a Persecuter but as he received the Commandment within by the Spirit and Power of God or his Light within he saw sin exceeding sinful But further in flat contradiction to his opposing the Light within or the Quakers Christ as he scornfully stiles it he confesseth That the Grace of God received in the work of Regeneration and Reconciliation doth so principle the heart with an enmity to sin and begets an hatred to it and love to Righteousness 1 Thess. 1.5 6 7. so that it is from the Principle within together with the observation of the Rule without that the soul is made to gather Sanctity and Holiness he saith Answ. Then the Grace within which works such a good effect in the soul must needs be saving for that it removes the sin which is the cause of condemnation and works sanctity and holiness through which is acceptance with the Lord and why then is the Quakers Christ within so much despised and scorned in many places throughout his Book And as for the Word together with the Spirit cleansing and sanctifying The Word and Spirit are one and he that hath the Word of God abiding in him hath the Spirit of God in him and this with its blessed effects we certainly know and therefore cannot slight the Scriptures of Truth or Words of God therein which he calls the written Words because they proceeded from the Spirit And whereas he would not give any ground of jealousie that he should judge that the written word and spirit in any man as abstracted from Christ in the titest and most uniform obedience doth cleanse or that our obedience is any cause either of Justification or Sanctification Answ. If this our Opposer deems that the Spirit in any is abstracted from Christ and that any obey the Spirit without Christ It 's none of our belief for they are not divided and we know that there is no condemnation to them that walk after the Spirit for they are in Christ and have life in the Son of God 2. Whereas our obedience to the Spirit is denyed as being any cause either of our Justification or Sanctification This is a denying of the Apostles Doctrine and is repugnant to the spiritual-obedience which is both acceptable to God and through the Spirit and the obedience of the Spirit the true Believers mortified the deeds of the flesh and purified their souls Rom. 8.13 1 Pet. 1.22 Besides the obedience and works of the living Faith which is not a self-self-righteousness are attended with Justification and some cause thereof for was not Abraham justified by works when he offered up Isaac Jam. 2.21 And the Saints were sanctified and justified by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 6.11 But then if our obedience in this case must be wholly excluded as not any cause either of Justification or Sanctification how comes the suffering and Blood of Christ so often to be tendred and applied upon believing Is believing no part of the creatures obedience What ignorance and contradiction is in this W. Burnet's Religion what sayes he to this see how he comes off in the following words Bapt. I do believe that our Justification comes in by no other way or means or name under Heaven but by Jesus Christ which is so far true But further he adds and that by shedding of that Blood and offering of that Sacrifice upon the Cross Heb. 9.22 1 Pet. 1.19 and that our Justification is the real cause of our Sanctification Answ. If so and that our obedience be not any cause thereof as before then are all men in a justified state for whom he died and he was offered and dyed for all as is confessed by this our Opposer and others of them from which state men's not obeying or disobeying can be no hindrance if their obedience contribute nothing to it or be no cause of either Justification or Sanctification so their believing or not believing can neither further nor hinder by this account But then if it should be denyed that all men are justified by the sufferings and blood of Christ without I ask Why are not all It 's answered readily Because all do not believe Then it 's because they do not obey But what if they do not if their obedience of the Spirit or Light within be no cause of their Sanctification or Justification are they not therefore justified but then whence is this power of believing and obedience derived if not from the Light and Spirit of Christ within but as to Justification being laid one while upon the name of Jesus another while upon the shedding of that Blood without another while by the Offering or Sacrifice upon the Cross What confusion is here and how is this man put to it to patch up his own principles Christ's name is Everlasting it is called The Word of God who by one Offering hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Where doth the Scripture say that Justification is the real cause of Sanctification or that men are justified in an unsanctified or disobedient state and if some be justified in that state only by the Offering and Blood of Christ without as is supposed and not all that are in the same state does not this render God partial and unjust if he withhold that from men which is both merited and purchased for them as these our Opposers affirm whilst their obedience is so little set by or esteemed that it 's deemed no cause of either Justification or Sanctification But then as to the shedding of Christ's Blood without which so much stress is laid upon whose work was that but a wicked mans after he was put to death and where is that Blood is it in being yea or nay or did it sink into the ground and corrupt as some of you have confessed and in P. 40. that Blood that was shed is not in being saith W. B. How then does it cleanse sanctifie justifie redeem save c. as he would have us beleive whereas in that 1 Pet. 1. cited by this our opposer it s said we are not redeemed by corruptible things but by the precious Blood of Christ Therefore that Blood which redeems is in being and not corruptible no more then his Flesh that saw no corruption but bears record with the Spirit But this is a mystery vailed from all such carnal contenders as carnally look upon things according to the outward appearance and no further Nor can they in that state see thorow the Vail unto the heavenly things themselves nor unto the perfect Tabernacle which Jesus Christ is the High-Priest and Minister of And another Testimony upon which W. Burnet scoffs and carps against the Light within is Humph. Smiths viz. That there is no other rule or means or name by which a man shall ever come to walk with God but that which is manifest of God even the Light of the Son of God the Light of him who saith I am the Light c. But how does W. B. assay to confute
to shew me that Text in Scripture where any of God's Worthies directed people to turn to a Light within and obey the Light within to expect salvation This is altogether contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles John exhorts his followers to believe in him that should come after him and not a Christ that should come into them the Apostle preached Christ to the Jews whom they by wicked hands had crucified slain Paul preached a Christ made of a Woman and not a Christ in them that God will redeem the World by Reply Because this our opposer is so ignorant of the Scriptures and of the Light and Power of God which saveth I may Answer his Challenge and inform him that the tendency and drift of all the preaching and directions of the holy men of God Christ and the Apostles was to turn people from darkness to the Light to the knowledge of God and Christ which is spiritual and therefore inwardly and spiritually to be received and revealed for that which may be known of God who is Light is manifest within Rom. 1. And Paul said God who commanded the Light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4. And Christ exhorted to beleive in the Light that they might be the Children of the Light And was not that in them which did beget them to God and bring them to be his Children And did not Christ say he that is with you shall be in you and I in them and they in me Joh. 17. And this appearance without in the flesh and coming after John Baptist and being slain by wicked hands as touching the flesh doth not destroy nor make void the doctrine of his spiritual appearance in his People no more then his coming after John did his being before him in Spirit for John said he that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me mark he was before John 1 Joh. 1.13 though not in the flesh or body in which he was crucified but being quickned by the Spirit thereby he went and preached unto the spirits in Prison and was not this preaching spiritual and directed to Spirit Life and Light within which opened the eyes of the understandings to see the power of God in Christ the Light even the same power that raised up Jesus And was not the Word within a Light which both Moses and the Apostles directed to and the Spirit or Anointing within to teach lead into all truth and save from sin and death which has reigned in people And what is Redemption but a freeing from the servitude of sin and it is fulfilled in every true Believer by Christ who is the power of God who is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and all these are inwardly experienced by such as know that God hath wrought all their works in them And therefore for W. Burnet to deny that Christ in them to redeem is his gross error and ignorance and contradiction to the Apostles Doctrine as also how appearently does he contradict himself when he grants that the fruits and effects of our Justification doth shew it self within and without And surely then the cause thereof must be known within Christ within the Spirit that Sanctifies and Justifies within God who works all our works in us Isa. 26.12 dwels in his people 2 Cor. 6. Now if Christ be to be known within then that which reveals him and may be known of God is within there must be an eye or else no seeing and if it be blind or vailed it must be opened by that which makes manifest things that are reproved which is Light But now as to Christs being in every man p. 4. that 's not our affirmation nor words but that there is a Light of Christ in every man even in the Rebellious to leave them without excuse And what T. Tayler has said in that case is true and will stand over the head of this our ignorant opposer who hath carped at this expression of the word in the heart and the Light shining in man yea in every man as being a present help against sin which is neither a marring of his work nor any extenuation of the glory of the true Christ nor any falshood as it is very ignorantly charged for the Word in the heart is to be obeyed it saves the soul the Light shining in the heart gives the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Therefore 't is helpful against sin 1. in that it saves from it 2. in that it leads such as be kept in it to the Glory which is immortal and leaves them that rebel against the Light without excuse which if it had not sufficiency and a saving property in it it could not for otherwise its insufficiency therein would be ground of excuse And as touching the Word which is nigh IN the heart and wherewith shall a young-man cleanse his way Psal. 119. W.B. his perswasion is that neither of those Scriptures refer to Christ but to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament which is called both the Word of God and of Christ he sayes To which I reply This Baptists ignorance and absurdity in this plainly appears touching both the Word that cleanseth and the Scriptures which are the Writings that contain many Words of Truth in the plural whereas the Word which clenseth and sanctifieth Joh. 17. is but one which also is both a discerner of the thoughts and powerful in the operation Also when David directed to the Word which was a light unto his paths much of the Old Testament was not given forth or written and to be sure not the New And when the Apostle directed to the Word of Faith which was nigh in the heart to obey it this could not be the Scriptures or Writings of the New-Testament for he was then but a writing part of them and several other Epistles were unwritten neither were they bound up into one Volumn till many years after besides many have corrupted the Scriptures but the Word which sanctifies and redeems is the Incorruptible Seed which lives and abides for ever And is not that Seed or Word Christ And how comes any to know and rightly to understand the Scriptures but by the Spirit of God for it 's granted p. 4. That the Law of God is made applicable to us by the Spirit of God So then men are to be directed to the Spirit of God within which convinceth the world but in contradiction to himself he saith Paul's knowledge of sin came by the Law not by the Light within Surely not by the Law without the Light within if by the Spirit of God it be applicable to us as before for it was not the Law outward as it was in the letter of it that convinced Paul for he had that before when
Strangers from the Covenant of Promise and walking according to the course of this World in that sence they were said to be without Christ and without God in the World their understandings being darkned and their minds alienated but it does not follow that they had none of Christs Light in them or that the Spirit did not reprove them they being in the World for the Spirit reproves the World of sin surely it would be a blind inference to say That neither God nor his Spirit were in the World because they were without God in the World and sometimes afar off whereas his Presence fills Heaven and Earth and from his Presence Spirit Hell cannot hide nor the deeps cover though God beholds all the wicked a far off and they are without him as to any living sense union or injoyment their minds being estranged from his Light in them which in that state appears or shines in darkness though it comprehends not the Light and these are those that rebel against the Light that know not its wayes because they abide not in its paths Job 24.13 and that say to the Almighty Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21.14 wherefore the Almighty is nigh unto them convicting and striving with them by his Spirit though it shall not alwayes strive with man so that they may be said to be both without God and without Light as to the true knowledge and possession and yet have both nigh to them even reaching their Consciences Bapt. Those were in Eph. 2. without God and Christ in the world what then can such turn to within for Life and Salvation Answ. To the Light of Christ wherewith every man 's inlightned and the reproofes of the Spirit of Truth which reproves the world of sin that they may know the true God and his Son which is Life Eternal Bapt. The cause of acceptance is what God hath done for man and not mans unspotted Life that doth perform his obedience but Christ becoming obedient to the Father for man Answ. The unspotted Life is an effect of God's work in reconciling man in Christ and this is acceptable to God which the spotted corrupt life is not Neither will your applying Christ's obedience render you in your spotted lives and sins acceptable or justified for he came in the likeness of sinful flesh that he might condemn sin in the flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in them that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Mark within is the fulfilling and effect of Christ's obedience Rom. 8. Again for W.B. to argue that because the Saints were in darkness in the time of their unregenerate state that therefore no man can be said to have either God Christ or the Spirit in him in that state This argument is fallacious for he might as well argue that the light cannot shine in darkness whereas a man may have the Light in him when he i◠not in it or walks not in the Spirit and if he should say that God or his presence is not in the world because the world knows him not but is in darkness and in that sence without God this were absurd and fallacious of the nature of his argument Bapt. To what then shall such turn within for Light that have there nothing but darkness Answ. This contradicts his former confessing that Light is in every man that doth convince of sin which is something besides darkness But there are those that put darkness for light and he hath herein done no less to his own confutation and surely that light in every man that convinceth of sin is worth the turning to to lead the mind out of sin Bapt. The fourth proof Esay 8.20 From this may be gathered that those that are not principled with the knowledg of the Law of God and testimony of Christ but contrary thereto do exhort are in the dark and blind without any light in them they have no light in them if that be so there be a people that have no light such have neither Father Son nor Spirit in them P. 9. Answ. That of Isa. 8.20 No light should be no morning as in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shachar i. e. Aurora but there is a light shining in darkness Before the day dawn and day-star arise or the morning appear in them But how has this man flatly contradicted himself whilst in other places he ha's confessed to a convincing light in every man that doth reprove him for sin and by which a wicked man upon sins commiting receiveth checks from see Pag. 8 16. tells us of the Light of Nature Creation-Light Spirit that God hath plac'd in man every man by nature having the Law plac'd in his heart viz. the Ten Commandments that is to say in the substance of them Thus far he hath in plain words confessed to a Light in every man though other whiles he affirms they have no Light no not any Light in them Who know not but act contrary to the Law of God And thus the Reader may see how he has given a deadly blow to his own evil cause against the Light for might not I as well argue against him that if some have not any Light in them then no convincing Light and how then is the Law and substance of the Ten Commandements in every man But then on the other hand if the substance of that Law or those Commandments be in every man then this is not natural but Spiritual the Law is Spiritual as writen in the heart and the substance of this Law enjoyns to love the Lord God with all the heart and soul and thy neighbour as thy self which Christ said to the Lawyer This do and thou shalt live after he had asked him what he should do to inherit eternal life Luke 10.25 26 27 28. Now that Light which leads to eternal Life must needs be the Light of Christ saving and this is in every man which teacheth so to love God as is confessed that life eternal may be inherited which to say is the light of nature an uncertain guide as the titles of his pages and to scorn it as the Quakers Christ this shews the great ignorance and folly of this our opposer and his gross and apparant contradictions and it is not his scornfully saying over and over thus you may see the Quakers Christ that can confute us or destroy our Christ who is Gods Christ. Bap. It would be a vain and fond saying to say when the natural Sun is hid under a Cloud or the darkness of the night therefore there is no Sun there but these have none neither shining nor hid in them To what should such turn to within then for Life and Salvation Answ. Yes there is some Light hid in men who are dark By the same reason as before the Light of Christ may be where it is clouded and vailed with darkness and it doth for a time shine
as his words import Then it follows from his other words that the life of Christ is not in being and this would render him a dead Christ whereas the life that he laid down he had power to take up again and he said I lay it down of my self and no man taketh it from me and he gave himself a ransome for all And now whereas S. Eccles in pag. 41. is accused of little less than blasphemy about a Letter chiefly of a passage concerning the blood in these words viz. The Blood that was forced out of him by the Souldiers after he was dead who before that bowed his head to the Father and gave up the Ghost I did say that was no more than the blood of another Saint c. Thus far S. E. Now to these words viz. No more than the blood of another Saint his intent was as to Papists and you whose minds are carnal who oppose the Light within and also simply as to the essence of the Blood which you dare not say is still in being but not as to the spiritual virtue and testimony which is still in being This S. E. owned to be his intention And in his Letter in the preceding words did highly speak in esteem of the Blood of Christ and New Covenant as more excellent and living and holy and precious than is able to be uttered c. which might have satisfied any spiritual or unbyassed mind And what difference is there between VV. B. his saying that the blood that was shed is not in being or comparing it with a price that is lost pag. 40. and S. E. his saying then It was no more than the blood of another Saint the one being not of continuance no more than the other By this may not VV. B. as well be thought guilty of little less than blasphemy as S. E. though I do not so judge either therein And seeing that the Children had flâ—sh and blood and Christ took part of the same if the same how was it more or another simply as to the matter of blood And if the Jews had drunk the blood that was shed on the Cross do you Baptists think it would have cleansed them from sin And yet I do not make S. E. his expressions therein especially as construed by our Adversaries to be an Article of our Faith for I own that in one sence the blood shed was more than that of another Saint though not in the matter of it as to the visible more in that it had a peculiar signification and Christ the one offering was the man peculiarly ordained or appointed of God both to bear the sins of many to end the many offerings under the Law and in all his example and sufferings that were permitted to be laid on him he both answered fulfilled and ended the outward part and administration of the Law and Shadows and performed the Father's Will therein and was particularly eyed and prophesied of accordingly by the Holy Prophets and through all his sufferings in the flesh he gave an universal testimony and consecrated a new and living way even through the Vail that is to say his flesh that the way into the most Holy might be manifest Bapt. Neither did I ever read that it was the blood or life in Christ or the life of Christ in his People that we are justified by c. page 42. Answ. The Spirit of Christ which is Life doth both quicken sanctifie and justifie the true Believers John 6.63 1 Cor. 6. and that Blood and Water that 's said to cleanse is not of another kind but agrees in one with the Spirit all which is known within and the effects thereof Bapt. All things under the Law in the Type was purged with blood and this blood was material blood and not mystical And that blood that Christ shed in order to the effecting the Salvation of man must needs be visible and material blood Answ. Do but mark here what a sad consequence he has drawn as if one should reason that because the Type was material visible and not mystical therefore the antitype or substance must needs be material and not mystical by this all Mysteries or Divine things are excluded from being either Spiritual Antitype or Substance whereas it was the Heavenly things themselves that are in Christ in which consists the substance and end of Types and Shadows But to say that material blood was a Type of that which was material this is to give the substance no preheminence above the Type especially if neither of them be mystical nor in being or like as if one should say one Type was a Type of another as to say because Circumcision which was a Type was material or outward therefore the Circumcision of the Spirit which is the Antitype of it must needs be outward too and not mystical which would be sad Doctrine and thus he might as well reason touching all other Types and Shadows under the Law and the Heavenly or good things to come prefigured or shadowed by them That because the Priests under the Law at the outward Tabernacle and Temple were Ministers of outward or temporal things carnal Ordinances Shadows c. therefore those good things to come those Heavenly things which Christ was said to be the High Priest of must needs be temporal and not mystical which were absurd to assert whereas both the Heavenly and more perfect Tabernacle and Altar with the Heavenly things are all a Mystery and Spiritual the offering and living Sacrifices are Spiritual the Passeover Spiritual the Seed Spiritual the Bread the Fruit of the Vine the Oyl the Flesh and the Blood which give life to the Soul yea the Water and Blood which washeth and sprinkleth the Conscience are all Spiritual and Mysterious as the New Covenant it self is which they belong to and these things known in and this is the new and living Way which Christ set open through the Vail of his Flesh Heb. 10. Let them receive this who can And this may answer that Question Where ever did God attribute the name of Blood to a Spirit Whereupon I may ask as well if the name of Water was never attributed to the Spirit see John 7.38 39. And whether the Blood of God and of the New Covenant be not Spiritual If not How is it called his own Blood Acts 20.28 And is not the New Covenant Spiritual viz. the Law written in the Heart and the Spirit in the inward parts If it be surely the Blood of it must be spiritual too Again compare the Articles of W. B. his Faith about the Blood shed without the Gates c. pag. 42. By which he saith we are justified Another while It is the means or cause of Justification and yet 't is neither Spirit nor the Life by his own confession nor is it in being but lost pag. 40. whereas we are justified by the Spirit and saved by his Life 1 Cor. 6.11 Rom. 5.10 chap. 4.25 And yet In
and believe And people it is as you have been taught and believed So let us leave this to the people to judge of c. G. W. There is something more to be said to what thou hast alleadged from Job 19. of seeing God with these eyes which thou wouldst make people believe are these bodily eyes This supposes that God is not a Spirit nor invisible c. for no object or thing is obvious or visible to the Carnal or outward eye but what is visible and outward that is a bodily and outward Substance for these bodily eyes cannot see a Spirit or that which is invisible M. C. These Eyes shall be glorified and made Spiritual for as now they are mortal and corruptible they cannot see God but as they are made immortal and glorified they shall see God G. W. Job after said to God I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Job last Chap. This was a Spiritual eye and not his bodily eyes but to tell of these bodily eyes to be made spiritual and then of seeing God with them that they must be made so spiritual and be the same they are for matter and substance This is strange Doctrine and that which we could never hear demonstrated from any Maxime in Divinity nor yet from any general Rule or Reason in Philosophy Le ts hear how thou wilt demonstrate that these carnal or bodily eyes shall be made so spiritual as to see God who is invisible and yet they be the same in substance that they are but M. Caffin did not at all assay to demonstrate this his Assertion nor to clear himself of his absurdities M. C. Let us go on to the next Question and leave this to the judgment of the people G. VV. It 's here before this Auditory evident and manifest that thou M. C. art confounded in thy work and put to a non-plus not being able to manage thy Assertion nor to clear thy self of the absurdities justly charged upon thee from thy own Words and Arguments wherefore be ingenious and confess thy error and that thou art confounded and not able to maintain the controversie in this matter Thou hast come off very faintly I advise thee as thou wilt answer it before the great God who will judge the secrets of men by Christ according to the Gospel that thou dost not wrong nor go to out-face thy own Conscience before this people as if thou wert not confounded but deal plainly and ingeniously and confess and acknowledge thou art at a loss and confounded who for proof tells the people It is thy belief and what thou hast affirmed is true As much as to say It is true because it is true or people must believe it because M. Caffin sayes it and then they must receive it upon an implicit Faith as believing he is infallible but M. C. hath no such authority with us for we see him fallible in error and in confusion as particularly about the same Wheat growing again and seeing God with these bodily eyes With many more errors and falshoods which M. Caffin was detected for which we have more at large upon record A POST-SCRIPT THese Baptists who have been thus wrangling querying and contend about the Resurrection of the same flesh blood and bones have manifested their carnal fleshly minds wherein they are puffed up as Intruders into things they have not seen and their Gospel to consist more of imaginations about flesh blood which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 than of any real knowledge of the true and saving Gospel which consists of Spirit Divine Power Life and Light the knowledge of which doth afford true satisfaction to them that enjoy it without such vain and carnal contentions of Baptists and questioning how the dead are raised and with what Body like those whom the Apostle reproved as fools 1 Cor. 15.35 36 37. As also like the Devil his disputing or contending with Michael the Arch-Angel about the Body of Moses Jude 9. They have appeared in these their carnal contests to darken peoples minds from the true Light and Life within And such have been the products of flesh and darkness against the breakings forth of Truth in its Light and Power which is and will be exalted over all these oppositions and Clouds of ignorance that rise up against it THE END Reader Thou art desired to amend such Errors as have escaped the Press whether Words or Points PAge 8. line 3. for yet is not read yet it is not p. 30. l. 3. f. computure r. composure p. 32. l. 22. f. had a knowledge r. had not a knowledge p. 33. l. 26. f. be the rule r. be not the rule p. 36. l. 18. f. this r· their p. 38. l. 19. f. has r. he has p. 50. l. 1. f. denies r. deems p. 63. l. 29. f. trasmutation r. transmutation p. 27. l. 1. f. W. B. his false Aspertions r. and its sufficiency * Where are these tearms in Scripture but that God was in Christ God manifest in flesh c. †Act and suffering are two things the Act was wicked mens but the suffering Christs Will. Burnet Jer. Ives * The accusation †To this they would not answer * Here he flatly contradicted his Bro. Burnet †Blasphemy * What a Body is that without Blood in it †Of which absurdity divers of you Baptists are guilty as M. Câ—ffin others †Here one Brother contradicted the other * Note he meant by a wicked mans actions Christ's passion †See how the Question is altered 1. If the shedding the blood c. 2. If that blood 3. Is the meritorious cause 4. Is a meritorious cause †That which cleanseth must needs be still in being if cleansing be a real work and that is spiritual * What holy Place and with what Blood * What a Babel are you Baptists building
the true Christ was before Abraham but the Body was not before Abraham was therefore not the true Christ. To this I say and add That he has minced our words Howbeit the Scripture distinguisheth in several places touching Christ and the Body of Christ of Jesus and the Body of Jesus Mat. 27.58 Heb. 10.5 10. But this Argument W. B. omits to answer in this place he saith 2. Argument from John 6.41 I am the Bread that came down from Heaven Now saith the Quaker If Christ be Bread and this Bread came down from Heaven then the Body could not be Christ because that came not down from Heaven I add He was truly Christ as he came down from Heaven and proceeded from the Father for he was his only begotten Son and not divided from his Body 3. Argument From Ephes. 4.10 Now he that is ascended is also the same that descended Now say they If he that ascended be the same that descended and he that descended be the Christ then the Body could not be the Christ because that did not descend but was taken in the Womb of the Virgin I add If he means by Body that which consists of flesh and blood and bones such a one was prepared for him Heb. 10. But that he viz. Christ did not consist of that which was mortal neither did his flesh which is the Bread from above see corruption 4. Argument From John 17.5 And now O Father glorifie me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before â—he World was Then the Body could not be the Christ because that was not till many hundred years after the World was The Body which he saith was taken in the Womb of the Virgin Was it in that capacity before the World was And was not he the true Christ the Son of God that so prayed unto the Father Now I do grant that the Scriptures mentioned in these Arguments we have urged and argued from them against Baptists though not altogether in those expressions against all which W. B. gives his judgment in these words viz. These with many other such like Arguments they use to blind the eyes of the simple Which indeed is a very easie way of answering thus to condemn them all by the lump for I do not find any particular answer or confutation in the following matter to any one of those Arguments before recited but rather a confirmation where he goes on in these words viz. The Scripture giveth this Character of Jesus Christ that he should be called Immanuel Mat. 1.23 that is to say God with us or God in flesh And in Isa. 9.6 He is called the Mighty God And so John 1.1 He is called the Word which was with God and was God and that he was the Root and Creator of Man and that Word or Eternal Spirit took flesh c. But he further adds as followeth Bapt. Now as he was God he was Co-Creator with the Father and so was before Abraham and had glory with God before the World was and in this sence came down from Heaven Rep. What nonsence and unscripture-like Language is this to tell of God being Co-Creator with the Father or that God had glory with God Does not this imply two Gods and that God had a Father let the Reader judge Bapt. Which Word was God yet he was not a Saviour as he was the Word or Creator of the World any otherwise than he was held forth in the Promise Rep. How then doth he say I am God a Saviour besides me there 's none other And what is his saving his People from but from sin And was not this Gods real work throughout all the Generations of the Righteous And did not God say Surely they are my People Children that will not lie and so was he their Saviour Isa. 63.8 And did not God say Look unto me all ye ends of the Earth and be ye saved for I am God And was it not God that in Christ was reconciling the World and that established them in Christ and anointed them 2 Cor. 1.21 ch 5.19 What confusion and huddle-muddle has this our Opposer made about Salvation who further adds Bâ—pt He was not a Saviour as the Root and Creator of Man but as he was to be the Off-spring of man for as he from the dayes of Eternity was with the Father and was his delight he most properly derived that title of being the Son of God pag. 34. Answ. Do but mark the confusion and darkness of this man who hath denyed that God the Word or Creator of Man is a Saviour and Christ as he was the Root and Creator of Man and as he was the Eternal Son of God or from the dayes of Eternity he hath denyed to be a Saviour but as he was the Off-spring of Man Do but eye the tendency of this Doctrine thus to deny the Son of God to be a Saviour and how blind and ignorant this man is of the true Christ and Saviour and what has he done less than set the Flesh above the Spirit for he grants that the Word or Eternal Spirit took Flesh but denies that he was a Saviour as he was the Word or the Son of God whereas it is through the Son of God that Eternal Life is received John 3.16 and Gods love was manifest in sending his onely begotten Son into the World that whosoever believes on him might not perish but have everlasting Life and the ingrafted Word is able to save the Soul the Word of Grace is able to build up and to give an inheritance among them that are sanctified So here the efficacy of the Son of God and the Eternal Word is proved against the Baptists false and unscripture-like distinction And touching those Scriptures That God by his own Blood purchased to himself a Church Acts 20.28 Now God hath neither Blood nor suffered saith VV. B. Which chargeth the Apostle with untruths and that of John 3. No man hath ascended up to Heaven but he which come down from Heaven even the Son of Man which is in Heaven VV. B. saith pag. 35. Now according to his Manhood or Flesh he was not in Heaven By which he hath rather justified the former four Arguments than otherwise But his telling As he was very God-man so the Manhood suffered and the act was ascribed to the God-head This is confusion and contradiction to the former that God did not suffer but such kind of muddlement our Opposer is willing to please himself with And then he adds That he giveth that to the one which belongeth to the other the same is spoken of our Salvation sometimes it 's attributed to one thing and sometimes to another sometimes it is imputed to the act of Christs Suffering another while the very effects of our Salvation is put for the cause Where do the Scriptures make such distinctions or such Rhetorick And where proves he that Faith and Obedience to the Gospel is no
cause of Salvation but the effects And by what rule doth W. B. thus essay to correct the Scriptures which he counts his rule or thus detect the sayings of Chiist as being so improper as giving that to one thing which belongs to another in such a high concernment And has not he herein in effect accused the Scriptures and God with the same thing or as great offence as he has accused us withal as giving that to one thing which belongs to another as our attributing Salvation and Justification to God or Christ as the Eternal Word which he would lay all upon the Off-spring of man or upon the Body of Christ that suffered death upon the Cross and sometimes upon the shedding the Blood out of it denying Christ as the Word and Son of God to be the Saviour contrary to plain Scriptures as before is shewn Bapt. Christs ascribing and attributing that to the God-head that properly refers to the manhood is a stumbling-stone to this poor people pag. 35. Answ. What is this but to charge Christ with improper Doctrine or impertinent speaking wherein W. B. makes himself wiser than Christ and a Corrector of Christ's sayings 'T is no marvel that he hath so much accused us feignedly calling us poor People when he hath done no less to Christ as one not consenting to the wholesom words or sayings of Christ but in effect denies them improper in the case mentioned and then makes that the cause of our stumbling both which are false and wherein we are either accused for saying That God saveth Justifieth or the Eternal Word Redeems Saves c. and that God was in Christ reconciling the World If our Adversary should say this is improper and that it 's an error to ascribe that to God the Eternal Word or to Christ as the Eternal Son of God that properly belongeth to his Manhood as the Son of Mary not as the Son of God c. Has not he accused Christ to the very same purpose with speaking improperly What can we expect from such a one but the like reproaches and contradictions of sinners that Christ Jesus the Captain of our Salvation underwent and yet this proud presumptuous Opposer of Truth will pretend the Scriptures or sayings of Christ to be his Rule but when they please him not hee 'l assay to correct them by his dark confused meanings and corrupt interpretations Who further adds to his corrupt Doctrine as followeth Bapt. But as he was God without being Man or the Root and not the Off-spring he could not save Man for God was the Offended and Man the Offender and it was impossible for the Offended to acquit and clear the Guilty and to discharge the Debt and to imbrace the Offender for no man out of Christ can see God's face and live Answ. Here it appears what he means by saving Man and clearing the Guilty onely a pacifying of God and an acquitting Man from the penalty as he imagines which as he sayes God could not do but something that was not God but the Off-spring of Man as he saith So by this he doth not mean Salvation to be a work wrought in man as a saving and delivering from sin or the offence within but a satisfaction made to God that he may imbrace the Offender and yet he must be in Christ that sees God's face What gross contradiction is this and what falshood blasphemy is it to say God could not save or that it was impossible for him to discharge the debt Where first observe that if Salvation consist in pacifying or satisfying God without any inward work wrought by him in man which were a gross error so to say this is all one to say God cannot please himself but some other must do it and this is to deny that God had infinite love good will and favour in himself as the real cause of his sending his Son into the World And then I ask Who is he that satisfies and appeaseth God dischargeth the Guilty and payes the Debt Bapt. It is the Man Christ Jesus Quest. Whence came he Answ. God gave him Quest. And what is this Man Christ Jesus who can satisfie pacifie an Infinite God Bapt. He is God-man born of a Virgin Rep. How then doth it hold that God could not save and how would this divide God and set him at a distance from himself if that which satisfies be of infinite worth then whence came all these distinctions tending to make a variableness in God whose love is infinite and whose wayes are wayes of Truth and Righteousness Or is it good Doctrine to say That God pacified God when he saw himself angry For sayes the Baptist It was God-man that did it Which is all one as to say God corrected himself and not Man while perfection and freedom from sin is denyed in this life by Baptists and others and then he was Mediator to himself and so a Mediator of One whereas a Mediator is not a Mediator of One but God is One Gal. 3.20 and the cause of his displeasure and of the Law and sentence of death being added was sin which Christ comes to destroy and to put an end to that the Creature may be in him in whom the Face of God is seen in whom there is no sin and in him God is well-pleased and thus we know a Mediator is not a Mediator of One but we have a Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus We have an Advocate with the Father Mark we have an Advocate and we have life through the Son of God we know that the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in every one that walks after the Spirit And so we can rejoyce in God our Saviour and testifie against all such antichristian spirits as deny his Power and say He could not save as God whereas his Divine Power worketh mightily in the true Believers unto their salvation for he hath wrought all our works in us and it is his Divine Power that giveth unto us all things pertaining to Life and Godliness 2 Pet. 1.2 And how is Redemption purchased by the Son of God if he doth not save as he is the Word seeing it 's confessed he most properly was the Son of God from the dayes of Eternity pag. 34. And how hath he wrought off man's disobedience by his suffering is it wrought off whilest man lives in it and denyes Perfection and Freedom from sin tearm of life and how then doth the Seed of the Woman bruise the Serpents head if the Serpent must have a place and sway in man by leading him into sin the dayes of mans life must not the Serpent's head be bruised within and the Seed be known within which bruiseth it and hath not he that is born of God the Seed in him and is not this Seed Spritual But what is the price so much talk'd on that both satisfies God and saves man Bapt. The sufferings and blood sheding of Christ had in it