A serious appeal to all the more sober, impartial & judicious people in New-England to whose hands this may come ... together with a vindication of our Christian faith ... / by George Keith. Keith, George, 1639?-1716. 1692 Approx. 193 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 36 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A47174 Wing K205 ESTC R33000 12841107 ocm 12841107 94364 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A47174) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 94364) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1035:26) A serious appeal to all the more sober, impartial & judicious people in New-England to whose hands this may come ... together with a vindication of our Christian faith ... / by George Keith. Keith, George, 1639?-1716. [4], 67 p. Printed and sold by William Bradford, Philadelphia in Pennsylvania : 1692. Imperfect: pages stained with loss of print. Reproduction of original in the Huntington Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Society of Friends -- Apologetic works. 2005-05 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-12 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-11 Ali Jakobson Sampled and proofread 2006-11 Ali Jakobson Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Serious Appeal To all the more Sober , Impartial & Judicious People IN NEVV ENGLAND To whose Hands this may come , Whether Cotton Mather in his late Address , &c. hath not extreamly failed in proving the People call'd Quakers guilty of manifold Heresies , Blasphemies and strong Delusions , and whether he hath not much rather proved himself extreamly Ignorant and greatly possessed with a Spirit of Perversion , Error , Prejudice and envious Zeal against them in general , and G.K. in particular , in his most uncharitable and rash Judgment against him . Together with a Vindication of our CHRISTIAN FAITH In those Things Sincerely Believed by us , especially respecting the Fundamental Doctrines and Principles of CHRISTIAN RELIGION . By GEORGE KEITH . Printed and Sold by William Bradford at Philadelphia in Pennsylvania , in the Year 1692. A few Words of Preface . WHereas Cotton Mather in his Preface , begineth 〈◊〉 a gross Falshood , to wit , that it hath been fully pr●●●● that Quakerism is Paganism ; for it never yet 〈◊〉 been proved by him , nor any other , nor ever will be , to wit , 〈◊〉 the Religion professed by the sincere and faithful P●ople , called 〈◊〉 scorn Quakers , is either Paganism , or any other thing than re●● Christianity ; although there may be some that may be calle● Quakers , but are not owned by us to be our faithful Brethren , even as they are not all true Christians , who are so called , nor were they all Israel who were called Israel ; The Reader may expect what full store of Lyes he may be entertained with by Cotton Mather , when the first two Lines of his Preface are such a notorious Lye. And as for the Etymology of the Name Christian , which , as he alledgeth , one that appears lately in Print , as an Advocate of the Quakers , giveth as if Christianoi were Christionoi , that is , Christ's Asses ; he should have given us the Name of that Advocate , that we might have found how truly he hath cited him . It hath been thought that some of the Heathens , by way of Reproach , did devise such an Etymology of the Name Christianos , as if it were Christionos , i. e. Christs Ass ; but I judge not that to be the true Etymology of that Name , but that Christianos is as much as to say , A Follower of Christ , or one partaking of that heavenly Anointing , which in all Fullness was poured by the Father on Christ , and is derived in various Measures from Christ , according to the good pleasure of God , unto all that believe sincerely in him . But supposing that Etymology , that a Christian Quaker is one of Christs Asses , I propose it to the serious Consideration of the People of New-England , whether it be not much more honourable and profitable to be one of Christs Asses , so as to witness a fullfilling 〈◊〉 figure of Christs riding upon the Ass outwardly , as was ●●●phecied of him , than to be the Priests Asses in New-England 〈◊〉 else-where , to be rid upon by them , as is too manifest they 〈◊〉 been . And for his supposed Load he hath imagined he hath 〈◊〉 on us , it toucheth us little , and returneth on himself , and 〈◊〉 be his own Burden . And concerning Christian Lodowick his Challenge to the Quakers in Rhode-Island , it is sufficiently answered , and he declared to be a gross Calumniator . CHAP. I. WHereas Cotton Mather in his late Address seemeth 〈◊〉 lay great weight on the Opinion of Richard Baxte● ( whom he calleth Reverend Baxter ) concerning th● Quakers , I thought fit to Transcribe some few Passages of Richard Baxter in a printed Book of his , called , Directions for weak distempered Christians , that may be of some service to that injured People , called in scorn Quakers . In pag. 142. of that Book , he saith , From my own Observation , which with a grieved Soul , I have made in this Generation , I hereby give warning to this and all succeeding Ages , that if they have any regard to Truth , or Charity , they take heed how they believe any factious partial Historian , or Divine , in any evil that he saith of the Party that he is against ; for ( though there be good and credible Persons of most Parties , yet ) you shall find that Passion and Partiality prevaileth against Conscience , Truth and Charity in most that are sick of this Disease , and that the Envious Zeal which is described , James 3. doth make them think they do God Service , first in believing false Reports , and then in venting them against those that their Zeal or Faction doth call the Enemies of Truth . And a little after he saith , pag. 143. Most Christian is that Advice of Dr. Henry Moore , That all Parties of Christians would mark all the good which is in other Parties , and be more forward to speak of that , than of the Evil : And this ( saith Baxter ) would promote the Work of Charity in the Church , and the interest of Christianity in the World ; whereas the overlooking of all that 's Good , and aggravating all the Evil ( and falsly feigning more than is True ) is the Work of greatest Service to the Devil , &c. Now if both Richard Baxter and Cotton Mather had well practised this Advice , they would not have been so Uncharitable to the People called Quakers . But seeing C.M. layeth so great weight on his Reverend Baxter , as he calleth him ( though I find not any where that he calleth Paul , Peter or John , or any of the Prophets or Apostles by such a high designation ) even by Baxter's own Judgment , neither G.K. nor his Brethren , who are of his Faith , are guilty of any Fundamental Errors , that are repugnant to the Essence of the Christian Faith : And it is a thing generally acknowledged by all Protestants , That where any Man 〈…〉 ●ociety of Men , err not in a Fundamental Article of the Christian ●●●th , we ought to have Charity towards them , as our Christian ●●ethren , if in some other things they are under some Mistakes , and ●●at their Conversation and Practice be free of Scandal . And that I ●ay the more effectually make it apparent , how that by the Judgment 〈◊〉 Richard Baxter neither G.K. nor his Brethren who are of his Faith , ●●e guilty of any Fundamental Errors touching the Christian Faith , 〈◊〉 think fit to transcribe ( faithfully ) a Passage in his fore-cited Book , pag. 84 , 85 , 86. where he undertaketh to describe the intire Essence of the Christian Faith , as to the matter of it . The Foundation Principle ( saith he ) or Fundamental Matter is God the Father , Son and holy Ghost , the secondary Foundation or Fundamental Doctrine , is those Scripture Propositions that express our Faith in God the Father , the Son and the holy Ghost : When we name three Persons as the Object of the Christian Faith , we express Names of Relation , which contain both the Persons , Nature and Offices , and undertaken Works , without either of which God were not God , and Christ were not Christ , and the holy Ghost were not , in the sence of our Articles of Faith , the holy Ghost ; as we must therefore believe , That there is one only God , so we must believe , That God the Father is the first in the holy Trinity of Persons ; that the whole Godhead is perfect , and infinite in Being , and Power , and Wisdom , and Goodness , ( in which all his Attributes are comprehended , but yet a distinct Vnderstanding of them all , is not of absolute necessity to Salvation ; ) That this God is the Creator , Preserver , and Disposer of all things , and the Owner and Ruler of Mankind , most Just and Merciful , that as he is the beginning of all , so he is the ultimate end , and the chief good of Man , which before all things else must be loved and Sought . Concerning the Son , we must moreover believe , That he is the same God with the Father , the second Person in Trinity , Incarnate , and so became Man , by a Personal Vnion of the Godhead and Manhood [ He omitteth his being conceived of the holy Ghost , and born of the Virgin , Mary , which was needful to have been exprest , it being a great Article of our Christian Faith ] That he was without Original or Actual Sin , having a sinless Nature , and a sinless Life ; That he fullfilled all Righteousness , and was put to Death , as a Sacrifice for our sins , and gave himself a Ransom for us ; and being buried , he rose again from the dead , and afterward ascended into Heaven , where he is Lord of all , and interceedeth for Believers ; That he will come again , and raise the dead , and judge the World , the Righteous to Everlast●●● Life , and the Wicked to Everlasting Punishment : That this is the on● Redeemer , the Way , the Truth and the Life , neither is there access to th● Father but by him , nor Salvation in any other . Concerning the Holy Ghost we must believe , That he is the same one God , the third Person in Trinity , sent by the Father and the Son to inspire the Prophets and Apostles ; and tha● the Doct●ine inspired and miraculously attested by him , is true ; that he i● the Sanctifier of these that shall be saved , renewing them after the Image of God in Holiness and Righteo●sness , giving them true Repentance , Faith , Hope , Love , and sincere Obedience , causing them to overcome the Flesh , the World , and the Devil , thus gathering a holy Church on Earth to Christ , who have , by his Blood , the Pardon of all their sins , and shall have Everlasting Bl●ss●dness with God : This ( saith Richard Baxter ) is the Essence of the Christian Faith , as to the Matter of it . And now , as concerning that judged by Richard Baxter the Essence of the Christian Faith , as to the Matter of it , I declare sincerely , without all Equivocation or mental Reservation , in the true and genuine sence of the Words , that I have transcribed out of his said Treatise , that I know not wherein I or my Brethren , of my Faith and Perswasion differ from him in any one particular , as to the matter of it , or substance therein contained ; the only exception we have , is against that unscriptural Term or Phrase of Three Persons , or a Trinity of Persons , but we own sincerely , That our Faith ought to be , and is in God the Father , the Son and the holy Ghost , and that these Names are Names of Relation , respecting the Relations , as well as the Relative Offices , and Works of those Three ; and this being granted by us , in the sincerity of our Hearts , we are excused or cleared by John Calvin , for whose Memory I suppose C. Mather hath as full and great esteem as for R. Baxter ; for in his first Book of Institutions , cap. 13. n. 5. he saith expresly , Vtinam quidem sepulta essent ( se invent● Nomina ( as he expresly calleth them ) Trium Personarum ) constaret modo , hec inter omnes Fides , Patrem , et Filium , et Spiritum esse unum Deum , nec tamen aut Filium esse Patrem , aut Spiritum Filium , sed proprietate quadam esse distinctos , neque enim tam precisa sum austeritate ut obnudas voculas digladiari sustineam ; In English thus , I wish ( saith he ) the invented Names ( viz. of Three Persons ) were buried , providing this Faith were manifest among all , that the Father , the Son , and the Spirit is one God ; and yet that the Son is not the Father , nor that the Spirit is the Son , but that they are distinct by a certain Property ( to wit , in their ●●lative Attributes , as that the Father did beget the Son , and the ●on was begotten of the Father , and that the holy Spirit did proceed ●●om both ) for I am not of such precise Austerity ( said Calvin ) that ●or bare small Words I would contend ; and withall he confesseth , That the Orthodox antiently did not agree about these Terms or invented Words , ●●at he acknowledgeth , were invented since the Apostles dayes , to guard ●gainst the Arrian , Sabellian , and other Heresies . And therefore since we are altogether free of these Heresies , and that we detest them from our very Souls , no sober Christian will judge uncharitably of us in that respect . And as for the word Distinct , if some of our Friends , taking it to signifie distant or seperated asunder one from another , as in remote and distant places , have refused it , in this and other matters , as indeed sometimes , at least vulgarly it doth so signifie , as when we say , America is distinguished from Europe , by a great & spacious Sea interveening , they ought not to be accused for so doing , seeing in that other sence of the word Distinct , that is more in use among Schollars , as when we say , Things are distinct when the one is not the other , they own a Distinction , as that the Father is not the Son , the Son is not the Father , ( though he is our Father , and is expresly call'd in Scripture the Everlasting Father ) and Christ's Manhood and Body is not the Godhead , and yet one Christ ; as the Body of a Man is not his Soul , and yet Body and Soul is one Man ; and in this second sence we do allow the word distinct . And as to the Manner of receiving the Christian Faith , we grant with him , first , That it must not only be received , as true , into our Understanding , by a special divine Illumination , that is supernatural , but must be imbraced by the Will , Heart and Affections , as good , yea exceeding good , and worthy of all acceptation , by a special divine Motion , and working of the holy Spirit , that is supernatural , in & upon the Will , Heart and Affections : 2 dly , That as touching all the peculiar Mysteries and Doctrines of Faith , the Scriptures have been Instrumental , by and together with the immediate working of the Spirit , to beget in us the true Faith of them : But in this we differ , I suppose , from him , as well as from C. Mather and his Brethren of New-England , that whereas they hold , That the Spirit of God worketh in Believers Effectively , but not Objectively , or by way of sensible Object , or sensibly and perceptibly by its own Self-Evidence and Demonstration to mens Hearts and Souls ; We affirm , That the Spirit of God worketh in Believers , both Effectively 〈◊〉 also Objectively , or by way of sensible Object , or sensibly and ●●●ceptibly , by its own Evidence and Demonstration to mens Hea●●● and Souls : And this , divers call'd Protestants have acknowledged 〈◊〉 us , though denyed by C.M. and his Brethren of New-England ; 〈◊〉 yet I suppose R. Baxter will not call this a Fundamental Error in 〈◊〉 People called Quakers , seeing it contradicts none of the Fundame●●●● Articles delivered by him in his said Treatise . And if any say , or object , That if the Spirit worketh by way of 〈◊〉 sensible Object , upon the inward and spiritual Senses of Believers , 〈◊〉 would make void all use of the Scriptures , as being so much as the Instrument , or Instrumental to our Faith. But I Answer , denying this Consequence , and by distinguishing the Object of our Faith , to wit , that the Scriptures are the Instrumental and secondary Object of our Faith , and the holy Spirit the principal and primary Object of our Faith ( as it is sensibly felt to work upon our inward and spiritual Senses ) together with the Father and the Son : Even as in outward and natural Objects that work upon our outward and natural Senses , some are principal , and others are instrumental ; as in our natural sight of visible Things on Earth , as Horses , Woods , Trees , Beasts , the Sun's Light is the principal Object of our sight , but the things are at least the secondary and instrumental Object thereof ; or , as when we read on a Book , the Light that we read with is the principal Object , and the Letters of the book are the secondary and instrumental ; and though we cannot see the Letters of the Book without some light , yet we may see light , yea , the Sun himself , if we have good Eyes , without the Book ; and so God , and Christ , and the Spirit may be inwardly seen , felt and known , and is frequently seen , felt , known and enjoyed by the inward and spiritual Senses of Believers , without all present use of Letters or Books , when the Knowledge is Intuitive and Sensible . But as for the Doctrinal Knowledge , as we acknowledge it is requisite , in order to bring us to so high an enjoyment of God and Christ , as Vision , or Intuitive Knowledge , or Intuition , so we grant , it is commonly wrought in us and increased by means of the holy Scriptures , instrumentally working with the holy Spirit , and that therefore the hol● Scriptures are of great profit and service to all Ranks and Conditions of People , yea , to such of the highest spiritual Attainments , while remaining in the mortal Body . I 〈…〉 therefore with , and in behalf of my Friends and Brethren of 〈…〉 Faith and Perswasion with me , in all parts of the World , 〈◊〉 this Solemn Appeal to you , the more Sober , impartial and Judi●●●●● People in Boston , and else-where in New-England , to whose 〈◊〉 this may come , Whether Cotton Mather is not extreamly Un●●●●●itable , and possessed with a Spirit of Prejudice and envious Zeal , 〈…〉 R. Baxters phrase ) against the Quakers in general , and me in ●●●●●cular , as guilty of manifold Heresies , Blasphemies , and strong 〈◊〉 , to the rendering us No Christians , in the lowest degree or 〈◊〉 ( while , I suppose , he hath som Charity to some in the Church of 〈◊〉 , called Papists , and to Lutherans , A●minians , and divers others , 〈◊〉 differ widely from him ) yet agreeing in the afore-said Fundamentals , when we hold the same Fundamentals of Christian Doctrine , 〈◊〉 Faith , both with Rich. Baxter , and many others , as so declared by ●hem . And notwithstanding of Cotton Mathers strong Asseverations ●gainst us , as if we denyed almost all , or most of the Fundamental Articles 〈◊〉 the Christian and Protestant Faith , yet he shall never be able to prove it , That we are guilty of this his so extreamly rash and uncharitable Charge , either as in respect of the Body of that People , called in scorn Quakers , or in respect of any particular Writers or Publishers of our Doctrines and Principles , and Preachers among us , generally owned and approved by us , as men of a sound Judgment and Understanding . And as for his Citations out of the Quakers printed Books & Treatises , I would have you to consider , that most of them all are borrowed , and taken not from our own Books , but from our professed Adversaries , men known well enough to be possessed with Prejudice against us , such as Thomas Hicks and John Faldo , and others , who● our Friends in Old-England , and particularly George Whitehead and William Penn have largely answered ; yea , I do here solemnly charge Cotton Mather to give us but one single instance of any one Fundamen●al Article of Christian Faith denyed by us , as a People , or by any one of our Writers or Preachers , generally owned and approved by us . And if perhaps there be any Citations that C.M. cites out of our Books , that he hath read , that seem to confirm his Charge in one or two particulars against us ; I do sincerely answer , that I am at a loss to find them in these Books , partly because divers of these Books cited by him , I am altogether a stranger to them , and know not where to find them in all America , and partly because he not citing the Chapters , Sections , Parts or Pages of them , that may be 〈…〉 here in America , I cannot , but with great pains and expence of 〈…〉 find them out ; and I judge I can much better spend my precious 〈…〉 than in searching of them ; and it sufficeth to me , and I hope dot● 〈◊〉 many others , that according to the best Knowledge I have of 〈◊〉 People called Quakers , and these most generally owned by them 〈◊〉 Preachers and Publishers of their Faith , of unquestioned est●●● among them , and worthy of double Honour , as many such there : 〈◊〉 I know none that are guilty of any one of such Heresies and Blasp●●mies , as he accuseth them . Yet we deny not , but as it hath happe●ed , and doth daily happen to Writers and Preachers belonging to 〈◊〉 other Societies , so it may have happened to some among us , to hav● at times in writing or speaking , delivered things not so warily and cautiously worded , in every respect , as need were : But in this case ▪ all but prejudiced Persons , will say , If it can be found , by comparing their words one with another , that their sence or meaning is found , though not so altogether safely or cautiously worded in every respect , Charity is to be allowed , and the best Construction ought to be given to their words , or they themselves , or their Friends for them , in respect of their absence or decease , who did best know them , ought to be allowed to give their sence of them , as I have done , in the sincerity of my heart , according to my best understanding and knowledge of them ; and I think I should know , and do know these called Quakers , and their Principles , far better than Cotton Mather , or any or all his Brethren , having been conversant with them in publick Meetings , as well as in private Discourses , with the most noted and esteemed among them for about Twenty Eight Years past , and that in may places of the World in Europe , and for these divers Years in America : And I further say , That if any things , through inadvertency , have been said or writ by any of us , and that it can be found so to be , and that a charitable Construction cannot be safely and sincerely put upon them , but that they do contradict the holy Scriptures , and the wholsom Doctrine therein delivered by the holy Prophets and Apostles , we do sincerely deny and disown them , and declare our being ready , with all possible sincerity , to disown them , upon due notice and advertisment ; for though we affirm , That the Spirit of God in us , and all Belie●ers , in every discovery it gives , is infallible , yet we have never judged our selves absolutely infallible , nor did we ever place or fix an absolute Infallibility upon any Man , or Number , of ●●●iety of Men since the Apostles dayes ; but through Gods mercy 〈◊〉 are sensible of our danger of being liable to Mistakes , as well as ●●her men , if we be not duely humble , watchful and careful to keep ●lose and chaste to the pure openings , teachings and leadings of the infallible Spirit of Truth . And we readily grant the great benefit we have by the holy Scriptures , as being instrumental , by and with ●he immediate working of the Spirit , to preserve us from Error , or if any be overtaken in an Error , and beguiled by the Enemy , to Recover and Restore them there-from ; therefore it is , that in all respects we prefer the Scriptures , both to our own , and all other Writings ; and if any Doctrine or Practice be found contrary thereunto , upon due and impartial Examination , we say , it ought to be disowned and denyed ; for the Scriptures of Truth , and the Spirit of Truth that gave them forth , can never contradict the one to the other . CHAP. II. IT cannot , with any colour of Justice , be expected by Cot. Mather , that I should give a particular Reply to all things in his Book , called , An Address , said or alledged against the People called Quakers in general , or me in particular , until such time that he give a distinct particular Answer to my former Book , called , The pretended Antidote proved Poyson , &c. particularly directed to him and his Brethren , and to the several Chapters and Sections thereof , which he hath not so much as essayed ; wherein , notwithstanding almost the whole matter he doth muster up against us in his late Address , is sufficiently and solidly answered ; and therefore until he give a full and distinct particular Answer to the said Book , I judge not my self obliged so much as to notice many things contained in his said Address , being filled with manifest falshoods , perversions and abuses , sufficiently already Replyed unto , partly by others , and partly by me , but containing no new matter against us , excepting his Personal Reflections against me , which yet I think not to spend much Time or Paper to answer , most of them being so manifestly false and foolish , that of themselves they fall and evanish ; only I intend to give a short glance or hint at some of the most considerable Abuses and Perversions he musteret● 〈◊〉 against us . Pag. 3. He saith , If I have one spark of Light in me , Quakerism 〈◊〉 but a profound and deadly pit of Darkness . Answ . This Assertion do●● not come from any true Light in him , but from his Darkness . Pag. 4. Quakerism , under pretence of advancing the spiritual Obje●● of Religion , goes to annihilate all the Sensible . Ans . False . Again , pag. 4. There is hardly any one Fundamental Article of th● reformed Religion , whereby we look to be saved , that is not undermined by Quakerism . Ans . But of this he has not given one true instance ▪ And as to what he alledgeth , that some of us have said , The Letter is not the Word of God , to wit , properly and without a figure , he himself hath said as much , see pag. 59. And that some of us have call'd their Books , Light risen out of Darkness , Shields of Truth , &c. they understood it not , but metaphorically or figuratively , by some Metonymy , as is common in all Titles of Books , but we have alwayes preferred the Scriptures to our Writings . And that the Scriptures may be call'd the Word of God , in a figurative Speech , and also that the True Sense signified in them , is the Word of God , I have acknowledged , and so I do still ; but that the inward Testimony of God in our Hearts , is more properly and immediately the Word of God , than the outward Testimony of the Scripture , I still affirm , with Augustine and other antient Writers . As for his citing William Penn's words agruing against that same Numerical Body its rising at the Resurrection ; it is clear that he understandeth the same exact Number of the small Particles or Dusts , neither more nor less than what is commonly buried ; and what hurt is there in that ? doth not C.M. and his Brethren generally say , as well as W. Penn , That at the Resurrection all shall rise Men , and not Infants , nor lame , nor defective in any part ; and yet how many Thousands dye Infants , and defective in some Bodily Members ? That some have denyed the Saints , as such , to be miserable Sinners , it ought to be considered , that according to the common stile of Scripture , Saints and Sinners are distinguished , and the unconverted are called Sinners ; for the denomination of a thing is taken chiefly from that which is the greatest part ; but ●ecause in all Saints , even the weake●● , Grace and Holiness is the chief and g●eatest part , therefore from that they receive their Denomination , and are said to ●e righteous and clean , and not to do Iniquity . That one said , The Scrip●●●●●s not the means by which Faith is wrought , it can receive a candid ●●●●●pretation , as to say , the only means , excluding the inward Grace 〈◊〉 Operation of the Spirit ; as some say , Medicine is not the means of 〈◊〉 Cure , though a Means , it is understood not the only means . ●nd whereas he querieth , If their Primmer hath yet been corrected , 〈◊〉 they read , False Teachers preach Christ without , and bid People 〈◊〉 in him as he is in Heaven ? If he mean William Smith's Primmer , 〈◊〉 I believe he doth , I Answer , Yea , it hath been Corrected , in the 〈◊〉 Edition of his other Treatises joyned with it , as is plainly to be 〈◊〉 , thus , That false Teachers preach Christ only without , but true ●●eachers preach Christ both without us , and also within us . And what William Penn argueth as concerning Three Persons , he ●nly argueth against the invented Names [ Persons ] ( as Calvin doth ●cknowledge them , as above-said ) which in all proper Language doth signifie Substances , and not meer Properties or relative Attributes , which W.P. will not deny to be in God. Nor are W. P's words so to be understood concerning Justification , as if he excluded Christ's Righteousness , which he fulfilled in his own Person ; but only he denyeth that any can be justified by that alone , without Faith and Repentance , &c. As for Bodily Tremblings , that they are not so common among these called Quakers , as formerly ; as good or better Reason can be given , as that these or the like unusual Motions that seized on the Bodies of some Presbyterians in Scotland about fifty Years ago , are not now so common among them , which the Author of The fulfilling of the Scriptures , doth plainly acknowledge , was about that time among them ; and indeed many of these Tremblings and extraordinary Motions that seized on the Bodies of some Presbyterians , & many call'd Quakers , in these dayes , did proceed in great part , from the small experience of , and little acquaintance that these Persons had at first with that sensible manner of the working of Gods Spirit , and that there were but few at first that could well advise them to bear with more composure and quiet of Body that manner of workings , whereas by more frequent Experience , many did , and do at this day , witness , and feel sensibly , not only as great , but oft greater inward Workings of the Spirit of God , on all accounts , and yet can bear them , and most willingly and gladly submit to them , with little or no Observation , of any Bodily Trembling ; for as in going to War , and heari●● 〈◊〉 dreadful Sound of Guns , Trumpets and Drums , the young Soul●●●●● are oft afraid , even to a degree of Bodily Trembling , yet a●●●●wards , having more Experience , they feel not either that Bod●●● Trembling , nor such fear that is the cause of it ; and as Water a●● Fire at its first breaking forth , is more violent , and yet afterwar● is fully as effectual , without such Violence ; so at the first hearin● of Thunder , and seeing the terrible Flashes of Lightning , Perso●● are much more afraid , than after , when they are more acquainte● with it , by frequency thereof ; so it might be , and was so , that the Power and Spirit of God did work in former dayes with a more seeming Force upon many , and yet since doth work as effectually , now , and sometimes more without it , so as not to come under such frequent Observation ; and yet even Bodily Tremblings are still witnessed , proceeding from the inward working of Gods Spirit , among us ; as the Apostle saith , Knowing the Terrors of the Lord , we perswade men . Pag. 12. For the words of Humphry Norton , alledged by C.M. I have made inquiry at divers , but can find no intelligence of any such words , in any Book of his ; but if any such have dropt from him , or any other , tending to deny the Faith of Christ's being in Heaven in his glorified Body of Man without us , we shall be far from excusing them ; for we zealously believe , That the Man Christ is in Heaven without us , in his glorified Body of Man , the same for Being he had on Earth , but wonderfully changed in Manner and Condition , as is clearly and fully expressed in that late Treatise given forth by our Friends in Rhode-Island , called , The Christian Faith , &c. Vindicated , &c. But yet we cannot approve of the too carnal Conceptions of many carnal and ignorant Professors , that have too carnal Imagination of Christ , and confine him altogether to such a Remoteness , that they wi●● not allow any Measure of him to dwell in Believers , plain contrary to the Scripture . Pag. 12. And whereas he saith , If they own those Principles , why won't they give us leave to own them ? I Answer ; We blame you not for owning them , providing ye did own them as ye ought to do , in the true and right Faith of them , that proceedeth from the Spirits inward Inspiration and Revelation , sensibly working , by way of sensible Object upon the inward and spiritual Senses of mens Souls ; but this ye deny ; and therefore it is not the matter , but manner of your own●●● them , that we commonly blame , even as some said , that the Lord ●●●ed , yet they swore falsly , because they did it hypocritically , not ●nowing him to live in them ; but yet sometimes in these very things , ye err also in the matter . Pag. 15. That the Quakers adore G.K. either for his outward Learning , and make him their Head , or for any other thing , is false ; nor doth he seek any such false Honour ; it sufficeth him to be loved by his Friends , and neither he nor his Friends make any other account of outward Learning , but to be the foot-stool of Christ , and subservient to his Truth , and as the Spoils of the Aegyptians were made serviceable to the Israelites . And that he saith , This Keith it is , who has given the greatest advantages to Quakerism , and that with no little Alterations ; How this is consistent with his representing me , as if I were Mad , pag. 44. and extreamly Ignorant , doth not appear . And as for Alterations , great or small , that I have made in the Quakers Principles , as rightly understood , delivered by our most Antient Friends , of best account in general , he hath not proved . He calleth my late Catechism , A wily Catechism , wherein Quakerism is so disguised , as that one would almost suspect him a real Protestant ; and yet he will needs have it , that the Juice of Toads is as wholsom a Potion : But it is strange that such a Wily Catechism , and so politically contrived should proceed from a Mad-man , and extreamly Ignorant , as he would have me to be . But however , I say , that Catechism is writ and given forth in true sincerity , without any disguise , and doth as really bespeak me a true Protestant , ( as all true Quakers are ) as it doth seem to represent me to be , and will be found to have nothing that 's hurtful in it , but profitable and wholsom , I hope , upon impartial Examination . That the inward excusing or condemning Principle , as he chargeth on us , p. 15. which all men are born with , is the Man Christ Jesus , is not asserted by any called Quakers , that I know , unless by a figure called Synecdoche , of giving the Name of the whole to the measure , and by a Metonyme , as where in Scripture the second Adam is called the quickening Spirit , and the Light of the World ; but the Quakers , so called , generally acknowledge , that the Spirit , Light and Life dwelleth in all fullness only in the glorified Body of the Man Christ Jesus without them , and the measures of it not seperated from the Fullness , more or less , as he is pleased to give in Believers . Nor do the Quakers sa●● that men bring with them into the World these inward Illumination and Convictions , and other Operations of the Light or Spirit , whether common or special , that men feel by experience in them , when at Age , although none can come into the World but as the Almighty Power and Arm of God , who formed them in the Mothers Womb , doth bring them , and as that eternal Word , without which nothing is made , doth appoint them in their several Ages and Generations . And for Christian Lodowicks Challenge against our Friends in Rhode-Island , it is already answered , and they are cleared from his Calumnies , and our Christian Religion sufficiently distinguished from either Paganism , Judaism or Mahumatism . And the Exceptions he makes against my Catechism are soon answered , if his Perversions were but detected . 1 st , That some who are left without either the help of the holy Scriptures , or holy Men , do yet so rightly improve the inward help of Christs Light , as to be accepted with God ; This he saith is altogether contrary to Rom. 1.21 , 22. but in this , as mostly every where , he perverteth my words and sense ; for he hath left out my following words , [ according to the present state ] And what I mean by them I show a little after , That such who have a measure of sincerity in their Gentile state , but having no Faith in Christ crucified , are but Servants , and not Sons of the free Woman , but are under the Law , and though accepted so far as sincere in the Servants state , as I proved from Acts 10.1 , 2 , 34 , 35. yet not thereby justified as Sons ; for I have acknowledged , that without the Faith of Christ crucified and raised again without us , none are or can be so justified ( yet they are as the Kings Prisoners , and as the Man-slayer was in the City of Refuge under the Law , till he heard of the Death of the High-Priest ) and such are shut up under the Safeguard of the Law , ( as Beza translates it ) unto the Faith that is afterwards to be revealed , Gal. 3.23 . So there is a place of Refuge , although C.M. know it not . Nor doth Rom. 1.21 , 22. contradict it , for that place speaketh not of all Gentiles , but these of the worst of them . 2 dly , That some may be saved without outward hearing or preaching , is granted by the Westminster Confession , in the case of Infants , and Deaf and Dumb Persons ; and therefore how devout and Conscientious Gentiles can be saved , hath not the least shadow of greater difficulty to understand : And that none are eternally saved wi●hout the Faith of Christ , I have granted in my Catechism , and other Treatises , and do still grant , see Sect. 4. Quest. 10. but how this Faith it wrought in such , is best to leave it until God be pleased further to open it , seeing , as the Westminster Confession saith , God worketh by his Spirit when , where and how he pleaseth ; and as Christ said , The Spirit bloweth where it listeth , the greek word can well be translated Spirit , and is so by some Translators . 3 dly , That the Principle of the New-Covenant is in all Men , is not contradicted by Ephes . 2.12 . but is confirmed by Rom. 10.8 , 9 , 10. compared with Deut. 30.14 . and Christs Parable of the Seed sown in four grounds . And why may not the Seed of the New Covenant lie in the hearts of unregenerate Men for a Season , as the Seed of Wheat may lie not having root in the cold dry ground for a Season , till it be moistened & warmed with the Showers & Sun's warmth in the Spring . 4 thly , That having more Wives than one was unlawful under the Law , is not contrary to Mat. 19.45 , 48. for altho' Man had but one wife given him at the beginning , yet the Law that permitted such a thing to men , as the like in the case of Divorce came in afterwards . And it is absurd to think that Abraham sinned against the Law in his Conscience , writ in his very Nature ( and therefore commonly call'd the Law of Nature , in having two Wives at once ; for all sins against the Law of Nature are hainous sins , and of great aggravation , as the Westminster Confession acknowledgeth . But seeing no such sin is charged on Abraham , and that he was in great favour with God at that very time , it cannot be said to be against that Law writ in his Nature , though it be against the Law of the New-Covenant now under the Gospel . 5 thly , That we are to wait in Silence for some aid and assistance of the Spirit , to help us to pray , doth not contradict Acts 8.22 . for as Peter commanded Simon Magus to pray , so he bid him Repent and Pray ; and that he had not the Spirit , was his own fault , as it is the fault of all others ( who have it not to assist them , both to wait and pray also ) Nor doth mens want of the Spirit , because they depart from it , and resist the gentle Motions thereof , excuse their neglect of Prayer , no more than a mans want of Money excuseth him to pay a just Debt , yet he must not go to pay his debt with fals● Coyn , no more should a man pray with a Hypocritical Spirit . Nor , 6 thly , doth Rom. 3.28 . prove that Repentance , as well as Faith , is not a necessary Condition and Instrument of our Justification ; for true Gospel Repentance is not the Work of the Law , but of Faith ; and his Reverend R. Baxter doth hold with the Quakers against him , That Faith and sincere Obedience are necessary Conditions and Instruments of Justification , and to teach so , he doth not think Popish , as doth sufficiently appear by what he hath printed on that subject ; see his Aphorisms of Justification , pag. 80. where he saith , Some Ignorant Wretches gnash their Teeth at this very Doctrine , as if it were flat Popery , viz. That Men are justified by Faith , as it is an inward Obedience . Nor 7 thly , doth Rom. 9.11 . prove that Esau was a Reprobate before he was born , or at any time afterwards ; yea , Cotton Mather , with his Boston Brethren , in their former Book , dare not affirm , That Esau was a Reprobate , and that men are not born Reprobates , ( though some are preferred to others before they are born ) but become Reprobates after they have nothing good left in them , is clear from Scripture , that calleth reprobate men Dross , after the precious Mettle is extracted from it , and Chaff that hath no grain of Wheat in it . Nor 8 thly , doth Acts 8.38 . prove that Christs Baptism is with Water ; for as the Practice of Circumcision , after Christs Resurrection , doth not prove it a Gospel-Precept , no more doth the practise of Water Baptism , but both Christ and John did teach , That Christs Baptism was with Fire and the holy Ghost ; but no where is it said , that Christ baptizeth with Water . Nor 9 thly , doth 1 Cor. 11.26 . prove , That Believers may not feed upon Christ by Faith , and so sup with him , and he with them , as well when they eat not , as when they do eat together outwardly , remembring the Lords Death , with Solemn Prayer and Thanks-giving , which we grant is good frequently to be done . And thus I have fully answer'd all his frivolous and weak Objections against my Catechism ; so that he hath not discovered the least grain of Error in it ; nor doth any thing that I have said in my other printed Treatises contradict the Doctrine of my Catechism , as he doth falsly alledge , perverting my words , in most things , to a sence contrary to my mind , or to what they can bear , so far is he from that Candor of giving them a favourable Construction . But I intend not to follow him in his manifold Impertinences , to weary either my Reader or my self , and shall come to give a brief and plain Answer to his Five Arguments , whereby he would perswade the People in New-England to turn away from hearing me ; the which Arguments savour more of bitter Prejudice and extream Folly and Rashness , than of ●●y Wit or Judgment , and hath nothing of Truth in them , and might be easily retorted upon himself , where they have the best seeming show , according to that Latine Verse , Fabula narratur mutato Nomine de te ; i.e. Change the Name , and the Tale is told truly of thy thy self . CHAP. III. IN his first Argument he accuseth me to be guilty of a Lye , in matter of Fact , and that I pretend to an assurance for it from the Spirit of God ; and the Lye he alledgeth in matter of Fact , is , That I charge their Confession of Faith for holding , that the Scriptures ought to be believed for their own outward Evidence and Testimony , and not for the inward Evidence and Testimony of the holy Spirit in mens Hearts . And to prove this to be a Lye , he citeth some words of that Confession , which saith , Our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible Truth , and divine Authority of the holy Scriptures , is from the Inward Work of the Holy Spirit , bearing witness by and with the Word in our Hearts . And for a further Confirmation he alledgeth John Owen , saying , That the Scripture be received as the Word of God , there is a twofold Efficacy of the Spirit , &c. withal affirming , That I cover Lye with Lye. To which I Answer ; Cotton Mather , and not I , is guilty of two gross Lyes or Falshoods in this Charge : first , That I pretend to an assurance from the Spirit , in matter of Fact , concerning what they hold , is a manifest Perversion ; for I bring my assurance , in matter of Fact , not from the Spirit , but from their Confession of Faith , which I have diligently examined ; but the knowledge I have that their Doctrine , in that particular , is false , I bring from the Spirit of God , that hath given me the understanding thereof , and is Truth and no Lye. 2 dly , That he saith , Their Confession doth grant , that the Scriptures are to be believed for the inward Evidence and Testimony of the holy Spirit in mens hearts ; but this it doth not say , nor can it be gathered by any just consequence , to be their sence , seeing they deny , with C.M. and his Brethren , all inward objective immediate Testimony and Revelation of the Spirit . And whereas the Confession mentioneth the inward Work of the holy Spirit , bearing witness by and with the Word ( viz. the Scripture ) in our Hearts . This doth sufficiently prove , That their Confession doth not mean or intend any inward Testimony of the Spirit , reall● and properly so called , as having a standing Evidence of its own , b●● only borrowed from the Scripture , and therefore is no true and proper Evidence at all , but only and altogether improper , yea , as improper as if I should say , when I hear but one man give Evidence to the Truth of a thing , and that I read it also in w●it from his hand , that three Evidences or Witnesses have given their Evidence to that Truth , as 1 st , the Ma● , ● dly , my Ear that heard him , 3 dly , my Eye that hath re●d his writ : But what sober Man will say , these are three Witnesses or Evidences ? And would it not be a great Cheat to say , That whereas the Law requireth two Witnesses , and there is but one man that giveth witness to Cotton Mathers hearing , that C.M. should alledge , his Ears are other two Witnesses , because they have heard him , and so they are three in all : And as great a Cheat and Fallacy is it , to call the witness of the Scripture the inward Witness of the Spirit , when they confess , the inward Work of the Spirit , is only Effective , to open the Ear to hear the outward Witness of the Scripture , but not to speak by any distinct Witness , to the inward Ear : And it is like that other Fallacy , as if James being required to give his Witness , he giveth it not by himself , but by John , and John being required to give his Witness , he giveth it by James , but neither of them by himself , or at least the one not by himself ; for when they are asked , By what do they know the Scriptures to be the Word of God ? they answer , By the Spirit : And again , By what do they know the Spirit ? they answer , By the Scripture . And thus the Fallacy and Falshood both of the Confession and of C.M. is detected , and G.K. is cleared from being no wise guilty of any Lye in the case . And what I said of John Owen is true , for the Title and design of his Book is concerning The Self-Evidencing Authority of the holy Scriptures , only he confesseth the Spirits inward Work is necessary to let men see or know it ; but that is no proper Witness , more than a mans hearing is one Witness , and the thing heard is another . I do therefore Appeal to all sober , impartial and judicious Readers , Whether not I , but Cotton Mather , be not convicted of gross Lying or Falshood , and whether the Society he belongs unto , ought not to bring him to Repentance for such Crimes , to use some of his own words . His Second Argument is , That I am guilty of having committed most horrible Blasphemy against the holy Spirit of God , which is the unpardonable Sin ; And though he doth charge this one while positively , yet another while If I have not the certain , yet fearful Marks of it ; and my Sin is very like that Sin ; and yet again charging it positively on me , That I have taken part with the Pharisees in dorg that impardonable Injury to the Eternal Spirit of God ▪ But how doth he prove any thing of this to have the lest show or shadow of truth ? Why , because , as he alledgeth , I called his and his Brethrens Prayers , more than once , a Conjuring of the Devil , and do put on them the stile of Charms and Spells ; by which Prayers , he alledgeth , he and his Brethren did cast out the Devil , that did Bodily possess some Young People , and that therefore their Prayers were the special Operations of the holy Ghost , which I blaspheme , and that therefore I have committed the Vnpardonable Sin. But I Answer ; 1 st , As I said in my Book called , A Refutation , &c. I am little concerned whether or not these Young People were bewitched , or had a Diabolical Possession ; further than to take notice , That C.M. will have it to be so , to make the simple believe , that his and his Brethrens Prayers did conjure the Devil , and cast him out ; by which it is most clearly apparent , to every one of common sence , that I did not mean that his or his Brethrens Prayers were done by any Diabolical Art or Craft of Conjuration , for I do not think them to be Conjurers , but that they would have People believe , that by some divine Power of Exorcism , as was frequent in the primitive Church , they did conjure the Devil , which is as widely different from his Perversion , as East from West . Now I cannot believe that they had this divine Gift of Exorcism , which was a Miraculous Gift in those primitive Times ( that Popish Priests do also pretend to have , and many strongly affirm , they have cured many by their Prayers ) because they commonly say , That Immediate Revelaiion , with the Gifts of Miracles , are ceased : How then can they have them ? And I appeal to all sober Readers , Whether Cotton Mather hath not grosly perverted my words , that because I did not own them to have a divine Power of Exorcism , whereby to conjure the Devil , as if I did affirm their Prayers were a Conjuring of the Devil , which instead of affirming , I strongly denyed , as the Reader may see in my Book called A Refutation , &c. and by this , and his other man. Pervertions of my words , I may take measure , how he is too like to have perverted grosly the words of my Friends , in his alledged Citations , that I have not seen in their Books , when he doth so palpably pervert my words to a plain contrary sence , that is obvious to them of the weakest Capacity . Nor did I call his and his Brethrens Prayers Charms and Spells , as he alledgeth ; see my Book p. 71 , 72. only I said , That seeing they generally mock at any , at this day laying claim to divine Inspiration and Revelation , I cannot own their Prayers to be true , they are liker to Charms and Spells of superstitious Persons , &c. But this will not infer that I did really call or judge them . Charms or Spells ; for I think they are not Witches , except in that sense used by Paul , Gal. 3.1 . because they bewitch ( not the Bodies , but ) the Souls of People from believing and obeying the Truth ; for I may say one thing is liker to another thing , and yet not say , it is that very thing ; As if I should say , C.M. is liker to a Pharisee or Mass-Priest , than to a true Minister of Christ , doth it therefore follow , that I judge he is really a Pharisee or Mass-Priest ? or , to use his Phrase , were the Transmigration of Souls a Truth , if I should say , Cotton Mather is liker Demetrius the Silver-Smith ( who accused Paul , because his and his Brethren's Craft was in danger to be set at naught , Acts 19.27 . ) than to a true Minister of Christ , Doth it therefore follow , that I judge that C.M. is Demetrius risen again from the dead ? By no means And for his comparing me to Alexander the Copper-Smith , it is foolish and envious ; I honour and esteem highly both Paul's Doctrine and himself , and all the Prophets and Apostles of the Lord ; and therefore I do nothing resemble Alexander the Copper-Smith ; but C.M. and his Brethren do too much resemble , not only Alexander the Copper-Smith , who opposed Paul , but Demetrius the Silver-Smith , that they are in such fear their Craft be set at nought by the People call'd Quakers , else why do they make such a stir about their Wages and Hire ? Whereas if they were true Ministers of Christ , they should preach his Gospel freely , as the Apostles and others do , and as true Ministers of Christ now do . And His accusing me of having committed the Vnpardonable Sin upon a meer Forgery of his own , hatched in his Brains by the Father of Lyes ) ▪ puts me in mind of what I have read in the Church History , writ by Lucas Osiander , How when two of the Patricy of Rome , that were Christians , whom Pope Sixtus had Excommunicate , for their accusing him to have been too familiar with some of the consecrated Virgins , had begged of him to be Relaxed , professing their Repentance , and urging Christs Doctrine , If thy Brother Trespass against thee , and return , not only Seven Times , &c. thou shalt forgive him ; The proud Pope refused to Relax them , affirming , They had committed that Vnpardonable Sin , because they had offended him . And like to this the English Hobbs , who is no good Philosopher , and a worse Divine , saith , in one of his Books , by way of a smart Satyr against the Clergy , That if any offend a Clergy-man ( alias , a black Coat ) ●e will tell them , they have commit●●● 〈◊〉 Vnpardonable Sin of Blasphemy against the holy Ghost , as Cotton ●●●her hath here served me , but without all just cause , I bless God ; and therefore the sober People of New-England have cause to consider better , what sort of men these are , who make Lyes their Refuge , and their Weapons whereby they fight against us . Nor do I yet find the least cause to incline me to believe , that C. M's Prayers did cast out the Devil out of these Children , as he alledgeth , seeing they say , Miracles are ceased , and Divine Exorcisme was one of these Miraculous Gifts of Gods Spirit ; and C.M. himself helpeth us to understand ( if these Children were really bewitched ) ▪ how they were cured by some other means , than his and his Brethrens Prayers , to wit , as he plainly confesseth , pag. 44. ( compared with pag. 12. ) That one thing in the Childrens deliverance , was the strange Death of an horrible Old Woman , who was presumed to have a great hand in their affliction : And pag. 12. he telleth , When the Witch was going to her Excution , she said , the Children should not be relieved by her Death , for others had a hand in it as well as she . And thus from C.M. we have found other means of the Childrens cure , than his and his Brethrens Prayers , the which , seeing he calleth them Dirt and Dung in his Book , were not likely to be means of dispossessing the Devil out of those Children ; indeed , we read that Christ wrought a miracle with Clay and Spittle , but no where that I remember , that ever he wrought a Miracle with Dirt and Dung ; beside , he seemeth to be more guilty of Blasphemy , that calleth their Prayers , ( which he saith , are the special Operations of the holy Spirit , ) Dirt and Dung , as he plainly doth . And with as little success doth C.M. seek to defend his false Gloss on Christs words , as if Christ had taught , That Sathan is not divided against Sathan : Whereas I said , Sathan is divided against Sathan , there being no true unity in his Kingdom ; and therefore it must fall , and not be perpetual ; nor in th●● do I in ●he least wrest from Christs Argument against the Jews , because I did acknowledge , that Christ argued most strongly against them ad hominem . And supposing that Sathan at times , did cast out Sathan , yet that is but that Sathan may enter again some more dangerous way , or fully as dangerous ; but whom Christ cureth , he so cureth , that Sathan by his means doth not again enter , but the holy Spirit of God , as was fullfilled in Mary Magdelen . And whereas he saith , He is mistaken , if he hath not the generality of Interpreters on his side ; he hath not showed who this generality is , and he showeth how little he is versed in Antiquity , ot●●●wise he might have remembred how Origine , above thirteen hund●●● Years ago , do●h contradict him , and say the same with me ; for thus he writeth expresly , in his Comment on John , pag. 424. of his 2d Tom. printed at Basil , 1557. Cum enim admisiss●t esse quendam Beelzebub , et que illias presidio Demonia ejiceret , dissidam ●eluti quoddam Satane ; operari eo quod secum ipse dissideret hec in quit ; i.e. When Christ had allowed , that there was a certain Belzebub , and that he who did cast out Devils by his Power , did work as it were a stri●e against Sathan , because he did strive against himself , he said these things . As for his false Insinuation , of my calling Prayers , Charms and Spells , it ●● easily discovered , I own all true Prayer , both Vocal and Mental , that cometh in the least degree from the inbreathing , i.e. Inspiration of Gods Spirit , and have , through Mercy , found the unspeakable advantage of it to my Soul , and do earnestly recommend true Prayer in the Spirit of God to all , and so do all true Quakers , so called . In his Third Argument , p. 34. wherein he giveth many supposed Contradictions , that I give to myself in my former Books , and upon that false Supposition , as on a false Foundation , raiseth his Argument against me , I think not to spend Time nor Paper to answer them all in particular ; for let but the Reader see my own words in my printed Books , and well consider them , and if he have but a little sound Judgment , he will easily find , I have not contradicted my self in any thing , though I could easily discover many Contradictions of C.M. to himself . But to make me seem to contradict my self he has no better way but to wrest and pervert my words , as in the very first instance he alledgeth , he perverteth my words grosly , as if by their Fathers , whom I did acknowledge to ●ave had some measure of Tenderness , Sobriety and Simplicity ( in a printed Paper of mine ) some time a go , I did mean these , who near ●orty Years a go did put our Friends to Death at Boston : Which is a manifest Perversion , enough to Discredit all he saith , having as little Truth , against me . Whereas by their Fathers I did not mean the present Generation , that taketh in forty Years commonly , at least in vulgar sense , but these that lived sixty , or near seventy Years past , that had some measure of Tenderness and Sincerity , and were not of a persecuting Spirit , as these who put our Friends to Death ; nor had the generality of the People in New-●●●●●nd a hand in our Friends Death ; for many of them disliked it , 〈◊〉 ●ave been credibly informed , and some have acknowledged the hand of God against the Land ever since , for those Murders , and I wish many might see it , and repent of it , that they might be forgiven , and Gods anger quenched towards them , that hath been ( and remaineth to be ) kindled against them . And he is as impertinent in labouring to reconcile his own Contradiction that John Delavall charged upon him , as if it were no Contradiction , either because the Assertions are thirty pages distant , or because he did query , and not affirm ; whereas the manner of his Querying showeth a plain Affirmation , in calling or bringing in their deceased Fathers to expostulate with them for their Degeneration . And this is all the Answer he giveth to John Delavall's sollied and weighty Appendix , with a scoffing airy Spirit , as his manner is , he compareth to a Dutch Womans unintelligible Babbling . And no less doth he bely me , to accuse me , as if I said or suggested in my Book , called , The Presbyterian & Independent Churches brought to the Test , &c. That these Churches of Presbyterians and Independents were false upon all accounts , beyond that of Rome it self : Than which there can be no greater Perversion , and Belying of a mans words . I said no such thing , nor do I think any such thing . I have alwayes judgded , and do still judge , that all these Churches called Protestant Churches , whether Episcopal , Presbyterian , Independent or Baptists , in many , yea , very many things , hold better Doctrine than the Church of Rome , and in many things are nearer to the Letter of the Scripture , and to the Truth , and I have Charity , that some may belong to Christ , as his Members , among them all , even the Church of Rome not excepted ; yet all this will not prove , that any one of them all is the true visible Church , restored to that purity of Doctrine , Worship , Discipline and Government , as was in the Apostles dayes , and was before the Church fled into the Wilderness , and as will be at her full Return , which is approaching . He is as weak and impertinent to charge it on me as a Contradiction to my self , to say , That in some things in speaking or writing , we may err , if we be not duely watchful : And yet , That in many things we have been taught infallibly by the Infallible Spirit of God , to believe them , as to believe That God is , and hath given his dear Son for us , and many such precious Truths ; and if he hath no infallible Belief and Knowledge of these things , and other Fundamental Truths , he is neither Minist●● 〈◊〉 Christ , nor a true Christian , but a meer Sceptick . Any Colledge Sc●●●● Boy knoweth , that Contradictions lie not betwixt two Particu●●●● ▪ nor two Universals , but one Particular and another Universal ; as if one should say , That he is in all things taught infallibly , and yet again say , That in some things he might or did err , it would be a Contradiction ; but this I have not said . Nor is a Contradiction betwixt two Positives , but the one Positive , the other Negative ; and therefore it is no ●ontradiction to say , Some are Elected in Christ Jesus before the Foundation of the World , to be Holy , &c. and yet to deny , That others are eternally or absolutely Reprobated ; for Elected and Reprobated are both Positives , and therefore not Contradictory , no more than White and Black ; as it is no Contradiction to say , Some Colours are White , and therefore all other Colours , ( that are not White ) are Black. It seemeth that Cotton Mather , whom some , as he telleth us , have called , The Colledge Boy of New-England , hath not well learned his Logick , or at least doth not well remember it , since he was a Colledge-Boy ; for he bewrayeth shameful Ignorance ( in the way of right Dispute ) that Colledge Boyes might be ashamed of . Nor is it any Contradiction to say , That the Lord Jesus Christ is the alone and sure Foundation and Ground of Justification , and yet to assert , That Faith , Repentance , and sincere Obedience are necessary Conditions and Instruments thereunto required ; and if he will not believe me , let him ask his admired and revere●d Baxter , as he calleth him , who will tell him the same . But whereas he alledgeth I say , A true Believer may be only in the first Covenant , citing my Book , pag. 147. But this is no Contradiction , when by Believers , I mean such as may have a true Belief that God is , from some true and real inward Conviction and Sense , and yet not have the true Faith in Christ Jesus , as he dyed and rose again ; for such a Faith Cornelius had , before Peter preached Christ to him , also according to Christs Doctrine in the Parable of the four Grounds , some may believe in Christ for a time , and yet fall away , and that Faith is not a false Faith , but true , in some sort . Thus I have given a short hint to demonstrate how groundlesly he would charge Contradictions on me , the other being more obvious to the weakest Capacities . I shall let pass , only minding the Reader , That the nature of a Contradiction is difficult many times to understand , even in Natural things , so that it is reckoned the subt●lest part in Logick or Metaphy●●●●● to understand throughly what are alwayes Contradictions , and 〈…〉 and therefore much more hard it is , to understand in 〈…〉 , that contain many seeming Contradictions ; for tho' 〈…〉 ●cripture containeth no real Contradi●●ons coming from 〈…〉 Spirit of Truth , yet it containeth 〈…〉 seeming , which 〈…〉 and Scoffers use to object . His comparing me to Julian the Apostate , favoureth of the like Spirit of Envy , as formerly , when with no more ground , he accused me of being guilty of the Vnpardonable Sin : It is a part of my Blessing , that being reviled and fully accused , I can patiently bear it , by the Grace of Christ in whom I believe , and to whom , I confess , even to the Crucified Jesus that was nailed to the Cross for my Sins , whom my Soul loveth , and whom Julian openly denyed . But Cotton Mather will gain no credit nor esteem , either to himself or his Cause by 〈…〉 and Extraordinary Revilings , rarely to be parallelled among the greatest Readers . His Fourth Argument hath as weak and sandy Foundation as any of the rest , as namely ( as he saith ) That I renounce both the Religion and the Saviour which the Saints have hitherto ventured their Souls upon , &c. to wit , Christ Jesus . And this he undertaketh to prove , Sathan like , by wresting my words , and omitting some of them , in the very Sentence he citeth , that were altogether essential to make up the intire period and sence ; for I said in my Book , Your Visible Churches 〈◊〉 true Churches of Christ ; for the Religion ye profess is not the true Religion of Christ Jesus , yea , in Fundamentals , and in the very Foundation it self , which is Christ Jesus , on which the true Church is 〈◊〉 , and every Member thereof ; but ye who say , ( note my following words , p. 137. ) all inward divine Revelation is ceased , ye ( to wit , your visible Church ) build not on Christ , but on a meer Hear-say and Historical Report of him ; for how can ye build on him , when ye have no belief , that Christ is nearer unto you , than in some remote place beyond the Skyes . Where the Impartial Reader may see , first , That my words expresly mention their visible Church , that doth not build really on Christ , but on a Profession of him , even by Cotton Mather's Confession , 〈◊〉 nothing is required to make up the Members of a visible Church , but a Profession of him , and of the true Religion : But every judicious le●son will say , it is one thing to profess Christ in words or show , and another thing really to build on Christ , that everlasting Rock ▪ for by Christs Doctrine , none buildeth on the Rock , which is Christ ▪ 〈…〉 that heareth Christ's Sayings , and doth them , and that is much 〈◊〉 than barely to profess him . But yet I did not question , nor ●o , but that ( according to my Christian C●arity , moving me so to believe ) divers among all sorts & Societies call'd Christian in Christendom , that hold the Fundamentals , as many do , do really build on Ch●ist , th●●●●e Foundation ; and because they so do , in due time , the Wood , Hay and Stubble of their Errors , in other things , while they build on the true Foundation , will be burnt up by the divine Fire of the living Word , and living Spirit of God in them ; and their Lord Jesus Christ i● mine , and mine is theirs , and I could be glad that I could entertain that Charity to C.M. but however , I have not that uncharitable judgment of him ( as bad as he is ) that he hath committed that unpardonable Sin ; for though he hath reproached the precious workings and operations of the holy Spirit , both in my faithful Brethren and me , calling them Del●sions of Satan , yet because I judge he doth it ignorantly , therefore his sin is pardonable , upon Repentance , which I pray God may be given him , for that and all his ha●d Speech●● , and all other sins , before it be too late . But because he cannot fix his ●●●se Charge upon me , of denying Christ , he essayeth 〈◊〉 but with 〈…〉 success ) to fix it upon my Brethren , as dear Isaac Pennington , whom I well knew to be a true Believer in the Lord Jesu● Christ , and a sincere Lover of him , even the crucified Jesus , and whose Sou● I believe is in test in Christ , in heavenly Glory . And as to his words , We can never eat the Bodily Garment Christ , but that w●ich appea●ed and dwelt in ●he Body ; it is easie to put a fair and charitable construction on it , as w●●l as on Christs words , when he said , He that 〈…〉 seen 〈◊〉 , hath see● the Father ; and yet many saw Christ's body of Flesh , that never saw the Father : But to clear the thing ▪ I 〈◊〉 spea●e●h ●h●s in opposition to Socinians , and o●hers tinctur●d with 〈…〉 , as if ●he Manhood of Christ , that was born of the Vi●gin , ex●●nd●●g the 〈◊〉 Word ▪ was the only and whole Christ , whereas 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 his Body of Flesh ; therefore he is said to have come in the Flesh , and to have taken Flesh . And if we consider Christ , as he was before the World was , by whom all things were created , and in respect of his Godhead , the Body was not that , but the Garment of it , when he assumed it . But when we consider Christ as Man , as every other man , 〈◊〉 both Soul & body belonging to his essential Constitution , as Man , 〈◊〉 and Christ , and still hath a mo●● g●orious Soul and Body ; and we 〈◊〉 not , but according to Scripture 〈◊〉 , Christ Manhood , yea , and his Body , i● called Christ , as when the Scripture saith , that he was buried , nailed to the Cross , bu●●ited ; and even his Body was and is a part of his Manhood , and his Soul the other and more Noble part , most wonderfully and incomparably united with the Godhead , and most incomparably filled with all fullness of the Godhead , and of Grace and Truth , out of whose fullness we all receive , and Grace fo● Grace ; and yet we do not judge that the Godhead is circumscribed within the Body of Christ ; for the Godhead is Omnipresent as well as Omnipotent and Omniscient . And whereas he querieth , saying , Let Keith tell us honestly , whether he does not count his own Body to be the Body of Christ , in the same sence that the visible tangible Flesh which hung upon the Cross , was the Body of our Lord ? I Answer , honestly , Nay , by no means , as I have sufficiently formerly declared in my printed Books , and Testimonies on all occasions ; for as the Body of the Head is of far more Dignity than the Body of the inferiour Members , and hath the Soul , or Spirit and Life of man otherwise dwelling in it than the inferiour Members , so much more the Soul and Body of Christ hath the eternal Word living and dwelling in the same , than any other , and that incomparably , as Augustine well demonstrateth , lib. de agon● Christian● , cap. 20. thus concluding , And therefo●e t●e Word doth not so assume that Man ( to wit , the Seed of Abraham ) as the rest of the Saints , but much more excellently and sublimely ; and God dwelleth in the Man Christ so , as there is no Mediator betwixt God and Christ , but God dwelleth in us , by and through Christ , our alone Mediator , and fo● hi●●ake receiveth us to be so 〈…〉 him , that both the Fat●er and the Son , and also the holy Spirit dwelleth in all the Saints , yet the matter of Union , ca●led by s●me of the Antients the Hypostatical or 〈◊〉 Vnion , ) and manner of Inh●bitation in the Manhood of Christ , 〈…〉 and b●yond all humane un●er●●anding , excelling the ma●●er of Gods dwelling in all the Saints ; 〈…〉 the Man Christ only , and none other Man nor Creatur is both God and Man , and is the Object of divine Worship and Adoration , together with the Father , and the Spirit , and none else . And for Hicks quoting some words of mine , out of my Book of Immediate Revelation , recited by C.M. p. 44. on James 5.6 . 〈◊〉 have killed the just One , that is , Christ Jesus in their Hearts , him they crucified . To this I answer ; This I never understood otherwise but figuratively , as when the Scripture saith , That Apostates and Wicked Men crucifie● 〈◊〉 Son of God afresh ; for I affirm expresly in my said Book of Immedia●● Revelation , That the Life of Christ in mens hearts can never be k●lled or crucified in it self , see my Book of Immed . Rev. 2d Edition , pag. 75 . ●● pag , 253 , 254 , 255. at great length , but men by Disobedience may deprive themselves of the Comfort and Benefit of it , as well as of Christs Sufferings on the Tree of the Cross , and so in that figurative sence , according to Scripture stile , may be said to kill him , even as we are all to look to him whom we have pierced , according to Zachariah's Prophecy concerning Christs outward Suffering on the Cros● , and to mourn bitterly because of our sins , which he did bear●● on him , when he was pierced ; and because Christ cannot ( as to himself , properly and strictly , in a strict litteral sence ) be killed nor crucified in men , therefore I do not believe that he can be said to be in us that Sacrifice of Attonement and Propitiat●on that was necessary to be offered up for the Remission of our sins , and appeasing the Wrath of God to us ; and if any think so , I am far otherwise ●inded ; for it derogates from the great worth and value of Christs Sacrifice without us upon the Tree of the Cross ; for the Body that Christ was to suffer in as a Sacrifice for the sins of the World , behoved to 〈…〉 and holy Body , as it was , as a Lamb without S●ot ; and the Death behoved to be a real Death , and not metaphorical or figurative ; and therefore Christ , as in us , could not be that Sacrifice o● Atto●●m●●● ; for at this rate , not only Christ had outwardly dyed in vain , 〈…〉 had offered up himself for a Sacrifice of Attonement , as 〈…〉 were Saints to live in the World , and as many Saints , as many 〈◊〉 ; all which is most absurd to imagine . But yet it m●st 〈…〉 , that the Life of Christ in the Saints is as sweet 〈…〉 God , and is a Sacrifice in another sence , seeing even th● 〈…〉 said to offer up themselves , through 〈◊〉 , a 〈…〉 God ; and also , the Life and Spirit of Christ 〈…〉 Saints to apply Christ's Suffering , Death and ●●ood 〈…〉 on that outward Cross ) to them , doth bring them into perfect Peace with God , so that his Wrath is wholly appeased & quenched towards them , only for the sake and in virtue of the great Sufferings of Christ on the outward Cross ; and if this be the sence of W.S. his words , and that they can be so construed , it is well ; for that is my upright 〈◊〉 and is of many hundreds more , yea , of all my faithful Bre●●●●● , call'd Quakers . And concerning what I.P. and some others 〈◊〉 writ of Christs heavenly Flesh and Blood , and how the Saints fed upon it in all Ages , Christ being that noble Vine Tree unto them , that yeilded them his Grapes for Meat , and the Blood of them for Drink , as Wine is called the Blood of the Grape , and being their Apple Tree , their Fig Tree , yea , their Corn , Bread , Milk and Wine , their Wool and Flax , their Feast of fat things full of Marrow , &c. All these are highly Mystical and Figurative or Metaphorical Expressions , and are not to be litterally or carnally understood , yet so , as the Metaphors hold forth , that these outward things , by which these inward Mysteries are signified , are but the Figures , and the spiritual things are not the Figures of the natural , but the natural are Figures of the spiritual , as the outward Light is bu : the Figure of Christ the spiritual Light , the true Light of the Soul ; but the spiritual Light is not the Figure of the natural ; which is quite otherwise than in vulgar Metaphors and Figures ; and therefore by Christs heavenly Flesh and Blood that he had from the beginning , is not to be understood any created material Body , but the living Word it self , according to its divine Emanations , metaphorically only so called , according to Scripture stile , feeding and refreshing the Souls of the Saints in all ages , with unspeakable Refreshment ; And therefore by Metaphors and Allegories they have given it such Names , according to its various Operations . But that Christ is as much , or after the same manner in the Quakers , or any Saints , as in the Manhood and Body of Christ that suffered on the Cross , or that Christ hath left behind him th●t Body that suffered on the Cross , & was buried , as if that were the Quakers Doctrine , as Faldo alledgeth , and C.M. from him , is a●ominably false : I am sure no Quaker , that doth rightly understand the Quakers Principles and Doctrine , will ever say so , or ever did ; although I shall not deny , but some ignorant Persons that may go under the designation of a Quaker , may have at times spoke very ignorantly and offensively in that and other 〈◊〉 to the Scandal of our holy Profession , and to the stumbling of the weak that could not rightly discern betwixt our true and faithful Brethren , and others falsly so called ; but such there are among all Societies and Professions , that do not rightly understand the Principles of that Profession they pretend to belong unto ; yea , how many Presbyterians and Independents , so called , to my certain knowledge , understand not their own Principles , notwithstanding of their publick Confessions ; and so , possibly some among u● , notwithstanding our publick Confessions , well owned by the generality of our Friends , as especially that noted Treatise by John Crook , called , Truths Principles , &c. that hath had a very general Reception by us , and with which my Doctrine , in all particulars , doth well agree , so far as I know , as also with other faithful and sound Friends and Brethren . In his Fifth Argument , which he grounds upon my supposed marvelous Giddyness , Ignorance and Falshood , he sheweth himself marvelously ( not only ) ignorant , but perverse ; and after he hath perverted my words , and belyed me in many things , then he cryeth out Ignorance , and other things that are Scripture Truths , he calleth my Ignorance ; whereas it is but his Ignorance that doth not understand better : And I doubt not , but Judicious and Impartial Readers , who compare his Books and mine , will have another Judgment concerning me , and acknowledge , to Gods Praise , the Gifts , both of sound Knowledge and Expression , with his manifold other Mercies bestowed on me , for which I desire to praise him forever . And for my saying , That Light being used as a Name of God , is no Figurative or Tropical Expression ; I have already above explained my sense of it , That the Natural Light is the Figure of God , that Divine Light ; but the Divine Light is not the Figure of the Natural , as Figures of Metaphors and Tropes in Natural things , commonly are quite otherwise : And Augustine De Genes . ad Lit. lib. 4. cap. 28. expresly affirmeth , That Christ is Properly , and not Figuratively , called Light ; and yet who will say , that Augustine was not a more knowing Man than Cotton Mather ? and who can deny but Light is immediate , though it comes through a Medium of the Air to our Eyes , and through the medium of the Eye to the sense of sight ; for do we not as immediately see a Candle , as we see a Man , and yet the species or image of both come to our Eyes through the medium of the Air ? So that in this , as in many other things , he showeth his own extream Ignorance , that 's not worth time to mention . And that he reckoneth it my Ignorance , that I say , Christ commanded not these words to be used in Baptism , In the Name of the Father , and of the Son , &c. commonly called the words of Institution . As he can ne●er prove any such Institution , so he hath Zuinglius ( whom he maketh his President in another case ) against him : for Zuinglius saith expresly , Lib. de Bapt. pag. 66. tom . 2. Christus Jesus Baptism , formulam , qua uteremur his verbis non Instituit quem ad modum Theologi bactenus falso Tradiderunt ; i. e. Christ Jesus did not institute the form of Baptism in these words , to be used as the Theologues have heretofore falsly delivered . And he is intoxicated with a Spirit of Ignorance , and not I ( as he falsly alledgeth on me ) to assert , That Exod. 20.8 , 9. so commandeth one day of seven , as that it may be First as well as the Seventh : Whereas if Natural dayes be meant , it cannot be the First , but the Seventh ; for it is not said , Remember to keep the First Day for Rest , and after that labour Six dayes . And that he denyeth and mocketh at an inward and spiritual Day , showeth him extreamly Ignorant of spiritual Things , as well as his Scoffing showeth his frothy airy Spirit , scarcely to be parallell'd . Is not the Day of Gods Power , Psal . 110. an inward and spiritual Day ? And where it is said , Let us walk honestly , as in the Day , Rom. 13.13 . and until the Day dawn , and the Day-star arise in your hearts , 2 Pet. 1.19 . And is not this an inward Day ? And that he reproacheth me with Giddiness , for saying , The Sabbath is Christ , to wit , the thing figured by the Jews Sabbath . In this he reproacheth as well his pretendedly much esteemed Calvin , who saith expresly the same , lib. 2. cap. 8. n. 32. of his Institutes , where he saith , Christ is the Truth , at whose Presence all the Figures evanish ; the Body , by whose sight the Shadows are left , He I say , is the fullfilling of the true Sabbath . And a little after he chargeth it as Superstition upon them that would make the Observation of the First Day of the Week , for a Sabbath , to be a Divine Institution ; and doth fully agree with us , That it is to be kept by choice , for good Order , and assembling together for divine Worship , and other good Reasons , but not by divine Precept , injoyning the strictness of the Jewish Sabbath . As for that silly Jest of Baxters , that C.M. pleaseth his airy mind with , telling the Quakers , That their ( to wit , Presbyterian ) . Bells are not carnal , else they would not sound so high , he might have used it as much against Paul , for saying , Our Weapons are not carnal , as implying , that the Sword was a carnal Weapon ; but according to Rich. Baxter there can be no carnal Sword , for then it could not cut ; whereas things are called Carnal from the hand that useth them , as for other causes ; and the Levitical Laws were called Carnal Ordinances in Scripture . And whereas he saith , None preach the most intimate Vnion and Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ , more than he and his Brethren , is a most bold and impudent Untruth , seeing , 1 st , they say expresly , That Christ is not at all within us , but only without us in Heaven , and no wise in us , but by ●is Operations ; as if he and his operations could be divided : 2 dly , That they deny the Working or Operations of the Spirit of God in the Saints , to be Objective , or that the Spirit worketh as any sensible Object upon the inward and spiritual Senses of the Saints : Hence with Jesuits and Papists , from whom they have borrowed that Distinction , as I can prove , as namely from Sacroboscus , a Jesuit , Def. decret . trident . p. 93 , 94. they say , The Spirit worketh Effectively and Subjectively , but not Objectively : And therefore do they not one whit more preach any nearer Union and Communion with Christ , than the darkest Papists ; yea , some Papists that own sensible Workings of the Spirit , as some do , go far beyond them , ( viz. C. Mather and some of his Brethren ) in that particular . But that I have slandered the Assembly , in their saying , The Souls of the Righteous are not perfected in Holiness till after Death , which C.M. hath twice cast upon me ; I desire the Reader , for his Satisfaction , and my Vindication , but to read the place that I cited , viz. cap. 32. n. 1. where they say expresly thus , The Bodies o● men [ after Death ] return to Dust , and see Corruption , but their Souls , which neither dye nor sleep , having an Immortal Subsistence , immediately return to God , who gave them , the Souls of the Righteous being THEN made perfect in Holinss , &c. Where it is plain , that the Adverb of Time [ Then ] refers to the word , in the first line , viz. After Death ; yea , and as would seem then , when the Bodies return to Dust , and see Corruption , that sometimes is a considerable time after Death , where dead Bodies are Embalmed ; but this last part I suppose is an oversight in them . And seeing they plead for sin for term of Life , yea , to the last instant , what difference there is , that they can make betwixt dying in their sins , and living in their sins for Term of Life , is not intelligible ; for in Scripture-phrase , Not to have Iniquity purged away till men dye , and to dye in Iniquity , is all one ; for the instant of Death is quick as a Thought . That I said , Notoriously Scandalous Persons , Lyars , Deceivers , Drunkards , &c. are qualified Members of your Church ; I said it , according to what I found in your Confession , that requireth no more than an outward Profession of Religion , and that such scandalous Persons may have ; for if no scandalous Persons could make a Profession , but that the very Profession it self did exclude all scandalous Walking , then there could be no scandalous Profession , nor Professors that are scandalous ; but if ye deny that , Baxter will better inform him , in the Treatise above mentioned ; beside that , I have proved C. Mather a notorious Lyar , and yet he is a Member of their Church ; and it is but too well known , how many scandalous Persons of all sorts , belong to the Presbyterian Church , as much , at least in some places , as to the Episcopal , and as when the Presbyterian Church was National in Scotland , and is now lately again become National in Scotland , can it be imagined , or was it ever known , that any Church in Christendom , that was National , or did take in the whole Nation , ●ut had many scandalous Persons in it . His last instance of my Ignorance , is , That I denyed that Baptizing of Infants , was the Practi●e of the Church during the first Century : But all that he saith here against me , is a bewraying his own Ignorance , and withal , his Perversion . For to prove that Baptizing of Infants was the Practice of the Church in the first Century , he citeth Origine and Cyprian , none of which lived in the first Century , and Agustine , that lived not till about the end of the fourth Century , and Calvin , that lived not till at least fourteen hundred Years after the first Century , and they might be mistaken in their thinking that baptizing of Infants was practised in the first Century , as well as in other things they did too much take upon trust ; and suppose some small matte●s to be found in Origine , concerning Infant Baptism , yet that is not Church History , and so contradicts not my Assertion ; for Origine had some private Opinions that were not generally received in ●h● Church ; beside that , wiser men that C.M. have thought , that Ru●●●●us , Origine's Interpreter , hath incerted that of Infants Baptism , as well as some other things , into Origine's Works , that were not really his , and did not ag●e● to his Time ; and Erasmus , much better versed in Antiquity than either C.M. or all his Brethren , hath plainly acknowledged , that R●●●●nus did take too much liberty in addi●g things of his own , as could be easily proved ; and according to the best Chronology , Origine and Cyprian lived together , to wit , about the middle of the third Century , as A●st●dius showeth in 〈…〉 C●ronologiae . And as for Tertulians Authority , whom he citeth for infants Baptism , while their innocent Age was yet upon them ; it is a manifest Falshood , if not a willfull Perversion , if ever C.M. hath read Tertullian upon the place , and proveth him ei●her Ignorant , or Forgerer ; and to show this , I shall faithfully recite Tertullians words , from my own reading ( I having well read in Tertullian , Cyprian and Origine , and divers others , I suppose befo●e Cot. Mather could well read in his Accidence or Grammer ) in his Book , De Bapt●s●o adversus Q●●tuti●●am , cap. 18. he saith , Ait quidem Dominus not●● 〈◊〉 prohibere ad me venire , ●en●●ut ergo dum adolescunt , &c. In English thus , Indeed the Lord saith , forbid them not to come unto me ; let them therefore come , when they grow up to Youth let them come ; when they learn , when they are taught whither they come ; let them be Christians when they can know Christ ; why doth ●●nocent Age hasten to the Remission o● Sins ? ●●●n will be more wary in secular things , that to whom Eart●ly Substance is not trusted , that which is divine should be trusted ; let them know to ask Salvation , that thou mayest seem to give to him that asketh . Than which , nothing can be more clear , that Tertullian was not for , but against Infants Baptism . But perhaps he thinks to excuse himself , that he brings Tertullian's Authority by way of Query . And for his citing Ireneus's saying , Infantes renascuntur , i.e. Infants are born again ; either it is to be understood of Water-Baptism , or it is against C.M. who doth not believe that Water-Baptism is our Regeneration , as the Papists commonly call it ; and seeing nothing o● Wate● is mentioned , it is no clear Testimony . But seeing he hath mentioned nothing of Church History , he hath not proved me guilty of Ignorance , for saying , They can gi●e no Evidence in Church History for Infant Baptism . For his citation of Church History , concerning Hyginus , to prove Infant Baptism , he should have named who the Writer of that Church History is , and whether approved by true Protestants , seeing many fabulous things are alledged by Papists concerning Antiquity . That cal●ed , 〈…〉 is generally denyed to ●e Justine's , by all judicious Protestants ; and that Justine saith , in his Dialogue with Tryph. That all alike might then receive Baptism , which is the spiritual Circumcision : As it saith nothing of Infants , so it is plainly against C.M. and his Brethren , if he mean Water-Baptism , who do not think that all who receive Water-Baptism , are spiritally circumcised , which is a Popish Opinion , and a manifest Error , contradicted by daily experience . And his charging me with Hypocrisie , for commending the dead Saints , but condemning the living Ones ; classing W. P with me ; he showeth his Folly and Rashness in that , as in other things ; let him tell us what living Saints do we condemn ; we do believe that God hath his living Saints now in the World , as he hath had in all Ages of the World , even in all Professions in Christendom , that hold the true Foundation , though upon it too many build Straw and Stubble , which God will in due time burn up , as I have abovesaid . Moreover , that Infants Baptism was not practised until the third Age or Century , and was not brought in by the Commandment of Christ , there are many men of great Note for Learning , and Skill in Antiquity , far more famous for Learning than Cotton Mather is like ever to be , that assert the same , as well as I , and contradict Calvin's mistaken Judgment in that particular ; for Curcellaeus saith , in his Dissertations of Orig. Sin , That the Custom of Baptizing Infants , was brought in without the Commandment of Christ , and did not begin before the third Age after Christ was born ; In the two former Ages ( saith he ) no sign of it doth appear . And th●t the Antients were of opinion , That only the Adult are capable of Baptism , Valefridus Strabo , that lived in the ninth Century , Ludovicus Vives , and Erasmus in the Church of Rome , and Grotius and Salmasius , great Protestant Authors , do plainly acknowledge , and Berengarius , and the Albigenses were of the same mind , as that learned & judicious Protestant Writer C.M. Du Veil , in his Explanation of the Acts of the Apostles , doth show ; see his Explanat . on cap. 2. v. 14. and cap. 8. v. 12 , 31. and cap. 18. v. 8. And notwithstanding of his Insinuations to the contrary , I challenge C.M. to give any one instance wherein I have not faithfully quoted the Antient Writers named by me , whether in my former Book , called , The pretended Antidote , &c. or in this , in each particular . And were I so minded , and saw a service in it to the People of New-England , I could easily produce sufficient plain Testimonies , from Antient Fathers , so called , and Writers both Greek and Latine , to confirm the Doctrine of the People call'd Quakers , in all the principal and most material things wherein they differ from C.M. and his Brethren ; but the Scripture Authority being that of greatest weight , in respect of any outward Testimony , I have chosen rather to make use of that . Nor will it serve to justifie C. Mat●er , his Exclamations against me , that seeing the Quakers hold all these Doctrines which Baxter , and some other Protestant Writers hold to be Fundamental , that therefore I should not have so charged them , as I have done in my first Book , called , The Presbyterian and Independent visible Churches brought to the Test ; for if they and we agree in Fundamentals , then why are we so uncharitable to them , as not to judge them a true Church ? — To which I Answer ; Although we hold all their Fundamentals , according to what Baxter has delivered , as I have above showed , yet they hold not all our Fundamentals ; so it is a Fundamental Doctrine and Principle held by us , to wit , The inward Revelation of Christ in all true Believers , and That God teacheth all true Believers by his inward Voice , Word and Teachings , or inward divine Inspiration and Revelation , properly so called , that is as well Objective as Effective , and by way of Object , working sensibly and infallibly upon the inward and spiritual Senses of their Souls , and which their Souls and Minds , if onely and fitly disposed and qualified , do infallibly apprehend ; but yet this Fundamental held by us , is plainly denyed by C.M. and his Brethren ; and it is a Fundamental Error in them who hold it , as the generality of their visible Church Members do , That all s●ch divine inward Objective Revelation and Inspiration is ceased ; and from this Fundamental Error , divers other very great Errors flow , as so many unclean streams from an unclean Fountain ; for if all true and saving Knowledge of God and Christ , and all saving Faith require true divine inward Revelation and inspiration , properly so called ; and the true and real inspeaking of God , and his internal Word and Voice that doth as sensibly and perceptibly operate , by way of Object , upon the inward and spiritual hea●ing , or discerning Faculty of the Soul , as any outward Voice or Wo●d of a man doth upon the outward Hearing ; then , if that be ceas●d , all true and saving Knowledge and Faith , are ceased , and all true Love , Hope and Repentance , and all other Fruits and Virtues of the Spirit , because all these have a necessary connexion with the true saving Knowledge and Faith ; also , all true Preaching , Praying and Worship , and all true Obedience and Service unto God , and all real and true Religion , all depending upon the inward Principle of inward divine Revelation and Inspiration , properly so called ; and yet we do readily acknowledge , a distinction betwixt these extraordinary divine Revelations and Inspirations , that the Apostles and Prophets had , 〈◊〉 they were Apostles and Prophets , and these other that they had common ●o them , and ordinary with all Christians ; and for the latter we contend , that were and are ordinary and common to all Saints in all Ages of the World , but not for the former that were extraordinary , whereby they not only wrought Miracles , and spoke with Tongues , but had Doctrinal things of Faith revealed to them , without all outward teaching of Men or Books ; whereas we do not say , any peculiar Doctrine of the Christian Faith is made known to us without all outward Teaching , but by it , Instrumentally , and by the immediate Revelation and Inspiration of the Spirit , Principally ; and we are sufficiently charitable , that we judge , there are true Believers among them ( though we cannot own their visible Church ) that either hold not these Errors with them , or if some hold them in words , or Notion , and Theory , yet as in respect of their Experience and inward sence and feeling , hold them not , but the contrary ; and such have better Hearts than Notions ; and though they err in holding an unsound form of Words ▪ through too much relying upon their Teachers , yet their inward sence and experience doth contradict them . And in all these twelve Particulars I first charged upon them , I still affirm , they do grosly err , and they are such great matters of Difference betwixt them and us , although they are not all Fundamentals , that no Society holding such Errors , deserve to be esteemed the visible Church of Christ , restored to that purity of Doctrine that the visible Church ought to have , and had in the primitive Times , and yet will have , as she cometh to be fully restored to her primitive Purity . And though it seem a strange and new Doctrine to C.M. and his Brethren , to distinguish betwixt the Scripture , called by some the external or outward Word , and the inward living Word of God that proceedeth from the Mouth of God immediately , as every mans word that proceedeth from his Mouth , and goeth into the Ears of the Hearers , is his immediate Word ; yet not only antient Writers and Fathers , so called , did so distinguish , but even these called the Reformed , who began the Reformation from gross Prop●ry . And for the antient Writers I shall give but one , ( though I could give divers besides ) to wit , Augustine , of great esteem and fame with Protestants , and particularly with Calvin , whose Authority he more useth in his Institutions , than any of all the Antients : In his 5th Book de Trinitate , cap. 11. Augustine saith expresly , Proinde Verbum quod foras sonat , signum est verbi , quod intus lucet , cuj magis verbi competit nomen , nam illud quod prosertur caruis ore vox verbi est verbumq : et ipsum dicitar propter illud , a quo ut foris appareret assamptum est : In English thus ; Therefore the Word that soundeth outwardly , is a sign of the Word that shineth inwardly , to which the Name of the Word doth more agree ; for that which is pronounced with the fleshly Mo●th , is the Voice of the Word , and it is called the Word , because of that from which it is taken , that it might outwardly appear . Where I desire the Reader to Note these two things , 1 st , That Augustine doth acknowledge the Word within , or internal Word . 2 dly , That the Name of the Word doth more belong to the internal Word , than to that which outwardly soundeth in our fleshly Ears ; in both which he doth contradict C.M. and his Brethren , who do not acknowledge any inward Word in the Saints , since the Apostles dayes , and hold , That the Scripture is the only Word that is the Object and Rule of our Faith. And that famous Reformer Zuinglius ( whom 〈◊〉 the rather cite , because C.M. maketh him his Pre●●dent for his zeal against the Quakers , in the end of his Address ) in his Commentary De vera et falsa Relig. de Verbo Dei , cap. de Ecclesia contra Emserum , saith , Qui in Ecclesia Scripturam Caelestis Verbi explicari , audit , &c. In English thus , Who in the Church heareth the Scripture of the heavenly Word explained , judgeth what he heareth ; but that which is heard is not the Word it self whereby ( to wit , chiefly ) we believe ; for if we did believe by that Word which is heard or read , then all should become Believers ; and after , he saith , It is therefore manifest , that we are made faithful by that Word which the heavenly Father preacheth in our hearts , whereby he doth also enlighten us , that we may understand , and draweth , that we may follow . And again , Who are instrusted with that Word , judge the Word that soundeth in the Preaching , and striketh the Ears ; but yet , the Word of Faith , which is seated in the Minds of the faithful , is judged by none , but by it the external Word is judged , which God hath appointed to be preached , although Faith cometh not ( to wit , chiefly ) by the external Word . Both which Testimonies of Augustine and Zuinglius , do manifestly confirm the Quakers Doctrine against C.M. and his Brethren , who acknowledge no inward Word in the hearts of the faithful ▪ by which their Faith is wrought , and will have the Word of Faith to be only the written or outward Word , contrary both to Paul and Zuinglius , who give the preheminence to the inward Word , and call it the Word of Faith. And as Zuinglius holdeth for the Quakers in asserting the inward Word , against C.M. and his Brethren , so in that called Original Sin , for thus he saith expresly , lib. de Baptismo , Paul , cap. 3. to the Romans saith , That the knowledge of sin cometh by the Law ; where , therefore there is no knowledge of the Law , ( as in Infants , ) there can be no knowledge of sin ; but where no knowledge of sin is , there is no Prevarication , and so Damnation cannot be . And after , Because Paul saith , That Death is come upon all men , because all have sinned ; Theologues from these words judge , That that Disease and Contagion that is Hereditary unto us all , and is naturally lodged in us , is sin , that bringeth to us Damnation , but they Err the whole Heavens wide : Where it is to be noted , That Zuinglius doth acknowledge , That there is a sinful Disease and Contagion conveyed from Parents to Children , but yet it is not imputed unto them to bring Damnation upon any Infants ; plain contrary to C.M. and his Brethren , who affirm , That many Infants , both of unbelieving and believing Parents , are eternaly Reprobated and Damned , only for Adams Sin imputed to them ; Which is most horid Uncharitableness , and horridly reflecting upo● the Mercy of God. And the same Zuinglius , in his Chapter of the Eucharist , plainly asserteth , That Christ by his Flesh and Blood , with which he feedeth the Souls of the faithful , doth understand a spiritual thing , which only the Spirit giveth , and not any Flesh consisting of Veins and Nerves ; withal affirming , with Origine and Augustine , That Christs Flesh and Blood , which he feedeth the Saints with , is called so by an Allegory and 〈◊〉 , but is really the Word it self , called also by an Allegory Bread , Wine , Milk , Honey , Marrow , Fatness , &c. Again , the same Zuing●ius in his Commentary de vera & falsa Relig. doth thus comment on Pauls words , Rom. 1.19 . The knowledge of God is manifest in them ( so doth he translate the place , & so doth the old English Translation ) for God hath showed it unto them . We see here openly ( saith he ) that 〈◊〉 knowledge , concerning God , is of God , which we ascribe to ( I know man what ) Nature ; for he saith God hath manifested it ; and what other thing is Nature , but a continuing and perpetual operation of God , and disposition of all things ? And again , in his Cap. of God , he saith , If any of the Philosophers have spoken truly of God somethings , it was from the Mouth of God , who hath scattered some Seeds of his Knowledge even among the Gentiles , although more sparingly , and more obscurely . So that Zuinglius had far more Charity towards honest and conscientious Gentiles , than C.M. who differeth f●om him very widely , as in the 〈◊〉 particulars mentioned , so in this last , that he affirmeth , That what knowledge of God the Gentiles have ought to be attributed to God , and not to Nature ; and therefore not to mans Reason ( as C.M. would have it ) which is nothing but a natural Faculty of the Soul. And Thomas Shepherd , that had been a Preacher at Cambridge in New-England , in his Exposition of the Parable of the Ten Virgins , saith plainly , That that inward Law given to the Heathens , is falsly called the Law of Nature ; for it is of God ; and so saith Buchannan , in his Book , De jure Regni apud Scotos ; and a large Volumn might be printed of Testimonies both out of antient and latter Authors , all of good esteem for Piety and Learning , yea , and even divers Protestants , that do acknowledge , That the Illumination that is generally in men , that teacheth them that there is a God , and showeth them good and evil , is a Principle above Humane Reason : As among English Protestants , Henry Moore , cited by Increase Mather against the Quakers , and praised by Baxter , as above , who saith expresly , in his Moral Cabbala , cap. 1. v. 1 , 2. of Genesis , By the Will of God every man living on the face of the Earth , hath these two Principles in him , Heaven and Earth , Divinity and Annimality , Spirit and Flesh ; but that which is Annimal or Natural operates first , the spiritual or heavenly Life being for a while closed up at rest in its own Principle , &c. but by the Will of God it is , that afterwards the Day light appears , though not in so vigorous Measure , out of the heavenly or spiritual Principle . And carrying on the Process of Gods work in mens hearts , by way of Analogy , from the First Day to the Seventh , concerning the Seventh , he saith , Gen. cap. 2. v. 3. of his Mor. Cabb . So the divine Wisdom in the humane Nature celebrated her Sabbath , having now wrought through the Toil of all the six dayes Travel ; and the divine Wisdom looked upon the Seventh Day as blessed and sacred , a Day of Righteousness , Rest and Joy in the holy Ghost . And thus if C.M. had but some ordinary Reading in English Writers , and did but understand what he reads , he might have found an inward and spiritual Sabbath , or Day of Rest , not only in the Scriptures , and the Quakers Books , but in Henry Moore , a man of far more Sense and Learning , than I suppose C.M. will pretend unto : Also , he might have found it in Calvin , lib. 2. Instit . cap. 8. n. 30. So that he showeth his Ignorance sufficiently , in comparing the finding of a spiritual or inward Seventh Day , to the difficulty of finding the Quadrature of the Circle ; which if it were found , it is probable the Penury of his Learning would not suffer him to understand . And what H. Moore saith of the spiritual or heavenly Life lying for a while closed or shut up at rest in its own Principle , is but the same , in other Terms , with what we say , That the Life of Christ is crucified in Vnbelievers , viz. not in it self , but to them . And why should C.M. find so great fault with this manner of Expression , that is according to Scripture , when his reverend Baxter ( as he designeth him ) writeth in a phrase that must have a charitable Construction put upon it , otherwise it would look as odd as any thing C.M has quoted out of any of the Quakers ; for R. Baxter ●ai●h , concerning God , in his Treatise above-said , called , Directions to the Converted , motive 12. pag. 34. Doth it not wound you to think , that even there , He , ( viz. God ) should be so straitned , and t● r●st into Corners by a 〈◊〉 En●my , as if that simple Habitation were too much for him , and 〈…〉 were too good for him ( meaning the heart defiled with sin . ) Now if any should accuse Baxter with Blasphemy , he●e , in saying , 〈◊〉 c●n be straitned , & thrust into Corners by a hellish Enemy , would no● C.M. excuse him , and say , it is a Catachrestical or improper manner of Speech , and is not to be strictly taken ? and then , if he were not very partial , why doth he not excuse such Expressions in the Quakers Writings , that are capable of the same charitable Construction ? And it were an easie thing to gather may Phrases and Expressions out of Presbyterian & Independent Books , that might seem very offensive , to a degree of Blasphemy , if they were not charitably cons●rued ; yea , I find an Expression in Calvin , which if C.M. could have found in a Quakers Book , we should have had him cry out aloud , Blasphemy ! for he saith expresly , lib. 3. cap. 2. n. 24. Quia Christus non extra nos est , sed in nobis habitat : In English thus ; Because Christ is not without us , but dwelleth in us ; but if Cotton Mather say , Calvi●s 〈◊〉 is , That Christ is not only or wholly without us , but also dwelleth in 〈◊〉 , as this is a charitable Construction , so let it be given to such , or the like words , that may be found in the Quakers Books , unless he could find , that their words could not bear such a favourable Construc●ion . But since C. M. findeth so much fault with me for saying , That not only Conscientious Gentiles , but 〈…〉 Chri●tians shall know more of 〈◊〉 , and Christ after Death ( which is the general Expectation and Consolation of all Saints , who know now but in part , but then shall know fully ) and thereupon su●mizeth , That a Qu●kers new Purgatory 〈…〉 be erected : what saith he to his much esteemed Calvin , 〈◊〉 on these words of Peter , 1 Pet. 3.19 . By which also he went and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spi●i●s in Prison , &c. plainly affirmeth , concerning the Souls of the deceased before the Death of Christ , Indeed I willingly grant , ( saith Calvin ) that Christ did shine unto them by the Virtue of his Spirt , that they might know , that the Grace which oft they had only tasted , was then given unto the World ; and by a probable Reason , that place of Peter , 1 Pet. 3.19 . may be applyed to this , where it saith , That Christ came and preached to the Spirits which were in Custody , or place of Expectation ( the commonly translate it Prison ) for even the Context leadeth us thither , that the faithful , who before that time were deceased , were made partakers of the same Grace with us , because he doth amplifie the Power of the Death ( o● Christ ) from thence , that it ●id penetrate even to the dead , while pious So●I● did enjoy the present sight of that Grace , which they earnestly expected ; and on the other hand , it was made more manifest to the Reprobate , ●●at they were excluded from all Salvation . But if C.M. think , that Calvin words doth not infer a Purgatory , why should he surmize any such thing from mine ? And though C.M. ignorantly in his airy fantastical Mind mocked at some called Quakers , for calling the Flesh , by way of Allegory , the Woman that should not speak in the Church , ( although we deny not but Women are there also to be understood litterally , but yet not all Women , nor in all respects ) alledging , That the Devil is the Fleshes Husband ; yet if he had been well read in Origine or Augustine , he might have found a better account ; but not to go so far backward , let his Reverend Baxter answer him , who saith , in the Preface to his Directions to the Converted , In a weak Christian the Spirit is Master , but the Flesh is Mistriss . And notwithstanding that the said R. Baxter is too uncharitable to the People called Quakers , yet I find in the said Book , he is much more charitable to them , than C.M. is , who will not allow them the lowest degree among true Christians , Because , as he will have it , they deny almost all the Fundamentals of the Christian Faith ; for thus Rich. Baxter expresly writeth concerning Quakers , B●hmenists , and some of the Religious Orders of the Papist , in his 23d Character of a confirmed Christian , pag. 66. But those of them that place their chiefest Happiness in the Love of God , and the eternal Fruition of him in Heaven , and seek this sincerely , according to their Helps and Power , though they are misled into some superstitious Errors , I hope , I may number with those that are sincere , for all their Errors , and the ill Effects of them : And truly I have that Charity for Rich. Baxter , that if he had known the Quakers better , and had had that occasion of some more inward acquaintances with them , he would have been still more charitable to them , in his judgment of them ; for the things he hath judged to be Errors in them , either they do not hold them , or they are not Errors , but sound things of Truth , and many of them possibly owned by himself , but in other Terms : It is the great Calamity of these Age , that men are oft confounded in their Languages , and contradict one another in Words and Terms , when they agree in one Sense of the same things : It may be hoped , and is earnestly to be prayed for unto Almighty God , that all that are sincere Lovers of the Truth in all Societies in Christendom , may have more Charity one towards another , and they may acknowledge whatever is of Truth and Virtue one in another ; and this would prepare the way to bring them all to one Sheep sold , and to have one Shepherd , as the Lord hath promised , and which he will in due time fullfill , and that Time is at hand , Amen . CHAP. IV. ANd thus having sufficiently answered what was needful , to the First Part of his Address , which is the largest , I shall answer some things , but very briefly to his latter part , partly because almost the whole of it is answered in my former printed Books , directed to the People in New-England , and partly because very much of it is answered in the fore going Sheets . In the latter part of his Address , he hath greatly changed the matter of Debate betwixt us , in most things wrongly stating things , and calling things our Principles which are not ; whereas he should have kept to the Twelve Articles I charged them with , eleven of which they did fairly own , and the Twelfth I have sufficiently proved to belong to them , as much as the eleven ; and he should have given an Answer to my former Book , called , The pretended Antidote proved Poyson ; which he hath not so much as essayed , but instead thereof he goeth to cha●ge the matter of Debate betwixt us , in the things I had cha●ged them with in most particulars , and by most gross Perversions of our Friends words , would fix on them Principles which they do no wise hold . And in this New 〈◊〉 he sets down Sixteen Assertions , wherein he pretendeth to contradict our Principles ; but in most of them he doth prevaricate , and goeth from the 〈◊〉 of the Question ? as in the First , where he granteth , That he doth not mean , that the Paper or Letter of the Scripture , but the heavenly Matter of it , is the Word of God ; and thus he doth not contradict us , for I have told him and his Brethren more than once , Thas we readily grant , the heavenly Matter , and true divine Sence of the holy Scripture , is the Word of God : But the true state of the Controversie is , Whether the Scripture is either princ●pa●y or only the Word of God , excluding any inward Word or Voice of God in mens hearts ; we say , there is an Inward Word and Voice of God in mens hearts , which , as it doth not contradict the Scripture , but agreeth with it , so it is another th●●g , and is of the greatest Efficacy , and giveth or se●●e●h to us , the assurance , that the Scriptures are of God , and divinely inspired . 〈…〉 2● Assertion , he doth no less prevaricate , and 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 , ●or I did grant in both my former book● , 〈…〉 Ex●●a●rdinary and O●●●nary Revelations and 〈…〉 our Lord , and that we did not say , t●at 〈…〉 had t●e●e Extraordinary , but the Ordinary , that were common to them with all Saints ; the which ordinary are nevertheless true divine Inspirations and Revelations . And as to what I said out of some antient Writers , tending to open the Distinction of Extraordinary and Ordinary Revelations , the extraordinary being of a more high and sublime Nature , as proceeding from a more high and excellent measure of the divine Light or Spirit , that is well warranted in holy Scripture , and well approved by Christian Writers of great esteem for Piety and Learning , that he and his Brethren call Rabbinical Fopperies , in that they show their great Ignorance in good Learning ; for it is generally acknowledged by Christians , as well as Jews , yea , and by Protestants of good Note , That the Hebrew Names of God , mentioned in Scripture , being various , some of them are greater than others ; and the greater Names do answer to the greater Measures of the divine Light , and that Name commonly pronounced Jehovah ( which the most learned in the Hebrew Language among Christians do confess , they know not how to pronounce , it consisting of quiescent Letters , and having no proper Vowels of its own , as is acknowledged by the most learned , and as Buxto● ; in his Hebrew Lexicon saith , the first that presumed to pronounce it , was Petru● Galatinus , ●one of all the Greek and Latine Fathers , so 〈◊〉 , did presume to pronounce it or read it , for the●e is no Tract of it in any of their Writings , though divers of them were well skilled in the Hebrew Language ) is generally acknowledged to be one of the greatest Names of God , by which God made himself known to Moses , Exod. 6.3 . but not to Abraham , Isaac and Jacob ; and though it be granted , that the Letters of that Name are recorded by Moses in many places of Genesis , and is to be found in Hebrew , Gen. 2.4 . and that possibly and very probably Abraham might have known the outward Letters or Sound of that Name , yet that doth not infer , that either Abraham or any of these Fathers knew the inward force and efficacy signified by that Name , and that so high Revelation belonging to it , that Moses did know ; for that would contradict Exod. 6.3 . And though I do no wise approve Rabbinical Fopperies , or Jewish Fictions or Fables , yet what I find either in Jewish or Gentile VVriters , that doth well accord with the divine Oracles of the holy Scripture , I do well receive it and relish it . In his 3 d Assertion , he doth no less mis-state the Question ; for we deny not , but affirm , That the will of God expressed in the Scripture , is a perfect Rule for the Belief and Practice of every Christian , as to all Doctrinals and Practicals of Religion in general ; but we say , it is not the only Rule nor the principal ; for the Will of God and his Law is writ in the fleshly Tables of the Hearts of all the faithful , and as so writ , is greater , and of greater virtue and efficacy than to have it writ in Paper ; and though no new Doctrinals or Morals are to be revealed to us , but what are sufficiently declared in the Scriptures , yet that doth not hinder , but that particular Calls , to Places , Persons and Nations , and particular Prophesies or Predictions of things to come , may be newly revealed , as is granted by divers Protestants , and by For in his Book of Martyrs , yea , even Presbyterians , and Calvin doth acknowledge , That even in his Time God did raise up extraordinary O●●●cers to restore the Church , if not Apostles , yet at least Evangelists , lib. against . cap. 3. ● . 4. And true Believers may have it witnessed to them ( as many have had and daily have ) by the inward Testimony of Gods Spirit , That their sins are forgiven them , and that they belong unto God , and that without all logical and argumentative way of Syllogisms , that as many faithful Souls have not skill to form , so many Hypocrites deceive themselves with such a way of arguing themselves to be sincere . But some Presbyterians have acknowledged , That there is another far more evident , clear and satisfactory way that some have , whereby to be assured , that their sins are forgiven , without any such way of Syllogysm , as particularly my Country-man William Guthergy , in his his printed Book concerning Personal Covenanting with God , and he calleth it A felt Arms full of the holy God , filling the Soul with God , as he is Love , Life and Liberty ; and though it is no audible Voice ( viz. to the outward Ear ) yet it doth countervail that of God to Daniel , O Man ! greatly beloved ; and is like to that which passed from Christ to Mary , when he said , Mary , and she answered Rabboni : And surely here was no way of syllogising . In his 4 th Assertion he doth also fail in stating the Question ; for , first , we grant , That the Day of Salvation is expired towards many men now alive , and they are left without any saving Light in them : 2 dly , we grant , That the clear and bright Day of Salvation hath not yet appeared unto many , but it is as yet Night unto them ; and to others it is as a little dawning ; but to others clear Day ; which answers to that of Paul , Now is the accepted Time , now is the Day of Salvation , to wit , to such who had Christ crucified and raised again , livingly and effectually preached to them by Christs faithful Messengers ; but yet even to such who are in the Night state , and are in Darkness , to whom the clear Day of God hath not appeared , some divine Light shineth in their Darkness , and that Light , though ever so small , is of a saving tendency , and doth prepare the way of the Lord inwardly , as John's outward Ministration prepared the Way of the Lord , as he came outwardly ; and even inwardly , the Law and the Prophets go before the clear Manifestation of Christ and his Gospel ; so that the Law even inwardly ( as well as outwardly ) is a Schoolmaster to bring them who are under it , to Christ . Nor do we say , That the Light doth reveal in every man all that we must know , in order to Salvation , upon its first appearance , or in its first Ministration ; for we distinguish betwixt the various inward Ministrations of the Light and Spirit , and teach , That the former makes way for the latter , as it is well improved ; and as he that goeth up a Stair or Ladder , must begin at the lowest Step or Round , and so by degrees , and in process of time , getteth up higher , untill he come to the place where he would be ; and as the sojourning of the People of Israel in the Wilderness , had its several Removes , which were Typical , of the Souls inward progress , from spiritual Aegypt to the spiritual Canaan , so the Souls of men have their several inward and spiritual Sojournings from one degree to another , until they receive the end of their Faith , which is the Salvation of their Souls , as it is written in the Psalms , They go from strength to strength , &c. And it is a great Perversion in C. Mather , that because I blame them for denying , That there is any Light in men generally , that is sufficient to enable them to do any Work acceptable to God , as if therefore I did hold , That every man hath so much Grace & Illumination , as doth enable him to do any ( i.e. whatsoever ) Work acceptable to God : For , All men Not to be able to do any work acceptable to God , And All men To be able to do any or every VVork acceptable to God , are not Contradictory , as being both Universal ; and therefore they are both false , and as two Universals are not Contradictory , and are both false , so two Particulars are not Contradictory , when the one is Positive and the other Negative , and therefore may be both True ; As it is true , That some men are good , and That some men are not good ; so it is true , That some good Works may be done by some men , and yet it is as true , That they cannot at that time do some other good VVorks ; for it is a good Work to believe in Christ crucified and raised again , and to love him as such ; and yet we do not say , that the Light in every man doth either teach or enable every man at first so to do , for that cannot be done without some special Revelation or Illumination ; but yet that more common and general Illumination , where it is well and duely improved , doth enable men to do some other good things , that prepareth the Souls of men to receive that more special Illumination that cometh from the same Author and Fountain , and so is Introductory to that more special ; for the Law is Introductory to the Gospel ( and yet hath the Gospel hid in it , as in a Seed ) as one Natural Science is introductory to another , as the Science of natural Physick is introductory to the Science of Medicine , and common Arithmetick is introductory to the more abstruse and recondite parts of Mathematical Learning ; for the Operation of the Law inwardly doth so convince the Soul of sin , and doth so discover to the Soul its weakness and shortness in Obedience , notwithstanding of some things that it doth , which are good , after a sort , that it maketh the Soul sick , and so to need the Physition , which is Christ , even crucified and raised again , as the Mystery of him is inwardly revealed and applyed to the Soul by the Spirit . In his 5 th Assertion , he doth also grosly prevaricate , and pervert the state of the Question ; for we do not say , That Christ is so in the Wicked or Unconverted as he is in the Saints , but after a far other manner ; for he is in the Saints by Vnion and Communion with them , and giveth great and glorious Manifestations of his Glory ; whereas in others , he is not in them by any Union or Communion , yet he is so in them , as to operate in them , and to reveal and discover some things in them , that are suitable to their present state , in order to their Conversion : Nor do we say , That Christ is personally in the Saints , as some imagine . And as to his Question , How we shall know Light within from Thought within ? I Answer ; If he mean by Thought within , a good Thought or Thoughts , they are distinguished as the cause and effect ; for the divine Light within is the cause of every good Thought and Desire , as of every good Word and Work ; but all evil Thoughts proceed not from the Light , but from the Darkness ; and the Light within doth as plainly distinguish betwixt good and bad Thoughts , and other Motions , as the outward Light of the Sun helpeth us to distinguish betwixt things white and black , or straight and crooked ; but as blind men cannot judge of Colours , so who are greatly blinded with Prejudice and Unbelief against the Light within , ( as C.M. is ) can but very little distinguish or know good from evil , except in things notoriously gross ; nor was it the true Light in Saul , that approved him in his Persecution , but pricked him in his Conscience , and witnessed against him , if he had hearkned to it ; but as a man in his heat of Passion hearkeneth not to true Reason , but is Deaf to it , though it be in him ; so men being blinded and hardened with sin , doth not give due regard either to true Reason , or the true divine Light , which are both in them notwithstanding ; and yet even those men when they become more cool and calm , may , and do hearken to the dictates of both . And for his other Question , Whether their Magistrates ( viz. the Quakers ) ever had a Light which directed them to punish a filthy VVoman for exposing her self stark Naked before their Eyes in a publick Assembly , to prove her Attainment of that Innocency which is without shame ? I Answ . I remember no such thing that ever I heard tollerated by the Quakers Magistrates ; for we all judge , that any such Practice doth really deserve corporal Punishment ; and I suppose the Passage he mentioneth , was that which happened some time ago , where the Magistrates of that place , ( though no Quakers ) did punish her , as I was informed , with Imprisonment , which the Quakers ( I believe in general ) that heard of it , did judge , was too little , and that she deserved much more . In his 6 th Assertion , he doth not fairly state the Question , and upon his unfair ●●ating it , doth seek to fix upon us Blas●h●mies , and then cryeth out , 〈…〉 such Blasphemies as 〈◊〉 that according to us , The Counsel ( or Decree ) of God , and consequently the very Essence of God , being one therewith , doth depend on the free will of man ; Which is a most gross and wretched Perversion ; for we say , the Decree and Counsel of God , doth extend to all evil Actions of men permissively , but not effectively , i. e. so as not to be the Cause and Determiner of them ; and Gods Decree and Counsel hath no Cause to depend upon , without God himself , as he doth falsly insinuate against us : Nor is Gods Permission , as concerning Evil Actions , as Judas betraying Christ , and the Jews crucifying him , a bare Permission , as if God only did look on , as an idle Spectator , which is most absurd to imagine ; but he most justly , most wisely and most soveraignly bounds and limits all evil Actions of men , that they neither do , nor can do any thing but what is for the glory of God , and the good of his chosen , as it is written , The Wrath of Man shall praise thee , and the remainder of it thou wilt restrain . But C.M. and his brethren are too guilty of Blasphemy , that affirm , That all evil Actions of Men and Devils , come to pass by the Effective Decree of God , that doth infallibly and inevitably determine and move them to the same ; and so say the Ranters , fathering all their wicked Actions upon God. And it is a gross Contradiction in C.M. to himself , to say , That God doth determine all evil Actions by his effective Decree , and yet is not the Author of them ; for to effect a thing , so that it m●st be done , and to be the Author of it , is all one , to all of common sense . In his 7 th Assertion , he proceedeth in the like gross Perversion , and mis-stating of things ; and as to the first part of it , fighteth against his own shadow , and not my Assertion ; for I granted , That God hath chosen all the Heirs of Salvation unto Faith and Holiness , as the means , and unto Eternal Salvation and Glory , as the end , in Christ Jesus , before the Foundation of the World ; and also , I have granted , That all are not elected , nor are any elected who perish finally ; and yet this doth not infer eternal Reprobation , because Elected and Reprobated are not Contradictory Terms , as I have formerly declared ; and yet he hath not proved that they are ; but maketh a noise strongly asserting what he doth not prove . Nor doth it follow that Reprobation is before the Foundation of the World , because Gods Decree and Purpose to destroy all finally Impenitent Sinners , is before the Foundation of the World ; for though Gods Decree be before all Time , yet it doth respect all Reprobates , as it doth consider them in Time , having refused all the tender Offers of Gods Grace and Mercy unto the very last . And as Gods Decree of creating men , doth not infer , that men were created from Eternity , or that mens Creation is co-evous with Gods Decree , so nor doth it follow , that the Reprobation of men finally Impenitent is co-evous with Gods Decree ; for Reprobation is not the Decree of God , as C.M. doth strongly assert , but doth no wise prove . And if some should say , ( as I know some do say ) That Election , though in being before the Foundation of the World in Christ , is not simply or only the Decree of God ( as it is an Immanent Act of God ) but is some-what by way of an Effect , resulting or flowing from Gods Decree , existing in Christ the Head and Mediator of all Gods Elect , before the Foundation of the World : For as C.M. cannot disprove it , as contrary to Scripture , so it is not inconsistent with what divers so●er Protestants have favoured , to wit , That Christ was Mediator from the beginning ; and consequently had somthing to be as a cloathing to his Godhead , altogether necessary to his being Mediator from the beginning , although he was not incarnate , or cloathed with flesh , until the fullness of time , that he took flesh in the Virgins Womb ; and if Christ was Mediator from the beginning , partly invested with his Mediatory Nature , though not with Flesh till the fullness of Time came , it is both very easie and very comfortable to the Saints , to understand , how they were elected in Christ their Head before the Foundation of the World , and that this Election had its being , as the Effect of Gods eternal Love and Counsel , in Christ , the head of his Elect Members . In his 8 th Assertion he is wholly idle and impertinent ; for we own as much as he , That there is in God , the Father , the Son and the Spirit , and that they are One in Being , and Three in relative Attributes and Properties ; and we dislike nothing but the unscriptural invented Names of [ Three Persons ] for which Calvin hath sufficiently excused us , as I have above showed . In his 9 th Assertion he wholly fighteth with his own shadow , and giveth up the Cause , acknowledging , That the Price paid by our Lord in his Death , was indeed sufficient for all Mankind , and that the benefit of it is tendered and proffered unto all Indefinitely , if they will believe ; but he should have told us how the benefit of it is tendered unto all , seeing many Millions of men never had it outwardly preached to them , nor ever had any outward Testimony of it by men ; and if he would stand to this , the Controversie in this Particular would be at an end . But for his Inferences and Consequences , which he would fix upon us , most perversly , we utterly deny them to flow justly from our innocent Faith , according to Scripture , which is , That Christ dyed for all men , &c. As that , First , The Virtue and Success of our Lords Death depends upon the Free VVill of Man : 2dly , That man in the principal in his own Salvation : 3dly , That the Number of Persons interested in our Lords Death , is not certain ( for we say , none have a true and real Interest in Christ , or in his Death , but sincere Believers ) 4thly , That Simon Peter was no more beholden to the Merit of our Lord , than Simon Magus , or any that perish ( Though it will be hard for C.M. to prove , that Simon Magus was a Reprobate ) And 5thly , That God in sending his blessed Son to dye , had as full a purpose to save them that Perish , as them that shall be saved : These , and the like absurd and Illogical or unreasonable Consequences we altogether deny , they being only C. M's Perversion . In his 10 th Assertion he doth as grosly pervert the state of the Question , as in any of the former ; for we deny not , but affirm , That our Justification is by the Righteousness or Obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ imputed unto us ; but we also say , It is imputed to none but such who have Faith , Repentance and sincere Obedience ; and that is true inward Righteousness , wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ ; and though Faith , and Repentance , and Obedience are not the Foundation of our Justification , yet they are the Terms and Condition of it , as I have sufficiently showed in my former printed Treatises ; nor doth Edward Burrough and VV. Penn , if their words be duely construed , contradict what I have affirmed . But the true state of the Question is , VVhether men are just●●●●d by Christs Righteousness imputed to them , without any inward Righteousness , as the requisite Condition and Terms , in order to that imputation ? And whether David , lying in his sins of Adultery & Murder , remained Justified ? Which we deny . In his 11 th Assertion , although he states the Question in the Title , so as we can own it , to wit , That a sinless Perfection is not attainable in this VVorld , as their Principle , but not ours ; yet he miserably wresteth , perverteth , and mis-applyeth , and jumbleth things in the Explication ; for that Scripture in Philip ▪ cap. 3 v. 12. doth nothing contradict our Assertion , who affirm no such degree of Perfection as wherein a man may sit down and make no furder progress , which Paul 〈◊〉 not to do , but still to go on more and more to Perfection : And for that place in Rom. 7.19 . &c. it is not to be understood of the best Condition of the Saints , when they are farthest advanced , but of their struggling Time and State , before they obtain the Victory and Freedom , which Paul doth acknowledge in the same Epistle . And for any of the Quakers saying , They have no sin in them , I know not any that is generally owned and approved by us , that have said so ; it is common to Ranters , and such as Tho. Cases Crew that say so , but for the honest and sober People called Quakers , they do not boast of their Perfection , but had rather by their innocent Walk and Conversation , demonstrate their growth and progress in Sanctification , than by a Talking of it . CHAP. V. IN his 12 th Assertion he doth not fairly state the Question , especially in the Explanation of it ; for he should have distinguished betwixt the state of Servants and Sons of the Free Woman , and so betwixt Saints by way of Inchoation or Initiation , and Saints by way of Confirmation , as betwixt Corn in the Bud or Blade , or green Ear , when it is in danger of blasting , and ripe Corn that is past all danger of blasting ; for as to this latter , I did grant in my former printed Treatises , in unity with my faithful Brethren , that there is a confirmed state in Faith and Sanctification , wherein the Saints persevere to the end of all Tryals , and from which they cannot fall away ; and the Faith of such is more precious than Gold that perisheth , & endureth all Tryals and Tentations , even as true Gold endureth the Fire , and looseth nothing in it ; but all have not attained to this State , which is indeed the only proper state of Salvation , that is as the Harbour or Port of Safety to the tossed Marriner ; and till the Soul arrive to this state , it is but as a Ship exposed to the Waves of the Tempestuous Sea : Also , I readily grant , that none of Gods elect can finally fall away ; for his 〈◊〉 is over them , so to preserve them , as that they do not fall , or if they do fall , as in the case of David , to restore and renew them again by Repentance . And C M. and his Brethren have granted , in that Book call'd their Antidote , or The Principles of the Protestant Religion , 〈◊〉 That the temporary Faith that may be lost , is not false ; and if not false , then true after a sort ; although I grant , it is not that Faith of Gods Elect that 's more precious than Gold , that endureth all fiery Tryals , yet is of a saving tendency , and such who have it , it they did well and duely improve it , might in due time arrive to that Confirmation in Faith and Holiness , that cannot be totally & finally lost : But whether the Faith that may be lost , and the Faith that cannot be lost , differ in Kind or Specie , or only in Degree , it being too Nice , and rather Philosophical , and too Logical , I did not ( as I said in my former printed Book ) see cause to enquire , seeing it is a very great dispute , among Schollars , what maketh a Distinction of things , in Kind or Specie , some affirming , That the Mettles and Elements differ not in Specie , others contradicting , and saying they do . In his 13 th Assertion , concerning Infant Baptism , or rather Rantism or Sprinkling , and in his 14 th Assertion concerning the Supper , he bringeth no new matter , but what I have sufficiently answered in my former Books , and therefore shall say no more here as to them . But that he chargeth it upon us , as if we did not believe Christs coming again and appearance without us , in his glorified Body to judge the quick and the dead , is that he cannot prove any of us guilty , that is generally own'd and received to be of our Faith , only we have denyed the gross and ca●nal Imaginations that some have vented , as concerning Christs ●●dy , c●lling it Natural and Earthly , which we believe is spiritual and heavenly ; and if any call it spiritual and heavenly glorified Flesh , as well as Body , we shall not contend against them ; for we do acknowledge , it is the same in Being and Essence that it was on Earth , but wonderfully changed in Manner and Condition ; see our printed Sheet called ; The Christian Faith , &c. In his 15 th Assertion he doth most grosly prevaricate abusing and ●e●verting our words , as because we own an inward quickening , and 〈◊〉 ●aised with Christ , in our Souls and inward Man , that therefore we deny any future Resurrection of the Body a●ter Death , which we deny no● , but affirm , against Ranters and vain Norionists ; and we believe , T●●t the Resurrection of the Body is not attained immediately after Death , ( altho' the Souls of the faithful immediately after Death go into Heaven , or Paradise ) but at Christs coming and Appearance to judge the quick and the dead ; and the same Body that dyeth is raised ▪ in 〈◊〉 true sense , being freed and refined from all Dross of Corruption , ( even as Gold is the same when it lieth in the course Oar or Miniral , and when it is refined ) but wonderfully changed in Manner and Condition . In his essaying to prove his 16 th Assertion , he showeth himself extreamly weak , as if because God commanded the Jews to keep the Seventh Day for a Sabbath , from the beginning of the World , in the fourth Commandment , therefore he commandeth the Christians in the same fourth Commandment to keep the first Day . But I need say no more on this Head , but refer him to his much esteemed Calvin , for his Refutation , who in that doth fully agree with us , as generally do all the Protestants in France , and the Low Countries , and many in England and Scotland . In his 17 th Assertion he is as weak and abusive as in any of the former , That he & his Brethren cannot own true Piety to be essential to a true Minister of Christ , to make a necessary Provision for the everlasting Peace of renewed Souls , which cannot be saved without their Assertion , viz. That true Piety is not essential to a true Minister , for this would make their Conversion or Peace wholly depend upon Grace in the heart of a Minister . But this is a most gross Abuse and Pervertion , and a most silly trick or cheat , to palliate or excuse their absurd Doctrine , which a Child may discover ; for the Contradictory Assertion , viz. That true Piety is essential to a true Minister of Christ , doth not make , that the Conversion of the Souls dependeth on Grace in the Minister , because many Thousands of Souls have been and are daily converted without any Minister , good or bad , by reading or hearing the holy Scriptures , the holy Spirit aiding and concurring therein , and this is generally confessed by all Protestants . And if some think they were converted by means of some Ministers that were afterwards sound to be Hypocrites , all that this can prove , is , not that they are not converted , but that they are in some mistake about the man whom they thought was the Instrument of it , and was not . And for my saying , It is no wonder that New-England abounds with such Impious Ministers ; I did argue ad hominem , according to your Principle ; for , to say , True Piety is not essential to a true Minister of Christ , openeth a door to let in a stood of Impious Ministers upon the People of New-England ; and it is to be feared , this absurd Principle hath too much open'd a Door unto them : And for all your strict pretended Tryal of men , before they enter into the Ministry , do ye try them concerning their Piety ? if nay , then ye open a door to them who may be really Impious , if they have but wit enough to be Hypocrites , and only seemingly Pious , if Yea , this contradicts your Doctrine , who say , ye have no certain way to try whether men be really Pious or not ; for ye reject all pretence to a discerning of Spirits , whereby to know who are really Pious , and who not ; and the Marks given by Paul , whereby to try men , before they be owned to be either Bishops ( i. e. Overseers , or Pastors ) or Deacons , were not out-side Marks of Holyness only , that Hypocrites may have , but to be really sober , just , holy , temperate ( Tit. 1.8 . ) and where these Virtues are , they do as certainly and infallibly discover themselves in words and works , to the spiritual Discerners , as Spices and precious Oyntments or Perfumes , discover their sweet smell and odour to them who have the right use of their natural smelling . And as to his Question , How People may know whether we have an Immediate Call to the Ministry ? To this I Answer ; There must be some spiritual Ability or Gift of Discerning in such , who are able to know such a thing ; for it is only the spiritual Man that is able to judge of spiritual things ; and whomsoever God calleth to the Ministry by his Power and Spirit inwardly revealed ( that is immediate ) his Power and Presence , according to his faithful Promise , doth go along with them , so that some that hear them , though not all , are the Seal of their Ministry , and the Blind are made to see , the Deaf to hear , the Lame to walk , the Dumb to speak , and the Dead to live , to wit , spiritually . And as this was Luther's answer to the Papists , that asked for some Signs to prove his and his Brethrens Call , who did commonly upbraid them , That they never so much as cured a Lame Horse ; so it may suffice for our Answer ; for whether C.M. believe it or not , we have had the Seal of our Ministry , that many by means of our Testimony have had their inward Eyes opened , and have been turned from Darkness to Light , and from the Power of Sathan unto God , and this inward Change hath had its evident Effects of Christian Piety , Sobriety and Justice in their outward Conversation . But such who were blinded and hardned against the Spirit of Truth , did not know Christ nor his Apostles and Ministers , and therefore we cannot expect that such can know us . And this Question of C.M. may be easily retorted upon him , that doth so confidently affirm . That there are so many Ministers in New-England , that have and use all true Piety ; let him tell us , how he or they can prove , that they are really Holy , and that their Holyness is not a meer outside Holiness , that Hypocrites may have ? If he ●●y , they may be known by their Fruits , I query again , By what Fruits ? Are these Fruits only outward words and works , that Hypocrites may have ; for there is nothing barely outward but Hypocrites may have ? But if by Fruits , he mean , that which hath some inward Virtue and savour of Life and Grace with them , that do infallibly demonstrate themselves to be the Fruits of the Spirit , to such as have a spiritual savour and discerning ; as this would contradict their Principle , so it maketh for us , to answer his Question . Nor are there sufficient Testimonies of antient Christian Writers wanting , who did agree with us in our Assertion , viz. That Hypocrites and Vnholy Men , who have not the Spirit of Christ , are not true Ministers of Christ , as not only Luther ( whom I cited in my former Book ) who calleth them Sectaries and Seducers , who know to preach much of Christ ; but seeing they feel him not in their Hearts , ( as to be sure , such do not who have no true Piety ) they leave the right ground of the Mystery , cap. 11. Luth. Mensal . But of the Antients backwards , of above 1200 Years ago , I shall cite two short Testimonies for this Assertion held by us , viz. Cyprian , who lived about the middle of the 3d Century , and Athanasius who lived in the 4th Century ; for Cyprian , in his Epistle to Januarius saith , How can he who is unclean himself , and who hath not the holy Spirit , cleanse or sanctifie the Water ( viz. in Baptism ) seeing the Lord saith , Numb . 19. All that the unclean toucheth shall be unclean — And after , What Prayer can a sacriligous Priest , and who is a Sinner , make for the Baptized , seeing it is written , God heareth not a sinner , but he that worshippeth him , and doth his Will , him he heareth ; but who can give what he hath not , or how can he do spiritual things , who hath lost the holy Spirit ? And in his Epistle to Stephen , Bishop of Rome , he with his Collegues , gathered in Council , in Africa , writeth , saying , It behoveth that Priests and Ministers , who serve at the Altar and Sacrifices , be sound and immaculate , seeing the Lord saith in Levit. cap. 21. The man in whom there is any fault , or vice , shall not approach to offer Gifts to God ; and in Exodus , the Priests who approach to God , let them be sanctified , lest the Lord forsake them , Exod. 19. And again , When they come to minist●● at the Altar , let them not bring a blemish , lest they dye . Which wo●●● of Cyprian , and his Collegues are as much against Impious as Heretick Ministers ; and yet Protestants , who judge Popish Priests to be great Hereticks , allow of their Baptism , so far that they do not baptize any that leave Popery , and joyn to them . And Athanassus , in his Interpretation of the Parables , saith Who 〈◊〉 will do the Work of God , who will teach others , or be profitable unto 〈◊〉 is behoveth him to be in the first place Virtuous , and to receive the Gif●● 〈◊〉 Grace from God , and to possess the Fruits of the holy Spirit , and the Treasures of the Knowledge of the good things of God , and then he can impart Gifts to others ; for if any go with his hands to anoint another with Oyl , and have no Oyl , how can he give to others , what himself hath not ; and after the same manner we must judge of a Teacher . As for C. M's great Clamour for Maintenance , to him and his Brethren , for preaching , from 1 Cor. 9.14 . and Gal. 6.6 . Let them first prove that they are true Ministers of the Gospel , and have a divine and spiritual Gift and Ability to preach it , and we should allow to such that Maintenance which the Scripture mentioneth , which to be sure is neither any stinted Sallary , nor forced , which yet many of the Priests of New-England have had , and yet would have , if they knew how , and which C.M. doth plead for . Nor is he less Impertinent in his seeking Shifts and Evasions to excuse their putting to Death our four Friends in New England , one time telling us , There are Laws for i● , against the Quakers , for speaking and writing Blasphemous Opinions , despising of Government , &c. And so had the Jews a Law , as they said , against Christ , and so had the Papists against the Martyrs , that they burned in Queen Mary's time . But what the blasphemous Opinions were , that these were guilty of , who were put to Death at Boston , hath not yet been made appear , nor any other thing worthy of Death or Corporal Punishment . And suppose ( which yet I never heard sufficiently proved ) that some called Quakers said to People in New England , things that were blasphemous , as , Thy Bible is the Word of the Devil , we deny thy God , &c. as C.M. saith , but doth not prove ; must the innocent suffer for the guilty ? if these that were put to death said no such thing , as ye can never prove they did , they were unjustly put to Death , and their Blood yet lieth upon them that either shed it , or doth justifie the shedding of it ; and it were far better to C.M. not to take innocent Blood on him , if he were wise . Another while again , These Laws were but begun to be executed , before the New-Englanders grew sensible of their Error in making them , &c. But then , if it was their Error to make them , why should C.M. use so many Evasions to justifie their executing them . Another while , The Quakers would not have born New-England men to have done the like , &c. But the Quakers have suffered a great deal more disturbance , even in their ●ublick Meetings , and never used any such Violence , even where they 〈◊〉 Power . And his Example of a mans entring into another mans Horse 〈◊〉 Plague upon him , without that others Consent , is altogether im●●●per ; for the wide World , or any wide part of it , as New-England , ●●●ereth far from a mans private Dwelling ; and if this Example had ●ny force in it , it hath the same for the Papists in France and Spain , ●●nishing and putting to Death the Protestants there . But it seems C.M. is not of our Saviours mind , who bid , suffer the Tares and the Wheat to grow together in the Field ( which he expoundeth to be the World ) until the Harvest . And this Example of C.M. is like that which I heard , that a New-England Preacher gave , to move the People to put the Quakers to Death , though they could not prove them guilty of any fact worthy of it , That men use to kill the Wolves they catch , as well these who have done no harm to the Sheep , as others who have done harm , because it is the Nature of Wolves to do harm ; and the way to prevent their Harm is to kill them . And for all C. M's fair Pretensions of Lenity to the Quakers now-a-dayes , yet seeing he calleth us , at least the Speakers among them , grievous Wolves , it showeth his envious Mind , and how he would have us treated , if his Perswasion could prevail ; nor ought we to believe his Protestations to the contrary , seeing he doth so much contradict them , in his so much justifying the putting our Friends to Death . But it is no new thing that the Sheep should be put into Wolves and Bears Skins , as C.M. doth to us , in the Title page of his Book , calling it , Little Flocks guarded against grievous Wolves , but the Title of his Book had been most true and proper , Cotton Mather proving himself a grievous Wolf against the poor innocent Sheep of Christ , called in scorn Quakers ; for his fierce and ravenous Spirit against the Quakers , is more like to a Wolf , than any thing that ever appeared in any of us against him or his Brethren ; and he can never prove , that ever one of us stirred up the Magistrate to Persecution , against any that differed from us , in any part of the World : But we can prove , that his Brethren , the Priests in New-England , did most earnestly stir up the Magistrates in New-England , to persecute our Brethren , and did prevail with them to do it ; and if C.M was too Young , or not born , in those dayes to joyn with his Blood thirsty Brethren , it is well if his Father Increase Mather was not equally guilty with others of them ; and I find not as yet , but that C.M. doth approve their deeds , and so bringeth their sins upon him , as Christ said to the Pharisees , who in the like Hypocritical Spirit , said , If 〈◊〉 had lived in our Fathers dayes , we would not have killed the 〈◊〉 Mat. 23.30 . And seeing , according to C.M. the Quakers that 〈◊〉 put to Death , were Mad , and fitter for Bedlam , than to be put to D●●●● ; on which Concession John Delavall , in his Appendix to my Bo●● , proveth by the Law of England , That these who put them to Death 〈◊〉 Murtherers , and deserved Death for so doing : What saith C.M. to this ? Surely nothing at all . CHAP. VI. HIs Apology for using You to one , and saluting with the Hat , is very weak and silly , viz. Because to say you to a single Person , became a Custom when the Common Wealth of Rome was turned into a Kingdom , first to treat Persons of Quality in the plural Number with You , and so by degrees , it s descended unto all particular men : But if 〈◊〉 be a sufficient Reason to justifie a 〈◊〉 then all the 〈…〉 and vain Inventions of Heathens and Papists may be allowed , but the Scripture saith , The Customs of the People are 〈…〉 10.3 . And that he saith , it s descended into all 〈…〉 i● false ; for as I am informed , it is not used in 〈…〉 other Countries in the World. And for his ●●●ing 〈…〉 some of us saying , Thou writes , Thou 〈…〉 Case of the Second Person to a Verb of the 〈…〉 , It is not so much the Incongruity with a 〈…〉 fault , in using You 〈◊〉 one as the 〈…〉 and the gratifying a proud Spirit , and bowing to 〈…〉 be pleased with Thou , altho' they give it to God in Prayer● 〈…〉 or other that they despise ; also , to say You to 〈…〉 more in company , maketh Confusion in the sence , 〈…〉 uncertain , whether one or more are intended ; but to say , Thou 〈◊〉 , hath no such inconveniency , nor argueth no vain Respect o● Person● . Nor hath he any better Argument for Sal●●ing with the Hat , 〈◊〉 Custom ; but seeing uncovering the Head , as well as bowing the 〈◊〉 , are Religious significations of our Reverence to God in Prayers ; we should not give them to the Creature , for it is very proper that some what of Distinction be made externally betwixt our Reverence to our Maker , and our Re●●●ct to Magistrates , Parents , Kindred or Neighbours : But he con●●●deth with a rare way to deal with us at last , viz. To throw their Caps 〈◊〉 us ; which bespeaketh a very airy and frothy Spirit , very unbecoming a Minister of Christ ; yea , not well becoming any Colledge-Boy of New-England . When the Preachers are thus light and vain , what may be expected , but that in Jeremiah is fulfilled , Jer. 23.32 . They cause thy People to Err by their Lyes , and by their Lightness , &c. And another Instance of his Lightness and Airyness , is , as because one of us said ( as he doth alledge ) in a Catechism , Let none reason about us , for there they can never know us , nor com unto us , that is , in Reason : But nothing but a meer Spirit of Perversion would turn the sence of this , as if the Quakers did renounce all true Reason ; whereas the sence that is obvious to all impartial men , is , Reason falsly so called , or carnal Reason , that is certainty a great Enemy to all true divine and spiritual Knowledge ; for what is the Wisdom of the World that is foolishness with God , as the Scripture declareth , but carnal Reason & Reasonings ? and therefore sa●●● the Scripture , If any will be Wise , let him be a Fool ; and again , 〈◊〉 ●ot to thy own Vnderstanding : And C.M. might as well mock at 〈…〉 saying Cor. 10. 4 , 5. The Weapons of our Warfare are not 〈…〉 Mighty , and to throw down Reasonings ; the Greek word being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is plain , that tho Paul expresseth no distinction betwixt Reasonings and Reasonings , more than that Catechism , yet he doth not mean all Reasoning of all sort , as to exclude or destroy the use of it , even in divine Matters ; for Paul maketh most excellent use of it , in proving Justification by Faith in Christ Jesus , and the Resurrection of the Dead , and other divine things ; also , Christ and the Prophets did make most excellent use of true and right Reason , to wit , 〈◊〉 enlightned by the divine Spirit , and governed thereby , and in due 〈…〉 thereto ; and this use of it the People called Quakers approve , and according to their measure have made , and do make good use of , even in divine matters ; and through Gods Mercy , many can say , their Reason , or reasonable Understanding , as men , is greatly improv'd and perfected , by their acquaintance with that divine Light of Christ in them , and no wise impaired . But if C.M. think , that bare humane Reason alone , without all divine internal Illumination , can enable a man to understand divine Things and Mysteries , he is more a Socinian than Presbyterian or Independent . And the like silly and airy Jest he slingeth at Isaac Pennington , withal grosly perverting his words , pag. 45. as because I.P. would have them stript of all their fleshly knowledge of the Scripture ( which according to Paul , he calleth Knowledge after the Flesh , or to be wise after the Flesh , which 〈◊〉 Death , Rom. 8.6 . That therefore he would have them stript of the Scriptures . All which Perversions , and many more in his Book , with many gross Lyes that C.M. useth , show plainly how weak he is , when he has no better Weapons to defend himself , and render us odious . And whereas he would in the Conclusion , fix it upon G.F. That he thought himself equal with God , and that the Soul of man were God , or a part of him : But seeing he bringeth not this from G.F. but from Faldo , a most partial and envious Adversary , it is not to be regarded ; and VV. Penn hath sufficiently vindicated G.F. and also G.F. hath cleared it in his Book , That he did witness both the Son and the holy Spirit revealed in him , who ( as he taketh notice by the Westminster Confessions acknowledgment ) are equal to God the Father . And what G.F. speaketh of the Soul , its being a part ( but more properly a measure of the Spirit ) of God ; he doth not understand it of the Soul of many that is essential to man , but of the divine Soul or Spirit in man , or to speak with the Scripture , the Soul of God , as it is written , If 〈…〉 back ●●ith God , my Soul shall have no pleasure in him . And again , Shall not my Soul be avenged ? &c. and though part or portion , with respect to God , be not so proper , yet by a tollerable Catachresis , even in Scripture , it is used , Job 26.14 . How little a portion is heard of him ? But to speak properly , God has no parts or portions , as he hath no Bodily Members , which yet by a figure in Scripture , are assigned to him , in condescention to our low Capacity . But for his saying , That Souls that can digest Quakerism , serve but as the Salt of the Flesh they live in ; showeth sufficiently , he has no Salt in him to savour with the things of God. Indeed if Quakerism were such a thing as he doth represent it to be , and would fain have People believe it to be , or that the 20th part that he saith of it , were true , it were most abominable , and such who hold it would be most unworthy , and not fit to be esteemed Men , for less Christians ; but blessed be God , our Religion is not that which he would make it to be , nor are we such as he describeth ; and it is a great Questions to me if he do●h really think these things , that he saith of us , to be true , either in general or in great part ; and if he doth not think so , the greater is his sin . The other things , in the last two or three Pages of his Book , are so notoriously false , as that The main design of Quakerism is to advance and exalt Man , and that they do in effect every one make himself a Christ , and such like Lying stuff , I shall not need to Refute , seeing every one that hath the least knowledge of us , knoweth them to be scandalous ●yes : And for the advancing man into Pride or vain Glory , it is so far from being any design of our Religion , that it more than any tendeth to humble the Creature ; for man can never be truly humbled , until he see himself in the Light of God shining in his heart , and that will greatly humble him , as it did Job and Isaiah , and all the holy men of God were humbled , and kept humble , by bowing down and subjecting th●●r Minds and Thoughts , with all their Desires and Affections , to that divine Spirit , Light and Life of Christ in them , that bringeth men to the true Denyal of Self , and to cease from all Self-Actings , Willings and Runnings , that only proceed from their meer Natural Pa●ts and Abilities , whether in Prayer or any other Religious Performance ; and however such Prayers and Devotions , that are performed without the Spirit of God , may please mans carnal Mind , and give 〈◊〉 false and carnal ease and peace , and exalt Self in Man , yet they can ne●●●●● profit them , who use them , nor please God ; for God who is a Spi●●● , will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth . And whereas in his 8th page he accuseth the Quakers for their horribly Prayer-less Lives , withal asking , how many Prayer-less Houses and Prayer-less Tables are to be found among the best of them ? I Answ . In that he is very uncharitable , as that the best of us had neither Prayer in our Houses nor at our Tables , which is false ; for not only the most grown up in the Truth , but even the least Babes in the Truth , are not without frequent Prayer both in their Houses and at their Tables , altho' not so very frequent vocally , yet sometimes vocally , as God is pleased to give an utterance , and at other times only with our Hearts , which God accepts ; for vocal and external words of Prayer , are not so essential to Prayer , but that true Prayer may be , and is most frequently without it ; yea , Samuell Rutherford , a great Presbyterian , saith in his Epistles , Words are but the Accidents of Prayer ; yet Prayer with Words , uttered with the Mouth , as God is pleased to enable us , we gladly own , both in our Assemblies and Families ; and if any be wanting , in their Families in Prayer , or any other part of Devotion , it is their own fault , for which they must answer , and ought not to be charged upon the innocent ; And we believe Gods holy Spirit will be wanting to none , duely to move them , and that most frequently to Prayer , who watch thereunto , both with words or without them ; And if they watch not unto Prayer , their Neglect of watching , and likewise of Prayer is their sin , and chargeable upon them , and they will bear their burden for it ▪ But that any faithful man , owned by us hath said ( as C.M. alledgeth ▪ not from any Quaker , but from a partial Adversary ) That in many Years they have not had a motion to Prayer ; we do not believe ; if any feel not their hearts moved to Prayer , and that most frequently , it is their own fault and sin ; for indeed every faithful Soul his Life is a Life 〈◊〉 Prayer , and he prayeth in his heart as frequently as he breatheth in the air ; for true inward Prayer , rightly understood , is the ●●●●inual Motion of the heart towards God , The Spirit helping our 〈◊〉 , with Groans that cannot be uttered ; for even Paul said , We know not what to pray for , as we ought , Rom. 8.26 . And also , he hath solemn Times and that frequently , for solemn Prayer , and Meditation , and Thanksgiving ; but the most sincere Christians do not always make the greate●● show or outward appearance to pray , as the Pharise● did of 〈◊〉 : And I might easily retort this Question , How many 〈…〉 and Independents have either Prayer les● Houses and 〈…〉 very formal and Hypocritical , and are wholly Strangers in the 〈…〉 , Life and Mystery of Prayer ? Though we have Charity 〈◊〉 some of all sorts ; and as we judge neglect of Prayer a great 〈◊〉 , so we judge 〈◊〉 Formality and Hypocrisie to be no less ; both which Extreams are to be avoided . Some Collections of Passages out of Jer. Taylors Book , 〈◊〉 The History of the Life and Death of the holy JESUS , Part 1. Sect. 9. of Baptism , N. 29. JVst as we use to deny the Effect to the Instrumental Cause , and attribute it to the Principal , in the manner of speaking — So we say , it is not the good Lute , but the skillfull hand that makes the Musick ; it is not the Body , but the Soul that is the Man , and yet he is not the Man without both . [ Note , And so the Quakers commonly say , It is not the Scriptures , but the Spirit that revealeth to us divine Mysteries ; yet by so saying , they deny not that the Scripture is an Instrument of the Spirit , to reveal the Doctrinal Principles peculiar to the Christian Faith , as Christs Birth of a Virgin , his Crucifixion , &c. as much as the Lute is the Instrument of the skillfull hand that makes the Musick . ] Infants Baptism , Part 2. N. 8. No man can conclude , that this Kingdom of Power , that is the Spirit of Sanctification , is not come upon Infants , because there is no sign nor Expression of it ; it is within us , therefore it hath no signification ; it is the Seed of God : And it is no good Argument to say , here is no Seed in the Bowels of the Earth , because there is nothing green upon the face of it . And N. 19. For as the reasonable Soul and all its Faculties , are in Children , Will and Vnderstanding , Passions , and Powers of Attraction , and Propulsion , yet the Faculties do not operate or come abroad till Time and Art , Observation and Experience have drawn them forth into Action ; so may the Spirit of Grace , the Principle of Christian Life be infused , till in its own day it is drawn forth ; for in every Christian there are three parts 〈◊〉 to his integral Constitution , Body , and Soul , and Spirit ; and all these have their proper Activities and Times , but every one in his 〈◊〉 Order ; first , that which is Natural , then that which is 〈…〉 what Aristotle said ▪ A Man first lives the Life of a Pla●● , then of 〈◊〉 and lastly of a Man , is true in this sence ; and the 〈◊〉 spiritual the Principle to , the longer it is before it operates , because ●●re things concur to spiritual 〈◊〉 , than to Natural ; and these are 〈◊〉 , and therefore first , the other are perfect , and therefore last . 〈…〉 who is he that so 〈◊〉 understands the Philosophy of this third Principle of a Christians Life , the Spirit , as to know how or when it is infused , 〈◊〉 how it operates in all its Periods , and what it is in its Being and proper 〈◊〉 and whether it be like the Soul , or like the Faculty , or like a 〈…〉 to what Purposes God in all varieties doth dispense it ; tha● which is 〈◊〉 is , that the Spirit is the Principle of a new Life or a new Birth — 〈…〉 the Seed of God , and may lie long in the Furrows , before it springs up ; that from the Faculty to the Act , the passage is not always suddain and quick — And a little after , Now what was lost by Adam , is 〈◊〉 by Christ , the same Righteousness , only it is not 〈◊〉 , but super-induc●● nor Integral , but interrupted , but such as it is , there is no difference , 〈◊〉 that the same , or the like Principle , may be derived to us from Christ , as there should have been from Adam , that in a Principle of Obedience , a Regularity of Faculties , a Beauty in the Soul , and a state of Acceptation with God. And we see also , in men of Vnderstanding 〈◊〉 Reason , the Spirit of God dwells in them , w●ich Tatianus describing , 〈◊〉 these words , The Soul is possessed with the sparks of the Power of the Spirit ; and yet sometimes it is ineffective and unactive , sometimes more , sometimes less , and does no more do its work at all times , than the Soul does at all times understand . Add to this , that if there be in Infants naturally an evil Principle , a Proclivity to sin , an Ignorance and Pravity of Mind , a Disorder of Affections ( as Experience teacheth us there is , and the perpetual Doctrine of the Church , and the universal Mischiefs issuing from Mankind , and the sin of every man does witness too much ) why cannot Infants have a good Principle in them , though it works not till its own season , as well as an evil Principle ? If there were not by Nature some evil Principle , it is not possible that all the World should chuse sin : In free Agents it was never heard , that all Individuals loved & chose the same thing , to which they were not naturally inclined ; neither do all men chuse to Marry , neither do all chuse to abstain ; and in this Instance , there is a natural Inclination to one part ; but of all the men and women in the World , there is no one that hath never sinned ; If we say , we have no sin , we deceive our selves , and the Truth is not in us , said an Apostle ▪ If therefore Nature hath in Infants an evil Principle , which operates when the 〈…〉 out is all the while within the Soul , eith●● Infants have by Grace 〈…〉 into them , or else sin abounds where Grace does not 〈…〉 against the Doctrine of the Apostle . [ No●● All this doth most manifestly agree to what I have said both concerning the Seed of Sin , and the Seed of Gods Grace being in all men , in my printed Book , 〈◊〉 The Presbyterian and Independent Visible ●●●rches brought to the 〈◊〉 pag. 90 , 91 , 92. Concerning certainty of Salvation , pag. 3. sect . 13. n. 9. The sum 〈◊〉 this , All that are in the state of Beginners and Imperfection , hav● 〈◊〉 ●●●tinual Certainty , changeable and fallible , in respect of us ( for we 〈◊〉 not with what is in Gods secret Purposes ) changeable , I say , as their Will and Resolutions : They that are grown towards Perfection have more reason to be confident , and many times are so ; but still , although the strength of the habits of Grace , adds degrees of moral Certainty to their Expectation , yet it is but as their Condition is , hopeful and promising , and of a moral Determination . But to those few , to whom God hath given Confirmation in Grace , he hath also given a Certainty of Condition ; and therefore , if that be revealed to them , their Condition is in self certain , but their Perswasion is not so , but in the highest kind of Hope , an Anchor of the Soul , sure and stedfast . [ Note , This doth manifestly agree to what I have said on that subject in my foresaid Book , pag. 136. ] Concerning Faith , Part 2. Sect. 10. N. 4. For the Faith of a Christian hath more in it of the Will than of the Vnderstanding : Faith is that great Mark of Distinction which seperates and gives Formality to the Covenant of the Gospel , which is a Law of Faith : The Faith o● a Christian is his Religion , that is , it is that whole Conformity to the Institution or Discipline of Jesus Christ , which distinguishes him from the Believers of false Religions . And N. 6. It ( viz. Faith ) is of the same Condition and Constitution with other Graces , all which equally relate to Christ , and are as firm Instruments of Vnion , and are washed by the Blood of Christ , and are sanctified by his Death , and apprehend him in their Capacity and Degrees , some higher , and some not so high ; but Hope and Charity apprehend Christ in a measure and proportion , greater than Faith , when it distinguishes from them : So that if Faith does the Work of Justification , as it is a meer Relation to Christ , then so also does Hope and Charity , or if these are Duties and good Works , so also is Faith ; and they all being alike commanded , in order to the same end , and encouraged by the same Reward , are also accepted upon the same Stock , which is , that they are Acts of Obedience , and Relation too , they obey Christ , and lay hold upon Christs Merits , and are but several Instances of the great Duty of a Christian , but the Actions of several Faculties of the New Creature . But because Faith is the beginning Grace , and hath Influence and Causalty in the production of the other , therefore 〈◊〉 others , as they are united in Duty , are also united in their Title and Appellative , they are all called by the Name of Faith , because they are parts of Faith , as Faith is taken in the largest sence ; and when it is taken in the strictest and distinguishing sence , they are Effects and proper Products by way of Emanation . — N. 8. So that Faith and Charity , in the sence of a Christian , are but one Duty , as the Vnderstanding and the Will are but one reasonable Soul , only they produce several Actions , in order to one another , which are but divers Operations , and the same Spirit . [ Note , This doth manifestly agree to what I have said in my foresaid Book , pag. 129 , 130 , 131. ] Dr. Cave concerning Justification , in the Life of Paul , Sect. 9. N. 15. Works of Evangelical Obedience , are not opposed to Faith in Justification in that Faith , as including the New Nature , and the keeping Gods C●●mandments , is made the usual Condition of Justification ; nor 〈…〉 otherwise , when other Graces and Virtues of the Christian Life are made the Terms of Pardon and Acceptance with Heaven , and of our Title to the Merits of Christs Death , and the great Promise of Eternal Life ; citing Acts 2.38 . cap. 3.17 . Mark 11. 25 , 26. 1 John 1.7 . [ Note , And so doth this well agree to the Contents aforesaid . ] Joseph Glanvel , Fellow of the Royal Society , in his Treatise of Witchcraft , Part 1. § 13. pag. 49. saith , Gods more near and immediate imparting himself to the Soul that is prepared for that Happiness by divine Love , Humility and Resignation , in the way of a vital Touch and Sence , is a thing possible in it self , and will be a great part of our Heaven . That Glory is begun in Grace , and God is pleased to give some excellent Souls the happy Antepast . That holy men in antient Times have sought and gloried in this enjoyment , & never complain so sorely as when it was with-held & interrupted . That the Expressions of Scripture run infinitely this way , and the best of Modern good men , do from their own Experience attest it . That this spiritualizeth Religion , and renders its enjoyments more comfortable and delicious . That it keeps the Soul under a vivid sense of God , and is a grand security against Temptation . That it holds it steady amid the flatteries of a prosperous state , and gives it the most grounded Anchorage and support amid the Waves of an adverse Condition . That 't is the Noblest Encouragement to Virtue , and the biggest assurance of an happy Immortality . I say , I considered these weighty things , and wondered at the carelesness and prejudice of Thoughts that occasion'd 〈◊〉 suspecting the reality of so glorious a Priviledge ; I saw how little reason there is in denying matters of inward sense , because our selves do not feel them , or cannot form an apprehension of them in our Minds . I am convinced , that things of Gust and Relish must be judg'd by the sentient and vital Faculties , and not by the poetical Exercises of speculative Understandings : And upon the whole , I believe infinitely , that the divine Spirit affords its sensible Presence , and immediate beatifick Touch to some rare Souls , who are divested of carnal Self , and mundane Pleasures , abstracted from the Body by Prayer and holy Meditation ; spiritual in their Desires , and calm in their Affections , devout Lovers of God , and Virtue , and tenderly affectionate to all the World ; ●●ncere in their Aims , and circumspect in their Actions ; inlarged in 〈◊〉 Souls , and 〈◊〉 in their Minds : These , I think , are the Dispositions that are requisite to fit us for divine Communion ; and God transacts not in this 〈◊〉 way , but with prepared Spirits , who are thus disposed for the manifestation of his Presence , and his Influence : And such , I believe , he never fails to bless with these happy fore-tastes of Glory . John Norris , M.A. and late Fellow of All Souls Colledge in Oxford , in his Treatise , Reflections upon the Conduct of Humane Life , Reflect . 2. N. 9. pag. 69. saith , The Right and only Method of Inquiry after that Truth which is Perfective of the Understanding , is to consult the divine Logos , or Ideal World ; for this is the Region of Truth , and here are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge : This is that great & universal Oracle lodged in every mans Breast , whereof the Antient Vrim and Thummim was an expressive Type or Emblem . This is † Reason , this is Conscience , this is Truth , this is that Light within so darkly talk't of by some , who have , by their aukward , untoward and unprincipled way of representing it , discredited one of the Noblest Theorys in the World : [ Note , If perhaps some have been short in that thing , yet it hath been well demonstrated by many or most of that People here by him reprehended . ] But the thing in it self , rightly understood , is true ; and if any shall call it Quakerism or Enthusiasm , I shall only make this Reply at present , That 't is such Quakerism as makes a good part of St John's Gospel , and of St Austin's Works . But to return ; This , I say , is that divine Oracle which we all may , and must consult , if we would inrich our Minds with Truth , that Truth which is Perfective of the Understanding : And this is the true Method of being truly wise ; and this is no other Method than what is advised us by this divine Logos , the substantial Wisdom of God ; Blessed is the man that heareth me , watching daily at my Gates , waiting at the Posts of my Doors , Prov. 8.34 . And again , says the same substantial Wisdom , Whoso is simple , let him turn in 〈◊〉 . And again , I am the Light of the World , he that follows me ( or as the word more properly signifies , he that consorts , or keeps company with me ) 〈…〉 in Darkness : This therefore is via Intelligentiae , the way and 〈…〉 of true Knowledge , to apply our selves to the divine 〈…〉 felt the Ideal World. [ † i. e. not Humane , but Divine 〈…〉 THE END .