his fleshly State being weakned cannot perform Bp. Sanderson saith further The new Law that is the Gospel binds all to whom it is preached to the Obedience both of Faith and Life To believe in Christ as a Redeemer and ebey him as Law-Giver both which unless they do for their Duty neglected they shall suffer Everlasting Punishment S. Grevil expounds 1 Joh. 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God he cannot sin that is He cannot make a Trade of it from J. Leigh Answ H. Grotius a Man worthily of greater Authority calls that a pernicious Exposition whereby sayes he they infer that a Study Endeavour to live well suffices for one to be accounted a Son of God although the Things be not fulfilled the Custom of Sin prevailing and he brings Tertullian in his Book De Pudâ—citia saying thus of Sin Sinners He that is born of God will not at all commit these shall not be a Son of God if he shall commit them So a good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit but it may become barren rotten vitious after it is so degenerated it may be cut down also an evil Tree may become good then consequently no more an evil Tree And likewise Chrysostom on Rom. 8. hath the same Comparison And Jerom Didymus's Disciple l. 1. adv Pel. saith He that is born of God sins not as long as the Seed of God abides in him viz. lively And on Math. 7. A Good Tree cannot bring forth Evil Fruit as long as it perseveres in the Study of Goodness But S. Grevil saith He hopes Parker will not say God gives his People the Enjoyment of Heaven in this Life I answer Bish Hall saith it and entituleth his Book Heaven upon Earth acknowledging the same in Nature though not in Degree How ignorant is this Man of Scripture or forgetful Doth not Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews supposing he wrot it speak of some that may have tasted of thâ— Powers of the World to come and may fall from that Taste But what means he by his alwayes needing more more Grace If a Man be filled he needs no more And a Man needs no more in this State then what he is capable of in this State And for his part it seems he needs no more for he hath more then he useth though there is great need he should make more use of what he has S. Grevil scoffingly comparing the Quakers Speakers with Paul sayes If they could give that which they think is the Spirit they would make more Quakers as much as to say if Paul could have given the Spirit more of his Hearers should have had the Spirit and consequently he was not a Minister of the Spirit in that Sense as if it had been Paul's Fault But was not the holy Ghost given by Paul's Hands Acts 19. When he had laid his Hands upon them the holy Ghost came upon them they speak with Tongues prophesied What Gift was that Timothy receiv'd by the laving on of his Hands called the Gift of God It plainly appears that God by the Ministry of Paul did give the Spirit to several was he not at that time a Minister of the Spirit Was not he that ministred the Spirit to the Galatians a Minister of the Spirit himself It must follow undeniably many Thousands were by his Ministry turn'd from Darkness to Light from the Power of Satan to the Power of God to walk in the Spirâ—t with God And for all S. G's unworthy Taunts whether those that are now called forth as they were not by Men nor of Men to wit the Quakers Speakers as he is pleased to call them or those that are made called and upheld by Men to minister the Letter Writings or Declaration of the Gospel after their own Imaginations as S. Grevil and his Fraternity not unlike the false Prophets of old time which he calls but falsely the Doctrine whereby the Spirit is conveyed do awaken more Consciences and turn more to walk in the Spirit to bring forth the holy Fruits of the Spirit Let the Fruits that are brought forth in the World under both their Ministries speak To prove that the Scripture or Writing is the Gospel He saith The Scripture preached the Gospel to Abraham therein producing a Place against himself for it plainly proves the Scripture is not the Gospel since the Gospel was preached to Abraham by God before it was recorded or wratten by Moses That we chuse to call the Gospel which the Scripture declares of that is The Good Will of God to Men by his Mercy Power and Goodness manifested to them and that may be resisted as well in an inward Manifestation as outward Declaration for Stephen said to the Jews You have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did c. Jonas also disobeyed the immediate Call of God And whereas he saith John Baptist preached the Gospel That is also clearly against himself for that was before the four Books which he maintains to be the Gospel were written The Gospel is called a Mystery hid from Ages and Generations and is still hid from all the Rebellious and Disobedient who walk not after the Spirit but their own Lusts But so are not those four Books so call'd neither are they the glorious Gospel but that which they declare of None of those Fathers he speaks of I dare say if he quoted the Places would be found to countenance his Definition for he confesses they say It forgives and justifies which the four Books do not they only declare such Things to Believers If Mathew and John and Paul and Peter were not the Gospel because they were Powerful Instruments to declare it no more are their Books Writings They were not the glad Tidings but the Bringers and Publishers of it their Books are no more if so much not being viva voce as they say the like Power not usually accompanying the meer or dead Letter as the living Voice Where did ever any hear or read that the Reading of Peter's Sermon converted 3000. at one time Ignatius saith The Gospel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Perfection of Incorruption Paper and Ink are not so And saith Origen John calleth the Gospel Everlasting which may be properly callâ—d Spiritual that the Books are not though they hold out Spiritual Things Clemens Alexandrinus saith The Angel Exod. 32. held forth the Evangelical leading Power of the Word That Evangelical Power was not then of the Books but of the Word which was and is God blessed forever Chrysostom plainly saith they are not the Gospel R. Allen on the Gospel saith It is a Divine Message from God himself that teacheth and assureth c. How can it be Divine work Assurance if it be not a Spiritual and inward Work which the Books are not nor of themselves can work Peter Martyr saith It is such a Doctrine as effereth Christ unto us
URIM AND THUMMIM Or the Apostolical Doctrines OF LIGHT AND PERFECTION MAINTAINED Against the Opposite Plea of Samuel Grevill a Pretended Minister of the Gospel in his Ungospel-like Discourse against a Book entituled A Testimony of the Light Within anciently writ by Alexander Parker By W. P. This then is the Message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is LIGHT and in him is no Darkness at all If we say that we have Fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we Lye and do not the Truth But if we WALK in the Light AS HE IS in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from ALL Sin 1 John 1. 5 6 7. Printed in the Year 1674. THE EPISTLE Candid Reader SInce it hath pleased the Everlasting God to visit a poor despised People in this Nation with a more direct immediate and clear Sight Sence and Knowledge of him then heretofore they had by the Shinings of his Eternal Light and Spirit in their Hearts thereby giving them a true Discerning of the Ways and Worships that have been in the World which gender towards meer Outside and lifeless Formality and of that Pure Straight and Narrow Way that stands in the Power of God and holy Life of Righteousness many very many have been their Tryals Exercises and deep Sufferings and that of Slandering them and their most precious Faith has not been the least in their Eye for by that Practice hath the Enemy of Christ's Kingdom cast such Mists and Vails over the Truth as have obscured the divine Beauty and Excellency of it from the Sight of People insomuch that some have dreaded nothing more then the Reception of that Principle which bears true and faithful Witness for God in their own Consciences It is cryed down for Insufficient by such as never tryed the Power and Efficacy of it and termed a Natural and Dim Light though It discovereth and instructeth Man in and about Spiritual and Supernatural Things O that they would obey this Day of small things and remember that Obedience is far better then Sacrifice How much is there of the latter But how little O how very little of the former What Degeneracy is there among all Professions Their Tenderness is withdrawing their Greenness withering apace with the former do they earnestly contend as the Jews of old against the very Power and Life of Godliness and see not that the God of the World has entered those Out-sides of Religion wherein perhaps the Lord may formerly in Condescension have appeared that he might lead them nearer to the Substance it self and for want of a true favoring Spirit in this Matter Millions are deluded yea so far as therein and therewith to oppose a more clear and heavenly Appearance of God to the Sons of Men thus do they resist the Visitations of God's Love to their Souls and reject their own Mercies Oh that an inquiring tender Spirit were more generally raised in the Hearts of People that they would consider our Relation to the latter dayes how much it concerns them in these New Covenant Times to be in Covenant with God which it is utterly impossible those should ever be who rebel against the Light by which he has visited them with daily Reproof and Instruction I have given him said the Lord of his Son for a Light to lighten the Gentiles and for my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth This is that true Light which enlightens the Souls of all as John testified and the Nations of them that are saved must walk therein Come let us walk in the Light of the Lord. This Measure of Light leads to God who is Light and this Measure of Grace and Truth guides the Soul unto him who is full of Grace and Truth where Salvation is known and plentious Redemption witnessed Blessings and Praises be to his Name forever Reader This Controversie begun by S. Grevill who calls himself a Minister of the Gospel near Banbury though briefly handled is of great Weight for it consists of two fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel and indeed the very Bottom of our Testimony viz. Christ's Manifestation of himself in the Hearts of his Children and the End of that Manifestation namely To make and End of Sin destroy the Works of the Devil finish Transgression and bring in everlasting Righteousness John 1. 3 5 8. Dan. 9. 24. These two Principles or rather Christ Jesus within the Principle and his Work compleat Redemption are lately opposed by S Gâ— as laid down by Alexander Parker in a Book by him set forth about Seventeen Years since This is a sober Consideration and I hope a plain Enervation of his utmost Force in Defence of those Evangelical New Covenant Doctrines I recommend it to God's Witness in thy Conscience who will judge Righteous Judgment whose Servant I am in Body Soul and Spirit and whom dare not but confess and vindicate before men W. P. A General Defence of the LIGHT WITHIN by way of Introduction THough there be no Passage or Proposition to be found from one End of holy Scripture to the other more clearly laid down then that in John 1. 9. That was the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World yet so strong hath been the Envy and so subtil the Endeavours of the Prince of Darkness as scarcely any one place hath been more wrested and abused on purpose to hinder Mankind from minding the Manifestations of it and yielding all ready Obedience to it as the way appointed of God to Eternal Life and Salvation Some will have it to be a Natural Light though it be the very Life of that Word which is God over all blessed forever and wrapt up within those Verses which only concern his Eternal Power and Godhhead Others will have it read thus Not that he enlightens all Mankind but that all who are enlightened are enlightened by him thereby not only narrowing and wronging the Text but rendring God so partial and injust to his Creatures as to cause his Light of Righteousness to arise on some without ever visiting the greatest part of Mankind with so much as a Day of Salvation though he sayes He would not the Death of any but rather that all should Repent and come to the Knowledge of the Truth There is a third sort that will needs have it understood not of any Illumination by a Divine Light or Spirit but the Life Christ lived and the Doctrine he preached when visibly in the World which neither reacheth the hundredth part of Mankind nor can be consistent with the Nature of that Part of John's History which wholely relates to his Divinity or what he was before he took Flesh 'T is true Christ was the Light of the World in that very Appearance and shined forth by his Heavenly Doctrine and Self denying Life a most holy Example yet not so as the exclude himself from
13. Col. 1. 12. 1. Thes 5. 5. 1 Tim. 6. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 9. 1 Joh. 1. 5 7. Chap. 2. 8. Rev. 21. 23 24. Chap. 22. 5. And leâ— the greatest Enemy to our Assertion do his utmost to sever real Light from Light or find out two Lights in these Passages if he can if he cannot he is irrecoverably gone and that upon his own Concession For as he yields to us that the Light in Controversie manifesteth Evil and reproveth for it so doth Christ himself teach thus of the Light Joh. 3. 12. For every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved And the Apostle Paul plainly saith Ephes 5. 13. But all things that are reprove are made manifest by the Light Therefore not two distinct Lights in kind but one and the same manifesting reproving Light And this the Apostle John proves beyond all Exception to wise and considerate men First in that he calls God Light Chap. 1. 5. 2dly In that he puts no medium or third thing between that Light and Darkness vers 6. If we say that we have Fellowship with him and waâ—â— in Darkness we lye intimating that men must walk either in Light or â—arkness I am sure that which manifests and reproves Darkness cannot be Darkness And so say our Adversaries of our Light And as if the Apostle John would have anticipated their Objection viz. 'T is true your Light within reproves for Evil but it is not therefore the Divine Light which leads into higher things and which comes by the Gospel he thus expresseth himself Chap. 2. Darkness is past and the true Light now shineth He that saith He is in the Light and hates his Brother is in Darkness even until now which is not another Light from God the Light Chap. 1. For as Light there is put in Opposition to Darkness so Light here is put in Opposition to Darkness The Darkneâ—s is one and the same so the Light Wherefore we may plainly see that it is not another Light then that which reproved a man for hating his Brother that brings a man into Fellowship with God and to the Blood of Cleansing as the next verse speaks Therefore that Light which reproveth a man for hating his Brother is of a Divine Nature In short That Light which is opposite to and reproves spiritual Darkness is a spiritual Light But such a Light is that within as our Adversaries themselves confess therefore spiritual It is worth our notice that the Apostle useth the same manner of Expression here Chap. 2. 8. The TRUE Light shineth that he doth in his History Chap. 1. 9. That was the TRUE Light intimating the same Divine Word or True Light now shineth and that it was that same True Light for there is but one that reproved such as hated their Brethren consequently that Light that so reproveth is the True Divine Light And strange it is that Christ and his Disciples but especially John should so often make that very Light which stoops to the lowest Step of Morality to the Reproof of the grossest Evils to be no other then the same Divine Light that brings such as follow it to the Light of Life and those who walk in it to the Blood of Cleansing and to have Fellowship with God c. Nay not only so but make the very best of man's being a Child of God to depend upon his answering of the Light in a palpable moral Case viz. not hating of his Brother And yet that our Adversaries should shut their Eyes from beholding its Divinity and conclude it therefore a meer Natural Light This is both Unreasonable and Unscriptural But here is the very Ground of their Ignorance and sleight Apprehension of the Light within They have never known it further then in the Capacity of a Reprover of Evil though that 's enough with a considerate and tender-spirited man to feel from whence it came and so conclude it unable to give either further Discoveries of God's Will or Power and Virtue to enable to do it But to all such as object against the Sufficiency of the Light of Christ within either as to its Knowledge or Power I say Try it you are not proper Judges in the Case till you have walked in it If then you meet not with the Blood of Cleansing and pure Fellowship with God who is Light it will be time enough for you to object Do not infer from the Discovery of small and great things two distinct Lights instead of two Manifestations of one and the same Light such as do the Will of God so far as the Light in the Conscience enjoyns them shall know more of the Doctrine it teacheth all the Children of Light However it hath pleased the man we have now to deal with to undertake a Refutation of a Book entituled A Testimony of the Light Within written about Seventeen Years since by Alexander Parker a Servant of God in the Work of his Gospel But I hope my Reader hath received that Satisfaction in what has been already â—inted in Defence of the Light of Christ within that he is in a very good Posture to hear what may be objected against it by one that never yet knew the Power and Efficacy of it It is the Advantage God hath given us over our Enemies They fight us Blindfold and entangle themselves in their own Net With Moderation Plainness and Brevity I have considered his Opposition in Faithfulness to God his Truth and the Souls of all People URIM THUMMIM Or the Apostolical Doctrines of Light and Perfection MAINTAINED Against the Opposite Plea of Samuel Grevill a Pretended Minister of the Gospel in his Ungospel-like Discourse against a Book entituled A Testimony of the Light Within anciently writ by Alexander Parker SAmuel Grevill in his Rejoynder to A. Parker p. 5. brings two places against the Sufficiency of the Light within The first is Deut. 31. 13. That their Children which have not known any thing may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as ye live in the Land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it But this is answered without Difficulty for any thing is not in the Hebrew And it appears both from the place it self and Chap. 11. 2. that those many great and wonderful Works of Deliverance the Lord had wrought for them and which their Children through Non-age knew not were only intended And because the hearing of them might be a deep Engagement upon their Spirits to fear and worship the God of their Fathers therefore were they to hear of those Noble Acts at the Mouthes of their Parents as the place speaks How this Instance proves the Insufficiency of the Shinings of Christ's Light in the Conscience with Respect to their Duty to God and Man in that Day is left with every man of Sober Conscience to judge The other is 2 Tim. 3. 15. The words Through Faith in Christ Jesus he