A Synopsis of Quakerism, Error 8
Errour 8. That there is no need of any outward Teaching: Ceaſe from your out-ſide lights, and return to the Light of Chriſt in you, and this Light is not a Chapter without you in a Book. James Naylor, in his Glory of the Lord ſhining out of the North. p. 2.
THe only Argument I ſhall urge, is from Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13. He [Chriſt] gave ſome Apoſtles, and ſome Prophets, and ſome Evangeliſts, for the perfecting of the Saints. Whence I draw this Argument, If Chriſt hath ſetled Officers in his Church, till it be made perfect in grace, then there is need of outward teaching, during its whole ſtate in this life. But he hath made ſuch ſettlement, &c. The Antecedent is evident in the Text before us. The conſequence goes upon … ſuppoſition of what I have before proved. (viz.) that no members of the Church arrive to a perfection of grace in this life, and therefore cannot be ſaid at any time not to ſtand in need of teaching.
The Scriptures which the Quakers urge against the need of outward Teaching, are theſe:
Their firſt Scripture,
Heb. 8. 11. And they ſhall not teach every Man his Neighbour, and every Man his brother, ſaying, know the Lord.
Anſw. That place cannot exclude outward teaching, unleſs it could be no means of knowledge; or unleſs there could be no knowledge of God, but what were of …mmediate revelation to the ſubject in which it is ſound. For, compare this place taken out of Jer. 31. 34. with Iſa. 2. 3. (ſpeaking of the times of the Goſpel, in which the promiſe before us, was to receive its full accompliſhment) and we finde, that Out of Zion was to go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jeruſalem. i. e. The knowledge of God to be conveyed by Ordinances, for which, Zion …he Hill whereon, Jeruſalem the City wherein, …he Temple the Seat of Ordinances ſtood [See Pſal. 87. 2, 3. & Pſal. 122.] are often put. And the fulfilling of it, Chriſt and his Apoſtles did frequently teach in Zion, or the Temple, and ſo in Jeruſalem, Math. 26. 55. And the great Commiſſion Apoſtolical, was, To preach among all Nations, beginning at Jeruſalem, Luke 24. 47. It doe… not then exclude the teachings of men. But i… we compare this part of the Verſe with the la… Clauſe, For all ſhall know me from the leaſt to the greateſt; the meaning is evident, (viz.) that Go… does not hereby exclude, but include the teachings of Men, and promiſe a greater efficacy to them than formerly; ſo that the Chriſtians … the New Teſtament ſhould be able to leave the Principles of the Dactrine of Chriſt, and to go on to perfection. (As the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Heb. 6. 1.) i. e. not to forget, or unlearn them, but not to ſtick in them, without further progreſs; (as for a Scholar to be always learning Grammar, and never proceed to Rhetorick, Logick, &c.
Second Scripture is, 1 Joh. 2. 27. Ye need n… that any Man teach you.
Anſw. This is ſpoken in oppoſition to any o… the ſeducers, verſ. 26. whoſe teaching the Chriſtians needed not. In which ſence the Coloſſian… are ſaid to be compleat in Chriſt, Col. 2. 10, 8. … oppoſition to Moſaical Ceremonies, humane traditions, or Phyloſophical Principles, which might pretend to diſcover ſomewhat neceſſary to ſalvation, not revealed in the Goſpel, or contrary to that revelation: which interpretation of the tex… before us, is favoured by the latter clauſe; but … the ſame anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is no lie. 1 Joh. 2. 27.
2. This place will bear another interpretation, (viz.) that they were grown Chriſtians, ſuch as did not altogether depend upon others, but knew ſomewhat themſelves; (having an inward light, or ſpiritual judgment (called) (metonymically an anointment.) That Character, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth, 2 Tim. 3. 7. However it agreed to other Chriſtians, did not agree to them: ſo that in the Quakers interpretation, there is the fallacy; a dicto ſecundum quid, ad dictum ſimpliciter (as Logicians ſpeak;) that is, to take thoſe words abſolutely, which are intended in a certain reſpect. And that theirs cannot be the meaning, will appear to any one, that ſhall but remember, that after Chriſts aſcention, when the ſpirit was poured out in moſt plentiful meaſure; (ſo that if at any time on Earth, then might the teachings of Man ſeem needleſs) there was greateſt plenty of Teachers extraordinary, ordinary, (as we finde in the Acts of the Apoſtles.)
Another Branch of the Quakers Errour, as to Ordinances, refers to Baptiſm and the Lord's Supper, of which they affirm, that they ceaſe upon the appearance of Chriſt within. A. P's. ſeveral Papers, p. 19. Farnworth's Diſcovery of Faith. p. 11.
Againſt which Errour, I oppoſe two Arguments; one for both Ordinances, the other for Baptiſm in particular.
Arg. 1. If Baptiſm and the Lord's Supper are ſtanding Ordinances, [or ſuch as we are obliged to uſe, during this life] then they do not ceaſe upon the appearance of Chriſt within, [or are not made uſeleſs or unneceſſary by any degree of attainments in this life.] But the former is true, therefore the latter.
That they are ſtanding Ordinances, appears, becauſe no formal repeal can be produced, either in terminis, or by any due conſequence from Scripture; nor yet any virtual repeal, as in Laws made for a time, and at the expiration thereof, of courſe, ceaſing to oblige.
That then they do not ceaſe as to our need of them, follows evidently, becauſe it is not to be ſuppoſed conſiſtent with Chriſt's wiſdome, to continue an obligation upon us, to the uſe of a means, when the end is obtained already.
All that can be ſaid with any colour, is, that they are of perpetual obligation, till the appearance of Chriſt within; that is, a full appearance, or ſtate of perfection. But we having proved before, that there is no ſuch ſtate attainable in this life; then if thoſe Ordinances oblige, till we be arrived at perfection, they oblige, and ſo are of uſe, during term of life.
Arg. 2 If Baptiſm be a Foundation-Doctrine, (as I may call it) then it is of uſe during this life.
That it is ſuch, appears by Heb. 6. 1, 2. where the Apoſtle calls the Doctrine of Baptiſm a Foundation; by which phraſe of the Apoſtle, the knowledge of the uſe and intendment of that Ordinance by thoſe, who had or were to receive it, …eems to be meant. The conſequence is good, If it be an Ordinance, all Chriſtians are to underſtand and improve, then they muſt receive it. Being baptized into Chriſts death, cannot be an argument to induce the unbaptized to a mortification of ſin, which the Apoſtle urges upon the baptized, Rom. 6. 3, 4.
If it be ſaid, that the Apoſtle exhorts the Hebrews to leave this Principle or Foundation of Christian Doctrine, verſ. 1. I anſwer, that by leaving it, the Apoſtle cannot mean relinquiſhing the practice thereof. For then by force of the ſame phraſe, applyed to Faith and Repentance, &c. Theſe graces muſt alſo be left, (the contrary whereto I have before proved) but the Apoſtle explains himſelf, that they ſhould not ſo ſtick in the foundation, as not to proceed to the ſuperſtructure, or higheſt points of Chriſtian doctrine. I could never meet with any thing, that looked like an Argument, for their opinion, but that place, which ſpeaks of ſhewing forth the Lord's Death, in the Supper, till he come, which they interpret, till he come in the ſpirit. 1 Cor. 11. 26.
Anſw. So Chriſt was come already to the believing Corinthians. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of them and himſelf, ſays, We have received not the ſpirit of the World, but the Spirit which is of God, 1 Ep. chap. 2. v. 12. And yet that hindred not the Apoſtles incouragement and direction in their uſe of the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11. 25, 26, 28.