p. 8. And 1 why not as well All that are in people are in confusion The palpable grosness of the absurdity would not permit this And yet it might as well have been so said as the other people signifying in the Text the same as Tongues Kindreds and Nations and Languáges do 2 Who told you Latin is the Original You might with as much Truth have told the world the Teachers say the Scriptures were first written in English or Dutch Write next time Chaldee Hebrew and Greek 3 The Great Whore sits upon Tongues say you Upon Hebrew Greek and Latin you mean And I ask what this meaneth Alas that you cannot discern what Tongues here signifies when so many words are used to make you understand Nations Peoples Kindreds Multitudes and all that dwell upon the Earth Rev. 17. 15 13. 7. 8. 4 What Scripture saith Hebrew and Greek are not the Original Don't answer Christ is the Original lest I bid you prove it from the Scripture and you being not able to do it become ashamed for I have not read in all that Holy Book that that Divine Person is Hebrew and Greek Which yet unless you take to prove you will be shamed by your quibbles and impertinences G. F. Catech. p. 10. As in the first Adam all Died so in the second Adam are we all made alive I Cor. 15. 22. How Died all in the first Adam and how are we made alive in the second he transgressed so is in Sin out of life in the Death Who be in the first Adam they be out of the light Now Christ is he which quickens from the Trespasses The whole Chapter is of the Resurrection of the Body and not of the Soul of rising and being made alive after this life in the last day and not of Regeneration before our Death And that the present words spake of this last Resurrection the context abundantly shews Vers. 16. c. If the Dead Rise not then is not Christ Risen and if Christ be not Raised your Faith is vain ye are yet in your Sins Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are Perished If in this Life only we have hope in Christ we are of all-men most miserable But now is Christ Risen from the Dead and is become the first Fruits of them that Slept For since by Man came Death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead Now follows our Text For as in Adam all Die so in Christ shall all be made alive But every man in his own order Christ the first-fruits afterward they that are Christ's at his coming Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death Now note these things The quickening by Christ or rising by him is of them that are fallen asleep in him and is such as himself did partake of and such as by which he became the first-fruits and such as they that are his shall receive at his coming even in the end of all things when the last enemy Death shall be destroy'd But now they that are Christ's are already quickned and raised from Sin and such of them as are fallen asleep and are dead shall not receive this quickening at his coming in the end of all things and Christ himself was never so quickened as being never so Dead nor therefore became the First-fruits by this Resurrection and finally notwithstanding this Resurrection Death still remains So manifestly have you erred in Interpreting these words mystically As in Adam all Die so in Christ shall all be made Alive Dear Souls ask your selves whence it is that you make such mistakes Is it dulness of understanding is it carelesness or pride or perversness of mind Do not conceit vainly that every thing that is mystically spoken is excellently spoken Let the Scriptures stand as they do having been so ordered by a wiser than your selves For you can not put upon them greater purity and spirituallity than they have though you should Interpret all mystically which they spake literally And take heed of making void by such Interpretations those Texts which in their literal Sense contein the Chief Articles of our Religion lest others learn of you to do the same and so the whole Gospel be turned into mystery and we have no foundation for our belief of a future Resurrection a Judgment-day Christ's coming from Heaven to judge the World our ascension thither and entrance into that blessed place the Kingdom of God the wicked's departure into Hell and endless Torments good Angels and evil the Crucifixion of Christ c. Ibid. p. 45. What is the higher power to which the Soul must be subjected Is there a power which must not be subjected to What is that power That is the power which did not abide in the Truth which must not be subjected to but that is the higher power which must be subjected to which is above that So this power is above that which did go out of the Truth which spake of himself the Devil spake of himself Rom. 13. 1. Joh. 8. 44. Ibid. p. 119. What is the higher Power to which the Soul must be subject to The higher power is ordained of God and is that which goeth over all Transgressors upon the Earth and over the Devil The power which is immortal that which answers the principle of God in every man G. F. Gospel-Liberty p. 20. Every Soul must be subject to the higher power Mark The Soul is immortal and the power is so When Magistrates acted contrary to the power ordained of God he sent his Prophets to cry against their corruptions Barely to cite the Text is enough to convince others I dare not say you of your error viz. that the higher power there spoken of is not the immortal which goeth over all Transgressors and is above the Devil but the supream Magistrate Rulers Men in Authority Rom. 13. 1. c. Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers you should have kept to the letter which you despise and not have written power for powers For there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God Rulers are not a terror to good Works but to evil Wilt thou not then be afraid of the powers They are God's Ministers Render tribute to whom tribute is due Thus again speaks St. Peter 1 Epist. 2. 13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as to them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well Certainly if you speak so as you make Scripture speak there is no understanding of you that is if you mean another thing than your plain words signifie For nothing can be spoken plainer than what the Apostle hath written here of the higher Powers which yet you understand not of Rulers but of the
immortal power which is over all Transgressors and above the Devil contrary to which the Rulers Act through their corruptions and to which those higher powers are to be subject G. F. Catech. p. 71. If they were acquainted with the Gospel Christ Jesus which is the power of God Rom. 1. 16. they would be all in unity The Text says not I am not ashamed of the Gospel Christ but the Gospel of Christ so distinguishing it from him As St. Paul again doth when he faith Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to to light through the Gospel And God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Left the Reader should think the Printer hath omitted the word of let him know that they frequently thus write Return to Priests about Beverly p. 10. You have put the Books Mathew Mark Luke John for the Gospel which are the carnal letter and part of the declaration of the Gospel which Gospel is Christ. G. F. Catech. p. 59. The Teachers of the World say To the Law and to the Testimonie and they call the Scripture so The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy and the Scriptures are not the Spirit and the Law is Light Rev. 19 10. Pro. 6. 23. And the Testimony was put in the Ark and the pot of Manna was laid up before it unto it the Tribes went up unto Jerusalem and the Testimony Jehojada brought sorth and gave it to Jehoash The Spirit of Prophecy was not put in the Ark nor the pot of Manna laid up before it nor to it went the Tribes unto Jerusalem nor did Jehojada bring forth the Spirit of Prophecy and give it unto Jehoash Again the Gentiles had not the Law we are not now under it we are delivered from it But the Gentiles had the Law within which is Light and we are still under this we are not delivered from it Again the Law is Light Then we may be sure that is so which Moses wrot sorasmuch as that is the Law The just conclusion therefore is that there are more Laws and Lights and Testimonies than one Yes and more Testimonies of Jesus there are than the Spirit of Prophecy for the Scriptures testifie of him and you your selves say they are not the Spirit Well be it known unto you that as there is a Law within so there is a Law without and this is a greater and more perfect Light being added to that within since the corruption of it by the Fall for the better information of mankind insomuch that all that partake hereof are in a better condition than they that want it as partaking of a peculiar priviledge and special benefit This was the difference of the Jews and Gentiles they had the Law these not And what I pray you was this Law which the Jews enjoyed but that which was published by Moses and the Prophets for as for the internal that the Gentiles had as well as they Rom. 2. 14. When the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things conteined in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Chap. 3. 1 2. What advantage then hath the Jew much every way chiefly that unto them were committed the Oracles of God Chap. 9. 4. To them was the giving of the Law and the Services of God and the Promises Now when God saith to the Jews to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no Light in them Isa. 8. 20. Let any man judge whether he sends them for the knowledge of his Will to the Law of the Gentiles or to that given by Moses which is peculiarly called their Law It is written in your Law Joh 8. 17. and 10. 34. Moses gave you the Law Chap. 7. 19. whether to the Light of their own hearts or to his Oracles Statutes and Judgments as they were externally published Or when he says the same to us Christians whether he sends us to the Light in us that we may know whether this Doctrine or the other which Men Teach be the Truth or to the Scriptures the Light especially in every one to whom this is said being not perfect especially not so perfect as the Scriptures in which God hath declared all his Will every one being not like Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles Let any man judge since God hath sent Prophets and by them hath published his Will and that in writing he yet sends us to the Light in us for the knowledg of his Will and for the determination of all controversies And whether if he had not externally published a Law and Testimony by his Servants the Prophets he would say to us To the Law and Testimony Let me know whether the Light in the Jews told them God would have them circumcise burn incense offer sacrifice and slay such and such Beasts and not others keep holy the seventh day abstein from several sorts of Meats from Blood and things strangled and if a controversie should arise about these whether they were to go to the written Law of Moses or to the unwritten Law of Light in every one of their own Hearts Let me know whether the Light within sufficiently tells us that the Meslias is come or indeed that one was promised that Jesus Born of Mary is he or indeed that he was Born at all of a Woman and had real Flesh that he Died and by that Death redeemed us and through his Blood shed we are Saved upon our Repentance and an holy Life that our Spirits do not Die we shall be made Alive again and rise from the Grave the Wicked shall have endless Torment the Righteous endless Joy insomuch that if Christ and his Apostles had never spoken a word and we had never received the Scriptures nor had heard a syllable of all this Preached by Men we should have known it all and as firmly have believed it as now we do For it is said we are built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles And Jesus Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Life was manifested and we have seen it and shew unto you the Eternal Life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us The mystery hid from Ages is now made manifest The things which God hath prepared for us have not entred into the heart of Man but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit And these things were Preached unto others that they might know them and believe and have Eternal Life Lastly the Spirit of Prophecy in the Text you cite Rev. 19. 10. is not the Spirit as it is in every man as you understood it unless you will say contrary to St. Paul all are Prophets 1 Cor. 12. 29. Eph. 4. 11. for it is the Spirit as Prophesying and that in the strict signification of the word which is to praedict as the Angel and St. John
incongruity I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven If any Man eat this Bread he shall Live for ever And the Bread which I will give is this my Flesh which your Eyes behold which I will give for the Life of the World or say we And the Bread which I will give is my Life which I will give for the Life of the World for that that is the meaning of giving his Flesh for the Life of the World shall be shewed anon And that he gave his Bodily Life that which he took of the B. Virgin for the Life of the World I hope you will not deny But the words being thus put there is no incongruity but it is the very same in sense with the Text and therefore the visible Flesh of Christ is here meant So that the whole is this Christ who now was Man having said that he is the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven shews in one eminent particular wherein he is so viz in Dying for us he being likewise the Bread of Life in other respects namely as to his Doctrine and Spirit and raising unto eternal Life at the last day Which Death is our eternal Life as Bread is our Temporal 2 From these last words I will give my Flesh for the Life of the World I prove that the Flesh and Blood here spoken of are not a spiritual invisible substance which you Imagine Christ always dwelt in and brought from Heaven with him but that visible which he took of the Virgin For to give his Flesh for the Life of the World signifies to offer up himself a Sacrifice for Sin by Death upon the Cross thereby obtaining Life for the World Pardon and Redemption As is manifest from the like expressions which frequently occur Mat. 20. 28. The Son of Man came to give his Life a Ransom for many Eph. 5. 2. Christ hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God Heb. 9. 28. He was once offered to bear the Sins of many Chap. 3. 14. As the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death the Devil And it being altogether thus spoken of his visible Flesh it is sure enough that this place speaketh of the same For shew another Text if you can that speaketh thus of a spiritual Flesh of his But then the importance of the Phrase being such as you have heard you must affirm that the spiritual Flesh was offered and Died and so obtained Redemption for us Which is altogether a stranger to the Scripture Whether you will affirm this I cannot tell But this we all see that you Interpret the Life which is by Christ's Flesh viz. The spiritual which you phansie of his quickening of our Souls by his Life and Spirit which dwelleth in us Which is quite another thing than to give it for the Life of the World that importing Dying as a sacrifice and atoning for Sin 3 The Flesh and Blood here are two distinct things vers 53. Whereas the spiritual substance which you imagine can have but one part And moreover the Flesh forasmuch as the giving of it as hath been proved signifies Christ's Death must needs be that which was Broken and the Blood that which was shed And accordingly the Bread and Wine which our Lord Ordeined in remembrance of his same Death are symbols of this same Flesh and Blood and of no other 1 Cor. 11. Mat. 26. This is my Body which is Broken for you This is my Blood which is shed for you But spiritual Flesh cannot be broken nor spiritual Blood shed and indeed there are not these two distinct parts in a spiritual substance nor are the Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper symbols of such and therefore we must conclude that such are not here meant Im. Revel p. 55. Scripture is frequent in its testimonies concerning the appearance of Jesus Christ in his Saints Can any thing which is without Man speak so immediatly to the Soul as Christ who made it and is in it and comes in for that end to reveal himself and his Father therein and so to fulfil that Prayer of his Joh. 17. 24. Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me But this Text speaks not of the Saints being with Christ and beholding his Glory whilst they are upon Earth by his operation in their Hearts but of their real presence with him in Heaven after this Life and then and as so present beholding his Glory For as he departed out of this World to be in the place where he is and to receive the Glory there which he hath vers 1. The hour is come Glorifie thy Son Vers. 5. Glorifie thou me with thine own self Ver. 11. I am no more in the World I come to thee Chap. 7. 39. Jesus was not yet Glorified Chap. 20. 17. I am not Yet ascended to my Father Eph. 1. 20. God raised him from the Dead and set him at his own right hand in the Heavenly places 1 Tim. 3. 16. Received up into Glory vide Joh. 6. 62. So must we likewise depart hence that we may be in the same place with him and behold as there present his Glory For thus it is said 2 Cor. 5. 6. Whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord Phil. 1. 23. I have a desire to depart and be with Christ 1 Joh. 4. 2. When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And plain enough is it that our Saviour speaks not of our Beholding his Glory whilst we are absent from him but when we are in the same place with him I will that they be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory And that really and personally there by a proper local removal hence as himself went thither For thus says he vers 11. I am no more in the World I come to thee Whereas then he prays that they that are his may be with him it is manifest he means that they might come to the Father as he did be removed from Earth into Heaven for the same says he of those that lay down their Lives for him Which must therefore needs mean their being with him in the other World so as to be glorified and receive eternal Life Chap. 12. 25. 26. He that hateth his Life in this World shall keep it unto Life eternal If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be So says he to the Jews Chap. 7. 33. 34. Yet a little while I am with you and then I go unto him that sent me Ye shall seek me and shall not find me and where I am thither ye cannot come i. e. Ye cannot come unto God in Heaven
may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 1 Tim. 4. 11. These things command and teach Vers. 13. 15. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all Chap. 3. 14 15. These things write I unto thee that thou mayest know how to behave thy self in the house of God 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things which thou hast heard of me among many Witnesses the same commit thou to Faithful men who shall be able to Teach others also Vide etiam Tit. 1. 9. and 2. 15. Here then are Ministers of the Doctrine which they had learned and had been taught of men and of things committed to them by others and studying Ministers If they had received the word by Revelation like St. Paul what need he teach and direct them Did he teach and direct the other Apostles thus Was the word committed to them by men Had they learned it of others Were they who were sent forth immediatly by Christ and the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost chosen of men as being judged Faithful 3 But now let us view the Text from whence you have taken occasion to speak as you do a little consideration of which would have delivered you from your errors viz. 2 Cor. 3. 5. c. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficience is of God Thus having told them from whence they had their ability he next tells them what a word it is which they Preached Vers 6. Who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit For the letter Killeth but the Spirit giveth Life And so goes on in commendation of the same Doctrine comparing it with the Law that the glory of it might appear to exceed the Glory of the Law saying The Law is the Ministration of Death and Condemnation but this the Ministration of Life and Righteousness And Moses put a Veil upon his Face and until this day remaineth the same Veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament but this Veil is done away in Christ and we use plainness of Speech and with open Face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image Vid. vers 7. to 12. as by the Spirit of the Lord. Wherefore he concludes Chap. 4. 1. Therefore seeing we have this Ministry as we have received mercy we faint not So that the Letter is such a word as is external obscure dead and lifeless which is without the Spirit and which Concondemns And therefore by no means can be the Doctrine of the Gospel which on the contrary is of an internal nature perspicuous quick and powerful which is accompanied with the Spirit and which holds forth justification And that it is the Law is manifest in that as the Letter Killeth so he tells us of the Ministration of Death which you your selves will acknowledge to be the Law and this Ministration which is the Law so exactly answers the Letter that it is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Letters and as the Letter signifies that which is external Rom. 2. 28 29. so this Ministration is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Engraven in Stones vers 7. In this sense we find him using the same terms Rom. 7. 6. We are delivered from the Law that we should serve in newness of Spirit and not in oldness of the Letter And as for the killing of the Letter we read it thus v. 11. Sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived me and slew me Again c. 8. 2. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death But I have an argument which I dare say you will not deny viz. G. Fox says the Letter here is the Law Treatise of Swearing p. 52. And so the Apostles were made able Ministers of Christ and of the New-Testament and not of the letter of the Prophets and of the law in the Old Testament in which there was Swearing for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life Why the Apostle calleth the law the letter in opposition to the Spirit belongs not to our present business to explain I only therefore refer the Reader for satisfaction to vers 7. 8 17 18. Heb. 8. 10. 10. 1. 9. 10. Gal. 3. 2 24. 4. 3 9. 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10. Tit. 3. 6. Joh. 7. 39. Rom. 5. 5. And how it Kills and is the ministration of Death and Condemnation he may learn from Rom. 7. 5 8 11. with Mat. 6. 17. 27 28 31 32 33 34 38 39 43 44. Rom. 8. 3. Heb. 9. 9. 10. 4 10. Gal. 3. 10 21. 2. 16. Act. 13. 39. G. F. Christian Liberty p. 9. It was matter of Conscience towards God that Mordecay did not bow to Haman Esther 3. 2. Clarks Wise pag. 59. If they had put off their hats before you Judges respecting your persons then they had transgressed the Law Jam. 2. 9. Christ respected no mans person and God saith ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honour the person of the mighty Lev. 19. 5. Mordecay would not bow to Haman nor do him reverence according to the King's command which was contrary to God's command And yet I say God commands to honour all men Which is not to rise up and bow down to them and to stand bare-headed before them but to do good to all men and to love them Parker's Discovery p. 30. Doffing the Hat is honour below which men seek and give one to another respecting persons bowing to the Rich giving them titles of Lords Masters Sirs but do not so to the poor who are in vile rayment Ibid. p. 65. Christ respected not the persons of men as his Enemies did confess Luk. 15. 21 22. 1 If Mordecay refused to bow to Haman and shew him reverence out of Conscience I wonder his Conscience permitted him to receive greater honour himself in riding cloathed with the Royal Apparel and upon the King's Horse through the City with Proclamation made before him of the King's favour Est. 6. If the King had commanded him to see this honour performed towards Haman I believe he would have refused as well as he did to bow and that he would likewise have refused to run before him or to wait upon him at his Table if he could have done it with equal safety For that his refusal was not out of Conscience we have this evidence Many of as good Conscience as he both gave and received this reverence you take for granted that no other bowing and reverencing is meant than what is ordinary among us at this day and they gave and received also titles of Honour 1 Kings 1. 23. Nathan the Prophet bowed himself before the King with his face to the ground and said My