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(1.) 1 Col. i. 23.- The Gofpel which ye have. heard, and which was preached to every Creature under Heaven. By this Paffage, as by the preceding, the Quakers, in order to maintain their Entbufiafm, that the Word to every Creature, according to R. B's Ap. p. 132. may be rendered, in every Creature, That every individual Man therefore, has the Gospel inwardly preached to him by the Light within him.

(2.) Rom. x. 8. The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth, and in thy Heart. Here the Quakers fay, that St. Paul directed to the Romans, (by confequence to all Chriftians after bim) the inward powerful Word of the Gospel, preached. inwardly in the Hearts of all by the Light within. Rom. i. 19. What may be known of God, was manifeft in them, because God has fhewed it unto them, i. e. (fay the Quakers) by the Light within.

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(3) In the Word was Life, and the Life of the Word was the Light of Men, John i. 4. The Quakers fay the Light is neither natural Confcience nor the Law of God in the Heart of Man, nor Confcience illuminated by the Preaching of the Gospel, and the Operation of the Holy Ghoft thereon, but the Word God himself within them; and differs from other Emanations of Divine Grace, as the Workman from the Work.

(4) The Spirit it felf beareth Witness with our Spirit, that we are the Children of God, Rom. viii. 16. And 1 John iv. 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, becaufe he has given us of his Spirit. And Chap. v. 6. It

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304 is the Spirit that beareth Witness, because the Spirit is Truth. In behalf of their Inspiration, the Quakers fay, The Scripture, in this Paffage, doth not at all affirm it felf a Rule fufficient, to examine our felves whether we be in the Faith? But wholly afcribeth it to the Spirit.

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(5.) I will put my Law in their inward Parts, and write it in their Hearts, Jer. xxxi. 33. not, fay the Quakers, the Gospel in this diftinguifh'd from the Law; that whereas the old Law was outward, written without on Tables of Stone; the new Law or Gospel, is inward, written within on the Tables of the Heart? And therefore, they add, we must have the Knowledge of them now given us inwardly, by an inward immediate Re velation.

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(6.) And it fhall come to pafs afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flefh, and your Sons and your Daughters fhall prophecy. This being, fay the Quakers, Spoken of the Times of the Gospel; is not the Spirit of Prophecy, and immediate Infpiration, then always to continue in the Church.

(7) Is not, fay the Quakers again, the Promife of Chrift to the Apostles, that the Spirit fhou'd guide them into all Truth, and teach them 'all things, made to all Chriftians and Believers as well as to them? John xiv. 26.-xvi. 13.

(8) Again; Is not the Promife to the Apoftles of another Comforter, even the Spirit of Truth, to abide with them for ever, made to all Chriftians and Believers in all Ages, fince the Apoftles themselves were not to abide bere for ever? Joh. xiv. 16. (9.) Are

(9.) Are we not (they fay) all to wait fill with a quiet filence, as the Apofiles were required, for the Promife of the Father, which is the Spirit of Truth, to lead us into all Truth? Acts i 4. Luke xlix.-xvi. 13. ·

(10.) Was it not promifed that every one in the Times of the Gospel, fhou'd have fuch immediate Infpirations of the Spirit, as to have no need of any other Teaching; when it is faid, They fhou'd not teach every Man his Brother, faying, Know the Lord; For that all fhou'd know him, from the least to the greateft; which, (they fay) muft be by the immediate Inspiration of the Spirit? Jer. xxxi. 34. Heb. viii. 11.

(11.) Does not the Apostle John fay of all Chriftians in general, and of all Ages, that they have an Unction from the Holy One, and know all things, and need not that any Man teach them, but as the anointing teacheth them of all things? 1 John ii. 20, 27.

(12.) In another Inftance, for their pretended Infpiration the Quakers fay: Why may there not be among Believers now, Miracles in Spirit, which may be Signs and Wonders to the World, as the Prophet Haiah faith, Behold I, and the Children the Lord has given me, are for figns and wonders in Ifrael? Ifaiab viii. 18.

(13.) The Quakers arguing farther, fay: Are they not falle Minifters who preach Chrift without; are they not rather, true Minifters who preach Chrift within? Is it not great Pride in Minifters to appropriate to them

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felves

Art. 25. Jelves the Title of the Clergy, which fignifies God's Portion and Heritage, and is a Title given in Scripture to all Chriftians, 1 Pet. y. 3.

(14) The Quakers object, May not both Men and Women be allowed to preach in thé Affemblies of God's People, if the Spirit move them to it? For was it not foretold by Joel, that under the Gospel, Daughters and Husbands. fhall Prophecy? Joel xi. 28. And do we not read of the four Daughters of Philip who prophefied? Acts xxi. 9. And of Womens prophefying in the Church of Corinth? 1 Cor. xi. 5.

(15.) What Authority bave Minifters for preaching from a Text of Scripture? Does not the Apoftle recommend the immediate Infpiration, when. be afferts of bimfelf and other Minifters of the New Teftament, that they do not preach from or by the Letter of the Scripture? We are, fays St. Paul, not Minifters of the Letter but of the Spirit, 2 Cor. iii. 6.

(16) As for me this is my Covenant with them, faith the Lord; My Spirit that is upon thee, and my Words, which I put into thy Mouth, fhall not depart out of thy Mouth, nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed, faith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever, Ifaiab lix. 21. The Prophet (the Quakers object) doth not say that by means of Writings and Books he would convey the Words into their Mouths; but my words, even I, faith the Lord, fhall put into your Mouths, that is immediately, without any Medium or Means. And the perpetuity and continuing of this Promife, is fufficiently exprefs'd by his faying, It fhall not

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depart out of thy Mouth from henceforth and for ever.

(17.) Are we not required to watch unto Prayer, Pet. iv. 7. And what is this, the Quakers fay, but to wait for the feafonable time, when the Spirit moves thereunto?

How these Passages, and a great many other different Objections of the Quakers, are explain'd and answer'd by Mr. Smith, our Readers will form an Idea by the little Specimen we have given of the very firft Paffage; with a small Dialogue thereon. But they will be better Judges, if they perufe the Book it felf, and will find, as we have already hinted, that at the fame time that it refutes the Quakers, it ferves to illuftrate and confirm feveral material Doctrines of the Chriftian Religion, and is therefore very proper to be us'd, as a fort of Catechifm in all Chriftian Families.

ARTICLE XXVI.

A LETTER Communicated to us relating to Some Difficulties arifing arifing upon reading Mr. Woodward's Account of the Manner and Effects of the Deluge, as ftated in the Natural Hiftory of the Earth, illuftrated and enlarg❜d.

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