not that a little degree of the Light Vertue and Knowledge thereof is not saving or sanctifying A small Stream can wash and a little Fire kindle and increase to more and a little convenient Food nourish and satisfie and a little Water quench one's Thirst or a small Seed grow and bring forth great Increase and so a little Light from Christ can increase and shine more and more till it discover the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ the anointed these things are truely known in the Mystery through true Obedience to so much Light or Illumination as God hath given man for he the Glorious Creator hath given a Light to all men sufficient to save or else they could not be left without Excuse but it would reflect upon him for condemning them for Sin if he did not afford them a Light sufficient to guide out of Sin unto Salvation But for our asserting the Light of Christ that is in every Man to be convincing sanctifying and saving H. G. concludes as followeth p. 5. III. The Effect of Christ's Sufferings only known in his Light within H. G. IN this appears your great Darkness and herein you are beguiled and cheated by the Devil to the invalidating of the Meritorious Death and Sufferings of our Lord as if there were no need of his Blood to be poured forth nor of his Intercession p. 5. Answ. Can either Christ's Light within or our following of it invalidate or make void his Sufferings without Or deprive us of the End thereof or of the Vertue of his Blood When they that crucified murthered Christ were turned from his Light within Or can any receive the Benefit of Christ's Sufferings and Blood without or out of his Light within Or are the Sufferings and Death of Christ absolutely meritorious for Man's Justification without any Dependance upon his Light within If so how can any be deprived of Justification for whom Christ dyed Which was for all Men but what Proof hath he from Scripture That the shedding Christ's Blood was the Meritorious Cause of Justification Seeing it was shed by wicked Hands and surely had the Jews and Gentiles obeyed and walked in that holy and just Light that was in them they had not crucified nor murthered the just One the Son of God whose giving up to the Death of the Cross though of Necessity yet it was occasioned because of Sin and Death that was come over all which man must only be convinced and truely sensible of by the Light of Christ within and it s such only as walk in his Light who come to know the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from all Sin And there is a certain Congruity and Oneness in being sanctified redeemed and saved by his Life Light Blood Power Arm Ingrafted Word Spirit Fire Water or by Grace these do not oppose Christ as Saviour he being in all the great Workman of God through whom God hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Titus 3. 4 5. These being one in Substance with him and of himself as the Spirit the Water and the Blood agree in one And as his offering up himself being a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World pouring out his Soul to Death and making Intercession for the Transgressors was by the Eternal Spirit so the blessed Effects thereof are spiritually and inwardly received by them that obey and walk in the Light of his Spirit wherein his Life and Vertue of the Blood of the Covenant is received unto Cleansing Sanctification and Reconciliation with God The great Sufferings Burthens and Afflictions of Christ were occasioned by man's Sin Disobedience and turning from his Life and Light within and this brought Darkness and Death over Man-kind and therefore Christ deeply travelled in the Spirit of Prayer and Intercession through all his Sufferings to bring forth his own Life and Light for man's Deliverance out of Death and Darkness that he might see his Seed and the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied And this is the Seed that shall serve him throughout all Ages which shall be counted unto the Lord for a Generation and this serves him in his Light and worships him in Spirit therefore they that oppose this Light of Christ to the End of Christ's Coming Death Sufferings Blood or Intercession as if his Light in Man did invalidate these they are darkned and cheated by the Devil and not these who obey Christ's Light within for Life and Savation in him IV. The saving Work of the Spirit HEnry Grigg observes from John 16. 7. That the Spirit or blessed Comforter cannot be the Saviour pag. 46. H. G. Contradiction Till the Coming of his Spirit and Grace with Power in my Heart for the binding of the strong man Satan and killing my Corruptions my Soul was not brought out of the horrible Pit p. 16. having wrought this glorious Work of Regeneration p. 17. G. W. his Animadversion Then it s the Spirit and Power of Christ that effects Salvation through the Work of Regeneration Tit. 3. 5. which is not meerly by Christ's outward Sufferings though we cannot believe that Satan is bound in this Man while he is in Satan's Work blaspheming Christ's Light within and belying us H. G. replyes What sober Christian Man can find any Contradiction here against H. G Is not G. W. the Lyar and false Accuser I say the Spirit or blessed Comforter cannot be the Saviour or Mediator p. 6. G. W. Answer The Contradiction is very obvious to say the Spirit cannot be the Saviour when it can save the Soul out of the horrible Pit can it save and not be a Saviour Or can it bind the strong Man or kill man's Corruptions and yet not save him And if the Father the Word and the holy Spirit be God cannot God be the Saviour When as Christ's being the Author of Faith giving Power to others to become the Sons of God is a Proof of his being God Light from the Sun p. 91. And Christ said The Son can do nothing of himself c. The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the Works Joh. 5. 19. 30. and 8. 28. and 14. 10. And the holy Spirit where received also maketh Intercession according to the Will of God and by this Spirit Christ prayed unto the Father but to say the Spirit or blessed Comforter cannot be the Saviour is also to deny Christ in his spiritual Appearance to be a Saviour and so to confine the saving Work to him only as man or in the Flesh without or separate from us whereas he said I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you John 14. 18. which plainly denotes him to be the Comforter in that Spiritual Appearance wherein he that was with them promised to be in them and as revealed in them his Appearance was another or diverse to his outward Appearance in the Flesh whereas H. G. saith Are there not three that bear Record in
Man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him From whence I draw this Argument That if Man was made in God's Image then because God is Light Adam must necessarily have had of the Divine Light in him and have been the Image of that Light so long as he walkt and remain'd in It Since no man walks in the Light but he becomes the Child of Light And as the Apostle Paul expresseth it of such as were converted to that Light they had once erred from Ye were Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord That is Through Obedience to the Light of the Lord. For any man then to say Adam had not Light were to suppose his Innocent State to be that of Darkness and instead of and being God's Image who is and ever was and alwayes will be Light he would have been wholy ignorant of him in whose Image he is said to have been created II. This Moses directed the Children of Israel to when he in God's stead recommended and earnestly pressed the keeping of the Commandment and Word in the Heart as we read in Deuteronomy For this Commandment which I Command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off It is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say Who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is It beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that thou mayst do it See I have set before thee this day Life and Good and Death and Evil. From whence I cannot but observe these Three Things 1. That the Commandment and the Word are so called by way of Excellency and Preheminence to all written Commandments or Words 2. That this Commandment or Word is Nigh even in the Heart of Man it self none need plead Distance or Ignorance 3. That the Setting Life and Good Death and Evil was and could only be in the Light within since without the Light how could they have Seen it Set before them And that it was in their Hearts the Lord so set those States before them the Verse immediately follows that wherein the Word is by Moses argumentatively prov'd as well as affirm'd to be in the Heart of Man Now I hope it shall not be injuriously done of me and I know who will bear me out if I say This Commandment is that which David spoke of when he said The Commandment of the Lord is pure Inlightning the Eyes and this Holy Word the same with that Word which he said was a Lamp unto his Feet and a Light unto his Path and not an other Word then what Paul call'd the Word of Faith which he preach't by which the Just live consequently a Saving Commandment Word or Light it was and is to such as Believe and Obey it III. The next Scripture I will urge shall be this For thou art my Lamp O Lord for the Lord will Lighten my Darkness Now if God was the Light and Lamp of that Day to such as regarded the Light cerainly then they had a Light and such an one as was Saving too unless we should Blasphemously Deny God to be either a Light or a Saving One who is most certainly both IV. Wicked Men were not without Light to Condemn them as Good Men ever had Light to Preserve them They are of those that Rebel against the Light they know not the Wayes thereof nor abide in the Paths thereof said Job In which Passage it is very obvious that Wicked Men have Light otherwise it would have been utterly Impossible for them to have Rebell'd against it Nay against THE LIGHT implying that it is the same Light in Nature with that which Righteous Men are guided by answerable to another Emphatical Passage in the same Book of Job Is there any Number of his Army and UPON WHOM DOTH NOT HIS LIGHT ARISE Certainly this Universality strongly pleads on the behalf of our Belief of the Light And if our Adversary would but venture to let it come close to his Conscience I cannot be so Uncharitable as to think he should not make some Acknowledgment to its Universality antecedent to the Coming of Christ. I omit to say much of its Efficaciousness at that time though one would think that Light alwayes gives to Discern a Good Way from a Bad one referring it to another place Only I shall observe how that Job expresly tells us and that when he was in his deep Troubles of Spirit O that I were as in Months past in the Dayes when God preserved me when his Candle shined upon my Head and when by his Light I walked through Darkness where it is most apparent that Job attributes his Salvation from the Darkness which stands both for Sin and Affliction unto the Light wherewith God had Inlightned him And certainly It had been utterly Impossible for those weighty things that are deliver'd in that Book of Job as well from others as from Job to have been known had not they been Inlightned and received very great Discoveries from that Light and Candle of the Lord in their Hearts For in all the whole Book I find not one Verse expresly cited out of any other Writings but what purely proceeded from Immediate Impulse and Inspiration of the Almighty which sayes the same Book gives Men Understanding V. To this Doctrine David was no Stranger who so very often commemorates the Light and the Divine Excellencies of it some few places I shall mention of those many that I might offer The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the Strength of my Life of whom shall I be afraid This weighty Passage of the Prophet is a lively Testimony to the True Light wherein David confessed what John call'd his Evangelical Message viz. That God is Light Next that not only God is Light but which doubtless was most of all to his Comfort HIS LIGHT The Lord is MY Light and MY Salvation As much as if he had said Because the Lord is become my Light I have known him to be my Salvation or him by whom my Salvation hath been wrought In short thus That God is My Salvation as he is My Light or as I have Obey'd the Lord My Light I have witnessed Salvation O! that such Professors of Religion in whom there is any Moderation would but be pleas'd to weigh What was David ' s Light What his Salvation and Who must needs have been his Rule at that time of the World of which he further speaks God is the Lord who hath shewed us Light Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Pathes I have not departed from thy Judgments for thou hast taught me This made him far
Law finished He that would be justified must first be condemned and who would be healed must first be wounded The Law is as the Sword the Gospel as Balm The one Duty the other Love And that which alone is needful to attain unto the highest Discovery is to be humbly subject and constantly obedient to the lowest Appearance of it The faithful Servant becomes a Son by Adoption Wouldst thou know the Word a Reconciler thou must first witness it an Hammer Sword Fire c. The Way to arrive at Evangelical Righteousness is first to perform the Righteousness of the Law By Law I mean not that of Ceremonies or the External Order of the Jews but that Moral Eternal Law which is said to have come by Moses and is accomplisht by Christ. And there is great Hopes that who Conscientiously keeps the Beginning will compass the End Such as have Conquer'd bad Doing if they be faithful in what they have received of God's Light and Spirit it will inable them against bad Saying till at last they overcome evil Thinking too and witness that Scripture fulfilled Judgment the Law is brought forth into Victory the Gospel He that follows me the Light of the World that inlightens all Men coming into the World shall not abide in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life I make not this Distinction of Law and Gospel to distinguish in Kind but Degree and for the sake of the Weak accustomed to it And if the Son make you free then are you free indeed For as it is a Condemner it may be called the Light that brings Death in that it slays by the Brightness of it's coming into the Conscience the transgressing Nature like unto that Expression the Day of the Lord is a Day of Darkness because of the Judgments and Terrors of the Lord for Sin But to the Obedient it is the Light of Life Thus is Christ as the Word-God and Light of the World through every Dispensation ONE in himself though to Mankind he has variously appeared not by Differing Lights but Manifestations only of one and the same Eternal Light of Life and Righteousness CHAP. XVIII The Second Part of the Objection that Christ was not anciently called the Light Answered And the Contrary proved from Scripture and Reason TO the Second Part of the Objection If the Light in every Man were Christ how comes it that the Jews and Greeks never called it so I answer We do not say that the Light in every Man is Christ but of Christ He is that Fulness from whence all receive a Measure of Divine Light and Knowledge but not that every Individual has the whole or compleat Christ in him such an Absurdity never fell from us nor our Doctrine though the Malice of our Adversaries hath charged it upon both But as the External Sun darts its Light upon the Organ of the Eye of the Body by which it conveyes true Discerning to act how in and about Visibles so doth the Internal Sun of Righteousness shine upon the Eye of the Soul giving it the Knowledge of those invisible Things which properly relate to the Nature of the Soul So that we are the less oblieged to give a Reason why others called not the Light in Man Christ since we renounce all Share in such Belief our selves Which is Answer enough to T. H's dis-ingenuous Inference that because G. W. affirmed the Light with which Mankind was inlightned was God therefore sayes T. H. Every Man his whole God in him or to that Purpose p. 5 6. Yet thus far I will tell those Men that Christ was called Light before ever he was in the World though not before he was Christ. I will give him for a Light to lighten the Gentiles c. Now if any will say that this Light was not Christ let them tell us so in plain words But if it will be allowed then T. Hicks had best ask why the Prophet by the Holy Ghost should call Christ Light even as soon if not before he was called Christ and why in that very State in which he was called Christ he should be called Light Certain it is then that by Him the Light we are to understand Christ which is one and the same thing as if he had said I will give Christ for a Light to enlighten the Gentiles or who is the Christ is the Light or the Light is Christ So that it will follow that the Gentiles were inlightened by Christ which is the Whole of what we understand by our Assertion as to the Light in Man Again John expresly calls that Light with which every Man is inlightned the Word and the Word is said to have taken Flesh If then he that took Flesh was Christ and consequently that Body Christ's Body only as none I think will dare deny but Muggleton and his Credulous Followers it will follow That Christ who took or appeared in that prepared Body is the Light with which every Man is inlightned Further Christ himself sayes I am the Light of the World which is as much as if he had said I have inlightned the World therefore the Light which shines in the Hearts of Mankind is Christ though not every particular Illumination the entire Christ for so there would be as many Christs which were Absurd and Blasphemous But Lastly the Apostle himself calls him Christ before his Coming in the Flesh or that Christ was Christ before his Appearance in that Body at Jerusalem which clears that Point in Controversie for the Stress of T. Hicks's Objection as to this Particular lies here Christ as Christ was not before he took Flesh therefore though I should grant might he say and he doth say as much that as the Word-God all are inlightened by him yet sayes he not as he is Christ before that visible Appearance One would think he were a very Socinian by his Arguing not that I write so in Slight Abuse or Reflection but if Christ was not before then the Manhood that was taken in time must be the Christ and what should materially hinder their Conjunction I know not But I would fain know his Reason for it if it be Lawful to expect what I fear he has not to give however if he darest he would give you his Interest in lieu of a Reason for his so holding but that I shall do for him and with Impartial Minds it will be a Reason against him The Dilemma in short is this If he denies Christ to have been Christ before that Coming he thwarts as plain a Text as the Scriptures have and if he should allow of it his whole Fabrick now a Fortification he thinks would fall like a rotten House about his Ears Well but I will tell him and all concern'd for his base Opposition That since Christ as the Word-God hath illuminated all Men antecedent to his Coming in the Flesh as confesses T.H. J.G. J.F. and many more of them that the Apostle says that the Word
in Fundamentals Answ. First we thought that Water-Baptism had been a fundamental Point with the Baptists and do they and Presbyterians agree therein 2. Have not the Baptists whom Presbyterians call Anabaptists been accounted Hereticks by the Presbyterians Why do they now joyn against the Quakers so called 3. Dare he say there are no good People among the Quakers that he makes good People's being among Presbyterians a Reason of his joyning with them against us Is it not easy to see a manifest Dissimulation and feigned Confederacy therein among these our Opposers If our Opposer saith we have not inserted his Explications upon his Assertions Answ. That 's his Work he hath Liberty to do it himself But he hath not done it nor vindicated these his Assertions in his Pamphlet Christ's Light within asserted as it is Divine and therefore a sufficient Rule of Life unto Salvation to all that truely obey it and vindicated from Tho. Hicks his dark Exceptions fallasious and impious Arguments consisting of manifest Ignorance Confusion and Ranterism which are here inserted as they were exhibited in a Paper afterwards owned and signed by him HIs harge against G.W. That George Whitehead affirmed that there was that Light in every Man if followed that was sufficient to Salvation T. Hick's Assertions against this 1. In Answer to which it is asserted that the Light in every Man could not understand the Doctrine of Instituted Worship 2. That the Light in every Man could not understand the Doctrine of Jesus Christ concerning his coming to save Sinners 3. The Light in every Man could not bring him to the Understanding how Sin came into the World 4. The Light in every Man cannot acquaint him with the Knowledge of the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead Reply G. Whitehead still affirms that God hath gratiously afforded that Light to every Man which he ought to follow and is sufficient to guide him to Salvation To his four first Assertions I query Is that Life which is the Light of Men John 1. 4. divine in it self the Light of Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word able to apprehend and bring Man clearly to see the Invisible things of God even his Eternal Power and Godhead as confessed from Rom 1. 19 20. And yet is this Light neither able to understand the Worship that 's due to him the Doctrine of Christ Jesus concerning his coming to save Sinners how Sin came into the World nor yet to acquaint Man with the Knowledge of the Resurrection can the Light apprehend or bring men to see God's Eternal Power and yet neither bring them to understand the Cause of Man's Separation and Death from God nor his Duty or Restoration to God again How manifestly in consistent and contradictory are these and how plainly doth he charge men's Ignorance and Defects for want of Obedience upon the Light within And then what is it given for and what can it do But these Assertions are grounded upon his taking it for granted that it is not a Light of Grace but of Nature when that Life which is the Light of Men is granted to be divine in its own being able to discover the Eternal Power and Godhead then which there is not a higher Power but how this divine Light should become Natural as a Creature we are still to enquire as that which neither T. H. â—…or his Brethren have ever yet proved That the Light within every Man could not be a Rule for it must be a Light of Nature or of Grace This Light cannot be understood the Light of Grace because the Scripture doth suppose a time when Men are without it It is said after those Dayes I will put my Laws in their Hearts and they shall know me that must be the Light of Grace Answ. Where doth the Scripture say that the Life of Christ which was with and in the Father which is the Light of men is the Light of Nature and not a Light of Grace The man in taking this for granted most filthily begs the Question and that contrary to his own Concession before neither doth the Scripture suppose a time wherein Men have no Light of Grace in them as he insinuates but a time when they are out of the New-Covenant and Strangers in their Minds to it as not being come into that Agreement with God or Union with his Light which this Covenant doth import And because the State and Tenour of it is both the having God's Laws written in his People's Hearts and Minds their knowing him to be their God and they to be his People and it s a Covenant of Mercy and Forgiveness of Sins past It doth not therefore follow that none of his Law is in them before they come to this Holy Attainment and Blessed Agreement though his Laws are not so universally written or deeply engraven in their Hearts before for it s now granted by divers of our Opposers who are of the more moderate 1. That the pure or holy Law which God placed in man's Hearts before Transgression was never wholy abliterated though much clouded by man's Disobedience 2. Some of these Anabaptists do confess to a Light in man which reproves for Evil and excites to good which they say is the Substance of the morral â—…aw or first Covenant which enjoyns Man truely to love and worship God and to love our Neighbours equally with our selves to do justly c. That this the very Heathens or Gentiles have in them And then I ask if this Law doth not appertain to the New-Covenant as one principle Law thereof also and never intended to be destroyed by Christ but fulfilled and renewed in his Followers who have Union with it as having a more deep impression and being more fully discovered in the Hearts of Men when become Children of this Covenant then before Was not Love the fulfilling of the Law and was not this preached by Christ's Ministers and was not love one to another both the Old and New Commandment yea the Old Commandment renewed and established If not a Light of Grace in every Man then it must be the Light of Nature but the Light in every Man cannot be sufficient to Salvation Acts 11. 18. When they heard these things they held their Peace and glorifyed God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance to Life then they had it not before Answ. His Argument still depends upon his former Fallacy that 't is not a Light of Grace but a Light of Nature that is in every Man as also in putting Repentance for the Light of Grace he puts the Effect for the Cause as if no man had saving Grace or a Light thereof before Repentance or Conversion whereas his Argument doth not at all prove that those Gentiles who received the Word of God had not a Light of Grace but only of Nature in them before Peter preached Jesus Christ to them but rather the contrary that it was a Light of Grace a
the Light within unknown to the Cavilling Baptist. T. H. WHo or what is it that obeyeth this Light and in Obedience of it is saved Or if this Light be the Rule it doth suppose a subject capable of understanding it and of yielding Obedience to it p. 4. Answ. It s placed in the Heart and Conscience of man that he with his whole Soul Mind and Spirit may understand and obey it and come to Life and Salvation in Christ being guided by his Light in the Conscience T. H. What then is the Principle Either the Light must obey it self or Darkness must obey it Answ. Thy Darkness makes thee talk thus darkly and scribble thus nonsensically the Spirit of man is to obey every degree of this divine Light given of God that the whole man may be in Subjection for which End God hath given man a spiritual Capacity and Power to obey by the Vertue of Grace that the reasonable Soul in believeing in the Light and obeying it may find Relief and more Power from God comfortably to subsist in the Way of Life and Peace with him And though it be not a Scripture Phrase to tell of two such Lights in every man as thou mentions p. 14. Yet as the Light of the Body is the Eye which seeth the object of Light and there is a single Eye which causeth the whole Body to be full of Light So in man hath God placed the Eye of the Understanding and Mind and a Conscience in the reasonable Soul which is capable of receiving the divine Light as both the supream Rule and commanding Light and they that are translated out of Darkness into it are become Children of the Light And if thou wert come to this Estate thou needst not question who is the subject of Obedience to the Light whether the whole Person or only a part for the whole man ought to be the subject and where the Eye of the mind is single the whole Body is full of Light and no part dark But for the whole person to be subject to the Light is inconsistent with thine and thy Brethrens Doctrine for Sin and Imperfection during Life Why then dost thou now suppose the whole Person to be the Subject when thou art not real in what thou implyest of the whole Persons being obedient p. 15 16. And thou dost but play the Fool and Caveller whilst thou art drawing such a Conclusion upon us as that by our Principle the Light must obey it self and in so doing be saved this is only inferred from a Fiction of thy own Framing or a Quaker of thy own making to speak as thou pleasest for the Light is given for the Benefit of Mankind that they that truely follow it and throughly obey it with Subjection of both Soul Spirit and Body may know Salvation from Sin here and Wrath herâ—…after And so man in his spiritual being both in Soul and Body spiritual as changed or translated from a State of Mortality may forever enjoy a State of Immortality in Glory hereafter as they who are led by the Counsel of God shall afterwards be received into Glory for man as translated into that Celestial Spiritual State is most capable of the full Enjoyment of Glory with God hereafter Sect XI Concerning the Soul of man as under divers Considerations and States and G. Fox ' s VVords so considered with â—…ight Queries added COncerning the Soul of man thou vehemently accusest us with Fancies Conceits Absurdities Nonsence and Error p. 16. Thy Instance for this is viz. That G. F. mentions in his great Mystery c. p. 68. and 100. That the Soul is part of God and of his being and that it is without beginning p. 91. and also infinite p. 29. Whence thy Inference is viz. Which is as much as to say the Soul is God then God sets up a Light in himself which he himself is to obey and in so doing he shall be saved p. 16. Answ. We cannot expect any impartial or fair Dealing from thee while Prejudice and Envy do possess thee who hast both falsly and ignorantly represented G. F. and both curtayled and perverted his Words and the Sence of them And all these things mentioned by thee he does not speak of the Soul or Spirit of man as made or formed in him though composed of Spiritual Parts nor use these Expressions that the Soul or Spirit of the Creature Man is a part of God without beginning neither was the Phrase part of God originally G. F's but his Opposers only admitted of by him by Way of Question as plainly appears p. 100. with Relation to that which came out from God that immediate Spirit of Life which gives Being Life and Subsistance to the Soul and he doth distinguish between the Soul and Christ the Bishop of it between the Soul and the Saviour of it as plainly appears in many places of the said Book and the Soul could no otherwise be deemed infinite then as Man is said to be the Image and Glory of God namely by a Participation thereof so he speaks of the Soul in a two-fold Sense as First With reference to that which came out from God which is the Original Life or Soul of every Man's Soul Secondly With Respect to man as being made a living Soul by Vertue of the Spirit of Life proceeding from God And so with Relation to the first he questions Is not that of God which comes out from God Great Mystery p. 68. But with Relation to the latter viz. Man he speaks distinctly of the Soul as neither God nor Christ neither doth he confound the Being of man with the Infinite Being of his Creator as is implyed in our Opposers angry Charge for as every Spiritual Being or Existence is not divine so the Spirit or Spiritual Parts of Man are not God though a divine Light and Capacity is placed in them And G. F. doth not only speak of the Soul in a two-fold Sense viz. with Relation to its original Life and with Relation to man in his Spirituality but of the Soul of man as in several States as First Of the Souls being in Death in Transgression man's Spirit unsanctified the Soul being come into Death transgressing the Law c. Great Mystery p. 91. Therein he cannot intend the infinite Essence Being or Life of God or Christ which is immutable and unchangeably pure and holy though thereby the Soul is upheld in its Being and Immortality whether in Comfort or Misery Secondly Of the Soul and Spirit of Man as sanctified living to God in his Life through a diligent hearkening to the Counsel and Voice of God and feeling of his Hand which brings up out of Death and restores the Soul that it may live in Christ the Preserver and Overseer of it to praise God the Saviour being one Soul in that State as they that are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit As also G. F. adds viz. Every Man that cometh into the World having a
Heaven I say yes and these three are one and is not Christ the Saviour that Word which is one of the three which are but one divine Being Thing or Substance though revealed under several Considerations and Diversities of Manifestations and Degrees of Discoveries yet all one divine Life and Being as God is the Word the Life the Light and so is Christ and the holy Spirit is Life to the Righteous and so is Christ the Way the Truth and the Life In him was Life and the Life the Light of Men the Life affordeth Light to all and the Light Life to all that obey it and in it follow Christ such receive the Light of Life and come to walk in the Light of the Living as the Light of Life is received unto Justification and Peace the holy Spirit is received in that glorious Ministration as Comforter after a State of Desolation and Sorrow of whom Christ said He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you Joh. 16. 13. H. G. Did the true Saviour die on the Cross or not Answ. Yes as concerning the Flesh but not as concerning the Spirit or most noble Principle by which he was impowred to his Work of Salvation H. G. I affirm once again That neither the Comforter viz. the holy Spirit nor the Deity of our Lord Jesus distinct from his Manhood or human Nature could be the Saviour and Mediator which dyed on the Cross c. pag. 7. Answ. This is a meer impertinent Shuffle to prove the holy Spirit could not be the Saviour he now tells us that neither the holy Spirit nor the Deity distinct from his human Nature as he calls it could be the Saviour that dyed who of us ever affirmed that his Deity or holy Spirit dyed But seeing the holy Spirit or Deity dyed not with the Flesh of Christ that was crucified then the whole Saviour did not dye but what he calls the human Nature But if we take his Words according to his Doctrine before for Proof that the holy Spirit or Comforter cannot save or be the Saviour only thus viz. Neither the Comforter the holy Spirit nor the Deity of our Lord Jesus distinct from his Manhood or human Nature could be the Saviour This were all one as to tell us that God cannot be the Saviour or that God cannot save if the holy Spirit or Deity be God he should rather have said that the Manhood could not save without the holy Spirit divine Power or Deity which alone is sufficient and only that which is felt and experienced in Man to effect his Salvation and Deliverance from the Power of Sin and Satan Ye are my Witnesses saith the Lord and my Servants whom I have chosen that ye may know and believe me and understand that I am he before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me I even I am the Lord and beside me there is no Saviour Isa. 43. 10 11. There is no God else beside me a Just God and a Saviour Chap. 45. 21. And we both labour and suffer Reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men specially of those that believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. And how is God especially known to be the Saviour but in saing man from Sin Unrighteousness and all Guile I will mention the loving Kindness of the Lord c. For he said Surely they are my People Children that will not lye so he was their Saviour Isa. 63. 7 8. Now consider whether it be not grosly erroneous to suppose the holy Spirit oâ—… Deity cannot save or is so deficient distinct or in it self whereas though God was manifest in Flesh God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself the Divinity and human or earthly Nature were alwayes distinct and is not God omnipotent To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen V. How the Light in Man is a Gift and H. G' s distinction between the Meritorious and instrumental Cause of Salvation examined H. G. ARt thou not able to distinguish between the Giver and the Gift between the Fountain and the Stream p. 7. Answ. Yes I do distinguish between the Giver and the Gift between the Fountain and the Stream between the Fulness and the receiving thereof Grace for Grace buâ—… while the Distinction between God and the Gift of his Spirit or between Christ and his Light within seems to be no more then between the Fountain and the Stream how grosly erroneous is it to conclude either that the Spirit cannot be Saviour or that the Light of Christ is not saving For that 's all one as to say that either the Stream is not the same Water with the Fountain or that the Stream cannot wash because not the Fountain or Fulness who in his right Wits will believe this H. G. But again it appears thou distinguishest not between the meritorious Cause of man's Salvation and the Instrumental the killing of the Sacrifice and the sprinkling of the Blood c. p. 7. 8. Answ. Where doth the Scripture make this Distinction or say that the killing of the Sacrifice which he must mean of Christ is the meritorious Cause of man's Salvation Such like blind distinctions are fit to darken Knowledge and blind Peoples Minds and how gross and unchristian is it to place such a Merit or Worth upon that murtherous Act of killing the Sacrifice if he mean Christ as his Discourse implies For though Christ Jesus by that inherent Holiness and original Righteousness and Grace of God in him offered and gave himself up to suffer and tasted Death for every Man yet the crucifying and killing him according to the Flesh was an Act of Murtherers and Persecutors who by wicked Hand put him to death so that the Dignity and Worth was in Christ and on his Part through all his Sufferings and not in the Act of killing him by wicked Hands nor on their Parts howbeit the Sufferings and Death of Christ were of great value with the Father and his Power did appear through all to the bruising the Serpents Head And if it be the Work of the Spirit to sanctifie and renew us is not this a saving Work And doth not this bring us to receive the Attonement and to enjoy Peace Who follow and obey this Spirit for a Reconciliation through the Death of Christ and being saved by his Life and so the Work of Christ in saving and redecming man from Iniquity and in making Attonement Peace and Union between God and Man however these be directly pointed at made way for by the Suffering and Death of Christ yet they were inwardly revealed effected and fulfilled by the Spirit or Life of Christ where the Word of Reconciliation is received in the Heart For Christ's Appearance and Suffering in the Flesh did really and directly point at those spiritual Ends which are for man's Eternal Advantage to be fulfilled by his Appearance in Spirit VI.
purge the Conscience by his own Blood He really effectually thereby applies it both unto Sanctification Remission and Pardon but this Effect hath not Mens Imaginary Application oâ—… it in their Sins and Pollution It is one Thing for Men in their own Wills to apply the Sufferings Death and Blood of Christ to themselves 't is another to know him to apply it in sprinkling the Conscience And seeing it is Christ's Work it concerns us all to obey follow him in his iâ—…hining Light for that End it being only those who are sanctified by his Blood of whom it may be truly said Much more thâ—…n being justifiâ—… by his Blood we shall be saved from Wrath through him Rom. 5. 9. To his saying To be justified is to be pardoned p. 97. I grant that to receive Pardon of Sins past upon true Repentaâ—…ce is to receive a Degree of Justification so far as from the Condemnation but to be absolutely justified to the End of Life aâ—…er Pardon is received is more then Pardon of Sins past before for this is not without a Perseverance in the Grace Rom. 11. 22. Heb. 6. 4 5 6. Chap. 10. 26. His saying We are pardoned for the sake of Christ's Death imputed p. 97. is no Scripture-Phrase or Language why is not the whole World for whom he dyed then pardoned and justified If he replies because of Unbelief or that they have not Faith in his Blood It follows then that Men are pardoned and justified through Faith in the Blood of Christ and not by their Application or Imputation of the Death of Christ for it is said that he was delivered for our Offences and was raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. therefore not by the meer Imputation of his Death Neither do these cited Scriptures Col. 1. 14. Ephes. 1. 6. Rom. 3. 24. Mat. 26. 28. prove his Doctrine of Imputation but Redemption or Remission through his Blood Redemption in Christ and Ephes. 1. 6. We are accepted IN the Beloved These real Scripture-Truths are never doubted of by us and 't is true that the Children of Israel bringing their Sacrifices to the Priest to offer or otherwise Blood was to be imputed to them doth typifie that we must offer our Services by Christ our high Priest S. S. If we think to have the best Services that we are enabled to perform accepted immediately as from us and not for the sake of Christ presenting them c. for this God will cut us off he will as soon accept of Murther from us as such a Service p. 98. Rep. As herein he would represent the Condition of Believers or justified Persons he non-sensically mistates the Case For 1st Such are not apt to ascribe either the Dignity or Acceptance of their best Services to themselves but unto Christ who enables them to perform 2. As their Sufficiency is of Christ and in him and not of themselves so he hath the Glory thereof and they the Acceptance and Peace in him as they continue faithful in him serving the living God 3. Christ's Priesthood is an holy Priesthood It is also said of them Ye also as lively Stones built up a spiritual House to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. And these are not polluted or unholy Sacrifices which this holy Priesthood offers by him But 4. You who are of an Unholy and Polluted Priesthood are offering polluted Services sinsul and wandring Prayers which are but Dreams sinning in your best Duties committing Iniquity in your holy Things as many of you have often confessed and are all as an unclean Thing and that God will as soon accept of Murther from you as of such a Service and yet presume that those your unclean polluted Sacrifices and Services are presented by Christ to the Father and accepted in the Merit of his Sacrifice but herein you are deceived and deluded Christ doth neither present nor doth God accept any of your sinful Services or polluted Performances but will Poâ—…e Contempt upon you in them and return back your polluted Prayers and Services and with Indignation spread them as Dung upon your own Faces therefore Repent Repent and be converted to Christ the true Light and Way to the Father and to the Spiritual House and Holy Priesthood which yet you are much short of to offer Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ. CHAP. III. About Christ's Justifying Righteousness the best Robe the Necessity of its Inherence or being inwardly enjoyed not to invalidate but to fulfil the blessed Intent and Ends of his Sufferings in Reply to S. S. S. S. If the Righteousness we are justified by is a Garment a Arg. Robe even the best Robe then we are justified by a Righteousness wrought without us for our Garments are not wrought within us but without us Rep. This justifying Righteousness then is a Garment to be put on but whether its being a Garment and to be put on doth prove that it is not within but without only let them that have put it on judge It appears that this Opposer hath disputed and pleaded so long for the Being of Sin to remain within that he has no Room â—…or Christ's Righteousness within But I would enquire of him Is every Thing that is to be put on therefore not within but without Is this a good Argument As Pâ—…ye ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Put on Strength O Sion Put on thy beauâ—…iful Garments O Jerusalem Put on the whole Armour oâ—… God c. Must these therefore not be within but without only And so he might as well say of Salvation with which the Meek are cloathed or of the Zeal of the Lord which the Upright do put on for a Cloak and Righteousness â—…or a Garment But to give him his due After he hath concluded that the Righteousness for which we are Justified is wrought without us is a Garment c. He confesseth that the holy Ghost doth not alwayes using this Similitude intimate to us that that Righteousness which is put on is wrought without us p. 99. And what Righteousness is that which is put on that is wrought within us Do we both put on a Righteousness that is within us and a Righteousness that is not within us what Scripture has he for this Distinction And what Confusion is the Man fallen into to conclude that the Justifying Righteousness is not wrought within but without because put on as a Garment and yet that there is a Righteousness put on which is not wrought without us but within us See what a profound Logician this man would shew himself but thus he confounds the Minds of the Simple and darkens Counsel by Words without Knowledge To Luk. 15. 22. Bring forth the best Robe and put it on him he saith By this Robe the holy Ghost understands Christ's Obedience unto Death not to speak of Increated Righteousness even the essential and incommunicable Righteousness of God which never was wrought within
or without but is the eternal Godhead pag. 99. Rep. However he hath sufficiently confessed that the Righteousness by which we are Justified must be put on but while he denies it either to be within or Essential he denies our Participation of the divine Nature which is essential to God himself or of Christ who is God's Righteousness who was delivered up for us all and with whom the Father will give us all things Is He then Incommunicable or not to be given whenas they that are Christ's have put on Christ Is not He the best Robe And is not He then within us And He that obeyed and suffered for us who wrought Righteousness Greater then the Act of Obedience Is not the Worker above and Greater then the Work But while this Opposer endeavours to exclude or shut Christ and his Righteousness or the Robe which the Saints put on all out of his Members and counts Christs Obedience unto Death without them this Robe and not a Robe within them because a Robe put on as he argues we are to understand that by Put on he must â—…ean Christ's Obedience without unto Death is imputed 〈◊〉 reckoned theirs when there is nothing of it in them either of the Nature Spirit Virtue or Effects of it unto the Crucifying of the Old Man or mortifying of Sin or else own that Men are not accounted Righteous nor Justified only by Christ's Dying or Obedience without them but through the Operation of his Spirit within them who dyed for our Sins but was raised for our Justification and then only they that dye and live with him are accounted Righteous and blessed with God being Partakers of the Heart-purifying Faith and not they that live to themselves without the Possession or Enjoyment of Christ's Nature and Life in them which is Divine and Increated But he tells us of a four fold Righteousness 1st The sincere Obedience of an upright man 2dly The perfect but loosable Righteousness of the first man in Innocency 3dly The perfect but confirmed Obedience of blessed Angels 4thly The perfect everlasting and Infinitely Pretious Obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ this last the best Robe the Righteousness of God himself p. 99. Rep. What is it we contend for but Man's being invested with the perfect and everlasting Righteousness of God himself his own Nature and Image And is not this in the renewed Man 1st Was not this in Man while in Innocency in the Image of God though he then not Immoveably Confirmed in it however accepted while he stood in it 2dly Doth not the fincere Obedience of an upright Man in Christ flow from his Inward Participation of the Divine Nature and Image in him and therefore accepted from the Excellency of that Divine Root and Seed from whence his Fruit Springs 3dly Are not the blessed Angels accepted in their Obedience to God which from a Sence of his divine power they are exercised in Still the everlasting Righteousness is but one and the Life and Excellency thereof is infinite both in Christ and in his Members who are of his Flesh and of his Bone as he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one and Christ is the First and the Last and in all things must have the Preheminence 4thly The man mistakes if he suppose that we plead either the Righteousness of a Creature or man 's own Righteousness which he himself is inabled to perform as the Cause of Our Justification for Christ that strengthens us and enables us by his Power and Spirit dwelling in us to do the Fathers Will He is the Ground and Cause of our Justification and in him who is the Beloved are we accepted not meerly for our Works or Obedience but for his sake who worketh in us and enables us to do those things which are well-pleasing in his Sight That God bestows Righteousness on a returning Pâ—…odigal as the best Robe is true but to exclude this Righteousness or best Robe that God bestows as not to be within but only without because to be put on is not true for if the Mind Heart or Soul within be not cloathed therewith how is it put on or how should good or acceptable Fruits be brought forth to God if not from an inward and Everlasting Righteousness And though Man doth not partake thereof from the beginning of Life Can this Man think that Christ's Death or Obedience without doth Justifie Men or make them be deem'd Righteous from the beginning of Life to the End howbeit when Men are converted and become the Righteousness of God in Christ and come to Live and Dye or end their Dayes in him they are accepted and blessed yea blessed are the Dead which dye in the Lord for their Works follow them Mark the Perfect Man and behold the Upright for the End of that man is Peace But all this Man's Imputation of a Righteousness and best Robe which he sayes is a Righteousness wrought without us there being none wrought within us so God c. p. 99. depends upon his Doctrine for Sin and Imperfection term of Life which he his Brethren have not only concluded must continue in the best of Men and their best Actions all their Dayes but Imperfection even in Christ's Work or Righteousness wrought in his People which therefore he disclaims from being concerned in our Justification but sayes we are Justified by that Righteousness which Christ wrought without us though he cannot deny but that Christ wrought the Righteousness of the Law without us and conformed to the Law in the Dayes of His Flesh which I suppose will not be deemed our Justification But if I ask By and to Whom was this Obedience Righteousness or Satisfaction made without us to be Imputed unto us as ours or men thereby Justified while Unjust Imperfect and Sinful without the Robe of Righteousness in themselves or rather accounted Just from the beginning of Life to the End whether all or some of these for whom Christ dyed he tells us not You may take this for his Answer viz. God in our Nature obeyed God and this is Righteousness of Infinite Value the very best Robe p. 99. Rep. 1. Is this the Compensation Payment and Satisfaction in our stead to vindictive Justice so much pleaded by our Opposers Were it good Doctrine to say either that God obeyed and satisfied his own Revenge by obeying himself as if he were divided and at Variance with himself or that he was revenged on himself considered as Christ in our Nature or Flesh I cannot own this Doctrine that such a rigid Payment and Satisfaction could be required in the Nature of the great Propitiation and Sacrifice for Sin but a Pacification or Attonement and a Condescension to Forgiveness of Sin past to be receiv'd on true Faith and Repentance 2. That Christ in the Flesh did by his divine Power perfectly obey the Father agendo patiendo i. e. by doing and suffering and therein was an acceptable and satisfactory
God's nor Christ's but the Righteousnes of Faith rather bids us return to the Word of Faith that is nigh in the Heart to obey it and do it which Word is both saving and justifying to them that obey it Say not in thy Heart who shall ascend or fly up into Heaven to bring Christ down or who shall descend into the deep to bring Christ again from the dead but the Word is nigh thee c. Rom. 10. And 't is by this ingrafted Word that the true Faith is wrought in the Heart and the true Application Benefit and Confession is made to the Soul of Christ's Sufferings Death and Resurrection and the real Intent blessed End and spiritual Advantage thereof experienced by true Believers who are Obeyers and Doers of the Word and not meer outside Hearers and Talkers Again this man in Contradiction to his excluding Sanctification before and saying that Holiness is not needful to constitute a justifying Righteousness and to his Doctrine for Imperfection and Sin and his justifying Persons condemned in themselves He grants thus far to the Effects of Faith viz. Our Hearts turning to God we dislike our Sins We are sweetly engaged to please God in all things That thus God purifies our Hearts by Faith That thus we are sanctified by Faith which is in Christ. And a lively Faith will work by Love It is needful to testifie our Love to God and Christ and to please and honour God and be a good Example to our Neighbour c. Come on Good Doctrine Well said S. S. And is not Faith needful to Justification And can we be justified without pleasing God or please God without Justification or is not that of a justifying Nature which pleaseth God Pray consider it the Apostles Experience was being justified by Faith they had Peace with God Rom. 5. â—… And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandment and do those Things that are pleasing in his Sight 1 Joh. 3. 22. But S. S. and his Brethren expect to be accepted and justified because Christ kept the Fathers Commandments or because God obeyed God as his Phrase is and on the same Account to be heard and answered of God while they break his Commands and do those things that are displeasing in his Sight Again John the beloved Disciple said Hereby we know that we are of the Truth and shall assure our Hearts before him for if our Heart condemn us God is greater then our Heart and knoweth all things but if our Heart condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God 1 Joh. 3. 19. 20 21. to the End But S. S. and his Brethren pretend Faith Justification and so Confidence towards God because of Christ's Sufferings only when their Hearts do condemn them from the Evidence of the true Light bearing Witness against them and when they see nothing but Matter of Condemnation in them and indeed this their dead Faith Confidence and false Imputation are of the same Matter The true Apostle said Let us draw near with a true Heart in full Assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water Heb. 10. 22. But our Sin-pleasing Presbyters think to draw near unto God in a justified Condition on the Account of Christ's Sufferings only with such a Faith as doth not purifie the Heart and having both a polluted sinful Heart and a defiled or evil Conscience all their Dayes The Apostle Johns Testimony was Herein is our Love made perfect viz. in our dwelling in God and God in us that we may have Boldness in the Day of Judgment because as he is so are we in this World 1 Joh. 4. 16 17. But the Imperfection and Sin pleading Presbyters think to have Boldness in the Day of Judgment because Christ was perfect and suffered in the Flesh although they remain all their Dayes imperfect and sinful seeing nothing but Matter of Condemnation in themselves and so are not at all like God nor Christ in this Present World They think it will be a Sufficient Plea that Christ was Perfect and Sinless in their stead that God obeyed God and so was like himself how Imperfect and unlike him soever they be on this side the Grave they conceiting themselves Elect Persons Christ said If ye love me keep my Sayings Joh. 14. 23. and John said By this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God and keep his Commandments for this is the Love of God that we keep his Commandments and they are not Grievous 1 Joh. 5. 2. 3. But our Opposers the Presbyters and others will pretend they love God and his Children while they are daily breaking and violating his Commandments and will not believe it possible for any to keep them in this Life though assisted by the Power of Christ. The Apostle Peter testified That even Baptism doth now save us not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh or outside Washing but the Answer or as some have it Demand of a Good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3. 21. But our Opposers Belief and Principle is That 't is only Christ's Obedience Sufferings and Death in the Flesh imputed to us that doth save and Justifie them and on this is only their Plea and Demand and not from his Spirit 's Work of Sanctification or spiritual Baptism nor the Answer or Demand of a Good Conscience towards God they have both shut out Sanctification and Holiness and so excluded Good Conscience from being needful to Justification or to constitute a Justifying Righteousness for they herein hold or at least imply two Righteousnesses of Christ the one Outward to Justifie and the other Inward to Sanctifie the one Imputative and the other Inherent the one Perfect and the other Imperfect And so the Sufferings and Death of Christ in the Flesh however inflicted on him by wicked Hands and Murtherers must be imputed by these men as the Perfect Justifying Righteousness but Christ's own Everlasting Righteousness of Sanctification in the Saints must be deemed Impersect and not accounted unto Justification nor the best Robe though it be the white Linnen the Saints Righteousness whose Garments are washed and made white in the Blood of the Lamb. Whereas Christ's everlasting Righteousness Holiness Love Faith Patience c. wherein he perfectly obeyed the Father and resigned up to his Will both in Doing and Suffering were inherent in him and therein and for that Cause his Obedience and Sacrifice was most acceptable and a sweet smelling Savour to God not with respect to the Murtherous Act of those that crucified and slew him but with respect to that Inherent Holiness everlasting Righteousness and eternal Spirit by which he offered uphimself a Lamb without Blemish and spotless Sacrifice to God and alwayes did those things that pleased him Joh. 8. 29. And of the same everlasting Righteousness must every true Believer partake
in all c. Rep. God's Truth is concerned in his gracious Promises both absolute and conditional as well as in his conditional Threats And let it be considered 1st That Man's Dying in the Day he so eat was the Fruit of his Fall into a State of Misery in dying from that State of Righteousness and Felicity he was in before and it was the Natural Effect of his Transgression and yet not so as that God was absolutely bound to bring eternal Death on Man in that day no no nor was divine Justice so narrowly tyed up or short sighted as not to reserve a Remedy for God had the Seed of the Woman in his eye and divine Justice doth not require that eternal Death or the second death shall remain upon any but on the finally Impenitent who continue in Sin under the Power of the first Death for all they who return to God and receive Christ the promised Seed he proves to them both a Just God and a Saviour neither Justice nor the Curse of the Law can limit him from shewing Mercy Remission or Salvation to the Creature upon true Repentance and Faith in Christ Jesus who overcomes the World and the evil Nature from whence those cursed Actions have sprung mentioned Deut. 27. 15. to the end of the Chapter And t is true the Jews outward who rejected the Righteousness of Faith that is received in the Spirit when Christ was set forth and fetcht their Righteousness from the Letter of the Law they did strictly and formally bring themselves under the Curse thereof when they continued not in all that was written But there is no Condemnation or Curse to them that are in Christ Jesus my Opposer leaves out what follows viz. that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Yet what the Law saith it saith to them that are under the Law that every Mouth may be stopt and all the World may become Guilty before God This Law therefore as thus convicting is Spiritual and tends to man's Conversion in that it is to prepare him for Mercy which divine Justice doth not hinder nor detain the World under the Guilt divine Truth being concerned in the gracious Promises which are Yea and Amen in the Promised Seed that ransoms Man slayes the Enmity crucifies the Transgressors or first Birth which must dye upon which the Law and its Sentence of Death must pass and Man that is guilty must feel this in himself before he be delivered into that State wherein there is no Condemnation or be united to the Lord who Kills and makes Alive So that neither Justice nor Truth in the Law are frustrated the Law is not made void through Faith but established in the Spirituality and Purity of it the Righteousness of the Law being fulfilled in them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And 't is said that the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the Righteousness of God which is by the Faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Rom. 3. Christ came to condemn Sin in the Flesh and is the End of the Law for Righteousness to all them that believe and not for the Continuance of Unrighteousness and where Sin is put an End to by Christ the Curse and Condemnation of necessity ceaseth with it and the Righteousness of Faith takes place in the Soul Obj. Adam hath sinned We are by Nature Children of Wrath in our own Persons We have failed hence God's Wrath is up against us God burning in his Wrath is ready to condemn us to take Vengeance on us to consume us as Fire not to Justifie and acquit from our Ill Deserts c. If Burning ten thousand millions of Years in Hell is not enough to turn away his Wrath c. Rep. Thus he hath defined divine Justice as he thinks which is further spoken to hereafter but upon whom must it be thus satisfied supposeth he S. S. Justice is satisfied upon Transgression p. 103. Rep. Then upon Rebellious Transgressors and not upon Christ who was alwayes Innocent and did the things well pleasing to the Father and therefore divine Justice could never burn nor take such Vengeance on him for Satisfaction and let the Guilty go free for so to do could not be Justice the Satisfaction whereof as it intends the Undergoing the Penalty of the Law due for the Injury done Justice can only require it of the Offender and Guilty for whom the Law was made not of the innocent or Righteous for whom the Law was not made But where then were the Mercy or Forgiveness to the poor Creature that hath sinned if God were so engaged to burn in his Wrath and take the full Vengeance upon lost man S. S. His Truth engageth him to execute his Justice in punishing Sin yea to the full should Mercy offer to pronounce any man absolved his Sin unpunished Truth would stop the Mouth of Mercy and say Hold I have Cursed c. Rep. What strange and lamentable Division would this make in God! and how variable and in Contrariety with himself And how Contrary to the Testimonies of his Faithful Witnesses hath this Man rendered God As if absolute Revenge and Wrath towards all Mankind did bear the sole Sway in him over all both his Love Goodness and Mercy Oh sad Is not his Mercy over all his Works and hath he not Forgiveness in store unto whom it is said who is a God like unto Thee that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage he retaineth not his * Anger forever because he delighteth in Mercy Mica 7. 18. The Lord God merciful and gracious forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin Exod. 34. 6 7. So that even in the Law Gods Mercy and Forgiveness as well as his Threats were signified which his Truth must needs be concerned in Is it not evident that God is not engaged under Revenge nor his Mercy and Truth divided or opposite as this Man renders him For both must be received and have their place where Judgment and Mercy meet and men through the Law become dead unto the Law so as to know Christ to live in them and through God's Judgment and Chastisements to find a Ransom and an Attonement and God hath Power to turn away Wrath as he doth upon men's true Repentance Humiliation and Return to him as when the King humbled himself the Wrath of the Lord turned away from him 2 Chron. 12. 12. And also Hezekiah seeing the Wrath of the Lord upon Judah and Jerusalem for their doing Evil in his Sight and turning their Backs c. He said Now is it in mine Heart to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce Wrath may turn away from us 2 Chron. 29. 8 10. And in the King's Letters be ye not stiff necked but yield your selves unto the Lord
other Grain It is sown and It is raised when the Body or outside of that very Corn that is sown is dead though the innate Virtue or Life doth not in it self dye nor fruitlesly expire Thou sowest not that Body that shall be c. yet in these two relations It is used as relative both to that which is sown and to that Body that shall be while in the very next Words to those before cited it is said there is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body 1 Cor. 15. 44. and these can no more be the self-same then Celestial and Terrestrial Bodies can or then the first Adam and the laft Adam or the Earthly and the Heavenly which the Apostle plaiuly distinguisheth between as he doth betwixt the Natural and the Spiritual But whereas T. H. and his Brethren so much argue from the word It as It is sown a Natural Body It is raised a Spiritual they take this It for Idem corpus the self-same Body in both Their Mistake is evident they have not this either from the Greek or Latin see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seminatur corpus animale surgit corpus spirituale i. e. a Natural or Animal Body is sown a Spiritual Body riseth it is not Idem surgit Nor would this agree with the next Words There is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body This admits of no such Transubstantiation as that the self-same Natural Body should become Spiritual or be the Subject of such an Accident And it is sown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Animal Body or as having Life a Living Body which therefore cannot be the Body as dead and laid in the Graves for in that Condition they are not Corpus Animale for that relates to the Earthly Adam or Body of Mankind as having a natural Life â—…nd must not even the Animal or Natural Man dye before the Spiritual Man be risen or Immortality in Christ be put on And is not the Natural or Animal Man doposed to the Renewed Man 1 Cor. 2. 14. And the Seed which is sown in Weakness must needs have some Degree of Life in it when sown whether Natural or Spiritual and the Weakness and Corruption doth relate to the Subject in which it is sown if the Seed it self be incorruptible And as the First Man is of the Earth Earthly the second Man is the Lord from Heaven and As is the Earthly Such are they also that are Earthly and As is the Heavenly Such are they that are Heavenly ver 47 48. which if this be owned it must be granted that they that are Heavenly must have Bodies sutable viz. Heavenly or Spiritual Bodies this Heavenly being the second Man the Lord from Heaven ver 47. And mark As is the Heavenly Such are they that are Heavenly which cannot be the same with Earthly any more then the Image of the Heavenly can be the Image of the Earthly And as to our being asked what this Mortal is that must put on Immortality Though Mortal in this place implies a dying Condition of Man as the Effect of Sin as in Adam all dye yet it cannot as having put on Immortality be relative to Flesh and Blood but as admitted in a Heavenly and Spiritual Sense for the Apostle plainly tells us but a little before Now this I say Brethren that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption Behold I shew you a Mystery We shall not all Sleep but we shall all be Changed ver 50 51. And so by that Life and Immortality which is brought to Light we see beyond Death and Mortality and we though as in a dying State yet behold Immortality being quickned by the second Adam and renewed again into the Image of the Heavenly being made alive in Christ who redeems Man from Death ransoms the Soul from the Power of the Grave who swallows up Mortality and Death in Life and Victory and saith O Death I will be thy Plagues O Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos. 13 14. Isa. 25. 8. by whom also Death being so swallow'd up into Victory the Sting of it which is Sin taken away They who thus have their part in Christ who is the Resurrection and Life can truly say Thanks be to God who gives us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. â—…7 And to take off further Surmisings against us I tell my Opposer that this Resurrection or Change extends not only to a Raising of Man up from Sin to Righteousness but also to an Eternal Glory And 't is not only the Raising up of the Seed or Grace in Man as he supposes but the Raising up of Man from Sin Death Hell and the Grave even in the Seed and Life which is the Ransom and this answers his Cavils in his 6â—… and 61. Pages only where he fictitiously makes us speak thus viz. Qu. We believe the Resurrection of the Body though we know not what that Body is which shall rise And then he absurdly makes a Christian to answer thus viz. Chr. Thou saidst before the Light within was the divine Essence either then thy Light within thee is not God or God knows not all things c. Reply First he feigneth the Quacker though we will never own him to be our Mouth for the Words were not so spoken by me or us but that we ought not to be too Curious or Inquisitive in things beyond our Capacities as to the Manner of the Existences hereafter or how Men shall be reserved unto their several Ends and Rewards for God knows how to do it but we being sensible of the different Seeds we cannot be altogether ignorant of the Nature of each Body being proper to the Seed it belongs to Yet if with John we say it doth not yet appear what we shall be it is Satisfaction that we know what Manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God for such are Sons of the Resurrection 2dly T. H. abuses the Christian by making him speak absurdly that which implies that if Man have a Divine Light in him he must needs know all that the Light knows or else either conclude that the Light is not Divine or else God is not Omniscient and then it follows from hence that none have either a Divine Light or God dwelling in them unless they know as much as God which was a Temptation to Man at first and by this he hath shut out all not only the fallen World but God's People also from having any Divine Light or Power of God in them He scoffs at some of our Friends saying We own the Resurrection that is We witness it and then adds But what is it you witness the Resurrection of the Seed 'T is Christ in you Ans. Is this a matter to be taunted or scoffed at Hath he truly acted the part of a Christian thus to slight the Arising of the Righteous
in apt Resemblances obvious to the Sences as Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the Pile thereof is Fire and much Wood the Breath of the Lord like a Stream of Brimstone doth kindle it Isa. 30. 33. and Bind him Hand and Foot and cast him into ulter Darkness there shall be Weeping and Gnaâ—…hing of Teeth Mat. 22. 13. As also If thy right Eye Hand or Foot offend pluck it out or cut it off and cast it from thee as being better that one Member should perish then the whole Body should be cast into Hell where the Worm dyeth not and the Fire shall never be quenched Mat. 〈◊〉 29. Mark 9. 49. to the end Which still argues that the Impenitent and Wicked are liable to meet with real â—…orment and that he hath spiritually his proper Being and Habit consisting of such spiritual Parts and Sences having an evil Eye a polluted Mind and defiled Conscience covered with Guilt pressed down with the Body of Sin and perplexed with Horror wherein he both receiveth the Deeds 〈◊〉 in the Body and is capable of absolute Misery in the Fire which shall never be quenched where the Worm dyeth not As also it is said The Rich Man also dyed and was buried and in Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom and he cried said Father Abraham have Mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the Tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue for I am tormented in this Flame Luk. 16. 23 24. When his Body was buried yet he had the Sence of Torments that seized upon him and a Sight of the other's Felicity which he himself had lost Therefore as Christ said I say unto you my Friends be not afraid of them that can kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do but I will fore-warn you whom ye shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath Power to cast into Hell I say unto you fear him Luk. 12. 4 5. A Summary of the Difficulties in the Point in Controversie FInally The Controversie is run up to these Difficulties which I object upon our Opposers Doctrines and Conceptions 1st How the self same Bodies should arise compleat after dissolved to Dust without a New Creation appears not nor is it demonstrated by them 2. If a New Creation of compleat Bodies of the same Dust and Elements should be conceived or admitted it is Incredible that God should create any corrupt sinful or polluted Bodies thereof for perpetual Torments seeing his Works are pure And as Incredible that he should make a pure Body to be invested with the former Evil Habit of Sin and Corruption for perpetual Torment in Hell-Fire and to be sure the first Elements or Dust of dissolved â—…odies is as pure as at the first 3. If Infants be supposed to arise at the Stature of Men how can theirs be the self-same Bodies they were 4. How the Body of the Saints and Children of the Resurrection should be either a Celestial Spiritual Glorious or Angelical Body and they Equal unto the Angels in Heaven and yet the self-same Earthly Elementary Body that dissolveth to Dust c. such a strange Transubstantiation appears not unless that the Natural Body and the Spiritual the Terrestrial and the Celestial the Human and Angelical be both One and the Self-same 5. That the Soul should not enjoy her self in absolute Felicity or Misery in perfect Glory or Contempt in her proper Vessel or Cloathing spiritually without the Earthly Cloathing which is Dust appears not while the Children of the Resurrection are equal unto the Angels of God in Heaven which are absolutely Happy and the Devil and his Angels absolutely Miserable 6. We cannot believe that the Invisible Infinite God should be seen with the Bodily or fleshly Eyes after Dissolution not that Job intended he should see God with his Flesh or bodily Eyes It being in consistent both with his being an Invisible Eternal or Infinite Spirit and with the true spiritual Sight of him which Job received Job 42. 5. 7. That the Seed to which God giveth a Body as it pleaseth him 1 Cor. 15. and the Body given to it should be one and the self same Earthly Body is a non-sensical Doctrine and an apparent Incongruity 8. That the Terrestrial Bodies should be so desirable to the Souls of the Righteous after Dissolution for the compleating their Felicity and perfecting their Glory appears plainly inconsistent with their desiring here to be dissolved and to be absent from the Body to enjoy and possess a Building of God au House eternal in the Heavens Or that the Souls of the Righteous should be so variable as to desire to be absent from the Body and presently after Dissolution to desire the Resuming of the same Earthly Body or a Re-union to it This implicitely accuseth the Souls of deceased Saints with being in their Affections both Earthly Variable and Unquiet as in a kind of Purgatory Which we can never assent to Thomas Vincent's Illustrations ABOUT THE RESURRECTION Which we may look upon as the Sense of the Rest and as the Explication of their Doctrines and Opinions who are Opposing the Spirituality of our Testimony about the Resurrection Among which some Truths are intermixt though his gross and carnal Conceptions about the Point we cannot close with His Illustrations are in his Book entituled Christ's Certain and Suddain Appearance to Judgment Collected and Placed in his own Words as followeth for the Serious and Spiritual-minded Readers to judge of T. V. GIve me leave to illustrate the Resurrection a little further and here I shall endeavour to set it forth by an Allusion to that notable place Ezek. 37. and ten first Verses pag. 16. some thing like this will the Resurrection be at the Last Day Now the Bones and Bodies of all former Generations are scattered up and down in the Valley of the Shadow of Death some are sunk into the Deep others are buried in the Earth the Flesh is consumed and resolved into its first Elements and the Bones of some remain of others are mouldred into Earth Now when the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God shall come down from Mount Sion which is above into the Valley of this inferiour World he will Prophesie over all the Bodies and Bones of all the Children of Men that are dead and speak unto them to Live he will say unto them whilft they lie rotting in their Graves Live he will say Awake ye that sleep in the Dust And Oh what a Noise and Shaking will there be then in the Ground What a clattering of Bones together in the coming of Bone to his Bone If the Body hath been quartered and buried part in one place and part in another as the Levite's Concubine who was divided into Twelve Parts and sent to the Twelve Tribes of
Israel and it is likely buried in twelve distinct places the Bones will fly through the Air out of all those places and meet together in one Body Oh! what a great part of the Air Water and Earth will there run into Conjunction by the Command of Christ and be turned into those very Bodies which were resolved into them by Death and the Corruption of the Pit But with the Addition of such new Qualities as shall sublimate spiritualize and refine them from all that Dreggishness and ill humour that shall be the Foundation of any Sickness or Death forever then the Bones will come together be made like Stones for Strength then the Sinnews will be as it were Iron Sinnews and the Flesh Brass such Strength will be put into them as I conceive is not to be found in the strongest Creatures which hitherto God hath made that they might be fitted the Bodies of the Righteous for an Eternal Life of Happiness and bearing the Glory of Heaven The Bodies of the Wicked for an Eternal Life of Misery and bearing the Torments of Hell pag. 17 18. But what a Stirring will there be in the Earth Those which are alive will wonder to see such a strange Metamorphâ—… of the Ground to seel Men and Women stirring and moving under their Feet arising and crouding for Room amongst them Then will the Lord bring down all the Souls of the Righteous which have been in Paradise with him many Years and they shall find out their own Bodies And he will open the Prison of Hell and let out the Souls of the Wicked for a while that they also may find out their own Bodies pag. 19. The Book of God's Remembrance will be opened This we are to understand in a Spiritual Sense not as if there were a real Book which God did make use of for his Remembrance of things as Men do who have Frail and Weak Memories pag. 22. The Spirits of all the just Men and Women made persect shall then come down and enter again into their Old Habitations pag. 31. when the Soul left the Body vile to putrifie and corrupt in the Grave and shall finde it come forth more Bright and Glorious then Gold after it hath been resined in a Furnace If the Love between the Soul and the Body were so great when the Body was so vile and the Soul so Sinful what will it be when both are glorified If the Conjunction between the Soul and Body were so sweet when the Body was so Frail and subject to Death and the Soul a Spiritual and Never-dying Subscance what will it be when the Body shall be made immortal and in some sort spiritual pag. 32. No sooner are they awakened and risen out of their Graves but they are entertained by Angels those Holy and Excellent Creatures when before in the Body they were too low and unfit for their Acquaintance but they will then know them and be able to discern the Beauty of those lovely Spirits pag. 33. They will arise like so many shining Suns out of the Earth pag. 34. They admired to see the Saints and to see themselves so transformed pag. 36. He will bring the Keys of Death and Hell along with him and open both these Prison Doors not to give Liberty and Release to the Prisoners But as prisons are opened at Assizes to bring them sorth unto Judgment he will open the Prison of Hell and all the Souls of the Wicked shall come forth like so many 〈◊〉 cut of the bottomless Fit and he will open the Prison of the Grave and all their Bodies shall creep Like so many ugly Toads out of the Earth and then Soul and Body shall be joyned together again and this Meeting will be sad beyond Expression Then the Meeting of the Souls and Bodies of the Wicked will be dolesul pag. 46 47. It is said that the vile Bodies of the Righteous shall be made like unto Christ's Body in Beauty and Glory but the Bodies of the Wicked will have another Hew and Fashion if it were possible to fashion Bodies like Devils those impure and foul Spirits such spiritual Bodies the Wicked should have Be sure their Bodies shall have no Glory put upon them but as they lay down Vile Bodies they shall rise up far more Vile The Bodies of the Wicked most probably will be Swarthy Black Ugly Monstrous Bodies p. 48. The Blackness and Dread of the Soul would quickly appear in their Countenance besides the Impressions which the Fire of Hell will have upon them if the Body be black how black will the Soul be after so long abode with foul Devils in the lower Regions of Darkness And when such foul Souls and such vile Bodies meet what a Meeting what a Greeting will there be We may fancy a kind of Language to be between them at that Day The Soul to the Body Come out of thy Hole thou filthy Dunghil Flesh for the Pampering and Pleasing of whom I have lost my self forever who hast stolen away my Time and Thoughts and Heart from God and Christ and Heavenly Things to feed and cloathe and cherish thee and make Provision to satisfie thy base deceitful Lusts when I should have been making Provision for thine and mine Everlasting Happiness Awake and come forth of the Dust thou Bewitching Dirty Flesh who didst lull me asleep so long in thy pleasing Chains until thou didst suddenly open thy Doors and thrust me out where I was awakened in Torments before I was aware Now I must come into thy Doors again that thou mayst share and taste the Bitter Issue of sinful Pleasures and Delights And O how will the Body be affrighted so soon as the Soul is entered p. 49. The Body to the Soul And hast thou found me out O my Enemy Couldst not thou have let me alone to lie still at rest in this sweet Sleep Hast thou used me as a Slave and employed all my Members as Servants of Iniquity and Unrighteousness and 〈◊〉 thou come now to Torment me and is this the Fruit of all the Pleasures we have taken together Shouldst not thou have been more VVise and provided better for thy self and me O! what Cryes and Shreeks will the Tongue give forth so soon as it hath recovered its Use p. 50. 2. The second Antecedent to the Judgment of the Wicked will be their Meeting with Devils to entertain them at their Resurrection and then they will not appear unto them like Angels of Light as sometimes here they have done p. 50. but they will spit forth their Venom and Malice then in their Faces possibly they may buffet their Bodies and lay painful Stroaks upon them surely they will terrifie their Souls for those Sins they have drawn them unto the Commission of p. 51. How will they be affrighted at the Apparition of so many Devils about them when they shall lash their Spirits with Horrible Scourges when