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
be good sense but that a Body was prepared him and Christ came in the flesh and was put to death as concerning the flesh but quickned by the Spirit is Scripture-language Bapt. The Galatians did crucifie to themselves Christ afresh by looking back from Christ to be justified by their own merits Gal. 3. Answ. They did crucifie Christ by disobeying the Truth and turning from the Spirit or Light within wherein they once begun well wherefore it was said to them Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the flesh Gal. 3.1 3. so they that oppose the Light within and deny the Spirit within to save are but still in the flesh partaking of the same foolishness and therefore there must be a travel known before Christ be formed in them And whereas we are accused with denying that Blood let out to be any way meritorious to Salvation p. 37. I ask Whether any thing is of eternal merit and worth that is not everlasting and where do the Scriptures use those expressions and so much vary about the Blood of Christ as one while to say that the shedding that Blood outwardly was the meritorious Cause of Salvation another while the word shedding to be left out and the stress laid only upon that Blood it self which the Souldier shed or let out of his side with a spear which was after he was put to death Joh. 19.33 34. But then of what effect were the drops of Blood that fell from him in his Agony Another while it is the Body that was crucified and not the Spirit within that saveth for the Spirit Light and Word within is denyed to be the Saviour by this our Adversary who does not know how to state his own Faith and Principles who in page 39 accuseth us with gross mistake meer fables and vain titulations for saying that the Blood that sprinkles the conscience cleanseth from sin sanctifieth c. is the Life or is of the Spirit and that it is the Blood of the Covenant c. Answ. Here is no mistake nor fables proved against us for the Spirit the Water and the Blood agree in one and by walking in the Light is the Blood of Christ known to cleanse from all sin Now the Blood that sprinkles the conscience clenseth c. is as truly spiritual as the Water is which Christ giveth and by which he washeth his Church through the Word for we are not to suppose two kinds of Saviours and Sanctifiers that is both a natural which is not in being as is said of the blood that was shed and the Spirit which still liveth And though Christ that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gates Heb. 13. I hope it will not be denyed but this work of Sanctification is wrought and fulfilled within by the Spirit and that sprinkling and purging the conscience is inward and then where the Blood is said to do it that must needs be spiritual for surely the Blood shed outwardly must needs have a spiritual signification as well as the Water and the Cross had and the Apostle attributes washing or sanctifying to Water as well as Blood Again it is confessed pa. 35. that God by his own Blood purchased to himself a Church Act. 20.28 Now the Blood of God or that Blood that relates to God must needs be spiritual he being a Spirit and the Covenant of God is inward and spiritual and so is the Blood of it But our opposer confesseth he is as ignorant of any such Blood as may be pag. 42. And indeed so is he like to be whilst he sets himself to contend against the very Mystery of God and against plain Scripture telling us that God hath not Blood pag. 35. contrary to Act. 20.28 Zech. 9.11 And now to his 40. pag. I query 1. Whether Christ abolishing and destroying the powers of Satan and bringing in everlasting Righteousness as is said be not a work to be fulfilled within where Satan has ruled 2. Whether man be discharged of his debt whilst he lives in disobedience to the Light or Spirit of Christ within 3. Whether Christ's obedience on the Cross will exempt man from his obedience to Christ or doth acquit him in the sight of God without having the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled within him 4. Whether God be satisfied that the many offences should remain and yet take the one Offering for a full discharge from the Penalty If you say he is then 1. Whether any mans Offences can deprive him of his discharge 2. Or whether it is but only a selected and chosen number that the Debt is payed for and Salvation merited 3. And then how did Christ die for all But if the benefit accrue to man only upon condition of believing 4. Then how is mans obedience excluded as not any cause of Sanctification Justification or Salvation but an effect only And then can there be any true believing without obedience And further I find contradictions about the same matter pag. 40. for one while the stress is laid upon Christ the one Offering which is still in being and his Flesh and Blood pertaken of eat and drunk of by the true Believers another while upon the Blood that was shed Touching which the Baptist saith Though that blood shed be not in being yet the efficacy of that blood is still in being Rep. What efficacy is it Natural or Spiritual If Natural then how is the Blood lost or not in being and then where is the Spirits work If the Virtue be Spiritual that saves and sanctifies c. it never dies nor perisheth neither was it derived from that which is not in being nor was any corruptible thing its original Again If the Blood shed cry afresh and sound in God's ears for mercy for sinners as he saith How is God fully satisfied and mans Debt discharged or his disobedience wrought off as before Is Mercy still to cry afresh for where Wrath is appeased and satisfaction made as is supposed This is strange confusion And can that which is of such infinite worth as to purchase man's eternal Salvation be corrupted or lost so as not to be in being As absurdly he brings a Comparison of a purchase among men and that which bought the purchase being lost or given away As if God should set such a small value of that which purchaseth man to himself Oh! gross ignorance and error And yet it 's confessed That Christ is the Purchaser and sinners or salvation the Purchase and the price his life pag. 40. Whereas before pag. 39. he has contended against that of the Blood that sanctifieth being the Life of Christ but now the price is his Life and is not that price which purchaseth and redeems sinners that precious Blood of the Lamb which is not corruptible no more than his flesh was But if W. B. intends that the blood outwardly shed by wicked hands was the price and life of Christ
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
Christ in his people But then what nonsence is it to say that Christ or the Spirit in his people is but the beams of Christ or his Light out of his people above the Clouds at a distance where this man saies his essence is as if that the Spirit within were nothing of Christs essence what ignorance is this whereas the Apostle said the Lord is that Spirit and the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 2 Cor. 3.17 And I ask if Spirit be not the Essence of that which is spiritual and if Christ in his People be the Holy Spirit in them Does not this contradict much of his Book against us For is not he often denyed to be Christ as he is the Spirit the Word the Anointing c. by such of you that know him not but would exclude him out of his people at a great distance you know not where And as touching those that were sensual having not the Spirit from which he seems to argue against us Such were said to turn the Grace of God into wantonness denying the only Lord God and such acted despite against the Spirit of Grace and therefore their minds were turned from the Light and Spirit which at sometimes appeared in them to convince them or else how could they thus abuse and despise the Grace and Spirit of it if 't was never in them They were said Not to have the Spirit when they lived not in it But their minds were turned from it and they became sensual that true feeling sense and understanding was lost and yet whither could they go or flee from the Spirit if it pursued them to their condemnation seeing that if they digged down into Hell God was there to torment Bapt. With the heart man believeth by the help of the Spirit through the Scriptures and not by turning to the Light within But saith the Quaker Thou must hear the checks of Christ in thy Conscience c. Answ. Here turning to the Light within and the checks of Christ in Conscience is made very light of and shut out and yet the help of the Spirit is granted and is not the Spirit within and the Light of it within And must not people turn within for its help What confusion and silly work has he here made against the Light within Again the Scriptures he calls The Law and Testimony the Word of God the Gospel his proof is Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. Whereas the Scriptures signifies Writings and much of them was then unwritten and when the Law and the Testimony was spoken of Isa. 8. The Scriptures of the New Testament were not then in being but the Commandment and Word was nigh in the heart and the Law is Light and the Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophesie and this was before the Writings but in contradiction to himself this man saith 'T is true Christ is called the Word But then he adds So is the Scripture and every Text therein So here 's no distinction between Christ and the Writing as if they were all one But then he further adds They may as well say because Christ is called the Son of God that therefore every Believer is not a Son of God Now see how his Instance holds with his Assertion That every Text is a Word of God but many Texts are many words and therefore those many words are the Word which is but one as if he should argue That every Believer is a Son of God therefore all Believers which are many Sons are the Son of God which is but one Son Where learn'd he this Logick Surely he might have learned a difference between Singular and Plural in his Accidence But the Word of God is peculiarly spoken of his Name is called The Word of God Rev. 19.13 and this lives and abides for ever though we do own that words that God spake are contained in the Scriptures so what they call the Word we say the same and what they call Words Sayings c. we do also And Peter's preaching to Cornelius and those with him was not against the Light within but did tend to establish them therein contrary to what is implyed pag. 15. How received they the Holy Ghost and how and from what did they work Righteousness fear God and receive acceptance with God which Peter did not minister to draw them from but rather to confirm them in And did not he herein the more exalt that Light which led them to fear God c And to his saying Bapt. That this Faith becometh God's evidence or witness as to what Christ hath done for us Heb. 11.1 Answ. To this I say That in that place it 's said Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Now things hoped for are to come but were Christs outward sufferings to come and not seen Yea Faith does evidence the effects of Christs obedience and of his sufferings in every one that is a partaker of a conformity to his Death and of the power of his Resurrection Again if the Spirit 's reproving the World of Sin be to be understood of the Doctrine of the Saints as is supposed pag. 15. and that there be not a Light of the Spirit in the World before they have that Doctrine preached to them outwardly What do the Saints preach to in people what is it that can receive and close with their Doctrine in them And what is it in the Conscience that they are a good savour to And if there be many of the Heathen that never heard their Doctrine outwardly nor read the Scriptures as in pag. 16. What must become of them Must they be condemned and yet never have a Spiritual Light in them How then are they without excuse But of this ignorance and narrow spirit we have seen sufficient among such opposers of the Light of Christ in their denying its free extent to all Bapt. And now the Baptist saith Having shewed that the Light that is in every man is neither God Christ nor the Spirit he shall endeavour to make it his next work to shew you what Light that is in every man that doth convince and reprove him for sin or that a wicked man upon sins committing receiveth checks from that is Conscience there is a Conscience in every man that is at work at one time or other accusing or excusing Rom. 2.15 Answ. By this he hath evidently confuted and contradicted himself 1. In confessing a Light in every man convincing and reproving for sin contrary to his telling us of no Light not any Light nothing but darkness in them that speak not according to the Word 2. In his confessing to a Conscience that doth convince reprove and check the wicked for sin which Conscience in that capacity surely is rightly and truly informed by a true Principle or Light because it reproves for sin and evil and stands against the wicked which must needs be when Conscience is convicted awakened
have been silent which has stood a witness against the persecuting spirit by which many of our Friends have deeply suffered for their Testimony both by Imprisonments Banishments and many to death whereas we have not observed that you Baptists will suffer much who are so ready to creep out write and cavel against us now in a time of respite and quietness which shews the baseness of your spirits thus to bespatter an innocent People and how ignoble such of you are though there are some few that are of a better spirit than thus to bespatter us as this peevish W. B. hath done who I suppose will suffer but little for his Christ which he has to seek above the Clouds whilst he opposeth the Light within which should preserve and bear up through sufferings But suppose the Baptists Teachers were all so valiant and noble as that they should all be Prisoners and confined must their people therefore not meet but let their Testimony fall and give their Enemies the day Seeing meeting in Silence is reckoned such a great crime and yet Meditation is granted to be a Duty but not in Meetings but alone It appears that W. B. hath not a dependency upon the Spirit of Truth within in Meetings to receive his instruction thence but he must have his matter compil'd and patcht up aforehand as his matter seems to imply like the Priests of the times And as for his stories and tattles in pag. 23. touching several of our Friends whereby he goes maliciously to render us odious some things therein are falshoods and others wherein some of our Friends have been signs to the World as Solomon Eccles and others we have answered over and over heretofore and the truth of S. E. his Sign hath appeared against the nakedness of such dark Professors and Priests as he witnessed against and herein has but racked up such stuff as the persecuting Priests have against us and yet he confesseth Esay did go naked for a Sign to Egypt yet all the Prophets actions are not for our example to follow p. 14. To which I say What then shall be judge in this case for here it appears the Scripture is not the rule contrary to his former assertion Bapt. Now the Quakers would be so far from directing men to go to the material Temple that they make it but a vain thing to look to Jerusalem to the antitype of that Temple viz. to Jesus Christ as he was there crucified or to that Blood that was there shed for justification P. 24. Answ. The Quakers see no need of directing men to the Type for the Antitype viz. neither to the outward Temple nor yet to Jerusalem either to Jesus Christ or his Blood knowing that neither the righteousness of Faith nor the word of it doth so direct Rom. 10. And is it the Baptists Doctrine to direct men to the material Temple and Jeruselem the Type for the Antitype what nonsence and darkness is this And where do the Scriptures say the Blood was there shed for Justification and that men must be directed to Jerusalem to it whereas that Blood shed is not in being P. 40. but the true Apostle directed them to the Light which is so much opposed by the Baptists to walk in the Light for the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse them from all sin 1 Joh. 1. And he dyed for our sins but rose again for our Justification which Resurrection surely was after the shedding the Blood outwardly But more of this matter hereafter and of W. B. his ignorance and nonsence about the Blood Bapt. They do deny that man Christ or that God-man that was born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary P. 25. Answ. We never denyed the man Christ nor that he took upon him flesh or was born of the Virgin according to the flesh nor did we ever deny Christ to be the Saviour but as for those expressions God-man being born of Mary we do not find them in the Scriptures nor do we read that Mary was the Mother of God but in the Popes Canons Articles c. Though W. B. has pretended the Scipture to be his rule as if he would be exact in squaring his work thereby here his work is besides rule Again he saith Christ was seen with a carnal eye and his Voice heard with a carnal eare P. 25 28 29. Whereas Christ said he that seeth me seeth my Father also now dare he say that God is such a visible object as may be seen by a carnal eye surely nothing is obvious to the carnal eye but that which is carnal or outward but so is not the Invisible But indeed if the body that Christ took upon him in the Virgin and which was after crucified put to death was God for he tells of God-man being born of the Virgin then this would make God visible and to dye when that body was put to death which were no less then blasphemy whereas God was manifest in flesh Christ came in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 1 Joh. 4. and so did bear the name Christ as he was in the flesh Bapt. If that God Christ and Spirit that have their residence in the Heavens above the Clouds is looked upon by the Quakers to be but an imaginary God Christ c. P. 25. the Christ that is without and in the Heavens c. P. 26. But whither he now seeth that looketh to another God and Christ that is not to be found above the Clouds P. 27. Answ. That God Christ and Spirit the Quakers own is no other but the true God and Christ even that God that cannot be confined circulated nor limited to a place of residence seeing the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him and that Christ which ascended up far above al Heavens that he might fill all things who is God over all blessed for ever And this God Christ and the Spirit the Quakers did not find above the Clouds where the Baptist imagins at such a distance for they never ascended thither to seek their residence above the Clouds where the Baptist tells of finding God and Christ though they were never there themselves to find him and it seems they are like to be without both while they are telling of finding God and Christ above the clouds where they cannot come But we are sure the righteousness of Faith does not say Who shall ascend to fetch Christ down from Heaven but the Word is nigh thee and we also know having found him whom our souls love that he that dwelleth on high and inhabiteth Eternity doth also dwell with such as are poor and of a contrite Spirit and tremble at his Word though they be scoffed at derided by such of you Baptists whose understandings are clouded from the knowledge of the true God and Christ whom one while you tell of finding above the clouds in the Heavens without another while of directing men to Jerusalem to the Antitype and to that Blood that was there shed
as much efficacy to save a soul from the first day he was promised if believed on as the same day he dyed Answ. Was not the object and foundation of Faith in being through all ages did not the Prophets believe and follow the Spirit of Christ in them 1 Pet. 1. from whence then was the efficacy to Salvation derived was it from spirit or from flesh surely it is the Spirit that quickens if so the efficacy was spiritual not natural or that which could not be lost But whereas so much mention is made of the blood shedding and so much efficacy and vertue seems to be derived from it I ask is it not a spiritual supernatural vertue power and efficacy that cleanseth saveth and justifieth if it be how then doth it proceed from the shedding of the Blood outwardly which shedding by the Souldiers Spear was a wicked mans act or from the essence of the Blood if it perished and be not in being as is confest And is it good doctrine to say that that Blood or Life which sanctifies and justifies true Believers in all ages is not in being When sanctification purging the conscience c. is a real work can it be done by a thing that is not And yet we know that Christ the one Offering the living Sacrifice and the Blood of the Covenant which cleanseth them that walk in the Light 1 Joh. 1.7 is still in being and was throughout ages and he is said to be a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world and made his Grave with the Wicked and with the Rich in his Deaâ—h c. And that his sufferings did all testifie for God his love and good-will though being reconciled through his death we are saved by his life Rom. 5. which Life is hid from all them that deny his work within and the effect of his obedience to be inward and spiritual and plead that God imbraceth the offender denying perfection in this life which is the tendency of much of W. B. his doctrine Bapt. The Spirit could not in that capacity be a Saviour for that could not be killed nor hanged on a Tree but he that was a Saviour was so pag. 37. Answ. Herein he has shewn us that he would fain deny the Spirit to save but then he minces and mangles his work telling us the Spirit could not in that capacity be a Saviour that is as hanged on a tree Indeed we never affirmed that the Spirit is a Saviour in that capacity but as it lives quickens gives life to the Soul c. So however seing it 's granted that the Spirit in some capacity saves the Saviour is not divided Christ was not a Saviour without the Spirit though W. B. his words imply so much if the Salvation depended on his Body when killed which his Brother Ives said was but an empty trunk when the Spirit was out of it now it would be sad to say that an empty trunk was the Saviour of the world Bapt. He was that day born a Saviour but had the Light within been the Saviour or the Spirit or the Godhead then this had not been that day born Ans. Hereby hath he denyed the Spirit the Light within or the Godhead to be the Saviour and so hath gone about to make a separation between Christ the Spirit the Light and Godhead whence then came this Christ and by whose power was he a saviour had he any power but what was given him of the Father But a Saviour was born what was he born for but to bear witness to the truth and by whose power and spirit but by the Power and Spirit of the Father and what he did and wrought it was what God did by him and though that day was born in the City of David a Saviour was he a Saviour distinct from either Light within Spirit or Godhead what manner of Saviour was he then this is sad doctrine to exclude Spirit Light within and Godhead from being a Saviour surely flesh and darkness is not the Saviour but the holy thing spoken of which was of the Holy Ghost Bapt. But in his 4th reason pag. 37. It 's again confessed That Saviour that good old Simeon waited for and was revealed by the Spirit and that he had the promise of seeing was the Child brought to Jerusalem in Maryes arms and taken by him into his arms Answ. This proves against our opposer in the first place for 1st By the Spirit within good old Simeon waited and had the Saviour revealed therefore the Spirit is saving 2ly I ask Was this Child a natural birth without either Spirit Light within or Godhead or without any Spiritual birth seeing the Light within Spirit and Godhead is so much excluded and excepted from being a Saviour But would it be good doctrine to say that Mary and Simeon carried their Saviour in their arms but had not the Light nor Spirit within them to save them or that they carried God in their arms and had him not within them if that Child was God-man as he tearms him But Simeon did see further then the Baptists for he confessed Christ to be a Light to enlighten the Gentiles and the Salvation God had prepared before the face of all people which Light within they have endeavoured to darken as much as in them lyes Bapt. The Spirit desended on him like a Dove Mat. 3.16 but had the Spirit been the Christ what nonsence would it be to say the Spirit desended upon the Spirit Answ. The Spirit 's descention on him in that likeness was a testimony to John the more to confirm his belief of Christ and does not argue that Christ was with out the Spirit before or had it not in him who was the Son of God neither doth it argue that Christ the last Adam is not a quickning Spirit now in his spiritual appearance 1 Cor. 15.45 because that John saw the Holy Ghost desend on him like a Dove in the dayes of his flesh And as to Christ within both to Save and Rule for which we are accused we are not ashamed of him but do testifie to him within and his Government Power and Authority within and have not been ashamed of him before men in stormy dayes and tryals when many of the Chieftains of you Baptists were fain to hide and secure your selves for all your boasting of your God and Christ at a distance above the Clouds Stars and Firmament It 's no marvel in such tryals fear surprizeth you and that now you can carp and cavel and vilifie such as have been faithful in sufferings when you so much oppose the Light and Saviour within and shew your selves to be in the spirit of Antichrist as this W. B. hath apparantly done to the shame of you that owne him who also pag. 38. accuseth us for owning that Christ took flesh or a body but will not own that body to be Christ. Answ. Indeed if we should say that Christ took Christ it would not