.

nity from Heathens, this Faith, viz. in Chrift as he was outwardly born of a Virgin, is not neceffary to them. And fo both Propofitions are true, in Senfu divifo, or a divided Senfe, as the • Schoolmen fpeak; but not in Senfu compofito, or a compound Senfe. That is, Faith in Chrift, as he was outwardly born of a Virgin, &c. is neceffary to the Salvation of them to whom it is revealed, because the Opportunity of this Faith is afforded them. And there are faithful Men among Heathens, who yet have nothing of this • Faith revealed to them; because if they are faithful to that whieh is revealed to them, that is fufficient to denominate them Faithful Men, though they have nothing of this Historical Faith, yet revealed to them. For a Man may be faved without this Hiftorical Faith, but not without true Converfion of the Heart to God, for therein confifts the Life of Chriftianity. If any Man, faith the Apostle, be in Chrift, he is a new Creature, 2 Cor. v. 17. And, Let every ⚫ one that nameth the Name of Christ, depart from Iniquity, 1 Tim. ii. 19. People are not there⚫fore Chriftians indeed, because they have the Scriptures, and are only Profeffors of Chriftianity, but he is the Chriftian Man, and be the Christian Woman, that is a new Creature and departs from Iniquity. The Want of the outward Knowledge of Chrift, where 'tis fimply impoffible,ordinarily fpeaking, deprives not thofe • Gentiles of eternal Life and Salvation, who are faithful to the Measure of Divine Grace manifefted to them.'

HAVING thus fhewn the Quakers manner of arguing, we proceed next to confider the Way of Reasoning made ufe of by our present Opposer, who, in Proof of his Affertion beforementioned,

viz.

6

viz. That fuch a Faith [to wit, of the peculiar Articles he mentions] is as effential to Chriftianity as a good Life; fays thus, For Christianity contains in it Matters of Faith as well as Practice.' This may be to his Purpofe, when he fhall have proved, that All things Chriftianity contains are equally effential to it, which he has not yet done. But he goes on thus, And one great Design of Christianity is to give us right Notions of the Nature of God and of the Perfon of Chrift, and of his Performances as our Mediator and • Redeemer, our Prophet, Prieft and King:' Suppofe all this granted him, will it therefore follow, That fuch a Defign is as effential to Christianity as the very End and Purpose of Christ's Manifeftation, which was to deftroy the Works of the Devil? He yet proceeds, And fuch a Chriftian

Faith is neceffary in order to a Chriftian Life, ⚫ and muft in Order of Nature neceffarily go be•fore it; For without Faith it is impoffible to pleafe God, or to do thofe Things that will please him. Heb. xi. 6.' Than which the Bible has not a Text more directly against him; for the Author of that Epiftle adds in the very next Words, for be that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that be is a Rewarder of them that diligently feek him. A fhort (k) Creed, fuch as W: Penn's moral Man before defcribed is never without; and which though it may please God, and enable a Man to come to him, yet is fo far from being expreffive of all the peculiar Articles of the Chriftian Faith, which this Author calls effential, that it mentions not one of them. He adds, that Our Works • without Faith are dead, as well as our Faith without

(k) This, fays Dr. Taylor, is the Gentiles Creed, but fuch as at firft will be fufficient to bring them unto God.

9

without Works', quoting. James ii. 18. when the former part of his Affertion is not there. He concludes thus, And there are Damnable Herefies, as well as Damnable Sins, fome even denying the Lord that bought them'. xi. 5. which proves as much as the reft.

2 Pet.

OUR Reader may compare this fort of Argumentation with that of the Quakers foregoing, and prefer that which carries the greater Evidence.

He then queries,

What are the peculiar Precepts and Inftitutions of Jefus Chrift?

And Answers,

THEY are our Worshipping God thro' Jefus • Chrift the Mediator between God and Man; and Faith in his Blood as outwardly fhed for the Remiffion of our Sins: And his outwardBaptifm and Supper, and Communion with his • Church, and Obedience to our Spiritual Rulers and Teachers".

This we shall briefly and diftinctly confider,

1. THE Worshipping of God through Jefus Chrift the Mediator, was the acceptable Worthip through all Ages of the World, as (1) Dr. Taylor in his Ductor Dubit. p. 180, observes. It is Remarkable that this Word or Law of the Father was the Inftrument of teaching Mankind in all Periods of the World. When God fpake to Adam, to the Patriarchs, to the Prophets, ftill he fpake by Chrift, who was the Angel of the Old Teftament, and the Media

6

.

• tor

(1) Se Cilge's Lux Evan. Att. p. 42.

tor of the New; He is therefore Verbum PaThe Word of the Father.

tris,

2 Faith in Chrift's Blood as outwardly fhed for the Remiffion of our Sins, we highly Prize, but to make that or any thing elfe a peculiar Precept of Christ, the exprefs Words of Chrift commanding it must be produc'd. But for this Writer to express himself in Terms neither us'd by Christ nor found in the New Teftament, [fuch as outwardly fhed, his outward Baptifm and Supper, Communion with his Church, Obedience to Spiritual Rulers] and then call thofe Expreffions of his own, the peculiar Precepts of Chrift, is fuch an attempt to impofe on his Readers Understanding, as nothing less than a blind Obedience to him under the Unfcriptural Notion of a Spiritual Ruler can make him fuccefsful in.

We heartily acknowledge many real Advantages and helps of the Chriftian Inftitution, tho' we admit not his Catalogue of them, p. 8. for even the Jews had the Advantages of a Church or Society, of a fetled Order of Scribes and Teachers, of the Religious Obfervation of the Sabbath, of publick divine Worthip, of divers Baptifms, and of the Paffover. If this Author will have it, that Chrift came to establish another Hierarchy of Priefts, and another Set of Rites and Ceremonies instead of the Jewish, let him produce his Authorities from the New Teftament; otherwise he attempts in vain to exclude the pious Gentiles who have not the Scriptures out of the Chriftian Church, and to rebuild that middle Wall of Partition which Chrift hath broken down, Ephef. ii. 14.

In the greater Motives which, he fays, p. 8. the Gospel affords us for the performance of our Duty,

we

we differ not much, only one Expreffion he uses, viz. the Refurrection of the mortal Body, we approve not, fince we find it not in Scripture.

.

We concurr with him in faying, p. 7. It should • very much recommend the Scripture to us, that whatever wife Rules of Morality and Virtue • all the wifeft Men of all Sects and Ages among the Heathen, with their greatest Industry, and the higheft Improvement of their Reason, were ever able to difcover, we may find them all now with very little Pains in the Holy Scriptures.' For we do esteem them the best System both of Faith and Morality, that ever was written, and do therefore juftly prefer them to all other Books whatsoever. We fhall now pass to

SECT 11.

Of the Light of Chrift.

Which he begins with this Question, p. 9.

Is not Chrift the Word, the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World? • And does he not therefore enlighten every Man with a divine spiritual fupernatural Light within him, fufficient to teach him all the Effentials • of Christianity, without the Scripture or any outward Teaching?

Anf. No: This is a mere precarious Affertion, that would make the Scripture, and all outward Teaching of no neceffary Ufe, nor the ⚫ outward ordinary Means of enlightning us with the Effentials of Chriftianity; for which there is no Colour nor Ground, neither in this, nor in any other Text of Scripture; tho' it be the

very