Catholic Theology Plain Pure Peaceable, Conference 11 · Chapter 12 – Conclusion
CHAP. XII. Of Mans Power to believe; and of calling the unregenerate to Duty.
P.
X. & XI. OF the firſt of theſe I have ſaid ſo much before, that I will here paſs it by. And as to the ſecond, you are a man of pernicious principles, and downright heretical and damnable, if indeed you would have us call no unregenerate perſons to any duty whatſoever. Anſwer me theſe Queſtions:
Queſt. 1. Would you not have your Wife, Children and Servants taught, that it is their duty to love, honour and obey you? and your neighbours to deal juſtly with you? and the Rulers to protect you, and the Judges to do you Juſtice?
Lib.
I ſpeak only of Religious and not Civil duties.
P.
You are indifferent it ſeemeth as to the Intereſt of Gods honour and mens ſalvation: Let thoſe alone, ſo be it your own intereſt be ſecured. Duty to you, muſt be preached, but not to God. But would you not have them taught to do you ſervice as to the Lord, and as ſuch as from him ſhall have puniſhment or reward? and to ſubmit themſelves to the Higher Powers for conſcience ſake as to the Miniſters of God? and …o Honour Father and Mother in obedience to God, and that by his reward their dayes may be long? Should not all be done to the Glory of God?
Lib.
Yes, it ſhould be; but the wicked cannot do it: Therefore they muſt be firſt made Godly, and the Heart renewed, that the life may be amended.
P.
We are as much and more for Heart-work, and for beginning there, than you are … we know that God accepteth not the hypocrite, that draweth near him, and honoureth him with the lips, when the heart is far from him: The outward actions are no further Good or Bad, than they are … or from the Will. The Divine Nature, and Image of God, and life of the new creature, is the new heart by the Love of God ſhed abroad upon it by the Holy Ghoſt. But,
Queſt. 2. Are we to call men to no duty at all, to the getting of a new heart? Should we not perſwade them to hear Gods Word?
Lib.
Ye…: How ſhall they believe unleſs they hear?
P.
Queſt. 3. Muſt we call them from the Tavern, Ale-houſe, Gaminghouſe, Play-houſe, Whore-houſe, yea, from their lawfuiler imployments that they may hear in ſeaſon? and call Martha to chooſe Maries part, and thoſe that ſay, They cannot come becauſe of their Oxen, Farms and Buſineſs, to change that mind?
Lib.
Yes, no doubt of it: Zaccheus muſt be in Chriſts way.
P.
Queſt. 4. Muſt we not perſwade them to take heed how and what they hear? and to ſet their hearts to all Gods Words, and to ſee that they deſpiſe not him that ſpeaketh? but he that hath ears to hear, let him hear; and to conſider of the truth and weight of all, and to ſearch the Scriptures to ſee whether the things be ſo?
Lib.
I deny none of this.
P.
Queſt. 5. May we not perſwade them to come and talk and reaſon the caſe with Friends or Miniſters, that we may convince them?
Lib.
Yes no doubt, as well as to hear in publick.
P.
Queſt. 6. May we not Catechiſe them, and teach them the Principles of Chriſtianity, that they may underſtand them?
Lib.
Yes, as to the Matter; but to teach them your forms of Queſtions and Anſwers, is but formality and deceit.
P.
What? May we not teach them the words of Chriſt and Scripture? How ſhall the matter be underſtood without words? And what better words, than the words of Scripture?
Lib.
But a Form of the ſame words is but formality.
P.
Hath God forbid us to uſe the ſame? Are Children and ignorant people fit to underſtand the myſteries of God, if you ſpeak them every time in new or other words? or can they ſo remember them? And when the uſe of words is to ſignifie Things, and the Matter is one and the ſame (for we have but one God, and Chriſt, and Goſpel) what wild work will you make of it, if you ſpeak the ſame things every time in other words? Are all thoſe words equally fit to ſignifie the ſame Things? Certainly ſome particular words are more fitted to each matter than other: And ſhould not the fitteſt be moſt uſed? Doth not Chriſt deliver us a form of Baptiſm, and a form of the adminiſtration of his laſt Supper, and a form of Prayer? Are there not forms preſcribed in Gods Word, of the Prieſts Benediction, and what the people ſhall ſay when they offer Sacrifice? Are not all the Pſalms forms of Prayer and Praiſe (and were indeed the Liturgie of the Jews)? Doth not Joel put a form of prayer into the mouths of Penitents? Doth not Paul teach us to uſe Pſalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, ſinging and making melody in our hearts to the Lord? Eph. 5. 19. Doubtleſs it is not only Davids Pſalms that are meant by theſe three words; but Hymns and Songs fitted to Goſpel Worſhip: And if you would have none of them premeditated, nor be twice the ſame words, you would ſoon make your ſelf ridiculous to the world. If you ſay that this Precept was for them that could do ſo being filled with the Spirit, I anſwer, 1. It's true that they had their extraordinary endowments, which made a difference in the manner (as alſo in Praying and Preaching): But ſhall we dream that therefore the ſame duties belong not to us to be performed in the beſt manner that we can? 2. A man may from the Spirit pour out his ſoul to God in forms of Prayer and Praiſe, though the words were premeditated.
In a word, if you would have all forms of Creeds, Prayer, Praiſe and adminiſtration of Sacraments, and Catechiſms caſt away, you are an enemy to Gods true Worſhip, and the ſafety and edification of the Church, yea, you muſt caſt away all the Scriptures, which are Gods form of inſtruction, recorded for the Churches uſe to the end of the World.
Queſt. 6. But I further ask you, May we not perſwade bad men to examine themſelves, and to find, know and confeſs that they are bad and ungodly? and to lament it?
Lib.
Yes, that cannot be denyed.
P.
Queſt. 7. And may we not perſwade them to believe that there is a God, and that the Scripture is his Word, and true? and that Chriſt is the Meſſias?
Lib.
Yes; the Devils believe all this.
P.
Queſt. 8. And may we not exhort them to Repent, and Turn to God, and ſo to believe in Chriſt as to receive him, and give up themſelves unto him?
Lib.
Yes, you may exhort them: but they cannot do it of themſelves.
P.
Muſt we exhort them to nothing but what they can do of themſelves? Queſt. 9. Is not Exhortation Gods means to bring them to Repentance and Faith in Chriſt?
Lib.
Yes; I deny none of this; But that which you abuſe men by, 1. Is bidding the ungodly pray, when the prayers of the wicked are abominable to God. And 2. In that you do not firſt call them to believe and come to Chriſt, before they do any other duty.
P.
1. You granted me before that hearing and conſidering and ſearching the Scripture, and other things named, are to be done before Believing in Chriſt, by thoſe that are yet unbelievers. He that believeth that there is a God, muſt behave himſelf accordingly in obeying God. 2. Men that believe in Chriſt but by Aſſent, that he is truly the Chriſt, and the Goſpel true, and that there is a life to come, ſurely, if they love themſelves, muſt do ſomewhat in order to a fuller Juſtifying Belief. 3. And are you ſo much againſt the very Law of Nature, worſe than the Seamen that bid Jonas call upon his God, worſe than the Ninevites, and than almoſt all mankind, as that you would have no men pray but godly men? Did not Peter bid Simon Magus repent and pray, Acts 8. And doth not God command the wicked, Iſa. 55. to ſeek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near? Should no graceleſs man ask Wiſdom of God, who giveth liberally to all men, and upbraideth not, James 1. and giveth his Spirit to them that ask it? Muſt they not pray for Grace, Faith and Repentance, that want them? 4. But yet let me remember you, that we uſe not to exhort men to draw nigh to God with the lips alone; nor to pray without Deſire. For Praying is but Deſiring, and preſenting that Deſire to God. And when we bid men pray for Grace, we bid them deſire it. And ſo bid them Repent and Pray, Believe and Pray; for Praying is a Returning act; And if we may not call them to pray, we may not call them to Turn to God. Mr. Eliot in New England teacheth the Indians another leſſon, whoſe great work is to call them to pray, and the title that his Converts have, is the Praying Indians.
Lib.
But without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, or do any thing which is not abominable to him.
P.
1. But it is not impoſſible for one to have a common and temporary faith, and another a ſaving faith. 2. And one that believeth that God is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him, and this not ſavingly, may yet leſs diſpleaſe God, and be leſs abominable than he was before without it: and alſo may do ſomething that tendeth as a means, to that Faith by which he may pleaſe him.
1. A total unbeliever, and a wicked man as wicked, whoſe prayers are animated with wicked principles and ends, utterly diſpleaſeth God, and his prayers and all ſuch actions are abominable.
2. A convinced wicked man that doth ſomewhat from ſelf-love for his own ſalvation, and ſpecially one that is not far from the Kingdom of God, in the uſe of common grace, is leſs abominable, and pleaſeth God ſecundum quid, or leſs diſpleaſeth him, or ſeeketh that grace with which he may pleaſe him: And Chriſt is ſaid to love ſuch a man; Mark 10. 21.
3. But only the true Penitent believer ſo pleaſeth him as to be an Adopted heir of life.
CHAP. XIII. Of the Witneſs of the Spirit, and Evidences of Juſtification.
P. XII. I Will ſpend no more time with you on this, than briefly to open your error, and then to tell you what we hold as certain truth.
I. It is your groſs Error to oppoſe Evidences to the Witneſs of the Spirit; for in the principal reſpect they are the ſame: as you may find by ſtudying theſe Texts well: Rom. 8. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 23. 1 Cor. 6. 17. & 12. 4, 12, 13. 2 Cor. 3. 3. & 4. 13. & 12. 18. Gal. 4. 6. & 5. 5, 16, 17, 18, 25. 2 Tim. 1. 7. John 3. 3, 5, 6. Eph. 1. 18. & 2. 18, 22. & 4. 3, 4, 16, 23. & 5. 9, 18. 2 Theſſ. 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2, 22. 1 John 3. 24. & 4. 13. Zech. 12. 10. Rom. 7. 6. Ezek. 11. 19. & 18. 31. & 36. 26. Eph. 1. 13, &c.
Our having the Spirit, and our being ſanctified by the Spirit, are the Witneſs, Seal, Pledge, Earneſt, and Firſt Fruits, and the Evidence of our Adoption and Right to life. It is not chiefly An inward voice or perſwaſion that we are Gods Children, that is the Witneſs.
But II. As a mans Rational ſoul doth witneſs that he is a Man, ſo the Spirit of holineſs witneſſeth that we are Chriſtians; and adopted 1. Conſtitutively, making us ſuch. 2. And thereby differencing us from all that are not ſuch. 3. And then helping us to diſcern that we are ſuch: As the Reaſonable ſoul perceiveth it ſelf. 4. And helping us to exerciſe our Grace that it may be the more diſcernable. 5. And laſtly, Comforting us by ſuch Exerciſe and diſcerning: As Life and the Intellectual Nature are pleaſing to themſelves.
The Concluſion.
P.
ANd now Saul what think you of the Cavils that have puzled and troubled you? Have you heard any thing that ſhould change your mind?
S.
I have heard that from you that confirmeth and ſatisfieth me: But I have heard that from L. which grieveth my very ſoul, 1. To think what temptations and perplexing tryals poor ignorant Religious people are aſſaulted by, and how hard a thing it muſt needs be for ſuch to eſcape deceit and ſin, and great diſtractions. 2. To think in how ſad a condition the Church of God is, that beſides what they ſuffer from men of Violence, and the flatteries of the World, muſt be thus troubled and enſnared by men of high profeſſions of Religion, and even drawn to corrupt the Word of God, and almoſt to preach another Goſpel. 3. And that ever men of ſuch profeſſions ſhould be guilty of ſo much evil: We to the World becauſe of offences, and wo to them by whom they come.
P.
Alas! it is no new thing: Do you not remember that Paul had ſuch and worſe to deal with. Read Gal. 1. & 3 & 4. Read Rev. 2. & 3. Jude, & 2 Pet. 2. & James 2. & 3. & Acts 15, &c. and you will ſee, that even thoſe pureſt times when they had Apoſtolical Gifts and Authority to reſtrain and ſettle them, were yet thus tryed and troubled by men of high pretenſions, ſo that Paul wiſheth that they were cut off that trouble them; and Chriſt proclaimeth the hatred of his ſoul againſt the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans; and Paul tells the Corinthians, that Hereſies muſt be among them, that thoſe which are approved may be manifeſted among them; and the Epheſians, Acts 20. 30. that of their own ſelves ſhould men ariſe, ſpeaking perverſe things, to draw away Diſciples after them. And ever ſince in all Ages to this day, the Church hath been as Chriſt on the Croſs, between two Thieves, between the Tyrannical and the Superſtitious Heretical dividing ſort of profeſſed Chriſtians. But hold faſt plain primitive SIMPLICITY and ſerious PRACTICE of a ſober, righteous, godly and peaceable life, and you will get ſafe through all ſuch ſnares.