The pretended antidoe [sic] proved poyson: or, The true principles of the Christian & Protestant religion defended, and the four counterfit defenders thereof detected and discovered the names of which are James Allen, Joshua Moodey, Samuell Willard and Cotton Mather, who call themselves ministers of the Gospel in Boston, in their pretended answer to my book, called, The Presbyterian & independent visible churches in New-England, and else-where, brought to the test, &c. And G.K. cleared not to be guilty of any calumnies against these called teachers of New-England, &c. By George Keith. With an appendix by John Delavall, by way of animadversion on some passages in a discourse of Cotton Mathers before the General Court of Massachusetts, the 28th of the third moneth, 1690.

Introduction. To James Allen, Joshua Moodey, Samuell Willard, and Cotten Mather.

Men and Neighbours,

I Have seen your pretended Answer to my Book, which ye call, The Principles of the Protestant Religion maintained, &c. which I have also read and well considered, and I find that upon the matter, ye have left the substance or principal matter of it wholly unanswered, and that your said pretended A••••wer contains little else but Railing after an extraordinary and unusual manner of Speech, scarcely to be paralell'd, and many very gross Mistakes and Perversions of my words, and some absolutely false Quotations and Recitations, alledging Words, and Sayings, and Doctrines to be mine and delivered by me in my Book, which are neither directly nor indirectly to be found there, and which are neither my express words nor so much as the most remote true and just

Consequence of them. But it is altogether un∣fair and absurd to alledge any thing upon a man which are not either his express words, or the plain and manifest sence of them, obvious to every intelligent and impartial Reader: For, to alledge a consequential sense of a mans words, which they will no wayes bear, is most uncivil and inhumane, and argueth at most a weak and desperate Cause, when ye are put to use such mean and unlawful Arts to make your part seem fair. And surely, ye who pretend to find so great fault at the supposed Calumnies of G. K. should have (at least) upon some prudential consideration, as men, shown your selves not to be so deeply guilty of that Vice of Calumniating, which ye, only with great con∣fidence, alledge, but can never prove against him.

I find, ye are not a little vexed at my Book; but since it containeth little else but Non-sence, Tautologies, Nauseous Repetitions, Cavils and Sophisms, as ye alledge, why are ye so angry & fretted? why should Non-sence & Tautologies, Cavils and Sophisms vex you so very much? what aileth you, that ye come with such a com∣pany? ye seem, in great part, to resemble Micah pursuing some of the Children of Dan, to recover your lost gods, and to answer with him, after some manner, Ye have taken away our gods which we made, and our Priests, and ye are gone away; and what have we more? And what

is this that thou sayst unto us, what aileth us? But I assure you, I intend to make no such usage of your gods as the Danites did of the gods of Micah, nor have I robbed any of your gods or idols from you, but as becoming a true Chri∣stian, I have fairly and honestly laboured to convince you of your many evil and hurtful Errors which ye set up in your hearts, as Idols and false Godds; for ye may know, that the Scripture telleth of fome, that did set up Idols in their hearts; yea, whatever any men set up in their hearts, in the room and place of the true God, and his Precious, holy and living Truth, and the divine dictates and Testimonies thereof, are but false gods, and idols of mens making. It is a most false and injurious Ac∣cusation ye insinuate against me, as if I did seek to perswade any, to part with an infinite and eternal God, and having a created Soul blasphe∣mously place in his Throne, or to p••rt with the pre∣cious Bible (viz. the holy Scriptures) as a dead Letter, and to have silent postures of their own in the room thereof, or that I seek to perswade these called your Congregations, to part with an inestimable Redeemer, for a dim Light within them, which may prove Darkness it self, or to have the whole Gospel Baptism of Christ & his Supper taken away from them, and the glorious Doctrines of Election, Justification & Perseverance depraved with Opinions that make man to be all, and Grace to have small or no share in the matters of Salva∣tion.

All which are most false and injurious Accusations, with many more of that sort, which ye very unchristianly cast upon me, as I hope will clearly appear in the sequel, and doth sufficiently appear in my former Book. My desire, and earnest travail of soul is, That ye, and all others, who remain ignorant of God, may come to the true knowledge of him, and of his Son Christ Jesus, whom to know is Life eternal. I assert no created Soul or thing to be plac'd in the room of God in his Throne, but plead against you, that as God and Christ dwell in Heaven, so they dwell in the hearts of all the faithful, and that not divided or sepe∣ra••ed from ••heir Operations and Influences, but together with them, and one with them, tho' ye would divide and seperate them asunder; and that the same God and Christ, as they are one, so their operation and influence of Light and Grace are one, and that by some gracious operation & influence they are pleased to visit the Souls of all men more or less; and as God and Christ are every where present in all the Creatures, so in a more special way and manner of manifestation, beside that universal Omni∣presence, they are in all men, and cannot be excluded from any of the Creatures; and therefore it is a most injurious Calumny, as if either I or any of my Friends did set up any thing in the room or throne of God; for whatover illumination, operation or influential

Effect of God and Christ we assert to be in men, we do not say that it is God or Christ, for we do not confound the Cause & the Effect, nor the Worker and his work, but we say, God and Christ, the Word, by which all things were made, are most inwardly present in all Creatures; and if ye deny this, ye, and not we, deny the true God; and God and Christ are Light, as the holy Scripture declareth, and are no dim Light, which is in you Blas∣phemy to assert; but, both your Eyes, and the Eyes of many are dim, yea, and blind, that ye cannot in this your blind state see the glory of God: And for the holy Scriptures, ye your selves say, The MIND and true SENSE of the Scripture, is the Scripture or Word, and that was never called by us a dead Letter, nor is the Scripture dead to any but to such who are dead, and past feeling; we hold to Scripture phrase that saith, the Letter killeth, which we thus understand, that whoever have not the inward quickning, and living operation of the Spirit of God, that doth usually attend and accompany the outward Testimony of the holy Scriptures, to such the Letter of the Scripture is a killing Letter, and the sober of your own Church, I suppose, will not deny it, and so it proveth to all Infidels and Unbelievers, while remaining such, who are dead in their sins and Trespasses, but to all who are made alive unto God, the Scriptures Testimony is a living▪

sweet and precious Testimony, in all its parts, and not at all either a dead Letter, or a killing Letter. And as for the Gospel Baptism of Christ, and his Supper, and the glorious Doctrines of Election, Justification & Perseverance of God's elect Saints and Children, we own them with our souls and hearts, and only disown your false glosses of all these things; ye must not think to be both party and judge in these matters, both ye and we have a most impartial and just Judge, the great Lord of Heaven and Earth, to judge and witness betwixt us, and to his Witness, Evidence and Testimony in all hearts I can and do freely leave these matters of dif∣ference betwixt us, in the mean time ye are greatly mistaken to think, that either I or my Friends decline all outward Evidences and Te∣stimonies, or just and equal Methods or Wayes of fair reasoning and argument, touching the matters of d••••ference betwixt us; nay, its a great, if not woful Mistake in you, we shall never fear to deal with you in all fair and rea∣sonable wayes of dispute, either by express Scripture, or by just & rational Consequences therefrom, and then to leave all to the im∣partial judgment of all such who are both spi∣ritual and reasonable men; for, to be both spiritual and reasonable are well consistent.

Ye may be greatly ashamed, (if Shame be compatible unto you, to use some of your own words) in the beginning of your Preface to

tell of Persecutors with Cain's Club in their hands, when ye have been so deeply guilty of using Cain's Club, and continuing to justifie it, in putting to death so many innocent Servants of the Lord. Ye are idle and impertinent to call me the Champion, whom the American Quakers do so much admire, I know none called a Qua∣ker in America, or else-where, that doth ad∣mire me; we admire and adore the glorious God and Creator, but no man; nor do I seek the honour and praise of men, it is enough that I am loved by my Friends and Brethren, and that I am acknowledged to have a part & lot among the faithful. Ye acknowledge ye pass over many assertions, called by you un∣sound, in my Book, with a dry foot, and so ye might have said, ye have passed the substance and matter of the whole, and the Arguments thereof without due notice, and rather than wet your feet ye wi•••• go far abo••••, and digress or deviate from that which ye cannot fairly nor justly answer. As for Cotton Mather's pre∣tended Vindication of his Father Increase Ma∣ther, his abuses against the People called Qua∣kers, I have fully answered to it in Print in a Book called, A Refutation of three Opposers of Truth, &c. to which I refer, and which I sup∣pose is come to his hand long before this of yours came to me. Ye express your fear of me, as if my (supposed) Apostacy had ren∣dred me incurable; and else-where ye call me

a fearful Apostate, and insinuate, as if I were not only Apostate and Heretick, but grown be∣yond Admonition: But how know ye this, see∣ing ye pretend not to a Spirit of discerning or a divine Revelation in the case? Suppose I err in some things (as I have good assurance I do not in any o•• these things ye charge me) doth one or some few Errors or Mistakes (not will∣fully held) in matters that are not fundament∣al, render me either Heretick or Apostate? Ye, or at least, the more sober among you, allow, that men holding the fundamentals of the Christian Religion, although they be in an Error or Mistake, touching divers things, that are not fundamental, may be allowed to be true Christians, and Members of Christs Church; hence the mo••e sober of Presbyterians have a charitable judgment of many, not only of Baptists and the Episcopals, but of Arminians and Lutherans, yea, and of many in the Church of Rome also. ••nd I believe ye cannot give me one instance wherein ye can justly accuse me or my Friends of any fundamental Error in Chri∣stian Doctrine, so acknowledged by the more sober part among you, held by us. It is high and extream Uncharitableness for you so to unchristian us, but praised be God, we can, and have holy confidence to appeal from your false Judgment, to the just God, to whom we are known, and whose Peace and Justification we have in our Bosoms, that is Proof against all your false and injurious Accusations: And

I have not dealt so with you, so to unchristian you in the whole lump, or any one of you, altogether meerly for Doctrine; for I only did charge it upon you, and I believe I have made good my charge, That your visible Churches are not the true Church of Christ, to wit, not having that purity of Doctrine, Mi∣nistry, Worship, Constitution, Government, &c. that constitutes the true Church of Christ, either as the Church was in the Apostles days, or as she is yet to be restored, and is now resto∣ring, after the great & dark night of Apostacy, yet I have freely and readi y granted, that there are among you who belong to Christ & his true Church; and though you judge his a great inconsistency and contradiction, yet ye are in a great mistake, for my charge is as consistent, to grant, that some among you, yea, all who are sincere and faithful to what they do know, and are really convinced of the Truth but in part that are among you, belong to God, and to his true Church, as the Cha∣rity of many of the more sober among you, is consistent, to grant, That the most sincere sort in the Church of Rome, belong to God, and his Church, and are his People; for God hath of his People in Babylon, whom he calleth to come out of it; and this was the judgment ge∣nerally of these called the first Reformers, and is the judgment generally of the more sober and judicious Protestants of all sorts, at this

day, and was my charitable judgment when I was among the Presbyterians, and remaineth now to be; and yet, such who have this cha∣ritable judgment of many in the Church of Rome, do not call her, nor own her (for most part to be the true visible Church of Christ, but call her a Whore, and a false Church, and Babylon, and for this cause judge, that their seperation is just from her: And as the Prote∣stants generally, who are of the more sober & moderate sort, do excell these called Papists or Roman Catholicks, for their charitable judgment of many among them, because scarce any Papist hath the least charitable judgment of any one Protestant of any sort; so we the People called Quakers have the advantage over you, in that we have a real Christian charitable judgment, not only of all the sincere hearted among you, but among all others, that are sincere hearted, who hold the fundamenta••s of Christian Reli∣gion, that they belong to God and Christ, and are our Christian Brethren, though in many things dark & weak, and under great mistakes of judgment, that doth greatly hinder their growth, and endanger their Souls state, and therefore we labour, if possible, to undeceive them; but we can have no charity for Hypo∣crites, and such who are not sincere in what they profess, but having a form of Godliness deny the Power of it, and are Proud, Envious, Mali∣tious, false Accusers, Persecutors, and of a per∣secuting

Spirit, who have killed the Martyrs of Jesus, and justifie them who have so done, as you do those who put to death our innocent and Christian Friends at Boston; and though ye alledge, they suffered for their crime, That they came purposely to undermine the civil Govern∣ment, and yet it is known generally over almost the whole World where New-England and Boston is named, and what they did in that matter, that it was simply for their Conscience, and for no crime in matter of fact at all, but transgressing that unrighteous Law of not returning on pain of Death; and if that be to subvert civil Government, then all Persecutors are justified, and all the many thousands of Gods faithful Martyrs and Witnesses are to be condemned for being subverters of the civil Government, for they did generally transgress the unrighteous Laws of men, under which they suffered; yea, Christ himself at this rate is guilty (which is blasphemous to think) for as the Jews said, We have a Law, and by our Law he ought to dye, and he is no friend to Caesar; but that any thing directly or indirectly was ever found in any of these our Friends put to Death at Boston, that had any the least ten∣dency against the civil Government, ye can ne∣ver prove, nor give the least colou••able pre∣tence, nor did I ever hear that any such thing was articled against them, except in so far as ye will call that a subversion of civil Govern∣ment,

to transgress the unrighteous Laws ye made against the People called Quakers, only for their Perswasions in matters of Conscience, and their innocent and harmless Practises and Profession accordingly. And if any of them have come at time to your publick Meetings of Worship, to bear a Testimony against your Formality, and Hypocrisie, and false Doctrine, it is but the like to what some of these, well owned and esteemed as the Martyrs of Christ, did in Q. Mary's dayes, and in other times and places of Popery, where they came openly and boldly into the Popish Assemblies, and wit∣nessed against them, and their Practice is com∣mended in Fox's Book of Martyrs, and other Historians, as Noble and Heroical; yea, how many Presbyterians have highly commended the Women for throwing their stools at the Bishop reading Common-Prayer in Edenburgh in Scot∣land, above fifty years ago, and judged it as a Noble and Heroical Act, and some have im∣puted it to a divine Motion; but as I do not justifie it, yet it doth serve justly to stop your mouthes to make that a great crime in others, only to witness by word of mouth against your false Way of Worship, when many or most of you, the Presbyterian sort, justifie that Practice by violent hands, first of Women th••owing their Stools at the Bishop in the Pulpit, and then of men violently rising against him; which is a well known Passage, and

there are yet alive in Scotland who can bear witness to it. Ye say, ye shall have no returns from me, except those of Rage and Wrath, which ye shall not count it worth the while to publish any Reply unto, but what the Arch-Angel gave to a Railing Accusation. But I hope, through Gods help to disappoint you, and to give you no returns of Rage and Wrath at all; and tho' in my former Book I used some sharp words against you, from love and zeal to the Truth, and good will unto you, and the People of New-England, yet I am not conscious of any Rage and Wrath I used against you, though ye charge me with Pride and Gall, and Slander∣ing, and Cal••mniating with bitter Invictives, &c. but I stand not to your judgment; however, as I retract nothing of what I then charged you with, so at present, I hope, so far to dis∣appoint you, as not to give you any just cause to say, I give you any Returns of Rage and Wrath; for I shall most willingly and freely acknowledge your skill & ability of using hard words and speeches, doth far exceed my Capacity, if I durst allow my self a liberty, as I dare not, to contend with you in that manner, but I can say it singly, I love rather to contend with strong and sollid Argu∣ments, than any hard words whatsoever, and so far as it shall please God to give me leave, I shall labour to refrain them, to take away all occasion from you, of making excuse not to

answer, only remember, that ye confess, in some passages, ye have done your work cuttingly, excu••ing you•• selves, that some are to be rebuked. But what Apology can this be more to you than to me? you must take all liberty imagin∣able, yea, exceed all bounds, to answer me cuttingly, and yet this is no Wrath or Rage in you, but love and good will to me, ye will say; for, I hope, if I be judged your Enemy ye will say, ye ought to love me; but if I use but a small part of hard words towards you, and withal expressing my love, ye will needs con∣strue it to be Pride, Gall, Rage and Wrath; if this be not partial, let all impartial Readers judge. However, though your words seem cutting, yet since your Reasons and Defences, by way of Argument, are blunt and dull, I feel no wound nor smart by any thing ye have done, and am in no fear of any thing ye can do against me; for the Truth, which is the strongest of all, is my defence against you, and all your assaults. Ye not only indulge your selves, to use most hard and uncivil Language against me, but against that Wa•• professed by me▪ called by you, the Contagion of Quakerism, and the peculiar Plague of this Age; saying, in Quakerism ye see the vomit cast forth, in the by-past Ages, by whole Kennels of these Creatures, for whom the Apostle has found a Name, licked up again for a new Digestion, and once more exposed for the Poyson of Mankind; and it is especially

(say ye) the more ignorant, and unwary, and envious part of Mankind which it is adepted unto; and abundance more of this sort: Which is a shame to hear, or read such odd kind of dirty words, enough to defile the Air, &c. but it is no new or strange thing that Light should be put for Darkness, and Good called Evil, and Blessed are ye, said Christ to his Disciples, when men shall speak all manner of Evil against you, falsly for my sake; if they have called Christ a Blasphemer, &c. what may his Ser∣vants expect? So used the Papists and Popish Clergy to abuse the primitive Protestants, the sincere sort and part of which, who, from true inward Conviction of Truth, and zeal to Truth, did witness against the corrupt Do∣ctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome, we cordially own, and have unity with their Testimony against the same. And though ye four seek to gain applause and praise from the ignorant Multitude, as if ye were mainly con∣cerned to defend the Principles of the Prote∣stant Religion, against the Quakers, yet I que∣stion not but to make it appear, that the People called Quakers are better and truer Protestants than your selves, and whatever was of Truth, and true Doctrine, and true Christian Practice, or is among all the sorts of Protestants, we do own it, according to our knowledge and ability, and deny nothing of what was ever, or is true among them, only

what is no true part of true Protestant Do∣ctrine, but dross, or dreg, and refuse, that did or doth cleave to any or all that go under that Name of Protestants or Protestant Churches, we do justly renounce and disown; and this is not to turn Apostates, but to go forward, and follow the Lord in his further leadings and dis∣coveries; for Luther (after whom, and those that did own him, the Protestants were so call'd) did plainly acknowledge, That the Light of the Gospel that did shine in his time, was a certain sign of the glorious appearance of our Lord and Saviour Christ, and like the Morning Red that appeareth, be ore the everlasting Day, and rising of the Son of Righteousness, see cap. 12. pag. 198. of his Mensalia, and therefore Luther did ac∣count the Light that shined in him, and his Brethren, but as the twi-light before the Sun arise; and it is certain, that men cannot see well in the twi-light, to discern many things; and ye your selves will and do acknowledge, that both Luther and Calvin had their mistakes, and yet ye will not allow your selves to be A∣postates, that ye agree not with them in these Mistakes; and Luther did prophesie of a hor∣rible Darkness that was to follow after his time, cap. 7. p. 130. of that Book; and is not this fullfilled in great part over the generality of Protestants, as well Lutherans, as others that go under the Name of Protestants, not to mention the People ca••led Quakers, whom ye

will not reckon to be so considerable as to have caused such a dark Cloud or shadow to over∣spread, it is manifest to the impartial, that these called Protestants, or first Reformers, as in too many things they fell short, and retain∣ed too many Reliques of Popish Doctrines and Practices, so in other things they did run into Extreams, as is too common for men to do, out from the middle path; and since Prote∣stants generally own the holy Scriptures as the only supream outward Rule, and Standard, and publick Test and Touchstone, whereby to try all Doctrines and Practices of Christian Religion, the which also we do, it is evident, that what∣soever Doctrine or Practice is agreeab e to the holy Scripture, is both Christian & Protestant; and there are no Principles of Doctrine recei∣ved by us, in opposition to Popery, but what we have great Numbers, not only a•• good, but better Protestants than your selves, receiving the same Doctrine, as may in t••me be made appear, and not only confirm'd with Scripture-Authority; but with a••tient Writers, acknow∣ledged by you to have been truly Pious. The narrow-spirited party in New-England, and in some other parts of the world, who too unchristianly judge all others who differ from them in some matters of Doctrine, to be He∣reticks, Impostors, &c. are so far from being the whole Body of Protestants, that they are but a very small and inconsiderable part there∣of,

especially ye call'd Independents And tho' ye upbraid the People cal••'d Quakers with Novelty, saying, The Novelty of the Sect proves their Falsity, because a Quaker said, anno 1659. it is now about 7 years since the Lord raised us up; yet this doth nothing militate against the Quakers, more than against you called In∣dependents and Presbyterians, for your being raised up or appearing in the World under such a Name and Model of Doctrine, Disci∣pline, Ministry, and as peculiarly distinguish∣ed from other Societies, and by your peculiar circumstances is but Novel, and o•• late years; for ye cannot trace your b••ginning, as such, higher than the Brownists, so called, of Am∣sterdam in Qu. Elizabeth's dayes, from which ye have not a little degenerated, both in Do∣ctrine and Life; and your present Model is yet later, and but erected since New-England was planted with English People, scarce seventy years ago; and in respect of Novelty there is no great odds betwixt seven Years and seventy Years, ye••, or seven hundred Years; for that Religion & Doctrine w••ich cannot be proved to be as old as the ••rophets and Apostles, yea, in some sort from the beginning, is not true, but false: It is a true saying of some antient Writers, Antiquissima quid verissima, i. e. The truest Principles of Doctrine are the most Antient: and as the Protestants used to answer the Papists, when they queried, Where their

Religion was before Luther? saying, Where Popery was not, to wit, in the holy Scriptures sufficiently declared: we can say the same. If we prove our Doctrine to be warranted from the Scripture, as we have done, and are able still to do, throug•• Gods help, we prove our Religion to be antient enough. And tho' one called a Quaker said or writ, anno 1659: that they were raised up seven Years agone, this doth not infer the Newness of their Religion, but at most, that at that time they were but newly come to the true knowledge and faith of it, even as when an Infidel is converted but this year to the faith of Christ, it doth not follow, that the faith of Christ is not elder than his Conversion: Its true, the Name Quakers were not given till about the Year afore-mentioned, nor had they such Discove∣ries and Knowledge of Truth before, as then, yet that doth not hinder, but the Truth then rev••aled unto them, was from the beginning; Men see not the light of the Sun un••il they be born into the World, yet the same ••ight was in the World some Thousands of Years before they were born. Not one of these twelve Principles in debate ••etwixt you and us, but I can bring Testimonies of Protestant Writers, of great note and account, holding with us, as may in due time appear. After ye have railed against me, after a most unchristian and licen∣tious manner, ye say, Ye will give no further

Reply unto, but what the Arch-Angel gave to a Railing Accusation. But if ye think it worthy of Imitation, to follow the Example of the Arch-Angel now at last, why did ye not so at first? Why did not the answer of the Arch-Angel suffice you at first, to have given me? What is this but to abuse the Scripture, first to use an extraordinary Licentiousness of Rai∣ling Accusations against me, and then to con∣clude, ye will bring no Railing Accusa••ion, unless ye Repent you of your former Rai••ing and Reviling Speeches against me and my Friends? I call them justly railing Speeches, because they are false, and grounded upon false Surmises & Allegations that ye can never prove; but what I have charged on y••u is true, and I have proved it, and can more abundantly do. And whereas ye are big ••ith hope, that ye have now furnished New-England with an Antidote against that f••lsly called by you, The Contagion of Quaker sin. If the cloud of Prejudice that are in many or most of the People, were re∣moved, your Antidote would prove very mean and ineffectual. It is the unhappiness of too many, the ••rejudice of their Education, and that they have suckt in false Principles almost with their Mothers Milk, and a too great cre∣dulity to false Teachers, all which in due time God wi••l remove; and I believe, That ye call you Antidote, may prove to many, an occasion to discover your Nakedness, Ignorance and

Unsoundness of Doctrine, more than formerly Ye tell us of a sort of Quakerism not long since broached in Italy, called Quierists; but ye find fault with ••ome of the Quakers among you, That they disturb the quiet o•• all that are about them. As for the Quietists, so called, in Italy, they have not been so quiet but they have made a great noise in the World; however, that they either are, or have called themselves Quakers, doth not appear, and their Principles and ours sufficiently differ. But it will not prove, that the Quakers are not a quiet and peaceable People, that they witness against false Doctrine and Unchristian Practices; for so did the quiet and peaceable Christians of old, and so did the Apostles, who yet were said to turn the World upside down, by their false Accusers.

Ye seem to rejoyce and glory, that the Reli∣gion of the Quakers hath got place but in some more obscure nooks and corners of New-England: And what doth this prove against the truth of their Religion, or what doth it give you of glorying, more than that there was no room for Christ in the Inn, after he was born? and the Foxes (i. e. the false Teachers) have holes, and the Fowles of the Air (i. e. proud and airy men) have nests, but the Son of Man, even Christ (and his blessed Doctrine) hath scarce where to lay his head. It was not the better for the Gadareus rejoycing, that Christ de∣parted

out of their Coasts. In the close of your Preface ye presume to prophesie, as if some Enthusiastical efflatus or breathing had got hold of you, although ye are declared E∣nemies to the Spirit of Prophecy, or divine Inspiration now remaining, where ye say, The day is at hand when our blessed Saviour will purifie his Temple, and sweep Quakerism, with other Defilement, o••t of it, &c. But in opposition to this your false Prophecy, I believe, and am well perswaded, that the holy Truth and Doctrine witnessed unto by ••he honest and sin∣cere Quakers, so call'd, which ye call Quaker∣ism, the day hastneth that God will abundant∣ly plant it, both in New-England, and in all other parts of the World; for every plant of Gods planting, will grow, and fill the Earth with fruit, in due time, and what he hath not planted, will be rooted up. But how think ye, shall Quakerism, as ye call it, be sweeped out of Gods Temple? hath it then got place in Gods Temple in New-England? what is that Temple, is it your Presbyterian and Inde∣pendent Churches, or any part of them? Or how can Quakerism, which ye hold so poyson∣ous, that it destroyeth all men, and maketh them who hold it to be No Temple or Church of God, but Apostates and Infidels, Denyers of God and Christ, &c. have any place in the Temple of God? But this is none of the least of your many Contradictions.

CAP. I.

PAge 1, ye alledge, That by my over-liberal Concessions I have given cause to my Brethren, ••alled Quakers to judge of me as the Papists judge of Bellarmine and Erasmus, who professing to be Catholicks, yet yeilded too much to the Prote∣stants. And p. 2. ye say, It is apparent that he hath mig••••••ly betrayed the cause he undertoo•• to patro∣nize. But all his is but your bare affirmation, without any proof; I have conceded to nothing but what both the hol•• Scriptures & the Quakers Doctrine, rightly & duly understood, wi••l bare me out in: I should know the Quakers better than any of you, and their t••ue Principles, ha∣ving been so long, ••nd so much conversant with them, and in unity with them; but ye neither rightly know the Quakers Doctrine nor them, and ye are not willing to learn, but after the manner of all such as were declared Enemies to the Christian Religion, ye charge false things upon them, which they no wise hold, as Celsus and other Heathen Philosophers used to charge the antient Christians, to whose false Accusa∣tions Tertullian, Justin, Origen, Arnobius and many others did solidly answer. And so, in your Imagination ye make a ridiculous thing, and call it a Quaker, and then fight against it,

being your own shadow; yet this is not to justifie ••ny unsound words that possibly may have dropped from some ignorant & unsound persons, called Quakers; for as ye judge not your selves obliged to own any unsound words or practices of any called Presbyterians or In∣dependents, no more are we to own any or every thing said or done by them who may be called Quaker••, or may call themselves so, but yet are not one with us in spirit and doctrine. And seeing ye only mention G. F. but cite none of his words, ye had as good done no∣thing; I know not wherein I differ f••om G. F. in Doctrine, and •• judge I know him much bett••r than ye: If it were needful I could produce plain and evident Testimo••ies from my friends printed Books long before mine, that my Doctrine is one with theirs: But what doth it advantage you? The design of my writing to you was to convince you of Error, and that in a friendly way, if ye could have received it; and whatever be the Doctrine of the Quakers, ye are concerned to answer to the things charged against you, or confess your Error.

Pag. 4. Ye say of me, as if Benhadad seems to be risen again, citing 1 Kings 20.10. But as I am not Benhadad in the case, so nor are ye the King of Israel.

P. 5. Ye call my Epistle to the People of N. England, Paltry Stuff, but ye only say it,

and that is all, and this is most generally, or rather universally your way, to say and dictate things Magisterially, without proof; and since it is so, ye might have taken a more easy way, and as effectual, to have only said, to every passage and argument in my Book, as it is reported, how one refuted Bellarmine, say∣ing only to every passage and period in his Book, Thou lyest, Bellarmine.

Ye say, ye have turned your Minds to the Light o•• Christ within you, as well as ye can, and it tells you, that my assertions are bold, presumtious and hereti••al. But ••ake heed of such ignorant Blasphemy, and cease your Mockage. The Light of Christ within you, that I directed you, and all unto, is that Light of divine Inspiration and Revelation which is common, in some measure, unto you, and all men; but this ye do not believe, & therefore ye have not turned your Minds unto it, nor hearkened to the voice of it. And whereas I said, It is the same Spirit that giveth to all Readers a right un∣derstanding of Scripture, ye ask, Why then have not all the same understanding o•• it? but contra∣dictory, the answer is easie, because all do not duly believe in it, as my following words make clear. Then ye accuse my following words, as guilty of contradiction, because I said, If ye believe in Christ the Light, &c. and joyn your minds to his inward divine Illumina∣tion, he will anoint the Eyes of your Under∣standing,

and then your Eyes shall be opened, which ye put this silly and impertinent gloss upon, I•• ye will see of your selves, then ••e will give you ability to see; and then ye scoffingly add, This may be no Contradiction in a Quaker's Logick. But his is not my Logick, but your Perversion; for as blind as ye are, ye are not altogether blind, as Christ said to the Phari∣sees, John 9.41. I ye were blind, ye should have no sin, &c. and if ye were faithful to what ye already see and know, your Eyes should be further opened: And this i•• good sence, and no Contradiction; and what ye see or know of Truth, in the least thing, ye see it not of your selves, but it is given you to see by that Light, which ye blaspheme, calling it, Ignis Fatuus, and a stinking vapour from Hell.

In pag. 6. ye alledge a most abominable Falshood upon me, as that I said in my Epistle, That the quickening in a man, as it abides, it is impossible it should perish. This is an absolute piece of Forgery, as much as ever Tho. Hicks coyned against W. Penn; I use no such words, and nothing but Malice can put such a gloss upon my words, which are these, p. 5. of my Epistle, And every Soul that is thus quickned and made alive unto him, as it doth hold fast this be∣ginning (viz. of the good Work of God in it, &c.) and as it here abideth, it is impossible that it can perish: Where my words say, the SOUL cannot perish that abideth faithful, &c.

And this is good sence, and well warranted by Scripture, 2 Pet. 1.10. For if ye do these things ye shall never fall; which according to your absurd Logick is as if he had said, If ye never fall, ye shall never fall; or if Grace continue, it cannot be lost; this Non-fence and Absurdity ye charge upon me, is yours, and not mine.

Pag. 7. Because I said, the holy Scriptures are a sufficient outward Rul•• and Standard, whereby to try all Doctrines of men, ye most grosly, (as is your general manner) pervert my words, as if I did intimate, as if God taught us one thing by his Word, and another by his Spirit; The contrary whereof I have suffici∣ently asserted in my Book; for what the Scrip∣ture saith outwardly, th•• Spirit saith the same inwardly, and the Testimony of these two, to wit, that of the Scripture without, and that of Gods Spirit wi••hin, cannot dif∣fer or disagree. Next, ye blame me for not making Practices, as well as Doctrines, lyable to this Test. I Answ. And so I do; for all commanded Practices of a holy Life are con∣tained under that head of Doctrines, for things to be done, as well as things to be believed, are be∣longing to the Christian Doctrine, as the ten Commandments, and all other Moral and E∣vangelical Precepts and Dutites witnessed of in the holy Scriptures. And why ye should blame me for calling the Scriptures an Out∣ward Rule, showeth your inclination more to

Cavil than to Dispute, as men of solid Reason: Are not the Scriptures an outward thing? and if an outward thing, then an outward Rule, seeing they are a Rule, as is confessed ••y us both; and Protestants commonly call the Scriptures the external or outward Word, wit∣ness the Augustine Confession, published by Protestants, Article 5. And is not the External Word the External Rule? and doth not the external or outward Word, intimate that there is an inward Word, that is the inward Rule? and these two agree in one, and can never differ, as an inward Dom••nstration of any natural Science, doth ag••ee with the outward, set down in w••it or print on Paper. And tho' I call the Scripture an outward Rule, yet I denie not but it hath a real service in the hand and management of the Spirit, to regulate our inward Apprehensions and Conceptions of all Christian Doctrine, as well as our outward words and Actions, and so it may be called an Organ••••al and Instrumental Rule, in respect of the Spirit of God inwardly witnessing, which is the principal. Nor do I in the least retract what I have said, as ye weakly alledge, when •• ••ay, There are many things wherein God doth reveal of his Counsel to his Children, which are not in Scripture, either expresly or consequentially, wherein I give a five fold instance at least, that though ye cannot disprove, ye boldly, but Ignorantly contradict, contrary to the blessed

and solid Experience of Thousands; for these things instanced, as for a man to know his in∣ward state be••ore God, &c. and for a Minister to know his inward Call, and a Christian to know both his call to pray in vocal Prayer or in Publick, and returns o•• his Prayer from God in secret; they are no matters of Christian Doctrine, be∣longing to the common Faith o•• common Duty of all Christians, but only are relative to a Christians private Condition and Consolation; for no Doctrine or Precept in all the Scripture requireth me to believe, or to know, whether many, or one by name, besides my self, be in a justified state, &c. but it belongs to me in particular, & therfore it is no part of the com∣mon Doctrine, or Faith, or Practice of the Christian Religion, to believe for another, or others, but every one to believe for himself. And that ye alledge, p. 9. that Lucas should say, Any Quaker, if he ••as a mind to it, may make as good a Book himself, as the Book of the holy Scriptures, is out a fal••e alledgance, from a Fo••ger of Lyes against the Truth, and is sufficiently refuted by N. Lucas's ••••i••ted De∣claration, solemnly denying, That ever he so spoke or thought, printed in the Appendix of G. W. to W. P's Book, call'd, Reason against Railing, being an Answer to Tho. Hick's Forge∣ries against the Quakers, see p. 11. of the said Appendix. And whereas Henry Stout was re∣ferred unto, as a witness against N. Lucas, he 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

And thus ye give away your cause fairly; for that work of the Spirit is a real inward Evi∣dence, Word and Testimony, or Witness of a Truth, not contained in the Scripture, neither expresly nor consequentially, viz. That A. B. or J. C. hath the in••allible Marks of a justified man; for whereas ye use to resolve your assur∣ance into a practical Syllogism, thus, Every one that hath such infallible Marks of a j••stified man, is justified, But A. B. hath such infallible Marks, Therefore A. B. is a j••stified Man. The which Practical Syllogism having two Propositions, the first is warranted by Scripture, but the second is no where warrant••d by any place of Scripture, viz. that A B. or J. A. or J. M. or S. W. or C. M. hath these infalli••le Marks. This is the only work of the Spirit, which ye confess, is neither Scripture nor Scripture Con∣sequence, and yet discovereth a great Truth, and very swee•• and precious to such who have it; and though the Scripture be instrumental to warrant the first Proposition, yet we find no Scripture to warrant the second, viz. that A. B. or any of you have such infallible Marks; or if ye have any such Scripture warrant, pro∣duce it, otherwise acknowledge your rash undertaking.

The second Instance, that refers to an in∣ward Call to the Ministry, ye reject, and say, It runs upon the same fool••sh Notion with the former. Ye say it, indeed, and that is all,

but say nothing to prove it to be so; yea, by your saying it, ye show what sort of Ministers ye are, to wit, That ye are no Ministers of the Spirit of God, which is inwa••d in all his true Ministers, and as he is inward, and inwardly in-dwelling, so his Call and Motion is inward∣ly revealed.

And though ye make a great noise, as if ye were mighty Defenders of the Christian and Protestant Doctrine, against the Quakers in these and other things, ye the Q••akers, so called, are the best Christians an Protestants in these very Doctrine; ••or have not many Protestant Ministers, who never had any out∣ward Call from Pope, or Clergy, or People, al∣ledged the inward Call of God in their hearts, to the work of the Ministry, as well as the inward assistance ••f the Spirit of God in the exercise of it, which yet h••th no Scripture to prove, that such a particular man hath it. Calvin in his Institutions saith expresly, That God did raise up in his Day, if not Prophets and Apostles, yet Evangelists, to reform the Church. And Luther declaring his inward Call to the Ministry, saith, He was (as it were) tugg'd by his Hair to the Office of the Ministry, see cap. 1. pag. 11. Mensal. And surely this was an in∣ward call, & had great inward sensible evidence. And cap. 11. p. 19. of Gods Word, he saith, Sectaries and Seducers know to preach much of Christ, but seeing they feel him not in their hearts,

they leave the right ground of the Ministry. A∣gain, p. 3. c. 1. he citeth divers Scriptures to prove, That God and the holy Spirit speaketh now in true Ministers of Christ, as he did in the Pro∣phets and Apostles, as where Christ said, It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father, which speaketh in you; and where Peter said, Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost. Both which place, with others, Luther applyeth to true Ministers in his day; and yet when we commonly bring these places, the common answer of Presbyterians and Indepen∣dents, is, That these places of Scripture were ful∣filled to the Prophets and Apostles, but not to any men in our days. And tho' ye upbraid the Qua∣kers Doctrine with Novelty, yet in the former instance concerning a mans being assured infal∣libly of his Election and eternal Salvation, as the Testimony of the Scripture is for us, so of Antiquity; for Augustine saith expresly, lib. 11. de Civit. dej. c. 12. What man knoweth, that he shall finally pe••severe in the Action and Progress of Righteousness, unless he be certain by some Revelation from him, who doth not teach all of this thing, by his just and secret judgment, but deceiveth no man. Where it is plain, that according to A••gustine, who lived above 1200 years ago, That all who begin in true Piety, do not persevere; and That no man can know that he shall persevere, without divine inward Revelation. In both which he contradicteth you, and con∣firmeth

the Doctrine of the People called Quakers: And yet, though Augustine be a Saint in your esteem, the Quakers for holding the same thing, must be Apostates, and no charity allowed them to be Christians. And as noted and well accounted Protestants say the same with us, as Grotius, and the Remonstrants generally, who are all better Protestants in Doctrine than your selves, whether ye wi••l acknowledge it or not. I had not medled to cite any other Authors but Scriptures, but that ye would needs be so impertinent as to state the Debate betwixt you and us, as if the Qua∣kers Doctrine were a meer Novelty, and only ne••ly started up to undermine the Protestant Doctrine. Whereas we have more and better Protestants with us, than ye have. Ye had done better not to have brought the Contro∣versie ••o this issue, as if the Quakers were not P otestants, when we can easily prove our Doctrine, in all these twelve Particulars, to be warranted by Protestants, of better and more famous account than your selves.

In my Third Instance, ye pervert my words, after your wonted manner, saying, p. 14. That I hold, men are to tarry for an inward call to pray, or perform any Religious Duty. But I did not say so, but that every true Christian should know his inward Call to pray or give thanks, from Psal. 27.8. which ye wholly pass by unanswer∣ed. Now to Know the inward call is one thing,

and to Tarry for it, is another; some inward calls are to be waited for, as when a duty is not alwayes required of a man, but only at certain times, as vocal Prayer, &c. But all such Duties as are continually required of us to be done at all times, as To believe in God, To love God, To fear him, yea, and continually to pray unto him with inward breathings and desires, have a continual inward call and command, that needeth to be known, although it is given, and no man should suppose it will be wanting to him to do every thing that is his continual Duty.

Pag. 16. Ye say, Ye deny not but the Spirit of God doth still put an impulse on the Spirits of his People frequently, but ye query, Is it self-evident, or must not the warrantableness of it be tryed by Scripture rules? I Answ. It is self-evident, and yet may be tryed by the warrantableness of Scriptu••e Rules; but the warrantableness of a practice doth not prove in the least the impulse or m••tion to be divine; for a wrong or evil Spirit may move a man to do a thing that is not unlawful or unwarrantable in it self, as to take a Journey from England to America, and yet if he obey such a motion or impulse, he should not do well, and might suffer great hurt thereby. And if a divine impulse have no self-evidence, or some inward self-eviden∣cing Light to discover it to be divine, it is good for nothing, for it leaveth a man still in

the dark, and at uncertainty; surely Gods in∣ward leadings are sure & certain, as thousands to Gods praise can witness against all your ignorant, but presumptious Assertions, without ••••l Proof And ye say, I tell you, that Phillip, Peter, and others, were extraordinaryly called to such and such Services; where ye pervert my words; for I do not say of these particular Services mentioned by me there, that they w••re extraordinarily called un••o them; for to go to a place, or Persons, to preach the Gos∣pel, is no extrao••dinary, but ordinary inward Call of Gods Servants in all Ages, though Peter, and the other Apostles, had in other cases extraordinary Calls and Revelations.

That place in James 4.15. If the Lord will, ye u••derstand it only of divine Providence, permitting any man to do what he wi••leth, if not forbidden in Scripture. But as this is meerly begged by you, without all proof, but your bare affirmation, so it is altogether absurd; for how many do rash and hurtful things both to themselves and their Families, which yet are not forbidden by Scripture, as for a man to leave one place, and remove to another beyond Seas, is not forbidden in Scrip∣ture, and yet if he undertake such a thing, meerly because divine Providence doth not outwardly stop him, by some cross event, without the inward sence and approbation of divine will, inwardly permitting or allowing

him, he may have cause to repent it all his daye••; for m••ny by so doing, have fallen into g••eat Inconven••encies. Ye are miserable com∣forters that wi••l not allow to People that pri∣viledge, that they may wait to know Gods divine good Will and Approbation in their hearts, in their removals from one place to another, and in other weighty concerns of this Life. And as concerning Marriages, ye do allow People to ask Gods mind and cou••sel with whom to joyn in Marriage, and if they are not to expect a return of their Prayers, otherwise than a bare outward permission of divine Providence: What is this but to mock God, and deceive poor People? But to Gods praise many can say, they have both sought and received Gods counsel, with whom to joyn in Marriage, and because thereof have found their Marriage made both blessed and comfortable unto them in the midst of all Tryals.

Pag. 17. Ye call my saying, That God an∣swers the returns of the Prayers of his People, &c. A Quakerism, i. e. Non-sence; I pity your Ignorance, and want of Experience. May not the frequent and reiterated Prayers of his People, for the same thing, be called, the Returns of their Prayers? as when a Child re∣turneth again and again to seek a thing of his Father; and that God answereth these reiter∣ated and returning Prayers, as in Pauls Case,

who Prayed for one thing thrice, thousands can witness, though to you this is Nonsen••e, because ye have neither sence nor salt in your selves to descern it; It is a great encourage∣ment to pray unto God, that we find him to answer us by his living voice and speech in us; and when God speaketh to us Scripture words or promises by his living voice and speech in us, it is a new Revelation and divine Inspi∣ration to us, although not of any new doctrine, for there may be thousands of new and distinct Revelations of the same Doctrine, as there may be a thousand sights and eyes beholding the same thing, and a thousand Voices speak∣ing the same thing, and all these Voices are new and distinct, and yet the thing spokon is one and the same, and Ancient, and not New.

Pag. 18. That the word of the Lord grew and multiplied, ought to be understood as well extensively, in respect of multitude of living Testimonies, as Intensively, in respect of Efficacy; for there was both at that time; and though there was no new Doctrines, yet there were new, and that manifold and frequent living Testimonies to the same Doctrine; and therefore the Word it self was properly encreased and multiplied.

Ye blame me for saying, Christ and his Apostles expounded the scriptures by Inspiration, and yet taught no new Doctrine▪ but it seemeth ye have forgot that Paul said the same, Acts 26.22.

for all that Christ and the Apostles taught and enjoyned, was either declared or fore-told by the Prophets lo••g before; therefore the Doctrine was the same for substance, and the Gospel was preached to Abraham, and to the Prophets, but after Christs Resurrection, the Dispensation of it was more clear, and full.

Pag. 19. ye blame me for Charging that upon you in the 12th Article which ye never believed, much less pro••essed, viz. that the Scrip∣tures ought to be believed only for their own out∣ward evidence and Testimony, and not for the inward Evidence and Testimony of the holy spirit in mens hearts. But in this ye are equally im∣pertinent, as in most other things, as I have showed in my Answer to Cotton Mather, to which I refer more at large. Ye say, The scrip∣ture is the only Rule o•• Faith, and hath a Self-evidence, but the inward Testimony and Witness of the Spirit hath no Self-evidence, but as some have called it, Medium incognitum assentiendi, i. e. and unknown middle or mean of assenting; and that ye deny all Inspiration and Revelation, properly so called, all this proveth you guilty in the sight of all impartial men, for to talk of an evidence or witness among men, that hath not a certainty or Self-evidencing Authority in it, by it self, is absurd and illegal; he who is a witness or evidence among men must not borrow his evidence from another; and to

say the Spirit of God in his inward teaching and illumination hath no proper and self evi∣dence, as it derogates from the Glory of it, so it is as absurd as to say, the Suns light at noon day hath no evidence of its own, but men must light a Candle to let people see the suns light at noon; This is rare Logick of yours.

Ye insinuate, I se••k out more sences of the word Logos than it can bear, without Tautologi s; but if these be Tautologies the English Transla∣tion of the bible hath made them, and not I, and yet a true difference can be assigned by School-boyes, betwixt Communication, as pass••ng be∣twixt two or more, and words of talk and speech, that may be of one, when none doth answer.

Pag. 20. ye will have the word of God com∣pared to Bread, Rain and Dew, only for the efficacy o•• it, and not for the extent and plenty of it; but for this we have your bare authority, contrary bo••h to Scripture and Experience of thousands, who witness the Word of God plentifully to dwell in them, like to the drops of Rain and Dew for plenty of the divine droppings and showerings of it, as well as for efficacy.

Ye grant, The Scriptures are both by Metaphor and Metonyme called the Words and Word of God; and in so doing ye give away your cause unto the Quakers, for we say the same, al∣though the great out-cry hath been against us, that we do not allow the Scriptures to be pro∣perly

& without all figure of metaphor or meto∣nyme, the words and word of God: And since ye thus agree with us, I see not how ye can call us Apostates for gain-saying you in this particular.

Pag. 21. Ye say, I confound the Metonymie officientis with a Metonyme signi: but I say ye prevaricate; for I neither mention the one nor the other, but the examples brought by me signifie both these kinds of Metonyme with∣out confusion, for Moses books are called Moses, by the Metonyme Efficientis, and Isaiah his book is called his vision, by the Metonyme Signi.

CAP. II.

I Shall briefly take notice of your Perversions and Omissions in this Chapter, and so pro∣ceed to the end; for it is but wasting time and paper, both which are to be better bestowed than to follow you at large.

Ye disown the word Inspiration, as given in our dayes, Pag. 22. wherein, as ye are singular, so ye are inferior to the Church of England, who for all your pretence to spiri∣tuality of Worship, and Praying by the spirit, yet are short of them; for they, in divers places of the Common Prayer, pray for Inspi∣ration, and the Scots Confession of Faith, in John Knox's dayes, says expresly, That Faith is the Inspiration of the holy Ghost: And there∣fore your Ignorance and Prejudice doth here plainly appear, and instead of defending the

Protestant Religion ye but betray it and ••o∣nounce it; for sober Protestants, both Epis••o∣pal and Presbyterian do own Inspiration which ye plainly deny.

Pag. 23. The Scriptures that both ••he As∣sembly and ye cite, That divine In••pirations and Revelations are ceased, to wit, of Antient Do∣ctrine (for we plead for no New Doctrines) are wholly from your purpose, as 2 Tim. 3.6, 17. Heb. 1.1, 2. & Prov. 2.19. or any others; for notwithstanding all these Scriptures, divine Inspirations, and new internal divine Revelations continued in the Church after all this, in and with the Apostles. But ye grosly pre••••ricate, by your unfair way of answering, That there was no New Revelation of any New Doctrine, or New Doctrinal Truth; And thus ye think to elude my Arguments before the Eyes of igno∣rant Readers. But this mean Art of yours will not do, for ye fight against your own Shadow, and not against our Doctrine; for we assent no New Revelation of any New Doctrine, but of the Antient Doctrine abundantly delivered to the Prophets and Apostles; but as their Faith could not save us, so nor could their in∣ward Inspiration and Revelation.

Pag. 27. Ye blame me, for pleading for ex∣traordinary Revelations, such as the Apostles had; which is a gross Perversion, and plain Contra∣dictory to my words; for I told you, that the distinction of Ordinary and Extraordinary Re∣velation,

may in a true fence well be admitted, and the Prophets and Apostles had both ordi∣nary and extraordinary; we plead for the ordi∣nary Revelations they had common to them, with other Saints, but not for the extraordinary they had; whereas your Confession denyeth all sort of Revelation.

Again, ye blame me for confounding Inspiration, Revelation and Illumination; but I say, they are one and the same thing, and it is great Non-sence to seperate or divide them; and all the differences betwixt them that ye alledge, are meerly begged and affirmed, but not in the not least proved. Ye should remember, ye are not now in the pulpits, where people take things on trust for your bare Authority, but that your Book is gone abroad; ye should bring better Proofs than bare Assertions. 1st, Ye say, Ill••mination is common to all Believers, Inspira∣tion is peculiar to some: But this last is denyed, not only by us, but by the Church of England, and the Scots Confession of Faith in John Knox's days, and by the general sence of antient Wri∣ters, especially Augustine, who frequently mentioneth Inspiration in his Works. 2dly, Ye say, Illumination ordinarily accompanies the diligent use of the means; Inspirations, ye say, usu∣ally come upon men, without using any means for them. But this second distinction is also meer∣ly begged; Illuminations and Inspirations come ••t times with the outward means, and at

times without them, and yet not without all means, very frequently even out∣ward; for both the Prophets and Apostles used means to prepare them to receive divine Inspirations and Revelations, and in the use of means received them frequently; for Acts 10. while Peter went up upon the house top to pray, about the sixth hour, he had a divine Revelation; and when Peter preached to Cor∣nelius, and others, the holy Ghost fell upon them; and as they ministred to the Lord, and fasted, to wit, certain Prophets and Teachers, Acts 13.2. the holy Ghost said, Seperate me Paul and Barnabas, &c. It is great ignorance, and want of Experience in divine Mysteries, to think, that divine Inspirations and Revela∣tions are without all means, or tend to make either outward or inward means void and use∣less; for commonly and generally, all ordinary divine Revelations come in the use of some means or another, as hearing, reading, prayer, meditation, watching, and silent inward waiting, all which are means, and most especially and alwayes in the exercise of true Obedience unto God. Your 3d Distinction is to as little pur∣pose, viz. That Illumination becomes habitual, but Inspiration is transient; for if by Habitual ye understand permanent and abiding, Illumi∣nations and Inspirations may be, and are per∣manent, of some sorts, and of other sorts transient or passing. Your 4^th Distinction is

also vain and idle, as that illumination encreaseth grad••ally, but not so Inspiration; for they may and do increase or decrease, according to the various kinds of them, and he who is faithful to God may expect his Inspirations daily to be in∣creased, & continued with him. Lastly, Ye say, Illumination is alwayes understood, whenas Inspi∣rations sometimes are not understood; but no more is Illumination alwayes und••rstood; yea, how many have a divine Illumination, and yet un∣derstand it not? and ye your selves deny that Illumination hath a Self-evidence, so th••n it would be objective Revelation, and fit to be the Rule of Faith and Life, which ye deny, saying, the Scripture is the ONLY Rule.

Pag. 28. The Saint. Experience of inwa••d enjoyments of God and Ch••ist, beyond all words, warranted from 1 Cor. 2.9, 10. Ye call, a Rapsody in commendation o•• our silent Meetings; but this is a poor evasion and ans∣wet to so weighty a place of Scripture, with divers others adjoyned; But blind men cannot judge of Colours.

Pag. 29. My Comparison taken from the outward teaching of humane Sciences, that presuppose some inward Principles of natural Knowledge in the Learners, whereby to show the consistency and harmony of outward tea∣ching of divine things, and the inward teach∣ing by the Spirit, as presupposed in part, and in the other part accompanying the outward

Teaching, ye understand it not, and therefore ye call it Impertinent, but impertinently talk against it; for I do not intend by the same to hold forth any New Revelation of any new Do∣ctrine, as I have oft to••d you, but a new Reve∣lation of antient Doctrine; and the comparison is proper and pertinent in this respect, that as outward teaching of natural things require an inward Principle and light of Knowledge, that is natural, so the outward teaching of spiritu∣al and divine things require an inward Prin∣ciple of divine and spiritual Knowledge, where∣by to enable the Soul to perceive them, other∣wise a man could be no more capable to know divine and spiritual things, than a Beast would be capable to know humane things; for as the spirit of a man teacheth man things of men, so the Spirit of God in men, teacheth them, who hearken thereto, the things of God.

Pag. 31. Ye blame me for putting a scurrelous Title upon that ye call the reverend Assembly, call∣ing them Faith-makers, who never pretended to any new Revelations of any article of Faith, more than is contained in Scripture. But as they pre∣tend not to that, so nor to any new Revela∣tion or Inspiration of that Doctrine which is contained in Scripture, and that is their great fault to deny all such Revelation, even of that Doctrine there contained; for without divine inward Revelation and Inspiration, the true Faith of the Doctrines contained in Scripture

canot be discovered, no more than we can see to read what is printed in a Book without light; and therefore their Faith is but a made Faith, and also that in the ignorance and blind∣ness of their minds they have made things Articles of Faith, which are false, and con∣trary to Scripture, and therefore I am not to be blamed for so calling them.

Pag. 33. By your granting, That there is a spiritual ••eeling and tasting, and intuitive Know∣ledge of God and divine things, ye give away your cause to the Quakers, and contradict your grand Principle, That there is no divine Imme∣diate Revelation; for intuitive knowledge is im∣mediate, and immediate knowledge must have an immediate Light and Revelation, as when I see a picture of a man in a Table, or read a discourse of him in a Book, that knowledge of him is only abstractive and discursive, as also when I see England only in a Map, and that is but remote and mediate knowledge; but when I see a man face to face in the clear light of the day, and see the Land of England it self, that Knowledge is Immediate and Intu∣itive. But tell me in good earnest, do ye in∣deed grant, that there is an Intuitive Knowledge of God, that is not discursive and abstractive, that is, certainly to see God, and to hear him, without a necessity of the interposition of words, or other means? I am sure this is Immediate Revelation, and I am as sure that ye

commonly deny it, and tell People, They shall no•• hear God, nor see him in this mortal Life; for the vision of God is r••served to the future life, as ye use to say. But ye say and unsay the same thing, a vice ye charge upon me, but are guilty therein yourselves. And granti••g it be so, that we have no Intuitive Knowledge of any divine Truth, whereof we had not a discursive Knowledge be∣fore, this saith nothing against our Principle, no more than that a man first hath a discursive knowledge of England, before he see it. We grant, the discursive k••owledge is serviceable, and commonly introductory to the intuitive, and yet both may consist together, though the intuitive excelleth the discursive, as far as the sight of the Land of England excelleth the sight of the bare Map of it. Discursive Know∣ledge cannot be without words, or pictures of things, and signs of them, but Intuitive Know∣ledge can be without all words & sign; & now if ye grant that men have a knowledge of God, and Christ, and divine Things, without all words, i. e. without the Scripture, ye fairly give away your cause; for if without Scrip∣ture, then surely by Immediate Revelation; for the Scriptures are the means ye say, altoge∣ther necessary to obtain all the knowledge of God that any have, or can have in this mortal Life. But for the better Information of the Reader, I say, the Scriptures are the usual necessary means (in God's ordinary way of working)

whereby men obtain the Doctr••nal and Dis∣c••••sive Knowledge of the Christian Faith and Religion. And seeing the doctrinal and discursive Knowledge is of great service to prepare the Souls of men for th•• intuitive and sensible Know∣ledge o•• God, that cometh after, that is, an immediate enjoyment of him, a taste and sight of him, that he is good and gracious; and also, seeing this intuitive and sensible know∣ledge of God is gradual, and is to encrease in the most advanced, and that the doctrinal knowledge hath still a preparatory service to the same, it followeth, that the holy Scriptures have a preparatory service and use to Gods Saints, while in the mortal Body; yet in so far as the end of this preparatory service is ans∣wered, by the Souls obtaining some degree of that intuitive and sensible knowledge of God, by the sight and taste of him, as inwardly re∣vealed in and through Christ, that immediate ••ervice and need of the Scripture, ceaseth, in respect of that degree of intuition, sight, taste, and sensible knowledge of God, that the Soul hath for that present time; even as when a Husbandman useth many means & instruments of Husbandry, to procure Bread, and other good Provisions for himself, the use of these means and instruments are alwayes necessary at times, and that frequently; but there are times that he enjoyeth the fruits of his labours, that he eateth, and drinketh, and is refreshed;

and when he sitteth down to eat and drink 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Table, he needeth not, in those intervals of time, to use his instruments of Husbandry, as the Plow, the Cart, the Hoe, &c. nor so much as at that time to think of them: And thus it is as touching the use and service of the Scriptures, and other outward helps and means, the use, and service, and profit of them is great to all the Saints and Children of God, in this mortal life, to the end of it, even as the use of the Instruments of Husban∣dry is to the Husband-man; but yet there are times of feeding in the House of God, where the Souls of the faithful, either together or apart, eat of the heavenly Bread, and drink of the heavenly Wine in the House and King∣dom of God; and these times are frequent; and at such times the need of Scripture words, and of all words that consist of Letters, do cease; as when a man eateth Bread and drink∣eth Wine, and hath his taste well, he needeth no words to tell him of the taste of it, he tasteth it without all words that the mouth can utter; and even so, the Children of God at times, yea, frequently taste of the goodness and sweetness of Christ, by an inward sensible taste, without all Scripture words, and without all present remembring of them, yet if at such times the Spirit of God bringeth them to their remembrance, they have a service, at least t•• ••ncrease the doctrinal and discursive know∣ledge

of God in them, and further to open the Mysteries of the Christian Doctrine, which is a great gift & blessing of God in its place.

Pag. 34. Ye alledge, I introduce an Hypo∣thesis that is a Castle in the Air, that they say, there is no sensible or intuitive knowledge of God in this Life. But I say, many or most of you expresly deny it, I mean, most of these call'd Presbyterians and Independents, as I have had to do with them before now, who have told me, There is no sensible knowledge of God at ••••ll, no sight, nor feeling, nor taste of him, and they give a reason for it, viz. That only bodily things could be seen, felt & tasted; but God being a Spirit, could neither be felt nor tasted; & tho' the Scri••∣ture use these words of seeing, tasting a a••d fe••l∣ing, they say, they are as improper and metaphorical as when it is said in Scripture, God hath Eyes, Hands and Feet, &c. Again, though ye seem to affirm it, yet it is in contradiction to your selves; for it is an absolute Contradiction to say, A man hath a sight of God, and taste and feeling of him, and yet hath no immediate discove∣ry and knowledge of him; as much as to say, I see and taste Wine, and yet I have no imme∣diate discovery or knowledge of it: All sensible knowledge is immediate, in regard of their Objects.

P. 34. Ye blame me that I say, ye preach alto∣gether an absent Christ; but ye wrong and per∣vert my words, as your manner is; my word••

are, p. 36. They preach altogether an absen•• Christ, as some of them say, Christ is not really and properly in his People; or if present, a Christ altogether dumb and silent, &c. So ye see, my words are not positive, but dis-junctive or alternative. But if I did say so, it is accor∣ding to your own Doctrine, though ye seem to contradict again; for do ye not generally accuse the Quakers for setting up a false Christ, because they preach him present, and in his Saints, yea, and in all men, in some respect▪ and as Pardon Tillinghast and Benj. Keech cal•• Christ in the heart a false Christ; so John Owen whom ye esteem your reverend Brother, in his Latine Treatise against us, answered by Sam. Fisher, saith, If Christ be in every Quaker, there are as many Christ, as Quakers. So you may see I do not wrong you; and your Assembly ye so much honour, say, It is blasphemy to say, the Saints are partakers of the Godhead. And this is to exclude Christ with a witness. And if some of you say, God and Christ are in the Saints, yet ye deny all immediate discovery, sight and revelation of them, objective, or by way of object, which is as g••eat Non-sence as to say, A Man converseth with his Wife in one House, eateth, drinketh, lodgeth with her, and hath fellowship with her, and yet she hath no immediate sight nor knowledge of him, which she must needs have, if she be not blind, sensless and stupid; and it is a most palpable

Contradiction in you to say, Men have a•• intuitive and sensible knowledge of God, that is distinct in specie from discursive knowl••dge, and yet God and his Spirit, in all his inward operations, giveth no self-evidence thereof, but is medium incognitum assentiendi, i. e an un∣known mean or Principle of assenting, as the School-men phrase it, particularly Robert Baron, Professor of Divinity at Aberdeen, in his Book, called, Apodixis Catholica de formali objecto fidei, against Jesuit Turnbul, more par∣ticularly cited in my Book of Immedi••te Reve∣lation.

Pag. 37. The different degrees of Revela∣tion, well warranted by Scripture, ye blasphe∣mously and ignorantly call Rabbinical Fopperies: That there is not only a gradual but specifical difference of divine Revelations, I never denyed.

CAP. III.

I Intend throughout principally to notice your gross Perversions, and other gross Abuses and Mistakes, which will in effect suf∣ficiently answer all ye have said, and leave my Book, and the evidence of Truth held forth in it, remaining in its full force and strength against you, and the rather, that the principal Controversies, viz. That o•• the Scriptures, and That of inward divine Revelation and Inspiration, i•• the more fully already here handled; for in∣deed

these two are the Basis and Pillars of the following Controversies.

Pag. 36. Ye pervert my words, as if I did affirm, That the Scriptures only were a Rule to try Doctrines betwixt men and men. But I nei∣ther mean nor say any such thing. I believe they are a Rule in the hand and management of the Spirit, to regulate our inward appre∣hensions and thoughts concerning all Christian Doctrines, and yet the Spirits inward Witness is the greater Rule.

Pag. 39. Ye say, To call the Spirit the Rule, •• Non-sence. I say, to call the Spirit (not ab∣stractly, but) conjunctly with his inward witnessing and speaking, is good sence to all, but such as you, who have not sence to under∣stand it. Ignatius, as I have said above, a more worthy man and precious Martyr of Jesus, Ep. 14. to Ephes. called the holy Spirit one Rule.

CAP. IV.

PAg. 41. Ye own, That natural and acquired Gifts of Letter Learning, (without a di∣vine Inspiration) are sufficient to qualifie a Go∣spel Minister; and that Grace and true Piety is only accidental; which, ye confess, may look black at first view. It is so far well, that since this is your Doctrine, that we have it under your hand, and it deserveth to be engraven in Capital Letters on the Doors of your Meeti••g

Houses, that the People may generally know it; for very many to whom I have told it could not believe it to be your Doctrine; but however, now it is a good proof th t y•• print it as yours. Another saying of yours, equally famous, and which deserveth the same equal inscription in Capital Letters, is, that ye say, It is no absurdity, t••at a man may be a true Minister, and not a true C••ristian. But how then can he beget any unto God? If he who is no true Christian can beget a true Christian by his Ministry, it will as easily follow, That he who is no man may beget a man; for as in spiritual generation, a man is but the Instru∣ment, so in the natural, when a man begets a man child, God is the great Maker and prin∣cipal Cause, and man the Instrument. But though ye would make the ignorant multitude believe, that your Doctrine in this is Protestant Doctrine, yet I say it is Popish, and ye have no other Argument but the Papists Arguments to defend it, to wit, some Perversions and false Glosses of some Scripture places, as, The Pha∣risees sit in Moses's C••air, &c. But Luther, who is judged, as it were, the Father of the Protestants, and whose followers were first called Protestants, hold with the Quakers a∣gainst you, and called them Sectaries and Se∣ducers that know how to preach much of Christ▪ but feel him not in their hearts, cap. 1. p. 19. Mens. ••s noted above. To my Arguments against

an impious Ministry, who have no true Piety, ye answer little, but with a strong Denyal, and so may any child or fool give a denyal to the strongest A••guments that can be b••ought; And seeing ye plead so expresly, That an Im∣pious Ministry is God's Ordinance, to wit, such as have no true Piety, it is no wonder that New-England abounds with such impious Ministers, for this Doctrine opens a door unto them.

Pag 42. Ye deny, Tha•• God gives you infal∣lible Rules, ordinarily and immediately, whereby to know mens hearts. It may be granted, they are not given to you, because ye believe not that which giveth a true discerning; but that Gods People, who are made alive unto him, and begot into his Image, being Chil∣dren of one Father, and having his seal upon them, are known one to another, where due watchfulness and diligence is used, and that kept in which giveth the true discerning, is not only a Christian Doctrine and Experience, but hath been the experience of some Presby∣terian Ministers, in their purest times, above seventy Years ago; witness The fulfilling of the Scriptures, a Book set out by a zealous Presby∣terian not v••ry long ago, who relateth, how Robert Bruce, a Presbyterian Preacher in Edin∣brough in Scotland, had a spirit of discerning, by which he freely declared to Robert Blair, That though his Sermon was elaborate, yet it had not the Spirit of God, although the Doctrine wa••

not blamed by him. And I have oft heard them say one to another, Let us go hear such a man, he is a living man, and hath a lively and powerful Ministry; and of others they would say, They were dead and dry. And seeing one living man can know another naturally, why cannot one spiritual man know another living spiritual ••an, spiritually? a Sheep can know a Sh••ep, and a Dove a Dove, and a Man can know a Man, and yet a Saint cannot know a Saint, by your Logick, viz. certainly and infallibly. And as to the word Immediately, used by you, I say, a Saint may know a Saint as immediate∣ly and infallibly, as a man may know a living man, to wit, he knows him to live by imme∣diate Motions, and workings of Life, that immediately reach to his natural Senses, and he seeth him breathe, and heare••h ••im speak with strength of natural Life, and ••h••t his dis∣course has Wisdom and Reason in it; so a Saint or spiritual man may and doth know another Saint or spiritual man by immediate motions and operations of spiritual Life that immediately reach to his spiritual Senses; and it is the divine Inspiration of the Spirit of Life that maketh a spiritual man, and g••veth him both these spiritual Senses, and the infal∣lible use of them.

Pag. 42. Ye say, The Apostles never pretended to a Spirit of Discerning. If ye mean, to know all the secrets of mens hearts, I did not affirm

it; but that they had a knowledge of the sin∣cerity of some, and of the insincerity of others, is most clear from many places of the New Testament; for did not Paul most positively affirm of some particular Names, That they were writ in the Book of Life? And did not Peter know, and that by a spirit of discerning, the dissimulation of Ananias & Saphira? And that they might be deceived before they re∣ceived the holy Ghost, in that plenty, as after Christ's Resurrection, or even after, in some particular men, argueth nothing against the infallible sence & discerning where it is given; all it proveth, is, that they had not alwayes the perfect exercise of it. The natural Senses are infallible, touching natural Objects, not absolutely but according to such due condi∣tions; and so the spiritual Senses, according to their due conditions, have their Infalli∣bility.

And whereas I shewed in my Book, That neither the example o•• the Pharisees, nor o•• Judas could defend a Ministry, without Piety, because the Pharisees and Judas were yet under the legal Dispensation. But ••he question relate•• to the Gospel Dispensation, in its more clear and perfect discovery, after Christ's Resurre∣ction; this ye slightly pass, telli••g, That the Gospel was preached in the time of the Law. But yet the Dispensation and Model was changed, as ye confess; and as there was a change in

many things, as the Sacrifices and Circumcision, &c. so of the Priesthood, and manner of it.

Ye insinuate falsly against us, That Hypocrites may be infallibly known by their meer looks.

Pag. 44. That a man may have Piety, and real Sanctification, and yet not have a ministerial and spiritual Gi••t of Knowledge and Ʋ••terance, so as to be able to teach others, is granted: but yet whoever have these spiritual Gifts, have in some measure the Grace of Sanctification, which is the root of them; ••ven as every School-master is a man, but every man is not a School-master; every man is a living Creature, but every living Creature is not a man. Unsanctified Gifts that any may pre∣tend unto, are not spiritual, but carnal, and are not so worthy as to be esteemed th•• f••uit of Christs purchase. Your saying, Ye have too much cause to be perswaded by Scripture Rules, that G. K. is an Apostate, and unsanctified man, I little regard, your Tongue is not slander, ye know me not, and ye pretend to no infallible discerning of me, and therefore by your con∣fession ye may be mistaken; and ye neither have given not can give any Scripture Rules to prove me su••h. Men of your spirit called the Lord a Blasp••emer, a Glutton and a Wine bibber, and therefore it is no strange thing that ye ca••l me as ye do; but my comfort is, that I am known to God, and to many of his Servants; and this your Reviling and false

Speeches will turn to my good, and to your hurt and shame, if ye repent not, whi••h I wish ye may.

Pag. 45. Ye say, Ye do not plead for scanda∣lous Ministers, whose Conversation is contradictory to their Profession and Doctrine. But by this ye fall into a gross Self-contradiction; for did ye not plead your Doctrine from the example of the Pharisees, whose Conversation was contradictory to their Doctrine; for Christ said, They did not as they said: Ye blame me unjustly of forge••fulness, but are exceeding guilty of it your selves, and much worse. And besides, the Qualifications required in a true Bishop or Preacher, do equally require him to be really holy, and pious, and virtuous, as to seem or appear so to be, 1 Tim. 3.1. Tit. 1.7, 8. A Bishop must be blameless, &c. sober, just, holy, temperate, &c. he doth not say, let him be a Hypocrite, only let him seem to be so, but let him be so.

Pag. 48. Ye say, Grace hath a spiritual sence, and when the Spirit of God influenceth it, it can feel it. Ye need to explain this further, how Grace feeleth the influence of the Spirit; is Grace an intelligent perceiving & intellectual being? doth not the Soul feel it, or is it only the Grace that is sensible of the Spirits influ∣ence, and the Soul insensible and stupid? If a Quaker had so expressed himself, ye would have called it Non-sence.

My application of H b. 12.27. to things of mens maki••g, though ye call it most gross, it is but your bare affirmation; for why may not things of mens making, be comprehended under thi••g made, as well as the things of the old Law, which though first appointed of God, yet seeing men did seek to hold them up beyond their due season, they were nothing as such, but beggerly Rudiments, and things of mens making; and Christ ••aid, Every plant that is not of my heavenly Fathers planting, must be pulcked up; and every work o•• man wro••ght, and not in the Wisdom, Spirit and Power of God, shall be burnt up.

Pag. 49. Ye grosly and most falsly accuse th•• Quakers, That they confound the witness of Gods Spirit, and their own Spirit. This is utterly false.

Pag. 50. Ye say, The Spirit, when he witnes∣••th, doth it infallibly, yet he doth not make our Spirits infallible. Here ye use a little fallacy, but it is a very thin fig-leaf, and will not cover your Nakedness; for though he doth not make the spirits of his Children absolutely and in all respects infallible, yet when he speaketh to the spirits and hearts of his Children infal∣libly, and fitteth and prepareth them to hear it and understand it, have they not so far, i•• that particular thi••g or things, an infallible knowledge and assurance? for even among men, he who tells me an infallible truth, as

that the Sun is risen, and I hear him tell it, and my sense of hea••ing i•• sound, I can say, I did infallibly hear him; for to say, the Spirit is only infallible to himself, but giveth us no in∣fallible knowledge and ••aith of what he saith, is most ab••ur••; for all that t••ue & real Know∣ledge and Faith ••hat God giveth to men is infallible; and to think otherwise reflects upon Gods goodness, wisdom and veracity; for why should the infallible God give men only a fallible knowledge? Well then, let it so re∣main, that your Doctrine is, All the Know∣ledge and Faith that ye have of God, and Christ, and Christian Doctrine, is fallible, and may de∣ceive you, and be only a fancy or dream: How will this relish to sober Pro••estants? Is not this rather, with a witness, to betray the cause of the Protestants, than to defend it? But in contradiction again, though ye say, The Witness of your Spirit is fallibl••, and ye may be mistaken, yet so far as the Spirit of god confirms you by his Witness, ye are infallibly assured. What greater Contradiction can there be in mens words, first to say, The Spirit of God witness••th infallibly, but your Spirits are not infallible. A∣gain, ye say, Ye are infallibly ass••red, so far a•• the Spirit o•• God co••fi••ms you by his Witness. So in one thing, and at one time, and in one and the same respect ye ••re fallible, and yet not fallible: This Logick is fittest for Bedlam. But ye tell not whether the Spirit of God

at any time confirms you of any Truth by his inward infallible Witness; for if ye grant this, ye grant all that the Quakers desire in the case, for that is divine inward Revela∣tion and Inspiration; and none of us pretend to an absolute Infallibility, but only so far as the Spirit of God witnesseth to us, and in us.

Pag. 58. Ye most grosly pervert my words, and cite them falsly, when ye say, I make the Ministers more than meerly instrumental, and that they can by their own virtue heal and convert a Soul. Nothing can be more falsly alledged; for when Grace, Spirit and Life or living Virtue doth emanate through the Ministers to the Hearers, they are but Instruments, and instrumental Pipes and Conduits, yet not dead, but living Instruments; and that Grace, Spi∣rit, Life and Virtue is not their own, as of themselves derived, but is Gods and Christs, and is only freely given them.

Pag. 52. That ye say, The Spirit of God cometh in betwixt the Mouth of the Speaker, and the Hearts of the Hearers, is granted; but so it cometh in betwixt the heart of the Speaker, and the hearts of the Hearers▪ and a good Minister out of the good Treasure in his heart bringeth forth good things; and that is more than bare words.

1 Pet. 4.11. Ye say, Relates only to an out∣ward ability or estate, enabling them to give Alms. Which, as it is meerly begged, so is

singularly strange, and will be strange to the Ears of many who hear it: Doth ever the Scripture call outward Riches the manifold Grace of God? And doth not vers. 11. say, If any man speak? So it relates to a Ministry of the Mouth, and not of giving by the Hands.

Pag. 55. Ye grosly pervert, to say, I am for pulling down Preaching, Praying & Singing, that are Gods Ordinances; for neither I nor we are against, but for all preaching, Praying and singing, that is rightly performed, viz. by the help and ability of the Spirit of God, and that is Inspiration, and is confessed so to be, by better Protestants then your selves; yea, the Church of England▪ prayeth in the Common Prayer for Inspiration, as above noted.

That men without the Spirit are under a command to pray, is granted, but yet Prayer without the Spirit, is no Obedience to that command, as men who have no Money, nor Goods equivelent to Money, may owe a debt to a man, and yet if they go to pay him, without money, or moneys worth they do nothing in order to the payment, they only but mock their Creditor, and offend him; even so, all Prayer without the Spirit, is a Mockery; and the like of Singing.

That want of Grace dischargeth none from moral Obligations, is granted, but yet without Grace, none can perform their Obligations.

Ye grosly deny, that the Prayers of Abraham and the saints, were universally by divine Inspi∣ration, contrary to the sence of many sober Presbyterians and Episcopals; and that Abra∣ham prayed for Ishmael, by a natural affection sanctified, doth not prove, that he prayed not by divine Inspiration; what is Inspiration, but the breathing of the spirit into mens hearts, both to enlighten, and to sanctifie them, and to quicken and warm them with warm and fervent Affections. Christ ascribes the work of Regeneration in men, to the breathing or Inspiration of the Spirit, as the Latine antient Christian writers did Translate these words, John 3. Spiritus spirat ubi vult, i. e. the spirit breatheth or Inspireth where it willeth; for the greek doth w••ll bear it puen∣ma is most frequently translated spirit, in the n••w Testament, and pueo, signifieth to breathe or inspire, hence theopneustos, signifieth divinely inspired.

Pag. 56. Ye alledge, that singing without Notes and Tones, measured by art, would be singing with∣out singing, & that could be no melody, that is, with∣out Tones measured by art; and to say otherwise, ye affirm, is so foolish, that it is not worth a Reply; but the folly is your own: the scrip∣ture speaketh of Melody in the heart, and that is without all tones of art; beside, what art is there in the songs of Hannah, Mary, and Elizabeth? ye are extreamly ignorant, if ye

know not, that singing with Rhymes, and like sounding Cadencies of words and Musi∣cal Notes of art, as ut re mi, fa sol la, came not into custom among Christians a long time after the Apostles, and these Notes of art Guido Aretinus found them out, by which ye learn to sing, that is not of along standing. These and many other things, are but late in∣ventions introduced into Church-worship, as Polidor Vergilus doth show, & no Rh••mes were sung, that I can understand, by the French Pro∣testants in french, till Beza composed them, and Translated the Psalms into french meeter, & so they were sung at Geneva, hence they were called Geneva Jigs; the Hebrew Psalms of David have no like sounding Cadencies, or Rhymes That Christ Condesended to sing▪ with the Discples, suppose after the costomary way used by the Jews, at their feasts, is no proof to continue that Custom, more than to continue the Jewish Feast of the Passover, and other Types; ye greatly forget your selves, in your way of reasonning from the time of the Law, to the Gospel time.

Pag. 58. Ye would clear your running into a Circle, that Ministers call the Church, and the Church calls the Ministers; but all in vain: Ye pretend no answer for the Presbyterians, who commonly derive their call by the Pope of Rome, as J. Cotton did expresly say at Hampton, in the hearing of some hundreds, and not only I, but

your reverend brother as ye call him, John Ow••n hath sufficiently discovered the Nullity of that Call, and that therefore Presbyterians while they lay the stress of their call on that rotten Foundation, have neither Ministry, nor Gospel, nor Sacraments: And for your call, who are called Independents, seeing your Church is not older than the Brownists, of Amsterdam, I mean, your visible Church, or show, when it began, what Ministers gather∣ed your Church at first? if ye say, your Church was invisible be••ore; let it be so, but how could an invisible Church call a visible Mini∣stry? or how could a visible Church a••ise without any previous Ministry? Ye do but triffle to make these things intelligible; who seeth not but ye are reduced to this miserable pin••h, out of p••ejudice against the inward Call of Gods Spirit by divine Inspiration, which both Lut••er, and other primitive Pro∣testants did affi••m they had.

Pag. 59, 60, 61. Ye tug hard for a Mainte∣nance to Ministers, not voluntary, but of debt, and by bargain, and that may be forced by the Magistrate, if refused; And is this also one of the Principles of the Protestant Religion. Read Will. Thorp's Assertions and Arguments against Priests Wages and Maintenance, save only what is voluntary, in Fox's Book of Martyrs, fol. 536, 537. and ye will find, that to force wages for preaching, was a Popish Prin••iple, and not

a Protestant: Also, read what your Fathers, the Brownists of Amsterdam say in their Apology against the Ʋniversity of Oxford, in their Ad∣dress to Q. Elizabeth, 7 Position, That the duo Maintenance of the Ministers should be of the free and voluntary Contribution of the Church: And they expresly declare against the Maintenance that is exacted, and which the People are con∣strain'd to yeild unto them. Behold how far ye are degenerated from your fore-Fathers!

Your Argument from the Tythes under the Law, serveth not your turn, unless ye will bring in the Levitical Services also; but even under the Law, the Tythes, though command∣ed, the Magistrates were not to compel men to pay them, as is most clear out of the old Te∣stament; and grant that the e is a justice or equity in it, that faithful Ministers wants be supplied, and so that the Poor's wants be sup∣plied, therefore the Hebrew word that signifi∣eth Alms signifieth Right••ousn••ss; it will not therefore follow, that the Magistrate may compel them; there is a Justice, the Trans∣gression of which the Law punisheth, and there is a Justice, the Transgression of which the Gospel punisheth; but as for Ministers to bargain with People, What will you give me, and I will preach unto you? it is so sordidly Mercinary, that y•• may be ashamed to def••nd it; but that is not enough, People must be forced to pay you Wages that own you not to

be Ministers of Christ, as has been largely practised in New-England: That ever the Apostles bargained with People, or forced Wages of any, or received any other than simply to supply th••i personal Necessities, has no shadow of Proof in Scripture. The Greek word translated Wages, 2 Cor. 11.8. viz. [opsonion••] signifieth Meat, or something to eat, most properly; translated by Pasor [edulium] and this answereth to Christ's words, The labourer is worthy of his Meat: This was no yearly stinted Sallary, it was wholly Apocri∣phal, and hath no foundation in the New-Testament, and therefore is no Protestant Do∣ctrine. That Christ sent forth the Disciples to preach freely, ye say, was a special Precept; but ye have nothing but your bare Authority for it, the Scripture saith no such thing; ye may as well say, to preach the Gospel was a special Precept. Ye profess to have a respect to the Waldenses, who are generally well esteemed by Protestants, as their Predecessors, and faithful Witnesses to the Truth in their day; and it was said of them, and objected unto them, That their Teachers were Weavers and Coblers; whereto they replyed, We are not ashamed of our Priests, because they labour with their hands, &c. because both the Doctrine and Example of the Apostles lead us to such apprehensions. Usher de Succes. Eccles. cap. 8. §. 8.

CAP. V.

Pag. 64. Ye call my Declaration of our Faith, touching the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, and Christ his being both God & man, with other great and weighty Truths, a new Quakers Creed, insinuating, that I am not so ignorant, as to believe that that was their faith in those times; but this ye meerly affirm, without all shadow of proof.

Ye excuse the Assembly for not mentioning, Light, among Gods attributes, as not being proper, but metaphorical: A poor Evasion. And why not as proper for the Assembly, to say God is Light, as for John the Apostle? think ye, the Assembly was more wise than John, & could more properly and warily, ho••d forth Gods attributes, then John did or coulde: The wise Assembly, speak properly, but Jehn a poor Fisher-man speaks Improperly and meta∣phorically only, when he said, God was Light. But all this is meerly begged; ye say nothing for proof that the name Light, is any more improper to be a Name of God then the name Spirit; for the name spirit, in Hebrew, Greek and Latine hath a various signification, (as well as Light) and signifieth wind; & therfore either Light is a proper name of God, or Spirit is not; and if Spirit be improper, than the Assembly was still partial to say, God was a Spirit, and not to say he was Light. Indeed

all Names that the language of men can ex∣press, fall infinitely short to express him suffi∣ciently; but in the Language of men, the Name Light is as proper as the Name Spiri••.

Pag. 65. Ye draw a perverse and blas∣phemous Consequence from a most great and absolute Truth, God is an immense Light; and then (ye infer) Hell it self dwells in his Light, and Devils must be full of immediate Inspirations. Its strange that ye will so sport with so weigh∣ty matters: The Scripture saith, God is light, and God is every where, yea, in Hell, but it doth not follow, that either Hell or Devils dwell in God, for there can be no communion betwixt Light and Darkness, God and Belial; and therefore Devils and Hell cannot dwell in God; dwelling signifieth Communion; and yet in Contradiction, ye confess, that God is a divine Light, and derives of his wisdom vo∣luntarily, not to all alike. I have never found in any Book so many self-Contradictions, as ye are guilty of in this your dark Work.

Pag. 66. Ye call it Giddiness and Nonsence, to say, the light is immediate, though it comes through a medium; but ye have not sense e∣nough to deny it: Doth not every man ac∣knowledge that he enjoyeth immediately the outward light of the sun, in the open air, and yet the Air is the medium through which it comes to him, and also it comes into his sence and perception through the medi∣um

and organ of his Eye; and though we hear a man immediately, yet the Voice comes through the air, and organ of the Ear: Ye are very poor Logicians and Schollars that cannot distinguish betwixt the medium that transmitteth, and the medium that doth in∣termit and hinder the action to be immedi∣ate; for the medium that transmitteth, doth not hinder the immediate action.

Ye add one Abuse to another; for ye al∣ledge, I cite Plato, saying, it was mans in eli∣city, to converse with Images o•• things; and to op∣po••e this, ye say, Man shall converse with images o•• things ••orever in his perfect state of Glory. But it is clear by my words, what Images I meant, by adding the synonymous words, Shadowes and Figures; and then, acco••ding to your Logick, man in his perfect state of Glory, shall forever converse only with the Shadowes, and Figures or Pictures of things. but not the things themselves: But the Image of God, which is Christ Jesus, is no Shadow nor Sign, but a most excellent Substance. Ye say, Plato is with me little inferior to Moses: But it is a false Charge: I judge him, beyond what I can express, inferior to Moses.

Pag. 66. Ye heap abuse on abuse, falsely accusing me, that I say, The Word of God hath no more of God, than a Glass Window hath of the Sun: For I speak not of the Word of God, using that Similitude; But of the Scripture▪

and though I compare the Scripture to a Glass Window, yet it doth not follow, that in every respect it answers to the same.

Pag. 67. Ye excuse one of your brethren, for calling the Light of God in people, a stinking Vapor from Hell, by alledging another falshood upon us, That we say, the poor imper∣fect Light of Nature, is God and Christ; which is a meer Forgery; we never said nor thought it. But suppose neither God nor Christ is in People, which is false, yet do ye indeed judge, that the poor imperfect Light of Nature, that ye, Pag. 30. confess, Teacheth so many good things, and prepareth to the re∣ceiving the Gospel is a stinking Vapour from Hell? Remember how ye can clear this.

Ye justifie the Assemblies saying, That the Communion of the Saints with Christ doth not in any wise make them partakers of the substance of his Godhead; for that would infer, as ye alledge, the Swenckfeldian Doctrine, That a Belever is Goded with God, and Christed with Christ; and this is the thing (ye say) that G. K. is here to prove, or he proves nothing.

I Answer; That Swenckfeldus used any such manner of Doctrine or Terms, I find not that ye prove from any of his Writings; and it is possible that ye may abuse him, as ye do the Quakers. But however, Swenckfeldus is to answer for himself, I own no such Doctrine or Terms, nor my Brethren; but on the

contrary, we have believed, and do still be∣lieve, that none of the Saints are God or Christ, and that no man is the Lord Jesus Christ, but he only who was born of the Vir∣gin M••ry, and suffered Death under Pontius Pilate, who is both God and Man, and to whom divine Worship, Honour and Glory is to be given, but to no Man else, nor to Saint nor Angel. But yet the Doctrine of the Assembly is absurd, That the Saints are in no wise partakers o•• the Godhead of Christ; for this wholly ex∣cludes Christ and God from the Saints: If they had said, The Believers and Saints are not partakers of the Godhead as the Man Christ was, in every respect, or in that respect, so as to be both God and Man, they had said well; for the difference is wonderfully g••eat: The Union of the Man-hood and God-head of Christ is so great and so admirable a Mystery that it surpasseth all created Understanding, and shall be the Object of the Admiration of Saints and Angels, as now, so in the World to come; and this Union is not through any Mediator betwixt God and the Man Christ, but the Believers are united unto God through Christ, the Mediator; and therefore he is the Head, and they the Members, and that is Honour and Happiness enough unto them. But since the Scripture saith, That Believers are partakers of the divine Nature, and of the holy Spirit; and that the divine Nature and holy

Spirit is one Substance with God and Christ; therefore the Assembly's Doctrine is absurd, to deny, That the Saints are partakers in any wise of the substance of his Godhead.

Pag. 69. Ye will not own, That Believers partake either of Christs God-head or Man∣hood; but ye say, They partake of his Graces, and they are substantial things. But all this will not help you; for ye say in the following page Grace it sel•• is a Creature, and created Principle. Now if the Saints partake only of a created Principle or Creature, they partake nothing of God's Substance or beeing, unless ye will say, That a Creature is any part or measure o•• Gods Beeing or Substance. And whereas ye say, Graces are substantial things, and are not meer Accidents, but Adjuncts: And thus ye seek to hide you from the ignorant, in the Thicket of some Loicgal and School Terms and Phrases; but when ye say, Graces are sub∣stantial things, ye do not tell whether ye call them so properly or metaphorically, as when ye call God Light, ye say, it is not properly, but metaphorically. And for your distinction of Adjuncts and Accidents, I suppose I learned that thing ye call Logick (that ye seem to glory in) as well as ye, and do remember what is any wise useful in it, as well as ye, and I never understood, that either Logicians or Philosophers so called, did hold, that the Soul of man had any Adjuncts, that was neither

the real Essence and Substance of the Soul, nor yet Accidents; and therefore if the Grace of God in the Soul be no Accident, but the Adjunct of the Soul, it must be the Soul it self, and this is Pelaganism and Socinianism, with a Witness; for Pelagius and Socinus denyed the need of any inward Grace that was not th•• S••ul it self; for the Attributes of every being, and so of the Soul, are such Adjuncts as are either essential to that being, or acci∣dental; and for this, I can and do appeal to all who have any ordinary taste of that called Logick or Metaphysick; but I shall not insist on this School-nicity. And for your Proof that Grace is a Creature or created Principle, from Ephes. 4.29. If you mean, the virtues brought forth in the saints, called the fruits of the Spirit, as Faith, Hope, Love, Temprance, Righteousness, &c. we own them in the Scripture sence to be the new man, which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness, but that they are such a Created Principle as are neither the Soul it self, nor Christ, nor Accidents, but a substance of another nature from all these, is a novelty that I have not formerly heard of: As for our Doctrine concerning Grace, it is plain, according to Scripture, the Seed or Original Principle of Grace in the Soul, is a measure of the Spirit and Life of Christ, and is not Properly a Creature, as commonly taken, but a Pure divine Emanation and

stream from Christ, the Fountain, and is of the same nature with the Fountain, and is sub∣stantial, and every Soul that is by a true and living Faith joyned to this Seed and Principle of Gods Grace, is partaker of it Substantially, and none else, and is there by made fruitful to bring forth heavenly and divine Fruits, as Love, Joy, Peace Me••kness, Temperance, Hu∣mility &c. which are Divine Effects, and may be said to be the New Creation, or the Image of Christ formed and brought forth in us, and where these effects are, yea, where that Seed is, neither God nor Christ can be separated from the same.

Pag. 69. & 70. Ye say, Nor doth the Doct∣rine of Dr. Owen or Mr. Rutherford in the words of theirs, which he cites, at all run into the Quakers Blasphemy. Ans. Ye do then hold it Blasphemy for the Quakers, to say, that God and Christ dwell in the Saints and true Believers, and therefore to avoid this Blasphemy, ye will not own that God and Christ dwell in them, and then surely ye preach an absent God and Christ; for if Christ dwell not in Believers, he is absent from them: And yet ye contra∣dict your selves herein, as your manner is; ye say, The Person of the Holy Ghost dwells in us by his Operations. And thus ye would falsly gloss upon the words of J. O. and S. R. for J. O. h••ld a peculiar Perswasion, far differing from his Brethren, the Presbyterians, for which

Cauldrey severely taxed him; that whereas they held it, that the holy Ghost dwelt not by him∣sel•• (or personally, as they phrase it) in Be∣lievers, but by his Operations, Graces and Gifts. J. O. in his Book of Perseverence useth many reasons and words to prove, That the holy Ghost himself, together with his Operations and Graces, he as well as they dwelt in Believers, and not the Graces without him; and upon this he build∣eth the Doctrine of Perseverance. And S. R. said, He will not have the Graces of Christ without Christ. But ye plead, that the Graces of Christ are in the Saints, but not Christ himself, and therefore if our Doctrine be blasphemous, ye must allow J. O. and S. R. equally guilty; but the guilt of Blasphemy is yours, who would exclude Christ from the Saints, and di∣vide the Graces of Christ from Christ, which is impossible, and is contrary to all sound Rea∣son, as well as Scripture, to divide and sepe∣rate the Operator from his Operations.

Pag. 70. Ye do acknowledge, That ye agree with the Ranters in that Principle, viz. That God doth all, and hath unchangeably ordered all things, good and bad, are we therefore Ranters? say ye. Answ. Let impartial men judge, see∣ing this is the fundamental Error of the Ranters, and the Root and Base of all their other Ranting Principles and Practices.

Pag. 72. Ye most falsly charge me, as if I were restoring Maniche••sm into the World, as

if there were two Principles or first Causes, the one of Good the other of Evil; for ye are very ignorant if ye know not that the Mani∣chism Principle was, That there was an Evil first Cause or Principle, essentially evil, uncreated, eternal, independent, and equal to the good. But we hold no such Doctrine; there is one only first cause of all things originally, that is essen∣tially good and goodness, and all things were originally good; and all the Evil that came afterwards into the World, was not any real Creation or Production of any substance; for Evil, in the abstract, i. e. Sin, is no substance, but either a privation, as the sin of Omission, or some depraved mode, or modification, or alteration in the Cr••ature, that the Creature it self is the Author of; and therefore Christ said, The Devil was a Lyar and Murderer from the beginning, and when he speaketh a Lye he speaketh of himself.

Pag. 73. Ye require me to tell you, How God did fore-know all evil Actions that should be done in Time, unless he had pre-determined them? Answ. The way and manner of Gods fore-knowledge surpasseth all creaturely Under∣standing; and therefore it is too great bold∣ness and presumption in you, to imagin ye can tell it, and it is yet worse to think y•• can tell it by a way that contradicts the Scripture, and the invvard sense of God in mens hearts, as Because God pre-determines all evil Actions,

Thefts, Murders, Adulteries, therefore he fore-knoweth them. This is to make God equally the Author of Evil, as of Good. It is suffi∣ci••nt to us to believe and know, that the de∣c••ee of God is Permissive, but not Pre-deter∣minative of evil Actions; and as he knoweth evil Actions that are at prese••t brought fo••th, as they now are, so he did fore-know them before they were brought forth, as they lay hid in their seeds and causes, which yet con'd not be without his Permission; and the k••ow∣ledge of God is one, of t••ings past, present and to come, without any variation in h••m; however; the reatures and their Operations va••y; and as all Effects he hid in their Cau••es, whether necessary and natural, or free and voluntary before they come to pass, so God doth know them all most perfectly; for they are but hid, as unto us, and not unto God, who seeth into the most hidden things of all his Creatures.

Pag. 74. Ye say, My assertion is extreamly ridiculous, viz. That Election and Reprobation are not contradictory. But ye only say it, with∣out proof: They are not contradictory, be∣cause both positive, and a contradiction can never be betwixt two positives, but one positive & the other nega••i••e or privative; and Election signifieth a preference, or Gods choice of some, above others, and yet no absolute Reproba∣tion of any; and the fore-sight and purpose

of God considers them as having sinned out the day of their Visitation, and as such only they are Reprobates, and not before; and Repro∣bation is not the Decree of God, as Creation is not; Reprobation is the casting away the Wicked out from his Mercy and Favour; and this is not but for their final Impenitency and Unbelief, and therefore cannot be before it; and this ye might easily understand, did not Prejudice blind you.

Pag. 76. Ye say, The very notion of a sufficient E••ficacy of means used, without the effect wro••ght in them, with whom they are used, is an unintel∣ligible Quakerism. Answ. Ye say it, but prove it not, as your manner is, and the contrary is manifest, and generally acknowledged by all rational men, that a Cause may be sufficiently effectual to produce an Effect, and yet the effect not produced, not for any defect in the Cause, but some one thing or other that is wanti••g in the Subject, by way of condition, as when good Seed is sown in two sorts of ground, in o••e it b••ingeth forth fruit, but not in the other, and the seed is the same in kind, equally good, a••d the labour of the Hu••band-man is equally the same, and th•• heat and influence, and Rain of Heaven is the same, but yet the other ground is unfruitful.

Pag. 78. Ye say, It concerns you not to dis∣pute, whether Esau himsel•• was saved, or not, but if an eternal Election be typified in Jacob, the Re∣probation must be of the same kind.

Answ. Election was typified in Jacob, but it doth not follow that an absolute Reprobation was typified in Esau, if Esau was saved, as ye say, it concerns you not to dispute it; for if the Type was saved, the thing typified could not be damned, for that would destroy the Analogy betwixt the Type and the thing typified. And surely, many of your Brethren have been highly concerned to affirm, That Esau was reprobated absol••tely before he was born, (witness Seaborn Cottons Sermons on Rom. 9. at Hampton, which many yet living heard him preach;) and if this doth not concern you, your strength is gone: The things typified in Jacob and Esau, are, That Esau signifieth the Nature of Man, simply as such, but Jacob signifieth the divine Principle and Seed in man, which is worthily exalted over the nature of Man, and made Lord over it; and Esau's bles∣sing, is, That he is subject to this divine Seed and Principle, and made one with it; and this divine Seed is typified by Jacob, the younger Brother, because the said divine Seed is com∣monly brought forth in men after the nature of man hath acted its part; but because of its weakness and imperfection, the other is preferred as Lord over it; and as John said, He that comes a••ter me is preferred unto me, for He was before me; which, as it was true, with respect to Christ as he came in the flesh, so with a respect to his inward & spiritual com∣ing

in this divine Seed and birth.

Pag. 79. Ye say, God hath no where revealed it, that he hath accepted the Satisfaction of C••rist for all that dye in Infancy. Answ. As much for all that dye in Infancy as for some, seeing the Scripture saith, Christ dy••d for All; and no Infants have made themselves guilty by actual Unbelief, as many men come to Age have done.

Ye say again, from Rom. 5.14. That the Sentence of Damnation hath b••en actually execut∣ed upon some Infants. If ye mean the final Sentence of Damnation, ye meerly begg it; it could be no other Sentence, at most, but what passed on Adam, but that was not final, for the Promise came after it, to him and all his Posterity. And indeed that Rom. 5.14 is to be understood of Infants, and especi••lly of one part of Infants, and not another, ye me••rly beg it, without all proof. Ye do very u••advis∣edly to ground your uncharitab••e judgment of eternal Damnation of many Infants on this place of Scripture, that the sence of it is so hard to be reached, that it is understood af••er several wayes, some understanding it of men, so and so considered, others otherwise; this may well be thought one of these places in Paul's writings, that are hard to be understood, as Peter d••clared, which the ignorant and un∣learned wrest to their own destruction; and should I say, I could declare unto you the true

sense of it, your Prejudice would not suffer you to believe it.

Ye are so presumptious to declare it to be a Slander, that some of your Church-Covenant gloried, that none o•• their C••ildren, w••ile In••ants, were Reprobates, as if ye were omniscient, and knew all that any of your Church-Covenant say or do, when they are not present with you; if it were worth the while, I could produce the Name of a person of your Church Cove∣nant, that s••id it in mine and others hearing; and your Federal Holiness is little worth, if any Infants within or under it perish; and I can∣not find that ye understand any thing by your federal Holiness, but a meer Nothing, cloathed with an outward Name or Denomination, o••herwise, if it have any being or reality in Infants, how can they perish, and go to Hell with it?

Pag. 81. Ye grosly wrong my words, alledg∣ing, That I call that Holiness, mentioned 1 Cor. 7. a Capacity of Holiness: Whereas my words are, a more near capacity in Holiness in C••ildren of believing Parents, than in the C••ildren o•• Ʋn∣believers. Whereby I imply, that there are several degrees of this capacity, some more near, and some more remote; even as the Land that is sown with good Seed, that hath not taken root, hath a nearer capacity to bring forth Corn, than another field where no seed is sown; and there may be another field that

is yet in a nearer capacity to bring Corn, being helped by greater advantages and conveni∣encies than the other, and the grounds may differ also. And ye seem to think it very islo∣gical, to call a capacity of Holines••, Holiness. Answ. A bare remote capacity of Holiness, th••t is nothing else but a simple possibility of being made holy, without having any inward Seed or Principle of Holiness lodged in the Soul, I call not Holiness, but because there is such a Seed and Principle of Holiness placed in all Children, even Infants, that is the purchase of Christ's Death, and which God first pro∣mised to our first Parents, and renewed to Noah, saying, And behold, I establish my Co∣venant with thee and thy Seed after thee; and yet again renewed to Abraham, saying, In thy Seed shall all Nations be blessed; because of these three general Fathers, which were as a holy Root, the Branches are holy, as I said, not actually, but in a capacity to become actu∣ally Holy, through the holy Seed given unto them, which before I called a near Capacity, that i••, more remote or near, as that noble di∣vine Seed and Principle is more or less clouded or vailed in them; and ye show your selves more ig••orant in Logick than ordinary School-Boyes, who generally know that distinction betwixt a thing in actu primo, and the same thing in actu secundo, which is as much as to say in English, betwixt a thing that is in a near

capacity and readiness, or tendency to be so, and a ••hing that is actually and really, or in fact so; thus, A field sown with Corn, altho' the Seed is not sprung in it, nor hath taken root, if sown with Wheat, we call it com∣monly Wheat, if sown with Rye, we call it Rye, because the Seed of Wheat is sown in the one field, and Rye in the other, and if nothing hinder, it may be expected, that the one fi••l•• shall bring good Wheat in due season, and the other good Rye, because the Seeds of Wh••at and Rye are sown in these fields. And how generally all Infants and Men, because of Christ's Death and Purchase, until they reject the Remedy, are clean, I proved from Acts 10.12, 13, 14, 15. for by all manner o•• four footed Beasts, and wild Beasts, and creeping things, and Fowles of the Air, all sorts of men are to be understood, whom God hath after some sort clea••sed by Christ's Death, viz. by putting them in a near capacity to be cleans••d and sanctified, by that divine Seed of Holiness put in them, that is, the purchase of Ch••ist who dyed for them. But to this most weighty and demonstrative place of Scripture ye say nothing at all, but pass it by with a dry foot, as you phrase it, lest if ye should have meddled with it, your folly should have been manifest; and this is your common way to pass by what ye cannot give some shadow of Answer unto; and if ye give a shadow of Answer, it is all.

Your easiest Answer is, & which ye have given upon this head, viz. That our Doctrine in this i•• a per••ect Arminian Principle, and hath been eno••gh confu••ed by all that have written against them; so ye might have spared your Paper and Pains with this one short answer to my whole Book, That it hath been enough con••uted already by all that have written against us, as T. Hicks, J Faldo, and J. Owen, &c. a••l which have been sufficiently answered. But as for the Ar∣minian Principle, it is not our Principle, nor do the Remonstrants or Jes••its hold the Do∣ctrine of Universal Grace, as we do, as will be obviou•• to any that will compare our Books and theirs; for we say, The divine Gospel Principle, and Seed of Regeneration, and Word of Faith, is put by God, as his free Gift, in all men, though it is not manifest or known to be such in a••l; and this, neither the A••mi∣nians nor the Remonstrants, nor Jesuits ever did affirm, but a••e generally professed Adversaries to the inward Word and Spirit of God in men, as much as your selves, witness Bellar∣mine for the Jesuits, who saith, in his Treatise de Verbo externo, That he is a mad-man who re∣lieth upon the Testimony of a Spirit within him, that is oft fallacious, and ever uncertain. And Arminius & his followers are generally against the Doctrine of inward divine Inspiration and Revelation, as is apparent from their printed Books. It doth not follow, as ye insinuate, that

the Condition of Pagans is better than that of Christians, or tha•• the Gospel opens a door to mans undoing, which ye build on a false supposition, That t e Pagans are incapable o•• rejecti••g the Physitian who is ne••er offered to them; This ye assert without all proof, and the contrary I have proved, and is clear from Scripture, that Faith is offered unto all men, and the Gospel preached to every creature at one time or another before their end, and all are called, some at one hour and some at another.

Pag. 83. Ye most grosly traduce and abuse me, by alledging and fathering upon me, as mine, which are not mine at all, two assertions, 1st. That Grace is propagated by our natural Parents; 2dly, T••at there is habitual Sanctifi∣cation in all me, by nature. That both th••se are extream falsly alledged on me, the Reader shall see by reading p••g. 91 and 92. cited by them; Yea, on the contrary, I say, that Seed or Principle of Holiness put in M••n and In∣fants, is derived from Christ, the second Adam, and therefore not from the first Adam, or our immediate Parents; and I believe, the Souls of all men have come from God by Cre∣ation, and do not believe that the Souls of the Parents generate the Souls of the Children; and if the Souls of the Children are not gene∣rated from the Souls of the Parents, then surely the divine Seed and Principle is not derived by humane Generation, as if the

Soul of the Parent were the Author or Ori∣ginal of that divine Principle; but on the contrary, both the Soul and the dvine Seed and Principle in it, come from God and Christ; nor do my words give you the least occasion to think otherwise; for although the Parents are not the Author of the divine Seed and Principle, in the Souls of their Children, yet according to Paul's Doctrine, there is com∣monly a great diffrence betwixt the Children of Believers and Unbelievers, the one he call∣eth Unclean, and the other Clean or Holy; and it is plain from Scripture, that the Chil∣dren of the faithfull Israelites were called the Holy Seed, and had an excellency in them, above the Children of the Moabites, Amonites, and Canaanites, &c. because the noble divine Seed and Principle was more clouded and vailed in these last, and lay under more Rub∣bish and Impurity; and therfore God forbid the People of Israel to joyn in Marriage with these unclean Nations, lest their Seed should be defiled with them, and a wrong mixture should happen, as sometimes did; and there∣fore the great Uncleanness of Parents, com∣monly doth more vail and cloud the divine Principle and Seed in their Children, than where that Uncleanness is not so great, and that the Parents are true Believers. And be∣cause I assert, that there is a Seed of Holiness in all men, during a day of visitation, it doth not

follow, that Habitual Sanctification, is in all men; a Seed of Holiness is one thing, and the Habit, Garment or Clothing of Holiness is another; as the Seed of Flax is one thing, and a Habit or Ga••ment of Flax is another; for the Seed must g••ow, to bring the Flax, that can be made in••o a Habit or Garment. And as for the School-notion of Habits, it is so old and threed bare, being a Popish con∣trivance in their Popish P••ilosophy, promoted by J••suites, grounded upon some mistaken notions of A••istotle, that it i•• generally explo∣ded by learned and Judicious Protestants, as well as their other absurd Notions of material substantial Forms and Qualitie•• of innumerable sorts.

CAP. VI.

PAg. 82. Ye greatly mistake that Scripture, Rom 5.13. and contradict it by your bold Assertion, That Sin was imputed be••ore the Law; whenas Paul saith, it was not imputed when there was no Law; which is not to be understood simply, but comparatively; for the Times generally before Moses Law, were Times of Ignorance, at which God wi••ked, and as the time of the Worlds Infancy; even as Parents wink and connive at the failings of Infants; and therefore a fortiori, I did well agrue, Tha•• sin is not imputed to new born Infants.

Pag. 84. Ye pervert my words, as if I meant,

That the World & the Church were the same thing, because I bring Scripture to prove, that C••r st is the Saviour of the, World, Joh. 4.42. & the Saviour of the Body Eph. 5.23. But I brought these Scriptures to prove, that Christ was not only the Saviour of Believers, in a special way, but of all men in a general way, yet this doth not say, the World and the Church is one.

Pag. 85. whereas I brought many Scriptures to prove, that the Love and Grace of God i•• uni∣versally extended unto all, because the word All is as expresly mentioned, frequently in Scrip∣ture, with respect to Gods Love and Grace, and Christs Death, as with respect to that damage suffered by Adams fall; and therefore as it is conf••ssed, that all have s••ffered a dam∣age by Adams fall and sin, so all have received a benefit by Christs Death, and the Parallel brought by the Apostle Paul doth prove it, which ye say nothing solidly against, only nibble a little, alledging, that it will follow, that then all shall be saved by Christ. I Answer; it doth not fol∣low, unless ye could prove, that all were eternally lost, by having a Sentence of Eternal Damnation, equal to that of the Wicked at the end of the World, past upon th••m; as to argue thus, the Sentence of Eternal Damna∣tion did pass upon all men, after Adams fall, and therefore the sentence of Eternal Justification hath passed on all men, because of Christ: But the Sentence that passed on all men, was not that

of Eternal Damnation; for it was not said to Adam, Thou shalt dye the second death, and be cast into the Lake of Fire; for the Second Death, implyeth, that there was a first death, and that first Death, was only th••t Adam was deprived of his enjoyment of God inwa••d••y, and his Soul became dead unto God, and Righteousness, a••d his body became subject to death; but this doth not infer the same de∣gree or kind of Pun••shment with that of the Second Death, that is inflicted for contempt of the Gospel, and final Unbelief. Therefore the Parallel still holds good, that whatever loss or d••m••ge is come upon Adams Posterity, by occasion of the fall, it is restored unto all men who are Adams Posterity, through the offer of the remedy, to wit, Jesus Christ, who dyed for all, and if they neglect that remedy, finally, they shall be punished with the Se••ond Death, that is g••eater Punishment than the first death in Adam; and though the Remdy of Christ and his Grace be offered and apply∣ed unto all, in a day of Visitation, yet it doth not follow, that Christ and his Grace hath not sufficient Efficacy, if all are not Saved, no more than that it doth follow, that a ••ose of good Physick is not a sufficient effectual Medicine, to cure a Disease, because some to whom it hath been applyed, are n••t cured by it, though the same dose of Physick hath cured many, of the same Disease, which pro∣veth

its sufficient Efficacy in it self, although eventually it hath not that success on some, for their own fault, that have not duely ob∣served the Physicians Rules, and after appli∣cation, have done some things that did hin∣der its operation.

And as to 2 Cor. 5.14. Whether I or y•• pervert the true sence of it, I do freely leave to the Impartial Reader; your sence being this, I•• one died for all Gods Elect only, then not only Gods Elect, but all others that are a mu•••• greater number, were dead; but this would make Pauls argument, alt gether void, and reflect upon that hol•• Spirit that did dictate these words in him; for it doth not follow, from the particular to the general, as every Shool-Boy doth know as to say, Christ dyed for all Gods Elect, which are but a part of men, and therefore all, both Elect and others, were dead; this is an u••lawful infe••ence in the com∣mon reason of men; but this is a most just and necessary inference, Christ dyed for all men universally, t••erefore all men were dead.

Pag. 86. ye perve••sly alledge on me, That I own Chr••sts Death and Prayer to be lost, and his Redemption void; and ye say, why are they not saved for whom he came to dye? Ans. That I own Christs Death and Prayer to be lost, and hi•• Redemption void is most falsly alledged; it hath its effect perfectly, unto the Salvati∣on of all that believe and continue in Faith un∣to

the end, and to the great Condemnation of them that do not beleive, and to the glori∣fying the Justice of God in them that beleive not; and because of Unbelief, pe••ish in their sins most justly, whereby they are rendred without excuse; for if Christ had not dyed for them, they could not be guilty of denying the Lord that bought them, as the Scripture plainly declareth: And the death of Christ hath its various effects on them that are sa∣ved; for as all are not saved at one time, nor in one Age of the World, so all do not partake of the same measure of Grace, but to some it is given, as one Talent, to some as Two, to others as Five, and yet he who hath received the Grace of God as two Talents, doth not make void the Grace of God, because he hath not received as much, as the other who had five. And though such who are saved par∣take most plentifully of the Effects and Fruits of Christs Purchase, yet even all such who are not saved, partake of great and consider∣able Effects of Christs Death, here in this World, as that God hath spared them, and exercised much long-suffering towards all of them, for Christ's sake, who dyed for all, and hath given all a Day of Visitation, and an Op∣portunity, whereby they might have been sa∣ved; and that they are not saved, it is only their own fault; for we find, that at the Gar∣deners Intercession, the barren Fig-Tree was

spared a whole Year, over three Years that were past, which was a Parable used by Christ, to Express how God hath spared both them that are saved, and them that perish, for Christs Death, and Intercession. Therefore neither Christs Prayer nor Death, is made void to any, but hath all its effects, that it should have both to them who are saved, and to them who perish. And the Talent that was given to the evil and slothful Servant, was given him, for Christs sake, who dyed for him, and so Christs Death, was not to him in vain▪ and though the slothfull Servant did not improve his one Talent, yet it was not lost, but was taken f••om him, and given to another, and therefore nothing of the Grace and Gift of Christ is lost; and though some loose the benefit of it, as to themselves, yet that loss is sufficiently made up to another in his place.

Pag. 86. Ye alledge, That I said, many are guilty of final Imp••nitency a considerable time before they ••ye, which ye say, s••e••s a Contra∣diction: But ye wrong my words grosly, as your manner is; for my words we••e, There is a sin unto Death, &c. 1 Joh. 5.16. And this is that sin of final Ʋnbelief, and obstinate Impenitency, wherein men may be permitted to live a considerable time before they dye, which ye confess upon the matters, saying, many are left of God to persist in Impenitency till they dye;

And why so, but because they have sinned that ••in unto Death, where of they are not to re∣pent; and that may well enough be called Final Impenitency.

Pag. 87. ye say, ye would fain know, where I place the inequality, since I tell you, that God giveth no greater measure of inward Grace to one than another, but he sut••s Pro∣vidences eminently. Here ye wrong my words grosly, for I deny not, but on the con∣trary, I affirm, that God may, and oft doth give a greater measure to one (viz. that is saved,) than to another, (viz. that is not saved) but it is not alwayes so, but in some cases or examples, the inward Grace may be the same both in kind and degree, in some (Note, some) that are sa∣ved, ••nd in some that are not, as the Parable of the Pounds and Marks plainly declare. He••e ye may see, how I say only, in Some it may be so, but not in all; for I bring the example of Paul, who did acknowledg the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant to him, with Faith and Love, which is in Christ Jesus, and even in all who are saved, although the Seed or Principle of Gods Grace may be the same; as in some who are not saved, in degree, yet the gracious Providences of God are won∣derfully extended towards all that are or shall be saved, which are not so extended unto others that shall not be saved. And the ine∣quality lyeth here, that whoever are saved,

it is not of themselves, but by Grace they are saved, Grace hath begun, and hath carried on, and shall finish or perfect the Work of their Salvation, and they are but the instru∣ments of God and hi•• Grace, and they have loved and chosen God and Christ, because God and Christ first did love and chuse them, and God wrought that free choice and consent in them of his free good pleasure, and thereby did not take away from them the t••ue freedom of Will, but begot the true freedom of Will in them which before was rather bound than free, as Luther called the Will of unconverted men, Servum Arbitrum, i. e. servi••e Will, and not free Will. But on the other hand, whoever are not saved one time or another before the end of he World, the cause and fault is only they themselves, sufficiency of Grace and Means was afforded unto them, but they did not improve them, which they might and could have done, but did not; and therefore they are without excuse. Nor is it enough for any of them to say, If God had done as much for us who perish, we should have also been saved: It sufficeth, that God hath done enough to clear his Mercy and Justice, and render them inexcusable.

Again, ye wrong my words, as if I had said, That al t e difference on Gods part towards the elect, i•• a ••eer suiting of Providences, and which in p. 69. I call gracious Providences, and Dis∣pensations, and Means of his own chusing. All

which I did not and do not understand, as re∣lating only to outward acts of divine Provi∣dence, but also and chiefly to inward actings of Gods gracious care, love and fathe••ly Pro∣vidence, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. by secret motions, & invitations, and perswasions, and allurements of his divine Love and Goodness, all which are not meer Moral Swasions, but divine and heavenly Per∣swasions, suited to due times, places, and other ci••cumstances, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which are the effe••ts of Gods disc••iminating love to all such who are or shall be s••ved, beyond them who shall not be saved; and though th••re may be and i•• g••eat variety and diversity in their gracious actings of God, and divine movings in the hearts of them who are to be finally saved, yet thi•• d th not u••i∣versally i••fer a difference of the P••inciple of Gods G••••ce, either in kind or d••g••ee, in all them that are not saved, and in all th••m th••t are saved. And c••••c••r••i••g this g••eat dis∣crimination that God make••h ••etwixt Men and Men, though he call and visit all with his Grace, Augustine saith, lib. de spir. et lit. c. 34. Now if any arive us to search into that depth, why God doth so swade or call one, that he doth perswade him, and yet doth not so to another? As present, only two things I think good to answer, O t••e heighth o•• the Riches! and, Is there Iniqui••y with God? Who disliketh this answer, let him seek more learned, but let him beware lest he find Pre∣sumers.

Pag. 88. Ye say, Ye thought heretofore that Faith and Love had been Graces. Answ. And so ye ought to think still; for so I did formerly believe, and so I do still, that Faith and Love are excellent divine Graces, and that they are not given to all; for all men have not Faith; but these Graces, viz. Faith and Love, are the Fruit and Produ••t of that ••ed of Grace that is sown in all men; and as the seed that is sown in all grounds, doth not bring forth fruit in them a••l, but only in some; e••en so it is in this case, the divine Seed of Gods Grace is sown in all men, but it brings not forth these excel∣lent Fruits, viz. Faith and Love in all, &c. therefore when we say, Grace is g••ven to all, we do not mean, Faith and Love, ••he Fruits, but the Seed that would produce these fruits in all, if men did not willfully hinder; nor i•• the Se••d lost in these persons, in whom it bringeth not forth fruit, but is th••t Talent that is taken away from the sl••athful and evil Servant, and given to him that had ten Talents, accord ng to Christ's Doctrine, which still I suppose i•• a great Mystery unto you.

Pag. 89. Ye alledge, I perversly interpret Christ to be the Word spoken o••, Rom. 10.8. which is evident by the context, to mean the Scriptures, call'd the Word of Faith, because it is an instrument of begetting it. But this is your bare alledgance, and your proof hath no weight nor solidity, that because the Scriptu••e is the Instrum••nt

whereby Faith is commonly wrought in men, that therefore it is, that Word of Faith, Rom. 10. With as great probability, ye may say, the Scripture is the Spirit o•• Faith; but as the Spirit of God is called, in Scripture, the Spirit of Faith, as being the Author, and Object, and Foundation of Faith, so is Christ called the Word o•• Faith, a•• b••ing the Author, and Ob∣ject, and Foundation, together with the holy Spirit of the same Faith; and that ••hrist, and not the Scripture, is that Word o•• Faith, is clear from the c••ntext v. 6, 7, 9. nor can it be the Scripture, because little of the Scrip∣ture was writ, when Moses spoke these words to the People o•• Israel; and the five Books of Moses were rather, the Law, than that Word of Faith; and Moses told them, this Word was nigh them, in their hearts and mout••es, as being of an internal, or inward nature, directing them to the heart, where it was originally placed, and not in the outward leaves of the Book or Scroles; and he calleth it the Commandment in the Singular number, to signifie the excellency of it, that being one, containeth all; and that cannot be the Let∣ter without. Next, what Moses said to Israel, and Paul to the Romans, may be said to every man, in a day, the Word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, (viz. to eat it,) and in thy heart, to be∣lieve in it, that thou needest not to ascend, nor de∣scend nor go over the Seas, to bring this Word;

and therfore it cannot b he Letter of Scrip∣tu••••, which came over the seas, from Judea to Rome, and other places of the world.

Pag. 8••. ••d fin•• Ye most unchristianly and i••humanly wrest my wo••ds to a ••uite contrary se••••e, saying, •• interp••et, that Word o Faith, Rom. 10. ••o•• C••rists coming in t e flesh, both of Jewes and Gentiles; ••nd to show your gross perve••sio••, that seeme••h wilful in you, I shall set down my words, which are these, Pag. 110. And because this great M••stery, viz. the Word of Faith, which was in the Gentiles, was much hid in the time of the Law, and in all Ages of t••e world, untill Christ came in the flesh, both in Jewes and Gentiles, as Paul called it, the Mystery hid f••om Ages and Generations: Where it is most clear to any, that will not wilfully per∣vert the plain sence of my words, that the words [untill Christ came in the flesh] doth not refer to his coming in the flesh, in Jews and Gentiles, as they wilfully pervert it, but to his coming in the Body of his Flesh, even in that prepared body that was born of the Virgin Mary, &c. in the fu••ness of time. So that the words, untill Christ came in the Flesh, are in∣sert only by way of Parenthesis, although by some omissi••n, either of the manuscript or print, the sign or note of the Parenthesis was omit∣ted, that is no hing material; for when men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Parenth•• 〈…〉〈…〉 no note 〈…〉〈…〉

when ye must needs make the poor omission of a () in my Book, a ground to raise your cha••ge of Blasphemy, or subverting the hopes of Salvation, against me; although in Con∣tradiction to your selves, ye clear me, citing Pag. 59. that I did acknowledg that Christ came in the flesh; but ye use a fig leaf cover, saying, ye know not when they own any thing; And it was once the received Doctrine of the Qua∣kers, that there is no other Incarnation of Christ, but only as he dwells in us: But this is a most gross Calumny and falsehood, which ye can never prove; and because ye cannot prove it, in the least, therefore ye declare your selves to be of that Generation, who make Lye•• your Refuge, which God hath swept away, and yet will more abundantly, and ye will be seen, what sort of men ye are, that dare thus falsly accuse the Innocent. The like poor sha∣dow of advantage, ye seek to catch at, pag. 28. of your Book, saying, my Spirit mi-sin∣formed me, when I cited Cant. 2.4. because of a mistake in the Manuscript or Print, of the word (and again) for the word (or.) in your so doing, like th•• Pharisees of old, ye strain at a Gnat, and swa low a Camel.

Pag. 90. Ye say, The word Reprobate, there used, intends only, that all Ʋnbelievers are at present unapproved by God, and in a state of Perdition. Ans. be it so, it no wise weakeneth my Argument; for seeing all

unbelievers, by you, are not finally reproba∣ted, but only at present unapproved, and may pass from that state, into a better, viz. into a state of Faith, that is approved; this quite overthroweth your Doctrine of Absolute Re∣probation, that denyeth it possible, that a Re∣probate can be saved, which here ye acknow∣ledge: And seeing these Unbelievers, by your confession, were not absolutely or finally repro∣bated, but unapproved, or disapproved, what did so disapprove, or judge them, but Christ in them? And therefore still it remaineth, that Christ is in all, but such who are finally Re∣probates.

Ye say, That Christ hath commanded that his Gospel be Preached to all Nations, and he tells us, that so it shall be before the end of the World, is no proof of what it is brought; for the many Generations past have no advantage by that, being ended and gone, before that time comes. But this ye meerly begg, and assert with∣out all shadow of proof; for that Christ told, the Gospel shall be Preached to all the world, before the end of the world, is not, surely, to be understood, that the preaching of it to all the world, shall only be in the Last Age, of the world, yet to come; but the Gospel that be∣gan to be preached from Adams fall immedi∣ately, shall be preached to all men, that ever lived in the World, some time or other before the end of the world, so that such who shall

not live in the latter ages of the world, have had it preached, in the former Ages, when they lived in the world, and therefore the preaching the Gospel to all the World, is the preaching of it to all Mankind, that ever li∣ved, and shall live in the world, in all Ages, from the beginning to the end; for all that part of mankind, that is to live in the world, in the Last Age, or Ages of it, yet to come, are but a small, or inconsiderable part of the world. And though it may seem hard to de∣monstrate, how this hath been, and shall be effected, in a general way and manner, it may suffice unto us, to beleive, what the holy scriptures testifie, that because (Acts 17) Faith is offered ••nto all men, or that God hath given as∣surance to all men, that God hath raised the man Jesus from the dead, therefore all shall be ac∣countable to him, and be judged by him; and whoever shall perish, their Destruction shall be for not believing in Jesus Christ, who hath been preached unto them.

pag. 92. Ye say, That Moral Honesty is a Meritorious Cause, either of Salvation, or of any further Discover••e•• of saving Grace to men, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Jesuitical Principle. And this ye would fix upon me, or us, but all in vain; we hold no such Principle, although, if we did hold it, your Refutation is poor; Its held by the Jesuits, therefore it is false: Ye might argue as strong∣ly, it is held by the Jesuits, that there is a God,

therefore. &c. Every thing held by the Jesuits is not false, but some true, and some false. However, as we do not say, that Moral Ho∣nesty is a Meritorious Ca••se, &c. so we have ano∣ther understandi••g of Mo••al Honesty, than ei∣ther Jesuits or ye; for both ye & the Jesuits, by Moral Honesty understand only some out∣ward acts of ju••tice, & Temperance, performed by the Authority and Powers, eitheer of some outward rules of Honesty, or by the meer natural, and carnal, and corrupt dictates of mens natural understanding: But we under∣stand it qui••e otherwise, viz. that all true Honesty is performed by the Power, Autho∣rity, and Efficacy of a divine Principle, even the Word of Faith, divinely inspiring the hearts of Mankind universally with a general Revelation and Discovery of the Mind of God, relating to general Piety towards God, as a Creator, and to beleive in him, fear, love and obey him, as such, and to exercise other Acts of Temperance, Justice, Meek∣ness; and as this part of general Religion is sincerely performed, though with some weak∣ness, God is pleased, not by way of merit, but for his great love and mercy, and for his dear son Jesus Christs sake, to fo••low that first more general Revelation, and Discovery of his wi••l, with a more special Revelation, and discovery of it, in the peculiar Doctrines 〈…〉〈…〉

first part of Rel••gion towards God, as Cre∣ator, &••. where Christ, as come in the flesh, and crucified, &c. is not distinctly revealed, is called by some, not so unfitly, pe••haps, De••sm, or Th••••s••, ••. e. a Religious Worship and Service to God, as Creator, as good, holy, just, wise, &c. and such was the Re∣ligion of Cor••eli••s, before Christ was preach∣ed to him by Peter, and such was the Religion of Abimelech, and others mentioned in Scrip∣ture; but the second more exellent part, is Christianism, or the Christian Religion, where Christ come in the flesh, and God in Christ so come in the ••••esh, is known, believed in, worshipped, loved and obe••ed. The first is introductory and preparatory to the second; the fi••st may be called the Law, which as a School-master leadeth unto Christ, both Jewes and Gentiles. But such is the infinite goodness of God, and so Large is the purchase of Christs Death, that not only to such, who have been honest, and sincere in the fi••st Dis∣pensation, but to the most unworthy, in all the world, one time or another, within th•• day of Visitation, the Gospel is preached unto them, and the Gospel Grace, (discovering, in some measure, Jesus Christ, &c. (is extend∣ed unto them; else how is the Gospel preach∣ed to every Creature? and how is Christs Command to be fulfilled, that he hath given 〈…〉〈…〉

Successors, in all Ages? and how is the Pro∣phecy of Christ fulfi••led, that so it shall be be∣fore the end? and how shall God be just, to take Vengean••e on a••l the Wicked, for not obeying ••he Gospel? for let all the Scriptu••e be searched, and it shall not be found, that the Second Death, or casting into the Lake of Fi••e, is appointed to any, but who fina••ly re∣ject Christ, and disobey the glorious Gospel, and b••aspheme again••t the holy Ghost, which is the only impardonable Sin, that is neither to be fo••given in this World, nor in that to come; and therefore the Writer to the He∣brews distinguisheth betwixt the Punishment due for the breach of Moses Law, and that due for Ʋnbelief and Contempt of the Gospel, and not hearkning to Christ, the greatest Pro∣phet of all; but this to you will be a great mystery.

Pag 93. Ye wrongfully charge me, for pleading for New Revelation o•• things not con∣tained in S••ripture. If by things, ye mean Doctrines and Principles of Faith, and gene∣ral Precepts of Christian Religion, I have oft told you, the Revelation is New, but not of any New Doctrine, &c. Yet since both some In∣fants and Adult Deaf and Dumb Pe••sons be∣long to Gods Election, as ye confess, God doth reveal some things, without the outwa••d testimony of Scripture, by your own confes∣sion, and therefore all divine Revelation is

not ceased, nor is all committed to writing, as if that were the only and alone means and instrument, which ye confess, reacheth not to Infants and Adult Deaf and Dumb Persons.

Pag. 94. Ye say, I forget all Laws of Dispu∣tation, when I bid you disprove it, viz that all honest Gentiles, some time or other, had not faith in Christ crucified; for Affirmantis est probare. Answ. Ye rather forget the Lawes of dispute, and mind not rightly to distinguish betwixt a Negative, relating to a Doctrine or Principle, and a Negative relating to a mat∣ter of Fact; the Negative relating to a mat∣ter of Fact, oft times cannot be proved, and yet s••metimes it can; but the Negative rela∣ting to Doctrine, both can, and ought to be proved, by him, who strongly asserts it, as Paul doth excellently prove, That by the Works of the Law, no flesh is justified, but by Faith in Christ Jesus. And Protestants commonly prove against the Papists, that the Bread of the Eucharist is not Transubstantiated into Christs Body. Therefore seeing ••e assert a Negative so confidently, That the honest Gentiles, who lived in remote places where C••rist was not preach∣ed outwardly, be one they dyed, had no know∣ledge nor faith o Christ crucifi••d; ye ought to prove it; But ex abundanti, I had pro••ed the Affirmative, to wit, That all honest Gentiles who were faithful in their Gentile state, were in a state of Salvation begun, b••t not per••ected, and

therefore they could not perish; and consequent∣ly, they behoved to have the Faith of Christ, some time before the end, in order to their Perfection.

Pag. 94. Ye are miserably beset, and put to it, to answer to the two i••stances I g••ve you, the one of Nathaniel, the other of Cor∣nelius, both which had so g••eat a Testimony of God, that they could not be in a state of Dam∣nation, but were in a state of Salvation, at least begun, tho' not perfected; and ye grosly abuse me, to say, as if I did affirm, they were Ʋnbelievers; for they had faith in God, tho' not in Christ come in the flesh, as I expr••sly affirmed, pag. 112. Now let us hear your Answer; ye say, They had believed in a Christ to come, though at present they knew not that ••e was come in the fl••sh, till it was further rev••aled to them. A••sw. At this rate ye make all the Jews throughout the whole World true Believers in Christ, because they all profess to believe i•• a Christ to come, even as ye say, Nathaniel and Cornelius believed in a Christ to come. But as it was the true Faith to believe in Christ to come, before he was come, so it was not the true Faith, but a great mistake or error, at least, though pardonable, to believe in Christ to come in flesh, when the true Christ was already come; for their Faith could not be the true Faith, which had not the true Object; for, to believe in a Christ yet to come in the flesh, is

a false Faith, such as the faith is of those har∣dened Jews, who generally believe not in Christ who is already come in the flesh, but in a Christ or Messiah, whom they imagine yet to come in the flesh. And before that Peter preached to Cornelius, Christ was crucified and raised again: And seeing ye grant, Cornelius had not faith in Christ crucified, until Peter preached unto him (and yet was in a good state) ye quite give away your cause. Beside that, ye meerly al∣ledge it, without proof, That Cornelius had any sort of Faith of a Christ to come in the flesh at that time; for it only appeareth, that he was a devout and religious Gentile, but no Proselite to the Jewish Religion.

A Third Instance I gave you of Christs A∣postles, who had not the true knowledge and faith of Christs Death and Resurrection for some time; for it is expresly said in Scripture, when Christ told them, he was to be put to Death, and to rise again the third day, They understood it not; and yet, who will say, they were altogether in a state of Damnation? Ye are so pinched here, that your Cause is despe∣rate, and that makes you so angry and fretful. Ye say, Faith in God, without Christ (viz. come in the Flesh, and crucified, &c.) is not saving, citing John 14.6. Acts 4.12. I have answered you, it is not in that degree, so as to perfect the work of Salvation, but yet it hath a pre∣paratory work, and may begin it, otherwise

ye must say, the Apostles, that were ignorant that Christ should dye, were not in any state of Salvation.

Pag. 95. Ye imagine, that ye have got a wonderful advantage, saying, What then shall we say to his New Doctrine, that they may receive it after death? Ye further say, We shall have a new Quakers Purgatory erected ere long. But if ye were not very partial, ye might see, I did principally argue so with you ad hominem, be∣cause of your Principle, according to your own Doctrine in your Conf ssion of Faith, that saith, The Souls of the Righteous after Death, [Note, after Death] being then made perfect in Holiness, are received into the highest Heavens: These are the expres•• words of your Catechism as I told you, cap. 32 sect. 1. and that ye say, It is a bold Ʋntruth, for they say no such thing there. I A••swer; Let the Reader but be at the pains to read that place cited, cap. 32. s. 1. and he shall find it expresly so; and therefore the bold Untruth is your own, and not mine; and if they contradict it in their shorter Cate∣chism, by saying, at the instant o•• death, what is that to me? they must answer for their own contradictions, and not I for them: And for my saying, after Death, it was by way of Hy∣pothesis, If I should say. And whereas I brought you a Scripture out of Job, cap. 33.22, 23, 24. to show the wonderful dealings & workings of God with men on their death bed,

or at death, without the outward Ministry of men, to show unto them their Uprightness, and the Ransom or Attonement, see from v. 14. to v. 30. Even by his own speaking to them in a Dream, in a Vision of the Night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the Bed, then he openeth the Ears of men (and as it is on the Margin, he revealeth or uncovereth, Heb.) and sealeth their Instruction. What say ye to this weighty place of Scripture, that deserveth so great consideration, as holding forth the wonderful love of God towards men in general (for the word Man indefinitely is to be under∣stood universally or generally, see v. 29. Lo, all these things worketh God often times with man) and his care over them, that where outward helps and means of mens Ministry fail, he sup∣plyeth by his own speaking to them, yea, when deep sleep falleth upon men (whether that sleep be understood natural or figurative, is not very material to determine) and all to keep back their Souls from the Pit, and that they may be enlightned with the Light of the living: Certainly this place of Scripture hath much in it, yea, very much, more than ye or most are aware of, to prove, that Gods love and care is exceeding great towards Mankind, and his patience and long-suffering is greatly ex∣tended towards them, to keep back their Souls from the Pit; which altogether doth overturn that most cruel and Cannibal-like Doctrine of

yours, that saith, God damneth many Infants to H••ll, and universally all who have not have had Christ preached unto them by the Ministry o•• men, (except in some singular cases of Abraham, and some others that were Prophets) But to this weigh∣ty place of Scripture ye say nothing at all, but are as mute as a Fish; it is a cunning way in you, to pass by with a dry foot, as ye phrase it, that which most pincheth you, lest by med∣ling with it ye should not only wet your feet, but be in danger to drown your sinking and desperate Cause: All sober Protestants, as well as others, will condemn you for your great uncharity, to Damn not only so many Millions of honest Gentiles, but of poor Infants, that ye say, never sinned actually in thought, word or deed, but meerly for the sin of another, that was forgiven to him and thousands more; yea, not only the Episcopal, but many in the Church of Rome are not so uncharitable. Your great Uncharitableness maketh you cruel and ha••d-hearted, and this begetteth in you a spirit of Persecution. But is it not a great sin in you to be so uncharitable, when ye have no ground, but your own mistakes of some place of Scrip∣ture hard to be understood. Oh! Repent of this your great sin, not only of Un••haritable∣ness towards so great a part of Mankind, but of your evil and sinful thoughts of God Al∣mighty, rendring him so cruel and so short in his Mercy, who hath declared himself to be

good unto all, and his tender Mercies to be over all his Works, and that he is slow to Wrath, long-suf∣fering, and with much long-suffering he endureth the Vessels of Wrath, perfected for Destruction, as the Greek word doth well bear it; so that none are finally lost and destroyed, but such who are perfected in Wickedness, after the long-suffering of God hath endured th••m, and waited on them, with much long-suffering; which certainly proveth, that no Infants dying Infants, are Vessels of Destruction. However, as to the general state of Infants, and other adult Persons deaf or dumb, and deprived of these common outward helps given to others, the particular way, method and manner of God towards them is a great secret; it suf∣ficeth, that God disposeth of them in Mercy, and doth not destroy any without sin, not only actually committed, but finally and impenitent∣ly persisted in, and rejecting the Remedy offer∣ed. And why should it appear such a new Doctrine to you, or inferring a Purgatory be∣twixt Heaven and Earth, to say, that the Mystery of Christ crucified, and other great Mysteries, that have been very obscurely and imperfectly known to many here in this world, shall be made known perfectly after Death in the World to come? Is not this the general Belief of Christians, and ground of their Con∣solation, that many things which they know here but obscurely, weakly and imperfectly,

they shall know most clearly & perfectly after death, in the World to come. And as I did argue in my first Book, that whereas perfect SALVATION i•• a Salvation from all sin, and ignorance, and error, and is a perfect renewing into the Image of God, and the true knowledge of Christ, even the Man Christ, is necessary, to the end we may be made conform to him in his holy Life and Virtues, Death, Sufferings, Burial and Resurrection, as the New Testament plainly declareth; and that all who go to Christ after Death, what hath been wanting of their full and perfect know∣ledge of him, here, shall be given them there after Death, when they come to be with Christ in Heaven: And if it shall be given to Chri∣stians, who have more knowledge of Christ here, than may be supposed many of the belie∣ving Jews had in the time of the Law, or pro∣selited Gentiles, or others, why not also may not the like be said of honest Gentiles, that what was lacking of their knowledge of Christ here, shall be given them perfectly in the World to come, after Death, they having re∣ceived some beginning of the knowledge of Christ here, though but obscurely and weakly; as ye grant, that many of the Jews had but a weak, and obscure, and imperfect knowledge of him; the Vail, ye confess, was not then tak••n off, before Christ suffered in the flesh; and if an obscure and weak knowledge could serve the

Jews, of Christ that was to come, as held forth under the Vail of the Rites and Ceremonies of Moses Law, which their Faith could take hold of, even of Christ hid under that Vail: It may be said, it could also serve the Gentiles; for the Gentiles had a Law given them out of Noah's Family, that taught them to sacrifice to the true God; and certainly Noah taught his Posterity that these Sacrifices of Beasts were figures of Christ, that great Sacrifice, that was to come; and many Gentiles did sacrifice to the true God, as no doubt Job and his friends did, and what was Job and his friends but Gentiles? And it seemeth to have been a divine I••stinct put into men generally, before Christ that great Sacrifice came, to sacrifice unto God, as Aristotle said, It was proper to men to sacrifice; for the same that taught ••hem to pray to the true God, taught them to sacrifice; and that sacrifice was the Vail to the Gentiles, pointi••g at Christ, as it was to the Jews, that their faith might reach unto him; and though too many of the Gentiles sacrificed unto Devils, and not unto God, yet that doth not prove, they had not some sence or knowledge that they did sin in so doing, for the Jews too oft did also sacrifice unto Devils. In short, if an obscu••e and weak, or imperfect knowledge and faith of Christ, as he was to come and suffer in the flesh, did suffice to Salvation, as ye say it doth, and did to Cornelius and Nathaniel, it may suf∣fice

to all honest Gentiles, who might have that obscure, and weak, and imperfect faith of Christ, as he was to come in the flesh, or as now come in the flesh; and what if I should tell you, that not only the Gentiles Sacrifices, that they offered up unto the true God, did preach Christ unto them, and his Death, &c. but that the whole outward Creation had the like use, in some sort, to the Gentiles, to be Vails and Types, to preach Christ unto them, though not so fully and distinctly, as these delivered by God to the People of Israel? Did not God make the Rain-bow a sign of his everlasting Covenant betwixt him and all flesh upon the Earth, i. e. all Mankind; for so is all Mankind oft called in Scripture, viz. all Flesh; for when John saw Christ in Heaven, he saw him with a Rain-bow upon his head, and round about the Throne; and therefore the Rain-bow that appeareth in the Cloud in Rain, is an universal Type and Figure, that God hath given to all Mankind of his Everlasting Covenant in Christ Jesus, that he will not destroy them, but save them who believe in his Son Christ; and tho' the Rain-bow hath another signification, as to give notice that God would not destroy the World any more with Water, as he did the Old World, yet that hinders not, but that it was given as a sign also to point into Christ, as the Passover was both a sign of the destroy∣ing Angel his passing over them in Aegypt, and

yet was also a figure and type of Christ, as Paul hath plainly declared. And no doubt, God that hath given the Rain-bow as an universal sign of his Love and Favour in Christ, both God and Man, (signified by the light of the Sun, united with the Water in the Cloud, that give most excellent and resplendent Colours, signi∣fying the Mercy and Justice of God, together with his divine Wisdom & Power, &c. all most sweetly & harmoniously concurring together, with manifold divine Graces in the work of mans Salvation, through Christ; and the string or cord of the bow appearing next to the earth, as when a man holdeth his Bow in his hand, in sign of Peace, as not intending to shoot with his Arrow) hath also given other Types and Figures in the outward Creation, to be as Va••ls and Shadows, to shadow forth the Lord Jesus Christ, and mens Salvation by him, as Winter, Spring, Summer and Harvest, and the sowing of the grain of Corn in the Earth, and its rising again within a little time, and bringing forth much fruit, which our Saviour brought as the figure and example of his Death, Burial and Resurrection, and which the Wisdom of God hath recorded in Scripture, not only as an example or emblem of Christs Resurrection, but of the general Resurrection of the dead; & indeed the whole Creation points at Christ as both God and Man, that most excellent middle, that unites God and Men together;

for in all the Creation we see how the wonder∣ful Wisdom of God, and his wonderful Power hath united extreams by certain means or mid∣dles; and these do plainly point unto us, how as the highest and lowest Creatures are united by a certain medium or mediating nature, par∣taking of both extreams; so God the Creator and most high over all, is united with men, the noblest of his visible Creatures, by him that is both God and Man, made like to us in all things, but without si••, and therefore behoved to dye and rise again, to lay a Foundation for our Faith and Hope, that though we dye, we shall also rise again. Nor is this my single Perswasion, but that of very judicious and wise Men, long before me; and Paulus Ricius, a Jew by Birth, but who became a Christian, in his Treatise de Coelesti Agricultura, lib. 1. from pag. 40 to 52. showeth how there are many excellent Symboles in the Creation, that as Types and Examples hold forth that great Mystery of Christ, God & Man, that were to be united in one; and that this man could be but one only single man in the intire nature of Man of Soul and Body, in all essential parts, who should be both God and Man; and for this, he citeth a saying in Aristotle, which is this, lib. 10. Metaph. In quolibet genere rerum daturmum maximum, et omnium ahorum summum, i. e. in every kind of things there is one the greatest and highest of all others: And who is this

but the Man Christ Jesus? who only among all men is both God and Man, and the Head of all m••n? And by exce••lent Symboles and Examples he showeth how this one man was to dye for all othe•• men, & rise again. And there∣fore however strange it may seem unto you, not only many things in the Creation, but the whole Creation it self is a Book full of Sym∣boles, Vails and Figures, pointing at Christ, even the Man Christ, who was to suffer Death, and rise again for the Salvation of men; and yet I do most freely acknowledge, that the Books of Moses and the Prophets did mo••e fully and distinctly hold forth this great My∣stery. But seeing ye grant, That the Vails and Types of the Ceremonial Law did suffice to the Jews and People of Israel, so far as outward helps and means were requisit, to shadow and hold ••orth Christ unto them; the same may be said as con∣cerning the Gentiles, that in some sort, sufficient (as in respect of outward helps and means) for that day and time, until more knowledge should come into the World, was the Book of the outward Creation, together with that knowledge they had, that they were to sacrifice unto God, as is above said. And as God gave to the Jews and People of Israel his good spirit to instruct them, in the signification of the Mosaical and Ceremonial Law, and the Types and Shadows thereof, so no doubt he gave a measure of his good Spirit to instruct the

Gentiles what these Types and Figures, legible in the Book of the whole Creation, did signifie; for as the Book of Wisdom saith, The incorruptible Spirit of God is in all, that is con∣firmed by Scripture; for God gave his Spirit unto, and by his Spirit strove with the People of the old World; and it is the Light of Christ, the Word, and of the Spirit, that convinceth and reproveth of sin, that lighteth every man that cometh into the World; which, however ye call it only natural and humane, we have good cause to believe it is divine and superna∣tural, yet lightning the dark nature of Man; and as it is absurd for any to hold a Book to a mans face in the dark, and bid him read there∣in, when he hath no sufficient light to read with, so it were absurd, that God hath set so excellent a Book, as the whole Creation, before the Eyes of men universally, I mean the Eyes of their understanding, and not give them suf∣ficient Light, in some measure, to enable them to understand what is writ therein; and seeing that Book contains true and real Types and Symboles, Figures and Shadows of Christ, as he was to come in the flesh, and suffer death, and rise again, it followeth, God hath given all men so much inward Light, as whereby they might read and understand what is writ∣ten therein concerning the Man Christ (altho the express Hebrew and Greek Names Messiah and Christ be not known to them) in such an

obscure way and manner, as might serve to that time; but the great Glory and Light of the Mystery of God manifest in flesh, which is Jesus Christ come in the Flesh, who is both God and Man, and yet one Christ, doth incompa∣rably surpass not only what all Vails & Types, either of the Law or outward Creation, can discover, but all declaration of words, and cannot be perfectly known but by a very high degree of divine Revelation; and no doubt, the full discovery of it is reserved to the Life to come, where it shall be matter of eternal Admiration and Adoration to Saints and Angels.

And lest you should say, This is some new Fancy of mine, and some other late Writers, or apostate Hereticks, as ye use to say, I shall recite a Testimony of a very antient Writer, who is judged to be either Ambrose or Prosper, above twelve hundred Years ago, in that fa∣mous and noted Treatise, De vocatione Gentium▪ i. e. of the calling of the Gentiles, much esteem∣ed and cited by Protestants of great note, and particularly by Vossius and Grotius, learned and judicious Protestants: In the said Treatise, de vocatione Gentium, lib. 2. cap. 1. ad fin. he saith in express words, citing Acts 14.

And indeed he left not himself without a Witness, giving Rains from Heaven, and fruitfull Seasons, filling Your hearts with Food and Gladness.

But what is this Testimony that was alwayes service∣able

to the Lord, and never was silent of his Good∣ness and Power, but the very indeclarable Beauty of the whole World, and the rich and orderly lar∣gition, o•• his indeclarable benefits, by which, cretain Tables o•• his eternal Law were given to the hearts of men, that the common and publick Doctrine of divine Institution might be read in the pages of the Elements, and in the Volumns (or Books) of the Times; therefore the Heavens and all heavenly things, Sea and Land, and all things in them, by the ••armonious Consent of their kind and order, did attest the Glory of God, and by a perpetual preaching, did speak the Majesty o•• their Author. But this is not all, he further saith, And yet the greatest number of men, who were permitted to follow the ways of their own will, did not understand, and did not follow this Law, and the Savour of Life, which breathed, or in∣spired unto Life [Note, is not this in some de∣gree Evangelical] was made unto them, the sa∣vour of Death unto Death, that even in these visible Testimonies it might be learned, that the Letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth Life. And immediately in the following Chapter, he saith, Therefore what was done in Israel by the appointment of the Law, and the Sayings (or Oracles) of the Prophets, the Testimonies of the whole Creation, and the Miracles of the divine Goodness, did perform in all Nations. And that the Rain-bow was a sign of Salvation, the same Author expresseth in the following words,

lib. 2. cap. 4. And the Security of Salvation (••aith he) is consecrated in the Testimony of the Rain-bow, consisting of divers Colours, that is in the sign of the manifold Grace; the which Mysteries and Sacraments, did not instruct these very few men of one Family only, but in them all their Po∣sterity, that what was given for the Instruction of the Parents, might be profitable to the know∣ledge of their Sons: Thus he. And in the same Book, cap. 9. he saith, And it is manifest that by divers and innumerable manners, God will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth; but who come, they are directed by the help of God; who come not, they resist by their own pertinacy. And in the beginning of that Chapter, he saith, The Grace of God indeed doth principally appear in all Justifications, coun∣selling with Exhortations, admonishing with Ex∣amples, terrifying with Dangers, inciting with Miracles, inspiring Counsel [Note the word Inspiring] and enlightning the Heart it self, and induing it with the Affections of Faith. And a little after, Which help (viz. of divine Grace) •••• offered or applyed unto all, by innumerable ways, either hid or open; and that it is rejected by many, it is their own Wickedness; but that it is received by many, it is both of the divine Grace, and of the Will of Man, viz. co-operating. And cap. 10. he saith, We have laboured to prove, so far as God hath helped us, that not only in the last dayes, but in all the fore-going Ages, the Grace of God

was present with all men, with a like Providence and general Goodness, but in a manifold manner of working, and divers measure; for either hid∣d••nly or openly he is (as said the Apostle) the Sa∣viour of all men, but especially of them that believe.

The which Sentence, of most subtil shortness and great strength, if it be considered with a quiet sight, doth end this whole Controversie; for by saying, He is the Saviour of all Men, he hath confirmed the general goodness of God over all men, but by adding, especially of them that believe, he showeth that there is a part of Mankind, which by the merit of Faith, divine∣ly inspired [Note the words, Faith divinely inspired, ye who deny divine Inspiration to be remaining] 'is carried on to the highest and eternal Salvation, by special benefits.

And a little after, he saith, 'And although that general Vocation doth not cease, yet that special Vocation i•• now made common to all. And immediately before, he saith, No place of the World is desti∣tute of the Gospel of Christ. Where it is worth the observing, how he holdeth forth a twofold Vocation and Calling, both of Grace, and be∣longing to the Gospel and Salvation; the one general, the other special, and peculiar to such who have the Gospel preached to them by the Ministry of Men, and have the benefit of the holy Scriptures. And Luther, in the Book called his Mensalia, cap. 6. p. 101. saith, In all Creatures we see a Declaration and Significa∣tion

of the holy Trinity, the Substance signifieth the Almighty Power of God, the Father; the Form and Shape declareth the Wisdom of God, the Son; the Power and Strength is a sign of the holy Ghost, in so much that God is present in all his Creatures. Thus far Luther expresly. And since ye say, Your Knowledge & Faith of Christ, in this Life, as well as your Holiness & Obedience, is not perfect, do ye not think, if ye come to Heaven (as I wish ye may, by unfeigned Re∣p••ntance, for your gain-saying the Truth) that ye shall receive the more perfect know∣ledge of Christ at or after Death? and then why not faithful Gentiles, as well as ye?

Pag. 96. Ye ask, Where do I find three Bap∣tisms in Scripture, &c? I Answ. I find in Scrip∣ture the Baptism of Moses, for the Fathers were baptized into Moses, in the Cloud and in the Sea; 2dly, The Baptism of John; 3dly, the Baptism of Christ with Fire and the holy Ghost; and some were under a divine Dispen∣sation, who knew God only as a general Fa∣ther to Mankind, but knew not that God had an only begotten Son; and others knew that God was, and Christ was the Son of God, and believed, knowing only the Doctrine of John, and said, They knew not that there was an holy Ghost, viz. to inspire men; and in this same Ignorance ye are at this day. And with∣out doubt, every divine Dispensation hath it•• inward peculiar Baptis•• and Washing; and

that a mans Salvation may be begun under th•• first, but not perfected, I still affirm, and have proved, and ye have not disproved it.

Pag. 99. Ye speak very igno••antly and scoffingly against Christ, the Light in all men, saying, Is it the Light in men that was born of a Virgin, hanged on a Tree? I Answer; Here ye more act the part of Socinians, like your Brethren in Opposition, Pardon Tillinghast and B. Keech, who use the same Language, and whom I have answered, than like Orthodox and Sound Christians; doth not the Scripture say, They killed the Prince of Life; and he who was killed and hanged on a Tree, was not a meer Body, but a Man, consisting of Spirit, Soul and Body; and was not a meer Man, but both God and Man; and He who was hanged on a Tree said, He was the Light of the World, and in him it pleased the Father all fullness should dwell, of Light, Life and Grace, and a measure of his Light and Spirit, that neither is nor can be seperated from the fullness, is in all men, in a day of Visitation, and dwelleth in the Saints, and is revealed in great Glory in them; but in Unbelievers it is very greatly vailed and hid, and is the Light shining in Darkness, &c. and the Man Christ, who did hang on the Tree, is that second Man who is the quickening Spirit; and ye may as well say, Did the quickening Spirit hang on the Tree? surely he who suffered Death on the Tree was

both God and Man, and not a meer Man; and yet he suffered not as God, nor in his God∣head, but in his Manhood. Your Ignorance is greatly to be lamented, who are thus igno∣rant of the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, although ye profess your selves Mini∣sters of the Gospel; Take heed of willful Ig∣norance; that unless men be in the Faith▪ Christ is not in them, in that peculiar sence of the word Inbeing, as it signifieth union, and in-dwelling, and enjoyment, is granted, as we say, in one sence, the seed is not in the ground, though sown, till it begin to take root, but yet according to the more general sence he is in all men; for his illumination and operation cannot be seperated from him.

Ye say, I falsly render the place, James 1.21. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Innate Word. But ye only say it, without proof; it is composed of en, in and phyo, nascor, therefore in t••ue English it is in∣nate, & is so used by Plutarch, a Greek Author, who saith, There is a Faith, innate, emphutos, in every reasonable Creature, living and dwelling in the Soul, and never leaving the Soul destitute of Guidance; and it is used in the same significa∣tion by Clemens Alexandrinus, writing to the Gentiles, where speaking of the inward Witness, which was in Unbelievers, he calleth it, Em∣phuton Martyra, testem innatum, fide dignum, The innate Witness, worthy of Faith; and I sup∣pose ye judge not your selves better or so well

skilled in the Greek language, as Plutarch and Clemens Alexandrinus, who were Greek Au∣thors, and Grecians by Birth.

Ye say, If the Light be connate with men, what needed G. K. make such a splutter about Immedi∣ate Revelations? It may be said to be both innate and connate with men, not as ye imagine Accidents or Qualities to be in a subject; but seeing the eternal Word and Wisdom hath created all Souls of men after his Image, there∣fore in a special way of presence that etern••l Word and Wisdom is in all Souls of men, by a measure of it planted, or if ye will grafted in all men; for grafted and innate may be of the same signification, and this eternal Word and Wisdom hath its operation and influence on the Understanding of the Souls of men ge∣nerally, to enlighten them gradually, first with the more common and plain things of Religion, and then, as the former are learned, with the more special and peculiar Mysteries of the Christian Religion, yet not without the use of the holy Scriptures, in Gods ordinary way, so distinctly and perfectly as Christians know them, who have the use of the Scrip∣tures; and all internal divine Illumination is properly Revelation.

P. 102. Ye find great fault that I conclude, That the inward Dispensation that is among the Gentiles, that have not Christ outwardly preached (viz. by the Ministry of men, and

the holy Scriptures) hath its glory and great service to those that are faithful in it; and ye say, This is to talk at liberty my self, and to deny all others a liberty to judge. But herein ye wrong me, I allow all spiritual men a liberty to judge. I question not, but to all such who have a spi∣ritual discerning and ability to judge what I have affirmed of the glory and great service∣ableness of the inward divine Dispensation in the Gentiles, will be approved, and my Reasons and Proofs, both from Scripture and other Authors, found vallid. And though ye seek to untye that ye call, a knot, that I judge is indis∣solvable, p. 91. I judge so still, that ye shall never be able to untye it, as ye persist in your Doctrine: But yet ye pervert my words, in that ye call the Knot; for I did thus argue, That seeing Infants, by your confession, might be saved by Christ, and regenerated by the Spirit of Christ, that worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth, Therefore might the honest and faithful Gentiles be saved by the same regenerating Spirit of Christ, who worketh when, and where, and how he pleas∣eth, and by faith in Christ. But that ye may with some seeming show, appear to loose the Knot, ye word my Argument quite another way, I Infants may be saved by the working of the Spirit in them, why may not the Gentiles be so, by giving obedience to the Light in them? And thus ye would make me appear to the ignorant

as if I did plead, that the Gentiles were or could be saved without faith in Christ, and the regenerating Spirit of Christ, only by obedience to the general dictates of the Light within; but I say, though none are saved, but who are obedient to the Light in them, yet no Obedience can save, without faith in Christ, and the Spirit of Christ regenerating them, that is altogether necessary to every mans eternal Salvation.

Whereas I produced divers very convin∣cing Arguments to prove, That the Light in men that did accuse or reprove for sin, could not be some natural faculty of mans Soul; these Arguments some of them ye pass over very slightly, answering by your bare Affirmations, without proof, and some ye give no answer unto at all, nor take any notice of, see my Book, p. 119, 120, 121. which I again recom∣mend to the Readers serious consideration. I argued, That since ye confess, that man is wholly defiled and darkned, so that he i•• called Darkness in Scripture, therefore the Light in natural men could not be any part or faculty of their Souls; for that were to say, Men are not fallen totally, nor totally defiled, but in part. And I further argued, That since your Confession saith, All Sin is a Transgression against the Righteous Law of God, and since the Heathen are sinners, this righteous Law of God must be in them, against which they transgress;

and this righteous Law cannot be any part o•• faculty of the Soul, which ye confess, is wholly unrighteous and d••filed; for a thing cannot be wholly unrighteous and defiled, & yet in part righteous, holy and clean; To this I find not that ye say any thing. Ye say, I mistake, when I think ye reckon it any distinct Faculty: but the Mistake is yours, not mine; I did not think that ye do reckon it any distinct Faculty; but on the contrary, I blame you for saying, It is nothing else but the natural Conscience, or some natural Faculty of mans Soul; so that ye are wonderfully careless of what ye say; see my Book, pag. 119. and your Book pag. 98. And yet ye seem to make it now, Not the natural Ʋnderstanding, but something there imprinted. Well, let it be something there imprinted, this evinceth, that it is properly Gods Word; for I hope ye will not deny, but that which God writeth or printeth with his own Hand or Finger, is Gods Word, and doth as well, or rather more deserve to be accounted the Word of God, as that printed in the Bible, seeing God is the immediate Printer of this, without the Ministry of men; but the Print of the Bible is the work of Men, though the Truth there witnessed is immediately of God; and therefore by your Confession, there is an inward written or printed Word of God in Heathens, and generally in all men, and that immediately, without the use or help of the

Scriptures, commonly called the outward Word. Hence it clearly followeth, that the Word with∣out is not the whole Word of God, nor the only Rule, in contradiction to you who affirm it. And seeing, by your Confession, the Word of God is in the Gentiles or Heathen, who have not the Scriptures, why may not the same virtue and efficacy be given to it, as to that which ye say is contained in the Scriptures? It is improper to prefer that which is writ or printed on Paper by the labour and work of Men, to that which by God immediately is printed on mens hearts and souls, without the wo••k of men. And since ye grant, That there is a Law written in mens hearts universally, by God himself, Why may not that Law be understood to be the same mentioned, Psal. 19.7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, convert∣ing the Soul? yea, that it must and ought to be so understood, is clear from that analogy that the Wisdom of God in David maketh betwixt the preaching of the Heavens and Firmament, Day and Night, and the course of the Sun, and the Preaching or Testimony of this inward Law, that as universal as the outw••rd is, so universal is the inward; for the outward is the Symbole, Figure and Type of the inward, as the Ceremonial Law of Moses was symb••lical of the inward Gospel-Law; and if both had not been Universal the Analogy would have been improper and

false; for the true Analogy is betwixt two Universals, and not one universal, and another particular: And Paul, by the Spirit of God applyeth the universal Language of the Hea∣vens and Firmament, Day, and Night, and Sun, to the preaching of the Gospel, Rom. 10.18. by the same Analogy. Ye contradict•• the Scripture expresly, when ye deny it, tha•• the Law in the Gentiles, so far as they obeyed it, made them excusable; for as some had thoughts that accused them when they did evil, so they had thoughts that excused them when they did well; and this excusing of them proceeded originally from the Law it self within them, see Rom. 2.15. which ye expres∣ly contradict. And for Gods inward speaking to men, most frequently without the Ministry of men or books, as outwardly, I cited divers observable places of Scripture, as Psal. 94.10. Psal. 50.1.16 to 22. Amos 4.13, Micah 6.8. Prov. 8.1, 2, 3, 4. Job 28.28.24.13. and 21.14. and that noted place, Luke 12.20. from all which I did conclude, that it hath been the way of God, and ever will be, to speak to men in their hearts, to call them, and warn them, and fore-warn them of evil and danger, and to perswade and incline them to that which is good. And all these places of Scripture prove, th••t God doth at present, and in every Age, move and stir upon mens Consciences, and s••eak in them by his Word

and Voice, as really as he did in the Prophets, tho' not equally, nor the same in all respects, and this is immediate Revelation and Inspira∣tion, seeing God doth it without the Ministry of men most frequently, even in the Heathen, and in the Wicked, when they are neither hearing men, nor reading, nor thinking on any place of Scripture; and all this ye meerly slubber over, with a bare Magisterial Affirma∣tion, saying, That it is all but the actings of a natural Conscience, under legal Convictions: But tell me, What works these Legal Convictions? doth not the Scripture say, it is God? and he doth it by speaking to them in their hearts; for God doth not use to speak to men by an outward audible Voice; and therefore there is more in men than what ye call a Relique left in men of a natural Conscience; there is that which newly, and freshly, and immediately calleth to men in their hearts, and is a new gift and visitation of God. I find not that ye say any thing but one, that hath some shadow or appearance of weight, and that is from Rom. 8.3. & Gal. 3.21. viz. That the Law is weak, through the flesh, and cannot give Life: And this is even that Law which was within both Jews and Gentiles universally, and was not the meer outward Law. But to this I Answer, That by the [Law] in these places cited by you, and in many other places that could be ••••ted, as Rom. 3.19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,

&c. & Gal. 3.8, 9, 10, ••1, 12, 13. is indeed to be understood, not the meer outward Law given to the People of Israel, but the Law within in its first Administration or Dispensa∣tion, that hath its proper work and service to condemn, and not to justifie, to wound, bruise and kill, and not to heal, bind up and make alive; and this first ••dministration of the Law is most necessary and proper, and is the real effect and work of Christ in his in∣ward appearance in mens hearts, as a Law-giver and judge, but not so properly, nor clearly, nor distinctly as a Saviour, as he ap∣peareth in his second Administration perfectly to save the Soul, and deliver it from Sin, and Wrath, and perfectly to restore and renew it into the Conformity of his own Image, by faith in him, the whole Christ, intire and un∣divided, both as he came in the flesh, suffered Death for our sins, rose again, &c. ascended into Heaven, and is now in Heaven, our In∣tercessor and Advocate with the Father, and as he cometh in Spirit.

And of this twofold Administration of Christ, first, as a Law-giver, secondly, as a perfect Saviour, Moses and Joshua were Types; Moses was a type of Christ, in his first Ministration, and Joshua was a type of him, as a perfect Saviour in his second Ministration, both which are inward; for though the true Chri∣stian Faith, respecteth Christ come in the flesh

without us, and now glorified in Heaven, in the glorified nature of Man, &c. yet the Mystery of this, and the worth of his Death and Intercession, must be inwardly opened and revealed in us, by the Spirit of Christ: And as Moses led the People out of Egypt, through the red Sea, and th••ough the Wi••derness, and brought them to Jordan, and the borders of the good Land, and no further, and then dyed; so Josh••a was raised up, to bring them beyond Jordan, into the good Land; there∣fore Moses begun the wo••k, but Joshua finish∣ed it: Which two are plain figures of the twofold inward Ministration of Christ, the one that is more Legal than Evangelical, and hath the Evangelical hid in it, but not clear∣ly revealed, the other that is clearly and ap∣parently Evangelical; and because the second inward Ministration of Christ in mens hearts doth not appear at first, in its fulness of vi∣gor and strength, but gradually, therefore there is a mixture of the first & second, which is a middle Dispensation, consisting of both; and this is well known and experienced by spi∣ritual Travellers, although to you it is a Mystery and a Riddle, that ye mock at, rather than enquire into. And concerning this di∣versity of inward Dispensations and Ministra∣tions, both having one Author, to wit, the Lord Jesus Christ, not only the people called Quakers, but many sober, and juditious Pro∣testants

have given Te••••••mony, and their Te∣stimony is upon record in print, some calling them Three, and referring them, the one to the Father, the other to the Son, together with the Father, and the third and Last to the Holy Ghost, toge••her with the Father, and the Son; and of these three inward divine Dispensations, he called Doctor Gell, an English Protestant, whose Works are printed in English, and well received by many Prote∣stants, though he was no Quaker, hath par∣ticularly made mention, and th••se three Dis∣pensations being reduceable unto two, (a•• suppose there may be several mixtures of Wa∣ter and Wine, three, four, or seven, or more, yet still they are but two viz. Water and Wine) some other Protestants have mentioned and explained them, as particularly Henry Vane, in his book called, The retired mans Me∣ditations, &c. whom I the rather particular∣ly mention, because there are some in New-England, & perhaps members of your Church, who both knew him, and have a true respect to him, as judging him a sincere Christian, and neither Heretick nor Apostate, for his Doctrine; and yet when I or any of my f••iends hold forth the same Doctrine, of distinct in∣ward Dispensations, and Ministrations, no∣thing differning in substance, such is your want of Charity, that we are Hereticks, and Blas∣phemers, and fearful and incorrigible Apostates,

which showeth great Partiality in you; and that we would evaporate the Gospel into Allego∣ries and Dispensations, as ye phrase it. But ye are greatly mistaken; although we own the due and moderate use of Allegories, well war∣ranted by Paul and the other Apostles, and Prophets, and by good Christian writers in all Ages, yet we place not the Gospel in the meer All••gory or Figure, that is but the Shell; the Substance is the inward kirnel, hid under the Shell. And for variety of Dispensations, the Scripture is plain and express, and men∣tioneth the Dispensation of the fulness of Time, when Christ after his Death, and Resurrecti∣on, gave the holy Ghost to all true Believers, as the more excellent, far exceeding any for∣mer Dispensation, when Christ was the My∣stery hid in great part, from Ages and Gene∣rations, and not so revealed, as when the full∣ness of Time came. And ye your selves hold forth differing Dispensations of Grace, if any Credit can be given to your words, pag. 87. where ye say, We thought there had been diffe∣rent Dispensations of Grace clearly intimated, Rom. 11.7. Whereby ye plainly insinuate, That even such who are not saved, are under a Dispensation of Grace; and yet this, tho' affirmed by us, is denyed by you, who restrict the Grace of God only to such who are saved; so ye say and unsay the same thing, little heeding what ye say; and though ye blame me for thi••,

ye are guilty of it, and not I; for I doubt not but that I can well defend all my Sayings to be well consistent one with another. And not∣withstanding that I readily grant unto you, yea, and plead for it, as much as any, that the first Administration of Christ and God, in mens hearts, is weak, and is not sufficient of it self to justifie and save with eternal Sa••vation, and to give eternal Life, without the second, that is to follow, which giveth faith in Christ, as come in the flesh, dead and raised again, and more abundant Grace that doth accompany that Faith and Knowledge of Christ, as such, yet all this nothing serveth your turn in the least; for we never asserted the sufficiency of the first Manifestation & Ministration of Christ in mens hearts, as alone & without the second; but as relative unto it, and as regarding it as the end of the first. And yet we still affirm, that God and Christ is at work in all men, in a day of Visitation, in order to save them, and God and Christ are sufficient to begin and carry on the work. And though Paul call the Law weak, yet it is to be considered, that he calleth it not so absolutely, or of it self, but weak through the flesh, because the flesh or nature of man is weak to fulfill it, until Christ be revealed in the second Ministration of him, to fulfill the Righteousness of the Law; And if ye were not very partial, ye might have understood, by what I charged against you in

Article 5. that I placed not such a Sufficiency in the first degree of Light and Grace, and in the operation thereof, as did suffice from first to last; but there is a Sufficiency in it to begin some good work in men, that hath a proper and real tendency to the perfecting the Salva∣tion of mens Souls; as when a Chyrurgion lanceth a Wound, and searcheth it, and wash∣eth it, that is a necessary work, and what he doth, he doth as a skillful, able and sufficient work man, and that work hath a proper and real tendency to perfect the cure; yet that alone is not enough to cure the Wound, but he must apply his Healing Plaister to it, and make several new Applications of his Medicine.

And though we still preach God and Christ in mens hearts to be all-sufficient to save them, yet we never said nor thought, that what is revealed or dispenced of any inward Ability, Influence or Operation of God and Christ, is sufficient for all time to come, either to Gen∣tiles or Christians; for the best Christians need a daily renewed Influence of Grace, of Wis∣dom, of L••fe and Ability from God and Christ, to descend u••on them, and come into them, and they are to wait for the daily and hourly incomes of it. And therefore the weakness of the first inward Admini••tration of Christ, I deny not, but assert; and yet it is not weak in it self, but through the flesh; and it is weak

to justifie and save perfectly, but it is mighty and powerful to reprove, to judge, to wound, to bruise and to kill; and He, even Christ, and God in Christ, who woundeth, healeth; and He who killeth, maketh alive, and He who bruiseth, bindeth up, and He who maketh the Soul sick, and sensible that it need••th the Physitian, proveth the Physitian to the Soul; and such kind of Doctrine I have heard among the more sober kind of Presbyterians, and some Presbyterian Preachers have said, That Moses and Joshua were Types of Christ, as we say; and as Moses began a good Work, though his Ministration was weak, in comparison, and carried the People a great way, so as to bring them to Jordan, and the border of the good Land; so we say, Christs inward Ministration, that Moses outwardly, by way of Allegory and Analogy did answer unto, though weak com∣paratively, beginneth a good work in men, and carrieth them a great way, as it were to the spiritual Jordan, and to the border of the spiritual Canaan, and Kingdom, and then com∣eth the second inward Ministration, that answereth to Joshua, that bringeth them into the good Land, and giveth them their Lots and Possessions therein. But still, our Con∣troversie is great and just with you, who say, The Law within is so weak, and all the Light that is within the Gentiles, or unconverted men, call∣ed Christians, is so impotent and unable, that it

can do no good thing in them, nor can begin the least good work in men, be they never so diligent to improve it, that hath a real tendency to Salva∣tion; which we say it hath. For though the Law be weak, comparatively, yet that pro∣veth not, that it hath no ability to work or beget any good thing in men: A weak man or Child can do some good things; and tho' mans corrupted Nature can of it self do no good thing, yet this inward Law and Illumi∣nation, even in its first appearance, can and doth help the corrupt Nature of man, part∣ly, if not wholly to cleanse it, and being cleansed, to enable it to do some good things, which God doth not wholly reject, but in part accept, in and through Christ; and indeed Paul, as he useth divers Allegories and Figures whereby to hold forth the service and use of the Law to men, before Faith came, as that of a School-master, and that of a first Husband, so that of a Custody or place of Refuge, like the City of Refuge that was appointed for the Man-slayer to hide himself in from the Aven∣ger of Blood, where he might remain, as in Prison, yet safe, until the Death of the High-Priest, as doth plainly appear from Gal. 3.23. But before Faith came we were kept under the Law, (which Beza, a French Protestant, tanslateth in his Latine Translation, sub Legis presidie, i. e. the safeguard or defence of the Law, and the Greek doth well bear it) shut up (as

within a custody) unto the Faith, that should afterwards be revealed. And this is clear in the example of Cornelius, and his Houshold, who were in a good state, and yet had not the ••••th of Christ crucified and raised again, as the Christians had it, and as he ne••ded to have it, to ••eceive the holy Ghost, and the knowledge of remission of sin, that Peter preached to him, through faith in the Name of the Man Ch••ist Jesu••.

Ye wi•••• not have Rom. 1.28. understood prope••ly of Reprobates, but of such as were not approved of God at that time. Which quite over••urneth your absurd Doctrine of Repro∣bation before the World beg••n; for if they were not Reprobates when ••aul w••ote co••∣cerning them, Rom. 1.28. to be sure they were not Reprobates ••efore the beginning of the World, as every School-B••y may judge.

Moreover, ye say, That Law mentioned, James 1.22. &c. cannot be applied to Christ, not by any tolerable Catacresis. But ye say it, and that is all; why may not Christ be said to be the Object of our Obedience and Works, as well as of our Words, without any Catacresis? When the Apostles preached Christ, Christ was not their preaching or speech, but the object or ground of it, and yet they are said to preach him, without any catacresis; so ••hat Obedience that men give to Christ the living Word in their Hearts, hath him to be the

Object and Ground of it; and therefore they may be said, by a Metonimy, to act Christ, as well as to speak him; as we use to say, Such a man acteth the Pelagian, or Socinian, &c. Ye do but trifle, instead of disputing; yea, mens doing the Law, is a Metonimy; for their doing is not strictly the Law, but a conformity unto it.

And because ye make such a Clamour in the Ears of an ignorant Multitude, as if the Quakers Doctrine concerning Christs dying for all men, and giving a measure of his Grace unto all, were only the Doctrine of vile Hereticks, Apostates, Impostors and Blasphemers, I shall cite some Testimonies of Augustine, and Oro∣sius, and Chrysostom, antient Christian Writers of great esteem, who did hold the same Do∣ctrine with us, (not mentioning many more which I could cite) Augustin lib. 1. de genes•• ••ontra Ma••ich. cap. 3. in English thus, But that Light doth not feed the Eyes of unreasonable Crea∣tures, but the pure hearts of them who believe God▪ and betake themselves from the love of visible and temporal things, to keep his Commands, which al•• men can, if they will, because that Light enligh∣teneth every man that cometh i••to the World Orosius in his Apology against Pelagius, saith This is alwayes my Perswasion, and without doub•• that God doth adminster not only in his Body which is the Church, to whom he bestoweth speci•••• Gifts of Grace, for the Faith of Believers, but 〈◊〉〈◊〉

all Nations in this World his Long-suffering and eternal Clemency,—daily, momen••ly and instantly to all and singular. And again, Thou hast, as I judge, a sufficient proof of the co-operating Grace, in the Gentiles, viz. who were not Christians, Chrysostom on Jo••n 1. If he enlighten every man that cometh into the World, how is it that so many men remain without Light, for all do not know Christ? How there ore doth he enlighten every man? surely he doth enlighten them, so far as be∣longeth to him; but if any willingly shutting their Eyes to the Beams o•• this Light, would not direct their sight unto it, they have remained in Dark∣ness, not from the nature of the Light, but their own Wickedness, who willingly made themselves unworthy o•• so great a Gift. By all which Testi∣monies it plainly appeareth, these worthy men had not such a mean este••m of the inward Illumination common to all men, as ye have; but on the contrary did believe, it was the Grace of God, and such a Gift, as being duly improved, could give them the knowledge of Christ, and enable them to keep Gods Com∣mands. And the A••elatensian Synod about the Year 490. said, Anathema to him who shall say, Christ hath not dyed for all, nor would have all men to be saved. And again, Anathema to him, who saith, That he who hath perished hath not received that he might be saved. And not only antient Christian Writers, but Protestants, yea, some Calvinists of great account, as Amyra••d

and Dalce have delivered it as their Perswasion, That Christ hath dyed not only for all kinds and sorts of men, but all, and singulars of all kinds; and have printed in defence of it. And Te∣stardus, another French Protestant hath printed another large Book in Latine, wherein he proveth, That not only Christ hath dyed for all men, whereby all may be saved, but hath given inward Grace, sufficient to save all men; but that whoever are saved, have some special Grace and Favour of God extended towards them. Be∣sides that, the Arminians and Remonstrants, who are as justly reckoned Protestants as many others that dissent from them, are zealous for the universal Grace of God, and Christ his dying for all men; and yet no sober Protestant will say that all the fore-named are vile Hereticks, and fearfull Apostates, and Blasphemers, and Denyers of the Fundamentals of the Christian Re∣ligion, as ye most Uncharitably and Unchri∣stianly judge us; but your false Judgment will be your own burden.

CAP. VII.

I Need not be large on this or the following Chapters, but take notice principally of your grossest Perversions and false Quotations, recommending the substance of my former Book to the Readers, remaining unanswered.

Pag. 104. Ye pervert my words, as if I said, Christ only adops the adopted, because I

said, Christ hath left his spiritual goods, as Justification, Remission, Adoption and Eternal Life to his Brethren, by spiritual Regeneration; and since ye deny this, ye must allow, That Christ giveth Remission, Justification, Adoption and Eternal Life to such who are not spiritually regenerated; which is a Contradiction to your own Doctrine. And your own Doctrine di∣stinguisheth betwixt Regeneration and Adop∣tion. Ye grosly abuse me, in saying, I con∣found Justification and Sanctification, alledging, I fall into down-right Popery; for on the con∣trary I assert Justification as it is opposed to Condemnation, and according to the most proper and frequent use of the word, is di∣stinct from Sanctification; as thus, Justifica∣tion is Gods act of his free Grace, whereby he forgiveth the sins of all true Believers and Penitents, and accepteth and owneth them to be righteous in Christ, being cloathed with Christ and his Righteousness, imputed freely unto them, and whom he hath truly sanctified and begot into a true and real state of inward Holiness & Righteousness; so that true inward Righteousness and Holiness, or Sanctification, i•• not the Foundation of Justification, but a Condition & Qualification required, in order thereunto; and I place inward Righteousness and Holiness no other way than Faith, by which men are justified, to wit, as necessary Conditions and Instruments of Justification;

& all true Believers are cloathed, not only with Ch••ist imputed Righteousness, in respect of wh••t he hath done and suffered for them, ••ut with Ch••ist himself, in-dwelling, living and ruling in their h••arts, making them really hol•• and righteous; and this is a double cloa∣thing unto them, or as the Scarlet that is of a double Die, where-with all the true Child••en of Jerusalem from above, the Mother of all the faithful, are cloathed, so that they are not afraid of the Snow, according to Prove 31.21. But all such who think, that the alone Righteousness of Christ without them, while they are not inwardly cloathed with real in∣ward Righteousness, will cover them, will be greatly disappointed. True inward Sanctifi∣cation and Justification, though distinct, yea are not divided, nor is the one perfect without the other; he, who is imperfectly sanctified, cannot, while such, be perfectly justified; Sanctification is ingredient in the Object of Justification, and so is distinct from it; for it is only the holy Man whom God justifieth by his act of his free Grace and Favour. And therefore Sanctification is in the priority of order, tho' not of time, before Justification, as the Object is prior in order to the Act; for as God condemneth none but him who is wicked, so he justifieth none but who is ho••y; and he justifi••th the Ungodly from their Ungodliness, not in it, viz. such who had been formerly

ungodly, being now sanctified, he justifieth them; and still, Justification is as much the free Grace of God, as our Sanctification, yea, both equally his free Gifts and Favour. Note, that Augustine, cap. 26. de spir. er lit. doth acknowledge a twofold sense of the word [Justified] in Scripture; 1. To make just by the inward effect of Righteousness, wrought in men by the Spirit of God: 2. To account, reckon or repute to be just. And many Protestant Writers of great note have acknowledged that twofold sense, and for the first they cite Rev. 22.11. He that is just let him be just still, or more justified.

Pag. 106. Ye say, It is a great mistake in me, to say, that Faith is one hand to receive Christ, and Love another; and ye further say, By Faith we receive Christ, and by Love we serve him. A very unlearned and foolish distinction; do we not serve him both by Faith and Love? Yea, and we receive him by both Faith and Love, and by both he dwelleth in our hearts. And as ye bring no proof to contradict it, so the truth of what I say is manifest; for it is the Love of the Heart and Soul, as well as Faith, that qualifieth it to receive Christ, yea, Love doth most sweetly embrace Christ; for it is the nature of Love to embrace its beloved Object; the loving Parent embraceth the lo∣ving Child, and the loving Child embraceth the loving Parent, and one Friend embraceth another Friend, and not only receiveth him

into his House, bu•• into his Heart; and the ••••ore one said, The So••l is more where it lovet••, than where it breatheth; and al•• sensible Souls, who know in experience wh••t it is to love Christ, wi••l contradict you, and say with me, That by and with their Love, th••t he hath begot in th••m, they receive Christ, they embrace him, and hold him, as we•••• as by Faith. It s••emeth too much, it is your want of s••i∣ritual experience in this Love, that maketh you talk so widely. Yea, Faith, as it is a fiducial act of the Soul, and of the Will, and not a bare assent of the Understanding, hath Love and Des••••e in it, and belonging to the very natu••e and being of it, as Augustine said, What is it to believe in God? by believing, to love him, and to go into him. The virtue of divine Love doth wonderfully knit and unite the hearts of true Believers to Christ, and one to another, according to Col. 2.2. and this is felt by all that have any measure of the divine Love shed abroad in their hearts; and if Love knit the heart to Christ, by Love it recei∣veth him, as that which knitteth the Graft to the Tree, causeth the Graft to receive the Life and Substance of the Tree into it.

Ye say, In my sixth Paragraph I give up the whole cause, if I speak sincerely. Answ. I speak sincerely, and acco••ding to the plain and ge∣nuine sence of all the words contained in it, and yet I give up none of my Cause to you, but

still I differ from you considerably; for I say in the same Parag••a••h, T••at real inward Holi∣ness and Righteo••s••ess, as well as Faith, are the Instruments whereby ••en are j••stified, yet they are not the Foundation and g••o••nd of Justification. And as thi•• clear••th us of ••opery, so it doth not make us one with you, unless ye, and not I, give up your Cause; for ye say, Only Faith, and not real inward Holin••ss and Righteousness, a••e t••e Instruments of J••stification.

Pag. 107. That Paul, and other Saints re∣nounced inward Holiness and Righteo••sness, after believing, for being so much as Instruments of Ju∣stification, ye can never prove, though neither he nor they did build on them, but on Christ, the alone Foundation of Justification and of Sanctification, and all other Blessings and Mercies; and to be justified by Works, is but a secondary Justification; for inward Holiness and Righteousness planted and begot in the Soul, is before Works of Righteousness, as the Tree is good before it bear good Fruit, and as some Worthy Protestants have said, A good Tree maketh good Fruit; but a Tree cannot bear good Fruit before it be good. We are created by an inward Work of Christ's new creating unto good Works; and therefore this new Creation and work of Sanctification is before good Works outwardly wrought, in order of cau••e, as the good Tree is before the Fruit.

Pag. 108. That Faith is used in Scripture, not only to signifie Gospel Doctrine, as ye grant, but Gospel Holiness and Virtues, by a synecdoche of the part for the whole, is clear to any who are not partial; for the just shall live by Faith; and said Paul, the Life that I now live I live by Faith; and yet certainly his Life was not only the Life of Faith, but of Love, and other divine Virtues: And whereas the Faith of the Elders is frequently mentioned, Heb. 11. is it only their single Faith that is there com∣mended, or rather the whole Body of divine Virtues, whereof the Root, as it were, is Faith, as when we name a Tree by the Root, we understand the Branches included, and when we number men by the Head, we under∣stand the Body also; and Gal. 3.5. after that Faith is come, that was not the Doctrine only, but the Grace of Faith, together with all the other accompanying Graces and Virtues; and as Unbelief is put in Scripture for all other sin that men generally are under, Rom. 11.32. so Faith signifieth the whole Body of the Christian Graces and Virtues; but of this ye take no notice, but pass it with a dry foot, because ye can give no sollid Answer to it, though men∣tioned in my first Book.

And that it may appear I am not Popish, in the Doctrine of Justification, hear the Judg∣ment of James Durham, a Presbyterian Preacher, in his Commentary on the Revelations, in one

of his Digressions, where he saith, Who only place Repentance, Conversion and Holiness, &c. but as Conditions necessary to Justification, and but equally necessary as Faith, and in the same respect with Faith (or in words to that effect) the are not to be accounted Popish; and there∣fore hitherto ye cannot, nor shall find, in what ••emaineth, any Doctrine asserted by me▪ that is either ••opery or Heresie, but what is de∣fended by as good Protestants, and better than your selves, and which hath the Scripture Authority to warrant it.

Ye say, Ye understand not the meaning of my Rant about a Christ divided, a Christ without, and a Christ within, a Christ in Heaven, and a Christ in the H••art; we believe, say ye, that there is but one C••rist, &c. Here ye grosly mis∣represent my words, and pervert the sense of them, as if I did divide Christ, or hold two Christs, one Christ in Heaven, and another Christ in the Heart: Let the Reader see my words in my Book, and he will find, that I am not for dividing Christ, but blame them who do divide him, either in his Offices or in him∣self; nor do I use these words, a Christ in Hea∣ven, and a Christ in the Heart, as if they were two; but I say, it is one and the same Christ, which is both in Heaven, and also in the Hearts of his Children; and seeing ye call this a Rant, it is plain, that ye do not own Christ at all in the Hearts of the Saints: Let this be

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well remembred against you, for ye call it a Rant, to say, Christ is both in the Heaven, and in the Heart; did not the Lord say, He dwelleth in the High and Holy Places, and also in the Hearts of them that are Contrite, &c? Ye say, He dwelleth in the Hearts of all his People by his Virtue, Influence and Grace: But I say, his Virtue, Influence and Grace cannot be in the heart without him, and seperated from him; for if by Grace ye mean, Faith, Hope, Love, they would fail, wither and dye, if he were not present to nourish & preserve them. And how sillily and foolishly do ye infer, pag. 135. That I hold two Christs, because I say, That by the Spirit of Christ a man is joyned both to Christ in him, and to Christ in Heaven; and if two Ʋnions, then two Christs, say ye. But ye fight against your own shadow, I say nothing of two Unions, nor do my words infer it, more than when I say, a Graft that is grafted into a Tree is united both to the Branch that it is grafted into, and also to the whole Tree: Doth it thence follow, that there are here two Unions and two Trees? or that the foot is both uni∣ted to the Life or Soul in it, and to the Life or Soul in the Head, that therefore there are two Unions and two Heads? This shallow way of your Reasoning showeth what learned Clarks ye are.

Pag. 108, 109. Ye deny, That Faith hath any assurance in the being and nature of it, but

only that which is Objective, and not Subjective. And thus with School-Terms and Phrases ye seek to cover your selves in the Clouds, from Ignorant People: But let me explain it in English what ye say, which is this, That Christ & H••••piness hath the Assurance, but the Faith hath no Assurance of Knowledge, or Evi∣dence in the Nature of it; as who would say, There is assuredly such a City as London, or Paris, but he who is going towards it hath no assurance he is in the true way that leads to it. Ye say further, This assurance may be had with∣out extraordinary Revelation; and so say I; for it is ordinary to thousands of Gods Saints in all Ages; but what is that to you who deny all Revelation, both ordinary and extraordi∣nary at present, and say, The former wayes of Gods revealing his will are ceased? And yet many Protestants have acknowledged a Spirit of Prophecy in some of the Martyrs, as in George Wisehart and others, as is to be seen in Fox's Book of Martyrs, which contradict the Confession of the Assembly, espoused by you.

CAP. VIII.

PAg. 109. Ye commit a great Abuse, when ye say I deny the Doctrine of Perseve∣rance. I own both the Doctrine and Grace of Perseverance, to all to whom God doth give it; and my earnest Prayer is frequent unto

God for my self, and Brethren every where, yea, all who love the ••ord, in any measure, is, whatever Name they go u••der, that he may be pleased to establish them in that which is good, and crown them with that most noble Grace of Perseverance. And upon this head, ye, and not I give a way the Cause, though ye con∣tradict your selves in so doing for ye grant, That not only ••ommon and preparatory works that are wrought in men, that work a Reformation in many things, but also a Faith may be lost, that is real and true, and not false and hypocritical, for ye say expresly, Pag. 111. We must distinguish betwixt a false-Faith, and one that is not saving. So ye grant, that Faith which is not false but true, may be lost; but whether it may be called saving, is rather a strife of words, than any thing else, which I love n••t to contend about. That it is not fin••lly and eventually saving, is certain, otherwise it would have continued; but yet that it had a preparatory service and use, and began a good work, that is not false and hypocritical ye grant, and if ye did abide by what ye have said in this matter, the Controversie might end, as to that head.

Pag. 110. The cutting off the Natural Bran∣ches, If we may believe your bare Authority, for ye give no shadow of proof, ye will have it relate only to a vi••ib••e Church state; but the contrary is manifest from this, that as the

cutting off is, so shall the grafting in again be; for that Rom. 11. containeth a plain Prophe∣sie of the Conversion of the Jewes, and People of Israel, when all Israel shall be saved. And surely, that Conversion and Salvation, is a real thing. Ye are no less absurd to say, The Oyl that the foolish Virgins had in their Lamps was only a Profession they had of Grace; and yet ye say expresly, Their Lamps was their Profession, which is a gross Self-Contradiction; for the Lamp and the Oyl could not be one and the same thing; if the Lamp, as ye say, is the Profession, the Oyl must be something else, unless ye will say, The Oyl is the Cask, and the Cask is the Oyl.

Pag. 112. Ye strangely contradict your selves in answer to Ezek. 18.24. saying, The Scriptures assure us, that no true Believer shall totally and finally fall away from Grace. How strangely do ye forget your selves, who within a few Lines before did affirm, That the Faith that may be fallen from is not a false Faith, see pag. 111. line 8.

Pag. 113. Ye argue, That David's Fall, when he committed Murder and Adultry, was not totally from Grace, because he prayed, Psal. 51.11. Take not thy holy Spirit from me. But ye are strangely inconsiderate; may ye not think, that a Child can answer you? when David prayed that Prayer, God had begun to restore him again, and that Psalm is called one of his

penitential Psalms, and was a Testimony, that God by his good Spirit had begun a true work of Repentance in him, after his fall, and had given him, together with Repentance, his holy Spirit, and he prayed, that it might not be taken from him. Do ye think ye deal with Idiots, and persons void of common sense, when ye argue at this shallow rate? I told you before, and I again tell you, That if a Mur∣derer and an Adulterer, while such, may be a real Saint, the worst of Men may believe, that they are real Saints. Your Answer hath no Validity, when ye say, They never had the work of Conversion past upon them; but this is barely said: Why may not others, who have had some real beginning, like that of David, in some measure, fall into these Sins of Murder and Adultry? And surely, these who commit Murder and Adultry, whatever they have been before, may be numbred amongst the worst of men. They may say, a cording to your Do∣ctrine, They had the work of Conversion wrought upon them formerly, and they are Saints still, and ye cannot convince them to the contrary by your Doctrine. I say still, it would argue great Partiality (which far be it from us to think it can have place in God) that one and the same Sin is Mortal in one, and not Mortal in the other; the pure Life of Faith is killed by every gross Sin or Crime, such as Murder and Adultry; for if he who hateth his Bro∣ther

hath not eternal Life abiding in him, surely nor he who with his hands killeth his Brother. That Gods Promises are meerly Hypothetical to his elect Saints and Children, I neither said, nor say, yet the Promises are held forth Conditionally, and some are Conditional, and some absolute.

Pag. 115. Ye grosly abuse me, by alledging, That I introduce the Popish distinction o•• Mortal and Venial Sins. I use no such words, and have not the Popish sence of these words; but yet I believe there are lesser and greater Sins, and great and hainous Sins and Crimes kill the Soul, such as the Crimes of Murder & Adultry, but every smaller Offence doth not kill the Soul utterly, but yet hurteth or woundeth; and this both Experience & Scripture confirmeth, and ye are a sad sort of men, if ye think, that the gross Sins and Crimes of Mu••der and Adultry do no more hurt the Souls of men, than some Weaknesse and Infirmities that are really culpable, yet of a smaller kind, as a little wandering of Mind, a little slackness or remisness for a little time, &c.

Whereas I did affirm, There is a state in Grace, that men may grow up into, wherein they never fall away, but are crowned with Perseverance; for which I cited divers places of Scripture, as Psal. 119.2, 3 & 1 Joh. 3.9. & 1 John 2.19. and these I called such who

were the Sons and Children of the Free-Wo∣man, and who are made conform to the Image of the second Adam, Christ Jesus, (beyond the Image of the Earthly Adam, who fell) and who sit down in Christ that never fell; and these abide with him, and go not out. To this ye say nothing that has any weight, but meer triffling; ye say, It belongs to Faith, where ever it is, that who ever have it are born of God: And here ye contradict again your own Doctrine, who granted, That there is a Faith that may be lost, that is not false. Ye say, I mistake the Notion of the difference between Ser∣vants and Sons; for, ye say, true Believers are both Sons and Servants. But this I did not deny, nor do; yet the Scripture maketh a distinction thus, Every Son is a Servant, as Christ was both Gods Son and Servant, as he is called in Scripture; and Paul was a Son of God and a Servant of God; but yet every Servant is not a Son of God, born of the free-Woman: The Servant, said Christ, abideth not in the House forever, but the Son abideth forever. The Son of Hagar must become the Son of Sarah, that he may dwell in the House of the Lord forever. But ye falsly alledge against me, as if I said, None are in the New Covenant, until that after Death they come into glory. And ye show your great Ignorance, and want of Experience, to deny that men may be in a middle state, be∣tween both, as partly of a Legal Spirit, and

partly of a Gospel Spirit, for some time; for the Disciples were too much of a Legal Spirit when Christ told them, Ye know not what Spirit ye are of. Too many, called Christians, who have a measure of Gospel-sincerity, are too much of a Legal Spirit, and are not wholly leavened into the Gospel Spirit.

Pag. 117. Ye say, I seem to lay the stress up∣on the strength o•• Inherent Grace, whereas the Scripture ass••res us, it is of God, and depends upon his Power. I say the same, it is of God, and depends upon his Power, and both God and his Power doth preserve the Faith Love, and other Graces and Virtues of his People, and keepeth them ever green, (that they wi∣ther not) as the Cedars of Lebanon. Ye fa••sly alledge, I confound the two Covenants, and do not show wherein. Ye say, The New-Covenant cannot be fallen from. Again, ye say, It is a Contradiction, that a man may be a Believer, and yet but in Adam's Covenant, and fall away: Whi h yet is your own Contradiction; for ye have granted, That the Faith that can be lost, is not a false Faith; and therefore if not false, it is true in its manner. But whether the Faith that can be lost, and the Faith that persevereth and holdeth out to the end, and is like to Gold, and more precious than Gold, differ in kind or degree, is a Question too subtil, and doth involve into Philoso••hical & School-Subtilties; for it is not altogether agreed among th m

called Philosophers and School-men, what maketh a specifical difference in all respects, as whe∣ther Brass, Silver and Gold differ in specie and kind, or only in degree; therefore such a dispute I waved, and do still wave, as not be∣ing so proper to be disputed in School Terms, for it is best to keep to Scripture words, which the holy Ghost hath dictated. As Gold en∣dureth all tryal of fire, and is not consumed by it, so the most precious Faith of Gods elect Saints and Children endureth all fiery Tryals of all sorts.

And becaus ye would appear to be such migh∣ty Patrons & Defenders of the Protestant Re∣ligion and Principles, I shall cite the Testimony of Luther, whom ye will not be so bold, I suppose, to deny but that he was a Protestant, and a better man than any of you, as concern∣ing this matter, and another Testimony of these who gave forth the Augustane Confession, who were followers of Luther, and are gene∣rally acknowledged Protestants. In Luther's Mensalia, cap. 13. p. 227. he saith expresly, For Faith is either false or feigned, or although it be upright, yet it is extinguished, when People witting and willfully do against Gods Command; and the holy Spirit, which is given to the faithful, departeth, and is lost, through evil Works done against the Conscience, as the example of David sufficiently witnesseth: Thus Luther. And the Augustane Confession, given forth by Protestants,

says expresly, Article 12. They condemn the Anabaptists, who deny, that they who are once justified, can loose the holy Spirit. So ye may see, or if ye will shut your Eyes, yet the Im∣partial Readers may see, how it is a Doctrine of antient Protestants, more antient than your New-England Model, that they who are once justified may loose the holy Spirit, and they who say they cannot, are guilty of the Error of the Anabaptists; and the Scripture Testimony is most plain, that they may be Partakers of the holy Spirit, and may after∣wards fall away, Heb. 6. So that hitherto ye have not showed any one Article of Faith, wherein I or my Brethren differ either from Scripture or the best sort of Protestants; for in all these matters we have both the Scip∣ture, and the best sort of Protestants on our side; and therefore your Charge is false, as if I or we did oppose the fundamental Articles of Salvation, as ye alledge, p. 127. ad fin.

Pag. 118. Ye falsly charge the Quakers, that they boast of Perfection. The honest and fober People, called Qrs. hold forth the Doctrine of Pefection according to the Scripture, as a state attainable by the Grace of God, but boast not of their attainment; they chuse rather to express any measure of Attainments, they have, by a good and innocent Life, than by a talk of it.

Pag. 119. Ye falsly charge it upon me, as

a Cheat and Fraud, That I infer it from your D••ctrine, that the good Works of Gods holy Spirit are defil••d in and by the Saints. Answ. I make no such ••••ference, but I did set down the ex∣press words of the Confession of the Assembly, owned by you, cap. 16. That the best Work of the Saints, which proceed from the Spirit of God, as they are wro••ght by them, are defiled. Let the Reader see the place, and he will find the Cheat to be yours, and not mine; yea, p. 119. for∣getting your selves, ye say expresly, That the Works of the Saints, (which ye confess, are wro••ght also by the holy Spirit) are defiled by sin. And whereas ye say, The W••rk is not totally perfect and totally sin; yet ye te•••• not what part of it is not sin; for the whole Work, as done by you is sin; which is still a Chimaera, seeing that whole Work is done also by the Spirit.

Pag. 120. Ye blame me for alledging it to be ••our Doctrine, That they must sin, viz. Saints and Believers, as long as they live; as if there were a fatal necessity that God laid them under o so doing. Answ. But whether this be not the real and true sence of your Doctrine, that saith, No man is able, by any Grace of God, to keep the Commandments o•• God, but doth daily break them in T••o••ght, Word and Deed. Let Impartial Readers judge, for wh••t men cann••t do, th y are under a necessity not to do, and not to do is sin; and ye say, God hath decreed all this, and if it be not a fatal Necessity in the

sence of the Epicureans, or others who held a fatal Necessity, and denyed a divine Provi∣dence, yet in another sence it may be called a fatal Necessity.

Pag. 121. Ye would cover the Impertinency of the Citation of Rom. 3.9, &c. from the description of the natural state of man there given: But this is but a fig-leaf; for the Assem∣bly brings that place of Scripture to prove universally, That no man, neither Saint nor any other, can keep Gods Commandments, &c. And truly they are sad and miserable Saints, who are in the case there described; and yet, as I said before, too like to these in N. England, whose feet were swift to shed Blood, and their Throat an open Sepulchre. Your answers to the places of Scripture I brought to prove the possibility of Perfection by the Grace of God, are meer Assertions, without any Reasons of the least seeming weight to prove them; and therefore I refer both what I and Ye say to the Readers further Impartial Consideration.

Pag. 123. Ye say, Nor was Noah so perfect, but that afterwards he was drunken: This is a weak Reason; ye may at this rate deny that God created Adam free of all sin, because after God made him he sinned. We plead not for an impossibility of sinning, but a possibility of not sinning, by the Grace of God.

Ezek. 36.25. The making them clean from all their Filthyness, belongs, ye say, to Justification.

Answ. I doubt ye have forgot your selves, sure I ••m, it was the common Doct••ine of the P••••byterians, That Justification took away the G••ilt of Sin, and Sanctifi••ation took away the Filt•• o•• it. But now according to your New Model, it seemeth Sanctification taketh no Filthilness of sin away at all; and therefore a•• in respect of Sanctification, the whole filthi∣ness of sin remains in the best Saints, their hea••ts are as filthy inwardly as ever formerly; for J••stification, ye say, puts no inward purity or holiness in men. But is not Filthiness, and Holiness or Purity, contrary's? and therefore Sanctification, or making pure, taketh away filthiness of sin.

Pag. 121. Ye blame me again for alledging, They say they are only free from sinning after death. But to this I have above answered. Let the places I cited be read, and it will be found. Be∣side, it seemeth too great a School Nicity to di∣stinguish at Death, and immediately after Death; for ye will not grant, that any man is free of all sin one instant, or any sensible part of an instant before death; and therefore what fo••∣loweth, may be as well said after death, as at death; for the Distinction, as used by you, is a Quibble; the instant of death is but like a Thought; it is easier to understand the time be•••• ••o after Death, than the precise instant of Death, which no wit of man can measure.

Pag. 124. Ye very injuriously charge me with Blasphemy against God, calling him Cruel and Tyranical, and worse than Pharoah. This is a most false and injurious cha••ge; God for∣bid that I should have any such thoughts; I only told what your false and unchristian Do∣ctrine represents the most merciful God to be. Your Answer mends not the matter; for what men lost in Adam, Christ, the second Adam, giveth Grace to restore; and ye confess, That true Believers are under the New Covenant, and not under Adams Covenant; and all to whom the Gospel is preached, are called to come under the New-Covenant.

Ye grosly and most absurdly & falsly alledge, That Gospel Obedience is shorter, and lesser than the Obedience that the Law requireth. Whereas Christ under the Gospel not only fulfilleth the Righteousness of the Law in the Saints, accor∣ding to Rom. 8. in conformity to the first Adam, but carrieth true Believers further, as they follow him, to a higher and more perfect Righteousness, like unto that of the second Adam; but this is done gradually, until the Gospel Perfection be attained: And that the Gospel Dispensation hath more lenity and gentleness in it, than the Law, in respect of the plenty of forgiveness that it provides for the true Penitent, is granted; but still, it leadeth on & bringeth to a greater Perfection than that of the Law.

Pag. 125. Ye call me a vile Worm, and yet say, ye Rail not; And ye say, An Holy God is not thus to be treated by a vile Worm. But I can and do in holy fear and reverence appeal to the holy God, (before whom I and Ye are Dust and Ashes) Whether ye, and not I, in this matter, speak not aright of God. Be not too proud and confident, but fear to speak or think any thing of God that is so contrary to his Nature, or to the Nature of his Gospel, as if the Gospel of God gave men more toleration to sin than the Law, and to continue therein for term of Life, or that God punisheth men with Me•• Fire for that he never actually gave them power to forsake.

Pag. 125. Ye say, Believers sin more or less till they dye, and yet dye not in their sins. This is a too nice Distinction; can ye measure the time betwixt until Death and the instant of Death? it is too Metaphesical or rather So∣phistical; but in the Scripture Language they are one; for said God, Your Iniquity shall not be purged away till ye dye: What was that but that they should dye in it?

Pag. 126. Ye say, They that cover, and not they that confess, their sins, are pleaders for it; and then ye falsly charge the Quakers, That Sin had never such Attornies as they. Answ. They that cover their Sins do plead for it, and so they do who confess it hypocritically, stil confessing, but not forsaking, nor believing

that God will enable them by his Grace per∣fectly to keep his Commands, ever in this mortal Life; how can ye pray in faith, Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is done in Heaven? That the Quakers are in any sort Attornies for Sin, is but your bare Accusation, without proof, and is but a part of your Railing Lan∣gu ge, that filleth most of your Book.

Pag. 126. Ye falsly say, I challenge as much Perfection as Christ or Adam ever had. I never did say, nor think, that Believers could be equal to Christ in Perfection; it is enough they are like to him, Likeness is one thing, Equality is another: The Saints in Heaven are neither equal to Christ nor to one another, and yet all Perfe••t. Ye falsly alledge on me, That I yeild all ye pretend unto. Let the Im∣partial Reader compare your Assertions and mine, and he will find great difference: Ye not only affirm, That there may be Motions and Tentations to sin, in Believers, but that they are consented unto, and that they sin daily in thought, word and deed. This I did not yield unto, but plead against, as Unsound and Unchristian Doctrine. And as ye make your Appeal in the Conclusion, I do likewise make mine to every Impartial Reader, whose Understanding is but commonly enlightned, and hath any true m••••sure of a spiritual U••derstanding, Discern∣i••g and Experience in the things of God, Whether I have not made good my Charges

against you, even all of them; and Whether ye have not altogether failed in clearing your selves of them; and Whether your An∣swers are not rather manifest Falshoods, Slan∣ders, Perversions, and false Accusations, and meer Magisterial Asseverations, than having any thing of sollid Truth in them. And that our Doctrine concerning the Possibili••y of li∣ving without sin, by the Grace of God, is no Heresie, nor was ever accounted Heresie by antient Christian Writers, I can easily prove; for Augustine, who writ zealously against those who were accounted He••eticks in his time, and hath set down•• Catalogue of all the Heresies he knew, being in Number, as he reckoneth them, Eighty Eight, doth not mention the Doctrine of a possibility of living without sin, by the Grace of God, any of these Heresies, nor yet any other of these twelve Articles, as held by us, in Contradiction to you, are judged by him or any other antient Writers, Heretical, unless ye will say, That was condemned by Augustine for Heresie, That Children dying without Water-Baptism could be saved: And if this be a Heresie in us, it is a Heresie in you, for ye say the same. And Au∣gustine was so far from condemning it, as He∣resie, that men may live without sin by the Grace of God, that he saith plainly, lib. de Spiritu et Litera, cap. 2. If any defend it, that some have lived without sin, they do not much err, nor dan∣gerously,

seeing be is deceived who thinks so of others by some Benovelence, if so a man think not himself so perfect, except he do really and evidently find himself to be such. But he saith, They are earnestly and vehemently to be resisted, who think, that they can perfect Righteousness by the meer Power of Mans Will, without the Grace of God: Which was the Pelagian Error, and is altogether denyed by us; and of the same mind was Jerom, lib. 3. adv. Pelag. And the Augustane Confession, Art. 12. set forth by Protestants, doth not condemn them as He∣reticks, who say, they can live without sin, by the Grace of Grace, but such who say, They are come to so great Perfection that they cannot sin in any respect; which we do not affirm; for we plead not for the absolute impossibility of sinning, but for the possibility of not sinning, by the Grace of God. And of the same mind with us have been many Protestants of good esteem, as not only the Remonstrants, who are as good Pro∣testants as ye, (and have better Protestant Do∣ctrine, for all that ye deny it) but Castellio (who translated the Bible into Latine, called Castellio's Translation, and was the Author of that little Book, called, Dialogus Sacrorum, much used in Protestant Schools) in a pecu∣liar Tractate on that subject.

And thus it may plainly appear, how falsly ye accuse me, That I would beat down the Foun∣dations of many Generations, Ʋnchurch all Chri∣stendom,

make the Scripture to intend just contrary to w••at it speaks, and oppose almost all t••e Funda∣mental Articles o•• Religion that have been main∣tained almost Seventeen H••ndred Years, as ye say, pag. 155. wherein ye show, either your great Ignorance or Malice; for in all those twelve Articles, above recited, we hav•• the generality of the best antient Christian Writers on our side, as well as the best sort of Protestants, and it is but too mu••h Self-love, and vain Conceit, and narrowness of Spirit in you, to think, That because we oppose twelve, or some more Presbyterian and Independent A••ticles of false Doctrine, that therefore we unchurch or op∣pose all C••ristendom; for we do n•• mo e un∣church them than your selves do, who think, Ye, (viz. the Presbyterians and Independents) are the only true visible Church, and that but of late ye have made to your selves a Mu••geril new Church Model the Independents refused to own the Presby••erian to be a true visible Church, because of her being N••tional, or that her Mini••ters were true Mi••isters because deriving their call by the Pope of Rome, and consequently had no true Ministry not Sacra∣ments, as witness what J. Owen hath printed against them: We believe God hath many that truly belong to him, and are Members of his true Church, in Christendom, amo••g the several Professions o•• it, though we cannot own the visible Con••••••tution of their Churches to

be true, and conform to the true Pattern of the primitive Church in the Apostles days.

CAP. IX.

PAg. 128. Ye wrongfully blame me that I charge you for holding, That nothing of Grace, or of the Power of Godliness is requisite to constitute a Member of your visible Church; which, ye say, is all Railing; And yet with∣in a few lines, pag. 129. ye plainly confess, That such a Profession both of Words and Practises, may be, where sincerity is not; And thus Hypocrites, ye say, may belong to the visible Church. And pag. 131. ye say, it is nothing else, but an outward form of Profession, that can make them a visible Church. And therefore ye sufficiently clear me, that I have not in the least wronged you, unless ye hold, that Hy∣pocrites have the Grace and Power of Godliness indwelling in them, which ye deny.

Pag. 132. Ye say, I am deceived, when I say, every Member of Christ is a living Member; Christ hath said otherwise, John 15.2. How in Christ, but by Profession, their being fruit∣less, proves them dead. But your reason ye bring doth not prove, that Christ hath said otherwise; all it proveth is, that a man may be a branch in Christ, not only seemingly, but really, and yet if he leave off to bring forth fruit, he is cut off; that proveth the possi∣bility of falling away, from a good and true

beginning of a good Work, against your un∣christian Doctrine; for it is usual to Bran∣ches of Trees, that are real Branches, and not only seemingly so, that did once bear some fruit, to leave off bearing, and then the Husband-man cuts them off. Your citing the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 3.6. or any other instances, can never prove, that any Hypocrites, were ever acknowledged to be Members of the true Church, they were but the Tares, and Chaff, and Weeds that were mingled among the good Wheat, but were none of it. Your Notion of a visible Church, whose Members have only the Profession, and Form of Godliness, but not the power, and sincere practise of it, was not according to the antient doctrine of the best Protestants; for the Au∣gustane Confession, presented to Charles the fifth, by the Protestants, who were the only Protestants of greatest note, at that time, de∣fineth the Church of God, expresly thus, in so many words, Art. 8. That the Church is properly the Congregation of the Saints and true Believers, although in this life there are many Hypocrites and evil Men, that are mix••d. Where∣by it is plain, that they did not judge Hypo∣crites to be Members of the Church, any more then Tares to be Wheat, though mixed among the Wheat. I told you, that the Invisible Church and the Visible, do not differ in substance, or nature, but in some Circum∣stances

of Time, Places, and outward Actions To this ye object nothing of any weight, but that ye will have the Invisible Church and the Visible to differ in being and nature, still affirming, that nothing can constitute a Visible Church, but that which is only or meerly Visible; that ye confidently assert, without any shadow of proof or reason; and a Child may be too strong against you, in his reason, in this thing; for what maketh a visible man? is it only his skin, or visible part? doth not any ordinary School-boy know, that he who is a true visible man, must be a real man, and have his invisible parts, as Heart, Stomach, Brain, and other inwards, yea, and Life al∣so; and as he must have seeming motions of Life, so real, proceeding from true Life in him, which is invisible, otherwise it might be said, the meer Skin, or out side of a man, is the whole visible Man, which none of com∣mon wit will say; for take the meer skin of a man, and fill with hay, or some other mat∣ter, none will say, that is a true visible Man; and yet such a visible Man, as this would be, such a visible Church Member, would he be, that has only but the Skin or Outside Profes∣sion of a Christian, without the inward Life and Power of Christianity.

Pag. 129. Ye say, Profession, as it is under∣stood by the Assembly, is not a meer verbal thing, but Practical too, it contains in it an Orthodoxy

in the Principles pro••ess••d, and a Conversation framed thereto, a professing in words, and a not denying in works, else men are not visibl•• Chri∣stians, but to be turned from, citing 2. Tim. 3.5. But this is your gloss on the w••r••s of the Assembly, without any proof; And that your imposed Gloss is not the real sense of the As∣sembly, is manifest from this, th••t the far greatest part of them being Presbyterians, and but few Independants in comparison of the ••ajor part, the Presbyterian Church was then a National Church, composed of the whole Body of the Nation, both in England, Scot∣land and Ireland, as much as possible could be, and the Presbyterian League and Covenant did not only take in all, who were willing, how∣ever many thousands of them were of a Scan∣dalous Life, but the Promoters of it forced them who were unwilling, that either they must take the Covenant, or suffer Banish∣ment; And it is manifest, that the Presby∣terian Church in England, Scotland and Ire∣land, was as National, and consisting of as gross a mixture, as the Episcopal, or even as the Church of Rome it self, as in respect of Scandalous Livers, so that what Luther said of his followers in his day, may be as much ap∣plyed to the Presbyterian Church, whose Mi∣nisters did mostly compose that Assembly, in the fore-cited Book, called Mensalia, cap. 22.••.290. The manner of Life (said Luther) i•• as

Evil among us as among the Papists; wherefore we strive not with them, by reason of the manner of Life, but for, and about the Doctrine. And it is manifest as the noon day, that not only the far greatest part of the People, composing the Pres∣byterian Church, were of a dessolute and scanda∣lous Life, but too many of their Ministry and Elders, which occasioned the breach betwixt the Independents and them, that these called In∣dependents, thinking that the multitude of Pres∣byterian Professors, were not duely qualified to be Church-Members, as in respect of a strict life, erected a new Model of Congregational Churches, which are now again almost wholly degenerated, if not altogether into a Presby∣terian Laxeness; and how can it be supposed that a National Church, as such, can have the multitude of its Professors to be free of a scan∣dalous Life, seeing no such instance can, as yet be given; for the Presbyterian National Church, as well as the Episcopal and Church of Rome, receiveth Men and Women to be Mem∣bers of their Church, either how soon born, or by Infant Baptism, and rarely, if ever, doth excommunicate any for their Vitious manner of living (except in some extraordinary cases of Adultery, Incest, or Sodomy, &c.) but if any dis∣sent from them in Doctrine, then nothing but dreadful Thunderings of Excommunication, like the Popes Bulls, against the primitive Protestants: All which showeth, that by

Profession the Ass••mbly understood, much rather a meer verbal thing, than the Practise of a holy Life, or so much, as the outward ap∣pearance thereof; And ye may be ashamed, to cite 2 Tim. 3.5. for that requireth us To turn away from s ch, as having a fo••m of Godliness, d••ny the Power thereof; and that is to be sure, from all Hypocrites, and such who have not real inward Piety and Holiness; for who have not true piety, deny the Power of Godliness. And that either the Presbyte∣rian or Independent Constitution of a Church require an uniform Practice of a Godly and Christian Life, in all the necessary parts of it, as of living Soberly, Righteously, and Godly, and denying Ungodliness and worldly Lusts, is no wise apparent from their Practise; how∣ever it may be allowed, that some external Practices in some things, that Hypocrites may most easily perform, yea, and Scandalous Persons also, may be and are required, as par∣ticularly, To present their Children to be sprinkled, To break Bread twice or four times a year, more or less, &c. together, To come to Church, as it is called, once or twice a week, To salute the Minister with a Ha••l-Rabbi, and a low Cringe, in the streets, and putting off the Hat, and most especially, as a most neces∣sary practice, To pay every one his share of the Preists Wages. These and the like v••ry ordi∣nary and superficial Practices, are the mo••t that I can find, are required in your Church

Members; and what is there required of the Spirit of God, or real inward Holiness in all this? surely nothi••g, by your own confession. Nor ought ye to blame me, for this Charac∣ter of your Church Members, seeing John Fox giveth me a President in his Book of Martyrs 1. volum. Pag. 43. in the like cass, where he d••fineth a Christian man, after the Popes making by his practisi••g some outward things, no wi•••• in••••rring inward Holiness of Life; and afte•• concludeth with these expres•• words, Now look upon this Definition viz. that he hath given of a Member of the Popes Church) and tell me, good Reader, what Faith, or Spirit, or what working of the holy Ghost in all this Doctrine, is to be required. Whereby it is most plain, th••t John Fox, a man of great Authority among Protestants, agreeth with the People called Quakers, against both Presbyterians and Independents, in the true definition of a Mem∣ber of the true Church visible, viz. That every such Member should have the true Faith, and Spirit, and working of the holy Ghost, which yet ye openly deny to qualifie them thereunto, requi••ing only an outside Profession of words, and at most some outward Practices, that may be, and are commonly practised by the greatest Hypocrites.

Pag. 132. Ye say, I find fault with you for using an Hour-glass to know how the time spends, and a Bell to gather your Ass••mblies together. But

for the use of an Hour-glass, simply to know the measure of Time, I did find no fault with you, but that ye commonly measure the Time of your preaching by the Hour-glass, which showeth, that none of you preach by the Spirit of God, which is not limitted to any stinted measure of Time; and the primitive Chri∣stian Preachers had no such thing as either Hour-Glass or Dial, to measure the time of their Preaching; nor are we against the civil use of Bells, Clocks or Dials, but the supersti∣tions use of Bells, hanging in high Steeples, like the high places used by Idolators of Old, and which ye follow the Papists in, to call your Assembly together, and the sound of which many ignorant and carnal People are vainly delighted with. Hospimian de orig. Templ. saith, Bells were not used for certain, in the first five Centuries, at most, of Christianity; when yet their Parishes or Church-Precincts were of a greater extent than the most diffused among us.

P. 133. Ye call the inward Gospel spiritual Bell, ringing in the hearts of the faithful, which is the living Word sounding in the hearts, a Fancy, more fabulous than any thing in Aesop. Whereby ye show, how carnal, dark and ignorant ye are; for hereby ye deny the inward Call, Voice and Sound of Christ, the Son of God, in the hearts of the faithful, which by a figure I call the Gospel Bell, whereof Aarons

Bells, that did hang at his Garments, were a Type; and it is common in Scripture, that the name of the Type is given to the thing typified by it. But that Psal. 89.15. intends the Silver Trumpets in the time of the Law, ye barely alledge, without proof; and that ye say, An∣tient and Modern Interpreters agree therein, y•• show your rashness, for ye name no antient Writer that saith so: And Theodoretus, a very antient Writer, expoundeth that place, Psal. 89.15. in his Commentary on the Psalms, of the J••bilation, or joyful Sound in the Gentiles in Gospel-dayes, who should believe in Christ; and it is evident that the Psalm is a Prophecy of Christ, and of the great blessings that should come to all Nations, both Jews and Gentiles, by him, as both Theodoretus and other antient and modern Writers understand it, as is clear from vers 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, &c. that is not applicable to David, but to Christ, whereof David was a Type. And that ye say, The Quakers give notice of their Meetings, we grant, but yet we use neither Bell nor Drum to give such notice, and find no need nor occasion for any such superstitious Custom.

Pag. 135. Ye query, May ye not succeed the Apostles in their Ministry, though not in their Apostleship? I Answer; Nay, seeing ye deny that which qualifieth all true Ministers of Christ, which is the Spirit and Power of Christ inwardly revealed, and that ye require nothing

of real inward Godliness necessary to constitute a Minister of Christ, ye have no President for your Ministry that ye plead for, without true pi∣ety, from the true Apostles, but from Judas the Apostate, that betrayed the Lord Jesus Christ, and in so doing fell from his Ministry; yea, ye are not ashamed to mention him and the Phari∣sees for your Presidents and Patrons, to which I have formerly replyed. And though the Apostles ordained Elders and Over-seers over gathered Churches, yet it was by the direction of the holy Ghost, and this ye deny, that your Ordination was such. Nor was it proper and peculiar only to the Apostles to travel through the Nations to preach the Gospel, but was common to other Pastors and Teachers, as to the Apostles, as is clear from the Acts of the Apostles, and from Christs Commission. And every true Minister of Christ is to know his place and calling by the Spirit of the Lord, how long he is to stay among a People, whe∣ther all his Life time, or for some season. But if ye were indeed called of God to sit down all your dayes in one pl••ce, how cometh it to be so usual among you, to remove from one place to another, and most commonly to some new place, where ye can have a greater Benefice, or some better outward Accomodation?

Pag. 136. Ye say, I reflect a Scandal upon you, in respect of the endeavours for the Conversion of the Indians; & for this, ye refer to the printed

Accounts. But ye should have mentioned in particular what these printed acounts say, that they might be examined, whether true or false; for we know many printed Accounts are false; and it is most manifest, that great Sums of Money have been sent out of Old England to encourage that work of preaching to the Indians, and it is as manifest, that much of that Money hath been ill bestowed and im∣proved, as the Country of New-England knoweth well enough; and these called Chri∣stian Indians, your pretended Converts, are known generally to be worse than the poor Heathens.

CAP. X.

PAg. 136. Ye say so little in defence of that ye call your Two Sacraments, (confessing withal, That the Scripture saith nothing of the word Sacrament) that I shall not spend Paper nor Time to answer all your Impertinencies, considering that I have said enough that may suffice to answer you in my former Reply to Pardon Tillinghast; for if Water-Baptism be no Gospel Precept, then surely sprinkling In∣fants is none; only I shall consider some of the grossest of them. Pag. 137. As for sprinkling, ye say, ye plead not for it, but for pouring Water, not on the fore-head only, but on the face: This seemeth a learned distinction, that may pass current among ignorant People; what dif∣ference

betwixt sprinkling and pouring? see∣ing all the Water ye pour is neither gallon nor pint, but so much as ye can hold in the hollow of your hand, which cannot well wet the whole face, and therefore is more sprinkling; but still, ye are to seek for a proof, that either sprinkling or pouring Water on a childs fac•• was ever commanded by Christ, or practised by any of the Apostles or Ministers of Christ record••d in Scripture. Ye say, Origine and Cyprian tell us, that the Apostles gave order for the baptizing of Infants, withal citing Augustin; but this is no Scripture-proof, and Authority of antient Writers, without Scripture, ought to be of no weight among true Protestants. The Church of Rome doth so argue for her unscriptural Traditions, and is more ingenu∣ous than ye, that she doth confess, There is no A••t••ority for Infant Baptism, but only the Tradition of the Church; and if ye have no better Autho∣rity than Tradition, your cause is desperate, and your Refuge to the Tradition of antient Writers, proveth you more Popish than Pro∣testant. And as for Origine, Cyprian and Au∣gustine, they lived long after the first Century, and ye can give no evidence in Church History that Infant Baptism was practised until Cypri∣ans time, past two hundred years from Christs Resurrection; and whereas while the practice of Water-Baptism continued in the Church, it was required, that before Baptism, the

Persons that were to be baptized should confess to the Truth, and also that they did confess their sins, and declare their Repentance and Faith, which Infants could not do, and there∣fore were incapable of Water-Baptism; to supply which defect, in after Ages the inven∣tion of God-fathers, that should confess and vow for them, was set up, that hath no shadow of ground in Scripture.

Pag. 139. Ye say, I fraudule••tly omit that clause, citing Luke 18.15, 16. For of such i•• the Kingdom of God. Answ. I do not fraudu∣lently omit it, but saw no necessity to repeat it, as having not the least seeming strength in it for Water-Baptism to Infants; for granting that those Infants, or such, belonged to the Kingdom of God, it doth not therefore follow, that they were baptized with Water; ye must show either Precept or Practice, but ye do neither; and that ye say, It is above the capa∣city of Children to receive the Lords Supper, so call'd, ye give no instance wherein that is more above their capacity, than to receive Infant Baptism by sprinkling or pouring, seeing both, ye say, are signs of spiritual Mysteries; and in Augustines time, that call'd the Supper was given to Children, or Infants; if they be un∣capable of understanding the thing signified by the one, so are they of understanding the thing signified by the other. Ye falsly alledge, That Contra-distinguished signifieth two Con∣traryes

the one to the other; but I did not un••e••stand any c••ntrariety betwixt John's Baptism and Christ'••, but only a diversity; nor doth the word contra-distinguished import any other contrariety, but as the Type hath to the Anti-type, i. e. counter-type.

Pag. 140, 141. Ye contend, that Mat. 28.19, 20. mu••t be Water-Baptism, because the Apostles ever renounced doing any of th••se things, as begetting or converting men unto Go••, and baptizing with the Spirit by their own virtue. But ••his is a most poor Evasion, we do not say they either did or could do any of these thi••gs by their own virtue, that is not the thing in Controversie, for what they did they did not by their own Virtue, but by the Virtue and Power of Christ. Ye still beg the Question, (tho' to deny it ye call Infatua∣tion, but the Infatuation is your own) that Christ commanded these words to be used, as words of Institution, In the Name of the Father, &c. for we find not that he bid them say or repeat these words. Ye put a meer precarious gloss on Pauls words, (That he was not sent to Baptize) That he was not obliged by any necessity to do it ordinarily personally; And hendes, this is as much as to say, that Paul thought it enough to obey Gods Command by a Proxy, and so ye may as well say, he was not under any necessity to preach, but by a Proxy or Deputy; this is to abuse Scripture, and not to expound

it; for if Paul might obey one Command of God by a Proxy, why not all others? And thus ye teach men to excuse themselves from Personal Obedience to Gods Commands; it is enough, according to your gloss, that others obey for them; but would Paul thank God for not obeying a Gospel-Precept? and yet he said, He thanked God for not baptizing any of them, but some few: Paul might have baptized some without a Commission, as well as he cir∣cumcised Timothy.

Pag. 142. Ye say, Ye have alwayes professed your zeal for the inward Baptism with the holy Ghost: But this is a great Falshood and Con∣tradiction, when ye deny all present inward divine Revelation and Inspiration, and the real in being and Presence of Christ or God im∣mediately in the Saints.

Pag. 143. Ye most grosly pervert and abuse my words, because I said, Christ had an out∣ward Supper with his Disciples, when he did eat the Paschal Lamb with them, ye put this your false gloss on it, as if I said or thought, That he had the thing without the thing signified, i. e. that Christ ate the Passover hypocritically. Nothing can be more grosly alledged; for I said expresly, that the Disciples at that time when Christ had that outwa••d Supper with them, had an inward enjoyment ••f him given them by Christ, in the use of the Bread and Wine, see pag. 190. And by your many su••h

gross Perversions, that seem wilfull in you, ye show what men ye are. Ye alledge, The first Cup belonged to the Passover, Luke 22. But ye may as well say, so did the second; for ye give no Reason why one, rather than another; and ye may with as much colour say, that the second Cup did not belong to the Supper, be∣cause it is said, Luke 22.20. He took the Cup after Supper, &c.

Pag. 143. Ye alledge, I arrogate Gods Pre∣rogative, who only can judge the heart immediatly, when I say, your Sacrament hath no inward spiri∣tual signification unto you. But I speak not so simply nor absolutely, as I can and do appeal to the impartial Reader; for ye leave out my follow∣ing words, that qualifie them, viz. As ye use it, while ye altogether deny that the Saints are partakers of the Substance of Christ, or that Christ really and substantially dwelleth in his Saints, & while ye also deny all inward Revela∣tion of him, in these latter Ages. And thus I presume not to judge you, as if immediately I did know your hearts, but by your words ye are judged, even as I may judge of that man, who denyeth, that he hath eat any substance of Bread or Food, that he hath not received of Bread, &c. For as he who eateth Bread, receiveth the Substance of it into his body, so he who eateth Christ, the Bread of Life, receiveth some measure of him substantially into his Soul. And though this is denyed by many of you,

and as I said, in my former Book, the man•• lean and dead Souls among you, void of in∣ward and spiritual discerning, taste or savour too manifestly demonstrate, ye are generally strangers to the Supper of the Lord, [here Note, I say not universally, but generally] yet I have that charity, that some called Presbyterians and Independents, of the more sober kind, and who allow in part of inward divine Revelati∣on, and of a real inward indwelling of Christ in Believers, may truly know some-what at times of the inward and spiritual Signification of that Figurative Supper, yet not because of that outward manner of using it, but indeed because there is some secret breathing and de∣sires after the Lord in some of them, and such are sober, and tender, and not of a malicious and persecuting Spirit, as too many among you are, who continue to justifie the putting to Death our innocent worthy Friends at Boston; and thus our Charity is greater than yours; for ye call me a fearful Apostate, and so ye, and not I, arrogate Gods Prerogative, who only can judge the heart immediately; for ye can give no probable signs of my Apost••cy, seeing in the judgment of all sober Protestants, I own all the Fundamental and most necessary Do∣ctrines of the Christian Faith, and ye can charge nothing in my Conversation or manner of Life inconsistent with true Christianity; I have departed from no good thing either of

Doctrine or Life, that I had when among these called Presbyterians, I have only relinquished their Errors, and that will no more prove me Apostate, than Luther and Calvin their relin∣quishing Popish Errors, doth prove them Apo∣states, altho' the Papists have so charged them; yea, I have known Presbyterians accuse the In∣dependents for being Apostates. But as I value no•• your uncharitable Judgment against me, so I cannot but take notice how guilty ye are to blame me for Ʋncharitableness in judging, when ye are so deeply guilty in that very thing.

Pag. 144. Ye grosly abuse and pervert my words, when ye alledge, That I say, ordinary eating, as it is the common Duty of all men, is the Supper of the Lord. I said no such thing; but that often in the use of outward eating and drinking, being sanctified and blessed by the Word of God and Prayer, we have, together with the outward ••••ting, eat the inward and spiritual Bread; and together with the out∣war•• Cup, ••••re drunk that spiritual Drink, and withal, remembring the Lords Death, and what he hath done and suffered for us: And I distinguish betwixt the Saints more solemn eatings together (upon frequent occasions, where their thus eating together was a figure or sign of their inward Communion) and their daily eating a part; and withal, I declared, how in all our eatings and drinkings, and at all times, we should remember the Lords Death

even until his last coming, and to the end of the World, see pag. 188, to 19••. And when the Saints outwardly eat together, and then also inwardly eat of that inward and spiritual Food, and have together an inward enjoyment of the Lord in their hearts, that may be called the Supper of the Lord (which both may be without and with the outward eating) but I did not say, nor do I now say, that alwayes when the Saints eat outwardly at their ordi∣nary Meals, they eat together inwardly, but that the times are very frequent of their out∣ward and inward eating together at one time, wherein they remember the Lords Death, and praise him, as for all his Mercies, so for what he hath done and suffered for them; and this Solemnity may be well used by any Number, as well small as great, and without any Gown-Man or ordained Priest, either of Pope, Pre∣late or Presbyter; for all the Faithful are a Royal Priesthood unto God; and there is no shadow of ground in Scripture, that Saints may not eat and drink together, remembring the Lords Death, with Prayer, and Blessing, and Thanksgiving, and enjoying an inward and spiritual Communion together, though they be ever so small a Number, and though having no Priest outwardly ordained, as above said. And seeing outward Ordination of Priests or Presbyters, either by Pope, Prelate or Presbyter (none of whom have any inward

and immediate call) is a meer human Invention (as John Owen, whom ye esteem your reverend Brother, hath sufficiently proved) and that ye lay the main stress of this Ordinance, its being observed or practised hereupon, that some ordained Minister consecrate it, or Inde∣pendent Pastor, which is of no better Authority than the former. Ye can never prove that that ye call the Supper, is any thing beyond what is frequently practised among us, even as outwardly, although as to the inward, to Gods praise, we know we have the advantage incomparably beyond all of you. And instead of proving that your eating together hath any advantage above ours, ye say, Ye think your Supper is beyond ours, as being an holy Ordinance of Gospel Worship, and ours is only the common Duty of all men. But as ours is not the com∣mon Duty of all men (as ye falsly alledge) so yours is not an holy Ordinance of Gospel Wor∣ship; for it is essential to all Gospel Worship to be performed in the Spirit, because God is a Spirit; but ye plead, That men, called Mini∣sters, who have nothing of true Piety, or the Spirit of Truth and Holiness, may consecrate the Bread, and make it a Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord.

Pag. 145. Ye commit another gross Abuse, falsly alledging on me, that I said, All outward eating and drinking is a natural and necessary sign of the inward, see my Book, p. 192. I say not All

outward eating & drinking, but I say, such a figure as is natural and necessary to be used by us all, &c. where ye may see, I restrict it to Believers; so that the outward eating and drinking of Believers, is a natural and necessary sign or figure of the inward, to Believers (but not to Unbelievers) as the whole outward World is a figure of the inward and spiritual, as Paul doth expresly call it, 1 Cor. 7.31. But where∣as ye say, There is not one Syllable, expresly nor consequentially intimating any such thing there; ye show your great Rashness, or Ignorance; for in the Greek (to which I did refer) the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Latine, Scema, and Englished, Scheme, that most commonly signifieth figure, and is expresly translated Figure, in that very place, by Pasor, a zealous Protestant, in his Lexicon, thus, Figura hujus Mundi preterit, i. e. the Figure of this World passeth away. Hence in all Mathematical Schools, in teaching Geo∣graphy or Astronomy, we call the draught or figure proposed in the Lesson, the Scema or Sceme; and any ordinary School-boy, or com∣mon Shepherd or Plow-man may inform you, that this visible World is a Figure of the in∣visible, and the outward a figure of the in∣ward, which is a common Saying in the mouthes of men generally, and is further con∣firmed by Paul, saying, The invisible things of God are understood by the things that are made, Rom. 1.20. and by the fore-cited Saying of

Luther, That in all Creatures we see a Declara∣tion and Signification of the holy Trinity. And whereas I said, That in our outward eatings, sometimes we do use both inward & outward Prayer and Thanksgiving, and sometimes only inward; this in a way of Scoff, ye call, A new way of Consecration; whereby ye declare your selves too great strangers to inward and men∣tal Prayer, performed only with the heart and mind; for if ye did rightly understand inward and mental Prayer, ye would acknow∣ledge that the outward eating is sanctified by the Word of God, and by inward Prayer, as well as both inward and outward, but the out∣ward without the inward, hath no virtue to sanctifie the Creatures of God; and yet cer∣tainly ye give too much cause to judge, that your outward Prayer wanteth the inward, when ye allow both the Members & Ministers of your Church to be Members and Ministers, without all inward Holiness, or working of the Spirit of God. And how the Prayer of Unholy Men, (as ye allow your Ministers may be, that consecrate the Bread and Wine to be the Sacrament of the Supper) can consecrate, sanctifie, or make holy, ev•••• ••es Instruments, these Elements, is as strange a Paradox, as how an unclean thing can bring out a clean, or one contrary another.

Pag. 146. Ye alledge, That the Seventh day was appointed, viz. for a Sabbath, before the Fall,

and so was no Type of Christ. But the former ye barely alledge; for that the Seventh Day, its being said to be blessed, &c. (suppose a natural or common Day) before any mention is made of the Fall of Adam, no more proveth its Institution before the fall, for a Sabbath, than that it can be proved, there were di∣versities of Languages before Babel, because Languages or Tongues are mentioned, Gen. 10.5.20.31. and yet in the following Chap. vers. 1. its said, The whole Earth was of one Language; for divers things are recorded in Scripture by Anticipation.

Pag. 147. Ye say, Heb. 4.9, 10. it is said, Christ entred into his Rest; and doth that mean, that he entred into himself? Answ. It is not said that Christ or God entred into his Rest, but That God ceased from his Works; but allow it, That Christ entred into his Rest, is not That that he entred into that Glory he had with the Father before the World was? and can God or Christ have another or better Rest than Himself? or can any natural or common Day be a Rest unto God? O blind Man! Ye call an inward Day, Non-sence, but it is because ye have not sence to understand it: Is not the Day of Gods Power, and the Day of Salvation, mentioned in Scripture, an inward and spiri∣tual Day? Ye say again, If I can find an in∣ward Seventh Day in Scripture, it will be a rare Invention. I Answer; As I find Moon and Sun

inwardly and spiritually understood in Scrip∣ture, so I find seven Days, and a Seventh Day inwardly and spiritually understood, see Isa. 30.26. but this to you is still a Mystery. And whereas it is the outward and natural Sun that constitutes common and natural Days, there∣fore did Origine, Augustine, and many others conclude, That the seven Days, mentioned Gen. 1.2. and Exod. 20. could not be com∣mon and natural Days, for there was no Sun until the fourth Day, nor Firmament until the second, nor dry Land and Sea till the third.

P. 147. That God altered the Sabbath from the Seventh Day to the First, ye meerly alledge, without any proof, as your common manner is. I suppose ye are not so ignorant as not to know that Calvin, the Father, so called, or Founder of the Presbyterian Church, and the French Protestants generally, and also the Dutch, tho' they keep the First Day for worship, after the manner of primitive Christians, as we also do, yet do not judge it to be the Sabbath, or com∣manded by divine Institution; & we set apart that day worthily and commendably, with other Protestants, neither for any betterness in it, simply as a Day, nor as being command∣ed for a Sabbath, but in honour of our Saviours Resurrection, after the Example of the pri∣mitive Christians in the Apostles days, men∣tioned in Scripture, and that we see a great conveniency and service in it, to keep a Day

weekly unto the Lord, and as said the Apostle, He who keepeth a Day, keepeth it unto the Lord, and that Day rather than another, because of Christs Resurrection on the first day of the week, and the worthy Example of primitive Christians, recorded in Scripture.

And thus I have gone through all the Heads contained in your Book, relating to the Do∣ctrinal part, and have showed our agreement in every one of them, with the holy Scriptures, and also with famous Protestants, and Antient Writers, call'd Christian Fathers, except in that one matter of Infant Baptism, wherein if we differ from many of these called Antients in one thing, ye differ in another; for they generally judged it absolutely necessary to Sal∣vation, which ye, as well as I, judge an Error in them, and these called Baptists commonly, who may be judged as good Protestants as ye, deny your Infant-Baptism, as a humane Inven∣tion; and yet ye have no other: And if this doth not unchristian them, so nor can it us; and ye deny their baptizing into Water such, who have been baptized, when Infants; why then may ye not allow the same Charity to us, that ye, viz. the more fober part both of Pres∣byterians and Baptists, so called (tho' the more Rigid sort call one another Hereticks) allow one to another, and that we allow to the sober, and tender, and honest hearted of you both,

yea, and to such in all Professions, where the Head and Foundation is held, which is Christ? & we have that Charity, that there is a sincere sort among all Professions, who belong to God and Christ, and tho' they have wrong Notions and Conceptions of some things belonging to Christian Doctrine, and have not a form of sound words, in delivering some matters of Faith, which is a great hurt unto them, yet they have some true inward sence of Christian Truth and Doctrine, and their faith and sence may be partly sound, where their words, where by they express it may be very unsound; for many have a right sence and feeling of things, whereof they have not a right Elocution, Utterance and form of Speech, as in Naturals, so in Spirituals, as when Men taste Money, and their taste of it is the same, yet they differ in the Names they give it, or in some subtile and curious Questions about the Nature of it, or the nature and manner of tasting it, that is not so very material. So men may have some real sence and experience of the workings of the holy Spirit, & inward divine Revelations and Inspirations, that work and beget in them some measure of true Faith, Hope, Love, and other Christian Virtues, and yet by the Pre∣judice of Education, and wrong outward tea∣ching, or ill wording of things, may give wrong Names to things, yet God forbid we should unchristian them, simply for a Mistake,

or defect in not giving proper words & names to things; and yet many things of Contro∣versie, among single hearted men, lie but in words, and such should have a regard to that which is good, tender and sensible one in ano∣ther, where it is felt: But where a persecuting and malitious Spirit, and great hardness of Heart prevaileth in any, these are not to be regarded as Christians, whatever they profess. So I would have you all to know, all the sober and tender hearted People of New-England, and else-where, whether called Presbyterian, Independent, Baptist, or Episcopal, yea, and others, holding the Head, and being sincere in the main, That we can, and do own that your sincerity, altho' we cannot but differ from you in matters both of Doctrine and Practice, wherein we find you to err from the path of Truth, and so far as we have together attained and are agreed in all good things of Christian Doctrine or Practice, let us walk by the same Rule, and live in Charity one with another.

Pag. 148. In your Reflections on that I call∣ed, A Call and Warning to the People of Boston, &c. first, ye falsly charge me, That I arrogate as much to my self, as any of the Prophets of Old had, of an immediate Mission from God. But let that Paper be considered, and it shall not be found that I arrogate or assume any thing equal to the Prophets of Old, only I did, and I

do still affirm, That I had the Word of the Lord to declare to the People of Boston, &c. and it was as a burden unto me, until I had delivered it; & he who hath not Gods Word, as it liveth and is the Word of Life in his heart, is no true Minister of Christ, but every Mini∣ster of Christ is not either Apostle or Prophet, in that high and eminent sence that is frequent in Scripture. Ye charge me with, 1st. Lying, 2dly, Slandering, 3dly, Railing, 4thly, False Doctrine, 5thly, Non-sence; but all this ye alledge without proof, as your manner is: Sharp Speeches are not Railing always, but commendable in some cases; for both Christ, and the Prophets and Apostles used them to men of your Generation, & your Speeches are more sharp against me & my Friends than ours are against you; and which are most deserving, we freely leave it to the Lord, and his Witness in mens Consciences. Ye would six Non-sence on my words, that I said, Your Self-actings of all sorts, in that ye call your Duties and Perfor∣mances, ye are to repent of, &c. Where it is clear, by that ye call your Duties, I did under∣stand, (and so might ye) your Preaching, Pray∣ing, Singing without the Spirit of God, and them pag. 149. ye call Dirt and Dung; and yet ye continue to offer up this Dirt and Dung unto God, but remember that God will cast the Dirt & Dung of your Sacrifices on your faces, and the Dung of your solemn Feasts, according

to Mal. 2.3. And surely, seeing by your own confession, your Prayers are Dirt and Dung, they cannot be that pure Offering which God pro∣mised his People should offer up unto him, Mal. 1.11. 6thly, Ye say, Prophets do not use to call men to Repent of their holding the Truth as it is in Jesus, and his Call is nothing else. Ans. I bid you not Repent for your holding the Truth in Jesus; for that is false, ye hold it not in Jesus, but as ye hold many Errors in Doctrine, so ye hold something of Truth in Unrighteousness, according to Rom. 1.18. and I bid you Repent of your Hypocrisie, Pride, Vanity, Blasphemy, hard Speeches, Cruelty, &c. 7thly, Ye say, Pro∣phets had wont to show some proof of their Call; but ye alledge, I have shown none; but ye have not told what proof they used to show, or what proof John, a great Prophet, showed to the Pharisees, for he wrought no Miracles; their ordinary proof was, Hear the Word of the Lord, and Let the Lord be Witness, and this is my proof, who do not equal my self to any of those Prophets; it sufficeth, that I am one of the least of the Servants of Christ. But it is hard to prove a thing to be White to a blind man, or that I speak to a deaf man: When ye can prove, that ye have Ears to hear what God saith in his Servants, or that your Ear•• are open to hear, I can prove, That God spoke by me unto you; but ye shut your Ears against Gods Call, as many did of Old, and said, The

Lord hath not spoken, when he did speak. I say it with Sorrow, if ye were not blind, ye might see some of the Judgments of the Lord begun to be executed upon you, which I was made, with great sorrow to declare, I did feel were to come upon the People both of Boston and New-England, if they did not speedily Repent; & though Ye have not considered and laid it to heart, yet some have, and more I hope will, for their Amendment; but as for me, I have not desired the Evil Day to come upon you, but greatly desire, if it be the good will of God, that ye may find Mercy to Repent, and so his Wrath that is began to kindle against you, may be quenched. And though I told you, That whatever Doctrine cannot be proved from Scripture, is to be rejected, whatever pretence men may make to Immediate Revelation; yet this doth not reach me, for I bring no Doctrine but what I prove from Scripture; but as for the Call that Gods Servants used to have, they proved it not by Scripture, but by the living Voice of God speaking in them, to all who have an Ear open to hear, but your Ear is shut, as so was Pharoah's Ear, against God's Call in Moses, though accompanied in him with great Miracles; and as some believed, that saw no Miracles of old, so many did not believe, that did see them; and so would it be now, if Mi∣racles were wrought.

In your Appendix, which containeth a poor empty shadow of Answer to my Letter unto you, I need not take notice of all your Imper∣tinencies, nor reply unto them, as judging it loss of time and paper. Ye say,

1st, Ye hope, ye have now given a satisfactory Rea∣son, why ye called my Letter a Blasphemous and Heretical Paper. But your hope will prove vain, I freely leave it to all that are sober, and able to judge in these matters. 2dly, Ye think, ye have now found spiritual Weapons, if the Word of God be the Sword of the Spirit, Ephes. 6.17. But the Word of God ye are ignorant of, and also of the Scripture that testifie of it, and ye have only wrested and abused some pla∣ces of Scripture, to defend your bad Cause, as I have made sufficiently already appear. 3dly, Ye say, your preaching is open, and ye shut out none, but those that will not come. But this is a poor excuse, do ye not deny, to give us a fair hearing, when if any come to answer to your false accusations, and gain-say your false doct∣rine, before they can speak one sentence they are carried away to the Goal? 4thly, Ye alledge, when I came unto you, your Liberties were taken away. But this is a notorious False∣hood; ye had all the Liberty that we or I had, or could be desired: None of your Meet∣ings were disturbed by them in Authority, nor no Prohibition to hinder you fairly to debate things of Religion, only ye had not power

to persecute as formerly, and your Sun of Per∣secution was set. 5thly, Ye falsly alledge, I boast of my great Conquest; for I only publish your Cowardice. And that ye say, Ye suppose ye have made my Cake appear to be Dough, it is but a supposition, and hath nothing of truth in it. 6thly, Ye say, Ought not the Shepherd to be aware when the Wolf comes to his Flock? But suppose I were a Wolf, (as I thank God I am not) when the Wo••f cometh among your flock openly, should the Shepherds abscond, and not give the Wolf an open Assault? Is this the way to defend your Flock? unless ye did judge, that by your open appearing in a publick Dis∣pute, ye would discover your weakness. 7thly, Ye say, Ye knew I was a Quaker, and therefore doubted my design. But I told you plainly what my design was, viz. To discover you to be Teachers of false Doctrine in many things. 8thly, Ye say, I give no demonstration, that I came in the Will of the Lord unto you▪ But ye should say, ye are blind, and cannot see it, as all false Teachers and Persecuters were, who did not acknowledge that the true Servants of God, who came unto them, were sent of God. 9thly, Ye falsly, and without all shadow of proof, say, It was of God, doubtless, to leave him in the hands of Satan, to be thus acted: I value not your false Judgment, further than to pitty your great Blindness. 10thly, Ye say, I have set you a President, viz. To Lye and Rail, but ye

follow it not. But let all sober and impartial Readers judge, whether ye have not both Lyed and Railed most grosly; and tho' I have used some sharp words towards you according to your desert, as Gods Servants have done for∣merly against men of your Spirit, yet my tender Conscience beareth me witness, with the help of God, that I have neither lyed nor railed upon you. 11thly, Ye say, It hath been proved, that I bring another Doctrine, than that of Christ. But ye say it, and that is all: And whereas I told you, an Heretick (tho' I am none) should be twice admonished, before he is rejected; Ye answer, Have I not been more than so? But I say, I never to this day received Admonition from any Church, Presbyterian or other, ac∣cording to due Church Order, as Christ hath instituted; and though I have had divers De∣bates, some in writ, and some by word of Mouth, with divers Opposers, yet that saith nothing that ever I was duely admonished, ac∣cording to Christs Order, nor rejected out of any Church Society; for these I had to deal with were only private Persons; and therefore ye are impertinent to mention, for your ex∣cuse, either John Alexander in Scotland, whose Book I have many years ago answer'd in print, and my Answer to it is now in New-England, or these Baptists (who are judg'd by many of you to be Hereticks) at Barbycan in London, or any at Hampton; Publick Disputes are one thing,

and an orderly Church Admonition or Censure, is another. But whereas ye mention Salem, your insinuation faileth you, I writ a fair Let∣ter to the Priests at Salem, to have some dis∣course with them before the People, but they refused, and I had no further medling with them. And tho' ye grant that Christ and the Apostles disputed with men of ill Principles, yet ye must not dispute with me, because I am worse than any of those, and grown beyond Admo∣nition: But this is your bare alledgance, and none will believe you, but who are blinded with the same Prejudice as ye are. But ye give me no Answer, why though ye will not receive Quakers into your Houses, yet some of your sort will receive their Goods, taken from them by force, because they could not for Conscience sake give you Maintenance. That your preaching in your publick Houses, are insti∣tuted means of our Conviction, ye take for grant∣ed, without proof; nor can we believe you, so long as ye are declared Enemies to the Inspi∣ration of the Spirit of Truth, that doth only qualifie Peachers to convince men of their Errors. But ye forget how ye contradict your selves in two weighty particulars, 1st, That we are past Admonition, and Incorrigible; and yet your Preaching in your publick Houses, are means of our Conviction, but not your Con∣ference with us in private Houses: If we are past Admonition and Incorrigible, how can your

Preaching be a means of our Conviction, any more than private Conference in your private Houses? If it be a Duty to preach to us, is it not also a Duty, when ye are desired, to dis∣course with us in private, at least before Wit∣nesses? 2dly, Ye are guilty of another great Contradiction, That because I am a Heretick, and worse, ye must not dispute with me, but reject me; and now at last ye dispute with me in Print, that is a more open way of dispute, than by word of Mouth; or can ye find any ground in Scripture to warrant you to dispute with me in Print, and yet to forbid you to dispute with me by word of Mouth?

My comparing you to Turkish Pyrates that hang out false Colours, ye say, holds not Parrallel; but that I can freely leave to the judicious and impartial Readers. But it seem∣eth, all your former Reasons were but made or feigned, not real, why ye refused a pub∣lick Dispute with me; therefore ye proceed to give other new Reasons, that ye think will appear more sollid. First, therefore ye begin again to say, It was not in your power to grant it it to me, to have a publick Disputation with you, without laying your selves obnoxious to the then Government, who had expresly forbidden the Peo∣ple to take liberty of any publick Meeting together on any occasion on the week dayes, besides the usual 〈…〉〈…〉 to this I ansvv•• 〈…〉〈…〉 ••¦cture,

to have allowed the time of your Le∣cture to a publick Dispute. 2dly, If ye had given this Reason for your denyal at first, without all doubt a liberty could have been most readily procured unto you, from the then Government. 3dly, Many of the People took a far greater liberty afterwards, not only to meet openly, without leave of your then Go∣vernour, but to do a great deal more, &c. But if it was unlawful to dispute with an Incorrigible Heretick, why do ye now insinuate, that had it not been for laying your selves obnoxious to the then Government, ye would have given me a publick Disputation with you? Surely ye do greatly forget your selves, to write such Contradictions. Secondly, Ye say, Ye knew none of your Hearers had any scruple about your Do∣ctrine. But what then? ye should be ready to give a Reason of your Hope to every one that asketh you, and to convince Gain-sayers, if they be out of the way, and ye in it. Thirdly, Ye say, Ye knew there would be no holding of me to any Law or Rule of Disputation, partly because a Quaker, and partly by Reports of me, and that I would bring all to my Revelations, &c. But who seeth not the weakness and shallowness of these Fig-leaf Reasons? These called Quakers are known to be men of Reason, and many of them know as well as ye, how to hold to the true Laws of fair Dispute, and false Reports of me I value not; it never was nor is my way

to bring any matter of Dispute (leaving the Scripture) to inward Revelation; but if I cannot prove the Doctrine, whereof I charged you to be false, from Scripture, I should be silent; and Ye and the Readers may see, I have not left the Scriptures, and run to in∣ward Revelations (tho' I own, that without inward divine Revelation no man can have a right understanding of Scripture) for proof against you, but hold to Scripture end Scrip∣ture-proof, in a way of fair Reasoning. 4thly, Your last Reason is as false as any of the rest, That I had declared my self at once in opposition to almost all the fundamental Articles of Religion, which have been maintained almost Seventeen hun∣dred Years by the Church of Christ. The false∣hood of this will sufficiently appear, from both my first, and this latter Book, to all sober and judicious Readers. And whereas ye say, Who but Mad-men would expose these to be pub∣lickly debated? Why then have ye exposed them that ye call Fundamentals (but are no Fundamentals of Christian Doctrine, but Fun∣damental Errors, that false Churches have been built upon) now to be publickly debated? Why do ye thus declare your selves, by your own confession, to be such Mad-men, to debate them so openly in the face of the Nations, both in America & Europe, yea, much more openly than they could have been by 2 or 3 hours dis∣course before two or three hundred People?

And that ye your selves gave the rise to this so publick way of disputing in Print, is evident from the words of your Letter, saying, If he would have a publick Audience let him Print.

I desire the Reader to take notice, That what Testimonies of antient or latter Writers of good esteem among Protestants, I have cited in this Treatise, is not for want of sufficient proofs of Scripture Testimony, on every head of difference betwixt our Opposers and us; for I have brought sufficient Testimonies of holy Scripture to confirm every one of these heads, as the judicious and impartial Reader may ob∣serve in both my Treatises; but because these men who are our Opposers, thinking to render our Doctrine odious, do accuse it, either as Novel, or as Old Heresies revived by us, and as contradicting almost all Fundamentals of Christian Religion for almost Seventeen Hundred Years past, held by good Christians; Therefore I found it convenient to cite these Testimonies, to show our agreement, not only with the holy Scrip∣tures, but also with other Writers of good esteem among Protestants, even in these very Heads, called by our Opposers Heresies and Blasphemies, that their Ignorance and Par∣tiality may appear, and their evil Design to render the Truth Odious, may be discovered.

In the end, I desire the Reader to take notice how that after C. M. and his Brethren have been disputing against all divine Inspiration, as a most absurd and false Doctrine, so much as to suppose it remaining or in being, whereby men may be assisted to preach or pray, yet in his Postscript to his Thanksgiving Sermon, printed in 1690. he giveth an account of some prophe∣cying Boyes and Girles, and other Men & Women now in France, that both pray and preach by Inspiration; and he saith expresly, He dare not say what Authority or what Original is to be assign∣ed unto these Inspirations. But seeing, according to his Doctrine all divine Inspiration is ceased, he ought to conclude, they are not of God, but of the Devil; but because he dare not so con∣clude, he alloweth it to be possible they may be divine; which is a manifest Contradiction, and giving away his Cause; as also that he al∣loweth, that Girles and Women may preach and pray in Christian Assemblies, which the Priests of N. England have so much opposed. G. K.