An humble apology for non-conformists with modest and serious reflections on the Friendly debate…

Answ. The sense of the Author of the Debate and divers other Interpreter? and the sense in ⟨p. 54⟩which the Assembly and many other pious and learned Preachers use this Scripture, 1 Cor 2.4 need not necessarily to exclude one the other. Take Bishop Hall's Paraphrase upon the place My speech both in my private Exhortation, and i• my publicly Preachings, was not curiously plausible as if I would win with words of humane Eloquent and Wit; but in plain and powerful expressions […] God's Spirit speaking in me, and working in you […] me. And the pious, prudent, and learned Bishop of Chester, in his Ecclesiastes, directing what kind of phrase a Minister must use in his preaching, saith, it must be affectionate and cordial, […] proceeding from the heart, and an experimental acquaintance with those Truths which we deliver — adds, this it to speak in the demonstration of th• Spirit and of Power. Besides, the learned D• Hammond tells us in his Comment on the New Testament, that divers places in the Old-Testament are said to be fulfilled in the New b• way of Accommodation. And why may not this Scripture be used by Ministers by way of Accommodation also? Do not the Sons of the Church pray for the Clergy of England, as for God's own Tribe, the Tribe of Levi? Besides, if you seriously consider the Context, you may see cause not wholly to reject the other interpretation namely that of Mr. Dixon in loc. Demonstrative nibus Scriptura & solida Veritatis quibus Spirit• potenter see exerebat & operabatur in vestris animis

Answ. The sense of the Author of the Debate and divers other Interpreter? and the sense in ⟨p. 54⟩which the Assembly and many other pious and learned Preachers use this Scripture, 1 Cor 2.4 need not necessarily to exclude one the other. Take Bishop Hall's Paraphrase upon the place My speech both in my private Exhortation, and i• my publicly Preachings, was not curiously plausible as if I would win with words of humane Eloquent and Wit; but in plain and powerful expressions 〈…〉 God's Spirit speaking in me, and working in you me. And the pious, prudent, and learned Bishop of Chester, in his Ecclesiastes, directing what kind of phrase a Minister must use in his preaching, saith, it must be affectionate and cordial, proceeding from the heart, and an experimental atquaintance with those Truths which we deliver — adds, this it to speak in the demonstration of th Spirit and of Power. Besides, the learned D Hammond tells us in his Comment on the New Testament, that divers places in the Old-Testament are said to be fulfilled in the New b way of Accommodation. And why may not this Scripture be used by Ministers by way of Accommodation also? Do not the Sons of the Church pray for the Clergy of England, as for God's own Tribe, the Tribe of Levi? Besides, if you seriously consider the Context, you may see cause not wholly to reject the other interpretation namely that of Mr. Dixon in loc. Demonstrativ nibus Scriptura & solida Veritatis quibus Spirit potenter se exerebat & operabatur in vestris animis