Verf. to the 11. But to difmifs them, and proceed. VII. We also believe and teach, that notwithftanding that fallible Mind and Judgment that is in all Men, in fomethings and at fometimes, yet becaufe the Rule that is left to Judge by, is an infal lible Rule, fo fure, and certain, that it cannot deceive any Man; and because the Principles of Religion, and Fundamentals of Salvation are fo clearly revealed in the Scriptures, that Babes in Christ may come to understand them; therefore all the Saints of God may in fome things have an ixfallible Fudgment, even a Judgment of certainty, both refpecting God, Chrift, Faith, Repentance, Holinefs of Life, and many other things referring to Salvation. How elfe can any thing contained in the Scripture be infallibly believed? Or to what pur pofe is there Reading, Studying, Preaching, Exhortation, Reproof, or the like? So that the refult of all which hath been faid comes at laft to this, and here it centers; That all True Christians are in fome things infallible, but no one Christian upon Earth, or Body or Community of Christians, in any ge neral Council whatfoever, are (fince the Days of the Apoftles) infallible in all things. And therefore in all matters Controverted between Papists and Quakers, on the one fide, and us of the Church of England on the other, farther than the Scriptures fpeak for them, their Infallibility arifing from. their having the Spirit of God in them, will be of as little ufe to them, as to us; that is to fay, none at all. For neither will we be tryed by their private Spirits, nor do we defire them to be tryed by ours. But let us both be tryed by the Holy Spi rit of God fpeaking both unto them and us, in the Holy Scriptures. * But here it may be enquired: and hath been a Question K Question frequently moved by the Quakers, Whether any Perfon who hath not the fanctifying Spirit of God dwelling in him, can have an infallible Judgment to Judge of Things Eternai, by the knowledge fucha Man may get from the Scriptures. Whereunto 1 Anfwer, 1. That there is an infallible Judgment which may be made from the Scriptures without the prefence of this fanctifying Spirit; which is fpeculative and fcientifical only. Thus the Devils themfelves have an infallible understanding of many Principles in the Chriftian Religion. Elfe how could they believe and tremble? James 2. 19. In like manner, a Wicked man may infallibly understand the Hiftorical part both of the Old and New Teftament. Judas knew and understood what his Mafter did and faid, as truly and infallibly as the rest of his Difciples. And no doubt but once he underfood his meaning better than they all, Mat. 26. 21, 22. Nay fome times Studious Wicked men, may better understand what is the meaning of the Spirit of God, in many dark places of the Scriptures, than many fober pious Saints, who have not taken thofe pains to fearch, nor have had thofe natural or acquired abilities to under ftand them and yet all this while, be Strangers to that Spirit which indicted them. Even wicked Men may understand, and infallibly apprehend, the Fundamental Doctrines delivered in the Scriptures relating to Salvation, as what must be belicved, and what must be done in order to obtain the fame what lives they muft lead that they fall not fhort thereof. These things are fo plainly laid down in the Scriptures, that the Vilest of Mex may understand them; otherwise, how fhall fuch Men be condemned for not repenting, nor believing, or obeye ming, when all thefe Things were riddles to them, and Juch fuch Things as (without the special Illuminations of the fan&tifying Spirit) they neither did, nor could underfand? Therefore faid the Apoftle, not the Hearers, but the Doers of the Law fhall be juftified, Rom. 2. 13. which must needs be meant of underftanding hearers. For who can expect obedience to a Law, from him who neither doth, nor can underftand it? For which caufe, our Saviour faith, If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them, John 13. 17. II. I Anfwer that there is an infallible Judg. ment of the Will and Mind of God in the Scriptures, which cannot be made without the Spifit, and this I call applicative and practical. As for inftance, Tho' the meaning of the Words in Scripture may in many things be patent and undertood by all intelligent Readers, that have any competent skill in understanding other Writers; yet to know, and that Infallibly, that thofe Writings, and Doctrines, and Rules of Life, which are contained in them, are Doctrines which proceed from God, fo as to build our hopes of Salvation on them, here now it is the Spirit of God alone that can give affured fatisfaction therein. For thefe are among the invisible things which are revealed unto us by the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. 8, 9, 10, 11. So that we may conclude, that the Scriptures are. a foundation of an infallible Judgment concerning the things contained in them, and not the Spirit: but both Scriptures and the Spirit muft concurr, to give in the certainty of those things therein contained, that they may become a fure Rock to build upon. For no man can fay Affuredly that Christ is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 12. 3. From all which that hath been faid on this head, we may peremptorily conclude, That where the Spirit in any Man faith one thing, and the Spirit of God in the Scripture faith another, that Spirit in thas Man, is not the Spirit of God. Nor by confequence can it be the Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures, for that Spirit cannot contradict it felf. There is then no reafon in the World, why we fhould believe either Quakers or Papifts, who joyn hand in hand herein, and defend all their Heterodox Opinions (when by Scriptures and right reafon they cannot do it) by this last and forriest fhift of all, their pretended Infallibility; and to prove that, by the like pretences of having that Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures: For both which as we have their bare words only, to confirm our belief thereof; fo we have the moft cogent rea fon, in the World, from the Doctrines and Pra&tices of our dear Saviour, and his Apoftles, and the firft and pureft Ages of the Church, and the plaineft Evidences of the Scripture Teftimony, not to believe or give credit to them, but on the contrary to contend for the Faith once delivered in flat Oppofition and Contradiction of them. I fhall conclude therefore, in the Words of St, Chryfostom; "There are many who pretend to ' fpeak from the Holy Ghoft, but do it falfly : "fpeaking from themfelves. Now our Saviour te"ftifieth that he fpake not from himself, but ac ❝cording to the Law, and the Prophets. (And hence he concludes) If thefe Men offer us any " thing other than the Gofpel, under pretence of its "being inspired by the Holy Ghost, let us reject it, and by no means believe it, Chry. Hom. de S. Spir. I had intended to have proceeded to fhew the Agreement betwixt Quakers and Papists in the Doctrines of Faith, and the imputation of Chrift Righteoufnefs, and others of the like Nature, wherein they agree in likeness and phyfiognomy, as two twins, but that I am loath to give the Readers or my felf any farther trouble unlelle farther provoked thereunto by them The End of the First Part, PART |