WHereas Cotton Mather in his late Address seemeth to lay great weight on the Opinion of Richard Baxter, (whom he calleth Reverend Baxter) concerning the Quakers, I thought fit to Transcribe some few Passages of Richard Baxter in a printed Book of his, called, Directions for weak distempered Christians, that may be of some service to that injured People, called in scorn Quakers. In pag. 142. of that Book, he saith, From my own Observation, which with [...] g [...]ieved Soul, I have made in this Generation, I hereby give warning to this and all succeeding Ages, that if they have any regard to Truth, or Charity, they take heed how they believe any factious partial Historian, or Divine, in any evil that he saith of the Party that he is against; for (though there be good and credible Persons of most Parties, yet) you shall find that Passion and Partiality prevaileth against Consci­ence, Truth and Charity in most that are sick of this Disease, and that the Envious Zeal which is described, James 3. doth make them think they do God Service, first in believing false Reports, and then in venting them against those that their Zeal or Faction doth call the Enemies of Truth. And a little after he saith, pag. 143. Most Christian is that Advice of Dr. Henry Moore, That all Parties of Christians would mark all the good which is in other Parties, and be more forward to speak of that, than of the Evil: And this (saith Baxter) would promote the Work of Charity in the Church, and the interest of Christianity in the World; whereas the overlooking of all that's Good, and aggravating all the Evil (and falsly feigning more th [...]n is True) is the Work of greatest Service to the Devil, &c. Now if both Richard Baxter and Cotton Mather had well practised this Ad [...]ice, they would not have been so Uncharitable to the People called Quakers.

But seeing C. M. la [...]eth so great weight on his Reverend Baxter, as he calleth him (though I find not any where that he calleth Paul, Peter or Iohn, or any of the Prophets or Apostles by such a high desig­nation) even by Baxte [...]'s, own Judgment, neither G. K. nor his Bre­thren, who are of his Faith▪ a [...]e guilt [...] of an [...] Fundam [...]ntal Errors, that are repugnant to the Essence of the Christian Faith: And it is a [Page 2] thing generally acknowledged by all Protestants, That where any Man or Society of Men, err not in a Fundamental Article of the Christian Faith, we ought to have Charity towards them, as our Christian Brethren, if in some other things they are under some Mistakes, and that their Conversation and Practice be free of Scandal. And that I may the more effectually make it apparent, how that by the Judgment of Richard Baxter neither G. K. nor his Brethren who are of his Faith, are guilty of any Fundamental Errors touching the Christian Faith, I think fit to transcribe (faithfully) a Passage in his fore-cited Book, pag. 84, 85, 86. where he undertaketh to describe the intire Essence of the Christian Faith, as to the matter of it. The Foundation Principle (saith he) or Fundamental Matter is God the Father, Son and holy Ghost, the secondary Foundation or Fundamental Doctrine, is those Scripture Pro­positions that express our Faith in God the Father, the Son and the holy Ghost: When we name three Persons as the Object of the Christian Faith, we express Names of Relation, which contain both the Persons, Nature and Offices, and undertaken Works; without either of which God were not God, and Christ were not Christ, and the holy Ghost were not, in the sence of our Articles of Faith, the holy Ghost; as we must therefore believe, That there is one only God, so we must believe, That God the Father is the first in the holy Trinity of Persons; that the whole Godhead is perfect, and infinite in Being, and Power, and Wisdom, and Goodness, (in which all his Attributes are comprehended, but yet a distinct Vnderstanding of them all, is not of absolute necessity to Salvation;) That this God is the Creator, Preserver, and Disposer of all things, and the Owner and Ruler of Man­kind, most Iust and Merciful, that as he is the beginning of all, so he is the ultimate end, and the chief good of Man, which before all things else must be loved and Sought. Concerning the Son, we must moreover believe, That he is the same God with the Father, the second Person in Trinity, Incarnate, and so became Man, by a Personal Vnion of the Godhead and Manhood [He omitteth his being conceived of the holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, which was needful to have been exprest, it being a great Article of our Christian Faith] That he was without Original or Actual Sin, having a sinless Nature, and a sinless Life; That he fullfilled all Righteousness, and was put to Death, as a Sacrifice for our sins, and gave himself a Ransom for us; and being buried, he rose again from the dead, and afterward ascended into Heaven, where he is Lord of all, and interceedeth for Believers; That he will come again, [Page 3] and raise the dead, and judge the World, the Righteous to Everlasting Life, and the Wicked to Everlasting Punishment: That this is the only Redeemer, the Way, the Truth and the Life, neither is there access to the Father but by him, nor Salvation in any other. Concerning the Holy Ghost we must believe, That he is the same one God, the third Person in Trinity, sent by the Fat [...]er and the Son to inspire the Prophets and Apostles; and that the Doct [...]ine inspired and miraculously attested by him, is true; that he is the Sanctifier of these that shall be saved, renewing them after the Image of God in Holiness and Righteousness, giving them true Repentance, Faith, Hope, Love, and sincere Obedience, causing them to overcome the Flesh, the World, and the Devil, thus gathering a holy Church on Earth to Christ, who have, by his Blood, the Pardon of all their sins, and shall have Ever­lasting [...]ss [...]dness with God: This (saith Richard Baxter) is the Essence of the Christian Faith, as to the Matter o [...] it.

And now, as concerning that judged by Richard Baxter the Essence of the Christian Faith, as to the Matter of it, I declare sincerely, without all Equivocation or mental Reservation, in the true and ge­nuine sence of the Words, that I have transcribed out of his said Treatise, that I know not wherein I or my Brethren, of my Faith and Perswasion differ from him in any one particular, as to the matter of it, or substance therein contained; the only exception we have, is against that unscriptural Term or Phrase of Three Persons, or a Trinity of Persons, but we own sincerely, That our Faith ought to be, and is in God the Father, the Son and the holy Ghost, and that these Names are Names of Relation, respecting the Relations, as well as the Re­lative Offices, and Works of those Three; and this being granted by us, in the sincerity of our Hearts, we are excused or cleared by Iohn Calvin, for whose Memory I suppose C. Mather hath as full and great esteem as for R. Baxter; for in his first Book of Institutions, cap. 13. n. 5. he sai [...]h expresly, Vtinam quidem sepulta [...] (sc. inventa Nomina (as he expresly calleth them) Trium Personarum) constaret modo, hec inter omnes Fides, Patrem, et Filium, et [...]piritum esse unum Deum, nec tamen aut Filium esse Patrem, a [...]t Spiritum Filium, sed pro­prietate quadam esse distinctos, ne (que) enim tam precisa sum austeritate ut obnudas voculas digladiari sustineam; In English thus, I wish (saith he) the invented Names (viz. of Three Persons) were buried, providing this Faith were manifest among all, that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit is one God; and yet that the Son is not the Father, nor that the Spirit is the [Page 4] Son, but that they are distinct by a certain Property (to wit, in their Relative Attributes, as that the Father did beget the Son, and the Son was begotten of the Father, and that the holy Spirit did proceed from both) for I am not of such precise Austerity (said Calvin) that for bare small Words I would contend; and withall he confesseth, That the Orthodox antiently did not agree about these Terms or invented Words, that he acknowledgeth, were invented since the Apostles dayes, to guard against the Arrian, Sabellian, and other Heresies. And therefore since we are altogether free of these Heresies, and that we detest them from our very Souls, no sober Christian will judge uncharitably of us in that respect. And as for the word Distinct, if some of our Friends, taking it to signifie distant or seperated asunder one from another, as in remote and distant places, have refused it, in this and other mat­ters, as indeed sometimes, at least vulgarly it doth so signifie, as when we say, America is distinguished from Europe, by a great & spacious Sea interveening, they ought not to be accused for so doing, seeing in that other sence of the word Distinct, that is more in use among Schollars, as when we say, Things are distinct when the one is not the other, they own a Distinction, as that the Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Father, (though he is our Father, and is, expresly call'd in Scripture the Everlasting Father) and Christ's Manhood and Body is not the Godhead, and yet one Christ; as the Body of a Man is not his Soul, and yet Body and Soul is one Man; and in this second sence we do allow the word distinct. And as to the Manner of receiving the Christian Faith, we grant with him, first, That it must not only be received, as true, into our Understanding, by a special divine Illumi­nation, that is supernatural, but must be imbraced by the Will, Heart and Affections, as good, yea, exceeding good, and worthy of all ac­ceptation, by a special divine Motion, and working of the holy Spirit, that is supernatural, in & upon the Will, Heart and Affections: 2 dly, That as touching all the peculiar Mysteries and Doctrines of Faith, the Scriptures have been Instrumental, by and together with the immediate working of the Spirit, to beget in us the true Faith of them: But in this we differ, I suppose, from him, as well as from C. Mather and his Brethren of [...]-England, that whereas they hold, That the Spirit of God worketh in Believers Effectively, but not Obje­ctively, or by way of sensible Object, or sensibly and perceptibly by its own Self-Evidence and Demonstration to mens Hearts and Souls; We affirm, [Page 5] That the Spirit of God worketh in Believers, both Effectively and also Objectively, or by way of sensible Object, or sensibly and per­ceptibly, by its own Evidence and Demonstration to mens Hearts and Souls: And this, divers call'd Protestants have acknowledged with us, though denyed by C. M. and his Brethren of New-England; but yet I suppose R. Baxter will not call this a Fundamental Error in the People called Quakers, seeing it contradicts none of the Fundamental Articles delivered by him in his said Treatise.

And if any say, or object, That if the Spirit worketh by way of a sensible Object, upon the inward and spiritual Senses of Believers, this would make void all use of the Scriptures, as being so much as the Instru­ment, or Instrumental to our Faith. But I Answer, denying this Con­sequence, and by distinguishing the Object of our Faith, to wit, that the Scriptures are the Instrumental and secondary Object of our Faith, and the holy Spirit the principal and primary Object of our Faith (as it is sensibly felt to work upon our inward and spiritual Senses) together with the Father and the Son: Even as in outward and natural Objects that work upon our outward and natural Senses, some are principal, and others are instrumental; as in our natural sight of visible Things on Earth, as Houses, Woods, Trees, Beasts, the Sun's Light is the prin­cipal Object of our sight, but the things are at least the secondary and instrumental Object thereof; or, as when we read on a Book, the Light that we read with is the principal Object, and the Letters of the Book are the secondary and instrumental; and though we cannot see the Letters of the Book without some light, yet we may see light, yea, the Sun himself, if we have good Eyes, without the Book; and so God, and Christ, and the Spirit may be inwardly seen, felt and known, and is frequently seen, felt, known and enjoyed by the inward and spiritual Senses of Believers, without all present use of Letters or Books, when the Knowledge is Intuitive and Sensible. But as for the Doctrinal Knowledge, as we acknowledge it is requisite, in order to bring us to so high an enjoyment of God and Christ, as Vision, or Intuitive Knowledge, or Intuition, so we grant, it is commonly wrought in us and increased by means of the holy Scriptures, instrumentally working with the holy Spirit, and that therefore the holy Scriptures are of great profit and service to all Ranks and Conditions of People, yea, to such of the highest spiritual Attainments, while remaining in the mortal Body.

[Page 6]I do therefore with, and in behalf of my Friends and Brethren of the same Faith and Perswasion with me, in all parts of the World, make this Solemn Appeal to you, the more Sober, Impartial and Judi­cious People in Boston, and else-where in New-England, to whose Hands this may come, Whether Cotton Mather is not extreamly Un­charitable, and possessed with a Spi [...]it of Prejudice and envious Zeal, (to use R. Baxters phrase) against the Quakers in general, and me in particular, as guilty of manifold Heresies, Blasp [...]emies, and strong De­lusions, to the rendering us No Christians, in the lowest degree or Rank (while, I suppose, he hath som Charity to some in the Church of Rome, called Papists, and to Lutherans, A [...]minians, and divers others, that differ widely from him) yet agreeing in the afore-said Funda­mentals, when [...]e hold the same Fundamentals of Christian Doctri [...], and Faith, both with Rich. Baxter, and many others, as so decla [...]ed by them. And notwithstanding of Cotton Mathers strong Asseverations against us, as if we denyed almost all, or most of the Fundamental Articles of the Christian and Protestant Faith, yet he shall never be able to prove it, That we are guilty of this his so extreamly rash and uncharitable Charge, either as in respect of the Body o [...] that People, called in scorn Quakers, or in respect of any particular Writers or Publishers of our Doctrines and Principles, and Preachers among us, generally owned and approved by us, as men of a sound Judgment and Understanding. And as for his Citations out of the Quakers printed Books & Treatises, I would have you to consider, that most of them all are borrowed, and taken not from our own Books, but from our professed Adversa­ries, men known well enough to be possessed with Prejudice against us, such as Thomas Hicks and Iohn Faldo, and others, whom our Friends in Old-England, and particularly George Whitehead and William Penn have largely answered; yea, I do here solemnly charge Cotton Mather to give us but one single instance of any one Fundamental Article of Christian Faith denyed by us, as a People, or by any one of our Writers or Preachers, generally owned and approved by us. And if perhaps there be any Citations that C. M. cites out of our Books, that he hath read, that seem to confirm his Charge in one or two particulars against us; I do sincerely answer, that I am at a loss to find them in these Books, partly because divers of these Books cited by him, I am altogether a stranger to them, and know not where to find them in all America, and partly because he not citing [Page 7] the Chapters, Sections, Parts or Pages of them, that may be found here in America, I cannot, but with great pains and expence of Time find them out; and I judge I can much better spend my precious time, than in searching of them; and it sufficeth to me, and I hope doth to many others, that according to the best Knowledge I have of the People called Quakers, and these most generally owned by them, as Preachers and Publishers of their Faith, of unquestioned esteem among them, and worthy of double Honour, as many such there are, I know none that are guilty of any one of such Heresies and Blasphe­mies, as he accuseth them. Yet we deny not, but as it hath happen­ed, and doth daily happen to Writers and Preachers belonging to all other Societies, so it may have happened to some among us, to have at times in writing or speaking, delivered things not so warily and cautiously worded, in every respect, as need were: But in this case, all but prejudiced Persons, will say, if it can be found, by comparing their words one with another, that their sence or meaning is found, though not so altogether safely or cautiously worded in every respect, Charity is to be allowed, and the best Construction ought to be given to their words, or they themselves, or their Friends for them, in respect of their absence or decease, who did best know them, ought to be allowed to give their sence of them, as I have done, in the sincerity of my heart, according to my best understanding and know­ledge of them; and I think I should know, and do know these called Quakers, and their Principles, far better than Cotton Mather, or any or all his Brethren, having been conversant with them in publick Meetings, as well as in private Discourses, with the most noted and esteemed among them for about Twenty Eight Years past, and that in may places of the World in Europe, and for these divers Years in America: And I further say, That i [...] any things, through inadver­tency, have been said or writ by any of us, and that it can be found so to be, and that a charitable Construction cannot be safely and sin­cerely put upon them, but that they do contradict the holy Scriptures, and the wholsom Doctrine therein delivered by the holy Prophets and Apostles, we do sincerely deny and disown them, and declare our be­ing ready, with all possible sincerity, to disown them, upon due notice and advertisment; for though we affirm, That the Spirit of God in us, and all Believers, in every discovery it gives, is infallible, yet we have never judged our selves absolutely infallible, nor did we ever [Page 8] place or fix an absolute Infallibility upon any Man, or Number, or Society of Men since the Apostles dayes; but through Gods mercy we are sensible of our danger of being liable to Mistakes, as well as other men, if we be not duely humble, watchful and careful to keep close and chaste to the pure openings, teachings and leadings of the infallible Spirit of Truth. And we readily grant the great benefit we have by the holy Scriptures, as being instrumental, by and with the immediate working of the Spirit, to preserve us from Error, or if any be overtaken in an Error, and beguiled by the Enemy, to Re­cover and Restore them there-from; therefore it is, that in all respects we prefer the Scriptures, both to our own, and all other Writings; and if any Doctrine or Practice be found contrary thereunto, upon due and impartial Examination, we say, it ought to be disowned and denyed; for the Scriptures of Truth, and the Spirit of Truth that gave them forth, can never contradict the one to the other.

IT cannot, with any colour of Justice, be expected by Cot. Mather, that I should give a particular Reply to all things in his Book, called, An Address, said or alledged against the People called Quakers in general or me in particular, until such time that he give a distinct particular Answer to my former Book, called, The pretended Antidote proved Poyson, &c. particularly directed to him and his Brethren, and to the several Chapters and Sections thereof, which he hath not so much as essayed; wherein, notwithstanding almost the whole matter he doth muster up against us in his late Address, is sufficiently and solidly answered; and therefore until he give a full and distinct par­ticular Answer to the said Book, I judge not my self o [...]liged so much as to notice many things contained in his said Address, being fi [...]l [...]d with manifest falshoods, perversions and abuses, sufficiently already Replyed unto, partly by others, and partly by me, but containing no new matter against us, excepting his Personal Reflections against me, which yet I think not to spend much Time or Paper to answer, most of them being so manifestly false and foolish, that of themselves they fall and evanish; only I intend to give a short glance or hint at [Page 9] some of the most considerable Abuses and Perversions he mustereth up against us.

Pag. 3. He saith, If I have one spark of Light in me, Quakerism i [...] but a profound and deadly pit of Darkness. Answ. This Assertion doth not come from any true Light in him, but from his Darkness.

Pag. 4. Quakerism, under pretence of advancing the spiritual Objects of Religion, goes to annihilate all the Sensible. Ans. False.

Again, pag. 4. There is hardly any one Fundamental Article of that reformed Religion, whereby we look to be saved, that is not undermined by Quakerism. Ans. But of this he has not given one true instance: And as to what he alledgeth, that some of us have said, The Letter is not the Word of God, to wit, properly and without a figure, he him­self hath said as much, see pag. 59. And that some of us have call'd their Books, Light risen out of Darkness, Shields of Truth, &c. they understood it not, but metaphorically or figuratively, by some Me­tonymy, as is common in all Titles of Books, but we have alwayes preferred the Scriptures to our Writings. And that the Scriptures may be call'd the Word of God, in a figurative Speech, and also that the True Sense signified in them, is the Word of God, I have acknow­ledged, and so I do still; but that the inward Testimony of God in our Hearts, is more properly and immediately the Word of God, than the outward Testimony of the Scripture, I still affirm, with Augustine and other antient Writers.

As for his citing William Penn's words agruing against that same Numerical Body its rising at the Resurrection; it is clear that he under­standeth the same exact Number of the small Particles or Dusts, nei­ther more nor less than what is commonly buried; and what hurt is there in that? doth not C. M. and his Brethren generally say, as well as W. Penn, That at the Resurrection all shall rise Men, and not Infants, nor lame, nor defective in a [...]y part; and yet how many Thousands dye Infants, and defective in some Bodily Members?

That some have denyed the Saints, as such, to be miserable Sinners, it ought to be considered, that according to the common stile of Scripture, Saints and Sinners are distinguished, and the unconverted are called Sinners; for the denomination of a thing is taken chiefly from that which is the greatest part; but because in all Saints, even the weake [...], Grace and Holiness is the chief and greatest part, therefore from that they receive their Denomination, and are said to be righ­teous [Page 10] and clean, and not to do Iniquity. That one said, The Scrip­ture is not the means by which Faith is wrought, it can receive a candid interpretation, as to say, the only means, excluding the inward Grace and Operation of the Spirit; as some say, Medicine is not the means of a mans Cure, though a Means, it is understood not the only means.

And whereas he querieth, If their Primmer hath yet been corrected, wherein they read, False Teachers preach Christ without, and bid People believe in him as he is in Heaven? If he mean William Smith's Primmer, as I believe he doth, I Answer, Yea, it hath been Corrected, in the folio Edition of his other Treatises joyned with it, as is plainly to be seen, thus, That false Teachers preach Christ only without, but true Teachers preach Christ both without us, and also within us.

And what William Penn argueth as concerning Three Persons, he only argueth against the invented Names [ Persons] (as Calvin doth acknowledge them, as above-said) which in all proper Language doth signifie Substances, and not meer Properties or relative Attributes, which W. P. will not deny to be in [...] Nor are W. P's words so to be understood concerning Iustification, as if he excluded Christ's Righteousness, which he fulfilled in his own Person; but only he denyeth that any can be justified by that alone, without Faith and Re­pentance, &c.

As for Bodily Tremblings, that they are not so common among these called Quakers, as formerly; as good or better Reason can be given, as that these or the like unusual Motions that seized on the Bodies of some Presbyterians in Scotland about fifty Years ago, are not now so common among them, which the Author of The fulfilling of the Scrip­tures, doth plainly acknowledge, was about that time among them; and indeed many of these Tremblings and extraordinary Motions that seized on the Bodies of some Presbyterians, & many call'd Quakers, in these dayes, did proceed in great part, from the small experience of, and little acquaintance that these Persons had at first with that sensible manner of the working of Gods Spirit, and that there were but few at first that could well advise them to bear with more com­posure and quiet of Body that manner of workings, whereas by more frequent Experience, many did, and do at this day, witness, and feel sensibly, not only as great, but oft greater inward Workings of the Spirit of God, on all accounts, and yet can bear them, and most willingly and gladly submit to them, with little or no Observation, [Page 11] of any Bodily Trembling; for as in going to War, and hearing the dreadful Sound of Guns, Trumpets and Drums, the young Souldiers are oft afraid, even to a degree of Bodily Trembling, yet after­wards, having more Experience, they feel not either that Bodily Trembling, nor such fear that is the cause of it; and as Water and Fire at its first breaking forth, is more violent, and yet afterwards is fully as effectual, without such Violence; so at the first hearing of Thunder, and seeing the terrible Flashes of Lightning, Persons are much more afraid, than after, when they are more acquainted with it, by frequency thereof; so it might be, and was so, that the Power and Spirit of God did work in former dayes with a more seeming Force upon many, and yet since doth work as effectually, now, and sometimes more without it, so as not to come under such frequent Observation; and yet even Bodily Tremblings are still wit­nessed, proceeding from the inward working of Gods Spirit, among us; as the Apostle saith, Knowing the Terrors of the Lord, we perswade men.

Pag. 12. For the words of Humphry Norton, alledged by C. M. I have made inquiry at divers, but can find no intelligence of any such words, in any Book of his; but if any such have dropt from him, or any other, tending to deny the Faith of Christ's being in Heaven in his glorified Body of Man without us, we shall be far from excusing them; for we zealously believe, That the Man Christ is in Heaven without us, in his glorified Body of Man, the same for Be­ing he had on Earth, but wonderfully changed in Manner and Con­dition, as is clearly and fully expressed in that late Treatise given forth by our Friends in Rhode-Island, called, The Christian Faith, &c. Vindicated, &c. But yet we cannot approve of the too carnal Con­ceptions of many carnal and ignorant Professors, that have too car­nal Imagination of Christ, and confine him altogether to such a Re­moteness, that they will not allow any Measure of him▪ to dwell in Believers, plain contrary to the Scripture.

Pag. 12. And whereas he saith, If they own those Principles, why won't they give us leave to own them? I Answer; We blame you not for own­ing them, providing ye did own them as ye ought to do, in the true and right Faith of them, that proceedeth from the Spirits inward In­spiration and Revelation, sensibly working, by way of sensible Object upon the inward and spiritual Senses of mens Souls; but this ye [Page 12] deny; and therefore it is not the matter, but manner of your own­ing them, that we commonly blame, even as some said, that the Lord lived, yet they swore falsly, because they did it hypocritically, not knowing him to live in them; but yet sometimes in these very thing [...], ye err also in the matter.

Pag. 15. That the Quakers adore G. K. either for his outward Learn­ing, and make him their Head, or for any other thing, is false; nor doth he seek any such false Honour; it sufficeth him to be loved by his Friends, and neither he nor his Friends make any other account of outward Learning, but to be the foot-stool of Christ, and subservi­ent to his Truth, and as the Spoils of the Aegyptians were made ser­viceable to the Israelites.

And that he saith, This Keith it is, who has given the greatest ad­vantages to Quakerism, and that with no little Alterations; How this is consistent with his representing me, as if I were Mad, pag. 44. and extreamly Ignorant, doth not appear. And as for Alterations, great or small, that I have made in the Quakers Principles, as rightly understood, delivered by our most Antient Friends, of best account in general, he hath not proved. He calleth my late Catechism, A wily Catechism, wherein Quakerism is so disguised, as that one would almost suspect him a real Protestant; and yet he will needs have it, that the Iuice of Toads is as wholsom a Potion: But it is strange that such a Wily Catechism, and so politically contrived should proceed from a Mad-man, and extreamly Ignorant, as he would have me to be. But however, I say, that Catechism is writ and given forth in true sincerity, without any disguise, and doth as really bespeak me a true Protestant, (as all true Quakers are) as it doth seem to represent me to be, and will be found to ha [...]e nothing that's hurtful in it, but profitable and wholsom, I hope, upon impartial Examination.

That the inward excusing or condemning Principle, as he chargeth on us, p. 15. whic [...] all men are burn with, is the Man Christ Iesus, is not asserted by any called Quakers, that I know, unless by a figure called Synecdoche, of giving the Name of the whole to the measure, and by a Metonyme, as where in Scripture the second A [...]am is called the quickening Spirit, and the Light of the World; but the Quakers, so called, generally acknowledge, that the Spirit, Light and Life dwelleth in all fullnes, [...]ly in the glorified Body of the Man Christ Jesus without them, and the measures of it not seperated from the Fullness, more [Page 13] or less, [...] [...]eased to give in Believers. Nor do the Quakers say, that men bring with them into the World these inward Illuminations and Convictions, and other Operations of the Light or Spirit, whe­ther common or special, that men feel by experience in them, when at Age, although none can come into the World but as the Almighty Power and Arm of God, who formed them in the▪ Mothers Womb, doth bring them, and as that eternal Word, without which nothing is made, doth appoint them in their several Ages and Generations. And for Christian Lodowicks Challenge against our Friends in Rhode-Island, it is already answered, and they are cleared from his Calum­nies, and our Christian Religion sufficiently distinguished from either Paganism, Iudaism or Mahumatism. And the Exceptions he makes against my Catechism are soon answered, if his Perversions were but detected. 1 st, That some who are left without either the help of the holy Scriptures, or holy Men, do yet so rightly improve the inward help of Christs Light, as to be accepted with God; This he saith is altogether contrary to Rom. 1.21, 22. But in this, as mostly every where, he perverteth my words and sense; for he hath left out my following words, [ according to the present state] And what I mean by them I show a little after, That such who have a measure of sincerity in their Gentile state, but having no Faith in Christ crucified, are but Servants, and not Sons of the free Woman, but are under the Law, and though accepted so far as sincere in the Servants state, as I proved from Acts 10.1, 2, 34, 35. yet not thereby justified as Sons; for I have acknow­ledged, that without the Faith of Christ crucified and raised again with­out us, none are or can be so justified (yet they are as the Kings Pri­soners, and as the Man-slayer was in the City of Refuge under the Law, till he heard of the Death of the High-Priest) and such are shut up under the Safeguard of the Law, (as Beza translates it) unto the Faith that is afterwards to be revealed, Gal. 3.23. So there is a place of Re­fuge, although C. M. know it not. Nor doth Rom. 1.21, 22. con­tradict it, for that place speaketh not of all Gentiles, but these of the worst of them. 2 dly, That some may be saved without outward hearing or preaching, is granted by the Westminster Con [...]ession, in the case of Infants, and Deaf and Dumb Persons; and therefore how devout and Con­scientious Gentiles can be saved, hath not the least shadow of greater difficulty to understand: And that none are eternally saved without the Faith of Christ, I have granted in my Catechism, and other Trea­tises, [Page 14] and do still grant, see Sect. 4. Quest. 10. but how this Faith is wrought in such, is best to leave it until God be pleased further to open it, seeing, as the Westminster Confession saith, God worketh by his Spirit when, where and how he pleaseth; and as Christ said, The Spirit bloweth where it listeth, the greek word can well be translated Spirit, and is so by some Translators. 3 dly, That the Principle of the New-Covenant is in all Men, is not contradicted by Ephes. 2.12. but is con­firmed by Rom. 10.8, 9, 10. compared with Deut. 30.14. and Christs Parable of the Seed sown in four grounds. And why may not the Seed of the New Covenant lie in the hearts of unregenerate Men for a Season, as the Seed of Wheat may lie not having root in the cold dry ground for a Season, till it be moistened & warmed with the Showers & Sun's warmth in the Spring. 4 thly, That having more Wives than one was unlawful under the Law, is not contrary to Mat. 19.45, 48. for altho' Man had but one wife given him at the beginning, yet the Law that permitted such a thing to men, as the like in the case of Divorce came in afterwards. And it is absurd to think that Abraham sinned against the Law in his Conscience, writ in his very Nature (and therefore commonly call'd the Law of Nature, in having two Wives at once; for all sins against the Law of Nature are hainous sins, and of great aggravation, as the Westminster Confession acknowledgeth. But see­ing no such sin is charged on Abraham, and that he was in great fa­vour with God at that very time, it cannot be said to be against that Law writ in his Nature, though it be against the Law of the New-Covenant now under the Gospel. 5 thly, That we are to wait in Silence for some aid and assistance of the Spirit, to help us to pray, doth not con­tradict Acts 8.22. for as Peter commanded Simon Magus to pray, so he bid him Repent and Pray; and that he had not the Spirit, was his own fault, as it is the fault of all others (who have it not to assist them, both to wait and pray also) Nor doth mens want of the Spirit, because they depart from it, and resist the gentle Motions thereof, excuse their neglect of Prayer, no more than a mans want of Money excuseth him to pay a just Debt, yet he must not go to pay his debt with false Coyn, no more should a man pray with a Hypocritical Spirit. Nor, 6 thly, doth Rom. 3.28. prove that Repentance, as well as Faith, is not a necessary Condition and Instrument of our Justification; for true Gospel Repentance is not the Work of the Law, but of Faith; and his Reverend R. Baxter doth hold with the [Page 15] Quakers against him, That Faith and sincere Obedience are necessary Conditions and Instruments of Iustification, and to teach so, he doth not think Popish, as doth sufficiently appear by what he hath printed on that subject; see his Aphorisms of Iustification, pag. 80. where he saith, Some Ignorant Wretches gnash their Teeth at this very Doctrine, as if it were flat Popery, viz. That Men are justified by Faith, as it is an inward Obedience. Nor 7 thly, doth Rom. 9.11. prove that Esau was a Reprobate before he was born, or at any time afterwards; yea, Cotton Mather, with his Boston Brethren, in their former Book, dare not affirm, That Esau was a Reprobate, and that men are not born Reprobates, (though some are preferred to others before they are born) but become Reprobates after they have nothing good left in them, is clear from Scripture, that calleth reprobate men Dross, after the precious Mettle is extracted from it, and Chaff that hath no grain of Wheat in it. Nor 8 thly, doth Acts 8.38. prove that Christs Bap­tism is with Water; for as the Practice of Circumcision, after Christs Resurrection, doth not prove it a Gospel-Precept, no more doth the practise of Water Baptism, but both Christ and Iohn did teach, That Christs Baptism was with Fire and the holy Ghost; but no where is it said, that Christ baptizeth with Water. Nor 9 thly, doth 1 Cor. 11.26. prove, That Believers may not feed upon Christ by Faith, and so sup with him, and he with them, as well when they eat not, as when they do eat together outwardly, remembring the Lords Death, with Solemn Prayer and Thanks-giving, which we grant is good frequently to be done.

And thus I have fully answer'd all his frivolous and weak Objections against my Catechism; so that he hath not discovered the least grain of Error in it; nor doth any thing that I have said in my other printed Treatises contradict the Doctrine of my Catechism, as he doth falsly alledge, perverting my words, in most things, to a sence contrary to my mind, or to what they can bear, so far is he from that Candor of giving them a favourable Construction. But I intend not to follow him in his manifold Impertinences, to weary either my Reader or my self, and shall come to give a brief and plain Answer to his Five Arguments, whereby he would perswade the People in New-England to turn away from hearing me; the which Arguments savour more of bitter Prejudice and extream Folly and Rashness, than of any Wit or Judgment, and hath nothing of Truth in them, and [Page 16] might be easily retorted upon himself, where they have the best seem­ing show, according to that Latine Verse, Fabula narratur mutat [...] Nomine de te; i. e. Change the Name, and the Tale is told truly of thy thy self.

IN his first A [...]gument he accuseth me to be guilty of a Lye, in mat­ter of Fact, and that I pretend to an assurance for it from the Spirit of God; and the Lye he alledgeth in matter of Fact, is, That I charge their Confession of Faith for holding, that the Scriptures ought to be belie­ved for their own outward Evidence and Testimony, and not for the in­ward Evidence and Testimony of the holy Spirit in mens Hearts. And to prove this to be a Lye, he citeth some words of that Confession, which saith, Our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible Truth, and divine Authority of the holy Scriptures, is from the Inward Work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word in our Hearts. And for a further Confirmation he alledgeth Iohn Owen, saying, That the Scrip­ture be received as the Word of God, there is a twofold Efficacy of the Spirit, &c. withal affirming, That I cover Lye with Lye. To which I Answer; Cotton Mather, and not I, is guilty of two gross Lyes or Falshoods in this Charge: first, That I pretend to an assurance from the Spirit, in matter of Fact, concerning what they hold, is a manifest Perversion; for I bring my assurance, in matter of Fact, not from the Spirit, but from their Confession of Faith, which I have diligently examined; but the knowledge I have that their Doctrine, in that par­ticular, is false, I bring from the Spirit of God, that hath given me the understanding thereof, and is Truth and no Lye. 2 dly, That he saith, Their Confession doth grant, that the Scriptures are to be believed for the inward Evidence and Testimony of the holy Spirit in mens hearts; but this it doth not say, nor can it be gathered by any just consequence, to be their sence, seeing they deny, with C. M. and his Brethren, all inward objective immediate Testimony and Revelation of the Spirit. And whereas the Confession mentioneth the inward Work of the holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the Word ( viz. the Scripture) in our Hearts. This doth sufficiently prove, That their Confession [Page 17] doth not mean or intend any inward Testimony of the Spirit, really and properly so called, as having a standing Evidence of its own, but only borrowed from the Scripture, and therefore is no true and pro­per Evidence at all, but only and altogether improper, yea, as im­proper as if I should say, when I hear but one man give Evidence to the Truth of a thing, and that I read it also in writ from his hand, that three Evidences or Witnesses have given their Evidence to that Truth, as 1 st, the Ma [...], 2 dly, my Ear that heard him, 3 dly, my Eye that hath read his writ: But what sober Man will say, these are three Witnesses or Evidences? And would it not be a great Cheat to say, That whereas the Law requireth two Witnesses, and there is but one man that giveth witness to Cotton Mathers hearing, that C. M. should alledge, his Ears are other two Witness [...]s, because they have heard him, and so they are three in a [...]: And as great a Cheat and Fallacy is it, to call the witness of the Scripture the inward Witness of the Spirit, when they confess, the in [...]ard Work of the Spirit, is only Effective, to open the Ear to hear the outward Witness of the Scrip­ture, but not to speak by any distinct Witness, to the inward Ear: And it is like that other Fallacy, as if Iames being required to give his Witness, he giveth it not by himself, but by Iohn, and Iohn being required to give his Witness, he giveth it by Iames, but neither of them by himself, or at least the one not, by himself; for when they are asked, By what do they know the Scriptures to be the Word of God? they answer, By the Spirit: And again, By what do they know the Spirit? they answer, By the Scripture. And thus the Fallacy and Falshood both of the Confession and of C. M. is detected, and G. K. is cleared from being no wise guilty of any Lye in the case. And what I said of Iohn Owen is true, for the Title and design of his Book is concerning The Self-Evidencing Authority of the holy Scriptures, only he confesseth the Spirits inward Work is necessary to let men see or know it; but that is no proper Witness, more than a mans hearing is one Witness, and the thing heard is another. I do therefore Appeal to all sober, impartial and judicious Readers, Whether not I, but Cotton Mather, be not convicted of gross Lying or Falshood, and whether the Society he belongs unto, ought not to bring him to Repentance for such Crimes, to use some of his own wo [...]ds.

His Second Argument is, That I am guilty of having committed most [Page 18] horrible Blasphemy against the holy Spirit of God, which is the unpardon­able Sin; And thoug [...] he doth charge this one while positively, yet [...] while If I have not the certain, yet [...]earful Marks of it; and my Sin is very like that Sin; and yet [...]g [...]in ch [...]ging it positively on me, That I [...]ave t [...]ken part [...] the [...]har [...]s [...]e [...] impardonable Injury to the Eternal Spirit of God [...]ut how doth [...] prove any thing of this to have the lest show o [...] shadow of truth? Why, because, as he alledg­eth, I called his and [...]is [...]ret [...]rens Prayers, more than once, a Conjuring of t [...]e Dev [...]l, and do put on them the [...] of Charms and Spells; by which Prayers, he alledgeth, he and his Brethren did cast o [...]t the Devil, that did Bodily possess some [...]oung People, and that therefore their Prayers were the special Operations o [...] the holy [...]ost, which I blaspheme, and that there­fore I have committed the Vnpardonable Sin ▪ but I Answer; 1 st, As I said in my Book called, A Re [...]tation, &c. I am little concerned whe­ther or not th [...]se Young People were bewitched, or had a Diabolical Possess [...]on on, further than to take notice, That C. M. will have it to be [...]o, to make the simple believe, that his and his Brethrens Prayers did conjure the Devil, and cast him out; by which it is most clearly apparent, to every one of common se [...]ce, th [...]t I did not mean that his or his Brethrens Prayers were done by any Diabolical Art or Craft of Conju [...]tion, for I do not think them to be Conjurers, but that they would have People believe, that by some divine Power of Exor­cism, as was frequent in the primitive Church, they did conjure the Devil, which is as widely different from his Perversion, as East from West. Now I cannot believe that they had this divine Gi [...]t of Ex­orcism, which was a Miraculous Gift in those primitive Times (that Popish Priests do also pretend to h [...]ve, and many stro [...]gly affirm, they have cured many by their Prayers) becaus [...] the commonly say, That Immediate Revelation, with the Gifts o [...] Miracles, are ceased: How then can they have th [...]m? And I appeal to all sober Readers, Whe­ther Cotton Mather h [...]th not g [...]osly pervert [...]d my words, that because I did not own them to have [...] divine Power of Exorcism, whereby to conjure the Devil, as if I did affi [...]m their Prayers were a Conjuring of t [...]e Devil, which instead of affirming. I stro [...]gly d [...]nyed, as the R [...]a [...]er may see in my Book called A Reputation, &c. and by this, and his other many Pervertions of my word, I may take measure, [...] he is too like to have perverted grosly the words of my Friends, in his alledged Citations, that I have not seen in their Books, when [Page 19] he doth so palpably pervert my words to a plain contrary sence, that is obvious to them of the weakest Capacity. Nor did I call his and his Brethrens Prayers Charms and Spells, as he alledgeth; see my Book p. 71, 72. only I said, T [...]at seeing they generally mock at any, at this day laying claim to divine Inspiration and Revelation, I cannot own their Prayers to be true, th [...]y are l [...]ker to Charms and Spells of superstitious Per­sons, &c. But this will not infer that I did really call or judge them, Charms or Spells; for I think they are not Witches, except in that sense used by Pa [...]l, Gal. 3.1. because they bewitch (not the Bodies, but) the Souls of People from believing and obeying the Truth; for I may say one thing is liker to another thing, and yet not say, it is that very thing; As if I should say, C. M. is liker to a Pharisee or Mass-Priest, than to a true Minister of Christ, doth it therefore follow, that I judge he is really a Pharisee or Mass-Priest? or, to use his Phrase, were the Transmigration of Souls a Truth, if I should say, Cotton M [...]ther is liker Demetrius the Silver-Smith (who accused Paul, because his and his Brethren's Craft was in danger to be set at naught, Acts 19.27.) than to a true Minister of Christ, Doth it therefore follow, that I judge that C.M. is Demetrius risen again from the dead? By no means And for his comparing me to Alex­ander the Copper-Smith, it is foolish and envious; I honour and esteem highly both Paul's Doctrine and himself, and all the Prophets and Apostles of the Lord; and therefore I do nothi [...]g resemble Alex­ander the Copper-Smith; but C. M. and his Brethren do too much resemble, not only Alexander the Copper-Smith, who opposed Paul, but Demetrius the Silver-Smith, that they are in such fear their Craft be set at nought by the People call'd Quakers, else why do they make such a stir about their Wages and Hi [...]e? Whereas if they were true Ministers of Christ, they should preach his Gospel freely, as the Apostles and others do, and as true Ministers of [...] now do. And His accusing me of having committed the Vnpardon [...] Sin upon a meer Forgery of his own, hatched in his Brains by [...] Father of Lyes) puts me in mind of what I have read in the Church History, writ by Lucas Osiander, How when two o [...] the Patri [...]i [...]o [...] Rome, that were Christians, whom Pope Sixtus had Excommunicate, for t [...]eir accu­sing him to have been t [...]o [...]miliar wit [...] some o [...] the consecrated Virgins, had begged of him to be Relaxed, professing their Repentance, and urging Christs Doctrine, If thy Brother Trespass against thee, and return, [Page 20] not only Seven Times, &c. thou shalt forgive him; The proud Pope re [...]used to Relax t [...]em, affirming, They had committed that Vnpardonable Sin, because they had offended him. And like to this the English Hobbs, who is no good Philosopher, and a worse Divine, saith, in one of his Boo [...]s, by way of a smart Satyr ag [...]inst the Clergy, That i [...] any offend a Clergy-man (alias, a black Coa [...]) [...]e will tell them, they have commit­ted that Vnpardonable Sin o [...] Blasphemy against the holy Ghost, as Cotton Mather hath he [...]e se [...]v [...]d m [...], but without all just cause, I bless God; a [...]d therefore the sober People of New-Englad have cause to consider better, what [...] of men th [...]se are, who make Lyes their R [...]f [...]ge, and th [...]ir Weapons where [...]y they fight against us. Nor do I yet find the [...]east cause to incline me to believe, [...]hat C. M's Prayers did cast out the Devil out of these Children, as he alledgeth, seeing they say, Miracles are ceased, and Divine Exorcisme was one of these Miracu­lous Gifts of Gods Spirit; and C. M. himself helpeth us to under­stand (if these Children were really bewitched) how they were cu [...]ed by some other means, that his and his Brethrens Prayers, to wit, as he plainly conf [...]sseth, pag. 44. (compared with pag. 12.) That one thing in the Childrens deliverance, was the strange Death of an horrible Old Woman, who was presumed to have a great hand in their affliction: And pag. 12. he telleth, W [...]en the Witch was going to her Excution, she said, the Children sho [...]ld not be relieved by her Death, for others had a hand in it as well as she. And thus from C. M. we have found other means of the Childrens cure▪ th [...]n his and h [...]s Brethrens Prayers, the which, seeing he calleth them Dirt and Dung in his Book, were not likely to be means of dispossessing the Devil out of those Children; indeed, we read that Christ wrough [...] a mi [...]acl [...] with [...]lay and Spittle, but no where that I remember, that ever [...]e wrought a Miracle with Dirt and Dung; be [...]ide, he seemeth to b [...] more guilty of Blasphemy, that calleth their Prayers, whi [...]h he [...]aith▪ are the speci [...]l Operations of the holy Spirit,) Dirt and D [...]ng, a [...] he plainly doth. And with as little su [...]cess doth C. M. see [...] to defend his fa [...]se Gloss on Christs words, as if Christ had ta [...]ght, That Sathan is not divided against Sathan: Whereas I said, Sathan is divided against Sathan, the [...]e being no true unity in his Kingdom; and therefo [...]e it must fa [...]l, and not be perpetual; nor in [...] do [...] he least wrest from [...]h [...]ists Argument against the Iews, because I did [...]cknowle [...]ge, that [...]h [...]ist argued most strongly against them ad hominem. And supposing that Sathan at [Page 21] times, did cast out Sathan, yet that is but that Sathan may enter ag [...]in some more dangerous way, or fully as dangerous; but whom Christ cu [...]eth, he so cureth, that Sathan by his means doth not again enter, but the holy Spirit of God, as was fullfilled in Mary Magd [...]len. And whereas he saith, He is mistaken, if he hath not the generality of Interpreters on his side; he hath not showed who this ge­nerality is, and he showeth h [...]w little he is versed in Antiquity, other­wise he might have remembred how O [...]igine, above thirteen hundred Years ago, doth contradict him, and say the same with me; for thus he w [...]iteth expresly, in his Comment on Iohn, pag. 424. of his 2d Tom. printed at Basil, 1557. C [...]m enim admis [...]ss [...]t [...]sse quendam Beel­zebub, et [...] illi [...] p [...]idio [...], dissida [...] veluti quo [...] [...] Satane; ope [...]a [...]i eo q [...]od secum ipse [...] et hec in quit; i. e. When Christ had [...], t [...]at there was a certain Belz [...]b [...]b, and that [...]e who did cast o [...]t Devil by his Power, did wo [...] as it were a stri [...]e again [...] Sathan, beca [...]se he did [...] against hims [...]l [...], he said t [...]ese t [...]ings. As for his fal [...]e Insinuation, of my ca [...]ing Prayers, Charms and Sp [...]l [...]s, it is easily discovered, I own [...] true Prayer, bo [...]h Vocal and Mental, that co [...]eth in the e [...]t degree from the inb [...]e [...]thing, i. e. I [...]spiration of Gods Spirit, and have, through Mercy, foun [...] the unspeakable advan­tag [...] of it to my Soul, and do earnestly recommend true Prayer in the Spirit of God to all, and so do all true Quakers, so called.

In his Third A [...]gument, p. 34. wherein he giveth many supposed Contradictions, that I give to myse [...]f in my [...] Books, and upon th [...] fa [...]se Supposition, as on a false Foundation, [...] his Argument against me▪ I think not to spend Time nor Paper to answer them all in particular; for let but the Reader see my own words in my print­ed Books, a [...]d well consider them, and if h [...] have but a little sound Judgment, he will easily find, I have not contrad [...]cted my self in any [...], though I could easily discover many Contradictions of C. M. to himsel [...]. But to make me seem to contradict my self he has no bette [...] way but to w [...]est and pervert my words, as in the very first in [...]ance he alledgeth, he perverteth my words grosly as if by their [...], whom I did acknowledge to have had some mea [...]re o [...] Tender­n [...]ss, So [...]riety and Simplicity (in a printed Paper of mine) some time a go, I did mean th [...]se, who near forty Years a go did p [...]t our Friends to Death at Boston: Which is a manifest Perversion, enough to Discredit [Page 22] all he saith, having as lit [...]le Truth, against me. Whereas by their Fathers I did not mean the present Ge [...]eration, that taketh in forty Years commonly, at lea [...]t in vulgar sense, but th [...]se th [...]t lived sixty, or near seventy Years past, that had some measure of Tenderness and Sincerity, and were no [...] of a persecuting Spirit, as the [...]e who put [...] Friends to Death; nor had the generality of the People in New-E [...]l [...]d a hand in our F [...]iends Death; for many of them disliked it, as I have been credibly informed, and some have acknowledged the Land of God against the Land ever since, for those M [...]rder, and I wish many might see it, and repent of it, that they might be forgiven, and Gods anger quenched towards them, that hath been (and re­maineth to be) kindled against them. And he is as impertinent in labouring to reconcile his own Contradiction that Iohn Delava [...] charged upon him, as if it were no Contradiction, either because the Assertions are thirty pages distant, or because he did query, and not affirm; whereas the manner of his Querying showeth a plain Affirma­tion, in calling or bringing in their deceased Fathers to expostulate with them for their Degeneration. And this is all the Answer he giveth to Iohn Delavall's so [...]l [...]d and weighty Appendix, with a scoffing airy Spirit, as his manner is, he compareth to a Dutch Womans unin­te [...]igible Babbling. And no less doth he bely me, to accuse me, as it I said or suggested in my [...]ook, called, The Presbyterian & Indepen­dent Churches brought to the Test, &c. That these Churches o [...] Presbyte­rians and Independents were false upon all accounts, beyond that of Rome it self: Than which there can be no greater Perversion, and Belying of a mans words. I said no such thing▪ nor do I think any such thing I have alwayes judgded, and do still judge, that all these Churches called Protestant Churches, whether Episcopal, Presbyterian, Independent or Baptists, in many, yea, very many things, hold better Doctrine than the Church of Rome, and in many things are nearer to the Letter of the Scriptu [...]e, and to the Truth, and I have Charity, that some may belong to Christ, as his Members, among the [...] all, even the Church of Rome not exc [...]pted; yet all this will not prove, that any one o [...] them all is the true vi [...]ble Church, restored to that purity of Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government, as was in the Apostles dayes, and was before the Church fled into the Wilder­ness, and as will be at her full Return, which is approaching. He is as weak and impertinent to charge it on me as a Contradiction to [Page 23] my self, to say, That in some things in speaking or writing, we may [...] be not duely watchful: And yet, That in many things we have been ta [...]ght in [...]al [...]ib [...]y by t [...]e Infal [...]ible Spirit of God, to believe them, as to believe That God is, and [...] given his [...] Son for us, and many [...] precious Truths; and if he hath no infallible belief and Know [...]ge of th [...]se things, a [...]d other Fundamental Truths, he is neither Minister of Christ, [...]or a true Christian, but a meer Sceptick. Any [...]olledge School Boy knoweth, that Contradictions lie not betwixt two Particulars, nor two Universals, but one Particular and another Universal; as if one should say, T [...]at he is in all things taught infal [...]ibly, and y [...]t again say, T [...]at in some things at mig [...] or did err, it would be a Contradiction; but this I have not said. Nor is a Contradiction betwixt two Positives, but the one Positive, the other Negative; and therefore it is no [...]on­tradiction to say, So [...] are Elected in Christ Iesus before the Foundation o [...] the World, to be Holy, &c. and yet to deny, That others are eternally or absolutely Reprobated; for Elected and Reprobated are both Positives, and therefore not [...]ontradictory, no more than White and Black; as it is no Contradiction to say, Some Colours are White, and there [...]ore all o [...]er Colours, ( [...]hat are not White) are Black. It seemeth that Cotton Mather, whom some, as he telleth us, have called, The Colledge Boy o [...] New-England, hath not well learned his Logick, or at lea [...]t doth not well remember it, since he was a Colledge- [...]oy; for he be­wrayeth shameful Ignorance (in the way of right Dispute) that Colledge Boyes might be ashamed of. Nor is it any Contradiction to say, [...]at t [...]e Lord Iesus Christ is the alone and s [...]re Fo [...]ndation and Gro [...]nd o [...] Iustification, and yet to assert, That Fai [...]h, R [...]pentance, and sincere Obedience are necessary Conditions and I [...]struments thereunto re­quired; and if he will not believe me, let him a [...]k his admired and [...] Baxter, as he calleth him, who will tell him the same. But whereas he alledgeth I say, A true Believer may be only in the first Covenant, citing my Book, pag. 147. But this is no Contradiction, when by Believers, I mean such as may have a true Belief that God is, from s [...]me true and real inward Conviction and Sense, and yet not have the true Faith in Christ Jesus, as he dyed and rose ag [...]in; for such a [...] Cornelius had, before Peter preached Christ to him, also according to Christs Doctrine in the Parable of the four Grounds, some may believe in Christ for a time, and yet fa [...]l away, and that Faith is not a [...]al [...]e Faith, but true, in some so [...]t. Thus I ha [...]e given a short [Page 24] hint to demonstrate how groundlesly he would charge Contradictions on me, the other being more obvious to the weakest Capacities, I shall let pass, only minding the Reader, That the nature of a Con­tradiction is difficult many times to understand, even in Natural things, so that it is reckoned the subtilest part in Logick or Metaphy­ [...]icks, to understand throughly what are alwayes Contradictions, and what not; and therefore much more hard it is, to understand in spi­ritual things, that contain many seeming Contradictions; for tho' the holy Scripture containeth no real Contradiction, coming from one holy Spirit of Truth, yet it containeth many seeming, which Atheists and Scoffers use to object. His comparing me to Iulian the Apostate, savoureth of the like Spirit of Envy, as formerly, when with no more ground, he accused me of being guilty of t [...]e Vnpar­donable Sin: It is a part of my Blessing, that being reviled and falsly accused, I can pat [...]ently bear it, by the Grace of Christ in whom I believe, and to whom I confess, even to the Crucified Iesus that was nailed to the Cross for my Sins, whom my Soul loveth, and whom Iulian openly denyed. But Cotton Mather will gain no credit nor esteem, either to himself or his Cause by such Inhumane and Ex­traordinary Revilings, rarely to be parallelled among the greatest Railers.

His Fourth Argument hath as weak and sandy Foundation as any of the rest, as namely (as he saith) That I renounce both the Religion and the Saviour which the Saints have hitherto ventured their Souls upon, &c. to wit, Christ Iesus. And this he undertaketh to prove, Sathan-like, by wresting my words, and omitting some of them, in the very Sen­tence he citeth, that were altogether essential to make up the intire period and sence; for I said in my Book, Your Visible Churches are no true Churches of Christ; for the Religion ye pro [...]ess is not the true Religion of Christ Iesus, yea, in Fundamentals, and in the very Foundation it self, which is Christ Iesus, on which the true Church is built, and every Member thereof; but ye who say, (note my following words, p. 137.) all inward divine Revelation is ceased, ye (to wit, your visible Church) build not on Christ, but on a meer Hear-say and Historical Report of him; for how can ye build on him, when ye have no belief, that Christ is nearer unto you, than in some remote place beyond the Skyes. Where the Impartial Reader may see, first, That my words expresly [Page 25] mention their visible Church, that doth not build really on Christ, but on a Pro [...]e [...]ion of him, even by Cotton Mather's Confession, That nothing is required to make up the Members of a visible Church, but a Pro [...]ssion of him, and o [...] the true Religion: [...]ut every judicious Person wi [...]l [...]ay, it is one thing to profess Christ in words or show, and ano­ther thing really to build on Christ, that everl [...]sting Rock; for by Christs Doctrine, none buildeth on the Rock, which is Christ, but he that heareth Christ's Sayings, and doth them, and that is much more than barely to profess him. But [...]et I did not question, nor do, but that (according to my Christian C [...]arity, moving me so to believe) divers among [...] sorts & Societies call'd Christians in Christendom, that hold the Fundamentals, as many do, do [...] build on Christ, the t [...]ue Foundation; and because they so [...]o, in due time, the Wood, H [...]y and Stubble of their Erro [...]s, in oth [...]r thi [...]g [...], while they build on the t [...]ue Foundation, will be burnt up by the divine Fire of the living Word, and living Spirit of God in them; and their Lord Jesus Christ is mine, and mine is thei [...]s, and I could be glad that I could en [...]ertain that Charity to C. M. but however, I have not that uncha­ri [...]able judgment of him (as bad as he is) that he hath committed that unpardonable Sin; for though he hath reproached the precious work­ings and operations of the holy Spirit, both in my faithful Brethren and me, ca [...]ing them Del [...]sions o [...] Satan, yet because I judge he doth it ignorantly, therefore his sin is pardonable, upon Repentance, which I pray God may be given him, for that and all his ha [...]d Speech [...]s, and all other sins, before it be too late. But because he cannot fix his false Charge upon me, of denying Christ, he essayeth (but with as [...] success) to fix it upon my Brethren, as dear Isaac Penning [...]on, whom I well knew to be a true Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and a [...]ince [...]e Lover of him, even the crucified Jesus, and whose Sou [...] I believe is in rest in Christ, in heavenly Glory. And as to hi [...] words, We can never [...] Bodily Garment Christ, but that w [...]ic [...] appea [...]ed and dwelt in [...]he [...]o [...]y; it is easie to put a fa [...] and ch [...]ritable construction on it, as well as on Christs words, when he said, He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father; and yet many saw Christ's Body of Flesh, that n [...]ver s [...]w the Father: But to clear the thi [...]g, I. P. speaketh th [...]s in opposition to Socinian [...], and others tinctur [...]d with [...] Prin [...]ples, as if the Man­hood of Ch [...]ist, that w [...]s born of the Vi [...]gin ex [...]luding the e [...]ern [...]l [...]ord, was the only and whole Ch [...]ist; [...] [Page 26] his Body of Flesh; therefore he is said to have come in the Flesh, and to have taken Flesh. And if we consider Christ, as he was before the World was, by whom all thing [...] were created, and in respect of his Godhead, the Body was not that, but the Garment of it, when he assumed it. But when we consider Christ as Man, as every other man, hath both Soul & [...]ody belonging to his essential Constitution, as Man, so [...]ad Christ, and still hath a most glorious Soul and Body; and we deny not, but according to Scripture stile, Christ's Man [...]ood, yea, and his Body, is called Christ, as when the Scripture saith, that he was buried, nailed to the Cross, buffited; and even his body was and is a part of his Manhood, and his Soul the other and more Noble part, most wonderfully and incomparably united with the Godhead, and most incomparably filled with all fullness of the Godhead, and of Grace and Truth, out of whose fullness we all receive, and Grace for Grace; and yet we do not judge that the Godhead is cir­cum [...]cribed within the Body of Christ; for the Godhead is Omnipresent as well as Omnipotent and Omniscient. And whereas he querieth, say­ing, Let Ke [...]th tell us honestly, whet [...]er he does not count his own Body to be the Body of Christ, in the same sence that the visible tangible Fl [...]sh which hung upon the Cross, was the Body of our Lord? I Answer, honestly, Nay, by no means, as I have sufficiently formerly declared in my printed Books, and Testimonies on all occasions; for as the Body of the Head is of far more Dignity than the Body of the inferiour Members, and hath the Soul, or Spirit and Life of man otherwise dwelling in it than the inferiour Members, so much more the Soul and Body of Christ hath the eternal Word living and dwelling in the same, th [...]n any other, and that incomparably, as Augustine well demonstrateth, lib. de agon [...] Christian [...], cap. 20 thus concluding, And there [...]o [...]e t [...]e Word doth not so aff [...]me that Man (to wit, the Seed of Abraham) as the rest of the Saints, but much more excellently, and sublimely; and God dwelleth in th [...] M [...]n Christ so, a [...] there is no M [...]diator betwixt God a [...]d Christ, but God dwelleth [...]n us, by and th [...]ough Christ, our alone Mediator, and for hi [...] sake recei [...]e [...]h us to be so near un [...]o him, that both the Father and the Son, and also the holy Spirit dwelleth in all the Saints, yet the manner of Union, ca [...]ed by s [...]me of the Antients the Hypostatical or Personal Vnion,) and manner of I [...]h [...]bit [...]tion in the Ma [...]hood of Christ, [...], and b [...]yond all humane un [...]er­standing, excelling the manner of Gods dwe [...]ling in all the Saints; wherefore the Man Christ only, and none other Man nor Creatur [Page 27] is both God and Man▪ and is the Objec [...] of divine Worship and Ado­ration, together with the Father, and the S [...]irit, and none else. And for Hicks quoting some words of mine, out of my Book of [...] Revelation, recited by C. M. p. 44. on Iames 5.6. Ye have [...] just One, that is, Christ Iesus in their Hearts, him they crucified. To this I answer; This I never understood otherwise but figuratively, as when the Scripture saith, That Apostates and Wicked Men crucifie the Son of God afresh; for I affirm expresly in my said Book of Imme [...]iate Revelation, That the Life of Christ in mens hearts can never be killed or crucified in it self, see my Book of Immed. Rev. 2d Edition, pag. 75. & pag, 253, 254, 255. at great length, but men by Disobedience may deprive themselves of the Comfort and Benefit of it, as well as of Christs Sufferings on the Tree of the Cross, and so in that figurative sence, according to Scripture stile, may be said to kill him, even as we are all to look to him whom we have pierced, according to Za­chariah's Prophecy concerning Christs outward Suffering on the Cross, and to mourn bitterly because of our sins, which he did bear upon him, when he was pierced; and because Christ cannot (as to him­self, properly and strictly, in a strict litteral sence) be killed nor cru­cified in men, therefore I do not believe that he can be said to be in us that Sacrifice of Attonement and Propitiation that was necessary to be offered up for the Remission of our sins, and appeasing the Wrath of God to us; and if any think so, I am far otherwise minded; for it derogates from the great worth and value of Christs Sacrifice with­out us upon the Tree of the Cross; for the Body that Christ was to suffer in as a Sacrifice for the sins of the World, behoved to be a clean and holy Body, as it was, as a Lamb without Spot; and the Death behoved to be a real Death, and not metaphorical or figurative; and therefore Christ, as in us, could not be that Sacrifice of Attonement; for at this rate, not only Christ had outwardly dyed in vain, but he had offered up himself for a Sacrifice of Attonement, as oft as there were Saints to live in the World, and as many Saints, as many Offer­ings; all which is most absurd to imagine. But yet it must be grant­ed, that the Life of Christ in the Saints is as sweet Incen [...]e before God, and is a Sacrifice in another sence, seeing even the Saints are said to offer up themselves, through him, a living Sacrifice to God; and also, the Life and Spirit of Christ teaching and enabling the Saints to apply Christ's Sufferings, Death and Blood (that was shed [Page 28] on that outward Cross) to them, doth bring them into perfect Peace with God, so that his Wrath is wholly appeased & quenched towards them, only for the sake and in virtue of the great Sufferings of Christ on the outward Cross; and if this be the sence of W. S. his words, and that they can be so construed, it is well; for that is my upright sence, and is of many hundreds more, yea, of all my faithful Bre­thren, call'd Quakers. And concerning what I. P. and some others have writ of Christs heavenly Flesh and Blood, and how the Saints fed upon it in all Ages, Christ being that noble Vine Tree unto them, that yeilded them his Grapes for Meat, and the Blood of them for Drink, as Wine is called the Blood of the Grape, and being their Apple Tree, their Fig Tree, yea, their Corn, Bread, Milk and Wine, their Wool and F [...]x, their Feast of fas things full of Marrow, &c. All these are highly Mystical and Figurative or Metaphorical Expressions, and are not to be litterally o [...] ca [...]nally understood, yet so, as the Metaphors hold forth, that th [...]se outwa [...]d things, by which these inward Mysteries are signified, are but the Figures, and the spiritual things are not the Figures of the natural, but the natural are Figures of the spiritual, as the outward Light is ou [...] the Figure of Christ the spiritual Light, the true Light of the Soul▪ but the spiritual Light is not the Figure of the natural; which is [...]uite otherwise than in vulgar Metaphors and Figures; and therefore b [...] Ch [...]ists heavenly Flesh and Blood that he had from the be­ginning, [...]is not to be understood any created material Body, but the living Word it self, according to its divine Emanations, metapho­rically only so called, according to Scripture stile, feeding and refresh­ing the Souls of the Saints in all ages, with unspeakable Refreshment; And therefore by Metaphors and Allegories they have given it such Names, according to its various Operation [...]. But that Christ is as much, or after the same manner in the Quakers, or any Saints, as in the Manhood and Body of Christ that s [...]ffered on the Cross, or that Ch [...]ist hath left behind him th [...]t Body that suffered on the Cross, & was buried, as if that were the Quakers Doctrine, as Faldo a [...]ledgeth, and C. M. from him, is abominably false: I am sure no Qu [...]ker, that do [...]h rightly understand the Quakers Principles and Doctrine, will ever say so, or ever did; althoug [...] I shall not deny, but some igno­rant Persons that may go under the de [...]ignation of a Quaker, may have at times spoke very ignorantly and offensively in that and other [...] to the Scan [...]al of our holy Profession, and to the stumbling of [Page 29] the weak that could not rightly discern betwixt our true and faithful Brethren, and others falsly so called; but such there are among all Societies and Professions, that do not rightly understand the Principles of that Profession they pretend to belong unto; yea, how many Presbyterians and Independents, so called, to my certain knowledge, understand not their own Principles, notwithstanding of their pub­lick Confessions; and so, possibly some among us, notwithstanding our publick Confessions, well owned by the generality of our Friends, as especially that noted Treatise by Iohn Crook, called, Truths Prin­cip [...]es, &c. that hath had a very general Reception by us, and with which my Doctrine, in all particulars, doth well agree, so far as I know, as also with other faithful and sound Friends and Brethren.

In his Fifth Argument, w [...]i [...]h he ground upon my supposed mar­velous Giddyness, Ignorance and Falshood, he sheweth himself mar­velously (not only) ignorant, but perverse; and after he hath per­verted my words, and belyed me in many things, then he cryeth out Ignorance, and other things that are Scripture Truths, he calleth my Ignorance; whereas it is but his Ignorance that doth not understand better: And I doubt not, but Judicious and Impartial Readers, who compare his Books and mine, will have another Judgment concern­ing me, and acknowledge, to Gods Praise, the Gifts, both of sound Knowledge and Expression, with his manifold other Mercies bestowed on me, for which I desire to praise him forever. And for my saying, T [...]at Light being used as a Name of God, is no Figurative or Tropical Expression; I have already above explained my sense of it, That the Natural Light is the Figure of God, that Divine Light; but the Divine Light is not the Figure of the Natural, as Figures of Meta­phors and Tropes in Natural things, commonly are quite otherwise: And Augustine De Genes. ad Lit. lib. 4. cap. 28. expresly affirmeth, That Christ is Properly, and not Figuratively, called Light; and yet who will say, that Augustine was not a more knowing Man than Cotton Mather? and who can deny but Light is immediate, though it comes through a Medi [...]m of the [...]ir to our Eyes, and through the medium of the Eye to th [...] sense of sight; for do we not as immediate­ly see a Candle, as we see a Man, and yet the specie [...] o [...] image of both come to our Eyes through the medium of the A [...]r? So that i [...] this▪ as in many [...] things, he showeth his own extream Ignorance, that's not worth time to mention. And that he reckoneth it my Ignorance, [Page 30] that I say, Christ commanded not these words to be used in Baptism, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, &c. commonly called the words of Institution. As he can never prove any such Institution, so he hath Zuinglius (whom he maketh his President in another case) against him; for Zuinglius saith expresly, Lib. de Bapt. pag. 66. tom. 2. Christus Iesus Baptism, form [...]lam, qua uteremur his verbis non Instituit quem ad modum Theologi bactenus falso Tradiderunt; i. e. Christ Iesus did not institute the form of Baptism in those words, to be used as the Theologues have heretofore falsly delivered. And he is intoxicated with a Spirit of Ig [...]ance, and not I (as he falsly alledgeth on me) to assert, That Exod. 20.8, 9. so commandeth one day of seven, as that it may be First as well as the Seventh: Whereas if Natural dayes be meant, it cannot be the First, but the Seventh; for it is not said, Remember to keep the First Day for Rest, and after [...]at labour Six dayes. And that he denyeth and mocketh at an inward and spiritual Day, showeth him extreamly Ignorant of spiritual Things, as well as his Scoffing showeth his frothy airy Spirit, scarcely to be parallell'd. Is not the Day of Gods Power, Psal▪ 110. an inward and spiritual Day? And where it is said, Let us walk honestly, as in the Day, Rom. 13.13. and until the Day dawn, and the Day-star arise in your hearts, 2 Pet. 1.19. And is not this an inward Day? And that he reproacheth me with Giddiness, for saying, The Sabbath is Christ, to wit, the thing figured by the Jews Sabbath. In this he reproacheth as well his pretendedly much esteemed Calvin, who saith expresly the same, lib. 2. cap. 8. n. 32. of his Institutes, where he saith, Christ is the Truth, at whose Presence all the Figures evanish; the Body, by whose sight the Shadows are left, He I say, is the fullfilling of the true Sabbath. And a little after he chargeth it as Superstition upon them that would make the Observation of the First Day of the Week, for a Sabbath, to be a Divine Institution; and doth fully agree with us, That it is to be kept by choice, for good Order, and assembling together for divine Worship, and other good Reasons, but not by divine Precept, injoyning the strictness of the Jewish Sabbath. As for that silly Jest of Baxters, that C. M. pleaseth his airy mind with, telling the Quakers, That their (to wit, Presbyterian) Bells are not carnal, else they would not sound so high, he might have used it as much against Paul, for saying, Our Weapons are not carnal, as implying, that the Sword was a carnal Weapon; but according to Rich. Baxter there can be no carnal Sword, for then it could not cut; whereas things are [Page 31] called Carnal from the hand that useth them, as for other causes; and the L [...]vitical Laws were called Carnal O [...]dinances in Scripture. And whereas he saith, None preach the most intimate Vnion and Com­munion with the Lord Iesus Christ, more than he and his Brethren, is a most bold and impudent Untruth, seeing, 1 st, the [...] say expresly, That Christ is not at all within us, but only without us in Heaven, and no wise in us, but by [...]is Operatio [...]s; as if he and his operations could be divided▪ 2 dly, That they de [...]y the Workings or Operations of the Spirit o [...] God in the [...]aint, to be Objective, or that the Spirit worketh as any se [...]sible Object upon the inward and spiritual Senses of the Sa [...]n [...]s: Hence with Jesuits and Papists, f [...]om whom they have borrowed that Distinction, as I can prove, as namely from Sacroboscus, a Jesuit, De [...]. decret. trident. p. 93▪ 94. they say, The Spirit worketh Effectively and [...]ubje [...]tively, but not Objectively: And therefore do they not one whit more preach any nearer Union and Communion with Christ, than the darkest Papists; yea, some Papists that own sensible Workings of the Spirit, as some do, go far beyond them, ( viz. C. Mather and some of his Bre­thren) in that particular. But that I have slandered the Assembly, in their saying, The Souls of the Righteous are not perfected in Holiness till a [...]ter Death, which C. M. hath twice cast upon me; I desire the Reader, for his Satisfaction, and my Vindication, but to read the place that I cited, viz. cap. 32. n. 1. where they say expresly thus, The Bodies of men [after Death] return to Dust, and see Corruption, but their Souls, which neither dye nor sleep, having an Immortal Subsistence, immediately return to God, who gave them, the Souls of the Righteous being THEN made perfect in [...], &c. Where it is plain, that the Adverb of Time [ Then] refers to the words in the first line, viz. After Deat [...]; yea, and as would seem then, when the Bodies return to Dust, and see Corruption, that sometimes is a considerable time after Death, where d [...]d [...]dies are Embalmed; but this last part I suppos [...] is [...] in th [...]m. And seeing they plead for [...]in for term of Life, [...], to the [...] in [...]tant, what difference there is, that they ca [...] make betwixt dyi [...]g in their sins, and living in their sin [...] for Term of Life, is not [...]nte [...]ligible; for in Scriptu [...]e-phrase, Not to have In [...]uity p [...]r [...]ed [...]ay [...] men dye, and to dye in Ini [...]uity, is all one; for the in [...]tant [...]f Death is quick as a Thought. That I said, Notorio [...]sly [...] Persons, Lyars, Deceivers, Drankards, &c. are qualified Members of your Church; I said it, according to what I [Page 32] found in your Confession, that requireth no more than an outward P [...]of [...]ssion of Religion, and that such scandalous Persons may have; fo [...] if no scandalous Persons could make [...] Profession, but that the very Profe [...]sion it self did exclude all scandalous W [...]ing, then there could be no scandalou [...] Profession, no [...] P [...]of [...]ssors [...] are scanda­lous; but if ye deny that, Baxter will b [...]tter info [...]m him, in the Treatise above mention [...]d; beside that, I h [...]ve proved C. Mather a noto [...]ious Lyar, and yet he is a M [...]mber of their Chu [...]ch; and it is bu [...] too well known, how many scandalous Persons of all sorts, belong to the Presbyterian Church, as much, at least in some places, as to the Episcopal, and as when the Presbyterian Church was National in Scotland, and is now lately again become Natio [...]al in Sco [...]la [...]d, can it be imagined, or was it ever known, that any Church in C [...]i­stendom, that was National, or did take in the whol [...] Nation, [...]ut had many scandalous Persons in it. His last instance of m [...] Igno­rance, is, That I denyed that Baptizing o [...] Infants, was the Pra [...]ti [...]e of the Church during the fi [...]st Century: but all that he saith here [...] me, is a bewraying his own Ignorance, and withal, his Perve [...]ion. For to prove th [...]t Baptizing of Infants was the Practice of the Chu [...]ch in the first Century, he citeth O [...]igine and Cyprian, none of wh [...]ch lived in the first Century, and Agustine, that lived not till about the end of the fourth Century, and Calvin, that lived not till at least fourteen hundred Years after the first C [...]ntury, and they might be mistaken in their thinking that baptizing of Infants was practised in the first Century, as well as in other thi [...]g [...] they did too much take upon trust; and suppose some small matte [...] [...]s to be found in Origine, concerning Infant Baptism, yet that is not Church [...]istory, and so contradicts not my Assertion; for Origine had some private Opinions that were not generally received in [...] Church; beside that, wiser men than C. M. h [...]ve thought, that R [...]ffinus, Origine's interpreter, hath incerted that of Infants Baptism, as well as some other things, into O [...]igine's Works, that were not really his, and did not agree to his Time, and Erasmus, mu [...]h better versed in Antiquity than either C. M. or all his Brethren, hath plainly acknowl [...]dg [...]d, that Ra [...]nus did take too much liberty in addi [...]g [...]hings of his own, as could be easily proved; and [...]ccording to the best Chronology, Origine and Cyp [...]ian lived tog [...]ther, to wit, a [...]out the middle of the third Century, [...]. A [...]t [...]dius showeth in his Thesa [...] C [...]onologiae. And as for Tert [...]lians [Page 33] Authority, whom he citeth for infants Baptism, while their innocent Age was yet upon them; it is a manifest [...]alshood, if not a willfull Perversion, if ever C. M. hath read Tertullian upon the place, and proveth him either Ignorant, or Forgerer; and to show this, I shall faithfully recite Tertullians words, from my own reading (I having well read in Tertullian, Cyprian and Orig [...]e, and divers others, I sup­pose before Co [...]. Mather could well read in his Accidence or Grammer) in his [...]ook, De Baptismo adversus Quintiliam, cap. 18. he saith, ‘Ai [...] quidem Dominus nolit [...] il [...]os pro [...]ibere ad me venire, veniaut ergo dum adolescunt, &c In English thus, Indeed the Lord saith, forbid them not to come [...]nto me; let them there [...]ore [...]ome, when they grow up to Youth let them come; when they learn, when they are taught whither they come; let them be Christians when they can [...] Christ; w [...]y doth innocent Age hasten to the Remission o [...] Sins? [...] will be more wary in secular things, that to whom Eart [...]ly S [...]bstance is not trusted, that which is divine should be [...]; let them know to ask Salvation, that thou mayest seem to give to him that asketh.’ Than which, nothing can be more clear, that Tertullian was not for, but against Infants Baptism. But perhaps he thinks to excuse himself, that he brings Tertullian's Authority by way of Query. And for his citing Ireneus's saying, Infantes renascuntur, i. e. In [...]ants are born again; either it is to be understood of Water-Baptism, or it is against C. M. who doth not believe that Water-Baptism is our Regeneration, as the Papists commonly call it; and seeing nothing of Water is mentioned, it is no clear Testimony. But s [...]eing he hath mentioned nothing of Church History, he hath not proved me guilty of Ignorance, for saying, They can gi [...]e no Evidence in Church History for In [...]ant Baptism. For his citation of Church Hi­story, concerning Hyginus, to prove Infant Baptism, he should have named who the Writer of that Church History is, and whether ap­proved by true Protestants, seeing many fabulous things are alledged by Papists concerning Antiquity. That called, Quest. et resp. ad Orthod. is generally denyed to [...] Iustine's, by all judicious Protestants; and that Iustine saith, in his Dialogue with Tryph. That all alike might then receive Baptism, w [...]ich is the spiritual Circumcision: As it saith nothing of Infants, so it is plainly against C. M. and his Brethren, if he [...]ean Water-Baptism, who do not think that all who receive Water-Baptism, are spiritally circumcised, which is a Popish Opinion, and a manifest [...]rror, contradicted by daily experience. And his charging [Page 34] me with Hypocrisie, for commending the dead Saints, but condemning the living Ones; classing W. P with me; he showeth his Fo [...]ly and Rash­ness in that, as in other things; let him tell us what living Saints do we condemn; we do believe that God hath his living Saints now in the World, as he hath had in a [...]l Ages of the World, even in all Pro­fessions in Christendom, that hold the true Foundation, though upon it too many build Straw and Stubble, which God will in due time burn up, as I have abovesaid. Moreover, that Infants Baptism was not practised until the third Age or Century, and was not brought in by the Commandment of Christ, there are many men of great Note for Learning, and Skill in Antiquity, far more famous for Learning than Cotton Mather is like ever to be, that assert the same, as well as I , and contradict Calvin's mistaken Judgment in that particular; for Cur­cellaeus saith, in his D [...]ssertations of Orig. Sin, That the Custom of Bap­tizing Infants, was brought in without the Commandment of Christ, and did not begin before the third Age after Christ was born; In the two former Ages (saith he) no sign of it doth appear. And th [...]t the Antients were of opinion, That only the Adult are capable of Baptism, Valefridus Strabo, that lived in the ninth Century, Ludovicus Vives, and Eras­mus in the Church of Rome, and Grotius and Salmasius, great Protestant Authors, do plainly acknowledge, and Berengarius, and the Albigenses were of the same mind, as that learned & judicious Protestant Writer C. M. Du Veil, in his Explanation of the Acts of the Apostles, doth show; see his Explanat. on cap. 2. v. 14. and cap. 8. v. 12, 31. and cap. 18. v. 8. And notwithstanding of his Insinuations to the contra­ry, I challenge C. M. to give any one instance wherein I have not faithfully quoted the Antient Writers named by me, whether in my former Book, called, The pretended Antidote, &c. or in this, in each particular. And were I so minded, and saw a service in it to the People of New-England, I could easily produce sufficient plain Te­stimonies, from Antient Fathers, so called, and Writers both Greek and Latine, to confirm the Doctrine of the People call'd Quakers, in all the principal and most material things wherein they differ from C. M. and his Brethren; but the Scripture Authority being that of greatest weight, in respect of any outward Testimony, I have chosen rather to make use of that. Nor wi [...]l it serve to justifie C. Mat [...]er, his Exclamations against me, that seeing the Quakers hold all these Doctrines which Baxter, and some other Protestant Writers hold to [Page 35] be Fundamental, that therefore I should not have so charged them, as I have done in my first Book, called, The Presbyterian and Independent visible Churches brought to the Test; for if they and we agree in Fun­damental, then why are we so uncharitable to them, as not to judge them a true Church? — To which I Answer; Although we hold all their Fundamentals, according to what Baxter has delivered, as I have above sh [...]wed, yet they hold not all our Fundamentals; for it is a Fundamental Doctrine and Principle held by us, to wit, The inward Revelation o [...] Christ in all true Believer [...], and That God teacheth all true [...]elie [...]er [...] by his inward Voice, Word and Teach­ings, or inward divine Inspiration and Revelation, properly so ca [...]ed, that is as well Obj [...]cti [...]e as Effective, and by way of Object, working sensibly and inf [...]ibly upon the inward and spiritual Senses of their Souls, and which their Souls and Minds, if duely and fitly disposed and qualified, do infallibly apprehend; but yet this Fundamental held by us, is plainly denyed by C. M. and his Brethren; and it is a Funda­mental Error in them w [...]o h [...]d it, as the generality of their visible Church Mem [...]r▪ do, That all s [...]ch divine inward Objective Revelation and Inspiration is ceased; and from this Fundamental Error, divers other very g [...]eat Errors [...]ow, as so many unclean streams from an unclean Fountain; fo [...] if all true and saving Knowledge of God and Chri [...]t, and all saving [...]aith require true divine inward Revelation and inspiration, properly so ca [...]ed; and the true and real inspeaking of God, and his internal Word and Voice that doth as sensibly and perceptibly operate, by way of Obj [...]ct, upon the inward and spiritual hearing, o [...] discerni [...]g [...]aculty of the Soul, as any outward Voice or Wo [...]d of a man do [...]h upon the outwa [...]d Hearing; then, if that be cea [...]d, all t [...]ue and saving Knowledge and Faith, are ceased, and all true Love, Hope [...] Re [...]entance, and all other Fruits and Virtues of the Spirit, because all these have a necessary connexion with the true sa [...]ing Knowledg [...] [...] [...]aith; [...], a [...]l true Preaching, Praying and Worship, and all true Obedience and Service unto God, and all real and true Religion, a [...]l [...]pending upon the inward Principle of inward divine Revelation and Inspiration, properly so called; and yet we do re [...]dily ackn [...]wledge, a di [...]inction betwixt these extraordinary divine Revelations and Inspirations, that the Apostles and Prophets had, [...] they were [...]postle [...] and Prophets, and these other that they had common to them, and ordina [...] with all Christians; and for the [Page 36] latter we contend, that were and are ordinary and common to all Saints in all Ages of the World, but not for the former that were extraordinary, whereby they not only wrought Miracles, and spoke with Tongues, but had Doctrinal things of Faith revealed to them, without all outward teaching of Men or Books▪ whereas we do not say, any peculiar Doctrine of the Christian Faith is made known to us without all outward Teaching, but by it, Instrumentally, and by the immediate Revelation and Inspiration of the Spirit, Principally; and we are sufficiently charitable, that we judge, there are true Believers among them (though we cannot own their visible Chu [...]ch) that either hold not these Errors with them, or if some hold them in words, or Notion, and The [...]y, yet as in respect of their Experience and in­ward sence and feeling, hold them not, but the contrary; and such have better Hearts than Notions; and though they err in holding an unsound form of Words, through too much relying upon their Teachers, yet their inward sence and experience doth contradict them. And in all these twelve Particulars I first charged upon them, I still affirm, they do grosly err, and they are such great matters of Difference betwixt them and us, although they are not all Funda­mentals, that no Society holding such Errors, deserve to be esteemed the visible Church of Christ, restored to that purity of Doctrine that the visible Church ought to have, and had in the primitive Times, and yet will have, as she cometh to be fully restored to her primitive Purity. And though it seem a strange and new Doctrine to C. M. and his Brethren, to distinguish betwixt the Scripture, called by some the external or outward Word, and the inward living Word of God that proceedeth from the Mouth of God immediately, as every mans word that proceedeth from his Mouth, and goeth into the Ears of the Hearers, is his immediate Word; yet not only antient Wri­ters and Fathers, so called, did so distinguish, but even these called the Reformed, who began the Reformation from gross Propery. And for the antient Writers I shall give but one, (though I could give divers besides) to wit, Augustine, of great esteem and fame with Protestants, and particularly with Calvin, whose Authority he more useth in his Institutions, than any of all the Antients: In his 5th Book de Trinitate, cap. 11. Augustine saith expresly, Proinde Verbum quod foras sonat, signum est verbi, quod intus luc [...]t, cuj magis verbi competi [...] vomen, nam illud quod profertur caruis ore vux verbi est verbum (que) et ipsum [Page 37] dicitur propter illud, a quo ut foris appareret assumptum est: In English thus; Therefore the Word that soundeth outwardly, is a sign of the Word that shineth inwardly, to which the Name of the Word doth more agree; for that which is pronounced with the fleshly Mouth, is the Voice of the Word, and it is called the Word, because of that from which it is taken, that i [...] might outwardly appear. Where I desire the Reader to Note these two things, 1 st, That Augustine doth acknowledge the Word within, or internal Word. 2 dly, That the Name of the Word doth more be­long to the internal Word, than to that which outwardly soundeth in our fleshly Ears; in both which he doth contradict C. M. and his Bre­thren, who do not acknowledge any inward Word in the Saints, since the Apostles dayes, and hold, That the Scripture is the only Word that is the Object and Rule of our Faith. And th [...]t famous Reformer Zuinglius (whom I the rather cite, because C. M. maketh him his President for his zeal against the Quakers, in the end of his Address) in his Commen­tary De vera [...]t falsa Relig. de Verbo Dei, cap. de Ecclesia contra Emserum, saith, Qui in Ecclesia Scripturam Caelestis Verbi explicari, audit, &c. In English thus, Who in the Church heareth the Scripture of the heavenly Word explained, judgeth what he heareth; but that which is heard is not the Word it self whereby (to wit, chiefly) we believe; for if we did be­lieve by that Word which is heard or read, then all sho [...]ld become Believers; and after, he saith, It is therefore manifest, that we are made faithful by that Word which the heavenly Father preacheth in our hearts, whereby he doth also enlighten us, that we may understand, and draweth, that we may follow. And again, Who are instructed with that Word, judge the Word that soundeth in the Preaching, and striketh the Ears; but yet, the Word of Faith, which is seated in the Minds of the faithful, is judged by none, but by it the external Word is judged, which▪ God hath appointed to be preached, although Faith cometh not (to wit, chiefly) by the external Word. Both which Testimonies of Augustine and Zuinglius, do ma­nifestly confirm the Quakers Doctrine against C. M. and his Brethren, who acknowledge no inward Word in the hearts of the faithful▪ by which their Faith is wrought, and will have the Word of Faith to be only the written or outward Word, contrary both to Paul and Zuinglius, who give the preheminence to the inward Word, and call it the Word of Faith. And as Zuinglius holdeth for the Quakers in asserting the inward Word, against C. M. and his Brethren, so in that called Ori­ginal Sin, for thus he saith expresly, lib. de Baptismo, Paul, cap. 3. to [Page 38] the Romans saith, That the knowledge of sin cometh by the Law; where, therefore there is no knowledge of the Law, (as in Infants,) there can be no knowledge of sin; but where no knowledge of sin is, there is no Prevarication, and so Damnation cannot be. And after, Because Paul saith, That Death is come upon all men, because all have sin­ned: Theologu [...]s from these words judge, T [...]at that Disease and Conta­gion that is Heredi [...]ry unto us all, and is naturally lodged in us, is sin, that bringeth to us Damnation, but they Err the w [...]ol Heavens wi [...]e: Wh [...]re it is to be noted, That Zuinglius do [...]h acknowledge, That there is a sin [...]l Disease and Contagion conveyed from Parents to Children, but yet it is not imputed unto them to bring Damnation upon any Infants; plain contrary to C. M. and his Brethren, who [...], That many Infants, both of unbelieving and believing Parents, are eternally Repro­bated and Damned, only for Adams Sin imputed to them; Which is most hor [...]d Uncharitableness, and horridly reflecting upod the Merc [...] of God. And the same Zuinglius, in his Chapter of the Eucharist, plainly asserteth, That Christ by [...]is Flesh and Blood, with which he [...]eed­eth the Souls of the faithful, doth understand a spiritual t [...]ing, which only the Spirit giveth, and not any Flesh consisting of Veins and Nerves; with [...]l affi [...]ming, with Origine and A [...]gustine, That Christs Flesh and Blood, which he [...]eedeth t [...]e Saints with, is called so by an A [...]egory and Similitude, but is really the Word it self, called also by an Allego [...]y Bread, Wine, Milk, Honey, Marrow, Fatness, &c. Again, the same Zuing­lius in [...]is Commentary de vera & [...]alsa Relig▪ doth thus comment on Pauls words, Rom. 1.19. The knowledge of God is manifest in them (so doth he translate the place, & so do [...]h the old English Translation) for God hath showed it unto them. We see here openly (saith he) that [...] acknowl [...]dge, concerning God, is of God, which we ascribe to (I know not wha [...]) Nature; for he saith God hath manif [...]sted it; and w [...]at other [...]hing [...]s Nature, but a continuing and perpetual operation of God, and [...] of all things? And [...]g [...]in, in his Cap. of God, he saith, [...] of the Philosophers have spoken truly of God somethings, it was from [...] God, who hath scattered some Seeds of his Knowledge even [...] Gentiles, although mo [...]e sparingly, and more obscurely. So that Zuingli [...] had far more Charity [...]owards honest and conscientious Gentiles, than C. M. who [...] him very widely, as in the [...]orm [...] particulars m [...]tio [...]ed, [...] in thi [...] last, that he affirmeth, That [...] [...]nowledge of God the Gentiles have, o [...]ght to be attributed to God, [Page 39] and not to Nature; and therefore not to mans Reason (as C.M. would have it) which is nothing but a natural Faculty of the Soul. And Thomas Shepherd, that had been a Preacher at Cambridge in N [...]w-England, in his Exposition of the Parable of the Ten Virgins, saith plainly, That that inward Law given to the Heathens, is falsly called the Law of Nature; for it i [...] of God; and so saith Bachannan, in his Book, De jure Regni ap [...]d Scotos; and a large Volumn might be printed of Testimonies both out of antient and lat [...]r Authors, a [...]l of g [...]od e [...]teem for Piety and Learning, yea, and even divers Protestants, that do acknowledge, That the Illumination that is generally in men, that [...]each­eth them that there is a God, and showeth them good and evil, is a Prin­ciple above Humane Reason: As among English Protestants, Henry Moore, cited by Increase Mather against the Quakers, and praised by Baxter, as above, who saith expresly, in his Moral Cabbalae, cap. 1. v. 1, 2. of Genesis, By the Will of God every man living on the face of the Earth, hath these two Principles in him, Heaven and Eart [...], Divinity and A [...]nimality, Spirit and Flesh; but that which is Annimal or Natural operates first, the spiritual or heavenly Life being for a while closed up at rest in its own Principle, &c. but by the Will of God it is, that afterwards the Day light appears, though not in so vigorous Measure, out of the hea­venly or spiritual Principle. And carrying on the Process of Gods work in mens hearts, by way of Analogy, from the First Day to the Seventh, concerning the Seventh, he saith, Gen. cap. 2. v. 3. of his Mor. Cabb. So the divine Wisdom in the humane Nature celebrated her Sabbath, having now wrought through the Toil of all the six dayes Travel; and the divine Wisdom looked upon the Seventh Day as blessed and sacred, a Day of Righ­teousness, Rest and Ioy in the holy Ghost. And thus if C. M. had but some ordinary Reading in English Writers, and did but understand what he reads, he might have found an inward and spiritual Sabbath, or Day of Rest, not only in the Scriptures, and the Quakers Books, but in Henry Moore, a man of far more Sense and Learning, than I suppose C. M. will pretend unto: Also, he might have found it in Calvin, lib. 2. Instit. cap. 8. n. 30. So that he showeth his Ignorance sufficiently, in comparing the finding o [...] a spiritual or inward Seventh Day, to the difficulty of finding the Quadrature of the Circle; which if it were found, it is probable the Penury of his Learning would not suffer him to understand. And what H. Moore saith of the spiritual or heavenly Life lying for a while closed or shut up at rest in its own [Page 40] Principle, is but the same, in other Terms, with what we say, That the Life of Christ is crucified in Vnbelievers, viz. not in it self, but to them. And why should C. M. find so great fault with this manner of Expression, that is according to Scripture, when his reverend Baxter (as he designeth him) writeth in a phrase that must have a charitable Construction put upon it, otherwise it would look as odd as any thing C. M h [...]s quoted out of any of the Quakers; for R. Baxter saith, conce [...]ning God, in his Treatise above-said, call [...]d, Directions to the Con [...]erted, motive 12. pag. 34. Doth it not wound you to thin [...], that even th [...]e, H [...], (viz. God) should be so straitned, and t [...]r [...]st into Corners by a hellish Enemy, as if that simple Habitation were too much for him, and that [...] Dwelling were too good for him (meaning the heart defiled with sin.) Now if any should accuse Baxter with Blasphemy, he [...]e, in saying, [...]od can be straitned, & thrust into Corners by a hellish E­nemy, would not C. M. excuse him, and say, it is a Catachrestical or im­proper manner of Speech, and is not to be strictly taken? and then, if he were not very partial, why doth he not excuse such Expressions in the Quakers Writings, that are capable of the same charitable Construction? And it were an easie thing to gather may Phrases and Expressions out of Presbyterian & Independent Books, that might seem very offensive, to a degree of Blasphemy, if they were not charitably construed; yea, I find an Expression in Calvin, which if C. M. could have found in a Quakers Book, we should have had him cry out aloud, Blasphemy! for he saith expresly, lib. 3. cap. 2. n. 24. Quia C [...]ristus non extra nos est, sed in nobis hab [...]tat: In English thus; Because Christ is not without us, but dwelleth in us; but if [...]otton Mather say, [...]alvi [...]ss fence is, That Christ is not only or wholly without us, but also dwelle [...] in [...]; as this is a charitable Construction, so let it be given to such, or the like words, that may be found in the Quakers Books, unless he could find, that their wo [...]ds could not bear such a favoura [...]le Constru­ction. But since C. M. findeth so much f [...]lt with me for saying, T [...]at not only Conscientious Gentiles, but [...]aithful Ch [...]istians shall kno [...] more of God and Christ after Death (which is the g [...]neral Expe [...]t [...]tion and Consolation of all Saints, who know now but in part, but then shall know fully) and thereupon [...] Quakers new P [...]rgatory shall ere long be erected: what saith he to his m [...]ch esteemed Calvin, [...] on these words of Peter, 1 Pet. 3.19. B [...] which also he went and [...] to the Spirits in Prison, &c. plainly affirmeth, concerning the [Page 41] Souls of the deceased before the Death of Christ, Indeed I willingly grant, (saith Calvin) that Christ did shine unto them by the Virtue of his his Spirt, that they might know, that the Grace which oft they had only tasted, was then given unto the World; and by a probable Reason, that place of Peter, 1 Pet. 3.19. may be applyed to this, where it saith, That Christ came and preached to the Spirits which were in Custody, or place of Expecta­tion (they commonly translate it Prison) for even the Context leadeth us thither, that the [...]aith [...]l, who before that time were de [...]eased, were made partakers of the same [...] with us, beca [...]se he doth amplifie the Power of the Death (of Christ) from thence, that it did penetrate even to the dead, while piou [...] So [...]l [...] did enjoy t [...]e present sight of that Grace, which they [...]ar­nestly expected; and on [...] hand, it was made more manifest to the Repro [...]a [...], [...]hat they were [...]xcluded from all Salvation. But if C.M. think, that Calvin's words doth not infer a Purgatory, why should he surmize any such thing from mine? And though C. M. ignorantly in his airy fantastical Mind mocked at some called Quakers, for calling the Flesh, by way of Allegory, the Woman that should not speak in the Church, (although we deny not but Women are there also to be understood litterally, but yet not all Women, nor in all respects) alledging, That the D [...]vil is the Fleshes Husband; yet if he had been well read in Origine or Augustine, he might have found a better account; but not to go so far backward, let his Reverend Baxter answer him, who saith, in the Preface to his Directions to the Converted, In a weak Christian the Spirit is Master, but the Flesh is Mistriss. And notwithstanding that the said R. Baxter is too uncharitable to the People called Quakers, yet I find in the said Book, he is much more charitable to them, than C. M. is, who will not allow them the lowest degree among true Christians, Because, as he will have it, they deny almost all the Fundamentals of the Christian Faith; for thus Rich. Baxter expresly writeth concerning Quakers, B [...]hmenists, and some of the Religious Orders of the Papist [...], in his 23d Character of a confirmed Christian, pag. 66. But those o [...] them that place their chiefest Happiness in the Love o [...] God, and the eternal Fruition o [...] him in Heaven, and seek this sincerely, according to their Helps and Power, tho [...]gh they are misled into some superstitious Errors, I hope, I may number with those that are sincere, for-all their Errors, and the ill Effects of them: And truly I have that Charity for Rich. Baxter, that if he had known the Quakers better, and had had that occasion of some more inward acquaintanc [...] with them, he would have been [Page 42] still more charitable to them, in his judgment of them; for the things he hath judged to be Errors in them, either they do not hold them, or they are not Errors, but sound things of Truth, and many of them possibly owned by himself, but in other Terms: It is the great Cala­mity of these Ages, that men are oft confounded in their Languages, and contradict one another in Words and Terms, when they agree in one Sense of the same things: It may be hoped, and is earnestly to be prayed for unto Almighty God, that all that are sincere Lovers of the Truth in all Societies in Christendom, may have more Charity one to­wards another, and they may acknowledge whatever is of Truth and Virtue one in another; and this would prepare the way to bring them all to one Sheep fold, and to have one Shepherd, as the Lord hath pro­mised, and which he will in due time fullfill, and that Time is at hand, Amen,

ANd thus having sufficiently answered what was needful, to the First Part of his Address, which is the largest, I shall answer some things, but very briefly to his latter part, partly because almost the whole of it is answered in my former printed Books, directed to the People in New-England, and partly because very much of it is answered in the fore-going Sheets.

In the latter part of his Address, he hath greatly changed the matter of Debate betwixt us, in most things wrongly stating things, and calling things our Principles which are not; whereas he should have kept to the Twelve Article ▪ I charged them with, eleven of which they did fairly own, and the Twelfth I have sufficiently proved to be­long to them, as much as the eleven; and he should have given an Answer to my former Book, called, The pretended Antidote proved Poyson, which he hath not so much as essayed, but instead thereof he goeth to change the matter of Debate betwixt us, in the things I had charged them with in most particulars, and by most g [...]oss Perversions of our Friends words, would fix on them Principles which they do no wise hold. And in this New [...]ssay, he sets down Sixteen Assertions, wherein he pretendeth to contradict our Principles; but in most of them he doth prevaricate, and goeth from th [...] state of the Question, [Page 43] as in the First, where he granteth, That he doth not mean, that the Paper or Letter of the Scripture, but the heavenly Matter of it, is the Word of God; and thus he doth not contradict us, for I have told him and his Brethren more than once, Thas we readily grant, the heavenly Matter, and true divine Sence of the holy Scripture, is the Word of God: But the true state of the Controversie is, Whether the Scripture is either principally or only the Wo [...]d of God, excluding any inward Word or Voice of God in mens hearts; we say, there is an Inward Word and Voice of God in mens hearts, which, as it doth not contradict the Scripture, but agreeth with it, so it is another thing, and is of the greatest Efficacy, and giveth or sealeth to us, the assurance, that the Scrip­tures are of God, and divinely inspired. In his 2 d Assertion, he doth no less prevaricate, and mis-state the Controversie; for I did grant in both my former Books, That there were Extraordinary and Ordinary Revelations and Inspirations given to the Prophets and Apostles of our Lord, and that we did not say, that we or others had these Ext [...]aordinary, but the Ordinary, that were common to them with all Saints; the which ordinary are nevertheless true divine Inspirations and Revelations. And as to what I said out of some antient Writers, tending to open the Di­stinction of Extraordinary and Ordinary Revelations, the extraordi­nary being of a more high and sublime Nature, as proceeding from a more high and excellent measure of the divine Light or Spirit, that is well warranted in holy Scripture, and well approved by Christian Writers of great esteem for Piety and Learning, that he and his Brethren call Rabbinical Fopperies, in that they show their great Igno­rance in good Learning; for it is generally acknowledged by Chri­stians, as well as Iews, yea, and by Protestants of good Note, That the Hebrew Names of God, mentioned in Scripture, being various, some of them are greater than others; and the greater Names do answer to the greater Measures of the divi [...]e Light, and that Name commonly pro­nounced Iehovah (which the most learned in the Hebrew Language among Christians do confess, they know not how to pronounce, i [...] consisting of quiescent Letters, and having no proper Vowels of its own, as is acknowledged by the most learned, and as Buxtorf in his Hebrew Lexicon saith, the first that presumed to pronounce it, was Petrus Galatinus, none o [...] all the Greek and Latine Fathers, so called, did presu [...]e to pronounce it or read it, for there is no Tract of it in any of their Writings, though divers of them were well skilled in the [Page 44] Hebrew Language) is generally acknowledged to be one of the greatest Names of God, by which God made himself known to Moses, Exod. 6.3. but not to Abraham, Isaac and Iacob; and though it be granted, that the Letters of that Name are recorded by Moses in many places of Genesis, and is to be found in Hebrew, Gen. 2.4. and that possibly and very probably Abraham might have known the outward Letters or Sound of that Name, yet that doth not infer, that either Abraham or any of these Fathers knew the inward force and efficacy signified by that Name, and that so high Revelation belonging to it, that Moses did know; for that would contradict Exod. 6.3. And though I do no wise approve Rabbinical Fopperies, or Iewish Fictions or Fables, yet what I find either in Iewish or Gentile VVriters, that doth we [...]l accord with the divine Oracles of the holy Scripture, I do well receive it and relish it. In his 3 d Assertion, he doth no less mis-state the Question; for we deny not, but affirm, That the will of God expressed in the Scrip­ture, is a perfect Rule for the Belief and Practice of every Christian, as to all Doctrinals and Practicals of Religion in general; but we say, it is not the only Rule nor the principal; for the Will of God and his [...] is writ in the fleshly Tables of the Hearts of all the faithful, and [...] writ, is greater, and of greater vi [...]tue and efficacy than to have it writ in Paper; and though no new Doctrinals or Morals are to be revealed to us, but what a [...]e sufficiently declared in the Scriptures, ye [...] that doth no hinder, but that particular Calls, to Places, Persons and Nations, and particular Prophesies or Predictions of things to come, may be newly revealed, as is granted by divers Pro [...]e [...]ants, and by Fox in his Book of Martyrs, yea, even Presbyterians, and Calvin doth acknowledge, That even in his Time God did raise up extraordinary Officers to restore the Church, if not Apostles, yet at least Evangelists, lib. 4 [...] ▪ cap. [...]. n. 4. And true Believers may have it witnessed to them, (as many have had and daily have) by the inward Testimony of Gods Spirit, T [...]at th [...] sins are forgiven them, and that they belong unto God, and that without all local and argumentative way of Syllogisims, that as many faithful Souls have not skill to form, so many Hypocrites de­ceive themselves with such a way of arguing themselves to be sincere. But some Presbyterians have acknowledged, That there is another far more evident, clear and satisfactory way that some have, whereby to b [...] assured, that their sins are forgiven, without any such way of Syl­logysm, as particularly my Country-man William Guthergy, in his [Page 45] his printed Book concerning Personal Covenanting with God, and he calleth it A felt Arms full of the holy God, filling the Soul with God, as he is Love, Life and Liberty; and though it is no audible Voice (viz. to the outward Ear) yet it doth countervail that of God to Daniel, O Man! greatly beloved; [...]nd is like to that which passed from Christ to Mary, when he said, Mary, and she answered Rabboni: And surely here was no way of syll [...]gis [...]g. In his 4 th Assertion he doth also fail in stating the Question; for, first, we grant, That the Day of Salvation is expired towards many men now alive, and they are left without any saving Light in them: 2 dly, we grant, That the clear and bright Day of Salvation hath not yet appeared unto many, but it is as yet Night unto them; and to others it is as a little dawning; but to others clear Day; which answers to that of Pa [...]l, Now is the accepted Time, now is the Day of Salvation, to wit, to such who had Christ crucified and raised again, livingly and effectually preached to them by Christs faithful Messengers; but yet e [...]en to su [...]h who are in the Night state, and are in Darkness, to who [...] the clear Day of God hath not appeared, some divine Light shineth in their Darkness, and that Light, though ever so small, is of a saving tendency, and doth prepare the way of the Lo [...]d inwardly, as Iohn's outward Ministration prepared the Way of the Lord, as he came outwardly; and even inwardly, the Law and the Prophets go be­fore the clear Manifestation of Christ and his Gospel; so that the Law even inwardly (as well as outwardly) is a Schoolmaster to bring them who are under it, to Christ. Nor do we say, That the Light doth reveal in every man all that we must know, in order to Salvation, upon its first appearance, or in its first Ministration; for we distinguish betwixt the various inward Ministrations of the Light and Spirit, and teach, That the [...]ormer makes way for the latter, as it is well improved; and as he that goeth up a Stair or Ladder, must begin at the lowest Step or Round, and so by degrees, and in process of time, getteth up higher, untill he come to the place where he would be; and as the sojourning of the People of Israel in the Wilderness, had its several Removes, which were Typical, of the Souls inward progress, from spiritual Aegypt to the spiritual Canaan, so the Souls of men have their several inward and spiritual Sojournings from one degree to another, until they receive the end of their Faith, which is the Salvation of their Souls, as it is written in the Psalms, They go from strength to [...]ength, &c. And it is a great Perversion in C. Mather, that because I [Page 46] blame them for denying, That there is any Light in men generally, that is sufficient to enable them to do any Work acceptable to God, as if therefore I did hold, That every man hath so much Grace & Illumination, as doth enable him to do any (i. e. whatsoever) Work acceptable to God: For, All men Not to be able to do any work acceptable to God, And All men To be able to do any or every VVork acceptable to God, are not Contradictory, as being both U­niversal; and therefore they are both false; and as two Universals are not Contradictory, and are both false, so two Particulars are not Contradictory, when the one is Positive and the other Negative, and therefore may be both True; As it is true, That some men are good, and That some men are not good; so it is true, That some good Works may be done by some men, and yet it is as true, That they cannot at that time do some other good VVorks; for it is a good Work to believe in Christ crucified and raised again, and to love him as such; and yet we do not say, that the Light in every man doth either teach or enable every man at first so to do, for that cannot be done without some special Revelation or Illumination; but yet that more common and general Illumination, where it is well and duely improved, doth enable men to do some other good things, that prepareth the Souls of men to receive that more special Illumination that cometh from the same Author and Fountain, and so is Introductory to that more special; for the Law is Introductory to the Gospel (and yet hath the Gospel hid in it, as in a Seed) as one Natural Science is introductory to another, as the Science of natural Physick is introductory to the Science of Me­dicine, and common Arithmetick is introductory to the more abstruse and recondite parts of Mathematical Learning; for the Operation of the Law inwardly doth so convince the Soul of sin, and doth so dis­cover to the Soul its weakness and shortness in Obedience, notwith­standing of some things that it doth, which are good, after a sort, that it maketh the Soul sick, and so to need the Physiti [...]n, whi [...]h is Christ, even crucified and raised again, as the Mystery of him is in­wardly revealed and applyed to the Soul by the Spirit. In his 5 th Assertion, he doth also grosly prevaricate, and pervert the state of the Question; for we do not say, That Christ is so in the Wicked or Unconverted as he is in the Saints, but after a far other manner; for he is in the Saints by Vnion and Communion with them, and giveth great and glorious Manifestations of his Glory; whereas in ot [...]ers, he is not in them by any Union or Communion, yet he is so in them, as to [Page 47] operate in them, and to [...]eveal and discover some things in them, that are suitable to their present state, in order to their Conversion: Nor do we say, That Christ is personally in the Saints, as some imagine.

And as to his Question, How we shall know Light within from Thought within? I Answer; If he mean by Thought within, a good Thought or Thoughts, they are distinguished as the cause and effect; for the divine Light within is the cause of every good Thought and Desire, as of every good Word and Work; but all evil Thoughts proceed not from the Light, but from the Darkness; and the Light within doth as plainly distinguish betwixt good and bad Thoughts, and other Motions, as the outward Light of the Sun helpeth us to distinguish betwixt things white and black, or straight and crooked; but as blind men cannot judge of Colours, so who are greatly blinded with Preju­dice and Unbelief against the Light within, (as C. M. is) can but very little distinguish or know good from evil, except in things notoriou [...]y gross; nor was it the true Light in Saul, that approved him in his Persecution, but pricked him in his Conscience, and witnessed against him, if he had hearkned to it; but as a man in his heat of Passion hearkeneth not to true Reason, but is Deaf to it, though it be in him; so men being blinded and hardened with sin, doth not give due regard either to true Reason, or the true divine Light, which are both in them notwithstanding; and yet even those men when they become more cool and calm, may, and do hearken to the dictates of both.

And for his other Question, Whether their Magistrates (viz. the Quakers) ever had a Light which directed them to punish a filthy VVoman for exposing her self stark Naked before their Eyes in a publick Assembly, to prove her Attainment of that Innocency which is without shame?

I Answ. I remember no such thing that ever I heard tollerated by the Quakers Magistrates; for we all judge, that any such Practice doth really deserve corporal Punishment; and I suppose the Passage he mentioneth, was that which happened some time ago, where the Magistrates of that place, (though no Quakers) did punish her, as I was informed, with Imprisonment, which the Quakers (I believe in general) that heard of it, did judge, was too little, and that she de­served much more.

In his 6 th Assertion, he doth not fairly state the Question, and upon his unfair stating it, doth seek to fix upon us Blasphemies, and then cryeth out, Away with such Blasphemies ▪ as inferring that [Page 48] according to us, The Counsel (or Decree) of God, [...] very Essence of God, being one therewith, doth depend on the free will of [...]; Which is a most gross and wretched Perversion; for we say, the De­cree and Counsel of God, doth extend to all evil Actions of men per­missively, but not effectively, i. e. so as not to be the Cause and De­terminer of them; and Gods Decree and Counsel hath no Cause to depend upon, without God himself, as he doth falsly insinuate against us: Nor is Gods Permission, as concerning Evil Actions, as Iudas betraying Christ, and the Iews crucifying him, a bare Permission, as if God only did look on, as an idle Spectator, wh [...]h is most absurd to imagine; but he most justly, most wisely and most soveraignly bounds and limits all evil Actions of men, that they neither do, nor can do any thing but what is for the glory of God, and the good of his chosen, as it is written, The Wrath of Man shall praise thee, and the remainder of it thou wilt restrain. But C. M. and his Brethren are too guilty of Blasphemy, that affirm, That all evil Actions of Men and Devils, come to pass by the Effective Decree of God, that doth infallibly and inevitably determine and move them to the same; and so say the Ranters, fathering all their wicked Actions upon God And it is a gross Con­tradiction in C. M. to himself, to say, That God doth dete [...]mine all evil Actions by his effective Decree, and yet is not the Author of them; for to effect a thing, so that it must be done, and to be the Author of it, is all one, to all of common sense.

In his 7 th Assertion, he proceedeth in the like gross Perversion, and mis-stating of things; and as to the first part of it, fighteth against his own shadow, and not my Assertion; for I granted, That God hath chosen all the Heirs of Salvation unto Faith and Holiness, as the means, and unto Eternal Salvation and Glory, as the end, in Christ Iesus, before the Foundation of the World; and also, I have granted, That all are not elected, nor are any elected who perish finally; and yet this doth not infer eternal Reprobation, because Elected and Reprobated are not Contradictory Terms, as I have formerly declared; and yet he hath not proved that they are; but maketh a noise strongly asserting what he doth not prove. Nor doth it follow that Reprobation is before the Foundation of the World, b [...]cause Gods Decree and Purpose to destroy all finally Impenitent Sinners, is before the Foundation of the World; for though Gods Decree be b [...]fore all Time, yet it doth respect all Reprobates, as it doth consider them in Time, having [...]efused all the [Page 49] tender Offers of Gods Grace and Mercy unto the very last. And as Gods Decree of creating men, doth not infer, that men were created from Eternity, or that mens Creation is co-evous with Gods Decree, so nor doth it follow, that the Reprobation of men finally Impenitent is co-evous with Gods Decree; for Reprobation is not the Decree of God, as C. M. doth strongly assert, but doth no wise prove. And [...]f some should say, (as I know some do say) That Election, though in being before the Foundation of the World in Christ, is not simply or only the Decree of God (as it is an Immanent Act of God) but is some-what by way of an Effect, resulting or flowing from God [...] Decree, existing in Christ the Head and Mediator of all Gods Elect, before the Foundation of the World: For as C. M. cannot disprove it, as contrary to Scripture▪ so it is not inconsistent with what divers so [...]er Protestants have favoured, to wit, That Christ was Mediator from the beginning; and consequently had somthing to be as a cloathing to his Godhead, altogether necess [...]ry to his being Mediator from the beginning, although he was not incar­nate, or cloathed with flesh, until the fullness of time, that he took flesh in the Virgins Womb; and if Christ was Mediator from the be­ginning, partly invested with his Mediatory Nature, though not with Flesh till the fullness of Time came, it is both very easie and very comfortable to the Saints, to understand, how they were elected in Christ their Head before the Foundation of the World, and that this Election had its being, as the Effect of Gods eternal Love and Coun­sel, in Christ, the head of his Elect Members.

In his 8 th Assertion he is wholly idle and impertinent; for we own as much as he, That there is in God, the Father, the Son and the Spirit, and that they are One in Being, and Three in relative Attributes and Pro­perties; and we dislike nothing but the unscriptural invented Names of [ Three Persons] for which Calvin hath sufficiently excused us, as I have above showed.

In his 9 th Assertion he wholly fighteth with his own shadow, and giveth up the Cause, acknowledging, That the Price paid by our Lord in his Death, was indeed sufficient for all Mankind, and that the benefit of it is tendered and proffered unto all Indefinitely, if they will believe; but he should have told us how the benefit of it is tendered unto all, seeing many Millions of men never had it outwardly preached to them, nor ever had any outward Testimony of it by men; and if he would stand to this, the Controversie in this Particular would be at an e [...]d. [Page 50] But for his Inferences and Consequences, which he would fix upon [...]s, most perversly, we utterly deny them to flow justly from our innocent Faith, according to Scripture, which is, That Christ dyed for all men, &c. As that, First, The Virtue and Success of our Lords Death depends upon the Free VVill of Man: 2dly, That man is the principal in his own Salvation: 3dly, That the Number of Persons interested in our Lords Death, is not certain (for we say, none have a true and real Interest in Christ, or in his Death, but sincere Believers) 4thly, That Simon Peter was no more beholden to the Merit of our Lord, than Simon Magus, or any that perish (Though it will be hard for C. M. to prove, that Simon Magus was a Reprobate) And 5thly, That God in sending his blessed Son to dye, had as full a purpose to save them that Perish, as them that shall be saved: These, and the like absurd and Illogical or unrea­sonable Consequences we altogether deny, they being only C. M's Perversion.

In his 10 th Assertion he doth as grosly pervert the state of the Question, as in any of the former; for we deny not, but affirm, That our Iustification i [...] by the Righteo [...]sness or Obedience of the Lord Iesus Christ imputed unto us; but we also say, It is imputed to none but such who have F [...]ith, Repentance and sincere Obedience; and that is true inward Righ­teousness, wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ; and though F [...]ith, and Repentance, and Obedience are not the Foundation of our Justification, yet they are the Terms and Condition of it, as I have sufficiently showed in my former printed Treatises; nor doth Edward Burrough and VV. Penn, if their words be duely construed, contradict what I have affirmed. But the true state of the Question is, VVhether men are just f [...]d by Christs Righteousness imputed to them, without any [...]ward Righteousness, as the requisite Condition and Terms, in order to that [...]putation? And whether David, lying in his sins of Adultery & Murder, requi [...]ed Iustified? Which we deny.

In his 11 th Ass [...]rtion, although he states the Question in the Title, [...] we can own it, to wit, That a sinless Perfection is not attainable in this [...]orld, as their Principle, but not ours; yet he miserably wrest­ [...], perverteth, and mis-applyeth, and jumbleth things in the Expli­ca [...]ion, for that Scripture in Philip ▪ cap. 3 v. 12. doth nothing con­tradict our Assertion, who affirm no such degree of Perfection as wherein a man may sit down and make no furder progress, which Paul in­tended not to do▪ but still to go on more and more to Perfection: And [Page 51] for that place in Rom. 7.19. &c. it is not to be understood of the best Condition of the Saints, when they are farthest advanced, but of their struggling Time and State, before they obtain the Victory and Freedom, which Paul doth acknowledge in the same Epistle. And for any of the Quakers saying, They have no sin in them, I know not any that is generally owned and approved by us, that have said so; it is common to Ranters, and such as Tho. Cases Crew that say so, but for the honest and sober People called Quakers, they do not boast of their Perfection, but had rather by their innocent Walk and Conversation, demonstrate their growth and progress in Sanctification, than by a Talking of it.

IN his 12 th Assertion he doth not fairly state the Question, especially in the Explanation of it; for he should have distinguished be [...]wixt the state of Servants and Sons of the Free Woman, and so betwixt Saints by way of In [...]hoation or Initiation, and Saints by way of Confirma­tion, as betwixt Corn in the Bud or Blade, or green Ear, when it is in danger of blasting, and ripe Corn that is past all danger of blast­ing; for as to this latter, I did grant in my former printed Treatises, in unity with my faithful Brethren, that there is a confirmed state in Faith and Sanctification, wherein the Saints persevere to the end of all Tryals, and from which they cannot fall away; and the Faith of such is more precious than Gold that perisheth, & endureth all Tryals and Tentations, even as true Gold endureth the Fire, and looseth nothing in it; but all have not attained to this State, which is indeed the only proper state of Salvation, that is as the Harbour or Port of Safety to the tossed Marriner; and till the Soul arrive to this state, it is but as a Ship exposed to the Waves of the Tempestuous Sea: Also, I readily grant, that none of Gods elect can finally fall away; for his [...] is over them, so to preserve them, as that they do not fall, or if they do fall, as in the case of David, to restore and renew them again by Repentance. And C M. and his Brethren have granted, in that Book call'd their Antidote, or The Principles of the Protestant Religion, &c. [Page 52] That the [...]porary Faith that may be lost, is not false; and if not false, then true after a sort; although I grant, it is not that Faith of Gods Elect that's more precious than Gold, that endureth all fiery Tryals, yet is of a saving tendency, and such who have it, if they did well and duely improve it, might in due time arrive to that Confirmation in Faith and Holiness, that cannot be totally & finally lost: But whether the Faith that may be lost, and the Faith that cannot be lost, differ in Kind or Specie, or only in Degree, it being too Nice, and rather Philosophical, and too Logical, I did not (as I said in my former printed Book) see cause to enquire, seeing it is a very great dispute, among Schollars, what maketh a Distinction of things, in Kind or Specie, some affirming, That the Mettles and Elements differ not in Specie, others contradicting, and saying they do.

In his 13 th Assertion, concerning Infant Baptism, or rather Rantism or▪ Sprinkling, and in his 14 th Assertion concerning the Supper, he [...]ingeth no n [...]w matter, but what I have sufficiently answered in my [...]ormer Books, and therefore shall say no more here as to them. But [...] he chargeth it upon us, as if we did not believe Christs coming again and appearance without us, in his glorified Body to judge the quick and the [...], is that he cannot prove any of us guilty, that is generally own'd and received to be of our Faith, only we have denyed the gross and [...] Imaginations that some have vented, as concerning Christs [...]ody, ca [...]ing it Natural and Earthly, which we believe is spiritual [...] heavenly; and if any call it spiritual and heavenly glorified Fl [...]sh, as w [...]ll as Body, we shall not contend against them; for we do acknow­ [...], [...] is the same in Being and Essence that it was on Earth, but wo [...]erfully changed in Manner and Condition; see our printed Sheet [...], The Christian Faith, &c.

[...]n his 15 th Assertion he doth most grosly prevaricate, abusing and [...] our words, as because we own an inward quickening, and [...] with Christ, in our Souls and inward Man, that therefore [...] future Resurrection of the Body a [...]ter Death, which we deny [...], against Ranters and vain Notionists; and we believe, [...] Resurrection of the Body is not attained immediately after Death, (altho' the Souls of the faithful immediately after Death go [...] Heave [...] ▪ or Paradise) but at Christs coming and Appearance to [...]udge the quick and the dead; and the same Body that dyeth is raised, [...] sense▪ being [...]eed and refined from all Dross of Corruption [Page 53] (even as Gold is the same when it lieth in the course Oar or Miniral, and when it is refined) but wonderfully changed in Manner and Condition.

In his essaying to prove his 16 th Assertion, he showeth himself extreamly weak, as if because God commanded the Iews to keep the Seventh Day for a Sabbath, from the beginning of the World, in the fourth Commandment, therefore he commandeth the Christians in the same fourth Commandment to keep the first Day. But I need say no more on this Head, but refer him to his much esteemed Calvin, for his Re­futation, who in that doth fully agree with us, as generally do all the Protestants in France, and the Low Countries, and many in England and Scotland.

In his 17 th Assertion he is as weak and abusive as in any of the former, That he & his Brethren cannot own true Piety to be essential to a true Minister of Christ, to make a necessary Provision for the everlasting Peace of renewed Souls, which cannot be saved without their Assertion, viz. That true Piety is not essential to a true Minister, for this would make their Conversion or Peace wholly depend upon Grace in the heart of a Minister. But this is a most gross Abuse and Pervertion, and a most silly trick or cheat, to palliate or excuse their absurd Do­ctrine, which a Chi [...]d may discover; for the Contradictory Assertion, viz. That true Piety is essential to a true Minister of Christ, doth not make, that the Conversion of the Souls depend [...] [...] Grace in the Minister, because many Thousands of Souls have been and are daily converted without any Minister, good or bad, by reading or hearing the holy Scriptures, the holy Spirit aiding and [...] therein, and this is generally confessed by all Protestants. And if some think they were converted by means of some Ministers that were afterwards found to be Hypocrites, all that this can prove i [...], not that they are not converted, but that they are in some mistake about the man whom they thought was the Instrumen [...] of it, and was not. And for my saying, It is no wonder that New-England abounds with such Impious Ministers; I did argue ad nominem, according to your Principle; for, to say, True Piety is not essential to a true Minister of Christ, openeth a door to let in a stood of Impious Ministers u [...]on the People of New-England; and it is to be feared▪ this absurd Principle hath too much open'd a Door unto them: And for all your strict pretended Tryal of men, before they enter into the Ministry, do ye try them concerning their Piety? if nay, then [Page 54] ye open a door to them who may be really Impious, if they have but wit enough to be Hypocrites, and only seemingly Pious, if Yea, this contradicts your Doctrine, who say, ye have no certain way to try whe­ther men be really Pious or not; for ye reject all pret [...]nce to a discerning of Spirits, whereby to know who are really Pious, and who not; and the Marks given by Paul, whereby to try men, before they be owned to be either Bishops (i. e. Overseers, or Pastors) or Deacons, were not out-side Marks of Holyness only, that Hypocrites may have, but to be really sober, just, holy, temperate (Tit. 1.8.) and where these Virtues are, they do as certainly and infallibly discover themselves in words and works, to the spiritual Discerners, as Spices and precious Oynt­ments or Perfumes, discover their sweet smell and odour to them who have the right use of their natural smelling.

And as to his Question, How People may know whether we have an Immediate Call to the Ministry? To this I Answer; There must be some spiritual Ability or Gift of Discerning in such, who are able to know such a thing; for it is only the spiritual Man that is able to judge of spiritual things; and whomsoever God calleth to the Ministry by his Power and Spirit inwardly revealed (that is immediate) his Power and Presence, according to his faithful Promise, doth go along with them, so that some that hear them, though not all, are the Seal of their Ministry, and the Blind are made to see, the Deaf to hear, the Lame to walk, the Dumb to speak, and the Dead to live, to wit, spiritually. And as this was Luther's answer to the Papists, that asked for some Signs to prove his and his Brethrens Call, who did commonly upbraid them, That they never so much as [...]ured a Lame Horse; so it may suffice for our Answer; for whether C. M. believe it or not, we have had the Seal of our Ministry, that many by means of our Testimony have had their inward Eyes opened, and have been turned from Dark­ness to Light, and from the Power of Sathan unto God; and this in­ward Change hath had its evident Effects of Christian Piety, Sobriety and Iustice in their outward Conversation. But such who were blind­ed and hardned against the Spirit of Truth, did not know Christ nor his Apostles and Ministers, and therefore we cannot expect that such can know us. And this Question of C. M. may be easily retorted upon him, that doth so confidently affirm, That there are so many Ministers in New-England, that have and use all true Piety; let him tell us, how he or they can prove, that they are really Holy, and that their Holy­ness [Page 55] is not a meer outside Holiness, that Hypocrites may have? If he say, they may be known by their Fruits, I query again, By what Fruits? Are these Fruits only outward words and works, that Hypocrites may have; for there is nothing barely outward but Hypocrites may have? But if by Fruits, he mean, that which hath some inward Virtue and savour of Life and Grace with them, that do infallibly demon­strate themselves to be the Fruits of the Spirit, to such as have a spi­ritual savour and discerning; as this would contradict their Principle, so it maketh for us, to answer his Question. Nor are there sufficient Testimonies of antient Christian Writers wanting, who did agree with us in our Assertion, viz. That Hypocrites and Vnholy Men, who have not the Spirit of Christ, are not true Ministers of Christ, as not only Luther (whom I cited in my former Book) who calleth them Sectaries and Seducers, who know to preach much of Christ; but seeing they feel him not in their Hearts, (as to be sure, such do not who have no true Piety) they leave the right ground of the Mystery, cap. 11. Luth. Mensal. But of the Antients backwards, of above 1200 Years ago, I shall cite two short Testimonies for this Assertion held by us, viz. Cyprian, who lived about the middle of the 3d Century, and Athanasius w [...]o lived in the 4th Century; for Cyprian, in his Epistle to Ianuarius saith, How [...] he who is unclean himself, and who hath not the holy Spirit, cleanse or sancti­fie the Water (viz. in Baptism) seeing the Lord saith, Numb. 19. All that the unclean toucheth shall be unclean—And after, What Prayer can a sacriligous Priest, and who is a Sinner, make for the Baptized, seeing it is written, God heareth not a sinner, but he that worshippeth him, and doth his Will, him he heareth; but who can give what he hath not, or how can he do spiritual things, who hath lost the holy Spirit? And in his Epistle to Stephen, Bishop of Rome, he with his Collegues, gathered in Council, in Africa, writeth, saying, It behoveth that Priests and Ministers, who serve at the Altar and Sacrifices, be sound and immaculate, seeing the Lord saith in Levit. cap. 21. The man in whom there is any fault, or vice, shall not approach to offer Gifts to God; and in Exodus, the Priests who approach to God, let them be sanctified, lest the Lord forsake them, Exod. 19. And again, When they come to minister at the Altar, let them not bring a blemish, lest they dye. Which words of Cyprian, and his Collegues are as much against Impious as Heretick Ministers; and yet Pr [...]testants, who judge Popish Priests to be great Hereticks, allow of their Baptism, so far that they do not baptize any that leave Popery, and joyn to them. [Page 56] And Athanasius, in his Interpretation of the Parables, saith, Whoever will do the Work of God, who will teach others, or be profitable unto them, it behoveth him to be in the first place Virtuous, and to receive the Gi [...]ts of Gra [...]e from God, and to possess the Fruits of the holy Spirit, and the Trea­sures of the Knowledge of the good things of God, and then he can impart Gifts to others; for if any go with his hands to anoint another with Oyl, and have no Oyl, how can he give to others, what himself hath not; and after the same manner we must judge of a Teacher.

As for C. M's great Clamour for Maintenance, to him and his Bre­thren▪ for preaching, from 1 Cor. 9.14. and Gal. 6.6. Let them first prove that they are true Ministers of the Gospel, and have a divine and spiritual Gift and Ability to preach it, and we should allow to such that Maintenance which the Scripture mentioneth, which to be sure is neither any stinted Sallary, nor forced, which yet many of the Priests of New-England have had, and yet would have, if they knew how, and which C. M. doth plead for. Nor is he less Impertinent in his seeking Shifts and Evasions to excuse their putting to Death our four Friends in New England, one time telling us, There are Laws for i [...], against the Quakers, for speaking and writing Blasphemous Opi [...]ions, despising of Government, &c. And so had the Iews a Law, as they said, against Christ, and so had the Papists against the Martyrs, that they burned in Queen Mary's time. But what the blasphemous Opinions were, that th [...]se were guilty of, who were put to Death at Boston, hath not yet been made appear, nor any other thing worthy of Death or Corporal Punishment. And suppose (which yet I never heard sufficiently proved) that some called Quakers said to People in New England, things that were blasphemous, as, Thy Bible is the Word of the Devil, we deny thy God, &c. as C. M. saith, but doth not prove; must the innocent suffer for the guilty? if these that were put to death said no such thing, as ye can never prove they did, they were unjustly put to Death, and their Blood yet lieth upon them that either shed it, or doth justifie the shedding of it; and it were far better to C. M. not to take innocent Blood on him, if he were wise. Another while again, These Laws were but begun to be executed, before the New-Englanders grew sensible of their Error in making them, &c. But then, if it was their Error to make them, why should C. M. use so many Evasions to justifie their executing them. Another while, The Quakers would not have born New-England men to have done the like, &c. But the [Page 57] Quakers have suffered a great deal more disturbance, even in their publick Meetings, and never used any such Violence, even where they had Power. And his Example of a mans entring into another mans House with the Plague upon him, without that others Consent, is altogether im­proper; for the wide World, or any wide part of it, as New-England, differeth far from a mans private Dwelling; and if this Example had any force in it, it hath the same for the Papists in France and Spain, banishing and pu [...]ng to Death the Protestants there. But it seems C. M. is not of our Saviours mind, who bid, suffer the Tares and the Wheat to grow together in the Field (which he expoundeth to be the World) until the Harvest. And this Example of C. M. is like that which I heard, that a New-England Preacher gave, to move the People to put the Quakers to Death, though they could not prove them guilty of any fact worthy of it, That men use to kill the Wolves they catch, as well these who have done no harm to the Sheep, as others who have done harm, because it is the Nature of Wolves [...]o do harm; and t [...]e way to pre­vent their Harm is to kill them. And for all C. M's fair Pretensions of Lenity to the Quakers now-a-dayes, yet seeing he calleth us, at least the Speakers among them, grievous Wolves, it showeth his envious Mind, and h [...]w he would have us treated, if his Perswasion could prevail; nor ought we to believe his Protestations to the contrary, seeing he doth so much contradict th [...]m, in his so much justifying the putting our Friends to Death. But it is no new thing that the Sheep should be put into Wolves and Bears Skins, as C. M. doth to us, in the Title page of his Book, calling it, Little Flocks guarded against grie­vous Wolves, but the Title of his Book had been most true and proper, Cotton Mather proving himself a grievous Wolf aga [...]nst the poor innoce [...]t Sheep of Christ, called in scorn Quakers; for his fierce and ravenous Spirit against the Quakers, is more like to a Wolf, than any thing that ever appeared in any of us against him or his Brethren; and he c [...]n never prove, that ever any of us stirred up the Magistrate to Perse­cution, against any that differed from us, in any part of the World: But we can prove, that his Brethren, the Priests in New-England, did most earnestly stir up the Magistrates in New-England, to persecute our Brethren, and did prevail with them to do it; and if C. M was too Young, or not born, in those dayes to joyn with his Blood thirsty Brethren, it is well if his Father Increase Mat [...]er was not equally guilty with others of them; and I find not as yet, but that C. M. doth [Page 58] approve their deeds, and so bringeth their sins upon him, as Christ said to the Pharisees, who in the like Hypocritical Spirit, said, If we had lived in our Fathers dayes, we would not have killed the Prophets, Mat. 23.30. And seeing, according to C. M. the Quakers that were put to Death, were Mad, and fitter for Bedlam, than to be put to Death; on which Concession Iohn Delavall, in his Appendix to my Book, proveth by the Law of England, That these who put them to Death were Murtherers, and deserved Death for so doing: What saith C. M. to this? Surely nothing at all.

HIs Apology for using You to one, and saluting with the Hat, is very weak and silly, viz. Because to say you to a single Person, be­came a Custom when the Common Wealth of Rome was turned into a King­dom, first to treat Persons of Quality in the plural Number with You, and so by degrees, its descended unto all particular men: But if Custom be a sufficient Reason to justifie a Practice, then all the Superstitions and vain Inventions of Heathens and Papists may be allowed; but the Scripture saith, The Customs of the People are vain, Ier. 10.3. And that he saith, its descended into all particular men, is false; for as I am in­formed, it is not used in Spain, nor I believe in divers other Countries in the World. And for his asking Scripture, for some of us saying, Thou writes, Thou hears, so joyning a Nominative Case of the Second Person to a Verb of the Third: It is easily answered; It is not so much the Incongruity with a Grammer Rule, that we find fault, in using You to one, as the vain respect of Persons, and the gratifying a proud Spirit, and bowing to it, who will not be pleased with Thou, altho' they give it to God in Prayer, and to some Niger or other that they despise; also, to say You to one, when there is more in company, maketh Confusion in the sence, and renders it oft uncertain, whether one or more are intended; but to say, Thou writes, hath no such incon­veniency, nor argueth no vain Respect of Persons. Nor hath he any better A [...]gument for Saluting with the Hat, but Custom; but seeing uncovering the Head, as w [...]ll as bowing the Knee, are Religious signi­fications of our Reverence to God in Prayer, we should not give them to the Creature; for it is very proper that some what of Distinction [Page 59] be made externally betwixt our Reverence to our Maker, and our Re­spect to Magistrates, Par [...]nts, Kindred or Neighbours: But he con­cludeth with a rare way to deal with us at last, viz. To throw their Caps at us; which bespeaketh a very airy and frothy Spirit, very unbecom­ing a Minister of Christ; yea, not well becoming any Colledge-Boy of New-England. When the Preachers are thus light and vain, what may be expected, but that in Ieremiah is fullfilled, Ier. 23.32. They cause my People to Err by their Lyes, and by their Lightness, &c. And another In­stance of his Lightness and Airyness, is, as because one of us said (as he doth alledge) in a Catechism, Let none reason about us, for there they can never know us, nor com unto us, that is, in Reason: But nothing but a meer Spirit of Perversion would turn the sence of this, as if the Quakers did renounce all true Reason; whereas the sence that is obvious to all im­partial men, is, Reason falsly so called, or carnal Reason, that is cer­tainly a great Enemy to all true divine and spiritual Knowledge; for what is the Wisdom of the World that is foolishness with God, as the Scripture declareth, but carnal Reason & Reasonings? and therefore saith the Scripture, If any will be Wise, let him be a Fool; and again, Lean not to thy own Vnderstanding: And C. M. might as well mock at Paul, for saying, 1 Cor. 10.4, 5. The Weapons of our Warfa [...]e are not Carnal, but Mighty, and to throw down Reasonings; the Greek word being [...]: Where it is plain, that tho Paul expresseth no distin­ction betwixt Reasonings and Reasonings, more than that Catechism, yet he doth not mean all Reasoning of all sort, as to exclude or destroy the use of it, even in divine Matters; for Paul maketh most excellent use of it, in proving Justification by Faith in Christ Jesus, and the Resurrection of the Dead, and other divine things; also, Christ and the Prophets did make most excellent use of true and right Reason, to wit, as enlightned by the divine Spirit, and governed thereby, and in due subordination thereto; and this use of it the People called Quakers approve, and according to their measure have made, and do make good use of, even in divine matters; and through Gods Mercy, many can say, their Reason, or reasonable Understanding, as men, is greatly improv'd and perfected, by their acquaintance with that divine Light of Christ in them, and no wise impaired. But if C. M. think, that bare humane Reason alone, without all divine internal Illumina­tion, can enable a man to understand divine Things and Mysteries, he [...] more a Socinian than Presbyterian or Independent. And the like silly [Page 60] and airy Jest he flingeth at Isaac Pennington, withal grosly perverting his words, pag. 45. as because I. P. would have them stript of all their fleshly knowledge of the Scripture (which according to Paul, he call­eth Knowledge after the Flesh, or to be wise after the Flesh, which is Death, Rom. 8.6. That therefore he would have them stript of the Scrip­tures. All which Perversions, and many more in his Book, with many gross Lyes that C. M. useth, show plainly how weak he is, when he has no better Weapons to defend himself, and render us odious.

And whereas he would in the Conclusion, fix it upon G. F. That he thought himself equal with God, and that the Soul of man were God, or a part of him: But seeing he bringeth not this from G. F. but from Faldo ▪ a most partial and envious Adversary, it is not to be regarded; and VV. Penn hath sufficiently vindicated G. F. and also G. F. hath cleared it in his Book, That he did witness both the Son and the holy Spirit revealed in him, who (as he taketh notice by the Westminster Confessions acknowledgement) are equal to God the Father. And what G▪F. speak­eth of the Soul, its being a part (but more properly a measure of the Spirit) of God; he doth not understand it of the Soul of man, that i [...] essential to man, but of the divine Soul or Spirit in man, or to speak with the Scripture, the Soul of God, as it is written, If any draw back saith God, my Soul shall have no pleasure in him: And again, Shall not my Soul be avenged? &c. and though part or portion, with respect to God, be not so proper, yet by a tollerable Catachresis, even in Scripture, it is used, Iob 26.14. How little a portion is heard of him? But to speak properly, God has no parts or portions, as he hath no Bo­dily Members, wh [...]ch yet by a figure in Scripture, are assigned to him▪ in condescention to our low Capacity. But for his saying, That Souls that can digest Quake [...]ism, serve but as the Sal [...] of the Flesh they live in; s [...]weth sufficien [...]l [...], he has no Salt in him to savour with the things of God. Indeed [...]f Quak [...]rism were such a thing as he doth represent [...] to be, and would fain have People believe it to be, or that the 20th [...] he saith of it, were true, it were most ab [...]minable, and such who hold it would be most unworthy, and not fit to be esteemed Men, far less Christians; but blessed be God, our Religion is not that which he would [...] it to be, nor are we suc [...] as he describeth; and it is a great Question to me if he do [...]h really think these things, that he saith [...] us, to be true, either in general or in great part; and if he doth not think so, the greater is his sin.

[Page 61]The other things, in the last two or three Pages of his Book, are so notoriously false, as that The main design of Quakerism is to advance and exalt Man, and that they do in effect every one make himself a Christ, and such like Lying stuff, I shall not need to Refute, seeing every one that hath the least knowledge of us, knoweth them to be scandalous Lyes: And for the advancing man into Pride or vain Glory, it is so far from being any design of our Religion, that it more than any tendeth to humble the Creature; for man can never be truly humbled, until he see himself in the Light of God shining in his heart, and that will greatly humble him, as it did Iob and Isaiah, and all the holy men of God were humbled, and kept humble, by bowing down and sub­jecting their Minds and Thoughts, with all their Desires and Affections, to that divine Spirit, Light and Life of Christ in them, that bringeth men to the true Denyal of Self, and to cease from all Self-Actings, Willings and Runnings, that only proceed from their meer Natural Parts and Abilities, whether in Prayer or any other Religious Perfor­mance; and however such Prayers and Devotions, that are perform­ed without the Spirit of God, may please mans carnal Mind, and give a false and carnal ease and peace, and exalt Self in Man, yet they can neither profit them, who use them, nor please God; for God who is a Spirit, will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth. And whereas in his 8th page he accuseth the Quakers for their horribly Prayer-less Lives, withal asking, how many Prayer-less Houses and Prayer-less Tables are to be [...]ound among the best of them? I Answ. In that he is very uncharit­able, as that the best of us had neither Prayer in our Houses nor at ou [...] Tables, which is false; for not only the most grown up in the Truth, but even the least Babes in the Truth, are not without frequent Prayer both in their Houses and at their Tables, altho' not so very frequent vocally, yet sometimes vocally, as God is pleased to give an utterance, and at other times only with our Hearts, which God accepts; for vocal and external words of Prayer, are not so essential to Prayer, but that true Prayer may be, and is most frequently without it; yea, Samuell Ruther [...]ord, a great Presbyterian, saith in his Epistles, Words are but the Accidents of Prayer; yet Prayer with Words, uttered with the Mouth, as God is pleased to enable us, we gladly own, both in our Assemblies and Families; and if any be wanting, in their Families in Prayer, or any other part of Devotion, it is then own fault, for which they must answer, and ought not to be charged upon the innocent; [Page 62] And we believe Gods holy Spirit will be wanting to no [...]e, duely to move them, and that most frequently to Prayer, who watch there­unto, both with words or without them; And if they watch not unto Prayer, their Neglect of watching, and likewise of Prayer is their sin, and chargeable upon them, and they will bear their burden for it. But that any faithful [...] owned by us hath said (as C. M. alledgeth, not from any Quaker, [...] a partial Adversary) That in many Years they have not had a motion to Prayer; we do not believe; if any feel not their hearts moved to Prayer, and that most frequently, it is their own fault and sin; for indeed every faithful Soul his Life is a Life of Prayer, and [...]e p [...]yeth in his heart as frequently as he breatheth in the air; for true inward Prayer, rightly understood, is the continual Motion of the heart towards God, The Spirit helping our Infirmities, with Groans that cannot be uttered; for even Paul said, We know not what to pray for, as we ought, Rom. 8.26. And also, he hath solemn Times and that frequently, for solemn Prayer, and Meditation, and Tha [...]ks­giving; but the most sincere Christians do not always make the greatest show or outward appearance to pray, as the Pharisees did of Old: And I might easily retort this Question, How many Presbyterians and Independents have either Prayer-less Houses and Tables, or at least very formal and Hypocritical, and are wholly Strangers to the true Spirit, Life and Mystery of Prayer? Though we have Charity to some of all sorts; and as we judge neglect of Prayer a great sin, so we judge bare Forma­lity and Hypocrisie to be no less; both which Extreams are to be avoided.