.</HI> both blindly and boldly an&s;wereth, <HI>If we do, we have war|rant for it, for it is the light &s;upernatural,</HI> John 8. 12.<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 8. 12. cleared.</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> What if Chri&s;t &s;peaks of &s;upernatural light given to believers, and his followers; <HI>John</HI> 8. 12. doth it follow that
<PB N="261" REF="149"> he &s;peaks of &s;uch a light <HI>John</HI> 1. 4. 9. a blind and bold con|&s;equence, it is, neither mode&s;t nor true. The Evangeli&s;t in|deed &s;peaks of him <HI>chap.</HI> 1. 4. 9. as the Author of light which is given to every man; and He, of him&s;elf, <HI>chap.</HI> 8. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">. as the fountain of light which is given to &s;ome men; but although the giver of light be the &s;ame, the light given, and way of giving is different in its proper form, and kinde.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, the light given to all men, <HI>John</HI> 1. 4. and 9. is a dim<NOTE PLACE="marg">Difference of every mans light and the believers light.</NOTE> light, (and as the light of the Moon) cold, and in&s;ufficient to &s;alvation, unable to make di&s;covery of the true Saviour: the light given to &s;ome men, is the light of life, a quickning light (as the light of the Sun) a &s;aving light.</P>
<P>Secondly, for the way of giving; Chri&s;t, as God, (as hath been &s;hewed in the fir&s;t part of this Reply) gives rea|&s;on, and common judgement about &s;ome things, to all men; but, as Mediator, he gives onely to &s;ome men, that &s;aving &s;upernatural light, or light of &s;upernatural things in a &s;a|ving way, which effectually brings them into a gracious life, and unto a glorious life.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> goes on, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 26.</NOTE> <HI>If one of them did &s;ay he lived in a natural condition before his conver&s;ion, is that &s;uch a &s;trange thing?</HI> and then he in&s;tanceth in <HI>Paul, Gal.</HI> 1. and others with him, 2 <HI>Cor. 4. 6. who had given them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Je&s;us</HI> &amp;c. <HI>which is a my&s;tery, Col.</HI> 1. 27. But tels me, <HI>I am minded to cavil on purpo&s;e again&s;t the work of God,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. All this doth not &s;alve the contradiction, <HI>viz.</HI> of every mans having a &s;upernatural light from his coming in|to the world, a light of life which is &s;aving, and yet yield his (as others) living in a natural &s;tate at that time when he hath &s;uch a light.</P>
<P N="2">2. It is not <HI>&s;trange to me,</HI> that unconverted men &s;hould live, as they are, natural and carnal; but it was and is &s;trange that men will grant a natural life and condition lived in for &s;everal years, and yet imagine a &s;aving &s;upernatural light in every &s;uch man, as if every man brought a Saviour with him into the world, at his fir&s;t birth. That every man hath a Pope in his belly, I have heard, and believe that he hath roots and &s;eeds of all Antichri&s;tian doctrine, of all here&s;ie and &s;in in him, from and by his fir&s;t birth of men, as men
<PB N="262" REF="150"> &s;inning in <HI>Adam;</HI> this is not &s;trange: But that every mans light &s;hould be accounted &s;upernatural, and &s;aving light, and nature accounted grace, though it be not &s;trange to <HI>Pelagi|ans,</HI> yet it is &s;trange to me that profe&s;&s;ors of the Go&s;pel for many years, &s;hould now interfere, and halt, and limp, as they do, and be bewitched with this notion. If the Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul,</HI> and others (as <HI>R. F.</HI> granteth) were natural before they were &s;piritual, what a contradiction is it to their doctrine of every mans light, as they &s;tate it and account it in a degree &s;piritual? while the be&s;t Saint upon earth is no more but &s;piritual in &s;ome degrees of light and holine&s;s.</P>
<P N="3">3. This is neither my <HI>cavilling again&s;t Gods work,</HI> nor <HI>envy at the breakings forth of light</HI> (as he would make men believe) but a naked repre&s;entation of his and others fallacies. <HI>R. F.</HI> thinks he had, in the words before, laid in a &s;ure proof of my <HI>cavilling and envy,</HI> for thus he wraps up his argu|ment, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 26.</NOTE> <HI>He commanded the light to &s;hine out of darkne&s;s,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>and if it had not been there in a my&s;tery,</HI> Col. 1. 27 <HI>how could it in them have been &s;o after manife&s;ted (in them) but that thou art mindeful to cavil on purpo&s;e,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Here is a piece of the my&s;tery of Iniquity, as &s;ubtle as<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t for &s;al|vation not in every man.</NOTE> any the Antichri&s;t of <HI>Rome</HI> hath in his budget, <HI>viz.</HI> The light of Chri&s;t for &s;alvation (which the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks of 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 4. 6. and <HI>Gal. 1. 16. Gods &s;on revealed in him,</HI> and <HI>Col. 1. 27. Chri&s;t in you</HI>) was [<HI>there</HI>] and [<HI>in them</HI>] (twice repeated by <HI>R. F.</HI> for empha&s;is &s;ake) that is, it was in the hearts of <HI>Paul,</HI> and the Gentiles (as of every natural man) before their conver&s;ion; for as my Antagoni&s;t rea&s;oneth, <HI>If it had not been there,</HI> &amp;c. how <HI>could it in them have been &s;o after manife&s;ted?</HI> but if he will have patience to hear, I will tell him. A thing may be manife&s;t at the very com|ing in to a place that was not there before. A Sun-beam makes it &s;elf manife&s;t at its fir&s;t breaking into a dark room where it never &s;hone before. Chri&s;t, for &s;alvation, was not in the heart of <HI>Paul</HI> till God revealed him to him, and in him. Chri&s;t, by his Spirit of grace was not in the Gentiles before their conver&s;ion, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 2. 12. They were all at that time without Chri&s;t, and without hope; Chri&s;t therefore was not in them while they were in a natural &s;tate, as he was
<PB N="263" REF="150"> when they were &s;anctified, <HI>viz.</HI> the hope of their glory. Were it as this man imagineth, <Q REND="margQuotes"><NOTE PLACE="marg">My&s;terious Ab&s;urdities.</NOTE>"The grace of the Go&s;pel is but a manife&s;tation of natures light: A natural &s;tate is but grace under an eclip&s;e. The light in every man is their little Savior, and at their conver&s;ion, it becomes their great Savior; for now the Sun is come out of the eclip&s;e.</Q> But,</P>
<P N="2">2. To a&s;&s;ert Chri&s;t-mediator to be in natural men, is con|trary to the Apo&s;tles &s;en&s;e, and to the&s;e mens plain words &s;ometimes uttered.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, The Apo&s;tles &s;en&s;e, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 4. 6. is, by allu&s;ion to<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 4. 6. vindicated.</NOTE> Gods work in the old creation, to witne&s;s his power in the new. In the old, <HI>he commanded</HI> light to &s;hine out of dark|ne&s;s. He &s;aid, Let there be light, and there was light, crea|ting it of nothing. There was a pre-exi&s;tent &s;ubject before light was created, <HI>viz.</HI> darkne&s;s of the air; but no pre|exi&s;tent matter, which light was made of; much le&s;s was light there before within the darkne&s;s: (for though God commanded the light to &s;hine out of darkne&s;s, it doth not follow that <HI>light</HI> was there before) So, God working by his Almighty power in the new creation, he hath (&s;aith the Apo&s;tle) &s;hined in our hearts, to give the light (which was not there before) of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Je&s;us Chri&s;t. The faculty of the natural un|der&s;tanding was there, as the pre-exi&s;ting &s;ubject, but there was no fore-exi&s;ting matter, out of which this light is pro|duced. The Apo&s;tles &s;en&s;e again, in <HI>Gal.</HI> 1. 16. is not to<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal 1. 16. vindicated.</NOTE> favor the&s;e mens opinion, as if Chri&s;t had been in <HI>Paul</HI> vail|ed over, before conver&s;ion, and then revealed in him, as being there, but <HI>Paul</HI> did not know it till his conver&s;ion: But God revealed his Son in <HI>Paul,</HI> when he did immediate|ly, effectually, and experimentally &s;hine into his heart, and gave him the knowledge of the glorious my&s;teries of the Go&s;pel, in the clear knowledge of Chri&s;t given for him, given to him, and now dwelling in him; and he doth reveal his Son in others ordinarily, when, after he hath knockt at their hearts, he opens the door by his Spirit, gives faith to con&s;ent, that Chri&s;t &s;hall come in and dwell there, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 3. 17. Before faith, Chri&s;t is kept out of the heart; but
<PB N="264" REF="151"> when a &s;oul believes, and his faith worketh by love, and love by obedience, as Chri&s;t came in and took po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion from fir&s;t believing, &s;o, in his good time, he doth manife&s;t him&s;elf unto the &s;oul, <HI>John</HI> 14. 21. The Apo&s;tles &s;en&s;e, <HI>Col.</HI> 1. 27.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 1. 27. vindicated.</NOTE> is not, as if the light of Chri&s;t for &s;alvation, had been in the Gentiles hearts, in a my&s;tery, before their effectual calling: (The my&s;tery of &s;alvation by Chri&s;t, was wrapt up in the Scriptures of the old Te&s;tament, and in Types and Figures among the Jews, not in the lea&s;t hinted to the Gentiles mindes before the Go&s;pel came) But when the Apo&s;tles<NOTE PLACE="marg">When and how Chri&s;t is in the &s;oul.</NOTE> came to preach Chri&s;t crucified to their ears, through grace they believed the report for them&s;elves, at <HI>Colo&s;s,</HI> (as el&s;e|where) and knew the grace of God in truth, had Chri&s;t his image &s;tampt upon their hearts, and the Spirit of Chri&s;t dwelling in them. This was not light breaking forth from their hearts, as having been <HI>there</HI> before their union with Chri&s;t, and Chri&s;ts taking up their hearts as his Temple; but the light of the glorious Go&s;pel breaking into their hearts, which,</P>
<P N="1">1. Is called the <HI>riches of the glory,</HI> and the Pronoun [which] before [is Chri&s;t in you] refers not to [my&s;tery] (for that is of the Neuter, and the Pronoun <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> of the Ma&s;cu|line Gender) but to [riches] <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> of the &s;ame Gender with [which] in the Greek. The glorious trea&s;ure and &s;ub&s;tance of the my&s;tery, which rich glorious trea&s;ure is Chri&s;t in you: the light in every man is a poor, ba&s;e, beggerly &s;crap, to this Go&s;pel-pearl and trea&s;ure.</P>
<P N="2">2. This riches, &s;umm'd up in Chri&s;t, and Chri&s;t the &s;ub|&s;tance of the My&s;tery, is confined to the Saints, <HI>ver.</HI> 26. and is onely in them, ever after their clo&s;ing with Chri&s;t, reign|ing and prevailing to the purity, peace, and joy of their &s;ouls, and evidential hope of their future glory.</P>
<P>Secondly, The a&s;&s;ertion of Chri&s;ts being within men be|fore conver&s;ion, contradicts them&s;elves, (as I di&s;covered in my former piece) who &s;ay, <HI>In the Ages pa&s;t, Chri&s;t was not revealed, every man had not that light.</HI> The Son of God is not revealed as Chri&s;t, but as he is Mediator; in the Ages pa&s;t, Chri&s;t was not (&s;o) revealed, they had not (&s;ay they) <HI>that light, viz.</HI> as he is Mediator; therefore Chri&s;t, as Me|diator,
<PB N="265" REF="151"> was not within men by the light given to every man. And here I leave them (<HI>R. F.</HI> among them) as I found them, and di&s;covered them (in this Section) in their own darkne&s;s of Confu&s;ion and Self-contradiction, till the Lord &s;hall con|vince them thereof, and bring them out of it.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="12" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 12.</HEAD>
<P>ANother Contradiction of them&s;elves concerning the Light in every man, I noted in this Section; <HI>viz.</HI> That they magnifie it, and vilifie it in the &s;ame re&s;pect, as it is the light of the <HI>fir&s;t nature,</HI> and of <HI>every man</HI> in his <HI>fir&s;t &s;tate</HI> &s;ince the fall. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 26.</NOTE> takes up two of the pa&s;&s;ages to an|&s;wer, but takes not off their Self-contradiction.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t, They magnifie every mans light, to be a <HI>Law written in the heart, to judge and condemn all &s;in,</HI> and <HI>there|fore</HI> (they &s;ay) <HI>the day of judgement is come:</HI> and anon they vilifie the light of natural men (who are a part of man|kinde) as <HI>filthy waters; and every man in his fir&s;t &s;tate is a bea&s;t.</HI> To this, all that <HI>R. F.</HI> hath to &s;ay, is, <HI>Where judge|ment is brought forth into victory, &s;in is condemned in the fle&s;h; and there is no condemnation to them that are in Chri&s;t Je&s;us,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>and &s;uch have boldne&s;s in the day of judgement; for as &s;ome mens deeds goes before-hand to judgement, others they come after, and therefore a day of judgement is to come.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> If the&s;e men would di&s;parage every mans light, in re&s;pect of the Saints light, they would be &s;omething inge|nuous; and if they did not put every mans light in the place of Chri&s;t, the Spirit, and his writing in the heart; and then call them waters of <HI>Babylon;</HI> nor &s;ometimes &s;ay, upon <HI>Adams fall pure rea&s;on was de&s;troyed,</HI> &amp;c. and anon call every mans light, <HI>pure light;</HI> they would not be &s;o Scri|pture and &s;elf-contradictious as they are; nor would they confound what they ought to di&s;tingui&s;h, as <HI>R. F.</HI> con|founds the judgement of a natural con&s;cience, and the Spi|rits Go&s;pel-conviction of &s;in, Righteou&s;ne&s;s and Judgement together: Ju&s;tification he confounds with Sanctification, and a day of Judgement pre&s;ent, with the day of Judgement which is to come. Scripture-expre&s;&s;ions he u&s;eth here as
<PB N="266" REF="152"> el&s;ewhere) but not with the Scripture-&s;cope and meaning. The pa&s;&s;age I quoted out of <HI>Ben. Nichol&s;on</HI> his <HI>Returns to a Letter, Page</HI> 13. &s;peaks of the Law written in the heart of<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Spirits conviction of judgement, beyond the judgement of a natural con|&s;cience.</NOTE> every man, <HI>which</HI> (they &s;ay) <HI>doth judge and condemn all &s;in: R. F.</HI> tells us of a <HI>Judgement brought forth into victory;</HI> and when that is done, <HI>&s;in is condemned in the fle&s;h:</HI> but, &s;ay I, according to Scripture, the Law written in the heart of every man, neither condemns all &s;in, nor di&s;covers either the root of all &s;in, nor half the branches of it; and Judgement is far from coming forth into victory, till Chri&s;t brings it forth, not onely by Go&s;pel-conviction, (which is far beyond and above the conviction of a meer natural con&s;cience) but by Go&s;pel-&s;anctification, and by his &s;econd writing of the Law, not in old &s;tony hearts, but in new and &s;oftned hearts. But if natural con&s;cience be &s;o potent to be victorious at la&s;t, why do they call every man in <HI>his fir&s;t &s;tate, a bea&s;t, his rea&s;on corrupt,</HI> but to manife&s;t their Self-confu&s;ions?</P>
<P>Again, he &s;peaks of &s;in being condemned in the fle&s;h, a Scripture-expre&s;&s;ion, <HI>Rom.</HI> 8. 3. u&s;ed by the Apo&s;tle, to &s;et<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 3. cleared.</NOTE> forth Chri&s;ts condemning &s;in in his own fle&s;h, putting of it out of office and power (to condemn believers) by his &s;uf|fering<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;ts con|demning &s;in in his fle&s;h, far beyond the con&s;cience condemnation of &s;in.</NOTE> of the puni&s;hment of their &s;in in that fle&s;h of his; yea, fulfilling the Law, for them, in the &s;ame fle&s;h: Hence, no condemnation to them that are in Chri&s;t Je&s;us; but this is another kinde of condemning &s;in, then what comes meer|ly by and from a natural con&s;cience; for that,</P>
<P N="1">1. Doth but condemn &s;in in part, not all &s;in, not original &s;in, not unbelief, &amp;c.</P>
<P N="2">2. By way of di&s;covery, not by way of &s;atisfaction for &s;in, and of ju&s;tification from guilt, as is Chri&s;ts maner of condemning &s;in.</P>
<P N="3">3. Natural con&s;cience is never victorious, as to deliver|ance of a &s;oul from the &s;tate of &s;in, though it be never &s;o far obeyed; but Chri&s;ts condemning &s;in in his own huma|nity, a&s;&s;umed to that end, is victorious, both by merit with God, and by application in the con&s;cience of a believer, to &s;top its own, and Satans accu&s;ations; and throughout the Saint, to &s;et up reigning holine&s;s in him, to prevail over cor|ruption by degrees, in the &s;tate of a new creature.</P>
<PB N="267" REF="152">
<P>La&s;tly, The Apo&s;tles words, 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 5. 24. of &s;ome mens &s;ins going before-hand to Judgement, others coming after,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">im. 5. 24. vindicated.</NOTE> are u&s;ed to another purpo&s;e, as appeareth from <HI>ver.</HI> 20. con|cerning Go&s;pel and Church-offences and offenders: &s;ome mens &s;ins are di&s;covered before-hand, the&s;e the Church may judge; others are not di&s;clo&s;ed, the&s;e God will judge. It is well that <HI>R. F.</HI> grants a Judgement to come, I wi&s;h he could con&s;ider it better, and judge no man &s;o deeply, as he doth me, before the time; reckoning me with the <HI>wicked, who,</HI> indeed, <HI>will finde it to be a day of torment;</HI> for he that judgeth now, &s;hall him&s;elf be judged at that day, and he that will &s;hew no mercy in judging others, &s;hall then have judgement without mercy, to his little ea&s;e, joy, or re|joycing.</P>
<P>The &s;econd pa&s;&s;age which <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 27.</NOTE> undertakes to defend, is that of <HI>John Cam, Every man in his fir&s;t birth and &s;tate may &s;ee him&s;elf to be natural, but is not able to judge of the things of God.</HI> This is contradictious (in the fir&s;t part of it) to <HI>Ben. Nichol&s;on,</HI> who &s;aid, <HI>Every man in his fir&s;t &s;tate is a bea&s;t,</HI> for then he can reflect upon him&s;elf, and judge of his &s;tate before God, no more then a bea&s;t. And the &s;econd part of it is contradictious to the fir&s;t; for if every man in his fir&s;t birth may &s;ee him&s;elf to be natural, (guilty, liable to &s;in, and the cur&s;e before God) then he may judge &s;ome|thing of the things of God: but that is denied, why then is the other affirmed? but that the man fought with him&s;elf in the dark.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> his defence is, 1. By railing and fal&s;hood, <HI>Let that Book (Particulars concerning the Law by</HI> J. Cam) <HI>be a wit|ne&s;s to the truth, again&s;t thy ignorance and &s;otti&s;hne&s;s, that &s;ees thy corruptions, and pleads for them.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> This I pa&s;s by, with prayer, that the Lord may re|buke and remit him.</P>
<P N="2">2. By a truth and a fal&s;hood together, <HI>The light which doth di&s;cover the natural corruptions, is not natural, as thou &s;ays, but it is &s;piritual:</HI> Here is a truth in Scripture-&s;en&s;e, not in his meaning; that the light which di&s;covers natural corruption is &s;piritual; but a fal&s;hood mixt with it, that I &s;aid, it was natural. This will no where be found in my for|mer,
<PB N="268" REF="153"> or this pre&s;ent piece; for I every where deny the na|tural light of every man to be able to di&s;cover a mans cor|rupt &s;tate: Rea&s;on cannot reach the breadth, nor fathom the depth of this fallen condition. But let <HI>R. F.</HI> compare his own words la&s;t &s;poken, with <HI>John Cam</HI>'s, and con&s;ider if one doth not cla&s;h with the other. His brother &s;aith, <HI>Every man in his fir&s;t birth may &s;ee him&s;elf to be natural:</HI> Him&s;elf &s;aith, <HI>The light which doth di&s;cover natural cor|ruptions, is not natural, but &s;piritual.</HI> Now I ask, Is it <HI>by the light</HI> of the fir&s;t birth (as in the fir&s;t birth) that every man may &s;ee him&s;elf to be natural? then that light is either natural, or &s;piritual; <HI>It is not natural,</HI> &s;aith <HI>R. F.</HI> It is in <HI>the fir&s;t birth,</HI> &s;aith <HI>J. Cam:</HI> either the&s;e men do agree, or not; if they do agree with them&s;elves, it is more then we can make out by their words; onely I finde what their &s;en&s;e is of the word [<HI>&s;piritual</HI>] not after the Scripture &s;en&s;e: The Scripture meaneth by &s;piritual, that which is born of the Spirit; by &s;piritual light, the light of the new or &s;econd birth: but the&s;e men under&s;tand by &s;piritual light, that which comes with the fir&s;t birth, a light in the &s;oul of every man. <HI>We know,</HI> &s;aith <HI>James Nayler,</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Antichri&s;t in man, by <HI>J. Nayler,</HI> p 7, 8</NOTE> <HI>there is a light in &s;pirit, that te&s;tifies of Chri&s;t, before Chri&s;t be known in the Creature;</HI> this light is that which the Gentiles had, <HI>whereby,</HI> &s;aith he, <HI>they became a law unto them&s;elves, and were Jews in &s;pirit, who&s;e prai&s;e was of God, and not of men. This light led them to &s;hew the works of that Law God had written in their hearts, their con&s;cience bearing witne&s;s, and excu&s;ing them in the day, when God &s;hall judge the world by his Go&s;pel. This light and the fruits of it,</HI> he concludes, <HI>will &s;tand at the day of judgement prai&s;ed of God, but not of men.</HI> Which magnifying expre&s;&s;ions of the Heathens light, are di&s;pa|raged by what <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ben. Nichol|&s;on,</HI> Returns to a Letter, p 16.</NOTE> another of them &s;aith, <HI>viz.</HI> upon <HI>Adams fall, pure rea&s;on was de&s;troyed, and corrupt rea&s;on took place, as it doth this day in every natural man:</HI> And if this man &s;peaks the truth, as he doth, the other &s;peaks what is fal&s;e.</P>
<P N="1">1. In that he boldly affirmeth, the Gentiles light made them <HI>Jews in &s;pirit;</HI> the Apo&s;tle, <HI>Rom.</HI> 2. 29. hath no<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2. 29. re&s;cued.</NOTE> &s;uch meaning. He de&s;cribeth a Jew in &s;pirit, to be one who
<PB N="269" REF="153"> is circumci&s;ed in heart, or who hath the circumci&s;ion of the heart; who&s;e prai&s;e is not of men, but of God. Heart-cir|cumci&s;ion, and the Gentiles light, are two things va&s;tly di&s;crepant: the Gentiles light never attained to the my&s;te|ry of heart-circumci&s;ion. Fond men that write and &s;peak after this maner! their pens and tongues would be circum|ci&s;ed, and hearts al&s;o, which I &s;hall pray for, that the&s;e ex|travagant Errata's may be corrected.</P>
<P N="2">2. In that (he &s;aith) the Gentiles con&s;ciences will bear them witne&s;s, <HI>and excu&s;e them in the day when God &s;hall judge the world,</HI> &amp;c. all which is remote from the Apo&s;tles &s;en&s;e, <HI>Rom.</HI> 2. 15. For,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2. 15, 16 vindicated, and cleared.</NOTE></P>
<P>Fir&s;t, He is comparing a practical Heathen, with a bare profe&s;&s;ing Jew; and preferring the working Gentile, before the talking Jew; but how? as to matter of fact, not as to the whole &s;tate before God: For, as to the whole &s;tate be|fore God, they are both alike, (both falling &s;hort of what the Law written in the heart, or in the book, required) one|ly in matter of fact; the Heathen &s;ometime did more an|&s;wer his light, then the Jew did; but did the Heathen an|&s;wer his light perfectly? No, he had accu&s;ing thoughts, as well as excu&s;ing, a dark confu&s;ed &s;tate was his.</P>
<P>Secondly, The Apo&s;tle doth not &s;ay, the Heathens light and fruits &s;hall excu&s;e him &s;o at the day of judgement, that they will &s;tand at that day, prai&s;ed of God, &amp;c. for then<NOTE PLACE="marg">No &s;aving excu&s;e, or te|&s;timony from a natural con|&s;cience.</NOTE> con&s;cience (fully awakened) will accu&s;e more then excu&s;e; and the accu&s;ations will bear and weigh down the excu&s;es ten thou&s;and fold: nay, every mouth (and the mouth of every con&s;cience that now excu&s;eth but from his own acts, and hath not the &s;prinkling of the blood of Je&s;us upon it) will then be &s;topt; where is his prai&s;e then of God?</P>
<P>Thirdly, The words <HI>ver.</HI> 16. In the day when God &s;hall judge, &amp;c. though they immediately follow, yet they have not &s;uch a connexion with <HI>ver.</HI> 15. but either refer to <HI>ver.</HI> 11. and &s;o four ver&s;es are to be taken into a Parenthe&s;is, or to <HI>ver.</HI> 12. and &s;o three ver&s;es are parenthetically to be read, and the &s;en&s;e, with &s;uch a dependence ob&s;erved, runs clear and plain; <HI>viz. ver.</HI> 11. There is no re&s;pect of per&s;ons with God, in the day when God &s;hall judge: or, <HI>ver.</HI> 12. As
<PB N="270" REF="154"> many as have &s;inned without the Law written, or with it, &s;hall be judged, In the day when God &s;hall judge the &s;e|crets of men by Je&s;us Chri&s;t: And this reading quite cuts off <HI>James Naylers</HI> plea for the Gentiles &s;aving light.</P>
<P>What &s;tarting-hole <HI>R. F.</HI> will have, we may gather by what went before and what follows, in his commendation of this light, and &s;uch as love it: <HI>It is &s;piritual, and &s;uch as love it, bring their deeds to be tryed by it, and with it the deceit is judged, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But by the light of the Spirit &s;hining in our hearts, by the Scripture, we have found out the deceit of terms and phra&s;es, as u&s;ed by the&s;e men; and withal how they cla&s;h with them&s;elves (as with the Scripture) even in that which <HI>R. F.</HI> addeth, <HI>Such as with the Light have the deeds of dark|ne&s;s di&s;covered, and hates the Light, the Light is their con|demnation.</HI> But &s;ay I, the Gentiles never perfectly loved that light they had, therefore it was and will be condemna|tion to them, and none of them will be excu&s;ed in the day of judgement; and therefore <HI>R. F.</HI> and <HI>J Nayler</HI> are here at a difference, and contradict one another, it may be, when they con&s;ider not of it.</P>
<P>For a farewel <HI>R. F.</HI> concludeth, <HI>As it</HI> [the condemna|tion] <HI>is thine, and they that are in union with corruptions, as thou art, they are not able to judge of the things of God, but erre in judgement that judgeth with evil thoughts, as thou do&s;t, and ha&s;t done; therefore judgements is to thy head and crown of deceit, pride and vain glory.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> This verdict is from <HI>R. F.</HI> as a man, (to &s;ay no more) and I pa&s;s not for mans judgement, but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Onely let me adverti&s;e the Reader, that to <HI>be in union with corruptions,</HI> is to have no divi&s;ion made in the Soul by a contrary principle of Grace, hating that cor|ruption. I would be very loth to be found in the hatred of other mens errors and corruptions, and in the love of my own. The te&s;timony of my con&s;cience herein, is my rejoy|cing, that I lie open to conviction, &s;tudying always to exer|ci&s;e a clear con&s;cience toward God and toward men.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="13, 14" TYPE="sections">
<PB N="271" REF="154">
<HEAD><HI>Sections</HI> 13, 14.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sect. 13, 14.</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>THe&s;e two Sections, are by <HI>R. F.</HI> pa&s;&s;ed over untoucht: In the one I &s;hewed how <HI>George Fox</HI> prefers the light within, as <HI>life,</HI> to the light of the Scriptures, which is <HI>death;</HI> and <HI>James Nayler</HI> acknowledgeth <HI>life</HI> to be in the Scri|ptures, &s;peaking of them that love the life in them. In the other, I noted how <HI>George Fox</HI> di&s;parageth <HI>the light of knowing God, and the Father, and the Spirit, and Chri&s;t, and the Go&s;pel, by the Scriptures, becau&s;e men had never known them but by the Scriptures.</HI> One would think (as I &s;aid) this to be rather a commendation of the Scriptures, and that his di&s;paragement contradicts his commendation; as his after commendation, <HI>That the Scriptures came from the light and life,</HI> contradicts his di&s;paragement, <HI>That the light within was before the Scriptures.</HI> The light, within Chri&s;t, was before, (we grant) in time, and excellency, be|ing uncreated light. The light within every man, in <HI>Adam</HI> (con&s;idered as in his &s;tate before the fall, or as in his lap&s;ed condition) was before the Scriptures in time, not in excel|lency; becau&s;e the Scriptures hold forth a higher light, then either <HI>Adam</HI> (or we in him) had before the fall, or under the fall. The light within &s;ome Saints (as they were Saints) of the old Te&s;tament, was before any piece of Scripture in time, not in dignity and degree, &s;eeing there is more light in the fir&s;t piece of Scripture-Go&s;pel, <HI>Gen.</HI> 3. 15. then all the Saints then, and &s;ince are worth (of them&s;elves) and then they could comprehend, or can to this day. The light within the Saints of the pre&s;ent Age, is after the Scriptures, both in time and excellency; in time, as they were born, and new-born &s;ince the Scri|ptures were extant: in excellency, as the Scriptures are a rule, above their light, and unto it; not &s;o, their light a rule above the Scriptures.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="15" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 15.</HEAD>
<P>WHereas I had rea&s;oned upon <HI>James Naylers</HI> words, If the <HI>lea&s;t degree</HI> of light, manife&s;ted in the crea|ture,
<PB N="272" REF="155"> be perfect in its <HI>mea&s;ures and in its &s;elf,</HI> (as he delivers it for doctrine) then it is every way perfect, and no longer the <HI>lea&s;t degree;</HI> and therefore <HI>J. Nayler</HI> contradicted him|&s;elf; <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 27.</NOTE> appeals to the book of <HI>Few Words</HI> pag. 8. and thither let him and the wor&s;t Reader I have, go, and finde out the &s;ubtilty he chargeth me with: After one charge he gives another, <HI>Thou ha&s;t here confe&s;&s;ed, that if the light be perfect in its mea&s;ure, and in its &s;elf, it is perfect every way.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> It is neither my confe&s;&s;ion, nor conce&s;&s;ion, but I rea&s;oned after that maner, to manife&s;t <HI>J. N.</HI> his contradicti|on <HI>in adjecto,</HI> as we &s;ay, or in the very terms; for it is as if he had &s;aid, the lea&s;t degree is the greate&s;t degree, and the lowe&s;t degree, is the highe&s;t degree; which how ab&s;urdly contradictious to it &s;elf, let rational men be judges. What hath he further to &s;alve the contradiction? <HI>Thy imaginati|ons cannot finde out the highe&s;t degree, that are not &s;ubject to the lowe&s;t, but acts contrary to it, and &s;o to be condemned by it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Here are four fre&s;h charges. For the fir&s;t, I acknow|ledge my imagination too &s;hallow to reach unto others at|tainments; but I deny the highe&s;t degree of light to be here attainable, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 13. I know 'tis in heaven to be found. I am content to look through <HI>Pauls</HI> gla&s;s, and the believers Pro|&s;pective, and to know things here in a Riddle, and in a My|&s;tery. The Zenith of the Saints light, is not to be &s;een while<NOTE PLACE="marg">Saints light not at the highe&s;t pitch.</NOTE> we are under the Sun, when that which is perfect is come (which comes not in this life in point of light; and there|fore not of holines, by the way) then that which is imperfect &s;hall be done away: But this I know that I am more bru|ti&s;h then a man, and have not the knowledge of the Holy. And how little is the portion of the knowledge of God and Chri&s;t, that is to be found among all the Saints? were it all put together, it would, haply, amount but to the lea&s;t de|gree of that which &s;hall be known, by every of them, here|after. The knowledge of the love of Chri&s;t is the highe&s;t piece of knowledge, and that pa&s;&s;eth my knowledge, if not <HI>R. Farnworths;</HI> yet this I know that nothing &s;hall be known in heaven, nor to eternity, but the foundation and &s;ubject matter of it, is already laid in the Scripture. Be&s;ides Scri|pture-knowledge
<PB N="273" REF="155"> for the matter (I do not &s;ay for the ma|ner) I profe&s;s my &s;elf to know nothing; and the lea&s;t de|gree of that light which &s;hineth in the Scripture, concern|ing Chri&s;t and him crucified, I e&s;teem above the highe&s;t de|gree of the light that every man cometh into the world withal.</P>
<P>A &s;econd charge followeth, <HI>But thou art not &s;ubject to the lowe&s;t</HI> [degree of light.]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Will <HI>R. F.</HI> grant the light which every man hath to be the lowe&s;t light? and Go&s;pel-light to be a higher light? and what the Saints have in heaven to be higher then what the Saints have on earth? then I hope the lea&s;t degree of light is not perfect in its mea&s;ures as in its &s;elf, as his fellow a&s;&s;erted.</P>
<P N="2">2. What if I were perfectly &s;ubject to the lea&s;t and lowe&s;t degree of light? will that advance me to light of another kinde? if not, I &s;hall thank free grace for giving light of a higher nature (though I never obeyed natural light as I ought, and as I might; and every man might do more with his natural abilities then he doth.)</P>
<P>A third charge, <HI>But thou acts contrary to it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> This I take to be a third winnowing of Satan. What I have done herein, the Lord hath known, and knows (and not <HI>R. F.</HI>) And He knows how to pardon it, and hath par|doned it in Chri&s;t. But if I do not advance every mans light into the place of the Saints light, I act not again&s;t natural light (though above it) but for the light of Saints. And if I attribute more to true &s;piritual light, then to natural, and do not call that &s;piritual, which is not &s;o (in the &s;pecifical or proper form and being of it) but call a Spade a Spade, I hope <HI>R. F.</HI> will bear with me, or blame him&s;elf for allow|ing of that di&s;tinction (as above) where he &s;aid, <HI>the light which di&s;covers corruption is not natural, but &s;piritual,</HI> with|out explication of him&s;elf according to Scripture.</P>
<P>A fourth charge followeth [<HI>and &s;o to be condemned by it</HI>] A &s;entence I may call it, as well as a charge; but it is well I &s;hall be condemned by the light, not in the dark as <HI>R. F.</HI> doth adjudge me, at his plea&s;ure: well, I &s;ay, that I &s;hall be tryed and judged in another Court then his captious
<PB N="274" REF="156"> judgement; and well for me &s;till, that I have &s;ubmitted to the &s;entence of Gods legal Court for abu&s;e of natural light, and yet have made u&s;e of my liberty in Chri&s;t, to appeal unto a higher Court then Gods own Law (&s;o far as it holds forth a Covenant of works, and &s;entence of life or death upon my own works) even to the throne of Grace, and to the Go&s;pel-&s;entence, of Gods free ju&s;tifying a &s;inner that believeth in Je&s;us; there, I am &s;ure, neither <HI>R. F.</HI> nor the devil him&s;elf can lay any thing to my charge, as to my con|demnation before God. It is God that ju&s;tifieth, who is he that condemneth? But in way of Reply before men, I mu&s;t attend <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 27.</NOTE> and de&s;ire my Reader to ob&s;erve how he goes on to make good <HI>J. Nayler</HI> his a&s;&s;ertion. <HI>For it</HI> (the light in its lea&s;t mea&s;ure) <HI>is perfect, both in re&s;pect of its truth, and &s;incerity, power and authority, and condemns the haters and re&s;i&s;ters of it.</HI> Thus <HI>R. F.</HI> To which I Reply,</P>
<P N="1">1. What is this to perfection of degrees? Here is a migh|ty fall from the highe&s;t to the lowe&s;t, for this kinde of per|fection, <HI>viz.</HI> of truth (which I had granted) is &s;o in the highe&s;t degree, that it belongs al&s;o to the lowe&s;t. The lea&s;t drop of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Every thing is true, and perfect for the kinde, as it is Gods work.</NOTE> water is true water, perfectwater in re&s;pect of its truth, as all that is in the Ocean: &s;o the lea&s;t beam of light is true light, and (in that &s;en&s;e) perfect, whether it be Creation-light, or Redemption-light, either is true (for its kinde) in the lea&s;t degree, and perfect as to the true being; But,</P>
<P N="2">2. The deceit lyeth here, when men will put off that for Redemption-light, which is but old Creation-light. A <HI>Bri&s;tol</HI> &s;tone is a true <HI>Bri&s;tol</HI> &s;tone, but if it be put off for a Diamond-&s;park, it is counterfeit; there is not truth in it, as to the repute and e&s;timation of it: &s;o, the lea&s;t degree of old Creation-light, (as <GAP DESC="foreign">, that which may be<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 1. 19.</NOTE> known of Gods eternal power, goodne&s;s and wi&s;edom, in and by the contemplation of the creature) is true for the kinde, and is called [<HI>truth] Rom.</HI> 1. 18. which the Gentiles impri&s;oned in unrighteou&s;ne&s;s, but <HI>this</HI> hath not the lea&s;t &s;park of Redemption-light, which <HI>Adam</HI> had not before the fall, and was not manife&s;ted after the fall till the fir&s;t promi&s;e, <HI>Gen.</HI> 3. 15. And if it be commended, and &s;et off for &s;aving light, it proves fal&s;e light, and darkne&s;s it &s;elf, (&s;o far is it
<PB N="275" REF="156"> from perfection of degrees, that it hath not the lea&s;t &s;park of Go&s;pel-&s;incerity.</P>
<P N="3">3. As for <HI>any power and authority,</HI> that the lea&s;t or the greate&s;t degree of old-creation-light hath (as it is given back &s;ince the fall) (though it be loved and obeyed) to lead into the life and power of the Saints comprehen&s;ions of the re|deeming love of God in Chri&s;t (which <HI>R. F.</HI> hinteth at) I know none: God hath never ble&s;t it, nor promi&s;ed to ble&s;s it, nor ordained it for that end.</P>
<P N="4">4. If they intend it onely of the Saints light or the Spirits light, which <HI>R. F.</HI> in his Epi&s;tle &s;aith <HI>is perfect in its lea&s;t mea|&s;ure,</HI> &s;till that is onely to be under&s;tood (as I &s;aid in my other piece) in re&s;pect of its truth and &s;incerity, and that hath life and power in it already, and doth not <HI>lead into it</HI> (as <HI>R. F.</HI> &s;peaks) but in re&s;pect of a further degree of the &s;ame kinde: for although the good u&s;e of natural light doth not lead into Spiritual light and life, yet the good u&s;e of the lea&s;t true &s;park of Spiritual &s;aving light, in Chri&s;t the Mediator, hath a promi&s;e of further increa&s;e of light of the &s;ame Spiritual nature. There follows another pa&s;&s;age in <HI>R. F.</HI> which I would &s;can a little, <HI>They</HI> that love and obey the lea&s;t degree of light, <HI>are in unity, the highe&s;t and lowe&s;t in their mea&s;ures and degrees.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. If this be meant of them that have the lowe&s;t de|gree<NOTE PLACE="marg">Creation-light and Re|demption-light m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t not be con|founded.</NOTE> of Creation-light, and of &s;uch as have the highe&s;t de|gree of Redemption-light, it confounds the natural and Spiritual man together, the &s;inner or gracele&s;s, and the gracious Saint; yea, the meane&s;t man, as a man, with the mo&s;t glorious Saint in heaven, as a Saint, but how erroneous is this notion? What unity are they in (that is a &s;aving uni|ty) &s;ome of whom have not the Spirit, <HI>Jude v.</HI> 19. others have; &s;ome have union with Chri&s;t a Redeeming, Sancti|fying Head, others not? Doth <HI>R. F.</HI> think that &s;uch as obey the lowe&s;t degree of light manife&s;ted in the Creature, are in unity with the Saints, that comprehend &s;omething of the height and breadth, length and depth of the love of God, and Chri&s;t which pa&s;&s;eth knowledge? or that men u&s;ing their Talent of Nature well (could they do it) &s;hall meet the Saints in heaven, who are enabled to u&s;e their Talent of
<PB N="274" REF="157">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="275" REF="157">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="276" REF="158"> Grace in a &s;aving maner? far be any of his or my Readers<NOTE PLACE="marg">Section 16, 17.</NOTE> from &s;uch Popi&s;h, Je&s;uitical conceptions.</P>
<P N="2">2. If he meaneth onely, that the Saints of lower or higher forms, and degrees of Redemption-light and grace <HI>are in unity,</HI> this is granted in &s;ome re&s;pect, <HI>viz.</HI> of perfect Ju&s;tification, &s;incere Sanctification, and what one-ne&s;s the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks of, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 4. 4, 5, 6. But why then doth he and his &s;ect &s;eparate from them that have higher or lower de|grees of light and grace then them&s;elves? and how comes it they are &s;o full of Saint and Self-contradictions?</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="4, 5" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>4. and 5. Heads of Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning Sin, and Chri&s;t.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="16, 17" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 16, 17.</HEAD>
<P>THe&s;e two Sections, <HI>R. F.</HI> waves altogether; In the former, I delivered out what I had from them in di&s;cour&s;e, in <HI>Scotland, that &s;in is no vi&s;ible enemy</HI> to a Saint or to them&s;elves, and yet they &s;peak as if they had received higher degrees of light then ordinary Saints. It &s;eems it is to &s;ee &s;in in others, not in them&s;elves: but they carry their light in a dark Lanthorn, are in love with their own &s;hadow, and in friend&s;hip with their own lu&s;ts, to who&s;e eyes of under&s;tanding, &s;in, and the &s;in in the bo&s;om, is not the mo&s;t vi&s;ible adver&s;ary. In the latter I gave forth, what I had there al&s;o in di&s;cour&s;e, and in a Let|ter; They hold, <HI>Chri&s;t to be in all, yet none to be in Chri&s;t but them&s;elves.</HI> Whereas, in what way or re&s;pect God and Chri&s;t&punc; as God, is in all, all are in Chri&s;t as God; that is, In him we live, move, and have our being, as men, and crea|tures: And were Chri&s;t in all, as Mediator, all were in Chri&s;t as members of &s;uch a Head, Branches of &s;uch a Vine|&s;tock, and root of &s;aving grace, but He is neither in every man, nor is every man in Him by &s;uch a way of union.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="6" TYPE="head">
<PB N="277" REF="158">
<HEAD>6. Head of Self-contradictions.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sect. 18, 19.</NOTE> <HI>Concerning Ju&s;tification.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="18" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 18.</HEAD>
<P>HEre I noted <HI>James Nayler</HI> in one place, denying that <HI>his &s;ins, who is once covered, are not daily to cover,</HI> yet in another place affirming, that <HI>what Chri&s;t did formerly upon the Cro&s;s, he doth the &s;ame now.</HI> If then he did cover them, he doth now cover them daily. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 27.</NOTE> an&s;wereth not to take off the Contra|diction, but onely thus, <HI>He that hath his &s;ins covered is ble&s;|&s;ed; but thy meaning is denyed.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> The maner and way of Chri&s;ts covering of &s;in is denied, if that my meaning (which is not mine, but the Lords) be denied. For [to day] <HI>Heb.</HI> 13. 8. holds forth a daily ver|tue<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 13. 8. cleared.</NOTE> (in all the pre&s;ent time of the new Te&s;tament) of Chri&s;ts Cro&s;s, or his per&s;onal &s;ufferings upon the Cro&s;s, for cover|ing as for crucifying of &s;in, that is, for pardoning as &s;ub|duing it. He doth perfectly ju&s;tifie a believer at once; but this he doth daily al&s;o, by one continued act of imputation of Chri&s;ts &s;ufferings, whence comes the non-imputation of a believers daily &s;ins. If this be denied, then the way of Gods covering &s;in is denied to be by way of pardon; and &s;o <HI>David</HI> and <HI>Paul, P&s;alm 32. 1. Rom.</HI> 4. 6, 7. are denied, and the ble&s;&s;edne&s;s which they pronounce to the pardoned per|&s;on; which is wor&s;e then for <HI>R. F.</HI> to deny him&s;elf, or for <HI>J. Nayler</HI> to contradict him&s;elf, as before, and as followeth.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="19" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 19.</HEAD>
<P>THat which I noted in this Section, in his other words, is, <HI>I own no other Chri&s;t but that which &s;uffered at Jeru|&s;alem, and by him I am &s;aved from my &s;ins;</HI> yet, <HI>what righ|teou&s;ne&s;s Chri&s;t hath performed without me, was not my ju&s;ti|fication, neither was I &s;aved by it.</HI> I inferred, if then he was not ju&s;tified and &s;aved meritoriou&s;ly, he is not now, nor
<PB N="278" REF="159"> ever will be &s;aved efficaciou&s;ly. All that <HI>R. F.</HI> hath to of|fer is, <HI>The righteou&s;ne&s;s of Chri&s;t is our righteou&s;ne&s;s, who are &s;aved from our &s;ins by him, and we witne&s;s him to be the alone Savior of all that obey him; and perfectly able to &s;ave to the uttermo&s;t all tho&s;e that come unto God by him.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. This &s;alveth not the wound of <HI>J. Naylers</HI> &s;elf|contradiction.</P>
<P N="2">2. Let none be deceived with their expre&s;&s;ions, for when they &s;ay <HI>Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s is our righteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI> they un|der&s;tand it of Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s wrought <HI>in them,</HI> by his Spirit, not wrought <HI>for them</HI> by his blood and obedience. But I ask the&s;e men, Was not Chri&s;t Je&s;us <HI>without them,</HI> when he was obedient to death, the death of the Cro&s;s at Jeru&s;a|lem? Was the righteou&s;ne&s;s he performed, for him&s;elf, or for others? Did he not &s;tand and &s;uffer as a &s;urety? Is not the &s;ureties payment reckoned to the debtor, as &s;ufficient? What if Chri&s;t be &s;o free and bountiful, as he will not one|ly pay the debts of his Elect, but &s;tock them with inherent Grace: it is not a farthing of the money that he putteth into their pur&s;e, that ju&s;tifies them; their friend and &s;urety had enough to do it without them. Proud and &s;elf-decei|ving are they, who think a little <HI>within them,</HI> is better then all that is in Chri&s;t <HI>without them;</HI> and yet hope to be &s;aved by him, whom they de&s;pi&s;e, and with who&s;e white rayment and wedding garment, they will not be covered.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="7" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>7. Head of Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning immediate Teaching.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="20" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 20.</HEAD>
<P>I Ob&s;erved what they clamorou&s;ly object again&s;t us, <HI>That the Go&s;pel we preach is from man, and by man, from the Printers and Stationers, but theirs is imme|diate altogether;</HI> and yet they write, print, and have taken their light (as they call it) one from another: Here
<PB N="279" REF="159"> they condemn in others, what they allow in them&s;elves; and if the <HI>teaching of God,</HI> as they &s;ay, <HI>be immediate in the lea&s;t degree,</HI> and all their teaching be immediate; why do they condemn by their practice, what they allow onely in do|ctrine? why do they write or print any thing? which is a mediate way of teaching. <HI>R. F.</HI> hath nothing to &s;ay, but in his old reviling language, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 28.</NOTE> <HI>All thy &s;craped &s;tuff, and thy twi&s;tings and windings we deny;</HI> and &s;o runs to old matter already dealt with, except a few expre&s;&s;ions which I &s;hall touch at pre&s;ently; But,</P>
<P N="1">1. I would know what he doth deny of my <HI>&s;craped &s;tuff,</HI> as he calls it, which is but collections from their own words and writings? If he denies his fellow-writers, then he makes out more contradiction among them&s;elves: If he denies that I have drawn up true collections, it is yet to be proved; for either their very words (as in mo&s;t places) or the &s;en&s;e and effect of them, I have faithfully pre&s;ented to the world; and becau&s;e I know it pincheth them but to have hinted <HI>Ed. Burroughs</HI> acknowledgement, how he was formed to Qua|keri&s;m by <HI>G. Fox,</HI> while they boa&s;t of none but <HI>immediate Callings and Teachings;</HI> knowing al&s;o that the Book <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Warning to <HI>Under barrow.</HI></NOTE> is but in the hands of a few, I &s;hall tran&s;cribe part of the &s;aid <HI>Ed. Burroughs</HI> account of him&s;elf. After twelve years of age, he enquired where the chief Presbyterian Prie&s;ts (as he calls them) preached, and heard them. At &s;eventeen years of age he was &s;truck with terror, falls a praying; but by a voice was taken off prayer, reading, and hearing the Scri|pture; thought him&s;elf in the light; followed the highe&s;t Notioni&s;ts; but had the world in his heart, pride and covet|ou&s;ne&s;s; lived in the lu&s;tful nature, and grew to be weary of hearing any Prie&s;ts, though never &s;o high, for &s;omething that &s;hined deep in him, &s;hewed him ignorance in all pro|fe&s;&s;ion, and he was put to a &s;tand: Now hear him further, <HI>verbatim.</HI> <Q REND="margQuotes">"Then it plea&s;ed the Lord to &s;end his true and faithful &s;ervant, and me&s;&s;enger, <HI>George Fox,</HI> he &s;pake the Language which I knew not, notwith&s;tanding all my high talking, for it was higher and yet lower; and it plea&s;ed the Lord to &s;peak to me <HI>by him,</HI> that I was in the prodi|gal &s;tate, and above the Cro&s;s of Chri&s;t, and not in the
<PB N="280" REF="160"> pure fear of the Lord, but full of corruption, and the old nature: though I had profe&s;&s;ed freedom, yet it was but &s;uch as the Jews profe&s;&s;ed; for I &s;aw my &s;elf to be in bon|dage to my own will, and to my own lu&s;t; and through the word of the Lord &s;poken to me <HI>by him,</HI> I began to &s;ee my &s;elf (the witne&s;s being rai&s;ed) where I was, and what I had been doing; and &s;aw I had been making an image to the fir&s;t Bea&s;t, which had the wound by a &s;word and did live, who&s;e deadly wound was healed, and was full of airy notions and imaginations; and was wor&s;hipping the image which I had made, and then I &s;aw my &s;elf to be a childe of wrath, and that the &s;on of the bond-woman lived, and that harlots had been my companions, and was no more worthy to be called a &s;on.</Q> And &s;o he goes on to &s;hew his trouble and di&s;tre&s;s, till he &s;eparated him&s;elf from the world, and his acquaintance, and betook him&s;elf to the company of a poor de&s;pi&s;ed people, called Quakers; and now he is one of that generation, God hath made him partaker of his love, in whom his &s;oul hath full &s;atisfaction, joy, and content: At la&s;t, he concludeth, he hath travelled through the world, even unto the end, and is now come to the beginning of that which never &s;hall have end, which the dark minde of man knows not. Will <HI>R. F.</HI> deny this to be his Narrative, truly taken? if not, then he mu&s;t grant there are &s;ome mediate Teachings in the&s;e days among them&s;elves: or, if God teacheth not but immediately, then God taught not <HI>Ed. Burroughs</HI> by <HI>George Fox;</HI> and then <HI>Ed. Burroughs</HI> is not much bettered by being of the gene|ration of the people called Quakers. What&s;oever have been his apprehen&s;ions, &s;orrowful or joyful, the Heart is deceit|ful above all things, and de&s;perately wicked, who can know it? A new in&s;tance we have in <HI>J. Lilburn,</HI> who profe&s;&s;eth him&s;elf to be one with the generation of Quakers, rai&s;ed and formed up to that fraternity, partly by conference with them, partly by reading of their printed papers: His words in one place <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">The Re&s;ur. of <HI>J. Lilburn</HI> pag. 7.</NOTE> are the&s;e, <HI>Meeting here with one of tho&s;e preci|ous people, called Quakers, and getting into my hands two Vo|lumes of their printed papers, amounting to about &s;eventeen hundred pages, I have with &s;erious di&s;cour&s;e, and &s;eriou&s;ne&s;s of
<PB N="281" REF="160"> reading therein, been knockt down off, or from my former legs or &s;tanding; and giving &s;cope to my true teacher and guide, the Light of God &s;peaking in my &s;oul, I am become, at pre|&s;ent, dead to my fallen, or fir&s;t natures rea&s;on,</HI> &amp;c. Yet el&s;e|where <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 9.</NOTE> he pretendeth to the <HI>immediate power of God upon his &s;oul.</HI> But notwith&s;tanding that, he exhorteth his friend to read <HI>J. Naylers</HI> and <HI>W. Dewsberies</HI> Books, and de&s;ires the <HI>Lord, by his Almighty power, to &s;et them home to his &s;oul.</HI> Is not this a mediate way of learning, by a mediate way of teaching? And &s;hall the&s;e mens &s;criblings have Gods Almighty power at hand, and &s;hall not his own ble&s;|&s;ed Scriptures be attended therewith? I &s;hall advi&s;e <HI>J. Lil|burn,</HI> and all my friends, and all &s;uch as are become my ene|mies for the truths &s;ake, to turn over tho&s;e &s;acred Pages, and in particular, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8. 2, 3. and <HI>Gal.</HI> 6. 3, 4, 5. de&s;iring the Lord, by his Almighty power of free grace, to &s;et them home to their hearts.</P>
<P N="2">2. As to what follows in <HI>R. F. Thou would&s;t have a letter-Savior, and a letter-fulne&s;s, and give&s;t all the preeminence to the Letter of the Scripture.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Neither in what I wrote before, nor in this Reply, can any &s;uch pa&s;&s;age be found; but <HI>R. F.</HI> will take liberty to &s;crible, what comes next to the nib of his quill. The pre|eminence I give to the Scripture, is,</P>
<P N="1">1. In re&s;pect of natural light, or that which every man<NOTE PLACE="marg">Preeminence of Scripture light.</NOTE> hath: And if I call every mans light <HI>natural and common,</HI> I mi&s;-call it not; (I call not Chri&s;t &s;o, who (as God) gives that light) As my natural body framed by Chri&s;t (as he is God) is rightly called, as it is, a natural body; &s;o my natu|ral rea&s;on, light, and under&s;tanding (though lighted up (as a candle within me) by Chri&s;t the true God, working with the Father in all acts of Creation and Providence hitherto) is truly called, as it is, natural light: and &s;eeing every man<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 5. 17.</NOTE> hath &s;ome of it, (the mo&s;t of whom have no &s;aving light) it is truly called, as it is, common, and univer&s;al light. Will <HI>R. F.</HI> allow <HI>Ed. Burroughs</HI> to call &s;ome light natural, and not me &s;o to phra&s;e it? or, will he allow <HI>J. Nayler</HI> to di|&s;tingui&s;h between common light and &s;aving, and may not I and others with me, have the &s;ame liberty? Fir&s;t, let <HI>Ed.
<PB N="282" REF="161"> Burroughs</HI> be heard, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Warning to <HI>under barrow,</HI> pag. 37.</NOTE> <HI>I write not as from man, who&s;e light</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Section 20</NOTE> <HI>is onely natural and carnal, and doth onely make manife&s;t carnal tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions,</HI> &amp;c. And again, <HI>By the natural light, through the earthly law, is no natural man able to judge of that which is &s;poken, or declared from that which is eternal.</HI> And again, <HI>I deny to have this cau&s;e put into the judgement of carnal Lawyers, who judge by the natural light,</HI> &amp;c. Let us hear <HI>J. Nayler</HI> &s;peak his minde, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Di&s;covery of the man of &s;in, pag. 29.</NOTE> <HI>In your reply</HI> (meaning the Mini&s;ters at <HI>Newca&s;tle) you deceitfully put in that word (&s;aving light) which is not &s;poken by me; for though Chri&s;t be the light of the world, that enlightens all, yet none are &s;a|ved by him, but who believe,</HI> &amp;c. There is a light then which is in natural men, unbelievers, and all the Heathen, which is but natural, and a light which is not &s;aving (and therefore but common) by their own confe&s;&s;ion; what un|rea&s;onablene&s;s is it in them to except again&s;t the term of di&s;tinction? what contradiction to their own rea&s;on?</P>
<P N="2">2. The preeminence of Scripture-light is this, that it is our &s;tanding rule for faith and maners; &s;o are not immedi|ate Revelations or Teachings, of which &s;ee 1. Part, Sect. 1. Here is the Letter or Scripture-fulne&s;s that I a&s;&s;ert, There is &s;ufficient light in it to guide men to &s;alvation, &s;eeing it is the Spirits light, and given by the Spirit for a rule; yea, the Spirit gives out him&s;elf thereby, for our clear under&s;tanding and &s;atisfaction in the things of God; in&s;omuch as that ve|ry witne&s;s which a believer hath in him&s;elf, the Scripture bears te&s;timony of. The Spirit tells us in the Scripture what he worketh in our hearts, and he &s;tamps upon our hearts what he had before cau&s;ed to be &s;tampt into Scri|pture, or upon the Bible.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> objecteth, <HI>Thou would&s;t have the Spirit to be bought and &s;old, if it were in the Letter.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> How the Spirit is in the Letter, that is, in the Scri|pture, I have opened in its due place, 2. Part, Sect. 8. but that it followeth, it may therefore be bought and &s;old, is a weak and poor exception. <HI>R. F.</HI> his minde goes along with his Pamphlet, and his &s;pirit is in his book, yet it is not his per&s;on, but the ink and paper that is bought and &s;old: &s;o the ink and paper of the Scriptures (as other creatures of
<PB N="283" REF="161"> God) are bought and &s;old; not &s;o the Spirit, though he be more in them, then <HI>R. F.</HI> is in his book; for this poor man cannot change my minde, nor many thou&s;ands more (if they read his Pamphlet with me) into his erroneous judgement; when as the Spirit, in the Scripture, changeth my minde, and all that are made to own the light and authority of it, into the &s;ame truth that is there delivered.</P>
<P>Again he taunteth, <HI>Thou would&s;t have a Letter-Savior, if the Letter could give the Spirit and eternal life.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I never &s;aid the Letter could, or did give the Spi|rit, but <HI>the Spirit is given by it;</HI> or, as I even now expre&s;t it, the Spirit gives out him&s;elf by it; and he gives out Chri&s;t, or the knowledge of Chri&s;t and eternal life by it al&s;o; who &s;hall hinder him, if he will begin and further our &s;alvation by it?</P>
<P N="2">2. It is <HI>R. F.</HI> his di&s;dainful expre&s;&s;ion, (not mine) [<HI>a Let|ter-Savior</HI>]<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t a Sa|vior according to Scripture.</NOTE> but this I &s;ay, from the Lord, He that &s;lights the Savior which the Scripture witne&s;&s;eth, and maketh known, is not like to finde any Spirit-Savior of him, or a Sa|vior in vigor, life and Spirit, to his &s;oul; and if he be not &s;uch a Savior, he is not at all a Savior to him. Did ever any of the Apo&s;tles, or &s;uch as had indeed immediate teachings from the Spirit, vilifie and reproach Chri&s;t, or the Scri|pture, with &s;uch inkhorn terms?</P>
<P>Yet again, <HI>With a Letter-fulne&s;s, thou would&s;t have no witne&s;s of God, without the Letter.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. That follows not, for his providential works are witne&s;&s;es of him, <HI>Acts</HI> 14. 17. to the very Heathens, and much more to Chri&s;tians; But,</P>
<P N="2">2. He &s;hall be no Chri&s;tian to me, or in my account, who brings any te&s;timony, as from God, without the Scripture|atte&s;tation.</P>
<P>But &s;aith <HI>R. F. If the Scripture be lo&s;t, the fulne&s;s and the witne&s;s would be lo&s;t, and his people be without &s;upply and &s;trength, according to thy account.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Should they be lo&s;t, that one way whereby God gives out his fulne&s;s, and by which he witne&s;&s;eth and work|eth for his peoples &s;upply and &s;trength, would be lo&s;t, yet God lo&s;eth none of his fulne&s;s in him&s;elf; and Chri&s;t hath
<PB N="284" REF="162"> other witne&s;&s;es of him, <HI>John</HI> 5. His Father, his Works, <HI>John Bapti&s;t:</HI> But,</P>
<P N="2">2. Seeing there are Scriptures, as they cannot be broken, <HI>John</HI> 10. 35. they cannot be lo&s;t; God hath, and will ever pre&s;erve them, for his peoples &s;upply and &s;trength.</P>
<P N="3">3. What vain jangling is here from <HI>R. F.</HI> his pen, tending to no edification at all of the Reader, but to the alienation of peoples mindes from the Scriptures, and from tho&s;e that teach according to them; to &s;educe and draw poor &s;ouls af|ter their pretended <HI>immediate teachings,</HI> while yet they will be quoting of Scripture, as if it were written and pen'd to de&s;troy it &s;elf:</P>
<P>For thus <HI>R. F.</HI> gathers up the Rere of his forces, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 28.</NOTE> <HI>He (to wit, Chri&s;t) is before all things, and by him all things con&s;i&s;t, and he is the Head of the body the Chruch, who is the beginning and fir&s;t-born from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence, for in him the fulne&s;s dwells.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Are not the&s;e words written by the Spirits &s;ecre|tary, <HI>Col.</HI> 1. 17, 18, 19. And is not <HI>R. F.</HI> beholden to the Scri|pture for that literal knowledge?</P>
<P N="2">2. If ever he feels the power of the&s;e, as other Scriptures,<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Scripture magnifies Chri&s;t above it &s;elf.</NOTE> God will teach him, to honor the Scripture &s;o much the more, as it magnifies Chri&s;t above it &s;elf; and to &s;peak more wi&s;ely of it, then to conclude as he doth: <HI>In him the fulne&s;s dwells, then not in the Letter, yet the Letter declares of it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. If the Letter declares of Chri&s;ts fulne&s;s, then we &s;hall need to know no more of Chri&s;t, then what for &s;ub|&s;tance is in the Scripture; there is no nece&s;&s;ity then of im|mediate teachings, (&s;etting Scripture a&s;ide) nor ought we to receive any, again&s;t the Scripture.</P>
<P N="2">2. Why may not fulne&s;s be in Chri&s;t, and in the Letter<NOTE PLACE="marg">How fulne&s;s is in Chri&s;t, how in the Scripture.</NOTE> (conjoyned &s;till with the &s;en&s;e) of Scripture al&s;o. The fuller the fountain is, the more full is the conduit and its pipes: The more full the heart is, the fuller the mouth; out of the abundance of the heart the mouth &s;peaketh, and the pen writeth, what is good or bad, truth or error. In Chri&s;t is the fulne&s;s of the fountain, in the Scriptures is the fulne&s;s of the &s;tream, flowing from, and carrying to the fountain, and
<PB N="285" REF="162"> and abiding inexhau&s;ted as a well, fed by a continual &s;pring.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sect. 21, 22, 23.</NOTE> Chri&s;t having all fulne&s;s &s;uperabundantly in him&s;elf, he doth abundantly and &s;ufficiently fill the Scriptures, with the &s;a|vor and &s;weetne&s;s of his good oyntments, which make the virgins, and the upright love him, and &s;eek after him, in the&s;e foot&s;teps of the flocks, the good and old ways of Scripture-teaching.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="8" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>8. Head of Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning Perfection.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="21, 22" TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>Sections</HI> 21, 22.</HEAD>
<P>IN the former of the&s;e Sections, I noted their profe&s;&s;ion of Perfection, and of Quaking after <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> example, at the foot of mount <HI>Sinai,</HI> to cro&s;s-&s;hins one with the other. <HI>R. F.</HI> returns me nothing in an&s;wer; as if con|vinced, it is no better then I judged it, a Self-contradiction, and one of his own. In the latter, the contradiction to them&s;elves is as gro&s;s; they &s;peak of <HI>perfection</HI> in holine&s;s here attained, before death, and yet acknowledge <HI>&s;in dwel|leth in them,</HI> though not <HI>in act. R. F.</HI> hath nothing to &s;ay to this al&s;o, and &s;o it mu&s;t &s;tand as a te&s;timony again&s;t them, with the re&s;t; when he and all his fraternity have &s;aid what they can, their &s;elf-ju&s;tifications will end in &s;elf-confu&s;ion.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="9" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>9. Head of Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning Quaking and Trembling.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="23" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 23.</HEAD>
<P>HEre I had noted the Contradiction between their pro|fe&s;&s;ion of Quaking and trembling, and pro&s;e&s;&s;ed bold|ne&s;s; never having ob&s;erved more daring creatures, to open
<PB N="286" REF="163"> their lips, or put pen to paper. It fell out that <HI>R. F.</HI> his Re|ply to the Prie&s;ts about <HI>Beverley,</HI> was quoted for an in|&s;tance, he is therefore the more concerned in vindication; but how doth he take off the &s;elf-contradiction? even, as along the Book, by per&s;i&s;ting in his evil cau&s;e. <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 28.</NOTE> <HI>The &s;ame power that made Mo&s;es,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>to quake, &s;hake, and tremble, the &s;ame power we witne&s;s.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> But <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> was under a Legal admini&s;tration, and at<NOTE PLACE="marg">Legal, what?</NOTE> that time, when he &s;aid, I exceedingly fear and quake, he was under a type of that Legal bondage, which believers are freed from. The fal&s;e Apo&s;tles, indeed, by their cor|rupting the Doctrine of Ju&s;tification, carried Chri&s;tians (as much as laid in their power) under the Law again; for which the true Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> blames the <HI>Galatians, Chap.</HI> 4. 21. Tell me ye that de&s;ire to be under the Law, &amp;c. So the&s;e pretenders to a new Apo&s;tle&s;hip, are di&s;covered by their Doctrine of a Righteou&s;ne&s;s within them, that is their Ju&s;tification; to lead people the &s;ame way, as the ring-lead|ers among the Jews and Galatians did; and would make them children of the bond-woman, whom Chri&s;t hath made children of the free-woman: yet boldly they will profe&s;s they are come from mount <HI>Sinai,</HI> to mount <HI>Zion,</HI> while their Doctrine of Ju&s;tification hath no other tendency, then to carry back to bondage.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> yet &s;eems to bleat more like a &s;heep, then bark like a wolf, in this pa&s;&s;age: <HI>We witne&s;s working out our &s;alvati|on with fear and trembling.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. The fear and trembling, which <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks of,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil 2&punc; 12. vindicated.</NOTE> <HI>Phil.</HI> 2. 12. as proper to believers, is not that which <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> did typically repre&s;ent, at the foot of mount <HI>Sinai;</HI> for the Apo&s;tle to the <HI>Hebrews, Chap.</HI> 12. 18. to 21, denies that be|lievers are under that &s;tate, or that Legal admini&s;tration, with the effects of it.</P>
<P N="2">2. The fear and trembling, wherewith believers are to<NOTE PLACE="marg">Evangelical trembling, what?</NOTE> work out their &s;alvation, i&s;&s;ueth from faith, and love, and Go&s;pel-humility, and is not the fruit of Legal humiliation.</P>
<P N="3">3. The Go&s;pel-fear and trembling is not to be found vi&s;ible, or legibly to be di&s;cerned in all <HI>R. F.</HI> his vindicati|on, hitherto.</P>
<PB N="287" REF="163">
<P>But he rounds me in the ear with this, <HI>Thou &s;peaks a|gain&s;t the power of God, that worketh effectually in his people, as it did in</HI> Mo&s;es, Habakkuk, David, Paul <HI>and other, witne&s;|&s;ed in Scripture, thou there in contradicts the Scripture.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. To contradict the Scripture is wor&s;e then to con|tradict a mans &s;elf; and therefore I de&s;ire the fir&s;t part of this Reply may be minded by <HI>R. F.</HI> before the latter: Yet there is &s;carce a Self-contradiction, which I have mentioned and charged upon the&s;e men, but the Reader will finde in it one contradiction or other to the Scripture. If I &s;hould de|ny that <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> quaked, or that <HI>Habakkuk,</HI> or <HI>Paul</HI> trem|bled, I &s;hould deny the Scripture, and the <HI>Power of God:</HI> but I deny that &s;uch a quaking as <HI>Mo&s;es, Habakkuk,</HI> or <HI>Paul</HI> (when fallen to the earth, <HI>Act.</HI> 9. 5, 6.) were taken with, is the fear and trembling believers are to work out their &s;alvation withal; as for <HI>Davids,</HI> it coming from the power of piety, I de&s;ire we all had his mea&s;ure of love to the word of God, then &s;hould we tremble as he did, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 119. 120. at the foot&s;tool of the Lord, at the threatnings and judge|ments written, and executed even upon Nations, and the wicked ones, and at the fatherly righteous cha&s;tenings upon our &s;elves, or his own people.</P>
<P N="2">2. When Gods power of maje&s;ty, in vi&s;ible manife&s;tati|ons to the eye of the body, di&s;covers it &s;elf to any, as to <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> or to <HI>Paul,</HI> or in vi&s;ions, as to <HI>Habakkuks</HI> &s;pirit; &s;uch a bodily trembling becomes them, and they will not be able to avoid it; but the power of Gods Maje&s;ty in vi&s;ible manife&s;tations to body or minde, is not that <HI>power which worketh effectually to &s;alvation in his people;</HI> take it alone (for <HI>Balaam</HI> had &s;uch a work) but the <HI>Power</HI> of his love and grace in Chri&s;t which in the maje&s;ty of the Go&s;pel, is made known to us (from the efficacy of our high Prie&s;t &s;at down<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 8. 1.</NOTE> at the right hand of the Maje&s;ty of God in the heavens) is that <HI>power</HI> whereby he worketh in us; and whereon he commands us humbly to re&s;t and depend, for the fini&s;hing of our &s;alvation the &s;ame way, as it was begun, according to Gods good plea&s;ure.</P>
<P N="3">3. How contradictious the&s;e men are to the profe&s;&s;ion of trembling, I in&s;tanced, for demon&s;tration, in <HI>their &s;tand|ing,
<PB N="288" REF="164"> in an evil cau&s;e, before magi&s;trates without Quaking&punc; or fear. R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 29.</NOTE> in an&s;wer hereunto makes good the former branch of demon&s;tration, which I mentioned, the boldne&s;s of his pen; <HI>This is a fallacy of thine, where thou ha&s;t &s;hot out thy &s;ting in thy tail; herein thou art taught thy gradations methodically in old Antichri&s;ts &s;chool, to lye, &s;lander, accu&s;e fal&s;ly, and jeer, and cannot prove what thou ha&s;t &s;aid.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. Neither do my words &s;ound as if I jeered, nor was it my &s;en&s;e, nor do I mi&s;-report their practi&s;e.</P>
<P N="2">2. The proofs I &s;hall give, will evidence the truth of the charge. They &s;tand in an evil cau&s;e who being convented before magi&s;trates deny the Scriptures to be the word of God, di&s;turb the Churches in their publique wor&s;hip, and that &s;ometimes on a &s;olemn day of humiliation; All this did <HI>J. P.</HI> la&s;t &s;ummer in <HI>E&s;&s;ex</HI> at <HI>Cogs-hall;</HI> yea, and that without quaking and fear; witne&s;s his challenge of him that had preached, witne&s;s his que&s;tion to the magi&s;trate when he was bidden pull off his Hat, why he did not bid him in the Pulpit pull off his Cap? witne&s;s his skipping up the Table, before four Ju&s;tices of the Peace placed at it, with his back towards them (in the room where they examined him after the publique work was ended) pretending he &s;hould be heard the better; witne&s;s his denyal of the Scriptures to be, what they are, the word of God, neither regarding what was held forth to him from <HI>Ho&s;ea</HI> 8. 12. what God hath written, is his written word &amp;c. nor from <HI>Prov.</HI> 30. 5, 6. Every word of God is pure &amp;c. Adde thou not unto his words &amp;c. Again, that is &s;tanding in an evil cau&s;e, not to own and confe&s;s the Scripture to be a Rule to walk by, when called to &s;uch an acknowledgement before the magi|&s;trate: this, <HI>William Dew&s;bery,</HI> and <HI>Hen: William&s;on</HI> would not directly afford to Judge <HI>Windham</HI> when he askt the que|&s;tion, but put it off another way (as their maner is) and that<NOTE PLACE="marg">Di&s;covery of per&s;ecution in <HI>Northamp.</HI> pag. 12.</NOTE> without fear or due re&s;pect of the Power ordained by God; for they would not &s;tand uncovered, till their Hats were taken off <HI>R. F.</HI> may &s;hoot out his arrow again&s;t me, <HI>Stop thy mouth deceiver, and take in thy &s;lander again,</HI> but it will light upon his own pate; or he thinks to an&s;wer all with what fol|lows: <HI>The Lord makes the righteous as bold as Lyons,</HI> but
<PB N="289" REF="164"> it cannot be applied here when men will be &s;ilent in a good cau&s;e, and bold in a bad one. There is a bad Lion as well as a good, the roaring Lion that goes about &s;eeking whom he may devour, and that fir&s;t by &s;educing the minde to error, and then come forth the effects of bodily &s;haking, falling to the ground, and roaring, as lately at <HI>Witham</HI> in <HI>E&s;&s;ex</HI> hath been vi&s;ible and audible enough. The late Teachers. hereabouts (&s;ome of them) have been &s;o bold, as they will not give over, till they knock down people as Butchers do their calves, although one of the la&s;t that came (by name <HI>Will: Dew&s;bery</HI>) was again&s;t &s;uch violent dealing. The bold|ne&s;s of <HI>J. P.</HI> lately in <HI>Colche&s;ter</HI> Ca&s;tle is legible enough in Print, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Fruits of a Fa&s;t. p. 5. &amp; 6. &amp;c.</NOTE> What a bold fal&s;hood is that to &s;ay, our <HI>Intent was to en&s;nare him, and bring his body into bonds:</HI> or <HI>that we were gathered again&s;t the truth,</HI> a bold calumny! That the four <HI>Teachers</HI> (as he names them) of <HI>Independent companies,</HI> are <HI>all Pari&s;h-Prie&s;ts,</HI> a bold lye! as is that which follow|eth, that I <HI>&s;pake to the Rulers in the publique place, thereby to &s;tir up their &s;pirits to per&s;ecute.</HI> The chiefe&s;t pa&s;&s;age which I had in my Sermon (none of which he heard) re|flecting upon this Sect, was occa&s;ionally taken up (by rea&s;on of his interrupting our work) <HI>viz.</HI> that in &s;tead of the term Quakers, henceforth they may be &s;tiled <HI>Church-di&s;turbers.</HI> That, <HI>this was plotted among the Prie&s;ts and gathered Churches to appoint meetings to in&s;nare the innocent,</HI> is &s;till more impudent, our meeting on a &s;olemn day of &s;eeking God was de&s;igned to bear witne&s;s again&s;t their errors, to &s;trengthen the hands of one another in the truth, and to pre&s;erve the innocent in the way of truth; but for <HI>in&s;na|ring,</HI> it was far from our intendment, the Lord knows; nor did we know that <HI>J. P.</HI> would be there till we met. But all the&s;e pa&s;&s;ages with his bold Letters to the Ju&s;tices (after his Commitment) and to the Judge (after the A&s;&s;izes) and his bold entituling his Book, <HI>The Fruits of a Fa&s;t,</HI> the Lord hath rebuked, after his bold undertaking a Fa&s;t, of his own for many days together (in the afore&s;aid Ca&s;tle) and there|fore I &s;ay no more but the Lord rebuke all tho&s;e of his way, by this warning piece, though (if it be his will) I de&s;ire not one of them &s;hould peri&s;h either by death, or by impri|&s;onment.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="24" TYPE="section">
<PB N="290" REF="165">
<HEAD>Section 24.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Section</HI> 24. 25.</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>THey <HI>deny</HI> (as I noted from their Books) <HI>all them that deny Quaking,</HI> and one &s;aith <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> was a <HI>Quaker,</HI> and yet they think it &s;corn to be called Quakers. <HI>R. F.</HI> who was concerned in this (&s;eeing, of all that I have read, it is he that expre&s;ly affirmeth <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">A return to the Prie&s;ts a|bout <HI>&punc;Beverly,</HI> page 14.</NOTE> <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> was a Quaker) hath not a word for reconcilement; what I noted therefore mu&s;t &s;tand with the re&s;t of their Self-contradictions, as a Te&s;timony again&s;t them.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="10" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>10. Head of Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning growth in Grace.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="25" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 25.</HEAD>
<P>HEre I ob&s;erved their witne&s;&s;ing (as they &s;ay) of <HI>the Saints growth,</HI> and <HI>the time of</HI> their <HI>pre&s;&s;ing af|ter perfection,</HI> and weighed it with their exclama|tions again&s;t tho&s;e who deny perfection of de|grees, and affirm &s;in to dwell in the Saints all their life time. <HI>R. F.</HI> cunningly asks me, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 29.</NOTE> <HI>Art thou offended, that we witne&s;s the Saints growth, and the time of pre&s;&s;ing on to perfection?</HI> but hides from the Reader the contradiction that follows<NOTE PLACE="marg">The time of pro&s;&s;ing after perfection is not the time of perfect at|tainment.</NOTE> by their condemning tho&s;e that deny perfection of gradual holine&s;s in this life: For they that are yet to grow further, are not at their full and perfect growth; and if the time of this life be but a time to pre&s;s after perfection, it is not the <HI>time</HI> of the Saints attainment to tho&s;e degrees, which at death, their &s;ouls are filled withal. And if <HI>they that witne&s;s a time of pre&s;&s;ing on, do not therein cro&s;s nor contradict the Scripture,</HI> as <HI>R. F.</HI> acknowledgeth, and I acknowledge that their witne&s;s doth not cro&s;s us, why then will they by their acclamations, of &s;ome here already perfect, and without &s;in, both cro&s;s us and contradict them&s;elves?</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="11" TYPE="head">
<PB N="291" REF="165">
<HEAD>11. Head of Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning Forms of Religion.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="26" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 26.</HEAD>
<P>WHereas they pretend again&s;t all mens Forms, and are again&s;t Gods Forms of admini&s;tring water-Bapti&s;m, and a Bread and Wine-Sup|per; yet they take up a Form of keeping on the Hat, a Form of words, <HI>Thou</HI> and <HI>Thee,</HI> &amp;c. All this <HI>R. F.</HI> pa&s;&s;eth over, as having &s;aid enough (to the latter at lea&s;t) in a Pamphlet of a &s;heet that he entituleth, <HI>The pure language of the Spirit of truth;</HI> where al&s;o he defendeth <HI>nakedne&s;s,</HI> or &s;ome mens going naked in the&s;e times, as a figure and &s;ign of their nakedne&s;s <HI>who are naked from God, and clothed with filthy garments;</HI> all this upon &s;uppo&s;ition, if <HI>the Lord bid them go naked:</HI> But doth not his fellow <HI>W. Dew&s;bery</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Di&s;covery of per&s;ecution in <HI>Northamp|ton&s;hire.</HI> p. 8.</NOTE> tell him, <HI>the Scripture &s;aith, Let your adorn|ing be with mode&s;t apparel:</HI> and till <HI>R. F.</HI> can prove that God &s;ends any in the&s;e days, as he did <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> to go bare|foot, and naked, he mu&s;t contradict Scripture and his Fellow, and give us leave to challenge them of affected forms, and habits, placing Religion where there is none, be&s;ides their mi&s;take of the Lords meaning in <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 20. 2. about the Prophets going naked and bare-foot (at Gods command)<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai. 20. 2. vindicated.</NOTE> which was not &s;tark naked, for then it would not have been added bare-foot, but onely his upper garment was to be put off, with his &s;hooes, and he was to go in &s;ome di&s;gui&s;ed ma|ner, as <HI>Acts</HI> 19. 16. the word <HI>naked</HI> is u&s;ed.</P>
<P>As for the forms of <HI>Thou</HI> and <HI>Thee;</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. Where they not &s;poken out of affectation, and in con|tempt of Magi&s;tracy and Order, and from a Levelling &s;pirit, the expre&s;&s;ions are proper enough: but if they &s;tick to the&s;e terms as proper, they are as loo&s;e at other times in their Soleci&s;ms, incongruities, and improprieties; And <HI>R. F.</HI> in this is Self-contradictious; for while he would have <HI>Thou</HI>
<PB N="292" REF="166"> and <HI>Thee</HI> to be the proper and pure language of the Spirit, he denies the Scripture properly to be called the word of God: whereas if <HI>Thee</HI> and <HI>Thou</HI> in Scripture be the<NOTE PLACE="marg">The language of the Sp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">rit, and the word of God all one.</NOTE> pure language of the Spirit, all the Scripture (to which <HI>Thou</HI> and <HI>Thee</HI> is joyned) is &s;o, whether &s;poken in proper or figurative expre&s;&s;ions; And if all the Scripture be the <HI>pure language</HI> of the Spirit, it is all the pure word of the Spirit; and con&s;equently the pure word of God; why then doth he and others deny to call the Scripture the word of God? but that they are given up both to contradict the Scripture and them&s;elves.</P>
<P N="2">2. This language of <HI>Thou</HI> and <HI>Thee</HI> when it is given to God, it is given reverently (except from Satan, <HI>Job</HI> 1. 10. or wicked men, as <HI>Cain, Gen.</HI> 4. 14. &amp;c.) not as a term of equality with God, but in adoration of his Maje&s;ty, and with re&s;pect to his greatne&s;s: and when it is u&s;ed in addre&s;|&s;es to Kings and great Per&s;ons, it is joyned with &s;ome note of honor, as <HI>Dan. 3. 10. Thou O King, ver.</HI> 18. Be it known unto <HI>thee O King;</HI> in like maner as when <HI>Abigail</HI> tendred her Petition to <HI>David, 1 Sam.</HI> 25. 25. Let not <HI>my Lord,</HI> I pray <HI>thee,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P N="3">3. If the Scripture be a Rule for <HI>Thou</HI> and <HI>Thee,</HI> it is a Rule for re&s;pect to Superiors, and that in words and ge&s;tures; and therefore <HI>Thou</HI> and <HI>Thee,</HI> and putting off the Hat may &s;tand together when u&s;ed in humility, but keeping on the Hat before them, with Thou and Thee in the mouth, &s;peaks impure pride in the heart, when they think they have pure language in their lips.</P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>George Fox,</HI> in his late <HI>News out of the North,</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 25.</NOTE> <HI>brings in Chri&s;t thus &s;peaking to his Father, [Father you in me and I in you</HI>] here is <HI>Thou</HI> and <HI>Thee,</HI> the expre&s;&s;ions in <HI>Joh.</HI> 17. 21. either denied, or forgotten, and &s;trangely varied, that they who are captious at others varying from Scripture-language, may be &s;een in their own incon&s;i&s;tencies.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="12" TYPE="head">
<PB N="293" REF="166">
<HEAD>12. Head of Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning the Fruits of the Spirit.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="27" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 27.</HEAD>
<P>I Had ob&s;erved how they &s;eem <HI>to own the fruits of the Spirit,</HI> and yet walk in the <HI>manife&s;t fruits of the Fle&s;h. R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 29.</NOTE> queries cunningly at the fir&s;t branch (as he did before) <HI>Art thou offended al&s;o at that?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> My offence is not at real owning of the fruits of the Spirit, where&s;oever it is found; but at their contradiction in words and practi&s;e to that which they profe&s;s they own. Then he querieth at the &s;econd branch; <HI>Doth the old Serpent teach thee to lye again&s;t the Spirit with the fruits of it, and them that are guided by it? and fal&s;ly accu&s;e them, &s;aying, they walk in the manife&s;t fruits, and works of the fle&s;h; in that all that fear God, and knows their godly conver&s;ation may witne&s;s again&s;t thee; and herein thou ha&s;t manife&s;ted thy Spirit of error and deceit, and to be one that regards not what thou &s;ayes.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. The godly conver&s;ation of the per&s;ons, called Quakers, is in a new form, not known by the mo&s;t that fear God, except a few mi&s;-led people, who were captivated to &s;ome errors before they heard of Quakeri&s;m, and now they (meeting with &s;ome Abettors to their opinions concerning ordinances of Chri&s;t who were got above them, and turned Seekers) think they have found, in the doctrine and carriage of the Quakers, but will be at a lo&s;s, and to &s;eek again, I am confident, (if they be godly in the main) within a &s;hort time.</P>
<P N="2">2 That it may appear I regarded what I wrote, when I<NOTE PLACE="marg">Fruits of th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> fle&s;h in ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter"> called Qu+kers.</NOTE> gave intimation of their works of the fle&s;h, let the Reader take &s;ome in&s;tances;</P>
<P N="1">1. Of their &s;trife and debate, a work of the fle&s;h, from their many jangling Pamphlets, and wrangling at the Scripture, as a <HI>dead Letter,</HI> and none of the <HI>word of God:</HI> and from
<PB N="294" REF="167"> the maner as matter of their An&s;wers unto Que&s;tions put to them.</P>
<P N="2">2. Of their Emulation, from their high-towring thoughts of their Apo&s;tle&s;hip, and of their <HI>immediate Callings and Teachings.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. Of Hatred, from their &s;pirit of Contradiction to the Scriptures, to the external parts of Gods wor&s;hip; and from their bitter Words and Execrations, <HI>Thou art of Cain,</HI> and <HI>of the Devil;</HI> and Imprecations, <HI>Let him be Anathema, Maran-atha,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P N="4">4. As to their turbulent conte&s;tations, with Mini&s;ters in publique, and others in private, the whole I&s;land of <HI>Britain</HI> &s;warms with in&s;tances. I &s;hall not need to mention that of <HI>J. P.</HI> at <HI>Coggeshall,</HI> nor that at <HI>Terling,</HI> when he came ri|ding up to the Mini&s;ters door (after he had talked to the people for an hour or more in a private hou&s;e) with two or three more on hor&s;eback, and above twenty on foot at his hor&s;e heels, &amp;c.</P>
<P N="5">5. Of Scoffs, although <HI>R. F.</HI> di&s;-owns them<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 29.</NOTE> in the&s;e words; [<HI>As for &s;coffing at Scotti&s;h Prie&s;ts, or others, that we deny; but your rai&s;ing Motives, Tryals, Points, Rea&s;ons, and &V;&s;es out of other mens words, and &s;peaking a divination of your own brain, for your own ends, by plain Scripture you cannot it ju&s;tifie.</HI>]</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. The very u&s;e of the terms, <HI>Scotti&s;h Prie&s;t,</HI> and <HI>Prie&s;ts,</HI> &s;o often (in this his Pamphlet that I deal with) is enough to render <HI>R. F.</HI> a Scoffer, or a Railer.</P>
<P N="2">2. Let the Reader that peru&s;eth the place (where I fir&s;t found the exception again&s;t our taking a Ver&s;e, and rai&s;ing Motives, Tryals, U&s;es, Rea&s;ons, and Points from it) judge whether it be not full of &s;coffing and reviling; I &s;hall give his words out at large<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">turn, or Reply to the Prie&s;ts about <HI>Beverley</HI> by <HI>R Farnworth,</HI> pag. 8.</NOTE> <Q REND="margQuotes">"Who are they that are got up in|to the chiefe&s;t places in the a&s;&s;emblies? and act as in a &s;tage-play? and have a gla&s;s to act their hour? and make a trade of Chri&s;ts words, the Prophets words, and the Apo&s;tles words? and act in the chiefe&s;t places of the A&s;|&s;embly, taking a Ver&s;e, and rai&s;ing Motives, Tryals, U&s;es, Rea&s;ons, and Points from it? and then &s;ay the people, He hath handled his Text well, and made good matter of it.</Q> Is not this a Sarca&s;m, a bittter &s;coff?</P>
<P N="3"><PB N="295" REF="167">3. To collect a truth, any &s;uch way, for <HI>our own ends,</HI> (which was not mentioned before, nor objected till now) if we did &s;o, we could not ju&s;tifie; but &s;uch a collection of truth, by <HI>Points, Rea&s;ons, &V;&s;es,</HI> &amp;c. we can ju&s;tifie from Scripture, and Scripture-precedents (onely let the Reader<NOTE PLACE="marg">Teaching by doctrine, Rea|&s;on, u&s;e, mo|tive, tryals, ju&s;tified by plain Scri|pture.</NOTE> fir&s;t take notice how &s;lightly again he &s;peaks of the Scri|pture with <HI>Francis Howgil,</HI> (where fir&s;t I noted it, Part 1. Section 2.) calling it, <HI>Other mens words</HI>) and thus I argue:
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>Fir&s;t, That which the whole Scripture was given for, and &s;erveth for, that improvement, the man of God is to make of it, 2 <HI>Tim.</HI> 3. 17.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Demon &s;trati|ons.</NOTE></ITEM>
<ITEM>But the whole Scripture was given for Doctrine, in <HI>Points</HI> and <HI>Rea&s;ons,</HI> and &s;erveth for <HI>&V;&s;e</HI> of reproof, correcti|on, in&s;truction in righteou&s;ne&s;s (in which is compre|hended, <HI>Motives, Tryals,</HI> &amp;c.)</ITEM>
<ITEM>Therefore, the man and mini&s;ter of God, is to make this improvement of the Scripture.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST TYPE="syllogism">
<ITEM>Secondly, That which the Scripture tells us, Chri&s;t, the Apo&s;tles, and Prophets have practi&s;ed in their mini|&s;terial teachings, that we may act, and ju&s;tifie when we have done:</ITEM>
<ITEM>But the Scripture &s;hews us how Chri&s;t, the Apo&s;tles, and Prophets have taken <HI>Texts,</HI> and rai&s;ed <HI>Motives, Try|als, Points, Rea&s;ons</HI> and <HI>&V;&s;es,</HI> out of, and according to the Scripture;</ITEM>
<ITEM>And therefore, we may do &s;o, and ju&s;tifie the practice again&s;t gain-&s;aying <HI>R. F.</HI> and ten thou&s;and &s;uch as he is.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>The major, or fir&s;t of the premi&s;ed propo&s;itions, I may &s;trengthen from <HI>Mat.</HI> 7. 29. Chri&s;t taught as one having authority: From 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 1. <HI>Paul</HI> followed Chri&s;t: From <HI>Titus</HI> 1. 9. Holding fa&s;t the faithful word, as he hath been taught, ('tis &s;poken of the Bi&s;hop or preaching Elder) that he may be able by &s;ound Doctrine, both to exhort, and to convince gain-&s;ayers, <HI>Chap.</HI> 2. 15. The&s;e things &s;peak and exhort, (&s;aith <HI>Paul</HI> to <HI>Titus,</HI> an Evangeli&s;t) and rebuke with all authority. So as if Chri&s;t taught with Scripture|authority, in a way of <HI>Rea&s;on, &V;&s;e,</HI> &amp;c. and the Apo&s;tles after him, both practi&s;ed and enjoyned this way to them, that &s;ucceeded them in after ages, we are to do the like. The
<PB N="296" REF="168"> minor, or &s;econd premi&s;ed propo&s;ition, might be abundant|ly cleared; and for conviction of gain-&s;ayers, I &s;hall give a few in&s;tances. Chri&s;t him&s;elf took a Text from <HI>I&s;aiah</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. In&s;tances.</NOTE> 61. 1. and 2. <HI>ver&s;es,</HI> as we have it recorded, <HI>Luke</HI> 4. 18. and applying it to the people at <HI>Nazareth;</HI> he gave them &s;o much &s;earching Doctrine and U&s;e from it, that (as many of our hearers) &s;ome wondered, others were filled with wrath, none &s;coffed <HI>at his handling the Text &s;o well,</HI> or that he had <HI>made &s;o good matter of it,</HI> but they bare him witne&s;s, &amp;c. Let <HI>R. F.</HI> or his Reader for him, peru&s;e <HI>Mark</HI> 12. 26. and &s;ee if he dare condemn our Lord for rai&s;ing the <HI>Doctrine</HI> of the Re&s;urrection, from the words to <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> I am the God of <HI>Abraham,</HI> and the God of <HI>I&s;aac,</HI> and the God of <HI>Ja|cob;</HI> let him read the <HI>Rea&s;on</HI> to demon&s;trate the&s;e words, as a proof of the Re&s;urrection, <HI>ver.</HI> 27. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living; let him minde the U&s;e of confutation, Ye therefore do greatly erre: Or, let him read Chri&s;ts Sermon upon the mount, <HI>Mat.</HI> 5. &amp;c. and &s;ee if he gives not <HI>Rea&s;ons</HI> for the Beatitudes, or ble&s;&s;ed &s;tate of the poor in &s;pirit, the mourners, the meek, &amp;c. and <HI>the &V;&s;es</HI> of all, <HI>ver.</HI> 12. Rejoyce and be exceeding glad; with the <HI>Motives,</HI> For great is your reward in heaven, for &s;o per&s;ecuted they the Prophets, &amp;c. Let him read <HI>Chap. 7. ver.</HI> 1. The <HI>Point,</HI> Judge not; the <HI>Rea&s;ons,</HI> 1. That ye be not judged. 2. With what judgement ye judge, ye &s;hall be judged; The <HI>Tryal, ver.</HI> 3, 4, 5. which amounts to thus much, That he pa&s;&s;eth not right judgement abroad, who begins not fir&s;t at home, but lets the beam continue in his brothers eye. Let him read the book of <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;tes,</HI> and ob&s;erve how <HI>Solomon</HI> fir&s;t takes it up as his <HI>Text, Chap.</HI> 1. 2. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity; agreeable to that in <HI>Job</HI> 15. 31. and thence collects his main <HI>Point,</HI> Happine&s;s is not to be obtained by any thing under the Sun, which he proveth all along the Book; and then winds up with the general <HI>&V;&s;e</HI> of all, <HI>Chap.</HI> 12. 13, 14. Fear God, and keep his command|ments; with the <HI>Motive,</HI> For God &s;hall bring every work into judgement, &amp;c. even <HI>R. F.</HI> his cen&s;uring, and di&s;para|ging of this kinde of teaching, whether it be good, or whe|ther
<PB N="297" REF="168"> it be evil. Let him read <HI>Acts</HI> 8. 35. and he &s;hall finde <HI>Philip</HI> beginning at the Scripture out of <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 53. 7, 8. (which the Eunuch was a reading) and preached unto him, Je&s;us, not without <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> and <HI>&V;&s;es;</HI> nor <HI>Motive,</HI> that the Eunuch might believe Chri&s;t exhibited in the fle&s;h; and <HI>Tryal,</HI> whe|ther he did believe or no, as appears by the &s;equel of the &s;tory. Let him read <HI>Acts</HI> 10. 34. and there he may finde the Apo&s;tle <HI>Peter</HI> taking a <HI>Ver&s;e,</HI> or part of it, out of <HI>Deut.</HI> 10. 17. God is no re&s;pecter of per&s;ons; there is his <HI>Point</HI> already rai&s;ed to his hand; the in&s;tance and proof at hand al&s;o, <HI>Cornelius</HI> and his company, (of the Gentiles) him&s;elf at lea&s;t, with his hou&s;e, already believers, and fearing God; The <HI>Rea&s;on</HI> of Gods irre&s;pective di&s;pen&s;ation, <HI>ver.</HI> 36. The Go&s;pel of grace, and grace of the Go&s;pel, is free to all, Jew or Gentile, by Je&s;us Chri&s;t; The <HI>&V;&s;e, ver.</HI> 43. Who&s;oever believeth on him &s;hall receive remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins. Or let him read <HI>Pauls</HI> Epi&s;tles a little better, and he &s;hall meet with plenty of <HI>Motives, Tryals, Points, Rea&s;ons</HI> and <HI>&V;&s;es,</HI> as paterns for our Sermons: In every Epi&s;tle we have the Doctrinal part, and the Applicatory part; in&s;tance we but in that to the <HI>Romans, Chap. 1. ver. 2. Paul</HI> writeth (as he preached) no other Go&s;pel of God, but what he had <HI>pro|mi&s;ed afore by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures.</HI> The great <HI>Point</HI> of the Go&s;pel, which the Apo&s;tle holds forth eminently in that Epi&s;tle, is the Doctrine of Ju&s;tification.</P>
<P N="1">1. Negatively, not by the works of the Law, (written in the heart, or in the Book) for all are &s;inners again&s;t it, Gen|tiles, <HI>Chap.</HI> 1. and Jews as Gentiles, <HI>Chap.</HI> 2. and part of the third; and thence he concludeth, <HI>Chap.</HI> 3. 20. That by the works of the Law &s;hall no fle&s;h be ju&s;tified: But,</P>
<P N="2">2. Affirmatively, By faith in Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and his righte|ou&s;ne&s;s, the price of a &s;inners redemption, <HI>Chap.</HI> 4, and 5. The great <HI>&V;&s;e</HI> of this is, <HI>Chap.</HI> 6. 1. Therefore we are not to continue in &s;in, &amp;c. Another <HI>Point</HI> floweth from the for|mer, <HI>viz.</HI> of the nece&s;&s;ity of Sanctification; and the in&s;e|parable connexion of it, with a ju&s;tified &s;tate, though it is no ingredient to con&s;titute a ju&s;tified per&s;on. <HI>Chap.</HI> 6. and 7. are full of &s;piritual <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> in the a&s;&s;erting of the nece&s;|&s;ary pre&s;ence of holine&s;s, in every believer, although &s;in be
<PB N="298" REF="169"> pre&s;ent in the &s;ame heart, warring and fighting, the believer mu&s;t abide the conflict. Of both the <HI>Points, viz.</HI> of Ju&s;tifi|cation and Sanctification, the Apo&s;tle makes &s;ingular <HI>&V;&s;e, Chap.</HI> 8. for con&s;olation of believers, both again&s;t &s;in, and &s;ufferings: Again&s;t &s;in, in re&s;pect of the guilt, <HI>that</HI> is con|demned and aboli&s;hed; in re&s;pect of in-dwelling corrupti|on, <HI>that</HI> reigns not, though it remains; again&s;t &s;uffer|ings and afflictions, they &s;hall all work to good, &s;hall not &s;eparate from the love of Chri&s;t, &amp;c. A third main <HI>Point</HI> is touching Election and Rejection, (in <HI>Chapters</HI> 9, 10, 11.) of whom the Lord plea&s;ed (before good or evil was in them) to chu&s;e, or pa&s;s by, as a Potter, who hath power over his clay, &amp;c. leaving it as a depth not to be far waded into, but &s;wim over it we may, with the arms of faith and admiration. And of all this Go&s;pel-doctrine (and what dependeth thereupon) he makes the <HI>&V;&s;es</HI> from <HI>Chap.</HI> 12. to the end of the Epi&s;tle; exhorting unto Holine&s;s toward God, Righteou&s;ne&s;s toward men, <HI>Chap.</HI> 13. Love to the Saints, and to all men, <HI>Chap.</HI> 14. and 15. calling, &amp;c. for the practice of all the duties of the Moral Law&punc; and that by way of <HI>Motive, Chap.</HI> 12. 1. By the mercies of God (ju&s;tifying, &s;anctifying mercy, the mercy of God, in calling and glori|fying, according to eternal prede&s;tination) I be&s;eech you, &amp;c. And by way of <HI>Tryal, Chap.</HI> 15. 14. I am per&s;waded of you, my brethren, that ye al&s;o are full of goodne&s;s, &amp;c. <HI>Chap.</HI> 16. 17. I be&s;eech you, brethren, mark them which cau&s;e divi&s;ions, and offences, contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them. If this &s;uffice not, let <HI>R. F.</HI> (who mu&s;t be <HI>tryed</HI> and <HI>judged</HI> by the Scripture) read any of <HI>Pauls</HI> Sermons mentioned in the <HI>Acts,</HI> or pitch upon that, <HI>Chap. 13. ver.</HI> 15. The Apo&s;tle (he will finde) after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, was de&s;ired to <HI>&s;ay on;</HI> The Scripture-<HI>Text</HI> was laid as the foundation, the Jews expect (as all their true Prophets and Teachers, &s;ince God gave his written word, were wont) he &s;hould build upon that foundation, and <HI>&s;ay on;</HI> neither do his work be&s;ide it, nor without it, but <HI>&s;ay on;</HI> as if they had thus expre&s;t them&s;elves, We have the whole Scripture, and every part of it as the Doctrine, improve it now, give us a
<PB N="299" REF="169"> word of Exhortation for our u&s;e and improvement. <HI>Paul</HI> doth both, he preacheth upon the <HI>Point</HI> of Gods di&s;pen&s;a|tion to his people I&s;rael of old; and of the promi&s;e made to <HI>David</HI> of a &s;eed; and of Chri&s;ts death and re&s;urrection (the accompli&s;hment of that promi&s;e;) he proves Chri&s;ts re&s;urrection by <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> as by Scripture, becau&s;e Chri&s;t &s;aw no corruption in the grave, <HI>ver.</HI> 37. and was &s;een many days of them which came up with him from <HI>Galilee</HI> to <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>ver.</HI> 31. He preacheth the Doctrine of Ju&s;tification, by re|mi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins, to all that believe, <HI>ver.</HI> 38. and from all, makes <HI>&V;&s;e,</HI> to call them to faith in Chri&s;t; and <HI>ver.</HI> 40. to cau|tion, and warn them (who did not believe) le&s;t that come upon them, which is written in the Prophets; (a <HI>Motive</HI> from the Scripture) Behold, ye de&s;pi&s;ers, and wonder, &amp;c. Such an <HI>&V;&s;e</HI> I wi&s;h <HI>R. F.</HI> and his followers, and leaders, may make of all this di&s;covery of Scripture-warrant, (which him&s;elf called for) for rai&s;ing <HI>Points, Rea&s;ons, &V;&s;es,</HI> &amp;c. Let him beware of de&s;pi&s;ing &s;uch a way of teaching, by which God hath wrought wonders upon the mindes and con&s;ciences of men, to their conviction, conver&s;ion, con&s;o|lation, &amp;c. If <HI>R. F.</HI> had ever known experimentally, and &s;avingly, the power of Sermons, by <HI>Doctrines, Rea&s;ons,</HI> and <HI>&V;&s;es</HI> from Scripture, or had felt the force of <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> as <HI>Le|gal Motives,</HI> and &s;oul-&s;earching <HI>Tryals,</HI> would he have put me or any man upon ju&s;tifying this practice? &s;urely his own heart and con&s;cience might have been a witne&s;s for the truth, and not his pen a <HI>&s;coffer</HI> again&s;t it. I pity &s;uch men in the North, as South, who either have not heard, or regard not to hear &s;ome Boanerges, or other; &s;ome plain, power|ful <HI>Perkins, Rogers, Hooker, Price, Pre&s;ton, Bolton,</HI> or other, to pronounce the word <HI>Damnation</HI> in their ears, that it may echo in their con&s;ciences. Let <HI>R. F.</HI> and his brethren, attend to what I &s;ay, He that believeth not our <HI>Points</HI> &s;oundly rai|&s;ed from Scripture, I mu&s;t tell him from Chri&s;t, he &s;hall be damned. He that &s;tands not convinced by our <HI>Rea&s;ons</HI> from Scripture, will lo&s;e his rea&s;onable &s;oul and peri&s;h. He that de&s;pi&s;eth our <HI>&V;&s;es</HI> deduced from Scripture-<HI>doctrine</HI> and Scripture-<HI>rea&s;on,</HI> will inevitably be ruined. He that is not moved by Scripture-<HI>motives,</HI> is a man of a cauterized con|&s;cience,
<PB N="300" REF="170"> and will be &s;hut up in the lowe&s;t pri&s;on. He that declineth Scripture-<HI>tryals,</HI> &s;hall (will he, nill he) be judged and condemned according to the Scripture. What will be|come then of <HI>R. F.</HI> his bold daring words that follow? <HI>Therefore again&s;t you, and &s;uch deceivers as profe&s;s Scri|ptures to be your rule, and act contrary to them, we declare, and again&s;t you te&s;tifie,</HI> but as words of wind, that vani&s;h like &s;moke out of the bottomle&s;s pit: no fruits of the Spi|rit can I finde in all this their Self-ju&s;tification, with their Scripture and Self-contradiction.</P>
</DIV4>
<DIV4 N="28" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 28.</HEAD>
<P><HI>H&V;mility</HI> and <HI>Love</HI> are precious <HI>fruits of the Spirit,</HI> which they pretend to own, (as I noted) but this I de&s;ired might be ob&s;erved withal; they deny common courte&s;ie to equals, and due outward re&s;pect to &s;uperiors; and I may adde, while they call for it to be given to inferi|ors, (&s;uch as them&s;elves mo&s;t of them are) And if they &s;ay they honor all in their hearts, who will believe them, till it hath power to expre&s;s it &s;elf outwardly in words, and ge|&s;tures of honor and of love&punc; which, doing nothing un&s;eemly, will do what is comely and honorable? With an Exhorta|tion to love, the Apo&s;tle &s;tirs up to humility and common courte&s;ie, 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 5. 5. and <HI>Chap.</HI> 3. 8. Be &s;ubject one to an|other; be clothed with humility, <HI>i. e.</HI> in minde and conver|&s;ation, as in apparel: Love as brethren, &amp;c. be courteous. <HI>Peter</HI> learnt this of his Ma&s;ter, who was loving, and lowly in &s;pirit and carriage; bowed to the feet of his &s;ervants, even to wa&s;h them, <HI>John</HI> 13. and &s;pake with words of en|treaty, where he might have commanded; <HI>Luke</HI> 5. 3. entring into <HI>Simons</HI> &s;hip, he <HI>prayed him</HI> that he would thru&s;t out a little from the land.</P>
<P><HI>R. F.</HI> hath nothing to &s;alve their Contradiction, unle&s;s it be this <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 29.</NOTE>, (for a flouri&s;h, to skin it over, not to cure the wound) <HI>As for your forms of deceit, we deny, but a form of &s;ound words the Scripture doth ju&s;tifie, being &s;poken by the Spirit of truth, which we own: and now the time is come, that deceivers, and &s;uch as you are, cannot endure &s;ound Doctrine,
<PB N="301" REF="170"> but utters your folly, to make your &s;elves manife&s;t; and what generation you are of, even of him, who&s;e coming is after the working of Satan, with all deceivablene&s;s of unrighteou&s;ne&s;s in them that peri&s;h,</HI> 2 The&s;. 2. 2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 2.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> I leave all this, with the former, to the judgement of the intelligent Reader, and of the righteous Lord; onely I adverti&s;e, that he may refer (in the&s;e words) to Section 26. as to this in hand, and then by <HI>our forms of deceit,</HI> he mean|eth our putting off the <HI>Hat;</HI> and again&s;t that, we mu&s;t &s;et their putting off the <HI>Hat-band;</HI> and by their <HI>form of &s;ound words,</HI> he mu&s;t be con&s;trued of <HI>Thou</HI> and <HI>Thee;</HI> and I &s;till leave it to the Lords judgement, where deceit is harbored and acted; where Humility and Love is lodged, and at what Sign it dwells, good men may, in time, under&s;tand by Scri|pture-marks; this for one, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> 11. 16. If any man &s;eem to be contentious, we have no &s;uch cu&s;tom, neither the Churches of God.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="13" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>13. Head of Contradiction to them&s;elves. <HI>Concerning Ordinances.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="29" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 29.</HEAD>
<P>I Noted here what they pretend to own, <HI>viz. Praying in families, with reading and in&s;tructing of Children, and teaching according to the Apo&s;tles Doctrine&punc;</HI> but contradict it, in their giving over the cour&s;e of Family|prayer, ordinarily, Morning, and Evening, and at Meals: nor do I hear they teach Children, but what leads them to an imitation of their new forms. <HI>R. F.</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 30.</NOTE> as before, asketh me, touching that which they &s;ay they own; <HI>And art thou of|fended at this?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. I am not offended at the practice pretended, but at the bare pretence of the practice, <HI>viz.</HI> at &s;aying and not doing, and at back-&s;lidings from the old and good ways of the Lord.</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="302" REF="171">2. I am offended at <HI>R. F.</HI> his denying (as before) our rai&s;ing <HI>Points, Rea&s;ons, &V;&s;es, Motives</HI> and <HI>Tryals</HI> from the words of Scripture, and yet ju&s;tifying their teaching accord|ing to the Apo&s;tles Doctrine: for &s;ure, if all they reach be according thereunto, it will go near to fall under &s;ome of tho&s;e heads, <HI>viz.</HI> of <HI>Motives, Tryals, Points, Rea&s;ons</HI> or <HI>&V;&s;es;</HI> and if they &s;o teach one another in their families, why do they condemn us for teaching after that maner in the publique a&s;&s;emblies?</P>
<P N="3">3. I am offended at <HI>R. F.</HI> his &s;ubtilty, or ignorant &s;im|plicity (all along) that he puts off his Reader with an&s;wer to one part of the Contradiction, but not to the other; as in what followeth: I ob&s;erved, they pretend to own <HI>all that is Gods,</HI> Bapti&s;m, the Lords Supper, <HI>Church-fellow&s;hip, Sab|baths,</HI> &amp;c. but (as I &s;aid) 'tis in a &s;en&s;e contradictious to the light that ever they had, have, or can have truly from Scri|pture. This man &s;peaks not to the latter part of the charge, but onely to the former: <HI>We do own that which is Gods free love and mercy to us, and all that is Gods; as Bapti&s;m, the Lords Supper, Church-fellow&s;hip, Sabbath.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Here are fair words, but what the &s;en&s;e and mean|ing of them is, and how contradictious to Scripture, and the ordinary u&s;e of the terms and phra&s;es, we may gather from what hath pa&s;&s;ed before.<NOTE PLACE="marg">See Part 1. Sect. 3. 8.</NOTE></P>
<P N="1">1. All Water-Bapti&s;m is di&s;-owned by them, and he that &s;aith he owneth Scripture-Bapti&s;m (which comprehends the &s;ign and the thing &s;ignified) and doth di&s;-own all Water-Bapti&s;m, he doth wittingly, or unwittingly contradict him&s;elf.</P>
<P N="2">2. The Lords in&s;tituted Bread and Wine Supper they de|ny, (as was &s;hewed Part 1. Sect. 39.) contrary to the Scri|pture; And he that &s;aith he owneth all that is Gods and di&s;-owneth Bread and Wine, as in&s;tituted by Je&s;us Chri&s;t, (to be u&s;ed by the Churches, as the outward vi&s;ible &s;ign and memorial of the Lords death to his &s;econd coming) is be&s;ide him&s;elf, as well as without his Book.</P>
<P N="3">3. All forms of Church-fellow&s;hip (but their own) they deny; and that can be no true Church-fellow&s;hip of theirs, which di&s;-own the Scriptures from being the word of
<PB N="303" REF="171"> God, and rule of their fellow&s;hip, and of their Church.</P>
<P N="4">4. As for a day of Re&s;t, one day in &s;even, it was a mercy<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Sabbath a mercy, and a duty.</NOTE> of God to I&s;rael of old, that he made known unto them his holy Sabbath, <HI>Nehem.</HI> 9. 14. and I think it is a mercy &s;till, and a pledge of love, that Gods holy Sabbath (exchan|ged &s;ince Chri&s;ts re&s;urrection from the &s;eventh to the fir&s;t day of the week) hath not cea&s;ed in any Age; for the &s;tand|ing Rule and Law of the fourth Commandment, obligeth to one day in &s;even (whether the la&s;t or the fir&s;t of the &s;even, it is a mercy we have either) but doth <HI>R. F.</HI> and his fellows own the outward part or re&s;t of the Sabbath, according to Gods command? not, that I finde in any of their writings, hear one for all, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Several pa|pers, pag. 19.</NOTE> <HI>The worlds Sabbath is without them, and they have no re&s;t but in a form without: The Saints Sab|bath is within, where Chri&s;t is come to give them re&s;t, and they are cea&s;ed from their own works.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. It is the mercy and love of God to give a heart to look more into the in&s;ide of Ordinances, then upon the out|&s;ide; but he that is unfaithful in the lea&s;t, is unju&s;t al&s;o in much; and he that breaks the lea&s;t of God Commandments (as to the outward part of an Ordinance) and teach men &s;o, &s;hall be called or reckoned the lea&s;t in the kingdom of heaven.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="14" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>14. Head of their Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning Speech and Silence.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="30" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 30.</HEAD>
<P>THey &s;it &s;ilent for an hour, or half, or quarter, and when others in (though not of) their company &s;peak freely, they check it (as I ob&s;erved) with this, or the like &s;aying, <HI>In the multitude of words there cannot want &s;in;</HI> and yet they are in their Letters, and Pamphlets, full of tautologies, &amp;c. <HI>R. F.</HI> pa&s;&s;eth this Se|ction over with deep &s;ilence, but in this Pamphlet he hath verified the charge,</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="304" REF="172">1. Of multiloquious needle&s;s repetitions, where he thinks<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sect. 31, 32.</NOTE> to vindicate the Scriptures, by frequent and impertinent quotation of them: And,</P>
<P N="2">2. Of Silence in many pa&s;&s;ages, where it was nece&s;&s;ary he &s;hould have vindicated him&s;elf, and his Brethren, from their own Contradictions.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="15" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>15. Head of their Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning Elders.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="31" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 31.</HEAD>
<P>THis Section al&s;o he lets pa&s;s, (as having nothing to &s;ay) where I noted <HI>J. Naylers</HI> interfering, <HI>viz. The ordaining of Elders was not by man,</HI> and yet <HI>it was by the Spirit of God in the Apo&s;tles;</HI> the Spi|rit made u&s;e of them then, as he did of the Brethrens and Churches &s;uffrages and prayers: To grant an u&s;e was made of men in the call of Elders, and yet to deny the Call was given of God <HI>by man,</HI> is to &s;peak Daggers and Contra|dictions, as all along I have cleared it in fore-mentioned in&s;tances.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="16" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>16. Head of their Self-contradiction. <HI>Concerning Con&s;cience and Laws.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV4 N="32" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Section 32.</HEAD>
<P>HEre I noted what they determine; <HI>There mu&s;t be no Law concerning Religion,</HI> and yet thus admo|ni&s;h Rulers; <HI>See that your Laws be according to the Con&s;cience of every man.</HI> By this, I &s;aid, it &s;eems there is no Religion in the Con&s;cience; or el&s;e, why
<PB N="305" REF="172"> &s;hould there not be Laws <HI>concerning Religion?</HI> according to Religion, as well as according to the con&s;cience. At this <HI>R. F.</HI> opens his mouth, gives liberty to his Pen, as followeth, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Page 30.</NOTE> <HI>Thou deceitful &s;pirit, how ha&s;t thou wre&s;ted the words &s;et down about the Law of God which an&s;wers his Ju&s;tice, and the light in the con&s;cience which an&s;wers the Law of God, which is perfect according to that in the con&s;cience?</HI> And then he de|&s;ires <HI>the wi&s;e-hearted may read the Book</HI> which I have wre&s;ted, <HI>The glory of the Lord, ari&s;ing, &s;haking terribly the earth</HI> &amp;c. and the <HI>&s;imple-hearted may take notice of my deceits, herein made manife&s;t,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> That the wi&s;e-hearted may not believe every thing, as the &s;imple-hearted will, if not helped with true information, <HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> I &s;hall clear my &s;elf of a deceitful &s;pirit in this allegati|on, as in all that pa&s;t before; <HI>Secondly,</HI> I &s;hall di&s;cover the deceit of <HI>R. F.</HI> his words and an&s;wer, as 'tis jumbled here toge|ther. Fir&s;t, that I wre&s;ted not their words deceitfully, will ap|pear if I give them forth, as they are in that Pamphlet, <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">The glory of the Lord, &amp;c. p. 14.</NOTE> more fully. <HI>Therefore be awarned how you make Laws, for all mu&s;t be cut down with the &s;word of the Lord which is con|trary to that in the con&s;cience: And that no Law be laid up|on Religion; for the Law is for &s;inners, and tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors,</HI> &amp;c. Now, if no <HI>Law be laid upon Religion,</HI> becau&s;e the Law is for &s;inners, &amp;c. then, either &s;inners have no con&s;cience at all, and then they contradict them&s;elves who &s;peak of a con|&s;cience in every man, and that <HI>Laws mu&s;t be according to that in the con&s;cience,</HI> (as it follows in that page) or el&s;e &s;inners have no Religion, <HI>i. e.</HI> of no kinde, and nothing to binde them from within; which if they &s;ay, they contradict the light of every mans con&s;cience (and con&s;equently their own) which teacheth &s;omething of a God, and of a Religi|on al&s;o, that that God, which they own, is to be wor&s;hip|ped &amp;c. Let us hear them again with patience, <HI>See that your Laws be according to that in every mans con&s;cience; for the light in every mans con&s;cience is of God, That that in every mans con&s;cience may witne&s;s your Laws, el&s;e that in every mans con&s;cience will witne&s;s again&s;t your Laws not to be of God.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> 1. It is a truth, the light (which is light indeed, and not thought only to be light) in every mans con&s;cience is of God;
<PB N="306" REF="173"> but you &s;hall have many men tell you, <HI>my light gives me to judge thus,</HI> and <HI>I think thus,</HI> when 'tis not light but darkne&s;s; for which end (to avoid this deceit) Chri&s;t gives the caution, <HI>Luke</HI> 11. 35. Take heed therefore, that the light which is in thee, <HI>i. e.</HI> which thou thinke&s;t is light, be not darkne&s;s.</P>
<P N="2">2. Granting that every man hath &s;ome light in the con|&s;cience which is of God, &s;o far as Magi&s;trates Laws are ac|cording to that light, that light will accord with the Laws, &amp; witne&s;s for them (at one time or other) But what if the Ma|gi&s;trates Law be <HI>above</HI> the light that every man hath (as is the Law of true Religion, Chri&s;tian and &s;aving Religion?) &s;uppo&s;e every &s;uch man (who hath but an inferior common light, beneath and below, the light of the Magi&s;trates Law) doth witne&s;s again&s;t it not to be of God, is it not therefore of God? becau&s;e a blind erring con&s;cience who cannot &s;ee above his candle-natural light doth &s;o judge of it, not to be of God, is it, I &s;ay, therefore not of God? or mu&s;t the Magi&s;trate repeal tho&s;e laws, which accord with Gods &s;upernatural light given him, becau&s;e the natural man can|not reach the under&s;tanding of them? Such laws indeed as have <HI>per&s;ecuted, pri&s;oned, crucified</HI> them who have &s;uffered for the te&s;timony of a good con&s;cience (if Rulers repealed them not) God hath <HI>hewed down in all ages,</HI> becau&s;e contra|ry to the Law of God, and to that which was, and is in a &s;an|ctified con&s;cience; but the con&s;cience of every man is not a &s;anctified con&s;cience; and therefore it may &s;ooner op|po&s;e what is good in the Magi&s;trates Laws, then the Magi|&s;trates good Laws &s;hall oppo&s;e any thing good in the con|&s;cience: And hereupon it follows, that the Magi&s;trate is not to level his Laws with every mans con&s;cience, and light, but he is to provide and encourage able Teachers, who may by Gods ble&s;&s;ing on their labors, be in&s;trumental to elevate the mindes and con&s;ciences of people to the under&s;tanding of that which is &s;upernatural in the Law of God, and of man con&s;onant to that of God. But what &s;ay the&s;e men further? <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Glory of the Lord &amp;c. pag. 15.</NOTE> Becau&s;e there have been per&s;ecuting Laws, <HI>Therefore be awarned of making Laws, and that you have no Law concerning Religion, but let Religion defend it &s;elf; for what&s;oever is not of God, will not &s;tand, but will wither away&punc;
<PB N="307" REF="173"> but &s;ee that your Law be according to that in the con&s;cience, and then it will be again&s;t &s;trikers</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Here is that which is wreathed and cro&s;s-&s;hakled; <HI>no law mu&s;t be concerning Religion, yet all according to that in the con&s;cience;</HI> I ask the&s;e men again, Is Religion within, as well as without? if they &s;ay without, then why condemn they us who are for the outward part of wor&s;hip in&s;tituted by God? if they &s;ay within, then where is it &s;eated? every where but in the con&s;cience? if it be &s;eated in the con&s;cience as in other faculties, then the Laws cannot reach the con&s;ci|ence, but they will reach Religion al&s;o; And again if Reli|gion be &s;eated in the con&s;cience, why &s;hould not laws be concerning Religion, and according thereunto, as according to the con&s;cience? &s;eeing the con&s;cience bindeth us to the ob&s;ervation of Gods Law; and if the Magi&s;trates Law, con|cerning Religion, be according to Gods Law, the Law of the Magi&s;trate and the Law of the Con&s;cience will agree very well together; for he is not a terror to them that do well, but to evill doers; yet his Law is for the <HI>defence</HI> of them that do well, as for the offence of them that do ill; &amp; it is the evil doer onely that is afraid of a good, a righteous, and a re|ligious Law. <HI>Secondly,</HI> for the di&s;covery of <HI>R. F.</HI> his deceitful an&s;wer con&s;i&s;ting of truth and error jumbled together; <HI>The Law of God</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>an&s;wers his ju&s;tice, and the light in the con&s;cience, which an&s;wers the Law of God, which is perfect, ac|cording to that in the con&s;cience.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Rep.</HI> Here are two truths, The Law of God an&s;wers his Ju&s;tice, and the Law of God is perfect; but here are two errors couched withal.</P>
<P N="1">1. As if the Law of God had no more perfection of light and holine&s;s then is in every mans con&s;cience; And,</P>
<P N="2">2. As if the perfection of the Law was regulated by that in the con&s;cience; whereas the Law of God is above the con|&s;cience<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gods Law a|bove the Con|&s;cience.</NOTE> of man both in its light, and holine&s;s, and in its au|thority; it being a Rule to the con&s;cience, from its &s;uperio|rity of light and perfection of holine&s;s; and hence I conclude,</P>
<P N="1">1. That if the Magi&s;trates Law be according to the Law of God, although it be above the pre&s;ent light of con&s;cience, it is neither again&s;t the holine&s;s, nor true liberty of con&s;cience.</P>
<P N="2">2. It is one thing for the Magi&s;trate to declare, and rati|fie
<PB N="308" REF="174"> (by his civil &s;anction) Laws made, by God and Chri&s;t, concerning Religion, which are above the con&s;ciences of na|tural men, and above the actual pre&s;ent light of &s;ome true<NOTE PLACE="marg">Magi&s;trates Laws not to be again&s;t, yet may <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">e above the light of every man.</NOTE> Saints; And another thing to enact Laws again&s;t the true light and principle of the lowe&s;t Saint, or the meane&s;t &s;on of <HI>Adam;</HI> this latter is unlawful, the former, warrantable; and that which &s;tands with Religion and a good con&s;cience al&s;o, their own and others. But,</P>
<P N="3">3. What if his Laws concerning Religion be above the pre&s;ent actual, or habitual degree of light that is in the Saints? This may be &s;uppo&s;ed; becau&s;e &s;ometimes the Light of the Magi&s;trate may be elevated higher then the light of &s;ome real Saints; di&s;cerning further into the minde of Chri&s;t, and under&s;tanding his Laws better then many of Chri&s;ts &s;ubjects, in as much as he may be more eminently &s;ubject to Chri&s;ts Laws then inferior per&s;ons; doth the Magi&s;trate &s;in in holding forth light, &s;o agreeable to the Laws of Chri&s;t? I trow not. What then? may he compel all within the Nation or Commonwealth to come up in practi&s;e to his own light? no, neither: Here the Rule of Equi|ty mu&s;t take place to forbear, as he would and ought to be forborn in the like ca&s;e; forbear, whom? &s;uch as tenderly and<NOTE PLACE="marg">Magi&s;trates forbearance of whom, and how.</NOTE> peaceably di&s;&s;ent for want of higher light; forbear, how?</P>
<P><HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> in love to the Saints, and to all men: to the Saints, thereby to draw them up to higher attainments and actings, who are to make that u&s;e of &s;uch forbearance; to all men, thereby to gain them in, who are of the Lords number, to Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and to maintain a lawful civil peace with all.</P>
<P><HI>Secondly,</HI> not without re&s;trictions over tho&s;e who deny the common principles of humane &s;ociety, di&s;turb the outward peace of the Saints &s;ocieties, &amp; would have Magi&s;trates make Laws onely to binde and manacle them&s;elves from &s;triking at offenders, Bla&s;phemers, Go&s;pel and Church-di&s;turbers; that &s;o the &s;trong man armed, &s;till keeping po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion, and holding men a&s;leep in a carnal and &s;inful &s;ecurity, may have his liber|ty, by naughty and pernicious in&s;truments, to vent what he can again&s;t the Truth, without the lea&s;t outward check and controlment; but however, our hope and a&s;&s;urance is, that his kingdom divided again&s;t it &s;elf cannot, &s;hall not &s;tand.</P>
</DIV4>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<CLOSER>Glory to the mo&s;t Wi&s;e and Holy God. <HI>Amen.</HI></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="appendix">
<PB REF="174">
<HEAD>AN APPENDIX OF A Handful of ANIMADVERSIONS upon the Pamphlets and Practices of the QUAKERS.</HEAD>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(1.)</HEAD>
<P>ALl their Doctrines are rai&s;ed upon the ruines of the Scriptures Excellency and Authority.</P>
<P>Witne&s;s <HI>Thomas Law&s;on</HI>'s challenge, <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Lip of truth opened, pag. 7.</NOTE> <HI>That light is in the Scriptures, prove that; or tell me what one Scripture hath light in it?</HI> He might an&s;wer him&s;elf from <HI>Prov.</HI> 6. 23. (alledged in part by him, <HI>page 45.) The Com|mandment is a Lamp, and the Law is Light.</HI> Yet will he dare to ask again, <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Ib. page 10.</NOTE> <HI>How doth the Letter</HI> or Scripture <HI>&s;hine?</HI> and, <HI>what is the dark place it &s;hines in?</HI> St. <HI>Peter</HI> will tell him, <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 19.</NOTE> That more &s;ure word of Prophecy (the Declaration of Gods minde in Scripture) is as a Light (&s;uppo&s;e the light of the Sun darting its beams into a dark cellar, &s;o &s;hines that Prophecy of Scripture) in a dark place, our hearts and mindes; the darke&s;t place in the world till enlightened by the Law, and pure Commandment of God. <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 19&punc; 8.</NOTE> Yet more bold is he in another Querie, <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Page 54.</NOTE> <HI>What Scripture hath God in it?</HI> A man might without breach of charity conclude, Light is not in <HI>Tho: Law&s;on</HI>'s heart, God is not in all his thoughts, <HI>viz.</HI> to fear and reverence him, who vents him|&s;elf in &s;uch a gibing and upbraiding way, again&s;t the Holy Scripture of God.</P>
<P>Another In&s;tance of Scripture-di&s;paragement we have from <HI>Samuel Fi&s;her,</HI> in his Account of the Scorned Quakers, <NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">The &s;corned Quakers ac|count, page 20.</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;t by his Light within, &s;hews you as in a gla&s;s your own faces,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>as the Scriptures cannot do.</HI> But cannot, and doth
<PB REF="175"> not Chri&s;t as much by the Scriptures? It &s;eems not, <HI>For in the Scripture</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>you may read the Right of things, and what you &s;hould, and &s;hould not be, and do, but the Light with|in is larger then that, and of further extent; &s;hewing not one|ly the Right and the Law, and what we &s;hould be and do, but al&s;o the fact, even what we do and are.</HI> And doth not the Scri|pture the &s;ame? <HI>Gen. 6. 5. Rom.</HI> 3. 9, 10. &amp;c. to <HI>ver&s;e 19. James</HI> 1. 23, 24. Well may the&s;e men be &s;corned if (while they pretend to own and honor) they thus &s;corn the Scri|ptures, <HI>Prov.</HI> 3. 34.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(2.)</HEAD>
<P>Their corrupt Tenents are built upon fal&s;e and novel-In|terpretations.</P>
<P>Witne&s;s <HI>Tho: Law&s;on</HI> his doctrine of Perfection, which he bottoms upon his Glo&s;s <NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">The Lip of truth opened. page 41.</NOTE> on 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand. <HI>What is this but Chri&s;t? If he be the end of all things, then of &s;in.</HI> Taking it upon tru&s;t He is there meant by the Apo&s;tle, when as he &s;peaks of the Judai|cal &s;tate and wor&s;hip, more &s;trictly; and if it be under|&s;tood more largely, it is but as much as if he had &s;aid, All things are coming to their end, in a &s;hort time.</P>
<P>Another in&s;tance, is <HI>Richard Farnworths</HI> endeavor <NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Truth clea|red of Scan|dals. p. 29, 30</NOTE> to avoid the dint of that place, 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 12. 7. and 10. (where <HI>Paul</HI> after his Revelations and Rapture was in danger of be|ing &s;elf-exalted, and was &s;en&s;ible of his infirmities) by feign|ing the man caught up into the third heaven, to have been &s;ome <HI>intimate friend</HI> of <HI>Paul:</HI> when as to the mo&s;t ordinary under&s;tanding it appears, the ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tle in mode&s;ty &s;peaks in the third per&s;on, Ironically, as of another, yet re|ally of him&s;elf. The after-part of the &s;tory concerneth <HI>Paul;</HI> it was He that had the prick in the fle&s;h; it was He that had the me&s;&s;enger of Satan to buffet him, le&s;t he &s;hould be ex|alted; it was He that prayed thrice unto the Lord, that it might be removed, and to whom the Lord an&s;wered, My Grace is &s;ufficient for thee, &amp;c. And therefore the forepart of the chapter &amp; &s;tory is to be under&s;tood of him al&s;o; even of &s;trong <HI>Paul,</HI> and of weak <HI>Paul;</HI> &s;trong in the Lord, weak yet in and of him&s;elf, and willing to glory in this, that he knew him&s;elf to be weak and nothing; As he <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">M. <HI>Nicholas Price,</HI> of <HI>Lyn-Regis.</HI></NOTE> that &s;aid,
<PB REF="175"> when he had attained to no &s;mall mea&s;ure of mortification, in the eyes of others, <HI>I thank God I know my &s;elf to be a &s;in|ner;</HI> while the&s;e proud up-&s;tarts think many of them have reached to the highe&s;t pitch of Perfection.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(3.)</HEAD>
<P>It is Pride that hath bred, and doth feed and nouri&s;h their opinions and practi&s;es.</P>
<P>What makes them level Legal and Go&s;pel-light, but Pride? <HI>The light which every man hath</HI> (&s;aith <HI>William Deu&s;|bery</HI> <NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Chri&s;t ex|alted&punc; page 26</NOTE>) <HI>is not common to man by nature, it is the great gift of God, the Grace that hath appeared,</HI> &amp;c. The truth is, Every mans light where the Go&s;pel comes not, is neither for de|gree, nor kinde the &s;ame with Go&s;pel-light: it is but a &s;himmering of the Laws light; a gift of God indeed, but no &s;uch great Gift, as the Grace of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, or, as the doctrine of that Grace.</P>
<P><HI>Every man</HI> (writes <HI>E. B.</HI> <NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">True faith of the Go&s;pel of peace. p. 18.</NOTE>) <HI>hath that which is one in &V;ni|on, and like the Spirit of Chri&s;t; even as good as the Spirit of Chri&s;t, according to its mea&s;ure.</HI> A proud elevation of the fallen po&s;terity of <HI>Adam,</HI> either exalting the gifts of the Spirit as high as the per&s;on of the Spirit, or levelling the high and peculiar Grace of the Spirit in true Saints, with the low and common work, in every man.</P>
<P>Weigh but what <HI>J. Nayler</HI> hath in his An&s;wer to <HI>Math. Cuffin</HI> <NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg">Light of Chri&s;t, and word of life&punc; page 19.</NOTE>, and &s;ee if there be not wicked Pride. <HI>God is at li|berty to &s;peak to his people by them,</HI> viz. the Scriptures, <HI>if he plea&s;e, and where they are given by in&s;piration he doth &s;o. And &s;o he is at liberty to &s;peak by any other created thing, as to</HI> Ba|laam <HI>by his A&s;s.</HI> As if God did not &s;peak con&s;tantly by the Scriptures, the voices of the Prophets <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Acts 13. 27</NOTE> and Apo&s;tles (though his people are not always alike affected with and by them, nor doth the Lord give the &s;ame impre&s;&s;ion from the &s;ame Text at one time as at another) or, as if all the Scripture, at all times, were not of divine In&s;piration; and as if he would have his di&s;ciples, with him&s;elf, a&s;cribe no more authority to the Scriptures, then to <HI>Balaams</HI> A&s;s.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(4.)</HEAD>
<P>Unbelief begets and procreates all their Errors, and their love of Error, with their deri&s;ions of the Truth.</P>
<PB REF="176">
<P>How come they to &s;light the Scriptures, and the Ordi|nances of Chri&s;t? They have lo&s;t that <HI>fir&s;t faith,</HI> or never<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 5.</NOTE> had any, concerning their In&s;titution and Authority; or the efficacy of the Spirit put forth by them. Would they el&s;e judge it <HI>Bla&s;phemy</HI> <NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg">To all that would know the way, p. 4.</NOTE> <HI>for any to &s;ay, the Letter,</HI> or Scripture, <HI>is the Word</HI> of God; when as 'tis that which the Spirit di|ctated, and hath ever ble&s;&s;ed and pro&s;pered to his own pur|po&s;es? Would they el&s;e &s;cribble and quibble as they do? <NOTE N="n" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ibid</HI> page 8.</NOTE> <HI>Thou that &s;aye&s;t thou had not come to repentance, if thou had not known the Letter, thou denie&s;t Chri&s;t.</HI> The Scripture is, &s;ay they, <HI>A Declaration of the Spirit, but the Spirit is not in it; A Declaration of Power, but the Power is not in it.</HI> And why is not the Spirit and Power in it? this is nothing but the voice and &s;pirit of unbelief which makes them &s;o to judge.</P>
<P>How like a Pelagi-Arminian doth <HI>J. Nayler</HI> &s;peak? <NOTE N="o" PLACE="marg">An&s;wer to Quakers Ca|techi&s;m, p. 24.</NOTE> <HI>Who hath the Spirit, hath an infallible guide, in matter and maner, if he keep to it.</HI> And, <HI>I know that &s;o far as any are led by the Spirit, it guides into all truth, if it be not erred from.</HI> Whence come the&s;e [ifs] but from unbelief? What <HI>Luther</HI> &s;aid of his Popi&s;h Devotions, is true here. <HI>We always prayed in</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Colloq. men&s;.</NOTE> <HI>Popedom,</HI> conditionaliter, <HI>with condition, uncertainly and at hap-hazard:</HI> And upon &s;uch a hazard do the&s;e [ifs] run mens &s;alvation; be&s;ide the pride of &s;uch [ifs] determining all Grace, the Spirits infallible guidance, and what not, upon the will of man and his improvements.</P>
<P>Whence is it that they &s;peak with &s;uch di&s;paragement of Chri&s;t dying at <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> but from unbelief? Had <HI>Ed. Burrough</HI> a Faith working by love when he &s;ounded his Trumpet, <NOTE N="p" PLACE="marg">A Trumpet of the Lord &s;ounded out of Sion, by <HI>E. B.</HI> page 17.</NOTE> and upbraided <HI>all that are called Presbyterians and Independents, with their feeding upon the report of a thing done many hundred years ago?</HI> They that believe not that word, <HI>John</HI> 6. 53. will not tremble at it. Did tho&s;e cal|led Presbyterians and Independents more heartily feed up|on Chri&s;t (who dyed, and as he dyed above &s;ixteen hun|dred years ago) by faith every day, and meet ofter at the Lords Table in faith and love, they would be more &s;trength|ned in one, again&s;t their common enemies.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="5" TYPE="head">
<PB REF="176">
<HEAD>(5.)</HEAD>
<P>They do &s;ubtilly couch many Errors under &s;pecious words of Truth, or terms that are ambiguous, and of a doubtful &s;en&s;e.</P>
<P><NOTE N="q" PLACE="marg">The inheri|tance of <HI>Ja|cob,</HI> page 24.</NOTE> <HI>The Righteou&s;ne&s;s</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Francis Howgil) whereby the Saints of old plea&s;ed God, and was accepted, was wrought in them, the &s;ame that is now wrought in the Saints by Chri&s;t;</HI> As if God were not plea&s;ed with them, as clothed with the imputed righteou&s;ne&s;s of Chri&s;t, or they would have that which is within the Saints, to be that which is imputed to their pardon, and acceptance: whereas God is more plea|&s;ed with that which Chri&s;t wrought for them, then with what he worketh in them: Yea, that which Chri&s;t wrought in his own per&s;on, and in that fle&s;h which he a&s;&s;umed, is that alone which the Father accepteth and imputeth to their Ju|&s;tification. Not but he is plea&s;ed with his own work in us, in a way of Sanctification and Service.</P>
<P>That &s;eems very fair which <HI>Alexander Parker</HI> hath, <NOTE N="r" PLACE="marg">Te&s;timony of God p. 4.</NOTE> <HI>It is an inward work that every one mu&s;t know and witne&s;s, if ever they know true peace and re&s;t:</HI> But let all know that the work within, is not the ground and purcha&s;e of their peace (but the blood of Chri&s;t alone, and his obedience) although it is a witne&s;s and an evidence&punc; and yet every inward work is not an evidence, or witne&s;s of peace with God, but that alone which is the New-birth, or true Sanctification, and the parts of it, flowing from, and in&s;eparably attending and ac|companying the Believers union with the Lord Je&s;us.</P>
<P><HI>Light</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Tho: Law&s;on</HI> <NOTE N="&s;" PLACE="marg">Lip of truth, &amp;c. page 45&punc; and 47.</NOTE>) <HI>is the &s;ame in him that hates it, and in him that loves it.</HI> And again, <HI>Grace is the &s;ame in him that turns it into la&s;civiou&s;ne&s;s, as in him that is taught by it. The &s;ame &s;eed as fell on the good ground, fell on the high way, &s;tony and thorny ground. The Talent hid in the earth</HI> (quoth <HI>Alexander Parker</HI> <NOTE N="t" PLACE="marg">Te&s;timony of God, p. 12.</NOTE>) <HI>is the &s;ame with tho&s;e im|proved.</HI> Now true it is, the &s;ame Doctrine of Grace, called &s;ometime Light, &s;ometime Grace, &s;ometime Seed, and that which is a piece of that one Talent, is the &s;ame in them that love it, and in them that hate it; But, as hating and loving cannot be the &s;ame; &s;o the cau&s;e why one loves the Light, entertains the Seed, improves the Talent, is from a higher
<PB REF="177"> Light, and from a new Eye to &s;ee and affect it, and from a &s;econd Talent given with, or after the fir&s;t; and from the goodne&s;s of the heart, made good by Grace (or Gods free favor) and turned into the nature of the &s;eed that falls into it: The outward doctrine (written in the book of God, and preached according to it) becoming an ingraffed word in the &s;oul of a meek Believer. <HI>James Nayler</HI> in &s;hew of words confe&s;&s;eth thus much, <NOTE N="v" PLACE="marg">Light of Chri&s;t, and word of life. page 13.</NOTE> <HI>While man is in darkne&s;s, the be&s;t of Gods gifts are perverted to a wrong end, but being en|lightned from the word, the gift is &s;een and &s;anctified to its right end, without which it cannot, for God hath placed the ble&s;&s;ing and right u&s;e of all his Mercies in his Son. One</HI> Ta|lent then with all the pieces and ingredients that a man out of Chri&s;t is endowed withal, is not &s;ufficient for any man to make a good and &s;anctified improvement of what he hath; he mu&s;t have <HI>two,</HI> Chri&s;t mu&s;t be given him for &s;pe|cial enlightning, for &s;anctification, ble&s;&s;ing and right u&s;e of outward mercies, and of &s;piritual gifts, given in common where the Go&s;pel comes, as the doctrine of Grace, Ordi|nances, and &s;uch like: yea, Chri&s;t mu&s;t be his Surety, and Satisfaction, his Wi&s;dom, Righteou&s;ne&s;s, and his All and in all; for all benefits, without intere&s;t in Chri&s;t a Mediator, amount but to one Talent. Let every &s;oul beg for <HI>two Ta|lents,</HI> for that one Talent (which he, that hath no more, hides in the earth) is not the &s;ame with the Grace impro|ving, though it be the lump of common gifts outward, or inward, to be improved.</P>
<P>A fine quirk hath <HI>Alexander Parker,</HI> <NOTE N="w" PLACE="marg">Te&s;timony of God. p. 13.</NOTE> <HI>Paul was &s;ent to open the blinde eyes (not to bring them eyes) but to open the eye which the god of this world hath blinded.</HI> It is true, as &s;in de&s;troyed not the &s;ub&s;tance of the &s;oul, and minde, &s;o grace brings not a new &s;ub&s;tance; but by his leave, though <HI>Paul</HI> could not bring, <HI>i. e.</HI> give a new eye, yet by the mini&s;tery of <HI>Paul</HI> God gave it, with a new light; A light that every man hath not, and an eye, <HI>i. e.</HI> a &s;piritual di&s;cerning power and principle, which none have but &s;uch as are new born, whereby they not only &s;ee new things, but after a new maner</P>
<P><HI>The Church of God</HI> (&s;aith <HI>E. B.</HI> <NOTE N="x" PLACE="marg">The true faith of the Go&s;pel of peace, p. 26.</NOTE>) <HI>is redeemed by Chri&s;t Je&s;us, which is revealed within all that believe.</HI> So, we may
<PB REF="177"> &s;ay the Church of God is redeemed by Chri&s;t Je&s;us, who made the heavens and the earth; yet, as it followeth not, becau&s;e Chri&s;t Je&s;us made the heavens and the earth, there|fore that Creation is our Redemption; &s;o neither doth it follow, becau&s;e Chri&s;t Je&s;us is revealed within all that be|lieve, that &s;uch a Revelation is all our Redemption, or that Chri&s;t redeemeth his Church by that onely which is reveal|ed within all that believe. The per&s;on that redeemeth is but one, and the &s;ame Chri&s;t Je&s;us, but the way of his redeem|ing of them admits of di&s;tinction. The Church is redeemed by a price without them, as well as by a power within them: the former purcha&s;eth the latter. None have Chri&s;t reveal|ed within them, in the Apo&s;tles &s;en&s;e, <HI>Gal. 1. 16. Col.</HI> 1. 27. for whom Chri&s;t gave not him&s;elf a Ran&s;om upon the cro&s;s: It is a &s;mall matter that <HI>E. B.</HI> yieldeth, <HI>The man Chri&s;t Je|&s;us hanged upon the Cro&s;s, becau&s;e they wickedly judged him to be a Bla&s;phemer,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>This</HI> (&s;aith he) is one ground at lea&s;t, but this (&s;ay I from Scripture) is not the chief, but that which the Apo&s;tle hath given forth, <HI>Gal.</HI> 3. 13, 14. A cur&s;e he was made to purcha&s;e our Redemption from the cur&s;e; that the ble&s;&s;ing of <HI>Abraham</HI> might come on the Gentiles, through him, and that we might receive the pro|mi&s;e of the Spirit through faith.</P>
<P><HI>James Nayler</HI> puts the lye upon them that &s;ay, <HI>they deny imputed Righteou&s;ne&s;s of Chri&s;t.</HI> I do not finde it in the very terms, but in what is equivalent I do; and that in the &s;ame Scripturient, for he <NOTE N="y" PLACE="marg">Love to the lo&s;t, page 4.</NOTE> upbraids us with our <HI>Covering,</HI> where|in con&s;i&s;ts our Ble&s;&s;edne&s;s, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 32. 1. and he makes <HI>im|puting</HI> of Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s, and <HI>putting of it into the creature,</HI> all one; yea, <NOTE N="z" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 51.</NOTE> he &s;tates it, <HI>That the Ju&s;t are ju&s;ti|fied, as they are &s;anctified and mortified, and no further.</HI> From one error, <HI>viz.</HI> that righteou&s;ne&s;s wrought within us, ju&s;ti|fieth, followeth the other, that it is more or le&s;s imputed, as they are more or le&s;s holy: But what is this all the while, but to deny Gods imputing, reckoning, or accounting of Chri&s;ts &s;ole, and mo&s;t perfect obedience and &s;ufferings, to the believing &s;inner for his ju&s;tification?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="6" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(6.)</HEAD>
<P>Some pa&s;&s;ages &s;avour of meer ignorance, or of wilful
<PB REF="178"> blindne&s;s, about the Covenant of Grace, the &s;tate of Grace, and the My&s;teries of Salvation.</P>
<P>As that of <HI>James Nayler,</HI> <NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Publike di&s;|coveries of open blind|ne&s;s by <HI>James Nayler,</HI> page 2</NOTE> <HI>Where &s;in is acted, it mu&s;t needs have dominion.</HI> Doth not the Scripture expre&s;ly exempt them that are under Grace, or a Covenant of Grace, from Sins dominion? <HI>Rom.</HI> 6. 14. And yet, doth not <HI>Paul</HI> de&s;cribe the pre&s;ent &s;tate of the Saints to be in the warfare and com|bat, and &s;in pre&s;ent when they would do good, even to pull them back from it, and to put them on to outward acting of what is evil, in a warring captivating way? <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 14. to the end of the chapter. And is not this the inward act of &s;ins ho&s;tility? even where Grace reigns in the habit, and by a contrary act of the renewed will (while fle&s;h is haling an|other way) doth oppo&s;e the rebellion and tyranny of &s;in. If &s;ome could &s;hake off the actings of in-dwelling &s;in, in pra|ctice, as they attempt it in their doctrine, they had been rai|&s;ed to a higher form of perfection then yet they have at|tained: But the ignorance of a contrariety of willing, and of acting in the &s;ame &s;ubject, and faculty, &s;hews rather their un-experiencedne&s;s in the Fencers &s;chool; and that they cry out of victory (not believed, hoped for, that we grant, but compleated) before they have engaged in the main battel. Fre&s;h-water &s;oldiers think the war is at an end, when they are pa&s;t the fir&s;t skirmi&s;h of a forlorn hope.</P>
<P>That of <HI>E. B.</HI> <NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">True faith, &amp;c. page 19.</NOTE> <HI>By what is the new birth wrought, if not by following the Light of Chri&s;t in the con&s;cience?</HI> To inform the ignorant we teach out of Scripture, that the new-birth is not wrought by our following work, but by Gods pre|venting Grace, ca&s;ting the promi&s;e into the heart, and quick|ning that &s;eed, by the in-coming of the Spirit, <HI>James</HI> 1. 18. with <HI>John</HI> 3. 5. Regeneration is not acquired by our acts, but infu&s;ed of God by his will and power, <HI>John</HI> 1. 13.</P>
<P>That, Again <NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ib.</HI> page 21.</NOTE> <HI>Shew if ever any natural man did get power over &s;in, and ab&s;tain from things forbidden throughout the Scripture:</HI> When before, he had asked <HI>By what is the new|birth wrought, if not by following,</HI> &amp;c. If a natural man may get the new-birth by following the Light of Chri&s;t in his con&s;cience, then he may by &s;uch an act of obedience, get &s;ome kinde of power over &s;in, and far &s;ooner ab&s;tain from
<PB REF="178"> many things forbidden, then ever get the new-birth thereby. There is a two-fold power over &s;in; the one by the re&s;train|ing power of God, called Re&s;training Grace; the other by the &s;pecial influence of Chri&s;t and his Spirit, uniting him&s;elf to the &s;oul, and taking up his habitation in a Believer, as in his Temple. The natural man hath the former, more or le&s;s, and yet remaineth a natural man, and in his natural &s;tate, be|cau&s;e he wants the latter. Was not <HI>Herod</HI> a natural man,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark 6. 20.</NOTE> and &s;o remained, even while he heard <HI>John</HI> gladly, and did many things? Did not <HI>Paul,</HI> while in his natural &s;tate (fol|lowing the light in his con&s;cience) ab&s;tain from things for|bidden?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 6.</NOTE> was he not, touching the righteou&s;ne&s;s of the Law, blamele&s;s? Were not tho&s;e <HI>Peter</HI> &s;peaks of, e&s;caped from<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 18, 20</NOTE> the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of Chri&s;t? yea, <HI>clean,</HI> or <HI>really e&s;caped,</HI> as by a common or in|ferior<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> work of the Spirit, and yet were in their natural &s;tate, fir&s;t and la&s;t.</P>
<P>What wilful ignorance is in that Querie? <NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;hmael</HI> and his mother ca&s;t out, p. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="OXF" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>Where is &s;uch a Scripture, that the mo&s;t eminent believer &s;ins in any things?</HI> This is &s;ub&s;cribed by three or four of them; as if they had never read, or having read, not regarded, <HI>James</HI> 3. 2. or will not under&s;tand <HI>Rom.</HI> 7. 21. that not onely in all the good they do, or would do, <HI>evil</HI> (by a tyrannizing law of the old man) is pre&s;ent with them, but in <HI>many things they all offend, or &s;in.</HI></P>
<P>And what affected blindne&s;s in that demand? <NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">The skirts of the whore di&s;covered by <HI>Dennis Holli|&s;ter,</HI> page 19.</NOTE> <HI>Where doth the Scripture call it &s;elf the Word of God, and to whom was it the Rule of Life?</HI> Who plea&s;e may read over the 119 <HI>P&s;alm,</HI> once more, and view the 40 page; and then con&s;ult <HI>Gal.</HI> 6. 14. and view the explanation, page 44. of this Re|ply, and the Scriptures will &s;tand right in his thoughts (by Gods ble&s;&s;ing) and he be affected to them.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="7" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(7.)</HEAD>
<P>Much of My&s;tical <HI>Babylon</HI> and Confu&s;ion is in their wri|tings and ways.</P>
<P>They confound common and &s;aving gifts, we not onely di&s;tingui&s;h them, but divide them. Common are in many per|&s;ons where &s;aving are not: &s;aving are in all the Saints, but on &s;ome of the Saints many common gifts are not conferred&punc;</P>
<PB REF="179">
<P>They confound Ju&s;tification and Sanctification. We di|&s;tingui&s;h them, but divide them not &s;o but they are pre&s;ent to the &s;ame &s;ubject, or per&s;on, the believer, although they are not the &s;ame Grace.</P>
<P>They confound the Price of our Redemption, and the ap|plication of it by power. We di&s;tingui&s;h them, and divide them not &s;o, but where one goes before, the other fol|lows after; according to the riches of Gods grace, and the unchangeablene&s;s of his Covenant in Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>There is enough in the fore-going Reply, and in the third and fifth of the&s;e Animadver&s;ions, for a plain demon|&s;tration hereof. It may be hoped, upon no weak grounds, this Sect is acting one of the la&s;t parts, upon the tottering Stage of the Romi&s;h Antichri&s;t. Never, I conceive, did any, as the&s;e &s;o masked and di&s;gui&s;ed, <HI>&s;ervire &s;cenae,</HI> &s;uit the pre&s;ent occa&s;ion and times for <HI>Romes</HI> advantage; but it be|gan, and will end in their confu&s;ion.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="8" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(8.)</HEAD>
<P>Their Doctrines and Practices end in Apo&s;tacy of the deepe&s;t &s;tain, and Bla&s;phemy again&s;t Chri&s;t of the highe&s;t &s;train.</P>
<P>The experience of <HI>James Nayler</HI> and his Comrades give &s;ad and dreadful proof hereof. When the humane Nature of Chri&s;t is not adored for its &s;elf, but as it &s;ub&s;i&s;ts in the per&s;on of the onely begotten Son of God; they give and take (by their doctrine of God and Chri&s;t manife&s;ted in their individual fle&s;h) the &s;ame divine Honor which is peculiar to the per&s;on of Chri&s;t alone, God ble&s;&s;ed for ever.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="9" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(9.)</HEAD>
<P>There needs no farther proof of their Scripture and Self|contradictions.</P>
<P>Their Bla&s;phemies evidence the former: and their Grandees giving one another the lye, demon&s;trates the lat|ter. We had a notorious evidence hereof the la&s;t Summer at <HI>Witham</HI> in <HI>E&s;&s;ex.</HI> After that a blu&s;tring fellow (&s;aid to be one <HI>Hubberthorn</HI>) had driven divers to quaking, falling down, and roaring out (that the fle&s;h might be ca&s;t forth, by the Spirit, as he &s;aid) there followed him <HI>William Deu&s;|bery</HI>
<PB REF="179"> in his circuit and cour&s;e, and tells the poor people, they were fools and bea&s;ts if they minded any &s;uch quaking po|&s;tures; and much more to that purpo&s;e. And the Narra|tive of their Letters and Examinations thereupon at <HI>Bri&s;tol</HI> (put forth by Mr. <HI>Farmer</HI>) &s;ets a broad &s;eal to this as the former Animadver&s;ion.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="10" TYPE="head">
<HEAD>(10.)</HEAD>
<P>Their Sufferings in defence of corrupt and fal&s;e doctrines, are no part of the &s;ufferings of Chri&s;t in his my&s;tical body.</P>
<P>That their doctrines are fal&s;e, which they attempt and labor to defend, hath &s;ufficiently been evinced, and cleared: The other follows by undeniable con&s;equence. It is not the puni&s;hment, but the <HI>Cau&s;e</HI> that makes the Martyr: as he<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Martyrem fa|cit Cau&s;a, non &s;upplicium.</HI> Aug.</NOTE> &s;aid of old, who was a famous A&s;&s;ertor of the Truth, in his time. The Phili&s;tines died by the fall of the hou&s;e as well as <HI>Sam&s;on, &s;ed diver &s;o fine, ac fato,</HI> but with a differing &s;cope, and that through a wi&s;e-ordering Providence. They &s;uffer|ed for their Riot, Idolatry, Cruelty and Impenitency, he died in Faith, and with zealous calling upon the name of the Lord, for a publique Revenge upon his, and the Church its enemies. Who &s;ees not a va&s;t difference between <HI>James Naylers</HI> Pillory, and Mr. <HI>Burtons?</HI> between the Impri&s;on|ment of many di&s;turbing Quakers in our times, and of the peaceable Confe&s;&s;ors and Sufferers in Queen <HI>Maries</HI> days? Who &s;o blinde as they that will not &s;ee? Lord open the eyes and hearts of deluded Quakers and Papi&s;ts; Being thy people quite out of the Babyloni&s;h wilderne&s;s; Forgive them that know not what they do, write they know not what, &s;uffer out of devout ignorant intentions, which will not ju&s;tifie their unwarrantable actions or pa&s;&s;ions.</P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="subject index">
<PB REF="180">
<HEAD>THE TABLE.</HEAD>
<LIST>
<HEAD>A.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Acting</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>IN a mans own &s;trength or Chri&s;ts. 110</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Adam</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>In innocency under a Cove|nant of works. pag. 100</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>B.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Bapti&s;m</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>With water proved. 176. 183</ITEM>
<ITEM>Of Infants vindicated. 178</ITEM>
<ITEM>Sprinkling lawful. 180</ITEM>
<ITEM>One Bapti&s;m, con&s;i&s;ting of two parts. 178, 182</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Bible</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>To be read and preached up|on. 20</ITEM>
<ITEM>See Scriptures.</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>C.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Call</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>To the Mini&s;tery, how lawful. 211</ITEM>
<ITEM>Inward to be tried by the out|ward fruits. 214</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Churches call &s;piritual. 215</ITEM>
<ITEM>Some may counterfeit an Im|mediate call. 211</ITEM>
<ITEM>Some mediate calls good. 213, 214</ITEM>
<ITEM>Some bad. ibid.</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Chri&s;t</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Exalted by the Scriptures, and the Scriptures by Chri&s;t. 43 44</ITEM>
<ITEM>Chri&s;t above his gifts. 59</ITEM>
<ITEM>His Godhead a&s;&s;erted, and clea|red. 54</ITEM>
<ITEM>How he leads out of the fall. 86</ITEM>
<ITEM>How he was made &s;in, or a &s;inner. 132</ITEM>
<ITEM>As Mediator, not in natural men. 262, 276</ITEM>
<ITEM>When and how in the &s;oul: 264</ITEM>
<ITEM>His condemning &s;in in the fle&s;h, beyond con&s;cience-condemna|tion. 266</ITEM>
<ITEM>A Savior according to Scri|pture. 283</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Commandment.</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>How the general includes par|ticular per&s;ons. 106</ITEM>
<ITEM>What is a command in the Spi|rit. 109</ITEM>
<ITEM>Saints experiences about a command. 110</ITEM>
<ITEM>What is a Go&s;pel-command. 111</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Communion</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Of Saints on earth with Saints in heaven. 146</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Conviction</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>By the Spirit, beyond that of a <PB REF="180"> natural con&s;cience. 266</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Con&s;cience</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>If but natural, and not renew|ed, gives no &s;aving te&s;timony. 269</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Covenant</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Of works, and of grace what. 90</ITEM>
<ITEM>Of works, in <HI>Adam.</HI> 97</ITEM>
<ITEM>Differences of the Covenant of works, and of grace. 90</ITEM>
<ITEM>Covenant of grace one, for the &s;ub&s;tance. 91</ITEM>
<ITEM>Two, for maner of admini&s;tra|tion. 93</ITEM>
<ITEM>Old and new, what. 8</ITEM>
<ITEM>The rea&s;on of the change. 94</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>E.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Elders.</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Their Ordination by man, though not of man. 207</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>F.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Forms.</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Of Religion. 291</ITEM>
<ITEM>Of Speech. 292</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Fruits.</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Of the Spirit. 293</ITEM>
<ITEM>Of the fle&s;h. ibid.</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>G.</HEAD>
<LABEL>God.</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>How God is Light. 68</ITEM>
<ITEM>His E&s;&s;ence not mixed with created Beings. 236</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Go&s;pel.</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Go&s;pel-Light above natural reach. 75</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Grace</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Given by means. 173</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>H.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Hearing</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Of the word. 173</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Holy Gho&s;t.</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>A per&s;on, one of the Three in the Godhead. See Spirit. 49, &amp;c. 207</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Honor</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Civil, due to Superiors, and to all men. 231 ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Ge&s;tures of honor, &s;ome bad and idolatrous. 233</ITEM>
<ITEM>Some civil, and but good ma|ners. ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>The denial hereof what it ar|gues. 292</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Imputation.</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Gods imputation of righteou&s;|ne&s;s, his covering of our &s;in. 130</ITEM>
<ITEM>A con&s;tant act of Gods free fa|vor. 131</ITEM>
<ITEM>The doctrine of it, no pleading for &s;in. 123, &amp;c.</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Ju&s;tification.</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>The material cau&s;e not the new-birth. 119</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not &s;anctification. 132</ITEM>
<ITEM>Its difference from &s;anctifica|tion. 126</ITEM>
<ITEM>God ju&s;tifieth &s;inful per&s;ons, believing. 120, 121</ITEM>
<ITEM>How ju&s;tified by faith. ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Defilements of &s;in remain in a pardoned &s;oul. 125</ITEM>
<ITEM>Peter in his falls, not out of a &s;tate of ju&s;tification. 128</ITEM>
<ITEM>Perfect, at fir&s;t believing. 135</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<PB REF="181">
<LIST>
<HEAD>L.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Law</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>How &s;et up in &s;tead of Go|&s;pel. 12</ITEM>
<ITEM>Levitical Law way Typical Go&s;pel. 89</ITEM>
<ITEM>Law-Levitical no Covenant of works. 95</ITEM>
<ITEM>Law-moral, po&s;itions concern|ing it. 97</ITEM>
<ITEM>How &s;ub&s;ervient to the Cove|nant of grace. 98</ITEM>
<ITEM>How in&s;ervient to the Cove|nant of works. ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Gods Law above the con&s;cience 307</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Letter</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>What in a large, or in a &s;trict &s;en&s;e. 4, 5</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Spirits Letter is Gods written word. 9</ITEM>
<ITEM>How denied. 244</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Light</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Of the Godhead in every man, not redemption-light. 52</ITEM>
<ITEM>Strange notions of the Light in every man. 53</ITEM>
<ITEM>How light without Scripture is no light. 64</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Light-giver not to be con|founded with the light-given. 59, 84</ITEM>
<ITEM>Light in every man no Teach|er of &s;aving truths. 60</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not Go&s;pel-light. 75</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not the light of Saints, as &s;uch. 61, 261</ITEM>
<ITEM>Much le&s;s equal with Chri&s;ts per&s;on. 59</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not &s;upernatural. 61</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not above, but beneath the Scripture-light. 66</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not a part of the New-crea|ture. 77</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not the Corner-&s;tone. 80</ITEM>
<ITEM>Nor the fir&s;t principle of <HI>Chri|&s;tian</HI> Religion. 82</ITEM>
<ITEM>Leads not out of the fall. 83</ITEM>
<ITEM>Obeyed, gives no <HI>&s;aving</HI> excu&s;e, or te&s;timony in the con&s;cience. 269</ITEM>
<ITEM>Creature and Scripture-light compared. 76</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not to be confounded. 275</ITEM>
<ITEM>My&s;terious ab&s;urdities. 263</ITEM>
<ITEM>How the lea&s;t degree of light is perfect. 274</ITEM>
<ITEM>How counterfeit. ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>True conclu&s;ions about light. 69</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Lords Supper</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>The vi&s;ible outward part no carnal invention. 185</ITEM>
<ITEM>Bread and wine the outward matter. 186</ITEM>
<ITEM>The In&s;titution &s;piritual. 188</ITEM>
<ITEM>The benefit great. 190</ITEM>
<ITEM>A &s;trange trans-mutation by 192</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>James Nayler</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>His rea&s;ons broken. 193</ITEM>
<ITEM>Antidotes again&s;t the di&s;&s;olu|tion of the Lords Supper. 200</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>M.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Magi&s;trates</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Their forbearance. 308</ITEM>
<ITEM>Means of grace, attended with a promi&s;e of ble&s;sing. 174</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<PB REF="181">
<LIST>
<HEAD>N.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Nakedne&s;s</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>No Commi&s;sion for going na|ked in the&s;e times. 291</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>O.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Oaths,</LABEL>
<ITEM><HI>&s;ee</HI> Swearing.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Ordinances</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>How owned or di&s;owned. 302</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>P.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Perfection</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Of holine&s;s, but comparative. 162, 164</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not ab&s;olute in all degrees till death. 143, 144</ITEM>
<ITEM>How denied, how not. 141, 158, 161</ITEM>
<ITEM>This life a time onely of pre&s;|&s;ing after it. 290</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Per&s;on</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>What it is. 48</ITEM>
<ITEM>What a per&s;on in the Godhead is. ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>How di&s;tingui&s;hed. 49</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Prayer</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Publique not forbidden. 201</ITEM>
<ITEM>Gods Spirit is there. 204</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Preaching</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>By Doctrine, Rea&s;on and &V;&s;e, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> ju&s;tified. 72, 293</ITEM>
<ITEM>How free, and con&s;i&s;tent with taking Wages 209</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Printing</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>When invented. 21</ITEM>
<ITEM>The benefit of printed Bibles. ibid.</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Promi&s;e</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Of grace, and leading out of the fall, none annexed to the good u&s;e of natural light. 87</ITEM>
<ITEM>Yet the light of a promi&s;e helps to lead out of the fall. 86</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Prophets</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Some immediately in&s;pired, &s;ome mediately taught. 217</ITEM>
<ITEM>They &s;tudied the Scriptures. 218</ITEM>
<ITEM>Some di&s;tingui&s;ht from men in office. 217</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>P&s;alms</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Not &s;ung without &s;ome kinde of meeter. 205</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>Q.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Quaking</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>From vi&s;ible manife&s;tations of Gods maje&s;ty, how and by whom imitable. 287</ITEM>
<ITEM>See <HI>Trembling.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Que&s;tions</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Their fit place. 223</ITEM>
<ITEM>Which are of the devil. 224</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>R.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Reconciliation</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Of the per&s;on perfect, before the heart is perfectly &s;ancti|fied, and how. 134, 135</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Regeneration</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>By the Scripture-promi&s;e. 132, 257</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Remor&s;e</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>What. 171</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Repentance</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>How decryed. 171</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Righteou&s;ne&s;s</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>What our own. 145, 329</ITEM>
<ITEM>What the Quaking Papi&s;ts mean by Chri&s;ts righteou&s;|ne&s;s. 278</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<PB REF="182">
<LIST>
<HEAD>S.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Sabbath</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>A mercy, as a duty 303</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Saints</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Their light beneath Scripture|light for the degree. 271</ITEM>
<ITEM>Their highe&s;t degree of light, and grace not here attained. 272</ITEM>
<ITEM>Experimentally imperfect. 148</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Scriptures</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>The word of truth. 1</ITEM>
<ITEM>To all. 2</ITEM>
<ITEM>The word of God, and truly &s;o called. 3, 40</ITEM>
<ITEM>In what &s;ence. 25</ITEM>
<ITEM>The witne&s;s of God. 4</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Letter of God, and the Scripture of God all one. Ib.</ITEM>
<ITEM>A &s;tanding Rule. 7</ITEM>
<ITEM>A more &s;tanding Rule then vi|&s;ions and revelations. 13, 15, 37, 38.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not mans word, or other mens words. 18</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Touch-&s;tone of Doctrine. 23, 253</ITEM>
<ITEM>And Judge of controver&s;ies. 258</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not carnal. 24</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Spirits &s;word. 26</ITEM>
<ITEM>Powerful. 153</ITEM>
<ITEM>The ground of the Saints act|ing. 26, 31</ITEM>
<ITEM>And how. 27</ITEM>
<ITEM>Interpretation by Scripture. 37</ITEM>
<ITEM>A Voice, a Light, a Rule, a Guide. 43, 44</ITEM>
<ITEM>Scripture-light above the light of nature. 66, 74, 76</ITEM>
<ITEM>Its further preeminence. 271, 281</ITEM>
<ITEM>Scripture-light, Salvation|light. 73</ITEM>
<ITEM>Its fulne&s;s. 284</ITEM>
<ITEM>It magnifies Chri&s;t above it &s;elf. ibid</ITEM>
<ITEM>A more excellent Teacher then the creatures. 70</ITEM>
<ITEM>To be &s;tudied. 218, 220</ITEM>
<ITEM>Who deny them. 244</ITEM>
<ITEM>Gods mouth is in the Letter. 247, 252</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Sin</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Vi&s;ible in, and to the Saint. 112</ITEM>
<ITEM>Groaned under, all the life time by true Saints. ibid</ITEM>
<ITEM>in what re&s;pect. 113</ITEM>
<ITEM>Sin and purity dwell in one &s;oul, not <HI>as one.</HI> 118</ITEM>
<ITEM>Sin confe&s;&s;ed, is not pleaded for. 125</ITEM>
<ITEM>It dwelleth and acteth in the Saints. 138</ITEM>
<ITEM>It continueth in them, they continue not in it. 151</ITEM>
<ITEM>No heart perfectly pure form it. 158, 159, 160</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Singing</LABEL>
<ITEM>See P&s;alms.</ITEM>
<LABEL>Spirit of God</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>How in the Scripture-Letter. 4, 254</ITEM>
<ITEM>How proceeding from the Let|ter, how not. 5</ITEM>
<ITEM>How given by it. 6, 10, 255</ITEM>
<ITEM>Leads to the Scripture-Rule and <PB REF="182"> and by it. 9, 10</ITEM>
<ITEM>His Prerogative above the Scripture. 31</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Swearing</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>By creatures forbidden. 235</ITEM>
<ITEM>By God, commanded. ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Not in ordinary &s;peech. 237</ITEM>
<ITEM>Oaths lawful. 238</ITEM>
<ITEM>&V;nlawful 239</ITEM>
<ITEM>By a book, unlawful. ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Upon a book, &s;uper&s;titious. 240</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>T.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Teaching</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>All Believers not immediately taught. 216</ITEM>
<ITEM>Who were, or were not imme|diately taught in the Apo|&s;tles days. 217, 220</ITEM>
<ITEM>They that pretend to imme|diate Teaching, have had it by men and means. 279, 280</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>A blinde dotage. 189</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Trembling</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>True, at and by the word, or Scripture rightly under|&s;tood. 6, 286</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Trinity</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>A Trinity of Per&s;ons in the Godhead, proved. 46</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>W.</HEAD>
<LABEL>Warfare</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>Saints not out of it, till out of their bodies. 167</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Woman</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>A woman not to &s;peak in the Church. 33</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
<LABEL>Word of God</LABEL>
<ITEM> <LIST>
<ITEM>E&s;&s;ential, or &s;piritual. 22, 25</ITEM>
<ITEM>Language of the Spirit and Word of the Scripture, all one.: 292</ITEM>
</LIST>
</ITEM>
</LIST>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="Scripture index">
<PB REF="183">
<HEAD>Scriptures vindicated and explained.</HEAD>
<P><TABLE>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL ROLE="label">P&s;alm</CELL>
<CELL ROLE="label">page</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>P&s;. 119.</CELL>
<CELL>105</CELL>
<CELL>40</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Proverbs</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label">Cap.</CELL>
<CELL ROLE="label">Ver&s;e</CELL>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>20</CELL>
<CELL>9</CELL>
<CELL>158</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>22</CELL>
<CELL>20, 21</CELL>
<CELL>32</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Eccle&s;.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>7</CELL>
<CELL>20</CELL>
<CELL>166</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">I&s;aiah</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>8</CELL>
<CELL>20</CELL>
<CELL>23, 24 64, 65</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>20</CELL>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>291</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>30</CELL>
<CELL>20</CELL>
<CELL>42</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>48</CELL>
<CELL>16, 17</CELL>
<CELL>30</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Jeremiah</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>31</CELL>
<CELL>42</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>20</CELL>
<CELL>9</CELL>
<CELL>41</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>23</CELL>
<CELL>29</CELL>
<CELL>Ibid.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Daniel</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>9</CELL>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>219</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Matthew.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>8</CELL>
<CELL>158</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>34 to 36</CELL>
<CELL>235</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>37</CELL>
<CELL>237</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>48</CELL>
<CELL>228</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>201</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>202</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>11</CELL>
<CELL>27</CELL>
<CELL>14</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>23</CELL>
<CELL>8 &amp; 10</CELL>
<CELL>245</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>28</CELL>
<CELL>19</CELL>
<CELL>47</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>19 &amp; 20</CELL>
<CELL>177</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Luke</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>16</CELL>
<CELL>29</CELL>
<CELL>7</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>21</CELL>
<CELL>Ep. to Ch.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>22</CELL>
<CELL>32</CELL>
<CELL>129</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">John</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>25</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>1 to 14</CELL>
<CELL>54 to 58</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>9</CELL>
<CELL>53, 55, 261</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>44</CELL>
<CELL>232</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>45</CELL>
<CELL>216</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>8</CELL>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>53, 260</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>15</CELL>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>42</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>16</CELL>
<CELL>13</CELL>
<CELL>10</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Acts</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>17, 18</CELL>
<CELL>34</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>38, 39</CELL>
<CELL>179</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>42 46</CELL>
<CELL>195</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>13</CELL>
<CELL>2, 46</CELL>
<CELL>208</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>39</CELL>
<CELL>122</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>20</CELL>
<CELL>28</CELL>
<CELL>160, 207</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>34</CELL>
<CELL>209</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>35</CELL>
<CELL>210</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Romans</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>18, 19</CELL>
<CELL>274</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>4</CELL>
<CELL>170</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>63</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>15, 16</CELL>
<CELL>269</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>29</CELL>
<CELL>268</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>2</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>21</CELL>
<CELL>92</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>63</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>13</CELL>
<CELL>99</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>14</CELL>
<CELL>11</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>7</CELL>
<CELL>9, 10</CELL>
<CELL>110</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>14 to the end</CELL>
<CELL>113</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>138</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>23, 25</CELL>
<CELL>139</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>25</CELL>
<CELL>12 &amp; 115</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>8</CELL>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>115</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>168</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>8</CELL>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>266</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>3, 4</CELL>
<CELL>144</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>4</CELL>
<CELL>145</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>10</CELL>
<CELL>139 &amp; 140</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>14</CELL>
<CELL>9</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>26</CELL>
<CELL>149</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>37</CELL>
<CELL>169</CELL>
</ROW>
<PB REF="183">
<ROW>
<CELL>10</CELL>
<CELL>8</CELL>
<CELL>41</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>18</CELL>
<CELL>82</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>62</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>14</CELL>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>190</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>16</CELL>
<CELL>1 &amp; 2 6 &amp; 12 </CELL>
<CELL>35</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">1 Cor.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>15, 16</CELL>
<CELL>108</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>21</CELL>
<CELL>72</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>162, 164</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>9</CELL>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>10</CELL>
<CELL>17</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>11</CELL>
<CELL>156</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>9</CELL>
<CELL>14</CELL>
<CELL>209</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>11</CELL>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>11</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>26</CELL>
<CELL>191, 198</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>29</CELL>
<CELL>197</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>7</CELL>
<CELL>30</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>12, 13</CELL>
<CELL>178</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>14</CELL>
<CELL>14, 15</CELL>
<CELL>202</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>26 29</CELL>
<CELL>217</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>31</CELL>
<CELL>34</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>34, 35</CELL>
<CELL>33</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>16</CELL>
<CELL>19</CELL>
<CELL>35</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">2 Cor.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>71</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>5</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>16 with 14</CELL>
<CELL>13</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>9</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>4</CELL>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>23</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>24, 263</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>21</CELL>
<CELL>132</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>11</CELL>
<CELL>7</CELL>
<CELL>209</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>9</CELL>
<CELL>208</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>7, &amp;c.</CELL>
<CELL>App. 2</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>13</CELL>
<CELL>11</CELL>
<CELL>164</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Gal.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>211</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>16</CELL>
<CELL>263</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>17, 18, 19</CELL>
<CELL>123</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>20, 21</CELL>
<CELL>124</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>19</CELL>
<CELL>104</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>20</CELL>
<CELL>89</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>21</CELL>
<CELL>99</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>27</CELL>
<CELL>178</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>138</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>44</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Ephe&s;.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>15</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>17, 18</CELL>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>20</CELL>
<CELL>81</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>4</CELL>
<CELL>4, 5</CELL>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>9</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>26</CELL>
<CELL>179</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>106</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>25</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Phil.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>226</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>286</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>161</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>15, 16</CELL>
<CELL>162</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>4</CELL>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>35</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>13</CELL>
<CELL>42</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Col.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>23</CELL>
<CELL>82</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>27</CELL>
<CELL>264</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>27, 28</CELL>
<CELL>62</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>89</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">1 Tim.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>11</CELL>
<CELL>33</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>18</CELL>
<CELL>35</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>24</CELL>
<CELL>267</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Titus</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>11</CELL>
<CELL>75</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Heb.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>4</CELL>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>41</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>152</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>12, 13</CELL>
<CELL>154</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>15</CELL>
<CELL>153</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>7 Ep. to R.</CELL>
<CELL>11</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>162</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>16</CELL>
<CELL>238</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>7</CELL>
<CELL>16</CELL>
<CELL>24</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>8</CELL>
<CELL>7</CELL>
<CELL>94</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>10</CELL>
<CELL>14</CELL>
<CELL>135</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>116</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>23</CELL>
<CELL>146 to 150</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>13</CELL>
<CELL>8</CELL>
<CELL>277</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>9, 10</CELL>
<CELL>234</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>237, 240</CELL>
</ROW>
<PB REF="184">
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">1 Pet.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>13</CELL>
<CELL>16</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>15</CELL>
<CELL>156</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>22</CELL>
<CELL>160</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>23 with 25</CELL>
<CELL>28</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>4</CELL>
<CELL>7</CELL>
<CELL>App. 2</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">2 Pet.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>16, 19</CELL>
<CELL>15</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>19</CELL>
<CELL>36</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>20, 21</CELL>
<CELL>37, 219</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>21</CELL>
<CELL>248</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">1 John</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>1</CELL>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>68</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>77</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>8</CELL>
<CELL>78</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>2</CELL>
<CELL>27</CELL>
<CELL>41</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>29</CELL>
<CELL>142</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>3</CELL>
<CELL>117</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>156</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>6</CELL>
<CELL>78</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>79, 165</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>10</CELL>
<CELL>142</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>4</CELL>
<CELL>4</CELL>
<CELL>169</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>17</CELL>
<CELL>164</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>5</CELL>
<CELL>7</CELL>
<CELL>45 46</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>10</CELL>
<CELL>245</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>73</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
<CELL>18</CELL>
<CELL>&nbsp;</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL ROLE="label" COLS="3">Rev.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>19</CELL>
<CELL>10</CELL>
<CELL>39</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL>20</CELL>
<CELL>12</CELL>
<CELL>45</CELL>
</ROW>
</TABLE></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<HEAD>ERRATA <HI>&s;ic emendanda</HI> in the Book.</HEAD>
<P>PAge 4. Line 8. read, the two witne&s;&s;es: p. 9. l. 35, r. is to make: p. 21. l. 15, r. Blockhou&s;es: p. 33. l. 26. r. he may: p. 39. l. 31. for, immediately, r. medi|ately: p. 41. Marg. r. Jer 23. 29. p. 55. l. 21. r. re-a&s;&s;umeth: p. 58. l. 2. r. arbitre|ment: p. 60. l. 21. r. Rom. 1. 18. p. 91. l. 2. dele, is the old: p. 100. l. 24. dele, to be: p. 103. Marg. r. Gen. 3. la&s;t. p. 106. l. 8. r. the word of: p. 117. f. 28. for, now, r. know: p. 120. l. 11. for, form, r. from. p. 124. l. 34. for, that, r. but. p. 134. l. 4. the paren|the&s;is to end at (Book) p. 137. l. ult. dele&punc; his. p. 138. Marg. r. Gal. 5. 17. p. 209. l. 26. r. Acts 20. 34. p. 215. l. 23. for to, r. till. p. 221. l. 2. for, we are, r. were. p. 238. l. 13. dele, to them. p. 245. l. 11. r. we &s;hould. p. 256. l. 1. r. be not. p. 258. l. 32. for, that, r. the.</P>
<P>In the Epi&s;tles: Epi&s;t. Ded. for debate, r. deba&s;e. Epi&s;t. to the Reader, for. Bel|larmine, r. Bellarmine. p. 9. l. 9. for profe&s;&s;ed, r. po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="imprimatur">
<OPENER><DATELINE><DATE>Julii, 18. 1656.</DATE></DATELINE></OPENER>
<P>Imprimatur</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>JOSEPH CARYL.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
<PB REF="184">
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
