Quakerism the Path-Way to Paganism

CHAP. XIV. Of Perfection, and a Possibility of not sinning.

1. WE heard, toward the end of the preceeding Chapter, how he pleaded for the Perfection of the Saints, and of the work of grace in them. Here in his S. Thesis, and its explication, he giveth us his mind more fully. In his Thesis he saith, That this holy and immaculate birth, when it is fully produced in any, the body of sin and death is crucified and take • n away, and their hearts become subject unto and united with the truth, so that they obey no suggestions, or temptations of Satan, and are freed from actual sin, and transgressing of the Law; and in that respect they are perfect. But yet this perfection admitteth of an increase; and there remaineth always, in some respect, a possibility of sinning, if the mind doth not diligently and vigilantly attend unto God. And so high and confident is he, in this mater, that he accounts the answer given to the 149. Question, in our Larger Catechism, Impious, and spoken against the power of divine grace; because it is there said, No man is able, either of himself (I am. 3:2. John. 15:5. Rom. 8:3.) or by any grace received in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God Eccles. 7:20. 1 John. 1:8, 10. Gal. 5▪ 17. Rom. 7:18:19.) but doth daily break them in thought (Gen. 6:5 & 8:11.) word and deed (Rom. 3:9. to 21. I am. 3:3, to 13.) But whatever he thinketh, we are not ashamed of this Answer, nor of what is said Conf. of Faith Ch. 16. § 5. towards the end, That our best works, as they are wrought by us, are defiled, and mixed with so much weakness and imperfection, that they cannot endure the severity of God's judgment, (Esa. 64:6. Gal. 5:17. Rom. 7:15, 18. Psal. 130:3. & 143:2. And ibid. §. 4. They, who in their obedience attain to the greatest hight, which is possible in this life, are so far from being able to supererogate, and to do more, than God requires, as that they fall short in much, which in duty they are bound to do, Luk. 17:10. Neh. 13 22. Job 9:2, 3. Gal. 5:17. Nor yet of what is said Chap. 13. § 2. This Sanctification is throughout in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part (1 John. 1: verse. 10. Rom. 7: verse. 18, 23. Phil. 3: verse. 12.) whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, Gal. 5:17. 1 Pet. 2:11.

2. This Perfection is commonly maintained by them all. Mr Hicks in his 1. Dial. Pag. 50. tells us, that they hold a perfect freedom from all sin, in this life : saying too, Alas for thee! where wouldest thou be perf • ctly free from sin, if not in this lift ? Mr Stalham also in his book against them Pag. 138 &c. manifesteth it by their own words and arguments. And though it may be matter of amazement to some, to hear men speak so, who of all others, one would think, have least cause to preach this doctrine, without a public declaration withal, that they are not the men, who are thus Perfect; and consequently according to their own doctrine are not Christians, upon the account that he shall not ordinarily meet with, in any heretics writings, so much Ignorance, Boldness, Foolish Confidence, Abusing of Scripture, Untruth, Heresy, Blasphemy, Reproaching, Revileing, Calumnies, Scolding, &c. As is everywhere to be found in theirs. Yet, when we consider what blasphemous grounds they lay down, we shall see, that it is a native consequence of their doctrine. For Mr Hicks in his 2. Dialog. showeth us, that Edw. Burroughs calleth Sanctification, Christ himself ; and hence concludeth, that to say Sanctification is imperfect, is as much as to say, Christ is imperfect: But Christ is perfect, therefore Sanctification is perfect. And again. The Law in the mind is the Spirit of God: To say the Law in the mind is imperfect, is error in the highest degree, this is an abominable corrupt principle of error: the new man is perfect Peace, and perfect Sanctification. And Mr Clapham in his book against them Sect. 4. affirmeth out of a book called Saul's errand to Damascus that they maintain themselves to be equal with God; And that Hubberthorn in his book against Sherlock Pag. 30. doth alleige that place Phil. 2:5, 6. to confirm it.

3. It might also seem strange, to hear men asserting their own Perfection, who pretend so much to spiritual inward experiences, and to so much acquaintance with their own hearts; for who, that will not willfully put out their own eyes, may not see, and be assured of the deceitfulness of their heart above all things, & find corruption rising up on all occasions, and setting forward to sin, or hindering from good: But when persons are given up of God to strong delusions, as a punishment of their Pride and Vanity, what high thoughts may they not have of themselvespunc; seeing such a doolful state is attended with more pride, puffing them up, and that blinding their eyes, that they cannot see their spots, nor see what the Law of God requireth; and all this attended with ignorance of God, and of his holy and Spiritual Law and worship? And it may be this man supposeth, with some Papists, that venial faults, as they call them, are not against the Law of God; or that command, which they violat, is not properly a command of the Law.

4. What the truth is, in this matter, is declared above, out of our Confession & Catechism : and the passages of Scripture, which are there cited to confirm the truth, may be there seen and considered: But before I speak anything more for clearing of the Truth, in this particular, I would have the Reader take notice of one thing: To wit, That it cannot but be a stupenduous and astonishing thing, and a manifest demonstration of the dreadful power of delusion, when the Lord giveth up any unto that Spirit, to hear men, who pretend to Reason, and to Religion, and have not yet openly renunced all Faith of a God, and all natural and human Reason, talk at this rate, upon such grounds; and assert, with such boldness and confidence, a Perfection of Degrees, or a possibility of not sinning, attainable, upon the principles and grounds, which they lay down: what these are, we have, on several occasions, hinted, & now shall do it yet once more: The first rise and beginning of all their Religion and Perfection, is a Light within every man, which serveth both for an Internal light, & for an Objective Light; so that it is, in their account, both Grace & the Bible, & serveth instead of both: To this they give big names, & no less name give they to it, then Christ, or the seed of Christ, and they call it saving, yea and sufficient to salvation ; hence is it, that they always press people, to look and hearken to the Light within, as if they needed no other Teacher, nor Bible; This is the theam and subject of their preaching. Now this Light, that is within every man, can be no safe, saving nor sufficient light, it hath no affinity with the grace of Illumination, being nothing but that natural Light of a Natural Conscience, which is truly natural, being planted in man, in his very creation, and abiding yet after the fall, in some measure, in all men; and flowing from the principles of nature, giving testimony of and assent to, in a greater or lesser measure, according as it is more or less freed from prejudices, prevailing wickednesses, corrupt education, and the like) maxims or principles of moral duties, according to the Law of nature. What natural Aptitude or rather how great an Ineptitude is and must be▪ in this natural light, now through the fall so much weakened, to understand and discover the saving truths of the Gospel, which are not written in the book of nature, but are a mystery revealed by degrees, according to the good pleasure of God, who may not see? Especially considering, how since the fall, the mind and all the powers of the soul, and whole man, are stated enemies to God and his grace, and will not submit to, nor believe, his very Revelations, so often inculcated; nor indeed can they understand them, or submit unto them, until the mighty power of God be exerted, in working a change, in mind, will and affections: And yet, though these things be certain, attested both by the Word and by Experience, in all ages; behold, this generation of Quakers will cry up this Light as saving, and sufficient, though it never came from the grace of God, in a Mediator, nor was never promised in the Covenant of grace; but is, as the soil it groweth in, Flesh, Blindness, Enmity to God, Natural and Sensual, savouring nothing but the things of the Flesh and of Nature. This is the first ground stone of their building. The next is this, When the motions dictates and workings of this Light are yielded unto, then doth that same Light become a new birth, Christ formed within, and what not? And thus the man, is a Regenerated man, a New creature, Partaker of the divine nature, Spiritual, Sanctified and Justified, Effectually called, Adopted, and what not? Though not one ray of divine Illumination hath shined into his soul, nor one act of grace hath reatched either his Intellect; Will or Affections, to cause this change: Nay, though he hath had no touch of assistance from the Spirit of God, to draw or move him hereunto: Nay more, though he hath never heard, whether there was a Christ and a Spirit, or not; and whether there was a Covenant of Grace, or not; or what are the terms thereof; and thus the man is borne again, not of watter, not of the word, nor yet of the Spirit; but of this Light, and of his own will; that is, of the Will of the Flesh, of the Will of Man, and not of God. Upon these two pillars, do they raise this high toure of Perfection: And now, let the Christian Reader judge, if this can be anything else, tha • a Pagan Perfection: Or if this Perfection of theirs have any the least affinity with the smallest measure of true Christianity.

5. Though this might be enough to satisfy all true Christians, concerning the Wickedness and Unreasonableness of this Assertion of theirs, upon their grounds and principles yet, that we may give some light in this matter, and help others to answer their cavils, and to discover their cheatrie; We shall propose a few things to consideration. As first. The Hebrew word, which is sometimes rendered Perfect, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth an Honest, Plain, and Simple Disposition, without guile or wickedness; and therefore is sometimes rendered simplicity or integrity, as Gen. 20:5, 6. 2 Sam. 15:11. 1 King. 22:34. see the magine; answereable to what is imported by the greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and in this sense, we find the word frequently taken, as denoting Uprightness, Sincerity, Singleness, as Gen. 6:9. & 17:1. Deut 18: verse: 13. Job. 9:22:2. Sam. 22:33. Psal. 18▪ 32, & 64:4.119:1. And so it donoteth a truly godlyman, who is no hypocrite, nor dissembler; but is serving God in sincerity, truth and uprightness of heart; and this same is imported by that expression of a Perfect heart Psal. 101:2. So the other hebrew word usually joined with heart 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as we see 1 King. 8:61 & 15:15 2 Chron. 15:17. 2 King. 20. 3: Esa. 36:3:1 Chron. 12:38. & 2 • :9. & 29.9, 19. 2 Chron. 16:9. & 19:9. and rendered by us a perfect heart, hath the same import; for it properly signifieth Peace, Prosperity, Saifty, & Integrity ; so that this, perfect heart, is an heart satisfied, quiet and at peace with itself, in doing this, or that; So the greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is observed to have the same import with the hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and to donote an Upright, Sincere, not Dissembling person; for it is used by the 70. Deut. 18:13. and it oft signifieth, one come to age, or no more a child, but come to just maturity. Heb. 5:14. And it may denote also one Devoted, Initiated in holy things, and consecrated, as the verb it cometh from, signifieth to consecrate as Heb. 2:10. & 10:14. & 11:40. and to be Immolated, or Offered up in sacrifice Luk. 13:32. see Exod. 29:33, 35. as translated by the 70. and D. Own on Heb. 2:10: And Pareus in Rom. 3. tells us, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth most frequently signify Sincerity.

6. But leaving these things, let us in the next place consider, how and in what respects, Believers may be called perfect, or perfection may be ascribed unto them. And (1.) They may be called Perfect, as being Initia • ed in the holy things of God, as devoted to his service, and Consecrate to him, and Sanctified by the holy Spirit: And why it may not be so taken frequently in Paul's Epistles, I see not, saith D. Owen de ortu &c verae Theology Pag. 8. See also Heb. 10:14. and Calv. on the place. (2.) They may be called Perfect, as being Tru • lie, and Really what they profess themselves to be, that is, Christians, and not Dissemblers, Hypocrites, and Made persons. So the word is used 1 John. 2:5. But who so keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected, that is, in him is the love of God truly, and really, and not feignedly, or by mere profession. See Beza on the place: As also 1 John. 4:12. where the word hath the same import: And the ground is clear, because, obedience to God's command must flow from love, and love to God and our neighbors, is the sum of all the commands: Hence love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13:10. So James 3:2. the same is a perfect man, who showeth, by bridling his tongue, that he offends not in word, that he is a real Christian: For the Apostle is here, in the first verse, meaning men, like our Quakers, of a supercilious spirit, masterly, quarreling with, and superciliously inveighing against all, though it be a certain truth that we offend all in many things: And therefore he saith to such, that if they would show themselves good and excellent Christians, who are so ready, to be masters in their reprehensions of others, they would first bridle their own tongues. I wish Quakers would learn this. See Calv. on the place. (3.) They may be called Perfect, in regard of the Uprightness, Sincerity, Honesty, godly Simplicity, and Singleness, that is in their way: thus the word frequently signifieth, as we saw above, and is rendered b • the Dutch, and in the margin of our Bibles, Vpright, Gen. 6:9. & 17:1 Deut. 18:13. Job 2:3. and in several places it is rendered so in the text, Ps. 18:23, 25. 2 Sam. 22: verse. 24, 26. Job 1: verse. 1:8. & 12:4. Psal. 19: v. 13. & 37:18, 37, and elsewhere. Hence oft, Perfect and upright, are joined together as Job 1:1, 8. & 2:2. (4) They may be and are called Perfect, in regaird of Perfection of Parts, as being complete, and wanting nothing of the integral parts of Christianity; thus a child may be called a perfect man, as having all the Essential and Integral parts of a man, though but in their infant and tender growth. The saints are thus perfect, as having the Spirit, and thereby the seeds and beginnings of all grace. In regeneration, the whole man is changed; so that he is new borne, a new creature, sanctified wholly, in Mind, Heart, Spirit, Affections, Conscience, Memory and Body, though but in a small degree and measure. See 1 Thes. 5:23. (5.) They may be called Perfect, because Respecting all the commands of God, Ps. 119:6. and yielding impartial obedience, through the grace of God, unto all God's precepts, waving none. (6.) In that their good works have all the Essential Parts requisite, as proceeding from a right principle, done for a right end, &c. though not in the degree called for by the Law. (7.) They may be called Perfect, in regard, that the state, whereinto they are, is a state, that certainly tendeth to perfection; they are advancing thereunto, and shall certainly reach that top of perfection in end, which they look for, and strive to attain, Ephes. 4:13. Phil, 3:15. For as the several lusts of the body of death are more & more weakened and mortified daily; so they are more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, Rom. 6:6, 14. Gal. 5:14. Rom. 8:13. Ephes. 3:16, 17, 18, 19. And so are perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7:1. and advanceing Phil. 3:12, 13, 14. (8.) They may be called Perfect Comparatively, in respect of others, who are yet lying in nature: And they may be so called, in comparison of what sometimes they were themselves, while Blind, Ignorant, Dead and Lifeless, lying in the state of nature, which is indeed a fearful state of imperfection, misery and woe. (9.) So in respect of young believers, weak in knowledge, and babes in Christ, Others, who are further avanced, may be, and are called Perfect, as having attained an higher degree, and measure of growth in grace. Thus Beza thinketh the word is taken, Phil. 3:15. 1 Cor. 2:6. And it is clearly so taken, 1 Cor. 14:20. Heb. 5:14. Ephes. 4:13. where each hath his own stature, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, verse. 7. Rom. 12:3, 6. and its meaning and import we may see, 1 Cor. 3:1. where such an one is only called spiritual, & 1 Cor. 13:11. where such is called a man. (10.) Why may they not also be called perfect, in regard of Justification; seeing the Righteousness wherewith they are clothed, & which is imputed unto them; upon the account of which th • y are justified, is a Perfect Righteousness, being the Rghteousness of Jesus Christ; And seeing the sentence pronounced upon them, to wit, of Absolution, in their Justification, shall never be recalled, & they brought again into Condemnation, Rom 8:1. As also seeing the state they are brought into thereby, is an unchangeable state, so that once in a justified state, always in a justified state?

7. But all this will not satisfy our Quakers ; who (with Familists, Antinomians, and Libertines, will have this to be the privilege of all Christians, after their Mode, that they be as Perfect, as Adam was in the state of innocence, free of all sin, and from yielding to Temptation, or Corruption; and this taketh-in much, if not a Perfection of parts and degrees: Now to assert this Perfection, which even Papists are ashamed of; and to assert this, as common to all them, in whom this new birth is fully produced, as it must be in all Justified and Sanctified Persons, according to his own principles, is false and dangerous. For (1.) There are in Christ's house diverse syzes, and degrees of persons, some babes 1 Cor. 3:1. Heb. 5:13. or children, or little children, 1 John. 2:12, 13. and others young men, and old men, or Fathers 1 John. 2:13, 14. (2.) Christians are exhorted to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 3. last: and to put off the old man, which is corrupt, according to deceitful lusts, and to put on the new man, Epes. 4:22, 23, 24. And to mortify their members, which are upon the earth, Col. 3:5. But to cry up this perfection, is to render all Gospel commandment • s useless, whereof we have abundance in the Epistles. (3.) This takes away the exercise of Repentance; for where there is no sin, there can be no sense of, nor sorrow for sin; and the exercise of Faith, in running to the fountain for washing; and the exercise of Prayer, in seeking grace to withstand Temptations, to strive against Corruption; & in seeking for pardon, in the blood of Christ. And (4.) So this maketh these petitions in the Lord's prayer useless, forgive us our sins, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (5.) This saith that either believers are fully freed from an indwelling body of death; contrary to Rom. 7:11, 17, 18, 23, 24. or that the motions of this body of death are not sin, or sinful; contrary to Rom. 7:5, 7, 8, 15. Gal. 5: v. 17. I am. 1: ver. 14, 15. (6) This tendeth to foment Pride, and Security; and to shake off Diligence, Watchfulness, holy Fear, Humility; contrary to I am. 4:10. 1 Pet. 5, 6, 7, 8. Mat. 18:4. & 23:12. Micah. 6:8. Col. 3:12. 1 Cor. 16:13. 1 Thes. 5: verse. 6. 1 Pet. 4:7. Mat. 24:42. & 25:13 & 26:41. Mark. 13:33, 35, 37. & 14:38. Luk. 21:36. Act. 20:31. Col. 4:2. 2 Pet. 3:14. & 1:5. Heb. 6:11. & 12:15. Tit. 3:8. (7.) This taketh away the usefulness of the Ordinances of Christ; such as Reading the Scriptures, Preaching, and Sacraments, which are instituted for the edification and building up of the Church; as also the Ministry: Hence we • nde these Quakers proud and vain boasters, crying down all these Ordinances, as now useless; as we shall hear more afterward. (8.) This makes all the commands to endeavor after perfection useless, as to Christians; contrary to Heb. 13:21. 2 Cor. 13:11. Mat. 5:48. 2 Cor. 7:1. Heb. 6:1. All Prayers for it useless, contrary to 1 Pet. 5:10. And so cutteth off all Endeavors after it: For what a man hath already, he doth not earnestly seek. (9.) See Psal. 130:3. & 143:2. Job 9:2. Psal. 19:13. I am. 3: ver. 2. 1 John. 1:8. as also Prov. 20:9. who can say, I have made my heart clean? I am pure from my sin ? But this Quaker will contradict this. Eccles. 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doth good and sinneth not : The Quakers will contradict this too; and that also, which this same wise King saith, 1 King. 8:46. & 2 Chron. 6:36. For there is no man that sinneth not.

8. Enough, by way of proof, of the vanity and falsehood of this fond conceit of these proud Fanatics, which the experience of saints, in all ages, hath confuted, and all tender Christians will abhor; and was never owned but by Fanatic heretics, such as of old were the Cathari, followers of Novatus, who was excommunicated for his errors, by a Synod at Rome. See Eusebii histor. lib. 6. c. 42. Pelagians, (as we shall show) and Donatists, some Anabaptists, Antinomians, Familists, and the like of late, with Socinians, (of whom afterward) Arminians, and the Papists, who own it to set off the better their other corrupt doctrines, & lay their ground for works of supererogation, though some of them, as Stapleton and others, must yield to the truth which the Orthodox own and maintain. Let us now come and see, what this man saith for explication and defense of this untru • h. He lays down five Positions, for clearing of the Controversy Pag. 153. The first is this, we place not (saith he) this possibility (to wit of not sinning) in man's own will and capacity, as he is a son of Adam, or as in a natural state, & Ans. But what if his Perfectionist be never translated out of the state of nature? And sure, according to his doctrine, we cannot see, how such can be said to be translated from darkness to light: For the Scripture tells us, that that cannot be, without the infusion of new habits, and faith in Jesus Christ; and also that this cannot be without the powerful operation of God's Spirit, on Mind, Will and Affections, discovering to them their Sin and Misery, and the Necessity of Christ, and Christ's Fulness, Sutableness, and Readiness to help; As also Perswading, Bowing, Inclineing, and Determineing the Will unto an Acceptance of and Closeing with Christ, for union and communion: And therefore if such be capable of this Perfection, who are strangers to this work, it riseth only from the Will of corrupt man, & is founded on mere Nature. But what says he next ? We ascribe it wholly unto man, (says he) as he is renewed by Christ, whom he knoweth to be reigning in him, and leading by his Spirit, and revealing within the Law of the Spirit of life, whereby power is obtained to be rid of sin. Ans. (1.) But we have not yet heard, that Renovation and Regeneration by Christ explained to us, according to the Gospel; but rather according to Pelagius, as was manifested several times above. (2) What is ascribed wholly unto man, even as renewed, is not ascribed immediately to God, and to his grace. (3.) If it be ascribed to man as renewed, it must be ascribed to all renewed persons; and so is not a privilege of some, but is common to all Believers; and consequently none are believers, but such as are thus perfect: and so, no man that sinneth, or yieldeth to temptations, is a regenerate man; and therefore David was not regenerated, when he fell with Bathsheba ; Nor any man, that yieldeth but to a sinful thought, or word. What shall then be said of Quakers, whose books are so full of Railings, Lies, Slanders, Errors and Blasphemies, beside their other practices? (4.) It is not true, that every renewed person knoweth always, that Christ is reigning in him, and ruling him by his Spirit, &c. (5,) Though power be had from Christ, living and reigning in the soul, whereby sin is resisted, and striven against; Yet not in such a measure and degree, as the sou shall be fully freed from its lustings and oppositions, Gal. 5:17.

9. What is his third Position? By this perfection (saith he) we understand not that, which cannot receive daily increase; neither that, which is as just and perfect as God is; but a proportionable perfection, answering the measure of everyone, whereby they are keeped from sinning and strengthened for fulfilling the Law. Answ. (1,) If he understand not such an absolute perfection, he contradicteth other Quakers, as we heard above. (2.) Howbeit every renewed man hath not the same proportionable perfection, or perfection of degrees; yet everyone hath that measure of degrees, that maketh him love God, with all his Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength, and fulfil the whole Law, and do no sin, in Thought, Word, or Deed, in this Quakers judgment; and this belongeth even to Babes in Christ; as an Infant hath all the proportioned members of a man: and then it is clear, that no regenerated person can sin; and no man that sinneth, is regenerate. And so freedom from sin must be essential, or proprium quarto modo, unto the Regenerate. Give us an instance, in all the Scriptures, of such a Regenerate person? (3.) The Arminians speak of a perfection consistent with some small sins; but this Quaker excepteth not the least sin. The Arminians also speak of a perfection, that admitteth degrees Apol. Fol. 128. b.

10. What is his fourth Position? Albeit (saith he) some may attain unto this freedom from sin, and all should endeavor after it; yet he who once getteth it may afterward loss it, through the temptations of Satan, unless he diligently attend to the Light within. Answ. (1.) These some, who may attain to this, and should endeavor after it, are not among the renewed ones; for they all have it already: As we heard. (2.) If he afterward come to loss it, he loseth also his state of Regeneration; for to sin, were it but in a wrong thought, or in coming short in the least measure of the right manner of doing a duty, is inconsistent with regeneration, say our Quaker ; and yet he saith within a line or two, that every sin doth not destroy a spiritual condition. These things cannot hang together; a person, wanting a leg, or an arm, cannot be called a perfect man, as to his integral parts; gold having dross admixed, cannot be called pure.

11. His last Position is, That he will not affirm that such a state is not attainable here, in which, to do righteousness becometh natural unto the regenerate soul, that in the stability of that state they cannot sin. Answ. This is an higher degree of Perfection, than what he mentioned before, for the former was such a state, in which one was able not to sin, though he might also sin, possit non peccare, Item & possit ? But this is such, in which he cannot sin, peccare non possit. And as to this, he ingenuously confesseth, he himself hath not yet attained it, in which his modesty and ingenuity is commendable. But he dar not deny, but there may be such a state, seeing it seemeth to be expressly affirmed by the Apostle 1 John. 3:9. Answ. But if he so interpret the words of the Apostle John, as importing this highest degree of perfection, he must also grant, that this highest perfection is not only attainable in this life; but that it is common to all renewed persons; for John speaketh this as a truth of all, that are borne of God, and of all that have this seed in them; and this is true of all that are truly Regenerated; all such are borne of God, and God's seed is in them. What will the man now say? Though he will say, that he is in such a state, wherein he is able not to sin, possit non peccare; yet if he dar not say, that he cannot sin, non possit peccare, he must acknowledge himself not to be yet borne of God, and to be void of the seed of God. This passage, if it prove anything for perfection, will utterly destroy this Quakers first kind of Perfection, which is a possibility of not sinning, and that as common to all Regenerat persons: But neither the one nor the other is asserted hereby the Apostle; who only saith, that he that is borne of God cannot make a trade of sin, and be wholly taken up therein, as his constant work and exercise, wherein he is delighted, and findeth pleasure and full satisfaction; as a man doth in his daily trade and employment. He doth not say, that such have no sin; for he had said the contrary Chap. 1:8. but that they do not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ▪ trade in sin, and this is opposite to that which is their trade and occupation 1 John. 2:29,— they do, work, or trade in righteousness 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . This doing working, or tradeing in sin, is peculiar to such as are of the Devil, as the doing, working and tradeing in righteousness, is peculiar to God's people 1 John. 3:7, 8, 9. He that committeth sin is of the devil—whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin : so that such as are borne of God do not commit sin, as do such as are of the Devil, and do the works of the Devil: And this committing of sin is opposed to the work of purifying, or studying of sanctification, which lively hope setteth the believer upon verse. 3.4. and importeth a fixed set purpose and resolution, to work in sin, with full purpose of heart; and to give up themselves to the trade of sin, as delighting therein, and as devouted thereunto: add, that such sin not so as to fall away, and lose the seed, nor unto death. See Chap. 5:16, 17.

12. Thus we have seen his Opinion, which in short is this. That all the Regenerat are in such a state, as that they are able no • to sin, or transgress any of the commands of God; but to keep them in all points, and walk up to full conformity to the Law; yet they may also sin, through their own fault and unwatchfuln • ss; for it is not impossible: But some may come unto that hight of perfection, as that it is impossible for them to sin; they cannot sin. Let us now see, ere we examine his grounds, what affinity this opinion of his hath with the Old Pelagians, & with the late Socinians, and Others: as to the first, Vossius, his Historia Pelagiamsmi Lib. 5. Part. prior. Thesi prima Pag. 460. giveth us their opinion, thus, They said, the Saints led their life without sin; which they labored to prove from the instances of those, who in Scripture are said to have keeped the Law perfectly: Yet they distinguished betwixt such, as never sinned all their days, and such as at first were sinners, but afterward left off to sin, The first they gave to Abel, the last unto Paul. See what he citeth to verify this. He sets down the Antithesis of the orthodox Pag. 462. thus, That none by the power of nature could fulfill the Law: That none by strength of grace, did live all their days without sin: That none attained that measure of holiness, in this life, that he could live any long time without sin. The perfection, ascribed to some in the Scripture, was not from nature, but from grace; Nor for all their days; Nor at any time full and absolute, but which might increase, and was mixed with evil deeds; and so, was a perfection of parts only, not of degrees. And this he cleareth out of Jerome, Justin Martyr, Ambrose, Gennadius, Chrysost. Beda, Origen, Cyprian, Macarius, Optatus, Augustine Ivo Carnatens. Lombard. He tells us moreover Pag. 4 • 8. That unto these instances out of Scripture, urged by the P • lagians, They answered, that by perfection was meaned Sincerity, or a true, not feigned, study of obeying all God's Laws; and actual obedience, according to the measure attained in this life, and in comparison with others▪ but not any full or absolute perfection: As an house is said to be perfect, which is yet but in building, in respect of the beginnings, by a synecdoche of parts; or of desire, by a metonymy of the end. 2. In comparison with rubbish, or with an house, not so far advanced. 3. In respect of promise, when the builder undertaketh to complete it. And so the righteousness here was perfect. (1.) Inchoatively, in respect of the beginnings, and desires. (2.) Comparatively, in respect both of the ungodly, and of the godly, who are more imperfect. (3.) Evangelically, whereby all is said to be done, when that which was not done is pardoned. And this to have been the Judgment of the orthodox, he prove • h out of their writings as of Jerome, Orosius, August Gelasius, Bernard. The Reader may see more in his 2. Antithesis Pag. 473. &c. out of Nazianzen, Tertullian, Optatus Millevit, Jerome, &c. For the better maintaining of this Perfection, the Pelagians said, that sins of ignorance were no sins, (I know not, whether our Quakers will homologate with them, as to this, or not) as the same Author showeth ibid. Thes. 3. He showeth also Thes. 4. how that at length, the Pelagians in dispute were brought to speak only of a posse, and not of an esse; that is, that man might perfectly keep the Law, though they would not say, tha • th • y did keep it perfectly; and that he might easily keep the Law. And in the Antithesis Pag. 485. He tells us, that the orthodox answered, That if man could so easily keep the Law, some would be found, who had done so: And if none could be found beside Jesus Christ, God-man, who had done so, there was no ground for ascribeing so much power to man. At length (as the same person showeth Thesi 5.) Pelagius was driven to retract what he said of the facility of fulfilling the Law; And was content to say simply, • hat we could keep the Law. And because his making no mention of grace, gave offense; therefore, he helped the matter by saying, that by the Grace of God we could be without sin. But, as is clear in the Antithesis, this did not satisfy the Orthodox, because the word grace was but a cheat, for Pelagius put another meaning on it, than they did: and they maintained, that no saint did ever attain to that measure of grace, as to live without sin; for that should take away the necessity of Christ's death: and say, that Salvation might be by the Law; and further to say so, were to make themselves equal to Christ.

13. Thus we have seen; how this Man agreeth with these wicked Pelagians, The same Author Vossius Pag. 510, 511. tells us of some called Begardi and Beguinae, in Aleman or Germany, who maintained such a degree of Perfection as we could advance no higher; and were condemned by a Council of moe than 300 Bishops convened at Vienna : some of their opinions condemned were these- 1. That man, in this life, can acquire such a degree of perfection, that he shall become wholly impeccable; and cannot advance further in grace. 2. That a man attaining to this degree of perfection, needeth no more to fast and pray; because then Sensuality is so perfectly subject to the Spirit, and to Reason, that he may let his body do what he will. 3. That such, as have attained to this degree of Perfection, are no more obnoxious to man's Law; for where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 4. That man may be as happy, in this life, as in heaven. 6. That it is the part of an imperfect man, to exercise himself in acts of virtue. The 5, 7. & 8. article condemned in them we mention not, as being concerning other heads. Hence we see, what affinity our Quakers have with these Beguards & Beguines : Let us next see, how they agree with the Socinians.

14. As to the judgm • nt of the Socinians, in this point of Perfection, the learned D. Hoornbeek Socinianismi confut. Tom. 3. lib. 1. Cap. 3. Pag. 61. giveth us a short sum of it, which he fully thereafter cleareth out of their own writings. They distinguish betwixt an Absolute perfection, and Comparative : by That they understand immunity from all sin, and full conformity to the whole Law, by which a man never committeth the least sin: this they say, was peculiar to Christ. By this, comparative perfection, they understand a perfection either as to the habit, or as to the act : as to the habit, they say, it is that whereby some never all their life time, contracted the habit of any sin, and so needed not to repent thereof; and which all the regenerate partake of: as for perfection, as to the Act of sin, they think all the regenerate do not attain it, but only such as attain to the highest degree, which some may attain unto, yea and it i • possible for all to attain unto. Smalcius contra Frantzium dispute 6. Pag. 176. not only admitteth degrees, in that perfection, which is called Comparative ; but in that also, which is Absolute, The highest degree of which is peculiar to Christ, who never sinned; but an inferior degree he yieldeth to others, whereby they sin no more, after they have attained unto it: As to the other perfection, which they call Comparative, they give us three degrees thereof; One of those, who, having shoken off the habit of sin, set about Obedience, but with much inward struggling of mind. The Other of those, who do this with less struggling. The third of those, who obey without any struggling at all, yea with great delight, joy and complacency, and so sin no more. And Socinus himself praelect Cap. 26. Pag. 169. condemneth them, who say, that perfection, which the Cathari held necessary, is not attainable here, that is, who deny, that it can be, that any man can advance, so far in this life, as to sin no more.

15. The same D. Hoornbeek ubi supra Pag. 64. showeth us, that the Arminians, in their Apology Cap. 11. say, there are some, who do their duty without any inward battle, and with the highest of joy and cheerfulness, and Cap. 17. We, by the grace of God, can do and fulfill all the commands of God. And that Episcopius Ad quaest : 19. said Man could perfectly do the commands. They will not grant, that all the regenerate, especially such as are in the second and third order (they give us three orders or degrees of Regenerat persons) have any ba • tell in them betwixt the Spirit and the flesh. See Apol. fol. 128. &c. It is true, the • say, that they speak so in respect of Evangelical Perfection, not of Legal ; by this understanding a most absolute and full immunity from all sin, and that dureing a man's whole life; or all impeccability, and that forever, which excludeth all imperfection, infirmity, and inadvertancy; and this they think morally impossible: But as to the Other, which they say hath its degrees, they grant the highest degree thereof may be attained, consisting in a doing of the commanded duty, in a most perfect manner, so far as is required, by the Gospel and covenant of grace But as D. Hoornbeek well observeth all perfection is in respect of works, and can no other way be judged, than by the Law, which commandeth them; And if that be called Evangelical Perfection, which admitteth of defects and imperfections, it is no perfection to all, but only catachrestically so called: What agreement our Quakers have with these Men, the sequel will evince.

16. We are commanded, even in the Gospel (which doth not destroy the Law, nor weaken its obligation; for Christ came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it) to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, strength and mind: and this, sure, taketh in the highest degree and intension of love, and what is short of this, is, in so far, defective; and therefore imperfect. I cannot assent to that, which D. Baron saith, in his Disp. de peccato Mortali & Veniali part. 1. sect. 4. §. 6. to wit, That the Gospel doth not strickly and precisely oblige to perfection in degrees; but only to an Endeavor after this perfection; for then we were under no obligation to repent of, and ask pardon of our shortcomings, in the name of Christ, nor to run for cleansing, by faith unto the fountain of Christ's blood; and this neither can tender Christians assent to, nor will their practice comply therewith.

17. I think, a serious pondering of these Rules, for the right understanding of the commands, set down in our greater Chatechisme quaest. 99. might make all, who knew themselves, sober in this matter. Who dar plead for this Perfection, who believeth, That the Law of God is perfect, and bindeth everyone to full conformity, in the whole man, unto the righteousness thereof and unto entire Obedience forever, so as to require the utmost perfection of every duty, and to forbid the least degree of every sin Psal. 19:7. I am. 2:10▪ Mat. 5:21. to the end. That it is Spiritual, and so reacheth the Understanding▪ Will, Affections, and all other Powers of the soul, as well as Words, Works and Gestures Rom. 7:14. Deut. 6:5. with Mat. 22:37, 38, 39. Mat. 5 21, 22 27, 28, 36. That where a duty is commanded, the contrary sin is forbidden Isaiah. 58:13. Deut. 6:13. with Mat. 4:9, 10. Mat. 15:4, 5, 6. And where a sin is forbidden, the contrary duty is commanded Mat. 1:21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Ephes. 4:28. That what God forbids, is at no time to be done Job 13:7, 8. Rom. 3:8. Job 36:21. Heb. 11:29. That under one sin, or duty, all of the same kind are forbidden, or commanded, together with all the Causes, Means▪ Occasions, and Appearances thereof, and Provocations thereunto Mat. 5:21, 22, 27, 28. & 15:4, 5, 6. Heb. 10:24, 25. 1 Thes. 5:12. Iud. verse. 23. Gal. 5:26. Col. 3:24. That what is forbidden or commanded to ourselves, we are bound, according to our places, to endeavor that it may be avoided or performed by others, according to the duty of their places Exod. 20:10. Levite. 19:11. Gen. 18:19. Josh. 24:15. Deut. 6:6, 7. That in what is commanded to others, we are bound, according to our places and callings, to be helpful to them: And to take heed of partaking with others, in what is forbidden them 2 Cor. 1:24. 1 Tim. 5:19. Ephes. 5:11. Who, I say, that rightly considereth these particulars; and how the Law requireth, That obedience should be performed thereunto, in the most high and intense degree, without the least remissness of zeal, and fervor; That the manner of our obedience be spiritual, from a right principle, to a right end, in an heavenly & spiritual manner: that it may done in the Spirit Gal 5:16. 1 Cor. 14:14, 15, 16. And that there be no corrupt Motion, Affection, or Inclination to evil; no tickling of delight in the thing, nor any discontent, at our restraint from the evil, even though our formal assent be not given thereto. So that the very involuntary motions of the mind to evil, though not assented to, are prohibited, as being against the holy Law, and as flowing from a corrupt fountain; Yea and the very in-being of that body of death, which is the spring of evil motions: He, I say, will in sobriety speak of a perfection attainable here. But the only remedy here is to curtail the Law, that seeing they cannot conform to it, it may conform to them, as did the Pharisees of old: whence it is usual for such perfectionists, to call the motions of Lust and Concupiscence within, no sin; & to plead for venial sins, and to give us a gross exposition of the Law, and of the duties therein enjoined. One might wonder, that these forementioned should be for perfection, who of all persons, would seem to have least ground: But the cause is; They are all devoted to the exaltation of Free will, and enemies to the grace of God; and know no other holiness, but what Free Will hath a chief hand in, & whereof they are whole masters.

18. Now we come to examine what he saith against our judgment, which is. That in the best of our actions, which we here do, there is some admixture of sin & corruption; and none of them so perfect, as to abide the strick examination of divine justice: For his representation of our opinion, That the saints neither can be, nor ever shall be delivered from sin, in this life ; And that the Saints are under a perpetual necessity of sinning, is ambiguous and very indistinct, as might be shown, if it were worth the pains. His first Reason is. That it is contrary to the wisdom, glorious virtue, and majesty of God, who is of purer eyes, then he can behold iniquity. Ans. Is it against these attributes of God, that sin should be in the world? Then we must say, by this argument, that all wicked men are P • rfect and sinless: Yea that the devils are perfect; for the pure eyes of God cannot behold iniquity in wicked men, (of whom these words are spoken by Habakkuk ) no, nor in devils: or is it only against these attributes, that any remnant of corruption or sin should be in the Godly? then, this will prove the last Perfection, to wit, an impossibility to sin, to be common to all the godly, which yet he dust not say, and not only the first perfection viz. a possibility of not sinning. Let us see, if what he addeth can make him any relief. S • ing (saith he) God would gather a people to himself, to worship him, & be his witneses on earth, without all doubt, he sanctifieth & purifieth them. Ans. True, he sanctifieth & purifieth them by degrees, till He bring them to the full perfection, he hath appointed for them in glory; but himself will not say, that he sanctifieth them, always in the hi • hest degree, and that as soon, as they are Regenerated. Is there no sanctification, but that which is perfect? or is there no sanctification, where there is the least sin? Then he must say, that all the saints are as holy, and as free of sin here, as they will be in heaven; then he must go higher, then ever Pelagians, Socinians, Papists, or Arminians went; and must join himself to the old Beguards and Beguines. We grant with him, That God delighteth not in iniquity, but abhorreth all sin; and that he delighteth not in man, as he joineth to sin. Yet he delighteth in man, as joined unto Christ, and as turning from sin by Repentance, and as fighting the battles of the Lord against the body of death within, and as delighting in the Law of the Lord, after the inner man: And (says he) if man were always to be joined unto sin; he should be always disjoined from God, according to Isaiah. 59:2. But on the contrary, they are partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1:4. and are one Spirit with him 1 Cor. 6:17. But what is impure cannot be so, for there is no agreement betwixt light and darkness 2 Cor. 6:14. Now God is Light, and all sin is darkness. Answ. (1.) All this would plead for a sinlesness, from the very first instant of Regeneration, Yea and for the highest degree of Perfection. (2.) Though corruption abideth, in the Regenerated man, as a vanquished enemy, struggling in the dead thrawes; yet is not the Regenerated man joined thereto, but separated therefrom, in Mind, Will and Affections, in so far as regenerated; and is fighting and lusting against it, as his greatest enemy. (3) It is sin delighted in, and unrepented of, loved and entertained in the soul, that separateth betwixt God and the soul: and that text Isaiah. 59:2. speaketh of soul-wasting and land-destroying sins, to which that people had given up themselves, and would not turn from; as we see verse. 3, 4▪ 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15. And yet we see there verse. 16, 17. What sovereignty of free grace can do to, and for such a people, for the glory of his name. (4.) What is impure, as impure, cannot be one Spirit with Christ: But believers are reckoned, according to what hath now the throne, and the heart, and the dominion in the soul, with their free and sanctified consent; for now they are married to a new Husband, and are engaged in warfare under a new Captain, They are dead unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord; & therefore they are under an obligation to strive against all that would labor to set sin again upon the throne, & wrong the interest of their new Lord & Sovereign. Rom. 6:11, 12, 13. And though they be risen with: Christ, and are dead, & have their life hid with Christ in God; Yet they have members to mortify upon earth, Fornication, Uncleanness &c. Col. 3:2, 3, 5. (5.) God hath no f • llowshipe with corruption, more then light can have fellowshipe with darkness, yet he can have fellowshipe, with his own work of grace in the soul, and with the soul, as sanctified, and renewed.

19. But says he further, Is it not against the wisdom of God to say He could find no other method, whereby he should be served, than by such actions, by which the devil is no less, yea more, served; for he that sinneth is the servant of sin? Rom. 6:16. Ans. It is not fit for man to stand up, and dispute wickedly for God: and under a show of zeal for and patronage of his Wisdom, condemn the same: His folly is wiser than our wisdom. What methods God could have found out, whereby He might have been served by men, what proud man will take upon him to determine? The method he hath chosen should satisfy us. But to the matter, when God's people are serving Him, with some measure of sincerity and uprightness of heart; howbeit the devil opposeth, and by his temptations and the co-working of corruption, prevaileth much, to hold back, or to cause the soul move slowly; Yet, the heart, and the renewed part of the man, being for God, and for God only, and directly against Satan and all his ways, doings and designs, there is no formal service performed unto Sa • an; for the Lord regardeth the heart: And though oft times there be more corruption in the work, than grace; Yet, the heart being upright in the main, the denomination is from the better part: And albeit, how more sin be in the action, that is gone about, by the honest Believer, in weakness, Satan be the glader; Yet in that, the believer cannot be called his servant: For the Apostle, in the place cited, saith not, he that sinneth, but he that yieldeth himself up as a servan • , to obey sin, is the servant of sin. No doubt, if the Lord had seen it for his glory, he could have so ordered it, that his children, from the day of their new birth, should never have sinned more; but He hath thought it good, that they should be exercised with a spiritual warfare, all their days, against Satan and a wicked world, without; and a body of death, and its members, within; that his power might be made perfect in their weakness; that they might live by Faith, and get continual proofs of God's Power, Love, Care, Faithfulness, Grace, Mercy and Tenderness; that they might daily have use of the blood of Christ, to wash in; and so exercise Humility, Godly sorrow, Repentance, Faith, Patience, Submission, Watchfulness, Diligence; and might groan under the body of death: that they might see, through daily experience, the riches and worth of their Redemption, and read their great Obligations to their Lord Ransomer, and Sovereign King. And if we were sober, we might here mark wonderful wisdom, and see a piece of the manifold wisdom of God. But when we be come distracted, (as doubtless we are, when we will be wise above what is written) no wonder we become blind, and speak as fools: as this man doth here, and in the following words, which I shall not so much as honor with a transcribing.

20. He says, our doctrine is repugnant to the justice of God, requireing them to abstain from all sin, and not enabling them hereunto; and requireing more then he giveth ability to do. Ans. (1.) The man runneth so hard, that he runneth himself blind: Seeth he not, that if this argument prove anything, it will prove that all the wicked world are perfect, for God requireth of them obedience to his Law: and it may be a question, if hence it may not likewise be proven, that the damned, and the Devils, are all perfect, and without sin; seeing it may be a doubt, if they be loosed from the Law of their Creation. But (2.) Though it were granted they had power, I mean moral power, for no other can be here understood, yet this will not prove their perfection, or freedom from sin: many may have power, and yet not use it: Adam had power to resist Satan's suggestion, yet did it not. His perfect ones may grow slack in their watch, and so sin, though he will grant they have power to do otherwise. (3) This is old Pelagius's argument, as V • ssius cleareth to us, Hist. Pelag. lib. 5. part. 1. Thes. 6. where among other evidences, he citeth Hieron. adv. Pelag. bringing-in Critobolus, as a Pelagian, reasoning thus. Either God gave commandments that were possible, or that were impossible: if possible, it is in our power to do them, if we will; if impossible, we are not guilty, if we do them not, seeing we cannot. And thus, whether the Lord's command be possible, or Impossible, man may be without sin, if he will : Our Quaker is yet worse; for the Pelagian would hence prove but a possibility of Perfection; but he will hence evince the real being of Perfection, and that common to all believers. ( • ) God made man upright, and able to fulfil all his Law; and when he hath dilapidated his stock of strength, must God be unjust, if he require due debt? Or doth man's inability dissolve his obligation? Seeing God is pleased of his grace, to help his own to performance of duty in part, upon a new score, let them mourn for shortcomings, and flee to the blood of Christ, conform to the Gospel, that there they may get extracts of pardon; and be thankful, that the Lord hath so secured the matter, that they shall never come into condemnation.

21. As to the saints he reasoneth further thus; Their imperfection is either from themselves, or from God: If from themselves, then it is because they use not the power they have for that effect, and if they have a power, it is not impossible; if from God, as not giving them that measure of grace, whereby they may be enabled to do all his will, then He should be unrighteous. Ans. Thus reasoned the Pelagian Caelestius of old, and Crellius the Socinian of late. See Hoornb. ubisupra. Pag. 103. And we say. (1.) This will at most conclude only for a possibility of Perfection, or immunity from sin: and so will not serve his point. (2.) If he mean a culpable cause, I say, it is from themselves, and that not because they have any moral power now, for keeping the whole Law perfectly, (though I grant withal, that they have more, than they make good use of) but because that power, which was once given, was sinfully cast away. (3.) It is false, that God should be unrighteous, if he gave not that measure of grace, whereby they should become perfect. Nay, says he, God shall be more unjust than are the vilest of men, who will not give to their children asking bread a stone, nor a serpent to them, when asking for fish. Ans. The Lord rebuke this blasphemous tongue! what ground is there for this? They confess, says he, that they must ask of God deliverance from sin. Very true: And yet such a thing is never to be expected. The Lord forbid. We expect and hope for growing deliverance, and final and full deliverance in end, when the saints shall say and sing, O grave where is thy victory, and O death where is thy sting ? And they shall come unto the upper mount Zion, the city of the living God,—& to the Spirits of just men made perfect ; & when all tears shall be wiped away from off their faces. But it seemeth our Quakers expect all their heaven here. Where is now the stones that God giveth instead of bread, & the serpents he giveth instead of fish? His following calumnious insinuation hath been spoken to already elsewhere.

22. His third argument followeth Pag. 156. §. 5. He says, our opinion is injurious to Christ, and his sacrifice: Christ was manifested chiefly for this end, to take away sin, and gather a people to himself, zealous of good works Tit. 2:14. and to bring in everlasting righteousness, that is, Evangelical perfection Answ So hot is this man in his pursuit, that to reach us, he careth not though he pierce his own bowels; for by this one argument, he destroyeth all that he said of Universal Redemption ; as we cleared above Chap. VIII. But as to us, it reacheth us not; for we grant, that Christ came to take away sin, both as to guilt, and this he did by the sacrifice of himself; and as to the stain and being of it, and this he doth by his Spirit, piece and piece, till in end he give full victory; and so he hath a people redeemed from the guilt and power of iniquity, though not fully from its presence and stirrings; and a people zealous of good works, which is not inconsistent with the stirrings of a crucified body of death. That that everlasting righteounsess mentioned by Daniel Chap. 9. is to be understood of Evangelical perfection, is said, but not proved. Again, he says, It is said 1 John. 3:5, 8. that the Son of God appeared for this end, to take away our sins, and to destroy the works of the devil. Answ. True; and so he hath done, by taking away the guilt, and by destroying daily the works of the devil in his people, mortifying lust and corruption, and carrying on the work of grace, till at length it be perfected. Ay but, he says, it is added, he that is borne of God doth not commit sin, that is, doth not break the Law, in thought, word or deed Answ. What that is, to commit sin, we shown above; and also that by this passage thus interpreted, he shall prove, what is against himself; to wit, that that highest degree of Perfection, which whosoever hath attained, cannot sin anymore, is not peculiar to some, but common to all, that are borne of God. Is not Christ sent (saith he further) to turn a people from sin unto righteousness, and from the Kingdom of Satan, unto the Kingdom of his dear Son? Answ. Yes. Are not these thus converted, his servants, children, brethren, friends? Ans. They are. Are they not as he in the world, holy, pure, and immaculate. Answ. The text saith not this, Read again 1 John. 4:27, Doth not Christ watch over them, care and pray for them, save them by his Spirit, walking in them and among them? Ans. This is all true, and • hence we infer, that they shall certainly be perfected in end, and shall persevere unto the end; contrary to what he saith, as we shall see in the next Chap. But all this will not prove a sinless Perfection common to all the saints. But will not Christ have them perfect: or is he not able to make them perfect? Ans. Yes▪ But he will do it in his own time and way. He himself will not deny, but Christ is able to make them all perfect, in the highest degree, so as not to be able to sin anymore; yet for all that, he will not say, that it is so. He citeth also Ephes 5:25, 26, 27. But nothing to his purpose, for we grant, that the Lord will present his Bride to himself one day, fair and clean without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; and that he is about this work, bringing all his forward unto this state of perfection, washing them, & cleansing them in his blond, and by his Spirit sanctifying them more and more. But saith he, if they do sin in thought word and deed daily, there is no difference, betwixt the holy and profane, the clean and unclean, &c. Answ. Notwithstanding of this, the difference is great; for what the profane doth is nothing but sin, and in nothing accepted of God, through Christ; and is done with full purpose of heart, without any contrary lusting of the Spirit: all they do, as it floweth from an evil principle; so it is done for an evil end, and in a corrupt sinful manner; and so is wholly defiled. But it is not so with the child of God, He mourneth over and repenteth of his shortcomings, and striveth against sin; The other not: So there are many moe differences, too many here to be insisted upon.

23. His fourth Argument Pag. 157 §. 6. is, That our doctrine maketh the work of the ministry, preaching, prayers, &c. useless; while as Paul says Ephes. 4:11. that pastors are given for the perfecting of the Saints, &c. till we all come unto the unity of faith &c. Answ. (1.) Hence we see the necessity of a standing Ministry, which yet he and is brethren are against, as we shall hear. (2.) The Ministry is to bring them on toward perfection; and is for the edifying and building up of the body, and of particular souls, till we all come at length into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. How is it proved, that this ultimat end is attained here? And further, we told above, that there was a perfection comparative, and in parts, here attainable and attained, according to the measure of grace, & of the gift given to every man Ephes. 4 7. 1 Cor. 12:11. But not a perfection of degrees, which excludeth all increase and growth, contrary to 2 Pet. 3:18. Phil. 3:12:2 Thes. 1:3. not such a perfection as excludeth all sin. He addeth Pag. 158. doth not the Apostle say, that the Scriptures are given to make the man of God perfect 2 Tim. 3.17. Answ. Yes: And they do that, in their own manner, as a perfect and complete Rule, giving full instruction and information in all things necessary to salvation, contrary to what himself taught above: so that the the man of God need • h to hearken to no Dreams, Enthusiasms, or Precepts of men, to learn what is God's wi • l. How doth our doctrine make Prayers useless? Are not these prayers (saith he) useless and without faith, that are made for preservation from sin, if withal they believe that God will not give them, what they ask. Answ. So said Crellius the Socinian. But the doctrine of Perfection seemeth rather to take away all use of such Prayer; for who will pray for that, which they have? (2.) If saints pray for a sinless state here, they pray without warrand. He that taught us to pray, that we be not led into temptation, taught us also to pray for forgiveness of sins. But saith he, what shall we say of the prayers of the Apostles Col. 4:12. 1 Thes. 3:13. & 5:22 &c. Did they pray so without faith. Ans.. This is another of Crellius arguments: But we say, The Prayers of the Apostles were not for a sinless state; nor did they believe, that the Saints here could be in such a state, as to sin no more: Nay, while they prayed thus for the saints, they supposed, that the saints had not yet attained to it. Epaphras (not the Apostle Paul ) is said Col. 4:12. to labor fervently in prayer, that the Colossians might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God ; that is, might set the will of God only before them, as their Rule; and hang upon no man, as to their Christian conduct, but walk in sincerity, as becometh Christians, following the rule of God's Law; and might not be always c • ildren tossed to and fro, with every wind of doctrine, and spoiled through Philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ; as there was ground to fear, as we see Chap. 2. Paul. 1 Thes. 3:12, 13. is clear against this imagined Perfection; for he prayeth, that God would make them to increase and abound in love, (so that th • re was yet some shortcoming) to the end he might establish their hearts, unblameable in holiness—at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. So that he showeth not, what a measure of love and holiness, they will attain unto here; but prayeth, that it might always be growing, until it attain its full perfection, at the coming of the Lord. The same is clear from 2 Thes. 5:23. Which maketh against this imagined perfection, and speaketh only of a perfection of parts, not of degrees.

24. In the fifth place he reasoneth thus Pag. 158. §. 7. Our doctrine is repugnant to common sense and reason. Why so? for these two opposite principles in the children of darkness, and in the children of light, are sin and righteousness. And as men are respectively fermented with the one or the other, so are they to be called justified or reprobated; seeing he that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just; even they both are abomination to the Lord Prov. 17:15. Ans. This argument would prove as well, that full perfection, which he denieth to be common to all the Regenerat, to be essential to the state of Christianity; and therefore he must answer it, as well as we. But (2.) That there are contrary principles, in the godly, and wicked, is true; and it is as true, that there remaineth sin in the godly, which floweth from a principle of corruption; yet the Godly man is not fermented (to speak in the dialect of the Quaker, ) or rather (to speak in the dialect of the Scriptures) is not under the dominion of that principle, nor given up thereunto, as the wicked are. with full will, consent and pleasure, without any reluctancy or lusting of a contrary principle. (3.) It is not safe, to call all not yet justified, reprobate (4.) The Lord justifieth none, upon the account of their Inherent Righteousness; and indeed this man's opinion, tendeth to a setting up of Justification by the works of the law, or inherent righteousness; for if man can abide in all things, that are written in the Law, he should be free of the curse. Gal. 3:10. But this is contrary to the experience of the best of Saints. Psal. 130:3. & 143:2. Job. 9:3. & 4 • :5. 1 Cor. 4:4. And the Law should not then be weak because of flesh, contrary to Rom. 8.3. And contrary to that I am. 2:10. He who trangresseth in one, is guilty in all: and contrary to these Scriptures, Gal. 3:21, 22. & 2:21 & 3:10. further says he Then a man should be called just, who sinneth in all his actions, Ans. No man is call • just before God, in point of Justification, becau • e of his Inherent Righteousness, but because of the perfect righteousness of Christ, imputed to him by God, & received by faith. And as to sanctification, such may be called just, because of Integrity, Sincerity & Uprightness of heart, & because of Endeavouring after conformity to the Law, in the strength of the Lord; upon which account the man is approven of God; but not because he is sinless; for then no man should go under that denomination. But says he, the subject is donominated by the accident, that adhereth. Ans. Yet a wall is called white though the whiteness be not perfect: but mixed: And God giveth the denomination according to grace, that is, according to the better part, though it sometimes should be the lesser part. He asketh, where are then the children of God, and of light, the sanctified and purified ones? Ans. Even where these are, who are groaning under a body of death, and running daily to the fountain, and giving Christ much work (to speak so) to wash and make them clean from their daily pollutions, and defilements, and have renunced the works of darkness; and are now serving the Lord with singleness, though with much weakness and many failings.

25. In the next place Pag. 159. §. 8. He cometh more directly to confirm his own Opinion. And his first argum. is the old Pelagian argument, formerly rejected, and which is used by Volkelius the Socinian lib. 2. c. 22. viz. That the commands of Christ and the Apostles, suppose it to be possible, or in our power. He proveth, that this perfection is not only possible, but necessary, from several Scriptures: such as Mat. 5:48. Which only proveth it our duty to endeavor after Perfection; and to mind all duties, even such as the corrupt pharisees, thought no duties, such as to love our enemies, to bless them that curse us, &c. verse. 44, 45, 46, 47. As for Mat. 7:21. John. 13:17. 1 Cor. 7:19. they can make nothing for him, unless he suppose, that no man shall be saved, whoever sinned: And further, seeing he will not deny, that some of these passages, at least, concern the unconverted, he must also grant, that even they also may attain to this Perfection. As for 2 Cor. 13:11. & 1 John. 3:2—10. we have spoken to before: And by this last, we know to expound that, 1 John. 2:3, 4, 5, 6.

26. His next argu : is from Rom. 6:14. Which speaketh only of the dominion of sin, from which, we grant, all believer are delivered; and if he know no difference betwixt a state of freedom from the dominion of sin, and a sinless state, he is ignorant of Christianity. He citeth also Rom. 8:3. which is directly against him; And if he look to verse 4. that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us. It can make nothing for him: for it is not said, by us, but in us, that is, in our nature, when Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh, and fulfilled all righteousness, and so answered the Law, by doing, as well as by suffering; which righteousness, consisting as well in his obedience, as in his suffering, is imputed to believers, and by virtue thereof, they come to have a right to the crown, and to life, which was lost by the breach of the Law, which required full obedience, and satisfaction in case of transgression; and that notwithstanding of their shortcomings, which are many. But how then, says he, is the Gospel differenced from the Law, which made nothing perfect? Ans. The Law pointed out Christ to come, in whom alone, all was to be had; and without him, its ordinances made nothing perfect: And the Gospel exhibiteth this Lord Jesus, in whom dwelleth all fullness; and who is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through him. Pag. 160. he saith That Paul proveth this through the whole 6. Chap. to the Romans. Ans. The contrary is most manifest, for he is encouraging believers to holiness, and dehorting them from a continua • ce in sin, which supposeth, that persons may be believers, and yet have need of such dehortations, and encouragments: for where this Quakers perfection taketh place, all these are laid aside, as utterly useless. He speaketh not of sinlesness, but of a living in sin verse. 2. which is opposite to a being dead to sin, that is, freed of sins Dominion and Law-power; and which is opposite to a walking in newness of life, verse. 4. And verse. 6. he says, though the old man was virtually and legally crucified with Christ; Yet it is not actually killed, that the body of sin might be destroyed, in due time; and then inferreth. that henceforth we should not serve sin, as our Master and Lord. And this he turneth into an exhortation verse. 12. Let not sin reign therefore in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof, verse. 13. neither yield ye your members, as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin : And for their encouragement, tells them verse. 14. For sin shall not have dominion over you : he saith not, for sin shall have no being in you. And again verse. 16. he dehorteth them from a yielding of themselves, as servants to obey sin, and verse. 19. he presseth them to yield their members as servants to righteousness, which is opposed to a becoming servants of sin verse. 20. And to press this the more, he minds them of their state, to wit, that now they were not the servants of sin, having obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine, whereinto they were cast & molded: & verse. 22. that they were made free from sin, &c. What our Quaker speaketh afterward of the way of attaining this perfection, by laying aside the outward Law, and looking only to the Light within, we look upon as a Quakers dream: And when he saith, that our looking to the outward Law, & finding an impossibility of keeping it perfectly, put us to wrest the Scriptures, to seek after an imputative righteousness. He but declareth the true genius and nature of that antievangelick and diabolical Spirit, that acteth them. And what followeth Pag. 160. is but a confirmation of what we said, viz. that all the Perfection, they would bring us to, by hearkening to the Light within, is but a paganish perfection. And his great promises Pag. 161. we account delusions, being resolved to go to the Law and to the Testimony; and to abide by the declaration of God's mind, in his word, and not to follow the Light of nature, nor the hellish enlightenings of the devil, who was a liar from the beginning, in this great mater.

27. In the last place Pag. 161. for a proof of this, he adduceth some instances; as did the Remonstrants in their Apology Chap. 17. before him. Such as Enoch & Noah, who are said to have walked with God, and to be perfect Gen. 5. & 6. Ans. They were Sincere and Upright, and had a Perfection of parts, though not of degrees, and so walked with God: and by all their perfection, they were not justified: but by faith, which leadeth a man out of himself; and so became heirs of the righteousness, which is by faith Heb. 11:5, 6, 7. Moreover we read of Noah's sin. As for Job, though he was a perfect and upright man, yet his book declareth, that he was not sinless; and Elihu evinceth it; yea God layeth to his charge Chap. 38:2. that he darkened counsel by words without knowledge : And himself Chap. 42:2. confesseth, that he uttered what he understood not, things too wonderful for him, which he knew not: for which he abhorred himself, and repented in dust and ashes verse. 6. As for Zacharias and Elizabeth, Augustine of old answered, de gratia Christi contra Pelag. Cap. 48. that this was to be understood of their unblameable conversation, in the eyes of men; and the Lord accounted them such. And Justin. Matyr, in Quaest. & Resp. orthodox. Quaest. 141. distinguisheth betwixt irreprehensible and sinless. It is said of them indeed, that they were blameless, as all Pastors should be 1 Tim. 3▪ 2. an • all Christians Phil. 2:15. but not that they were sinless. And August. lib. cont. Caelest: distinguisheth betwixt esse sine peccato, & esse sine querela ; and he says, this may be said of some; but that of none, but of Christ. What he saith from Ephes. 2:5, 6. is true, viz. that such as sit with Christ, to wit. Actually, sin no more; but now they sit not actually there, but only in Christ Jesus, their head. As for Heb. 12:22, 23. whatever beginnings there may be thereof here; Yet its fullness is above. Revel. 14:5. speaketh not of Perfection here, but of their blamelesness, that is, their Sincerity and Uprightness. And this is all that he adduceth, to prove his Opinion by: and how slender his grounds are, let any judge.

28. He comes at length to answer some of our arguments §. 9. Pag. 161. &c. And to that brought from 1 John. 1.8. if we say, we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, & the truth is not in us. He wondereth that we are so blind & partial as to alleige this place, against which, so much might be said. Let us hear what can be said? He saith That we doth not include the Apostle, as we see I am. 3:9, 10. Ans. That place of James taketh in all, even the Apostles, though not for the present time; and that was sufficient to prove, what a member the tongue was. And he might say as well, that the Apostle is not included, 1 John. 1:7, 9, 10. Nor Chap. 2:1, 2, 3. But n • xt, be it so, that the Apostle is not here expressly included; it is sufficient for us, that it is spoken of believers, to whom John wrote, that their joy might be full verse 4. and who have interest in the blood of Christ, verse. 7. and are children Chap. 2: verse. 1. and have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ibid. and are brethren verse. 7. who had their sins forgiven them, verse. 12. and knew the Father verse. 13. and among these come in also the young men, and the Fathers, mentioned verse. 13, 14. What saith he next? Here it is not said, that we daily sin, in word and deed, far less, that all our best works are sinful, for the following verse showeth the contrary, where it is said, that such as confess their sins get pardon, and are washen: and this cleansing cannot be meaned of remitting the guilt, for that was expressed by forgiving; otherwise there should be a tautology here. Ans. (1.) It is sufficient that this place proveth, that believers are not so perfect, as to be sinless here. (2.) It is true, believers confessing their sins, and fleeing to Christ by faith, obtain remission of their sins: and it is also true, that Christ's blood cleanseth them, from guilt and stain: but that cleansing from the stain and filth is not perfect here; for then there were no need of remission; and believers might say, they had no sin, contrary to what is here said verse 8. and Chap. 2:1. In the 3. place he distinguisheth betwixt sinning, and having sin, (as Volkelius the Socinian lib. 5. c. 19. did, to elude this place, betwixt having of sin, and being accustomed to sin ) and then tells us, that because all have sinned, it may be said of them, that they have sin Just as Smalcius the Socinian said disp. 6. de Bonis Oper. Pag. 178. But we Ans. That the Apostle expressly saith both, that we have sin verse. 8. and that we have had sin verse. 10. And he that sinneth in the present time, he hath sin, in the present time: And beside this having of sin, he supponeth that they may sin, saying Chap. 2:1▪ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not, that is not, that ye have not had sin: And if any man sin, that is in the present and future time, We have an advocate with the Father, &c. And it is observable, that the Apostle cleareth verse. 9. what he meaned by having of sin, verse. 8. by saying if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins : For here he can mean no other, than such sins, as need foregiveness; and not such, as were formerly was hen away by the blood of Jesus verse. 7. Moreove • he tells us, that sin may be taken for the seed of sin, that for some time remaineth even in such, as are redeemed from actual sin: and when the children of God resist the temptations that come from this seed, it is not their sin, but the Devils, that tempteth. Ans. (1.) This seed of sin is sinful, and as lon • , as this seed of sin is in them, they cannot be perfect. (2.) The Apostle is speaking of actual sins (not excluding this seed and body of death) which must be confessed, before they be actually pardoned, and they cleansed from the guilt of them, verse. 9. (3.) In so far, as the godly resist these temptations, they do well; but even these sinful motions of corruption, within them, are transgressions of the Law, and should be mourned for; and are evidences, that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, so that they do not what they should do▪ every way as they ought to do: What he saith in the last place, to wit, That this place should not be so wrested, as to speak against what the same Apostle saith frequently, in the same Epistle. Is founded upon his presumption, and false supposition, that he hath proven this Perfection, from this Epistle; the con • rary whereof is shown.

29. To 1 King. 8:46. and Eccles. 7:20. he answereth, That there is nothing here said of sinning daily; Yea Sal • mon, in that place, two verses thereafter, speaketh of them, that turn from their sins, with all their heart; which insinuateth a possibility of relinquishing sin. Ans. It is express in Ecclesiastes, that there is not a just man upon earth, that doth good and sinneth not, clearly importing, that even in their doing good, they sin; and so, that they sin daily. What followeth 1 King. 8:48. speaketh only of their Repentance, which we deny not to be possible: but nothing of this possibility of not sinning. He answereth 2. Though it were granted, that at that time, there was no man that sinned not; yet it will not follow, that there are none such now, or that it is Impossible there should be any such. Ans. (1.) Then he must say either that, at that time, there were none Regenerate, no not Solomon himself; or that his position is false, which maketh this common to all Regenerate persons. (2.) We have proven it, not only under the Old Test. but also under the New : & what needs more? (3.) We do not speak of a simple impossibility, as if it surpassed the power of God, to cause such a thing; but of an ordinary impossibility, matters standing as they are, in the wise ordination of God, who will so have it. In the 3. place he comes to criticize, & tell us, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is taken in the potential mood; and so it signifieth, who may not, or cannot sin, as Ps. 119:11. Ans. And why not also ought not, seeing this Mood is used to express that? This is but vanity, for the Hebrew hath not properly potential moods. And though interpreters do usually render it so, as more congruous latin; yet the sense abideth the same: and the Dutch translate it, as we have it. And what will this say to other places? Nay, the very scope of Solomon evidenceth, our translation to be right, & his gloss to be but vanity; as is obvious to every Reader.

30. To that argument from Rom. 7:14. &c. he answereth the same, that Socinians and Arminians answered of old, to wit, That the Apostle is not there speaking of himself, but of an unregenerate person. While as all the circumstances of the text evince the contrary; to wit, that he is speaking of himself, and that in the present time; for he useth always from verse. 14. and forward, verbs in the present tense; and he distinguisheth betwixt the Old and New man, in himself, ascribeing to each their proper work; and speaketh many things of himself, which cannot be spoken of the Unregenerat. as (1.) To will and approve what is good, and to nill and disapprove what is evil, and that always; and to approve all good, and disapprove all evil, discovered to be such. (2.) To consent unto the Law, that it is good; and to delight therein, and that according to the inner man, which is the Regenerat part, opposite to the Old man. (3.) Not to do evil, not I, it is no more I ; and that was according to the Renewed part. (4.) To have an inner man, which is proper to the Regenerate Ephes. 3:19. (5.) To feel a strife and war betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit, which also agreeth to the Regenerate Gal. 5:17. (6) To hate evil, which no Unregenerate person can do. (7.) To approve of the Law, as Spiritual. (8.) To have will present unto good, even when he findeth not how to perform what is good. (9.) To be brought into captivity to the Law of sin; while as the wicked are willing slaves. (10.) To be groaning under this body of death, and accounting himself wreatched because of it. (11.) To have a Law in the mind, against which the Law in the members maketh war. (12.) To be expecting full delivery in Jesus Christ. (13.) To be thankful to God, upon that account. (14.) To be serving the Law of God, when the flesh is serving the Law of sin. (15) And Chap. 8:1. being an inference from wha • is said Chap. 7. he inferreth, that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ, which supposeth, that he was speaking of one, that was in Christ; otherwise his Inference had not been pertinent.

31. These things are clear, and might be further explained and confirmed, if it were necessary. Let us see, what he saith against this. 1. He saith The Apostle declared the contrary Chap. 6 2. Answ. No such matter: for what he said there, and what he saith here, can well agree; for he that is thus resisting sin, striveing and protesting against it, when he can do no more, is abundan • lie evidencing, that he is dead unto it, as to its dominion: and that he is not living therein. 2. He saith, Paul could not call himself a carnal man, as verse. 14. Answ. So said Schlightingius the Socinian, So Arminius : But we say, Paul doth not call himself simply, and every way, carnal, but only in a certain respect, distinguishing betwixt his better part, which he owneth as himself, and this Flesh verse. 18. And we find also, that Paul called the Corinthians, who were babes in Christ, carnal in some respect 1 Cor. 3:1, 2. He saith 3. The Apostle Chap. 8. saith, he was made free from the Law of sin and death, and so he could not be then carnal. Answ. Neither say we that he was carnal in so far, but spiritual. 4. He saith, That Paul Chap. 8:35. saith who shall separate us from the love of Christ & verse. 37. that in all these things, we are more then conquerors. And verse last, nothing can separate us. But where sin is, and is continued in, there there is a separation: for all sin is contrary to God 1 John. 3:4. Answ. That sin, where it is striven and wrestled against, as Rom. 7:15. &c. will make a separation from God, I deny. (2.) That sin is contrary to God, I nowhere read; that it is a breach and transgression of his Law, is true▪

32. To the instances of the failings of Noah and David, He saith, They are nothing to the purpose. Why so? The question is not, saith he, whether good men cannot sin, num non possint peccare; but, whether they be able not to sin, num possint non peccare: And this may be true, though they have sinned. Answ. But our Argument lieth thus; If these men, whom the Spirit of God styleth Perfect, and men according to God's heart, have had their failings, and these failings are registrated for our use; then we have no Scripture warrant for such a Perfection here, as is not attended with sin: But the former is true. Let him of now apply his answer to this argument, and see what it will say. Or thus we may frame the Argument: If we find no instances in Scripture such persons, as were so perfect, as that they did not sin, then to imagine such a perfection is but a groundless fancy & a dream. But the former is true. Or, If we find sin consisting with a state of Regeneration, than it is false, that all Regenerat persons are in a sinless state. Hereby also is that, which he addeth in the second place, obviated. And further we say, that from these instances, we do not prove, that the godly sin, in all they do, because of a body of death, and corruption cleaving to them; other Arguments evince that: But from these instances, we show, that his sinless state is but a Quakeristick dream.

33. To that argument. That this doctrine taketh away the study of Mortification, and Usemaking of the blood of Christ, and Praying for remission. He very civilly tells us, T • at because of its absurdity, he had almost forgoten it. As if he had answered all the arguments, we use against this error. But wherein consists its absurdity? Is (says he) mortification of sin useless when its end is attained ? But he mistaketh, after his usual manner, our argument; which in form runneth thus. If mortification be a duty pressed on persons regenerated; then persons regenerated have sin, and corruption in them to be mortified, and so are not sinless. But the former is true. Therefore &c. May it please him, to show the absurdity of this argument. When all sin is mortified, there is no more need of this duty of studying mortification: and if all sin be mortified in the regenerate. they have nothing to do with that duty: and so this stu • ying of mortification is incumbent only to unregenerate persons: doth the Scripture speak so? Why doth he not then show it? This would be more pertinent to the purpose, than his extravagant discourse that followeth, which I have nothing to • o with. But what saith he to prayer, He answereth with Smalcius the Socinian a • ainst Frantzius disp. 6. Pa. 181. & disp. 9. Pag. 289. That wen we are to pray, forgive us our sins, the meaning is not of daily sins, but of bygone sins. Ans. Why will he not say also, that when we pray, give us this day our daily bread, it is meaned of long since, before conversion; what vanity is this? But he saith next. This militateth as much against perfect justification. Ans. The man understandeth not our doctrine of Justification; He supposeth we say with Antinomians, that in Justification all sins, not yet actually committed, are actually pardoned; while as from this petition we prove the contrary: and yet assert a difference betwixt Justification & Sanctification, as he may see in the larger Chatechisme Quaest. 77. cited above.

34. He citeth some sayings of Hieron. and of Gelasius ; and bids us see some places of Augustine. But if he will be pleased to read what Vossius hath gathered out of these, and many others of the Fathers, against Pelagius, upon this head, which we hinted above, he may see his folly, and blush. Doth not Augustine, in his book against Celestius, frequently use that very argument, forgive us our sins ? And doth he not say, De Spirit. & liter. 36. Multum ill in hac vita profecit, qui quam longe sit a perfection justitiae proficiendo cognovit: A grave saying, that is. He hath advanced very far in this life, who hath so far advanced, as to know, that he is far from perfection. And Jerome, in the very place cited him, to wit Epist. ad Ctesiphontem, saith. This is men's perfection, if they know, that they are imperfest. And against his conclusion, as it standeth, I will not be so morose, as not to assent to it, unless he mean the last words hereof viz. that passage Revel. 3:12. to him, that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of m • God, as fulfilled in this life: and if so, he must mean the same of all the rest of the promises made there Chap. 2. & 3. to Overcomers, which would make him ridiculous enough. If he would have cited Ancients to his purpose, he should have cited the old Begardi, who maintained this; and said, that a perfect soul being reduced to God, loseth its own will, so that it hath no other will but the divine will, which it had from eternity, in that ideal being, which it had in God; which being supposed (they say) they may do anything, which their affection puts them upon, without sin. And so the reason why such persons cannot sin, is because all sins, even unclean mixtures (as they also said) are no sins. He should have cited also the old Alumbradoes, who had the same opinion, & practices suitable.

CHAP. XV. Of Perseverance.

1. In his ninth thesis, he layeth down his judgment concerning that question, first brought upon the stage, by the subtle adversary of the grace of God, Pelagius, concerning the final Perseverance, or full and final Apostasy of the Saints; and hath since been agitated by Jesuits, Socinians, and Arminians : and he asserteth two things, first. They in whom the light, the seed, the gift of God, the inward sufficient grace, (for it hath many names) hath wrought something to their purifying, tending forward to a perfecting of them, may go backward, and depart from it by disobedience, That is, in plainer terms (for these men must have liberty to speak in their own dialect) They who are Regenerated, Purified and Sanctified, may Apostatize, and fall from that state of Regeneration and Sanctification: and in this he taketh part with Pelagians, Jesuits, Socinians & Arminians, against the orthodox. Next He asserteth, That some may attain in this life, to such a measure of fixedness and stability in the truth, that they cannot fall away from it.

2. It is observable, that all such, who, in the doctrine of grace, err from the right paths of the Lord; and so speak and write of it, as to exalt Man, & Free will, and acknowledge nothing, in the way of grace's working in souls first and last, but what may consist with their project, and resolution of setting the crown upon man's head, as making himself to differ from others; do also, in correspondency with their o • her principles & positions, assert this full & final Apostasy of the Saints: for, as they put it in man's power to accept or reject grace when offered; so they put it in his power to stand in grace, or depart from it, as he pleaseth: that man may be Lord of the whole, and wear all the glory of it. And therefore as they would admit nothing to be said, concerning the Lord's working of grace, in the souls of his people, that might in the least seem to encroach upon the Free Will of man (though the Gospel doctrine of the grace of God rather advantageth, than disadvantageth, true Free Will) so will they admit nothing to be said, concerning the further progress of the work of this grace, in the soul, to the end, that will not consist with Free Will's absolute Lordshipe. Smalcius hath said the matter fully, in few words, Refut. lib. de Error. nov. Arian. lib. 1. c. 1. p. 7. as it is free for all men (saith he) to believe, who before were infidels, when they have occasion to believe; so again it is free to all men, after they have once believed, to fall from faith.

3. I cannot in the least wonder, why this man should be for the Apostasy of the Saints, when I consider what his Saints are, and what his Principles, formerly examined, savoure of. Nay, I rather wonder, how it cometh to pass that any of these, he calleth or supposeth to be saints, should ever come to that measure or fixedness of stability, in good, as not to depart therefrom. Only because, in his former Thesis, as we heard in the former Chapter, he asserted such a perfection attainable, as might put men out of all hazard or possibility of sinning; he could not but now assert, that such a state and degree of perfection, that took away all possibility of sinning, would also exclude a possibility of defection; sin being that, which only can make souls stagger, and fall from their stability; and defection being only by sin. All the Grace & Regeneration & Sanctification, which his saints attain unto, is, as we saw above, the pure and mere result of Natures Light, and of the power of Nature, without the least assistance, as necessary, of the outward sound and knowledge of the very letter of the declaration of God's mind, in the Gospel, or of the bare report of a crucified Savior; let be of the effectual operation of the Spirit of grace, renewing the whole man, and working him up to an union and closing with Christ, conform to the tenor of the Gospel, that thereby he may come to the actual participation of the great and saving benefits which Christ hath purchased by his blood. What can we then judge or say of this state, let us imagine it to be in its perfection, but that it is a pure state of Nature, and as the perfection of this state, formerly mentioned, can be nothing, but corrupt Nature (the constant and irreconcilable enemy of the grace of God, and of the Gospel,) in its strongest fort of opposition, and resistance to the Gospel-grace of God, and in its strongest citadel of security, wherein it is freest from the invasions and attacques of the grace of God: whence experience hath proven it true, that none have been greater enemies to the Gospel-grace of God, and furthest from a yielding thereunto, than such as have attained unto the highest improvement of nature, as they supposed; and were accounted the wise men of their age; for to such wise men the preaching of the cross was foolishness. And who seeth not, that even within the Church, such remain most disobedient to the call of the Gospel, and unpersuadable by all its Reasons, Motives and Allurements, who suppose themselves to have attained to some more then ordinary Improvement of the Light of nature, or correspondence, in their walk, with a Natural Conscience, and Principles of morality; especially if this be seconded, or attended with an outward compliance with the outward ordinances of the Religion they profess; for these, seeking to establish their own righteousness (which is a piece of the heirshipe of corrupt nature, which all have from Adam ) cannot, and will not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God Rom. 10:4. Wherefore, Perseverance in such a state, can be no advantage, but a manifest fixedness, in the way of death: and nothing can annul a perseverance in this state, and cause a falling therefrom, but the strong hand of the grace of God. And that state of stability, of which he talketh, and from which there is no falling away, can be nothing but the Lord's holy and judicial giving up to blindness and unbelief, and closing their eyes, that they should not see, and stoping their ears, that they should not hear, and hardening their hearts, that they should not believe, conform to Isaiah 6:9. John. 12 verse. 40. Math. 13: verse. 14, 15. Luk. 8: verse. 20. Act. 28: verse. 26. Rom. 11: verse. 8. Mark. 4: v. 12.

4. His saints then, being such as we have mentioned, and not such as we hold with the Scriptures to be saints indeed, that is, Such as being by nature children of wrath, and dead in trespasses and sins, Ephes. 2:1, 2, 3. are in due time effectually called out of nature, into grace, by the mighty power and operation of the grace of God, having their Minds and Understandings graciously Illuminated by divine Light, and their Wills Renewed and powerfully Determined unto a closing with Christ, offered in the Gospel, Ephes. 2: verse. 5. Phil 2:13. 1 Cor. 2:10, 12. Act. 26:18. Ezech. 11:19. & 36:26, 27. John. 6:45. And hereupon are made partakers of the Spirit of Christ, that dwelleth in them, and reneweth their whole soul more and more, so that having a new Principle of life, and new spiritual supernatural Habites, whereby they become wholly new creatures, acting from new Principles, for new Ends, upon new Motives to the glory of God and their Redeemer Ephes. 2:6, 8, 10. Gal. 2:20. 1 John. 5:12. 2 Cor. 5:17. 1 John. 3:9. 1 Pet. 1:22, 23. And thus translated into a new state, from death to life Ephes. 2:2. 1 John. 3:14. Col. 2:13. from darkness to light Act 26: • 8. Ephes. 5: v. 8. 1 Thes. 5: v. 4. from sin to holiness 1 Cor. 6:11. Ezech. 36:25. Ephes. 5:6. Tit. 3:5. from enmity to friendshipe Ephes. 2:12, 13, 14, 15. Col. 1:21 being now Justified, Accepted of God, having their sins pardoned, and b • ing Adopted as heirs of the inheritance Rom. 5:1. & 8:1. Col. 2:10. Rom. 8:32, 33. John. 1:12. 1 John. 3:1, 2, And all this upon the account of the merits and purchase of Christ, the Mediator, in pursuance of the Covenant of redemption, betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator; & conform to the Covenant of Grace, exhibited in the Gospel. The saints, whereof he speaketh, not being such as these, described to us in the Gospel of Christ, we need not think ourselves concerned in the vindication of their stability and perseverance; for we own only the perseverance of such, as are thus effectually Called out of nature into grace, and endued with the Spirit of Christ. Isaiah 59:21. Rom. 5:5. 1 Cor. 6:9. John. 14:16, 17. Gal. 5:22. Psal. 51:11. Ezech. 36:27. to lead, act and guide them, Rom. 8:9, 11. who differ far from his natural pagan-saints; and have no affinity with them, nor with natural, outward-Christians▪ And thus might we let this whole matter, whereof he treateth in this Thesis, and in his Vindication thereof, pass without any further animadversions.

5. Yet, lest he, according to the Genius and usual manner of that Seck, should boast, and say, that we durst not contend with him, upon this head, and so triumph among his admirers; we shall examine h • s doctrine with patience. The truth, which we own, is shortly and fully set down, in our Confes. of faith, Chap. 17. thus, They, whom God hath accepted in his beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally, nor finally fall away from the state of grace: but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved (Phil. 1:6. 2 Pet. 1:10. John. 10:28, 29. 1 John. 2:9. 1 Pet. 1:5, 9) This perseverance of the Saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election, flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God, the Father (2 Tim. 2:18, 19▪ Ier. 31:3.) upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:10, 11. & 13:20, 21. & 9:12, to 15. Rom. 8:33, &c. John. 17:11, 24. Luk. 12:32: Heb. 7:25.) the abiding of the Spirit and seed of God within them (John 4▪ 16, 17. 1 John. 2:27. & 3:9.) and the nature of the Covenant of grace (Ier. 31:40.) from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof (John. 10:28 2 Thes. 3:3. 1 John. 2:19.) Nevertheless they may, through the temptations of Satan and of the world, the prevalency of corruption remaining in them, and the neglect of the means of their preservation, • all into grievous sins (Mat. 26:70, 72, 74.) and for a time continue therein (Psal. 51. title with v 14. whereby they incur God's displeasure (Isaiah 64:5, 7, 9. 2 Sam, 11.27.) and grieve his Holy Spirit (Ephes. 4:30.) come to be deprived of some measure of their graces & comforts (Psal. 51:8, 10, 12 Rev. 2:4. Cant. 5:2, 3, 4, 6▪) have their hearts hardened (Isaiah 63:17. Mark. 6:52▪ & 16:14) and their consciences wounded (Psal. 37:3, 4. & 51:8.) hurt and scandalize others (1 Sam. 12:14.) and bring temporal judgments upon themselves (Psal. 89:31, 32. 1 Cor. 11:32.

6. Whence we may take notice of these things remarkable (1.) That we assert not the Perseverance of any, that are not truly Regenerated, & Sanctified by the Spirit, whatever fair profession they may have, in the eyes of the world; whatever rare and excellent Gifts and Enduements, or Common graces of the Spirit, that are not saving, they may be endued with, Heb. 6:4. What ever Inward, and Real change, they may feel, that is not saving, and the work of Regeneration, such as Illumination of the Mind, worldly Sorrow, Legal Repentance, a temporary Faith, and an outward Amendement of life 1 Sam : 10:10. 2 Pet. 2:20. 1 King. 21:27. 2 Cor. 7:10. Mat. 13:20. & 17:3; 4, Mark. 6:20. 2 Tim. 2:20. (2.) We assert not such a stoical inevitable necessity of Perseverance, as adversaries suppose; as if persons were to persevere though unwilling, and lying in sin and carnal security, and resolved to continue in sin; but such a necessity as joineth end and means together. (3.) Nor do we assert an Absolute Impossibility of falling away, like that Impossibility, whereby God cannot lie; but Conditional, in regard of the decree, and firm purpose of God, &c. (4.) We assert not a Perseverance, depending upon the will of man. Nor (5.) do we say, that believers, con • idered in themselves, cannot fall a way finally and totally; but upon the account of the Decree of God, Purchase of Christ &c. (6.) We speak not here of a falling away from Duty, and work commanded, for it is confessed, they may fall from that, into many and grievous sins; but of a falling from State. (7.) Nor speak we of a falling away from State, as to what is not of the essence thereof, but belong to it, as concomitants, or consequences thereof; such as Sense of grace, and of the Favor of God, Inward Assurance and Perswasion of our good state, sweet and easy Actings of grace, Strong Habites, Comfort, and Peace of conscience; for as to these there may be a remitting, as to some; & a privation, as others: but of a falling away from a state, as to what is essential thereto; that is, a falling out of the favor of God, and state of Reconciliation with him, and a falling from a State of Holiness and Sanctification, by a total privation of the Spirit, and of all his gracious Workings. (8.) We speak not of a Perseverance for a certain time, but unto the end. (9.) Nor do we acknowledge, with some Lutherans, a Total Apostasy, though not final; as if the saints could wholly and totally fall from their state of Reconciliation and grace, though not for any long time, far less to the end. But (10.) We maintain such a Perseverance, as is opposite to both a Total Apostasy, & a Final Apostasy.

7. What are the grounds, whereupon this truth is built, was briefly declared in the Confess. of faith, formerly cited. We shall reduce what might be said in confirmation of this, unto a few heads. And first. If we consider God the Father in this matter, we shall see it clear: for (1.) He is unchangeable in his electing Love, his Decrees and Purposes are unalterable, & his Will is irresistible. See Mal. 3:6. I am. 1:16, 17, 18. Rom. 11:29. Esa. 40:27, 28, 29, 30, 31. & 44:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. & 46:3, 4. & 50.6. Rom. 8:28, 29, 30. Ier. 31:3. 2 Tim. 2:19. Rom. 9:11. Isaiah. 46:9, 10, 11. Psal. 33:9, 10, 11. John. 6: v. 37, 38, 39, 40. Esa. 42:1. Mat. 24:24. Ephes. 1:3, 4, 5. 2 Thes. 2:13, 14. (2.) He is True and Faithful, his Veracity stands engaged, having made so many promises hereof. Deut. 30:8. Ezek. 36:27. Josh. 1:5. Heb, 13:5. 1 Sam. 12:22. Psal. 23:4, 6. & 125. throughout & 37:28. Isaiah. 54:7, 8, 9, 10. Hos. 2:19, 20. Mat. 16:18, Ier. 32:38, 40. 1 Cor. 1:8, 9. 1 Thes. 5:28. Phil. 1:6. Mat. 12:20. 2 Thes. 3:3. 1 Cor. 10:13. (3.) His Omnipotency and Power is engaged to through and perfect his saints, and finally save them John. 10:28, 29. Rom. 8:35, 37, 38, 39. Iud. verse. 24. 1 Pet. 1:5. 2 Tim. 1:12. Ephes. 1:19. 2 Cor. 12.9. & 13:4. Deut. 33:3. (4.) His Oath Heb. 6:17, 18. is engaged.

8. Secondly, If we consider, what Christ hath done, and doth for them, this point will be clear: For (1.) He hath Redeemed them by his blood, and bought them out of the hand of Justice, having made full and complete satisfaction, for what could be required of them; & so hath taken away sin & guilt, that caused the alienation, & feud betwixt God & them Heb. 9:12. Ephes. 1:7. Col. 1:14. Dan. 9:24. (2.) He hath Redeemed them out of Satan's hands, Heb. 2:14. Col. 2:15. & 1:16. Rom. 16:20. 1 John. 3:8. Mat. 12:19. (3.) He hath Redeemed them from sin and the power thereof, 2 Pet. 1:18, 19. Rom. 6:5, 6, 7, 8. (4.) He is absolute Dispensator of all the good things, purchased & promised; for he rose again for their Justification, Rom. 4:25. and all the promises are in him yea, and in him amen, 2 Cor. 1:20. and all power in heaven & earth is given unto him, Mat. 28:18. (5.) He hath Purchased and will Bestow the Crown of life, Gal. 3:29. & 4:7. Rom. 8:17. (6.) His Power keepeth them John. 10:28, 29. (7.) His Love continueth unchangeable towards them, John. 13.1. (8.) He is gone to pepare a place for them, John. 14:2, 3. (9.) He hath taken possession of glory, in their name, and they are said to sit with him in heavenly places, Ephes. 2:6. (10.) He Interceedeth for them, Heb. 7:25. 1 John. 2:1. John. 11:42. Rom. 8:34. Heb 9:24, 25, 26. John. 17:11▪ 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22:23, 24. Luk. 22:32. (11.) He standeth in several Relations unto them assuring this; He is a Husband, and must have a wife; He is an Head and must have a body; He is a King and must have subjects; He is made unto them of God Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption, 1 Cor. 1:30. (12.) He hath Purchased a • d Promised the Spirit, John. 15:26. & 14:16, 17. and this Spirit abideth, to perfect his work John. 14:16. 2 Cor. 1:22. Isaiah. 59:21.

9. Thirdly, If we consider the Spirits work and Interest in carrying those sons unto glory, we will see this truth confirmed: For (1.) He is Promised to his people Ezech. 11:19. & 36:27. Isaiah. 59:21. John. 4:14. comp. with John. 7:38, 39. (2.) It is affirmed, that he is in them, and abideth in them, Psal. 51:11. Rom. 8:9, 11, 15. 1 Cor. 2:12. Gal. 4:6. 1 Tim. 3:14. 1 John. 2:27. Rom. 5:5. (3.) He Sealeth them unto the day of redemption, Ephes. 1:23. & 4:30. 2 Cor. 1:21. (4.) He is a Spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8:15. Gal. 4:5, 6.

10. Fourthly, If we consider the Covenant of Redemption, betwixt Jehovah and the Lord Mediator, this will be abundantly evinced: For (1.) The Father hath given a number to Christ to save, John. 17:2, 9, 11, 12. & 6:37, 39. And Christ hath undertaken to save them, John. 6:37, 39, 40. (2.) The Father hath undertaken, that Christ shall see his seed, Esa. 53:10. and see of the travel of his soul, & be satisfied, Esa. 53:11. Psal. 72:8. (3.) Christ had a commission to go about this work, & to bring many sones unto glory & was qualified for this end, Isaiah. 61:1, 2, 3. Esa. 42:6, 7. & 49:9. Heb. 2:10. (4. The Fath • r hath promised to give Christ what he asketh Psal. 2:8. & 89:2 • , 27, 28. (5.) Yea, He hath sworn, that he shall have an issue, Psal. 89:35, 36. Act. 2:30, 31. Psal 132:11, 12. 2 Sam. 7:12. 1 King. 8:25. Luk. 1:61.

11. Fifthly, The consideration of the nature of the Covenant of Grace will con •• rme this: for that is an everlasting and unchangeable Covenant, and ha • h the promise of Perseverance in its bosom, Gen. 17: verse. 7. Ier. 31: verse. 31, 32, 33. & 32: verse. 38, • 9, 40. Ezech 11:17, 18, 19, 20. Hos 2:19, 23. John 6:54, 56. Isaiah. 54:10.

12. Sixthly, The Grace infused in souls, according to the Covenant of grace, is of an enduring nature; especially considering how it is Watered, Preser • ed, and Cared for: It is a remaining seed 1 John. 3:9. sown in good ground Luk. 8.15. by the rivers of water Psal. 1:3. And watered every moment Isaiah. 27.3. See John. 4:14. & 7:38. And so is differenced from Gifts and Common graces, and from temporary Faith, and grace that evanisheth in the day of trial 1 John. 2:19. Luk. 8:18. John 2:23, 24. Mat 13:21. John. 17:9. what this true faith is, see Tit. 1:1. 1 Tim. 1:5 Gal. 5 6. 2 Pet. 1:1.

13▪ Seventhly, The consideration of the hurt and damage, that the Asserting of the Apo • tasie of the Saints, bringeth necessar • lie with it unto Christians, may have its own weight here: For (1) Then they could not in faith and confidence pray for it; for what is purely in the power of man's Free will, and is not the sole work of God and of his grace, we cannot, we need not pray for, contrary to John. 14:13, 14. Ephes. 3▪ 17, 18. 1 Thes. 5:23, • 4. and the Lord's prayer teacheth us to pray, that his Name be hallowed, that his Kingdom come, and that his Will be done in earth, as in heaven. (2.) This would destroy their Hope and Confidence in God for preservation, in the times of trial and temptation, contrary to Rom. 8: verse. 35, 38, 39. (3.) This would take away their joy of the holy Ghost, an • Consolation; and give ground of continual Anxiety, Doubts, Feares, &c.

14. Eighthly, The consideration of the blow that this doctrine would give unto many articles of our Faith, and undoubted truths of our Religion, may confirm us against it: As (1) It would render the Obedience and Sufferings of Christ null and useless: for he should then suffer and die, and no man might be saved or healed by his stripes and death. (2.) It would also render his Resurrection, Ascension and Sitting at the Fathers right hand ineffectual: For notwithstanding thereof, no man might be saved. (3.) It destroyeth his Death, as the Death of a Cautioner; for no man can be said to have died with him, risen with him, and to sit with him in heavenly places, contrary to Rom. 6:3, 4, 5, 8. Eph. 2:5, 6. Col. 3:1. nor can he be said to prepare mansions for an • , contrary to John. 14:2, 3. (4.) It maketh the grand promise of the Spirit null, & of no effect. (5.) It taketh away the Catholic Church, that shall certainly come to mount Zion, and to the innumerable company of angels, &c. Heb. 12:22, 23, 24. (6.) It would null that Christian Communion, and sweet Fellowship of Saints. (7.) It would make Remission of sins of little comfort. (8.) And take away the faith of Life Everlasting.

15. Having premised these things, for clearing and confirming of the truth; we come to examine what he says against it Pag. 167. §. 2. He reasoneth from Iud verse. 4. and supposeth. that these, that turned the grace of God into lasciviousness, had once grace; not knowing, that this was not grace inherent, or the true grace of God placed and planted in the soul, and wrought there by the Spirit of grace; but external grace, held forth in the Gospel offer, even that grace, that shou • d have taught them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts; and to have lived soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world Tit. 2:12. It is that grace, which is outwardly spoken and preached Act. 14:3. Ephes. 3:2. 1 Pet. 4:10. Next, He reasoneth from 1 Tim. 1:19. supposing, that that faith, which some made shipewrak of, was true and saving faith. contrary to 2 Tim. • :17. & 4:14. while as it was nothing but the doctrine of faith; as the word also is taken 1 Tim. 3:9. & 4:1. Gal. 1:23. & 3:2, 5, 23, 25. Act. 6:7. Rom. 1:5, 8. In the third place, he reasoneth from Heb. 6:4, 5. Not so much as noticeing, that the words are but Conditional, and not Absolute; if they fall away : And that there is nothing here, no not one expression, that is necessarily to be understood of true and sa • ing grace, and not of mere gifts and common graces, given in a more than ordinary measure: no one expression here of Regeneration, of true Sanctification, of Closeing with Christ, of their being Justified, or Adopted, or Elected, &c. Nay, the Apostle compareth them to ground, upon which the rain falleth, and yet beareth nothing, but thorns and briars verse. 8. & distinguisheth them from those, to whom he wrote, & of whom he expected better thing • ▪ that accompany salvation verse. 9. and from true believers verse. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19. When our Quaker, out of his friends, the Socinians & Arminians, shall say anything, to prove that these expressions import true and saving grace, we may then think it time to sp • ak more of this; but seeing he is pleased to give us no more here, but his naked assertion, we have said enough, and so proceed.

16. The next thing he alleigeth against this truth, is a supposition, that he hath undermined the ground thereof, viz. Election; But how superficially this was attempted, we have seen. But he says, that this our doctrine is contradicted by daily experience. Wherein? In that preachers (saith he) exhort many to believe, and lay hold upon salvation, who cannot, if they be reprobate. Ans. But do Ministers know certainly who are reprobate? What if their design be most to save the elect? But then, says he, their preaching is vain, for these shall certainly be saved. Ans. Where is it said, that they • hall certainly be saved without the means? Knoweth he not, that by the foolishness of preaching, God saveth them tha • believe? Knoweth he not, that God hath appointed the means, to keep his Elect believers constant and steadfast in the faith? He tells us that Vossius Hist Pelag lib. 6 p. 587. saith, that this was the common opinion of the ancients. Answ. But I find the contrary manif • stly made out by D Owen, in his preface to his book of Perseverance ; from Clemens Epistle to th • Corinthians a piece of undoubted antiquity, fro • Ignatius, from Tertullian ▪ from Macarius Aegyptius, from Chrys • stome ; and from the Opposers of the Pelagians and Semi-Pelagians, such as Prosper, and chiefly Augustine, with whom accorded Hilary and Fulgentius. So from Gregory, from Bradwardine, yea and from Thomas Aquinas. These h • may be pleased to consider at his leisure.

17. But Pag. 168. §. 3. He replieth to that answer, given to 1 Tim. 1:19. Saying, that it must be true faith, that is there meaned. As if we said, that the doctrine of faith were a false faith. But he supposeth, that we meaned an hypocritical faith, that was not in truth, but in show only: And yet he must know, that a Temporary faith is not properly a false faith, but is true, in its kind: It is true, it is not a saving faith; and yet is distinguished from a false faith: But the faith, we said, that was there spoken of, is the doctrine of Faith, which they should not have put away, but adhered to, and preached faithfully, with all good conscience. But, when it is said, they put away a good conscience, (saith he) it is supposed, they had a good conscience, which cannot be without true faith. Ans. Paul saith Act. 23:1. that he had lived in all good conscience before God, unto that day ; taking in, (as is very probable) even the time that he was a pharisee, and so without true faith in Christ: see Phil. 3:6. (2.) The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there used, doth not signify always a putting away what we have; as we see Act. 7:27, 39. & 13:46. And so it only importeth that they did not serve Christ in the Gospel, in truth and in sincerity; but for filthy luc • e, or such like corrupt ends: and hence it came to pass, that at length they cast the profession of the truth over board, and would follow that doctrine no more.

18. To our proofs from Phil. 1:6. & 1 Pet. 1:5. he Answereth. These can no other ways be understood, than in so far; as we fulfil the condition, upon which salvation is offered. Ans. But these texts speak expressly of God's beginning and perfecting the condition, the good work, and keeping by faith. So that, the man knoweth not what he says, when he thinks this answer can be made use of here.

19. He cometh next Pag. 169. §. 4 to speak of the second thing, as • erted in his Thesis, to wit, That there is such a measure of grace attainable, from which there is no Apostasy; and in this, he leaveth his friends, the Socinians & Arminians, and thinketh hereby to answer all the arguments, whereby Perseverance is proved; but in this his folly is too manifest: for all our arguments conclude for such, as have the least measure of true and saving grace: and upon the other hand, answer all that is brought against Perseverance, by alleiging that these cannot reach such, as are attained to this highest degree: But as this will not satisfy the Adversaries, so it is but loose and groundless work, having no foundation in the word. And if he will interpret that Heb. 6:4, 5, 6. of true and saving grace, he will find difficulty to limit it to beginners, & not to mean it especially of such, as have attained unto an higher measure of perfection, than ordinary.

20. But Pag. 170. from that place 1 Cor. 9: verse. 27. he saith that Paul supposeth here a possibility, that he might become a reprobate. Whereby he destroyeth what he is about to assert; for he cannot with any color of reason deny, that Paul was advanced above many, & arrived at as high a degree of perfection, as any Quaker is capable of; seeing himself saith, that Paul was come to that state • , from which he knew, he could not fall; and the mater is clear Rom. 8:38. 2 Tim. 1:12. & 4:7, 8. But he mistaketh the import of that word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 1 Cor. 9:27. which only signifieth, not approven, or not accepted of, in the service he was employed about, as the whole scope an • context cleareth: and though it were taken in his worst sense; what can he hence infer? will the careful use of means to provent such a thing, prove that such a thing was possible, not only in itself, but also in respect of God? The Lord's determination and purpose kniteth the ends with the means, & secureth the end together with the means leading thereto. But it is an ordinary mistake with Arminians, to think that if the end be secured, means are needless. Was not the life of Christ secured until the time appointed? did he for all that neglect the use of means for his life? or did he hearken to Satan, tempting him to cast himself headlong from the pinnacle of the temple? did Hezekiah neglect to eat & drink &c. notwithstanding of the full assurance he had of living fifteen years longer?

21. What he saith afterward of assurance, which some attain unto, though I judge it not clearly proven from Revel. 3:12. that place being meant rather of what the Lord will give hereafter in glory: Yet I assent unto the truth, & shall recommend the Reader unto Chap. 18 of our Confess. of Faith, where he shall find the matter fully explained & confirmed, so that he needeth not take any notice of what this Quaker saith, on that head.

CHAP. XVI. Of the Church.

1 WE proceed unto his Tenth thesis, wherein he treateth of the Ministry. But in his Apology P. 172. &c. he thinketh good to speak something of the Church, of which, he made no mention in his Thesis, but did presuppose it. What we hold concerning the Church, is distinctly set down in our Confess. Chap. 25: Where more of the clear truth may be in a few words seen, than readily will be found in several Treatises, written against Papists upon that head: there it is said; The Catholic or Universal Church, which is Invisible, consists of the whole number of the Elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ, the head thereof; and is the Spouse, the Body, the fullness of him, that filleth all in all (Ephes. 1:10, 22, 23. & 5:23, 27, 32. Col. 1:18.) The visible Church, which is also Catholic or Universal, under the Gospel (not confined to one Nation, as before under the Law) consists of all these, throughout the world, that profess the true Religion (1 Cor. 1:2. & 12:12, 13. Psal. 2:8. Revel. 7:9, Rom. 15:9, 10, 11, 12.) together with their children (1 Cor. 7:14. Act. 2:39. Ezech. 16:20, 21. Rom. 11:16. Gen. 3:15. & 17:7.) and is the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ (Mat. 13:47. Isaiah. 9:7.) the house and family of God (Ephes 2:19. & 3.15.) out of which there is no ordinary possibility of Salvation (Act. 2:47.) Unto this Catholic visible Church, Christ hath given the Ministry, Oracles and Ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints, in this life, to the end of the world: And doth by his own Presence and Spirit according to his promise, make them eff • ctual thereunto (1 Cor. 12:28. Ephes. 4:11, 12, 13. Mat. 28:19, 20. Isaiah 59:21. Add hereunto Quaest. 63. of our Larger Catechism: What are the special privileges of the Visible Church? Ans. The visible Church hath the privilege of being under God's special care and government (Isaiah 4:5, 6. 1 Tim. 4:10.) of being protected and preserved in all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies (Psal. 115. throughout Isaiah 31:4, 5. Zech. 12:2, 3, 4, 8, 9.) and of enjoying the Communion of saints, the ordinary Means of Salvation (Act. 2:39, 42.) Offers of grace by Christ to all the members of it, in the ministry of the Gospel, testifying that whosoever believes in him shall be saved (Psal. 147:19, 20. Rom. 9:4. Ephes. 4:11, 12. Mark. 16:15, 16.) and excluding none that will come unto him (John. 6:37.)

2. Here is our doctrine laid down in few words. What would this man now say? He giveth us first the Etymology of the greek word, that we render Church ; and thence tells us, that an Eccl • sia, or Church, is nothing else but a company of such as God hath called out of this world. Against which I have nothing to say: only, for clearing the matter, I would add; That there is a company called out of the world by the grace of God, & power of his Spirit, to worship him in Spirit and in Truth; and this is that company, which is called the Church invisible, because their union with their Head, and with one another, is by a bond of true and saving Faith, and sincere Love, which are not obvious to the eyes of men. As also there is a greater company of persons, called out of the world, to profess the Name of Jesus, & to worship Him outwardly, according to his word, and to own him for their King, by submitting to his Laws, Ordinances, & Officers, by an outward profession. And this is that company, which is called the visible Church, because both their exercise, & their bond of union with this King, & with one another, is outward, & obvious to the eye; to wit, an open Profession of the true Religion, & outward submission to & following of the ordinances & institutions of Christ: But as to this visible Church, in his following words, he seemeth to take no notice thereof; for he describeth to us the Church Invisible; and then tells us, that without this Church there is no salvation. But this is impertinently spoken; for that Church is made up only of the elect; And if we should speak of the Invisible Chur • h, as now existing in this world, we could not say, that any elect belonged to it, but such as were effectually called; for the rest were not yet called out of the world, or out of their state of nature; and he told us, that a church is a company of persons called out of the world. To say th • n, that there is no salvation, out of that company, that are already affectually called, is neither pertinent, nor truth; for there are many, who are not yet called, whom God, will in due time call and bring home; and these whom he hath elected, he doth bring into the visible, Church where they may enjoy the ordinances, which God hath appointed • or Conversion: And therefore we say, that out of this visible Church there is ordinarily no salvation: But all this is said by him, to make way for his Church, that will take in Heathens, Pagans, Turks and Tartars, that never heard, nor never shall hear a word of Jesus Christ; which Church, as he would delineate it to us, hath not the least relation to Christ, as Head and King; nor any advantage of, or interest in the Institutions of Jesus Christ. And what a Church this shall be let any sober Christian judge.

3. But let us hear himself speak: He calleth the Church a company of such, as God hath called out of this world, that they may walk in his light and Life. One might readily suppose, that this were good: but hear more. Under this notion, saith he, of the Church, all these are comprehended, of what Nation, Kind, Tongue or Family they be, (though far removed from, and strangers to these who profess Christ, and Christianity in words, and enjoy the Scriptures) who obey the divine light and testimony of God within them, so as by it they become sanctified and washen. Ans. That is, in short, All Heathens and Pagans, who have never heard of Christ or of Christianity, belong to this Church of persons, called out of the world, to walk in God's Light and Life; if they have obeyed the Light of Nature and of a Natural Conscience, teaching to abstean from gross sins. This is the Quakers Church, and the Church of persons effectually called out of the world, which they mean: which is nothing else, but a Church of moralized Pagans, A pagan-Church, without the Knowledge of Christ, Profession of Christ, Faith in Christ, Worship of Christ, Acknowledgment of Christ, Union with Christ, without the Gospel of Christ, and the Spirit of Christ. An • though he call this, the Catholic Spirit, and the secret life and virtue of Jesus ; Yet it is in truth nothing but Catholic nature, which cannot understand the things of the Gospel. This is further confirmed by what he addeth. Therefore (saith he) they may be members of this Catholic Church, who are Pagans, Turks and Jews, and of every seck among Christians, if they be good single hearted men, though they be ignorant and superstitious. Thus we see the Quakers Church is erected according to the Covenant of works, and that now broken, founded upon the Law of Nature, directed by the Light of Nature: and to it belong all civil outwardly moral persons, whatever Religion they have, and how superstitious soever they be: Yea though they worship stocks and stones, and the Devil; for there is no exception here. Reader, what thinkest thou now of this Church, of this Profession, and of this Religion? It is Catholic, I confess, alas too Catholic! Hence we see, how false it is that he saith afterward Pag. 174. that this Church hath sometimes been Invisible, though he, after the Quakers manner, misapply that Ier. 3:14. & 1 King. 19:18. For alas, it hath always since Adam fell, been too visible.

4. Next §. 3. He speaketh of a particular Church; and here seemeth to word the matter better; but, he having already given us the Key, we shall be the more able to unlock his cabinet. We must (s • ith he) consider a Church, as it signifies a certain number of faithful persons. That is, Persons only taught by the Light of nature, though as for Religion, they may be worshipers of the Devil; for this particular Church needeth but be a part of the Catholic Church▪ what more▪ Gathered together (saith he) by the Spirit of God, and the testimony of some of his Ministers That is (say I) by the Light and Law of nature, and the testimony of Quakers, or such Ministers, as preach nothing of the Gospel, nothing of Christ, revealed in the Gospel, nothing of the mystery of God & of Christ, therein revealed. What more? And brought unto, (saith he) the faith of true principles, and the doctrine of the Christian faith. That is, such principles and doctrine of Christian faith, as may be among them, that never heard of Christ, or of Christian Faith; that worship the work of men's hands, and possibly the Devil. Whose hearts (saith he further) united by the same love, and their understanding illuminated with the same truth, meet together, to attend upon God, adore him, and unanimously give testimony against error, though they suffer therefore. But (1.) Do not their bodies meet together too? (2.) Can that love be true Christian love, which may be among Pagans? (3.) What illumination of truth can they have, who never had another teacher, than a Natural Conscience within, or the Law written upon the works of creation and providence? (4.) What attendance upon God, or adoration of him, without Christ, known and believed in? (5.) What testimony against error can they give, who never heard of the Gospel, or of Christ? (6.) I know that here he is giving us a description of Quakers Conventicles, which really are Synagogues of Satan. He tells us further, that all the members of those meetings teach and instruct one another. And so they are all officers, all eyes, &c. and so monsters: No organical Church. Then he closeth with an untruth, saying, that such were all the primitive Churches, gathered by the Apostles. While as the Apostolic Churches consisted of persons, who called upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, 1 Cor. 1:2. They were Churches in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thes. 1:1. 2 Thes. 1:1. that is, such as acknowledged and worshiped the true God, and that in Jesus Christ: which neither Pagans, nor Jews as such did.

5. Having thus spoken of a catholic & of a particular church, he cometh §. 4; to speak something of the qualifications of the members of both, which I judge superfluous, seeing that was sufficiently done already. Yet because his words here are of a finer-like dress, let us hear him. That one (says he) may be a member of the catholic church, it is necessary, that there be an inward call of God by his light in the heart, and that the heart be fermented by his nature and Spirit, so as he leave off unrighteousness, and turn to righteousness; and that, as to the inward part of his soul, he be cut off the wild olive of nature and planted in Christ, b • his word & inward Spirit. And all this may be in them, that are ignorant of the history of Christ, as was proved in the 5. and 6. Thesis. Ans. These are fine words, to deceive the simple; had he not sufficiently explained himself above, in the place by himself cited, and just now also given us a clear view of his Catholic Church, and of its members, we might readily have been deceived: But, according to his own interpretation of himself, and a narrow inspection of his words here, We find (1.) That one can be a qualified member of the Church Catholic, who hath never heard of Christ, or of the Covenant of grace in Christ, nor learned anymore of Christianity or of the Gospel, then what nature could teach: and how dissonant this is from the whole Gospel; let any, that ever read it, speak. (2.) All this inward call of God is by the light, that is in the heart of every man by nature: is this anything else, but natures dim light? (3.) All this fermentation (to speak in the Quakers dialect) is effectuate by the power of this light, and this is it he meaneth by the Spirit, as he hinteth here, and leargly told us before. (4.) All the effect of this work is but an outward turning from unrighteousness, which a natural wretch may do, upon the information of a natural conscience: This is nothing of true Sanctification. (5.) It is impossible that all the operation of nature can bring a man off nature, and plant him in Christ. (6.) The Spirit of God worketh in and with the word, and this word is the preaching of the Gospel; and where the Gospel is, there is the history of Christ. So that where there is nothing of the history of Christ, there is not the word of the Kingdom, there is not the special working of the Spirit of Christ, This word therefore, and inward Spirit, whereof he speaketh, is but he word & Spirit of Nature, that is, nature under new names; the Paganish-word and Spirit.

6. But what is requisite to a member of a particular Christian church? He answereth Pag. 175. Beside this inward work it is necessary (says he) there be an external profession, and faith in Jesus Christ, and these sacred truths delivered in the Scriptures, when the inward light, and testimony of the Spirit, shall naturally incline & compel such, as are subject and obedient to it, to give assent and credit to the truths delivered in the Scripture Ans. We heard before of a Catholic Church, whereof all the members must needs be saved, and of a Particular Church, much of the same complexion with the Catholic; but now we hear of a new Church, called a Particular Christian church ; the complexion of which seemeth to differ from the former: But the matter is this; Christianity, with him, is not necessary to sal • ation: th • re may be particular Churches, were there is nothing of the Christian Religion: Pagans, that are somewhat Moral & Civil, belong to the catholic Church, & shall be saved; as well as Christians: But because, where the word of the Gospel is come, there must be some respect had to it, & to the word of God; therefore a little more is necessary in this case, though not in itself, to be found in such as live in such places, where the word of God is; for it were a shame to say, that no more were required of a man, borne and living all his days, where the word of God and the Gospel is, than of a pagan, that never heard of Christ. But now what is required? An External profession &c. This is good, & enough to declare, that the Quakers Churches, are not Christian for they believe not the holy truths set down in the Scriptures, because they oppose and contradict them; Nor do they believe in or make profession of Jesus Christ, revealed in the N. Testament, because they oppose him, and all his Institutions. But how is this faith wrought? is it by the Spirit of God? No: the inward light alone doth it: that is, it is a faith of Christ & of the truth of the Scriptures, that nature can sweetly & naturally incline, yea compel unto. But this can reach no further, than the truths, that corrupt nature can teach; and what affinity these have with the Gospel of the grace of God, let Christians judge: And thus we have run round, and are again, where we began.

7. He inferreth, from what he hath said, That the inward work of holiness and laying aside of iniquity, is every way necessary, to constitute a member of the Church of Christ. Yet it is but such a work of holiness, that nature can produce & effectuat. We acknowledge, true holiness, wrought by the Spirit of God subdueing & overcoming nature, to be necessary in all that are members of the Invisible Church; but not necessary to constitute one a member of the visible Church, general or particular. What more? That outward profession is necessary, to make one a member of a particular congregated church, though not of the catholic church. Then the particular Church is not an homogeneal part of the Catholic; but of a different complexion. Then members of the Catholic church, cannot be members of a particular Church, without some more be added. It seemeth then, these particular Churches are Visible Churches, but the Catholic is invisible. Yet (saith he) this external profession is every way necessary, where God giveth opportunity to know it, and the outward testimony is to be believed, when and where it is revealed. Then it is no way necessary otherwise: and so, without any Knowledge, Revelation, or Acknowledgement or Profession of the Gospel, one may be a member of the Catholic saved Church: are these things consonant to Scripture?

8. Next §. 5. He tells us, that the devil, working in the mystery of iniquity, taught his followers to say, That none, how holy so ever, was a member of the church of Christ, without an outward profession, and unless he were initiated with some ceremonies. Ans. And what can it be else, but the devil, working in the mystery of iniquity, that taught him to say, tha • Pagans, Turks, & Jews, who are enemies to the true Christian Religion, can be members of the Catholic church, without either Profession, or Knowledge of Christ? (2.) Himself said, that this profession was necessary to particular Christian Churches: And are not these, Churches of Christ? (3.) for the external ceremonies, used in the Church of Rome, we own them not; but such as Christ hath instituted in his word, if the Spirit within him, be not contrary to the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures, he also should own. And again (saith he) That if one have an outward profession, though inwardly ungodly and irregenerate, he may be a member of the true Church of Christ Ans. That such an one may be a member of the Church Visible, we own it, as the truth of God; and, when he shall be pleased to form a dispute upon this head, shall make it good: And, at best, he is but mistaken, when he addeth, that this is to put light for darkness; as if God did more regard words, than works ; For the Lord calleth for both Rom 10:9, 10. He is also mistaken, when he says, that Antichrist did build his structure upon this foundation ; For he applieth all the privileges of the Invisible Church, unto his visible Synagogue of Satan; & distinguisheth not betwixt the Visible & the Invisible Church; as neither doth this Quaker ; & non-churcheth all, who are not of his combination; and how near this Quaker approacheth to him, in this, he can judge, if he will.

9. What he speaketh of the degenerating of the primitive churches, is true; but when among these corruptions, he reckoneth Pag. 176. this as one, that men became Christians; that is, members of the visible church, by birth ; he is far out; for if that be a corruption, the Apostles & first primitive Church were guilty thereof; for we own it from them: Peter told the Jews, that the promise was to them, and to their children Act. 2:39. And Paul told the Corinthians 1 Cor. • :14. that the children of believers were holy: and under the Law, children by birth enjoyed this privilege; & this privilege was never taken away from them under the Gospel. What he saith of the reformed churches: though there be too much truth in it, yet it ill becometh him & his party, to upbraid them; seeing all their design, as hath been often observed, is to make them, & us all, mere pagan churches. And, instead of true holiness, to press upon us Natural, Dead, & Antievangelick Morality.

CHAP. XVII. Of a Ministerial call.

1. OUr Quaker, having thus dispatched what he had to say, of the Church, cometh to speak to what he had mentioned in his Thesis, concerning the Ministry, where we find several things spoken unto, which we shall examine severally. In the beginning of his 10. Thesis, he tells us, That as by this gift, grace and light, all the true knowledge of God, in spiritual things, is received and revealed; so by the same, as it is manifested, and received in the heart, by its power and efficacy, every true Minister of the Gospel is constituted, prepared, and furnished for the work of the ministry: And by this moving, leading and drawing, must he be led & commanded, in his misterial work, as to places where, the persons to which, and times when he is to be employed. That which here we are to take notice of, is that which constituteth a Minister; and with this Quaker, the only thing that maketh one a Minister, is Inward Light (which he calleth also grace and a gift, ) as it is, received, in its power, in the heart. This is all his call unto the weighty work of the Ministry: What this Light, Gift and Grace is, we discovered above sufficiently; and after examination of all that he said of it, found it to be nothing else, but the dim Light and Law of Nature, or the Relicques of that, which once was glorious and illustrious, while Adam stood; because nothing else can be supposed now common to all Adam's sones, or all that are Rational Creatures, whether borne without, or within the Church, whether Pagans, Barbarians, Cannibals, Shythians, or what you will. And this he makes both the Preacher, or Revealer of Spiritual things, and the Mean by which this Revelation is received; for by it all the true knowledge of God, in Spiritual things, is (saith he) both revealed and received: so that it is Preacher, Bible, and all: and when this Light and its Teachings are received in the soul, then the man is Called Minister; but for what I know not, unless for to teach natural, dead-morality and civility, amongst Pagans, that they might be more civilized; for, sure I am, all this light can never qualify him to be a Minister of the Gospel, to declare the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God, to Minister the Gospel of God, to be a Minister of Christ, and a Steward of the Mysteries of God, to Prea • h the unsearchable riches of Christ; and as sure I am, it can be no call to a man, to undertake this work. This being so clear and manifest from what is said above, we might let him rant here at his own, liberty, and be quiet; for when the ground is found naught, the superstructure falleth of its own accord.

2. Notwithstanding hereof, we shall take notice of what he buildeth upon this sandy foundation; that the opinions of the Quakers, concerning the Ministry, may be in some measure detected, and confuted. In his Apol. P. 177. § 6. He tells, us that the errors, which Protestants retain, concerning Ministers and Pastors, are a chief cause of Lamentation. I shall not deny, but errors, in this matter, are of dangerous consequence, being as sensible, as he is, that a false and corrupt ministry will quickly cause or occasion the corruption of all. He saith, that all things, concerning this matter, are at present in confusion: The Ground, the Call, the Qualifications, the Maintainance, and the whole Discipline is, saith he, diverse from, and wholly opposite unto the ministry of the primitive Church, and do necessarily tend to exclude a Spiritual Ministry, and to introduce and establish a carnal ministry. Answ. This is a hard charge, and had need to be well founded; yet it is no new charge: He hath but barrowed this from the Familists ; from whom he hath many other things. But the calumnies and bitter speeches of Quakers, and the like, are not much to be valued, especially when, they are directed not against one particular place, where, it may be, much corruption hath creept-in, or is introduced; but against the Ministry everywhere, excepting, I suppose, what is among themselves, and among themselves only. He mentioneth five heads of corruption here, but in his following dispute, we find but three of the five spoken to: for as to the first and last ; the Ground and the whole Discipline, he passeth them by, upon what account, I know not; possibly because, he thought the speaking to the rest, was sufficient.

3. In the first place Pag. 178. §. 7. He cometh to speak of the Call of Pastors or Doctors, in the Church of Christ ; and to show, what it is. But before I consider what he saith, I must take notice of this. That while he speaketh of a Call, & taketh upon him to acquant us with the nature of a true Call to the Ministry; he cannot but in reason suppose these Ten things following: first, That there is, and must be a visible Church continued, and keeped up in the world: for the Ministry, of the call whereunto he speaketh, hath an undoubted relation unto the Visible Church; it is in the Visible Church that this ministry is set and placed by God 1 Cor. 12:28. It is over it that overseers are set by the Holy Ghost Act. 20:28. It is such a Church, that they must feed, by dispensing the Ordinances of God: It is to such a company, that they must act the part of Watchers, Messengers, Ambassadors, Dispensators or Stewards, Co-workers with God, Fathers, Rulers, Overseers, Nurses, Teachers, Stars, Angels, Paranymphs or friends of the Bridegroom, Laborers, Pastors, Builders and the like: all their administrations are for such a company; and their work being to Convert Strangers, to Confirme and build up Believers, to Instruct the Ignorant, to Strengthen the Weak, to Bring home Wanderers out of the way, &c. As also to Keep up and go before others, in the public worship of God, it is manifest, there cannot be a Called Ministry without a visible Church. Secondly, That there is and must be a standing Ministry, in the Visible Church: For where there is a Call, and the manner of a Call to the Ministry spoken of, there a Ministry is presupposed: a Call to an Office, supposeth the Office, other ways the call should be to a non ens : And it were ridiculous to debate about a call to an Office, if the Office itself be called in question, or not presupposed by both sides: Take away the office, and all debate about the call to that office ceaseth, of will. Thirdly, That this standing Ministry, or Office in the house of God, is necessary, and must not be laid aside, or annulled: for when he maketh so much debate about the Call to this Office, and layeth so much stress upon the right manner of this Call, he cannot but presuppose, that the right call, or right manner of a call here, is of very great advantage; and if this be so, certainly the Office itself cannot but be necessary. Fourthly, That this standing and continueing Ministry, in the Church, is an Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ, and must be owned as such, preserved and keeped pure, as such: For if it were a mere appointment of Man, What necessity were there, that we should make any debate about the manner of a call thereunto? If it were not of Christ, it were no great matter, though it were quite laid aside; and all debate about a call unto it, were utterly needless. Fifthly, That None ought to take upon him this Office of being a Pastor or minister in the house of God, without a Lawful Call: For seeing it is necessary to know, what is the right manner of a Call to this Office, it is manifest, that there must be a Call unto this Office: and if there must be a Call unto this Office, none can clothe himself with that Office who is not called thereunto; if everyone, who pleased, might take on him this office, what necessity were there of a call to it? A call saith that some peculiar persons, and that in an orderly way, must alone be impowered hereunto; and that everyone, who will, may not, at his own hand, assume this Office. Sixthly, That as none way take this Office upon themselves, without a lawful Call thereunto; so none may take upon them the Work, proper to such an Office, but such as are called to the Office: For the call to the Office is only appointed, for this end, to lay a bar in the way of others, from doing; or taking upon them to do, the work belonging to that Office: if any, who pleased, might do the work, to what end should there be a special Office for that work, and a special Lawful call to the Office? Seventhly, That neither the Office, nor the Work proper to the Office, is common to all the members of the Church; for if the Work be common to all, of what use can a special Office be for this work? And what necessity were there for a call, authorizing some to the doing of the work of that Office? Eighthly, That Officers and Church members, as such, are different and to be distinguished; so that all Church members are not Church Officers. This is clear from the preceeding. Ninthly, That a Call differeth from Gifts and Qualifications: for a call to an office, if it be right, & such as God will approve, who sendeth not a message by the hand of a fool, doth presuppose, that the person called is fitted & qualified; and that this qualification was not a sufficient ground, for him to take upon him the office, or to perform the proper work of the office; for if his qualification had sufficiently warranted him for the office, & for the work, the call had been useless wholly superfluous; when then our Quaker speaketh of a Call, he must mean a proper, real and formal call, not a false, imaginary & supposed one; nay nor yet what may be said to be a virtual call. Tenthly, When he speaks thus of a Call to the Office of a Pastor, or Doctor, he must needs suppose, that there are real and sure Rules, Grounds and Evidences of a lawful call, laid down in the word. Whereby a true call may be distinguished from a false & supposititious call: & that the solution of this question, what is a right, and what is a wrong call; doth not depend upon our imaginations and fancies, but must be had in the word: And therefore if he would describe or lay forth unto us, what is a right call unto the office of a Pastor, in the Church, he must not think it enough to tell us his dreams, and suppositions, but he must give us grounds from the word, whereupon we must rest. That by the question, which he here moveth, he must presuppose all these Ten particulars, as unquestionable truths, is from what is said, I judge, most clear: and if so, how he shall, in several of these, agree with other Quakers, I leave it with himself to judge: and how, as to some of them at least, he shall agree with himself, in what followeth, we may have occasion to remark, as we go on.

4. When he speaketh of a Call to a Ministerial Office, we may observe, that he is very indistinct, & confused, holding himself in the general, that he may the more easily inveigle his Reader, and leave the matter still in the dark. He cannot but know, that our Divines make mention of several sorts of calling to the Ministry, not to mention that, which commonly in our language, goeth for a call, and is performed by the people inviteing, making choice of, and submitting to the Ministry of such or such a person, which is more prop • rly called Election; and is contradistinct from that, which is called Ordination ; but to speak to that, which is otherwise called mission, or missio potestativa ; that is, that, which formally impowereth the person called, to perform the Work belonging to that Office, and legally authorizeth him thereunto: for Paul. Gal. 1:1. saying of himself, that he was an Apostle, not of m • n, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ, & God the Father, giveth ground to distinguish of calls, not to mention that which is imported by the first expression, of men, which is commonly taken for an unlawful call, that is merely of man, of themselves, or others; such as the false Prophets had of old, and the false Apostles, in the primitive times: to wit. That there is one call Immediat by God, and Christ, without the intervening of Man: There is another Mediat, which though also of God, yet it is by the Intervention of some deed of man & so is said to be by man. The first is attributed unto the Apostles and some others; whom Christ immediately sent forth; adjoining that call of Matthias, Act. 1. which, as to the person, on whom the lot fell, was immediately from God. The other unto other Church officers, appointed to their office by them, & so forth in succeeding generations, according to the way & method set down in the word. The Mediat call is that, which we are now to inquire after, & to look for; seeing the Immediat call is ceased with these extraordinary persons, who were called by it, & were with alendued with extraordinary gifts; as we see Mat. 10:1. 2 Cor. 12:12. or had some other extraordinary thing in their mission, which did abundantly evince it to be immediately divine. We may note further, That there is a Mediat call, which may be called Singular & Rare, or not very ordinary; as when a Church is in erecting, & not yet constituted, & all things are out of order; so that, through necessity, many, or several things requisite in an orderly call, must be passed by▪ & dispensed with: And there is a Mediat call, which is Ordinary, & is usually to be followed, according to the rules set down in the word. Again, it may be noted, that there is an Outward call, & an Inward call. The Outward call or mission, is that which is done by men, according to the appointment of Christ after examination & trial of the person, separating him & setting him apart with solemn prayer & imposition of hands, for the ministry; & that is a committing of the work unto faithful men; & an appointing of them to the work of the ministry. The Inward call is the Lord's signification of his mind & will inwardly to the man's self, of his calling & appointing him to the Ministry, not only endueing him with gifts & qualifications requisite, but also powerfully & sweetly inclineing his mind, & determining his will, to a willing susception of this Employment, for holy & pure ends; & by other passages of his providence, manifestly signifying that to be his mind, that the man shall serve him in the work of the Ministry. These considerations are considerable in this case, & others might be mentioned; but our Quaker loving confusion, walketh in the dark, and tells us not what call he meaneth; Nor whether he meaneth all sorts of calling, or only one kind; and if one, he tells us not, what that one is.

5. Let us see, if his answer will help us to understand the question. His answer is this. He ought to be instructed by the inward power and virtue of the Spirit of God, in his heart. A suitable answer for such a question; that is, a confused answer to an indistinct question. He should have told us, what is the nature of a Pastors Call; & his answer is concerning a qualification: Afterward he speaketh of qualifications; & how, I pray, shall he difference this from what he handleth there? Next, I would inquire concerning the meaning of this answer; whether he thinketh, that all, who are instructed thus, are called to be Pastors; or only, that this is a qualification requisite in Pastors? if the first be his meaning, he destroyeth the distinction betwixt Officers and Church members; for then all Church-members, must be Officers, seeing with him all Church members must be thus qualified. If the last be his meaning. Whether thinks he this qualification essential, or not? that is, so necessary, that one that wanteth it, cannot be accounted a Pastor, neither before God, nor before men; neither in foro poli, nor in foro soli ? Again I would inquire, what he meaneth by this qualification? if we interpret it by his former doctrine, (& why we may not, Yea must not do so, I know not) this will be a good qualification for a Pagan-preacher, but no qualification for a Gospel-minister; for it is nothing else, than the power & efficacy of Natures Light & of a Natural Conscience, informing & enlightening concerning duties required by the Law of nature: it hath no affinity with the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, promised in the New covenant, bestowed upon the elect and chosen vessels of mercy, and principling the believer to new obedience. Howbeit this might suffice for an answer: Yet I shall say more to clear the matter unto the Reader. I confess holiness is required of Gospel ministers; The Apostle tells us Tit. 1:8. that he must be a lover of good men, (or of good things, as it is in the margin) sober, just, holy, temperate : And he must be blameless Tit. 1:7. 1 Tim. 3:2. vigilant, sober, and of good behavior ibid : And therefore all, who are to be employed in the examination & trial of ministers, should be careful in the searching after this, as well, as in the trial of their gifts and other qualifications: and when clear and manifest evidences appear of their hatred of good things, and of the godly, of their insobriety, injustice, unholiness, intemperance, want of vigilancy, and of their evil behavior, they ought to be laid aside from that holy function, as well as when their want of gifts & of other requisite qualifications clearly appeareth. Yea, if there be not some positive probable evidences of this love, and of seriousness in the maters of God, giving fair & probable ground of concluding them to be faithful men, they ought not to commit the word unto them. See all this fully cleared and confirmed by worthy and learned Mr Durham, in his exposition of the Revelation Pag. 198. &c. Yet, because grace, & the saving workings of the Spirit, are latent, & hid in the heart, & there is no outward sign & evidence thereof, whereby others can certainly or infallibly discern and judge of the same, in all; & so hid, that the man, in whom it is, & is more privy to his own spirit & heart, than others can be, will not always be in case to discern the same; I dar not say, that the real being of grace is such a qualification, as that the want thereof shall render the man no minister, and all his performances null, before God, or man; though the person, being a real stranger to grace, can expect no acceptance of God through Jesus Christ, for what he doth▪ Christ's employing of Judas in the ministry, will sufficiently verify this, and I need say no more. See Mr Durham, in the place cited.

6. What addeth he? For, saith he, seeing true knowledge, in things spiritual, is received by this gift and grace, he that is purified and sanctified by the same, is at length also called by it, and moved to ministrate to others, and is made capable of showing to others, what by real experience he hath himself found, 2 Cor. 5:11. And his words and ministry, proceeding from inward power and virtue, penetrat into the hearts of the hearers, and obtain their approbation and subjection. Ans. (1.) This gift and grace, being but natural and Pelagian, as was shown above, can never give true knowledge, in things spiritual, saving and evangelick. (2.) Nor can it ever purify and sanctify a man according to the Gospel, whatever it may do, as to outward civility and morality. (3.) Qualifications are no call. (4.) Then, it seems, there is no Outward call requisite; and so this man joineth with Socinians and Arminians, laying aside all outward call by men, as not necessary, in the Church of God; and saying, that all, who understand the truth of the Gospel, and are able to Instruct others, may and have a right to teach. See Smalcius Pag. 379. though Pag. 377. he confesseth, that this outward call, is decent and comely in a constitute Church, which this man doth nowhere acknowledge. See also Apol. Remonstr. Cap. 21. and Episcop. dispute. 26. private. Thes. 4. & 5. (5.) Every motion to tell others what we know in the things of God, is not a call to the Work and Office of the Ministry. See Psal. 66:16. private persons, in their private capacities, may and ought to seek to promove the edification of others, 1 Pet. 4:10, 11. (6.) Is this telling of what they have found in their own experience, the whole work of the Ministry? Or is this the preaching of the Gospel? The divideing of the word of truth? 2 Tim. 2:15. Is this speaking, exhorting and rebuking with all authority, Tit. 2:15? Is this be seaching as Ambassadors, in the name of God, and in Christ's stead, 2 Cor. 5:19, 20? Is this that, which Paul layeth upon Timothy, 2 Tim. 4:1, 2. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing and his Kingdom. Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine ? Or that which we • inde 1 Tim. 4:13, 14, 15, 16.— Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine, Neglect not the gift, that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things, give thyself wholly to them—take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: For in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. But I should have remembered, that these men are against Preaching. (7.) Some may think, that by this gift and grace, which he mentioneth, he can mean, at most, nothing, but what the Papists call gratia gratis data, and which is different from gratia gratum faciens ; but I see no ground, to judge him so orthodox.

7. He goeth about to prove, that this qualification is absolutely necessary: and his first argument is thus. That which is necessary to make a man Christian, is much more necessary to make one a Minister of Christianity. But this inward call, power & virtue of the Spirit, is necessary to make a man a Christian. Therefore, &c. Ans. This argument is easily answered by a distinction, thus. That which is necessary to make a man a Real, Upright and Sincere Christian, or true member of the Invisible Church, is also necessary to make a man, a sincere and upright Minister before God, and approven of him, in what he doth; but is not simply and absolutely necessary, to make one a Minister, before men, who cannot certainly know this, nor walk by an infallible rule, in judging of this. That which is necessary to make a man a member of the Visible Church, a professing Christian, that I grant is also necessary to make one a Minister, both before God, and men; for men can judge hereof, and have a certain and fixed rule whereby to judge of this profession, whether it be true or not, though not to judge, whether it be sincere, or not. (2.) That the inward work of the Spirit of grace is necessary to make one a true and gracious Christian, or member of the Invisible Church, is true; but this is not requisite to make one a member of the visible Church: And he would know, that Ministers are set in the visible Church, and are to covert such, as are not yet members of the Invisible Church; and this showeth the inconsequence of his argument. (3.) The Inward Power and Virtue of the Spirit, which he must mean, can make a no man a Professor, let be a Christian, in truth and reality; for it may be, where there is no knowledge, or hearing of Christ, of the Gospel, of the Covenant of grace, or of any such thing, even in an Heathen and Pagan, who is yet without, as such are called, 1 Cor. 5:12, 13. 1 Tim. 3:7. and is without Christ, being an alien from the Commonwealth of Israel, and a stranger from the Covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world, Ephes. 2:12.

8. His next argument is this: All the Ministers of the N. Test. are Ministers of the Spirit, and not of the letter, 2 Cor. 3:6. And therefore such must be called by the Spirit, and must know, that he is led and moved by the Spirit, and be sensible of the work of the Spirit, and of his inward vocation. Ans. (1.) It is most true, that Ministers of the N. T. are Ministers of the Spirit, opposed to such as cried up the Law, and preached it as separated from Christ; as the Jews commonly did, & as our Quakers, Pagan-preachers, do, & must do, according to their principles; for they know no Gospel, but are sworn enemies to it, and plain subverters of it, and all the Ordinances thereof; and are worse then the allegorical teachers, of whom Beza maketh mention, on 2 Cor. 3:6. (2.) They may be said to be called by the Spirit, who are gifted with the gifts of the Spirit, fitting for preaching of the Gospel; such as the word of Wisdom, and the word of Knowledge, 1 Cor. 12: verse. 4, 7, 8, 11. Whereby they are apt to teach, 1 Tim. 3:2. and fit to take care of the Church, verse. 5. And those gifts, in themselves considered, are different from true and saving grace, and yet come from the Spirit, and are given to profit withal; and so must be laid out to edification, according to the way prescribed in the Gospel. (3.) What meaneth he by this, must be called by the Spirit ? Is this an inward Inspiration, or Enthusiasm, saying to the man, he must go preach? We reject all such fancies, which he and other phanatick persons dream of, and lean unto; and account them plain delusions of Satan, which the very doctrine they deliver putteth beyond all question, Mat. 24:24. 2 Thes. 2:9. Deut. 13:1. Gal. 1:8, 9. Let him show, if he can, any true ground, warranting us to look for such immediate calls? Is there a promise for this? Or a command to expect it? (4.) His last words null his former argument and position; for there he required only that they have the inward working of the Spirit; but here he requireth more; to wit, that they know that they have it, and are led and moved by the Spirit, and are sensible of his work in them : Or he must say, that none can have grace, but he must also know and feel that he hath it; And consequently that such as feel not this, to their own satisfaction, must peremptorily conclude, that they have it not: a dangerous position, and untrue.

9. A third argum. followeth Pag. 179. If (saith he) the testimony of the Spirit be not essential and necessary to a Minister; the Gospel Ministry should be postponed to the legal; for there the people knew, who were officers; and beside these ordinary, there were extraordinary ones, called by the immediate testimony of the Spirit. But now we are uncertain, and must have Pastors, without all certain assent of God's will. Ans. (1.) Then the thing he meaneth by a Call, is a testimony of the Spirit, such as the Prophets of old had; or at least such as may be plain and notoure, not only to themselves, who have it, but to all; so as they need no more doubt of it, than the Jews needed to doubt of the Priests and of the Levites, or at least of the extraordinary Prophets, that God sent among them: And thinks he, that this is had of his Quaker-Teachers, and Pagan-Preachers? No sure, their speech and their erroneous doctrine publicly declareth, that the testimony, which they have, is the testimony of a lying Spirit, and of a Spirit of delusion, that can easily deceive the possessors. (2.) Thinks he that there is no way now, to know who are the lawfully called Servants of God? He was pleased, while speaking of the Scriptures, to affirm some such thing, that he might thereby implead their Perfection; but we manifested his folly in that attempt, there. See Chap. IV, §. 31. (3,) Will he tell us, what that certain assent of God's will, or this Testimony of the Spirit is, whereby everyone may know, who is truly called of God, who not? Doth the Spirit, when he calleth one to this work, speak to the senses of all beholders; and witness also to them, that such an one is indeed called of the Spirit? Is such a Testimony of the Spirit, which everyone can hear, necessary to make a Christian▪ Is this the inward Power and Virtue of the Spirit, that he talked of?

10. His last Arg. is from Christ's word's John. 10. They are thieves and robbers that c • me not in by the door. Which is very true: But how will he prove, that all such, as want this testimony, and this call, which he speaketh of, are such as Christ there meaneth? They that enter by the way, which Christ hath appointed, come in by the door, which he hath set open for them, to enter by; and have his warrand and approbation, though they want this, which he pretendeth to.

11. He tells his Reader §. 8. That against his doctrine we Object the Succession of the Church, as sufficient: And upon this his mistake, he runneth out in many words, to no purpose. That Christ sent his Apostles immediately, is certain and undeniable. That these Apostles ordained other ordinary ministers is unquestionable Act. 14:23. That they laid injunctions on these whom they had ordained, to commit the same to faithful men, is clear 2 Tim. 2:2. Tit. 1:5. 1 Tim. 3:1—15. and 5:21, 22.. And the practice of the Church thereafter evinceth, that this course was constantly followed: and though, through corruption, base and unworthy men entered sometimes into the Ministry, yea and though afterward the Ordinance was corrupted through Antichrist, by his manifold additions, and other corrupt appendices; yet the Ordinance of Christ is not to be rejected, but rather to be purged from these corruptions, annexed without Scripture warrand, that the ordinance may be observed, and preserved in its primitive Integrity. And though, by reason of such corruptions, there was an interruption of the conveyance of the ministerial power, in the order and manner appointed by Christ; yet the Ordinance might be taken up again, and some usual circumstances, dispensed with, in such a case of necessity, without the least impeachment of the Ordinance itself. We need not then trouble ourselves to inquire after such an uninterrupted succession of Persons so ordained, one after another; if we find ministers now settled, according to the Ordinance of Christ, we are to be satisfied. But the thing that troubles him is, that we say, such as are ordained by Pastors, according to the rule of the word, are Pastors, and to be owned as such: Nor will it satisfy him, that we say, that beside this, such as are called must have an inward call also of God, inclineing them to that work, as we formerly hinted; because, as he thinks, there is no enquiry made after this; and yet, if he would look our directory for ordination, he might find as much, as might satisfy a reasonable man concerning this, which is not obvious to men's trial and examination, but is hid in the heart. As to what he saith §. 9. and 10. because it concerneth them, who plead for the necessity of an uninterrupted Succession, which I see no necessity for, I need not trouble myself to Answer; though I see nothing said by him, which is of any force; and elsewhere I have said something to it. See my book against Velthusius Assert. 9. towards the end, and I shall recommend to this Man the serious perusal of Voetii Desperata Causa Papatus.

12. He cometh §. 11. Pag. 187. to speak to Others, who lay not so much weight upon this Succession, as conveyed through Papacy; but assert, that in extraordinary cases of necessity, some things may be done, which ought not to be done, in other ordinary cases, when the Church is settled and rightly constituted, or purged from destroying corruptions. And what says he here? Forsooth, to vindicate himself and his fraternity, for taking upon them the Ministry, at their own hand, he hath the face to say, that he can accuse us of many errors. And what will his bold saying so do, when we have evinced that Quakerisme is but a Cento, an Hotch potch of errors; so that they are become the very Kennel, in which all the filth of other errors and heresies run; & are become one standing puddle of abomination? And as to their being Ministers, what, I pray, have they to show, but what the false Prophets, and Apostles did pretend unto? He talketh of an Immediat Revelation; but who seeth that, but themselves, who have the false light of an ignis fatuus to enlighten them? Shall we think, that the Immediat Revelation of the Spirit of God would act men, as they are acted, and prompt them to at rampling, upon all the holy Ordinances of Jesus Christ? The Comforter, whom Christ promises to send, will guide into all truth John. 16:13. and not, sure, into all error, and will glorify Christ verse. 14. while as the evil Spirit, in these Quakers, cannot do more than he doth, to vilify Christ, and render him most contemptible, in his Person, Offices, Work & Ordinances. He tells us, that this immediate revelation of the Spirit is as necessary in a Church constituted, as in a Church to be constitute. But what meaneth he by this Immediat Revelation? Meaneth he nothing else, than what is necessary to all true Christians, and is acknowledged by us, that is, the inward working of the Spirit, sanctifying the soul? No sure, it is plain Enthusiasm, of which we spoke enough above Chap. III. And who saith, or how will he evince it, that our first reformers were called to the work of the ministry by such an Euthusiastick Call, as were the Prophets of old; or such an immediate outward call, with an audible voice, from Christ, as the Apostles had? I deny, that any such thing is necessary, or to be expected, even in extraordinary cases; seeing the Lord can, in a more plain and obvious manner, give intimations of his will, then by Enthusiasmes or audible voices, such as Paul had; which he would not have us now look for, having the Canon of the Scriptures now complete before us, to regulate us, in all cases Ordinary and Extraordinary, and having the constant significations of God's will in his providence, to help us to understand his mind in particulars, conform to the general rules, in his word: And by these we may learn, what is to be done, or not done, in this or that case, without Dreams, or Vive Voices from heaven, or Enthusiasmes; which whosoever would expect might fear, that God, because of their tempting of him, might give the great Tempter leave to deceive them; as experience hath proven.

13. As to that which some say, That such, as boast of an Immediat Call, should confirm the same by Miracles. He answereth Pag. 181. That as this was Objected by the Papists, unto our first reformers, so their answer may suffice: to wit, That was not necessary for them, seeing they preached nothing but the doctrine, that was already confirmed by miracles: And beside, John the Baptist, and some true Prophets did no miracles. Answer, Though I do not own the Objection, as it is here simply set down: Yet take it thus, and it will prove too hot for his fingers. They who have had immediate calls from God, were able to give evidence of the same by miracles, or some other evident testimony of the Spirit, that it was so, which to contradict, or not to receive and believe, had been iniquity, and utterly unreasonable. Now what can these