Of Scripture-Commands, what are binding, and what not. Our Adversary's Disingenuity observed.

BUt however, pag. 34. he has fail'd in his last Chapter, doubtless he thinks he has done my Business in this; he begins like himself.

Rep. My Charge and Argument in this Chapter is, The Quakers affirm the Doctrines, Commands, Promises, holy Ex­amples expressed in Scripture, as such, not to be at all binding to us; such an Argument, and so proved by me (mark Reader) as a Thousand Penns can never invalid it.

Rejoyn. What can there be more conceited then this? He must live very lonely and far from Neighbours, that pro­claims so much Praise to himself, and have wonderful Confi­dence to bid Defiance so vainly to others.

Reader, I beseech thee, for the Truth's sake, on whose side soever thou shalt find it to be, to examine with all Impar­tiallity his Charge, our Answer; his Reply, and our Rejoyn­der: If his Honesty, Reason and Justice hold any Proporti­on to his great Confidence, we yield; But if upon an impar­tial Consideration he shall be found to clip and pervert our Matter, and to shuffle with us in his own, once do a poor Peo­ple Right, in giving Judgment against this horrible Injustice.

The Charge thou hast heard; the Proof was this, That is no Command of God to me, Ed. Bur. what he commanded to ano­ther: Did any of the Saints, which we read of, act by that Command which was to another, not having the Command to themselve, &c.

Now, before I give my Answer, as it was set down in my Book, I shall insert his Quotation of my Answer.

Rep, To this saith P. I answer briefly and plainly, and he is as good as his word. No Commands, saith he, in the Scripture, pa. 34, 35. are any further obliging upon any Man, then as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience, other­wise men should be engaged without, if not against Conviction; a thing unreasonable in a Man.

[Page 24] Rejoyn. He has a notable way of Contracting his Adversa­ry's Answers; I will set down what I writ, faithfully, plainly and briefly.

It was, Reader, to this sober Answer he slung out his fore­going Rant, and makes this following Comment and Reply, Viz. says J. Faldo.

Rep. They are no Commands unless we think so. 'Tis no sin to break all the Commands in the Bible, if our Consciences can be so blind, dead or hardened as not to tell us, 'tis a sin. They who thought they did God good service in killing his Servants did not sin in the least, because they were not convinced of a Com­mand to the contrary. To vindicate my whole Chapter concerning the Scriptures. 'Tis a Prin­ciple that hath all Is not this the Lan­guage of I. C? are they not Brethren in Abuse? Iniqui­ty in the Womb of it. Who can find Names for such Impi­ous Principles? Pen [...] hath op­posed, scorned the Truth, vilified its Teachers and Defenders, so as scarce never Man did; vented the most pernicious Errors, told abundance of those things that are known to himself to be False.

[Page 19] Rejoyn. Reader, This is all the Justice and Reason I can have from this pretended meek and suffering Nonconforming Parson. What would such men do, had they as much Power as Anger? But I shall leave him with his Pride & Passion Is there any thing more clear then that he extends the words of E. Burroughs to Ordinary Cases, which were wholely writ about Extraordina­ry; and that he takes no more notice of my Distinction, then if there had been none made? As if it had been formerly an equal Sin for any not to be Cir­cumcised, and to Is not this a plain Di­stinction? what could be plain­er against any such Consequen­ces as I. C. draws, and to prove that I understood not what he renders me to have in­tended? Mur­der his Father or Prince; or that there was the same Con­viction universally upon the Consciences of all Men, not to wear [...]insey. Wolsey, Levit. 19. 18, 19. as to do by others as they would have others do to them.

That what we say was E. Burroughs's Meaning his own Words undeniably prove: ‘One, sayes he, was sent to How plentiful are the Evidences of our Innocency; and how distinctly nay the Rea­der see that E. B. writ of Par­ticular & Extraordinary Com­mands? baptize, and another to preach the Gospel:’ which were particular and extraor­dinary Commands. He clear­ly shuffles and evades the dint of my Answer, & would run us within the Borders of Ran­tism. The Let me pray the Rea­der, and prevail with him to dwell a while upon this Passage, and do an Innocent Man, yea, an Abused People Justice, Does this plead for Rantism, Athe­ism, Blasphemy, Murder, &c as I. C. tells us? Question is not, Are God's Commands no Commands, unless we think so, and therefore no sin to break all the Commands in the Bible (which is the Comment he bestows upon us) but whether [Page 20] this or that especial Injuncti­on to any Particular Person or Persons, to this or that pecu­liar End, be warrantably im­mitable, without sufficient Conviction and Commission: Must J. F. Baptize because John Baptized? or turn Preacher be­cause Peter was one? E. B. only denyed Imitation of Anci­ent Times in Temporary and Shadowy Services, and all those Preachings, Prayings, Ordinances and Churches, that have not (as Peter Martyr well expresses it) the holy Spirit for th [...]ir Root. So that instead of his holding a Principle that hath all Iniquity in the Womb of it, John Faldo first perverts his words, and then to confute them both implyes a Denyal of the holy Spirit to be the only right Leader to the Performance of Gospel prayer, Preaching and Ordinances, and of gather­ing of Evangelical Churches, and does as good as tell us, that Gods Commandments are such to him, not because of any Conviction in himself of the Justness of them, but from the Testimony of the Scriptures, which for all his high Boasts of Christianity, is a State far beneath those noble Gentiles, who not having an outward Law, were a Law unto themselves, ha­ving the Effect of it written in their Hearts, their Conscience hearing witness, &c.

And this we may boldly say, That such as ever acted from that inward Sense, never thought they did God good Service in Killing his Servants, whilst great Admirers of the Letter of the Scriptures, and who, as concerning this Commandment, Thou shalt not Murder, thought themselves most unblameable, believed, They did God good service in killing his Servants.

Nor can I think it so great a Disgrace to our Cause, that we ingenuously profess the Reason why we desire to fear God, and keep his Commandments, doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, not so much to be from the Letter of the Scrip­ture, as the Convictions of the Eternal Light and Spirit of God in our Consciences; as it ought to be unto John Faldo and Adherents, who ground their Obedience upon his the Letter of the Scripture, and not upon such internal [Page 21] Convictions. What is it but to say, They could Lye, Swear, Steal, Kill, &c. This is the Tendency of his Doctrine, who flyes out upon Conscience and Inward Conviction, as if they were the only great Enemies of his Salvation. without any Remorse, did they not find such Injunctions and Pro­hibitions upon record? A Con­sequence so detestable, yet so natural to their Principles, that if this render them not able Guides to the very Con­fines of Rantism and Atheism, I shall gladly ask an Excuse for my Ignorance. But that I may l [...]ave nothing undone that may compleat the Satisfaction of every moderate Inquirer, I shall further weigh and rejoyn to these words of his.

They who thought they did God good Service in killing his Ser­vants, did not sin in the least, because they were not convinced of a Command to the contrary; nor the Idolaters in the case of Baal, because they thought Baal to be a God indeed.

Now, Reader, observe the Evasion: This notable Clause clears our Sense more particu­larly, and gives a very plain Discovery of our Enemy's Dis­ingenuity. We speak of Posi­tive, J. F. and I. C. conclude our Argument against all mo­ral Commands; these are Mini­sters of the Gospel all this while, if they may be believed. This Passage relates not to Men's practising what God commands, or our Tenderness in imitating other Saints without Commission, for fear we should offer strang Fire, which is our Question; but their doing that which God never commanded, yea, which Mankind in all Ages hath adjudged impious, and which to be sure, his Holy Spirit, that E. B. said: All men should wait to be convinced, assisted and led by in fulfilling God's Commandments, never moved any to. He unworthily draws a general Conclusion against us from meer particular Premises. It seems men are to act without, if not against Conviction, upon his principle; and that it is the same thing with him, to commit moral Enormities from an Hardned Heart, and to be tender of taking up any external Practice, or perform­ing [Page 22] some Religious Duty▪ without the Convictions and Lead­ings of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle said to such as had not as yet so full clearness as others, Phil. 3. 15. That if any were other­wise minded, God would reveal it. He did not injoyn them, during that Scruple, to believe or practise the thing doubted; but therefore did Persecutors act inexcusably in their fiery Zeal, because their blind Consciences checkt them not. Again, If Blindness came from Education it is [...]though Blindness still (and therefore it was basely done of I. Faldo to say in our Names, that it is not Sin in the least, &c.) more excusable: for in the Dayes of such Ignorance God winks: But if it be a What sayes my Reader to this Passage and plain Pro­vision, made by me against blin­ded, deluded and hardened Minds and Consciences? Does this agree well with my present Adversary's swaggering Con­sequences, especially that which makes me to deny sins of wilful Ignorance? What Gospel can a Man so qualified be Mini­ster of? Blindness, proceeding from long Disobedience and Rebel­lion against the Convictions and Strivings of the good Spi­rit of God, as his word Hard­ned implies, then, I say, it is not only very hainous in Gods Sight, but those Persons can never be excus'd neither from great Guilt, nor the Sense of it in themselves, let them or I. F. talk never so much of Conscience.

Besides, the most Essential, and Universally Necessary Commands of God were through all Ages confest to; both be­fore there was any of those Writings, we rightly call the Scrip­tures of Truth, from the Law of Nature, as many stile it, or rather, the Law of God placed in Man's Nature, and since, where they have never been; Therefore whatever particular hardned and seared Consciences may say, we have the Consent of Mankind, and their own Rebellion and Lewdness against them. But the Words of J. Faldo in plain terms import, as if, 1st, Men were not generally convinced of the Righteous­ness of the Moral Commands of God; but that Men keep them because they are in the Bible only; which runs against [Page 23] the Testimony of Scripture, the Consent of Ages, and the Writings and Judgment of the most Honest and Learn'd Prote­stants. 2ly, As if it were a like Evil, Conscientiously to for­bear Running, Willing and Striving in Matters of Worship without the Spirit's Conduct, and scared [...]y to plead for the Com­mission of Murder and Idolatry, because Men of such Consci­ences bogle not at it (though that is more then J. F. can prove, I mean, that they have no Stroak or Remorse) 3ly, As if we could Worship, Preach, gather Churches, and administer Gospel-Ordinances aright without the Spirit. 4ly, That he is not convinced by any other Testimony then the Scripture without, of any Transgression against God's Law. 5ly, It sup­poses that if Men stay'd till the Spirit mov'd, they should stay long enough (who vainly prate of Praying by the Spirit not­withstanding) never considering that the Spirit standeth ready to Reveal it self to their Assistance and Assurance who wait for it, and that all the Children of God are led by the Spirit of God, which being our Position, had it but been weighed by this Adversary, he could not (methinks) be so unjust in his Aggravations.

'Tis true, should we believe as he doth, the Spirit is not to be waited for now adayes to lead us, or that it is not ready to our Information, when we wait for its Discoveries and Leadings, our Assertion would look very absurd and loose; for it were to let fall all Worship, but not upon our own Principle, as I said be­fore; for first, all Worship to God ought to be performed by the Assistance of his holy Spirit; for of our selves we can do nothing that is good: And secondly, God's Spirit is ready to assist, instruct and comfort those that wait diligently and pati­ently for it; yea, God hath given it to the Rebellious, that it may judge them, if it do not lead them. It is such Protestant Doctrine, that I wonder Men should not know their admited Ancestors Faith when they meet it: Oh great Degeneration into Hardness & Ignorance! Lastly, There is the same to be said against him that pretends to ground all upon the Scripture, that he objects against us, who plead for the Conviction of Conscience, which the Instance of the Jews Murder of our Lord Jesus Christ unan­swerably proves. There was a Law, that Blasphemers should be [Page 24] put to Death; by this Law they apprehended Jesus, adjudged and got him to be executed: These Men above any Age ex­alted the Scriptures as the Only Rule. Where lyes the Mi­stake? Not in the Scripture, but in their blind and envious Appli­cation of it. Now I ask, if the only Way for them to have come to the true Sense and Knowledge of him, and escaped that Wicked Murder and the deplorable Consequences of it had not been to have waited upon God for the This further proves what Conviction as well as what Commands I understood; and ought to shame my Adversary, if he has any Ingenuity in him, for that ill Vse he has made of my words about Conscience and Conviction. Conviction, Discove­ries, and Guidance of his ho­ly Spirit, since Flesh and Blood and the utmost Wit of Man, with the Exactness of the meer Letter of the Scriptures could never give the certain discern­ing, Knowledge and Savour of him unto that Generation, whose very Words themselves were Spirit and Life? It was by a Divine Touch, Sense and Knowledge given from above, that he was truly discern'd, own'd and follow'd of those that believ'd in him, and clear ved to him; What sayes I. C. to this? Is the Conscience and Con­viction I make so necessary, a blind, dark, scared Conscience? Do I leave it there? Is that the Language of my Doctrine? Is it not a Conscience convinced and taught by God's holy spirit? Let what follows and the Three Testimonies be weighed. therefore said Christ, No man cometh to me but whom my Father draw­eth: Where was that Draw­ing but within. Again, Si­mon Peter, Flesh and Blood hath not revealed (what? who I am) but my Father that is in Heaven. So that at last, Men must come to this Spiri­tual Sense in themselves, to understand and apply the very Commands of Scripture; otherwise, not Justice, but detestable Murder may under the Name [Page 25] of it be confidently perpetrated; Wherefore we Exhort all, To have Recourse unto God's Spirit, that illuminates certainly, and gives to act unblameably, by which the Scriptures are only understood as they should be, & People brought into the Possession of that Life of Righteousness, they plentifully declare of. Had it not been for this inward Discerning, there had been no Ground for the Abolishment of the whole Jewish Service, which follow­ed some Years after Christ's Ascension. And it is the same E­ternal Spirit that is the great Rule and Judge now, which God promised more particularly to shed abroad in the latter Dayes; and is the great inseparable Priviledge from the New and E­verlasting Covenant.

But to conclude, Why should it seem so Heterodox in J. Fal­do's Judgment, since if Men believe the Scripture upon the Te­stimony of the Spirit, they practise it by the Knowledge and Power of the same; How else could Paul have decry'd Jew­ish Ceremonies; or we know, what to take, and what to leave? Or why do we omit any Command therein mentioned? They Circumcised, therefore must I Circumcise? They Baptized, must I therefore Baptize? with forty more particular Cases, wherein nothing can secure any from the Imitation of them, set Conviction or Spiritual Discerning aside. I will offer two or three Testimonies from approved Men in our Defence.

William Tindal, that ancient faithful Protestant Martyr, whom J. Fox, that writ the Books of Martyrs, calls, W. Tindal's Works, pag. 319. p. 80. the English Apostle, speaks thus, That ‘it is impossible to understand in the Scripture more then a Turk, for whosoever (or any that) hath not the Law of God writ in his Heart to fulfil it.’ Again, ‘Without the Spirit it is impos­sible to understand them.’

John Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury, in his excellent Book a­gainst the Papists, writ above One Hundred Years ago, B. Jew. contr. Hard. p. 53 [...], 534. says thus to our purpose, ‘The Spirit of God is bound neither to Sharp­ness of Wit, nor to abundance of Learn­ing: Oftentimes the Unlearned see that [Page 26] thing, that the Learned cannot see.’Christ saith, ‘ I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that thou hast hid these things from the Wise and the Politick, and hast re­vealed them unto the Little Ones.’Therefore Epiphanius saith, ‘ Only to the Children of the Holy Ghost all the Holy Scriptures are plain and clear.’Again, ‘Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without SPE­CIAL Revelation.’ ‘Therefore Christ gave Thanks unto his Father, and likewise opened the Hearts of his Disciples, that they might understand the Scriptures, Without this spe­cial Help and PROMTING of God's Holy Spirit, the Word of God is unto the Reader, be he never so wise or well learn­ed, as the Vision of a sealed Book.’

Now unless Men are bound to do what they do not under­stand how to do, then only are they to do them where they are Revealed or Discovered to them, which being by the Spi­rit only, according to their Doctrine, the Testimony and Dis­coveries of the Spirit are requisite to our understanding of the Scriptures, which implies and comprehends a Discriminat­ing Knowledge or Certain Discerning of what we should pra­ctise from what is not obliging upon us to practise, and con­sequently, that we ought not to run head long without such knowledge.

T. Collier, an Ancient and Eminent Man among the We­stern-Separatists of our Nation, writeth thus: ‘For me to speak of God, T. Coll. Works, p. 247. because another speaks of him; and to be able to talk much of God as I read of him in Scripture, NOT BEING MADE ONE IN THE SAME TRUTH, I see and speak BUT WHAT ANOTHER HATH SPOKEN; and so may speak truly some­times of God, but it is by Hear-say, ANOTHER MAN's TRUTH, BUT NOT MINE; so, I doubt, many a Soul BOASTS IN ANOTHER MAN's LIGHT.’—Again, ‘I see that external Actings according to a Rule without, is no­thing, if not flowing from a Principle of Life and Love within.’ Which is more then E. B. said, of whom J. Faldo (with un­worthy Reflection and base Wrestings) hath said so much.

[Page 27] Thus far goes my Rejoynder, and I hope far enough to defeat our Skirmisher, and rout all his false Consequences in the plain Field; I will not abound in my own Sense, but shall leave every impartial Reader to determine, whether E. Burrough or W. Penn for him understood and intended those Passages to all the Commandments of God, or those only that are of a pe­cu [...]iar and extraordinary Nature, which are both by J. F. and J. C. so odiously relented and improved, even to all A­theism and Impiety.

But for further Satisfaction to my Reader and to compleat this Adversary's Defeat, I will suppose him making this Ac­knowledgment and Objection, viz.

I grant that both J. F. and my self have unworthily wrong'd E. B 's Words and Sense, and W. Penn 's too, as to the main scope of the Controversie, believing they intended what they said, not of all the Commands of God, and I am willing to let go the last of the three Passages I cite in my Pamphlet, viz. ‘When any Man is convinced that what was commanded another is required of him, then, and (not till then, he is rightly authorized to perform it, believing this related to extraordinary Cases;’ but I am yet dissatisfied with the other two Passages still, viz. ‘No Command in the Scripture is any further obliging upon any Man, then as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience—It is Conviction that can only oblige to Obedience.’ I still believe that all those horrid Consequences I skirmisht him with, are due to that Doctrine: What more can J. C. say for himself then this Objection imports? I shall now defend my Words, as he hath laid them down, from any such Inferences as he has given in their Name.

To make my Answer clear, it is to be consider'd; first, What is that Conscience I mean; next, What the Conviction, and by whom given, which understood, corrects his Folly (to say no worse) and ends the Debate with his Defeat.

To say nothing here of the various Definitions that are of Conscience, nor is it so proper, for the Question is about what Conscience, I shall keep to the Distinction in Scripture; the [Page 28] Scripture mentions two Sorts of Conscience, a Good and an evil Conscience; the Question will be, which I meant; if the last, as sayes J. C. I am gone; if the former, he is routed; not the latter, say I, for two Reasons, the one, because a wicked seared Conscience, as such, rejects all Conviction, the other, because I have particularly declared against I. F. that spoke not of any such Conscience; nay, I have excepted and made Provision against any such Construction in my very Answer; so to take and render me then is injurious. But if I meant it of a corrected, rightly qualified Conscience, such as the Apo­stle speaks of, Rom. 2. 14, 15. that bear Witness in the Gen­tiles to the Work of the Law of God writ in their Hearts, then it will follow, that this Skirmisher is beside the Saddle, and hath shouldered himself out of the Point.

But next, what is Conviction that obliegeth? is it Ima­gination only? or a Diabolical Suggestion to kill, rob, lye, &c. as sayes I. C. no such Matter, but a clear Understanding and sound Judgment, and upon right Conclusions, from the Ma­nifestation of the Light, Grace or Spirit of God, that attends all People whose Day is not over for their Conviction and Con­version to God; this I do verbally provide for in my Answer and Rejoynder to I. Faldo, yet hath J. C. so strangely render­ed both me and my Assertions therein; certainly this Man is the greatest of Novie [...]s in our Controversie and Religion, or incomparably base; for either he supposeth that we do not hold, That all Men are enlightned with a measure of saving Light so as that Men cannot plead ignorance of what is fit for them to do, which is our known Principle, and he confesseth it, p. 13. or that if he doth so know, he must admit that this divine Light is idle and insufficient to convince People; or lastly, believing neither, he doth very ill to tell the World in our Name, that we make debauched and seared Consciences our Rules of Obedience to Salvation, and subject the Laws of God and Man to the Acknowledgment of such depraved Consci­ences.

Again, where there is no Law, there is no Transgression, and where the Law is not known, there is no Law; now I. C. [Page 29] would have us believe, p. 8. & 9. that the very Ten Commandments, p. 8. & 9. as well as the Sayings of Christ, and Writings of his Apostles are so spiritu­al and mysterious, that carnal Men, as such, cannot know them, no not so much as to understand what God mans when he sayes, Thou shalt not kill: Now if this Tale be true, what's be­come of J. C. for if the Scrpiture sayes Where there is no Law, there is no Transgression, and Reason assures us, that where a Law is not known, there is no Law, and that J. C. tells us, that no Man that is not spiritual can know God's Law and Com­mands, even when they are publisht, and that the Spirit of God only gives the spiritual Knowledge of them; will it not una­voidably follow, That no Command obligeth without Conviction, since no Command tyes without Knowledge, which is Convi­ction, sayes J. C. p. 3. yet again the whole Bible J. C. receives for Truth, either by Authority or Revelation, both which Wayes require Conviction; for if he goes upon the Foot of Authori­ty, he must be satisfied in his Conscience that those who writ, divulged, preserved and recommended it have not put any Trick or Abuse upon him, which is Credit upon a Sort of Con­viction; if he embraceth the Bible upon the Revelation and Testimony of the Spirit in himself (the old Protestant Plea) that is not possible without Conviction, for Evidence is Knowledge, & Knowledge Conviction; and if I must have the Conviction of God's Spirit for the whole, I must have it for the Parts; and therefore no Command in Scripture is any further obliging upon any Man then as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience; the contrary makes God a very hard Master; for 'tis to▪ say, that he reaps where he hath not sown, that his Laws are not binding where they are not known, and that he requires an Obedience without giving Men the Understanding of their Duty: again, they are Christ's own Words, I will send the Comforter, Joh. 16. 7, 8. or rather Advocate unto you, and when he is come, he will convince the World of Sin. I demand if the Conviction of the Spirit is not here made the Rule of Judgment and Practice. Chap. 15. 24. Again, If I had not done among them the Works that [Page 30] none other man did, they had not had Sin; here Conviction goes before Sin, and that makes Death follow Sin: For the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Vn­godliness and Vnrighteousness of men, Rom. 18. 19. who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness, because that which may be known of God is MANIFEST IN THEM, for God hath SHEWED it unto them. So the Prophet, Mic. 6. 8. He hath SHEWED unto thee O Man what is good. And upon whom doth not his Light arise? Joh. 1. 5. 9. In him was Life, and the Life the Light of Men; that was the true Light which LIGHT­ETH EVERY Man that cometh into the World. For it is a Shame to speak of those Things which are done of them in secret; Ephe. 5. 12, 13. but ALL THINGS THAT ARE REPROVED are made MANIFEST by the Light. For the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath APPEARED unto ALL Men, teaching us, that denying Vngodliness and VVorldly Lusts we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present VVorld. For if our HEART condemn us, God is great­er, Joh. 3. 20, 21. and knoweth all Things; Beloved, if our HEART condemn us not, then have we Con­fidence towards God; which Passages prove an universal Prin­ciple, not condemning without requiring, nor requiring with­out manifesting and convincing; therefore it is no God-blasphe­ming nor Soul-damning Error (as says J. C. p. 14.) to affirm that there is no Obligation without Conviction, nor Duty with­out Knowledge; what would this Skirmisher mak Jews of us, Rom. 10. 2. to act upon Zeal without Knowledge? Acts 18. 22, 23. or Athenians, to worship and dedicate Temples to an unknown God? and lay it down for an Axiom of Divinity, That Men stand oblig'd, not only without, but against Conviction; is he not like to give a rare account of his Onset, that mannages it at this Rate? the poor Man has mist his Blow, and is fallen down with striking at me; this appears by his manifest Mistakes and gross Con­tradictions too, his Mistakes I have already shown; I shall [Page 31] now touch briefly upon his Contradictions, wherein he is as kind as he was cruel, and gives but all that he plundered from us, and so ends the Skirmish. His first Contradiction is this.

I grant you that no man stands bound to obey any Command, which it is utterly impossible for him to know & be convin­ced of; p. 11. But doth this assoyl and clear him from yielding the Cause?—But where nothing hinders a man from know­ing his Duty, but his own Neglect and wilful Carelesness, and where a man shall by Sin debauch and sear his Conscience, will you excuse this Man—If indeed the Case were so, that no Con­viction could be, or none that I could any Way compass, then I were in no Fault, but where it is my Fault if I be unconvinced—in such Case God may justly charge me with the Omission of Duty, and the Commission of Evil—and by granting this, I assoy [...] and clear the Justice of God.

No doubt in the least, and a Seasonable Peccavi for what he has done, for, how wide is this off what I have said, of which I. C. has said so very ill? I say, No Command is obliging with­out Conviction; I. C. saith, No Command is obliging without Conviction, provided he doth not hinder his own Convincement. As if I stated it, that Let men shut their Eyes, stop their Ears, rebel, blaspheme, give themselves up to all Superfluity of Naughtiness till Conscience is seared as with an hot Iron, yet without the Conscience be convinced, or that God by Force make it to see, hear, and be sensible whether it will or no, men are not obliged by any of his Commands; for this is the very Way he states the Case for me, though I do so particularly provide against any such dissolute and infamous Pretences. This is so plain, that when I say, that Conviction only obliges to Obedience, I add, that what works the Conviction is the Manifesting Light. Univer­sal Grace or Quickning Spirit in the Heart of Mankind; so that let us now see the real Difference betwixt this Skirmi­sher's Grant at the End of the Day, and what he so furiously flew upon in the Beginning. Saith he, I am bound to obey no Com­mand, but what I am convinced of, provided I do not neglect or reject the means of my Convincement. p. 11. Say I, No Com­mand is further obliging upon me, then as I find a Conviction in my Conscience by the Light, Grace or Spirit of God, unto which all men should have regard; for that follows in my same An­swer [Page 32] as an Explanation and Guard to that Assertion, most un­worthily neglected by my Adversary, only to make Room for this vain and fruitless Skirmish. Now unless my Convicti­on by the Grace of God, be neglecting the means of Convicti­on as most undoubtedly it is not it being the only Way of true Conviction) what Iota of Difference is there between my Assertion, and his Concession? For Instance, no man is bound to answer a Question he doth not hear, say I; no man is bound to answer a Question he does not hear, if he did not stop his Ears, or refuse to hear, saith he, as If I admitted, that men might stop their Ears, and yet be excusable, which is to read my Assertion thus, No man is bound to answer a Question that he will not hear; and no Command is obliging upon a man that will not be convinced. The most contradictory to my Assertion that can well be, especially when I neither lay the Obligation upon every Conviction, but that only which comes from the Holy Spirit of Truth; that is alwayes present to convince all of their Duty, nor subject that Conviction to the corrupt wills of Men.

I shall here sum up all my Authorities into one, and that is W. Perkins a famous man in his time, whose Judgment may perhaps sway a little to correct the Etravagancy of this young Skirmisher.

Now for his next Contradiction, which is in ample manner thus.

God and CONSCIENCE will never smite for meer (p. 11.) and total Impossibilities; what are they I. C.? to obey a Command which it is utterly impossible to know or be convinced of: Very well, enough of this before; but what's the Matter with Con­science? how comes this strange Advance of a suddain from the Bar to the Bench? what, a Regicide, a Parricide, a Mur­derer, an Adulterer, a Drunkard, a Thief, a Traytor, a Ty­rant, a Blasphemer, an Atheist, and now a Judge, and such a Judge too as takes Place next God himself in Judgment; God and CONSCIENCE will never smite and condemn, &c. O Powerful Conscience! and O Righteous Conscience too! what, a just Judge at last! both able and equal? certainly then it can be no Error to follow thy Dictates, nor make thy Convictions the Measures of our Obedience; but tell me O Conscience, if Princes and Rulers make never so good Laws, with thou come and say, I deny all these Laws and the Makers of them; Children may murder their Parents; Subjects, their Princes; Servants, their Masters; one Man, another? p. 5, 6.

Dost thou require men to do all these Impieties underpain of Damnation? if not, go to I. C. for Satisfaction; for he has grievously abused thee.

In short, Reader, So perplext is the Man in his Skirmish, that he seems to have scar'd no Body so much as himself; he has frigtned himself with his own Bulbeggar; and as it happens with young Hottspurs, Conceit carries them on, but leaves them in the Fray, to get off as they can: so it has fallen out with I. C. he is in, and he known not how to get out again.

One while he appeals to God and Conscience; If God and [Page 34] Conscience approve me, p. 2. here he makes Conscience the Rule of his Writing as well as God; another while, We may do the most horrid Crimes, and yet Conscience stood to them, and not only not smite us, but approve us and praise us, p. 5. By and by, God and CONSCIENCE will never smite and condemn for meer Impossibilities; here again it is joyned with God in Righteous Judgment. p. 11.

Again, If Conviction be the Ground of Obedience, and the Authority of Scripture depend upon the Rectitude and Purity of Conscience, then all rational Law, Order and Government di­vine and human is overturned, and a stop put to all Religion and Piety towards God, to all Conscience, Honesty and Charity toward Men. Let God command what he will, Conscience may come and say, I deny this Command and him that commandeth it, p. 5.

I desire to know of this Man, by what Trope or Figure it is that he makes adhering to Conscience the Way to overturn and stop Conscience: that's the first Case of Conscience I have to ask of him.

The second is this, how Conscience can be coupled with Ho­nesty and Charity, nay, with God himself, and yet have the Impudence to tell God, I deny thy Command and thee too; is not this strang Divinity? surely this Man is but a Parson by the by; for he violates the common Rules of Theology, as their own Schools teach.

But once more in Honour of Conscience, and to make her amends, as he began with the leave of Conscience, he ends, if we will believe him, with the Judgment of Conscience, hear him.

I would be glad to make the best I can of your Position, but I must protest my Conscience and Conviction; thus doth he make that his Guide his whole Pamphlet reprobates.

The next Contradiction is this, that Conscience is made by him to be killed with Sin, as if it were a just Principle; and by and by he renders it the seared active Sinner, p. 5. One more,

Lastly, he tells us, that he grants that without the Light with­in we could not at all come to the Knowledge of the Scriptures, p. 12. yet that the Light within gives the Drunkard leave to be drunk.

[Page 35] Again, The Light within, which should be his GUIDE, like a negligent drunken Coach-man sleeps, and the Horses run wood, or he drives into Pits and Bogs; so doth the Light within take Part with the Flesh and Satan against you, p. 13.

These Contradictions speak for themselves, though against him; the Reader may easily judge at what a Pass this Parson-skirmisher hath reduced himself, that writes at this Randome Rate.

But what further of his elaborate Studies in Divinity? why this, If Scripture go (sayes he) farewel God, and Christ, and Heaven, and all Law, and Rule, p. 13.

Now God forbid that the Scriptures should go; but since in telling a Fib of us (as if we slighted them) he has adven­tured such an Axiom abroad in the World, I think fit thus to animadvert: Doth God, Christ, Heaven, all Law and Rule depend upon Scripture? strange Change! the Creator depends upon the Creature; the Saviour upon his Message; Heaven upon the History of it? Ridiculous, as well as blasphemous-Well, but this is the worst Sense; let us see if we can find the best, and that is this, Farewel to our Knowledge and Enjoyment of God, Christ, Heaven, &c. if the Scriptures were lost; but this is also Extravagant, since God hath not so tyed up himself to Scrip­ture; the Scripture it self tells us of a Law writ in the Heart, and that this is not an Inferiour State neither, Heb. 8. but that of the New and everlasting Covenant. Again was there no God, Christ or Heaven, Law or Rule before Scrip­ture? the contrary is notorious, the World had enjoyed ma­ny Ages before the Scriptures were in Being; Paradise needed them not; and Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had them not; and can this Parson think there was no Knowledge of God, Christ, Heaven, Law or Rule in those Ages? wonderful! what cross Prospects doth this Man take of Religion! But what becomes of his spiritual Laws writ in Mans Nature? p. 8, 9. if all would be lost with the Scriptures (which God preserve) how cross is this to the Apostle's Sentence in this very Place, Rom. 2. For the Gentiles which have not the Law, do by Nature the Things contained in the Law, and are a Law unto themselves: it seems here was God, Heaven, Law & Rule without Scripture.

[Page 36] Lastly, He would needs have it, That men may commit all sorts of Impiety upon Conviction; see p. 4, 5, 10, 11. whereas all these Evils are committed against Conviction, sayes every Orthodox Man, be they Sins of Wilfulness, Searedness or Ig­norance; for Wilfulness resists Conviction; Scaredness over­layes, smothers or kills it, if it be possible; and Ignorance is Darkness or Blindness, which is just opposite to Conviction.

Perhaps he thought any thing would do against the Qua­kers, especially if Skirmish and Imprimatur began it; but can he in his Conscience think (for now he tells us he hath one, and he can appeal to it too) that the Light within helps to the Vn­derstanding of Scripture, and ought to be our Guide; and yet that it should be a leud drunken, fleshly, satanical Principle, and a Rebel against God that gave it for those excellent Ends of know­ing Scripture, and regulating our Conversation accordingly? shall I return him his own Saying? Quit talia fando temperet a la­chrymis? though we had all gone astray, I ever thought our Guide had kept the Way, and that should be our Condem­nation; but this Man teacheth other Doctrine, namely, that the Guide God hath given us leads to be drunk, and takes Part with the Flesh and Satan against God. What follows, but that every Man is discharged from adhering to such a Guide, espe­cially since the People in the Coach are not to be blamed, if the Coach-man drive them into Pits or Bogs; but seriously Par­son is there no Soul damning or God blaspheming Error in this Doctrine, that chargeth him with making so ill Provision for the Rule of Man's Life; would'st not thou take a better Coach­man, left thy Horses, with thy Wits should run wood? And hath the Almighty so ill helped us with a Guide, and yet de­nounceth so many heavy and eternal Punishments, in case I miss my Way? This false Step in Divinity drives me to ob­serve three or four more, and so conclude.

The next is this, That the Indians have no Know­ledge of Good or Evil; p. 8, 9, 11. which besides that contradicts the Testimony of Travailers, and the Judgment of all Learned Men; and which is more, the Scripture too, that demanded of old, Vpon whom does not his Light arise? and tells us, That every Man has a Measure of Light, and that [Page 37] the Grace of God appeared to all Men, the Par [...]on contradicts himself; for he tells us of Laws of God writ in Man's Natures, which includes Indians, if Indians be Men.

His next Error expressed or implyed by several places of his Pamphlet is, That all men are not convinced, repro­ved or condemned, p. 9, 10. though they may have the Means of it. I affirm that all men are Convinced, though they lay it not to heart; for men see their Sin, unless they have sinned their Sight away, in case that can entirely be. God hath shewed unto thee O Man what is good: Mic. 6. 8. What Man is this? the Iew? yes, and the Gentile too: O Man! that is, Mankind; and can man see the Good and not the Evil, or can he see either and not be convinced? Monstrum Horrendum Ingens: Pray how is man left without Excuse, if God shows him not Good and Evil? and can he see, and not be convin­ced? Sight is Conviction.

But when all is done, granting the Man his black Opinion of Conscience and Conviction; what can he say of a Quaker's Conscience I cannot say of a Protestant's? Will he beray his own Nest, or mark his own Nose? What other Argument used Luther, Melancthon, Zwinglius, Calvin and Beza &c. abroad; B. Hooper, J. Bradford, I. Philpot, B. Iewel, &c. at home? for their Separation from the Church of Rome. Does not this man know, that all those horried Consequences he has heapt up­on my Assertion, may be (and some of them have been) ur­ged against the men named and their Followers by the Popish Church, yea, and by one another too? Is this Man a Prote­stant? Why not a Papist? Answ. Because of Conscience and Conviction to the contrary; Hold there, sayes the Papist, the Church is above a private Conscience; and what know I but your Conscience will Lye, Steal, Rebel against the Government, and at last Cut Throats. O by no means, I. C. may say, I am no such Man, my Conscience teaches me better things: Never tell me of that, sayes the Papist, whilst you make Conscience and Conviction the Rule of your Actions towards the Church, I have Cause to fear that will one time or other pretend a Convicti­on to follow all manner of Lusts, to overturn Law and Govern­ment, and to stop all Religion and Piety towards God, all Consci­ence, [Page 38] Honesty and Charity towards Men, p. 15. But God and Conscience approves me, sayes I. C. p. 2. I cannot believe more then I can believe; nor do God and Conscience ever smite for meer Impossibilities, p. 11. and I must protest Con­science and Conviction for what I do, p. 13. And thus I. C. comes off with his Papist. Would one think then that this Man should fall so severely upon me for having any regard to Conscience and Conviction? one would think he were beside himself, as well as the Truth: But I am not without Hopes of his Information and Repentance; till then I would advise the Imprimatur man, not to be so Licentious; and in the mean while, it can do him no harm to meditate well upon this Passage of Scripture, And he causes all, both great and small, rich and poor, bond & free to receive a MARK in their Right Hands or in their For [...]heads; and that no man might BVY or SELL, save he that had the MARK or the NAME of the BEAST, Rev. 13. 16, 17.

I shall conclude with the Judgment of B. Andrews, W. Per­kins and B. Wilkins upon Conscience, and that shall be my Con­tribution to the Parson's better Proficiency in Divinity; for I hear he is but Lately and by Accident of the Trade.

Lan [...]. Andrews Bp. of Winton, on the Command­ments, chap. 6. saith, ‘In the WORST of Men, when God puts the Bit in their Mouthes, those Sparks (viz. that he hath placed in man) will fly out.’ N. 5. He calls Conscience, God's Deputy or Vice-gerent.

W. Perkins, Treatise of Conscience, in his Works Theological, 1 vol. pag. 517. Lond. 1636. impress. ‘ Con­science is a part of the Understanding in all reaso­nable Creatures, determining of their particular Actions, either with them or against them.—Un­derstanding hath two parts, Theoretical & Practical; under the latter is Conscience, because his proper­ty is to judge of the Goodness or Badness of Things [Page 39] or Actions done—Reason of the Name of Conscience, p. 518. scire to know, is of one Man alone by himself; and conscire is when two at the least know some one secret thing, either of them know­ing it together with the other: Therefore the Name [...] or conscientia, Conscience, is that thing that combines two together, and makes them Part­ners in the Knowledge of one and the same secret.—Man by a Gift given him of God knows, to­gether with God, the same things of himself: And this Gift is named Conscience.—It is (as it were) a little God, p. 519. sitting in the middle of Mens Hearts, arreigning them in this Life, as they shall be at the Tribunal of God in the last Judgment.—Power in the Soul, the Property whereof is to take the Principles and Conclusions of the Mind, and apply them, and by applying, either to Accuse or Excuse—I Conscience be lost, it is only in re­spect of the use thereof, as Reason in a Drunkard, and not otherwise—Conscience is a Thing of a divine Nature, Note. and is a thing placed of God in the midst, between him and Man, as an Ar­bitrator, to give Sentence and to pronounce either with Man or against Man unto God.’

Bish. Wilkins's Real Character, Definition of Con­science, ‘Its a Faculty whereby we apply general Principles to particular Cases, being a practical Judgment or Memory, relating to Matters of Duty. The Opposite to it, Unconscionableness, Searedness, Profligateness, &c.’

These Testimonies give great Honour to Conscience, as the generallity of Professions give to the Men. By them it appears that Insensibility is not Conscience or Conviction; and the Truth [Page 40] is, unconscionable implyes that conscionable is reasonable, just and good.

For our Parts, we believe that God has placed his Witness in every Soul, Heart and Conscience; and that all Mankind shall be Accused or Excused by it; they that rebel against it, to them shall it be a Never-Dying Worm; to them that love and obey it, an Everlasting Comforter.

By this hath God awakened and redeemed us from a vain Conversation: Tis his ancient Light and Spirit that strove with the old World, and strive with this. To no other Spirit is our Testimony, neither Conscience or Conviction, then that which is according to the Nature of it. And as I can make my Appeal to the Neighbours of I. C. and all other People else-where, if ever our Consciences or Convictions have led us to any such detestable Enormities, as he charges upon our Doctrines and Principle; and if we have not rather had our Conversation among them in all Gentleness, Sobriety and Ho­nesty; so do I warn all, to whom this comes, that they judge us not with Unrighteous Judgment, nor readily receive the Reports and Suggestions of prejudiced Men against us and our holy Way. Its no easie thing to Flesh and Blood, for us to live uprightly in the Profession of it: meer Outside, Histori­cal Faith, Large Shews, much Talk for Religion, will not do the Matter, if the Heart remains unsubjected, the affections unmortified, and no Peace with God sealed to the Soul; De­part from me, will be the last dismal Sentence.

Therefore my dear Country-men, Grieve not God's Holy Spirit; encline your Hearts to his pure Word; 'tis nigh you (as Rom. 10.) that you should obey it and do it; it will reform and regenerate you; it will create all things new, from an Hard to a Broken Heart, from a Vain to a Contrite Spirit; new Affections, new Desires, new Love, new Friendship, new Words, new Works, new Customs and Fashions (not like the World's, that shall pass away, and Vexation of Spirit on­ly remain in lieu of them forever) Then shall the Peace of God slow into your Souls as a River, and nothing shall ever harm or make you afraid.

Truly Friends, a Vain, Worldly, Unwatchful Conversa­tion [Page 41] unrepented of, be your Profession and Church what [...] will, will one Day harm and make you afraid; for God [...] Reward all people according to their Works: at that [...] Day it will not be Well Talkt, or Well Profest, but WE [...] DONE, good and faithful servants; Why? Because th [...] have kept his holy Sayings; Remember what Christ Jesus said (by whom God will judge the Secrets of all Hearts in the Day of Account) that for every Idle Word which Man speaketh, shall he give an Account in the Day of Judgment.

As one that knows the Terrors of the Lord, I would per­swade all men to turn to the living God; For if the Righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the Vngodly and Sinner appear? for the Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost; and Sinners have nothing to do there: Neither think, that you are saved by Christ from Wrath, and not saved from Sin; or that he has saved you from the Guilt, though the Nature and Acts of Sin remain; no such can walk with God here; for they must be translated, changed, renewed; much­less can they enjoy the Lord hereafter. Wherefore cast about, and see how it is with you; hearken while it is to day; your faithful Monitor is in your own Bosom, and Waits and Knocks to be let into your most inward Affection, that he may be your Delight, the prime Object of your Love; and blessed are they that are not offended in him, but believe in him, and con­fess him before all men; the Outside Jew despised him then, the Outside Christian sleights him now; but blessed be God, this spiritual Appearance of Christ in the Soul, to the Jews (the Professors) a Stumbling-block, to the Greeks (the Wise Men) Foolishness, is unto us, who have believed therein, the migh­ty power of God to our Salvation; and the worst desire I have for you is, That you also may sincerely believe, and when Time with you shall be no more, receive, with all those that in the Self-denying Life of holy Jesus walk, and saint not, to the End of their Dayes, Glory, Honour and Eternal Life, Amen.