importance of The Judge standeth before the Door as also to deliver comfort and reward the Righteous you read in many places of Scripture As Rev. 22. 12. I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be Heb. 9. 36. 37. Ye have need of Patience that after you have done the will of God ye might receive the promise For yet a little while and he that cometh shall come and will not tarry Luk. 21. 26. Watch and Pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Men. Vers. 20. When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with Armies then know that the Desolation thereof is nigh Vers. 25 c. Upon the Earth shall be distress of Nations with perplexity Mens Hearts failing them for fear and for looking aster those things which are coming on the Earth for the powers of Heaven shall be shaken And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a Cloud in Power and in great Glory And when these things begin to come to pass then lift up your Heads for your Redemption draweth nigh I. Parots Wren p. 5. Christ shall come the second time without Sin unto Salvation Thus unto you he is come in whom his coming is compleatly perfected Forster's Guide p. 39. His second appearance is in Spirit which no Fleshly Eye can behold and Live and Blessed are all they who wait for his second coming to wit without Sin unto Salvation For his second coming is to put an end to Sin P. 50. Ye Men of Galilee why stand ye here gazing The same Jesus which hath been taken up from you into Heaven shall in like manner come again to wit in a Cloud for so he went up This is a mystery to the Wise of this World that the Light of the World and Life of Men should come in a Cloud But so it is to the Children of Light it is revealed by the Spirit They can tell you that as Christ's first appearance was in the Flesh and the Fleshly Eye saw him so his second appearance is in Spirit and no Fleshly Eye can behold him he being now a Spirit W. Nature of Christianity P. 29. Is his appearing the second time without Sin unto Salvation in this Life or hereafter Thou sayst after the Bodily Death you shall be raised out of the Grave and made partakers of that Salvation P. 24. Thou puttest Salvation at a great Distance As for the Text Heb. 9. 28. Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many and unto them which look for him shall he appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation You falsely Interpret these latter words of Christ's appearing in the Heart to destroy Sin and free from its power For 1 Whereas to appear without Sin is as the opposite doth shew without being offered to bear Sin or as it is vers 26. without putting away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself can any one imagine that the Apostle would go about to inform us of that which could not be and which none could ever Imagine viz. that Christ shall not Die again and make atonement by way of Sacrifice for Sin in his appearance in our Hearts And that this is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Sin as you have seen the opposite doth manifest so you may the rather be convinced when you have observed that Sin doth sometimes in Scripture signifie the offering for Sin and that as applied to Christ in his first appearance Chap. 10. 6. In burnt offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for Sin i. e. in Sacrifice for Sin thou hast had no Pleasure So vers 8. And Rom. 8. 3. What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sending his Son in the likeness of Sinful Flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for Sin i. e. a Sacrifice for Sin Or if you read and for Sin Condemned it is the same i. e. by a sacrifice for Sin condemned Condemned Sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit 2 Cor. 5. 21. He made him Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us that we might be made the Righteonsness of God in him Isa. 53. 10. When thou shalt make his Soul Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. an Offering for Sin he shall see his seed And thus the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is answerable to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as it signifies Sin so is used in the Old Testament for the sacrifice and offering for Sin Lev. 4. 25. 29. Psal. 40. 7. Ezek. 44. 27. 29. and 45. 19. Our Text then lieth plainly thus Christ came into the World to Die for Sin and whereas he is gone out of the World vers 24. he shall come again into it but not to Die but to give that Salvation which by his Death he Purchased for us He who was made Sin for us shall appear the second time without being made Sin He was once offered here he shall appear again here but shall not then be offered again 2 The Apostle had said just before that Christ entred into Heaven the true Holy of Holies vers 24. He speaking then of a second appearance must needs mean his Coming out of this place and that after the same manner that he went in viz. by local motion he Ascended and he shall so Descend Just as the High-Priest entred into the Holy of Holies of the earthly Tabernacle and came out again only with this difference that whereas the High-priest entred into that Earthly Holiest and came out of it once every year so often sacrificing and making atonement for Sin Christ entred into Heaven and cometh out thence but once and that in the end of the World and not then to offer another Sacrifice and make a new atonement for that he did sufficione for all viz. at his entrance there but to judge the World and to give Salvation to them that diligently wait for him Thus the Apostle here writes Vers 12. By his own Blood he entred in once into the Holy Place having obtained eternal Redemption for us Vers. 24. c He is entred into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us nor yet that he should offer himself often as the High-priest entreth into the Holy Place every year with Blood of others But he was once offered to bear the Sins of many and to them that look for him he shall appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation Chap. 10. 11. 12. 13. Every Priest standeth daily Ministring and Offering oftentimes the same Sacrifices which can never take away Sins But this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sate down at the Right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Foot-stool And
QUAKER'S FALSE INTERPRETATIONS OF Holy Scripture By THOMAS WILSON Rector of Arrow in Warwick-Shire LONDON Printed for Benjamin Harris at the Stationer's Arms in Sweetings Rents in Cornhil 1678. Imprimatur Guil. Jane QUAKER'S FALSE INTERPRETATIONS OF SCRIPTURE ONly of this at present Hereafter perhaps I may Treat of their Doctrines and their Manners All that I desire of the Reader is that in the several Texts I shall instance he consult the Bible because words separated from the Discourse may seem even to a wise man to signifie what the Inspired Authors never intended and the like expressions and sometimes tho same do mean different things as in all other Books so in holy Writ G. K. Immed Revelat. p. 21. We may not nor dare not make use of the Scripture but in the Life and Spirit as that opens and influences We dare not nor ought not to speak the Spirit 's words in our own Spirit We tie the words of Scripture unto the Spirit so as not to use them but in and by the Spirit G. K. Help in need p. 77. Away with that manner of interpreting Scripture and searching truth by drawing and knitting consequences by the fallible erring mind and natural understanding Keep close in all things to the determination of the Spirit of God and where that leads you to draw a consequence or frame an argument do it else forbear W. Duesbury's discovery p. 48. The word of the Lord came upon me in the common Gaol in Warwick 13. of 1. Moneth 1664. which constrained to be given forth from the Spirit of the Lord c. N. Love to Lost p. 1. The things following are not of Man nor did I receive them but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Atkinsons Standard of the Lord p. 30. Written from the Spirit of the Lord. Burrough's Trumpet p. 1. The Order and Authority given unto me by the Spirit of the Living God 31. of 10. Moneth in the Year 1655. about the 4th hour in the Morning when my Meditations were of my God upon my Bed in Kilkenny City at that time the word of the Lord came unto me saying Write c. Given under my hand and Sealed with the Spirit of the eternal God Foster's Guide p. 59. Do you not Professors confess your selves to be fallible If then I can prove that you have Interpreted Scripture in a false Sense you must grant that you have not Interpreted only in and by the Spirit of God but in your own and by the natural understanding and fallible erring mind And I hope if it appear to you that you have thus done you will not lay the error how little soever it may be upon that Holy One but take it to your selves though it contradict your Glorious Pretence and abate your Credit and Shame you never so much And in the name of Christ I admonish you that you do so that God be not Dishonoured and his excellent Spirit Vilified The tryal follows G. K. Im. Revel p. 72. Out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And he The word for that is his name Rev. 19. shall judge among the Nations Isa. 2 3 4. 1 Your reason why the Word of the Lord must here signifie Christ for that is it you mean viz. Because his name is the Word is infirm unless you can prove it always so signifies which it doth not as you may see in many places of Scripture particularly in this Prophet's writings Chap. 39. 5. Hear the word of the Lord of Hosts That is not Christ but this Sentence which follows Behold the day is come that all that is in thine House shall be carried to Babylon Chap. 28. 14. Hear the word of the Lord Namely this Thus saith the Lord behold I lay c. vers 16. 2 As in these former words Come and let us go up to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways He refers to God and not to house So it is manifest that in these latter For out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he shall judge among the Nations He refers to Lord and not to the Word For 3 it had been all one if it had been only said Out of Sion shall go forth the Law of the Lord and he shall judge The Law of the Lord and the Word of the Lord being here the same And then as the Law here is not Christ so neither is the Word 4 And thus was it fulfilled concerning the Gospel as that being distinct from Christ. For it was first Preached at Jerusalem and from thence proceeded to the Gentiles Luk. 24. 47. Thus it is Written that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached in Christ's Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Thus Tertullian understands the Text. Adv. Marc. L. 3. C. 21. Ex Sion exibit lex sermo Domini ex Hierusalem Haec erit via sua novae Legis evangelium novi sermonis in Christo non in Moyse And Just. Mart. Apol. 2. p. 78 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For Out of Sion c. From Jerusalem went twelve men into the World who declared to all Mankind that they were sent of Christ to Preach the Word of God to all Ibid. p. 66. I desire the Reader to weigh what word it is David speaks so frequently of in Psal. 119. It is not any word writ any outward word or words But the eternal word which created the Heavens and Earth The word in the begining which taught him the Laws Judgments c. Jesus Christ P. 67. 68. 65. You may as well say Testimonies Statutes Judgments Commandements Law are not a written and outward word or words For they are all used promiscuously and what is spoken of the word is spoken of these As it is said I beheld the Transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy word So Rivers of Waters ran down mine Eyes because they kept not thy Law As I rejoyce at thy word So Thy Testimonies are the rejoicing of my Heart As I have hoped in thy word So I have hoped in thy judgments As Thy word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it So Upright are thy judgments I love thy Commandments As For ever thy word is settled in Heaven So Thy testimonies thou hast founded for ever The word then here spoken of being the same with Testimonies Statutes Judgments Commandments Law it is as much outward written and spoken as they are and you may as well say the Testimonies Statutes c. are Christ as that this word is and that they taught the word as that the word taught them As is evident by the reading of almost any two connext verses in the Psalm and especially those single ones which contein both words for that where they thus occur there is no difference to be discerned As vers 16. I will delight my self in thy Statutes I
will not forget they word vers 160. Thy word is true from the begining and every one of thy Righteous judgments endureth for ever Vers. 172. My Tongue shall speak of thy word for all thy Commandments are Righteous That what is spoken of the word of the Lord in this Psalm cannot agree to a written and spoken word to such Promises Statutes Judgments Law and that Christ of necessity must be understood I believe you will no sooner prove than that Thou shalt not Kill There is one God Trust in the Lord God forgiveth Sins He will bless thee And the like Commandments Promises and Doctrines were not written and spoken and that they are Christ and they Created Heaven and Earth And that such is the word here is again manifest enough in that David says I will keep it and meditate in it My Tongue shall speak of it For all thy Commandments are Righteous One thing more I will inform you of viz. That Word in several places of this Psalm signifies Gods Promise and particularly to David As vers 65. Thou hast dealt well with thy Servant according to thy word Vers. 170. Deliver me according to thy Word Vers. 49. Remember thy word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Vers. 38. Stablish thy word unto thy Servant Compare herewith 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure And Chap. 7. 25. The word which thou hast spoken concerning thy Servant and concerning his house establish it for ever And that was this Vers. 12. I will set up thy Seed after thee and establish his Kingdom My mercy shall not depart away from him Now is this word Christ Did this Word create Heaven and Earth This I will set up thy Seed c And was it not an outward word spoken by Nathan Ibid. p. 69. Pro. 6. 24. Reproofs of instruction are the way of Life to keep thee from the evil Woman That is the false deceitful Whorish Spirit the Spirit of this World which bewitches the whole Earth That it is a real Woman I am as sure as that any Whore in England is a Woman For the discourse being continued thus it is said Vers. 29. He that goeth in to his Neighbour's Wife shall not be innocent Vers. 32 33 34. Whoso committeth Adultery with a Woman lacketh understanding A wound and dishonour shall he got for Jealousy is the Rage of a Man therefore he will not spare in the day of Vengeance And thus Chap. 7. where the same Woman is spoken of as appears vers 5. She caught the Young man and Kissed him and said I have decked my Bed with Tapestry and perfumed it with Myrrhe come let us take our sill of Love until the Morning for the Goodman is not at home c. Now prove you if you can that the Holy Ghost meaneth by the Whorish Woman in this place a Whorish Spirit the Spirit of error If I should say Heb. 13. 4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge that is Idolaters I believe my reason would be as good as yours For yours I question not is because St. John in the Revelations speaks of a Whore of Babylon and mine would be because Ezekiel in his Prophecy speaks of committing Adultery with Idols and going a Whoring after the Heathen But then he that readeth what goeth before my Text viz. Marriage is honourable in all and the Bed Vndesiled would wonder at my interpretation So no less may he wonder at yours when he reads what follows your Text viz. He that goeth into his Neighbour's Wife c. Or if this be not the reason of your Interpretation produce what is and I question not but I can give you as good for mine And so likewise for this other Pro. 31. 4. It is not for Kings to drink Wine that is the Wine of Fornication which the Whore of Babylon poureth forth the Doctrine of the false Prophet Ibid. p. 75. The seven Spirits of God are one Spirit Angels are spirits And as it is said of these seven that they stand before the Throne and are sent forth into the Earth Rev. 1. 4. and 5 6. So is the same said of Angles Chap. 5. 11. Heb. 1. 14. Now whether St. John mean by these seven Spirits Angels or the Holy Ghost is to be considered And 1 to say that the Holy Ghost stands before the throne seems harsh and we read not so elsewhere 2 They are called Angels Chap. 8. 2. I saw the seven Angels that stood before God Which refers to the seven Spirits oft before mentioned as standing before the Throne Chap. 5. 6. and 4. 5. and 1. 4. Ibid. p. 6. 7. The Seed and Birth of God is not an Accident but a substance It is not a particle of the God-head but it is of the Heavenly Spiritual and Invisible substance and being that is the most Glorious being and principle in which God as Father Son and Holy Ghost doth dwell and tabernacle and thine forth in the most Glorious Brightness Beauty Sweetness and Majesty that the noblest of Creatures in the highest supernatural elevation can reach unto behold him and have fellowship with him which is the Holy of Holies and the Heaven of Heavens or that third Heaven in which Paul on Earth saw and felt things unutterable And out of these Heavens c. Of your opinion that the new birth is a substance and of that spiritual substance in which God dwells the Heaven of Heavens perhaps I may speak another time As to your interpretation of 2. Cor. 12. 2. 1 Why say you St. Paul was on Earth when he heard the unspeakable words when he tells you that himself knew not for his words are these I knew a Man whether in the Body I cannot tell or whether out of the Body I cannot tell God knoweth Such an one caught up to the third Heaven Which must signifie whether this was really done or whether it was only a vision he knew not 2 But suppose he was really caught up in the Body which for ought any man knows he was how could that be if he remained still on Earth and was not removed an inch from his place 3 And yet how caught up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even unto the third Heaven which signifies the greatest distance and yet not removed for according to your Opinion Heaven is as near to us as our own Souls for where the new Birth is there it is that birth being as you say of the same spiritual substance in which God dwells which is Heaven 4 And then St. Paul having that Birth before was in Heaven before he was caught up thither and so is every regenerate man at present So that it is no strange or peculiar thing which our Saviour said of himself viz. that he was then in Heaven whilst he discoursed with Nicodemus Joh. 3. 13. 5 And I would then know how
he passed through two Heavens or thought he did so for whether this were real or a vision is all one the vision signifying as much as the real motion And if you please I would understand also from your inspiration not conjecture what these two Heavens are which he passed to come to the third For alass I only take the one to be that of the Clouds and the other that of the Stars it being of old said The Clouds of Heaven And the Stars of Heaven But perhaps you can inform me of two other as well as a third hard by us somewhat alike comfortable 6 Being curious I would yet know how St. Paul's Body was or might be caught up Vnto this third Heaven a spiritual substance just before his Face For methinks it should then rather have been said his Body was caught or drawn into it Be truly serious and tell me whether Christ ascended up above the Clouds I mean ten or twenty Miles distant from Earth upward And since we read that at his Death he said to the Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise whether their Spirits ascended upward as the Spirits of Men do especially since this Paradise is the third Heaven vers 4. In the mean time I go on with your words Ibid. p. 7. And out of these Heavens doth the Seed of God come who soweth it in the heart of Man and formeth it by his own immediate power and watereth it with influences from Heaven which have of the vertue and breath of his own eternal Life and Spirit in them whereby this Seed groweth up into a perfect substantial birth of one Heavenly and incorruptible nature which is Christ formed within the Body of Christ his Flesh and Blood which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto that Soul or Life of Man which eateth it and feedeth upon it and it is called the Body and Flesh and Blood of Christ because his eternal Life and Spirit dwelleth in it immediately and communicateth unto man the knowledge of the glory and beauty of himself only in and through this Seed and Birth G. F. Catechism p. 142. They tell me of Christs human Flesh and human Body Doth Scripture speak of such things is not his Flesh from above and doth not Christ say his Flesh comes from above which was the Bread Ans. It was the first Adam who was earthly but the second is Heavenly The Text which proves as you suppose that Christ hath another Body besides that which was visible Flesh and Blood of a spiritual substance besides the material which he took of the Virgin which giveth Life unto the Soul which feedeth on it by the Spirit which dwelleth in it communicating of the knowledge of the glory of himself through the Seed of God is Joh. 6. 50 51. This is the Bread which cometh down from Heaven that a Man may eat thereof and not Die I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven If any man eat of this Bread he shall Live for ever And the Bread which I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World From whence I suppose you would argue thus The Flesh here spoken of came down from Heaven The visible flesh came not down from Heaven Therefore the visible Flesh is not here spoken of I deny the Major and for this reason because the Text says not the Flesh came down from Heaven Which therefore you must prove by consequence thus The Bread came down from Heaven The Flesh is the Bread Therefore the Flesh came down from Heaven I Answer The Bread in the Major signifies whole Christ. As it is said I am the Living Bread and vers 48. I am the Bread of Life And though he speak of himself as then he was both the Word and Man that he came down from Heaven I came down from Heaven yes and said that he the Son of Man came from thence vers 62. What and if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before Chap. 3. 13. No Man hath Ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven the Son of Man which is in Heaven Yet as the Son of Man he came not from thence but as the Word But Flesh in the Minor is not the Bread as that signifies whole Christ but only part of Christ. Now that may be affirmed of whole Christ or of his Person which cannot be affirmed of every part of him As your selves will grant that he came from Heaven and yet deny that his visible Flesh which is part of him did Wherefore though the Bread came down from Heaven and the Flesh is Bread it will not follow from hence that the Flesh came from Heaven unless either all the Bread which is Christ came from thence or the Flesh is all the Bread that is to say all Christ. Form the Syllogism as it ought thus and you may the easier discern your error All the Bread of Life came down from Heaven The Flesh is some of the Bread of Life Therefore the Flesh came down from Heaven Or thus all the Bread of Life came down from Heaven Some Flesh is the Bread of Life Therefore some Flesh came down from Heaven For the Major is false which affirms all the Bread of Life to come down from Heaven For all the Bread of Life is all Christ and all Christ came not down from Heaven For his visible Flesh did not and yet his visible Flesh is some of the Bread of Life I will use the like Arguments for Proof of the descent of Christ's visible Flesh and leave you to answer them because in so doing you will answer your selves The Bread here spoken of came down from Heaven The visible Flesh is the Bread here spoken of Therefore the visible Flesh came down from Heaven The Minor I prove That which Christ gave for the Life of the World is the Bread here spoken of as the Text affirms The Bread which I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the Life of the World The visible Flesh Christ gave for the Life of the World Therefore the visible Flesh is the Bread here spoken of Again the Son of Man came down from Heaven The Son of Man is visible Flesh Therefore visible Flesh came down from Heaven Again all the Bread of Life came down from Heaven The visible Flesh is some of the Bread of Life Therefore the visible Flesh came down from Heaven Perhaps an Instance may be more clear to you and therefore say I thus Redemption came from Jerusalem The Mony is the Redemption Therefore the Mony came from Jerusalem Which yet will not necessarily follow because it might be taken up suppose in England by him that came from Jerusalem and redeemed Slaves by that Price paid Now to shew the contrary to your assertion 1 Let us put into the Text the visible Flesh and see whether it cannot be said as it is without any
when his Enemies are made his Foot-stool then shall he appear here again and shall destroy the last Enemy which is Death and then shall he deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. Hereby you may see how far you have erred from the Apostles mind whilst you understand the second appearance of Christ which he thus speaketh of here of his appearance in our hearts 3 The Similitude sheweth the second appearance of Christ here spoken of to be at the last day As it is appointed unto Men once to Die but after this the judgment so Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many and shall appear the second time without Sin to them that look for him unto Salvation Which is to say as Men Die and appear here again to be judged but no more here until then so Christ Died and shall appear here again at that day and not till then for Heaven must receive him until the times of restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. Joh. 14. 3. but then more Gloriously without Death suffering or any meanes in the Glory of his Father to be Glorified in his Saints and admired of all Believers and to give them Rest and Glory 2 Thes. 1. 7. Col. 3. 4. 4 The appearance is unto Salvation unto them that Look for him And therefore it is his coming from Heaven at the last day For until then do we all look for him even the very best in whom he is already come as to the destruction of Sin in their Hearts and the manifestation of himself there and then is the Salvation given which he obtained for us by the Sacrifice of himself and we had a right unto upon the account of our Faith Regeneration and Obedience 2 Tim. 4. 8. I have finished my Course I have Fought a good Fight I have kept the Faith Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge will give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also which love his appearance 1 Thes. 1. 9 10. Ye turned from Idols to serve the Living God and to wait for his Son from Heaven Ph. 3. 20. From Heaven we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our Vile Body that it may be Fashioned like unto his Glorious Body I Pet. 5. 4. When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory which fadeth not away And because you say we put Salvation at a great Distance because we expect it at the last day observe yet further these Texts 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body Mat. 25. 31 32 34 41 46. When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all the Holy Angels with him then shall he Sit upon the Throne of his Glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations Then shall the King say unto them on his Right hand Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom c. Then shall he say also unto them on his Left hand Depart ye Cursed into Everlasting Fire c. These shall go into Everlasting Punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal Luk. 14. 14. Thou shalt be recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just. Act. 3. 19. Repent and be Converted that your Sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall shew Jesus Christ which before was Preached unto you whom Heaven must receive until the times of Restitution of all things c. As for the other Text Act. 1. 11. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into Heaven He went up say you in a Cloud and shall come in a Cloud no Fleshly eye shall behold him for that he is now a Spirit And you call it a mystery to the Wise of this World understanding likewise the coming of Christ here spoken of to be his invisible coming in the Heart Whereas it is in a visible manner in a Body locally descending from Heaven in the real Clouds accompanied with Angels For thus he ascended He was taken up removed from Earth a Cloud received him his Disciples saw this and two Angels then appeared vers 9 10. Luk. 24. 51. And just so shall he come again says the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the same manner without a metaphor And exactly so do we read of his coming at the last day The Man Christ shall Judge Act. 17. 31. He hath now a Glorious Body according to which he will fashion our Vile Bodies Ph. 3. 21. Whom Heaven must Receive until the times of restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. But he shall Descend from Heaven with all the Holy Angels and fit upon a Throne and before him shall all Nations be gathered and the Righteous then Living shall be caught up in the Clouds together with them that rise from the Dead to meet him in the Air Mat. 25. 1 Thes. 4. Now when as Christ locally and visibly ascended and the Angels said he shall come again after this manner you are to judge Reader whether this coming be not his Local descent from Heaven and visible appearance at the last day or whether as the Quaker says it be his coming in the Heart which is neither local nor visible Immed Revelat. p. 77. Till that time that the Day-star arise in their Hearts Peter directeth them unto a light that shineth in a dark place which is Jesus Christ in his first appearance a seed of light sown but not come forth to the perfect day And this he calls the most firm word of Prophecy whereunto they do well to take heed for the time Duesbery's Discovery p. 33. Oh thou inflamed Soul under the power of Babylon mind the Light in thec which is the sure word of Prophecy whereunto c. That the word of Prophecy in 2 Pet. 1. 19. Is not Christ in the Heart in his first appearance there the light within not come forth to the perfect day will appear if you consider how the words lie which I believe you seldom do And that is thus vers 16. c. We have not followed cunningly devised Fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of his Majesty in the Holy mount VVe have also a more sure word of Prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prophetick Word whereunto you do well that ye take heed Knowing this first that no Prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation For the Prophecy came not in old time by the will of Man but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost all Scripture is given by Inspiration 2 Tim. 3. 16. But there were false Prophets also among the People even as there
before a Magistrate which is a constrained act as every one knows the difference betwixt Swearing and being adjured Next he says Neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by Jerusalem nor by thy head This is another indication that the swearing which our Saviour forbids is that which men use freely of themselves in their converse for that the Magistrate never administred an Oath in his judiciary process in these forms but only as the Law required in and by the Name of God But the people used commonly such Oaths in their ordinary converse and private business And that they did partly out of reverence to the Name of God as we learn from Philo fudaeus and partly because they thought themselves the less obliged by these as we learn from our Saviour Mat. 23. 16 18. Wo to you blind guides which say whosoever shall swear by the Temple it is nothing but whoso shall Swear by the Gold of the Temple he is a Debtor Whoso shall Swear by the Altar it is nothing but whoso shall Swear by the Gift that is upon it he is a Debtor So that our Saviour says thus much Swear not at all I do not mean only by the Name of God but in any of those other forms which are in use among you as by Heaven Earth the Temple the Altar c. which clearly signifies that the swearing which he forbids is in that manner in which those forms were used which was in ordinary converse not in solemn judicature He adds further thus For Heaven is God's Throne Earth his Footstool Jerusalem his City and thou can'st not make one hair white or black Which is to say Though you think it less because you do not use God's name in these forms I tell you it is all one for even herein you do Swear by him c. 23. 21 22. Whoso shall Swear by the Temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein and he that shall Swear by Heaven sweareth by the Throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon Lastly it is said But let your communication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speech word be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil As if he had said only say to one another It is so or it is not so I will do it or I will not do it Which further shews that our Saviour's prohibition is limited to our common converse with one another As for the reason of the prohibition it signifies thus much This common voluntary swearing ariseth from some evil principle or other as the malignity of nature pride vanity profaneness passion irreverence of God or the instigation of the Devil But now if only voluntary swearing be here forbidden it may be said The Law forbad as much and therefore our Saviour hath added nothing to it whereas he tells us in the same place vers 17. that he came to fulfil and compleat it and this is one particular in which he hath done so as is evident by his making it an instance of his superaddition To which I answer It cannot be questioned but that our Saviour hath expressed the Law in its full latitude especially considering he now intended to compleat it And as he did express it it is manifest he hath compleated it For whereas it is said only Thou shalt not forswear thy self is not this more which he says Thou shalt not Swear at all in communication If the Law said this how could our Saviour speak as he doth by way of addition But I say it Which signifies plainly that the Law did not say Swear not at all in communication But what then Might the Jews swear as much as they pleased in common speech and converse so that they swore truly I ask likewise forasmuch as the Law said only Thou shalt not commit Adultery might the Jews therefore lust after Women as much as they pleased and was there no sin to them in so doing By no means so neither the one nor the other for though the Law expressed no more yet they might discern by the common light of nature and much more by that light which the Law of God which Moses delivered to them afforded that God's name was not to be used in vain and that they were not to Swear rudely lightly irreverently and that likewise unclean desires ought not to lodge in the heart As though the Law expressed not the promise of eternal life as say some yet they could not be altogether ignorant of it nor were they but expected some such reward which is now fully manifested I will add one thing more Is not St. Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By your al. our rejoycing which I have in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 15. 31. as much as the common Oath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By God or as much as By the Temple which our Saviour tells us is an Oath Is not his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is true or as God is true 2 Cor. 1. 18. as much as the Oath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord liveth or as the Lord liveth or God's life Jer. 12. 16. 1 King 17. 1. Is not his I call God to record upon my Soul 2 Cor. 1. 23. as much as God do so to me and more also c. Ruth 1. 17. 1 Sam. 4. 14. Do not these former as much express the nature of an Oath as the latter or as much as so help me God By this light By this Drink which are used as forms in Swearing For my part I would as unwillingly use the one as the other And I put it to your Conscience whether in Witness-bearing or in the matter of Allegience and Supremacy or any other publick concern you will say before the Magistrate I call God to record upon my Soul or As God is true or By our joy in Christ Jesus this is so or thus will I do Well then St. Paul speaking thus more than once and deliberately in writing certainly he did not understand our Saviour's words so strictly but that a Christian may upon weighty consideration swear sometime in the fear of God when he is not required by the power of the Magistrate And my reason for this is not only that Holy Mans example but because this kind of Swearing proceedeth not from evil neither irreverence towards God nor vanity of mind no inconsideratness nor any corrupt principle which is the reason of our Saviour's prohibition To prevent your censure let me publish that to my knowledge I never Swore any sort of Oath but before an Officer that required it I thank God for his grace Bishops Jesus Christ. p. 18. Christ was with the Church in the Wilderness and with the Angel who spake to Moses in Mount Sina and with the Fathers who received the lively Oracles but they would not obey but thrust him from them Act. 7 38 39. The Text says not Christ but Moses was with the Church in the Wilderness and with the Angel and with the Fathers
incongruity I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven If any Man eat this Bread he shall Live for ever And the Bread which I will give is this my Flesh which your Eyes behold which I will give for the Life of the World or say we And the Bread which I will give is my Life which I will give for the Life of the World for that that is the meaning of giving his Flesh for the Life of the World shall be shewed anon And that he gave his Bodily Life that which he took of the B. Virgin for the Life of the World I hope you will not deny But the words being thus put there is no incongruity but it is the very same in sense with the Text and therefore the visible Flesh of Christ is here meant So that the whole is this Christ who now was Man having said that he is the Bread of Life which came down from Heaven shews in one eminent particular wherein he is so viz in Dying for us he being likewise the Bread of Life in other respects namely as to his Doctrine and Spirit and raising unto eternal Life at the last day Which Death is our eternal Life as Bread is our Temporal 2 From these last words I will give my Flesh for the Life of the World I prove that the Flesh and Blood here spoken of are not a spiritual invisible substance which you Imagine Christ always dwelt in and brought from Heaven with him but that visible which he took of the Virgin For to give his Flesh for the Life of the World signifies to offer up himself a Sacrifice for Sin by Death upon the Cross thereby obtaining Life for the World Pardon and Redemption As is manifest from the like expressions which frequently occur Mat. 20. 28. The Son of Man came to give his Life a Ransom for many Eph. 5. 2. Christ hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God Heb. 9. 28. He was once offered to bear the Sins of many Chap. 3. 14. As the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death the Devil And it being altogether thus spoken of his visible Flesh it is sure enough that this place speaketh of the same For shew another Text if you can that speaketh thus of a spiritual Flesh of his But then the importance of the Phrase being such as you have heard you must affirm that the spiritual Flesh was offered and Died and so obtained Redemption for us Which is altogether a stranger to the Scripture Whether you will affirm this I cannot tell But this we all see that you Interpret the Life which is by Christ's Flesh viz. The spiritual which you phansie of his quickening of our Souls by his Life and Spirit which dwelleth in us Which is quite another thing than to give it for the Life of the World that importing Dying as a sacrifice and atoning for Sin 3 The Flesh and Blood here are two distinct things vers 53. Whereas the spiritual substance which you imagine can have but one part And moreover the Flesh forasmuch as the giving of it as hath been proved signifies Christ's Death must needs be that which was Broken and the Blood that which was shed And accordingly the Bread and Wine which our Lord Ordeined in remembrance of his same Death are symbols of this same Flesh and Blood and of no other 1 Cor. 11. Mat. 26. This is my Body which is Broken for you This is my Blood which is shed for you But spiritual Flesh cannot be broken nor spiritual Blood shed and indeed there are not these two distinct parts in a spiritual substance nor are the Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper symbols of such and therefore we must conclude that such are not here meant Im. Revel p. 55. Scripture is frequent in its testimonies concerning the appearance of Jesus Christ in his Saints Can any thing which is without Man speak so immediatly to the Soul as Christ who made it and is in it and comes in for that end to reveal himself and his Father therein and so to fulfil that Prayer of his Joh. 17. 24. Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me But this Text speaks not of the Saints being with Christ and beholding his Glory whilst they are upon Earth by his operation in their Hearts but of their real presence with him in Heaven after this Life and then and as so present beholding his Glory For as he departed out of this World to be in the place where he is and to receive the Glory there which he hath vers 1. The hour is come Glorifie thy Son Vers. 5. Glorifie thou me with thine own self Ver. 11. I am no more in the World I come to thee Chap. 7. 39. Jesus was not yet Glorified Chap. 20. 17. I am not Yet ascended to my Father Eph. 1. 20. God raised him from the Dead and set him at his own right hand in the Heavenly places 1 Tim. 3. 16. Received up into Glory vide Joh. 6. 62. So must we likewise depart hence that we may be in the same place with him and behold as there present his Glory For thus it is said 2 Cor. 5. 6. Whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord Phil. 1. 23. I have a desire to depart and be with Christ 1 Joh. 4. 2. When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And plain enough is it that our Saviour speaks not of our Beholding his Glory whilst we are absent from him but when we are in the same place with him I will that they be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory And that really and personally there by a proper local removal hence as himself went thither For thus says he vers 11. I am no more in the World I come to thee Whereas then he prays that they that are his may be with him it is manifest he means that they might come to the Father as he did be removed from Earth into Heaven for the same says he of those that lay down their Lives for him Which must therefore needs mean their being with him in the other World so as to be glorified and receive eternal Life Chap. 12. 25. 26. He that hateth his Life in this World shall keep it unto Life eternal If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant be So says he to the Jews Chap. 7. 33. 34. Yet a little while I am with you and then I go unto him that sent me Ye shall seek me and shall not find me and where I am thither ye cannot come i. e. Ye cannot come unto God in Heaven
and dwell there with him and me or ye cannot be saved For thus says he again to them Chap. 8. 21. Ye shall Die in your Sins Whither I go ye cannot come So that you may as well say that the Saints on Earth see the Kingdom of Heaven i. e. are entred into it and are possessed of eternal Life which yet we are told they receive in the World to come Chap. 33. 5. 15. 16. Luk. 18. 30. as that they are where Christ is beholding his Glory whilst they remain likewise upon Earth For hear further what he says which will again shew you his mind Chap. 14. 2. 3. In my Father's house are many Mansions I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there you may be also Which is to be taken up into Heaven really at Christ's coming to judge the World when the Dead shall rise According as his Apostle speaks I Thes. 4. The Lord shall descend from Heaven and the Dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. You might also have observed a difference betwixt Christ's being with us in our hearts and our being with him in Heaven Which is as much as betwixt the Sun's being with us here below which is by its Beams and influences and our being with it above which cannot be without our local ascent I again desire the Reader to remember that these Men pretend to be Prophets and to Write by Inspiration and not to interpret nor so much as make use of Scripture but as the Holy Ghost leadeth and to judge all along as he readeth whether they have so done as knowing that that Spirit is not the Author of any falsity or folly and to remember withal that my present business is only concerning the Interpretations of Scripture which may be monstrously false and ridiculous though no error in Doctrine should be asserted As if I should say Mat. I. I. The Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ the Son of David The Book is the Soul of Man in which is written good or evil according to which every one shall be judged Here Jesus Christ is to be formed in the heart I Travel in Birth again till Christ be formed in you And he is truely the Son of David sits upon the Throne whose Kingdom is here within comes not with observation and hath no end And where he is thus begotten and formed and thus ruleth there he is Jesus which is by interpretation a Saviour Who I say can condemn this Doctrine But who reading what follows the words which I have thus descanted upon viz. The Son of Abraham Abraham begat Isaac The Birth of Jesus was on this wise when as his Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph c. Would not count me an idle Fellow and conclude that I have grossely erred and was in no wise assisted by the Holy Ghost to Interpret thus Or should I say The Son of Man shall come in the Glory of the Father and shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory and before him all Nations shall be gathered and he shall separate the Sheep from the Goats Now he is upon his Throne judging the World in his glory hath he appeared manifesting himself in great power to his Saints and the Sheep have heard his voice and follow him follow the Lamb that sitteth upon the Throne wheresoever he goeth the Righteous and Pure and Harmless are separated from the Goats the Unclean and Carnal Who I pray you could condemn me for error But I believe some that mind the Text Mat. 25. would think I had a little Madness a pure Fanatick Brain and was temerarious and ignorant they seeing it accompanied with these expressions Then shall the King say to them on his Right Hand come ye Blesled of my Father Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World And to them on his Left Hand Depart ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Im. Revel p. 77. And the other Apostles pointed at the same principle in the heart James saith Chap. 5. 9. Grudge not against one another Brethren lest ye be condemned Behold the Judge standeth before the Door Christ standeth by at the Door If ye grudge he will hearken the least motion of that nature and condemn it by his light which shineth in your Consciences But 1 How read you before vers 1. c. Go to now ye Rich Men Weep and Houl for your Miseries which shall come upon you Your Riches are Corrupted The Hire of the Labourers which have Reaped down your Fields which of you is kept back by Fraud Crieth and the Cries are entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabaoth Ye have Killed the Just. Be Patient therefore Bretheren unto the coming of the Lord. Stablish your Hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh What is more plain than as these Sins were committed the coming of the Lord meaneth to execute Judgment for the same As is expressed Weep for your Myseries which shall come upon you And is signified again by those other Words The Cries have entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabaoth Which is to say he hath heard and he will evenge Next follow the Words in debate Grudge not Brethren one against another lest ye be Condemned Behold the Judge standeth before the Door Which is the same as the coming of the Lord draweth nigh And that the whole context hath shewed us to be to Punish for Sin So that Lest you be Condemned must mean Lest you also be punished with these evil doers Which is quite another thing than to be Condemned by the Light in the Conscience 2 And indeed who can believe but that the Apostle deterrs them from Sin by a greater Argument than the Condemnation of the Light within them the Condemnation of their own Hearts the reproof of their Conscience As if he only said Grudge not one against another lest you be reproved by the Light of Christ in you Behold the Judge standeth before the Door and he will so reprove you Especially when he speaks of the coming of the Lord against Sinners after another manner than by conviction of their Consciences of a most dreadful time of Vengeance and that a peculiar time such an one as is not always whereas Christ's reproving by his Light within is common to all times Lest you should think because it is said Lest ye be Condemned conviction of mind must therefore be meant and not any external Punishment I observe to you that external punishment is frequently meant by the same Word As you find 1 Cor. 11. 32. 2 Pet. 3. 6. Mar. 16. 16. And of Christ's speedy coming to Judge or his being ready to execute punishment upon the Wicked which is the