REFLECTIONS Upon Several Passages in a Book ENTITLED, The Reasonableness of a Personal Reformation, And The Necessity of Conversion.
With a LETTER to Mr. JOHN GALPINE, Concerning his Printed Encomium of I. F.
The Speech of Dead Men commonly proves more Effectual, more Profitable, or more Dangerous, then that of the Living.
Printed in the Year, 1692.
TO THE READER.
THO' I had much rather this Paper had been Publisht whilst that Person, whose Wicked Errors it Refutes, was Living, yet since it can be Testified by divers Honest men that it was written whilst He was Living; And since it is to Me so Evident that the Book I mention, tho it carries such a shew of Godliness, is full of Deadly Poyson to the Souls of Men, I think it my Duty to Give out to the World an Antidote Against it. I earnestly beseech the Reader to Consider that it cannot be long before He and I shall Appear before the Iudgment-Seat of CHRIST to give Account of our Censures of all that we Hear, or Read.
REFLECTIONS, &c.
THE Reasonableness of Personal Reformation, &c.
P. 4. ‘We little know how far Unsanctified Reason may be prevail'd upon to quit its Throne, and resign its Scepter into the hands of Lust, and Appetite.’ I. F.
Unsanctified Reason is Always Subject to some Lust, or Inordinate Appetite.
P. 5. ‘Appeals to Reason may produce Reformation in some men sooner than Appeals to the Scriptures, or Principles of Faith.’ I. F.
This is Contrary to the Common Sense of All True Christians, and the Express word of JESUS CHRIST, who says, ‘Without Me Ye Can Do nothing,’ And (by the Mouth of his Holy Apostle) ‘Without Faith it is Impossible to Please God,’ And certainly [Page 2] it is the same thing to produce Reformation in any man, and to Perswade him Effectually to do those things, which are Pleasing unto GOD, which cannot be Done Without Faith.
P. 9. ‘It (Reason) stands ready to offer its service to thee to Save thee from, or to receive thee out of those Mischiefs thou hast, or mayst run thy self into, if thou will but hear, and obey its advice.’ I. F.
'Tis evident He speaks of Reason in Contradistinction to Religion, for thus He begins this Section: ‘The Persons whose Reformation I particularly design by this method, being men that exercise more Reason, than Religion’ I. F.
Now it can be no other than a most Detestable Heresy to Assert that Reason any farther then as it is Regulated by the Principles of Faith, can ever Save a man from those Mischiefs, which he would run himself into.
P. 20. ‘Notwithstanding the present Captivity of Reason under usurping, and domineering Lusts, so long [Page 3] as it hath a permanent and fixed Root, and Principle in their Nature 'tis possible it may recover its Throne, and Empire over them again.’ I. F.
Unsanctified Reason may turn its Subjection from one Lust to another, but can never have a True Victory over any one Lust, but by Subjecting it self to the Principles of Faith, that is to say, by ceasing to be Vnsanctified, and Partaking of the True Light, which is the Power of God unto Salvation.
P. 21. ‘Reason would only regulate, and legitimate your Delights, and Religion Sanctify them.’ I. F.
'Tis very Injurious to the Souls of men Professing Christianity to possess them with a conceit that they may Lawfully, or According to the Will of God Act by Two Distinct Principles under the Notion of Reason, and Religion; For Christianity Obliges All men, Whatsoever they Do in Word, or Deed, to Do All to the Glory of God, which is the Principal Points of Right Reason.
P. 99. ‘What is the matter when all is sifted and examin'd? why the [Page 4] matter is this, some will be more serious, strict, and conscientious than others think fit, or necessary for them to be.’ I. F.
This is a most Devilish False Insinuation: And we the True Sons of the Church of England APPEAL to Our Blessed LORD, the True Head of the Holy Catholick Church, to Judge between Us, and this most Impudent Schismatick, and his Companions: We Aver Before God, Angels and Men, that their Schism has been the Cause of many Abominations, particularly, That it has been an Encouragement to the Anti-Trinitarians to Publish their BLASPHEMIES. What BLASPHEMIES their Neglect of the LORDS PRAYER has Occasion'd is also Manifest to the World.
P. 130. ‘Such as you are, whose whole Lives have been polluted with Profaness, and All Impiety. —You cannot think as others do, that you need no Repentance, or Reformation. In this respect therefore you lie nearer to the Door of Hope, and Mercy than other Sinners do.’ I. F.
[Page 5]By other Sinners he must needs mean those that have not been so Great Sinners: And whether the Greater or Lesser Sinners, that is to say, whether those that are More, or those that are Less Averse from True Godliness, are Nearest to the Kingdome of God, let any man Judge who is neither Brutishly Stupid, nor Diabolically Impudent.
P. 139. ‘This is the change I am here pressing him to. — P. 140. It is not in any Man's power to convert himself—Yet he Can Do, and Forbear to Do many things, the Doing, or Forbearing of which has a true, tho remote tendency to his Conversion; and not Doing, or Forbearing of them, his Destruction is of himself.’ I. F.
His Destruction is not of himself Because he Forbears to Act (or Do any thing in his own Natural Power, or Without the Divine Assistance) but Because he Rejects the Divine Assistance, which by the Father of Mercies is Graciously Offer'd unto him. 'Tis Evident by J.F's saying, ‘This is the change I am [Page 6] pressing him to, Compar'd with these words, He Can do, or Forbear to do many things, &c.’ That he Encourages men to Act towards their Salvation in Their own Natural Strength, Whereas Our Preaching is this, That we Can do Nothing, but Sin Without the Help of JESUS CHRIST; but 'tis Always Possible for those that Trust in him to Abstain by his Assistance from All Known Sin. Now whether this Way of Preaching, or I. F's Way, be the True Preaching of the Gospel, I leave to the Judgment of Any man of Common Honesty, that has Read the Holy Scriptures.
P. 140. ‘Nor do I know any reason why you cannot compose your selves, when engaged in God's Publick, or Private Worship, to a close, and serious attendance to those Duties.’ I. F.
Indeed he might have said, I know no reason, why Any man when he makes Confession of the Christian Faith, and says the Lords Prayer, should not Do it Sincerely, which if he Do, he is Converted: But to Suppose (as 'tis Evident [Page 7] he does) that the Persons to whom he speaks, continue Vnconverted, and yet to say to them, ‘Nor do I know any reason, why you Cannot, &c.’ is Intolerable Ignorance in one that Pretends to be a Minister of the Gospel: For the Reason, which he says he Knows not, is as Evident, as it is, that Our SAVIOUR had said, Without Me [...]fe Can Do Nothing. Agreeable to that [...]aying of Our Blessed LORD, and the whole Tenor of the Gospel, are these words in the CATECHISM of the [...]hurch of England, after the Explica [...]on of Our Duty towards God, and [...]ur Duty towards our Neighbour:
‘My good Child, know this that [...]hou art Not able to do these things of Thy self, nor to walk in the Commandments of thy God, and to serve him, without his special Grace which [...]hou must learn at All times to call for [...]y diligent Prayer. Let me hear [...]herefore if thou canst say the Lords [...]rayer — What desirest thou of God in this Prayer?’
Answ. ‘I desire my Lord God, our [Page 8] Heavenly Father, who is the Giver of All Goodness, to send his Grace unto me, and to all People, that we may worship him, serve him, and obey him, as we ought to do.’
I do not find in all his Book one word Against those Hereticks, who in so many Books lately Publisht (and to heighten the Abomination, upon Pretence of Pure Religion) Blaspheme the Godhead of our Blessed SAVIOUR and of the HOLY GHOST; And yet most certainly These Men, as much as any other sort of Sinners (if not much more) Provoke the Wrath of GOD Against this Sinful Nation. Since I.F. and his Companions make such Boasts of HOLINESS, as if they were the only Persons that Contend for the Promoting of it in the World, this I Affirm, and Challenge any Non-Conformist to say any thing against it, if h [...] will not Submit to my Assertion: Tha [...] the Holiness or Sanctity of Man in th [...] Life is no Other thing, but that Ki [...] of Belief of THE ARTICLES O [...] THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, B [...] [Page 9] which the HOLY GHOST worketh in his Heart those Holy Desires which are Exprest in the LORDS PRAYER. Now let any man of Common Sense Judge whether these Persons are the chief Promoters of Holiness, who call the Ecclesiastical Injunctions for the Use of the CREED, and the LORDS PRAYER in Religious Assemblies, Toys, and Trifles. Against All the False Censures, and Contumelious Speeches, and Backbitings of this sort of Men I constantly APPEAL to Our Blessed LORD, Saying from the bottome of my Heart, COME LORD JESUS
TO Mr. JOHN GALPINE, Concerning His Printed Encomium Of J. F.
YOUR undertaking to Adorn the Memory of such a PESTILENT Schismatick, puts me in mind of what I wrote about Ten Years since, concerning a Person that had a Fancy to shew the like Kindness to the Memory of T. HOBBS. My words were these: ‘To Adorn the Memory of T. H. what is it but to Provide that the Corps of one that Dyed of the Plague may lye in State, that People coming to Behold it may contract the Infection?’
You say that I. F. ‘was well acquainted with the Mysteries of the Gospel, and in special with that admirable Mystery of Man's Redemption [Page 11] by Jesus Christ.’ How well he was acquainted with the Mystery of the Gospel we shall take Liberty to Judge, who have Observ'd the Satanical Falsehood of a great part of the Doctrine he has deliver'd in his Writings, particularly in the Book which he Impudently Entitles, The Fountain of Life Open'd: In the 182 pag. of that Book he has these very words: ‘There are not a whole World, no not half, but the far less part of the World Redeem'd with the Blood of Christ.’ If he that Believed this was well acquainted with the Mystery of the Gospel, of that admirable Mystery of Man's Redemption by Jesus Christ, then certainly the Blessed Apostle was very Erroneous, who Says Expresly, ‘HE is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for ours only, but also for the Sins of the WHOLE WORLD.’ Since it is the Practice of so many of those that Deny the Truth of the Gospel, as I. F. did, to Accuse us, as if we did derogate from the Doctrine of the Necessity of the Divine Assistance to Do any thing [Page 12] in order to our Salvation, who Acknowledge that we have ‘Learnt to Believe in God the Son, who hath Redeemed us, and ALL MANKIND.’ I shall shew you that J. F. shew'd himself to be Guilty of this Pernicious Error in his Answer to the 20th Question in the Sea-man's Catechism. ‘But I have no Strength of my own to come to Christ by, and is it not absurd to urge me upon impossibilities in order to my Salvation?’
This is indeed a Question of the Greatest Importance to the Souls of Men. The Answer that is given to it by all True Christians is this, That though of Our selves, or in Our own Natural Strength we are not Able to Do any thing Acceptable to God, we May Do All things Through CHRIST Enabling us: And CHRIST Offers the Assistance of His Holy Spirit to All those, who upon the Hearing of the Gospel are Sensible of Their own Impotency to Come to CHRIST, or to Walk in the Ways of God. The Answer which I. F. gives to this Question [Page 13] is Contrary to the Sense of All True Christians: for He wd Perswade a man to Act in order to his Salvation in His own Natural Strength. ‘You are more absurd, says He, in pleading, and pretending your Impotency against your Duty.’ To which I Reply, that No man shall ever be Able to Perform any Duty, that he owes unto God, 'till he shall be Convinc'd that Of Himself, or in His own Natural Strength, he can Do Nothing, but SIN. ‘For you think, says He, you have a Power to come to Christ, else how do you quiet your Consciences with promises, and resolves of Conversion hereafter?’ Answ. They Follow the Father of Lies who Quiet their Consciences with any thing, but a Sincere Resolution by the Help of CHRIST to Abstain from All Known Sin, and to Perform All Known Duty both towards God, and towards Man. Nothing can be more Absurd than for one, who Professes himself to be a Preacher of the Gospel to Disswade men from Believing that of themselves, or Without the Divine Assistance they [Page 14] are altogether Unable to Perform any Duty, to Do any thing Acceptable unto God. You say, ‘He did what lay in him to live Peacebly with all Men.’ Let them Judge whether you speak the Truth, who Consider the Malicious Reproaches he casts on the Church of England in the last Book he Publisht, and in his Book Entitled Husbandry Spiritualiz'd, and in the Sermon, you have Publisht, Entitled The Character of an Evangelical Pastor. Husb. Spirit. p. 94. This Book was Printed in the Year of Our Lord 1669, in which thus He Rails at the Church of England. ‘Tho there be Preaching, Prayer, and other Ordinances left (at least the names, and shadows of them) yet the presence of God is not with them. There is no marrow in the bone, no milk in the breast, and so, as to Soul-subsistence, 'tis all one, as if there were no such things.’ In the Sermon you have Publisht, your Evangelical Pastor (that had FOUR WIVES) Harps upon the same string. 'Tis manifest that the Minister he inveighs against are the [Page 15] English Clergy in that he Marks them by the Character of those that Live upon the Profits, And in that he gave the Whole Church of England the same Character, in such plain terms, in the Year 1669. ‘There is no marrow in the bone, no milk in the breast, &c.’ Is not this the same with what he now tells us, viz. ‘They Preach, they Pray because they must do so, but none are the better for their Prayers, or Preaching. They seem to labour an hour, or two in a week; but their labours turn to no account. Nor can be expected to turn to any good account, whilst they are neither animated by Faithfulness, nor guided by Prudence. Agricola writing De Amantibus Subterraneis, tells us of a certain kind of Spirits that converse in Minerals, and much infest those that work in them. They seem to busy themselves according to the custome of Workmen. They will digg and cleanse, melt and sever the Metals, Yet when they are gone, the Workmen do not find that there is any thing done.’ I Challenge [Page 16] You, and All your Brethren to Say any thing Like Truth Against what I Say in Defence of the Church of England, viz. ‘That it is most Evident that those Men are Guilty of Abominable Iniquity, who Endeavour to Seduce any People from the Communion of this Church, in which the Fundamental Articles of the Christian Religion are so clearly, and fully Exprest, and those most Important Expressions so frequently Repeated, that Persons of the lowest Intellectuals, who do not Rebel against the Light, in frequenting our Religious Assemblies, may more easily attain to the Knowledge of all things that are Necessary to their Salvation, than by Hearing, or Reading the best Sermons that have been, or shall be Preacht by any of the Non-Conformists, to the End of the World: Which Assertion is as Evident, as it is, That any Illiterate Persons, may more easily Meditate on Truths plainly Exprest, and frequently Suggested to their Remembrance, than Collect the same Truths out of divers large [Page 17] Discourses, if they were therein Imply'd: So that it can hardly be imagined, how any Man can be in any thing more Serviceable to the Destroyer of Souls, than by Teaching People to Despise our Catechism, and Common Prayer.’ As to Your most SLANDEROUS Insinuation, that We, who have Warn'd the Country against the Wicked Errors, that have been Publisht by I. F. do not heartily desire the Prosperity of the Church of Christ, and of the Souls of Men, we APPEAL to the Iudge of All Men, Considering that within a very short Time we must Appear Before His Iudgment Seat: And we all Concurr with Dr. MAVRICE in the Ardency of that Devotion, which He Expresses in his Book Entitled, A Defence of Diocesan Episcopacy, pag. 443. ‘Lord! How long shall mean Delusions be permitted to have so powerful and prevailing influence? How long shall the Woolf possess the Sheep against their Shepherds, and break into the Folds under the disguise of Sheeps-Cloathing? How long shall the deluded [Page 18] have eyes, and not see; and the Souls, for which Christ Died, be under the Power of Deceivers? How long will it be e're the Hypocrite be disrobed, and the People see through the disguise of those, who abuse them? Surely there will come a time, when God will hear the Prayers, and Expostulations of his Servants: When the faithful Shepherd shall gather together those that are scattered, and bring back those that are gone astray: When he shall carry them on his shoulders rejoycing, and triumphing in the disappointment of the beasts of prey: But who shall live, when this comes to pass? Blessed surely shall their Eyes be, who shall enioy the sight, a joyful and pleasant thing beyond expression it will be, to see Brethren dwell together in Vnity.’
I Pray God to Bless You, and to Turn You from your Iniquities: And to Bring into the Way of Truth al [...] those, that Err, and are Deceiv'd by You.
POSTSCRIPT.
YOU say that all that have seriously perus'd Mr. Flavel's Books must needs suffrage with you that He was a Man of a sound and solid Iudgment. I have perus'd divers of his Books with this Serious Consideration, That I must give Account to Almighty God what Censure I pass on them. Amongst many Remarkable Passages I have taken particular notice of this in his Husbandry Spiritualiz'd, p. 187. ‘When Fruits are shaken down from their Trees, then the Husbandman separates them; the far greatest part for the Pound, and some few he reserves for an Hoard, which are brought to his Table, and eaten with pleasure. This excellently shadows forth that great separation, which Christ will make in the end of the World, when some shall be cast into the Wine-press of the Almighty's [Page 20] wrath, and others preserved for glory.’
‘Those fruits which are preserved on the tree, or in the hoard, are comparatively but an handful to those that are broken in the pound. Alass 'tis scarce One of a Thousand, and such a small remnant of Elected Souls hath God reserved for Glory.’
Can you in good earnest conceive it was Judiciously done of this Famous Man thus to Compare the Wrath of God against the Damned, and his Mercy to those that are Sav'd, to the Pounding, and Hoarding of Apples. To any man that so Blasphemes the Divine Philanthropy, as to say that God has Absolutely Reprobated All Mankind, except such a small Number, as One of a Thousand, I shall give no other Answer but this, The LORD Rebuke Thee.