others for plain Scripture and would suggest because doth proceed is mentioned instead of is sent that he himself is Unscriptural He omits to tell the World what it was G. F. made that Demand for viz. to prove Three Distinct and Separate Persons in the Godhead Now whether there is the same Reason for the one as for the other I leave to all sober Men to judge yea to our Adversary himself if he dare be just 9thly His last Socinian Objection to G. F's Citation and Application of Scripture is this That whereas the Scripture sayes For this End Christ both dyed and rose and revived that He might be Lord both of the Dead and Living He sayes That he might be God both of the Dead and Living Also where the Scripture sayes Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly G. F. has it Let the Word of God dwell richly in you By all which it is easie to observe how averse he is from allowing Christ the least share in an Eternal Divinity making it his Business to abstract from every Scripture that may in the least Favour such a thing and imperiously rant it over us in the abusivest termes as Impostor Lyar False Prophet Forger void of all Reason with abundance of the like Complexion the proper Language of Brutish Malice and not a True Disciple But let us answer to his Objection If Christ be God over all as saith the Apostle then why not God both of the Dead and of the Living as well as Lord both of the Dead and Living and likewise why not let the Word of God as well as let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly for if the Word of Christ be the Word of God and if God be the Lord and the Lord God then why not God in both places as well as Lord First I am well assur'd that God is called Judge of Quick and Dead and if so then because Christ is Lord of Quick and Dead Christ the Lord is God of both Quick and Dead unless there be more Lords of the Living and the Dead then the One Almighty God and Lord of Heaven and Earth Besides methinks this Critick might have consider'd that it is not expresly in the Greek that He might be Lord but that he might Raign over the Dead and the Living so saith the Arabick but the Aethiopick has it That he might judge both the Dead and the Living In short Christ is called both God Lord and Judge and since there is but one only True God Lord and Judge of right Christians we therefore believe Christ to be that only True God Lord and Judge of both Quick and Dead And here let me caution the Man of his eager Opposition to Christ's Divinity since supposing it should not be true there can be no Detraction and if it should prove true as he may one day know he will be guilty of robbing Christ of that for which he thought it no robbery himself to be equal with God that is to be the only true God Himself A Summary Consideration of such Scripture Citations as he trivially Objects against not so much about Matter of Doctrine as in Point of imperfect Quotation and Transposition of Words GEorge Fox in answer to a Priest thus Contrary to John's Doctrine and Christ's who saith The Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the World is the true Light that man through the Light might believe Our Adversary answers That it is through Him that is John Baptist Now granting it to be so yet John was no more Instrumental then as by the Light fitted to be so as Erasmus well said and others Whatsoever Light John had he received it from Christ the Fountain of Life So that still the Light was that Medium or Instrument Besides he does not positively charge G. F. with referring those words to that Verse and to be sure that is no Doctrinal Mistake since most true in it self Secondly His next Criticism is this whereas the Scripture runs thus For God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ He brings in G. F. citing it thus The Light which shined in their Hearts to give the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ Again Which was the Work of the true Apostles to bring People to the Light within that shined in their Hearts to give c. Again he sayes The Light that which gives the Knowledge But sayes he if he had recited it right it would then have appeared not only that God was the Giver but also that it is the Light of Knowledge and created for God caused Light to shine out of Darkness by creating it Gen. 1. 3 4. Thus far this impertinent Man To all which I say that first he obtrudes an arrant Lye upon our very Senses to say that G. F. has not rightly cited it for so much as he did cite For God caused the Light to shine where in their Hearts So sayes G. F. But for what to give of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ And doth not G. F. say the same Wretched Scribler How Idle how Frivolous and how very Troublesom is he with his Ridiculous Remarks Secondly that the Knowledge comes by the Light all but such Bats as himself must needs see For why did God give his outward Light if not to give external Sight and Discerning And to what purpose did He cause his Invisible Spiritual Light to shine if not to give an Internal Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ Besides God himself is Light He is that Great Supernatural Sun that shines throughout the Intellectual World offering unto Men the Knowledge of his Divine Glory and that in the Face of Jesus Christ This is our Message aâ— it was the true Messengers of Old And who talk of the Creation of this Light because it gives Knowledge may as well say God who was the Fountain of it was created too because He gives Knowledge I would have him give us one Scripture that therefore calls the Light created because it gives Divine Knowledge or if he can but one Reason who fools himself and would others with the Conceit that he is a great Master of it For what grosser Darkness can be then to assert the Creation of the hight upon that very Account for which we ought most truly to believe it Spiritual and Eternal But enough for this Thirdly G. F. saith But the Word is nigh thee in thy Heart Deut. 30. Moses saith our Adversary sayes But the Word is very nigh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that thou maystâ— do it Where observe that the only Difference lies in leaving out in his Mouth though it be imply'd for where it is in the Heart it will be in the Mouth But
Purposes afore-mentioned is the very Badge Condition and Mark of the New and Last Covenant 3. It seems to be the means under the Gospel by which God causes his Children to keep his Statutes c. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them To conclude to speak strictly If in the dayes of the second Covenant which began from Christ's visible Appearance God put his Spirit within his People as saith the Apostle to the Hebrews and that it was thereby he did and doth cause them to walk in his Statutes and keep his Judgments then God's Children are not without an Infallible Teacher and Leader in the Things that appertain to their Eternal Salvation But we plainly see and read from the very Letter of the Scriptures that God gives his Spirit or Light within to Judge Lead and Guide and consequently the opposit Doctrine is both false and very pernicious I might further argue thus That if God's Unerring Spirit only enables men to walk in his Statutes and keep his Judgments to do them then since all are required to walk therein none are exempted from a sufficient measure of that Vnerring Spirit in order to it Much might be argued hereon but this shall suffice Ninthly Joel 2. 28 29. And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie your Old Men shall dream Dreams your Young Men shall see Visions And also upon the Servants and upon the Hand-maids in those dayes will I pour out my Spirit That this is generally believed and frequently quoted as a Proof of Gospel-Times is well known to most who are inquisitive after Matters of Religion and how hard it bears upon the Anti-spiritual Opinion of our cavelling Adversary though very evident yet we shall further proceed to shew 1. Here is God's Royal Engagement to effuse or pour forth of his blessed Spirit in the dayes of the New Covenant 2. Here is on whom it is to be poured forth exprest in two words ALL FLESH in more words Young and Old Men and Women Masters Mistresses and Servants Mark the Universality of God's Mercy and Grace Now from hence I argue If God's Unerring Spirit be to be poured out on all under the New Covenant and that this is the time thereof then has God poured out of his Vnerring Spirit as aforesaid that the Spirit is to be poured out under the Administration of the Gospel the Text proves that this is the Time he himself confesses pag. 1 12 13 45. therefore the Conclusion is undeniable viz. That God has poured forth of his Holy and Unerring Spirit Again If the Spirit of God is that without which none can obtain Prophesie and Vision and that Prophesie and Vision are Christian-Church Gifts then since the Church of Christ is not to be without Prophesies and Vision to the End of the World it follows she cannot be without an infallible Spirit to the end of the World Or thus If without having the Spirit none can have Prophesie and Vision and that Prophesie and Vision are both to be and to continue in Christ's Church universally then it will naturally follow that she cannot be without that Vnerring Spirit and that such as are cannot in that state be Members of the true Church then consequently Hereticks as concerning the true Faith Tenthly Hag. 2. 5. According to the Word that I Covenanted with you when yee came out of Egypt so my Spirit remaineth among you fear not This place doth very emphatically prove my Assertion concerning the Judgship and Guidance of God's Spirit two things seem clear 1. That it was a part of God's Old Covenant to wit That his Spirit should remain amongst them 2. That the Spirit 's so remaining was to some eminent Service for said the Lord Fear not as much as to say don't faint in your Minds concerning the Work you have to do neither be ye filled with Doubts or Scruples who shall inform us who direct us or we want a Leader in this difficult matter some one to remove our Objections and Fears and to preside or be as Judge among us how to order and regulate us to the doing of the Service expected from us for thus saith the Lord My Spirit remains among you fear not He is sufficient for you He shall teach and counsel you repair to Him advise with him and you shall be supplied with all things necessary for you Don't rebel against my Good Spirit and you are safe it shall be well with you In short If it was a Condition of the Old Covenant That God should accompany his then Children with the Assistance and Presence of his good Spirit and accordingly he testified by his Prophet That his holy Spirit remained among them then much more reasonable it is to believe that the Presence of that Eternal Spirit should continually accompany his Children under the New and Last Testament The first part the Place proves the second is made good by the plain import of the following Prophetick verses where he saith I will shake all Nations and the Desire of all Nations shall come And I will fill this House with Glory and the Glory of this latter House shall be greater then of the former saith the Lord of Hosts How then can it possibly be That God's Evangelical House and Tabernacle should be a dry empty barren erronious man alwayes enquiring but never come to the infallible Knowledge of the only True God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent whom to know by the Revelation of the Eternal Spirit is Life Everlasting Nay who so great who so pernicious Enemies to the transcendent Glory of the latter House and Temple of God as the cavelling Anti-spiritual Men of our Age who are so angry with those that own a Conviction Faith and Worship grounded upon an Infallible Inspiration that their Rage leads them because they feel it not to the utter denying of any such things but I will assure them they shall yet grope in the dark till they come into the daily obedience of the Light and there rest contented to know only as they experience and not from a ravening comprehending Brain that would in its unregenerated state grasp at the clear Mysteries of the Kingdom into which fleshly Comprehensions and Notions can never enter but all must be as unlearned from their first Birth Education and traditional read Knowledge as he is unmanned that is again become a little Child before the Secrets of God's Work come to be made known therefore said our Lord Jesus Christ I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the Prudent and revealed them unto Babes Eleaventhly John 3. 5. Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God This most
things of God which all Natural Understanding can never fathom because they are Spiritually to be discerned Fifteenth 1 Cor. 6. 19. What Know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own The Apostle treating of the great nearness that every Believer stands in to the Lord and that Blessed Union which the Dispensation of the Gospel brings to by the putting away the Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit and the Answer of a good Conscience before God in winding up this subject he thus smartly and as if his Query were enough to clear up all that he had to say to them as to their Duty and his Exhortation What know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you From whence I draw this Argument If Believers be the Temple in which the Holy Ghost dwells as evidently speaks the Scripture then are they not left without an Infalible Spirit as Judge Rule and Guide to repair to but it is apparent to sence that the holy Ghost is by the Apostle affirmed to inhabit or take up his abode in believers therefore they must needs be attended with an iufallible Spirit and for what if not the End before-mentioned Sixteenth 1 Cor. 12 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be Bond or Free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit By which Divine Sence of the Apostle we cannot but allow that if they were both baptized by one Spirit into one Body and made to drink into the same Spirit that the Saints were not without an Infallible Spirit since such Baptizing and Drinking do emphatically imply the whole Work of the Spirit in their Regeneration and their daily Union with and intimate Enjoyment of it the whole course of their lives And certainly If by that Eternal Spirit they were baptized ito that one Body Christ It was as impossible for them as Members thereof to live without the Life Vertue and Spirit of Christ Jesus their Head as for any natural Body to live without the same Life Blood Heat and Motion which belongs to its Head And how this man can be esteemed a good Christian who would render Christ Jesus the Head of a Fallible Body by divesting Christians of an Infallible Spirit I leave to Persons of better Judgment more Honesty and greater Moderation then himself to judge Seventeenth 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open Face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. This whole Chapter is an admirable account of the Super-Excellency of the Gospel Administration of Life to that of the Law how far it did transcend it as to all spiritual Knowledge Priviledge and Enjoyment which I desire the Reader seriously to read as well as to consider what is offered from the Verse cited If a Christian's Change into God's Image from Glory to Glory be the Work of the Eternal Spirit in men it follows necessarily That Christians can no more be without the Discoveries Leadings and Orderings of God's Spirit then they can be his Children without his Image since whatever they think say or do in reference to Religion should bear a near Relation to that resemblance of God which above all things they ought to act correspondently with but we see how very expresly and profoundly the Apostle describes the exceeding Blessedness of the New Covenant namely A being changed into the Image of God from Glory to Glory not by our own Notions or Comprehensions from the strength of our natural Reason or any Book without us but by the Spirit of the Lord operating in us therefore God's Children are not without an infallible Spirit unless he should deny God's Spirit to be such which methinks I cannot believe him to do Gal. 3. 3. Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the Flesh If Christians are both to begin and end in the Spirit or if a Christian throughout the whole course of his Life from the first step or measure to the fulness and perfection of his stature is to be informed regulated and guided by the infallible Spirit of God as the Apostle's Reproof of the Galatians for their declining to be ordered thereby evidently proves then Christians ought to begin and end in the Strength Knowledge Wisdom and Guidance of an Infallible Spirit aud consequently that Doctrine which denies such an Unerring Spirit to be the Judge Rule and Guide of Christians is Antichristian Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts If God sends forth his Spirit into the Hearts of his Children then are they not without an Infallible Spirit but the express Letter of the Scripture affirms it and consequently our Adversary's Reflection upon us for making it part of our Belief is unsound and condemnable Gal. 5. 16 18. This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the Lust of the Flesh They that walk by the Spirit must first have it and next be led by it but the Apostle exhorted the Church so to walk therefore the Church had and Christians have the Spirit and should walk in or by it that is according to the Motions Leadings and Rule of â—it Eph. 1. 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Him If the Heavenly Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of God be through the Spirit then as without Revelation there is no Knowledge of God so without the Spirit there is no divine Wisdom and Revelation And if the Church was attended with that Wisdom and Revelation then with that Spirit from whence they came and consequently Christ's Church is not without that Eternal Vnerring Spirit as saith the Apostle in the 5th Chapter Be not Drunk with Wine wherein is Excess but be filled with the Spirit which signifies the Apostles mind to be quite another thing from the Judgment of our Adversary who thinks All men ought to be empty of it esteeming such as are filled therewith as the Jews did Paul Drunk with New Wine 1 Thes 15 19. Quench not the Spirit If those could not quench the Spirit who had it not then those to whom he gave that Caution had the Spirit consequently the Primitive Churches were not without an Vnerring Spirit because they were not without the Spirit of God which is Unerring 1 John 2. 27. But the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and is no Lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him If the Judge of Truth
new Men after his own Image in which sense the Image of Christ is by him renewed and created in right Believers and they made new Creatures by bearing his Image His next Perversion of Scripture is that in John which he saith G. F. often useth and alwayes abuseth as he remembers I doubt his Memory much but let 's hear it And now O Father Glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was Thus the Scripture but G. F. thus Christ who was Glorified with the Father before the World began On which read his Comment You will say perhaps his words and Christ's are the same in sense but doth God give G. F. his Infallible Spirit to correct his Son Christ's words Sottish Ignorance and Enmity with a witness What Is every Variation of a Word or Syllable a Wrong done to the Meaning of Scripture And did ever Christ his Apostles or any sober Man living chide or reprove a Person if through Defect of Memory or for Brevity or in a way of Paraphrase he did leave out or put in or change a Word not in the least perverting the Sense so uncharitable a Person I know not ever to have heard of fitter to be severely reproved then answer'd and to whom Silence had been the best Confutation had it not been more for the sake of others then his To dare to conclude a Man a Lyar Imposter False-Prophet and I know not what more because he expresses the same matter with a small Variation in the Words But I shall say more of this else-where He proceeds Nay doth not G. F. take his Phrase in a Divers Sense from what Christ intended by his for sayes He it is manifest that Jesus prayed now to be glorified with the Glory wherewith He was not then glorified but God was glorious before the World was therefore Jesus intends by the Glory He had with the Father before the World was the Glory He had given him in Decree before the world was The Clinch is Foolish and his Consequence False and pernicious For what if Christ was not then glorified must it therefore follow that He was not in being much less glorified before the World was Can He be so great a Stranger to the Apostles Doctrine delivered in his Epistle to the Philippians where we find him first Equal with God as being in his very Form or Essence next making Himself of no Reputation then appearing in the Fashion or Likeness of Men and lastly that He humbled Himself and became Obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross which shews that he was in an exalted and glorified Estate before He humbled Himself else how was He humbled And it is peece of Sacriledge and Ingratitude I almost tremble to think on that because He was pleased to descend in the Likeness of men in order to the Salvation of Mankind in which Our Adversary may also have his share if He unfeignedly repent he should unworthily robb Him of all Pre-existence in the Form of God whilst He Himself thought it no Robbery to be Equal with God So that though in his humbled Estate and Fashion of a Man He could not properly be said to be glorified and therefore prayed to be so yet it is no right Consequence that therefore He never was before For that would be to say because an Earthly Prince may for a certain time debase himself and take upon him the Condition of an Inferior Person for some great Benefit that He thereby designes to do his Country if after having effected it He desires to be received again into that Glory and Splendor he enjoyed before that therefore he never had any before only in Decree If this would be both False and absurd the other is much more This is the great Mystery of the Socinians indeed the Rock on which they split they do not distinguish betwixt the Form of God and Likeness of Men that which came into the World to do the Will of God and the Body He took in which to perform it Nor does this Scripture at all make for his Opinion for Jesus was not yet Glorified since it might as well have been said He has not yet dyed the Death of the Cross neither is Risen and Ascended which was the Period of that state unto which He had from the Form of God Humbled Himself even to the being of no Reputation which he thus expresseth himself I have Glorified thee on Earth I have finished the Work thou gavest me to do And in another place thus I came forth from the Father and am come into the World Again I leave the World and go to the Father where is the same Reason that we should believe he was with the Father before he came into the World as that he did come into the World and afterwards go to the Father again else why is it again going to the Father But now let me ask him if he can be so brazen'd as to think that God allows him not only to correct his Son Christ's words but the very substance of his Prayer Was it so great a Crime in his account for G. F. to say who was Glorified before the World began instead of Glorifie thou me with thy own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was And is it no wayes reprovable in him instead of the last clause to turn it thus Glorifie thou me â—â—th thy own self with the Glory which I had with thee not actually but in degree only before the World began That ever any man should undertake to Correct others in that which doth not deserve it whilst the Beam is in his own Eye and is himself most guilty My Soul blesseth God that our Religion is above these slight Shifts and pittiful starting Holes I would tâ—ll the man in his own words of us though more seriously That he whom G. F. and all of us call Christ by way of Excellency was in the Sense aforementioned glorified before the World began and if what he calls Christ was not it is to us a Proof that he was not that True Christ which both appeared to the Fathers of old for the Rock followed them and that Rock was Christ and in the fashion of a Man in these latter Times humbling himself to the Death of the Cross Thus much in the clearing of this place 3dly He is very angry with G. F. that he makes Christ speak these words by the Prophet Amos Behold I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed with Sheaves which sayes he belongs to the Lord or Jehovah Grant it Does it not therefore belong unto Christ who is God over all Blessed forever that said Before Abraham was I am But he gives us no reason to the contrary and till he does let this suffice That as Christ has been a Lamb slain through Sin and Iniquity so also has he been
pressed thereby as a Cart is with Sheaves and that since the Foundation of the World 4thly He quotes G. F. thus The Promise is to the Seed the Seed is Christ and Christ is all and in all To which he sayes The Apostle has it thus And when all things shall be subdued unto Him then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him that God not Christ may be all in all He could not have doâ—â— greater Injury to the Holy Spirit 's words then to put Christ for God It will not be hard to clear this Mistake in our Adversary and that to his great Shame For who will think him fit to mannage Controversies that is ignorant in the very letter of the Scripture It is evident that he denies Christ to be all and in all and that G. F's so asserting him to be is the Cause of his Cavil at him Now hear what the Apostle sayes in the matter Col. 3. 11. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision nor Vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond nor Free but Christ is All and in All And if Christ be All and in All and he that is All and in All be the True and Living God then because Christ is All and in All Christ is the true and Living God Now who has done the Injury G. F. to the Holy Writ or this obstinate and peevish Adversary to Christ Jesus the only Lord of Glory 5thly His next Socinian Clash at G. F's Citation of Scripture is in the same Page with the former and it is at his saying God is the Word instead of the Word was God adding That though the Word was made Flesh or was Flesh yet no considerate man will say that Flesh is the Word A great deal of do for fear Christ should be God but from this notable Distinction of his we are not without a Relief If the Word was God and the Word be God then God must needs be the Word that is If he that is called God be the same Being with him that is called the Word then God may as well be called the Word as the Word may be called God for instance If Christ and Jesus agree equally to one and the same Being what is the difference betwixt saying Jesus was Christ or Christ was Jesus Certainly we may justly say of him what he in a way of Reflection sayes of G. F. Methinks he is more Nice then Wise And for his Instance about the Word 's being made Flesh that is sayes he was Flesh I deny his Paraphrase for it is neither properly to be read was made Flesh nor was Flesh but rather The Word took Flesh and pitcht his Tent or Tabernacle in us Thus Clarius and almost all agree It to import a more Spiritual signification so Erasmus and Grotius especially and for the Ancients they were positive Ireneus Justinus Tertullianus Origen c. but above the rest Tertullian adv Praxeam but this is not so very material to the Point However if the very Word had become very Flesh I mean visible to Carnal Eyes it would not be inconsiderate in any man to say then Flesh is or was the Word and if our Adversary understood himself he would perceive that there would be only a Transposition of words and no material Alteration For that which is now Flesh or as the Hebrews have it Man is the Word as that which is God is also the Word But enough for this only we may observe by the way that the Man is not so hearty an Enemy to Transubstantiation as he would have us believe pag. 44. who can think the Word was properly made Flesh 6thly His Objection against G. F. for joyning Christ with God saying His Father and He are greater then all is Irreverent and Frivolous For who dares deny it and what abuse is it to Scripture Sure I am his saying so and that without any Reason shews him to be a man of Unreasonable Confidence 7thly He is angry that when G. F. mentions this Passage To whom every Knee must bow and Tongue confess to the Glory of God that he adds not Father I could not have believed that any man who loves Seriousness should bestow his Time so idlely Is this the earnest and deep Study â—e talkt of by which he hopes to obtain Divine Knowledge But sayes he Why did he not add the term Father to God nor insert that Jesus Christ is Lord But the truth of this Scripture consists not with their Doctrine that the Father and Son are one I confess it is somewhat hard to understand what he would be at but let it suffice that he who is called God is called Lord above an Hundred times therefore one to which Christ Himself bears Record I and my Father are one my Father worketh hitherto and I work for whatsoever things he doth those doth the Son To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon His Shoulders and his Name shall be called Wonderful Councellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace the same Power Spirit Light Life Wisdom and Being forever 8thly His next Antichristian Cavil is at G. F's making the Holy Spirit as well to proceed from the Son as from the Father The Scripture runeth thus But when the Comforter is come the Spirit of Truth whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceeds from the Father He shall testifie of Me But sayes he according to G. F. thus Christ is in the Father and the Father in Him and He will send them the Comforter that proceeds from the Father and the Son and for this quotes an Epistle writ by G. F. and J. S. and prefixt to G. W's Book of the Divinity of Christ It is past my skill to understand the Difference unless it be this That the Spirit he makes to proceed as well from the Son as from the Father and so it doth if I understand Scripture for the place it self saith it But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father which shews that not only God but Christ also sends forth the Holy Spirit into the Faithful Also But if I depart I will send Him unto you He shall not speak of Himself but whatsoever He shall hear He shall glorifie me and shall shew it unto you And when he had said this Peace be unto you my Father hath sent me even so send I you He breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost In short If the Holy Spirit be sent by Christ and received of Christ and is breathed on His by Christ then the Spirit must needs proceed or come from Christ and consequently what G. F. said is sound and Scriptural and our Adversary's Clamours are Vain and Envious For whilst he quotes G. F's calling upon Vincent Danson and
Reader dost thou not think this a New Way of proving a Man an Impostor Lyar False Prophet and what not But I dare tell him that he will not grow over-Rich with the Spoils he is like to gain by such Conquests though his Fancy be strong which is the Disease that follows him Fourthly However he is resolved to proceed that what each Cavil wants of Strength in it self shall be supply'd by the lâ—â—d Suffrage of their Number G. F. sayes And the Angel said unto them that went to the Grave without Why seek ye the Living among the Dead He is risen which our Adversary corrects thus Now the Angels words runs thus Why seek ye the Living among the Dead He is not here but is risen So G. F. leaves out He is not here out of the middle of the Citation for that would have overthrown his Opinion of Christ within I still intreat the Reader to observe what Slight Grounds he hath to build his infamous Charge upon But what will not Envy do but he greatly errs if he thinks that the putting in or leaving out of those Words doth overthrow our Hearty Belief of Christ's manifesting of Himself within For what if the Angel chiefly intended the Resurrection of that Visible Body which was slain a few dayes before will it therefore follow that the place may not also be very aptly used to express the Mystical Resurrection of the Divine Life which for many Ages hath as well by Jews as Pilates Circumcision as Vncircumcision Professors as Prophane been crucified laid as in a Grave and a Stone rowl'd over it yea and guarded too by Bands of Souldiers lest that which is so destructive of the Pride Glory Pleasures and Religions of this World should rise again to testifie against them all which has been the Cause why Truth hath ever met with rugged entertainment from the men of the World 〈◊〉 it is evident that the Angel's Reproof imply'd an Instruâ—â—â—n of them concerning what Faith they ought to have had in the Promise of his Resurrection which did direct them to an inward Power whereby they might have had a more Heavenly Sense of a Resurrection and Life in themselves far more beneficial to them then coming thither in an affectionate haste after his Visible Appearance which it was expedient for them that it should be with-drawn Fifthly G. F. He is risen and the Saints sits with Him in Heavenly Places Our Adversary we must take no notice of the Failure in Syntax for that 's frequent Now Paul sayes Ephes 2. 6. And made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Now there may be a different Sense of Sitting with Christ and Sitting in Him For the People of a State may be said to sit in their Ambassadour when he is seated but scarcely with him I answer First he wrongs G. F. in saying he has abused the Scripture by putting with for in since there is no Difference at all in what he would Fantastically have to be one for if the People are in the Ambassadour and the Ambassadour sit then the People sit or I don't understand Words for who can the Ambassadour represent but the People If then the Ambassadour sits certainly the People sit representatively Now though the Similitude be lame yet it plainly refutes him as to the use for which he brought it I conclude therefore that such as sit in the Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus can't be said to stand with Him if He be there seated and consequently they sit with him suitable to that expression of his Ye are they which have continued with me in my Temptations and I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father has appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Secondly He tells us a plain Lye for finding Fault with G. F's Syntax viz. Sits for Sit sayes he that he must take no notice of that which at the same time he flings in his Dish and almost continually 〈◊〉 with such Disdain of him as if he were the only Master of 〈◊〉 â—â—ntences Doctor of the Chair or Grand Critick of the Age who to speak Truth shews himself a Shollar much at the same Rate and by the same Figure that Pedlars are call'd Merchants Sixthly But now he thinks he has enough against G. F. and manages it not with a little Triumph And so to the Word Christ Jesus Him by whom the World was made before it was made This he thinks stabs our Cause to the very Heart and proves that good Man an Impostor Lyar False Prophet Deceitful Chapman and what else you will without controle But let not his frothy Spirit boast so much saying he despairs of Information c. since if so iâ— was foolishly done of him to solicit for an Answer and would not have been much wiser in us to have gratified him if a Benefit to others had not invited us to it But is there no allowance to be had for Curt Expressions Escapes of the Pen Oversight in Compositors and Errors in the Press Doth he deal candidly or as he would be dealt by But suppose the worst that may be for we would not indebt our selves to his Favour can we make no Sense of it Suppose a Comma at the first made and read it thus Christ Jesus Him by whom the World was made before it was made where and being understood explaineth the Sense was maketh it more clear And how frequent are such Words nay of more moment left to be understood Read the Scriptures and how many Words are there that have none in the Original and read but the other Words once without them and G. F's Expression will not seem absurd or paradoxal Besides it is allow'd by all if the Transposing of the Words will make out the Sense intended that it removes of right the Exception Now read the Words thus And so to the Word Christ Jesus before the World was made Him by whom it was made and then let our Adversary quarrel his fill However we have one Way of reading these Words yet and that by Figure he hath taught us viz. Christ Jesus Him by whom the World was made in Decree before it was actually made for so he sayes Christ had of his Fathers Glory before the World began not actually but by Decree only which if it seem Ridiculous I hope he may have a better understanding both of himself and the place But to proceed Seventhly G. F. answering a Priest that denies Conscience can justifie sayes which is contrary to plain Scripture where the Apostle saith their Consciences either accusing or excusing But hear our peevish Adversary who would think that G. F. should have either so little Wit or Conscience as to write in this manner For the Scripture words are these their Consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another The
True Vnfeigned Repentance nor Living Faith by which to overcome the World and to live unspotted in it walking with God till the time of Dissolution comes Oâ— this is the Life of Christians indeed and Blessed are they forever who having found that Living Holy Light and Power abide with it certainly it will never fail them in any Time of Streight or Hour of Temptation but will alwayes reveal it self to their Defence and Protection as their Minds are circumspectly eyeing the same though whole Armies should besiege them both within and without to their utter Ruin and Destruction This is that Foundation which can never be moved and that durable Rock which the Gates of Hell could never shake nor prevail against them that built thereon in any Age for which the Holy Host of Heaven and we on Earth Magnifie the Name of God and return and ascribe to Him by Jesus Christ all Honour Glory Praise Wisdom Power Strength Majesty and Dominion who alone is worthy now and forever THus in the Fear of God and in a measure of good Understanding which I have received from him have I gone through what I promised in the beginning do believe the Lord will make my Labour effectual to the vindication of his Righteous Truth and Servants in the hearts of many which is the alone Mark I have in my Eye and not to gratifie their desire or as esteeming my self though they do the single man that was best able to encounter them which though fawning enough cannot but manifest the contradiction of that Person from whom it came who a little after that creeping Invitation to answer him sayes That if I do he shall ever after have a better opinion of the Popish Writers that defend Transubstantiation implying That I should be the absurdest of men by how much there is not a more ridiculous Position in any Religion then that but this Absurdity and Abuse I return upon himself since no such Writer could spend his time more unprofitably then our Adversary in his trivial Objections against G. F. and perhaps scarce so scurrcously I forgive him his small Essays at me for they pinch me not only I will tell him that the Eighteen pence Apology he would seem to lash both me and G. W. for contains that Truth Reason and Evidence as are not refutable by a greater man then himself and will stand over the Heads of those pee vish perverse Spirits concerned in it for ever And for the Excuse he makes why he seruples to tell us who he is I have already Answered it and therefore need not reiterate the same things only one Passage may be further considered and that is where he sayes If you had my name it must be considered what Party I am of whether Episcopal Presbyterian Independant c. and accordingly all that is odious either in the Doctrine or Practice of the whole Party or any Particular Person thereof must be reckoned up against me or if I should chance to be an old man as your Adversary Jenner that would help to render me doting at every turn or if I have been a Brasier or a Taylor the World must be told my name with Tinker and Taylor at the end on 't and if this won't do you have a way of suggesting as G. Whitehead against Mr Danson that he was given to Gaming Bowls and Nine-Pins and if it prove false you may come off as he by saying you did but query c. To all which I say First That he horribly belyes us for we never charged the Infirmities of a single Person farther then upon that guilty Person unless he were connived at or justified in his Wickedness by any whole Party I charge him to give us one Instance to prove his Reflection Secondly We know him to be neither Episcopal Presbyterian nor Independant but a Vizarded Socinian either ashamed or afraid of his Profession Thirdly In the worst sence he is an old man for Malice Slander Pride and Enmity reign in him the nature of the Old Man that is Accurst and if he be otherwise Young he is so much the more blameable that he should dote before he is old Fourthly We never told the World mens Trades in a way of Detraction or Reproach our Souls abhor it it is well known what we are our selves not of the great Tribes of the Earth and therefore ought the less to dispise others for being Mechanicks whilst we are mostly such our Selves though were we what we are not It were a token of Pride and Incivility as the other would be of Insolency to disdain either Poverty or Labour It may be indeed that the Trade of some man may more generally denote him then his Name because there may be many of the same Name but not of the same Calling as many Bunnions but not many Bunnions that are Tinkers and being generally so stiled not in reproach that we know of since that title neither adds nor diminishes but in a way of distinction perhaps we may have so distinguished him but certainly if our Adversary were either of an honest Calling or sought not after a reputation in the World above it he need not be ashamed of telling us who he is Lastly his base Suggestion of G. W. is manifest for who knows not that the Priests give themselves the Liberty of more then that what Game almost do they scruple to play at But indeed their religious Game they are most constant and expert in which they get most by for in other Sports they sometimes lose but in that Game they alwales win the poor People are the Losers And if G. W. to detect the Priest since others gave themselves that lose did therefore make that Query must it therefore be taken for granted that he concluded him such Would this malicious Adversary be so served in every Query that may be put by him But I appeal to all the reasonable men that shall ever read us if his apprehension of our calumniating him be a Good reason for him to refuse us his name â— whilst he takes his whole fill in abusing of us and that by name too thereby condemning that in others by way of anticipation which he is actually guilty of himself Well but the holy and just God will certainly one day avenge our Innocency upon the head of this malicious Slanderer and all such as wilfully take part with him to traduce it unto whom we recommend our selves in all our endeaours for the promotion of his holy Truth being freely resigned to do his Will in our Generation knowing that he is a plentifull Rewarder of those that truly fear him though the time hastens that he will also take vengance upon the Ungodly and I doubt not but in that day our Adversary will wish he had as well concealed his Book as his Name Postscript I Am to advise the Man if he intends any farther Controversie with us That he should not lose his time nor