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 1 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 saith 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 Lest the
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 Lord O King c. 18.7 Obadiah fell on his face and said Art thou that my Lord Elijah v. 12.13 I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth Was it not told my Lord c. Gen 23.7 Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the Land c. 33.3 14. Jacob bowed himself to Esau and said Let my Lord pass over before his servant 1 Chron. 29.20 All the Congregation bowed down their heads and worshipped the Lord and the King Now let the reason be shewed why the single example of Mordecay should prevail against all these But besides examples we have a precept Lev. 19.32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and fear thy God 2 And from this Text it is apparent that you speak just contrary to the mind of God in saying that to rise up is not to honour men when he says Rise up and honour And whereas you interpret that command of our Saviour by his
up thither and so is every regenerate man at present So that it is no strange or peculiar thing which our Saviour said of himself viz. that he was then in Heaven whilst he discoursed with Nicodemus Joh. 3.13 5 And I would then know how he passed through two Heavens or thought he did so for whether this were real or a vision is all one the vision signifying as much as the real motion And if you please I would understand also from your inspiration not conjecture what these two Heavens are which he passed to come to the third For alass I only take the one to be that of the Clouds and the other that of the Stars it being of old said The Clouds of Heaven And the Stars of Heaven But perhaps you can inform me of two other as well as a third hard by us somewhat alike comfortable 6 Being curious I would yet know how St. Paul's Body was or might be caught up Vnto this third Heaven a spiritual substance just before his Face For methinks it should then rather have been said his Body was caught or drawn into it Be truly serious and tell me whether Christ ascended up above the Clouds I mean ten or twenty Miles distant from Earth upward And since we read that at his Death he said to the Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise whether their Spirits ascended upward as the Spirits of Men do especially since this Paradise is the third Heaven vers 4. In the mean time I go on with your words Ibid. p. 7. And out of these Heavens doth the Seed of God come who soweth it in the heart of Man and formeth it by his own immediate power and watereth it with influences from Heaven which have of the vertue and breath of his own eternal Life and Spirit in them whereby this Seed groweth up into a perfect substantial birth of one Heavenly and incorruptible nature which is Christ formed within the Body of Christ his Flesh and Blood which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto that Soul or Life of Man which eateth it and feedeth upon it and it is called the Body and Flesh and Blood of Christ because his eternal Life and Spirit dwelleth in it immediately and communicateth unto man the knowledg of the glory and beauty of himself only in and through this Seed and Birth G. F. Catechism p. 142. They tell me of Christs human Flesh and human Body Doth Scripture speak of such things is not his Flesh from above and doth not Christ say his Flesh comes from above which was the Bread Ans. It was the first Adam who was earthly but the second is Heavenly The Text which proves as you suppose that Christ hath another Body besides that which was visible Flesh and Blood of a spiritual substance besides the material which he took of the Virgin which giveth Life unto the Soul which feedeth on it by the Spirit which dwelleth in it communicating of the knowledg of the glory of himself through the Seed of God is Joh. 6.50 51. This is the Bread which cometh down from Heaven that a Man may eat thereof and not Die I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven If any man eat of this Bread he shall Live for ever And the Bread which I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World From whence I suppose you would argue thus The Flesh here spoken of came down from Heaven The visible flesh came not down from Heaven Therefore the visible Flesh is not here spoken of I deny the Major and for this reason because the Text says not the Flesh came down from Heaven Which therefore you must prove by consequence thus The Bread came down from Heaven The Flesh is the Bread Therefore the Flesh came down from Heaven I Answer The Bread in the Major signifies whole Christ. As it is said I am the Living Bread and vers 48. I am the Bread of Life And though he speak of himself as then he was both the Word and Man that he came down from Heaven I came down from Heaven yes and said that he the Son of Man came from thence vers 62. What and if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before Chap. 3.13 No Man hath Ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven the Son of Man which is in Heaven Yet as the Son of Man he came not from thence but as the Word But Flesh in the Minor is not the Bread as that signifies whole Christ but only part of Christ. Now that may be affirmed of whole Christ or of his Person which cannot be affirmed of every part of him As your selves will grant that he came from Heaven and yet deny that his visible Flesh which is part of him did Wherefore though the Bread came down from Heaven and the Flesh is Bread it will not follow from hence that the Flesh came from Heaven unless either all the Bread which is Christ came from thence or the Flesh is all the Bread that is to say all Christ. Form the Syllogism as it ought thus and you may the easier discern your error All the Bread of Life came down from Heaven The Flesh is some of the Bread of Life Therefore the Flesh came down from Heaven Or thus all the Bread of Life came down from Heaven Some Flesh is the Bread of Life Therefore some Flesh came down from Heaven For the Major is false which affirms all the Bread of Life to come down from Heaven For all the Bread of Life is all Christ and all Christ came not down from Heaven For his visible Flesh did not and yet his visible Flesh is some of the Bread of Life I will use the like Arguments for Proof of the descent of Christ's visible Flesh and leave you to answer them because in so doing you will answer your selves The Bread here spoken of came down from Heaven The visible Flesh is the Bread here spoken of Therefore the visible Flesh came down from Heaven The Minor I prove That which Christ gave for the Life of the World is the Bread here spoken of as the Text affirms The Bread which I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World The visible Flesh Christ gave for the Life of the World Therefore the visible Flesh is the Bread here spoken of Again the Son of Man came down from Heaven The Son of Man is visible Flesh Therefore visible Flesh came down from Heaven Again all the Bread of Life came down from Heaven The visible Flesh is some of the Bread of Life Therefore the visible Flesh came down from Heaven Perhaps an Instance may be more clear to you and therefore say I thus Redemption came from Jerusalem The Mony is the Redemption Therefore the Mony came from Jerusalem Which yet will not necessarily follow because it might be taken up
suppose in England by him that came from Jerusalem and redeemed Slaves by that Price paid Now to shew the contrary to your assertion 1 Let us put into the Text the visible Flesh and see whether it cannot be said as it is without any 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
Spirit doth signifie as to some men Heathens namely and the darkest and wickedest the least measure of light and the smallest spiritual operation and motion in the Heart you understanding that it is given to every man And this so ill agreeing with the Apostles discourse it was necessary that you should take away the emphasis as you have done saying a manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man But what reason and authority you have for so doing I know not the Greek having its Article which commonly enough is emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but especially there being the greatest emphasis in the thing it self the manifestation of the Spirit the Apostle expressing it by many eminent Gifts such as Tongues Miracles c. and not saying one ordinary thing of it such namely as is the light in every man Heathens as well as Christians G. K. Help p. 2. Eating and drinking Damnation spoken of 1 Cor. 11. is where this discerning of the Lord's Body is not rightly made the Dead and Crucified Body from the Living Body the living Soul as it is first from the quickning Spirit which follows after Surely men may say any thing when they assume the liberty of proving nothing The Text is this He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lord's Body Not discerning it in what I demand In eating and drinking you must say if you will speak according to the Apostle I demand further in eating and drinking what This Bread and Wine you must answer which the Lord ordeined in remembrance of his Death if you will again speak as the Apostle doth Friend Dost thou eat and drink this I neither do nor will must thou reply according to thy opinion and practice I tell thee then that thou discernest not the Lord's Body according to the mind of the Apostle in this place And it is no wonder that thou hast invented a strange interpretation hereof so long as thou wilt have nothing to do with the Institution Do this in remembrance of me But since the Apostle speaks of the Lord's Supper shew that he means here that another body is to be discerned than that which is to be remembred as Crucified whereof the Bread and Wine are Symbols Shew a syllable here that intimates a spiritual body I will shew thee and I wish thou would'st learn thy duty what it is according to the Apostles mind to discern the Lords Body viz. to come to the Supper of the Lord not as to a common Feast but with heavenly affection and all due preparation of Soul minding his Death the death of so great an one as the Son of God the Lord of Glory and not of an ordinary man and that ignominious and painful the death of the Cross his Love herein and the Love of his Father and our inestimable benefit eternal Redemption so as to be sutably wrought upon by all Thus much you might have learned from the Apostle if you had observed his words who tells us that as for eating and drinking that is after the common manner we have houses to do that in but this bread is Christ's Body broken for us and this Cup is the New Testament in his Blood and we are to examin our selves and to receive these in remembrance of him shewing forth his Death herein And I pray you what is here unworthy of a Christian and unfit for you to do what that is mean and elementary and not divine enough for the best But as for your discerning of the Lord's Body his dead Body from his living Body the living Soul from the quickning Spirit as you intend it not of his Supper so hath it nothing to do with the Text. J. N. Love to the Lost p. 54. c. This was Instituted by Christ as they sate at Meat and did eat and so often as they did eat and drink thereof they were to do it in remembrance of him shewing his Death till he came And this was that the Apostles received of the Lord and was practised in the purity of the Church which breaking Bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart And this was to be done at all seasons when they eat and drank in their eating and drinking they were to do it to the Lord and herein to have communion with his Body and Blood Yea when they were to have communion with the Gentiles they were to partake of the Table of the Lord 1 Cor. 10. Many excess having overtaken them for want of eating always in his fear and in remembrance of his coming have put his coming afar off into another world and are become reprobate in the Faith as to his appearance and to avoid this it was that the Lord Jesus commanded his Disciples in eating and drinking to shew forth his death till he came It must needs be that they return into the pleasures of the flesh that discern not his Body in their eatings who is the Body of all creatures And this is known from the Lord in the Eternal to be the true end of the Supper of the Lord instituted and appointed that in remembrance of his death they might be kept from all excess It is easie to say This is from the Lord but nothing is more dreadful than to lay Errour upon the Holy Ghost notwithstanding the people out of reverence to that holy one believe it and reverence the Assertor Shew a syllable that intimates that our Lord instituted his Supper for a remembrance of his Death in our ordinary daily eating and drinking or that the reason he took Bread and Wine when he did eat the Passeover with his Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood This do in remembrance of me was to shew us that whenever we take our common meals we should feed our selves in his fear as the remembrance of his Death requires Nothing is more clear than that he meaneth a peculiar eating and drinking For says he This is my Body This is my Blood Is all Bread and Wine his Body and Blood or do they so signify Nay though there be on our Tables neither of these creatures but only Butter and Cheese and Eggs Beer and Water and Milk Again the Apostle doth not say as oft as ye eat and drink but as oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup you shew the Lord's death 1 Cor. 11. manifestly distinguishing this Bread and Wine from Cabbage and Ale and whatsoever else is our common food And again 1 Cor. 10. The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the Blood of Christ Is every Cup this And chap. 11. Let a man examine himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup. I pray you must we examine and fit our selves whenever we eat and unless we do so forbear all
food Christ then hath ordeined that all the wicked who are always unfit must be famished or else you must say they sin when ever they eat and to save their lives may indeed eat though they do sin But further could you not see that this was done in the Church when many of the Christians came together into one place for this very end and not in their own houses not by every one apart in every eating Could you not see it is called the Lord's Supper with express distinction from their own It is written plain enough vers 20.21.22 When ye come together into one place this is not to eat the Lord's Supper for in eating every one taketh before other his own Supper What have ye not houses to eat and drink in So far are you from the Truth when you say the Christians did partake of the Lord's Table when they eat with the very Heathens and whensoever else Ibid. p. 58. Christ charged his Disciples to wait for his coming at Jerusalem the promise of the Father of which he had told them before his Death which they were to shew so often as they brake bread till he came 1 Cor. 11.26 and after he was come to the Apostles they continued it for their sakes who were weak in the Faith to whom he was not appeared R. Barclay Catechism p. 98. This was to continue till Christ came Which coming is inward 1 The Commandment of our Saviour Do this in remembrance of me according to you belonged only to the Apostles and those that were Disciples before his Death and was obligatory but till the descent of the Holy Ghost that is but fifty days after his Resurrection and that after this time it was arbitrary and they might observe it or forbear But this is false for St. Paul tells the Corinthians that he had received this of the Lord and accordingly delivered the same unto them 2 Cor. 11.23 So that that which was commanded the Apostles before Christ's death was given in charge again to St. Paul and that after Christ's coming to the Apostles in Jerusalem at Pentecost for after this time was he called to the Ministry and moreover was delivered by him as a command to be observed by the Church Nay though Christ was come by the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost yet still says the Apostle As oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew or shew ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord's Death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 So that he means another coming and until that be he teaches us that this is to be done 2 Not only in that first descent of the Holy Ghost but also in all Divine operations in the heart by the same spirit was Christ come already when the Apostle wrot for unless he was so come working graciously upon the heart the Corinthians were not to receive the Supper of the Lord v. 27.28.29 Wherefore that inward coming cannot be meant by the Apostle for as much as that which he speaks of was not as yet as is manifest by those words Till he come 3 If the Apostles continued it as you further say for the sakes of the weak why do not you likewise continue it for the sakes of the same What are there no weak ones among you Is the Church of the Quakers better than the primitive Or are you wiser than the Apostles judging that unfit which they judged fit But dear Souls in good earnest is the Lord's Supper below you too mean and beggarly for your strength and spirituality What Christian how great and perfect soever he be if as perfect as St. Paul doth it not become to commemorate Christ and shew forth his Death as this Solemnity requires Which is to declare by this outward Rite to all the world his Faith in this Crucified Person whom the Jews by reason of his vile death despised and rejected 1 Cor. 1.18.23 and to profess himself his Servant and to admire his love and the Love of his Father and to acknowledge that our eternal Redemption is by his Blood-shed and for all to offer most ardent thanks and the profoundest Praises and Adorations of his heart This reason is perpetual and equally concerns all And further was there ever any Church which discontinued the Supper of our Lord Or was there never heretofore the glorious appearance till which time your selves say it was to be observed until now among you Quakers I adde you discern not the wisdom of our Lord in this matter in that he hath injoyned us to come and yet forbids unless we prepare our selves So that he provokes and even compels us to Devotion and Piety and doth what may be not only to excite and animate our coldness but to continue us in our goodness and to bring the more profane to a godly mind and life viz. by the frequent repetitions of this grand and serious solemnity 4 Christ's coming therefore until which time his Supper is to continue is that in the end of the world which is so eminently spoken of every where in the Gospel and all Christians wait for Of which you read again in this Epistle c. 15.23 Christ the First-fruits is risen afterwards they that are Christ's shall rise at his coming Then cometh the end G. K. Help p. 22. This is Antichrist who denies Christ the Son came in the revelation of himself in the heart for that coming of Christ in his Bodily appearance at Jerusalem Antichrist will not does not deny being he knows it will never harm his Kingdom so to confess him come provided Christ's Kingdom be not set up in the heart Tomlinson word of Reproof p. 5. The spirit of Antichrist doth not confess Christ come i. e. when he comes or appears in flesh or in his servants Parker's Discovery p. 20. Every Spirit that confesses Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God but the Pope and his Train and the vilest persons have confessed Christ come in his flesh at Jerusalem yet are not of God They who deny Christ come in their mortal flesh to destroy sin are Antichrists I am sorry to hear such words come out of the mouths of men pretending to Christianity I trust it is out of ignorance and inconsideration you speak not malice For will not Antichrist deny Christ come in his Body when he took that Flesh that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death the Devil and when through the offering of his Body we are all sanctified when by that Blood he entred into the holy place having obteined Eternal Redemption for us and when it is that which cleanseth us from all our sins when in this body he rose again without which Resurrection we had yet been in our sins and in the same ascended without which ascension the Holy Ghost had not come When without this Body the world had never had his Preaching nor Miracles nor Example nor his Apostles nor any of
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 forth 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 forasmuch 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 Messias 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 did of whom it is here spoken For thus are the Words I fell at his Feet to worship and he said unto me see thou do it not I am thy Fellow-Servant and of thy Brethren which have the Testimony of Jesus worship God for the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy Which is to say I am but as thy self thou hast the Spirit of Prophecy as well as I I am but a Prophet testifying of Jesus like thy self As Chap. 22.9 I am thy Fellow-Servant and of thy Brethren the Prophets So that when Isaiah saith to all to the Testimony exhorting them to keep close to that word and to enquire there whether that which any man shall spake be Truth he
which did enter into the Hearts of the Wicked and cut down the Sin But say I the Sword which the Text produced speaks of is the Carnal which Kills the Creatures and not the Spiritual which cuts down Sin that which Kills the Body the Bodies of Christ's Disciples and not that which enters the Hearts of the Wicked that which the Wicked use against the Righteous and not that which Christ useth against the Wicked Or which is all one it is Persecution Hatred Reproach Variance and as the Sword strictly taken doth signifie it is Death it self the Killing of the Body For it follows For I am come to set a man at Variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother and a mans foes shall be they of his own house And such foes they are that Kill the Body as we find a little after this in these Words He that loseth his Life for my sake shall find it And as appears by those a little before our Text vers 28. Fear not them that Kill the Body And vers 21. Brother shall deliver up Brother to Death The whole discourse is of Persecutions which should arise by reason of the word of Christ which his Disciples were to Preach and profess openly of evil which they should suffer upon the account of their Religion Wherefore when our Saviour says he sends this Sword he only means that it will come upon his account And whereas he expected tranquillity and great earthly prosperity from him he being the King that was to Rule whose Kingdom also they thought should be like other Princes with external pomp and dominion Chap 18.1 Act. 1.6 he faithfully tells them afore hand the contrary that they shall meet with many troubles to the end they might be armed against them And for the Exposition of his sending a Sword I give his own words vers 12. Ye shall be hated of all men for my sake Joh. 16.33 In the World ye shall have Tribulation Mat. 13.21 Tribulation or Persecution ariseth because of the Word Reb. Trevers Testimony p. 21. Had I not come into the World ye had had no Sin But now your Sin remains because ye believe not on him whom God hath sent for I am come a light into the World This his coming thou wouldest have only at that time at Jerusalem as if he had not come before nor since I would enquire of thee was there no Sin till Christ was manifest at Jerusalem The cause of all Sin was and is the not coming to him which saves from Sin who was and is and is to come and so he that was the Light says I am come a Light into the World Yes this his coming this spoken of in the Text was only at Jerusalem that in his Body among the Jews As will appear from the words Joh. 15.22.24 if I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had Sin but now have they no Cloak for their Sin If I had not done among them the works which none other man did they had not had Sin For when did Christ speak unto those Jews then Living and do those works among them but since his Birth of the Virgin Mary Means he not by that which he spake unto them that which he spake with his Carnal Mouth and they heard with their Carnal Ears his Preaching in their Cities Synagogues and Temple Means he not by his Works those that he did in Corazin Bethsaida Capernaum which they saw with their Carnal Eyes as the healing of Diseases the expulsion of Devils c and for the contempt of which he pronounced woes against them so sure is it that his coming here spoken of is only that at Jerusalem in his Flesh. And how is it possible to understand any other coming than this by those other words which you cite God hath sent me I am come a Light into the World As well may you understand these words also of God's sending him and his coming into the world before his incarnation God sent his Son in the likeness of Sinful Flesh. In the fulness of time God sent forth his Son made of a Woman I am come forth from the Father and am come into the World To this end was I Born and for this end came I into the World For thus lie the words speaking plainly of a sending and coming lately into the World and such a sending and coming as that he had a Mouth to speak with to Mens Ears Joh. 12.44 He that believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me I am come a Light into the World that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness And if any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge the World but to save the World And when was this The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day For I have not spoken of my self but the Father which sent me he gave me a commandment what I should say 2 This coming of Christ at Jerusalem being only spoken of in respect of this alone must he therefore be understood when he saith in the same place If I had not come they had had no Sin And to your enquiry was there no Sin before I answer there was But if you put the question as you ought to do had not these Jews had Sin if Christ had not come in his Body and so spoken unto them and done his works among them the Text would have answered you they had not Which is not to be taken absolutly as you take it saying if Christ had not come a Light into the World before in the hearts of men then indeed there had been no Sin at all Which is another false interpretation of yours but comparatively They those Jews that heard Christ's Doctrine and saw his Miracles and yet believed not nor repented had not had Sin in comparison of what now they have their Sin had been less they had been more excusable Which sense is manifest from those Words in the Text But now have they no Cloak for their Sin For if they will not see when they have the clearest Light nor believe when they have multitude of miracles nor repent when they have the best instruction what can they plead for themselves And in like manner we had not had Sin if the Gospel had not come unto us our Sin would not have had those aggravations which now it hath it being now the abuse of far greater Grace G. W. Authority of Ministry p. 2. Baptizing people in outward Baptism doth not Baptize Men into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost p. 7. That Baptism which Christ commanded Mat. 28. and Mark 16. is of necessity unto Salvation For by it they were to Baptize men into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Now without being Baptized into this name a man cannot be saved For by no other name under