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PRINCETON, N. J.

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Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa.

Agnew Coll. on Baptism, No.

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ARGUMENTS

OF THE

QUAKERS

More particularly, 0£',yr. ''$&/£'?. fz7c

yGeorge Whitehead. A John Gratton. J

Of sWilliamPem. \) George Fox. j=

/Robert Barclay. Y /Humphry NortonX

And niv own.

AG AI NST

fiopttfm anb tl)e puppet

Examined and Refuted. ALSO Some clear Proofs from f cripture ; (hewing that they are In- ftitutions oft Chrift under the GofpeL

WITH

An APPENDIX, Containing fotne Ohfervations upon fome Paffages^ in a Book of W. Penn, idled, A Caveat againft Popery. And on Come Parages of a Book of John Pennington, called. The Fig- Leaf Cove- ring Difcovered.

By George Keith.

i. John 4. i. Beloved, believe net every Spirit, but try the Spirits whe- ther they are of God.

,/?. Homil. en Matthew. If thou ktdjl ban without a Body, Gad had given thee things naked, t without a Body, but becaufe the Soul is fixated in the Body, he gives 'thee intiHigible things in ; fenjibli.

jmdwt, Fxinted for C. Brome at the Gun at the Wei-End of St. PauVs Chjurch-yari. 1698.

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T O T H E

R E A D

Divers Weighty Reafons have induced me to this Undertaking. One whereof chiefly is; that where- as moft of thefe Men, have not only run out with bitter Inveftives againft thefe Divine Inftitutions ; but have Fathered their Bold Oppofition to them upon the Holy Spirit, fas they commonly do their other Grofs Errors J a Witnefs whereof, is W. Penn0 in his Book againft Thomas Hickf} called, Reafon againjl Bailing ; who faith in p. 1 09. concerning thefe Inftitutions, We can tejli fie from the fame Spi- rttj by which Paul Renounced CircuZ&ifkn ; that they are to be re- jetledy as net now required. Now if upon due Tryal, their Arguments they have ufed, and ftill ufe againft them are found to be" Vain and Invalid, Grounded upon grofs Wre- flings ana Perverfions of Holy Scripture ; and that it be proved by found Arguments, that they were, and are trua s Divine Inftitutions under the pure Gofpel Difpenfation : not only their too Credulous Followers ; but the Teachers them- felves, fuch of them as are alive, may have occafion to reflect upon that Spirit, which had a&edtheir jfirft Leaders to oppofe thpfe things, as well as other great Truths of the Gofpel ;

A 2 and

To the Reader. and thereby difcern that it was not the Spirit of God, but a Spirit of Untruth, and may judge it forth from among theni, and be humbled before the Lord for entertaining it. Another Reafon is,, (which is indeed my chiefeft Reafon) That whereas I had formerly been Swayed and Byaffed by the undue Opinion I had oi their chief Teachers and Leaders, who had Printed Books long before I came among them, as being greatly indued with Di- vine Revelations and Infpirations ; and that I too Cre- duloufly believed their Bold and Falfe Afleverations -3 that what they had faid and Printed againft the outward Baftifm , and outward Supper , was given • forth from the Spirit of Truth in them ; by means whereof, I had been drawn into the fame Error, (as many other well meaning, and fimple Hearted Perfons have been, and ftill are by themj to oppofe thefe Divine Inftitutions , and have in fome of my Printed Books ufedfome of the fame Arguments which they had ufed ; I having in a Meafure of Sincerity (I hopej Repented, and been humbled be-! fore the Lord, for that my faid Error ; whereof I have given a Publick Acknowledgment in Print, in myjate Book, called, George Keith's Explications and Retr stations ; and wherein I have not only Retraced rtiy Errors i> Rela- tion to outward Baptism and the Supper ; but in Relation alfo to divers other Particulars therein mentioned (but withal holding clofe to my Teftimony in all Principles- of Chriftian Faith and Do&rin, delivered by me in any of my former Books^) I judged it my Duty, (befides my Publick Acknowledgment and Retractation of the Er- ror J to endeavour according to the Ability given me of

God,

To the 'Reader. God, -of a better Underftanding, to undeceive and re- duce from the faid Error* any into whofe Hands my Books have come, Treating on that Subject ; who have been deceived, or hurt by them. For as the Law of God requireth Reftitution for any Wrong done to a Neighbour in Worldly Matters ; fo I judge it no lefs re- quireth the like in Spirituals. And as the Law required an Eye for an Eye ; the Goipel requireth, that whom we have in any degree been acceffory to Blind, or Mis- inform their Understandings, we fhould labour to our outmoft Ability (after we are better Enlightened our felves) to Enlighten and duly Inform them; fo far as God fhall be pleafed to make us his Inftruments in fo doing, to whom it chiefly belongs. Know therefore, Friendly Reader; that what Arguments I have ufed in any of my Books againft the outward Baptifm and Supper^ particularly in that, called, Truths Defence ; and in ano- ther, called, The Presbyterian and Independent vijible Churches in< New England, and elfewhere brought to the Tejl, Cap. io. and in another, called, The pretended Antidote proved Poi- fin ; and in another, called, A Refutation of Pardon Til- linghaftj who pleadeth for Water-Baptifm , its being a G off el Precept. As I hereby declare them to be void and nuli ; 10 I do in this following Treatife ihew the Nullity and Invalidity of them; by anfwering not only them, but divers others of other Perfons (together with them) as above named in the Title Page of this Trea^ tile. And fo far as the Arguments are the fame, which both they and I have ufed ; one Anfwer will ferve to both; though I never was fo blind-, as not to fee the

Weak-

To the Reader.

Weaknefs of divers Reafons of fome of their Great Au- thors againft ihefe Inftitutions. But the Truth is, di- vers of their Weakeft and mod Impertinent Arguments. I never heard nor read, till of late, that Providence brought to my hand fome of their Books I never heard of before.

X H. JD

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PART I.

ii' '*'»' ^

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The CONT'ENTS.

SECT. I. Ccntaineth an Anfwer to the Argument of G. W.from Matth. 28. 19. S' E C T. II. Containetb an Anfwer to his Argument, from Mark 16. 16. and jhewssh the Invalidity of their Arguing from the Greek Words, iii^voyoux in Match. 28. compared with A£h 8.16.

SECT. III. Ccntaineth an Anfwer to the Argument of ' G. W. and R. B.from 1 Peter 3.21.

SECT. IV. Containetb an Anfwer to the Argument of G. W. and R. B.from 1 Cor. 1. 17. and an Anfwer to three other Arguments of G. YV. in his Book, called, An Antidote, $*c. from

Matth. 28. 19. and Gal. 3. 5.

SECT. V. Containetb an Anfwer to the Argument of W. P. and R". B. from the ceafing of John's Baptifm, and fromtbe words one Baptifm and one Bod/, Ephef 4. 4, 5.

SECT. VI. Contahieth an Anfwer to W. PennV Arguing from Water, Bread and Wine ; their being Figures and Shadows ; their general Arguments from Col. 2. 17. Col. 3.1. Heb. 12. 22, vercd, his Example of a Picture Retorted againft himfelf.

SECT. VII. Containetb an Anfwer to the Arguments ofW. P. and R. B.from Match. 28. 19. R. B. his Argument, from Gal. 3. 27. Anfwered. Whether the Apoftles did Baptize with the Holy Choft : Refolded Negatively, as being Uhfcriptural, an i without Reafon fo to affirm.

SECT. VIII. Ccntaineth an Anfwer to W. PennV Arguing againft the Signs of Water in Bap- tifm, and Bread and Wine in the Supper ; from his Inference that the continuance of them would be a Judaizing of the Spiritual Evangelical Worship, Sec

SECT. IX. Contains an Anfwer to W. Perm'.!' Arguing ; that therefore they are to be Rejected, vow the Falfe Church has got them.

SECT. X. Contains an Anfwer to the Argument of W. P. andR. B. from Chrips commanding the Difciples to wafb one another's Feet, Anointing the Sick with Oyl, not praitifed by Proteftants, ■ abfxaining from Blood, &c. Tbe,great ufe of the outward Signs 'op--eferve the DoSrin, &c. .

SECT. XI. Further flewetb t!^ great ufe that the due practice of gheje outward Inflations hath to preferve the Dottrin of Chrifl Crucified, and Faiih in him ; many of the Teachers among the Quakers, having made the Doffrin and Faith of Cbrift without; not only not neceffary ; but feme of the chief of them having made it contrary to the Apoftles Dottrin, particularly G. Whitehead, his Perverfe Glofs, on Rom. 10. 7, 8. Refuted.

SECT. XII. Shewetb that the Spirit that Acted in G. F. and G. W. andfome other fir ft Teachers among the Quakers to oppofe the Pr aft ice of Water-Baptifm and the outward Supper ; was to draw ■• People from the Faith in Chrift wiihout us. Some other Arguments againft Baptifm Anfwered.

P A R T.

PART I r. The CONTENTS.

SECT. I. Containeth a Correction of R. B. his great Mijlake ; That the Eating ChrhVs Flefh, John 6. hath no Relation to Chrifi' s outward Flejh. The Quotation of Auguftine vindi- cated from his MiCiake. _ SECT. II- Containeth a Vindication of B Jewel s words, on Jof. 6. I, 2, 3. from the Great Mifconfniftion thatW. Penn hath put on them, ctntrary to B. Jewel'/ intended Senfe. R. B. his Arguments to prove that the Flefh of Chrifi, John 6. 73. hath no Relation to his outward Flefh,

SECT- HI- Containeth a Correction of two Unftund Affertions of R. B. concerning Chriffs Flejh

and Blood. . ' '■" ,

SECT. IV. ShewethR.B's Mifiake, in faying that both Papifis and Protefiants tye the Partici- pation of the Body and Blood of Chrifi to the outward Sign of Bread, &c. And his other Mijlake ; thai the while end of the Pafchdl Lamb, was to fignifieto the Jews, aud keep them in remembrance of their Deliverance out of i£gypt. The true Senfe of PaulV words given ; The Bread which we break, &c 1 Cor. 10. 16. SECT. V. ShewethR. B. hit Mijlake ; as if the Cup of the Lord, and Table of the Lord, 1 Cor. 10.21. did not fignifie the ufe of Bread and Wine, &c. His Reafons againd it proved invalid. 'His Argument from the Cufiom of the Jews ufing Bread and Wine at the Pajfiver, Anfwer- ed. His other Arguments, from the., fuppofed difficulties about the time ofpraclifini it ; the fort of Bread and Wine to beufed, Sec. Anfwered. SECT. VI. Sheweth R. B. his Mijlake, that the Eating in thefe Words, Take, Eat, &c. da this in remembrance of me, was their common Eating. The continuance of the Supper, Argued-from 1 Cor. n.23. &c That the coming of Chrifi, meant in thefe Words, until he come, is his out- ward and la\l coming at the end of the World. SECT. VII. Containeth three Reafais, That by his coming, 1 Cor, 11.26. is meant his

outward coming. r r 1 r > «

S'E C T. VIII. Containeth three other Reafons for the fame. R. B. his Argument from f&Syriack Tranflation, in i.Cor. 11. 26. &c. Anfwered.

SECT. IX. Containeth R. B. his lafi Argument againjl the outwa>d Baptifm and Supper, Anfwered, rejpetling the Power to Adminijler them ; as whether Mediate or Immediate. The Col- fttlive Body of the Protejlant Churches, may by Allujion, or an Hypothecs, be f aid to anfwer to the Church o/Sardis; which wM not blamed for Idolatry, but otherwayes. An Advice to alljincere Chri- ftians, agreeing in Fundamentals, to own one another as Brethren. S E C T.^X- Sheweth, that man) in the Protejlant Churches, can give gf 'eater Evidence of their true inward Call to the Minijlry, than many of the Teachers among the Quakers. Want of due Ad- mini fir at on, no Argument againd Baptifm and the Supper. An Advertifement , cmcerning W. DzYs Book againfi Baptifm. Good Advice to the Quakers, concerning thofelnfiitutitns. SECT. XI. Containeth J ome Arguments of G. Fox, and Humphry Norton, with their Anfwers, andfome dreadful Words of Humphry Norton, againjl our Saviour's lafi coming ; though the Man ■was highly commended by E. Burrough and F. Howgil. Great Teachers among the Quakers. S EC T. XII. Containeth fome Scripture Proofs, Jhewing that Baptifm and the Supper are Injli- tim of Chrifi.

PRAT.

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PARTI. <G \

S E C T. I.

An Impartial Examination, and Refutation of their Arguments againfi

Water-Baptifme.

IN a Book of George whitehead'^ whofe Tide Is, The Authority of the true Miniftry in Baptizing with the Spirit, and the idolatry of fuch Men as are doting about shadows and Camel Ordinances ; [here note his fevere Charge] p. 13. he bringeth three Reafons or Arguments to prove that in the Commiffion which chnflgwe to his Difcipless, in Matth. 29. 19* Mark 16.18* water- Baptifme was not intended, but the Baptifme of the Spirit.

His firft Argument is , if the Baptifme which Chrift commanded m Matth. 28. 19. Mark 16, 16, was a Baptifme, without which a Man can- not be Javed 5 then it was not the Baptifme 0/ outward Water, (for Wa« ter-Baptifme is not of neceffity to Salvation, neither is there any jlrefs for Salvation laid upon it) but itwas that Baptifme, without which Men can- not be faved, which Chrift commanded, Matth. 28. therefore notWz- ter-Baptifme, I prove (faith he) the Minor Proportion thus : No man can be faved without being Baptized into the Name o/God, and his Son Chrift Jefus, for his Name /*/ the Word of God by which Salvation comes, and by no other Name, and the Lord is one, and his Name one, and itwas into his Name, that the Difciyles wen commanded to Baptize People*

Anf. Here <7. whitehead wTould appear to be fome body in Logick (though it is judged by many of his Brethren to be little better rhan a piece of the black Art) but he his in this fufficiently difcovered his Ignorance, both in true Divinity and true Logick, The Fallacy of his Argument is in this apparent, that in his fuppofed Proof of that he calleth the Minor Proportion, heconfoundeth Btptijme into the Name, and the Name it felf, for faith h.% his Name is the word of God by which Salvation comes. But though Salvation cometh by the word of God, and none can be laved without that Word, yet it doth not follow, th it none can be (lived without fuch a B iftfi(me as the Apoftles did Bap- tize with into the Name of that Word 5 for as they were to Baptize

B into

C 5 3

into the Name of the Lord Jefus chriflr, and in the Name of the Father,, &c. So they were to Teach in that Name , but this proves not that they were not to teach outwardly, and they were to work Miracles in x\\$xName\ it doth not therefore follow that they were not to work outward Miracles vifible to Men's outward fight. Again, G. whitehead ufeth the Name word of God, in a too narrow and limited Senfe ; for the full Name of chrift is not the word only, but the word made Flefh, or the word having affumed the true Nature of Man, and that by the Name of Chrift here is undaftood the Name of the Man chrift who was Cru- cified, is clear from PauPs words to the Corinthians : was Paul Cruci- fied for you, or were ye Baptized into the Name 0/Paul < Signifying, that they were Baptized into the Name ol chrift Crucified, which hath a necetfary Relation to the Man Chrift, and to chrift confidered as truly as Man, as God, and thought the word is a Name proper to the Son^ yet it is not the Name either of the Father, or of the Holy Gh*ft> for that were to confound, and wholly to deftroy the diftin&ion of the Re- ^ ., ~ Utive Properties of Father^ Son, and Holychoft, which was the Sabelli*

rtffrC^ An Herefie*. The Minor thereof of his Argument is Fallacioufly proved by him, and his Aflertion isfalfe, viz, That the Baptifme 'without which Men cannot be faved was the Baptifme which chrift Comrnan* ded to the Apoflles, if by the words cannot be faved, he means,, abfo* lately impofflble 5 for he hath not in the leaft proved that it was not r/ater-Baptijme which chrift Commanded 5 but whereas his Argument 4fk-t-c*A*?*y feemeth to depend on this, that becomes water -Baptifme is not ahfo- lutely neceffary to Salvation, therefore chrift did not Command it. But he fr.ould learn better to diftinguiih things abfolutely neceffary to Sal- vation, and things neceffary in [ome refpecJ, and very profitable, though not of abfolute necejfity, and the like diftindion G. whitehead muft al- low with refpeel to his and his Brethrens Miniftry, Preaching, and Writing which they fuppofe chrift has Commanded them, and yet he will not fay his and their Miniftry Preaching and Writing is ab(o» lately neceffary to any Man's Sal vat ion. Befides it doth abfolutely con- tradict G whiteheads declared Principle concerning the Sufficiency of the Light within every Man to Salvation without any thing elfe ; to affirm that Men could not be laved, unlefs the Apoftles had Baptized them according to chrifPs Command, even fuppofing it had been the Bap- tifme of the Spirit, which the Apoftles had been Commanded to Ad- minister- forthisWorld h^ve made the Salvation of Men depend upon the Miniftry of Apoftles, and their Succeilors in the outward Ex-

. ercife

en

crcife of their Spiritual Gift of Preaching and Prayer ; now before the Apoftles Adminiftred this Baptifme (fuppoie it be that of the spirit) the Men to whom they were lent had the Light in them, which was fuffc* cient to Solvation without any thing elfe, according to G. whitehead's Do- ctrine, and confequently without all Miniftryof the Apoftles 3 and had they never heard or kGti the Apoftles, or any other Men, had they given due Attendance and Obedience to the! ight within, that that would have faved them (according to G. whitehead's Divinity) without any other Baptifme, outward or inward, that the Apoftles could Adminifter unto them.

SECT. II.

Next, as to his fecond Argument from that in Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized, fhall be faved '^ thefe words do not prove that this was not Baptifme withv/ater 5 for its a true Aflertion, he that believes and is Baptized with Water fhall be faved •, but it will not prove, that therefore Baptifme with Water is of ab folate necefjity to Salvation) themoftitproveth, is, that Baptifme with water, when and where ic can be duly had is a means of Salvation, as outward Hearing, and Rea- ding in the Holy Scriptures are means of SaIvation,yet not of fuch abfo- Ittte neceflity, but that Men may be faved without them 5 even as it may be truly faid, he that believeth, and frequenteth the Meetings of the Faithful mall be faved, and yet in divers Cafes Men may be la- ved without frequenting fuch Meetings, as when they are hindred bySicknefs, or Imprifonment, orfome other Reftraint, as when li- ving in a Country where no fuch Meetings are to be found, and that the Baptifme mentioned, Mark 16* is not that which is of abfolute necef- jity to salvation, is evident from the following Words, where the wTord Baptized is omitted 5 for chrift did not fay, he that is not baptized fhall be damned, but he that believeth not fhall be damned ; the varying of the Expreflion fufficiently proveth that he did not mean the inwanl Baptifme j but the outward 5 and whereas not G* wh it the ad ,Jbut w. Venn, <r?u^/ and R. Barclay, argue from the Particle in Greek, that fignifieth in J> Englifh/»ft>, that therefore it muft be the Baptifme withthe spirit, it is indeed very weakly and fallacioufly argued, for the fame Greek Parti- cle is found Acls,8. 16. where it is faid, that thefe of Samaria ywho were Baptized into the Name of the Lcrdjefus had not received the Holy Ghoft, %vhenfo Baptized, ti'l for fo me time after, that Peter and John came unto them, the Greek Particle, i^rh&o^a, is the fame here, and in

B 2. Mattk.

[43 Matth. 28. 19. And any who have but a little skill in Greek knowj that the Greek Particle s&hath often the fame fignification, with the Greek Particle gm$ and fignifieth as well /'#, as into, fo that their fo arguing is built on a Grammatical Quibble that is altogether ground- lels. And for them to argue, that it was not Water- Baptifme, which Chrift commanded to the Apoftles, Matth. 28. 19, becaufe of the words Baptizing into the name, Sec. with as much colour of reafon they might argue, that when in James 5. 14. It is faid anointing them with Oyl in the name of the Lord, that the anointing there meant was not an outward anointing but an inward, and that the Oyl was not outward but inward.

Again, whereas G. w. faith on this fecond Argument, for the Saints were faved by that Baptifme, which was not the putting away the filth of the Fleshy but the anfwer of a good Confidence, 1 Pet. 3. 2 1. Tnere- fore it was not Water-Baptifme which Chrift commanded in Matth, 28. &c. I anfwer, that doth no wife follow that therefore it was not Water-Baptifme.

SECT. III.

AN D becaufe I find that Robert Barclay in that Chapter of his Printed Apology, reprinted by his Son Robert Barclay at London, 1696) doth much infift upon this place in Peter, as if it did effe* dually prove that prater- Bapti fme is no Gofpel Jnftitution, and it is a common Text the Teachers among the Quakers bring to oppofe Bap- tifme with Water $ therefore I think fit the more fully to examine the Arguments brought by him from this place againft it. But in- the firft place, I do apologize for mymedling to anfwer or correct any Parages in the Books of R. BArclay, whom as I did greatly love and efteern, and who, I believe, was one of the foundeit Writers among the People called Quakers, fo I do truly honour his memory, believ- ing that as to the main, he was a true Chriftian, though in divers things, he was byalfed and mifled, as I alfo was, by the too great efteem that he had, and too great credit he gave, (as I alfo did) of thofe called his Elders, whole grofs perverfjons and mifinterpretations of Holy Scripture,, we both did upon their Authority take for Divine In fpi rations, and I hope it may be a juft Apology to me, and defence againft the injurious Clamours of Tome, that may and will object k againftme, as. a breach of Friendihip, to cenfureor correct any thing ?f tlwt my dece* fed Friend : That I do no other wife in this. Cafe, than

.1 would:

t 5 J

l would be done by ^ for, if after my deceafe, (as well as before) anv; Friend of mine (hould cenfureand correct any Paflagesin any Bocks of mine that did juttly need fuch Cenfure and Correction, I and all that love me (hould take it, as a true aft of Friend/hip • it being the bed way to cover the Faults of our. Friends, or were it of our Pa- rents, to correct them^ and though Men may be dear to us, yet Truth ought to be more dear 5 nor do I thus cenluring and correcting. what I judge amifs in R. B. on thefe Heads, do any more wrong to him, than I do to my felf, whom I have impartially cenfured, and now again do, freely declaring, that whatever I have faid, or writ any where againft Baptifme with water, and the Outward Supper, as be- ing no Gofpel Inftitution was erronious, and which therefore I re- tract and correct. And where I have ufed divers of the fame Ar- guments, which G. m, and R. B. hath ufed, which I find jr. B. hath been more large upon than I have any where been in any of my Books y therefore I ihall rather confider thefe Arguments as brought; by him, than by me, efpecially for this caufe, that he is jugded by '^tJ^pc many of the Quakers to have writ more forcibly againit tliele mat- * ters than mod hive, or then I have done.

R.B. thus argueth from 1 Pet. 3,21. (fee pag, 16. of his Sons Edi- tion called Baptifme and the Supper fubflantially afferted) The Apoftle (faith he) tells m firfi negatively, what it is not, viz. not a putting away of the filth of the Flefh, then furely it is not a waging with miter, fi/ice that is fo,.

Anfwer, That the Bxptifme there defcribed is not a putting away the filth of the Flefh is granted, but it doth not follow, that there- fore it is not mtter-Baptifme, for thougli ordinary wafhing with miter is a doing away Bodily filthinefs, yet Baptifme with mater is not, nor ever was, nay not Johns Baptifme with Watery for John did not fay that he baptized his Difciples to wa/h away the filth of their Bodies3 but unto Repentance. The defcription of Baptijmc here given by Peter, is taken from the end, as is very common both in Scripture and elfewhere, todefcribe a thing from its end'0 now the end of wa- tcr~Bapti\me, as it was commanded by (Thrift, Matth. 28. 19. was not to put away the filthinefs of the Flefh, but to fignifie the inward fidfhing by the Blood and Spirit of Christ upon the Soul and Confcience, the which when Co waihed is a good Confcience, and the. effect of that inward wafhing is the anfwer of a good Confcience 5 and indeed to me it is evident, that -Peter in this defcription of Baptifme firft

neoa-—

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negatively, what it is not, doth refer by way of comparifon to the le- gal purify 'ings under Moles Law, by Blood, and the Apses of an Heifer with rvater fprinkling the Unclean, which as the Author to the He- brews faith, fanclified to the purifying the Fleft, Heb. 9. 13. and yet even this wafting was not to cleanfe the Body from natural filth, but from the legal uncleannefs that Men had on divers occafions, as when they touched a dead Body they were legally unclean, and becaufe of that they were not to come into the Tabernacle, until they were cleanjed with this Water of furifying fprinkled on them. But the Baptifme with water under the Gofpel, had not that but a greater fig- nihearioo, and being duly received had a greater and more noble effect) viz. to fignifie the (piritual cleaning by chritt, and to be a means of Cr.:ce.t far greater than under the Law.

Again p. 17. He thus argueth, If we take the fecond and affirma- tive definition, to wit, that it is the Anfwer or Confeffion of a good Con- ference, &c. then Water-Baptifme is not it, fmce as our Adversaries will mt deny, Water-Baptifme doth not always imply it, neither is it any neceff^ry conference thereof,

Amw. This Confequence alio is not good, becaufe though water- Bap tifme in the literal fenfe ftri&ly taken, without any Metonymy is not the anfwer of a good Con fcience, as the Lamb was not the Paffover, but a fignification of it, yet the Lamb is called in Scripture the Paffover, by a Metonymy of the Sign put for the thing fignified, that is very common in Scripture, as in other Authors, fo the Baptijme •with water, met onymic ally may be called, the anfwer of a good Con- fcience, being the thing fignified thereby. That he faith, their Ad- verfaries will not deny, that water- Baptifme doth not always imply it, neither is it any necejfary confequence thereof; in that he W3S under a mi/lake, for they will fay, and do fay, that water- Baptifme doth always imply it, to fuch as duly and worthily receive it* and that it is always a necejfary confequence or concomitant thereof upon due and well qualified Receivers. And if nothing appear to the contrary by words or actions, but that the receivers are duly qualified (tho' fome of them be not fuch really) yet in the judgment of Charity, even according to Scripture rule, they are called fuch, as/Wcalleth thefeof the Churches to whom he writ Saints, and yet no doubt all were not real saints in the churches, though by Profeffion they were fuch.

Again.

m

Again, whereas pag. 18. he argueth thus: Peter calls t bid here which faveth the Antuypos, the Antitype, or the thing figured, where- as it is ufually tranfiated, as if the like figure did now jave us, thereby inftnutting, that as they were faved by water in the Ark, fo are ire now by Water-Baptifme, but this Interpretation (,he faith) crojfeth his fenfe.

Anfw. His Argument from the Greek word ufed by Peter, vizc Antitypes (he fhould have faid av^jvTrov in the neuter gender) is in- deed altogether weak and groundless, as if it only (ignified the thing and could not be underftood of the Figure of the thing, the contra- ry whereof appeareth from Heb. 9. 24. where the holy Places made with hands are called dv-^wmt, i. e. the Antitypes of the true, which are truly tranflated the-Figuresof the true holy Places made without hands.

Again, whereas he argueth, that Water-Baptifme is not meant (p. 19.) in 1 Pet. 3. 21. that the Baptifme thire mentioned, is faid to ftve Mi but Proteftants deny it to be absolutely neceffary to Salvation*

Anfw. Nor hath this Argument any force, for though it is not abfolutely neceffary to Salvation, yet that it is in God's ordinary way, where it can be duely had, and by whom it is duely received one of the ordinary, me am of Salvation ^ it is truly faid to fave as the D Brine of the Gofpel outwardly Preached by the Miniftryof Men, is faving by way of means, and as the Holy Scriptures are faid by Paul to be able to make wife unto Salvation, through Faith in chriH Jefus, and faid Paul to Timothy, 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed unto thy [elf, and unto thy Doclrine, continue in them, for in doing this, thou (halt both fave thy [elf and them that hear thee : And as concerning the means of Salva- tion, though all of them, when really given of God, are very pro- Stable, yet all are not alike neceffary, nor alike given, nor afforded un= to all ; fome, yea, many never perhaps heard the Gofpel truly Preach- ed unto the/nby the Voice of Man, yet having the Scriptures read unto them, that hath proved an outward means of their Salvation, the Lord working inwardly by his Grace and spirit, to make the fame effectual to them= And as at times the Bookaf the Holy Scri- ptures iupplieth the defect of a Vocal Mintflry, fo at times, a Vocal- Minifiry doth (upply the want of the Book of the Scriptures ; and thus, though Baptifme and the Supper outwardly adminiftred are means of Grace and Salvation, when duly received,, yet they are not fo neceffary, as the Doctrine of the Gofpel, as outwardly delivered by Men, and the Book&of the Holy Scripture,

If any flnll object, that it is better to keep to the literal senfe of the words in Peter ^ than to run to the Metonymy, which ought not to be done, but in cafe oineeefjity . I anfwer what way loever, the Baptifme in i pet, 3.32. betaken, as fuppofe for the Baptifme cftbe spirit, yet fuch whofo take it mud run to a Metonymy, for the //mwi Baptifme of the Holy Spirit, is not the Anjwer or Confeffion of a ^W Conference, other- wife than by a Metonymy of the-.Caufe, for the effect. The Anfwer or Confejfion of a good, Conscience, being the -effect of the inward Baptifme and operation of the Spirit, and not the inward Baptifme it felf. And indeed fuch Figures and Metonymycal speeches are very frequent in Scripture, to which for not well adverting, many are drawn into .mofl falfe Interpretations of Scriptures, and moft hurtful Errors, as the Papifts by taking the words of Cbrift, this is my. Body, in a mere literal senfe, without any Metonymy, To conclude upon this hrv\.\- snent, the moft that with any colour or ihadow of Reafon can be in- ferred from this place, in 1 Pet. 3. 21. is that water-B&ptifme alone neither doth, or can fave any without the inward Baptifme, or opera- tion of the Spirit 5 all which is readily granted, nor yet doth the in- ward Baptifme, though jjyned to the outward fave, without any thing elfe, but both the inward Baptifme, and outward do fave us, as Peter plainly deciareth by the Rejurreclion ofjefus Chrijl from the Bead nor need the inward and outward Baptifme be ltriclly called two Bap- tifms, more than England, and a Map of England, are called two Eng- land's, or the Law writ in the Heart, and the fame writ in Paper, are two Laws. And thus I hope I have fully examined and anfwered to the Argument, both of G. whitehead, and £. B. from 1 Pet. 5. 21. as the impartial intelligent Reader may perceive.

S E C T. IV.

TH E third Argument ufed by G. whitehead^ is the fame for Mat- ter that is u(ed by R. B. in the Treatife above cited, p. 30. which theybring fromTWs words, I Cor, 1. 17. where Paul [aid, that chrift fent him net to baptize, but to preach the Gofpel. The reafon of that Con- fluence (faith R. B) is undeniable, beauje the ApofiU Paul'/ CommfjJon &as as large as that of axy of them, And whereas it hath been anfwered to this, by them who holds that Baptifme with Water is a Go' vet inflnu- ticn, from Matth. 28. ip. that the Senfe of /W's words is, that he was not km principally to Baptize, not that he was not fent at all, as

where

W^erea: is laid, Hof.6.6. 1 de fired mercy? and not facrifice. But this parity R. B* doth except againft, becaufe this place is abundantly explai- ned by the following words, and the knowledge of Gcd more than burnt- offerings. — But there is no fuch words added in that o/paul. And againft this manner of interpreting Paul's words, he thus argueth, elje we might interpret by the fame rule all other places of Scripture sy the fame way, as where the Apo file faith? I Cor. 2.5. That your faith might not Jland in the wifdom of men? but in the power of God, it might be under -flood, it f hall not fiand principally fo. How might the Gofpel by this liberty of interpretation be perverted ?

Anfm As we are not to Interpret all other Places of the like Phrafe fo, elfe great harm would follow in giving falfe Interpretations of Serif* ture, fo we ought to Interpret diverfe places of. Scripture, fo, to wit, by adding! he word, only, or more? or principally, other wile the like harm would follow, as where it is laid, 1. John 3, iS.——Let m not love in word,nor in tongue ^ but indeed and in truth, and Rom. 2.13. For the hearers of the law arejuft before God? &c. John 14. 24. The word which you hear is not mine? but the Fathers which fent me. Matth. 15. 24, J am not fent, but to the loft fheep of the houfe of I fr del, John. 4.42. we believe notbecaufe of thy faying. Matth. 10. 20. It is not ye that fpeak„ &c. In thefe and diverfe the like places of Scripture, the word princi- pally, ox more, ox rather, though not exprefTed, is underftood,0 and there is a good Rule whereby to know when any fuch word, when not exprefTed, is necerTarily underftood, as when without any fuch word underftood, or implyed, when not exprefTed, it. would contradict fome other place of Scriptures, or any true confequence from Scrip- ture, or true Reafon, as is manifeft in the prefent Cafe, for Paul tel- leth in the lame Chapter, that he Baptized fome of the church of cv~ rinth? which he ought not to have done without a CommiiTion, for as to what is alledged, that he and others did Baptize by Permiffion? and not by Commtffion, as when he Circumcifed Timothy, it was by Per- "en, and not by Commiffion, which conceit I grant I had formerly entertained as well as R. B. being fwayed by the aflumed Authority of them we efteemed our Elders, pretending they did fo Interpret the Scriptures by Divine Infpiration. But finding their Pretences to be palpably falfe in niany other things of greater weight, occasioned me to examine their pretended Infpirations in this alfo, which (I defire to praife God for his true Illumination) I found to be falfe. Nov/ that PaUls Circumcifing Timothy was not by Commiffion, is certain, becaufe

C » foiH€-

[ '<? 3 ; .

fometimes afterwards he did earneftly oppofe the practice of it, but ft e never find that he, or any elfe in Scripture oppofed the practice of Bap- tifme with Water, or fpoke ib flightly of it^ as he did oicircumcifon s he did rot fay, if any of you be Baptized, chrifi fliould profit you nothing, as he faid,if any of you bcCircumciJed^nd he fubmitted to Baptifme him- felf, and received it. Acts 9. 18. compared with Atls 22. 16. Though I find that w. Penn callet'h it in queftion, whether this was Baptifme with water y which befpeaketh as great inadvertency in him, as when he had printed in his chriftian Quaker, that Jefus Chrifi was born at Nazareth. And as for Paul's faying, he thanked God he Baptized none of thz Corinthians, but fuch and fuch, it only proveth that he judged Preaching to be his principal work, as indeed it was ; for had he Bap- tized all to whom he Preached, and who were Converted by his Mini- ftry, it would have been too great a hindrance to his Preaching 5 and as Paul Preached to many whom he did not Baptize ,fo did the other A po- lities ; therefore we find not either Peter, or John, or any of the other Apoftles after our Saviour's Refurrection, Baptized 2M to whom they Preached, but left it to be done in great part by others 3 and whereas fome have argued, that if Baptifme had been a Gcfpel Precept Paul would not have f aid, he thanked God he had Baptized fo few of them : This Argument hath no force, for he did not thank God, [imply that he did not Baptize, but that he had Baptized^ few of them, left they fliould fay, he had Baptized /* his own Name, which fheweth, that the occa- fion of the Divifion that was among the Corinthians at that time was about Baptifme, and that they had too much an eye to thofe who had Baptised i\itm, fo as to denominate themfelves after them. And whereas, R. B. faith, p. 32. 33. Let it from this he confidered how the A- pofile Excludes Baptizing, not Preaching, though the abufe (mark) procee- ded fromthat, no lefs than from the other ; for thefe Corinthians did de- nominate themfelves from thofe different Perfons, by tvhofe Preaching (as we II as from thofe by whom they were Baptized; they were Converted 3 as by the 4, 5 , 6, 7. and 8 rerfes of the third Chapter may appear.

Anf. But that the Preaching of thefe different Perfons was the occa- fion of this Divifion among the Corinthians, doth not appear from the Verfes Cited, nor any where elfe, fox Paul, and Apollo Preached the fame Doctrine to them 3 but we no where find that there Preaching occafioned any Divifion 5 but fuppofe it had, on the fuppofition, that fome of the Corinthians might efteem the Preaching of the one more powerful than the Preaching of another 3 yet that proves not that

Paul

["]

Paul Excluded Baptizing > the mod ir proves, is, that he preferred) his Preaching to his Baftizingt as being the greater and more principal YVorkenjoyned to him.

Page 3 3 . And yet for to remove that Abitfe (faith R. R.) the Apoflle doth not fay, he was not fent to Preach, nor yet doth he Re Joyce that he had only Preached to a few, bee aufe Preaching being a (landing Ordinance 'in the Church, is not becaufe of any A':u[e that the 'Devil may tempt any to make of it, to be for born by ftich as are called to perform it by the Spirit of Cod.

An[. All this is exceeding weak Reafoning, and proceeds upon a falie Supposition 5 that becaufe Baptifme was abufed, therefore it was (imply to be forborn, cr bid afide • no fuch thing appears mentioned in Scripture ; for though Paul Baptized but a few of the Corinthi, he did noc tell them that few were Baptized by any others. But rhe contrary appears from his words, that all the believing Corinthians were Baptized, though not by him, yet by fome other, i Cor. 1. 1 3. if fome of them had not been Baptized at all, it had been improper for him to ask them were they Baptized in the Name of Paul } And though Preaching be the greater Ordinance, as pra&ifed by the Apoftles, and is not fimply to be forborn, yet occasions might and may happen that might caufe it to be forborn at fome certain time and place : As fup- pofe, fome had certainly informed Paul, that if he Preached at fuch a place, and at fuch a time, fome that did lay wait for him, would lay hands on him and kill him 5 on this Advertifement.who will Ay, but Paul might feel in himfelf, not only a Liberty to forbear going to Preach at fuch a place, and at fuch a time, but even a Neceffity laid on him not then to go 5 for we find, that not only Paul, when he under- ftood that fome fought his Life, did feek toefcape$ but our blejfed Lord himfelf fat a certain time did withdraw from fuch as fought his Life, becaufe his time to fuffer was not then come. And as in that cafe, upon fuch certain Information, Paul might have lawfully for- born to have Preached to People at that place when his Life was in. danger ., fo the Report being confirmed, that fuch a Defign was laid againfthim, he might have lawfully rejoyced and thanked God, that he did not °o to Preach at that place, at that time, And many the like Examples might be brought to pro\ e, that Preaching it felf may L.r.v- fuilv be forborn, though not (imply, yet at fome occafion which might render the forbearance of it at fome certain place and time, both Law- ful and Neceffary 5 and fuppofe a Preacher did fcrefee that his V teaching 2X fuch a place, at fuch a day, (hould occafion by alette nt fome Schlfm

C 2 or

[ ** 3

or Dlvlmn among fincere Profeflbrs of the Chriftian Faith, he might very lawfully forbear to do it at that time, yea it were his Duty to forbear, and he might very jtt/l/y rejoyce and thank God, that he did not Preach to them in that place, and at that time • this needed not to have been fo largely infilled upon,but for their fake,who through their oreat Ignorance and Prejudice) lay fo great ftrefs on this fort of Argu- ment • asbpcwfePaul thanked God, be had Baptized but a few of the Corinthians, therefore Baptifme is no Gofpel inftitution $ the weaknefs of which confequence, I fuppofe is fufficiently manifeft : On the con- trary a good Argument may be brought forwater-Baptifme, that feeing the abuie of it at Corinth ■, or any where elfe, was no caufe or occafion oflayingitafidetoany, but that it was univerfally pra&ifed on Belie- vers in the Apoftles Days, infornuch that it cannot be inftanced where any Church, Family, or Perfon that did believe was not Baptized, that therefore it was pradifed by Divine Inftitution, and not by Per- miftion, luch as circnmcifion was 5 for neither circumcijion, nor any other Jeivifb Rite was univerfally prac!ifed, as Baptifme was ; the above- faid Argument, taken from PWs words , he thanked God he Baptized none L-itt fitch and fuch, I find ufed by #". Venn, in his Book, called Rea- jon aoa'wjl Railing, p. 1 10.. to which let the above mentioned Anfwer

ferve-

But I find forne new Arguments ufed by G. whitehead, in his Anti- icte, to prove that Baptifme with water was not commanded to the A- poftles, Matth.2%. 1 p. p. 120. Lo I am with yot* always, to the end of the World (faith he) what for ? to enable them to Baptize with Water t Jsto that many can do without him, or the leafl fenfe of his Prejence.

An\> Of all the Arguments I ever heard againft Baptifme with wa- ter, this is one of the weaker!, and too much favouring of Profanity, that {faith he) many can do without him," but can they do it in Faith without him, and in true Obedience to his Command i This Scoifof his, has equal weight againft Johns Baptifme, when in force, which he grants was with Water 5 and thus, as G. whitehead arguetlv John could, and did Baptize without chrifi^s inward Prefence, and the leaft ftnle of it, and it has the like force againft all External Acls of Religi- on commanded of God, both under the Law and Gofpel 5 for all Ex- ternal Ac!s (imply confidered, as fuch without regard to Faith, or the inward Frame of the Mind, can be done as much without Chri(l,as Bap- ufmt with water 5 but none of them can be done as they ought with- out him> Kath G". whitehead forgot Christ's Saying to his Difciples 5

without

[ n 1

without me ye can do nothing ; that he hath fo boldly contradicted himy to fay, they could Baptize with water without him. This is more Prophane ;ind Scandalous, than what Samuel Jennings faid st a Month- ly M-eting in Philadelphia, for which he was reproved by diverfe in the Meeting, and of which there is an account in Print. To do our mn Bufinefs as Men, we need not the help of the Spirit, hut to do GoJ's Bufi- nefs we need it : But here according to G. whitehead, when John Bap- ■ tized with water j which was Cod's Bufinefs, it being commanded of God, he could do that without him.

Another Argument of his in the fame Page, is, It is not go Teach, and then Baptize them with Water, but go teach all Nations, Baptizing them } and there was a Divine and Spiritual Baptifme immediately atten- ding and present with their Ministry,

Anf. This Argument is alfo weak, and grounded upon a Quibble, be- cauie it is not faid, go Teach, and then Baptize, hut go Teach^ Baptizing, &c. £ecaufe the word Baptizing is a Participles but this hath not the ^ weight of a Feather, it is fo light, and yet with fuch light airy Stuff 'msy. have deceived many : For as the word Baptizing is a Participle, both in the Greek and Englifh 5 fo the word Tranflated go, fet before Teach, in the Greek is a Participle xio^v^vl^ going (or having gone) Teach. Now by the like Argument, becaufe it is not faid, firft go, and then Teach, but going, Teach 5 therefore every foot of their way,where ever they went through, tho' they were not in fight or within hearing of any People, before they came to them, they were to Preach, -and by the like Argument, where it is faid, Mark.- 1.5. And, ■ were all Baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confeffno their (ins. It is not faid, they firft ConfeiTed, and then were Baptized, or they were firft Baptized, and then Confeffed, according to G. whitehead, in the J

very firft inftant art of Baptizing, they coofeffed their Sins, and nei- **'*' ther before nor after, But that there was a Divine and Spiritual Bap- tifme that attended their Miniftry to fome, will not prove that they did Baptize them with the Divine and Spiritual Btptifme, which was the Work of God, andofchrifl, and promifed by chri/i to the Apo- ftles and other Believers 5 but was never com Handed them to give it toothers.

His Third Argument, is from Gal, 3. 2. Receh ed ye the fpirit by ths works of the law, or by he aringof faith, &c. he therefore that mini rreth toyou the jpirii, and worketh miracles among you • doth he it by the works of the law, or by the preaching of faith ?

Anf, •

[ '4] Atif: He taketh it for granted 5 that by him thatworketh Miracles among them, and Miniltreth the Spirit unto them, is to be underftood, Paul, or Tome other Man, by whom they were Converted 1 But: Vaulit could not be, for the words being in the Prefent Tenfe, imply- eth a prefent Miniftration of the Spirit, whenP^/ wrote that Epiftle unto them ^ but Paul was then at Jlcme, as the end of the Epiftle fhew- eth 5 nor was it any other Man, becaufe they were already Converted, and had received the Spirit, before he writ that Epiftle unto them. 1 herefore it is moft proper to underftand this 5 he to be chrift, who is the only fur niftier and fupplyer of the Spirit, together with God, unto the Faithful ; the Greek word ImjgtyySvi is rendred Prebens Suppedi- tam'i byPafcr, and doth properly fignifie the Principal Efficient from xagyryls dux chori the Captain of the Chorus- but this is Christ who fuppheth and givefh the Spirit to the Saints, and neither P^/, nor any other Man. And that thefApoftles were Minifters of the Spi- rit, doth not fignifie that they gave the Spirit, or Baptized with the Spirit, but that they were aiMed and guided by the Spirit in their Miniftry, and that God accompanied their Miniftry with his (not their) giving the Spirit unto fuch who believed their Doftrine.

S E C T. V.

I Proceed in the next place, to examine all the other Arguments I find ufed by W, Penn,and R. Barclay, againft thefe Divine Initia- tions that feem to have any fhadow of weight.

The Firfr Argument I fird uied by n\ Perm, in his Reason againft Rai- ling, in p. 107. is, firft, faith he, we know, and they confers that they were in the beginning ufed as Figures and shadows of a more hidden and Spiritual Su'* fiance. 2 . That they were to endure no longer than till the Sub fiance was come. Now the time of the Baptifme if the Holy Ghofi, ChrifVs only Bap- Uiaie therefore called the one Baptiime, has been long fi nee come, conse- quently the other, which was John'/, was fulfilled, and is becomes a fore- runner ought to ceafe ; the like may be f aid of the Bread and Wine • for as there is tut one RzptlfmQ, fo there is but cue Bread. . This fame Argu- ment for Matter, but in different words, is ufed by R. B. in the above laid Treatife, p. 7. 3.

Aflf*

[ rj ]

Anfw. The Conclufion they both draw, viz. that Johns Btptifac is ceafed, may be granted, and yet it will not follow that m.ter-Bap> tifme, as it was pra&ifed by the Apofties and other Minifters after chrifTs Refurreftion and Afccmion is ceafed 5 feeing there is great ground to diftinguiOi betwixt John's ivater-B.iptifme, and the Apofties, in divers weighty refbe&s ; as fkft the Man Chrift, after he rofe from the Dead, having all Power given him in Heaven and in Earth, Com- mifiioned the Apofties to Baptize, and that with water, as mall be afterwards proved more fully, but John had not his Commiiiion from the Man Christ, &c< 2. John did only Baptize them of his own Nation, and was only fent to lfrael, but the Apofties Commifllon reached to all Nations. 3. John though he taught them to believe in him who was to come, to wit, %chrifl--, yet he required not Faith in Chrift, as any condition to qualifie his Difciples to receive his Bap- tifme; but the Apofties required Faith in Chrift Jefus in all the Men and Women, as a condition qualifying them to receive their B.iptifwe.

4. We do not find that the Holy Ghoft was given or promifed, to them who received John's Baptipne, but the promife of the Holy Ghoft was given to fuch as did duly and worthily receive the Apofties Bap- tifme, therefore John's Baptijme was called the Baptijme of Repentance,

5. It feems greatly probable, that fome who had received John's Baptifme were again Baptized with the Apofties Baptifme, ABs ip. 3. 4,V>£- But whereas they both argue, from John's Words, Imuftde„ creafe, but he muft increafe, it hath a further underftanding^ than barely as in relation to Johns' Baft ifmey for it is faid, John 4. 12. that Jefta made and Baptized more Difciples than John, tho' Jefm himfelf Baptized .not, but his Difciples 5 thus, J^decreafed, and chrift in- creafed, when both trater-Baptifmes were in force, that Chrift had more Difciples than .John, even when Jchn was living, at which he rejoyced ; and as the number of ChrifVs Difciples iflcreafed above the number of Johns, before John's deceafe, fo ftill' after, and will encreafe 5 and fo will the Glory and Honour of Chrift encreale above John, to the end of the World. But whereas they both argue, as they think fo ftrongly both againft nrater-Bapii\me,, and the outward Supper, becaufe of the Scripture Phrafe, one Baptifme, and one Bread, which Iconfefsdid formerly carry fbme weight with me, and I have fo argued in fome of my former Books • but I have fufficiently feen the weaknefs of that Argument, as well as other 'Ar- guments brought both by them and me, againft thefe Divine Infii-

tutioi

[ .5]

tutions. But let it be confidered, how things are faid to be one in divers ienfes and acceptations. God is one in the higher! fenfe, yet this doth not infer that there is no diftinclion of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, in their relathe Properties , which are incommu- nicable 5 and chrift. is one, and yet this doth not prove that Chriji hath not two Natures, one of the Godhead, another of the Manhood moil glorioufly united. 3. Faith is one, yet there are divers true fig- riifications of Faith in Scripture, as 1. the laving Faith, 2. the Faith of Miracles which every one had not who had the faving Faith, 3. Faith obje&ively taken for the D^clrine of Faith, either as it is outwardly Preached or Prorefled, zs In Rem. 1.5. Gal, 3.2. Acis 24. 24. Now if one mould argue, becaufe the Scripture faith, there is one Faith, EpL 4. 5* that con fequeatly there is but one Faith, and that is the Doctrine of Faith outwardly Preached and ProfeiTed, and confequently deny Faith as it is an inward Grace and Virtue of the Spirit in the Hearts of true Believers, his Argumen* would befalfe, fo on the other hand, if another mould argue, true faving Faith, that is, of ab-olute necejfny to salvation, is an inward Grace or Ver- tue of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of true Believers 5 and therefore there is no Doclrine of Faith to be Preached or ProfeiTed, his Argu- ment fhould be alio falie, and as falfe is this way of reafoning, that becau'e the Baftifme is one, therefore that one Baptifme is only the inward of the Spirit, excluding the outward Baptifme of Water, or as to fay therefore it is only the outward Baptifme of water, excluding the inward Baptifme of the spirit. Now, as the one Faith mentioned Efhef.^. 5. Supprreis meant the inward Grace or Virtue of Faith in the hearts of all True Believers, doth not exclude the Doclrine of Faith, outwardly Preached and Profefled ; fo nor doth the inward Baptifme of the spirit, fuprofe there meant, Eph, 4. j. exclude the outward Bap ti [me of water, both being true and one in their kind, as the inward Grace of Faith is fpeciflcaliy one-mall true Believers, but ;erical!y manifold, even as manifold as there are numbers of Be- lievers, fo the Doclrine of Faith is one in its kind, though confifting of many parts 5 therefore to argue as w. Pemi doth, that baptifme is one in the fame knCc as God is one is very inconfiderate, which would infer that though God is one in fpecie, yet that there are as many Gods numerically as Believers. And notwithstanding that in Ephef, 4» 7* it is faid there is one Baptifme, yet it is not faid there or elfe- where, that there is but one Baptifme 3 for another place of Scripture

mentions

[ '7] mentions Baptifmss in the Plural Number, Heb. 6. 2. And indeed as weak as their Argument againft ivater-Baptifme is from the Scripture words one Baptise 5 noleis weak is their Argument againft the out- ward Supper, pra&ifed with Bread and Wine, in commemoration of our Lord's Death, becaufe of the Scripture words, one Bread, 1 Cor, i®. 17. for in that fame verfe, Vattl tells of one Bread in a very diffe- rent fignification, even as far as the Church of chrift is not'ehri/i 5 we (faid he) being many are one Bread 5 but doth it therefore foilow that there is no other Bread than the Church 5 nay, for they are all par- takers of that one Breads which is chrift, and there is a third Bread that he mentions in the fame Chapter, which is neither the one nor the other, one Breads and that is the outward Bread that they did eat, v. 16. the bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the body of Chrift! Even as chrift faid concerning the outward Breads that it was his Body, to wit, Figuratively (fo by the like Figure it was the Communion of his Body) but not the Body it felf, which too many have been fo foolifli, as to imagine, that the outward Bread was Con- verted into chrifs real Body, and as if Paul had forefeen that many would become fo foolifli and unwife, as fo to imagine^therefore to cau- tion againft any fuch folly, he had faid , I fpeak as to wife Men ; judge ye what I fay. But whereas, many of the People, called Qua- kers, by Bread> in that part of the Verfe 3 the Bread which we break^is it not the Communion of the Lord's Body ? Will have to be mean t, not the outward Elementary Bread, but the Body of Chrift it felf, in this they are under a great miftakej for that would render the words to have amoft abfur'd Senfe, as to fay, the Body of chri/l is the Com- munion of his Body ; but the Body is one thing, aud the Communion of that Body is another, and it were as little fenie to underftand it thus 5 the Body of chrift is a Figure of the Communion of his Body ; there- fore the true fenfe of the w7ords is the outward Bread which we break is a Figure, or Sign of the Communion of the Lord's Body: But thefe Men are under another great Miftake, as if by the Lord's Body, here were not meant his outward Body that was Crucified ? and KaU fed again 5 but the Life, which is the Light in them, and in every Man, whether Believer, or Unbeliever. But ofthis great Error, I (hall have occafion hereafter to take notice, only at prefent let it be remembred, that by the Body of chrift* in thefe above-mentioned words, is to be underftood the Body of chrift, that was outwardly Crucified, Dyed, and rofe again, and is a living Glorious Bodvj which

D is

[ .8]

is theBodyofthefecond Adam, the quickning Spirit, of the Virtue of which, all true Believers partake* and by their having the Commiu nion of his Body (whether when eating the outward Bread, fothat they eat with true Faith, or when they do not eat, yet believing ; for the Communion of his Body is not confined to the outward eating) they have the Communion of his Spirit alio, and enjoy of the mani- fold Spiritual Blefhngs of Grace, Life, and Light, fent and conveyed into their Hearts, .by and through the glorified Man, chrijl J ejus, who hath a Glorified Body 5 and though this Communion of drift's Body is hard to be expreffed, or to be demonftrated to ManVreafonable un- derftanding, yet by Faith it is certainly felt and witnefled, with the blefled Effects of it, caufing an encreafe in Holinefs and Divine Know- ledge and Experience in all true Believers 5 nor is there any thing in this Myftery, or any other Myfteryof the Chriftian Religion, that is contradictory to our reafonable underftanding.But yet a little further to let them fee the folly of that Argument from the Scripture Phrafe, onehaptifnte^ and one Body-) when Paid faith, Eph, 4. £. There is one Body And one Stir it $ it doth not bear this Senfe, as if the Church were but one numerical Body, or one fingle Man, or as if there were no Body of the Man, Chrift in Heaven, though fome of their Teachers have fo falfely argued -, that becaufe the Body of Chrifi is one, there- fore chrijl has no Body but his Church, and as falfe fliould their Argu- ing be 5 there is but one Spirit, and that Spirit is the Holy Ghoft • there- fore the Man chrifi hath no Soul or Spirit of Man in him, and there- fore Believers have no Spirits or Souls of Men in them that are Created Rational Spirits, both which are moft falfe and foolifh confequences 5 alfo when the Scripture faith, there is one Father, and one is your Fa- ther; it would be a very falfe confequence to infer, that therefore we have never had any outward or vifible Fathers, and as falfe a con- fequence it is, from one invifible Baptifme of the Spirit, to argue againft any outward and vifible Baptifme, or from the outward vifible Bap- tifme, being one in its kind to argue againft the invifible and inward Baptijme, which is one in its kind alfo 5 this is an Error called by Logi- cians, aTranfitionfromonekindto another, as becaufe there is one kind of Animal on Earth, called a Dog, therefore there was not any thing el fefo called-, whereas, there is a Fifh that hath the fame Name, as alfo a Star in Heaven.

SECT,

[ *9] SECT. VI.

BUT whereas w, Venn, in his above mentioned Argument faith> firft we know^ and they confefs, that they were in the beginning ujed as Figures and shadows of a more hidden Spiritual Subftance,

Anf In this he is very fliort and defective in his Expreflion , they were both apgointed andufed in the beginning, I mean from the time ofchrift's Refurrection and Afcenfion, to be Figures and Signs of Chrips outward Body that was broken for us on the Crofs, and his Blood that was outwardly fhed. In the firft place, and confequently of the inward Graces of the Spirit, and Benefits coming to Believers by his outward Body and Blood, and by the Man chrift wholly considered, both in Soul and Body 3 and whereas he faith, 2. They were no lon- ger to endure, than till the Subftance was come : All this fheweth w. Penns great Mifunderftanding of the Nature of thefe Institutions, both of Baptijme and the Supper , as if they only Signified fome inward hidden Virtue, which he calls a more hidden and fpiritual Subftance that was to come ; and fo were only as he calls them in his Defence of his Key, called, a Reply to a pretended Jnfwer, &c. Vrentmiative and forerunning Signs, but were not commemorative Signs, as well of things paft, as of things prefent, for this is utterly falSe, that mter in th&t Baptifme which the Apoftles/ufed after chrift 9s Refurreclion and Afcen« fion was prenunciative, and not commemorative 5 for on the contrary it was not (imply prenunciative, but commemorative, as commemo- rating and Signifying the Blood of chrift, that had been (lied outward- ly for the Remiffion of our Sins, and the fame commemoration and fignification had the Wine, inthepraftife of the Lord's Supper, and the Bread that was broken in the Supper, fignified (after drift's Death and Refurred; ion) his Body that was outwardly broken on the Crofs, and that outward praclife waslnftitutedby chrift for a Memo- rial of his Death and Sufferings, which ail true Believers in chri/l ought to have frefh and lively in their Minds « to which the outward practife both of Baptifme and the Supper is of great ule$ and the more fre- quent the pracYife of the Supper is, being duly u(ed, as with Faith, Reverence, and Devotion, the more profitable it is. Therefore faid Chr.ijl, as oft as ye eat this bread, vSfC. As if one did fay, as oft as ye Pray with true Faith and Fervency, it turns the more to your Spiritu- al Advantage, And though the Spirit of Chrift in true Believers is the

D 2 great

[ 20 ]

great and principal rememberer unto them, yet he oft doth remember them, in the ufe of that outward Pradife, ufing it as a means, and bleffing it unto them, even as the Spirit ufeththe frequent outward Inftitutionsand Exhortations that Minifters give to Believers as a means,, and blefTeth that outward means unto them alfo, the more to quicken and enlighten them-, and as Peter faid, to ftir up the pure mind in them, by way of remembrance, which was the end of his Epiftles, and alio of Paul's Epiftles unto the Churches 5 and therefore it is but weakly and falfly argued by many of the People, called Qua- kers, and their Teachers 5 the Spirit in them is their remembrancer, and they have the more hidden and invisible fubftance in them 5 and therefore there is no ufe of thefe outward Signs to them 5 for this Ar- gument has the fame force againft all outward Teaching;and External Acts of Worfhip. And indeed, as I have oft obferved and considered thechiefeft Arguments ufed by thefe Men, againft thefe outward Practifes of the outward Baptifme, and the Supper may be as much brought againft all outward Teaching, and External Acts of Worfhip, and againft all ufe of Books, yea, of the Holy Scriptures themfelvess and the like may be faid of thefe Arguments, that are commonly in the Mouths of the People, called Quakers ; that Bread, and wine9 and Water are carnal things, and vifible, which may be touched, tafled', hand- led j whereas the Scripture faith, touch not, t aft not, handle not, which are all to perifh with the ufing, and the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteoufnefs, peace, and joy in the Holy cho/i 1 Again, we look not at things feen, for they are temporal, hut at the things unfeen, which are eternal . and Col. 3. if ye be rifenwith Chrift, feek the things which are above, andfet your ajfeftion on things above, not on things on the earth ; but Filter, Bread and wine, are things on earth - and let no man judge you in meats and drinks, Col. 2. 17. which are a fhadow of things to come, but the body is ofchrift ? All thefe, and the like Scriptures (I fay) may with as great (how of reafon be brought againft all good Books, and outward Teachings, Inftructions, Exhortations) yea, againft the Books of the Holy Scriptures, which G. Fox hath called the Carnal and Earthly Letter, that he touched, and handled, as much as water IBread, and wine, and is vifible 3 and confequently by their Argument, is not to be look'd into, nor is the Scripture, nor the beft of words uttered in Speech, or Written, the Kingdom of God, or the hidden invifible Subftance , as neither water, Bread and wine, yet all thefe have their ufe,, when duly ufed on a Spiritual Account 5 for as words fignifie, and

hold

[ « ]

hold forth Chrift> and the inward and fpiritual Benefits that Believers have by him, to the outward hearing, fo do thefe other hold forth chrijly and his fpiritual Bleffings to their Sight, Tad, and Feeling 5 for which reafon, antient Writers did call the outward Ba^tifme and Supper, verbum vjfible^ i. e. the vifible word, God having io appoin- ted it in his Wifdome, that the Knowledge of Divine and Spiritual things, after a fort fhould be given to us by outward Signs and Syn> bols, that affect our Senfes, and by our Senfes, as by fo many Doors and Windows fhould be let into our Souls, by means whereof, through the inward Operation of the Holy Spirit, the inward and Spi- ritual Faculties of our Souls and Minds are awakened and enabled to apprehend the Spiritual things themfelves, whole Symbols and Em- blems thefe outward Elementary things are. And none of thefe Scrip- tures above mentioned, have any relation to the outward Baptifme and Supper, which were the Inftitutions of cbrifl , but to fqch outward things, the obfervations of which were after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men, as not only the Jewiflj Rites, but Gentile Cuftoms and Traditions, alfo were touching Meats and Drinks, and other things, which the Apoftle calls, Co/, 2. 1.0. 21, 22. the Rudiments of the worldy which as they are ofjaperifhing nature, fothe ufe and fervice of them 5 but fo is not the ufe and ferviceof the outward Baptifme and Supper, which is a holy Commemoration of our Lord's Death and Sufferings, and of the great benefits we have thereby, tending to ex- cite our ardent Love and Affections to him, and to raife them up to as- cend to him in Heaven 5 therefore though true Believers ixchriJPs- command ufe the outward things yet neither their Minds, nor Affe- ctions are fet on them, but on him;and the heavenly Bleffings they have by him 5 which holy Commemoration we (hould not let dyQ or perifh in us, but keep alive for our fpiritual Benefit and Advantage 3 and as concerning, CV/0/l 2. 17. The things there mentioned, arecallecffha- dows of things to come, fuch as the Types of the Mojaical Law were ? but miter- BAptifme, and the Supper, which the Chriftians were en- joyned to practice, were (imply, not (hadows of things to come, but are commemorative Signs 0$ drifts as he hath already come in the Bo- dy that was prepared for him, and of his Body and Blood which he hath given for us, together with the fpiritual bleffings of Grace, Life, and Light that we have by him, to make us comformable to him in ho- linefs, as well as to give us the pardon of our Sins, and to juftifie us, and give us a right to eternal Life. But it bewrayeth (till great in con-

iideratica

■L 22 ]

fideration in iv. Venn, to argue againft the outward Baptifme and Sup- per, as he doth in his Defence of his Key, above-mentioned, p. 154. They * that per finally (faith hel enjoy their dear eft Friends \\vill not repair to their Pictures, though drawn never fo much to the life, to quicken their remem- brance of them* Hisfimilitu.de of a />/#»/'*, to which he compareth the outward B'afti\me and Supper is a good Argument againft him, the Saints on Earth have not the Man, chrift^ per tonally prefent with them, they have not his Body that fullered Death for therh, and rofe again a prefent object to their outward fight 3 therefore did he in his great love appoint the'fe outward Signs to be a Memorial of him, until they fhould have himfelf Perfon ally" prefent with them, as they will certainly have in the time appointed, and to as little purpofe is his arguing in that fame page, That the true Believers were come to Mount Zion, Heb.11, 22, and fit in heavenly places in Chriftjefus, which mujl ke an attainment above figns ofinvifible grace, being the life and fub- flance of Religion 5 andfi the Period and Confummttion of Types, shadows, and fuch [ort of Signs or Significations as are in queflion. Anfwer, It is a great Mifreprefentation of the State of the Queftion in w. Venn, fo to place it as. well as a weak Argument, as becaufetrue Believers are come to Spiritual Attainments above Signs of invifible Grace 5 that therefore there is no u'e of Signs in Religious Matters. Why then doth he fpeak and writ fo much in Religious Matters, for all his Words and Writings are but Signs 5 and he thinketh that his Brethren are come to higher Attainments than thefe Signs, yea, why doth he kneel in Prayer, and difcover his Head when he Prayeth} what are thefe but Signs f And why fo much ftrife and contention about G. Fox\ Papers of Church Orders, and Womens Dreffes? Are not his Brethren come to higher Attainments than thefe outward things ? But.it is an obfervation of many, that after g.Fox had taught his Fol- lowers to throw down the outward InfUtutions of cbrift, he fet up among them his own, and fo did perfuade them to exalt them ; that whoever did not comply therewith,' were to be judged by his zealous Admirers to be Apoftates ; thus Pharifee like, fetting up Humane Tra- ditions above Divine Precepts, and in fo'doing, w. Pennhis had no frnallflwe, whohath as eagerly .promoted G. Foxh Inftimtions about outward things, as he hath laboured to throw down the Inflitutions Qfchrift.

SECT.

[*3 I

j

SECT. VII.

TO avoid the Argument for water*Btpifm, it being an Inftituti- on of Chriji from Mat t. 28. 19. Go teach all Nations, Bapti- Zing them into the name he. he faith, but no water is mentioned page, io5. Reafon againfb Railing • and therefore he concludes in the next p. that Chrift commanded the Apoftles to Baptize with the Holy Ghoft, and the like evasions is made by R. b.in the above [md Treatise p. 26. where heputteth them who understand it of Water- Bap tifme to prove, that Wa- ter/j here meant fine e the, Text is (lent of it.

Anf As water is not mentioned, fo nor is Baptizing with iht Holy Ghoft mentioned, and at this rate of arguing ufed by them,' nor muft Baptizing with the Holy Ghoft be understood, which yet they fo incon- fiderately affirm muft be meant here.

But R. B. thinks to prove, that Baptifme with the Holy ghoft is here meant, arguing from the literal figaification of the Text, . which we ought not to go from, except fome urgent neceffity force us thereun- to -j but no fuch urgent neceffity forceth us thereunto.

Anf, The literal fignification of the Text, is not Baptizing with the Holy Ghoft 3 but on the contrary, the word Baptizing literally figni- fieth to Wafh with Water or Dip into Water ; Tea R. B. grants p. 49, jf the etymology of the word jhould be tenacioufty adhered to> it would militate as well againft mojl of their Adversaries as the Quakers. When it is* transferred from the literal figniflcation to a Metaphorical, as to fignifie the Inward and Spiritual Baptifme with the Holy Spirit, it is never when fo transferred applied to Men, as having any command fo to Baptize^ but wholly and only to God and chrift. I challenge any Man to give but one inftanee in all the Scripture, where Baptizing with the Spirit is ever referred to Men, either by way of Precept or PracYrfe, as if ever any Man but the Man Chrift, did Baptize with the Holy Spirit, or were commanded fo to do ; the quibble from the Greek Particle 1% is anfwered and refuted above, as alfo his arguing from the word one Baptifme } and whereas he faith the Name of the Lord is often taken in Scripture for fome thing elfe than a bare found of words or literal expreflion, even for his Virtue and Power. I anfwer and fo is it oft taken otherwife, as the Name of God in Scripture fig- nifieth himfelf, fo the Name of chriji fignifieth Chrift, and that both confidered as he is Cod and Man, and yet one Christy and that to be

Baptized

. • . " [ 24 ]

'Baptized into the Name of the Lord J efw&\& not frgriifetht Baptifme of the Holy Ghoft 5 I have proved already out of AcJs 8, 16. Befides the Name of the Father is not the Holy Ghoft, as neither is the Name of the Son, for as the Father is neither the Son, nor the Holy Ghoft -, fo, nor is the Name of the Father, nor the Name of the Son, the Name of the Holy Ghoft, as they are diftinguifhed by their relative properties, lb by thefe Names, though the Name God belongeth to each of them, anjd who are one only God blefled for ever. But that he further contends, that the Baptifme commanded here mMatth. 28. 19. \% Chrijr\ own Baptifme. I anfwer, Chrift's own Baptifme where- of John makes mention, andof which he is the author and giver, is indeed the Baptifm with the Holy Ghoft, which he promised unto the Apoftles to give them, and accordingly did perform 5 but we no where find that ever he promifed to give them Power, to give it to others, or commanded them to give it, that is wholly an unfcriptural Phrafe, and fcandalous. if not Blafphemous, to fay, that poor mortal Men hoever to Holy could give the Baptifme of the Spirit, this is to give to them what was proper only to GWand chrift : why did John fay, he that comes after me {hall Baptize with the Holy Ghoft : he did not fay, they who mould come after me, but he, intimating none had that Power and Dignity but chrifi^ who was God as well as Man, and as he was G^had this power belonging to him, and which did belong to no Men nor Creature whatfoever 5 and thus indeed the Baptifme with the Spirit \sChrifl\Baptif me jnot which he commanded Men to do, but which he promifed to do, altho' the tv at er- Baptifme which he commanded his Apoftles to practiie in his Name is alfo his, in a fecon- dary fenfe, as the Apoftles teaching is his, becaufe commanded by him 5 yet when we fpeak of Gods teaching according to the fenfe of that Scripture, they mall all be taught of God, it is not meant the out- ward teaching of Men, but Gods inward teaching in Mens hearts } As touching his third Reafonto prove that Baptifme with the Holy Ghoft is meant Mat th. 28. 19. The Baptifme which Chris? commanded his Apo- ftles, was [ttch that as many as were therewith baptized^ therewith didput on Chrifi^ but this is not true of tvater- Baptifme.

Anf As concerning that place of Scripture, Gal. 3.7. from which this Argument fecms to be taken, the place it felf red rids' it to the be- lieving Galatians, as V. 26. For jee are all the Children of God by faith in chrifi Jefes, and all fuch as beings Baptized with outward water^ put him on by a publick Profefiion, lb by true Faith they inwardly

put

[ 25 ]

put him on* To make a publick Profeffion of chrift by Baptifme of 1 irate r is to put him on,in a common Phrafeoffpeech, as when a Man is laid to put on the SoMier, the Magi/Irate, by putting on the Gar- ment of aSouldier or Magijlrate in which fenfe Jerome (aid, Roma cbri- (turn induij i.e. at Rome / put on cbrift > Signifying thac he w-as there baptized, and it is to be noticed how P-W generally in his Epiflles to the Churches he wrot to, calls them Saints, they being (o by pro- feffion, though there might have been Hypocrites among them, and as by outward profeffion Men are faid to be Saints, ib. they may be faid to have put on Chrifl, when nothing by Word or Deed can appear to the contrary in a judgment of Charity.

As to his 4th. Argument that Baptifme with water was John's Bap- tifme, I have above (hewn, that Johns water-Baptifme, and the v/ater~ Baptifme commanded to^and pra&ifed by the Apoftles after cbri/Fs Re- furre&ion, differed in many refpe&s, and tbo" both required Repen- tance as a condition in order to receive the water-Bxptifme^ yet the later required Faith in cbrift Crucified and Raifed again, as a conditi- on in order to receive Baptifme, but the former did not require that Paith. Again his arguing from their not ufing that form of Baptifm,. In the Na?ne of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Gboft, who did Baptize with water in thofe days of the Apoftles, is as defective as his otherways of arguing on this Head*

But how doth he prove that* they ufed not this Form i Why be* caufe in allthefe places, where Baptizing {with Water) is mentioned, there is not a word of thisForm, and in two places Ails 8. \6. and 19, 5, that it is [aid of feme that thej were Baptized in the Name of the Lord Je~ fe. But it ought to be confidered, that oft in the Scriptures what is not expreft, isunderftood, yea that very Form exprehed 8. 16. is comprehend ve of the other*, and if no more be exprelfed by him that is the Adminiftrator, if he be found in the Faith, and that the per- fon to be Baptized hatha found Faith, that Form is fufficient, it is not expreft that the Eunuch gave any other con feffion of his Faith be- fore he was Bapt \ed, but that Je[m cbrift is the Son of God ■ but will It therefoie follow, that he believed no other Article of the Chrifti- an Faith but that, and con felled no other. In his further Eftay to de- fend'his aflbrtibri', that C7^v-'/?coramanded the Apoftles to Baptize with the Spirit, he faith, Baj>tL(me with the Spirit, iho* not wrought without Chi

Grate

Grace that gives Spiritual Gift -^ yet the Affile Rom. I. n. (peaks of bis imparting to them Spiritual Gift s\ and he tells the Corinthians, that he h A begotten them thro the Gofpe/3 i ".or. 4. 15. 7 e convert the t is properly the work <f C hrift, a>d yet the Scripture oftentimes af- eribes it unto Men, as being the Inj>ruments> andPmVs commijjlon was to turn Men from Darknefs to Vght,

Anf. I acknowledge fuch like anfwers 1 had formerly given infome of my former Books co the like Objection 5 but I am come to fee die weaknefs and defecT: of it $ in order therefore to detect the fallacy of this ailertion,. that the Apoftles might be as well faid to Baptize with the Spirit, as to Beget, to Convert, to Impart fome Spiritual Gift, &c. Let it be confidered that Baptifme with the Holy Spirit, is not only another thing than Converfion, or imparting fome Spiritual (?//>, &c. thatit is incomparably greater ? for Baptifme with the Spirit is equivalent to the million of the Spirit, and his Inhabitation in Be- lievers, and his being given to them 5 all Spiritual Gifts of Faith, Converfion, Regeneration, however fo true and real, are but works and effe&s of the Spirit, with whom Men may be faid Inftrumentally to woi k 5 but the giving the Holy Spirit, to which Baptifme with the Holy Spirit is equivalent, is of a higher Nature, than any or all thefe Spiritual Gifts, differing as much as the Giver differs from his Gifts : For as to Create is only proper to God and Chrifl^ and the Hoty Ghoft: to Redeem by way of Ranfome and Satisfaction to Divine Juftice is only proper to chrijl, without any concurrence of Men or Angels, fo to Baptize with the Holy Ghoft or endue therewith, or give or fend the Holy Ghoft, is only proper to God or chrifl and not to Men fo much as Inftrumentally, there is nojuch Phrafc to be found in all the Scripture, as that any Man did Baptize with the Holy Ghoft, in any cafe or fenfe, we ought not to allow fuch odd Phrafes fo forrain to Scripture, otherwife the greateft abfurdities might follow, and a Power of Creating and Redeeming might be given to Men at this rate, by adding the word Inftrumentally, but as we are to allow no Jnflrumental Creators or Redeemers^ fo no Inftrumental giver of the Holy Ghoft or Baptizers with the fame. The Holy Ghoft is God him- felf, and it is too arrogant and wild to fay, that Men who in refpeft of God are as Worms, can give their Creator and Maker. The Scripture indeed tells us,that the HolyGhoft was given thro9 the laying on of the Apoftles hands, Atfs 8. 16. and fometimes in Preaching, and fome- dmes in Prayer, the HolyGhoft was given % but it was never faid,

that

r *7]

that Men gave it or Baptized with ir. Befides,at this rate, they may fay,' the Teaching that Chnjl commanded Matth, 28. ip.was not outward Teaching but inward, and then call it Inftrumental $ but what fenfe would be made of fuch an affertion, the Apoftles were fent not to Teach outwardly but inwardly, by Inftrumental Teaching} and one might argue asftrongly, that it was not outward Teaching that Chrift meant, Mattk 28. 19. why, not the Ieaft word is mentioned of out- ward Teaching, therefore it is not underftood but only inward Teach- ing. If it be fit to anfwer, this wild inference thus, the Teaching there commanded muft needs be outward, becaufe its only Mens work to Teach outwardly, and Gods work to teach inwardly 5 the like anfwer is as proper to be given in relation to Baptifme, as it is Mens work to Baptize outwardly with Water, fo it is the work of God and chrifl to Baptize inwardly with the Spirit. And if Men be refoived. to quibble and embrace any wifld notion, rather than the fimplc Truth, had there beenexprefs mentjon made oi water, Matth. 28* 19. that quibbling Spirit would have made a new objection, and ftili argued it was not material or outward water, but inward and Spiritu- al, becaufe in many places of Scripture, water fignifleth not outward material water ^ but inward and Spiritual.

S E C T. VHL

THERE is yet another Argument ufed both by w. Venn and R. B. againft both water-Bapti[m and the Supper in com- mon. I ihall recite it in w. ?enn\ words (being the fame in effect, with thefe of R. B. ) Thirdly faith W. Penn3 they were but the more noble 4- mong the Meats and Drinks, and diverge w&fhings that the Apoftles faid, were but fhadows of the good things to comej for I would not thai any fhould be fo fottifh as to think that ChriJl came to aboli/h thofe fhadows of the Jews, and inflitute others in their room, by no means. lie came to remove, change and abolifh the very nature of fuch Ordinances, and not the particular Ordinances only, to wit, an outward shadowy and Figu~ rative Religion ; for it was not becaufe they were Jewifb Meat's and '■ Drinks , and dnerfc wafhings7 but becauje they were Meats and Drinks, and outward Wafhings at all, which never could nor can cleanfe the Con* fcience from dead works, nor give eternal Life to the Soul, el fe wherein would the change be f A continuance of them, would haze been a judai- *~-ing of the Spiritual Evangelical Worfhip, the Gofpel would have been a

E 2 ftate

[ 28 ]

Jtate of Figures , Types and shadows, which to affert or Practice, is a? much as in fuck lies to flack it up by the roots.

Anf. This whole way of Arguing proceeds upon a fuppofed Foun- dation thatisfalfe, and becaufethe Foundation isfalfe, therefore is his Superltruciure aifo 5 both which I Thill briefly (how : Firft, His fup- pofed Foundation is fa! fe, viz,, No Signs that is no outward things that are Symbolical, or Significative of greater and more excellent things do by any means belong to the Gofpel, and Chriftian Religion, otherwife (as he argueth but very weakly) there would be no change^ and no difference betwixt the Jewiflt Religion andthe Chriftian, or be- twixt Law and Gofpel y but this doth by no means follow* For al- lowing that fome Signs belong to the Gofpel, yet there is not only a change and difference betwixt them two, but a very great change and difference, even as much as betwixt the Light of the Twilight, and the clear Light of the Sun afterheisrifen, or betwixt the Sun in the Morning, and the Sun when he is high in the Firmament • and if he will have the outward Baptifme and supper > called Shadows as well as Signs ; is there no difference betwixt the Shadow that the Sun cafts early in the Morning, when he is but low above the Horizon, and when he is high 5 we know that the higher the Sun rifeth, the Shadow is the lefs, yet (till there is fome Shadow 5 however high the Sun rifeth until he come to the Zenith, or Vertical Point, at which Point there is no Shadow,but this never happeneth to us in thefe Nor- thern Parts $ and to apply the fimilitude of the Sun and Shadow to the cafe in hand$ admit the Sun to be Chrtft, as he enlightenth the Chri- fHan Church,, or the beft Chriftian Congregation that ever was on the Earth 5 did any fuch Church or Congregation know that Divine Sun- to be rifen upon them fo high as the Vertical Point in this Spiritual Senfe f Is not that rather the State that is referved to the future Life ? When the Shadows fhall flee away, Cant. 2.17. and 4. 6. What was the State of the Church in the Apoftles days, after they had received plentiful Illuminations of the Holy Ghoft ) Did not Paul fay concer- ning himfelf and them, now we fee darkly as in a Glafs, tanqu&m m uiigmxte the feeing Face to Face, being referved to the future State af- ter Death ? and as he faid again, we walk by Faith, not by Sightj which is to be underftood comparatively 5 for though it is granted that the Saints while living in the mortal Body have often fweet and precious fights and tafts of the glory of God and ofchrifi •, yet it is not fo always with them andtheir higheft Ulu ruinations o£ Knowledge do

admit

C 2p ]

admit of lorne defers and obfcurities, and the condition of a mor tal State, as it implyethfomewhat-of Shadow, with reference to their defe&s and fhortnefs, in refpec~tof the much higher and more full and perrecl Attainments of glorified Saints and Angels. So in this State of the mortal Body, Shadows and Symbolical things may be, and are re..lly of that Service to them, as the Shadow of a Curtain is, that is interpofed betwixt the brightnefs of the Sun, and the frail fight of our mortal Bodies; And what are all words but Sxgns^ierba [u,;t figna rerum & conceytuum • words are Signs of Things and Thoughts : So are words- properly defined by Logicians and Philofophers. How if the Gofpels Difpenfation under Chriftianity be all life and fubftance, and nothing elfe ; then not only all Books and Letters, but all words poflible to be uttered by the Mouths of Men, mud be rejected from having any ufe in Gofpel Worfhip, and inftead of filent Meetings at times, there mult be no other Meetings but filent Meetings 5 nay, nor any Meetings air all of Bodies of Men and Women outwardly Aflembled . for by W* Venn's way of Arguing, there is no ufe of them; fuch Meetings of Bodies reach but to the fight, and all that is or can be feen is but Car- nal, and cannot reach to the Soul ? all Meetings muft be only within, and all Teaching within, and all Prayer and Worihip within, and no- thing without. But if it be granted that outward words, though Signs may be ufeful for the encreafe of fpiritual Knowledge, by the fame reaion the outward signs of God's appointment may be ufeful- alfo 5 yea, in fome fort they are more uleful, when the fignification of them is underftood 5 for Example, water in Bxptifme hath a nearer refemblance to the thing fignified by it, than any words- what'oever 5 for words fignifie only by humane Inftitution, but vifible signs thar are not words, bear fome similitude and Analogy to the things fignifi- ed, and are as it were fo many Hieroglyphicks of Divine Myfteries0 In fliort, the difference, betwixt the Judaick and the Chnftian Difpen- fation {lands not, as w. Venn would have it, that the Judaick Difpen- fation was an outward Figurative and shadowy Worfhip, and Religi- on, and that the Gofpel hath nothing of outward in it, nothing of Fi- gure, sign, or shadowy 3 for in both the fe Defcriptronshe is under a great miftake, the Judaick Religion had Subftance, Life and Vertue, and an inward Glory belonging to it as r rally as the Chrifiian, yea> the very fame in Nature ; and therefore it is not a fit Definition he gives of the Judaick Difpenfation and Religion 5 that it was an out- ward Figurative and shadowy Worfhip and Religion, the outward

pari

c 50 ]

part of it was as the shell and Cabinet, but it had an inward part that was as the Kirnel and Jewel, as all the Faithful did know, who were under that Difpenfation, while it ftoed in force. Again, it is as really an Error on the other hand to define the Chriftian Difpenfation to be all inward, allLife and Spirit, and subftance •, that is, too Chymical and Subtile, and no wife Suits with a mortal state at leaft ; for as our natural Bodies cannot Eat and Driuk all spirit, but require a Food more Bodily * lb our Chriftian Religion requireth a Bodily part as well as a spiritual. And fuch who through an ignorant Prefumption throw away the Bodily part of the Chriftian Religion, lofe the Spiritual, or rather never find it, but in place of the true spirit of Chriftianity em- brace an inward shadow and Imagination, and oft an Antichriftian Spirit, and fuch, I have known who had been once very Zealous in the Quakers way, who upon fuch ignorant Prefumption, would come to no Meetings, hear no outward Teaching, nor joyn in any External Acl: of Worfliip } alledging all was inward, and they needed no out- ward thing, and God was only to be Worftiipped in the inward, which are the true and proper Confequences of w.Penns Reafonings here- His Diflinclion of Prenunciative and Commemorative Signs I have above examined,and fhewed thuwater < Baptifme&nd the outward Sup- per are not meerly Prenunciative but Commemorative,as commanded to be praclifed after chrifl s Resurrection. The true diftin&ioabetwixt rhejudaick and Chriftian Difpenfation and Religion, confifts in thefe following Particulars:That ihe Judaick Difpenfation and Religion had much more of outward Figurative and shadowy things than the Chriftian, the former had much, as beft fuited to that Time and State, the latter had but little in comparifon to the former. As for Exam- ple, the Figures and shadows of the Law were indeed many, perhaps fbme hundreds there were of the Mofaical Laws, commonly called Ceremonial, relating to Meats and Drinks, Wafhings or Baptifms, Per- ions, Places and Times, as Days, Weeks, Months and Years $ but the symbols and signs under the Gofpel are but few, as Water in Bap- tifme^ and Bread ^x\dmne in the Supper, kneeling or (landing up in Prayers, and the Men uncovering their Heads may be called Decent Religious Signs of our Worfliip. secondly, The Typical and Mofaical Precepts were not only many, but conflderably chargeable and painful $ \ the multitude of their Sacrifices wrere a great charge, and the Males

Ifa fi cut ccming there every year to Jerufalem, very Laborious, Circumcifioa of the Male Childen painful, but irater-Ba[>tifme .uid the Supper very

€afie,

Lv 1

eafie, 3nd with very little charge, and little or no pain ; which charge- able and painful Service of the Law among other things, occafioned Peter to call it a Yoak -, which neither they nor their Fathers were able to be r, Acts 15. 10. And God in his wifdomfaw it meet to putt but pak upon them, as [mting to that legal and typical fl ate 5 and our delive- rance from that Yoak is a great blejfmgof God. Thirdly, Thefe Signs and Shadows of the Law did not near fo clearly and plainly hold forth, Ghriji^ and the Spiritual Bleffings of Remifiion of Sins, justification, Adoption, SanSification, and Glorification through thrift • as thefe few plain Signs and Symbols of water in Baptifrne^ and Bread and wine in the Supper do 5 the words in the Form or Baptifrne do plainly ex- prefs that Great Myftery of the Father, Son, and HolyGhoft, --and how thefe three are concerned in the things fignified by the outward Baptifrne ; as namely, in the Pardon of our Sins t, the Father giveth it, theSonpurchafeth.it, the Holy* spirit in -our Hearts perfuadeth us of it; Again, the form of words in the Institution of the Supper^ take, eat, this is my body> &c. and this cup is the new Tejlament in my blood (bed for the remifjion of the fins of many 5 drink ye all of it. There are no fuch plain and clear Forms of speech holding forth Chrift and the fpiritual BleiTmgs we have by him, that were annexed to, or ufed with any of the Figures and shadows of the Law. Fourthly, The Figures and shadows of the Law in the ufe of them, had not that Plenty of Grace, and Divine and spiritual Influence of the Holy Ghoft, accom- panying them generally to Believers under the Law, as doth generally accompany Believers under the Gofpel 5 for as Paul declareth, it was referved unto the days that were to come after the Juducal Difpenfa- tion was ended, wherein God was to fhow the exceeding Riches of his Grace , and in the latter Days, viz. under the Gofpel the Spirit was to be poured forth, as was accordingly fulfilled 5 and on thefe Ac- counts, efpecially the two lahV, it is, that ftaptifme with water, and the outward Supper ought not to be numbred among the Carnal Ordi- nances of the Judaick Difpenfation 5 for though the material things in fome part be the fame, yet the manner fo differing, and the Grace and spirit more plentiful abundantly, as is above declared, gives jud caufe, that the outward Baptifrne and the supper, when duly Admi- niftred, as they ought to be, and were in the Apoftles Days, ftiould not be numbred among the Carnal Ordinances, nor yet fo called*, but rather Spiritual ; for things receive their denomination from the grea- ter and better part ; Holy Men in Scripture are called spiritual though

having .

[ jp 3

having Bodies of FleLh} and why may not things be called Holy and Spiritual, that are ufed and prattifed by Hoy M.n wholly tor a Holy End 5 although the things themfelves be Material and Excernal : All which being confidered, it will plainly appear how weakly and raw- ly, both tv. Penn, and R. B. have argued in this Point, and what an Impertinent Confequence w. penn hath made, to infer, that to allow ivater-Baptifme, and the outward Supper to belong to theGofpel, is to make the Gofpel a State of Figures, Types and shadows, which doth no more truly follow, -than to allow, that becaufe ff. Penn hath a Body of Flefh and Blood • that therefore he is a Carnal and Bloody Mm ; or becaufe the Quakers have Flefh and Blood as other Men • therefore there Church is a Carnal and Bloody Church 5 and as raw .and defective is R, B. his way of Reafoning, p. 25, 25, 27. of the above faid Treatife; that where the Author is the fame, the Matter of Ordinances is the fame, and the end the fame$ and having the fame efrei>, they are never accounted more or lefs Spiritual, becaufe ' of their different times. For all this is not a fuflicieht enumeration, to prove the one not to be more spiritual than the other 5 there are diverfe other great Confiderations or Arguments, befides thefe men- tioned by him fo generally and overly $ as in the refpec~ts. above men- tioned, relating to their Form and Manner, and greater Efficacy, be- caufe of the greater plenty of Grace, accompanying the latter than the former, and havinggreater and more excellent Effects • for who that knows, what a tfueChriftianis, but will fay he is far beyond an ordi- nary Religious Jew that had fome degree of Faith in the promifed MeJ- fidb 1 the scripture comparing the Jew and the Chriftian, as the Child and the Man. And who but will fay, that the true Gofpel way of Miniftry, as it was in the Apoftles Days, and wherein they were ex- ercifed in Preaching and Prayer, did far excell the Miniftry of the or- dinary fincere Jerv/jbPrikfts and Scribes, although they had one Author, and one. Doctrine for Subftance, and one end in their Miniftry at large and in general, and alfo one effect in general and at large, viz. to in- 'itruft in Righteoufnefs fuch as heard them. And though in one ^n{b the Jewifb Baptijms, and that pra&ifed by the Apoftles after cbrisfs RefurrecYion had one Author, %>/sv God, yet in another feqte there was a considerable difference, it being God or the word Incarnate, or ift Gad Man that was the Author of the latter, but not of the for- mer. And '.hough the Jew'ijhiVdter -Baptisms, and the Chi W&- ter-Bfiftifwe^ which is but; one, do agree in relation to i

[33]

fome fort, yet there is a great difference in that very refped ; for tho' the remote end of the Jewtfb Baptifms was to fignifie Remiflion of Sin through Faith in chrift ; yet the proximate, or next end of thofe Baptifms was to make them legally clean, Co as to be allowed to come into the Congregation of the Jewi(h Church --, but the end of the Chriftian water- Baptifm , even proximately and nextly confidered , ;is to fignifie RemifTIon of Sins, and the fpirkual Cleanfing by Chrift, and aifo to indicate iiich Baptized Perfons, and recognize or acknowledge them to be Members of the Church of chrift , that is more excellent and honourable as far. as the Chriftian Difpenfation excelled the Juda- ick, Eut that they farther argue, that water- Baptifm cannot reach the Confciencc to cleanle it from Sin, that therefore it ought not to be pra&ifed 5 and becaufe Bread and wine in the supper can- not nourifh the Soul 5 therefore ought it not to be ufed in the Supper 5 they might as well have argued againft ehe brazen Ser- pent, that the Jews at God's" command fhould not have looked to it when they were poifoned with the Serpents in the Wilder- nefs; becaufe there was no inherent Virtue in that piece ofBrafs to efled any Cure 5 and they might argue as well againfl Naa~ mans going to wafh in Jordan to be cured of his Leprofie. I know hone that plead for water- Baft ifm, and the outward Sup- per, that think there is any inherent Virtue in thefe outward things, either to wafh or feed the Soul; the Virtue is wholly in Chrift, whofe Grace, F^wer, and Spirit doth accompany the due and right ufe of thefe things , as they are pracliied in Faith, and in Obedience to chri&s command. And the like way they might argue againfl all vocal Miniflry which abounds among the Quakers; for no words have any inherent Virtue in them to Cure or Cleanfe the Soul, or profit any more than water, or Bread and wine ; it is only the Grace and Spirit of chrift, when it goeth along and accomoanieth thefe outward things, whether Words, or thofe outward Elements, that is effectual, and maketh the ufe of them effectual ; without which they are ail but as empty Citterns that can hold no Water.

SECT. IX.

ANother Argument of iv. /??/?» againft the outward Baptism and Supper is, that therefore tl±ey are to be rejected now the falfe church has g'.t them 3 ye a the whore hath made Merchandize with thtmf

F akA

I 34]

And under fab Hiprical shadowy and Figurative chriHianityy has fbe managed her Mijiery of Iniquity unto the beguiling thoujands, tvhofe fimplicity the Lord will have a tender regard to. Anf. In this way of Ar- guing alfo he is very inconfiderate, iorhisReafcnisof equal force a- gainit the Holy Scriptures, and all the Doclrinai and Hiftorical part*of chrifis coming in the Fiefh, his Death and Sufferings,' &c Why \ the falfe Church has got all this,, and makes Merchandize therewith, and therefore the Bible and the whole Hiftorical and Do&rinal part of Chxtfs coming in the Flefh, and his Death and Sufferings muft be rejected 5 ' alfo all Preaching, and Praying, and Meeting toge- ther, and all external Acls of Worfhip muft be rejeded, for the fame reafon,becaufe the falfe Church has got them all. Tho' I think it may be faid, the falfe Church has not got either Baptifme'ct the Sup- per, in the true Adminiftration of them; but rather a falfe ihowand likenefs of them : But what hinders that the true Church may not Pradife thefe tilings aright, tho' the falfe PracWe them amifs? Should the abafe of any thing commanded by God, take away the ufe of it < Muft Meat, Drink and Cloathing be reje&ed, becauie that many a-

bufe them i

But he continueth to argue againft them p. no. Reafon againfi Rait- in?. Let it be confidered that no other Apoftle recommends thefe things, nor /Whimfelf to either the Romans^ the Corinthians (in his furft Epiftle)the Galatians, Epheftans^philippians.Colof/tans, Theffalonians^ Hebrews, nor to Timothy, Titus and Philemon. Anf. If fo it were that in none of 'thefe Epiftles Paul had mentioned them, nor any other of the Apoftles, which yet is not fo, for I have anfwered it at large, what was objected from Peter, I Pet. %. 21. as that water- Baptifme is not there meant , and in the Epiftle to the Romans, GaUtians> Ephefu am zn&ColojJians^ and in that to the Hebrews > Baptifme is mentioned, and he hath not proved that it is not water- Baptifme that is there meant, yet it will not follow, that therefore they are to be rejected, feeing other places of Scripture mention both the command and pra- ctice of them, fo that he cannot inftance one, profeffing Chriftianity, that was not Baptize d, any where in the Scripture,after the command of Baptifm was given by chrili to the Apofties 5 fuppofe there were but one Text in all the Scripture, fhat clearly proveth fome Doclrin of the Chriftian 'Faith, were not that enough for its proofs As that one Text, that God is a Spirit is it not fufficient to prove the truth of it i And we find;but one Text of Scripture, and that is in John 6. that mentions the eating of cbrifFs Flefh, and drinking his Bloody in order to eternal Lifers not that one place enough to prove that Truth f

Ano-

C 35)

Another Argument heufethis, p. no. Reaf. Sec. That the Gen- tile Spirit hath troden them under foot fo long-> being part of that outward Court of Religion gi'jen to themy which were left out At the mcafuriz* of the

1 ngelic.it Temple ofGod^ Rev. 1 1. 1,2.

An(. It was not the outward Court, but the Holy City that the Gentiles did tread under feet : The outward Court indeed,as with re- flect to that time, was not to be meafured, but left unmeafured, to- wit, during the time of the great Apoftacy. But this argueth, there was an utter Court ; the not Meafuring of it feems to fignifie, that it was ihort and defective of the juft Meafure, that was originally be- longing to it. as it was in the Apoftles d ayes and for 5 long time * afterwards, until the great Apoftacy began, at leaft for thefpaceof three Hundred Years and upwards from our Saviours Refurreition 5 But this is fo far from proving, that outward Baptfme and thesa^- per, fuppofe they were a part of the outward Court, were no Insti- tutions of chri.l under the Gofpel, that it proves they were, for the outward Court was a part of the Temple, under the Law, and fig« nified that the Church of God under the Gofpel was to have that which by way of Analogie anfwered to it, as accordingly it had till the great Apoftacy came in, that made it to be for a time to be left unmeafu- red. But we find that in EzeHel^ the Temp!e,there defer ibed,Chap 42, is defcribed with its outer Court, and is meafured - which Temple there defcribed, it not any material Temple,but the Church of God as it inall beraifed up after the Apoftafie, which fhallhave her outward Court in its juft meafure $ and feeing the Quakers take themfeTves to be the Church come out of the Wildernefs, and got free from the Apoftalie, and that Water- Baptifme and the Supper belongs to the outer Court, as w. Venn will hsve it5 by the fame, or like Argument, they ought to reftore the true and due pra-ftice ofthem. But why may not their Ecclefiaftick Discipline be reckoned as much belonging to the outer Court, as JVater-Baftifme and the Supper < and if fo, why have they fet up that , (that is as much outward as Baptifme and the Supper) and not the other, which has far lefs ffiew of warrant than the other I

SECT. X.

To H E laft Argument w. Venn ufeth, or at leaft the laft that I (hall bring, and I think I have omitted none, either of his, or of R. Barclay^ that I could find3 that feem'd to' require an Anfwer, is

F 2 ttke*

/ ' ■

•[3*]

i Ac n from Chrift's tvafbing his Difciplcs Feet, and commAnding them to w-afb one Another t Feet 5 And, James com minding to Anoint the Sick with Oyl; And the Apoftles commanding to abftain from blood and things flran*- led 5 And th.it the believers fold their Poffeffiins, and had all things common y /v 1 1 1. Reafon againft Railing 5 from which he infers \ that feeing they who plead for the continuance of Water-Baptifm, and the Supper, do mtprAclife thofe things 5 therefore^ nor fhould they pratfife the other. And the like Retfomngdoth R. B. ufe in the Above faid TreAtife, called by his Son, Baptiimand the Supper fubftantially ailerted ; infixing upon thit tf Chrift's teafbing the Difciples Feet, in {ever aIp Ages of that TreAtife, *from p. 94, to 99, and on that of anointing with Oyl, p. 115.

Anf Upon a due coniiderationofthings^ thislaft Argument will have as little force as any of the former againft the outward Baptifm, and the Supper. That Chrift commanded the Difciples to wafli one an- others Feet, giving them an Example from his own Practices asit was an Ad of great Love and Humility in him fo to do by his Example , hediienjoyn to his Difciples to pradife the like Ads of Love and Humility one to another 5 fo that what was here enjoyned the Difci- ples by cbrifo was not any commemorative Sign of his Death and Suf- ferings, but a real Ad of Love and Humility which isnottyedor confined to that particular Action that was peculiar to thatCoun- t y, and an ordinary pradice among the People of that Country - for the Country being hot, they ufed Sandals on their Feet, by occa- fion of which, their Feet* who ufed to Travel (as Cbri/i and his Apoftles frequently did) needed warning, not only for making them clean, but for refreshment 5 and when they came to lodge or ftay at a place after Travel, it was ufual for Travellers to have Water brought, and their Feet to be vvaihed 5 as in Gen. 18. and 19. and what was done to them in bringing Water, and having their Feet warned 5 was a ireal Act of Love and Kindnefsin them that received them into their Houfes, though they performed not that Office themfelves, but cau- sed it to be done by their Servants., which wasafervileAd, and more ufual to Servants than to Matters. But ifdonebythe Mafter of the Houfe, or by one that was not a Servant, was an extraordinary Ad of Love and Humility ; fo here was nothing in all this of Ceremony, Sign or Figure, but all a real Ad and Office of exceffive Love, and moft profouna Humility in our Bleflfcd Lord towards his Difciples, and fc>y this exemplary Ad of his, he both taught and commanded them to perform both that, and alio other the like-Ads and Offices of Love SFid Humility towards one another, which they were to do (imply as

, Ads

.[37] A^s of nngular Virtue after his Example} and notasany Symbolical or Commemorative Sign otchrtft^s Death and Paiiion j and according- ly we find it numbred among the Virtuous Ads of ancient Chriftian Widows and Matrons, i fiw. J. 10. if (he have tvajhed the faints Feet; And the like was that Cuftom of giving a Cup of cold Water (or of co!d, as the word is bed Tranfbted) to Travellers, which was a great Aft ol Kindncfs and Hofpitality in thofe hot Countries 5 but none of' theft; Actions, the one of waihing the Feet, the other of giving a Cup of cold, is any ordinary Adof Triendmip, Love, or Humility, here- away in cold Countries, where there is either no fuch ordinary occa- fion, or ufual Cuftom : For to do any fuch thing hereaway, would be rather a Ceremony, than any fubftantial Act of either Love or Hu- mility. But in all cafes, whenoccafion is found for one Chriftian to perform the equivalent Acts of Love and Humility towards another, or others, the Command otchrift is no doubt obligatory. But to make a Ceremony of that which was then no Ceremony, but a fubftantial Act of Love and Humility were altogether improper and impertinent., Next, as that'm James, recommending the Anointing the Sick with Oyl •, nor was this commanded to be done as any iymbolical A&j cr commemorative Sign, but as a mean that: chri/l had appointed his Difciples to ufe towards the Sick, when he gave them power of hea- ling them miraculoufly, Mark 6.1$, The abftaining from Blood and things (trangled, was certainly a part, if not of the Ceremonial Law 5 yet of the poiitive and Judicial Laws given by the Jews^hich the A po- tties thought tit toenjoyntothe believing Gentiles at that time, to prevent the giving of Scandal to the believing Jews, who would have taken offence at the Gentiles for fo doing. And thit the praftice of ab- (taining from eating Blood, continued among the Chriftians until Tertullians time, is clearly evident, out of his Apology for the Chri- ftians ; where anfwering that abominable Charge againft the Ghrtiti- ans,that they did eat the Blood of Infants, (hewed that they were fo far from that, that they did abftain from the Blood of Bsafts. Now this abftaining from the Blood of Beads, and things ftrangled, belonging to the pofitive Judicial Laws given to the Jews . the Apcftles might, and no doubt did fee caufe to enjoyn that Abflinence to the believing Gen- tiles for a time, to prevent the Scandal of their Brethren who belie- ved of the Jews. But notwithstanding the Apoftle Paul doth plainly teach, that whatever was fold in the Shambles might be eaten • and that nothing was now unclean (provided it be not unwholiome and

pre

;dicia! to Health, as fome things are) forfaidhe, every Creature of God is good, being Sanctified by the Word of God, and Prayer, and to be received with Thankfgiving. And laftly, as to that of ha- ving Community of Goods, it was only practiled at Jerufalem, and was a voluntary Ad, not enjoyned to them, or any others 5 and there- fore doth not oblige Chriftians to praiftife it $ nor do the Quakers pra- clife it more than any others. But when it was practifed, it was not' any fymbolical Ac!:, or commemorative Sign oicbrifis Death and Suf- ferings, and of the fpiritual Bleifings that Believers have thereby 3 fuch asBapt/fm andthe&v/'/w was 5 and therefore to argue from the ceafing of that, or any other of the above-mentioned things, their ceafing is altogether impertinently and groundlefly argued. Before I clofe this Head of W^tijm, I think fit to take fome notice of this Ti- tle given by the Son to his Fathers Treating againft the outward Bap- tifm and the Supper, B'aptifm and the Lord's Supper fubflantially affer~ ted. A Man might' as well having writ a Book againft all outward Teaching and Miniftry, and againft all vocal Prayers, and all external A&s of Worihip, and againft all outward Meetings of the Bodies of Believers, give it this Title 5 True Teaching arJMiniftry^ true Prayer and JVorfbtp) true afjembling together \ fubflantially affertedi and all this by throw ing afide all outward Teachings of Men, however fo well di- vinely Gifted and Qualified, and all outward Miniftry, and all exter- nal Acls of Worfliip and outward AfTemblies of Perfons, and telling us the true fubftantial Teaching and Miniftry is only inward} the true fubftantial Worfliip is inward ; and the true fubftantial AfTemblies and Congregations of Believers is only inward in the Heart and Spirit; which manner of dealing, as it would not a little tend to the decay, if not rather the total deftrudion of the inward and fubftantial parts of all thefe things 3 fo it is againft the Practice of the- People called Qua- kers^ who areas much for outward Teaching, and an outward Mini- ftry after their own way, and external Acts of Worfliip in outward Meetings and AiTemblies, and other outward Forms of Church Difci- pline and Government, fet up %y their Leaders, and efpecially by G.Fox, as any other People, divers of which outward Forms fet uo by them, and greatly contended for againft others of their Brethren, whofaid, they law no need of them, but thought the inward Prin- ciple abundantly fufficient without thefe outward things, havelefs ground from Scripture than the pra&ie of mter-Baptifm, and the outward Supper have. And if only the fubftance of things muft be re- garded,

[ ft ]

garded, and all ufeful and convenient adjuncts and accidents of them rejected and thrown off 3 then all the Quakers (at this odd way of ar- guing) may throw away their Cloahingand go naked ; pretending they are no fubftantial Parts of them, but only accidental 5 and by the like Reafoning they may throw away their Eftates and worldly Goods,, as being n6 fubftantial Parts of them as they are Men,or rational Creatures. But what hurt Religion would fuffer, by throwing off, and laying afide all outward Teaching, and all outward Acls of Wor- ship, all fober and intelligent Perfons, that have the leaft true fenfe of Religion, do know. And though the true Chriftian Religion may confift without thefe External Things of water-Bapttfm, and the Sup- per > as in refpe&of its Eftentials, and Men and Women may be true Chriftians without them, and they may be more tollerably wanted at • certain occafions, than outward Teaching, and other External Parts of Religion, as where they cannot be praftifed without great mixtures of Superftition and Idolatry, as in Popifh Countries, or other Places where they cannot be duly had and pra&ifed according to their due In- ftitution, of where fit and due Adminiftrators are wanting to Admi- nifter them 5 yet all this is no Argument againft their being divine Inftitutions, and really ferviceabletoali, who can have the due and right ufe of them 5 they being proper and ufeful me ins to preferve the Chriftian Doctrin Faith and Religion in the World, as dtdy pra- ftifed as ufeful Appendices and Concomitants to the outward Mink Iky and Preaching of the Word $ and it is not to be queftioned,had the right and due practice of them been continued among Profeflbrs of Christianity, and a due regard had been preierved among them, chiefly and primarly to the things fignifled by them, and fecondarily to the outward Signs , fo that all poffiblecare had been ufed, that Power and Form had gone along together, and all fcandalous and unworthy Perfons plainly known to be fuch, as well as ignorant Perfons, not du- ly inftructed in the Efientials of Chriftian Religion had been excluded and debarred from the ufe of them 5 that the continuance of them in the manner, as above defcribed, would have been of lingular ufe to have preferved the Chriftian Do&rin, Faith and Religion, found and free from the great Corruptions that have crept in to the great Corrup- ting and Adulterating both the Dodrin and Worfiiip as it hath been for many Ages paft among Profeflbrs of Chriftianity ^ as it hath ; been already proved, and yet may be further proved againft them,

S EC T;

. [4o]

SECT. XL

AN D it is morally imp; fHble, that any People pra<Stifing thefe things duly, haying their true and proper Signification truly and ifaithfully taught them, and inculcated into them on all occafions when they are u(ed, as well as at other convenient Seafons, ever could or can lo(e the Doiftrin and Faith of Ckrift Crucified, or that that Doflrin and Faith can ever be made as an indifferent thing among them, as it is made by many of the People, called Quakers 3 yea, not only ib, but by fome of their chief Teachers and Leaders, now bearing great Sway among them - as a thing not only, not very necefTary, but contrary to the Apoftles Doclrin, Rom. 10. Witnefs fome very exprefs PafTages in a Book of G. whitehead's^ and George Fox the youn- . ger^ called. Truth defending the Quakers and their Principles — Writ Cfay they) from the spirit of Truth in G. Whitehead, and G. Fox the younger. (Judge, Chriftian Reader, if thefe Men have not belyed the Spirit of Truth, to father Rich grofs Untruth, and Anticjiriftian Say- ings upon the Spirit of Truth as are contained in thefe PafTages, hereaf- ter to be quoted, and many others of the like nature that might be pro- duced out of that vile Pamphlet, above named) Printed at Londoner Tho. S mmons, at the Bull and Mouth, near Alderfgate, 1659.

In p. 6<f of that Book, they bring in one Chiftopher wade, faying,1 chriftophcr wade affLvmQth that ourblefied Saviour doth inflruc~t Men to lay faft hold of and to abide in fuch a Faith which confideth in him- felfj being without Men To tliis they anfwer.

Anf. That's contrary to the Apoftles Doflrin, who Preached the word of Faith that was in their Hearts , and the Saints Faith flood in the Power of God, which was in them. Note Reader, this Affert ton ofc. trade y blamed by them, as being contrary to the Apoftles Do- cTrin, is lb far from being contrary thereunro, that there can be no- thing more agreeable, as appeareth in the words of the Apoftle Paul in the very next verfe following} where after mentioning the word of Faith, in Verfe 8, which was nigh in the Mouth, and in the Heart 5 he adds in thepthand iorh verfes. That if thou (bait confefs with thy mouth the Lordjefus^ and (halt believe in thy heart th.it God hath rai(ed him from the dead 3 thonfba.lt be faved ; for with the heart man Believeth .unto righteoufnefs, and with the mouth confeffion is made unto fklvatitn.

Again,

[ 4"« 3

Again, They bring in C.Wade (fee there page 66) faying c. wade, p. 14. hath affirmed that the Lordhnh bought us, and Redeemed us with the precious Blood of his Humanity 5 and faith, your imagined C///7/? being a mere Spirit, never had any Humane Blood to Redeem you with} and to prove it, he brings 1 Pet. 1. 19. now fee their Aa- fwer.

Anf That Scripture, 1 Pet. 1. Haft thou perverted^ as thou h.tft done other Scriptures, to thy own deftruttion • for there be rvitneffed to the blood. of the Lamb , which redeemed them from their vain comer fit ion; but doth not tell of humane Blood to Redeem them with. For that which is Humane is Earthly ; but Chrift whofe Blood is Spiritual, is Lord from Heaven h and he is not an imagined Spirit, but a true Spirit. And what fay'ft thou to this.*? Was that Humane Blood, which Chrift faith, except a man drink he hath no life in bim.% and which cleanfed the Saints from all Sin, who were Flefli of Christ's Flefh, and Bone of his Bone i Note, Any intelligent Reader cannot but know that chri- ftopher wade by the Blood of Chrift s Humanity, .meant the Blood of the Man Chrift that was born of the Virgin 5 and by the Humanity,, he meant the Manhood of chrift ^ which of late years G. whitehead hath in Print owned, even the words Humanity of chrift; and yet ne- ver to this day hath retracted his vile Doclrin in this and other his Books, whereof I have given fome account in my firft and fecond Narrative, &c. at Turners-Hall. Nay, it is below him to retract any Errors that would reflecl: upon his Infallibility ; he is not changed, as God is the fame ', and Truth is the fame, fo the Quakers are the fame, and by confequence fo is G, whitehead tliQ fame, as John Pennington hath affirmed in one of his late Prints.

Again, In p. 23. of that above mentioned Book, they "anfwer a Queftion thus ?

0^43. When you tell us that you have Faith 'in chrift; do you mean chrift whofe Perfon is now afcended into Heaven above the Clouds 5 of do you mean only a chrift within you .<?

Anf.Uere thou wouldft make two chri(Fs,i chrift whofe Perfon is a- bove the Clouds, and a Chrift within, but how proveft thou two fuch chrift s i We have Faith in that Chrift that defcended from the Father, who is the fame that afcended far above all Heavens, that he might fill all things 5 and this Chrift w-e witnefs in us who is not divided. Note, I need nor make any Commentary on thefe words $ the Man that asked the Queftion did not in the leaft infinuate that there were two Christ's,

G bur

42 J

but 'tis plain it was G. whitehead's Senie* that to own chrift^ whofe Perfon is now. Afcended unto Heaven above the Clouds, and to own chrift within, is to make two chrijls : But feeing there is but one Chrift-i that is, only (according to C7. whiteheads Notion) within, and not a Perfon now Aicended above the Clouds , it is plain, he doth not own any fuch Perfon Afcended into Heaven above the Clouds, nor Faith in any fuch Perfon 5 and no wonder that he oppofe Faiih in chrift" s Perfon without us, when he oppofeth the Being of any fuch Perfon} fortheobje5t of Faith being deftroyed or denyed, the Aft of ?aith mull be deftroyed or denyed alfo $ both which we fee he hath plainly done in this Book •, and if in fome of his latter Books he feems to be of a better Faith ; yet who can believe him to be (ulcere, until he retract and comdemn the vile Errors in this and other of his former Books which have infected thoufands of the poor ignorant People, called Qua kers, whom he hath led into this Ditch of Unbelief? and vet for danger of loofing his Reputation of Infallibility, and of being found from the beginning •, he will not do any thing to confefs his for. mer Ignorance and Unbelief, which might be a great means to lead that poor People out of that Ditch, into which he had formerly led them. And how he will anfwer it at the great Day of Judgment for this great Sin and Negleft,to make amendment, fo as to correct his for- merjgrofs Errors, and labour to undeceive thofe whom he had former- ly deceived , he has great need to confider it $ and I fincerely wifli that a Heart may be given him to do it, and that by true Repentance he may be humbled before the Lord, and obtain forgivenefs. But he hath given us a very late Inftance that he is not changed real- ly in his falfe Faith and Perfuafion from what he was when he wrote that Book, near 40 years part, which inftance is this. He hath blamed G. K. for undervaluing the Light within, as not fufficient to Salva- tion, or not fufficient without lomething elfe, that is chrift Jefm with- out us, Suffering and Dying outwardly for us, as in his late Antidote, Printed 1697. p. 28. compared with p. 27. ad fine w. Judge Reader, of what little neceflity or value he makes ofthe Man chrift without us, and of his Death and Sufferings , Refurreclion and Interceflion in Heaven, by this moft unfound Notion of his, for which he hath got a late Patron and A (hftant, a Clergy Man ofthe Church of England formerly, though not in pre fent Office, one that calleth himfelf Ed- mund Elys, who hath Printed lately twohalf Sheets in Vindication of G, whitehead's vile Error, and blaming my Chriftian Affertion : The

Title

[43] Title ofone of his half Sheets being this* G. Keith's faying tnat the Light within is not fufficier.tto Salvation without iomcthing elfe pro- ved to be contrary to the Foundation of the Chriftian Religion. Thefe cwo half Sheets are printed and fold by T. Sotile the Qa.ikers Printer next door to their Meeting-houfe in white-heart Court in Grace-church- Jlreet, 169 j. By which it appears they are very fond of this Patron to their Caufe, and particularly that G. whitehead is fo, by the Commen- dation he gives of him in his late printed Antidote.

However this may feem to fome an improper Digreflion 5 yet if they wellconfidertheoccafionofit, they will (if Impartial) acknowledge it both proper and convenient.

SECT. XII.

AN D hereby it may eafily appear what Spirit hath Acled the firfi Teachers that appeared among the<2«^vr/,as chiefly g.f. and G. tooppofe lb keenly and earneftly the practice of thofe two Divine In- ftitutionsof water- Baptifm and the Supper -, namely, to draw People into a forgetfulnefs of all Faith in chrift without us, as he dyed and rofe again, and is Afcended into Heaven 5 for the proper Memorials of chrift Crucified, being rejected and laid afide as well as the Doclrin it felf not only, not Preached but oppofed, as contrary totheScrip- ture,the drift and aim of that Spirit that hath Acted them both againil the one and the other, is plainly manifeff, and how its oppofing the Doftrin of Faith in the Man chrift without us, is the great caufe of its oppofing thefe external Practices which are (uch proper means, toge- ther with the Dodrine to propagate and prefer ve the true Chriftian Faith in the World. And indeed upon that Hypothefis, or Founda- tion laid by their principal Teachers, that there is no need of Preach- ing Faith in the Man chrift without, for Remiflion of Sin, and eternal Salvation ; but the only thing needful is the Light within, as it univcrfally enlightenthall Mankind, either to be Preached, or Belie- ved, as a late Writer againft them hath well obferved, thefe outward Practices oUvater-Bavtifm^nd the outward Sapper are ufelefs andinfig- nincant Formalities, for they were never appoint. d to fignifie Remil- fioqofSin, Juftiflcation, and Salvation, only by obedience to the Light within ; excluding the necefiity of Faith in the Man chrift with- out us •, whofe alone Obedience unto Death for us, is the only meri- torious Caufe GftheRemiliionofour Sins, of Justification, andetcr-

G 2 na!

[44]

ml Salvation 5 and of all that inward Grace and Virtue of the Holy Spirit whereby we are inwardly Sanctified, and made meet to receive that eternal Inheritance. But though the Spirit that firft appeared to Ad in the fe Men ,t he firft Teachers and Leaders of that PeopIe,did prove it felt to be Antichriftian, by oppofing the Memorials ofchri/t without us 3 yet many fimple and honeft hearted People knew nothing of this defign, and however in part leavened with that Spirit in refpedt of its oppofition to thefe outward Institutions of Baptifm and the Sup- per*, yet by God's great Mercy were preferved from being prevailed upon by it, to oppofe the Doctrine and Faith of Chrift as he outward- ly Suffered. Dyed, and Rofe again, and is in Heaven, our Intercef- for, among whom I can juftly and uprightly number both R. B. and my felf 5 both of us having been preferved found in our Faith, as touching-the Faith in Chrift without us, however otherwise hurt and byaffed by them, in relation to thefe two outward Inftitutions of Bap- ttfa and the supper ; and my Charity leads me to believe that, if s. B. had lived in the Body to this day, to lee the ill effects that his Writing againft thefe Divine Inftitutions have had, and the bold oppofition that many have of late, more than formerly made to the neceffity of the Faith in chrift Crucified, and the Preaching of it even here in Chri- ftendom, fince the Queftion hath been more diftinftly ftated betwixt my Oppofe rs and me, touching the neceility of the Faith aflerted by me, and oppofed by them, he would have plainly feen and readily ac- knowledged his Error in Writing againft: thefe Divine Inftitutions.

There is yet another of their Teachers, who is of late years become a Perfon of no fmall Note among the Quakers, viz,. John Gratton^ whom I cannot well pafs without obferving his Ignorant and Jnconfi- derate way of Arguing againft thefe Divine Inftitutions, efpecially as touching one of his main Arguments he hath framed from a mod falfe and perverfe Underftanding of that place in Heb, 6. 1,2. Therefore leaving the Principles of the Docirin of Chrift , let us go oh U Perfe- flion 5 where in his Book called John Baptijl decreapng, Printed many years ago, and Re-printed in the year 1696, he layeththe Founda- tion of his Argument againft water-Baptism, upon the word in th3t place LEAVING, which he hath caufed to be Printed more than once in his Book in Capital Letters (for a Monument it will beof his grofs Ignorance, and yet bold Prefumption thus to pervert the Holy Scrip- ture; from thence inferring that water~Bapti[m is to be left offand laid aiide •, for thus he argues, p. 47. of the laft Edition, 1657. If they

had

[45] had been commanded by chrift to have been ufed to the Worlds end 5 then why mould Paul Sox: lb I call that Author; have been Co earneft at that day, which \. as foon after chrift'* s Afcenfion, to have had them then to leave them, and to go on to a more Manful, Powerful, perfect State? Anf. At this rate of Arguing, nut only Water-Baptifm, but the Bapitj<j of the Holy Spirit is alio to be left • for the Author men- tions the Doclrin of Baiti\ms in the Plural N umber 5 which John Grafton moil unfairly and fai fly quotes in the Singular; Baftifm fcr Baptijms : Alfo by the fame Argument, Repentance from dead works and faith towards God, the refirreclion of the dead and eternal judgment, are all to be left off from being Preached or Believed : But the true Settle- is obvious, of the word leaving, i.e. not to Treat, or Write upon thefe firft Principles further at preient, but to Treat of other things -y as when a Man hath laid the Foundation of a Houfe, he goeth on to Build a Superftrudureupon it.

And as Ignorant and Impertinent doth he difcover himfelf to be in his other Treatife (preceeding the other) of Baptifn and the Supper 5 where from the Word Elements, ufed in Gal. 4. 3, 9. he concludes that Water-Baptifm is one of thefe beggerly Elements Paul oppofed 5 becaufe water is an Element $ and after this rate divers others of their Tea- chers have Argued ; but the Word Tranflated Elements there, Gal. 4*. 3,9. hath no relation to the water-Baptifm, nor to the Element of water ; but to Principles and Do&rins of the Jews, relating to the Jewi/h Rites and Ceremonies $ the Greek Word, ^otx&ix , is applyed no lefs to the Principles of the Chrift i an Dodrin of chrift and Oracles of God-, which therefore by his Argument, being Elements, are to be thrown afide. As for his other Arguments in thofe two Treatifes againft the outward Baptifm and the Supper ; they are no other that I can find, but fuch as are above mentioned in my Reply to thofe of William Venn, and Robert Barclay , and therefore one . Anfwer will ferve both to them and him.

PART,

[4*1 PART II.

SECT. I.

1 rhe Arguments ag<iwfl the outward Supper exAmined and Refuted.

rHus having ftniflied my Examination, and Refutation of the Arguments of the above mentioned Perfons againft tvater-Bap- ti\m, and the outward Stiver in general , I think fit to bring to the like Examination, what R. B. hath more particularly Argued againft the outward Supper 5 as being not any longer to continue, but until cbrifirs inward coming, to arife in their Hearts, and give a plain Re- futation of the fame.

In the beginning of the Chapter, or Head, wherein he difcourfeth concerning the Body and Blood tfcftrift, although he faith truly, that the Communion (/'. e.) the Participation thereof is inward and Spiri- tual 5 yet he was under a great miftake, to affirm that the faidBody and Blood of chrift, whereof true Believers do participate, is only in- ward ; which he afterwards explains to be .that Light 3nd Sqqc\ in every Man ; as he exprefletli plainly in feveral places, as p. 61, of the above laid Treatife, and p. £5, where he faith- — and that c/77/underftands the Tame things here, .(viz. John 6.) by his Body, Flefb, and Blood, which is understood, John 1. by the light that enlighteneth every man and the life^kc. And p. 77. he chargeth it to be an Error to make she Communion, or Participation of the Body, Fiefh and Blood of chrifl to relate to that outward Body, Vefiel, or Temple thit was Born of the Virgin Mary, and walked and Suffered in Judea • whereas it fhould relate to the Spiritual Body, Fleih and Blood of Chrifl^ even that Hea- venly and Celeftial Light and Life, which was the Food and Nou- rifhment of the Regenerate in all Ages, as we have (faidhe) already proved.

A»f. In this he was in a great Error, to make the Eating, or Parti- cipation ofchr/fts Fleih and Blood to have no relation to drifts out- w ard Body of Fleih and Blood that was Born of the Virgin, and Suffe- red Death for our Sins on the Tree of the Crofs. For the Regenera- tion of Believers, and Juftification, with all the Spiritual Bleffings of Life and Light, and inward Divine Virtue and Might, wherewith

they

[ 47 1

they are in wardly Refrefhed and Nourifhed by chrift, hath a mofl near and irn mediate Relation to Cbr/ft's outward Body and Blood, and to his coming in that outward Body 5 becaufe that moft Holy and Perfect Obedience of cbrifl which he performed in that Body, and became Obedient to the Death of the Oofs, was and is the procuring and me- ritorious Caufe of all that inward Grace, Virtue, Light and Life, whereby Regeneration was wrought in any, in any Age of the World, either before or CmcQChriJl came in the Fleih, as well as it was and is the procuring and meritorious Caufe of their Jufthlcation, and the RemirTion of their Sins. Torcbrift Died as well for the Sins of thofe who lived in the Ages before he came in the Fiefh, as fince, and they had the fame Benefits by his Death, and by his Body and Blood, that we have 5 the fame inward Grace and Light to Regenerate them, as the fame Mercy and Favour to Juftifie them, and give them the Re- miffion of their Sins, which they received through Faith in chrijl, as he was to come in the Flelh without them 5 and whole chrifl is the Food of true Believers ; I mean Chrifl, not only confidered as the I

Word fimply, but as the Word made Fle(h. And having taken or afTumed the Seed of Abraham, and the true Nature of Man into fuch a high Union, as that the Godhead of the Word, and the Manhood aflumed thereby is but one cbrifi 5 and as fuch is the Food of all true Believers, both as he outwardly came in the L;lefli,and as he is inward- ly come the Light and the Life in them 5 and Believers Eating of Chrifl, is their Believing in him, and by their Faith being United to him, andhetothem} fo that he dwells in them, and they in him. And though it may be owned, that Believers Feeding upon Chris's Light and Life, Metaphorically and Allegorically fpeaking, that Light and Life may be called according to Scripture, Meat and Drink, and Flefh and Blood ofChri/l, as it hath many other fuch Metaphorical Names-, fuch as, Milk, Honey, W'ine, Marrow and Fatnefs, Oyl, &c. All which Names are given, becaufe of Men's Weaknefs$ and that they have not proper Words to exprefs Divine Things by ; yet that ought not to make us reject and lay afide chrifFs outward Body of Fltfh and Blood from having any Relation to trie Saints feeding upon him. Nor do the Arguments brought by R.B. here, proT7° in ^he leaft what he intends, as the following Examination of them will Suf- ficiently (I hope) manifeft. He begins with a Quotati :n out of Au- gufline, in his Traclat, Pfalm 98 f The words which 1 local', unto you are fi>L rit and life, understand fpir itually what I have (fokeri 5 ye (hall not eat of

this

48 ]

this body which ye jee, and drink this blood which they fhallfpill that /Ball erucifie me, I am the living bread which have defcended from heaven 5 he called himfelf the bread which de/cendea from heaven, exhorting that they might believe in him, Src. Anf. It is evident from thefe lad Words 5 that by Eating, Auniflin? meant in one Senfe Corporal Eating, and in ano- ther Sente Believing, as elfe where TracJ.2$,ad cap.6.Johan. Hoc eft opts Dei, ut quid paras dentemSc ventrem i crede & manducafti : Credere enim in eum, hoce(r,comedere panemikvinumyqui credit in eum man- ducat eum^in Englifb thus .why prepare fl thou thy Teeth and Bellygbelieve and thou haft eat • for to believe in him is to eat the Bread and wine • who believeth in him eateth hm. Both thefe Quotations are good againft the Papfts ; who hold that Believers eat the Body of chrift Corporally with their Mouths ; but fay nothing againft this Spiritual Way of Ea- ting chrifls Body , but plainly confirm it: The plain Senfe therefore of Auguftins Words, Quoted by R. B. is this; re fiall not eat Corporally with the outward Mouth \t he Body ofchrifl which ye fee, but ye (ball eat it Spiritually, that is, believe with a fincereVa'ith^ which the Spirit of God worketh in you • that Chriflffj ill give his Body that ye [ee ([peaking then to the Jews; to be broken for you, and his Blood, even the Blood of that Body to be fjjedfiryou. And in io Believing ye fhall eat my Body, and drink my Blood, that is, ye mill be united to me, and I to you, that I fhall abide in you, and ye (hall abide in me 5 which Senfe doth evi- dently agree with our Saviour's Words, John 6. 29, 47. And indeed to Exclude Chrift's outward Body of Fleih and Blood, from having any Relation to this place of Scripture , as no way concerned in the Senfe of thele Words of it, John 6 53. is plainly to Exclude chrift as he outwardly came in that outward Body, from being the Object of our Chritlian Faith y for feeing Eating here fignifieth Believing by Aguftine\ Quotation, approved by R. B. if this Spiritual Eating, which is our Believing, refpects not the Body of Chrift that was outwardly Slain 5 then drift as he came and Suffered in that Body, is no Object oftheChriftian Faith, which is moft abfurd • and none that is in the leaft acquainted with Auguftitis Writings, can fay it ever was his mea- ning, to deny the Body of Chrift that was outwardly Slain, to be any wife Concerned in the Chriftian Faith ; for Amuftint was a moft zea- lous Aflerter of the Neceffity of Faith in chri/l, as he came in that Body, in order to our Salvation, agiinft the Herefie of Petagius who denied it, and Writ many Books againft that Herefie, now Revived by many of the Quakers Teachers \ tho what R* B. hath Wn here, i im- pute

[49]

pute to his Inadvertency, and do not charge him with the Pelagian Herefie for the fame, becaufe from other Places of his Writings, 1 can prove that he made the Faith of cbriB's giving his Body to be Slain for us, neceflary to our Salvation, and a part of the Chriftian Belief.

SECT. II.

AND as Inadvertent and Miftaken as R. B. was in his Quotation of Auguftine, concerning Chrift's Flefh and Elood 5 no lefs hath w. Venn been, [p. ^1^. of his Rejoynder to J. F.] in his Quotation of Bifhop Jewels in his Sermon upon Jof. 6, 1, 2, 3. Who fpeakingof what Chrifi was to the Jews in the Wildernefs, fays thus : Cbrift had not yet taken upon him a Natural Body, yet they did eat his Body ; he had not yet [bed his Blood, yet they drank his Blood i St. Paul faith, all did eat the fame Spiritual Meat ^that is, the Body of cbrift, all did drink of the fame Spiritual Drink, that is, the Blood ofchrift j and that as truly as rve do now. And whofoever did then fo Eat, lived for ever, I think (faith w. Venn) a Pregnant and AptTeftimony to Chrifi' s being the Cbrijlof God before his coming in the Flefh. Anf. But this doth not prove that by chrifi here, B. Jewel meant only the Light within in thefe Jews, and by his Body and Blood only, that Light within, or Seed or Principle, as w. Penn would have it. ' All that are in the leaft acquainted with the Doctrine of the Church of England, of which B. Jewelwzs a. Zealous Defender, as in his Apologie for the fame anpeareth, or with B. Jewel's Writings, know well that the Senfe which w. Venn hath here put on B. Jewel's Words, never came into his Remoteft Thoughts ; but it is no wonder that he (hould fo mifunderftand and mifconftrue B. Jewel's Words, when he dothfo ufethe Scriptures themfelves. B. Jewels Senfe is Obvious ; cbrift had not taken upon him a Natural Body, yet they did Eat his Body,w'£.by Faith,believingthat in the time appointed of GW,he would take a Body, and give up that Body to be Slain for their Sins ; he had not yet (hed his Blood, yet they drank his Blood, viz. By faith believing, that after he fhotdd tnke flefb vnd blood in the fulnefs of time, he xvculdgtve his blood to be jhed far the remifjlon of their fins • and by this faith all the faithful among them had Chrifi dwelling in the in by bis fpirit 5 and did know and witness his fpirit to regenerate and [anil: fie them, to quicken andrefrefh them, and nonrifb them, as meat and drink doth re- frefh andnourfh the body of man. As for his Quotations out of Jofbua St rig-> and others; its no wonder he doth fo Magnifjetfiein, feeing

H its

[ 59] its but too evident the Quakers have fucked that Poifonous Milk out of the Breafts of fuch Men who have been in the fameEirrors before them. But |o return to R. B. his Arguments, whereby he Iaboureth, but to no purpofe, to prove that the Flefh there mentioned, John 6. 52. &c. hath no Relation to his outward Flefh. Firft, faith he, (p. 63) becaufe that it is [aid, both that it came down from Heaven 5 yea that it is he that came down from Heaven. Now all Chriftians at prefent, generally acknowledge that the outward Body of chrift came not down from Heaven 3 neither was it that part of chrift which came down from Heaven.

Anf 1. By Himfelf that came down from Heaven, who is called by Paul the fecond Adam, the Lord from Heaven, Heavenly, the quickning Spirit, cannot be meant the inward Principle of Light in Men, abfiraftly confidered from the Fountain of it, which dwelt in the Man C&/7/?, but chiefly the Light as in him 5 and confequentially that which Men receive out of his Fulnefs, according to their feve- ral Meafures : And as our Regeneration and Salvation have a necef- fary Dependance on that fulnefs of Light, Life and Grace that dwells in him, out of which we receive our Teveral Meafures, fo they have a neceilary refpecl: to the Man Chrift ^ both Soul and Body, in which that Fulnefs dwelieth 5 becaufe the Soul and Body of chrift (even his out- ward and vifible Body) was concerned in that great Work of our Re- demption, in what he did and Suffered for us. Therefore God hath Exalted the fame Man Jefus chrift both in Soul and Body, in Unity with his Godhead, to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance and Remiilionof Sin? Grace and Glory, and all Spiritual Bleffings to all that fhallbe faved. This, ancient Writers have explained by the Exam- ple of a red hot Iron exceedingly burning and mining 5 the Fire and Light in the fame anfwering to the Godhead, and the iron anfwering to the Manhood. Now when this fired Iron burns, or lightens any Stick of Wood that is applied to it 5 it is not the Fire only without the Iron nor the Iron only v/ithout theFire5but both joyntly that have an Ope- ration upon the Wood to Kindle and Lighten it^even fo, it is the God- head of chrift in Unity with his Manhood (confiftingofSoul and Bo- dy,) that wrought that outward Redemption for us,and doth inward- ly produce in us the blefTed Effects of it by his Spirit, in Renewing and SanSifying us, JufUfying us, and giving us Eternal Life and Glory.

Anf. 2. Becaufe chrift s outward Body of Flefli was Miraculoufly Conceived by the Power of the moft High, and in that refpeel had a

Hea-

Heavenly Original, as well as that it was really the Woman's See^ and part of the Virgins Subftance 5 therefore it may be faid to be from Heaven, and to be Heavenly as well as Earthly, as Wheat and B;.rl)', and other Grains that Grow in America, which come Originally from England, are called Englifjj Grain, even in America, though they are alfo American Grainjbeing produced out of the Soil of American Earth. Secondly, faith he, p. 63. and to put the Matter out of doubt, when the Carnal Jews would have beenfo understanding it, he tells them plainly, v. 5 3. 'It is the Sprit that quickneth , the Flefh profits no- thing. Anf. Nor doth this prove his Affertion 5 the Error of the Car- nal Jews was, that they fuppofed chrift meant they were to eat his Body Corporally with their Bodily Mouth t, but if they had underftood that he meant not a Corporal Eating, but a Spiritual and Metaphori- cal, they had not erred in fo thinking • his Quotation approved by him out of Augufline, proves that by eating here, chrift meant believing in him, as he was to Dye for the Sins of the World, and as he was to give his Body to be broken for them, and his Blood to be med for the Remiflion of the Sins of all that mould believe in him, and for the gi- ving Eternal Life to them both in Soul and Body. Thirdly, (Saith he) p. 63. 64.) This is alfo founded upon mo ft found and {oUd Reafon • becaufe that it is the Soul, not the Body that is to be Nourifbed by this Flejh and Blood 5 now outward Flefh cannot Nourifh nor Feed the Soul • there is no Proportion nor Analogy betwixt them • neither is the Communion of the Saints with God, by a Conjunction and mutual Participation of Flefh, but of the Spirit 5 he that isjoyned to the Lord, is one Sprite not one Fiefh 5 for the Flefh {I mean outward Flefh, even fuch .is was that wherein Chrift lived and walked, when upon Earth 5 and not Flefh, when tranfpofed by a Metaphor, to be understood Spiritually) can only partake of Flefh, as Spi- rit of Spirit -, as the Body cannot Feed upon Spirit, neither can the Spirit Feed upon Flefh. Anf. Here alfo he Argueth very Weakly and Falla- cioufly; that which deceived him, and occasioned his great Miftake, which he embraced as a folid Reafon ; was by Arguing from the ftricfc literal Senfe of Nounfhing and Feeding, to the Metaphorical and Figu- rative ; which all true Logicians, and Matters of folid Reafon will fay is un lawful ^as alfo to Argue from the natural Feeding or Nourifhing to the spiritual. To his Argument then I anlwer } outward Fleih can- not Feed the Soul Naturally, I grant 5 Spiritually and Metaphorically, I deny h now the Eating, Feeding, and Nouriihing meant, John 6. 53. is not Natural, but Spiritual and Metaphorical} the Word Ea-

H 2 ting

[ 5* ]

ting fignifieth Believing. And whereas he fpeaketh of the Feeding of the Spirit, or Sou! of Man, that it cannot be the Fle(h of cbriji that can Feed it, but the Spirit, fo as to be its Food 5 by Food here we muft underftand it Metaphorically, even as R. B. hath confeiTed $ that the Spirit of chri/t is not properly, but Metaphorically called Flefli. So the Souls of Believers Feeding upon the Spirit of chrift, is alio Meta- phorical ; for if by the Spirit oichritt, he meant the Godhead 5 how can the Godhead, which is an Infinite Being in allrefpecls be the Food f the Soul or S pirit of Man that is Finite, ftri&ly 0* literally under. flood without a Metaphor £ much more may I ufehis Argument againft his ow n After tion 5 there is lefs Proportion or Analo- gic betwixt the Infinite Creator, and the Soul that is a Finite Crea-" ture , than is betwixt the Flefli of drift and the Soul. Befides, if we argue from the ftricland literal Nicety of the Words Food, Feed, and Notirifhment 5 that which is the Food and Nourishment of a Body, be- comes a part of its very Subftance and Being 5 fhali any therefore con- clude that becaufe God is the Food and Nouriftiment of the Souls of the Saints j that therefore he becomes a part of their Souls i We know George Fox was blamed for faying the Soul was a part of gW, or of the Divine Eftence •-> furely it Is as juftly blame-worthy for any to fay that God is a part of the Soul^therefore when God or his Spirit is faid to be the Souls Food, it is not to be underftood Stricliy and Literally; but Metaphorically and Figuratively $ as when David faith, my Soul thirtieth after God. But if it be faid, that not the Godhead^ but that which R. B. calleth the Vehicle of the Godhead, is the moft proper and immediate Food of the Souls of Believers, as a certain Divine Ema- nation, or Efflux 5 nor can that Stricliy andLiterally, without a Meta- phor be called the Souls Food 5 for that Divine Emanation, or Efflux, doth not become any part of the Souls Subftance, but is more Noble than the Soul, of any Saint, upon the Hypothec's 5 that there is fuch a thing, (which to difpute, is forrain to the prefent Queftion) forthe Soul of Man in its own Nature is capable of Sin, and finful Defilements, which this Divine Seed, or Principle in the Soul is not ; therefore it can never be Convertible into the Souls Subftance. The Feeding of the Soul, therefore in whatever Senfe we take it is Metaphorical, and not to be meafured or determined by the Feeding of the Body, yet beareth fome Analogy or Similitude thereunto, as all Metaphors do to the things, from which they are transferred 5 for as what Feeds the Body, doth Refrefh and Comfort it, maketh it Lively and Vigorous,

Fat

C 53 3

Fat and Beautiful, and doth ftrengthen it, and is united with its So the Spirit of cbrijf, and his Divine Influences in the Souls of Believers have the like Effects in them, they do wonderfully Refrefh and Com- fort them (and that moft fenfibly) make them Lively and Vigorous, Fat and Beautiful, and do mightily ftrengthen them, and make them Fruitful in Divine Virtues and Fruits, and are United with the SouL

SECT. III.

BUT there are two other things that need Correction, inthefs foregoing Words of R. B. the firft is, that he faith it is the Soul, not the Body that is to be Nourifhed by this Flefh and Blood } this is a great Miftake 5 though the Bodies of the Saints are not to be Nouriihed by cbrift) as with natural Food that isCorruptible 5 yet feeing it is by him that the Bodies of the Saints fhall be raifed up at the Refurrection of the Dead to partake of Life Everlafting $ therefore he is truly faid to be that Food that Perifheth not, that Feedeth both the Souls and Bodies of the Saints to Life Everlafting } and though their Bodies Dye> yet becaufe by the Power of Cbrifs Refurre&ion (as his Body was Rai- led from the Dead, fo on the account of his Refurreclion) their Bo- dies fhail be Raifed to Eternal Life. Therefore their Bodies as well as their Souls are truly faid to be Nouriihed by him. The fecond is that he faith, neither isjhe Communion of the Stints with God by a Conjan- Bion^ and mutual Participation of Flefh, but of the Spirit ; he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit > not one Flefh, Anf. The Communion in- deed of the Saints with God, is riot* by any natural Conjunction, or Union of Cbrifis Body that was outwardly Slain with the Saints, yet a Myfticaland Relative Union there is, as really, or rather more really, as is betwixt the Husband and the Wife, who are faid to be one Flefh. This is a great Myftery, faid /W, but 1 (peak concerning Chrlji and the Church ; who according to Paul's Doctrine, as they are one Spirit, fo they are one Flefh: And as elfewhere he faid, we are of his Flefh, and of his Bone 5 and forafmuchas the Children were partakers of Flefh and Blood, he took part of the fame; wherefore heisnotafha- med to call them Brethren. Now in this R. B. was in a great Error 5 that by his thus excluding the Flefh of chrifTs outward Body from being any means of the Saints Communion with gW, he excludes the faid Body of Cbrift from being any neceflary part of the Mediator 5 and at this rate of his Arguing, only the Divine Light or Seed in Men is

Medi- •

E M ] a

Mediator betwixt God and Men. but according to the Do&rine of the Apoftle /W, the Mediator of God and Men (who is one) is the Man Chrift Jefus, and by the Mmchrift Jefus, is understood in Scripture , not the Spirit only, nor the Soul of his Manhood only, but the Body alfo, together with the Soul, even Jefus cknft made of the Seed of David, according to the Flefh: And as really as there is a Relative Union betwixt Brethren, and near Kindred with refpecl to their Fle(h and Blood > on which account it is faid, Con- cerning Jofeph, Gen. 37.27. He is our Brother and our Flefh, and 2Sam.$.lT. The Tribes of if rati faid unto David, behold we are thy Bone and thy Flefh : So believing Gentiles, as well as believing Jews may fay concerning the Man chrl ft ,who is the Seed of the woman 3 of whom, to wit Eve, we are all defcended, we are his Bone and Fle(b 5 and be- caufe he hath taken Fiefti and Blood like unto us , therefore in that ve- ry refpect, he iscompleatly qualified and fitted to be our Mediator, and High Prieft with God, by whom (becaufe of the true Nature of Man, confiding of a true reafonable Soul, and true and real Body of Man, which the Eternal Word is united unto) we have Communion with God. His fourth and laft Argument hath the like Defecl with the former. That which Feedeth upon it fliali never Dye, but the Bodies of all Men once Dye. Anf. Men are faid in Scripture to Dye 5 1 hough the Soul Dyeth not, yet Men are faid to Dye, becaufe the Vi- tal Union of the Soul with the Body is Diffolved$.wrhich being but for a Time, and that a very fmall Time, as a Moment, in refpe&of Eter- nity,and after that their Bodies fhail be raifed up again, and Vitally be United to their Souls ; therefore by the contrary Argument, by the Tkihofchrift, that the Saints Feed upon, muft be meant in part his outward Body of Fleih, now Glorified, which is a Glorious Spiritual Body •, becaufe the Refurreclion of Christ's Body, is the Ground of the Saints Hope wrought in them by the Spirit of Chritf, that their Bodies (lial 1 be raifed up, and (hall together with their Souls inherit Eternal Life. And to conclude this whole Matter • when Chrift faid, it is the Spirit that Quickneth, the Flefli profits nothing. His meaning is, that according to their Carnal and Fleihly Ssnfe ; it doth not profit 5 as if he had faid, it would profit you nothing to Eat my Flcfh, as ye imagin by the Bodily Mouth, but to Eat it Spiritually, and by Faith, this doth profit ; but to take the Words, the Flefh profits nothing in the Senfe that fome take them, is mod Blafphemous ; as to fay, chriffs out- ward Body of Flefli profits nothing to our Salvation • for this would make his Coming and Death for us in the F!e(h to have been in vain ; and alio would render our Faith Vain , that he did fo come 5 yea, Co

necei-

[ 55 ]

neceflary was chrifPs coming in the Flefh for ou?%aivation ; that it U by his Flefh and Soul, Constituting his Manhood, that we have hi$ Spirit 5 the Man cbrisi is that Olive Tree (confiding of Soul and Body, United Perfonally to the Godhead of the Eternal Word) which giveth us the Oyi of the Holy Spirit, and poureth it into our Hearts 5 and as in the Natural Olive free., it is by its Body that we have of its Oyi, or Spirit 5 and when we Eat of its Oyi, we are faid to Eat of the Tree; becaufe the Tree yields us its Oyi 5 even as when we Eat of an Apple, or Drink the Fruit of it, or of the Vine $ we may be faid to Eat of the Apple-Tree and Vine-Tree ; the Fruit being what the Tree naturally yields • fo the Man Christ, confiding of Soul and Bo- dy, is that Precious Olive Tree, and Vine-Tree, that yields us the Oyi and Wine of the Holy Spirit, and pours it into our Hearts who Believe in him, and Love him, and as Effectual as his Soul and Flefh of his Manhood is now to Believers for their receiving the Spirit by the fame, fince he came in the Flefh, no lefs Effectual it was to Believers before he came in the Flefh, even from the beginning of the World, according xoB, JcmPs Words, he was not come in the flefh, yet they Eat his Flefh «, to wit, by Faith 5 he had not Shed his Blood, yet they Drank his Blood) viz. by Faith 5 and both his Flefh and his Blood, before it had any vifible Being, or Exigence, together with his Soul was Effe- ctual to Believers in all Ages, for their Reception of the Spirit, and all Spiritual Bleflings of Juftification, and SancHfication, &c% as well before he came in the flefh as iince : And thus he was the Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World, whofe Death was of the fame Ef- ficacy from the beginning, and will be to the end of the World3 t o all that believe in him. And as God is the giver of the . Spirit, and of all the Graces of the Spirit ; fo he giveth it to Believers by and through chriB, even the Man chrijl, who is both the Procurer, and Difpcnfer of all thatGrace that God giveth unto them^and though Men moft pro- perly Eat the Meat, and Drink the Drink that is bought with Money $ yet in ordinary Speech, by a common Metonymy, they are faid to Eat and Drink the Money that buyeth it • as the Poor Widows two Mite:-, were called her Living ; fo after fome fort, though the inward Life and Spirit of chrift, be the moft immediate Food of the Souls of Be- lievers '-, Yet becaufe the Flefh of chrift, as it was broken for us, and his Blood as it was Shed for us, is the Price and Purchafe Money which hath procured to us the inward Life and Spirit of chrift, with the va- rious Graces and Gi fts thereof $ therefore we are faidD to Eat his Flefh,

and

[ 56 ]

and Drink his Bloody the like Metonymy. But there is much more inthis Great My fiery, than can be demonstrated by thefe Similitudes and Examples, or any others of the like Nature.

SECT. IV.

.77. 'R.B. chargeth it as another Error, which he calleth a Ge-» neral Error, wherein he faith, they all agree, viz. both Papifts and Proteftants, in tying this Participation of the Body and Blood of chriJh to that Ceremony ufed by him with his Difciples in the breaking of Bread, &c. As if it had only a Relation thereto, or were only enjoyed in the ufe of that Ceremony 3 which it neither hath, nor is.

Anf. For any to tye the Participation of cbrifts Body and Blood to the outward Eating in the Supper, as above mentioned, is indeed a great Error. But it was a great Miftake in him, and too rafli'y char- ged in general by him, upon both Papifts and Proteftants, their being guilty of that Error. For it can be fhewn, thatfomeofthePopim Writers have affirmed the contrary, and delivered it as the common Faith of their Church 5 that true Believers partake of chri/Fs Flefli and Blood, although they Dye before they receive the outward Sup- per 5 for which Lombard, Lib. 4. Difjl. 9. citeth Auguflme, faying,' Lib. de med. p£n. JVul/i ambigendum e[i, &c. c No Man ought to doubt 1 that any Man is then a partaker of the Body and Blood of the Lord^ c when he is made a Member of Chrifl $ nor is he Alienated from the' 1 Communion of that tfread and Cup, although before he Eat that c .Bread, and Drink the Cup 5 being Conftituted in the Unity of the c£ody ofcv&ri/?, he depart out of this World, for he is not deprived ' of the benefit of that Sacrament,when he is found to have that which ' that Sacrament fignifieth. And as for the generality of Proteftants, I know not, nor ever knew any that fo tyed the Participation oichrijls £ody to the outward supper , as he mentioneth. They fay indeed, it is a Means of Grace, and of our Communion of the Lord's Body v but not the only means, or fo abfolutely neceflary, as without it, none have that Communion.

Another great Miftake I find in R.B. p. 81. of that Treatife, where he faith 5 as for the Pafchal Lamb, the whole end of it is ilgnified par- ticularly, Exod. 13.8. 9. to wit, that the Jews might thereby be kept in remembrance of their Deliverance out of Egypt. Anf. That is in- deed

[57]

deed mentioned as an end of it, but not the whole end of it 5, for the end of the whole Law was Chrifi -, whereof that Command of the PafT- over was a part j but that the Paflbver was a Type of chrifi , parti- cularly as he was to be Slain for their Sins 5 is plain, out of Paul's Words, 1 Cor, 5. 7. Let us keep the feafi, ScC.for our paffover isfiainfor us. Now as the Jews were to Eat the Flefli of the Paflbver • fo the Believers in chnfl ate toEat hisFlefli^even that Flefli that was Slain;to wit,by Faith, as is above declared 3 but not by any Corporal Eating ; and why did John the Evangelift apply thefe Words of the PafTover to cbriJPs Body ; a bone of him (hall not be broken i This plainly proveth that the Pa/lover was a Type of Chriff-> and therefore one great end of it, was to hold him forth to their Faith.

In p. 87. R.B. faith, let it be obferved, that the very exprefs and particular ufe of it, according to the Apoftle, is to fliew forth the Lord's Death, . &c. Butto fliew forth the Lord's Death, and partake of the Flefli and Blood ol Chrifi, are different things 5 from whence he infers,as his following Words fliew that this Practice of the outward Supper , hath no inward*or immediate Relation to Believers, Commu- nicating, or Partaking of the Spiritual Body and Blood of Chrifi 5 or that Spiritual Supper, ipokenof, Rev, 3.20.

Anf, This Confequence doth not follow, that Practice of the out- ward Supper, had not/only that end, to Commemorate and fliew forth the Lord's Death, but had other great ends alfo , as another was to fig- nifie their Communion ofchri/Ps Body, as not a bare Sign, but as a means of that Communion 5 though not the only means, or fuch a means, as if the laid Communion were tyed-thereto ; another end was tofignifie their Union and Communion one with another; both which ends are plainly held forth in thefe Words j The bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Lor&s Body 5 &c. and we being many, are one bread, and all are made partakers of that one bread. And though R. B, denyeth that by Bread in thofe Words , the bread which we break is it not the communion of the Lord's body • is to be understood the out- ward Bread $ yet I have above proved it to be the outward Bread that was ufed in the Supper $ for to underftand it of the Lord's Body, were to make it Non-fenfe^is to fay the Body of chrifi is it not the Commu- nion of his Body i Whereas the true Senfe is Obvious, taking it for the outward Bread. The Bread which we break, is it not a Sign of the Communion of the Lord's Bod) , &c. And fuch a Sign that is a means, whereby our Communion of the Lord's Bodv, and of the Spiritual

1 . Blef-

Elefiings we have thereby, is confirmed to us, and anincreafe of Grace is. Exhibited unto us, as it is duly Adminiftrqd and Received.

SECT. V.

Age 83. He puts a very falfeand (trained Senfe upon thefe Words $ ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of Devils 5 ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of Devils^ 1 cor. 1 o. 2 1, which (hews (faith he) that he underfjands not here the ufing of Bread and wine 3 becaafe thofe that do Drink the Cup of De- vils and Eat of the Table of Devils (yea, the Wickedeft of Men) may partake of the outward Bread,and the outward mne.

Anf. By the Lord's Table, is not meant, barely and fimply the Signs of Bread and wine 5 but as they do fignifie, and are Means Exhibitive of the Spiritual Bfeflings underftood thereby. The Wickedeft of Men may indeed receive the Bread and Wine $ but they are not to them any Significative, or Exhibitive Signs and Means of thefe Spiritual Blef- ilngs, which are the things (ignified and intended $ and are the Kirnel, without which the bare outward Signs are mere Shells, and broken Citterns. Again, Let us diftinguim betwixt what is de jure, i.e. of Right, and what is de fatfo, i. e. in Fact. Wicked Perfons, though in Pact, they may receive the outward Part, yet they have no Right to it. The manner of Speech ufed here by Paul, is like that of James 5 doth the fame fountain fend forth fweet water and hitter *. How then can the fame tongue blefs God and curfe men? My brethren, thefe things ought not to be. And when as Paul faid elfewhere -0 no man- ean fay Jefus k the Lord, but by the Holy Ghojl --, he may outwardly fay the Words, but lie hath no Right to fay them, nor can his faying them profit him without the Holy Spirit. But that by the Table of the Lord, and the Cup of the LordhztQ, are to be meant the outward things of Bread and wine ; as above defcribed, is evident from the An- tithefis, or Oppoficion he makes betwixt the Table of Devils, and the Table of the Lord, and betwixt the Cup of Devils and the Cup of the Lord. Now the Table of Devils, and the Cup of Devils, were outward things, to wit the outward Offerings of Meats and Drinks, that the Heathens offered to their Idols, and to Devils. There- fore alfo by the Table of the Lordy and the Cup of the Lord, were meant the outward things of Bread and wine 5 not barely and fimply as fuch, but as Signifying and Exhibiting the Spiritual Things, above-menti- oned.

I jp 3

otfed. His Arguing againft this Inftitution, from the one Bread is an- fwered above, Part i. Seel, j.

Page 87. and $9. He gives a moft jejune and {trained, as well as falie Senfeupon thefe Words, the Table of the Lord,, as (faith he p. 89.) he that efteemeth a Day, and placeth Confcience in keeping it, was to regard it to the Lord, and fo it was to him, in fo far as he was to Dedicate it unto the Lord, the Lord's Day • he was to do it wor- thily. Anf. We find no Day called the Lord's Day, upon any fuch ac- count, nor did Paul call the Cupinthe#*/>jw, the Cup of the Lord* on any fuch Supposition of Men's efteeming it to be commanded, when it was not really commanded 5 but it is plainly apparent, Paul calPd it the Cup of the Lord, becaufehe commanded it as the Houfeof the Lord, the Law of the Lord, &c. and the Command is extant ; drink ye all of it, Mitth. 26. 26,27. Befides in this he palpably runs into a con- tradiction to what he had faid a little before, in p. 83. For there he will not have the Bread and wine to be the Table of the Lord, and Cup of the Lord $ becaufe wicked Men cannot partake of the Table of the Lord? and yet now here he grants they may, and thereby Eat and Drink Damnation. And as jejune and (trained, as well as falfe is the Glofs he puts on thefe Words, he that eateth and drinketh unwor- thily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation, and is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord 5 as if they fignified no more than what thefe Words import, Rom. 14. 23. He that doubt eth is damned, if he eat, becaufe he eateth not of faith 5 which had only a Relation to Meats that might lawfully be Eaten ; but if he that did Eat them, did think them forbidden, he Sinned, and fo was Condemn'd in his own Confcience. For the Word Damned and Damnation, in . both places do not (rgnifie any Final Sentence of Damnation 5 but only both being Sins, they in- curr'd the Guilt of Judgment, or Condemnation. But doth it therefore follow, that the Sin and Guilt is the fame in both Cafes ? Is he as Guilty of Damnation that Eats Swines Flefli Donbtingly, ashe that Eats andDrinks Unworthily at the Lord's Table/We read in James 3.1* of a greater Condemnation •, the Greek Word- is the fame iit both pla- ces, viz. James 3. 1. and 1 Cor. 11.29. Seeing therefore there is a greater and lefTer Damnation 5 it will not follow, as R. B. would have it,that the Eating of Meats that are lawful,doubtfully,is as great a Sin, and deferyes the fame Condemnation that unworthy Eating at the Lordfs Tabje : One might argue after the like manner, that to make *a Lye about a Trifle, brings as great Guilt and Condemnation, as down- right Atheifm, and denying the Lord that bought us.

I 2 Page

.[ 60 ]

Page 9i. We find (faith R. B-) this Ceremony only mentioned in Scripture in lour places, to wit, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and by Paul to the Corinthians— Matthew and Mark give only an account of the Matter of Facl, without any Precept to do fo afterwards 5 fimply declaring that Jefus at that time did defire them to Eat of the Bread, and Drink of the Cup $ to which Luke adds thefe Words, d» this in re- membranse of me*

Anf. That he calleth it a Ceremony., I know no Warrant he hath, the Scripture giveth it no fuch Name 5 they blame the ufe of the Word Sacrament, becaufe it is not a Scripture Word 5 but to be fure Cere- mony is no Scripture Word ; they who are well Skilled in the Creek Language, fay, that the Greek Word pbvztyov, is well enough Transla- ted Sacrament, as the vulgar Latin Tranflates it .in that place, hoc eft magnum Sacr ardent urn. They further fay 5 there ought to be no pre- judice againft it, becaufe fome Heathen Authors had formerly ufed it 5 for fo had they ufed the Word My fiery, and had applied the fame to the External Kites, and Symbols ufed by them in their Sacrifices to their Idols. When Paul would have himfelf and other Minifters of Chrijl to be accounted Stewards of the My fteries of God, 1 cor. 4. 1. They plead that by the Myfteries of God there, are to be meant, not only the Doclrins of the Chriftian Faith, but the Obfervation of thefe Inftitutions otchrift, of Baptifm and the Supper 5 which none will de- ny who believe them to be his Inftitutions. But that he faith, MaU thew and Mark, give only an account of the Matter of Fac% without any Precept to do fo afterwards. Anf, Though the Precept is not ex- prerTed, it is implyed 5 and Luke doth exprefs it plainly, intimating they were commanded to do it afterwards. And if it were no where to be found, but in Luke • feeing it is acknowledged that Luke is of the fame Authority, with the other Evangelifts • it is fufficient, as well as that one place in John 6, concerning the Eating Chriflh FJefli, and Drinking his Blood, that is only expreffive of that Myfterie, is fuffici- ent to prove the Truth of it.

Page 92. Now this Acl: (faith he) was no lingular thing, neither any folemn Inftitution of a Gofpel Ordinance ; becaufe it was a conftant Cuftom among the Jews ( as Pauhs Rictus oblerves at length in his Ce- leftial Agriculture) that when they did Eat- the PafTove^the Mafter of the Family did take Bread^nd blefs it, and breaking of it gave it to the reft 5 and likewife taking mne? did the (a me, &c,

Anf

An[. This Confequence willnotfollow $ for it is as Idle and Ground- lefs, as if one fliould argue, the Jews in the Time of the Law had their Religious Meetings, where Preaching and Prayer wereufed ; therefore Religious Meetings, and Preaching-, anc Prayer are no Gof- pel Inftitutions. But as his Confequence is not good, fo the Antece- dent is not trutjviz. That it was no fingular thing • for though it was not fingular in refpe&ofthe Material Part 5 yet it was altogether fin- gular inrefpecT of its Formal Part. None of the Matters of the Fa- milies among the Jews laid , Take, Eat, this is Chri/Ps Body which is to be broken for you 5 and this Cup is the New Teftament in his Blood, &c. It was the great Love and Wifdom of chrift* terefta- blifh his Inftitutions under the Gofpel, relating to the external part 01 Religion, as near to the Jew'tjh Forms aspollible- excepting what might feem to favour their Superftitions, and other Shadowy Things that were to be Abolifhed. All the moral Part, as well as divers things of Inftituted Worfhip that were among the Jews, being commanded under the Gofpel. That ofchrijfs wafhing the Difciples Feet, which he infifteth on for feveral Pages, is fully Anfwered to in the full Part. As alfo that of Anointing the Sick with Oyl 3 fo that no more needs be laid to it here.

As for thefe Objections that he raifeth about the Time of the natural Day, when this Inftitution fliould be pradtiftd 3 as why not at Night, and what fort of Bread, whether Leavened, or Unleavened i and whe- ther other Drink may not be ufed as well as wine i which he calls DifTi' culties^out of which it is impofIib!e7he faith,(p. ioi.)to extricate them- felves, but by laying it afide$ another of which Difficulties is to un- derstand, as he alledgeth, that thefe Words, Take, Blefs, and Break the Bread and give it to others, are to the Clergy, meaning the Pa- llors, but to the Laity only, meaning the People, Take, Bat, &:.

Anf. I do not find that he proveth in the Icafi: any Rich Difficulties 5 they may be all eafily extricated, much more then in many other Cafes , where far greater Difficulties occur. But this is too Ra& and Prepofterous • becaufeof fome feeming Difficulties, therefore to lay aflde a Divine Inftitution, or to conclude it is no fuch thing. This ii to cut the Knot, indeed of looting it, and to Kill, inftead of Curing, At this rate, becaufein Paul's Boiftles, and in many othejwices of Scripture, there are thing :obe understood IvecT, there-

fore all fuch pke- of Script ar; are to b< d: \ .' h not fee

inency of fuch Con cquences .<? And the id in

Anf-

Anfwer to his Objection, from the great Contentions that have hap^ ned betwixt Papifts and Proteftants about the Supper (and betwixt the Proteftants one with another) and the much Blood that hath been fhed, 'occafioned by thefe Controverfies, All which fay nothing againft the Inftitution it felf, more than againft chrifl and his Gofpel", about which more Blocd has been fpilt than about that. Hefhould have bet- ter confidered the diftindion betwixt a caufaper fe, and caufa per acci- dens, and the ufeof a thing, and the abufe or it.

SECT. VI.

P Age 104. For would they take it as it lies, it would import no more than that Jefus Chrift at that time did thereby fignifie unto them, that his Body and Blood was to be offered for them, and defired them, \that whenever they did eat or drink, they might do it in remem* brance «fhw\ or with a regard to him, whofe Blood was ihed for them.

An\, If this Suppofition.be true5 as he would have it -, that ivhenfoe- ver they did eat or drink, they were to do it in remembrance of him 5 then why huh he pleaded fomuch for the ceafing of it? Surely if they were to do it, whenfaever they did Eat or Drink, they were to do it to the end of the Worlds Decaufe as long as the World continues, Eating snd Drinking will continue. Butwedo not find that our Sa- viour's Words import any fuch Senfe -, he doth not lay 5 whensoever ye eat or drink, &c. But as oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup • where the Word this Imports it to be another Eating than their common Eating, and the like is Imported by thefe Words 3 let a man, examine himfelf, and fo let him eat, &s* whofo eztcth this bread un- mrthily, &c. 1 CGr. 11. 28, 27.

But to this Senfe that he hath given, I find a PafTage a little after p 1 1 1. that as 1 judge is a plain Contradiction to the former. He faith there the Apoftles Words , For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do Jbew the Lords death till he come, Imports no more a com- mand,.than to fay, As of; . ■■•> thougoef to Rome,/** the Capitol, will infer a Command to me to go thither.' Now if they were to obey this infti- tutiorijwhenloever they did Eat or Drink { then furely they were to do it v&y often ; and that bv a Command which plainly contradicts this faft Aflcrtion of his ; but the Words As often as thou goe<l to Rome, fee the c.pitol^ implie neither a Command, nor any frequent

Pra-

[.*3]

•

Practice of going, therefore this Example is very improper and im- pertinent in this refpect as well as in others.

Page no, in. Asto thatpafTage i Cor. n. from 23^027. He faith There is no Command in this place, but only an account of matter of Faff. He faith not, I received of the Lord, that as he took Bread, fo / jhottld Command it to you to do fo alfo^ there k xcthir.glike this In the place.

Anf. Be it fo, that there was no new Command given in the Cafe either to Paul, or by him to the Corinthians. It fufficed to Paul to give an account of the matter of Fact, as it was delivered to him from the Lord by Divine Revelation, as he plainly affirmed y That (faith he) which I received of the Lord, that alfo I delivered unto you, that the Lord J ejus, the fame night in which he was be- trayedi &c Now, as all Divine Revelations are for fome great end, we may fafely argue, that fince what the Lord did that night, was Revealed to him by the Lord, it was not an indifferent thing either to be Believed or Practifed , fince it had a Command in it, This do in remembrance of me \ Here was a positive Command that chrifi gave unto his Apoities, alledged both by Paul, 1 Cor. 11. 24. And alfo by Luke 22. 19. There was no need of renewing the fame Com- mandments, as the Law of the Ten Commandments once given at Mount Ztnai did oblige the twelve Tribes of /frael, without anyc— ther giving them 5 though what was then given them, was oft. taught them, both by Mofes and the fucceeeding Prophets 5 fo what chrifi the great Law-giver under the New Teftament, gave forth to be his Command, wherever that Command is made known to any People, Nation, or Country, it ought to be obeyed, without the requiring or expecting any new Sanction. And to fhew a little fur- ther how improper his Example, of one faying As often as thou go- - eft to Rome, see the Capitol, is to the prefent Cafe 5 If one that has the Command of another, fhould firfbfay,^ to Rome,znd then zdd,As often as thou goefl to Rome, go to the Capitol this would imply, a Command. Now chrifi laidfirft to his Difciples, This do. in remem- brance of me, as both Luke and Paul teftifie ; and then Paul adds fur- ther, ^.25. As oft as ye drink it ', this do in remembrance of me\ and v. 26. for as often as ye eat this bretd and drink this cup, ye dojhew the Lor$s death, till he come, the Greek w'ord lictjsty^i?^iTi tranflattd ye (hew, may be tranflated, ye decfcre, or ye preach, for fo is the fame word tranflated. Acts 15. 26. Acls 13. 38. Arts 17. 13. which figni-

fiei

[*4] fieth fome Publick way of fhewing it forth in Religious Meetings, that proveth it was not Mens private Eatings, which may oft happen when they are alone 3 and for this, and the like Reafons, lome of the Antients, and particularly Augufiin, called it Verbmn vifibile, the vifible Word} which when joyned with the Word that is founded in Mens Ears, has a double force upon the Minds of devout Belie* vers: To which doth well agree that faying of Chryfoflome, in his Homilies on Matthew, cited in the Title Page , • // thou hadfi been without a Body 1 Cod h. id given thee naked and incorporeal Gifts* but becaufe the Soul is planted in a Body, he giveth thee Intelligible things in sensible things. And it was well obfcrved by the Antients, that all obfignatory Signs, have fome words of Gtd or chrifi added un- to them, to make them effectual, according to which Augufiin faid, Accedat verbum ad rem, & fit Sacr amentum, i.e. let the word be ad- ded to the fig)?, and it becomes a Sacrament ; and therefore we find in

Eph. 5. 26. the wafhing of Water joyned with the Word * That he

might fanBipe and clean fe ity with the washing of water by the word, I know fome will have the Water here to be meant, the inward Wa- ter, and the Word to be inward alfa; but fuch a Senfe would be not only {trained, but unintelligible, as to fay with thewafhincr of the Word by the Word, for they make the inward Water and Word to be the fame thing here •, but the Apoftle diftinguiiheth them as two things, both which have the Efficacy by the inward working of the Holy Spirit,. Titm 3. j.

Page in. He undertakes the Anfwering of the Argument for the Inftitution of the supper, and its continuance until Chrifi come at the end of the World, from thofe Words, Ye [hew forth the Lord' ? death till he come. To this he p. 112. Anfwers. They take two of the chief parts of the Controvert here for granted without pro f; FirB, that as often imports a Command^ the contrary whereof isfljewn, neither will they ever be able to prove it. ily. That this coming is under flood t>f Chrifi 's lafl Outward comings and net of his Inward and Spiritual, that remains to be proved, whereas the Apo'file might well under fland it cf

hk Inward coming a-jd appearance. And a tittle after he faith ~

JVow thofe weak and carnal Corinthians might be permitted the ufe of this, to (hew firth, or remember chrifFs Death, till he come to arife in fhem. Fof\ though fuch need thofe Outward things to put them in mind »f CbrifVs Ds.ithyet (uch asare dead with Chrifi, and not only dead with chrifi, bat buried } and jo rife n with him, need not juch Signs to rcmem-

AnC.

[ * J

Anf. That as often , together with the foregoing words, imports Command, I have already proved, and it wasrafhly faid in him, that he had fhewn the contrary, and that they will never be able to prove it. And whereas fome argue, had it been a Command, fome cer- tain times would have been mentioned, how oft in a Week, Month, or Year it mould have been Praclifed. To this it is Anfu ered $ that it followeth not more than to argue that , becaufe it is not mentioned how often in a Week% Month, or Year, Publick Prayer is to be ufed 5 that therefore they are not Inftitutions oichrifl^ov as Publick Preach- ing and Prayer is to be ufed as frequently as can ftand with the Ability and Conditions of both Preachers and Hearers } fo this Practice as fre- quently is to be ufed ••> which, as the time of thofe, is to be -left to the Difcretion of the Perrons, as God mail inwardly Guide them, and out- wardly afford them the Convenience 5 fo is the Time of this to be left to the like Difcretion, Guidance, and Convenience' which as it feemed to be the Practice of the Church in the Days of the A potties 5 each Lord's-day, being the firft Day of the Week , fo it is clear from Jufiin Martyr, and other ancient Writers 5 that it was the conftant JPraclice of the Chriftians, Solemnly to Celebrate the fame every LordVday • befides what other times they might have done it. -

As to the fecond, which he calls together with the other, the chief thing in Controverfie, it is indeed io, even the chief thing ; and therefore if this be effectually proved againft them, that thofe Words, until he come again^ are underftood ofcbrijFs lad outward coming, the Caufe is gained. But firft, let us examine what Proof he brings, that they are not to be underftood of cbrifis laft outward coming, Firft. he faith, the Apoftle might well underftand it of his inward coming and appearance ; but what Proof doth he give of this I None at all, but his fimple Affirmation.

Secondly , He faith , thefe Weak and Carnal Cormthi&ns might be permitted the ufe of this, to mew forth , or remem- ber chips Death till he mould arife in them. But what Proof gives he of this , that this was , or might be a Per- mifTion.<? for no fuch PermiiTion is any where exprefled in the Scriptures-, the things that (imply were permitted , as Circumci- fion, were ufed but by a few, and not long ; pWfeverely dppofed them after fome time 5 but fo he never did either Water-Baptijm, or the suffer* Thirdly, That he faid,. though fuch need thfe cut-

K ward

nar& things to put them in mind of ChrifPs Death $ why then, feeing there are now in all Churches and Chriftian Societies, fome that are as weak as thofe Corinthians were , do not they ^llow the ufe of them to fuch as need them i Fourthly, That he faith, fuch as are Dead and Buried with chrift^ and Rifen again with bim , need not fuch things to remember him. Anfwer^ Here, as elfewhere, his Argument is faulty, by arguing, that becaufe fuch things are not abfolutely neceitary, therefore they are not ufeful, or neceffary in any retpecT-. Befides, as I have above {hewn, his Argument has the fame force againft the ufe of the Holy Scriptures, and all Books, all Preaching of the beft Men, and all External Parts of Worihip, viz. They that are Dead and Buried with chrifl, and RiPen with him , need none of thefe outward things. But the beft Men, and fuch are the moft humble, will and cannot but acknowledge, that all outward Helps and Means that God hath afforded them, are very ufeful to them, and help to ftir up the pure Mind in them. Nor are any To Ri- kn with Chrift , as the Raifed Saints (hall be at the Refurrection 5 therefore till then, they may be helped with outward Means of God's appointing. It is very Unwifely , as v/ell as Irreverently Argued ; we need not thofe things, therefore they are not com- manded. The contrary is the better Argument 3 they are com- manded, therefore they are needful, at leaft in fome refpecl:- God better knoweth what we need, than we dp our felves - and therefore in his great Love and Wifdom , hath provided out- ward Helps for us , as well as inward. But feeing they will needs underftand the Words, until he come 5 not to mean ChrifPs laft outward coming , but his inward ; then with the fame Pretext , they may as well underftand his Death , of an inward Death of chrift in them 5 and the (hewing his Death of an inward ihewing; and then all Remembrance of chrrJFs Death, as he Dyed outwardly may be forgotten. But if by the Lord's Death, is underftood his outward Death, by as good leafon, by his coming is underftood his outward coming;

SECT.

SECT. VII.

HAving thus (hewn the Invalidity of his Proofs,that by the Lord's coming, is underftood his inward coming into their Hearts,and not his outward coming. I (hall give ibm.'e clear Reafons, why it muft be underftood his outward coming at the general Judgment. The firft Reafon is 5 becaufe the Reafon of the Command continuing to his laft outward coming , the Command doth alfo continue ; for lo long doth any Command continue in. Force, as the Reafon o£ it continueth 3 but the Reafon of the Command, Do this in remembrance of me, 8&. doth continue to chrifls laft outward coming . which Reafon is this' 5 that by that Practice they might remember the Lord's Death ; and not only remember it, but fhew it forth, Publickly Declare and Profefs, it, and the ineftimable Benefits they have by it. Now put the cafe, that any had fo good and living Remembrance of it 5 that they needed not the outward things to put them in remembrance thereof 5 yet that is not enough to Anfwer the Reafon and End of the Command, which is by this outward Practice to fhew it forth, and declare it by a publick Profeffion, that they owe Remiflion of Sin, and Salvation to the Cru- cified Jefos, and that they are not afhamed to own and confefshim their Saviour, their King, their Prieft and Prophet, and in Token thereof they give Teftimony of their Obedience to thefe his peculiar pofitive Laws and Inftitutions of ivater-Baptifm, and the Supper 5 for if thefe be rejected, by the fame Method Men may reject all other his po- fitive Inftitutions, relating to External Practice of Religion, andfo turn the Chriftian Religion into meer Deifm, and Pagan Morality. The fecond Reafon is, that the end of this Inftitution, being a folemn Commemoration of cbrift's Death and Sacrifice which he offered up to God for our Sins above (ixteen hundred Years ago, and of the great Spiritual Bleflings we have thereby ■> there is the fame CaufeandEnd for it to continue to our Day, and to the end of the World, as when it was firft appointed. Had it been indeed only a Prenuniciative Sign of fome things to come, or of the hidden invifible Subfhnee, zsw.Fenn terms it, meaning thereby the Spirit otchrift within, at the coming of the Spirit within into their Hearts 5 theSign might have ceafed, as the Prenunciative Signs of chrifTs outward coming in the Fleib were to ceafe after his outward coming, and accordingly did ceafe. But the Signs of mter-Baptifm> and the s»pper> as commanded by chrijt^

K 2 and

[ 6* 1

and Practifed by theApoftle'S', were not fuch Prenunciative Signs of the coming of his Spirit within them, but were chiefly Commemo- rative Signs of him as he had come 5 for both of them were appointed by him when he was come,and the Inititqtion otBaptifm was appoint- ed by him after his Deitn and Kefurrectio'n, the Inftitution of the Supper, fo near to his Death, that it was in the very Night when he was Betrayed, and at which time he had the great Senfe and Weight of his Sufferings upon him, and as then in great part begun 5 and becaufe theuie of thofe Signs of Bread zx\& wine, the Bread being broken, and the wine poured cut, was a Solemn Commemoration of his having eften his Body to be broken for them, and bis Blood to be {bed for them 5 therefore he faid, 7ake* Eat, this is my Bjdy that is broken for you 5 he did ri*i,$&' not fay, this is my Spirit, or this is the inward ,yifibje hid Subftance

that ye (hall afterwards receive 5 but this is my Body ; Take,. Eat -, and though they were not to eat his Body with the Carnal Mouth, bur on-

and to have their Right and Intereft in him confirmed to tnem by Symbol, by means whereof they were to receive plentifully of his Grace and Spirit, as the Confequent and -Effect of that Union with him, Therefore they were not fo to mind the Efrecl, as to neglect the great Caufe of that Effect} which great caufe was his vivinv his Body to be broken for them% and his Blood to be (bed $ for to mind only the Effect, and neglect the Caufe, were like the Hogs that greedily run after the Acorns, or Nuts, but are unmindful of the Tree that beareth them. But as the Spiritual Eyes of Believers, are to be to the Graces and Gifts of chrift ? fo efpecially , and chiefly to Kim, from and'by whom they have them, and their Faith and Love ought chiefly to act' upon him, and upon God the Father, in and through him, as alfo upon the Holy Spirit, as principally redding in* him, from and by whom we derive our fever al Meafures of the fame. The Third Reafon is this 5 when Chrift give the Cup, he faid ; this Cup is the new Te (lament in my Bloodied for the remiffion of the fins of ma- ny' Now how is that Cup the New Teftament i furdy no other ways but as an Obfignatory Sign of the New Teftament, obfignating to Be- lievers, remiffion of Sins by his Blood outwardly (bed ; which New Teifa- ment hath in it the Force and EfTence of the Covenant of Grace, which/ God makethwith Believers, through Chrifl the Mediator of it 3 and as Christ hath confirmed thisCovenant of Grace and Teftament with hi& ftloodthat was Shed once for us 5 fohe hath given to Believers rhis

obfig- -

[tfp]

obfignating Pledge of it, by way of InvefHture • as when a Man has an Eftate of Land conveyed to him, and gets the Inveftiture of it, it is by Tome outward Sign, as here in England m fome Places, by delive- ring to him Twig and Turf $ and as Kings were Inverted with their Kingly Power, by having Oyl poured on them 5 and as Aaron was In- verted into the Office of Priefthood.And indeed all Covenants that ever God made with any People, have always been by fome outward obfig- natory things, as in his Covenant he made with Noah, he give the Bow in the Uoud for the Token of that Covenant 5 in the Covenant with Abrahaw, hegavetheSignofCircumcifion, which by a Meto- nymy is called God's Covenant in Scripture. Alfo the Sacrifices under the Law, were Signs obfignatory of God's Covenant with them who offered thofe Sacrifices. And in all the Covenants that we read of in Scripture, that any of the Fathers made with the Neighbouring Prin- ces, or Inhabitants, there were obfignatory Signs and Pledges ; fo that who rightly understand the Nature of a Covenant, Tranfafted af» terany pubiick manner, muft: acknowledge it cannot be without fome obfignatory Pledge, or Sign outwardly to be feen, given by the one Party to the other, infomuch that itfeems to be a general InftificV in Mankind, or at lead the Equivalent of it, an univerfalCuftom re- ceived and practifed even among Heathens^ as to my certain know- ledge it is among the American Heathens ; who in all their Covenants make ufe of Signs for the greater Security and Confirmation. Thus in the 50th Pfalm, it is faid, gather my Saints together, who have made acovenant with me by facrifice, v, 5; And if any fhould be fo Stiff and Pertinacious, as to deny that outward Signs are necefiary to the Con-- formation of Covenants univerfally • yet the Cafe is plain here, as to the Supper -fox chrift him felf hath faid it, this Cup is the new Tefl anient m my Bloody &c. Which muft have this meanings that the cup mm Cbriffs TV fitment, as Circumcifon wm Go£s covenant with Abraham and his feed • for fo it was called in Scripture 5 that is to fay, the Cup is a fign ofChrift's Teflament, and of the covenant of grace that God hath made with believers } through Chri/l the Mediator of it. But if any obje<5t, this would feem to make the outward Baptifm^ and Sttpper, of fo great ne- • ceffity, as that it cannot be faid, that the Covenant is duly confirmed without them, betwixt God and Believers. Anf, It fheweth inded a great neceflity of them, as in refped of any People being in Covenant witliGW, in a vifiblewayof a Church, and as Members of a vifible Church or Society, wetland duly constituted ; for all the Members of

a vi-

[ 70 ] a vifible Church, as tliey are in Covenant with God inwardly by the Faith and Obedience of their Hearts, fo they are in Covenant with him outwardly by the Confellion of their Mouths, and other External A6ts of Religion, whereby they declare their profefted Subjection to him, and to his Laws. Hence we find in Scripture , that not only Faith is required in order to Salvation, but Confeflion alfo ; and that Conieftion is not only with the Mouth, but by External Works of the Body, proceeding from a living Principle of Faith in the Heart, among which Works are the External Practices of outward Bapttfrn, and the Supper ', where they can be duly had, whereby they declare their Sub- jection to the poiitive Laws and Inftitutions of chrilt, and thereby di- ftinguifh themfelves from either Jews or P4§a)&, who may be Moral Men, and Profefs Faith and Religion towards God, %as a Creator, and yet be profeiled Enemies to theChriftian Faith, fuch as many Jews and Heathens were in the ApoftlesDays,and are in our Days. And there- fore the outward Baptifm^ and the Supper have been not unfitly called andefteemed Badges of Christianity y peculiarly diftinguithingChrifti- ans from Jews and Pagans 5 though not the only Badges, but when they are accompanied with a good Converfation of Sobriety, Juftice, and Piety , they do make the diftin&ion betwixt true Chriftians, and Jews9 and Heathens , much more apparent 5 for ifthefe External Practices, Inftituted by Chritf, belaidafide, whereby mill it outwardly appear that Men and Women are Chriftians i If it be faid, ' by the Sobriety, Juftice, and Piety of their Con venation ; But thefe are, no pofitive di- ft in gu idling Marks of Chriftianity , becaufe Men and Women that are n ) Chriftians, may have as much of the out-fide of Sobriety, Juftice, and Piety towards God, as many true Chriftians have. If it be again laid, their irequent Prayer to God, in the Name ofchri/t, and calling on the Name of the Lord Jefus chrijt in Prayer, is a Badge of their Chriftianity. I anfwer in part it is fo, but not in full, or in the whole 5 for he that not only Prayeth to God in the Name of Christ, and confef- feth him in Words, but alfo (heweth his Obedience and Subjection to all the Commands ofCbrz;f? the leaft as well as the greateft, whereof the outward Baptifm, and the Supper are fome, is the moft Accom- plilhcd Chriftian, and beareth the moft compleat Badge of Chriftiani- anity . And though Men's Ignorance in their not knowing them, or not being perfuadtd concerning them, that they are the Commands of cbnfi, being darkned by the Prejudice of Education, cr fa fly ptr- iuaded I y Seducers andfalfe Teachers^ doth in part excufe them, or

at

C 7i 3

at Ieaft where Sincerity is, as to the main gives ground of Mope, that God will forgive them the Omiffion of thele Practices 5 yet where Obe- dience is not given to every Command oicbrift, even the leaft as well as the greateil, though the Omiffion be through Ignorance, or falie Periuafion, yet it is a Sin, and renders the Reribns found in that O- miffion defective and incomplete Chriftians.

SECT. VIII.

rHE +tb, Reafon is this,Thefe outward practices ofBaptife and the Supper ?zre not only viable Signs and Pledges of our being inCove- nant with God thro' cbrifi^nd that as he is our Godfo we are hisPeople 3 but they are alfo the vifible Signs and Pledges that we are in the Unity and Communion of the Church, as Children of one Family, begot of one Father, having one Faith and Hope, one Lord, and being Members of one Body. And though the Communion of Believers confifts chiefly in the Spirit, and the inward Graces thereof; yet, as they are a vifible Body and Society, they are to have fome outward and vifible Signs and Pledges of the fame, that carry fome diftingui- ming Character, to diftinguifh them, not only from profefled Infidels, but alfo from loofe and lcandalous Perfbns, profeffing the Chriftian Faith with them: Therefore as in the Jewijb Church, God had ap- pointed, that whoever did not obey the Motaical Precepts, were to be excluded the Congregation, and debarred from the external Privi- leges that they had as a Church, even fo cbrifi has appointed, that whofoever profefling him in Words, deny him in Works, and walk diforderly and orTenfively, as well as who err concerning the Faith, fo as not to hold the Head, that they ought to be rejected and difow- ned 5 in token whereof, they are to be debarred from the external Signs of the Saints Communion with God and Chrij}, and one with another. Otherwife, what can be meant by rejecting, cafting oat, and purging out, in the Scriptures of the New Teftament < Alfo by the word feparating, And withdrawing, foas to have no Fellowship with them? Surely it was more than a verbal denyal of them, or giving forth a Paper againft them. Doth not Paul tell us what it was5 when he faith 1 Or. 5. n. if any man that is ailed a brother be a for- nicator^ &c. with fucban one no not to eat, Tirs not 1 0 eat cannot be meant the common Eating, bin fuchas that 1 Cor. iq. si. to wit, At the*Lor£s Table* And therefore the Lord did tevU meet; that as

the:

[72]

t

the Outward Baptism fhouJd be a Sign declarative of the Perfons Bap- tized taking or putting on the Profeffion of aChriflian, fo the Eating at the Lord's Table mould be a Sign, that they did remain Faithful under that Profeffion, and did continue in the Unity and Communion of the Church, as Paul's words declare, we being many are one bread, and are all made partakers cf tbrt one breads &c. Even asunder the Law, the receiving of Circumcifion was the Sign or Badge of their being Members of the Jewijb Church, and their Eating of the PaiTo- ver, and of the Sacrifices, (fuch as were allowed to them to Eat) was a Sign of their being ftill owned as fuch 5 and if any by their ofTen- fivenefs and difobedience did occaiion the Church to debarr them from the external Privileges of that Church, when upon their Re- pentance and Reconciliation, they were again received, they needed no fecond Circumcifion ; fonordoprofeiledChriftians. having com- mitted anything that occafion their carting out, being again received by Repentance, need a fecond Baptifm. Now if Baptifm had been the alone obfigmring token of the Covenant, and Badge of Chriftian Communion, how ihould Perfons be received into Communion, without a new Baptifm < but to have a new Baptism, is as improper as for a Woman after lome ju ft offence againft her Husband, that he has put her from him , if upon her Repenrance he receive her .again, to need a fecond Marriage with the fame Husband 5 but tho' (he need no fecond Marriage, yet that her Husband give her fome to- ken and pledge of his Favour, and Acceptance is very fuitable. • And now feeing thefe external Practices have fo many necefTary ufes in the Church,(o that the Church cannot, in all refpecls;be duly constituted, and have all things in order without them, it is evident, that as long as the Church was to continue on Earth, in its due Confutation, fo long mould thefe external PracYic.es rem un 5 and feeing chrift enjoy ned this of breaking Bread to remain to his coming, it is evident, that it is his laft outward coming.

The Fifth Reafon is, that chriJFs Inward coming was then in and among the Difciples when he did Inflitute thefe Outward Pra- ctices. The Church was never without the Inward Pretence of Chrift, and of God, and of the Holy spirit ; It is true, that chr.'ft pro- mifed his Inward Prefence to be with them and in them ; but this was not fotqbe underfbod, as if the Faithful had him not prefent formerly, in all Ages, as well before, as after his Outward com' Sot wkhx t the Inward Prefence of God, and Cbrijt, and the

Spirit,

[7* ] Spirit, there can- be no true Faith norHolrnefs. We find that the Faithful are called Saints, as well in the Old Teftamenr, as in the New, and therefore they had as true Inward enjoyments of God then as fince, the difference at moft is but in degree, betwixt the Di- vine Enjoyments of the Faithful, bdox$chri(l came in the Fleih,and fince as to the general. And if it be faid, that though Chrift was In- wardly come to fome, yet not to all in the Apoftles times, fo as to Anfwer to the full extent of the fulfilling of the Promife of his In- ward coming } It may be anfwered, nor is he fo come now •, for as chrift faid, the Poor ye have always with you 5 fo until the end of the World there will be in the Church Babes and little Children as well as young Men,and Fathers 5 and therefore on the account of fuch by R. b.'s Confeffion, that are weak,as fome of the Corinthians were> that need- ed thofe Outward things to put them in Remembrance of thrifts Death, they are ftill to be continued, even to Chrift^s laft Outward coming 5 but there are too many among the Quakers that think there is no need to Remember chrift s Death, as he dyed at Jerttfalem> abufing and perverting Paul's words, henceforth we know chrifi no more after the flefi, and fo there is no need or ufe of Remembring chrift1 s Death; that they fay is but Hiftory, but chrijl within is the Myfte- ry, whereas chrift within is not the whole Myftery, but in part, and the leiler part too} the whole Myftery of chrijl is chrift both Outwardly come in the Flefh, and Inwardly come by his Spirit into the Hearts of the Faithful.

The Sixth Reafon is, that to underftand by the coming of chrifi

in thefe words untillhe come, 1 Cor. 1 1. His Inward coming,and

not his coming Without us at the day of Judgment:, by the fame pretext and method of Interpretation, All the other Scriptures every where that mention his coming throughout the whole Bible, and efpecially throughout the New Xeftament, (hall be underftood only of his Inward coming : And thus we mail have not one proof left us in all the Bible, to prove that there is any other coming of chrift to be expected, than his Inward coming in Mens Hearts. And accor- dingly indeed we find, that too many of the Quakers have by this manner of perverting this place of Scripture, been led to underfland all thefe other places of Scripture in the New Teftament that men- tion his coming fince he came in the Flefh, to be only understood of his Inward coming in Mens Hearts, and on this account have deny- ed any other coming .of Christ to be expected, but only his Inward

L coming

[74]- coming, being perfuaded into this Falfe and Antichriftian Belief, by fame of their great Teachers, witnefs what William Baily, & great Teacher among them, hath plainly declared in this matter, p. 305. of the Collection publifhed by the 2d. days Meeting of the People called Quakers., at Grace-Church- street. J never read in ail the Scrip ure, faith he; {as 1 can remember) ofa$d. coming of chrift, per finally in hi* own (ingle per [on, or of a perfonal Reign he/ides what [ball he in his Saints. But 1 have read of hk coming the id. time, without Sin unto Salvation^ &c. which the Apoflles in their days did witnefs. Witnefs alfo Rich. Bubberthorn, another great Teacher, in his Collection publifhed after his death alfo by the 2d. days Meeting, p. 56. in anfwerto his Oppo- nent.' — — How many Souls hajl thou led into that Tit ofDarknefs and Blwdnefs, as to believe that Chrifi is yet to come in Per [on > Now the Scripture which thou bringeft proves no fuch things Matth. 24,, 27. And a 3d. witnefs is G. whitehead in his Nature of Chriftianity againft^. Gordonjwho p. 2.9. faith, Dofl thou look for chrift, as the Son of Mary, to appear Outwardly in a bodily Exiflence to fave thee, according to thy words, />. 30. if thou doft, thou may ft look until thy Eyes drop out before thou wilt fee fuch an Appearance of him. And p. 41. (Where c doth the Scripture fay, he is Outwardly and Bodily Glorified at God's

* right Hand £ Do thefe words exprefs the Glory he had with the Fa-

* ther before the World began, in which he is now Glorified ?) This and the two foregoing Quotations are to be found more large in my Two Narratives of the Proceedings at Turners-Hall $ all which fuffici- ently prove that they believed no Outward coming ofchrift,as a thing to come $ therefore it is no wonder that they meant only chrifPs com- ing Inwardly into Mens Hearts by thefe words, ye (hew forth the Lords death until he come , for from the fame Unbelief they have conftrued all the other places that mention chrift's coming after his Refurreftion, of his Inward coming, and all this in prejudice of his Outward coming, which thefe Men did not believe , which places of Scripture are many, as Matth. 24.27. This very place G, w. denyeth to be meant of his Outward coming at the Day of Judgment, as alfo 1 Theff, 4. 1 5. In his Book called Light and Life fin Anfwer to fV.Burnet, andHeb.g.iS. Now by the fame Method whereby they deny any of thefe four places now mentioned, to be underftood of any other com- ing ofchrift than his Inward coming, they muft deny all other places that mention his coming after his Refurrecnon, to be meant of his Outward coming in the true Nature of Man, becaufe they have de- clared

.[75 j • clared they own no fuch thing, as chriffs being in Heaven without us in a Peribnal and Bodily Exiftence , and that which is not in Being, they cannot believe will come.

Bur no fuch Error I charge as this on R. B. who I know did own that Chrijl had the true Being and Nature of Man in Heaven,and that he would come and appear without us in that Nature to judge the World in Righteouihefs. But to profecute the Argument, that by the words — until he come muft be underffcood his Outward coming, it has the more force againft R.B. becaufe he believed that chriji was Outwardly to come, and that there were lufficient proofs of Scripture for it, as indeed many there are befides thofe already named, as Acis I. II. I Or. 4. 5. Job. 14. 3. Mark 8. 2,8. Luke 12. 37, 43. 1 Cor. 15. 23,24. Jude14.Rev.i7. I Cor. 1.7. 1 1 Thejf.2. \$. 1 TheJJ. 3. 13. 1. Theft. 5. 23. iTheff. 2.1. 2 Pet. 3.12. I Pet. 5.4. 1 Job. 2,2$. ijoh. 3. 2. Now feing R. B. did believe that all, or Many of the<e places were to be underftood of his Outward coming, how could he have con- vinced his unbelieving Brethren, that any of thefe places were to be underftood of his Outward coming more than that, 1 Cor. 1 1. 26. till he come, feeing from the reafons above given, as,much evidence appeareth, that by his coming, 1 Cor. 11. 16. is meant his Outward coming, as from any other places above cited, or any that can be brought, his Outward coming can be proved ? And fo indifcreetly Zealous have fome of their great Teachers been for ChriJFs Inward coming (which is a Truth very great and neceftary to be believed rightly and duly underftood, but ought not to be proved by perverfions of Scripture that mean not [0, whereas fufficient proofs can be brought for it, without all fuch perverfions,) that divers of the Prophecies of the Old Teftament, concerning chriJFs coming in the Flelh, they have

turned to chrijfs Birth within them, as that in ifaiah 5 Unto m a.

child is born, a. Son is given: And that in ifg'tdh 53. concerning his Death and Burial without us in his real Body of Helh, He made his oYAve with the wicked, &c. Rich. Huhbertborn turns it to Chrift\ being buried in the wicked, contrary both to the true tranflation, as well as to the true fenfeofthat place. And thus by this prefumptuous Liberty'they take, to expound the Scriptures falfely, contrary to all reafon and common Senfe, they feek to difarm the Chriftians from bringing proofs out of the Old Teftament againft the Jews, to prove that the promi ed Mefliah is already come in the Fieftu or that he hath fufrered in the Flefli. And though I was fo far blinded by them, that

L 2 I did

[ 76 ]

I did under fund i Cor. 1 1. 26. till he come, of his Inward coming •

yet I Had always a firm Belief, both of chrifPs being in Heaven in the glorified Nature of Man, and that he would come in that glorified Nature of Man to judge the World. And now I plainly fee, that his coming' 1 Cor. if. 16. is as really his Outward coming, as any where elfein all the Scripture ; and 1 hope I have fufficiently proved it to all impartial andlnteliigent Perfons, who (hall read my Reafons I have brought to prove the fame.

Page 113. His Quotation of the Syriack tranflation doth no ways favour his Senfe, as that the Eating 1 Cor. 11.26. was only by In- dulgence, and not by Command, The Quotation is this. In that concerning which 1 am about to Command yon {or Injlruflyou) J Commend yon not, becattfe ye have not gone forward but are descended into that, which is le[st or of lefs Conference. From this he infers, that Paul judged the Bread and Wine to bebeggerly Elements: But the Syri- ack tranflation lakh no fuch thing 3 he might well have blamed them, that they were not gone forward in the Life of Chriftianity, but ra- ther backward, becaufe of the corrupt and irregular manner of their pra&iflng that Inftitution, thatfome were drunk 5 furely this was to go back,but this is no proof againfl the regular Practice it felf. And what he further quotes of the fame Syriack Vernon, is as improper and invalid to his purpofe, v. 20. when then ye meet together, ye do not do ity as it is jujlye [houlddo in the day of the Lord, ye eat and drink* thereby (hewing to them, to meet together to Eat and Drink outward Bread and Wine, was not the Labour and Work of that Day of the Lord. But nothing appeareth from this, that he blamed the regular Pra^iceof it, but their undue and corrupt manner of doing it; fo that their doing of it, as they did it, was not the Work of the Day : And therefore he might well fay, as it is v. 20. of 1 Cor. 11. when ye come together therefore into one place ', this is not to eat the Lord's Supper, be- came they had turned it into a profanation 5 But R. B.^s obfervation on thefe Words, p. 109. is of no force at all to prove his purpofe : He faith not, this is not the right manner to eat, but this is net to eat the Lords Supper, becaufe (faith he) the Supper of the Lord is Spiritual, and a Myttery. Anf, But the right manner of a thing in many cafes is fo eflential to the thing, that the want of the right manner deflroys the thing it felf. As the right manner of a Circle is to have all the ftraight Xines drawn from the Center to the Circumference equal, and if this be wanting, the Figure is not a Circle. Yea, If the right

man-

. [ 77 ] manner of Prayer be wanting, fo that it be directed to God, yet not in true words, it is not true Prayer, and if not in truth* and fincerity of Heart,itis not true Prayer. His other Arguments from fow/14.7. c"hff* 2.16. Heb, 9. 10. are all anfwered above fufficiently, Parti. Seel:. 6*

SECT. IX.

PAge 121. His /aft Argument is general again ft both, the Outward Baptifin, and the Supper. It remains (faith he) for our Adver Ju- ries to /hew us how they come by Power and Authority to Adminifier them*

' 'Their Power muft be derived from the Apoftles, either mediately,

or immediately -, but they have no mediate Power, because of the Interr^ ft ion made by the Apoftacy : And for an immediate Power or Command by the sprit of God to Adminifier the[e things, none of our Adversaries pre* tend to it*

Anf. 1. The Argument is unduly worded in the former part of it 5 for Men may have a Power that is neither from the Apoftles mediately nor immediately} not mediately, as he thinks he has proved, nor yet immediately from the Apoftles, becaufe not their immediate Succef* fors. But,why may they not have a Power mediately from chrijl, after fome true manner, and yet in fome fort immediate alio? If .we con- fider the feveral fignifications of the Words mediate- and immediate, none of which are Scripture words, anymore, orfcarce fomuch, as other words they reject , becaufe not Scripture words 5 and becaufe cf the ambiguous and doubtful fignification of the Words mediate and immediate, they maybe omitted, and other Words ufed toasgood^ or better effecl. But if we may be allowed toufe the words mediate and immediate 3 one Senfe of the word immediate is a Call from Chrifls Perfon, fpeaking with an audible Voice to the outward Ear 3 fuch as the twelve Apoftles had, and PautaKo. This I know none now pretends to. Another Senfe of the word immediate is, a Call by the Holy Spi- rit in the Hearts of them who are fo Called, in the fame way and manner, as the Prophets were both taught their Prophecies, and cal- led to deliver them, and commit them to Writing, which was by a Prophetick Spirit that did Infallibly guide them, in every Sentence and Word of their MefTage, without the leaft poflibility of Error os Miftake-, andasfo Taught and Called, without the need or ufeofa- ny outward means whatfoever. If fome of the Teachers among the Quakers have pretended to any fuch Inward Teaching or Calling, as

If

V [ 78 ]

it can be eafily proved they have > it can be as eafily proved, that they havenotbeen fo taught nor called i becaufe in too many things, wherein they have pretended to fuch Teaching and Calling, they have Bewrayed themfelves miferably, and laid themfelves open to the Judgment of the weaker fort of Sincere Chriftians, who have been able to prove, that in too many things they have delivered as Divine Revelations, they have contradicted the Holy Scriptures, and to have grofly Erred* A Third fort of immediate Teaching and Caliing, ij by taking the Etymologie of the Word immediate, to iignifie not without all Means, but in and with the Means > as when it is gene rally ac- knowledged, that there is an immediate Supernatural Divine Concur- rence of the Spirit of God, that aflifteth the Faithful in all truly holy Actions j yea, in all holy Thoughts and Defires, Words and Works, yet not without the ufe of outward Means., but in the due and frequent ufeofthem, as in Reading, Hearing, and Meditating upon what hath been Read, or Heard, Now this fort of inward Teaching and Calling by the Spirit, as it is not without means altogether- io is it not without all poflibility of Erring, or Miftake 5 for though no Er- ror can proceed from the Spirit of God, nor can the Spirit Err 5 yet a Man that has the Spirit of ^working in his Heart, both to illumi- nate hisjUnderftanding, and move and incline his Will to good Things,may through HumaneWeaknefs and Inadvertency,or by iome Prejudice of Education, or wrong Information of his Teachers, mifap- ply, and mifunderftand the Spirits inward Illuminations and Motions, which he is the more likely to do, if he do not duly and diligently apply his Mind, as to the Spirits inward lllumination,fo to the Directions and Instructions, given to us in the Holy Scriptures, to examine and find the agreement of the inward with the outward ; for certainly if the Per- fuafions that any Man hath, contradict the plain Directions and Insti- tutions given in the Holy Scriptures, they are not of the Spirit of God, whatever appearance they may feem to have of Power or Evidence ; the joynt concurrence of, the Spirit of Truth within , nnd the instrumental and fubordinate help of the Scripture without, given us to help our weaknefs, may be compared to the natural Light of- the Sun, or Candle that we read with (in fome fort) though this, and all other Similitudes fall fliort of a full Illu- stration » for as we cannot Read without the Light, though the Book Ik open before us; fo when the Light Shines, yet it will not

teach

[7P]

teach us what is in the Book, unlefs we look on it, and alfo be taught • to Rud in it. Even fo the Light of the Holy Spirit, fhining upon the Ideas, and Perceptions of our Minds, as conveyed tons by what we have heard or read out of the Holy Scriptures, opens to us the true hid- den Senle and i ruth of them, with Life and Power, and great inward Ciearnefs and Evidence, Joy and Satisfaction $ and thus if we find that the Spirits Illumination, worke:h in our Hearts and Minds an ArTent to the Truth of what is Recorded in the Holy Scriptures 5 we can with all read inefs receive it. But if what we fuppofe to be a Divine Illumi- nation, difcord from the Truth of the Scriptures 5 we ought torejed it, and by no means to receive it, for it is not Divine, but Humane - or which is worle3 Diabolical. Now according to this laft Senfe of the Word immediate, /. e. inward Teaching, and Call of the Spirit, in the ufe of outward Means and Helps, andetpecially the Holy ^Scriptures, 1 fee not, but it may be granted that Men may be found, and are to be found, that have a true immediate Call from the Spirit of chrijl in their Hearts, both to Preach, and Admiiiifter thefe Divine Inftituti- ons of the outward Baptifm and Supper 3 and all this well confirming with the mediate orderly Call, where there is a Conftitute Church, though not every way fo rightly and duly Conftitute, as was in the Apoftles Days, and in the pureft Times fucceeding the Apoftles. There ' is ground to believe, that God raifed up many fuch in the beginning of the Reformation from Popery * and though fince that beginning, too many Particulars have rather gone backward than forward 5 yet the Succefs of the Miniftry, and excellent Books that have come forth, time after time, of many Worthy Perfons, however in fome things miftaken, and the truly Chriftian Lives and Converfations of many^ through all the Protectant Churches, though in comparifon of the great multitude that areProphane and Scandalous, they are but a few, may be a good Ground of Evidence, that God is truly among them, and doth own the Remnant that are Sincere, and their Miniftry 5 to whom an Allufion may be made of what was faid to the Church of Sardti) (the Greek WordlSardfr, is in the Plural Number) thou haft a few Names in Sardis, who have not Defiled their Garments 5 they mall walk with me in White, for they are Worthy. I know there are fome, who do more than make an Allufion in the Cafe, and think that by the Church oiSardis, is really meant the collective Body of the Protectant Churches, throughout the feveral Parts of the World 5 which I will not here be pofitive, either to affirm, or deny, but either

[ 8o ]

byway of Allufion, or by Hypothefis, let us conceive that the Col* le&ive Body of the Proteftant Churches, anfwers to Sardis, and not this or that particular fpotorpart of the Earth, or this or that parti- cular Country, Province, or City, but the Collective Body of the whole, that by the Harmony of their Confeffions already extant, may be allowed to hold the Fundamentals of the Chriftian Faith, howe- ver many are under great, miftakes in other things.. Now tvedonot find this Church of Sardis blamed for Idolatry or fuffering it, as fome of the other Seven Churches we find fo blamed, and particularly that of VergAmus and Thy^tira^ that may allude to the Dark and Idola- trous Times of Popery, for divers Ages foregoing. The great things of the Sardis Church that are blamed are, that her Works were not perfect before God • that me had more a Name of Life, than the pof- feffion of it, which feems to paint out to the Life, the Colle&ive Bo- dy of the Protectant Churches, who yet have a few Names, who have not defiled their Garments, and who are worthy 5 which few Names are not confined to this ot that particular Denomination, but Mat- tered and difperfed through the whole, as fo many Grains of pure Sil- ver orGoldthro' a great mafs orLump of Oar,where is much moreDrols and Refufe.

And becaufe things receive their denomination from the better part frequently, therefore I judge that the Protectant Churches are, with a refpecT: to, and on the account of thefe few Names that have kept their Garments clean, to be reckoned a true Church, and is fo repu- ted of God. And therefore it were very advifable, that all thatfin- cerely Believe in gW, and in Chrift^ and love God and Chrift, and a- gree in Fundamentals, as they generally do, that they would Love one another, and Repute one another as Brethren, walk together, and worfliip God together in Spirit and in Truth, the Stronger con- defcending to the Weaker, and becoming all things to all Men, and in everything that is not manifeftly (infill,* yielding one to another, endeavouring to be of one Heart and Soul in true Chriftian Love and ArTe&iom however differing infomelefTer matters, both as to Judg- ment and Practice. This I hoyz God in his own time will bring to pafs ; and for this, as many <I believe) fincerely pray, fo do I cordially joyn my earned Supplications with them. And let this fuffice at pre- sent for an Anfwer to that laft Argument, about the Call, as whether mediate or immediate.

It

[ 8«] SECT. X.

IT is not to be doubted, but many in the Proteftant Churches can give as great evidence, and far greater, of their true In- ward Call to the work of the Miniftry , than many , or moft of the Teachers among the People cah'd Quakers-, and that not only by the conformity of their Doclrine andConverfation to the Holy Scriptures, but the real fuccels and good effect of their Miniftry by the Bleffing of God upon their Labours : And if the noife of boldly claim- ing to themfelves the only Privilege of being the Church of cbri(i9 and their Teachers and Minifters the only Minifters of chrifl, having only the Inward Call, and furnifliing of the Spirit, be laid afide, and the Quefticn fairly and calmly dated, it will not bear great Difpute to make it appear which of the two forts have the be ft Marks of the true Church and Miniftry. Would the Quakers lefs value them- felves, for fome lingular things, which at beft are but as the Cummin and the Mint, and losne of them not fo much, they might eafily find themfelves equalled, and far excelled in great part by many others in the greater things of true Divine Knowledge, Piety and Virtue. On- ly, for a Conclufion, let this be added 5 that fuppofe prefent Admi- niftrators could not be readily found, fo qualified, as to filence all the fcrupulofities of Objectors, this will not prove that Bapt/Jm and the Supper are not the Institutions of c£r//?,as it will not prove that Preach- ing trie Gofpel is not a Divine Inftitution, becaufe in many parts of the World true Preaching has been wanting, and yet is • yea, accor- ding to the Quakers narrow and fcanty Charity, true Preaching was generally !oft in the World, untill the Quakers were raifed up about the year 164S. Doth it therefore follow, that it was no Inftitution of Chnft to the Apoftles, and their SuccefTors to Preach the Gofpel ? And here let it be noticed, that I put a diftincuon betwixt a Power given to a Manroufe the Gifts that God has given him, in teaching others lefs knowing, and a Paftoral Gift, of not only Teaching, but Admi- niftrinn; thefe Divine Inftitutions ofBaptifm and the Supper, and doing divers other things relating to the Difcipline, Order, and Government of the People, over whom, by God's appointment, and the Peoples cnnfent, he is fet to be their Paftor and Watchman.

Here Note Reader, that what is faid in this fmallTreatife, in An- fwer to the Arguments of the principal Teachers of the Quakers a-

M bove-

[8*]

above named, will alfo fervefor an Anfwer to w.Delh Book, againft Water-Baptifm ?5 for there is nothing Mateiial in his Book, but what is in their Books, upon that Subject, though they borrowed his Argu- ments, and have Co great a liking to his Book, that they have Printed it oftenj again, and again • and indeed, as they borrowed from him, lb the molt of his Arguments he feems to have borrowed from Socinus, who hath ufed the fame Arguments for the moft part, long before w. Dell, or the Qjukers appeared in the World. Only pleafe Reader to take notice of that great piece of Ignorance in w. Dell, to affirm fo bold an Untruth ; tlut Zacharias, John the Baptift's Father was High Pried, The more particular Queftions about Baptifnt, relating either to the proper Subjects of it, or manner of it, are not needful to be handled here, the defign of thisTreatife being to Convince fuch of the Quakers as are willing to read it, that Baptifm, and the Supper are Divine Inftitutions •, till they own this, it would be Prepofterous to perfuade them about thofe other. Were the People, called Quakers, convinced el this great Truth 5 that the outward Baptifm by water? and the supper, are Divine Inftitutions, and ought to be practifed by them, as becoming true Chriftians, there are fome thoufands of them wrfo are at Age, and have Children at Age, : who ne- ver had any manner of outward Baptifm; if the/e have true Faith in Jejtts Cbrift, and can (incerely iay, as the Eunuch did, Acts 8. 37. / believe that Jefus chrifi is the Son of God, and do re- nounce all thofe Errors that are contrary to the true Faith in the Fundamen*. tal Doflrins thereof • there is no queftion but they may be Baptised, they are proper enough Subjects of it ; and when they are thus well Prepared and Qualified to Receive it, it may be hoped that they will be Dire&ed and Guided by the Lord , where, and how to find the Perfons that may be fit to Adminifter it unto them. Such among them who fcru pie, orqueftion the manner of Baptifm by Sprinkling, may receive it by Dipping 5 for all chrifiendom own that th3t Form may be uled Lawfully , and that Adult. Perfons having Faith in the Lord Jefus, after their giving the Coniefhbn of the fame, may, and ought to be Baptized. And fuch among them who might fcruple to receive it from Perfons of another Denomination, might find fome of their own Way to Adminifter it unto them. For it wereitrange, to fuppofe, that among fo many hundreds of Men, profefling to hive an immediate, or inward Call to that part of the Miniftry by Preach- ing, and Prayer, there fhould not be ibme found among them, who

might

I

C «* ] .

might apprehend that they are as immediately call'd to the other part of the Miniftry, of Baptifm, and the Supper, after they are truly con- vinced that they are Gofpel Inftitutions. There is fome Ground of Hope, that many among them will be brought to fome good Confe- deration, and better Underftanding, fo as to fee the great hurt and lofs that it rus been unto them,to reject thofe things, and alio to come to that good and folid Difcretion and Judgment of the great Profit and Advantage it would be to them, to receive the Practice of them among them, for their Spiritual Qood and Honour of their Christian Pro- feffion (thereby declaring, as well as by their Chriftian Lives and Conventions, that they are the Difciples of chrijt, by this Te- stimony of their Love to him 5 that they keep thefe his Command- ments, as well. as the others that he has enjoyned 5 remembring that he that breaketh the leait of his Commandments, and teacheth Men to do fo, (hall be leaft in the Kingdom of Heaven) and alfo for the removing the great Scandal and Offence of many Tender People, who are greatly (tumbled at their Way, in not only omitting, but fpeaking Reproachfully againft thofe Sacred Inftitutions. It will be no occafion ofDimonourto them, nor Argument of their declining, or going backward from the Truth, to own and receive the Practice of thefe things, that they have needlelly, and for wantofdueConfideration, dropt, and loft 5 more than it would be to a Man that had dropt fome piece of Money, or Jewel, to return, and ftoop to take it up again* That which addetb to my Ground of Hope in this thing, is, that fome among them have privately acknowledged, that they' are fenfi- ble of the Hurt and Disadvantage that they have been at, as a Body of People, for laying thofe Practices afide.

SECT. XI.

HAving finifhed my Anfwers to the Arguments of the four Per- fons, above named, againft the outward B.tptifm, and the Supper j I think fit to take notice of the Arguments of Gecve Fox^ (the ^reateft Perfon among the Quakers^ when living , and whofe Words are (till as Oracles unto them; againft thefe Divine Inftitutions ; to which indeed little more Anfv.er is needful, than what is given to thofe other, for his Arguments are Included in theirs, and fo may the Anlwersbe in the Anfwers to them. His Argument againft the out- ward Btptifm, I find to be but one, in a Book of his, called, Something, in Answer to the Old Commw-Prayer-Book^ Printed at London, i56o

M 2 p. 18.

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p. 1 8. And doth not that in Matth. 28. (ay, Baptize into the Name $ and is n^t th.it more than in the Name i This the Reader will find An- fwered above, in Reply to fame of their Arguments 3 but to Baptize into the Name, Aits 8. they grant not to be the inward Baptifm • and therefore, norts that Matth. 28. the Particles /#, and/atf^, being fre- quently the fame in Signification, both in ^Englifh- and Greek^ yea, and in Hebrew alio, and Latin, and generally in other Languages.

His Arguments againft the outward Supper, are as followeth, p. 26. They that received the Bread and wine in remembrance of chrifi, (hewing his Death till he come, which the Apoftle had received of the Lord, and de- livered to the Corinthians, which they were to examine, and Eat, and Drink in remembrance of ChrifPs Death, till he come. This was in, 1 Cor, Then he wrote again to the Corinthians, and bids them examine themfelves, and prove their own (elves ; knew they not that Chrifi was in them, except they were Reprobates * So they may fee that this was not a {landing Form • but as often as they did ity they did it in remembrance of Chrifi, till he^come ; and then examine your felves, prove your [elves, if Chrift be not in you, except ye be Reprobates '*, fo if you have him within-, what need you to have that which puts in remembrance of him i And fo if ye be rifen with chrifi ; feek thoje things that are above - fir now Bread and wine is below, which is the remembrance of his Death ', fo that part dies with him ; which mufl have a Sign to put in remembrance of him. For the A poflles forgot, who [aid, that they thought that that Manfhotild* deli-^ ver ifracl.

Anf The fubftance of this is replyed unto above ; only I thought fit to take notice, how impertinent and idle his Argumentis, from his comparing the firft Epiftle to the Corinthians, with a paftage in hisfecond Epiftle to them '-, as i fin his firft Epiftle Paul had delivered the Command or Practice of it unto them, becaufe Chrifi was not then, come in them 5 but when he wrote again, he was come in them. Which reafoning of G. F, is built on a moft falfe Foundation 5 for Paul did believe that chrifi was as truly come in the Corinthians, at his firft writing, as at his fecond 5 for as he laid unto them- in his fecond Epi- ftle, know ye not that Jefus chrifi is in you, &c. 2 Cor. 13.5. So he (aid in his firft Epiftle, 1 Cor. 6.1 9. Know ye not that your body is the Tem- ple of the Holy chofl, which is in you, which ye have of God, &c. And furely, when they had the Holy Ghoft in them, they had chrifi in them 5 from which it appears, that this Argument of g. f. is exceed- ing impertinent, and built on a grofs and manifeft untruth. But it

was

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was the way of G. F, What he neither did nor could prove from Scri- pture, he would boldly perfuade by his Authority and Stamp, with faying, Thu is the word of the Lord unto you, and then it was no more to be queftioned j and if any did, they were reckoned bad Spirits, like Corah, &c. Alfo his faying, Bread and Wine is from below, and they who have chrifl in them need not the Sign -,' all this is anfwered above; and had he not been very weak in his underftanding and inconfide- rate, he might have eafily obferved, that this way of his Reafoning was equally againft all Outward Miniftry, Words, and Writings, which are not Chrijl, more than Bread and Wine. And are not his many Papers, about Orders, and Wornens Dreffes, from below, fee- ing they are vilible things, and therefore by his Argument, they mould be rejected >

There is yet one Argument behind, which I have found in a Manufcript having Humphry Norton's Name to it, a Preacher of great Name formerly among the Quakers, and in extraordinary re- pute with Edward Burrough, and Francis Howgil, as appeareth by their Epiftles of Recommendation concerning him, they both fent wich him to Friends in Ireland, contained in the faid Manufcript, unto you all (faith Edward Burrough) I do him recommend, as a faithful Labou- rer, to be received by you in the Name of him that fends him, in tender pity for you all, and the Bleilingof the Lord upon his Faith- fulnefs I doubt not, &c. Dated London 19. 3d. mo. 1656. And faith Fr.Howgily receive Humphry Norton in the Lord, whom the Lord hath moved to come unto you, who is a Brother, and Faithful in the Lord?s Work, and be Subject unto him irr the Lord, all unto him 5 for I much delired that he might come unto you, and Co the Lord hath ordered it 5 and as you receive him, ) ou receive me, F. HorrgiL

This Man, Humphry Norton, after his Arrival in Ireland, in the year 1656, writ, and fpread about feveral Papers among, the People, call'd Baptifts, and others 5 of which I have feen divers contained ir: a Manufcript, all Writ by one Hand, and having his Name to them,

His Argument againft Baptifm, is in the following Words. t\_ ij, And now ye Baptifts, feeing that chrift is come , and hath Baptized us, and all Men come unto him,, tell me, whether there be any Bap- tifmbut one } feeing the Apoftle faith, one Lord, one Faith, one Bap- tifm, Eph.4.5,6. And whether Baptifmbe not a Doctrin, yea, or nay.? If you fay an Ordinance, whether it be not Abolilhed 5 yea, or nay 5 feeing the Scripture faithj having abolifoed in his Flejh the Enmity,

86]

even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances • for to make in himfelf of Twain, one new Man $ fo making Peace, Eph. 2.1?.

Anf. That concerning one Baptifm, is fully Anfwered above: To the latter concerning Ordinances, the Word in the Greek d* froy/uzn is not properly Tranilated Ordinances, but rather Opinions, or Per- fuafions. But let it be Tranflated Ordinances 5 how doth this prove, that therefore water-BxptiJm is Abolifhed, unlefs the Argument be built upon this Suppofition 5 that all Ordinances are Abolillied, and confequently iaptifm with water ^ and at the fame rate, Preaching and Prayer muft be Abolished, which are nolefs Ordinances.

And in the fame Parcel of Queries, the fifth Querie is ; now An- swer in plain Words ; From whence muftthis chriftyz wait for come, and in whatGeneration.and of what Family,and out of what Country, and of whom muft he be Born i that they may no longer be deceived by you, who have kept them gazing after a falfe Chrift ; well may it be called Gazing $ but leave it, and mind thefe in white Apparel^ which Reproves you for it, Atfs 1. io, 11.

This Humphry Norton^ after fome Years went into New England^ and after his Return, Prints a Book at London (which I find Quoted in another Printed Book) having the like, or the fame Queries for Sub- ftance -7 the Words are thefe. Is not Chrift God, and is not God a spirit < you look for a Cbrift without you 5 from what Coaft or Country (hall he corned what Country-man is he ? Ton ft and Gazing up in the Clouds after a Man^ butweftandby in white chiding of you. Reader, are not thefe dreadful Words, enough to make all Christian Ears to tingle < it is no wonder that they have fo generally Conftrued thefe Words $ yejhew forth his Death until he comey to be only his inward coming ; when the chiefeft Teachers among them had no Faith of his outward coming to Judge the World. And it is but too likely, that E. Burroughs and F. Howgil, were as great Unbelievers as he in that great Fundamental Article of the Chnftian Religion ; and if they were not, they were miferably de- ceived, and did miferably deceive themfelves by their fuppofed Gift of Difcerning ; to give fuchhigh Recommendations and Praifes of a Man, that deferved not to be numbred among the loweft Rank of Chriftians, who hath dared thus openly, like oneof the Heathen Op- pofers, toScoffatour Bleffedz^d's coming without us to Judgment; but never any Chriftian gave him occaf on for fuch a Scoffing manner of Queftioning, it being univerfally believed by all Chriftians, that oar Lord will come from Heaven in the fame Body wherein he Afcend-

ed,

[ «7 ]

<ed, and is not to be Born again of a Woman . Again, In another Pa- per that hath his Name to it, there are thefe Words 5 and whereat he At cu fed us for Aenji»g chrift's Merits 3 I fay, that which can be Merited > %6 of Self; and that which is of Chrifl is freely given. But fitch a word is nvt in Scripture, as ChrilVs Merits, hut is fetched from the whore a at Rome by them. Behold the Man,' whom E. Burroughs called a Faith- ful Labourer, and F. Howgil called a Brother Faithful in the Lord's Work, to whom he would have all the Qmkers in Ireland to be Sub- ject ! How can they who follow fuch blind Guides, but fall into the Ditch with them ■. Is there any greater, or fo great Blindnefs to be found in the Blindeft, and moft Ignorant of the Papiffc 1

In a Book of mine, called, Truth's Defence,, p. 140. I find an other Argument I have ufed againft the Supper^thc Effect of which is contain- ed in thefe following Words 5 what chrift did at that time, and bid his Difciples do until he come , is no Go fpel Ordinance, becaufe it was done in the Night, cr Evening of the old Covenant D'ifpenfition, and confequently was to come to an end with it. Anf. I freely acknowledge this Argu- ment is Weak and Unfound, and the way to Anfwer it, is by denying the Confequence to be True and Juft 5 for moftly what Christ Taught was in the Evening, or latter part of the old Covenant 5 but it doth not therefore follow that it was to end with it. As alio where I have faid in my Book, called, Presbyterian and Independent churches, &c, P.I 85. That which ye now ufe is neither Sub flantial Dinner nor Supp>er, being inly a Crumb of Bread) 8cc. I acknowledge, was unadvifedly laid, and as weakly Argued 5 for the end of that outward Inftitution, was not any outward Subftantial Dinner or Supper, as neither was that of the Pafchai Lamb. And alfo where, p. 1 84. of the fame, I have argued, that the ufe of the outward Signs o^Baptifm and the Supper, did fuic -moft with the Ages and State of Children, * for they fuit well enough with the moft grown Chriftians, while remaining in the Mor- tal Body.

SECT. xir.

AND thus I have Anfwered to all the Arguments brought againft* the outward Baptifm and the Supper, by their feveral Writers, and chief Teachers that I have found in their Books 5 not omitting any to my bed Remembrance, of any Note 3 where though I have brought in G. Fox among the lall, becaufe I had not found the particular Book

whe.M

[ 88 ]

where his Arguments were, until I had finiihed ray Anfwer to tha other four preceeding } yet he was the firft among the Quakers, that led them, as into divers other great Errors , io into this of rejecting the outward Bapti[my and the supper, grounding all upon a pretended Divine Infpiration •, and as by that Pretence he did throw down the In/titutionsofc&ri/?, leading many thoufands into the Ditch with him ; So by the fame pretended Authority, he fet up outward Orders and Ordinances of his own, particularly that of Women's Meetings, giving them Rule and Government in the Church, and appointing all Marriages to come before the Women's Meetings, before they could pafs, or be allowed by the Community 5 which hath no Footftep, or Warrant from the Holy Scripture. And when it could not be proved from Scripture, though Eflayed by him and others, miferably {train- ing the Scriptures, contrary to their true Senfe 5 theRefult was, that it was commanded by G. Fox, and whoever did not Obey, were judged by him and his Followers, Apoftates, and Enemies to Truth.

In the next place, I (hall bring fome clear Proofs from Scripture 5 fhewing that outward Baptifm and the Supper, are the Inftitutions of chrifi under the Gofpel. And firft, as to Baptifm with water. That is an Inftitution of chrift) which he did command his Apoftles, and their SucceiTors, to Praclife to the end of the World.

But he commanded them to Pra&ife Baptifm with water, 8cc. Therefore,

That he commanded them to PracYife Baptifm with water, is pro- ved from Mittb. 28. 19. And from what is above Difcourled in An- fwer to their Objections , it is apparent that Water-Baptifm is there meant.

And that the Apo{Ues, and all the Churches of Chrift did underftand that water-Baptism was an Inftitution of Chrift, is clear from the uni- verfal Practice of Believers in the Apoftles Days 5 fo that it cannot be inftanced where any came under the Profeffion of Faith in chrift •, but they received Baptifm with water y either by the Apoftles, or other Min liters of Chrift.

Again, That which is declared in Scripture to be a means of Grace and Salvation, and which hath Gofpel promifes annexed to it, is a Divine Inftitution.

But To is Baptifm with Water, as the following Scriptures prove, Mark 16, 16. Jcis 2. 38. Arts 22. 16. Rom. 6. 3. Gal. 3. 27. Col. 2. #. J. 21. And though thefe g^ihrs will not allow that the

Scrip-

1-2.

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Scriptures above-mentioned, are to be underftood ofBaptifm with wa- ter-, yet by what is above Diicourfed^ in Anfwer to their Objections 5 it is evident, that they are to be underftood ofBaptifm with water, the Sign being accompaniedwith the thing fignified, in all that duly re- ceived it.

' Again, That which is made a Ground of Unity among the Faithful, together with Faith and Hope, and Calling, is a Divine Inftitution* but one Bzptifw, as weli as one Faith, one Hope, one Calling, is made a Ground of Unity among the Faithful, 5/^.4.5.

And that the one Baptifm there, is the Baptifm with water (the thirjg fignified going along with the Sign) is above proved in the Anfwer to the foregoing Objections. And thus much briefly, for Proof of water- Baptifm*\ts being an Inftitutibn of Chrifl under the Gofpel, to continue to the end of the World •, becaufe he promifcd to be with his Minifters to the end of the World, in their doing what hevcommanded them.

Next, That the supper by breaking of Breads and the ufe of the Cup is an Inftitution of chriji, until his laft coming , is proved by the like Arguments, that water-Baptifm is proved to be an Inftitution ofchrift 5 for firft it was commanded by Chrift 5 Do this in remembrance of me . as oft as you Eat this Bread, and Drink this Cup, ye fiew forth the Lord's Death till he come. And that this is his outward coming to Judge the World, is above proved.

Secondly, it is a Means of Grace 5 the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Lerd's Body i The Cup which we h/efs is it not the Com- tnunion of his Bhod £ That is, are they not, both Signs and Means ex- hibiting to us the Communion of his Body and Blood, and the Spiri- tual Bleflings that come to Believers thereby? For indeed all the Signs that ever God appointed to his People, were Means of Grace, and not bare Sighs or Symbols.

Thirdly, the Bread and wine in the Supper, is made a ground of Uni- ty among the Faithful, as well as Baptifm 5 we being many are one Bread, and aII are mxde fartakers of that one Bread. The Objections made againft the Senfeofthefe and the like Scriptures, are above fully An- fwered 5 fo that I fee no occafion to fay any more at prefent, by way of Argument on this Subject.

N A£

An APPENDIX.

Containing [ome Obfervations upon fome Paff Ages, in a Book of W.Penn, calPd, A Caveat againft Popery, and on fome PaJJages of a Book of John Pennington, uil'dj The Fig-Leaf Covering Difcovered.

N a Book of W.Penn, called, A Seafonable Caveat againft Popery, Printed in the Year 1670. I find the following Paflage, p. 18. But if there be fome Virtue (ignified by the wine, more than by the Breads it is horrid Sacriledge to Rob the Sign, much more the thin* ftgnifed. It is a Supper, and at Supper there fhould be to Drink, as well as to Eat 5 there can be no Body without Bloody and the Drinking of his Blood, thews a shedding of his Blood for the World, and a Participation of it. Be- tides the Sign is incomple.it, andthe end of that Sacrament, or Sign, not fully Anfweredy but plainly maimed, and what God hath put together, they have put a [under -> fi that the Falfenefs and Infiriptural Practice of thefe Men are very manifeft,

Obf. Reader :Would-eft thou not think by thefe Words, that w.Pcnn was in good earneft, Pleading for the Sacrament (as he calls \t) or Sign of the Supper < And hadft thou not known that tv.Penn was the Author ofthatBook} would'ft thou not have concluded, whoever was the Author w7as rightly PrincipPd for the Supper, compleatly Adminiftred under both Signs, by the Arguments he brings for it .<? as firfr, If there be fome Virtue (ignified by the wine, more than by the Breads it is horrid Sacriledge to Rob the Sign, &c. The Antecedent is true, by w.Penn, otherwifehis Argument is vain 5 and therefore the Confe- quence muft be true, which is this ; It is horrid Sacriledge to Rob the Sign. Now if it be horrid Sacriledge in the Popifh Priefts and Teach- ers, to Rob the Sign olivine in the Supper -, is it not as horrid ,or rather more horrid Sacriledge in w. Penn, and the reft of the Teachers of the Quakers to have Robb'd both the Signs, the Bread>as well as the wine ? and under the Guilt of this Robbery and Sacriledge they ftill continue, I wifh they may Repent of it, that they may find Mercy and Forgive- nefs. His fecond Argument is this. It is a Supper, and at supper there • fhould be to Drink, as well as to Eat, But how is it a Supper, when there

is

An Jppendix.

is neither to Eat nor to Drink : If the Popilh Teachers have maimed the Supper, whichhe blames them for -0 how much more is he and his Brethren Blameworthy, who have quite Aboliflied it i His third Ar- gument for the Cup is, the Drinking of his Blood, fhews a Shedding of his Blood} but how doth it inew it among the Quakers, who have totally Abolilhed the Bread as well as the Cup '. His fourth Argument is, the Sign is incompleat, at: A the end of that Sacrament or Sign, not fully Answered. But how is the end of that Sacrament, or Sign any wife Anfwered among the Quakers, who have Aboliflied both Sigris ?^His fifth Argument is, what God hath put together, they have put ajunder $ fo that the Falfnefs and Infcriptural Practice of thefe Men is very manifefh Now toProfecute and Retort his Argument upon himfelf;If it be a hai- nous Sin to put a funder what rj^hath put together •, is it not as hai- nous, or rather more, to put away, or Abolifh both things which God hath put together i If they do Evil that feparate Man and Wife, whom God hath joy ned, or put together 5 do not they worfe who kill them both /?

If it be faid, w. Penn's Arguments are only on Suppofition, and ufedagainftthePapifts, adhominem. lAnfwer, fir ft, This doth not appear by his Words, which are Pofitive. Secondly, If here he only Argues on Suppofition, and ad hcminem • how Hull we know when he Argueth Pofitively, and is in good earne ft ? Thirdly, His Arguments feem to me and $ I think they will feem to many others, not only Pofitive, but more valid and ftrong, than any Arguments he hath brought sgainft them.

Again, In the fame Book, p. 20. concerning the Sacrifice of the Al- tar, he faith motwithftanding the Scripture exprefly tells us, that

we have our High Prieft, that needs nvt Sacrifice once a year, but who hath offered one Sacrifice, and th.it by the will of God we are Sanctified, through the Offering of the Body ofjefus Chrift, once for all^ and that by one Offer- ing he perfected them that are Sanctified, Heb. 10. 10, 11, 14. Yet d$ they daily Sacrifice him a frefh, As ir his firftwere inefficient, or their daily Sins required a new one.

Oh\. Do not thefe Arguments of w. Venn, againft Chrifi, his being daily Offered up a Sacrifice in the Mafs, prove as effectually, w. Venn, and G. whitehead's Doctrin to be falfe, in their Defence of w. smith t who faid, in p. 64. of his Primmer, fecond Part;^ believe that chrift in us doth offer up himfelf a living Sacrifice unto God for us 5 by which the Wrath and Jujfiee of God is appeafed towards us. This tv, Penn Confirms

N z in

m his Rejoynder to J. Faldo, p. 28^. faying, that Cbrifieffers himself in his Children, in the nature of a Mediating Sacrifice 5 and that Chrif is a Mediator, and an Attoner in the Consciences of his People, at what time they [hall fall under any Ml {carriage, if they unf eigne dly Repent, accord. rng to 1 John 2.1,2. and G. whitehead is very large in the Defence and Confirmation of it, in his Book, cilled, The Light ani Life of Chrift within, p. 44, And Quotes at leaft kven feverai places of Scripture to prove it, viz. That chrifi in them doth offer up himfelf a Sacrifice unto God for them, by which the wrath and Juflice of God is appealed towards them. All which Scriptures, and many more, refpefting' the Sacri- fice of Chrisl without us, and his Blood outwardly Shed, they have moft grofly Perverted and Mil applyed to a f uppofed Daily Offering of Chritf by way of Sacrifice in them to Appeafe the Wrath and Juftice of God. Now letfv. Penn Anfwer to his own Arguments which he hadufedagainft the Sacrifice of chrift in the Mafs^ for any that are not wilfully blind may fee, they are of equal force againft his fuppofed and invented Sacrifice of chrift, daily offered in every Quaker when they Sin, to Appeafe the Wrath and Juflice of God.

And here I think'fit to repeat fome Queftions I Propofed to w. Penn by way of Argument, againft this falfe Notion of his, (and of g'. white- head, which they Originally received from G. Fox, and he it is very probable from Familifts and Ranters, who had the fame Notion as I can eafily prove) that chrift ■ offers up himfelf in them, to Appeafe the Wrath and Juftice of God, in the Nature of a Mediating Sacrifice. (Note Reader, thefe Words befpeak their Senfe to be a Sacrifice real- ly and ftriSiy fo taken $ yea, the Sacrifice within, to be the only real and Uriel: Sacrifice 5 for the other without, of ehriJPs Body and Blood without the Gates of Jerufalem , was the Type, the Hiftory. The Lamb without, fhews forth the Lamb within, iYid w. Penn, one out- ward thing cannot be the proper Figure, or Reprefentation of another outward thing\ Thefe Queftions are in my Book,calIed,<7w/r Error and Hypocrifie Detected in G. whitehead, and fome of his Brethren, p. 20. And I have juft caufe to propofe them again, to his and his Brethrens Confideration ; becaufe I have not to this Day received any Anfwer to them, either from M Penn, or George whitehead, nor from fth<t. Elwood, who hath Writ a pretended Anfwer to this very Book, called, Grofs Error-, &c. who hath pafled by, not only thefe Queries containing f0 many Arguments as there are Queries 5 but the other chief things in that Book; and yet he and his Brethren Glory, how they have An-

fwered.

An ' Jpfendix.

fwered all my Books, when ineffect they have Anfvvered none of them topurpole, and lb me of them not at all, as my fecond Narrative of the Proceedings of the Meeting at Turner's- Hall, thit has been above a Year in Print 5 (as no more have they Anfwered to Satan Difrob'd $ d^ne by the Author of the Snake in the Grafs • being a Reply to The Elivood's pretended Anfwertomy firft Narrative, which faved me the Labour of Replying to it.) And indeed, the Book, called, Grofs Error, Sec. has been in Print near three Years, and yet no Anfwer has been given to thefe Queries 5 which are as follow. 1. If Satisfaction be totally Excluded as w.Penn hath Argued againft the Satisfaction of the.M-m chrift Jefus without us$ and by his Death and Sufferings on theCrols, Reafon againft Railings p. 91. becaufeaSin, or Debt can- not be both Paid and Forgiven 5 what need is there of a Mediating Sacrifice of C^r/y? within Men, more than without theme" 2. Seeing it is the Nature of all Sacrifices for Sin, that they be Slain, and their Blood Shed 5 how is chrift Slain in his Children, and when? For we Read in Scripture, that Chrift lived in the Faithful, as he did in Paul--, but not that he is Slain in them. 3. If any Slay the Life of Chrift in them by their Sins • doth not that hinder the Life to be a Sa- crifice by G. whitehead's Argument 5 that the Killing of chriftout- wardly, being the Act of Wicked Men, could be no Meritorious Act i 4. Where doth the Scripture fay, chrift offers him (elf up in his Chil- dren a Sacrifice for Sin .<? 5. Is not this to make many Sacrifices, or at leafttofay, that chrift offers himfelf often, yea, Millions of times., contrary to Scripture, that faith, chrift offered up himfelfonce? 6. Why could no Beaft under the Law, that had a Blemifh, be offer- ed ; but to fignifie that chrift was to offer up hirrtfeif in no other Body, but that which was without all Sin .<? 7. Why was it Propfoecied of Chrift*) a Body haft thou prepared me, why not Bodies many, if he offer up himfelf in the Bodies of all the Saints ? 8. Is not this to make the Sacrifice of chrift of lefs Value and ErBcacie in his own Body, than his Sacrifice in w, Pennsfiody i becaufe the Sacrifice of chrift, in that Body that was offered at Jcr/tfilent, was the Type,this in if. PenrPs Bo- dy, the Anti-type ; That the Biftory, This theMyftery. 9. Doth not this fhvngthen the Papiits in their fa lie Faith ; thit chrift is daily of- fered in the Mifs, an unbloody Sacrifice t I dthxt that w. Penn^ and GS'Pfhitehead) will give a pofitive Anfwer to thefe Queries $ and (hew, wherein my Arguments againft their Notion oichnjTs being offered a Sacrifice in Men, are not fo ftrong againft them, as w.Pemrs Argu- ments-

An Appendix.

tncnts are againft the PapihVs Notion •, that chrift is offered up daily intheMafs,

I. Note, Reader, Whereas my Adverfaries, Tho. Elwood, and J. Pennington, in their Books againft me , have brought feveral Quo- tations out of fome of my former Books, -particularly The way cafl up, }\99. and The Way to the City of G»d, p. 125. on purpofe to prove that I was of the fame Mind and Perfuafion with w. Penn, and George whitehead, concerning Chrijl being a real Sacrifice for Sin in Men, to Appeafe the Wrath and Juflice of God. 5 and his being the Seed of the Woman in them, having Flelh and Blood, &cr to be un- derftood without any Metaphor, or Allegory, or other Figurative Speech, is what I altogether deny, can be inferred from my Words 5 for as I have fhewed in my Book oflmmed. Revel.p. 14; 15, 16. (which John p^/?ff/'/2£m> hath per verfiy applyed in his Book, called, The Figg- Leaf Covering, p. 5, 4.) The Spiritual Difcern'ng of the Stints {in Scrip- ture) is held forth under the Names of all the five Scnfes^ -In like man-

ner the things of God themfelves, are held forth in Scripture, under the Names of jenfible things ', and which are mo ft Taking, p leaf ant and Re- frejhing unto the Senfes j as Light, Fire, Water, Oyl, wine, Oy fitment, Honey y Marrow and Fatnefs, Bread, Manna, and many other fuch like Names, which 1 expre fly grant are Metaphors ; yet that hinders not (faid 1} but that the Spiritual Myfteries Represented under them, and fignified by them, are real and fubftantial things • to wit, God's Power and virtue, Spirit, Lioht, and Life, and the wondrous fweet and precious workings and Influences thereof {which I ex pre fly mention, p. 14.). and indeed thefe outward things are but Figures of the Inward and Spiritual, which as far e ceed and tranfcend them, in Life, Glory, Beauty, and Excellency, as a living Body doth the Sbadw. Now all this I ftili firmly hold and be- lieve as much as formerly, when I Writ thofe Words 5 for indeed, be- caufe we have not proper Words, whereby to fignifie Spiritual and Divine Enjoyments and Refrelhments in the Souls of the Faithful 5 therefore Words are borrowed, and transferred from their common Signification, to a Metaphorical, and Allegorical 5 whereby to figni- fie the Spiritual Enjoyments and Refrefhments of the Saints, from wh.u they Witnefs and Experience of the Power, Vertue, Light, Life, and Love of God and chrift in them. So that I ft ill fay, the outward Light of Sun, Moon, Star, or Candle, is but a Shadow, or Figure, carnoTed with the Divine Light of God and chrift within >, the out- ward Bre :d, Wine, Flefli, though ever fo excellent that the outward

Man

An Appendix.

Man tails of, is but a Figure and Shadow \ being compared with that inward Bread of Life, inward Wine and Flefh, oyl, and Honey, that is inwardly tafted and received by the inward Man. But behold the wretched perverfion that my Prejudiced Adverfary, John Penning- ton, puts upon my found Words, and the wretched Conclufion that he draws from thence 5 as if therefore I did hold then, that the out- ward Death of chrift was but a Shadow, or Sign of the inward Death of chrift in Men, and his outward Sacrifice and Blood outwardly Shed, was but a Figure and Shadow of his being a Sacrifice within Men , and his Blood inwardly Shed ; which as it hath no Shadow of Confequence from any Words , ib it never came into my Thoughts, fo to imagine 5 for in that place of my Book, of immed. Rev. above quoted by him, I did not compare Cbrijt's Death without, and his Death within, or his Blood without, to his Blood within } making That the Shadow and Figure, and This the Subftance, as they do: But I was comparing the outward Meats and Drinks , as Bread, Flefh, Wine, Marrow and Fatnefs, with the Divine Enjoyments of the Saints, which borrow the Names of thefe outward things, and where- of they ar^but Figures and Shadows.

1 1. And when I faid in ibmeof my former Books, that ChriH was the Seed of the Woman, that bruifed the Serpents Head in the Faith- ful in all Ages •, I did not mean that Chrift, as he was born of the Vir- gin Maryy was a Figure, or Allegory of chrijFs Birth, or Formation in the Saints. But on the contrary, Chrift inwardly Formed, is the Allegory and Metaphor 5 yet fo that chrift inwardly enjoyed in the Saints, is a real Divine Substantial Enjoyment and Participation of Chrift, his Life, Grace and Virtue, in meafure which they receive out of the Fulnefsof the Glorified Man chrift J<?/k* in Heaven 5 for though to Call Chrifi inwardly the Seed Born,- or Crucified, is Meta- phorical j yet the inwarchLife of Chrift is Real and Subftantial that the Saints Enjoy •, and being a Meafure out of the Fulnefsthat is in the Glorified Man Chrift Jejm in Heaven , it is of the lame Nature there- with . and it is one and the fame Mediatory Spirit, and Life of Chrifi , in him ; the Head dwelling in Fulnefs, and in them in Meafure, as Paul hid } to every one of us is Grace given, according to the Meafure of the Gift of Chrift.

And whereas he quotes me in his 5 5 th p. faying, This is the promifed Seed which God promt fed to our Parents after the Fall, and actually %ave unto them, even the Seed of the Woman^ thai fhould bruifi the Head of the

' Set*

An Appendix.

Strfent, But doth this prove, that chrift being inwardly Formed in the Saints, was more properly (and without all Allegory Metaphor, or Synecdoche) the Seed of the Woman, than as he was Born of the Virgin ? I fay nay } though he would ftrain my Words to this, to bring me into the fame Ditch with him and his Brethren $ who make chrift without, the Type and Hiuory, and chrift within, the Subftancc

and Myftery.

That the promifed Seed was actually given to Believers, immediately after the Tally hath this plain Orthodox Senfe. That the Power of Chrifs Godhead or the Eternal Word that was in the beginning, and which was in the Fulnefsof Time, to take Flefh and Blood, like unto the Children, did actually break the Power of Sin and Satan in the Faithful -, and this Power was the real Power of the Seed of the Wo- man that'was Borfi of the Virgin Mary's and what that Power effe&ed and wrought in the Faithful, in the Ages before chrift came into the Flefh, it was wkh Refpecl: to his coming in the Flefh, and to what he was to do and Puffer in his Body of Flefh for their Sins. And what I laid, as Quoted by him, page 35. out of my Book, way to the City of God, page 125. Even from the beginning, yea, upon Mans Fall, God was in Chrift Reconciling the world to himfelf, a nd Chrift was manifejl in the Holy Seed inwardly, and /hod in the way to ward off the Wrath of God, from the Sinners andllnholy, that it might not come uoon them to the nttermoftt during the Day of their Vifitation. All this, or what ever elfeof that fort, I have faid, in any of my Books, hath a iafe and found Senfe, rightly underftood 3 though this Prejudiced Ad- versary, feeks by his own Perverfion to turn them to the contrary : The Word Reconciling, Redeeming,\\i\\i a two-fold Signification 5 the one is to fatisfie Divine Juftice, *and pay the Debt of our Sins j this was only done by Chrift, as he Suffered for us in the Fkfh • the other is to Operate, and Work in us, in order to flay the Hatred and En- mity that is in us, while Unconverted} that being Converted, we may enjoy that inward Peace of Chrift, that he hath Purchafed for us by his Death and Sufferings, Now that the Light, Word, and Spi- rit, gently Operates and Works in Men, to turn and incline them to Love G6d, 10 Fear him, andObey'him, to'Believe and Truft in him ; that is, to Reconcile Men to God, and to ward, or keep off the Wrath of God from them ? And thus, God was in Chrift, Reconciling the World to him inallAoes . But this is not by way of Satisfaction to Divine Juftice for Mens Sins? but by way of Application, and Operation •■> inwardly Inviting, Pen'uading, and as it were Intreating Men to be Reconciled

unto

J

An Appendix.

unto God 5 that Co the Wrath of oW that hangs over their Heads, may not fall upon them 5 fofwhile God by Christ, thus inwardly vifits the Souls of Men , inviting and perfuading them to turn and live ; laying, why will ye Dye .<? the Wrath is fufpended, and delayed to be Executed upon them 5 yet it is not removed, but abides upon them, until the;' Kepent and Believe, as the Scripture tcllifieth - he that belitveth net, the Wrath of God abideth on him. And though this inward Appearance, and Operation in Christ in Men's Hearts, ftayeth the Execution of Divine Wrath and Juftice 5 yet that inward Appearance, is not the Procuring and Meritorious Caufe of Men's Reconciliation with God$ but the Means whereby, what chr'tH by his Death and Sufferings hath Purchafed, is applyed ; for though chriB made Peace for us by his Blood outwardly Shed ; yet that Peace cannot be, nor is obtained, or received by any, but as the Soul is inwardly Changed and Converted, aud fo Reconciled unto God.

III. And the like twofold Signification, hath the Word to Attone 5 for asitffgnifiethto Attone, or Reconcile (Wand us, that wholly is procured by chrifi\ Obedience unto Death, and-Sacriflce that he offer- ed up for Men on the Crofs 5 but as it fignifleth the effectual Applica- tion of that great Attonement, made by chrilf for Men at his Death 3 that is wrought by his Spirit, and inward Appearance in their Hearts. And I might well fay, at Man's Fall, the Seed of the woman was given!, not only to hruife the Serpent's Head, but al, 0 to be a Lamb or Sacrifice, t& Attone and Pacify the wrath of God towards Men 5 as he Quotes me in my Book, way to the City , p. 125. For taking Attuning in the firft Senfe, the Virtue, Merit, and Efficacy of Chri(l\ Sacrifice on the Crofs, did as really extend tc the Faithful for Remiflion of Sin, and bringing into Reconciliation and Pe?ce with God, from Adam's Fall, as it now doth 5 which this Prejudiced Author fecms wholly ignotanr oi, as well as his Brethren ; Again taking it in the fecond Senle , for [the effectual Application of the Attornment made by ChriJPs Death/ through his Meek and Lamb-like Ap] :e by his Spirit and Life in

Men's Hearts, it has a Truth in it : And chrifi may be laid to be the Lamb of cr^thattaketh away the Sins of the World.; both by his out- ward Appearance in theFkfb, as he Dyed for us. to Procure and Fur- chafe the Pardon of our Sins, and our Juftification before God • and fo by his inward Appearance, to Renew and Sanctine us • for as by our Juftification the Guilt of Sin is taken away ; fo by our SancVification is the Fill" 1 amoved : Both which is the Work of chrifi, the Famb

O of

Ja Jffiendix.

ofeT^refpeSing both his outward and inward Appearance^n his out- ward, being a Sin-offering for us, and a Sacrifice in a ftrictSenfe5 in his inward Appearance of his Divine Life in us , being as a Peace-offer- ings and Sacrifice of fweet fmelling Incenfe before God 5 not to Recon- cile GW and us, as is above faid 5 but to apply effectually to us, the Reconciliation made for us by his Death on the Crofs.

I V. And that I faid (as he again Quotes me) the Seed hath been the fame in all Ages, and hath hid its Sufferings, under, by, and for the Sins of Men in them all, for the Removing and Abolishing them'5 This I ftill hold, that there is a tender Suffering Seed, or Principle in Men, that fuffers by Men's Sins, and by its gentle Strivings, prevails and gains the Victory atlaft in all the Heirs of Salvation. But this fuf- fering v.eed, or Principle, I never held it to be God, nor was I ever of that Mind ,' that God did redly and' properly Suffer by Mens Sins ■> al- though I have known divers to hold fuch an abfurd Opinion, as G, whitehead hath plainly declared to be his Opinion in his Divinity cf Chrifi, p. 56. which is as really Repugnant, both to Scripture and foundReafon , as to "hold that God hath Bodily Parts and Members- becaufe the Scripture in many places, in condefcenfion to our human Capacities, (peaks of God's Suffering, Repentance, being grieved 3 ask doth of his Face, Eyes, Ears, Hands and Feet 5 all which ought not to be properly, but AUegoricaliy understood. And though I hold that this tender Seed fuffers in Men by their Sins , that fo by its gentle Stri- vings with them, it may overcome them, and Slay and Crucifie the Body of Sin in them ; Yet I hold not that Suffering to be the Procuring and Meritorious Caufe of our J unification, and Pardon of Sins before God"* nor do I remember any where that I have fo faid or writ ; if any fhall (hew me where, I (hall readily Correct and Retract it," or any thing in any of my Books that looks that way: And if any Query whether I hold that Seed to be chrifi^ that doth fo furler in Men by their Sins , I *Anfwer, It is not the Fulnefs of chrifi, but a Meafure proceeding from the Fulnefs that was, and is lodged in the Man chrifi ; and becaufe the Fulnefs is not in us, and never was, or (hall be in any Man, but in the Man chrifi Jefm.alom, that was Born of the Virgin • therefore he' and he only, becaufe of the Fulnefs of Grace and Truth that was and is in him,wasOrdained and Appointed to be the Great,and only,and alone Sacrfice for the Sins of the World, being the Head of the Body^ which is his Church , it was only proper that the Sufferings that fhould be in the Head oaly, fliQuldbeth-.it compleat, only, and alone Satisfactory

and

An Jppendix.

and Propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of Men 3 As the Arguments above "mentioned in my Queries to G. whitehead, and w.penn^ do plainly demonftratc : And though in chrifi when he Suffered for the Sins of the World at his Death , his Godhead did not Suffer, yet all that was in him (the Godhead excepted) did Suffer.

Note again, Reader, That although I find no caufe to give an An- fwer to the Book of 'John Pennington, above-mentioned, called, The Fig-Leaf Coverings Sec. Becauie I had faid in my fecond Narrative, p. 33. that very Book, (being a pretended Anfwer to my Book of Explications and Retractations) is fuch a plain and evident Difcovery of hisUnjuft, and Unfair Proceedings againft me (whereof, the whole fecond Days Meeting, who hath approved his Book is Guilty; and of his Ignorance and Perverfnefs of Spirit, in Perverting my Words 5 that I fee no need to give any other Anfwer to him, or direct to any other Aniwer, (either to his Fig-Leaf, 8tc. or his Book Keith againjb Keith, or any other his Books) but his own very Book, and Books compared fairly with my Books, Quoted by him 3 and particularly that of my Explications and Retractations } yet becaufe I find divers Pat fages in that Book of his, plainly prove him and his Brethren of the fecond Days Meeting extreamly Erroneous in the great things of the Chriftian Doctrin, fome of them being Fundamental • therefore I mall take notice of the following Paffage^ h partly to give the Reader a taft of his Unfair Dealing towards me, and partly to mew his being mil Erroneous in fome great Fundamentals of the Chriftian Faith- together with his Brethren of the fecond Days Meeting, who have approved his Fig- Leaf

In his 19 and 20 Pages, he will needs fatten a Contradiction on me: That one time, bytheFlefhofcbrift, John 6. I mean an in- ward invifible Subftance, and the Eating an inward invifible Eating. But now in my Retractations, I AfTert, that to believe im Ctotfc as he gave his Body of Flefh outwardly to be broken for us, is the Earing of his Fie (h, as well as the inward Enjoyment of his Life in us. And to confirm the Contradiction, he Quotes meJaymgJmMed, Revel. ^.2^8. This Body of Chrift, of which we partake, is not that which he took up when became in the Flejh outwardly, hut that which he had from the begin- ning. An[< Firft, If is no Contradiction, to fiy, the Eating efchri/Ps Flefi, John 6. is to believe (not by a bare Historical Belief, but by a living fincere Faith Wrought in us by the Spirit of ckfift) thatchrifl gave bis cm war a be broken for its \ and alio that it is the inward

O % Enjoy*

An Jppendix.

Enjoyment of his Life in us $ ask is no Contradiclon, tofayi chrifi is our Intire and eompleat Saviour $ both as he came outwardly in the Flew, Dyed and Roie again, &c. And as he cometh inwardly by his Spirit into our Hearts, and cLvelleth in us by Faith. And as concern- ing that Quotation, Jmmed. Rev. p. 25-8.. by this Body, in that place 5 I did mean that which is only Aliegorically called his Body, to wit, that Middle of Communication* above- mentioned 3 that is indeed a Spiritual and invifibleSubftance, owned by R. B. as well as by me, and many others. And I fay ftill, this invifible Spiritual Subftance in the Saints, is not that vifible Body of chrifi which he aiTumed when he came in the Flefli outwardly } yet this- is not to make two Bodies of chrifi 1 becaufe the one is called his Body, onlyin a Metaphorical Senfe, Anf. 2. In my Book of Retractations, p. 25. I had plainly RetracTed and Ce rreded that PafTage, in p. 2 5. Recor. Corr. That by Chrijfs Flejh and Blood, John 6. 10 y 5 r. He meaneth only Spirit and Life $ acknowledg- ing, that it was at mod: anOverfightin me 5 but-how doth this prove me a Changlingin an Article of Faith? As he infers very Injuroufly : May not a Man change his Judgment concerning the Senfe of a particu- lar place of Scripture, without changing an Article of Faith? That jfuch a Chmge may be, without a Change in an Article of Faith , Js acknowledged by all Sober Writers and Hxpolitors of Scripture. Yea, there are many places of §cripture, that fome understand one way, and others not that way, but another, and others a third way ; . and yet all have one Faith in point of Do&rin. Anft 3. What 1 Man Retraces in one Book, or part of a Book, he ought to be underftood to Retracl: the fame PafTage, where it can be found in another Part, or Book of his ; nor ought he to be Charged with Contradiction, in what he hath Retraced. For as I have formerly faid in Print, they are only Charge able with Contradictions that without Re racr.ation, holds Contradi- ctory AOeitions, fimul&femel, i.e. both together.

Page 22. He will not permit metoufe that Diftinclion, to fay, I had not my Knowledge frosrt them, (viz. The Scriptures) as being the efficient Caufe, but I did not deny that I had my Knowledge by them Inftrumentally-;tovv'it;thc Doftrinal Knowledge and Faith I had of Gof- pel Truths; he Quibbles upon the Word from, as if it could not figrii- fiefometin efficient Caufe, and fbmetimes the Inftrumental .

whereas a School Boy knoweth that it hath thefe fev.eraj Significant on?, and more alfo. And feeing what I then Writ in my Book of Jmmed. Rev. was owned by the Quakers, it plainly followeth D That ordingto J. P. the Words of Scripture are not a Means (b much as

Inftru-

An Appendix.

Inftrumentally to our Knowledge of the Truths cf Chri/tian Do&rin. But how will he Reconcile this to w.Penn^ who doth acknowledge tii it the Scriptures are a Means to know gW, chrift and our felves .«? See his Rtjoynder, p. i 1 5 .where he exprefly faithj/f<? wwr *fc#/W /fo &r^ /tff> fa ^ a means in God's H^W, to Convince y InftrutJ, or Confirm. By tpe> its plain. ?r. P. meant all the Quakers 5 and confequently 6". A', be- ing then owned to be one of them.

Page 59. He will not allow, that what I have Quoted out of my lmmcd. Revel, p. 243. to p. 247. proves that 1 did then hold the Man Chrift without us in Heaven, to be the ObjeB if our Faith . though he grants my Words that I laid > The Man Chrift who Suffered in the Flefh at Jerusalem } is the Spring out of which all the living Streams flow into our Souls , and that he is to be Prayed unto, which he faith none of us deny. And yet with the lame Breath as it were he denyeth it 5 for if the Man chrift is to be Prayed unto , being the Spring out of which all the living Streams flow unto our Souls 5 farely as fuch he is the ob- ject of our Faith 5 for how can we Pray to an Objetf in whom we believe not* But feeing he will not allow me, that I then owned the Man cbrift without us to' be the object of Faith (wherein he is mo ft unjufi

to me) and that I Writ then as a Quaker, and my Doclrin was the Quakers Doftrin 5 It is evident, that according to him, it was not the Quakers Doclrin , that the Ivfen Chrift without us, is in. any Part or Refpect the Object of our Faith • why then doth he, -and many others Accufe me, that I Bely them,for faying they hold it not necefla- ry to our Salvation, that we believe in the Man Christ without us/ And ;reat Ignorance, or Infincerity in him , to fay, that none of them deny that the Man chrift without us in Heaven, is to be Prayed

0 ; Seeing a Quaker of great Note among them, William shewed, hath Printed it in his Book of Thoughts, p. 37. Not to Jefia the Sen cf

■ham. David And Mary j Saint hr Angel • but to God the Father, all worfoiPy Honour and Glory k to be given , through Jefus Chrift, &c. This ejrc. cannot be Jefa the Son of Abraham, but forne other Jefus • as fup-

e the Li^ht within 5 otherwife there would be a Contradiction in

Words 1 fo here he A forts two Jefus's with a witnePs 5 what faith J. Pennington to this i

2 41. In Oppofition to my Chriftian After t Ion , that the believing

Jews e chrift came in the Flefh, did believe in chrift, as he was

to be Born, Surfer Death, Rife and Afcend 5 and fo the Man ch rift,

:n before he was Conceived, Born, &:. was the Object of their

Faith -

An Jffendix.

faith • He thus mod Ignorantly and Erroneoufly Argue th. coidd

that be the object of theirs, (viz. the believing Gentiles) or of the Jews Faith, which our Lord hid not yet received of the Virgin, which was not Con- ceived, nor Bom j much lefs Afcended i Anf. Yes, i hit can be an Ob- ject of Faith and Hope, which has not a prefent Existence, but is qttidfuttirum , fomethingtocome* though nothing can be an Object of our Bodily Sight, or other Bodily Senfes, but what is in Being, and hath a real Exiftence in the prefent Time. But lb Stupid and Grots is he, that he cannot underftand this , that the Faith of the Saints could have a future objeff, in any Part or Refpeet ; this is to mike Faith as low and weak a thing as Bodily Senfe. Is it not generally acknowledg- ed through ail chriftendom, that the Saints of old, as Abraham^ Mojes, David believed inCbrist, thePromifed Seed as he was to come, and be Born, and Suffer Death for the Sins of the World, according to our Saviours Words , Abraham faw my Day and wasgUd* which is general- ly underftood by Expositors b that as he law Chrift inwardly in Spirit, fo he taw that he was to come outwardly, and be his Son ace >rding to the Fleih 5 and by what Eye did he fee this, but by the Eye of Faith .<? And that Eye of Faith had chrift to come in the Fleih, to be Born, &c. for i ts Object as a thing to come.

And in the fame Page 41. HeQuoteth me falfly, faying, Imwed. Rev. p. 132. agreeing with both Papifts and Protectants, That God foe akinc in Men is the Formal object *f Faith. This Quotation is Fafie in Mat- ter of Fact, as well as his Inference from it isFajfe and Ignorant. I faidinthatp. 132. That both Papifts and Proteftants agree in this 5 That the Formal Object of Faith is God fpeakixg'-) but quoth the Papift, it is the Speaking in the Church of ^w^ ; no, quoth the Protefta'nt, God Speaking in the Scriptures, is the Format Object of Faith. Here I plainly mew the difference of Papifts and Proteftants, about the For- mat object of Faith "■> though they agree in one Pare, tfut it is God Speaking} yet in theother Part they differ 3 the P.pifts making it, Gad Speaking>in the Church 5 that is, not in e try Believer, but in the Pope and hjs Counfel. And therein that, ami forne following Pages,! Plead for Internal Revel ition Ivc.

ly, but Objectively Working in the ' , re.

ftimony I ftill Adhere. But what then ? ! ) h 1 .;. « chrift

without us is no Object of our Faiths Will h School

Terms^ and vet underftand them • tana 1 I ! Doth neither

he, nor his quondam Tutor, T. Elhwd, underftand that the res crede.-.

i.e.

An Appendix.

u e. The things to be believed, are Ingredients in the Material Objetf of Faith 5 as not only that Cbrijlczmo. in the Flefh, was BornoFa Virgin 5 but all the Do:trins, and Doctrinal Propofitions fet forth in Scripture', concerning (Wand cbrift^ and all the Articles of Faith, are the Mate- rial O' jeci of our Faith $ but the Formal object of Faith, is the inward Teftimonyof the Spirit, moving our Understandings and Hearts to believe and clofe with the Truth of them '. All which are well confi- dent, and owned by me.

Page 43. He Rejc&s my Expofition of the Parable, concerning the loft piece of Money ,in my late Retractation of my former Miftake,p. 15. Sect. I . p. 10. That by the loft piece of Money, is 'to be under/hod the Souls of Men 5 as by the loft sheep, and the loft Prodigal, To this he m oft Ig- norantly and Falfly oppofeth, by faying : Firft, The Lord can find the Scnl without lighting a Candle in it. 1 Anfwer, By finding, here is meant Converting the Soul • thus the Father of the Prodigal found him , when he Converted him to himfelf } this my Son was loft, and is found, /. e, rvas depirtedfrom God} but now is Concerted, Luke 15. 32. And ver. 6. ] ba-e found the sheep that was loft. Now, can this be. wrought ; or doth God Wotk this Work of Converfion in a loft Soul,, wi hour his Lighting a Candle in it ? Secondly, He faith, the very defign of the Parable , was to fet forth, not what God had loft, bu£ what Man had loft 5 the Candle being ufed by Man who needed it ., not by God and chrift who needed it not. How Ignorantly and Stupid- ly doth he here Argue C How can Man ufe the Candle, unlefs God light it in his Heart 5 and doth not God ufe it in order tobring, or Con- vert Man to himfelf .<? It's true, though there were noCandle lighted in Man's Hem, Cod feeth where the Soul is, even when it is involved in the greater! Darknefs •■, but in order to the Souls Converfion, which is principally God's Ad, it is God that lights the Candle in it, and. cauies his Light to Shine in it. And whereas I have (aid 5 they who Ex- pound the loji Piece of Money, to be the Light withtn^ will find din>

culty to iliew what the nine Pieces are, which are not loft. His

Anfwer to this is, as Similes feldom go on all four ; fo "neither muft Parabiesbe purfued too far. 1 Anlwer, Though every Circumftance of a Parable L not to be purfued, yet every necetfary part of it »$ whoe- ver Expounds the Parable, is bound to Expo x the nine Pieces

a*re, as well as what die tenth was. But he thinks to pinch me with great Difficulties in my Expofition. As firfty He demand? whether there be no difficulty to find who the Woman is that had ten Souls,

kept.

An Appendix.

kept nine, and loft one. Anf% There is no difficulty in this, more than in finding who the ninety nine Sheep were that were not loft - and who the Elder Brother was in the other two Parables-: And who they were, I had formerly (hewn,, but that his Prejudice blinds him, that he will not fee : Many Angelica), Created, Rational Spirits did not Sin, lb were not loft 5 but the Souls of Men did Sin, lb were loft.

And the number nine in the .one Parable, and ninety nine in the other, aniwer one to another 5 the Definite Numbers being put for Indefinite, as is ordinary in Scripture. But he thinks it a mighty dif- ficulty according to my Expofition, to tell what the Houfe was, which 'in eftecihas no difficulty at all -0 the Houfe where the Soul is, as Buried under a great heap of Filth and Sin, is the Body wherein the Soul is Lodged 5 and the Animal and Natural Faculties, with which alfothe Soul is Defiled 5 lb the Houfe* to wit the Body, and Animal and Na- tural Faculties, being Swept and Cleanfed by him who hath his Fan in his Hand, purely to Purge his Floor, to wit, Chnft, Signified here by the Woman) he finds the loft Soul . for as he laid him f elf, became to feek a?idto\ave, (i.e.) 'that which was loft. For Chri • had not loft Chrift, nor God had not loft Gods, but they had fin. a SenfeJ loft the Souls that had Sinned, as the Souls had loft God and Chrifl.

;e 4?.4<5.) InOppofition to me, he will needs have allthefe Places, 1 Cor. 2.2. Rom. 66. Gal. 2. 20. Heb. 6. 6. To be un- derftood of chrifis being Crucified in Men 5 elfe why doth heoppofe me with his Queries .«? and at this rate we mall not find any place in the NewTeftamenr, where Paul Preached chrifl Crucified without Men, but only within ; for by the fame Liberty he may Expound all other Places, only bfcbrijl Crucified within. But there isnoreafom why any of thefe places fhould be underftood ofchrijPs Crucifixion in Men 5 the Crucifying the Old Man is lb far from being joyned with the inward Crucifying of chrifl, that it is rather a Sign and Effort of Cbrifs Power, Triumphing Viclorioufly in Man, than of his being Crucified inMan. Tfie Crucifying chrifl nfrefh, is nQt fo much the Crucify in g him within Men, as its Men Acting- fb Unworthily 5 as if they did Acl over again the Jews Parr, in Crucifying him outwardly.

Page 47- His bale Reviling me, for my Retracing fonW things in m\ Book of limier.al Grace, ufed by way of Argument unduly by me' ing, Thus whim ;s verified the faying of the Affile, James 1.8 A >U minded Man is unjtable in all his ways. By this means he will al- low

Jn Jffendix.

low no Man to Amend orCorreclhis Faults, or Retracl his Errors, however truly convinced of them ; if he does, he is Condemned by J. Pennington, (and not by the .Apcitle James) to be- a d.uble winded Man. But what if perhaps G* whitehead, or iv. Penn, ihould find caufe fo Retract, or Correcliome PafTages in their Books, which formerly they thought Divine Openings-, muft they alio be judged double Minded Men, &*• Is it not more an Evidence of Sincerity ro Retract an Error, than to perfift in it ? Have net many good Men done it t Yea, have not the Quakers commended fome for Retracting and Con- demning fome things, which formerly they reckoned to be Divine Openings ? Muft all that Retracl from their Errors, be Reputed dou- ble Minded Men < Oh unfair Adverfary, full of deep Prejudice and Spite ! I pray God give him Repentance and Forgivenefs. ,

Page. 50. Heisfo Tgncrant and Blind, as not to under/land my distinction betwixt Eflentials of true Religion Indefinitely, and Eflen- tials of the true Chriftian Religion in specie, Comelitu's Religion (being Gentile Religion) was true in its kind, before he had the Faith of chrifi Crucified-, but I fay, the Faith of chriji Crucified, in fome degree is EfTential to the Chriflian Religion, and otherwife to Aflert its plain Deijme 5 yet that Faith may be, where the know ledge of theCircUm- ftances of Times, Phcesand Perfons may be wanting.

Page 52. He blames my faying, upon Suppofiticn that any fuch thing can be found in my Books, 1 Retracl and Renounce it, itiz. That any are faved without all Knowledge and Faith of Cbrift, Explicit or lm~ f licit) this he faith is Childifh all over. And for a Proof he Querieth • Can a Man Retracl and Renounce a Paflage upon Suppofition,arid not know what the Paflage is ?

But his Query is Impertinent, and hits not the'Cafe^ a Man may Retracl a Saying upon Suppofition, that he had /aid it 5 yet not know- ing that ever he faid it 5 as if he were accufed, that he had laid, B. is a Difhoneft Man, and replyeth, I know not that ever I-fo faid 5 but on Suppofition that lib faid, I Retracl it. This is not Childifli; but Manly and Chriftian 5 if he had no caufe to (ay, b. is a Difhoneft Man. It feems, J. Pennington never Repented of his Sins of Ignorance j he thinks that's Childifli all over : I pity his Childifhnefe.

Page 54. His blaming me for faying in my Rctraclajicns^ The breaking of the Union betwixt Soul and Body ; is mere properly a Dc'.th.x than the breaking the Union betwixt the Life and Spirit of Chrift, atk the Soul of Man -i is the Death of Chrijt in the Son!. For of that I was Tf ear-

• P

^

An Appendix.

ing, and at this rate of his blaming me 5 when chrift Dyed upon the Crofs 5 that was not fo proper a Death, as when he is Crucified in Men by their Sins $ and confequently his Death in Men is the only pro- per Sacrifice, for that Mans Sins. His Death without, being notfo proper a Death, is not a proper Sacrifice, by his moit Ignorant way of Reafoning. But my Reafon for my AiTertion holds good, and which he has not touched 5 for when a Man Dyeth, his Soul leaveth the Bo- dy, and ceafeth to Act in it , nor is the Body any more fenfible j but Chrift Acteth in- a Dead Soul, and the Soul, though Dead, is oft made in fome degree fenfible of the Spirit of chrift Acting in k, in ordtr to its being further quickned^as frequently comes to pais inThoufandsand Millions of Souls. Befides, as 1 Argued ^ the Union of Soul and Body, is a Personal Union, whereby what the Body doth, is chargabie upon the Soul •■) but the Union betwixt the Spirit of Cbrijl and Men, is not a Perionai Union ; otherwife when thofe Men Sin, their Sin would be chargeable upon Chrift.

Page 6 1 . He Ignorantly thinks he hath caught me in a Contradicti- on, about owning a Condition in one Senfe, in Reference to God's Wil- ling all Men to be laved j ex parte objesti, and denying a Conditional Election. But this is no Contradiction at all 5 becaufethe Will of God is Conditional Objectively, or ex parte objecli^ i, e. Men that are . the Object of God's Will, and yet not Conditional Subjectively, /. e. on God's Part 5 if he undentand not this Diftinction, I ought not to fufrer for his Ignorance jhe fiiould not meddle with School-Term /,except he underfhnd them 5 the diftinction of Volition, Conditional Objective- ly\ and not Conditional Subjectively • and yet the fame Will is common and ordinary in all Authors that Treat on fuch Subjects.

Page 69. He is Guilty of great Injury againft me, in Matter of Fact, by an Unfaithful Reciting of my Words, and thence taking occafion

againfi me. In all places in the New Te flame nt} where the Word Gof-

pel is tiled) it ftgnifieth the Doffrin of Salvation by the promt fed Mejflah, that rv as outwardly to c: me, and did come in the trite Nature of Man^ &C. He quite leaves out my Words •_ and did come in the true Nature of Man, that were necelTary to perfect the Sentence, and if he had brought them,would have taken away his occafion of hisQuareiiing with me fo Unjuftlyj he faith, here he u out again? for the New .Teftament being Written, not when Chriftwas outwardly come, but after he. was -vardly come • the Word Go i pel t!^e. -vhen it ft?n fieth the Doffrin of Salvation by the fnmifed ' >eeds refpecihim^ as already come^ not as

to

An Jppendix.

to come. Anf. Where the New 1 eftamcnt faith, the Gofpel was Preached to Abraham, and to the Children oldfraelm the Wilderne/s 5 Gofpd t ere fignificd the Doctrin of Salvation by the promifed Mtffiak that was then to come, and not already come-, but at other times it fignifteth the Doclrin of Salvation, by Chrifi already come, as my Words Cautioned it ; therefore he is Guilty of Abuie and Forgery, like his quondam Matter, 7 ho. Elwood^ as elfewhere.

Page 70. He moft Impertinently oppofeth my found AiTeriion, by Quoting Paul, mentioning another Gofpel, as 2 c-r. n. 4. and Gal. I. 6,$, 9, For by Gofpel I under (land the true Gfpel of Chrifi, and not a falfe Gofpel ; as when I fay, every Man is a Rational Creature ♦, and J.Pennington,(hould Object, a Man Pictured on a Board or Wall,is not a Rational Creature. Is not this a rare Difputant /

But his following Oppofition is the moft obiervable, and is a new effectual Proof of my Charge againlt him and his Brethren of the 26,

Preached; although the Hiftery of chrijfs Birth, Death had not) doth that place^ Rev. 14. 6, 7. mention any thing of the DocJrin of Salvation, by the promifed Meffiah ? There is not a word of that faid there 5 but faying with a loud voice., fear God, and give Glory to him, &c. (Being Preach- ed with Commif ion from on high f) is called Preaching the everlajlingGofpel. Bid G. K. {faith he) in his diligent fearch overlook this i if net ^ -how could he fay in all places in the New Teftament, where the word Gofpel is ufed, it fynifeth theDoclrin of Salvation by the promifed Meffiah ; he adds to this two other places, as Horn. I. 16. and Cclof. 1. 23, in both which, he will not have the Gojpel to fignifie the DoHrin of Satiation by Chrift Crucified, with refpecj to that clear and bright Difpenfation the Af- files were under {which was the Senfe I gave of the Gofpel, in Col. 1.23.) And he faith in Rom. 1 . \ 6. That the Gofpel cannot be faid to be the Power of God unto Solvation, to the Believer^ in 'any other Senfe, than as it is a Powerful, Energetical inward Principle ; for as it is bafely Hijlorical, the Ungodly have that Belief, though they want the Power. This I fay ef- fectually proves again my Charge agiinfl: them, That they hold not neccflfary, for us to believe that Chriji Dyed and Role again for our Salvation; why, the Gofpel that Paul Preached, Kom.il%6. and col. I-2 2. is not the Doclrin of Salvation by Chrift Crucified^ the prom: Meffiah, and when the ever la (ling Gofpel was to be Preached, Rev, 14. 6, 7« (.Which the Quakers think they have given them to Preach

P 2 v.kli

An Jffcndix.

(with Com mhTion from on High) the Dodrin of Salvation by Cbrifi Crucified, was not that Gofpel 5 the Confequence is plain, that there- fore the Faich of Chr fi Crucified, is not neceilary to their Hearers for Salvation. las not the Everhfting Gofpel that is given them to Preach • If they Preach it, they go beyond their Commiflion, they do a need- lefsWork. Bat faith J. P. Fear God and give Glory, to him is called Preaching the Everlafting Gofpel. But is not that alfo a Doctrin .<? yes, furelys io then the Doclrin, Fear God, &c. being Preached, is a Preaching the Everlafting Gofpel 5 but the Do&rin believe that Cbrifi Dkd tor our Sins, and Role again, being Preached is not Preaching the Everlafting Gofpel 5 according to John Pennington, and his Bre- thren of the Second Days Meeting.

This Sufficiently fheweth, that thofe Quakers are (empey idem, al- ways the fame 5 they are the (ame ftill, as formerly • though many that hear them oflate, fay, their Way of Preaching is changed 5 they had wont formerly, before the Difference arofe betwixt them and G. K. to Preach only the Light within, and Obedience to it , but now they Preach the Man Cbrifi, and his Death and Sufferings without, and how beneficial they were to Mankind 5 and that the Faith of it is Beneficial. Yet by J. P. his Affirmation approved by the Second Days Meeting of the Friends of the MinifTry, in and about London, whereof G. w. and w. Penn are Members, and where frequently they are prefent The Do^rin of Salvation by chriji Crucified?is none of the EverlaftingGof- pel that is given them to Preach $ but fear God, and givfc Glory to him, &c. But how comes it, that believe in the Light within, obey the Light within, and that (hall fuffice to your Salvation, is not menti- oned in the Angels Commillion to Preach the Everlafting Gofpel, no more than believe in cbrifi Crucified without you ? Perhaps J. p. will reply, though not mentioned or exprefled h yet it is implyed, and underftood. But how prove they it is implyed 5 that h..lievin<*in the Light within alone, and obeying it, is fufficient to Sal vauon, without Faith mCbr/fi Crucified < Is hot the Blindnefs of thefe Men ('for all they talk of Light within; exceeding Great, and the Darknefs that's over them, like the Darknefs of Egypt that might have been felt 1 John {Rev. 14. 6, 7.) did not fay the Angel had nothing eife to Preach, but fearGW, and give Glory to him } thai Doit' in being a general Doiftrin, common both to Law and Gofpel, and both co true Gentile Religion, as well as trite chriftian Religion. The Apofhcie having been fo great, thatmry called Chriftians were Degenerated- below the Heathens, and their Religion fcarce fogood, asthatoffome Heathens that did fear God, and Worfhip him only ; the Angel might Preach

that

An Appendix.

that general Do&rin, as being very proper and neceiTary to call Apo- ftate and Degenerate ProfefTors of Chriftianity,from their Idolatry and Profanity, as a neceflary Introduction to the Everlafting Gofpe^as well as in one Senfe it is a neceilary part of it, but not the whole Doctrin of the Gofpel 5 for Faith and Love are as neceflary Doetrins of the Go£ pel, asFear, though neither of them are expreily mentioned, yet i ai- plyed, together with ail the other Chriftian Virtues. But J, P. in his Words above Cited, will have it, That, the Gofpel cannot be [aid to be the Power of God unto Salvation , to the Believer in any other Senfe , than as it is a Powerful energetical inward Principle • for as it is barely Hiftorica'y the Ungodly have that Belief I Anfwer, How Foolimly doth he hers Argue, and Impertinently i whoever faid, that the bare Hiftorical Re- lation, or Report of Christ Crucified, is the Power of God unto Salva- tion? Or if any have faid it is the Gofpel, I am furel never faid nor thought it. But what hath J. P. againffc this Senfe of the Gofpel, Rom. 1 . 1 6. That it is the Do fir in oj ? Salvation, by the promised Meffhh, accom- panied with the Spirit of God and Chfift inwardly Revealed^ making it ef- fectually to be Believed and obeyed, in all that fhall be Sa :ed by it • and, thus the Gofpel that Pmland the other Apo(lles Preached, is not a bare FormofDoffrin without the Spirit and Power, nor the Spirit And Power with- out the Doclrin. And how Non-fenftcal is he to Argue $ that as it is barely. Hiftorical, the Ungodly have that BeliefiBut they have not the Saving Be- liefof the Do&rin of Chrifl Crucified 5 for that only is wrought in the Godly, by the Power and Spirit of chrifl. And though the Ungodly may have the Gofpel Preached unto them ? yet while they remain Ungodly, they receive it not, neither do they truly believe it, nor obey it. A bare Hiftorical Faith, is no more a True Faith, than the bare Piclure of a Man, is a Man. Therefore he is Idle to Argue" againft the Saving Faith of Chrifl Crucified 5 becaufe the Ungodly may have the bare Hi- ftorical Belief of it ; which differs as widely, as a Dead Body from a a Living Man.

But it is not enough for J. P. to Pervert my Words 5 but he will be bold to Pervert the Words of the Scripture, and not only put a falfe Glofs on them • but alledge that to be faid in Scripture, which is not faid, but is his own Addition. For as I have above Cited him, he faith, alfo when the Everlafting Gofpel was again to be Preached ; and he adds in Parenthefis 3 for it feems by the Word again, it had been dis- continued to be Preached 5 although the Hiftory of Chrifis Birth, Death had net. Now, Reader, open the Bible, and Read that place,

Rev,

An Appendix.

Rev. 14. 6y f> and thou wilt find the Word agam is not there to be found % (but in G. Fox's Some Principles, p. 22. it is found) and vet he Grounds his Argument upon this Pillar, again 5 by which he infer . that to his feeming, the Ever'afting Gofpel had been diicoadiu d to be Preached, although the*' Hiftory ofchrifs Birth, Death had not. And this difcontinuing of the Preaching the Everlahring Gofpel, he and his Brethren think did! remain, until G. Fox and the Qua- kers began to Preach it. Fox faith G. Fox and his Brethren, in the B /, called, Some Principles of the Elect People of God, Printed it London, 1 £7 1. In p. 48. But many People fpeak after this manner 5 Have we not had the Gofpel all this time till now? An P. we fay no, yon- have had the sheeps C loathings while you are Alienated from the Spirit 5 and fo not living in the Power, which is the Gofpel, Sec. But as in Rev. 14. 6, 7, The Word again is not to be found, nor will the Greek bear it $ fo nor is it im- plyed, that there was a difcontinuing of the Preaching of it altogether ; for hid the Gofpel ceafed, the Church had ceafed alio, and Faith and Salvation had ceafed. The mod that can be inferred, is, that the Preaching of it was not fo common and frequent, as formerly ; it had met with a great Stoppage and Oppofition in many parts of • the World, even under a Ghriftian Profeffion. becaufc of the Apoftacie * which had it not come, the Gofpel would have fpread much more than it yet hath done ; but as the Apoitacie goes out, the Everlafting Gofpel, the fame that the Apoftles Preached, will be Preached to eve- ry Nation and Kindred, and Tongue, and People, John 14. 5. That is, univerfiHiy ythis doth not prove the difcontinuing of it, as J. P. falf- ly Argaeth$. but that the more General, and indeed the Univerfal Spreading of it, hath not hitherto been as yet. His Argument, That the Gofpel that Paul Preached to the Colofliarrs, was not the Doftrin of Saivatton, by the promised Meffiah, cbrifl Crucified 3 becaufe the Gofpel he was fpeak ing of wm Preached to, or in every Creature under Heaven. Therefore (faith he) it could not be meant of the Doftrin of Salvation,

by Christ Crucified, »butof that Gofpel which had been Preached

to, or in every Creature under Heaven. I fay this his Argument is Vain and Falfe- but it is a good and effectual Proof to confirm my Charge againft them. Thefe Quakers Preach not any Gofpel for Sal- vation, but that which is Preached fo, or in every Creature under Heaven 5 but (faith J. P.) that is not the Doclrin of Salvation, by chrifl Crucified 5 therefore that is none o[ the Gofpel thefe Quakers Preach . what can be required more, habemus Conpentem reum ; we have the

Guilty

1

• An dpf&dix..

Guilty Conferring Matter of Fait. But furely the Go/pel. that Paid Preached to the Coloflisns> was the Doclrin of Salvation, by Chriji Crucified, as appears plainly from i Col. v. 14.ro the end of the Chap- ter. And his Arguing from the Words to^ or in every Creature (which fort of Argument hath deceived many) is no more valid to prove that the Gofpel, either then, or formerly had been Preached to every Man and Woman, in the full and adequate Senfe of the Ward every, as it. fignifieth every individual 5 than that becaufeP^«/faid, v. 28. of than fame Chapter whom we Preach, v/arning every Man, and Teaching every Man in all Wifdom, that we may prefent every Man Perfect in Chriji Jejw, that Paul and his Brethren, then living, did Teach eve- ry Man, that ever lived, or is now living on Earth. If yea, then fure- ly John YenmngtQny and all other Men now on Earth, were then li- ving 5 and this will be the Do&rin of the Revolution, or Transmigra- tion of Souls with awitnefs, (which he fo frequently would cafe upon me, though he has no juft ground fo to do^ nor any other Mart .,';■ if nayj, then he muftquit his Poft, and ceafe any more to Argue from his place of Scripture 5 that the Gofpel that Vaul Preached, was not the Do- ctrin of Salvation, by chriji Crucified • but the true Senfe of that place, Col. 1.23. I had formerly given, as he Quotes me, p. 71. Say- ing, though it was not at the jame time actually Preached to all Men, yet it wa<s begun to he Preached) and after the Prophetical Stile , that which was to he done ) is [aid to be done : He Quibbles againft this, faying, where • that Prophetical Phrase is, or how it ku fed, he Ajjigns not. Indeed it was not necellary to (hew to any but a little Skilled in the Letter and true Senfe of Scripture, where that Prophetical Phrafe is 3 for it is fo ge- nera! in Scipture Prophecies, that no Man that is not Brutiih. but mult be fenlibleofit, when he Reads them. When Ifaiah Prophecied of ChriJPs Death and Sufferings, and Birth, yea, and Burial, it is all faid in praterito . as if it had been, v, hich yet was not jfome hundred Years after. And fo it is almoft in the whole Prophecie of the Book of the Re- velatirn, and particularly that lq. Rev. 6.7. brought by him, which yet he applyeth, not to Johns Time, but to his and his Brethrens Preaching not the Doitrinof Salvation, by Chriji Crucified 5 if we muft believe J. P.} (behold your Patron, all Sober Perfons among the Quakers) but the Light in every Creature under Heaven. 1hndp.22.S0me Principles of the Elect People. And now faith G. F. the Gofpel mud be Preached again to all Nations 5 and this faith J. P. is not the Do&rin of Salvation, by chri/i Crucified, but the Light or inward Principle

in

An Jfpcndix.

in every Creature, and bis, and his Brethrens Argument is Weak, • that becauie Paul called the Gofpel the Power of God to Salvation $ therefore it is nothing elfe but the inward Principle ; 'for he called the Preaching of the Crols the Power of God, i Cor. 1. 18. And yet that. Preaching was an outward Preaching, and he called it the Power of God becaufe.it. wasiiia'de.Efe^uaTt<) many that heard it, by the Pow- er of God that accompanied it.

Thus. Reader, thave given thee a Tail: of this Man's Ignorance and Anti-Chriftian jDo'clrin, which is the fame with that.ef his- Brethren of the Second Days -Meeting,, who have approved his Books againft me. I mail not naufeate thee w7ith his other many Impertinencies, and Extravagancies, as well as his Grofs Errors in othei Particulars of Do- ctrin ; nor takembtice of his Bafe and Scurrilous Revilings, that are equally Unjuft and Malicious 3 As his calling me not Sincere, but a Belly-Converr, and his insinuating • If I be disappointed among Pro- tectants, T may feek a Living from the Papifis , which is like his and his Brethrens other falfe Prophecies.

Note, Reader, That having (onl^Years ago feen a Book of Thwat L«wfen, a Quaker, againft }VAter- B&ptifm • i have .•■jrrjadc fearch for it, cannot rind it any where, to have it $ however, 1 fuppofe it hath nothing of Argument in it, but what in effect is contained in thofe above. Examined and Anfwered 5. and I do not think that any of their ■kson that Subject, will be found to have any ether Arguments in tilierriasamft B^tifm and the Supper ', but what is in effect contained in tUofc above-mentioned.

F I ^C I s- ■

The ERRATA.

P. i. !. 18. for thereof, r.tbe-i fore, p. i I r$. forjecoves, r. beaufe,p. 3-./. 36. after Whitehead, :ly. ;. ?. i, 17. r.judgei, p. it,. I. 18. before hue, r. tbej btve,- and L inform, r.afi* I. 3 8. for there, r. thrice, p. 6 2. 1, 13. for vifible? r. invifible.

/

Primitive Herefie

REV

i n Jh K-ymsut

— 7 f

%%% rff&itlj attt>

<6% g*

Of the PEOPLE Called

UAK

Wherein is ihevvn, in 5>zw Particulars,

That the (Principal and moft Characleriftick Errors of the Quakers 5 were Broached and Condemned, in the Days of the Jpofeles, and the firft 1 5 o Years after Cfcr$.

a

To tp/j/c/; zj Added,

A Friendly Exportation with William Venn,

upon Account of his Primitive Cbriftianity, lately Publifhed.

By the Author of 7#e <S/ftf£e in the Grafs,

LONDON: Printed for C. Bronte, at the Gun, at the'JFe/2-End of St. fowl's. JF. I^cblewbite, at the Siiwj in St. Ws Church- Yard. And H. Hmdmarfb, at the GoW«w- Bd/ over-againft the S^op/ Exchange, 1698.

The Contents,

^Difference Wfigfc betwixt u>sytoJuftifie thelv Separation: Whence an Invitation to them to Return.

The Friendly Expoftulation, Concerning,

i. Mr. Penn'j Notion of the Light within. p. 20.

z. This not fufficient to Juflifie bis Separation. p. 28.

3. for he oTmis that we are of one Religion. p. 2p.

4, His Bxpoption o/'Juftification in his Primitive Chriftianity mofi Orthodox, and agreeing exatlly with us. And his' 'whole ix. Chapt. of the Inward <?r Spiritual Appearance o/Chrift in the Soul

S)m Objections of his folV d, fofar as not to he any Juftifiable

Caufes of a Separation, as Concerning, 1. Forms of Prayer. p. 30.

i. The Spirituality oftheMini&vy.

3. Their being Witneffcs o/Chrift. p. 31.

4. Their Receiving Hire (at he calls it) for their Preaching,

5. Tythes.

6. Swearing.

7. War.

8. HolyQa/ti p. 32.

ErraU.

)Age ji. L 29. f. one r» only. P. 17. 1. 21." r. Difcriminating. P. 21. 1. 11. dele?

tprimi-

['3

i > 1 1 . .»

Primitive Herefie Revivd, &c.

IN my Difcourfe ofBaptifm, I promisM fomething upon thfs „ Subject, in hopes that the Quakers, feeing the Original of their Errors, may bethink themfelves, and Return from whence they have Fallen.

And particularly, as to Baptifm, that I might confirm my Expositions of the H. Scriptures, with the Concurrent Teftimo- ny of the H. Fathers, who were Co-temporary s with the Jpoftlest and learnM the Faith from their mouths ; and thofe who imme- diately followed them, to 1 50 Years after Chrift. Though we have very little Remaining of the Writings of the Fathers in that early Age. Yet I would defcend no lower (where I might have had Clouds of Witmffes) to avoid a Groundlefs Cavil, which the Quakers have learn'd from our Elder Dijfenters, to Run down the Primitive Church, by whole-fate, becaufe it was fo Full of Bifhops, and, in all the Pretences of their Schifm, went fo Di- rectly contrary to them. But the Fathers of the Firft Age, that next to the Apoftles, and of which the Apoftles were a Part, tho* as much Bijhops, and as muchagainrt them as thofe following, yet for Decency fake, they Pretend to Reverence, left in throwing them off, they fhould feem to throw off the 4poftles with them, from whom they could not be parted.

And becaufe, even in this firft Un-controverted Age, we have Proofs Sufficient, I would avoid Needlefs Difputes, and Argue from Topicks that are allowed on all hands.

The Greatefl: Part of the following* Difcourfe was wrote at the time with the Difcourfe ofBapt'ifm, and Intended to have been Annex'd to it, but being Prevented at that time, it has fince been neglected. Till I was ftirr'd up afrefh by a Book lately Publifh- <fd (though faid to be Printed in 1696.) Intituled, [Primitive Chrift ianity Revived in the Faith and Pratt ice of the People called Quakers.'] This came Directly to my Subject, therefore I *

B have

,[0

have Examined it thorowly, and leave the Reader to Judge, whe- ther the Primitive Chriftianity or Herefie does belong moft to them : At leail, whether it did, before the late Reprefentations of Quakerifm, which have given it quite another Turn and Face than it ever had before- • Such a Turn, as has left nothing on their fide, whereby to juftifie their Schifm. And therefore we hope that their Converfion is nigh ; or if already Converted, their Full Re- conciliation to the Church. That the Prefent Quakers, chiefly the . Valuable Mr. Venn, may have the Honour, and the Happinefs to Heal up that Breach, which now for 48 Years has To MiferaUy Torn and Divided this once moft Chriftian and Renowned Church of England.

In this following Difcourfe, I will not take up the Reader's time to Prove the feveral Pofitions which I name upon the Qua- kers ; only Briefly Recite them, and Refer to the Places in The Snake in the Grafs, and Satan Dis-RoPd, where they are prov'd at large, And to Repeat them Here, would fwell this to an un- rtafonable Bulk, And this being intended in the Nature of a Supplement to thzfe, it would be Needlefs. The proper Bufinefs of this, is, to Compare the Quaker ••Herefie s with thofe of the firft 150 Years of Chriftianity.

Where I Quote The Snake, the Reader is defired to take notice, that it is the Second Edition*

And now to our Task. The Seven Particulars wherein the Quakers have, if not copy'd after, atleaft Jump'd with the Con- demn'd Hertticks before mention'd,

I. The Eirft is, as to their Denyal of the Incarnation of Chrift. They confefs that Chrift or The Word took Fkfb ; that is, That He Jjjum' d or Dwelt in an Human Body, i.e. the Body of that Man Jeftts ', who was therefore called Chrift, becauie that Chrif or ihelVord Dwelt in Him. And for the fame Reafon, they take the Name of Chrift to themfelves ; and fay that it belongs to e- Very one of the Members'as well as unto the Head, i. e. as well as to that Man Jefa, who was Principally and Chiefly called TbeChri/1, becauie that Chrift Dwelt in Him, or did Jnfpire Him in a Greater Meafun than other Men. But they Utterly Deny that the Man Jefus_ was Properly the Son of God, In a large.Senfe, every Chriftian may be call'd a Son of God ; and fo, and no 0- therwife, they allow Jefru to be the Son of God, But that He

was

til

xvds Properly the Son of God, we utterly Deny, — fays their ferious Jptogy, p. 146. which was Printed 1671. See this Proved at large in The Snake in the Grafs, Sett. x.

Now 1 Proceed to ftiew, That this Herefie was Broach' d and Condemn d in the Days of the Apofiles. This is it which St. John Reprehends, 1 Joh.iv. $. Every Spirit that confeffeth not that j! 'e- fm Chrifi is come in the Fle/h, &c. or as Socrates (^Hiit. Ecci. 1. 7. c. 32.) tells us it was wrote in the Ancient Copys, Every Spirit which fepar at eth Jefmfrom God, is not of God. And he obferves that this Text, and other Parts of this Epifile were alter'd by thofe who would feparate the Divinity of Chrifi from His Huma- nity. Tho' as it now (lands in our Copys, it meafis the fame thing ; for he that denys Chrifi to have been made Flefh, only fays ' that he took it upon Him for a. Cloak or zf'eil, as Angels aifume Bodys when they appear in them : He denys ChriJFs coming in the Flejh, fo as to become Truly and Really a Man ; he takes away the Humanity of Chrifi, and fo feparates Jefus from God: Which, in the fenfe of this Text, is to Deny His coming in thefefij. St. Po- lycarpy in his Epifi. to the Philippians, n. 7. Difputes againfr thefe Anti-Chrifls, in the words of his Mafier St. John, whole Difciple he was,sr2£ y> (.fays he) 1$ dv ju.n oLLo^oyyi \naZy X&/&V c* y.xpa |A«^.v:- ^ivauj, ' kvTOCV-^ :&i> I- e' Whofotver does not confefs that Jefus Chrifi ' is come in the Fltfb, is an Anti-Chrifi.

II. The Second point is the Quakers Denyal of the Truth and J&eality of the Death and Sufftrings of chrifi. This is Confequen- tial to the former Herefie ; tor it Chrifi took not the Body of Je- ffs into his own Per [on, but only dwelt in the Body of another Man, asjie dwells in his Saints ; if Chrifi and Jef&sare two Per- fons ; if the Body of Jefus was only a Veil or Garment for Chrifi to fhrowd himfelf in, as the Quakers fpeak ; then, tho' Jefus fufFer'd, yet Chrifi could not ; and the Sufferings of Chrifi were but in Ap- pearance zndfbejv, as if a Man's Cloak or Garment only were Qrwi-

What are then thofe Sufferings of Chrifi which the Quakers do own as Meritorious in the fight of God, for the Atonement of our fins ? Why, an Allegorical Suffering, Death, and fbedd/vg of the Blood of their Light within ; which they call Chrifi ; of vrhichjefus, or the outward chrifi, they fay was but a Type ; and that his Sufferings were only an Hifiorical Tranfacfion of the

15 2 greater

[4]

Greater Myfterie of the Sufferings and Atonement peribrm'd'by their Light within, as I have fully (hewn in The Snake in the Grafs, Se6t. x. p. 1 27. and Satan DifRob'd, Se£t. xii. p. 1 1.

But now 1 am to fhew, That the Devil had Broached thefe Here* fies, a gain ft the Truth of the Incarnation of Chrift, and confequent* ly againft the Reality of his Death and Sufferings, within the firft 1 50 Years after Chrift : and that they were then Condemned by the Holy Fathers of thei hurch.

Ignatius that Glorious Martyr of Chrift, Bifhop ofJntioch, who flourifh'd about the Year 70 after the Birth of Chrift, and was Difciple to St.John the Evangelift, writes thus in his Epiflleto the Magneftans, inftrufring their Faith, in what fort of Sufferings of Chrift we were to Believe and Truft, not thefe Inward in our hearts ■, bur to«diftinguifh moft efTe&ually from thefe, thofe that He fuffered under Pontius Pilate, I

would have you Prefer ved, that 0(\oo <sr3>^iAaa7sc9£ v^g, fA you fall not into the fnare of ljut,7rt(r£iv efe to ctywspa t5 havo^o* vain Do B r in ', but that ye may fcfcu;, aAAa 7n,z?hY\p°$op&<8£ <L» ry abound, and be filed with the fyvfoi, iy & W% % t% civcL<&<k knowledge of the Birth, Pajfion, ty ywb/u,tvYi d* KsHgto t5 qyt/jbovtas and RefurreBion, which truly, TJmfe n^dm, ^^.x^V7a <^i" and firmly were of jfefus Chrift 3-^^ BiGajvs \jb$ 'u/o-SXg/rS^ our bops, in the time of the ihir {£*(&, yu&v* *s ditTfcc'ss'luoGLf Government of Pontius Pilate, /am&iv} v^cov $"^9. from which let none of you be turned away.

Stop your ears therefore (fays K»p*9*7s uv, Stov v/tiv ypz); fie in his Epiftlc to the Tral- 'hurS ~Xe/?* AaA? TO- Hans') when any [ball [peak to you without Jefus Chrift.

What Chrift was this ? the Outward Man Jefus, or the Light within ? 'hat Jefus, who was

of the (lock of David, who was 'tHoacflm^ AaC/^,? ozMogji^, of Mary, who was truly Born, %c, aAw^aJ? I^W^n, lpa$m 3 I-tthV) did both Eat and Drink \ was cLXv&toc, i^i-lx^n cRn nov7ia njAa- truly Persecuted under Pontius t«> d/\n3-£<; isuvfyj>%, £ aV&c-

Pilate, was truly Cruciffd and v%v 0; *• <l*in$<2$ vykdv "****

Dyed — And who truly Rofe viKpZv, iyJ\^v\(^ cuirov y riat-?^ from the Dead7 hit father Rai- ctJST, x$ to o^co/w^a^ wg <£ n^g

M

fag of htm ; And his Father

mil, after the like fafbion, Raife r£ mnMct$. 'u3r&Sn*s i^t€i 5

ns up in Jefus Chrifi, who be- U^ cwvi cv X^tf j^g. I

lieve in him, without whom tve ^^ rb <hn&ri„ &/aVW<A

> cannot truly live. /i^r%

Butfbme^/e/Mhatis,J#- Erj oWf wfc 'AJioi #7*-

Pels, do fay, That He only up- &vtswvAsw, Xi^m, £ hX

peafd to be a Man, but took W yvpfa% aMv vA*$e*w, **■

not a Body in Reality, and in ntodfy av&t*.ty{vaj ^uct , '* §

appearance only feemed to Suf- h*av nUmbcy, ■wewb»^«S^

fery and dye, &c. cw, &c.

And in the beginning of his Epiftle to the Smyrnaans, af- ter having Defcrib'd that Chrifi who is the Object of* our Faith, in the fulleft manner, to obviate the Deceit of apply- ing it to an Inward Chrift, by calling Him the Son of Da* vid, Born of the Virgin, and Baptized of John, truly Cruci- fied under Pontius Pilate, and Hertd the Tetrarch ; Hone of which can be apply'd to The Light within. He adds that we can only be faved by the Faith in this Outward Tc~ fus. By the Fruits of whofe iA.9 „ , „ , y ^ Divinely Bleffed Paflion, we "f^J^W^^-nfyuctzz- tre Saved — - for he fufferd e^™^ — - 4// tfe/e **<*« /or .*, that we \, w™ ^ ^& •**> ^ V* might be faved! 'm A+

And to Obviate the two Heretical Pretences, of making the Meritorious Suffering of Chrifi, to be His Suffering within us. And that His outward Sufferings, were not Real, but, in ap- pearance only, as not being Really a Man, but only Refiding in that Man Jefus, as in a Veil or Garment. Ignatius adds in the next words. And he

truly fuffered, and truly Raifed K^^fMfe^fl«r»^£^0#$ himfelf\ not, as fome Vnbtlie- dvip-^v iavtov, £% uam% cLrnqt'i vers fay, that he only appeared to i^^ \{^amv rl hy.&v dvrtv^mv- fufftr, they but appearing to Exifv. S*W/, auro] to o\ k&v ovb$ Hj kz.Q£<; And as they Believe, fo /ball it CppovSmv £ w^nQ a«5?ft X9tv be unto them, when they come to dmpcaQig^ £ ^ctf^onzo^. be out of the Body, and in the

(tate of Spirits; that is, they fhall juftly Forfeit the True and Real

Benefits

£*4

Benefits Purchafed for True Believers, by the death of Chrift; fince they will have it to be only in Appearance or Falfefiew ; and take the Merit from the Outward death of Chrift, which he Fuffer'd upon the Crofs, and place it. in a Fancy 'd Suffering of th& Light t within them.

And as He aflerts the Faith in ChriJTs outward Death, fo does he, in His Refurretfion ; not the Inward Rifmg of Chrifi in our hearts, but in His Outward RefurrecJion, that which was proved by their Handling of Him, and Feeling of His Flefh, and His Eating and Drinking with them, after His Refurrection.

But, in the next Paragraph, he has a Prophetick Exhortation,' which looks terribly upon the Quakers, among others. He tells thtSmyrni-eans, that he gives them thefe admonitions, not that he thinks them Guilty of thefe Herefies. But 1 Guard you before hand Jays he) agamfi Bea/is in

H&mm jh ape, whom you ought not ^pocripv^ciojso 3 v/ul<z$ *ikni ?$? only not to Receive', but if it be %<?).vv 7^ dvS-p<j07roju.op(pav, x; is poffible,not fo much as to meet with /a6vw && vjUSs ^ 'sfyiy&i^dzq, them , only to pray for them , if they a^' &1 o^wuaM>v '$& /mc)l cuujcmtcLv, may at la'l Repent, which will be. /jJvov $1 ^ja-iv^tduf \sziip a'u^, difficult. »► imc, /ui7x.vcrum)(nv, Q7rtp ^voxq-

And again, lays he, fpealang Ao-v of our Lord "}efus Chrift, Whom O nvic, oyvt&mz <zpy2??), jul£Xm fo;nt not knowing, do denys or ra- $e qpytiS-r^ xs&r' dvrs, 'cvnc, <rW- thtr, are denyed by him, being the ycejt t% Qzvcitx fAcZfaov i\ <$ A'AtjG- Preacherf of Death, rather than vctx. of Truth.

7 hey abftain from the Eucha- 'Evx^e/vzc, %'&fOffd' %}$(£&{& rift, (that is, The Sacrament of cv^fivirb pri qjlloAoj&v typ Ev^a- the Lord's Supper) and from the Pr^er/(ofthe C" they do not conftfs rift is theflcflj of our Saviour Je- Piylzzv, oi cvv civUxLynvti^ ty, ^pcS (m Chrift, which fujfered for our TV 0sod ov£riTbvlz<; VmSi-faKum. fins ; and which the Father in his

Qoodnefs Raifed up. But thefe fpeaking againfi this Gift of God, die in their Inquiries.

And vainnnd Death muftthofe/^»/Wej be, which, leaving the. Gifts ef God, the Sacraments of his own Inflitution, and to which

His

C7]

His Tromifes are Annex'd, flek for Salvation in ways and means of their own Deviling.

But it was unavoidable, that thoy who had left the Bo- dy of Chrift, as a forfaken veil ox garment, to Rot for ever in the Grave; or are careleis what is come of it, as a thing now of no Vertueor Confequence to us, fhould Reject the Sacrament of it, which is a continual Exhibition of its venues and efficacy to us : Or that they who hope for no Refurreltion of their Bodies out of the Duft,{hou\d continue the ufe of thole Sacraments which were ordained ?&[igns and pledges of it.

But, if it pleafe God that they ever Return to the Faith y it is to be hoped that they will then Re-afTume thefe Guards, and Confir- mations ; which are the outward vehicles, and ajfurance of it.

III. The Third point is their Denyal of the Refurreclion and Future Judgment. For the Proof of this upon the Qua- kers, I Kefer to The Snake in the Grafs, Seer. x;i. p. 152, and to Satan DifRobd, Sect. iii. and iv. beginning at p. 26.- and p. 21. of the Gleanings*

Now we find full Proof, that this Herefie was Broached in in the Days of the Apoflles ; and by them Condemn d, as is plain from 1 Cor. xv. 12. &c. and 2 Tim. 2. 18. in which laft Text, the very Qtaker-falvo is expvefiy fetdown, by which they have Betray'd themfelves into this Fatal Herefie, viz,. Saying that the Refnrrection is Pa/l already, that is, Perform d Inwardly, to thofe who follow the Light, ( fee Satan Dif Rotid, p. 21. of the Gleanings) and Mr. Penn underfiandsthat Full and Elegant Defcription of the RefurreBion, 1 Cor. xv, all of this Inward and Allegorical Refurreflion ; for in his Book, Intituled, The Invalidity of John Faldo'/ Vindication, &c. Prin- ted 16.73. repeating ver. 44. of this Chapt. viz. It is fown a Natural Body, it is Raifed a Spiritual Bodyy he fays p. ^69. J do utterly deny, that this Text is concern d in the Refurrecli- on of Mans carnd Body^ at all. And p. 370. I fay this doth not concern the Refuxreclion of carnd Bodys, but the t,vo (iates of Men under the firft and fecond Adam. And though as he objects, the 47 and 49 verfes fetm to imply a Bodily Refur- rection, But (fays he) let the whole verfe be considered, and we [hall find no fuch thing.

To the Arguments of the Apoflles again ft this Herefie, let 'me add fome Tefiimonys of others their Co-temporary Fathers,

or

[.8 3

or ratfecr explain the Texts of the Apoftles by their Comments, who learned this Article of the Faith from their mouths. The Texts above Quoted were wrote by St. Paul, who {Phil, iv. }.) menti- ons Ckmentas his Fe//0>i> Labourer, and whofeNdme is in the book of Life : And he was as likely to know St. Paul's meaning, as Mr. Perm, whom I defire to read his id. Epift. to the Corinthians, where, N. ix. he will find thefe words.

Let none of you fay, that this Keu'/j,* M^iiza 77? vfx&v, fax ewth

ftmsflefb is not judged, nor {hall j 2ap£ g k^aO ^ 'AvfpQ' Tv<£tz

rife again. Vnderfland, in what & vin iati%^, '&> Tin * Ky&\{-tyx\i}

have ye been faved ; was it not & jUyi iv r j? 2apx) toJtj? ovriq. A&:

while ye were in this flefb? there- Bv'^/uiag oo$ valv ©eg $v\d.(xmv r

fore it behoveth us to keep ourflefb, 2ap*^. oj/Jfoww $ cv r« 2apx< oae«

as the temple of God. For as ye Am#m7*, £ cv rjf 2<z^N iXivmQs, 'O

have been called in the flefh,fo/h all 'haSt; Xe/gvc. 6 KJg/(St 6 cru^S

^<? fi?we ?"# tkefltflj. Jefas Chrift y //,£%, aw ^ to tz-^t^v tth^/uoc,

the Lord,who Javeth us, was fir ft a iffl^ 2a^, <£ btwc >7^as i^Motv.

Spirit j and then madeflefh, andfo 8tos <c «f^^ c* 7at*r>f r?? Sap** ^sttc-

he called us. So fi all we Receive hy^b/ju&t t fju&bv.

our Reward, in this very flefh.

St. Poly carp, Bifhop and Martyr, who flourished about the Year oiChrifl, 70. and was Difciple to St. JMw the Evangelijl, in his Epiftle to the Philippians, n. 7. fays that Whoever does not con-

fefs the Martyrdom orfuffering of Kaj qc, Iv /uh oyu-oAtyjjf to Map7v£/ov Chrift upon the Crofs, is of the tS ^Tavp^, ok tS A/aSoXa '6£r, <£ Devil : And he that will wreft ts av fja^{vY\ to. hoyiz i? X^cy the Oracles ofQhxi ft to his own vtfss txc, ifo'ct$ tmjufjjct^, % Myy Lufts, and fay that there is no fdm^hvatumv, ^Kfioii'li), <rys~ RefurrtUion nor judgment to ^T^xi^ <^i & Sz/Tai'a. * ftfwe, /;e // /j&e Firft-Born ^ &*- tan.

And Hegefippus, who lived near to the Days of the Apo- ftles, in his Fifth Book; as Quoted by Eufebius fHift. Ecel. J. 2. c. 23.) fpeaking of thefe

Ancient Hereticks, fays, that aF 3 Aipl&fc ^r^^fxivajj , w* £&ev did not believe either the Re~ cJfa'?<£>ov 4m. 'Ai'ct&criv, &rt ipxt- furreciion, or the coming of $jov tmvoiwq i^z-m wra S tyyx> Chrift to render to every one ac- ejsd. cording to his Works. IV. The

[p]

IV. The Fourth Point, is their abftaining from the Sacra- ments and Prayers of the Church. And for this, I have before quo- ted Ignatius to the Smyrnceans, where he tells of thofe who Abftai- ned from the Prayers of the Churchy and theLord's Supper, becaufe they did not believe it to be the Flefh of Chrift, which Suffered for our fins, andwasftz&fk&up, &rc. For how could they who (as the Qua- kers) made no more of the flefh of Chrift, than a Garmnt or a Vaily but no part of his Perfon, and confequently could never call the Bodily Garment, Chrift: And thought their own Flefh and Blood to be the Flefh and Blood of Chrift, as well as the Flefh and Blood of that Man Jefus, in whom they fay that Chrift or the Light dwelt, asinthemlelves(fee«S^/4«jD/>-R^V, Se£t. ii. n. 2. and 5. p. 2. and }. of the Gleanings) and placM the Meritor iota Caufe of our Redemption, and Juft if cation, not in the Blood of Chrift outward- ly ilied ; but in the Allegorical or Inward Blood of their Light within, Inwardly and Invifibly fhed, &c. I fay, How could thefe endure a Sacrament fo contrary to their Belief ? For the Bread can- not be called the Flefh of their Light within ; but it was of His Outward F/ejh that Chrift fpake, when he laid, This is my Body, and His Outward Blood was faid to be fhed for The Remiffion of Sins. And the Eucharift was fuch a vifible Reprefentation of this, as could not but fhock thefe Enthufiaft Here ticks.

And where the Sacraments are Prac~tifed, fiich mad Enthufiafm cannot take place. And we fee, by woful Experience, that where thefe Guards of the Truth and Importance of Chrifth Outward Suf- ferings are taken away, Men fall, from the Tiue Faith, in them.

But the Quakers have not only thrown offthe Ufeand Pra&ife of the Sacraments, and left them as things Indifferent, or Lawful to be Practifed by fuch as may be confeientioufly coneern'd for them, but Damn them as Carnal, and Doctrines of Devils. G. Fox, mhlsNews out of the North, Printed 1655. P* x4- makes them the like Witch-craft as turn'd the Galatians to Circumcifwn. And their Sacrament (Tays he) as they call it, is carnal — - And their Com- munion is carnal, a little Bread and Wine Which is the Table of

Devils, and Cup of Devils, which is in the Generation of Serpents in this Great City Sodom and Gomorrah, fo duff is the Serpents meat, &c. And p. $9. Toufay //W Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, is the Gofpel, which is carnal — Toufay, that fpr ink ling Infants is the Baptifm, which Baptizeth them into thefaith^ andfo into the Church,

C which

which is carnal: And yon tell People of a Sacrament, hinging thc;?tto E At a little Bread and Wine,, and [ay, that this Is a Communion of Saints, which is carnal, and all this feeds the Carnal Mind, &c. And he BUfphemoufiy fays in his Title Page, that all this was Written from the month of the Lord.

Edward Bur rough, p. 190, of his Works, Printed 1672. lays,

Their Doctrines art of the devil, who fay fpr ink ling Infants with

water is Baptifm into the faith ofChrif , this is the doclrine of

the devil. And p. 191. Thefe have filled the world with damnable Herefies, as holding forth, That fpr ink ling Infants with water is Bap* tifim into the faith of Chrifi, &x. Theft are damnable Here fie s, even to the denying the Lord that bought them. And p. 644. That it is not I awful for the Saints of God, to join themf elves to your Ordinances.

This Hideous Blafphemy and Outrage again ft the Divine Infiitu- tions of our Lord, I hope will appear to be fuch to the well-difpo- {cd among the Quakers, who will be at the pains to Read my Dif- courfe of" Water- Baptifm. Itfeems to have had fome Effects al- ready, even with George Whiteheadhimfelf. For in his Anfwer to The Snake (whereto, he adds a chapter upon that Difcourfe of Baptifm) he feems to come off that former Rigor of the Quakers, and fays, p. 1 14. That as for thofe who are More confident ioufly ten- der in the obfervation thereof, we are (fays he) the more tender to thsfit fib as not to cenfure or condemn them meerly for PraBifing that which thty believe is their duty, either in breaking of Bread, or Water -baptifm.

So that, by this, he yields the Praclice of the Sacraments to be at lead: Lawful, contrary to Burrough, Fox, and the Primitive Quakers', for, if it were not Lawful, Ifuppofehewouldnothave that Tendernefs for the Obfervation thereof, but would cenfure and condemn it as thofe others have done. I pray God perfect his Con- verfion, and let him fee the Neceffity as well as Lawfulnefs of it. And I /Would defire him to confider that if it be Lawful, it mull be Neceffary : For if Chr'ift has not commanded Water Baptifm, it can- not be !efs than Super fit ion to Practice that as a Sacrament, and con- fequently as a Means of Grace, which he has not Commanded : Even theChurch of Rome d^es n<^t pretend to a Power to Inflitutt a Sacrament, that can be done by none but God alone : Therefore if Water-Baptfim was not In/lit uted by Chrifi, it cannot be Law- ful to Practice it : And if hed'idln/iitute it, it is not only Lawful, but Nmffary, and a Duty. Now, in Aid of George Whitehead, and

by

["]

by way tf An Antidote againft the venomt of G. Fox, Burrough, and other foure Quakers ;. and to purfue the Deiign of this prefent Paper, I will, to the Authority s of H. Scripture, which I have Produc'din The Difcourfe of Baptifm, add in this place, as a fure Comment and Explanation of them, the Teftimonys offome of thofe Fathers, whole Works we have Extant within the Compafs of Years propofed, that is, i 50 Years after Chrifi, in witnefs to this Divine Inftitution of Water -Baptifm, and to mew what firefs they laid upon it.

St Ignatiw, who was (as before-mentioned) bred under Saint John the Beloved Difciple, makes our Baptifm not Only the Badge, but ihz Arms and Defence of our Faith* and the quitting of it to be a Deferring of Chrift.

Let no one of you (fays he, in his Ep ift. to St. Poly carp) be found {jl^th, v^v diazo-mo etpg.9-*}, to a Deferter, but let your Baptifm Bx^tcrjux v^ucv >j^j(tzd ci$ o7rAct, remain as your Armor,

And St. Barnabas, who was St. Paul's Fellow-Traveller, men- tioned fo often in the Acts, fpeaking, in his Catholick Epijlle, chapt. xi. concerning Water and the

Crofs, fays, that, It is written i£* [ty 5 i$a1(&, 7*y&.7rfcq iir\ £ concerning Water to the People of 'ic-payA, thcc, to Ba^i^Lta, to Qlpsp Ifrael, that they jhould not receive &$&$tmv afjutpUivy « fx\ izpzc-H- that Baptifm which was fufficient z&r^)' *^' 'lcw&ti oiKc^o/umam. to the Pardon of fins. Which they

did not under the Mofaical Difpenfation. But they Inftituted a Baptifm to themfelves, whereby to admit Men as Profelites to the Law : But that was not the Baptifm which could take away Sin. No, nor the Baptifm of John : That was the Peculiar one^of the di*-i Chriflian Baptifm.

A little after St. Barnabas fays, that God had joyned the Crofs (that is, the Faith in CHRIST Crucified) and the Water (that is, Baptifm) together, viz,, the Inward Faith, and the Outward Pro- feflion and Seal of it.

Confider (fays he) how He (God) has appointed the Crofs <zj£avicd? <nw<; to t^0& i '-? suv^jv and the Water to the fame end. lw\ to dvr) at&tffs. 7% $ Myi' For thus he faith, blefftdare they fxcc^Zl0i o'ieTrl r&vgjv iA7rl<jw>- rvho hoping in the Cr o\s,have gone 7«</^te*^ e& to uht^, down into the Water. C 2 And

[ *» ]

And again, purfuing the fame Argument, he Magnifys the great Efficacy and Power of B a p t i s m , when duly Received, a few lines after what is above quoted, faying,

For we go down into the Water fazfe (jty >(jL7&£cqi'Q{jfyj ^ to $W full of fins and filth intfs ; and come ^/uocvtk; oi>(uccon£v (c fax ; <cdvcc up again bearing fruit in our hearts Qajvofyj f(^frzm(fdpSytii iv ry »j.ft- by the fear and hope which is in la, cfta t- <$o£ov^tIu) i\7rl^a^^r Jefus, which we have in the ' UesSv I'^qvIk; Iv & vrvivjuutlt. Spirit.

After the fame manner, and in the like words fpeaks St. Her* w4/(whom St. Vail falutes Rom. 16. 14.) in that only Remain- ing Work of his, called The Shepherd of St. Hermas, there in the 3d. Book, and gth. Similitude, he fpeaks thus :

Before a Man receives the Antequam enim accipiat ho- Name of the Son of God, he mo nomen Filii Dei, morti it defigned unto death : hut when dellinatus eft : at ubi accipit he receives that feat, he is de- illud figillum, liberatur a mor- livered from deathy and given te, & traditur vitse. Illud au- np to life. Now that feal is tern figillum Aqua eft, in quatn Water, into which Men go down, defcendunt homines morti 0- lyable to deaths hut come up a- bligati, afcendunt vero vitse gain, affigned over unto life. aflignati.

I have taken this out of the Ancient Latin Tranflation, accor- ding to the Oxford Edit. 1 68 5. For the Greek was, in great part, loft, and came not down to usintire,as this old Latin Verfion did.

St. Clement, in his 2d. Epifi. to the Corinthians, Paragr. 8. calls Bapttfm by the fame name of our Seal, and applys to it that Text, Jfa.jkyh 24. which he renders

thus. Ihty that have not kept 7$ yzy jjly\ tkpakivt&v tlu) o-Cppa- fheir feal, their worm fhall not y&a, 0 sx»Ah£ ctv-jffi y rz\^Or^9 die, &c. Or, as he expreffes it &c«

in the Paragr. before this, Vn- yy-&s ezv /A Tnpn(rso/u^u to Bz7rf- lefs we keep our Baptism pure and iqua, dyvop £ a/uixi/1£gvi ttvio, Tr&mtr undtfihd, with what aJTurance can %H dasAdtoif/jiStt, &!$ to1 /SaaiAGio* we enter t he Kjngdom of God ? tx ©e§

V. 7 he Filth Point is their for bidding to Marry y and Preaching up of fornication. I charge not All the Quakers with this ; no, nor the Greateft Number -of them. Only thofe called New-Quakers in America, ofwhom, and this their Principle and Practice^ Account

is

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is given in The Snake in the Grafs Sect, vi. n. x. Par. n. p. 74." and Se&. xii. p. 160. But the Quakers are thus far anfwerable, That all this Wild Extravagance is a Natural Confequence of their Common Principle and Notion of The Light within, as fuch an Ab- folute Rule and Judge, that is not to be Controled by Scripture, or any Law or Rule whatfoever : Which leaves every Man in fuch an Un-limited Latitude, that there is no Reftraint to whatever the Wilde fl Imagination (fo it be Strong enough) can fuggeft : Nor a- ny Cure (upon their Foundation) but to bid him follow it ftill on. Liften to that within you. That is all their Advice, and all their Rule.

But befides, I would fain know what Anfwer the Old Quakers can give to the New ones, upon their Principle ; for the New threw ofFtheir Wives, becaufe they found it Written, That the children of the RefurrecJion neither marry, nor are given in marriaoe. Now, as (hewn ml he Snake, Seel:, xii and before fpoke to, the Quakers General Notion is that the RefurrecJion is Spiritual, and that every Regenerate Man has obtained it already. And fome of the Chief and Oldeft of them have declared, that they expect no other than what they have obtained already, or at leaft, lhall at- tain before they leave this body. S^Q Satan Dis-Rokd p. 21. of the Gleanings.

Now let me ask the Old Quakers : Are they the Children of the RefurrecJion ? They muft anfwer Tea, or go againft their own a* vowed Principles. And if Tea, then the Text is plain againft their Marrying.

Let me ask again. Are they the Children of this World ? They will all fay, Nay, for that is the common Epithet by which they defcribe the Wicked ; and is a Term that they put in oppofition to the Children of the light, which thev beftowupon themfelves. Now it is written , That the children of this world marry. Therefore, fay the New Quakers, Marriage is a Wicked Thing, and confequently of the Devil : And the Old Quakers have not yet anfwered their Arguments, that I can hear of. And the New Quakers do vouch themfelves to be the only True and Genuine Quakers, who fol- low their Principles up to the height. Nor do thev want Ami- quay in all this* The Gnoftick Quaker s, who boafted in their Light beyond all other Men, and called themfelves (as the Quakers do) the Pure/r and moft Ptrftcl cf Chriftians ; held thefe fame Prin- ciples, and Practifed them, in the very days of the Apo/lles, . And

they

C w 3

they are Reprehended, and our Later Hereticks, who (hould fol- low their fteps, Prophefiedof 1 Tim, iv. i, 2, ?.

VI. The Sixth Point is, Their Contempt of Magi fir acy and Go- vernment. This is (hewn, as to the Quakers, in The Snake, p. 94. and in Seel, xviii. and xix. more largely. George Fox in his Graif

Miftery, Printed 1659. p. 76. fays, The Power of God • ftrikes

down Government of 'Men andGovernours. And p.£0. And fo (fays he) for the Lord1 s fa' e the Saints cannot be fubject to that Power. And he Argues (though very falfiy) that, The Jews of old time could not obey the Heathen .Magi f rates — Nor //^Apoftles could not bow to the Authority of the Jews — Nor that among the Gentiles, held up by the Magistrates. I lay all this is molt Faife ; for the Jews did o- bey the Heathen Magistrates ; and the Apoftles both the Jews and and Gentiles, and that, not only for Wrath, but aifo for Confcience fake. But it fhew'd what Fox meant, viz. That the Saints are not under the Dominion of the Worlds Rulers, whom they think to have no other Authority than that of the Devil. Accordingly Fox fays (ibid,) For it was the Beads Power hath fet up your Tythes, Temples, and Colledges. This will include all the Governments up- on the Earth : For there is none buthavefomeof thefe ; hardly any but have them All, And then down go All, if the Quakers

prevail.

But to come to our Point. This Wicked Here fie was born into the World in the days of the Apofiles, and fet up by the then Qua- kers, That the Receiving of Chriftianity did Exempt Men from the Service of Vn-believers, whether Mailers or Magiftrates. Which occafioned the many Repeated Exhortations in the Epi- ftles, efpecially of the Apoftle of the Gentiles, to be fubject both to Matters and Magiftrates, though Vn- believers. And there were thole Jews in our Saviours time, who, upon the fame account, thought knot Lawful to give Tribute to Ccefar, being then an Heathen. They thought that the Jews were not to fubmit to the Dominion of the Heathen. And Judas of Galilee^ mentioned in jift. 5. 37. drew away much People after him, upon the fame Pretence, of not paying Taxes to the Romans, Jofeph. (de Bell. Jud. 1. 2. c. 7.) fays, he Taught that no Tribute mould be paid to the Romans, But he went further (a thorow Quaker) for he would have had all Magiftrates taken away, and G^only to be Kjng, I fuppofe (as the Quakers) he would have been Content that the

Qovern-

Cm]

Government fhould have come into his own hand, and to fome Saints under him, as Deputy s from God \ Such he made his Ga/tlo- nites or Galileans who followed him.For the meaning of thofe who find fault with the Government of otherSj is commonly to feize up- on it for themfelves,(and they feldom mend the matter ) tho' their pretence is always to fet up the Kingdom of G^and His Saints.

Such Gaulonites or Galileans are the Quakers, who, in a Declara- tion to the Prefent di/lraeted Nation of England, (Printed 16^9. Penn'd by Edw. Burrough, and fubfcrib'd by Fifteen of the Cheif of the Quakers, in the name of all the reft) p. 8. do Proclaim that they have chofen a Kjng, (viz,, their own Light within, which they call the Son of God) and that it is His only Right to Ride in Nations, and their Heirship fas being only his Faithful Stfbje&s) topoffefs theuttermoft parts of the Earth : And that He may command thou- fands and ten ihoufands ^(thefe) his Saints, at this day, to Fight — mark that, to Fight, even with the Carnal Sword, to Regain their Right. But in the Reprinting of Burroughs Works, 1672, it was thought convenient to leave out this Palfage(p 603. of his works) tho' it was faid to be given forth by the Spirit of God, and in Hit Name. Itisfet down more at large in The Snake, p. 209.

The fame Vniverfal Monarchy and Heir/hip of "the Quakers is afc ferted by Samuel Fifher, in a Collection that he Printed of feveral Mejfages which he faid he had,B>' Commifflonfrom 6od,to deliver to the then Protector and Government, 1656. Thelaft of which bears this Title. The Burden of the Meffage of the Lord it felf, there p. 32. fpeaking of the Quakers and their Kjng, fays, hit in them, and they in him Jhall Rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron, and

break them to pieces as a Potters Veffd : And every tongue

that rifeth up in judgment again ft them (hall they condemn. And p. 5 5. he brings in God, faying, yea, I will never reft till I have made all their Fots their Foot-ftool : And bowbeit the Powers of the Earth are of me • — J will utterly fnbvert and overturn them ; and bring the KJngdoms and Dominions, and the Creatnefs of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven into the hands of the Holy Ones of the moft High, and give unto my Son, and his Saints to Reign over all the Earth, and to take all the Rule and Authority, and Power that fhallftand up again ft my Son in his Saints. There is the Myftery couch'd in the lad words, in his Saints, that is the Light within (which they call Chri(l)in the Quakers : And to which they af- cribe all that ib £ad of Chrijl in the Scriptures. E dm

[ '<n

Edw. Bur rough writing from Dublin in Ireland to the Quakers in England, in the Year 1 6 $ <>. Directs thus, Tt? ^e Camp of the Lord in England. This is p. 64. of his Works. And he was then for their beginning of their War to Conquer the whole Earth. He Exhorts them, p. 6j- in their Ccnquefts to be very fevere and bloo- dy y to fpare none. Give the great Whore (fays he, that is Rome') double into her bofom ; as/he hath loved bloody jo give her bloody and daft her Children agatnft the ft ones. This was for all the Popi/h Countrys, and thole who partook of their Abominations, which in their Account were all the Proteftants too, whom they, in con- tempt called Proftjfors ; and All fefls in thefe Nations, whom Burrough includes in his Epift. to the Reader, p. 1. and declares War againft them. But were the Heathens then to efcape ? No, their Conqueft and Empire was to bcVniverfal, their Heir/hip did extend to the uttermoft parts of the Earth. For thus he goes on, (Vtfupra) Let none of the Heathen Nations, nor their Gods efcape out of your hands — but lay wajle the fenced Cities, and tread down the high walls, for we have proclaimed open War betwixt Michael our Prince and the Dragon — And cur Jed be every one that rifeth not up, to the help of the Lordagainfi the mighty. Put on your Armour, and gird on your fword, and lay hold on the fpear, and march into the field, and prepare your ftlves to the Battle, for the Nations doth depe our God, and faith in their hearts, who is the God of the Quakers, 7th at we Jbouldfear hims and obey his voice ? ■— Our Enemies are whole Nat ions y and multitudes in number , of a Rebellious People that will not come under our Law (& great Fault indeed \)fi and upon your feet, and Ap- pear in your terror as an Army with Banners \ and let the Nations know your power, and theflroke of your hand : Cut down on the right hand, and flay on the left ; and let not jour eye pitty, nor your hand fpare, & c. And in his Trumpet of the Lord founded, which he calls An Alarum and Preparation for War againfl all Nations where Gog and Magog refideth, Printed 16 $6. p. 32. he fays to the Quaker s,your defpifed Government /hall rule over KJngdoms, andyour laws /hall all the Nati- ons of the earth become fubjeft unto. And p. 41, Heexpoftulates with God, When wilt thou appear to lay their honour in the duft ofConfufion ? Thy Hofi andChofen waiteth for a Commi/fionfrom thee to do thy will. And thy Camp wait eth to fee the honour of KJngs and Princes over- thrown by thee, Sec. But it feemsthe Quakers would make uleofthe /words of the wicked, till their own were ready. Therefore in the

Year

[ i7 ]

Year 1^59. they had great Hopes in the Rebel EnglKh Army ; who ha: ving Deltroy'd the/C^and the Church in thefe Kingdoms, Burrough HoaJJoosthem (in hisEpift. to them, p. $37.) upon Italy and Spain, and all the P<?/>(/& Countrys : For what are thefe few poor Iftands (fays he) that you have run through f incomparifon of the great Part ofChri- ftendom, in which Idolatry — do abound — wherefore^ Hew down the Tops, fir ike at the Branches, make way, that the Ax may be laid to the root of the Tree, that your fword, and the fwordofthe Lord may neither leave Root nor Branch of Idolatry -— to avenge the blood of the Guilt lefts thro' all the Dominions of the Pope, the blood of the Juft it crys thro' Italy, and Spain — and it would be your honour to be made ufe of by the Lord, in any degree , in order to this matter. They were to be made ufe of, infome degree, to clear the way for the Quakers, who were, at lau% to have All. Now whether thefe have not out-ftript their Fore- runner Judas, and his Galileans, I leave the Reader to judge. And Proceed to the next.

VII. The Seventh and laft Point which I intend to fpeak of, is now come, and is fb near of kin to the laft, that I fhall difpatch it quickly. It is, Their ft iffnefs in not taking off their Hats, or giving Men their Civil Titles. T her needs no Proof of this, as to the Quakers, for they All own it, it is their Difcriminating Character.

And now to find a Precedent for them in Antiquity, the fame Judas Galiltfus is ready at hand. Joftphm tells (Antiq. Jud. 1. 18. c. 2.) that he was the Head of a Fourth Seel among the Jews, which he him- felf (like George Fox)Toimded. And that as he acknowledg'd but one Lord and Mafter, thatis, G<^;.fo as a confequence of this, he would pay honour to none other ; and fo Obftinate were his SecJ in this, That, zsjofeph.tdk in the chapt. laft quoted, they wouU rather exfofe themfelvts, their Children and Relations to the mo ft cruel Tor- ments, than call any mortal Man Lord or-'Mafter. So that George Fox has not the Honour of this noble Invention, as he would make us believe in his Journal, p. 24. where he fays, When the Lord fent me forth in- to the wcrld, He forbid me to put off my Hat to any — - And I was requi- red to Thee and Thou all men andwomen. He would call none Lord or M after more than Judas. And their Infpirations came from the fame .Author ; the Spirit of Pride, under the Guife of Humility ; fo that in this, and all the other Inftances before mentioned, George Fox is de- priv'd of the Glory of being an Original, and to be No mans Copy, as is Boafted of him, in the Preface to his Journal, p. 3 3 . 1 do not fup-

D poje

[iSJ

pofe that he knew a tittle of thefe Ancient Precedents] only Good wits Jumpd; and fo exaftiy, as fhews, That they were all Taught by the fame Matter.

The CONCLVSION. i. What Application now needs to be made, from all that has been faid, to the Quakers ? The thing fhews it felf. Let them not call it Malice and Envy and what not, to oppofe them. We oppofe the Primitive Herefes in them. We cannot but oppofe them : Un- less we would Condemn the Apo files and Primitive Fathers, who have Condemned them. I charitably believe that the Quakers, at lead, the Generality of them, do not know, nor, may be, have heard of thefe Ancient Herefies, or that they have fo literally lick'd them up. But now they do know, let them confider,and fee how they have put Darknefs for Light, and Light for Darknefs !

2. Butifthe^^er/fay, as of late they have begun to do, That they are Mis-reprefented> that they do not hold thefe Vile Herefies, and Errors Charg'd againft them, nor ever did hold them. Let the Reader judge of that by the Quotations which are produc'd out of their moft Approved Authors, in The Snake, and Satan Dis-Rob'd ; of all which G. Whitehead, in what is called his Anfiver, does not deny one : But pleads Not Guilty, without offering to Difprove the Evi- dence brought againft them. However,That is not my Bufinefs now. I am willing they fhould come off as eafily as they can : Provided they do come off, and mean not this to Deceive us.

3. Let it then be fuppos'd, that the Modern Reprefentations they have given of their Notion of The light within, and of other their Dotfrines (fince the oppositions they have lately met with) are the True and Genuin fenfe of what they held from the beginning : And, when truly explained and underftood, the fame, and no more than what thzCh. ^England, and all fbber chriftians have always held.

If fo, then they muft begin again to give a new Account of their Separation, and fo violent a Separations they have made, not only from the CZ>. of England but all the Churches in the World, as Edw. Burrough, p. 416. of his Works, And fo all you Churches and Sec7s, by what namefoever you are known in the world, you are the feed of the great Whore. And p. 1 7. of his Epift. to the Reader he tells him, Thoumayfi fully perceive we differ in DoBrines and Principles ; and the one thou muft juftifie, and the other thou muft condemn, as being one clean contrary to the other in our Principles, And p. 1 . he fays, We havefufficient caufe

to

[*9 3

to cry Agdnfl them, and to deny their Mini fry, their Church, their Wot* (hip, And their whole Religion. What mall we do now I Now we A- gree in nothing ! our Whole Religion is Conkmned : And ther is no Compounding : we mull Condemn the One, and Juftifie the other. Here is Foul-Play on Tome fide! By fome Modem Ac- counts, it is hard to diffinguifh wherein the Doctrines of the Ch. of England, and thofe of the Quakers, do differ. Particu- larly in their Fundamental Principle of The Light within, on which all the Reft do Depend, as it is Explained by Mr. Venn in his late primitive Chriftianity, and in The Snake, Se&. i, and Seel:. xxii. except the Particular hereafter excepted, they are the fame; and Mr. Penn asks no more (upon the MainJ than what is not only Allowed, but Pratfifed, and always has been, and that Dayfy, in our Common Prayers, by the Ch. of Eng- land; yes, and by our Dijjenter s too; (b that now. we are very Good Friends again ! And the Difference betwixt us, upon this Point, is no ways fufficient to Juffifie any Separation. Andfo of the other Points of Doctrine, as, of, late Explained. And for the Sacraments, G. Whitehead allows them to be Lawful, and let fuch Practice them, as fo think fit. Then ther is no ground for their Separation from us, for our Practice of what themfelves Allow to be Lawful. And for Epifcopacy, that is a matter of Government, not of Worjhip, fb that we might join in Worfbip for all that. And the Bifhops Exercife noo- ther Power than what is ufed amongft the Quakers, to Difown thofe who will not walk according to the Rules of the Socie- ty. And their Power herein is much Curbed by the Laws, and Appeals lye from their Sentence to the Secular Courts, which are not Allowed in the Quaker -D if cipline.

Now, to bring this matter to an IiTue, in a Friendly manner, without Ripping up or Confronting Former Teftimonies, it is de- fired, That Mr. Penn, or any other for him, would fhewfuch Differences betwixt his Explanation of the Light within, and that in The Snake, as are fo Material, to juffifie a Separation; and fo of the other Points Treated of in his Primitive Chri- ftianity.

And herein let him and them Confider.the Grievoufhefs of the Sin of Schifm ; even as Enforced by them againfl their own Separates ; it is a Tearing the Body of Chrift in pieces ; and

D.2 turning

[20]

turning the Heaven of Chrifiianity, into a Hell of Confufon, Let us Act herein Manfully; for we Fight for our own Souls, the Vnion and Joy of Chriftendom, the Honour of Religion, and the Glory of God, who £#0jw our Hearts , and will Reward our Sincerity, He, through whofe Holy Infpiration only, wre think thofe things that be Right- ful, Prevent us, in all our Doings, with His moft Gracious Favour ; Further us with His Continual Hc^, and Pardon all our Infirmities^ in the Profecution of thefe Glorious Ends, through ^e/^ Chrift, our £<W ; who for thefe fame Ends, Ztyed, Rtf/e, 4fcended,and will come again, in that fkmeBody, to Reward, and to Judge every Man accor* ding to what he has been Vfeful, or Prejudicial to thefe Ends. To whom with trie Father, and the Eternal Spirit, be All Power, Ho-> nour, and 6/0*7, from All Creatures, Converted Sinners eipeeially, now, and for ever. -^#?e#. .

'-4- Friendly Expoftulation »/*£ Afr. Penn; upon Account of hi$ Primitive- Chriftianity, lately Published,

xi ¥ Have faid before, how near Mr. Pennhzs brought the Quaker *• Principles (as he has, of late, R eprefented them) to the Dcffrw of the Ch. of * England, and the Common Principles of Cbri/lianity. But I would defireto Expoflulate a little with him upon one Part of his Expofition of The Light within, p. 29. where he is not fatisfled with what we allow, viz. that it does Influence and dffift our Natural Light ; but he will not grant that we have-any Natural '. Light at all, or any other than that Divine Light of the WW, which is God; which he fays* feme, miflakenly, call Natural Light, As G, Fox fays, in his Great Miftery, p. 42. where he oppofes this Tenet, That no man by that Native Light inherent in him, had Power to Believe, &c. G. F. Anfwers, The Light that doth enlighten every man (which is their de- fcriptianof the L^Ztf within) he. calls it Native and Inherent: The- vam.es he gives of Native and Inherent, are his^own, out of the Truth, Here he denys any Natural Light, and will have none other but the Divine Light within. But to go on with Mr. Penn, he fays, p. 5^. and 31. That the Scripture makes no diftin&ion between Natural and Spiritual Light, and Provokes any to give fb much as one Text to that Purpofe ; he makes it as Abfurd, as to talk of ^Natural and Spiritual Darknefs within. He fays, There are not two Lights from- God in man, that Regard Religion, Not that Reproves or Condemns a Man for Sin. But

[i.3

But how then does he Anfwer the Objection, which he puts againft himfelf, of the many Fa/fe Religions in the world ? It was not the True Light which guided men into them. And if they have no other Lights how came they by them ? He lays-, it was becaufe they did not follow the True Light. But why did they not follow it ? How could they help following of it, if they had nothing elfe to follow ? What was it that Refitted It ? Or, What could Refift It, if we have no Natural Light or Under ft anding to Refufe its Dictates ? But fuppofe our No Light or Underftanding could fhut its tycs, and not follow this light; then it might lofe the True Religion? But could no- under ft anding invent another Religion ? For that is fomething Pofitive ; and fomething muft Guide and Direct Men to it. The Abfence of Light is Darknefs, not a Falfe- light. But an 7^- nis Fat urn y or Wilt i?tk Wifp, is a Light that leads Men wrong. Men that are in Error follow a Light, but it is Falfe- light, and they think themfelves to be in the Right. Our Un. derftandings have a Natural, which is a Fallible-light ; and there- fore often leads us wrong. What elfe is the meaning of Prov. 3. 5. Truft in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own Vnder ft anding. It is true, that Under ft anding and the Natural light of it, was given us by God : And He made it Right and True ; but Fallible, elfe it could never be miftaken. God has plac'd a Natural light, as a Candle in pur Hearts; and His Super-natural light does Influence and Direct it, when wc feek to Him for it, and ferve Him according as He has com- manded: Solomon fays, Prov. xx. 27. The Spirit of ?nan is the Candle of the Lord, ftarching all the Inward Parts. You will not call the Spirit of Man the Eternal Light, which is GOD. This was the Miftake which drove George Fox to make our Soul a Part of God, without Beginning, and Infinite in it felf, &x. , as fhewn in The Snake, Sect, ii. and to make us even Equal with God, as (hewn, Sett. hi. And Mr. Penn, p. 15. of this Book, (Primit. thrift tan.) allows no Natural light to the Under /land- ing, For (fays he) Man can no more be a Light to his Mind than be is to his Body : And thence inferrs, that as the Eye has no Ldgh in it felF, fo neither the Under ft anding : He makes our Nature and Minds wholly Dark of themfelves, only fucceptible of Super-natural light, when fent into our Underftanding ; And

that

03

that ail the Ltgfa we have is thus Super -natural', and only cal- led Natural, because, as he fays, It is Natural to Man to have :i Super-natural light. I will not take advantage of the Philofo- phy of this ; for, I fuppofe his meaning to be, that it is Na- tl to the Under ft and ing to Receive a Light that is infus'd in- to it, as for the Eye to fee by an Extraneous light; that is, it is an Organ fitted to Receive Light, tho' it has none in it felf; as the Vnderfianding to- Apprehend, tho' it has no Reafion or Light in it felf. Thus he expreffes it, p. 50. All Men have Rea- fon, (favs he) hut all Men are not Reafonable ; which muft be ta- ken with the £kne grains of Allowance. For every Man is a Reasonable Creature, that is, the Definition of a Man. But ac- cording to his Hypothecs, tho* ail men have Reafon, yet not Natural, but piper- naturally put into their Vnderftanding : And io, tho' they have Reafon, yet are they not Reafonable, bccaufe that Reafon is none of their own, only as Gifted, that is, Acci- dental, but not Natural to them ; and fo they can no more be called Rational, than a Bagg can be called Rich, that has Money in it. For he fays, p. 15. That God, is the Light of our Nature, of our minds, and under ft andin^s. If it were meant as an Ajjiftant, Guide or Director, to the Light of our Under [landing, cher were no difference betwixt us : But quite to put out the Natural light of our under/fan dings, and make it but only Paffive, that is, fuccefptible of another light, that is the point on which I would Reafon now with Mr. Penn. It is laid 1 Cor. 1. 21. That the World by IVifdom knew not God. What Wifi dom was this ? it could not be a Divine light ; and if Man have no Natural light ; it muft be the Quaker third fort of tight, that is, No light at all. But iPby Wifdom here, you mean Mens Natural light or Reafon, the Text is Plain and Eafie. ,

It is Written, 1 Joh. 3. 20. If our Heart Condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Now, by Heart, here muft be meant the Natural light ; becaufe, if it means the Light which is God, God is not Greater than Himfelf. And it is fuppofed here that the Heart does not Know all Things : Therefore this muft be meant of our Natural Confidence, and not of God. And now here is a Natural light, which does Re- prove of Evil, which Mr. Penn fuppofcs cannot be fhewn, p. 30. Our Saviour lays, Luk. xii. 57. Tea, and why even of your fehes

judge

033

judge not what U Right ? But why ofyourfelves, if we have no Light at all of our felves whereby to Judge ?

I find a great Light or' the Quakers, Edtv. Burrough, owning thefe Two Lights within, m his Warning to Vnder barrow , 1654. p. 1 6. and 17. of his Works Re-printed 1672. where fpeaking of fome of the Worlds People, whofe Light /fays he J & 0#/y Natural and Carnal, and doth only make manifefl Carnal Iranfgreffiens, and who Judge by the Na- tural lights &c This being Objected by John Stalham, in his Revi- ler Rebuked, p. 282. as a Contradiction to what other Quakers had faid of the Light. Rich ardHubber thorn (a Quaker of the Firft Rank) undertakes the Defence of Burroughs which you find in his Works, Re-printed 1663. p. 144. where he fays that Burrough was Misre- presented, in that Stalham would have had him fay, that the Light of Chrifi was Natural and Carnal, which he fays Bur rough did not mean ; but tht Light of Man (fays he) by which Carnal Men do judge of Carnal Tranfgreffions, is Natural — And Mans light, by which Car- nal men do Judge of anything, is one thing, and the light 0/jefus Chrifr, whhh is Spiritual mens Guide, is another thing. Here are Two Lights within moll plainly, which Mr. Venn does fo pofitively Oppofe-

But which of thefe Lights guided Mr. Venn, and which Hubber- thorn and Burrough ? For it could not be the fame Light that guided to Two Lights, and not to Two !

And now it will be time, to ask from Mv.Penn a Solution of the Difficulty which he Propofes p. 29. that is, To affign m feme certain Medium, or Way, whereby we may truly difcern, and diftingui(h between the Manife (tat ions and Reproofs of the Natural Light within, from thofeof the Divine Light within. He propofed this as a Difficulty upon the Opinion or Two Lights within, a Natural, and a Divine. And prefTesitagainfr. thofe who held that the Natural Light could Reprove of Evil; if which were granted, he would yield that thcr muft be Two Lights. But he fuppofes that nothing but the Divine Light could Reprove of Evil. The Contrary of which has been fhewn from 1 Joh. $. 20. and allowed both by Burrough and Hubber- thorn, who both (in the places above Quoted) do afTert that theiVk- tural Light does Reprove of Carnal Tranfgreffions : And therefore, it Carnal Tranfgreffions be Evil, the Natural Light does Reprove of Evil. ,

But that which I would Improve from this, and for which I have beenfo long upon it, is, to Reprefent to Mr. Fenn the Confequence

of

[ H ]

of this Opinion of his, For if I think that my Vnder {landing \z% Per fed Blank, uncapable to Judge any thing of it [elf , that is, by the Natural Light which God has given it : But that every Thought of my Heart, concerning Religion, is Super-natural, Darted in there Im- mediately by Gad Himfelf,by the very.Lifeofthe Word Eterml,Then mull I follow every fachThought, even without Examination, and Refute to let it be Over-Ruled, either by the Written Word of the Scriptures, or by All the Reafon or Authority of Men or Angels. And if fuch 'ih ought be Erroneous, lam Vn~moveable<znd Irrecoverable I This is the rhoff Defperate Condition of which Man is Capable in this world. Therefore this [tumbling Block mufl be Removed before we can. proceed any further. And this is that, which keeps the Quakers lb Deaf to all Arguments, Charm we never fo wifely \

It was this which Confirmed G*'//>/>z, Toldervy, Milner, and other Quakers, that their Diabolical? offeffions (owned now as fuch by all the Quakers) and the Quaker witches who Attempted the lives of Henry Winder and his Wile (fee the Story in The Snake, p. 300J and tho7 Difprcved, Confuted, and Confounded many ways in all their Accuf acti- ons againfl them, yet ftill to iiick to it, and could never be brought to Repentance^ or to own themfeives Miftaken. Why ? Becaufethey had this Notion, That what came into their minds, was the Light of Chrifr.

And fo it mull be, if thee be no other Light in the mindbut that of Chrift, except we allow of a Diabolical, And then ther are three forts, Natural, Divide, and Diabolical.

Uniefs you will fay, That a Valfe4ight ( as the Diabolical is) ought "not to be Reckon'd a Light. JSut that will not do. Becaufe what Guides, or Direds, or Perfwades, that is called a Light : And you may as well fay, That a Falfe-Guide is no Guide, as that a Falfe-light is no Light : Thus it is, that Satan Transforms himfelf into an Angel of Light. And, as our Saviour has fore- warned us, That the Light in fome Men is Darknefs. Not that Light is Darknefs, but what Men take for Light ; and that is a Light or Guide to them, though a Falfe One. And then how we fhali know the one from the other ? That is a Material Qudtion which you have ask'd, and which now Returns up- on you.

What is that Spirit of the Prophets, that is Subject to the Pro-

phets ?

^ /;e/j ? Is it the Divine Light within ? is G^ 6>^# to the Fro* phets t Muft you not then allow a Natural Light Y Ceafe from thine own Wifdom, Prov. xxiii. 4. Can ther be Wifdom without Light ? Wifdom is Light. Muft I then Cevz/e from the Divine Light ? or is ther not Another ? And how fhall I know mine orvn Light, from the Divine Light?

We are Commanded not to Believe every Spirit, but to Try the Spirits, 1 Joh. iv. 1. How fhall we Try them ? By Themfclves ! Muft I Try the Spirit or Light in my Hearty by it felf ? Ask it, whe- ther it be a True Light, or not? It fays it is. So do all Dec eivers fay, fo does every Falje-Spirit fay ; then I muft not take its word : But I muft Try it. And I ask again, How Try it ? Therefore it muft be by fbmethiDg elfe than it felf. And what is that ? Now we are near the Truth. For, Mr. Penn, the Cafe ftands thus.

God has given a Natural Light to our Vnderflanding, but & Falli- ble one ; therefore it needs Help, and our own Endeavours. The Principal Help is the Influence and Light of the Holy-Spirit of God, which works together with our Light, and Enables it to work. Be- fides this, God has given us a Rule to walk by. Plain Directions in writing, which we may Study, and have always Before us. That is, The Holy Scriptures ; and His Light, will open, that is, Help our Under/landing in the Reading and Studying of the Scriptures ', but that Implys we muft Read and Study ; we muft ufe our Endeavours, elfe He can not Help our Endeavours : We muft not Ly in the Ditch, and cry God Helens \ ufe no Outward Helps, which God has appointed ; but fold our Arms, atidfitftill, and gape for Extraordinary Infpirations, which is a Tempting of GW, inftead of waiting upon H/w.

ThenG^ has Appointed other Helps beficles the Scriptures, He has ConftitutedaC/w^, and an Order of Men to Teach us, to Help us to Vnderftandxhz Scriptures ; and to Adminifter the Sacraments to us, which thrift has Commanded; and Promifed the Afliftance of His H. Spirit to thofe who fhall Reverently, as He has Appointed, approach unto them.

We have likewife the Helps of Hiflorys, and Hum an Learning, to know former Times, to obferve the Rife and Growth of Herefes, and to beware, left we Fall into the like Snares of the Devil.

But if we will Neglect all thefe Helps ; nay, Vilifieand Defpife them,

cry out upon them as Low, Carnal, and what-not ; and Direct God

■ to work Miracles for us, while weRefufe to work, to fend fuch an

; E Irre*

[25 ]

Irrefifiable and Infallible Light into our Hearts, as may, without any Pains on our fide, fecure us Abfohttdy ; and ther is an End on't ! If we will thus Alter our own Frame, and the whole Method of God's Difpenfations, it is but juft with God to give us up to follow our own Imaginations, and let us feel the Effect of our Folly.

But now, on the other hand, if we will be Content to fol- low God in His way : To acknowledge what we Feel and Kjiow, that we have a Free-will within us, and an Vnderjland* ing, which has Natural Powers, to Judge, and Difcern, and Con- filer', and will ufe the Helps God has given us; then, and not till then, are we in a Capacity to be Reafond with; to Judge and Tryourownty/m/, and other Mens, by the Plain Rule of God's H. Word ; and if we find they fpeak not according to that, then to Reject them. Then may we Expect the Afli- itance of God's B. Spirit to Inform our Vnderfland/ngs, and lead us into All Truth neceflbry for us.

For, what ever the Quakers think, the Ch. of England has always ' Acknowledg'd the Influences and Inward Operation of the B. Spirit of God upon our Hearts^sthz Caufeof All the Good that is wrought in us ; which is fufficiently fhewn in The Snake,Sz&. xxii.

And this has been all along the DodTrin of the Catholick Church, which I might Prove at length ; but that is not the Point in which we are,atPre(ent, engag'd : Yet for the fatisfa£tion of the Quakers who may not know this, I will fet down two Canons of the Council of y Carthage, which was held in the year of our Lord, 41 9.

Can. 1 1 }. Whoever fays, That

the grace of God, by which a man is cO?t£ $wnm t^tWrj r -)Aey-v *&

Juftiffd through Jefa (thrift our ©ea y *nn hxajfU^) ha %c& XztrS

Lord, avails only for the Remijflon 7$ Kvgjt: hu.&v, t^sc, fj.ivluf <z<pi-

of fins that are already paft, but aw cLygifti'2v lyy&.v 77/ r^n m-

does not alfo give ftrength to refifl ^Mf^jxOvrsjjukvm , (c (j.y\ v^ai^iv

fin for the future^ Let him be Ana- Cn Jaw (czr^ta™ tzoc, c /un esr-

thema. For the grace of God does pol ^/\yi/Lt/uih^iSzi{y 'Ai'djzutt ««.

not only give hs the knowledge of ff» r\ yxPis 7$ 0a£ a fjuivov -yv5>-

whatweought to do,but alfo infpires <nv BBgfxii <%" &&L wggL'il&Vy d&d

us with love, whereby ne may been- <£ ' Aytnlju) Cn /j,tw tyurvOi VfriVy

abled to Perform thofe things which tya Z ids imyA-MSJtaefj^j, % «r?u<-

m know to be our duty, Likewife $m\ lyvmyfy* ofAcivs, ong £xf-

who-

whofoever {hall fay, that thvs grace ^ &&] T^ rf^ ygfi ^ ip/G^, ***£ * ^™' Je/« C7;r/)? ee£, rtw hz 5I^S x^^^ic^ *»r Lord, does help us to avoid fin, *#£,, <£ ^J ^m ^ ^S^, only as the knowledge of fn is made ^pj, 3 ^ ^^^ ^ ^ manifefi to tu by it, whereby we know tcw-tv; 'y^mv t*nt&*V'&i?) 3 pa*e- n>te n>e <Mg&; ftf/ee* after, & what ^3 , y,£^ ^ d'Jut^yA-mv, to avoids hut that fir ength is not £& yidam * M dhfyr&v 4 a gii/e» ^ £/ **, *to what we know we ^ cWuW, 8 #&) £,' aw afe VA^ ought to do, we may aljo love it, and <m^[^^aj\y \vx far^ yv£/vfyj irw« he enabled to perform it, Let him he ^ ^ srcwca/ e7i fjjd dyz^m- Anathema. ^ £ fyvowjuA^ 'Avxfrjuut &^.

Can. 114. Whofoever Jh all fay that the grace of J unification was 'Q^ frfaon ^W3 Six 7% r therefore given unto us, that what -yp&y *I/mv 4 hwoowtrs hM<£g, we could perform by our own free- $a §**£ -zro&v SW ?S cw-r^a^ will, we may do the more eafily by Su^xjumBzc, Sityep&i&k 'zrA^Sfjfyj grace ; infomuch, that thd* grace^ hx t5 ytLtfe?" caim& % &L 9 ylr had not been given, we might, tho z/q yfr &&d&, in £v%e%£<; $6, with difficulty, perform the divine d\>? ?/ux; &iwd,fjut&£* £ tfaa. Commandments without it, Let qs/A\%c, hi fxlxij vr\n$mi -mg 0e[- him be Anathema. Tor, concerning &x ®*r$cd4' 'Avcfyput &n. ©$ <yS the fruits of the Commandments, r£v 9&e?zs&9 r£v drn?\£v 6 K'Je/c$ The Lord did not fay that without tz dn&>, y^tk */"<« £xtQ/te>£$ M» me, ye (hall do them with difficulty ; rao9s vrz&v aAA* SmvJ yx^j? but He faid, without me, ye can do ijux 8 cfwzc&s misty. nothing.

This Conftant Do&rin of the Church, the Quaker Infallibility did not know that (he had ever held ; and therefore let it up as a New difcovery of their own, and broke with the Church for it. And to Advance Divine Grace, they would extinguifh Human Reafon, which is a Divine Grace it felf, and the Subject given unto us by God, whereupon His B. Spirit mould work.

And to Diveft us of it, is to make us ceafe to be Men, inftead of being Saints-

It makes God the fole Author of all our Sin ; for if we have no Natural-Light, we can have no Free-will; are only Pafiive in God's Hands, acted by Him, but do nothing of our felves, and therefore are not anfwerable for anv thing that we do ; more than a Sword or a Pen are Blame-worthy for whatever ufe is made of them.

E 2 This

[i8 3

This Arraigns the Wifdom of God, in all the lnftitmions and Ordi- nances that ever He gave to Men. For, what need of fuch Helps to the Divine Light 1 and Mr. Penn lays we have no other. Why then does he Preach ? To whom doth he Preach ? To the Divine Light in Men ? (as G. Fox, and the Primitive Quakers us'd to (peak") Can he Teach that ? Cannot xkaxguide Men without his Preaching ? If he fays that he only Preaches to perfwade Men to follow that Light, But cannot the Light Teach even that too ? Or has it Forgot it ? Does itneed/Ze/jp in that ? Then why not in other things ? then is it not f elf fujjicient without fomething elfe.

Nay, by this Principle, ther was no need ofChri/Fs coming into the World, at lead: of His dying for us : For Men had the Divine Light before. And what could the Man Jefus add to that ? Was it not fujjicient without Him ? If not, then you want fomething elfe be- ildes your Light within: But if it was fujjicient without Him, then could not His Coming be Neceffary. I defire to know what you differ herein from the Deifls ? They hold a Divine Light Planted by God in the Heart of Man,, which they call Reafon : And that this is fujjicient, without any thing elfe, to Teach a Man all that he ought to Kjtow or Do. This Divine Light you call the Light within : So that you Differ from them but in Words : Both of you Reject the Neceflity of any Outward Revelation , that is, ofzCbri/i without. And fo are the fame with all the Pagan or Gentile World. For they too (and the latter Mahometans) allow Jefus to have been a Good Man ; and to have had this Divine Light (which you call Chrifi) within Him, as all other Men have : But this does not make Him Properly the Son of God; which you alfb utterly deny Him to be, as laid be- fore, p. 3. This is Literally that Anti-Qhrijlianifm which is Repre- hended, 1 Joh. 2. 22. of Denying 3^/kr to be the Chriji. For hav- ing of the Light in me, does not make me to be the Light : But Je- fus not only had the Light in Him, but He was the Light, or Chrift ; which it is Blafphemy to fay of any other. And yet, if Man have no other Light in him but the Divine, and that be made Part of his /W ture, it muft follow that he is God: For whoever does Properly par- take of the Divine Nature, is fo.

2. But now whatever Mr. Penn thinks of my Reafoning9 (which by his own Principle, muft be the Immediate Dictate of the Holy Ghofjk, if I have no Natural Light which taught it me) yet he can have no Reafon to break Communion with us, .upon

this

Os»3

this Account, more than with Hubberthorn* Burroughs or other Quakers who held the fame, as James Nay lor, and others I cou'd fhew, if that were worth the while. And though James Naylor was Cenfur'd by the Quakers for other things, yet ne- ver for this ; and he was Receiv'd again into Favour, and Liv'd and Dy'd in their Communion,

- 3. This hindets not, by Mr. Penn's own Acknowledgment, they and we oeing all of one Religion. For he fays, p. 62. / know not how properly they may be calld of divers Religions, that ajfert the True God for the Object of Worfhip ; The Lord Jefus Chrift, for the only Saviour \ and the Light or Spirit of Chrift, for the Great Agent and Means of Mans Conversion and Eternal Felicity.

Now all this, Mr. Penn, the Church of England does moil fincerely and heartily Believe, and ever have Profefsd it : And therefore, if we be not of divers Religions, why of divers Communions \

4. Again, your Expofition of Juftification, p. 79. That you acknowledge Juftification only for the fake of the Death and Suf- ferings of Chrift ; and nothing rve can do, (fay you) though by the Operation of the Holy Spirit, being able to Cancel old Debts, or wipe out old Sc$res : It is the Power and Efficacy of that Propiti- atory offering, upon Faith and Repentance, that Juftifies us from the fins that are pajl ; and it is the Power of Chrift'.? Spirit in our hearts, that Purifies, and makes w Acceptable before God. All this is moft Sound and Orthodox. And your whole Ninth Chapter concerning the Inward and Spiritual Appearance of Chrift in the Soul, I not only Approvey but do very much Con" gratulate with you, that ycu have fo Chriftianly and Patheti-* tally Prefs'd it. I know you will not fufpeel: mc of Flattery : For, where ther is occafion, I fpeak Plain enough. This Caufe Requires not Dodging. Let us Contend for the Truth, on what- ever fide it lys. It is for our own Souls. And we muft give an Account.

How do you keep up a Schifm, if you agree with us in thefe Fundamentals of Religion 1 Small Matters, you know, are not f ufficient to excufe a Schifm. Great things are to be done, and much to be Born to Compafs fuch good of fouls. Therefore let me confider All your Objections.

1. Chap.

[3° 3

i. Chap.x. Se£h i, You Infill; much upon the Spirituality and Life of Prayer. In the name of God, earry that as High as you can, you fhall'find no oppofition from us : For without this, Ml Prayer, in whatever words, whether Extempore, or Pre-meditated, are but Dead Forms. And an Ex-tempore Prayer, is only Ex-tempore as to the Speaker, if he has not thought of it before : But it is as much a Farm to the Hearers, as if he had thought of if, if they join with him, they are ty'd to his words and method, and every thing elfe of his Prayer. So that the Queftion is ill itated, to call P re-meditated Prayer a Form, and the other not. Both are Forms , and equally Forms to the Hearers ; But the True State of the Queftion is this, wiietheran Ex-tempore, or a Pre-meditatedVoKu, is molt Beneficial to the Hearers ? Which can be freed from molt Defects ? And which be if fitted to the Common Exigencies of the People ?

If the Heart cannot be fuppos'd to be Spiritually lifted up in the ufe of any Form, then muff All Publick Prayer ceafe. Then was The Lords Prayer Un-flfting ever to be us'd ; or j:he Pfalms of David, which were daily Readinthe lemple, and compofedfor that End.

But if the foul may be fpiritually lifted up in the Ufe of a Form, then is it Great Un-CharitablenefstoCe#///rethofe who ufe it : And this can be no fufficient Caufe for a feparation.

Befidesthatitislmpoflible for any of your Hearers to know whe- ther they make ufe of (that is, join in) an Ex-tempore, or a Pre-medi- tated Form : For how do they know whether the Speaker has thought of it before ? Thefe are too (lender Caufes for a Separation.

But in our Churches, the Minifters are not ty'd to the Common-pray- er, but take the fame Liberty as yours, to Pray according to their own Conceptions before and after Sermon, So that herein you may join quite free from this Exception.

2. Your next Exception, Se€t. 2, and $. is concerning the Mini- (try j That they who undertake it, ought to be Guided and Influenced by the Holy-Spirit. Herein you differ not from us. We anert the fame. And it is Demanded in the Examination of Perfbns to beO- dain d, W'hether they are perfwaded that they are moved thereto by the Holy Ghoft ? If Men will be-Iy their own Conferences, and thruft themfelves Unworthily into the Minifiry, that is not to be objected againftthe Conflitution : And, Mr. Penn, you know that yourC^- mtmion has Laboured under this Inconvenience as well as ours. I need not go to Infiances. I know you will not put me to it. There- fore this is no Caufe for Separation. 5. Your

$. Your 4. Sett. That Mimfters are Chri/l's Witneffes, and ap- plying to this 1 Job. 1. 1, $. That which we have heard, feet* with our Eyesr and our hands have handled, &c. feems Strange ; for this was fpoken by St. John in relation to the Per [on ofChrift, whom they had feen,felt, &c. And fuch fort of WitnefTes I fuppofe you do not Pretend to be : You Pretend not to havefeen our Lord in the Flefh. But if you take this fpiritually, ("as I perceive you do) then we Wit- nefs it as much as you. And here can be no Caufe of 'Separation.

4. Your $. Sett, againft Mens offering money to be made Miniflers. I would fain know what Caution you can advife againft Symony that is not taken. But if you think it utterly unlawful for Miniflers to Receive ought from the People, to whom they Preach, How got G. Fox fo much Money ? And I would defire to know how you anfwer 1 Cor. ix. 7, n, 14. Gal. vi. 6. Phil iv. 14. 16. How- ever, here can be no Caufe of Separation.

5. Chap* xii. Sett. 1. You fay nothing againft Tythes, but that you will not Support our Miniflry r And that depending upon what is faid before as to them, I difmifs it. Though you might Grudge them their Tythes, and yet not break Communion : For you are no lefs Lyableto them now, than if you were in our Co?nmunion. And, not now to enter upon ihQjus Divinum of Tythes, (which I think is very Plain) yet till you can fhew it to be a Sin for the Kjng and Parli- ament to give Allowances or Efiates to the Clergy, as well as to other Men, you can never countenance a Separation upon the account of Tythes. Therare many in our Qommmion who are not yet per (wa- ded of the Divine Right of Tythes.

6. As to your 2. Sett, againft Swearing. You have obtained an Att of Parliament to Swear in your own Form. Therefore thatG^ jettion is taken out of the way. At lead it can be made no Pretence for a Separation.

7. As to your $.Sttt. concerning War, you fay no more of it, than that itought to Ceafeamong Chriftians. And who does not wifti it i1 But that it may fometimes be Neceffary and Lawful you have allowed, in hngagingto the Government to maintain Souidiers in Penflvunia. But however you may keep that opinion, and yet not make a Separa- tion. Asyoumay, what you mention SecT. 4, 5, 6, and 7. That is, The Salutations of the Times. Plainmfs of Speech. Not to Marry from among sour felves. Plainnefs in Apparel. And to Refrain Sports and Paflimes.

8. As

[;>]

-TV

S. Asto6e#.8. againft our Y> ublkk Fafts and Feafts, they are lit- tle enough obfer v'd amongft our felves. You'll not be much Quar- rell'd for that. But) our Reafon againft them, becaufe they areof H/^^Inftitution, needs another Realbn why that is one, which you do not Give us. All Churches, both before and fince Chrifi, have done the fame. And ther is no Prohibition againft it. However, if you cannot comply with it, you may ftay at home on thole days. That is no Reafon for a General Separation.

And thefe are all the Caufes you have Inflancdor Hintedatin your Book. And I hope, upon ferious Confideration, you will not think that an}7 or all of them are fufficient for a Separation.

Remember what you (aid to your own Separates of Harp-Lane, when they defiredto put up pzR Quarrels; you bid them then to Return from their Separation. Take the Good Advice you have given. Sure the Caufe is more Important. And our Church can Plead more Authority over you, than you could over them.

And if you think that flie has Errors and Defetfs, (wherein I will join with you) yet Confider, that no Errors can juftify a Breach of Communion, butthofe which are Impos'd as Conditions of Commu- nion.

We mall have many things to Bear with, to Bemoan, to Amend, to Struggle with, while we are 'upon this Earth.

And he that will make a Separation for every Error, will fall into much greater Error and Sin than that which he would leek to Cure. It is like tearing CbriJFs feamlefs Coat, becaufe we like not the co- lour, or to mend the Fafhion of a Sleeve.

God Direct you, and us all. To His Grace I commend you, and the Influences of His Bleffed Spirit, to mew you what Great things it is in your Power to do for Him and His Church ; and give you a Heart to do them, that it be not laid to your Charge.

ADVERTISEMENT.

1 Would not have the Reader or the Shakers think, becaufe I have inftanced but in Seven Parti- culars wherein the Quakers have Copy'd after the Ancient Hcreticks within the firft ijo Years of Cl.riRi unity, that therefore ther are no more. But I would not fwell this matter, to t-00 great a bulk. 1 have mewn in The Snnke, Sett, ix. how George Fox falls in with the Patri. />.^:«77;.f, who Deny Jd any Diftin&ion of Perfons in the God-befit; and consequently held that it was God the Father who was Born of the B. Virgin, and Dyed To* us. And whoever will com- pare the Tenets of the Stutters with the Account which Epifyaniw and others later, have given <XtKer(jfioftitks, and other Hcreticks of thofe times, will fjnd many other Particulars wherein they agree. But becaufe the fakers, and others of our Diffi r, t ■;■?, have (for no caufe but their own Gni/t) excepted ngainft the Account of former Hei-ept, given by thofe of After Ages, I have, to take away all Umbrage, fetched my Authoritys from thofe who were Co-temporaries with thofe Hcreticks which they mention.

F I N I S,

&

-» T

jfc.

ISCOU

SHEWING,

Who they are that are now Qualify 'd to Adminifter ftaptifm and the Lord's-Suffer.

Wherein the Caufe of

EPISCOPACY

Is briefly Treated*

By the Author

O F

A DISCOURSE

Proving the Divine Inftitution of Wtter-Baptifm.

No MM Ukcth this Honour mt» hmfilf, but be that it calltiof God, as was Aaron, Heb. 5. 4-

LONDON,

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Prmted for C **•«"« be % 'church.Yatd , and H. ititimtfr at

"&£ tJjovet-Sn'ft .he Rova. Exchange, CoM ze98.

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THE

P

-~X ' ^h_ J JmL •-' O

X

THIS TtifcGttrfe was Promise inthat which I formerly Pubhfh'd, provtug t\\c Divine i lnjiituthn of ^at€r^Bapii\m-\ And was intended to have been Annex d to that, but fome Delays prevented it.

I can give no good Reafom why it has ftay'cT thus long, having made but little Addition to what was then done: But other things Interven'd, and, as it is ulual in Delays the firft in De* fign proves the laft in Fa£h

The Subjed ot this has led me dire#> ly upon the larger Theme of Bpifcopacy^ which having been fo Elaboratly and fo Often treated of, I intend not in this to Branch out into fo wide a Field) but in a short compendious Method, to lay be* fore the Quakers^ and others of our Difien*

ters.

The Treface.*

ten from Epifcopacy, the Heart of the Caufe, fo far particularly as it concerns our pre- sent Subject, the T^ght of ^Admimljiring the Sacraments of £/wy?.

And to avoid the length of Quotations, , when brought into the Difcourfe, and Di- lated upon, I have, at the end, Annex'd a fmall Index of Quotations out of the Pri- mitive Fathers and Councils of the firft 450 Years after Cbrifl,to which the Reader may Recur, as ther is occafion. And having them ail in one view, may conflder them more Intirely, and Remember them the better.

I have Tranflatcd them for the fake of the Engfijh Reader, but have put the Ori~ ginals in another Column, to juftine the Tran* flation 5 and for their fakes wha may not have the Books at hawk

The CONTENTS.

SECT. I.

The Necejfity of an Outward Commijfon to the Minifters

of the Gofpel.

The Cafe is Stated^ as to thofe Quakers, for whofe fa- ns fa&ion this is Intended. Page I

L Of Perfonal Qualifications requifite in the Adminiftra- tors of the Sacraments. 2

II. Of the Sacerdotal Qualification of an Outward Cm- mijfiony as was given to Chrift by God.

III. By, Ghrift to the Apoftles, &c.

IV. By the Apoftles to others..

V. Thoje others Impowerd to\ give it to others after them.

SECT. II.

The Deduftion of this Commiffion is continud in the

Succejfion of Bifhops ^ - and not of Presbyters.

I. Either way it operates againjl the Quakers. 3

II. The Continuance of every Society is Deducd in the Sue-*- ceflion of the Chief Governours of the Society^ not of the Inferior Officers. 4

III. This Jbewny in Matter of FatJ, as to the Church and the Succejfion of Bifhops from the Apoftles times to our Days 1 particularly here in England.

IV". The Presbyterian Plea confide/ d± that Biihbpricks were but jingle Pariflhes ; and confeojuently^ that every Presbyter was a Bifhop ; and their Vain Logo-machy

Upon the Words 'EvlrKcnr®* and npza&!>-np(&. ?

V. Jrgud from the Type of the Levitical Prieflhoody which

jhewn to be the Method of Chrift, the Apof ties, and Pri-

mitive Fathers. 7

YL Whence

The Contents?

VI. Whence the Cafe of Korah and the Presbyterians Jhewn to be the fame. And the Epifcopal Supremacy as Plainly and Fully EJiab lifted, as was that of Aaron and his Succefiors. 8

VII. No Succeffion of Presbyters can be Jhewn from the Apoftles. 9

VIII. The Pretence of Extraordinary Gifts, no Ground or Excufe for making of a Schifm. I I

S EC X. 1 1 1.

Objection from, the Times ^Popery in this Kingdom ; as if that did Un-church, and consequently breaks the SllC- ceffion of our Bifhops.

I. This jhewn to be a Popifh Argument. 1 7

II. That Idolatry does not Lln-church. Proltd

1. Becaufe a Chriftian may be an Idolater. 1 8

2. From the. Type of the Church under the Law. 19

III. Epifcopacy the m-ojl offofite to Popery. \% ibid.

IV. Male-Adminiftration does Forfeit, but not Vacate a Commiffion, till it be Be~rall'd.. .\ 21

V. Defefts in Succeflion, no Bar to the Poffeffors, where ther are none who Claim •* Better Right. ;• 1%

S E C T. IV.

The Aflhrance and ■ Content in the Epifcopal Commu- nion, beyond that of any other.

I. The Epifcopal Communion of much greater Extent^ and

more Uniyerfal than all thofe who ofpoje it. 24

II. And than the Church ^fRome, if join d with them, ib.

III. The Diflenters from Epifcopacy, do all Deny the Or- dination or Call 0/ each other, 25

IV, If

The Contents.

W. If the Quakers receive Baptiiin from any of the fe Di£ fencers, toey haDe no Reafon to exfetl the fame Allowan- ces as may begvoen to thofe of their own Communions.

V. The Epij copal Ordinations^ and conf cogently their Right to Baptize, is ownd by both Papitls and Prerbyterianso

S E C T. V.

TJje PerfonalSandfcity of the Adminiftrator of the Sacra- ments, tho highly Requifit on his Party yet not <?fNe~ ceflky, as to the Receivers, to convey to them the Be- nefits of the Sacraments: Becaufe L The Vertue comes not from the Minifter, but from God alone* 26

II. For this Caufe (among others) Chrift chofe Judas to be an Apoftle. 27

III. God\r Power is Magnify d in the Meariefs of His Xnftrih ments,

IV. St. Paul Rejoyc'dat the Preaching of 'Evil Men 28

V. Tins confirmed by doyly Experience.

VI. The Argument fronger as to the Sacraments. 29

VII. The Fatal Conferences of making the Perfonal Holinefs of the Adminiftrator Neceffary towards the Efficacy of the Sacraments.

1. It tak$s away all Afllirance in our Receiving of the Sa^-

exainents. . . . .

2. It renders the Commands ^Chrift, of none EffeB* 30*

3. It is contrary to the tenure of QodiS former Institutions ■$.;

and puts us in a, more uncertain Condition than they were under the Law.

4. It was the Ancient Error of the Donatifts ; and Borders upon Popery.

VIIL As

The Contents.

VIII. As great San&ity to be found in the Clefgy of the Church ^/England, as among any of our Diffenters. 3 2

IX. Ther is j at leaf, a Doubt, in Receiving Baptifm from any of our Diffenters. Whichy in this cafe^ is a Sin : ■'''There- fore fecurity is only to be' had in we Epifcopal Communion.

X. The advantage of the Church of England, by Her being the Eftablifhed Conftitution/^r fence the Reformation.

XI. That therefore nothing can excufe Schifvn from Her , but Her Enjoyning fomething^ as a Condition of Commu- nion, that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures; which can- not be fhewn. 3 3

XII. Therefore to Receive Baptifm from the Church ^Eng- land, is the greatejl fecurity which the Quakers can have of Receiving it from Proper Hands.

XIII. An Anlwer to the Objection, That Baptifin has not fuch Vifible Effe&s amongjl usy as the Quakers wou'd defire, S4

The Supplement.

I. Some Authorities for Epifcopacy, as Diftin£fc from^

and Superior to Presbytery , taken out of the Fathers and Councils in the firfe 450 Tears after Chrift. 3 5

II. That the whole Reformation ; even Calvin, Beza, and thofe of their Communion, were jealous Afferters of Epifcopacy. 58

r « ;

DISCOURSE

Shewing-) who they are that are now qualify d to Jdminifler BAPTISM, and the LORD's SUPPER.

SECT. I

The Necejfty of an Outward Commiffon to the Miniilers

of the Gofpel.

SOme Quaker s having perus'd my Difiourfe of Bafitifm, think the Quaker Arguments againfl it fufficiently Anfwered : And they have but one Difficulty remaining, that is, who they are (among the various Pretenders) that are duly Qualify 'd to Ad- mimfter it.

And if fatisfacuon can be given to them herein, they promifea perfect Compliance to that Holy lnftitutiot?.

The Chief thing they feem to ftand upon is the Veronal Holyne(s of the Admniftrator 5 thinking that the spiritual ErTec1s of Baptifm cannot be convey'd by the means of an Urfanclifyd inflrn- rnent.

. But yet they Corifefs, that there is fomething elfe Neceflaiw befides the Perfonal Holinefs of the Admiuijlratcr : Otherwife, they wou'd thick themfelves as much Qualify d to Admimjler it as any others o became, I prefume, they fuppofe themfelves to have as great a Meafure of the Spirit as other Men.

This R'-cwjit which they want, is that of Lawful Ordination. ■

But tin :>resbytenat;s, lndzfen dents, and Baftijls do pretend to this. Therefore their Title to it is to be Examined.

B And,

T&

And, that we may proceed the more clearly in this Matter, with Refpeft ftill to. that Difficulty upon which the Quakers lay the ftrefs.* we will Inquire concerning thofe Qualifications which are Requiftt in any Perlon that fhall take upon him to Adminijler the Sacraments of Christ's Inftitution. And,

Thefe Qualifications are of two forts, Veronal ox Sacerdotal.. ,

I. pergonal. The Holme fs of the Adminiflrator. And , though this is a great Qualification to Fit and Prepare a Man for fuch an Holy Administration, yet this Alone does not fufli- ciently Qualifie any Man to take upon him fuch an AdminU ftration.

IT. But there is moreover requir'd, sly. A Sacerdotal Qua- lification, that is, an Outward Cotnmiffion7 to Authorize a Man to execute any Sacerdotal or Ministerial Acl: of Religion. For, This Honour no Man taketh unto himfelf ^ but he that is cal- led of God, as was Aaron • fo alfo chrifl glorify d e ' v' 4* not. himfelf to be made an High-Prieji • But he that faid unto him, thou art my Son Thou art a PrieJ}} &C,

Accordingly we find that Chrijt did not take upon Him the Office of a Preacher, till after that Ottward Commiffion given to Him by a Voice from Heaven^ at His Baptifmj for it is written, Matth. iv. 17. From that time Jefus began to Preach: Then Hs Began ; and He was then about Thirty Years of Age, Lukeiii. 23, How no Man can doubt of ChrisV-s Qualifications, before that tiwe, as to Holinefs^ Sufficiency^ and all Pergonal Endowments. And if all thefe were not fufficient to Christ Hmafelf, without an Outward Commi[fi>n^ what other Man can pretend to it upon the Account of any perjonal Excellencies in Himfelf, without an outward Comm'tffhn .<?

III. And as chrifl was outwardly Commiffionated by His Father, fo did not He leave it to His Difciples, every ones Opinion of his own fufficiency, to thruft himfelf into the Vine* yard) but Chofe Twelve Apofiles by Name 5 and after them. Seventy others of an Inferior Order, whom He fent to Preach.

IV. And as chrift gave outward Comnvffions, while He was „ . upon the Earth, fo we find that His Apo/lle sdid Pro-

& FY Y V " ■}

'"*' ceed in the fame Method, after His Afcenfion. They bfdai tied them Elders in every Church.

V. Bur had they, who were thus Ordained by the Apoftles,

Power

( 3 ) Power to Ordain others? Yes, For this ctuje left l

thee in Crete, that thm jbohldefi QrLun Eiders in Tir«. \ \

every City* Lay hands f/tddeniy on no Man, &c. St.C'/.'- iUl ' merits m his fir ft Epifile to the Corinthians, writing concerning the Schifm which Kaj o! 'Atto^Ao* y[j.& i'yx£ Sw was then riien up amongft 5" Kvgjs %r£ Xe/?2, %n *pk them, fays, Parag. 44. Tljatthe Iccu $m ? ov'juclI@» t$ 'E-ttictko- Afojiles fore-knowing there woud ' 7rijc. £& tcwtLjj %v rim co-nzv r^- be Contejls concerning the yvuaiv etA/ipdr?; tsAgi^, xcc-Api^ Episcopal Name (or Office) did ?2g <z*Q^2Avfy^> £ /xs7k£J, vm- themfelves appoint the Perfons : roj^lw frc^Kzeiv, Zttzoc, iciv jm/,u- And not only lb, le(t that might haw, ha^lfyw*) ehfpi fr$vu- be laid to be of force , only fxaa-^ki a,v$m , rlw 'X&rzpfav during their time. But that aurfrtp* 0} d* %ZJ£$ Tnzidfo- they afterwardt eftavli[hed an p$ <z$££ 0e2 i'pw tqj£to, xol-tc- Order how, when thofe whom <pi£ tic, qtfpzionffibxs* they had Ordained jhou d Die • others, ft and approved Men, ffmid Jucceed them in their Minifiry. Par. 43. that they who were in- truded with this Work t by God, in chrijt, did Constitute thefe Offi- cers.

But this Matter depends net upon the Teftimony of him, or many more that might be produced. It is fuch a Publick Mat- ter of Facl h That I might as well go about to quote particular Authors, to prove that there were Emperors in Rome, as that the Mmifers of the church of chrilt were Ordained to fucceed one another^ and that they did io fucceed.

S E C T. II.

Hie Deduction of this Commiflion is continud in the Sue- cefjton of Biihops and not of Presbyters.

BUT here is a Difpute, whether this Succeffion was pre- ferv'd in the Order of Bijbops or Presbyters 3 or whether both are not the fame *

I. Anfw. 1. This is the Contefl; betwixt the Presbyterians and us : But either way it operates againft the Quakers, who allov, of no Succeffion derived by outward Ordination.

B 2 I Jti*.

(4)

II. Anfo. 5. But becaufe the DsHgn of this Uifcourfe is to mew the Succefjion from the Apojtles, I anfwer that this Succef* fion is pieferv'd and deriv'd only in the Bifhops: As the conti- nuance of any Society, is deduc'd in the Succejfion of the Chief Governors of the Society, not of the Inferior Officers. Thus in Kingdoms* we reckon by the succeffion of the Kings, not of Sheriffs qt Con fables , and in Corporations by the Succejfion of the Mayors or other c£/>/' Officers 5 not of the Inferiour Bailiffs or Serjeants : So the Succeffion of the Churches is Computed in the Succejfion of the Bifoops, who are the Chief Govemours of the chur- ches?, and not oiV.resbyters, who are but Inferiour Officers under the Bifbops.

III. And, in this, the Matter of FacVis as Clear and Evident as the Succeffion of any Kings or Corporations in the World.

To begin with the Apoftles, we find not only that they Confti* tuted Timothy Biflrop ofEpbefus, and f/>«f of Crete, as in the Sub- fcriptions of St. VauPs Epiftles to them : But, in Erfehim and other Fxclefiaflical Hftorians, you havethe Bi(h;>ps Nam'd who were Con* flituted by the Apoftles themfel ves,over the then famous Churches of ' Jew falem,Antioch, Rome ^ and Alexandria, and many other Chur* ches 5 and the Succeffion of them down all along.

Sr. Polycarp, Bifhop of Smyrna, was Dilciple to St. John the Apoflley and St. Irensets, who was Difciple to St* Polycarp, was Conftituted " Bifbop of Lyons in France.

I mention this, becaufe it is fo near us 5 for> m all other Churches, throughout the whole World, where-ever Chriftianity was Vhttttd?. Epifcopacy was every where Eftablilh'd, without one Exception.,, as is Evident from all their Records.,

And ib it was with us in England} whither it is generally fuppos'd, and with very good Grounds, that Sr. PWfirft brought the Chrifttan Faith. Clemens Romanusj in his ■ Fir f Epift. to the Corinthians, Paragr. 5. Says, that Sr. Paul went Preaching the Gcfpel to thefartheft bounds of the wefts $%* w t4pucc t5 Awsa$. by which Term Britain was then Urtderftood. And Theodora exprefly Names the Britains among the Nations Converted by the Apofl/s. (To. 4, ferm0 9, p. 610.) And Eufebius in his Evan- gelical Demon ft ration, (•!. 3; c. 7. p. 1 1 3.) Names likewife the fat- 'ifiins, ^ then- Converted.

Rut-:

( 5 )

But whether Sr. Paul, or, as Tome Conjecture, Jofepb otdri* tnathea, or any other Apoftolical Perfon was the Mr ft who Preach- ed Cbr/ft in England-, it matters not, as to our Prefent Pur- pofe j who Enquire only concerning Epi-coucy . And it is Cer- tain by all our Hiftories, that as far up as they give us any Account of chrijhamty in this Jfland, they tell us likewise of Bifoeps 3 and the Succefiion of this church of England has been Deduced in the Succefiion of Bijbovs, and not ot Presbyters* And particularly in- the Diocefs of London y which was the firft Arcbi-Epifcopal See, before Auguftin the Monk came hither, af* ter which it was • Eftablifh'd in GYnterbwp And the Saxon* Writers have Tranfmitted the Succefiion of their Bjb-ps mean* ttrburyf Rocbe/ler, London, &s.

And in Countries fo Remote and Barbarous as Ifl-md it felt we find the fame care taken $ Ara or Aras an iflwdiftj Pried: Surnarn'd Hinfrode the Learned, who flouriilrd in the Eleventh Century, and was 25 Years Old when chrijiuwty was brought thither, in his Book of that Country written in Ifltndift, has Tranfmitted to Pofterity, not only the Succeffion b j* the tfifty* legies of the Bijbops o» shrdholt and Ho/a (the two Epifcopal Sees of J/land) as they Succeeded one another in his Time. . i mention this of Jfland, to fhew that Eprccpacy has Extended it /elf Equally with cbri/lianity-, which was carry'd by it, into the Remoteft Corners of the Earth 5 upon which account tlt€ Bifbops of skalhilt and Ho/a, and their Sntcejfi>ny are as Remu]> able Proofs of Epifcopacy, tho' not ib. Famous as -the Bifhops of Canterbury and London.

IV. If the Presbyterians will Ly fbeca-ufe they have nothing left to fay) that ail London (for Exam pie) was but one . parijb 2^1 tfeat the Presbyter of every other P.r/v/Z? was as much a B.'ib.p as the Bifbop of London 5 becaufe the words 'E7rincc7r@* and ^pl'rfrf^pSti Bifbop and Presbyter are fomstimes us'd in- the lame fenib ; They may as well prove that Christ -was bur a Deacon, becaufe He ' isfo-calPd, Rom,xv.8. Arltco^, which we rightly ■ Translate a Adinifter'. And Bifbop figniiies an Overfetr, and P?eslyter an Ancient M*n$ or £/^r ,#M» 5 whence our Term of Aide? m n\ And this is as, good a Foundation to Prove that the A')oft es were Aldermen^ in the city acceptation of the Word 3 or that our Alder men are all Bifiops and Jpoftles, as to Prove that Prh~

b) tt rs

( *)

htcrs, and Bifhops are all one, from the Chitdifli.(7/*g/* of the Words.

It wou'd be the fame thing, if one fhou'd undertake to Con- front all Antiquity, and Prove againft all the Hirtories, that rhe Emperors of Rome were no more than Generals of Armies, and that every Roman General was Emperor of Rome'-, becaufe he cou'd find the word imperator fometimes apply 'd to the General of an Army,

Or as if a Common-wealth-mm fliou'd get up, and fay, that our former Kings were no more than our Dukes are now 5 be- caufe the Stile of Grace, which is -now given to Dukes, was then given to Kings,

And fuppofe that any one were put under the Pennance of Anfwering to mch Ridiculous Arguments 5 what Method wou'd he take, but to fhew that the Empervrs of Rome, and former Kings of England, had Generals of Armies zn& Dukes under them, and Exercis'd Authority over them ?

Therefore when we find it given in Charge to Timothy, the firft B/fhop of Ephefm, how he" was to Proceed againft his Pm- byters^ when they TranfgreiTed - to Sit lit Judgment upon them, Examine mtneffes againft them, and pafs Cenfures upon them, it is a moft Impertinent Logomachy to argue from the Etymology of the Words, that notwithstanding of all this, a Bifhop and a Presbyter are the fame thing. Therefore that one Text, 1 Tim, v, ip e is furlicient to filence this Pitiful Clamour of the Presby- terians % our Engl if b reads it, again fi an Elder , which is the Literal Translation of the word Presbyter, -wzid ^itr^wn^H, Againft a -Presbyter receive not an Accufation, but 'before two or three tvitneffes, and} them that tfm Rebuke before all-, that others alfo may fear. Wow,- upon the Presbyterian Hypothefis, we muft fay that Timothy had no Authority or JurifdicJion over that Pres- byter, againft whom he had Power to Receive Accusations, Exa- mine tvitneffes, and pafs Cenfures upon him : And that fucH a Presbjter had the fame Authority over Timothy^- which is fo Ex- travagant and againft Common Senfe, that I wi!l not fray lon- ger to Confute it} and think this enough to have faid con- cerning the Presbyterian Argument from the Etymology of the words Bifhop and Presbyter,

And

( 7)

And this likewife Con&tes their other Pretence, which I have mentioned, that the Ancient Bijh 'pricks were only Single and Independent Congregations, or Prrnjhes. This is a Tcphk they have taken up but of late (being Beaten from all their other Holds) and Launched by Mr. David Clarkfon, in a Book which he Entitules Primitive Episcopacy ; which has given occafion to an Excellent Anfwer* by Dr. Hen. Maurice^ call'd A Defence of Dioceftn Epifcopacy, Printed 1691. which, I fuppofe, has ended that Controverlle, and hindred the World from being more troubPd upon that Head. And their other little Shift, and as Groundiefs, that the Primitive P> tfb ps were no other than their Moderators, advanced more lately by Gilb. Rule late Moderato) of the General Affembly in Scotland, has been as Learnedly^ and with great Clearnefs of ReaUn, Confuted by the Worthy J. s. in his Principles of the Cyprianick Age, Printed 1 65? 5.

Bur, as I laid; that Text, I Tim. v. 19. has made all thefe Pre- tences wholly ufelefs to the Prcshtcri\r,s: Tor fuppofing their mouV Notorious falie fuppofiticn, as if the Bijhopricks of Jerttfa- lem, Rome, Alexandria, or London, Confided but of one fingle Congregation, and that fuch B/Jbo-s had no Presbyters under them 5 but that all Presbyters were Equally Bijuops • I fay, fuppofing this, then it mud follow from what we Re id of Timothy, that one Brfhtp or Presbyter hid Jurifaicfon over other B'jbops or Pres- bytcrsy which will Deftroy the Presbyterian Claim of Parity, as much as their Confeflion to the Truth, and plain Matter of Faff., that Bifbops had Presbyters under their Jarifd'cfio;-?^ and that they were Diftincl: Orders: Notwithfbnding that a Jtifltop may be call'd AhLxav©* a Deacon, or Minifter of Chn i •> and likewi e n2icQu-n;&., an Elder or Grave Man, which is a Term of Ma- gijhacy and Dignity^ and not ty'd to A\c, And a Presbyter \ri\y likewife, in a found 5enfe,be call'd a Bijhop, that is, an Over leer or. shepherd, which he truly is over his Particular Flock. $ without denying at all his Dependance upon his Bifhop and Overfeer:

V. As under the Term oiPrie/l, the Mgh-Pr'>ejl was Included, without Deftroying his Supremacy, over the other Vriefts. Againft which Kor.ih and his Presbyters, or Inferiour Vriefts arcfe. And if the Presbyterians will take his word, whom, of all the Fathers, they moft Admire, and Quote often ■ on \\ fide, that is, Sr. Jerom, he will tell them, in that very /*-

( 8 )

piftle (ad Eiagr:) which they Boaft faifturs them fo much, That what Aaron jm& his 5w, and the Levites were in the Temple, that fame are Bifhop-) Presbyter, and Deacon in the church.

And long before him, Clemens Romanus in his i £/>*/. to tjie C^r/nthians, makes frequent Allufion to the Epifcopacy of the £f- viticld ?riefih>od, and argues from thence to that of 'the Chriflian Church. Thus Paragraph 4c.. Try $ *A^«£&t rA'os/ A&iTao^i^ ^«- Toihe H/ph-Vriefi (fays he) w£r^ So/jlIvc&i dsi* 3^9% Ts^cfw f^*(gL q allotted hk proper Offices •■> to the tiir^ 'zr&sintxf)^ ^ Xdjtliwfi &{oq Priefls\ their proper place rvas a f- cfizwicct cHrizoiv^)' ActyteV aVQ^zras fia&eds, and to the Levites their ^T<;\ay-*3%<^&by/jLx.Giv$&i'f)' ^r-vices were appointed 5 aW /^ Lay-men were Repaind within the precepts to Lay-men. And Paragraph %i. he applies that Scripture, .. j.LX. if. to the Officers of the Chripan Church, and renders it thus \ 1 will Ccnptute their Biihops in Righteoufnefs, and their Dea- cons m Faith. The Greek. Tranflatioq oftheLxxhas it thus. / will owe thee Rulers (or Princes) %'lw tbs clojavQc, an dp eiplwy, £ rrirPeate.s, arid thy Biihops. in Righ- ?£.<; 'Ethoxgtss .an dt> foxajoatwy, ttctt'ne'is.

It was the frequent Method of thefe Primitive Fathers toRea- fon thus from the Parallel 'twixt the Law and the Gofpel, the one being an ExiS: Type of the other, and therefore being fulfill'd in the other. And in this they followed the Example of chriH, and the Applies, who argu'd in the fame manner, as you may fee A'Litth, v. 1 Cor. x. the whole Epiflle to the Hebrews , and many other Places of the New Teftament.

VI. Now xhcPresbyterians arc dcfir'd tofliewany one Difpari- ty betwixt their Cafe and that of Korah ; who was a Priest of the fecond Orde**, that is, zPresiyter ; and withdrew his Obedience from the Hi^b-Priest with other Mutinous Leiites : For, ther was no nutter of Doctrine or mrfb'p betwixt them and Aaron ^ nor any other Difpute but that of Church -Government. And, by the Parallel betwixt the Old Te (lament and. the New, Korah was a Presbyterian, who Role up againfj the Epifcopacy of Aaron. But this Cafe is brought yet nearer home •> &r, we are told {Jitde xi.) of chofe under tbe Gofpel^vho pehifh in the gain-f;v'"g of Korah : And in' the Epift- of Cle->>. Rom, to the Co'inth^^s before Quoted, )$4ragf'Mp& 4$; He plainly applys this €a(e of%9r*h} to the (hue of the chripan church; fhewing at large, thai- as Afofes7 by .the

Com-

( 9 )

Command of God, Determin'd the Pretentions of the Twelve Tribes to the Glory of the Prie/lhood, by the Miraculous Budding of Aaron\ Rod, which was after the Schi[m and Punifljment of Korah and his Company, So likewise, he fays, the Apofiles fore- knowing, by chrilt, that Diiientions wou'd arife alio in the Cbrifiian church, by various Pretenders to the Evaf7geiic.il Priest- hood, did Settle and Ertabliih, not only the Perfons themfelves* But gave Rules and Orders for continuing the succejficn after their Deaths, as I have before Quoted his Words. So that it is plain from hence, That the Evangelical Priesthood, is as Pofitivefy, and Certainly EftabliuYd, and Determin'd, in the Succejpon of Ecclefi- aftical Ordination, as the Levitical was, in the Succejjion of Aaron. And confequently, that the Rebellion of Presbyters from under the Government of their Bifhops, is the fame Cafe as the Rebellion (for fo it is call'd, Numb.xvu.io.) of Kornh and his Levites, a- gainft Aaron 3 who had as good a Pretence againft him from the word Lev it e, which was Common to the whole Tribe • as the Presbyterians have againft Bijhops, from the Name Bijhep and Presbyter, being us'd fometimes promifcuoufly, and apply 'd to the clergy in General 5 which is a Term that Includes all the Or* ders of the church, as Levite did among the Jews.

VII. But, to leave the fruitlefs Conteft about words, let this Matter be Determin'd, as other Matters of Fad are.

If I pretend to fucceed any Man in an Honour ox Eftate, I muft name him who had fuch an Eftate or Honour before me ; and the Man who had it before him 5 and who had it before him ; and (b up all thS way to him who firft had it ; and from whom all the reft do derive 5 and how it was-lawfully deduc'dfrom one to another.

This the Bijhops have done, as I have (hewn «7 and can name all the way backward, as far as Hiftory goes, from the Prefent Bifbop of London, (for example; to the ririt Plantation of chriftianity in this Kingdom : So, from the prefent Bijhopof Lyons up to lrenzus the DifcipleofSt.Po/^^, as before is told. The Records are yet more- certain in the Great Btft< pricks of Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, and others, while they lafted in the World. And tho' the Records m^y not be Extant of every fmall Bijljoprick, which was lefs taken notice of; as the Names of many Kings are loft, in obfcure Nations 5 of many Mayors or sheriffs, who, notwithstanding have as cer-

C tainly

(■10 )

tainly Succeeded one another, as where the Records are Prefer vU

1 fay, tho' every Bijfap in the World cannot tell the Names of all his Predeceffors up to the ApoJUes, yet their Succeffion is cer- tain : And in mod Chriftian Nations there are Bishops who can do it 5 which is a iufflcient Proof for the reft, all [landing upon the fame Bottom, and being Deriv'd in the fame Man- ner.

Now, to Ballance this, it is DehYd, that the Presbyterians wou'd fazw the Succeffion of any one Presbyter in the World, who was not likewife a Btfbop, in our acceptation of [the Word, in the like manner, from the Apofiles.

Till when, their fmall Criticisms upon" the Etymology of the Words, Bijhop or Presbper, is as poor a Plea, as if I fhou'd pre- tend to be Heir to an Eftate, from the likenefs of my Name to fomebody who once had it.

And here I cannot choofe but apply the Complaint of our Sa- viour, Jobnv.etf* If any come, in the Name of Chrift, that is, by a CommiiTion from Him, deriv'd down all the way, by Re- gular Ordination, him ye wiil not Receive : Nay, tho' he be o- therwife a Man without Exception, either as to his Life and Con- versation, or as to his Gifts and Sufficiency for the Minifry •, you make this his Commiffionm objection againft him: For that Kea- fon alone , you will not accept him. But, if another come in hk mvn Name, that is, with no Commiffion,- but what he has from himfelf 5 his own Opinion of his own Worthiness • giving cut that bimfelf k fome Great One, (Ad. viiL 9.) him ye will Receive, and Follow and Admire him. Heaping to your [elves Teacfjers, having Itching Ears, as it was Prophefy'd of thefemoft degenerate Times,

2 T/w.iv.3.

But as to thofe well difpos'd Quakers, for whofe Information Chiefly I have wrote this Difcourfe, I mud fuppofe that their Inquiry is wholly concerning the feveral Titles of Btjbops, Pres- byterians, Independents, &c. to the true Succeffion from the Apt- files : That it may thereby be known, to which ofallthefe they ought to go for Bapii\nu.

This I have ihewn, in behalf of Episcopacy •■* and put the Presby- terians to prove their Succeffion, in the Form of Presbytery, which they can never do : Becaufe, as I have faid before, the chrono- logy of the church does not Compute from the succeffion of the

Presbyters,

I II )

Preshyters, but only of the Bijhopsy as being the Chief Governors of the Church. And therefore, tho' in many B/jbopncks, the Roil of their Bijbops is preferv'd from the Apojiles to this Day •, yet there is not one bare Presbyter, that is, the Mini ft er of a Parifh, and no more, no not in all the World, who can give a -Roll of hi, Predeceffcrs, in that Parifh, hair way to the Apojiles, or near it : For, from the firft Plantation of Chriftianity, the church was Di- vided into Bijhopricks -, this was necetlary for the Government of the church : But it was not fo early Sub-divided into Verifies. The?resbyters, at firft-, attending upon i\iq Bijhop, were lent out by him, to (uchPlaces, and for Inch Time as he thought fit ; and Returning, gave Account of their stewardfbips,ot were rifite^md changedby him, ashefawCaufe: And therefore, tho' one might come after another, in the Place where he had Miniflred before 5 yet they cou'd not Properly be faid to Succeed one another ; as to fpeak Intelligibly to the Quakers) many of them do Preach after G. Fox, yet none of them are laid to Succeed him.

lhave been thus long upon the Presbyterians, becaufe they on* ly, of .all our Dijfenters, have any Pretence to Succeffion. And what lhave faid, as to them, muft Operate more ftronglyagainft the later independent, Baptift, &c. who have not the Face to Pre* tend to Succe/fion, but fet up merely upon their own pretended Gifts. ■

VIII. But what are thefe Gifts, which they fo Highly Boafif

1. An Inward, and more than Ordinary Participation of the Gra- ces of the Holy Spirit.

2. A Fluency and Power fulnefs \aPre aching and Praying.

I know of no other Gifts that any of our Dijfenters pretend to; unlefs they will fet up for Miracles, as G. Fox, &c. And othet Dijfenters did likewife pretend to the fame, at their firft fetting out, to amufe the People ; but (as the Quakers) have let it drop after- wards, to flop any further Examination of it 5 having already ferv'd their Turn by it.

But, as to thefe pretended Gifts, if wre may truft to our Savi- our's Rule, of knowing the 7>^by its Fruits, we cannot think it the Holy Spirit of which thefe Men did partake, who hlPd thefe three Nations with Blood and slaughter j and whofe Religion was never (otherwife Introduc'd, than by Rebellion, in any Country whither-foever it has yet come.

C 2 And

( •* )

And as to that Volunlity of Tongue, which they Boaft, as the main Proof of their Miffin.^ we have found it by Experience, that, a little Confidence and Cujhm, will I mprove very (lender Judg- ments, to great Readlr^fs in that Tort of Talent.

And the Power fnlnejs which is found in it by fome, who are affe&ed with a Difmal Tone, Wray Faces, and Antkk Gefiuresr is< not more but /*/>, if there be either Method or Senfe in the D*f cow\e : Which (hews their paffion to proceed not from Reafin, but ,

Imdvinxtion*

The £«*/ Presbyterian-Eloquence affords us Monflrom Proofs of this 5 but not fo many, as you may have from Eye and E&r-wit-

neyes.

Such Courfe, Rude, and Nafty Treatment of God, as they call De- votion ; as in it felf, it is the hsgheft Affront to The Divine Ma- jejly 5 (b has it Contributed, in a very great Meafure, to that wild Atheifm, which has always attended thefe fort of Inffiratiom : It feeming to many, more Reafonable to Wor(hipno G^at all, than to let up one, on purpofe to Ridicule Him.

But this fort of Enthufia[m prefumes upon a Familiarity with God, which breeds Contempt, and Defpifes the Sobriety of Religion, as a low Difpenfation. I Recommend to the Reader that Excel- lent Sermw, upon this Subject, of Dr. Hicks > calPd The sprit of Enthxfi-tfm Exorcised. And I deOre thofe to confider, who are. mod taken with thefe feeming Extraordinary Gifts of Solubility and Nimblenefs in Prayer, that the mod wicked Men are capable of this Perfection 5 none more than Oliver Cromwell, efpecially when he was about fome Nefarious wickednefs : He continued moil: Fluently in this Exercife, all the time that his Cut-throats were Murther:ng of his Royal Mafler. And his Gift of Prayer was great- ly Adniird. Major weir of Edwborough, was another great Iniiance, who was ftrangely Ador'd for his Gifts, efpecially of Prayer, by the Presbyterians in Scotland 5 while, at the fame time, he was wallowing in the moft Unnatural and Monftrous Sins, See his Stupendous Story .in Ravillac Redivivw.

There are many Examples of this Nature, which (hew that this Gift is attainable by Art. Dr. wilhins (the Father of the Latitu- diharians) has given us the Receipt, in his Gift of Prayer, j

Yet none of the Performances of thefe Gifted men are any ways Comparable (as to the wonderful Readinefs in which they Boa'ft)

to

( "3 )

to the Extempore Verfes of Weftminfter School, wliich lfaac Voffuts cou'dnot believe to be Extempore, till he gave t\\eBoys a Theme, ■which was fenes bfc Pueri, and he had no Iboner fpoke the Words, but he was immediately Pelted- with Ingenious Epigrams from four or five Boys.

So that "this. ■rrolUbiJity in Prayer* which is the Gift our DiJ] en- ters do moft Glory in, may be deduced from an Original far ihort otDivine Jnfpiration.

Butiuppoie that they had really thofe wonderful Gifts which they pretend to, yet were this no ground at all to Countenance or Warrant their makeing a Schi\m, upon that Account.

This Cafe has been Kufd in a Famous and mod Remarkable In* ftance of it, which God was pleasM to permit, (for the future In- ftru&ion of His Church) at the firft letting out of the Go/pel, in the very Days of the Apofles.

Then it was that chrif, having AfcenJedup on High, gave many and miraculous Gifts unto Men • which was neceilary cowards the firft Propagation of His Gofpel, in Opposition to all the Eftablifli- ed Religions and Governments then in the World, and under their Persecution*

But thefe Gifts of Miracles did not always fecure the Pcjfejfors from Vanity, and an high Opinion of themielves, to the difparage- ment of others -y and even to break the Order and Peace of the church, by advancing themfelves above their Superiors • or think* ing none Superior to themfelves.

The Great Apoftle of the Gentiles was not free'd from the Tes- tation of this 5 whom the Meffcnger of Satan wis fent to buffet, leafl he fhoifdbe Exalted above me afar ey thro* the Abundance of the Revela- tions which were given to him, 2 Cor. xii. 7. Nay piore, our Blefled Saviour tells of thofe who had miraculous Gifts beftow'd upon them, and yet mou'd be finally Rejecfed,Mauh. vii. 22,23. Therefore He Inftrucls His Difciples not to Rejoyce in thofe Miraculous Gifts which he beftow'd upon them, but rather that their Names were written in Heaven, J.uke x, 20. which fuppoles, that they might have fuch Gifts t and yet their Names not be written in Heaven.

And when lie taught them how to Pray, Headded no Petition for fuch Gifts, but only for the Remiffion of their Sins, and the Sanctifying Graces of the Holy Spirit^ which are, as moil' Prof He to Us, fomoft Precious in the fight of God.

. Now

( 14 )

Now Tome who had thefe Miraculous Gifts made ill ufe of them, and occafion'd a great Scbijm (thefirftin the chrtflian Church; at Corinth, They were Exalted above Meafare, in their own Gifts 5 and therefore RefusM to fubmit themfelves to thofe who were their Superiors in the church (who, perhaps, had not fuch Gifts as they had) but let up for themfelves, and drew Parties after them, who were Charm M with their Extraordinary Gifts 5 thinking that the Participation of the Caving Graces of the Holy Sprit muft there Chiefly be Communicated, where God had beftow'd fuch won- derful Gifts. And they laid more ftrefs upon the Veronal Qualif,- cations of thefe MintftersoiGod, than upon the obfervance of that Order and Con/litutim which He had Commanded} which was, in Effect, preferring Men to God, and trufting to the Inftru- ments rather than to the Author of their Religion 5 as if thro' the Power and Holinefs of the Administrators of God's inftitutions, and not from Him alone, the Graces which were Promised to the due Obfervance of them, wrere convey'd. All. iii. 1 2.

And this, as it turn'd Men from God, to Truft in Man, fo, as a neceffary Confequence of it, it begot great Emulation among the People for one Teacher againft another, even (fometimes) when it was not the Fault of the Teachers, For People being once let loofe from Government and Or der, to follow the Imaginations of their own Brain, will run farther than their firft Seducers did Intend 5 and will Carve for themfelves.

Thus, in the Schifm of the Church at Corinth, one was for Paul, another for Apollos, another for Cephas, &c. much againft the Minds of thefe good Afo files 5 but having been once unfettl'd by the Pride and Ambition of Seducers, they Heaped to themfelves Teach- ers, having itching Ears ; and made Diviftons among themfelves, Pretendingly in behalf of Christ and His Affiles, but in ErTec% tending to Divide chrifl and His Apvftles, as all Schifms do,

Againft thefe Sr. Paul Difputes with wonderful force of Reafon and Eloquence 5 particularly in the xii Chap, of his firft Epiflle to thefe fame Corinthians -■> wherein, from the Parallel of the Unity of Mem- bers in the fame Body, he admirably Illuftrates, That the many Different and Miraculous Gifts which were then Difpenfed all from the fame spirit, couM be no more an Argumeut for any to Advance himfelf beyond his own Station in the church, than for one Mem. ber of the Body, tho* an Eye or a Hand, the moft Ufeful or Beautiful,

to

( '5 )

to Glory k felf .againft the inferior Members ('who are all Actuated by the lame Soul) or not to be Content with its Office and station in the £^,and due Subordination to the Head. Thence the Affile goes on, and makes the Application inthexiii/^. Chip. That the moft Exalted Spiritual or even Miraculous Gifts cou'd not only not Ex- cute any Scbifm to be made in the Body, that is, the churchy But that if any who had iuch Gifts* did not employ them for the Prc- fervation of the Unity of the church, which is very properly Ex- prefs'd by charity* i.e. Love for the whole Body, fuch Gifts wou'd Profit him Nothing, loofe all their Vertue and Efficacy, as to the Jpojfeffor* and be rather an Aggravation againft him, than any Ex- cufe for him, to withdraw his Obedience from his lawful Superiors, and Uiurp the Office of the Head; and fo make a Scbifm in the Body, upon the account of his Gifts 5 which tho' they were as great as to (peak with the Tongues of Men and Angels ; to underftand all Myfteries, and all Knowledge 5 to have all Faith, even to Remove Mountains? and fuch a Zeal as to give all his Goods to the Poor, and his very Body to be Bur tied, yet, if it be done in Scbifm, out of that Love and charity which is due to the Body, and to its Unity, all is Nothing, will profit him nothing at all.

And no wonder, when all that He tvenly Glory in which Lucifer l was Created, cou'd avail him nothing, when he kept not his firft Principality, but Afpir'd Higher, and made ^ a Scbifm in the Hierarchy of Heaven.

How then (hall they who have (as St. Jude expreiles it) left their own Habitation, or station in the church, and advane'd themfelves above their Bifhops, their lawful Superiors, the Heads and Princi* pies of Unity, next and immediately under chrifl, in their Refpe- clive churches, upon pretence of their own Perfonal Gifts and Qua- lifications, and thereby make a Scbifm in the Terreftrial Hierarchy of the C/Wf^which is the Body £f 'cJirifi ;,the Ftdnefs of him who Filleth all in all: How ihalf they be Excus'd for •<7'I,25? this, w ho fe pretended Gifts are in nothing Extraordinary, except in a Furious Zeal without Knowledge, and a Volubility of Tongue.,. which proceeds from a Habit of Speaking without Thinking • and an Ajfurance that is never out of Counu'mme for Ten Thoufand Blunders, which wou'd Daft? and Confound ftny Man of sen I e or y^fr- «f/?y, or that confider'd the Pre fence of t7*tf, in which he (poke ?

If

( -i5 ) If titofe truly MirnuUm Gifts , which were made a Pretence for the Schifm at Corinth, were not fufficient to juftifie that Scbifm: How Ridiculous and much more w'*Wisthe Pretence of out Mo- dern Gifted-men, who have pleaded their Delicate <?//>/ as a fulfil cient Ground lor ali that Schifm and Reiellion which they have Rais'd up amongft us i

If the real (7//JJ and Inspirations of the Holy S/>/V/V were Stinted and Limited by the Governors of the Church, to avaid Schifm and Confufion'm the Church: If the Prophets were Confined as to their iCor.xiv. Number, to T»w, or at the moil Three at a time.; fome ordered to h. Id their Peace, to give place to others 5 o- thers to keep filence for want of an Interpreter •, and the women (tho* Gifted ex ifrfpird as many then were) totally (ilenc'dia the Church, or Pttblick Affembliet : What Sp/>// has PofTefs'd our Modem Pretenders to G//f J> that will not be fubjeft to the Prophets, nor to ihcchurch, nor to any lnfiitutions whether ^Divine or Humane 1 But if their Superiors pretend to £>/>?<:7 them in anything, they cry out, what! will you [tint the Spirit I And think this a fufEcient Caufe to break quite loofe from their Authori- ty, and fet up an open Schifm againft them, upon Pretence of their w onder fu 1 6'/// s for 1 "both !

That fir/1 Schifm in the church of thefe Corinthians was vigoroufly orpos'd by the Apo files and Bifhops of the church, at that time, hey, like good watch-wen, wou'd not give way to it, knowing the fatal Confequences of it.

This prod ue'd 7 wo Epifles from St. Vsul to the Corinthians, and to them from St. clement, then 5//Z>0/> of &wa-, which arepre- ierv'd, and handed down to us. It was this fame -occanon of Schijm, which lb early beg:n to Corrupt the church, that led the Holy ignxtUts (who flourilh'd in thac fame Age • to prefs fo Earneflly in ali his Epifl/es to the feveral churches to whom he wrote, the In- ciifpenfable obligation of a ftricT Obedience to their Refpe&ive Bi- (hops. ■ That the Laity ih@u'd fubmit themfdves to the Pre.dytcfs znd Deacons, as to the Apofiolical College under chrtii^ and that ihePres'yters and Deacon^ as'weli a&thb'.Laity, lhou'd obey their 'Btfhip, as chrifi Himfdi\\.whoiePerleiihe did Repretent : That • v v whoever kepttnot Outv.rd Communion wiih his Bdfbov, .. his iri)x-ard'Cornmu)7UJi with Chrifi : That noSacra- B F<*//^, or Acceptable to cW, which were not cele- brated

( »7 ; •

brated in Communion with the Btfhop. That nothing in the church fhou'd be done, nor any Marriage Contra&ed without the Bifhop\ Confent, &c. As you will fee hereafter.

Thefe clear Teftimonies fore'd thcPreshuria»s(hQca.ufe they were not in a Temper to be Convinc'djtodeny thefe Epijiles ofSt.lgttatius to be Genuine. But they have been lb fully Vindicated, particu- larly by the moft Learned Bilhop o(cbefieryDi\ Pearjen^s to fileoce that Cavil, and leave no Pretence remaining againft Epifcopacy in that Primitive and Apoftolical Age.

SECT. III.

Ob]eBion from the Times of Popery in this Kingdom '3 as if that did Un-Church5 and confequently breaks tlie Succef fion of our Bifhops.

Imufi: now Account for an Objection, which with fome, feems a mighty one, even enough to overthrow all that I have faid concerning the Succejfion of our Bifhops: And that is, the long Mid-night of Popery, which has, in old Time, Darken'd thefe Nations.

Well. The Sucetffim, ofwhichlhave been fpeaking, was no Part of that Darknefs •, and we have,by God's BiefTing^ecover'd our felves, in a great Meafure, from that Darknefs. But that Dark- nefs was fuch, as, with fome, to Deftroy the Epifiopal Sue ce$on\ becaufe, as they fay, {wen great Errors, efpecially that of idolatry y does quite Un-church a People j and conlequently muft break their Succej]ion.

I. This, by the way> is a Popifh Argument, tho' they that now make it, are not aware of it. For the Church of Rome argues thus, That idolatry dees Unchurch ; and therefore, if die Was ido- latrous, for fo long a time as we. charge upon her, it will follow that, for fo many Ages, there was no Vifille Church, atleaft, in <hefe weftern Parts of the Wcrld. And Arianifm (which is idola- try) having broke in feveral times upon the church y if idolatry did quite Un-church, and Break the Succeffion, ther wou'd not be a chriflian church hardly left in the World. The Confequenoe

D of

( »« ;

of which wou'd be ss fatal to the Church of Renters to us : There- fore let her look to that Pofition, which (he has advanced againft us, that idolatry does Un-church.

I!. But that it does not Un-church, I have this to offer againft thofe Papiftsy Quakers, and Others who make the Qbje&ion.

I. If it does quite Un-church, then cou'd no chriftian be an idola- ter 5 becaufe, by that, he wou'd, ipfo facto, ceafe to be a Mem* ber of the chriftian Church : But the Scripture does fuppofe that a christian may be an idolater'. Therefore idolatry does not Un-churcfu The /J^/W is proved, l Cor* v. 1 1 . 7/4/y ykto fte is called a Bro- ther (that is, a Chriftian) be a Fornicator, or Covetous, or an idola- ter -Nay, Eph.v.5. a covetous man is call'd an idolater^ and

Gol.'nu J. Cove toufnefs is idolatry. So that, by this Argument, Co- vetoujnefs does Un-church^ If it be faid, that Covetoujnefs is call'd idolatry, only by AUufion, but that it is not Formal Idolatry : I know no Ground for that Diftinclion. The Scripture calls it idola- try, and makes no Diftin-ftion. But,

2dly, In the firft Text quoted, iCor.v. ir. both Cove toufnefs and idolatry are Nam'd} fothat, you have both Material and For- mal, or what other fort of idolatry youpleafe tofanlie.

I grant, that, in one fenfe, idolatry does Un-church'-, that is,while we continue in it, it renders us Obnoxious to the wrath of God ; and forfeits our Title to the Promifes which are made to the church in the Gofpelx But, fo does Fornication, Covetoujnefs, and every others/*, till we Repent, and Return from it. But noneofthefe Sins do fo Unchurch us, as to Exclude our Returning to the Fold, by fincere Repentance ; or to need a fecond Baptifm, or Admiffion into the church : Neither does idolatry. Do I then put idolatry upon the level with other common Sins? No, far from it. Every Scab is not a Leprofie - yet a Leper is a Man, and may Re- cover his Health. Idolatry is a fearful Leprofie -■> but it does not therefore quite Un-church, nor throw us out of the Covenant. For, if it did, then wou'd not Repentance heal it 5 becaufe Repentance is a great Part of the Covenant. And therefore, fi nee none deny Re- pentance to an idolater ; it follows that he is not yet quite out of the Covenant. Some of the Ancients have deny'd Repentance to Apoftacy, yet granted it to idolatry-, which (hews that they did not look upon idolatry to be an abfolute Apoftacy • for every Sin is an Apojltcy, in a Limited fenfe,

2* Let

( 19)

2. Let us, in this Difquifition, follow the Example before men- tioned, of the Apoftles and mo ft Primitive Fathers, to meafure the chrifttan Church with its exact Type, the Church under the Law $ which are not Two churches,but Two States of the fame Churchjor it is the fame chriftian Church, from the firit. Promife of chr/fi, Gen. iii. 15. to the End of the World. And therefore it is faid, Heb.iv.2. That the Gofpel was Preached unto Them, as well as unto Us. And theie two States of the Church, before and after Chrift, do Anfwer, like a pair of Indentures to one another; the one being, to an lota fulfilled in the other. Mmb.v. 13.

Now we find frequent Lapfes to idolatry in the church of the Jews : Yet did not thislin-church them • no, nor deprive theru of a competent meafure of God's Holy Spirit 5 as it is written, Nek ix. 1 8, 20. Yea, when they had made them a molten calf and [aid, thk is thy Cod-— — yet thouy in thy manifold Mercies, forfookeft them not

Thou gave jl thy good spirit to inftruci them, &c.

And let it be here obferv'd, That tho' God fent many Prophets to Reprove the great wickedness and idolatry-, as well of their Pr lefts as People •■> yet none of thefe Holy Prophets did feparate Communi- on from the wicked Priefts : They wou'd not joyn in their idolatrous Worfhip 5 but in all other Parts, they joyn'd with them ; and fet up no oppofit Priefthood to them. So little did the Prophets think that their idolatry had either Un-church'd them, or broke the Suc- teffion of their Priefls . or that it was Lawful for any, how Holy foever, to ufurp upon their Priefthood, and fupply the Deficiencies of it to the People. And apply to this, what 1 have before (hewn, in the words of St, Clement) whofe Name is written in the Book of Life, That the Evangelical Priefthood, is as furely fixed, in the Bi- (hops of the church , and its Succefjion continued in thole Ordain d by them, as the Levitical Priefthood was confirtn'd by the Budding ofAarorfs Rod, and to be continu'd in that Tribe .

III. And here let our Korahites, of feveral fizes, take a view of the Heinoufnefs of their Schism j and let them not think their Crime to be nothing, beeaufethey have been taught, with their Nurfes Milk, to have the utmoft abhorrence to the very Name of a Bifhop; tho'they cou'd not tell why. . Let them rather con- fider ferioufly the misfortune of their Education, which (liou'd make them Strangers, to all the reft of the Chriftian World but

D z them-

( 20 )

themfelves in a Corner ; and to all the former Ages of chrifti- unity.

They have been told that Epifccptcy is Popery? becaufe the P*- pip hwe Btfbops.

So have they Presbyters too, that is, Pjnjfb Priefts : They have the CreedWkzvAky and the Holy Scriptures? and all the;e mu(^ be Popijb, if this be -a good Argument.

- Bur,, are they willing to be undeceived? Then they muftknow that Eoifcopacy has none fo great an Enemy as the Papacy:; which vvoird Engrols the whole Epifafal Power,- into the (ingle See of Rome •, by making all other Bijbops abfoiutly dependent upon that, which only they call the Apo/hlical Chair. And no longer fines than the Council of Trent, the Pope endeavor'd, with all his In- tereft, to have Epi\copacy, except only that of the Bijbop of Rome, to be declar'd not to be Jure Dwino. By which non other Bi- jbops co.u'd claim any other Power, , but what they had from Him. But that Council was not. ib quite Degenerated as to Mirier thistopafs.

And the Jefu/ts, and Others, who Difputed there on the Pope's parr, us'd those fame Arguments againft the Divine Right of Episcopacy, which from them, and the Popifh Camnifts and School* men have been lick'd up by the Presbyterians and others of our Diffenters. They are the fame Arguments which are us'd by Pope ana Presbyter- againft Epifcopacy*

When the P^cou'dnot carry his Gaufe againft Episcopacy in the Council of Trent ^ he took another Method, and that was, to let una vaft Number of, Presbyterian Priefts, that is, the Regu-r f$s\ whom he Exempted from the Jurifdicfion of their refpe&ive tijjfyptyvaA framed them into a Method and Discipline of their '.v.-ii- accountable only to Superiors of his, and their own contri- ving \ which is exactly the Presbyterian Mode!, .

Ihefe li'urpations^ upon -the Efifcepal Authority, made the Fa- mous Archbiibop of'Spaldtoy quit his great Preferments in the church of Rome; and Travel into- England, in the Reign of King Jamesl. to feck {or a 'more Primitive and Independent Episcopacy. Hirrifelf, in his CoAfdiumVrofelHonis, gives thefe fame Reafons for it. : And that this fliameful Deprefjion and Pro.jlitutwn of Epifcopacy, in the churcboi Rome, was the caufe. of his. leaving her.

He

( *I )

Heobferv'd truly, that the further \vc feardi upward in ■qwty* there is ftillmorc to be found of the £///#/&/, andic IhaPapal Eminency.

St. lgntttw is full, in every line aimed, of the high Alter of the Stfhopi next and immediately under thrift $ as all the o Writers in choie Primitive Timers ! But there, is in them all of that Stp'remd&y in the B.ifmf of Rwt, whic now claim'd over all the other B:\hops of the Qithihtk c Which cou'd not be, if it had been then known in the Wlorid. This had been a ft or t and effectual Method, whereby Sc. P .://:. 1 St. clement might have quieted the great Schifm of the C&rimbh- ans, againft which they both wrote, in their Epijile s to them 1 to bid them refer their D Terences to the Infallible J.W-V of cva&%. verfy, the Supreme Pjflor at Rome,. But not a word tike this. £fp daily considering that St. Peter was one, for whom feme of the::.- Corinthians ftrove \li Cor. i. 12.) againit thole who preferred oithes« before Him.

The Ufurp'dSupremxcy of the later BiftJops ox Rome over their V?l- low-Bijbops, has been as Fatal to Epifcopacy, as the Rebellion of our yet hter Presbyters againft their Refpeetive B:}b,ps.

And indeed, whoever wou'd write the true Hiftory of Pres'-ytc- rlnnifm^ muft begin at Rome, and not at Geneva.

So very Groundless, as well as Malicious-^ is that popular Cla- mour of Epifcopacy having any Relation to Popery. They are Co utterly Irreconcilable, that it is impofiible they can (land toge- ther: For that moment that. Ep/fcopacy were.Reftor'd to its Pri*. mitive Independency, the Paptoyy that is, that Supremacy, which does now dii'linguiihir, muft: ipfo facte ceaie. But enough of this) for I mufmot digre's into various Subjects*

I have (hewn, in Anfwerto the Objection of the Ages of Pope- ry-in this Kingdom, that all thole En or 5^ even Idolatry it felf, does not Mn-church, n or break Succejfon. And idly, I have E * em- plifi'd this from the Parallel of the Jewifb church, under the Caw, Then applying of this to our Cafe, I have vindicated Epifcopacy from the Imputation of Popery, I will now go on to further Rea- fons, why the Succe/fon of our prelent Btfhops\> not hurt by that Deluge of P^/w/, which once covered the face of this Land.

IV. The end of all Government, as well in the Church as 'tite, is to preferve Peace., Unity 3 and Older 5 and this cannot bedo.uj3

it

( « ;

if the Mak-adminiftrat'm of the officers in the Government, did Vacate their Common, without its being Re-call'd by thole who gave fuch Commiffion to them. For then, ifr. Every Man muft be Judge, when fuch a Commiffion is Vacated } and then no Man is bound to obey longer than he pleafes. idly. One may fay it is Vacated, another not ; whence perpetual Contention muft arife.

A Man may For feu his Commiffion, that is, do thofe things, which give juit Caufe to his Superiors to take it from him : But it is not actually Vacated, till it be actually Recall? d by thofe who have lawful Power to take it from him : Otherwife their cou'd be no Peace nor Certainty in the World, either in Publick or in Private affairs. No Family cou'd fubfift. No Man enjoy an Eftate, No Society whatever eou'd keep together: And the church being . an Outward Society fas fliewn in the Difcourfe of Water

Baptifm) muft confequently fubfift by thofe Laws which are indifpenfible to every Society. And tho' idolatry does juftly Forfeit the Commiffion of any church, in this fenfe, that God's -Promifes to Her being Conditional, He may juftly take her Com- mffim from her, and Remote her Candle flick : Now tho* her Com- miffion be thus Forfeitable, yet it (till Continues, and is not actually Vacated, till God fhall pleafe actually to Recall it, or take it away : For no Commiffion is Void, till it be Co Declard. Thus, tho' the Jews did often fall into idolatry, yet (as before has been faid) God did bear long with them ; and did not Un-church them, tho' they had juftly Forfeited. And the fe wicked Husband men, who flew thofe whom the Lord fent for the Fruits of His Vineyard, yet con- tinual Mill to be the Husband-men of the Vineyard, till their Lord did Difpoifefs them, and gave their Vineyard unto others.

And natural Reafon does enforce this : If a Steward abufe his Truft, and opprefles the Tenants, yet are they Mill obliged to pay their Rent to him, and his Difcharges are fufficient to them againft their Landlord, till lie fhali Supercede fuch a Steward.

If a Captain wrong and cheat his Soldiers, yet are they oblig'd to remain under his Command, till the King, who gave him his Commiffion, or thofe to whom he has Committed fuch an Au- thority, (hill Cajhier him.

And thus it is in the Sacerdotal Commiffion, Abtifes in it, do not take ic away, till God, or thofe to whom He has Committed fuch

an

( ~-3 ) an Authority, (hall Sufpend, Deprive, or Degrade (as the F*cl Re- quires) fuch a Bifhop or a Priefi.

And there is this higher Confideration in the Sacerdotal com- mijjion, than in thofe of Civil Societies; That it being immedi- ately from God, as none (therefore,) C4n take this Honour to him'elf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron • fo can none take it . - way, but he that is as Expre/ly and Outwardly called thereunto, as Aaron was to be a Priefi, For this wou'd be to ULfurp upon God's immediate Prerogative, which is to Conftitute His own Pr/efis. Upon this Foundation I argue.

V. As the necejjttyoi Government ■, and the general Commands in Scripture, of Obedience to Government do require our Submiflion to the Government in being, where there is no Competition con- cerning the titles, or any that claims a better Right than the Pof- fejfor : So where a Church, once EftabliuYd by God, :ho' fuflfering many Interruptions, does continue. Her Governors ought to be ac- knowledge, where ther is no better Claim fet up againft them.

This was the Reafon why our Saviour and His Apoftles did, with- out fcruple, acknowledge the Higk-Priefl and Sanhedrin of the Jews in their time $ tho' from the days of the Maccabees, ther had been great Irruptions, and Breaches in the due Succeffion of their Priejls: and before chrifl came, and all His time, the Romans, as Conquerors, difpos'd of the Priefthood as they pleas'd •, and made it Annual and Arbitrary, which God had appointed Hereditary and \XnmovabU.

But ther was then no Competition : The Jews did fubmit to it, becaufe they were under the fubjeetion of the Romans, and cpuxT have no other. No High-Priefl claimed againft him in Poffefrion,, but all fubmitted to him.

And our Saviour did confirm His Authority, and of the $*nbe- drin^ox Inferior Vriefls with him, (Mattb. xxiii- 2.) faying, the Scribes and P bar i fee J fit in Mo fes"1 s feat, All therefore, whatsoever- they bid you obferve, that obferve and do. And St. Paid own'd the Authority of the High Priefi, Act. xxiii. 5 .

Many Objections might have been raised againft the Deduction of their Succeffion from Mofes: But ther being none whoclai^Vl any better Right than they had. therefore their Right was U#- controverted ; and by our Saviours Authority was Confirm'd.

Now ■

( H )

Now fuppole fome interruptions had been in the Succeffiony or Corruptions in the Voftnne and mrjbip of our £»^/#^ Bsfhops, in former Ages, yet (as Id the Cafe of the$mtaf and Pharifees) that cou*d have no Effect to Invalidate their Comwffion and Authority at thcprefenr.

S E C T. IV.

27^ Affurance and Confent in the Epifcopal Communion^ beyond, that of any other.

I. " p* H'E whole chrifttin World, as h always has been, fo at JL this Prefent, it is Epifcopal, except a few Diffenters, who, in lets than Two Hundred years lad part, havearilen, like* wart upon the Face of the weflern Church. For little more Propor- tion do our Diffenters here, the Hugo nets inFrauce} the Vresbyte- ri&ns in Holland, Geneva, and thereabouts, bear to the whole Bo- dy of the Z,4*/0'Churcht which is all Epifcopal. Bur, if you com- pare them with the Catholick Church all over the World, which is all Epifcopal, they will not appear fo big as a Mole.

II. If our Diffenters think it much, that the Church of Rome fhou'd be reckoned in the Lift againft them 5 we will be content to leive them out : Nay more, if we mou'd give them all thofe churches, which own the supremacy of Rome to be joyn\i with them (as they are the neareft to them") it will be fofar from catt- ing the Ball 3 nee on their fide, that uhe other Epifcopal Churches will, by far, out-number them both.

Let us then, to thefe Diffenters againft Epifcopacy, add the chur- ches of Italy, and Spain entire, with the Popifb Part of Germany, France } Poland and Hungary (I think they have no more to reckon upon,) againft thefe we produce the vaft Empire of Raffia (wl.' !l is greater in Extent than all thefe Popifb Countries before- nam'd) England, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, and all the Luther*.-,* Chur- ches in Germany, which will out-number both the Papifts and Presbyterians before-mention'd. And this companion is only made as to the Latin Church. But then, w7e have all the reft of the C'hriftUn World,whol'y on the Epifcopal fide, againft both the Supre- macy

( *s )

macy of Rome, and parity ot the Presbyterianf. The whole Greek Church, the Armenians, Georgians, MingrelUns, Jacobites, the chrifiians of St. Tbomsj, and St. 7^/; in the Eajt-mdies, and o- ther Oriental Churches. Then in Africa^ the Cophties in £>;//>, and great Empire of the Abysms in zALtUhfit. Thefe al! are £/>*£ *t>^/, and never own'd the Supremacy of Rome : And over reckon, out of fight, all that difown Epi[eopacy, and all that own the su- premacy of Rome with them.

III. Let me add, that among our Diffenters, every Clafs of them does Condemn all the reft; the Presbyterian Damns the Quaker, the Quaker Damns him, Independent, Bapt/jl, &c, All Damn one another, and Each denys the others Ordination or Call.

So that, the Ordination of every one of them, is difown'd by all the reft ; and all of them together by the whole Chrijlian World. And if their Or di nations are not Valid, then they have no more Au- thority to adminifter the Sacraments, than any other Lay-men - and confequently, ther can be no fecurity in Receiving Bnptijm from any of them.

IV. What allowances God will make to thofe who think their Ordination to be good enough, and that they are true Mi- mfters ofthzGofpel? and, as fuch, do receive the Sacraments from them, I will not determine.

But they have no reafon to expert the like allowances who are warned of it before-hand, and will not withftanding venture upon it ; before thefe Diff enters have fully and clearly acquit themfel ves of fo Great and Universal a Charge laid againft them ; fuch afi one, as muft make the whole chrijlian World wrong, if they be in the Right / Not only the prefent Chriftian Churches , but all the Ages of chriftianity fince cbrii't. Of which the Dijjenters are de- fir'd to produce any one, in any Part of the World, that were

not Epi[copa-l any one Conftituted church upon the Face of the

Earth, that was not Governed by Bifbops, diftinrt from, and Su- perior to Presbyters, before the Faudois in Piedmont, the Hugonots in France^ the Galvinifis in Geneva, and the Presbyterians thence Tranfplanted, in this lift Age, into Holland, Scotland and England.

V. If it fliou'd be retorted, that neither is the church of Eng- land without Oppofcrs ; for, that the church of &w*oppofes Her, as do likewise our piffenters.

E " An[,

( *5 )

.^*C'- None of them do oppofc Her, in the Point we are now upon,that is,ihe Validity of Episcopal Ordination, which the Church oi Rome does own \ and the Presbyterians dare not deny it, becauie they wou'd (thereby) overthrow all their own Ordinations • for the Presbyters who Reformed (as they call it) from Bifhops, received their Ordination from Bifhops.

And therefore, tho' the Episcopal Principles do Invalidate the Ordination by Presbyters, yet the Presbyterian Principles do not In- validate the Ordination by Bifhops'. So that the Validity of Episcopal Ordination frauds fafe, on all fides, even by the ConfelTion of thofe who are Enemies to the Epi f copal Order \ and, in this, the Bifhops have no oppofers.

Whereas, on the other hand, the Validity of the Presbyterian Ordinations, is own'd by none but themfelves ; and they have all the reft of the World as oppofite to them.

Therefore, to (late the Cafe the moft Impartially 5 to receive Baptifm from thefe Diflenters, is, at leaft, a hazard o£ mmy Thou- finds to One 5 as many as all the reft of chriftianity are more than they :^ But to receive it from the B/Jhps, or Episcopal Clergy, has no hazard at all, as to its Validity 7 even as own'cl by the Presbyte- rians themfelves*

SECT. V.

The Perfonal San&ity cf the Adaiiniftrator of the Sa- craments5 tho* highly Beqmfite on his Part^ yet not ofNe- ceffity as to the Receivers^ to Convey to them the Benefits of the Sacraments.

I. " 1 "^ H E only Objection of thofe Quakers, who are otherwife \ convinced of the Obligation of the Sacraments, is the Ne- cefjlty they think ther is of great Per fond Holinefs in the Admi- ruftrators . without which, they cannot fee how the Spiritual Ef- fects of the sacraments can be convey'd. But I wou'd befeech them to conlider, how, by this, inftead of referring the Glory to Cod, and lefjening the Performance of Man, which I charitably

pre-

( 27 )

pre fume (and I am confident as to feme of whom I Cpcak) tint. it is their true and flncere Intention 5 but inftead of that, I do, in great Good- will, invite them to reflect whither their well-in- tended Zeal has turn'd the Point of this Queition- — even to o- ver-magnifie Man, and transfer the Glory of God unto His weak injir*ment$ as if any Uhe lead Part) of the Divine Vertue which God has annexed to His Sacnments did proceed from His Mini* fier. If this be not the meaning (as furekis not) why fo much ftrefs laid upon the San'ttity of the Minifters £ as ii thro' their power or bolinefs the Holy Ghoft was given ! U1, Iz' ■

U. To obviate this pretence, our Saviour chrift chofe a Devil {John vi. 70.; robe one of His Apoftles ^ and he was lent to Baptize and work Miracles as well as the reft : And thole whom Judas did Baptize, were, no doubt, as well Baptized^ and did partake of the Communication of the spirit (according to their Prepara- tion for it) as much as any who were Baptized by the other Apo- files* unlets you will fay that Chrift fen t him to Baptize, who had no Authority to Baptize, and that none fliou'd receive Benefit by his Baptifm, wThich wou'd be to Qheat and Delude the People 5 and is a great Blafphemy againft chrift, and a diftruft of His Power \ as if it were Limited by the poor Inftrument He pleafes to make ufeofi; whereas,

III. His Greatnefs is often mod Magnify d in the meanefs of the lnftmments,by which He works. Thus He deftroy'd Egypt by Fro<?s and Lice 5 and the Philiftines by Emerods and Mice ; and fent His Armies of Flies and Hornets to difpoflefs the Canaanites, Out of the mouths of babes and fuck lings haft thou ordained ftrength, becaufe of thine enemies, that thou mighteft ia ' vm* *' JIM the enemy, and the avenger 5 L e. That the Enemies of God might be confounded, when they fawHis great Power Exerted by fuch weak and contemptible lnflruments. The Walls of Je- richo (the Type of spiritual wicked nefs) were thrown down by theblaft of feven Rams hlom?, when blown by the Prie/Is whom He had commanded: And He rebuked the Iniquity of Balaam by the mouth of an Afs, to (hew that no lnftvuments are Ineffectual in His Hands 5 and made ufe of the mouth of Balaam to Prophefie of Christ. For this caufe, fays St. Barnabas, in his Catholick Epijlle, c. 5. did Christ choofe Men vmg %■££ duuip- v\ ho were Exceeding great signers to be His A- jfrv dyofj^-n^c.

E z topless

(

28

pcftli s-r to *\\%\\r the Great nefs of His Power and Grace*, and' put the Ineftimable Treasure of His Gefpel into Earthen Fefiels, that the Praife might be to God, and not to Men.

IV. St. Paul rejoyced in Christ being Preached, tho' im.i.\6. not pncereiy by t hole who did it •, becaufe God can bring Good out of Evil'-) and by wicked Inftruments, Propagate His Goj- fell, turning their malice (even of the Devil himlelf ) to the fur- therance of the Faith: Otherwife the Apofile cou'd have no caufe to Rejoice in the Preaching of wicked Men, if none cou'd receive benefit by it. And he plainly fuppofes, i Co/vix. 27. That a Man may lave others by his Preaching, and yet himfelf be a cafl-away. V. And lb far as we can know or judge any thing, we fee daily Experience of this ; That God has touched Mens Hearts upon hearing the Truth fpoken, tho* by M^n who were great Hypocrites y and very wicked, And what reafon can be given to the contrary i Truth is Truth whoever fpeaks it : And if my Heart be prepared, the good seed receives no evil Tincture of the Hand that lowed it : And who can Limit God, that His Grace may not go along with me in this £

I have heard fome of the now feparate Quakers confefs, that they have formerly felt very fenfible Operations of the spirit, upon the Preaching of fome of thofe whom they have (ince Dete&ed of grofs Errors and Hypocrites 5 and they now think it fcrange. But this were enough to convince them, that the wind lloweth where it lift- cth : otherwife they muft condemn themfelves, and confefs that, m all that time, they had no true participation or the spirit of God y but that what they miftook for it, was a meer Delufion : Or elfe confefs that by the Truths which were fpoken by thefe Mini- it of Satan (for they fpeak fome Truths) God might work a good Effect upon the Hearts of {om.ewell-difpos'd, tho' thenTg**- rant, and much Deluded People.. If not fo, we muft judge very feverely of all thofe who live in idoiatrom ot Scbifmatical Coun- tries 5 ther wtte great Prophets and good Men among the Ten Tribes. And i\ the words, nay Miracles, of chrift, did render the Hearts

of many yet more obdurate,, even to (in againft the Mr.th. xii. fiom Ho/y Gjj0n . which was the reafon why He lometimes

rerus d to work Miracles among them, becaufe there- by they grew worfe and worfe *y and if the Preaching of the Gofpel, by the mouths of Apoftles, became the favour of Death to wicked

and

( 2p )

and unprepared Hearts 3 why may not the words of Truth have a good Effeft upon hone ft and good Minds, tho' fpoken fi om the mouth of an Hypocrite, or ot Peilons, who, in other things, are greatly Deluded?

1 have before mention'd the Hfjzard Major weir, who Bewitched the Presbyterians in Scotland, fince the Rejhrat ion , 1660, as much as Simon Mag:* did the Samaritans: And yet 1 fuppofe the more moderate of the Quakers will not raflily give all over to Ddlru* dion, who blindly followed him, and admir'd his Gi/b • or will lay but that fome words of Truth he might drop, might have a real good Effect upon- fome well- meanings tho7 grcfly Deluded Peo- ple,, who followed him. Two of winders v/itches (fee 7/^ ftMifer /» ?/><? OVj, p, 300. 2^. Edit,) were Preachers- among the Qtt&kers for Twenty years together; and thought to be as . Powerful and Affecting as any others.

VI. But, the Argument will hold ftronger againft them, as to the. Sacraments, than in the Office of Preaching •, becaufe in Preach* ing much depends upon the Qualifications of the Perfon, as tc/;> mention, Memory, judgment } &c. But in the Adminiftrationofaa Outward Sacrament, nothing is required, as of Necrjfity, but the lawfulnefs of the Cemmi/fion, by which fuch a Perfon does Admi- nifter 5 and a fmall meafure of natural or acauird Parts is fufficiens to the Adminiflration.

Therefore let us lay no ftrefs upon the Inflrument (more than was upon the ivatert of Jordan to heal Na.iman) but truft wholly upon the Commif/iony which conveys the Fertile from Gcd, and not from His Minifiers ; That ail the Glory may be to God, and not to Mm.

Tistrue, the Pergonal Qualifications of the Inftru-menrsxs Love- ly and DefirabU; but they become a Snare, where we expect any part of the Succefs from them. This was the ground of thecv- rinthian Schifm (1 Cor, Liu) andj tho' unieen, of ours at this Day.

VII. And the confluences of it, are of manifold and fatal Dtftruftion.

1. This unfettles all the J ffura nee we can have in Cod's Promif? to affift His own Jn/litntion--) for, if the t'ertuc, or any part of is, lies in the Holinefs of the instrument, we can never be fureof th«

Effect,.

{ 1° )

lilted, as to us 5 becaufe, we have no certain knowledge of the Holme fs of another. Hypocrites deceive even good Men.

2. This wou'd quite difappoint the Promise Chrift'has made, tyatthyXxviii. 20. To be with His Minifters^ in the Execution of His Com million $ to Baptize, ejrc. always, even unto .the end of the world* For, if the Holme fs of the Inftrument he a nrcejfary Qua- lification, this may fail, nay always rauft fail, fofaras we can be [are of it y and confequently chrtft has commanded Baptifm and His Supper to continue, to the end of the world, till his coming a- gain-, and yet has not afforded means whereby they may be con- tinual 5 which He has not done, if the Holinefs of the Admwi/lra- tor be a neceffary Qualification 5 and that He has not left us a cer- tain Rule, whereby to judge of the Holinefs of another : And thus have you rendred the command of chrift of none Effect, thro' your Tradition.

5. This is contrary to all God's former Inftitutions. The wicked- nefs of the Pric/ls, under the Law, did not exoufe any of the Peo- ple from bringing of their Sacrifices to the Priefis : The Priefls were to Anfwcr for their own Sin, but the People were not anfwer- able for it, or their offerings the le^ accepted.

But we were in a much wor/e condition, under the Gofpel-Ad- minijlration^ if the Effect ofc^viiPsInftitutions, did depend either wboh)\ or in part upon the Pergonal Holiness of His Priefls. This wou'd put us much more in their Power, than it is the Intention of thole who make this objection to allow to them; This mag- nify

neither is he that plant eth any thing, neither he that water eth % but Cod who giveth the increafe.

4. This was (with others) the Error of the Ancient Donatifls 5 thofe Proud and Turbulent Scbifmaticks, the great Difturbcrs of the Peace 0^ the Church, upon an opinion of their ownSanffity^ above that of other Men : For which reafon, they rejected all Bap- iifms, except what was performed by themfelves, and Re-baptizSd thole who came over to them, from the Church • for, they faid that the Holinefs of the Admmifrator was neceffary towards' con- veying the Spiritual Graces of Baptifm: Thus they argu'd ; Out mnhai'et qmd Det^ quontodo Da? 1 i.e. Howfhalla Man give that

to

(if )

to another, which he has uot hhnfelf? But Opt at m Aav..r*m«.r k '>;* Anfwers them, that oW was the Cher, and not ^Jfjlkuf^ii Man, Videte Deum e(Je Datorcw. And he argues that it was preferring Thcmfehes before God^ to think that the Vertue of Baptifm did come from Them 5 that they were nothing but Minifters or Work-men 5 and that, as when a cloth was Dyed, the change of the Cloth came from the Colours infus'd, not from the vertue of the Dyer. So that in Baptifm the Change of the Bap- tized^ came from the Vertue of the Sacrament^ not from the ^» mimftrator : That it was the fW# of Baptijm, which did wafb^ not the Perfon whoapply'd the water* That the Pergonal Santlity of the Adminifirator fignify'd nothing to the Efficacy of the Sacrament 5 Therefore, fays he, A^/ operemur ut ille dsty qui fe daturum ejfe promt fit ', i.e. Let ws work, that God, who has promised it, ?* W4; beftow the Effect : And that when we work, Humana f'unt open, fed Dei funt Munera, i. e. The mrk is Ma*% but the Gift is God's. And theuce he expofes that Jam illud quam Ridictdum elt, Ridiculous Principle of the Do- quod, quafi ad Gloriam vejiram^ , natifts, which they advanced to avobis {emper euditnr, hzemunus gain Glory to Themfelves $ that Biptifmatn, eft Dantis, non Ac~ the Gift in Baptifm was of the cipientis ? p, 8p. Adminiftrator, and not of the Recener : But he fhews, that the G7// wras conferred by God, proportionably to the Faith of the £<?-. ceiver, and not according to the Holinefs of the Adminiftrator.

The Diicourfe Is targe, to which I refer the Reader. I have given this Taft of it, to let ihefe fee to whom I now write, that they have ftho' unaware) (tumbled up: n the very Notion of the Donatifts, which divided them fiom the C itholick Churcb;£nd which, with them, has been, long iince, Exploded by the whole chrifka an World ; and I hope this may bring them to a more fobcr mind . to confider from whence y and with whom. they have fallen • and to return again to the Peace of the church, and the Participation of the Blefied Sacraments of Chrtft, and the Ineftimable Benefits which He has promis'd to the Worthy Receivers of them,

Laftly, Let me obferve that this Error of the D^natifts and Qua- kers, borders near upon Popery 5 nny rather feems to exceed ir. For the church of Modem Rome makes the Validity of the Sacra- ments to depend upon the Intention or the Pnefti bat his intention b much more in his own Power ; and rher are more evident Sr ns of it than of his Holinefs. VIII. I

( 32 )

VIII. I woii'd not have the Quakers imagine that anything! have faid was meant in cxcufe tor the ill Lives of the clergy of the Church of England^ as if the Diffenters were unblamable, but our clergy wholly Proftitute to all wiekedneis} and that for this caufe, we plead againft the Sanctity of the Adminijhatcr, as Efien- tial to the S&cramcnt.

No,That is far from the Reafon : I do not love to make compari- fons, or Perfonal Reflections. If all Men be not as they fhou'd be, pray God make them fo. But I think ther is no modeft D Renter will be offended, if I fay, that ther are of gmx B:fhops and clergy. Men, not only of Learnings and moral Honejfy, but of Devotion, and fpiriiual illumination ; and as much cf the Sobriety of Religion, andean give as .many Signs of it, Equally at leaft (to fpeak mo- deftly) as any of our DifienUrs^ of what Denomination foever.

IX. And 1 hope, that what I have laid will, at leaft, hinder the Succejjion of the Biftjepi from the Apojiles, to be any Objection a- gainft them : And they bang poflefs'd moreover of all the other Pretences of our Diffenters, the Ballance muft needs lie on their fide, v&dfecurity can only be with thenvj becaufe ther \s doubt in all the otiier Schemes of the Diffenters, if what I have faid can amount but to a Doubt. If the want of Succejjion zx\d outward Commifjion, up- on which Chrifl and Kis Apojlles, and the whote Cbriftixn church, in all Ages, till the laft Century *5 and in all Places, even at this Day, except fome Comers in the west; and the Mofaical Institu- tion before them, did, by the Exprefs Command of God, lay f^ great a ftrefs, if all this make but a Doubt (it is ftrange that it fhou'd, at leaft, that it iliouM not) in the mind of any confidering Perfons^ then can they not, with Security, Communicate with any of our Dijfenters --, becaufe, if he that EMeth and Doubteth is Damned, much more he that (hall do fo in Religious om.xiv. 23. matters. wherein chiefly this Rule muft (land, that whxtfoever is n ot of Faith it fin.

X. But now, to argue a little, ad homiuem, fuppofe that the Succejjion of "our Bijbops were loft } and fuppofe, whit the Quakers and fome others wou'd have, that the Thread being broke, we niuftcaft a new knot, and begin again, and rrnkean Eftablifh- jnent amon^ft our felves, the beft we can. Well, When this is done, 01 ght not that Eftablijhnient to be preferv'd i Ought eve- ry one to break in upon it, without juft caufe? Shoud every

one

( 33 ) one take upon him 'or her) to Preach, or Baptize 7 contrary to the Rules EftablihYd i This, I think, no Society of Men will allow- For, the Members of a Society mutt be lubjeft to the Rules of the Society, otherwife it is no Society : And the Queers of Cyace- church-flreet Communion have contended as Zealoufly for this Compliance as any.

Now then, fuppofethat the confcientious Quykers to whom I fpeak, fhou'd lay no ftrefs at all upon the Succeffion of our Bijhops } and confider our Con (lit ut ion no other wile than of an £J?f- blijjjment by agreement amongft our felves •, yet even fo, by their ©vvn Confeilion, while they can find no fault with our Doctrine or mrjbip, they ought not to make a Schifm in this QwftittfMfywhicik they found Ejhblijbed ; and they ought to return to it ; and if a new Knot was cart, upon the broken Thread of Sttcceffion^ at the Reformation from Popery, that Knot ought not to be un-lofed, with- out apparent and abfolute Necejjity ; left if we caft new Knots eve- ry Day, we (hall have no Thread left un-knotted } and expofe our felves to the Derifion of the common Adverfary.

XI. Confider the grievous Sin of Schifm and Division 5 it is no lefs than the Rending ofchrifi's Body ; and therefore great Things ought to be born, rather than runinto-it^ even all things, except only that which is apparently finful$ and that by the Exprefs words of Scripture "■, and not irom our own Imaginations, tho' never fo ftrong. And tho' ther are fome Imperfections in our Reformation, as to Discipline, and all the High Places are not yet taken away (the Lord, of His Mercy, quickly remove them) yet I will be bold to fay, that in our Docirine, Worfhip, and Hierarchy, nothing can be objected that is contrary to the Rule of Holy Scripture, or any thing Enjoyn'd, which is There Forbid to be done : And nothing lefs can warrant any Schifm againft our church,

XII. Now, to come to a Conclusion, upon the whole matter. If you cannot get B.iptifm asyouwou'd have it, take it as you can get it. If you cannot find Men of fuch Perfinal Excellencies as the Apofihs, take thofe who have the fame Ccmm\(fion which they had, deriv'd down to them by regular Ordination ; who Reform d from Popery, and have been the E/rahlifbed church of this Nation, ever fince: And moreover arc as un-exceptionable, in their Lhes and Converfat'ons, as any ethers. Thele are all the fecurities you can have (without new Miracles) for Receiving the sacraments from Proper hands. And therefore ther is no doubt but God will accept

F of

( 34 ) of your obedience in Receiving them from fuch hands 5 much ra- ther than yoat Difobedience of His Command to be Baptized, be- caufe you are not pleas'd with thofe whom His Providence has, at this Day, left in the Execution of His Commiflion to Baptize - as if the weaknefs of His Minifter cou'd obftrucl: the Ope- rations of His spirit, in making good His part of the Covenant, which He has promifed.

XIII. Ther is an Objection againft Baptifm, which is not worth an Anfwer$ but that I wou'd condefcend to the meaneft, and- leave nothing behind which might be a {tumbling block to any.

I have heard it urg'd, that ther is no vifible Effects feen by our Baptifms s, that Men remain wicked and loofe notwithstanding ; and therefore fome do conclude that ther is no vertue in Baptifm.

Anfw. To make this Argument of any force, it muft be prov'd that none do receive any Benefit by it. For, if fome do receive Be- nefit by it, and others do not> this muft be charged upon the Dif- pcfition of the Recipient } according to the known Rule, that what- soever is received, is receivd According to the difpofition of the Recei- ver. Thus the fame Meat is turn'd into good Nourishment in an healthy, and into noxious Humors in a vitiated Stomach. Simon Magus received no Benefit by his Baptifm ., and after the Sop the Devil entred into Judas 5 yet the other Apo files receiv'd great Benefit by it : To fome it is the favour of Life,zven the Com- iCor.x. t*. munion 0f chrifi*s Body and Blood h to others of Con- demnationy who difcern not the Lord's Body in it, but receive it as a common thing : Therefore we are commanded to examine our lelves, to prepare our Hearts for the worthy Re- v>1 ' ceivingof it.

But fome fay, as the Jews to chrifl, fhew us a fign : They wou'd have fome Miraculous Effects, immediately to appear. Thefe are Ignorant of the Operations of the spirit } and to thefe I fay, in'the words of chrifl. Joh.iii. S. The wind bloweth where it lifteth, and thou hear eft the found thereof, but canft not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth 5 fo is every one that is born of the Spirit. It works filentfy^ but powerfully^ and its Progrefs, . ke the growing of our Bodies, is not all at once, but by Degrees ^ whofe motion is Imper- ceptible to humane Eyes.

The rue ufe that is to be made of this Ov]et~lion, thatfo few (and yt they are not few who) receive the Ineftimable Benefits which are convey 'd in the Sacraments ofchrift's Inflitution, is this,

To

( 35 )

To take the greater Care, and the more Earneftly to beg the AC- finance of God's Grace, to fit and prepare us, for the worthy Receiv- ing of them 5 but by no means tonegled them: For thole who refufed to come to the Supper were Rejected, as well as he who came without a Wedding Garment,

A SUPPLEMENT.

f H "^ H E ftrefs of this Difcourfe being Founded upon Epifcopacy - j| and long Quotations being improper in fo fhort a method of Argument as I have taken • to fupply that Defeft, and, at the fame time, to make it eafier to the Reader, I have added, by way of Supplement, a lhort Index or Collection of Authorities y in the firft 450 Years after Chrifi, for Episcopacy, with refped to the Vreshyterian Pretences, of making a Bifbop all one with a Presby- ter, at leaft with one of their Moderators : And, in the next place, I have (hewn the fenfeof the Reformation, as to Epifcopacye Take them as follows.

Some Authorities for Epifcopacy, as diftindt from and Su- perior to Presbytery, taken out of the Fathers and Coun- cils, in the firjl Four Hundred and Fifty Tears after Chrifh

Anno Domini 70. St. dement Bifhop of Rome,2tnd Martyr, of whom mention is made P^/7.iv. 3. in his 1 ft. Epifi. to the Corinthians, N«42*p. 89. of the Edition at Oxford, 1677.

The Apoftles having Preached Kanz, x*>&-$ w£'zrotet$ ^iWn

the Gofpel, thro7 Regions and ^^fewi' to$ 'Aawp^s owr$,

Cities, did Conftitute the flrft Sotu/xciouvlic, ~mp wviu ^cotn, efe

Fruits of them, having prov'd 9EmoxQiru$ >&■{ Aia-^ai'^ -tfJ yuzX-

them by the Spirit, to be Bi(hops Xiv-mv nn&vztv, ^ %^ k k&vws9

and Deacvxs of thofe who fhou'd ox $ o~h ttoAAm ^^vmly-^a,^

F 2 believe 5

(

5* )

betfev

e •, and this

not as a new «£i 'E-tftfltrai* £ A^^W' St*;

Scnptnre^ in a certain place, / mllconflitttte their Bilhops /.£ ix 17. in fagbteottfeff) And their Deacons in Faith,

What wonder is it then, that Kof t) hrx.v/A&s£v, « cf e^X^- thofe who were Intrufted by r$ sora^***** ,s%<v Oe^^tdi- God, inGhrift, with this Com- Sj, xntry^ r^ ^o^fMp x$ -7 millian, fhou'd Coiiftuute thole before (poke oj ?

ibid', a. 44. And the Jfy'lies Kx) c\ 'A^'jA^i ifpuev fyv&£ knew by the Lord Jefus Christ, ^><t y Kugja w^tolv 'l/i<r£ x^ry, that Conteits wou'd arife con- en *E£# ffstf ^ i? hv$Uoct(§fc 4 cerning the Epifcopal Name (or Order ) and for this Cau'e,

ving perfeft. foreknowledge Wi *~i*i^ , :h w^,^Wjtv^7 *. „* thefe things) they did Ordain -rtt^j i-mi^ulw b^^ztnvj %?mii<x$ thofe whom we have mention'd K0ifA#$2siv9 hz$tfav£) ht^i ^v before 5 and moreover, did Efta- Ju,ua,y^(voi clvfyiq, r Ac-ir&c^ay

bliili the Conftkution,that other aLurft,

approved Men fhou d fueceed thofe who Dy'd, in their Office and"

Miniftrj .

Therefore thofe that were Conftituted by Them, or after- wards by other approved Men, with the Confent of all the Church, and have Adminiftred to the Flock of Chrill unblama-

fA,-xv 'diidf'jov , a'jUjdjQQX-ti&ior.i;. <$ 9E%x?iftoia$ 7rtt,r.c,y ^ \&erxs\fi9m,a.$

bly, with Humility and Quiet- Qcu><?jm& /umjuutpnp/ifiSjiag % mx-

nefsj without all ftain of filth or A*& x*$»w yzri vdv%wA t*"<W

riaugfetinefs •, and have carry'd k bfr£u>$ ropfTp/jfy %7rl^Kie^ 4

a good Report, of a long time, h&tr-apyte^ d/kap'nz $ * /JUKgg

from all Men, I think cannot, fl>?v ?w , idv rag dyJ.^^-.c k

wit hout great Injuftice,be turn'd U*$ zt&&»lykW7zz$ '?& ' b-z?* $

out of their OiHce : For, it will 'E-jnoxorofc TkntCsl^m/uSju. -MziUe/oi

ofnm ?-)Kctpmy <£ TcXtiiv ligr r dvd\vffa, 8 j$ lv?Ji&g) f&jj ng

Priefts

be no final! fin to us, if we thruft thofe from their Bifliopricks who have Holily and without Blame offered our Gifts (and Prai- ers to God.) BiefTed. are thofe

( 37 ' ) Priefts who are happily Dead, for Wiyc, u/jl&s ^iTnydyen xa\$$ zr$± they are not afraid of being B- /\n &%/$&$ &%. f > dju{/jrsZa$ zv7^:; jecud out of the Places in which n-n^^u,^ \&t<sp}lx$. they are CcnfUtutcu. For, I underftaad that you have Deprived feme, from their Miniftry, who behaved themfelves Un-re-proy- ab.'e amongft you.

Par. 40. To the High-fritH Til F*a 'Ap*g**6i t^t^ -h^tsf^i'tf his proper Offices were appjin- &*frQflt£vcq &m* (E J,f 'hoifnv ty@s ttd 5 the l-r lefts had their pro- j-.wV®* sreeW-rafx^, £ ?Mms l)>ixi per Order, and the Levitts their kic&tc Ui 3M&&iVj* Ac&j^s aVr3-«s- peculiar Services, or Deuon- *■(&> Zoic, 7\di«sTc 'zroz&y/Azm' di~ jb:ps 5 and the Liy~men, what $& was proper for Ley-wen*

This, as be.-, re lhev. n, St. clement apniy'd to the Piftribrjtbfl of Orders in the ChnftUn Church 5 Bftoops, Priefts, and Deacons* And the 0$ e ofthe-Z.fz ,-■•;, is here call'd by the Word Aaajerfq i. e. the Qftice of i- icons.,

A.D , S .linxtiwji Glorious H* <£ gLrwk^op^ &p t£- srA/;,

4/4/ .. ,,,\yasO nitituted, px/uwtm , a* 'A^c-Af^r %z^..v-

by the Ap ftles, B?[bopof Antfc $&-.

och, and diei thereby think that he fucceeded them (as all other i y^mc'.;, in their full Apeflclica.1 Office. Thence he iaiutes the Chui ch of the TVytf *#-f, in the Fulness of the Apofiolical ch^aTte?- ; and in his Epiftle he fays to them.,

Be • ubjeit to your Biihop as to T£ 'JLnnfyWu \jzn$ccne£e u; -m"

the Lord Ktgi» — —

And to the fyeskyters, as to K^v -rJ ^ci-t^v-^'i^ £4 'Awo- the Apoftles ofCbr'ft— - Likewise ^Ac»,- T-:r2 Xfusow— *A«i 5' £ '<5;w' the Deacons alio, being Aimi-lers Aix>^:-:vc 'orme, i&Hngj&y %?m> *L> oftheMyiteries of chrift, ought o&> -kxQ. Tdvnc rfjvrov udL-kui — to pieafe in ali things— Without p^W- T^-ifa* '£^\c^: dstAncfv

thefetheris no church of the E- fy |$?» - 6 3 1x7^ A** s^

. lecl-He is witfiout,who does any zQ^v I w^m; a ETrM*«Vov: <£ iffi thingwithout thQB/fbop^ndPres- np«r(*mj5AiKj *& ;y.' ^i^vm 77 lyters, and Deacora • and luch an yg^sxjwj'' 6 5*-"r®" M#Afe'**3 r* one is Defiled in his Confcience. c^>Jioi

/# /;# £/"/. to the Magnefiaos, Ka) u/xiV q arp&r^ ^ z*7aff> he tells them, That they ought **& 1? >;A^c 5" 'jbmrx&ru) d>:\2 not to defpife their Bifoop for his xj yvefyjuo 0escf n*?f£s «•#*»# youth3buttopay him all manner «%^:t^ %W ^T/.j^a^ ^y<-;

of

( 38 ') of Reverence, according to the tyw kou Qvg dfavs npfc<r£c-?&< Commandment of God the Fa- ^quc,

ye, whether Presbyter^ Deacon, a>-d6 rS 'Emcx-fax, jimfrl npir^v*

or LaicJi, any thing without the •*(®*9 juabl AjaKsv.®-, fwi$e \cu-

Bijbop. yj$. 4

Some indeed call him Bifbop ; E* 7jh<; iE7nniQ'zrQv $> \iyam]

yet do all things without him 5 %*$/; 3 auT*f jra^ wo»SV» —

but thefe fee m not to me to have ol ^ '(31S& <ab& dCo-^&^n^,

a good Conference, but rather to a\\' 6*g£>>is tim *#* /Aoppcopig it)

he Hypocrites and Scorners. pot (p&jvov^).

I Exhort you to do all things in n*£9w£> I" 6//WI* e*S carx-

the fame mind of God, the 5//^ ^awm snsV^, •sr^rrf&ii'' 'zr&Kzfy*

Pfefidiog in the Place ot^ God^nd $ou r£ 'ETnra&ra .«$* tgVov 0eS*

the Pr&kyters'm room of the C0/- x«J ^ n^Qvri^v 3$ rfaov avuui-

iege of the Apo files • and the Den- §£& rjif 'A/ro^A^* *<*) r AjaxsW,

$mi\ moft beloved tome, who t fyw} -yAwarrar&w, mim^^jfAiv^v

are intruded with the Minidry ot Aiaueo'iai' l^S X?ir*. Jefw Cbrifi.

He dire [is bk Epiftle to the ''*ILv m xri <twj 'tbT 'Zmixfati)) kci)

Cburcb at Philadelphia, to tbo[e ^# nf>wStm/>oic, xcu Aistqcpots. who were in Unity with their Btfljof and Presbyters and Deacons,

And fays to themjn his Epiftle, ''Om yx.^ XfiizSMv, a/J< fjff t£

Tbit as m a ny as'are ofc/»7/?,thefe 'EmaKava MavBovt av /uanti o*f»WTg$

are with the Btfbop ; and thole H'XSwaiv SJri t!w 'JLvfrnmi $ £«*An-

who ihall Repent, and Return to ***;, a|<ot 'I/is-a Xpifti ^juuaiuy aw-

the Unity of the chnrch^ being esyg^j asjWa vi^o-iv iv t*i @suji\&rf,

made worthy of J^/i^j- C^//?,ihall . tS Xp*-2. partake of Eternal Salvation in the Kingdom ofcbrijl.

My Brethren.be not deceived, 'A^A^ol, //« srXa.va.^ « 77;

if any (hall follow himihat makes %('(p^ i*oAa0{, /3^<r<Aei** ©aa « *

a scbifm^ he (hall not Inherit the KMfovo^oi. Kingdom of God.

I Exhort you to partake of the ua^tzct^v vjuaz ,ou£ Evx<zf>»™L

one Eucbarifhjor ther is one Body %$&»i' pU yoip %£jv v, mpl t2 Kv-

of the Lord Jefus^ndone 2>/Wof && 'J^a, kcu h aun/rh a^juz to

His,which wras ftiecj for us ; and u»£§ n^&y «ny3*'*r" s% x«/ vAfl@s,

one Ctf/»— and one Altar, lb ther tj& **rip zd-}6q>% — fy'fymdify-

«9

( 19)

iscv.tBijbop, with his Presbyte- g^tk, kou Gk*Em9WW& a/z* 73/ ry, and the Deacons, my Fellow n^Sv ?**/«, Kaj&s&taxpwsTws Servants. ^itoK\:-,c /la*.

Give heed to the Bifhop^nd to Ta> %inncfo-a wfoas^n, jay te$ the Presbytery, and to the D^- upsovSmeia*) *aJ /reiS Aja^w^ — w»j— Without the Bijh.p do.no- )*»tk [Ermvt&m fw$h 9tt$n. thing.

In his Epifile to f>^Smyrneans, Ta %{?Luxmz palysTs *»; apvke) hefaySy Flee Divisions m the be- mv(epy. ndrfiZTzf'E7na:<.o7rct)z,>($-. ginning of Evils. All of them As^-re, &$ c Xpzos '1^2; toT na- follow their Bifheps , as J^/w/ C/>r//? the Ftf/^r •, and the Pres- byters, as the Apofiles, and Reve- rence the Deacons as the Inititu- tionofo7^. Let no man do any

'At

pOS»A«S' T*£ J Aiq#»«$ &?>£-

3(^rrcat 6tg r EaaeAjtoU . ix&tn 0*- thingofwhat appertains to the &«& 'Euzvgja, 'jfekda, j* ^prs r

Church, without the Bifhop, Let *E3W3X&cor bW, ^ av dvr^mn^i^ thatSw4/«£»f bejudgMEflfettu- J*?- 'Ojra* a? @{oSJ 6 'fiafcxaflr©*, al and Firm, which is Difpenced && r^ «rA«3^ 1^ 'wesso "w* 5 by the Bifbf, ox him to whom the X^--;5 *&& 9 ap^iJL zkpr71* Btfhop has Commited it. Where- m^haav. O^ i%& '6h WA ^ ever the Bijhop is, there let the 'E^r^ra, bts B*fifi*&v, br^c- People be; as where C/&J7/0 is, %!«> bntif^t' dx?toa.vix£kvco~cz~ there the Heavenly Hofi is gather- *>j *ar ouapiptow <*)&, irz aujfxhlc, ed together.Itis not lawful,with- >i xctj jti&cuw w& % & rsrg£psmt. out the Bijhop, either to Baptize, 3Acr7mCpjuL^ £ dfyjfcy 9£pnsKti-

or celebrate the Offices: But what aror, x«J to 3eowpe'v*2$ tipur&v-nr He approves of, according to the g^o^, Jtay*^ A;2^&; tj^ fio/S's- good Pleafure of God. that is firm A^. and fafe, and io we do every thing fecurely.

I falute your moil worthy Btfhop, your venerable Presbytery, and the Deacons my Fellow Servants.

In his Epifile to St. Policarp, Biftiop ^/Smyrna, and Martyr, n>h, together with himjelf, was Diiciple to St. John the Apoftle, and Evan- gel ift. He gives thefe Directions.

If any can remain inChaftity3to £* nc, ^twa.^) iv aynU y,{w9 the glory of the Body of theLord, e!s tjjuluju f ou?yJ<; tb Ki'gjy, iv d- let him remain withoutBoaftincr, juwytidU fju&Ua' lav xauyr^ay, if he Boaft, he Perifhes > and if he a^At^* km lav yva>£y arA&J rS pretends to know more than the 'E-sr^^y, st&zfl. nfai ol

Bijhop

( 4° ) B$^;hejs corrupted.lt is thcdu- &$ yzpZfi W W txu&nq^ £} t} both of Men and Women that yp&pM$ t "Ew/^sra rlw {mew Marry, to be joy nM together by sro£<$aft hct © ^dju^n^ t&fi&.£

flip. A nnff)harir»n r»f tVif -«r/7j. thlf vrt) UY vy.r i'SrrhujJ.vi* <m!r..n-r> clr

Glory of God.

Give heed to your BiJJjop, that TsS 'E'&ic-yJ&r® zrQposygrt, &* God may Harken unto you: My y>cu 5 0^ vjuik wn /o, yv-7^f Soul for theirs,whofubje<ft them- \jzwmcsopu-xv " ^- v ^n^.j^u- felves under the Obedience of r*g>'<», a-^- ■ u -r -,;, ^ thfit B'fap9Pr&byters9-md-Dt*~ rap; ,-i. «3^©gg,

ce»/, and let me take my Lot with them in the Lor .

And he fays .to Bilhop Polls Mr$h<&& $ y&fik , <r#yiv(3&. carp. Let nothing be done without thy fente&ce and apitt ob.it ion*

^.D.iSo. St. Irenxus^ Bilnop of Lyons, in Franc ■■■, v. ho was Difci- ple of St. Polycarp j he flouriuYdabout the year ol chrifi i8o.

We can reckon t ho fe Bifbopfy Adzers. Lterefe?. /. $.c. j.

who have been Conitituted by Habemus mtwerare qui ah Jpo-

the JpojUcS) and their Succef- ftolis Inftituti Cunt Epifcopi in Ec~

ibrsall the way to our times, clefiis, & fucceff res corum u'que

And if the Apoftles knew hid* ad ncs. Et ft Recondita my fieri a S^-

den Myfteries, they wou'd cer- ijjent ApoFhlt, *vel his maxime

tainly -deliver them chiefly to traderentea, quibus etiam ipfas

thole, to whom they commit- Eccleftas commit 'teb ant • quos &

ted the Churches themfelves} fucceffores relinquebant tfuum ip \o-

and whom they left their own rum locum Magifterii tradentes,

SuccerTors, and in fhe fame Place lib. 4. c. dg« Habemus fuccefjionet

of Government as themfelvts. Etifcoprrum quibus Apoftolicam qua

.--We have the Succeilions of in unoqito que loco eft Ecclefitm tra-

the Bilhops, to whom the Apo- dtderunt. I. 5. c. 20. Omnes enim

ftolick Church in every place ii{Ji£retici)valde Pofteriores funf,

was committed. AI! thefe (He- qua>n Epifcopi, quibus Aposhli tra-

-reteks) are much later than the didcrunt Ecclefias.

Bifhops, to whom the Apoftles did deliver the Churches.

The true Knowledge is the 1. 4. c. 6. Agnrtio vera eft, A- Do5rin of the Apoftles, and pcflolorum Doftrina, & Antiquus the Ancient State of the Church, Ecclefa TtMm, in univerfo Mun- rhrough ' the whole World,- dfl& Cb.iracJer Corporis Cbriftife- ^nd the Character of the Body cd*d*m fuccejjlones Epi'c»porum^

of

r 41 ;

of Chnft, according to the Sue- juHbks illi earn qua in unoqute;

ceffion of the BiiTiops, to whom t co eft EkUftam tradiderutt, quit

they committed the Church peH'em¥wjqnead*of, that is in every Place ; and which has Defended even unto us

Tcrttduax, A. D. 20 3. of the Prefcription of 'Heretieks. A.D <e?. c. 32. Let them produce the Edanf ergo Origins Ecc'^u Original of their Churches, let rum [uarum . cvo%a>t ordinem them (hew the Order of their Bi- Epifcoporum foirtim , iti ut per fhops, that by their Succeflion, fitoceffi<r*4sab tnitio "decurrenfem dedue'd from the beginning, we nt frimtts tile Epi(copas 'fflh&nl may fee whether their firit Bi- ex Ave'hlis, 'Hi Aiopli^ vjL (hop had any of the Apoftles or rh, qui tame* mm Aio\Uis'pe}i ApoftolicalMen, who did like- fever Aierh ' , kabuerit Auciorcm wife perfevere with the Apoftles, & Antecejforem. Hoc enim mo~ for his Founder and PredecefTor. do Ecclefu Apoftolica cenfusfuos For, thus the Apoftolical Chur- deferunt : ftcut Smyrr eorum He- ches do derive their Succeflion : cleft a Polycarpum ab Johanne As the Church of Smyr*a from conkcatum refcrt 5 ftcut Roma- Polycxrp, whom John (the Apo- norum, Clementem, a Petro file) placed there : The Church ordinatum itidem, Perinde utiqiie of Rome from dement, who was, &> Cetera exhibent quos Ab Ape- in like manner, ordain'd by Pe- Jhlis in Epifcopatum Conflitutos ter: And fo the other Churches Apoftolici fteminti trAduces ba~ can produce thofe Conftituted in leant, their Bijhcpricks by the Apoftles,

c. 16. Reckon over the Apo- Percurre Eccieftjs dpoM'tiat

floUcal Churches, where the ve- apud qum ipf* adhuc Cathedra

fahnica, 8cc

Of Biptifm, c 17. Dandi ( Baptifmm ) his habct

The High'Prieft^ who is the fumnus (acerdos , qui e$ jjpjf,

Biftjop, has the Power of confer- copus , dthinc Presbyteri &

ring Baptifm; and under him Deaconi, non t.nnen ftne Epif-

the Presbyters and Deacons •■> but copi Author it Ate. not Without the Authority of the Bijbop.

Origen, Names the di- A.D.2io. OrizenU Comments* Kr% -

irinft Orders of Bifhop, Presby- Mm.Rcth^^.gneeS.Gr-Lat.p.z^ 'Utli0k

( 42 )

ter , and Deacon. Such a Bi- f>y8v ^iQTlc 'Et/<7^^@l s^Aou

ih ;P ( /^yJ fo» Jpeaking of one who fyov iwifyjity — to q cwil zouj m^/.

fought' vain Gbrji &c; doth not np^^'e^ xay . Atawoov ep£.

deiire a good Work- — and the 7^.^.443. c/qSV ^5^9^.-

iame is to be faid of Presbyters aq 7rz7ri?djyM>oi tS Aacf 'E^r/rao^

and Deacons The Bifiops and xc^neia-QbTizoi. — ^. 420 oq^b-

Vresbyters who have the Chief /4©-, ^ 'j olpzf ovqjux^w £

Piace'among the People. The xaA^or a f 'ExA/joi^j 'E-ar/Tw-

BijboP is called />?/>** in the Cbur- -&cv p. 442. 'E^raoVo^, J

<to; And i peaking of the Irre- n^trcvAfon; *i Alarms. ligious Clergy? he directs it to them, whether Bijbops, Presbyters; or Deacons. A.D. **o. gr> cjffiiw Archbifhop of Carthage, A. D. 240.

Our Lord) whole Commands Edit. Oxon.Epift. XXX III. Lapps*

we ought toReverence andObey, Dombms nojler, cups Prtecepta

being about to Constitute the E- metuere&obfervaredebemw.Epif-

fifcepH Honour, and the Frame ccpi honor em & Ec cleft £ fa Ratio

of His Church, faid to Peter, nemdifponensJnEvangelio loquitur

Thou art Veter,<kc. From thence & die ft Retro, Ego dico tibi quia

the Order of Biftops and Con- tuesVetn\s>eJrt.lndepertemporum

i'titution of the Church does def- &fuccej]ionum vicesEpijcoprumOr-

eend; by the line of Succeflion, dmatio & EccUfia Ratio decurrit,

throv allTimes and Agesjthatthe utEccUfia fuperEpifcopos Conjlitux-

Church (hou'd be built upon the tur~-~Dh'ina Lege fundat um eft,

Bifbops - — It is EftablinYd by the ut omnw acius EccUfta per Epif-

Divine Law, that every Aft of copum Gubemetur. the Church fliou'd be Governed by theBi/bop.

Ta Cornelius,^/* Bijhop of Rome. Ep. XLV. Ccrnelio.

We ought chiefly (my Bro- Hoc enim vel ?,;a>:ime, Fratcr,

feher) to Endeavour to keep & laboramu? & laborare debemu-s,

that Unity which was Enjoyn'd ut Unit at em a Dcmino% & per A~

by our Lord and His Apoftlesto pftolos nobis Succcfforibus tradi-

us their SucceiTors, to be careful- tarn, quantum pojfumus obtinere

iy obferv'd by us. cur emus.

The Deacons ought to remem- Ep. 111. Rcgt.tiano.

her that it was the Lord who Meminiffe autem Diaconi de~

chofethq Apojlles, that is, the lent quoniam Apoftclos, id eft

Bifbops. Ep't[copos Dominus Elegit.

Chrifi faid to the Apoftles, Ep. LXV1. Florentio.

and by that, to all Bijhogs or Go- Dixit chriftus ad Apoftclos > ac

1 ernors

(43 )

termors of His Church, who fuc- per hscy ad omnes p/Jepoptos\ qui

ceed the Apojlles, by vicarious Apoftolis vicxrix or dixit tone \ucce-

Ordination, and are in their dunt, Qui vos audit, me au-

itead, Heth.it hexreth you, bear- dit.

eth me.

For from hence do Schifms Ibid, and Hereftes arife, and have ari- inde enimSchirm.itx & Here- fen, while the Bifhop> who is fes ortx & oriuntur^ dum Epifco* One , and Gozemour of the pus qui units tfi^Etclefd Pr^-efi, Church, by a proud Prefumpti- fiifcrfa Projnmptione contemni- onisDelpis'djandthatManwho tur, & homo dignatione Dei ho- is Honour'd as Worthy by God, norxtm, indigmes hominibm judi- is accounted unworthy by Man. c xtur.

Nor areHerefies fprung up, Ep. LIX. Cornelio.

orSchifms arifen from any other ' Neque enim aliunde H£refes

Fountain than from hence, that oborto [tihty ant natx pint fchif-

Obedience is not paid to the mxtx, qttam inde quod Sacerdoti

Vrieft of God 5 and that ther is Dei non obtempcratur '0 nee unus

not one Prieft at a time in the in Ec cleft a ad tempus Sacerdos,

Church, and one Judge for the & ad tempos Judex vice Chri-

time in the Place of Chrift. To fti ccgitatur : Cui ft fecundum

whom if the wh@le Fraternity Mxgifterix Divbia obtemperaret

did obey, according to the Di- Fratemitas umverfix , nemo ad-

vine Oeconomy, none wou'd ver\m facerdotum Collegium

dare to move any thing againft quicquxm moveret— — i — vigore

the Sacerdotal Col/edge--— It is ne- fleno Epifcopos agere oportet —

ceffary that the Bifiops fhou'd ex- quod fi itx res eft ut Nequiffimo-

ert their Authority with full Vi- rum tmzxtur Audxcia , & quod

gor— But if it is fo, that we are Mali lere atque oquiute non,

afraid of the Boldnefs of the pojfitnt, 7 'emeritus & Defperx-

moil Prof] igat •, and that which tione perjficiaht \ acJnm est de

thefe wicked Men cannot com- Epifcopatus vtgdre , & de Ec~

pafs by the Methods of Truth cleftt gubernand* jubliihi ac Di-

and Equity, if they can accom- vim Poteftxte. Nee chriftiani

plifli by their Raihnefs and Def- ultra ant durare aut effe jam pof-

pair, then is ther an end of the ftmus, fi ad hoc veniuin est, ut

Epifcopxl Authority, and of their Perditornm Minos at que inftrfias

Sublime and Divine Power in pertimefeamtts — ■

Governing of the Church. Nor

can

f 44)

can we rem tin chri#i&ns any longer, if it is come to this, that we (hou'd be afraid of the Threats, and Snares of the wicked,—

— The Adverfiry of Chrift, , — thrift* Adverfarim & Ec* and Enemy of Hs Church, for cleft a e'fus Inimicus, ad hoc Ec- this end (hikes at the Bifhop or defue Praepofitum ftn Infeftatio* Ruler- of thecbiirfk, with all his ne perjequitur, ut Gubernatore Malice, that the Governor being jublato, atrccim atque videntiu-s. taken away, he might Ravage circa Ecclefu Naufragia araffe* the more Violently and Cruelly t&r. — upon the Ship-wreck of the Church- Is Honour then given to God, H nor ergo datur De^ qtun~ when the Divine Maiefty and do fie Dei Ma]efl.u & Cenfiira Genfure is fo Defpifed, that Contemriitur — -- ut proponntur a\ thefe Sacrilegious Per fons fay; Sacrilegk at que dicatur 5 ne 1- do not .think of the Wrath of ta cogitetur Dei , ne timeatur God, be not afraid of His Judg- Jud.cium Domini , ne pulfetur men?, do not knock at the Door, ad Ecclefiam. chrifli , fed fubLi- of the Church ; but without a- ta Pcenitentia0 nee ulk Exomolo- ny Repentance, or Confeffion of gefi Criminis facia, De/peclis jE- ther Crime, Defpifing the Au- pifcopis at que C 'ale at is , Pax h thority of their B/fbys, and tram- Presbyteris verbis fallacibm Pre-, pling it under their iczt, a Falfe dicetur f

Peace is PreachM to be had from the Presbyters (scilicet) m their ta- king upon them to Admit thofe that were Fallen into Communion or the Peace of the churchy without the Allowance of the Bifbov..

ibid. They imitate the coming of Antichriftijam prbpinquantis ad« Anti-Chrift now approaching, ventum imitantur.

Ep.LXXX.'SucceiTq.

Vale run (the E mper or' wrote Refer ipfiffe Valeriana^ ad Sena- to the Senate, that the BifJjps, turn, ut Epjfcipi, & Presbyter i,& and the Pres ! yters, and the Dea~ Diacones in continents animadvert sens fhou'd be profecuted. tantur, '

Firmilianus Cypriano. Ep.

The Power of Remitting Sins, . LXXV. p. 225.

was given to the Apftles, and Poteftas ergo Peccatorum remit- to the Bifhops^ who have fucceed- tender urn Apostolus data eft-- & e- ed them by a vicarious Ordina- pifcopis qui eis Ordinatione vica- tlOQ. riafuccefferunt, •

What

What Dinger ought we to £p. XVI. p 36. Cyprianus Pres-

fcir from the Difpieafarfe or' byceris hi Diaconibus.

God, when forne Presbyters, Qjai exim periculum r/xtuerc

neither mind fid of the Gofpel, nm dek&zfas de offm'a v&faini$

nor of their own Sta. ion in the auando miitftii de rrcs jterv, nee

Church, neither regarding the Ev*n$iki&t*E*to fiii titemt?s$ed

future Judgment of God, nor the ntque fttfarum Domini J»d.icmmy-

Btfhop who is let over them, neqnejii ftzfofittim tpilcopum

which was never done under c •gttaniesi qmd nunquam om~

our PredecefTors, wit lithe Con- mm ffh Ani?ce§*i.&M f iffn m

tempt and Neglect of their Bi- eft, can Centum du & Gfafcifrb-

fbop, do arrogate all unto them- tu Prtpofititotit;; (ibi vend/ce^t i

i^lvesV 1 cou'd bear with the Contnmclum Epifcopaeos mftrk

Contempt of our Eptfcopal Au- dijfiniiLre crferre pojfum

thorny, butther is now no room Jed\d^p/t^aidi tui^c locus nm

left for Diilembling, &c. eft.

Opt at us All lex it anus, Bifliap of Mile^e^ ox Melt in N:a?;idii iff

Africa.h'1). 25 J. A.D.-v-,

In his 2d. Bock agaiaft /towr* 1. 2. Contra P.irmenianum.

n$M9* The Church hasher (eve- QerU Memhrafdk kakgt Ec-

ral Members, Bijhops, Presbyters, clefu, bf ix-opos^PrtsbyterosjDU •

Deacons, md theCompany of the aconos, d* turbam Fideiiih-n. Faithfuh.

You found in the Church, liroewftii Diaconos, Presbyte-

De aeons, Pres' yters, Bijbops, you ros^ Epifcopos./m/7/x Laicosj 4g* ■■

have made them Liy-men'^ ac- nbfciie- ws tnimas everttffe. knowkdge that you have Subverted Soul'.

Sr. Anzbroje.&hh^p o'iMi'a*. Quofi.im deiit ApoftoLs, dmf- A.1X,3jo.

A.D. .570. upon Evh, iv. 11. dim -■ Prophetas, &e* Apojhli ,

Speaking of "the fever. it Orders of fcpifeopi (tint % ftrafket* Exzla- ■

the church. And be g.tze (pme natyrts Sunt Scr'tptu-um ficut A-

Apoftles,and feme Prophets, and gabus— Bv/mgfUf^ Diacooi fitht,

Evangelists, &c. Says, that by ficzt fait Bhilip^os Nam in

the Apofiles there were meant Epilcopo omnes ordines Junt ,

the Bijh'jps 3 by Vrophtts, the quia "Frinceps Sscerdos efty hoc

Expounder's of the Scriptures- eft, Prinqeps -ffi Sacerdaturr^ '&>

and by the Evange I i/ls, theDea- Prophgta; & Evaugelifta , &

cons. But lays that they all ^CJttera ad/mflenda ojfiaa Ec-

met in the tsijbop 5 for that he clefia in Minifano EideL^

was the Chief Vriefl, that is, u>a%

(fays

(M )

(fays he) the Prince of the Friefis^nd both Prophet and Evangelift^o iupply all the Oiftces of the Church for the Miniitry of the Faithful.

And upon I Cor. xii. 28. pj-f Caput in EccUfia Apoftolos po-

that C/£r//# Conftituted the Apo- fnit -Jpfijunt Epiicopi.

ft Us Head in the churchy and that thefe are the Bijbopf.

And upon v. 2p. are all Apo- Verumeft, quia. in Ecck/ia unus files $ L e. ail are not Apo files. Epifcopus elf. This is true (jays he7) becaufe in the Church theris but one Bi- [hop.

And becaufe all tilings are Quia, ab una Deo Fatre funt om- from one God the Father, there- nia, fingulos Epifcopos, fmgulis Ec- fore hath He appointed that one clefiis pr*-effe Decrevtt. RifJiop fliou'd Prefide over Each Church.

In his Book of the Dignity of De Dignat. Sacerdor. c. 3. ut the Prieflhood^ c. 3. he (ays, That oflenderemus nihil ejfe in hoc ther is nothing in this World to feoulo Excellentius Sacerdotibus, be found more Excellent than the nihil SMimitts £pifcopis repe- Vriefis, nothing more Sublime riru than the Bifbops*

And fpeaking of what was Incumbent upon the feveral Orders of the churchy he does plainly diftinguifh them ; For, fays he, in the fame place 5

God does require one thing AIM eft enim quod *£Epifcopo from a Bifhcp, another from a requirit Dens & aliud quod a Pres- Pir.r^/?r,another from a Deacon, bytero, & aliud quod a Deacono, and another from a Lxyrnan. & aliud quod a Laico.

A.D. 3 So. St. Jerom, A. D. 3 80. In his Comment upon the Ep. to Titus.

When it began to be laid, / Foftquam unufquifque eos quos am of rP \wl, J of Apollos <} &c. and Baptizibat fuos putabat ejfe non every one thought that thole chrifti, IN TOTO ORBE lo- wborn he Baptized, beiong'd to cretum eft, ut utots de Presby- himfelf,ajr>d not to Chrift^ it was teris Eleflus [nperponeretur c*te- Decreed thro' The whale Earthy ris, ut Schifmatum femina tolle- that one Gholen from among rentur.

the Presbyters /hou'd be fet over, the reft, that the Seeds of Schifm might be taken away.

In his Epifl. to Evagriu*. A Marco Evangelifta ad He-

From Mark the Evxngeli'fxo ' «raelum u f, ad Dionyfium Epifco-

JleracUs, and Dion?f></.s the 5/- pcs.^Presbyteri J2gypti femver u-

. fhopjflhe Presbyters of Egypt have ntim ex [e Ekclam, in c/cflori Gra.

always

( 47 )

always chofen out one from a- dftccliocatumEpiicopumNomw*-

mong themleives, whom hav- bant.

ing placM in an higher Degree than the reft, they called their

Bijbop.

He that is Advanc'd, is Ad- Qui prove hit nr, a. Mtnori 'ad Ma-

vane'd from lefs to greater. jus proiehitur.

The Greatnefs of Riches, or Potent ia Dnitiarum & Pauper -

the Humility of Poverty does not tatis Hmmlit.is, (uhlimwumvel

make a BiJJjop greater or lefs, fee- inferiorem Epiicopum non facit,

ing all of them are the Succeffors Ceterum 0#/# *\r Apoftoiofuni $m:

of the Apoftles, ce [fores funt.

That we may know the Apo* lit jciamus Traditiones Apo{h/i~

ftoltcal Oeconomy to be taken cos \umpt.ts deveteri Teftsmento :

from the Pattern of the Old Te- Quad Aaron, & Hlii ejus atq;

{lament, the fame that Aaron, Levitae in Templo fuertmt, hoc

and his Sons, and the Levites (ibi £pifcopi, Presbyteri, &

were in the Temple, the Bifhcps Deaconi , vendicent in £ccle-

Presbyters, and Deacons are in. fia. theC/;;/r^ofc/;r///?.

To Nepitiamts. Ad Nepotianum.

Be fubject. to your Bijhop or Efto fujecins Pontifici ?##:$ &

chief-Prieft 5 and receive him as quafianimi Parentem Jufcipe. the Father of your Soul.

Againftthe Luciferians. Adierf. Lueiferianos.

The fafety of the Ch.depends EccUfia fetus in fummr Sa-

upon the Dignity of the High- cerdctisDijnitate pendet^ cuir/i-

Priefl, to whom unlefsa fort of fi exors qu<edam & ab omnibus

abfoluteand eminent Power be Emtnexs detur Potejiasy tot in Ec-

given above all, therwillbeas cl.e(ia efficient ttr Schemata quot

many Schifms in the Church as Sacer dotes, indevenit, ut fine £-

ther are Priefts. Thence it is, .pi/copi jujjlone neque i-resbyrer

that without the Command of nequc Diaconus jus babeant Bap-

the Bifoop, neither a Vresbjter, tizand!-—Adeos qui per Presby-

nor a Deacon Jizvq Power to Bap- teros & Diaconos Bm;z,iti [unt,

tize And the Bifhop is toim- Epifcopus ad Imocationem fanfti

pofe his Hands upon thole who Spirit us manum Mfcfiturus . ex-

are Baptized by Presbyters oxDea- car rat. cons, for the Invocation of the Holy Spirit.

And Comforting Helioiorus, a Epitaphium Nepotiani a Hello-

Bijhop, upon the Death of Nepo- dorum. Epijcopumvenerebatur-—

tj.m-

1 48 !) . ' _

tUn his Vresbyter and li:.s Ne- In publico Epjfcopum, domi Pa-

pheiV) he Commends Nevoti.w in trcm voverAfr --inter Presbyteros

that he Revere nc*d his B/ffjop. He & Co-^quues^ prinus in opere,

Honour'd HehoAorus^ in pubiick &c.

as his Bijbofr at home as his Father* But among his Presbyters

and Cc-eqmlS) he was the fit ft in his Vocation, &c

Upon the 6oth. of /fa. He calls Precipes frturos Ecclefa Epi£

the future Brjhops , Prince s of the coposNomwavrf. Church.

Of the Ecclefiiftical Writers. in fcript. Ecc/efiaft. De Ja-

Concerning Tames. cobo.

fjames, aher the Pafiion ofour Jacobus pi ft Pafflonem Domini

Lord, was immediatiy, by the ftatimab Apojlolis Werojcliwontm

Apoiiles, ordained Biihopol :Je~ Epiicopus^y? ordinatus.' rafale™. The like he tells of the firjl Sijhops of ether Places.

Epiif . 54' againft Mwtanw. Ep. 54, contra Montanum.

With us the Btjhops hold the Apud nos Apoftolorum locum

Place o£ :ihe Apofiles. Ejjifeapi latent. A.D.4ZO. SuAuguffine Bijhop cS Hippo in Africa^ A. D. 42©. EpifHe«&i.

The Root of the Chriilian So- &&x chrifiiana Societati* per

■ ciety is d.fliis'd throughout the [edes Apoftolorum & Sucee£?ones

Worlds in a fare Propagation, Epifcoporum cntaper orbem Pro-

by the Seats of the Ape file s^ and pagatjone diffunditur. the Sikcc (lion of the hifhops.

.Oitejl. r- etcr. & novt Tefi. N. 97, 'Nemo ign rat'Sahatorem Epif-

Ther is none but knows that copos Eccltfiis Injiituiffe^ipfe enim

our Saviour did Ccnftirute Bi- prittfimmC&los Afcenaeret^ impo-

jbops in the Churches ; for be- nens Mavus Apoftolis ordinavit

fore He Afeendcd into Heaven, *w.Epifcopos, Qitcd dixit Clarus

He laid His Hands upon the;.4- a Mufcular* ConctlioCanhzg.Re-

po files and Ordained them BU petit Auguft. de Baptifino contra

/hops. Donatift. "

1,7.0.45. The Sentence of Man if e [la cfi feritcntU Domi-

our Lord Jefus Chrift is clear, ni noflf-i Jefu Chrifti Apoftolos

who fent His Apoftles, and gave fms .mittentis, & Ms foils

to Them alone that Power which Poteflatem a Patre fibi tradi-

He had Received from His Fa- tarn fermJtentis b qmbus nos

*her j

Up)

Father \ to whom we have Sue- nos Succeffimas^eadem Peteflate Ex- ceeded, Governing the Church clef am Domini Gubernnntes. of God by the tame Power. Ep. 162. [peaking of the Bithops being caWd Angels. Rev. 2. he fays,

By .the voice ot God, the Go- Divina voce fub nomine Ange* vernor of the Church is Praifed, //' Laudator Pnepojitus Ecclefu. under the Name of an Angel, Of the words of our L^r^Serm.24. Be verbis Domini, Serm. 24.

If He faid to the Apoftles a- Si [0 lis Apofehs dixit, Qui vos lone, he th.it defpifetb you^dejpifeth fpernit, me ipernit, fpernite nos : me, then defpife us : But if thofe Si autem Sermo Ejus perzenit ad words of His come down even nos, &vocavit nos, & ineorum unto us, and that He has Called loco Conftituit nos, videte ne fper- us, and Constituted us in their natis nos. Place, fee that you do not defpifeus.

Againft Faufus. Contra Fauft. Lib. 35. cap. ult.

We embrace the Holy Scri- Scripturam ample ct imur qu& ab pture, which from the Times of ipfius Vrefentia Chrtfti temporibusy the Prefence ofChrift himfelf, per Difpenfationes Apoftolcrum. & by the Difpofition of the Apo- ctteras ab eorum jedibus Succef- files, and the Succeflions of other Jiones Epifcoporumy ufque ad h#c Bifhops from their Seats, even to tempore tcto Orbe terrarum cu- thefe Times, has come down to ftoditajommendata, cUrificataper* us,fafely kept, commended and venit. honour'd through the whole £arth.

Lib. 2. contra Literas Petilianh Aga'mft Petilian. C. 5 1.

What has the Chair of th6 Cathedra quidnbi fecit Ecclefw Church of Rome done to thee, in Romans in qua Petrus fedit,& in which Peter fat, and in which, qua hodie Anaftafius/^V* • aut Ec- at this day, Anaftafim fits i or of cleft* Hierofolimitanae in qua Ja- the Church of Jerufile?n, in cobus (edit, &in qua hodie Joan- \vhichj^^didfit,and in which msfedet. [fid. contra, Crefcom 3^/? does now fit. I. i.e. 37.]

Againft Julian. Contra Juiianum, /. 2, cap. uJr. :

Irensus, Cyprian, Reticius, lrenaus, Cypriam:s, Reticius, Olympics, Hilary, Gregory, Ba- olympins , Hilarius , Gregorius^

H fil,

( 50)

Til, John, Ambrofe— thefe were Baftlins, Joannes, Ambroftusy ifll Btjbops^ Grave, Learned, drc. erant Epifcopi , Dotfi, Graves,

8cc. in Ecclefi* Regimme cUri. ■ Queftions upon the Old Teftx-

ment. Queft. 35. Quest, ex vet. Tefl.qu.35>

The King bears the Image of Dei enim lmaginem babet Rex, Godjs the Bifhop of chrifl.Thzve- ficut & £pifcopus Chrifti. Quam- fore while he is in that Station, dm ergo in ea traditione efi^ Hono- he is to beHonour'd, if not for randus e&, ft nan propter fe, vel himfelf, yet for his Order. propter Or dinem.

Let this fufEce as to the Teftimonies of particular Fathers of the Church, tho' many more may be produo'd, in that compafs of time, to which I have confin'd our prefent Inquiry. And now (that no Conviction might be wanting) I will fet down fome of the Canons of the Councils in thofe times, to the famepurpo/e* whereby it will appear, that Epifcopxcy, as diftintf from, and /#- perior to Presbytery, was not only the Judgment of the firft Glo- rious Saints and Martyrs of Chrijl ; but the current Docirin, and Government of the churchy hodx Greek and Latin, in thofe early Ages oicbriftianitp

In the Canons of the Jpojlles, the diftinclion of Bifhop, Presbyter^ and Deacon is fo frequent, that it is almoft in vain to give citations. The iy?. and id. an. fliew the difference tobeobferv'd in the Or- daining of them.

Let a Bifhop be Confecrated by 'Bthsjcott^ z&€o<&vwd& Ozrax two or three Bifbops. 3ETnw'7mv frvo *j r&<2v.

Let a Presbyter ana1 Deacon be np&rGu7?P@k, iW &&$. 'EmmC- Ordained by one Bifhop. <&■& %ipo'&v&&wi £ Adw(&.

See the fame Diftinclion of thefe Orders. Can. 3.4, 5,5, 7 £, 17, 18. 25. 27,28. 25?. 32,33. 35. 42. 44,45. 5i,52,'5j. 6?! 68, <5$? 70. 83. C*/*. 1 5. (hews the Jurifdicrion of the Bifbops over the Presbyters and Deacons.

If any Presbyter ot Deacon, or *£* 77$ n&eQvTtp&fi A^^ $ any of the C/wW Order, fhall o^^^aAQ^^KA^^,^. leave his own Parifli, and go A&l^ t ^3" na/'ow^, el? eU)^ to another, without the Bi flop's aWAfy, m ^dvn\^q fj^^^^^ leave,he (hall officiate no longer 5 t^&\ & aAAjf nafowop -s^ W- efpecially if he obey not the Bi- fjJui $ && Wiaxowy rg&v iu\ivQ- [hop, w hen he exhorts him to fjmv fupullt Mrxpyfaei /uxAi^c v&<r* Return,perfifting in his Infolence xoAb^s avrfa t2 'Ema-yJ^r^ ccbn/

and

r It )

and diforderly Behaviour, but he lwof«A0«y €k JwAwwJ im^imv

(hall be reduc'd there to Com- ?f ara^y ®$ Xaiy^c, 'plvfy wttyt

municate only as a Lay-man. Koivavekrw.

And Crftf.^i.If any Presbyter, ,NE< 77^ n^gfl-CJ^p^L xatettyovt-

defpifing his own Bifbop, mall era; tS $Ys 'E^ox^*, ^>:^<to«

gather Congregations apart,and vct^y^ x<q Juaict^^tov 'irefov w^

ere& another Altar, his Bifbop fjufrlv Kiliyvu^c, t2 'Emmforts

not being Convift of Wicked- iv ivrz&^a Kct\ foxajoruvy, xatyq-

nefs or Irreligion, let him be p&iodto afc <pi*&£x(&>* Tiig^j" ■(&, $

Depos'd as an Ambitious Per- 9Qiv&o&ut<*>$ jJ *&) oF AoiTroi jcA^x/j),

fon 3 for, he is a Tyrant : And ^v fa «V aW ^o^Vj. oi jj A«&.

likewife fuch other clergy or Z^i- x?] -dpopi^ada^. vaS-m. j ^ j&/ai>

*y, who fhall joynthemfelves to jtoy &<&tz0clv xa) t^Jjiw ^'^kAaw-

him fhall be Excommunicated. ru'Emonfais yivtcda*

But, let this be after the firft, fecond, and third Admonition of the Bifbop.

Can.39. Let the Presbyters and 01 noiMnpoi xo) Aixmci,

Deacons do nothing without the <Lv&> yvot>/u,Y\$ rS :E7no7co7rt! fj^lv

Confent of the Bifbop ; for it is l-BnTsAerra^, dvrhs y%% 'Qw 0 mm-

He to v\ horn the People of the ?djfjtU& r \*lv rS Kvgjasx k^j %»

Lord are committed, and from \^ ^jjo 4vX>£v dvToijv Aoyov d?nxf~

whom an account of their Souls thJv^/mv@^. will be Requir'd.

C ax. 41. We Ordain the Hi- npspicatfjLw t- 5Ew/<wowcv ijhsmav

flop to have power of the Goods i^JW TcSy *£ 'Eh* a^s w^ *^^t«-

of the Church — And to Admi- 7w W ^ S^o^o*? hat

nifter to thofe whq^want, by the UoxtZvA^v aou A&yji'w I?z-^n-

hands of the Presbyters and £^« ^£«9ay.

cons.

Can. 55. If any Cleroy-man ' E* 77$ KAvi/)^ tJS*!<7W t'Eth^o- fhall Reproach his #/'/3&«/>, let him wcj', xa5*/*ek&a>. yApx^'M &Z be Depos'd : For, r/w» /Wf w/ t2 Aa2 arx l^efc xax£$. ^<?4£ Evil of the Ruler of the People.

After the Canons of the Apoflles^ I produce next a Great Gw/z- f// of 87 Bifhops held at Carthage, in che Year of chrifl, 255, under St. Cyprian, Archbiflrop of that Place, which is Publifhcd in St. Cyprians Works before quoted, p. 229. where he tells us,

That befides the Bifbops, ther Epi\copi plw'mi cum Presbytc- met there both Presbyters and ris & DUcomhm^ &c. Deacons^ and great Numbers of the Laity.

H 2 The

( 5* )

The Council of Gilberts in Spain, about the Year of C/^i/f 30 $r. Cap. 18. and 19.

Bifhops, Presbyters ^ and D<r^- Epifcopi^ Presbyter'^ & Diaco- cons are Nanvd diftinft. And »/*, &c. N00 ^y? Presbyterorum, c. 3 2 . Presbyters and Deacons are *#/ Diaconorum Communionem ta- forbid to give the Communion /#*J prtflare debere, nifi eis'ytffe- to thofe who had grievoufly of- rit Epifcopm. fended, without the Command of the Bifho'p.

c. 75. Of thofe who (ball fal- Si quis Epifcopum, Presbytc- fly aecufe a B if hop, Presbyter, or rum, vel Diacotmm falfis Crimini- Deacon, bus tppctierifi, &c.

c. 77. It is ordained that thofe Si quis Dtaconns, fne Epifcopo who are Baptized by a Deacon, vel Presbytero aliqms Bapti*aze- withoutths Bifhop or Presbyter y rit? Epifcepus eos per Bened.iiio- (hall afterwards be Confirmed by stem per pcere debebtt. the Bijbop.

The Council of Aries in France ; about the Year of Chrifl 3 09 ', c. 1 8. It is ordain'd that the Deacms (hou'd be fubje^t to the Pres- byters : And C. 19.

That the Presbyters fhou'd be Presbyteri [me Confcientk Epif> fubjeft to their Bifhops and do copi nihil faciant, nothing without his confent. /LD 3ir. The Council of Ancfra, A. D. 31J.

c. 1. and 2. Having Prohibi- 'Ei jxivfa nvlg <?$ 'E^r^^ ted thole Presbyters and Deacons r^ic gwu&gw ^uuxtqv th>& tj who had, in times of Perfecuti- wt&vw.&fa&irirf(§iu^ j£ ^'aqj^ on, Offer'd to Idols, from the wA&v 7? ^#3*. 3 dtyx^ty, |» Execution of their Office, /^3 aufe If) r^lg***^ that notwithstanding the J5/7W may Diipence with them if he fees their Repentance (incere, for that this Power islod^d in the Bifhop. A.D. 321. The Council of Laodicea. A. D. 521.

CVw. 41. That no r lergy-man '0% b £«,I&p*rt&&! K*n*^wif ought to Travel, without the «;'<& *tAeur*ws 'Emrj&vrn&tizty. confent of his Bifhop.

Can. 5 6. that the Presbyters 'On k ^ msj/Wc^ ^ t5 ought not to go into theChurch, &A rS ''E-mm^x &ri(v<t/ <s &$- and (it in their Stales, till the Bi- I *•&*/ iv nrj fctpuxrci, aKX<z ^ rS

p come, and to go in w ith the 'E-mryjTr* «Vi&^. Bijhcp*

The

r a )

The Firft and Great Council of Nice^ A, D. 3,25.

Can. 16. That if. any Pre shy- npt&Q6rtpci h &c&k&Hici dv&yty. ters or Deacons leave their own pjferi 0s c^JtAwioc, 8^au*; 2W?J Churches, they ought not to be hfifcus&fy T/) fr iify* i-^yAr.cici — — ■ received into another Church: d.j % ^AyJcr^lv rn$ vpa;azi<xy r vr/ And that if any (hall ordain fuch tikep ?'««*^^oi"7a,K«/ Xf^fyfifa a> inh'sCh. as belong to another, rR^WsW^ek, fjLY\cvy^<zU^jS/ns without the confent of his pro- rS $Ya few^-ate — — - — cutfj per Bijfop, let fuch Ordination %&* « mm/m^W^. be void.

The Council of Gavgra^ 326, AD

C*#. 6. If any have private *E* tic^t^ tIw hxXiftrtAv zvr

Meetings out of the Church, , j§Yav itaAffiftt^ft — /ttft era

without their Presbyter^ let *em/ 7@- rS nptorGiMpx, h$ 'yvv/nuuu % be Anathematized by the Sen-' %B*tr-i(s/»Sy dva$k/4<t £j tence of the Bijbcf, Ca#,jA¥ apy will take or give of *Ei 77^ x^wptf^zg I^A^s?^ the Fruits offer'd to the Church, l}sA<| Aa^£a^v, »; 01^ Iga ^ out of theChurch,withour leave hatPbfrfot, <&$£ yv-lylw tS *&**(?•- of the Bijbop, let him be y&w- -^tb — >Ava.hfj&£ga.< thema.

The Council of* Amioch, A..D. 341.' A*^.nar.

Crftf. 3. If any Presbyter or E*ri$ npe<r£vr^©* J Awww®. Veicon, leaving his own Pariih, g*7fc"AeiWv f €«A"rS n«£9*fc&gj>, ef$ fhallgotoothers-, and refufeto «rBf«y awiABjj, d f/AiK^u y z\^n, return, when his own 2?///&fip 7*f Enujnbra W5 /^ i7rctvt\§ty<£$ ' , fliall mmrnon him, let him be r n^O'^**' ¥ *aur2 5 Gfi&w&tr* Depos'd, . jusjg Ojs «*&e*—^* 7t&v?iK£<; dvrlv *s«*

C4^. 4. If any Bifhop being E* r^ 'fetfaxssr^ iWW4 -

Depos'd by a ty/W, oraPrfj£/- xa^^sU^ ^ nf€^7?^J A^

f*r or Deacon being Depos'd by &6V<^ vW ? i<£/» 'E^^W ^A-

bis own proper £//&>;>, fhall pre- jjtfiv&iv n *&.& rye Xevrtyylou^

fume to exereife his Function, ^v^^^zdJ.aguai^^^^mXo^ia^

let no room be left them, either %-^v ?%w. for Reftauration or Apology.

Can, 5. If any Presbyter or E< rk rfygfrgJ'Ts^. J Ai^-,

'Deacon, defpifing his own Bijhopy zafctCp^oi^cu; ^2 Ed&tdirev r»

{hall, feparate himfelf from the" Wo^dtyoeptttP ia.f7;,i> rfo ExxAw-

Church, and gather a Congre- ^, g jSvfc wjJr^A itcu®»*

( 54 )

gation of his own, and fet up a wpw i'mfe, *a* r§ 'Eth^^ vr^ diflfeient Altar ^ and (liall refute 7w xa) ^'re^ aaAc^T* aVet- toiubmit himfelf to his Bijhop, Vn, r(s^v **3*f£0«f s«ram- calling him the firft and (econd A*;. time, let him be abiolutely Depos'd.

Can. 12. If any Presbyter cr E< in; '^zri tS $& 'Ema-^isrcv Deacon, being Depos'd by his .■i&fyqpiS'ds n^Gvntf&o *i Ajok*- own proper Bijhop, or a Bi/ii^ r(SK »f <& 'e^'^o^-^ «^W Xuu&a, by the ty/W, dare Appeal to the o%A^ ^fxm^i Qq Bza-ihutzs Kingy feeing his Appeal lies to ajt&u&y Hwdfii /u^ora 'E^io-ko- a greater synod of more Bifbops> 7rwv luuofrov ^hrscScq, ^ avojurfc^ where he is to expect the Exa- h'tgi* ;$%pv> is&wcLQitw&Xshnv mination of his Caufe, and to 'Ewf^ot^^ rvrap dvtftf i^k-nt- referr the Decifion to them •, But <nv tb fc-cRAx&mv drAiye&af. d j if, making light of thefe, he r&rm ■■faiy*pfoBt$ ^ox^&hp -m trouble the King with it, fuch BacnAcf, xow r^gv ^J /jhSs ovy- an one is worthy of no Pardon, jyv^H a|j£sc>a/, /u,^ jccwp** $ot- nor ought to be admitted to Acp^ct; /%«»', //^« lA^a //^AAa- make any fort of Apology, or to c^ 'thiT&*la&b<Ftu>$ ar&o-froitaLv. have hopes of his being ever Reftor'd any more.

Can. 22. That a Bifhop ought 'EWcxow ^ xa&r<2V npgo-6uTE-

In the Council o? Carthage, A. D. 548. Cxi. The Cafe is put where A tribus vhinis Epifcopis, fi a Deacon being accuse!, (hall be Dtaconmefl argmtut , // Presby- Try'd by Mr** Neighbouring ?rr, a [ex, fi Epi[copus a duodecim Bijbops, a Presbyter by fix, and Conjacerdotibm audjatur. a £/$w/> by twelve.

The lecond Oecumenical Council of Confiantinople, A. D. 381. ■ Cdtf. 6. Ranks thofe with H*- Aipmicd; j) A^V^jJu, tb$ 75 ,7«Aa/

reticks, who, tho' they profefs ^ oxA^'ac ^jc^u;^^^ j

the true Faith, yet run into «re& 5 T8(J«; xa> t«? t 5r/sw» ^ Schtfm, and gather Congregati- tZm) y^-wi *z3©'f3 '^o^juciv^, 5//.oAo^&Tk, ons apart from, and inoppoliti- &ra^47r*s £g jgo} <LvTimv4&rta.$ on to our Canonical Bishops. td?c xstfrowwii; ^a^E^cfctoji. The Council of Carthage, A. D. 41 p. Cm. 3. Mentions the three di- f*s <rf& /Sa^^- tyy) $1

mna

( 55 ) ftincl: Orders of 'Bifbop, Presbyter, 'Evrio-xdirisc,, npirGv&ftee., *& Aiz- and Deacon • and compares them K^'as, ®s w^VJ 6cnW r'E?jai&'jnift to the High-Priejl^ Priefts^ and £Tg/>Hn©e«, (£ A<&/^. Levites. .

In the fame manner they areas diftinctly mention'd,

C^«. 4. Bificp, Presbyter and 'Esn'xfcofl-®*, n/%0€t/ref@lf) ks^ Djjcon; and their Powers di- Aww>^. flinch For,

C^/?. 6. It is declar'd not to be lawful for Presbyters to 0#/J?- crate churches, or Reconcile "Penitents ^ but if any be in great Dan- ger, and defirous to be Reconcil'd in the abfence of the Bifiop,

The Presbyter ought to con- o'^gJAg* c-1^t^ o npg5"^^f(^ fult the Bifhop, and receive his igpvjjeui >r 'Ew/oxostojv Orders in it, as is declar'd in the 7. Can.

Can. io. If my Presbyter, be- &tr 77$ n^g/r^^^ tifrxlfrlaii ing pufFd up With Pride, fhall 'E-ariO-^ws $v<r\afo£<; ^ic^ua. •m&rif)

make a Schtfm againft his own 'Ar^e^ s"^, proper Bifhop, let him be Anathema*

Can. 11. Gives leave to a Vresbyter, who is Condemn'd by his J?//l&^, to Appeal to the Neighbouring Bifbops 3 but if, without this, he flies off, and makes a SchJfm from his Bifhopy it confirms the Anathema upon him.

Can. 12. Orders what is before Recked out of Can. xi. of the Council of Carthage.

That a Bifhop who is Accus'd 'Esnoxoar^ ^ ^^sxa 'Ett^t- mall be try'd by twelve Bifhops* y^wuv oxaa&jj, was) 0 np£0"^r^^ if more may not be had 5 a Pm« Cm it *E-m?vQ7rooi> -,xa} r£ $»,o A<i- /7/w by /?x Bifhops ^with his own xs»(^ i-jra t^^k. 2?//3B^ 5 and a Deacon by /£/r*.

C*/?, 14. Orders that in Tripoli^ becaufe of the fmaller num- ber of Bifbops in tnoie Parts, 2 cO npsrS/i*f(§l c&<jW 6^ »STe

Presbyter fhall be judg'd by axaaj '£^7*077^, x<q Atdxov(&,

Five Bifbops, and a Deacon by O^ro ?f ja*^ * f<% «w^ 'ETn^xaWou

77&ra, his own proper #//J&0/> zsts^^^d. Prefiding.

C*/?. 46. That a Presbyter jiparfcvTi^ -a^ yvautw $

fhall not Reconcile a Penitent, 'E^ro^u ^m wzzlWclosih ' /ju>-

without the knowledge of the tmowtiz.' oi jwrt^oft a^f^^ #wa-

Bifhepj unlefs upon neceffity, J^ 2^ rj -^wyojot J 'fiwjweoW. -■ in the abfence of the £///*>/>.

( ^ ) t

Can. 5 p. That one Bijhop AiW}_5 • & 'E^/rao^ ji»aa£; may ordain many Presbyter* ; %^orov^ ^p^<^«<j^^3u;• npe^Jn- but that it was hard to find a g(gjjL '3 ^^E<jtfr«0*& ^rj^e^ Presbyter who was fit to be made Yv'rj&0&$ e«&&**3. •a fi/jbop.

Caff. v1). That a Clergy mm^ YJ\x.^ikIv tv\t ^Emmozrav -xfioi being Condemned by the Bi- *#to^ ^c^iP, ct, fj-n iffl;zj r cuj- fltopS) cannot be delivered by that tqv ?m 7me£ <$> catiKnoicm rj V7nj^- Church to which lie did belong, 5^, HTc^m oIuMtoIi 'AvBpaVy h'i- cr by any Mm whatfoeve-r. i%hz&&cv Trc^g.

Can. 126. That Presbyters and TlfnaGvnpoi, t Aizxovoi, hv aac

Deacons may Appeal from their ijpcnv afjvxjfiy tat mg) $ ^tipa x*s own Bishop to the Neighbouring idi^ ]fan(sx.6K&; /jJ./jlC^oovtw^ 0l ps.chofhn by con lent of their yoafptMy-ns 'EvrifK&nt r^-mv djcfocL- own Bijhopy and from them to ozw^)? £ to fjutnifij riiz^ 's&cltu- tht Private ot Provincial Synod • ' <7wa:f c; jtk/ o^V^l* *£** Qtu/c^viow r bat not to any Trans -marine or $*»«' ^V$f 'ETnoW-tf-^ ,si&<j?&/u,- Forraign Jurifdic'iion \ under • @*. 'fycr iu.v'§ 3 awl ewrp ijaccc ^•ain of E>u .tion. fcin&ctyj&.riawfiy, $\QM*cihbmvf),

:,::r Qjujo^'di^ M tj£$c, tb,' W^oTivzvTztc rp few cur?/? i^a&y&v, fz^ScJ 3 7^ 57?^»? ^ ^aAaocrx;^ 0 BtfAo^x^, CfcxaA^u^, >sts [J^'ivcc, dd, 'A'- ^Oc-;^ &S v.oivooVictv.

The Council of Chalcedony being the Fourth General Council ^?. D. 451.

C '.?. 9' If any Clergy-man have Eiv 77^ s|t^ng/%d$ ®&V xAw^/x^

a Gaufe of complaint againft 'zrgg.yuxL s'^j, /•*>) ^xaTOA^zwv-

aribther Clergy-man , let him fc7z<t -r o&gwj/ 'Eot/Vjmjb-oj' , <£ c^

not leave his own proper 5/- yjejuu^. hx^^ia. /u>j xz-nt^i^-

fbop, and "have Recourse to the 7& « 3 77; srag^ tocTto woj-

Secular Courts—Whoever does kktdi, Ka?fi«{esis imUpfa^ xs&vx&r

otb/.rvrife (hail be put under the c%. Canonical Cenfiires;

Can. 13. That a Forreign H&fc icAjfg/xas £ dyv*>exj; b>

Clergy-man, and not known mall Wd* •*oM\ &i%x n&vqjcvy&./ii-

not officiate in another City, p,d?tw t3${h *E*Mwts fA&6?u*;

without Commendatory Letters f*ij}a,fif£ h&rxpy&v. from his own Btfhop,

Can.

( 57 }.„

Can. 18. If any of the Clergy P*foi$ toiW \0.y&k\ >? Mg;~ (hall be found Confpiring, or adorns ivpi9-&tp % QwvfjuvvdSfiii n Joyning in Fraternities, or Con- ^p<^7ft^ovT^,ri ^cltuo-k^cU ivz-i;< - triving anything againft the Si- n; 'c.,&i<ntQrsrot$i v wyy.\v?/K:7c, jbops, they ihall fall from their ^^i^ir^TrdvlnrSoifcok^xB/LtS. own Degree.

Can. 29. To reduce a Bf[(tfJ> 'fiWrwv?)' efc nfa^ov-doa fizQ. to the Degree of a Presbyter ? is fj.lv (f>i^t^kpom?Ja, V~iv. Sacrilege.

Thefe Authorities are fo plain and full as to prevent any Ap^ plication, or Multiplying of further Quotations, which might eafily be done : For, if thefe can be anfwer'd5 fo may all that can poilibly be produc'd, or framed in words.

And ther is no Remedy left to the Presbyterians, and other DilTenters from Episcopacy, but to deny all thefe by whole-fale, to throw off all Antiquity, as well the firft Ages of Chriftianity, even that wherein the Apoftles themfelves Liv'd and Taught, as all fince ; and to (land upon a New Foundation of their own In- vention.

But this only (hews the Defperatnefs of their Caufe, and the Impregnable Buiwork of Epifcofacy ; which CI mud fay it) (lands upon (b Many, clear, and Autbentick Evidences, as can never be overthrown, but by fuch Topicks as mud render Chriflianity it felf Precarious.

And if from the Etymology of the Words Blfhop and Presbyter, any Argument can be drawn (againft all the Authorities Pro- duct) to prove them the fame, we may, by this way of Rea- foning, prove Cyrix to be Cbrifi, for fo he is call'd, Ifa.xiv. 1.

Or if the Presbyterians will have their Moderator to be a Bi- [bop, we will not Quarrel with them about a word. Let us then have a Moderator, luch as the Bijbops before defcrib'd, viz, A Moderator, as a (landing Officer, during Life, to whom all the Presbyters are to be obedient as to chift, i.e. to the Moderator 9 as Reprefenting the Perfon of Christ: That mthing be done in the church without Him;. That He be underftood as the Principle of Unity in Hr church . fo that, they who uojuftly break off from his Communion, are thereby in a Scbifm: That he (lie w his Succejfion, by Regular- Ordination, convey'd down from the Apoflfes, In ftiort, that He have all that character and

I Atttbj-

(58 )

Authority, which we fee to have been Recogniz'd in the Bifhopf, in the very Age of the Affiles, and all the iucceeding Ages of ChriflLiMty 5 and then call Him Moderator, Superintendent, or Bi- ffopi For, theConteft is not about the Name, but the Thing..

And if we go only upon the Etymology of the Word, how (ball we prove Presbyters to be an Order in the church, more than JBi- //;?/>j i as Jtoktitajim iaid to Dracontiw of thole who perfuaded him not to accept of a Bijhoprkk.

why do they perfuade you not to Aid It <wju£&te'jov(n <szt /ah avn- he a Bijfjop, when they themselves ?^.ju^dvi^-oq <x <£ 'Emwxjis, cluT^\ will have Pres byiers 1 J&Aoms i'%odv npscrSt7?pcu£ 5

I will end this Head, with the Advice of that great Father to this fame Dracwttiftti

If the Government of the 7E< j 7$f 'ExxXmoSi*! Ai&ikjfe Churchesdo not pleafe you sand cht, dpi<™{ <roi, &1 vo/ulCC^ic, 3N ^ . th j t you think the Office of a Bi- 'Emfnco^ XovrgpynjuLoL fjuhov i'xi'.', jhop has no Reward, thereby ma- dhhd »3!Q.<pp:-vty rS ™otzl ta- king your (elf a Delpifcr of our Tzt^ct/ut'ja 2a*#p©* 7n^cimctc, onv- Saviour, who did Inftkute it 5 tqv, *sr^cxa/\ov, py ^icwto. Koyl- I befeech you furmife not any Zpv, pf^ ay/^su ^ tocIto w^a- fuch things as thefe, nor do you AdOoVr^v. * $ afcux, AogtwriGV Entertain any who advife fuch Wto. a $5 Kup(&, hd t$J- 'Aot- things ; for that is not worthy svAuv -rnh'/rodXA, tg-vQ. KxAd xct) oiDracontim: For what things fiiSobjct, /uii'i. ' the Lord did Inftitute by His A~

foft/es, thofe things remain both Athanaf. Epift. z&Dracont. good and fure.

II. Having thus Explain'd thofe Texts of Scripture which fpeak of Epifcopacy, by the Concurrent fenfe of thofe who hVd with the Apo files, and were taught the Faith from their Mouths* who liv'd zealous Confeffors, and dy'd glorious Martyrs of chrift; and who Succeeded the Apofiles in thole very Churches wrhere them- selves had fat Bifhops : And having deduced their Teftimomes, and of tho/e who Succeeded them do^n for Four Hundred and Fifty Years zfccichrijl (from which time, ther is no doubt rais'd againft the Univeffal Reception of Epifcopacy) and this not only from their writings apart, but by their Canons and Laws, when AflembPd together in Council • which one wou'd think fufficient Evidence, againft none at all on the other fide, that is, for the Sncceffion of

Churches

( 59 )

churches in the fjresbyUrian Form, of which no one Inftancecan be given, Co much as of anyone church m the world, fo Deduc'd, not only from the days of the Affiles (as is fhewn for Epifcopacy) but before Calvin, and thole who Reformed with him, about 160 Years 1 ail paft: Hay, tho' what is done is fufficient to fktisfie any Indifferent and Un-byafs'd Judgment, yet ther is one Topick yet be- hind, which, with our Difjenters, weighs more than all Fathers and Councils , and that is,the late Reformation, from whence fome Date their very chriftianity. And if even by this too Epifcopacy fhou'd be witneffed and Approved, then is ther nothing at all in the World left to the Oppofers of Epifcopacy, nothing of Antiquity^ Precedent, or any Authority but their own Wilful will againfl all Ages of the whole Catholick church, even that of the Reformation as well as all the Reft.

Let us then Examine. Firft, for the church of England, that is thrown off clearly by our Diffenters, for that was Reform d under Epifcopacy, and continues fo to this day.

And as to our Neighbour Nation of Scotland, where the Pres- byterians do boaft that the Reformation wras made by Presbyters 5 that is maft clearly and Authentically Confuted by a Late Lear- ned and worthy Author (already mentioned) in his Fundamental Charter of Presbytery, Printed 169$. fo as to flop the Mouths of the moft Perverfe, who will not be Perfuaded tho* they are Per- fuaded.

Go we then abroad, and fee the ftate of the Reformed Chur- ches there.

The Lutherans are all cut off, as the Church of England 3 for they ftill Retain Epifcopacy, as in Denmark, Sweden, &rc. \

Ther remains now only the Calvinifls. Here it is the Presbyte- rians fet up their Reft ! This is their ftrong Foundation I

And this will fail them as much as all the other: For, be it known unto them (however they will receive it) that Calvinhim- ielf, zndBeza, and the reft of the Learned Reformers of their Part, did give their Teftimony for Epifcopacy as much as any. They counted it a moft unjuft 'Reproach upon them, to think that they condemn'd Epifcopacy $ which they (ay thev did not throw off, but cou'd not have it there, in Geneva, without coming under the Papal Hierarchy : They highly Applauded and Congratulated the Epifcopal Hierarchy of the church oi England, as in their feve-

I 2 ral

(6o )

ral Letters to Q^ Elizabeth, to the Arch-biftoop of Canterbury, and o> thers of bur E ngbfh Bijb f$ : They Pray'd heartily to God for the Con- tinuance and Preservation of it : Bemoan'd their own unhappy Cir- cumftinces; that they cou'd not have the like, becaufe they had no M^idrata^ Protect them sand wifhed tor Epifcopacy in their church- es, The Want of which they own'd as a great Defect 5 but calFd it their Misfortune rather than their Fault. As the Learned of the French H Sonets have likewife pleaded on their Behalf.

As for their Excufe. I do not now meddle with it, for I think it was not a gooi-one. They might have had Bijhops from other Places, tro" tiier were none among themfelves, but thofe who wei e Wpiffi : And t hey might as well have had Bijbcps as Presby- ters, without the Countenanced the Civil- Magi/irate. It might have rat**- i a gTezttrVerfettttMtt againft them 5 but that is nothing as to the Truth of the thing. And if they thought it a Truth, they ought zo h ive fngeM fe it.

Buc w utcv :r becomes of their Ha cufe, here it is plain, that they g ve their §uu rage for Epifcopacy ; which who fo pleafes may fee at large in Di*. Durefs Vicv of the Government and JVor(hip in the Re for* med Churches beyond the Seas, (who was himfelf one of them) Printed. 1662.

So that our Modern Presbyterians have departed from Calvin as w«U as frpai Lt#he*y in their Abhorrence of Episcopacy, from all the chriftian Wo; Id, in all Ages 5 and particularly from all our late Reformers, both of one fort and other.

Cahin wou'd have Anathematized all of them, had he liv'd in out times. He lay's ther were none fuch to be found in his time, who oppos'd the Episcopal Hierarchy, but only the Papal, which Af- pirM to an Univer{d Supremacy in the See of Rome over the whole Citbdick Church, which is the Prerogative of chrift alone. But, fays he,

If they wou'd give us fuch a Talent ft nobis Hie rarchiam ex- Jiierarch)\ in which the B ,/; y s hibeant, in quafic Emineant Epif- fhou'd K>Exceli,asthu thty uid copi, m * chrift 0 [u-Leffe non Recu* not refine to be (ubject to chr:>l, fen% & ab lllo tanquim unico and to depend upon Him, as Capne pendemt, efradlpfum re- theiro»/y Head, and refer all to fcraniur, Sec. Turn vero nullo Him j then I will confefs that non Anathfmate dignos fatear ft they are woithy of all Ana- guierunf ytinon Earn Reverean- themas , if any luch Hull be t»r% [ummaque Obedient ia cbfer-

foundj

( tfl )

found , who will not Reve- vent. Calvin. De txcejfitat. Ec rence it, and fubmit chemielvcs e/af Reformand. toir, with the utmoft Obedience.

See, he lays, ft qui eruat, if t her (hall be any fuch .which fuppofes that he knew none Rich 5 and that he ovvn'd none fuch amongft his Reformers : And that if ever any iuch lh.rn'd arife, he thought ther were no Anathemas which they did not deferve, who ihou'd refufe to fubmit to the Epifcopal Hierarchy , without fuch an linker fai Heady as Excludes chriji from being the only Univerial Head ■> for if ther be another^ (tho (ubflitute) He is not only. Thus He is called the chief Bijhop^ but never the only B/fbop, becaufe ther are others deputed under Him. But He calls no Btfbop the Univerjal Bifhop^ or Head of the Catholick churchy becaufe He has appointed no Sub- flitute in that fupreme Office; as not of liniverjal King, fo nei- ther of Umverfai ftifbbp.

And Bejza foppofes as'Pofitittely as Calvin had done, that ther were none who did oppo'.e the Epifcopal Hierarchy without fuch an Umverfal Head 'flow upon Sirth • - or that oppos'd the order or Epi{- eopacy • and eondemflsuiem %&>Mad-me », if any fucbcou'dpe founa 1 or thus 'ays he,

If ther be any (which you Si qui funt autem {quod fine mihi fhallhardly pefv ade me to be- non facile perfuafens) qui omptm lieve) whp jfejefl; tue whole Epifcoporumordinem Rejiciartt, ah- Ord^r 6$Epifeopacy} God forbid fit ut quifquam [at is fan* mentis that anv Man, in his wits, furcrihus dlorum affeniiatur.Bezi. ihou'd afTent lu the Madneis of 'adTrac~tit.de MinijJr.Ev.Grad.a^ fuch • len. Hadri.tn.Sarav. Belga Editam.c.i.

And particularly as to th^ church or England, and her Uierar* chyoi Archbipjops and Bt(bop\ he fays, that he never meant to op- pugne any thing o? that} but "cal-'j h a fmguUr Blejfng of God$ and wifies that (lie may ever en- Eruatur {ane it} a lingular i Dei joy it. henefcentiii^ qtu utinam fit ill's.

Verpetua. Ibid. c. i8.

So that our Modern Presbyterians are difarm'd of the Precedent of Cal 'in, Bez.4, and all the Reformers abroad ; by whole Sentence thev are Anathematized and coiinted as /daz- ,.en.

Here then, let us conhder and beware ot-the Fatal Progrefs of Error I Calvin and the Reformers with him Jet up Presbyterian Go- vernment, as they pretended, by Ncccjfity^ but (till kept up and

Pro-

( 6% )

ProfelVd the bigheft Regard to the Episcopal character and Aulfa* rity : But thofe who pretend to follow their Example, have utter- ly Abdicated the whole Order of Episcopacy, as Anti-chriftian and an Infuf portable Grievance ! While, at the fame time, they wou'd feem to pay the greateft: Reverence to thefe Reformers • and much more to the Authority of the First and Purest Ages of Chri/lianitys whole Fathers and Councils fpoke all the Hijh things, before Quo- ted, in behalf of Epifctpacy 5 far beyond the Language of our later Apologias for that Hierarchy $ or what durft now be Repeated, ex- cept from fuch unquestionable Authority,

!n this they imitate the hardnefs of the Jews, who Built the Sepulchers or thofe Prophet s7 whom their Fathers flew } while, at the fame time, they Adher'd to, and out-did the Wickednefsof their Fathers, in Perfecuting the Succeffors of thofe Prophets.

F I ^C I S.

ERRATA.

PAg. j. col. 2. l.ir.r. mu*,$nm> p. 3£. col. i.l. 10, ir.r. All of you follow yourBi- ftiops. col. z. penult, r. iij-. p. 4o. 1. rf. A. D. 180. (hou'd be on the Margent j p. 42.

col. i.l. 5. dele after U^fffiy-ri^v. and r. if^s. p. 44. col. 2. I.14. r. Ira. p. 45:. col. 2.

I.2B. r. (cripturarum. p. 47. col. 2. penult, r. <ii Heliodorum. p. f r. col. 1. 1. 11, 1 2, 13, 14. r. As likewife luch other CUry/, and as many as ihall Join with him: but the Lay-men (hall be Excommunicated.

ADVERTISEMENT.

WRereas I have plac'd the Apofttttcal Canons in the Front of the Councils before Quoted, I thought fit uo pre- vent needlefs Cavil; to give this Adverrifement, that I do not contend, they were made by the Apefilgs themfelves- but by the Holy Fathers of the churchy about the end of the Se- cond and beginning of the Third Century^ as a Summary 'of 'that Difciplwe , which had been tranfmitted to them, by Uninter- rupted Tradition, from the AvoflUs 5 whence they have juflly obtained the Name of The ApoftoLcal Canons . and, as fuch, have been Receiv'd and Reverenc'd in the fucceeding Ages of Chriftianity.

The Councils Quoted after thefe Canons, bear their Proper Dates $ and ther can be no Conteft about them.

And what is Quoted of St. Ignatius and the other Fathers y is from the molt Incontroverted Pans of their Works, to obvia:e the Objection of Interpolations, and Additions, by the Noife of which our Adverfaries endeavour to throw off, or enervate their whole Authority ; and quite to dif-arm us of all that Light which we have from the Primitive Ages of the church ; be- caufe it makes all againft them. Though they fail not to Quote the Fathers on their fide, whenfoever they can Screw them to give the leaft feeming Countenance to their Novelties and Er- rors: Yet Boldly Reject them All, when brought in Evidence againft them, and that they can no otherwife iiruggle from un- der the weight of their Authority.

A Catalogue of Books Printed for Charles Brome at the Gun at the jveft-Etd of St, Paul'/ Church-yard.

TH E Snake in the Grafs : Or, Satan transform'd into an Angel of Light. Difcovering the Deep and UnfufpeAed Subtilty which is couched under the Pretended Simplicity of many of the Principal Leaders of thofe People call'd Quakers. The Second Edition; with Additions,

Some

Sume Seasonable Reflections upon the Quakers Solemn -Pro- tetlation .againft George Kenh's Proceedings at Turner 's-Ha.lty 29* April 1697. Which was by them Printed, and fent thither, as the Reaibns of their not Appearing to defend themfelves. Herein annex d Verbatim By an Impartial Hand.

Satan Dif-rob'd from his Difguife of Light: Or, the Qua- kers Laft Shift to Cover their Monftrous Herefies, laid fully o- pen. In a Reply to Thorns Ellrvood's Anfwer ( Publiflied the End of laft Month) to George Keith's Narrative of the Procee- dings at Turner\-Hall, "June 11. 1696. Which alfo may ferve for a Reply (as to the main Points of Doctrine) to Geo. white- heads* Anfwer to The Snake in the Grafs-, to be Publiihed the End of next Month, if <his prevent it not.

A Difcourfe proving the Divine Inftitution of Water-Bap- tifm : Wherein the Quaker- Arguments againft if, are Collected and Confuted. -With as much as is needful concerning the Lord's Supper. Thefe Four Books are Written by the Author of The Snake in the Grafs.

The Quakers jet in their True Light, in order to give the Nation a clear fight of what they hold concerning Jefus of Nazareth, the Scriptures, Water-Baptifm, the Lord's Supper,' MagiMracy, Miniftry, Laws, and Government: Hiftorically col- kclxd out of their moft approved Authors, which are their befl: Conftruing-Books, from the year of their Rife i6fd^XQlhe year of their Prcgrefe 1696, By Francis Bitggy Sen.

An Eilay concerning Preaching: Written for the' Direction of a Young Divine , and ufeful alfo for the Peep!e5. ki order to Profitable Hearing.

Crums of Comfort , and Godly Prayers ; With Thankful Remembrances of God's wonderful Deliverances of this Land.