the Law in the Letter or as outwardly written And if this Immediate Light be not of a saveing Property what Light is And for what end is it given universally to Man-kind That they may be saved or onely to condemn them 2. Christ's enlightning all men as the Eternal Word and that with a spiritual Light flowing from himself as the Eternall Word Enlightening It is not with the Letter which killeth and Cannot give Life but with an Immediate Illumination or Influence of Light from himself which can both kill and make a live it hath both the Law or sentence of Death in it to the transgressor and quickning Vertue and Gospel in it to make alive to God and minister Life and Justification from God to them that truly obey it 3. This immed iate Light or Shining from Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word is neither the Letter of the Law nor created nor yet natural as Anabaptists use to say but as the Eternal Word enlightning man and the Life which was in him being the Light of Men is therefore a Light and Law which can give Life which the Law as in the Letter could not it being the Life it self that was in the Eternal Word H. G. The great Darkness of these Men who cry up Light and Power within this Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ p. 31. H. G. Contradiction The Lord Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightneth all Men this Light is the Substance of the Law the Candle of the Lord it doth convince of Sin p. 8. If Heathens follow it they would shine in just living the Work of Faith with Power I do mantain that Faith is required and must be wrought with Power in the Heart p. 15 16. G. W. Animad What horrible Blasphemy is it then to term our crying up the Light and Power of Christ within the Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ and how plainly hereby confuted We have Cause to look upon those Heathens that follow the Light or Gift of God within to be more godly and better Christians then many of these Baptists H. G. Rep. Your Lyes and Ignorance I say the Darkness of these Men who cry up Light and Power within is great and I did say in p. 31. I should make appear this Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ that is to say the Evil Doctrine and Principles of yours And do I contradict this in affirming there is a Light in all Men called the Candle of the Lord and in owning the Inward Work of Faith with Power upon the Heart c. p. 4. G. W. Answer Hath he not before evidently made their crying up Light and Power within the Character of the great Darkness and this the Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ You that understand Grammer and common Sence mark the Tenour of his Words and how he shuffles to cover this Blasphemy and Contradiction to his confessing that the Lord Jesus as the Eternal Word enlightneth all Men and this is our Principle though now he placeth the great Darkness Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ upon our Doctrine and Principles without Exception concerning the Light within and thus still ensnares himself in his Confusion as also in one while affirming that this Light in Man is the Substance of the Law or first Covenant another while that it is the formed Spirit in Man Zach. 12. 1. which is called the Candle of the Lord as in his 9th pag. of his first Book Where note that by seeking to obscure his gross Contradiction before he is run into another viz. One while calling the Light of the Eternal Word in every Man The Substance of the Law of the first Covenant yea now the Ministration of Death or Letter that killeth from 2 Corrinth 3. 6 7. cited by him another while he calls this Light in every man A Spirit that God hath given or formed in Man you who can distinguish between the Law or Letter of it written in Table of Stone and the Spirit of Man Judge if this Anabaptist be not plainly contradictory to himself herein for is the Spirit of Man and the Law written both one and the same thing And while the Spirit of Man is confest to be the Candle of the Lord it s lighted by his Divine Word or Fire The Lord hath lighted my Candle II. The Sufficiency of the Light within to reveal God Christ c. HEnry Grigg again shuffles and beggs the Question thus viz. Do not you say that this Light which is in every Man that cometh into the World is God is Christ is the Holy Spirit or Blessed Comforter and a Saving Light and that it will convince a Man of every Sin and Transgression and lead into all Truth c. Answ. He here questions the things which in his 18th pag he affirms The Quakers speak of the Light within viz. That it is the Divine Essence the Lord Jesus Christ the holy Spirit c. But I ask him where or in what Book and page do the Quakers speak all this of that Measure or Gift of Light that is in every man he deals disingenuously in not citing our own Books and Pages for these Words that we might consider further thereof seeing the Stress of his Charge lies so much on them which though we assert it to be a divine Light of God and Christ and holy Spirit which are one and omni-present filling Heaven and Earth over all and through all God unlimitted in his Presence which to man is an Enlightning Presence yet God and Christ is not revealed in all for he was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not yet his divine Light or immediate Shining in Man is manifest by measure or Degrees as man is capable to receive it the least degree whereof is saving to them that obey it and tends to direct and draw Man towards God who is the absolute and alone Saviour and he and his Light in men are inseparable whose Salvation is manifest by degrees as his Light or Grace in man's Heart is which hath taught us to wait and to look for that blessed Hope and the glorious apprearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Measure or Manifestation of this Light and Grace which immediately directs and leads to this Appearance of the great God and our Saviour must needs therefore be saving And because God or his Son in his infinite Fulness and Knowledge as in himself cannot be contained in man in that the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain God it follows not therefore that the Measure and Manifestation of his Light in Man is not convincing sanctifying or saving whilst it is confest to be a Light or Illumination of Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightning all Men and Women If the infinite Fulness or Giver of this Light cannot be contained in Man yet God hath promised to tabernacle with Men and to dwell in them it follows
yet cannot we think it good Arguing to infer the Gifts of God's Light and Spirit to the Gentiles that make far the greatest part thereof from these Scriptures that only seem to prove it the Priviledg of the Jews To which I Answer That I conceive I have urg'd those Scriptures already that afford a plain Conviction and Evincement of the Truth of that general Inference but because I am desirous from my very Soul in perfect Love to theirs that shall read this Discourse of removing what Objection I am able to fore-see it may meet with after it shall have past my hand I will endeavour to make appear first from SCRIPTURE and next from the Best Account we have of the DOCTRINES and LIVES of HEATHENS and lastly from REASON That God's Love in the Illumination of his Spirit or Gift of a Measure of his Divine and Saving Light was Universal or that Mankind was and consequently is antecedently to Christ's Coming in the Flesh enlightned with such a Measure of Light as was Saving in it self And to all such as received the Light and obeyed it in the Love of it In order to this I shall briefly insist on a few Scriptures some of which have been already quoted though not so directly to this Matter I. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with Man Here observe That no one Nation was interested more then another but Man stands for the whole Adam or Mankind from whence I do very truly Conclude that Mankind was not destitute of the Spirit or Light of the Almighty though it might be known in no higher Degree then that of a Convincer and Reprover of Sin yet it follows not But if man had yielded to the Striving of it doubtless he had been thereby redeemed from that Spirit of Iniquity that was the ground of his grievous Resistance which I call Salvation from sin II. They are of those that Rebel against the Light they know not the Wayes thereof nor abide in the Path thereof Here is no mention made of the Jews in this Chapter nor in many foregoing or following it if at all in the whole Book For Job is here giving the Character of wicked Men in general that is not with respect to any particular Nation so that we may well infer neither did he understand the Light whereof he spoke should be limited as to its Illumination or any particular People In short I argue thus If such as pluck the Fatherless from the Breast and take a Pledge of the Poor as the Context relates are those that Rebel against the Light and walk not in its Way then because that Vice was never limited to the Jews but other Nations work'd that Wickedness as well as they it will plainly follow that the Light against which such Offenders Rebell'd also was not limited to the Jews but extended to the Gentiles also unless it should be said That what was Rebellion and Wickedness in the Jews was not so in the Gentiles But because Sin was and is Sin all the World over Light was and is Light all the World over whether Men bring their Deeds to it or not III. But again let us hear the same Book speak Is there any Number of his Armies and upon whom doth not his Light Arise This Question carries in it a strong Affirmative of the Universality of God's Light as much as to say Who is there among all the Sons and Daughters of Men that can say I am not Enlightned by Him If then none can it must needs follow That all are Enlightned as well Gentiles as Jews IV. Thus much these two Notable Parables teach us of the Sower and the Lord that gave his Servants Talents They who believe Scripture must acknowledge them to represent God's Dealings with Mankind in reference to Gift Duty and Reward Observe the first Parable The same Day went Jesus out of the House and sate by the Sea side And great Multitudes were gathered together unto him so that he went into a Ship and sate and the whole Multitude stood on the Shore And he spoke many things unto them in Parables saying Behold A SOWER WENT FORTH TO SOW and when he sowed some Seeds fell by the Way side and the Fowls came and devour'd them up Some fell upon Stony places where they had not much Earth and forthwith they sprung up because they had no Deepness on Earth and when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had not Root they wither'd away and some fell among Thorns and the Thorns sprung up and choack'd them But other fell in Good Ground and brought forth Fruit some an Hundred-fold some Sixty-fold some Thirty-fold Who has Ears to hear let him hear It is granted by all that I know of that the Seeds-Man is God the Scripture saith the Seed is the Word of the Kingdom which must needs be the Spiritual Word nigh in the Heart suitable to the Heavenly Kingdom Christ said was within other-wise call'd Light that is said to be sown for the Righteous or the Grace that appeares unto all-Men and brings Salvation to them that are taught by it And lastly common Sense tells us that the several Grounds comprehend Mankind for they must either include the Bad with the Good or the Good only must be benefited But the very Scripture expresly distinguisheth betwixt the Good and Bad Ground yet affirms the one to have been sown with the Seed as well as the other Therefore Gods Gift is Universal however Men by Wicked Works may have render'd their Hearts Stony Thorny or otherwise defective and uncapable of bringing forth Fruit. The other Parable is also very weighty and much to our purpose For the Kingdom of Heaven is as a Man travelling into a far Country who called his own Servants and delivered unto them his Goods and unto one he gave Five Talents to another Two and to another One to every Man according to his several ability and straight-way took his Journey Then he that had received Five Talents went and traded with the same and made them other Five Talents and likewise he that had received Two he also gained other Two But he that had received One went and digged in the Earth and hid his Lord's Money After a long time the Lord of those Servants cometh and Reckoneth with them And so he that had received Five Talents came and brought other Five Talents saying Lord Thou deliveredst unto me Five Talents Behold I have gained besides them Five Talents more His Lord said unto him Well done thou Good and Faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. He also that received Two Talents came and said Lord Thou deliveredst unto me Two Talents Behold I have gain'd Two other Talents besides them His Lord said unto him Well done Good and Faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will
World began But the true saving Knowledge of whom is spiritual and divine and inwardly received in his own Light and Life within and saving Faith is in his Name and divine Power as inwardly revealed Stephen Crisp's Answer to T. H. THomas Hicks I having seen thy Book called a Dialogue c. and finding my Name mentioned in page 44. and 45. have very seriously taken notice of thy manner of Rehersal of my Words and thy own spoken at that Conference which we once had at Bartholomew-Close and that I know of I never saw a Narrative of a thing past given forth with more Falshood and Hypocrisie then that is and with a known and witting Purpose to deceive the Reader and to abuse me and I am perswaded Thomas thou hast in thy self a Knowledge of it and surely except thou repent and obtain Forgiveness it will one Day be heavy to thee The Business or matter upon which we treated was about our holding and believing Christ to be the Light of the World or that the Light which lighteth the World and every one that cometh into the World was and is the true Christ which was then proved by plain Scripture and whereas I do not intend a Narrative of the Discourse but only to dis-abuse the Reader and to make known the Occasion of these Words of mine thou hast mentioned therefore I shall pass over most of our Discourse and come to the matter relating to Christ. And that thou didst say as thou mentions in thy Book that no Spirit nor Principle was capable of Suffering and being Crucified is true thou didst say so but how faise the matter it self is let the Scriptures be judge Do they not speak in many places of the Sufferings Pressures Vexings Burdenings Grievings and Quenchings of the Spirit and do they not speak of crucifying afresh killing and slaying the Lamb of God the Lord of Glory the 〈◊〉 One from the Foundation of the World in the Streets of Sodom and Aegypt c which Sayings cannot have Relation to that Body that hanged upon the Cross which was not from the Foundation of the World nor was â—…ot in Sodom nor never hanged upon a Cross in Egypt but he whom the Saints called our Lord and the Lord from Heaven a quickning Spirit was capable of suffering these things besides those great Sufferings which he suffered in that Body in which he conversed with men in the Form of a Servant in the â—…arts of Judea and Jerusalem whom the Jews took and hanged upon a Cross without the Gates of Jerusalem who I believe dyed for Sinners and is raised up again by the Power of God exalted therein above the Power which caused him to suffer and sitteth now at the right Hand of God and maketh 〈◊〉 for the Saints and is the Ruler over the true Israel of God who destroyes his Enemies with the Spirit of his Mouth and the Brightness of his coming New this Christ of God thus truely considered I neither said nor thought I knew the Date or Beginning of as thou dost wickedly suggest for I know he is without beginning of Dayes or end of Life and such an high Priest becometh us to have and blessed are they that believe in him and are faithful to him and now having answered what thou malitiously wouldst have the Reader believe which I am perswaded thou thy self dost not believe viz. That it is my Judgment and Belief that Christ hath a Beginning and Date I shall now declare the Occasion of such Words when I was about to prove to thee that this Principle of Light was that 〈◊〉 of Ages in which the Fathers and Prophets believed and that it was that Word which came unto the Prophets and which was known to Abraham to his rejoycing c. thou madest me this Answer That the Names Jesus and Christ were not proper unto any Spirit Word or 〈◊〉 whatsoever either in Heaven or in Earth but unto that Body or Person which was born of the Virgin to which I replyed I remember John Newman hath written so in his Book but I had thought you Baptists had not owned him in it but now I see you do and thou saidst yes thou didst for though thou grantedst that the Word and Spirit was from the beginning yet that was not nor could not properly be called Christ or Jesus but that Person that was born of the Virgin that only was Jesus and Christ where uppon I 〈◊〉 then I know the date and beginning of thy Christ upon which thou criedst out Blasphemy to which I replyed and asked thee if thou thoughtst I did not know how long it was 〈◊〉 he was born as well as thou or another man c. and after that did prove to thee by plain Scripture that the very Assertion was false to say there was no Jesus nor Christ before and did mention the Rock of which the Fathers did drink and which followed the Jews in the Wilderness which Rock saith the Apostle was Christ not is now become Christ but was Christ and the same Apostle saith that God made all things by Jesus Christ mark Thomas if this be so then he was before Mary was or besore he became Flesh or took that Body made of a Woman for the Prophet testified that he that should be born in Bethlehem his Out-goings was from of old I say the more concerning this because thou endeavour'st to cast the Socinian Leven of which thou didst appear that night too full upon me as if I looked upon Jesus Christ as a meer Creature whose beginning and date I knew when as those Words were only spoken with Detestation of and in Testimony against thy corrupt Socinianism that Night uttered who also made a great Stir with me for saying the Eternal Son of God Thy Foundation is manifest Thomas thou canst not hide it this Way and as concerning thy foolish pratling in page 45. that if I knew his beginning then he was not God and if I knew his date or when he ceased to be then he is not man this is not all worth the answering the pretended Foundation thereof being taken away and thou left naked in thy Folly and Perverseness having shewn thy self but as one who makes a Likeness of a man and sets it up and then beats it down again and goes away and boasts of Conquest But for a Conclusion I shall ask thee and thy Reader a Question Suppose that a man should affirm to me that all things come by Nature and that there is no universal Spirit of Life to quicken them and I should answer thereuppon and say Then there is no God I query were this sufficient Reason to charge me that I were an Atheist that I held there was no God or ought it not to be taken as detecting the Atheism of the first Assertor this is my case with thee which I refer to that of God in all Consciences and let that judge in and amongst men and thee I
that are not written Joh. 20. 30. and Joh. 21. 25. To this I say It s an easie matter for Intruders to ask unlearned and unnecessary Questions whereof this is one of those many other Signs and Things that Jesus did it s said If they should be written every one I suppose that even the World it self could not contain the Books Joh. 20. 25. how then should this Querist be capable to contain them I suppose he doth not think himself able to contain more then the World it self If he saith it is an hiperbolical Expression then is his Question hiperbolical to be sure And if we cannot give him Account of all those Signs and things in particular while we are not sollicitous to know them nor do we think it needful is that any valid Plea or Proof against the Sufficiency of the Light within or Spirits Teaching Would such an Argument against the Scriptures being the Rule please him because they contain not all that was done God gives us to know what 's sufficient and necessary for Life and Salvation by his Light within But if the Word contain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be taken for to understand as Mat. 19. 11. to comprehend Job 21 25. Then in that Sence there 's far more written in the Scriptures already then either our Opposer or his Brethren can either comprehend or understand and therefore it s a busie Intrusion and Cavil in them to query for more while they oppose the true Light within and will not believe in it nor depend upon the Immediate Teachings of the Spirit of Truth from whence the holy Scriptures proceeded but dark they are and more grosly dark and confused they are like to be who persist in that gain-saying Spirit of Prejudice and Enmity against the Light of Truth which I desire the Lord to give them a Sight and Sence of unto Repentance rather then they should perish in their perverse Gain-sayings THE Angry Anabaptist Proved BABYLONISH IN Answer to Henry Grigg's Pamphlet stiled The Baptist not Babylonish Wherein Whilst he endeavours to reconcile his Contradictions in his Book Entituled Light from the Sun c. Charged upon him in a Paper Entituled The Babylonish Baptist He is run into more Contradictions Absurdities and false Accusations against the People of God called Quakers and their Principles By G. W. Ex ore tuo te judicabo Printed in the Year 1673. The Heads of the following Treatise I. OF the Light of the Eternal Word in Man and the Anabaptist confounded about it II. The Sufficiency of the Light within to reveal God Christ c. III. The Effect of Christ's Sufferings only known in his Light within IV. The saving Work of the Spirit V. How the Light in Man is a Gift and H. G' s Distinction between the Meritorious and Instrumental Cause of Salvation examined VI. The Lord's Supper in the Type and in the Anti-Type the Shadow and Substance distinguished VII The Anabaptist's Imposition about their Shadowy Baptism VIII Their Definition of the true Saviour and his Being IX The Hypostatical Union X. His Charge against the Quakers Principles and Doctrines of the Light within proved impure vile and ignorant and the Spirituality Divinity and Sufficiency of the Light within further asserted XI His sad and impious Prayer against the Light in all which Light is proved of the same Nature or kind with the Witness in Believers XII His groundless Comparison and Distinction between the Light of God in man and the Light of Christ or Gospel further refuted XIII His belying us with denying the Man Christ Jesus to â—…loak his own Absurdity and Ignorance of Christ and his Being XIV That scriptural Distinction between the Eternal Son of God and the Body prepared for him further maintained and the Anabaptist's persecuting Spirit reviling and traducing the Inocent reproved XV. A Warning and Reproof to Hen. Grigg c. XVI The Baptist's nine Questions answered THE Angry Anabaptist Proved BABYLONISH IN Answer to H. G's Pamphlet stiled The Baptist not Babylonish WHereas H. G. pretends he hath set down my Animadversions upon his Contradictions in order exactly after my own Fashion pag. 1. I say this is not true he hath left out the latter part of five of them which it appears did pinch him Therefore I shall represent to the Reader his Contradictions with my Animadversions and the Stress of his Exceptions whereby he would endeavour to make People believe he hath not contradicted himself but that we must refer to the Impartial Readers to judge of in the Light of Truth I. Of the Light of the Eternal Word in Man and the Anabaptist confounded about it HEnry Grigg saith viz. I utterly deny that this Light which all Men have from the Glorious Creator is a saving Light pag. 8. of his Book called Light from the Sun of Righteousness H. G. in Contradiction saith I really believe that the Lord Jesus Christ AS the Eternal Word hath given Light or enlightneth all Men and Women that come into the World p. 8. G. W. his Animadversion The Light or Life of the Eternal Word which is the Light of Men Joh. 1. 4. is spiritual and divine as is that Word and therefore saving to all that truly obey it H. G. replyes It seems to me as if this Man had lost his Common Reason because I deny that the Light which is in all Men is a saving Light and yet say I really believe all have a Light in them from Christ considered as Creator This cannot be a Contradiction unless he can prove there is no Light proceeding from the Eternal Word as Creator but what is saving p. 2. G. W. answereth Whilst he would insinuate that the Light in every Man is created or a Creature he meerly beggs the Question and still remains in his self-Contradiction for he dare not say That AS the Eternal Word Jesus Christ is a Creature Neither is his Light that proceedeth from him as that Word created any more then that Life which was in him which Life was the Light of Men will they say this is either created or natural As the Eternal Word is divine so is the Light or immediate Shining thereof in Man's Conscience H. G. What though it be granted that the Light which all Men that come into the World are lighted which flows from the Eternal Word and so is spiritual must it needs therefore be a saving Light Was not the Law given forth on Mount Sinai a Light of or come from the Eternal Word and doth not Paul say that the Law is spiritual Rom. 7. 14. and yet a Ministration of Death 2 Cor. 3. 7. and that killed and in other places that there was no Justification by it G. W. Answer 1. If it be a spiritual Light in Man proceeding and flowing from the Eternal Word it must therefore be the Eternal Word that immediately shineth in Man's Heart which is not created nor natural for all have not
and your darkness and enmity wherewith its you that are stirring up Smoak and Darkness with prejudice against the Truth the true Light and against us for bearing witness thereto XIV That Scriptural Distinction between the eternal Son of God and the Body Prepared sor him further maintained and the Anabaptist Persâ—…cuting spirit Reviling and Tradâ—…cing the Innocent Reproved AS touching that distinction of the Christ and that Body which was prepared for him which he took up and dwelt in as hinted in a book entitled Some Principles of the Elect People c. p. 116. and 117 which he cites as a proof that the Quakers are found daily denying the man Christ This can be no denying of the Man Christ as in that Body unless either that Body alone was Christ without the Spirit or the names Christ the Anointed or Son of God did originally strickly and solely belong to the meer Flesh or Outside and that the Son of God was not in being before he took upon him that Body which I know none own but such as deny his Divinity and eternal Generation sor that Flesh or Body is sometimes called the Body of Jesus this Temple the Form of a Servant which he took upon him a Body prepared for him and HE Jesus Christ come in the Flesh c. Also in the said Book you are asked what that is which appeared in the Body whether that was not the Christ before it took up the Body after it took up Body and ever p. 117. yet far be it from us to deny Christ being truly Man because we confess his Divinity or to deny him in any of his Appearances either in the Flesh or Spirit for he was truely Christ the Son of God when miraculously conceived and Born of the Virgin Mary and his Name was also called Immanuel God with us now dare you say that all these eminent names and Divine Appellations given to him when in the Flesh did most properly and originally belong to the Flesh or Body and not rather to something more Eminent and Divine therein Again if the Quakers were so notorious gâ—…ilty of horrible Heresies Delusions and vilâ—… impostures as this Opposer saith and that they are found daily in the Sight of all Persons denying the Man Christ Jesus and appearing to all men to be Babylonish rather then H. G. and other Baptists pag. 17 20 21 22. Why then do divers of you Anabaptists and Dippers so fret rage and turmoyle your selves against the Quakers if they be so apparently Erronious and Babylonish in the Sight of all Persons what need is there then of your scribling so many Books and Pamphlets against them in this time of Liberty as if you could not demean your selves quietly unless you see them under Persecution for with that you appear most quieted But still your striving raging and clamouring against us doth imply you have lost ground and you cannot inforce such a belief in people against the Quakers as you would thousands have secretly a Witness for us and a better belief of us then that we are such horrible Hereticks or vile Impostors as daily in the sight of all deny the Man Christ or are Ravening Wolves c. as this old angry Anabaptist would have them believe who also prays in his Conclusion thus viz. The Lord deliver Christ's Poor Lambs from being preyed upon and devoured by ravening Wolves There 's two things to be Considered in this man 's thus praying 1. How This agrees with the Doctrine of personal election from eternity as held by some of his Brethren whether those they all count so unchangeably and particularly elected are or can be in any such danger of being devoured 2. His great Care over these poor Nations in praying the Lord to deliver them from Horrible Heresies and vile Impostures p. 17. as if theâ—…e Anabaptists were so National In their Dipping-Church and Society or as if they were either devout members of the National Church or these poor Nations were mostly Anabaptists or ready to be dipt by them Is it not easie to see these Men's temporizing Hippocritical Insinuations and all in the height of their Envy to persecute and run down the poor despised Quakers if it were possible but the Lord God who hath stood by us in our Tribulations and Sufferings will disappoint their malitious Design and frustrate the Tokens of Lyars and the Pit which they have digged for us they shall fall into themselves As for H. G. his saying He never saw yet any distinct solid Answer given by G. W. to any Book which hath come out against them pag. 2â—… I must leave that to God's Witness to judge of and to those that are free from Prejudice and Partiality against me which I am sure H. G. with some of his Brethren are not who hath little cause to boast of his Answer as any Sollid Piece that so much savours of Envy and Reviling XV. A Warning and Reproof to Hen. Grigg c. Hen. Grigg IT s high time for thee to Repent Lest in thy old Age thou beest cut off in the Guilt of Enmity and Falsehood who hast turned thy back of the Light of Truth in thee which through Judgment would have reformed thee the testimony whereof thou art now turn'd against Repent Repent Lest thy dayes and visitations from God be Extinct in utter darkness and thou have thy Reward therein among Hypocrites and such as contentiously resist the Truth Thou sayest thou art outwardly decayed and the time of thy departure is at hand Light Sun p. 73 74. And concludest Now Reader if thou hast received any spiritual Benefit from what hath thus occasionally been written by a poor Worm Weakling and nothing Creature c. p. 94 95. To all which I say 1st It is high time for thee to be better Prepared for thy Departure by a true and unfeigned repentance of all thy Prejudice and hard Speeches against a People fearing God and their Principle which is on the behalf of the true Light in man 2dly Thou hast entered into a War troublesome and Contest against that which will be too strong for thee and thy Assistant when thou shouldest rather prepare for a Rest. 3dly What thou hast written savours too much of Flesh and fleshly Conceits which are against the Spirit and Light within to afford spiritual Benefâ—…t to the Reader 4thly Occasionally written What occasion to print and publish such a Book so much reflecting thy natural Sister Was a private Letter from her such a great Occasion to print both it and perverse Commentaries upon it against her Didst thou herein do like a natural Brother or didst thou and thy Brethren think this would be a good Expedient to work a Conviction upon her Infamously to notifie her to the World in print for a private Letter wherein was much wholesom Advice to thee Oh shame upon such a Procedure as this of thine against thy Sister 5thly A poor Worm Weakling and nothing Creature What
they shall seize upon their Bodies and Tear them and Dragâ—… them to the Judgment Seat and there is none to Rescue and Deliver them 3. The Third Antecedent to the Judgment of the Wicked will be their Meeting one with another O what an innumerable Company of Rebels and Traytors and Villains will then be got together How fiercerly and horribly will they look one upon another And if they speak what Language of Hell will there issue forth of their Lips They may meet with their old Companions and Fellow-Sinners but it will not be like such as they now call Meetings of Good Fellowship when they get together in a Tavern Ale-house or someHouse of Wickedness to Drink and Sing and Daunce and Sin and make Merry in the pleasing of their Flesh they shall not then have Ale and Wine and Women and Musick or any Incentives to Mirth and tensual Pleasures O the Angry Countenances the Wicked will have on that Day O the Angry Speeches How will they Rage and Storm at one another p. 52. O the Horrible Noise that will be amongst the Damned Crew when they are got together It may be from Words they fall to Blows and Tear one anothers Hair and Spurn at one anothers Bellies and Bite one anothers Flesh and even Claw out one anothers Eyes we cannot conjecture so much of the Misery of the VVicked as will be on that Day p. 53. Friends will be together at that Day as at other times Some will be in Churches together it may be Ministers preaching and People hearing as you are hearing me this Day Suppose that the Heavens should just now open and you should hear the Sound of the last Trumpet then all you that are Believers would immediately be caught up into the Clouds but all you that are Impenitent and Unbelievers would be left behind VVhat Terror would fall upon you to see us caught away from you It may be some of you might come hanging about me and others when you see us arrayed in shining Garments O take us up along with you VVhat will you leave us behind Alas what can I do for you then p. 54. I came with Oyle often to Sell from my Lord and Master and you might have had it for nothing you might have bought it without Money and without Price but then you â—…leighted and refused all Proffers of Grace which were made p. 56. Alasâ—… VVhy do you hang about me with Tears and VVeeping VVhat can I do for you now Can I carry you all up with me in my Arms If all of us together could hand and help some of you up into the Air with us and bring you into the Presence of our Dear and Glorious Redeemer with what Confidence could you stand before him with what Face could you look upon him when you are so Black and Filthy VVould not your Looks betray you to be none of our Number Would not your black and Trembling Joynts speak what you are Could we carry you up with us If you should lay hold on us would not the Angels snatch us out of your Arms or would not Devils tear you away from us pag. 58. The Saints are all risen and have put on their Glorious Attire and we are called for It is your own Faults that you did not help to fill up this Number p. 59 The whole Innumerable Company of Saints shall attend Christ in white shining Garments with Bodies like unto Christ more Beautiful and Glorious then the most spendid Attire can make them pag. 66. The Accusers of and Witnesses against the Wicked they will be 1. God 2. Men. 3. Devils 4. Themselves First God's Justice will arraign the Wicked before the Judgment-Seat of Christ p. 78. 2. God's Goodness and Bounty and Patience will accuse them 3. God's Omniscience will be a Witâ—… ness against the VVicked at the Day of Judgment pag. 79. 1. Ministers will be the Accusers and VVitnesses against the VVicked p 80. 2. The Godly Friends of the VVicked will be their Accusers and VVitnesses against them 1. The Believing Husband will then accuse and witness against his Unbelieving VVife pag 83. 2. The Believing Wife will then accuse her Unbelieving Huâ—…band p. 84. 3. Believing Parents will VVitness against their Ungodly Children p. 85. 2. The Ungodly Friends and Companions of the VVicked will at that Day be their Accusers and witness against them 3. Devils will be the Accusers and VVitnesses against the VVicked p. 86. 4. The VVicked will be accused by themselves their own Thoughts shall accuse them in the Day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ their own Consciences will accuse them and be as a Thousand Witnesses against them They will find all their Sins registered in that Book and that Book will then be opened and they will not be able to deny one word of what they shall find there recorded Concerning the Conviction Suppose that this very Day were the Day of Judgment and in this very Church were the Judgment-Seat that here were a great white Throne and the Lord Jesus Christ sitting upon it in his Glory with Millions of Holy Angels about him and all the Saints in white at his Right Hand and on his Left all the VVicked gathered together into one Body as it will be at the Last Day And the Judge should cry with a loud Voice Bring the Prisoners to the Bar Bring the Sinners to Judgment p. 87. and so summon and convict particular Sinners 1. Come forth all ye Ignorant Persons who have not known the Father nor me nor the Mysteries of Salvation who lived in Darkness and loved Darkness and hated the Light leâ—…t your Deeds should hereby have been reproved had you an Ear and yet not hear so as to learn Had you an Eye and yet not see so as to understand And if you were Naturally Blind had not I Eye-salve Could not I have opened your Eyes was I not willing Did I not stand in the Gates to call upon you How long ye Simple Ones will you love Simplicity and Fools haâ—…e Knowledge Turn unto me and I will pour out my Spirit upon you and make known my VVords unto you Have you neglected me through Ignorance Is not your Fault double because you have neglected Knowledge too Did not you hate Knowledge and therefore disregardâ—… Did not you love Sin and therefore shunned the Light which would have discovered it and disturbed you in your wicked Courses Have you liked Darkness so well and is it not 〈◊〉 then that you should go to the Place where there is Blackness of Darkness forever TAKE THEM DEVILS BIND THEM HAND AND FOOT 2. Come forth all ye Sloathful Unprofitable Persons Had not ye Talents committed to you for my Use and Service and what have ye done with them did you bury them in the Earth p. 88. 89. Did not Hell gape for you long ago and Devils long for
suffering Times and se 〈◊〉 Inâ—…erest and Gain hath much stopt you (t) You cannot get them rooted out without the Power of God which only is received by believing in his Light within (v) Your House is not yet purged of them however this was an honest Care to endeavour such a purging better then to excommunicate Persons for owning the Light within (w) Which they are very prone to for Advantage (x) Many more Evils you had nâ—…od now to spread before them But S. S. tells us not whether or no he owns those Books called Apocrypka or any of them as any part of his Rule or Canon or whether he is not of the same Opinion with his Masters of the Assembly where in their confession they say that the Books commonly call'd Apocrypha not being of divine Inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scriptures therefore are of no Authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of then other human Writings Thus farr the Assembly but this general Debasement of these Books we cannot own 1 Sam 28. 11. 〈◊〉 This Contra-distinction is his own or Tutor's Inventing * Mark well pag. 93. pag. 94. pag. 95. pag. 96. * Though they seem to render Adam worse then the Devil who is the Author of sin and Immediate Tempter to it to lay more to Adam's Charge then to the Devil or their own corrupt Hearts and vile Affections which constantly attâ—…nd them pag. 98. Luk. 15. 18 19. pag. 99. To his 10. 11th Argum. pag. 89. pag. 130. pag. 100. pag. 100. The Apostles Doctrine our Opposers Inconsistent * Many more Comparisons instances might be produced to 〈◊〉 how inconsisient our Opposers are with the true Apostles and their Doctrine Object pag. 101. pag. 102. Notewhat Doctrine is here Phil. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Arg. 12. 13. pag. 103. pag. 103. 104. pag. 104. pag. 106. pag. 102. pag. 104. Truth saith not this to Christ but to the Offenders Deut. 27. A Testimony against S. S's Doctrine Isa. 43. 11 25. pag. 104. pag. 104. pag. 105. As S. S. hath pag. 105. Also his Brother T. Dans. saith Christ was not Innocent but guilty of our Sins when he suffered Synops. p. 36 40. pag. 105. pag. 105. Heb. 12. 24. Chap. 9. 14 15. pag. 106. Christ's tasting Death for every Man could not be the same with the full Punishment that 's due for Sin pag. 106. pag. 107. pag. 108. Is not this like the Language of Hell or theirs saing of Christ will he kil himself And he is guilty of death This is something like his Brother W. Haworth his Affirming That the Father poured out all his Wrath upon his Son Jesus Christ and that this way he Satisfied Vengeance which he cals his Justice in his Epistle to their Quaker Converted answered by John Crook and W. Bayly in their Book Rebellion rebuked but the Adversaries of Truth shall finde there 's wrath yet for them if they repent not pag. 109. pag. 109. pag. 109. pag. 109. pag. 110. pag. 110. Object 〈◊〉 Hebr. 9. 23. The Presbyterians or Predestinarians Gospel anti-scriptural The Conditions and Tendence of the Quakers Gospel Scriptural Presbyter Opinion * What soever makes no Exception of either good or bad Actions of men and this is high Ranterism * Note They place it upon particular Persons rendering God a Respecter of Persons * Whereas he dyed for all men and is a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World These were of cur Opposers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Order or Rank 1 Cor. 15. 23. Edom relates to the Earthly Birth Gen. 35. 10. Confession of Faith The Hardness and Cruelty of Pharaoh 〈◊〉 appâ—…ared against the Hebrews witness the Murtherous Intentioâ—… of that King who gave Command to kill thâ—… Male-children Exod 1. 16. their great Affliction Bondage v. 11 14. until the Lord heard their Cry aâ—…ter much Forbcarance pag. 115. * Which is our Sense of the Matter in both * Note the Consequences of the Predestinaâ—…ian Opinion against universaâ—… Grace Pag. 116. 1 Sam. 11. 5 15. 12. 9. Psal. 89 These many do slight and refuse and both resist grieve quench the Spirit in its low and tender Appearance to their own Destruction and Misery when the Love and long Suffering of God is turned into Wrath and Indignation against them * How long before their Conformity to Christ were they appointed Was it from all Eternity or rather in their Age and Time Had not this and all other meer Acts and Works of God a beginning in their time and season considered as meer Acts Could this of his appointment then be from eternity and so far a Preappointment meerly respecting particular Persons and with exclusion of all besides from any saving Grace This is still harsh and partial and unequal contrary to God's Wayes although as the general Fore-appointment and Ordination of God concerning the true Believers and obedient is that they shall be saved So this Predestina ion or Fore-appointment includes or reaches all the many holy Brethren in whom Christ is formed Vid. Mass in Lat. Eng. by Ja. Mountain pag. 121 122 123. pag. 69. Pag. 69. Pag. 70. Pag. 70. Indef Seek pag. 71. The Light within the Rule Pag. 74. Vide Gill's Sermen on Eccl. 7. 19 20. in his Essay * Dialoge 1 Cor. 15. 22 23. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 8. Phil. 1. 21. Acts 17. 30 31. Mat. 10. 15. 11. 22 24. 12. 36. Job 21. 30. 2 Pet. 2. 9. 3. 7. Psal. 102. 25. Hebr. 1. 10 11 21. See also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 19. 〈◊〉 * He takes It for Idem the Self same Body but where hath he this â—…ither from the Greek or Latine on the place cited Isa. 3. 9. Luk. 20. 35. * T. D. 〈◊〉 Note Pag. 16. * Note Then not the same gross Bodies but as a pure Extract * Which cannot be This 〈◊〉 Flesh. * Not Why are we not then to have as spiritual a Sense of the Resurrection * Nay they shall have far better * A Glory 〈◊〉 that of 〈◊〉 Earthly Bodies * Not only as spiritually qualified but as a spiritual Body * Which excel all Terrestrial Bodies * Concerning the Judgment of the Wiked * Which is not Carnal but Spiritual * And who must make so vile and like Devils * And who must drag the Devils to Judgment then if they must be so officious for Justice * What sad Work 's here * He thinks of a Good Place for himself however * Rather an empty talk to sell at a dear raâ—… * Presbyters are not wont to be so free * Is it so then God did not decree it as his own meer Wist Pleasure 〈◊〉 personal Election and Reprobation * Was he so Good Doctrine But then he did not decree their Damnation from eternity * True then the true light was freely given to them to shew them the Way out of evil * That was their Fault still and not Gods Decreâ—… * What will become of the Covetous Priests and Presbyters then * And so did many of the Presbyters when parish Priests * An Uncharitable Sentence * The guilty Conscience and dâ—…filed Mind is attended with such Imaginations of Torments which though they are not real but Imaginary yet they produce a real Torment and Horror to some and in these things appears an Image of that future Darkness that the Wicked will have their due Rewards in But these frightfull Stories of T. Vincent's do not fright People out of their Sins nor reach their Consâ—… for that End They must be directed to the LIGHT which discovers Sin and disturbeth Men in their wicked Courses as he corâ—…sesseth To this they must come and bring their Deeds whoever escape Damnation or attain to the blessed Resurrection and future Glory From a true Sence and Knowledge of the Terrors of the Lord men may be perswaded from Evil to Good and their Hearts become broken with a sence of his Goodness therein when meer Dreams and Fancies will not fright them to Heaven nor truly reduce them from any Sin or Evil. * Note 2 Cor. 5.