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what he fays, we fhall forbear any farther Remark.

His next Query, p. 169. is concerning the Means of Grace; which he places in feveral outward Performances of our own, which he fays, God has appointed us to use for his conveying his Grace to us.'

THIS feems directly to contradict the thirteenth Article of his own Church, which is in these Words.

• WORKS done before the Grace of Chrift, and the Infpiration of the Spirit, are not pleasant to God, forafmuch as they fpring not of Faith in Jefus Chrift, neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace, or (as the School Authors fay) deserve Grace of Congruity: yea rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we' • doubt not but they have the Nature of Sin.'

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His third Query is thus, Is every Man bound to be of the Communion of the Church, that is established by the Laws of the Land where he lives? To which he anfwers, No, he is not bound to it, but only when there is nothing required as a Condition of Communion with it, that is unlawful, or contrary to the Commands ⚫ of God,for we are always to obey God rather than Man. Acts v. 24.' In this he fays well, and if he will but admit, as on Proteftant Principles he ought to do, that every Man is to judge for himself, whether the Conditions of Communion required be lawful or not, it will neceffarily follow, that no Man, who, after due endeavours to inform himself aright, on a Foundation of Judg

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ment, thinks the Conditions of Communion with the national Church unlawful, is obliged to continue therein. Confequently, Separation or Schifm in that Man is fo far from being a grievous Sin,that it is really none at all.

THE Vicar's next Point is concerning the Scriptures being the Word of God, in which fome of his Pains might have been fpared; for we deny not that the Holy Scriptures may be called the Word of God in the Senfe he expreffes, p. 170. viz. A Declaration of the Mind and Will of • God to us, and again, • The written Declaration of his Mind and Will to us:' But we muft differ from him, when, p. 171. he will have the Word of God, that we are born again and fanctified by, to be the Scripture; which Opinion, we think is not warranted by the Texts he cites; viz. James i. 21. Of his own Will begat he us by the Word of Truth, which we take to be the fame Word spoken of in the next Text he quotes, viz. 1 Pet. i. 23: Being born again not of corruptible Seed, but of incor-. ruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. Which cannot be meant of the Scriptures, unless they be incorruptible, and live and abide for ever, which we apprehend, no Man will affert. His third Text, John xvii. 17. Sanctify them through thy Truth, thy Word is Truth, is fpoken of Chrift himself, as appears ver. 19. where he fays, And for their Sakes I fanctify myself, that they alfo might be fanctified through the Truth. Nor does the attributing the Work of Regeneration and Sanctification to the Power of Chrift only, in the leaft exclude the Scripture and outward Teaching from their proper Ufe and Service, which is to direct to Chrift, the eternal Word of God, and the Power of his Spirit, for Sanctification. And that the Power of the Spirit is not the Scripture

Scripture, or written Word, is evident by that Diftinction of Paul our Opponent mentions, viz. Our Gospel came not unto you in Word only, but also in Power; plainly intimating, that without the Power of the Spirit accompanying them, his Writings were but mere Words and of no Efficacy.

Page 172. OUR Opponent tells us, that, It is an Ordinance of God, that the Scripture fhould be publickly read in our folemn Affemblies for publick divine Service, and Christian Inftruction.' And Inftances in the Law of Mofes being read in the Jewib Synagogues. As if the Practice of the Jews under the Law were fufficicient to prove a Thing an Ordinance of God under the Gofpel. But, there is, fays he, the fame Reafon for the publick Reading of the Gospel or Chriftian Law, in Chriftian Affemblies, as there was for the Reading of the Law • of Mofes, and the Prophets in the Jewish Temple and Synagogues, and it is accordingly frequently commanded to be done. Col. iv. 16. iTheff. v. 27.' Let us hear what those Texts say, for 'tis ufual with our Adverfary to cite Texts without transcribing them; as if he had Evidence on his Side, which if examined, are really against him.

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Col. iv. 16. And when this Epistle is read among you, caufe that it be read alfo in the Church of the Laodiceans, and that ye likewife read the Epiftle from Laodicea. Our Adverfary's calling this an Ordinance of God is but an empty Pretence, seeing himself practises it not. When does he read to the People the Epiftle of Paul to the Laodiceans? He is fo far from it, that I fuppofe, he esteems it no part of Canonical Scripture, though here, he fays, commanded to be read in the Church; yet

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fuch Command being but a particular Precept to a particular Church is no Proof of a Gospel Ordinance.

1 Theff. v. 27. I charge you by the Lord that this Epiftle be read unto all the holy Brethren.

THIS alfo being a particular Precept concerning that Epistle, does not imply a Gospel Ordinance. 'Tis a Rule in Logick. Ex particularibus non eft Syllogizare. Any reasonable Man may fee the Weakness of this Conclufion, viz. The Apoftle directed his first Epistle to the Theffalonians to be read in the Church there, therefore all the Scriptures of the old and new Teftament are appointed, by God's Ordinance,to be read in all Chriftian Affemblies for publiek Worship..

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BUT what particular Precepts will not prove, he endeavours to infer from general Practice; and therefore boldly afferts, That from the Apoftles Days, the holy Scriptures, both of the old and new Teftament, have been always read in publick Chriftian Affemblies for divine Worfhip and Service, and Chriftian Inftruction.' An Affertion too extenfive for him to prove, and which we certainly know to be untrue, having been present in many publick Chriftian Affemblies where they have not been read, though frequently cited by way of Confirmation to living Teftimonies given forth agreeable thereto. But the Vicar's faying p. 173. That the Quakers never read them in their Meetings in any Language at all,nor fuffer a Bible to be seen in them,' is a grofs Calumny, in Confutation of which we are able to prove by many Witneffes, that the Scriptures have been read in their Meetings, and that, in fome of their Meeting Places, the Bible

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is always to be feen, being publickly placed there for any Man's Infpection.

BUT he adds, And yet juftify their filent Meetings, and often read their Friends Epiftles and Writings, and call them the Word of the • Lord to them, a Title they will not give to the Scriptures; and while they call the Scriptures dead Letters, they call their own Books living divine Teftimonies.'

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THAT we juftify our filent Meetings is true; but that we prefer our Friends Writings to the Scriptures, is not fo, for we are ready to give the Title of the Word of the Lord to the Scriptures, in the fame Sense any of our Friends have called their Writings fo; and will freely give our Friends Epiftles and Writings the Title of Dead Letters, in the fame Sense any of them have fo called the Scriptures and we do, as we often have done, declare, that we prefer the Scriptures before any of our Friends Books, or any other Writings whatsoever.

Pag. 173. THE Viear cites James Parnel's Shield of Truth pag. 11. to authorize this Query, • Is not he that faith, the Letter is the Rule and • Guide of the People of God, without, feeding the Hufks, and ignorant of the true Light • wich was before the Letter was ?'

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Now, James Parnel's Words are, pag. 10, They who are never fo learned without, and ⚫ can read and understand all Tongues and Languages without, and do not read the Scripture within, only feed upon the Husk. Pag. 11. But Drunkards and Swearers, and proud, and wanton, and covetous, luftful, envious

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