Further Discovery of the Quakers, Reply · Position 8
Poſition 8. That God and man cannot be wholly reconciled, till he brought into the ſtate of the firſt Adam, and able in his owne power to ſtand perfect.
Excep. 1 Nayler firſt excepts againſt this aſſertion, that the Booke ſhall witneſſe againſt us, and ſayes, mans being able to ſtand in his owne power, was never ſpoken by him nor thought by him; and ſayes, that though the word be twice repeated to ſtand in Gods power, yet they are not aſhamed to wreſt it to their owne power, &c.
Reply 1 1. To this we anſwer, that the Booke which he ſaith ſhall witneſſe againſt us, hath not ſo much as once the words, to ſtand in Gods power, though Nayler ſay, thoſe words are twice repeated; for the quaere is in theſe words, Whether God created Man and Woman perfect without ſinne, and able in his power to have ſtood, if they had not forſaken his power, and conſented to the wiſedome of the Serpent?
The nature of the power of the firſt Adam conſidered2. From theſe words, We conſidering the nature of the ſtate of the fi ſt Adam, to which Nayler ſayes, man muſt be brought before he be reconciled could not but gather, that ſtanding in mens owne power, muſt be the ſenſe of thoſe words. Our reaſon is plaine: For, That power which Adam had to ſtand in his ſtate of perfection, was given to him as the Prodigals portion into his owne hand; but the power that the Saints now are to ſtand by is a power in the hand of the Lord Ieſus, given to him as a feoffee in truſt: for in this lyes the difference of the power in the ſons of men in the firſt and ſecond Adam: our ſtanding in the ſecond Adam being by a power and ſupport in the hands and diſpoſe of the Lord Ieſus, by reaſon of which it is alone, that none can plucke us out of the Fathers hands, Ioh. 10. And the ſtanding of the firſt Adam being by that portion of power which was intruſted in his owne hands, without any promiſe of aſſiſtance or perſeverance from God. So that it is apparent, that when Nayler ſaies, Man muſt be brought into the ſtate of the firſt Adam before he be reconciled; he muſt meane, he muſt be able to ſtand in his owne power, without any engagement of ſupport from God, for tha… was undeniably the ſtate of Adams power. Let Nayler ſhew us a tittle out of Scripture, where Adam had any thing of promiſe or aſſiſtance for his ſtanding, more then the power he had in his own hands, which was his owne power.
3. If yet Nayler will ſhuffle, that this is not one of the Doctrines of the Quakers, we ſhall further convincingly cleare it from the very words of George Fox, in a Booke entituled, To all that would know the way to the Kingdome, pag. 10. he profanely, and like a perfect Atheiſt, ſcoffes at the grace of God, ſaying thus, And to you that tempt God, and ſay, Lord give us a ſight of our ſins, &c. this light within you lets you ſee it, ſo you need not tempt God to give you a ſight of your ſins, Foxes horrible …eering at the gra…e of God.for ye know enough &c. and give over tempting of God to give you a ſight of your ſins. And to all yee that ſay, God give us grace, and we ſhall refraine from our ſins, there yee have got a tempting cuſtomary word, for the free grace of God hath appeared unto all men, &c.
Hence thou ſeeſt Fox moſt wretchedly aſſerting theſe two things.
1. That to pray for ſight of ſinne, and for power from ſinne, is a tempting of God. 2. That to pray for light and power for the diſcovery of ſinne, and refraining from it, are needleſſe: for ſo he ſaith, yee need not tempt God to give you a ſight of ſinne, and ceaſe from ſaying, God give us grace for the grace of God hath appeared to all men: ſo that he plainely affirmes, that all men have both a light and power alſo, that they need not be beholding to God to give them, nor to aske them of him; for he addes the reaſon, Why you need not aske it of God, for you have a light within you and you know enough, &c.
Begging of l…ght and power the Saints dutyWhat a wretched Principle is this and how c…trary to plaine Scripture? If any man lack Wiſedome let him ask… it of God? Iames 1.5. where the Apoſtle bids the poore creature to beg wiſedome of God, though Fox ſcoffe at it. Open tha… my eyes, that I may ſee, Pſal 119.18 Give me underſtanding … 34.31.32. Surely it is meet to be ſ…d unto God, that which I ſee not, teach thou me. 1 Peter. 5.10 where Peter prayer the God of all grace m…ke you pe fect, ſtab… ſh ſtrengthen, ſettle …, Epheſ. 3 14.16, for this cauſe I bow my k…e…s … the Fathe… … our Lord Ieſus, that he would grant you to be ſtrengthned … might by his ſpirit Every good, and every perfect gif…, … downe from above from the Father of lights, Iames 1. …er 17 Now here you may ſee the practice of the Sain s, and the wickedneſſe of Foxes profane jeering at the grace of God, with ſending men to thei… owne light and power in oppoſiti… to the grace of God: and how all the lyes that Nayler chargeth on us, while he denyes this Poſition doe fully fall up… his owne head, while it is as confiden…ly affe…ted by the g… … Maſter of this Babyloniſh myſtery.
The ſecond exception is this, You that ſay, that Adam … the ſtate of innocency was under a covenant of workes, make it appear… to all that know Adams ſtate, that you never knew it; for the Law, wherein is the covenant of workes, was added after &c.
Reply. Adam in innocence under a covenant of vvorkes.What we have ſaid at large about Adams being under a covenant of workes, and how much better a ſtate the Saints are in by intereſt in Chriſt, then the ſoule of the firſt Adem was, the Reader way finde at large in the Perfect Phariſee, pag. 12. 13. to which he hath anſwered nothing, as his manner is; but we ſhall further adde.
Firſt, Adam was under a covenant of living by doing, or by obedience to the Law, which is plainely a covenant of works: who knowes not this? In the day thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely dye, Gen, 2.17.
2. Adam was under ſuch a Covenant as had no Mediator, upon his breach of the command, there was none by that Covenant to enterpoſe betwixt him and death; which is a diſtinguiſhing conſideration betwixt the two Covenants made with the firſt and ſecond Adam.
3. And for Naylers reaſon, He was not under the Covenant of Workes, becauſe the Law was given after; we may laugh at his ignorance. Was the Law never knowne, before it was written upon Tables of ſtone? Did God make Adam a rationall creature wholly ignorant of his will? Doth the ingraving of the Law in Tables of ſtone inferre, that Adam had not the engraving of that Law upon his heart, or that he was not under the command or covenant of that Law? but that we have proved from thoſe expreſſe words of covenant, in the day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely dye.
We know not whether to thinke the ignorance of this man, or his impudence greater, in anſwering nothing to what we have fully layd downe againſt his Doctrines.